FIRST SUCCESSFUL ASCENT, 1870 



now bade us good-by : mounted on one mule and lead- 

 ing the other, he soon disappeared down the trail on 

 his lonely, homeward way. He left us the little 

 pack-horse, thinking it would be quite capable of 

 carrying our diminished outfit after our return from 

 Takhoma. 



Sluiskin led the way. The load upon his shoulders 

 was sustained by a broad band, passing over his head, 

 upon which his heavy, brass-studded rifle, clasped in 

 both hands, was poised and balanced. Leaving be- 

 hind the last vestige of trail, we toiled in single file 

 slowly and laboriously up the mountain all the after- 

 noon. The steepness of the ascent in many places 

 required the use of both hand and foot in climbing, and 

 the exercise of great caution to keep the heavy packs 

 from dragging us over backwards. Coleman lagged 

 behind from the start, and at intervals his voice could 

 be heard hallooing and calling upon us to wait. To- 

 wards sunset we reached a level terrace, or bench, near 

 the summit, gladly threw off our packs, and waited for 

 Coleman, who, we supposed, could not be far below. 

 He not appearing, we hallooed again and again. No 

 answer ! We then sent Sluiskin down the mountain to 

 his aid. After an hour's absence the Indian returned. 

 He had descended, he said, a long distance, and at last 

 caught sight of Coleman. He was near the foot of the 

 mountain, had thrown away his pack, blankets and all, 

 and was evidently returning to camp. And Sluiskin 

 finished his account with expressions of contempt for 

 the "cultus King George man." What was to be 

 done ? Coleman carried in his pack all our bacon, our 

 only supply of meat, except a few pounds of dried beef. 

 He also had the barometer, the only instrument that 

 had survived the jolts and tumbles of our rough trip. 

 But, on the other hand, he had been a clog upon our 

 march from the outset. He was evidently too infirm 

 to endure the toil before us, and would not only be un- 

 able to reach, still less ascend Takhoma, but might even 



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