Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-04-26
THE YUKON TRAIL,
I'm AZaSkan L0Ue Story
By WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE
CUrghtw lillian deod Raue

| ees one devil of a trail. No checha
koes are safe in there without q guide
| l, Baptiste. know"
"Selfridge and his party went
through week ago. l can follow the
tracks they left"
"But if it rains. monsieur. the tracks
VIII vaneesh, nest ce pas? Lose the
way. and the little singing folk will
swarm in clouds about monsieur while
he Stumbles through the swamp"
Elliot hesitated for the better part
or day, then came to an impulsive
decision. He had n reliable map. and
anyhow he had only to follow the
tracks left by the Selfridge party. He
turned his back upon the big river and
plunged into the wilderness.
There came a night when he looked
up into the stars of the deep. still sky
and knew that he was hundreds of
miles from any other human being.
Never in all his life had he been so
much alone. He was not afraid. but
there was something awesome in a
world so empty Of his kind.
The tracks Of the Selfridge party
grew fainter after night of rain. More
rain fell, and they were Obliterated al
together.
Gordon fished. He killed fresh game
Tor his needs. Often he came on the
tracks Of moose and caribou. Some
times, startled, they leaped into view
quite close enough for a shot, but he
used his rifle only to meet his wants.
The way led through valley and
mOraSs. across hills and mountains. 1t
wandered in a sort of haphazard fash
Ion through sun-bathed universe
washed clean Of sordidness and mean
ness.
1t was the seventh night out that
Elliot suspected he was off the trail.
| Rain sluiced down in torrents and next
day continued to pour from dun sky.
His own tracks were blOtted out and
he searched for the trail In vain. Be
fore he knew 1t he was entangled in
Fifty-Mile. His map showed him the
mOrass stretched for fifty miles to the
| south, but he knew that it had been
charted hurriedly by surveying party
which had made no extensive eXplOra-
lions. A good deal of this country was
terra incOgnita. 1t ran vaguely into a
No Mans Land unknown to the pros
pectOr.
The going was heavy. Gordon had
to pick his way through the messy
swamp, leading the pack-hOrse by the
bride. Sometimes he was ankle-deep
in water Of greenish slime. Again
he had to drag the animal from the
bog to hummOck of grass which gave
spOngy footing. This would end in
another Quagmire Of peat through
which they must pillow with the mud
sucking at their feet. 1t was hard,
wearing toll. There was nothing to do
but keep moving. The young man
staggered forward till dusk. Utterly
exhausted, he camped for the night on
hillOck Of moss that rose like an
island in the swamp.
Elliot Travelled next day by the COM
pass. He had food for three days
more. but he knew that no living man |
had the strength to travel for so long
In such mOraSs. 1t was near mid |
day when he lost his horse. The ami
NAL had begged down several times
and Gordon had wasted much time and |
spent a good deal Of needed energy in
dragging it to firmer footing. This time
the pony refused to answer the whip.
It's master unloaded pack and saddle.
He tried cOaxing; he tried the whip.
"Come. Old-Timer. One plunge, and
you'll make II yet" he urged.
The pack-horse turned upon him
dumb eyes Of reproach. struggled to
free its limbs from the mud. and sank
down helplessly. 1t had Travelled its
last yard on the long Alaska trails.
After the sound Of the shot had died
away. Gordon struggled with the pack
to the nearest hummock. He cut holes
in gunny-sack to fit his shoulders
and packed into it his blankets. a
saucepan. the beans. the coffee, and
the diminished handful Of -four. Into
1t went. too, the three slices of bocop
that were left.
He hoisted the pack to his back and
slipped his arms through the Sits he
had made. Painfully he labOred for
ward over the quivering peat. Some
times he stumbled and went down into
the oozing mud. minded to stay there
md be done with the struggle. But
the urge of life drove him to his feet
lgain. 1t carried him for weary miles
litter he despaired Of ever covering
another hundred yards.
With old. half-forgotten signals from
he football field he spurred his will.
Perhaps his mind was already begin
hing TO wander. though through il all
le' held steadily to the direction that
llone could save him.
When at last he went down to STAY II
vas in an exhaustion so complete that
lot even his indomitable will could
ash him TO his feet again. For an
lOur he lay In stupOr. never stirring
ven to fight the swarm of mosquitoes
hat buzzed about him.
Toward evening he sat up and undid 2
he pack from his back. The matches t
n a tin box wrapped carefully with n
ilskin, were still perfectly dry. Soon W
e had fire going and coffee boiling s
\ the frying-pan. From the tin Gun he Ii
arried strung on his belt he drank
he coffee. 1t went through him like d
trong liquor. He warmed some beans y
nd fried himself slice of bacon
pppinG up the grease with Il cold his II
uit left over from the day before. Fl
Again he slept for Il few hours. He ri
al wound his watch mechanically and h,
ShnMnd him fnur n,cInnl- 49, H.