78 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



The scenery of the region is unsurpassed. Below timber 

 line, except in some prairie districts, one sees and is engulfed 

 in the stately timber. The immense size of the trees strikes 

 awe to the newcomer. Furthermore, the hidden vales and 

 unfrequented hillsides beckon the nature lover to partake of 

 the unmistakable "call to the wild" and its sylvan beauty. 

 To take an ocean trip as we did and visit the hundreds of 

 points and islets that jot above the pounding, surging surf, 

 one sees the broken effort of the land to stay the onward 

 march of the destroying tide. On the islands he sees the 

 homes of thousands of birds, mostly sea species, and hears 

 their warning-fear calls, as his craft moves about here and 

 there. He also sees the sea lion glide off the rocks into the 

 water on his approach. He leaves his boat and climbs about 

 on the stepping stones of the continent. From them he 

 looks out over the deep, blue waters which occasionally take 

 on a tinge of emerald and sometimes a glow of amethyst. 

 He mounts Carrol Islet (275 feet in elevation) in his jour- 

 neying, as we did, and is greeted by a "Niagara" of murrs 

 fleeing from him in their fright. He mounts the highest 

 point on the island and takes in the world about him. To 

 the southward he can discern the dim outlines of Destruc- 

 tion Island with its precipitous coast and "reefs of destruc- 

 tion" ; also the low sandy beach and the rugged rocks of the 

 southward curving coast line which extends as far as the 

 eye can see. Added to this view is the almost impenetrable 

 evergreen forest which covers the entire coast; while here 

 and there can be seen curling upward from some settler's 

 cabin a column of black smoke. To the east in the immediate 

 vicinity-foreground there rises precipitously out of the wav- 

 ing waters the forest clad, benched coast; and farther on 

 the serrated tops of the hills rise higher and higher until 

 their mantle of green gives place to a coverlet of glistening, 

 eternal snow, and the summits of the white-robed, snow- 

 capped Olympic Mountains are lost among the fleecy clouds 

 of the azure blue above. To the west the salmon, sea lion, 

 seal, porpoise, and whale jump and play at the surface of 

 the waving waters, and the ships of the world pass to and 

 fro. On every side all objects are pictured in the most deli- 

 cate tints which seem to magnify them rather than subdue 

 them. 



