CHAPTER XX.
THE GOLD FIELDS AT LAST.
On the following day the wind died down utterly, and no progress couldbe made in the _Wild Goose_ excepting by the use of oars, and this wasslow and laborious work. They took turns at rowing, two at a turn, withthe others taking it easy on the blankets, for the river was now broadand deep and as smooth as a mill-pond.
On the second day they seemed to leave the rocks behind, and emergedinto a slightly hilly country. Here the banks of the stream wereovergrown with bushes and flowers, the latter just starting to pushforth their buds in countless profusion of variety and color. Thetransformation was almost magical and more than one spoke of it.
"That's the way of things in Alaska," said Foster Portney. "There are nospring and autumn; just winter and summer, and that's all. The warmweather which is now coming on will last until September, and thenwinter will come almost before you know it."
Earl had noticed the increase in heat since leaving the lakes, and nowhe perspired freely while pulling at the long oar. Randy sat in the bowtaking in the sights. A flock of wild geese came sweeping toward them,and he asked for permission to take a shot with the gun. His aim was agood one, and two of the creatures fell where they were readily pickedup.
"We'll have stuffed goose to-night," said the captain, with a grin."It's a pity we ain't got sage an' onions ter stuff it with."
"Perhaps I can find something to take the place of sage," said thedoctor. "This variety of bushes and vines ought to produce some similarherb."
During the past two days they had noted a number of islands in theriver, and that night they made a landing on one of these, in preferenceto tying up on shore. Mosquitoes were more numerous than ever, but asmudge built by Foster Portney soon drove the most of the insects off.
The island was several acres in extent, and while the captain busiedhimself in roasting a goose and frying some potatoes he had "traded in"from Wodley for a bit of bacon, Randy and Earl took a tramp around, tostretch their legs and prospect on the sly. One carried a pick and ashovel and the other a gold-washing pan, and coming to a hollow wherethey could work unobserved, they set about getting out some dirt fromunder a series of rocks. The pan was soon full, and then Earl started towash by pouring water on top and giving it the rotary motion he hadheard his uncle mention.
The labor was harder than either of them had imagined, and four panfulsof dirt were washed out, leaving nothing but smooth stones behind. Theywere about to continue the process, when they heard their uncle callingthem, and a moment later Foster Portney appeared. He started to laugh,but quickly checked himself.
"Digging for gold, eh?" he said. "Well, I don't think you'll find anyhere. The formation of the ground isn't right. If there is any preciousmetal around at all, it's at the bottom of yonder river. Might as wellgive it up." And somewhat disgusted the boys returned to camp. It wasthe only time they tried prospecting until the regular gold fields werereached.
Two days later found them at the Rink and Five Finger rapids. Owing tothe melting of the snow and ice under the increasing heat of the sun,the river was very high now, and, consequently, both spots were passedwith comparative ease, the dangerous rocks being covered to a depth of ayard or more. In consequence of this increase of water, the river hadover-flowed its bank for miles, forming great lakes and marsheseverywhere, and at times it was almost impossible for them to keep tothe channel. Once they did make a false turn, only to find themselves,half an hour later, in a "blind pocket," as Dr. Barwaithe put it.
The rapids and the Tachun River passed, it was almost a straight sailnorthwest to the ruins of old Fort Selkirk. But little could be seen ofthe former fort, the Indians having overturned the very foundations intheir search for trinkets and articles of value. They encamped at thespot over-night and were joined on the following morning by two otherparties who had crossed Chilkoot Pass two days after themselves.
Of these parties Earl asked for news of Tom Roland and Jasper Guardley,and was informed that the men had joined a crowd of Irishmen fromPortland, who were coming through on a large raft. "They're a toughcrowd, too--all of 'em," said the speaker. "If they don't get intotrouble before they leave the gold diggings, it will be mighty queer."
