Mt

Alaska State Library - Historical Collections

ASL-MS0107-Diary06-1903

James A. Wickersham diary, May 16th, 1903 to Sept. 17, 1903.

[front cover]

Mt. McKinley Diary

Wick[er]sham

[May 16?], 1903 to Sep. 17^th , 1903

[inside front cover]

Diary

James Wickersham

From

May 16^th 1903.

-to-

Sept. 17, 1903.

[sketch of dog and tree]

[drawing caption:]

Dog tied to pole so that he cannot

gnaw loose – pole tied to a tree.

1. Dee-na-li Athapascan tradition

2. Tre-la-ya Cooks Inlet Indian name

3. Bolshoyia Russian name “High”.

4. McKinley Patriotic.

May 16^th 1903.

A beautiful sunny day - Am already

[to] go to Chena today at 1 oclock on the

[Is]abella, where we will embark on the

[“]Tanana Chief" on our journey to Mt

McKinley.

We loaded "Mark" and "Hannah", our

pack mules, on the "Isabella" at Fairbanks

at noon, and at one oclock we boarded

that craft with 115 other persons going on an

excursion to Chena - to see us off on our

trip and - evidently - to show the people of the

town that as steamboat could

navigate the Chena river. We had music

aboard & singing. Received a note from

Mr. Hendricks just as we were embarki[ng]

[say]ing that he would leave Chena

with his boat at once - so we will

[m?]ake close connection.

- made a quick and flying trip down

to Chena and found the "Tanana Chief" with

steam up waiting for us. Excursionists

seemed to enjoy the town - we procured our

supplies - plenty of flour, bacon, beans,

box dried apples, do, dried prunes, 300 ft

of ½ in rope - non alpen stocks, muck=

lucks. 100 lb rolled oats for the mules &c.

After the Fairbanks excursion left, we

loaded - the mules and supplies into

a small barge ahead of the Chief &

after a good dinner with Mrs. Currier

- Mr Hendricks, Stevens, George & I, -our

boat left Chena at 9.30 p.m. for

down river. Did not pay for my outfit,

but agreed to do so from Rampart on

my return, - about $100. due to Hen-

=dricks & Belt. He said, in answer to my

question, that he would charge nothing for

putting us up the Kantishna river -

that he desired to do that much to assist

in our efforts to reach the summit of the

highest mountain in North America.

Cleary also gave us such supplies as he had

at Fairbanks & brought us all down

on the “Isabella” in the same spirit.

Robertson & Scott loaned us the mules

cheap, on the same grounds. Altogeth[er]

[there?] seems to have arisen in the

Fairbanks - Chena community a spirit

of enthusiasm to aid Americans to

climb the mountain and save us the

mortification experienced when Prince

Luigi climbed St. Elias. Went to bed, - in

a small bunk, with rabbit skin blanket -

early, for I was tired.

-17^th Sunday-

Passed the Nee-na-na or Cantwell

river intake early this morning, and over

took the "Jennie M", a small steamer

belonging to Belt & Hendricks fleet, also

going down to Weare for supplies for them.

During the late winter they moved a large

amount of supplies across the Yukon to

the east bank of the Tanana, and now that

the latter is open they will supply the mines

from that source until the Yukon opens.

Ducks, & particularly geese along the

Tanana sand bars by thousands. Valley

low and wide. Ice yet piled high on the

banks, only went out of channel 3 days ago.

River runs nearly west - sometimes a little

north, beautiful day - Geese, ducks, snipe.

My party, consists of:

Charley Webb, whom I have known at

Eagle City and on the Tanana for two years -

a splendid good packer, hunter, boatman

and guide. John M McLeod, a native

of Liard river country - who has lived on the

Mackenzie and Yukon, all his life - 26

years old. Johnnie was guide for Prof-

Stone where he gathered natural history

specimens along the Mackenzie to the Arctic

and with Prof. Hanbury on his journey into

the same country. Morton I. Stevens

an all round athlete, shot and boatman

George A. Jeffry, a good photographer

and my stenographer and secretary.

All four of these men are young, strong

and sound in heart and lungs. With

them and the ropes, alpen stocks, picks

&c. &c. and the assistant of the Tanana

Chief we ought to reach the mountain &

return in time.

Reached the mouth of the Kantishna -

river at noon, and were greatly surprised

and correspondingly disappointed at finding

it running full of heavy ice, barring the

"Tanana Chief" from ascending it. As we

waited the ice grew heavier, and Mr. Hendricks

was almost ready to put us ashore - but

finally agreed to wait until evening to see

whether any change will come in the

flow. Just as we came to the mouth

of the stream Webb discovered a

boat in a drift, and while we lay

tied to the bank just below the

Kantishna he and Johnnie went

across in a row boat and pulled it out.

To our great delight it proved to be a

finely built double ender, 16 ft. long

clinker built, but filled with dirt. We

brought it over to the "Chief", turned it up

sideways, washed it clean, calked a crack,

ran new rosin in the seams & now

have a handsome new boat, able to

carry all of our outfit except the mules.

If the "Cheif" fails us we are now sure to

get up the Kantishna by cordelling.

6 o'clock - The ice is nearly all

run out, and our scare seems to be over

- we will go on up the Kantishna as we orig

=inally intended, - if something else

don't happen - but in any event we are

now able to help ourselves - from

this point or at any higher point where

the "Chief" leaves us.

Mr. Hendricks has been assisting

me in preparing a map of the Tanana

from Chena to Baker creek. Owing

to the swift current and heavy flow from

the Kantishna into the Tanana we had

much delay and trouble in getting into

the mouth of the {tributary} stream, but at

9:30 when I went to bed we were up some

two miles to the first of a low range of

sandhills which marks the western

line of the Kantishna. The stream is

larger in appearances at this point.

-18th-

The boat ran all night, and I was awaken

once or twice by noises and found us going

Woke at 6 oclock - we were in a lake

- like part of the river - 660 ft wide

and making good time. For miles

we have remained in these lakes

with narrow - rapid connections.

The general course of the river is

south.

Courses of Kantishna

at its junction with

the Tanana.

River runs general course

south.

[sketch of river and mountain]

[caption:] TANANA RIV.

Sand Ridge 100 ft. high

The Kantishna is as large as the Patomac

- the Wabash - the Illinois - the Sacra

=mento. Its valley is yet a part of that

of the Tanana - wide, timbered and

fertile. It is a splendid virgin country

- the Tanana Chief is the first boat

to stem its waters: 3 p.m. For nearly 24

hours now we have been traveling up this

wide, deep and navigable river. It is

a beautiful day - warm, sunny and

springlike. The birds sing, geese, ducks

and other birds fly, the sunlight da[?]

the approaching mountain range shows

in the clouds far across the evergreen

forests filling the wide valleys - It is

a temperate zone landscape - such

as De Soto might have seen (except the

snow covered mountains) when crossing tow

=ard the Mississippi. It bears no

possible resemblance to an Arctic

region. We are just now passing a

yellow ~~sandy cut~~ {cut sand} bank on the right

shore (going up) with a peculiar cut

mound at its lower end. A few minutes

ago we were all surprised to see a boat

coming down the river with a single

occupant. Coming alongside we found

his name to be Butte Aiken and he told

us he had been in the wilderness for

eleven months without seeing a white

man. He had his furs in the boat

and was going to the lower country.

He said we were 15 miles below an Indian

camp, - that it as about 40 miles

to the forks of the Kantishna & Toclat.

Reached the Indian village on the

right bank (going up) of the Kantishna late

this evening. Boat out of wood –we all

went ashore & cut & carried aboard

enough to last back to Baker Creek.

{Kudan.}

Abram & Simon, two young Indians,

who speak English came aboard &

made us maps of trails &c. to McKinley.

Abram says “Mountain sheep fall of that

mountain – guess white man no stick em.”

I asked him “Abram, your name – what name

mountain” – he answered promptly “McKeenly”.

- “No” I said “what is Indian name” &

he said “Dēē-na-thy” (a as in father).

We pulled up to the Indian village

and unloaded our supplies - built a

cache in trees & put our eatables up out

of reach of the malamute dogs - ~~built~~ put

up our tent and got ready for the night.

After unloading us the "Tanana Chief”

backed out, went flying down stream

and we are now upon our own resources.

About 50 Athapascans at this camp.

-19th-

We did not get to bed last night until

nearly midnight, so I did not wake the camp

until 8 oclock. After a long preliminary

"talk" we induced Abram{Kudan} to go with the mules

and George & Stevens as guide to Moose Creek

- 20 miles up the Kantishna above the forks

with Toclat. We took photographs of the

Indian camp, of individuals and women

cleaning moose skins, and at noon

departed. George & Stevens, guided by

Abram, started off through the woods.

while Webb, Johnnie McLeod and I loaded

our boat and left ~~for~~ via. the river bank.

[sketch of river]

Alternately we poled, or cordelled, and

crossed to bars with the oars. The following

diagram will explain how we took advan

=tage of the currents and

bars. The lines, thus - - - represent

the main current of the

river, while the round dots, thus . . . represent

the direction taken up stream by our

boat. We cordelled, or pulled the

boat upstream & the

diagram explains how we rounded the bars & as

soon as we could strike the current would

cross the current to the opposite bar, thus

always being able to walk and pull the

boat with the 1/2 in rope around the bars-

The difference between the current side

of the river and the opposite bar side is

shown by this diagram.

The current and

rapid water, of course, is on the deep

side on the outer rim of the bends, thus

giving us the short cut on the bars.

We were accompanied up the river by two

Indians who were going hunting moose.

They had lunch with us. "Chē-ah" was

the name of the eldest - his name means

"to eat" in the Tinneh, and he did not fail

to live up to the highest tradition of gastro

=nomic nomenclature. About 5.30 it

began to rain heavily and we went ashore &

made camp in a fine grove of spruce on

a high dry bank - tent up & filled with

aromatic spruce boughs - dinner & a

fine evening. fine camp.

Good supper - an hour afterward

old Na-chē-rē-ah "Sunset" -

came into camp & we gave him supper.

He correctly and carefully gives me the names

of the rivers - "Hun-teth-na", instead

of Kantishna, and "Too-tlat", instead

of Toclat. I supposed that the final

"na" on the names of the Tanana rivers

mant "river" - but the old man says

that it does not - but only means

- "take it." "Too-tlat" means =

"Too" -water & the whole "Head waters"

-20th-

Left our fine camp of last night

at 9 and have made a long run -

in a general southerly direction.

Passed what we took for the

mouth of the "Too-tlat" two miles

or more back. We have made abou

15 miles and hope to reach Moose

Creek tomorrow night. The river is

now within well defined bluffs at

two miles distance on either side - though

here at our camp tonight we cannot

see the east bluff as we think the

Too-tlat valley extends the distance.

Mountains begin to look close, though

we are yet in a perfectly level country

- the bluffs bring only terraces.

Fine camp tonight on west bank on

a high dry spot, open to east & south.

River very high & rising which makes

cordelling bad & poling ditto.

Webb & Johnnie are fine river men

and understand boats & other uses.

Webb is a Tacoma boy & went to

school to Nan at the Central School

- also to Mrs Rice & Miss Unthauk.

-21-

Made only about 10 or 12 mi

today - this afternoon it rained

hard and is still pouring tonight

We are wet - bedraggled and hungry.

Good camp on north bank facing

river and south. Frightful bends

in river which still maintains a

general southerly course. No

bluffs near river yet - but foothills

just above us. Have killed no

game yet, though every point of

a bar has a pair of geese, and

ducks are abundant. Moose

sign everywhere -there are

hundreds of them along the river

River very high and rising rapidly.

22nd

Two trappers came into our camp this

morning before we got up - they are in

a boat and going down river. They have

been on the Kuskokwim and the big lake

at the head of this river. They tell us we are

on the right road & 15 miles from the Indian

camp. They have been out of civilization

for nearly a year – names, Frank Peterson

& Charley Lundun - They make me

a map of the river from here to a big lake

out of which the river springs, - it is

yet 240 miles - by the river- to the Lake

We got some baking powder & soda

from them, none having been put in our

outfit. A mile above our camp of the

night we passed a high cut bank of sand

- on the right hand going up - at a bend.

Rain fell two inches last night, but too

high yet to line the boat along the banks

except in short stretches. While at

our lunch I discovered Stevens

small flag - a mile above & across

the river - on a tree at the point of a bar

Arrived at the Indian camp & found

George, Stevens & Abram, their guide, on the left

bank of the river – the mules still on the

other side. This is the ideal Indian Camp.

