250 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Feb. 13, 1909. 
and those of the Missoula on the other. After 
many miles, we crossed the Lo Lo where it is 
only a brook and skirted about the foot of In¬ 
dian Butte. One night we camped upon the 
great Lochsa Meadows and were frowned at 
by Pot Mountain, which stands a guardian sen¬ 
tinel over the meadows. His brow, already cov¬ 
ered with snow, looked cold and forbidding. The 
deer came out on the meadow and played among 
the horses. They were so tame one would hardly 
believe them wild creatures. The call of a lone¬ 
some coyote that night sent the cold shivers over 
me. There is no sound in nature so weird and 
sad as the evening song of the coyote. 
Day after day we crept closer and closer to 
the range. It grew nearer to us of course, but 
did not seem to do so. We could hardly tell 
trimmed for our house. I wondered how he 
was to get them to the site chosen. He laugh¬ 
ingly refused to inform me, bidding me wait 
and see. On the day he was to begin hauling 
the logs he saddled his own riding horse with 
the heavy Mexican saddle that I thought cruel 
to animals when I first saw it. He led the 
animal out into the timber, threw his rope 
around one end of a log, made it fast, then 
looped the other end about the horn of the 
saddle and bade the horse move on. The in¬ 
telligent animal seemed to know exactly what 
was intended, for he leaned forward until he 
had started the log, then dragged it to where the 
house was to be erected. In this manner all the 
logs were drawn. 
It was a delight to watch him form the 
rocker out of one of those old boat-like logs. 
Our cooking arrangements were necessarily 
very primitive. A stove of course was out of the 
question. We debated long upon the subject of 
whether we should buy a reflector or a Dutch 
oven. We finally decided upon the latter, though 
the reflector would make bread much more 
rapidly. The Dutch oven, however, could be 
used for a variety of purposes, and I learned 
to make it do duty in many ways. Several fry- 
ingpans, tin plates, tin cups, iron handled knives 
and forks about completed the culinary outfit. 
Of food we had a sufficiency. Nothing fancy, 
but good substantial that, to use Mr. Roberts’ 
expression, “would stick to the ribs when you 
were hungry.’’ 
[to be continued.] 
IN DEADLY PERIL. 
I'r 'in a drawing by G. E. Lodge. 
at night that we were nearer than at morn. 
Finally we dipped down into the valley of the 
Lochsa. It is valley only by courtesy—in reality 
only a steep narrow rocky canon miles deep. 
We forded that roaring stream and crept out 
on the opposite side. Another exhausting climb 
and we were on another ridge leading toward 
the range. The trail led over windfalls and 
through dense thickets of upland alder and 
maple, interspersed with snow brush and arbor 
vitae. Just at the foot of a mountain ridge we 
paused for good beside a small lake surrounded 
by a fringe of alder. In some former time a 
hardy trapper had made his winter home here 
and the remains of his cabin yet stood upon a 
small hill near the lake. It was an ideal spot 
for a house, just high enough to overlook the 
calm waters of the lake, yet sheltered by the 
background of hills from any rude blast of win¬ 
ter wind. 
We voted the old cabin uninhabitable and Mr. 
Roberts set to work to build us another. There 
was no dearth of building material. The dense 
growth of lodge pole pine furnished an abund¬ 
ance of the finest logs imaginable. In a few 
dar^s Mr. Roberts had enough logs cut and 
notches in the logs for the corners. His axe 
was keen as a razor and he made the white 
chips fly in a perfect shower. My husband 
helped with the building, and I lent my assist¬ 
ance, though I fear it was not worth a great 
deal. 
The logs were laid in place, and then Mr. 
Roberts felled a great cedar, and with a froe, 
rived boards from it with which to form the 
roof. When it was all complete he went into 
the timber and gathered moss from the trees 
and pounded this between the logs until there 
was not a crack left. The moss he covered 
with mud. The construction of a rock fire-place 
and chimney completed the structure. 
While he was busy with the last task my hus¬ 
band wrought at our furniture. With an augur 
he bored two holes in the wall at the right 
height for a table, drove two long pegs in the 
holes, laid smooth split boards over the pegs, and 
our dining table was complete. A bedstead was 
made in nearly the same .manner. For chairs 
we had blocks of cedar sawed off the proper 
length; later, however, we contrived some very 
comfortable seating arrangements out of a section 
of hollow cedar. We even made a very stylish 
Our Great Mother Nature. 
There are times in one’s life when his thoughts are a 
torment, 
.-\nd all of his business seems going astray, 
W hen friends prove inconstant, one’s mind’s in a ferment. 
And his judgment ne’er tells him^which is the best way. 
When everything seems near as bleak as November, 
.And faith dwindles down to a point very small. 
And hope is departing—then let one remember 
That great Mother Nature stands by us through all. 
She gives to mankind her (post valuable treasure, 
For in bird note and brooklet her voice one can hear, 
.And her tints in the sky, flowers and grass give him 
pleasure. 
Especially during the spring of the year. 
Let him throw to the winds all his mindracking bother, 
.And the hills and the woods and the waters enjoy, 
.And recline in the lap of our great loving Mother, 
Then be happy and free as he was when a boy. 
I 
As one travels through life when the dark clouds are 
massing, 
.And troubles hang over his head like a pall. 
Let him off to the fields and enjoy the time passing. 
For Nature our Mother stands by us through all. 
A. L. L. 
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