We stood watching in a state of awe caused by such sudden change that was constantly taking place until our attention was drawn to a peculiar light streak that would occasionally be seen in the water, these streaks grew more frequent until they became almost continuous we wondered for sometime what could cause this unusual phosphoric phenomenal. It appeared to be coming from the sea but what it was we was unable to figure out, and was about to turn back to camp where Ed declared that it was salmon which proved to be what it was. They had smelt the fresh water while protrolling [patrolling] the coast for an inlet to fresh water and they had smelt this break and were pouring into the river by the thousands.

On returning to our camp we found that the water in our absence had nearly reach to bed line on which our provisions were stacked and our supplies were safe, but such a mess that was being left by the receding river. The silt and muck left was all of 2 to 3 inches thick and every slight depression was full of standing water through which we in the darkness splashed this mire with the slime and mud almost disheartened us – our clothing was soaked and now after the excitement was over we began to grow chilly and cold with no fire in sight for an hour at least, our prospects was anything but lovely.

Nevertheless, we all took it in very good spirits considering, and began making preparations to get a fire going. Fortunately we had a little dry wood we had thrown up on our beds and with this to start with aided by a cup of kerosene we by an art learned by our experience as hunters and country-life living finally had a fire well under-way as it began to break-day in the east and the stars faintly shown through the break in the storm clouds which was breaking up and the shifting of the wind to the northwest-herald the coming of fair weather.


Big Sur…NEXT