^-^a ^ ^ "^^X^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^/ v**^*^ 1.0 I.I ■25 1.8 - 6" 11.25 11.4 11.6 V] '^IC/ y\ ^'A ^ ■y '/ /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 * CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques : Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiquus The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in tha reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked beiow. D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ D 7 D D Couverture endommagie Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurie et/ou pellicul6e r~~l Cover title missing/ H Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiques en couleur Coloured ink {\.onc« mark the roadway which will be trodden by others when the ice-bound Bksfpiray is released from the grip of winter. The thousands of men and aniinals who were caught in a trap between the sea and the summitof the Pass, a distance of but eighteen .uiles, must remain — with such of them as survive the awfiU four months yet Iwforu them — where Ihey are. Xever are the survivors likely to forget the horrors of their situation, the impassable boulders, the deadly bog-holes, nor the all- to prepare for our riait to the Eldorad' of the North with the advent of Kiiring. Our preparations we will make quietly, unoatentatiouiily, yet thoroughly, taking plenty o( time and plenty of trouble before Aur departure, forgetting nothing, omitting nothing, and profiting by the Mwl but Mefnl experience of otlier»— diaaiitroua perhapa to them, but of incalculabfu ralue to us. Truat yourselves to ray guidance and I will pull you tlirough, no matter whether you pro- ceed thither for business or for pleasure, or for both. I know "the ropes," for I have been there before. I am no novice at the game of " exploration," nor need you fear your own inex- perience if you have sufficient confidence in me. I will tell you how to get there by the quickest, the most fre- quented, and the leant trying route. I will advise you when to start, what to take with you, and what to leave behin.' ; whare to live, and how to buy or sell land and daima when you get there. If you intend to go for the mara ' fun " of the thing I will champion your interents, and point out where the most " fun " is to be got ; if you proewd on sirioos buainesa, let the task be mine to pilot von through the meahea of the "tough" and the " hust- ler," two genu* of the American with whom you ainnot hare too little to do ; if nporl and pastime be your object, still will I help you to attain it with aa little trouble and a« little oxpenae a« poaaihle. The Editor of The Itmd ha« entrusted you into my keeping. Say, will you come with me and see what I see. do what I do, and avoid what I condemn I "Tea") flood/ Then off we go to Klondike I the phraae into the familiar Johnsoneaa, * a potentiality of rlohaa beyond the dreama of avarice," couM tempt men to a apot ao sterile and uninviting. liut whereaoever the carcase ia there shall the eagles bo gathered together. No doubt It is easy to moralise on the folly of this reokleaa pursuit of riches ; to wonder that men shouM rush so lightly on Oanfaia, EulTeringi, and Privationa for tho sake of a little filthy lucre ; to vaunt the advantagea of bonesc toil and the blesainga of humble contentment; to aay with the p.wt, " () fortunatoa nimium I aua si bona norint," and to quote from .<£sop the. fable about the dog that dropped (he tubstune for tho ahadow. But all the moraliaing in the ivoild will not alter the fact tbnt men, when golden viaona are Without further preface, let mo now turn to narticii- lars. And firat it may be aa well to say something about Tha Situation of the New Eldorado which, in spite of all that has been written on the subject of late, remains to many ahnost aa vague as was that of the original BIdorado to the old Spanish adventurera It lies, then, in the extreme North West of North America, cloae to the borders of Alaska, which in ite turn is only separated from the drearieat part of the Bns- sian Kmpire by Behring Sinita. Of the district no thoroughly re- liable map is yet in existence, be- cause until quil« recently it was not thought probable, or even possible, ttiat any sane per- son would ever want to go there. Even of Alaska, whi.'h was Bold by Ruasia to tha United States i4 long ago aa 1867, there ia, accord- ing to a well known traveller, . "not a map that is woith the ink with which it to printed " ; and the aurrey which wai begun aome three or four yean ago with the object of remedying this defect ia still far bom completion. However, quite sufficient ia known both of Alaska and Klondike to establish the fact that the gold- fiddi are Indliputably Briliah Territory. Aa tha auiiferoua region, ao far aa it has been propeoted and developed, is well to the east of the 141st meridian, wnich forma the boundary line between Alaska and the Dominion of Canada, it ia of coone within the jurisdiction of the Ottawa Qovem- ment, and consequently a part of that Empire on whidi the aim never seta ; though it must be oonteaaed tniat he does remarkably little of his ahining on this particular fraction of it. A long and Arctic winter, a dioft and rainy summer, make up Klondike's Tear. Nothing but the proepeet of goH illimitable, or, to turn ' THE BnAD TO RICHI8."— (1) JTHEAC. (2) PBZPABINa TOB THB WINTZB TBIF. dangled before their eyes, are not to be kept back by the moat oiroum- stanUol accounts of the terrora of the wilderness that stretches between them and the Promised Lud. The accounta may be true enough, but they never happen to apply to the individual who nada them, Kaeh ad- venturer seta forth with the calm oo»- viotion that, whoever «lae may fail or Ml by the way, ha ia deatined to. be among the fortunate ; just aa every soldier marches int» battie confident that, whatever may happen to hia comrades, he, at leaM, will be spared to march out again. Odiumna of jeremiads, which, if put togeihei, would reach aome distance to the moon, have been printed about the dongen of the road to Klondike; yet it ia more than doubtful if a single peraon who hat* serioody re- solved to try hiv fortune tiiare haa been j'ternd thereby. On all such waminga are thrown sway. Tou n» ti will fo ilaad npon Um ImriiL And bid tkaiiidafood bats bis naal hslgkls Tou mj H wig loctM the wnatata siaM Tb WW Ihdr to^ latf to saka • imiw. WhnQM7 an (ratted *lt>> tin rn" nflimie i Ton msy li vdl do aaytUaff uart havi. as seek to turn the resolute gold-seeker from his quest by any means of the kind. On the other hand, trustworthy infonMaoit is moat welcome to him. Better it is, therefore, •< do what ■■ possible to minimise the difficulties which he is termined to face, by furnishing him with that necessary kn .Pledge which may enable him to surmount some and to avoid others altogether. Very important in "this connection is the question of The Tims of Year at which it ia beet for the adventurer to make his start In de- dding IJiis point it is necessary to take into eonaiderstion not only the cbmato, but also the topography of tha ooontry, especi- ally of Alaska, throng which alone can the diggiaga at preseat [Cofi<«nii«d on page 7S8. I B.I^V-F'W' XmMi 1897. Xmah, 1897. THE ROAD. 7Bft tentUUty of rich* men to »»I»k •» rcue U there *h>U It oI thie leokleee iu«h w lightlj on "• . the wlTMitiM^ of itcntmenl; to OT norint" . . dog th»t droppwl monlieing in the golden Tinoiii tfe *eit eyee, »» not to br tJie meet cuoum- if the terror* of tlie It stretohee between Promised Uai. Tk« be true enough, but pen to •PP't,*?*"' ^B them. »«* •<»- rth with the calm ooB- loeTet elM ""J ««» ?' , he U deatined to be yuigltie ; juit ■• erer; "iBto brttle conftdont ma; happen to hto at le•»^ wll "» h out again. CWumna irhioh, if pot togeUiM, aome diatanee to the een printed about the e road to Klondike; ■f than doobtlol if • who ha^ serioudy ro- hiv fortune there haa therelv. On aU ,. are thrown away. go iKuia •»«•*• '»l*fc, be apimNH^hi'il. It nhould bo liorne in iiiinil that t)ie HuHMisns were not rawl-makera when they were in jioHKiiion of that ter- ritory, and that the Uoremment of the United Htates hmi not been a load-malcer iiinue. The only road-making that ban bevn done in thu direvtioii of the Klondike anynhcri) in the nviglibn ir- hood of Ala«k« ia in the Htiekeen Vuley, where the Kngliah have laid down a road for 160 niilcH or no, for the accoiunio do ^^ ^ ch ho ia 'T^ v!^ ^Lur kn Pledge whioh *^ .rthera Jtogether. the queation of mako hU aUit. In «•- , into conaid«r«*i<5«« r of tha ooantiy, efliacl- _ the diggiagi "k P"«»* ntinued on fag» 7W. Only Oholoe indovxl, which ho haa ; Ho nmv ihini«o liotwoon traveming it in Humnior and travoniing it in I'artj- winter. Hut UiiM ia little liotter than a choice of erila. It inuxt he Vomomliercd that during Iheaiuii iner aoaaon it ia generally raininit in the NortJi-Wmt, |)articularly in the mountain regiuna, where the downfall has been knowni to laat for aix or aoTon weeka without a break. I'nder auoh conditiona tho aoil beconiea aaturatinl with nioialure, and tho trail ia aoon reportelo, and that amounts to pmelainiing that tho lino of travel haa boon converted into n (quagmire which will awamp every living thing that attoiuptx to croaa it. But. it may be aaked, what in tho name of Macadam ia Corduroying a Trail P Truth to toll, it is an operation more ainipic than aatiafoctory. "Corduroying" a trail, good sir or madam, ia effected by laying aan- linga aide by aide acroaa the trad, these being held together aome- times by their own contact, and aonietimea by pinning their enda down with tlio trunka of troea laid end to end on either aide of tho "conluroy." Thia giyea a man a reaaonably aooure footing, nnil aavea him from being im- meraed in the quagmire beneath ; but for loai:3d animala it ia too often a mockery, a doiuaion, and a anare, and many a good mule haa come t4. hopoleaa grief upon it. Bad "THB BOA» TO BtCBM." — ^"tHB tees'' 8TEAIIBB IH 8KAUWAY UABBOCB. trail- As it will bo necessary to refer to the Utter frequently, it will not be out of place to give here a short description of What a Tikil It. Let not the sanguuie imagine that it bears the most distant family resemblance to a road I When a trail is spoken of as ex- isting between any two given points in the North- West, the word has no further meaning than that a man. and possibly a boast of bur- den, may ^avel uiat way over the natural surface of the ground. Some of 'hese trails are of the moat fragmentary description, navigable lal-eo and such sections of the streams as are navigable by raft or canoe being utilised to make a continuous line of communication. Others conaiat of rothing more than a marked or " biased " path through the almost impenetrable wilderness, with its tangle of undergrowth and fallen timber, and may never have been traversed by anyone, except the hardy hunter or daring * jiroapector, who " biased " the trees as he went along cither to mark the location of his traps, or to secure for himself a safe retreat to the point of starting. Heither of these men has had the time or the inclination to remove tho obstructions to travel underfoot, imr has he troubled himself bout grades. The routo has been ])ieked hap-hazard, with no ther guide than the compass and the gaps in the mountain nges lying m the general connie to he taken ; and the result a road which might be called truly infernal but that the com- larison would be unjust to the roads of the nether world, which e know, at least are paved — with good intentionit. Such ia the trail, and it behoves the Klondiker to make the it of it, for he haa got to take it. It is the l-HE BOAD TO BICBia." — LANDnrO rBZIOHT AT DTBA, this is, however, there is something worse. Of all the torments which the human foot has ever been called upon to endure, few can equal those inflicted by Tho Froiei "Soft" Trail. Every irregularity .'n the surface is converted by the frost into a aharp torturing point or edge which soon makes itself felt through tho stoutest bmt. Besides, the ground is as slippery as glas^, and footing an insecure that the fear of falling is ever pre- sent to the mind, while falla are more than frequent. Those who find their courage fail them before tlie "aoft" track, and who therefore wait at aome diamal camp like Skagway for the track to freeze, will probably be appalled by the Arat day's tnmp across a froaen ttaif. Waddling through the mire is not an 788 THE ROAD. Xmas, 1897. ■KTcralili- iiiftliwl uf looomotioD, bjr any niuiM, but "iihinning it" orer a froien "iioft" tnil i* uven lem attrtctive. In Fict, it li not a Pion'o Exouraion oithiT way. Ill thu ui>« uue, you tramp thruiitth thu da.r fmm sunriae to Hunwt with the rain "puuriiitf in torrent* from alioTi', ami tliu Hluuuh of Ueiiponi] In tlie form of a " xoft" trail uitclcrfuot, the huary pack on your back groiring, unlike I 'hrintian'ii, Hteiulily hvarier an the blankota abdorb Uic nioiiiture ; cxxik the <-vi-ning meal i>( " uliip-jaukii " anil beana anil bacon otlt a fire which the falling rain ia doing it« bcHt to cxtinguinh ; aiul "turn in," nfWr the frugal, half-cookvd uioal haa been devoured, under the ahvltcr of a dripping pine-tree, enrelopcd in u wot blanket and wetter clothing. In the other caac, you tram|i in thu heart of winter over moun- tain and valley, Uirougli a trailloiia terri- tory, with iHU'k on back and xevcral feet of miiw underfoot, treacheroualy covering ppoHtnte tree-trunka and undergrowth, and lotting you down up to tlie arin-pil«, or over the head, in unauapccted pit/alla, every few yanla through the trying march ; alecp tlirough the night under a haatily constructed bruHh hut made from the branchcH of the pinea ; and awake in tho morning with two feet of fallen anow banked up against the blanket in which you are wrapped. So pay your money and take your choice. But though there ia little difference between a hard trail and a soft, other conaiderstiona ought to weigh down tht scale in favour of A Start in tha Spring. In tho first place, the earlier tho traveller reachoa the traila the better condition ought he to find tJiem in. At the leust, the riak of finding them "soft" i.n diininishe«l, while there is none of finding tliem " hard. " Again, the mining aeaaou opens in June, and, as it is short, it is advisable to nuuce the very most of it. Tho«e who arrive at Klondike late will find the bleak winter upon them almost before they nave had time to look about them, and will perforce have to spend many months doing nothing, at great expense, and in still greater discomfort. Upon tho whole, it ap- peara that the beat method of dealing with this Tom Tiddlers (iroiind of real Me is to keep pretty closely to the ruIes'W tKe juvenile game of that name : ^tand liyafid watch vour opportu- nity, dart in and grab as much aa you can, And then aaah out again before you can be caught by winter, which plays the part of Tom. The territory should be Jtaidad, Not Occupied. With this object in view, the adventurer should leave Eng- land not later than tho beginning of April. After that date a delay of a day is the waste of a day ; while to set out late in the summer can only end in arriving just in time to be hermetically sealed up. in idleness, for the winter ; and to start later than that ." TBB EOAB TO BlCSna." — A COBBAL OJT BtTIuaT OF CIULKOOT PA88. TBB SOAD TO BICH(8." — lUEDODCa ON AH ALAIKA TBAIt. is to run a very great danger of nerer uriving at aU. Or, to aum up, after the fashion of Mr. Wegg : If in good time you would b« there, In April for a start prepare ; If till July you choose to wait. You'll be in time — to be too late ; If till September you delay. You'll leave your bonife upon the way. Having settled when to go, the intending traveller must next decide what to take. And here it may be advisable to drap f A Word of Warning against liatening la the advice ol good-natured frienda who always know everything that ia required, whether one is bound for the Xorth Pole or the Equatorial Provincea. Wherever it may be, they invariably are intimately acquainted with a man who haa been there, and- can assure you, on his authoritj, that such-and-such an article is "absolutely indispensable." We, too, know that man ; he comes from Shefflekl. He who does not tnrii a deaf ear to these insiaioua suggestions will, on arriving at the critical point of his journey, inevitably find himself saddled Witli fn immense heap of "indispensable articles," impossible to transport, and useless could they be transported. Be it remem- bered that -the steamers only allow to each passenger a limited quantity of baggage ; while for the land journey the tmpedimenfa should obviously be kept within the most modest dimensions. I^othing should be carried except necessaries, which can beat be obtained at the post where the overland tnul begins. There it will be easy to ascertain exactly what is essential ; ° and already there are plenty of stores which make a special buaineaa of equipping the traveller. Let him keep his money until then. What he lays out in this country will, for the most part, be wasted. As for clothing, those who start in the spring and do not intend to remain through the winter, need not Bt them- selves out like Arctic exploren. The Klondike summer, though short, a often opjpressively warm. It is a trying climate for thermometers, the tempera- ture ranging from 98 in the shade to 80 below zero, or a variation of 178 degrees. To adapt the verse about the little ■ girl with Hie curl on her fore' head, it may be said of Klondike that, When It U oold, it li nrj, rtrj cold ; But when it i> >icit, it la tmrlil I Not are the usu>l products of- a hoi cliinato absent, the most irritating add objectionable of insects beiag found in great abundance and of exceptional sisif and ferocity: There, Katlered wide, the llTelieet ol the year, In benda unclean, ■» big misqultlNa fooad lliat ituect loTm to bun end wanton then. And, blling Ireely, gtUj Mika amunll This is no fancy picture- Mr. HanJ De Windt, who has "been there" in more senses than one, reports that'll [Continued on page 759, Xiuih 189T. \iiAH, 18!)7. THE ROAD. TM ■t all Or, to Bum ■*1- tnreller must next dvistbla to dnp ttured friends who lether one is bound iauee. WheroTor it isinted w<.th ft man I his tuVkoMj, that !nsable." We, too, who does not turn on arriving at tiie imself saddled ititii les," impossible to ■ted. Be it renwm- passenger a limited «y the tmpedtmenia modest dimensions. which can beat be il begins. There it Bntial;'and already special business M ;ller. Let him keep hen. What he lays will, for the most those who start in not intend to remain need not Bt them- !ti« explorers. The though short, is often It is a trying meters, the tempera- 98 in the shade to _ Tariation of 178 the verse about the e curl on her fore- 1 of Klondike that, 1 1« TCr7, TorT oohl i >t, It ta tortU I products of a hoi most irritating Slid insects being found e and of exceptional the llnllHt of Um j«v, Mg moiqultoci fouad; .a fwl waotoii tiMfe, UI7 Maka iroimdl icture. Hr. Hany ■las "been there" is one, reports thst''li4 wed on page 7S9. ]tm. im iKTasionH found it iinpuNHiblf u* tiilk. mIcoii. ui- evt-n i'at. iwiiiK tci till- attw'kH iif tlii'Hi' pi'ntti, whirh liave lii'i'n known to inirni'nt ilogK to ilt'ntli ; whilo tlu' dtur aiirl hrarK nrv ofti'ii ilrivi'ii into tlic rivfi'M aihI laki-H to rHi-apt- fniiii them. Lvt us abuj ' srapo from tlu'iii hy turning to a IcHh painfiil Hulijoct- ' railriHula in t'snaila and tJiv in^ Htrnit itsri., It is no crowded and "tub KOAl) TO niCIIEH. — MAItlNF. IIABBACKS AT SITKA Next arises the iiuestion of routes, of which there are two available from Vancouver, whicii is reached from Liverpool by Allan or Dominion Line and C'ana'lian Pacific Bailroad in sixteen or twenty days. For the sake of distinction these may be called The 8sa Route and the Land Route though, as a matter of fact, neither is exclusively confined to one I'lement. The first is from Seattle, by way of the Straits of San .luan del Fuca, across the Pacific to Dutch Harbour, then through Behring Sea and Norton Sound to St. Michael's Island, where a transfer is made to one of the North Amtriean Tnuisiiortation Company's river steamers, which journey along tlie Yukon to llawson. The remainder of the distance — scarcely fifty miles —must be travelled by land. In all, the journey from Seattle to Dawson tjics some twenty-five days, and costs alwut £38 I'^aoh passenger- is permitted to carry l&Olbs of baggsgc. The second route is by steamer from Victoria to Port Jumeau, when c.nothor boat may be obtained as far as Dyes, where the arduous joumev by way of the Chilkoot Pass begins. It is hhorter, but far more difficult, than the first mentioned, which though more expensive, is both more comfortable and more expeditious. But neither route is perfect. This haS ilready been fully recognised by many iiKtuto individuals, and latterly there liavo been mooted several schemes vvhieli are expected to have the Effect "f making Klondike almost as acoes- mIiIo as Monte (larlo. An the poet "liBcrved, there are vision', almut. 