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Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre imege de cheque microfiche, selon le ces: le symboie —^ signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, cherts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction retios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hend cori:er. left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following aiagrams illustrate the method: Les certes. planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent fttre filmte A des teux de rMuction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grond pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, 11 est film* A partir de Tangle supArieur geuche, de geuche A droite, et de haut en bes, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcesssire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 jOSi.^'^ • / Kl ,r.c :pH POPE ^•'«^'u-.-o,.. ^•^•vc rty / i i, 2- 13 J^ LECTURE UN TIIK- KLO.NDIKK MLMNU DISTIMOT ■IJY — WILMAM (KilLVlE. F.K.G.S., SURVEYOR TO THE DOMINION OF CANADA -IlKMVI'.lilMt AT — VlCTOniA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, NOVEMBEH 5TH. 1897, ■^s>-.3 THC GCWIHNMCHT or \|(T,,.«, The report of this Lecture is reproduced as it appeared in the Viritoria "Daily Colonist," November 6th, 1897. K] 1 >* It ■A LECTURE — ON THK — KLONDIKE MINING DISTRICT -BY — WILLIAM OGILVIE, F.R.G.S., SURVEYOR TO THE DOMINION OF CANADA, -UELIVEREI) AT- VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, NOVEMBER 5TH, 1897, TNtaovimiKtBtor TUt Movmct or aniTiw coiuMliA VICTOHIA, li.(;.: rriiiUHl liy IliciiAHi) WoLriiNDKN, Printer to tho (^ueen'a Moit Kxrollent Majoiity, INT. 1 MR. OGILVIEB LECTURE. Hon. C<»1. Baker, Minister of Mines, who oeeupied tlie Oliiiir, in intrifluoinj» Mr. Ogilvie, remarked jokingly that the reason ell were a-ssenibleil was that Mr. Kains was prospecting for goUl — and locating his old frienil Mr. Ogilvie in town had prevailed upon him to give this lecture for the benefit of St. James' Church, with which Mr. Kains is prominently identified. That was the reason a charge halanation which is (»ften used by the good lady of the house when she saj's that youi' visit is al;. .'-ther unexpected and has tak havi> up there in the Yukon region, in comparison with which the area of the Klondike would not compare any more than my hand would with that blackboard, and neaily all that vast utretch of country has yet to bo prospected. I will first introduce you to tlu! several routes into this great gold-bearing region which are now known. Leaving Victoria by any ont^ of the steamers which run from here, w(> make our way through the well-known Seymour Narrows, taking care to time that passage to reach there at a suitai)le stage of the water, for it is well known that no ship can go through except at either high or low tiile. fn a few days, according to the capacity of the steamer, we reach Port Simpson, the most northerly seaport in British Colundiia or Canada on the Pacific ocean. If we wish tu make our way in in British bottoms we can here take the river steamers and proccefl from Port SiiiipHon to Wraiigcl, it hein^ iiJMiut 170 miles from the former pply available for horses will not be s\itHcient for any great number. Tt might be said that enough would be found for say two humored head, but any great numlM-r would sr the natural supply to be increased by importing sufficient for any nuiril>er over and aUive that. Arrived at the head of Teslin I^akc, we pr often the case with the tenderfoot, both either pull or both push, there is likely to be some (!n(|uirv from the man who is above what the other fellow is doing and there may be some com[)limentary language indulged in and the man below ask his part ner to come down and have it out. And if the same ma:i l>clow gets a grain of .sawdust in his eye during the progress of tlio (|uarrel there will be ([uite a sulphurous atmosphere for some time. After a while though in spite of these lUtHculties the l)oat will he finally gf>t ready and then commences the trip flown the Teslin Lake, which is eighty miles long and bounded on both sides by high mountains. This distiiiicf is of course only as 1 have Iwen told. We arrive r.t the head of the Hootalin(|ua HivtM- after traversing the lake. This river is marked on the map as being the Teslin, which is the Indian name for a Hsh which is caught iri the lake. The Hootalin(jua Uiver is about lU") miles long or a total distance from Victoria to Dawson City hy way of the .Stickinc, Teslin and Hootalin(|ua route, of i,GOO miles. At two points, one near the hejul of the rircr and one (|uite a distance below, there are obstacles in the way of steam- boat navagatiou at certain times of the year, during certain stages of the river. A few miles l)elow, tin* river broadens out into innumerable channels until at last, at the lower end, it widens to two and a half miles, [f one of the.se channels were deepened out, a suflicicnt depth of water could be obtained to iillnw of a free passage for a steamer drawing three or four feet without difficulty. r leav(' you now at the mouth of the Teslin, and go back trinj» iilniost: perft'ot advantages with the additional greater one tliat it ean l)e cailecl an ail-Canadian route if we chiMwe to so name it. We go hack again to the coast, now, and proceed a hundred miles al)ove up to Skag- way, where