Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-07-06
CHAPTER VI.
In a Wild Country

r. ATE on the following morning
ONeirs expedition was LANDED
at the deserted fishing station o.
Omar, thirty miles down tn,
sound from COrtez From this poin
its route lay down the bay TO oper
water and thence eastward along the
coast In front OF the Salmon river delta
some forty miles to Kyak This latter
stretch would have been well nigh i'm.
possible for open boats but for the
fact that the numerous mud bars and
islands thrown out by the river afford
ed sheltered course These inside
channels. though shallow, were OF suf
ticient depth 10 allow small craft &c
navigate and had long been used as a
route to the coal fields
Appleton, smiling and cheerful, was
the first member OF the party TO ap
pear at the dock that morning, and
when the landing had been effected at
Omar he showed his knowledge OF the
country by suggesting short cut
which would save the long row down
to the mouth OF the sound and around
into the delta. Immediately back OF
the old cannery, which occupied a gap
In the mountain rim, lay narrow
lake, and this, he declared, held an out
let which led into the Salmon river
fats. By hauling the boats over into
this body OF water-a task made easy
by the presence OF tiny tramway
with one dilapidated push car which
had been a part OF the cannery equip
ment-it would be possible to save
much time and labor.
I've heard there was way
through" O'Neil confessed, but no
body seemed to know just where II
was"
81 know" the young man assured
him. I'VE can gain a day at least,
and | judge every day is valuable
$50 valuable that we can't AFFORD TO
lose one by making mistake" said
bis employer meanlngly
Leave II TO me ] never forget a
country once I've been through It."
But Dan Appleton was not mistaken
A two hours row across the mirror like
surface OF Omar lake brought the par
~ out through a hidden gap In the
mountains and afforded them a view
across the level delta. TO their left the
range they had just penetrated retreat
ed toward the canyon where the Sal
mon river burst its way out from the
interior, and beyond that point II con
dnued in a eastward swing 10 Kyak.
their destination. Between lay a fiat,
trackless tundra. cut by sloughs and
glacial streams, with here and there
long tongues Of timber reaching down
from the high ground and dwindling
away toward the seward marshes Ii
was a desolate region. the breeding
place OF sea fowl, the hunting ground
for the great brown bear.
O'Nei had never before been so near
the canyon as this. and the wild stories
he had heard OF It required TO him with |
interest He surveyed the place GU.
riously as tlre boats gllded along. but
could see nothing more than a tumble |
OF small hills and buttes and beyond
them the dead gray backs Of the twin |
glaciers coming down from the slopes
to east and west Beyond the foothills
and the glaciers themselves the main !
range was gashed by deep valley
through which he judged the river
must come, and beyond that he knew
was a country Of agricultural promise
extending clear TO the fabulous copper
belt, whittier the railroads from Cortez
were headed. Still farther inland lay
the Tanana. and then the Yukon. with
their riches untouched.
What pity. what mockery. II was
that this obvious entrance to the coun.
try had been blocked by naturel Just
1t his back was Omar, with Its deep
and sheltered harbor: the lake he had
100000