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CLEMENTS, ONE OF THE DISCOVERERS OF EL DORADO 
 
 ^/: 
 
 »«£ 
 
 ^^^:r:^ 
 
 )S::S^ 
 
 i 
 
 I? 
 
 A COMl'LETE GUIDE TO THF, 
 
 YUKON^GOLD^FIELDS 
 
 eLEMENTS* 
 QUIDE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 KLONDYKE 
 
 The Fortunate Brakeman's 
 
 Account of How He 
 
 Gained His 
 
 Wealtli 
 
 ^ 
 ^ 
 
 s.>^j 
 
 B, K. P».(JMiSAStiT *■ ■:). L .' 
 
^/Zcv-:/ ^>.^ ^P-^ ^ ^„,i:^ <_^ 
 
THE KLONDYKE 
 
 ...BY. 
 
 J. I. CLEMENTS 
 
 DISCOVERER of El Dorado and OWNER 
 
 with Clarence Berry and FranK Keller of the 
 
 Celebrated El Dorado Claims 
 
 Four and Five 
 
 HOW THE BRAKEMAN GAINED HIS THOUSANDS 
 IN FOUR MONTHS 
 
 A COMPLETE GUIDE 
 
 TO THE GOLD EICLDS 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 HONEST. RELIABLE, ACCURATE 
 
 Cdlfcil Inj 
 
 0. WHAirrON JAMES 
 
 1897 
 
 B. R. BAUMGARDT & CO. 
 
 LOS ANGELES, 
 
 CAL. 
 
C4xC? 
 
 ■pmur 
 
 COPYRIGHT 1897 
 
 BY 
 
 J. I. CLBMBNTS AND G. WHARTON JAMES 
 
 ; 
 
AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 
 
 EVER since it was known that I had been success- 
 ful in my mining operations on the Klondyke, I 
 have been besieged daily by hosts of friends, acquain- 
 tances and strangers, and deluged with letters from all 
 parts of the American Continent asking for reliable 
 information about this newest and greatest El Dorado. 
 The following pages are my answers to the questions 
 I have been asked, and my solemn warning to those 
 who would rush, unprepared and heedless, to the Klon- 
 dyke, under the impulse of momentary enthusiasm. 
 
 When I made the journey I was going into a terra 
 incognita, and from few, if any, could \ gain any 
 information as to route, cost of travel, depots of sup- 
 plies, etc. This book, if properly studied, will give to 
 the reader and prospective traveler all the necessary 
 information to enable him to make the trip at the 
 right season, in the right manner and over what I 
 regard as the most suitable route. 
 
 J. I. CivEMENTS, 
 
 lyos Angeles, California, 
 October, 1897. 
 
 101165 
 
EDITOR'S PREFACE. 
 
 THIS book is a statement of facts. It gives the 
 unvarnished record of Mr. Clements' journey to 
 the Klondyke, his mining experiences and his won- 
 derful successess. 
 
 It is a reliable handbook of information for those who 
 wish to take the trip, and will, the Editor hopes, serve 
 as a powerful deterrent to all who are unfitted to cope 
 with the many hardships that the best prepared 
 traveler must endure in going to the Klondyke. It 
 is not the everyday man who can carry a heavy load 
 of provisions and supplies over pathle.ss mountains 
 covered with deep snow ; construct a boat that he 
 must guide through raging rapids, dangerous whirl- 
 pools, swirling eddies and swift currents, and often 
 tow against a five to eight mile current over boulders 
 and rolling waves ; sleep out in the open whenever 
 and wherever night overtakes, with the thermometer 
 for seven long months varying from zero to 70 degrees 
 below, and where, in summer gnats'and mosquitoes by 
 the million sting and poison ; prepare his food out of 
 doors under these adverse conditions, and finally reach 
 the gold region to find his labors but begun. For here 
 he must set his brain to work to find a location, and 
 then, tireless energy, powerful strength and indomi- 
 table courage are needed to dig gravel which is frozen 
 solid so far down that the frost bottom has never yet 
 been reached. 
 
 The man who is willing and able to meet and over- 
 come these hardships has as good a chatice i|i the 
 
Klondyke region as many of those who have already 
 gained their fortunes. Scores of miles of rich creek 
 and gulch bottoms are unexplored, and these may pan 
 out as well as the richest claims yet staked. 
 
 But the intelligent miner will post himself before he 
 leaves home as to what is necessary to make a success 
 of his mining adventures in the Klondyke, and thus 
 deserve the success he hopes to attain. 
 
 Unlike most of the books published on the Klon- 
 dyke, this book is not full of wild, crazy statements 
 made by irresponsible persons, but is the calm deliber- 
 ate utterances of one of the most succes.'ful miners of 
 the region, the discoverer of the El Dorado and the 
 great $231 nugget, and the present holder of several 
 successful claims. The information herein contained, 
 therefore, is guaranteed to be reliable and safe to 
 
 follow. 
 
 G. Wharton James. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 PAOF,. 
 
 Journey to the Gold Fields 9 
 
 First View of Alaska 10 
 
 Terrible Chilkoot Pass 12 
 
 Alaskan Boat building 13 
 
 Tagish House 15 
 
 Mash Lake 15 
 
 Treacherous Grand Canyon 15 
 
 White Horse Rapids 17 
 
 Lake Labarge 18 
 
 River Scenery 20 
 
 Dark Days 21 
 
 Bonanza Creek 23 
 
 El Dorado discovered 23 
 
 Burning and Panning 25 
 
 Claims 4 and 5 27 
 
 Rich Pans of Dirt 27 
 
 More Gold 28 
 
 Manner of Living 29 
 
 Condition of Labor 30 
 
 Miners' Code of Morals and Laws 31 
 
 Fake Boomers Hated 32 
 
 Reduction of Claims 33 
 
 Customs Regulations 33 
 
 Free and Easy 34 
 
 Gold Dust as Money 35 
 
 Mosquito Headquarters 35 
 
 vSnow Blindness 36 
 
 Indians 37 
 
 Return to Civilization 38 
 
 People Flocking In 39 
 
 Our Return Route 39 
 
 St. Michaels 40 
 
 Kings of the Klondyke 42 
 
 San Francisco and Home 43 
 
 Facts About Alaska ." 43 
 
 Shall I Go to the Klondyke 48 
 
 Instructions About Outfit 49 
 
 Provisions 51 
 
 Clothing 52 
 
 Medicines 54 
 
 Powder for Blasting 54 
 
IfiDEX—Coniifiucd. 
 
 PACK 
 
 PAOE. 
 
 •• 9 
 
 .. lo 
 
 ... 12 
 
 .. 13 
 .. 15 
 
 • 15 
 •• 15 
 .. 17 
 .. 18 
 .. 20 
 .. 21 
 
 • 23 
 
 • 23 
 
 • 25 
 
 • 27 
 
 • 27 
 . 28 
 
 • 29 
 
 • 30 
 
 • 31 
 
 • 32 
 
 • 33 
 33 
 34 
 35 
 35 
 36 
 37 
 38 
 39 
 
 39 
 40 
 
 42 
 43 
 43 
 48 
 
 49 
 51 
 52 
 54 
 54 
 
 Prepare for the Mosquitoes 55 
 
 Price of Outfit 55 
 
 Frauds in Outfitting 56 
 
 Prices paid at Dawson 57 
 
 Determination of Route 60 
 
 Skaguay Pass 61 
 
 White Pass 63 
 
 Chilkat Pass 64 
 
 Taku Route 65 
 
 Stickine River Route 65 
 
 Copper River Route 65 
 
 Mack '^- • River Route 66 
 
 Yukon River Route 67 
 
 ^hilkoot Pass 68 
 
 When to Start 69 
 
 The Start 7^ 
 
 Bogus Mining Claims 7i 
 
 Trading Companies 7i 
 
 Formation of Mining Companies 72 
 
 Mineral Resources 72 
 
 Game of the Yukon 73 
 
 Woodland Caribou 74 
 
 Barren Land Caribou • 74 
 
 St. Elias Bear 75 
 
 Mountain Goat 7^ 
 
 Mountain Sheep 77 
 
 Lynx 77 
 
 Wolves 77 
 
 Wolverine 7^ 
 
 Fish 78 
 
 Lake Trout 78 
 
 Mining Laws of Yukon 79 
 
 United States Mining Laws 87 
 
 Climate of Alaska 9° 
 
 Climate at the Gold Fields 93 
 
 Dyea 94 
 
 Sheep Camp 94 
 
 Stone House 95 
 
 Caching Provisions etc 95 
 
 Where to Stop at Night 96 
 
 Lake Lindeman 9^ 
 
 Boat Building 97 
 

 INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 n 
 
 FACING PAGE 
 
 Clements' Map to the Gold Region 104 
 
 J. I. Clements 8 
 
 Juneau, Alaska 9 
 
 Boat going through Grand Canyon 16 
 
 Landing at Eddy of Grand Canyon 17 
 
 Clements', Berry's and Keller's Claim on El Dorado Creek.. 32 
 
 Miners* Cabin at Dawson City 33 
 
 Breaking up of Ice on Yukon 40 
 
 McQuesten's Store at Circle City 41 
 
 Five Fingers , 48 
 
 Forty Mile Post 49 
 
 Steamer Alice at Dawson 64 
 
 Dawson City 65 
 
 St. Michaels 65 
 
 Sheep Camp 96 
 
 Chilkoot Pass 97 
 
 Clements' Dog Team at Circle City 80 
 
 En Route to Mines 81 
 
 Cabin at Forty Mile Post 8t 
 
 ! 
 
FACING PAGE 
 104 
 
 ' 8 
 
 9 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 Creek.. 32 
 
 33 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 64 
 
 65 
 
 65 
 
 96 
 
 97 
 
 80 
 
 81 
 
 81 
 
 
 I^BE'' ' ' ^^HJ^^H^^H^^^^^B' 
 
 
 
 ^^^■fs^il 
 
 
 
 ■H 
 
 J. I, CLKMENTS, 
 
 due cf the Dis.overers ot Hi Dorado. 
 
< 
 
 55 
 
 1 
 
 1: ■\\ 
 
mmmmm 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 9 
 
 f) 
 
 '.*% 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE JOURNEY TO THE GOLD 
 
 FIELDS. 
 
 FVER since I was a boy I have wanted to penetrate 
 J the wilds of the continent where few white men 
 
 have been. The frontier always had a fascination for 
 me and it has always been my intention to make jnst 
 such a trip some day. During my fourteen years of 
 railroading I had saved quite a considerable sum of 
 money, and when the first reports of the rich finds in 
 the Alaska rivers were published, three or four years 
 ago, I wanted to go, but was unable to do so. Of course 
 I talked the matter over with my friends, and several 
 of them were as anxious to go as I was. When I did 
 make up my mind it was in a hurry. It was on the 
 1 2th of March, 1896, that I learned that several of 
 them were going to the Yukon Gold Fields, and that 
 very day I resigned my position as brakeman on the 
 Southern Pacific Railway. I was then living, with 
 my wife and two children, in Los Angeles, and, bid- 
 ding goodbye to them, left on the evening of the 13th 
 at 8:15 .jr San Francisco. 
 
; I 
 
 10 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 My companions were Frank Keller, brakeman, 
 William House, conductor, both of the Southern 
 Pacific, Charles Lamb, John Doty, both of the Los 
 Angeles street car service, and Mr. Narcross. We 
 made no preparation whatever for the journey in Los 
 Angeles. At Fresno, Clarence Berry joined us. We 
 did not stay long in San Francisco, but went at once 
 to Seattle by rail. There we purchased part of our 
 outfit. After waiting four days for a steamer, we 
 sailed March 20 on the steamer City of Topeka for 
 Juneau. 
 
 FIRST VIEW OF ALASKA. 
 
 t 
 
 ! I 
 
 I do not remember the exact date upon which we 
 landed at Juneau, but I shall never forget my first 
 impressions of Alaska. They were anything but 
 favorable. I hardly know what I had expected to 
 see, but what I did vSee was a typical frontier town 
 which belonged to some other people and continent. 
 Strange faces, strange costumes, a strange dialect, 
 and, worst of all to me, a strange climate, for I had 
 been accustomed for j'ears to the almost perpetual 
 sunshine of Southern California. Still, I was not in 
 least discouraged and I enjoyed the new experiences. 
 
 At Juneau we bought the balance of our supplies. 
 You might ask : How did we know what was needed ? 
 We did not know only in a general way, but we 
 depended upon the men who make a business of fur- 
 nishing supplies. At that time it was just as cheap 
 to make the purchases there as to have bought what 
 we needed on the Sound and paid freight to Juneau. 
 As soon as we had made all our purchases of pro- 
 visons, clothing, mining supplies and tools we took 
 
brakeman, 
 e Southern 
 of the r,os 
 cross. We 
 rney in I,os 
 id us. We 
 ent at once 
 part of our 
 teamer, we 
 Topeka for 
 
 i 
 
 which we 
 -t my first 
 thing but 
 cpected to 
 itier town 
 continent, 
 je dialect, 
 for I had 
 perpetual 
 vas not in 
 periences. 
 
 supplies. 
 s needed ? 
 , but we 
 :ss of fur- 
 as cheap 
 ?ht what 
 
 Juneau. 
 
 of pro- 
 we took 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 11 
 
 passage on a small steamer, the Sea Lion, and em- 
 barked for Dyea. The native way of spelling it is 
 Taiya. This town is loo miles north of Juneau at the 
 head of Chilkoot inlet. There was snow everywhere 
 and the country looked anything but inviting. The 
 journey inland begins at Dyea, which is the end of 
 civilization, and the last point of communication wdth 
 the outside world. Guides, dog sleds, etc., were 
 easily obtainable and we left Dyea with our supplies 
 on sleds soon after reaching there. It is possible to 
 take canoes up the Dyea river for six or seven miles, 
 but as that would necessitate another handling of the 
 freight we made the trip to the Chilkoot canyon with 
 dog sleds. The terrible Chilkoot Pass is only four- 
 teen miles from Dyea and across it to the head ot 
 L,ake lyinderman in the Yukon watershed is twenty- 
 three and a half miles. I wish I could properly 
 describe this pass so as to give you some idea of its 
 terrors, but no man who has never crossed it can form 
 any idea of what it is from what might be written of 
 it. The trail leads from the canyon up the rugged 
 .3...esof the mountain along a timbered shelf over- 
 looking the canyon and the river until Sheep Camp is 
 reached. This is practically the timber line, and 
 although the ascent before that is most difficult, here 
 begins the real work of crossing the mountains. A 
 violent storm was raging when we arrived there and 
 we had to wait two weeks before we could proceed. 
 The drifted snow was treacherous and we frequently 
 heard the roar of an avalanche at some distant point 
 in the mountains. In places the wind swept the rocks 
 clear of snow, depositing it in drifts at other places 
 until it was almost bottomless. 
 
 
12 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 TERRIBLE CHILKOOT PASS. 
 
 ' I 
 
 Mil! 
 
 i llii 
 
 After waiting two weeks for a favorable opportunity 
 to cross, we finally began the effort. To drag our sup- 
 plies up the pass on sleds with dogs as the motive 
 power was out of the question, so we rigged up a 
 block and tackle and in lots of about one hundred 
 pounds at a time we lifted our freight from shelf to 
 shelf, only to repeat the operation until we reached the 
 summit. The mere description of the manner of 
 working conveys little idea of what it really was. 
 What chance would a party of store clerks, book- 
 keepers, or other men who seldom use their muscles 
 for hard work, have here? It is true they might 
 secure Indian packers to carry their goods at a cost of 
 $14 per one hundred pounds. That was the charge 
 then, but with the rush that is now on the Indians 
 can charge any price thej'^ please. 
 
 The summit is 4,000 feet above the tide water, and 
 there is a sheer descent on the otner side of, five hun- 
 dred feet to Crater lake, which undoubtedly occupies 
 an extinct crater. The descent is comparatively easy 
 and from Crater lake we followed a small canyon to 
 the head of Lake Lindeman, oui next camp. To 
 make the distance, nine miles, with our entire load in 
 one trip was impossible ; we made three trips of it 
 from the summit to the lake. Owing to the scarcity 
 of timber around Lake Lindeman, it having been 
 burned off, we could not build a boat there, and, there- 
 fore, were compelled to haul our goods to Lake Ben- 
 nett, which is connected with L;ike Lindeuian by a 
 small, rocky stream, one mile in length. 
 
VDVKE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 13 
 
 >. 
 
 ALASKAN BOAT BUILDING. 
 
 opportunity 
 •ag our sup- 
 ) the motive 
 rigged up a 
 ne hundred 
 ^m shelf to 
 reached the 
 manner of 
 really was. 
 srks, book- 
 iir muscles 
 hey might 
 at a cost of 
 the charge 
 he Indians 
 
 water, and 
 f, five hun- 
 y occupies 
 ively easy 
 canyon to 
 mp. To 
 re load in 
 rips of it 
 e scarcity 
 ing been 
 id, there- 
 •ake Ben- 
 man ])v a 
 
 To build a boat such as was needed for the remain- 
 der of our journey would be easy enough anywhere 
 that lumber could be had, but to perform such a task 
 there was then an entirely different and very diffi- 
 cult matter. Remember we had nothing but our tools, 
 supplies and sleds, and our only material for boat 
 building was to be found in the uncut forests. Nor 
 was the timber at all places near enough to the 
 water to make the work easy. Every board had to 
 be whip-sawed. A sawpit had to be constructed 
 and trestles to hold the trees to be sawed had to be 
 put up. To get the trees over this pit and to block 
 them in place was not always easy, as some of them 
 had to be rolled quite a distance. Every board was 
 valuable and every nail counted for something, 
 because we knew we might need all we had later. 
 Our boat was finished at last and the work of load- 
 ing it was soon over. It was not possible to float 
 in all places, however, because of the ice, so we 
 sometimes used it as an ice boat. In that manner 
 our progress was rapid. Lake Bennett is twenty- 
 six miles long, and we traversed it without special 
 incidents. 
 
 We built our boat near the West Arm of Lake 
 Bennett, and put into it an eighteen foot mast with 
 eighty square feet of sail. We had not sailed far 
 before we reached the ice, and there we dragged the 
 boat out oi the water, blocked it upon sleds, fore 
 and aft, rigged a crude steering gear, hoisted our 
 sail and were rapidly blown along. We made fully 
 ten miles an hour where the wind was favorable 
 and the ice good. 
 
s 
 
 HI! 
 
 liiii 
 
 14 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE, 
 
 The lower end of Lake Bennett reaches up into a 
 beautiful valley, and it seemed as if that was to be 
 the direction we were to take. Instead of this we 
 had to turn to the east, around a high mountain, 
 and enter a low-terraced system of slopes to Caribou 
 Crossing. This is the name given to the connecting 
 strip of water between Lake Bennett and Tagish 
 Lake, or more properly, the Windy Arm of Tagish 
 Lake. The channel is windy and shallow and the 
 current slow. The name was given on account of 
 this being the crossing place of the bands of caribou 
 during their period of migration. 
 
 At Caribou Crossing we came to water again, and 
 it was not a long task to slip the boat off the sleds 
 into the water and take to rowing. Two miles and 
 a half further on we had to take once more to the 
 ice and we sledded it across the lower end of the 
 Windy Arm, across Tagish Lake and up nearly as 
 far as Tagish House. 
 
 The Windy Arm is the name given to the south- 
 western portion of Lake Tagish, and is so known 
 because of the fierce winds that generally assail the 
 traveler, at all portions of the year, in making the 
 crossing. Lake Bennett is generally very windy, l)Ut 
 we escaped all rough winds there, only to catch our 
 full share at Windy Arm. This place seems to form a 
 funnel for the wind to enter the White Pass, and boat- 
 men have often been delayed for c'ays until its fury 
 was expended. Many a boat has been wrecked here, 
 and many a poor prospector lost his all owing to the 
 treacherous winds of Windy Arm. 
 
 Fortunately we crossed it with little difficulty, sled- 
 ding along at a comfortable rate of speed. Tagi.sh 
 Lake was also cros.sed with little incident, and we 
 
 en| 
 
 U 
 
 sl( 
 
 esi 
 
 col 
 
DYKE. 
 
 CLEMENTS^ GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 15 
 
 "p into a 
 was to be 
 of this we 
 mountain, 
 to Caribou 
 :onnecting- 
 nd Tagish 
 of Tagish 
 ^ and the 
 iccount of 
 of caribou 
 
 gain, and 
 the sleds 
 miles and 
 re to tlie 
 d of the 
 nearly as 
 
 le south- 
 J known 
 ssail the 
 nng the 
 ndy, but 
 atch our 
 o form a 
 nd boat- 
 its fury 
 ed here, 
 g to the 
 
 y, sled- 
 
 Tagish 
 
 ind we 
 
 entered the six mile river which connects Tagish 
 Lake and Lake Marsh. This is a wide stream, with a 
 slow current. It opens into the extended valley, 
 especially to the west, while here and there are lianks 
 covered with cotton wood and white spruce. 
 
 taoish house. 
 
