Whose Foot? Big Foot!

Big Foot, again? Yes! And, his footprints were seen last week in this small Northern Cascades lake community. Tell these folks Big Foot does not exist. Never!

Although thought to be a hoax, those who have seen him, or felt his presence, would be quick to disagree. Known in folklore by names such asAbominable Snowman in the Himalayas, Sasquatch in Canada, Stoneclad Man by the Cherokee and the Wicked Cannibal Giant by the Ojibwa in Western Canada, this rare, elusive and supposedly bear-like hominid commands the attention of folklorists, woodsmen, hunters, campers, fishermen, hikers, photographers and television. The Big Foot phenomenon, like Loch Ness, is here to stay.

The Juppys of Lake Tibiwasi, Northern Cascades, who belong to the Big Foot Society, gave this account of their recent sighting of the creature:

...on the cold wintry night of the sixth of January last year, we had just finished a delightful dinner, and decided to sit by the fire to enjoy after-dinner cappucino. The window panes were frosty and a strong wind had picked up blowing twigs and other debris against the side of the house. The moon was full. There was an eerie silence all about.

Feeling a "presence", I walked to the window and peered out - and there sitting on a capstan was a huge, hairy, man-like creature. In order to sit on that upright drum, he would have to have been at least six and one-half to eight feet tall! I judged his weight to be between five-hundred and eight-hundred pounds, and possibly even a ton! Suddenly, the two of us made eye contact. He alighted from the capstan and reached the window in only a few steps which consisted of a stride of five to ten feet. I screamed! My husband ran to the window and held me tightly, both of us quivering, and the three of us looking back and forth. The creature's lips curled into a smile, as he touched the window pane with his large hand, waved, turned and lumbered into the woods.

We had regular visit from him throughout the winter, spring and into summer. We always left apples or some other fruit and nuts on the capstan for him. In time he started leaving, in return, a fresh-caught salmon or other fish and wild blackberries.

Then, in late summer, his visits ceased and he never returned. Our woods had given way to progress as condominiums dotted our lake's edge like so many giant