Denver labor bulletin., 1918-10-26

the end of a perfect day when we
came in tired and hungry after a sue
cessful hunt"
The party engaged twenty-six
horses-ten saddle horses and sixteen
pack animals. Each pack horse was
loaded with 200 pounds of luggage,
including food, six tents, blankets.
kitchen truck and other necessaries Of
outdoor life.
Mr.. James and his son each carried
two 80 caliber United States rifles,
and Mr.. Mcguire carried a 80 caliber
United States rife and a SO caliber
Remington. Mr.. Rogers, acting as
taNdermlst, carried a lower powered
gun for sport shooting.
Thus equipped the party left Nc
CaTthy August 10 for the game re-
gions. For l35 miles the long pack
train wended its way up Harris creek
into the Yukon territory, where the
famous white sheep have their habitat.
Three days out from Mccarthy the
hunters pitched camp and spent one
day goat hunting. The hunt netted
five goats by nightfall.
When the huntsmen started their
operations in the Yukon region the
days were long. The sun rose at 6
O'Clock and it was still bright enough
to read letter without artificial light
at = o'clock next morning. The hunt
ers often hunted until IL o'clock at
night.
Leaving the goat country, the party
started across the Aizina glacier,
headed for a point known as White
river. The route led them over the
Sholai pass, one of the most danger
Gus crossings in Alaska For three
days they passed over fields of solid
ice After leaving the Skolai pass the
route led across the Russell glacier,
noted for its lake.
Dangers on Glacier.
1t was in passing over the glaciers
that the hunters met the principal
danger which confronted them. The
glerssl fields, according to Mr.. Nc
Guire, are often three to ten miles in
width. The fields are hilly and pre-
cipitous. Here and there streams of
varying widths course thru the icy
terrain and flow on into the ocean.
Except when attempting to cross the
glaciers in darkness the streams and
cliffs present no difficulties, as they
can be seen and avoided. But when
passing glacier at night, thing
which the party avoided as much as
possible, the horses often fall into
the streams or pitch over an icy preci-
pice to the jagged plains below.
Even in passing the Aizina glacier
in the light of the day, the huntsmen
were saved from accident by the crafty
cunning of their guides who knew
every whim of the great ice flows.
The surface of the glacier was COW
cred with terrain of crushed rocR
and gravel of varying thickness. When
the terrain is a foot or more in depth
it affords safe footing for the horses,
but when it is mere deceptive COW
ering. of half an inch or so, the horse
breaks thru to the clear ice and starts
on a downward plunge to the bottom
of the steep slope of the ice peaks.
1,500 Sheep Seen
Fortunately the Denver hunters es-
capped with no more serious accident
than being occasionally thrown from
their horses.
the hletson rivers, the huntsmen
pitched camp and remained a week,
hunting white sheep. One day while
out several hours from camp the party
espied flock of 1,500 sheep grazing
on the sides of a precipitous noun
tain.
; The sight was one of the most in
spring that ever greeted a sports
mans eye" said Mr.. Mcclure. The
upon learning from the guides that
the mount was unnamed, christened it
Mount Higgins. in honor of the di-
rector of Colorado's museum.
The white sheep secured in the
Yukon region are scientifically known
as owls dali. The ram is a trifie
smaller than the Rocky Mountain ram,
and weighs from $50 to 800 pounds.
1t has stout curved horns and its fur
is pure white and about as fine as
deer fur. =, 1t is found only in this
; kletson river basin and is sought by
sportsmen from all quarters Of the
world. On the boat the Denver men
met hunters who were travelling from
Singapore to Alaska to hunt the white
sheep.
Moose Hunt Successful
, From the Kletson the men moved
} back to Generk, fifty-five miles below
| and hunted moose without success for
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