Charlevoix county herald., 1911-11-04

We had secured two famous teams, each OF
fourteen big wolfish dogs.
We intended to follow the foothills into the in
terror up to the Alutora river that borders Kam-
chatka to the north thence to circle seaward and
to the coast line home trip We reduced
our load to the utmost depending on barter for our
needs Pete and Jack took the lead, Austin aid |
the second sled
A bitter cold had succeeded the r-rga and the
hard snow trail was in splendid condition.
In full career we swept across the frozen Karuga,
raced through the dog tedam of Kitshginsk and
arrived at night in the Eoryak village OF Vivnksk,
some sixty miles distant, the shores of Baron
Korf Bay. Over each of the dugouts was suspend
ed frozen dog impaed under the chin the
sharp end of pole, sacrifice to the Fish God, to
insure good salmon run for the next season.
Next day reached the first Yourtes of the
wandering reindeer Koryaks.
Along the seaward mountains beyond COM
menced against the monotonous toilsome winter
routine of northern prospectors But In the here
prevailing sandstone formations we lost even all
traces of the yellow metal After three laborious
months entirely barren of results far gold
was concerned, we dipped into the valley of the
Alutora ultimate northern border of Kamchatka,
where the country of the Tchuktches begins. We
followed this river to its mouth and thence slowly
worked our way back south trying lower water
courses and beach for minerals. Hope awakened
us in the morning; disappointment bedded at
night. Having learned our lesson we now pay the
cost Nevertheless, happy, vagabondish
crew. caring little and knowing less how the world
may plod
The Lure Of the Lone Trail seldom pays its sol
diers of fortune in cold cash. But there other
glorious compensatons In the glowing health or
outdoor life trailhardened and the savage strength
Of brute in every thew, have felt the throbbing
pulse of life primeva and lain close to the loving
heart of mother, the earth.
Thus we kept on, and one bright Sunday morn.
ing in April our ce-worn Nartas drew up with
flourish in front of ST. Andrews little church at
OLA Just as Father Juvenal dismissing his fold.
We encountered perfect storm of afectionate,
but terrific welcome kisses which lodged at
best we could.
The rest of Shedding time put In prospecting
the upper Karuga which yielded few coors. From
its heaGwaters we scaled in May the Yaga-Baba
Pass, $500 feet high, and In the far distance
the Sea OF Okhotsk agleam in the vernal sunshine.
But the yellow stones" of native rumor proved
slight sulphurous deposits of ancient crater.
After t''c spring breakup We sailed southward
far as POSSIBLE with Koryak fishing expedition,
examining the shore sands, unearthing nothing,
however except little souvenir amber.
In July, when old friends, the annual steam
er "Primorsk" hove in sight camped already
the beach at Ola, waiting for deliverance. Caress-
ing the rifle we had given him, Pete faithful to tho
end, sat sadly beside us, loath to CO. But
Austin's mouth organ is singing softly. We know
the tune and we know its words:
Thank Cod when I'm skinned to finish,
I'll pike to the Yukon again;
I'll fight and you bet it's sham fight;
It's hell, but I've been there before;
And It's better than this by damsite-
So RE for the Yukon once more!"