put their bags on their shoulders and walked down the gang plank in the presence of a vast throng of Seattle people assembled to see the great pile of treasure from the rich fields of the far North. A miner with only $5,000 in his bag easily carried his fortune. Twenty thousand dollars in two bags is a good load for any stalwart man, no matter if he has worked where the mercury falls to sixty degrees below zero. Two men used all their strength in carrying a strapped blanket, in which was about $50,000. The few with the big fortunes, $100,000 and over, had to hire help to get their precious possessions to a safe place of storage in Seattle.

The greater part of the ton and a half of gold was taken from the ground during three Winter months. Last Fall some green strangers, "tenderfeet," fresh from the comforts of civilization, were so absurd as to give no heed to the advice of the old miners. The pioneers of the Yukon mines, the men who know Circle City and Forty Mile Creek and all the surrounding country, said there was no use looking for gold "over yonder on the Klondyke." But the foolish strangers went "over yonder on the Klondyke." During the Fall the news reached the older diggings of the amazing discoveries of gold by these absurd tourists from the South, and from all the country round about came the rush to Klondyke.

When gold is waiting to be lifted out of the ground cold is not to be considered. During the dark Winter days the temperature, 30 or 40 degrees below zero, the quest for dust and nuggets was pursued continually. The product of the work of some of these Winter miners, defiant of the cold, is shown in the treasure brought to the United States by the Portland and the Excelsior.

The greatest fortune gained by any of the company of miners is the honeymoon treasure of Clarence Berry, of Fresno, Cal. He brought $135,000 in dust and nuggets. In 1890 young Berry went to the Yukon country, and for several years he prospected along Forty-Mile Creek and other placer fields without success. Last Summer he returned to California, married, and took his bride with him to the North. Instead of remaining in Alaska he went over the boundary line into British possessions, and on the Klondyke he struck the richest pocket that was discovered. He said that the principal part of his $135,000 came from three hundred "box lengths." A "box length" is fifteen feet long and twelve feet wide. In one length he found a pocket of $10,000. In another length was a nugget weighing thirteen ounces, next to the largest found in the diggings. Mr. Berry deemed his fortune sufficient for the present, and is taking his bride to his home in Fresno, where, in the July temperature of 110 above, she may find compensation for the 58 below of January on the Yukon.

One of the foolish strangers who gave no consideration to the advice of the old miners is Frank Phiscater. Last Autumn he went from Borada, Mich., to Alaska and thence to Klondyke. He was one of the first to discover gold in the fabulously rich placers of the new El Dorado. He employed nine men and in three months' time took out from two claims $96,027. He still owns the claims, but having nearly $100,000 made in less than twelve months he deems himself entitled to a trip to Michigan.

A FEW OF THE PRIZES WON.

THEY HAVE MADE THEIR PILE AND BROUGHT IT HOME.

SOME GRAPES OF ESCHOL STORIES.

RICHER THAN SINBAD'S VALLEY OF DIAMONDS.

Among the Portland's passengers was William Stanley, of Seattle, formerly a blacksmith, who went into the country two years ago last spring. He returned with $115,000 in gold nuggets and dust. His claim is on the Bonanza Creek, emptying into the Klondyke five miles above Dawson City, the headquarters of the camp. Clarence Berry, formerly a farmer of Fresno, Cal., brought back seven sacks, containing $135,000. Clarence Berry, of Los Angeles, went to the Yukon in 1894.

"My luck was bad for three years. Last fall I came out and married, and when I went back I heard of the Klondyke. I was early on the ground, locating, with other parties, three claims on Eldorado Creek. We struck it rich. That's all there is to tell.

"Last winter I took out $130,000 in thirty box lengths. Another time the second largest nugget ever found in the Yukon was taken out of my claim. It weighed thirteen ounces and was worth $213. I have known men to take out $1,000 a day from a drift claim. Of course the gold was found in pockets, and those finds, you can rest assured, were very scarce. I would not advise a man to take in an outfit that would cost less than $500.

"The country is wild, rough and full of hardships for those unused to the rigors of Arctic winter. If a man makes a fortune he is liable to earn it by severe hardships and sufferings, but then grit, perseverance and luck will probably reward hard work with a comfortable income for life."

Henry Anderson, a native of Sweden and well known on the Lound, sold a one-half interest in his claim on Eldorado Creek and has come back to Seattle with $45,000 spot cash, the proceeds of the sale. T. J. Kelly and son, of Tacoma, went in last year and made $10,000. The son is in charge of the claim and the father was among the Portland's passengers.

Frank Keller, of Los Angeles was one of the Portland's passengers. He went in last year, mined during the winter, and last year sold the claim for $35,000. William Sloat, formerly a dry-goods merchant, of Lanimo, B. C., sold his claim for $52,000, and, with the gold he took from the mine, came back on the Portland. Another man named Wilkenson, of the same city, sold his claim for $40,000. Frank Phiscater, of Baroda, Mich., returned with $96,000, the result of his labors in Miles. Capt. Strickland, of the Canadian mounted police, who is en route to Ottawa on official business, is among the arrivals. He says:

"When I left Dawson City about a month ago there were about 800