Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-10-27
MANY THRILLS IN
VOYAGE DOWN
SALMON
Continued from Page u

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up 81 I'M Forever Blowing Bubbles, .
and we all broke the tenseness of the
situation by joining in with the song,
as handkerchiefs waved a recognition,
of the good judgment of the men,
Der who struck upon the idea of sing
ing and of the song he had selected.
He deserved a vote of thanks.
With cold wind in our back drift
ing the chilling mists about the noun
taintops, this start was anything but
comfortable, but as someone had
said, ''We hired out to be tough
guys, and we are bound to earn our
money" Taking the bitter with the
sweet, we sang as we sailed and fairly
got kick out of two or three little
scoots of fast water that we then
called rapids, but to which we referred
later as ripples when we COM
pared them to some of the real rapids
that were deserving of the name.
At our first landing, supper was
speeded up in jiffy, as everyone was
full of pep and anxious to get off the
boat and into motion, as the good ship
was moored alongside a fiat that was
level enough TO accommodate those
who were to sleep on land. 1t was
here also that we first discovered that
We had a real cook aboard in the per-
son of Charlie Dodge. Heretofore, we
had figured that perhaps his mission
was to ballast the boat, but he was
every pound of him cook, and that
is saying a good deal.
The boat accommodated five in the
matter of sleeping quarters and the
other seven slept on land. And this
was our program for approximately
three weeks as we drifted or shot
down the river and tied up at the
various points of interest to climb and
toll all day up mountainsides shat
seemed to possess the faculty of al
ways rearing just a little bit higher
above you every time a promontory
was gained that looked like the top
from the lower levels. 1t seemed
that if one were ever to reach the
top of one of those mountains, he
would be on top of the world.
RIVER FAR BELOW
When patience ceased to be a vir-
tue and endurance was PARTIALLY at
an end, one gave a sigh of despair.
Then upon starting down and looking
into the chasm, another wheeze was
hope of ever reaching that silvery
thread that seemed drawn at the foot
of his elevated position. And the
boat that had seemed such an impos-
ing factor in the river-when it was
finally located, resembled a pimple on
a pickle in its comparative relation
ship to the rivers size. Then we
wondered how that frail looking bit
n 4 Ia
feting of those white spots that
doomed up down the river and an
nounced themselves as real, formidable
obstacles to our passage. In undulating
roarings that came to us as challenges
to venture farther in our craft.
These were the impressions gained
from attempts made to prospect the
districts reached after the second
day, and it seemed the mountains
kept growing in size and ruggedness
until the last two days, before reach
ing higgins, when they fairly gave
up their apparent object of walling
us in for all time to come, and gradu-
ated themselves down to a point with
in reason. But at that they still were
entitled to recognition as real mount
aims.
GREETINGS FROM SETTLERS
Waving greetings to those settlers
who ventured from their cabins or
stopped their work to shout queries
TO the CAPTAIN as to his next sailing
date and the possibilities of getting
him to haul them some supplies, we
seemed at peace with the world and
in a visiting mood with the universe.
O. fhaf tho
third day when a stop was made at
Pope's ranch, is seemed a week since
we had associated with anyone but
our own crowd. So it seemed at each
stop that we made at these little
cases of thrift along our journey,
where we found vegetables and fruits
of all descriptions and of delicious
flavors.
Returning from each of these visi-
tations laden with apples, tomatoes,
grapes, watermelons, and other fruits
and vegetables, our larder was eontln-
ually supplied with such Injuries.
And the inhabitants of these hamlets
that suggested Switzerland in their
seemed equally grateful
Of the opportunity of visiting with
someone from the outside world
Their hospitality and generosity
seemed unbounded and unlimited.
They all seemed concerned, too, IN
our safety and welfare in continuing
our journey, as they discussed the top
cs of the river with the captain re-
yardi.Ay the cause of the wrecking OF
certain boats that had cost the lives
If more than one navigator.
Some of these old wrecks were still
n evidence along the shores, as other
pots were pointed out where had
5een picked up the bodies of certain
who had attempted TO
navigate the river alone or with too
rail craft or without sufficient
knowledge of the real dangers to be
in the course of the pow
,rful stream.
LIKE MOUNTAIN MOTORING
With Captain Guleke and Percy An
lerson at the sweeps of one of their
,oats, we felt just as secure end as
afe as one would feel with a good
luto driver in travelling over a good
road. do not care to con-
-. Al sIoo That ono fol ino his /