34 THE UPPER YUKON 



Klondike would have to be carried both down 

 and up its steep banks. He charged $100 a 

 ton for carrying the freight across by means of 

 his cable, and the man admitted that he coined 

 money as long as the rush lasted. 



Mr. Treadgold was full of anecdotes of 

 those days, which throw some light upon the 

 desperate chances men took during that cru- 

 cial time, and the hardships they endured. 



At Dyea, a closed house had this legend 

 written on the door, "Klondike or Bust." The 

 owner went to the Klondike and later on he 

 returned from his venture, erased the first two 

 words, and "Bust" was left. It told the story 

 as eloquently as a whole book could have told 

 it. 



Over the door of a house occupied by a 

 white woman, these words in large bold letters 

 were written, "Fortunes Told," and in small, 

 letters as if to be spoken in a whisper, "Wash- 

 ing Taken." Who is there who could not see 

 the tragic side of that mute message? 



A squaw was asked, "Whom did you marry, 

 an Indian?" 



"No." 



"Did you marry a white man then?" 



"No." 



"Well, whom did you marry?" 



