410 AN EXPLORATION TO MOUNT McKINLEY. 



and Von, were busy breaking in such of the horses as were unused to 

 packing — an operation which afforded great amusement to the natives, 

 who watched it from afar and promptly toolv to their heels if one of 

 the bucking brutes threatened to approach them. 



Our observations finally promi^ted us to choose the northwesterlv 

 route as the shortest, other conditions being a])out equal, or at least 

 equall}^ impossible to foresee. To facilitate the crossing of the large 

 rivers which Avere known to lie athwart our route to the mountains, a 

 boat was sent ahead in cliarge of George Eberhardt and Louis Ander- 

 son, both experienced in frontier life and, as the event proved, emi- 

 nently reliable men. We decided not to use Indian guides, in spite of 

 the advice of the Tj^onok sages, both because of the Indian's igno- 

 rance of horses and for the reason that his insatiable appetite for 

 white men's stores makes him an undesirable addition to a party when 

 the transportation of supplies is the difficult problem. 



The adequate provisioning of a party like ours is the most important 

 feature of the preparation. If the allowance of food is insufficient, 

 the journey has to be curtailed or risk of starvation encountered. On 

 the other hand, if a greater quantity is taken than is necessary, it may 

 hamper the transportation facilities and result in failure to the expe- 

 dition. A proper variety' of food is also imperative, for on this will 

 depend the health and strength of the party. The accumulated expe- 

 rience of five years of Alaskan travel enabled us to judge the propor- 

 tions to a nicety. Practically nothing but dried foods were chosen; 

 the staples — flour, bacon, beans, sugar, and evaporated fruit — were sup- 

 plemented by farinaceous foods, cheese, evaporated eggs and potatoes, 

 condensed soups, together with tea, coffee, and a few pounds of delica- 

 cies, such as macaroni and jelly. Our ration provided for 3 pounds 

 of food per man each day, an ample allowance if no canned goods are 

 taken. 



The provisions, sufficient to feed seven men for one hundred and five 

 days, were packed in 50-pound waterproof bags. As for the rest of 

 the equipment, everA^thing Avas chosen with a view to lightness, the 

 tents weighing onlv a few pounds and carbines being carried instead 

 of rifles. Sleeping bags were substituted for blankets because they 

 give a maximum of warmth for a minimum of weight. The entire 

 equipment weighed about 3,500 pounds, of which 1,000 pounds were 

 sent by boat and the rest distributed among the 20 horses. 



As all our preparations were now completed and the grass was suffi- 

 ciently advanced to insure an ample supply of feed for the horses, we 

 set out from Tyonok on June 2. 



At the outset our experience was a hard one. The horses were fresh 

 and some of them objected seriously to the heavv burdens. Again 

 and again they l)ucked their packs off and stampeded the entire herd. 

 Our baggage was scattered to the four winds of heaven, and the pieces 