'liief among thcSe is the project of A Railroad from Paris to Klondike, rimniiw in part over the same route t'lat Mr. De Windt intended to follow •'II his proposed journey from New Vc.rk to Paris, by way of Alaska and l.itieria — fully described by that gentle- iiiiiu in an interview published in The !!"iiart of Hudson's Hay, and a servii'' of steamers thence to the i'nkoii district; but none of this line has yet been laid down, except on paper. And then, of course, some day there will be the muchtalked-of air- ship — balloons have already been sug- gested — sailing aloft L'u above the world 10 high, Like a Bt«aniboBt in the sky (to take a sUght liberty witli one of the masterpieces of our literature), anil en- abling the miner to return to dinner at his eJub in town after each day's work. Cnfortunately the aii^shiji labours under a drawback just the reverse of that which affects the other schemes just mentioned. They are still in the clouds, while the air-ship as yet ia not. Doubtless they will, one and all, be ex- tremely appreciated by those who care to wait for them, and who will probably arrive (in perfect comfort) at Klondike 1'uat about the time when there is no oiiger anything to be got Uierc. At present, however — and it is with the present that this article is concenied — Tha Only Pnotioal Routaa are the two set forth above, and tlie adventurer must decido between them. This he must do for himself. So much depends on financial and physical considerations— a fairly long purse being re<|uired for the first, and fairly long legs being indis- pensable for the second — that it would" be fooUsh to offer an opinion on their respective merits. All that can be done is to supply the leading fscts almut them, and leave each individual to make his own choice in accordance with his own resources. Of the first, it is neediest to give a detailed description, since the ocean voyage is necessarily devoid of the excitements, perils. no scope little in and picturesqueness of the overland trip. It affords ; for the sensational writer, and oonsequently has figured .„ the newspapers. Happy the route that has no history I Yet it must not be imagined that Lifs on a MInen' Steamer leaves nothing to be desired. Those who picture to themselves a handsome vessel of good capacity, possessing snug state-rooms "THH HOAD to BICIIBB." — THE TOWN OF ST. MICHAKL, AT MOUTH or YDXOR. with snowy berths, a comfortable smoking-room, and a spaoiou^ saloon in which neatly-uniformed stewards flit briskly ibout long tables glittering witii glass and plate, will l)e laments^j,; disap- pointed. The reality is very different. In the first delirioua days of the fevi" steamboats were snapped up anywhere and 760 THE ROAD. Zmis, 18B7. Hiuippeil anjrhow tn meet the orerwhalming demand. The '■ Portland," which roallj itarted the " »io«m " by arriring at Heattle with A Cargo of Hon Than a Ton of Oold had prerioualj diatinRuinhed heneU aa an opium amuggler, .tiid then for a time had been employed in the more proeaio ooaating trade. The " Williamette " vaa a mrKo-lmat, and waa turned into anmethin^ remotely reaembliiiKa paaaenger ateamer it ii moment'a notice and a ooat of £2,000. lietween the time that iihe diacharged her cargo (of ooal I) and the hour of her departure — a luattiT of daja— hunka, fully aa luxurioua aa thoac obtainable for twopence a niuht in a nietropulitan " doaa-houae." were hurriedly conatructeu. It ia true that the bed-«lothea were clean, a oompletc new outfit of rhcwta, mattreaaea, pillowa, and cnrer- inn having been Imught for the trip. Space waa ooonomiBed to auoh a rrmarkable degree that the man who uonld walk (except crab-wiae) between the tiera muat hare been thin, indeed ; and where the baggage waa to be atowed waa a problem almoat aa can be depended upon to right itrelf ; ateamen will be built, rail- roada laid down, new traila discovered. Hut for aome time to come the pilgrim to Klondike muat be prepared to rough it, both on the road and at DawKR City, which ia the terminua of the ocean route. Though called a oit7, and promiaing aoon to become one, Uawaon, at the beginning o( autumn cuuld only Iraaat a imputation of i bout 0,000, which, howarer, ia remarkable enough, conaidenng that, laat Tinter, after the fint ruah, it4 iniabilanta numlwred only a third of that total. An.l it ia atill growing. That ia the minchief. It ia grow- ing too faat for ita atrength. Ita reaourcea are not e<|ual to ita population, which it can neither lo«mendou4 rush that is then certain to set in ia likely to exceed ^1 calculation and to upaet all arrangements, whatever prepan- ti(HM may have been made to cope with it, so that very aimilor shifts may have to be resorted to. Eventually, of course, after a temporary dislocation, the relation between supply and demand of flour, bacon, sugar, beans, and canned gooda ol every kind, while the eighty tona of liquor were *»"*• ferred to the "Alice," which brought them safely to Dawson City, much to the indignation of the miners, who wonted flour, not whiaky. One man actually went so far as to propose thM the next fellow who brought in aa much aa a gallon of whisky should bo strung up to encourage the others. Such a wanung might have been salutary had it been given sooner, but it w»i then too late. Even supposing that one or two ateamers ahouM have got up after that date,, ttiey can hardly have carried atavet sufficient to feed the people beyond (Siriatmas. What is to be- come of them after that? At St Hiohaela thero ore provisions ii abundance, but when the river has once froxen all oommnnin- lion with it is praciaoolly cut off for the next nine months, bo Dawson must fight ita battle unaided. Not against ataivatiaa only. Not long ago [OonUnved on page 763. iliere, and iMore were iM'ather wa i> ia aincert f'Mxl may a tile rear dl (didition to 1 appear, thei m'nenlly bi liefon the Dawion Clt miners' onmi the man alii tributed the hia gooda al may manage black proai lend againat. Uaning Vancouver, now trace Th* OvtrlamI through th< I'Dot Paaa, lias alread} itself a ni fi«r. The atage of thi iiey ia unc enough, bei Hteamer to loria in I 'olumbia, which it is 1*0 daya' i slao b7 atean rough it, both Sh oalleil s city, le btginning of lit C,000, whloh, »l, iHt T'nt«r, 17 » third of thU liief. It i» grow- not etiual to it! In the nummor Unt«; but thia m lero, t oanTH umb«r (K>ininAndfl diitueUtr, which my, (etching from •piece. od the Isit Koount* t pound, egga six shilUngt k pound, rs known to mui ir wu tlmoet un- there wu plenty of the two com- 1 up the Yukon pioturemue and Mtnted henwith , their inteilisent id, is the itaff of ngly. A typical ^pliud by mer Alloa. rer towing a large ina of whiaky and of champagne, and I when, near Fort t)OTe Eawaon, the the river waa falling be reliered of har h could be iarod. verboard went tona XMAI, I80T. THE ROAD. T«3 !^ and cold to I'on- TOKOS. giuMd gooda <* liquor were t»^ b them safely w minera, who wanted tar aa to propo" *™* a gallon of whidi} . Such a wamini I sooner, but It w»J two ateamara ahouW have carried a* population of more than 3,000, s..d ia rapidly gruving. It con- sinta of wooden houses laid out with fair regularity, anil ia lit through- out with elec- trii:ity ; but in the summer, mdng to the unceasing 'un.-t, the streeta are generally knee-deep in mud. There ar- tno hotels and sevend restaurants, where board, subatantial if I .lain, ia to be had at prices ranging from sixteen shillings a diy with lodging to four shillings a day without i^ Moreover, the town actually boasta a theatre, and plenty of good ahopr — Wiueiall^ fur shops. The chief, indeed practically the sole, in- Nustry, u the fitting out of passengers for tl.d trip to the Yukon. Klf inurse, the cost depends upon the purse of the purchaser, and jwhile a few have been content to spend as little aa £5, a far fir figure would be £20, and very many greatiy exceed this. K Yi.il of the most essential articles may be thnwn into rhyme, being more easily remembered in that shape : Be sure you get a Yukon aleigh, Built on t^ soundeat plan-; A tent, if you've tlw cash to pay ; And, for the inner man, Provisions for five months or more, With wraps and nverahoes. Of servioeahle clothes a store; And tools to build canoes. These are the things yon must not lack. If you're ambitious to come back ! 'Tin! nOAP TO BICHES." — TnT, gTKAMKB " POHT1.AND. Till' htaple articles of frnxl nrc Hour, liacon. I"'»ni<. siiuar, anil tea ; thesi' are nii-eitsnries. Hai.i, canned mints, rice, milk, li.iMer, dried fruits, and coffee are usually taken nlwi, altiioiml. they sri ri-Karileil as l.m.ries liv vitemi. primpectnrK of a Hiiartan turn, wliii wiiuhl iliHilitlesp nliOT frnwn nil the ingenious little slioctimn Htiive, wliirh i«. ncverlhclcwi, n very ileniralile nililition An onlinarv niilHt will weigh about 40011m. to th < man, although Bonio have been taken which would tip Ihe scales at l.SOOIIis. Hiich largo iiiiUits are, perhaps, no longer necessary, or even ailvi.tal.le, as eompetitinii between the trailing companies at Knrly Mile — a post so eallwl liooanse it is forty miles below Flirt Heliaiici-— lias so rediiceil prices that it does not puy to take II oro than a generous allowance for the Joiiriiev, as it is easier to buy the provisions for the neasiin's priispecting there. Better, however, to err on the safe side anil to carry loo much rather than tiHi little, for if anytliiiig Is- lai'king it cannot lie ohlaineil until the Yukon imsts, eight hiiiiilred miles away, are reached. One bills farewell to hotels, reslaiiraiitA, sIcaiiitMmla, anil stored — in a 'mnl, to civilisation— and is "his own mar," to pursue hiscourso whither and how he will, beyond all the conventionalities, arti- fleialilies, and re- ttrainia of society, and practically be- yond all law. Yet not alto- gether so. Along the road Tha Wild iluitloa of tha Frontlar is sternly and promptly adminis- tered, and grim .Tudge Lynch holds frequent court. Rvcn in that frantic scramble a certain amount of system— of the most roiighand-ready de. scription, but per- fectly cfTectivo with- al — has at times been found neces- sary. For inatance, when the headlong rush in the rainy weather made the trails impaaaable, men with loaded rifles were stationed along the road to keep everybody back whilat work was being done to render travel1ini{ comparatively eaay. In the meanwhile the miners' com- mittee preserved perfect onler. Two men who were caught stealing were shot dead on the spot. One of them lived in a tent close to the trail by which all must pass, and hia bullet- riddled body, hung from a pole, a gruesome sight to behold, remained before it in the open air for two whole days — a grim and ghastly warning. He had .stolen a sock of flour and lOOlbs. of baoon. It may seem terrible to think of a life being taken for so small a crime ; but it must be remembered that at that time, and in that place, food was far more pri^cioua than gold — it waa life itself. In the code of the Vigilants few crimes are reoogniaed ; but for thoee few there ia but the one punishment — death, swift and merciless. Judge Lynch is emnhaticallr a " hanging " judge. The same men accuse, try, condemn, and execute — in one and at once — like that too notorious ofllcer of Yeomanry, " The Walking Gallows," whoso epitaph runs: Here lie the bones of Hempenstall Judge, jury, gallows, rope, an4 all I We return from this digression to .Tuneau, though only to leave that town. From thia last oaaia of civilisation a dirty little steam launch, dignified by the name of a steamer, and generally loaded tar above its proper capacity, conveys the traveller a hundred miles to Dyai, which consists of a rude log ntore and a movable town of tentu. THE ROAD 1 1 h.:l oanii|ii«( miuiu itf ocotin hrrn, while Inuiana Mo |iiwiirwl I" i»rry teiita *nil lia||l{kge to thf UkM, twcntjfour niili-e dinUiit (roui the Chilooiit !•»*.. I'niiiB xhuiilil hi. Ukcii til ii«i< th»t the |inivii.ii.M«, Mpeii ully, uv |iro|M!rljr imclioil to niiwd luuin.tt (liuiii>K° hjr «»ter »nJ niiigh h*iiilliii|{. I'wm ahoiilii be iiumIu ii[> I« »i'i«h »lii)Ut I*'"'"-, put n i«ii»»» h«((«, anil thiri wr»ii|>i'il xi'iiirfly in iiil-nith Hhouhl they hu rx|MMed to rain, ilr<>|i|iv>r i'»cii iuiiuenvil for • nhort time in the rirer, |iniM the utmost con6dence in his power*, and declare that, in their opinion, the development of the more remote goldfields of Alaa. miles, r lion for thre against snow-blindness, he WiMF'^'cr^cil from ei [Continued on page 7S7, ^"^ Ihcse kkes TUK ROAD TO «ri>iind him wit liMi'ome, andh I'll one side, th rill tlic other, t tkf Yukon— a r rarities and gli llovgh guar Thither h« Till' ftrst belt o mill •» away ; an witliniit delar. iliiji snow-drift •""■it ground it lli'ii streams rt'ai^es Lake " InHt he halti 'l«ii( fiillv flfte His difficulti I uf gold enliTcd through Mriwae j it is i «liisko Lindeinann, thn flnt nf the chain of lakea, whore •I last ho halts for much-needed rcKt and refreahment, having 'jii'iil fully fifteen houra in atrenuoua and continuous exertion. His difflcultiea are by no meana at an end, however, the kin^- II iif gold roaembling the kingdom of heaven in that it la Fiitirod through much tribulation. He hax iiaed hia legs to aome iiirpoiie ; it is now the turn of hia handa. A lioat is required to taTorae . The labyrinth of Lakt and Rivir • hi -li still lies between Mm and his goal ; and before he can wlillo hia own canoe, he haa got to nMke it. First the timber mist he feUed and fetched from a oonjiderable diatance, the (pi'.ited onslaught of previous " rurtiers " having driven tlie wood- fw back from the rfiores of the lake. Ilien he sets to work ipon his little craft In his pack he has — or ought to have — the I'l'isssiy tools and tlie piton with whii;h to caulk the sesms. '"t the rest he must trust to his oarn ingenuit.y; a.id with t^pir care he ought to bo able to turn out a bcii:: liable of to tax the stnnftk 'rving his purpose. It may not be a tiling of beauty when corn- most seasoned an ''^^'eeii left behind. After Hcylla, OhsrylxJis. flix miles farther on sre the White Horse Rapids — a place so fatal as to hsve earned the ill-omene'l nsme of ■' The MInef't Grave." This !s a " box canon," about a hundred yards long sn<; Mty yards broad— a "chute" through which the river, wiek ; postmen threw iwiy the Icttc - ling and donneoarance, machine and all, though ho must find the Yukon district rather a hard roid to travel on pneumatic tyres. Tbo " Forty-Nincr " who has bi>en in every rush ninoa the early ilaya of California, ia not missing here. He ia verging on the sero and yellow leaf, for he cannot he much less than aevcnty, and hiw had nearly fifty years' rxiierience of gold-mining ; yet here ho is, spare and grizzled, and worn, but still hopeful I He should be useful a« a kind of object-lesson to enthusiaatic young adven- turers who confidently expect to "strike it rich" immediately after their arrival, and to return home triumphantly in the aiilumn. The " Forty-Xiner " is now drawing near the appointed limit of a life spent in haril work at all the moat famous gold-fields nf the century, and his fortune is still to make I acco.inis, the Klondike miner — !r .ummor »t all event! — laehiel occupied in waging war against the moaquitoea. In his sp time he works his claim. As the ground ia frozen right down t the bedrock, some eighteen to twenty-five i, it below the lurfsw where alone the rich "jiaydirt" is struck, he haa to adojtj metliod ])eculiarly slow and tedious. The recognised practice il« remove the surface mass, which is eighteen incnea thick, and ttej builil a fire which burns all night. In the morning the ^favelij thawed down about two feet. Tliia is shovelled out, ml anottej fire is built ; and in this slow and laborious wa,^ Jie ground i removed down to the rock. In the evenings the minors assemble in the saloon) to Iri -.vhisky, gamble, and talk of The Lucky Ones; of " eld man McCormick," who made the first diacovcty of | [f~'nntinitfil on prif/c 77/. jLi.%^^:t>i^i,V: ■ XiiAs, 1807. jc his own wor apeedf appetrmncu. mome mystery neviT hey slways hunt in manner, apparently I distsnue apart fmm lunded by a acore cf liineee quarter to tlie haa been bo graphi- r mentioned. Ity all '■-!