4S4 
live in hovels contrived of rough boards and juniper 
bark, which stand about 6in. above the surrounding water 
on the sawed-off stumps of trees which have been felled. 
There is no terra firma, and no ground to stand on ex- 
cept a narrow platform yi front of each door, from which 
perch and bream can be caught when needed for a meal. 
Pots and kettles are set on tubs filled with sand, where 
a small fire is built. Often in cold weather the tenants 
build rousing fires inside, and camps have been known to 
burn up, in spite of the water, all around them. The 
tramways are operated by mule power, and when the flat 
cars go into the woods, the animals traverse an inter- 
mediate plank between the w^ooden rails ; but as there are 
no siding, turn tables, or platforms at the end of the 
track, and only water space to stand on, the mules just 
jump the tracks in order to reverse for the return trips. 
In the course of time they become quite expert in this 
feat, and get into position without waiting for orders. 
Good sheds are provided for them, with plenty of prog; 
and in these respects they fare far better than the men. 
In these somber swamps the "juniper greens," dense 
with foliage, alternate with "reed lights," which are 
known in most localities as canebrakes, or slashes ; and I 
have more than once experienced a joyous relief upon 
emerging from the cheerless monotony of the timber into 
these grateful open spaces of many acres in extent, where 
the sun falls unintercepted by branches, or foliage of any 
sort. So that, to my sensibility, no designation can be 
more appropriate than "reed lights," which are indeed a 
light in the darkness, and very grateful to the eye. In- 
terspersed throughout the broad expanse of wilderness 
are "oak islands" and "pine hamiks" of dry soil, like 
those of the Florida everglades. (Don't say hammocks, 
or hummocks. Hamik is the original Seminole vernacu- 
lar, and is correct.) Bear trails cross these patches of 
cane from forest to forest; and in parts of the country 
which have been drained and cultivated, and planted in 
corn, with fields of the succulent stalks and roasting ears 
interspersed throughout, the bears of whatever class or 
designation have advantages in the way of forage such as 
are enjoyed nowhere else in the world, and the stump 
bear has as "good a show as any of them." 
Charles Hallock. 
In the Olympics, 
We have received from the Field Columbian Museum 
of Chicago the report of D. G. Elliot, F. R. S. E., of the 
expedition made last season to the Olympic Mountams, 
Washington. The story of the trip gives an excellent 
picture of mountain wilderness travel with a pack train, 
and we transfer it for the benefit of the Forest and 
Stream^'s public: 
The expedition to the Olympic Mountains, authorized 
by the Executive Committee of the Field Columbian 
Museum, left Chicago on the i6th of July, 1898, going via 
Seattle to Port Angeles, on the Straits of Fuca. At 
Port Angeles most of the outfitting was accomplished, 
and on the 24th of July, the pack train, consisting of 
nine horses, carrying our camp equipage, and conducted 
by six men, left the town, and started on the journey into 
the interior of the mountains, which loomed grand and 
massive before us, their rugged sides and towering peaks, 
many of them crowned with snow, shadowed in the 
clear waters of the sea that washed the shore at their 
feet. The first day we only traveled about ten miles, 
along a well-made road, that is intended eventually to 
reach Lakes Southerland and Crescent, the most an- 
portant bodies of fresh water in this remote corner of 
Washington. From our camp, known as MacDonald's 
Ranch, there was only a narrow trail running along 
the eastern bank of the Elwah River, which rushes and 
boils with a wonderful rapidity and force m its head- 
long march to the sea. The trail by no means keeps near 
to the stream, but mounts occasionally several hundred 
feet above it, and one, from these heights can look 
down, almost perpendicularly at times, through the forest 
of mighty trees, and catch here and there amid the 
foliage, glimpses of the foam-covered, troubled waters. _ 
Our difficulties of the march commenced at the begin- 
ning, for one of the horses, while attempting to pass a 
slippery spot on the trail, missed his footing, and rolled 
with his pack some 50ft. into the valley below. He 
struck on his back with a force that awoke all the echoes 
of the mountains, and we hastened to where he had 
fallen, expecting to meet only a mangled body, instead of 
which we found he had struggled to his feet and was yawn- 
ing mightily as if he had just awoke from a sound sleep. He 
had struck squarely on his back, and as he happened to 
be carrying the bedding, the soft blankets, etc., had saved 
him probably from instant death. As it was, he escaped 
with the loss of one eye, which had struck on a root 
as he reached the ground. We camped that evening at a 
deserted ranch, owned by a Swede by the name of 
Johnson, who, suffering from an attack of gold fever, had 
gone to the Klondike. The camp was on the bank of 
the river, about xoft. higher than the water, and a short 
distance, above a canon. This was about looft. wide, with 
perpendicular walls, between which the river tore along 
with irresistible strength. In the spring, during floods 
huge trees, perhaps 30ft. in circirmference, are hurled 
through this gorge with the power of a catapult, and in 
a crevasse of the rocks one old forest monarch has been 
wedged by the power of the furious river, 20ft. above its 
ordinary level. We remained in this camp a week, and 
obtained a large number of desirable mammals. 