 Just before reaching Tagish House we left the ice 
 and re-entered the water. This is an Indian house, 
 kept by the Indians of the surrounding district, who 
 come here annually for their councils of war, their 
 feasts and dances. There are smaller houses around, 
 used by the Indians as dwellings. These houses are 
 kept in repair at each annual celebration of the abor- 
 igines. ______„ 
 
 MARSH LAKE. 
 
 We rowed past the historic Indian House, out into 
 Lake Marsh, which is twenty miles in length, and 
 about four miles out had to take the boat from 
 the water again and place it on the sleds. Thus we 
 sledded across Lake Marsh, taking to the water again 
 at the Lewis River, down the smooth current of 
 which we rowed for about twenty-six miles. The 
 water flowed easily about ihree miles an hour, and 
 occasionally we came to a rapid, the roar and noise 
 and dash of which served as a foretaste of the dan- 
 gerous rapids we knew were ahead in the 
 
 TREACHEROUS GRAND CANYON. 
 
 A few miles above the Canyon, Silver Creek enters 
 where the sand has piled up in a number of dome- 
 shaped mounds. The current increases in speed, 
 until at last we reach a friendly sign which says: 
 
; I 
 
 ii 
 
 ilii 
 
 16 CLEMENTS' aUfPE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 DANGER 1 STOP. 
 
 And here it was well we did stop, or this simple 
 narrative would never have been written. 
 
 The canyon is about three-quarters of a mile in 
 length, and, in its widest part, not a hundred feet 
 wide, and the sides rise perpendicularlj' from fifty to 
 twohundreed feet. Above, the river is two hundred 
 and fifty yards wide, and all of the water it contains 
 is crowded into this rocky passage. The roar of the 
 water as it plunges through this place is like a contin- 
 ual roll of thunder, and the speed of the current is 
 something frightful. vSuch is the force with which 
 the water is dashed through that it is crowded up to 
 a crest or comb in the center, which is fully four feet 
 higher than where it strikes the walls. To shoot this 
 canyon a boat must be kept on this crest, which can be 
 done with comparative ease, provided the steersman 
 does not lose his head, but it takes a cool head and 
 and more nerve than many persons possess to make 
 the trip. To those who enter it trusting to luck to 
 take them through it is a veritable death trap. If 
 once a boat gets off that crest there is no hope for it, 
 for it will be dashed against the sides with such 
 force as to splinter it. Occasionally a bowlder lies 
 right in the way of the current, and then the waves 
 dash over it with a wildness and a fury indescribable, 
 throwing great clouds of spray high into the air. 
 Our boat rode over these waves, bounding and leap- 
 ing as though gifted with sensibility and life, and 
 our hearts leaped and bounded in response to the 
 gallant little bark's endeavors. Some idea of the 
 rapidity of the current may be had when the reader 
 learns that our boat went the entiie distance — three- 
 quarters of a mile — in two and one-half minutes. 
 
DYKE. 
 
 this simple 
 
 f a mile in 
 undred feet 
 "rom fifty to 
 vo hundred 
 
 it contains 
 
 roar of the 
 -e a contin- 
 
 ciirrent is 
 vith which 
 tvded up to 
 y four feet 
 
 shoot this 
 lich can be 
 
 steersman 
 i head and 
 
 to make 
 to luck to 
 
 trap. If 
 ope for it, 
 with such 
 wider lies 
 he waves 
 scribahle, 
 ) the air. 
 and leap- 
 
 life, and 
 e to the 
 -a of the 
 tie reader 
 2— three- 
 minutes. 
 
 «4 
 
 
 St. 
 
 '3 
 
 ctf-. 
 
ilili! 
 
 M 
 
 DHIIM 
 
 lAl! \ ^^ 
 
 nlnlnill 
 
 SJfl 
 
 J pfr'r 
 
 Ia ■ 
 
 1 ■\ ' ' 
 
 •I ca 
 
 thi 
 
 Til 
 
 thi 
 
 ha 
 
 a 
 
 cr 
 
 ov 
 
 in 
 
 T! 
 
 si( 
 
 th 
 
 af 
 
 V 
 d 
 
 
 
m 
 
 k' 
 
 i- 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE, 17 
 
 There is a portage of a mile and a half around this 
 place if it is desired to avoid the danger that way. 
 
 SAW FOUR HEN DROWN. 
 
 Just ahead of us, when we got to the head of the 
 canyon was a party of four young men in a boat of 
 their own construction. How long they had been 
 there I do not know, nor did I learn their names. 
 Their craft started through the canyon all right, and 
 they gave a yell or a cheer. Their steersman must 
 have lost com ol of the boat, for they had gone but 
 a short distance when we saw their boat leave the 
 cres, and dash against the stone sides. It was all 
 over in less time than it takes to tell it, for the boat 
 in.stantl) turned over and disappeared with all on boara. 
 There is an undercurrent which boils and rolls from 
 side to side, and we supposed they were caught in 
 that, for we never saw a sign of them or their outfit 
 afterwards. 
 
 WHITE HORSE RAPIDS. 
 
 Grand canyon and White Horse rapids, which are 
 two miles below the canj^on, had caused thirteen 
 deaths that season. The rapids are more dangerous 
 of passage than the canyon, if there could be any 
 greater danger, because they are filed with huge rocks 
 and bowlders. Up to the time I left the camp reports 
 had come in of the drowning of thirteen men at differ- 
 ent times at one place or the other. I do not vouch 
 for the truth of this report, but having seen both 
 places, I am not inclined to discredit it. 
 
 No photograph or description can adequately por- 
 tray the difficulty or danger of shooting such rapids as 
 
18 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 \\ 
 
 !i 
 
 the White Horse. To the onlooker from the side of 
 the river it seems as if there would be but a few toss- 
 ing waves to overcome, but those who have read 
 Major Powell's descriptions of shooting the rapids in 
 the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River will know 
 how to estimate aright the dangers and perils to be 
 met. In the ocean the water of a wave stands still, 
 while the form of the wave moves on. The result is 
 a boat rises and falls and the difficulty is over. But 
 in these rapids the form remains while the water 
 dashes on, so that a boat is often swamped by going 
 under the back-combing wave. Then too, one must 
 avoid the rocks that bar the passage way. Expert 
 hands, arms and muscles are required to steer where 
 the current is smoothest, and to avoid the swirling 
 whirlpools where dire dangers lurk, and Ihe vSeething 
 eddies which crave for man's life. No foolhardy per- 
 son should ever be allowed the control of a boat in 
 such a place, for the greatest poSvSible care and caution 
 must be observed. We were both glad and thankful 
 when our experience was over, and, while it is inter- 
 esting to look back upon, there is no pleasure in con- 
 templating the possibility of its revival. 
 
 From this point, for thirty-two miles we had plain 
 and easy sailing and rowing. About fifteen miles 
 below the White Horse Rapids the Tahkheena River 
 flows into the I^ewes from the west. It is a good 
 sized stream with a slower current than the Lewes, 
 
 Twelve miles further on and we entered 
 LAKE LABARGE. 
 
 This lake is about thirty-four miles long, with an 
 average width of five miles, though in some places it 
 is much wider. At times it is very windy and rough, 
 but when we reached it, after rowing for 2 or 3 miles 
 
NDYKE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. ly 
 
 ti the side of 
 t a few toss- 
 have read 
 he rapids in 
 ;r will know 
 perils to be 
 stands still, 
 he result is 
 over. But 
 J the water 
 id by going 
 5, one must 
 y. Expert 
 steer where 
 he swirling 
 he seething 
 ilhardy per- 
 f a boat in 
 md caution 
 id thankful 
 it is iuter- 
 nre in con- 
 
 had plain 
 teen miles 
 en a River 
 
 is a good 
 
 Lewes. 
 
 r, with an 
 2 places it 
 nd rough, 
 or 3 miles 
 
 we came to ice, so that we sledded across. It was 
 six o'clock in the morning when we started and it 
 took us 13 hours to get across. This is the last lake 
 of the series, and we now entered .the Lewes River 
 which is the principal tributary of the Yukon. From 
 here to Forty Mile post the journey is one of compar- 
 atively smooth sailing and rov/ ng. There is onl}^ 
 one point which looks very dangerous and that is at 
 Five Fingers. There, at the head of a short series of 
 rapids, are five huge masses of rock rising out of the 
 water. The water runs swiftly between these and 
 the passage on the right, being the deepest, is usually 
 taken. There is really no danger at the place. 
 
 The Hootaiinqua river enters the Lewes about 
 twenty-eight miles below Lake Labarge, and thirty - 
 two miles further on the Big Salmon also enters. 
 These both come m from the East, or Southeast, and 
 are large rovers, which must drain a vast territor}'. 
 Thirty-five miles below the Big Salmon the Little 
 Salmon ri ;er llows into the Lewes, but, as its name 
 imphes it is smaller and of less importance than its 
 larger namesake. From here to the F'ive Finger 
 Rapids the course of the river is very tortuous, making 
 the distance about fifty-three miles, while in a straight 
 line it would not be more than twenty-five miles. 
 Coal has been discovered on this stretch of river, and 
 a trader named George McCormack is engaged in 
 opening up the seam. 
 
 Five or six miles below Five Finger Rapids are 
 what are called the Rink Rapids. These are formed 
 by a bar of rocks which looks formidable to the boat- 
 men as it reaches almost entirely across the river. 
 The west side is as rough iis Five Fingers, but the 
 east side is a rapid current with scarcely a ripple. 
 
*?i 
 
 I 
 
 'I! 
 
 Ili^i 
 
 1' 1 
 
 if 
 
 I ! 
 
 20 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 THE RIVER SCENERY. 
 
 I will not attempt to describe the scenery, which is 
 very picturesque, the river being studded with hun- 
 dreds of islands. It has been my purpose in describ- 
 ing the trip to point out some few of the dangers, and, 
 to use a popular expression, "there are others." I 
 do not take a pessimistic view of the matter, but if by 
 telling this, I can keep some headstrong persons from 
 rushing into that country by that route without proper 
 equipment or experience, I shall be gratified. The 
 trip down the Lewes to the Yukon at the site of old 
 Fort Selkirk, and thence past Stewart river, Sixtj'^- 
 Mile Post, the Klondyke river, Fort Reliance to 
 Forty-Mile Post, our objective point, was made with- 
 out incident of a startling nature. In the later pages 
 of this book the details of distances will be given. 
 
 I know now that on that journey we passed over 
 untold millions of % old hidden awa^' in the bed of the 
 rivers and creeks. Part of it we returned up the river 
 to secure, but that is another part of the story. 
 
 We were three months making the trip from 
 San Francisco to Forty-Mile Post, including the 
 time we spent for preparation at Juneau. During 
 this journey we used almost every kind of locomotion 
 known and followed in these regions. In crossing 
 the Chilkoot Pass we went back and forth three 
 times in order to get all our supplies to where the 
 sleds and dogs could transport them to Lake Bennett. 
 Here, as before described, we constructed our boat 
 in such a manner that, when necessitated by the 
 ice, we could convert it into a sled. From this point 
 on we rowed, sailed and sledded until the open 
 waters of the Lewes were finally reached, when we 
 
 I 
 '% 
 
^NDYKE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE k'LONDYKE. 21 
 
 ery, which is 
 d with hiiii- 
 e in describ- 
 iangers, and, 
 
 others. ' ' I 
 ter, but if b)^ 
 persons from 
 thout proper 
 itified. The 
 - site of old 
 river, Sixtj'- 
 Reliance to 
 i made with- 
 later pages 
 i given, 
 passed over 
 e bed of the 
 up the river 
 ory. 
 
 trip from 
 
 luding the 
 
 •• During 
 
 locomotion 
 
 n crossing 
 
 orth three 
 
 where the 
 
 :e Bennett. 
 
 I our boat 
 
 d by the 
 
 this point 
 
 the open 
 
 when we 
 
 coiitinucd to row and sail to our destination. At 
 times we took the dogs into the boat. This was when 
 the wind and ice were favorable for swift sailing, our 
 sled making sometimes ten and more miles an hour. 
 When our speed was slow the dogs walked or ran, 
 and, occasionally they helped tow the sled over the 
 ice. Of course the dogs were always taken aboard 
 when we came to the open water. 
 
 During the journey it never grew dark, but day 
 was brighter than night. We stopped for camp 
 every twelve hours or so, either on shore, in tents, or 
 in the boats which were provided with stoves. When 
 in the boats at night we raised the tents over the 
 stoves and our beds, so that we were very comfortable. 
 There was no difficulty experienced in finding wood for 
 fael, as the rivers and lakes were generally lined with 
 it. For protection each man did relief watch duty 
 when we were sailing, although we did not deem this 
 necessary when we were camped on shore. 
 
 DARK DAY5 NOT OVER. 
 
 Although we had arrived safely at Forty-Mile 
 Post our hardships were by no means over. This 
 is the center of operations, and we had to decide 
 whither we would go. In the spring of the year it is 
 impossible to me the sledge and dogs, and one must 
 therefore be his own pack horse and tramp through 
 creeks of piercingly cold water, and mud and slush 
 galore. Under such adverse conditions a strong man 
 cannot carry more than from fifty to seventy-five 
 pounds, and even if he has decided upon an objective 
 spot, or is going to a claim already located, a number 
 
.iniii 
 
 iU\ 
 
 ■,ii 
 
 
 22 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 of such wearisome trips are necessary to convey the 
 needful amount of supplies. If the miner be pros- 
 pecting it is even more difficult, as he must take with 
 him on each Sip all he needs to enable him to eat and 
 sleep while nis prospecting lasts. \ 
 
 JUST BEFORE DAWN, 
 
 I have heard the saying that the darkest hour is 
 just before the dawn. That was, indeed, my ex- 
 perience in the Yukon valley after our arrival at 
 Forty- Mile post. When we reached there we were 
 so hardened by the labors of the trip that we were 
 able to stand almost any kind of life, so long as we 
 had enough to eat. Of all places Forty-Mile was 
 the dullest. There were plenty of men there at 
 times, in fact, more men, it seemed, than there was 
 work for. We could secure no work even had we 
 desired to labor by the day, so we spent a few days 
 resting and then struck out for ourselves on a pros- 
 pecting tour. We went down the river for fifty 
 miles or more, to American Creek, on the America'n 
 side of the border. In this vicinity we prospected 
 all summer without success. There were times, of 
 course, when we became discouraged and wished we 
 were at home again if only for a little while, but as 
 that was out of the question, we kept digging. 
 That was my "darkest hour," for the dawn was 
 coming sooner and brighter than I knew. We con- 
 sumed all the provisions we had in our whole sum- 
 mer's work and returned to I'orty-Mile for more 
 supplies. They were hard to get, but we got them. 
 I do not now remember what they cost, but it was 
 
fCE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 23 
 
 ivey the 
 be pros- 
 ike with 
 I eat and 
 
 ; hour is 
 , my ex- 
 ir rival at 
 we were 
 we were 
 ng as we 
 Mile was 
 
 there at 
 there was 
 1 had we 
 . few days 
 Dii a pros- 
 r for fifty 
 America'!! 
 prospected 
 
 times, of 
 vvished we 
 ile, but as 
 
 digging- 
 iawii was 
 
 We co!i- 
 
 /hole sum- 
 
 ; for more 
 
 got them. 
 
 but it was 
 
 such a sum that would make any city grocer a million- 
 aire if he could sell his stock at such prices. There 
 were many men there who had had similar exper- 
 iences to ours, and some of them were more discour- 
 aged by far, for we had never given up hope of 
 striking something. In spite of the disappointments 
 there was plenty of fun there. 
 
 BONANZA CREEK, 
 
 While we were there at Forty-Mile the discovery of 
 large deposits of gold on Bonanza Creek was made 
 and the news spread rapidly, as all such news seems 
 to in that country. We at once started for that 
 creek and staked several claims. These we did not 
 work much for the reason that our supplies were 
 again getting rather low and we had to go back 
 to the Yukon for more grub. Perhaps a little descrip- 
 tion of the geography of the country will serve to 
 explain the situation. Bonanza Creek is a tributary 
 of the Klondyke River. At the mouth of the Klon- 
 dyke is Dawson City. Bonanza Creek empties into 
 the Klondyke a short distance above Dawson City. 
 In order to reach Dawson City from where our first 
 claim lay we had come down Bonanza Creek to the 
 Klondyke and thence to its mouth. 
 
 EL DORADO DISCOVERED. 
 
 When we were en route to Forty-Mile Post for 
 supplies we camped one night at the mouth of a small 
 stream now known as I{1 Dorado Creek, which empties 
 into Bonanza Creek about i8 miles from its mouth. 
 
24 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 . . ' i 
 
 Little did we think when we pitched our camp there 
 how near we were to fortune. While the others were 
 getting supplies, Keller and I went up the creek 
 prospecting. What we found surprised us, for we 
 saw the most promising signs of gold that we had 
 yet seen. The surface prospects were such that we 
 were amazed and delighted. We did not have to 
 work long before we found enough to show us that 
 right here we could work and secure a return which 
 we had not expected. We went bci^k at once to 
 the camp and told the others, who at first would 
 not believe what we said. We must have partially 
 convinced them, however, for they agreed to go 
 with us and see for themselves, and that settled it. 
 We all knew that we had something better than 
 Bonanza Creek offered and we JiCtermined to hold it. 
 Aftc- carefully prospecting the place we staked our 
 claims and determined to work them for all there was 
 in them. It was only four days before the news of 
 our discovery had spread over the country, and in a 
 short time that entire creek for twelve miles was 
 staked and preparations were being made to work 
 it. We got the five first claims, and, I believe, the 
 best ones. Those of us who were there first beside 
 myself were Keller, Frank Phiscator, Anton Standard 
 and a man named Whipple. The discovery was made 
 about September ist, and cold weather had set in so 
 that, until we were prepared for it, we could not wvork 
 the claims properly. We built our cabins of rough 
 logs chinked with moss to keep out the cold winds, 
 and to keep in the, heat. Lumber is useful only for 
 doors and floors. To clear away the snow and erect our 
 cabins so as to be comfortable for the winter was no 
 easy task, and we expended two months' l^bor in t^iis 
 
 
'KE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 25 
 
 np there 
 lers were 
 he creek 
 for we 
 we had 
 that we 
 have to 
 us that 
 ni which 
 once to 
 :st would 
 partially 
 id to go 
 settled it. 
 itter than 
 to hold it. 
 ;taked our 
 there was 
 le news of 
 , and in a 
 miles was 
 e to work 
 ilieve, the 
 irst beside 
 1 Standard 
 was made 
 id set in so 
 i not work 
 i of rough 
 ;old winds, 
 ill only for 
 d erect our 
 ter was no 
 ibor in t^iis 
 
 direction. At times we would work a little on our 
 claims, but it was not until we got ready to live com- 
 fortably that we began the work in earnest- We 
 knew we had to stay there all winter, so we fixed our 
 quarters the best way we could. 
 
 BURNING AND PANNING. 
 
 It was nearly Christmas before we got the first good 
 return. Bedrock there is from six to twenty feet 
 below the surface, and as every inch of the surface 
 dirt is frozen, it was hard to get out. The process of 
 burning out the ground — that is building fires over 
 the claim and thawing the dirt — is interesting enough 
 to be described here, though accounts have often lieen 
 given of the method followed. 
 
 Most of the pay dirt in the side creeks is covered 
 over with a layer, generally several feet thick, of soft 
 muck. This, of course, freezes solid in the winter w^hen 
 all the mining is done. No slucingor panning can be 
 done when everything is frozen up, so we have a long 
 period of mining and a short period of panning out. 
 When pay dirt is found we lay out the place where we 
 intend to make our shaft, a space, say, four by eight 
 feet. On this we lay wood which has been cut into 
 four-foot lengths. The first laj^er is placed a little dis- 
 tance apart. Then a cross layer, closely packed, is 
 placed above the first, and another across this, and so 
 on. The fire is then applied at the bottom, and as 
 the logs burn they thaw out the ground and make it 
 accessible to the pick and shovel. This burned dirt 
 and gravel are thrown out from as far down as possi- 
 ble, and another fire built. And thus the alternate 
 burnings and shovelings continue until ])edrock is 
 reached. The pay dirt as it is brought to the surface 
 
m 
 
 i mill 
 
 26 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 is piled on a dump ready for sluicing when the 
 warm weather comes. 
 
 From bedrock we tunnel into the pay gravel, by 
 following up the burning-out method. But tun- 
 neling we lay the wood difFeient from the method 
 followed when burning for a shaft. After laying 
 down the lowest section of logs, a little distance apart, 
 and one or two cross layers above it, the next layer 
 in reared up in a slanting position against the wall. 
 As the fire burns, the heat is kept under this slant- 
 ing layer of logs and forced upon the side wall 
 instead of the ceiling, as would be the case with a 
 straight pile of logs. The result is, that, by and by, 
 the upper part of the wall as it thaws, begins to 
 fall in, but, the gravel dropping on the slanting 
 logs, slips to the ground without putting out the 
 fire. Thus, rapid progress is made, for, during the 
 night, when thus partially covered with gravel, the 
 wood becomes charcoal, and, with intense heat, slowly 
 smolders away. 
 
