The Boy Scouts on the Yukon

part of Alaska on his mission, which would occupy some weeks. The boys parted with him reluctantly and with some little feeling of homesickness, but he promised to joi

berty, and at Ketchikan, a thriving town, the boys here gained their first real impressions of Alaskan conditions. They found Skagway a town of about fifteen hundred people, set in a great natural amphitheatre surrounded by mountains capped with perpetual snow. It is connected with the outside world by a cable to Seattle, and by other parts of Alaska by telegraph, and has electri

rush to the Klondike, and Swiftwater told them many stories of the terrible winter trip over the Whi

oats and Indian guides and boatmen to carry their machinery into the wilderness. The boys were greatly interested in this first near view of Alaskan Indian life in the two villages which they visited, and in comparing the natives with the Indians with whom they had been associated in their trip to the Canadian R

ed into this tribe," referring to an episode of their journey in search of th

t would be naething to be proud of. They do

n which I find they are

" asked Rand, "c

e onto this continent, but I've wondered whether the Indian found the dog when he ca

ve dog days up here so nea

ound here," suggested Gerald, who was surrounded at that mom

haps the reindeer in our Northern possessions. Little of this country would have been explored or settled except f

liarly skilful in making, and the boys would have loaded themselves down with souvenirs had not Colonel Sn

placed on cars of the White Pass and Yukon Railroad; the "piano case" as it had come to be called having been put in storage until

y of mountain and gorge that the boys scarcely noticed the passage of time, beguiled, as it was, with thrilling tales by Swiftwater Ji

oe, who spoke good English and greeted Swiftwater as an old friend. He had been charged with securing the crews for the two boats that Swiftwater Jim was to use in t

ork when no rum; rum, no work," referring to the prevalence of the liquor

perance, especially so far as natives is concerned," said Swiftw

or handling, and obviating the necessity of transporting the heavy material of the cases. Bundled together the entire freight was transported by teams to the water front, where were tied up two commodious shallo

from the United States into the Canadian territory, and to give bond for the two arms and personal equipment which was to be taken into the woods, but eventually returned to American territory, Swiftwater visi

ndid organization maintained by the Canadian Government for the preservation of order in its western and northwestern possessions. I

est in the organization of the Boy Scouts in the United States. Major McClintock, head of the station,

erritory. Besides, this country is a refuge for hundreds of men who find life unpleasant in more civilized sections, and we must keep them under supervision. By the way, I have just received notification from the United States marshal

and Monkey,"

m, do you?" said

hem very well," sa

detective work, J

ice," cried Gerald. "Major, won't you

he joke on himself, told Major McClintock of their various encou

cer, "we'll keep a sh

of Great Britain, told them something of the great organization in England he

s post extended over the territory to which they were going, and that

sed the night, and were there joined by Skookum Joe, who was to go with them as far as the mouth of the confluent upon w

which many miles further away is joined by the Pelly to make

ed the flat-bottomed craft by long steering oars, one at each end and one at the side. Swiftwater had placed

at reared their heads above the current. By Swiftwater's direction the boys were allowed to take a hand at the oars at times, beside the Indian oarsman, to accustom them somewhat to the ticklish

alone with the side oar, succeeded in dipping the blade under a piece of hidden rock and was thrown by the swift motion of the boat high in the air, alight

e got his wind again and began to caress h

om of the river," while Rand sarcastically suggested that it wasn't part o

tmen skilfully rounded the batteaus out of the current of the Lewes into the Creek and into a little backwater formed by a projecting sandy point between the two streams. Here the water was fairly deep, and as no trees came down to the water's edge two of the Indians held the boat up to the bank, while the thir