IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET {MT-3) y A* -^ ^ t= 7i "^»' <# 7 1.0 I.I 11.25 M^WIA 12.5 Hi u ^U4 Photograpbc SdHices Corporation ^ 23 WiST MAIN S^SIIT WE»STM,N.Y. 145M (716) «72-4503 ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical MIcroreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions hJstorlques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes tachniquat at bibliof^raphiquaa Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy avaliabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibllographlcaily uniqua. which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproductlon, or which may aigniflcantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. 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Original copiaa in printad papar covars ara fiimad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuttratad impraa- sion. or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara fiimad baginning on tha firat paga with a printad or illuttratad imprat- tion. and anding on tha latt paga with a printfctl or illuatratad imprattion. Tha latt racordad frama on aach microficha thall contain tha tymbol — ^^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha tymbol V (moaning "END"), whichavar appliat. IMapt. plataa. chartt. ate. may ba fiimad at diffarant raduction ratiot. Thota too larga to ba antiraly included in ona axpotura ara fiimad baginning in tha uppar laft hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, at many framet at required. The following diagramt illuttrate the method: 1 2 3 Lea imagaa auivantaa ont At* reproduitet avac la plua grand aoin. compta tenu de la condition at da la nattetA da reKemplaira film*, et en conformity avac lea conditiont du contrat de filmaga. Lea exemplairat originaux dont la couverture en papier eat imprimAe aont filmAa en commenpant par la premier plat at an terminent aoit par la darnlAre page qui comporte une empreinvj d'imprettion ou d'illuttration. toit par la tecond plat, talon la caa. Tout let autret exemplairat originaux tont filmte en commen^ant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'imprettion ou d'illuttration et en terminant par la darniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un det tymbolet tuivantt apparaltra tur la darnlAre image de cheque microfiche, telon le caa: le tymbole — ► tignifie "A SUIVRE". ie tymbole V tignifie "FIN". Let cartet. planchet. tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre filmte il det taux de rAduction diffArentt. Lortque le document ett trop grand pour Atra raproduit en un teul clich*. il est film* A pertir de I'angle tupArieur gauche, de gauche i droite. et de haut en bat. en prenant le nombre d'imaget nAcetteire. Let diegrammet tuivantt illuttrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 C( •m^h'Wi' ' ALASKA. 1 8 Q Q. COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. n W. R. ABERCROMBIE, Second U. S. In&ntry, COMMANDING^. WASHINGTON: aOVERNMBNT PRINTING OFFICE. 1900. Ticjo Re) Sub Sub CONTENTS. iMge. Report of Capt. W. R. Abercrombie, Second United States Infantry: Secretary of War Root's letter of transmittal 7 Orders and special instructions 9 Narrative of journey from Washington, D. C, to Valdez, via Fort Keogh, Livingston, and Seattle 11 Selection of skilled men for trail crew 12 .How the expedition was outfitted 12-13 Arrival of exiiedition at Valdez 14 A vivid pen sketeh of scenes at Valdez 15 The dreaded scoui« III iNNly of n)|i<)rt rt-fur to iiiiiiiImtm of tliu |iluit<>KrH|iliN MubiiilttttI lii-n^with. WArtiiiNt.TON, D. CJaniKiry 10^ l.'HJO. Sib: I havf tho ).- r.ot- to Huhinit hurewitli ri'ixnt of tho rucfiit i^xplo- i-utions in uiul th i jiiHtruction of n iiiilit4ii'y routu throu);h thut ]M>rtion of Ceiitml i\\ ika k!')wn astht) "Coppiir Kivt. \V. R. Al»r«;r()mbio, Second United StatcH In'antry, coininan<1ing; Htu^ond Lieut. AV. C. BalK^ock, Eighth United HtateM Cavalry; one at'ting uiwiHtant Hiirneon, one hoHpitul Hteward, one coniuiiflsary nergeant, two nonconinuHt^ioned ofTloerH and eight privateH of infantry, of whom two Mhall lie cookB, fully equipiwd and Hupplieil to Novemlxjr .10. 1899, will pro<»e«l to Valdea, on Prince William Sound, Alanka, on or almut the IBth proximo, and there cHtahliHli a camp ivml depot. From Valdes! the expeH, aiul tthould Ik^ d<*tl- nitely l(K«teunds, aner month and rations. 15 axmen, at $50 per month and rations. 2 (»oks, at $50 per month and rations. 4 rockmen, at $75 per month and rations. Thest^ employees will be paid from appropriations of the Quartermaster's Depart- ment. You are also authorized to employ the necessary Indians, natives of Alaska, as guides for the different detaclunents of your command, for temporary wsrvice, at the current rate of wage at the place of employment. You will be furnished with a sufficient number of copies of maps i'oinpileer River, and also the most desirable {lassage of the Tanana. In reporting thereon state definitely location of crossings, depth of water, width of stream, and whether conditions will permit fording or the operation of ferries. The passes over the glaciers and through the mountains finally selected as the most practicable entrance to the interior will also be carefully surveyed, triangulated and platted, with full and complete figures of distance, altitwles, and widths of passes, and should be definitely located and properly marked in order that the same may be declared a military road by the Secretary of War. Very respectfully, G. D. Meiklrjohn, Acting Secretary of War. Ordkks.] War Decarthent, Washington, March 22, 1899. Capt. W. R. Abercronibie, Second Infantry, commanding Copper River Exploring Expedition, accompanied by fHephen Birch, guide, will proceeandoned, and that they were running "wild" and could not be located. As the steamer on which the expe- dition was to embark — Tm Excelmyr (1) — of the Pacific Steam Whaling Company's line, was about loaded and ready to sail, the situation was embarrassing, and thus our departure was delayed until the 16th of April, when our horses (2 and 3) having arrived from Livingstone were, together with the beef (4, 146) cattle, loade . ^rly in the morning, when the expedition sailed for Port Valdez. After an uneventful voyage of six days (6) anchor was dropped at Port Valdez, Alaska, on the 21st day of April, 1899, about 6 o'clock p. m. The scene that followed the arrival of our A^essel at Valdez was one that I shall not soon forget. Crowding aboard the steamer came the argonauts of last season's rush into the Copper River Valley and who now considered themselves full-fledged mind's, although many of them had never handled either a pick or shovel since their entry into the country. A more iwotley-looking crowd it would be hard to im- agine. Mackinaw suits of all varieties and colors, faded and worn by exposure to the elements and their long journey over the Valdez Glacier (6) from the Copper River Valley. They seemed to be sadly demoralized, and fiuni a hurried conversation I had with six or seven COPPER BIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 15 iamer came I had known the year before I was led to believe that hundreds were dying of stai-vation and scurvy beyond the Coast Range in the Copper River Valley. Most of those then in the settlement of Valdez had little or no money, but notwithstanding this fact a wholesale orgy was inaugurated that lasted until midnight, the cabin and decks of the steamer giving unmistakable evidence of the potent influence of the liquor on those who had indulged so freely and who were now lying around in various attitudes sleeping off the effects. In some way these people became possessed of the idea that the Government contemplated furnishing them transportation from Valdez to Seattle, and it was not for some days that I could disabuse their minds of this fact. That they had passed a terrible winter was beyond all question of doubt; that many of them had died from scurvy and being frozen to death was in evidence at the little graveyard that had sprung up since my departure the year before. One of the first men from whom I could get an intelligent account of the condition of things was Quartermaster's Agent Charles Brown (7), whose salutation to me was, "My God, Captain, it has been clear hell I 1 tell you the early days of Montana were not a marker to what I have gone through this winter! It was awful 1" Going ashore with Mr. Brown, I visited the various cabins in which he had housed some 80 or 100 of these destitute prospectors, and from what I saw there I was satisfied that while his remarks might have been forcible they were not an exaggeration. Many of these people I had met and known the year before were so changed in their appearance, with their long hair hanging down their shoulders and beards covering their entire face, that I do not think I recognized one of them. They were crowded together, from 15 to 20 in log cabins, 12 by 15, and in the center of which was a stove. On the floor of the cabin at night they would spread their blankets and lie down, packed like sardines in a box. Facilities for bathing there were Most of them were more or les^ afflicted with scurvy, ';yhile not none. a few of them had frost-bitten hands, faces, and feet. Their footwear in some cases consisted of the tops of rubber boots that had been cut off by Brown and manufactui-ed into shoes. Around their feet they had wound strips of gunny sacks, which were used in place of socks. Across the cabin from side to side were suspended ropes on which were hung various articles of apparel that had become wet in wallowing through the deep snow and had been hung up at night to dry. The odor emanating from these articles of clothing, the sore feet of those I who were frozen, and the saliva and breath of those afflicted with I scurvy gave forth a stench that was simply poisonous as well as sick- I ening to a man in good health, and sure death to one in ill-health. I at once directed Brown to hire a cabin in which to organize a hos- pital (9 and 11) and another one for a cookhouse (10 and 12) and to employ a crew to run both places. 16 COPPER RIVER EXPLORINO EXPEDITION. ! i^ I noticed in tiilking to these people that over 70 per ocnt of them were more or less mentally deranged. My attention was first directed to this fact by their reference to a glacial demon." One big, raw- boned Swede, in particular, described to me how this demon had strangled his son on the glacier, his story being that he had just started from Twelve-Mile Plant (a small collection of huts just across the Coast Range of Mountains from Valdez) with his son to go to the coast in company with some other prospectoi's. When halfway up the summit of the glacier, his son, who was ahead of him hauling a sled, while he was behind pushing, called to him, saying that the demon had attacked him and had his arms around his neck. The father ran to the son's assistance, but, as he described it, his son being very strong, soon drove the demon away and they passed on th^ir way up toward the summit of Valdez Glacier. The weather was very cold and the wind blowing very hard, so 'that it made traveling very difficult in passing over the ice between the huge crevasses through which it was necessary to pick their way to gain the summit. While in the thickest of these crevasses, the demon again appeared. He was said to be a small, heavy-built man and very active. He again sprang on the son's shoulders, this time with such a grasp that, although the father did all he could to release him, the demon finally strangled the son to death. The old man then put the son on the sled and brought him down to the Twelve-Mile camp, where the other prospectors helped him bury him. During the recital of this tale the old man's eyes would blaze and he would go through all the actions to illustrate just how he fought off this imaginary demon. When I heard this story there were some ten or twelve other men in the cabin and at that time it would not have been safe to dispute the theory of the existence of this demon on the Valdez Glacier, as every man in there firmly believed it to be a reality. I was infoi-med by Mr. Brown that thid was a common form of mental derangement i . cident to those whom a fear of scurvy had driven out over the glacier, where so many had perished by freezing to death. DISEMBARKATION OF THE EXPEDITION AT PORT VALDEZ, APRIL 22, 1899. About 4 o'clock a. m., April 22, everybody was astir, as I had given orders the evening before that the disembarkation of the expedition would commence as soon as it was light enough to see. The weather (which in Port Valdez is local in character) looked heavy and threaten- ing, and shortly after 6 o'clock a. m. a driving snowstorm set in, the flakes of which were fully as large as a half-dollar piece and fell in such quantities that it was impossible to see more than 10 or 12 yards ahead, forming a coating on the bay so thick as to greatly impede the progress of the rowboats in transferring the stock and supplies from the steamer to the shore. COPPER BIVEB EXPLORING EXPEDITIOK. 17 IZ, APKIL 22, The pack horses and beef cattle were unloaded first, and the method resorted to may be of interest, if not of value, in the future. There being no lighter available, two of the ship's boats were lashed to a fore- and-aft deck beam, forming a craft resembling a catamaran. On the deck beams referred to was placed a decking of loose lumber, leaving room for two men to operate the oars in the bow. A large box, the size of an ordinary horse stall, was swung in the rigging of the ship and lowered into the hold by means of a steam wench. This box was provided with a door at each end that, when opened, had the appear- ance of a gangway. The animals being led in, both doors were closed and fastened, the box hoisted up over the ship's side and lowered on the deck of the catamaran, which was rowed shore, the front door opened and the animal led out on the beach. The transition from the dark hold of the ship into the glare of the snow so confused and bewildered the animals that on landing them on the beach some of the beef cattle ran back into the bay and were swimming around in the water for over half an hour before they could be driven back to the shore again. Having landed all the stock, the parts of an escort wagon were sent ashore and put together. The commissary stores, which had been specially put up in 50-pound packages and sacked in canvass, were then unloaded on the beach (13) and hauled up (14) to a log cabin which bad been rented for storage purposes. The unloading of the supplies of the expedition was kept up unin- teiTuptedly with relays of men and horses until the entire consignment had been landed and housed (31). Upon inspecting the stock it was found that, notwithstanding the long journey by cars and boat of fifteen days, they had arrived without injury to a single animal, which was due in a great measure to the care exercised by Captain Downing in providing stall accommodations ; on the steamer inclosure. Having provided shelter for the public property of the expedition, 1 a number of small cabins were rented for quarters, cook houses, etc. (16, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21), for the accommodation of the employees. (See report in detail of Post Quartermaster Sergt. Philip Glesener (8), act- [ing quartermaster of the expedition.) RELIEF FEATURE OF THE EXPEDITION. In compliance with the special instructions of the Acting Secretary )f War, extending relief to destitute persons in the mining regions of laska under the act of Decembei* 18, 1897, 1 directed Charles Brown, \n old Government employee of some forty years standing, who had sen appointed by the A«.'ting Secretary of War quartermaster's agent If or the relief of destitute persons, to hire, if possible, cabins for hospital |(9), bunk house (22), and mess house (18); to equip them, so far m S. Dec. 306 2 18 COPPER BIVES XXPLOBING EXPEDITION. the moans at our disposal would admit, 8o as to caro for the 8ick and destitute in his charge and en route from the interior, and to organize a crew from the most able-bodied to provide fuel and food for the relief station. Under the authority granted me in letter of instruc- tions from the Quartermaster-General, these men were regularly employed at a compensation of $1 per day and a ration. A detailed report of Quartermaster Agent Brown is submitted here- with, and in submitting such report I have, at the urgent request of many persons who were forced to apply for relief, withheld the list of names, for the reason that I believed it to be an unnecessary humilia- tion of the many unfoiiiunate men who were forced to accept as a gra- tuity medical attendance and subsistence from a public institution. The majority of these men appeared to appreciate the spirit qf the act under which the Department extended them relief in their distress. But there were many adventurers who, actuated by a sordid desire to save their money and live on the Government by simply misrepre- senting their condition, deceived the agent in charge of the station by proclaiming themselves destitute. It will be noticed in the report of Quartermaster Agent Brown that immediately after landing relief parties were sent out over the Valdez Glacier into the Copper River Valley, equipped with the dog teams (23, 24) and supplies, to bring out to the coast those whose enfeebled condi- tion rendered them helpless. I n this connection I desire to call attention to the appended report of Dr. Leroy S. Townsend, who, during the win- ter of 1898-99, performed the functions of attending physician at the improvised hospital at Copper Center, during what might be termed an epidemic of scurvy in the Copper River Valley. This report was made by Dr. Townsend at my request, as I believed the information contained therein, regarding the loathesome disease of scurvy, would be of great value in the future to the inexperienced under similar con- ditions in a new countiy. To thoroughly understand the conditions prevailing among the pros- pectors during the period referred to, it should be remembered that most of the men located in the various camps had probably never been out of sight of the smoke from a factory chimney; that tJie hardships encountered on entering the country were such as to turn back 75 per cent of practically every outfit the summer before and that those who remained in the country, prompted rather by pride and a desire to face what was considered the rigors of an arctic winter, were, as the season advanced, impressed with the fear as to the wisdom of their act in not taking the advice of their comrades who had gone back to the States. In addition to this was the rumor that the War Department had with- drawn its representative and that there was no one left on the coast at Valdez. A feeling of desel-tion and abandonment, not only by their comrades, but by the General Government, began to manifest itself. COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDrnO-^r. 19 Ah the long nights und deep .snow crept in on then\ an uneasiness biigan to pervade every cabin, and when a sickness appeared, the char- acter of which they were unable to detenuino and univei-sally diag- nosed as black rheumatism, frost bite, and everything but scurvy, they were driven well nigh into a fever of desperation. To flee from these conditions was their one thought and topic of conversation, but where to, was the question on every lip, and when a number, regardless of the consequences, attempted what was considered an imposHibility at that season of the year, the passage of the dreaded Valdez Glacier, leaving two-thirds of their party frozen to death on the vast ice fields, far up above the clouds, the panic was complete. If my memory serves me right, I do not think there was a single cabin in the Copper River Valley during the winter of 1898-99 that did not lose at least one of its party from being frozen to death or by P'.iurvy. As a matter of record and us an object lesson to those contemplat- ing an adventure of this chai'acter, I have selected from among scores of written reports turned in to me in the course of my investigation, one by the Wilson Mining Company (appended hereto), who attempted to ascend the Copper River Vallej' from its mouth early in 1898. The general tenor of this report may bo considered as a fair specimen, and without exaggeration of the hardships incident to the prospector's life in the districts of Alaska. After repeated attempts to supply the sick in the interior with anti- scorbutics and fresh food by our limited supply of dog transportation, I directed my clerk, Mr. John F. Rice (whose report 1 submit here- with), to proceed into the Copper River Valley and establish relief sta- I tions at the mouth of Grayling Creek, on the head of the Klutena j River, and at Copper Center, some 30 miles below Grayling, on the Copper River. At each of these stations I detailed enlisted men of the expedition to extend relief and encouragement to the demoralized and destitute prospectors. These stations were continued in opera- tion until the latter part of September, when the men were withdrawn [therefrom and detailed for duty at Station 3 on the China River, and I Station 2 at the mouth of the Keystone Can3'^on, and Station 1 at the Imouth of the Lowe River on Valdez Bay. Just prior to the with- [drawal of my men from Copper Center and Grayling, the last of the jscurvy patients, a man and a woman, living in a miner's camp near the |hcad of Quartz Creek, a tributary to the Tonsena River, were packed )ut of that country on horses to Valdez. The number of persons to whom relief was extended, exclusive of those employed on trail construction and otherwise, were about 480, md represented all nationalities, professions, and classes, both white md black. So far as my observation could detennine, the cause of 90 OOPFSB BIVXB EZPLOBINO BXPEDITION. if I i 1!^ failure was duo to their advanced Age, which averaged over 47 years, and the lack of knowledge of the general indications of mineral depoMits and business qualifications. Ninety -five per cent of them hw\ ifailed in business ventures many times, and only joined the rush to the gold fields in the hope that they might be one of the lucky men to strike it rich. It is a well-known fact to the professional miner that his calling involves not only theoretical knowledge of the structure of the earth's crust to detect the impregnations of a mineral-bearing zone, but also a wide experience in the economic development of the same after dis- covery. Of the 4,000 persons who composed the stampede to the Cop- per River Valley in 1898, 1 do not think a man of such caliber was to be found in the ranks. After the first payment to the destitute miners employed at Valdez on April 31, under the II a day rating. Quartermaster Agent Brown informed me that unless I took some steps to prevent these men from squandering their earnings in gambling and drinking that we would be unable to get rid of them. After investigating the matter, I dis- covered that the local agent of the steamship company plying between Seattle and Valdez was, in direct violation of the law, carrying on a liquor and gambling traffic. This was an embarrassing situation for me, as twenty years experience on the frontier had taught me that the army officer who interfered with the liquor traffic has trouble before him. We had at that time between 80 and 100 destitute men to care for. We had authority to employ 15 of these each month at a rating of $1 per day, which meant, if the steamer came promptly, the depor- tation of 15 men a month, provided their earnings were spent in the legitimate channel of purchasing their transportation to the States. The course to pursue was obvious. These men must be shipped south, and if they would not voluntarily purchase their tickets, I must do it for them. I notified ( he local agent referred to that if he did not close his establishment, I would do so and place a guard over it, and pre- vent any further illegal traffic in whisky. I wrote to the agent at San Francisco, requesting that he take such action as would discontinue the sale of liquor from the ships when touching at Port Valdez. I addressed a communication to the Department, asking that a deputy United States marshal and a United States commissioner be appointed by the proper authority for duty at Valdez, to take care of this illegal traffic. I further gave orders to my quartermaster sergeant to make no payments in cash, but, when sufficient time had occurred to drop the employee from the pay roll, furnish him lodging and subsistence until the arrival of the steamer, when the destitute would be placed on board, given a ticket to Seattle and $5 in cash, so that, upon arrival at Seattle, he would not be arrested for violation of the vagrant act, I having placed in his possession a visible means of CUPPEB BIVEB SZPLOBINO E2PEDITI0N. 21 support. This order was extremely unpopular among the whisky clement and others interested in like traffic; but the result was satis- factory, as was demonstrated later in the season when one of the cutters of the Treasury Department having called at the Port of Val- dez to take south destitute persons, it was found that none remained, and the vessel departed for Seattle without taking on IxMird a single person, and the second cutter, which was to follow the first, was ordered to proceed direct to San Francisco from the Aleutian Islands, without calling at Port Valdez. CONSTRUCTION OP TRANSALA8KAN MILITARY ROAD FROM CANTON- MENT AT PORT VALDEZ TO FORT EGBERT, YUKON RIVER, Afe f 'RECT- EDIN PARAGRAPH 2 OF GENERAL ORDERS NO. 61, ADJUTAiVT GEN- ERAL'S ORDERS, CURRENT SERIES. In selecting the material for the personnel of this duty, those who had been formerly employed in railroad and trail construction through the Big Horn and Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming were sought, and, as a result, the organization of the expedition at Seattle brought together a number of men of large experience in such worli: during the earlier days of railroad construction through the mountain divisions of the transcontinental trunk lines. Under my special instructions I was authorized to employ a sur- veyor and an assistant surveyor, 2 topographers, a foreman of trail crew, 4 rock workers, 2 cooks and 15 axmen. This authority was aftei-wards increased by the Acting Secretary of War so as to provide for all the unemployed in the Copper River District. On the 25th of April I sent my assistant surveyor and foreman on snowshoes (25) up to the juth of the Keystone Canyon to select a construction camp and a site for a substation, as contemplated by par- agraph 2 of General Orders, No. 51, Adjutant-General's Office, cur- rent series, with instructions to carefully note the depth of snow en route with a view to the use of pack animals. On the 27th of April these men returned and reported that while the snow was quite deep in some places, yet by following up the open stream bed of the Lowe River (which at this season will not average over 10 inches in depth and about 10 yards in width), that an outfit coidd be packed up to the mouth of the canyon. The work of construction on this militaiy road is reported in full by First Lieut. Walter C. Babcock, Eighth United States Cavalry, topo- I graphical officer of the expedition, who was placed in charge of the construction camp at the inception of the work, and later on sent [forward with the locating party. On the 29th of April the trail crew 16) left the cantonment at Valdez and proceeded to the mouth of the [Keystone Canyon (27). The reason for commencing work at the [mouth of the Keystone Canyon, instead of starting from Valdez, was n 22 COI'I'ER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. ^ ?n ! i that the fii'Ht 16 tnilos of tho trail poMHcd over t\w tItxMl plnin of tho Low«i River Valley (28, 46), which at thin wnMon of the year waM cov- ered by Honio 3 or 4 feet of drifted hiiow, making it iiiipoHHilile Ut ti>ll juHt where tho ^jrhieial Htreains would cut durinj^f the hi^fh-water {xu-iiHl of July and August; whereas hy beginniiifj; work at the mouth of the canyon the construction party could work up into and over tho ft- hills of tho canyon, and down tho Lowe River Valley over groiuul that was known to he aliovo tho hij(h-wat4M' mark. This ifiitial \Mnnt in designat4;d on the accompanying map as station (29, 30) No. 2, and is 14 miles from tide wat«M' and 270 feet aliove sea hsvel. While the trail crew wore engaged in building log cabins for shition 2, tho surveyors wore pushing forward tho preliminary line of lorious, owing to the deep, soft snow which was now molting «|uite tiipidly. By reference to tho accompanying map it will l>o found that the for- mation of this canyon is eruptive in character, being nujch broken, as shown by the irregularities of the contours. Stalling in on a hillside cut a half mile below station 2, tho trail follows tho :ndo of the foot- hills in a northeasterly direction, through a heavy growth of spruce timber and underbrush, until it crosses a small stream at an elevation of some 000 feet, where it liears oflf sharp to tho north and climbs the face of a bench or fork in tho formation with more or less retaining wall, where it again takes an easterly trend, describing a half circle back to the north again, crossing a creek and bridge No. 1; again bearing off to tho east along the canyon wall where the road is cut through almost solid rock, keeping at an elevation of a)x>ut 700 feet and following the meanderings of the canyon to its head. Tho scenery of this portion of the trail is unique in (!haracter (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 47) and most impressive, compar- ing favorably in grandeur and massive outlook with either tho Grand Canyon of tho Colorado or that of the Yellowstone. To the right are three beautiful waterfalls (36), with glaciers far above them on the mountain summits, one of these falls (38) having a plunge to the river below of 700 feet. Looking down toward the mouth of the canyon may be seen a monster glacier on the south side of the Lowe River Valley, with its deep blue coloring framed in by the green foliage clinging to the canyon walls (44). Ijooking up the canyon on the right side is a pei-pendicular wall of rock over 1,200 feet in altitude. The entire terraine is covered by a dense growth of underbrush, prin- cipally the alder, a bush growing from 8 to 12 feet high, with limbs and trunks po interwoven as to render crawling through it without cutting one's waj an impossibility. Leaving the head of this canj-^on the trail, keeping an even grade over a side hill (41) cut along the base of the mountkiius almost uniformly on the 800-foot level, passes over OOFI'RR WIVFR EXI'LORINO KXPKDITION. 28 isses over n Hlopo which, like thiit in tho cnnyoii, is covonHi with a donMn );r )wth of alder, wild Howjtm, and jjniMH, which from year to year han formed a ve}fet4vl)lo mold, coverinif the jfnivel and iM'd nn-k from 2 to 2^ feot thi<*k. which holdH the wattu' like a HiM>n};e and is Hoon cut up into a tine brown umck. As it rains const4intly in this section of the moun- tains tlu^re is a continuous seepin); down the trail, makinj^ hillastin); a ne<'essity t-o keep the roadln^d in i>assal)le condition, whlhi in i-rossinj; th(^ small streams, which are numerous, a short piect^ of r(>tainin^ wall is necessary to hold the trail in place. I^Mivinjf this hillside cut, the trail crosses the tirst stream ()STAL SERVK^E FROM R)RT VAT.DEZ, ON THE PACIFIC COAST, TO EAGLE CITY, ON THE YUKON RIVER. On the 3d of April Mr. C. Ij. Wayland, inspector of postal depart- ment, reported to me under instructions from the Postmaster-General, to accon.^>any the expedition with a view to establishing a postal route from Valdez via Copper Center, Slahna River, Mentasta Pass, Tanana River, Foi'ty-Mile River, to Eagle City. After a conference it was decided that 1 should take Mr. Wayland's outfit up with me on the steamer hxceMw, direct to Valdez, while he stopped at Juneau and Skagwaj', joining the expedition later at Port Valdez, which he did. In the i-ummer of 18J>8 a postmaster was appointed at Port Valdez by Inspector Clumb, of the postal (U'[)artment, but, unfortunately, the route was not extended from Orca (the nearest point on the established postal roi'.te) to Port Valdez. The mail contractors of the Pacific Steam Whaling Coir.pany refused to deliver the mail to the postmaster at Valdez,^ but turned it over to their local agent for distribution, carry- ing the mail in an unlocked pouch from Orca to Valdez, which facts wei'e r(>p()rted to me by the postmaster, Mr. Beattv, in the form of a complaint. 1 suggested that he let the matter lie )y the local agent. As there were a grejit niunber of people awaiting advices fr'er from this valley to the head waters of the Copper River, thence down the Copper River to the mouth of the Klutena, in time to return to the coa^t not later than October 25. In addition to sketching in the topography of the country traveled over, Mr. Rohn was directed to gather all useful in^'ormation bearing on the geological, agricultural, and forestry retsources and to determine, if possible, the alleged existence of geysers among the foot- hills of Mount W^rangell. On the 27th of July I sent Mr. A. M. Powell, one of my guides who had accompanied me during the exploration of the previous season, to proceed over into the Klutena country, and, starting from a point of departure on the Klutena River locally known as the Devils Elbow, to go in a general course of east by north to the foothills of the main Alaskan Range, thence in an easterly direction along these foothills to the head waters of the Slahna River in the vicinity of Menttista Pass, to note the location of availal)le haj' meadows and sites for substiitions, and the deptli of streums with a view to tho dono at low water, when a solid foundation can ))e made on whii^h the crihs or ahutmentM of the bridge may rcut, I had in victw the utilizing of the pack horses wintered in the interior for packing suj)plies froni Station 8 to the crossings above referred to at the Klutena and Tazlena rivers, to sulwtist small working [Mrties in putting in these cribs or abutments in advance of the main party. To carry on this work during the season of 1J)00, I recommend that two of the employees of last sejison be retained, vi/., Mr. C. E. Worthington as transitman, and Lars Holland, foreman of the con- struction gang. The latter is eminently fitted for his duties, l)eing skilled in trail grading and heavy timber work, and, above all, having tine control of his workmen. The chief of the party l(K-ating the line in advance of the construction party nuist l>e one with a pro- fessional standing at stake, who is personally responsible for the lino of liocation and over whom there is an official control greater than thaiiof employer over employee, i. e., a commissioned officer. For this work I most urgently recommend, as indispensable to the best interests of the service, tiiat First Lieut. Walter C. BalKHxsk, Eighth United States Cavalry, be continued on this detail, where he has proven his ability to select the best ground, through intricate and perjtlexing stretches of country, where faulty location means an unnecessary expep'Mture of public funds, a loss of time, and a reflec- tion upon the officer in command of the expedition. As an example: At the lie^inning of road building in 1899, the faulty location for the line by a Mr. Palmer and his lack of energy resulted in a delay of some ten days and a week's wasted labor by the construction gang while relocating his faulty work. The locating and construcition parties for the continuance of this work should leave the cantonment at Valdez not later than March 10 next, and should consist of a lieu- tenant in charge of the locating party with 2 scouts, 1 transit man, 2 axmen, and 1 cook; for the construction party, the officer in charge of the expedition, 35 axmen, 4 rockworkers, 2 cooks, and 1 fore- man; for the packers, 1 chief packer, 12 packers, and one cook. An increase of the ordinary ration is absolutely necessary for the subsistence of employees engaged in construction work at this lati- tude. The strength of the enlisted men now on duty at the canton- ment and substations — 9 in number — should be increased, and an offi- cer detailed to act as quartermaster and commissary of the expedition and to construct suitable quarters that would be at least comfortable for the command during the coming season. In submitting this report I desire, in justice to myself, to caU atten- tion to the fact that it has been prepared entirely from my notebook. 86 OOPPKR RIVER EXFLORINO EXPEDITION. i niKi from momory, and in atlvancoof tho re|)<)rt« of my MulMU'dlimtoH.. While tho information wutimitted covorH aliout all of valuu gloanad during; the pant hoomom, it m not presented in ho condeiiHed a form oh I would wish to have it, were the time at band in which to review the subreport's which are prenented herewith. Respectfully submitted. W. R. AuEUcitoMHii':, Captain 9i(l U. S. Infantnj^ Commaiuling Cirpiter River KxpUtmuj Expedition . Tho Adjutant-General U. S. A., Washinytoi)^ 1>. V. BBPOEl Sir: I 1" that have On Janu 24, with th that time, prevent a remains 1* nity to mo followed 1 tions are t Many v Valdez fr< condition affliction, died, and ; requostw f patients, f come out and fear \ crossed h encounte: I have difficulty over the cssary tci able to < scurvy v and su<'« 75 cascH of whoi mostly 1 reach \ reachin] somethi to the i: though ^-m-mm.Mmm REPORT OF CHARLES BROWH, aUARTERHASTER'S AOEVT. Valdk/, Alahka, Felynmry , ]8!t0. Stk: I have tho lionor to report the followliiff fju!ts and conditio 's that have prevaih'd at thiH camp and the territory adjacent theret(»: On January 18, lS!>J>, 1 startiid proviHionw, etc., underway to SUition 24, with the <'xpectation of huiding them there in a few days. Since Lliat time, however, the condition of the weather hjw been such as to prevent any further movement of these gotnls. The first cache remains 10 miles from Valdez, and am now awaiting every opportu- nity to move it up nearer the station. Soft snows, with the river open, followed by severer storms, prevented further progress, though indica- tions are that we can now again .safely resume work. Many parties have of lat^ been crossing the glacier, c^oming into Valdez from the interior for a change of food, etc. They report the condition of affairs there as lieing terrible; scurvy being the chief affliction, with many cjises of frozen hands and feet. A number have died, and several with frozen limbs will lose them. I have had many roquest« for aid, medicine, and fresh food from physicians who have patients, and urge immediate action. In additi(8, and at a rate not to exceed $10 y^er month. I wish to call your attention to the great amount of sickness, particu- larly scurvy, prevailing in all the camps from Twelve-Mile to Copper Center and throughout the interior. Many appeals have been made to me from there for assistance, medicines, etc. The following letter, one of ii number received of similar purport, may give you some idea of the condition of affairs there: CoppKu Okntrh, Alaska, Febnuiry 3, 1899. Dear Sir: I beg to report to you herewith the BeriouH condition wiiich prevails in this o-anip. Scurvy liua tlevelojjed to an alarming extent. Two deathH have occurred and the hospital, whicli it was necessary to establish, is now full, and still througlumt the camp are many who should t)e admitte<1. Up the Copper River the condition, I COPPER RIVE."* EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 89 understand, is equally serious. Many are wholly without means and dejiendent upon others for nursing, ire *■ Ton April 22, 1899, at $5 per month; and another bouse to be ust'd as a cook house froju Farmer Brown, the rental begir.ning April 22, 1899, at $6 per month. I was informed tt)-r.ay Mftv 9, that H. Lennert, one of Dr. Town- send's pnrty, wlu;iii we hr.n'^r! over the glacier from Barrett's Camp to Valdes, reported himself destitute, but was said to have checks of several hundred dollars. I immediately reported his circumstances to COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 41 you, who, together witJi myself, investigated the case and found that he had checks on deposit to the amount of $2,000 (twenty checks of iJlOO each) with the North American Bank, of New York City. He also had a certificate of identification, showing his signature and checks to oe genuine. One of these checks was cashed by his permission, ' ■ .s 2i per cent discount for cashing it, leaving him a balance of $i)7.oO. Out of this amount was deducted $50 for hauling him over the glacier and taking care of him, the money to be divided as follows: Twenty- five for Ed. A. Erickson for taking care of him, $12.50 of which Erickson donated to one Ed. Woods, a very sick and destitute man, who has verj' little hopes of living, but who wishes to return, if possible, to Seattle, the remaining $25 to be distributed as follows: To F. E. Schloegel, one pair of socks, $0.30; R. P. Ferguson, one pair .«hoes, one pair drawers, $3.76; F. A. Campbell, one pair shoes, $4; C G. Nelson, one suit underwear, $2; H. Hertzberg, one undershirt, $1.57^; C. Anderson, one undershirt, one pair shoes, $4.07^; O. Liljegren, one suit underwear, one pair socks, $2.56; B. Arden, one suit underwear, $2.65; James Ikes, one pair shoes, $3; Gus Johnson, one pair pants. $1.50; showing a total distribution of $50 distributed to the most needy and destitutf as per your orders. I am holding t^e merchant's receipt for the goods bought and the receipts from those who received the goods. I also have the honor to report that the total rations issued to the sick and destitute from Augr.st 6, 1898, to March 25), 1899, is 9,(575. I also furnished to the relief station on the glacier from October 10, 1898, to March 29, 1899. 