The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-10-19
FALLING UP A TREE.

my arrangements had been made, moth
ing remained but to wait four or five
I months till q rise in the price Of land:
at Gray's Harbor should increase the
business Of the syndicate represented,
and complete the chain Of circum-
stances upon which the success Of the
venture must depend.
B During this time Of idle waiting I fell
in with several old friends from the
East, who also had not much to do,
and were. tired Of the few amusements
the little towns had to offer. With
them I set out on what is called by the
8lumbermen a climber cruise OF ex-
ploring expedition into the woods, usu-
ally made with a view to selecting
claims. a. E.5j
We soon found that the art of timber
cruising, which combines Woodcraft
with some knowledge Of surveying, was
too arduous for our enjoyment, and
somewhat beyond our abilities as
woodsmen. Moreover, we learned that
nearly all the good timber claims were
taken up already. So we devoted the
rest of the time to hunting, and fishing
the trout streams that brawl down
from the Olympics.
We occupied a cabin in a little clear
ing, round which lowered huge trees Of
the northwestern woods,-fir, balsam
and cedar,-each tree round, straight,
and for hundred and fifty feet devoid
OF branches. Occasional openings
among the tops let in glimpses of the
SKY, and gave the forest aisles a sub
dued and gentle light, reflected perhaps
from the calm waters Of a tiny lake.
e We found good sport, though for
some time the really "big game eluded
all our hunting. Shut off as we. were
from the world, in a place where we
saw only our own company and heard
only familiar voices, the drowsy roar. of
) the river, the occasional: cry of some
wild creature and the wind far about
us i'll the swaying tops, life seemed q
dream. The heavy odors of. the cedar
and balsam sweetly filled the air and
invited us to rest, so we easily forgot
business, care and the flight of time.
One evening the nearest settler came
to our open door, bearing a telegram
for me which had been forwarded by
stage from Shelton to Union City, and
there had reposed in the postoffice for
several days. The telegram bore this
startling message:
Boom at Gray's Harbor. Lose no
time in returning.''
This meant that the price of land at
that place was rising fast, and that a
short delay in going there and finishing
my "deal'' might occasion serious loss
to the syndicate and myself
The message had already been de-
layed some days. It would take more
than a week to reach Gray's Harbor by
any travelling facilities then available
No one there understood my business
fully, or could act for me without q
power Of attorney.
l stated the case to my friends, and
we considered it in every phase. At
last the settler said, IF you want to
get to Gray's quick, can show you a
way. know I; pass over the noun
tains that will get us there, if we hus-
tie, in five days 80.
J I was glad to avail myself Of the set
tiers Offer The time gained by the
short cut would make up for that lost
by the delay of the message, and T
might still be in time.
So early the next morning our guide,
my three friends and |, with packs en-
our backs and rifles in hand, were
climbing the foot hills.
I'VE got to go by the elk trail,'' said
the settler. There amt no other way,
and it's hard travelin' because the elks
can jump where we have to climb
ELK came down every winter from
the mountains to the lowland by regu-
lar runs which, from centuries of use,
have been worn irto what would be
excellent bride paths if hc1ses We're as
sure footed as elk. The trail served us
well the fi1st day.
But in the afternoon Of the second
day the elk seemed to have dumped" in
good earnest The tail ended without
apparent cause, and we could find no
continuance Of it. Evidently the crea-
lures had been in the habit at this point
Of scattering and browsing in the woods
and meeting farther on.
I'VE must find our way alCng this
SHELF" said our guide. THE trail will
likely begin again on the otEer side
Of the ridge" r-.-"s
The ''shelf'' in question was broad
strip of level which lay just below
the rocky peaks Of the range. Above
lowered snow-topped crags, perfectly
inaccessible Below, a dangerous de-
scent Tell sleepy away toward the
canon of the river that separated the
main divide from a range of foot
hills. g. .-~
Along this 81 elf we Tough our way
for some time through thick and tan
gled brush, and over and under the
huge trunks of fallen trees. BY that
time the ''stelf" had narrowed very
much, and was little more than a con-
siderably blockaded path winding along
the side of an immense precipice.
AS we turned q bend we came upon
little open space, where a black bear
sat munching berries. Our guide was
the first to fire. The bear, with an
angry grunt rushed away along the
mountain-side leaving a trail of blood,
and followed by futile and scattering
fire from the rest of the party.
We followed the animals track, which
kept along the shelf a little way, then
crossed the divide by a gap in the
rocks, and went into the deep woods
on the other side. 81 Having less inter-
est in the chase than in making prog
ress toward Gray's Harbor, I fell some
Wat behind the rest OF. the l,arty, who
followed the bear regardless Of the
way, the time, or the reason Of our
inn /