[sketch of river]

[captions:] slough Indian Camp

KANTISHNAR RIVER Hill.

It faces the waters of a slough – and far

away – 25 to 50 miles is a range of magnificent

snow capped mountains – the western most being

“Dee-na-thy” – the High. To the left are

other peaks – reaching the clouds, and snow

covered – higher than Shasta – Hood or

Ranier. Beautiful cones – capping

the grandest mountain chain in the

world. In the foreground is another chain

- lower, yet serrated and beautiful –

over which we reach the vast abysses

and gorges of McKinley. It is the

most beautiful mountain view I have

ever seen – and – over shadows

all the beauties of the Rockies & Cascades.

The Indian camp, itself, is full of beauty

- as a barbaric and rapidly passing phase

of American life. On a gentle slope toward

the water - tents, meat racks - canoes - frames

for new canoes - fish nets, drying and tanned

bear - moose, caribou, rabbit, martin &c

hides, - all the life and color a Sioux

or Comanche camp- It is the most

spirited Athapascan camp to be seen

in the north – in a splendid game and

fish country - and on a river visited only

by the few hardy & daring spirits that have

camped along its shore over winter for

its fine trapping. An old woman scraping

a moose hide - another wringing the water

out of wet and soaked hide - playing

children, visiting squaws - the

passing canoe - the herd of resting

Malamute dogs - the bright sky & the

reflection of the distant peaks in

the still waters - beautiful scene - to

be found in such primitive barbarity no

where else in our territories today.

Will remain here tomorrow & swim

the mules across - then go due south to the

ridge on the north east slope of McKinley

& attempt to ascend from that flank. The

great mountain lies about fifty or sixty

miles, a little west of south of this place.

This camp is called "Tuch-taw-gā-na”

The black hills farthest to the north & to our

left is called by them "Chid-zey-ah"

= Chid -zi-ah". Moose Creek is

called "Chid-zi-ah-na".

-23rd-

Wrote letter last night & sent back by

Abram to Debbie at Rampart. Also a

note to Hendricks. Paid Abram $15.00

& he goes back today.

The first disappointment today: -

Johnnie McLeod has cold feet and is

going to desert us - he has been intensely

scared out by the Indian stories about

the inaccessibility of the mountain. Will

remain here in the Indian camp

today - Crossed "Mark" and

"Hannah" by swimming them across

the Kantishna river 1/4 mile. They

will go due south tomorrow along

the bluff on east of river while we

go up the stream by boat. An

Indian guide will go with horses.

While after mules we climed high spruce

trees on bluff top, -splendid view of all

the upper Kantishna valley - 50 miles or

more wide - covered with spruce and birch.

[captions:] Tolcat McKinley

Chid-zi-ya range. Kantishna

[sketch of river and mountains]

[captions:]

White peaks Mt. McKinley

Mt. Chid-zi-ah. Tolcat

Chid-zi-ah Range. (Chit-siah)

Chit-siah means “heart”.

Kantishna Riv Camp May 23^rd

Mt. Chid-zi-ah is exactly

{5 degrees east of} south of us

today, and McKinley is 10 degrees west

of south. The river for some distance runs

west then turns south west – its

general course is now south west

and it is said by Peterson & Lundur

{and the Indians}

to rise in Lake Menchebéna, 50

mi. west of Mt. McKinley.

-24^th- Sunday

Webb, McLeod & I left the Indian

camp with the boat while Jeffery &

Stevens went with the mules south

along the birch [co]vered bluffs – We

are to meet at the next Indian camp

at “60 Mile” – or Moose Creek.

They have an Indian as a guide.

We worked hard & made good time but

the river is bad – though falling & we

are camped in the wilderness tonight

on the south bank of the river.

[map captions:] Low range

of hills

Camp May 23. Bluffs

Camp May 24.

[sketch of river]

Map of River at our

camps of May 23 & 24.

Johnnie McLeod has finally agreed

to go and watch the mules – but will

not attempt to climb the mountain

-25^th Hun-tahl-nō

Monday

We have reached the Indian camp

on a big slough into which a stream

flows – from east. Indians call

the place “Anō-toch′-ti-lon”.

[captions:] River River slough

Anō-toch′-ti-lon. May 25.

~~Hun-tath~~

Climbed the birch clad hill back of Indian

village and had a splendid panoramic

view of the Chet-siah (Chid-zi-ah) range

& the upper valley of the Kantishna. The

maps are wrong in bringing the

head waters of the Kuskokwim on the

north base of McKinley -that river

rises north and west of this – which

completely drains McKinley waters.

Met George & Stevens here all right.

The Indians more correctly pronounce

the name of the beautiful mountain just

south east of us 20 miles - "Chet-siah"

and say it means "heart." They say also

that the white mans rendering of Kantish

=na is wrong, it is - "Hun-tahl-nō."

The lake, also, is called "Mu {Mun-}chub′-inna".

="mun" - Lake - or Lake Chub′inna.

This is a fine village - mostly from Tanana

and Chief Henry is their leader - They are

making some fine boats - and clearing and

tanning moose hides as fine as calf skin

leather.

-26th-

Tuesday

Remained in camp all day - raining.

During afternoon went to top of big bluff

just down the river when I could see

far down and to its source - it runs

in a general South of South west course

[sketch of rivers]

[captions:] Chit-siah Mt McKinley

To-tlat Hun-tehl-no

Kantishna Tanana Riv

General view of course of

the Kantishna - or Him-tehl-nō.

While upon hill with Webb I located

an eagles nest - saw the old whitehead

sitting on tree top - and old mother bird

sitting on the nest. Whole country

round about - to the mountains - covered

with spruce, birch, cottonwood, alder,

willow. We have concluded to leave the

boat here and pack the mules & take

a south course on the birch hills directly

toward the mountain.

Clear -27th- Sunshine

Wednesday

We left Anō-toch′-ti-lon rather late

this morning, intending to go up the creek

that empties into the slough - lake, a mile or

so & pack from there after cacheing

the boat. There were two creeks, however

and we went up one & the horses the other,

and now at 3 p.m. Webb & McLead

are out trying to find the other boys and

the mules. We also met with a serious

"axe-cident" - Webb dropped our largest

and best axe into the creek where it is 6

ft. or more deep, and so discolored with

vegetation that we cannot - so far -

find it. He and McLeod have both dived

for it repeatedly - but will try-try again.

The creek we are on runs through very

low ground - and is sluggish and filled

with driftwood & sweepers - or hangers

trees. It looks - with its low banks, rank

vegetation and high forest of spruce

trees, more like a Louisiana ~~bayou~~ than

an Alaskan bayou - north of Mt. McKinley.

Last night just at sundown - while the

sky was clear and the horizon open to examination

I went on the ~~mounds~~ bluff back of the Indian camp

with Moses, uneducated Indian and old

John who is thoroughly familiar with the

Mt. McKinley and Kantishna river country,

and he pointed out the location and courses

of the Kantishna and the Kuskokwim

rivers. Our present maps of the Kusko

=kwim are widely wrong. Kantishna

and To-tlat rivers drain McKinly and

the Kuskokwim rises farther to the north

& west in the Bull Moose Mountains

which they clearly pointed out

to me. The Kantishna also makes

a big bend to the west and north before

it reaches Lake Munchub'ina.

[sketch of rivers and mountains]

[captions:] To-tlat. Chit.Siah range

valley. High ridge mts Lake

Min Chubina

May 26 Bull Moose Mts.

Kuskokwim River

Bull Moose Mts. should

be just W.N.W. from our

camp of May 26.

This is as good a map as I can now draw

of the final ending, course & drainage

area of Kantishna - also the location of

the Bull Moose branch of the Kuskokwim

The Indians go up the "Cross-chacket" to

reach the latter river.

(Bull Moose range - nearly North & South)

Clear 28th Sunshine

Thursday

Late last night Webb & Stevens took boat

back to junction of creeks with Slough a

quarter of a mile south of Ano-toch-ti-lon

and cached it and a sack of flour, where

we will pick them up on our return -

In changing from boat to pack animals

we had to rearrange packs, &c and it was

noon before we were on the march today.

Our course has been a little east of south.

- in the direction of Chit-siah, or "heart

mountain". We crossed about two miles of

bad "niggerhead" swamp reach the

rolling birch covered hills - between two

large lakes - wading the stream up to our

waists to cross - and thence south along

the hills. About 3 oclock we found

ourselves on a beautiful {round} birch hill.

sloping to a beautiful lake - just

across its peaceful surface Dē-nathy

- Mt. McKinley loomed up like a great

white cloud on the horizon - throw Mts.

Baker, Tacoma, St. Helens and Adams

together for mass - then pile Hood on the

summit for height and you have a fair

idea of McKinley. Its stupendous

gorges - perpendicular walls and

towering mass with "Liberty Cap"

on its mighty summit made the most

imposing scene I ever witnessed.

We cleared some trees and with the lake

and more distant hills as a foreground

we made two exposures with each

of our cameras. No better view

will ever be had of this immense

mountain, for we ~~viewed~~ saw it

across the level country and if

our pictures are as good as the clear

sky and correct light would warrant

we are indeed to be congratulated.

To the {west} right of Mt. McKinley, and

joined to it by a tremendous ridge of

stone - covered with eternal snow and

ice is a beautiful peak, which from

its lesser height ~~which~~ renders it

feminine in appearance with McKinley

This splendid peak we named

Mt. Deborah in honor of my

good wife, whose pure clean mind

and heart are as fairly typified by the

white snow as ever resting upon its

16,000 feet in altitude. We crossed

the outtel of the lake, and made our

camp on its shores for the night

Oh the birds - robins and other singing birds

the woods is filled & boat with songs

[overwritten vertically:]

We soon discovered

this to be Mt. Foraker

a fact which I really

regretted since I so

wished to fix my wifes

name to the beautiful

Peak.

Clear Sunshine

-29^th-

Friday

Dirty, delighted & dog-tired.

We have crossed ~~four~~ three forks of

Beaver Creek today - all running

west, while we have been going

due south toward Mr. McKinley.

[captions:] Kantishna Riv. Chitsiah

Beaver Creek

May 26 May 27 May 28 May 29

We encamp tonight on the south bank

of the ~~fourth~~ third fork of Beaver Creek, just

west of Heart Mountain, or Chit siah.

Cloudy -30th- Rainy

Saturday

We got a late start owing to having

to get the mules across the creek

- we did not bring them over last

night. Passed a group of

small lakes, set in birch and

spruce covered hills, which we called

“Alma Lakes in honor of Mr. M

I. Stevens sister. They lie just

a little north of due west of Mt.

Chitsiah. We are camped in the

forest, tonight, on a hill, from which

we can see other lakes & swamps

yet to the south. We are crossing a

wide level and beautiful country,

- it must be 50 or 75 miles from

the Chitsiah hills westward to the

Bull Moose mountains. This

immense area is covered with a

light forest of spruce, birch and

willow – it is dotted with lakes

and intersected with running

streams – Beaver creek

drains a wide valley & comes

down from Chitsiah -

Clear -31st- Sunshine

Sunday

We are just below the west

slope of Mt. Chitsiah tonight

Would have reached the mountain

except that the road has been so bad

the mules gave out. At noon we

camped by a beautiful lake out of

which a small stream trickled

over a newly built beaver dam and

then washed away westward toward

the Kantishna. Along the shore we

saw many pickerel – 3lbers - 16 in

long - and shot a dozen. Would

shoot just above the fish - stun it

& throw it out while stunned. What

would Izaak Walton say to that?

Well, he never hunted pickerel with

a 30-40 so he dont count.

Clear. June 1^st Sunshine

Monday.

Left our camp at 10 oclock and at 1 p.m.

we were on the high flank of Chitsiah - at

its western flank. Stevens had located

two big bull cariboo {with Dodges field glasses}

before we reached the

summit - across on the next meadow - and

Webb and McLeod went after them while

the rest of us made camp - the highest point

of spruces just below. Watched the boys with

the glasses - they killed both bulls - so we

made permanent camp to dry the meat

to use on Mt McKinley. This afternoon

McLeod & I erected the staging of poles

to dry the meat on while the other boys went

after the cariboo with the mules.

[captions:] Drying jerked

Cariboo.

