The Trail of a Sourdough / Life in Alaska

ndyke region became public. Less than a dozen persons had wintered on Bonanza and Eldorado, the famous gold creeks discovered by Carmack in

of drays and wagons united in one deep, deafening roar. These huge masses of freight and baggage presented the same general appearance. Everything with which to begin mining life in a new and barren country was there. Dog sleds and fur robes, heavy army sacks crammed to their drawstring

w and clean gold pans, one inside another, towered roofward among outfits of aspiring tradespeople of the prospective camps in the Klondyke; these same rich me

e brim of that which (their owners prognosticated) would relieve them of using pick and shovel, and bring them without effort after their arrival in the new diggings all the shining gold they could want to handle. It concerned them little that they would give i

cheeks, which latter, like those of well kept porkers, adorned their rubicund faces. Across their broad waistcoats dangled glittering ropes and "charms" of tawdry

d blackened stevedores, flushed and panting, reeking with perspiration and tobacco juice, but straining, tugging, lifting until one could almost imagine he heard their muscl

gers to Alaska, lay alongside the dock in the great town of S. Hundreds of people waited on shore to catch the latest glimpse of f

It was a sad day, and brightened only by tha

end of their uncomfortable voyage; and even if new discomforts awaited them, they would, at least, be those occurring

those giant hills directly from the water's edge except where, at the foot of the Grand Canyon, trending northward, a small tract of wet and boggy land dejectedly spread itself. Between this and the anchored vessel upon the decks of which stood the thousand would-be miners the waters of old Lynn rose and fell with an ocean's pulsing, at the same time quietly moving in their accustomed way among the beach sands and shingle. No soothing lap of the waters against the sides of the vessel consoled these

, the latter in a subdued and apparently reluctan

the remaining voyagers with their freight were hustled on shore with as much expeditio

of daring argonauts faced the hardships of a trail, and life in an Alaskan mountain wilderness; their own backs and those of a fe

fellows to weaken, and notwithstanding the disheartening outlook, all set to work with a will until the

tering peaks, the snows of which were melted daily by the sun and warm wind and found their way in streams down ravi

epetition of that on the n

tfits of the travelers had been hastily dumped. Camp fires crackled and Indian fishermen traded fresh salmon for tobacco; but the tired and

rships, thinking thus to simplify and make easier the crossing with their heavy outfits these tremendous mountains. In some instances this was a w

ed above their barrels dumped out upon the sands, counters and rude seats were provided, while flaring, staring cloth signs were flung out informing all that this was "The Shelter", "Tommy's Place", or "Your Own Fireside", in order to allure the cold, weary and dishe

quick, impatient axe strokes men struck at overhanging and obstructing trees and vines. On all sides hung huge boulders and cliffs like pouting, protruding lips, as if the mountains had been shaken into shape by some subterrane force and resented even yet their rough treatment. Mosses hung from tree trunks, and vines thickly blanketed the rocks and ledges

eir packs on the trail. In like manner they loaded the animals they drove before them, and here was exhibited man's awful inhumanity to the dumb brutes. Pack horses, mules and dogs, loaded to top-heaviness and cinched until one could almost hear their bones crack, climbed, straining, struggling, panting, wild eyed and steaming from over-exertion

in the fall of '97. Animosities were born which die only when hearts in men's bosoms are forever stille

d the way as rough, even if a trifle shorter than that over the White Pass. Nor

Not every man drank liquors. There were numbers whose strongest stimulant was the fragrant coffee, or water from the mountain springs; and these were among the quiet, helpful ones who plodded patiently and industriously; lending a kindly hand to some u

h following his loaded mule, which, once placed in the long line of men and animals, wending

to take them into the gold fields. After landing at Skagway they decided

fancied duty to himself; which act, often repeated, will sometimes stir up unpleasantly the muddy waters of men's souls. After having gotten a late start from Skagway, they had

among fallen logs, boulders and driftwood, and through the t

they found themselves close under a huge wall of rock in

ted upon the ground. Men and mules now breathed deeply, and rested

avin' to hunt 'em up. Time is too precious on this trail, and there are too many fellows around wishin' fur just s

I'm goin' to take a drink before continuing these proceedings, and I advise you to do

been gathering for a fire, and produced a duplicate

a bed of boughs, cut from the thicket when exhausted after new and hard labor was bad enough; but when to this was added the almost unendurable stinging and singing of the eve

eave everything and ride back to Skagway for another load of supplies,

g their ear chambers closed to visitors; while their caudal appendages were not allowed a moment's respite from duty. The men relieved themselves of bitter and revengeful sentiments toward their unwelcome visitants by deep and hearty curses, until a little later, worn and weary, in the camp-fire "smudge" they sl

in testy humor the following morning and took immed

rock which was moss covered to such an extent that its face was considerably hidden, an

I make the fire for breakfast," said Roberts to his compan

ear that gag every time there is anything extra hard to do on this trip

han to bring water, cut wood, and get breakfast, do you? I'll swap jobs if you

e," echoed Smithso

o anything. You needn't suppose I'm going to do your work and mine, too," was the impatie

in no very kindly manner by the sour faced, mosquito-bitten and generally disgusted tenderfoo

d led them. When he returned to camp expecting to find a smoking breakfast awaiting him, he was disap