►*. » .rt(- ■»t all eventa — ia chW •quitoea. In hia spa i« frozen right down ' ^ i. i below the aurftc ick, he haa to adopt recosniaed practice i« ' n inches thick, and th< le morning the jfa™ >Telled out, mI anott" rioua wa^- uie ground i in the saloons to iri" firat discoTOfy of g> ntiniifit on pnfff 771. XuAB, 1897. THE ROAD. 771 ill large (|uantitle8 at the mouth of the Klondike, whither he had ^'onc, in the spring of 1896, in quest of salmon ; of Joe Leduc, tlic moat persistent anil successful cf the Yukon miners, who as long ago as 1883 was described by Lieutenant Hchwatka, as " digging holes persereringly, and flnding pivcious little in them," mid who is now the chief proprietor of liawson City, where land in the best situations fetches £25 a foot, and a millionaire many times over; of Olarenoo J. Berry and W. Stanley, who have retired with fortunes of £27,000 and £23,000 rcapectively, ac- quired in a few weeks ; and of many others— comparative minnows licside these Tritona — who hare realised sums ranging from one to twelre thousand pounds. Yet, on occasion, they hare other diversions, too ; albeit these do not appear to be of a wildly exhilarating character. Mr. Harry Uc Windt, who attended A MInera' Ball in one of the saloons at Circle City (which is on the American side of the boundary line), has given the following unattractive di-Kiriptioii of it ; — " It was a melancholy function. The long, low apartment was fe8t4)oiiod with flags, and there was a bar at one end. The orchestra consisted of a violin and a guitar ; it was almost drowned by the din at the bar and the etttiiiping of heavy - feet AVrangles and fights took place at intervals. It was past midnight, but some guttering candles still struggled faintly with the Arctic twilight- The guests nuiubernl sixty, and quite a score of dogs had ^itrayed in through the open doorway. These latter seemed to excite no surprise, or even remark, until the M.O., a giant in ahirt-alecres, proceeded to walk round and eprinklo tlio boards with powdered reain. He waa quite unconacioua of the fact that one of the hungry cura followed him cloaely, and greedily devoured erery atom aa it fell. A gambling saloon opened out of the ballroom, and wag in full awing— poker, roulette, and faro bein^ the favourite games. Host of the phiyers ataked little bags of gokl dust — a recognised form of currency on the Yukon, fetching seventeen dollars an ounce." One can guess that partners of the proper sex must have been lamentably scarce at tiiat entertainment, for the Yukon goldflelds can aa yet hardly be considered as "woman's sphere," wide as tliat haa now become. To be sure, tliere is the celebrated Mrs. and bounds, "claim-jnniping " was indulged in by divers dis- honest persona, and Mrs. Wills haa had to fight for her property. It IS valueacity. Their name is Legion, and, if they are not po» sessed of devils, they are certainly sufTering from 772 THE ROAD. Xmas, 18U7. Klondika on th« Brtin HO HL'verely as to give rise to serious buh- jiiiioiiH of tlioir sanity. Unc lady is aiubitious to start the first news- imiiLT tlierc, ami is Ijoing to set out in till- spring with a Hiiiall hand - press ; lier name — let it lie written un the Hindi of Fame ! — is Mrs. Caroline Westcott Dominion will be ox- " hails from " Chi- cago. Another is desirous of opening a store at Forty Mile City ; she is de- serilied as "a laily of title," but otherwise jircfera to remain in CAITAI.N- KIIISTON (If TlIK STEAMKIt *''" •**?? "•""■« Oj •imuTLANi..- anonymity. A third has an idea of practising as a physician there — this must bo a 'new woman." Yet a fourth ccinfesses with frank sim- plicity, that she wants to get there with the view of marrj'ing a miner; she must be an old maid. Instances of siuiilar foUv might be multiplieiM. Reindeer Cutlets. Klondike iSandboys, with Seal Trotters. Uyea Nuggets. SlioAs of Chilcmit Mountain. SWKKTS. Arctic Ciivle Berry I'ii-. Snowslioe Dumplings. I)awsids. Hot or Ckild. Gold Drippings. So much for tJie Klondike madness. It now only remains to give a brief description of tlie machinery by which th'e maniacs are controlled — that is to say. The Qov«rnm«nt. As has been the case with every gold-mining u>mp under Kng- ish domination, a strict and impartial administration of the law has been witnessed from the date of the announcement of the discoveiy of gold in the district. It is a wav we have got If gold be found in a territory not provided with a ( 'oloiiial form of government, as was the case with British Columbia prior to the discovery of gold on tbe Lower Frasor River in 1868, such a govenimeiit is promjitl^ created by the Colonial Secretary, and laws are at once drawn up for the protci;tioii of life and proper-.y, and means furnished for their proper administration. In this respect our practice has ditfered from that of the United States. In the States, the miners who have Hocked to the new districts have been left to create laws for their own government, and in most cases to provide means for their administration. The Terri- torial and Federal Uuve;.Uiieiit have paid very little attention to them unless the communities were well eatabllahed. The same dilTerence is observable in the policy which haa been pursued t.'.ider the two Hags with regard to those public works which are necessary to facilitate the development of the mineral wealth con- tained in the public lands. Under the Union Jack, traila and roads, and telegraphs, are promptly pushed into the new terri- tory, umler Government direction, to cheapen the cost of transport, and to open direct coiiiniunication with the seaboard and with civilisation. I'nder the Stars and Stripes, these matters have been left largely to the miners themselves and to private enterprise. In pursuance of the fitst-itamed policy, the Dominion of Canada siipjilied the Klondike district, on the receipt of the news of the discovery of gohl there, with all The Maohinery of Oovernment, for the protection of life and property, the preservation of peace, the care of Government interests, and an equitable division of the gold-yielding "pliicers" among the adventurous spirits, who, it foresaw, would flock thither, in addition to those who were already on the ground. The Government has, therefore, been present in the district from the earliest date, with well-defined hws, regulating the general business of mining and the protection of individual rights. Dniinarily, the a-ithontics have not required a large rtpre- scntation. In Cariboo one Gohl Commissioner, who is vested with judicial authority, and a small Imiid of constables to execute his orders and preserve the |>eace, consti- tute the whole force. In Klondike, however, the ])roximity of Alaska, and the greater risk of infractions of the law arising out of that proximity, have im|Hdled the Dominion Goveminenttii fortify itself more strongly against pos- sible contingencies. There is conse- (|iieiitly a larger detachment of tile Canadian Mounted I'olice present there than has Hgured heretofore in any mining camp ever opeiH'd wiUiin the biuindaries of 'he Dominion, and it is proluble tiiat still more men will be pushed up in good time to deal with the great rush exi>cctocen appointed Do- umiseioner for the Idition, it is believed en full charge of Uie old region. Major landed the Mounted )reSk)ion of the Louis s a veteran cam- i be well qualified to promptly with any i»y arise on the gold- Xms, 1897. THE ROAD. 7TB Dl WIRDT. nucil on jxioe 7TC- any aarioiis trouble growing out of that fact, the mounted police will certainly demand the surrender of all sucli weapons at the frontier. And this disarmament will be a ven- simple pn-ceas. The "rushem," who, were they com- bined, could give trouble, will arrive, unlike misfortune, not in battalions, but aa single spies. Each man will be eager to out- strip all others on tlie journey, so that the line will be very straggling and attenuated when it reaches the border, and the police will consequently have little difficulty in dealing with it- Again, once in the mining district, ti..; gold-seeker will find that the feveriah desire to get a rich claim will become the all-absorb- ing idea in his mind, and all thoughts of opposition to the law and its executors will speedily vanish. Ths Fomtlltlet and Feti Connected With the Operation of Striking Out a Claim, are as follows, In the first place, before even commencing to pruspeet. the intending miner must seek the Qovernment official in cnaige, and appljr for a claim. A " free miner's certificate " or "miner's right is then isiued to him, at a charge of five dollars a year. If he set to work without the licence, he is liable to a fine of twenty-five dollars and all costs. The next step .'s the locating and reoording of ilie claim, the entry fee for which is twenty-five dollars for the first year, with an annual fee of a hundred dollars. " Dry " diggings are as nearly as possible rectangular— -100 feet square ; oreek and river claims are five hundred feet long. The former must be marked at the comers by four pegs or posts, at least four inches square, on one of which must be written all necessary particulars, names, dates, and so forth. If a claim be left unworked for more than seventy- two hours together, anyone has a right to step in and take posses- sion of it Besides these regulations, there are several otiiers dealing with tunnehi, drains, watei^rights, and other points which need not be set down here, but should be most carefully observed. Anyone who crosses the border with the inten'^in of riding rough- shod over laws, even the most seemingly insit,..iflcant, will oommit A Very Fooliih Aotlon. Califomians espe- cially, who may be possessed of the idea that the Klondike mining distriot will be something similar to all Califomian mining camps in the earlr Uays, and that Uia majority will rule, no matter what nationality is in con- trol or what flag flies above the soil, may be rocommeivded to rid themselves of the delusion — for such it ia — as quickly as pos- sible. A similar notion prevailed in the Fraser Biver Bush of 1858, but Governor James Douglas soon knocked it on the head. It flourished with equal vigour in the rushes to Cariboo in 1862 and 1863, and was rooted out with equal promptitude. On reaching the gold- fields the Califomians found that the British law officers were already in full control, and tlie laws of the Colony in full force ; and so equi- tably were those laws administered tiuA at no time were there more than tlirec Uold CoiiimiBsioners and half - a - dozen con- stablett stationed In » territory of nearly 100 (uiuare miles, this small foive hold- ing jurisdiction at one time over a mining population of nt leiat 30,000 r .inere, gathered from all parts of the world. And M> elTective was the aoministtstion of law there that during the first ten years of the hiiftory of that district the number of deaths bv viuleuue could be reckoned on thu fingers of uue hand. MAX W. NEWKEBBT, A SPECUL COBKKSFONDKNT. In Auatralia. where tiie situation was complicated by the presence of a large oriminal population, emanating from tho various c«mvict establish- ments, our system worked with equal smoothness and sucooas. jCAJOii wAi.Kir, xm; aom commissioneb. The episode of the Eureka Stockade at Uallarat, which would have been ridiculous had not blood been shed, only served to demonstrate that the Qovernment had not only the determination, but ahm the power, to be master. So it will be at Klondike ; so, indued, it has beer, until now. During 1806 only one serious shooting affray was recorded, and in the year now drawing to a close, crime of the graver sort has bt^en conspicuuu. '', if there he truth in the tales of miners dying of starvation, Ktrotchcd on tlic ground, with sacks of gold dust for their pillows. The latter ^(uln is the lowest limit consistent with prudence. But. indeed, prudence is a quality in which many of the gold- seekers seem to be singularly deficient. Thej rush off at • moment's notice, Without Inquiry and Without Preparation. Their <,.ie thought is to reach the mines as quickly as possible, and in their haste they do not stop for, or, in their madness, they throw away, the moans indispensable to the safe accomplisli- ment of the journey. When the trails were blocked last autumn, a ITnited States official reported that people were throwing away their packs and provisions and rushing headlong for the mines. " The snow shall be their winding sheet I *' On the other hand, their* ignc^nee is sometimes colossal. I'liiiics have been Hccn to set out on tlio terrible overland journey encumbered with hones, coo|)s full of chickens, and ploughs, for all the world as if they were intending to settle comfortably in &> farming line in some smiling valley. One man had even pro- vided himself with a mowing machine! A coffin would hav been not much more cumbrous, and probably moro useful. It \^Vtnitiiuml nil /'iij/i' III The Oofer liililies in th lUMiiiiunicatio tiijiporary fa telegraph lin ciminged), an entry at Dye lli.'it there sh cut of a scarei til'' Stickeon British territi the British Y ffhcel stcame instruct a n The White P wliich ia op nine months rear, againi three •'■'. wh fircr 18 nav Aiiil can bo »» well by trians as an a live to the CI the best ioa< '"K now bee liriitely asoert Tile total di h.v this last ro MOO milea \ ietoria in ''"luinbia, whi "lean route -Miihaels a_ '" ".000 miles .•*il these fill, of course, tii?eiJier for K'niil of the . '''ke district. surface of the l"'.«;i"n wiU "ipi.lly transfo. "awson. Forty '"'I Circle < will li?come eiti "rv fjct, witj 'he resources ImnvHiiieneea 7'". and , """■ing towm l»iil sdon sprinf ■*M.I,. them. : 'I"; i thre'tonin ™h the bugbei ^«i, even tl I'lee been ac ■WH" HUK*, 1«9T. XuAs, 1897. THE ROAD. 77.) dctp, sn"! »" Hired miners 11. JJor is the . , it can scarcely »y how rich it It the Kuykuk re the IniliBim, taking from ten the Porcupine, alinqtia, and the !« of the Yukon, il tlio Klondike- ire many square has never made have never been is probably gold who will spread • a fan, will not enetrate into all loubtlesa hear W ana. fevertheless, lose persons hose thought arc ready straying ,ndly thither iiy be warned to hink Twios Before Starting )r this Mecca of lie ProfitK. Ho ittiiy and bo great Tc the difficulties [o l>o encountered 111 tlie roatl, and he hardships to bo sndiired on the adds, that only strong and orpen- enced miners, or men who have been accustomed to rough it in wild and unsettled countries, ought to face them ; or> fncin« them, <«" hope to overcome them. And, equally with physical strength, is a cer- tain amount « money e«ent»al. Mr. De -Windt^ who speaka with authority, and not Ik Bcnbe, "J^ Clares tjirt i* '« Ine^s to think starting from Kniland with^ » „pital of less than of the .K«'i8!?SJ» Information Omw oatimatea the cost rt £260 at leart for conveyance and to take — most neces- 1 dying of starvation, luct for their pillows. it with prudence, ■h many of the gold- hey rush off at • biration. 1 quickly ae possible, |r, in their madncM, \ the safe acconiplisn- [blocked last autumn, were throwing away dlong for the mine* sometimes colosssl. liblc overUmd joutney lens, and ploughs, lot Itle comfortably in tin man had even pro- _. coffin would hsTJ Ibly more useful. « III/ "II /"W ^'" 'Tm noAii TO mcnEs." — ou) roHT rt.t.kibk, on thk rppr.n vt-kow. rniinot bo too often reiterated that those who contemplate making the jouniey in the spring, w.u'ii doubtless many a young man's f.uuy will lightly turn to thoughts of gold, should inikj their ;imiiiKcnieiits with all the care of a goiicral planning a campaign. Let them set to work with deliberation, make their prepirntiins with prudence, and equip themselves properly, without stint of necessaries, yet without luiperiliiitics. Even with these pre- cautions the route by way of the Cliilcnot and the Lakes will III' found a journey requiring the heart of oak and threefold brims spoken of by the poet — and legs of, if possible, even stninger materials ! No doubt in time there will he Qreat Improvemantt. The Government, as we have seen, is fully alive to its responsi- hilities in the matter, and is already engaged in improving the I oiniuunication with Klondike. From the United States temporary favours aire being sought for the construction of a telegraph line across country (a monthly mail bra ahready been arranged), and the concession has been obtained of a sub-port of entry at Dyea, to facilitate the transportation of merchandise, so tli:it there shall be the least pos<>ible amount of distress growing cut of a scarcity of supplies. Next summer will see a roadway on ill'' Stickeen route, passing all the way to the Klondike through British territory, and that by a short cut. By that time, too, the British Yukon Company expect to have placed twenty stem- irheol steamers nn the great river ; and later they intend to cfinstruct a narrow-gauge railway across The White Paaa, ffliieh is open for nine months in the venr, against the three y\ which the rirer is navigable, and can be used as well by pedes- trinns as an alterna- tive to the Chilooot, the liest i\rface of the whole ti'si'in will be lapiilly transformed, Haws'on, Forty Mile, 'ml Cirole Cities li-^come cities 'in wry fact, with all the resources and konnniencea of htii'3. and other J'litiving townships |*nl soon spring up iili tliem. The dinger of starvation, which at present lowers like a threatening pall over them, will iiass away and be numbered pth the bugbears of the past. Vtt, even at tlie best, when these changes and others shall |U have been acoompli,hed, the Klondike district will still remain Rude, Unhealthy and Inhospitable. For one thing, there will always be the olinmto to contend a;;ainBt — ttie climate of a place which lies less than two hundred miles south of the Arctic Circle, und in the summer, owing to the marked contrast in the seasons, seema to be situated just about the ssmo distance from the infernal regions. At its worst, indeed, the climate in far more rigorous than that of most of the mainland lying within the Arctic Circle. As far as is known, at only one other place on citlier of the three continents of wliioh the northern extremities lie within that Circle docs a similar condition of the alluvium exist— namely, on the iNuiks of the Lena, in Siberia, where the ground has been found to be frozen solid at a depth of over one hundred feet. So Intanie l> the Cold of the Klondike winter that, when travellers are gliding across the frozen rivers, the sledge has actually to be stopped at inter- vals, or the wind created by the rapid motion would freeze them to death. On one occasion a "tenderfoot" — the Amerioan equi- valent for "a new chum " or "a greenhorn," derived from the sult'erin^i of novices upon a trail — wh,i was travelling by night on a sledge, dropped his pijie, and the sledge having been stopped, sent his only companion — an Indian — back in search of his com- forter. The dogs, which are not oontroUed by reins, immediately started off on tiieir own account. Mile after mile they sped on, and when at last they stopped of their own accord at Dswso'd, the passenger was stark and stiff, his si^tless eyes gazing straight ahead. Ho much for the climate in winter. In summer, as uie district lies low, disease is usually rife, and, in addi- tion, the miner haa to endure A Deluge of g Catariot Skies, stench