we find the ceh-hrated White I'iuss r<»ute. From tide water to tlie summit of the Wliiti^ Pass is a distanee of altout seventeen nules, four miles Iteing through all timljer. Alnive that the valley breaks, and any road will have to lie ooiiKtruited Ut lead along the hillside. An elevation of '2,(>00 feet is reachetl at tlui sunnnit of the pa.ss. Once on the suniuiit the remain- der of the thirty-tive miles is tolerably level but ia extremely rocky, and the land is of very little ralue. We now go to the Dyea route, which has been used by the Tndinns for generations. And it is evident that they knew tlieii" business in selecting it. The word " Dyea" is itself an Indian one, meaning "pack" or "load" -a very approjiriate name for the trail. From tide water to the mouth of the canyon it would Ixs as easy to build a road as well as can be im- agined, as easy almost as to construct one along one of your city streets. From tlm mouth of the canyon to Sheep Camp, constructir need any spi'cial attention be given to Marsh JiUke. Twenty-five miles f>om Marsh Lake wo come to the canyon where the river is \ery swift, and passes between almost perptMidicular walls. Running the canyon is easily practicable provi will be dashed against the side walls of basaltic rock and pounded to pieces. In the middle of tlu,' canyon, which is about five-eighths of a mile long, is the basin — a circular pool from which it would In- impossible for a man to clindi out of. At the foot of the canyon is a very large rajiid through which uhe boat goes so fast that she dips into them, taking in water unless the greatest care is taken. Should slu! gel into the eddy, man and boat will Im" thiown on the bank whether they will or no. IJelow the canyon there is another rapid, which, however, oilers no special obstacle to a man wanting to go through. I've been through. Helow that is what is known as the White JIor.se Rapid. Now you can run the White Horse if you want to — at least you can try to. f don't. I traced up thirteen men had wlut lost their lives in running this rapid in a singh^ season, and though I ciiiuiot say so for certain, I believe that this must have been a large proportion of those who made the attempt. Of course for those who want to do the daring deed and talk about it afterwards, there is the White Horse Rapids to be run. T don't do it, however. Helow at the Five Fingers, the river is partially dammed by a conglomerate rock standing like a pillar in the stream. Avoiding it, let the J)oiit <»o easy iiiul all will Im* well. Hut see that the V.oat dnes't clip or she will take much iiioi't; water than you rei|uir(>. Itelow this there is another rafiid, and then the sniuoth and unhampered river, from whii-h on, everything is all right. Of the Dalton trail T know nothing; by personal oh.servation- -only hy report. 1 had an iuteiview with Mr. l>alton, from whom the trail is named, in lH9fi, and T have also talked with Mr. McAithur, our surveyor, who has spent some time in that district recently, Of course, the substance of his rt'port cannot he divul;,'ed at present. The sunnnit of this trail is ai)out forty-five miles from the coast, and .'{,000 feet alnive the the sea, the watershed is about 7') miles from the coast and Dalton's trading post 100 miles from the coast. TIkmuc to the IVlly is 1*00 miles further. This route pa.s.ses over a nice undu lating i>laiM, well timlici'ed in the \alleys and with grass on the slopt^s, but not enough to feed any number of animal.'*. The iirsi 34 miles of the Dalton trail is in disputed territttry, the rest of it in Caiiaila. just as is the ca.se with the Dyeaand Skagsvay tridls. Now, for my part, T think that it is our duty as Canadians to sink ail political ditl'erences — to let the tire of patrio- tism consuuK' all feelings that would tend to retard the ac((uisition of this most desirable line a.s an all-Canadian naite to the Vukon (applause), .so that we may enjoy as far as pos.sible the benefits that region will bi-ing if we u.se our rights wisely and w«-ll. VV^e have the best end of the Yukon Kiver — that is certain. In going down the Yukon in a steamer recejitly from Dawson City, the first 140 miles was made without any difliculty, and until we got below Circle City there was no trouble. Hut below that the steamer began to lal)our, the water got shallower, and the steamers have often l)een detained on ..and bars for weeks. Tt is a conmion occurrence to be delayed hours and evca days on bars and in on what is known as the Yukon Hats, Just below Circle City. Not once is there ditliculty of this kind found in our part of the river, but in the Alaska portion it is an every day occurrence for a steamer to stick. I know of one steamer that stuck tor tlir«?e weeks, anothei- that was on a sand bank for four or tive (lays till another steamer came along and bunted her otl', and then stuck on the same bar herself — and I don't know how long she stayed there. (Laughter.) The navigation of the Yukon River in the upper part is open from May till the middl(> of October ; while at the mouth it is not open before the 1st July, and navigation doiw not last longer than the 1st of October— that is only from two and a half to three mouths — and it takes river steamers fourteen, fifteen and si.xtei-n days to get up the river to Dawson. St. Michael's, the headquarters of the river boats, is KQ miles from the mouth