 When we are working underground these fires are 
 always laid at night after finishing the day's work, 
 so that the wood can burn all night. 
 
 As soon as the fire has burnt itself out and the 
 gases have all escaped, the thawed out gravel is 
 shoveled into the buckets and is hoisted to the top 
 of the dump. But the cold is so intense that it is 
 a common thing for the gravel to be frozen almost 
 solid ere it reaches the surface, so tliat it requires 
 hard work to force it from the bucket. Thus, slowly, 
 the work of drifting into the gravel and bringing it 
 to the surface goes on. Had powder been included in 
 our mining equipment we could have made greater 
 progress by blasting. 
 
 \ 
 
 
 m 
 
/hen the 
 
 ravel, by 
 tun- 
 method 
 laying 
 ce apart, 
 ext layer 
 the wall, 
 his slant- 
 dde wall 
 je with a 
 y and by, 
 )egins to 
 I slanting 
 g out the 
 uring the 
 Tavel, the 
 ;at, slowly 
 
 Be fires are 
 ly's work, 
 
 It and the 
 gravel is 
 to the top 
 ; that it is 
 zen almost 
 it requires 
 us, slowly, 
 bringing it 
 included in 
 ade greater 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 27 
 
 As soon as spring comes, preparations are made 
 for sluicing. The water-ways are put in, and as 
 soon as the warm hands of the sun release the bonds 
 winter has placed on everything, the gravel is washed 
 and the gold taken out. 
 
 CLAinS 4 AND 5. 
 
 When it came to dividing up the five claims our 
 party of prospectors had staked out, claims 4 and 5 
 were awarded to three of us— Clarence Berry, Frank 
 Keller and myself. We worked faithfully on these 
 claims until the thaw set in, and then set to work to 
 sluice out our gold . 
 
 I do not care to go into particulars too fully, as I 
 do not desire to be classed among those who have been 
 bragging about that country without telling also of its 
 dangers and hardships. Let it be sufficient when I 
 say that out of claim five, from a space less than 
 eighty feet square, the three of us cleaned up, between 
 January ist and the middle of May more than 
 $150,000. 
 
 While all the claims on the Eldorado did not pan 
 out as rich as these two, yet I presume there were fully 
 two million dollars worth of gold taken out on that 
 creek alone in those four months, in spite of the fact 
 that the work was all done with the crudest possible 
 appliances and under the worst disadvantages. 
 
 RICH PANS OF DIRT. 
 
 The richest pan of dirt to my knowledge, taken out 
 on El Dorado was from Claim 32. It netted $1,300. 
 The largest pan I ever made personally was one of 
 
m 'I 
 
 l!';l !| 
 
 'i!i! ii 
 
 28 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 $775. The great nugget, which I discovered, and 
 still have in my possession, taken out from our claim, 
 weighs thirteen ounces and is worth $231.00, and as a 
 specimen it is valued at $500.00. 
 
 HARD WORK. 
 
 Was it hard to find? Well, no; but there was 
 plenty of hard work about i'. Almost all of it was 
 coarse gold, and there is, we know, more gold in that 
 dirt which we washed out, but the particles were too 
 fine to notice easily. We will doubtless work it all 
 over again when we go back, for we are going back 
 next year. Bear in mind that each claim when I was 
 there was five hundred feet long and we only worked 
 a space about eighty feet square. How much more 
 gold is there no man can tell Other miners above 
 us were equally successful. Many of the nuggets 
 could be poked out with a stick or a pocket knife, out 
 of the frozen dirt which was thrown up. 
 
 nORE GOLD TO BE HAD. 
 
 Such is the richness of the Klondyke region. In 
 spite of the fact that such quantities of gold have 
 been found, I am almost certain that the country has 
 not been scratched as yet. The water shed of the 
 Yukon is almost as large as the Mississippi valley, 
 and while I do not say that gold can be found all over 
 it, there are many places in the interior where the 
 foot of white man has never trod, where are rich dis- 
 coveries yet to be made. Some of these places cannot 
 now be reached on account of the fact that they are 
 so remote from points of communication with the out- 
 
 % 
 
YKE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KI.ONDYKE. 20 
 
 ered, and 
 ur claim, 
 , and as a 
 
 here was 
 of it was 
 )ld in that 
 5 were too 
 'ork it all 
 oing back 
 hen I was 
 ly worked 
 auch more 
 lers above 
 e nuggets 
 ; knife, out 
 
 egion. In 
 gold have 
 ountry has 
 hed of the 
 ippi valley, 
 md all over 
 where the 
 ire rich dis- 
 aces cannot 
 at they are 
 ith the out- 
 
 side world that no party could get supplies to them. 
 It would be impossible for a party to carry their own 
 supplies, because of the distances and roughness of 
 the country. They might get far into the interior, 
 but how could they live a year and travel from place 
 to place prospecting ? I would not care to be the one 
 to advise any man to try it. The Klondyke country 
 is even now 'filling up with inexperienced men who 
 know nothing of woodcraft, boating or camping, but 
 have been raised without hard work. There is no 
 doubt that such men will materially suffei, though 
 some of them may strike it rich and be able to endure 
 the frightful hardships. 
 
 riANNER OF LIVING. 
 
 Everything considered, our claims located and our 
 prospecting over, we managed to make ourselves 
 fairly comfortable in the winter time. We built huts 
 of rough logs, and protected ourselves from the cold 
 by closing all the places where the air could get in by 
 chinking them with moss. Our food was necessarily 
 of the plainest possible kind, for delicacies had not 
 reached Alaska then, and we did not need ice cream. 
 Bacon was by no means the only meat we had. The 
 Indians supplied fresh meat all the time. As moose, 
 caribou and bear are numerous, we got all we wanted 
 of that kind of meat. The vegetables, of course, we 
 either took with us or purchased there, and so far as 
 food was concerned it was just what was needed. 
 Plenty of food could be purchased if you had the price, 
 and if you had not you could get a bite at almost any 
 miner's table. To come to a man's house at meal 
 
m 
 
 'III 
 
 80 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 time, and not accept the invitation to eat which was 
 invariably offered, was to insult the one who made 
 the offer. 
 
 The only fresh vegetables we were able to purchase 
 there were turnips and lettuce. We enjoyed these 
 immensely. They were raised on the roofs of the 
 cabins, which being covered with one or two feet of 
 soil and moss, warmed from below by the heat of the 
 cabin, and from above by the heat of the sun, made 
 excellent gardens. 
 
 In winter drinking water is obtained by first select- 
 ing a place where the ice is thick and clear, then 
 blocking it out and melting as occasion requires. 
 
 THE CONDHi : OF LABOR. 
 
 Necessarily, the conditions that govern labor in 
 new raining camps, like those on the Yukon and 
 Klondyke, varj'' with great rapidity in the early days 
 of their existence. Uo to the time I left, laborers 
 or miners were in demand, and were commanding 
 $io to $15 per day lor six to ten hours services. We 
 worked thirtj^-five men on our claim for the greater 
 part of the winter, and could have given employment 
 to many more. But it must l)e rememl)ered that from 
 now on the probabilities are that there will be a 
 glut in the labor market, unless the extent of the gold 
 fields increase in proportion to the great influx of 
 population. 
 
 Skilled mechanics command no greater pay than 
 industrious, able-])odied men, but, as the po])ulation 
 increases skilled labor will be more in demand and 
 will command its proper price. 
 
which was 
 who made 
 
 :o purchase 
 joyed these 
 ools of the 
 
 two feet of 
 heat of the 
 
 sun, made 
 
 first select- 
 clear, then 
 luires. 
 
 CLEMEN TS' C.UIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 31 
 MINER'S CODE OF MORALS AND LAWS. 
 
 irn labor in 
 Yukon and 
 2 early days 
 eft, laborers 
 ^oraraandinfT 
 r vices. We 
 f the greater 
 employment 
 ed that from 
 will be a 
 t of the gold 
 ;at influx of 
 
 vc pay than 
 e po])ulation 
 ilemand and 
 
 The miners are free enough with each other so long 
 as everybody does his share, but as soon as a man is 
 known to be taking unfair advantage, cheating or 
 otherwise conducting himself in a manner at variance 
 with the miners' rather liberal code of ethics, the 
 country becomes a little warm for him, even if the 
 temperature is fifty degrees below zero. Several men 
 have been run out of the country for shady transac- 
 tions, and others have not been so fortunate as to be 
 able to get away. 
 
 In spite of the presence there of the Canadian 
 mounted police, the miners have their own laws about 
 matters which interest them directly. More than one 
 man has felt the rope because he was caught stealing. 
 The supposition that every man is honest is followed 
 so long as a ninn acts honestly, but once he gets the 
 name of being otherwise, he might as well leave. 
 
 On the way to the gold fields and through that 
 country at fref[uent intervals there may be seen 
 bundles of goods, — packs which have been left there by 
 their owners until they can return for them. These 
 packs contain food, clothing, picks, etc, and are 
 plainly marked so that they can be identified. If a man 
 comes across one of them and is hungry, he can take 
 what he wants for immediate use and if he cannot pay 
 for it he has only to leave a note telling the owner just 
 what he took and why, and who he is. Nothing is 
 ever thought of that. If, however, he were to steal 
 the pack and be caught with it, he would be more 
 than likely to dangle at the end of a rope. 
 
 . 
 
■'^!i:|.i| 
 
 ihuS^! 
 
 :ii!!iili 
 
 ' I 
 
 32 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 FAKE BOOMERS HATED. 
 
 If there is one class of men whom the miners hate 
 and despise more than another it is that class who go 
 to the mines, make their fortunes, and, coming out, 
 tell stories of the great richness of the country without 
 telling what dangers and hardships are to be encoun- 
 tered. Some of this class will be responsible for the 
 life of many a poor fellow who is even now attempting 
 to reach the interior where he has been led to believe 
 he can pick up gold wherever he goes. The effect of 
 some of these stories has been to send thousands of 
 men into a country which contains supplies enough 
 for hundreds only. That there will be suffering and 
 death for many of them, instead of the fortunes they 
 expect, is certain. Should some of the men who have 
 started these stories go back there, and some of them 
 will, they will be given a bullet or two, and they 
 deserve it, too. They have been the cause of filling 
 the camps with hungry mouths, and as the miners 
 will help all they can, it means that nearly all must 
 suffer. There is no selfishness in this feeling among 
 the men already there, but they know what the trip 
 means and they know what it is to be there in winter 
 with only a small supply of food. That crisp, cold 
 atmosphere serves to whet a man's appetite until he 
 requires more food than he would need at home. 
 
 REDUCTION OF CLAIMS. 
 
 'I \ 
 
 iiPiliiii 
 
 i'! 
 
 Ml t 
 
 I have noticed in the press dispatches that the 
 Canadian government has decided to reduce the size 
 of the claims to oJie hundred feet instead of five hun- 
 dred feet, as the miners' laws allow. If they try it I 
 
DYKE. 
 
 niners hate 
 ass who go 
 oming out, 
 try without 
 be encoun- 
 >ible for the 
 
 attempting 
 to believe 
 ^he effect of 
 lousaiids of 
 ies enough 
 iffering and 
 rtunes they 
 n who have 
 me of them 
 o, and they 
 5L of filling 
 
 the miners 
 rly all must 
 ^ling among 
 hat the trip 
 re in winter 
 t crisp, cold 
 ite until he 
 
 home. 
 
 les that the 
 uce the size 
 of five hun- 
 they try it I 
 
 
 'n 
 
 M 
 
 "5 
 5 
 
 X. 
 
 u 
 
 
i 
 
 i: n 
 
 lilli 
 
 '!! 
 
 >li 
 
 i! 
 
 
 in 
 
 '-> 1 
 
 a 
 o 
 
 0! 
 
 
 a 
 o: 
 
 tl 
 b 
 it 
 tl 
 di 
 re 
 m 
 m 
 
 a: 
 
 in 
 
 . 
 in 
 
 all 
 
 en 
 
 ,2 S 
 
 I 
 
 all 
 
 i>i 
 
 •^ 
 ^^' 
 
 IK) 
 ISO 
 
 po 
 of 
 mi 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 83 
 
 2^tJt^ 
 
 1 >: j' C*^ 
 
 ■•V^«, 
 
 ^ 
 
 v; 
 
 rt 
 
 ?. 
 
 'J 
 
 •• /■ 
 
 
 
 am inclined to think there will be strong remonstrance 
 offered. No one is more ready or willing to assist in 
 the preservation of order than the miners themselves, 
 but when it comes to reducing the size of their hold- 
 ings there may be a clash. Think what it means to 
 them ! On El Dorado creek it is estimated thut the 
 ? dirt is worth $i,ooo per foot for twelve miles. Is it 
 I reasonable to suppose that the men will quietly sub- 
 I mit to the seizure of four-fifths of their holdings ? It 
 I may be, of course, that the Canadian Government 
 I would not make such a law to be retroactive. If such 
 ' a law is made reducing the holdings, miners coming 
 ; into the region will be required to submit to laws then 
 \ in force. The injustice would be, to take away claims 
 already staked and partially worked by miners acting 
 I in good faith under the laws in force when they 
 I entered the country. 
 
 1 Up to the time I left there, no percentage of gold 
 k '.)und was taken by the government, as has been 
 j • Ov-ted. 
 
 CUSTOMS REGULATIONS. 
 
 % 
 
 'it 
 
 The Canadian government is collecting a duty on 
 all goods brought into the country from the American 
 side. We had to pay from 20 to 30 per cent, on value 
 of our equipment. It was collected at Dawson City, 
 where the headquarters of the department had been 
 estab'ished. vSome miners are attempting to evade a 
 portion of this duty, and many of the persons now 
 going there will escape it altogether, but the mounted 
 police are securing all they can. The personal rights 
 of the miners are being protected by the authorities as 
 much as possible, and the life there is different from 
 
w 
 
 84 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 what the forty-niners found it in California. The 
 Canadians undoubtedly hate to see Americans carry- 
 ing off so much gold and they are trying to keep all 
 of it they can by whatever possible regulations thej'' 
 ;■«- establish. The miners know the law, however, 
 . they as a class are not easil}' fooled by any mere 
 display of supposed authority. If an unjust charge is 
 made they apply to headquarters and it is set right or 
 they know the reason why. Mr. Constantine, com- 
 manding the mounted police and acting Gold Commis- 
 sioner was in charge when I left, but I understand a 
 Grid Commissioner has since been sent there. Mr. 
 Constantine attended to the recording of all claims and 
 did all he could to legalize our titles to our holdings. 
 
 FREE AND EASY. 
 
 Everything is wide open in the towns and posts, if 
 I may use that expression. A man can get almost 
 any kind of a game he wants. Faro is the favorite, 
 but there is also nearly all the other forms of gaming. 
 I suppose by this time a man can get a confidence 
 game if he wants it. There is no doubt that the 
 arrival of so many people from the outside will cause 
 a change in the camps. Men will have to lock up 
 their gold instead of keeping it in bags in their cabins 
 as we did. There will be wildcat schemes of a ques- 
 tionable character exposed and the tenderfeet who 
 start them may inimediately afterward be no more. 
 There may be odd jobs for such an official as the 
 coroner from time to time, but on the whole the order 
 in that part of the country will be fairly good. Most 
 of the miners are good citizens who will support the 
 police in the maintenance of law and order, and 
 
 C 
 
 ThJ 
 go 
 
 iiios 
 
 pos 
 will 
 
'DYKE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 35 
 
 Drnia. The 
 icans carrj^- 
 
 to keep all 
 latioiis they 
 w, however, 
 by any mere 
 ist charge is 
 ; set right or 
 antine, com- 
 old Commis- 
 mderstand a 
 
 there. Mr. 
 11 claims and 
 )ur holdings. 
 
 so far as the civil and personal rights of a man are 
 concerned he will be as safe there as elsewhere. 
 
 and posts, if 
 1 get almost 
 the favorite, 
 IS of gaming. 
 
 a confidence 
 Libt that the 
 Lde will cause 
 \ to lock up 
 1 their cabins 
 es of a ques- 
 nderfeet who 
 
 be no more, 
 official as the 
 tiole the order 
 
 good. Most 
 1 support the 
 d order, and 
 
 GOLD DUST AS MONEY 
 
 Probably at no place now or ever before is business 
 so generally done with gold dust or nuggets as a 
 medium of exchange, as on the Klondyke. In buying 
 a quarter of moose of the Indians, or paying for a hair 
 cut, you either weigh out the dust, or give a nugget 
 of a size that you think contains about the required 
 value. 
 
 The miners receive their wages in gold dust or nug- 
 gets, and generally it is paid them every day. 
 
 The gold, during the winter season, is obtained for 
 Ibis purpose by taking some of the richest of the 
 frozen pay dirt or gravel into the cabin, where enough 
 ice is melted to secure water to wash it out in what 
 the miners term a mud box. 
 
 MOSQUITO HEADQUARTERS. 
 
 One of the greatest hardships one has to endure at 
 the diggings during the warm weather is in battling 
 with mosquitoes. It seems that all the mosquitoes in 
 the world have caught the gold fever and have 
 Ussembled along the rivers, lakes and creeks of Alaska. 
 They are the pest that is dreaded by all miners who 
 go there. Combine all the stories of New Jersey 
 tnosquitoes you have ever heard with all that you can 
 possibly imagine that is terrible about them, and you 
 will not then have any idea of what a pest they are. 
 They swarm in countless millions in the diggings and 
 bite everthing they can. They will bite a man 
 
"W: 
 
 '"in''! I 
 
 '! li! 
 i 
 
 I !i 
 
 u 
 
 lliiiiillL 
 111 '■ I '.■■• 
 
 36 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 through his trousers, or crawl up his sleeves or 
 trouser-legs and sting their victim. I have seen men 
 drop to the ground and cry in pain because of their 
 bites. There have been many cases of insanity caused 
 by them. Mosquito netting is taken, but it does not 
 always serve as a complete protection, for it soon 
 becomes cumbersome and in the way and very un- 
 pleasant. When the weather is warr est the mos- 
 quitoes are the thickest. After the netting has been 
 discarded by a miner, and he attempts to work with- 
 out it, he is soon forced to retreat to his cabin to 
 escape further battle and soothe the pain. 
 
 Some people find pennyroyal or spirits of camphor 
 keep the pests away from them, and at Seattle one can 
 buy a druggist's "sure cure" prescription. But I 
 tried them all, and the mosquitoes paid no more atten- 
 tion than a hungry negro would if a bottle of rOvSe per- 
 fume were put between him.self and a fine watermelon. 
 The more " stuff" I put on, the more the mosquitoes 
 botliered me, until, at last, I quit using anything and 
 let them go ahead and suck out my good blood while 
 they innoculated me with their poison. 
 
 i -I I' :' 
 
 14! 
 
 SNOW BLINDNESS. 
 
 In crossing the mountains and also at the diggings 
 when the ground is covered with snow many persons 
 suffer from snow blindness. I have even seen dogs, 
 when crossing the Chilkoot Pass, go blind. When 
 one is so attacked he has to be killed. The best pre- 
 ventive of this painful and sometimes dangerous 
 affliclion is a pair of l^lackened or slightly smoked 
 glasses with square side winkers. In purchasing 
 
 tb^ 
 the 
 
 1st 
 
 J,^u 
 
DYKE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 37 
 
 sleeves or 
 e seen men 
 ise of their 
 nity caused 
 
 it does not 
 
 for it soon 
 id very un- 
 st the mos- 
 ig has been 
 
 work with- 
 lis cabin to 
 
 of camphor 
 ittle one can 
 ;ion. But I 
 > more atten- 
 i of rose per- 
 watermelon. 
 I mosquitoes 
 nytbing and 
 blood while 
 
 the diggings 
 nany persons 
 seen dogs, 
 )lind. When 
 'he best pre- 
 is dangerous 
 btly smoked 
 1 purchasing 
 
 don't V)e temi)ted to buy green or blue goggles, or 
 any high colored glasses, but those that are the least 
 smoked,— just enough to take off the intense brilliancy 
 of the sunlight on the snow. 
 
 INDIANS. 
 
 In a trip to the Klondyke one meets with ten differ- 
 ent tribes of Indians, and it is well to know something 
 of their habits, dispt;sition and character. 
 
 The Chilcats live nearest to the Coast, in the coun- 
 try immediately surrounding the Lynn Canal. In all, 
 there are only about i,ooo of them left, and their 
 number is rapidly diminishing, owing to the demoral- 
 izing effects the white men's vices have had upon 
 them. While avaricious, tricky and shrevved in mak- 
 ing a bargain, always forcing a white man to pay all 
 they possibly can for their services, they are generally 
 reliable when engaged to transport supplies across the 
 pass ; although cases have been known where, on 
 reaching some difficult point on the journey, they 
 have endeavored to raise the price for which they had 
 contracted. When, however, they do work, they 
 " will make long journeys across the mountains into 
 the interior with heavy loads upon their backs, climb 
 the moimtaiu trails, struggle across great glaciers, 
 wade icy streams, and, in a thinly clad, half-starved 
 condition, endure privations from which, to the tour- 
 ist, it would seem death would be a welcome relief." 
 