Our route from here was across the river, and at the 
end of the week the water had fallen sufficiently to permit 
our horses to cross at a ford a short distance above 
our present position. Two miles above, on the western 
bank, we camped near the mouth of a brawling stream 
that tore down the valley, coming from far in the moun- 
tains, and was lost in the rushing Elwah. From this 
point there was no trail, and for the next ten days the 
men were busy cutting a path through the forest on the 
mountain sides, until they reached a height where the 
trees became fewer, and then gradually disappeared at 
timber line. We were trying to reach the country where 
the elk were accustomed to pass the summer, just be- 
FOHEST AND STREAM. 
neath the everlasting snow of the higher range. The 
forest was primeval, and the individual trees gigantic, 
many mounting upward for 150ft., perhaps more, with- 
out a branch, a massive trunk rising in the air straight as 
a needle. These magnificent cedars are characteristic of 
the northwestern forests, and are very impressive from 
their enormous size. Tlie journey up this trail was a 
very rough one — hard on men and horses. Two of these 
the first day indulged in some somersaults, which, for- 
tunately, did no damage to them or their loads, and we 
eventually arrived at a small pond named Happy Lake, a 
view of which is here given, and camped. The trail, ho_w- 
e;ver, had been so steep, exactly like crawling up one side 
•Of a peaked roof, that the loads on the horses had to be 
materially reduced, as it was impossible for them to 
climb heavily loaded as they were, and it was several days 
before all our impedimenta was gathered into camp. We 
were now at a height of something between 5,000 and 
6,oooft. ; my aneroid gave 5,300 ; but I think it under- 
rated the elevation, as I had noticed it was not so accu- 
rate when tested with known heights, as it had originally 
been. Our first camp was near the borders of Happy 
Lake, but the mosquitoes were so numerous and extra 
ferocious that we were obliged next morning to move to 
a locality about three-quarters of a mile away, where a 
level place sufficiently large was found, on which to pitch 
our tents. This was not by any means an unusual occur- 
rence in our journeying through these mountains. They 
were so exceedingly steep, and their sides so broken up 
by ravines, landslides, and every kind of objtruction in- 
imical to level ground and peaceful progress, that places 
suitable as sites for tents were not easy to find. The ac- 
companying views give a very good idea of the appearance 
of Happy Lake, and of the first location of our camp in 
the vicinity. Some elk signs had been seen in our 
wandering about the neighboring "hog-backs" and peaks, 
and in one spot was plainly visible, where four of the 
animals, affrighted at some object or sound, had dashed 
down the almost perpendicular side of the mountain into 
the depths below. So steep was this descent that none of 
us would have cared to attempt it, but fear may at 
times carry animals in safety through perils, which if 
dared in cold blood would have probably caused their 
destruction. 
We were nearly three weeks at this camp, during which 
time we were engaged cutting a trail further into the 
mountains, and hunting and exploring their valleys and 
summits. Flowers of all kinds and hues were blooming 
in profusion about us, and certain tracts were a mass of 
one solid brilliant color, as though laid out by the hand 
of some skillful gardener. Our tents were pitched on the 
edge of a ravine, at the bottom of which flowed the 
waters of Happy Lake on their way to the sea. and across 
this and over the ridge of the Storm King range, rising 
above Lake Crescent, we could see on a clear day the 
waters of Fuca Straits, with the ships sailing from or 
to the Pacific, and the island of Vancouver beyond, with 
its surface broken by hills and high mountain ranges. 
South of the camp rose a lofty "hog-back," from whose 
crest could be obtained a fine view to the north and south. 
This ridge terminated in a steep peak toward the west, 
from which one looked down into the yawning depths 
beneath. 
