June, 24, 1905.3 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
499 
Wild West exhibition of bucking horses, except this last 
one. It's so dif¥erent to merely look on from being com- 
pelled to participate. There was one buckskin mare aptly 
called "Son oi a Gun," whose duty it became to carry the 
flour. To this she objected all at once with such genuine 
fervor that a Wild West show would pay any amount 
of money for such a star bucker. With rigid legs and 
high arched back she atftrttd like a whirlwind through 
the line of pack horses. The enthusiasm of thi multitude 
roge to a high pitch; everybody was laughing, screaming, 
yelling and whistling until the town of Kooskia was 
Wrapped up in one big cloud Of dust J the center of which 
was "Son of a Gun'* and around her a frenzied band of 
some twenty horses all stampeded and going in as many 
different directions. - When the Storm^ had subdued and 
spent its fury the shore was strewn with debris from the 
pack saddles liberally Sprinkled with flour. 
Roughly speaking, that paft of tlie Rfeot Motititaitt set 
aside as forest reserve has the shape Of the lettef E; The 
ihain fahgfe fuhhihg north ahd south, divides Idaho from 
Montana; extending ihtO Idaho We find notth the; divide 
between North Fork of Clearwater Rivef aiid Lot'hsa j , iii 
the center the divide between Lochsa and Selway, wnicri 
later forms the middle fork of the Clearwater and south 
the divide between Selway and the Salmon River. This 
way of dividing, while more convenient than accurate, 
nevertheless gives a general topographic picture of the 
mountains. Through these lead three main trails. North 
the famous Lo-Lo trail, in the center the one over Lost 
Horse Pass and south the Nez Perces Trail. 
These trails, to which may be added a number of trap- 
pers' trails, have been used by the Indians fof age§, espe- 
cially the Lo-Lo, which in 1877 was the scene of the Nez 
PerCeS insuf reCtionSi It then was cut eight feet wide 
by the Goverhrtieht t6 facilitate . the transportation of 
troops and artillery, The Lo-Lo is a Verf old tfall,- fef 
We.klipw that the Nez PereeS used it lohg befoffe L6wi§ 
ind Ciafk, hot deterred by the foi-bidding aspect of the 
touhtry, cfosset^. oVii- this satrie ti-ail ih.iSds to reach a 
winter camp, where how stahds th& iitf di Lewistoh; 
Idaho. 
To carry out our plan of campaign it was impossible 
to follow out either trail. We did not know then how 
difficult it would be to trust to these irregular affairs. 
Says Waldemar Lindgren, in his report to the Govern- 
tnent: "Ordinarily mountain ranges, adjoining thickly 
Populated valleys, abound in trails or even roads and are 
well known and frequented by the inhabitants of the 
pMni. But the Bitterroot Ratige is different, its lofty 
Summits are without the attfaetlotii of floWety meadows 
and easy path, only the hunter and eMtilofef peiiitfatis 
its wilderness; Continuous traveling aletig the divides 
is impossible) oh horseback of oh foot; Ih the CfCek bot- 
toms, treaehefoui SWampJ*- arSai, a slendif but impenf- 
trable growth of lodge-pole pihe, ianglefl uhd6fb.fush aM 
fallen logs make travel difficult even along the few trails 
which cross the range or ascend the gulches. Between 
Lo-Lo and Nez Perces passes the only safe horse trail 
across the range is that leading up Lost Horse Creek, and 
seven, this is far from being an easy one." 
t fully agi'eg with this; At fira^ we followed the right 
bank of the Middle Fork of the Cleafwat&r, aftef tefditt| 
above Kooskia. This took us to the forks of Lochsa arid 
Selway, where we camped. From here we ascended the 
divide between Lochsa and Selway and followed a trail 
to Fish Locke over the Craigs and spurs of Old Man's 
Creek, From there we had to pick our way via Lost 
Knife Meadows to Beargrass Mountain and Jerry John- 
son's Hot Springs, left over the old trappers' trail to 
reach the Lo-Lo near Indian Post Office and followed 
this trail out into Montana: .... 
