BOOK FOR GOLD-SEEKERS.            311
in the river, where a bend in the river soon hid Circle City.
"A Yukon sled, with dogs, is a peculiarity of the country. Our sleds were nine feet long, and two of them were chained together. On this 'double-header' we had seven dogs, and on the single sled five. The dogs are hitched together tandem fashion-one ahead of the other, the wheel dog having a whiffletree attached to his traces. From this is a rope running back to the sled, which, passing, as it must, between the driver's legs, necessitates the acquiring of a peculiar gait, for with each turn the dogs make-as the trail curves from side to side-the driver has to keep his feet moving from this side to that of the 'gee' string, as it is called, or he will be thrown down. On the right side of the sled is a strong, smooth pole, reaching about the hip, which is used for guiding the sled. Between the 'gee' string and keeping the sled from overturning a 'tenderfoot' is generally in a dripping perspiration after the first five miles are covered, and his legs get sore from the chafing of the rope, and the arm mightily tired from guiding the heavy sled.
"The clothing used in traveling is also peculiar to the country, mine consisting of a heavy suit of underwear, a sweater, a pair of mackinaw drawers, a mackinaw shirt, and a fur cap which came down about the ears and back of the neck and tied under the chin. The fur being next to the skin, that part of the head covered is very comfortable. Fur-lined mitts covered the hands, and on the feet were a pair of woolen socks, a pair of long heavy German socks or stockings, and a pair of moccasins, with straw in the bottoms. On the sled for extreme and windy weather were two 'parkas,' one of drilling and the other of fur. These resemble in appearance a long night gown open at neither the front nor back, with a hood for the
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