295 pounds of bacon, i75 pounds of hard-tack, and 20 pounds of coffee. Lumber for the relief station and coal oil for stoves were furnished by the Steam Whaling Company. The citizens of Valdez contributed all other necessary provisions and articles, including most of the coffee, extract of beef, stoves, candlcj^, tea, salt, pepper, etc. 1 a'io have the honor to report the following facts concerning the ^sli *n Valdez Bay and streams running thei'ein: The little candle fish came in this year souiewhi,t earlier than usual, being caught here as early as January. This is accounted for by the fact that Valdez Bay was not frozen over at any time in the season and the fresh-water streams and tributjiries were open also nearly all win- ter, running under the snow. These fish came in in immense quanti- ties and inhabited every little frc^sh-water stream in which they could spawn. We caught thousands bore daily with littlo dip Lets and also by hand. The run continues until nearly April. The herring arrived this year in February, ))ut were not so plentiful as last year. We caught a sufficient quantity, however, for our use. 42 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. h They arrived in immense schools, but not nearer than the Islands and Swanport. These fish, unlike the candle fish, spawn in salt water. Codfish and halibut follow in the wake of the herring, devouring great numbers of them. We caught plenty of cod, but very few hali- but, the laitcr being a deep-water fish and found only on slopy bot- toms. Most of the codfish were wiught with the incoming tide and on a very short line. We also speared quite a number, finding them in places in water that did not exceed 1 fathom in depth. The halibut are caught near the sawmill, a distance of 9 miles from Valdez. This fish, like the cod, does not inhabit fresh-water streams. Early in July dog salmon and humpbacks literally filled the streams. We speared them and shoveled them out of the streams. We could have thrown them out by hand, but they have large sharp teeth and are quite vicious. They were so abundant that we selected our victims and speared o.ily the choice ones.. In spite of the acquired prejudice against this fish as food, they make a dainty dish. The silver salmon, the fish canned by all the canneries along the coast, are very plentiful here and are caught with seines in great numbers. The salmon trout come in October and are sought after with great jearnestness and activity. They make a most delicious meal. A pole, with two or three hooks fastened securely on the end, is all that is required to d«iw them out as fast as is desired. They are the prettiest wpeckled beauty we have ever seen. The sun shining upon them brings out their brilliant colors and shows them in nil their beauty. They sport in their beautiful colors till winter closes the streams. The first part of May was occupied in cutting and rafting wood across the bay to be used as fuel for the hospital, cook house, and camp in general. Gravel was also hauled and a walk l)uilt between the office and the storehouse. During the month repairs were made to the smokehouse, consisting of the removal of the canvas roof, which was replaced by a shingle roof. The following material wius used: Two windows, lumber for the floor, 276 feet; eighteen rafters, 2 by 1(5 feet, 288 feet; sheeting and finishing lumber, 350 feet; 5,000 shingles; sills and floor joists, 2(X) feet. On May 13 we unloaded the Government goods from the steamer We took the roof otf the fttable and raised it 2 feet higher, replac- ing it with a shingle roof. The amount of material used was 23,000 shingles, (»0 rafters, 2 by 10, 1(5 and 18 feet long; 3,000 feet of sheet- ing; gable ends, 400 feet; lumber for floor, 2 by 10, 4,000 feet; mud sills, 6 by 6, 1,280 feet. The floor upstairs remains unfinished. We built station No. 2, 15 by 30 feet; hauled logs and lumber for the station. The amount of material used wius 65 logs; 450 feet of lumber for flooring; 450 feet of lumber for gable ends and finishing; 9,0(X) i liiiu COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 43 shiiiglpss; 36 rafters, 2 by 6, 14 feet long; 800 feet sheeting. Howed logs for floor joists. The station wa« built 2 feet above the ground. A wagon road was cut from station No. 2 to the foothills where the road takes the bar to Keystone Canyon, A trail was cut for surveying purposes. The Government steam launch was furnished with water and fuel whenever necessary. On June 13 we removed the hospital to Swanport; took the lighter to the sawmill for a load of lumber and slabs for Valdez; cut trail from the end of wagon road for pack team, to avoid a deep stream. June 22 we went to Swanport to cut firewood and piles and sawlogs and continued this work to present date. Fifty logs were rafted to the sawmill. Two hundred and one piles, from 30 to 50 feet long, were cut, jxieled, and made ready for use. We also have on hand fifty logs for firewood. The mowing machine and mke were taken from Valdez to the island to be used in plotting up hay. With reference -to affairs at the hospital, Oscar Liljigren is going out on the first boat. John Gardner and H. E. Hunt are the only ones i-emaining. Hunt, with his frozen foot, is still black Avith scurvy froin the ankle down. It will be necessary to amputate his big toe, but, on account of the scurvy, the operation must be delayed. Schloegel and Gardner still have scurvy from the ankle down, but are on the way t> recovery. They refuse to be put on the \m.y roll on account of not being able to do anything in the east and have plenty of supplies in the interior. Schloegel's supplies are on the Christochina River, about 200 miles distant from Port Valdez. Gardner's supplies are at Copper Certer. Respectfully submitted. Charles Buown, Quartermaster'' » Agent. Capt. W. R. Abercrombie, Seamd United Staten Infantry., (Jarndg. Alaska Exploration and Belief Expeditian No. ^. i i! REPORT OF LEROT J. TOWNSEND, M. D.,ON SCORBTJTTTS, OR 8CTJRVT. Scorbutus, or scurvy, the most dreaded disease of the Alaskun pros- pector or minor, is a constitutional disorder, chamcterized by a vitiated state of the blood dependent upon tl e lack of necessary elements supplied through fresh fruit and vegetable nutriment. This lack or insuflBciency in fresh vegetable material is the essential factor in its development. Another factor is the long-continued use of salt and smoked meats ; the use of stale or unwholesome food still another. Indolence and inactivity are predisposing and mental lethargy or depression is undoubtedly active in its production. The changes in the composition of the blood show a marked dimi- nution in the potash salts, and, contrary to a quite general belief, the blood is not thick, but thin and watery. Indeed, to this watery condi- tion may be- attributed the discolorationa which manifest themselves during the disease, the liquid condition of the blood admitting of its passage through the vessel walls into and beneath the skin. The development of the disease is usually slow and insidious. The unfor- tunate suffers f I'om malaise and is indisposed to either mental or physi- cal activity. Shortness of breath follows the slightest exertion, and palpitation of the heart is of frequent occurrence. Vertigo may be associated. Pain occurs in the knees or in the muscles of the calf or thigh, the muscles so contracting as to produce lameness. CEdema of the extremities, particularly marked about the ankles and along the course of the tibia or shin bone, is an almost constant symptom. Puffi • nesH of the face may be apparent. The pitting of the parts on pressure is marke '. The skin is dry and harsh and presents extravasations of blood, in size from petechial spots to almost the whole surface of the part. These discoid tions vary in color from a light red to a dark blue or black. Desquamation may follow over the ecchymotic surfaces. There are swelling and discoloration of the gums, which tend to bleed readily. The swelling may greatly interfere with the ingestion of food. The teeth loosen or drop out. The breath is terribly offensive. General weakness and depression are progressive, with decided emacia- tion. Anaemia is marked ; the face pale, yellowish, or leaden in color. The eyes are shrunken and surrounded by dark circles, and in cases of long duration a characteristic odor has seemed to me to exist. The 44 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 46 RVY. urino. is high colored, abnormal in quantity in ninny cases, and loaded, l)econiing highly offensive if left standing. Hemorrhage may take place from various mucous surfaces. Fever of a remittent character is a constant symptom, the morning temperature usually registering l)9i° to KWi*^^". , In the afternoon it reaches a degree or two higher. A good appetite usually exists, at least until the disease is far developed. In such cases as progress unfavorably the weakness increases, the patitnit becoming unable to assist himself in the slightest degree. He soon lapses into a semicomatose or comatose condition, from which death relieves him. Such complications as I have seen have involved the lungs and kid- neys. I have had no case in which scorbutic dysentery has followed. In diagnosis it would seem impossible to confound the disease with any other affection, especially when the condition is well developed. Yet the most astonishing errors were made in the Copper River region during the past year. Nor were these errors made by the laymen alone, but by presumably reputable physicians. For instance, one case that came to my notice had been diagnosed and treati v^ as gan- grene of the feet and legs, thought to have been produced l)y too tightly constricting the parts with cords used in tying ganny sacks over the feet and limbs. The marked extravasations were responsible for this mistake. The patient died. " Again, another individual who had been unfortunate enough to have his toes frozen had the same cause placed on these offending members in explanation of scorbutic symptoms, which subsequently developed. Another individual, in which the disease was just beginning to manifest itself, was told that the pain and stiffness in his leg were due to a spraii., and the slightest swelling and discoloration of the gums were the result of " frosting" them. In general, through the opinion expressed by several physicians, the impression was that the condition was rheumatic. Blackleg rheumatism it was called. This was a most unfortunate mistake. The line of treatment institilted in these cases was directly antagonis- tic to the accepted lines followed in scurvy, and such as subsequently came under my care responded very tardily to antiscorbutic meas- ures. Under this impression, too, many had taken the trail who, had they known that the developing pains were the forerunner of scurvy, would not have done so. Many of these unfortunates had to be hauled back, and much suffering and inconvenience were the result. The only disease which might be mistaken is a rare one, known as peliosis rheumatica, o^' Schonlein's disease. The above should be sufficient to place anyone on his guard, and, with reasonable discernment, he should be able to recognize the devel- opment of this dreiad malady. 46 COPPER RIVER EXPLORINO EXPEDITION. In the consideration of treatment preventive ineaHureH Hhould first receive attention. Citric acid lemonade should be used frequently — from one to three times daily. It may be either sweetened or unsweetened, and in strength corresponding with lemonade made from the fresh fruit. Lime juice may be used in the same way. Cider vinegar is of service. Dried or evaporated fruit and vegetable prod- ucts will not serve as satisfactory substitutes. Canned fruits are of greater value. I would urge, too, that the Alaskap prospector and miner take a plentiful supply of milk, butter, sugar, and eggs (Lamont's crystallized). These articles should not be looked upon as luxuries; they are necessities. On the interior a popular preventive and remedy was an infusion of pine needles. This was prepared by selecting limbs of young growth of the pine, stripping off the needles, putting in boiling water and set- ting aside to steep. Some boiled the needles for a considerable time, making a stronger decoction. Of this tea a fourth to a cupful was taken two or three times daily, as required. The inner bark of the willow and juniper berries were used in the same way. All of the above have proven of value. 1 did not prescribe them in my practice, but I am satisfied of their usefulness and they are worthy of i-emem- brance. In direct treatment the indication is to supply as far as possible the principles niieded for the healthy constitution of the vital fluid, the blood, and to directly change the environment which tends to the devel- opment of the disease. Place the patient in the best possible condition for the invigoration of the system. If possible, let him take gentle exercise. Supply fresh fruit and vegetables, lemons, oranges, apples, potatoes, onions, cabbage, etc., together with fresh meat, if available. Lemons probably give the quickest results, and it is astonishing the improvement that will follow their use. Raw potatoes are excellent. Divert the mind of the patient and inspire hope and cheerfulness. Tonics are indicated. The tincture of the chloride of iron, the citrate of iron, the citrate of iron and quinine, or the citrate of iron, quinine, and strychnine have proven of the greatest value in my hands. The mineral acids may be used to advantage. For the oral symptoms a wash of potassium chlorate will answer admirably, or one of boracic acid or equal parts of boracic acid and borax, with a few drops of car- bolic acid added. Attend to the secretions, keep the bowels open with mild laxative medicines. Relieve pain with anodynes, resorting if necessary to moi'phine. The use of hot- water bags for relief of pain in the limbs or back is excellent. The application of plasters may be beneficial, as well as hot fermentations. Other symptoms must be met as they arise. I believe that operative procedure is contraindicated when scorbu- tus exists. In two cases operated upon the greatest difficulty was COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 47 experienced in controlling hemorrhage. In neither case was there manifest symptoms at the time of operatio . but symptoms developed very soon after. Considering the blood changes, difficulty m stoppmg hemorrhage might be expected. To my knowledge no cases of acute rheumatism, of typhoid, cerebi o- spinal, or other fever developed in the Copper River region. Considering the hardship and exposure undergone, it is surprising that so little sickness resulted. LeROY J. TOWNSENU, M. u. Valdez, Alaska, May^ 1899. BEPOBT OF THE WILSON MINING COMPANY, BT H. L. WILSON, JB. The Wilson Mining Conipfiiiy, consisting of live men and an outfit of alK)ut 8,000 pounds, started from San Francisco March 1, 1898, and after a pleasant but uneventful trip, arrived at Seattle March 4, at 4 o\'lock p. m. Being unable to secure a pilot for the inside passage north, our steamer, the Valencia^ took the outside route. It began to blow before we were outside of Puget Sound, and the storm continued for eight days, growing worse all the time. The captain of the vessel said the sea was running al)out 60 miles and the wind blowing al)out 80 miles an hour. On March 13 (Sunday) the barometer indicated that the storm would grow worse; therefore, out of considemtion for the passengers, 606 in number, it was deemed best to kill and throw over- board seventeen head of horses and cattle; also several tons of hay and grain that was loaded on the bow of the lioat. Thi;.^ was done and the Valenc'ui baffled the sea and wind much better. Our voyage is known as the awful trip of the Alaskan miners of 1898, Tuesday morning, March 15, the weather was clear. We dropped anchor off Port Orca, Prince William Sound, Alaska, at al>out 11a. m. At 7.30 p. m. over forty men were landed, most of them being bound for Portage Bay, as was our party, to cross the glacier into the Cook's Inlet country. We lay at Orca twelve days, awaiting transportation. On March 26 we received word of a good find on the Bremner River, a branch of the Copper. We then changed our plans and started up the Copper River, instead of waiting any longer for a boat to Portage Bay. Our party, in company with another party of four men, chartered the steam launch Mary to take us to Alguik, about 50 miles distant. Wo started March 27, about 5 o'clock a. m., and made as far as the White Sheds, where the sound waters are backed by the ocean waters, mak- ing a low bar. While waiting for a high tide to cross the bar, a storm conmienced, which lasted until Wednesday, March 30, when the weather again became clear. We crossed the bar about noon, but were faced with float ice coming out of the Eyak River and were obliged to put back to Odiak, as coal was short. Here we pitched our tent on about 10 feet of snow. It then began to snow and blow. Wednesday, April 6, the Mai'y Gilbert^ a schooner from San Francisco, landed about twenty-five of her passengers at Odiak, all bound for the Copper River. We then called a meeting and about eighteen men chartered the stern wheel river boat of the Alaska Packing Company 48 COPPER BIVKR EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 49 to take tho party and outiitH to Alaganik, or an near to that place aa they could. We started Fi'iday, April 8, at 11 p. ni., and were landed on 18 feet of snow on the marshes, al)out 8 miles from Goose Hill, which is about 8 miles from Alaganik. When we landed the sloughs were beginning to open, so we made haste to get off the treacherous ground. We worked until midnight, when a severe storm came up. It was so cold we were obliged to kno<;k the Ixjxes from our goods to make a fire. The next day we changed our camp to the timber in a higher part of the marsh. The storm continued until April 13, and the next three days it thawed. Saturday, April 16, at noon, the whole party made a start for Alaganik. There were thirty-two men in line. On tho trail the trip was a hard one, as in crossing the sloughs we broke through many of them. We reached Alaganik alx>ut 7.30 p. m., and left that place Wednesday, April 20, for Spruce Camp, a piece of timber at the junction of the Copper River and the flats that border the sound. Thursday we finished caching our goods on the banks of the Copper River. April 21 we began to move up the Copper River. The first station is an abandoned trading post, known as " IJear House." We made the journey on the ice, a distance of 7 miles. From this place we went to what is known as the "Second Cottonwood." On Sunday, April 24, it stormed very hard. Tuesday, April 26, we I'eached the Cottonwood camp with the outfit. Here we camped on 18 feet of snow, Wednesday, April 27, it began to rain. The snow became so soft we could not move. On June 1 we started up the river at 2 p. m. The river has many channels, with bars and banks of quicksand and gravel between them. The channels are continually changing their course. After sixteen hours of hard labor we returned to camp, being luiable to baflltt with the current and ice. On Friday, June 3, we made another start, this tiniG going up the left channel. Coming to a high bank, we were obliged to pull the boat vx> the same by a rope. We finally ci'ossed the channel to the flat ' t'.:e other side, pulling from one flat to another and crossing streams when nccessarv. At 11 o'clock p. m. we camped about one mile from where we had started. Our boats leaked badly from being di-agged over so many bars and coming in contact with so much float ice and therefore it was thought best to put back to camp. Saturday, June 4, several parties arrived from Alaganik, landing on the beach near our camp. One of the parties was composed of 40 pei-sons, the other of 18. On Sunday, June 5, our company divided, 3 starting back to Odiak to go to Cook Inlet, but when they reached there they found many persons coming out, so decided to return home, which they did. The same day two men came down the river claiiuing to have lost S. Doc. 306 4 60 C()P1»ER RIVER KXPLORINO EXPEDITION. till their jjood.s at tho nipidH, and by their Ixad stories of the irripoH- sibiiity to boat up the Copper River Hueceeded in turning three or four others from one company. The company had hired these men to help them through and when desertt'd by them requested our assistance, saying they would reeiprowite until we were alH)ve the rapids. We agreed to this proposition, and on Monday lM)th parties (twenty- three persons in all) with nine boats started up the left (;haruiel and, upon reaching the high Inmk, cut a trail through the alders and, witk five men on the Iwad line and three on the stt^rn, succeeded in getting our boats through the swift current, which we judged to be at least 10 miles an hour. The next day we were joined by a smaller party. We were all day getting the Iniats through this place. We worked, rain or shine. Now, for the first time, we came to a glaout 10 feet from the bank to the middle of the stream. The glacier water runs swift, clear, cold, and deep, presenting a gre- 'contrast to the Copper River water, which is very sandy and mudd We were obliged to overcome .^culty after difficulty, cutting trail most of the way, Ijefore our l)oats could proceed. On June 12 we were just below the Childs Glacier, on the right Imnk of the river. At 4.30 a. m. we commenced to line our lM)ats past the glacier. Here the river is comjwsed of one stream and, in places, runs very swift. It is about one-fourth of a mile wide. The glacier at this time of the year is along the water's edge. It is almut a mile and a half long and 150 feet high. It is supposed to !)€ moving forward. The opposite side or bank is a long rocky beach. When the glacier "dumps" it throws a swell varying in size to the amoimt of ice that falls. We sent our first two boats up on the rocky beach, and another was swamped at the water's edge. Out of the one swamped wo lost about $100 worth of goods. We continued to put the boats through to a place of safety between the two glaciers. It took a .swell about three minutes to reach us after the ice had fallen, the second or third . swell being the larger and stronger. On the third trip one of our boats was thrown so high and dry that the men on the lines, nine in number, were in water over their heads and were obliged to cling to the large bowlders to keep from being washed into the stream v/ith the receding waters. Three of the men were badly hurt about their knees and one week later two of them went back jj^Hb States. My partner, who was one of the three hurt, was laid^^^^or six weeks, unable to do anything. He remained, however^ Woods Canyon. We camped on a part of a dead glacier betwe< and "Childs." Here the river is much widerand not so swift. In front of the Miles glacier is a large basin likeaflA, about2i miles long wintered at e two "Miles" COPPER KIVER KXPL()RIN(* EXPEDITION. 61 aces, runs and 2 milr.s wide, with larjjc icelMTj^H floating; in it. Wo rowod aoross this \a\n^ to what \h Icnown uh the loft hand hIou^Ii, whoro wo found 4|ui(>t wator and a ^(mkI oanipin^ jjfi'ound, Hholtoi'od from tho wind. Tho party of 40 wont still further up to tho foot of tho rapids on tho l(>ft hank. At this tirno of tho yoar tho water is hi^h and runs very swift. We tried many times to lino up tho rapids, Imt I'ailod- Two larjfo snow slides on this Imnk also came down to the wat«'r's odjfo, han^injjf over tho waters about 25 fo«'t, ready to fall at any moment. We tried in vain to get tho boats past them. As only aldors grow inthovi(unity of the mpidH, wo could not build boats alwve and pack the jroods over. On Thursday, tJune 10, wo wore loonted in front of Miles Glacier on th<^ left side of tho stream. The wat(M- I'oso at tho mto of from 1 to 5 inches in twelve hours. This rise or fall in the wator of the slough means a rise of as many feet in the rapids alwvo. Juno 17 'it) men came -down the river from Brenuior with reports of no gold opayand water too high to get to bed rock. Sonu? of the men tried to shoot tho rapids, taking an Indian to guide them. Tho lM)at was lost and they escaped with their lives only by assistance from shore. Substitution of the Ijoats above tho rapids was com- menced for those below. Bedding and personal effects wore [)aitked over tho trail, which is very bad, having two snow slides to cross and three rock cliffs to scale, about 2(X) feet above tho raging waters, with a rock ledge of not more than 2i inches wid«i for the feet and about the same for the hands. .July 4, conditions being more favorable, wo b»!gan i-» move up the rapids, taking with us a lx)at load of al)out 1,0()() pounds, calculating to put a rope across the i-apids and strettth it above to use as a ferry. In this we failed, tho water being too swift for us to cross. We then put 5 tor^ of goods about half way up the rapids, thinking to make the crossing when the wator became lower. Men were pulled into the water and tho l)oats broke away many times. July 10 tho water began to rise again and there was no opportunity to get the goods over the rapids. July 21 we commenced to put goods past the face of the Miles Glacier, following close to the rocky flat on tho opposite side of the lake. It takes about seven minutes for a swell to reach this side after a glacier has dumped, thus giving the men time to protect themselves. Four of our best boatmen took the goods across the rapid stream, which flows from the cataract above. From here we packed up a high, rockj' side of a dead glacier, about a mile distant, then through 4 miles of alders and rocks to the head of the rapids, which we reached with all outfits August 12. During our stay of about fifty days in the vicinity of the rapids and glaciers it stormed twenty-four. The river at this place resembles a large lake, but has quite a cuiTent. We waited until August 52 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 24 for wind in the right direction and quantity to push us again *t the current, as we could not row against it with a loaded boat. While here we have seen the river I'ise 7 feet in twenty-four houi's and fall 15 feet in the same length of time. The water of the Copper River flows in swells at times, as the wind blows in gusts, and at times little headway can be made even with a sail. August 25 we passed through Mead Canyon, which is dangerous on account of swift water and rocky cliffs. August 27 we made camp about 2 miles above Bremner River, on an island in the Copper River, and then returned for the remainder of our cache, arriving at this island again on September 3. On September .5 we moved to another island 3 miles further up the Copper. The next day it mined and blew down the river, the water mised, and the current was so swift we could not move. ■ On Septem- ber 15 the wind changed, but the storm continued. We started out and made about 10 miles, but our companions in another ])oat were left on the flats. Here the sloughs or streams g(-t so si.iall and so many gravel bars — falls (for they have a positive dr(jp of froui 1 to 2 feet) thiit we resorted again to lining our boats. Ice-cold and swift water, quicksand, gravel bars and high rocky cliiiV to finger or rope around, with an occasional sandstorm, were the principal obstacles we had to encounter. October 1 we reached Wood Canyon, another almost impa-ssable barrier of t>-..'. Copper River. We were the fii-st party to pass up through the canyon this year. October 8 we ,'i.drted with a light load about 8 a. m., three men in a boat, and by rowing, Angering, and roping, crossing })ack and forth to avoid the currents — swift water beit)g the main difticulty — Vi I'eached the l)ar alK)\e alM)ut «). 15 p. m. On October 7 we start^^d up the nver above the i-any-Mi. Again oiu' has the same kind of bars, (difls. and s'vift water to contend wit . October 10 we reached a small stream ■tlH.iit 13 miles above Wood ('anyon. the head waters of which we had start*;.] foi-. Octolier 11 it giv'v very cold and slush ice was running in the srveani. When we reached the mountain back we found the climate more agrtM^bJe. October 20 we were back to our canjp at Wood Can,voii, having trav- ersed the distance in about four and a half hours. Before it had taken us four days to makt; it against the stream. October 31 v/e sUirted down the river for the Sfaiies to spend the winter. We left the canyon at 7.30 ft. m. and reached the island 5 miles above Bren)ner River about 4 p. m., a distance of 45 miles. The next day we continued our trip down the river, stiirting at 11.30 a. ni., and arriving at the head of the rapids about 6 p. m. Here a great change had taken place. Instead of the large lake-like body of watt^y, there were two streams with a long gravel and rocky flat reaching down from the left or east bank about 400 yards, and the water had receded fully 50 fe^^t. lai COPPER RIVER EXPLOBIWO EXPEDITION. 53 October 23 we shot and roped down the i-apids, landing safely about 3,30 p. m. We found it ijnpossible to go down the right slough, it being dry. The main slough from tlic rapids on the left, in which is the cataract, was blocked with icebergs at the lower end; in fact the whole lake or basin before the Miles Glacier was a mountjiin of ice, making it impossible to get over that way. Therefore we unloaded our goods and rolled the boat over the rocky bar or flat for a distance of about 3 miles on rollers made from driit logs, and then packed our goods to boat. A windstorm commenced the morning of the 23rd. It was blowing down the river and getting colder, but we were anxious to push on, as we knew the way so well. All went well until the cur- rent we v/ere to follow turned to the right and led in a direction that would take us to the Copper River Flats and so out to the sea. The storm was too strong for us and we were blown into the ice float on the left, and, try as we might, we could not keep out of the slough to the left and were kept from landing by the slush ice. We seemed to be in the very center of the storm. It kept blowing harder and getting colder. The moon came out, and some time after sunset we wei-e able to get our boat to the right side of the stream, where we found a blind slough and pulled the boat in for the night. We crawled under the boat and ws;ited for morning, ioping that the storm would abate. Day- light brought no change. The water had receded 100 feet from the boat, upon which the wet sand and [gravel had frozen 3 inches from the bottom. We tried in vain to get the boat free. At this time the wind was blowing from 60 to 80 miles an hour. To get our bearings we started for the right side of the river, as the storm wa.s raging so one could not see a distance of 20 feet, owing to the dust, sand, and gravel. It blew gravel stones as large as No. 4 shot, and one required a staff to walk against the storm. We reached an island covered with alders, somewhat sheltered from the storm. We were then opposite Spruce Camp, on';. S miles from Alaganik. Fully believing that there was but one slouyh between the island and the mainland, it took us uutil night to get S' uie of our effects from the boat. The next day we started foi" the river, calculating to build a raft and make the other side, but we found live sloughs instead of one, and no drift. We then built a brush house, put up a signal, built a fire, and camped. We soon ran out of grub, and could only wait for the storm to abate. On November 22 we were successful in getting to the other shore, and started for Alaganik. When about half way we met two men out hunting and asked them for something to eat, as we had nothing for several dais. They were of a party of nine men who had also been blown wrong by the storm which came down the Copper River. After giving us some beef tea, the entire party started for Alaganik, which, owing to open sloughs, we did uot make uutil November 3 about noon. I 54 COPPER RIVER BXPLORINCI EXPEDITION. The natives told us that these winds continue down the Copper River until February. We stayed at Alaganik until November 7, as the sloughs were frozen too hard to proceed by boat, and not hard enough to proceed by sled. We were obliged to go over the marsh to Eyak Lake, which we understood was frozen hard enough to hold. On November 8 we had much difficulty in crossing the glacier streams, but made the lake by dusk. As it was thawing, the guide thought it best foi' us to go aci'oss a certain point, where we could make Alaganik by land, but as we neared the point of land the ice gave way and all went through into the lake, but again landed safely. One sled load of goods stayed in the water all night. A cold sleet was falling and we built a fire and waited for morning. November 9 we built a raft and secured the sled we could not get out of the ice the night before. We then took a small pack and started for Eyak, at the head of the hike. Odiak, which is just across the arm of land between the lake and the sound, we reached about 12.30 p. m. The storm started in again more furious than ever and continued for four days. We then went to Orca to await a steamer for the States. On the 21st of November we started in a small sailboat for Valdez, at which place we landed November 25 about 10 p. m. H. L. Wilson, Jr. FROM POEt YALDEZ TO KLITTENA KAPIDS VIA VALDEZ GLACIER. Sir: Accordin^'^ to yom- orders, I submit herewith a report of my trip frpm Port Valdez to Klutena Kiipids via the Vaidez Glacier. My orders were to proceed to Klutena liapids and there establish a relief station. ^. I left Port Valdez Thursday, May i, at 3 a. m. The party torf- sisted of Private Garrett, John Fohlin (dog driver), and myself. W took with us a dog team of five dogs, provisions, sleeping bags, an other articles necessary for the trip. After traveling some 4 miles we reached the foot of the rlacier, but. to our great disappointment, we found no snow whatevei there. The glacier at this point was covered with rocks, caused by the many sno\\ slides from oH' the mountains. We were compelled to pack our outfits up over the second bench. The dog teamwas hardly able to pull the empt' led, the ascent in several places being nearly' perpendicular. On (» : irival at the second bench we again packed 'ur outfits on the sled and prorceded "ii our wa}' until ached what is known as ti !■ "relief station." The station consisted of a skeleton frame with a tent stretched over it. constru 'ted by Captain Abercroml)ie in the spring of 1897 for tlu- relief of parties crossing and rrcros.sing the gla- cier. Upon our arrival at the .stati< ' we found an oil stove and the necessary cooking utensils. We also found a large amount of hard tack, placed there for the use of unfortunates detained on the glacier for any length of time. On leaving here we continued on our journey, but had not traveled far before encountering a blindii 4 snow storm. However, the trail was easily followed and we U ,10 alarm whatever. We finally reached the foot of the summit, after having traveled some 15 miles. Here was located another relief station, and upon entering the same we found a prospector. This man started to haul his cache back to Valdez, but becoming snow blind was compelled to take refuge in the relief statioi. He informed us that he had been living on the glacier ^or some nine- teen days, and had given up all hope of ever getting of, l)eing physi- cally and mentally broken down. We waited at the station some time for the ptorm to abate, but the longer we remained the fier(!er it raged, so we concluded to make an attempt to cross the summit that evening. After travelling some few rods from the station we fully realized how 66 w 66 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDxTION. diflBcult was the tiisk we had undertaken, the summit being some 4,800 feet high and the ascent some 1,500 feet to the mile. At this time it was impossible to find the trail, nmch less make any headway, as the snow was alx)ut fourteen inches deep. The storm had changea to a raging blizzard and we were unable to see any distance ahead of us. We would often !)e brought to a halt on the edge of a crevasse an hun- dred feet deep. At last, after seveml hours' hard travel, we managed to reach the foot of the glacier. Arriving there we found three more prospectors, who had pitched their tent at that point, being afraid to venture across the summit until the storm had abated. One of the party nad contracted scurvy and was unable to travel. The only pos- sible way for him to reach the coast was for his partners to sled him across the glacier, which 1 afterwards learned they did. . We again found the trail and had no trouble in getting down to Bar- rett's camp. After resting there for a few minutes, we continued our journey. At the foot of the glacier we found soma ten or twelve cabins, all deserted with the exception of one. Upon going up to this one, we found an old German, who seemed very indignant at us for disturbing his sleep. We learned that the night before some miscreant had broken into his cabin and stolen a considerable portion of his cache, including his gun and ammunition. Upon telling him that we were connected with Captain Abercrombie, he concluded to take us in for the night. The following morning we I'esumed our journey. The snow had become soft, and it was tortuous to continue for an}^ distance, so we concluded to make the Saw Mill Camp and remain there until the weather should clear; but, unfortunattdy, it did not dear as we expected, and we were obliged to remain here for two days and two nights. On the morning of thi^- 7th the weathei- had improved some- what, and we were enabled to pi-oceed on our journe}'. Upon our arrival at Lake Abercrombie we found a crust had formed on the lake, and we rodv^ some 22 miles across the same. After leaving the lake we proceeded down the Klutena River, but after traveling some few miles we found the river open and hardly snow enough along the bank to sled our outiit. The dogs at this time were prui-tically of no use, owing to the bad condition of their feet, caused by traveling over the many rocks thai lined the l>ank. Finally we reached Klutena lliipids the following cxening. Here we found about fifty cabins. But three of them were occupied at the time. Upon inquiry I learned that most of the inhabitants had either left for the 8*^ates or other parts of the country. Before leaving 1 learned that a large amount of stores was located at Copp(>r Center, and that the owners were willing to trade the goods for like stores at Valdez. I therefoi'e recommend that you COPl»KR KIVKR EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 57 pos- him establish anothei- station at Copper Center for tlie relief of those pros- pectors in and around that lo(!ality, as well as for those coming down the Copper lliver. After establishing a station at the rapids and leaving Private Gar- rett in charge, we started on our return journey to Valdez, about 1.80 a. ni. May 10. The weather was delightful, and the snow having a fairly good crust we were enabled to make exceptionally good time until about 1 p. m., when the crust became soft. Wcj then resort«;d to snowshoes until after crossing the summit of the gljKiier, where the crust was again sufficiently strong to sustain our weight without the use of the snowshoes. After trudging along for about seven hours, we arrived at the relief station, where we concluded to remain over night rather than take any chances in trying to get down over the thii'd bench. This third bench is one of the most dangerous points on the glacier, owing to the many crevasses and snowslides. The follow- ing morning we left the relief station and proceeded to Valdez. The trail was fairly good until we reached the second l)ench, where we were again compelled to pack our outtit down to the foot of the glacier, and from there we sledded our outtit to Valdez, arriving there at 1 a. ra. May 11, 1899. John F. Rice. Capt. W. R. Abekokombie, Coiwmandlng Copper River Exploring Expedition, Alanka. BEFORT OF FIRST LIETTT. WALTER C. BABCOCK, EIGHTH U. 8. CAVALRY, FROM AFRIL 26. 1899, TO OCTOBER 9, 1899. Sir: Pursuant to instructions 1 liave the honor to submit the follow- ing report on the location and construction of the Trans- Alaskan Mili- tary Road: Orders of April 26, 1899, placed me in charge of the substation along the military road. Station No. 2, the first one constructed, was some 16 miles east of Valdez at the head of the Hood plain of Lowe River at the base of the mounfcr.ins (29, 30) near the entrance (27) to Keystone Canyon. This substation was established on April 29, when the first pack train left Valdez (26), carrying rations and camp equi- page. The train was composed of 30 pack horses, each loaded with 200 pounds; 2 horse sleds, 6 packers, 2 sled drivel's, 1 camp cook, and myself. Our route was southward over the flats at the head of Valdez Bay 2i miles, thence eastward up the flood plain of Lowe River, crossing and recrossing the river and its branches many times (90), a distance of l-t miles to the entrance of Keystone Canyon. After leaving the tidal flats at the head of Valdez Bay much snow was encountered (91), which, toward noon, became soft, the horses sinking to their bellies. Wallowing through this snow continued for a distance of 9 miles, or three hours, after which the snow gradually became less deep, the last 3 miles being over bare, frozen gravel bars, making the trip a hard one on heavily laden unshod horses. Arriving at the head of the valley (120), camp was made at the foot of the mountain on the north side, in heavy spruce and cottonwood timber (98), near the site selected for the substation. The stores were piled on a rude log platform and the train then returned to Valdez, leaving the cook and sled drivers at the camp. Two days later the pack train again left Valdez for station No. 2, carrying supplies and accompanied by Mr. Palmer, topographer, in charge of the location of the road; Mr. Holland, foreman of the con- struction gang, and fifteen axmen, rock workers, etc., with their tools. - On the following day. May 3, the brush was cleared away, ground broken for a storehouse, and work on the building begun. This storehouse is a log structure, 15 by 30 feet inside, and is a type of all the buildings constructed by the expedition (99). Its walls are about 10 feet high, the roof steeply pitched, the ridge lengthwise of 58 COPPER mVEB EXPLOttINO EXPEDITION. 69 the building. The walls and ends are made of spruce and cottonwood logs, 12 to 1<» inches in diameter, notched together at the corners of the building and further secured by stout wooden pins. Rafters for the roof were strongly braced to support the great weight of snow in win- ter. The roof was Imarded with 1-inch lumber and carefully shingled. Crevices between all the logs of the walls and ends were chinked with dry moss, driven in tightly and held in place by trianglar strips of split logs on the outside, thus making a water-tight building. The building has one door and two windows. A soldier was detailed as storekeeper in harge of the supplies at this station. Dr. Neil C. Trew (101), acting assistant surgeon, United States Army, and Mr. E. M. Westervelt (102), clerk, arrived, and took station at this place, making a total of 25 men at the camp. Work on the storehouse was pushed, regardless of weather, as it was important to get the stores under cover without delay. From noon of the 4th to noon of the 7th of May it snowed almost continu- ously, covering everything with four inches of soft-snow slush, mak- ing all the timbers wet, and considerably delaying the work. Working hours were from 7:30 a. m. to 11:30 a. m., and from 1 p. m. to 5 p. m., making eight hours per day, Sundays excepted. In six days the build- ing was practically completed, with the exception of the roof boarding and shingling, the material for which had not arrived. CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD. Meanwhile Mr. Palmer, topographer, was at work looking for a suitable line for the road and blazing it out for the brush cutters. On completion of the storehouse, work on the road was begun over the line as blazed by Mr. Palmer. This line started from the gravel flat, a quarter o^ a mile west of the storehouse, on the north side of Lowe River Valley (28, 46), and ascended the mountain with many switch- backs and turns in order to maintain a suitable grade. The ground was frozen to a depth of 5 feet, and from to 8 feet of snow encoun- tered. Work was consequently slow and results for the first mile were most discouraging. Near the summit of the first ridge, at an eleva- tion of 700 feet above the valley, so much snow blocked the way that it was labor wasted to dig through it. Work was, therefore, tempo- rarily abandoned on this part of the road, and the construction of a back trail along the sidehills of the valley to Valdez begun. This was continued for 1^ miles when work on the forward trail was resumed. In the spring and early summer a road along the sides of Lowe River Valley from Valdez to station No. 2 is unnecessaiy, as the river is easily fordable at all points. At this early date the valley was still more or less covered with snow, which prevented determining the course of Lowe River. This is why work on the road was begun from station No. 2. CM 60 COPPER BIVEB EXPLOBINO EXPEDITION. Mr. Palmer's work was not satisfactory. His location for the road was faulty, and he failed to prepare a suitable map for the region traversed by the trail. He was relieved from his work May 25 and ordered to Valdez, and myself detailed to determine the location of the road and to prepare the topographical map of the route and the adja- cent country. By the 2()th of May work had progressed so far that nuich time was lost by the construction party in going from and coming back to the camp, and it became necessary to establish a new construction camp nearer the working party. A new camp site (103) was selected, 2 miles from station No. 2, and one-half a mile in advance of the trail as cleared and graded, and a temporary trail for the pack train cleared over this advanced portion. May 26 (Sunday) camp was moved to the new site. It was at this point that the real difficulties of road building began. The new camp was near the edge of Keystone Canyon, on the only spot within 3 miles where a site for so Ifj^e a camp existed. Keystone Canyon extends from north to south for about k- miles, flanked on both east and west with steep mountains 4,500 to 5,700 feet high (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43. 