ned
how to make what they call portages--that is--when you come to falls or
rapids, relieve the boat of all contents and carry contents and boat
around the rapids. Then we were taught how to know quicksand and how
dangerous the Overflow is to dogs, and men in extrems winter. an
overflow is where the water bursts through the ice in the rivers and for
a few feet runs on the top. it cannot run far for it soon freezes. If
you put your foot in water or if your dogs step in water your feet and
their feet would freeze in two minutes.

The next winter we built a line of camps up the Pelley river about sixty
miles, and another line up the McMillian. October 10th we began to set
traps for Marten, ermine and wolf. Here we learned that Marten were
called Sable they are much larger and more valuable than the Marten of
United States Of America. In color they are dark brown and some are
almost black, they feed upon grouse and mice and never go near the
water, they inhabit the cold regions and breed but once a year. They
resemble the house cat in features but have long body like a mink. We
took that winter seven hundred, the largest catch ever known to have
been taken by any one gang in the world. The weather was exceedingly
cold for we were only three hundred miles from the Arctic Circle. Spring
came we broke camp and moved down to Dawson, sold our fur and drifted
down the Yukon river to the mouth of forty mile creek. Here we turned up
in search of placer mining, the short summer soon past and we returned
to Dawson and fitted out for the winter.

After we chucked up we turned up toward Steward river, on this trip we
met and formed the acquaintance of Geo. MacDonald, a wide world
character. At one time he came to Dawson with twenty mules packed with
gold. Three years later he died in Circle city a pauper.

Here also we first met the noted Montana Kidd--he swung his team of a
dozen dogs around the corner of the road house and shouted to the
landlord" Thirteen steaks dam the cost the Kidd always has the price" It
cost him thirteen times ten dollars--or one hundred and thirty dollars;
ten for himself and one hundred and twenty for his dogs.

After another successful winter we returned to Dawson sold our furs and
went first to Eagle and chucked up and journeyed to Fort Yukon. Now Fort
Yukon stands in the Arctic Circle and the Steel registers during cold
weather 65 deg. below zero. From here we went up the Porcupine river to
Rampart Ho