Chapter 5

As I passed from hut to hut trading, I chanced to run across some indians from Candle Creek where I first learned to talk Eskimo. They were very glad to see me and used me fine making it very pleasant for us. One night while traveling from one town to another--for it was nearly all night at that time--two of my men were robbed--that was a piece of wonderment in these parts and in the life of the oldest indian it had never happened. As soon as the boys reported I took the Kidd and we set out to stop the thief--we went less than five miles when we overtook a rather unusual large Indian which I at once reconized as The worst Desperado in Alaska--he had killed several white men and about fifty of his own tribe, I first met him at Candle Creek, I pulled my gun and ordered him to put up his dukes--he did and I said John Spoon I know you and I guess you know me, unload that gold and those furs you took from my men or, I'll let daylight through you--He did a great stunt of obeying he was scared half to death, I had a notion to kill the other half. I was a fool to let him off so easy--But I always hate to shoot even an indian. Well we worked down to the Sea, and a few hours each day dug at placer mining. after forty eight days we took our gold about $4,455,00 and set out for the mouth of the Mackinzie river. This was a terrorable trip The sea had piled up ice-burgs so we had to travel allong the mountain side--Our hardships had been extreme and as we neared the Delta of the great River one day I noticed The Galloping Swede was loosing his mind, or getting crazy with hardships, which is the most incurable of all diseases, He had been snow blind, had had sore eyes, was homesick and lonesome, and the added over exposeures had ruined that bright and cultured mind. Lee Wilda--for this is his name had been with me a long time. his home was in Minnesota, his father was dead but he had a mother and a sister. Twice on our way we had to let our dogs and plunder over ice precipreses, with our lash ropes. Finaly we reached Coleville river and crossed over. it was about a half mile wide at the mouth. Just after crossing over this stream we saw 148 Polar bears on one cake of ice feeding on a dead whale. Allong this trip so near the sea we saw hundreds of seals, and walrus and killed a Muskox the most rare animal in the world. After over forty days we reached the mouth of the Mackinzie river, it is about eight miles across the mouth, and drains The great baer lake, the great slave lake, the lesser slave lake, The peace river the Athabaska river and hundreds of tributaries in to the Sea. It was nearing spring, we had no calendar, and did not even know the month of the year. We were glad: our sleighs were getting worn out, so were our snow shoes, and our provission was nearly gone and Lee was a raving maniac. We still had the main range of the Rocky mountains to cross. We came to a small station about one hundred miles up the Teal river: but the frenchman refused us anything to eat. He was buying fur for a fur Co. and wanted to kill off all indipendent traders. Without his consent I took what grub I wanted, he did not like it much permit me to say--but he choose this in preference to cold lead, I left him his full pay and begn our weary march to head of the Porcupine river. just before we reached the porcupine We met an indian prospector and gave him ten dollars for a pan of flour, and so got on to Fort Yukon.

Our feet were sore, so were our eyes, we were tired and worn out. We rested a few days and agin hit the road, we follwed down the Yukon to the Tannana and up this river a long ways and then struck across The mountains to the Kuskakwim river. And as we were going down marten creek One of my dogs bit me: he tore off the hole end of my finger. It was a bad bite the weather was very cold, and I could not give it proper care. Four days later blood poison set in, my hand began to swell and pain me, worst of all we were loaded with Polar bear seal and white fox. My hand grew worse and worse I could not travel any longer so we had to throw away all our Polar bear and the dogs had to draw me. It was so cold that I had to walk at times, this lasted for eleven days. And for eleven nights, I walked around while the other boys slept. After this time we struck Shushitna Station then we made Knik. from here we started for Seldovia but were foundered for two days near Fire Islands. when Maud the Moose picked us up and took us to Seldovia. Here a Government nurse operated on my finger and by her skill and my nerve she saved my life. After four weeks I shipped on the Portland for Seattle leaving my men to go back to the claims and stay till I could return. With the exception of Lee Wilda he we sent to Seward to a doctor. During the most excruciating pain I sold my Mine known as the Roving Trapper and completed my Journey to the States, carrying with me a Dr. and A Trained Nurse.

