The people who have gone to the Klondike gold hunting have found out for
themselves the truth of the saying that "all is not gold that glitters."

Day after day news reaches us of the trials and struggles, the hunger
and hardships, of those who have hurried off in this mad rush after
wealth.

Only a day or two ago a carrier-pigeon reached its home in Portland,
Oregon, bearing a message from a party of young men who had set out from
that city to seek their fortunes.

Wishing to be able to tell their friends of their safe arrival, the
young men took several carrier-pigeons with them. This bird is the first
that has arrived. The message it brought was by no means a cheerful one.

When the slip of paper tied to its leg was unwound it was found to
contain these words: "We are all well and in good spirits, but tell
every one you know not to come up here this winter."

It was written on the summit of Chilkoot Pass, and dated August 25th.
The pigeon had flown a distance of 1,071 miles to bear this message, and
was completely worn out when it reached its home, refusing food, and
declining to enter the dovecote for some hours.

The scarcity of food is already being felt. Some of the old miners are
frightened, and are coming out of the district before it is shut in with
snow.

Hundreds of men are, however, pouring in from all directions, and