The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-09-12
Description Of Crater Lake.
SEATTLE, Sept. 9th. 1875

away among the Cascade mountains
ABOUT twenty five miles from Fort Kla-
ma.b. Onr party. numbering . score
left the post, one bright September
morning in 1876, To visit this grea!
curiosity with camping out fit and q
determination TO have All elevated
time" Our road crossed Wood River
and led us along Annie Creek. which
rises at the base of the mountain that
environs the mystic lake. and plungsa
into . canyon several hundred feet
deep, whose walls are solid rock, cut
here and there transversely, forming in
some places caverns and halls; at ctherl
grand columns crowned with spires and
minarets. which. grouped together, re.
mind one Of An ancient cathedral. Thi.
place il called the Palisades.
The whole distance 10 strewn with an
ashy substance pomice stone and
scoria, unmistskable evidences Of vol.
canic action. On reaching the summit
Of the maiu range, We wound around q
ridge that led US to the top of noun.
tain which appears to have been in
ages past as large as Hood or Shasta.
having passed through several snow
banks with difficulty. In our eagernesa
to SEQ the lake We did not wait to alight
from the wagons. but drove to the
verge Of the crater and drank in the
majestic, awe-inspi:ing view that lay
before rs.
Here was an oval lake ten miles
long by six wide, inclosed by rocky
wall. which in many places 10 perpeo.
dicular. at others . few degrees less.
while in some it 10 over hanging. This
sdmantine rim varies in height from
1000 feet to 1900 feet above the sur
face of the water. When the lake 10
tranquil it il of dark blue cast, and
reflects like mirror the craggy. crew
iced sides of its prison. the island with
its lava cone, the phantom ship and
floating clouds tingcd with the golden
sunset.
We were tired and hungry, but we
stood unclaimed by the solemn impres.
sive grandeur of the place till the sable
mantle descended.
Here were the traces of great internal
commissions: here had been a volcano
whose eruptions had eclipsed Vesuvius,
lifting the entire top off and continuing
to heave till the interior to an immense
depth was elected, when the fires sub.
sided, leaving an enormous cavity; again
the furnace renewed its furies, and sent
up the island with the craterlzed cone
near the western end. Afterwards the
crater has partially filed up with
water. forming a large reservoir for
Rogue River and other smaller streams.
1t measures 1l6 fathoms between
the islend and the nearest shore, but it
is doubtless very much deeper in the
center. Only few places have been
found where the water is accessible.
Two boats have been placed on the
lake but the iceAoes dashed them to
pieces. An occasional duck or loon is
discernable. but no fish have yet been
seen. The Indians have . superstition
that to look on the lake is certain death,
and not one can be induced to approach
it.
We make our camp near the crater'a
rim and ut night the murmur of the
waves and the soughing of the trees
lulled Us to sleep.
The next day We went out gu Mrs.
Victor's rock, huge crsg that jutts out
over cliR, to watch come of our party
roll ro,ks. many Of them weighing
tons. down to the water. These would
60 laundering down. settisg Others in
motion, and taking two minutes to pass
the entire distance. Four Of the party,
to obtain . better view. ascended Castle
Mountain, a spur Of the once hugs
volcano. and 1000 feet shove the maia
rim. To ASSET ous progress W drew
ourselves up by shrubs and projections
OF rocks. passing many places where 4
misstep would precipitate the unfortu-
safe one over the awful abyss. Before
reaching the top We discovered what
VIC supposed were the tracks Of noun
tain sheep. and ON arriving there VI
found not them but few tame sheep
that had strayed there. We killed one
and took it dressed to camp. A roman.
tic idcs seized some Of the the hunter,
to impose on tho crcdulity Of their
friends at camp by representing thei,
game - tho veritable ..Bighorn" that
axa5known to infsst this region. Ac-
cordinsly We had savory steaks the,
wers kssnly RELAXED by all pastiss
some Of whoo could NOT b persuaded
to taste ordinary mutton. Tho joka
was too good and the romance Was dis
PEELED when they were told OF the de-
lssion. From Castle Nountain thu
view 10 extensive. including Khmatt
lakes. the lava bcds. Mt. Shasta. Pitt.
Thielsou. Jackson aud Diamond Peak
Beneath it. near the lake shore. 10 th,
Phantom Ship. large rock surmoun.et
with tall pointed columns that rise f.
above the water that resembles . shiI
with masts.
Before descending We built = .owel
about eight feet high, which. viewet
from our camp. looked not unlike I
squirrel in = sitting posture.
The evening and thu morning ~
the fourth day and We departed. voting
Crater lake the greatest natural wonde
on the globc.
Na 49, rN-~-v- .~~ N~c~