The Trail of a Sourdough / Life in Alaska

ey were hardy young fellows, and used the accent of born

r us to get any first class ground hereabouts. Let's light out, blaze a new trail for ourselves, and prospect in the likeliest places durin

ay shall

we wish to reach, of course. We might make for the headwaters of the Klondy

prove ugly

lenty of grub and ammunition, and a co

k our lives for nothing in such a wilderness. I would be willing to

re far from penniless. They carry good-sized pokes of nuggets and dust which they use in tra

rs; one can't get any

you bet

whose name seemed appropriately bestowed

ted the cabin. He would find a certain long haired Indian he had seen

ped by unreckoned in the Klondyke in winter. Night was more often than not turned into day by the restl

hile crossing the ice by dog-team to West Dawson. Glancing in that direction he saw the brilliantly lighted dance-house and saloon, whose blare of brassy instruments reached his unwillin

worth its weight in gold, and none expect comforts, why waste time? We came here for that we cannot obtain in the States-at least I did-

r listen any time to the brutes zig-zagging up and down their scales than to the giggling 'box rustlers' from the Monte Carlo crossing yonder to

ack hair. The latter held in his hand a whiskey glass, now almost drained, the contents of which had n

isurely and carefully knocking the ashes from his pipe, placed it upon a shelf. He then took from an inside pocket a half dozen cigars of reputable brand

gated MacDougall, his eyes on the lighted end of his

ed the India

man, at the same moment holding one of the ci

tin

ek, Pete?" continued the pat

uch yo

will take me with my brother here to your gold creek, or any gold

so, though he had attempted in various ways to purchase it in Dawson he had not been successful. Here was the offer of a whole gallon in exchange for gold

by the fur parkie he wore, took out a poke and threw it upon the table. When Thomas had untied the string and held the moose-hide sack by its two lower

m some white man's cabin on Bonanza or El

'um big crik,-plent'

d that it was a case of "nothing venture, nothing have" and he

ean the end of all things earthly to the two MacDougalls, but they determined to make the venture. They might fail of finding gold in quantities, but that was their fate if they remain

tracked its length from a small creeklet at starting to a wide and rushing mouth emptying its pure waters into the muddy Yukon, it has a good length of several hundred miles, and must not be lightly mentioned. On its "left limit" were Bonanza and Eldorado Creeks where men with underground fires burning both night and day tried with puny strength to checkmate the stubborn ice king

Gnat and Fox, which with Nello, Arizona, and many

urrying waters over pebbly creek beds was heard, but instead, the axe

of white men's cabins was more seldom seen; until finally the last

de appeared familiar with the region and was heading toward the best and easiest pass in the Roc

howled and rested at intervals. If one happened to be startled by a bad dream he immediately communicated the fact to his neighbors, of whom there were more than thirty, and they, either from sympathetic interest in a brother, or because they resented being waked thus unceremoniously in the midst of enjoyable naps, began echoing their sentiments in the most l

That a brow-beaten dog gives up and drops from the race through sheer discouragement often happe

rail to Dawson to be sold. In case the MacDougalls "struck it rich" in the Indian country it was imperative that the

ste. In a moment Pete was off with his rifle to the nearest hill-top, stealthily but rapidly treading the soft, deep snow. The elder MacDougall

read of blue smoke rising from the valley on the other side, and knew that Indians, probably Peel R

unting grounds, and must have driven big game into this vicinity which they were loath to abandon. I

he heard a shot, angry voices in altercation, and a second shot, when the n

d probably hunt no more

g suddenly upon them he discove

fur-dressed Indian lying dead upon th

e matter?"

his. I told him it was mine, when he pulled his

ick,-hide um. We cut caribou," whereupon he whipped out a big hunting knife, after placing

f the carcass, and with as much of the meat as they could handle, made their way back to camp. Pete a

t as he fell, and falli

s they could carry. It was thought safest not to remain long in the vicinity,

uld return to the long trail with redoubled energy. More large

ibou. The miners were given a pleasant surprise one evening when George MacDougall cleaned the birds for his breakfast. Three or fou

What's

made an e

ey are stones, I'll eat 'em. I believe they're gold nuggets," he added to his b

od to the eyes of the patient prospectors. They had certainly come from the bars of some stream, which, in an exposed place, had been wind-swept, furnishing the grouse a late feeding ground wh

mined, and many carried their own savings bank with them. No better

was sur

alternated in the breasts of the two Canadians and their men, notwithstanding the reiterated aff

here," said he. "Two

Dougall had replied, b

within the crowded and stifling huts satisfied them to resume their march. The air outside, if cold, w

similar trophies of the chase, made a warm and comfortable home compared to that which the white men had expected to find. A pleasant-faced squaw and several small child

Who'd a t

ice hut, or a teepee made of

und was what I thought we

on!" exclaimed a fourth, s

ive!" eyeing an old

, I s

e all talki

t don't dare," said Tom MacDo

rother, who looked as well pleased as any of the group, wh

e he and his squaw had learned to make a home like this,-where he got so much of civilization,-who had taught his squaw to keep house,-who played the accord

all feared he would be stalled for replies, and finally halted for him to make a b

n," unconcernedly, as though it was of every day occu

as we do?" ask

N

you cal

k,-fix um. Heap good man," and Pete t

is to the Fort, Mac,

ke, I don't know. But we must pitch our tents, cook our supper, and feed the dogs. Poor fellows! They shall have a good long rest soon fo

t of the family on their knees; they had propounded another hundred questions to their uncommunicative host and gotten monosyllabic answers; but they had heard

earth, the sight of which, when uncovered, caused the white men to feel repaid for coming. There were chunks and hunks of the precious yellow metal

y extent, but thought he had secured enough in a desultory way for his present use. The

ward Thomas MacDougall, remembering that the doub

must show us a gold creek, too,

w you.

ess claimed the land except when the brilliant low-swinging moon lighted the heavens and snowy earth below,

he stream. With fires they thawed the ground, after

ight men were placed on the day force; this alternation being found best in all mining camps. Log cabins and bunk houses were numerous, large, and comfortable, f

e fact that the camp was far removed from civilization, and men ha

eal beasts of burden, and vied with each other as to which should carry the palm for leadership and favor in t

d rude tramways with small flat cars, which being successfully oper

directed into ditches conveying it to the well arranged heaps of dirt and gravel, and then these dumps rapidly melted lik

on uncertainty,-the four guided by Indian Pete three years before,-the others had known why they came, how far the distance, ho

and having to wait for days while two Indians "mushed" southward to the For

the "boys" tried to force him to confe

considerable. "There aint no whiskey in me system, either, to keep me leg from healin' when it's once put rig

k he talked on, addressing the camp cook who

so rich as this. I tell you, boy, it not only makes me eyes bug out, but it makes me hair stand on end, fur it's a whale of a gold creek! When I l

old, you know," said

er squirms at payin' either. Then we have a reasonable hope that Sister Creek is as good

e there is under the bunks in this r

tand-now. By cleanin' up time next summer there'll be half a million more at least; ju

ake; but a fellow can't spend any o

thin' else. Great box we're in, to be sure," and the man lau

Bill who can't buy a drop of whiskey for a thousand dollars, alth

t violin of his'n, does it? Do y

that's no josh, either. But here comes Mac. What in thunder's that?" T

gall l

in to show you, and the Canadian placed the ma

you thi

bird! Why, man, this new Klondyke will m