, 1883-10-18

10y the heels Oh branch OF one OF
our laurols. disembowel'i, ready for
the spit OF frying pan. From this
time to the end IF our visit the
Iaurels wore constantly similar orna-
ments. of our own shooting. With
Mr. W Cwho knows every nook and
Granny Of the archipelagot for our
guide and captain, We had no lack of
sport. Sometimes wp would take q
large. commodious boat. provided by
his thoughtful kindness, and troll for
salmon or fish for cod, both abund-
ant IN B-The salmsn rise to the
fly III these waters during August, OF
with our guns and dog strike out
inland, shooting quail uhe mountain
quail Of California, first placed on
the island by our host III 1850 with
which the woods are alive: or put the
hounds into the timber, or on some
small wooded island, and run deer
out into the water. where half dOz-
en- guns III the boat made venisou
sure thing; buying nothing but
groceries, which we found good and
cheap at the store here, trusting to
the woods and waters for our meat
and fish. and to the beach for CLAIMS
and crabs. One of us was an adept
at frying bacon, another made coffee
that was hard TO beat. Snch suppers
as we had after our days tramp!
Aud when tired of field and water
sports, there were the long walks on
the gravel beaches, and bathing in
the smooth, still water; or lying III
the shade listening to the hum of
insects, the cawing of the crows, the
scarcely audible plash of the wavelets
among the pebbles on the beach; or
watching the varied protiles Of the
island duplicated upside down in the
CLASSY water, with Mount Baker
pushing his white head up into the
sky back of the Chuckanut range; or
sleeping the slumber born of the
drowsy atmosphere and smoothed by
good digestion. Nothing to worry,
no Office hours, no duties, no work
but to cook our simple meals; such a
happy, lazy, glorious time I never
had before. Fancy sailing around
among the hundred islands between
Tacoma and Gulf of Georgia. each a
gem of beauty, and each one differ
ent from the other; the bold promon-
tories of basalt, bare or wooded, dot
ted with huge boulders of white
granite dropped by the glaciers in
their southwark migrations i'll ages
long ago; the steep escarpments of
the gravel bluffs, hundreds of feet
high, regular as the roof of a house,
their bases lashed by the tides which
carry their agates, and pebbles of
Jasper, carnelian, porphyry and
chalcedony, of many colors, along the
shore line, forming gistening beaches
from one to two hundred yards wide
and miles in length; the lirtle bays,
land locked, with water from five to
ten fathoDs deep, clear as crystal,
through which the eye reaches the
submarine landscape, where the fish
and crabs or the octopus devil fish,,
sea anemones and star fish of many
points abound in the jungle of kelp,
grasses and sea weeds, with here and
there piece of green or red sponge
or coral; strange looking world
under water. And at night camping
on the beach, the moon making
blazing track across the water, the
curious dark fronds of the cedars
hanging still or gently waving, no
sound but the scornful chuckle of the
looms or the ''cla ha-ya," ''cla-ha-ya"
of the species of the wild duck called
"old squaws." Fancy, if you can,
month in such scenes, the weather
always good, very little smoke COM
pared to Oregon; none of the annoy
ances so common at many seaside
resorts; no getting up at stated hours
for fear of losing our breakfast, but
sleeping as late as We pleased; no
crammIng with hash and potatoes at
cost of - to $3.50 per day, but
feasting on game and fish, cur entire
mess bill not costing more than forty
cents per day each; no noisy crowd of
strangers at every turn, but miles of
beach or open shady woods for our
promenades. No roaring surf with
its dangerous undertow, but smooth
water, tranquil and secure for bath
ing-perfect privacy and freedom at
the same time. No paying So per
week for the privilege of pitching
ones tent, but a whole island to ones
self, free of charge But want of
time and space forbids complete
description of the pleasures of our
trip; and, indeed, the object of this
letter has been accomplished if it
shows our worn out office men, pant
ing for fresh air during the dog days,
where and how they most easily and
surely find health and sport, at a cost
not greater, all told, than that of
board and lodging at Portland for
the same length of time. The best
way is,for a party of say five to hire a
good sloop at Tacoma, Seattle, Port
townsend or Whatcom, and with
their blankets, groceries etc, on
board, sail frompoint to point, camp
ing where game, fish or other induce
ments most abound The cost of
such q trim for one month uorI1 H.