1 68 CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 



At Wade Creek we found the surface frozen over 

 and very slowly led our horses across the ice as they 

 were not sharp shod and the crossing was difficult; 

 sometimes both horses and men would break through 

 the ice into the stream and wet feet certainly added 

 nothing to the crossing. As we plowed our way 

 through the snow and sank into the mire, both our 

 horses and ourselves began to grow weary under the 

 strain and it became evident we could not hope to 

 get over the range that day; so we decided to skirt 

 the range by traveling down the canyon of Burwash 

 River, where the footing, even though rocky, was 

 less killing than across the summits. 



Noon found us picking our way along the rocky 

 gorge where we traveled more rapidly and with less 

 effort. Our way led along the rushing creek, past 

 many cabins abandoned by prospectors, and at pres- 

 ent merely tenements of buried hopes and vanished 

 dreams set in a panorama of desolation and gloom 

 as the snow began to swirl through the gorge. At 

 five o'clock we decided that we would climb out of 

 the canyon and attempt to cut across the tundra 

 mountains in an effort to leave the accursed mire be- 

 hind. Baker's horse severely injured himself in 

 climbing the canyon and as we came upon the tundra 

 several of the animals were limping badly. 



The snow drove down upon us in clouds, but 

 weary men leading weary horses plunged ahead 

 into the storm, dragging our feet out of the mire. 



