The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-14

! TNeOhuh, 1OWd, Aug. LII 1Slf
SPELL OF THE YUKON.
Few Who Live There but arc Eager
to Return.
Christian Science Monitor: The
! Yukon is about 200 miles longer than
the Mississippi, but it is 1000 miles
shorter than the Missouri-Mississippi
measured from the Rocky mountains
in Montana, and from Itasca lake in
Minnesota. 1t is properly called one
of the great rivers of North America
and it is as difficult to navigate as
the most contrary of them. Like the
Missouri and the Mississippi, south
! of their junction, it sometimes
spreads over a vast expanse Of coun-
try, but that is not conducive to trav-
cling unless one is aboard very
light and very f1at-bottomed craft.
From Fort Selkirk, where the stream
is formed by the junction of the
Lewes and Pelly rivers, it flows
northwestward into Alaska. where it
takes generally southwest course,
emptying, after meandering in a. man
ner that would put the ST. Johns of
Florida to the blush, into the Boring
sea.
1t used to be told of the early ex-
plorers Of the Mississippi that, after
entering the delta, they never knew
how they got inside, and that, after
passing through it to the gulf. they
never knew how they got outside. 1t
was many years before the nayiga-
tors fixed upon landmarks which
enabled them to steer in anything
like straight course, and until that
splendid engineer, Captain James b.
Eads, came along with his jetties,
they were uncertain whether they
would find channel, or would
ground on a sandbar.
The mariner regards the detail of
the Yukon as hopeless. The stream,
to begin with, empties great quaint
ties Of sediment, SO that not only the
passes. but section of the sea beyond
are filled with the deposit Only a
few feet of water can be found for
a long distance from the mouths of
the twenty-six outlets. AS conse-
quence Of this condition, seagoing
vessels are forced to transfer
their freight to stern-wheelers at
st. Michael, seventy miles to the
north, from which place there is
navigation for larger craft to Daw-
son during the summer months. In
the upper river steamers ply between
Dawson and White Horse, the ter
minus of the White Pass and Yukon
railroad. and navigation is continuous
between White Horse and the mouth
of the river.
The Yukon sprang suddenly into
fame with the discovery of gold on
Klondike creek, one of its tributaries
and the town of Dawson, which ia
situated in the Province OF Yukon.
at the confluence of the
creek" and the Yukon river. and
owes it's existence to this discovery
is, to this day, the principal com.
munity of the region. The name Of |
the Porcupine. Koyukuk and Tanana |
rivers will recall memories of the !
days when thousands of adventures |
were hitting the Yukon trail" Min. |
ms, whether for gold or for less
precious metals, has now settled |
Town to regular business in the I
section; the days of lawlessness are
past. and much of the romantic at.
nosphere that once hung around i
Alaska is gone; yet the Yukon river
'ners many inducements to the tray-
'ler and the explorer.
Roger Foster. who has recently
made the journey up the Yukon and /
las written of it Interestingly in the
Springfield Republican, SAYS that
he primeval forests on the river
BANKS have, In most places, no in.
labitants save moose, carbon hear ;
ynx and other wild animals "Some
If them" he continues, "can he seen
rom the boat, upon the shores mr.
winning in the water. Here and
here are few Indian cabins. or the
odge OF a wood chopper. who SIM.
lies the steamers with fuel and
ew mining camps now aJrnost
mpty" The country is still rough
nut not inhospitable The old AI.a'
ans are sturdy race, this witness
eseiIes' intefnperance among them
) rare, which is not true of the car. /
ers Oh CLANS and salmon on the
oast' Inc land is full of. prospec-
ors. winter after winter" Mr.. Eos
er writes Tor fifteen years many OF
rem nave gone alone or with
lhse, partner into the wilderness to
earch LOT mines. After careful in
dly l couid not find a single case !.
mere prospector has retired with Z
eule, OF even competency, as !
le result of his discovery" .
IL is confessed, by this and NV
lher travellers in the far northwest :
iat there is fascination abont q
iaskan life which, despite its mi. =
auons, makes men loath to leave =
al eager to return. And. in mass.
q. IL may be said that. by reason
disturbed conditions eIsewhera