 Near Dawson and also at Juneau, the Indians 
 make themselves useful in many ways — sawing lum- 
 ber, building log calkins, unloading steamers, acting as 
 i guides to the miners while crossing the country, pack- 
 
Iili' 
 
 38 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 V\\ 
 
 ii !• 
 
 lii 
 
 i! ' ' 
 M 
 
 iiiiijii!!!!! 
 
 •Plill 
 
 ing provisions to the miners during the summer, and 
 hauling supplies on dog sleds during the winter. 
 
 The Stick, Copper, and other tribes of the interior 
 are of the vagabond order, and, aside from hunting, 
 are of little assistance to the white men, and many of 
 them positively will not work for wages. In supply- 
 ing the miners with wild meat they always drive a 
 good bargain. They are excellent hunters, and very 
 skilful in the management of their birch bark canoes 
 in the swift waters and rapids of the rivers. 
 
 The traveler soon notices that there are but few old 
 bucks or squaws in the Copper Tribe. It is related 
 that during one of the attacks of the Copper In- 
 dians upon the Yukon tribes, in 1882, for the pur- 
 pose of stealing all the young squaws of the Yukons, 
 the Coppers were not aware of the fact that the 
 Yukons had received a nnmljer of guns and rifles 
 from the traders. The attack was made with the 
 crude and antiquated weapons of warfare of long 
 ago, such as clubs, stone axes, bows and arrows, etc., 
 and they met with the direst defeat. It was .simply 
 annihilation for all the warriors of the Copper tribe, 
 and nianj^ of the squaws were also slain. 
 
 RETURN TO CIVILIZATION. 
 
 At the close of our first season's successful opera- 
 tions we decided to visit home for the winter. So, 
 arranging all our work for the coming year, we left 
 Dawson City June 19th, of this year, 1897, on the 
 steamer P. B. Weare, and came down the Yukon 
 nearly two thousand miles to ^''s mouth, and thence 
 to St. Michaels. 
 
 thi 
 
 ri) 
 
 trJ 
 
)YKE. 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. H9 
 
 nmer, and 
 [iter. 
 
 he interior 
 n hunting, 
 id many of 
 In suppiy- 
 lys drive a 
 5, and very 
 lark canoes 
 
 but few old 
 [t is related 
 ;:opper In- 
 or the pnr- 
 he Yukons, 
 Lct that the 
 s and rifles 
 ie with the 
 re of long 
 UTOWS, etc., 
 was simply 
 opper tribe, 
 
 I. 
 
 essful Opera- 
 winter. So, 
 year, we left 
 1897, on the 
 the Yukon 
 I, and thence 
 
 Nothing of an exciting nature was experienced 
 con'ing out, since it was smooth sailing down the 
 clear and chilly Yukon. Occasional stops were made 
 to throw wood aboard for fuel, which was supplied 
 by the Indians for "any old thing" the boat's 
 ofificers chose to thrust upon them. Herds of moose 
 and caribou, and numerous bear were seen, and occa- 
 sionally the Indians would bring us some of their 
 meat. 
 
 PEOPLE FLOCKING IN. 
 
 At the time of our leaving Dawson City, people in 
 large numbers were arriving frequently, usually in 
 squads. An amusing incident occurred a short time 
 before we left. A big, black bear was seen standing 
 on an ice floe, floating down the river towards Dawson. 
 He had evidently attempted to cross the stream when 
 the ice broke up and set him adrift. He was acv'.ng 
 the " Pathfinder," or drum major, for soon the arri- 
 val of seventy-five boats of new comers occurred. 
 The bear became the target for a host of shots and 
 was soon dispatched by the "Mayor" of Dawson 
 City. The meat was then divided equally between 
 the rival cities of Dawson City and Klondyke, which 
 occupy sites on opposite shores of the Klondyke 
 River. 
 
 OUR RETURN ROUTE. 
 
 The Yukon route for coming out was selected for 
 the reason that at that time of the year — June — the 
 river is open and afforded a through trip without 
 transfer of any kind from Dawson City to St. Michaels, 
 
1::! 
 
 'in!! 
 
 mm^\ 
 
 40 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 while the Chilkoot Pass route would have required 
 portage around the rapids, and packing over the pass 
 itself. But the pass route should be taken either 
 going in or coming out when the Yukon is not open, 
 which is the case between the middle of September and 
 May or June of the following year. Therefore, those 
 who take the trail route in March or April will arrive at 
 Dawson City ahead of those who wait until the mouth 
 of the Yukon at St. Michaels is clear of icebergs — late 
 in June. At the same time, it must not be forgotten 
 that the Yukon route is round-about, for to reach 
 Dawson City from San Francisco or Seattle this way, 
 ' is at least 3,000 miles further than by the Chilkoot 
 Pass route. 
 
 I am of the opinion that the Pass route within five 
 years will be the popular route, since the pass could 
 be made more accessible and easy to cross and a line 
 of steamboats be established on the chain of lakes. 
 This would not require more than two transfers 
 around the rapids, and would give a steamer service 
 from Lake Lindeman direct to Dawson City. It 
 would also be a pleasanter, and a much shorter route 
 than by the Yukon. 
 
 Of course any transportation service over either of 
 the routes would have to be adapted to the seasons. 
 It would be almost impossible to get over the Chilkoot 
 Pass l)etween vSeptember ist and April ist and take any 
 supplies. 
 
 AT ST. MICHAELS. 
 
 At St. Michaels, situated on an inlet of Behring 
 Sea, which is the Trading Company's headquarters, 
 and of but three hundred population, we embarked on 
 the Steamer Portland, for Seattle. 
 
nVR'E. 
 
 ve required 
 ver the pass 
 aken either 
 is not open, 
 :)tember and 
 refore, those 
 vill arrive at 
 1 the mouth 
 ebergs — late 
 be forgotten 
 for lo reach 
 tie this way, 
 the Chilkoot 
 
 ;e within five 
 le pass could 
 ^ss and a line 
 \in of lakes. 
 :wo transfers 
 tamer service 
 ion City. It 
 shorter route 
 
 )ver either of 
 ) the seasons, 
 :r the Chilkoot 
 t and take any 
 
 et of Behring 
 
 headquarters, 
 
 e embarked on 
 
 .14 
 
 _2 
 5 
 
 'J 
 
 
 
 u 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 41 
 
 r 
 
 "ii 
 
 An incident occurred here which fully illustrates an 
 Alaskan miner's craving for fresh vegetables after a 
 six months' winter at the diggings. Just as we 
 boarded the Portland we espied several sacks of 
 potatoes and onions which were to be unloaded, but 
 until each miner had his fill of them raw — some eating 
 as many as seven potatoes — they were not transferred 
 to the dock. Those who ate the onions actually shed 
 tears at the sight of their companions eating raw 
 potatoes. 
 
 We looked forward to the ocean trip to Seattle as 
 a great change from the smooth and unexciting trip 
 down the Yukon, and we were not at all disappointed, 
 for soon we were surrounded by icebergs so num- 
 erous that the ship had to lay-to for several hours 
 to allow them to pass by. Then followed a rough 
 sea which caused the ship to pitch and roll until the 
 cross bars dipped in the sea, and we enjoyed the ex- 
 citing time, as the sailors sped aloft to furl the sails 
 and obey other orders of the captain. 
 
 Four days out from St. Michaels we arrived at 
 Unalaska, where we were treated to a most agreeable 
 change of scenic diet. Here we saw gardens and 
 hillsides blossoming with flowers and grasses, and 
 such roses and violets ! I had never seen their equal 
 even in Southern California, the land of flowers. 
 After having lived months surrounded by either 
 snow banks or clouds of mosquitoes this seemed a 
 sure enough paradise. But it must not be forgot- 
 ten that also in the arctic circle wild flowers of the 
 most beautiful colors grow profusely, of which I 
 secured quite a collection. 
 
 After a one day's stay at Unalaska we continued our 
 journey to Seattle, where we lauded about July 15th. 
 
42 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 KINGS OF THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 The excitment caused by our arrival there with 
 so much gold has been heralded throughout the 
 world. It was owing to the way our gold was 
 transferred that we received the name, ''Kings of 
 the Kloukyke," and I was "accused" of having 
 brought home a four-horse wagon load of gold. One 
 item that has gone the rounds of the press 
 and has been copied into several books on the Klon- 
 dyke records how Mrs. Eli Gage, wife of the son of 
 the Secretary of Ihe Treasurj'^, came from St. Michaels 
 '^n the Portland to Seattle. She said : " This ship had 
 on board the greatest of the fortune finders. Frank 
 Phiscator, who went from Lower Michigan, had $96,- 
 000. This I know to be a fact, as I saw the metal. 
 Clarence J. Berry had more yet, and a man named 
 Clements seemed to have a wagon full. The ^ three 
 men and one other were wise before they left the 
 aver. They bought all the claims they could get, 
 and it might be said that they are the kings of the 
 Bonanza, the El Dorado and the other of the best 
 known creeks. It is not possible for any human 
 being to calculate how much they are worth." 
 
 The wagon load story ;yot spread abroad in th:"s way. 
 On our arrival at Seattle I went down to Wells 
 Fargo' s Express Office to gel a wagon to haul up our 
 gold, while other members of our party stopped to 
 guard it. When the wagon came — a heavy express 
 wagon, with four fine horses— the gold was loaded 
 into it, and the special messenger, handing me a short 
 shot-gun, asked me to sit on the gold and help him 
 protect it as it was taken to the office. On our arrival 
 there the crowds that assembled stopped all traffic for 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 43 
 
 one or two blocks, and they crowded into the express 
 office simply to see the bags of pvecious nuggets and 
 ask questions about them and the region from which 
 they had come. 
 
 ON TO SAN r^RANCISCO AND HOME. 
 
 But the metal waj not long in Seattle. We left as 
 early as possible by train for San Francisco, where 
 the major part of my gold was stored for a.'/hile, and 
 then, parting with my friends, I journeyed with my 
 wife and children, who had come there to meet me, 
 on to our home in I^os Angeles. 
 
 FACTS ABOUT ALASKA. 
 
 
 The following interesting facts in brief about Alaska 
 were prepared for and published in the Chicago Times- 
 Herald b)^ Mr. H S. Canfield, and are so pertinent 
 and timely that they will well bear repetition in these 
 pages : 
 
 Alaska is two and one-half tim'" '. as large as Texas. 
 
 It is eight times as large as all iX ew England. 
 
 It is as large as the South excluding Texas. 
 
 It is as large as all of the States east vof the Missis- 
 sippi and north of the Ohio, including ^'irginia and 
 West Virginia. 
 
 It makes San Francisco east of cair center. 
 
 Its coast line is 26,000 miles. 
 
 It has the highest mountain in North America. 
 
 It has the only forest covered glacier in the world. 
 
 The Treadwell is one of its greatest gold mines. 
 
 It has the best yellow cedar in the world. 
 

 i I 
 
 U CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 It has the greatest seal fisheries. 
 
 It has the greatest salmon fisheries. 
 
 It has cod barks that beat Newfoundland. 
 
 It has the largest river in the world. 
 
 A man standing on the bank of the Yukon one 
 hundred and fifty miles from its mouth cannot see the 
 other side. 
 
 The Yukon is twenty miles wide seven hundred 
 miles from its mouth. 
 
 With its tributaries it is navigable 2,500 miles. 
 
 It is larger than the Danube. 
 
 It is larger than La Plata. 
 
 It is larger than the Orinoco. 
 
 It discharges one-third more water than the Missis- 
 sippi. 
 
 The water is fresh fifteen miles from its mouth. 
 
 It has more gold in its basin than any other river. 
 
 Its color is beautifully blue to its junction with the 
 White River, 1,1 10 miles above its mouth. 
 
 Alaska runs 1,500 miles west of Hawaii. 
 
 Yukon basin gold is estimated at $5,000,000,000 
 
 The necessary eruptive force for the formation of 
 great fissure veins is everywhere evident in Alaska. 
 
 Silk should be worn next the body, then woolens 
 and then furs. 
 
 Citric acid should be taken to prevent scurvy. 
 
 The food there produces rectal diseases. Take 
 medicine. 
 
 Snow glasses should not be forgotten. 
 
 Nowhere are mosquitoes so numerous. 
 
 There are two kinds of poisonous flies. 
 
 There are no snakes in Alaska. 
 
 Moose are plentiful. The flesh resembles Imrse 
 flesh. 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE K TON DYKE. 45 
 
 Capital of stock companies organized to do business 
 in Alaska aggregates $200,000,000. 
 
 It is probable that in twelve months Dawson will 
 be Avithin four days of Juneau. 
 
 In central and northern Alaska the ground is frozen 
 to a depth of two hundred feet. 
 
 Snowfall in the interior is very light — 6 inches or so. 
 
 The heaviest rain and snow are on the southeast 
 coast. 
 
 No land contains finer spruce timber. 
 
 In its low temperatures gold filling in teeth con- 
 tracts and falls out. Use amalgam. 
 
 Men born in southern latitudes have become insane 
 in the long dark. 
 
 Take a chess board and men. They prevent 
 dementia. 
 
 The medicine chest should hold pills, pills, pills. 
 
 A temperature of seventy- five degrees below zero 
 has been recorded. 
 
 When it gets lower than 50° there is no wind. 
 
 A tent is as good as a house and is cheaper. 
 
 No shelter is needed only when the wind blows. 
 At other times a sleeping bag answers all purposes. 
 
 Just below rapids ice forms only nine feet thick, 
 and there fishing is done. In other places it will 
 reach forty feet. 
 
 In the dark season twilight lasts six hours and 
 almost any kind of work can be done. 
 
 Elk, caribou and grouse are common and easily 
 killed. 
 
 Don't eat snow or ice. Melt them. Else quinzy. 
 
 In low temperature the inside of the throat some- 
 times freezes. This is locally called '' frost burning." 
 
 For frozen fingers use? cold water. 
 
46 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 ;i ' ' 
 
 You can bathe only the feet and face. 
 
 Sweat under blankets in summer or get rheuma- 
 tism. 
 
 In summer all land not mountain is swamp. 
 
 Under foot is ice cake, overhead twenty- two hours 
 sun. 
 
 Boil underclothing. Freeze sleeping bags, to pro- 
 tect yourself from vermin. 
 
 Talk on the ice-pack is heard half a mile. 
 
 An expert placer lalner can pan dry. 
 
 Alaskan "dust " is as big as wheat. 
 
 Some gold is fine enough to float. 
 
 Wear silk gloves and then fur. 
 
 The Eskimo is virtuous, the Chilkat is not. 
 
 Canadian police are highly efficient. 
 
 Reindeer will be the future locomotives. 
 
 Alaskan dogs are wonderfully intelligent —the 
 result of selection and heredity. 
 
 The natives eat much decayed fish. 
 
 Thousands of miners irom other nations will go. 
 
 A Chicago company leads in Alaskan exploration. 
 
 Hay grows as high as a man's head. 
 
 All streams show true gold fissures. 
 
 Take plenty of flour. Buy all you think you 
 need, then buy more. Last winter a man killed 
 himself, because he had five pounds of baking pow- 
 der and no flour. 
 
 Under act of Congress communities of miners can 
 make their own laws. 
 
 No thief ^■ets a fairer trial anywhere, nor any 
 prompter execution. 
 
 Make caches en platforms six feet high. Wolves. 
 
 It will pay yoi-. to wait a year or two. It costs 
 $i,ooonovv and will cost $200 then. 
 
 
CLEMENrS^ GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 47 
 
 All distances are gigantic. It is 2,000 miles from 
 bitka to Klondyke. 
 
 A boat leaving Dawson September 20 is chased 
 to the mouth by freezing water. 
 
 All wood in the Aleutian Islands grew on glaciers 
 m Alaska. 
 
 Whole forests break into the sea. 
 Some streams are bridged by glaciers 
 Some wood is beautifully polished by glacial action. 
 Avalanches in the interior are unknown. 
 Owing to the dryness there is not much suffering 
 from the cold. ^ 
 
 Take a 40-80 rifle with telescope sights. 
 
 Exposed portions of the body freeze in three min- 
 utes. 
 
 Enough library: One Bible. One Shakespeare. 
 Snow shoes not needed in the mine country. 
 Buy mines from discouraged miners. 
 Trading companies will not carry goods for com- 
 petitors. 
 
 Next year competition will bring down the prices 
 50 per cent. 
 
 Meals on the boat up the river cost |i each. 
 
48 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 \\ I' 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 HOW TO REACiTtHE KLONDYKE. 
 
 SHALL I GO TO THE KLONDYKE? 
 
 The questions asked of me oftenest since ray return 
 from the Klondyke gold fields are: 
 
 What are the prospects for one who goes to Alaska? 
 
 Would you advise me to go ? 
 
 These are both important and serious questions; 
 important and serious to the man asking them, and 
 equally important and serious to the man answering 
 them. In answering them I presuppose that the man, 
 (or woman, for I have often been asked these ques- 
 tions by a woman), asking them is seeking honest 
 advice, on which to a certain extent he will act in 
 deciding whether to go or not. His hopes of wealth 
 depend, perhaps, upon my answer, and I know full 
 well, that many a man's life has been sacrificed to fol- 
 lowing bad advice given in answer to the two above 
 questions. Hence the aujAverhig of them is a most 
 solemn and .serious matter to me. 
 
 I write thus fully and freely in the commencement 
 that there may be no misunderstanding of my position. 
 I am determined that no man shall be able to come to 
 me, when I return to Alaska, and say, " Because I 
 followed your advice, which was thoughtlessly and 
 
xu 
 
 ■Ji 
 
 Ua 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 19 
 
 carelessly given, I am here and in desperate straits! " 
 
 Hence, if I make any mistakes in the following 
 answers and explanations they are errors of judgment 
 and knowledge, and not errors caused by carelessness 
 or indifference. 
 
 Now, having thus fully relieved my mind, I answer 
 the two forementioned questions by saying: 
 
 If you must go to the Klondyke country and cannot 
 rest until you do, go by all means, regardless of the 
 advice given by those who have been there ; bat if 
 you have any regard for your comfort, or perhaps for 
 your life, or if you have any family ties, think twice 
 before starting, and then think seriously again. Learn 
 as much as you can of the country, and what the jour- 
 ney means, for it is about an even chalice now that 
 unless you do you may never return. In getting there 
 every man must endure hardships of some kind, — that 
 is certain. But it is not equally certain that every 
 man will obtain the wealth he desires after he has un- 
 dergone those hardships. Therefore, I neither say 
 "Go!" nor " Stay!" 
 
 I am fully satisfied there is gold there — tons of gold 
 — but too much has been said and written about it, 
 and much too little about the hardships and perils to 
 be encountered. 
 
 INSTFiUCTIONS ABOUT OUTFIT, ETC. 
 
 Other questions frequently asked are : What 
 outfit is necessary and what will such a trip cost ? I 
 know these are natural questions, but to answer 
 them is not so easy. I will try to give you, in a 
 general way, a list of just what a man needs ; but let 
 me say, the equipment depends not only on the size 
 
50 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 of a man's purse, but upon the man himself, it 
 were better to go into that country with ten times 
 as much food as is needed and a little money, than 
 to take a small supply of food and plenty of money, 
 for, once there, money will not always buy food. 
 
 The matter of clothing is not of so great importance 
 as that of food, for clothing can be obtained with 
 comparative ease — that is, clothing such as will 
 keep out the cold. 
 
 Every man who starts should take along enough 
 food to last him a year at least. Tv/ice that much 
 would be so much the better, for food can always 
 be disposed of there. Another point to be consid- 
 ered is the selection of such food as will not spoil 
 for a long time. The cold, of course, acts as a pre- 
 servative, but it will not keep all kinds of eatables. 
 Good coarse food that nourishes is the kind needed, 
 and, as I have before stated, that climate gives a 
 man an enormous appetite. If a man is going to 
 stay, say eighteen months, the following would answer 
 his purpose. It can be varied to suit the taste: 
 
 ! i 
 
 PROVISIONS. 
 
 Bacon, 200 pounds. 
 
 Flour, 800 to 1,000 pounds. 
 
 Corn meal, 200 pounds. 
 
 Rice, 50 pounds. 
 
 Coffee, parched, 75 pounds. 
 
 Assorted dried fruits, 200 pounds. 
 
 Tea, 40 pounds. 
 
 Sugar, 100 pounds. 
 
 Beans, 200 pounds. 
 
 Evaporated vegetables, any large amount. 
 
 Milk (condensed), i or 2 cases. 
 
CLEMENTS^ GUfDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 51 
 
 This list can be changed to suit the person taking 
 It. my purpose in giving it being simply to give some 
 idea of the quantity. 
 
