The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1919-09-26
THRILL OF RIVER
TRIP Is DESCRIBED
VOYAGE DOWN SALMON AND ITS
INCIDENTS AND STRANGE
ExciTEMENTS

ny w. n. anu GeOrge Shoup ana
business friends of the Shoups from
Salt Lake and Idaho Falls is well
described in last Sundays Capital
News in the words of w. III. Shoup,
whose observations are keen and al
so iert. Mr.. Shonp says:
1t is the widest, most desolate
and farthest from civilization OF any
place have ever been. the stream
itself with its roek-infested rapids.
falls and whirlpoois. fs as wicked a
stream as man could expect to
travel on, but 1t Is the most wonder
full country that can be imagined
We chose this time of year be-
cause the bears come down TO get
berries ard We shot five out OF sew
en- that We saw. We saw scores OF
deer, mountain sheep and goats, but
no elk, although we saw plenty of
tracks. The fishing was beyond des.
Icription. We had cook stove on
the boat and spent the nights on
sandbars, the only available level
ground. The cook would throw
scraps OF food into the water and Ii
| is unbelievable the amount OF fish
that would show in the water in the
morning.
Speaking of level ground we have
agreed among ourselves that Ia 1875
miles we did not see all told as much
as 60 acres standing at less than an
angle of As degrees.
I'VE had a variety of experiences,
One day we saw "a dead man that
looked between 80 and 40 years old.
He had reddish hair, wore home
spun shirt and tan trousers. and had
on pair OF light shoes, badly
Worn, with rubber heels. In his poe
kets We're q pocket knife and Vel
vet tobacco box filled with matches.
I'VE buried him hall-mile below
the mouth of Cotton creek, some 80
miles from Salmon City, taking care
to get above high water. A derelict
oar blade from some wreck furnish
ed q headstone and marker upon
which were carved recital OF the
facts. Who and what the man was
are mystery. He was lying in the
water. Above him a short distance
was a completed raft but this appar-
emily never had been used by him,
for the oars were on the shore.
/ Our only guess Is that he was a
fire fighter who got lost and wan
have been lost long, for he did not
have over three or four days growth
lof beard. He probably became
weak from lack of food and so easi-
ly drowned.
fires. At night they made vivid pic
lures, lighting UP the mountain for
US and casting weird and fantastic
shadows.
J "One man we met was John Nc
: Kay, a pioneer OF the Salmon river
|, He is one of the few who success
fully pan the fine flour gold OF the
river and makes living at 1t. The
old man lives In a boat during 'the
summer and holes up almost like
; a bear during the winter. We pass
ed several OF his winter abodes
They are all about six by eight feet
and are regular dugouts. They have
> board fronts and roofs. His bed liz o
bench of earth and he cooks in a lit
tie stove fireplace on the opposite
side of his hut He can lie In bed
, and build his fire.
"'This is HI of life.' he said
but can't stand no other. The
old man is rs years of age and has
outfitted at the Shoup store at Sal
mon since 1870. We asked him K
, have something TO eat with Us ana
he said / amt thinking OF some
thing to eat. but ! am always think
ing OF something 10 drink
Twice in the days of his regidencs
there he has gone into the outsld,
world once 10 Portland and once I,
San Francisco. or the latter occa
sion he tells: I says TO myself. Johi
. are YOU going TO die in this hole2
and six days later be WAS back oi
the Salmon. This was the day th'
earthquake came and he believe
that he had proyiientIal escape
He is a tall. rawDoned Scotchman
born on the Clyde. standing feet
inches and weighing about 200.
: Another interesting character WI
: met was Charles II. Bemis. who ha
; lived with his Chinese wife on III
: tie fouracre patch of land on Poll.
creek. opposite the mouth OF Crook
ed river for he last 25 years. He
J getting too old TO work and Polly
HIS wife, 50 years old. does IL al
The story goes that Bemis went q
Warren mining camp In 1866. dui
ing the early day excitement. Fou
years later he was shot In car
: game and when the doctor gave hir
up Polly nursed him back to life an
: on his recovery he married her. Sh
has lived in this country for so year
Another character is Sam Myers
who has been on the river fot 5
!, years and Is 81 years old. One cabi
! we passed Is called the cabin of my1
terry because a man was shot In
and It's story forms the basis OF tn
: novel. The Man of the Bite
Roots"
Il divide the rapids in the river IN
: 10 three types. the falls type. wher
, YOU dive headfirst. nose down. int
= mass Of foam and water that ol
seures the boat from shore: the roc
; studded type. where you 20 zigxas
; ging down between rocks, much th
!. same as marble bounces down
! board against nails, and the cirei
+ lar iHpe. in which the shore tuts ou
] forcing sharp turns directly aerus
: the current.
: Captain Gulecks knows ever
rseck in the stream and he has TO.