The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-07-03

horse and sled. The horse and sled
carried our provisions, our tent, and
a limited amount of baggage for
each of us. AS a consequence the
horse had good load of such stuff
and we had to walk except down hill
when We could jump on and ride II
we happened to be near the sled
when going down hill. We were
rather unfortunate in our horse deal
as he would balk every morning and
oftentimes in going up steep part
of the trail. Once We had to take
him out and pull the sled up our
selves. / did not ride 20 miles of
the entire distance to Fairbanks and
l can assure you that, while l en-
joyed the trail life, it is very siren
uous nevertheless. While the trail
was in fine condition most all the
way, we had some extraordinarily
cold weather for the time of the
year it was. But one keeps warm
walking and l got only my nose and
lips frostbitten. The most danger
Gus part of the trail is where it
crosses the summit of the Alaskan
range of mountains about half way
between Chitina and Fairbanks, but
we mad fine day in which to cross
except that it was rather cold. 20
degrees below and the wind was
blowing not blizzard but consid
cradle rate. There are road houses
all along the trail from - to IS
end 25 miles apart and you can get
good meals at them at $500 per
meal. / slept in a rOadhouse every
night but three and would take at
least one good meal in them every
day. We left Chitina, March rs,
and arrived in Fairbanks, April 5,
had rested on Sunday March 80. So
you see we made real good time,
making a little over 80 miles a day.
This is good walking one day with
another and it is taken as a matter
of course that one will become very
foot sore and weary at times, but
the air is invigorating, just like wine
and we soon recuperated. At the
same time l was very glad when |
walked in Fairbanks on Saturday,
April 5, as it had been cold all day,
the thermometer in the morning
registered IS degrees below zero.
my legs were sore, my feet were sore,
and how pleasant to get established
in a comfortable room at hotel.
Stayed in Fairbanks till Tuesday,
April s, sold our horse and sled
realizing $3.50 for my half inter
est, bought team of five dogs and
prepared for my 'mush" on to Ruby
800 miles further. My partner in
the horse deal, who is an old pioneer
of Alaska aimed to come on to Ruby
with me but one of his feet got in
such a shape on the trail into Fair
banks that he simply had to have it
treated and could not leave for
Ruby as soon as l wanted, so l de-
cided to get a team of dogs, the only
way to travel in Alaska and hit the
trail alone. While l knew nothing
of mushing days, l thought l could
do what others were doing success
fully, so l tried it and made a sue
cess of it. My dogs are part wolf
the native dog-malamu I believe
they call them. Yes, of course, it
was an exciting experience to me be-
ing a ::cheechako," especially SO
when the dogs would get excited go
ing down a steep mountain side. In
variably the trail would be rough
down such places and usually rab-
bit or bird would then appear to put
the dogs on edge, and the noise of
the brake on my sled scraping in the
snow behind would excite them still
more. l got many swift rides on
such places but did not enjoy a
single one of them. Left Fairbanks
on Tuesday about noon and on Sat
urday about 3 p. m. l crossed the
mouth of the Tanana, drove down
along the banks of the Yukon, and
then up into the streets of FIT. Glib
bons, making the distance of $50
miles from Fairbanks in u days.
Rested all day Sunday, April 10, at
FIT. Gibbons and on Monday pulled
out on the Yukon for Ruby only 40
miles away. That seemed really
near to me. At about 3 p. m. on
April 16, I drove my dogs into Ruby
my long journey ended and feeling
just fine, weighing ten pounds more
than I have weighed since I played
football in college, with muscles as
hard and strong as whip cords and
feeling equal to any trail however
long or strenuous. The greatest
distance my dogs made in one day
was 80 miles but l always stopped
for the night early as did not know
the trail. l could have easily made
60 miles day with them and kept
them in good shape at the same
time. The fact that I 'mushed' in
alone gave me a good introduction
to the miners here. They said that
preacher is all right to do that and
we will hear what he has to say
Have had two services since l came.
The services last Sabbath commence
eu at p. m. and it seemed strange
to me that it was perfectly light and
at the close of the service it was
still light, did not need a light to
read or sing by. One can sit in his
cabin here and read till 10 p. IN.
without any light and a little later
till midnight. During the summer
it is practically one continuous day,
during the winter almost one contin-
uous night. -a....
Last Sabbath April 27, conducted
funeral of a young man, who, out
of bitter disappointment committed
suicide. 1t was very sad case to me-
n 4 q