From our camp we have a magnificent

view far to the north and west. As far

as we can see it is a plane covered with

birch, alder, spruce and cottonwood -

many small lakes are set in this

green covering & glisten in the sun-

the "Hun-tehl-no" hills, around

which the Kantishna circles are now

fully outlined, beyond lie the Bull Moose

mountains - to the south, a common

source for the Kantishna and Kuskokwim

waters it is level, and without a high=

land. Far to the north - a little to the east

lie the Tanana hills - the Tolavana bluff

& the domes near Fairbanks. The valley

opposite us is very wide - 75 miles or

more - to the Bull Moose range.

We will climb Chit-siah tomorrow.

Variable June 2nd

Tuesday

On top of Chitsiah 5 oclock p.m.

[sketch of rivers and mountains]

[captions:] Mt. McKinley Great flat

Mt. Chitsiah Lake Minch.

Bull Moose Mts. Totlat. Kantishna River

Lake Munchibena is

a little south of due

west from Chitsiah

& 50 miles away.

We could plainly see it from the

summit. The Tō-tlat was in

plain view from its mouth to the

mountains.

[sketch of rivers and mountains]

[captions:] Mt Deborah. Mt. McKinley

Chitsiah Creek Beaver Creek Mt. Chitsiah

Lake Minshubbina Totlat Kantishna

Correct Map Bull Moose Mts.

We left camp about noon - Stephens George &

I and by 5 oclock we had reached the summit of

Chitsiah. On the road over - just as we had

reached a small summit or hogback on the north

side of Chitsiah Creek, we saw two bull moose

in the little valley below us. They trotted off

very slowly & we had good view of them at 150

yards distance and while they climbed the

opposite bluff. Stevens wanted to

shoot, but I persuaded him not to do so.

Mt. Chitsiah is the most prominent feature

in the Kantishna and To-tlat river landscapes.

It is the most ~~sou~~ northerly mountain of the rugged

range which extends due south between the two

rivers to McKinley. No other peak for 15 or

20 miles around is so high - its name - Chitsiah

means "Heart" in the Indian tongue - and {as} it is

exactly the shape of the point of the heart and

being both very appropriate and euphonious

we have adopted it as the permanent name.

It is about 3500 or 4000 feet high - is very

steep - but approachable along these sharp

divides, and up a steep rocky incline.

We approached its summit by the southerly

and best incline. The view from this

[sketch of mountian peak]

peak is superb. For seventy five miles

you can see the entire country to the north

and west - even to the extreme south west

and almost to the eastward. It is

a grand view of a wide level table land

dotted with innumerable small lakes -

you see the To-tlat at your feet, from its

mountain gorges in the south west to where

it joins the Kantishna - due north from

the mountain. The To-tlat valley is probably

10 miles wide - on the east side of the river-

on the west side it lies close to the mountains.

Its bed is yet filled with ice, through which

the river has cut many channels - it is a

typical Arctic river - and differs greatly

from the Kantishna, which is a wide & timber

covered country. The Kantishna rises in a

wide low country to the west & south west

- the Kuskokwim evidently rises in the same

low country & flows west. We built a

stone cairn on Mt. Chitsiah, flung the

stars & stripes to the breeze - made such

rough maps as we needed & came down

In going to the mountain we waded Chitsiah

creek easily, but the snows had melted so bad

all day that at night the creek was raging

We finally crossed locked together by our

hands[?]. Picture of mountains & cairn

Cloudy. June 3rd

Wednesday.

We liked the appearance of Chitsiah Creek

as a mineral creek & George & Stevens & Webb

went back today with gold pan & got two

colors & ruby sand - We will stay

over another day & prospect it & stake.

Cloudy. June 4. - Thursday.

Wandered over mountains, prospected Chit-

siah Creek - found good colors & staked

upstream claims as follows: Down Stream

[sketch of mining claims]

[l. to r.]

D.S.W. 4 above

G.A.J. 3 above

C. Webb 2 above

M.I. Stevens 1 above

J.W. Dis.

J. McL 1 B.

G.A.J. 2 B.

Dave McVay 3 B.

J.E. Briggs 4 B

D.P.W. 5 B

N.V.H. 6 B

Discovery claim lies on Chitsiah at the

mouth of the Two Bull Moose Gulch.

No 4 Above for Debbie, Discovery for my

=self & No 5 Below for Darrell.

Variable. June 5th Friday

Left camp at noon without pack train

for our final run to the base of McKinley.

A mile or so this side of camp I saw a

fine bull moose & shot at him but luck

=ily missed - we have all meat we want

He was a magnificent animal. I am

now on a mountain top overlooking the

splendid valleys to the west - hundreds of lakes

& thousands of square miles of country.

Just across on the next ridge - in

plain sight is a band of cariboo mothers

& babies. They are on the south hill side &

the colors are playing like young lambs.

They are beautiful graceful creatures.

Made a good run of 12 miles or more and

are camped tonight a beautiful mountain

stream which we have called 10 Cariboo

Creek, because we saw that number today

at its head.

[sketch of creeks]

[captions:] Chitsiah Creek

Camp June 1-5 Bull Moose Creek

Camp June 6. 10 Cariboo Creek

2 Bear Creek

Camp, June 7.

Clear. June 6^th- Saturday

A great bear fight!! Saw two big

black bear on divide. Stevens & George

went down to photo & rest of us opened

fire on big male. Wounded him & he

came down hill close to boys who were

just ready to take his picture when

another shot started him. He rolled

head over heels down long snow

incline with Stevens & Jeffry in full

cry after him & the rest of us shooting

from high bluff – In spite of all

our shots & his evident wounds – for

the snow was red with blood where he

went down, he escaped in a rocky

canyon. The female ran away & I saw

her a mile off across two divides – going

in long gallop. Also saw two

cariboo – who came around us in the

same way an antelope does - We did

not shoot at them. Camped tonight

on high mountain meadow - in the

cold east wind - with "Denally" & Mt.

Deborah glowing in the late sunset,

surrounded by snowbanks.

Clear. June 7^th Sunday

A beautiful clear Sunday morning.

McKinley is without a cloud - the maj

esty of Joves mighty seat confronts us -

the mules have runaway - think of "Mark"

"Hannah" ~~failing to support~~ {abandoning} a McKinley

~~proposition~~ {expedition.} After a hard days journey in

the snow on the mountain tops we came

S. W. down into the valley - narrow & rock walled

- of a mountain torrent where we are tonight

Nearness to McKinley evidently makes more

snow. All tired & worn out.

Clear. June 8th Monday

Yesterday was a clear day & while on the

highest summits we had a fine view of the

summit of "Dee-nally". We got into this

camp late and had our supper at midnight

so, being all worn out, we remain in camp

today. Marks ~~shoulder~~ back is also

saddle sore & he needs attention. We

are bathing in the splendid mountain

stream - in ice water - surrounded by

snow banks - mending shoes - resting

Clear June 9th Tuesday-

This has proved a satisfactory day -

we not only made a good run with our

train but reached a point where we are

located with reference to McKinley.

We went due south - a little west -

along the low ~~range~~ bases of the

range and tonight we are camped

at {on} the north bank of the most beautiful

stream we have yet seen, - We have det

=ermined to call it McLeod Creek, on

account of the fact that it does things

early & late – even before breakfast

[captions:] Camp 9^th McLeod Creek.

Camp 8^th Camp 6th

We are now only one days march – light

to the north – a little west of McKinley.

Today we will move camp up to the far=

=thest wood & then go to the small summits

to view out the route.

[sketch of camp locations]

[ captions:] Deborah

McKinley McKinly Creek

Camp 9^th

This map roughly shows our position – as

we now understand it – with a small

range between us & the base of McKinly

and the flat of McKinly Creek beyond.

More cariboo today – but killed none – will

hunt from our next camp as we will

need more jerked meat for the mountain

All things moving smoothly now since

I am right in coming around.

Clear June 10^th Wednesday

An uneventful day – but good travel=

=ing & we are at the base of the small range

over which we go tomorrow. Musquitoes

very bad now.

[sketch of creek]

[caption:] McLeod Creek

Encamped tonight on the most

southerly fork of McLeod Creek.

Variable. June 11^th Thursday

Left our camp at 9:00 and traveled to the very

summit of the range between the Kantishna

& Denalli. We expected to have to come

back to McLeod creek & make our

permanent camp for lack of wood on

the south side of this range, but upon

inspection from the summit we found

to our great surprise that spruce grows on

the banks of the streams under the very shadow

of McKinley - & within a half dozen miles of

when we must begin our ascent. Descended

from the mountain upon a stream coming

from the north & flowing west out of a

gorge, into the Kantishna flats south of

McLeod creek - it is a beautiful stream

- almost a river - rapid, deep and clear

I will call it Webb Creek. From

our point of view on the summit we saw

a large lake lying in a valley just north

of McKinley. I named it "Alma Lake"

in honor of Mr. Stevens sister, the one

we so named on the Kantishna valley being

unimportant, and utterly lost in the

multitude of lakes & swamps seen by us

from the mountains in its neighborhood.

alma lake f drains into Webb river.

From the summit we also chose a site for

our camp on McKinleys flank. Came

down the summit & had lunch - George & Stevens

went over the next mountain to photo the lake -

came onto four cariboo. Shot 14 times but

got nothing. {They saw 4 cariboo.}

With pack train crossed

Webb creek & camped at outlet of

Alma Lake - it is a beauty - about

three miles long - surrounded by low

rolling mountains, while just south - 10

miles rises the perpendicular walls of

the mighty McKinley range. It is Spokane

with a back ground of Switzerland

magnified 100 times. Got some photos

- one panoramic of McKinley range -

[sketch of mountain peaks]

[captions:] McKinly Deborah

Mt. Chitsiah

Map showing the location of Alma Lake.

Webb Crek & McKinly creek & the

divide between the To-tlat & Webb

watersheds.

Cloudy. June 12^th Friday.

Remained in camp all day resting. Webb

& MLeod went hunting - but got nothing

but ptarmigan -

Clear June 13th Saturday.

Our trip today as over rolling foot

hills and a splendid plain from Lake

Alma directly towards McKinley. A

more beautiful game country does not

exist than this fine large mountain

locked mountain meadow region

Every stream is bordered with a growth

of fine straight spruce: innumerable

small clear lakes dot the rolling

meadowland, the grass is green &

furnishes abundant food for our

mules, over all the clear bright sun

pours his genial rays and it is a

reproduction in part at least of the

great American desert a century

ago. An old Indian lodge on

a hill with a drying frame for jerking

cariboo proves that it was once

the hunting grounds of the Kantishna's

while numbers of great antlers, now

white with age, show when the graceful

yet hardy cariboo have been killed. We

saw a band but got none them. In the

early afternoon we reached the edge of

a steep - almost perpendicular gravel

bluff - a glacial valley lay before us -

nearly a mile wide - perfectly level from

bluff to bluff and devoid of vegetation.

Across its drifting bed of sand and

gravel, ground under mighty glaciers

& thrown out by glacial force of water,

ran several rapid, turbid glacial

currents, gray and muddy with glacial

debris. We camped on the high bluff

facing the granduer of McKinley and

its snow white flanks. I arrived at

camp last, having been off on the hills

to the left hunting - but my first

glance over the valley showed me a band

of cariboo a quarter mile away sunning

themselves on a sandbar. Webb, McLeod

& I went after them and succeeded in

getting a fine fat one. We then crossed

this present, active and new glacial

valley, wading the torrents {of McKinley Creek}

with the water

to our waists and went into camp on

a bar at the mouth of that branch of

McKinley creek which comes down from

the north snows of the mountain - just

above our heads. Killed some ducks

today also and found some ptarmigan

eggs. Will reach our farthest and

permanent camp tomorrow. We

are now taking near views of the great white

mountain - with our camp flanked by

large forests of spruce saw timber.

One fine view at exactly midnight.

Clear. June 14th Sunday

Left our camp late, as usual, and

had much trouble to get across the

first glacial stream to our right, but

finally got the pack train across and

all of us waded its roaring waters

hand in hand. Crossed the divide

to the main branch of McKinley creek

coming down from the north slope of the

mountain and there camped for lunch.

A young buck cariboo, evidently attracted

by our mules came down from the opposite

hills and out on the glacial bar in front

of our camp where the boys killed him.

Passed on up the creek to a point where

it breaks through the great northern

moraine - terminal - and there made

our camp in a fine bunch of spruce.

We made several exposures for photograph

coming toward the mountain - due north

from its summit. Later one of the moon

resting on a white mountain top. These

wide glacial floors - valleys - will afford

us an easy exit from this spot to the Kan

-tishna - we will follow down the bars

until we strike the Kantishna, thus escap

=ing swamps, mountains and brush.

