The Wrangell sentinel., 1921-05-12
Letter fromsT. E. Hankin Telegraph Creek, B. c.,
 April 2o, 1921.
MR. ]. w. PRITcHETT, Edit0r of Me Sentinel,
 WraneeX, Alaska.

MR. w. PRITcHETT,
 Editor of Me Sentinel,
 WraneeX AlaSka.
 Dick Inkster and myself have recently returned from prospect ing trip in the north, where we went to explore for oil. We brought back a number of samples, and l am sending you some Of 1t.
 We left here in February and got back in April, travelling in all a little over seven hundred miles by dog team. We were in the Liard river country. The place where we got our samples is at the foot of a river. There is ridge of sandstone along the river, which the Indians told us lad been burn ing for years. There is plenty of evidence that this ridge of rock had been subjected to great heat as it is baked red, but the fire has died out. A heavy slide of clay and gravel occurred behind this burning rock which apparently interfered with the fuel supply that kept the fire going in the rocks and 1t went out. It is now burning behind this ridge in the clay and gravel, but in a much less degree. There is also very strong smell of gas at the place, and when the air is stlll, the whole atmosphere is impreg- mated with it for some distance around; in fact it made us sick when we stayed in 1t too long. We took samples from different spots for a distance of about half mile. No doubt II we were there in summer time we would have had a better opportunity to get samples. As It was, we had to get them where the snow was oil.
 On our return trip we came across a white man who lives ln that far northern wilderness with his young daughter. They were on their way up to the Hudson s Bay post for supplies and expected to return by canoe when the river opened. The man informed us that if. he had known that any one was in the country he would have brought samples of oil from his lace, 90 miles further down the river. He said that oil could be seen floating on the surface of the water during the summer months, and that gas bubbles were contin- ually forming on the water. There are also hot springs there, and he grows potatoes and other vege- tables with great success.
 We also came across some lndl- ans, or rather they came across us. They saw our tracks and followed us, telling us later that they knew our tracks were not made by Indi- ans. They stayed with us and more turned up later, tlll we had a regular caravan of dog teams with many bells and gailv decorated harness and sieighs in all colors oi the rainbow. They carrie very little camp equipment and yer, scantv rations of dried moose meat. They put up with all the discom' forts attendant upon such a life with a cheerfulness that was SUIT prising. We found them very friendly and anxious to assist us 1T any way they could. We had te hold school every night as they were very anxious to learn how tc read and write.
 One day the Indians happened to overhear me singing. q Wa: singing a little song that l hac learned in the trenches in France. One of them asked me what kint ofa song$it was I told him it wa a soldiers song. After that, noth ing would do. but l must sing then ''soldier song." I put them ol till we got back to Liard post whel the whole tribe descended on u and begged me to sing soldie song.' My fame had evidentl