192 



RECREATION. 



The lower valley is divided by narrow 

 strips of timber into 4 parks, carpeted with 

 a fine growth of grass and a profusion of 

 flowers, and dedicated forever to the elk 

 and bear. No horses will ever be able 

 to graze there, unless hauled up by a der- 

 rick and several hundred feet of rope ; nor 

 can a real tenderfoot ever see its beauties, 

 as muscle, wind, enthusiasm and dogged 

 perseverance are required to reach its por- 

 tal. There we found fresh tracks of bear 

 and elk in abundance, and in making a trip 

 of less than 2 miles down the valley we lo- 

 cated 3 bands of elk in the parks up near 

 the perpetual snow. This valley seemed 

 to be their summer home, and is apparent- 

 ly a safe retreat. 



Returning to the divide before dark, we 

 prepared for passing a wet night without 

 a blanket, by building a good fire under 

 a short but dense-leaved fir. Our clothes 

 dried while we prepared our supper, which 

 consisted of coffee made in tin cups, bacon 

 broiled on a forked stick, and warmed 

 bread. By replenishing the fire occasion- 

 ally we were comfortable and slept well. 

 At daybreak, Bowman started down to the 

 main camp to conduct the rest of the 

 party, in light marching order, to "Camp 

 Perfection," with instructions to inform 

 them that there would be fresh meat ready 

 for broiling on their arrival. He could 

 not get back with them until late in the 

 evening, and, though left alone, I had be- 

 fore me the most glorious of my many 

 happy days in the mountains. 



For 6 days we had been clambering 

 slowly up a leafy cave, between giant firs 

 and cedar tree trunks, and through masses 

 of dripping ferns as high as the horses' 

 backs. There were few places where the 

 view could range a mile, or the baffled 

 sun could send its warming rays to the 

 ground; but the dark brown water ouzel, 

 almost the only living thing, dived into 

 the rushing river, made his way against 

 the current in search of food, and then 

 from a rock tetered his welcome to the 

 stranger, and sang the sweetest songs of 

 all the feathered kind. 



Practically certain of securing needed 

 camp supplies, and confident that this val- 

 ley, opening out only to the sky, was vir- 

 gin hunting ground, I was in no haste to 

 start out in the gray dawn to secure game. 

 Always seeking to camp on the highest 

 parts of the mountains where water and, 

 wood could be secured, but generally com- 

 pelled to go down into a valley, I was in a 

 state of perfect contentment, and ascended 

 a round-top knoll on the divide next to 

 the outlet of Lake Mary. The scene down 

 the fork toward the Southeast was cold 

 and dreary. A dense fog, or cloud, filled 

 the valley below, and its upper surface 

 rolled and heaved in giant waves and bil- 



lows like the great un-Pacific ocean be- 

 hind me. As the white light of the E§st 

 changed into pink and then into crimson, 

 the highest peaks flashed out like torches. 

 Then the snow fields, the domes of dark 

 volcanic rock, the clumps of firs, grassy 

 parks, sloping valleys, tiny streams, count- 

 less cascades, and finally the deep canons, 

 each with a silver thread of wearing 

 water, rose out of the cold gray plate of 

 nature, a brilliant positive, perfect in 

 focus, detail and contrast, and a master- 

 piece of color photography, fixed in the 

 mind forever. 



It had not before been my good fortune 

 to witness the birth of a new day and a 

 new world from a mountain top, but since 

 then the heads of our horses have fre- 

 quently been turned upward as the even- 

 ing shades fell, and our campfires have 

 blazed at the timber line. 



There I lingered, and with a field glass 

 studied the details of the magnificent 

 scene. I wondered when some inspired 

 scientist would shape a lens to show the 

 grand sweeps of mountain sides and val- 

 leys, the towering peaks, and the deep cut 

 canons as they appear to the eye, so the 

 weak might revel in the scenes now vis- 

 ible only to the strong. Then, disappoint- 

 ed in advance by what I knew the results 

 must be, I took the camera, and with an 

 apology to the ruler of the crags, stealth- 

 ily exposed a number of plates in a most 

 humble spirit. 



A glance across the valley Northward 

 reminded me of my undertaking to pro- 

 vide meat for 7 hungry men ; also of Dr. 

 Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Unquestionably 

 there is something of the savage in every 

 sportsman. When the 30-40 Winchester 

 was substituted for the camera, and the 

 stroll down the valley began, there was no 

 haste, as the whole region was mine alone ; 

 but interest became lively as to whether 

 the meat would be bear or elk. It was 

 certain to be one or the other. When 

 about a mile down the valley I saw 3 

 straggling elk feeding up above the tim- 

 ber line, but walking down. When they 

 were out of sight in timber I took a posi- 

 tion by a rock in an open park from which 

 I could see them when they came out. A 

 half hour of quiet waiting and watching 

 resulted in hearing them splash the water 

 in an alder bounded stream, but in a mo- 

 ment a fickle air current gave scent to 

 the band, and they rushed up the stream, 

 protected by the bushes. An open space, 

 however, must be crossed. A string of 

 cows ran out ahead, which seemed strange 

 to me, and the 2 bulls brought up the rear. 

 I took a quick shot at one while he was 

 in the air, and he went out of sight. The 

 climb up this open glade furnished a sur- 

 prise as to elevation, though not as to the 



