Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-06-16
OUR :: CLAIMS
By EDITH FUTILE.
"rhis is the forest primeva1."

'"This is the forest primevaI."
AVERHEAD mighty evergreens,
spruces, frs and hemlocks, lift
their branches heavy laden with fringed
cushions of moss. Under foot is jun
gle of ferns, huckleberry and salal
brush, vine maple and elder, with occa-
sionaIy some monarch of the forest ly-
ing PROSTATE, it's 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 a pleasure jaunt. Rather q
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 a scanty existence. It was a con-
stantly recurring question with US,
however, how 20 make a better iiveli-
hood. The papers, at this time, were so
full of glowing descriptions of the rich
lands, thrown open by the government
20 settlers, that we began to ask our
selves, why shouldn't we take up
claim?" 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 to conquer por-
ton of the unknown wilderness in the
Humpitulipo valley, western Washing
ton. On reaching the railroad station
nearest this new country we rode IS
miles over 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-
quiam told us we could not possibly get
through. It was all man could do to
get through the woods without 4 trail,
and a woman certainly could not do it.
We were determined, however, and
nothing daunted, we sailed forth. With
bandanna handkerchiefs tied around
our heads and short skirts of stout blue
denim-for we could not bring our
oC-'SS ~ NCdi ONCltiiAS We WIRE uO-
vised-we 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 a pack containing
three small blankets, frying pan, a
knife and fork, a tin plate and cup,
some bacon. flour 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 windfalls and walked on
their tree trunks, looking down some
times 20 or so feet at the Jungle below
Occasionally the huge trunk of some
PROSTATE tree barred cur 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-slid and fell
down.
The first night we made camp we
women 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
and Plate served for all, we sought the
softest spots on the ground, rolled up
IN our blankets and stretched ourselves
out to slumber. The Pickering light
from the camp fires made the darkness
IN the shadow of the surrounding trees
still more intense. Straight up over
head Dit of star-studded sky showed
itself bordered by the tops of the tall,
back trees. All around, the dropping
OF the hem,ock needles sounded like
the gentle pattering of rain. In the
distance could be heard the untirino
roar of the ocean.
a moss covered log served for a pill
low and soon nature asserted herself
WEAKNESS proved stronger than fear
and we slept as soundly as though we
were at home on feather beds.
During the night it began to rain and
We propped up pieces of hemlock bark
big log and crawled under
them. Our roof had many cracks. and
occasionally stream of water poured
down upon us. The soft spots" on the
ground had disappeared utterly, and by
no rearranging of aching bones could
We discover them. dug up the ground
with stick to make my bed softer and
only succeeded IN making it humpier. !