The following summer I fell in with a Miner by the Name of Jack Freeman.
he was well known as a penetrator, He told us that up at point Barrow
was all kind of shot gold. this aroused our curiosity again and I
thought of my Squaw down at St Michals. Which I felt if I went to Point
Barrow I would be obliged to wed. So we evaded the northern fever and
planned to trap again somewhere near Candle Creek.
We left Gnome in early autumn and went straight to our old camps. after
our usual luck we started in a circuitous route for Gnome. We came to
the Buckland River and started up intending to strike the mouth of the
Koyukuk but missed our mark striking forty miles above the mouth we had
hard times crossing the snow-capped mountains and climbing over Glaciers
breaking trails for our dogs, fixing broken sleighs and mending worn out
harnesses. tieing up stranded Snow-shoes and facing death in many forms.
Here for the first time in my life I realized I was indeed a very
reckless man. Often the boys would get cold and sleepy and I would have
to make them march at the point of old glory--my Gun--they would swear
and blame every bit of hard luck to me. I held my nerve and had good
controll over my men and after a waery march reached the Mouth of the
Koyukuk and sold our furs at Rampart, Here Black Dave quit us saying he
was going back to Arizonia. Three months later we took a boat and
floated down to the mouth of the Yukon followed on to the Lake and after
about fifteen days we reached Pay Creek. here we placer mined the whole
summer. and agin fell in With Jack Freeman and all planned a trip
beyond the haunts of men. We beat down the river that early autumn
traded our gold-dust for food, went back to the mouth of the Mullen
River, then began our march up mullen river. Always before in my life I
had been stepping in the footsteps of some predecessor; but now I was to
make tracks where man had never been.
Before begining the Arctic Expedition I called all the men up and
explained what it might mean--death hardships were all discussed but
they willingly agreed to go, in fact urged the expedition. then I said
if you loose your life your blood will be upon your own judgement and
not upon my head. If we go we shall brave all-together the severe
hardships, if we loose like many others, our funerels will be tearless,
and inexpensive, If we win then each shall share a like in the spoils.
We had an elegent supply of foods.
Of Flour, Salt, sugar, rice, corn-starch, block-matches, candles, We had
forty pounds of chewing tobacco, and eighty pounds of smoking, we had
six bottles of Paroxide--six bottles of Lemon-extract, Blue ointment,
Castor oil, ten Irish potatoes, and other medicines in our chest, But I
wish the reader to notice that on no trip did I ever allow one drop of
liquor in any form to be packed in my load. The worst thing for any man
who is fighting cold to do; is to bowl up on red-eye. he is only the
worse for it. I was bragging one day on this when a fellow said "I have
heard this but how do you get allong when your whole crew are dam
drunkards except the Kidd. Well I said I cannot keep them from it in
town; but Black Beaver can keep it off the sleigh and when men are where
it cannot be secured they do not drink.
And further I argued that I never tasted intoxicants. That The Kidd Tom
Bardine and Old Ed Scott were also tetotalers--so the only chance he had
for argument was that Black Dave, And a few other lads from Alaska were
the only drinkers I ever had.
In addition to our rations we had a great deal of dried fish for our
dogs, we had severel candle fish for lights, and a large quantity of
dried fish for fuel.
Early in September We started out for Point Barrow through the interior
overland where to my present knowledge man has never traveled. After we
reached the head of Mullen river we started up the Arctic divide; and on
fifteenth day of October we gained the top of the divide. This was many
miles north of the Arctic Circle.
Now I had looked upon many charming scenes in my wild and wandering
life; but while standing on the ridge of this great divide which seems
to separate the green world and the land of sunshine and birds and
flowers from the land of almost intolerable cold crisp snow, giant
Iceburgs glaciers and snow-slides--I saw the fairest sight I had ever
looked upon. Far westward the dying sun was painting the lofty
snow-capped mountains, Northward the borrowed beams were shimering on
the polar ice-bergs, in the Arctic Sea, Eastward were the last broken
prongs of the defiant mountains known to the world as the rockies; and
southward in all its modest beauty lay the mammoth valley of earths
greatest river the Yukon. I bid farwell to the known world and sang the
old old song--"In far away Alaska, where the Yukon river flows"
And then started down the great Arctic slope into the black bosom of the
north. As we waved our hands in parting at southern civilization we
hailed with a new delight the mystic and unruly regions of the north.
The first day of our descent the weather lost controll of its furious
temper, and how things did hum, Cyclones in Iowa and Colorado, Blizzards
in Newbraska and the Dakotas, all which have raged for a thousand years
melted into one could not furnish the momentum nor terror of this storm
for a second.
