The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-17

write of the location and all the land
about 1.-The abomination of desolation.
But on the contrary the scene is grand
grand sub1imely grand and the air is
sweet, healthful, and invigorating as
wine. The heavens breath smells
ingly here. You never saw snow so white
anywhere as here:
white as snow; whittier than any miller
can whiten." This is because this is a
land of granite; no dust in the air as in
California or Colorado, no tall trees to
scatter bits of bark and leaves and litter
through the air and over the snow. One
constantly thinks of the TRANSPORTATION
all along this land of Wilderness and blue;
white clouds, white snow, blue seas, and
blue skies. Heavens! Had but years
to live here and lay my hand upon this
color, this fearful and wonderful garment
of the most high God!
Hello, there comes the porter in a big
boat with a load of packs, mine among
them; a big, long white chest bag, just
like the forty-niners had of old, only
theirs did not look so white.
We are sitting rim of rocks that
hang under the great fall of granite on
the water waiting for our stuff. The
boats dot the bay. They have been busy
all night, all day, and all yesterday. The
town." a store and postoffice, lies half
you, jolly porter. Here's piece of white
money in exchange for yonder pretty
white bag. Lord, but won't I sit down
on this long, white bag of blankets, ba>
con, sea biscuit, boots, comb, tooth
brushes, manuscript, and poems in their
infancy, before 1 get through yonder hall
of cloudsI Won't 1 wish, my big. fat bag.
that you were not quite SO lanky to look
upon? All no, 1 am afraid not: my heart
is full and glad if this scene, this chance
to be with the strong, young fellows, this
new generation, for all my old friends of
the old California Idaho and Montana
are dead or laid up for repairs, and am
the oldest in experience at least, If not in
years, of all the bold fellows about me
along here.
1 take up my pack-more details of it
and contents anon-and we trudge away,
a long, white line looking no larger than
mice at the further end, for my pack is
among the last. Good-by, Captain Thorn
as and good-by to your fine officers and
crew. Better or kinder men never knew.
Such careful men, too. 1 cabined with
the pilots, but when either they or Cap
tain Thomas or the purser ever slept 1
never knew. but learned from the care
and constant caution of the two pilots
that it is no picnic to drive a big ship
between these walls of granite and snow.
The 'soundings are not complete, buoys
are needed And even if all was done
there still would be dense white clouds
to push through at times.
Good-by, my pretty ship City of Mex
leo / shall never see six days of gold
and silver all in line as bright and busy
and full of color and stir and heart and
soul as have seen on your decks. Good
by, go to where skies do not go down to
sea.
But, to be coldly practical, as I prom
ised at the beginning of these letters,
may mention that we were exactly six
days from Seattle to this end of naviga-
ton had to wait a little here and there
| for the tide to surge through the straits,
| for in places the tide is too strong to stem
| safely The cost is just $50; you can
| make it less but you won't; if in the cab
| in and have coin at hand you will far
| more likely make it more. But if you
| leave off cigars and all sorts of drinks.
! as I have you can do very we'll on $50
for the six days and live like lord, for
| the table is splendid, can't be beat at any
! table on land. Soup fish, fowl, all sorts
of game.
! 1 have been or will have been just two
| weeks on the trip from San Francisco to
| this point tomorrow. But the fault is
| three days were wasted in missing a
! steamer. 1 could have been, and should
| have been, only ten days en- route. Still
one can't always make connections in this
/ north country try he may, for all
| things are new and do not quite work
| like a clock yet. Ten days and $50 is
| the cheapest in time and money that the
| trip from San Francisco to the foot of
the mountains can be made. But take
| first-class tickets and spend 500 and two
| weeks time and you will be and feel all
| the better for it you shoulder your
! pack for the pass. You can't put the ex-
ira dollars and the extra time in to a
| better advantage anywhere this side your
| final camp, if you have them
It is nearly 100 miles to the next post
office. The time is said to be almost six
weeks. We will do the best we can tc
send letters back as we go forward.
say we becausSI have about found E
| .'continuer." If it crystalizes and take:
| solid form as we go forward you shall
hear more about it. came to make the
trip alone all the way. But of course
| am not hunting for either hardships o.
isolation AS 1 said at the outset, if bet
| ter things than pack on my back up thu
| steppes alone and little raft down tn
river alone present themselves, I shall
| gladly accept them.
1 have been alone this far and it is al
| easy enough on the cars or ship, however