Lot 434
Canada, (Klondike Gold Rush) In camp 5 miles from no where Feb. 19 1899, dateline on lengthy four page letter from G. N. Burt, with interesting content regarding traveling and bring supplies from Vancouver over White Pass to Dawson City and back…You ask me to write you something of our trip to the Land of gold, and, the Midnight Sun. Well we left Northampton right side up with care. We stopped long enough to look the city over quite a bit at Montreal, also Toronto, Chicago, St. Paul, Shokian Falls and Seattle. There we took the steamer for Victoria and stayed there about a week. We then took the Steamer for Seaguay stopping 4 days at Vancover where the Captian of the ship was arrested for horse stealing. After that was settled we proceeded on our way, arriving at our destination in goods spirits. Seaguay we found to be a town of 3 or 4 thousand people, more or less. The streets were mud holes, and stumps sticking out of the mud everywhere. We stayed there 4 days and started for Lake Bennett with our supplys on mules. The first night out we stopped at White Pass Hotel at the Summit. This is where the Mounted Police were stationed. We paid 1.00 a piece for the privilage of sleeping on the ground and furnished our own blankets. The Hotel cosisted of one canvas tent. The next night we stayed at thefar famed Log Cabin. Here is where I made my first and last acquaintance with the Alaska Humming Bird, or in other words greybacks. The next night found us in camp on Lake Bennett. On the trail between Seaguay and Lake Bennett there were over 3000 dead horses left where they fell. You would be walking along and first you would know you would step into one up to your knee. We stayed in Bennett 6 weeks waiting for the ice to break up. Then off for Dawson. The senery along the Lakes and Rivers is beautifull. But you want to go down there for pleasure to apreciate it. We arrived at the Mouth of Stewart River all right. We had some close shaves on our way but nothing serious. We then started for Dawson 70 miles below. We stayed there a day or two and went back to Stewart River and went up that prospecting the creeks on our way. We went up about 200 miles and then came back of the reast of our supplys and then toiled back up the River again intending to winter up there. But we found there was nothing there for us so we went to Dawson again nothing there so we started down the River stopping at all the camps as we went. We kept on going untill we arrived at St. Michail where we took the Steamer and arrived in Vancover safe at last. We made the whole distance to St. Michael in a 20 faint. canoe.; with letter docketed from the Thurlow Post Office, Shoal Boy B. C., with 3¢ entire to Northampton, Mass. sent from Thurlow (faulty), F.-V.F.Estimate $200 - 300.
Transcribed as written.
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Realized: $325