Nov 21 at 10:30 AM - Sale 2687 -

Sale 2687 - Lot 8

Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,500
(ALASKA.) Diaries of a prospector / trapper in the remote Alaska wilderness. [84]; [94], [137], [120], [16, 67] manuscript diary pages. 5 volumes. 12mo, various bindings, all worn, some lacking boards or wrappers; a few leaves coming loose but generally only moderate wear to contents. Alaska, 1917-1922, 1929-1930, 1963-1964
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This remarkable set of diaries documents life on the furthest extreme of the Alaskan frontier, hunting, prospecting and trapping far from any settlements in temperatures which sometimes dropped to 40 below zero. The author was migratory, frequently moving between at least three different cabins and making occasional visits to small settlements such as Rampart and Fort Yukon.

The author makes little mention of his family; creating a jarring effect when he does. His wife is first mentioned more than three months into the diary: "Margaret sick," (20 November 1917). He had not mentioned her in more than a year when he wrote on 15 February 1919: "Wife sick 14th all night and today, delivery pains, looks like miscarrage. Relived Margaret of six or seven month kid at 4 a.m. 16th. Do not believe she would have got threw without help." Seven days later: "Margaret hauled wood."

Here are some of the other most substantial mentions of his family we have noted: "Margaret saw brown bear, hunted same, but got away" (21 August 1919); "Squaw mad, raising hell" (23 December 1919); "Returned to river to get Margaret" (5 September 1920); "Shot 3 caribou. Margaret hauled 5 to cabin" (9 October 1920); "Set tent for Mary. Mary hauled wood" (13 November 1920); "One kid (female) about 8 p.m., large and fat" in the village of Rampart (28 December 1920); "Margaret very sick, breasts inflamed and swollen, very painful" (26 January 1921); "Performed surgical operation on Margaret's breast" (28 January 1921); "Margaret set snares" (10 February 1921); "Margaret hauled meat" (16 March 1921); "Margaret fixed ptarmigan snares" (24 March 1921); "Squaw on rampage, unable to do anything" (21 May 1921); "Hole about 19 feet, worked all day, Margaret made tea at shaft" (9 September 1921); "Margaret shot one caribou" (7 October 1921); "Return to Fort Yukon with family" (28 March 1929).

The author and his family lived an isolated life, but sometimes crossed paths with other frontier folk. They frequently stopped over in remote cabins while traveling by toboggan or motorboat. The Inuit were generally called "huskies" or "siwashes." On 10 December 1917, "Allan, white man and husky wife arrived at 2 p.m. from head of river and Arctic coast." On 7 March 1918, "Old John Chandlar at cabin eating moose skin." On 5 March 1920, "Indian Henry arrived with a bag of moose."

Prospecting was the author's main source of cash, although difficult in the winter. He was apparently in occasional partnership with a fellow miner named Henry Martin. 23 January 1919: "Remained at cabin waiting for Martin. Promised to be here on 20 or 21 of month. . . . Tried to do some assaying, but haven't the reagents necessary for any definitive results." More often he worked alone. On 10 March 1921: "Cleaned out hole, put in fire. Panned 10 corse colors, largest so far. Best prospect to date."

Hunting, fishing, and trapping helped provide sustenance, in addition to the carefully rationed supplies of preserved foods. On 24 March 1920, "Shot 8 shots at moose 600 yards, no tally. Cold south wind. Got snow blind as hell." Bears figure in the diaries almost as much as humans: "Large brown bear chewed 3 logs in half and destroyed considerable meat; put meat in and rebuilt cache" (17 November 1921).

The final volume has a few entries from 1929 to 1930, with the author and his family still traversing the area around Fort Yukon. Airplanes had entered the scene for supplies and occasional transportation. This final volume concludes with something perhaps more extraordinary than what preceded it--the diary of an aging hermit. It resumes in the same hand with a full set of entries from 1 December 1963 to 4 October 1964. If the author was in his mid-twenties in 1917, he would have been in his early seventies by this point, writing entries like this: "January 8, 1964. Got up 8 a.m., 28 below, clear northwest wind. Cut wood, break trail to landing. Open can of coffee. Open can of milk." His location is difficult to determine, other than living near a river with his own primitive landing strip. He makes no mentions of other humans, although they are implied with the monthly arrival of a supply plane and his occasional pastime of "writing letters." On 7 July 1964 he notes "Try fix teeth." He departed for a prospecting trip to his summer mountain cabin on 10 July 1964, crossing "Omer Creek" and "Kingham Creek" and digging shafts for gold and platinum with a pick. By 8 September the shaft was 14 feet.

We hate to leave a diary unattributed, but basically, all we know is that this man had a wife named Margaret, they had a daughter near Rampart on 28 December 1920, and he lived until at least 1964. He appears to have been reasonably well-educated. We find no mention of birthdays or anniversaries, or of his extended family from his land of birth. Two other possible clues: a random two pages of ledger accounts after the 13 May 1918 entry between "H.S." and J.E. Owens, possibly from 1913 before he went to Alaska. Also, the name John T. Madennan is inscribed at the rear of the second diary, though we doubt that was the author's name.

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