The golden North; a vast country of inexhaustible gold fields, and a land of illimitable cereal and stock raising capabilities

Preface

The rush after the rich deposits of virgin gold in the far northwest will be doubly rewarded. Those who go in seach of the precious metal, with proper equipment, will not return empty handed. Experiments already made warrant the statement that gold may be found there in great abundance, and that it may be separated from the baser material with which it is associated, at slight cost, although of course, only be enduring the hardships incident to a miner's life in a frozen country. To those willing, and physically able to make the necessary sacrifices, the Golden North offers a Golden Prize.

But it offers more than this. Hard by the vast auriferous slopes which hang down from the summit of the watershed that divides the two great river systems of the north, are vast alluvial plains stretching up to the 65th parallel, where stock raising, dairying and the cultivation of cereals may be carried on without limit and with great profit.

When the northwest routes to the gold fields have been opened for travel as they will be in a short time, returning gold hunters will not only exhibit the fortunes taken from the banks of creek and gulch of the higher elevations, but they will tell of the mighty valleys and prairies of the basins of the Peace, Athabasca and Mackenzie rivers; and, their telling will result in the colonization and development of the greatest agii PREFACE.

ricultural and stock raising El Dorado on the face of the earth.

The north is a country of gold. It will become a land of golden harvests. For centuries Nature has been pushing back the cold, farther and farther towards the pole, and been preparing a new land for the overcrowded populations of these lower latitudes. The Klondike bells are now ringing out the glory of that land. The march of the weary, the disappointed, and the oppressed .is to be into higher latitudes, where the bounties of Providence have been spread with a lavish hand.

CHARLES R. TUTTLE.

Chicago, Sept. 15, 1897.

_N

Chapter I. Gold And Colonization

Northwesterly trend of progress — Gradual advance of soil, forests, cereals, population, commerce and civilization towards the Arctic — Extent of the gold-bearing districts of the great North— History repeating itself— Prospects of the Golden North.

Chapter II. Vastness Of The North Land

Its mighty river systems and basins — Basin of the Yukon — The wonderful Peace River country — Fertile plains and prairies extending up to the 64th parellel — The great plains of the Saskatchewan basin — The Churchill country and the basins of James' and Ungava Bay.

Chapter III. Trading Posts Op The North

Trails across the continent in the sub-Arctic belt — Many that have been traveled for two centuries — Short cut to the gold fields of the Klondike from Edmonton via Lake Athabaska and the Upper Mackenzie — The quicker and cheaper route — List of North Land trading stations — Hints on map study.

Chapter IV. The Yukon District-alaska

From Bering Sea to the junction of the Pelly and Lewis rivers— Cereal, vegetable and stock capabilities— The forests and climate— Value of the white spruce. (Hi)

IV CONTENTS.

Chapter V. Upper Yukon Or Klondike Region

Auriferous areas lying west of the Mackenzie watershed — Territory is duplicated in extent and gold bearingriches on the slopes east of the summit — Three great routes to the Klondike — Reasons why the all-overland route will become most favored.

CHAPTER VI. UPPER YUKON OR KLONDIKE REGION. (Continued.)

Pioneers of the Klondike country — Administration of mining laws, tariff regulations and homestead entry rules extended to the district by the Canadian government — Explorations of Dr. Dawson and Surveyor Ogilvie — Increase of mining camps.

Chapter VII. The Aleutian District-alaska

A mountainous and volcanic country — Broad meadows and sloping hillsides— Stock raising and cereal capabilities- Altitude limit of vegetation.

Chapter VIII. Sitkan District— Alaska

Channels, natural canals, rivers and lakes— The water highways of the country — Great timber resources of Southern Alaska — Wild berries abundant — Pest of mosquitoes and flies — Stock and agriculture.

Chapter IX. Upper Yukon— Lewis River

From Lake Bennett to the head of the Lewis— Down the Lewis to the Yukon — A country of lakes and rivers— The Klondike region proper — Its extent — Rich gold discoveries eastward from the Klondike— Dr. Dawson's opinion of the Klondike — Surveyor Ogilvie's explorations.

CONTENTS. V

Chapter X. Upper Yukon And Tributaries

The North Country from the International boundary to the junction of the Lewis and Pelly — The Stewart River — Other streams— Sixty Mile River— The Klondike River and tributary creeks — Forty Mile River.