Ih this way wfe got aequrtihted with all kiilds tif trails, 
fc)F th.eni in a ei-miihai Stai,e .Bf MgMU Only qm 
Htllfe. stretch was in perfect, cQndition,,and I learii thai JO^ 
Fberle is the man who made it so. This man, a Uhitga 
States Forest Ranger, must be an indefatigable worker, 
judging from what he has accomplished on the Lo-Lo be- 
tween the Lochsa and Lo-Lo Pass. Of course the Lo-Lo, 
from where we, struck it, was a revelation to us, having 
seen What we ^i'i. Bui eVeh in comparison, to this, Joe's 
trails looked, iike ft hpwlii^ig olHghvise, , the trails 
hU imJ?bsSibi]itieS^ahd iheii^ eonditioh heSds the SefioiiS 
tiltfciitioh of the Govefniiieht. . j • h 
I understand perfectly that the clearing of windfalls 
alone is a herculean job, and besides, the season for doihg 
the work is very short, but something must be done as 
long as the Government pretends to keep open trails. A-t 
least one thing ought to be establishedi and that is a plaih 
marking of the §pat wh6re,a Sitlg trail bfahches off ffom 
what appears tb bfe the main trail On Several occasions 
we passed the right spot and were momentarily lost. In 
one instance, this was near Lost Knife Meadows, we 
were lost for good. By retrailing the following day we 
then found the right spot. The condition of this partic- 
ular piece of trail was indescribable ; it led through miles 
of burnt woods, filled with windfalls, until it looked like 
a gigantic galnle of jackstraws. Instead of cutting out 
these fallen trees they were merely blazed, an ingenious 
ideSv but not an acceptable one. 
it' was different with the Lo-Lo. Here, at least, at one 
time a regular road was cut through, and to-day, while 
the trail is full of windfalls, one cannot fail to find his 
way. This year very little was done to improve, as it was 
a year of forest fires. 
While camped at Fish Lake we met three United States 
Forest Rangers, Clark, Stuart and Dunham. Judging 
from appearances, they had gone through many hardships 
fighting the fires. In one place 12,000 acres had been de- 
stroyed before the fires could be checked. This is part of 
their duties. But for the life of me I cannot see how 
three men can do much good against a big fire. Of course 
the Government must preserve what is left of the exten- 
sive forests. They have not only a commercial value, but 
their presence forms a natural retainer for the vast 
amount of snow which, slowly melting, supplies_ many 
important streams throughout the year, thus aft'ording 
jrrigation in the lowlands. 
The total of the winter's snow fall has been estimated 
f.p aggregate between sixty and seventy feet. This snow 
starts in toward the end of September, melts again and 
starts in for good during October to last until Ma3^ The 
weia-ht of the snow weighs down the branches until they 
grow in the wrong direction, "Such tracts," says John 
P Leiberg in bis "Bitterroot Forest Reserve," "are 
marked by the exceptionally dense growth of timber on 
tliem and by the occurrence of plants and shrubs which 
require a great deal of moisture. They are situated along 
definite lines, evidently determined by the trend of adja- 
cent ridges and are noted among trappers and hunters, 
whose work take them into the Clearwater areas in the 
winter, for the immense accumulations of snow on them. 
Much the larger percentage of forest as it now exists on 
the reserve owes its composition and aspect to the deter- 
fflinary influences of widespread forest fires during the 
past 200 years, 
"These forest fires, as we have seen, are not only a loss 
commercially but also changes the water supply most 
Seriously, They are of different origin. Long ago the 
Indians used to set fire because they knew that the game 
liked to assemble in freshly burned tracts. Later on pros- 
pectors, looking for the chimerical riches of some Lost 
Mines, devastated another tract. Occasionally careless 
Campers, but chiefly lightning, may be held responsible 
tot the recurrence of forest fires." 
While carrtpihg on Beargrass Mountain we had troubles 
of our own with fires, an experience which none of us 
will soon forget, From three sides they came, preceded 
by enofmous clouds of rolling smoke, which was lit up 
occasionally by bfilliant flames. To put out such fires, it 
seems to me, would take the fire department of New York 
city. Fortunately, nature has an antidote that works 
more effectively than human interference, and that is the 
constantly shifting wind through this perfect maze of 
canons. Up hill a fire will travel quicker than the other 
way, and reaching the floor of the canon it generally will 
run into wet, if not swampy, ground. 
Very little or nothing has been done to reforest. In 
many cases it was found that such would be impossible, 
as all the humus also was destroyed or washed away, 
exposing the rock. 
Such extended places we found again following Jerry 
johh§oh'S tfail between the Lochsa and the Lo-Lo. _ I 
have never sfe'€ll anything more desolate and depressing . 
than this immense stMch of destroyed woods. For miles 
and miles the eye could see nothing but old windfalls, 
huirhe.d tfees; rpeks and shale. 
It is a WOiidfGtiS country, this Bitterroot Forest Re- 
serve, with its rugged to^yeting peaks, its deep cavernousi 
canons, its trees, lakes, rivers and rtieadows. Our first 
introduction to it was the nine-hour ride to the forks. 
Nine hours in the saddle to start out with is a strenuous 
undertaking. We reaped the usual results when we 
reached camp above the forks (Lochsa and Selway). 
