24 CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 



who played paid in full with their lives the price of 

 poor equipment and inexperience. Beyond the roar 

 of the rapids the train comes to the little town of 

 White Horse, which for us was jumping-off place, 

 from which our last letters and telegrams were to 

 be sent home and from which we faced the lone trail. 



At the station we were met by Tom Dixon, one of 

 our guides, with whose handwriting we had become 

 familiar during the long months of sporadic cor- 

 respondence, and after much discussion of plans and 

 purposes with the efficient-looking woodsman we 

 adjourned to a very modern grocery and outfitters' 

 store to have our grub list put up and packed for the 

 morrow. On an interior expedition your grub list 

 practically reduces itself to the army menu, con- 

 sideration being given only to highly nutritive values. 

 The staples are rice, sugar, flour, tea, bacon, and 

 beans in large quantities, with a plentitude of dried 

 fruits, being apricots, apples, and peaches, which, 

 with raisins, dried onions, dried potatoes, etc., fur- 

 nish the proper amount of acid necessary to avoid 

 scurvy. In addition to coffee and cocoa or choco- 

 late there are many small items that go to make up 

 the load, but it is only the basic elements that really 

 count. Only a limited amount of lard is taken, as 

 the fat on the sheep, caribou, and bear furnishes an 

 abundance of lard for baking and cooking. 



While we were giving directions for packing the 

 provisions, our cook, George Bruce Fisher, who was 



