Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-07-22

Ine olympic sn0fe and range, sOuth
of the Strait Of Juan de Euca. then
held a kind of rowing commission from
the Smithsonian Institution. was
but tvvonty-two, and was thus put on
my mettle to penetrate unvisited quar-
tiers of the world and keep my eyes
open.
And that time the region was a YER
liable terra incognita. On the map it
is termed Clallam County, but for a
hundred miles east and west, particu-
larry 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
rOtting 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-
Fly 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, We're few
"lOokouts" of Otter-hunters, who were
law unto themselves, and did not hes
itate to send far-killing bullet after
those who intruded on their ranges"
The flakes 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 a 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 murder or other crimes had rem
dered outcasts.
In some expectation of finding the
precious metals l 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 a sailing dory. which carried
my small kit and stock of provisions.
A little way up the tidal portion of
the river had come upon an old log
hut, in secluded nook of the shore.
IL had evIuenUy- a G.--.-.--a-
eral years, but it served me as a base
for my tramps up the gorge. On the
night of my story / had returned to it
rather late and thoroughly tired, after
solitary iannt or twenty miles or
more. l put on half salmon to boil
in my porcelain kettle, over fire
which a rock and the end of the hut
sheltered, and l also made skilletful
of hot breakfast food" this, with SUI
gar and a spoonful of diluted canned
milk, appeased my hunger a 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 my salmon in peace 1t was neces-
sary to smoke out the hut and retire
inside-fOr 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 dffus-
ing ulhWdll luC WllutIutSS,
presently ] heard two ea-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, 1 took my carbine
and stepped outside. 1t was possible,
moon came up; and sea-otter pelt
may be worth couple of hundred dol
lars.
My little cooking fire had burned
down, and scuffed some loose sand
over 1t with my foot as l stopped to
listen to the offers again. But dense
gust Of mosquitoes dashed into my
face as stood there; and rejecting
that 1 might have to lie or stand quiet
fo~ some little time if l stalked the
offers, l went back inside for my head
net and gloves, standing my carbine
against that end of the hut as I did so,
for the door was at the other end.
1t took me minute or two to find
and put on the net in the dark interior
OF the hut; but was coming out when.
not twenty feet away, l discovered
some large animal with eyes that
glowed like Goals in the obscurity! II
was in the very act of crouching to
spring at me! heard the sough of its
breath as it drew itself together to
jump. and leaped back into the hut
and slammed The door.
L had no time TO spare. The beast
came plump against the door with
violence that nearly hurled it back and
me with 1t! One paw came at the crew
ice by the door-post. l set my back
against the door and dug my heels into
the earth to hold It fast, yelling all the
while 10 scare the creature away. But
my shouts did not brighten it in the
least. With eager growing it dug md
tore at the door with its nails. II even
tried to dig the earth away beneath it.
Then it coursed eagerly round the hut
in long bounds, and leaped on the roof
Some slight smell of my fire fingered
at the farther end of the hut, and my
carbine, too, standing there, must have
given off odors; but these smells ap-
peared not to deter the animal.
With low growls it dug Mt the poles
and boughs of the roof. The old dry
stuff ratified through on me as I CROPPED
for log bench in the hut to set against
the door. feared that the beast would
tear hole in the roof and spring
down on me: but the thick, matted
mass of sOdden bOughs embarrassed IT,
Ill the time was shouting savagely.
and | made haste to strike whole
card Of matches. hoping that the odor
OF birthstone or the CLEAN of light
would deter. the beast from it's attack.
But Immediately 1t came digging at
the door again, as II transported by
ferocity, and again l threw my weight
against the inside of the door, for
dared not trust to the bench,