The Alaska socialist., 1914-12-21
ANOTHER SOURI, DOUGH PETE
 STORY

altar 60 the domains of the Aurora BoT calls driven Soufdough Pete CAlaska superman) and years truly to shelter, from the fierce clements. under the came Eoof-thst is # you cali poles thrown horizontally across logs laid atop of each other in . a square. covered with moss. birch bark and glacial muck, and the ridge rope Of m sxl0 tent stretched between two willows, roofs. Twas the first time since we shared our mosquito tent. polling np the MelOEikOket, on one of our many wild goose chases in quest of that TnytholOgicaI pot.o.gold at the phantom Tainbow-end. And this time the unexpected happenned nowhere else but 9 source of perennial stamp sdes.. our neighboring Big Chena river. And some cold too, waa that memorable winter of I9O5-O6, with three feet of snow in October. While I was, .perad- vtntuEe, returning 10 Fairbanks from az annual jaunt 0 the rejuveuating wal eEs q the hot springs, the intrepid musher was on his way back via Circle City, to the same place from a quiet.tip stampede to the head of the Porcupine. Naturally. the winding, we'll travelled Circle city-Fairbanks mail trail was too roundabout. so this Alaska Gulliver took cutoff of hIs own. going up big unnamed tributary of Birch creek, over the divide and on down the North Pork of the Big Chena. Of course there's never trail broken over that desoIete airline route a nd Skcohum Pete had snowshoed #. Hashing his yukon sled by the neck. I'd made the old Indian cabin, first day ont from ihe springs. The Big Chene Hot Springs in early days, with lone log bs th house brilt over Hhe steaming mineral springs and mud was not the modern health resort oi today, with stag es from Fairbanks running on schedule. Instead, the health seeker took his whole outfit, tent and all, over q narrow tortuous trail, made by the few prospectors, trappers and loggers in the vicinity. The ther- monetor suddenly dropped to 60 50 l decided io hole up until the weather became reasonable. The third day ot my forced lonesome occupancy of the old siwash adOde, was down on the river, behind the a bin, chopping out the water hole, when the squeaking and grating of sled runners caused me 10 look uP. and there, striding along fthe old hunters trail which came out of the heavy timber through the willows and skirted the steep river bank, with hand on gee pole and rope over should Ter, came hulking figure in carbon parka and mukJaks. In the dusk of the short Jan. day, with head completely hidden from view inside the big fur parka hood, didn't recognize tn 2 giant until the familiar voice hailed. And of all the welcome snrprisesl Even as we gEasped hands ! began anticipat- ing another of his adventures. And soon the time wBs propitioue, plenty wood piled behind the Yukon stove. The supper had been sustaining mul- iigan, Pete's Eayorite blend, equal parts ot bear meat. porcupine and rabbit, favored with ptarmigan, aud a few handfuls of rice and Lubecs sprinkled into the whole Pete was about to add some of a mysterious dark brown .sub- stance into the mass when objected, stating that the aforesaid collection was as strong as I wanted to go at one Sit ting. He was little u1iffed a D ont go- ing without what he called Alaska Elk