ELK AND BEAR IN THE OLYMPICS. 



103 



Be sure to state the honest facts 

 And say how it was won. 



" Or else, perchance, the truth may out, 

 And bring the blush of shame 



Upon the cheek of G. M. D. ■ 



Who bagged another's game." 



To be perfectly fair, it is necessary to 



state that G. M. D. has since proved 



an alibi, and we subsequently learned that 

 another party, under the leadership of Mr. 

 Roland Cox, Jr., of New York City, also 

 passed through our neighborhood about 

 the time of the goat episode. 



As soon as the weather permitted, we 

 moved camp to "The Cedars"— a belt of 

 heavy white cedar timber that covers the 

 bottom of Moose Creek canyon for a dis- 

 tance of 20 miles or more. The tents were 

 pitched in the midst of the giant trees, many 

 of which were 6 feet and some as large as 10 

 and 12 feet in diameter. After camp had 

 been made comfortable, I stole away for a 

 few moments to take a look at the giant 

 cedars. Although the sun had not set, on 

 turning away from the light of the camp 



fire it took several minutes for my eyes to 

 become accustomed to the deep gloom. A 

 few steps took me out of sight and hearing 

 of camp. The great trunks of the cedars, 

 like vast columns, towered high overhead 

 and above them the green tops, interlacing 

 their branches, formed a continuous roof, 

 through which the rays of the sun never 

 penetrate. Covering the ground at my feet 

 like a soft, dainty carpet, was a dense, lux- 

 uriant growth of maiden hair fern, 2 feet 

 in depth. Alone, and in appreciative con- 

 templation of these outlines, it required 

 little exercise of the imagination to con- 

 ceive a Temple of Nature so wonderful in 

 its reality, so mammoth in extent, as to in- 

 spire one with wholesome and reverent 

 awe. 



My allotted time in the woods expired a 

 few days after we reached " The Cedars," 

 and one morning, just at dawn, I bade the 

 party a reluctant good-by and started 

 homeward. By going light and making 

 long drives, I succeeded in making the 

 journey to Hamilton in 2 days. 



ELK AND BEAR IN THE OLYMPICS. 



W. E. HUMPHREY. 



A preacher, Rev. Major; a physician, 

 Dr. Parents; 2 lawyers, Mr. Weir and I, 

 together. with Andy, the roustabout, made 

 up our party. We had been a week in the 

 Olympics, the wildest and grandest group 

 of mountains on the continent. For 2 

 days we had been on the summit of Mt. 

 Constance. From this camp we could see 

 30 peaks covered with eternal snows; 

 while everywhere at our feet were count- 

 less fragrant flowers. At the close of Au- 

 gust we were surrounded by all the beau- 

 ties of spring. 



" I think it will be about a 30 minutes' 

 walk to the river," said the doctor, as we 

 listened to the distant roar of the Dunge- 

 ness. The lawyers looked at each other 

 and smiled. We had been there. The 

 preached looked knowingly, but wisely 

 kept from expressing an opinion. We 

 started the next day to take that " 30 min- 

 utes' walk." Down, down, the side of the 

 mighty canyon we slid for 5 hours. At 

 last, at almost dark, we reached the river 

 and built our camp fire, amid giant firs and 

 hemlocks that grew — some of them — to 

 the almost incredible height of 300 feet. 

 That night as we lay before the fire, we 

 speculated as to the probability of elk be- 

 ing found in the vicinity, and it was de- 

 cided that next morning Mr. Weir and I 



would go up the river on a prospecting 

 tour. This point being settled, we rolled 

 in our blankets and slept. 



" Had we not better do a little prospect- 

 ing before breakfast? " I said to Mr. Weir, 

 at daybreak the next morning. ' Yes," 

 he answered, between snores. I waited a 

 few minutes and then went with Andy to 

 the river, where he got down on his knees 

 and proceeded to wash the dishes. He 

 paused a moment, looked up the river and 

 then turned to me. His eyes seemed start- 

 ing from their sockets, his tongue pro- 

 truded, he raised his hand and stuck up 

 2 fingers in an awful warning for silence. 

 Then he started for his gun, with the wild- 

 est face I have ever seen outside of an asy- 

 lum. I followed him and we secured our 

 guns and returned to the river. He stepped 

 into the stream, and, after what seemed to 

 me a long time, fired, and I saw 2 red spots 

 disappear through the brush. 



Of course the shot aroused the camp; 

 every one was awake by that time. I re- 

 turned to the camp but Andy tore through 

 the brush like a scared bear. ' 



" What is it? " came from the aroused 

 sleepers. 



" A deer," I said, " and I think Andy 

 missed it." 



This aroused no enthusiasm and the 



