The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-04-23

the PafSnlp 70 Fort Mcleod. and here
we bought supplies for a few more
days, which carried us 10 Fort Graham
on the Finlay river, $50 miles north o.
Fort Mcleod We lad been gone for
ty-fiye days from Ashcroft and in that
country they told us we had made a re
marlably quick trip. We had seen
only few Indians and for the last 15C
miles had not seen single human be
ing. Strange to say, too, we had seen
no game"
Buy Supplies for Year.
AT Fort Graham, the last outpost Of
civilization. the travellers bought sup
plies for year. Billy Fox, the posi-
trader. loaned them another dog and
they also added two toboggans to theil
equipment. Toboggans run more cas-
lily at first over the unbroken snow
than sledges. One Of the two sledges
was left behind at this point.
The supplies purchased consisted 81
flour al s24 hundred. sugar at 4C
cents a pound, dried fruits at Is cents
pound. beans, rice, oatmeal, tea, to-
bacco, salt and ammunition. Canned
goods were TOO bulky to carry, and
among the other ordinary staples left
out we're condensed milk, butter and
coffee. Tobacco is regarded as one
Of the necessities for travel in that
country. Coffee is considered toe
bulky and tea also possesses the ad-
vantage OF being easily made.
All of the provisions we're packed in
heavy canvas sacks to avoid snagging,
the whole weighing about 500 pounds
This amount Of freight could not be
carried with their transportation ont
fit and for the rest Of the trip It was
necessary to relay. With half of the
load the party would go forward as far
as practicable and convenient, unload
and make camp, and then return for
the other half, thus going over the en-
tire distance three times. Frequently
it was necessary to go ahead on snow
shoes and break the path for the tobog-
gans and sledge. thus further increas-
ing the amount of travel.
Leaving Fort Graham, each IN
charge OF a dog team, the party travel
ed along the Finlay river nearly to
Long Canyon. distance. perhaps 100
miles. and then took the Moody trail
up Fox river to sifton Pass. From
this point they travelled down Muddy
river, headwaters Of the Lizard, another
Arctic stream, and by This time spring
had come
The snow was disappearing, the
country becoming dry and the days
we're lengthening. The snow shoes,
siedges and toboggans we're abandoned
and in May the party halted long
enough to build a canoe with which
10 navigate the river. Perry was
something of genius in this kind OF
work" says Mr.. Jarboe, and within
five days after we felIed the tree we
launched our vessel in the river. II
was followed out OF big green bal
sam or cottonwood tree and was S2 feet
long. At first 1t was only II inches
wide inside measure but we put hot
water and stones into it. thus expand
ing il to % inches. That is the pro
cess used by the Indians in making
their canoes"
In the Canoe
The river was full Of floating ice
and SO small at times that we had to
wade in the cold water up TO
our waists. pushing the canoe before
us. Besides the floating ice, there
was also the anchor Ice which is found
in all northern streams. 1t forms on
the rocks and clings to the bed Of the
stream long after the surface Ice has
melted We waded two or three days,
pulling and pushing the boat, often
digging out channel and then the
river began to widen. the anchor ice
gradually disappeared and soon we
we're enjoying fine sailing. On both
sides Of MS little way back from the
stream rose mountains, their sides COW
cred with spruce, black pine and birch,
and game began to show up. We stu
had to relay, and we made frequent
stops. camping and hunting We kill-
ed two caribou and 4 moose and we
we're enjoying the fresh meat. The
meat which we couldn't use at the time
we would hang up before the fire, dry
and smoke It and add TO our stores.
No we didn't feed the dogs meat but
la