47). On the east side the walls of the canyon are from 800 to 1,300 feet in height and very steep throughout. Near the middle of the canyon is a sheer rock precipice, one-half mile in length and 800 feet high, departing but a few degrees from the vertical. On the west the canvon wall is nearlv vertical to a height of from 300 to 450 feet, above which the slope is less steep, thus forming a natural bench, more or less well defined. It is along this bench that the road is built. In several places the rock walls of the canyon extend above this natural bench, and through these ledges the road had to be cut. Between station No. 2 and the end of the can- yon some 600 cubic yards of rock were cut out, to say nothing of the breaking up and removing of enormous bowlders, fragments from the cliffs above that were scattered along the route. By the end of May work had settled down to a regular routine. The lazy and disgruntled men had been weeded out. Every man understood what he had to do and did it willingly. The foreman of the working party, Mr. Holland (106), handled the men well. The Government was gettinj;: a road built cheaply. The workmen were getting a road from the coast to the interior that would pass their mining claims, and they were getting paid for building it. I have never seen a harder working or more faithful lot of men. Far in advance of the construction party were one or more men familiar with the country, sent in to look up the general route ahead and report on the grades, state of the glacier streams, nature of the ground, etc. Just in advance of the workmen went one or two men COPPER BIVEB EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 61 to blaze the mutual line throujjh the timber and thick brush. The woik of this party wa.s the. most exhauHtlng of all. On the steep sides of thi.s canyon the brush, mainly alder, grows In a dense mass, twenty feet or more high, and is twisted and intertwined in an inconceivable tangle. The heavy snows of winter bend these l)ushes down to the ground and give them such a set that, when the snow disappears in the spring they stand out from the ground at an angle of about 40 degrees. Thickly interspersed with this alder brush and growing straight up are devil clubs, covered with sharp, barbed spines. The effort of climbing over, under, and through this brush on a side hill so steep as to scarcely afford a foothold ; falling, stum- bling, grasping at the devil clubs ; bruised and beaten by the stout alder branches, and, at the same time, endeavoring to blaze out a line with a uniform grade or on a level is simply inconceivable to one who has not ti'ied it. Frequently this has to be done many times before a lino is secured that is considered the best possible. The first trip of this kind along the sides of Keystone Canyon required six hours to make three miles, and this was followed by the return trip, over a slightly different line, back to camp. This was done four times before the present route was selected. Every inch of the route has to be covered by an advance party in this way before the work on a new section can be commenced. The country is full of surprises. In one case, without a personal investi- gation on my part, I took the word of one of my men who had been in advance, that a straight transit line could be run through a dense Cottonwood forest for 2^ miles in a direction to reach a glacier stream at the point selecteid for a bridge. On running the transit line for 1 mile 1 came to a swamp and bog, not of gi'eat extent, but so large as to necessitate a change t)f route. The man in advance had passed through the timber and brush a quarter of a mile nearer the mounttiin and, crossing no stream, had very naturally concluded that the ground was diy and solid farther out. The result was a delay of one and a- half days and a lesson to myself. Thereafter I never failed to go over the line in person iiefore deciding on the route. On a new and untouched portion of the route the axmen preceded, clearing the ground of all brush, treees, and fallen timber. They were followed by a second party, with picks, crowbars, and shovels, that graded the trail, often cutting deep into the side hill to gain the necessary width for the road, and removing all obstructions but the heavier bowlders and the solid rock. The rock workers followed with blasting powder and drills, and removed all rock too heavj or hard to be moved and broken up by picks and bars. Lastly came two or three men with sledge hammers, who broke up fragments of rock left after blasting and scattered it along the road as ballast. As the work through the canyon progressed, the working party was 62 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. ii 'f too far away from the camp to return for the midday meal and, there being no other camp site nearer the working part}', two men liad to he detiichod to carry out the focxl. The mountain sides were ho steep that the axmen had to support themselves by hanging to the ))rush with one hand while they chopped with the other. At times the graders had to mak(v vertical cuttings of 16 and 20 feet in order to gain a horizontal width of 5 feet for the road. In the first 4 miles from sUition No. 2, MUhm\ mountain streams were crossed. Eleven of these streams ran in deep gullies, across which retaining walls were built, and the space thus inc^losed filbnl up with loose rock through which the stream could pass. One wooden bridge was constructed in this section. Work over th(i 4 miles through the Keystone Canyon was the most difficult of any encountered during the season. It was necessary to i ush the work as rapidly an possible to get the post-office inspector, Mr. Wayland, and his outfit, and Mr. Rohn, topographer, and his party through. Eleven additional men were employed and put to work June 12, so that at this date thcjre were twenty -four men on the work. On June 16 two packhorses belonging to prospectors were led over the road coming from the interior of the country; :ind at 5 p. m., Saturday, June 17, the trail was ready for the pack trains to go in. The road through 4 miles of this canyon, the key of the whole route, was constructed in thirty-live working days. Sunday, June 18, a train of 5 horses went over the road to the interior, and the following day were followed by 38 more pack horses and 9 dogs (81, 82, 84), 22 of the horses and the dogs belonging to the expedition. Once through the Keystone Canyon the valley turns to the eastward and widens into what is locally known as Dutch Flat (48, 49). Along this flat two swift glacier streams empty into the Lowe River through deep canyons from the north, and another, the south fork, from the southeast. The mountains on either hand are very steep, rising abruptly from the gravel flat (41, 60, 106), but having well-defined branches (107), nearly level, and following the contours of the moun- tains. The road by a very gradual gi-ade from the canyon entrance drops to the lowest of these benches on the north side of the valley and follows along it at a distance of 2 miles to the point of crossing the first glacier stream. Here a bridge was necessary. The stream in the early spring is a mere clear- water mountain brook, which one could easily cross dryshod. In midsummer, however, it is a boiling, surging glacier stream, 8 to 10 feet deep, with a current of 15 miles an hour, crashing together the bowlders in its bed with great noise and bringing down large pieces of ice (66). To attempt to ford it at high water would be suicidal. On the farther COPPER RIVKR EXPLORINO EXPEDITION. 68 side a natural rock aWutiiuuit was found, opposite to a spot where a crib could Iki constructed on lied re hauled t<} its place. The total length of this bridge is 112 feet, with four spans, the largest 38 feet. From this bridge to the suiiunit of Thompson Pass (48) the road ascends by a nearly uniform grade of about 1 in 10. Thompson Pass, the lowest pmctical route over the divide l)etween Lowe River and the Chena, has an elevation of 2,840 feet and rises alM)vo the river 2,100 feet. From its summit down to the C'hena, u liistance of about 7 miles, the drop is only about 700 feet, along Ptiirmigan Creek. For 1 mile from bridge No. 4 work was comparatively easy, there being but little grading necessary and but few streams to cross, prac- tically the only work Inung to (dear the route of brush and falh'n tim- ■ er. The next three-(iuarters of a mile was along a steep hillside between what is known as the first and second l)enches. The line for the road was over enomious Ixjwlders, of many tons weight, covered with deep moss and vegetable mold and the whole overgrown with alder and devil club. Clearing the brush uiii hk raping away the moss revealed great gaps and crevasses l)etween the l)owlders, which had to be filled with broken rock and the corners of the bowlders broken off. This rock \.i of a light-green color and mtv hard and heavy. Drills were frequently broken and two men wer»^ kept constantly at work at the portable forge I'csharpening. Arriving at the second bench the work again became easier and the brush much lower and less thick. The last 2 miles toward the summit are practically free from brush and the ground hard and no work was required. By July 27 the road was completed to the summit of Thompson Pass. During the month preceding there had been nmch travel on the road. The coming and going of *the pack train every few days, bring- ing supplies from Valdez and station No. 2, had packed the trail hard through the Keystone Canyon and had discovered all we^k places. A man was furnished with tools and detailed to patrol the road from sta- tion No. 2 to the summit and repair the road wherever necessary. This was kept up until the departure of the expedition in October. Many prospectors (119) were constantly coming and going over tiie road, and all expressed their satisfaction and relief at haviiig a road to travel that avoided the dangerous Valdez Glacier, and shortened the journey from the interior by several days. A carefully contoured map of the region traversed by the road was prepared, the line of the road carefully plotted, and levels run over the entire distance to the summit of the pass and a profile constructed. Elevations of all mountain peaks were carefully determined. COl'J'KR RIVKR EXl'LOBINO EXPEDITION. 05 ADVANCK UKJATION KOK THK ROAD. By tho iiii({dl(^ of July I found it ntn-oHsary to p«'i*soiiHlly dotorinino tln' routii for tlu^ road fur in advuncoof tlio woriarty,and on tiio •27ti» 1 "ft tho construction fain[) with a Hinall party for that purpose. My instructions w«ro to pr«par tripod caught in n snag 450 yards below where tho inisluii) Imd occurred. It had been in the bed of the stream for fourtet i hours and bodily carried down a quarter of a mile and was sadl}- injured; but none of the parts whose use could not be dispensed v/ith were injured or, as we ])elieved, out of adjustment, a conclusion that luis since been verified by the makers, to whom it was sent for repaii'H on my return. To follow down the Chena along its bottom for any great distance was impossible. It was a larger river than any I had yet encountered. At the mouth of Ptannigan Creek and for some miles below (63, 54) it flows over a wide gravel bed in many channel -,, all too deep or swift to be forderl at this season, often coming close (110) to the steep ridges thai limit its valley on the south side. The cross) ig of Ptarmigan Creek at its mouth i,?as difficult. We accomplished the crossing by loading two of our horses with light loads and then leading them across, riding the other two animals and then returning for another load. Six trips were made in this way before all le route for Ptarmigan by a slight crossing of •ound in the Id be made, mpson Pass Arriving at istward and point some this jwint, 'd, and two je the other the Chena. Ptarmigan it in many was out of a point one 'iver in one feet high. I locally as "Th<; Major's," was a foot log across the canyon, pUu;ed there and used by prospectors. The width at this point was about 40 feet. Not far distant from this point good timlxir was found in abundance. It was here that the bridge was (inall}^ located (57, 58). Thii impossibility of getting my horses over the stream on a foot log ol»liged me to keep on the south side oi the river and follow along the rtH'ky ridges that run parallel to the stream. Before determining on the place of the foot l«)g a« a suitable site for the bridge, I decided to explore the canyon farther with the idea of possibl}^ discovering a better site. My horses were .-.»;iit ahead each day by the easiest route, while Mr. Worthington and myself followed '^vith the transit and mapp«?d the (country. The thick brusi and rapid current of the river uiade it impossible to loi^ate points by triangulation by working back and forth across the valley, and resort was therefore had to carelful stadia measure- ments for distance and the results plotted at once. By pro(!eeding in this v>'ay an al)solute meawured base line was available at all times xrom which horizontal and verticiil angles to all visible points could be measured. This method was followed from the beginning to the end of my trip. The work was .slow, as the brush had to be cut away for nearly <^very sight with the transit, but 1 believe this method gave the most rapid progress consistent with reliable results. The map was also complete each day up to the point where work was stopped for the night. The cJinyon of the Chena continues for about 5 miles below this foot log, widening occasionally, but narrowing down again. Near the lower end of this canyon 1 found a second place where a bridge could be built. Here there were rocky points 8 and 10 feet above the water extending into the stream, making the span about -tS feet. I did not attempt to decide which was the better of the two sites, as so much depended upon the nature of the ground below the upper sice on the farther (north) side of the river, and this ground J had not explored. The main point Avas that sites for a bridge existed. A report of the work of my party and a description of the bridge sites were sent in about this time by returjiinj; prospectors. Below the Chena Canyon the valley widens again, and the stream spreads out into many channels and flows over another gravel flat (109). It was now the 3d of August. The stream wa« at its highest and bringing down cakes of ice from the glaciers at its head. The "Major's" foot log had been washed away. One of my horses with a 200-pound pack had fallen into the stream from a cut bank and was carried down 00 yards and nearly drowned before he could l»e rescued. I began to l)e worried about effecting a cro.ssing safely with our stock and supplies. Fortunately the weather was cooler and cloudy for two ( 'i' 68 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. days; the glaciers i-ciised to molt and the rivci- began to fall slowly. I lay ovei- in camp one day, anxiously watching a gauge I had placed in the Htreani. The river continued to lower, and on the morning of the 5th of August I made preparations to (iross. My plan was the sftnie as that followed in crossing Ptarmigan C^reek. The horses were loaded with light pat^ks and led over. On the return trip for another load we got into (piicksand near the shore and the horses deliberately lay down in the water. The wetting was far from pleasant, for the water was ice cold, and I could not dela}' the crossing long enough to get dry. Several trips were made in this way. On the last trip, Paulson, one of my packers, became confused by the swirling water and proceeded down stream for a (juarter of a mile, " fording the river lengthwise," as he afterwards expressed it. I remained at this new camp all day to give all hands an opportunity to dry clothing and to give our horses a rest. From this point our I'oute lay over the divide Ijetween the Chena and the Kanatii (109), the South and Noi'th Forks, respectivel}', of the Tiekell. The passage of this divide was entirely free of brush, for a recent forest fire, still smoldering 'n the fallen logs as we passed, had cleaned the ground of this obstru(^tion. The absence- of all underbrush was amply compensated for by the charred and half -burned spruce trees laying crossed and piled up on all sides. Through this tjuigle we had to cut a path for the horses with small hand axes. It took hours to cover the 3 miles to Stewart Crcv^k or River, the last tributary of the Chena from the northwest. I venture to say that a dirtier, more tired lot of men were not to be found in all Alaska than that compos- ing my party. We remained camped on Stewart Creek for several days while the section was mapped down to the junction of the North and South Forks of the Tiekell and well up the North Fork. The elevation of our camp on S'l'wart Creek, about 1,500 feet above sea level, was the lowest point reached since leaving Thompson Pass. On Stewart Creek, half a mile below our camp, was a camp of half a dozen pros- pectors. Here I had hoped to find a grindstone, for our axes needed resharpening badly, I was only able to borrow an old worn-out tile, however, which proved worse than useless. Our route was now up the Kanata or North Fork of the Tiekell. This stream, unlike th(» other's we had passed, is not a glacier stream. Many of its branches have their source in glaciers, l)ut most of its watei" t.;omes from clear mountain streams and from a large swamp near its head. It flows through a valley averaging half a mile in width, and its general course is from north to south on the arc of a rough half circh^ with the bend toward the west. The stream is an extremely crooked one, doubling back on it>ielf and crossing th<> valley ba<;k and forth luany times. Throughout its course arc deep pools, COPPEB BIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 69 owly. I )lac!ed in \^ of the n ('reek, le return and the fiir from crossing a^'. On d by the a mile, d it. I turuty to le Chena ly, of the ish, for a s.sed, had derbrush d .spruce tangle we )ok liours butary of Aer, more t compos- while the nd South vation of , wa.s the 1 Stewart zen pro.s- e.s needed n-out file, ^ Tiekell. r stream. u.st of its fe swamp I mile in arc of a 'am is an the valley iep pools, clcse in under low-cut banks, while on the other shore opposite each pool is a broad ])rush-covered brv (66). The brush on both sides over- hangs far out into the stream. Its current is less rapid than that of the other streams we had passed and its channel is constant, there being no evidence of any recent change. Steep mountsiins lie on either side, 6,000 to 7,500 feet high. The valley is covered throughout with fine spruce and cottonwood timber, with a dense undergrowth of scrub willow, alder, wild curmnt, and wild rose. Along this valley the timber line extends nmch higher up the mountains than it does nearer the coast, reaching an elevation of 3,000 feet. The brush disappears at an elevation of about 4,000 feet. On the coast about Valdez Bay timber is rarely found at an elevation of 1,000 feet, and the underbrush disappears at 1,800 to 2,000 feet. In a ge)iei"til way, it may be stated that the brush line is about 1,000 feet above timber. It was along the Kanata that we made our slowest progress. It required five days to run the stadia measurements over the 7 miles from Stewart Creek to Bowlder Creek, near which our nextcamp waslocated. On one day we tmveled only three-quarters of a mile in distance, and throughout the trip up this stream we had to cut the brush before stadia measurements could be made. Half a mile below the mouth of Bowlder Creek Avere the ruins of Tiekell City, which was for a short time a flourishing settlement of shacks and tents and a population of forty persons, including the mayor. A forest fire had swept down on the settlement before my arrival and had left but two tents and the "waterworks" intact. The waterworks consisted of a canvas bucket susj)ended on a rope across the river, with a line by which it could be hauled in and out. On a ])oar(l nailed to a tree 1 rtad the following: Po]). Ixifore fire 39. Pup. after "5. Smith, Mayer. This was somewhat am))iguous, as it left one in doubt as to the fate of thirty-four persons. Added to these statistics was a caution about carefully 'extinguishing all camp fires. The ground was strewn with cofJ'ee and tt>a tins, baking-powder cans, half-burned ])eans and pease, a\es and tools of all kinds, gun barrels and pistols of all makes, buck- ets, gold pans, valises, charred ch)thing, etc. Along the banks of Bowlder Creek som(> prospecting was })eingdone and a little desultory plac(>r mining, without any paying results. At this place we succeeded in regi'inding our hand axes and appropriated a shovel and a long-handled axe, which 1 Mt would be useful in the futur*'. Fine flour gold is foimd in all the tributaries of the Tiekell. but it is too flne to be saved by ordinary panning or rocking, iuid nowhere sufficiently plentiful to pay foi- the labor of working a claim. The 70 COPPER RIVER EXFLORIN& EXPEDITION. Tiekell Valley had not been penetrated by prospectors till the preced- ing fall and winter, and yet the banks of the Kanata, or North Fork, and its larger branches were everywhere staked off into placer claims, each with a location notice written on the stakes. Most of these claims were abandoned; at least, there wei-e no evidences of any assessment work having been done. Beaver dams were frequent along the Kanatii. but all the beaver had been killed off. This stream ought to !>e a fine trout stream, but no trout or fish of any kind have ever been found there, or, in fact, in any of the tributaries of the Tiekell. Long, swift rapids below the main forks of the river prevent the fish from (doming up from the Copper River. From Bowlder Creek my route was over the Quartz Creek Divide and down that stream to the Tonsena River. This was not to be the route for the road, but I desired to survey the Quartz Crciek Valley and Tonsena or Archer Lake, which lies just above the mouth of Quartz Creek, neither of which had ever before been mapped. Leaving Bowlder Creek, we climbed nearly straight up the sides of Mount Rice, the avei'age slope of which is 40 degrees, over a tmil cut the month previous by a party under Mr. Rice and Inspector Wayland. After reaching an elevation of aliout 4,2()() feet, and well above the brush line, we turned northward and proceeded along the mountain side a distjince of 3 miles to a point near the source of Quartz Creek. I had hoped to push down on the other side to some spot below the timber line before making camp. However, the men and horses were so tired from the hard climb, and the hour was so late, that I stopped for the night. Nothing in the shape of firewood was to })e found except some stunted willow brush 18 inches high, and green at that. Out of this we got «'nough fire to cook bacon and boil coffee, and then prepared to spend a cold night. Shortly after starting out the next day it hegjin to rain, with such a high wind that we were forced to abandon all work and seek shelter. We camped again far above the timber, but in brush large enough to make a respecbible fire. On this day, the l(!th of August, snow fell on the mountiiin tops and down to a S.OOO-foot elevation. We were near the camp of a Mr. Amman and his wife, and here I saw the first »igns of serious gold placer mining. They had as yet found no gold in paying {juantities, but both were ])atiently digging away in the hope of s(mie day reaching 1)ed rock. Quartz Creek is a clear-water stream, about 12 miles long, flowing from a bog near the summit of the divide in a northwesterly direction and emptying into the Tonsena River just Ixdow th(» lake of that name. About T) miles above its mouth Its two main brandies empty into it, viz. Rainbow Creek from the northeast and Bear Creek from the COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 71 jreced- )rk, and IS, each (claims vs.sinent \(*r had Imt no in any lie main Copper southwest. At the mouth of Bear Creek is a mining camp of eight or ten log houses and the post-office of Belcaro, the hitter established by Post-Office Inspector Wayland late in June. Mail was carried back and foilh from Valdez once a month during the summei" l)y one of the community, who received for his services Ij^l from each person sending or receiving a letter. Upper Quartz Creek is about 1 mile wide and very boggy in summer, the soft, wet ground extending well up the mountainsides, even where there is a considerable slop;', the thick moss holding the water like a sponge. Half way down the soil l)ecomes gravelly, the stream is more confined, and a short distance below Bear Creek flows through a deep canyon for a mile or more. Below the canyon the valley again widens and gradually merges into the broad timbered Hats that border the Tonsena. Along Lower Quartz Creek much placer mining was going on. The stream in many places was turned from its bed, and rockers and sluices were frequently' met, all being worked. One claim was yielding 57 cents to the cubic yard, possibly a hydraulic proposition, but hardly paying the expenses of hand work. Something over 4 ounces of gold was the result of the season's work up to the 20th of August. To pais the canyon of Lower Quartz Creek we were again obliged to make a steep ascent to an elevation of 4,000 feet, shortly to descend again to the creek bottom below the canyon. Arriving at Tonsena Lake near its outlet 1 made camp, intending to remain in this vicinity several days, while I surveyed the lake and the river above and below. Tonsena or Archer Lake lies in a picturescjue valley (111), the moun- tains rising abruptly from the water to a height of (>,500 or 7,000 feet on all sides except the north (112). The lake is irregular in shape, with a decided bend toward the west, and has its greatest length of miles from north to south, with an extreme width of al)out 2^ miles. At the south end of the lake the Tonsena River enipties into it and is its main supply strean). Several other smaller streams empty into the lake from ))oth east and west, and all, with one exceptioji, Mankei- Creek, are glaciei' streams. Conseoth streams. To do this would be a public-spirited act, as it would be the means of filling the Kanata and the Chena and their branches with the finest kind of trout and salmon. Arriving at the head of the Kanata a courier came in with orders for me to send my horses, which were in fine condition, back to the con- struction camp to help out in the main supply train. This I did on the 7th of September. To go on without the horses was impossible, and I therefore remained at this camp for six days, when four new horses arrived. In the meantime the valley of tje Tonsena South Fork, or Mosquito Creek, as it is sometimes called, was thoroughly explored on both sides. This valley is from 1 to 2 miles wide, and bounded by steep mountains (5,000 feet high. Its direction is northwest, and throughout its entire length t)f about 20 miles it is an immense swamp, grown with thick dwarf willows 6 to 8 feet in height, with patches of timber here and there. To cross this swamp is a difficult task, as 1 found to my cost. I was wet from head to foot, and the legs of my trousers were torn off at the knees. New, strong du(!k trousers might have withstood the trial, but mine were far from strong at this date. I believe it impos- sible to get a horse safely across this bog. On the west side of the valley is an old Indian or Russian foot trail. It had evidently })een much used at one time, as there were numerous signs of brush cutting done many years ago, and the trail for long distances was worn down a foot or more below the natural surface. This trail was followed for 3 miles, when it turned to the right and evidently crossed the swamp. However, no further trace of it could be found on either side. About this time a man named Tjosvig, who had been in this rogion in the preceding fall, reported to me as a packer and cook in place of one whom I had dischai'ged. He stated that a pass existed through the divide, between this valley and Bernard Creek, the next stream below, a pass which, if practicable, would shorten the distance to the Tonsena some 3 miles, and besides, by avoiding the trend to the north- west of the South Fork, give a more direct route to the road. My first exploration of this pass, which I named Kimball Pass (115, 116), led me to the conclusion (and I must admit it a hasty one) that this route was not feasible, because of the additional ascent of 1,600 feet. ' 5 f !l Ml. 76 COPPER RIVKR EXPLORING EXPEDITION. J decided to run tht^ line down the South Fork of the TonHenu when new horses arrived, and instru<'tions were received to push <>n as rap id'y as possilde to the Tonsena River, clearing the trail of brush as we went. Arrivinjif at the Tonsena 1 was to select a site for a storehouse and cabin and meet parties coming from Tonsena Lake who were to build it. To make a proper beginning for this trail cutting it was necessary to go back to the crossing of Ernestine Ci'eek, half a mile in the rear. Onl)' one long-handled ax was with my party, and this had been picked up on the way. The one lost by Mr. Worthington in the glacier stream shortly after the start was later replaced by a small hand ax, picked up en route, weighing 1 pound, and hardly more efl-H-tive than a toy. Three other hand axes were with my outfit, t"hus making one ax. large or small, for each member of my partj', there Iwing five of Us . I this time. The ground had already been thoroughly looked over for 5 miles in advance before the order to clear trail was received, and we therefore commenced at once. AlK)ut 1 mile per day was our average progress. Eight miles had been cleared when the groiuid became soft and boggy, although the line was some 300 feet above the valley bottom. The outlook ahead was most discouraging, there teing still s(mie 12 miles more of thi,« work l)efore reaching the Tonsena, and [ decided to once more make an examination of Kimball Pass. To do this thoroughly I believed would require a long day's work. I took with me 2 men, car- rying 1 meal each, the camera, shotgun, and surveying outfit. We started at 4.30 a. m. and traveled continuously until (i.30 p. m., hav- ing made a ilnuiit through Kimball Pass, down Bernard Creek a long dii^tance, and then again through the divide over a saddle known as Big Stone Pass, 5,600 feet high, and thence along the mountain side back to our camp, a total distiince of 13 miles, one-half of whic:h was through thick alder and willow brush (117). The trip had not ])een in vain, for I learned that the proper and onl}'^ route for the road was through Kimball Pa.ss, provided a suitiible gi-ade could be obtained on the ascent to its sumnit. |5 M}' next worlc was to dCTierminb this point. The day following I started at the summit of this pass and blazed a line through the brush, gradually descending by a grade of about 1 in 10 to the trail which we had already cleared, striking it about 2 miles from Ernestine Creek. Coming back to our camp, 1 there met Messrs. (irogg and Johnson, who had been sent down from Tonsena Lake to build the cabin. These men had been hunting my camp for the past two days and were utterly out of food. They reported that a messenger had been sent out with orders for me, and that he had started down the Tonsena with them on their rafts, but soon left them, intending to go back up Quartz Creek, down "The Drop," and thence up the Kanata to my camp by COPPER R1V£K EXPLUKIJSG KXPEDITION. 77 tho rout*' I hml followed, loaviiij^ his jfuii, boddinj;, imd food with tlu'in. Hi>, had not roarhod iiu% and wan now a week oviM'duo. Thti rontii down the South P\>rk of tho TonniMui, as I uxplainod to the calnn huildi^rs, whh not pmctinihU', and consequently a (irovern- nient eahin at the mouth of that stream would he useless. A delay would l>e eauHed hy chanjjfinjf the route to the next valley, makinjr oui" arrival at thts Tonsena so late in the season as to render the com- ])letion of a eahin extremely doubtful. Messrs. ^lohnson and (Jrojjy had decided to jfivo up the contract, l)ut I persuaded them to make one more effort. I accordingly agreed to meet them at the mouth of Hernard C^reek on the Friday following, promising them thi^ use of my hors««s to get their stuff down to that |)oint. Early the following morning they departed, and my own party set out for Big Stone Pass, this being the shortest route to Bernard Cr(>ek and lying far above the l)rush lin«>. I determined to push on as far as possilile down Ber- nard C'reek, abandoning uU survey work, in order to reach the Tonsinu on the date agreed. By 3 p. m. we had made lO miles, and shortly after got into the l)rush so thick that (uir hoi-ses could go no fai'th(M". Here I made camp. The next day all four of us stjirted for the 'ionsena, turning the horses loose »;t the camp and carrying only the shotgun, a small package of pea-soup iM)wder, and a half-gallon kettle. The cut banks of the Ton- sena appeared about 5 miles distant, but turned out to be somewhat more t an }> miles away. This was through the densest brush and for th(^ last -i miles over an enormous windfall of spruce and cottonwood timber. It was 3.30 in the afternoon when we arrived at the river. There were no signs of the cabin builders. I afterwards learned that they did not reach there until the following day. 1 seUn^ted the cabin site on dry ground near the river in a grove of the largest, tallest spruce trees. Near the site was plenty of good moss with which to chink the logs and considerable good grass, 1 then hung my handkerchief on a tree overhanging far over the stream, and set up a post on a small giavel bar near by to attract the attention of the builders as they came down the river. On this post I marked the distance and direction of the cabin site. At the latter piace I blaz*^ d a large spruce tree all around and marked with a lumberman's peuvu thereon in a manner that could hardly fail to attract atten- tion of anyone in the vicinity. In this tree I stuck a pencil note, stating that I could not get my horses through in time to assist in getting the builders' supplies to the spot before the season closed, and also gave the location of my camp up Bernard Creek. Bernard Creek differs from the South Fork of the Tonsena in haviiig its source in a small lake (116) on the summit of Kimball Pass at an elevation of 4,00() feet and being more confined in its course. It is about 20 miles long and flows through a narrow valley with a gravelly 78 COl'l'ER r.lVKB EXFLOKING EXl'EDlTloN. V 8oll, thickly grown with a tough win- lunish. Itn lower half is tx'twcen high-cut huiilcH, broken at frequent intervals l»y (ie«'|) ravines. Along itH bunks and along the Tonseiui near its mouth grow the largest of Hpruee trees, KX) feet or more high and many measuring H feet and over in diameter it the base. The Tonsina Valley about the mouth of lii'rnard Creek is of a similar character, but nmch wider with the cut banks averaging 250 feet in height. Nearly opposite the mouth of Bernard C-reek another stream, known as Trout Creek, empties into the Tonsena, its valley being like that of Iternard Creek. At this point is a g(H)d bridge site, and the rout*' up Trout Creek is in such a direction as to reach the Klutena Itiveratthe point selected for crossing, sonui K or 10 miles above its mouth. The last mountains on the Coast llauige lie on the east side/)f Trout Creek and separate it from the Copper River Valley. I do not think this rout*": .or the military road could be Improved ujwn. Tht' distance is the shortest to the crossing of the Tonsena. The ground is good all the way from the head of the Kanata; the grades are light and the line up Trout Cruek to the Tonsena is over a low saddle with very light grades. To get bacK to my camp In'forc 5 o'docK, when darkness set in, was now impossible. We made a start, however, and succeeded in umkiiig about 3 miles to a small stream before darkiu'ss overtook us. Here we prepared to spend a disagreeable night. We had eat*Mi nothing except half a cup of pea soup apiece since breakfast. All day we had seen but one grouse and this had been shot. This one small bird, without pepper or salt, was to make a meal for four hungry men. While there was still a little twilight left we all engaged in hauling dry wood to our fire to last us through the night. We had no bed- ding nor coats with us, and the nights were now quite cold, ice form- ing every night on the streams. I divided the night into four watches of two and a quarter hours each, the watcher's duty being only to keep the tires burning briskly. During the two middle watches it rained steadily, thus adding more to the discomfort of the situation. At the first signs of daylight we prepared to start, and after carefully extin- guishing the tire, set out on the return trip through the brush to our camp. The brush was dripping wet and our clothing soon became satumted. As we got higher up the brush was frozen and there was a heavy frost on the ground und, tinally, snow. Mr. Worthington, an older man than the rest, beca lie w((ak from the lack of food and the exertion of working through the brush and was obliged to rest every few hundred yards. At each sixjp we all eagerly ate the frozen moss berries. We were hours getting back to camp and, once there, spent the remainder of the day eating. During the afternoon it began snowing again, and at dark there was 4 inches of snow on the ground. This convinct^d me that it was time for us to take the trail back to Valdez, and I decided to start the OOIM'ER RIVKP KXPLORINO EXPKDITUJN. 79 following (lay. Tlw ^nisH wum alivtuly poor and Hnirc«'. No hooiht (iocH tlit> f roHt touch it than it hocoincN an UMoleHN for fom^c nn ho imich .straw. ,Iu,st as w^^ woi turning; in for the night wi\ hoard thn>o sliotw Hrc'd an a si^rnal. Thinkiiig thov cunio, from Honu'ono who had lost his iMuirinjfs, I had thcni answmt'd. Shortly afterwards wo hnii'd shoutiiijf, and in a few niinutos Dr. Trow, tho snr}(oon of tho oxpodition, came into canlp followed by the courier who had been seeking us so long. They lK)th brought me orders, the one verbal, the other written, to turn buck and tuk(^ charge of the construction camp, and to continue that work as long as the weather pei'initted, but in any cast' not latter than the I5th of 0(^tober. It was now the 3(»th of September, and, as [above stat«(d, I had already decided to take the Vtack tniil the following [day. Dr. Trew and the messenger were lioth in a sad plight and very cold. They had come 17 miles that day from the mining camp Ixdow Fall Creek on the Kanata, over Big Ston«' Pass and down Hernard Crei^k |t<> our camp. The shoes of Mr. Rothkranz, the messenger, were worn tlwough to his Imre feet and his canvas trousers torn to a fringe [below the knees. On the sunmiit of the pass and all the way down [the north side they encountei'od nmt'h snow. During the day this had luoaked their foot wear and clothing, and as the air became colder on the ■approach of night their trousers and shoes were frozen stiff. Neither [had mittens or gloves. It was a fortunate thing for them that they jtired their signal shots when they did, otherwise tht\v would not have [found my camp. In the thick brush our camp fire could onJy l)e seen la short distance, and the chances of their coming directly to it were islim indeed. ^ The next day, October 1, dawned bright and dear, and I regretted Jthat I had to go back. However, to have failed to heed the warning [of the snow would have been foolish. For the safety of the men and [supplies 1 had no apprehension ; the men could travel anywhei-e, even with the snow lying deep; the valuable surveying instruments and [camera could have been safely cached, and what provisions, photo- graphs, und notes I had could have been carried by all hands, as there were now six of us. With the horses, however, it was ditt'er«Mit. The grass was poor and constantly becoming worse, while the work of the animals would increase with the depth of snow, and as their strength failed they would be able to carrj-^ less and less. Had I pushed on ten days longer not a horse would have gotten back. It was snowing every day on the summits and high passes, and it was the passage of these divid.-'s that would wear the horses. In the valleys there was no {!ause io. apprehension, except the poor quality of the remaining grass. As we leared Big Stone Pass I climbed to a low summit near by to get photographs of the Copper River Valley. It was a most remark- able day for this region, so said Cris, my cook, who had done much 80 COPI'KR KIVKR EXI'LOBINO EXPEDITION. '% pro.s|MH'tinf; in this it^jfion the preceding fall. The atniosphere was iiiusuall.v clear and the high sncw-covered mountains of the Alaskan liange, :iO0 miles to the north, were clear-cut against a deep-blue sky. To the east the Mount Wrangi^ll group stood out clear from base to .'