of the river, and only in calm weather can the steamers cross that bit of open sea. C)f course this route by way of St. Michael's with its river difficulties is not our road. We have a right to navigate the Yukon, but, as I said before, it is not our route. Now, I will tell you the ves,sels that are engaged at present navigating the Yukon. The Alaska Commercial Comjiany have two l.irge steamers, tlx' Alice and the Bella, besides smaller ones named Margan^t and the Victoria, last being named after Queen VicUjria, as it was built in the Diamond .Jubilee year and launched about the time of the Jubilee. There were also two other small steamers belonging to the company running at the mouth of the river. The North American Transportation and Trading Company have three steamers and contemplate putting on two more next summer. Ea1U,V (JoM> DiSCOVKlMKH. Ne.\t let me tell you sfiinething about the history of the discovery of gold in the Y'ukon. Early in the '70"s an attempt was made to get over to Teslin Lake by Cassiar miners, who learned of the existence of a large lak(! northward from Cassiar. Several people tried, but unsuccessfully, and returned disgusted. In 1872, Septend)er 2, two North of Ireland men, from County Antrim, named Harper and F. W. Hart ; Ceo. W. Kinch, who came from the vicinity of I left Manson there had b impre.ssion t as Half Wa unwittingly survey men provisions u Nelsiiu Hiv» they made a Nelson. In ISO the Province told me abo they met tw the Liard, Mackenzie ii down the 1' copper whic Hart and F Instead, the Mackenzie, nothing : on the Bell, no) Provisii liis way bad In<|uiry pected then which was n the Yukon ii famous Klor partnership hunting gnu would have finer sand at prospecting In 188S the vicinity district. A 'done considt in small (jua (tome prospe* This t(K for, and the Birch Ci-eek Archdeacon where he foi (hem a desci the men cou vicinity of Kingston ; Andn-w Kiiiis«'lar, ii (Jernian ; and Sam. Wilkinson, an Knj;li.slinmn, left Manson Cret'it to go on a prospectiiij; trip tlow.i tlu- ^[nt■k<'nzi« liivor. Harper, U'caust' there ha«l lieen found gold f)n the Liard, whii-li empties into the Maikenzie, was under the impression that there was goltl on tlie Mackenzie. He made his way down to what is known as Half-Way River. There he met a party of men surveying for the C. P. railway, and unwittingly hel[H>d to drive a stake in one great highway, In-cnuse they gav<' their lioat to the survey men to make their way up the Peace Hiver. Harper and the others packed their provisions up the Half-Way Itiver anil over a two or three mile |Miitage to the waters of the Nel.soM River, down which tjiey went until they found it safe for the passage of eaiKK-s, where they made u cache and proceeded to make thre(! dug out canoes with which to descend the Nelson. In 1S91 ] was sent hy the Dominion (Jovernment to e.xamine the north-«Mst portion of the Province, and going in the trail followed hy Harpt!i-, I saw the enche which Harpci' had told me about in 1887. Well, H ii|>er's party made their way down to the Liard River where they met two men named Mct^uesten and Mayo. Wilkinson determined to try his luck on the Liard, and left the others. Harper, Hart, the (!erman, and I'inch went down the Mackenzie across to the Peel and thence over to Hell's River, and ai , ''uent of the Porcupine, down the Porcupine to Fort Yukon. There Harper saw an Iiiditui who had some native copper which he said came from White River, and Harp«'r «letenniiied to try for it. Harper, Hart and Finch went 100 miles to White River in Sejitemhi- iiut tiiti not iind the copper. Instead, they found some; gold as the results of the search. They found no gold on the Mackenzie. Th^ rt salt of Harper's prospecting he gave to me as follows :— On the Nelson, nothing: on the Liard, colours; on the Mackenzie, nothing; on the Pi'el, fair prospects ; on the Bell, nothing; tm the Porcupine, colours; and pi'ospects everywhere on the Yukon. Provisions giving out, they had to make their way down the river to St. Mii-liael's. On Ins way back JIarper .saw an Indian with some gold he said cniiie from the Kovukuk. Im|uiry elicited from the Indian the place where he found the gold, and Hari)er pros- pected there all winter l)ut found nothing. It is now known where the Indian got the gold, which was not at the place he indicated. During the summer, Mct^uesten made his way up the Yukon and built Fort Reliance, about six and a half miles below the mouth of the now famous Klondike. In the following summer, Harper joined him there, and they traded in partnership at that post for many years. The valley of the Klondiki^ was their favourite hunting ground, but they never prospected there, and if they had, in the Klondike itself they would have found notiiing, for it is a swift mountain stream which has washed away all thi^ finer sand and gravel ; conse(|uently the gold would sink out of sight, and in those days no prospecting was done but on the bars in the rivers and creeks. In 1882, gold was found on the Stewart River by two brothers, by name Roswell, from the vicinity of Peterl)oro. At this time there were only about thirty or forty nuiiers in the district. A number of Cassiar miners had discovered the river from Lake Le Harg(>, and had done considerable prospecting, tinding tine gold. On the Stewart, the i)ars yielded line gold in small (|uantity. }\i 