Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

THE YUKON ADVENTURE 155business, and keeping a civil tongue in his head, was perhapsless likely to be drawn into unpleasantness than if he were inToronto or Montreal.In the earlier days of the camp honesty prevailed, and theold-timers did not lock their cabins, but with the great influxof population that followed, such precautions were quicklyinstituted. As giving some indication of current prices, itmay be cited that a lunch the officers of the bank had at arestaurant cost $7.50 each. It consisted of two dubious eggsfried, bacon of poor quality and in bad condition, bread, strongbutter and a cup of coffee to each man. The price of champagnehas already been alluded to; a pint of Bass' ale couldbe procured at some restaurants for the more modest sum offive dollars. It must be remembered that the first cost of anarticle counted but littlein arriving at the price in Dawson;the freight into this place of difficult access was the main factor.Conditions improved quickly, however, and the price ofarticles of food became more moderate.The interval which elapsed before the arrival of theremainder of the expedition was spent chiefly in worrying overtheir non-arrival, securing prospective customers, and inanswering questions at the temporary office and explainingthat it could not be opened for business until the main partyarrived. The latter had remained at Lake Bennett awaitingthe completion of a big scow, which was built to convey themand their supplies down-stream to Dawson. The scow leftLake Bennett on June 5, with about six tons of freight stowedaway in her hold. The deck was boarded in even with thegunwale, and on this a tent was erected open at both ends topermit of a passage from the bow to the stern. A contracthad been made with a small stern-wheeled steamer or launch,the "Bellingham," to tow the scow to Dawson for the sumof $1,100. 1 Owing to the fact that a very large sum in notesof the bank and other cash was on board, each officer of thebank in the party was armed, as indeed had been those whoaSee plate 24, facing page 158.