FOREST AND STREAM. 



[AUG. 3, 1895. 



whole distance in three hours and a half. We reached 

 Deer Park before twelve o'clock, but Jerry decided to go 

 above a mile or more aDd camp near some Indian graves, 

 thinking, no doubt, the ghosts of the braves would bring 

 us luck. A nice sandy beach, in a little cove behind a 

 point, that ran out a little way into the lake, was chosen 

 for our landing-place, but we had to pack the outfit about 

 three hundred yards up the shore, to get into the timber 

 and where the grass grew. 



The whole shore was strewn with driftwood, left by 

 the great spring floods, and there was plenty of fine boards 

 and slabs that had come down all the way from Revel- 

 stoke. 



We pitched our tents 'neath the shade of some huge 

 pines, and before night had as cosy a camp as one would 

 wish. Lots of "mountain feathers" made a fine bed and 

 a table was constructed out of driftwood plank, and we 

 had all the comforts of home. 



Supper time came and when I went to fry the bacon 

 the frying-pan was called for. "Be jabbers!" said Jerry, 

 "would ye mind, I can't find it." "Did you put it in the 

 box with the other camp outfit?" "I thought I did, but if 

 I did it went overboard when the squall struck us beyant, 

 just before we - reefed down." "Well, Jerry, here's a 

 pretty 'how de do.' We can't keep house in camp without 

 a fry-pan." 



"Right you are," said Jerry, "unless we bile every- 

 thing." 



"Can't do it, my boy; you must have forgotten it, and 

 I'll tell you what we will do. We will stop the Lytton to- 

 night and get one." 



This Jerry did notiike, as the crew would give him the 

 "big la.ugh," he said, "as he might as well have left his 

 head." However, Yankee ingenuity and Irish wit got up 

 a fair supper, and as the time came for the boat to pass 

 up, Jerry went out in his skiff and I built a fire on the 

 point, and we stopped the steamer and borrowed a frying- 

 pan. When we next saw Capt. Gore, he laughed long 

 and loud and said, "You chaps take the cake. First you 

 forget a fry-pan, and then stop a steamboat to borrow 

 one." But "everything goes in the West," and every one 

 is ready to lend a helping hand. We spent a delightful 

 week in our camp. 



The days were warm enough to be pleasant, the nights 

 just cool with a little frost. The moon was in its glory 

 and shone from a cloudless sky — but alasl there is always 

 something missing — the deer were not plenty. The con- 

 tinued fine weather had melted the snow off of the high 

 mountains back of us, and the deer had run back where 

 it was impossible for us to hunt them. A few straggling 

 bucks and does stayed near the lake, but the herd that 

 ought to be there was not there. The country we were 

 in is of the roughest description , and there is only a short 

 distance up and down the lake, known as Deer Park, 

 where there is any pleasure in hunting. If deer are killed 

 very far back from the lake it is impossible to get them, 

 aB they have to be packed out on your back. 



But when the snow drives the deer down for the win- 

 ter, which is generally in October, there are large num- 

 bers right at the water's edge. In the summer also the 

 deer frequent the numerous licks and Jerry gets his meat 

 at Deer Park. The game law don't count when a rancher 

 wants fresh meat. Ruffed grouse or partridge are quite 

 plenty — they are sometimes called pheasants in the West 

 — and across the lake on the high mountains are flocks of 

 blue or mountain grouse. We had some sport shooting 

 the heads off of the ruffed grouse, as they were not wild 

 and we could pot them with our rifles. We hunted and 

 explored the country and visited the Indian graves just 

 above camp, making a snap shot at them. Right across 

 from our camp on the other side of the lake was a great 

 curiosity, a natural bridge. It must be 500 or 600£t. across 

 and over 800ft. high, great pines grow up under it and do 

 not touch its rocky arch. It spans a great gulch or chasm 

 in the mountain's side and shows plainly from the passing 

 steamer's deck or from the opposite shore. 



Jerry had never hunted on the bridge side, so we took 

 one day over there and he swore he never would go again, 

 for the mountains were like house sides and the brush and 

 timber paralyzed him. He got up in one place where he 

 could climb no further, and it was so steep he was afraid 

 to go back, and as he expressed it, "Tne sweat rolled 

 down me back before I got out o' that." 



We found goat signs on these mountains, but no goats 

 were visible. Jerry said he found the "father of all deer 

 licks" and the deer were still using it. "But, bedad," 

 said Jerry, ' 'I would not pack a deer out of that place if I 

 never tasted mowicth again." We got into a genuine bear 

 swamp also that day, but did not see any bear. From the 

 highest point reached a beautiful view was spread out be- 

 fore us; the lake with its blue foam-crested waves lay at 

 our feet; to the north it stretched away into the distance 

 until it seemed to end at the base of the high mountains 

 back of Fire Valley, while to the south the mountains 

 closed in and cut off our view only a few miles away. 