 One expert gives a month's list as follows, the 
 tools he names being for the purpose of making a 
 boat at Lake Bennett and keeping it in repair on 
 the trip : 
 
 Twenty pounds of flour, with baking powder. 
 
 Twelve pounds of bacon. 
 
 Six pounds of beans. 
 
 Five pounds of dessiccated vegetables. 
 
 Four pounds of butter. 
 
 Five pounds of sugar. 
 
 Four cans of milk. 
 
 One pound of tea. 
 
 Three pounds of coffee. 
 
 Two pounds of salt. 
 
 Five pounds of corn meal. 
 
 Pepper, mustard. 
 
 The following utensils would not be too many : 
 
 One frying pan. 
 
 One water kettle. 
 
 One Yukon stove. 
 
 One bean pot. 
 
 Two plates. 
 
 One drinking cup. 
 
 One teapot. 
 
 One knife and fork. 
 
 One large and one small cooking pan. 
 
 Gill net for fishing. 
 
 The following tools are necessary for boat building • 
 One jack plane. 
 One whipsaw. 
 One hand saw. 
 
52 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KI.ONDYKE. 
 
 One rip sav/. 
 
 One draw knife. 
 
 One axe. 
 
 One hatchet. 
 
 One pocket knife. 
 
 Six pounds of assorted nails. 
 
 Three pounds oakum. 
 
 Three pounds of pitch. 
 
 Fifty feet of five-eighths rope. 
 
 Other necessities would be a tent, a rubber blanket, 
 mosquito netting and matches. It is also desirable to 
 take along a small, well filled medicine chest, a rifle, 
 a trout line and a pair of snow glasses, to provide 
 against snow blindness. 
 
 The wood working tools taken should include 
 everything needed for almost any kind of rough car- 
 penter work, from the buiMing of a boat or a sled to 
 -the erection of a cabin, the putting in of sluice boxes, 
 hoisting buckets, water flumes, etc. It should be 
 remembered that where a large party goes, one or two 
 complete sets of tools for woodwork will be sufficient. 
 
 CLOTHING. 
 
 sn. 
 
 The equipment in clothing necessarily depends 
 upon the person. A whole clothing store is not 
 necessary. Underwear, both heavy and medium 
 weight, of good quality, is needed, and a most impor- 
 tant matter is the proper covering for the feet. 
 Rubber hip-boots, good woolen socks, strong boots 
 and shoes, are necessary, for much walking will have 
 to be done. There are no street railways in the 
 Klondyke. Two or three heavy sweaters will be 
 found to be worth more than their weight in gold. 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDVKE. 53 
 
 The miners in that country always adopt to a certain 
 extent the dress of the natives, and in such dress it is 
 not difficult to keep warm. Great range in tempera- 
 ture must be expected. The average temperature in 
 winter is 40 degrees below zero, and it will sometimes 
 vary 40 or 50 degrees in one or two hours. That, of 
 course, adds to the discomfort, but one must go 
 expecting such things. 
 
 Take a fur robe, eight feet wide by ten feet long, 
 made of skins with a long, light hair, like a fox or 
 lynx or cub bear. A full grown bear's skin is too 
 heavy. These can be bought in San Francisco or 
 Seattle for one third or one fourth the amount that 
 must be paid for them on the Klondyke. Although 
 this is a country of fur bearing animals, the Alaska 
 Commercial and other Trading Companies buy up all 
 the furs from the trappers and natives, so that the 
 miners have no opportunity to obtain them except at 
 exorbitant prices. A good fur robe, however, is 
 invaluable, being worth four pairs of ordinary 
 blankets for warmth and comfort. 
 
 As advice in regard to clothing varies considerably, 
 I quote herewith from a very practical man. Mr. 
 Brownlie, in an interview, says : 
 
 ' * I think a great many people are making a mistake 
 in their clothing outfit. One should take as little as 
 possible, as he will need all his strength to carry the 
 necessary provisions and himself over the ' divide.' 
 What he needs are skins and furs, and they can gen- 
 erally be bought to much better advantage in Juneau 
 than anywhere else. When you are out in the snow 
 and ice, woolens and blankets will do you little good. 
 A man should live as much like the Indians as pos- 
 sible. The best protection against the cold is a bag 
 
54 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 made of skin, thoroughly oiled, large enough to hold 
 a man. 
 
 " A man can get into such a bag and draw it tightly 
 about his neck, having his head covered with furs, 
 and he can pass a fairly comfortable night, half-buried 
 in the snow.' ' 
 
 Remember also to take needles and thread. A good 
 rifle of large caliber and a revolver using the same 
 size cartridge will, of course, be taken, for game is 
 plentiful. 
 
 MEDICINES. 
 
 It is well to be provided with a small medicine chest 
 well filled with all the simpler forms of medicine, ban- 
 dages, surgical needles, etc. One never knows what 
 may happen, and it is well to be personally provided. 
 Any reputable druggist will put up such a chest, with 
 remedies for colds, coughs, chilblains, diarrhcea, con- 
 stipation and the like, and, as scurvey sometimes 
 seems to claim quite a number of victims, it is well to 
 have a good supply of a blood purifier and an anti- 
 scorlentic. Lime juice is a good preventive of scurvey 
 and a few bottles will always come in useful. 
 
 POWDER FOR BLASTING. 
 
 In none of the published lists that I have seen has 
 blasting powder been mentioned. My experience, 
 however, assure." me that it would be a great help to 
 the miner, "nd that every outfit ought to have at least 
 two hundred or three h. 'idred pounds, with the 
 necessary hammers and di il- for drilling, as well as a 
 sufficient quantity of f'.i'^e. 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 55 
 
 PREPARE FOR THE MOSQUITOES. 
 
 Read what I have said about the mosquitoes in 
 summer time earlier in these pages, and then decide 
 for yourself. Some use the ordinary mosquito netting, 
 and no doubt all persons will, some time or another, 
 find it useful. Others have had helmets of very fine 
 copper wire netting made to fit over a broad brimmed 
 hat — not too heavy an one — and a black cloth bottom 
 to it which is placed over the chest and shoulders 
 between the undershirt and overshirt. Ir- ^is way 
 perfect freedom of movement is allowed to the head 
 and shoulders, and yet the pest cannot crawl in under- 
 neath the netting. In this matter, however, as in all 
 ethers, each person must decide for himself how to 
 meet the pests. Do not allow yourself to think, 
 though, that the mosquitoes are a trifling matter, to 
 be lightly passed by. As someone has written : " The 
 Yukon mosquito is king of his tribe. He actually 
 hunts and kills bears along that mighty river. This 
 is told and pictured by no less an authority than 
 Lieut. Schwatka in his well-known published account 
 of his exploration of the Yukon a number of years 
 ago. Bears under stress of hunger sometimes come 
 down to the river in mosquito season, and are 
 attacked by swarms of insects, which sting them 
 about the eyes so that they go blind and die of starva- 
 tion. A prominent Yukon miner said that the mos- 
 quito had been known to bite through a thick moose 
 skin mitten." 
 
 PRPCE OF OUTFIT. 
 
 A complete outfit will cost between $750 and $1000. 
 Don't go into that country without at least $500, 
 or more. 
 
56 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 i 
 
 The entire outfit can be obtained in Juneau, where 
 one can be sure of getting just what is needed, without 
 any extra weight, which is a matter of great import- 
 ance, as many hard portages are to be encountered on 
 the trip. Hitherto prices in Juneau have been reason- 
 able. Of course one cannot say what may be the re- 
 sult of the present rush in the way of raising prices. 
 
 These lists ought to give a thoughtful man a fair 
 idea as to what he should take to be safe. I would 
 advise that, at present, these supplies be purchased at 
 Seattle, or inquiries made of reliable parties there to 
 find out whether they can surely be obtained at 
 Juneau. When we purchased, we found the prices 
 for food, clothing and mining supplies about the same 
 at Juneau and Seattle as in San Francisco, and, in 
 purchasing at the former places, the trouble and 
 expense of shipping so far is avoided. Of course it is 
 quite possible that now these things can be purchased 
 on the Klondyke, but prices no doubt would be very 
 high. I bought shovels at Dawson and paid $17.00 
 each for them, and picks at $8.00. 
 
 FRAUDS IN OUTFITTING. 
 
 In making your purchases, be sure and visit some 
 reputable tradesman in whatever city you purchase. 
 Beware of slop-shops, frauds and bogus outfitters. 
 Many a merchant in San Francisco and along Puget 
 Sound is getting rich selling prospective miners bogus 
 outfits, and they might as well steal their victims' 
 money. The poor, green tenderfoot who knows not 
 what he needs, is gathered in and induced to buy a 
 vast amo'.int of goods for which he has no earthly use, 
 and which he will throw away before he crosses the 
 
CLEMENTS^ GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. hi 
 
 pass. The goods are of an inferior quality and the 
 poor fellow is started on the journey in almost as bad 
 a fix as if he had nothing. I suppose there is no way 
 of stopping this traffic, but it will cause untold suifer- 
 ing to hundreds. 
 
 ACTUAL PRICES PAID AT DAWSON CITY. 
 
 The following is a recent list published, giving the 
 
 prices of a general store in Dawson City : 
 
 Flour, per loo pounds |i2 qq 
 
 Moose ham, per pound i o^ 
 
 Caribou meat, per pound 5^ 
 
 Beans, per pound ^^ 
 
 Rice, per pound 
 
 Sugar, per pound ~ 
 
 Bacon, per pound 
 
 Butter, per roll i tq 
 
 Eggs, per dozen ^ 
 
 Better eggs, per dozen 2 00 
 
 Salmon, each j/ to ^ ^^ 
 
 Potatoes, per pound 
 
 Turnips, per pound 
 
 Tea, per pound ^ ^^ 
 
 r^ re I 00 
 
 Cottee, per pound 
 
 Dried fruits, per pound 
 
 Canned fruits . . 
 
 50 
 
 Canned meats 
 
 Lemons, each ^ 
 
 „ 20 
 
 Oranges, each 
 
 Tobacco, per pound j 
 
 Liquors, per drink 
 
 Shovels ^ 
 
 Picks '50 
 
 ' 5 00 
 
58 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 Q,r -«1 oil, per gallon i oo 
 
 Overalls i 50 
 
 Underwear, per suit $5 to 7 50 
 
 Shoes 5 00 
 
 Rubber boots $10 to 15 00 
 
 Another list of prices paid may be useful, as show- 
 ing amounts actually expended in August, 1897, at 
 Circle City, Alaska. This outfit was ordered by C. A. 
 Be van, of Iowa, an experienced miner, and copied by 
 his courtesy, from the original, by Palmer Henderson : 
 
 io sacks flour at $5 % 50 00 
 
 Jiacon, 120 lbs 48 00 
 
 Beans, 2 sks 19 25 
 
 Dried peas i sk., 50 lbs 10 00 
 
 Rice, I sk . , 50 lbs 10 00 
 
 Rolled oats, 5 sks., 50 lbs 5 50 
 
 Sugar, I sk., 50 lbs. 20 00 
 
 Lard, 1 case, 60 lbs 18 00 
 
 Peaches, i bx. , 25 lbs 7 50 
 
 Apples, I bx., 25 lbs 7 50 
 
 Prunes, i bx., 25 lbs 7 50 
 
 Raisins, 2 bxs. , 20 lbs 2 50 
 
 Dried potatoes, i bx., 25 lbs 
 
 Dried onions, 5 cans, 5 lbs. . 5 00 
 
 Dried cabbage, 5 cans, 5 lbs 3 75 
 
 Baking powder, 5 cans, 5 lbs 5 00 
 
 Butter, 25 rolls, 50 lbs 25 00 
 
 Eagle milk, i case 48 lbs 20 00 
 
 Candles, i box, 25 lbs 6 00 
 
 Coffee, 20 lbs 10 00 
 
 Tea, 5 lbs 5 00 
 
 Salt, 2 sks. , 10 lbs i 00 
 
 Pepper, 4 cans, i lb 2 00 
 
 Mustard, 2 cans, i lb 2 00 
 
 v^^\ 
 
OR!" 
 
 CLEMENTS^ GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE, 59 
 
 Mixed pickles, 4 jars, i gal. \^ 
 
 Tomatoes, i case, 72 lbs 
 
 r^ ' 12 00 
 
 Corn, I case, .-« lbs g 
 
 Corned beef, 1:, cans, 24 lbs . .... 5 ^^ 
 
 Sausage, 12 cans, 24 lbs ^ 
 
 Vinegar, 3^ gal. 5 lbs ..'.'. °° 
 
 Maple syrup, % gal. 5 lbs " . .' ^ .^ 
 
 Toilet soap, 12 bars, 6 lbs ' .' ^ ^^ 
 
 Uundry soap, 12 bars, 12 lbs. . . . j 
 
 Matches, 8 bunches ^ 
 
 Seal smoking tobacco, i butt, 10 lbs re ^ 
 
 Oil, 5 gals. 40 lbs ■■■ ^ °° 
 
 2 picks. . . ^ ° 
 
 „ , , 12 GO 
 
 2 shovels 
 
 1 gold pan ^ °° 
 
 2 GO 
 
 ■ 2 pairs gum boots. 
 
 24 OG 
 
 2 pairs overalls . . 
 
 s 00 
 
 1 suit mackinaw. 
 
 ro oG 
 
 SUMMER. 
 
 2 pairs gum boots . . 
 
 , 24 OG 
 
 1 pair shoes 
 
 2 pairs overalls. . 
 
 Hat '^^'^^^^'^'''^^. ' °° 
 
 Mosquito net. . 
 
 3 00 
 
 WTNTKR. 
 
 Caribou or rabbit robe 
 
 Wolf or lynx robe . 1 . 
 
 ^..^^ . ( roG go) 
 
 Mittens, 3 pairs, at $2.50 ^ 
 
 Moccasins, 5 pairs at $1.50 " " ' 
 
 Waterboots, i pair 
 
 Cap .;;; 3°° 
 
 Drill poncho ^ ^° 
 
 Fur poncho '^ °° 
 
 Underwear for year 
 
 ■* 25 GO 
 
 
Tl 
 
 60 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 Diusmore's bedding, including pillow for traveling, 
 weight 6^ pounds, explained my boyhood's wonder 
 how a man could take up his bed and walk. 
 
 From these lists it will be seen that prices vary, and 
 a man must decide for himself when, where and how 
 he will outfit. The state of his purse, his object in 
 going, the length of his stay, the amount of time he 
 can spend going in, and other considerations will 
 influence him in his decisions. I have given my sug- 
 gestions and advice to the ordinary miner, who has 
 money enough to pro ide all be will need for business 
 and comfort. 
 
 DETEniNATION OF ROUTE. 
 
 This is one of the most important matters, and yet 
 one of the most difficult, both to advise about and to 
 decide upon. As my narrative in the earlier pages 
 states I went in by the Chilkoot Pass, and, in spite of 
 all the difficulties and dangers, I am incHned to think 
 it is the best and safest route, as it certainly is the 
 quickest. But each man must decide for himself. 
 When I returned I came down the Yukon to St. 
 Michaels, and, therefore, I am familiar with that way 
 out. These two routes are the only ones I know per- 
 sonally. I will give here, however, a few statements 
 in regard to other routes which, while I do not guar- 
 antee through personal knowledge, I think may be 
 relied upon. 
 
 The wisest plan, however, for the prospective 
 traveler to follow, will be to investigate the condition 
 of the various routes a month or so previous to the 
 date of his starting. Thus he will gain the latest in- 
 formation. The fact that so many people are anxious 
 
CLEMEN7S' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. (U 
 
 to go the Gold Fields, undoubtedly will lead to the 
 improvement of present routes or the opening of new 
 ones before the Spring of 1898, so that descriptions 
 given now of the states of the various routes may be 
 entirely changed by the time my readers are ready 
 to go. 
 
 THE SKAQUAY PASS. 
 
 Last August the Skaguay Pass was impassable. At 
 that time the New York World sent out Sylvester 
 Scovel with full instructions to blast out the pass and 
 make it reasonably accessible. Skaguay, then, was a 
 wretched place, muddy with the continuous rains and 
 crowded with people vainly trying to cross the impass- 
 able mountains. The town was built in a hurry, of 
 rough lumber, tents, and the like, to accommodate 
 these travelers, and is situate near the shore and 
 almost surrounded by high mountains. As one man 
 describes it : " It is in a pit, made by these towering 
 mountains, which break the clouds so that the rain 
 pours upon us in a perfect deluge." 
 
 The same writer, in a letter dated August 28, 1897, 
 thus describes the labor of getting over the pass : 
 "There is a tremendous press of men, horses, mules, 
 donkeys, and bullocks, passing over the trail, or 
 mountains. Two rivers to ford and a terrible bad and 
 muddy pass to get over. Every night some of the 
 men who are packing over the pass come into Skaguay 
 for a day or two of rest. They say it is mighty hard 
 work to pack more than fifty pounds on their back 
 and one hundred and fifty pounds on a horse. For 
 packing over the pass, a distance of six miles, packers 
 receive nine cents per pound. In the first place, they 
 
i t 
 
 62 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 r 
 
 take the baggage and provisions up to the pass, a dis- 
 tance of three miles in carts. These carts are of ho- le 
 construction and resemble small hand carts. Two 
 poles are attached for shafts, between which a horse is 
 hitched. One man, with a pack on his back, leads 
 the animal while another guides the shafts from 
 behind. It is the greatest fun in the place to watch 
 the funny ways in which everyone attempts to have 
 his baggage and stuff taken away or stored in a tent. " 
 
 Mr. R. H. Stretch, a mining engineer of Seattle, 
 thus reported on the Skaguay Trail, after a thirty 
 days' examination. His report is dated September 6, 
 1897: 
 
 "Skaguay Valley was once- occupied by a huge 
 glacier. Near the lower end the rocks are ancient 
 sedimentary or stratified deposits, with innumerable 
 dikes and stringers of granitic aspect, but all the 
 upper portions of the vallej'^ and the summit of the 
 range are nothing but a very coarse granite, without 
 any trace of any structure, but with very strongly- 
 marked nearly horizontal bedding planes, cut by 
 nearly vertical cleavage joints. The action of the ice, 
 which formerly plowed its way down the valley, has 
 ground these rocks to polished surfaces, the vertical 
 faces supporting only a few lichens ; while the hori- 
 zontal benches, before the advent of the gold-seekers, 
 were covered with a thick carpet of moss and lichens, 
 which, though with but a very frail hold on the rocks, 
 gave a sure and satisfactory foothold. 
 
 " In few places are there pebbles or boulders, and 
 but few rock slides, but where these do exist, the in- 
 dividual boulders are so large and massed so irregu- 
 larly that travel over them is more difficult than over 
 the solid unbroken benches. Of earth there is prac- 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 63 
 
 tically none, but in the course of ages a black vegetable 
 deposit has accumulated iu some of the crevices and in 
 potholes along the river bottom. Scrubby timber, 
 spruce, birch and alder, finds a foothold in the crevices, 
 the latter chiefly in the wetter bottoms, and over such 
 material the trail finds its way. 
 
 ' ' Distances from Skaguay are : First crossing of 
 river, one and one-half miles ; end of road, three and 
 one-half miles ; small lake, five miles ; Porcupine 
 Creek, seven and one-half miles ; second crossing of 
 river bridge, eleven and one-half miles; third crossing 
 of river bridge, thirteen and one half miles; fourth cross- 
 ing of river bridge, fourteen and one-half miles ; fifth 
 crossing of river, ford, seventeen and one-half miles; 
 summit, nineteen miles ; Meadows, twenty-six miles ; 
 Lake Bennett, forty- two miles. 
 
 " Five miles out at the lake the elevation is four 
 hundred and sixty feet. The trail quickly ascends to 
 eight hundred and ten feet, then sinks to four hun- 
 dred and seventy at Porcupine Creek. In a short dis- 
 tance the elevation is 1,400, and the patch zigzags 
 down to the second crossing, 1,000 feet elevation. 
 The fourth bridge is 1,400 feet above the vSea, and the 
 trail almost at once goes upward to 2,100 feet. A 
 descent is then made to the ford, 1,800 feet high, and 
 then comes the climb to the summit, an elevation of 
 2,600 feet. From this point to the lakes the trail is 
 not extremely difficult." 
 
 Mr. Stretch says there is no danger to human life in 
 making the trip. 
 
 THE WHITE PASS. 
 
 Five miles below Dyea, at the head of the Lynn 
 Canal, and about eighty-five miles north of Juneau is 
 
 
64 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 Skaguay bay, where the landing is made for the 
 White Pass. This bay is a fine natural harbor, and 
 ships of the largest size can steam into it and find 
 good anchorage. 
 
 From the harbor the trail follows the vSkaguay 
 river to its head, which is near the summit of the 
 pass, a distance of sixteen miles. The first tour miles 
 are in the bed of the river and the ascent is 
 gradual. At four miles the canyon is reached, and 
 here the route becomes more difficult. For seven 
 miles the trail works its way along the mountain side 
 rising steadily for almost the entire distance. This is 
 the only hard part of the route. The next three miles 
 is a gentle rise, and they carry the trail to the summit, 
 an elevation of 2,600 feet above the sea level. The 
 country here broadens out into a valley five miles wide, 
 having a gentle slope to the east. In the twenty miles 
 between the summit and Windy Arm, or Tagish lake, 
 the total descent is only 340 feet. From the summit, 
 valleys also extend to Lindeman lake and Taku arm 
 on Tagish lake. 
 