18S(), Mr. Harper (>stai)lislied a trading post, and in the .samt^ year $ome prospectors found coarse gold at Forty-Mile. This t(K)k all the miners up to the Forty-Mile, coarse gold being what every miner is looking for, and the excitement there contiimed to draw them until 1891, when gold was found on Birch Creek— 200 miles below Forty-.VIile. This discovery w.i.i due to a Canadian missionary, Archdeacon Macdonald, of Fort Peel, travelling through lIic jountry from Teiiana River, where he found a nugget. Ih; reported the find to .some prospectors whom he met and gave tliem a description of the place where In* had made the find. A search was made, but although the men could not from his description locate the spot — they found gold. This, of course, boomed Birch Creek, and in 1891 everyone at Forty-Mile went down there. One or two creeks are rich, but the best of tlieni cannot begin to compare with the El Dorndo or the Bonanza, the tributaries of the Klondike. As an incident, I may mention that one experienced niiin tcil me that the Birch Creek diggings art- "only Chinese diggings" com- pared with the later discoveries whicli have attracted such attention to El Dorado and Bonanza. He said that he knew of one claim on El Dorado which lie would not give for the whole of the Birch Creek District, Gold was found on the head of Forty-Mile. Napoleon (Julch, named after the Frenchman wJio located it, is rich in nuggets. I'^-anklin iJulcii is pretty rich, as are also Davis, IMosquitoi and Chicken Creeks. The hvst named, discovered in 189(J, was considered very rich at the timo, this being a few weeks before the discoxery of tlie gold in El Dorado and Bonanza. By the United States law a man is allowed to take up a claim 1,320 feet in length, and before anyone could gel there the few who discovered it took it all up, so that everyone else was shut out. For some time there was a doubt as to whether some of the creeks upon which gold had been found were in Alaskan territuiy and in 1S86 I was sent in by the authorities to mark the boundary line as 1 might tiiid it necessary. Miller and Glacier Creeks join Si.xty-Mile which luiis into the Yukon forty miles above. It was called Sixty-Mile l)ecause it was believed to be that distance above Fort Reliance. In my survey of the line 1 found tliat these two creeksi whicli are the richest, are in Canada. So far are they in Canadian territory that no doubt as to the location of the boundai'V line can atb'ct the ([uestion, they being at least two miles east of it. So that we can claim these two cieeks which are very rich, without any doubt, and in addition we can liaini a much larger region which I will describe. TnK Kiii.sT OF Klon'dikk. The (liscoveiy of the gold on the Klondike, as it is called, although the proper name of the creek is an Indian one, Thronda, was made by three men, Robert Henderson, Frank Swans'^n, and another one nameil Munson, who in .luly, ISDO), were prospecting on Indian Creek. They proceeded up the creek without finding sutHcient to satisfy tlu'in until they reached Dominion Creek, and after |irospeeting tluMc they crossed over tlie dividis uiul found (iold Hottoni, got good prospects and went to work. Provisi Indian Creek to llie Yukon to ."^ixty-Mile where Harper had established a tra(Ung post. Striking upwai'ds on i-'orty-Mile they came across a man, a Californian, wl,o was fishing in '■on:i)aiiy with two Indians. The Indians were Canadian Indians, or King George men, as they proudly called themselves. Now, one of the articles of liH> ndner's ctKh? ot' proceilure is that when he makes a disco\ei'y he shall lose no time in proclainung it, am! the man felt liounil to mak(> the prospectors aciiuainted with the infornuition that there was rich pay to be got in Gold llotlom. 'i'he two Indians showed a route lo this creek, and from tiiere they crossed over the high ridge to Monanza. From there to Kl Dorado is three milts, and they climbed up over the ridge between it and Bonanza, and reaching between Klondike and Indian Creeks, th«!y went down into Gold Bottom. Here they did half a day's j)rospecting, and came buck, striking into Bonanza about ten miles beyonil, where they took out from a little nook a pan which encouraged them to trv further. In a few moments more they h.ul taken out §r_'.75. A discovery claim was located, and also one above and one below for the two Indians. In August, IS'.M), the leader, generally known as Hiwash George l»pcause h' lived with the Tntlians, went down to Forty-Mile lo get provisions. He met several miners on his way ami vent down vitli the El ?ntion that iiigs " coni- d Bonanza, hole of the ^'renchniaii Mosquitoi ich at the lanza. By and before ;e was shut h gold had 1) mark the Mile which believed to ;wo ereeksi doubt as 1 miles east ibt, and in er name ot i>at load after Ixiat load of men went up at once. Men who had been drunk for weeks and weeks, in fact, were tumbletl into the boats and taken up without being conscious that they were travelling. < )ne man who went up was so drunk that he did not wake up to realization that he was being taken by Ijoat until a third of the Journey had been accomplished, and he owns one of the very best claims on the Klondike to-day. (Laughter.) The whole creek, a distance of about twenty miles, giving in the neighbourhood of two hundred claims, was stiiked in a few weeks. Kl Doraiio Creek, seven aiul a half or eight miles long, providing eighty claims, was staked in about the same length of time. iSoulder, Adams and other gulches were prospected, and gave good surface showings, gold being found in the gravel in the creeks. (Jood surface prospects may ho. taken as an indication of the existence of very fair bed-rock. It was in December that the character of the diggings was established. Twenty-one above discovery on Bonanza was the one which first proved the \ alue of the district. The owner of this claim was in the habit of cleaning up a couple of tubfuls evei'y night, and |)aying his workmen at the rate ^f a dollar and a half an hour. Claim No. 5, Kldorailo, was the next notalde one, and here the pan of .