Years ago, people with pack dogs were often seen along the Yukon’s trails and roads.
All over the North, people used them to pack supplies, meat, etc.
Both First Nation and non-First Nation people used them, especially aboriginal elders and many prospectors.
Locally, people like Moose Bill and his wife and Harry and Annie Silverfox used them. Harry and Annie worked with me making stretched moosehide and illustrated pictures. Their son Billy was also involved working on these.
I have seen a great old photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Patsy Henderson, of Carcross, walking along the highway with their pack dogs*.
Patsy Henderson was a nephew of Skookum Jim. He also went to the Klondike. Although he was not present at the original discovery, he heard the details so often that he was considered an authority on events surrounding the strike.
All the people mentioned in this column have passed away, but they are certainly not forgotten.
*That classic photo was taken in the 1940s. It was a National Archives, Washington, DC photo. Photos like that tell a story — it offers a glimpse into a life of the past.
If you have anything to add, please write Jim Robb: The Colourful Five Per Cent Scrapbook — Can You Identify? c/o the Yukon News, 211 Wood Street, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2E4, or e-mail through the News website,
www.yukon-news.com.