Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ...back to in after years as one of the bright spots among so many dark and gloomy hours which made up the greater part of the time in these men's heroic struggle after gold. Much has been said since the war with Spain began about heroic sacrifice, and braving danger, all of which is doubtless true; but after the months passed on this Alaskan campaign, and seeing what I have seen, I can not think that our army and navy have given to the world any higher types of heroes--though they have been by their association rendered more conspicuous--than were developed in the wilds of Alaskan forests, or over Alaskan ice mountains. A restaurant was opened on the island, and for two months, while so many were on their way back to the States, did a thriving business. It was a great resort for the boys, for the keeper had a phonograph with a large selection of records, both vocal and instrumental. One day Stickwon.--the chief of the Stick Indians, --with his entire family, consisting of himself and wife and three children (a son twenty-one years old, a daughter of eighteen, and a little boy of five), was on a hunting expedition to the head waters of the Klutina River, and had stopped off a few days at the island to visit the white people. They had killed four caribou on their way up from Copper River, and so were well supplied with fresh meat, a part of which they tfaded with the miners for " muck-muck," which is their name for all kinds of provisions. One afternoon Stickwon and his family called at this restaurant, and being of an inquisitive nature, as all these Indians are, and looking about the place to see what was to be seen, came across the phonograph, and began to examine it curiously. The proprietor of the place, noticing this, ...