FIRST SUCCESSFUL ASCENT, 1870 



up. The "creepers" were a clumsy, heavy arrangement 

 of iron spikes made to fasten on the foot with chains and 

 straps, in order to prevent slipping on the ice. He had 

 an ice-axe for cutting steps, a spirit-lamp for making 

 tea on the mountains, green goggles for snow-blindness, 

 deer's fat for the face, Alpine staffs, needles and thread, 

 twine, tacks, screws, screwdriver, gimlet, file, several 

 medical prescriptions, two boards for pressing flowers, 

 sketching materials, and in fact every article that Mr. 

 Coleman in his extensive reading had found used or 

 recommended by travelers. Every one of these he 

 regarded as indispensable. The Alpine staff was, he 

 declared, most important of all, a great assistance in 

 traveling through the woods as well as on the ice ; 

 and he illustrated on his hands and knees how to cross 

 a crevasse in the ice on two staffs. This interview 

 naturally brought to mind the characteristic incident 

 related of Packwood, the mountain man who, as hunter 

 and prospector, had explored the deepest recesses of the 

 Cascades. He had been engaged to guide a railroad 

 surveying party across the mountains, and just as 

 the party was about to start he approached the chief 

 and demanded an advance to enable him to buy his 

 outfit for the trip. "How much do you want ?" asked 

 the chief, rather anxiously, lest Packwood should over- 

 draw his prospective wages. "Well, about two dollars 

 and a half," was the reply ; and at the camp-fire that 

 evening, being asked if he had bought his outfit, Pack- 

 wood, thrusting his hand into his pocket, drew forth 

 and exhibited with perfect seriousness and compla- 

 cency his entire outfit, a jack-knife and a plug of 

 tobacco. 



Half a dozen carriages rattled gayly out of Olympia 

 in the cool of the morning, filled with a laughing, singing, 

 frolicking bevy of young ladies and gentlemen. They 

 were the Takhoma party starting on their adventurous 

 trip, with a chosen escort accompanying them to their 

 first camp. They rested several hours at Longmire's 



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