NEARING THE END OF A LONG JOURNEY.
Both Earl and Randy had heard from the miner Wodley that it was only of
late years that prospectors after gold in Alaska had had the daring to
shoot the White Horse Rapids, of which even the Indians in their light
canoes were afraid. Formerly white men had packed everything, even to
their boats, round the dangerous runs of water, a task which to them
looked herculean, when they gazed at the tall mountains, and at the
crooked trail Wodley pointed out.
After much talking by all hands, it was decided that Wodley's boat
should go through first, loaded down only with the mining tools, which
would not suffer from getting wet. Wodley was at first going to take the
trip alone, leaving his wife and the other miners of the party to join
the Portney crowd, but at the last moment Captain Zoss asked to be
allowed to take a hand, and the offer was accepted.
The sail was taken from the _Buster_, as Wodley had named his craft, a
heavy-set affair, built to stand some rough usage, and, each armed with
an oar and a heavy pole, the two men shoved off from the rocky shore. A
few strokes sufficed to send them into the current, and fairly caught,
the boat swung around and started on her mad career through the canyon
of rocks and water and flying spray.
"She's off!" shouted Earl, and followed by Randy he sped alongshore and
up to the edge of the canyon, where he might see what progress was made.
But hardly had they reached a convenient spot when the _Buster_ shot
along far beneath them, and around a bend, and was hidden from view in
the midst of a whirlpool of waters that threatened each instant to
ingulf her.
"If she isn't smashed up before she reaches the end of the canyon, then
I'll miss my guess!" ejaculated Earl. "My, but how she did spin along!"
"Wodley ought to know what he's doing," answered Randy. "If she is
smashed up, I hope he and the captain come out alive."
They returned to where the others had been left, and took up the heavy
packs which had been assigned to them. All the things to be carried had
been equally divided among the men and the boys, and it was calculated
that three trips would be necessary to move the outfits.
That day proved the hardest they had yet experienced, and by the time it
was dark both Randy and Earl felt as if their backs were broken and
their feet, to use Earl's expression, "walked off." They had carried
one-third of their traps to a beautiful spot just at the head of the
worst of the White Horse Rapids, which, it may be well to add here, are
many miles in extent.
Contrary to the expectation of the boys, Wodley and Captain Zoss had
brought the _Buster_ through in safety. They had had only one alarm,
just at the end of the canyon proper, when the boat had swung around on
a hidden rock and shipped about half a barrel of water. They were wet
to the skin, and this, along with the story they told, made Mrs. Wodley
insist upon it that her husband allow the other men of the party to
bring the _Wild Goose_ through, on the day following.
As Captain Zoss had made the trip once, it was decided that he and Earl
should take the next trip, while the others made another tramp over the
trail with more of the traps. They encamped at the White Horse Rapids,
but started back toward Lake Marsh before sunrise.
"It's easy enough, Earl," said the captain, on embarking on the _Wild
Goose_. "All you've got to do is to keep your wits about you and your
eyes on the rocks. Tie the pail fast to the seat, so it won't float away
if the boat gives too much of a lurch. If we have to bail any, you had
better do it."
They were soon on the way, out of the brightness of the early sunshine
into the gloom of the yawning canyon, which seemed to swallow them up.
The roar of the waters between the rocks was deafening, and the flying
spray sent a shiver through Earl. Yet he stood to his post manfully,
realizing that there was no turning back, now that the perilous trip was
once begun.
"To the left shore!" roared Captain Zoss, presently, and Earl scarcely
heard him. The captain waved his elbow frantically, while using his
pole, and Earl saw what was wanted. They were running close to some
half-submerged rocks. A vigorous use of the pole, a slight grating which
made the youth hold his breath, and that danger at least was past.
But more were ahead, and they grew thicker and thicker as the _Wild
Goose_ leaped, turned, and twisted, first in one mad current and then
another. Swish! came a huge wave into the craft, nearly taking Earl from
his feet. Then, before he could make up his mind whether to begin
bailing or not, the boat slid up almost on her stern's end, and most of
the water went flying forth. "Now for the left shore, and mind the
channel!" roared the captain, once more, and then the oars came into
play, and on they bounded through a clear cut in the rocks not over
twenty-five feet wide. The cut at an end, the captain threw down his oar
with a deep breath of satisfaction.