*1 1'J was taken out. That was great. There was then a pan of even greater amount on No. (i, anil they continued to 'un up every day, und you who are down here know better of the excitement there was than I, who was in and ditln't see it. The news went down to Ciicle t'ity, which emptied itself at once and came up to Dawson. The miners came up any way they I'ould, at all hours of the day and night, with provisions and without supplies. On their arrival they found that the whole creeks had been staked months before. .\ good many Canadians, who were in their talk out and out .\mericans, came up to CJanadian territory with a certain expectation of realizing something out of this rich ground by rea.son of their nationality. One of them particularly, on finding that he was too late, cursed his luck and said that it was awfidly strange that a man could not get a footing in his own country. Another of these men who arrivinl loo late was an Frishman, and when he found he could not get a claim he went up and down thi> creek, trying to bully the owners into selling, boast- ing that he had a pull at Ottawa and threatening to have the claims cut down from 500 to 250 feet. He came along one day and otl'ered to wager .*2,000 that before August 1st they wouUl be reduced to I'oO feet. One < ' the men to whom he had nnule this olVer came and asked me alniut it. 1 siiid tti him, "Do you gamljlel" His reply was "A little." Then I tol.i him that he was never -urer of #2,000 than he would have been if he had taken that bet. This ran Iti such an extent that I put up notices to the etl'ect that the length of the claims was regulated by Act of Parliament of Canada, and that no change could be made except by that I'arliaim'ni, and telling the miners to take no notice of the tlireats that had been made. •Mm Wliite then adopted another dodge, locating a fraction between 30 and 37, thinking the' by getting in between lie e(»uld force the osvners to come to iiia terms, forgetting that the law of this country does not allow uny man to play the hog. For three or four days this state 10 of things kept the men in an uproar. I was making my survey, and getting towards 36 and 37 ; when I got near, 1 delayed my operations and went up to 36, finding there '• luld be no fraction, or at least an insignificant one of inches. I took my time, and in the meantime the owner of 36 became very uneasy, and White also. I set in a stake down in the hollow until T saw how much fraction there was. T found only a few inches. I was very tedious with this portion of the work, and the man who was with me seemed to have quite a difficulty in fixing the stake. Then 1 went down with the remark that 1 would do that myself. I had made it a rule never to tell anyone whether there was a fraction until it was marked on the post. While I was standing by the post Jim White came up to me. He had a long way to go down the creek, he said — and he did not want to wait any longer than was necessary. Well, 1 said, I can't tell you just yet exactly how much of a fraction it will be but something about three inches. That is how Jim comes to be known as "Three Inch White." Many IIunduko Millions. Bonanza and El Dorado Creeks afford between them 278 claims; the several afHuences will yield as many more, and all of these claims are goinl. I have no hesitation i'l .saying that about a hundred t»f thone on Bonanza will yield upwards of $30,000,000. Claim 30 below, on El Dorado, will yield a million in itself, and ten others will yield from a hundred thousaiul dollars up. These two creeks will, I am quite confidout, turn out from !J60,000,000 to •^75,- 000,000, and 1 can .safely say that there is nu other region in the worUl of the same extent that has afforded in the same leiiijth of time s(/ many homestakes — fortunes enabling the owinrs to go home and enjoy the remainder of their days —considering that the work has had to be done with very limited facilities, the scarcity of provisions and of labour, and that the crudest appliances only are as yet available. When I tell you that to properly work each claim ten oi- twelve men are requited, and only 'JOO were available that sea.son, it will give you an idea of the difficulties which had to bo conteii'ed with. On Bear Creek, about seven or eight miles above that, good claims have been found, and on Gold Bottom, Hunker, Last Chance, and Cripple Creeks. On (Jold liottom, as high as §15 to the pun has been taken, and on Hunker Creek the same, and although we cannot say that they are as rich as El Dorado or I'xiiuinzn, they ace richer than any other crectks known in that cimutry. Then, thirty-five miles higher up the Klondiki', Too-.Much-Oold