S22 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Oct. 25, 1902. 
—€> 
A Trip to the High Sierras. -III. 
{Coftiinued from page 8H.) 
There was a little delay in starting the next morn- 
ing, our cunning old horse had hidden himself so se- 
curel.v in an alder thicket that it took one hour's search 
to dislodge him. his feet, also, were in bad shape, and 
as one of the men in a party that came in the night be- 
fore was a fairly good blacksrtiith. we had him reshod. 
The rain had ceased; everything seemed favorable, and 
we set of? in high spirits for Farewell Gap. Wc reached 
the summit after a stifif climb, about 11 o'clock. The view 
from this point, looking north and south, is said to be 
the most extensive that can be seen from any trail in 
this section, and I do not remember of having seen it 
surpassed since I stood upon Mt. Hood in 1866. This 
range forms the divide between the Kaweah and the 
Little Kern rivers, the latter being one of the most fa- 
mous trout streams in- a region where they are excep-' 
tionally abundant everywhere. 
Just over the divide was an immense snow drift, where 
the river has its origin, the trail running within a few 
yards of its edge, and only a few feet below began a 
meadow equal in beauty to any that we saw on the trip. 
On the upper end was about two acres that was an un- 
broken mass of blue lupins; next came an acre or more 
of Mariposa lilies, and then a vast kaleidoscope of purple 
daisies, columbines, shooting stars, etc, all in full bloom. 
Woodchucks and hummingbirds were plentiful, and 
here, for the firt and only time, we saw a strange look- 
ing black and white bird about the size and appearance 
of a magpie, but with longer legs and bill, flying about 
among the rocks. 
Black clouds, riven by frequent flashes of lightning 
were rapidly rising in the west, as we descended the 
northern slope, and knowing that three miles down on 
the Kern there was a deserted cabin, we pushed on with- 
out delay with the hope of escaping the storm. These 
storms are quite common in -the mountains here during 
the summer; they can be seen from, bvit never reach 
Visalia. and the heat there is more oppressive when they 
occur than at any other time. 
The "Broder Cabin." toward which we were hasten- 
ing, is a relic of the old Mineral King mining excite- 
ment, and Avas built by John Broder, one of the present 
proprietors of the camp at the giant forest, several years 
ago. and as there is no house within six miles of it in 
any direction, it has since furnished a welcome refuge to 
many a storm-beaten party of hunters and tourists. It 
was raining steadily as we drove up to it. and tumbled 
our pack into the open doorway, a building 15x30 feet 
in size, with neither door or window, bttt fortunately, 
with a tight roof. It was built of very large logs, 
and the roof was well braced to stand the weight of 
heav3' snows. In one end was a tumble-down fireplace 
and in the other a bunk rtuniing the width of the build- 
ing, with a smaller one at the side; a rough table of 
shakes was fastened to the wall, with a log on lour legs 
for a bench in front of it; primitive enough, it is true, 
but it represented all that we required for the time 
being, and we thanked our stars for Broder's happy fore- 
thought. The cabin was located in a grove of tamarack, 
with a small stream, suitable for all household purposes, 
within ten yards of the door on one side, and on the 
other the Little Kern, full of trout, went brawling along 
forty feet below. 
There wa.s a good supply of firewood inside, left by 
some thoughtful predecessor, and we were soon engaged' 
in drying our clothes and preparing dinner. The rain 
continued, with every prospect of a wet night, and the 
afternoon wore away imtil about 4 o'clock, ^when the 
tramp of horses outside aroused us. and we were sur- 
. prised by the arrival of a party of five men and two 
women from Mineral King, en route for Kern Lake, 
twenty-five miles distant. They were orange growers 
from Lemon Cove, who had improved the interval be- 
tween the irrigating and harvest season by a trip up to 
the snowy range. All were experienced moutitain trav- 
elers, and their outfit left but little to be desired. Beside 
their riding animals, they had five fine pack mules, a wall 
tent, canned fruits and vegetables, honey, etc., three rilles 
and as many split-bamboo fly-rods. 
The interior of Broder's cabin, with its blazing fire and 
dry couches, presented such a contrast to the muddy 
trails and dripping trees outside that they determined to 
go no further that night, but it did not prevent two. of 
the most enthusiastic fishermen of the party from joint- 
ing their rods as soon as the ladies had been attended 
to and descending to the river, from which they re- 
turned two hours later soaked to the skin, but bringing 
over fifty trout, enough for the whole party. In the evening 
we all gathered about the great stone fireplace, and 
while the women mixed bread and arranged the t^able. 
decorating it with flowers in tomato cans, the men fried 
flapjacks and trout, smoked their pipes and told stories 
of former experiences in the mountains. They had 
hunted for deer without success at Bear Paw and Min- 
eral King, and were now lieaded for Kern River, where 
report said they were more plentiful. 