CHAPTER XL

UPPER YUKON— AGRICULTURE AND TIMBER.

Only a small proportion of the region available for cereal and vegetable crops — Considerable areas of timber suitable for manufacturing purposes — An abundance of trees for firewood and for all mining necessities.

Chapter XII. Wealth Of The Klondike

Inexhaustible deposits of placer and quartz gold — The silver-bearing rock — Vast coal fields — Reports of government officials that read like tales of the Arabian Nights — Sensational reports of Surveyor Ogilvie.

Chapter XIII. Process Of Placer Mining

Methods of the prospector — Use of the pan, the rocker and the sluice — Mining in the far north — Continuous daylight in summer and almost perpetual darkness in winter — Filling the hours of summer with hard work — "Burning" in winter— Vast Peace River gold discoveries.

Chapter XIV. Furs, Fish And Game Of The Klondike

The silver gray, black and red fox — Abundance of game — The Caribou, moose and the grizzly, brown, black and silver-tip bears— Salmon and other fish.

VI CONTENTS.

Chapter XV. Important International Questions

Verified reports of rich, gold discoveries and the arrival of the precious metal in this country likely -„o send a vast population from the United States to the Klondike regions — Might possibly lead to a war between England and this country — The feeling in London — Chicago and London competitors — Routes for railroad communication — Settlement of the boundary question.

Chapter XXXV. Fur Bearing Animals

The silver, blue, gray, red and white foxes — The ermine — The marten — The otter — The varying hare — The lynx — The wolf — The sable, musk ox, etc. — The fur trade.

Chapter XXXVI. Observations On The Eskimos

Romance of the marriage of an Eskimo Princess — Habits of life— The Kayak.

Chapter XXXVII. Nature's Newest Land

Wonders of the new north — Product of natural laws for the last one thousand years — Specific work of glaziers — New areas for many millions — Probable gold and other products — Hard times to disappear as dew before an advancing sun.

X CONTENTS.

I. — Routes and distances.

II. — Facts about gold.

III. — Canadian and Alaskan mining laws and regulations.

IV. — Canadian land regulations.

V— Cost of supplies and outfits.

Chapter I. Gold And Colonization

Northwesterly trend of progress— Gradual advance of soil, forests, cereals, population, commerce and civilization towards the Arctic— Extent of the gold-bearing districts of the great North — History repeating itself — Prospects of the Golden North.

The gold deposits of the Klondike are probably unequalled in any part of the world either as to their extent or the significance of their discovery. It is evident to those acquainted with the character and geological formation of that region, including the whole country traversed by the gulches and creeks flowing into the upper waters of the Yukon and the Mackenzie, that still richer strikes will be made in the near future, and that the gold fever of 1897 will be eclipsed by that of 1898.

Beyond doubt the efforts of the prospector will be richly rewarded in both placer and quartz diggings throughout nearly the whole country between the 55th and 65th parallels and the 125th and 145th degrees, an auriferous area of nearly 600,000 square miles, and sufficient to profitably engage 250,000 miners. This does not include the gold fields of southern Alaska, nor the extensive yellow metal deposits in the greater part of British Columbia, but it does cover the Kootenai discoveries.

This vast gold bearing tract consists of the watershed or great summit-divide between the main upper tributaries of the Yukon and the Mackenzie rivers, the lower depressions of which are from 1,500 to 3,000 feet above sea level. It is well timbered and is subject to a snow fall of from two to five feet according to altitude, the higher elevations receiving the heaviest snow mantle during the winter season, which extends from the middle of September or first of October to the latter part of April, or between seven and eight months, leaving but a little more than four months of summer and autumn. There is no spring season, properly speaking, in that country. These four months, however, contain in the aggregate, as many hours of sunshine as six summer months in the latitude of Chicago-

The country is rugged, traversed everywhere by deep gulches and mountain streams, the formations almost invariably indicating the presence of gold deposits in both gravel and quartz. Those best acquainted with the region expect that far richer strikes will be made considerably east of the Klondike and on both sides of the summit dividing the two great river systems.

