The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-27

rufsfed = rez1gr1p,5ou Of our efforts. We
had not gone far when the fox which mad
shrouded ~. suddenly Hired. revealing A
comparatively open space. on which the
sun shore brightly. bringing courage and
hope TO cur spirits depressed by recent
experiences
Just AZ this moment We caught sight Ct
a large eagle. Tying abou; IN widening cir
Giles directly above our heads TINS ap-
pearance. which seemed ~ all good
omen. furnished 2 timely suggestion as TO
a name for the canyon We were leaving;
and ever since IL has been known as Eagle
Gorge.
Progress continued slow and iaborious.
the principal obstacles now being the
sIoughs and channels which frequently cut
through The bottom lands Accommodations
OF driftwood. the dense underground and
the soft snow. liable 10 give way a. any
moment precip8tating one into a pool or
ice-cold water. added not inconsiderahly
20 our annoyances But on March , We
reached Camp I3. among a number Of fir
trees OF immense size. and about mile
above stream called, by the two Indians
Of the party. Smay creek.
This point Is sixty miles from Tacoma by
the present railway
Meantime. although our supplies had
been replenlshed from Cache creek. the
outlook vas not encouraging. for. with
party of ten. provisions disappeared rapid
II. All had suffered greatly from expos
IRE and labor under such unfavorahle con-
ditlons. and We're discouraged. But. some
time previously. had learned from Col.
Smith that the two men At Ellensburg
were 70 go on 10 Thorp. and. with those
remaining there, convey such supplies as
they could pack on their hacks across Ia
coma pass going from cabin TO cabin unth
they reached Cabin 4: thence on as far
down Green river as possible. where they
10 fatfFA n
try 10 make connection with US.
In view OF this fact and our present
plight, and believing that IL these instruc-
tons had been executed we could not be
many DAYS journey from Cabin :. de-
cided. before we again sought the repose
Of our blankets. 10 push on with only three
men and make squirt that should hurry
the expedition to conclusion. According
~ all hands were called out early the
morning Of the I'd From among them /
selected one as foreman aud put him i'm
charge or operations between Canoe creek
asd Smav creek. with orders 10 have more
provisions packed up 30 the latter camp.
those at the former being replen!shed from
time 20 time by the commissary.
The men were then named 10 accompany
me. tho principal one being Joseph Wilson.
a Canadian voyageur and prospectoT about
g years OF age. An accomplished woods
man. he had a physique that endured any
hardship. and was withal intelligent and
kind-hearted. The others were India o.,
Peter and Charley. our outfit which was
as light as we dared make Il. consisted of
one or two blankets each. besides our rub
Der blankets a small Fly. frying pan, tin
kettle and coffee pot, and a few prov:s-
ions. principally -four, baking powder.
beans bacon and coffee
We parted from the others and soon lost
sight OF them. our progress being slow
trH pa n a ridge which
thought might parallel the river and afford
ia a more rapid and certain route. But
after some time we found ourselves get
ting farther and farther away from the
stream. and were obliged with what speed
We could make. 10 again descend towards
the river bottoms. In this way little direct
progress was made that day. and we en-
camped az night In a hollow OF the hillside
above some warm springs, which have
now become well known, being near the
present railway station Of Hot Springs.
sixty-two miles from Tacoma. The next
morning our route lay among large fir
trees on the north side. where the accumu-
latIons Of snow covered so much OF the
forest debris as 10 permit faster travel on
snowshoes than had hitherto been possible.
At noon. when we had stopped TO make
coffee. 70 was thought best 10 send back
the two Indians. who. by remaining with
us. would soon demoish our small stock Of
turn 10 Srnay creek. get moro supplies and
then follow on our trail until they should
overtake VIZ. wherever Tint might he.
Wilson and pressed on. making camp n5)
ar a late hour near the mouth or what
seemed to be a slough Of Green river. We
concluded we must he near Cabin & and
that the following day We should keep
sharr lockout for any sign OF white men.
but, in spite of diligeut search. 20 trace OF
our friends appeared along our route,
which had hecu as close 10 the stream =
the underground permitted in order 10 dis
cover any large fork coming In on the
south If one became visible the plan was
20 cross and explore Il for some distance
az least. with the hope that it might be the
main stream. where would he found some
sign Of those We sought. The view. how
ever was much INSTRUCTED. the south side
appea ring in occa sional glimpses. steep
and forbldding while on the north there
was little 20 oppose our progress In The
open forest. We were moving on tho line
81 least resistance.
Toward night We csmpcd IN the angle oe-
tween two creeks. each about nifty feet
wide which united 70 form thu stream tNat
had been our guide through the DAY Some
further search was then made, but without
result. excepting fun consideration Of
our situation as We sat by the evening
campfire We were certain that no large
fork had been raised on the north side
since leaving Smav creek. fact leading
pla nlv up 20 the Inference that one Of the
two creeks meeting az our camp must he
Green river proper. while the other was it's
north fork. that S. unless our keeping 70
5 the north side had lost US the main stream
I altogether in the dense forest. Although
the latter eurpoS 'tion appeared. after all
! the corvect one. we did not Ike 10 abandon
orr position without exploration ~ tho two
/ streams mentioned The north fork. re
ported 20 have been seen Nv Mr. sheets
might - one or these creeks. or. POSSIBLY
/ tho one We had heou following during the
aav. or oven some othar stream Vet 90 he
discovered Green river was. Doubtless
made un ~ several tributaries coming in
from the main and lateral div dos We
were among forcst-cCVered mounta ms
/ permitting no view thar might settle tho
/ Vexaa question Of the location 90 the ma n
/ vaterrourse ard 'ts north fork. The oniv
4 rlau. therefore was 80 examine every thing
/ rs We weft along. and - 10 This most thor
/ curhly W. must make lahoroUs ascent
/ af the hillside opposite on tho north. follow
; It's slope eastward and. finally. toward tno
! south. crossing the creeks higher UP no
/ tween the camp ana the divide This
( would fake us over many raVines and
( rtAr-@ Nuf would tneUra our crossing che
! frtl ~ our friends. - Il law along any ~
4 fA,, vstgrcaHr~eS found Rut go spite ~
/ Gar hopes. tho tao DAYS thus consumed
/ seemed lr-f. sn FAR as any clue - ;he
/ whereabouts ~ the other party Was con-
/ c.rusH ana We became satisfied that the
I ~rs~-A mast He made elsewhere. However.
I ara teos make tails presumption GER
+ taiuty
we hs4 20 endure constant disconfsrts
e. . I-.-