Had our supper at 12 oclock and went

to bed at one at which time the great white

dome before us was gilded with the rose

of the rising sun - less than two hours

of twilight and perfectly light all night.

Musquitoes are bad. Great bear trail

between camp and river. Mountain

looks better for climbing as we near it

but it is yet very steep and very high.

Clear. June 15. Monday

Moved our tent out to the creek bank on

account of the musquito pest. Webb &

McLeod went back with the mules for

the cariboo we killed last night. This is

a hunters paradise, for we saw a big

buck cariboo on the side hill within half

a mile of camp before they left & he remained

there all day. During the afternoon I saw

two glacier grizzlys (bears) on what seemed

from camp to be a moraine about a mile

& a half away. We waited until Webb &

McLeod returned, with the guns & then went

grizzly bear hunting. They had shot a fox &

captured a young one which they named

"McKinley" & brought into camp. Stevens

Webb, George & I went over to find traces

of the bear. When we had neared the

supposed moraine I discovered it

to be a glacier - a stupendous mass of ice

covered with iron ore - rock & dirt from the

mountain {snow} slides which furnished it life.

It appears to be new - there are evidences that

older ones have existed, while this is evidently

very active & vigorous. McKinley creek pours

from the mouth of a great ice cavern at its

front. The top - which I reached first

in fact I first began the ascent, is cov

=ered with millions of tons of debris

and rock - granite &c. The men of my

party instisted on naming the glacier the

"Wickersham Glacier" - but we'll see.

It seems to come down from two great

canyons - one on the east wall of the moun

-tain the other on the north & west. Will try

& map it tomorrow. It is about 300

feet or more high, and several

miles in length.

Variable June 16^th Tuesday

Went to top of 6000 foot peak just

north of McKinly, but do not see a road to

the summit - it is one vast snowslide

into the glacier which skirts it.

[sketch of mountain and glacier]

[captions:] McKinly. Lower glacier.

It is about 5 miles from the extreme north

end of the glacier to the mountain where

it is comes from the west.

[sketch of mountian and glacier]

[captions:] Glacier East McKinly

West

McK. Creek North

The present glacier comes down from

the west close along the base of McKinly

to a point opposite its east base - then

turns at right angles to the north.

It seems new & active, but an older

glacier once existed here - much larger

than the present. It extended down

the valley from camp, two miles beyond

the present one. The bluffs clearly

show its height & the remaining debris

its spread.

[sketch of mountain and glacier]

[captions:] Mt McK old new

We will go up to the angle in the glacier

day after tomorrow & then up the

ice stream - if we can. It looks

bad on account of snowslides

Clear. June 17 Wednesday

Hells to pay & no pitch hot!

Webb got mad at Stevens this morn

=ing, packed up and left us. Though

I begged him not to go. After going a

mile or two and cooling off he saw

how bad it would look for him

to come in without us, so he put his

pack down & came back and asked

me for a statement which I gave

him in this form:

"Mt McKinley, June 17 1903

To whom it may concern:

Very much to my regret Mr. Charles

Webb has this voluntarily left my party

to go home

Respectfully,

James Wickersham

I then begged him to take flour &c

but he declined - he remained in camp

awhile & I then approached him to take the

mules, & with McLeod go down on a raft &

thus make it appear that he returning

for me - this mollified him & this evening

he has finally agreed to remain with me.

Have had a bad time with both he & McLeod

who has been a dozen times on the point of des

=ertion on account of his fear 1^st of grizzly

bear - & 2^nd of the mules. He is a Mackenzie

river lad & the mules are as dangerous in

his eyes as grizzlies & then the boys have

told him such yarns about mules that he

is really afraid to stay at camp with them.

George & Stevens went to photograph the

mouth of the cavern in the glacier where

issues McKinley creek. We move in the

morning.

Clear June 18th Thursday

A glorious summer day - without a

cloud. We loaded one mule with

wood and one with our packs and all

set out for the upper end of the glacier.

Passed into upper valley and along

the top of the old lateral moraine

on east side, to the very base of Mr.

McKinley. Fun with a wolverine -

Stevens had the field glasses & kept

calling my attention to the bear! "Don't

you see his big flat head? - Just under

that big iron rock." I saw the wolverine

plainly, but no bear and after a time

took a shot but missed. Stevens was

greatly excited, until they hunted the

wolverine out & he saw how small

he was - then he understood the joke

Saw two cariboo - took a long shot

and missed but saw them join four others

& called Stevens & George. We gave them the

guns & they killed two bucks much to their

delight. They killed the cariboo at the very

head of the valley - under Mt McKinley - &

just where we intended to camp - we made

our camp between them on a sloping hill

side. The chances for reaching the

summit seem now better than ever - We

are at least 4000 feet high in the camp

& the glacier continues to rise as it rounds

the mountain & it now seems as if we can

reach the high ridge we want. Will start

on the upward climb tomorrow evening

so as to avoid the snowslides. Waded

muddy glacial streams to get here,

& have just had a fine supper of

cariboo & flap jacks - changed my

socks & feel better. No tent tonight

[caption:] Lower valley – Glacier

The glacier which now fills the valley is

much smaller than the one which once

existed. Lateral moraine masses exist

the full length of the valley much higher than

the top of the present glacier - the moraine

are formed largely of what looks like iron rock

enough to run the Chicago Ironworks for

centuries. Glacier brings it down & can be

harnessed to carry it to the flats!!!

Sun will shine on the mountain nearly

all night.

Clear. June 19th Friday

We were startled our of our beds last

night by {Yahko, the giant} great snow slides. Immense

masses of snow and ice high on the mountain

side broke loose with the report of a cannon. With

{rapidly} accelerating speed they shot down the ice encrusted

slope, gathering momentum every second -

striking fire- electric - gathering other masses -

striking juting point, rock, sand, snow & ice,

& finally strike the glacier with the roar of

a hundred great guns, cover the medial

moraine & throw a great sheet far up on

the opposite mountain wall. One feels his

insignificance in the presence of such a stupend

ous catastrophe which he cannot control nor

from which he could possibly escape if within

its path. It sent a shiver of fear down

every back & warned us to keep clear of

the avalanches path - & we will.

Sent Johnnie back to the other camp with

the mules late this evening & we are now

loading our packs for the climb. It is getting

cloudy – Two creeks coming down from

the left side – head of Iron Valley flow a

long ways in divide between two old lateral

moraines. Plenty of grub for our trip

Clear June 20^th Saturday

We left our camp last night at 10 oclock

- Stevens, Webb Jeffery & I, went southwest

up the glacier about 5 miles, and climbed off

at an iron mountain upon a side glacier

which reach a high spur on the west slope

of the mountain. Many side glaciers high

in small gorges, waterfalls, blue streams in

clear {blue} ice. Crossed many bad crevasses with

life lines out all the time. Wide field of soft

snow hard traveling in consequence – sun

rose on us at 1:30 and shone on mountain

top constantly. We reached the high rocks

above his field at 7 in the morning, having

traveled 9 hours without rest – packs 35 lbs.

We are in a bad place – ahead of us is a

very sharp ridge, covered with snow & so steep

that it seems impossible to me. From our

loft height – about 10000 feet – one realizes what

an enormous glacier this great McKinly glacier is

It reaches a narrow pass just above where

we left it, and above that spreads out into

an enormous glacial field reaching around

to the south side of the mountain – it travels

more than one half around the mountain.

It is now half a past 2 and a thunderstorm

threatens us from the Kantishna flats – it would

make climbing an impossibility – as it would

increase the volume and number of the avalanches

- these are by the hundred & hardly a moment

goes by without the thundrous noise of one

tearing its way down the mountain side.

[sketch of glacier, showing camp locations]

[map captions:]

Camp 18th Camp 19th

Narrows Camp 20th

badly broken blue ice

Glacier 20 or 25

miles long – Its[?]

5 miles wide.

not end

Clear June 21^st Sunday

hazy

The days are so hot and the temperature

so productive of avalanches that we have

had to do all our work at night when the

heat is less liable to produce slides of

snow and glacial ice. We left one high

point on the mountain last night at 9.

pm. but I was then convinced that no

possibility existed of our overcoming the

apparent obstacles to our higher climb

- we were climbing on a spur as sharp as

a house roof, rapidly rising to where it was

nearly perpendicular – solid glare ice,

and above it rose thousands of feet of

glacial ice undermined and even falling

bay reason of the hot weather & constant

sliding out of the softer snow. I

had watched this constant loss of support

all day and it was so apparent to

me that further effort was futile that I

declined to go farther – to the evident relief

of Stevens who agreed with me that no

man could reach the summit in the

present condition of the mountains. It

is ice encrusted from summit to base –

- ~~in most places~~ glaciers exist in every

small niche, and they are so undermin

=ed now by the constant warm west winds

of two or three days past – that hundreds

of slides are coming down in every

direction – every moment the swish

of a snow avalanche, or the thunder

of a glacial ice slide is heard. Even

the smallest would be fatal to our

whole party in the position we occupied –

they were then in motion ahead, and

I ordered a retreat to our camp.

I offered to remain in camp & let any

or all of the others make an effort, if

they desired, but each personally declined

to take any further risk. In the condition

of the mountain an attempt in another

quarter would be equally as dangerous

so we abandoned the whole effort to

reach the summit. We returned to our

former camp – from which we started

Friday night & will go back to the

lower camp today. Will continue to

examine the streams & glaciers for

geographical information.

Had a sleep – from 5 am. until

noon & went back to lower camp

at lower end of old moraine. Passed

band of cariboo & took photographs

at close range owing to their curiosity

(describe action)

Clear. June 22^nd Monday.

Hazy.

Left camp with all hands & mules

loaded for home, down the wide bars

of McKinley River.

[sketch of rivers]

[captions:] Jeffery Creek Stevens Creek

McKinley River Spruce forest

Glacial valley is a splendid study.

It is filling with rock & sand and encro

aching upon hill and forest. Wide rocky

valley, - often high in middle – bars

rock – sand and gravel. Very fine

timber grows between McKinley river

& the forks. Am about tired out

Variable. June 23. Tuesday

About 5 miles below the junction of

McKinly & Jeffery the combined waters

break through a long gorge at the

south end of the Chitsiah hills - the

general trend of the stream being

west & then northwest. Saw a big

eagle & Eagle nest on a rocky crag &

named the gorge "Eagle Gorge"

From Mt McKinly to junction = 15 mi

" Junction to Eagle Gorge - 5 "

Camped on a bar in lower gorge - amid

clouds of damed musquitoes -

Traveled 20 miles yesterday and

expect to get timber for a raft

today. Plenty of timber all way down

but water too swift & stream

too rocky Will be out of Gorge today

Saw fine Eagles nest just after

we left camp – George & Stevens

climbed up to it & found two young

eagles & an egg. A mile farther on

a big moose cow & calf came out

on the bar near us and in spite of

my protests McLeod shot the cow.

It was a brutal waste of a big fine

animal by a man who ought to value

them – for he lives on them from year to year

It will be wasted – and was a wanton

exhibition of his brutal savage nature.

Went on down the “Gorge” two or three

miles & camped determined to build a raft

& go down the river from this point that way.

We are at the lower end of the Gorge & can

see the wide sand bars on the flats.

Clear. June 24th Wednesday

Rained last night & the mesquitoes

were simply hell!! They nearly drove

us crazy & we will be glad to get our

raft done. Have got out all the logs

today & will get away tomorrow.

Nothing today but hard work - and

musquitoes!

Clear June 25th Thursday.

Finished our work today on raft and

later this evening started - I was not

willing to trust myself & things on the

raft & went with George & the mules - &

let Webb, Stevens & Johnnie take

the raft down - they were wrecked at

the first point of rocks - and lost Webb

gun - all of our dishes - bed clothes &c

The two axes - auger & Johnnies gun

had been tied on & were saved. John

& Stevens jumped & swam while Webb

went on under the ledge & down through

the rapids with the raft. We are now

camped a mile below – below the

rapids & hills, too, I hope – and have

the raft tied to the bank. Every pin

is broken & she is held together only

by the ropes. None of my things are

lost except overall waist. Stevens

arrogance has rcd. somewhat of a

setback – but is so supreme that

nothing can quite dampen it. George

has entirely abandoned all idea of loyal

ty to me and has become his most sycophantic

waiter &c. It is all owing to a “bull con”

~~story~~ idea that Stevens has suggested to George

that in a year they start on a journey

around the world {on bicycles}

for a newspaper at a

big salary, and that during the circum

-perambulation they take photos of all

remarkable places, and upon their return

they start a studio in N.Y. and live hap

=pily ever afterward! George is thoroughly

infatuated with Stevens & his scheme, and

it is amusing, though disappointing to me

to watch his abject slavery to Stevens.