These gold discoveries which are now engrossing the attention of the people everywhere are significant. They will undoubtedly mark a new epoch in the progress and development of this continent. Thousands upon thousands will push northward after gold. Transportation facilities will have to be provided so that supplies will be cheaper and more abundant, and the cost, in time and money, of reaching tfte country be greatly reduced. In this way the vast extent and wonderful resources of the whole north country will become generally known, and hundreds of thousands will rush into it, not only to dig gold, but to produce bread and meat from the broad fertile plains, valleys and prairies, to exchange for it.

It is difficult for one who has traveled extensively in this great golden north land to write in what those ignorant of its character will concede to be conservative terms. The natural history surveyors of the United

GOLD AND COLONIZATION. 7

States and Canada, who are best acquainted with the capabilities of the north, persist in making their reports in what those who have never visited the country characterize as extravagant terms.

It is left for the Hudson's Bay Company's trading post officials to speak disparagingly of the land. They have practiced in that line of policy for more than three generations, under instructions from London, in order that the company might be left to enjoy a monopoly of the fur trade. But all others who have seen the wonderful north, talk of its resources in words of irrepressible enthusiasm. It is impossible for them to do otherwise.

Gold discoveries have led to the settlement and development of many countries. The great cereal and fruit resources of California would probably have remained unknown for one or two generations longer than they did, had it not been that the discovery of rich deposits of the yellow metal attracted an army of prospectors thither in 1849.'

In the Golden North the early history of California is repeating itself on more than one line. Thousands will become wealthy in the diggings of the Klondike and the creek and gulch regions of the upper Yukon and the Mackenzie, but many hundreds of thousands will find happy homes of peace and plenty in the vast agricultural and stock raising valleys, and on the fertile plains and prairies of the wonderful north land, as a result of information concerning the resources of that country which the gold hunters are sure to disseminate. Without this agency the resources of the north would probably remain a sealed book for an indefinite period.

Indeed the thoughtful reader will ask, what means this wild clanging of the Klondike bells? Is it the yellow dust that is being washed from bars and banks of river and gulch?

Yes, that and more.

It is the voice of the mighty north calling to the over-crowded and depressed centers of population in

S THE GOLDEN NORTH.

the United States to march into higher latitudes and there to take possession of boundless riches.

May it not be the ringing up the dawn of an area of prosperity that shall banish economic heresies in this country, and ultimately change the political map of a hemisphere?

The voice of the Klondike may be regarded as the class bell of the World's University calling the people to the study of a new problem and of a new country. The nation's schoolmaster has opened the text-book of the north, and the struggling, discontented masses are to lay aside their threadbare delusions of silver restoration, the social democracy, and the cooperative commonwealth. They are now to repudiate false teachers, turn their backs upon false gods, and realize the saving truth that the earth possesses "enough for each, enough for all, enough forever more."

People will come to their right senses. They will cease to contend for the bone that has already been gnawed bare, and will flock into new pastures, rich not only in precious metals, but in illimitable possibilities of bread and meat.

And what a text-book!

From its pages pupils of an older growth than those who fill our school houses will learn how nature is gradually extending her mantle of soil and vegetation over the rocks of the north towards the shores of the Arctic Sea. They will read and dream of a receding pole and a slow but portentous revolution of the earth from north to south, placing the. northern habitable boundary of the continent about one hundred miles nearer the axis with each century. Nor are they to be left to theory as to these phenomena. Hudson's Bay trading posts from ioo to 200 years standing, stretching from the rugged upper Labrador to Bering Sea, are to give testimony and to declare that in the brief period of their existence, soil and vegetation and forests and

GOLD AND COLONIZATION. 9

cereal growth have come to them from the south and have grown up around them on the once barren rocks.

From that wonderful text-book of the north, they are to realize that altitude far more than latitude governs thermal conditions of the Arctic zone, and that while the rocks, mountains, hills, and gulches abound in practically inexhaustible deposits of gold and other mineral treasures, the valleys and plains and broad prairies of the region await the directing touch of man to yield cereals and cattle sufficient to glut all the bread and meat markets of earth. From the pages of that book they are to be told of the innumerable herds of sea-faring mammals, including oil and fur-bearing seals, walruses, porpoises and whales, from the products of which two hemispheres may be abundantly supplied with oil, hides, bone and ivory; and they will hear of the millions of tons of the best salmon caught in any waters, and of all the many other resources of the rugged land so well calculated to yield brain and muscle and wealth to all who will go up to inhabit its mighty basins and treasure-bearing summits.