Whoever invented the practice of taking a meal from the 
mantelpieee haS not gone to the limit of human endur- 
anee. When yoU have reached that stage you abhor the 
idea Of Standing Up; you want to lie down, and that 
mighty quick, 
Our camping place was one of the few small meadows 
hi the mSuntSinS. Alfalfa hay was stacked in a spacious 
harfi; aiid .otit.side. in a corral stood our horses. 
The night ivould have passed without event had it not 
been for the untimely act ohly of a horse named Syndi- 
cate. 
While still at Kooskia waiting for the start, it was 
natural that we should talk horses. _ Everybody talks 
horses; and so, wanting to do something, we bought a 
hofge. The .priee was $15 cash. The Big Chief was the 
investor, and from him BUI Nash and myself acquired a 
third interest, hence the name. This was one of my fool- 
ish horse deals, but although I am no great judge of 
horses, I immediately discovered that, like the classic 
Polyphemos or the mythical Odin, he had but one eye. 
This lamentable defect was communicated to Grizzly 
Boh, our guide and general utility man. 
"Don't it beat hell," he affirmed, "that cayuse has one 
bum lamp and besides a flat wheel." The latter defect, a 
stiff feet, had to be figured in the $15, Still Syndicate 
kept up a lively interest for matters and men. During 
the night myitiohed.he got out of the corral and went 
on a tour of inspection. By and by he was discovered, 
but not before he had scattered of eateh fifty pounds of 
flour. 
The following day was put in fishing and hunting 
birds. Pheasants especially were plentiful, while Lochsa 
and Selway afforded fair sport for casting. 
The ne^^t day we . began the ascent of the Fish Lake 
trail, nominally a Government trail, although not even 
Fish Lake is marked on the official map. Climbing for 
hours brought us into some high plateaus with rock 
croppingS. Here the trail vanished and a general direc- 
tion had to be followed, by carefully watching Indian 
monuments, 1. e.j Stone piles In doubtful places, To fol- 
low ridge after ridge according to compass is an impossi- 
bility, for they change kaleidoscopically. It is therefore 
necessary to have some one who about knows _ the tor- 
tuous snake-like windings of the old Indian trail. 
In one place the forest rangers had blazed a cut-off. 
We did not find it until after we had gotten lost; about 
a hundred yards right off the trail it commenced. _ This 
is a fair sample of the work in general — careless, incon- 
siderate and for the most part incapable. It would be 
the work of less than half a day to blaze through and 
then mark the spot of division plainly with an arrow. 
This is only one of many instances. 
High and higher we went until we reached the summit 
of the Craigs, winding and circling around the top spires 
we came all at once to a place where the world seemed 
to be cleft in twain. 
"Which way. Bob?" 
"Straight down, boys," he yelled, and with that he took 
the lead. 
I have been over a more precipitous, but never over a 
steeper trail. A grand picture. Deep azure blue, as clear 
as crystal, stretched a roof from one side of the rugged, 
torn "crests over to the other side of the canon. Pale, 
dull gray the color of the rock with glittering patches 
of snow below us. Farther down to the left powerful 
firs towered over the gaping chasm, while away down, 
fringed with cedar and balsam, a lake stretched its 
mirror-like waters down to the cafion. 
So we went down, leading the saddle horse and yelling 
and swearing at the pack ponies. It would break down 
the press if we should repeat the whole treasure of dec- 
orative epithets. 
It is beyond credence what acrobatic feats these moun- 
tain horses perform. Coming -down from the Craigs into 
Old Man's Creek, a drop of about 1,500 feet, the pack 
horses took the steepest places, sliding down on their 
Jiaunches with outstretched forelegs, their tails trailing 
after them. It made a pretty picture, notwithstanding 
the consant danger of losing horse and pack. But we got 
down, and that was the main thing. 
It was late that night when we reached carap at the 
trapper's cabin near Old Man's Creek. I don't know why, 
but that camp remains fixed in my memory with all, even 
the most minute details. Shaped like a horseshoe, the 
mountains surrounded us, and at this point the descend- 
ing trail entered the meadows, crossing the creek. Oppo- 
site a towering peak closed in this lovely, peaceful patch. 
We investigated the cabin, found it habitable, and soon 
after supper a big log fire lit up the log walls. The pipes 
were filled and supreme comfort reigned within, while 
ouside moon and stars kept watch over the sleeping 
woods. ) 
"Boys, do you know the story of the Swede and the 
grizzly," spoke up the Herr Director. 
"Let her go, Bill." 