We could look across to our little camp and the low 

 mountains back of it, still on, to the great Slocan range 

 and the high peaks of the Purcell Range. The country 

 looked open and as if we could easily travel over it, but 

 distance lent enchantment in this case. 



Deer Park lay before us and its open park-like glades 

 and clumps of trees seemed as if designed by the hand of 

 man. 



"Well," remarked Jerry, "it looks mighty fine and 

 smooth, but be the powers it breaks me heart to climb 

 over it." 



We sat upon the rough rocks and basked in the bright 

 October sua, gazing our fill upon the wonderful land- 

 scape before us. 



"He who has climbed in the rare atmosphere, 

 s By giddy roads, up to this lofty height, 



And paused upon the pass, awed by the sight, 

 Looks forth in wonder, shadowed by fear." 



"Right you are," said Jerry, "I was afraid when I got 

 up there in the canon and could not climb further, and 

 was afraid I would fall down if I tried to get down." 



The next day, feeling a little lazy and not wanting to 

 climb too far, we took the boat and Jerry pulled up the 

 lake toward a point where we had seen signs of a camp- 

 fire. The morning was cool and bright, and our little 

 boat danced merrily over the water. We found the 

 camp-fire was at an A tent, and we got out to investi- 

 gate. One of the queer-shaped cances of this region lay 

 turned upside down on the sand and several huge bundles 

 of dried "dog salmon" lay near by. At the tent lay a 

 dead porcupine and, wonder of wonders, a wash-boiler! 



"What in the world do they do with a boiler, Jerry?" 



"Oh, they wash their clothes in it," said he. 



"But I thought Indians here were the same as else- 

 where — dirty and not inclined to keep clean?" 



"Well," said Jerry, "the Kootenay Indians hereabout 

 want to be all same as white men; a great many of them 

 are good Catholics and say grace before they eat, and are 

 for Indians comparatively clean." 



They are a "little off" on their diet, however, as white 

 men would not relish dog salmon taken and cured as 

 Indians cure them. A fancy photograph from a cigarette 

 package also lay near the tent; that settled it, Lo was 

 getting civilized very fast. 



We photographed the camp and then started up the 

 lake. When we got around the point we saw another 

 canoe out in the lake with a single occupant lying silently 

 on the glassy surface of the unruffled water. "But that's 

 the klootchman waiting for the bunk to hound a deer 

 into the water," said Jerry. "That's what they are up 

 to; they have come down from the narrows with a load of 

 dog salmon and now they are after mowitch. "Mow- 

 witch" is Chinook for deer, and is used almost universafly 

 in British Columbia, 



Jerry pulled up near enough to hail the silent canoeist 

 and we found it was a squaw. She was bundled up in her 

 blanket, with a rope tied about her waist and a knife 

 stuck in it. The klootchman was not very talkative, and 

 eyed us rather suspiciously; but we managed to find out 

 that her buck was up in the timber with the dogs trying 

 to run a deer into the lake, and she sat there in the cold , 

 patiently awaiting what might turn up. Her paddle lay 

 aoross her lap, ready for instant use should a deer take 

 water near by. We managed to get a snap shot of her, 

 and as we rowed away we could see her still sitting 

 motionless until we got too far to distinguish her form. 



A week in camp when everything is pleasant soon 

 passes, and as the Lytton would be due to go up the day 

 following, we decided to go down to Robson. We were 

 loath to leave our pleasant camp, but the deer were too 

 few and far between to tempt us to remain longer, and 

 excepting birds there was no other game. A3 a pleasant 

 place to camp, a rough country away from civilization, 

 and a fair hunting ground for deer late in the fall, Deer 

 Park is a good place to go to; but there are so many more 

 places accessible and where there is more game, that for 

 the hunting alone it cannot be recommended. But it is 

 worth a visit if one wishes to see all the country. 



The following morning saw us up betimes. The wind 

 had veered and was blowing down stream. By the time 

 we were ready to start and had the boat all loaded the 

 white capB were rolling out in the lake and the wind was 

 howling, sending sand from the beach over us in show- 

 ers. 



"Shall we try it?" said Jerry. 