Creek, was foutul. It obtained its name from tlm fact that the Indians who discovered it saw mica glistening at the bottom, and, thinking it was gt»ld, saiil there was " too much gold -more gold than gravel." A fad 1 am iu)w going to state to you, antl one that is easily demonstrated, is that from 'lelegraph Cie(«k northwaid to the boundaiy line we have in the Dominion and in this Province an area of from rii")0 to 600 miles in length, and from 100 to I oO miles in width, over the whole of which rich prospects have been found. We must have from 90,000 to 100,000 8(juan^ miles, which, with projuir care, judicious handling, and better facilities for the transportation of food and utensils, will be the largest, as it is the richest, gold field the world has ever known. You, Mr. Chairnuin, may wish to extend tliat down to the lH)undary line— but that, of cour.se, I leave to you. Stewart and Pelley, in the gold-bearing zone, also giv(! promising indications. Every- where good pay has been fouiul on the bars, and there is no reason why, when good jtay is obtained on the bars, the results shoiiid not be richer in the creeks. The Klondike was pros- pected for forty miles up in 1887 without anything being found, and again in 181)3 with a [similar lacl led up to b him to staj this sunnuE is made of. Tn re; and Dawsd l!:") to !?7 a under the portation o About miner haili and other i claims are Creek a qu had to swe which, if ti On (J. sieve, and understand the ton, wl is, but the in extent, woi'ld bo a About it was rich, On El same value and as yo' however, il -runs right by the fact and lilacie travt^lled a out of the That found it m not pay to On SI the Hoota wiiik is CO the water return ; b place out. ri^ n similar lack of result., hut the dirterence is seen wlien the right course is taken, aiul tliis was led up to Ity lloWert Henderson. This man is a Ixtrn prospector, and you could not persuade him to stay on even the richest claim on IJonanzr.. He started up in a small l)oat to spend this summer and winter on Stewart lliver, prospecting. That is tiie stuff the true pro.spcctor is made of, and I am proud to say that he is a Caiuulian. (Applause ) Moi'NT.MN OK IJOLI) ORK. Tn regard to ipiartz claims, seven have already been located in the vi<'inity of Forty Mile and Dawson, and there is also a mountain of gold-hearing ore in the iieighhourhood yielding $") to ■'?7 a ton. The <|nestion to he consi(lei'e degree of lineness, and is worth about .*1(> per o/., and as you go down the creek this valin- decrca.ses to about i?!."!.!''). i'^'om that point, however, it increases again, and from this the infeienci' appears to be plain that the same lode runs I'ight aci-oss the r<'gion that these creeks cut through, which is proxcd still more surely by tin- fact that the value increases as you strike Hunker, and in the other direction Miller and (Jlacicf. The nuggets found in Kl Dorado anil Bonanza show no eviilence of having travelled any great distance, and some I have arc as rough us though lliry had been hammered out of the mother lode. That mothei' lode is yet to be found in the ridges ln'twccn I lie creeks, and when it is found it may be found In consist of se\-eral luiyc lodes, or ;i su(■(•l■^sion of small ones that may not pay to woi'k. ColM'KH AMI Co A I, Too. On Stewart and Pelley Bivers some prospecting has been done and gold found, and on the Hootalin<|ua in 18!).''i good pa\ was discovered, and llie richness of ilii> gold increases as Work is continued further down. Some men, working tifteen feet down, fountl coarse gold, when the water drove them out. and they hud to abandon Ihi' work and come out deterniinrd to return; but they excitement knocked that place out. f 12 Gold has heon fuund at the head of Lake Jjb Barge, on the stream flowing into the lake at this point. In fact, there is gold everywhere in this zone, which is 500 miles long by loO wide. Prospects too are to be found on tlie Daltnii Trail, on the other side of the Yukon River. A man riding along the Altsek Trail was tiirown from his horse and in falling caught at the brancii of a tree. As he diew himself up he saw something shining on the rock which fixed his attention at once. He picked it up and found that it was gold. Other excellent prospects have also been found along the same creek. From these circumstances and discoveries it may be assumed that in all this country there is gold, while in this particular zone it is especially abundant. This zone lies outside of the Rocky Mountains, and distant from them about 15(J miles. Another product of the country that demands attention is copper. It is doubtless to bt; found somewhere in that district in groat al)uiidanc(>, although the location of the main deposit has yet to be discovered. Mr. Jlarjier was shown a large piece of pure copper in the po.ssession of the Indians — indeed T have .seen it myself. It comes from the vicinity of the White River somewhere just where has yet to be disclosed. Silver has also been found, and lead ; while to work our precious metals we have coal in abundance. It is to be found in the Rocky Mountains or, rathei', the riilge of high mountains running parallel to them in the interior. A deposit of coal in this range runs right through our territory. At two points near Forty-Mile it also crops out, in one place only about forty feet from tlu; River Yukon. Furt.ier