We camped under the shelter of a great glacier on top of the south side
and there let the weather howl, When the weather abated we took up the
march in earnest with all our vigor and after several days we came to a
branch of a river--which we have since found out was called by the
indians coa-ville river. you could tell that at certain seasons water
ran down here, it was by no means a river in the sense of rivers such as
they appear in other countries even in the dead of winter. We followed
in this water trail about forty miles till we came to a pair of great
glaciers which met in the center of the river then we were forced to go
back and circle around them which took us two days. When we were again
back on the bed of the river and had got along safely for about ten
miles suddenly our back sled broke through the ice, and was caught by a
mighty current and hurled under the ice--quicker than you could say Jack
Rabbit. On this sled was most of our flour--this was ill luck we then
named the Stream Lost flour river. Still we continued to go toward the
north, the days grew short about three hours of daylight every
twentyfour hours. So we had to use what is known as The "Arctic Bug" A
tin can with a candle stuck in one side and lighted. Night after night
we were surrounded by Siberian Wolves they hungred for our flesh. It was
so cold that We had to sleep in our Reindeer sleeping bags through the
night--so occasionally we would have to unlace our bags and smoke up the
wolves and then depend upon a little rest till they got too fresh again.
Our dogs stood the trip well we fed them once a day gave them a single
fish each evening after the days work was done, it is always best to
feed in the evening the Husky or Malimouth is a very ferocious dog and
if you do not keep them hungry they get lazy and will not mind but will
defy you. many a dog-teamseer has accidently fallen down near his team
while breaking trail and been eaten up. if you fall down they will jump
on you like a lion. It is spectacular to see us feed them we remove the
muzzle and harness take our gun in one hand unlock the fish box and call
the dogs by name one by one at the same time throwing a fish at the one
we mention, they will catch their fish like old Cy Young would a league
ball even if it goes much higher than you intended they will climb the
sky for fish. The Work dog is a great asset to the travelers in that
region. a good team will travel over a broken trail seventy five miles a
day. it is a very pretty sight to see a well trained team travel. These
dogs can pull a load weighing from one hundred to two hundred pounds
according to the road and hills. Examine our big team two of which we
had with us on this famous journey. Each day brought its new dangers and
difficulties, each night had its terrors the inevitable howl of the
wolves, the sneaking glacier bears, the extreme cold, the brilliant glow
of the Aurora Borealis Which hissed high over our heads and shot like
lightling in varigated rays, in sound resembling a turkey gobbler
unfolding his wings. I cannot go into all the details of this trip into
the unknown it was up and down glaciers, following often in the path
where just recently a great snowslide traveled, carrying hundreds of
tons of snow and ice and breaking and crashing like a ruined world. The
snow slide is the greatest of all dangers in this region, I have seen as
many as five all at one time, some are known as annuals or old
faithfulls, others are known as untimely, and treacherous. many an
Alaskan lies burried in valleys hundreds of feet below the surface in
mountains of snow. I have always escaped the snow slide, I always test
the snow as I go. If I get on a slope where Snowslides are frequent I
prod deep into the snow to ascertain its actual depth, where the snow is
thick it is most apt to slide. The cry is keep close to the rocks and
you are safe. After many days of severe suffering and fighting cold we
came to a perpendicular ridge of ice which we discovered was a long
ridge, there seemed to be no way around so we prepared to let over each
other. It was about one hundred feet down to the ice. I was the first to
test the ropes, then one by one the dogs, sleighs, guns and all was over
except the last man. we had provided for him, the rope was fastened
under a huge piece of ice; and after he slid down we all pulled on the
rope it brought cake and all over.