of old offal decaying, and in- finite torinent of flies — especially moKqiiitoes, which reduce the hands and faces of those who venture to go about unprotected against their assaults into mere masses of bleeding flesh. In compari- son with the more sensational hard- ships of the road these things may be thought little of by those who have experienced them ; but, even if they stood alone, tlie gold of Klon- dike would yet not be lightly won. And, at present, tliey do not stand alone by any means. Our honest fore, fathers believed that the gold, stored in the inmost recesses of the mountains by giants, was protected from the grasping clutch of mortals by evil spirits. In a sense, this is true of the gold of Klondike, which is Quarded by Three Grim Epeetree known as Cold and Famine and Disease. Their tale of victims 780 THE ROAD Xmah, 1807. mmmmt hi I iii if already l(iiiK. Hut tliu gtoaiin (if the fallen are druwned bj the pwaiia of the viutoni. It is necenmry, therefore, to point out that thune whcme nuiHjr Hhoiita of triumph arc wnfted do far are, aiiiii I but a Hiiiall iiiinurity of thoxe who have set out for the fatal pfldH in thi! prido of ntreiigth nnd tlio full fluBh of hope. By A MINKH DtniJIINa H18 OATIIN AT CIBaj. CITT. the moHt favouralile c^iinpntatiou the proportion of the grently f( rtunate to the silent many in na one to ten. The other nine cither leave the country in disgust as poor as when they entered it. or sicken and die there, or remain to toil on for a simple liveli- hrocl under cimdilions the most onerous. Kriefly, those are the facts. Then let the aspirant after a share of the wealth of Klondike weigh them well in his mind before he arrives at a decision which may involve co much. If, nevertheless, he should still resolve to make the venture, then let him go forward with open eyes, not as upon an assured Royal Road to Riches, but as upon a oourse in which great risks are roimterbalanced by the possibility of rewards still greater; not cherishing too sanguine expectations, but with a heart stout to endure, and a spirit equal to either fortune. ingly strong, being generally furnished with an iron handle, (or the purpose of defence if neoetssry. Othen contain a spring, ainl by a sudden jerk a small dagger is thrown out at the handle, but care must be taken to keep the spring clean and free from rust, or it will be useless when reng lash can bo attached are moxt useful in many countries infested with curs, brith human and other- wise, which yelp st one's horses' heels ; but a few well-applied cuts on the backs of these creatures soon keep them at a respect- ful distance. Messrs. Zair's whips will be found useful for those who have to travel tho wolf-infested dis- trii'ts of the Klondike, nnd also for keeping iiH' other undesirable "foUowers" in the shape of highwaynien and tramps. Messrs, Zair ]H)ssesH such a large variety of whips of every description that it is very questionable whether anyone who visits their establish- ment woulil be luiahle to Knd, after a short search, jirecisely whst he requires. • • • Mfsshs. B. C. Tippkx & Siin'h Mr|II<'AIIE!ITS. Many of those who leave this country will pnilmbly take with them their own horse-medica- ments, inasmuch as those which are known of here are usually considered to 1>o the best and most reliable. In this direction much assistance to those who intend to proceed to the Klondike might be afforded by Messrs. B. C. Tinner and Son, veterinary chemical manufacturers, of Bahiall Heath, Birmingjiam, who are well enough known 'o readers of this journal as makers of "Qrul-os," " Anti-gas," " Vitalis," horse balls, and some effective horse medicated powders. A dosen or two irattles of the same manufacturers' " ] of the most rigorous character. Another healing oil is that known as " Nigro," which will be found useful for most kinds of wounds, NOTES UPON NOVELTIES. t Mii:!.sus. Q. AND ,T. 7aib's Whips. Another recpiirement which thiwe who visit Klondike will have to look after is providing themselves with good and dur- able whips, and perhaps there is no firm of makers who have hod more experience in this lire than Messrs. Q. and .T. Zair, of Bishop Street Birmingham, The writer recollects some years ago, when travelling in Australia, that he had some remarks to make upon the whips which are made h} Zair, and which are largely in use in thit colony ; but it is not only in Gre.it t?r Britain that these manufacturers are well and favourably knoAii, for a great num- ber of those who require whips for use in the Vnited States buy those made on this side, the favourites are the usual Rnglish patterns and such as are sold by the better class of saddlers in London ;ind elsewhere, and come from the establish- ment of the Birmingham firm mentioned. • ' The American buggy trotting whips are ttm KntKBS' joubset down i.akr i,a baboe dubino thf, wnmB sbason. a speciality in the United States, nuil these are made by Messrs. Zair, and can be obtained in kicks, sore shoulders, and cracked heehi ; while "Dysenteros" ii almost every description of style and pattern. A speciality a special drink made up for dysentery and diarrhoea in animsk. of theirs also is a whip very much used by our country- Alessrs. Tippi?r and ,Son will forward one of their little bookleto men in South America and Africa, nnd whiuli is exceed- concerning descriptioim of all their manufactures and how l» ^'' Xmas, 1897. Xma8, 1897. THE ROAD. 733 an iron handle, Othen oonUin in thrown out at itpring cle»n and jnireil. Whips to a lung Ush can ttached are moiit in many countries ed with cum, human and other- which yelp at horses' heels ; I few wcU-applieil on the backs of creatures soon them at a respect- liatance. Meaars. n wliips will be 1 useful 'or those have to travel wolf-infeated dis- I of tho Klondike, also for keeping other undesirable liiwers " in the le of highwayroen trainps. Messrs. jMissess such ^ a I' variety of whips very description that H very questionable ther anyone who H their" establish- it would be unable HthI, after a short rch, priHilsely what tenuircB. • ' • • isKiis. B. C. TiPPBa HoN'a MBI>I(AMB!T8. Many nf those who vo this country will ■Imbly take with them .'ir own horsc-medica- are known of ;hc beat and most ) those who intend to ■d by Messrs. B. C. kifacturers, of Balsall known 'o readers of ?a8,""Vit»U8," horse lowders. A doaen ot mbro" white-oils will 'lit for sprains, swell- all of which ailment! orse-travelling in the as already atated, i» ^ling oil is that knowi nost kinds of wounda, spiilT them, to any reader of this journal who chooses to wrilo fur the same. Mesbbs. Fo^nis Bbos. amd Co. 'a Diiivinu Gi.dvks. Inasmucli as a large amount of drivinij will bo neccsnary across ,1 rough and dangeroua country, and in connection witli tcanm aroraging from four to eight horses or mules, or even reindeer, tli^ necessity for providing oneself with sufficiently tough and durable glovea ia one ot some importance. In this direction wi' would Buggest a visit to tho store of Messrs. Fowncs Bros, siul Co,, of Oresham Street, E.C., who are the makers of dririno and riding glovea par excellence. We have before had orrasion to call attention to the famous "Grip' driving glovo wliich haa been pat«nted by this firm. This will be found by ■nnrtsmen and travellers— and, indeed, by all who have frequent ooiasion to ride or drive — to be a very excellent and well-wearing glove. Tho "Grip," which consists of raised corrugations, obviates, lo a "reat extent, what has been a long-felt annoyance, namely, tlio constant and tiring slipping of the reins through the fingers. Tills tho glove entirely overcomes by means ot tho leather corruga- tioi.s referred to, which on the palm. Angers, and thumb offer a im.vosaful resistance to any slipping tendency of the reins, in either wet op dry weather. We understand that tho proprietors of 111- patent "Grip" glove have received many letters from sports- men and others testifying to its merits; and in all proba- bility those of our readers who use these gloves upon ihcir contemplated trip to the goldfiolds of Klondike and British Columbia nili be enabled U|)on their return .<^^ -r -• V ^ |gOH. Ifhile "Dysenleros'iil I diarrhoea in anlmakl Jof their little bookletil kfactnrea and how l>l .lACK UrglKSTEN, KSIPWN AH ' THE rATUEB UP THE VIKON." "THE aOAD TO BICHIS."— BRelNO THE " POBTLAJO) '' OPP. to provide McssFH. Fownes Bios, niiil Co. with an eciunlly aatixfactory tc.tti- moiilnl. • • • SPBArr's Patknt Doo BlSl'lHTH. It Is questionable whether any public enterprise has had more favourable journalistic notices devoted t^i its in- terests and ]>n)s- pects than Kpratt's ratcnt, Limited, a concern which Is known, it may bo said without exag- geration, from one end of tho world to tlio other. Person- ally speaking, we have seen Hpratt's biscuits displayed for sale, and always found it In every quarter of the globe, and as largely in America as anywhere else. We refer to the Spratt's bIsculU which are made 'in this countrj- and exported to the United HUtes from this side, and not to the biscuita which arc made In the United States under, wo lie.ieve, tho American Hpratt Company's licence. In our Klondike articles we have referred to tho necessity of travellers taking a giKMl supply of dog bisciiltH in order to feed their animals en riiu/i', and which are made such use of in traversing the Ice-bound regions of the North. Inasmuch as Spratt's biscuits were used exclusively by the Haimsworth-.Tackson and the Nansen expeditions, and the ntemliers of which have givtn such excellent reports upon them, it may be taken for granted that those who nro pro- ceeding to Klondike could do little bettor than follow ao gcod an example. Spratt's biscuita will keep in any climato and for almost any length of time, and it is a noteworthy fact that they will be eaten by 'dogs when no other sort of food can tempt them. The interesting par- ticukirs which are given in con- nection with the biscuit com- missariat of the two expeditions above referred to, in another part of this issue, are well worth perusal. • • • Hebsbb. Johjj Half, and Sons' (LiiOTEn) SUOXELESB CaBTKIDOEB. Messrs. .John Hall and Sons, Limited, of 79, Cannon Street, K.C., are the makers of some smokeless cartridges which they claim It would be veiy difficult to surjiass for ex- cellence of manufacture. Theso cartridges are loaded with thirty-five grains of water- proof ooncentrsted powder, and Hin. shot, those who have used them pronouncing them among the most per- fect cartridges yet introduced. Tho firm's cheap nitro cases are loaded with forty-two grains of waterproof bulk- powder, known as "No. 2 eparse" grain, in contradis- tinction to the concentrated powder which is "No. 1 fine" grain. Tho coarse grain car- tridgea contain l^in. shot, and are hard-hitting and pleasant to ahoot with. The *«^ ^' ( ■ 2 784 THE ROAD. Xmas. 1897 \MAH, ixpwiliT lUBik' l)y Mi'iwrH. John H«ll and Son, Limited, ind whij'i IK not inaptly (l'eHcril)od an the " Kinu uf smoki'lem powder')," is intiroly conminu'd in tlio Kun Imrrelii, then' \mng no particlca li'ft to IpIow luM'k and injuro llio cyt'H. lUadirK of tliirt journal will niollwt till' tfrritilc aci-idrnl that onco hnppcni'd when II 11.11. till- I'rind' of Wali'H wa» oui, nhnotinK with a part/ of fiiL'nd«, and wliirh. it in naid, ccmld iint ]ios.siliU have oirurri'btained by this |>owder at Hurlin)(liain and the nun Club during the aumnier of 1895 and the wintvr of 1896 will proliably be fresh in the memorj' of many tif our readers, more priziti being won with that powder than with all the other powders eond)ined. Tore- l\it 5 CO., THB OZjD-XSBTADKiiaHBD STOCKBROKERS & DEALERS, 7, Union Court, Old Broad St., and 82, Bishopsgate St., XiONOON^, E.G. Telefjrnphic Aadiess— " PBESCOTT LYLE, LONDON." No connection with any other Finn, Heferences to Hankers, Solicitors, Ac. STRONGLY RECOMMEND THEIR PAMPHLET, ENTITLED- How to Make Money WITH SAFETY. AN EXPIi ANJLTOR Y BOOK (Eighth Edition). INCLUDING ABRIDGED HIGHEST AND LOWEST AND TELEGRAPHIC CODE. SENT GRATIS AND POST FREE. This work, so favourably and widely reviewed by the Press, will be found of great value to every operator, as it clearly and fully explains the methods and secrets of the Science of Successful Speculation in a way hitherto unattempted, and affords new and valuable information of a kind usually to be gained only by many years of careful study, and perhaps costly experience. PRESCOTT, LYLE & Co.s Terms, forwarded on application, are and have been for the TWELVE YEARS they have occupied their present oflices, more favourable to the client in nnny very important particulars than those of any other responsible firm ; while the high character, long standing and capital of their house afford guarantees not everywhere to be obtained. Operators can thus feel assured that they can depend on receiving Prompt Settlement of Differences IMMEDIATELY ON DEMAND. 'Kill THE PR( MEN For the be Lan( will :if PRESCOTT, LYLE & CO. Stockbrokers and S)ealers. • '-- — f. Tlie only '"H'm Trail ;i('nHc for i mill doll* rii|uire(l niiounts fo I III' Chileoo from heavy "lily a few ii'it tie itaid iiiiice. Til lit Inlet, At the hei I'lit good strong wine fi'Kion an e CiiAH, 1897. 1 ity. iO., XuAK, 1897. THE ROAD. rsr ite St., itors, &c. ley lie CODE. , value to every sful Speculntion ly to be gained Co.'s ey have occupied ban those of any afford guaranteea receiving Prompt CO. "illE ItOAI) TO IllCIIES."— A VIBW OF JUNKAl". A CHOICE OF ROUTES. The Winter and Suminer lioad.s: THE PROS. AND CONS. SUMMARISED FOR THE GUIDANCE OF THE TRAVELLER.-WHAT THE CANADIAN GOVERN- MENT ARE DOING TOWARDS OPENING UP THE COUNTRY AND PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES. For the batter guidinoe and ronvenienoe of my readers I append herewith, the Three Principal— I may even say, the Three Only-Routes to The Land of Riches. My foregoinj remarks have already touched upon these same roads, but the additional details which I give herewith will nevertheless be found of use. ROUTE I. The only possible nintcr route is by Dal tin's Trail (Chilkat I'rms), entailing an ex- ni'nse for a year's sujiplies of at least a thou- xanil dollars. .\ great many pack horses are ri(iiiiretliirlim{ fnr "I'lic Itninl t" llii'hiii" until SpriiiK my in A|iril, 18!)8, I «r<' I nut (iir llii r (liull ii|Min the particulnrK nf tlir Win- Ii 1- Kiiiili', init ivill pikH on to It'iiUi) No. 2. ROUTE 2. 'I'liis roiiti', wliiili i" Krowliig in hvonr, ,,win« to till' (limcultitii of tl>e inount»in riijim», in iiiiilii' Slirliffii lliviT, 111"" knn" 1 iin till' "iill Ciiniuliiin," lnriiiiKc it Ih wiiil In l)f Ciiiuiiliiin tiTritiiry. It Iiiin thi' imIiIiIioimiI rii'imnninilstliin of In inn iippmnil liy Vi- D.iwiion, lliriclnr of llu' (liologiail Hiirv.y, wli.i trnvillfil liy wny ''f 'I'lHlm l.nlic t.'n vi-iiiK p|/(i, and iMlviHiiliil ihi^ liuilclniu (if ft roiid i. iliiH (lirwtion, Thi' lu'ftil "f nftvigii- tinii in Ktill iiilUil Tilcuriipli Ori'ek, ami this luiitf IB (liKiiilifil on till! nmii with tlu' nftini' of ■■ (liiviTnnii'ht Trail." WliotliiT it cxi«ts nnvwIiiTo liut '.n tlic ninp.-i niny bo doulitcil, noil lliii Ooviniini'nt, of wiumi', have ac- riptid no ri'dponmliility Imyoiid liavinK tlie loiintrv ijphiml. Ktill, pioiilo who have travelli'd liy ditTeriiit routes claim that t'lia IH the liiBt. An old prospoitor told nie tlmt the trail from Telegraph Creok to Tiflin LakeH cannot l>e nmre than a hundred and lifteen or a hundred and twenty milen long, iind he demrilied tlie country M cora|)ara- tively I'OBy of travel. The trail is fairly level, and Ihouijh Bonio jiarta are BWampy, there in plenty nf tinilier to make corduroy i.e., to make a Bolid road over the hog W IMittinx ilowii lirUBhwoiid and laying lo)(« aircHB it, a B^ife, if not/ a very comfortable mode of travellinn. The river in navinablo fur the ordinary flat-liottom boats from Salt Water to Telegraph Creek, a distance of one hundred and fifty miles. From Tole- jtrnpli Creek to Teshn Lake is alioiit »not' er one hundred and fifty miles, through what is believed to be a flat and not very diffloult lountry, but very little is known about it. Mr. St. Cyr, a siineyor on the statr of the Department of the InUrior, i* making a sur- vey of tho country at the prenent time. From Tenlin I^ako there is no difficulty what- ever, there being navigation for stem-wheel steamers right down to the mouth of the Yukon. If this route proves practicable, it will greatly facilitate ingress and egress to and from the Yukon country. There is a very general opinion as to the value of this route, and, besides the Oovemment Sur- veyor, the chief ei:ginccr of the Kootenay division of the Canmlian I'aeific Kailway is investigating the Im'ality with a view to the construction of ft rftilway. Two routes are available from the co.jit to Teslin Lake — one by the Stichccn River and Telegraph Creek, and the other further north from tho Taku Inlet. The former involves a stretch of somewhat uncertiin river navigation, from ■Wrangwell bi Telegraph Creek, while the latter has the advantage of a deep-wit*r tenninus ojien the year round. The Taku line has aeeonringly been select Horse Bnpids tagt— i.e., »>y /»"?• till tho fall m „ long and toil hree-quartera of a M thirty-flvo milw* t difficulty, and i» lotalinqua, a tributary e I'elly Kiver, fonns pid, and ha« sunken not exercised. The Be, and in or.e day Five Vinger Rapids, miles. Five Finger lidn, hut tliey may bo » everything depends these gifts hail belter ng. After Five Finger liciilar difficulty. •.1 II.) ■ra on the Americon . five miles in width, liiwing with a strong tu sleep and let your ;e8 arc worth quoting, four or five abreast ol i which are very deep or narrow, and full of fter leaving the lakes, laily ruu of over one m1. It is, however, » •ftHS will be open tlii« . theuiselvcH but little iiuent. liiHliiiiiiiHliili^ We not only started first, But during the past 25 Years We have always increased our lead, The SWIFT CYCLE CO., Ltil. V ith which il incorporated the Coventiy Machini>t«' Co., Ltd., Coventry, & 13 & 16, Holborn Viaduct, London, E.G. AND NOW SWIFTS ivic Jilted with DuM.oi' Tybus & DunuiI'-Wbuu Hijib., i i i i i e i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i § i ■■ m m, 3 HBiHniiBiiHliBlIilllligi^^ -§iHt^ ejects ARE WELL IN FRONT OF ALL RIVALS. I To haYe started first may bave been a mere accident, To bave kept first proves undeniable merit. m i i i i i i i i P i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i I -V 790 THE ROAD. Xiua, 1897. THE MASTERPIECE * ^ OF * MODERN CYCLES. /^ a THE EISWM Vhe ^ocietg Cgcle. QUALITY WITHSTANDS FLUCTUATIONS. PP WE JIAVK I'LEASURK IN DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE OPINION of a LARGE LONDON AGENT who has sold £25,000 worth of ELSWICKS in 1897: "As long as ELSWICKS keep up the quality" JT " we shall be able to do business a^ PRICES AS " " HERETOFORE, but QUALITY IS ABSOLUTELY" "THE FIRST CONSIDERATION." Elswicks are to be obtained from our Agents at Old Prices only. The Elswick Cycles Co., Ltd., Works: Newcastle-on-Tyne. Londoa Depot: 10, Little Portland St., W. ?f Klondi Mr. twu at .St. with : I'ompan thewj that Ii the Kc and p^ accessil^ to sttra at the for C« wiU appeara will bo The ing out good wi paratior graphic ho left ■vid thi)_ therefor those Home idi The arc atill working let aU AB, 1897. ES. IS. ho has q uality " CES AS " LUTELY " s only. Ltd., St., w. Xhas, 1o9i. THE ROAD. 791 c ^v BRITISH CO LU MBIA Wetoria or \6ncower m Khndyke River vis Sitka & Fort S'. Miciiael marked bkck.AOSO miles ...do do. do do. via Sl(ayway * Wl^ite Pass do red. . 