, 1855-08-24
That Excursion.

That pleasure party did not back out os
we predicted. They bore the heat Of many
DAYS, and actually went to the falls. Last
week they returned, all looking much i'm
proved in health, and slightly in appear
ance, though they were little ddrkened.
We have been favored with an account
Of the pleasures of the trip, and dcscrp-
ton of the falls and rivers, by tile gentle
men of the party. They had glorious
TRIP, a real hi~ time. We will endeavor to-
give that portion Of their accounts which
is most interesting to our readers.
The falls are situated on the Suoquala-
mic river, about fifty or sixty miles distant
by way of tic river from the Sound. That
river is about thirty-fve feet wide, and thir-
ty inches deep, at its present lowest stage,
where it breaks over the precipice. The
water tumblss over in one unbrokcn body.
BY accurate measurement, the fall is two
hundred and siyty-thrcc feet. The river
passes through canyon where it breaks
over the fall On either side above the
falls, the hills rise TO II heighth Of two or
three hundred feet. At the basin of the
river the distance from hill to hill is from
two hundred and fifty to three hundred
feet, so that rise in the river of six or
eight feet, would pass body of water three
hundred feet wide and ten feet deep, entire
ly unbroken, over this tremendous fall
At present, the small body of water passes
down the middle of the basin, which is just
sufficiently curved to keep the water in one
body
Nc view from above, the scene from be-
low, and the landscapes around the falls,
are grand, sublime, and beautiful. Nature
it seems has tried her "cannic hand to-
adern and bcautily the whole surrounding
scenery, and right well has she succeeded.
There is no fall so high, and VIC assert,
without the fear Of successful contradic-
ton, there is no natural curiosity more
lovely more beautiful, and more sublime,
in the United States. The mammoth cave
is wonder, the natural bridge prodigy,
and Niagara falls great natural curiosi-
ty, but SnoQualamie surpaSscs them ALL
1t is at once wonder, prodigy, and the
greatest curiosity in our country. Let any
one who donbts this visit these falls, and
they will agree with us.
The general course Of the river from the
falls is north cast About thirty-fve miles
below the falls, the SnoquOlamic and Scha-
vanish unite and form the SnohomiSh.-
For twenty or thirty miles below the falls
the Snoqualamic is broken into strong and
high rapids These rapids arc sometimes
almost q fall, the water falling from four TO
six feet in a distance Of from seventy TO
three hundred feet. After leaving the
falls, descending the river, they arc less
frequent. From the junction Of the two
rivers to the Sound, there are no rapids
over which small steam boats could not
pass.
The country bordering on the two riv-
ers looks very like that ON the Cowltz and
other rivers in our Territory-low, fiat, and
heavily timbcrcd, with occasionally ahill-
side reaching to the bank of the river, over
which high water never flows. From the
river there are sometimes to be seen open
spaces in tho wood, having much the np-
pcarancc of small praires, tthc Indians
say they are prairics) The Indians have
a potatoe field on one Of these prairics, the
crop Of which is an excellent one. The
field is situated about twenty miles above
the junction Of the Schawamsh and Sno-
qualamie rivers, half mile back from the
river, on the right hand side The party
were allowed to pitch into these potatoes,
and all pronounced them the best in the
world. A vine Of these potatoes was
measured, which was seven feet six inches
long. OF course, the soil is excellent
Altogether, the country bordering on
these two rivers-thc Snohomish and Sno-
qnalomie-secms to be rich, fertile, and
attractive country, and we doubt not will
be very soon developed by settlement. AT
present thcro>S not white man within II
days travel of 1hc Snoqdalamic and Sno-
homish vallies win not some one explore
that country this season?
PoLTIcAL CLERGYMEN.-An Illinois ex-
change says thata clergyman in that State