Nothing is gradual in these mountains, extremes are 
always present. Everything seems to stand on one end 
like the trees, and the soil is only kept from tumbling 
into the valleys by the rocks, which seem every moment 
about to lose their hold and da.sh into the abysses below 
them. Looking south from this "hog-back," across the 
intervening valleys, through one of which flowed the 
waters of the creek, known as Boulder, and which 
emptied into the Elwah, near our second camp on that 
stream, could be seen the north wall of the central snow 
range, rising perpendicularly from the valley, and in- 
accessible from that side by even a goat. Its summit was 
broken by many a yawning chasm of unknown depths, 
and on whose brink no foot of man had ever trod, with 
craters of extinct volcanoes opening their great mouths 
to the sky and disclosing their smooth interior walls go- 
ing sheer down for hundreds of feet until hidden in 
the depths, or disappearing in the snowdrifts that filled 
the interior two-thirds to the crater's lip. In one of the 
strolls around camp Mr. Akeley, who took all the views 
that illustrate this paper, found a squirrel asleep op a 
log, and after getting the proper focus, he awoke the little 
fellow, who, disgusted at being disturbed in his nap, began 
to swear at his tormentor in the most vociferous and 
reprehensible manner. While in this excited condition 
his portrait was taken, as shown in the accompanying 
view. 
The • trees at this altitude were black spruce, hem- 
lock and firs, giving a somber and lonely appearance to 
the landscape. The spruce grew in clumps of six or 
eight, ranged generally in a circle, their branches sweep- 
ing the ground, and affording in their midst a good 
shelter from the wind and rain, but they were good for 
very little else. Although we hunted continually, no 
elk were seen while we remained at this camp, and deer, 
the true black-tail (O. hemionus. Rafln.), the only 
species found in these mountains, were very scarce, and 
we only succeeded in obtaining a doe and a fawn. But 
our collection increased considerably, although the variety 
was not great. I do not think I was ever before in a 
country that was apparently so devoid of animal life. 
One might walk for days and see nothing save a squirrel, 
chipmunk, or bluejay, and only occasionally be challenged 
from the higher peaks by some watchful marmot, whose 
shrill whistle awoke the echoes around, as he expressed 
his disgust at the intrusion of an inquisitive and trouble- 
some biped. Not far from our tents, measured by dis- 
tance, but exceedingly far off when the climb back was 
considered, for it was situated deep dowri in a valley by 
a running stream, was a colony of the unique Seweflel, a 
species that seems to have lingered beyond its time on 
the earth, and known to the people as mountain beaver or 
farmers, though seldom had any one seen the animal. An 
account of its queer appearance and strange habits is given 
in the proper place in the catalogue of mammals included 
in this paper. ^ 
By the newly-ci^t trail along the hog-back and 
through the forest which covered portions of the route, 
we made our way to our next camp, further in the moun- 
tains and nearer to the forbidding north wall of the main 
snow range, We overlooked a small lake lying deep 
{hm (Mi 
down in a hollow, known to us as Boulder Lake, and 
whose waters, plunging down a precipitous cliff at the 
outlet, formed the creek that terminated at the Elwah 
River. The chffs were covered with loose stones and 
sand, and were in all but a few places impossible to 
climb. The summits on the south of this lake were so 
broken by jagged ridges, impassable ravines, snowfields 
of uncertain depths and yawning chasms, that progress 
in any direction was out of the question. 
It was soon ascertained that it would be impossible to 
go further south, either with horses or men, and as elk 
seemed to be exceedingly scarce in the locality, I desired 
to cross, if possible, the intervening range to the west 
and strike the headwaters of the Solduck, a river of 
similar character to the Elwah, but smaller, and which 
emptied into the Pacific Ocean. Mr. Akeley and two 
men made a day's trip to see what could be done, and 
reached the second ridge to the westward.. They found 
five lakes, one of which they named Elliot Lake, It lies 
well toward the snow range, deep down amid the moun- 
tains, and is square in shape, quite different in this re- 
spect from all the other bodies of water, which are either 
oval or round. Elliot Lake is, perhaps, about one-third 
of a mile in length, of great depth apparently, and prob- 
ably occupies a small crater of some extinct volcano, 
From its isolated and almost unapproachable position it 
will probably never become a summer resort for tourists, 
nor is it likely that many persons will ever gaze upon its 
quiet waters. The "hog-backs" in many -places were so 
sharp that it was necessary to place one toot on each 
side of the ridge and so shuffle along, while the perpendi 
cular sides shot down below many hundred feet, and the 
slightest stumble, or rolling stones or sand might cause 
the loss of foothold, followed by a swift descent into the 
depths, and consequent utter annihilation of the explorers. 
