Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-25
ANOTHER LETTER
FROM F. c. COLBY

ThUM L. u. UULDI
Editor Tribune: Happy Camp, a
town of fifty-five tents, containing
about two hundred and fifty pleasure
seekers, is located ON the high tide
sands, between the driftwood and the
mountain on the northern shore of
Netart's bay. The bay is formed by
break in the great wall Of rock,
which is set back about one mile in
to the mountains and three in length.
A broad sand spit thrown up by the
tides and waves, strewn with great
trees and broken timbers This forms
the western boundaries of the bay,
| from the southern end, nearly to its
| northern shore. Here a narrow chan
mel is left where the tide waters go
in and out twice in every twenty-four
hours. At low tide the bay is nearly
dry. When high tide the water is
eight or ten feet deep. AS the great
waves come rolling in, they drive ev-
srything loose before them. Every
seventh wave reaching thirty or forty
feet further than any before it, which
makes the youngsters scamper for
higher ground.
A beautiful day with fine scenery
on land and the great ocean before us,
and meeting so many happy, smiling
faces as we walk upon the beach,
makes the old feel young again and
to forget the busy cares of life. But
as we walk through the drift piled
high by the great waves in some wild
mighty power, of wind and wave as
they come rolling in, leaving its
freight upon the shores of great trees
spars and pieces of broken vessels
that were torn and battered on the
rocks, lining the shores, perhaps, Of
some foreign coast, or worn by the
; restless grinding, ceaseless motion d
: the waves.
AS the tides go out they leave or
the beach many interesting specimen.
of plant growth, agates, shells ant
shellfish of many kinds. CLANS are {
: great treat here, and at low tide you
will see old and young with baske
: and shovel going to the clam beds
i where they are found about one foo
below the surface. Hunting the mour
tain game, boating, fishing and She
I gathering is the order of the day her
S at Happy Camp. Our restless spiri
soon leads us to higher ground. o
a point of rock some two hundred fee
Il above the waves we choose for goo
o view of the great waters and coas
scenes. There it was, all spread OF
g before and around us. What a chang
9 from a lifetime of hard work and to
y on the bleak, barren prairies of IL
e east. If our friends were here /
q our side, it would complete the plea
IS sure of the day and dreams ola lif
q time. Away out at safe distan'
Is from surf rocks and boiling wave
70 that line the shores can be seen lar!
y vessels, steaminE away for. some %
a. through misty haze that
'e around and above her, rising into tt
bright sunlight, which cast far in
L the heavens many rainbow scenes
e forms and colors. The white cape
d waves, rolling in faster and faster
they near the shallow waters, boilil
and racing among the surf rocks,
though to gather force and power
r batter down the great wall of 70,
and earth at our feet, placed the
by the hand of God as line of bait
ages ago. 1t still stands the wear
: time, wind, wave, storm and It'd
: whose grinding force and power ha,
left but few marks upon its face.
Out among the breakers one 10,
flat rock can be seen, completely GO
cred with sea lions, lying there in tt
sunlight, with hundreds of gre'
whales, spouting and playing anon
) the waves. The sea birds and tt
: mountain scenery far above us, i
I rocky peaks, great trees and world
{ of flowers around us, makes a seer
and day not to be forgotten. I'll
sun sinking low in the west, it's loy
er rim seemingly touching the wave
sending a band of crimson light to OF
feet and the heavens above. The gres
sea birds coming home to rest on tn
rocks and the shades of evening G.
thering around us, tells us it is tim
to prepare for the night and join in til
song and dance and general merr
making of our first evening in Hapr
Camp. C. E. Colby.