Townsend Ezra at Alaska
Waupaca Republican
June 10, 1898
OUR ALASKA LETTER
Lake Bennett, May 3, 1898
DEAR WIFE AND CHILDREN:
Yesterday Tollefson wanted me to cook and let him work outside for a
change, so I was installed as chief cook, but do not like it very well. Set
bread last night and baked my first bread today, and it was very good. The
boys are sawing and it is very warm, mercury standing at 62 degrees. The
snow is going fast, the side of the mountain is getting quite bare, it grows
more picturesque every day. Our bill of fare for breakfast was pancakes,
bacon, beans, cold biscuit, oatmeal and coffee; for dinner, beans, bacon,
new bread, tea and rice; for supper, whole wheat flour, biscuit and no butter,
they were very light and nice, bean soup with pork in it, dried beef, peach
sauce and tea.
May 4th – Am still cook. The boys finished cutting lumber at noon, and
commenced building a boat after dinner. We saw a snowslide this afternoon it
made a noise like thunder, but was not a very big one; was in front of us across
the lake, came clear to the waters edge. It looked grand.
May 5th – Little spring birds were singing this morning and our bobtailed
red squirrels were giving us lots of music. Olaf went to Bennett to get the
mail, has been before too but got none. What can be the matter? Supper over
and dishes washed; was just out after a pail of water, it was 8:30 and could
see the sun shining on the top of the mountain; it is quite light at three
a.m. What would I give for today’s Inter-Ocean, so we could learn something
of the outside world. We pay two bits for a paper and then it is ten days old.
There is not much travel on the trail, just a little in travel on the trail,
just a little in morning. The most have stopped to build their boats.
May 7th – The boys have one boat nearly completed, think it will carry
between two and three tons, it is 24 feet long, 4-1/2 feet wide at bottom and
6-1/2 feet at the top; runs to a point at bow and the stern is two feet at
bottom and four on top and three feet high. It is warm and bright – mercury
45 degrees.
Sunday, May 8th – It snowed a little this morning and rained this afternoon.
Boys all went hunting on the side of the mountain, but did not get anything
except some very pretty flowers. I will send some in this letter.
May 9th – It continues warm and the ice is rotting fast. We have commenced
our second boat, it is not as large as the other. Made my first Johnny cake
for supper.
May 12th – I’m cook this week also and am beginning to like it
pretty well. The boys are getting along finely with the boat. They cut a hole
in the ice and set a fish net, caught two yesterday, a white fish and a sucker,
and four more today, so we had a fine mess for dinner. It is reported that
a man and two women were drowned down at Cariboo crossing, and Tuesday just
below us here two men and their dog teams were driving along when all at once
the ice gave way and they were not seen again. Skye has just returned from
Bennett, no mail.
May 14th – yesterday two of the boys started the mill again to saw lumber
for a small skiff. Caught three fish last night, had them for dinner, they
were fine. Wish you folks at home could have had a taste.
Sunday, May 15th – I will have a chance to send this letter out by one
of our neighbors. He is sick and the doctor tells him he had better go home.
Thinks he will start tomorrow if he can get rid of his outfit. He cried like
a baby when he found he had to go. There are lots of mourning doves and little
spring birds and squirrels here. We have plenty of neighbors, one tent within
30 or 40 feet of us.
We will have to stop here until the ice gets out, which will probably
be ten or twelve days. Have our boats nearly completed. I am enjoying tip top
health and hope you are as well at home. It is a long time since have heard
from home; there must b e letters for me somewhere, suppose you are sending
them as I directed you, to Lake Taggish, shall expect some sure when we get
there. There may be some between here and Dyen, but perhaps we will never get
them. We have chances to send letters out every day or two.
As ever yours with much love to all.
Ezra Townsend.
Townsend In Alaska01
Waupaca Republican
September 9, 1898
FROM ALASKA
Ezra Townsend Tells of his Trip Homeward
Dawson, July 25, 1898
DEAR WIFE AND CHILDREN:
Am getting ready to leave here. Sold my boat and buckskin suit.
July 26. This morning I sold my tent and some other small truck. We expected
the boat to go at 12 o’clock but it did not start until 3. The scenery
below Dawson is fine, but the river is like a mud hole. Have enjoyed the ride
very much this afternoon.
July 27, 5 p.m. We have stopped for a little while at Circle City. Seems
good to be once more under the grand old stars and stripes. We passed a boat
today, the Bella, going up to Dawson and one yesterday, the Lear.
July 28. Stayed all night at Circle City and started at three this morning.
Run down the river fifteen or twenty miles and pilot gave out. Could not pilot
us through the innumerable islands and channels without pocketing us. They
are very numerous below Circle, so had to come back for a new pilot. We make
a new start and run till three p.m., when we run into a bar and at 7:30 we
are still there, doubtful about getting off till morning. Thirty miles from
Fort Yukon.
July 29. We got off the bar last night about 8:30. Traveled nearly all
night and have made splendid time. The country is low and level, one vast plain
with considerable timber, largely spruce and pine, some birch, poplar, balm,
gilead and alder bush along banks. Low mountains stretching way to the east.
As I write I hear the crack of a rifle and the crowd below helloing, look out,
and there running along the bank is a black bear. Six or seven shots are fired,
but poor bruin got off without a scratch. We just passed another boat called
the Linda B. She had a large barge in tow called the Bear. There is a range
of mountains appearing in the south. Saw a little cub just run down to the
river bank. It is very picturesque along the river and lots of game.
