"The Return to Fort Wrangell 



Wrangell by this time. Toyatte said the storm might 

 last several days longer. We were out of tea and coffee, 

 much to Mr. Young's distress. On my return from a 

 walk I brought in a good big bunch of glandular 

 ledum and boiled it in the teapot. The result of this 

 experiment was a bright, clear amber-colored, rank- 

 smelling liquor which I did not taste, but my suffering 

 companion drank the whole potful and praised it. 

 The rain was so heavy we decided not to attempt to 

 leave camp until the storm somewhat abated, as we 

 were assured by Toyatte that we would not be able 

 to round Cape Fanshawe, a sheer, outjutting head- 

 land, the nose as he called it, past which the wind 

 sweeps with great violence in these southeastern 

 storms. With what grateful enthusiasm the trees wel- 

 comed the life-giving rain! Strong, towering spruces, 

 hemlocks, and cedars tossed their arms, bowing, wav- 

 ing, in every leap, quivering and rejoicing together 

 in the gray, roaring storm. John and Charley put on 

 their gun-coats and went hunting for another deer, 

 but returned later in the afternoon with clean hands, 

 having fortunately failed to shed any more blood. 

 The wind still held in the south, and Toyatte, grimly 

 trying to comfort us, told us that we might be held 

 here a week or more, which we should not have minded 

 much, for we had abundance of provisions. Mr. Young 

 and I shifted our tent and tried to dry blankets. The 

 wind moderated considerably, and at 7 a.m. we started 

 but met a rough sea and so stiff a wind we barely 

 succeeded in rounding the cape by all hands pulling 

 their best. Thence we struggled down the coast, 



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