i;8 



RECREATION. 



the pack horse, essayed the climb of what 

 seemed to me the highest and steepest 

 mountain on earth. When about half way 

 up, it began raining; by the time we 

 reached the summit it was dark and the 

 rain had turned to snow and sleet, which, 

 driven by the wind, penetrated our mackin- 

 toshes as if they were cheesecloth. But 

 we had promised to meet the boys at the 



appearance on arrival at our camp next 

 day, the boys must have spent as unpleas- 

 ant a night as Ralph and I had. 



It seems that the place where we sepa- 

 rated was fully 14 miles from the mouth 

 of Slate creek; but thinking they had 

 plenty of time, the boys took it easy and 

 night overtook them half wav to the river. 

 There the canyon becomes narrow and 





LARGEST CATCH ON THE TRIP. 



mouth of Slate creek. We got out some 

 candles and 2 small tin pails, which, with 

 holes punched in the sides to stick the 

 candles through, made good enough lan- 

 terns to travel by. With their light we 

 made the descent. Reaching the St. Joe 

 about midnight, we signaled for our com- 

 panions several times by firing a shot gun. 

 As we heard no reply we stretched our 

 tarpaulin and turned in. 

 m Meantime, according to Martin's ver- 

 sion and judging from their dilapidated 



the creek rapid; and having no light the 

 boys were compelled to camp under the 

 sheltering boughs of a cedar. They were 

 wet to the skin, from the rain and from 

 crossing the creek many times during the 

 afternoon. One had a Recreation water- 

 proof matchbox, so they were able to make 

 a fire, or a smoke, as Kemp called it. And 

 there on a bed of rocks, just at the- edge 

 of the roaring stream, they passed the 

 night. 

 Next morning they washed their smoke- 