Before a dozen pages of that wonderful text-book of the north are gone over and understood, thousands and hundreds of thousands will flock to that land "flowing with milk and honey," hitherto hidden from immigration and yet hard by our doors. Gold is there in abundance, but resources of even greater intrinsic value are there, and these will eventually outweigh the importance of the gold.

And all this is but another stride in the northwestward progress of man.

The world's march of commerce, and science and skill In errands of blessing its work to fulfill Moves in the same course, — northwesterly still.

The directive magnetic force that controls the needle is not a more attractive problem than is the unerring northwesterly trend of human progress. Westward and northward have been the marching orders until the people of the present generation must look southward and eastward for the homes of their ancestors. The greatest deeds have always been performed in high latitude, because the highest habitable latitudes produce the greatest men. And yet, strange as it may appear, the north is always underrated.

Go to the Eastern hemisphere for examples of this. Half a century before Christ, Caesar concluded a series of great victories in the northwest, by subjugating the hardy inhabitants of Britain; but this was regarded by the Romans as placing the Imperial standard on the utmost confines of the north rather than as a conquest of valuable territory. A few centuries and the island camping-ground of the Roman Conqueror became mistress of the world. Upon those northern shores a mighty commerce began to develop, and vast industrial enterprises grew up, until, in every part of the earth, England was hailed as the greatest nation under the sun. But there was no prophet to foretell England's greatness, nor was there anything in the general appearance of the country to attract attention. Its high latitude is one of the secrets of Britain's importance.

History is ever repeating itself, and the political transformations of the old world may yet, to a great extent, be re-enacted in the new. Here on this continent the trend of all material progress is northwesterly. The flow of immigration is northwesterly, and the Creator, as if to make way for its latest advance, has pushed back, as it were, the cold of the sub-arctic regions nearer to the pole, and extended the vast fertile belt of the northern temperate zone from the great lakes to the head waters of the Mackenzie and the Yukon.

VASTNESS OF THE NORTH LAND. 1 1

Chapter II. Vastness Of The North Land

Its mighty river systems and basins— Basin of the Yukon — The wonderful Peace River country — Fertile plains and prairies extending up to the 64th parallel— The great plains of the Saskatchewan basin— The Churchill country and the basins of James' and Ungava Bay.

In order to form a correct idea of the extent of the north country, it will be advisable to briefly glance at the whole continental plain which stretches north and south between the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean. This plain is bounded on the west by the Rocky Mountains throughout its whole extent, and on the east side by a less elevated plateau known as the Appalachian Range. This great plain occupies the whole of the continent between the western and eastern mountain ranges, and in the far north it broadens, stretching from the western shores of Hudson's Bay and James' Bay to the head waters of the Mackenzie and the Yukon, where the mountain passes do not reach an elevation of more than from 1,000 to 2,500 feet. This vast plain is divided by its river system into three perfectly distinct drainage basins. One drains to the south into the Gulf of Mexico ; another into the Atlantic by the channel of the great river St. Lawrence ; and the third, north into the arctic and sub-arctic waters.

Of these three great basins that of the St. Lawrence is decidedly the smallest, while the northern is larger than the other two together. The St. Lawrence basin, divided by the boundary between the United States and Canada, occupies part of both countries. The southern basin is wholly in the United States, while a greater portion of the northern basin is in British Canadian territory.

The north and south basins are separated by the 49th parallel of latitude, which in addition to marking the international boundary line between central Canada and the United States, runs along very close to what is known as the watershed. It will thus be seen that the great continental plain of North America is divided naturally as well as politically near its center.

Our attention must be confined to the northern basin, or basins, for the region is physically subdivided by several extensive river systems. Beginning at the western coast of Alaska, we have first the Yukon basin, which is over 2,000 miles long, extending up into the Canadian northwest from the 141st degree to considerably beyond the 130th, until its upper waters interlock with those of the upper Mackenzie River, on the summit of the northern Rockies. This vast area of the Yukon, consisting of about 400,000 square miles, or nearly the whole of Alaska, is a rugged, mountainous, snowbound country, which will be more fully described later on.

