this was the Thron-diuck,[77] a word eventually corrupted
into "Klondike" by the jargon of many nationalities. Then we visited the
village, in search of food; finding in one hut some salmon, in another a
piece of moose meat, both of venerable exterior. Most of the braves of
the tribe were away hunting or fishing, but the old men and maidens were
eager for news from up river, the sole topic of interest being, not the
finding of nuggets, but the catching of fish. Strange as it may seem the
name of Klondike is to this day associated in my mind with
comparatively clean Indians and a good square meal. But hardly a year
had elapsed before I discovered that on that quiet, sunlit evening, I
was carelessly strolling about over millions of money without being
aware of the fact.

[Footnote 76: Dawson City is named after Dr. Dawson who first
established the boundary between Alaska and British north-west
territory.]

[Footnote 77: An Indian word signifying "Plenty of fish." On old maps
the place is marked "Tondack."]

Dawson City stands on the right bank of the Yukon on a plain almost
surrounded by picturesque and partly wooded hills. There are towns
existing much further north than this notwithstanding all that has been
written to the contrary. Many a cheap tripper from Aberdeen or Newcastle
has been a good deal nearer the Pole, so far as actual latitude is
concerned, for Dawson is south of the Norwegian towns of Hammerfest and
Tromso; Archangel--on the White Sea--being situated on about the same
latitude as the Klondike metropolis. The latter was founded shortly
after the first discovery of gold in 1896, and a few months afterwards
seven or eight thousand people were living there in tents and log huts.
In 1898 a fire occurred and the whole town was rebuilt on more
business-like lines, buildings, streets, and squares being laid out with
regularity. The fire had not been wholly disastrous, for before its
occurrence typhoid fever was raging amongst the miners, chiefly on
account of improper food, impure water, and the miasma arising from the
marshy, undrained soil. But when the town was restored, these evils were
remedied, and, at the present day, Dawson contains about 30,000
inhabitants (probably more in summer), who, save for a rigorous winter,
live under much the same conditions as the dweller in any civilised city
of England or America. Out on the creeks, the life is still rough and
primitive, but all the luxuries of life are