We were traveling the next day down the river when one of the boys saw
a sleigh setting up a gainst a hill of ice, I went over to examine it
and found it to be an Eskimo's Igloo. I got down on my knees and crawled
into the hole on the south side. Inside were nine Eskimos, they quickly
grabbed their lances, but I spoke to them in their language and they
seemed pleased and soon layed down their spears and made me welcome. I
backed out of the door and told the boys what I had found, we all went
into the house and in less than ten minutes at least one hundred Eskimos
were around the hut. Manny of them had never seen a white man and we
were to them a wonder they would walk around us and look at us like a
batch of monkeys. I gave the Chief's wife a small hand glass and they
all looked into it and behind it like so many animals. I presented the
chief with a watch and he gave me a Silver Fox in return. The Eskimos
are great Pot-latchers That means givers to each other. they are very
free hearted They seldom own anything very long at one time it is given
from one to another constantly. We were planning to go on toward the
Mouth of Gold river but the Chief told me his daughter was to be married
in two moons: we stayed to attend the wedding. So I had a privelege to
ascertain how the Eskimos make love and are married. If a girl is in
love with an Eskimo she sends for him and combs his hair with her
fingers. If he loves her he returns again if not he does not. they are
engaged exclusively by the parents, then afterward are informed they are
to be married. They are usually married in the moonlight the parents of
the bride and groom pronounce the cerimony. The bride and groom stand in
the center, over a lamp, around them are their parents. around the
parents are the next nearest relatives, them around them again are the
friends. All form a circle and the inner circle march to the right the
next circle march to the left--thus alternating As many times as there
are circles. at this wedding there were about ten big circles and they
looked funny enough under those bright stars and the great moon
painting the ice and snow as far as the eye could reach, all dressed in
fur going in opposite directions. They were given an ice house and the
bottom was covered a foot thick with fine furs. I explained to the chief
whose name was Snatch-bow, about the warm weather in the south, he
watched me in wonder and then stood up and said "Injun have no house he
all melt. I no go there" Of course he said this in Eskimo. In his house
was a few pieces of furniture. In the center was the knuckle bone of a
macedon with a nice dish shaped top this was filled with oil, a string
was laid in this; and one end lighted this was their only light. This
lamp served also as a nurseing bottle for the babies. They had two round
pieces of driftwood they used for chairs. In another hut I found they
used hollow bones filled with oil for lamps with a cover over them and a
wick made of a sea-weed. The squaws would lift the cover and take a sip
out of the lamp and then go on with their work. Oil is their favorite
drink. The Eskimos are very hardy so far as enduring cold is
concerned--I saw an Eskimo bobbing--that is how they fish--hold a fish
on a string just under water and as the big fish comes after it they
spear it with a spear they hold in their other hand--This man was
bobbing and his squaw was sitting on the shore watching him. on her
bosom lay a babe about three months old, it was rapped around with a
piece of fur its face was partly bare, it was snowing fine snow
resembling frost, it was about 65 deg. below zero, as I passed I saw they
snow in the babies face and wondered it was not dead just think of a
babe under such an temperature sleeping with the snow falling in its
tender face. It seems utterly impossible but it is true. But when you
look for strength long life endurance or inteligence in the Eskimo you
seek in vain. They all have sore matterated eyes, one fifth of them are
deformed. one in ten has the consumption. and the average life of the
Eskimo is about 30 years. They average to weigh about 90 pounds and
stand about four feet and six inches high.
They are perfectly friendly even if they never saw a white man. They
wrap up the dead in skins and hang them up, they freeze still and so
remin till eaten by some wild beast. The Eskimos are beyond doubt the
happiest people on earth, they never lie, steal, cheat, murder nor mix
in family intercourse so common among all other indians. They have
absolutely no religion, no expectation of ever coming to life when once
dead. They are very ignorant and dirty their huts are black with smoke,
their faces are oiled and covered with black from the oil smoke. Their
huts never get warmer than the freezing point. they undress when they
sleep. and use fish to cook their food, when they cannot get driftwood.
A great deal of driftwood floats in around the river mouth which is
carried to the Arctic Ocean by the Great Mackinzie river and is
distribuated all allong the shore and picked up in the summer and used
in the winter. This wood providentialy sent is certainly a blessing to
the Eskimos of this region.
As I passed from hut to hut trading, I chanced to run across some
indians from Candle Creek where I first learned to talk Eskimo. They
were very glad to see me and used me fine making it very pleasant for
us. One night while traveling from one town to another--for it was
nearly all night at that time--two of my men were robbed--that was a
piece of wonderment in these parts and in the life of the oldest indian
it had never happened. As soon as the boys reported I took the Kidd and
we set out to stop the thief--we went less than five miles when we
overtook a rather unusual large Indian which I at once reconized as The
worst Desperado in Alaska--he had killed several white men and about
fifty of his own tribe, I first met him at Candle Creek, I pulled my gun
and ordered him to put up his dukes--he did and I said John Spoon I know
you and I guess you know me, unload that gold and those furs you took
from my men or, I'll let daylight through you--He did a great stunt of
obeying he was scared half to death, I had a notion to kill the other
half. I was a fool to let him off so easy--But I always hate to shoot
even an indian. Well we worked down to the Sea, and a few hours each day
dug at placer mining. after forty eight days we took our gold about
$4,455,00 and set out for the mouth of the Mackinzie river. This was a
terrorable trip The sea had piled up ice-burgs so we had to travel
allong the mountain side--Our hardships had been extreme and as we
neared the Delta of the great River one day I noticed The Galloping
Swede was loosing his mind, or getting crazy with hardships, which is
the most incurable of all diseases, He had been snow blind, had had sore
eyes, was homesick and lonesome, and the added over exposeures had
ruined that bright and cultured mind. Lee Wilda--for this is his name
had been with me a long time. his home was in Minnesota, his father was
dead but he had a mother and a sister. Twice on our way we had to let
our dogs and plunder over ice precipreses, with our lash ropes. Finaly
we reached Coleville river and crossed over. it was about a half mile
wide at the mouth. Just after crossing over this stream we saw 148 Polar
bears on one cake of ice feeding on a dead whale. Allong this trip so
near the sea we saw hundreds of seals, and walrus and killed a Muskox
the most rare animal in the world. After over forty days we reached the
mouth of the Mackinzie river, it is about eight miles across the mouth,
and drains The great baer lake, the great slave lake, the lesser slave
lake, The peace river the Athabaska river and hundreds of tributaries in
to the Sea. It was nearing spring, we had no calendar, and did not even
know the month of the year. We were glad: our sleighs were getting worn
out, so were our snow shoes, and our provission was nearly gone and Lee
was a raving maniac. We still had the main range of the Rocky mountains
to cross. We came to a small station about one hundred miles up the Teal
river: but the frenchman refused us anything to eat. He was buying fur
for a fur Co. and wanted to kill off all indipendent traders. Without
his consent I took what grub I wanted, he did not like it much permit me
to say--but he choose this in preference to cold lead, I left him his
full pay and begn our weary march to head of the Porcupine river. just
before we reached the porcupine We met an indian prospector and gave him
ten dollars for a pan of flour, and so got on to Fort Yukon.