"Let's reef her down and see what we can do," was the 

 reply; "if we can get round rocky point below, without 

 getting too much in the trough, we can make it." So we 

 took a big reef in our square sail and managed to get out 

 from the lee of the sand point,and then didjwe fly? Well, we 

 seemed to be going with wings, but alas! we had to keep 

 out into the lake if we could hope to make the point, and 

 this brought us into the trough of the sea, which was now 

 quite a respectable one, as the wind had a clear sweep for 

 about fifteen miles. Jerry sat forward and held on to the 

 halyards, ready to let the old sail come down on the run, 

 and I held the steering oar. Our little craft plunged 

 along like a race horse, but being so short, she would ride 

 but one wave and when she would go over the crest of 

 one she would take a sheer and it required careful watch- 

 ing to prevent her broaching to and shipping a wave. It 

 was not long before a big roller caught under her out 

 rigger and splash came a pail full of water aboard. Jerry 

 shook his head and said, "I guess we can't make it." 

 "All right," I replied, "we will turn into the next little 

 bay." So we did, and beaching our boat, laid by for a 

 lull in the wind. We tried to kill time by shooting at a 

 mark, eating a lunch, and fixing our sail, but as the wind 

 still continued to blow Jerry said he would prefer to stay 

 until evening and then pull down. This did not suit me, 

 as I did not want to sit cramped up in a boat for five or 

 six hours and there was no certainty of the wind going 

 down with the sun. 



Jerry got nervous and concluded to take a run back 

 into the hills. Cautioning him not to be gone over two 

 hours I sat down in the sun in the lee of the boat and got 

 out a book. About one o'clock the wind seemed to lull 

 and blow more steadily and I began to look anxiously for 

 Jerry. 



It was only a short time before he came down the hill- 

 side, and I told him to hurry up and eat his lunch, if he 

 wanted it, as I proposed to get out of there. 



"But, man," said Jerry, "will ye mind those white caps 

 out there, and beyant down by the rocky point there is 

 big sea." 



"Can't help it, Jerry, I don't propose to stay here to- 

 night; so pull her off," and off she went. We made bet- 

 ter weather than we had in the morning, as the wind 

 came steadily and not in fierce gusts, and the only nasty 

 place we found was at the rocky promontory, where we 

 had to keep ©ut or be dashed against the perpendicular 

 precipice which rose from the water's edge. It was not 

 child's play steering the boat, but it served to keep one"s 

 blood circulating, and the cold wind was chilling. We 

 "boomed" along in great shape, and when I ran her nose 

 on the beach in front of Jerry's shack, and looking at my 

 watch announced the time as two hours and a half, Jerry 

 said, "That beats the record from Deer Park, and I won't 

 forget ye and this sail for many a day." The Lytton 

 came in on time, and getting our traps aboard we once 

 more turn our faces northward. The evening was fine, 

 though cool, and the moon, though waning, was not 

 much past the full, and her light was sufficient to make 

 the objects of any magnitude on the shore plainly dis- 

 cernible. I stood on the deck as we passed our late camp 

 and mentally said adieu and took a last look at the great 

 natural bridge opposite, the top of which was bathed in 

 a halo of silvery light, while the gulch beneath showed 

 dark and somber, looking more terrible and dangerous 

 than in the full light of day. 



It was about daylight when we reached Nakusp, and 

 we were in the river before I got on deck. I then re- 

 paired to the pilot house and amused myself by watching 

 the flocks of ducks, which were much more plenty than 

 when we went down, having come from the north. A 

 great trip would be to charter a small steaaier and with a 

 pleasant party sail about the Columbia at this season, 

 shooting duoks, geese and deer. There is a little steamer 



owned by a man at the hot springs below Revelstoke with 

 whom such arrangements can be made. 



The sail up the river was really finer than the sail 

 down, as now we were approaching the high mountains, 

 and they seemed to grow in magnitude as we steamed on. 

 The snow also became heavier as we sailed north, and 

 the rugged peaks of the Selkirks and the Gold range were | 

 white with their fleecy mantles and stood out plainly in 

 strong contrast to the dark firs below. 



As we neared "the Wigwam" the glacier-covered sides 

 of Mount Bigbee, with its sharp peak, came into view, 

 and we could see how changed was its face since the snow 

 came. 



We were also treated to some novel experiences in river 

 navigation, as the water was getting very low, and where 

 there had been deep water the month before were now 

 sand and rocks. We got into one place that showed the 

 ability of our pilot to handle a river boat. It was a very 

 rapid whirlpool kind of a place and the foaming, roaring 

 river dashed against a precipitous rock which rose right 

 out of the water; a deep notch or hollow in the rocky wall 

 let the water swirl in, forming an eddy. It was all the 

 Lytton could do to hold her own against the fierce current, 

 and when the captain rang to stop her just as we were 

 opposite the hollow, it looked to one not posted as if some 

 one had made a mistake. The steamer began to go stern- 

 ward and the wheel was sent spinning until hard over. 

 We could then see the stern swing into the hollow, and 

 just as itseemed as though we would crash into the rock 

 the bell was rung "go ahead" full speed, and we could 

 feel the boat tremble as her engines started full power. 

