The Young Alaskans on the Trail   By: Emerson Hough (1857-1923)

BY

EMERSON HOUGH

AUTHOR OF "THE YOUNG ALASKANS" "THE STORY OF THE COWBOY"

ILLUSTRATED

HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON MCMXI

BOOKS BY

EMERSON HOUGH

THE YOUNG ALASKANS. Ill'd. Post 8vo $1.25

YOUNG ALASKANS ON THE TRAIL. Ill'd. Post 8vo 1.25

HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK

COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY HARPER & BROTHERS

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[Illustration: See page 75 AROUND THE CAMP FIRE]

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. TAKING THE TRAIL 1 II. THE GATE OF THE MOUNTAINS 10 III. STUDYING OUT THE TRAIL 23 IV. THE GREAT DIVIDE 37 V. CROSSING THE HEIGHT OF LAND 43 VI. FOLLOWING MACKENZIE 53 VII. AROUND THE CAMP FIRE 69 VIII. A HUNT FOR BIGHORN 83 IX. A NIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS 102 X. HOW THE SPLIT STONE LAKE WAS NAMED 112 XI. LESSONS IN WILD LIFE 119 XII. WILD COUNTRY AND WILDERNESS WAYS 134 XIII. THE CARIBOU HUNT 143 XIV. EXPLORING THE WILDERNESS 158 XV. IN THE BIG WATERS 168 XVI. THE GRIZZLY HUNT 181 XVII. THE YOUNG ALASKANS' "LOB STICK" 191 XVIII. BAD LUCK WITH THE "MARY ANN" 200 XIX. NEW PLANS 207 XX. THE GORGE OF THE MOUNTAINS 217 XXI. THE PORTAGE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 226 XXII. EAST OF THE ROCKIES 232 XXIII. THE LAND OF PLENTY 236 XXIV. THE WHITE MAN'S COUNTRY 244 XXV. HOW THE ERMINE GOT HIS TAIL BLACK 249 XXVI. TRAILING THE BEAR 254 XVII. THE END OF THE OLD WAR TRAIL 264 XXVIII. STEAMBOATING IN THE FAR NORTH 274 XXIX. A MOOSE HUNT 286 XXX. FARTHEST NORTH 294 XXXI. HOMEWARD BOUND 307 XXXII. LEAVING THE TRAIL 317

ILLUSTRATIONS

AROUND THE CAMP FIRE Frontispiece

THE BEAR BROKE COVER WITH A SAVAGE ROAR Facing p. 186

MOISE AT HOME " 266

THE PORTAGE, VERMILION CHUTES, PEACE RIVER " 302

THE YOUNG ALASKANS ON THE TRAIL

I

TAKING THE TRAIL

It was a wild and beautiful scene which lay about the little camp in the far off mountains of the Northwest. The sun had sunk beyond the loftier ridges, although even now in the valley there remained considerable light. One could have seen many miles over the surrounding country had not, close at hand, where the little white tent stood, the forest of spruce been very dense and green. At no great distance beyond its edge was rough and broken country. Farther on, to the southward, stood white topped peaks many miles distant, although from the camp these could not be seen.