Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-25
WAS A PIONEER EXPLORER
Has Covered 5000 Miles on Foot
in His Trips Through Country.
GREAT FRIEND OF INDIANS
His Researches Have Resulted in
Many Valuable Discoveries-Still
Takes 13-Mile Constitutional.

end Of the Fort Lee ferry connecting
with New York has awakened the curl
osity Of dwellers in the vicinity
The appearance of the man is decidedly
wild west and the YOUNGSTERS near
the ferry who are astir at about Z o'clock
mornings have had visions of redskins
and buffaloes lately when the stranger
has rewarded their vigils by coming on
the scene.
This western-looking one is Capt New
ton IL. Chittenden, the first explorer OF
the Queen Charlotte Islands, who. al
though seventy years old, walks from
Alpine. n. j.. to the ferry, a distance OF
thirteen miles, regularly before o'clock
each morning as constitutional.
That Capt. Chittenden deserves a nicely
ornamented spot in the walkers section
of the Hall Of Fame along with Col. Wes-
ton and Mayor Gaynor is evident from
his exploits.
In 1883 and 1889 he broke the record
for long walks by making a continuous
Journey ON foot diagonally across the
continent from the Pacific to the Gulf OF
Mexico. distance, including several hun
dred miles OF side expeditions, amount
Ing to 1880 miles. He. was accompanied
by pack burro.
A Most Severe Trip.
The trip was fer archaeological and
ethnological research, and Capt. Chitten-
den considers it one Of the saverest of
his career. He estimates that he drag
ged his donkey more than five miles
through the overlooked bottoms OF Lou
isiana.
OF the more than 10000 miles which
Capt. Chittenden has covered In his forty
~ fro haxy 1oa
on foot. Testimony of his researches
is found in most Of the famous muse
ums in this country and in museums or
Canada and England as we'll.
Among American pathfinders il is said
that this explorer has devoted more Sc
we're labor to the accomplishment OF
his many expeditions than any other ten
men Of this country. HIS donations to
museums have included many valuable
relics and much data pertaining to the
Indian tribes and prehistoric Americans
Capt. Chittenden has visited practical
ly every Indian tribe on the continent
and has lived with some Of the distin-
guished old chiefs as long as six months
or a year. He has, consequently, become
versed in several Indian languages. It
Is an interesting fact that. save on one
or two occasions. when protection from
border ruf1ans demanded it. he never
carried weapon.
His Indian Friends.
Chief Edonsau of the Queen Charlotte
tribe was Capt. Chittenden's great
friend. Poundmaker. chief Of the Sas-
katchewan Crees. whom he visited during
the Riel rebellion, was another intimate
Others were American Horse. a great war
chief of the Sioux; Red Cloud. Sitting
Bull Two Strike and the noted Chief
Joseph. who came to see him in camp on
the Spokane river In the early days.
In the winter Of 1006-9 upon visiting
Chief Manuel of the Cahuilla and Ser
rano Indians OF Southern California. he
was invited to address the tribe at their
fiesta, and he remained In camp with
them for forty days.
AS evidence of his pedestrian habits
Capt Chittenden in 1882. when provided
with free transportation to and from
the gold fields of Caribou. left the stage
in the interior and proceeded 300 miles
alone on foot among the various In
dian tribes inhabiting that portion Of
British Columbia Two years later, in
the dead Of winter. with the thermome-
ter reaching Is degrees below zero and
the snow in places fifteen feet deep, he
walked alone over the mountains into
the gold fields Of Occur d'Alene. and
then crossed the Bitter Root range into
Montana. distance altogether of more
thar 300 miles.
In the Charlotte Islands.
In 1884 in order to examine the in
terror portions Of the Queen Charlotte
Islands, after circumventing them in
one occasion travelling 1900
miles in a dugout with nattves-he
made more than 600 miles on foot.
crawling long distances through dense
underground along bear trails. On
much Of this journey he progressed only
about mile an hour, and was wet to