MOUNT RAINIER 



in height. On the banks of a small stream, near their 

 camp, were found the yellow Ranunculus, a species of 

 Trillium, in thickets, with large leaves and small 

 flowers, Lupines, and some specimens of a cruciferous 

 plant. 



On the 2 ist they made an early start, and in the 

 forenoon crossed the Puyallup, a stream about seventy 

 feet wide ; along which is a fine meadow of some extent, 

 with clumps of alder and willow : the soil was of a black 

 turfy nature. After leaving the meadow-land, they 

 began to ascend along a path that was scarcely visible 

 from being overgrown with Gaultheria, Hazel, Spiraea, 

 Vaccinium, and Cornus. 



During the day, they crossed the Stehna. 1 In the 

 evening, after making sixteen miles, they encamped at 

 the junction of the Puyallup with the Upthascap. 2 

 Near by was a hut, built of the planks of the Arbor 

 Vitae (Thuja), which was remarkably well made ; and 

 the boards used in its structure, although split, had all 

 the appearance of being sawn : many of them were 

 three feet wide, and about fifteen feet long. The hut 

 was perfectly water-tight. Its only inhabitants were 

 two miserable old Indians and two boys, who were 

 waiting here for the arrival of those employed in the 

 salmon-fishery. The rivers were beginning to swell 

 to an unusual size, owing to the melting of the snows 

 in the mountains ; and in order to cross the streams, 

 it became necessary to cut down large trees, over which 

 the packs were carried, while the horses swam over. 

 These were not the only difficulties they had to en- 

 counter : the path was to be cut for miles through 

 thickets of brushwood and fallen timber ; steep preci- 

 pices were to be ascended, with slippery sides and 

 entangled with roots of every variety of shape and size, 

 in which the horses' legs would become entangled, and 

 before reaching the top be precipitated, loads and all, 

 to the bottom. The horses would at times become 



1 Probably the Stone Creek of present usage. 2 Carbon River. 



16 



