The mountain Democrat., 1864-04-02
seuree Of the CeanAh.a.

At time when the discovery Of rich
mines attracts attent ion to the source of
the Columbia, the following sketch 5y
Father De Smet, describing his visit TO
that locality as far back as 1945, will be
interesting to the general reader:
The 4th Of September, towards noon, l
found myself at the source Of the COlum:
bia. contemplated with admiration
those rugged and gigantic mountains
where the great river escapes-majestic,
but impetuous even at its source and in
its vagrant course it is undoubtedly the
most dangerous river on the western side
Of the American hemisphere. Two small
lakes, from four to six miles N length,
formed by a number Of springs and small
streams, are the reservoirs of its first
waters.
l pitched my tent on the banks or the
first fork that brings in its feeble tribute,
and which we behold rushing with i'm.
petuosity over the inaccessible rocks that
present themselves on the right. What
sublime rockSl How varied in shape
and figure! The fantastic in every form,
the attractive, the ludicrous, and the SUBJ
lime, present themselves simultaneously
to the view and by borrowing, ever so
little, the aid of the imagination, We be-
hold arising before our astonished eyes,
castles of by.gone chivalry, with their
many embattled towers-f -fortresses, sur
rounded by their walls and bulwarks-
palaces with their domeS- and, in fine,
cathedrals with their lofty spires.
On arriving at the two lakes, saw them
covered with swarms Of aquatic birds
coots, ducks, waterfowl, cormorants, bus
tards, cranes, and swans; whilst beneath
the tranquil water lay shoals Of salmon in
exhaustion. At the entrance Of the Sec
onj lake, in rather shallow and narrow
place, saw them pass in great numbers
cut and mutilated, after their long and
weary pilgrimage among the rapids, cata-
racts, valleys, and falls they continue
this uninterrupted procession during
weeks and months.
When emigration, accompanied by in
dustry, and the arts and sciences, shall
have penetrated into the valleys of the
Rocky Mountains, the source of the Co.
lumbia will prove very important point,
The climate is delightful the extremes Of
heat and cold are seldom known. The
snow disappears as fast as it falls; and
the laborious hand that would till these
valleys, would be repaid hundred fold.
Innumerable herds would Craze through
out the year in these meadows, where
the sources and streams nurture perpet-
ual freshness and abundance. The hill
locks and declivities Of the mountains are
! 1l,,c loI ,,,tI, o,,ctsklo e.
ests, in which the larch tree, pine of diff
fcrent species, cedar and cypress abound.
In the plain between the two lakes are
beautiful springs, whose waters have re-
united and formed a massive rock Of soft
sandy stone, which has the appearance oi
an immense congealed or petrtfied cas-
cade. Their waters are soft and pellucid,
and of the temperature of milk just drawn
from the COW. The description Just given
by Chandler Of the famous fountain ol
Pambouk Kalesi, on the ancient Heropo.
lis of ASIA Minor, in the valley Of Mean
der. and of which Matte Brun makes men,
tion, might be literally applied to the
warm springs at the source of the Colum-
bia. The prospect unfolded to our view
was wonderful, and an attempt to give
even a faint idea Of it would SAVIOR of ro-
nance, without going beyond the limits oI
fact.
We contemplated with an admirlng
gaze, this vast slope, which, from dis
tance, had the appearance of chalk, and
when nearer, extends like an immense
concreted cascade, its undulating surface
resembling body of water suddenly
checked or indurated in its rapid course.
The first lake Of the Columbia is two
miles and a.half distant from the river
Des Arcs.a.Plat, and receives portion Of
its waters during the great spring freshet.
They are separated by bottom land. The
advantages nature seems to have bestowed
on the source of the Columbia, will rem
der its geographical position very impor-
tant at some future day. The magic hand
of civilized man would transform it into O
terrestrial paradise.