up the Yukon, on one of its many smalkr feeders, at Fifteen-.Mile Cieek and on the head of the Thronda, there are also out-iroppings of coal. On the branches of the Stewart and on some of tiie Five Fingers of the Y^ukon coal is also exposed. In fact there is any amount of coal in the country with which to work our minerals when we can get in the necessary facilities. NATt'HK OF THE CoUNTHY. Regarding the surface of the country and the difliculties of prospecting ; Passing down the river in a boat one sees a succession of trees, ten, twelve, fourteen and si.vteen inches in diameter, and he naturally conies to the conclusion that it is a well-timbered country. And so it is, along the margin of the river. P)Ut let him land and go inland, and he will find the ground covered with what is locally known as "nigger gr.i.ss." This is a coarse grass wiiicli each yea. is killed and fall.s, tangling in such a way as t make jiedestrian progress all but impossible, tripping one up every few feet. It is, as might be imagined, a most ditiicult thing to walk through this grass, great areas of which are found all through the district. And where these aieav. are found the miners avoid ihem as they would tl:e plague. For the rest of the country the rocks are covered by from one foot to two of moss- and underneath, the everlasting ice. On this a scrubby growth of trees is found, extending up tlie mountains. It is this which appears tx) thost> passing dnwn the river in boats to be a I'on- tinuation of the good timlier seen along the iianks. Timber that is tit for anything is scarce, and we sliouhl husband it carefully. Our timber has built Circle City. Our timber has served all the purpo,ses of the I'ppor Yukon country. A large amount of timber is rwiuired, and what we have we should keep for our own use, pa>'ticulaily as the ground has to lie burned In be worked. Above the timber line you come to the bare rocks -the crests bare .save where clothed with a growth of lichen on which the caribou feed. There is no timber in tlu^ way lieie—iio nioHs and no brush. The miners in traviilling conseiiueiitly keep as much as possible to the top of the ridge. Prospecting neces-sarily has to be reserved for the winter. First the moss has to be cleared away, and then the muck or decayed rubbish anil vegetable matter. The lire i> ftpplied 18 » into the lake s Ions ^y 1''>'J Yukon River, caught at the ck wiiicli fixed I lent prospects overies it may it is especially leni about 150 ^uhtless to ht! of tlie main L'oppci' in the icinity of tlie en found, and I found in the them in the Lt two points {iver Yukon. k and on the the Stewart there i.s any n get in the 'as.siiig down 1 inches in ntry. And ill find the ,'rass which cs.s all hut rticult tliiiin rict. And nios.s - and uling up tlic he a cnn- g i.s scarce, has served ipiired, and liurned td le clothed lieM*— no to the top has to he rill' lire i> Itpplied to Viurn down to bedrock. The frost in the ground gives away before the fire, ten, twelve, or perhaps sixteen inches in a day. The next day the lire has to be again applied, and so the work proceeds until the bedrock is reached. It may be twenty feet or so below the surface, in which case it is usually reached in about twenty days. Through this, trees are found in every position as they have fallen and been preserved as sound as ever in the ev;.,!'- lasting ice. Having burned down to the bedrock and found the paystreak, you start drifting. If you have a depth of twenty feet you may be able to go down two feet and no further, and you must put down another drift. Very few people have the good fortune to succeed with one shaft ; pro.^ipect'ng holes as many as twenty or thirty must be dug until you cut the whole valley across before you find pay. The next man may strike it at the first hole. To give you an instance : One man put down eleven 1k)1('s, and didn't find anything, and yet other men had confidence enough in tlie claim to pay $2,r)00 for a half interest in it, knowing that the owner had put in eleven holes and found nothing, a fact which will go to prove the character of the country. After you have worked until Aj)ril or May the water begins to run, and the trouble is tliat the water accumulates and you cainiot work, as it puts out the fires which have been Used to thaw out and soften the ground. Then the timber is prepared and the sluice-lxtxes put in. The Ui's and Downs. In one clean-up eighty pounds avoirdupois of gcjld was taken out, or a total value of aliout $10,000. When you consider that the securing of this amount took the united labours of six men for three months, you can understand that there is coni-'iderable cost connected with the operation. One man, who owns a claim on Eldorada and one on Bonanza, has sold out, so it is said, for a million dollars. He went into th»> countiy a poor man with the intention of raising Butticient money to pay olf the mortgage on his place. He has, I believe, not only done so, but paid ofF those of all his neighlwurs. Although these creeks are rich, and, as I havti told you, more men have made homestakes there than anywhere else in the world, I do not wish you to look only on the bright side of the picture. An American from Seattle came in June, 180(1, to the Forty-Mile, with his wife, with the intention of bettering his condition. They went out again last .Inly with $52,000. I was well ac(|uainted