"Well, down on the Salmon lived a Swede, not mucW 
of a hunter but a fellow who always had the most re- 
markable experiences. One day the boys were talking 
about silvertips, when he had to relate one of his own ad- 
ventures with one of them. 'You see,' he said, 'it was 
dis way. One day I was bicking perries in a batch, when 
all at onced a big grizzly yoomp out of de batch und runs 
after me. I run, und I run, und I run, oontil I come to 
de river und dat vas frozen, dat saved me allretty.' 
'Looke here,' spoke up Black Charlie, shifting a plug 
of tobacco from one side to the other, 'didn't you tell us 
that you were picking berries when that bear came?' 
There was a momentary suspense when the Swede inno- 
cently looked up and said, 'Vhy yes, you see dat bear 
chased me from Yune to Yanuary.' " 
And after that it reminded one of this story and the 
other of that, while the flickering flames in the fire-place 
painted all kinds of phantom pictures against walls and 
roof. It was a little place full of good cheer and real 
comfort. By and by the conversation lagged, the embers 
in the fire-place fell together, sending up a spray of. 
sparks, and when it was motioned to go to sleep, the Herr 
Director said, "As far as dis brobosition vas concerned, 
I say, shoot, let him vent." Richard Lieber. 
. , [to be continued.] 
An Ontario Association. 
A MEETING was held in Toronto on June 7 to consider 
the formation of an association for the better protection 
of fish and game. The Hon. Chief. Justice Falconbridge 
acted as chairman, and Mr. A. Kelly Evans as secretary. 
I'he attendance was large and representative of the best 
sportsmanship of the Province. Chief Justice Falcon- 
bridge, who acted as chairman, said that, so far as fisher- 
men were concerned, affairs had reached a very deplor- 
able state, and it was a matter of congratulation that such 
a representative gathering could be got together to con- 
.'•ider such a question on such short notice. Canada's 
magnificent heritage of game was being damaged and de- 
strcyed, almost annihilated, by the careless sportsmen. 
"We must look to the officials and the public to 
strengthen our hands to better protect our game," said 
he. "I am somewhat of a pessimist -in regard to this 
matter, but I really think that something can be done 
for the preservation of our game and fish." 
Mr. Evans gave an effective address, setting forth the 
work which might be accomplished by the association. 
He said, in part: 
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: I think the necessity 
for something being practically done in the direction of 
the better protection of the game of this Province, will 
be admitted by all present, and it is with a view to this, 
that the meeting has been called. 
"I may say here, that invitations to attend this meeting 
have been as widely distributed as possible,_ yet as many 
keen sportsmen have no doubt received no invitation, it is 
an immediate proof of the necessity of an association 
being formed, in order that those interested in sport 
should be known to each other, 
"No invitation to attend the meeting was sent to Mr. 
Bastedo, or any members of the Ontario Government 
connected in any way with the Game Department, neither 
was it sent to any of the officials of the Dominion Gov- 
ernment, as I think it will be apparent to you, that it 
would be unwise in the inception of this organization to 
be in any way connected with officialdom or with politics. 
"The association, I think, will be, no doubt, only too 
glad to avail itself later on of any advice or experience 
its committee may obtain from chief inspectors, etc., and 
on the other hand, the association will, I believe, be only 
too glad from time to time to give the benefits of its in- 
formation to chief inspectors of the Department. 
"At this juncture, I might say, that anyone acquainted 
with the subject, making even a cursory examination of 
the reports of the Department of Fisheries, must come to 
the conclusion that a great deal has been effected by the 
fisheries overseers, but the amount of money paid some 
of tliem is ridiculously low, and one cannot expect a 
tremendous amount of energy to be displayed in these 
cases. ; i "^iiii 
"There are among them, unquestionably, many pains- 
taking and enthusiastic officials, but I think you will all 
agree with me, there are many who do very little indeed. 
Where I refer later on to the subject of generally waking 
up the inspectors, it is not done in a carping and antagon- 
istic spirit at all. 
"I hope that the members of this association will always 
endeavor to help the inspectors in any way possible, but 
naturally, if they find inspectors not doing their duty, 
they will be forced to take cognizance of the fact. 
"I will endeavor, if you will allow me fifteen minutes, to 
give a general outline of the good the association might 
effect, in some directions supported by the recitation of 
facts well known to many of you, and the quotation of a 
few statistics which may be unknown to you. 
"In the first place, the form of the association would be 
one with headquarters here in Toronto, having its own 
officers and executive and the' formation gradually of 
branch associations in each town in the Province, each 
with its own officers and executive, all working toward 
a common end. It is confidently expected that such an 
association will be successful in its objects, and that 
branches will spread rapidly in the other Provinces later 
on. It jnust be porne in mind, that were the class o| 
