EXPERIENCES OF A YOUNG COLONIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12392, 30 June 1902, Page 2

EXPERIENCES OF A YOUNG COLONIAL.

COOMlAJifeiu, KLOXDYKK, AND TUB i WAR, i • ! • Colonials are proverbially a moving class ' ' of licnplp, lint wc imagine, tint few i M n ! °' L:l0r Zealand ni» Ausiralia havo liiul a v.id'M- or im;rvaried experience of places and people than Mr .lolm W. Senrr, who recently returned to hi.- homo in lliis, his native after an absence uf nmc ' : years. These seven years lit) lias •'l'dil m visiting some odd but notable 'v.rncrs of (lip earth, encountering in so hardships and dangers which a. man I'Vm rerunrefid and lw, physically ,|ron g '•-•a.-l hardly have overcome. ,n ' nf l Ihci-o nro but two ft tho many jjlaecs lio l»as raided and worked in, mm i l e has put a capper to his ' experience.? by lalteriy engaging and serving; iu his Majesty's forsps in-South Africa. ' j •Mr .Scurr is the eldest soil of Mr T. Scurr, I ranchbuilticr. hi" Jhii city, and was brought up to his father'* business. In 1819, when lie hail! entered into bis twenties, and when he had I obtained a good grip of his trade, he dccided ! to try his luck in Westratin. Tlo arrived ! ju-t as the Great Boulder boom bad started. ■ For a time ho worked at bis trade, but i eventually went prospecting. The weather was intensely hot and water vras very scarce —quite a famine, in fact. The result may bo guessed. Fever and other diseases were common, and many of tlioso who eamo to find their fortune found only a heritage of 6ft of earth—their last resting place. .New Zealandcrs, in common with Tas- 1 inanians arid Victorians, stood the elimato worst. "Como from Now Zealand, do you? Well, you had better clear back- again; Ncv,Zealandors always 'pass out here.'" This was a remark often addressed to Mr Scurr. Tho number of graves of Now Zcalaudcrs iji the, cemetery testified to tho comparative 'ruth of it, From a wages point of view Mr Scurr did fairly well in Coolgardie, but contracting dysentery, which threatened to become chronic, be found himself compelled to leave West Australia in favour of some colder climate. Klondvke by this time had como into world-vide prominence. The finds at Coolgardio bad been phenomenal; those at TUondyke wore, however, fabulous. Thither Mr Scurr decided to go. After a run homo, ho in due course found himself on the road to Vancouver. Arivcl there, he proceeded to Fort Wranqel in one of the steamers leaving for thin place every second day. The boat was crowded witli passengers intent on fl. purpose similar to bis. The majority of 'hem v:ei" men of a geed class, and possessa i it tlo money. Tn not e few eases thev ' --d thrown everything thoy possrs'ed into veil lure. It was a cosmopolitan band, '"•re wer" Frcnrh Canadians,' Britishers, >r.iraiian?., Scandinavian, and Americans, ; :e la!tor numerically the greatest; A. voyof one or two days brought them to v ort Wrangle, which i.s on American tcrri>orv, and which consisted of a few wooden lmts built, besido tho bcr.eli and at tho foot of a hill that rose almost sheer from the water's edge. A sheriff and party kept law and order, but there was a looseness as regards their observ-inc that was noticeable to the Nov/ Marnier and Australians. (Gambling bouses were being run openly in the streets on all sides. Tho sheriff IK-ver interfered unless something very serious happened. "During the few days Mr Scurr spent, at Fort Wrangel ho often heard shots fired at night, presumably between persons Quarrelling, More than' likely the sheriff then (jxercised bis authority. From FortWrangel Mr Scurr took steamer up the Ntickeen River up to Glcnora, in British Columbia. The distance to Glcnora was about ?30 miles, and the journey occupied a week or so. The country travelled through was mostly hilly and bush-clad. The scenery was not such as ono could adivurc very nuioli. If. was tco monotonous— | pines, pine*, otornnl pine*, Tho hush win in marked contrast to that of New Zealand, so varied and so beautiful. Tn no country thai ho bis visited has Sir Shut seen scenery moro attractive than that of New Zealand. Glcnora proved to be mc-roly a camp situated on a flat on the bank of the river. There was a police station, one or two saloon.?, and hundreds of tent?. The pla?e war much quieter 1 than Fort Wrangle; the authorities in Canadian territory being much more etrict than those of the United States. A week was spent at Glenora preparing for the next stage of the journov. which was to Lako Teslin, some 200 miles farther on. The track lay through nothing but swamps, and the journey had to 'bo made on foot. Luggage was rent by carrier, but as the charge made was Is 8d per lb. it wee not everyone who could adopt this means of getting tlteir goods conveyed past Glcnora. Some fell back on wheelbarrows, handcarts, and tho like, and it was a strange sight to seo them pushing these along. Generally,, however, they did not'got very far, and the track was strown with their abandoned wheelbarrowe. Thero was never any difficulty in getting a wheelbarrow on tho trail at any time. Two Australians who had set out with ono got along famously till they came to tho wot ground, and then their troubles .bogan, Ono