STEEP TRAILS 



of the countless islands forming the great ar- 

 chipelago that stretches a thousand miles to 

 the northward. Its shores have been known a 

 long time, but Uttle is known of the lofty moun- 

 tainous interior on accoimt of the difficulties 

 in the way of explorations — lake, bogs, and 

 shaggy tangled forests. It is mostly a piire, 

 savage wilderness, without roads or clearings, 

 and silent so far as man is concerned. Even 

 the Indians keep close to the shore, getting a 

 living by fishing, dwelUng together in villages, 

 and traveling almost wholly by canoes. White 

 settlements are few and far between. Good 

 agricultural lands occur here and there on the 

 edge of the wilderness, but they are hard to 

 clear, and have received but little attention 

 thus far. Gold, the grand attraction that Ughts 

 the way into all kinds of wildernesses and 

 makes rough places smooth, has been found, 

 but only in small quantities, too small to make 

 much motion. Almost all the industry of the 

 island is employed upon limiber and coal, in 

 which, so far as known, its chief wealth lies. 



Leaving Victoria for Port Townsend, after 

 we are fairly out on the free open water, Mount 

 Baker is seen rising soUtary over a dark 

 breadth of forest, making a glorious show in 

 its pure white raiment. It is said to be about 

 eleven thousand feet high, is loaded with gla- 

 216 