July 30. We have passed two steamers this morning. The country is more
rolling here. We passed the mouth of the Tanana river about seven o’clock
this morning. Am not feeling well today at all. There is over three hundred
passengers aboard and nearly all are troubled the same, with diarrhea and can
not get rid of it. Another steamer just went by, the nicest one we have been
going up to Dawson called the Susie. We are now 664 miles from Fort Michaels.
It is mountainous on north side of river and patches of snow in places, while
on the other it is low and level, covered with timber.
July 31. It has rained most of the day. Getting nearer the coast, river
is growing wider and is less hilly to north. Have passed a number of Indian
villages yesterday and today. The Indians are catching fish and drying them
in the sun for winter consumption. Passed a number of steam tugs today and
three other large boats.
Aug. 1. it is rainy today but it is lovely traveling by water. The river
is a beautiful sheet of water if it was not so muddy; there are not so many
islands. At two o’clock we passed the last foot hills on the north and
now is one vast, low plain. River is getting very wide. It has been cloudy
all day. Have passed as usual a number of steamers and tugs. Five o’clock
and the first table have just sat down to supper, we have four tables.
Aug. 2. Last night was a most beautiful sunset. It set at just 10 o’clock.
We are going very slowly and there is a man taking soundings all the time.
Water very shallow, five and one-half or six feet deep. On one side of us we
can not see land. We have had a nice day and at 5 o’clock we were out
on Behring Sea. We will eat supper on the river boat, then we will be transferred
to the steamer, Rival, that will convey us to Seattle. St. Michaels is not
much of a place. Quite a number of vessels in harbor.
Aug. 3. Went on board the Rival last night about 6 p.m. We expected to
sail this afternoon. Am a good deal better since coming near to salt water.
Have not felt well for over a month. It is now 6:30 and we are not out of sight
of land yet. Started at 3 o’clock. I did not land for we had to anchor
quite a way from shore and there was no dock at St. Michaels. No timber around
the town. Looked like a rolling prairie. It is situated on an island.
Aug. 4. Have kept my berth all day today for I have been sea sick. The
sea is pretty choppy. There was a beautiful sunset.
Aug. 5. Still sea sick, worse today. Sea very rough last night, so it
came on top of vessel. Two or three whales sighted during the day.
Aug. 6. Am better today, so ate my breakfast and dinner, although lay
in may berth a good deal.
Sunday, Aug. 7. Have not made much progress today it has been so foggy.
We sighted some island so now we know we are near Dutch Harbor, but the captain
is afraid to run on account of reefs and fog. Saw more whales and the boys
caught some codfish. Was terribly rough last night.
Aug. 8. Lay outside Dutch Harbor all night and this morning run in for
provisions and water. Left about 1:30. Was on shore and picked some flowers
and shells. Left Dutch Harbor and passed through Unsvak straits into the Pacific
ocean. The sun has shone this afternoon but it is cold, fair wind and we are
making ten knots an hour.
Aug. 9. It has been a pleasant day and most of the passengers spend the
time on deck. Fair wind all day and had sail set. The Rival is a staunch vessel
and is a steam schooner.
Aug. 10. The same routine, nothing new. We go on deck a while then turn
in for a while, then dinner. The afternoon is pent nearly the same. We ran
close to some large whales, can see them spouting in all directions.
The 11th and 12th are about he same and it is getting dull and tiresome.
Some say we are getting short of grub, but they are the ones that are always
finding fault with things.
Aug. 13. Think we will sight land tomorrow off Cape Flattery. Nothing
of note.
Sunday, Aug. 14. There has been some wind but sea has been smooth. Saw
a large whale. At noon we were in latitude 46 north and 136 west longitude.
Aug. 15. Just came up from supper and according to cook’s report we are
getting pretty short of grub. No land in sight. Something has gone wrong with
machinery and have stopped. The sea is beautiful and calm and has been all
day. The condenser gave out and we were detained two hours, when we got fixed
up again and proceeded.
Aug. 16. Beautiful morning and have sighted upper end of Vancouver island.
We are probably running twenty or thirty miles from land, which is mountainous.
As we get nearer the lower end of island there is timber along the shore. Saw
a lot of whales basking and playing in the sun. They are not of the sperm kind.
We rounded Cape Flattery this evening about 10 o’clock.
Aug. 17. We are all jubilant over the nice weather we have had on this
trip and the prospect that we will be in Seattle tonight. We are in the straits
of Juan de Fuca, and out next sort will be Port Townsend. Food is getting scarce
for we had only mush and a cup of coffee for breakfast. We stopped at Port
Townsend one and one-half hours. Steward purchased grub for our dinner, had
a very good one. We will be in Seattle in half an hour. So ends this chapter.
Seattle, Aug. 18. It is with pleasure and gratitude that I write to tell
you I am once more in Seattle. Arrived yesterday at 4 pm. The trip was nice
all the way except we were detained a little by fog near Dutch Harbor. I telegraphed
John as soon as I arrived. Hope to hear from you at Portland. My health is
not very good but think will recruit now I am where can get fruit and vegetables.
I weigh one hundred and fifty pounds. I look rather thin. Shall stay here two
or three days and get some laundry done. If do not hear from you to contrary
will stay and visit two ro three weeks. Will keep you posted. With these few
words will close.
As ever your loving husband and father. EZRA TOWNSEND