The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-08-09
OUR :: CLAIMS
BY EDITH FUTILE.
..rhls IS the forest prlmeval."

n VERHEAD mighty evergreens,
I spruces, frs and hem,ocks, lift |
their branches heavy laden with fringed |
cushions of moss. Under foot is jun
gle of ferns, huckleberryN and saial |
brush, vine maple and elder, with occa-
sionally some monarch of the forest ~
ing PROSTATE, its great roots spreading
out and throwing up wall-,ike 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 ind
not exactly a pleasure jaunt. Rather
rough walk for woman, you would say.
My sister and 1 were two young wom-
en- of limited education and no special
talents. Our father had left us Ettle
money, and On that we managed to exc
out a scanty existence. 1t was con-
stantly recurring question with us,
however, how 10 make better livel-
hood. The papers, at this time, were so
full of glowing descriptions of the rich
lands, thrown open by the government
10 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
aud 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 a puncheon road and took a
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 a man could do to
| get through the woods With out a trail
and a woman certainly could not do it
! We were determined, however, and
nothing daunted, we sailed forth. With
bandanna handlSerchiefs tied around
our heads and short skirts of stout blue
denim-for we could not bring our
selves to wear overalls as we were nd
yised-we were dressed not exactly il
the latest Paris fashion, but in style
much better suited to our purpose.
Into the depths 81 the somber forest
hitherto uninvaded by the tread o
woman, we plunged, following oul
locator, who carried pack containing
three small blankets, q frying pan, !
knife and fork, tin plate and cup
some bacon, -four and coffee.
The bushes caught us in their unwel
come embrace. Our feet sank int
the moss and ferns and decayed wood
Where the bushes were so thick w
could not possibly force our wa.
through, our guide cut them away witt
his AK sufficiently TO allow passage
We climbed wirdfalis and walked OF
their tree trunks, looking down some
times 30 or 80 feet at the jungle below
Occasionally the huge trunk of som
PROSTATE tree barred cur way and W
had to cut notehes in it TO clambe
across the incline. We were in hill
country aud sealed almost perpendicu
lar bluffs by climbing to bushes an
| pulling ourselves up by them. The dc
scent was easier for me-slid and fel
down.
The first night we made camp w
! women were afraid of wild animals, s
we built two big fires and got betwee
them while our locator hunted fo
water.
After our rude supper of coffee, baco
and camp bread, during which one Gu
and plate served for all, we sought th
softest spots on the ground, rolled u
in our blankets and stretched ourselve
out to slumber. The Pickering ligl
from the camp fires made the darkneS
! in the shadow of the surrounding tree
still more intense. Straight up owe
head bit of star-studded sky Shove
Itself bordered by the tops of the tai
black trees. All around, the droppin
of the hemiock needles sounded liz
the gentle patteripg of rain. In II
roar of the ocean.
a moss covered log served for pi
low and soon nature asserted hersel
, WEAKNESS proved stronger than fes
q and we slept as soundly as though W
were at home on feather beds.
! During the night it began to rain an
3 we propped up pieces of hemlock bar
=. against big log and crawled undt
them. Our roof had many cracks, an
occasionally a stream of water poure
I down upon us. The soft spots on II
ground had disappeared utterly, and b
no rearranging of aching. bones coul
we discover them. / dug up the groun
with stick 10 make my bed softer an
only succeeded in making it humpic
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