254 THE UPPER YUKON 



branches of the Hess River, reaching boating 

 water on this stream in April, 1898, and de- 

 scended the Hess and Stewart rivers to the 

 Yukon, thus taking six months in all on the 

 trip." 



The dreadful hardships of such a journey 

 can be imagined by any one who will think 

 for a few minutes of the extremities they must 

 have been put to in getting enough food to 

 satisfy their wants on a trip lasting half a year 

 and most of it in the winter months, when the 

 thermometer frequently goes to 60 degrees 

 below zero. 



Then think of the swarms of men that per- 

 ished from overwork and exposure in climb- 

 ing the Chilkoot and Chilkat passes. Men 

 who perhaps had never done any real hard 

 work in their lives were suddenly called upon 

 to bear the burden of a pack weighing from 

 sixty to eighty pounds or more, a distance of 

 eighteen miles from Skagway (the coast) to 

 Chilkoot Summit, and then twenty-two miles 

 to Lake Lindeman. This they had to do be- 

 fore they could float their supplies and them- 

 selves, by boat or canoe, down the stream, and 

 through the dreaded White Horse Rapids. 

 When once in the broad Yukon it was easy 

 going to the Klondike. Is it not a won- 



