274 BIG GAME FIELDS 



waving over all with a terrible beauty that 

 knows no human name. 



We called at several points on the way up the 

 coast. At Prince Rupert there was great ex- 

 citement. It was rumored that another big gold 

 strike had been made in the Shushana district, 

 which lies between the White and Chittina rivers 

 and northeast of Bonanza. It was hinted to be 

 something even richer than Klondike. Many of 

 the old-timers were going up "to look it over," as 

 they said. Dozens of big husky fellows with 

 bronze complexions and packs on their backs filed 

 on board, and as they bid their friends farewell 

 the oft-repeated slogan was "Shushana or bust." 

 I have an idea that more than one will never re- 

 turn, for the northern trails and trials are both 

 long and wearisome, while the relentless arctic 

 winter deals harshly with the poorly sheltered. 



At Ketchikan I went ashore to see the salmon 

 ascending one of the greatest salmon rivers on 

 the coast. They were swarming up the river in 

 almost unbelievable hordes. I took a number 

 of pictures of them leaping the falls in the hope 

 of obtaining at least one good one. It was at 

 Ketchikan we received the shocking news that the 

 steamer City of California, belonging to the Pa- 

 cific Coast Steamship Company, struck on an un- 