McLeod was nearly hysterical after the

wreck - laughter & crying - he lost all

his little belongings except his gun -

and this seemed a ray of sunshine to him

for without it he is lost - but with it

never. He sleeps with it - never allows

it beyond reach of his hand, and is now

cleaning and talking to it. Stevens

openly criticises Webb for the

disaster - and boasted of his skill

& nerve until I was forced to call him

down & told him that his nerve was

wholly in his mouth. We will take

a new start in the morning - Stevens

George & John in the raft - Webb & I

with the mules & try & reach the Kantish

-na that way - then fix the raft & put

the mules on & go down it on the raft

It cannot be more than 40 or 50 mi

down to the Kantishna - possibly more.

The disaster robbed us of all our blanket

except one - which was under the saddle

- but as it is double we can cut it. We

will use the Horse blanket for two

Webb & John and thus get along.

But all the dishes are lost - so that

we can neither make tea nor

coffee, - nor bread except on a stick

- after the Indian style.

[sketch of glacier and camp sites]

[captions:]

Glacier

Camp June 23,

" 24,

" 25.

Eagle Gorge

Camp June 25th

Clear June 26th Friday

Went down river about 15 miles &

found Stevens, Jeffery & McLeod with

raft & passed night with them. McL.

refuses to go further on raft & Webb will

go with raft tomorrow & McL. with me

& mules. Found my rabbit skin

robe in river on a bar & am drying it

out. Brush very bad for horses & mus

=quito s terrible. Cold on bar tonight

& no musquitos – Waded channels of

wide spread river today a dozen times.

Clear June 27^th Saturday

McLeod & I left with mules & packs

or such as is left. Our provisions all

gone except small quantity of flour

- about 2 days supply. Bar

good below today & walking

fair – swam and waded glacial

channels a dozen times. River

yet wandering over sandbars

through several channels. Raft

opposite to us at 3 oclock

We saw the great boulders at the head of

this river which only the glacier could

move, farther on great boulders which

the river could move, then smaller and

smaller – this side of Eagle Gorge they

were smaller – then gravel, and now we

are where the glacial stream is beginning

to deposit its finer silt and are constantly

in quicksand. Both mules were down

in deep quicksand once today & I thought

they were both lost – but by putting timbers

under them as they floundered we got

them out. Came about 20 miles today.

The McKinley river is now in pretty

well defined banks and we hope to

reach the Kantishna tomorrow. The

boys came through with the raft & luckily

we came together & are camped all

together on a bar. River now running

due north.

[sketch of river]

[captions:] Camp June 28.

Eagle Gorge Camp June 27.

Old sand bar channel McKinley Riv. Flats.

20 mi. 15 mi. Camp June 26.

wide sandbar – mile or more – cut by

numerous channels. A mile above our

camp of 27^th the river formerly cut-

across country to the right & north of the

present channel. Our camp last night

is near this old channel & McLeod & I will

follow it with the horses. Our flour

is going fast. McLeod killed a goose last

night which gave us supper & is now

out examining some rabbit snares for

breakfast – if. Since losing the pots

frying pans, &c in the wreck we have

had to cook “bannacks” in Indian

fashion: Mix the flour and

water in the sack – make your ball

of dough – pat it out and spread

it on a flat stone set before the

fire – Turn as it browns – there

is your Indian made bannack

We drink nothing but glacial water

- lying flat on our stomachs.

Clear June 28^th Sunday

Remained in camp until 2 oclock

assisting in preparing new “sweeps”

for those lost in wreck. Came about

10 miles & are camped on a bar with

strong wind blowing – hope for a night

free from mesquitos, which trouble

us greatly. Shot two geese & a rabbit.

The three men on the raft have gone

on to the ~~mouth~~ {junction} of the Kantishna & we

are to meet them there. McLeod gave

an exhibition of his cunning in killing

rabbits: He saw one run ahead of us

into the bushes, and giving me the leading

rope to hold he went 50 feet ahead &

placing the back of his hand to his

mouth made a kissing sound for

a minute, when here came the

rabbit on the jump toward him.

The shot was easy. He also brought

a young rabbit to his hand and caught

him. This evening just at camping

time I saw a big moose standing broad

side to us on a sand bar. –McLeod wanted

to shoot – but after 6 or 8 fair but long

shots failed to kill – he hit it the

last shot but it got away. For

lunch this afternoon we had rabbit

roasted – and nothing else – even

without salt. River running north

& as placid as the Kantishna – The

bars and sands are getting more solid

& there is less danger of quicksand.

Hope we can reach Kantishana tomorrow,

for we have but a few pounds of flour

left.

Clear June 29^th Monday

We are in the finest moose

country in the world! We camped

on the bar where the big bull moose

crossed last night & while we are

now eating our breakfast a big

moose cow and two calves are

walking parallel to us on the

bar the other side of the river – 200

yards away and in plain sight.

It is a great pleasure to see the calves

frisk & play & suckle and rush

along like innocent lambs.

We got up at 6 oclock & will

start early – John cooked a

goose – spitted & roasted it fine

A well marked Indian trail for

a time last night helped us

along fine & we followed it two or

three miles today. Ab Started from

camp about 8 oclock & from the

shape of the hills ahead judged

that we could strike the Kantishna

about noon – but alas! we were

disappointed for we passed the hills

& no Kantishna appeared. We were

much dejected for the interminable

mazes of the thickets of brush were

hard on our bodies & it seemed as

if we must travel on 20 miles more

to catch the raft. We started on

but while eating our lunch at noon

discovered a big fire a few miles ahead

& were soon after met by Webb

looking for us – We found them

landed and were correspondingly

happy – except about the food

question – all the flour was gone

except what we had & that would

only do for two meals. While we

were talking our situation over

Webb discovered a bull moose on

the other bank coming into the river

& taking my gun ran up the bank

toward him and with a few lucky

shots killed him – We are now

in food – meat only – until we get

home. River here running N.E.

We now learn that a large stream

joined the McKinley at the big bend

which we crossed before meeting Webb

& the boys think it the Kantishna

Clear June 30^th Tuesday

Remained in camp all day

working on the raft – Johnnie

is making an Indian canoe

out of spruce bark. Flour

all gone & we are living on moose

meat straight.

Clear July 1^st Wednesday

Raft is now ready to go and Mc

Leods canoe is done and we start

on our trip in an hour. Webb

saw a moose just across from

camp last night.

A grand, glorious & lazy day.

Drifted 25 miles or more, easy.

Saw a big cow moose on a bar

this afternoon. River running

east & north. No creeks yet

Cloudy July 2^nd Thursday

Ran 10 hours - 30 miles

without mishap - no sign

of Indian encampment &

we camp on bar tonight. We

are now out of flour for four

days - moose meat straight

& every body very tired of it.

[sketch of rivers]

[captions:] McKinly Kantishna Riv

River runs pretty near

east now, and Chitsiah bears

due S.E. from this camp. Another

violent quarrel between Stevens &

Webb - in which latter called S

a son of a bitch & other names,

and offered to fight but S would

not, out of consideration of my

presence.

Cloudy July 3^rd Friday

We felt pretty certain that we were

near our last encampment with the

Indians on going in - and we reached there

about 2 oclock and found McLeod

there - he having bone ahead in this canoe

& brought out our boat, flour and beans.

Luckily, also, he found an old tin bucket

and we landed and for the first time in 4

days made bannacks and also cooked

some beans in the bucket. After a big

feed, we went on determined to push out

as fast as the current would carry us.

Mules behave well, - they march on and off

the raft for feed &c. with as much sense

as a person. We are rejoiced to know

now, where we are and at our better con

dition. Determined to run the raft

all night. With George at the front

oar and I at the stem oar, two hours,

and Stevens at front and Webb at stern

two hours we alternated all night, only

stopping at midnight to cook & rest

an hour. Geese - brant, ducks

myriads of wild fowl - and the woods

vocal with song birds &c

Clear. July 4th. Saturday

The glorious 4th. We ran all night

passing our second encampment with

the Indians and latter this morning the

mouth of the Totlat river. We are

now camped for noon hour to let mules

- and ourselves feed. Between 3 and 5

my watch, this morning it was glorious -

birdsong every hour of the night.

Ran till 9 oclock and camped for

the night. Passed the point where the

"Tanana Chief" landed us at 1:30 today.

No Indians there - all gone down river.

Cloudy. July 5th. Sunday

I have not stated the reason why I took

my gun and ammunition with me and

John McLeod, instead of permitting the

three men on the raft to take it to the junction

of McKinley & Kantishna on the 28th.

Before they left us Stevens told McLeod

that they would not wait long for us - that

provisions were about gone and that they

would only wait 2 days and a half and

then go on with the raft and leave us -

McLeod repeated this to me and upon inquiry

Stevens & George both said the same to me.

This so frightened McLeod that he would

not let then have his 44 gun nor the

big axe, and he advised me not to let them

keep my gun saying that he believed they

intended to desert us earlier and that

we must have my gun at least and the

big axe to get out at all. I realized

that if they did desert us, or putting

it even more liberally, if we were unable

for any reason to find them at the mouth

of the Kantishna, we would be 150 miles in

the brush and wilderness with no boat or

raft and no means of making one, with

the mules, & as McLeod had but half a

dozen shells (and they spoiled) for his 44

he insisted, and I agreed, that I ought

to keep my 30-40 and ammunition

as without it the men on the raft could

drift in two or three days at most to

our cache at the last Indian encampment

while it might take this us weeks to get out

with the mules – Then, too, I felt they

would be more careful and certain to wait

if we kept the guns – so we did, and

events proved that we did right in

doing so ↓

Started from our camp at 6:15 in

morning, and hope to get to Baker Creek

on the Tanana tonight. No Indians

any where on the river now – all out

to Weare and Rampart.

↓ for they informed me plainly, when

we found them below the mouth of the

Kantishna that they had intend to wait

only 10 hours – or 8 hours after we

found them, before leaving us. As

we had not been gone from them but 24

hours it proved McLeods surmise

to be correct – I hate a deserter!!

Reached the mouth of the Kantishna

and passed into the Tanana at

3:30 this afternoon. The

Tanana is as large as the Ohio,

and is not so yellow with glacial

mud as the Kantishna – about the

same as the Yukon. Its Bluffs

are round, set back from the river

but a short distance on the north

but the valley is very wide to the south.

The valley and bluffs are covered with

a forest of spruce, birch, cottonwood

alder, &c. The whole country is just now

on fire – a vast destruction of a

rich harvest of timber. We reached

Belt & Hendricks trading post at

the mouth of Baker Creek at 11 p.m.

having been on the raft since 6:15

this morning without stopping to rest

or cook. Unloaded the mules & got the

clerk up at store, bought 12.50 worth

of provisions & went to a cabin

where there was a stove & went to

cooking. We have been starving

for 8 days – four days on moose

meat, straight, without salt, and

the last four days on flour and beans

straight, without meat or salt, and

canned peaches, fresh fish, coffee

with canned cream, &c. seems too

good almost. After a big feed we

will sleep. Will leave the mules

here to go up river on boat, while we

will walk across to Rampart – 50

miles across country.

Clear July 6^th. Monday

After a big feed, and “smudging” the

cabin the clear the musqutos out – at 1 oclock

we went to bed, but at 2:30 a steamer

whistled & we all turned out to find

it the “North Star”, a small steamer on

her way to Chena & Fairbanks. Mr.

Belt of H. & B. came in on her. We

had no more sleep – Webb ran a fine

pike – 19 ½ lbs. into a net & we had

a big peice of it for breakfast. Made

an arrangement with Belt to take the

mules up to Chena (with McLeod also)-

and at 11 oclock a.m. left Baker Creek

for Glen Gulch. Had settlement with

McLeod, but could not with H. &.B.

because the bill from Chena was so

different from my agreement with Hend-

=ricks. Belt agreed to submit the

matter to H- & then to me later.

Baker Creek valley is a beautiful one

- grass to our shoulders - fine land.