with this man, a very decent, intelligent man. He told me one day that if he could remain in this country from three to five yeai-s and go out with $5,000 he would consider himself in luck. He has gone out with 852,000, and after the j)rospecting he has done, a little in the middle and at one end of the claim, he believes that he has $500,000 there. O'^ »'ie other hand, however, a Scotchman named Marks has been in there for eleven years. J iiave known him well, and once last fall when he was siik I asked him how long ln! had been mining. His reply was forty-two years -in all parts of the world, except in Aus- tralia. In reply to the question as to whether he had ever made his stake, he told me he had never yet made more than a living, and very often that was a scanty one. This, of course, is the opposite extreme. 1 could (juote scores of ea.ses similar to that, so that I would not have you look too nmch on the bright side. There are men in that country who are poor, and who will remain so. It has not been their "luck " as they call it to strike it rich. Ibit I may say that that country ofTers to men of great fortitude and some ijitelligence and steadiness an opportuiuty to make more money in a given time than they possibly could makts anywhere else. You have, of course, a good deal to contend with ; your patience will be sorely tried, for the conditions are so uni(iuo that they have surprised many who have gone in and they have left in disgust. it Mr. Oftilvie gave valuable details of observatitms of temperature and concerning tin limited possibilities of the Yukon for gardening; and also told some interesting stories m game hunting. When I was in that country first, hn continued, everything was well regulated and ordeily, th'3 miners attended to their business ; they did not know anyone, and if a man kept hinistlf pretty fair in his dealings there was no danger of trouble, but a few years afterwards salooii> came into vogue, and many of the miners staye we know to exist, and all may be as rich. We know now that there is sufficient to supply ii population of a hundr-^d thousand people, and I look forward to seeing that number of peopli in that country within the next ten ycais. It is a vast inheritance. Let us use it as becoine- Canatlians — intelligeutly, liberally, and in the way to advance our country — Canada. Let u> use it as becomes the offspring of the Mother of Nations." A Faithfi'l PuiiLir Skrvant. Sir Charles TuppeT, liart., rising in the audience s.iid : " I do not rise to questicm .Mr. Ogilvie on the interesting subject on wliich he has just spoken, but I think I am safe in sayini; that 1 oidy give <'.\pression to tiie opinions and sentiments of every lady ami gentlemiiii present by asking the chairman to put to the meeting a vote of thanks to Mr. Ogilvie for tlu admirable lecture he has given us to-night. The subject is one of vast importance to tlip people of Canada and J think he could have adopted no cour.se more admirably adapted ti carry out the views and .sentiments of the (Jovernment wlio.se servant he is, than to give tin fair and faithful and truthful picture he has given for our inforuuition. It is not necessary tn refer to Mr. t)gilvie t'urtiu'r ihtm what the Chairman has said of his able and indefatigabli services to the country in a service of more than twenty yt^irs. During that time I liave hiul the opportunity of judging of the measure of his worth, and I will say that no man in Canada, in my judgment, is better entitled to the confidence of the (lovernment at Ottawa than William Ogilvie (Prolonged applause.) Not only has he l)rought to his duty great intelligence ami thorough, untiring industry, but his straightforwardness aiul honesty have to-day given tn Canadian.^ the most uni)ounded conlidencc in any statements he places before the country (Applause.) Sir Charles also referred to Mr. Sif ton's visit, and expressed the hope that tlmi gentleman's experience would be of assistance in securing an all-Canadian route and the ameml ment of the present obnoxious mining regulations. \n conclusion be moved "a hearty vote nf thanks to Mr. Ogilvie for the able and instructive lecture which has so interested us to-night. (Applause.) Lieutenant-! (overnor Dewdney in seconding the vote of thanks declared that when he wa- Minister of the Interior Mi'. Ogilvie wiis one of his most valuable olHcers, ami that it was upon his recommendation that .Mr. Ogilvie was given the iiiedal presented by the Poyal (ieographical Society. The vote of thanks being tendered by the whole audience rising, Mr. Ogilvie expressed lii> thanks briefly, aiul the meeting closed \li"rnlil.\, II. !■.: I'lliitiil In Itii ii.oiii \V(ii,|.KNiiKX, I'rlritir to the ((Iihcub SU>ni Kxirlli'iit .MiiJcBty. 1S1I7. concerning tli, ting stories dt ed and orderly, in kept hinisili rwards salooii> saloon keep(M> ttended by tlu nd great in jus 3tory nature oj meetings, ami officials, whicli ve there a viisi Rich deposits int to supply ii mber of peojili ; it as become- nada. Let u- I) (juestion Mr. safe in sayinj; ,iid gentlcnmii :)gilvie for tin )rtance to the bly adapted tn ail to give tin >t necessary h< I iii(l('fatigal)li ne T have had an in Canada. than William tt'lligtnice mill )-day given ti' B the oountiy ope that tliat nd the aiMond licarty vote nf 1 us to-nighl, when he was \,l it was u|iiiii (ileographical expressed his