Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-09-13
TO the .Pduette Lakes.

MI 1utll suIc spur ts'uSH. Iuii'N
are indifferent, some ardent and
..Othe,s enthusiastic. 1t is not eve
ry man who can safely go like
Judge Poe with nothing to eat but
"a handful of salt, nor like Bob
Schlei, :. sr live on the excitement
derived from big trout, rod and
reel for two weeks without eating
anything. However, all men are
made stronger and better by the
touch of nature that is most GER
tainly found by taking an outing
in the mountains. He who loves
forest and stream, hill and vale
that was "ncver by Saxon trod" is
u true sportsman.
A party of seven. including a ba-
by, a month ago started with
determination and good outfit to
cross that political and commercial
State barrier, the Salmon river
mountains. I'VE had the spirit Of
the explorer, which was inspired
: by the obstacles to be overcome
land the spirit of the sportsman was
kept high as We proceeded over
fields and through woods where
wild beasts roam, wild fowls fly
and streams where speckled trout
sport.
We crossed the reservation and
rehearsed the songs of praise that
,have been sung in eulogy of that
land of promise by chorus of
thousand voices for thirty years.
I'VE saw there goodly number of
the nineteen hundred Indians
which have been invoiced by this
generous government at such q
high figure. They were chiefly en-
gagged in waiting for the Indian
money. Some of them were in
such hurry for the money that
they had not taken time to dress
themselves.
While we were still half intoxi-
Gated by the beauties and the
breezes of Craig's mountain we
reached the summit from which
Aaron Parker discovered Camas
prairie. The smoke had settled
over the distant valley and choked
our inspiration as well as shut of
the view that made a poet out OF
Parker. But we knew the prairie
was there and we found Parker
hard at work. lie seems to write
when the days are bright and work
when they are gloomy to keep his
spirits up.
Beyond Camas prairie there is 6
vast stretch of rugged mountains
There is no change until Florence
is reached and then there are only
mountains more vast and rugged
There are game, fish, and may-b,
minerals in these brush clad noun
tains, but the country is otherwise
'walueless for the ordinary purposes
of civilised people. Florence i
reached by 40 miles of travel owe
a rough mountain road. This oil,
camp is like graveyard. Tn
white sand has been washed an,
re-washed for the gold and it j
heaped up everywhere. The roa,
winds through the trees and bar
rem heaps like the aisles of a cata
comb.
From Florence the road crosse
the great Salmon river canyon owe
which very few wagons had eve
passed. The honest mountai
men advised us to turn back. Flo
the sake of the ladies they pleade
with us. We dared not tell tn
ladies of half the horrors predicte
for our near future down the Sa
mon river grade. The little rive
Twas yellow thread, Topped in
narrow cut between the rock
walls six thousand feet deep; I'll
wagon road is but a niche cut j
the walls. The dizzy abyss belo
strikes terror to the heart of IL
traveller and makes him cling wit
desperation to the narrow foot-hol
as he speeds on with fear an
trembling. We passed this as we
as all other stretches of good an
bad road without mishap. I'll
woods, trails and camps were PEE
pied with nomadic workers an
adventures. Be they prospecto
or packers they seem to live upo
the trails. The jungles and Il
sleeps are seemingly yet intro
The man who goes in search
gold has his spirits tanned by Il
rocks, logs and brush in the ca
y0as and on the mountain sid
and he wandcrs listlessly on in Il
tracks of the harder men wi
made the trails thirty years az
The road sides are pitted by pre-
pectors, but hardly sign is se
out of sight of the dust-worn O
camp grounds. A feature of til
region of rugged rock mountains
the Warm Springs near Warner
This place is the abode of bac
elor housekeeper, The buildin
ARE of round logs made gloomy
age and decay, but there is e'
dence of refined taste in all the a
iuncts to the Warm Springs host,