tion>Frederick Schwatka
Along Alaska's Great River
Published by Good Press, 2019
EAN 4064066234065
Table of Contents
CHAPTER II. THE INLAND PASSAGE TO ALASKA.
CHAPTER III. IN THE CHILKAT COUNTRY.
CHAPTER IV. OVER THE MOUNTAIN PASS.
CHAPTER VI. A CHAPTER ABOUT RAFTING.
CHAPTER VII. THE GRAND CAÑON OF THE YUKON.
CHAPTER VIII. DOWN THE RIVER TO SELKIRK.
CHAPTER IX. THROUGH THE UPPER RAMPARTS.
CHAPTER X. THROUGH THE YUKON FLAT-LANDS.
CHAPTER XI. THROUGH THE LOWER RAMPARTS, AND THE END OF THE RAFT JOURNEY.
CHAPTER XII. DOWN THE RIVER AND HOME.
CHAPTER XIII. THE KLONDIKE REGION.
CHAPTER XIV. DISCOVERY AND HISTORY.
CHAPTER XV. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR INDUSTRIES.
CHAPTER XVI. GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES.
PREFACE.
These pages narrate the travels, in a popular sense, of an Alaskan exploring expedition. The expedition was organized with seven members at Vancouver Barracks, Washington, and left Portland, Oregon, ascending through the inland passage to Alaska, as far as the Chilkat country. At that point the party employed over three score of the Chilkat Indians, the hardy inhabitants of that ice-bound country, to pack its effects across the glacier-clad pass of the Alaskan coast range of mountains to the headwaters of the Yukon. Here a large raft was constructed, and on this primitive craft, sailing through nearly a hundred and fifty miles of lakes, and shooting a number of rapids, the party floated along the great stream for over thirteen hundred miles; the longest raft journey ever made on behalf of geographical science. The entire river, over two thousand miles, was traversed, the party returning home by Bering Sea, and touching the Aleutian Islands.
The opening up of the great gold fields in the region of the upper Yukon, has added especial interest to everything pertaining to the great North-west. The Klondike region is the cynosure of the eyes of all, whether they be in the clutches of the gold fever or not. The geography, the climate, the scenery, the birds, beasts, and even flowers of the country make fascinating subjects. In view of the new discoveries in that part of the world, a new chapter, Chapter XIII, is given up to a detailed description of the Klondike region. The numerous routes by which it may be reached are described, and all the details as to the possibilities and resources of the country are authoritatively stated.
Chicago, March, 1898.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
This Alaskan exploring expedition was composed of the following members: Lieut. Schwatka, U.S.A., commanding; Dr. George F. Wilson, U.S.A., Surgeon; Topographical Assistant Charles A. Homan, U.S. Engineers, Topographer and Photographer; Sergeant Charles A. Gloster, U.S.A., Artist; Corporal Shircliff, U.S.A., in charge of stores; Private Roth, assistant, and Citizen J. B. McIntosh, a miner, who had lived in Alaska and was well acquainted with its methods of travel. Indians and others were added and discharged from time to time as hereafter noted.
The main object of the expedition was to acquire such information of the country traversed and its wild inhabitants as would be valuable to the military authorities in the future, and as a map would be needful to illustrate such information well, the party's efforts were rewarded with making the expedition successful in a geographical sense. I had hoped to be able, through qualified subordinates, to extend our scientific knowledge of the country explored, especially in regard to its botany, geology, natural history, etc.; and, although these subjects would not in any event have been adequately discussed in a popular treatise like the present, it must be admitted that little was accomplished in these branches. The explanation of this is as follows: When authority was asked from Congress for a sum of money to make such explorations under military supervision and the request was disapproved by the General of the Army and Secretary of War. This disapproval, combined with the active opposition of government departments which were assigned to work of the same general character and coupled with the reluctance of Congress to make any appropriations whatever that year, was sufficient to kill such an undertaking. When the military were withdrawn from Alaska by the President, about the year 1878, a paragraph appeared at the end of the President's order stating that no further control would be exercised by the army in Alaska; and this proviso was variously interpreted by the friends of the army and its enemies, as a humiliation either to the army or to the President, according to the private belief of the commentator. It was therefore seriously debated whether any military expedition or party sent into that country for any purpose whatever would not be a direct violation of the President's proscriptive order, and when it was decided to waive that consideration, and send in a party, it was considered too much of a responsibility to add any specialists in science, with the disapproval of the General and
