John Sayles

FRONTISPIECE In the drawing Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty stand side by side on the shore. We see them from behind, but know, by their dress, whose pensive vista we are sharing. There is a breeze coming in, the flame from the Lady's torch, held tentatively at her hip, blowing toward us slightly....

H GOLD FEVER OD IS THE first on deck to see smoke. "That must be it," he says, pointing ahead to where the mountains rise up and pinch together to close off the channel. "Dyea." There is a rush then, stampeders running to the fore and jostling for position, climbing onto the bales of cargo...