St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-07-09
OUR :: CLAIMS
BY EDITH TUrTLE
This is the foreet primeval."

This is the forest primeval''
OVERHEAD mighty eyergreens,
~ spruces, frs and hem.ocks. lift
their branches heavy laden with fringed
cushions of moss. Under foot is jun
gle of ferns, huckleberry and saial
brush, vine maple and elder, with occa-
siona,ly some monarch of the forest "
ing PROSTATE. its great roots spreading
out and throwing up wall-like barrier
of intermingled earth and roots.
Four miles through the virgin forest
of western Washington, with no trail
and with only the surveyors blaze, an
occasional quarter post and = pocket
compass to guide you, you would find
NOT exactly pleasure jaunt. Rather a
rough walk for woman, you would say.
My sister and were two young wom-
en- of limited education and no special
talents. Our father had left US little
money, and on that we managed to exc
out scanty existence. 1t was a con-
stantly recurring question with us,
however, how 10 make a better iveli-
hood. The papers, at tEis time, were so
full of glowing descriptions of the rich
lands, thrown open by the government
to settlers, that we began to ask our
selves. why shouldn't we take up a
c,aim?" Surely in all those acres of
timber land and fertile river valley
there was room for US.
We thought about it and talked it
over. and as the result of our thinking
and talking one day in the middle of
October we left our home in Seattle
and set bravely forth - conquer por-
Humpitulipo valley, western Washing
ton. On reaching the railroad station
nearest this new country we rode is
miles over a puncheon road and took
rough pony trail 16 miles farther TO the
little settlement of Hoquiam. Here our
claim locator advised us to go four
miles farther. ON into the unbroken
forest, where we would find good claims
not yet taken up. The people of Ho-
quiaan told us we could not possibly get
through. 1t was all man could do to
get through the woods without ! trail,
and woman certainly could not do il.
We were determined, however, and
nothing daunted, we sailed forth. With
.bandanna handkerhiefs tied around
our head and short skirts of stout blue
,lenim-5or we could not bring our
selves wear overalls as we were ad-
vised-He were dressed, not exactly in
the latest Paris fashion, but in style
much better suited to our purpose.
Into the depths of the somber forest,
hitherto uninvaded by the tread OF
woman, we plunged, following our
locator, who carried pack containing
three small blankets, frying pan.
knife and fork, a tin plate and cup.
some bacon, -four and coffee.
The bushes caught us in their unwel-
come embrace. Our feet sank into
the moss and ferns and decayed wood.
Where the bushes were SO thick we
could not possibly force our way
through. our guide cut them away with
his Ak sufficiently TO allow passage.
We climbed windfal.s and walked on
their tree trunks, looking down some
times 20 or 30 feet at the jungle below.
Occasionally tne huge trunk of some
Drostrate tree barred our way and we
had to cut notches in it to Chamber
across the incline. We were in hilly
country and scaled almost perpendicu-
lar bluffs by climbing to bushes and
pulling ourselves up by them. The de-
scent was easier for me-si;d and fell
down.
The first night, we made camp we
vpmen were afraid of wild animals. so
we built two big fires and got between
them while our locator hunted for
water.
After our rude supper of coffee. bacon
and camp bread, during which one cup
,...,d Mate served for all, we sought the
softest spots on the ground, rolled up
i, mr. blankets and stretched ourselves
out to slumber. The flickering light
from the camp fires made the darkness
= the shadow of the surrounding trees
s,;n more intense. Straight up over
h.ad bit of star-studded sky showed
;,s-lf bordered by the tops Of the tah,
n,...L trees. AL around. the dropping
- the hem.ock needles sounded like
The gentle pattering of rain. In the
s:~.srre could be heard the untiring
roar Of the ocean.
moss covered log served for pill
,o,. and soon nature asserted herself.
proved stronger than fear
~ xe slept as soundly as though we
...re at home on feather beds.
lrrinr the night it began to rain and
ur uieceS of hemlOck bark |