From old Fort Selkirk to Dawson City is a distance of one hundred andsixty miles, through a country so varied that it is next to impossibleto describe it. At times the voyagers found themselves sailing calmlyalong on a broad expanse of water dotted here and there with woodedislands, rich in new foliage and evergreen trees, and again the streamwould narrow, with high and rocky hills on either side. Here the waterwould flow swiftly over and around jagged rocks, and the utmost carewould have to be exercised in avoiding a smash-up. Once they did receivea severe shaking-up and had to run for a low island with all possiblespeed, to avoid becoming waterlogged. This happened in the forenoon,and it took the balance of the day to make the _Wild Goose_ as seaworthyas before.
A week and more had slipped by since leaving the Rink Rapids, and nowall were on the watch for the first sight of the new gold fields. Everyone was in a state of suppressed excitement. They had met half a dozenminers sailing back and forth on the river and from these had learnedthat everything was "booming," and that strikes were panning out big.The eyes of both Randy and Earl glistened when they heard these stories,and the hardships endured since leaving Dyea were forgotten.
"Hurrah! there's a miner's tent!" suddenly shouted Randy, late oneafternoon. "We've struck the diggings at last!"
"There are half a dozen tents and a board cabin!" added Earl, pointingstill further on. "I guess you're right, Randy. I wonder if that is theKlondike River over yonder. It looks mighty small."
"That's only a creek," said Foster Portney. "We'll land and see how farwe are from Dawson."
The _Wild Goose_ was easily beached, and they lost no time in hunting upthe miners to whom the tents and the cabin belonged. They were a partyof Frenchmen from Canada and could speak but little English. Dr.Barwaithe spoke to them in their native tongue and soon learned that theplace was Baker's Creek and that Dawson City was about six miles furtheron. The Frenchmen were very conservative, but admitted that they weredoing very well at placer-mining, taking out an average of thirtydollars a day per man.
"Thirty dollars a day!" cried Randy. "A fellow can get rich quick enoughat that rate."
"Hardly--with such a short season," answered his uncle. "Yet thirtydollars isn't bad by any means."
"I'm up yere to strike a fortune," put in the captain. "No measly littlethirty dollars a day fer me!"
Both Randy and Earl wished to remain behind to see the Frenchmen washout the gold dust, but the others were impatient to go on, and they weresoon on the way once more.
"If the claims are good around here, it won't be long before they aretaken up," said Foster Portney. "For, as you can see, men are pouring inover the mountains every day, not to say anything of those who make thelong trip by way of the ocean and up the Yukon."
"Well, I'm just crazy to get to work," declared Randy. "Just think ofthe gold lying around ready to be picked up!"
His uncle smiled. Poor Randy! Little did he dream of the many backachesand privations in store for him.
To the left of the river there now arose a long chain of hills andmountains, sloping gradually to the water's edge; on the right weresmaller hills and great marshes, fairly choked with bushes and wildgrowths of vines and flowers. The tundra was everywhere, and over allcircled flocks and flocks of wild birds, a few mosquitoes, and somethingthey had not yet seen--horseflies. The horseflies were black and greenin color, and a bite from one of them made Captain Zoss utter a mightyyell of pain. "It was like the stab of a dagger!" he declaredafterwards, and so angry did the bite become, and so painful, that thedoctor was called upon to treat it with a soothing lotion.
It was after seven o'clock, but still daylight, when Dr. Barwaitheraised his hand for the others to become silent. "Listen!" he said. "Ithink I heard a steamboat whistle. Ah! I was right. A boat is
on theriver!"
A few minutes passed, and they heard the whistle again. Then Earlpointed ahead excitedly. "There's the boat, and she is tied up to theriver bank. There are half a dozen buildings and fifty tents or more.I'll wager it's Dawson!"
With hearts which beat quickly they sailed forward, using the oars tomake the _Wild Goose_ move the faster. Another turn of the stream andthe mining town could be seen quite plainly. Ten minutes later they ranup just behind the steamboat and tied fast. The long trip was at an end.The new diggings, with all their golden hopes, lay before them.