264 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by J. D. Sayre 



A WILD SWAN CAPTURED ALIVE BY MILLER 



Being at the height of its molt, it was unable 

 to fly, and so was easily overtaken and cap- 

 tured by the power dory. It made such a 

 disturbance with its great white wings that 

 the captor was glad to let it go. 



out, under considerable pressure, from a 

 round hole about a foot and a half in 

 diameter, in such a way that it could be 

 readily approached. 



The emerging gas from this place was 

 so hot and came out with such a rush 

 that when we tried to pour a cup of water 

 into the hole it never reached the ground, 

 but was caught up by the outrushing 

 steam and carried away before our eyes, 

 vaporizing within a few inches. When 

 we threw our hats into it they would go 

 sailing away thirty feet into the air be- 

 fore coming down again. 



The fry-pan had to be held doivn 

 against the steam. Even the weight of 



the long stick we employed as a handle 

 was not sufficient to balance the pressure 

 of the fumarole, for it would keep wob- 

 bling around, up and down, in and out 

 of the rushing steam unless firmly held. 

 Needless to say, the bacon began to sizzle 

 promptly and was soon as well crisped as 

 when cooked over the best of camp-fires. 

 While experimenting to find the best 

 place to hold the pan, we tried pushing it 

 down into the cavern below the orifice; 

 but no sooner had the fry-pan passed be- 

 low the surface than — piff — the bacon was 

 whisked out of the pan and went flying 

 in every direction through the air, to be 

 eagerly caught and devoured by the wait- 

 ing spectators, who howled with delight 

 at this sudden turn of events, which, 

 after being discovered accidentally, was 

 repeated again and again, until we tired 

 of chasing the flying slices (see p. 236). 

 With such facilities at our command 

 and a full stock of dehydrated fruits and 

 vegetables, there was little in the way of 

 "grub" that could not be supplied at 

 Baked Mountain whenever occasion de- 

 manded. 



The staples were oatmeal, rice, beans, 

 corn-bread, dehydrated potatoes, with 

 abundant butter, cheese, and pilot-bread. 

 These were varied with an occasional 

 mess of corn-beef hash, or of trout when 

 some one brought them up from the lake. 

 For green vegetables there were string- 

 beans, spinach, and "boiled dinner vege- 

 tables," the latter soon becoming a joke 

 because of the superabundance of carrot, 

 of which every one quickly tired. 



Our fruits included apples, raisins, 

 peaches, pears, apricots, loganberries, 

 cranberries, and cherries, the last being 

 such a universal favorite that they were 

 soon used up. One hot day we even in- 

 dulged in iced tea, but for the most part 

 we preferred hot dishes. 



A DOUBLL-LNDED FUNNLL FOR STORMS 



All went well at Baked Mountain camp 

 as long as the weather remained good, 

 but when the storms struck we encoun- 

 tered a fury that no tents could withstand. 

 Katmai Pass, which stands at the head of 

 the valley, has always had the unsavory 

 reputation of being one of the windiest 

 places in the whole world. The con- 

 formation of the mountains is such that 

 the pass is a double-ended funnel, through 



