Project Gutenberg's A Woman who went to Alaska, by May Kellogg SullivanThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.orgTitle: A Woman who went to AlaskaAuthor: May Kellogg SullivanRelease Date: August 26, 2007 [EBook #22409]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WOMAN WHO WENT TO ALASKA ***Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Stephen Blundell and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby the Library of Congress)MAY KELLOGG SULLIVAN INALASKA DRESS.A Woman WhoWent ———To AlaskaBy May Kellogg SullivanI L L U S T R A T E DBoston:James H. Earle & Company178 Washington StreetCopyright, 1902By MAY KELLOGG SULLIVANAll Rights ReservedCONTENTS.Chapter PageI Under Way 9II Midnight on a Yukon Steamer 19III Dawson 28IV The Rush 36V At The Arctic Circle 48VI Companions 58VII Going to Nome 78VIII Fresh Danger 81IX Nome 94X The Four Sisters 109XI Life in a Mining Camp 131XII Bar-Room Disturbances 149XIII Off For Golovin Bay 162XIV Life at Golovin 184XV Winter in the Mission 199XVI The Retired Sea Captain 215XVII How the Long Days Passed 231XVIII Swarming 247XIX New Quarters 261XX Christmas in Alaska 275XXI My First Gold Claims 292XXII The Little ...
Project Gutenberg's A Woman who went to Alaska, by May Kellogg Sullivan
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: A Woman who went to Alaska
Author: May Kellogg Sullivan
Release Date: August 26, 2007 [EBook #22409]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WOMAN WHO WENT TO ALASKA ***
Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Stephen Blundell and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by the Library of Congress)
MAY KELLOGG SULLIVAN IN
ALASKA DRESS.
A Woman Who
Went ———
To AlaskaBy May Kellogg Sullivan
I L L U S T R A T E D
Boston:
James H. Earle & Company
178 Washington Street
Copyright, 1902
By MAY KELLOGG SULLIVAN
All Rights ReservedCONTENTS.
Chapter Page
I Under Way 9
II Midnight on a Yukon Steamer 19
III Dawson 28
IV The Rush 36
V At The Arctic Circle 48
VI Companions 58
VII Going to Nome 78
VIII Fresh Danger 81
IX Nome 94
X The Four Sisters 109
XI Life in a Mining Camp 131
XII Bar-Room Disturbances 149
XIII Off For Golovin Bay 162
XIV Life at Golovin 184
XV Winter in the Mission 199
XVI The Retired Sea Captain 215
XVII How the Long Days Passed 231
XVIII Swarming 247
XIX New Quarters 261
XX Christmas in Alaska 275
XXI My First Gold Claims 292
XXII The Little Sick Child 311
XXIII Lights and Shadows of the Mining Camp 325
XXIV An Unpleasant Adventure 340
XXV Stones and Dynamite 354
XXVI Good-bye to Golovin Bay 374
XXVII Going Outside 379
Transcriber's Note
Obvious printer errors have been corrected. All other inconsistencies remain as
printed.
A list of illustrations, though not present in the original, has been provided
below:
COVER
MAY KELLOGG SULLIVAN IN ALASKA DRESS.
DAWSON, Y. T.
CITY HALL AT SKAGWAY.
PORCUPINE CANYON, WHITE PASS.
MILES CANYON.
UPPER YUKON STEAMER.
FIVE FINGER RAPIDS.
GOING TO DAWSON IN WINTER.
A KLONDYKE CLAIM.
EAGLE CITY, ON THE YUKON, IN 1899.
YUKON STEAMER "HANNAH."
FELLOW TRAVELERS.
ESKIMOS.
UNALASKA.
STEAMSHIP ST. PAUL.
NOME.
LIFE AT NOME.
CLAIM NUMBER NINE, ANVIL CREEK.
CLAIM NUMBER FOUR, ANVIL CREEK, NOME.
MAP OF ALASKA.
ESKIMO DOGS.
WINTER PROSPECTING.AT CHINIK. THE MISSION.
CLAIM ON BONANZA CREEK.
ON BONANZA CREEK.
SKAGWAY RIVER, FROM THE TRAIN.PREFACE
This unpretentious little book is the outcome of my own experiences and adventures in Alaska. Two trips, covering a
period of eighteen months and a distance of over twelve thousand miles were made practically alone.
In answer to the oft-repeated question of why I went to Alaska I can only give the same reply that so many others give: I
wanted to go in search of my fortune which had been successfully eluding my grasp for a good many years. Neither home
nor children claimed my attention. No good reason, I thought, stood in the way of my going to Alaska; for my husband,
traveling constantly at his work had long ago allowed me carte blanche as to my inclinations and movements. To be sure,
there was no money in the bank upon which to draw, and an account with certain friends whose kindness and generosity
cannot be forgotten, was opened up to pay passage money; but so far neither they nor I have regretted making the
venture.
I had first-class health and made up in endurance what I lacked in avoirdupois, along with a firm determination to take up
the first honest work that presented itself, regardless of choice, and in the meantime to secure a few gold claims, the
fame of which had for two years reached my ears.
