A NEW TERRITORY 257 



with wide rivers whose beds are paved with 

 stones of volcanic origin; that the volcanic 

 pumice-sands stretch in certain districts for 

 hundreds of miles. They learned that it is 

 a country abounding in big game; that the 

 streams are alive with fish (particularly the 

 grayling) ; that there are birds of many kinds, 

 some of them excellent game birds; that the 

 soil is rich, and consequently there is a rich 

 vegetation in several districts. They learned 

 that this country is called "The Yukon Terri- 

 tory," and that it is not in Alaska, but belongs 

 to Canada and not to the United States. It 

 may be truly said that, as far as the outside 

 world knows, this territory was only discov- 

 ered in 1898 or fifteen years ago. 



On the steamer from Vancouver to Skag- 

 way, in the long interior waterway of one 

 thousand miles, were many passengers who 

 had recently arrived from Europe. Two of 

 them were men famous in the development of 

 the Yukon Territory. Their stories of the 

 "early days" as narrated by them from day to 

 day were full of unique experiences, and we 

 sat night after night spell-bound listening to 

 them. 



No one can keep from admiring the pluck, 

 persistence, and heroism of the "Argonauts 