The steady patter of the rain upon the shake-covered 
roof enhanced the cosy appearance of the interior, which 
the deft fingers of the women soon gave quite a liome- 
like appearance. During the afternoon a lifll in the 
storm had occurred that the men took advantage of to 
pitch the tent near the cabin, and a portion of the latter 
was partitioned off with tent cloth to make an apartment 
for the ladies that night. By 10 o'clock most of the party 
were asleep, only to be aroused a little later by the clatter 
of wood rats among the dishes on the table. Knowing 
the thievish propensities of these mischievous little 
'■ rodents, the women hastily arose and secured all the 
ispoons and cutlery, after which we knew nothing more 
until a vigorous yell from those in the tent outside an- 
tiounced the dawn of another day. 
■ 'Breakfast having been partially prepared the night 
before, the men sallied out at once after the horses, and 
sooii after sunrise, with every pro.spect of a fine day be- 
fore them, our friends took their departure, leaving D. 
and I again the sole occupants of the Broder cabm, 
We had intended going from the little Kern to Kern 
Lake, twenty-five miles further on, btit the trail, which 
was very steep and rocky, had been rendered still more 
difhcult by the recent rains; the time allotted for oiu' 
vacation had also nearly expired, and we reluctantly de- 
cided to spend another night where we were, and return 
to Mineral King. It was with much regret that we 
reached this decision. Kern is many times larger than 
Eagle Lake, and abounds in bigger trout, that take both 
and spoon readily, and I had anticipated much 
pleasure from our visit there. Perhaps this regret would 
have been even more poignant than it was had the.se 
been the only considei'ations. but I confess that I missed 
the elasticity of limb that nearly forty years ago had 
carried me so easily to the crest of those mighty bul- 
warks that gird the glories of Yosemite, and realized thai 
the long intervening years of sedentary life but poorly 
fitted me for a task that many a younger man would 
shrink from attempting on foot. 
Little Kern River is nearly as famous for rattlesnakes 
as it is for trout, a reptile that D. was very anxious to 
meet in its native wilds. Since we had entered the 
mountains we had seen scores of places where they had 
crossed the road; the}^ had been killed in front and 
behind us, and we had even heard the shots that de- 
stroyed them, but not a liv3 snake had we seen. Some 
of the ladies of the Sierra Club wore skins about their 
hats, whose original vvearers had be?n destroyed by their 
own fair hands, and we Avere a.ssured that they Avere so 
numerous on the Little Kern that it was unsafe to fish 
there. All of which had made D. more anxious than 
ever to reach it. 
Accordingly he and I a little later in the forenoon 
started down the river on an exploring expedition. 
Hunting rattlesnakes not being so much of a novelty 
to the writer. I took the rod and flies along as a fairly 
good substitute, especially as the appetites of our de- 
parted friends had not left a A'ery large supply of trout 
on hand, and while D. \A'as searching the adjacent rocks 
I whipped the pools for our dinner. The rain of the 
previous night had doubled their volume and changed 
them to a milky hue, making the fishing much poorer 
than is u'sual in this prolific stream; but there was not 
much difficulty in getting enough for our modest re- 
quirements. Not so, however. Avith the quest of D.: 
there was a serious deficiency in the A'isible supply of 
snakes, and the most careful search failed to bring a 
single rattler in sight. Perhaps it was the still dripping 
vegetation that kept the elusive ophidians so persistently 
under cover; but I shall ahvays believe it was situply 
"kismet." Frank's two most ardent desires Avhcn we left 
Visalia were to kill a deer and capture a rattlesnake, and 
these Avere the only" two possibilities of the trip that failed 
to materialize. 
Near the river, about a mile 'below iTie cabin. We found 
a soda spring, Avho.se waters w^ere so deliciously pungent 
that it only needed a little syrup to furnish a beverage 
equal to any city fountain. About noon dark clouds-agalh 
began rolling up from the Avest. and althou.gh Ave has- 
tened our return, we Were caught in a shower before 
reaching the cabin. A Avet afternoon foUoAved. during 
which two of the surveying party at Mineral King ar- 
rived dripping like drowned rats. They had been caught 
by the storm Avhen crossing the summit at the gai). 
flailstones tine size of hens' egss drove their horses 
distracted, and they had been obliged to seek shelter 
under their canvas pack cover to save themsch^es from 
injury. We Avere pleased to be able to return, through 
them', the kindness of Capt. Barnard, and while they 
dried their clothes at the fire, we Avarnied Uieir atoniachs 
with internal stimulants. 