 CHIL KAT PASS. 
 
 About one hundred and twenty-five miles from the 
 head of the Chilkat Inlet, brings the traveler to the 
 Tahkeena River. " This was the old trail used by the 
 Indians to and from the interior and leads all the way 
 through to old Fort Selkirk by land. Jack Dal ton 
 has used this trail at times in taking horses to the 
 interior, portaging to the Tahkeena, then by raft down 
 that river to the Lewes, thus proving that the Tah- 
 keena is navigable for a small stern-wheel steamer for 
 a distance of some seventy miles." * 
 
 • Kroni Wilsou's Guide to the Yukon, published by the Calvert Co., 
 Seattle. Wash. 
 
Dawson Citv. Alaska. 
 
 St. Michaels, Alaska. 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDIKE, r.5 
 
 THE TAKU ROUTE. 
 
 There has been some talk of a route being under- 
 taken by the Canadian Government to open up the 
 country beyond the Coast Range from Taku, which is 
 full of timber and good grazing land. This route would 
 lead up the Taku Inlet to the Coast Range, thence by 
 a low pass, a distance of about eighty-five miles, to 
 waters running into Lake Teslin; thence across this 
 body of water and down the Hootalinqua River. All 
 the dangerous places encountered on the Chilkoot 
 route, as Windy Arm, the Grand Canyon, the White 
 Horse Rapids, etc, would be avoided by following this 
 route, except the Five Finger Rapids, which, as I have 
 shown, need not be greatly feared. 
 
 THE STICKINE RIVER ROUTE. 
 
 Another route is the proposed Stickine River route, 
 somewhat similar to the Taku route, which one writer 
 speaks most highly of. By this route one would 
 go to Fort Wrangle from Seattle or San Fran- 
 cii^co, theice up the Stickine River, a distance 
 of one hundred and forty miles to Telegraph 
 Creek. From this point an overland journey of ninety 
 miles must be made to the head of Lake Teslin, and 
 thence down the Hootalinqua to the Yukon. 
 
 THE COPPER RIVER ROUTE- 
 
 1 have been asked many questions about this route 
 and the following is all the information I am able to 
 give. This I have gleaned in conversation, mainly 
 with the Indians and traders. The statement has 
 been made that the Indians do not desire the white 
 
m CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLQNDYKE. 
 
 man in their lerritory, and confirmation is offered in 
 the shape of a tragic story of three or four prospectors 
 having been murdered by them. But on questioning 
 the Indians they repudiate the idea of their having 
 caused the death of a single white man, and say they 
 want the white miners to go and have a trading post 
 established. Thev bring in big chunks of copper that 
 seem as if cut from a large brdy with an axe, and they 
 say there is " Hi-u " — plenty of it, as well as " Hi-u 
 Gold." They offer to guide white men to the de- 
 posits. There is an Indian trail across from Forty-Mile 
 Post to the head of Copper River. 
 
 From Lt. Allen's Reconaissance of the Copper River, 
 made to the Secretary of War, in 1885, I learn that 
 it would be impossible for any party to go to the 
 Klondyke by this route depending upon the river as 
 a means of traveling. In a number of places boats 
 would have to be totally abandoned, long and ardu- 
 ous portages made, passes climbed and new boat.s 
 built for a continuation of the trip. No person should 
 attempt this route until he has read L,t. Allen's report. 
 
 HACKENZIE RIVER ROUTE. 
 
 The Chicago Inter-Ocean of September 14, 1897, 
 contained a map with description of a route which 
 might be taken from Calgary, a point on the Canadian 
 Pacific main line, connecting with Edmonton, a town 
 at the terminus of a small branch line. By this route 
 one would go by wagon trom Edmoi.ton — a four day's 
 journey — to Athabasca, landing on the Athabasca 
 River. From this point ^ae trip can be made the whole 
 way by water — with the exception r '" a few short 
 
CLEMKXTS' GUIDE TO THE KLOXDYKE. kM 
 
 portages, — down the Atliabaska, Slave and Mackenzie 
 Riv'ers to where the Porcupine flows very near. Here 
 a half mile portage transfers the boats from the Mac- 
 kenzie to the Porcupine, and four hundred miles down 
 this river brings one to Foi ; Yukon, o'l the Yukon 
 River, where Dawson City, though three hundred 
 miles away, seems very near. This route is 3,000 
 miles from Athabasca, but is recommended as a safe, 
 convenient and pleasant route at all seasons of the 
 year. To one contemplating journeying this way the 
 better plan would be to write to the Inter-Ocean, Chi- 
 cago, and ask for the latest particulars in regard to it. 
 
 THE YUKON RIVER ROUTR. 
 
 This is the easiest of all the routes, but it is the 
 longest way around, and it can only be taken after the 
 ice has left the mouth of the river in June. From San 
 Kranci.sro to St. Michaels, a small island in the 
 Behring Sea, is 2,871 miles ; from Seattle 2,174 miles, 
 and iVom Juneau 2,150 miles. Then from St. 
 Michaels up the Yukon is about 1897 miles. St. 
 Michaels is not at the mouth of the Yukon, as .so 
 many people imaginCi but is north of it. For many 
 years it has been a trading post, the Alaska Commer- 
 cial Company having an establishment there, and the 
 North American Trading and Transportation Com- 
 pany also. Both companies carry large and well 
 selected stocks of goods, the former being the old 
 trading company, and the latter the new and progres- 
 sive company, whose river boats, the P. B. Weare, 
 John Cudahy, C I[. Hamilton, J. J. Healy, T. C. 
 Power, and Klondyke will convey passengers from 
 St. Michaels to the Klondyke region as soon as the 
 
68 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 4. 
 
 Spring of 1898 opens. The Alaska Commercial Com- 
 pany also has its boats, one of which, the Arctic has 
 done good service on the Yukon for some years. The 
 trip from St. Michaels to the mouth of the Yukon is 
 very interesting. "Many noted points are passed 
 and active volcanoes seen. Wild fowl, fur seal, wal- 
 rus and whale can be observed from the ship's deck 
 almost any day. The curio seeker can reap a rich 
 harvest, for few who visit this country have time or 
 inclination to indulge in the collection of specimens. 
 The Indians about St. Michaels are very ingenious 
 and industrious."* They have great faculty in carving 
 ivory upon which all the events of their lives are 
 vividly portrayed. ' .' 
 
 TH»2 CHILKOOT PASS. 
 
 This, though the shortest pass to traverse, is the 
 highest, being one thousand feet higher than any of 
 the others. It is the pass, however, I prefer, and by 
 which I expect to return to the gold fields. Starting 
 at Dyea, where the North American Trading and 
 Transportation Compa y has a large store, it follows 
 the Dyea river for about eight miles. Then it enters 
 the canyon, which is followed up to Sheep Camp, 
 This is on the timber line and from there on to the 
 summit the scene is one of extreme desolation. No 
 vvjgetation of any kind can be seen for miles around 
 the summit, and glaciers abound. The total length 
 of the trail from Dyea to Lake Lindeman is about 
 twenty-five miles. The complete journey by this 
 route has already been outlined in my personal narra- 
 tive and will be still further explained in the following 
 pages. 
 
 ♦ From Wilson's Giiiile to the Yukon. 
 
CLHME.Xry CI' IDE TO THE KI.ONDYKE. G!) 
 
 WHEN TO START. 
 
 
 T4 
 1 L 
 
 It is an important matter to decide when to start. 
 
 is a common thing to read of people haviii«: to 
 W'iit at Sheep Camp a month for an opportunity to 
 cross the summit. James Brownhe thinks the best 
 time to leave San Francisco is early in February, or 
 not later than the middle of the month, arriving at 
 Sheep Camp early in March, when there ought to be 
 no difficulty in getting over the Pass. But .seasons 
 differ, and in one year March might be the best pos- 
 sible time, and another, the worst. But certain it is 
 that in the dead of winter it is almost suicide to 
 attempt to cross the pass, and in the late Spring the 
 thaw .sets in and makes traveling dangerous from 
 avalanches and such accidents as the one recently 
 described in the newspapers as occi\rriug at Sheep 
 Camp by a fall of snow, boulders and ice. 
 
 In summer the heat is so inten.se and the boulders 
 and tree roots so difficult to get over that it is not 
 wise to attempt the trip at this season. 
 
 Another advantage of an early spring start is that 
 the lakes and streams are nearly all frozen over. 
 This makes sledding possible for many miles in cro.ss- 
 ing the lakes before the open water is reached, and 
 this is generally much easier than rowing, especially 
 when the wind is so that a sail can be hoisted. 
 
 Therefore, to tho.se who wi.sh to go over the Chil- 
 koot Pass I would say : Start .so as to reach Sheep 
 Camp some time in March— the earlier in the month 
 the better ; and to those who wish lO go down the 
 Yukon from St. Mif^hriels : Start en the steamer that 
 will connect with the first river lH)at, but don't lie 
 
70 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO Til 11 KLONDYKE. 
 
 disappointed if you have to wait awhile for the break- 
 ing up of the ice. 
 
 The starting time for the other routes must be 
 determined by circumstances, if there are any of my 
 readers who contemplate going by any one of them 
 
 THE STAJ^T. 
 
 
 Outfit provided or arranged for, route determined 
 upon, ticket ol)tained, the traveler is ready for the 
 journey. 
 
 It is my purpose under this heading to give my reader 
 something to occupy his mind while on the steamer, 
 and thus help to relieve the monotony of an ocean 
 journey. 
 
 A caution or two may not be out of place and a 
 little information in regard to the mineral resources of 
 the Yukon region, the game to be found and the min- 
 ing laws in existence will enable the traveler better 
 to understand the country than if he arrives there 
 without this knowledge. 
 
 It is well to avoid forming fast associations or part- 
 nerships on the journey with strangers of whom you 
 know nothing. Wait until you have some knowledge 
 of the character of a man before you associate your- 
 self with him in any undertaking. There will be lots 
 of sharpers and rogues going to the Klondyke as soon 
 as spring opens, and they will be on the lookout for 
 every person they can victimize. So a little caution 
 will not be exercised in vain. 
 
 i 
 
CLEMENTS' CVIDE TO THE k'LOXDVk'E. 71 
 
 BOr-JS niNINQ CLAinS. 
 
 Another thing it is well for every man to beware o^ 
 and to have well fixed in mind. Beware of bop^vis 
 mining claims. The sharper with the alleged mining 
 stock for sale is getting in his work and many a mm 
 who cannot go to Alaska is parting witli his money 
 for shares of stock in mines which have no existence. 
 Of course there are many of the claims which have 
 been sold which are really worth the money and more, 
 but I would say to a prospective purchaser. Be care- 
 ful. Bu}' from a reputable, responsible person, if at 
 all. Don't gobble up cheap stock, either before you 
 start, on the way, or after you arrive at the Klondyke 
 Know what you are doing before you part with a 
 cent, or agree either verbally or in writing to make 
 any purchase. A little delay, and a little extra cau- 
 tion will certainly not do any harm and it may save 
 the impulsive and unwary man from being swindled 
 of all he has, by unprincipled sharpers. 
 
 TRADING COnPANIES. 
 
 The Alaska Commercial Company and the North 
 American Trading and Transportation Company, at 
 present occupy the field. But there will undoubtedly 
 be a great opening for large companie;. if the gold 
 regions con titiue to give forth their precious metal. If 
 companies of great financial strength should engage 
 in bu.sniess, they could soon command a large and 
 profitable trade, as competition is always healthy and 
 desirable. 
 
72 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 I ■ 
 
 THE FORMATION OF MINING COMPANIES. 
 
 The mining laws of the Northwest Territory of 
 Canada are not favorable to organizations formed for 
 working claims, as each miner is not only allowed but 
 one claim in each district, but, should he dispose of 
 this one, he cannot locate another one in the same dis- 
 trict in the future. The area of the districts varies, 
 the size depending mostly on adaptable natural boun- 
 daries, such as mountain chains, rivers and creeks. 
 
 THE MINERAL RESOURCES. 
 
 Of the gold resources of the Klondyke region much 
 has been written and much more .said. There is no 
 doubt that the country contains vast quantities of 
 gold, as yet uncovered. 
 
 There are large areas that have never yet been pros- 
 pected both on the American and the Canadian sides, 
 and many men will be as fortunate as we have been. 
 But it is almost equally certain that many will pros- 
 pect in vain. 
 
 Gold, however, is not the only mineral resource of 
 the Klondyke region and of Alaska in general. As I 
 have said, in speaking of the Copper River Route, 
 there are wonderful deposits of copper all through 
 that region, and in many parts of Alaska. The vast 
 demand for this metal makes copper properties almost 
 as valuable as gold, if the deposit is rich aiid easily 
 accessible. Hence some wise prospector will devote 
 his time and attention to copper, and gain just as 
 much wealth as if he prospected for the more valuable 
 metal. 
 
 The coal deposits of Alaska arc destined ere long 
 
 ! I 
 
 
CLEMENTS' CriDE TO THE KI.ONDYk'E. 78 
 
 to be exceedingly valuable to the Pacific Coast. There 
 are vast beds, and the country itself, with its fast in- 
 creasing population, can use up a large amount. Few 
 people are aware that on Kl Dorado Creek 'he wood 
 used in thawing out our ground cost us about $300 a 
 cord. Imagine the value coal would have to us 
 with wood at such a price, and as the raining regions 
 increase in size the demand for coal as fuel will 
 become imperious. Hence money is to be made by 
 some one in controling and distributing the coal of 
 the country. 
 
 Of the iron, platinum and otlie*" valuable minerals, 
 various reports are made, and it is unquestionable that, 
 some day, the va.st deposits that exist will be utilized- 
 
 THE QAHE OF THE YUKON. 
 
 "g 
 
 As yet, the whole Yukon basin is almost a virgin 
 field for the hunter. The few Indians of the region 
 do not kill the game as fast as it increases, so that the 
 hunter and fisherman have good prospects of fine sport 
 ahead of them. The moose is abimdant. In summer 
 some of them have a wonderful spread of horns and 
 grow to a weight of 1,500 pounds. When fat its flesh 
 is always tender and palatable, and as it is not a 
 dainty eater, and can obtain food even in the deep 
 snow time, it is generally fat, even in the early spring. 
 The skins are coarse and l^rown when tanned, and are 
 used '.)y the Indians for gloves, moccasins and cloth- 
 ing and even for their lodges. The moose, unlike 
 other ruminants, is a fighter, and the female, single- 
 handed, will protect her young from a whole pack of 
 wolves, and the bull, in the fall, is an ugly customer, 
 even for the hunter to tackle. 
 
74 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 From that admirable and reliable work, V. Wilson's 
 Guide to the Yukon, published by the Calvert Com- 
 pany, Seattle, and that every traveler to this region 
 should possess, I extract the following information in 
 regard to the game and fish of the Yukon : 
 
 " The woodland caribou is found throughout the 
 lake and upper river country. It averages nearly 
 twice the size of the barren land caribou or reindeer 
 and its habits are also quite different. It never mi- 
 grates toward the north in summer, but travels directly 
 the opposite way. The caribou here have great pow- 
 ers of endurance, and can trot at a gait equal to that 
 of the; best horse. In deep snow it is almost useless 
 to pursue them, their wide, flat hoofs and the manner 
 in which they spread them, enabling them to 
 keep quite on top of the snow. They are much more 
 stronglj'^ built than the barren land caribou and the 
 horns are much stronger and rounder. This species 
 is almost untamable and shows no inclination to work 
 like their cousins in the Bald hills. 
 
 "The barren land caribou or arctic reindeer, 
 altogether different from the woodland caribou, occu- 
 pies the barren hills near the Arctic circle, where food 
 is so scarce that it is constantly on the move, having 
 to migrate to the south in winter. In the severest 
 winters its range is many hundred miles in that direc- 
 tion. While it and the woodland caribou were origi- 
 nally of one species, its mode of living differs so 
 widely from its cousin that its habits and appearance 
 have changed until it can no longer be considered a 
 very near relative to the noble monarch of the woods, 
 that leads a life of perfect idleness and plenty in the 
 rich, pine-clad lands to the south. It is not to be 
 wondered that with their decrease in size their manner 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYk'E. 75 
 
 and temper have also changed, and that, with a little 
 coaxing, they readily become beasts of burden. When 
 the time comes for the dogs to give way to their more 
 favored successors, everybody in this great country 
 will rejoice. The past five winters about Forty-Mile 
 Creek have been unusually severe, and great herds 
 have ranged further south than usual. It is estimated 
 that no less than five thousand were killed last year in 
 this vicinity. The herds are reported to numl)er hun- 
 dreds of thousands. Their horns, which are counted 
 by the hundreds on the Bald Hills, are more slender 
 and have a much greater spread than the woodland 
 caribou ; thus causing them little difficulty in ranging 
 the sparsely wooded country. All are provided with 
 the snow shovel, reaching quite down to the point of 
 the nose, to assist them in procuring the reindeer 
 moss and lichens in the country they inhabit. This 
 is undoubtedly the reason why the female as well 
 as the male, is provided with antlers. The 
 endurance of these animals, if not over estimated, 
 is wonderful, and the ease with which they make long 
 journeys through deep snow or over the soggy moss 
 of this country would well fit them for the sleigh or 
 freighter. 
 
 " There are many species of bear in Alaska, and 
 probably the St. Elias grizzly attains a greater size 
 than any other bear in the world. If he is not a 
 fighter he is certainly not a coward. This bear is 
 found in the St. Elias Alps and many of the ranges of 
 Alaska, but is more common in the high ranges of 
 mountains east of the Yukon River, below Sixty-Mile 
 Creek. On the Klondyke River they are so numerous 
 as to prevent the Indians from hunting there when 
 fish are plenty. This bear, like the whole bear family. 
 
76 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 is a great fish eater. It is during the fish season only 
 that this bear leaves its haunts in the high mountains 
 for the lowlands. It likes variety and is more of a 
 meat eater than its less dignified brother, the brown 
 bear. Several men who have come in contact with 
 this bear remember it to the extent of a leg or arm, 
 and even think themselves lucky to escape with their 
 lives. Some of the skins of this bear are enormous in 
 size, and one skull I examined was beyond compari- 
 son with anything in the bear line I have ever seen. 
 The St. Elias grizzly when young looks almost white 
 at a distance.' It stands higher than other bear and is 
 wary, even in this remote region, beyond any animal 
 I have ever hunted. On the other hand, the brown 
 and black bear of this region are easily approached, 
 and especially when nosing along the banks of streams 
 searching for food. In one case we actually ran our 
 boat within thirty feet of one on a clear morning, 
 while our portable stove was yet burning, having 
 cooked breakfast in the boat. 
 
 "Mountain Goat. — This animal, while probably 
 smaller than the Rocky mountain goat further south, 
 is identical. Its weight will average, perhaps, one 
 hundred pounds, and both sexes have horns. Its 
 home is on the cloud-swept peaks, surrounded by 
 Nature's solitudes, and it seems most content in its 
 gloomy surroundings, where the thunderbolt goes 
 crashing down the rugged sides of the canypn, or 
 where the steeps are swept by the mighty avalanche. 
 Its coat is well adapted to its rugged home. Under 
 the long outer hair a fleecy wool protects it in its 
 wonderful leaps from rock to rock. Its legs are 
 straight and stiff and its horns are black. The pelt 
 makes fine robes and is much prized by the Indians. 
 
 M\ 
 
CLEMENTS' (iUIDE 10 THE k/.0\/))hE. 77 
 
 Mountain Shkkt. — This jinimal is found through- 
 out Alaska, being more numerous in the Coast range 
 of mountains than in the interior. It attains a much 
 hirger size than the goat, and a ram may often he 
 found weighing three hundred pounds. It is among 
 the wariest of all hoofed game of the American con- 
 tinent. It is hardly worth the time and trouble that 
 is usually consumed in .securing it. Its coat is of 
 light gray color and some hunters claim a great deli- 
 cacy for its flesh. 
 
 Lynx.-— The North American lynx is abundant 
 throughout the upper river and lake country. It 
 probably attains a larger size there than in any other 
 part of the continent. It is easily trapped and any 
 rifle kills it readily. Although large and strong, its 
 tenacity of life is far below all other species of the cat 
 family. The pelt is finely furred and makes excellent 
 robes. Its principal food is the rabbit, which abounds 
 throughout that country. Its legs and feet are large 
 and powerful and well covered with hair, giving it 
 rather a clumsy appearance which turns to one of 
 ludicrousness when frightened. At such times the 
 short, stubbed tail stands erect, the back is arched, 
 and with whiskers standing straight out it makes off 
 by a succession of spasmodic jumps in a way that 
 often totally disconcerts even the old hunter. 
 
