The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-04
THE QUEETSC COUNTRY
Where Elk Trails Wind Among
Cloud Piercing HemlOcks.
CANOEING IN SWIFT RIVERS.
An Ocean Voyage in . Frail Indian
Craft-Incidents Of Life Between
the Sea- and the Oiympics.

The Queets river, which flows into the
Pacific ocean about fifteen miles north of
the Quiniault agency, Is a good-sized
stream, very deep in places and with bad
rapids at intervals. Its waters are of a
muddy, greenish hue-very similar re
the color Of the 81. Lawrence. 1t is
fed by the melting SHOWS of Mount
Olympus. The reservation line crosses
the Queets four miles from its mouth, and
above that many miles are the rustic log
csbins of those who have taken Claims
number of whom came here. on the
steamer Lucy Lowe, which had a
stormy voyage and was reported as lost.
These brave pioneers have experienced
terrible hardships since their arrival two
years ago. One of the boys told me that
during last winter it was impossible tor
them to get provisions at the supply store,
and after existing On faith and bacon
grease for some time they walked
through the bleak weather to the
Moclips river store, a distance of thirty
miles, and carried home on their backs the
necessaries of life They are merely
"squatters" at present. but they have GER
tainly earned the 160-acre tracts they will
some day possess. The bottom land of
the region has a rich black soil. and is
covered with alders and salmon-berry
bushes. The upland is shot clay
and is shaded by mammoth spruces
and hemlocks. The acio from the bark
OF the latter tree Is very valuable, being
used In tanneries, therefore it is needless
for me to say that as this is the greatest
hemlock belt in the world the shipping of
the bark to the extracting plants will be-
fore long be leading industry. Some of
the industrious settlers nave raised fine
gardens this summer, and one, Dave Kerr,
recently brought from the agency several
cows, the first that have been in the valley.
To see great hoof-marks in those wild
forests one might think the country over
run with cattle; but this idea is generally
dispeled by the appearance of those ant
Tered monarchs known as elk, which are
gradually being thinned out owing to
the merciless slaughter the Indians
make upon them. Four and five
canal loads of siwashes go up the Oueets
and Clearwater rivers every few weeks in
quest OF elk, usually remaining a fort
night IN the foothills, during which time
they kill many of the animals, often tax
ing nothing but the hides, and leaving
dozens OF the carcasses as food for wolves
ana cougars. Such proceedings should be
stopped Immediately. The reservation ia
amply large enough for the few Indians
1t contains and they ought to be made to
stay within its limits. A young man who
accompanied them on one of their hunts
informs me that when they discover where
band has crossed the river and climbed
up the steep, wooded hillside, they forsake
the canoes and start On the trail. eo,ns
with the rapidity of wild animals at first
put growing more cautious as the signs
get fresher, and at last sneaking like a
cat upon the unsuspecting elk. They in
variaoiy use the Sharp's rife. 45-12O, and
with such cannon it is not surprising a
slwash hunter recently killed two of these
powerful animals at single shot. Black
bears are quite numerous throughout
the country, and are trapped sue
cessfully sby the Indians. The
ground IS printed with their long, wide
tracks any piace you may look, though
than the deer, which frequently gaze at
person with world of wonder in their
soft brown eyes.
But, oh. the birds of this beautiful land
The very air is thrilled with their ioyous
music. AT dawn and at dusky eve thew
hing siivery strains down through the
soen Of o mso woods. pouring forth such
pauses to listen, and the gold
crowned flowers stand entranced
walk along some dim old trail
py the rivers marge is as
aehghtiui as one can think Especially if
IL De at the noon hour, " hen everything
seems SO hushed. You wind in and out
among the great gray trunks of the hem
locks with streamers of moss swavine
from them; you see here and there on the
earths carpet of eternal green a patch
OF gold where the sunlight falls.
you hear at intervals a pheasant's throb.
bing drum or the faint. low call of a red
squirrel, and you breathe the delicate re-
lLsisnins ou0rs sitting through the silence
Oh ieaty giades. Poetry is ali around Won.
The tnkle of an unseen riyuiet comes 70
your ears so clear and musical that Won
wonder In what cool covert the wood
nymphs strike their silyerv helis
In the tender twilight the frogs make
merry, and the giant trees in the white
hoohshihe seem to tower so much higher
tnan - tue garish day-seem TO touch the
uark blue dome above and hold the burn
ing stars on their topmost branches r
s!iaii never forget some of the deep.
sun places IN the Clearwater
river. where every brush and tree
along the banks is mirrored in the crystal
depths. 1t is as though the wafer h al
sIo"h weary OF chattering and is lost in
abound in countless hunters WI
specKied beauties they are! This is in
oeeu the anglers paradise 1t was while
on hshing expedition that I had INV
hrsl experience in attempting To noia
canoe. As these frail crafts are the
oniy ,h,ngs IN the shape of boats that can
ttaVei the rivers successfully, owing to the
rapIos ana shallow places, almost all the
settlers are ri divided with one. which after
months OF practice. they learn to handle
WITH considerable skill The poles used in
forcing the canoes through the swift waters
are made from small hemIocks-trees hat
peho before they break-and are
ssharpened and slightly burned on
Wv. .he ehos; a process that hardens
the wood. 1t is strange siebt
" see Two stalwart young men
etanuiiig IN canoe, one in the bow and
one ID the stern. and forcing themselves
slowly up the rapids where the water ia
"nlte with rage as it tumbes and tears
over the rocks with a din that
sets the surrounding woods com.
ihehtihg on Its rude behavior You wonder
10" those IN the canoe manage 10 kaan
'heir footing and work the way thev dn
anu this wonder increases " hen YOU your.
sen hrst try to run the rapids. II
.. mo- uncommon Tor the novice
10 lake headlong plunge into
the icy water every few mor,sn,s.
when Is oil course, quite discouragino
ana somewhat cooling 10 his ambition h,t
II ne perseVere and learn 10 love tho cnIJ
oath' ne will eventually become
s"o,i canoeman not so pro6c;snt
IN the art as the Indian, perhaps. for II ia
second nature TO the dusky child of tbs
VINO from infancy fairly lives
the small siwash boys are mada
10 oSerturn these graceful crafts in The
ueep, swift current and right" them
again, winch, II they fail to accom- i;sb