FAR AND NEAR 



ment of mystery and shyness was aflEorded by the 

 well-hidden rocky basin into which the water fell, 

 and by the curtain of rock which shut it off from 

 our view. Out of this basin the current emerged 

 near at hand and more familiar in a fall of fifty feet 

 or more, whence it took its way to the river in a 

 clear, rapid stream. It was as if the goddess had re- 

 clothed herself in this hidden rock-screened pool 

 and come forth again in more palpable every-day 

 guise. I hardly expected to see anything in Alaska 

 or anywhere else that would blur or lessen the 

 impression made by those falls, and I did not, 

 and probably never shall. 



We had hoped that at Portland and Seattle we 

 should get glimpses of the great mountains — 

 Hood, Baker, Rainier — but we did not ; fog and 

 cloud prevented. A lady living upon the heights at 

 Seattle told me that when a dweller there was out 

 of humor, her neighbors usually excused her by 

 saying, " Well, she has not seen the Olympics this 

 morning." I fancy they are rarely on exhibition 

 to strangers or visitors. 



THE INLAND PASSAGE 



The chapters of our sea voyage and Alaskan ex- 

 periences properly opened on the afternoon of May 

 31, when we found our state-rooms in our steamer, 

 the George W. Elder, received our Cahfornia con- 

 tingent, which included John Muir, and made our 

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