was a grim start, dismal and portentous,
bringing the realities of the trail very close to us. While I rustled
the horses out of the wet bush, partner stirred up a capital
breakfast of bacon, evaporated potatoes, crystallized eggs, and
graham bread. He had discovered at last the exact amount of water to
use in cooking these "vegetables," and they were very good. The
potatoes tasted not unlike mashed potatoes, and together with the
eggs made a very savory and wholesome dish. With a cup of strong
coffee and some hot graham gems we got off in very good spirits
indeed.

It continued muddy, wet, and cold. I walked most of the day, leading
my horse, upon whom I had packed a part of the outfit to relieve the
other horses. There was no fun in the day, only worry and trouble. My
feet were wet, my joints stiff, and my brain weary of the monotonous
black, pine forest.

There is a great deal of work on the trail,--cooking, care of the
horses, together with almost ceaseless packing and unpacking, and the
bother of keeping the packhorses out of the mud. We were busy from
five o'clock in the morning until nine at night. There were other
outfits on the trail having a full ton of supplies, and this great
weight had to be handled four times a day. In our case the toil was
much less, but it was only by snatching time from my partner that I
was able to work on my notes and keep my diary. Had the land been
less empty of game and richer in color, I should not have minded the
toil and care taking. As it was, we were all looking forward to the
beautiful lake country which we were told lay just beyond the
Blackwater.

One tremendous fact soon impressed me. There were no returning
footsteps on this trail. All toes pointed in one way, toward the
golden North. No man knew more than his neighbor the character of the
land which lay before us.

The life of each outfit was practically the same. At about 4.30 in
the morning the campers awoke. The click-clack of axes began, and
slender columns of pale blue smoke stole softly into the air. Then
followed the noisy rustling of the horses by those set aside for that
duty. By the time the horses were "cussed into camp," the coffee was
hot, and the bacon and beans ready to be eaten. A race in packing
took place to see who should pull out first. At about seven o'clock
in the morning the outfits began to move. But here there was a
difference of method. Most of them travelled for six or seven hours
withou