Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-14
THE OLYEplC WILDERNESS.
SIX MONTHS SPENT IN A TRAcKLEss
COUNTRY.
A Newspaper Expedition into the wilds
of Washington-Terrible Suffer-
ings Endured.

used-up men sailed into the Pacific eoas
town of Aberdeen, in the State of Wash
ington, at o'clock on the morning of May
Dist, of this year, in small boat which
they had chartered at the mouth Of
the Quinaiutt river. These men had
started for Aberdeen from Seattle on the
7th of December, and had come to theil
destination probably as quickly as it would
be possible to make the journey which
they had made. They had come over the
great Olympic Mountain ranges, through
a trackless country which, it is claimed
had never before been explored by white
man. They had encountered dangers and
hardships which, though different from
those experienced by Stanley in Africa,
were quite as grievous to be borne, and
they had, by courage and grit, triumphed
over obstacles which may be mildly char
acterized as tremendous.
Almost six months before these men
had been sent out by the Seattle Press I'M
der orders to explore what was then the
terra incogaitd of the Northwest, the region
lying between Puget Sound and the Pa
cifc Ocean, extending as far south as the
basin of Quinaiutt lake, region contain
ing $500 square miles. Nobody had ever
penetrated the innermost parts of this
region, explorations of travellers having
been confined to the outer edges. Here
was this country lying close by a smart
Western city, with nobody around who
could answer when called on to state what
sort of land was over beyond the hills to
the westward. One day the editor of the
Press received letter from James II.
Christie stating that he had made up his
mind to explore the Olympics. why
not" wrote Mr.. Christie, "let the Press
give its countenance and support to an
expedition for clearing up the mystery
which is at the very door OF Seattle~
The Press people cogitated for short
time and then equipped party of six per-
sons with everything necessary in the way
of tools, instruments, weapons, ammupi-
ton and food for an exploring journey of
six months duration. The complete out
fit weighed about 1900 pounds. There
was -four, bacon, beans, coffee and other
provisions, Winchester rifles, powder and
shot, tent, blankets, fishing tackle, axes,
a whipsaw for cutting out logs, carpenter
tools, tools for mineral prospecting, rope,
snowshoes, cooking utensils, instruments
for Typographical surveying and scientific
observation, and a camera with films for
250 exposures. In addition, fifty pounds
of colored fire was taken along for the
purpose OF Illuminating, if possible, some
peak visible from Seattle.
1t seems strange that an expedition of
this sort should have started in midwinter,
but it is said, in explanation of this, that
the purpose was to get the party into the
interior in season to begin work with the
opening of spring. Probably with the ex
perience of the Press party to enlighten
them, others who go in among the Olymp-
les will choose to start in the spring and
get back before winter sets in. From the
day that they left the steamer which
landed them at Port Angeles, on the
straits of San Juan de Fuca, until they
went to bed at Aberdeen, six months later,
their life was one of constant priyation,
hardship and danger. How they could
endure wha. they did endure is beyond
the comprehension Of the average man ac-
customed to living in comfort at home.
Snow came down upon the explorers the
first night that they went into camp, and
when it stopped showing there was about
four feet of "the beautiful all over the
ground From that time until perhaps
the last week Of the journey, wherever the
men went, they were in snow always.
Sometimes it was frozen snow, sometimes
it was soft and slushy, but always snow.
Whoever has had experience in a noun
tain forest, through which there were no
roads, or even trails, will readily imagine
some of the trials which these men were
compelled to undergo. Here is the record
of a days toll and suffering, taken from
the journal of Captain Charles A. Barnes,
the topographer and historian of the ex-
petition:
TUESDAY, January l4th.-We have made to-
day not more than a quarter OF a mile, nut
every foot was worked for and honestly Won
We have passed two series OF heavy rapids, and
cut out big log lying across the stream. ms
log lay partly under water. and, though only
two feet through, took US an hour and hali 70
clear 1t through, making two cuts. Inc second
series of rapids passed was quite difncnlt, the
water being white for $50 yards and full OF
boulders. We made portage of the cargo The
snow is our greatest oiihenty, as we are - nov !,
Between the boulders, which are altogether
covered. a man will frequently sink out OF
sight We had to-day short but swift and dii-
ficult fall OF rapids TO drag through. We made
three attempts to get over by towing, but the
snow furnished such poor foothold that II was
found impracticable TO get her over that way.
Finally the doctor was sent ahead 10 take a
turn about a tree with the towline, while the
rest of us plunged to our belts into the water,
allied with floating ice and snow, and gradually,
foot by foot, We dragged her over II was YER
ribly cold. The air registered l6o when we
looked at the thermometer after it was over
As we managed to get out of the freezing
water the air changed our garments 10 ice IN
moment. AT one time we thought CIum pace
blue for some time after II was over. until we
got circula ion and started again. The sensa-
ton of having feet and legs as ours were is
peculiar one. They were utterly devoid OF SEN
sation- so much so that we could scarcely pre-
serve our balauce to stand upright We might
have stuck pin an inch into our legs without
feeling il.
Many other days were full of trials quite
as severe as those described above. There
was. of course, a continual wearing away
of equipment and provisions. First,
mule dropped over precipice and met in
slant death. and a little while after the
remaining mule, having become too much
exhausted to carry her pack, was left be-
hind to live q life Of dignitied otiosity for
the remainder of her days. The loss Of
the mules compelled the explorers to dis
card from their equipment everything
which they could do without. There
were now only five of them, the naturalist
of the party having been compelled to
abandon the trip. Provisions gave out
one kind after another, until there was
nothing left to eat but -four and salt
Clothing soaked by water, torn by rocks
and branches Of trees, became miserabiy
inadequate I'VE look like tramps,"
writes Captain Barnes in his diary. There
could have been no exaggeration in the
entry. A cut made from photograph of
the men, taken Immediately after their
arrival at Aberdeen, represents men who
had fallen in with distress and lots of it.
This photograph contrasted with photo
graph of the same party, taken Just before
It left Seattle, is an emphatic Endorsement
of their tales of woe.
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