Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1911-12-14
CHAPTER Iv.-contInued.

CHAPTER tV.-Continued.
In the meantime there was naught
to show for II but bunch. But 1t was
coming. AS he would stake his last
ounce on good poker hand. so he
staked his life and effort on the bunch
that the future held in store a big
strike on the Upper River. So he and
his three companions, with dogs, and
sleds. and snowshoes. toiled up the
frozen breast of the Stewart, toiled
on and on through the white wilder
ness where the unending stiffness was
never broken by the voices of men.
the stroke of an ak. or the distant
crack of rife. Gold they found on
the bars, but not in paying quantities,
and in the following May they re-
turned to Sixty Mile
Ten days later, Harper and Joe La
due arrived at Sixty Mile. and Day.
light. strong to obey the bunch that
had come to him. traded a third in
terest In his Stewart town site for
third interest in theirs on the Klondike.
They had faith in the Upper Country.
and Harper left downstream, with
raft-load of supplies, to start small
post at the mouth of the Klondike,
why don't you tackle Indian River.
Daylight" Harper advised. at part
ing. There's whole slathers of creeks
and draws draining In up there, and
somewhere gold just crying to be
found That's my bunch. There's
big strike coming, and Indian River
amt going to be a million miles
away"
And the place is swarming with
moose" Joe Ladue added Bob Hen
derson's up there somewhere. been
there three years now, swearing
something big is going to happen.
living off'n straight moose and pros
pecting around like crazy man."
Daylight decided to go Indian River
hutter, as he expressed it; and lin.
gered a few days longer arranging his
menger outfit He planned to go IN
light. carrying a pack of seventy-flve
pounds and making his five dogs pack
as well. Indian fashion. loading them
with thirty pounds each. Depending
on the report OF Ladue, he intended to
follow Bob Henderson's example and
live practically on straight meat
When Jack Kearns' scow. laden with
the sawmill from Lake Linderman.
tied up at Sixty Mile, Daylight bun
died his outfit and dogs on board,
turned his TOWNSHIP application over
to Elijah to be filed, and the same day
was landed at the mouth of Indian
River He continued down Hunker
to the Klondike, and on to the sum-
mer fishing camp of the Indians on
the Yukon.
Here for day he camped with Car
mack, a squaw-man, and his Indian
brother-in-law, Skookum Jim. bought
a boat. and. with his dogs on board.
drifted down the Yukon to Forty Mile.
Then 1t was that Carmack. his broth
er-in-law. Skookum Jim. and Cultus
Charlie. another Indian. arrived In
canoe at Forty Mile. went straight to
the gold commissioner, and recorded
three claims and a discovery claim on
Bonanza Creek. After that, in the Sour
dough Saloon. that night. they exhibit
ed coarse gold to the skeptical crowd.
Daylight. too, was skeptical. and this
despite his faith in the Upper Coun-
try. Had he not. only few days be-
fore. seen Carmack loafing with his
Indians and with never a thought of
prospecting? But at eleven that night,
sitting on the edge of his bunk and
unlacing his moccasins. a thought
came to him. He put on his coat and
hat and went back to the Sourdough.
Carmack was still there. flashing his
coarse gold In the eyes of an unbe-
ieving generation. Daylight ranged
alongside Of him and emptied Car
macks sack into blower. This he
studied for long time Then, from
his own sack, into another blower. he
emptied several ounces Of Circle City
and Forty Mile gold. Again. for long
time. he studied and compared Finsl-
ly. he pocketed his own gold. returned
Carmacks. and held up his hand for
silence.
Boys, | want to tell you-all some
thing. he said. she's sure come-the
up-river strike. And | tell you-all.
clear and forcible, this is It. There
amt never been gold like that in a
blower in this country before. It's
new gold. It's got more silver in It,
You-all can see 1t by the color Car
racks sure made strike. Who-all's
got faith to come along with me?"
No one volunteered.
Then who-all II take a Job FROM
nae, cash wages in advance, to pole up
q thousand pounds of grub?"
Curly Parsons and another, Pat
Monahan. accepted. and. with his Gus
tpmary speed, Daylight paid them
their wages in advance and arranged
the purchase of the supplies, though be
emptied his sack in doing SO. He was
leaving the Sourdough, when he sud
Denly turned back to the bar from the
Goor
Got another hunch?" was the
query.
Il sure have" he answered
"Flour's sure going to be worth what
man will pay for 1t this winter up
on the Klondike. Who'll lend me
some money!" {
On the instant a score OF the men
who had declined to accompany him
on the wild-goose chase were crowd