The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-08-20
LOST IN THE ARCTIC.
Gold Seeker Had Thrilling Esperi.o..
in the Land Of the Midnioht Sun

Charles l.. Smith. train dispafeh.r
who was caught by the "KlondiLs
fever ten years ago and was LOST /.
the great Unknown North
Making his way alone through ana
beyond the valley OF the Macken,ls
River in TO the arctic circle. he sper,
years In the land which has hither,o
been known only in the imaginafion
He has returned with a knouleiga
which will be eagerly grasped an nv
scientists and geographers and which
Will furnish abundant matter for an
Intelligent study OF conditions obtain.
ing in the farthest North.
Most important Of the wanderers
discoveries is. perhaps, a vast field -
copper ore stretching COO miles or
more beyond Great Slave Lake reach.
ing TO the shores OF Great Bear Lake
Ore In this field declares Smith ain
assay from so TO 90 per cent Bsnks
Of a small river which flows through
this belt are for a height of eight or
ten feet. literally formed OF almost
pure copper according TO The ex.
plorer.
Where the river empties into the
AN.
for many miles out are formed IN con.
per ore. washed into the ocean hy ,he
stream. At Fl. Norman. far south u
the ore belt and many miles east. the
compass needle points forty miles
miles west OF true north. Z he appar.
ent phenomenon has long been puz.
cling TO scientists. The diversion n
the needle is now accounted f0r bv
Smith in the presence Of the copper
belt which. no doubt. acts as mag.
net powerful enough al that distance
10 divert the compass needle
The resources OF the great field o.
copper ore in dollars and cents Smith
does not attempt to compute Tha, it
reaches far into almost impossible
millions goes without saving
Thinking 10 reach the Kllniiks
fields by "A land route not taken hy
other parties. Smith touched at I'd
monitor. a small town in the province
Of Alberta. in Western Canada From
here he Travelled 100 miles bs stage
TO Athabasca Landing Here h. chose
70 reach the Arctic Ocean by means
Of the Athabasca River. and down his
he travelled in a nineteen-foot boar
Losing his bearings. he crossed
Great Slave Lake. POO miles down lie
river. into Great Slave River and
eventually into the untravcled land ad.
iacent 10 the Mackenzie River
In the valley Of the Mackenzie be-
was lost. lie was unarmcd alone and
what was his greatest hardship Y AZ
out OF tobacco. On the northern
side of Lake Athahasca. far into the
Arctic Circle. field OF iron ore
greater even than that bordering Lake
Superior. was discovered Ber0rl
this is a field Of silver and ltal rr0
assaving 50 per cent lead and ounces
Of silver to the ton.
After spending some time in roam
ing about these fields. Smith found
himself back in the land of The Cree
Indians and the neighborho0a 81 tle
Grand Rapids. Here the fall Of 'hs
river is so feet TO the half mile The
Indians speed down the river in their
canoes at the rate of forty miles an
hour Near are iron. coal and l.me
stone fields which hold vast fortunes
to those who can find the WAY go take
advantage of them.
Many Of the Indians never saw
common houseny until tha white man
in the territory brought the fy into
the land. In July the bulldog iy re-
semhiing the horseny inyadcs ihs
country. but a large bus ancars 10
August and devours this insect
Mosquitoes are found in abundance
Smith said that five minutes after one
had gone into the forest the hald was
the colcr Of blood
The Indians use The dog as ne
means Of transportation. A ride on
a sleigh drawn by four dogs and eo
ing at the rate Of 50 or 30 miles
day sounds very inviting 20 ihe aver
ace American. but when the pracu'
cal. real experielce is revealed u loses
some Of it's attractiyeness Mr. Smiih
gives n vivid description Of such
ride. First. the food for the dogs
packed. They live on fish. four doss
eating 10 a day. Then orr own ioo1
is packed and the u'en-Iis h-ahhe.S'
extra clothing. etc. When All Is IN w
find that there is a good 400 pounis
and this Is the limit OF our dogs atl
lity 10 drawn. We must he content
70 follow behind on snowshots ara
il we cover twenty or thirty miles lh
one day we are doing fine oii'h-
tines the dogs give ont and We are
compelled 10 leave them behind ~
either starve or be picked mp 10y nc
Indians. have slept out Ia The open
without fear. only the trees and hlAe
sky above. when the 'hermometeI
registered CO degrees below zero ana
my only covering was tyo pairs 0l
BLANK cts"
The Indians Of the Land OF me N.l.
night sum live. as we Am"rirt
would term 1t. from hand 70 NOUN
The head Of the family Starts or WIN
his gun aad his squaw and pappons.
follow on behind with dog sleisn.
wherever he kills a moose there .
his new home and the whole iamlls
feasts and make merry until thefo'l
supply gives out and then 1t is uiHe
TO move once more.
Smith finally found his way 20 W.
Arctic Ocean, and there his journe.
home began. He probably viii ~
sent back nv an exploration COMPANY
and looks forward eagerly 70 the mp.
Denver Post.
The biggest nuisance is the man