The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-08-10

Once and once only nave seen d
panther that was other than skulk-
ing. timorOUs brute, intent only on
escape. II was fifteen years ago, on
the Olympic shore and range. south
of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. / then
held a kind Of rowing commission from
the Smithsonian Institution. L was
but TWENTY-FIVE. and was thus put on
my mettle to penetrate unviSited quar-
ters Of the world and keep my eyes
open.
And that time the region was ver-
liable terra incognita. On the map 1t
is termed Clallam County, but for
hundred miles east and west. particu-
larly among the mountains, it was then
as primitive and savage as when our
race first set foot on the continent.
1t was one vast tangle of brush and
rottine tree trunks, which gave way
like wet paper underfoot. letting the
unwary explorer through into unsus-
pected holes, where he might. very pos
sibly. find himself in the lair of a griz-
zly that had never yet learned gun
fear. Bears and panthers were the
monarchs of this solitude.
Humanity speaking, too. it was law
less coast. Scattered along the shore,
often leagues apart, were few
'.iookouts" of otter-hunters, who were
a law unto themselves. and did not hes
itate 10 send far-killing bullet after
those who intruded on their ranges"
The fakes of few Victoria fisher
men might be stumbled on during the
season. About the river mouths one
would at times catch glimpses of an
Indian canoe, or thin line Of smoke
rising at sunrise or sunset. But the
forest was too dense, rank and tangled
for good hunting. and the Indians and
half-breeds here were mainly those
whom murda OF other crimes had rem
dered outcasts.
In Scme expectation of finding the
precious metals, / had been trying to
reach high mountain valley. visible
from the coast, by ascending the gorge
of the Puy- -Clallam. from Port Town
send. in sailing dory, which carried
my small kit and stock of provisions.
v A little way up the tidal portion of
the river ! had come upon an old log
hut. in q secluded nook of the shore.
1t had evidently been deserted for sew
eral years, but it served me as base
for my tramps up the gorge. On the
night Of my story l had returned to 1t
rather late and thoroughly tired. after
a solitary jannt of twenty miles or
more l put On half a salmon to boil
in my porcelain kettle, over a fire
which a rock and the end of the hut
sheltered, ard / also made skilletful
of hot breakfast food" this. with SUI
gar and a spoonful of diluted canned
milk. appeased my hunger little, till
the salmon was cooked.
Meanwhile dusk had fallen, and the
swarming mosquitoes drove me to don
net and gloves. The hum of thousands
of these insects blended with the dis
tant roar of rapids up the river. To
eat nv salmon in peace it was neces-
sary 10 smoke out the hut and retire
inside-sor the insect pests dashed
blindly into my platter and into my
mouth.
The moon was not yet quite in sight
over the wooded mountain across the
stream, but its light was slowly difus-
ing itself alhwart the wilderness; and
presently l heard two sea-otterS miau-
ing at each other down in Little Bay.
They seemed to be close in TO the
shore: and as my supper had revived
me considerably, l took my carbine
and stepped outside. 1t was possible,
| thought, to get shot at them as the
moon came up: and a sea-otter pelt
NAV be worth couple Of hundred dol
lars.
Ny little cooking fire had burned
down. and l scuffed some loose sand
over it with my foot rs l stopped to
listen 10 the otters again. But dense
gust of mosquitoes dashed into my
face as stood there; and rejecting
that might have to lie or stand quiet
for some little time if l stalked the
offers. I went back inside for my head
net and gloves. standing my carbine
against that end of the hut as did so,
for the door was ct the other end.
II toof ne q minute or two to find
and PVT Oh the net in the dark interior
of the hat: but was coming out When,
not twenty feet away. l discovered
somn large animal with eyes that
giowed ike Goals in the Ohscurity. 1t
was in the very act of croIchinG TO
spring al me. l heard the sOugh of its
breath as i drew itself together to
jump and leaped back INTO the hut
and slammed the door.
I had no time 10 spare. The beast
came plump against the door with a
violence that nearly hurled it back and
me with il, One paw came ut the crew
ice by the loor-post. l set my back
acains, the dooi and dug my he2.s INTO
the earth to hold it fast, yelling all the
while 10 scare the creature away. But
my shouts did not frighten it in the
least. with eager growing it dug and
tore al the door with its nails. 1t even
tried 10 dig the earth away beneath it.
Then il coursed eagerly round the hut
in long bounds. and leaped on the roof.
Some slight smell of my fire fingered
at the father end of the hut, and my
carbine. too. standing there. must have
oi,-a;, off ndors: but these smells ap-