14-10 . Saving by White Mss Route. .26W m iles. PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS. Individual Statements of Experienced Travellers. (Snmmar'nstd ami Compiled fur TiiK Chkistmas Eipad.) A Story of Disappointment. (By a New York Corretpondcnt.) A party uf disappointed gold-seekers, who started for the Klondike Goldfields, in charge of Major Wood, of Seattle, and Mr. Howard, hairo threatened to take dreadful vengeance on their two leaders. They were landed from the ship " Eliza Anderson" at 8t. Michael, which is the tradir.g port for the Yukon Valley, with no prospect of reaching their destination, and the shipping loiiipnny refused to feed them. Their situation bo infuriated the pasneiigers that they made prisoners of the Major and Mr. Iloward, and only the presence of United i^tatea troops saved theeo two men from terrible vengeanco. It is feared, however, that both men will yeii be massacred. Not Time Yet To Go {By a financial Authority.) I am glad to see that an official notice has now been issued by the Kmigrants' luformation Office, warning intending emigrants and prospectors that the Klondike Goldhelds arc not at jiresLMit accessible to ordinary emigrants, and urging thcui not to reply to attractively-worded advertisements without first making inquiry at the office ir. Broadway, or at that of the High Commissioner for Canada. If those persons who are susceptible to gold fever will only exercise a moderate amount of caution on the first appearance of the symptoms, much misery to them and to their.- will be avoided. The Making of Qood Roads. (By a Canadian TraivUer.) The Dominion Govemmer.t are doing what they can, by send- ing nut surveyors to choose the best routes to be made into a good waggon road, the urgent need of this moment, though pre- parationji are also being made with a view to railway and tele- graphic commurjcatinn. Hut for a long time a great deal must bo left to the enterprise and judgment nf individual prospectors ; .vid the experience of those who have gone over the ground is, therefore, of the utmost value. It will also be of service in giving those who think of seeking fortune in the Klondike Goldfields Home idea of the difficulties they will have to contend with. A Scotchman'! Exoerienoe. -nr -.- > (By A. K. i\/.-.1/nnii.i.) The mo.MjuitocR are a terror day and night. Meals arc still 1.50 dol. each. Bread sells at SO cents a loaf. I am working for waves — an ounce of gold per day. I should like to let all the t<>; >now about this place, but I do not want to encourage anyone to come in, for, it is no use talking, it is a rough trip, with dangers and privations and hardships on every side. A young fcUow left here on the la.st boat with 25,000 dols. He used to drive a drsv in Victoria. Twenty-five thousand is common luck here. This is the hottest town I ever struck. Mooso is 76 cent« a pound, and some of it is about .'s tough as Dawson City. [This concspondent, in terming the " town, " or creek, from which he addresses his letter, the " hottest town " hu ever struck, refers, of course, to its inhabitants, and not to the climate.— El). The lload.] From Qalgary to Klondike. (liif a Jtret'iit Khndikfi-.) The Canadians and the .\mericans are playing a gsme of blulf with each other over Klondike, and the Canmlians may be safely backed to "come out on top," as they say across the Atlantic. There is no longer a doubt that the new goMHclds are in Canadifin territory. The Americans may discover others for themselves on their own side of tho boimdary, but they have had to give up tlu'ir threatened claim to any of those alre.-wty found. .Still, they hold all the existing gateways int4, the Yukon c^.untry. and, i-ppa- ri ntly, they mean to make the most of that udvantBge. At Dyea and Skagway Bay they are enforcing the Dingley tariff' to its utmost rigour against the gold hunters, so many of whom .ire rushing to certain destruction. On every horse they take in with them they are charged #30, and many horses have had to lie left behind in consequence of their owners having no ^30 to spjire. Naturally, the Canadians are sore at the unneighbourly treatment thev are receiving, and opportunities of getting even with Pncle Sam are not likely to be neglected. It hnn been proposed lo revise the Klondike regulatioim, and disqualify foreigners from holding claims. Seeing that most of the existing claims are in American hanils. that would Ije hard on them. Less aggressive means of retaliation are likely to be favo-ired. A very effective one would be to open up a purely Cnnan>liku is a corruiitiun of the Indian dink, " whith means " water full of fish." ' Thron- Twelvc Klondike companies hare been floated in Xew York recently, with a capital of no less than 60,000,000dol8. The craze in America for speculation in Klondike stocks la greater even than the wild anxiety of the Londoners to invest in KafUra some two years ago. • •••»• It is said that the men of finance in New York do not touch thcHo concerns, but it is those of mmlerato capital, the willows with a small amount, who subscribe. • ••«•• tV i)any promoters are no longer cnntct with promising a nioilesi 10 or 15 per cent., but say that anything short of a divi- dend of 100 per cent, on the capital invested is an inexcusable misuse of good money. There is no mining camp in the world which exists under such peaceable conditjons as docs Klondike. Dawson City is only just barely within the British North-Wcst territory. Mount St. Elias is 1^ miles witliin the American boundary. The actual frontier lines will not be definitely fixed till next year, when the surveyors are enabled to get to work. No diffi- culty is aiuicipated. Numerous cases of "lynch law" are being reported. A man named Johnson, who stowed himself away on board a steamer, was hanged at Skogway for ran&acking valises in search of food. The Americans advise people to go to Klondike via the Chil- coot Pass, but those who have retumeil say that the White Pa« is the easier. Headers of The Itnad ure advised to peruse what its Special Correspondent has to say upon this subject. ****** It is a noteworthy fact that ever since the rush began, more or less perfect law and order have been preserved by a little band of Canadian mounted police, several of whom were in London st the Jubilee celebration. ' TUB UllAl) TO KICHKS. — TYPK8 OY SOUK IIK THK KI.ONUIKKRS. The United States Government have extensive barracks a* •Sitka, and there will also be a vessel stationed there, which will cruise along the coaxt during tl>c coming summer. ****** The customs regulations af Klondike are the same as those usually enforced. Miners are allowed to carry througl 1001b. of fnml, blauketA, and personal clothing, without paying d ity. ****** In the sui.imer nothing could be more lovely than the scenery, and the climate is perfect. Mosquitoes, however, arc an awful pest. In the winter the thermometer drops to SOdeg. or 60dcg. Iieluw zero. * * * * * t Major J. M. Walinh, uf whoiii an excellent i)ortrait is published in this issue, has been appointed Administrator of the Yukon district in the far North-West. Major Walsh is well-known as a strong aitfl firm Governor. * ♦ * * * * * The station has ever been a popular one, and there are always plenty of volunteers for service. It is a noteworthy fact that there have been few, if any, desertions, duo no doubt to the fact that the winter hardships of the journey to Klondike are known. It was .he North-West Mounted Police who persuaded the Sioux to surrender peacefully to the American Government after their massacre of (ieneral Custer and his force. • •••»» A great many men of good family, and it is even said that there is a Im ' among them and several 'Varsity graduates, are included in the ranks of the Canadian police force. • »»•»• .\8 a nde, the Klondike transport steamers are entirely unfit for the use to x/hich they nru put. They are chiefly old vessels which have been rejected for other purposes- • 4 » * * * Passages are iKioked quite irrespective of the sleeping accom- niodati'-n on Imard, and woe betide those unlucky mortals who are the last to sec, re tickets. . »»»♦•• The catering on a Klondike steamer can hsrdiv be compared to that of an ordinary Atlantic Uner. It is not fpnte so good nor so cleanlv. ****** The Yukon rush has made an enormous difference to those firms in New York supplying suitable outfits. It is said that the supply is not nearly equal to the demand. .. ^ o persuftded the joveinincnt after cTcn Bttiil that graduates, aie nrce. Rri> entirely unfit ;hiofly old voBSels e sleeping accom- f mort»l8 who are i,\W he compared (luile BO good nur « ifference to those It is said that the XuAB, 1897. THE ROAD. m A concL'm failed the " Woman'n Yukon- Alaskit Mining anil Investment Company" has been started nt Seattle. It is lun entirely by women, * • * » « li This Company propels to engaKO minoijt in tlio spring, charter a vessel, and convey the miners (nlio will work for thoni) and stores up the Yukon I(ivi'rto7)nwsoii City. THE TICE-PBEBIDrjrT OF THE WOHF.N'H TCK0K-ALA8KA MINING ANn INVESTMKIiT COMPANY. THE I,ADT PHKSIDENT Or THE COMrANT. A rival Eldorado has sprung into existence at Cook Inlet, in Alaska. A party of miners are said to have obtained 200,000 dols. of gold du.(t there. To own land yielding 80,000 dois. per sq. ft. in Klondike is even better than being proprietor of wpinre roods in the City of London. Such is the case of Captain Ellis of Klondike. It iH said tliiit a man having enough "grub' to liiMt him for livn muntlis am oblaiu work at Klomliko at wages ranging irom a to f 4 per (lay. It is reported from Vii-loii;i (British t'oluniliia) that a ^ri'st nuatliiT of loiiKTs who Ii-ft .'i fi'W wci-ks .lyo 'IiiiHiniL.' " Klondike or bust!"' have ri'turnod bust. Kotir sitiipU' fi'ot of snow (lad iliiingeil their plniis ! HAJOB WAI.su— ANOXnEU POUTHAIT. lUE LAUV SECBKTAKY OF lUE COMPAKV. Some of the seekers after gold are finding the remains of mastodons, tiwks, leg-bones, el ■. ItuI these are hardly what arc renuired. They serve, however, sa a means of defence. "Many things point to the fact that at one period Alaaka was a tropical country. Remains of tropical vegetation are eren now ti be seen in the ice. 796 THE ROAD. Xhab, 1897. 'Xlirc'c odrciituruuD men haru run the Milen Cahon on tho Tukun lliver, a diKtaneu of tlircc-quarteni of a mile, over whieli the current took them in tno minuteH. Aiiotlier very dangerous place is Tlie White Horse Ilapids, hut it does not present half the ditfieulties of tlic Miles Corioii, IhrouKli which the river rustics at the rote of over twenty uii >s an liuur. The pack Indianx were "had" some time ago liy an enterprising Yank, who, after he got them to transjiort his goods, paid them in worthless paper money. It is proposed to found an up-to-dato "Utopia" on the Yukon. It will he called Hrooklyn, and no liquors or gambling will bo allowed. The inhabitants will bo limited to one hundred. A well-known man who has just returned from Klondike, and was a caller at TIte Boail ofBces, considers that the airount of polil which will be obtained next year will amount to about 300 tl.tlE I When a new digger arrives at Dawson City, he is at onco relieved of his "grub," and is given just sufficient to last him until friwh supplies can be obtaine feed them upon Spratt's l)iscuita, that being the be«t sustaining food which can be obtained. These same dogs are harnessed to a sled in single file, usually four to a sled. They will travel sometimes even an far as 60 miles a day, with a load of 600lbs. There is a good deal of talk of the possibility of using reindeer for traction purposes, and competent authorities have expressed opinions that reindeer would be found to be of far more use than either dogs or horses. Wo give an illustration of the elk, now being largely used at Klondike. ran nOAD TO BICHES. — SWABTt INDIAN'S BKLITHO FtTBS TO VOYAGERS TO riTKOIC. Champagne is selling at Dawton City at tSO a bottle. Potatoes are now at about four cents, each. • ***«» Mr. Ogilvie, Surveyor to the Dominion of Canada, told an interviewer from The linad that in twenty minutcj ho tojnj 895 dols. worth of gold, washed out of one pan. • ••••• Tho Canadian Poeific Railway Company propose to nm a lino from Lake Tohu to Glenora. Prom Lake Tchu navigation is quite uninterrupted as far as Klondike. South Kootenay, in British Columbia, has up till now beaten Klondike in the amount of Kold exported. W,540,243 worth of ore have been exported from the district during the last twelve months. A British Columbian correspondent of this journal writes that British subjeota will save themselves a great deal of trouble and expense by entering throu<{h British territory. Provisions ond outflts are being sold at Victoria at reasonable prices. t There is a tremendous demand for good horses and dogs at Dyea. Good dogs fetch about 125dols. each, and horses are at fabulous prices. A great many of the would-be gold-seekers will find, upon their arrival at the "seat of war," that their goods have been spoilt by damp, owing to bad packing. * * « « « » All packages should be put in canvas bags, and then sewn up securely in oil-cloth. If tliis is done, they may he exposed to rain and snow, and no end of rough handling without being damaged, ««»**« People are paying as much as 22 cents, per pound to get their freight carried over the passes. There is a scheme on foot to tow a large scow iip the river by means of a steam-launch. It is probable, however, that this idea will fall through, as the launch itself cannot get up without help, much less can it tow a heavily-laden scow. Tho steamship Portland, of which we give on illnstration on another page, and which is now l>eingusejyuJU vi^'i 'ui' '\ inhabitants cannot get '^ •^**«ft*iM7*^ „» .*i.^ . . away, and the plague is carrying them off in great numbers. All the better for ^ those who surrire. ^^ Food ia at the pre- sent moment of more value even than gold- There are 8,000 people in the city, and only enough food to last 4,000, until the next supplies ar- rive. These are ex- pected daily. The Hotel Cecil has had under its roof an individual who haa been lucky enough to get into Klondike and out again. This fortunateperson seems to have made no "the road to bicres. small pile, but states V'ti^' - that he would not again go through the winter time he passed in Klondike for untold wealth. But he ia off there in the spring. • • • » • • On landing at Skagway the first impression one receives is not by any means a favourable one. A huge cliff, towering above an insignificant-looking collection of squalid-looking huts, and boxes, pack- ages, and trunks in apparently hope- less confusion, are aeon on all sides. » * « « From Skagway to the head navi- gation by way of the White Pass is a distance of forty-ono miles- The route is deemed the best, but of those who are waiting to traverse it no>v, probably one-half will perish in the attempt. • « • • One of the great advantages which the reindeer has over the dog is that it can exist where dogs would starve, as it grubs up the snow and eats the roots and grass underneath. • • • * Tliere are now 1,800 reindeer in Alaska, which are distributed at four stations — ^vis., at Cape Prince of Wales, Point Barrow, Cape Nome, and Qalopin Bay. Host of these animals are trained to be driven in har- ness, and can draw heavy loads. • • • • An enterprising gentleman at Liver- pool is trying to arrange a party to chsrter a steamer iinut i» brief character— til the nunieroim cnniimnied which have heen hroiinht out in thia cniintrv from time to time to deal witli tlie resources of that remarialile Innil. l'(|) to tlie time of wutina KomcthiiiK over £5.500.000 of capital lin« hecn otfered to the Hriti»h public, but how nuuh of thia ha-s been actually Hubiuribeil it woulil l>e rather (lifticnlt to sar. inasmuch as there is no relyinu upon the figures wliich are supplied bv the promoters of the various enteriirises. I give herewith a coniplete list of the Klondike or liritish Colum- bian Com])anies registered aii 1 bniuglit nut up to date, and ii'though I cannot find aulficient space to deal with all of these individually, I have aelected for mention some few, and upon the remarks made thereon I think reliance may be ]ilaced- The Capital Invested Up to Date Klondike and N.W. Territories Exploration Co., Ltd £160,000 Yukon Ooldfields 100,000 Klondike Mining, Tnulinfj, and Transport ... 250,000 Kxjiloiters and Investors Trust .. 25,000 Klondike Yukon Kiploration 26,000 Klondike Tionecr 25,000 Klondike and Cobimbian Ooldfields 100,000 Jlritish Columbia and New Find 500,000 Uritish Kmpirc Finance 57,683 liritish Columbian K\ploitation 200,000 New Golden Twins 90,000 British Dominions Kxploration 250,000 Klondike Gold Hccfs Kjtploration ..00.000 C. K. Exploration Syndicate 100,000 Klondike, Yukon, and Stewart Pioncer.i ... 206,000 New Klondike Goldiiuders 18,000 Uritish Columbian Exploitation and Gold Estates. 200,000 Uritish Klonilike Mines and Finance Co. Ltd., 100,000 Uritish Americin Exploration Co., Ltd. ... 1,600,000 Dawson Citv (Klondike) and Dominion Trading Corp., Ltd ... 