^juiiniit. Mounts Driuii, Tillmaii, and Sanford had not a cloud al)out them, a most unusual condition, while the puti's of white, steam-lik< smoke from the volcano ^Vrangell were sharply outlined against the sky. Here was the photographic opportunity of a lifetime and I exposed many plates. All of thmi, foi reasons that I explain in my photographic report, were utter faihu'es. The trip l)ack to the construction camp was oA'^er the route followed on the advance and was uneventful. The third day I intended to lay over anm one-half th(^ provisions at the camp, enough to last them two weeks. I thus had less than three days' supply on hand for forty-odd men at the main camp. The supph' train was expected daily, but did not arrive. I began to fear trouble in crossing Thompson Pass, and on the ath of October ordered the retui'n of the personnel to Valdez. Ther(> wer(^ seven horses at the camp, which, with th<' four horses I had ))rouglit in. made eleven %, animals to carry the )H>dding, clothing, food, and cooking outfit for forty-five men. All the tents, tools, and cooking utensils. excepJ^^ such of the latter as were necessary for the simplest meals on the rosid back, 1 had packed up and carried to the stable and stored in the iuft. By 2 p. ni. tdl the remaining stufl' was packed up and a start made. Just at tli»' moment of starting the supply train of twenty-five COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 81 spher«» was ic Aliiskuii l)-l)liu' sky. oin base to ioud aJ)()ut stoaiii-likf against the time and I )lain in my ite followed a good rest rie day. It jht best not s third day. ioned Alan- np and the about half y was to l>e n'ses. This the, river — le niountiiin ?as sufficient e being only ^o about out ' this stable of the work ) induce the sions at the than three camp. The gati to fear )bcr ordered 11 iiorses at made eleven ig outfit for cxce])^ such e road back, le loft. By mach!. twentv-Hve horses oxime in. This train 1 ordered back, iirst sending two horses to the camp of the stable builders with more food. We camped that night in the snow without tents, each man choosing hit) own bed place. Dr. Trew, at his own request, I sent on to Vajdez, to take in word of our coming. It snowed hard during the night and ' the horses got but little food. Th( Mext day's trip was a long one of 16 miles to the relief cabin on theCliena, situated a mile })elow the mouth of the canyon. The work- men walked ahead to break a trail through the snow for the horses. Everything depended upon saving the horses from us»>less exertion till W'; reached the storehouse at stsition No. 8. Near the vlief cabin was the camp of some eight men. who were constructing the cabin. This cabin was completed on the afternoon of my arrival. All the tentage, camp oijuipage, and tools were cavefuUy stored in the loft of the cabin, and I had signboards placed at the branch trails leading from the main road to the cabin. The following day the pack loads were rearranged to accommodate the bedding and clothing of the eight extra men. Many of the men carried packs on their l)acks. VV^e crossed the Stewart Creek Bridge and the h)ng bridge over the Chena and followed up that stream to a i)oint 2 miles above station 3, the nearct pcint at which grass for the horses could f)e found. At station 8 I left with the soldier storekeeper all the surplus food brought in })y the last supply train, so that the hor.ses might all have light loads for the passage of Tiiompsoii Pass. At stiition No. 3 a destitute prospector applied t(/ me for permission to ride, he having both knees sprained and unable to walk any distance. He had done favors for me while I wast-amped at TonstMia Lake, and I graiited him permission. Mr. Worthingto ' kvas taken ill the foHowing morning and also had *'■ ride. Two horses were unable to carry pa<'ks from weakness. Cn the ai^cent (118) to the summit of the pass another horse played 'Mt and jiis load was distribut«>d among the rest. On and near the simimit there were al)out 3o inches of snow. I had a double force of me,i with the train U> iwlp the horses through che dri**^ , >vhile nM>**t of the remaining men ««'nt on ahead to break trail for ihe train, » work that they willingly perforin>ftd, realizing as they did the loss of their bedding and clothing if the hor>M^s played out. (luns and auicli clothing were carried by hand. Tht summit was passed without furthei- trouble. The view of Dutch Flat from the siunmit was most surprising. For ItMi miles on the north side 1 had come through snow from H to 30 inches in depth, while in Dutch Valley there was no snow whatever, and niuch of the brush and cottonwood timln'r was still green and untouched by frost. The snow oii the divide became less and less deep, and disappeared entirely at about the M,00(»- foot elevation. » S. Doc. 306 6 i l( 82 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION, A .stop for the nijrht was made near the camp of Mr. (lillette (104), the railroad ongiiiecr of the expedition. A short march of 8 miles was made next day to station No. 2, and the following day, October 10, the train reached Valdej; without mishap. 8UMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION WORK. Total length of road— ■ Miles. For pack horses 1 ft3 In excavation ;15 Cleared and gruhbed 07 Cleared only 12 Twenty -six bridges were constructed, exclusive of small culverts, with a total length of 856 feet. The largest l)ridge iy 121 feet long. These ])ridges have forty spans, the longest .span of 10 feet being in the bridge over the Chena Canyon. Tv^ > bridges have four spans each, and three oth(n\s have two spans each. ' ^hteen spans measure 25 feet or over. Nine log cribs were constructed. Twentj'-one thousand two hundred and twenty-four feet of logs were u.sed in stringers and sills. These bridges have a width of 9 feet. The width of road in excavation varies from a 5-foot to a l(»-foot roadbed, the narrowest part being in Keystone Canyon. The width of clearing and grubbing varies from (> feet to 35 feet, find averages about 25 feet. The narrowest part, viz, the t)-foot width, is in the advance 12 miles, and was made only of sufficient width to permit passage of pack horses. COM I'A RATI VE COST OF CONSTRUCTION AT PRICES COMMON THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. 5,000 cubic vardH Holid rock, at $1 $5, 000 7,000 cubic yardh loose rock, at 40 cents '2, 80(* 8,000 cubic yards i)ick and shovel work, at 25 cents 2, 000 600 cubic yards retaining wall, at $3 1, 800 120 cubic y;irds bridge cribs, at $2 240 85fi ftHd (linear) bridging, at $3 2, f>«« 5 miles rock bulhujt, at ^150 '. 7.')0 200 acrcH clearing and gru!.)bing, at $50 10, 000 Total cost in Unitwl States 25, 158 The :iv«'ragc of this cla- - of work along the coast rcgiMi of AlHska is ab( ut 75 per cent greater than in the United StuU'M, Conunon lal)orcrs on the White Pass and Yukon llaili'rtul received $/!.50 p<'r ''ay. Along the Yukon Ri\er prices paid during the seuf^on of 1899 were a^ follows: (\)nim<»n labor. H5 cents per hour; skilled labor, ^10 per day; foreuiau of party, $1;"> per day. COI'PKK RIVER EXI'LOKING EXPEDITION. 83 ette (104), )f 8 miles ', October Miles. as 35 67 12 culverts, feet long, t being in epulis each, lire 55 feet •u^jul two s aii'i -.ills, o II iO-foot to 36 feet, foot width, at width to IROUGIIOUT J!5,000 '2,m^ 2, 000 1,800 240 2, 5«K 750 10,000 25,158 f A l»ska is )n laborers 'av. 1899 were >r, $10 per REMARKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. In the al)()ve narrative of the work of the advance location party for the Trans-Alaskan Military Road T have omitted many instuners whicii occurred of a humorous or provoking nature, as being unessential to the official topographical description of the terraine and the climatic conditions of this portion of Alaska. Such adventures and mishaps as I have recorded ha\'e a certain descriptive value — my only excuse for inserting them in an official report. If it is contemplated to resume road construction and exploration during the s<'ason of 1900, with a view to obtiiining I'esults commen- surate with expenditures, it is imperative that the work be begun much earlier in the spring than has been the case on previous expeditions. In order to begin location work at the earliest possible time, viz, the date of disappeanmce of the snow, it is necessary that ])efore that time supplies be cached at the various sul)stations along the road. Not only must food supplies be on hand, but at the present advance end of the road nuist also Im^ the tentage, <'amp equipage, cooking outfit, etc., required for a working party of say forty-tive men, all told. Of the material of this description left over from last season's work, 90 per cent was condemned by me as worn-out and unserviceable. The food supplies now at station No. 3 and beyond are no more than necessary for the wintei-'s consumption by the various station keepers. In order to get such supplies to the substations in time, I'esort must be had to dog sleds, say five dogs to a shnl. each team capable of carrying about 100 pounds to each dog. It is apparent that this hauling must be done while there is yet a solid "rust to the snow. Up to the latter part of April this crust is hard day and night, but after that date the <^rust melts ill the daytime, though still freezing hard at night. This latter condition lasts until about May 10, after which there is an interval of some tbiec we«^ks when neither sleds nor horses can be used. In order to insure the proper provisioning and equipping of the sub- stations, 1 believe it necessary that the expedition be at Valdez iiot latev than thf first week in March, and earlier, if possible. Cribs for tho bridges over the Tonscna, the Klutena, and the Tazlena ought to be placed in position early in the season before the glaciers begin to melt and the stream- get high. As the length of the road increases the problem oJ" supplies at the fron» will become more and more difficult of solution. With an iiiilim- ited supply of pack hor-ies there could be no trouble in this respect, I it ui Alaska ^uch unlimit«^d supply can hardly obtain. The reduc- tion to the smallest numbei' of horses going with exph)ration parties t'l be awav tlir whole season is an important factor, as thus je,i\ itig ji l)*rger nuinf>er of animals permanently with the main supply train. 'Ibis i'"««ij|t {H)tographic supplies, lightness, strength, and protection against d»w«pness were the prime considerations. The past season's experience has shown this to be the case. COPPER KIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 86 r })y piu'k- iving such S of ('(lUill oz to Kort iographer, that ii sys into throe portion of le eniploy- "e econom- individual iversed by a proposed expedition otographic letter and Office, rh !i2, 1899. ml Lieut. W. apanyiiiK tlie eueral Orders aced insuper- )n siu'li work t they are not 'AIITKR, int-Gmiral. continuous ?r with the al features froin Port xpli>r»ti«ii, ions to that otogi'aphic moss wore shown this The camera employed, a 5 by 7 "Universal," had all joints secured by brass screws, in addition to the usual dovetailing and glue. Car- rying cases for the camera and plate holders were made of strong, light wood, one-half inch thick, thoroughly seasoned, and made with hinged overlapping lids. These were lined with heavy canton flannel and covered with strong leather, strengtheiuid with brass corner^' These boxes were inclosed in cases made of the thickest canvas, with overlapping cover, all edges and covers being bound with leather and the whoh' secured l)y two leather straps and luickles, one of the straps serving as a handh'. The dry phitos used, the most positive on th(> market, were shipped in the ordinary pasteboard boxes and were damp proof to a certjiin extent. 1 took the precaution, however, when in the Held, to have my spare plates secur(^ly wrapped in oilcloth bags, made to fit. Tlie rolls of film used in the smaller cameras were, according to your own sug- gestion, inclosed in tight-iibi;ing cylindrical tin boxes and the cover joint secured with adhesive tape. A printing paper unaffected by dampness was employed, and was selected rather for the simplicity of its manipuhition and its sonsitive- n»>ss to either daylight or artificial light than for the excellen(;e of its results. On April 26, at Valde/, a small board shack 7 by 8 feet was pur- chased for use us a dai'k room and for the storage of the photographic materials. It was fitted with shelves and mad'' light-tight and served its pui'poso well throughout the season's work. Picture making for the expedition was begun with the loading of supplies and stock on tiio steamer Krcvh/ot; at SoattU', April 14, 1899, and was coritinuod until the return of the oxpinlition. Five small kodaks wore included among the supplies, and th(>se, after detailed if'structions as to their use, were furnished to parties entering territory not covered ))y my own part^^ In all, some 4(>(t negatives worotivken. Sets of prints wore made from those, one set 'H>ing retained for record and other selected prints forwarded as lay of six weeks in their development. Photographs serve the purpose of illustrating in a general way the features of a landscape, but they couie far from filling all the wants in tiiat respect, and can never compete with a hasty, yet skillful, pen-and- ink or even pencil sketch. Perfect landscape photographs — that is, those that give to all objects the same degree of prominence that they present to the eye in the actual view — can be obtained only by repeated trials and long waiting for favorable conditions of light and shade. In an expedition of this kind it is manifestly out of the question to make many delays for experiment or to obtain the most favorable actinic conditions. Occasionally circumstances arise when a view showing clearly far distant details is desired. It is generally difficult and frequently impossible to effect this by photography. In such cases a hastily executed pen-and-ink sketch is the oidy resource. I submit herewith a set of prints of all negatives made by this expedition, except such as are partial failures or so nearly duplicates of others as to render them unimportant. As far as possible, the date of taking the negative is marked on the print, in order that it may show the effect of the seasons on the landscape. METEOROLOGKJAL KEP'ORT. Upon the arrival of the expedition at Valdez a rain gauge and maxi- mum and minimum thermometers were adjusted and set up in suitable spots and soldiers instructed in their use and the method of reading them. Shortly after the establishment of stiition No. 2 another set of instruments was placed at that point. The maximum thermometers were very frail .^ and at both points these instruments were broken. A third set Avas on hand, which arrived with the thermometer broken, thus rendering the set valueless. Cor- respondence was at once opened with the Unitt^d States Weather Bureau and application made for new and perfect instruments. The retjue.st ^^as refused. Consequently the temperature records are of Wt littlc> value. The tahles below give the monthly summaries of the records at Port Valdez and at station No. 2. The weather conditions at A aldez are larjjfely local ones. A comparison of the rainfall records ol the two stations "hows interesting difft cences. The diminution in the I'l'nfall from the coa-st tb-ough the. Coast Range of mountains to the Copper River Valley is gradual. At Valdez it rains the greater part of the time. There is les- rain at station 2; in Dutch Flat, only i miles from stjition 2, there is nmch less than at the station, and so on to Copi>er Center, where rain is rare. The same is true in regard to the winter months. [phy, they fliiy of six wa}'^ the wants in pen-and- -that is, that they repeated shade. In In to maice pie actinic Jleai-ly far 'requently a hastily e by this duplicates e, the date at it may and maxi- in suitable f reading*- her set of 'ints these h arrived sti. C'or- Weather its. The Is are of Is a^ Port ildez are the two 'i I'l'nfall ' Copper the time, itation 2, Center, nu)nth8. ooppEB nrvER KXPLnnma kxpkditk^n. M KTKOUOLf MJICAI. KKCOKI). Mojtihly mimmariea for Port V(ildez. 87 Temperature. Precipitation. Number ot dayn. Month. Mean maxi- mum. Moan mini- mum. Mean. Maxi- mum. Mini- mum. Total. Great- est in 24 hours. Total snow With 0.01 inch or more rain Clear. i Cloudy. May 62.74 57.16 33.41 41.93 46.87 41.83 34.66 43.07 49..'>» C-I.OO 74.00 27.00 34.00 30.00 81.00 1.5.00 15.00 Inches. 2.88 3.11 2.75 ■1.19 8.71 4.62 0.45 1.50 1.08 1.73 1.24 1.70 Slight. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 26.70 14 14 9 19 20 10 7 7 19 10 7 9 7 12 1 8 4 6 17 Juno July 11 11 AUgUHt 13 Hoptoinber .. 19 25.00 12 o Record closes October 27, 1899. MorUhly summaries for station No. 2, Temperature. Precipitation. Number of days. i.%'1 ::.. Ji •;/.'. •- tD'iJ. r.Iuan mini- raum. Mean. Maxi- mum. Mini- mum. ToUl. Great- est in 24 hours. Total snow. With 0.01 inch or more rain. Clear. 6. K Cloudy. May o Juno July Auifuxt Septt^mbor . . October i ... 53.7(\ 59.0;! 69.0ort on the Alaskan coast, but it makes possible an investigation and development of the vast mineral resources of which the Wi*angell Mountains and their eastern continuations give promise. The trail has been completed over the difficult and questionable part of the route, and by way of it the prospectors can now reach Copper Center with a pack-train load of goods in the same time that it would take him for- merly to make his way with a light load to Copper Center from Valdez, while the transportation of his goods involved months of labor with sleds (133), over a route necessitating in places the use of rope and tackle. The new route, furthermore, for the first time makes feasible railroad connection between a good port on the southern coast of Alaska and the interior. The rush of gold seekers in 185)8 was almost exclusively along the route from Vjtlqliz Over the glacier, down the Klutena River to Copper Center, and f l-oln liere up the Copper River, mostly heading for the Mentasta IV.hs. Asa coiisiMjuence, a very good trail now exists ])etween the foot of the Khitelia (llacier and (bpper Center. From here two trails lead to Mtuittistii I'ass, one uli tht; m ostefl.V h\iu\i of (\)pper River, for the most part along thi> top of llii> Miilt'H, iiiiil I he otlicr In a more or less right-line direction from Coppi r Cenlci in llie nioiiMi of the Slahna, along the foot of Mount Drum. The latter was liiiill l>y a party of prospectors led by B. F. Millard, after whom the trail has been named. Both of these trails are said to be good, the former l>eing 88 L. COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 89 the firmer and furnishing the b&st footing, but involves crossing the weHt«;rn l>ranrheH of Copper River, two of whi«^h, the (JhestociuMia and the Taziena, are considerable streams and during the flooding season are difficult to cross. The discovery of prospt^-ts on Quartz Creek and the Tiekell resulted in the development of a tmil from the point known as "The Rapids" on the Klutena River to the foot of Tonsena Lake l)y way of Orayling ('reek, and from there up Quartz Creek over what is known as "The Drop" to the Tiekell, about 4 miles above the mouth of Wtiwlder Creek. The new route avoids this divide and reaches the Tonsena Val- ley 12 t« 15 miles below Tonsena Lake by way of the pass at the head of the Kanata. From here an old Indian trail leads in a general way along the northern side of Tonsena River, reaching the Copper about 8 miles alxwe the mouth of the Tonsena. This trail was carefully marked and can be easily followed. It will undoubtedly prove a part of the future route from Valdez to the Chettyna River. From the point where this trail reaches the edge of Copper River gorge a con- nection was made with an old Indian trail, leading down the westerly side of the Copper to the mouth of the Tonsena on level ground along the top of the bluffs. The trail from Copper Center down Copper River along the westerly bank is very difficult to follov/, and leading up and d(/wn the bluff it is most difficult to travel. A trail is reported along the easterly side of Copper River, but no such trail was found. A tr".li along the easterly side of Copper River exists for the greater part of the distance between the mouth of the Tonsena and the Chettyna. This is very good in places, particularly near the Indian houses, and in others it is at times almost impassa'r>le. From Indian Bellum's house, about 6 miles below the mouth of the Tonsena River on the easterly side of the Copper, a good trail leads in a direct line to the point where the Kotsena River emerges from the mountains, and from here follows the northerly side of the river for a distance of about 10 miles. From a point opposite Bellum's a trail leads in a westerly direction across the mountains to the Kanata. This, however, is a mountainous route and, while shorter, it is more difficult than the one by way of Tonsena River. The general route up the Chettyna River is the Nicolai trail, lead- ing from Taral over the mountains on the southerly side of the river, to the Nicolai house on the Nezena. This is the trail followed by Lieutenant Allen in 1885. An old Indian tmil was found on the north- erly side of the river, leaving the bank about 8 miles above its mouth and running from here to the point where the Kuskulana River emerges from the mountains. Then, following the Kuskulana, it crosses it near the foot of the glacier and leads in an easterly direction to the ', I i 1 If 90 OOPl'KR RIVKR KXl'LClRINfl EXPEDITION. I)end in tho Laclu'iia. Over this r<)ut<'. v/*' made s«>vonil trips with horses. It is well marked up and can Ik! traveled at almost any time of the year. From thi^ Laehenii eastward to the Ne/ena we cut a trail over which wi> succeeded in uikiiijjf our pack train; hut it Is prob- al)lc that, with a little more work, a Ixitter trail could he made down the Lachena for a distance of T) or 6 miles and then aloilVf the southerly side of the mountains to the west of the foot of Hoot's Glacier. From there the route we followed is probably the best that can be found to the Upper Nezena during hijjh water. It, however, involves very rough tra'' 'ling. During low water, when the Nezena can be crossed, a better route would lead along tlur southerly side of the mountains to the west of it. It was reported that the InditMis formerly reached, the coast at a poi'.it between Yakutat and Kyak by traveling up the southern branch of the Chettyna, known by the natives as the Tana. This route involves crossing a groat glacier and is no longer used by the natives. The trail to the White River used by the natives and followed by Lieutenant Schwatka and Dr. Hayes, known as the Scholai Pass, leaves the Nezena at a point some distance alx)ve the foot of the Nezena Glacier, where a valley free from glaciation enters from the east. From the head of this a low gap leads to the head waters of White River over the foot of what has been called Russell Glacier, which the natives claim to cross in half a day. In the winter time the natives travel down the Scholai Creek, but in the summer time they use the trail through the niountains leading from the head of this to the Chet- tystone, an eastern l)ranch of the Nezena, by way of which they roach the Nicolai houses This route is prolmbly the only one feasible for crossing the Chettyna to the White or to the Tanana. It is said to be not very difficult for traveling, but I think it is impossible as a route for a railroad or pav-k trail or for transporting goods by an}-^ other means. The route by which we crossed the Tanana over the Nezena Glacier and Meiklejohn Pass is not practicable. Indeed, it is imprac- ticable to attempt to cross from the Tanana and White to the Chettyna, or vice versa, except under pressure, with merely the provision and bedding necessary for the trip. It is feasible to reach '..hv :'.>per Chettyna Valley by railroad, but it is impossible to cont ntie irom here across the range in anj' direction. Mount Wrangell is reached from Copper Center by way of the Chestochena River, which route can be readily traveled during the winter or during the low season, but it is difficult during high water. Mount Drum is reached by a fair trail from Copper Center. A pros- pectors' trail leads westward from the Copper River trail along the Tazlena to the interior, and from a point below the mouth of the Gul- kana River an Indian trail leads some distance to the interior. Placer prospects on the Chestochena have led to the construction of a good COPPER RIVKR KXPT.ORINO EXPEDITION. 91 Ips with Miy time Hi cut U |i« prob- io down DUtherly From (found to pes very |('rossed, itains to •ast at a 1 branch is route natives, wed by lu Pass, Nezena le oast. f White hich the natives use the be Chet- iy reach ible for id to be a route y other Nozena imprac- ettyna, on and I'pper B from of the ng the water. ^ pros ig the bGuI- Placer I good trail along its westerly banic for a distaiic«i of sonu' 7(> inih's. The tmil to the M«Mitasta Pass along the Slnhna River is now so well marked that it cnu l)e followed without ditKculty. From the mouth of the Slahna a good tmil leads along the easterly side of Copper River to Hatzulnetjis, a distjince of al)out 10 mih's, and from here a good trail leads to Lake Suslota and to the Suslotu Pass. A trail from a «"onvenient point on the, Millard trail leading directly to Hatzulnetas would save considerable! distance over the routi^ now exist- ing l)y way of the mouth of the* Slahna. Fi-om Hatzulnt^tus a good trail leads altout 10 miles in a southejisterly direction. It there forks into three branches leading by three ditfer- ent passes to the Nabesna River. They are all feasible for horse trails, and each is advantageous according to the point on the Nabesna River that is to be reached. The westerly one, by way of Ijjike Tanada, was used by prospecting parties traveling with pack trains during the past season, and the central one was used as a sledding route during the past winter. The easterly one, however, is the most practicable and the easiest, particularly for reach the foot of the trail leading from the Nabesna to the h^ad of the 'nada and the White. The tmil traveled by the pack train is well marked up, but the others are diffi- cult to follow, and require the aid of guides. The trail from the Nabesna to the Tanada leads through one of two passes. The northerly one, the most direct, and that used by the natives, is not feasible for pack horses, while the one to the south is. This is the only part of the route which offers any difficulty whatever for pack tmins or railroading, but the difficulties are not such that they can not be readily overcome. From here on to the head of the White River the country is merely hilly, and offers no difficulty to the construction of either pack route or railroad. CARTOGRAPHY. The difficulty of transporting provisions through unknown territory and ignorance of the conditions and obstacles to be met usually demand of the explorer that he make progress the consideration of prime importance, and that he restrict cartographic and scientific work to such as can be done without interfering with progress. In traveling through an unknown wilderness with a pack ti'ain the progress of the party naturally depended on the speed 1 made in seeking and prepar- ing a trail feasible for hoi'ses. In undertaking to do both the carto- graphic and the scientific work of the expedition, it was plain that the methods I useu must give results with a minimum expenditure of time. 1 chose the ordinary plane-table method as particularly advantageous under these conditions. Equipped with a telescopic alidade, it was my intention to run a stadia traverse up the bars of the Chettyna, and, using this as a base, to carry the line of elevations from peak to peak IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 1^121 125 Itt lii 12.2 £1 Ii£ 12.0 u 11.25 1111.4 I I 1.6 - 6" PhotDgraphic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STMET WEBSTIt.N.Y. 145M (716) •72-4503 4^ o' ( 92 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. by means of vertical angles. When time and conditions prevented the use of these methods a traverse line bused upon distance by pacing or estimation and altitude by an aneroid barometer could be substituted therefor and used under almost any conditions. When the work must be Imsod upon estimation the checks and counterchecks aiforded by intersections on the plane table very much improve the accuracy of such work. A valuable check for work of every kind, and an almost indispensable one for rapid work, consists in the location of points by the astronomic determination of latitude and longitude. For this purpose I proposed using a 6-inch sextant with artificial horizon and two high-grade watches, which were to be com- pared before and after the trip with a standard chronometer left at Val- dez. Unfortunately but one watch arrived before I left, and that too late for a careful comparison with the chronometer. It was therefore necessary to abandon an effort to determine longitude and depend for a check solely upon latitude deteiminations. With the instruments named, an aneroid barometer, a prismatic compass, a powerful field glass, and an E^tman folding kodak completed the instrumental outfit. Under the impression that a trail suitable for horses had been cut through from Valdez to Copper River, 1 attempted to run a stadia traverse line over this route. Finding that the trail needed my almost constant attention, 1 was obliged to abandon the stadia work and to depend for a map of the route traveled upon such plane-table stationfi as I could make, and upon estimation of the distance between them. I was fortunate in the selection of stations^, and succeeded in making a sketch map of the route traveled containing an amount of infoi*mation entirely out of proportion to the time required to make it. This sketch was sent to you from Quartz Creek. The work in the Tonsena Valley was confined to almost a single station. That, however, was on a high bluff, and gave me an opportunity to see the entire valley. The Copper River between Copper Center and the mouth of the Chettyna having been carefully mapped by the Schrader expedition last year, I made no effort to do any work on this part of it. The work up the Kotsena was based on pacing and estimation, comparing the map thus made with others based on actual measurements, showing the distance to have been overestimated in a proportion of about six to five. Reducing the sheet by about this proportion makes it fit the rest of the map. The country to be mapped was found to be so mountain- ous, and these so complicated, that an effort to represent the topography by contour lines would have consumed more time thnn could possibly be given to the work. I therefore attempted to represent it as nearly as possible by the use of hachures. This system was continued thi*ough- out the season on the field sheets. smm OOPPEB RIVER KXPLORING EXPEDITION. 98 High water in the Chettyna prevented the running of a stadia line along the bars. I succeeded in making a fairly accurate meanurcnient of the distance between two bluffs a little over three miles apart, and from these I attempted to make locations by which to establish a sys- tem of triangulation, but very strong local attractions so disturbed the needle of the plane-table compass that it was impossible to get satis- factory results. 1 combined this work with estimation and triangula- tion. and in this way carried the survey to the pass between the Lachena River and Root Glacier. Here time permitted the measurement of a short base and the inauguration of a new system of triangulation, which was found to check very well with the work to that point. At altout this time the rainy season set in, and the peaks were almost constantly obscured by clouds and fogs. This condition interfered so much with the work that 1 was unable to carry the system of triangu- lation here inaugurated through to the Nezend. I was able to run a stadia line from the point where we reached it opposite the upper forks to the foot of the glacier. This placed the work on the Nezena sheet on a measured base. The work thus far checked beautifully, considering the manner in which I was obliged to carry it on. It was impossible to carry the triangulation over the summit of the glacier, and from the summit to Copper Center the entire work was based upon the estimation of distance. By carefully checking this by plane- table intersections I managed to keep the scale very uniform, and by astronomic determinations of latitude it was found the sc^le I had adopted w&s a trifle large. Reducing it according to the data furnished by these determinations makes this part of the work check very fairly with that south of the glacier. The map of the Copper Risrer from the Slahna to Copper Center is based upon a sketch made in a boat while running down the stream and an estimation of distances from point to point made by McNoer during repeated trips back and forth while sledding goods on the ice last winter, and the reduction of this sketch to the points at the mouth of the Chestochena and at Copper Center, which were located by lati- tude determinations. The (^hestochena was traversed from its mouth to the log cabin, a distance of about 25 miles, and this checked by lati- tude determinations at its mouth and at the log cabin. A sketch of the river beyond this point, based upon the recollection of McNeer, who headed the stream last year, was not transferred to the general map, because this area, I understand, was covered by Griffith, a topog- rapher with Captain Glenn's party. The latitude of Copper Center, determined by observations on two different days, gives results of 61° 55.2' and 61° 56.9', checking, there- fore, within 0.7', while the map of last 3'ear's expedition makes it about 62° 8'. The latitude of the mouth of the Chettyna was found to be 62° 30', checking within two minutes of the latitude given by last il I OOFPEB RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. year's expedition. For the part of the map surrounding the head- quarters of the Nabesna River I am indebted to a native known as Tanana Nicholas, whose very able sketch of the area I adapted to such features as I have been able to locate. Acting on the principle that any information is better than none at all, I attempted to locate as accurately as conditions would permit not only the route which we traveled and the features adjacent to it, but also the area on both sides of the route as far as I could see jt. By making my plane-table stations as far as possible on mountain tops, I was able to cover a wide area. Under these conditions it must be understood that while the featui-es adjacent to the route may be depended upon as acck Indian in superior intellectually, physically, and morally to the Copper River Indian. He is very hospi- table, OS well as honest, and a cache left in his charge is safer than when left with some white men. He is very fond of tolmcco, sugar, and U^a, and prefers these commodities to money. The women and children, as well OS the men, ohew and smoke. Like all <>ther Indians, they are subject to lung and other hereditary diseases, and consumption is car- rying them off rapidly. I employed one of the Indians as a guide to take us to Ketchumstock village. Ijeaving the lake, we crossed a divide and deik'onded into Mosquito Volley, through which runs the creek of that name. Mosquito Creek is a tributary of Forty -Mile River. The valley is very properly named. Millions of mosquitoes, gnats, and other pestiferous insects find a habi- tfftion here. The surface of the country is low and the growth of grass something extraordinary. The valley is about 25 miles wide and 50 miles long. It is sparsely timbered, except along the bank of the creek. Judging from the character of the soil, nearly everything grown in the States, with the exception of fruit, will grow here. As we advanced up the valley our route was along a corral some several miles in length, and constructed similar to our rail fences. Into this huge pen of thousands of acres the Indians drive the caribou and moose. Openings at intervals are left in the fence for the animals to escape. As they emerge from the pen through these openings the Indians lasso them and cut their throats. Their object in hunting in this manner is that they all can take part in it, and does not scare the game, as do fire- arms, bei^idcs saving ammunition, which is exceedingly scarce in that part of the country. Ketchumstock village, the home of the Ketchumstock Indians, was reached July 21. We had now traveled a distance of about 321 miles since our departure from Valdez. When we arrived at Ketchumstock our guide i-efused to proceed farther with us, as the law of trespassing on the territory of other tribes is rigidly enforced, the penalty being the death of the invader if caught, unless he shows a permit from the chief of the country to travel through it. After a great deal of coax- ing and promising to bring him tobacco l.e finally consented to accom- pany us to Franklin gulch. Leaving Ketchumstock, we proceeded to Franklin gulch. Our course was over the Ketchumstock hills to the head of the guloh, and down the gulch until we reached its mouth. Strung along the gulch are the cabins of the miners, who are still searching for gold. Frank- lin gulch is one of the oldest mining camps in Alaska. At one time finds there were rich and numerous. But little of the precious metal is now found, sji the mines have been nearly exhausted. i j 100 OOPPZB BIVSB XXPLOBIKO EXPBDITIOir. While at the gulch wo were informed that all of the claimH had been bonded to a New York Hy ndicsate and that in the near future improved procesHes in mining would be inaugurated. Thus far Franklin Guloh was the first locality we struck where mining was in actual progress. While there specimens of gold nuggets were shown us ranging in value from $5 to $76, all of which had from time to time been taken from the gulch. The possessors of these nuggets took great pride in exhibiting them and in relating stories of their early days in the gulch. Our objective point was row Eagle City, on the Yukon. Upon mak- ing diligent inquiry we could find no one who could positively locate the town. As it was necessary for us to proceed on our journey, I employed a guide who pretended to know the country over which we were to travel. Some of our provisions were now growinjy; scarce and, being unable to purchase any of the miners, we finally borrowed what we needed to carry us through, promising to return the same in kind on our way back. At the mouth of the guloh wo crossed the South Fork of the Forty-Mile River, and from thence proceeded by way of tho Forty-Mile trail until we reached the head of Steele Creek. Our course was now down Steele Creek to its mouth, which, when reached, we crossed Forty-Mile River proper. Once across the river we again took up the Forty -Mile trail (which runs along a ridge) and followed it until we reached the ''Dome,'^ a peak about 8,000 teet high, dome- like in shape. At this point we left the Fort} -Mile trail and proceeded due north, crossing a tributary of O'Brien Creek near its source. We again reached the ridge and traveled along it for a few miles, when the waters of the mighty Yukon burst upon our vision. Continuing along the ridge, we caught sight of an island. Thinking it might be Belle Isle (the former name of Eagle), we passed down the ridge to the head waters of a stream which we supposed was American Creek. As a matter of fact, we found it was Boundary Creek, a stream which marks the boundary between Alaska and the Northwest Territory. We fol- lowed this creek to its confluence with the Yukon, reaching that point on July 27. Upon arrival at the Yukon we found, to our great dis- appointment, no town in sight. Fortunately, however. We found two prospectors rowing down the river. Upon questioning them, they informed us that we were some 12 miles east of our destination. Post- Office Inspector Wayland joined the prospectors hero and proceeded to Eagle City. The next morning we, also, started for Eagle City, reaching that point without incident on July 28, after an absence of forty days and traveling a distance of some 425 miles. Considering the character of the country which we passed, the con- dition of the men and horses was fairly good. On account of being compelled to walk most of the way the men were somewhat foot-sore. On reaching Eagle City I reported to Captain Richardson, commander of the military post at that point. Major Ray and his command arrived some three days later for the OOPPBB BIVEB BXPLORINO XZPXDITIOir. 101 purpose of Hupenteding (^ptaiti Richardson. I remained at Eagle City eleven days Jn-ifore commencing my return journey to Port Val- dez, spending tlie intervening time in replenishing our supplies, rest- ing my men and horses, and having the latter properly shod. A few words about Eagle City may prove interesting. - The town is second in importance to any on the Yukon and appears to be in a flourishing condition. It is located above the mouth of Mission Creek, sufficiently high to prevent its being damaged by the overflow of the Yukon. It has a population of about 700. Most of the dwellings are constructed of logs. The Alaska Commercial Company, the North American Transportation Company, and the Alaska Exploration Com- pany have general Hupply stores at Eagle City. There is also a saw- mill with a capacity of turning out several thousand feet of lumber per day. In addition to the above, the town is well supplied with retail stores, restaurants, and saloons. There was no church edifice at the time of our visit. The gospel was being expounded in a saloon. I found the town to be an exceptionally ciuiet one. I saw no gaming or dance halls in operation and no immoral characters parading the streets, such as are seen in most mining camps. Previous to my return to Valdez I learned that a horse belonging to Lieutenant Lowers expedition had sunnved the winter and was then at Forty -Mile Post. I went in person aAd brought it back to E^gle City. The horse was in exceptipnally good condition and was used to good advantage during our return trip. Having thoroughly recruited the men and horses, and being fairly well provisioned, we started on our return journey to Valdez August 9 over practically the same route that we had traveled before. Instead of returning by way of Boundary Creek, however, we followed the trail that leads up American Creek. We then took the ridge, travel- ing along it until we reached the '^Dome." From this point onward we ti'aversed the identical route over which we had hitherto traveled. We carefully veblazed the trail as we went along, in order that those who had passed over it after us would have no difficulty in pursuing their way. Between the "Dome" and Forty-Mile River we encountered a pack trail from Forty -Mile Post packing provisions to Jack Wade Creek. The latter is .a stream which runs into the South Fork of Forty-Mile, and whose course is paralleled to Napoleon Creek. Here we were informed that a rich strike had been made on the creek and that out of a wheelbarrow of dirt upward of $800 of gold had been panned, the gold assaying $18.40 per ounce. It was estimated at the date men- tioned that there were some 700 prospectors located ou the craek. In the pack train was a horse that had wintered in the vicinity of Lake Mentasta and had been picked up by a prospector and taken down to the post. This would seem to demonstrate that stock can be success- fully wintered in the interior. 102 OOPPBB BIVEB SXPLOBIKO KXPKDITIOlf. t il Captain Glenn's oxpudition waH met midway lietween Steele Creek and Franklin Gulch, en rout4) to Eagle City. At the headiiiiartent of Mosquito Creek, between Ket(!humHto<-k and ManHtield I^lce, we met Mail Contractor Holman with hinpack train, eMtablishing mail Htations along the trail, as well as leaving Hupplies at the several stations to enable him to successfully carry on his operations the coming winter. Between Slahna and the Sanford rivers we encountered a herd of caribou. While they were inspecting our outfit. Wood fired several shots at them, but without effect. It was near this same spot, while on our way to Eagle City, that Wood was treed by an enormous brown bear. Hearing footsteps in his rear, he turned and discovennl the bear making foi i>;ni at a slow pace. Wood sprinted for his life to the nearest tree and swung himself by a handy limb to a placd of safety. We henrd his cries for help and frightened the bear away by firing our guns. On September 2 we arrived at Copper Center. Here we met Surveyor Powell of the expedition, who was running a line from that point to Mentasta Ltike. We remained here one day, recruiting HMD and horses. At 2 p. m., September 8, while standing on a stump making observations, I was violently precipitated to the ground by a sudden seismical disturbance. The earth seemed to rock like the angry billows of the ocean. The trees swayed to and fro as if a hur- ricane was raging. In the midst of the convulsion of nature there was borne to our ears far-off sounds resembling the discharge of heavy artillery. Some 16 miles distant we could see Mount Wrangell emitting smoke and lava. The scene was one of terror, as we expected every minute to see the earth open. On September 4 we proceeded on our journey to Valdez, reaching Klutena Rapids the same day. Upon our arrival at the north fork of the Tiekell River we found Captain Al)ercrombie with his construc- tion crew. We turned in our outfit and left the following morning, accompanied by Captain Abercrombie's pack train. We reached Port Valdez at 2 p. m. , September 11. The trail for the last 60 miles of our journey was in excellent condition. The route over which we traveled from Port Valdez to Eagle City presents no such obstacles as did the route through the Cascade or Rocky Mountains. The pack trail now constructed through the Coast Range by Captain Abercrombie could be transformed into a wagon or railroad bed. No glaciers are to be encountered nor any other serious obstacles. The most difficult part of the trail is now practically com- pleted, which is through the Coast Range. There ar«« no other moun- tains until the Alaskan Range is reached, some 150 miles north of the Coast Range. As there is a pass through this range no difficulties what- ever would he encountered. Asiar as thr. K< ''umstock hiHs are concerned, they also presenL no obstacles that oonh! i.ot easily be over- Come by competent engineers. OOPPBB BIVER EXPLORINO BXPEPiXIUIf. 