The surveyors did not pass the night AAnth us, but de- 
parted for Big Kern River during a lull in the storni. 
irhere were no other arrivals during our stay at the cabin, 
which D. and I occupied alone that night. 
The next morning dawned bright and beautiful, and 
we took advantage of it to return to .Mineral King. Our 
stay there was for one night only, and the next morning 
we" started on our long trek down the mountain by the 
stage road to Visalia. About a mile below the canon 
contracts to a Avidth of perhaps fifty yards, with abrupt 
walls on either side. Here a fence with a carria.gc gate- 
Avay had been thrown across to prevent the egress ot 
stock, making an excellent and fairly secure pasture of 
all the meadoAvs between it and the summit of Farewell 
Gap, Tavo miles below this brought us again Avithin 
the park limits, Avhere Ave found a detachment of the 
cavalry guard encamped. Sequoias were ciuite numerous 
here, but not as large as those in the A-icinity of Sierra 
Camp. The park at this point is about eleven miles wide 
and six miles below the encampment. In the very center 
of the park AVe found a large saw mill in operation, 
Avorking those magnificent trees into lumber. There are, 
Ave understood, 360 acres here belonging to private par- 
ties; but the devastation being Avrought is sad to con- 
template, and it Avould seem advisable for the Goa^m-u- 
ment to purchase it and remove this cancer spot from 
this fair domain. Two or three miles below this Avere 
the ruins of another saAV mill, that had been destroyed 
b> a snow-slide. Nothing had been removed, and the 
ground Avas strewn Avith Avrecked machinery. Moun- 
tain quail, the last Ave Avere to see, were very plenty 
and altnost as tame as chickens. 
In the afternoon we reached Grunegan's Ranch, a 
home station for the stages, eighteen miles from and 
3,000 feet below Mineral King. Meals and stock feed could 
be had at reasonable rates, and there we met a few sum- 
mer boarders to Avhom the extreme heat of the valley and 
the altitude of Mineral King were equally objectionable. 
The place was just outside the park limit, and although 
ir. the caiion, gave evidence of thrift and industry. The 
house AA'as quite large. Avith a fine veranda that had a 
magnificent westerly view on the .slope. Above it were 
many trees laden Avith fruit, and beloAV Avas the barn and 
stockyards. Almost every rod of the road to this point 
had been a steep down-grade. We spent the night in 
the barn, and after a good breakfast the next morning, 
continued on doAvn the canon. Valley quail and doves 
now began to appear, and seven miles below we came to 
the power hou.se that furnishes Visalia Avith 2,000 electri- 
cal horse poAver for its street railroads, flotir mills, etc. 
The flume starts near Grunegan's. and in .seven miles they 
secure a fall of 1,300 feet. The Avorks Avere a model of 
their kind, und did cr?(iit ta both builders, and manager. 
Five miles further down brought us to Britton Bros.' 
store, our next stopping place, and legs than a mile from 
Three RiA^ers, mentioned in the first number. Here D. 
and I passed our last night out of doors, rolled in our 
blankets beneath a tree in the great corral. 
This is one of the finest places in the mountains. The 
cailon expands into a small valley, with pastures and 
meadows, fruit trees and gardens, and seems to be as well 
adapted to citrus culture as Lemon Coa'C. The store 
was well stocked Avith every A'ariety of merchandise, and 
close by was a large shop owned by the firm, run by & 
turbine and supplied with laths, planers, circular sawsv 
drilling and boring machines, capable of repairing any 
machinery in use in that section. 
Learning that there was a daily sta'ge from Three- 
Rivers, we sold our outfit and engaged passage in it tO' 
Visalia. The return trip was by the same foflte over 
Avhich Ave had so Avearily plodded on foot in the intense 
heat on our way up, only instead of taking tvA'o days, it 
Avas less than five hours from the time that -vve started 
until the stage drew up before the Palace JTofel irt 
Visalia. Here we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. JohrP 
Broder, the builder of the famous Broder cabin, that bad- 
been to us and many others such a Avelcome refuge on' 
the Little Kern. It is not Hkely that Mr. Broder had 
the public welfare in view when he erected that cabin.- 
but as he took us by the hand that evening -in the hotel! 
Avith the memory of the two days and night spent there' 
so vividly before us, it was impossible for us to regard 
him otherw^ise than a public benefactor of the highest 
order. He had just come in frotn Sierra Camp, of which 
he Avas one of the proprietors, and Ave Avere glad to have 
an opportunity to return the many kindnesses he had 
shown us while Ave Avere staying there. 