 WoL"«ES. — Alaska, like all of North America, is 
 more or less inhabitated by wolves. The gray timber 
 wolf of average size is found there. It is so wary as 
 to be seldom seen by man. It has all the cunning of 
 the fox and like all varieties is a coward, except 
 when found in great numbers. In the interior they 
 are numerous. In parts of the Coast country they 
 exist in such numbers that no deer are found on the 
 
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78 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 'I 
 
 main land along the whole coast, although the islands 
 are exceedingly well stocked with them. 
 
 Wolverine. — This animal is probably more plenti- 
 ful throughout the upper river and lake sections than 
 any other part of the world. Its peculiar habits and 
 singular appearance are little known even to most 
 naturalists. I cannot recall ever having seen it in 
 captivity. The body is heavy and covered with long 
 hair and fur much prized by the Indians as trimming 
 for their winter garments. Its legs, although short, 
 do not prevent it from making long journeys through 
 deep snow. As there is scarcely any limit to its food 
 capacity, it is continually on the move, yet so wary 
 ard careful that it is seldom .seen. 
 
 Fish. — While the salmon is by far the most im- 
 portant fish of the Yukon there are many varieties of 
 fine fish, the ever cold water keeping their flesh hard 
 and palatable at all seasons of the year. Probably 
 next to the salmon in importance comes the white 
 fish, of which there are several varieties, some reach- 
 ing a good size. They are found throughout almost 
 the entire river basin , 
 
 Lake trout of good size are found everywhere in the 
 lake country. A species of fish known to the miner 
 as lake cod, is also found in the lakes. It seems to be 
 a cross between the salmon and white fish, having 
 characteristics of each. It is of good size and rises 
 readily to a troll. Throughout the summ*. " months 
 landlock salmon, similar to those of Maine and Canada, 
 abound in the lakes. Grayling or arctic trout is 
 found in the rivers. It rises readily to a fly, the small 
 black being the best. A small piece of black thread 
 fastened around the hook will answer the purpose. 
 They frequent the mouths of small streams and falls 
 

 79 
 
 a"ci are found in o-re^. , , 
 
 and Whffp w^ ^ "umbers aboiit fi.« 
 
 wiiite Horse rapids. Pij,. ,, ^ ^^^ canyons 
 
 ^^e lower Hver, while the su ker Tf "T'^^"'^ ^'^^"t 
 Mii.ers provided with gin "T/^ f""^ everywhere. 
 "Starving. Along the rf "^^^ ^^^^^^^^ no fenr of 
 
 :;^f«" ^---h'^t r L;r.:;^- ;« the ^ 
 
 -"Bcent to ,.st tbrou^aout The ,w:tr ? " =• '^""P'^- 
 
 '",W,^a t,^S OP THE VCKON. 
 
 ^ollowinp- are n tj ^ 
 
 Koverntnent : "™^'-in-council of th« r- . 
 
 "le Dominion 
 
 'Bard/ ■ "'^"PRETAT.ON. 
 
 . ^^i"er' shall mean . 
 C'aiu] 'shall mean fi,« 
 
 "•edgings IS made ^'^^ ^"^ grant of such 
 
 -"^egal post ' shalJ 
 
 ; "' °''°'- ^l-o™! or raced to t^ab ;"".'"' ""■ ''"'P <"■ 
 ."^ ose season ■ sl,alj ,„e.,„ m '" '""«'" •■""1 »fae 
 
 ii-nfied. The period to be 
 
 
80 CLEMENTS' GLIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 fixed by the gold commissioner in whose district the claim is 
 situated. 
 
 ' Ivocality ' shall mean the territory along a river (tributary of 
 the Yukon river) and its affluents. 
 
 • Mineral ' shall include all minerals whatsoever other than 
 coal. 
 
 NATURE AND SIZE OF CLAIMS. 
 
 1. ' Bar diggings,' a strip of land loo feet wide at high water 
 mark and thence extending into the river to its lowest water 
 level. 
 
 2. The sides of a claim for bar digging shall be two parallel 
 lines run as nearl)* as possible at right angles to the stream, 
 and shall be marked by four legal posts, one at each end of the 
 claim at or about the edge of the water. One of the posts at 
 high water mark shall be legally marked with the name of the 
 miner and the date upon which the claim was staked. 
 
 3. Dry diggings shall be 100 feet square and shall have 
 placed at each of its four corners a legal post, upon one of 
 which shall be legally marked the name of the miner and the 
 date upon which the claim was staked. 
 
 4. Creek and river claims shall be 500 feet long, measured 
 in the direction of the general course of the stream, and .shall 
 extend in width from base to base of the hill or bench on each 
 side, but when the hills or benches are less than 100 feet apart 
 the claim may be 100 feet in depth. The sides of the claim 
 shall be two parallel lines run as nearly as possible at right 
 angles to the stream. The sides shall be marked with legal 
 posts at or about the edge of the water and at the rear boun- 
 daries of the claim. One of the legal posts at the stream shall 
 be legibly marked with the nam2 of the miner and the date 
 upon which the claim was staked. 
 
 5. Bench claims shall be 100 feet square. 
 
 6. In defining the size of claims they shall be measured 
 horizontally, irrespective of inequalities on the surface of the 
 ground. 
 
 7. If any person or per'' >ns .shall discover a new mine and 
 such discovery shall be established to the satisfaction of the 
 gold commissioner, a claim for bar diggings 750 feet in length 
 may be granted. 
 
m 
 
Kn Route from Circle City to the Mines. 
 
 P^.'.'HiSi.iSi-aSi': 
 
 Cabin at Kortv-Mile Post, Alaska. 
 
CLEMENTS^ GUIDE TO ta^c- 
 
 A new stratum of anWf^ 
 locality where fh« , f""ferous earth or travel v 
 
 ^o- In the event of t?,^ i_ 
 
 ^^- -entry shall not be Lnte^ r ' '" ^^'^ "^^^«^-- 
 
 been staked by the aonHn ? ^""^ ^ ^^aJ«i which h. 
 
 a»'a„„„1.u;;7f;7Jf*;5 3ha,l be charged the (i.t year a„d 
 
 a«- a forfeiture of ,he'd,S*^ "'"'■"'-'« "^ "'^ clai„,7aa,l 
 
 ever, year, .He e„.:;l:'LCpT^ '^^;;,»is,e. tfrepS 
 
 '5. No miner shall receive a • 
 
 e'a.m i„ the san,e local rte'r"' <"»'°--e "-an one mi„i„^ 
 
 "rr::oirir^~.-»-T.x 
 f:^z-'- - » - Of r it;rr t-eii 
 
 ""^""""^"'"-"'— .ort.a,eorai,„.eof j 
 
 4 
 
82 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 his or their claims, provided such disposal be registered with, 
 and a fee of two dollars paid to the gold commissioner, who 
 shall thereupon give the assignee a certificate in form ' J ' in the 
 schedule hereto. 
 
 17. Every miner shall, during the continuance of his grant, 
 have the exclusive right of entry upon his own claim, for the 
 miner-like working thereof, and the construction of a residence 
 thereon, and shall be entitled exclusively to all the proceeds 
 realized therefrom ; but he shall have no surface rights therein; 
 and the gold commissioner may grant to the holders of adjacent 
 claims such right of entry thereon as may be absolutel)' neces- 
 sary for the working of their claims, upon such terms as may 
 to him seem reasonable. He may also grant permits to miners 
 to cut timber thereon for their own use, upon payment of the 
 dues prescribed by the regulations in that behalf 
 
 18. Every miner shall be entitled to the use of so much of 
 the water naturally flowing through or past his claim, and not 
 already lawfully appropriated, as shall, in the opinion of the 
 gold commissioner, be necessary for the due working thereof ; 
 and shall be entitled to drain his own claim free of charge. 
 
 19. A claim shall be deemed to be abandoned and open to 
 occupation and entry by any person when the same shall have 
 remained unworked on working days by the grantee thereof or 
 by some person on his behalf for the space of seventy-two 
 hours, unless sickness or other reasonable cause be shown to 
 the satisfaction of the gold commissioner, or unless the grantee 
 is absent on leave given by the commissioner, and the gold 
 commissioner upon obtaining evidence satisfactory to himself 
 that this provision is not being complied with may cancel the 
 entry given for a claim. 
 
 20. If the land upon which a claim has been located is not 
 the property of the crown it will be necessary for the person 
 who applied for entry to furnish proof that he has acquired 
 from the owner of the land the surface rights before entry can 
 be granted. 
 
 21. If the occupier of the lands has not received the patent 
 therefor, the purchase money of the surface rights must be paid 
 to the crown, and a patent of the surface rights will issue to the 
 party who acquired the mining rights. The money so cvHected 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. H:^ 
 
 ! ■ 
 
 will either be refunded to the occupier of the laud, when he is 
 entitled to a patent therefor, or will be credited to him on 
 account of payment for land. 
 
 22. When the party obtaining the mining rights to lands 
 cannoi make an arrangement with the owner or his agent or 
 the occupant thereof for the acquisition of his surface rights, it 
 shall be lawful for him to give notice to the owner or his agent 
 or the occupier to appoint an arbitrator to act with another 
 arbitrator named by him, in order to award the amount of com- 
 pensation to which the owner or occupant shall be entitled. 
 The notice mentioned in this section shall be according to a 
 form to be obtained upon application from the gold commis- 
 sioner for the district in which the lands in question lie, and 
 shall, when practicable, be personally served on such owner, or 
 his agent, if known, or occupant ; and after reasonable efforts 
 have been made to effect personal service, without success, then 
 such notice shall be served by leaving at, or sending by regi.s- 
 tered letter to, the last place of abode of the owner, agent or 
 occupant. Such notice shall be served on the owner or agent 
 within a period to be rixed by the gold commissioner before the 
 expiration of the time limited in such notice. If the proprietor 
 refuses or declines to appoint an arbitrator, or when, for any 
 other reason, no arbitrator is appointed by the proprietor in the 
 time limited therefor in the notice provided for by this section, 
 the gold commissioner for the district in which the lands 
 in question He, shall, on being satisfied by aflSdavit that such 
 notice has come to the knowledgeof such owner, agent or occu- 
 pant, or that such owner, agent or occupant wilfully evades the 
 service of such notice, or cannot be found, and that reasonable 
 efforts have been made to effect such service, and that the notice 
 was left at the last place of abode of such owner, agent or occu- 
 pant, appoint an arbitrator on his behalf. 
 
 23. (a) All the arbitrators appointed under the authority of 
 these regulations shall be sworn before a justice of the peace to 
 the impartial discharge of the duties assigned to them, and they 
 shall forthwith proceed to estimate the reasonable damages 
 which the owner or occupant of such lands, according to their 
 several interests therein, shall sustain by reason of such pros- 
 pecting and mining operations. 
 
 {b') In estimating such damages, the arbitrators shall deter- 
 
 ii 
 
 iH^! 
 
 !■; 
 
 i ; !!!• 
 
 -■ ■ ■ ii-'-rr""rr.ti?niir;iN'-Ba't3;Ciimrnr"fi."i 
 
81 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 mine the value of the land irrespectively of any enhancement 
 therefrom from the existence of minerals therein. 
 
 (c) In case such arbitrators cannot agree, they may select a 
 third arbitrator, and when two arbitrators cannot agree upon a 
 third arbitrator, the gold commissioner for the district in which 
 the lands in question lie shall select such third arbitrator. 
 
 [d) The award of any two such arbitrators made in writing 
 shall be final, and shall be filed with the gold commissioner for 
 the district in which the lands lie. 
 
 In any cases arising for which no provision is made in these 
 regulations, the provisions of the regulations governing the 
 disposal of mineral lands other than coal lands, approved by 
 his excellency the governor in council on the 9th of November 
 1896, shall apply. 
 
 Form H. — Application for grant for Placer Mining and 
 Affidavit of Applicant. 
 
 I, [or we], of hereby apply under the 
 
 Dominion Mining Regulations, for a grant of a claim for placer 
 mining, as defined in the said regulations, in [Here 
 
 describe locality] and I [or we] solemely swear : 
 
 I . That I [or we] have discovered therein a deposit of [here 
 name the metal or mineral.] 
 
 1, That I [or we] am [or are] to the best of my [or our] 
 knowledge and belief, the first discoverer [or discovers] of said 
 deposit ; or 
 
 3. That the said claim was previously granted to [here name 
 the last grantee], but has remained unworked by the said 
 grantee for not less than 
 
 4. That I [or we] am [or are] unaware that the land is other 
 than vacant Dominion land. 
 
 5. That I [or we] did, on the day of mark out on 
 the ground in accordance in every particular with the provis- 
 ions of the mining regulations for the Yukon river and its 
 tributaries, the claim for which I [or we] make this applica- 
 tion, and that in so doing I [or we] did not iucroach on any 
 other claim or mining location previously laid out by any other 
 person. 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 85 
 
 6. That the said claim contains, as nearly as I [or we] could 
 measure or estimate, an area of square feet, and that the 
 description, (and sketch, if any), of this date hereto attached, 
 signed by me [or us] sets [or set] forth in detail, to the best of 
 my [or our] knowledge and ability, its position, form and 
 dimensions, 
 
 7. That I [or we] make this application in good faith, to 
 acquire the claim for the sole purpose of mining, to be prose- 
 cuted by myself [or us] or by myself and associates, or by my 
 [or our] assigns. 
 
 Sworn to before me at this day of 18 
 
 [Signature.] 
 
 I. 
 
 No. 
 
 Form I. — Grant for Placer Mining. 
 
 Department of the Interior. 
 
 Agency, 18 
 
 In consideration of the payment of five dollars, being the fee 
 required by the provisions of the Dominion Mining E.egulations, 
 clauses four and twenty, by (A. B.) of , accompany- 
 
 ing his [or their] application No. dated 18 , for a mining 
 claim in [here insert description of locality.] 
 
 The Minister of the Interior hereby grants to the said 
 (A. B.) , for the term of one year from the date hereof, the 
 exclusive right of entry upon the claim [here describe in 
 
 detail the claim granted] for the miner-like working thereof 
 and the construction of a residence thereon, and the exclusive 
 right to all the proceeds realized therefrom. 
 
 The said (A. B.) shall be entitled to the use of so much 
 of the water naturally flowing through or past his [or their] 
 claim, and not already lawfully appropriated, as shall be neces- 
 sary for the due working thereof, and to drain his [or their] 
 claim free of charge. 
 
 This grant does not convey to the said (A. B.) any sur- 
 face rights in the said claim, or any right of ownership in the 
 soil covered by the said claim ; and the said grant shall lapse 
 and be forfeited unless th*^ claim is continuously and in good 
 laith worked by the said (A. B.) or his [or their] asso- 
 ciates. 
 
 The rights hereby granted are those laid down in the afore- 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 1 V ; 
 
 
 
 % 
 
 4:. 
 
 
 
 ,'-;i "life 
 
 'rn-r-mTrii i iia,i.',ii)Mi 
 
86 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYA'E. 
 
 said mining regulations, and no more, and are subject to all the 
 provisions of said regulations, whether the same are expressed 
 herein or not, 
 [Signed.] Gold Commissioner. 
 
 Form J. — Certificate of the Assie^nineut of a Plaor Mining 
 
 Claim. 
 
 No. 
 
 Department of the Interior. 
 
 Agency, i8 
 
 This is to certify that (B. C.) of has [or have] 
 
 filed an assignment in due form dated i8 , and accom- 
 
 panied by a registration fee of tv/o dollars, of the grant to 
 (A. B.) of o'" the right to mine in [insert descrip- 
 
 tion of claim] for one year from the i8 . 
 
 This certificate entitles the said (B. C.) to all the 
 
 rights and privileges of the said (A. B.) in respect 
 
 of the claim assigned, that is to say, to the exclusive right of 
 entry upon the said claim for the miner-like working thereof 
 and the construction of a residence thereon, and the exclusive 
 right to all the proceeds realized therefrom, for the remaiirng 
 portion of the year for which the said claim was granted to the 
 said (A. B.) , that is to say, until the 
 
 day of 1 8 . 
 
 The said (B. C.) shall be entitled to the use of so 
 
 much ot the water naturally flowing through or past his [or 
 their] claim and not already lawfully appropriated, as shall be 
 necessary for the due working thereof, and to drain the claim 
 free of charge. 
 
 This grant does not convey to the said (B. C.) any 
 
 surface rights in the said claim, or any right of ownership in 
 the soil covered by the said claim ; and the said grant shall 
 lapse and be forfeited unless the claim is continuously, and in 
 good faith worked by the said (B. C.) or his [or their] 
 
 associates. 
 
 The rights hereby granted are those laid down in the Domin- 
 ion Mining Regulations, and no more, and are subject to all the 
 provisions of the said regulations, whether the same are ex- 
 pressed herein or not. 
 
 Gold Commissioner. 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 87 
 
 UNITED STATES LAWS. 
 
 ii' 
 
 !!! 
 
 The following syiiop.sis of the United States Mining 
 Laws was prepared for the Chicago T'mes-Herald, by- 
 Mr. Charles M. Walker, and will be ireful to those 
 who wish to settle on the United Spates side of the 
 boundary line : 
 
 PLACER CLAIM DEFIN^.D. 
 
 " The term ' placer claim,' as defined by the supreme court 
 of the United States, is : 'Ground within defined boundaries 
 which contains mineral In its earth, sand or gravel ; ground 
 that includes valuable deposits not in place, that is, not fixed 
 in rock, but which are in a loose state, and may in most cases 
 be collected by washing or amalgamation without milling.' 
 
 Size of Quartz and Filacer Claims. — The manner of 
 locating placer mining claims differs from that of locating 
 claims upon veins or lodes. In locating a vein or lode claim 
 the United States statutes provide that no claim shall extend 
 more than 300 feet on each side of the middle of the vein at the 
 surface, and that no claim shall be limited by mining regula- 
 tions to less than 25 feet on each side of the middle of the vein 
 at the surface. In locating claims called ' placers,' however, 
 the law provides that no location of such claim upon surveyed 
 lands shall include more than twenty acres for each individual 
 claimant. The supreme court, however, has held that one 
 individual can hold as many locations as he can purchase and 
 rely upon his possessory title ; that a separate patent for each 
 location is unnecessary. 
 
 Proof of Citizenship. — Locators, however, have to show 
 proof of citizenship or intention to beoo^iie citzens. This may 
 be done in the case of an individual by his own affidavit ; in the 
 case of an association incorporated by a number of individuals 
 by the affidavit of their authorized agent, made on his own 
 knowledge or upon information and belief; and in the case of 
 a company organized under the laws of any state or territory, 
 by the filing of a certified copy of the charter or certificate of 
 incorporation. 
 
 i.:>l.; 
 
 !M rii 
 
88 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 Patents. — A patent for any land claimed and located may 
 be obtained in the following manner : ' Any person, association 
 or corporation authorized to locate a claim, having claimed and 
 located a piece of land, and who has or have complied with the 
 terms of the law, may file in the proper land office an applica- 
 tion for a patent under oath, showing such compliance, together 
 with a plat and field notes of the claim or claims in common 
 made by or under the direction of the United States surveyor 
 general, showing accurately the boundaries of the claim or 
 claims, which shall be distinctly marked by monuments on the 
 ground, and shall post a copy of such plat, together with a 
 notice of such application for a patent, in a conspicuous place 
 on the land embraced in such a plat, previous to the application 
 for a patent on such plat ; and shall file an afiidavit of at least 
 two persons that such notice has been duly posted, and shall 
 file a copy of the notice in such land office ; and shall there- 
 upon be entitled to a patent to the land in the manner follow- 
 ing : The registrar ot said land office upon the filing of such 
 application, plat, field notes, notices and affidavits, shall publish 
 a notice that such application has been made, for a period of 
 sixty days, in a newspaper to be by him designated, as pub- 
 lished nearest to such claim ; and he shall post such notice in 
 his office for the same period. The claimant at the time of fil- 
 ing such application or at any time thereafter, within sixty 
 days of publication, shall file with the registrar a certificate of 
 the United States surveyor general that $500 worth of labor has 
 been expended or improvements made upon the claim by him- 
 self or grantors ; that the plat is correct, with such further 
 description by reference to natural objects or permanent monu- 
 ments as shall identify the claim and furnish an accurate 
 description to be incorporated in the patent. At the expiration 
 of the sixiy days of publication, the claimant shall file his affi- 
 davit showing that the plat and notice have been posted in a 
 conspicuous place on the claim during such period of publica- 
 tion.' 
 
 Adverse Claims. — If no adverse claim shall have been filed 
 with the registrar of the land office at the expiration of said 
 sixty days, the claimant is entitled to a patent upon the pay- 
 ment to the proper officer of $5 per acre in the case of a lode 
 claim, and $2.50 per ac;rQ for a placer. 
 

 M [ 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 89 
 
 i 
 
 The location of a placer claim and keeping possession thereof 
 until a patent shall be issued are subject to local laws and cus- 
 toms. 
 
 LAWS APPLICABLE TO ALASKA. 
 