After a long and dedious journey we reached Seattle and there I was confined to a room in the Hospital for four weeks--after which I took the overland limited for Michigan. One the fourth day of June I landed in the old town of my Childhood--Fife Lake.

I learned that my Father and mother still lived but had long since sold the farm and kept a small store in town. Once I could have named every individual I met--but now as I walked up the hill from the depot I was an entire stranger--Twenty years makes a great change, Many were my meditations as I walked over the little marsh where I had so often passed when a mere child. I entered the old store, the one in which I spent my babyhood--where Father ran store before he bought the farm An old lady stooped, and seamed came in to ascertain that which I wanted, had I have been any other place I could not have gussed who she was, I told her I wanted a quarters worth of Cigars, I sat down upon the old chest which I still remembered, and began to smoke, memory was busy--Could this be my mother, I saw her last twenty years before, her locks were black as a raven's wing, her eyes like stars in mid-winter, her form straight agile and graceful--A horrorable thought seized me--I threw away the cigar and walked over to mother and told her I was her baby--I took her in my arms--It was a severe shock to mother, she had long mourned me dead, together we wept, she for joy, but I for the greatest mistake of my lifetime those twenty long years of prodigality. No man ever repented more bitterly over his rash and careless actions than I did that fourth day of june.

Presently my Father came in--he too was old and gray--that step which had ever been so nimble and elastic was now abated, he did not recognize me--till he saw mother had been crying then his suspiction was aroused and I broke down--father took me one his lap; kissed me and welcomed me home.--Boys I have made a great mistake,--I can never recover the loss connected with this carelessness by all means never patron my example.

When the town folks found out who I was and that I was back from far-away Alaska they began to come in to see me--they had a right too They had watched over my dear old mother and father when they were sick as only the best friends on earth know how, how much I owe those dear old neighbours at Fife Lake. They filled the house and store and we had a great time for several days. I had to leave the old folks again without their consent, but not without their knowledge. successively I visited my relation not one of them ever guessing who I was till I informed them.

While visiting among the haunts of civilization I conceived the idea that a splendid outfit of furs, dogs, and other educative curios would be of interest to the folks of the States. so to morrow I set sail for Alaska to secure such an outfit which I hope you may satisfactorly inspect before reading my book.

Yours truly--Black Beaver.

Webster So. Dak. April 17, teenth 1911.

Bits of Information--Characteristics of Black Beaver

Black beaver was never lost but once in his life And that was in Cordalane Idaho. It had a peculiar effect upon him, it made him, sick to his stomach, sleepy and gave him the head ache. He never carried a compass in his life. can awaken at any hour of the night and point north south east or west.

Black beaver gives a recipe for cureing gray hair. this alone is worth the price of this book--"When I went up to Alaska I was quite gray headed I was crossing Jumbo Glacier, going North-west, they wind was cold and exceedingly stout my steel registered over seventy below zero--I was making good time--I became warm and perspired a little--for about ten seconds I removed my cap when I discovered my scalp was frozen. for nearly a year my hair was all out around my ears--at last it came in just as black as it was when I was a child--(Se my head seeing is believing) Ladies, gentemen freeze your scalp if you are gray"

Black Beaver is a natural tarveler in cold regions because; he is always feeling of himself to see if he is freezing. which is the only way one can tell in extreme cold.

An excciting place to sleep--on a Glacier which moves about ten feet a day--it is cracking, bursting exploding, trembling, groaning and together with the Glacier Bears and howling dogs, and Siberian wolves, and rolling around to keep from freezing is very soothing. Now I have fought buffalo flies in Michigan, Bed Bugs in Wisconsin, Lice in Wyoming, Rattlesnakes in Colorado, Coyotes in North Dakota, Rats in Australia, Spiders in South America,--But Glaciers are of all places I ever attempted the most exciting and difficult to get a little sleep.

