, 1888-11-22
BROWNS LAKE.
Picturesque Scenery Described
by a Spokane Lady.
Tent Life in Camp Near Huckle.
berry Mountain.
Song Birds and Howiing Wolves--"The
Ch,mrev"-wild Fruits and Flowers
"A Picture by an Able Fem

"A Picture by an Able Pen.
In the afternoon they came unto o land
In which II seemed always afternoon.
Fuli.faced above the valley stood the
moon.
And like a downward smoke the slender
Along the heel cliff to fall and pause and fall
did seem.
ATbsy sat them down upon the yellow
hen some some one said 1--WE will return no
more;" .o ..,.
And all at once they sang "our island
home, ,
Is far beyond the wave. we will no longer
[-The Lotos Eaters.
n ia not things beyond human COM
nrehenson that | wish to portray, but a
trne pen picture of one of natures loveli-
est. though isolated retreats, far away
among the Huckleberry mountains at
Browns lake in Stevens county, Washing-
ton territory, which the writer visited,
and where | sojourned throughout the
heated months of the past summer. -.
A party of us had looked forward with
ardent anticipations of pleasure to long
contemplated journey to the exquisite NJ.
tie lake. of which [ write-not wishing 1t
10 remain to be ignored and unknown to the
lovers of dear old nature--and at last every
nreparation was completed for our jaunt to
the region Of Okanogan.
THE wAYsIDE JOURNEY.
Il WAS on heated day in the middle OF
last July, when we parted from busy,
bustling Spokane, and wended our way
over the picturesque road leading north-
!. ward The party was composed OF our
own little family, accompanied by pleas
ILL nrngnpptnr.
Dick" his packhorse-the most INTEREST,"
ing and ludricrous looking animal that ever
got into disgrace around Camp-Map was
considered prominent member or the
camp circle. 81.
"The first night out, our tent was pitch
ed on the green banks of the Little Spo-
kane river, whose waters were teemlng
with mutitudes of the tinny tribe; a
nice string of which we soon dispatched
for supper, and found it to be most de-
licious meal, for our appetites were sharp
ened by the long days drive and MONDAY
lunch amidst the prairie grass.
might drew its curtain DER the earth.
And pinned it with a star"
And we we're all soon lost in the pro-
found slumbers of restful and reposing
sleep.
The song of birds awoke us early the
next morning as the bright suniieht sent
and breaking our fast we were soon again
upon our journey.
Fording the bright little river and as.
ascending the grade around whose narrow,
4ybrpent. like curves we wound with steady,
cautious attention, ever and anon sup
Dressing a shudder az we passed into the
murky depths of the ravine below.
BgAurEoUs RURAL NATURE.
The scenery was most enjoyable, and
throughout the day we gszed upon scenes
whose wild and rugged beauty surpassed
even the reputed superlative grandeur or
Southern California; magnificent views
The midday was intensely hot, necessi'
tating frequent stoppages at all the brooks
springs and wells along our route. AT
nipbtfall we encamped beside another
stream at The Chimney place so
called from solitary smoke.stack looking
yery spectre-like in the pale moonlight,
standing alone in the little valley. Here
we refreshed Ourselves with lucious stew,
made of the wild birds killed during the
day, and retired to rest at an early hour,
being lulled to sleep by. the .gurgling
stream and the melancholy wall of the
whippoorwills vino seemed to be chanting
obituary notes for the winged songsters
that had made our evening meal.
THRIVING COUNTRY.
The third and last day of our journey
dawned and closed, we having passed
through some excellent farming country
dotted with innumerable hay stacks and
dwellings ranging from huts up to COM
Portable frame buildings and some of
them embowered in vines and yards full
of the sweet old fashioned flowers with
which our grand mothers gardens bloomed
in the days of yore.
81 WANT TO GO HOME"
In the middle of the afternoon. we des-
cended the mountains at our Journeys g
end, to the little lake the writer had
painted in her fancy for many weeks, As
the shades of twilight fell the night birds
began their songs and far in the distance
was heard the hideous cry of gray wolf,
my first sensation was one OF loneliness
and disappointment. The tone OF canis
latrans' prolonged and ghostly howl made
me shudder and draw nearer to my group
of companions, secretly wishing that was
back again amidst the twinkling lights OF
Spokane Falls. But on the next morning,
arising refreshed and rested. and drinking
in the sparkling loveliness of the lakelet
embedded in green, every vestige OF this
ghoulish illusion was at once dispelled.
THE MINES AND TIMBER.
In this little valley, surrounded by huge
forests of beautiful, valuable and stalwart
timber of almost every variety known in
this territory, are many mines, located
and being located, and the adjacent noun
tains give indications that vast wealth
now lies within them and that at no dis
taat day their development will enrich our
great little city by the falls. Chief among
the mines now being developed are the
Fisher, owned by j. s. Gray. and the Blue
Belle and Buckeye, owned by Colonel