, 1876-05-20
Ep River.

On Friday, May l2th, the steamer Fanny
Lake, having a large list of freight for log.
gers and settlers up the Snohomish and
Snoqualme, ladies and gentlemen to the
number of twenty-five, availed themselves
of the opportunity and went on board the
boat. AT half past nine o'clock, we left the
landisg AID steamed up the river TIC day
was pleasant and all hands SilEgoOd spirty.
The stage Of wGtGr Gas Sufficient to warrant
< safe trip, and soon after leaving the land
ing, Capt. Hill expressed determination to
go to Falls City, if possible. The boat
made good headway Notwithstanding the
heavy current Just above the Bluff we
made landing at Mr.. Davis farm, and left
freight and one passenger. -Four miles
abovc the town VIC encountered the famous
Kelsey rifle, said by many old river men to
be the worst place on tie river for twenty
miles. But with full head of steam and
the skillful handling of the craft we ploughed
our way slowly over it and made the land
ing at Stretch's rancho where We lett two
passengers and more freight. We were oil
again in few minutes and in less than
an hour VIC reached Qualco, the forks OF the
river and glided gracefully into the placid
waters of the Snoqualmie. Here we lelt
Mr.. +. Mathews family, his houshod inrni-
turc and his entire outfit Tor the place lie is
establishing, Mr.. NJ, continuing on. with the
party. One mile and q half above Qualco,
we made Reeves landing where two gentle
men from Tacoma, Car Bros, got Off with
their camp kit, they being bound up the
Skykomish on prospecting tour. One
mile more we again swung in to the bank
and took on a couple Of tons Of hay for
Mr.. Duval, logger, fifteen miles from Sno-
homish City. We were now in the most
beautiful part of the lower snoquamie, and
for the next eight miles we sailed along on
the bosom of the gentle stream, its waters
unbroken by single rifle, its surface smooth
and mirror like, rejecting faithfully the
walls of living green that lined either bank.
The tall trees cast their shadows upon the
surface of the water while tue lieeting
clouds chased each other across its crystal
tide. we caught glympse of the snow
capped peaks Of the Cascade range, tall
towers of earth swelling domes, that seemed
to pierce the heavens with their glitterlng
pinnacIes OF eternal ice. Here and there on
either hand, the pioneer has hewed himself
uhomc out of these once unbroken forest soli-
tudes. Old settlers have, most OF them,
with little or no capital save their sturdy
arms and indomitablc will, made themselves
beautiful homes, with comfortable dwellings
and broad acres at this season OF the year
fragrant and green; while the fresh cut
stumps, brush piles, temporary shanty and
mere patch OF clearing prOclaims the new
conner, Just commencing his long battle with
hoary old forest.
The next landing made was the logging
works of Jas and F. Duya where freight
was landed, and then We steamed up to the
camp and farm of the Elwels, at which
place ten tons of freight was landed. Two
miles above on the opposite bank is the res
idcnce of Mr.. Alexander Adair, where sew
eral ladies' of the party went ashore for the
night, when we returned to Mr.. EIweils,
tied up and waited till morning Just US
we stepped ashore, we saw Mr.. El~eli' 81,
OK goad in hand, with team hi'ched to a
huge old fashioned sled, on which was
piled eight tons of freight, just landed from
the steamer. This load was dragged on
the sled, over bare ground to the logging
camp one half mile, of ascending ground,
from the river. Tue sled creaked and
groaned beneath the enormous Iold'
The skid, along the iogway smoked as