600,000 Incorporated Goldmines of British Columbia, Ltd ZO^.OOO £6,606,587 Some of these companies do not profess to expend th^ whole of their capital in the Klondike field, but all of them have put the attractions of the district on the forefront of their prospectuses. It is sutBcicnt to ])rcacrit the mere figures, it is not necessary to repeat the exiiression of opiniop that the whole matter is a gamble. Cienerally speaking, ihe companies arc not of such a responsible nature as to provide any definite assurance that the arduous task undertaken will be carried out with success ; and in many cases the iirospectusea have been vagiic, undefined, conveying the im- pression that the directors, though eager to obtain control of the shareholders' money, have no definite idea what can be done with it Who are the people who are thus willing to throw their savings into the wilds? This list comprises English com- panies only, and American speculators have been quite as wild as wo have. The Flow of British Capitis i. Why comipanies formed to operate in the Klondike only should seek £50.000 or more capital cannot well bo understood by those acquainted with the northern goldfields. It is tnie the cost of transportation and of aiiv supplies purchaaed there is exceedingly high ; ye't tlie methods of mining adopted arc simple and com- paratively inexpensive. It seems as if four or six persons were ample for a partv, and a more extensive plan of action could be oiilv by ^ multiplication of partiea. A company in Portland (Oregon) and another in ^cattle (Washington) oflTer to bear the f xp. nsc ot taking a man to Dawson City, which seems to be the " hnb," and of supplying him with provisions for one year, for £100 Making every allowance of providing for a stay of, say, two vears, £100 per'man, or £1,600 for the party of four, is as likelv to produce good results as a larger sum. But, of course, with' eompinies including British Columbia as well as the Klon- dike in their field of operations the case is different. There will be a big field for a strong transportation company working with SSk. -om In" Imiimviim.iiti itid populir low primr. New Illn.trmt*) Mrt or Mmpln M? for iMpeoUon through •.ddl.rioJoiir igrati-WoaKB : HrlloN 5T ,BlB«lltOHt». Edmonton, in the North- West Territories, a« t starting point; but already one has been organised, though there is likely to be more work than it can handle. As to obtaining concessions, that will proliably be out of the question, as the Interior Department seems flisposed to retain all Ihese to the (iovemnient, and so severely was it criticised last year for granting some privilcj^es mat it will liesitate before rei)eating such legislation. Uritish capital shows a tendency to find its way to the Koutenavs and South Yale as it never has liefore, and, where good judgment is exercised, to no ph«^e with bettor chances of excellent remunera- tion. Siifilcient work haa been done to ]irove that the ore bo trail for men and irro of Tagish Lake, every influence which ring England for the mnd piece of advice le gentle spring-time re perfected arrange- of traffic, and in the two of the most mis- • which was sent out In dealing with this tha n quote the words StIXO by a IKIJ 1 ''»nS «lr own bmm: DMTIJ2 i, BaloomlK 8«r«t, Donel THE COMING KLONDIKE BOOM. Cbe Condon £$ Globe finance Corporation Ctl. OFFICES: J 5, Austin Friars, London, E.C Wi/I Issue In the Course of a Few Days for Subscription Among Their Own Shareholders THE BBITISP-DiEiliGII GOKPOPOI LIMITED Gapital £/,000,000. THE FULL PROSPECTUS WILL BE READY ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 1ST NEXT. the: NEs-inr bx^dorado. THE LONOON MD VOIE FINANCE — MPORTAHT INTERVIEW WITH MR. WHITAIER WRIIHT. (From the Colonial Qoldfitldt (lazetle) Thtt subject of tho preseut interview has been recently described by a well-known journalist as being even more in- accessible than the Grand Llama of Thibet, ft was therefor.' with a certain amount of trepidation and dubiety that the representative of the Colonial Goldfielda Gazette recently sought the presence of Mr. Whitoker Wright in order to gain from hiu, if possible, an expression of opinion as to the present and future of the London and Globe and its kindred companies, and also concerning the much-tnlkcdof British America Corporation, Limited. Contrary to anticipation Mr. Wright received our representative in a very cordial manner, and as the conversation proceeded, his answers to the many queries put to him became readier and more ample mitil, in time, Mr. Wright did most of the talking, and our inter- viewer was well content (o listen and take notes. The first question put to Mr. Wright was, "When will the British Aniericaji Corporation be issued to the public!" Thh Datk of lasvK. " As near to December Ut next as possible,' was the reply; "but, as you may imagine, it is no light matter ar- ranging the details of one of the largest and most important issues of its sort within recent times." " But you have had this matter in contemplation for some time, have you not ? " "Indeed we have — for many months, in fact, ever since the mines in British Columbia opened out so magnificently, and the great Yukon goldfields were discovend. My own personal acquaintance with the country, eitendiuf,- over many years, naturally directed my attention to the great gold dis- coveries there, and the marvellous reportsof the recent develop- ments in North-West Canada were fully verified by the Hon. C. H. Macintosh, the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West, who is an old friend of mine, of eighteen years' standing. In the next place I obtained confirmatory evidence from practical mining men upon the spot, who were in my con- fidence. " " May I ask if the London and Globe Corporation is already interested in Canada, or does it merely intend to find capital I'or operations there?" "The London and Globe for many months past, through Its responsible agents, has been securing options upon, and entering into agreements in regard to the aoquisition of, many of the leading properties in this new Eldorado. At the present time there are two fully-equipped prospecting parties exploring the Yukon country in our interest." 'P[iB Principal Propektirs. "Do you object to give any specific information in regard to the properties you have acquired, or are negotiating for? " " A specification of the principal properties aojuired and the contracts entered into will appear in duo course, and I venture to say that the public will bo rather surjirised at tho extent of our activities in the quarter of the world to which you have referred. I may say, however, that wo have se- cured several of the properties the output of which has become the talk of two continents, and has largely contributed to the present pxcitcmeut in regard to these goldfields. We have what I consider unimpeachable evidence as to their value ; ill fact, I have one report by a practical man which states that one of the claims to which I refer is at the present mo- ment producing £1,000 to every square foot of earth exca- vated. And the gold taken out from this property belongs by agreement to the London and Globe, and will be turned over with the claim to the British American Corporation." "What about British Columbia, Mr. Wright? Have you secured any interests there?" " Yes, many, and among them what I believe to be the Lake Views and Ivanhocs of that province." TlIK CoMPANIKa' SnOPK. " But the British America Corporation, as I understand, is not to be created merely for the acquisition and working of mines?" " Oh, certainly not I We are acquiring, and, indeed, have acquired, various trading posts, warehouses, stores, and pro- perty, and we propose to run a line of steamers to the fields for the transport, not only of our own stores, plant, and supplies, but also for generid passenger and freight traffic. In this regard we propose to give special attention to the short Canadian route. Concerning this we are negotiating, and expect shortly to complete arrangomenta" " I presume you are being well advised locally in regard to this important matter?" "Yes; we receive information and advices from leading oflScials of the Canadian Government, who are most anxioui to forward the development of the country through responsible agencies with ample capital at their back." ■•p.B(P|l» 111 l.l— >•"»- I ROOb THE ROAD. XuAR, 1897. " It limy lie Maid, therefore, that, iipiirt fniiii the Ij(Mi<1<>ii iii»l (ih>lio, the IlritiHh-Aiiierieji t'oqioniliiin utiirtH iindur ii'liwiiiJIy fiivoiinilili' iiUKjiiioH I " " Nil (i>iii|iHiiy more nil It will lie tfovcrned hy n bniird (if ilirecliirH of the hifjIieHt |ii>Hiti<)ii mid ehiirmter, iiiiist cif whiiiii have II |ier8iinid and |iractiealkii(in'ler- pdi'atidii to bidders iif Liindon and Ohibe shares our people jiractically become the ]iroinotcr8 of the former company, and thereby not only accrue the dividends that may be declared by the Uritisli-Ameriea Corporation, but also their jiio raid shiire of nil the profits that will necnie to the London and (Jlobc as a result of the llotation. I cannot too striin(;ly impress upon the shnreh ilders of the I/ondon and (ilidic that liractically they are their own pi'innoters, and that by reason of their membership in the ('oiponition they will secure par- ticipation in the benefits to be derived from our operations in Itritish Culumbia and Yukon absolutely on the 'ground floor' — in dthcr wiirds. at a cdst, less the ordinary runniii(.' cxjienses of the company.'' TlIK IV.^.MIOE I.ISIB. " You have referred, in the course of your remarks, Mr. VVrifrht, to the Lake View and Ivanhoe Mines, and I see it stated in a contemporary, on your iiuthdrity, that the Lake View Consols will pay a dividend of .'it) per cent every other month." "Yes, I remember that interview," replied Mr. Wright, " but the interviewer made a mistake of one word in reiKirt- ing me. He made me state that the Lake View Consols would pay .")0 per cent, every other month, whereas what I said was, it could do so — and it can. I could not say that it will do so without arrogating to myself the prerogatives of the Hoard of the Lake View Consols, of which I niu not a Miember. Tlie advice of the London and Olobe Corporati in to the Lake A'iew directors is that they should declare a dividend of ."ill per cent, as often as the receipt of bullion from the mine will permit, no matter whether it is once a month, every other month, or every three months. Mr. Kauf- inann has stated to us that next year the mine can pay from £.3 to £.5 per share in dividends, and if his conviction is realised it will be iiiost gratifying." " And now, what is yoiir opinion in regard to the Ivanhoe?" "As soon as the new ciiuipinent of the mine i.t completed Ivanhoe shares, on the dividends which will be declared, will, no doubt, rise to £9 or £10 in the market. Mr. Callahnji states that the erection of the plant on this great mine will occupy nboni six months, and the rise in the price of the shares which will follow oliiiost immediately theremi will bo a very good jirotlt for those who are ni>w holding the shares, or who may purclnisc them in the near future." "Can you say anything in regard U> the other mines in Western Australia in which tlij London and Ulobe is interested, and which are not as yet upon a dividcnd-payini' bdsis J " A.N AlM'BllACllINO Am.m,oaiiation. " ye«, A» soon after the ismie of the IJritiah-Anioricu Corporation as possible, meetings of the companies to which you refer will be called with a view to the amalgiuuation of their mines in a Htrong ex|il(irati(in company, with X5U0,000 of working capital. Several of the projierties referred to were issui^d by the old West Australian Exploring and Finanee Corporation, which, as you know, was amalgamated with the Londdii and (ilobe. The mines were si'leeted with the greatest care, luid are lunong the best in West Austndin, the only difficulty ill regard to them being the lack of water. The same obstjiele was met with in the early days of the Kal- goorlie field, but on devehipinent ample water for milling purposes has been struck there, and there is every indica- tion that the same thing will happen in other distncts on further development. The aiimlgamated or exploration company wdl also hold a large and promising atreagc in the lliinnan's district, and it is further proposed to reserve for the iiiiudpamated or exploration company 2l)t),0((0 shares in the British America Corporation — in short, there is no doubt in my mind that the proisised company will siHin be a dividend-paying concern, and the Hhareholders in the various mines to be amalgamated will occupy an eminently advan- tageous position." .Mr, Wright was iit length commencing to grow some- what restive ; but our representative was not (]uite done with liiini. A QiK.iTiDN OF TiiK FrxniK. "One word more. I remember that some people con- sidered the optimistic statement made by you about a year ago, during the depth of the West Austridian depression. It was to the effect that in the opinion of the directors the London and (Jlobe would become in the course of time an issuing hduse second to none in the City of London. In view of your fonner successes, and of \\w recent Ivanhoe issue, it appears to me that that prediction is practically fulfilled, and I lie fact must be very gratifying to you." .Mr. Wright expanded once more. "Yes," he .aid; "I iielieve implicitly in the London and (Jlolie and its future. You will also remember that 1 stated at the last annual meet- ing, wlseii the vote was about to be taken on the resolution for the amalgamation of the Went .\ustndinn Kxploring and Kinance Corporation with this company, that, in my opinion, the new Rhares should command a market ]irice of not less tluin .£2 per share, and to-day the price is £2 lOs ; so you will see that my conviction haa been more than verified," A l{KMAlU«Am.K DlVIIlKNn. •' Hut what of the future, Mr. Wright / " " Well, in my ii|iiniiin, the dindend for the current year will not bo less than 20 per cent., which will be equivalent to 10 per cent, upon the jiresent value of the shares. I also expect that the report at the next annual meeting will dis- close the fact that the London and (ilobe Corporation holds unencumbered not less tlinn £2,000,000 in Consols and kin- dred securities, in addition to its speculative investments, such as Lake View Consols, Ivanhoes, Victorian Gold Estates, Hritish American, Hritish Columbian, and other meritorious mining securities. Such being the ease, in the opinion of ninny, the intrinsic value of London and Globes is not less than £5 ]ier share. Even at that price ihey would pay 5 per cent., which, in view of the sound securities held, would lie, to say the least, liberal interest, leaving out of account the profits that accruy to the sliarcliolders from the special privilege accorded them of itibscribing to the company's issues at par." . "One question more, Mr. Wri(_'ht, and I have done. Is it your intention to pay an interim ..ividend this year?" "I expect the London and Olobe directors will declare an interim dividend of 10 per cent., or at the rate of 20 per cent, per annum, next month. Good day I " Oawton A far time ago Dominion ' and of wh that "S88, capital." 'i iSir Michael a Air. J. d Mr. J. «one to al necessary i annoiincoj called for a criticisniN been lod"_ pointed oui mental com —he should his name v. bait to the lilcasant fei H. Turner, as one of tl to in the ._ «uoh a boar for obtainini nf investmei believed, insidious it means tl 'lie benefit 'ompany ... liis trusted t'olony. 1 wiuld be gu ilistinctly an spectiifl whi tlic Hon. .T. ■>ny regard . t' repudiate iltngether hi '•ome of som* , RATION IL L 'SjirMfi Pitmt wc itiH ycnrdoir. ?'8pr«tfiP«tS »il7 iboot una I Jior tn BrtrHvw ratoDt" mnd an •< '•»«• poitftit m 1897. XiiAs, I81>7. THE ROAD. wi ert'oii will be If! thf KliHri'H, ther miiieii in nd (jlobu in ividend-pnyi'ig ritidli-Aiuorieo niiies to which iiilUiunatioii ol witli £500,000 en rtTi'rred to 1(1 iind Kinaiice iiiited with the th the urentent nilin, the only lit water. The y» of the Kill- ter for iniUins; H every indien- ler dintnitH on or exploriitioii ; Rureajie in the i to reserve for 0,000 hhiires in lerc is no doubt will Hoon be il 8 in the viiriuua luinently adviin- to prow sonie- nuite done with >mc pes." he .-lid ; " I and its future. last annual ineet- the resolution in KxphiriiiK and It, in my opinion, jiriee of not lesi f2 10s ; so you hail verified." the current year 11 be equivalent to he shares. I also meeting will dis- Corporation holds Consols and kin- ,itive investments, ,rian Hold Estates, other meritorious in the opinion of (Jlobes is not less Uicv would pay B urit'ies held, would in;.' out of account •sliioni the special to the company's I . have done. Is >* this vearl" tors will declare an the rate of 20 per uf tile I'lperiuncuil Chairman of the (Juiiiiiaiij, Mr. U llyiiiii Jiiliu sun, and which I theri'fore present to my readers in his i;«i i/ui(. Mr. llyroii ,)ohn»uii says; — '• 1 venture to jmint uui to ywu tliat two luoat misleailing stateuieutn incur in one uf llic paragraiiiix of a widelytin ulated circular. In tliis paragraph are cuuiileil llic t liiUiuiit and White Passes as licing ca|>able uf transit in two days, and tliat by liortci or Indian lairiers. The facts are as follows: — The Chilkoot I'ass is alisolulely imptacticalile fur horses, and difficult and dangerous for men, in proof uf which I would refer to the letter of Mr. Harry ilc W'lndt (publisliuil ciscwhero in this issue). The cliar(jea'iiiiulo by Incliana for carrying luaest sources nf investment, this part of the Corporation's business should, it is believed, prove a considerable source of profit." Now, if this insidious paragraph which I have quoted means anything, it means that the Hon. J. H. Turner aforesaid will divulge, for the benefit of his brother directors and the shareholders in this lompany information which he would only be able to acquire in Ills trusted and responsible position as Prime Minister of the I'olony. 1 do not think for a single moment that Mr. Turner would be guiltv of such a crime, for crime it would be ; but it is ilistinctly anticinated or foreshadowed in the terms of the pro. spoctus which I have quoted. I think that the best thing that the Hon. .T. H. Turner can do, even at this late hour, if he has .iny regard for his good name and his Ministerial reputation, is to repudiate the meaning of this clause, or to withdraw his name .iltogether from the prospectus, which looks to me to be the out- '-nme of some promotion of a very shady character. RATION iL DOO rBHDino oonatiti In BlTlng wholnome anil nntrlUoiu food (Sgiratt'i P >tnt Vut ribrint Dm OakM). Do not gin tt bits and ditntlM menl j liecinHTOiirdog.llkas nollt ohnd, pnfenwhat ■iiluhlap>lst& Aurwardiqiintlty of Spratt'i Patent Dog Oakn, no hard rod fait rata on be irlTen, but u • initds irlTe dally abODt one sttdHi-balf to two blHiUte to fox-terrlar, three to Pointer or Collie foQr in Retriever, and Hve St. Bernard, Great Mne or Ifewfoondlend. See " Spratt't rateot" and an " X " Ik itamprd on each blioiilt anppHed joo. Pamphlet on Canine ni>aaiiiw poet free of SpraH'e Tatent (Unilt«d),6aniondiey.l.ondoi). [Advt.] The Coming Klondike Boom. Next year iiroiiiiHcs to be uu active one iu< ugards railway constriutioii. Alien the mvitvrn suction of lliv Crows Ne»l iUii- way Bill be under way, and a line fioiii tliu Columbia Hiver westward, probably lliiuinjli Southern lliitmh (.'oliiinbui, to the coast is likely to be coiiiiucncuil. 