Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

THE YUKON ADVENTURE 147were accomplished by this method, when the heavy ice jamagain called a halt for the day. The mosquitoes proved noless trying than at the previous stopping-place.Next day, May 28, they started at daybreak to cross sixmiles of very treacherous-looking ice, with a view to reachingthe opposite side of the lake where the water appeared to bemore open. The sled and canoe were hauled across withoutaccident, and a narrow channel of water was found aboutsix miles in length. At the end of this, the sled had again to bedragged over the ice for about four miles to the shores of anisland in Marsh Lake. This time they broke through the ice,as predicted by a party camped on the shore, who hadrefused to assist them in dragging the canoe, even thoughoffered high pay. No worse consequences than wet legsresulted, and ten miles of open water were now reached, withthe wind behind them for the first time. Rapid progresswas made here, and lunch was eaten on the Fifty Mileriver, in company of the usual horde of mosquitoes. Thewater of this river was very muddy, and most unpleasantto taste, even in tea. That afternoon, by dint of hardpaddling, the canoe reached Miles canyon at the head of1Whitehorse Rapids. Here a road-house provided supper,the menu and style of cooking not differing greatly fromwhat the party had provided for themselves, and all hands,thoroughly fagged out, slept on the river banks.The following morning their whole kit was portaged roundthe rapids, as it was considered unwise to risk the chances ofrunning them on account of the bank-notes carried. The1This canyon and Whitehorse Rapids were both named by Lieutenant FrederickSchwatka of the Third United States Cavalry, after General Nelson A. Miles of theUnited States Army. In 1883 Lieutenant Schwatka made a military reconnaissancein Alaska from Chilkoot Inlet, over the pass of the same name and down the lakes andriver, through Canadian and American territory to the Bering Sea, the record of whichhas been preserved by the Smithsonian Institute. The rapids did not retain thename "Miles," but are now universally known as the Whitehorse Rapids. Onthe same trip Lieutenant Schwatka also gave names to Lake Marsh, after ProfessorMarsh of Yale University, and to a number of other outstanding physical featuresof the territory through which he passed.