"The wust on it's over," he announced. "Jest pole her along easy-like
now, and we'll be down to camp inside of half an hour."
The strain on the _Wild Goose_ had caused several of the seams to part,
but it was decided to do nothing with these until after the worst of the
White Horse Rapids had been passed. They must now take their crafts out
of water and carry or ride them on rollers to the foot of the falls.
This was a job lasting several days, for both the _Wild Goose_ and the
_Buster_ were heavy, and it took all the men in both parties to move one
boat at a time. But at last the greatest of the falls was passed, and
then it was decided to draw the boats along through what remained, and
after another hard day's labor they had the satisfaction of finding
themselves free from further obstacles, and encamped midway between
Tahkheena River and the head of Lake Labarge. That day was Sunday, and
it was spent in perfect rest by all.
Thus far since the snow-squall on Lake Bennett, fine weather had favored
them, but now Monday set in cloudy and threatening. As soon as breakfast
was over, the _Wild Goose_ was patched up and pitched over, and all of
the outfit placed on board. The _Buster_ was already loaded, and with
the wind from the westward they tacked down the river and into Lake
Labarge, a clear sheet of water, some twenty odd miles in length, and
varying from two to four miles in width. About midway from either end of
the lake there was an island, and on this rocky shore they were
compelled to seek shelter about the middle of the afternoon, for the
wind had increased to a good-sized blow, and to sail in such a boat
was, consequently, out of the question.
Both the _Wild Goose_ and the _Buster_ had hardly been drawn up out of
harm's way than it began to rain. Seeing this, all lost no time in
pitching the tents and in building fires to keep warm, for in this
section of Alaska a rain even in the summer is sure to make one feel
cold. The tents were pegged down with extra care, and this was a good
thing, for by nightfall the wind had increased to a hurricane.
The travellers to the gold regions were stormbound at Lake Labarge for
two days. It did not rain all this time, but the wind blew too strongly
to venture from shore. The time was spent inside the tent and hung
rather heavily, although occasionally relieved by a song from the
doctor, or a yarn told by Captain Zoss, or Wodley, who, along with his
wife, and Crimmins and Johnson, the other two miners, made themselves
quite at home with the Portney party.
"The wind has moderated at last!" said Randy, who was the first out on
the third morning. "Now let us make the most of the fine weather while
it lasts."
The others were more than willing, and the stove and camping outfit were
taken down to the _Wild Goose_ without delay. The Wodley party was also
stirring, but did not start until some time later on; and the two
parties did not see each other again until many a day later.
The journey to the end of Lake Labarge was quickly made, and they
entered the thirty-mile watercourse, at that time unnamed, which
connects the lake with the Big Salmon and the Lewes rivers. Randy and
Earl were in charge, the men taking it easy over their pipes, for the
captain was an inveterate smoker, and Mr. Portney and the doctor
indulged occasionally in the weed.
A good many miles had been covered, when Earl, happening to glance at
his pocket compass, announced that they were sailing almost due
southward. "And that can't be right," he said to Randy. "We ought to be
headed for the northwest."
"Well, we're on the river all right," answered Randy. Nevertheless, he
spoke to his uncle about it, who at once consulted his pocket map.
"I'll tell you what you've done," he announced presently. "Instead of
sticking to the river that flows northward, you have turned into the
Teslin, which flows to the south. Swing the _Wild Goose_ around at
once."
Much crestfallen over their mistake, the boys did as requested. They had
to go back nearly four miles, as they calculated, before they saw the
opening which had previously escaped their notice. But once right, they
found the wind directly in their favor, and with the sail set to its
fullest, they bowled along until the Big Salmon was reached, and they
swept into the broad waters of the Lewes River.
"And now for the Yukon and the gold regions!" cried Dr. Barwaithe. "How
much further have we to go?" he questioned, turning to Foster Portney.
"About three hundred and fifty miles," was the answer. "And with the
exception of the Rink and Five Finger rapids, which don't amount to
much, so I have heard, we'll have straight sailing. Ten days more ought
to see us at Dawson City, ready to stake our claims."