248 CRUISINGS IN THE CASCADES 



some shrub or tree and let ourselves down over pro- 

 jecting rocks several feet, where we could not possi- 

 bly have stood up without such aid. 



Finally, when we were yet less than half way down 

 the mountain side, it became pitch dark. Here we 

 sat down to rest. The rain was falling in torrents, 

 and but for the snow on the ground we could not 

 now have seen a step ahead of us. We had entered 

 one of those more favored strips of land where the 

 falling rocks had not covered the ground entirely, 

 and where there was a considerable growth of timber, 

 both large trees and underbrush. I was in favor of 

 going straight down through this into the creek bot- 

 tom where we could at least walk in safety, even if 

 our progress should be slower. One of my friends 

 Mr. Overturf agreed with me, but the other two 

 Mr. McWhirk and Mr. Hinchman preferred to 

 continue over the rocks in a direct line to camp. We 

 therefore decided to separate, Frank and I going 

 straight down through this strip of timber and over 

 the smoother ground, and the other two' following 

 the more direct course. 



We two reached the foot of the mountain in about 

 an hour more; not, however, without encountering 

 serious difficulties in grasping and finding our way 

 down over precipitous rocks and earth, hanging on 

 to one limb or shrub until we came in reach of 

 another, and thus letting ourselves down safely. 

 We were then about a mile and a half from camp. 

 The creek bottom was densely timbered. There was- 

 a dim game trail leading through it up to our camp, 

 but it was impossible to follow it in the darkness, 

 and, in fact, it required the closest attention of experi- 