 For a moment we stood still and then she began to gain, 

 and shooting out from the rock across the current, we 

 were soon out of the "nastiest place on the river," as an- 

 other pilot who was in the wheel house said, with the 

 remark that he would not try that for $100. 



We were not up the river yet, and soon after this struck 

 a bar, where we tried three times to get over, but could 

 not do it. We had to back out, turn about and try another 

 channel. Here, after an hour's hard work and getting 

 out a line, "to hold her nose ag'in' the current," we got 

 up. Such is river navigation on the Columbia in low 

 water. Revelstoke was reached on time. Once more to 

 the westward we are bound and once more are we taken 

 by storm by the magnificent suenery. F. F. Frisbie. 

 [to be continued.] 



IN CAMP ON LAKE MICHIGAN'S SHORE. 



Hebe we are, four of us, camping on the beach. As I 

 am writing I listen to the boom, boom of the surf as it 

 rolls upon the shore. We have been here just one month; 

 some of the party preceded us and have been in camp six 

 weeks. We have a very pleasant place, upon an eleva- 

 tion of some twenty-five feet from the water, and at a 

 distance from the shore line of some fifty yards. Our 

 tents are placed between two hills, the one nearest the 

 lake clothed with a dense growth of small timber, which 

 effectually breaks the wind from south to west. On the 

 northwest we are a little more exposed, but upon the 

 whole we are pretty well protected from storms. On 

 Thursday we had a violent thunderstorm, accompanied 

 by a downpour of rain. Our small boat, which was 

 drawn up on the shore, was half full of water. We 

 came out dry owing to having good tents over our heads. 

 The larger one has a fly, the smaller is waterproof; our 

 tents are 9x9ft. and 12 X 14ft. We do most of our cook- 

 ing outdoors during the fine weather. We have a three- 

 burner gasoline stove, which we use in case of disagree- 

 able weather, but we have been compelled to use it only 

 twice since we came out. 



A cooler, finer retreat is hard to find. There have been 

 but two sultry days since we came; the nights are cool; 

 no mosquitoes, gnats or black flies to pester one. Al- 

 though somewhat isolated from society (the nearest habi- 

 tation being two miles and the nearest post office three 

 and a half miles), we feel perfectly at home. We receive 

 our mail twice a week, which keeps us posted as to the 

 doings of the outer world. The most welcome visitor is 

 the Forest and Stream, which reaches us on Monday 

 morning. The article written by "Jacobstaff". was very 

 interesting to our men folks, and the question was asked 

 why more from the pens of men of experience in wood- 

 craft was not to be found in the columns of Forest and 

 Stream, and they hoped to hear further from "Jacob- 

 staff's" pen. 



This is an ideal day after the storm. The air is so clear 

 we can see for miles out in the lake; hitherto we have 

 had a great deal of smoke in the atmosphere, which has 

 made it somewhat unpleasant. To-day is by far the 

 finest day we have had. 



I have just been watching a fleet of fishing boats going 

 to their nets. The sea was running very high at the time 

 they went out. It is amusing to see them bob up and 

 down. With the aid of a marine glass I can see them out 

 in the lake almost opposite our camp, some six miles 

 from shore. In lifting their nets they take in sail, so that 

 we can distinguish a6 to when they lift their nets. Some 

 days we see a good many vessels sail and 3team. One 

 day we saw seven schooners in close proximity to one 

 another beating up to windward. It put us in mind of a 

 regatta. Two lines of steamers pass and repass this place 

 during the day, also steam pleasure yachts. Men, women 

 and children are to be seen walking the beach at times, 

 but the greatest novelty while we were here was three 

 parties on bicycles; the men hurrying along as if they 

 were in the service of the War Department and on some 

 important errand; we all thought that by the time they 

 made the trip some of the hurry would be taken out of 

 them. It is rather a rough course to run a bicycle on, 

 this the shore of Lake Michigan, with logs and driftwood 

 to encounter every few yards, and besides the sand is soft 

 and yielding, which must make it hard wheeling. 



Our camp at present is in what would be termed the 

 sandhills of this lake shore region. They are composed 

 of sand washed up by Btorms from the bed of the lake, 

 said by our State geologists to be from sandstone rock 

 underlying the lake waters. Some of these hills attain 

 the altitude of 200ft. above the lake; some are less in 

 height; some are bare, with the exception of a bunch of 

 grass or vines in the form of a crater hollowed out by 

 the violent winds that blow at times over this coast. 

 Others are clothed from bottom to top with timber of 

 various kinds, from white and red cedar to hard maple. 

 Within sight of where I am now writing there is red oak 

 of from 8 to 3|ft. in diameter, also hard maple 21ft. and 

 beech 18 to 20in. The hills run back as far as half a mile 