'I'lie loant cities are iiiixioiis fur direct railway coiuiiiiinicatiun with tliu iiiiiiinu region of Kuotciiay, anil to that end a charter has been sought for a coiiiiKiny tnted assistance towards the con- struction of the Orow's Nest Pass Itailway it has agreed to allow other lines to use its track, so that the coast railway ptsiple, with Victoria, Vancouver, and Eastern Itailway Company, have the more ambitious end in view of being able, by means of a railway through the North-Wcst Territories and Manitoba, eventually to reach the Great Lakes, and so give a second trans-Continental railway to Canada. Engineers from the Trail Company, with Columbia and Western, have gone into the field, nnd it is possible that construction may stort as soon as practicable after the snows disappear in the spring, ns there can ho no doubt but that which- ever road is built first will effectually shut out the other. • ••*•• Some Methods of Swindling. In view of the fact that many of our readora will be going out to Klondike with the idea of picking up claims or buying interests in others ab-eady pegged out, it is wise to give a few hints as to the kind of swindles and swindlers that will be met with- Every trade has its tricks, but men who have gold mines to sell often perform tricks that would set a Hindoo juggler to guessing. The average mining speculator, or, in less compli- mentary terms, say a shark, can pull the wool over the eyes of tho unwory as completely as any patent medicine faker or stage prcstidigitateur. Assayers in particular should be hajidlcd with care. An sssayer's reputation rests on making truthful reports- He can, therefore, afford to take no chances of being imposed upon. Some may have leanier exproM!i. Inv('stit{ati()n nlittwed ttiat HomelxMly had piinc- tured tlu- ImKH wliii-h cAuif liy t'Xprt'Hi^ with tti*- pf t^ilviT, wliich, drying ii|)i>n thf nw. uf I'nurHf addi'd ({ri'Ally to thf UMwiy. Tilt' Mu-n tt» he inuHt frait'ii hy thi' aHHayiTH art* thi' ' ni>w proci-Mt ' diaracttTK, wlm pi-oft'HH to Iti- ahh' ti> tind fjohl (ir till wih (ibtained from the rock, but in the Utter Hueh and Huch an amount wiu* yielded.' The man never turned up again, ah he evidently haw that he woa caught. To thia day nobody knows how tlie gold waa got into the Hiiniplu. Hardly a week ixuuieH in our biiaineHH witliout aome- thing new and intereating or Htartling connected with minea or BWimllerH. la it any wonder that I allow none but trusted axHAyers to enter the room where they are at work 1 " The British America Corporation, Ltd. .'Shortly after these linea appear in print tile largeHt, and what will undoubtedly be generally oonsidcred one of the most impor- tant, of the Klondike cumiianieH, will have made its appearance. Wo refer to the coming iaaue to bo mode by the London and (ilobc Finance ('orporation, Limitt'd, and which will be known under the title of the Uritiah America Corporation, Limit«f mines. NV'e are Ai'quiring, And, indeed, hAve Acipiired, VArious trading |iosts, warehouses, stores, and pniperty, and we propose to run a bne of steamers to the fields for the transport, not only of our own stores, plant, and supplies, but also for general passenger and freight trAtfic. In this regArc' we pn>|Hwe to give speciAl attention to the Hhort CAnadisn route. Coiicerniiig thin we are negotiating, and expect ahortly to complete hrnngemeiits, having Just received Home valuable inforinAtiun and aaviecH from leoiling officials of the CaiiAdiAii (lovernmeiit, who Are iiiuHt anxious to forward the develoiniient of the country through reB|H)nsible agencies with Ample capital At their back. " Tho Britlth Oolumbian Land Cuploratlon and Davdopmtnt Co., Lid. The Hriti'h Columbis.i Land Exploration and Development O., Ltd., which was fo'med a little over a year ago, has already Attained celebrity as ',n enterpriae having vast possibilities. For a consideruhlo tiir post several well-known mining exports have been engaged on behalf of the ('ompany in examining, prospecting, and developing some of the enormous properties which the Com- poiiy possesses, and which lie, for the most port, in the famous llossland district, which is regarded by most of those who have visited that part of the world as quite one of the richest, or among the richest, districts. The area of the property known as the " Young British America," u|)on which, it should be mentioned, the Crown grant has been received, extends to over 34 acres; and it is also worth noting that there ore only three claims between this property and the famous "Le Boi," which is known as the mine of the camp, and which has, we understand,, recently been acquired by a powerful organisation in this country, and will be probably floated in due course ss a separate enterprise. The claim known as the " Young British America," derives its value from the favourable character uf the formation, which appears to be iden- tical with that in which the paying mines of the district ore found, and also from its location, being directly in the trend of some of the principal fissures on the mountain. The British Columbian Land Kxploration And Development Co., Ltd., which hAs a capital of £260,000, and a 8ul>scribed working capital of £25,000, has engaged Mr. II. F. Todd, a mining expert of considerable expe- rience, to take charge of its interests in Rossland ; but the property mentioned is only one out of a large number of claims which this Company owns, and to give a list of which would occupy far more space than, unfortunately, we have at our disposal. We may say, however, that reference to the Company's own oflicial announce- ment, which will be found upon pages 811 and 812 of this issue, will supply the information desirable in this respect, and particuhir attention may be drawn to the concluding paragraph of such announcement, wherein it is slntcd that tile proposed railway from t 'row's Nest Pass, which is now under constniction by the Canadian Pacific Itailway Co. , will pass in the immediate vicinity of some of the Company's properties, so that supplies can bo carried into the country as cheaply as, if not cheaper than, in any other mining cam]) in the Province, while the working expenses will conse- quently be considerably reduced. It is understood that the British Columbian Land Exploration and Development Co., Ltd. which is a Parent conceni, will, in due course, have one or two, if not more, very promising sub-companies to offer, and to which those who are desirous of investing money in British Columbia, will do well to give their attention. Need for Hurry. (Hi) Harold W. Kbb» Canavan.) The snow is coining down on the mountains, and getting nearer the bottom daily, which warns us to get to Oawson as quickly as possible. I cannot estimate the cost of living in Daw- son, but it must be very high. Last year flour cost as high as ISO dollars (£30) a hundred (so Inspector Strickland, of the Mounted Police, told me). I shall have to build a shanty, very ! ikely. I want to get to work on a claim before the rush comes in ; that is my idea vji pushing on so quickly. There Are men on the trAil representing Isrge companies. And they are carrying lapjo sums of money. When they arrive, of course, it will ho more difficult fqr me to buy. llierc is a correspondent /of • New York daily paper in the trail, Mr. Scovil. He has his wife with him, and there are others whom I have not met. It has rained every day for the post week, and travelling is, of course, doubly disagreeable on.that account. Before this reaches you I hope to be at my journey's end, in Dawson City. €■ Xmih, ] 37. THE ROAD. son to tlu'nu IS"W- i.viileme «« t" ic«l m»ii wh"^'' »l thi' liri'iwiil •»rtli i'ii«v»ti'.l. H liy sgri'i'imiit r with the i'l»i"' mliiiii in not I" ; (>t millSK- " * m trailinB I»i«t*. lo to nil a Ime ,„ly „f our owii I p«iiH«ni!cr aiiit »pvci»l attention • arc ne«oti»''"l!; ■in« just receiVfil iig offieial" o( thu to forward thf lu aneiiL-iu" *'"' ilopm«nl Co., Ltd. uid Development r ago, ha» already po«iibiliti«B- for ning cxpcrU have ining, prospcctiiig, ,a which the Oom- irt, in the (amoua )t those who have B richeat, or among rty known a» the )«ld be mentioned, over 34 acres; and reo claims between •h i» known aa the Mid„ recently been mntry, and wiU be erpriac. The claim BB it» value from the »ppear» to be idon- ,e diatiict are found, lie trend of «ome of , British Columbian which has a capitol jtftl of £26,000, has f considerable eipe- d ; but the property of claims which this uld occupy far more IM)»al. We may say, »n official aimounce- „d 812 of thin iwue, ^spct, and particular paragraph of such ropoKtd railway from ,tion by the Canadian l«. vicinity of some ol 111 be carried into the in any other mining expenses will consc- •stood that the British nent Co., Ltd. which ve one or two, if not -, and to which those ish Columbia, will do It'OIV.) luntains, and getting Vo get to Dawson as cost of living in Daw- flour cost as nigh as or StrickUnd, of the build a shanty, very ,efor» the rush comen ckly. There are men and they arc carrvuig of course, It will be I correspondent lof » ScovU. He has his I have not met- « and travelUng i», <" Before this reaohe* Dawson City. WHAT TO WEARJT KLONDIKE. The Proper Rig-out and Where to Qet II Reindeer Coatt and Trouiers a Speciality.— The Military Equipment StoreiWill Provide tverytning From a Rock Dtilltoa Biicuit, How many nunmK lliu tliuiiHiiiipiiig haj^H, .lacger liUiiketH, rcliidi'i'r xkiii H|inkiii(ts, I'lifi'ec in talilcts, lime jiiii'c in talitoiils, lemon jiiiet-, eoiisolidated pea soup, llovril, llnvril eriierKeiuy fnoil. Ilovril linie-juici' nislules. eoeoa anil milk, eondenseil milk, aimy rations, arrested foods, bacon, hams, biscuits (in one mitflt the Cniiin'uiy are semi- irig 5 tons of Spratt's end liver oil anil ordinar>' liiseiiits), .Sncehariii, etc., etc., etc. ON THE ROAD TO KLONDIKE. The Winter Route Described in a Letter from Mr. Harold W. Ebbs Canavan. How Progress Is Made,— Inoldftnts of Travel.— The Two Terrible Trails. A Sucoessful Traveller. A somewhat complaining liut interesting comiijuniea- tion is to haixl from Mr. Harold W. Kbbs Canavan, who has gone out in tliu interest of one of the Yukon Mining and Develojiing Companies. The letter is dated frim Ijske Itennett, and ivns poste^l up at Jjake Tagish on Heptember 7th. It is as follows : " At last I am here, and glad tu report a safe arrival. From Skagway, I went to l>yea. and was lucky enough to secure some men to pat-k who had just come up on the steamer " tjueen," and as the Indians here are all engaged or t 8fc>Kway Roula. " Tlit'jr (II wdiii \,y Hluigway, ami |{nl llitlr imiIHIk ni'Viml riiiU'n lip tlic tr«il lirforc ri'ttllaing ita rdiiilitiuii. Wlicii llicy iliil it waa tiici latu U) tiiiii hnrU, I niiiiii.', Bpink 1(ki wvinly if llii' cmi- "liict "f tliu iHMipIo iiittriati'il ill Iho timii silo of KkiiK».i> in rrpnrt iiiK tlio Wliitu riina Imil ita liiiim 111 fur (ravil. In llnir iirnrti III liiJdiii llir liiwii llu'y linvt' iiiiliii'i'il IhmiHniiiln In niiiii' that Hiiy. aiiil iiiiwt iif tlu'iii lire iiuw hIikU llioru with lliiir lioiNta niiil iiiitllta, which uiiwt likuly iiicaiiH all Ihi'ir cnpili I. What the Trdila are Lilia. " I vi'iiluro t<) any thiTt' arc acviTal thnuHuiKlH pniiiKln worth of oulHta lying on the Nkagway trail Not over oni-liflh of it will Kit to Dawaon thia winti'i- awutoii. I riud a ri'port in a late Victoria lver the Hkagway trail, and e\en with nil thoir men and horaea they are atill on their way From the lime I atruck Skngwny till the preaent it haa heeii n constant exponas — money for evor^hing. Nothing will be ilone without it. Men with tenma make from £16 to £20 a day, while wngea are all the way from £1 tai:ity, nnil tuma out, I ahouhl think, aUiut 1.000 feet a day — all i>f which goes to build boata, and they . ii. orders ahead more than they can Hll. Moattt fetch all th. «hV from 100 d.dlars (£20) t" 400 dollara (£80) each. I,; '•'.i-t, people are paying all pricca, while pnaHige in a boat t^> IJav«- « )n .a all the way from 75 dfillars (£15) to l?.") dollars (£25). My tri) over the pass' waa very rough, and one of my pocKors pL\i' i ■ i: , and I took his pack of eighty- tive pounds, and carried i! ovc myself in a jiouring rain. The other men were beliind with the blankcta, and did not catch up I'lat night ; the conaequence was that I had to sleep on a table in a ahanty (called a hotel, where meals are 75 centa — my 38.) In wet clothes, without any blankets. Tlie following night we slept just a little over the aummit, above the timber line, and at the foot of a glacier. There being no wood, we went to bed in the rain, without supper, ond it waa bitterly cold as well. I nm trying to give you aa good an account of my trip as possible. Of course, I am more or less used to experiences of tliis kind, and they were not ao hard on me aa on those who are new in the mountains. I passed one grave on the trail to-day. and I am eure there will be many more before spring. People are going blindly into hardshins for which thev are entirely unlitted, and it can only end in their losing their lives. Some Enperienoes. " Hod I brought a year's provisions with me, as I thought of doing, I could never have got through. If the 'IsUnder' couhl have taken it I certainly would have brought it. Luckily they wouhl not take it, aa they hod all they could carry, and what I did bring I had to carry in my state-room. There are many reports about the atate of tilings at Dawaon, but I think there will be no difficulty in my buying my supplica there. Here every- thing is charged for out of all reason. Where I camped last night (at the head of I NiNt Uiiw it mth Ilia light in print, it read* iMlnh like a |irii|p|i.«!y, ua leuiirdi. the fiiluro of Klolldllie niul "riie ll'»i.l U. Hichea;") I liail a dream, as strange as any dream. There came most iiiarvelloiia tidiiiga td the eats of men from far-off regions of the north. Tlie long sought Hialeii of the golden |iaiit, The land of Ophir, yea, the very source Of all man's gidden iiopeo, was f>>uiid nt last. The rooks were liowlilcrs of the jirivious gohl ; The g»ntly riniiig hilla were donuw of gold ; The very soil waa but the dust of guld ; The waters gleamed with pi'blily wealUi of gold. .So strange, too, atrniige it seemwl to all at first, Of wealth Hi> fabulous within the reach Of atriiken poverty and helpless want. Hut still the mnrvelhiiis tidings swift, and oft Flashed round the girdled enrth with lightning tongues. .\nd absent friemls enriirhed, returned with joy To tell tlie startling tale t<> gasping throngs That waked them from their dreamy life <>f hope, And auch an exodus from homea and lovea The world ne'er saw before. One thought, one hope, ()ne jisssion— aye, one prayer— pervaded all. Jlarth's highways, choked with hurrying multitudes From the four quarters of the teoming globe, Pouring o'er hill and vale like mighty waves. Pressed onward, an it were, with mighty winds To the far region of enchanted land, I'ntil liail burst the overflowing tide Of huinnn aurges on the new-found shores. flarth's jubilee, the golden ago, had come, , The heritage irf wealth was now for all The mendicant might be a millionaire, And stand the peer of noldes, merchants, kings. In nil that purse tilled Mainmom could procure. No more the wolf of hunger at the door. No more the wringing toil for daily bread, No more the widow s mite to go for rent. Or the one precious keepsake for the pawn, f »r crying starving children at the hearth Where the last dying embers have expired. The eager ((iiestions found the ready "yes" I For every anxious heart of want and woe. And blank Despair lifted his head once more In expectation of the better time. And now the millioii-threadeil tolegraph Was sore besieged, both night and day, by friends To absent friemls swift pushing on, or thence lU'tiirning from the realm of all their hopes. Full ladcfl with the spoil of glittering wealth. Krc long the opulence of gi'ileii store Panie pouring into every land and |..wn And joyous hamlet of the wtiting worH, .\nd everywhere the theme was gohl, gold, gold. The daily journal sought no other news, The politician found no other theme, The toiling milli(jns had no other th.Tight Hut certain riches from the wondrous land. The farmer left his plough, the artisan His shop. The mills were closed for want ipf men. The ships were lying idle at the dock. The wheels of commerce ceased their busy round, Only to fuminb food for those still left Behind, or carry hence the multitudes To golden hind. At last the tidings came, .\stounding and incredible, that waked The startled fears of men above their hopes Of earthly gain. The mniTelloiis fields of gold Were sprending like an ulcer o'er the earth On every side, and leaving nought of food Or life that could give sustenance to man. All vei^etation withered at its touch. ' '. The binls and beasts migrated to the lands Heyond. and seemed aatinished at the change In their old leafy haunts. Tht rnt'k.", the sand, The soil became transmuted into gold. The hills and mountains lost their veriul hue, .\nd faded into sickly desolation. The ginnt trees fell thundering here and there 1'pon the blasted ITeath in nitting heaps. Or raised their naked arms to heaven in mute Appeal. The fountains dried up in their course. The purling streams expired. The rivers stank, And bred disease and death along their courno Aa they receded before the march of death. Otill, day by dny. the line of doomed advanced [Oontinued on page 809. \utf, 1897 TJ THE'KL Money . Hriti.h tuhmihi. ing guld-producinij «t Klondike have 11 nitUBted in tlie nori unneceusry tii aav ihe region ia (|i(«;.,'|| generally found of ri new ineana of »cce» gold it«lf, ami by a invoaligate the Yuko bo taken out of t|ja done to show that t richness, »n,i tba i„,ji that extent. ' We nijglit quote during the laat }ew w contonta, and it woul view, of Mr. (j^ivj, been lelegraphwl and I ranted, then, that, ( '."?',"»*»' l>op«eiu.i,uf nch harvrat from iiihi Exploration Coninanv ■nay eaaily prove a., 1 1 «.'",""' "^•'"' "' "I proHta from its aarlv e company, but it atit. ably reported up,m. 'I teraits, and. wiVh the pick up others equally ««np«nie, at a VeryZ •uch aa thia i, p|„eed i Klonddte TerritorSs,^ Bradford 1 . 'riio Klondike and ; l-imite,;.vei,er and ind.peX ace a very »md „, a< lie Klondike and Norl '■"lilted, i. one of il.e ' l™«, itm.yperb.;.', « the preaent priced the wftich thu companv luu diatant date worth 'fplir' r th< Xmah, I8'.)7. THE ROAD. *BOT the: comino boom in ki^ondiks:. A KLONDIKE) OOMPAUT WHICH HAS GREAT MERITS. THE KLONDIKE & N-W TERRITORIES EXPLORATION Oo., LTD. OAPXTAL £60,000. XN 120,000 8HA.RX8 OF lOi. SAOH. These Shares (fully-paid) are now quoted at about 14s, OPINIONS OF Money Marktt HeHeiv, AiiKuot 14th, 1H(J7. llritiiih tuluDit)ia hiw loiix lieen Imiked fiinTanl tit tiM li tiiimt iirnmiH. in« KolJ.uriMiucinK ttrritoi.v itiul tho reitiit iMimrkublo tiiM:overii*» »t KluniUku liuve inireHWKl tlie iiitvrtJMt in tlio nmiitry. Klimdike h situated in t\w norlli-weiit of Hritiih C'ulunibiu, and im. it in \m-\M\m uimeceuary to say, Hritiili tenilor)'. It would he idlu to deny that (h« reulon is ditHcult to K«t at, but whtro t;