The return to Visalia practically ended our trip, but it 
is Avith a lingering regret that I lay down a pen Avhose 
services have, again brought before me each salient in- 
cident of the most pleasurable outing I have enjoyed in 
many years. Good fortuite attended us in most things 
from the start. The moral standard of Visalia is not 
considered by many to be as high as that of some of 
the sample tOAvns on the coast. There is more than an 
average number of saloons to the square rod, and in 
vears gone by, it has been the headquarters of several 
distinct gangs of train robbers; but during our stay- 
there Ave Avere treated Avith marked kindness, and the 
outfit Ave purchased at the general store of L. N. \A'oods 
was first-q)ass in every respect. No doubt much of this 
was due to our introduction by Mr. Huntley, Avho stands 
as high there as does Gokey of DaAvson; but Ave found 
it the same with the nark guards, and also at Sierra 
Camp and Mineral King. The meeting Avith Muir, 
Merriam. Hittell and Keith; the .glorious evcnmgs at 
Alta McadoAvs and Eagle Lake; the tine fishmg; the 
grand scenery— all these arc things \vc can live over and 
over again, as time rolls away. 
One' other factor in this connection I must mention, 
the last and best of all. coming like the dessert, the Aval- 
nuts and the wine at the end of a feast— the companion^ 
ship of one Avhose tastes and impulses were perfectly 
in harmony with my OAvn; one whose love for nature in 
its Avildcst- and grandest forms, and whose delight lu 
probing the mvsteries that surround the lives of the shy 
denizens of flood and forest, I have never seen sur- 
passed; the friend of my early youth, who, although 
separated by vears piled Upon years and thousands of 
miles that intervened, never failed to welcome my rare 
returns to the town of my birtii with an affection sur- 
passing that of a brother; the one, in short, whom I 
woidd have chosen above all others for a companion. 
His presence alone avouUI have made a desert blossom 
as a garden of roses. The locks of both are noAV thickly 
sprinkled with .gray, our steps have lost the elastic spring 
of vouth, and our eves do not catch the sights of a rifle 
a-^ quickly as formerly, but the lapse of time has only 
more fi^rmlv cemented the friendship of early manhood, 
and to haVe him with me as I did, formed a fitting • 
climax to what is quite possibly the last extensive qltting , 
that will ever fall to the lot of old 
Forked Deek. 
A Pretty Side Trip. 
Ficw of the transcontinental passengers over the C. ^ 
P. R. know what an attractive side trip can be made ' 
hv steamer from Rat Portage, Ontario, to Llarding, 
Minnesota, a distance of about 240 miles. _ I had not 
looked for fine steel steamers luxuriously furnished on 
Lake-of-the-Woods, for I had just the geography idea; 
of that locality, and I did not know that there Avere 
14,000 surveyed islands in Lake-of-the-Woods, and thati 
it AA'as the most beautiful island scenery that one can^ 
imagine. The Rainy Lake steamers that make part of , 
the side trip are not luxurious, and one realizes that hdl 
is on the frontier. There Avas eA'idence of that all along. 
In the lumber regions, for instance, about CA'cry man^ 
Avho was not at Avork Avas drunk. Good fellows, all 
right, but drunk, nevertheless. On the United States 
side of the boundary there is no license, for the country 
is not organized, and there is no one to whom liquor 
license is to be paid. The result is that any one can 
start any sort of a dive that he chooses, and be respon- 
s-ble to nobody. I Avondered how one of the little 
steamers could earn sufficient income to pay running, 
Expenses, but learned that it was easy if one only knew' 
how'. The captain apologized for giving us "nothing; 
but moose and ducks for meat," because, he said, thati 
beef was pretty high, We stopped to get several cords 
of wood for the boiler, and I Avas informed that Uncle 
Sam owned the wood. The moose and ducks are shot 
by the stCAvard. It is a part of his irksome duty.^ Noav 
I can run a steamer for myself if some one Avill furnish 
proA'isions for the passengers, and if fuel is free. The 
only thing that would bother me would be the first costi 
of the steamer, but I am sure that there must be some 
way to get around that, too, if one is only trained to it.i 
While we were in the Rainy Lake region — about three 
Aveeks altogether — we only had four days without rain., 
I remarked to one of my guides that the lakes were 
well named, and he patrioticalh'^ assured me that it did 
not often rain there and that they were named after » 
man by the name of Rainy Avho discovered them. Thi 
guide -was . a charaqter, I secured Mm writing to the 
