The Right Way On: Adventures in the Klondyke of 1898 - Memoirs of W.H.T. Olive

Gamblers, Merchants and Bandits

Thousands of people made their way to the Yukon from all parts of the world in search of gold during the Klondyke Gold rush of 1898. A gold strike was elusive for most, but they risked their lives, their life savings, and their health searching for it. Not only did the environment demand stamina and a degree of effort that seems incredible to a modern reader, but the arduous routes over the White Pass or Chilcoot Pass were complicated by an international boundary crossing, where anyone carrying less than one ton of supplies was turned back. Prospectors who could handle the journey still had to contend with people who were determined to make their money not from the goldfields, but from the prospectors themselves. Gamblers, unscrupulous merchants, bandits, even murderers - all were part of the young territory. 

The astonishing real-life adventures and hardships enduring by so many are colourful and interesting examples of human ingenuity and endurance. Tales of friendship, loyalty, bravery, and gold strikes overshadow stories of mishap and broken health. Olive's memoirs capture the spirit of the Klondyke Trail of '98.