morning, however, a bullock strayed along. It looked like a dispensation of Providence. In a 'twinkling they bad whipped their stores on to his back, and were pushing on in great glee. Another man whom they saw on the trail bad his two little boys with him. Neither was 12 years of ago. but tho father did not allow them to bo an encumbrance. Ho had them harliniscd up to his barrow. Another individual thoy ran across on the journey was using a number of dogs as packer?. Each dog had two little boxes slung over him, and carried aliont 201b or 401b altogether. All sorts of schemes' were adopted to get, over the ground. Some who had a ton outfit or thereabouts reduced it to 1001b, and set out with that load on their backs. Many of lliom had done no harder work in the past than carry a baby, and with their unaccus'.omcd lic-avy pack looked as if they wou'd be bow-logged before they got to Lake Teslin. One old Dutchman had a scrawny-looking goat in a barrew of bis own make. His turnout broke down hopelessly 10 mi'.rs out. At the start everyone an«om:ec<l their intention of getting to Klondyke oven if they had to crawl there. A few days out and many of them dccidod that the prospect of a million dollars was not sufficient to tempt them farther on the Teslin trail. By far the majority turned back, anil went over the White l\w, a much eaiior route than tho Toslin trail or tho Edmonton. The latter was recommended by the Canadian Government, but Mr Scurr met in Klondyko a roan who took the latter route, and though starting some months brfoi'e him, did not arrive till 12 months after. The difficulties .and hardships of the Edmonton trail were dreadful. So many men lost their lives while attempting to reach it that it was called "Tho Trail of Death." Mr Scurr and his mate successfully accomplished tho journey via. Teslin. They went on the plan of carrying as much as thoy porsibly could on their shoulders, and of buying whenever their stores ran very low from those who bad decided to turn back. It was a precarious and risky tiling to do. At timer, they went .perilously near starvation. but they got through. It. was summer when (hoy made the journey. Tho weather was exceedingly hot, if very rainy, and the mosquitoes were very troublesome. The journey to Lake Teslin occupied about three weeks. Here and there on the trail they met a few Indians, with wli im they used to trade for salmon and other things. The Indians, having had a good deal of experience in trading with whiic men. were pretty tmart. Ae, a race, they found tho "noble" red man was not to be compared with tho Maoris. The Indians speak of the policemen as King George's men. The explanation is that when the Hudson's Bay Company commenced trading with them King George was King, and King George it bos been with tiicm since. Though half civilised, no trouble was experienced with tho Indians at any time. At Lako Teslin they found a few people living in cabiuc and trading with the Indian?. Thi-iv- was a policeman stationed thero who in his war was a little governor-general. Mr Scurr had a great stroke of luck when he arrived. He found an Australian with a boat and a scow ho had made wanting two men tn assist him in going down thu lake. Needless to sav, Air Scurr and bis mate, accepted the ofrer. Before leaving thev p'urch.a-.cd a furl her stock of provisions, which wero pretty dear. Everything was a dollar per lb—flour, baron, sugar, etc. Lake Teslin is about 100 miles long, and after a somowhat adventurous voyage, during which the boats were more than or.ee nearly swamped, the party ran ij; to the Hoots-

inqna River, a very fast stream of water ivhicli iii fome placcH cnrricil thorn nlon;; tbout 13 or 14 miles an hour. Tim Hootainqna byand-byo became incorporated in lie; Lewis, the Lewis with the l'elley, tho '.vo latter forming the Groat Yukon. At )oth junctions they found plenty of icoplo soiling their outfit. TUoy hr.d got '' full up" of the journey. For tho Imiilreds' that, readied Klondykc, thousands limed back. Pushing on, the parjy eventuilly anved at Dawson. Mr Scurr readied 'here without either coat or lioots. Tho nnncr lie had lost, tho latter his mate tad looiilontally burnt while coming over the losliii trail. Ho lisd to substitute Indian iiocaEsitis (or the rest of the journey. At Dawson O'tv they found hundreds of n'<n wanting work and practically starving. Kvcrv day men wore leaving the place, goin;! down tlio rivor to tho Bchring Sea, ivlience they took boat down the const. I'bn journey wan some 2000 miles in length, md it was often made in pulling boats. Mr Scurr inceceded in' obtaining a job atDawson Pity, at which he made a few lobars, and I lira lie waited for tlio spring. It was a pretty dreary wait during the winter. Tt was intensely cold. Dayliglii r-nly lasted from about, 9 o'clock to 3. "Tt ras hardly daylight—indeed, <?;iiy a short •poll of foggy twilight. There was not a :jreiit deal of drinking, but gambling was prevalent—terribly prevalent, in fact. The laming houses were conducted openly, and llie police did nothing to stop their operaHons. Tho (lovcrnment did, indeed, fine Hie keepers of them 50 dollars regularly 3iico a month, but it was looked upon as a means of taxation rather