Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-09-14

Jordan b . End Rad b Ttzvl.


II you look upon a good map Of
Washington Territory, you will see
that Lake Cu~hnan Is situated at the
southern enl of the Olympic Range
Of Mountains. tina; it l. about SIX
miles west from Hoods Canal, tina,
its outlet IL the Skok"Iuish river.
Possessed Of these facts. a small PAR
" started last week Ia visit the lake.
hunt aud hsh on it, shores aud TO
enjoy the scenery ia the virinitv.
Other information We had concern
ing this lake which we also counted
a. knowledge a. We started that RAINY
Monday morning, Lut much of Il
served only Ia Encourage u, in the
beSinning anl disappoint IA IN ia.
ebd. One man. for Instance. assured
us that there Vas good trail in 10
the lake from the Skukoanish Indian
Reservation. and tina, We could yet
Indians and their PONIES for a small
sum to carry us AMI our things clear
III TO the lake. Another related fish
stories that shall not he printed. but
they led lis To think that solid win
rows of fish would meet Us at the wa
ter's edge and Use on their tails and
ask to be booked Another told of
elk and deer 90 be shot as one might
shoot cows in Il pasture. Still another
told us of u marvellous bald mountain
that stood Mt the head of the lake,
from which wc could see the Sound
and all creation, and which was an
easy climb from the waters edge,
Believing all these stories with i'm
plicit confidence, we started as has
been implied on rainy morning,
September second.
There were FIVE of us, Moses the
protector of the excursion, Aaron the
spokesman, ID. the millionaire, l..
the woodsman, and Thomas the
commissary, who not only provided
our rations but, because of his natu-
raj genius in that line, cooked them
as we'll. We left Olympia upon the
pride of our city, the home-built
steamer Capital, which was to take us
to Skeletons, on Skookum Bay. A.
ter shooting at sundry ducks and
cranes, to their amusement Us we'll
rs ours, no doubt, time hung heavily
on our hands and Moses proposed
game of euchre. After an extensive
overhauling of the steamers library,
the cards were found and the game
proceeded. Now the steamer Capt.
talis SO arranged that the boiler, en-
CINE, and all the machinery is in the
main saloon, and the ponderous pis-
ton was performing its regular oscil-
lations close to the elbows of our
card party. Suddenly tremen-
dous and awful racket was set up by
the machinery, and quick as light
ming the floor of the main saloon was
covered with diamonds, spades, clubs
and hearts, of all names and sizes,
while Moses and Aaron thought it
best to take walk to the bows of
the boat and Thomas was seen start
ing out in the rear. The engineer
got his legs tangled with those of
our woodsman, and they rolled to-
gether on the deck, while the captain
in helpless mirth fell over the wood
pile. II was scene for q painter,
but our party had no artist along,
and SO, as soon us the engineer got
to his feet ne shut off the steam;
one by one we crept back into the
saloon and with white lips protested
that we had not been in the least de-
gree scared, but simply thought it
best to retro and allow the man to
take care of The old engine.
Without further incident we land
ed at Shcltou's, and induced one of
the boys to take us and our traps
across to the mouth of the Skoko-
mish river, in n wagon. The distance
across the land here from the waters
of the Sound to those OF the Canal,
is about ten miles, and the road be-
ing quite good we arrived at Webb's
ut about five o'clock p. NJ, and camp
ed for the night. Mr.. Webb owns
four hundred acres of the finest land
in the Territory. at this point, and
has enough of it cleared and cultiva-
ted to make the finest looking farm
to be seen within days journey
from Olympia. He and his family
were very kind to us, giving US but
ter, cream. fruit and potatoes, until
We almost forgot that We were camp
ers. starting on a long hard, journey.
Early the next morning. we sent
our woodsman out 70 treat with the
with the Indians on the reservation,
beyond the river. for the ponies,
transportation, etc, while the rest
Of us took our coffee and cream ba-
con and potatoes, and spoke OF camp
ing that evening on the shores Of
the BEAUTIFUL lake, Of the fish we
should get. If the elk and deer ne
should kill. and Of the length ftime
We could afford 20 spend in such
charming recresiion: but just at the
eloss Of breakfast. L. came back xi'h
o mc~s disheartening report The
India q must have too dollars . dav
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