Reached Glen Gulch mines for supper

- 20 miles by telegraph - but 25

by trail. Took supper with Belsea

and Beardsley of Eagle Min. Co.

but slept over at Frank Stevens cabin

& had breakfast with him. ↓ Two fine

July 7th

good meals & a good bed. Stevens

made agreement with me to get up

and start at 6 oclock, but failed

to come. Webb showed up at 8

and we started for Rampart - 30

miles away - Dinner at the

"106 Minook Road House" and

a good hours rest at "72". I

left the boys there resting and started

for Rampart - walked the 15

miles - over the worst roads in

the world - in just 5 hours - 3 mi.

per hour - reached Rampart at

9 p.m. - passed the cabin where

Debbie sat at the window waiting

for me & she did not recognize

my whiskers. Had bath - shower

& sent for clean clothes &c

Found Debbie nicely housed in

good clean cabin - nicely furnished

& well provided. The other boys got

in about 1 oclock & spent rest of

the night cleaning up - Rained

all day.

-July 8^th-

After nights rest examined

mail - looked after office - got

Webb a place as guard - heard

an application to sue Green -

Comr. &c & went to Miss Alaska

Youngs musical in evening.

Everything all right apparently -

Gave Dr.Hall photographs to

develope.

July 9th

Found that Heilig had not received

my Nome docket until recently and

had not furnished West Pub. Co.

the necessary data to complete my First

Alaska Rep - spent the day in doing

it.

-July 10th-

George does not come to office yet,

and I am answering my correspondence

by hand. Complaint has been

made against Heilig - that he charges

people for preparing applications for

licenses and accepts retainers secretly

as counselor. Have this day adopted

new rules of court to cure the evil &

wrote him a sharp criticism - Also

informed him that he must go back to

Eagle after his term - and could not

go to Valdez - via St. Micheal and

Bristol Bay. He seems to realize at

last that he is only clerk. Dribelbis,

Dep. U. S. Marshal, in charge of repairs on

courthouse also complained, justly,

that Heilig interfered with his efforts by

personally employing men to do work

&c. Called Heilig in before Dribelbis &

plainly stated the case and told him to

attend to his own business and let

the repair of the public buildings alone.

Complaints from Atty General and Hender

-son about Whittlesey - gambling

& overcharging. Am afraid made a

mistake in his appointment.

July 11^th

Working every day in office getting

things ready for court. No boats

from Fairbanks or Eagle yet - but

"Powers" expected daily. George &

Stevens loafing. Webb was sent

out as special deputy yesterday

to secure jurors & witnesses.

-July 12^th^-

McLeod turned up today - says

the "Seattle No 3." passed Baker Creek

going up to Fairbanks without stopping

so he came over here - gave him $20.00

on account. "Powers" in from up

river. Claypool & family, Bishop

Rowe, & the mail came. The

"Sarah" & other boats reported by

telegraph as coming between Tanana

& Rampart. Debbie has another

chill & not so well. Have rcd.

photographic plates {McKinley trip}

from Dr. Hall

= $20 for development. Some

of them are good, but many bad

& all show want of artistic skill

in taking them.

July 13^th-

"Sarah" "Healy" & "Kerr"

are in from down river. We now

have some fresh meat, &c. Mrs.

Dr. Rininger on "Sarah". Nothing

of importance. When I got home

I found Mrs. W living in a nice

clean well-furnished cabin which

Dribelbis had got for her. We can

live there during term of court, when

she & Mrs. Harlan will go back up

river and outside. Houses have

been obtained for Perry, Harlan &c.

We are fixing courthouse up &

painting it inside. Expect a

long hard term of court. The

"Sarah" at levee all day - left in

the evening up river. Settled with

John McLeod & paid him $80.00

balance in full todate, also settled

with Heilig & paid him 66$637.60

in full of amount advanced at Valdez

& by Mrs. H at Eagle. Wrote to

George T. Reid to pay Buckley land

money on my Indian reservation

land purchase. Webb came in

from Glen gulch tonight & Jessen

is in from Eagle - he came down in

small boat.

-July 14th-

Stevens was just in very politely

requesting a single copy of Mt. McKinley

picture which I politely but positively

refused. He recognizes that a publication

of his magazine article with such a

picture would spoil my use of it.

and not withstanding he went at my

expense, and at his own request, & that

I paid everything & furnished everything

he has the "nerve" to seek to destroy

all my values. George is standing

with him & acting just as he did with

Sawyer - as his hypnotic slave -

I intend to discharge George at the end

of this term of court - I cannot longer

trust him - and he is even more incom

-petent than ever - I ought to have

discharged him in January when I

brought Geoghegan to Valdez -

Have just just instructed Heilig

to prepare an order of court instructing

him to pay those fixes salaries like

clerks, deputies, official stenographer

janitor & rent monthly without wait

=ing for an order - but not to pay

expenses or any other sum of any

kind without first having an order

to do so. Made and filed notices

of location of placer mines on

Chitsiah Creek - for myself on

Discovery, Debbie on No 4. above

and Darrell No 5. below, fee $6.90

-July 15th-

Abe Spring is just in from Fairbanks

- reports things good but quiet - thinks

the mines are all right but "boom" busted.

Hess and others at Tanana. Took

dinner with Dr & Mrs Hedger

- Claypools & Heilig also present.

Heilig is going back to Eagle pleasantly.

-July 16th-

Signing orders in license matters.

Getting ready for court on Monday.

-July 17th-

"Isom" reported coming up river and

will be here about Tuesday. Dep Mar

=shal Dribelbis brought Joe. Anisich

in to talk over his kick against officials

- convinced him that he ought to support

law & order. Dribelbis goes to Tanana

tonight in Peterborough boat with Webb

for prisoners. Webb seems to be

"placed" with the marshal as a guard.

"AB" dance tonight but we cannot

go on account of Mrs. W health.

Have finished reading "Daniel of

the Blessed Isles" - its poor!

-July 18th-

Signing orders for licenses and working

on court work generally. Good many

items from Nushagak - will take

them up there.

July 19.

Rained hard last night but clear

and sunny today. Courthouse

clean, newly painted & ready for court.

"Forum" - Wingates paper criticising

"court officials" for permitting gambling

- and dance hall - none here yet but

he says its coming & begins criticism

in advance. Nome papers give full

report of Grand Jury denouncing

Marshal & Dist. Attorney, & up

-holding Judge Moore. Str. "Isom"

came into port at midnight & went on up

the river - Went to Church - Pres: Koonce

July 20th

Was awakened early this morning by the

arrival of the "Jeff. C. Davis" with the

Senate Com. on Territories on board -

They are to remain here a few days to

take statements of people in the matter

of needful legislation for Alaska. The

party comprises: Senator Dillingham

of Vermont, Senator Burnham of

New Hampshire, Senator Knut Nelson

of Minnesota and Senator Patterson

of Colorado. With them is Sargeant

at Arms {Colonel} Ramsdell of the Senate,

Mr. Brill. of the McRea Scripps Associated Press,

John McLane, Ed. of the Minneapolis Journal

Dr. Wilcox, of the Surgeon Genls staff

U.S.A. & secrataries &c.

Called court at 11 oclock, impanelled

the grand jury, instructed them - 20 members

Senatorial party all present during the

examination and empanelling of grand

jury - Gave Committee my front room

in courthouse - rear room just done

Courthouse new, clean & looks fine.

Met Senator. Burnham first and then

Dillingham. They are now holding a

session of the Committee in their room and

McKenzie is making a statement of

{the needs of}

the Koyukuk country - they will hear others

as rapidly as convenient. I am personally

pleased with remarks made to me by Sen

=ators Dillingham and Nelson - about my

official life in Alaska. Dillingham

spoke to me about the kind things that

people have said since he entered

Alaska in support of my administration

and expressed himself as highly pleased.

Senator Nelson also said to me that he

had tried to keep me at Nome, and compli

=mented me on my work there, and said that

I ought to have been allowed to remain.

Dillingham also spoke of the same matter

and expressed regret that I had not been

left there. Senator Patterson is

sick and so far unable to appear in

public. They brought word down from

Eagle that Mrs. Harlan is very sick &

the "Davis" is instructed to take him back

- she is very sick - I hope she may live

until he gets there. Adjourned court

for the afternoon & aided him to settle

the Struthers-Belsea case & also the

Roden case. All were compromised

and dismissed. The N.A. T. & T.

people are giving a dinner to the Senate

Com. tonight at 7 oclock. -

Received a letter from Adam Johnson

in Seattle dated saying that Judge

Moore had just left there for Oyster Bay,

R. I. to lay the Richards matter before the

President, and if Richards was not removed

he intended to resign!! Verily hell doth

reign at Nome! I am surprised that

a convicted thief can defy court and public

opinion and hold an office so long!

Was a guest at a dinner tonight tender

=ed to the Senatorial Committee by Duncan

of the A.C. Co. and Kelterer of the N.A.T. & T. Co.

Presided at request of hosts and sat at

head of the table - to my right sat Senators

Dillingham & Burnham & host Duncan

To my left Senators Nelson & Patterson

& host Kitterer. Other guests below

on either side of the table. Beside the

Senatorial party there were myself, Duncan

Kitterer, Comr's. Green, Claypool &

McKenzie, and Heilig. No speeches,

but pleasant conversation & a most

enjoyable dinner - at Rampart restaurant.

-July 21^st -

Steamer "Lavelle Young" passed up

river last night. Called assignment

docket this morning & motion docket.

There is but little business - civil - for this

term. During the morning hour of

court one Frank D. Wells, who formerly

resided in Eagle, arose & asked leave

to present affidavits to the court &

I replied by asking him to file his

affidavits with the clerk & that I

would read them. They proved

to be there in number - one

by an Indian woman asking for

the disbarment of Comr. J. L. Green

for failing to bring a divorce case for

her after she had paid him $35.00

another by John Morgan, saloon keeper

alleging that he had paid Green $8.75

under suspicious circumstances & the

3rd by Wells accusing Green of many

shortcomings but stating no facts. I

have talked the matter over with Hess &

find that it is almost impossible to

get a satisfactory committee of the bar &

have about concluded to refer it to the

grand jury.

-July 22^nd -

Mrs. Wickersham was delighted

yesterday evening to receive a call

at our cabin from the Senatorial

party, consisting of Senator W. P.

Dillingham, of Vermont, Senator H. E.

Burnham, of New Hampshire, Sen

=ator Knut Nelson of Minnesota

and Senator E. M. Patterson of

Colorado: Sargeant at Arms of the

Senate Col. Ramsdell, Lt. Andrews,

of the army, Dr. Willcoxen, U.SA

Mr. John McLane {McLain}, Ed. Minneapolis Jour

=nal & Mr. Brill, of the Associated

Press, {& Lt. Andrews - U.S.A.}

Mrs. Claypool had been invited

over to asist in entertaining them and

we had a very pleasant hour, dis

cussing pioneer life in Alaska.

At the opening of court this

morning, also, a very interesting incident

occurred, viz. the admission to the bar of

this district of the four United States

Senators. Col. Claypool had been

requested to move their admission which

he did with a nice reference to the fact that

he was the first attorney admitted on

the Yukon. I then requested them

to stand and administered the oath

to support the Constitution and laws

whereupon I made the orders admitting

them. - Four great lawyers and leaders

of the nation - probably no territorial

{Judge} has ever had so pleasant a duty to

perform in which so many distinguished

men became members of a territorial

court at the same moment.

Immediately upon admitting

the Senators I gave the grand jury

a special charge on the affidavits of

Wells, filed in court yesterday, against

Comr. Green. I advised them strongly

that these charges were either - true or

false. If true Green ought to be

indicted and removed from office, if

false Wells ought to be indicted for either

slander or perjury. I instructed them

to go into the examination at once, and

protect their community from a corrupt

official, or their local court from the

false and malicious attacks of a

slanderer. It was a dramatic scene

-quiet- and impressive with four

U.S. Senators listening at every word

to determine if I - myself - was fair

to both parties. They commented very

favorably afterward upon the facts,

and I am satisfied. Grand Jury is

now at work on the evidence.

Senate Committee examined me today

on needs of legislation in Alaska.

I urged, 1st Election of 2 delegates

- one for S.E. Alaska, and one for

all north & 2nd The building of

main trunk roads with funds

derived from licenses outside of incor

=porated towns. Arctic Brotherhood

gave a "smoker" tonight to the Senatorial

party - Claypool presided - in his

happiest manner.

-July 23-

The whole Senatorial party concluded

to join the Arctic Brotherhood and on

account of their near departure the

lodge met at noon today and initiated

them - Brill was chosen as the "victim"

Together with them Jack Belsea, Beardsley

and House of the Glen Gulch miners

also joined. Belsea was "accused"

After initiation the Arctic Chief rec

=ognized me and I made a few remarks -

That Rampart lodge of A.B. is the most

northerly lodge - fraternal organization upon

American Territory, - U.S. Senators and

miners have met in common brotherhood

upon its floor - 4 Arctic Brothers to

represent the interest of the Alaskan

miner in the Senate of the U.S. &c. That

Theodore Roosevelt, Pres, &c. recently

expressed a desire to become a real

active member of some Alaska lodge

of Arctic Brothers - and then moved.