 Many misunderstandings have arisen in regard to the land 
 and mineral laws applicable to Alaska, some of the United 
 States laws being, by explicit enactment, not operative in the 
 district of Alaska. The Comissioner of the General Land Office 
 has recently published a statement which shows that these are 
 the laws applicable to Alaska : 
 
 (i) The mineral land laws of the United States ; (2) town site 
 laws, which provide for the incorporation of town sites and 
 acquirement of title thereto from the United States Government 
 to the town site Trustees ; (3') the laws providing for trade and 
 manufactures, giving each qualified person 160 acres of land in 
 a square and compact form. The coal land regulations are dis- 
 tinct from the mineral regulations or laws, and the jurisdiction 
 of neither coal laws nor public land laws extends to Alaska, the 
 Territory being expressly excluded by the laws themselves 
 from their operation. The act approved May 17, 1884, provid- 
 ing for civil government for Alaska, has this language as to 
 mines and mining privileges : 
 
 ' The laws of the United States relating to mining claims and 
 rights incidental thereto shall on and after the passage of this 
 act be in full force and effect in said district of Alaska, subject 
 to such regulations as may be made by the Secretary of the In- 
 terior and approved by the President,' and • parties who have 
 located mines or mining privileges therein, under the United 
 States laws, applicable to the public domain, or have occupied 
 or hnproved or exercised acts of ownership over such claims 
 shall not be disturbed therein, but shall be allowed to perfect 
 titlji by payment so provided for.' There is still more general 
 authority. 
 
 Without this special authority the act of July 4, 1866, says : 
 ' All valuable mineral deposits in lands belonging to the United 
 States, both surveyed and unscrveyed, are hereby declared to 
 be free and open to exploration and purchase, and lands in 
 which these are found to occupations and purchase by citizens 
 of the United States and by those who have declared an inten- 
 tion to become such under the rules prescribed by law and 
 
 I!' 
 
 i ,1 
 
 I ! 
 
 I 
 
 \ \ 
 
 
 ■1 
 
 :.• t 
 
 i ' ' 
 
90 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 C 
 
 according to local customs or rules of miners in the several 
 mining districts, so far as the same are applicable and not in- 
 consistent with the laws of the United States. ' " 
 
 CLIMATE. 
 
 The best information that can be obtained at second 
 hand as to the climate of the Klondyke region is that 
 given by the officials of the Canadian and the United 
 States governments. Mr. William Ogilvie, the Can- 
 adian surveyor, in one of his reports, says : 
 
 ' After my return there was some fine clear 
 weather in January, but it was exceedingly cold, more 
 than 60 degrees below zero, one night 68.5 degrees, 
 and as I had both my ears pretty badly frozen and 
 could not go out in such cold without having them 
 covered, so that I could not hear the chronometer beat, 
 I could not observe until the end of the month, when 
 we had two fine nights — 29th and 30th — mild enough 
 for me to work.' 
 
 United States Repokt. — A more exhaustive and 
 complete statement of the climatic conditions of that 
 region is contained in a United States Government 
 report prepared under the direction of the Secretary of 
 Agriculture by Willis L<. Moore, Chief of the Weiither 
 Bureau. He says : 
 
 ' The climates of the coast and interior of Alaska 
 are alike in many respects, and the differences are in- 
 tensified in this, as perhaps in few other countries, by 
 exceptional physical conditions. The fringe of islands 
 that separates the mainland from the Pacific Ocean, 
 from Dixon Sound north, and also a strip of the main- 
 land for possibly twenty miles back from the sea, fol- 
 lowing the sweep of the coast as it curves to the 
 
 northv 
 form a 
 tempei 
 zero; 
 the las 
 the m( 
 Sitka i; 
 D. C. 
 
 'The 
 world c 
 as to th 
 sant ra 
 abound, 
 days in 
 'Nort 
 comes n 
 differenc 
 'Cwiv 
 interior, 
 of the c( 
 gin and 
 Alaska, 
 but relat 
 free fron 
 * In th 
 from 9:3( 
 total ler 
 Rememb 
 above th* 
 great ma 
 niay be e 
 •Weai 
 geodetic s 
 on the . 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 91 
 
 northwestward to the western extremity of Alaska, 
 form a distinct climatic division which may be termed 
 temperate Alaska. The temperature rarely falls to 
 zero ; winter does not set in until December i , and by 
 the last of May the snow has disappeared except on 
 the mountains. The mean winter temperature of 
 Sitka is 32.5, but little less than that of Washington, 
 D. C. 
 
 ' The rainfall of temperate Alaska is notorious the 
 world over, not only as regards the quantity, but also 
 as to the manner of its falling, viz., in long and inces- 
 sant rains and drizzles. Cloud and fog naturally 
 abound, there being on an average but sixty clear 
 days in the year. 
 
 ' North of the Aleutian Islands the coast climate be- 
 comes more rigorous in winter, but in summer the 
 difference is much less marked. 
 
 ' Climatr of the Interior. — The climate of the 
 interior, including in that designation practically all 
 of the country except a narrow fringe of coastal mar- 
 gin and the territory before referred to as temperate 
 Alaska, is one of extreme rigor in winter, with a brief 
 but relatively hot summer, especially when the sky is 
 free from cloud. 
 
 ' In the Klondike region in midwinter the sun rises 
 from 9:30 to 10 A. M., and sets from 2 to 3 p.m., the 
 total length of daylight being about four hours. 
 Remembering that the sun rises but a few degrees 
 above the horizon and that it is wholly obscured on a 
 great many days, the character of the winter months 
 may be easily imagined. 
 
 ' We are indebted to the United States coast and 
 geodetic survey for a series of six months' observations 
 on the . akon, not far form the present site of the gold 
 
 ill 
 
 'I i 
 
 'I i 
 
 *i ■ 
 
 if I 
 
 ii !i 
 
 I , 1 l!■^5 
 
 '■} i ■ 
 
 liil ; 
 
92 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 discoveries. The observations were made with stan- 
 dard instruments and are wholly reliable. The mean 
 temperature of the months from October, 1889, to 
 April, 1890, both inclusive, are as follows : 
 
 Degrees. 
 
 October 33 
 
 November 8 
 
 December -11 
 
 January -17 
 
 Degrees. 
 
 February -15 
 
 March 6 
 
 April 
 
 20 
 
 ' The daily mean temperature fell and remained 
 below the freezing point (32 degrees) from Nov. 4, 
 1889, to April 21, 1890, thus giving 168 days as the 
 length of the closed season of 1889-90, assuming that 
 outdoor operations are controlled by temperature only. 
 The lowest temperatures registered during the winter 
 were 32 degrees below zero in November, 47 below in 
 December, 59 below in January, 55 below in February, 
 45 below in March, and 26 below in April. The 
 greatest continuous cold occurred in February, 1890, 
 when the daily mean for five consecutive days was 47 
 degrees below zero. 
 
 • Has Been Colder in United States. — Greater 
 cold than that here noted has been experienced in the 
 United States for a very short time. In the interior 
 of Alaska the winter sets in as early as September, 
 when snowstorms may be expected in the mountains 
 and passes. Headway during one of those storms is 
 impossible, and the traveler who is overtaken by one 
 of them is indeed fortunate if he escapes with his life. 
 Snowstorms of great severity occur in any month from 
 September to May inclusive. 
 
 ' The changes of temperature from winter to summer 
 are rapid, owing to the great increase in the length of 
 the day. In May the sun rises at about 3 a. m. and 
 
■ 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 93 
 
 sets about 9 p. m. In June it rises about i :30 in the 
 morning and sets at about 10:30 at night, giving about 
 twenty hours of daylight and diffuse twilight the 
 remainder of the time. 
 
 * The mean summer temperature in the interior 
 doubtless ranges between 60 and 70 degrees, accord- 
 ing to elevation, being highest in the middle and 
 lower Yukon valleys.' " 
 
 i I 
 
 I I 1: 
 
 CLinATE AT THE GOLD FIELDS. 
 
 These reports refer to the country generally. Mr. 
 Wilson says of the more immediate Klondyke region : 
 ' * The climate in the lake region and dovni to old Fort 
 Yukon, although cold in winter and warm in summer, 
 is verj'' agreeable. The snow in the upper river coun- 
 try never exceeds three or four feet, often barely two. 
 In summer little rain falls except during an occasional 
 thunder storm. The summer season is truly one long 
 dream of sunshine, due to the protection of the high 
 Coast range, which precipitates the ever present 
 humidity of the coast, leaving the interior dry. The 
 general direction of the wind is inland in summer and 
 directly opposite in winter. This is caused by the 
 rising of the hot air of the interior in summer and in 
 winter by the existence of a persistent north wind 
 which easily forces the coast breezes seaward. The 
 winters while cold, are so devoid of humidity that the 
 cold is easily endured, and one suffers less when the 
 thermometer registers forty below than on the coast 
 at zero. " 
 
94 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 C 
 
 DYEA. 
 
 The ocean voyage over, the traveler is landed at 
 Dyea, where the real difficulties of the trip begin. 
 A guide is not necessary, unless you happen to be the 
 first person making the trip in the season, for the route 
 is pretty well marked out after one party has crossed. 
 Until the great influx of miners created a town, Dyea 
 was nothing but an Indian village and a trading post. 
 The North American Trading and Transportation 
 Company have had a store there for some time. Indian 
 packers can be engaged here, to pack provisions and 
 outfit over the pass to Lake Lindeman. For the first 
 mile or two the road is fairly good, and if the river is 
 frozen over, there is none of the unpleasantness of 
 wading a cold, icy stream, that those who attempt to 
 cross later in the season experience. The Dyea val- 
 ley is an old river bed, full of huge bowlder:- and deep 
 sand. This passed, the Grand Canyon is reached, a 
 deep cut into the solid walls of the Coast range. 
 This canyon is followed for six miles to Sheep Camp, 
 where the scenery abruptly changes. 
 
 5HEEP CAHP. 
 
 From this point to the summit, fifteen miles, is the 
 most arduous part of the trail. I have seen men v.'ith 
 packs on their barks, fall over backwards, owing to the 
 steepness of the road. Here it was that we, as de- 
 scribed in the earlier pages of this book, used derricks 
 to hoist our supplies from one bench to another. All 
 kinds of devices are followed to reach Ihe summit, but 
 it is to be hoped that before another season opens, 
 
 sometl 
 of cros 
 melted 
 Two 
 rocks, 
 receive 
 on, cor 
 bad enc 
 If you 
 2,400 fe 
 througl 
 ture of 
 exertioi 
 well wi 
 carrying 
 On our 
 worthy 
 Camp, s 
 blue ice, 
 We are 
 unless \v 
 is the ca 
 we have 
 It is o 
 country 
 put it in 
 will not 
 is often c 
 on uprig 
 bear-tig h 
 respectec 
 do violen 
 in about 
 in westei 
 
i 
 
 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 95 
 
 something will be done to lighten the fearful labors 
 of crossing. In the later spring, when the snow has 
 melted the difficulties are increased. 
 
 Two miles below the summit are some overhanging 
 rocks, which, affording shelter from storms, have 
 received the name of Stone House, and from this point 
 on, comes the tug of war. The first mile and a half are 
 bad enough, but the last half mile is true Alpine work. 
 If you are carrying a load, so much the harder. The 
 2,400 feet climb from Stone House to the summit, 
 through the snow, or in the summer, through a mix- 
 ture of slush and rocks, is about the hardest physical 
 exertion one meets on the trip. We reach the top 
 well winded, tired and relieved. If we have been 
 carrying a heavy pack we lay it down and take a rest. 
 On our way up we have passed two or three note- 
 worthy glaciers, — one a short distance above Sheep 
 Camp, and the other as we near the summit, a wall of 
 ]:)lue ice, towering a thousand feet above the pass. 
 We are not going to meet such another piece of road, 
 unless we are trying to do our own packing. If this 
 is the case we must go back and bring up the goods 
 we have left behind. 
 
 It is often necessary in making journeys in this 
 country to cache part of our outfit, that is to say, to 
 put it in a place where it is covered up, so that animals 
 will not devour it. Over in the timbered regions this 
 is often done by building a receptacle of logs, mounted 
 on uprights, high above the groundling vermin and 
 bear-tight. Articles so cached are almost invariably 
 respected, both by whites and Indians, he who would 
 do violence to a cache being looked upon, by Yukoners, 
 in about the same light that a horse-thief is regarded 
 in western Texas. 
 
 •II 
 
96 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDYKE. 
 
 After leaving the summit there is a sheer descent of 
 five hundred feet to the bed of Crater lyake. The 
 water has cut a small canyon down the mountain side, 
 which should be followed to Lake Lindeman. When 
 snow lines the mountain side, this nine miles trip is 
 an easy one, and after the steep climb to the summit is 
 a welcome change. 
 
 WHERE TO STOP FOR THE NIGHT. 
 
 In deciding where to make a night camp several 
 things should be considered. Try to find a good 
 sheltered spot, where winds will not disturb you, or 
 storms hem you in, should they come up, and as plenty 
 of wood for fires is almost a necessity, try and stop 
 where plenty of timber is to be had. It is always 
 best to stop early in the afternoon and resume the 
 journey in the early morning, than to travel until late, 
 make a late camp, where no choice can be had, go to 
 sleep under such disadvantages and wake unrefreshed 
 in the morning to make a late start. 
 
 A little thought given to camping spots will be well 
 repaid in the additional comforts enjoyed, and hard- 
 ships escaped. 
 
 LAKE LINDEflAN. 
 
 Here the journey down the chain of lakes and rivers 
 which finally leads to the Klondyke begins, and to one 
 who carefully follows my narrative, little if anything 
 further need be said, 
 
d- 
 
 lers 
 )ne 
 
 be 
 
 O 
 
 ff 
 
 en 
 
 cS 
 
 ■r 
 
 ng 
 

 y . 
 
 
 f-'.; 
 
 
 •w -* 
 
 
 ;«-j 
 
 -^S;,. 
 
 ' t'-Txv 
 
 A 
 
 f 
 
 
 CHII,KOOT PASS. 
 
CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE KLONDVKE. 97 
 
 BOAT BUILDING. 
 
 In building your boat, be sure that it is strong and 
 secure, with an extra thick bottom. Wilson's boat 
 was built of five-eighth boards, twenty-two feet long 
 and well braced with one and three-quarter inch tim- 
 bers nailed and clinched with wire nails. It carried 
 about nine hundred pounds of outfit besides themselves. 
 
 Mr. Brownlie's advice in this matter is as follows : 
 *' The idea seems to be prevalent that you must build 
 your boat as soon as you get over the 'divide, ' either 
 at Lake Lindeman or Lake Bennett. If I were going 
 to make the trip I should do nothing of the kind. By 
 leaving San Francisco in early February, not later 
 than the middle of the month, you can, in all proba- 
 bility, get over the * divide ' without trouble early in 
 March. At that time of the year the lakes and streams 
 are nearly all frozen, and a person can get as far as' 
 the foot of Lake Labarge before the ice begins to 
 break up. It is much easier to travel over the ice than 
 through the lakes in a boat, besides you can go much 
 faster, for in many places you can stick up a sail on 
 your sled and go skimming over the surface at a very 
 rapid speed. I know of one party that got as far as 
 Fort Selkirk in that manner before the ice broke. At 
 any rate I would go as far as I could in that way, 
 and then I would build my boat. It does not require 
 an expert boat builder to do this, but it was about the 
 hardest work I did on the whole trip. 
 
 "You can't scoop a canoe out of a big log as the 
 Indians do, because a white man, without he has 
 had years of experience in that sort of thing, would 
 tip a canoe over the moment he got into it, and if he 
 didn't do that he would fall out at the first rapids he 
 
98 CLEMENTS' GUIDE TO THE k'LONDYKE. 
 
 Struck. The only way to do is to get out on the bank 
 of the stream or lake and select a fir tree large enough 
 to give lumber the desired size. You will not get verj' 
 far from the water because the undergrowth is so thick 
 in most places that a dog can't get through. And I 
 want to say right here that this talk about footing it 
 all the way is absurd. Yon must go in a boat or on 
 the ice. The timber is so heavy and the undergrowth 
 so rank that a man couldn't walk from Lake L,inde- 
 man to Sixty-Mile in a hundred years. Bf . building 
 is a necessity. After you've cut down yo r tree and 
 trimmed off the branches and sawed the trunk into 
 the length you want your boards, then you've got to 
 build a sort of roll-way and get the tree up off the 
 ground four or five feet, so as to be able to saw it. 
 Then you have about a week 'shard work whip- sawing 
 the lumber out. The timber is green, and after half 
 dozen pulls at the saw you've got to stop and drive a 
 wedge to keep the saw from getting stuck. 
 
 " The boat should be built as strong as it can be 
 made, and the bottom should be extra thick. If it is 
 not the first boulder you strike will, in all probability, 
 knock a hole in it and dump you and your load into 
 the river, from which you will be very lucky to escape 
 with your life." 
 
 Arrived at Dawson City the prospector or would be 
 gold digger must decide for himself, after consulta- 
 tion with people on the ground, where and how he 
 will go prospecting, and thus gain the wealth for 
 which he has come. I can only express the hope, in 
 concluding these hastily but carefully written and 
 arranged pages, that every man who goes will be as 
 lucky, or even more so, than I have been and come back 
 to his home and loved ones ' ' well fixed ' ' for life. 
 
 most 
 
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 How to Reach the Klondyke 
 
 Will be the first important question asked by those 
 who seriously contemplate seeking their fortunes in 
 the rich gold fields of Alaska. 
 
 So far as the route to the Pacific Coast is concerned 
 the Southern Pacific Company will undertake to 
 make satisfactory answer. 
 
 The principal point of embarkation for all trans- 
 Pacific points is San Francisco. All travel and traffic 
 to Alaska is primarily from that point. During the 
 summer season when navigation in the northern seas 
 is possiblv- regular line steamers leave that port for 
 Juneau and other Alaskan ports every few days, thus 
 perfecting the most direct and well established route 
 known to the great mines of the north. 
 
 1 he Southern Pacific Company has two lines direct 
 to San Francisco, either of which, depending of course 
 on the starting point, will afford quick and comfortable 
 passage. 
 
 One is styled the " Ogden Route," extending from 
 Ogden westward in an almost direct line to San Fran- 
 cisco. From the New England and Middle States and 
 the Upper Mississippi Valley it is unquestionably the 
 most popular route to the Pacific Coast. Two through 
 trains daily leave Chicago for San Francisco, providing 
 accommodations for both first and second class passen- 
 gers. Through cars of both classes are likewise run daily 
 from Omaha, Kansas City, Denver and Salt I^ake City. 
 
 The accommodations on this route for long journeys 
 are not surpassed in trar>«5continental railway service, 
 and it is always of prime importance when arranging 
 for a long journey to consult comfort, convenience and 
 expedition. The Ogden Route is also a noted pictur- 
 esque route, and adds to the attraction of expediency 
 the attraction of pleasure. 
 
The other famous line of the S. P. Co, is the ' Sun- 
 set Route " extending from New Orleans to San 
 FrancivSco, and now universally regarded as the great 
 Southern gateway to the Pacific Coast. From the 
 entire southern portion of the United States the 
 natural course westward is through New Orleans, 
 Houston, Kl Paso, Yuina and lyos Angeles to the 
 great Golden Gate metropolis. Through cars first and 
 second class leave New Orleans daily, and every Wed- 
 nesday a tourist car leaves Washington, D, C, direct 
 for San Francisco without change. On Thursdays a 
 tourist car also leaves Cincinnati for the same destina- 
 tion through New Orleans without change. 
 
 Parties making their arrangements for this long trip 
 will naturally desire to consult someone who can give 
 them full information, hence we take pleasure in 
 appending addresses of the following S. P. Co. agents 
 who will be glad to supply any further information 
 that may be desired as to rates, routes, etc. 
 
 E. Hawley, A. G. T. M., 349 Broadway, New York ; 
 E. E. Currier, New England Agent, 9 State Street, 
 Boston, Mass ; R. J. Smith, Agent, 49 South Third 
 St., Philadelphia, Pa.; B. B. Barber, Agent, 209 J\. 
 German St., Baltimore, Md,: F. T. Brooks, N. Y. 
 State Agent, 129 S. Franklin St., Syracuse, N. Y.; 
 G. G. Herring, Com. Agent, 201 Telephone Building, 
 Seventh Ave., Pittsburg, Pa.; W. H. Connor, Com. 
 Agent, Chamber of Commerce Building, Cincinnati, 
 O.; W. G. Neimyer, Gen. Western Agent, 238 Clark 
 St., Chicago, 111.; Wm. K. McAllister, Gen. Agent, 
 1 1 12 vSeventeenth St., Denver, Colo.; R. O. Bean, 
 Traveling Pass. Agent, 4 Noel Block, Nashville, Tenn.; 
 W. R. Fagan, Trav^l'ng Pass. Agent, 18 Wall St., 
 Atlanta, Ga., and S. F. B. Morse, General Passenger 
 Agent, (Atlantic System) New Orleans, La. 
 
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