Iditarod pioneer., 1916-12-16
BIG DAN LOSES CASTE
 AMONG OLD SOURDOUGHS

To be called tough" in this part of | the world does not convey the impression l f hardened character, as it does else where Rather it Is a designation to be 1 proud of It indicates that the man on whom it is bestowed is hardened to the 1 climate and to the tasks set out for the l ed-blooded men who are wrestling fortune 1 from an inhospitable and barren land The "tough" man of the North Is he who, de | lying the clements in their hercest moods, accomplshes tasks which the Arctic ex- | Dlorer of few years ago would have GOV l 9red reams of paper in describing and l laughs at the experience and glorles in the | difficulties overcome. In summer sun, with myriads of mosquitos thirsting for his blood, he traverses the sWamps and Jungles search of new fields to exploit, and in winter when King Boreas reigns supreme
 this his chosen kingdom, he boldly deties | lim to do his worst, setting forth on long | ourneyS with little in the way of protec- 1 ion from the cutting winds and penetrat- l lg frosts, and emerges from hurricane-like l blizzards and death dealing temperatures
 ,ith no visible ill effects but a few frost l DlItS "IIiCII lIC lCSdldo GEN VI A4o Soii7S l uence He makes light of the difficulties encountered, and laughs at the cheechako l ho marvels at his exploits and his hardl- | hood, with something akin to condescenslon. 1 Such was the reputation enjoyed by Dan 1 McKinzie Everybody knows Dan. He has been in the North for many years and has been considered one of the toughest of the tough" No task was too hard for him 1 and no weather too forbidding. The weak | Ing found little sympathy from Dan, and 9 was considered husky individual who
 yould attempt to compete with him in feats of endurance and strength. Recently Dan has been operating on his own account the new camp of Marshall and some two weeks ago arrived here with hte seasons cleanup for shipment Outside. The fact 1 that he was accompanied on his trip from Marshall by Indian guides was passed over without much comment by his many friends, although there was some whispered discussion on that somewhat unusual oc- currence But something has happened to make the big, powerful Scotch Canadian 1 hang his head somewhat, and by general consent he has been deprived of his reputa
 ton for toughness. He who has been knowl: as the most inveterate practical joker of this section of Alaska has been made the l butt of sarcastic "joshing" to such an exteat hat when he left here last Tuesday h company with several others he must have felt profound relief at being able to evade his tormentors. And it all came about in this manner:
 On the trip from Marshall, accompanied by Curly" Smith, he came over short cut trail that made the distance between the two points but little more than hundred miles True, the trail had not been broken, but this made little difference to such a veteran musher as Dan. Having transacted his business here, Dan prepared for the re- turn trip, and loaded his sled with goods such as could not be purchased in the new camp, and as it was approaching the holi- days, he slowed away the makings of a 1 Christmas dinner, with turkey, oysters and other good things He left Flat last Satur- 1 lay morning and shortly after his departure storm blew up. The temperature was not very low, but travelling was hard. When nightfall came and he had not yet reached the power plant of the Yukon Gold Com
 any, on the Iditarod river, some alarm was relt, and next morning some of the boys stationed there set out to look for him. They found that he had been compelled to ~siwash" about mile from the plant. They set him on the trail again, and one of then. even accompanied him some miles. But he snow was deep, and snowshoeing in front of his tea mwas arduous. After going about eight miles Dan "dogged it, and turned his team again in the direction of Flat, which he reached Sunday evening. He ocscac:ocsoocea.:c:sce ocsca::acsac