than as an attempt to suppress the houses. There were :i few married women and a few unmarried ones, tlio latter generally attached to the -nloons and with a minus roputation. A lot of men could not stand the cold weather, and were soon down with scurvy. A. Waimatc man named Hayes succumbed In tlio disease. There wero two hospitals in tho place—St, Mary's and the Good Samaritan. It cost £1 per day for lodging in them, and £1 more for doctors' fec3. Mr Scurr started work in February, being engaged by a contractor for a time. Then lie went fosricking, and did fairly well, l'ut practically all tho ground had been taken up. It was not a goldfield that could carry all tho people that rushed on to it. There were a lot of very good claims in it, and one or two phenomenal onw. Very tow men, however, got even a good .claim, and for this reason: Tho Canadian Mining Law allowed a man a claim 500 ft long and IOGOft wide—an enormous tract for one man. Moreover, a man could have n claim in each district, and it was because of this that FOnie of the original discoverers became so rich, levcn iif they afterwards gambled their money away. The four districts were tho Yukon, Indian River, Stewart River, and Klondykc. Me.cdonald, who .was reputedly worth a million, made bis money by taking up other claims with the money gained from, bis first one. Along with hundreds of others, Mr Scurr was disappointed with the field and disgusted with the Government, which was eternally taxing them. Tf a man wanted to cut a few logs for a hut he had to pay a dollar a cord for stumpage; lie had to pay 10 dollars for a miner's right, 15 dollars to rccord his claim before putting; bis pick into it, and 10 per cent, of the takings— the gross at that—was also collared by the authorities. At the washing-up season tho police wera stationed all alow; the creeks chocking the results. The dissatisfaction found vent at public meetings in tlio streets. The biggest agitators were not Yankees either, as we in New Zealand liavo been sometime.? led to Mippose, but Australians. The Yankc-o sung very qnif.t. "We ore not in our own country, you know. We're only foreigners." Dawson has often been painted as a very lawless city, but Mr Scurr did not find it so. Tt was comparatively quiet, indeed. The North-western police— a splendid body of men—raw to that. Unless on cseorl duty, he never saw a man carry a revolver. When ugws of tho war in South Africa began to tricklo through, Mr Scurr, like others, believed tlmt it would lie .speedily over, and he decided to leave for that country and try his lnck there. Ho left Klondyke in .Tidy, 1900. took steamer up the river, crossed tlio White Pass, and arrived at. Seattle, on the coast and in American territory. By the time that Mr Scurr loft, t.ho journey to Klondykc was one that could be accomplished easily. The Eteamer went up tho Yukon to the White Horse Rapids; from that'place a company had finished a railway to SUagway, a iliftanc© of some 400 miles, and covering the, worst >part of the journey. The journey from Skagway to Klondvke was then comparatively easy. From Seattle Mr Scurr .went,.across Amerioa, visiting Salt Lake City, Chicago, Detroit, and Niagara Falls amongst other places. And of all the places he would like very much to see again he naipes tho latter first; tho grandeur and majesty of which be can never forget. _ A month was spent in a London hospital, during which he was cured of tho dysentery that had troubled him since Coolgardie, and then Mr Scurr left for South Africa, intending to start business. But the war was still on. and he decided to join tho Scottish Horse, and in this way gain new experiences and some impressions of tlio country. It was an irregular regiment. Half wore Scotchmen and half Australians. A bite from a'horsc resulted in a poisoned.arm, and another stay in hospital. Rejoining, lie saw a lot of lighting in the Middiebuvg district s and was eventually shot at Elar.dshoek, 15 miles from Maohadodorn. Twenty-six of them got into a tight corner, and could not get away. Ilis wound was in the groin— a dangerous and painful one. Recovering, ho rejoined once more; but, bis time expiring, lie decided to come home and see his people. Ho had joined as a trooper, and lie loft as a cergeant. Opinionp of the Transvaal vary, but Mr Senrr's is that it b one of the finest ccnntrics in the world. Tt lias great possibilities both from a mining and an agricultural point of view. ' Whon tho war is over it will go ahead rapidly. Though he never met the N'c-w Zoalaiiders. Mr Scurr heard of (heir reputation. Of all the generals sent out. lie savs Tommy Atkins thinks most of Duller, who nlwnvs plcared the country before him. The roldiere were very sorry whon they heard of his petting into trouble. Tt is a mistake, be thinks, to send very young men away in our contingents. Tlicy don't stand the strain nearly so well as men of 25 and upwards, who are thoroughly set. What causes a lot of sickness, in Mr Scurr's opinion, is the manner in which some men look after themselves. After a spell of short rations, their column may strike a garrison town, mul immc- , ('lately they sot to work to gorcje thenv selves. Can anything but harm result from j thj.t?