Courier Democrat., 1916-09-14

squeezed into the first steamer. The
other 24S would have to await the
next. Naturally every man was de-
tcrmined that he would not be left,
for such delay i'll such a place at the
time of a gold rush was uuthinkable-
The officials at that steamship Office
had no easy time. Each man wanted
first of all to know juSt when the ship
was to be expected, thing no one
could guess. Then he demanded his
accommodations and had Il dozen rea-
sons why his claim should be pre-
ferrcd over that OF the others. l new
cr saw 81 moro luarrelSome noisy dog
kennel ,haM that steamship office.
Why no one was ever shot there I
could not tell you.
lii the evening the main street was
y blaze of light, and the hyways were
east III darkness. The crowd was all
atoot and moved restlessly 10 and fro
from one bar or gambling place to an
other. OF the thousands or SO of Stran-
gers we came in time to recognize by
sight a greNt many. The journey home
through the dark was perilouS. We
nevc" attempted it except III company,
and. as Johnny seemed fascinated with
a certain game called Mexican monte,
We often had to endure long waits be-
fore all our party was assembled.
Ono morning our daily trip to the
steamship office bore fruit. We found
the plaza filled with excited men, all
talking and gesticulatng. The much
tired officials had evolved Il scheme
for deciding which ifty-two of the 800
should go by thsIirst ship.
BY next morning the transportation
officials had worked it OUT: We could
not all get into the office, so the draw
ing took place on the plaza outside.
AS each mans name was called he
stepped forward. showed his ticket
and was allowed to draw slip from
a box. f it proved to be Il blank he
went away: if he was lucky, he had
his ticket viscd on the spot. Such a
proceeding took the greater part Of the
day. but the excitement remained in
tense. No one thought of leaving even
for the noon meal.
YAM. drew passage on the first
steamer Talbot. .It hnny and / drew
blanks
We walked dowF 10 the shore to talk
over the situation.
I'VE ought to have bought tickets
good on this particular ship, not mere
ly good on this line" said Johnny.
doesn't matter what we ought to
have DONE" rejoined Talbot little i'm
patiently. 'What are we going to do?
Are we going to wait here until the
next steamer comes alongy'
That's likely to be two or three
months-nobody knows" said Johnny.
mo; it's in six weeks, I believe.
They tell me they've started regular
trips on a new mail contract"
We'll, six weeks. Ii we stay in this
hole we'll all be sick, Well be broke,
and in the meantime every ounce of
picked up
whats the alternatives" I asked.
Sailing vessel said Talbot briefly.
That's mighty uncertain" l object
ed. Nobody knows when one will
get in, and when it does show up it'll
be mad scramble to get to her.
There's u mob waiting togo"
well. it's one or the other. We
can't walk, and I don't see that the
situation is going to be much better
when the next steamer does get here.
There are IL couple Of hundred to
crowd in on her, just counting those
who are here and have tickets. And
then there will be a lot more''
I'm for the sailing vessel" said
Johnny. ''They come in every week
or two now, and if we can't make the
first one We'll have good chance at
the second or the third
Talbot looked at me inquiringly.
sounds reasonable 1 admitted.
"Then we've no time to lose," said
Talbot decisively and turned away to-
ward the town.
Yank, who had listened silcntiJ- to
our brief discussion. shifted his l.le
to his shoulder and followed Shortly
he fell behind, and we lost him.