The Wrangell sentinel., 1935-03-01
HIGH WATER" PIONEERS
 MEET TO EXCHANGE YARNS


 In old yellow. threadbare mack inaw. pants Cthey might have cen oyeralls), the mighty patches Of flour sacks hardly distinguishable one red and one blue striped Ger man sock stuck into moccasins. ending where they went into the footwear; above the mackinaw a bunch of whiskers and muskrae cap.
 The total of all this, according to the Valdez Miner. is: An old Alaska prospector
 Wearily he trudged down the great white way. his moth-eaten Siwash dog following behind. He approached the pearly gates and knocked
 St. Peter asked: "Who might you be-"
 q am an old prospeetor." the man answered.
 "Why. come right in" said St Peter.
 Having entered he unceremoni- ously pulled off his moceasins and socks, wrung the water out of them as unconcerned as if he were on the trail and arriving at some roadhouse. Wiping his bare feet on his red bandanna, he turned to inspect his surroundings.
 How strange and unreal every thing seemed. He missed the 'kla- howya" of the salmon-seented Si- wash. omnipresent at the arrival of all mushers He missed most of all the reception" shot of boot ehinoo his inner self craved and wondered if he were welcome.
 And who might you be-" he asked. noting St. Peters airy raj ment and his halo of gold "Kin moo-sum here and git a little mucka-amuck or shall klatawa to some other igloo?"
 "Mooseum, klatawa, ilgoo, muck a-muck? My good man, I do not understand you"
 Kin I sleep here and git some thin to eat, or do I have to mush on to another roadhouse?"
 But this is Heaven. You are not supposed to eat and sleep. You stay here throughout the night said St. Peter. Just walk around and enjoy yourself"
 The old prospector walked over to a group of men, who were sit ting around lingering the hens of their robes, as if they let the cold in.
 Everybody was silent. No tales were told of new strikes. less pay, lack of water, shortage of grub or bad trails. Several men looked like old miners with nothing to do un- til the snow flew again, but they eaid nothing. The silence was op- pressiye.
 EXpectantly he looked toward he group, but finding no conver- sation coming, he made up his mind it was up to him to get ac- quainted if he was to find out about new paystreaks.
 Had a h- of a hard time of it." he began. never saw such high water as we have had"
 'Oh hell,' said a long bearded old patriarch in the audience.
 Built a stick canoe," he con- tinued, "on the Gulkana Crooked est river in Alaska. The swift cur rent threw me against a sleeper and upset me and just got out alive"
 "Oh he'll" he was interrupted.
 He glanced at his listener and continued: Crossed over to the Gakona. came out at the lakes: found the whole country under wa ter Never saw such a flood"
 ''Oh, he'll" this time more em- phatic, and in a tone that showed the utmost contempt for the old timer.
 Undaunted he overlooked the in- terruption and with single mind he proceeded with his story:
 Well, I waded for miles through swamps, knee deep until I reached the Tazlina. We'll you know what the Tazlina is when it gets on a rampage. Carries more water than the Copper and the silt is some thin to talk about The river was so high you couldn't tell where the channel was Talk about your floods"
 "Oh. hell" and the speaker got