Crossing the mountains through any of the passes between the 55th and 65th parallels, we come to perhaps the largest and most fertile subdivision of the great northern basin, known as the Peace River country. This vast area is drained by the Peace and Athabasca rivers and their numerous tributaries, flowing into Lake Athabasca, which is only 400 feet above the level of the sea; and by the Peace River and its numerous tributaries stretching far up into the mountains, flowing also into Lake Athabasca; by the Great Slave River, flowing from Lake Athabasca into Great Slave Lake at Fort Resolution ; and by the Mackenzie River, the Mountain River and the many branches which flow into it. This mighty valley, comprising the largest area of cereal and stock-producing lands in one body to be found anywhere in the world, has an elevation above sea level from 400 to 1,500 feet, and

VASTNESS OF THE NORTH LAND. 1 3

enjoys a climate equal in all respects to that of Maryland, although of course its winters are longer, and its summers are shorter as to number of days, but not as to aggregate number of hours of sunshine. This almost illimitable territory, rich beyond description in agricultural, fruit, and meat-producing resources, lies between the 55th and 64th parallels of latitude and the 105th and 120th degrees of longitude, and comprises nearly 500,000 square miles. This great plain, prairie, or park country, is but slightly timbered, although there are forests of considerable growth all along the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains which are everywhere penetrated by the creeks and tributary streams of the upper Mackenzie, the Peace and the Athabasca rivers. According to the reports of the natural history surveys of the Canadian Dominion, there are as rich gold deposits on the eastern slopes of the Rockies in the quartz formation and river banks and bars of the upper western branches of the Mackenzie as on the western slope in the Klondike region.

Passing from the Peace River country southeastward, we come to the higher plain, almost as extensive, of the north and south branches of the Saskatchewan and the Battle and Deer rivers, which are located between them, and the Saskatchewan itself, from the confluence of the two principal branches to Lake Winnipeg. The Saskatchewan system of rivers, which drain the basin between Lake Winnipeg and the Rocky Mountains, aggregate an almost incredible length. The country has an elevation above sea level of from 900 to 4,000 feet and is quite heavily timbered not only in the neighborhood of Lake Winnipeg but along the foot-hills of the Rockies and on the borders of most of the streams, especially in the more northerly and westernly districts. This area of cereal and stock-sustaining country lies between the 49th and 55th parallels of latitude and between the 90th and 115th, and farther to the north, 120th degrees of longitude, and comprises about 500,000 square miles. This region is already quite well known and is being rapidly settled and developed both as to its agricultural and stock-raising capabilities. It includes the province of Manitoba and the territories of Kewatin, Saskatchewan, Assiniboia, and Alberta. The territory of Athabasca lies to the north of Alberta at the threshold of the great Peace River country, which is yet unsettled, and of course undeveloped in any way. Our knowledge of that extensive territory is derived from traveling through it, and from reports and meteorological data gathered and given out by Hudson's Bay trading-post officials.

There is a smaller basin, practically within and between the two great districts mentioned, lying to the north of the latter and to the west of the former. This is the basin of the Churchill, flowing from Reindeer Lake to Hudson's Bay. There are a large number of Hudson's Bay trading posts in this territory, and from the reports of those in charge of them, we learn that while a century ago there were no forests bordering any of the lakes and rivers thereabouts, there is now well developed tamarac ranging from five to fifteen inches in diameter extending almost down to Fort Churchill on the western shores of Hudson's Bay.

The outlet for the drainage of the great Saskatchewan country from Lake Winnipeg to Hudson's Bay is by way of the Nelson, the Hayes, and the Severn rivers, the first and the last being about 550 miles in length and the second finding its way into the northern waters of Lake Winnipeg at Norway House through a series of smaller lakes to the northwest. This country between Lake Winnipeg and the Hudson's Bay is all pretty heavily timbered, both the soil and the forests having been largely developed within the last century.

There is another basin in the north drained by the rivers flowing into James' Bay, the Albany, the Moose and the Abittibi being the principal streams, some of

VASTNESS OF THE NORTH LAND. 1 5

them reaching nearly as far south as Lake Superior. This section is heavily timbered.

