Billy Johnson Tells His Story

[Interviewer] Who found the gold do you think?

[Billy Johnson] It was Skookum Jim he found the gold down there Dawson Charlie he tell me . . . . Skookum Jim I’m going to drink water he said, he went down near the water that river come down there he put his mouth go down his head, he got no cup nothing, that’s the time he something like yellow stuff in the water shiny, of course he tool that, “my God it’s heavy” another one down there he pick it up, it shine, two [sic], he don’t say nothing, he put it in his pocket he forget it, “Well, let’s go” they pack, they go across that Creek there they want to get home my God George Carmack come, “you boys got good luck eh?” “yes, we caught a moose” they killed some meat. Thats [sic] the time he think about it, Skookum Jim that Skookum Jim that yellow stuff, take out “what is that here George here?” gee whiz it just plenty shine, gee whiz, that’s a gold, where you get that Skookum Jim, “over there” “c’mon Skookum Jim, going to stake now”. Get excited, yes, wanna go there, says can’t see nothing in dark you wait for tomorrow he tell him, say O.K. Jim soon as daylight get here we will go. Geo Carmack get excited George Carmack. After a while he just get up there and dark yet he come back again that one George Carmack. Finally get tired of it, “lets go”. That’s the place they find there, they found it some gold I think bedrock over there you know thats the place gold eh?