In regard to the truthfulness of this record I have tried faithfully to relate my experiences as they took place. Not all, of
course, have been included, for numerous and varied trials came to me, of which I have not written, else a far more
thrilling story could have been told.
Enough has, however, been noted to give my readers a fair idea of a woman's life during a period of eighteen months in
a few of the roughest mining camps in the world; and that many may be interested, and to some extent possibly
instructed by the perusal of my little book, is the sincere wish of the author.
May Kellogg Sullivan.A WOMAN WHO WENT—TO ALASKA.CHAPTER I.
UNDER WAY.
M Y first trip from California to Alaska was made in the summer of 1899. I went alone to Dawson to my father and
brother, surprising them greatly when I quietly walked up to shake hands with them at their work. The amazement of my
father knew no bounds,—and yet I could see a lot of quiet amusement beneath all when he introduced me to his friends,
which plainly said:
"Here is my venturesome daughter, who is really a 'chip off the old block,' so you must not be surprised at her coming to
Alaska."
Father had gone to the Klondyke a year before at the age of sixty-four, climbing Chilkoot Pass in the primitive way and
"running" Miles Canyon and White Horse Rapids in a small boat which came near being swamped in the passage.
My brother's entrance to the famous gold fields was made in the same dangerous manner a year before; but I had waited
until trains over the White Pass and Yukon Railroad had been crossing the mountains daily for two weeks before myself
attempting to get into Alaska's interior. At that time it was only a three hours' ride, including stops, over the Pass to Lake
Bennett, the terminus of this new railroad, the first in Alaska. A couple of rude open flat cars with springless seats along
the sides were all the accommodation we had as passengers from the summit of White Pass to Lake Bennett; we having
paid handsomely for the privilege of riding in this manner and thinking ourselves fortunate, considering the fact that our
route was, during the entire distance of about forty-five miles, strewn with the bleaching bones of earlier argonauts and
their beasts of burden.
Naturally, my traveling companions interested me exceedingly. There were few women. Two ladies with their husbands
were going to Dawson on business. About eight or ten other women belonging to the rapid class of individuals journeyed
at the same time. We had all nationalities and classes. There were two women from Europe with luggage covered with
foreign stickers, and a spoken jargon which was neither German nor French, but sounded like a clever admixture of both.
Then there was the woman who went by the name of Mrs. Somebody or other who wore a seal-skin coat, diamond
earrings and silver-mounted umbrella. She had been placed in the same stateroom with me on the steamer at Seattle,
and upon making her preparations to retire for the night had offered me a glass of brandy, while imbibing one herself,
which I energetically, though politely, refused. At midnight a second woman of the same caste had been ushered into my
room to occupy the third and last berth, whereupon next morning I had waited upon the purser of the ship, and modestly
but firmly requested a change of location. In a gentlemanly way he informed me that the only vacant stateroom was a
small one next the engine room below, but if I could endure the noise and wished to take it, I could do so. I preferred the
proximity and whirr of machinery along with closer quarters to the company of the two adventuresses, so while both
women slept late next morning I quietly and thankfully moved all my belongings below. Here I enjoyed the luxury of a room
by myself for forty-eight hours, or until we reached Skagway, completely oblivious to the fact that never for one instant did
the pounding of the great engines eight feet distant cease either day or night.
DAWSON, Y. T.
A United States Judge, an English aristocrat and lady, a Seattle lawyer, sober, thoughtful and of middle age, who had
been introduced to me by a friend upon sailing, and who kindly kept me in sight when we changed steamers or trains on
the trip without specially appearing to do so; a nice old gentleman going to search for the body of his son lost in the
Klondyke River a few weeks before, and a good many rough miners as well as nondescripts made up our unique
company to Dawson. Some had been over the route before when mules and horses had been the only means of
transportation over the Passes, and stories of the trials and dangers of former trips were heard upon deck each day, with
accompaniments of oaths and slang phrases, and punctuated by splashes of tobacco juice.
On the voyage to Skagway there was little seasickness among the passengers, as we kept to the inland passage among
the islands. At a short distance away we viewed the great Treadwell gold mines on Douglass Island, and peered out
through a veil of mist and rain at Juneau under the hills. Here we left a few of our best and most pleasant passengers,
and watched the old Indian women drive sharp bargains in curios, beaded moccasins, bags, etc., with tourists who were
impervious to the great rain drops which are here always falling as easily from the clouds as leaves from a maple tree in
October.
Our landing at Skagway under the towering mountains upon beautiful Lynn Canal was more uneventful than our
experience in the Customs House at that place, for we were about to cross the line into Canadian territory. Here we
presented an interesting and animated scene. Probably one hundred and fifty persons crowded the small station and
baggage room, each one pushing his way as far as possible toward the officials, who with muttered curses hustled the
tags upon each box and trunk as it was hastily unlocked and examined. Ropes and straps were flung about the floor,
bags thrown with bunches of keys promiscuously, while transfer men perspiring from every pore tumbled great mountains
of luggage hither and thither.
CITY HALL AT SKAGWAY.
Two ponderous Germans there were, who, in checked steamer caps enveloped in cigar smoke of the best brand,
protested vigorously at the opening of their trunks by the officers, but their protests seemed only the more to