Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1912-05-10
CHAPTER iV.-Continued.

I'm the meantime there was naugnt
b show for it but bunch. But 1t was
coming. AS he would stake his last
ounce on a good poker hand, so he
staked his life and effort on the bunch !
that the future held In store big
strike on the Upper River. So he and
his three companions, with dogs, ana
sleds. and snOwshoes, toiled up the
frozen breast of the Stewart, to1led
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 a rifle 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 third in
terest in his Stewart town site for a
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
Meeting around like crazy man.
Daylight decided to go Indian River
q f1utter, as he expressed it; and I'm
gered few days longer arranging MS
meager outfit. He planned to go IN
light. carrying a pack of seventy-hve
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 a day he camped with Car
mack, a squaw-man, and his lnolan
brother-in-law. Skookum Jim, bought
q boat, and. with his dogs on board,
drifted down the Yukon to Forty Mile.
Then it was that Carmack, his broth
erin-law, Skookum jim, and Cultus
Charlie, another Indian, arrived in a
canoe at Forty Mile, went straight TO
the gold commissioner and recorded
three claims and 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 loafng with his
Indians and with never thought OF
prospecting? But at eleven that night
sitting on the edge of his bunk and
unlacing his moccasirs, thought
came to him He put on his coat anC
hat and went back to the Sourdough
Carmack was still there. flashing his
coarse gold in the eyes of an unbe
lieving generation. Daylight ranged
alongside of him and emptled Car
ntacks sack into a blower. This NJ
studied for a long time. Then, from
his own sack, into another blower, N
emptied several ounces of Circle Cit!
and Forty Mile gold. Again, for Ions
time he studied and compared. Final
ly. he pocketed his own gold, returned
Carmacks, and held up his hand TO
silence.
Boys, | want to tell you-ali some
thing he said. shes sure come-th
up-river strike. And | tell you-ai
clear and forcible, this is 1t. Their
amt never been gold like that in
blower in this country before. It
new gold It's got more silver in i
You,all can see it by the color. Cal
mack's sure made strike. Who-all
got faith to come along with me?'
No one volunteered.
"'rhen who-all IL take job frol
me, cash wages in advance, to pole
thousand pounds of grub?"
Curly Parsons and another. Pa
Mcnahan. accepted. and with bis Gu