Eastward from the east-main coast of Hudson's Bay and extending half way across the great peninsula between that inland sea and the Labrador coast is another vast basin drained by the Whale, Big and East Main rivers. This basin is all heavily timbered with tamarac as far north as the 53d parallel of north latitude, and is said to contain rich mineral deposits consisting of gold and copper. There is still another basin farther to the eastward, drained by the Ungava and Whale rivers, which flow into Ungava Bay at Fort Chimo. Near the mouth of the Ungava River, in the Laurentian formation, there are mountains of pure mica, sufficiently extensive, perhaps, to supply the whole world with that commodity. The streams flowing into Ungava Bay are filled with salmon of the very finest quality, and for several years back two refrigerator steamers have been plying between these waters and the English metropolis in the salmon trade. It is a remarkable fact that with the traps used to catch these valuable fish, a moderate sized steamship can be loaded in a single tide. This basin is also heavily timbered. The upper portion of it has been so for many years back; and the lower portion, extending down to Fort Chimo, has begun to produce timber within the last three-quarters of a century. -

In addition to the extensive areas mentioned, there are Southern Alaska and British Columbia. Both possess vast resources in gold, coal, and on agricultural lines.

From these observations the reader must have acquired a pretty good idea of the vast extent of the north country. We have already given the boundaries of an area nearly as large as the whole of the United States, and contained within it are 1,250,000 square miles of the most fertile and productive park prairie and plain region to be found anywhere on the face of the earth. The elevations of this rich plain range from l6 THE GOLDEN NORTH.

400 to 4,000 feet above sea level, the lowest winter temperatures prevailing on the highest latitudes, and the highest temperature readings during the same season are, of course, found in the greatest depressions. Most of this vast territory is favorably affected by the Chinook winds which find their way through all the passes of the Rockies north of the 53d parallel, and especially into the Peace River country, greatly improving the winter climate. The cold is very great in the southwestern portions of this plain where the elevations are from 2,500 to 4,000 feet, and the cattle on the ranches in that neighborhood have to be well sheltered during most of the winter. But in the far north, in the neighborhood of Lake Athabasca, and still farther north to Fort Simpson on the Mackenzie River, which is only 750 feet above the level of the sea, sunshine snow-storms are common and the snow melts almost as fast as it falls. In this region cattle may roam at large, winter and summer, without shelter of any kind. The hay cures on the stem and the pasturage is better in December, January and February than during any other months of the year. But of the climate and resources of this vast north country, we shall speak more in detail hereafter.

TRADING POSTS OF THE NORTH. 17

Chapter III. Trading Posts Op The North

Trails across the continent in the sub-Arctic belt — Many that have been traveled for a hundred and fifty years- Short cut to the gold fields of the Klondike from Edmonton via Lake Athabaska and the Upper Mackenzie — The quicker and cheaper route — Lis of Northern trading stations— Hints on map study.

It is already well understood by the reader that the object of this volume is to provide an accurate account of the vast extent of territory and rich resources of the Golden North. The foregoing chapters shed some light upon the vast area and physical features of the country. It may now be observed that there is an important sense in which this whole North Land has been settled, though not to any extent developed, during a period reaching back to the middle, and beyond it, of the eighteenth century. There is a chain of trading posts belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company extending from the Atlantic to the eastern borders of Alaska, and covering the whole belt of territory lying between the 55th parallel and the Arctic Circle; and in Alaska, covering the whole of that territory, there are similar trading posts under the control of American companies.

For more than one hundred and fifty years these trading stations have been supplied from three points, namely : Fort Garry, near the mouth of the Red River, York Factory, and Fort Churchill on the western shores of Hudson's Bay. Supplies for the trading posts in Alaska have for many years been distributed from St. Michaels by way of the Yukon and from Sitka for those in the Southern Alaskan district. From the points named the products of the northern region have 2 been shipped to foreign markets. These products formerly consisted of valuable furs, reindeer tongues, oil from the marine mammals, ivory from the walrus, fish, and other commodities. At one time this trade was carried on very extensively, but of late years it has dwindled away, in some portions of the north, to almost nothing. A little over thirty years ago the Hudson's Bay Company sold its interests in the North country to the Canadian Government, reserving certain portions of the lands, and it has since that time become quite as much interested in the colonization and development of the country — in order to realize from its landed interests — as it is in the fur trade.