Our feet were sore, so were our eyes, we were tired and worn out. We
rested a few days and agin hit the road, we follwed down the Yukon to
the Tannana and up this river a long ways and then struck across The
mountains to the Kuskakwim river. And as we were going down marten creek
One of my dogs bit me: he tore off the hole end of my finger. It was a
bad bite the weather was very cold, and I could not give it proper care.
Four days later blood poison set in, my hand began to swell and pain me,
worst of all we were loaded with Polar bear seal and white fox. My hand
grew worse and worse I could not travel any longer so we had to throw
away all our Polar bear and the dogs had to draw me. It was so cold that
I had to walk at times, this lasted for eleven days. And for eleven
nights, I walked around while the other boys slept. After this time we
struck Shushitna Station then we made Knik. from here we started for
Seldovia but were foundered for two days near Fire Islands. when Maud
the Moose picked us up and took us to Seldovia. Here a Government nurse
operated on my finger and by her skill and my nerve she saved my life.
After four weeks I shipped on the Portland for Seattle leaving my men to
go back to the claims and stay till I could return. With the exception
of Lee Wilda he we sent to Seward to a doctor. During the most
excruciating pain I sold my Mine known as the Roving Trapper and
completed my Journey to the States, carrying with me a Dr. and A Trained
Nurse.
After a long and dedious journey we reached Seattle and there I was
confined to a room in the Hospital for four weeks--after which I took
the overland limited for Michigan. One the fourth day of June I landed
in the old town of my Childhood--Fife Lake.
I learned that my Father and mother still lived but had long since sold
the farm and kept a small store in town. Once I could have named every
individual I met--but now as I walked up the hill from the depot I was
an entire stranger--Twenty years makes a great change, Many were my
meditations as I walked over the little marsh where I had so often
passed when a mere child. I entered the old store, the one in which I
spent my babyhood--where Father ran store before he bought the farm An
old lady stooped, and seamed came in to ascertain that which I wanted,
had I have been any other place I could not have gussed who she was, I
told her I wanted a quarters worth of Cigars, I sat down upon the old
chest which I still remembered, and began to smoke, memory was
busy--Could this be my mother, I saw her last twenty years before, her
locks were black as a raven's wing, her eyes like stars in mid-winter,
her form straight agile and graceful--A horrorable thought seized me--I
threw away the cigar and walked over to mother and told her I was her
baby--I took her in my arms--It was a severe shock to mother, she had
long mourned me dead, together we wept, she for joy, but I for the
greatest mistake of my lifetime those twenty long years of prodigality.
No man ever repented more bitterly over his rash and careless actions
than I did that fourth day of june.
Presently my Father came in--he too was old and gray--that step which
had ever been so nimble and elastic was now abated, he did not recognize
me--till he saw mother had been crying then his suspiction was aroused
and I broke down--father took me one his lap; kissed me and welcomed me
home.--Boys I have made a great mistake,--I can never recover the loss
connected with this carelessness by all means never patron my example.
When the town folks found out who I was and that I was back from
far-away Alaska they began to come in to see me--they had a right too
They had watched over my dear old mother and father when they were sick
as only the best friends on earth know how, how much I owe those dear
old neighbours at Fife Lake. They filled the house and store and we had
a great time for several days. I had to leave the old folks again
without their consent, but not without their knowledge. successively I
visited my relation not one of them ever guessing who I was till I
informed them.
While visiting among the haunts of civilization I conceived the idea
that a splendid outfit of furs, dogs, and other educative curios would
be of interest to the folks of the States. so to morrow I set sail for
Alaska to secure such an outfit which I hope you may satisfactorly
inspect before reading my book.
Yours truly--Black Beaver.
Webster So. Dak. April 17, teenth 1911.