Whitehorse man finds old sword on bottom of Yukon River

Water levels on the Yukon River are starting to rise, but they're still revealing some historic curiosities.

Whitehorse resident Matthew Cook was by the Yukon River between Marwell and Whistle Bend recently when he found what he believes is a Russian sabre.

"There was a sand bank in the middle of the river so I just stopped out of curiosity, pulled up the kayak, walked around, had a sandwich and just happened to see the sword lying a little bit in the water just off the bank," Cook said. 

He said he found the sword in a bank that isn't usually visible. "I do that paddle every summer and I've never once seen that sand bank ever," said Cook. "It's normally covered."

The blade is rusty but the handle is remarkably well-preserved.

"The handle is in immaculate condition," Cook said. "I thought it was plastic at first, there's no damage. The actual blade itself is pretty rusty but I'm hoping somebody with a bit of expertise could clean it up."

Cook says he believes the sword was manufactured some time between the 1860s and the 1940s. He says he hopes to donate the sword to the McBride Museum, or maybe keep it.

Earlier this summer, unusually low water levels on the Yukon River revealed some historical leftovers from the Yukon's sternwheeler era, when docks and factories lined the riverbank.

The water levels prompted the Yukon government to urge people to leave any artifacts where they lie.