CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 39 



all of us tried cussing, separately and in unison, but 

 it did not seem to help. Then we got down to real 

 work, collected logs, and tried to block and pry the 

 wagon out of the tenacious mire, but all to no pur- 

 pose. 



For two hours we worked with icy fingers in the 

 midst of the driving rain, men and horses striving to 

 release the wagon, while the icy peaks close by on 

 our left with their heavy mantle of new-fallen snow 

 added their chill to our discomfort. We finally de- 

 cided that, since we could not pull up to the summit, 

 we would hitch the horses to the back of the trans- 

 port and with gravity in our favor pull down-hill; 

 but this did not work well, for while we pulled out 

 of the particular spot where we were mired, we 

 only succeeded in getting the wagon diagonally 

 across the road still stuck in the mud and tilting 

 down-hill at an angle that threatened to capsize at 

 any attempt at movement. 



There was nothing left but to unload the trans- 

 port, so in the gathering gloom we unpacked half 

 the load and transported flour, feed, sugar, and 

 many boxes upon our backs to the summit of the 

 pass. Then with our horses we were able to bring 

 up the wagon to the top, 2750 feet high, where 

 everything was loaded, and we traveled as far as 

 an abandoned log stable with leaky roof, which had 

 been used during the gold stampede. 



Fisher made the fire, while George looked after 



