The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-08-10
MID MOUNTAIN BREEZES

coming more puOllc, especially OF
when the road is literally
lined with humanity.
Another great attraction to this
camp is tile many shining trout, that
are hiding Meath messy banks, or
darting over rapids in the clear water
that foams and splashes along. Tue
scarcity of fish bait is one of our
sources OF complaint. Every man,
woman or child pounces upon a poor
lone grasshopper or stray butterfly
CHANGING to wander this way. The
hook is soon baiied, the angler steps
quietly from rock to rock, along logs
or perhaps stand in shady hooks with
graceful wild vines entangling his
feet, but only intent upon drawing
up the willy fellows Proudly the
string of specified beauties are borne
to camp, there carefully counted and
sizes compared, each anxious for the
record of catching the most or largest
fish. One rainy morning j. W.
Ayers, when cooking, used sugar in
stead Of salt on his fish and Mr.. Yer
beck used -four and also omitted the
salt on his; consequently at break
fast we all decided the much priced
trout to be unpalatable and only fit to
be cast away. This necessarily short
ened our breakfast as much variety
was not TO be thought of upon this
occasion Some one suggested that
our soldiers might even enjoy our
discarded repast. Mr.. Ayers adj
vlses all cooks to use sugar instead
Of salt as it :..kes quite a change.
Then there is the lucious buckle
berries growing upon the steep
hill side near by. We look up, and
they seem so near yet SO far. There
are two pictures that might be pre-
senIed representing different modes,
incidents and results of gathering
these berries. First we start slowly
up the mountain while it is cool and
pleasant, moving on up, often stop
ping to rest on some obstruction to
our progress, viewing the scenery be-
low with admiration and awe; or we
may find some bushes Of berries tc
amnse ourselves with while resting
When we come to nice cluster OF
bushes bending meath their fruit, q
comfortable place in the shade is
found and we decide that gathering
these clean wild berries is q pleasant
passtme. AS the pail fills up we
become more earnest in our efforts.
pick faster and faster until nothing
seems so important as gathering Der
ries. The pail is full. With feelings
akin to delight we bear them
into camp where we are warmly
greeted and commended. Then again
we ascend the mountain in quest OF
more berries. We Chamber over logs
and loose or slick rocks. We see u
bush up that steep incline with a few
berries in view We slip and slide
in our effort to reach the coveted
spot Finally We grasp Il little weed
aud endeayor to pull ourselves up by
its aid, but the soft earth Yields and
the frail hold is gone. Frauticall,
we grasp another to save ourselves.
At last the goal is reached. With
feet braced and one hand holding to
some support, we soon gather the
berries aud look around for some
new field; and SO we struggle from
place to place for several hours
Then with torn clothing, scratches,
and dripping perspnation we decide
it is time to 60 to camp; but as we
descend the slick pine grass gives us
an impetus hard to resist; suddenly
our footing is missed and we fail
head long, sliding for several feet
Our berries, alas Where are they I?
We crawl back and find them scat
tered in the grass and dirt. Amid
laughter at our discontinue we take
up the pail and wend our way back
to camp in sad detection. Some
such experiences usually attend our
efforts at berry picking, to which
Ray Ayers will surely testify. But
one of our young ladies found new
method of holding a berry patch. 1t
was to rush in advance of the other
party and when III good locality to
roll rocks, thus intimidaling the 9TH
ers in ascending. But she asserted
that the rock was started accidentally.
A young man of the Merritt party
saw a mother bear and two cubs at
no great distance up the canyon; now
we all are aware that these animals
like to feast upon the buckle berry
and when wandering alone this
thought is some times in mind Con
sequently when one Of our ladies
who was dressed in dark, was quietly
gathering her berries, another mem
Der was peeping through the bushes
with palpitating heart, thinking that
he saw a bear But we conquer all
obstacles and manage to secure Der
ries for cooking purposes and are al
so indulging in canning some as tro-
phies to be taken home.
The gentlemen here also enjoy
cunning, although there is not much
to shoot, at least they seldom bring
anything to camp We have lust
heard four or five reports ring out in