Alaska.

Southland Times, Issue 19803, 24 April 1906, Page 3

Alaska.

INVERC ARC. I ELITE’S 1M U RF.SSIONS. An Invercargill .voting man who has been knocking about the States for some time writes interestingly of his experiences in Alaska to a local friend. Not thinking much of Vancouver he went over to Washington. and then on to Alaska —tho end of the world in his opinion. Seven week’s work ashore was enough for him. Life was impossible among the Swedes and Hermans, who worked an Englishman to death, while the cold was lerriole. They wore canvas gloves all the time. and worked twleve hours a day, including Sundays. The food was hardly lit for clogs, and he slept in a bunk house, 10 or 12 men in a room, at from 50 cents, to a dollar a night. Anyone making for Alaska wants to take plenty of money. You want to have money to make money. The Invercargillite next transferred his energies to the boats on Yukon river, running to Dawson City, the finest trip he ever made. Dawson is a pretty goldfield town, with everything up to date. No one is allowed to hang round the town. You must work or get out. Anyone “ run in ” is pul on sawing wood in the streets, an occupation no one cares for. After two months on the Yukon the river commenced to freeze up and the writer went on to the steamer Portland running to 1 nldez and Seaward. The trip covers 999 miles .with nothing but mountains on each side. Talk about Halford. If tourist trippers were to make this journey they would never forget the .sight.' At one place there is a glacier 40 miles long, with mountains ranging from 12,0()O to 2a,000 feet high, and covered with snow all the year round. On a moonlight night the spectacle is aw.'-inspiring. All round these places there is good shooting— 'bears, deerf goals, sheep and cats —while steamers carry away whole loads of trout. Tire writer was in ’Frisco when the N.Z. footballers were there. Tho people have gone mad over the N-Z>. game, and it will be played alt over the States this coming season-