The Shasta courier., 1865-09-23
SHASTA COURIER.
Lake Majesty.

writes to the Oregon Senllnei iuii uooNi-P
ton of the wonderful lake recently discover,
ed near that post, on the new wagon roau
between Fort klamath and Rogue rlyer.-
This sunken lake is destined to attract the
attention of curiosity seekers as much as
Niagara Falls or any other great natural
curiosity on the face of the globe. Captain
Sprague describes it as follows:
/ left Castle Camp, at the foot of the noun
tain, on the new wagon road from Fort
klamath to Rogue River. and crossing the
canvon at that point, and going in north
easterly direction, we gained by gentle
ascent the summit of the mountain, on the
south west side of the lake; the distance
from Castle Camp to the precipice, or edge
of the lake, is about two and one-half miles
after crossing the canyon the whole way may
be easily passed on horseback.
Upon rising the slope bounding the lake,
the first impression made upon your mind is
one of disappointment it does not come up to
your expectations; but this is only moment
ary. A second look, and you begin to com
prehend the majestic beauties OF the scenery
spread out before you, and you SIT down on
the brink Of the precipice, and feast yous
eyes on the awful grandeur your thoughts
wander lack thousands of years to the tune
when, 1There now is a placid sheet OF water
there was a lake of fire throwing Its clnders
and ashes to vast distances IN every direction.
The whole surroundings prove this lake to be
the crater of an extinct voicaao. The appear
ance of the water in the basin, as seen from
the top of the mountain, is that OF ayast
circular sheet of canvas, upon which some
painter had been exercising his art. The
color of the water is blue, but in very many
different shades, and like the colors IN varle-
gated silk, continually changing. Now
spot will be dark blue almost approaching
black, in the next moment 1t will change to a
very pale blue and it is thus continually
changing from one shade to another. l can
not account for this changableness, as the sky
was perfectly clear, and it could not have
been caused by any shadows; there was.
however, gentle breeze, which caused
ripple of the waters; this may account for
it.
At first sight person could not estimate
the surface of the water to be more than two
or three hundred feet below the summit of
the surrounding bluffs and it is only after
steady look almost perpendicularly down
into the water, that you beg in to comprehend
the distance In looking down into the lake
the vision seems to stop before reaching the
bottom, and to use a common expression,
YOU have to look twice before you see the
bottom.
Heretofore. it has been thought by those
who have visited the lake, that it was impos-
sible to get to the water, and this was also my
impression at first, and | should have been
contented to remain on the summit, and view
its beauties from that point without attempt
ing to get to the water, but for Sergeant
Stearns and Mr.. Ferd, who, after gazing for
awhile from the top, disappeared over the
precipice, and in few minutes were at the
bottom, near the waters edge, where no hu-
man being ever stood before. Their shouts
induced Mr.. Coots and myself to attempt the
feat, which is in fact only perilous in imagl-
nation. A spring of water bursts out of the
mountain near the top, on the side where we
were, and by following down the channel
which the water has made, good footing
may be obtained all the way down. In all
probability, this is the only place in the
whole circumference of the lake where the
water is accessible, although Sergeant
Stearns clambered around the edge of the
lake for a short distance, and assembled to the
summit by different route from the one we
descended yet he does not think he could
go down where he came up. The water In
the lake is as clear as crystal, and about the
same temperature with the with the well
water in Rogue River Valley. We saw no
fish of any kind, nor even insects in the
water; the only thing we saw that indicated
that there are fish in the lake, was a King
Fisher. In ascending, | measured the dis
tances we'll as / could, from point to point,
by the eye, and conclude that it is from
seven to eight hundred feet perpendicular
from the water TO the summit of the bluff.
The lake seems to be very nearly circular,
= Oh 4
and except at two or three points, the bluff
is above the same altitude. Near the west
ern shore of the lake is an island. about one
half mile in diameter, upon which there is
considerable timber growing. The island is
not more than one quarter Of a mile from the
western shore of the lake, and its shape is
frustrum of a cone; the top seems to be de-
pressed, and | think there is a small crater
in the summit of the island. | think path
could be made from the summit to the wa
ter's edge. at the western end of the lake, for
the formation seems to be entirely pumice
stone at that point, and to slope to the wa
ter's edge at less angle than any place else
around the lake; at this point, also, boat
could be safely let down to the water by a
rope.
do not know who first saw this lake, nor
do think it should be named after the dis
eoverer. Sergeant Stearns and Peyton Ford
are the first white men who ever reached its
waters, and if named after any person,
should be named for them; but as | do not
believe more majestic sheet of water is to be
found upon the face of the globe, propose
the name - Majesty" 1t will be visited by
thousands hereafter, and some person would
do we'll to build upon its banks a,house whore
the visitor could be entertainedtand to keep
a boat or boats upon its waters, that its
beauties might be seen to a better advantage.
BALL.-The Widow Brennan gives a ball
at Armory Hall on the 10th of October. Our
citizens, in patronizing Mrs. Brennan's en-
tnrnrisn uill not only get YalnC recelVed for