The Boom of the Coeur d'Alenes [pp. 394-403]

The Boom of ilie Coeur d'A4cenes.
that country, service is seldom held within its sacred walls, and its once devout
worshipers are mostly scattered and
gone to the happy hunting grounds of
the tribes. Occasionally you will see an
aged, gray-haired mahala pass in through
the ever-open door, bend the knee, rise
and gaze with questioning wonder at the
faces of the pictured saints that yet
adorn its walls; after a moment's hesitation, select the most befitting, and on
bended knees mutter her almost forgotten prayers, reverently cross herself,
rise, and with bowed head pass out into
the busy world; who knows? perhaps a
better "Injun."
There are several other buildings in
close proximity to the church, which
were put up for the use and comfort of
the Indians; but they too are deserted,
and in preference the few remaining
braves place their wickiups within the
shadows of the church, and occupy them,
as they prefer a lodge with a hole in the
center of the roof, so they can build a
fire in the middle of the tent, and all lie
down feet to the embers. In the rapid
march of civilization, soon there will be
no trace of wickiup or Indian worship
even in the wilds of the Coeur d'Alenes.
After everything was snugly stored
away in the hold of the Daisy, and all
in readiness for meandering up the
treacherous South Fork, we threw up a
twenty-dollar piece to see who should
be captain of our craft, and the position
was won by Theo Saunders. We were
all satisfied that he was the man for the
place, for he had made the river trip
several times. Our captain was a native
of New Orleans, a descendant of the
French Huguenots, below the medium
height, stocky built, weighing two hundred and five pounds, a perfect Samson
in strength. His large head was covered with a thick shock of dark brown
hair, and his eyes were darker in shade,
with a most peculiar expression creeping from the outer corners. A mustache
and goatee gave him a military appear
ance. His complexion was naturally
fair, but had become bronzed from constant exposure. He spoke seven languages, among which were Russian and
Chinese, was an expert miner, in the
employ of Miller & Lux, and had visited
the most famous mines of the world.
Not intending to start up the river
until the following morning, and having
a few hours before supper time, the
boys suggested that a mess of trout
would be acceptable,- a gentle hint for
me. Gathering up my fishing tackle,
I started for the stream, casting my
fly into the water, and in a minute
or so I could see numerous salmon
trout sporting around, taking an occasional nibble, but showing no desire for a nearer acquaintance with me,
while an Indian a couple of rods distant
was landing the beauties quite often.
Soon tiring of disappointment, I gave
up the sport, and procuring a mess with
a silver hook from my more successful
rival, I went campward, where the odor
of broiling venison and other appetizers
only increased my hunger. Soon having
the trout in readiness, we all sat down
to as savory a meal as the most fastidious epicure might desire.
The next morning we began our tedious trip of three days, and a lively
time we had of it. The rapid current,
the large bowlders in the middle of the
river bed, the circuitous course of the
stream, kept us so busily engaged that
we had but little opportunity to note the
lofty mountains, their jagged peaks covered with a mantle of deep snow, giving
to them an evenness of outline only
marred by the projecting snow-weighted
limbs of the towering pines. The rapidity with which the heavy driftwood scudded down the maddened waters made
the trip not only difficult, but dangerous
in the extreme, and several members of
other parties had lost their lives. Two
portages compelled a transformation of
ourselves into pack-mules, to carry boat
and cargo over the perilous rapids.
1890.]
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