ertieH in the district are likely to reap a rich harvest from inining them. 'Xlie Klondike and N.W. Territories Kxplorati., which has been formed to explore the now famous KIondiKe district, and to acquire properties in the North-West, is, it is suniiised, being backed by some important people in the City, and the shares are dealt in freely at 2s. premium. Northern Finance and Trade. The fact that Mr. Whittoker Wright has given his attention to Klondike affairs, and will henceforth take an active part in the pro- motion of companies connected with tliis remarkable Held, endows the whole question of Klondike finance with additional respectability, and n tone of importance wliich it ham hitherto sadly lacked. It has been necessary for me to enter a word of earneat warning and advice as to the lar^ number of (questionable enterprises which the Klondike gold boom 18 likely to bring into existence; but at the same time care should be discriminating and cautious enough not to class all prewut and future enterprises of tliis kind under one condenmat<>ry category. There is, for instance, at least one promising undertaking in existence known as Klondike and North-West Territories Exploration Cbm* pany. Limited, iu connection with the proKpectsof which the celebrated traveller and independent expert. Mr. Harry de Windt, declares that "extraordinary rirli finds have been made," and he generally gives the place a very good character. Indeed, he says that "there caniuit be the slightest douU of the richness of the country,'' and inasmuch as fhe Klondike and North-Weat Territories Exploration Obinpany, iiiiiiited, is one of the most respectable of the latest Klondike enter- prises, it may perhaps lie worth the attentions of investors, especially m the present price of the shares is a moderate one, they being largely dealt in at 28. premium. If only a tithe of the remarkably good things which this company luu in view mature, the shares should be at no distant date worth fidlv £3 or £4. THE PRESS. British Cohtutbia Review, i'htf intlueuce of gold is again iJlustiHied by the rich dlscoTerics at Klondike, Indeed, the intcreitt which has been excited in this c«in* iiei'lion is no le^'S pheiiiniieiial than tie Mmlth of gold drposil with ultich tlie district is nedited. Whether in the Club House, hotel, or fttrect, tho main topic of conversation is the new goldHeld. Hi-eing, Ipiwever, that fortunes are said to have been made there in a few weeks, it is uisy to understand tltat exiHsctutions run hi^jh. Wu do not identify oiirselvei with those wlio think that it is only neciarvy to go to KlontUke to become rich. Hut we consider it highly prutmhle that some of the moderately capitalised companies liein^ funned hero t^i exploit the coveted territory will auliieve success. Tho Klondike and N.W. TcrriUirie*t Kxploratuui l'oni|>any, hniiited, U oiHf u'. the number which .ippuars to Iw of gotxl promise. Its capital is £60,000 divided into 120,000 HlmrcH nf lOw. encli. and we are informed that they aiv being dealt in at a pivmiiini on' tlie Stock Kxi-luinge. The company liaN alrmdy ucipiireU two pni[»erties, which have Iwen favourably reportel upon, and the ex|>edition it is seiuUng out will be among* the Hr.it to reauli tho rich gold centres. There does not seem to be any reason why Khmdike and N.W. Territoriea hhoiild not do well and give a gotid account of itself, for it will enjoy excellent opportunity of -securing without delay miiiie of the good things to fw obtained at Khmdike. We learn from the M|H'ctal corres)K indent of the "New York Journal'' at Alanka that the t|.iiigers 4)f the journey to Klondike, as alM> the wverity of the winter there, liavo been purjHisely exaggerated with the object nf keeping jHiipIo away. It is only reajMinal>Ie to suppose, under any cin-uuistanrefi, that the early Exploration CumpanieN will tiecure hoii.; of the A'In.idike plums. That being so. the |iroHi>etit« of t!ie Klondike and N.W. TtrritoricM lire regarded as encouraging. We may mention that the shares, for brevity's wike, are known on the Htock Exchange as " Khmdike Territories." The Financier^ Hepteraber 13tb, 1897. It would be idle to deny that there are difficulties in the way of obtaining tho immense^ riches which, on unimpeachable authority, are known tn exist in tlie Klondike district of British Columbia. Equally ubsurd would it be to d«ny that Uieee difficulLiee will be surmounted. Well-e((uipped expeditions', plentifully supplied with capital, and with a Kian of oxperienaf anil inteJligemv at their head, will quickly find a way tc said to Ik* now fairly well ost^tblished. Unliku many of tho companies recently Htart«d, the Klondike aitd X.W. Territories Exploration Company, Limited, begins its career with several properties already aoqmred. and the directors are now engaged in equipping an expedi- tion for the jiurpose of having tliese worked. During the lact few days tlie sbares of the company, which are known in the Stock Exchangie as " Kk)ndike Territories," buve b«en dealt in in con- siderable amotint. Bast Anglian Daily Timea, August lOlh. The rush for Klondike still continues, and each company is Mtraining every nerve to l>e first in tho Held The KlrnJike and North'West Territories Exploration Ounpany, Limited, has already secured extensive properties, and is sending out an exfiedition. Its shares are now quote'l it a premium on the Stock Exchange. NevDcaatU: Jaily Joumalt August 13th. The Klondike and North-West Territories Exploratinn Company, Limited, have succeeded in securing somo pmperties in tho new gold- fields, and an expedition will shoitly be despatched to prospect and acquire fresh claims. The shares are (pioted at 2s. premium in the New British Columbian markete on the Ij^mdon Stock Exchange. The Rialto, September 18th, 1897. At last we have come (uroas an umlertaking that is able to boast that it starts iu ^Miaiession of two projKrties already favourably reported upon, and with agents on the stmt watdiing its interests. This unusual feature in a Klondike proposition is very significant. Tho undertaking referred to is tho Klondike and N.W. Territories Exploration Company, Umited, whose share capital is £60,000, and whose lOs. sharas are quoted at. a premium of 3«. 6d. in '-.he new British Columbian market of the Stock Exchange. What measure of success will attend this " Iwby " it is, of cumse, premature to say. but it is at all erent« satbfactory to find that in one of the most important reepeots it starts on a much better footing than (he majority of its predecessors. 808 THE ROAD. Xmas, 1897. KLONDIKE & N-W TERRITORIES ENPLORATION COMPANY, LIMITED. This Company s Expedition will be one of the first to enter the Klondike district in the coming Spring. THE MAP BELOW SHOWS THE COMPANY'S PROPOSED SCENE OF OPERATIONS. KLONDIKE. ^ NORTH v-WEST ^ a, 1897. XMAft. 1897. THE ROAD. 809 TION iter the IONS. In ^x\m and silent terror o'er the InnH, Dextroying gardens, fnrestx, fruitful ticldH, And human hopes, as with the blast of God, From the retreating dying multitudes A piteous cry went up to Heaven for help, Mingled with curses long, and deep, and luud, Upon the now thrice-hated gold. Alas ! ' , No succour came. Famine, and Pestilence And Death marched on with the dread sweep of doom. The ulcer spread. No ocean marked its liounils. From continent to continent the line Of golden desolation passed. The towns Ilocame deserted. The spirts toppled into dust. Tliese were the final cities of the (lend. Around upon the lifeless, treeless plains The corpses lay unburicd. Hungry throngs Were pressing on into the narrowing space Of life and nurture, only to be crushed In tums amid the struggling masses. Food Was all in all, and hunger governed all. For kings were only starving paupers iicw. The grain of wheat alone was gold, i»nd he Alone the king and millionaire who held it. Around the earth the line of doom had swept. Narrower and narrower grew the realm of life, Until the last, lone Eden, like the first, Hloomed as the fairy garden of our God, Shut ill by buniiahed walls which none might pass Where rests the curse of Heaven. There the last man And woman of God's fair creatictn stood, k\v\ gazed noon the closing walla of time. Moving upon ihem inch bv inch like some Uelontless fate while waiting their brief day. The final shadows came. Tlie Alchemist Of earth had passed his wand beneath their feet An the last tree was fading from their sinlit. And the last flower was blotted from the scene. A voice came down from hcnveji : " O. man. thy prayer Is answered. Now thou hast thy fill of gold. The first did covet that he needed not. Beholil ! The first is last, the last is first. Six thousand year.s thy soul has worshipped Mammon, Thou hast thy god. The goldon world is thine. Be satisfied. Thou shalt die rich at last ; Yet none bo p-vir "f: he tni.t leaves his god And all his wealth of heart and hope behind." Solomon SrNiiisK, Tift; •'TnH noAn to niciir.s,"— now tbavellebs wiij, tbavel thzm: in tiir N>:An niimir. / / 810 THE ROAD. Xmab, 1897. AN AMERICAN STAGE DRIVER'S TALES. Stories of the Old Coaching Days of Southern California. Recklestness of the Old Driven.— Thiy Uiually Qot Through on Time. But Some of Them Tool( Deiperate vJhanoei. (.S;ran( to lite. Chbisthas Boad.) You hafe from time to time published many a stirrintj and fascinating story of coaching, and no doubt som« of your many readers may even think that your correspondents have covered all the ground ^hat there i^ to cover. But I venture to think differently, and Ah your permission, Mr. Kditor, I will relate a few of the ad entures in my part of the world, at which I mainly assisted, onrl no devils of which I, at least, guarantee as being absolutely trustworthy. First of all, let me b^gin with tho record of my one time chum, Bill Henderson. A Jehu of the Ptolflo Coast. Bill Henderson was driver on the Tjos Angeles, Santa Ana, ami San Diego stage line for twenty-one years. He wa.s (me of the large number of remark- ably skilful je.ms of the Paoiflc Coast For years he drove eight horses regularly, and often ten horses. Everyone in Southern California knew Uncle Bill, the stsgo-driver. Tho railroads have deprived the stage lines %,t tlieir business, and Uncle Bill, with a multitude of others of his class, has gone into re- tirement He was in a reminiscent mood the other day as he sat in the bright sunshine of the porch at his little ranch home. He told nic, and gladly, when he learned that it was for The linad newspaper, r number of good stories of strange experience in his life, and I have selected the following as being some among the most interesting : — A Pleasant Surprise. One bright, sunny morning, in early autumn, about 1878, said he, I had a big load of passengers — and a happier, more jovial and hetter-naturcd crowd I never had on l)oard. Those were reckless, don't-care days, when Los Angeles was a sleepy old Mexican town. >Snngs, jukes, and stories enlivened the way, and several pocket UaskH of mountain dew made each forgetful of danger. Near Cajiistrono Valley we reached a grade, imd the eight horses settled into a walk for the first time since loavini^ the station. Wo hac almost reachiHl the summit V'len two robbers sprang into the road from a fringe of b:e. " Pile in, and be off now," shoi. t.■'< ' ; but fortunately the road was ((mooth, and tho animali .ep. their feet. I plied the lash and again shouted t. the leader ap *he big coach began to gain upon them. Tha'EKptrienoa of a Llfetlm*. The passengers grew frightened as the vehicJe reeled and rooked under tho tremendous speed. Several cried, "Btop! Stop I " but this was i'-st what I corUd not do. The young hus- band believed me in. .'e for the moment, and, drawing a pistol, cried, " Now, hold up, or Iiy heaven I'll put a bullet thiwugli your heart." Instead of attempting to comply, I again laaheil my team, for in a moment or two the danger wotild be over Th( July, nave and and Hammoi Roaslj Crown Tt being oamp. Th format of the the tr( ment w( In ohai little Mr. Jharg-e A3^ , 1897. Xukn, 1897. THE ROAD. 811 CDe BritisI) Columbia Cand €xplorattoii ana Deoelopment Companp, m. DIRECTORS I C. D. HOSE, Esq., Chairman. LIONEL II. C. BOYLE, Esq. ALEX. L. SECRETAN, Esq., Managing Director. OFFICES: ,.^ , ;'i . ;, 13, Austin Feiako, London. noroent the high- like soldiers on u, for I noticed » all miner, »"<« o" iclared th»t he folj knew that seversl of the robbers sta- a whole lino with sngers of their val- j a nimlilo-fingered jhes, money, rings, cigars and whidiy this outrage. The tioment, but at tlie J raise thorn again, tain when the light. Llder lot of feUows .Krs, and even their ,ung man," yelled „wk out of reach ;.?n a weapon m 4iot, but M it n. The horses *ard» a dozen men red a nian to drive, iKot near them once, Lrs and wounding a Imy heart was in my We descending the [hill, with twenty-two lunying outside seats Ir a handsome young Id ine. When within hill my brake broke, with it* load of pas- l-ses. Tlie team wa» l»>il)ly necks would be L jump off, as ttiey of their danger. There Iray whip, shouted tu lake time," and down If a horse shouW than one passenger oii ■ Dth, and the ammals shouted t. the leader lime. . Ihe fehicle reeled and ISevend cried, "Btop.| \ do. The young hiij- Pand, drawing a pistol., 'i nut a buUet throughl comply. ^ ««»'" '»"J,kJ ter would be over. 1 1" GENERAL MANAGERS IN NORTH AMERICA: Messrs. OSLER & HAMMOND, Toronto. CONSULTING ENGINEER: Professor JOHN E. HABDMAN. BANKERS: PARR'S BANK, LTD., Consolidated Bank Offices, London, E.C. THE DOMINION BANK, Head Office, Toronto. SECRETARY : F. A. KENTFIELD, Esq. CAPITAL IN SHARES OF £1 EACH. Subaoribed Working Capital J^250,000 it25,000. In accordance wi bh the object for which this Company was formed, in July, J896, the services of several well-knov>^i experts in mining matters have been engaged on behalf of the Company in examining, prospecting, and developing various properties in British Columbia, under the advicla and assistance of the Company's Manag«>rs in Toronto, Messrs. Osier and Hammond . Various propertie'. have already been acquired, and development work carried out ou the sane. The Company has obtained controlling Interest In a property in the Rossland District, known as "The Young British America", upon which the Cro?m Grant has been received. The area of this property is 34 acres. The locality is good, there being only three claims between it and the "Le Roi", the mine of thn camp. The "Deer Park" claim on the south-weatern corner of the mountain struck 100 dol. ore at about 75 feet. The vein they are working on runs through the "Young America". The claim derives its value from the favourable character of the formation, which appears identical with that in which the paying mines of the District are found, and also from its location being directly in the trend of some of the principal fissures on the mountain. Develop- ment work is still being continued to prove its value, and the engineers in charge are confident that they have a good property, which after a little more work will justify expectations. Mr. R. F. Dodd, e, mining expert of considerable experience, is in charge of the Company's interests in this district. // i! i i^ ll ^ \" I '% 819 THE ROAD. XuAs, 1807 The Compeny has, further, two-thirds interest over an area of about 29 acres of claims on the "Deer Park Mountain", adjoining the "Young British America" property, and the work which is being carried out on the "Young British America" will prove the values of these properties also, where mineralised dlorite has already been found at different points. Assessment work is being carrjed out on the followlrg claims in the West Kootenay Distriot:-- Upon 80 acres situated in Trail Creek Mining Division on Green Mountain, one mile from the Jumbo. Upon the Franktown Claim, situated on Murphy Creek, and on various I l-'imp on the Deer Park Camp, in which the Cotrpany holds one-third ..) it over an area of about 500 acres. ■)n the Toad Mountain Claims, situated on the West side of the Salmon River, about four miles south of Hp.11 Creek, in the Nelson Division; and .... Upon eight Claims known as the Salmon River Claims, situated on Porcupine Creek, on the Salmon River, where the Company has staked out the full claims, and their ownership is recorded. In the East Kootenay District the Company has a bond on a block of Claims situated about ten miles south of Fort Steele, lying immediately be''ow, and adjoining the Dibble Claims. A two-stamp portable testing mill, built by the Truro Foundry and Machine Company-, of Nova Scotia, has been erected at the mouth of .sawmill Creek, where water and wood for fuel are both plentiful, and where the grades are favcurabJe for the bringing of ore to the mill. This mill is being worked by the Company for testing purposes for ores brought in from people owning properties in other parts of the district, as well as for the puzposes of the Company, and much valuable informa- tion is acquired by 6his means respecting other properties in the large District of East Kootenay. Money has been spent on prospecting various other properties, but results have not justified further development work, and the claims have been abandoned. '\ /. ,\ ' , .''-■/' • " . . ' Other properties are under consideration, and the Company's experts are making examination before definitely deciding to acquire an interest in the same. . . , ; . ^ „, v = All the properties have been reported upon and visited from time to time by Professor Hardman, and some of the claims by Mr. Susmaim, both of these gentlemen being well known as reliable authorities upon mining matters connected with British Columbia. Arrangements have been made by the Company's Agents to prepare an expedition for the Klondike District of the Yukon Gold Fields in the early part of 1898. The reports received by the Company confirm the enormous mineral wealth of British Columbia. The funds which have already been expended by the Company have been in connection with preliminary exploration, and so as to enable suffi- cient development work to be done to prove the properties in which an Interest has been acquired, so that subsidiary companies may be formed to acquire and work the same. The proposed railway from the Crow's Nest Pass, now under construc- tion by the Canadian Pacific Railway, will pass j*n the immediate violnlty of some of the above properties, so that supplies can be carried into this country as cheaply, if not cheaper, than in any other mining camp in the Province, and working expenses will consequently be considerably reduced. XuAs, 1807 )f about founs it on the les also, loints. Is in the teen (various lird the ion 2d on iked out block of mnediately idry and 1 of al , and e mill, for ores e district, informa- the large lies, but claims have r's experts an interest 'om time to laim, both ipon mining repare an > in the rirm the r have been )le suffi- whioh an be formed > oonstruo- ate in be L any other [uently be