The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-04-12
The Gorge Of the Columbia.

The Gorge of the Columbia.
We arrive now at what the tourist
must ever regard as the most interesting
portion of the river-the gorge of the |
Columbia. Here wonder, curiosity, and /
admiration combine to arouse senti- |
ments of awe and delight in the be- /
holder. Entering by the lower end of
the gorge, we commence the passage, of |
fifty miles or more, directly through the /
solid mountain range of the Cascades. |
The snow-peaks, which looked so lofty |
at the distance of eighty miles, as we
approach them gradually sink into the /
mountain mass, until we lose sight of
them entirely. The river narrows, and /
the scenery grows more and more wild |
and magnificent.
Fantastic forms of rock-some with /
names by which they can be recognized |
begin to attract our attention. Crows |
Roost is a single, detached rock in the |
right, which time and weather are slow
ly wearing down to the "needlen shape,
so common among the trappean forma-
tions. 1t stands with its feet in the
river, at the extremity of a heavily
wooded point; and in the crevices about
its base, and halfway up, gOOd-siZed frs
are growing. Above the Crows Roost
the mountains tower higher and higher.
Frequently from lofty lodges and ter
races of rock silvery waterfalls are seen
descending hundreds of feet, to some
basin hidden by intervening curtains of
wooded ridges. From the steamers
deck they look like mere ribbons; some
of them, indeed, are dashed into invisi-
bic spray before they reach a level.
One of the handsOmest of these falls
has been named the horse-tail, by some
body more given to ponies than to po-
etry. 1t has a straight descent, ofseveral
hundred feet, to a basin hidden from
view, whence it descends by another fall
to the level Of the bOttom-land, and
forms another basin, or pool, among the
dense growth of cottonwood, ash, and
willow, which everywhere fringe the
banks and of the river.
Nearly opposite this fall is q high,
precipitous wall of reddish rock, coming
quite down to the river, and curving in
a rounded face, so as TO form little bay
above. This is the Cape Horn Of the
lower Columbia point where the
Wind Spirit lies in wait for canoes and
other small craft, keeping them weather
bound for days together. Fine as it is,
steaming up the Columbia in July
weather, there are times when storms
of wind and sand make the vOy-
age impossible to any but a steam pro-
PEELED vessel. It is at our peril that we
invade the grand sanctuaries of Nature
in her winter moods. The narrow chan
mel Of the river among the mountains,
the height Of the oyerhanging cliffs
which confines the wind as i'm a funnel
and the changes of temperature TO
which, even in summer, mountain To-
calities are subject, make this stormy
passage at some periods Of the year.
SITTING ont a gfnqrnnrfE nnnL n
a summer morning, we are not much
troubled with visions Of storms; the
scene is as peaceful as it is magnificent
Steaming ahead, straight into the heart
of the mountain, each moment affords
fresh delight to the wondering senses.
The panorama of grandeur and beauty
seems endless. As we approach the
lower end of the rapids, we find that at
the left the heights recede and inclose
strip of level, sandy land, in the midst
of which stands a solitary mountain (of
basalt) called Castle Rock, about four
teen hundred feet in altitude. How il
came there, is the question which the
beholder first asks himself, but which,
so far, has never been satisfactorily an
swered.
A mile or two beyond Castle Rock,
situated on this bit of warm, sandy bot
tom-land, is the little mountain hamlet
known as the Lower Cascades. Why ii
is that one name is made to serve for
so many objects, in the same locality,
must ever puzzle the tourist in Oregon.
At the Cascades the tautolOgy threatens
to overwhelm US i'm perpleXity. Not
only is il the Cascade Range, which the
cascades of the river cut in twain, but
there are no less than three points on
the north side, within distance of six
miles. known as the Lower, Middle, and
Upper Cascades. Pretty as the name is,
we weary of it when il is continually in
our mouth.
1t is a pretty spot, too, this Lower
Cascades, surrounded by majestic noun
tains, and bOrdered by foaming river,
while il is nestled in thickets of blossom
ing shrubbery, and can regale its guests
Oh Strawberries and mountain trout
Here the Oregon Steam Navigation
Company have wharf and warehouse;
and here we take our seats in the cars
which transfer us to the Upper Cascades,
ana another steamer We find the
change agreeable, as q change, and en-
JOY intensely the glimpses of the rapids
we are passing, and the wonderful luxu-
rance OF vegetation on every side.
coupled with the grandeur of the tower
ing mountains.
At the Middle Cascades is n blocl--
house, reminding us of the Indian war
of 1886, and another one at the Upper
Cascades. 1t is rare now to see am In
dian at this point, where once they lived
in large numbers, and had a lannon's
fishing station; and where, in still ear
lier times, they eXacted toll from who.
ever passed that way.
The fall of the river in the five miles
of rapids is about sixty feet; but nowhere
is there q perceptible fall of many feet
together. The bed of the stream seems
TO be choked up with rocks, in such a
manner as to suggest recent volcanic
agency. At the Upper Cascades the
river widens out again in a lake-like ex-
panse, made picturesque with islands
and handsomely wooded shores. In