A LETTER FROM KLONDYKE.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 447, 13 June 1899, Page 4

A LETTER FROM KLONDYKE.

Mr M. 0. Orb, son of Mr W. Orr, formerly a resident in Scotchman's Valley, who with Mr 0. Hibbs, also a wellknown Waikato settler, left New Zealand for Klondfeyke, some fifteen months or eo ago, in letters to his relatives gives some interesting facts in connection with life of gold-seekers in those inhospitable regions. Writing from Bonaciz*, on February 18th, Mr Orr says : I received your letter dated December 13th, to-day. It is just ten months since we left Auckland. Your previous letters are delayed somewhere on the river I expect, as it did not freeze over in some places until about Christmas. lam going down to Dawson City for a sleigh load of grub (as they call it here) to-morrow. You ask what we eat, well, we don't live in very grand style, beans and bacon are supposed to be the chief diiet here. We have porridge, Boup or stews of some kind with imported potatoes and frnit and tnned meat. Lately we have had come fresh beef. Eggs, milk and butter are not procurable I have not seen wild animals of any sort, there is some bit; game here, but they are very scarce and keep back from civilization. Klondyke is not such a terrible place as it has been depicted, au d there are not so many deaths in the winter as in the summer. In a letter written on February 19th the writer continues:—" I was going to Dawsoa to-day, but there is too much wind, with the glass at 20 below zero. This is the strongest wind we have experienced here, quite a gale for this country as there is seldom even a breeze when the glass gets low, so one does not feel the cold so very much. This is not such a barbarous place as you imagine; there are plenty of police, with about 200 soldiers to help them if need be. Men are fiued 25d015. and costs for being drunk, and this with the price of liquor mikes a spree rather an expensive luxury. Four stages run between Dawson and the Grand Fork, that is the junction between Bonanzo and Eldorado. Two of them are covered in and have stoves inside. The fare for the dfteen miles is 7* dollars, a cheap ride don't you think. Tin difference between winter aD(I Bummer is wonderful. Il is all sleighing now, mostly with dog teams. The men are all muilled up and the trail is hard and white. In the summer it is all packing on a soft road under a hot sun, with plenty of mosquitos, As for New Zealanders, there are a few here. J recently met two yoimg fellows from near Mercer. Mo9t of the Australians think they left a better countiy in Weatorn Australia. Wages are high, but very little wages work is being doue. The way the speculators work their claims, if they don't think them good enough to pay wages, is to let them on a " lay," as it is called, that is to get someone to work them for half the gold. A lot of men are working on what is called " bedrock " pay. If the gold comes out of the claim they get their wages ; if not they must go without. It is coarse gold we get here, but mot enough of it. F. found a four-ounce laugget, and about a week ago I picked up an ouuee piece. Seven pounds weight was found last week oa Eldorado. This i.i the record nugget for thw country.