108 TRANHAIiAHKAN KOUTI.. The all- American route im Hotne 2(X) iniloH Hhorter than cither the Ska^way or White PaiM, or Dyea or Chilkoot routes. It in the only route that can be tniveled from the coatit to the Yukon without being compelled to make a long and tortuouM poiwage by boat. By taking thin route no diiMgreeablo tranuferH, Huch am are found on the other routes Ui the Yukon, are neccHsary. It will Ix) found the cheapest and moHt feasible route to take Htock into the region of the Yukon, being acecM- nible to Dawson, Forty-Mile Poftt, Fort Cudahy, and Eagle and Cin^le citieit, as well as to the diffbrenv / 'ning camps in the Forty-Mile coun- try. There is an abundance of gt; ^tt as well as water along the route for stock from May to October Stock can be grazed along the way as far as Mosquito Valley. \ d thcio left to be drawn upon from time to time as occasion demands. There is an excellent opportunity for enterprising and adventurous persons to make money by shipping titock to Valdez and then driving them through to the Yukon. Oittlo could bo made to sustain them- selves en route, and, if carefully driven, should be in excellent condi- tion when they arrive at their destination. Tiie price of fresh-dressed oeef in the Forty-Mile and Yukon countries ranges from $1 to $1 .60 per pound. On the foot cattle sell at 28 to 50 cents per pound. FOOD RBSOUROBS. The food resources of the interior of Alaska are not as meager as may be supposed. There are to be found the caribou, moose, bro^ n and black bear, mountain goat, and several varieties of smaller game, such as wild goose, the duck, the grouse, the fool hen, and ptarmigan. The rivers and lakes abound with choice varieties of fish, such as the king salmon, dog salmon, pickerel, perch, bass, whitefish, trout, pike, and grayling. Of the smaller fruits there are the cranberry, salmon berry, blue- berry, alder berry, raspberry, and wild currant, all of which grow in great profusion throughout the interior. Small garden vegetablen are successfully grown at Forty-Mile Post and Eagle City. At these points I saw fine specimens of potatoes, cab- bage, turnips, beets, radishes, carrots, and lettuce, all of which had been grown by the residents of the towns. TIMBEB. The country through which we traveled is fairly well timbered. As you travel northward and reach a high altitude the timber line varies. The varieties of timber are the spruce, the fir, the birch, the cotton- wood, the alder, and the willow. The predominating varieties are the spruce and fir, which latter grows to an enormous size. The spruce H i 104 COPPER BIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. may be used for mining and railroad timber, as it averages from 12 to 18 inches in diameter and from 75 to 85 feet in height. The white birch predominates in the vicinity of the Slahna, and will average about 14 inches in diameter. Forest fires have destroyed thousands and thousands of acres of timber throughout the interior, especially so in the last few years. CLIMATE. The climate in the interior of Alaska is milder and much dryer than it is on the coast. From June until September it resembles the climate of the northern portion of Minnesota and Wisconsin. RTVERS. The rivers along this route, with the exception of the Yukon, are exceedingly difficult to navigate, owing to the swiftness of their cur- rents as well as their many rapids. All rivers south of the Forty -Mile River are fed by glacier streams. They are usually muddy until late in the fall, when they begin to grow clear, owing to the fact that the glaciers have then ceased their flow. John F. Rice, Clerks Copper Mi/ver Explming Mepeditiati. Capt. W. R. Abercrombie, Comdg. Copper River Mydormg Mtfpeditimi. II SSPOBT OF 08CAB BOHH OH EXPLORATION IN WAAHOELE MOirNTAin DISTRICT. TOPOGRAPHY. The country about Valdez consists of a series of rugged, sawtooth ranges with a general east and west axis, separated by narrow val- leys. In traveling to the interior over the new route the first of these ranges is crossed through Keystone Canyon and the second by Thomp- sons Pass from Lowe River to the Chena River. The Chena River, rising in the range east of the Valdez Glacier, flows first in a general southerly direction for a distance of some 8 or 10 miles, and turns abruptly east into a deep, narrow, canyon-like valley, which it follows in the same general direction to the Copper River. Our route reached the Chena at the turn and followed it for a distance of from 15 to 18 miles to a point where it is joined by the Kanata. This enters by a valley transverse to those thus far crossed. The valley of the Kanata leads in a general northerly direction over a low divide into the valley of the Tonsena River, the southern border of which mai'ksthe northern limit of the Coast Ranges. From the confluence of the Kanata and the Chena the extremely jagged nature of the ranges, characteristic of much disturbed bedded rocks, gives way to rather more regular forms which, northward, become more and more rounded in outline. This -is particularly true of the moderately high range separating the valley of the Tonsena from that of the Klutena, the regular, well-rounded outlines of which indicate massive eruptives. The range between the Lowe River and the Chena River, while widening to the east, continues with the same general features between the Chena and the Tasnuna to Copper iliver. The area between the Chena and the Tonsena in one direction and the Kanata and the Copper in the other consists of an irregular group of rather uniformly high, close-nested peaks, attaining an elevation of perhaps 5,000 to 7,000 feet, and marked by no heavy or regular drainage lines. This area can not be very iiigged Oi difficult of access, as it is crosE -^d by an old Indian trail from Copper River to the valley of the Kanata Westward of the Kanata is a heavy rangp, which is separated from the range adjacent to the Valdez Glacier by the valley of the Upper Chena on the south and that of Lake Tonsena on the north. This valley is cut by a high and difficult divide, separating the two valleys named. 105 106 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. Northward from TonseDa River, and extending eastward to the Wran- gell Mountains, is a great flat valley coveted with an exceedingly heavy deposit of gravel and glacial silt, indicating, as has been suggested by Scharder and others, that it was at one time the bed of a great lake or ai'm of the sea. This valley extends north to the Mentasta Range, which forms the divide between the Tanana and the Copper, and west- ward to u low divide between the Copper and the Sushitna. Through this valley the Copper River cuts a gorge between gravel banks, at places attaining a depth of 500 feet, and lateral streams enter it through corresponding gorges. Washing out the finer material and leaving behind the heavy glacial bowlders makes the beds of these streams so full of large bowlders that they are always exceedingly dangerous, and often f^ntirely unnavigable with boats. The bed of the Copper is in places, notably between the Gulkana and Tazlena, so full of heavy bowlders that at low water navigation by means of small boats is not lacking in excitement. These gorges add greatly hot only to the diflB- culty of travel but to that of trail building or railroading or any other similar enterprise in this area. The Copper River follows the eastern border of the group of mountains south of the Tonsena to Woods Canyon. Just above this it is joined to the east by a river of about equal volume, known as the Chettyna. The Chettyna River follows the southern edge of a broad valley which widens rapidly toward the west. South of this valley is a group of mountains resembling in every way the group south of the Tonsena, of which it is the eastern exten- sion. The Chett3'na River rises at a point about east from its mouth in a glacier descending from the high range forming the northern extension of the St. Elias Mountains. It is joined from the south by one important branch, called by the natives "Tana." This river rises far to the south in the Coast Range opposite the Bering Glacier. From the north the Chettyna receives a branch in volmne almost equal to the other two, and known as the Nezena. This rises in a tremen- dous glacier in the range to the north separating the Chettyna from the Tanana River. With its extremely wide flood plain and heavy gravel bars, the Chettyna is a typical glacial stream. Its vallb^'^, as has been said, narrows toward the east to a point just below the mouth of the Nezena and from here it again widens the area between the Nezena and the Chettyna proper, or central branch, as it is called, being a flat plain, while the Lower Chettyna flows between steep, high banks. The valley between it and the Blackburn Mountains to the north is composed of irregular rounded rocky hillocks, with a general east !inrum is almost identical. A divide con- nects Mount Wrangell with Mount Drum, and another connects Mount Wrangell with Mount . Sanford. The basin between the two gives rise to the Sanford River. Mount Drum is an isolated mountain, bordered on its northwestern side by the great flat valley of Copper River. To the southward a series of foothills front Mount Wrangell, and these widen toward Mount Blackburn. The southern side of Mount Drum is drained by Knetena Creek and the southern and western side of Mount Wrangell gives rise to the Chestaslena, wbilo the area south of this and immediately west of Mount Blackburn is drained by the Kotsena. This stream, heading at Mount Blackburn and flowing in a westerly direction through a narrow, deep valley, turns abruptly at the point where it emerges from the mountain, and, following the foot of the mountains southward through a narrow canyon for some miles, again turns westward and empties into the Copper about si mile alwve the mouth of the Chettyna. All of these streams are mountain torrent^) and unfit for canoeing. Fronting Mount Blackburn to the south and west, for a distance of 15 to 20 miles, is a group of mountains or foothills of rather uniform elevation from 5,000 to 7,000 feet. The area southward from that drained by the Kotsena River is drained by the Kuskulana. This, like the Kotsena, heads in a glacier descending directly from Mount Black- burn. It flows in a southwesterly direction, emptying into the Chet- tyna about 10 miles above its mouth. The divide between Mount Blackburn and Mount Wrangell is uniformly high and impassable. In a direction a little north of east from Mount Blackburn extends a range a little lower than Blackburn itself, terminating about 20 miles to the east in a prominent peak called Mount Regal. Teyond Regal, the range is a little lower, and makes a horseshoe bend northward to another group of mountains surrounded by a prominent peak, almost in line with Mount Blackburn and Mount Regal. This: I have called Mount Abercrombie. In this noi thward bend are two passes occupied 108 COPPER BIVEB XXPLOBINO EXPEDITION. |! i, H 1 ; i ! by lobes of a great glacier, which gives rise to the Nezena on one side and the Tanana on the other. The summit of these glaciers constitute the lowest point in the range, an eleyation of over 8,000 feet. Mount Abercrombie is at the northern end of the northern extension of the great St. Elias Bange. The White River heads in the Russell Gla- cier, descending the northern side of this mountain. It is thus se3m- ingly the highest point on the continental watershed, giving rise to the White, which flows northeast, the Tanana to the northwest, and the Chettyna toward the southwest. There is a comparatively low break between the head of White River and Scholai Creek, which leads into the Nezena. Russell Glacier, at the summit of this pass, can be crossed in half a day. The pass between the Nezena and the Tanana, which I have named Meiklejohn Pass, involves crossing a' glacier 47 miles long with an 8,000-foot summit. A high range extends a considerable distance eastward from Mount Abercrombie, and forms the southern border of the White River Basin. To the north of the high i-ange between the Tanana and the Chettyna is a vallev about 15 miles wide, extending in a northwest-southeast direction. This is bounded on the north by a group of mountains, which foiiiis the southern extension of the Mentasta Range, fonning the divide between the Copper and the Tanana rivers. Both the Tanana and the Nabesna cut this range through narrow gorges. The valley is crossed by a range of low hills, forming the divide between the Tanana and the White, and to the westward it terminates in a narrow pass leading to the valley of the Nabesna. the great western branch of the Tanana, which drains the triangular area between Mounts Wran- gell, Blackburn, and Regal, the area which has general!}' been con- sidered the drainage basin of the Copper River. The valley of this stream is separated from that of the Copper River by a range of mountains attaining a height of 5,000 to 6,000 feet, which extends in a northeasterly direction from Mount Wrangell and Mouu., Sanford , finally merging into the Mentasta Mountains. Mount San- ford is fronted to the northeast and east by a group of jagged moun- tains suimounted by several rather prominent peaks. Between these and the Mentasta lUnge, and north of the Nabrana Divide, is the head of the Copper River Valley, a rather flat area studded with innu- merable lakes and bogs. Several lakes attaining considerable size are named by the natives Tanada, Zachnada, Tetrachara, and Suslota. Streams from these lakes drain into the Copper River. This river, about 6 miles above its confluence with the S^ahna, divides into two forks of about equal volume. One of these flows in a northerly direc- tion from the foothills of Mount Sanford, and the origin of the other is in a glacier further southeast. - Whether this breaks through the Nabesna Range and flows from a glacier descending from Mount Wrangell, or whether the glacier in which it heads descends from the COPPER RIVER EXPLORINQ EXPEDITION. 109 the easterly slope of Mount Sanford, I was unable to determine, but it is probably the latter. The drainage basin of the head of the Copper River is, therefore, very much more limited than was formerly supposed, and the area east of Wmngell Mountains, that had formerly been con- sidered as belonging to the Copper, in i-eality belongs to the Tanana. The Nabesna Divide is cut by three easy passes, suitable alike for horse trail and railroad. The Nabesna-Tanana Divide is crossed by a pass somewhat more difficult, but the Tanana- White Divide is merely a range of hills. The area is therefore very accessible, and affords an easy route from the valley of the Copper to the valley of the Yukon. The Nutzotin Mountains, the easterly end of the Mentasta Range, are jagged mountains, characteristic of highly inclined bedded roclis. North of their intersection by the valley of the Nabesna, they become more regular. Back from the Copper River, between the Slahna and Chestochena, is a range of low, rounded hills. In the direction of the head of the Chestochena very high snow-capped peaks are seen. These, probably, are in the vicinity of Mount Kimball, in the range bordering on the Tanana Valley. In descending the Copper, after passing the Slahna River, which is a stream of considerable volume entering the Copper from the neighborhood of Mentasta Pass, the next stream of importance is the Chestochena. This is a swift stream of considerable volume, rising in the Alaskan Range in the neighbor- hood of Mount Kimball. The area between the Chestochena and the Tazlena is drained by two small streams known as the Gakona and the Gulkana. From the south- erly side the one important stream entering Copper River is the San- ford, which empties into the Copper about 15 miles below the Ches- tochena. Beginning some miles -above the mouth of the Slahna to a point some miles above the mouth of the Sanford, the Copper River is very wide and spreads over what, in connection with Alaskan streams, are called snag flats. At the point named, above tb^ Sanford, it gath- ers into a single channel, and does not again spread very much except for a few miles below the mouth of the Gulkana. One of the most interesting features of the summer's work was our inability to find and locate the mountain mapped as Mount Tillman. In coming down the Copper River from the north. Mount Wrangell is visible between Mount Sanford and Mount Drum at a point opposite the mouth of Sanford River. From here Mount Drum masks Mount Wrangell, and the latter, i^in becomes visible at a point a few miles above the mouth of the Tazlena. On the day we came down the Cop- per River an eruption took place which left no doubt whatever that this is Mount Wrangell. At Copper Center, Mount Drum completely masks Mount Sanford, and from this point the only mountains visible were Mount Drum, Mount Wrangfell, and Mount Blackburn. *In descending Copper River from Copper Center a mountain a-^fain 110 COPPER BIVKR EXPLOBIWO EXPEDITION. be<5ome8 viHible between Drum and Wrangell. Were it not xor the fact that it is masked b}' Drum at Copper Center this mountiiin might easily be considered south of Drum and between it and Wrangell. It is highly probable that in ascending Copper River, Lieutenant Allen got only occasional glimpses of these several peaks, and that owing to an error in observing bearings, or to this deceptive position of Mount Sanford, he considered it a peak south of Mount Drum. Such an error might very readily be made. However, in yie^v of the cai-e with which we studied the position of these mountains in traveling from the Siahna to Tonsena Lake, and the great number of clear days which enabled us to see them from all positions, I have little hesitation in saying that there are only four mountains, and that the location of Mount Tillman on the map is an evror. MINERAL RESOURCES. Copper. — ^The copper in the interior of Alaska has this year, for the first time, attracted the attention of prospectors, and, as a result of the season's work, rich finds are reported on the Chettyna and Kotsena and on the head waters of the Tanana and White rivers. How far these reports are reliable remains for future developments to show. Nicolai, the Copper River chief, who is responsibls for most of the earlier reports of copper on the Chettyna, for the first time disclosed the location of the vein from which he secured the samples of ore which he displayed. This vein is located on a small creek emptying into McCarthy Creek and between it and the Nezena River. This is a true vein deposit in a fissure, probably due* tO' faulting. The main body of the ore is bornite. It occurs in a dark-green amygdaloidal diabase near the contact of the same with a heavy limestone bed. The diabase seems to be irregularly bedded and can be traced for miles in both directions. The persistence and uniformity with which the dia- base is found associated with the Hmestone bed above it would tend to indicate that it is extrusive in origin, with the limestone conformably upon it. The limestone is the same as that noted by Dr. Hayes on the Nezena River, a.id which he referred to as the Carboniferous. (See maps and descriptions of routes of explorations in Alaska in 1898; U. S. Government Survey, 1899, p. 58.) The diabases resemble to a very marked degree the Keweenawan copper-bearing rocks of Lake Superior. The contact between this limestone and the diabases and the diffcvent outcrop of the same from Root glacier to the eastern side of the Nezena River has been noted in the preceding section. In view of the fact that this deposit, probably the largest known in the area, is found in association with diabases similar to those which in other areas are known to carry large quantities of copper, makeH it probable that these diabases are the source of the copper in this area. The general strike of the outcrop makes it possible Uiat the very sim- COPPER RIVER EXPLORINO EXPEDITION. Ill ilsr diabases at the head of the Kotsena River belong to the name series. The heavy limestone bed, however, does not appear on the Kotsena. None of the locations made at the head of the Xanana or the White were visited, but fragments of rook, heavily copper stained and impregnated with native copper, were found in several places, partic- ularly in the pass from the Tanana to the Nabesna rivers. Here the rock seemed to be a later volcanic, which, as in the Nicolai location, was much fractured, faulted, and associated with sedimentary rock. The Indians on the Nabesna had bullets, knives, and arrow points made of native copper. They explained that they got these at four different places, one on a tributary of the White River, probably the one which Dr. Hayes visited and which he found to be a copper placer. The others were farther west on the head waters of the Tan- ana and the Nabesna. Whether these were also placer deposits could not be determined. The frequent copper stains on the rocks and the many different pointench above timber line to the Quartz Creek Divide. We found this divide, as we had the Low River Divide, almost free from snow, but exceedinglj' soft and miry. Nevertheless, we managed to make the distance from Bowlder Creek to the confluence of Bear and Quartz creeks in one day. From here one day^s trip took us to Tonsena Lake, a distance of about 7 miles. The best information I could get led me to believe that the Indian trail eastward from Tonsena Lake led to the Stickwan house on Copper River, a few miles south of Copper Center. In view of this, and the fact that the pack trail would have to make a relay trip, I decided to send it over the known trail to Copper Center with the first loads, and while it was making this trip Fohlin and I would explore the trail to Copper River. We found that this trail, after fol- lowing the Tonsena River in a general way for about 25 miles, led away from the river in an easterly direction, reaching Copper River at a point about 8 miles above the moi.th of the Tonsena. The trail was very indistinct and very difilcult to follow in places. I therefore sent Fohlin back to mark it thoroughly, trim it out where necessary, and guide the pack train over it when it returned to Ton- sena Lake. While this was being done I undertook a side trip up the Kotsena River, which was at this time attracting much attention. I arranged to travel with two prospectors, Millard and Warner, who were on their way to locate a copper vein regarding which they had informa- tion. I wished verj' much to see this vein in order to studj the con- dition under which the copper occurred. We went down the Copper River some 15 miles by boat to Indian Bellum's house. From here a good trail leads to the point where the Kotsena River emerges from the mountain. After going to this place we continued on up the river, passing several prospecting camps on the way. When approach- ing the head of the river we met about a dozen men who had just ■■ ■■■ COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 115 abandoned their canipd and were on tboir way, to Valdois. Theue men had sledded their outfits from Copper Center up iho valley of the Lebigstag and over the divide separating this from tlie KotMcna, early in the season, in an effort to cross the range lietwecn Mount WrangcU and Mount Blaclcburn, and thereby reach what they supposed to lie the head waters of the Copper. This they found tti l»e impossible, and they had found no prospects whatever of placer gold on the Kotsena; so that, disappointed, they abandoned everything, and were taking with them only enough clothes and provisions to enable them to reach Valdez. I engaged one of these men to go with me to the Chettyna and from there to take a letter to you. After spending three days at the head of the stream in mapping the surroundings and examining the rocks, 1 started l>ack down the river. 1 left the foot of the Tonsena trail on the 1st of July and returned to that point on the 10th. The next day, with the help of some Indian guides, we cut a short trail connecting the Tonsena trail with the Schrader trail leading down the Copper along the top of the bluff, and over this we took the pack train, which arrived later in the day, to the mouth of the Tonsena River. Here we spent a day repairing the outfit and seeking the best place for crossing the horses. The river was here wide and swift and full of treacherous quicksands, and the water at this season of the year was very cold. By picking the way carefully and swimming the horses across one of several channels at a time, and giving them time to rest on the bars between, we succeeded in cross- ing without the loss of a single one. From this place our goods were carried down the river in a boat which I secured from the natives, a,\ «ve took the horses down the eastern bank of the river to the Chettyna, which we reached two days later. An Indian trail leads along the eastern side of the river most of this distance, and had we not improved it considerably in places it would have been impassable for the horses, and even then it would have been impossible to have taken them over it had they been loaded. I learned from the natives that an old Indian trail led up the northerly side of the Chettyna River some five or six days' travel, but none of the Indians I had met thus far knew of this trail, and it took us three days to find one who was familiar with it. He lived on the westerly side of Copper River some 4 or 5 miles above the mouth of the Chet- tyna. After much coaxing and many promises he finally consented to go as our guide. On leaving Valdez we took about 200 pounds of dried fish for dog food, hoping to be ali^e to get all we needed from the natives along the Copper and Chettyna rivers. In this I was disappointed, and, being unable to secure food for them, I had to abandon the plan of taking the dogs further. One of them had become exhausted on reaching Quartz 116 OOPPKR RIVKR KXPLORINO EXPEDITION, 11 Creek and another had run away at Tonsona Lake. The remaining Hoven I Hent with UothkrantK, instnictin); him to take them to Copper Center and turn them over to Private Hallett, in oharf^o of the Govern- ment Mtation there. Extra help for cutting trail and the numerous guidefl we had engaged had reduced our rations somewhat, and these I replaced from the cAche of McCarthy, of whom I also engaged four horses. Two of our horses were hurt and became useless. We there- fore left the mouth of the Chettyna with seven horses available for carrying packs. From McCarthy's cache on the Chettyna, about 3 miles above its mouth, which we left on Friday, July 21, we followed the banks of the Chettyna to camp 2, a distance of about 8 miles. The river bank here is very high and very rough, and the l)cst trail we were able to make was exceedingly rough and difficult for traveling. Had it not been for the high water we could have avoided this by traveling uy> the Imrs of the river. While I was looking up the Indian guide the packers had made a relay trip with provisions to this point. We cached one-half of our outfit here, and continued with the rest, which was all our horses could carry. The old Indian trail begins at camp 2, and from here leads away from the river at nearly right angles to its course. We found the country back from the river rolling and covered with boggy fnarshes and small lakes, making it necessary for the trail to meander very much at times. One day's trip took us to the lianks of the Sterlina, a distance along the trail of about 12 miles, and another day took us well up into the mountains along the westerly bank of the Kuskulana. This stream which we found to be a swift, glacial stream of about the size of the Kotsena and Tonsena, was too deep to ford. We were therefore obliged to continue up its right bank to a point . about a mile below the glacier in which it heads. Here it spreads into many channels and we forded it without difficulty. Instead of retracing ou^* steps down the left bank of the valley as I expected we would do, the Indian trail turned into a narrow gap in the mountains on the easterly side of the river. This route afforded us a splendid opportunity for the work we were doing, and, if it lead through to the head waters of the Chettyna, would be an ideal one. We were unable to learn from the guide anything regarding it except that " it went a long ways," and that it was passible for horses. Trust- ing that it would enable us to reach the upper waters of the Chettyna, we followed it. We camped that night at timber line, about a mile and a half east of the Kuskulana. Horse feed was scarce here, and our horses for the first time on the trip turned back, and were not over- taken by the packers until late on the following afternoon. From the Kuskulana to this camp the trail was rather steep in places, and somewhat difficult, and it required considerable improve- OOPPKR RIVRR EXPLORINO EXPEDITIOlf. 117 ainingf 'opper ovorn- orous hotjo 1 four there- )le for ve its ik8 of bank bin to it not ing uf» de the . We which mcnt. FroMi tho niino oiwior to the divido, which wc ci'OHHed without much difficulty. Aft4;r croHHing a Hinall valley drained by a Htroam which flowed through a narrow fmp in the moun- taiuH to the Houthward, which I called Fitch Creek, we enttM'ed a broiul, open valley transverHe to the drainage of the coiuitry. Thiu waM mo boggy that the Indian trail led along itH Houthern edge, and after fol- lowing it for a distance of 5 or 6 milcH timed abruptly acroH^ a Hpur of the inount4iinH and entered a valley to the Houtbward. From this point where the Indian trail turned off there wax liefore uh transvorHC to the genonvl direction in which we had lx)en traveling, a broad, open valley occupied by a Ktream which, heading in a glacier to the north, followed thin valley for Kome miloH, and at a point al>out opposite uh turned abruptly and continued in the direction we had l>een traveling. To the north of the gap through which thin river flowed wiw another occupied by a small stream emptying into the river Through this it seemed to me highly probable that we could make our way. The stream Iwfore us was called by the Indian the I^chena, and he told us that the trail led to his salmon ca(;he on this stream, a short distan<« al»ove the point where it enters the Chettyna. The Indian knew noth- ing of the valley to the northeast and could not t(>ll me whether it would l)e possible to get through it with the horses. After spending a day looking up the trail and convincing myself that it would lead too far south for our purpose wo made our way over much boggy and swampy ground to the elbow in the Ijachena. Since it was necessary to make a relay trip for provisions I dctiided to send the pack train back from here for this purpose, and l)efore going farther with the pack train to explore ahead and determine whether it would be possible to go through the valley. The two disabled horses were now so much improved that they were able to carry light loads and, loading the necessary supplies and camp outfit on these, Fohlin and I went ahead while the pack train made the relay trip. At the end of five days we made a trail up the valley a distance of about 16 miles, and encamped on the divide. Here 1 spent several days on topographic work. From one peak, which 1 occupied for this pur- pose, I saw that the valley we were in narrowed down a canyon which led out into a broad, open valley, occupied by a huge glacier, the fooi of which I could not see. We were traveling along the most favorable route for the work we were doing, and I decided to continue and work our way out along the glacier, and if we could not succeed in this, to attempt to cross it. We exr ^.lujced some difficulty in working down the canyon, but succeeded in uiaking a trail over which we took the pack train later without accident. . While working mr way down along the right-hand side of the gla- cier, which we found very slow work on account of the rough ground bad heavy brush, we were overtaken by the pack train. On our return 118 COPPER EIVER EXPLOBINO EXPEDITION. to McCarthy's cache, the latter had retained the horses which I had engaged of him, so that our pack tmin was reduced. The packers had brought all the provisions they could to the Lachena, and there cached what they were unable to bring farther. They had left at McCarthy's one of the folding canvas boats which we had brought for crossing gla- cial streams and running down Copper River. We managed with much difficulty, but without any serious accident, to get our horses around the foot of the glacier. From Mount Blackburn eastward there had been no break whatever in the extremely high range along which we had traveled. A short distance ahead, however, there appeared to be two lower gaps in it, which I had hoped to reach by going up the next valley beyond the one occupied by the glacier. This valley was occupied by a small stream which empties into the gUicial stream just below the foot of the glacier. Three days sufficed to take us up this stream, which I called McCarthy Creek, to its head, a distance of some 18 or 20 miles, liain}' weather had set in, and fogs and low-hanging clouds pre- venttid me from getting a view of the surrounding country for three days. When T could see I found that the head of this valley still abutted the high ridge and that it was the second valley to the east that led to the seeming break in the ridge. There was no way of getting through into the valley to the east from this point, and we were obliged to retrace our steps down the creek 8 or 9 miles to the mouth of Nicolai Creek, so named because it lies on a copper vein from which Chief Nicolai got the specimens which he displayed, and the location of which he refused to disclose until this 3^ear. At this point there is a break in the ridge to the east through which I hoped to be able to go. Cloudy weather again delayed us, but when it deai'ed I found that the next valley to the east was occupied by the Nezena, a great northern fork of the Chettyna, and that this stream headed some 12 to 15 miles to the north in a great glacier, one summit of which was in plain view, and was not more than 30 miles awaj'. A careful examination of this glacier, with the powerful glasses I carri-Ml, inclined me to believe that it might be possible to make our way over it. In addition to this summit there was another, reached by the lobe of the glacier which joined from the west. Eastward was an extremely high ridge surmounted by a very prominent peak, which 1 named Mount Abercrombie. It was plain that the only possible opportunity for crossing the ridge to the north was by way of one of these glaciers. The mountain which I occupied was 4,000 feet above the bed of the river, and led down to it by seemingly almost perpendicular walls, along which it seemed almost out of the question to find a way down into the valley. The Nezena, hov'ever, is a large stream, and at this . place was too deep and swift to oe crossed with horses. Just below this point the confluence of the heavy foi-k from the east (126) causes ■mam OOPPEIv BIVEB EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 119 I had rs had ached rthy's niuch round re had ich we to be e next cupicd w the tream, i or 20 ds pre- r three By still le east it to wash a perpendicular wall on the westerly side, making it impos- sible to come up alonsr this side. It was therefore plain that there was no hope of getting into the valley of the Nezena except by finding a way down along the mountain side. We brought our camp across the mountain to a point where we couul reach timber line, and from here a careful search finally enabled us to find a trail, over which we succeeded (after improving it) in getting the horses into the valley. It was a most difficult trail, however, and while the horses had gotten down, it was a question whether they could ever be gotten up again. In order to cross the glacier it would be necessary to have sleds or toboggans on which to haul our outfits. I accordingly sent to the Nicolai house, which was on the opposite side of the stream, about 6 or 7 miles below, to see if it was possible to find some sleds there. We were rewarded by finding two old sleds whi(ih had been cached by prospectors who had sledded up the Chet- tyna to this point early in the spring. From here up the valley we were able to keep along the west side of the stream and avoid crossing any considerable channel. One day's trip took us to the foot of the glacier (126), a distance of about 12 miles, and another some 3 miles farther along the westerly side of the same. From a prominent peak near by I saw that the first great left-hand lobe of the gbcier abutted the main ridge, but that beyond this a second glacier lobe led a long ways to the westward to what seemed to be a lower divide (129, 130) than the one directly north of the head of the stream. Even if this divide were not lower than the one directly north, the approach to it was so much longer that the grade would necessarily be easier and the glacier smoother. I therefore decided to trv this before attempting the one directly north, although the latter was bounded on the westerly side by a bare ridge, which seemed to offer a fair chance of reaching the summit. The foot of the glacier was exceedingly rough, but it seemed probable that after we were once well upon the glacier it would be possible to make fair headway with sleds. My plan was to have the packers assist Fohlin and me in sledding our outfit to the summit and from there have the packers return to Valdez, where Fohlin and I would attempt to ruake our way down the opposite side of the stream heading In tiie glacier, which I felt sure was Copper River. There I desired to set up the canvas canoe I had with us and construct another of canvas sacks and pack covers, and in them run down Copper River to Copper Center. Fohlin refused to go with me over the glacier, and I succeeded in engaging a young prospector nar.ied McNeer, who, with two othei-s, had Ijeen following us, to take his place. It was now August 20, «nd McNcer infonned me that the previous year mush ice had begun run- ning in the Copper River on September 25, and that after October 17 it had been absolutely impossible to get down the river. It seemed m 120 COPPJSB RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. to me, therefore, that October 10 would be the latest possible time at which we could figure on reaching Copper Center by boat. We had thus far killed several mountain sheep (146), and I had no reason to believe that we could not do so again on the opposite side of the range. Furthermore, it seemed to me reasonably certain that we could ^et some salmon of the natives. I therefore decided to take only thirty days' rations for the two of us. This, with the necessary instru- ments and material for boats, together with what little camp outfit we needed, weighed 350 pounds. Not knowing how long it would take us to cross the glacier, we prepared a pot of beans and bread, mutton, and bacon enough to last us two weeks. We also took two pieces of vTied spruce timber about 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long, weigh- ing about 20 pounds. We started on the morning of August 26. After we had carried the outfit well out upon the glacier we loaded it upwjn the sleds (143). We had not, however, gone a quai'ter of a mile with these before we were hemmed in with rough ice, and at the end of several hours' hard work had to abandon the sleds and take to back packing. With about one-half of the outfit on our backs we managed to reach the foot qf the ridge between the first two great lobes of the glacier. Here we fo.vnd some brush and made c np. I sent the men back to the camp at the foot of the glacier with instructions to bring on three days' pro- visions for themselves, and bring up the sleds and the remainder of the loads the following day. I then took a little lunch and my sleep- ing bag and went up the glacier, to determine whether or not I would attempt to go up this lobe or the one directly north (140). I made a distance of about 7 or 8 miles, and after spending the night on the edge of a moraine continued 5 or 6 miles farther to a point from which I could see the summit of the glacier (127, 128, 132, 139, 142). It was far less steep and rugged than the easterly one, and I decided without hesitation to try this one in preference to the other, although the dis- tance from the foot of the glacier seemed to me nearly 30 miles. From here I returned to camp, v/hei*e later I was joined by the rest of the party. The morning had been clear, but toward noon it started in to rain and continued to do so all night. The next morning the weather cleared a little, so Fohlin, Fitch, McNeer, and I started out to take our loads as near the summit as possible. Each sled was loaded with about 150 pounds. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon we had made a distance of about 12 miles, and were approaching the foot of a heavy bench when the fog closed in, so that we were unable to see but a few yards in any direction. Under these conditions it was impossible to go farther, so we cached the goods and retraced our steps as well at* possible. Fortunately the fog raised long enough to allow us to get back to one of the big medial moraines (132), and by following this we made our way back to camp without t COPPER BIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITIOIT. 