FIRST SUCCESSFUL ASCENT, 1870 



we passed the lofty oaks at the end of the little prairie, 

 "On that tree," said Longmire, pointing out one of the 

 noblest, "Maxon's company hanged two Indians in the 

 war of '56. Ski-hi and his band, after many depreda- 

 tions upon the settlements, were encamped on the Mis- 

 hell, a mile distant, in fancied security, when Maxon 

 and his men surprised them and cut off every soul 

 except the two prisoners whom they hanged here." 



For eight miles the trail led through thick woods, 

 and then, after crossing a wide "burn, ' past a number 

 of deserted Indian wigwams, where another trail from 

 the Nisqually plains joined ours, it descended a grad- 

 ual slope, traversed a swampy thicket and another 

 mile of heavy timber, and debouched on the Mishell 

 River. This is a fine, rapid, sparkling stream, knee- 

 deep and forty feet wide, rippling and dashing 

 over a gravelly bed with clear, cold, transparent water. 

 The purity of the clear water, so unlike the yeasty Nis- 

 qually, proves that the Mishell is no glacial river. Ris- 

 ing in an outlying range to the northwest of Takhoma, 

 it flows in a southwest course to its confluence with the 

 Nisqually near our previous night's camp. We un- 

 saddled for the noon-rest. Van Trump went up the 

 stream, fishing ; Longmire crossed to look out the trail 

 ahead, and Coleman made tea solitaire. 



An hour passed, and Longmire returned. "The trail 

 is blind," said he, "and we have no time to lose." Just 

 then Van Trump returned ; and the little train was 

 soon in readiness to resume the tramp. Longmire rode 

 his mule across the stream, telling us to drive the pack- 

 animals after him and follow by a convenient log near 

 by. As the mule attempted to climb a low place in the 

 opposite bank, which offered an apparently easy exit 

 from the river, his hind legs sank in a quicksand, he 

 sat down quickly, if not gracefully, and, not fancying 

 that posture, threw himself clear under water. His 

 dripping rider rose to his feet, flung the bridle-rein over 

 his arm, and, springing up the bank at a more practi- 



103 