One more effort was made to find a passage to the west 
for our train, and I sent our three men, who were gone 
two days and a night, and who reported that it was im- 
possible to go further. We seemed to have reached the 
stopping place, and that wings were the only possible 
means of locomotion in any direction save on our back 
trail. 
From certain points on the ridges fine views of Mt. 
Olympus were obtained, and the great mountain loomed 
heavenward bearing its mighty glaciers and fields of 
snow that glistened in the sun. Rumblings were heard as 
if avalanches were descending; these succeeded by a 
crash after a few seconds' interval, and this was im- 
agined to be some swift-moving glacier on Olympus that 
reached the edge of a chasm, broke off and fell into the 
gorge, possibly the cafion of the Hoh, in a similar man- 
ner as the Muir glacier is constantly throwing off bergs 
with explosions like the discharges of artillery. 
Further progress being impossible, I decided to re- 
trace our steps, descend the Elwah to a point where our 
first camp from Port Angeles was made, and cross by a 
trail that led to Lakes Southerland and Crescent, and 
then follow up the Solduck and cross to the headwaters 
of the Bogashiel River, which is stated to take its rise 
from one of the glaciers on Mt. Olympus. _ Great fires 
were now raging in the mountains, as no rain had fallen 
for six weeks, and dense smoke obscured aU the view 
and effectually put an end to photographing. x'V perfectly 
beaten and easy trail runs along the Solduck, and horses 
travel it frequently, but from the Solduck to the Bogashiel 
is another matter. The trip to the latter river was suc- 
cessful, five elk having been obtained, but the animals 
were scarce and they were only procured after much toil 
and deprivation. The country, when the vicinity of the 
snow range is reached, is so rough and broken that it is 
next to impossible for a man to travel over it, and to 
take horses is out of the question, and ours were left for a 
month shut in a grassy place. Everything must be car- 
ried on one's back, and every year the elk that remain are 
retiring further into the recesses of the mountains. The 
rainy season had also set in, and out of thirty days it 
poured more or less in torrents for twenty-eight. On 
this elk trip no collection of small mammals was made. 
A fine series of fish was procured froin the two lakes, em- 
bracing every species known to inhabit these waters, and 
some new ones. A list of these will be published by my 
chief assistant, Dr. S. E. Meek. The trout in Lake Cres- 
cent grow to an enormous size, and one specimen was 
taken that weighed I3lbs. Altogether between 500 and 
600 and 600 specimens of mammals were obtained, with 
few exceptions embracing all the species known to in- 
habit the region, besides the fish above mentioned, and 
sundry reptiles and insects. 
Tlie Wild Pigeon in New England in 1663 
In looking through one of the earliest publications re- 
lating to New England, I came across the passage quoted 
below. As much interest has been manifested of late in 
regard to the life history of the wild pigeon in the United 
States, and as the work referred to is probably not ac- 
cessible to many of your readers, I thought it might be 
well to put this in print. The title is, "Two Voyages to 
New England, Made During the Years 1638-63, by John 
Josselyn, Gent Published in 1674." I am not so fortu- 
nate as to possess an original copy; this is from the Bos- 
ton reprint of 1865, and is from the "Second Voyage" 
(1663), which has a quite full account of the wild beasts, 
birds and fishes of the new settlement : 
"The Pidgeons, of which there are millions of millions. 
I have seen a flight of Pidgeons in the Spring, and at 
Michaelmas when they return back to the Southward, for 
four or five miles, that to my thinking had neither be- 
ginning nor ending, length nor breadth, and so thick that 
I could see no Sun. They joyn Nest to Nest, and Tree to 
Tree by their Nests many nyles together in Pine-Trees. 
I have bought at Boston a dozen of Pidgeons ready pulled 
and garbidgd for three pence. But of late they are much 
diminished, the English taking them with Nets." 
It will be noted that the wild pigeons began to be 
"much diminished" even at that early date. 
F. C. Browne. " 
Framingham, Mass. 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday, 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at the 
latest by Monday and as mucb earlier 3s practicable. 
