Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1892-04-12

alent OF Rapid river. At our first
camp on it, near its head, it is about
one hundred and twenty five yards wide
and current Of four to Eve miles an
hour: There were myriads of
swallows burrowing In the white
clay. noticed recently the
comments Of northern traveller
who asserts that the dense swarns of
mosquitoes so common near the Arctic
circle are always found just beyond the
northern limit Of the swallows homes,
drawing iaudable differences as to the
usefulness OF these birds rs mosquito
| Gcstroyers. Now l found them here
living in conn arativc harmony or, at
least, the swallows made no appreci-
able inroads on the pests
Late In the afternoon we saw two
large otter among the submerged brush
playing as we came suddenly upon them
and both parties were SO surprised at
the encounter that each stared the
other out of countcnance before the
big brutes realized there was any
danger OF the humans that they had
weapons TO make it dangerous. We did
not bring any otter skins home with
MS. The first indication Of Indians on
the river was not one of life but the
reverse. The next day we passed a re-
Gently made grave on the east bank.
Over it was II tent with two shaved
logs, 10 to ~ feet high, alongside.
1t was possible that the victim NAV
have fallen to tho ravages of ia
grippe" for it has been epidemic among
tie tribes Of the fur Northwest
as ! ascertained at different points.
We often tied the folding canvas boats
together for co,npany's sake, but we
soon stopped this, however, for in
rounding rough rocky point we came
suddenly into short chute of rapids
that played havoc with the boats tod
together, shipping water and dashing
spray over some books and rapers laid
cut for map-making. etc. The b ,ats had
stood about twice this height
of waves before on the
lake, riding them like ducks,
out tied together they were unmauage-
able as raft. Wepulled ashore, built a
nre and dried out the worst sp!ushed
books and papers. These side rapids
were quite common. but the worse dam
ger to properly managed boat was not
In the rolling OF the waves they formed
SO much as in the high banks they often
cut under, and which occasionally came
bling down in a way that would
sink y canal boat let alone light canoe.
Several times during tho day we saw
the river out Of its banks and at n few
points reaching from bluff to bluff.
Game trails on the side hills were oc-
seem but none of them COM
fresh. This is the land of
moose and caribou the latter being de-
cidely the greater trail-making animal
OF the two; the former more OF a ramb-
lsr through the river bottoms and low
valleys. just before camping we could
see distant blue mountains, proba bly,
twenty to twenty five miles away, and
off in that continuous
hazy aspect that generally in
dicates a distant stream and, II
so In this case, we surmised it
TO be the Yukon. That days run was
miles, our best -ecord. just
after camping ono of the party saw a
large cat-like animal in the woods that
was hastily disappearing. The lynx is
the only one Of the cat family In these
northern woods. although l have
heard . miner assert there was n cur.
rent rumor, generally believed, that a
valley near the Alaskan British bound.
ary. II this rumor be correct this is
the northernmost point they have ever
been observed. That night is chroni-
cled in my diary as giving us the fewcst
mosquitoes we had yet had On the trip;
and right here might add IT,, found
these torments In far less mum IS than
IN my trip through the Yukon valley in
1888. when they passed a limit be-
lond tho reach of righte us language.
AS Russell had passed two previous sea
soma in this Yukon river valley and
spoke OF them rs about equal to the
present year l was forced to believe
thst 1883 must have been a
prize year for the pests. ! feel sure /
DO not exagYerate when state / found
. half dozen In 1888 to every one in
lsel. The miners have thu usual gro,