The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-11-08
THE EskIMos or
THE LOWER YUKON

Indians Disappear and Broad. High
checked Stupidity Takes Place. A
Merry boy Rides Native kyak. Pas
SINGERS Grown the Bsrges and En-
10y the Free Entertainment Occa-
stoned by Bet
When the river trip IL finished !
will edcayor 10 give you some inter
esting stories Of Indian life, mining,
the Eskinos, dog mushing. winter life,
etc, but don't like 10 leave myself in
the interior Of Alaska. 80 stay with
me down the river.
The Sarah left Tananna in the
night, and early the next morning !
went on deck. And what sight. Our
boat was pushing eight barges, every
one Of them almost as large as the
steamer-one on each side and six in
front There were simply acres OF
boats, all tied together, and this bunch
must be piloted down the crooked
stream and steered clear OF the bars.
And would remark here that pilot
on the Yukon Is entitled TO a nervous
breakdown any time he wants It, IL
was revelation to me how they could
know every channel in that river for a
thousand miles run. Here they will
hug the bank so close one could almost
Jump ashore, then they steer to the
middle Of the river for time, cross TO
the opposite side, and come back. Once
in while there will be sign on the
river bank that warns them of some
particularly dangerous bar or sub
merged rock, but the most of the way
the route is in the pilots head, and
apparently every turn of the river
looks just like the other one.
Then the heavy summer rains make
q torrent of the big Yukon, which
which grows wider every day as you
descend. Big and little streams pou,
into il all along its course, until it be-
comes the Mississippi of the north
land. Where last week there was an
open channel this week there may be
q bar. In the uncertain places natives
stood on the head barge with sounding
poles, measuring the depth every two
or three minutes, which they call out
to deck hand on the roof Of the scow,
and he make signals to the pilot.
Three and half days for the down
passage with this bunch of boats. !
guessed no-and was good guesser.
We made short stops at the several
mining towns, and everywhere was
the same story--mines playing out,
people going out, no new strikes. We
reached Circle in the morning--the
usual little bunch Of log houses, "a
store or two and the saloons. The
whole population came down to see the
boat in and out, and | only saw two
white women. ! did not see white
child in the town. The miners laid in
q supply Of bottled goods, the whistle
blowcd, the dogs howled and on We
went.
Ruby was quite town in the way
Of buildings, and they were all Of new
logs. II was n,w mining town, four
or five years old, but the claims were
fest being worked out, the people were
getting out and the town was struck
with rust.
At the junction Of the Koyukuk sew
eral passengers came aboard from the
Beetles country, the most northerly
mining district in Alaska. This is
yet a producing district, and real
wild one--a locality where they tow
up two loads of booze TO one Of grub,
and Of which will have more TO write
I'm further articles.
Holy Cross is a mission, the oldest
in Alaska, and has been there for
nearly 30 years. The Catholics have a
grant Of the land, was told, and
they viii not permit saloons, gambling
houses or outsiders TO locate, in fact
II was necessary TO anchor an aban-
doned steamer to the shore to be used
for hotel purposes. ] was told the
mission had done a wonderful work
for the good Of the natives.
Miles below Holy Cross there was a
Russian mission, at which the boat did
not stop. Evidently they had plenty ,
of grub for the winter and didn't re-
ccive any mail. The boat ran close to ;
the bank and we had splendid view
Of the big Greek church, magnificent
structure in this remote place. And it ]
looked SO out Of place in these sur
Around II was scattered |
the Indian village, but we did not see s
a sign Of life in the place. Doubtless
FL the inhabitants were out rustling c
for the long winter, q
which would soon set in. G
Sitting on the deck one afternoon a
afar Of on the land ahead saw
cluster Of white dots. was curious h
10 know what they were. and ! was n