The Glacier is moved forward by the compressed air which gets into the crevices behind the glaciers when it is split open by frost--then it freezes again and explodes which moves the great mountain into the river. The Glaciers not only furnish the water supply for the world--but also keep it fresh.

The term Mushing has been used in the book that means to walk.

The term Pan, means one dollar, Bum Pan means a half dollar. Hit means five dollars.

A great manny hunters have severe accidents with their guns--often they burst when they are fired off--this is caused by dirt accidently getting into the end of the barrel which so many inexperienced hunters unconscouusly do. I have known an explosion caused by snow in the end of the muzzle.

There was a very bad bear in Wyoming known as "Old Three points" There was an Irishman crossing over his territory and while sitting on a rock he looked up and saw "Old Three Points" coming toward him evidently on his track--for he was putting his noose to the ground seemingly in every track--"The Irishman said" Oh! its tracks ye want--then be gorry I'll make ye some" and he did. as many have done.

I was employed by a Ranchman to kill Three Points--so named because he had a nail torn off and left but three points to his track with his right paw. I took two of the best marksman I had and we rode over into his territory--after we had cooked our meat partly because we were hungry, and partly to draw the old fellow on by the scent--and before we had time to eat our meal the old plough hove in sight--

He was certainly in fighting trim, he came down over the hill--like a Newbraska cyclone--every log he came to he would knock clean out of his road the stones were flying right and left, he would knock rotton logs all to pieces, he would not turn aside for anything, he had been in a fight his hair was ruffled up, he was all covered with blood, and had been wounded several times, all at once we opened up on his with three bullets in his pelt driven there by guns which struck thirty eight hundred pound apiece--he just groaned and staggered a little, and made for us, We split up and gave him dope from three quarters which was more than old Three points had expected; and before he could claw any of our meat he lost his appetite because we had fed him too much lead.

Black Beaver--knows how to live outdoors better than we know how to live indoors. He never catches cold, he positively knows every time just where to sleep, he never sleeps on his back if the ground is cold or damp--always upon his stomache.

He could teach the U.S. Army something worth knowing--about living out doors.

Black Beaver knows what animals think. Can tell just what maneuver a dog, wolf deer, or even a fish will go through on almost every occasion.

The Eskimos at Point Barrow--think the Aurora Borealis is caused by the Great Icebergs toppling over into the water, and the water is so much warmer than the great lump of ice covered with frost that an explosion takes place--caused by the coming together of these two substances so different in temperature. Then the ice splits and the explosion causes light ans makes a noise which is always heard in the Arctics.

The Eskimo scoffs at the idea of man reaching the North Pole. They say the place where the pole is supposed to be, is an unfinished part of creation, and how can man find that which has not been created. They say the north Pole is one continous upheavel of indisscribable explosions. That not a bear, owl, tomigan, fox, indian or even a whale or fish could live, nor do they live beyond the hut of the Eskimo.

Could you if you could not write, write a better book? I have no vain idle catchy words, but news in a nude form do you appreciate news, gold dug out of mud? then give me credit for what I have done rather than for what I have said. Read my later publications. So excuse the errors of a sourdough, keep track of me I want to talk to you later. Good bye for this time. I shall enjoy being a true friend to every reader of Black Beaver the Trapper.

Ask me questions, if you have my address, write to me while I am in the wilderness. I once stopped and listened for an hour to the disputed music of a Baby's cry.--then if this consoled--perhaps you can, I start tomorrow for the Golden shore Of Alaska, over rough seas, swollen rivers, rocky coasts and shaggy hillsides. But I shall return again--From that wilderness, to enjoy and make glad the gentle loving people in the States where the stars and stripes defend, And where maidens and lovers, husbands and wives, enjoy sweet life and charities beyond the possibility of any race in any other land under God's girdling skies.

THE END.

Black Beaver's Address Permanently, is Fife Lake, Grand Traverse Co., Mich.

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