121 me at t trouble. The next day the fog was so dense and heavy that wc could not move. Place started back on the previous day to look after the horses, and Fohlin and Fitch left us about noon. I instructed Place and Fitch to return to Valdez with the pack train, and Fohlin to go to Copper Center and prepare to come up Copper River to the mouth of the Chestochena to meet us with the dog team, if we did not reach Copper Center hy October 10. On the follovring morning, August 30, the weather cleared somewhat, and we stai-ted out, reaching our cache without trouble. Here we camped. The next morning found a heavy north wind bl^ 'Ving, bring- ing with it frequent flurries of snow. We pscked outfit to the top of the bench, and here loaded about one-half of it on the sleds and started for the summit. We traveled in a northeasterlj' direction diagonally across the glacier. Before we reached the foot of the last bench, a distance of about 4 miles from camp, the wind and snow had increased to a howling blizzard, and we were obliged to cache our loads and return to camp. When morning broke September 1 the storm was still raging, and we were obliged to remain in camp. Jt was with great difficulty that we kept our tent from blowing away. We had no way of making a fire, so had to spend our time in our blankets to keep warm. On the morning of the 2d the weather, though still cold, had cleared, and we started out very early. At 10 o'clock we had reached the foot of the summit bench where our goods were cached. From here the l)est, and, in fact, the only, course seemed to be right up the middle of the glacier. On either side were tiemendous cataracts, which seemed to preclude all possibility of crossing them. We had not gone a quai-ter of a mile from the cache, however, before the crevasses became so numerous and so large that we decided, before going farther with our loads, to explore ahead. Ordinarily crevasses are not continuous for long distances. Splinters, one end of which joins one side and the other the opposite side, cut diagonally across them. This offers an opportunity for crossing, and by working back and forth it is usually possible to make headway even over badly crevassed areas. On this glacier, however, we found two sets of heav}'^ crevasses at nearly right angles to each other cutting into isolated rectangular blocks, over which it was all but impossible to make headway (131). This condition was aggravated by the loose snow of the previous day, which had everywhere built snow bridges across the crevasses, often completely masking them, so that to avoid walking deliberately into a crevasse it was impossible to take a step in any direction without first carefully feeling the way with a stick. Fastened together with a life line about our waists, one felt his way carefully ahead, while the other followed in his steps at the end of the line in order to check hifl 122 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITIOIT. > I fall should he break through. In this -vay we worked back and forth, and often, when about ready to give up and return, we would manage to find a wedge or snow bridge strong enough to bear our weight, and thus enable us to get to the next block ahead. At 2 p. m. that afternoon, after four hours of most trying work, we had made but a quarter of a mile. We had, however, crossed the worst part, and had now reached an elevation at which the crust of the snow was beginning to be suflSciently strong to bear our weight over the crevasses. From here on the grade was slight, and we reached the summit, a distance of about 3 miles, without difficulty. From the summit we could see nothing ahead but a broad, smooth plain of snow (127, 128), which seemed to break down abruptly some 8 or 10 miles ahead. I felt that life was too short to permit of taking the chances involved in attempting to bring our outfit over the route we had traveled that morning, and we decided to turn back, unless in some way we could manage to make our way over the great bench or cataract on the east- erly side. This we undertook on our way back, and after many fruit- less attempts we finally succeeded in making our way down. While exceedingly difficult, this route was free from the treacherous snow, and we decided to attempt to get our goods over. Our outfit weighed somewhat over 400 pounds, which was more than we could possibly handle on one trip. We concluded, therefore, to take one-half of it and on the first clear day attempt to cross the summit and reach a point on the opposite side at which we would camp, and from here return for the rest. The next morning broke clear, and at 9 o'clock we were at the top of the bench with our loads. From here on the surface was tmre and smooth, with a covering of 6 or 8 inches of snow (133, 134), over which we made good time. In view of the difficulty we had experienced in reaching the summit, we were much concerned regarding the possi- bility of getting down on the opposite side. The two great sources of concern wei-e the zone along which the snow was sufficiently deep to obliterate the crevasses, but not strong enough to support a mau's weight over them, and the great bench over which the glacier breaks from the mountain inio the valley below. Tie moot favorable condi- tion we could hope for was that the zone would occur on the bench and that it would be possible to get around both over a moraine bordering on the glacier at this point. Indications from the summit favored this supposition, and as we approached the top of the bench we came in sight of a moraine along its western edge. However, when within 2 miles of this the crust of the snow began giving away, and soon after we began stepping through it into cracks. As yet these were narrow, but conditions along the edge of the glacier and the con- formation of the valley before us indicated larger ones (lil). The COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 123 surface was perfectly smooth and gave no evidence of its treacherous nature. We were standing at this point discussing the situation and consid- ering what next to do, when suddenly the surface of the glacier began swaying up and down in a most amazing manner. At the time I took this to be an earthquake, due to a fracture at some point in the glacier, but later I learned that it was the great earthquake which shook the entire country around. A careful survey of the situation showed us that there was only one possible way of reaching the moitiine, and that was squarejj'^ down the middle of the valley before us. We accord- ingly fastened ourselves together with a line about our waists, tied our sleds together, and, each carrying a stick with which to span a crack and support himself in case he went through, we started out, trusting we might not meet a crevasse too wide for these means to save us if one fell through. Slipping into unexpected openings up to our knees or our waist every few paces, and not knowing at what moment a large opening would take us in bodily, traveling was uncom- fortable, to say the least; but there being only one course to pursue, we pushed ahead as best we could, and at the end of two seemingly long hours we reached the moraine. Here , e camped and prepared supper, after which we explored ahead and, to our great satisfaction, found that the moraine on which we were camped continued along the glacier for several miles, leaving little doubt but that over it we should be able to reach the plain below. At this time of the year days on the summit free from storm anu blizzards are rare, and with the question of getting down disposed of, the next matter of importance was to get the remainder of our loads over the summit before bad weather again set in. The next morning found us ready to leave camp at the first sign of day. The sky was overcast, but the summit was clear when we started out, and we hoped it would remain so. The necessity of picking our wpy carefully had obliged us on the previous day to expose our eyes frequently to the intense glare of the snow, and before night we had experienced symptoms of snow-blindness, which this mo'ning grew rapidly worse in the cold wind which blew from the summit. While going over the divide where the traveling was good we were able to keep our ej'^es covered most of the time, but on* working on the bench it was necessaiy to use both eyes and to have them uncovered. Before we reached the top of this bench with our loads on the return journey both of my eyes were all but useless and one of McNeer's was totally blind. Whether his other eye would hold out and enable us to get back to the camp was a serious question. With the prospect of wandering about on the top of the glacier in a blizzard, without food or blankets and unable to see staring us in the face, crossing crevasses caused us little concern that afternoon. In fact, by the time we got to the 124 COPPER BIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. I crev»*88es the pain in our eyes was such that neither of us cared seri- ously how soon we fell into one. McNeer's eye, although most painful, retained its sight and enabled us to reach camp, where we took to our blankets an^^ did not again leave them until the morning of the second day. We were in an exposed position, and, the blizzard now raging threatening to blow down our tent, we managed to pack up and move the tent alK)ut a quarter of a mile into the ravine. The next day McNeer's eye was so iimch itnproved that he decided to explore ahead. He returned shortly and reported a bunch of sheep a mile or two away on the mountain side. This was welcome news, and I urged him to make every eflfort possible to secure one, a fact which I regretted when night came on and he had not returned to camp. When he finally did come, about an hour after dark, he reported having' cached a dressed carcass about 3 miles ahead on the traiJ. He had become so engrossed in his sheep hunt that he had failed to notice that night was coming on, and in consequence had to take reckless chances in making his way back to camp over the glacier and moriine. My eyes being considerably improved, th. ■. following morning we began packing our goods dovTi the moraine, and on the afternoon of the second day after had theux once more loaded on our sleds on smooth ice at the foot of the great bench. Now that the question of getting over the glacier was practically disposed of, the subject of absorbing interest was which riA er drainage we had reached, the Cop- per or Tanana. From the summit we had seen a lar,;e open valley, seemingly at the foot of the glacier and leading oflf to ivard the north- west. Now we found this valley Avas cut off by a range. of low, moraine- like hills, which caused the glacier to turn slightly to the east, and as we traveled on down we saw more and more of a wide, open val- ley leading to the east. The glacier headed directly for this valley, and we were about satisfied that this, was the Tanana River, when we saw that the drainage was toward and not away from it, and that the river from the foot of the glacier turned abruptly around a prominent mountain opposite the foot of the glacier on the left-hand side. We were now satisfied that the river entered the valley to the northwest and that it v/as, without a question. Copper River. We spent one more night on the ice, and the following day, shortly after noon, we came to. the foot of the glacier, which, being free from a terminal moraine, enabled us to go down easily and to make camp with our goods on solid ground that uight. We had been on the glacier just fifteen days, and during this time we had nothing to cat but frozen bread, bacon, and mutton, except oatmeal or corn-meal mush and a little tea. We had cut up the wood we carried into shavings, and by burning these in a furnace-like inclosuro and constant fanning, about a hat full would suffice to heat a skillet of water to boiling. In this way we managed to have some warm tea and mush twice a day during the time we were on the glacier with not mom than 20 pounds of wood. ■m ijMii mmmm COPPER BIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 125 On the day after our arrival at the foot of the glacier we c' imbed the mountain to the north of camp and got a view of the country farther on. To our amazement we found that the drainage of the valley toward the northwest was toward and not away from us, and that this joiued the glacial stream and the drainage from the valley to the east, and broke through the mountain midway between the two valleys. We were once more in doubt regarding our position, with indications favoring Xanana drainage. Through the gap to the north- west, however, we saw a large, open valley beyond us, and this, we felt, was without a question Copper River Valley. We had started with only thirty days provisions and were already out fifteen days. In consiaeration of this uncertainty regarding the route before us, 1 decided to send McNeer back to the glacier for another sheep. While he was thus engaged I set up our canvas canoe and reinforced it with a gunwale, preparing to transfer our goods down the stream in it. McNeer left at noon and returned next noon with a sheep. The following morning found us sick with colic, and we were unable to start; and thus we spent three days before we dis- covered that the cause of this was the water we were using. As soon as we stopped using the water of a clear little brook trickling down the mountain side our condition began to improve, and we were soon able to move on. The glacial stream was at this time very low, and we were obliged to pack our goods about 3 miles to a point where a number of channels joined before we were able to use our canoe. Here we put our goods into the canoe and "lined" the same down the river. The river was so shallow and branched so frequently that our progress was but little faster than packing. In this way we reached the fork of the river three days after leaving the camp at the foot of the glacier. From here we saw that the river turned strongly east and leaves the mountain not more than 8 or 10 miles farther on. This left no doubt but that it was a branch of the Tanana. It was now September 18. We figured that the portage to the stream in the largo valley to the west could not be more than 30 miles at the most, and we calculated we could make this portage in seven days. This would give us fifteen days to make the trip down Copper River to Copper Center. It wq,s evident that our provisions would last hardly half that length of time, but we felt sure that when we reached Copper River we would soon be ablu to find natives, from whom we could secure salmon; and so, with the sheep which we had on hand, we felt justified in undertaking the portage. Our outfit was too heavy to enable us to handle it in two trips, and our experience with our canoe down the river thus far showed us that it was too small to be service- able on a large stream. The canoe was the only thing we could possibly spare from the outfit except a few minor articles. We therefore decided to abandon it here. I 126 OOPFEE BIVER EXPLORING EXPBDITlOJf. On account of the constant wading in the ice-cold water for the past two days McNeer was taken with cramps, so that ho was tumble to move one foot. Nevertheless, wo started out with our packs next morning and when we laid them down that afternoon we were not less than 7 miles from camp. The next day wo put the camp ahead 10 miles, and alternating in this way, the afternoon of the sixth day found us within a few miles of a wide valley seemingly occupied by a very large stream. We were now sure that we had reached the Copper at a point where it was suflSciently large to enable us to use boats or rafts and we thought we saw the end of Imck packing near at hand. From this dream wo were rudely awakened a little later when we noticed that the snags on the river bottom pointed in the opposite direc- tion to that which we expected. The stream, instead of flowing to the westward, flowed east, and after seven days of hard packing we had merely reached another branch of the Tanana. The smaller channels of the river were frozen over and "mush" ice was running heavily in the main channel. A week at hard packing had reduced our provisions about one-half. It required very little reflection to convince us that we must discontinue our search for the Copper River ahd that our comfort and safety required us to make our way down the Tanana to the Mentasta trail with the least possible delay, as the ice might close in any day. To Copper Center by this route was a long trip to undertake on the rations we had left, but we hoped to be able to get dried salmon and moose meat from the natives on the trip. We had carried with us, thus for, canvas sacks and two canvas pack covers, with .which to make a canoe. Under the existing conditions, we could not aflford the time necessary to make a canoe and, therefore, concluded we must tiiist to a raft. The next day, Sunday, we returned for the last pack load of goods, and on Monday we built two mfts. The river was, in places, very spreading, and there was some doubt that we should be able to navi- gate it by raft. We therefore decided to biiild two small rafts rather than one larger one since they could bo gotten off more easily if thej' grounded. Early on Tuesday morning wo had our load on our rafts and started down the river. For an hour all went well. The raft car- ried us beautifully and handled almost like a c^noe, and the river was larger than we expected to find it. We had made a distance of from 6 to 8 miles whet a little carelessness in meeting a cross current upset my raft and ducked me in the river. It was so cold that there was nothing to do but to build a fire and dry out. While we were doing this, an old native, whose attention had been attracted by the smoke, came up the bar. He was unable to understand any English whatever, and we could get no information f vom him other than that he lived nearby on the bank. I sent McNeer to his camp with him to see if he could not get some mutton or fish. He soon returned bringing with OOPI'T'IB RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 127 him two younger men, sons of the old man. These had just returned fiom a hunt with the t^arcasses of three sheep. While we were reload- ing our raft and preparing to go to their camp, a sudden wind sprang up that whipped up the dust of the flood plain in a manner unlike any- thing I have ever sf>vn. The sand in the air was so thick that it was impossible to see more than a few rods, and to face it was positively out of the question. We cached our goods, pulled our rafts out of the water, and hastened to shelter on the bank. We found the natives encamped on the lee side of a high bluff that offered good protection from the storm, and we camped with them. They were exceedingly hospi- table and when we told them we were short of provisions, they pre- pared for us all the mutton we could eat. They confirmed our impres- sion that the river wo were on was the Nabosna, the western branch of the Tanana, and we learned that a good ti'ail leads from this point to Balzulnetas on Copper Siver. They said they had made the dis- tance in three days' travel without packs and in six days with moderate packs. We endeavored to engage these men as guides and packers, but this was their sheep-hunting season, and they refused to go. After spend- ing the night and most of the next day with them, coaxing and making all sorts of promises, they finally consented to go with us. When we were ready to start we found that their camp outfit and provisions they were taking^ave them about all the load they could carry. We went through our outfit again and threw out everything that we could possibly leave behind. When this was done, and we had lightened the burdens about 10 or 15 pounds, Ave gave them all they would consent to carry and took the remainder ourselves. Our loads were very heavy and our progress necessarily slow. The natives saw that we were too heavily laden, and decided to leave behind the greater part of the pro- visions they were carrying and take part of our load instead. They began begging to be allowed to turn back, and, finding that I could do nothing else with them, I promised to allow them to do so if they would take us to a point at which they could indicate to us the trail ahead, so that we could find it without their help. We entered a draw almost exactly opposite_^the one through which we had reached the river basin, and, after making about 8 miles, went into camp. The next morning it was raining and the natives were unusually hard to start. By coaxing, promising, and threatening we finally got them started, and made about 6 miles to the bank of the lake. It was now so cold that the lake was frozen over, and there were seveitil inches of snow on the ground. Camping was uncomfortable and the natives spent a sleepless night, in consequence of which they positively refused to go farther. A repetition of the former tactics finally started them on this, as on each succeeding morning, and we reached the Batzul- netas on the afternoon of the sixth day. Here we found several large 128 COPPKB RIVER EXPLORINO EXPEDItlOW. i 1 i i i ! I 1 i . i 1 1 i' I tiii ; I Halinon ctichoH belonging to our guides and another belonging to Sus- Iota John, an unusually largo native, who, with his family, was camp- ing here at this time. We had been informed by our guides that we could raft from Bat- zulneta, but we found the river so low that this was impossible, and, a8 a con8e(]uence, we were obliged to pack to the mouth of the Slahna. A native, known as Sanford Nicolai, who was coming down the river in a skin canoe from his autumn hunt, was reported to be due next day. We awaited his arrival and arranged with him to take as much of our outfit as we were unable to pack at one load to the mouth of the Slahna for us. Packing to the Slahna, we built a raft, and when Nicolai came along we followed him down the river. When we had gone about 3 miles our guide pointed out a large batteau oih^ the bank, and we pulled up at once, especially so as our raft had proven exceed- ingly unsteady and too small for its load. The batteau was seemingly in good condition uiid we prepared to launch it. The native objected, claiming that it belonged to him and another native living some dis- tance down the river. By promising to pay him for it we gained his consent to use it. It was a very large and heavy boat and had about 6 inches of ice in it. Nevertheless, we managed to get it into the water, and, after making a few miles more, we went into camp with the native. The next morning we started out in good season and the following night we were in camp at the mouth of the Chestochena. This river had been attracting considerable attention, and I wished to explore it. McNeer had left the cache in a log house (148) about 25 miles up this stream, and to this we decided to go, and, if the provisions were undis- turbed, to take what we needed and make a side trip up the stream. If, for some reason, the food was gone, we would return and continu*) on down the river. Mush ice was forming at this time in Copper River rapidly, and the nights were exceedingly cold. We left the mouth of the Chestochena at 9 o'clock, and, with three days' provisions and our tent and blankets, se made a distance of 18 miles before night. Leaving car tents and blankets behind us, the next morning we started for the cache, which we reached about 10 o'clock. We found the cache disturbed and not a bit of provisions of any kind left. We therefore retraced our steps down the river at once and the next morn- ing at 9 o'cloc^k we were once more at its mouth. The ice in the river was now alarmingly heavy and we lost no time in getting away. The mush ice was so thick and strong that it was difficult to move the boat through it, and with the great number of bowlders which the extremely low water of this season brings to the surface navigation was difficult and exciting. Wc therefore engaged Nicolai to accompany us to help in navigating the boat. A little later we engaged another native, Gukana, who, with Sanford Nicolai, owned the boat. With the help COPPER BIVER EXPLOBINO EXPEDITION. 129 of thc8o two men wo muimgod to run (136) to Coppt^r Conttn' without a mishap of any kind, and, contrary to oui* expectation, wo reached Copper Center that night. I expected to find here either the dog team or some pack horscH with which to make our way to Valdoz. Not finding either we waited for Holnian, the mail contractor, who was due for six days, expecting to get instructions for our further movements. Hohnan arrived at the appointed time but without instructions for us. Ho had with him a considerable pack train, and intended to send two pack horses back to Valdoz. I mode arrangements with him whereby, in consideration of my indicating to his men a trail from Copper Center to Tonsona River, he agreed to carry a part of my outfit to Valdoz. I therefore cached at this point everything except essentials, such as instruments, notes, and bedding. The route proposed was a desirable one for my return to Valdoz, as it enabled me to do tc pographical work, Iwsides giving me an oppor- tunity to look up a route which I considei'ed favorable for a perma- nent trail. With three men and two horses I loft Copper Center on October 18. We crossed the Klutena at Copper Center and, following what is known as Cooper's trail, reached Cooper's camp that night. The distance from Copper Center by trail is probably about 10 miles. The next morning we continued in a direction calculated to take us along the eastern edge of the mountain. Timber was close and after a hard day's work we had made not more than 8 miles. We had, how- ever, reached the foot of a lake several miles long and had moved well around the end of the mountain range. A due south course on the next day took us over fine, flat country to Tonsena River. This we reached by working down the valley of its northward branch on a gradual slope through a long draw and then following the valley down for a distance of about 1 mile to the valley of the main river. We camped on the Tonsena and continued the next day on our way. The lakes were now frozen so that we traveled on them in perfect safety. The Tonsena River was partly frozen, and we experienced considerable difficulty in getting the horses across it. It was my impression that the branch of the Tonsena leading to the headwaters of the Kanata was the one immediately opposite the one by which we had entered its bottom. Johnson, one of Holman's men, with me, has been through this pass and consequently was supposed to know; so I accepted his corroboration of my impression. After work- ing our way out of this valley by gradual slope to the westward, we traveled along the top of the bluff, when night overtook us after hav-. ing not made over 6 miles. The next day Johnson failed to find land- marks and I began to doubt whether this was the proper creek, and before we camped that night he also was convinced of this. There S. Doc, 306 9 180 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDIIION. seemed to bo a pans to the southwest, and we deeided to attempt to go through this in preference to turning back and going to the other creek. We had attained a considerable elevation, and it was bitter cold for we were camping without a tent or other protection than a brush shed. The snow was about 20 inches deep, and it was not without consider- able difficulty that we succeeded in making our way to the sununit. On reaching this wo found ourselves at the edge of a considerable valley, extending indefinitely in both directions. It took us some time to realize that this was the divide between the Kanata and the south fork of the Tonsena. We were fully 2,000 foet above it, and when we finally reached the valley we found a newly cut trail which we knew to be that of Lieutenant Babcock's party. Following this we reached Fall Creek that night and the government stable the next night, and from there the next two days' travel over the new Government trail took us back to Yalde^. i RBPORT OF ASDIBOH M. POWELL, GUIDE WITH COPPER EIVES EZPLOBIHO EXPEOITIOV. Deab 8ib: After guiding tiie trail cuttorH through the roughest part of the Coast Range to where station No. 3 was established, I received instructions from you to further explore the Gakona and Chestochena rivers for the purpose of determining the practicability of securing a shorter route to Lake Mentasta than that by way of the mouth of the ^lahna. Pursuant to these instructions, I left stiition No. 8 on Mon- day, August 21, 1899, taking with me two horses. On the first day out one of the horses rolled about one hundred feet down an embank- ment and fell into deep water. I succeeded in getting him out, how- ever, without much difficulty, and found him to be comparatively uninjured. On the evening of August 22 I reached Quartz Creek Divide. Here I met F. J. Date, of Elkhart, Ind. He claimed to be familiar with some of the country I was to explore, and as he seemed to be good at roughing it I employed him to accompany me as an axman. On the 24th of August I crossed the Quartz Creek Divide. On the summit we encountered a severe hailstorm. That night we stopped at the Quartz Creek mining camp. But few men were mining here, and although they had $500 or $600 worth of coaree gold dust, they claimed it was not a shoveling proposition, because of the numerous large bowlders encountered. On the 25th of August we swam our horses across the outlet of the Tonsena or Archer Lake, reaching Twin Lakes, on Grayling Creek Divide, about midnight. There being good horse feed at Twin Lakes, I rested the stock and remained there until the next day. There also appeared to be good trout fishing at this spot, and I caught sc eral grayling with a fly hook. With my solar tmnsit I took the sun's altitude, and found that we were 61° 45' north. Here we came across the grave of a prospector who had died on his way to Quartz Creek during the rush to that place last winter. On August 27 we camped on Grayling Creek. Near by we found the grave of a disappointed prospector, who had killed himself during a spell of despondency. On August 29 we swam the horses across the Klutena River. At this place was stationed James Garrett, of the Fourteenth United States Infantry. 131 132 COPPEB BIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. i On August 31 1 reached Copper Center, at the mouth of the Klutena River. This town was composed of log cabins built by prospectors. While here I succeeded in getting some old lusty bacon, some musty flour, and salt. I counted on getting supplies hero, but, owing to the scarcity of edibles, was disappointed. It was evident that I would have to depend some on the game I might chance to kill with my revolver during the trip. At Copper Center I met Messrs. Rice, Wood, and others returning from Forty Mile. We felt a heavy earthquake shock on Sunday, September 3, at 3 p. m. After realizing that it was an earthquake I looked in the direction of Mount Wrangell, which had not been smoking much for several days. At thi* time it was smoking very heavily and had just discharged a large amount of lava, which descended the northwestern slope for sev- eral miles, appearing to have melted deep gorges in the snow and ice. The !iext day the wind drifted the snow over the blackened area. Mount Wi"angell continued to smoke with unusual animation for the rest of the season. Monday, September 4, was spent in rafting and swimming the horaes across the Tazlena River. Here we met about a dozen Indians and camped with them that night. We found them to be a jovial and soci- able lot. They claimed they were Gulkana Indians and lived near the Gulkana Lake; that they were on their way to Copper Center to trade skins for muck-amuck They expressed some fear that with too many white men in the country starvation would come to them. They said that nearly three years previous the majority of their num1)er on the Gulkana Lake had starved to death during the winter. I explained to them that as there were no white men in their country at that time they could not have been the cause of the calamity. I also told them that the white men did not come to hunt game, but to look for gold, which, if found, would bring in food and give the Indians work, and that they could trade their moose meat for flour. One old man stated that the Indians wanted to work for fo'jd. They appeared very ingenious, and showed us some knives which they had hammered out of files with a stone, assisted by a charcoal tire and a blowpipe made of alder. The next, day we continued our journey on through the spruce tim- ber. It took us two days to reach the Gulkana River. Thi.s is a clear stream coming from the north and is the outlet to the Gulkana Lake. The next morning we forded the Gulkana and also reached and crossed the Gakona River. The following day we passed the mouth of the Sanforu River at a point where it empties into the Cop^^er from the south, about b miles above the Gakona. On September 9 I left the Copper at the big bend, about 5 miles above the mouth of the Sanford, and advanced north about 10 miles -^^^^^'=•^=5^; COPPEH RIVEil EXPLOKIHa EXPEDITION. 133 'lutena )ectors. musty to the would ith my turning and west for the purpose of examining the foundation for a trail between the Gakona and the Chestochena rivers. After traveling over prairie ground and winding between laltes for about 12 miles I camped in sight of the Gakona River. Our course for the next five days was generally betweei; north and 20° east of north. The higher the ground and the farther away the Copper, the more were the lakes and swamps encountered. It seemed impossible to travel more than 8 miles a day. We crossed miles and miles of tussocks, large and shaky. Our horses Ijecame experts in stepping from one to another, a failure to land on them causing them to flounder in the mire between. We followed an old Indinn trail, passing an nbandoned village, where signs were written with charcoal on a cache post indicating that two men, two women, and three chil- di'en had gone up the river, passed through some timber, crossed the Gakona, and were hunt'ng in the hills. The men were pictured as having guns. These Indians have a systematic sign language, easily decipherable. On September 13 we camped on the foothills of the divide between the Copper and the Shushitna. Here _we found fine feed for the horses and frightened a moose, whijdian trail followed by me the year before, and we were compelled i i dor down the Copper, through the thick tunber, up and down hill, the best way we could. On October 8 we tr^v^^led about 14 miles S. 20^, alongside of an old moose fen* . ih&t, rbn, Indians had built years ago by cutting and bending dowrt small spr, t- trees. We camped that night on a high bluff overlooking the Copper, but so far away from the water we were compelled to melt snow with which to boil our coffee. For our food we had only coffee and flour, with an occasional COPPEB BTVEE EXPLORIN& EXPEDITION. 135 -mk' - grouse or squirrel, killed with my revolver. Here I saw tracks of snowshoe rabbits, but found no rabbits. Oa October 4 we traveled for about 10 miles and camped on Tana Creek, which runs 6. 35° W. I'he prairies here were covered with good feed for the horses. In 1898 they were burned by you with a view of improving the quality of the feed, and in my opinion the feed was much better on the burned portion of the prairie. At the mouth of the Tana Creek, where it empties into the Copper, I recognized the old burying ground of 1898. The little flags, mostly handkerchiefs tied to sticks, were still fluttering in the breeze. There were thi-ee new graves. Kulkena John informed me that all the male members of the family who once lived there had died during the last winter and that the three women were being cared for by the Gakona Indians. On t'ae night of October 6 we were camped about 3 miles below the mouth of the Kulkena River. While there two Indians came into camp, the first we had seen on our return trip, as the Indians had not returned from their fall hunting trip. We told them we had nothing to eat, having fed all our flour to our horses. They cheerfully divided their dried salmon "with us. They ('ry their salmon without salt, and the half-rotted stuff is v^ery repuls? ve to a white man unless he is in an almost starving condition. We were very glad, however, to get the salmon, and I must say we relished them. On October 9 we managed to reach Copper Center, having eaten but two pheasants since our meal with the Indians. At Copper Cen- ter, where there wore a thousand or more men the year before, we found one man running a trading post. Here we obtained some pro- visions and flour for oui* horses. We kept moving every day, as we were afraid of winter closing in on us while on the Coast Range. The night we were in Copper Center the thermometer registered 15° below zero. It was a battle with the elements from here to Valdez. We found tre snow aboi .t a foot deep on Grayling Creek Divide, and . as the wind wi's blowin-^f hard we were content to crawl into our sleep- ing bags withouv*". "uprer. On Oct-iber 14 we attempted to cross Quartz Creek Divide, but m are compelled to camp within a mile of the summit, in 3 feet of snow. Here we again fed the last of our flour to the horses. The snow was so deeply drifted and stiff that the next day's work w.is severe. We had neither supper nor breakfast, and all three of our horses were down before we had gone 100 yards from where we had spent the night. One horse gave out and I could not get him to make anothor effort, and as he could not live I shot him. We succeeded in making the divide about noon. It was but 8 miles down to the Govern- ment trail, and good traveling. The trail here does not cross the Quartz Creek Divide. We had part of a salmon on which to exist until we reached station No. 3, on October 17. One of oui* horses 136 COPPER BIVEB EXPLORING EXPEDITION. became exhausted, and on the 18th I took him some flour from station No. 3 and led him into camp. On October 19 I crossed over Lowe River Divide, but the horse gave out near the summit and I was compelled to leave him. We succeeded in getting one horse over, blanketed and fed him some flour, and again crawled into our sleeping bags supperless. The next morning Date took the horse down about 2 miles along the trail to a place where he could build a fire and make some coflfee, while I went over the sum- 1 ''* to see if it was possible to save the other horse. Twice the wind I e off the summit, but when the wind eased for a minute I suc- ceed I. in walking over with little effort. I found the horse dead, covered with the drifted snow. It seemed to be an unusually windy day. Returning, I found Mr. Date in a sheltered place near the foot of the mountain, where we enjoyed some coffee. Here the snow was blown off the ground. Our horse found a good feed of oats, left by some previous party. On Saturday evening we reached station No. 2, where we were well cared for. We reached Valdez on October 22, in an almost exhausted condition. I am satisfied that but for the trail built by you through these raountalas I would have perished by the wayside. No moi-e laudable midertaking for the benefit of Alaska could be conceived than the development of its apparently unlimited resources, the open- ing up of an unknown and unexplored region, and making possible what was heretofore considered impossible b}-- the prospector^ — by building the trail from Port Valdez to the Yukon. I beg to suggest that the general course of "the trail from where it nows ends should be about N. 20° E. var. N. 28° 30' E. until the Chestochena River is crossed. This will carry it along the west side of the Copper River, dry footing, with the intention of crossing the Klu- tena about 8 miles above Copper Center, at what is known as "Moses' Rock," and would cross the Tazlena River about 1 mile from the Copper. The country between the Gakona and the Chestochena ; ivers (with the exception of a strip about 8 miles wide along the Copper) is entirely too wet and swampy for a trail. GEOLOGY OF THE ALASKAN JUNGE. There are but few carboniferous indications on the western slope, although some coal float appears on the head waters of the Oakona and Chestochena rivers. This is a glance coal of high luster, which I suppose belongs to a vein that extends from Kenai northeasterly through Alaska and across the Yukon. There are no tabled or blanketed lodes and veiy little conglomerate. On the eastern slope of the range are to be found glistening silicious deposits of no mineral value. There is also to be found a contact of micacious slate and gmnite. There are also some unreasonably large lodes of miner^^isjgid quartz running in COPPEB RIVER EXPLORIKG EXPEDITION. 137 and with this range, but of low grade. They carrj' little gold, iron, and considerable lead and silver, with sulphides of copper. I also found some spectacular iron and some placer gold. I have great confidence in the future developments of the mineral resources of this region when made accessible by a public highway. THE COPPER RIVER VALLEY. This va,lley has the appearance of once having been a vast inland sea. It has a gravel bottom to an unknown depth and is generally undu- lating and covered with a heavy growth of spruce. Its climate is pleasant and dry in summer, cold and dry in winter. Summer and winter in t'ais region come very suddenly. According to a weather record kept by H. M. Stewart, formerly of Rochester, N. Y., the temperature varied at Copper Center in the spring of 1899 from 30° below to 20° above zero in twenty -four hours. This change was sub- stantial; birds bej^n to arrive and sing; flowers to bloom, and there was no frost. In parts of the valley where the soil is sufficiently dry and where the moss and timber has been burned is found a very heavy growth of nutritious bunch grass. Owing to this and the climatic con- ditions of the valley, I believe that wheat could be successfully raised. The dry atmosphere, the long, warm days of summer, the light snow fall in winter are in direct conti*ast to the damp summers and heavy winter snows of the coast. It is evident that the Copper River Valley is at least 25° warmer in winter than the valley of the Yukon. Bird^ found in the Copper River Valley. — Widgeon, summer, mal- lard, green and blue winged teal ducks; black duck (very large, with blue, flat bill); grebe; loon; black or jack snipe; field or high- land plover; grouse or spruce hen, which are smaller than the Pacific coast grouse of lower latitudes, have no feathers on their feb^, and remain in the trees as long as the snow is on the ground. The}' are not hooters. InsecU found in the Copper River Vall^t/. — Beetles: A vai'iety of small beetles are found. Ants: Small red and black ants are found in dry, sandy ground. Bees: There is a small bumblebee, which acts and looks very much like a honeybee; in fact, it would be common to mistake it for a honeybee, as has been done by other explorers. I myself have not seen a honeybee in Copper River Valley. These little bumblebees live in the high, dry banks of streams. Our horses were f i-equently attacked by them while traveling along the high banks of the Copper. Mammals fotmd in the Copper Rher Valley. — Moose: Very scarce and \.ild. Caribou: To be found in small droves or families in the foothills; not very plentiful. Mountain sheep r- bighorn: Quite plentiful in the old Alaskan Range. Mountain goat: Found near the 138 OOPPEB BIVBR EUPLOBIKG EXPEDITION. Pi tops of the Coast Mountains. Silver-tipped grizzly: Found ii> the valleys and mountains of the interior. White spot on throat; tip ends of hairi) white; inner coat black. They are very ferocious and give chase to man in defense of their young. SCENERY. No route exists that equals the grandeur and beauty of the scenery found on the trail from Valdez through the valley of the Copper to the Tanana Kiver, Alaska. It is a treat to the lover of natural scenery to hie himself away to the pleasant recesses of these Coa.c Mountains on a warm summer day and drink nectar ''fit for the gods" from the cool streams. He can almost persuade himself that little gnomes have deposited diamonds therein to enhance the beauties thereof. Preci- pices — perpendicular walls reaching to astonishing and dizzy heights, wltere the eaglet is taught his first lesson — loom up before you. We find ourselves vainly endeavoring to comprehend* the immensity of these grand and sublime surroundings, trying to realize that the vast waterfalls pouring over the bluffs with continuous roar are fed by melting snows and glaciers far above and miles away. Truly this Coast Range is one vast collection of waterfalls. They roar you to sleen, rumble in your ears until you awake to feast your eyes on their spreading spray and, speechless with admiration, you stand and gaze at the beautiful and variegated colors of their rainbows. Addison M. Poweix. Capt. W. R. Abercrombie, Second United States Infantt^^ Commanding Capper River Exploring Esepedition. ■M BEFORT OF MS. SDWABD OILLETTE, ENaiNEEB OF COFFEE SIYER EZFLORING EXFEDITION. The southern coast of Alaska affords very few good harbors. This appears to be greatly due to the fact that all streams emptying into the ocean carry vast quantities of silt and earthy matter, which, quickly depositing as the ocean is reached, forms numerous deltas and fills up the neighboring coast line to such an extent that sufficient depth of water for ordinary vessels, especially at low water, is seldom obtained. From the shore bock into the interior the coast range presents few practicable routes. Nearly all the canyons and drainages along these mountains are filled with ice and where the natural routes into the interior, as a rule, would be found, an absolutely prohibitory condition for travel exists* The stupendous masses of mountains and ice-filled canyons and valleys back of the green wooded islands along the sea- coast, while forming probably the grandest scenery on this continent, gives no encouragement to the explorer or engineer in search of a practicable route for a railroad into the interior of the country, com- bined with that of starting from a good harbor. