The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1935-08-02
1888 CANOE VISITOR RETURNS
CASSIAR EXPLORATION PLANE

DR.. Charles Camsell, Canada S
deputy minister of mines, arrived
in Wrangell Wednesday afternoon
on his first visit since the spring
of 1899 when he made his last
trip in the fulfillment of a con-
tract into which he had entered to
carry his Majesty's mail from
Wrangell to Telegraph Creek.
With the aid of his brother Fred
he took the mail from Wrangell by
canoe to Cottonwood island on the
Stikine where the two young men
pitched tent for themselves and
two dogs who helped pack in the
mail from that point over the frOz-
en- river to Telegraph Creek.
DR.. Camsell, in vivid contrast to
canoe days, arrived Wednesday in
a Canadian Survey plane which he
had boarded at Prince Rupert
few hours previously. He was en-
route on an important scientific
expedition into the Lizard which
held his keenest professional inter
est but had a definite personal in
terest besides.
Born at Fort Lizard
DR.. Camsell was born in 1876 at
Fort Lizard. His father was chief
factor for the Hudson's Bay com
pany and two years later moved to
Fort Simpson, located still farther
in the northern wilderness at the
confluence of the Lizard and Mack
enzie rivers.
When he was eight years old DR..
Camsell and his brother were sent
to school at Winnipeg. They were
three months in arriving at their
destination and remained there un-
til they were graduated from the
University of Manitoba in 1897.
Shortly after their return home re-
ports of the Klondike gold discOv-
cry reached them at Fort Norman
and they came up the Mackenzie,
the Lizard and Dease rivers by can
oe to Francis lake. From there they
attempted to get to the Pelly river
and into Dawson. Their ambition
was frustrated and for a month
and half they wandered in that
waste of land on the verge of star
walton. Getting back to the Dease
river they eventually made their
way to Telegraph Creek where they
secured the mail contract for the
winter of 1898 and 1899.
Young Adventures
The next spring, the young ad-
venturers, hearing of mining eX-
citement in Great Slave lake dis
lake and went to the headwaters
of the Mackenzie only to find after
all their toll and hardship that
the reports of gold were without
foundation. They were without re
sources except the canoe which
they sold to the Bishop of Macken-
zie for $25, and with the stake of
$3.50 each they went trapping
that winter. When they came out
in the following spring of 1900
with their fur catch, DR.. Camsell
Joined a Dominion survey party
which went to explore the shores
of Great Bear lake. This was his
first connection with the Dominion
government. The party reached Ed
monitor in 1901 and Dr. Camsell
was definitely established in his
career as geologist. Two years
later he enrolled at Harvard and
then at Boston Tech, where he re-
ceived Doctors degree in geology.
Priced Instrument
During his present trip he will
gain information in two weeks of
plane travel that would necessitate
years of land travel. The plane is
camera and radio equipped and DR.,
Camsell is carrying an instrument
which he greatly prizes. 1t is
compass presented to him by Sir
Francis Younghusband and which
that famous explorer used on his
Journeys in Tibet.