, the following being considered
necessary for an able-bodied person: Twenty pounds of flour, twelve of
bacon, twelve of beans, four of butter, five of vegetables, five of
sugar, three of coffee, five of corn-meal, one pound of tea, four cans
of condensed milk, one and one half pounds of salt, with a little
pepper and mustard.

Because of the weight and bulk, Jeff omitted from this list the tea,
the condensed milk and butter, and while the supply in other respects
was the same, respectively, for himself and McCabe, that of the boys
was cut down about one third; for besides the food, the party were
compelled to take with them a frying-pan, a water-kettle, a Yukon
stove, a bean-pot, a drinking-cup, knives and forks, and a large and
small frying-pan.

Since they would find a good raft necessary, axes, hatchets,
hunting-knives, nails, one hundred and fifty feet of rope, and two
Juneau sleds were purchased. To these were added snow-shoes, a strong
duck-tent, fishing-tackle, snow-glasses to protect themselves against
snow-blindness, rubber blankets, mosquito-netting, tobacco, and a few
minor articles.

The start from Juneau to the gold fields should not be made before the
beginning of April. Our friends had struck that date, but the headlong
rush did not begin until some time later. One of the principal routes
is from Seattle to St. Michael, on the western coast of Alaska, and
then up that mighty river whose mouth is near, for nearly two thousand
more miles to Dawson City. The river is open during the
summer--sometimes barely four months--and our friends took the shorter
route to Juneau on the southern coast, from which it is about a
thousand miles to Dawson. While this route is much shorter, it is a
hundred times more difficult and dangerous than by the Yukon.

From Juneau there are four different routes to the headwaters of the
Yukon, all crossing by separate paths the range of mountains along the
coast. They are the Dyea or Chilkoot Pass, the Chilkat, Moore's or
White Pass, and Takon. At this writing the Chilkoot is the favorite,
because it is better known than the others, but the facilities for
passing through this entrance or doorway to the new El Dorado are
certain to be greatly increased at an early day.

It was learned on inquiry that another day would have to be spent in
the town before the little steamer would leave for Dyea. While Tim and
Jeff stayed at the hotel, talking over old times and laying plans for