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ROUTES FROM SEATTLE, WASH., TO 8KAGWAY AND VALDEZ, ALASKA. The route from Seaitle to Skugway, commonly called the inside passage, is well known from the fact that mo^t of the Alaskan and Klondike trade has been conducted this way. Until recently it was thought that the future development of central Alaska would be gov- erned by this route, which passes through some 400 miles of foreign country, and, therefore, subject to government over which the United States has no control. The discoveries made recently at Valdez, Alaska, of an excellent harbor, and the practicability of a good railroad line from this point to the Yukon River and the gold country of the North- west, makes the comparison of the routes invoUtJ one of great com- mercial interest. The chief objections to the inside passage are its impracticability for sailing vessels (the cheapest method of freight transportation), the dangers to navigation of the tortuous narrows and delays caused by boing obliged to wait at certain places for a favorable time of tide in order to make the passage. A high rate of insurance is maintained on vessels and cargoes taking this route. Its value in the future will probably be mainly that for local freight and tourists' travel. The prevalence of dense fogs along this coast makes the nar- row and crooked channels especially dangerous for navigation The 130 140 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. chief guide for the pilots is the echoes from the neighboring hills when the whistle is sounded. In Seymour Narrows, on the east side of Vancouver Island, the velocity of the current reaches as high a rate as 30 miles per hour in the spring tide, while at all seasons steamers wait for a favorable time in the tides to make the passage. The swift current in the narrows is caused by the flow of the tides in the Gulf of Georgia on the south and Queen Charlotte Sound on the north, being suddenly forced into the very narrow passage connecting the two large bodies of water. The outside or open-sea route to Valdez Bay is entirely different. After passing through Puget Sound to the ocean a direct course is laid for Meiklejohn Straits, the entrance to Prince William Sound, at the head of which Valdez is located. Maxi- mum speed can be maintained at all times by this route and freight carried to Alaska at the mininmm price, which will exercise the greatest influence on the future welfare and development of the country. The distance from Seattle to Skagway is 1,050 miles; from Seattle to Valdez, 1,250 miles. This difference is practically offset by the unimpeded passage of the outside route. Valdez being 415 miles west and 120 miles north of Skagway, this port is that much nearer central Alaska than Skagway and 200 miles nearer by railroad to what is known as the Forty Mile country. The ruling question, however, being cheap freights, the element of fast time is not so important a matter as that of furnishing supplies to miners and prospectors at the lowest prices possible. Insurance rates afford a fair index of the comparative safetj' of the two routes, those on the inside passage being double that of the outside passage. VALDEZ BAY. Valdez Bay (86), situated at the head of Prince William Sound, in .atitude 61° 5' 56", longitude 146° 27' 34", is a body of water some 10 miles long by 4 miles wide. This bay is open the entire year, no ice fonning anywhere except for a short distance from the mouth of Lowe River, the extreme head, where the fresh water forms at times a comparatively thin skim of ice for a short distance from the shore. The south side of the bay affords the best place for shipping. Here no large streams have dumped their silt and gravel, and but short wharves will have to be built to secure any depth desired. The shore line also affords the best foundation for mills and railroad terminals. Small streams cut their way through the solid rock at intervals along this shore, affording a magnificent supply of pure water, with any pressure, quickly secured, for service for domestic or power purposes. On the east and north sides of the harbor mud fiats exist (149), formed by the detritus brought down Lowe River, a lake stream, and the numerous streams caused by the meltina" of Valdez and other glaciei's in the immediate vicinity. Wherw the ;:.all town of Valdez has been COPPER BIVEB EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 141 hastily built there i.s danger at any time of having the Imildiii^'s .swept into the bay by the swift and quitrkly changing channels fonned by the numerous streams flowing from uncertain and ever-changing parts of the immense Valdez Glacier, situated some 4 miles north of the town. An occurrence of this natui'e would doubtless cause the loss of many lives. THE RAIliROAn ROUTE. It appearing therefore that the only pi-acticable point for establish- ing the business of this port was on the south side of the bay, a pre- liminary examination of the country from here was made to determine the best route from the harbor to the summit of the abrupt coast range. This rd nge of mountains along the coast appears like a barrier to the interior, and consists of a succession of huge pinnacles, com- monly called a saw-looth range, with the depressions tilled with vast masses r-f ice, forming glaciers which extend at times into the sea. At the sight of these glaciers, filling the canyons and coming well up on the sides of the mountains, it is difficult to conceive of a more ''orbid- ding and impracticable country to locate a railroad line across. A quick glance at the surroundings of the harbor assures one that up Lowe River the only possible route exists, and this at first sight appears anything but promising. However, as one journeys up the broad smooth valley of the river for some 12 miles, the country shows itself built on a larger scale than first appeared. The upper end of this valley seems to be surrounded by high mountains, but on reach- ing the extreme end a canyon is discovered coming in sharply from the left, and the mountain range is found split down to nearly a level with the outside valley. This gorge has been named Keystone Canyon. It is 3 miles in length and connects the upper and lower valleys of Lowe River. This upper valley is similar tt> the lower one in that it is broad and flat and covered for the mcst part to a considerable depth with gravel suited to make the best roadbed or ballast for railroad purposes. This flat is commonly known as Dutch Valley, and is 5 miles long by about 1 mile in width. At the upper end Lowe River is found to have made a small canyon for itself, which extends some 10 miles to the head of the stream. At this divide, called Marshall Pass, the drainage basin of Copper River is reached at an elevation of only 1,700 feet above sea level, and the coast range is passed. The approach to this summit on the north is a broad tpble-land interspersed with numerous little lakes. Beyond this summit the route would fol- low down Tasnuna River on the north side to Copper River, and thence up that stream through Woods Canyon to the great open val- ley beyond, from which points on the Tanana River, Forty Mile, and the Yukon are reached with comparatively light work and easy grade. From Dutch Valley, however, on Lowe River, it was deemed best, in 142 OOPl'ER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. order to save distance and avoid the heavy work in Woods Canyon on Copper River, to make the climb to Thompson Pass, where the trans- Alaskan trail crosses the divide, and proceed from here in a more direct route across the western drainage of Copper River, hold- ing the elevation obtained and avoiding the heavy rockwork, low ele- vation, and greater distance involved in the route to Copper River via Marshall Pass. The development of the country in the future will probably neces- sitate a railroad line over both routes. The lino as surveyed has been so placed as to command both routes without loss of distance or grade. From Dutch Valley to Thompson Pass the elevation to be overcome is 2,000 feet. Fortunately for the success of this route, the. side wall of the valley is formed by a succession of flats called "benches," which are from 60 to 500 yards wide and afford a most excellent opportunity to support a x'uilroad line and furnish all the room desired to develop distance and reach the summit with practically any grade desired. An examination of the country from Thompson Pass down to tide water showed two possible routes, one lieing a supported line direct from '^ho summit to tide water, the other by developing a line along the benchei^ until the valley of Ijowe River was reached, from which point the water grade of the stream would be followed to the bay. The direct route from the summit down, while about (5 miles shorter, involved engineering features of imch magnitude that it was quickly abandoned. The main features of this route would be the crossing of several glacier streams, requiring bridges of spans varying from 500 to 1,000 feet in length and 700 to 800 feet above the streams, as well as costly rock- work along the steep cliffs, unavoidable in establishing any practicable gradient. THE RAILROAD SURVEY. It therefore being determined to develop a line along the benches and reaching the valley of Lowe River as soon as practicable, I com- menced a survey at the summit in order to command to the best advan- tage the country below. A maximum equated grade of 3 per cent and 10-degree curves was adopted and the line run on this basis for 12 miles, at which point the smooth flats along the rivers were reached. From here to the harbor a 1 per cent grade or less was easily secured. The character of the line surveyed is as follows: Each mile of the road being called a section, and the sections numbered f rova the terminal on the bay to a point just beyond the summit, sections 1 and 2 are located close to the shore line and require heavy work in grading. The cuts and fills average 10 feet in height. The material would all classify as solid and loose rock, the cuts furnishing most of the material for the fills. The roadbed at this place should be wide enough for a double track, and later additional tracks could be laid as the business of the COPPER RIVER' EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 148 line may demand. The next 11 milcH iH practically all tangent, and follows up the valley of Lowe River. The work on the^o sections is all in embankment and extremely light. No fill as deep as 10 feet occurs, and an average embankment of 4 feet places the roadbed safely above the highest flood. The material for making the fill on this stretch of line consists of loose gravel, unlimited in quantity and con- venient of access. On section 3 the largest bridge on the lino will be required for the crossing of Lowe River. This stream flows from 10,000 to 12,000 cubic feet per second in the high-water season, the volume of water gradually decreasing until late in the fall, when the flow has reduced itself to 300 cubic feet or less per second. In providing for the maximum flow a bridge consisting of two spans of 200 feet each is recommended. From section 3 to the beginning of section 14 the line is located along the north side of the valley and crosses several side channels of the river. The flat through which the river runs is fully a mile wide on the average, and here the stream has been accustomed to make its own channels at will, sometimes spread- ing out in niunberless channels and again confining itself to a single passage. The valley is so wide and the drainage basin of Lowe River so comparatively small that the flow of the stream can never cover the entire valley. In a few places dikes should be constructed to guide the water away from the roadbed, where it will soon cut a permanent channel and be no menace to the railroad. The material for the fill should be borrowed from the north side of the line, away from the river, leaving a berm or the natural surface of the ground for a dis- tance of 100 feet from the base of the embankment. This will form a channel for all the side drainage in this locality, which will be guided directly to the bay, thus saving any bridges or openings from section 3 to section 14. Sections 14, 16, and 16 are in Keystone Canyon and constitute all the canyon work of the entire line tq the summit and for a considerable distance beyond. In Key' 0*^6 Canyon the mother rock of the country shows up to good advu {^. It is all slate, as is the case with all rock observed on the line. Its cleavage is nearly vertical and easy to drill, except where small seams of quartz exist. The Hiate rock on the south side of the summit is firm and solid as a rule, but on the north side it is very much disintegrated. The construction of the line through the 3 miles of Keystone Canyon will be fairly heavy canyon work, somewhat similar to the average of the work through the Black Canyon of Gunnison River, on the Denver and Rio Grande Rail- way, in Colorado. The bed of the canyon varies from 100 to 500 feet in width. There were no marks of very high water in any part of the canyon — in fact, the vegetation growing on the low bottoms, consist- ing of grass, brush, and trees, indicates that, as a rule, the water does not rise more than 4 feet in nearly the v^bple lepgth of the canyon. 144 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. ,i ( KoyHtono Canyon w entered by going through a low pa«H hi a spur divide, which forms the west side of the mouth of the canyon. This shortens the line, saves very sharp curvature, and places the roadbed safe from the wash of the river. The west side of the canyon fur- nishes the better route to near the head, as the east wall is more abrupt and would require the heaviest character of rockwork in order to cut a roadbed along the almost peipendicular slopes. The line therefore follows the west side to the head of the canyon and is located for the most part on the talus formed by the loose rock at the foot of the walls and a)K)ut 16 feet a>)ove low water. The sidehill or side-wall cuts will make alnnit two-thirds of the fills, the balance of the material being obtained from the gravel bars, which, as a rule, are wpll above the water line and close to the roadway. There is but little side drainage to the canyon, and this is easily provided for by small culverts, with the exception of Waterfall Creek, which crosses the line on section 14. This little stream forms a beautiful cascade, with of several hun- dred feet in height, and finally buries itself ia the ock at the base of the canyon wall. Some .50 feet distant from the line this stream will require a bridge of three 16-foot spans. The profile of the line through the canyon shows short cuts and fills and sidehill work to prevail. For a quarter of a mile, about the middle of the canyon, narjfows are formed by the side walls being nearer together. Here heavy rock- work is essential, and the abrupt walls for 50 to 75 feet in height will have to be cut down in order to secure room for the roadbed. At the head of the canyon the river, dashing against a perpendicular wall of ro<;k, is sharply deflected to the left for 600 feet, and then gradually assumes its general direction, which it follows closely to the mouth of the canyon. This abrupt turn in the river necessitates a crossing of the stream, which requires a span of about 150 feet and a sharp cut through a rocky point on the opposite side. The natural abutments on both sides of the stream make this point a favorable one to bridge it. Passing on from the bead of the canyon a quarter of a mile the river comes in more from the right and another crossing is made in order to place the line on the smooth part of the valley, free from any effect of washing currents, and to get to the best point from which to commence the climb to the summit. By crossing the river at the head of the canyon the light curvature of the line is maintained, and the only point along the route where the snow slides would be trouble- some to the maintenance of the line is avoided. On section 17, at the lower end of the upper valley we have now entered, the line is located along the edge of a bluff from 10 to 60 feet in height, com- posed of gravel and sand, and furnishing an excellent opportunity to cheaply secure what gravel is necessary to ballast the roadbed beyond. On section 18 a glacier stream is encountered close to the point where the Trans- A-lftskan military road makes a crossing by means of COPPEB BIVEB BXPLOBINO EXPEDITIoy. 145 a bridgn, consiHtiii^ of two HpuiiN of HO tiiid 24 feot, 8upporiod on Htoiio- filled cribs, and 10 foot abovo low wiittu* (46). THIh will rociuiro a bridgo of 76-f{»ot span for tho railroad. As all tho l>rid}^0H on tho military road successfully withstood tho high wattn* of 181H), this fact is considorod of considorablo itnportanco in furnishing data from which to establish the gmdo line and length of spjin necessary for tho railroad crossing. Tho light gi-ado so far maintained of 50 feet |)er mile or loss ends on section 10 and a heavy-grade division iK^gins tho climb to tho summit. Near tho foot of this heavy grade the last gla- cier stream is (srossod (62). This will require a bridge 150 f(?et long. Tho gradu from horo for 2 miles follows closely the military road, then swings to tho right along a fairly smooth sido hill and approat^hes closely tho outlet of tho upper canyon of Lowe River. This part of the lino, consisting of sections 19 to 22, inclusive, gives comparatively light side-hill work, the cIm ^sification in cuts being one-third loose ro(;k, one-fourth solid roc Is, and tho balance pick and shovel work. On section 22 timber line is reached at an elevation 1,050 feet a))ove sea level. From this point to tho summit tho lino follows up the benches, making turns on tho broad parts of the flat and gradually supporting to the next bench above. All the work from section 22 to section 30 is practically side-hill excavation, with light cuts and fills, except at tho points of swinging on to the flats alwve, where a few cuts 10 to 20 feet deep and about 200 feet long are unavoidable. On sections 25, 27, and 30 crossings of a sido drainage are made, which will require trestles from 60 to 70 feet in height by froni :.yn) to 150 feet in length. These are tho highest bridges on the line and can be replaced in the future by culverts, as tho drainage basin involved is of limited area, so that no great volume of water has to be pro- vided for. The benches crossed are covered for the most part with a dense growth of alder brush, which extends up the sides of the moun- tain 1,000 feet above timber line. From here to the summit moss and grass are the only vegetation grown. From section 30 to Thompson Pass, on section 32, the route conforms to the second bench from the summit, the slope of which is practically that of the grade adopted and consequently a light fill, easy work, and curvature is here obtained. On section 32 the crossing of the sharp ridge of the summit is made with the grade line 126 feet lower than the pass. This necessitates a tunnel from 400 to 600 feet in length and starts the line well on its way down Ptarmigan Creek, a tributary of Tiekell River, one of the principal streams flowing into Copper River from the west. To find a practicable line from tide water over the summit of the Coast Range has always been considered the key to the interior country, and this, in connection with a good harbor for all kinds of vessels, is what has heretofore been undiscovered in spite of the earnest andexhaustiva S. Doc. 306 10 w ipi li i 1 14fi copi*j:« river exploring expedition. seivi'ch iiiado for .same, lioyond the Coant Kangc the interior of Alaska from Thoiiipison Pass has been reported '>y all explorers as present! Mj:^ no great obstacles for the location and construction of a railroad line on reasonably light grade, good alignment, and moderate cost of constru<^tion. I GAUOK OK UAILROAD. To reduce th«' cost of construction on this railroad route to a mini- mum, it • i recommended that the line be ■ 'onstructed on a 3-foot gauge. There is no question in Alaska of n connectioi; with other Kiilroads having a different gauge, where transfer of freight is essen- tial. The vifail point is to build a good line, f'rst, upon the best loca- tion the country affords; secondly, with us little money as possible invested, so that the line (!an be operated to good advantage and sup- plies moved at the minimum cost. It is conceded that the paying freights on a narrow-gauge line bears a greater percentage to the load moved than is the case on standard-j^auge routes. In the grading of the line a nari'ower roadlxd is assured, and this vdone makes a vapt saving in (luantities and , li) degrees. Elevation of sunnnit White Pass and Yukon Railway, 2,880 feet. Elevation of sununit Vakkv; route, ^,550 feet, or 1,700 feet via Marshall Pass. Besides th(\ above, it is understood that the White Pass and Yukon Railroad is handicapped greatly in its operation !)y snowslidcs. On the Yaldez route this serious impediment to travel has been practically eliminated by the jwculiar formation of the (country and the careful placing of the line. The very importarit condition is alio obtained (or this country in having a route entirely in Tnited States territory, aud 41 f COPPEK RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 147 3rior of orers as ion of u lodemte thus avoiding all tho complications rcHiiltinjji; from (Midoavoring to develop a vast territory full of mineral wealth across iOO miles of foreign soil. Valdez Harbor and the route via Keystone Canyon to t\w divide furnishes the most practicable and (>coiiomical rout<^ for the develop- ment of central Alaska, and bids fair to more than hold its own for the fi'eight business of Dawson and vicinity. Wi*h a iine harbor open the year around and a railroad route comparativel}^ free from block- ades, built on lighter grades and curvature than the other route, Valdez may well lay claim to being th<^ main gateway for vVlaska comnjerce. llUaiNKSS. The trade of central Alaska is comparati\'ely an unknown quantity at the present time. A greater part of this region has 3'et to be explored and then pi-ospected. Rumor has always given this countrj' the reputation of having vast mineml deposits of copper ore, and this is being demonstrated as a fact by the few prospectors and explorers who have examined a small part of this territory. Gold mining on Foi-ty-Mile Creek has assumed quite an importance, and a few recent discoveries of gold south anr' west of the above-named place indicate that there will l)e several new gold mining districts developed in the near future. The great di*ainage basin of Tanaiia River will be made cheaiily acce^ssible, and Copper River, with all of its tributaries, will be brought close to the United States in point of tune and clu^ipnes!-- of transportation. A main line of railway from Valdez co the Yukon will command a large amount of freight now going b}' other routes and greatly stim- ulate the settlement and developnunfcof a vast country. Bran<'h lines will later be constructed to accommodate the ])usiness resulting from the discovery of copper ai;.l gold in this highly mineializcd section. Discoveries of coal rec* utly made at several points will (expedite the Avork of opening up this region. Vv hat discoveries will be mad(^ the coming season no one can foretell, but it is my belief that a i-ailway construcied immediately over the route as indicated would have a pay- ing business as soon as it could be opened for trax'cl and f »'eiglit. Thousands of miles of protitjible railway have been built in the rnited States in less promising regions. VAT.uk of this nOUTR TO THE IINITKI) STATKS. It is of considerable value to this country in iiaving this niiiin route for transportation within its own territory' and, const^juently, juris- diction. Some of tho many complications which have arisen in the Canadian Northwest Territory will be eliminated, and Alaska devt^loped 148 COPPER BIVEB EXPLORING EXPEDITION. without the hindrance or consent of a foreign country. This deseiTes our patriotic consideration. Our prospectors will have an opportunity of getting into the region at the^'li^ad of the Tanana River and its eastern tributaries, and on soil belonging to the United States. With a competent competing route to Dawson that country would be greatly benefited, and would aid in the settlement of pending questions with the Canadian Government. 8TCX)K KAISING AND FARMING. Development of the country in the nature of farming and stock rais- ing depends mainly upon the local market. In many sections of the country hay can be harvested cheaply and in great quantities, and all demands of this country in the future can be met by the local produc- tion. 1 have seen quite a variety of vegetables grown here. The soil is exceedingly productive, and I believe that the hardy farmei-s from Norway and Sweden would succeed in fai'ming here as successfully as in their own country. WATER. There is the greatest abundance of pure water everywhere. The streams are filled with trout. Gravity pipe lines can be laid at almost any point desired, quickly securing the necessary fall to fill the water tanks along the railway line and for any other power desired. TIMBER. There is abundance of timber along Prince William Sound and in the interior, sufficient to furnish a good quality of material for ties, bridging, and all wood construction in general. While the trees do not grow to such size as is the case farther south, timber 3 feet in diameter is no unusual occurrence, and great forests of a good growth and size for ties extend over a large area in the interior. The nature of the timber is that of the fir, spruce, hemlock, and pine. I I CX)8T OP LINE. Grading: 2 miles along Valdez Bay, including terminals $100, 000 11 DQ'lea along the sn^ooth valley of Lowe River 55, 000 3 miles in Keystone Canyon 100,000 3 miles in Dutch Valley 20, 000 12 miles to summit along benches 100, 000 1 mile crossing summit, including 500-foot tunnel 40, 000 416,000 Bridging .• $100,000 32 miles of rails, 56 pounds steel per yard, 3,500 tons, at $40, delivered 140, 000 COPPER BIVEB EXPLOKING EXPEDITION. 149 90,000 ties, at 33icente 30,000 For laying tracks, engineering expenses, water tanks, and buildings outaide of terminals 68,500 Total 753,500 Or $22,631 per mile. The prices here used are from 25 to 50 per cent higher than is the average elsewhere in the United States. Such a line in our Western country, built upon a 15-foot roadway on fills and 20 feet in cuts would cost not more than $16,000 per mile. A direct line from Valdez to Fort Egbert, on the Yukon River, is 310 miles long. Allowing 350 miles for the length of the railway would afford all the diversion required from a direct line. The cost of the entire line, with equipment, ready for business, will not exceed $20,000 per mile. The members of the expedition detailed on this special work were C. £. Worthington, transit man; J. S. Grinnell, assistant transit man and leveler; B. H. Topping, rodman; D. B. Creek, J. Ingram. Oscar Johnson, axman and flagman; and Christopher Tjosvig, as cook. The pack train of the expedition moved camp as desired, and kept the same well supplied with f Ov^d. Respectfully submitted. Edward Gillette. GENERAL SKETCH OF THE UPPER TANANA AND ITS WATERSHED. (For reference, see Map of €opper Kiver Exploring ExpediUon, 1899.) i Hi OUTLINE. The general outline of the Upper Xanana Basin bears some resem- blance to an elongated horseshoe, with its immense glacier at the south end as the toe. The main valley is about 40 miles in length' and varies from 2 to 7 miles in width, being broadest about 12 miles below the glacitu" and narrowest at its lower end. It is surrounded by moun- tains in every direction except toward the north, where a view of the cours(5 of the Tanana for 70 miles can be obtained, the river winding through heavily wooded foothills in that direction. Of the valley space, from about one-sixth to one-third is taken up by the r> or (a large body of water of glacial origin heading in an immense glaci'^r at the bead of the valley). It has a very wide bottom and is divided into numerous comparatively shallow streams (with a current of about 7 miles per hour), occ8;Sjionally cutting into its tim- bered banks and leaving the original bottom nearly dry. The remain- der of the valley space i.s occupied by foothillf of glacial debris (momine), and in some instances country rock. Veiy few swamps of any extent exist, the valley having a fairly good drainage and the tributary strc^ams ji<'nei"all3'^ consisting of merely rocky torrents cut- ting through deep !h>k canyons. The mountain ranges decrease in altitude toward the north and increase toward the south until theii' highest point is reached, which appears to be the Wrangell group, three distinct spurs of which gi'oap are discernible from the Tanana range. On the east side of the river ^he range is a series of ragged, precipitous peaks, like the teeth of a saw, imd to all appearance no paso exists over them for 30 miles below the glacier. On the west side the mountains are of the dome-shaped and sugar-loaf variety, having many terraced slopes and are crossed by pa8so^ it numerous points. GENERAL GE« >fX)OICAL FEATURES. The general formatioi) tends southeast to northwest, having a dip of about 20^ to the northeast. It is composed of limes of the Upper Silurian and Lower Carboniferous groups, on the west side having an unconformable capping of basalt and on the east side a similar capping of white marble. That volcanic action has been pi'evalent to a large extent is evinced by the large number of contortions and faults existing 160 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 151 in tho formations. The country is traversed by a nuniher of dikes of intrusive granite, dolerite, and porpiiyry, the last named heavily impregnated with the sulphides of iron, copper molybdenium, and, in some instances, lead. Native copper is found in stringers and also in the creek bottoms as float ; also small pieces of coal of the lignitic variety. TIMBER. The country is heavily timbered by spruce, cottonwood, l)irch, )>alm of Gilead, and quaking aspen. The spruce is of exceptionally good quality for the interior, trees ol' a diameter of 18 inches being fairly common. During the last sunnuer a number of boats were built in this vicinity by prospectors and by them taken down the rivers. Grass is abundant, generally of the redtop variety, and exists in patches of 40 acres and upward, growing to an average height of 15 iru'lies. Wild berries of various kinds are common, of which the following are some varieties : Currants, red and black ; blueberries, raspberries, dewberries, cranberries, and, on the mountain side, crow berries. MAMMALS, ETC. Fox, caribou, moose, bear (cinnamon, black, and silver tip), beaver, and porcupine are met with, while sheep of the bighorn variet}'^ are plentiful. Flocks of 50 sheep are not uncommoii. Fish arc plentiful in clear-water streams, trout and grayling being most commonly met with. The salmon do not run down to the Tanana head waters. Ptarmigan are plentiful in the winter and spring ; C'anada grouse and pheasant during the summer months. The moor duck, mallard, and grebe, also geese, can be found nesting about every lake. AGRIOULTUKAL. Potatoes, beets, turnips, radishes, and anions of the hardy varieties would thrive. Of the cereals, oats, I'ye, and probably Russian wheat would do well. SKETCH OP TRAIL, (COPPER RIVER KASIN TO UPPER TANANA »A8IN. TRAIL VIA IIACKKNEHA CREEK TO MAIN TANANA. Leaving the old trail at Cache Creek, at the point where Lieutenant Lowo left a cache in 1898, and following the foothills of Mount Sanford in a northeasterly direction, the trail proceeds through scattering timber and at a distance of 10 miles crosses a cHar-water stream some 20 feet wide, keeping between Cornwall ridge and the foothills and still keeping the same coui"se, crosses a rapid glacier stream, 2 feet deep, at a distance of 9 miles. 152 COPPER BIVEB EXPLORING EXPEDITION. !| Between Cache Creek and the glacier stream the trail passes several small lakes on the right and left hand sides. About 2 miles beyond the glacier stream the trail descends toward the Copper River, which at this point is visible, as is also a gap in the Suslota Range, bearing N. 80° E., and striking tlie Copper River at a point about 8 miles above the Slahna Rivviir, crosses on a gravelly bottom, making an easy ford; then bearing east for a mile strikes the regular Indian trail at the mouth of Bacheneda Creek, distant 1 mile, following the creek for 2 miles, and crossing at the house of "John," an Indian chief of that district; then following the other bank for 4 miles the trail turns to the right up a bench abouJ; 150 feet high. Following this bench for 4 miles the trail forks, the right fork leading to the head waters of the Copper River, the left fork leading to Lake Tcnadev., the source of the Bacheneda, distant 15 miles. Fording t>he Backeneda at the foot of the lake the trail forks again,, the one on the right runs to the head of Lake Tenadin and then to thv3 the divide at the head of the canyon summit, 7 miles distant from the fork, following the corresponding rjanyon on the other side to the west fork of the Tanana, 9 miles from the summit. From this point the trail continues to the main river by crossing the stream, which in easily f ordable for horses. You then take the trail up a gulch due east, which you follow to the divide 8 miles distant. Continuing down the canyon you leave a small lake on the summit to the left and reach the main river 9 miles distant. On the east bank of the Tanana is a cache, which can be easily distinguished. The river is fordable at this point on gravel bottom, but not above it. ■jj^_.^„ — ^rpjjjg ^j.^.j .g serviceable as a short and direct route to the hetir .ers of Copper River and the Tanana. There is no timber on the divides or above the canyons. Pack horses can be used, but should not be heavily laden on account of the steep grades of the ascents and descents from the divides. TRAIL TO MENTA8TA LAKE VIA BACKENKDA. Branching from the mam trail at Chief John's house and bearing due north this trail keeps to high ground, crossing the Suslota 6 miles above its mouth. Still keeping to the foothill3, it follows the Slahna River to its junction with Mentasta Creek. At this point it joins the trail up the Slahna River. The trail then keeps to the right of the lake and follows the bluffs to its head, where it strikes the Mentasta Pass trail. Notes. — This is an old Indian trail, formerly extensively used. It is dry for the whole of its course, with the exception of the imme- diate bed of the Suslota and for 1 mile below its junction with the Mentasta Creek. H. Brian Peaiuson. ■ill REPORT OF OSCAR ROHH ON ES^PLORATIOK IN WRANOELL MOUNTAIN DISTRICT. r I'i GEOLOGY. The str-uctural problems presented -by the Wrangell Mountains are necessarily too complicated to permit of being solved, evon in a general way, in the limited time and opportunity which I har*. at my disposal. Particularly at this time, when I have had no opportunity to study the specimens and fossils which I. wa« abl(i to collect, all that I can otfor is a review of my field observations, hoping that they ma}' oe of somt^ use as a preliminary to further work. Northward from the Lowe River Valley, the rocks of which were examined and reported upon by Schrader, the conditions there existing continued to about as far as the divide at the head of Quartz Creek. Here were seen the first signs of volcanic intrusives and the nature of the rock was found to change to that of a series of micaceous and quartzose schists, probably corresponding to what Schrader has named the Klutena series. The contact between these two series is approxi- mately east and west and crosses the valley of the Kanata below the mouths of Ernestine and Fall creeks. The .effect of the change in the rock formation upon the topography is very marked. The forms become nmch less jagged and more rounded and regular. The range north of the Tonsena River, so far as examined, was com- posed of volcanic diabases. Judging by the irregular arrangeuient and the similarity in irregular and much rounded forms, it is probable that most of the range is of volcanic origin. At the head of the Kotsena River are found a series of very regular, nearly horizontally banded rocks, indicating in every respect bedded rock of sedimentary origin. The absence of any sign of sedimentaiy rocks in the bed of the river led me to clunb the mountains to ex- amine these rocks, and, to my surprise, I found them to be amygda- loidal, volcanic diabases, much resembling the old diabases of the Keweenawan area of Lake Superior. These regularly bedded dialiases were seen to extend across the valley to the northward, but in the val- ley beyond they become highly inclined and very irregular. They dip at first very lightly to the southward, but westward the dip becomes more and more steep, and about 2 miles from the foot of the glacier the bedding becomes highly inclined and irregular, and these rocks dip under overlying formations. The northern fork was followed for a 154 COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. loB rOELL diHtanue of about 4 luiloH through a wide canyon to the foot of the gla- cier in which it heads. The walls of this canyon consist of much decom- posed and brecciated volcanic rocks. Just at the foot of the glacier there is a heavy ledge, probably a dike of greenish diabase, which is thoroughly impregnated with iron pyrite. The iron oxide, due to the decomposition of this pyrite, stains the mountain side for ii distjince of several miles on the westerly side of the glacier. On the surface of tliis glacier I found specimens of obsidian and very vesicular lava, both red and black, and large blocks of a very regularly bedded vol- canic ash. Dikes of acid volcanics are very common. In a felsitic mass near the foot of this glacier the ''flow structure" was very marked. In one dike of very light-colored acid rock the crevices were filled with sulphur and cinnabar. Aijout a mile below the forks, on the northern side, was a mountain, very smooth and regular in outline, entirely different from those sur- rounding it. Examination showed this to be composed of a graiiitiu porphyry, which disintegrated so readily that the entire moiuitaiii side was one tjilus slope. This porphyry dips under the surrounding rcKik on all sides, and on the eastern side, where the contact was observable, itAvas seen to send out dikes and outlyers, which became finer in grain and redder in appearance as they receded from the main mass. The por- phyry is probably a boss and may readily be the source of a great num- ber of acid dikes seen to the eastward at the foot of the glacier. To the westward of this granitic mass the diabases again appear, but the bedding is here not marked, and, near the confluence of the s(H!ond northern branch of the river, they dip under sedimentary rocks at an angle of about 45 degrees. These sedimentaries are nmch disturl)ed and fractured sandstones and shales, very nmch seamed by calcitic and quartzitic veinlets. The rocks are here so disturbed and so irregular that no general dip or strike could be determined. Below the third fork, however, a very heavy bed of conglomerate appears, and this strikes in a direction nearly northwest to the southeast and dips south- westward at an angle of 30 degrees. The pebbles in this conglomerate, so far as examined, were those of sedimentary rock, mostly of the shales and sandstones just described. They were clearly waterworn and were nowhere found much affected by stretching and flowage. To the westward of this conglomerate the valley widens and I was unable to examine the rocks, but the more regular features of the mountains would tend to indicate a series of less disturbed sedimentary rocks, dipped in a general southwesterly direction. Between the foot of these mountains and the Copper River are a series of low ridges, trending in a general north and south direction and composed mainly of basic volcanic rocks. The Kotsena River runs parallel to these ridges far to the southward where it crosses them through narrow canyons. 