That a transcript of the initiation of the

distinguished party &c be transmitted to

Theodore Roosevelt, Pres. &c with an invitation

to him to join Rampart Camp No 15. Arctic

Brotherhood: The motion prevailed with

much enthusiasm. Afterward all the

members of the Order gathered on the front

steps of the cabin & were photographed.

The government steamer "Gen Van Vliet"

arrived at 2 oclock to take the Senatorial

party down the river - All the A.B’s gave

them a rousing "Send Off" The party was

much pleased - their stay here was val

=uable in every way and they left highly

pleased - members of the bar of the district

and of the Arctic Brotherhood. Senators Nelson

and Dillingham were especially kind in their

expressions of confidence toward me and

publicly and voluntarily promised to give

me their personal aid and support in

Washington. Not much in court

yet. The Marshal, Collector of Customs

Jarvis, prisoners, witnesses &c. from

Eagle have not yet come and may not

for a week. Senators saw & appreciate

fully the failure of transportation facillities

here.

-July 24th-

No indictments yet. - Mr. Harlans

sudden departure left court business

in a bad way. Steamers "Leah"

with a barge, & "Rock Island" also

with barge came in this evening on

their way upriver. Met Captain

LeBalister of the "Rock Island" who

is a pleasant gentleman.

July 25th

Dr Hall left last night for Fairbanks

- gave me handsome picture - photo of

A.B. gathering with Senators. Grand Jury

returned their indictments this morning

We heard last night from a man who

came down the Yukon in a small boat

that the "Sarah" is off the bar and on

her way to Dawson, and may be down

about the middle of next week.

July 26th

-Sunday-

Latest report from "Sarah" is that she

is still on bar. The court is

seriously retarded in its business, for

the U.S. Mar. & witnesses & prisoners in the

most important cases are not yet here.

-July 27th-

Trial of Fissell v Klondike Estates Co.

Hung jury.

July 28th

Trial Nelson & Risdon v Massey

- all day before jury. Capt. Jarvis

Comr. Graff, from Forty Mile, the mail,

& two or three men came in this afternoon

in a small boat, & report that "Sarah"

will be in tomorrow.

-July 29th-

"Sarah" came in this morning at 6 a.m

Judge Moore & family were aboard & had

one hours visit with him. He was in

Washington but met with rather a cold

reception and his report seems to indicate

that neither Richards nor Grigsby will

be removed. I learned from him

that the last Nome grand jury indicted

Forrest - Richards chief deputy &

the smoothest and most brutal scoundrel

of the lot. But with Grigsby to prosecute

- Well, its a bad lot & the President is

playing politics and dare not remove

them! he must have North Dakota &

McKenzie & the Dakota senators are

holding him up hard. / Judge & Mrs

Harlan & Ed also came on "Sarah". Also

met Senator Dietrich, of Nebraska,

going to Nome. James D. Hoge, of Seattle,

Kittinger, McGraws partner & others.

McGowan, Perry & witnesses, &c. all

arrived & court may now proceed.

-August 1^st -

Engaged all week in trials of criminal

cases. Wm A Bigelow & Wm D. McCarty.

tried & convicted of robbery, & two or

three smaller fellows pleaded guilty.

Work going well & grand jury now at

work also. Will probably get through

by 15th of Aug. Have called court

at Bristol Bay for September 1st

The revenue cutter "Rush" will meet

us at St. Micheal instead of "Perry"

Sent to Billy Robinson, Fairbanks

$50 & Scott $25. for rent of mules

by Edgar Wickersham, Dep. Mar.

Paid G. C. Belt, this day $40.00 for

freight on two mules from Baker Creek

to Chena, & $100 on account

of grub for Mt McKinley trip.

He agreed to get account for supplies

settled as agreed upon between Hendricks

& me at Chena.

-Aug 2^nd -

Went out with Stoel & Dr. Hedges to

see the first hydraulic plant ever set to

work on the Yukon - on Hunter Creek,

- a tributary of the Minook Creek. It was

a fine day and Eleven of us went on

horseback - had dinner out there, &

were much interested in the work of the giant

nozzle. The water is brought on the upper

part of the claims by a flume - run into a

big tank - 75 feet above the paystreak

or bed rock, & piped down & it does the

work of a hundred men. It will run

night and day for four months or more -

=equal to eight months, and the system

will revolutionize mining in this region.

Cap. Jarvis, Idleman, Stoel, Kitterer,

Dr. Hedges, Brady, Wingate, &c.

-Aug. 3^rd -

Trial U.S. v. Smith. Larceny - Not guilty.

Genl. Funston reached here on "Davis"

& remained an hour. Called & paid

respects. "Capt." Mayo, an old "Sour-

Dough" passed a pleasant hour talking

with the General about their friendship

ten years ago at "Forty Mile" when

Funston was {making} a special trip down the

river in a canoe gathering specimens

of bugs for one of the departments. Verily

the volunteer soldier has a chance in

this land of the free & home of the brave!

-Aug 8^th -

A week of hard court work. For the

past two days have worked on the case

of U.S. v. Idleman, defaulting Dep. Collector

of customs from Forty Mile. Jury

trial two days and jury out all last night

but failed to agree & discharged this morning

This was Capt. Jarvis case & the accused

seems to be guilty, - but told a plausible

story - & jury seemed to have a doubt.

Sentenced McCarty & Bigelow today for

robbery - McCarty to ten years & Bigelow

to 15 years. - Bigelow used the gun.

-Aug 10th-

Mr & Mrs Harlan & Ed, Mrs W. & I,

Dr & Mrs Hedges took dinner with Mrs

Garrett yesterday - Prepared my opinion

in Habeas Corpus of Burkal involving

the question of whether a dog is the

subject of larceny in Alaska - held

that it is. Saturday & today trying

case of U.S. v. Minnis, larceny.

-Aug 11th-

"Sarah" came in today & Mrs. Wick

=ersham & Mrs Harlan went up the

river home. Trials about done

juries dismissed & will finish tomorrow.

Discharged George A. Jeffery, to take

effect Aug 31st. "Sarah" went

out at midnight. Orders today incorporating

Fairbanks Chena and Rampart

-Aug. 12^th -

The "Hermann" came in early this

morning and will wait until we finish

the business of the court & we will all

go down river on her. Packing up

& closing up all small matters.

Paid Claypool in full - $125. yesterday.

Order creating Fairbanks Min. District.

Good news from my Fairbanks Mines.

Tried two or three remaining cases

& left Rampart at 4 p.m. for St

Micheal. Mr. Harlan & Ed,

Marshal Perry & wife, George

Drebelbis, & two or three guards,

one of whom is George A. Jeffery -

go with us to St Michal on their

way outside with prisoners.

-Aug. 13th-

The officers of the Herman - Captain

Malmquist, whom I met on the "Alice"

two years ago - first Mate Willetts,

- a curiosity - always drunk - but a worker.

Used to be first mate on the "Puebla" under

Capt. Debney - Coming aboard drunk one

night Willett fell overboard & was pulled

out by he sailors with a rope - just as

he struck the deck - puffing and dripping

Captain Debney called down from the

pilothouse, not knowing what had

happened - saying "Whats the trouble

down there Mr. Willett?" The ready response

was "Oh, nothing Sir, only a drunken

sailor overboard - all right now, Sir."

Have the room on upper deck reserved

for directors - officers of the Company &c.

Writing letters to catch up - wrote to

Willig & Frank Cleary about my

Fairbanks interests. At McKenzies

suggestion I wrote a letter to Peter,

Chief of the Kobuck Indians at

Bergman, & gave it to Johnson to deliver

It was to encourage & strengthen him

in fighting whiskey selling to Indians

& the debauching the girls by white men.

-Aug 14th-

Passed Nulato early this morning &

having passed the mouth of the Koy

=ukuk during the early hours and left

Johnson there. We take on a Lapland

=er reindeer herder - his young wife

& baby.

-Aug 15-

Passed Holy Cross mission at

5 oclock this morning - Russian

Mission about noon & will reach Andre

-offsky tonight some time. Heavy

headwind - & boat going slow on

account of wind and poor fuel.

Oil is being used & they do not seem

to have it so arranged as to get the

best out of it. It is also very dirty

around the boat - a failure as fuel!

-Aug 16^th -

Left Andrefasky at breakfast time

and have been all day in the lower flats.

Will reach St. Micheal in the morning.

-Aug 17^th -

On Berings Sea in the early morning.

Copy of Marshal Johnsons

"Scenes in court life all remind us

we should think of things in time.

"Ah well for the world that it ne'er knows

"The silent but awful remark:

"That oer the deaf mutes fingers flow

"When he steps on a tack in the dark.

The unfinished Speech (Barnes)

It ill becomes" - (at this point the

ambidexter stenographer crossed his

wires.

"Butt in" - A new Latin phrase -- Green

"Barring None" Motto of the Rampart Bar Assoc.

"Barring all we can" - Rampart Jail.

Barnes and Brady, Green & Pratt.

They are figuring where they're at,

Now the Court has pulled its freight.

They will mutually relate,

What strong point of legal lore,

He'd have sprung upon the floor,

Had he had the others case.

Arrived at St. Micheal at 1 pm and

found the Revenue Cutter "Rush" awaiting

us - Captain Fenger, Collector Customs.

Jarvis is also here. Captain Hibberd

of the N.C. Co. met us & asked me to occupy

my old room at the A.C. Co. quarters with

Capt. Jarvis, which I did - the rest of

our party going to the hotel. During

the afternoon the "Ohio" came in - she

will take the Deputy Marshals prisoners

crazy persons and Mrs Perry, down

to Seattle. Mrs. P has insisted on

tagging along with her husband and

intended to go with him on the "Rush"

but the Captain gently but positively

said "No." - so she must go with

the rest of the crowd to Seattle, and

thence back to Valdez - I really feel

sorry for her - she is so evidently bitterly

disappointed. Mrs. Claypool is

also here waiting for the Ohio - which

will now sail about the 19th or 20th

We do not have to reach Bristol

Bay until Aug 31 - 13 days from this.

Capt. Jarvis wants to go over to Nome -

he has just received information that

Dr. Call, Dep. Col. of Customs at Nome

has lost his mind, & it will keep

him there several days - so it has

been arranged with Captain Fenger

of the "Rush" to wait for us until

Friday while Jarvis & the party go over

to Nome - on the "Sadie" this evening

I intended to go with Jarvis, but upon

talking it over with him & Capt. Humphrey

have concluded not to go. They both urge

me not to go. Judge Noyes{mistake} & Ex. District

Atty. Joe Woods are both there - also

ex Marshal Vawter - Judge Moore &

Marshal Richards have also returned

from Washington - the nasty mess of

Nome factional fight is at a fever

heat, and so I am not going to even

land on the beach. Perry & Harlan

will visit there until Jarvis is ready

to come away, but I will not go, nor even

send a letter to anyone.

-Aug 18th-

Called on the Catholic fathers this

morning. Fathers Van Gorp, Rene

Camille, and three others - & smoked a

good cigar with them. A Mr. Bell

foreman in the A.C. shops here has

a fine old Eskimo pot from Shismareff

Inlet, - 12 inches high - 8 inches in

diameter at the top & six inches diameter

at base - black with age and fire.

It is unbroken and a fine specimen.

Sent off my mail, also gold pan

&c. to Senator Fairbanks.

Father Jacquet is well and

fully recovered – so the Fathers say

Aug. 19^th.

"Ohio" left harbor at noon with

Mrs. Claypool & children - Dep Mar.

& prisoners. Dinner with Capt

& Mrs. Humphrey at N.A.T. & T. Co.

quarters Present also Capt. & Mrs.

Hibberd. "Ohio" goes to Nome &

thence to the Sound.