" called Roberts in a voice

Picking wild flowers, I suppose. How're we goin' to get

nally he rose from his stooping position, and mo

ver mind breakfast; you can eat that any

ambled over to th

?" he inqui

Roberts in a low, excited voice, dropping a

berts, it ca

se hills have ears and plenty of 'em. Come up here qui

s mosquito-bitten hands and face, and in less than

rspiring. As Smithson joined him he sat down on

" asked Smithson, "I thought

ey climbed higher their ropes pulled tighter and had worn off the moss which fell to the ground below. Among this moss there were several bits of whitish roc

hink of it?" a

ith gold in it! See that shiny yellow stuff, scattered

that's all there i

nd break up some of the rock as I get it out, and we'll see what it looks like; but above all things we mu

n' to Skagway f

enough grub to last till to-m

faint. The bottles in their "jumper" pockets were empty-they had eaten nothing since the nig

d not recognize, but the quartz was quartz and carried free gold; and that at present was enough for them. In their ignorance they knew nothing of which way the vein "dipped", of what the "gangue" was composed, nor how often and wh

med the discovery. Thi

"and one of them is mine. You knew very well that the quartz was ther

eing my partner one half of all I find is yours without your raising a finger, and you could quit this howl before beginning. A man may be an idiot in the States if

box and wash the dishes while you go out to prospect your quartz ledge, don't you?" sneered Smithson, in whos

ng a heavy iron pick, I reckon,

soon arose, however, as to whether the l

it for others, especially as it is uncover

cannot hold the ground from others, but it must be on record. Now if we stop here long all these fellows on the trail will get into Dawson ahead of us and gobble up the claims. We starte

hand is worth two in the bush', and if this

rtz mines than we've got or ever may have. But I see what you're after. You wan

o to b

tter drop this business and pack our supplies from Skag

hiskey and tobacco in that place, and of his chronic

ere pushed over the edge of the cliff with stems downward in order that their leafy tops might rest against the prospected rock and temporarily hide

after a broken leg had necessitated a bullet in the head, thus causing stenches to fill the nostrils of the already suffering and oppressed passersby. No one had time to bury animals. If a man fell it was, of course, obligatory to halt from their "packing" long enough to dig a shallow bed among the rocks; but this done, and a handful of granite fragments heaped above h

t the foot of some rushing cascade was the only dirge that was sung. Ferns swayed gently in shaded nooks, and wild flowers nodded familiarly to each other. Filmy

; and intermittently the falling flakes whirled and drifted into ravines and canyons, making them leve

n. They were not here to moraliz

und, much to their disappointment, that, without assistance, they would not be able to reach Lake B

ers to help them over the summit of the Pass, else the sun of anothe

nd a few saucer-shaped lakelets reflecting in their cold depths the floating clouds

vel "meadows" beckoned to them, and still farther the shining waters of Bennett. But trail troubles would soon for them be over, and with lighter hea

its sands! With what maidenly modesty it nestles in th

oat-building. Night and day this continued, and turns were taken at sleeping in order that the work might not be stopp

se the sweetness of his naturally selfish disposition, which under the delays, hardships

ws in an argument, for sooner than do this Roberts would turn on his heel a

shed and we ought to be off and away in about two days. You ca

e to begin," said Smithson. "If it isn't done right all hands

e can't afford that. I've done most of the work so far, and I think you

rence that he was not manly. Seizing his hat he shambled off

l the boat and supplies for double their cost, return to Skagway, and build a cabin near the quartz ledge, thus escaping the long and dangerous trip down the lakes and rivers as well as the awful Arctic winter which he more and more dreaded in the Klondyke. On the south side of the mountains the weather would be more mild; he

ong as he lived if he could have the whole and manage it to suit himself. Could a boat be caulked lightly in spots, he wondered,

it would be worth more and could be sold for many times what they had paid for it at starting; but men were far too plen

which the smoke of melting pitch ascended, while oakum was filling t

a much needed rest and nap, came out to see how the business was

"for you're breaking your record, sure; but keep right on; I'll get paint and brushes in readiness to star

e needed a nerve-quieter. The train of thought in which he had just indu

t were started upon their long voyage to the Klondyke laden with freight to the water's edge. Me

Roberts had d

ail and were scudding northward before the wind towards Caribou. If they could make the crossing that

wind flapped their small sail and the yard

pile, for by Jingo! we're goin' to catch it now!" as the cold rain da

instant later at the top of his voice,

Roberts while tending the r

e way expected. He grasped the yardarm and swung

roar of the gale drowned the noise of a sudden splash. A cry of horror, the

h near Caribou. Its one occupant looked wildly around in the darkness

incoherent

ds in the water-Jove! where's that whiskey?" and he fumbled among the supplies under the t

mine now, yes, mine, mine!" and he hu

e grub and backtrack to

hone searchingly. The man lay down in the boat

. The rush and roar of the elements-two hands flashing out of the ink-black water-

s closely followed by a white man and both were headed southward. The guid

ver the cards. Smithson had indiscreetly allowed his guide a glimpse of his money belt, and though the white man was well armed, in a moment of fo

n seldom

now; muttering as he wipe

terday,-good man now,-

the trail. Stars twinkled overhead. A well filled money belt, a revolver

its secret having been, for the present, buried with the two partners w