LECLERC. ERNEST (306 ENGLISH)

LECLERC, ERNEST  (306 ENGLISH))

Ernest Leclerc was originally from Baie-St-Paul in the Charlesvoix county, Province of Quebec.  He was only 22 years old when he left for the Klondike in March 1898. With Arsène Simard, Camille Dufour and John Warren, they crossed the country by train from Montreal to Vancouver, then went to Skagway by steam-boat before going through the Chilkoot Pass.

 On June 24, 1898, in the L’ECHO DE CHARLEVOIX, the newspaper of their home region, one can read the letter written by Ernest to his father, Didier Leclerc on May 9. He describes the crossing through the Chilkoot Pass where he helped search for the victims of the terrible avalanche which happened in April 1898.

“We saw big, strong men become discouraged and decide to go back on their trail. This mountain is one thousand feet (395 m) high and the peak is perhaps higher than the one behind our home.

“Furthermore, the storms are something else….it is impossible to walk; the best we can do is to dig a home and to stay in it until the storm has passed.

“If you know anyone who is getting ready to leave for the Klondike, advise him to bring more money and then to have lots of courage, even four times more than he first expected and to have more courage and money for the needs  that he may not even foresee at home.

But our troubles are ended for us; we are going to build a good, solid barge.

Ernest Leclerc died in Dawson City in September 1899 aged 26 years old having spent four days in the hospital.  His travelling companions were present at his burial.

Jos Dallaire wrote in his mémoires: Leclerc was the most capable of the group (which was made up of Arsène Simard, Camille Dufour, and John Warren).  They all left in order to search for gold; everyone was so eager to go he threw himself into the adventure. Ernest became overly warm and lay down on the wet moss-covered ground; it is there that he met his death.

Empreinte, vol 11, p.33