The Democratic advocate., 1907-08-23
Select Stnrp.
TRAPPED BY THE YUKON.
BY LAURENCE J. YATES.

When our cousin, Anson Marshall, came
back from Dawson in the summer of 1906,
after several years spent in seeking his
fortune in the northern goldields, we took
the privilege Of relatives to ask personal
questions; and, naturally, about the first
| was in regard to the amount of the famous
Klondike's yellow gold he had brought
home with him. But he was so plainly
reluctant to reply that we agreed to drop
the subject if he could tell us some enter
tanning stories of his adventures in the
northland. He was glad of chance to
get off so easily, and he said that he had
had one experience which he thought might
be of interest to us.
"Only one,'' somebody cried, "and six
years in the Klondike!'
"Only one,' he echoed, smiling, ''and
that one one was sufficient-for me. He
paused Just a moment, while serious ex-
preston settled upon his weather-beaten
face, then continued:
cit happened last January, just after |
had decided to come home by the first
steamer down the Yukon in the spring.
We had not yet had the seasons usual in
tense cold. The river remained open in
many of its swift reaches; in others the ice
ran down and jammed upon the fields be-
low, and whenever possible the traders
were taking advantage of this abnormal
state of affairs to transport heavy freight
by the bateau instead of the sledge.
'Thus, when my partner, Jim Burton,
big, silent Yankee from Maine, and | had
occasion to go down to Eagle City to com
plete the transfer of some mining property
to man at that place, we found an op-
portunity to take passage for portion Of
the distance with two half breed voyageurs,
Louis Labarge and Felix Campau, who
had commission to attempt to run ba-
teau-load of provisions down to camp Of
wood cutters at work in the vicinity OF
Fort Cudahy.
II think that it was on the third of the
month that we started from Dawson. The
mercury was dropping rapidly, the ice
mush in the open current was thickening;
but all went smoothly for many miles. We
did not row; we let the bateau drift with
ice filed water, merely taking pains to
guide the rather clumsy craft, with oars
fitted to each end, wherever the current
ran swiftest.
'Though we expected at every turn OF
the river to come upon an ice-j jam, which
would make us drag the cargo and bateau
round on the two sledges the river men had
brought for the purpose, it was not until
we were within three miles of the narrows
at Cliff Creek that we found the main
channel obstructed to any great extent.
Here masses of great heaped-up blocks OF
ice began to reach out from each shore,
and gradually confne the current to much
narrower limits. A mile farther down,
these unbroken ice walls, from fifteen to
twenty feet in height, p!nched together
until only slender lane of racing water
showed between.
"It was evident that an immense jam
had formed here some days before, and the
press of accumulated water becoming tre-
mendous, a weak spot in the center had
finally given away. We congratulated
ourselves that the break had occurred, and
without suspecting the least danger, al
lowed the bateau to float on down the
uuickening current between the closing
walls. 1t never entered our heads that
the swiftly running water could do other
wise than shortly sweep us clear OF the
broken lam. The ice-walls on each side
were grounded on the river bed; the whole
current of the river was rushing down this
open lane, and we reasoned that it must
come out to the width of its normal chan
mel again not so very far below. There
were not enough cakes of heavy ice In the
water to offer any menace to the we'll
built bateau.
GAS the Jagged walls of ice converged
together the imprisoned current raced on
faster and faster. 1t was not long before
the gray-green water was running like a
mill race. We realized now that the river
had us within its relentless powers; it could
do with us as it willed.
s'The little, old, frost -pinched voyageur,
Felix Campau standing at the rear of the
bateau, laughed cracked and mirthless
laugh, and said, Il wish it jam all way
to Woodcutters' camp. We go there vera
quick then. Phish! This water, it run
fast like the caribou.
| HBut I did not agree with Felix in
hoping that the jam should be far extended
There was bend in this ice-canon three
hundred yards ahead, and as we shot on
down toward it became possessed with
feeling that we we're rushing headlong into
an unseen and deadly peril.
"Aud this feeling clung. Soon | fan
cied that I heard low, grinding, ominous
sound swell out suddenly above the hashed,
kissing cadence flung up into the still all
Of the north by the rush of the current.
"sWhat is that?' I cried out, in alarm.
The others had not heard anything; nor
could I again, though I strained my ears
until they ached.
"On we swept round the abrupt turn in
this hundred foot lane Of dashing- water,
| and then simultaneous cry rang out from
all our lips. A straight half mile below
the two walls of ice met--the canon ended
in v-shaped point against stupendous
pyramid of ice-blocks! A rumble OF water
and the sound of the grinding together OF
broken masses of ice were now distinctly
audible We two white men could not
believe that we saw Alright.
"sAnother turnr exclaimed Burton.
There must be! l gasped.
"'No; no breakr cried Louis Labarge'
sTbe river, he He lapsed into his
native patois, and crossed himself
uI did not know what to think now. L
saw Burton shoot glance first to one end
then to the other Of the rough walls that
hemmed us in. Then started outcry OF
human voices from the top of the tall wall
| o,xoptx uords down draw