West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-09-18

the great number " times il is seen in
the large clcarings caused by fire that
annually sweep away great tracts Of
forest lands.
IL was n many years ago that a
small party OF Chilkat Indians had left
their country at the head OF LYNN
Channel, and with packs If trading ma
terial ON their backs. averaging about n
hundred pounds apiece, had crossed tho
kotusk Pass. the easiest 90 the three in
their country. And We're making their
way down the eastern decliyitv of the
pass INTO the country of the Tahkheesh.
lhclr inland t-ransmOntane neighbour
lhcy had gotten OFF of the seven or
eight miles of SNOW and ice Ola which
thcy arc forced To Chamber In getting
through the pass, and, having reached
= httio clump Of dwaricd pine, thew took
a sho rest from their fatiguing march.
me SNOW bong passed, most Of them
hod lnNen of their SnOw-shoes and were
hiding them away in tho dense ever
green bushes whcrt they could be found
on 'hcr return. A few of them had
cOliected some dry pine and spruce
loughs. aud had built a roaring ife.
before which they dried their mocc1sins,
saturated win snow water from he
pass. When the fire was at its HEIGHT
a han a dozen armfuls of green boughs
cut from the live trees were suddrniv
thrown on the ~high-reaChino flames.
ana these, aS they burned and sim
mered' sent up great volumes of black
smoke nigh in the skies, and that from
the mountain side could evidently be
seen for many miles in the valley
stretched out before them. This was
the signal smoke OF the Chilkat traders
10 thelr I~ahkhccsh patrons, so that il
any Oh them were in the upper part OF
the valley, or within sight OF the ascend
ing smoke, they could give answer in
the same way and let the Chilkats know
their presence and exact whereabouts.
lhcy very seldom encountered the
l~ahkhecsh so far toward the head OF
the river, however, they being further
down the stream catching salmon. and
they hardly expected an answer from
them, and of course were surprised
and delighted when they saw 40
answering smoke ascend some eight
or ten miles farther on. They
once more threw their bundles on their
backs aud trudged along on their weary
way, hopeful that the Tahkheesh party
might be large, and that their burdens
would be lighter and their riches great
er after meeting them. They had prob.
ABLY gotten four or five miles ALONG on
their way, and were considerably strung
out, the strongest leading, when thew
were compelled to cross the mountain
torrent OF the swift river again. Their
~wcll-beaten trail (for It was passed over
twice a year both ways by sixty TO
eghty Chilkat traders) leading down
tne valley was often forced TO cross
Inls large mountain stream at the head
OF the river by high, perpendicular
uIuIIs' against whose steep banks the
river would plunge, leaving no way but
10 cross 1t or Chamber high over the
mountain spur, which was not very
pleasant with "A hundred pounds on n
tired persons back. Like all such
mountain streams, it often spread itself
IN y sheet OF white over wide gravel
bars. At such points a practicable
ford could be made and the Indians
would wade across even with their
heavy burdens. At this particular spot.
however, which ! was lust mentioning.
the river, instead of broadening. had
contracted into a rather deep CANYON
b one third to o%ne-fourth its usual
width, and the deep river fairly roared
through this contracted space; here it
would be certain death for anv living
thlnS, however good a swimmer. to
taIl INTO its scethiDg waters. This can
yon was probably thirty or forty feet
across and, approach ng it rs one as
cends the valley, the Indians had from
this side chopped down n huge spruce
tree that reached across and was used
as a foot-log by the travellers on this
lrail' Like all trees growing in thick
forests, there were no limbs for about
twenty feet from The ground, where the
largest N commenced. When the
tree had been fclled these large branch
es, trimmed of their smaller ones. had
been left As good supports TO take hold
OF IN crossing the smaller part of the
log where they grew.
The Chilkats in carrying their heavy
loads do so by two straps passing 10
the front, one over the breast and one
over the forehead, and i'm keeping the
latter strap taut and watching the path
directly I'm front of their feet they can
see but a very short distance in front
OF them. The leading Indian, quite a
distance in front of any of the rest
had gotten about "a quarter of the way
across the foOt-log. or about halfway
through the projecting limbs, to which
he was holding, when he heard "A low
grOwl ahead Of him. and saw "A huge.
Ma kan brown bear rise up from be-.
hind the stump from which the foot-lop
had been cut, and as be turned 20 nv
the animal spfnng on the log in pur-
suit Gaining the shore. he threw
away his pack a quick as he could di-
vest himself Of il, and started with the
agility OF a squirrel to ascend the al
most perpendicular bank Of the bluff
near by, using the projecting stones
and dwarfel bushes to assist him as
only % man dying for his life can.
Looking back, he saw that the brown
bear had charged only halfway across
the foOt-log, and seemed unwilling to
attempt 10 worm his way" around
the thickly-studded branches to 0pt
over the other half, especially after
looking a. tie frothy waters below. the
import Of which, in case he fell into
them, be fully seemed TO realize. Here
he crOuched. grOwling aud showing his
teeth. and as the long log bent q little
under his heavy weight he slowly
backed ont 10 the stump again. but
would retreat no further. When the
next packer came mp. bis cOhplnion
ahead Of him shouted 10 HIM how mat
tiers stood but the beligerent bear had
seen him before he compr.hcndcd mat
iers and made another rush across the
log. only 20 stop when the hrstiiuV
limbs were reached and This man. too,
had % sudden desire 90 drop bis pack
and climb zap the side of thc blum.