156 COPPER RIVER EXPLOEINQ EXPEDITION. Kock8 uro expoHud in many pla<;08 along thoChottyna Kivcr and the country to tho northward. Between the Chettyna and the mountttins is a rolling humiuocky area in which small lakes and low-rounded rocky ridges are very numerous. The trend of these ridges is approximately east and west. So far as observed, the rocks of both the river and the valley northward seemed to be mostly of sedimentary origin, very much affected by dynamic action. They were so much folded and displaced that dip and strike could not be made out. One rather elevated mound, just west of the point where the trail leaves the bank of the river, is composed of a rock resembling, to a very marked degree, the magnetite actinolite schist of the Huronian formation of the Lake Superior region. This was cut by basic volcanic. Local magnetic attraction was very marked not only on this hill, but through- out the valley. The mountains bordering the valley on the north are very regular in outline, and by their uniformity in appearance would seem to indi- cate uniform structure. Where cut by the valley of the Kuskulana, the first of these is composed of hard-ringing highly-silicified grits, shales, slates, and some schists, all of which are seamed in three or more directions by veinlets of quartz and calcite. On the second creek, entering the Kuskulana from the west, I found a bowlder con- taining fossils, some of which may prove sufficiently characteristic to indicate the approximate age of these rocks. Northward, along the valley of the Kuskulana, the outlines of the mountain change very rapidly. On either side of the pass, by which we left the valley, are high peaks with smooth, regular outlines and few gulches, features characteristic of the granitic porphyrj' peaks of the area. Several of these were seen to the northward", and between them were exceedingly ragged, craggy peaks, showing tho marked bedding inclined sometimes in one direction and sometimes in another, and nowhere sufficiently regular to indicate a general dip and strike. From their resemblance to the bedded rocks at the head of the Kotsena, only a few miles dis- tant from this point, I took them to be similar and of volcanic origin. This is made more probable by the great amount of volcanic rock found in the bed of the river at the foot of the glacier. On the eastern side of the porphyry peak to the south of the pass by which we left the Kuskulana I found a contact between the porphyry and an arkose, or very impure sandstone. I was unable to determine whether the volcanic was intruded or the sandstone laid conformably upon it. Fossils collected from this sandstone may indi- cate its age. Eastward the same general conditions seemed to prevail. The broad open valley which we followed is bounded on the south by a group of mountains, probably composed, in a large measure, of sedi- mentary rocks, such as we found on first entering the valley of the Kuskulana. These, on their northern side, show the effect of volcanic COPPER BIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. .157 disturbance. Along the valley mounds of granitic porphyry are fre- quent, and the entire range to the north showM the oxveedingly ragged, craggy outlino, characteristic of the peakH at the foot of Mount Black- l)urn, both at the head of the Kotsena and the Kuskulana, and every- where showing evidences of the iri-egular ))cdding there noted. To the northeast of the l)end in the I^achena is one of these granitic boss-like mounds in which the rock has a decidedly younger appear- ance than that found farther west. Another one of these acid mounds occurs to the north of the pass from the Lachena to Root glattier. Just beyond this, northward, is a tiat mesa top, the edge of which, seen in the vertical wall of an amphitheater at the head of a small val- ley, Hhows a series of very regularly bedded rocks that can hardly be other than of sedimentary origin. The bedding is, however, no more regular than that which, at the head of the Kotsena, was found to exist in volo-anic rocks. It was impossible to reach this exposure and determine its true nature. Photographs were taken which show the bedding most beautifully. To the south of the path the mountains are ver}' ragged and irregu- lar, and present irregular bands of very light-colored material alter- nating with others which are very dark, and may be either sedimen- tary or volcanic. In all probability there are beds of both volcanic and of sedimentary origin. An isolated peak between the two great lobes of Root glacier shows the contact of a light-colored bedded rock striking approximately northwest and southeast and dipping northeast at about thirty degrees, overlying a dark-colored massive rock. This contact was traced in the mountains, both to the west and to the east of the glacier. It was again seen not only in both walls of McCarthy Creek, but also in both sides of the upper Nezena Canyon. It was impossible to reach the mountain in the forks of the glacier, but on McCarthy Creek the heavy bedded formation was found to be a dark bluish, exceedingly com- pact limestone bed from 600 to 1,000 feet thick. Where first observed it was very regular and little disturbed, but in the range between McCarthy Creek and the Nezena River it was found to be much con- torted, fractured, and -folded. In the western wall of the upper Nezena Canyon it shows great faulting and a completely recumbent fold, which was noted by Dr. Hayes. (See an Expedition through the Yukon District, by C. W. Hayes, Nat. Geog. Mag., May 15, 1892, Vol. IV, p. 140.) The rock underlying this limestone was found to be a greenish, heavy, amygdaloidal diabase. It is in this diabase that the Nicolai copper vein is found on Nicolai Creek, between McCarthy Creek and the Nezena River. The vein is formed in a fault plane near the contact between the diabase and the limestone, which \s very much fractured and disturbed. The contact between these two series of rocks which appear in the mountain between the forks of Root 108. OOPPEK RIVER EXPLDRINO EXPEDITION. •I ;l !; ^lai'ior is )K>uiiti fully hIiowii in a iuiiiiIh;!' of photo^rupliH tukun wowt- wai'd from tht> }^laci«M' and marked lH-2, 8, ^ and 5, and in i\m inoun- tttins cast of the Nc/ena it is shown by 21-2 and 8, while 21-5, G, 7 iind !> show folds in tho limestono on the western side of the Nezena. Whil(> l(H'ally tlisturlMHl, as nottnl, this contact shows a very ixM-sistiint strike and dip. in the ranjfe between McCarthy Creek and the Nezena liivei- then* was found to the northward of the limestone and seemingly confonn- ably upon it, a jfrc4it thickness of thickly Ijedded, very mi.i 1; folded shale and slat*'. The effect of this upon the topography is very marked. The mountains composed of this rock are charai terized by regular pymmidal outlines with f<5W gulches. They arq beautifidly illustrated in the views numl)ered 19-3, 4 and 5. From the same p(Mik on which these were taken, cast of the head of McCai'thy Creek, photographs numliered 10-7, S and I) t>eautifully illustrate the luulding in the mnge to the northwest. At the very top of this peak a con- glomerate is found upon the shale, which grades upwarfl ito an impure sandstone similar to that which is found unconform ■'•'; "i the truncated limestone and volcanics in the western wall of the Nezena Canyon, opposite Nicolai Creek. At this point the mountains pre- sent a flat, uuvsa-liko top covered with this latter sandstone: The suc- cession, therefore, seems to be a series of old amygdaloidal diiilmses. Upon these a great thickness of limestone, shales, slates, and sand- stone,, and unconformably upon this recent sandstone, which in turn seems to be overlain to the north by more recent volcanics. Dr. Hayes suggests that this limestone is probably of carboniferous age. The later sandstone here found resembles that found just oast of the Kuskulana. Fossils were found at both of these points, and it is hoped that they may prove sufficiently characteristic to determine the age of the sandstone. The mountains to the south of the exposures of limestones and diabases are composed of light-colored, often red- dish, rocks, which ma}'^ be the continuation of the sandstones and later sedimentaries, or they may be, in large part, intrusive volcanics, possibly l)oth. In the ridge inmiediately west of the foot of the Nezena glacier were found exposures of a diabase amygdaloidal volcanic, similar to that just described farther south. This was, however, much faulted and folded, and its occurr(Mice at this point may be due to displacement. Northv-ard, and beginning in the ridge between the two western lobes of the glacier, ai"e a series of light-colored, more or less crystalline, recent volcanics. These rocks seem always to bo more or less bedded, and constitute almost the only material carried in the moi^aine of the. glacier, both on the northerly and' southerly side of the summit. It maj' be that it is such rooks as these that constitute the bedded rocks noted in the high range from Mount Blackburn east. On the north- OOVi BR RIVKR KXI'LORINO EXPEDITION. 169 urn Mido of tho ^lacur, alxxit 7 or S iiiiluH from tho 8Uininit, tho youiijj;(ir ainy^duloidal diutHiHOH })GgU\ to apiM!ur, )>ut tho niouiituiii innni'diately north ol tii« f(K)tof th« jflucier \h niad«5 up of voth a very dark and a l>right red color. This niountahi proHuntw tho bt^ddod apiMMiranco and tht? poi-u- liar jaggod tojK)graphy notod in sovoral pcalcH on tho sununit, and been named in honor of Socretjirj of \Var Root. This 1,-., next to thi:, Nezena, the largest glacier of the entire area. The stream which drains this area rises to the surface as a huge spring beyond the foot of the moraine. T)ie drainage on the southerly and westerly sides of M»)unt Hlacklnxrn gathers into the Kuskulana glacier. To the wcistwardof Blacklnirn and W'-angell the gladers are smaller and give rise to numerous streams which carry the drainage of this ai-ea to the Copper River. Northward from Wrangell a lobe finds its way into the Sanford. The lustern side of Wrangell and the southern sidp of the range east o!" Blackburn undoubtedly contain some large glaciers, as shown by the nature of the Nal>osna River, to which they give rise. Those, however, were not seen. e Nezena hich rises ither two form the 1 of snow lorn faces reat niasH d, is over ho jjlsicior On the tie smooth acier. 1 jflaciers VLcCarthy c !)otween t upon the ■y of \Var the entire as a huge southerly Kuskulana flac iei's are e dvainapfo igcll a lobe ;ell and the Uy contakn a Kiv(U', to REPORT OF EDWARD CASHMAN. in compliance with your request, 1 have the honor to submit the following report of my trip to Woods Cunyoa, after the 13 horse.s loft there. I left Valdez October 18, with four co'upanions. One of them, Charles Anderson, made the trip fiom the Sawmill Camp on the Klutena River to Soldiers' Camp on Low River in one and one-iialf days. V-'^'e had two days' supplies. The first day we camped at Dutch Camp on the Lowe River. The second d&y we stopped with the soldiers, who were cutting trail. The trail from Valdez to the Soldi^jrs' Camp was \'ery good. The third day wo left camp ac S o'clock and at half past 10 Ave were on top of the divide. The trail up the divide was clear of brush and on the top was level. On our left was a small blutf and a small lake. We were about the middle of the lake when we saw a bear. We shouted at him and he ran up the blutf. We soon saw him coming down on the run and watched him till he came around the lake toward us. We started to run. I was in front and had the only Aveapon in the crowd, a small hand hatchet. We ran about 50 yards when 1 looked back to see how far away the bear was and saw him running awa\'. We were going through the pass when we saw another bear sitting on a rock, but he did not trouble us, nor we him. Wo arrived at the banks of a large river at 1 o'clock. We camped for the rest of the day and looked for some flour which the soldiers told us was there. We could find none, and the next A&y l)roke camp at 8 o'clock. AVe went down the valley about 2 miles and started through a small canyon to our left. In going through the canyon we broke through the ice several times, my boots getting full of water, and Avhen we got through the canyon we found a small glac'ier. It took us from 11 until 4 o'clock to cross it. We traveled through 2 feet of snow. It was snowing all the time. When we got off the glacier we fomid our- selves in H .small vallej^ all rocks. We could not go any farther, as it was dark. We walked around a large rock all night. We started at daylight and at 10 o'clock we found some wood. We built a fire to thaw ourselves out. It took half an hour to get my boots ofl' and I found all the toes of my left foot and the big toe of mj' right foot frozen. We rubbed them with snow and then started down the valley. It commenced to ^now and we could not see 10 yards ahead. We traveled for four and one-half hours and came back to our camp fire 161 S. Doc. 30b 11 162 COPPER RIVEE EXPLORING EXPEDITION. agnii?. About this time we came to the conclusion we were lost, as AndersOii «'ould not tell where he was. In the morning we climbed the mountain, but could not sec on account of the weather. We lost several days in that waj'. One clear day while I was up the side of the mountain I saw a large lake. I told the rest of my companions that we had better go to the lake and we would find out where we were. We started down a stream which came from the glacier. We crossed and followed it for sev^eml days. We walked on the ice, as the stream was freezing up. Streams freeze from the bottom and then from the side. In going down the stream we saw the tracks of bear and wolverines in the snow. We also saw tracks where the bear had been fishing for salmon. Both stream and lake were full of large salmon. We saw nine bears in the woods. It took us one da}' to walk around the lake, when I struck a tmil which I recognized as the Quartz Creek trail. We were so weak at this time that we could hardly travel: but when I told the boys we could get to the rapids in a day, it braced them up: but it took us a day aTid a half to get there. When we arrived at the camp the people could not do enough for us. Through the kindness of Dr. Townsend, who doctored my toes, and Mr. Fishline, who gave us provisions, we were soon on our feet again. My companions stopped here and 1 left for Copper Center. We were eight days without a thing to eat. We saw 11 bears. It took us eleven days to make the trip. I could do it over again in four days. We kept walking too much to the north- west. It is my opinion that you can make, a good trail to Copper River via Low River. I left Copper Center November 1, with Jack Stewart and Joe Ham. We were two days getting to Nicolai's No. 2's wigwam. We stopped here about two hours. 1 took out the uniform you gave me to give to Nicolai and gave it to Nicolai No. 2. He wanted it very badly, but would not keep it, as he said, Nicolai at Taral was "High you Chief." He was tenas chief. We left Copper Center Monday. The Copper River was full of slush ice. Wednesday we stopped at the mouth of the Kotsena River to deliver a letter to Mr. Fritz, who was wintering twelve head of horses there. We had a hard tim« on account of the cold and ice. Friday we were caught in the ice jam. Our boat was lifted 8 feet in the air. We had to take the seats out of the boat and use them like snowshoes to get to a shoal about 100 yards from us, as the ice was not solid enough to hold us. We camped on the shoal, and about 3 o'clock next morning wo were awakened by the ice moving. We were like mts in a trap. Our boat was gone and the ice was moving all around us. It piled up, cake on top of cake, until it was almost 15 feet high in the middle of the river. It was ioi'ced up oil the shoal and stopped within 3 feet of our tent. At daylight the ice had stopped moving and was frozen solid enough to move . COPPER EIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 163 on. Some Indians came over and help«d us to pack what was left of our goods to the bank of the river. Where we were caught in the ice jam, the Copper River was about two miles wide. We were almost opposite the Kotsena River. It took us until Monday morning to pack our goods to where we found the horses. We found them on the same bluff that you saw them on. They had not moved off it. The}' had eaten everything, even the trees as far up as they could reach. We found 9 alive and 3 dead. One of the live ones was found on the river flats and it looked as if he had tumbled down the side of the bluff. One of his forward legs was broken and a piece of his tongue was hanging out of his mouth. We killed the injured animal. Stewart and I left Ham to watch the hoi-ses and started down Woods Canyon eron, tea, sugar, and lard for butter, also baking powder bread. They also had boiled salmon. The old Klutch, in honor of havinf^ white men in her shack, put on her best sack which was made out of a red handkerchief. She was prouder of that and her chinaware tuan white women are of their seal skins and silverware. We slept that night on the floor, rolled up in a moose skin, alongside of the Klutch. In the morning for breakfast we had beans, tea berries, and Klutch's last piece of bacon. After breakfast Klutch took our platter, from which we had eaten the beans, and licked it clean with her tongue. She then boiled some salmon and had hei' own break- fast. She offered us some, but we refused to accept. When we were ready to start she fell all over herself tiying to thank us for sleeping in her house. She said, "Tanks, tanks! White man hi you; you good 164 COPPER BIVEB EXPLORING EXPEDITION. '.i ■ i ■i ill |i I ■ white men sleep here," etc. She was tickled all over to have us sleep there, as she considered it quite an honor. She would not let us thank or give her anything. We had to go down about 3 miles from Taral in Wood Canyon before we found a place to cross. We showed the Indian the riding saddle we had, and then he knew what we meant by "saddle." This was the first time this Indian ever saw a horse. He saw the horse we shot and wanted to know if we would "pot latch him" the skin. We did so, I letting him have my knife to skin it with. He stopped with us that night, but not very willingly. We helped him to pack the horse skin, and by the time we had arrived at Taral other Indians arrived from Chettyna, and they gave us 4 pack saddles, 2 riding saddles, 14 halters, 1 saddlebag, 2 bridles, and a lot of rope. They helped us to pack them over to the other bank, but would not go up where the horses were. We bade them good-bye. They wanted to know which way we were going. We told them down to the Tasnuna. They told us we could not, as it was "high you rock and five sleep." They would not take anything from us, as they thought we did not have enough for oui"selves. They gave us to understand that if we were short of grub to come back to them and thej' would supply us. They said: "White man ha- low muck-a-muck. Indian high-you muck-a-muck. One moon high-you cold white man no muck-a-muck. Indian pot latch hi-you muck-a-muck. In one moon high-you cold, high-you wind, white man die," which we found pretty near right. We had a hard job to catch the horses, as they were half wild. We built a rope corral and got them into it, but they broke through three times. We then felled trees and built a log corral and got them into it. We had to drive 'them into a corner and pile logs around them before we could get the halters on. After putting on the halters we had no more trouble except with one, which it took the three of us to put the halter on, each one of us getting kicked. We then started down the river over the ice, but the horses could not walk on the ice. They kept breaking through and slipping down. We started over the hills, but after ten days' hard work we had to turn around and come back, as the country was full of cauj'^ons run- ning at right angles to Wood Canyon. About this time all our sup- plies were gone except one pot of beans. We used to stay up at night to do our cooking, as the days were so short we did not have time to cook. It became dark about half past 2 and light at about half past 8. We cooked the last pot of beans one night and the next morning we put them on the fire to warm. Every night we would secure a rope between two trees and then tie the horses on each side near the fire. When you pulled the halter of one of the horses he would pull back. COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. L65 and once the horse pulled back and dropp(jd down on top of the fire and our beans. We could not get him up and had to pull the fire out from under him. He was badly burned around the legs. We lost our beans and had to go hungry all that day and the next imtil we came to an Indian shack, where they gave us salmon and tea. They did not have anything else. We slept in the shack. In going up the hill at Wood Canyon the horse which had kicked us was going up the trail by himself, when his pack caught in the roots of a fallen tree and tripped him over on his back. He rolled over and over like a rubber ball. We i^eard him coming and had to hustle to keep out of his way. He went by us like a shot, heels over head. We thought he would be badly injured and took a gun down to shoot him, but when we arrived at the foot of the hill he was stand- ing up drinking at a hole in the ice, his pack on, and not a scratch on him. The weather at this time was very cold and growing colder every moment. Our fingers and faces were frost-bitten. About this time the horses commenced to give out. They would lie down and not get up. We lifted one up four times, but he could not go over 50 yards before he would drop again. We were compelled to shoot four horses in one day. One broke through the ice and we were obliged to go back alwut a mile and a half to an Indian shack to get an ax to cut the ice around him. We hitched two horses to him and pulled him out. Just as he got out ho froze up as hard as a rock. The Indians at this part of the river were short of grub. They would feed us, but we could not buy or trade with them for grub. We cut the horse up and lived on him for four days until we arrived at the Kotsena, where Mr. Fritz made us stop for two days to rest and thaw out. He told us it was between 35° and 40° below zero. We now had three horses and a mule, but had to shoot one of the horses here as it could go no farther. Mr. Fritz treated us very kindly, giving us all the flour he could spare. He was short himself and as his cache was at Copper Centei he could not give us much. We had lost all track of time. Ho told Us it was about a week before Thanksgiving. We left Fritz with two horses and the nmle. We packed our grub on the horse that kicked us and our bedding on the remaining horse and the mule. The first day in going down a hill from the Kotsena, Stewart led the horse half way down the hill, when the mule slipped and rolled down on top of him, knocking him and the horse over, and all three rolled to the bottom of the hill together, without damage. The other horse, which we called the kicker, on account of his kick- ing at you at every opportunity, turned and ran back on the trail, scattering oi.r grub and what was left of the horse meat (which we could not find at all) over the trail. I ran back and headed him off 3 111 '■ 11 F ' 1 I i i I 166 COPPER BIVER EXPLOBI^O EXPEDITION. three times, but he dodged me and got away. I found afterwards that he went back to Mr. Fritz place a)x)ut a week afterwards, and that Mr. Fritz cut the saddle off him and turned him loose. We found most of our grub. It was a very cold day and the night was much colder. We made Nicolai's No. 2's house at dark and were very glad to sleep there. We slept in a storehouse. We did not need- our blankets, as it was so hot we had to strip to our underclothes. The next day it was very cold and at night we camped at an abandoned Indian shack. When we stopped we were so cold we could hardly light a tire. I could not speak, as my mustache and whiskers were frozen solid. I will say right here that whiskers are a nuisance in this country-, for in cold weather your breath freezes on to therh; The next day we had nothing to eat except two flapjacks — one apiece — made of flour and water. At night we built a big fire. It was so cold we did not go to sleep, being afraid we would freeze. We had eight large trees ablaze. The next day we had one-half flapjack apiece, and only flour left for another one in the morning. The night was colder than the previous one. We built two fires and stood lietween them. Along about 4 o'clock in the morning when we were half asleep we heard a noise among the camp outfit and looked out just in time to see the mule eating the last of o- ir flour. We got nothing to eat for the next two days until we came to Stickwan's house. The Indians at this shack could not do enough for us. All they had was dried salmon and tea. They gave us all we could eat. They even tried to get the horses into the shack. They measured their doors and then the horses to see whether they could bring them in, but as you have to crawl into their dwellings on your hands and feet, it was impossible to get the horses in. We asked them how far it was to Copper Center. They sail "Ha- low sleep," meaning we could make it in less than a daj'. We were very glad of it, as we were knocked out and the horses were it very poor condition. We arrived opposite Copper Center at 4 o'clock Thanksgiving Eve. We were obliged to leave the horses, as the Klutena River ice would not hold them. As it was, when we crc»ssed, wo broke through several times, and then had to go up (jopper River. When we got to Mr. Amy's cabin they could no*^ believe it was us. as they told us it was over 65° below zero the la.' t three nights when wc stood around the camp fire. We were so hungiy we ato supper at Mr. Amy's cabin, then went to Mr. Fisher's cabin and had another good supper. We still felt empty, so we went to the hotel and had another supper. Notwithstanding this we still felt hungry. The next day, Thanksgiving (and we felt thankful, too), we brought the horses over and left them in charge of Mr. Flynn. We then started for the Rapids Camp, at which place we arrived at 5.30 p. m. As our cache was at the rapids we stopped for four days and filled up on all the good things we had to eat. We then started over to the glacier after , COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 167 some gram. It took us two days to get to Twelve-Mile Camp at the foot of fhe glacier. The Klutena Lake was frozen over. From the upper end of the lake to the Twelve-Mile we broke trail (on snowshoetii) from 1 to 12 feet. When we arrived at Twelve-Mile Camp the snow was so soft we would sink up to our hips every step we took. We stopped at the Sawmill Camp for dinner, and as we broke through the ice in the upper river our moccasins were wet and frozen. They thawed out while we ate dinner. In going from the Sawmill to Twelve-Mile Camp, a distance of 3 miles, Stewart froze the bottom of his feet so badly he could not move the next day. The people at the camp were very glad to see us. They heard we had gone down for the horses, and as the weather was so cold and stormy, they did not expect to see us again. 1 stopped with a Mr. Nolan, of Jefferson City, Mo. , who treated me very kindly and cautioned us not to go over the glacier. He showed u» a Norwegian by the name of Evyan who had frozen his feet trying to cross, and who Dr. Logan (who afterwards lost his life trying to get twa sick men out in February) was treating. Dr. Logan came in that evening, and 1 helped him to dress the frozen feet. He advised us not to try to go over the glacier, as it was stormy and cold. The doctor also treated Stewart's feet. The next day, while Stewart was resting, I sttrted to go to the foot of the glacier, a distance of about 4 miles. It took me four hours to go about 200 yards. The snow was 14 feet deep ;ind very light and diy. I would sink up to my waist at every step. Wht^n I returned to camp Dr. Logan told me that he would not allow us to n.ake the attempt, if he had to stop and watch us himself. That night Evyan died. I was sleeping alongside of him. The next day Stewart and I hit the back trail, as we were afraid of getting caught in a snowstorm. Every snowstorm averaged 3 or 4 feet up there. It was well vve started at the time, as the next day it commenced snowing and it was? a week before anyone could get from the Sawmill to the Twelve-M'le. We went back to the rapids, where we moved our cache to Copper Center. Christmas Day I parted with Stewart, who went up the river for Forty-Mile. I stopped at Copper Center for a time, and helped n friend up as far as the Grakona River with his outfit. The weather at Christmas time averaged 35° below zero at Copper Center. While I was up the river in January it dropped to 65° or 60°. I froze my fingers aad feet again. When I left Copper Center February 1 there were quite a number of men sick in the hospitals and cabins. It took me five days to get to Valdez. I spent one night on the glacier at the "fourth bench." The next morning I left the "fourth bench" at 8 o'clock in a snowstorm. It was 6 o'clock when I arrived at Valdez. 1 stopped at " Uncle Jim" Carlin's cabin. He treated me very kindly. I reported to Charlie Brown, the quartermaster, the next morning. 168 COPPER BIVER EXPLOEING EXPEDITION. The animals I left at Copper Center consisted of a mule and a horse. I also left two pack harnesses and two halters. The mule died January 16. The horse came over the glacier and is now at Valdez. I left all the other gear at Mr. Fritz place, on the Kotsena, as we were not able to carry it. Joe Ham, who went down with me, also stopped at this place. 1 wish to say a word of thanks for the Indians whom we met down the river. They treated us most kindly. They would come out 3 or 4 miles to meet us and invite us to their houses, where they would share their food with us. They make excellent tea by mixing a native leaf with English breakfast tea. Thej' make their tobacco by rolling a piece of gunny sack in wood ashes. They prefer this to our tobacco. Whenever we went to their houses they would seat us close to the tire and look us over. If our mittens or moccasins were torn they would take them from us and repair them. Stewart's moccasins, which were worn out, Avere replaced by a new pair, made of moose hide in half an hour by a Klutch woman, who would take no pay from him. She seemed very happy, however, when I gave her a large safety pin, such as we use in fastening horse blankets. Another night, after they had repaired our stockings and mittens, I showed one of the Klutchers where Stewart's pants were torn at the fork. She wanted him to take them off so that she could fix them, but he was bashful and would not do so. Before he realized it, two Klutchers caught him by the arms and held him, while one pulled off his pants. He yelled at me to help him, but it was such a funny sight I could do nothing but laugh. The Klutcher fixed his pants in good shape, and was well pleased when I presented her with three old, red handkerchiefs. We found them very pleasant and sociable. We would sing and they would sing. They knew such songs as "John Brown's Body," " March- ing Through Georgia," and "A Hot Time in the Old Town." They had some cheap accordions. Some of them had cast-iron cooking stoves, which they did not use, preferring the camp fire. The women do all the work. No matter how often the buck goes out he must have a cup of tea. When the buck i-eturns, he eats first and then the women. What is left is flung to the children and the dogs. I saw a child about four years old fighting with a dog for a piece of dried salmon. One of the bucks became angry because I took the salmon away from the dog and gave it to the child. They think more of their dogs than they do of their children. I have seen them stop and lift a dog out of the way and then kick the children. In cold weather the bucks live in stone houses, about 8 by 10, dug out and covered with logs and earth. You are obliged to go in feet firet, and when once in, with ten or twelve bucks, who have nothing on them, you are very glad to get out. They do not allow their women in the stone house, but compel them to sleep in the living room with the dogs and children. We always slept COPPER RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 169 on top of the benches, over the Klutches. The only Indian we found who lived like a white man was the one we stopped with at Tanil. All of them had their own chinaware and a box to keep it in. There are about eight or ten families in each shack. The Indian whoso bench is on the right side of the camp fire as you enter considers you his guest, and will feed you, but the one on the other side will not. All tlie bucks are sickly, looking like consumptives. The women, as a rule, are healthy looking. They wear but one garment, something like a long shiii;, open at the breast or as far down as their waist, extending a little below the knees, and a pair of moccasins, reaching above the knees. This comprises the dress of the women and children. The bucks dress up in various styles, some with mackinaw cloths, picked out of the river, others with what the white men give them. One buck had on three hats, one jammed on top of the other. They all have .45-90 rifles and cheap .32-caliber revolvers, but no cartridges. They would not eat horse meat, but took the skin off of every horse we shot. We found them very hon- est. They wanted to see and handle everything we possessed, but would not take anything. The uniform you sent me was as good as a pass for us. All we did wad to show it and ask for Nicolai, and they could not do enough for us. They wanted to know if McKinley was high-you white chief. Nicolai was 26 miles up the Chettyna River when I arrived at Taral. I gave the uniform to the Indian who helped us over the river with the pack saddles. It was about four sizes too small for him, but he managed to squeeze into it. The Indians at the mouth of the Kotsena River had some good pieces of copper, which they told me they got on the Kotsena and Chettyna rivers. The country traveled through down at Wood Canyon was pretty rough, but well wooded, with large quantities of gmss in places. When I left Copper Center for Valdez the snow Was about 39 inches deep. At the lake it was about 6 feet deep, at Twelve-Mile Camp, about 16 feet deep, and at the foot of the glacier I could not get bottom. Judging from appearances, it must have been 20 feet deep. Compared with last winter, I found very little snow on the glacier when I crossed it. Coming over the fourth bench, where you crossed with the horses last summer, the ice ridge wasn't covered. I broke through in one place between two ridges, and found only 2 to 3 inches of snow bridging the crevasse. While I was in the inside I did not mind the cold very much. I came out to Valdez with the same rig I had on at the Center, and felt the cold more than I did on the inside, and they told me the lowest it was at Valdez was 8° below zero. Yours, etc., Edward Cashman. S. Doc. 306 12 O. ►- a 03 C o _ I II ^l\ W u\ -di Ill * I '■ to u W III * i«. ■IP m 4. — LOADING BEEF CATTLE ON STEAMER EXCELSIOR AT SEATTLt. APRIL 15, 1899. H ■ iinirii I •- :■.*.., .Mm 1V| -I II M * / a H 1 ^^^K ■ -■ •-;■•' i z Ul -1 ^Hh (9 ^H tf^^^ 0. ^^H ^H^^^^ J ^^B ^^^^^BjA i ^^B ^^^^^^H^^^^k. a. ^K 1- 1 ^ IBSS! ft* 1^ z •4 UJ U < 5 « i = u 1- ^^^v ul IT < z s U; 23.— NEAR THE FOURTH BENCH OF VALOEZ GLACIER, ON TRIP TO ESTABLISH RELIEF STATION AT KLUTENA RAPIDS. MAY 8, 1899. i i (J M Q n > a < . -" z > o 5^ o - o -z o = N X I v,p^.-CT«»-»-^.-...7-.»--.-^-,(fnTyif--r i --"""-|-'-r-iT<-1« a or ilH « .-- J < ^ 3 ui * z 2 I- Ui 5 33 s 29.— SITE OF STATION NO. 2, BEFORE BRUSH WAS CLEANtO. APRIL 29, 1899. 30.— SITE OF STATION NO. 2; SAME AS NO. 29. APRIL 29, 1899. 5' li CM -I £ 0. < N ul a < > < I U < ul ID 2. o t Q UJ 0. X ul O z £ o -I 0. X ul IT Ul > a: Ul a. 0. O o Ul z z o U) a: ul a. . fn httta ilW WP WP! t I 34 -WATERFALL ON WEST SIDE OF KEYSTONE CANYON. MAY 12, 1899. In the ravine above the fall wns siniated construction camp No. 2. P V ..ySSSSWBKawi. < 5 S 3 o 5 O i ? 3 nil it' >! iJ • v^ It i: 38,— WATERFALL IN KEYSTONE CANYON, OVER 700 FEET HIGH. JUNE 9, 1899. The canyon is not over JflO yurds wide iit this point. Ill m I 40.-KEYSTONE CANYON, HALFWAY THROUGH, LOOKING NORTH. The road is shown on the left side. « I ■■iM :'ii •cu U 00 w = K Ui K 9 t H u z 'f t:: il l^' 'i! N i t i^::il •. . f y a ^ K t-:^ ^^^^^^H^'. ' / L->^^mMf X H o^H ^i^^^s^^^^^^^^^^^^^^fWf **^^^n h- B ^B ^^^^^tt^^^^^mmf /J ^(^Kt <9 st z K^ 9H ^V^^^^^^^^Bf i ^£h -y^^m ^ P ^H ''^^^^I^^^^H ' ^^ /'''^^B' 1 ? m\ ^H '^IS^^Ik'JF '^^^^m'' fe /'• (0 fSti_ ■ ^^^^■uf ^ \^H' ■ LA * ^ n^ H ■^^^^^^'' *,-:j^^B;^ ^b^ z Mi MM v/ '^^^^^B mrUt' ii H g^B \tt, ^^^^^B'- mS Vk A ■ ■■ 'fi ,|^^H I&m v_ < ■ H SB '''-WiH i^^^Ml , *:; S ■ ^^B ''^v^ ^S ^Ka ' V I^^B y *1^^^^M^ ^^^c - - / ■ am ' ''<^HKi ^BhuUj . ■ 1 -J '''fli 1. m IT 3 ■ ^1 ^^^B ^L ' '^^^^^^1 Ui IE ^H a^K '*w|^ ^^^^^^^H MHWLf'f kiidii ^^^H 2 -i 9.^ H M '-'. 'if :''^^^H ^,w^ # ^*^-...^ s ^^i^^l >aM,.,.' .^ ,- ^1 ^B ^^)^^^^| P^M%';"|n^^9^H T ^Bl IH -.a^^ji^' 'i^^^^l ^P^Pl ^1 ■ "Hp^ . JB^H ■H^&lntMjB I I^B ,'^^^ '-'la^^^^l .■^^\i ■■■' -^ . B ■ ^Hh ^^^^^^^^h ^1 1 '-'^i^^l ' jt \ ' H I 1 j^^^H 'v> B j^^^^l - \ ' I Mi ..n^^^^l • ■ \ ■ \ H ^B ^JnHfl^^^^^^l I •. ^M . \ ^1 1 ll^l ■ ^^^H M dfn f WM-* ^PBi^^^^^^l U..- .liii t ■ ^^B r»Jm i *<■ ''^iNHHB mmm' ^"•TfT"^ I 1 V * i ' ■ i fh. ^4 ^ M M : i ' - :i m^ ' ■ ■ . ■ ♦ - 8 * if' » ■ \ t i 1 1 II '. ' > .■' ■- * -> Nv. - C >- ■; _i — 3 S 3 : (9 S UJ s. IE » O £ z :< — .c IT " UJ z > „ 111 1! * ■= O Z >- ~ < •-, -I .2 5 I H = <3 _ Z ■z 8 I iHiil -^ -W'^^- I I m m il ■;<».■ ■'! -1, ..,_..,^,j.-^ _^j«.^j^«j.3,,. Bm m. ii;-:! f****' ' ii "n III '- ■ Li c- I P' U ' if. IV ■»:; . 'f, 55.— EAST END OF CORBIN GLACIER. JULY 4, 1899. This stroam is hridKi'il '2-'iO viirds Ih'Iow tlio picHiru. il m "^i;,ii^js>^~i^:ViJi!i o f 8 .^ \- >• r •s > 2 1 81 I - 'i^i ,. ■e ^ X ^ I i ^ 59.— HAULING LOGS OUT OF CHENA FOR BRIDGE. AUGUST, 1899. "^M' J|PK»> •«, . f 60.— PLACING STRINGERS IN F isiriON ON uRIWi* ABUTMCWTS OVER CHENA B't^ER AUGUST. 18 Q ^ U U IC o I- < UJ I- 0) u X I- z o a: u. < z u X o UJ I I- o z :< O o _l I :-'i -.1 ■i i \ ' ^1 ; f IF " r^'\' ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // // ^ ^. .4.* V^ .^1^ 1.0 U ■tt Ui& 12.2 l_25 i 1.4 I lA 6" 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation ^ ■F \ \ \ o^ 23 WBT MAIN STRHI WttSTn,N.Y. 145tO (716) •72-4503 f s 5^ I I 1! i • ■ : ,1 1. If «M iLiil \ 1,.';. . m 1* ■'? -/ -, . }ff^mik.'Xi 'V- 1 ■-*. t 1 mm I* . j « ' \h T^ gS^M^^ .\ -^^ i Wm -'^ - V' v A 1^ 1^ t ' r H^^?^K^», 1 ,' • % W IBSIIk •?:■ .- ^ . »^« ^H^S^^^^^ ■i \: f •. . •' K -^^^1 ' I; ''/ ' .1 -' w ^^^^^^^H, ' ^'^I^H t i> ■ M- 1 -.--:^:2=>i^ ■ / 1 ii^--J 1 fc. ^^* / / \ '. ■} 1j^ ^ ^f^ J r^-^- i,C'****.^V-^ '■ ■'- . ^ ^^^E ME/*^ •/■ V ; ■s _ ' ,fi'«''''ill|T'^.^," wmi^^^" tKl i M ^te*"?5i'«^i'-; "■■'^^ --.%v4/'' , '?^' / ^ PifcS**^ !5^ft#""' 1 ' C J^ P.^^l^-i^ ^ .^ .1 "t „ ». ■ . w ■■^^''' ■i.,^4^ -"^ *'feiSi- 3 < I I- < (0 K z ul Z z a: UJ > O I ol % h > i' •^•:~-^^>=ni -; 68.— STREAM FROM VALOEZ GLACIER. AUGUST 16, 1899. 69.~SAME AS NO. 68. i'-4' I' 70.— FLOOD PLAIN OF VALOEZ OLACIER. AUQU8T 16, 1899. t! 71.— VALDEZ GLACIER RIVER. AUQUST 16, 1899. Ml 72.— EAST END OF VALDEZ GLACIER, SHOWINQ DRIFT ICii IN GLACIER RIVER TRAVERSING FLOOD PLAIN. AUGUST 16, 1899. 73.— THIRD BENCH OF VALDEZ GLACIER. AUGUST 16, 1899. # . > ' /(if /<■.■. .. ' ■ Ha-. :*■ to ^ k' '/■'^* ^ ■■■i^P- >>^>\l , ,.V' ' ; ^' ^...., 1 1 ' ■•" ^- ,.-<' *»' ■. . "... .' '*' '^ » ■ • its. I >. '^ ; ' ' ■" »- ^ ■ -^ ' ',^^^H ■■ % »; << .:>w, ', ■ ^ ■» - - ■;'"•" ■■ . -.. •^ ■■:-■; #.^f ^.: . ,,> ' ^-^^ .. .■.^■■. .w,u*a.': .;;AS*w-'.^. A^ii^liJlfc'^ J. . -jrtSli*^ »>, ^ 74. -AT THE SIDE OF VALDEZ GLACIER. AUQU8T 18, 1899. ;i i j ■ ) 11 "-" i tl 75.— VIEW OF VALDEZ FROM THE BAY. MAY 10, 1899. ^3|MH^^^^^^^j^ 76.— LOOKING SOUTHEAST FROM VALDEZ. APRIL 29, 18i9. 'i^ 77.— VALDEZ, LOOKING CAST FROM QUARTERMASTER'S STOREHOUSE. MAY 9, 1899. 78.— VALDEZ, LOOKING NORTH FROM QUARTERMASTER'S STOREHOUSE. MAY 9, 1899. m '; '' ''' m ^■j 11 ■;li il in ■ > ' ;i •I s if b -• - rifW!fimmmrt£iufmm9imtiiamna 79.— FIRST PACK TRAIN ABOUT TO START FOR STATION NO. 2. " HOTEL" ON LEFT. APRIL 29, 1899. 80.— VIEW OF PART OF VALDEZ. MAY 15, 1899. hs M' i •» • ■ jwmmr ''mmtMSu^ w . • ,/ ■> A»»r» 1- u 3 C '^lii^i*' ^^^^9nEBDH9IISil SS^kSBv^^^^w^S to z o Ig^KW^^S u z hI^B "flBjflH^fj-^BS^^l^^w o 'V?\IrM^I^Bci^TS(Hll^H^^^li ^^H^^^^b'^^v^^^k^^mHb*^ ■ ^^^H^I^Bi^^^Kfl u. ' *■ vf^J^^^^^^^Ki'Slr- V fli^^^H^^BI^H ^^^^^^^^^B SH^^^k' ^'^iH^^afllBQ^H HI ^•^PIH^IiHHI > ir «^.'>Sm. ^^ <' I^HB^ASHn^Snl^w/ik' z o 3 * "^ >> :^5WlX*tt^TOii > ul I 1- ir £ . .■";iraP!8 r4'^13K9i«iH^» ■ j^^^yi Jsy'.^^^vi-Ar-. ' -^ T V.' •iJ >-* . . • • ' Z? ' jli^^HBHl WV ■",:iSB» .<: '^v'rT' .I- . VlU^i'' ^ '-H ,ii/i ^- '^ > ▼'^l'vnaSK^''f^l^B'- IT /■'!/' ' ■■■?.• •■ ■ \r f ^ ■ f^, ;%-?>?i^'r "- %i i ' • 't'''' '--& 3 i ♦-' -#^'1 *''^-'tiMML ^\ '^. ,:^ \ -•^k s ... ^^..> .vV^^^ ^ \ V ^' '■ '• H,Vf z < 1- u 1 \ v*- *• - ,■'; Of'- '.' l\m '.', • u - . ^- -■ '^i^?^-'^^-^ s / M' \', i ': m o z a. 2 < O * 1 I I g - P i Z 4 £ 1 li >• < -I z o cc III > u o -I I o z \0 J- t : n 1 I ii ■1 i ! ■ > Mil ij JV, if IS &< 1 au >■ < z UJ z O (- < > UJ -I u z < Z O c: I : I U'' t. 00 o ^ li ill! 5 ■*'' m> mtummMmm-m t U) c I- -J S r S .=• uj i fX 90.— CROSSING LOWE RIVER ON FIRST TRIP TO STATION NO. 2. APRIL 29, 1899. ,|.,_ 91.— FIRST PACK TRAIN EN ROUTE TO STATION NO. 2. APRIL 29, 1899. s ui Q u. U) i o CO u o o X a: UJ > I ii 1-4 :'!>!l! I » am - i ' ! 94.— CHIEF 3TICKWAN AND COMRADE— STICKWAN ON RIGHT. SEPTEMBER 15, 1899. 9^— ROOFING GOVERNMENT STABLE AT VALOEZ. 8EPTEMBEH, 1899. I 4 ' i"l * (I m i>'i If ill'' ,n iiiil 1 5 ii ■«■ ,t^s SB Hi :l; 1 1 ;:;, i !'! L g*!^iwiiBW^ ':agili« 'i iii l ' IB *iWI MW 'i^ I 96.— ROOFING GOVERNMENT STABLES AT VALDE2. MAY 20, 189a. -m ^ ■'^"t^- ..-:.V^.*^ rv5«K- 97.— QUARTERMASTER'S STOREHOUSE AT VALDE2. MAY 9, 1899. HHMHin 1 I iMi m 1 fi -- .,: . '- , I I i ■-.! 1 ' ! I i i ■ , - ■ ; i ! ,' : ■ ; ; '_ >. I ' m I i ' r*«Hnii!^Bi«itiiHMmi ! m '! Illiii \ ■^'Cf^PfPlwrrr Mm II' ■^1 ;p:i I I 3 TJ Ul CO a. V Ul ■i Ul I Ul (E (- z , O U Ul -1 S Ul 3 z CO >■ IT Z < o P UJ Ul g X cc O o z Si (T Z »-■ a. < r i ; I ! ! ■IMIfMMi ii 102.— MR. E. M. WESTERVELT, CLERK OF THE EXPEDITION. MAY 12, 1899. ill ■aiii «i ^asM 11 tvl, iiiil w I IVil m^i> m ^ I \'v\ III f I li llMJi M. mwv m mm mmmmmmifimmm mmmmmmm 1 i I i mm 107— RAISING FIRST UNITED STATES FLAG ON TRANS-ALASKAN MILITARY ROAD AT CONSTRUC- TION CAMP NO. 3. JULY 4, 1899. TbiH vlt'W kIidwm the Iwiich formatiim of thu iiiDunttiin sUU'h along Dutrli Flat. Tlu' iiioiiiitiilnH rise abruptly from the flat and are about ft.'iOO feet lilKh. 1 109.— LOOKING DOWN THE SECOND QRAVEL FLAT OF THE CHENA. AUGUST, 1899. The ridgu on the left is the divide ttetween the C'hena and the KHniilu. H 110.— LOOKING UP THE CHENA FROM POINT NEAR STATION NO. 3. AUGUST, 1899. HE H V) 3 (9 3 < 111 UI Z h- 3 1 III ' ' 11 1 t. 1 J i'"i' fj *.■ ■?l ', „ ■i I (0 o < 111 I < * O K Z K s 2 <3 Z 2 ul < z Ul (0 z o Q Z Ul ul I a: O z »: iUifeijFii'fefe w'iiaa tl U' p \ i '•I #« " fiiill': 4: r i: ■■n.. (0 3 O 3 < UJ U z < l- (0 5 Q Q III < z UJ (0 z o UI < O t- Q < Ul I Ul X I- u > O UJ < -I -I -J < S f^ 1 if^dmdm ' mi • rli Ti l^^ * in B O S ■* .i •c s I u ■E s E 8 ? 8 i < ca z ItiJ H'; ' Ill' III .1 ii 1 i' i 1 I d, m II IB n I I t^- I i '1 ! ■ 1, ■t 4 l! 'i I o 121.— TWO DESTITUTE •rKK INDIANS ON IMtlH AHRIVAL AT AL-DE2. APRIL 26, 1899. 122.— STICK INDIANS; SAME AS NO. 121, IN CLOTHING ISSUED FROM SUPPLIES OF THE EXPEDITION. APRIL 26, 1899. ' ■ ' '^^'"ttn T t- l u^ '^i' in^'i"j(^P !L??^ 'V"'i^'^'" I 123.— LIEUTENANT BABCOCK— KEYSTONE CANYON. MAY 12, 1.S99. I 124 -A SMALL CATCH OF SALMON. CORNER OF EXPERIMENTAL VEGETABLE GARDEN AT VALDEZ. SEPTEMBER 10, 1899. i ^■'■u),^'W,. ^, ^ ^ o *^*>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 1^121 125 US ■■■ »< U^ 12.2 iyi»u U 11.6 PholDgraiiiic Sciences Corporation gi>^ \ <> 23 WfST MAIN STRKT WIBSTIR.N.Y. U5S0 (716) 173-4503 p > iV 1^ IM ' I rr-.-r 1-' ^ . A ^ Y\ i 1 s^ 1 ^^^^^M f mm < I if!' . '.• i f I. f 1 i •I 4^' \ > < Z ul z ac ■< ul '$ U IS ul "- -I . -) t- 25 org ul ^ UJ ^ Z (A Z- < I- Z 3 O Z I.fl f ; ' h ^ '. I '3 J *" s s 5 i z a i z < w 1? 3 i u. X o •rt 3 .« 1 s Q ; Z < t > ■ 2 i * III a < > -Cm •- S t ■=i o li < ac u w '-" X ■ji u .5 t z .2 5 a if Z -• -! O •" * c ^1 z < b*? 5 2 i: a z 5<£ Ul a> > f fe v 25 a z -S 5 -S 3 -1 i w Ul > Is s < tf 1- 2i § = H -» A ID S-J -1 T-c J ^•? z •rf c K T 8 3^ u. J Ul Z * »- ^ Z X o X (E U. u i •r Ul 5 > 'C u M •» z •^ < "i i > < ^ a. 1 » 1 ■2 11 II w lit #1 i^r WM ■iiHK '«H I^H nP '*P" i 8 ( t , ' ..4(. t. . ' . '^ Q \ z K cc O z o z o o >• lU -I < > UJ > £ IT Ul a 0. ;i ; i^sv.i?. ' ? ;.i Hi 11! ' 'r ^' ;-»: n iif '0; UJ < 0. < < I- z UJ S . -^=:r ! L .\H < 3 a ui Z Z 3 to Z 3 K O 3 o z u. O »- fyrff f 1 :: i ■ ! , t I ■ I ^ii! Ul -I < > Ul > £ Ul a. 0. o I- 10 K Ul I- o < < X u (O ul < z (0 ul X I- u. o ul z ? ■If- f 1/ t. f Ki ^4 K , 4 j li.'t Ei '"Im i'iip a; K 5?"(V| .!l Jc '. '' 1 !t iili ul CO s z 3 (0 !; z 3 C Q 3 o f w tf f; '^ r ft 'J! ■ 1 J ... n 1i;i X t- c o z d a: O u. z < 1- z o z u. O ui I h Z O a > u -I -I < > IE 111 > C c ui a. a. ; f.i T '> i uj m z o IT o a: ui m < UI < I- UJ -I H O ul z K < UJ IT UI > < z UI (- 3 -I I ff! r^ -',' ii 'tP X ,w" ■5^*f itv''\ 111 > < z < o 05 -I < IT < I- U > o CO < UJ > c IT Ul Q. 0. O O 1 j .\m i i \ i i ( Esfi* u. 3 C UJ > a: ul a. 0. O o Q Z < Z < -I J I- I- z D o z GC ul > a: IT ul a. 0. O o i ,* Pi I iJ I ii i i i t s ) r ' W.'fW, \i 1 < ''■V -i'V ■;.rfi, ■| >rl^<#i*«i>.-" " 163.— NARROW GORGE NEAR HEAD OF TASNUNA RIVER. ! !i ■ . > t li A ■•>. ..vt i ' ml "■ 'TT- 1/ I fv i 1;, ;i! r M-*^*'' •^— '-i-'.-.-'ri" ■■• ; w a \- tn u X I- o U) UJ (- 3 fB! 'h rrn y Y n ■ • ■ >■ II / z < !; Ul o X ui I- 3 Z o a) O < UJ UJ Z < I PS ■ ,• 1 I i.f ! I'! t-"^ ul t- 3 ul O O ul > < IT c Ul I- z ul u z a o z Ul a. a. O u z i u < (- < ul I t- a o z n*^ mw f ft' il ' i.f' * 'I fl \5. ' --9MiwnHpfMqHM||fMHiHPM)n — 1 f ■ 1 1 %!. 1 i t- s • : j. ■ 1 . ' I '» ■■ ; . I ; '■ [ f... > ; 1 ■■ i - . • J f : f r •*^ j ' ii s. ^ T I *"»"I • ■ ' ' - -■■■ ■ l.'^^i '-'■'r:^. :^^ ^^: ^ VALDES Ldt.61 05 55.6. Lon«§.!46''27'34."0. .►^r;0 J^> J ^ ! ;■ TRANS-ALASKAN MILITARY ROAD TRANS-ALASKAN MILITARY ROAD MOUNTAIN DIVISION CAPT.W.R.ABERCROMBIE 2^° US Infantry, COMMANDING EXPEDITION. l^ST LIEUT.W.C.BABCOCK8 V^ US Cavalry. TOPOGRAPHICAL OFFICER. 1899. scale: lO MILCe fIT BABOOCK. Contour Interval 250 feet Datum mean sea level Military road indicated thus '.' ;"" u '■ J S J)oc..<3.QL..bQ i BABCQCH