From the text:
Some local hunters, it turns out, had cut the chain, ridden the basket across, and secured it to the far side in order to make it harder for outsiders to cross the Teklanika and trespass on their turf. When McCandless tried to walk...
The Question and Answer section for Into the Wild is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
From the text:
Some local hunters, it turns out, had cut the chain, ridden the basket across, and secured it to the far side in order to make it harder for outsiders to cross the Teklanika and trespass on their turf. When McCandless tried to walk...
I do not know what specific passage you are referring to.
Jack London is a famous author. He wrote The Call of the Wild, White Fang, To Build a Fire, and a variety of other books.