. In the midst of it
all Burton remained cool and unhurried. Sitting in our tent, which
flapped and quivered in the sounding southern wind, we discussed the
question of future action. I determined to leave him here with four
of the horses and a thousand pounds of grub with which to enter the
gold country; for my partner was a miner, not a literary man.

It had been my intention to go with him to Teslin Lake, there to
build a boat and float down the river to Dawson; but I was six weeks
behind my schedule, the trail was reported to be bad, and the water
in the Hotalinqua very low, making boating slow and hazardous.
Therefore I concluded to join the stream of goldseekers who were
pushing down toward the coast to go in by way of Skagway.

There was a feeling in the air on the third day after going into camp
which suggested the coming of autumn. Some of the boys began to dread
the desolate north, out of which the snows would soon begin to sweep.
It took courage to set face into that wild land with winter coming
on, and yet many of them were ready to do it. The Manchester boys and
Burton formed a "side-partnership," and faced a year of bacon and
beans without visible sign of dismay.

The ominous cold deepened a little every night. It seemed like
October as the sun went down. Around us on every side the mountain
peaks cut the sky keen as the edge of a sword, and the wind howled up
the river gusty and wild.

A little group of tents sprang up around our own and every day was
full of quiet enjoyment. We were all living very high, with plenty of
berries and an occasional piece of fresh beef. Steel-head salmon were
running and were a drug in the market.

The talk of the Pelly River grew excited as a report came in
detailing a strike, and all sorts of outfits began to sift out along
the trail toward Teslin Lake. The rain ceased at last and the days
grew very pleasant with the wind again in the south, roaring up the
river all day long with great power, reminding me of the equatorial
currents which sweep over Illinois and Wisconsin in September. We had
nothing now to trouble us but the question of moving out into the
gold country.

One by one the other misguided ones of the Long Trail came dropping
into camp to meet the general depression and stagnation. They were
brown, ragged, long-haired, and for the most part silent with dismay.
Some of them celebrated their escape by getting drunk, but mainly
they were too serious-minded