-20^th.-

Visited the "Rush" to pay my respects

to Capt. Fenger & his officers - he

and Mr. (Lt) Ballinger took

dinner with Capt. Hibberd-

& I came aboard the "Rush"

with them as we are to go out

for Nome in the morning at

daybreak

-August 21^s^t

Opposite Cape Nome - be in

by 5 oclock. I shall not go ashore

and we will only remain off Nome

an hour - just long enough to get

Harlans & Perry aboard. Reached

Nome at 4 oclock in afternoon - water

calm & beautiful day - boat returned from

shore with word that Harlans & Perry were

out on creeks, and would not be back

until tomorrow morning. Jarvis sent

out word that business would prevent his

going with us - but would meet us at

Unalaska. Anchored mile off shore

-August 22^nd -

Captain Jarvis came off this morning

before I was up and took breakfast

with Capt. Fenger and me. Boat

went in with Fenger & Jarvis after breakfast

& will bring others off. Jarvis says

many of my friends asked for me &c.

Dr. Call went out on the "Ohio"

much improved - Boat with our

party came off and at 10 oclock we

started south. Saw no one in Nome

& am glad of it. Mr. Harlan tells me

that the opinion is prevalent in Nome

that both Grigsby & Richards will be

removed - but Jarvis does not

seem to think so.

-Aug 23rd-

Officers on Revenue Cutter "Rush"

Captain C. C. Fenger.

1st Lt. James G. Ballinger

2nd Walter A. Wiley

3rd Leon C. Covell

Acting Ch. Eng. Micheal N. Usina

Acting 1st

2nd Asst Eng. Quincy B. Newman

2nd Asst Eng. J. A. Burns

Dr. H. W. Cole Jr.

Opposite Cape Romanzoff at

daybreak & skirted past Nunivak

Island at dark. Bering sea

calm & good weather. Passed time

reading. I am with Capt. Fenger

in the cabin while the Harlans & Perry

have rooms with the ward room officers

below. Harlan, Sr., Perry & I eat

with the Captain & Ed with the

ward room officers.

-August 24th-

My birthday - Aug 24, 1857.

Fine weather - opposite Cape New=

=enham tonight.

-Aug 25th-

In Bristol Bay - wide flats &c.

opposite first cannery – Clarks

at the mouth of the Nashigak

river. The "Mary D. Hume" & the

"Thistle" passed out going to S. F.

Canneries all closed for the season

& men going out. "Jeanie" & the

"Elihu Thompson" will be in in a

day or so for load of canned salmon.

Nushigak harbor is a fine body of

water - sharp conical peaks on

the N.W. Clear & bright day.

Anchored in harbor opposite the

lower cannery tonight. Passed

evening in ward room with officers

- music, song & stories.

-Aug 26^th -

In forenoon visited Eskimo village of

Ikuk - (Ek-uk) & the saltery between

there & Clarks point - Capt. Johnson

of the Scandanavian cannery came

down - piloted "Rush" up opposite

Nushigak - Clegg came over from

the Moravian Mission - supper

at Johnsons - Mrs. J. is large

fine looking Scandanavian.

-August 27^th -

The public business on Bristol Bay is quite

important and will deserve attention. There

are several canneries here - about 8000 men

are employed here during the summer, but go

to S. F. & below in the fall after the season is over

It is a very short season & everybody is now

gone except a few who are here to put the outfit

away & load the remaining cargo. Clegg

has visited every cannery & has statistics &

proofs - $25,000. yet due for former years

for licenses unpaid, and none paid for this

year. There are also several persons

in jail for crime - two for murder. Those for

felonies will be taken, with witnesses, to Valdez

for trial, and we have concluded that Judge Clegg,

must go as a witness & especially to aid in the

collection of cannery licenses. We will remain

here until Monday morning, call court at Nush

=agak at 11 oclock, and do the formal part,

then adjourn and go. Everything except the mere

formal part will be done, or agreed upon before.

Several mercantile licenses can be granted here.

&c. Our appearance here, and the formal

holding of court, the recognition which Clegg &

the deputy marshal get from the court and revenue

officers, the carrying away of accused persons by

the cutter, & all, has strengthened the officers here

& made for their future good. We are all

invited off to dinner with the Johnsons this

evening - Capt. Fenger & all of the court

officers. Lt. Ballinger, do:

-Aug. 28^th -

Left "Rush" this morning in launch and landed at the

Moravian Mission on east side of Nushagak river - had

dinner at Mission with Mr & Mrs. Zulzer (?) who spent

a dozen years or more in missionary work in Greenland.

Good garden, flowers, chickens, milk and butter.

Walked down beach 3 miles to Nushigak. Examined

proposed sites for jail and courthouse - prefer Nushigak.

Visited Russian church - Mittendorf, the trader & took

dinner with Mr & Mrs. Bumbrook - Supt. Cannery.

Came off to cutter about 11 oclock - head tide. The

tides in Nushigak run about six or seven knots

per hour - strong but no bore. Some baskets today

-August 29^th -

Remained on board cutter all day - Jeanie

is said to be in lower bay.

August 30. Sunday

on board "Rush" all day - Went off with Capt

Fenger & Mr Harlan & Mr Perry pay our last

visit to Capt. & Mrs. Johnson at Scandanvian Cannery

Aug 31^st. Monday

A beautiful clear day – Left the “Rush” early

on tug belonging to Johnson & arrived at Nush

agak in an hour. Arranged to hold court

in Mittendorffs setting room. Present

at the first court ever held in the Bristol

Bay country – Judge – U.S. Dist. Attorney

N. V. Harlan, U.S. Marshal, Geo. G. Perry,

Clerk, Ed. Harlan, - also Clegg, Mittendorff

& others – three other men only & Mrs. Mittendorff.

Granted a number of mercantile & cigar licenses

appointed John Niven, Comr. in place of Clegg

who resigns to go with us as Dept. Dist.

Atty & License Collector. Otto A. Larsen

& Paul Frecher[?] declared their intention to

become American citizens. Made an

order reserving a courthouse & Jail

site on north side of the bay & ordering

headquarters of court officials to be estab

=lished there & the place named “Dillingham”

after Senator Dillingham of Vermont, the

Chairman of the {Special}

Senate Com. on Territories lately

in Alaska. After transacting all business

including orders to take all criminals & crazy

man to Valdez for examination, we went

aboard onto tug & dropped down to

Clarks Cannery where we met the “Rush”

preceded by the “President” – Johnsons

steamer, - we then went to sea & bid good

bye to Bristol Bay.

Sept. 1^st

Rough weather & awful sea sick

Sep 2^nd

Sea sick – and waiting for Dutch Harbor

Reached Dutch H at dark – beautiful view

of Shishaldin: mistook it for

vessel sending up rockets of distress.

Sept. 3^rd

Went over to Unalaska with Gray last

night & slept in a bed that sat still

while I slept.

-Sept. 5 4^th -

Remain in Unalaska with Gray - the Str.

St Paul came in today from Nome - met many

of the people &c. and wrote letter to Debbie.

-Sept 6^th Sunday

The schooner Abbie M. Deering from Nome

was wrecked in Akutan pass {on Friday morning}

& the Manning

went out & brought in her crew, passengers

& baggage - nobody lost. The collier

“St. Francis "heavily laden with coal is on

fire - spontaneous combustion of coal-

-Sept. 7^th

"Thetis" went out this morning carrying Senator

Dietrich & daughter - also shipwrecked

crew and passengers of the "Deering"

The "Bear" and "Manning" yet in the harbor

also our boat the "Rush" - all coaling.

- Sept. 8^th -

We left Unalaska at 7 a.m. Mr. Jarvis

going with us on Rush. Passed out through

Akutan pass & thence south of Akutan

to south shore of Unimak. At night saw

Mt. Shishaldin flaming high - a

rare and beautiful sight

-Sept. 9th-

Belch of sky this morning at 6 oclock.

Visited Father Axeline, Russian priest, who is

a great talker - a clean looking man with a

clear eye & a fine beard. Visited the town &

people. Had a splendid view of Mt.

Pavlof - an active volcano, which is con

-tinually sending up a column of black

smoke - mt. is snow covered, &c. Remained

here only 3 hours & then went on to Unga

Pavloff is sending up high columns

of black smoke - in great intermittent puffs

a thousand feet high with ashes falling like

rain from a storm cloud - A magnificent spectacle

& ought to be even more so at night. The crater is

at the very summit of the mountain - the whole top is as

black as coal smoke can make it

- Sep. 10 -

Remained at anchor in Humboldt Bay - Sand Point-

Popoff Island, last night, early this morning ran over to

Unga and landed in a growing storm - Met Mr. Hubley

Driffield, & others & after discussing the situation walked

up the beach to the Apollo gold mine - met Misses Brown and

Randall - also Mrs. Brown - spent an hour - also met

Golder - who until a year ago was Comr: he is a nuisance.

Will appoint a Comr. for Unga & Perry will appoint a

Dep. Mar. - will remove Barstow. Storm increasing & we

went off to Rush in a heavy blow and rolling sea - & ran

back to Humboldt Bay where we are now lying in safety

listening to the storm howl. Mr. Harlan & Captain Fenger

are playing Debbies game of solitaire - they are inveterate

-Sept. 13^th Sunday

We left Sand Point early on the morning of the 11th and reached

Karluk last night - two days of "high rolling" and I was

sea sick all the time. "They who go to sea on ships

see the wonders of the Lord", - but they who go on the "Rush

catch hell. We went ashore for two hours and visited

the Karluk canneries - took dinner with the Supt. Van

Korofsky - a square headed brute - who swore at his

peroxide wife in our presence - and was, I hope, licked

as soon as we left - at least with her tongue. We

left Karluk at 4 p.m. this morning and are

now in the beautiful Karluk straits, sailing along the

shore of Kadiak Island. It is the usual high

rolling mountainous country, but unlike the more west

=ern islands, is blessed with scattering groves of evergreens

-Sept. 14^th -

Reached Kodiak harbor yesterday evening -went ashore

an hour after supper with Jarvis & called on old man

Sargent - & others. Ashore again this morning & called

upon a Russian by the name of Stuffaoff also the

Russian priest - Rev. T. Samaloff - Notified Gallagher

of charges against him & heard testimony all day &

reduced to writing. Dist. Atty. Harlan conducted

the examination & I swore witnesses. So Harlan took

down the testimony. Looked over Kodaik (St Paul) for

old Russian books, maps &c. and got some - but not much

but old samovar, from Chichinoff family. Was

a beautiful day - St. Paul & Kodiak harbor the most

beautiful in Alaska, - under way for Seldovia at

10:30[?] tonight.

- Sept. 15^th -

"Man Overboard" - was the cry that startled

us while at breakfast, and brought us to the quarter

deck on a run. The Chinaman held for assault

with intent to kill a country man with a knife, either

through fear or crazed with opium had suddenly jumped

overboard. The watch had changed & the boats crew had

undressed - three of them had & two not - but instantly

sprang into the boat and were dropped astern where

we could see his black head bobbing on the waves.

Within 5 minutes they had pulled him in their boat & in

10 minutes for the alarm we had started forward

again. In Cook Inlet - just abreast the Barren

Islands - Visited Seldovia today - small

Indian settlement with a Russian church &

two small stores. Heard that Cooks party for

Mt McKinley was very late & might not reach

the mountain. No word from them yet.

-Sept. 16^th -

Sea sick all day - rolling along south

of Montague island toward Valdez - Ran

into Nutchek for the night.

-Sept. 17^th

Left Nutchek early and reached Valdez at

noon. Everything in good order - but Kayak

Ball in the evening at Moose Hall - adjourned

to McKinley Hall - in honor of the young officers

on the "Rush". Capt. Jarvis took dinner

with me and I had a long talk with him about

my standing with the President. He thinks it is

good & urges me to be careful - he will write to

Clark for particulars before I write in explanation

of the impression which Grigsby & the Marshall

have tried to create. The Chamber of Commerce

will give us a reception in a week - No

mail of any importance. Jarvis took my

Russian book to Sitka for translation

[inside back cover]

[sketch of rivers]

[map captions]

Menchibena

Ridge Chit = River

McKinley

Indian Camp

Kantishna River

Beaver [River]

McKinley [River]

Birch [River]

Moose Creek

Lake 14 mi. across

Lake Menchibena

Menchetn?

Mun Chub’ Enna.

JW ?

[page break]

[back cover]

[clipping:]

“Another Attempt to Scale Mt. McKinley – The Bull-

etin of the American Geographical Society reports that

the Expedition to Mt. McKinley which left Fairbanks,

Alaska, on February 6^th, fitted out by a newspaper of

that town to attempt the ascent of the mountain re-

turned unsuccessful on April 10^th. An elevation of

10,000 feet was reached on the north side of the moun-

tain east of Peter Glacier, where precipitous ice cliffs

prevented further progress.”

http://library.alaska.gov/hist/fulltext/ASL-MS0107-Diary06-1903.htm