The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-10-17
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
A Trip Over snoqualmie Pass and
In the Cascade Mountains.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE ROAD THROUGH
SXoQuALMIE PASS - The SwAUK
MINIS THE PEsHAsTIy QUARTZ
MINIS The WESATCHEK COUNTRY.
Ere.
tvron p isrEaAI0ExcEa csrres2"ndenil
ELLEssBURG, KiTrrrAs VALLEY
Yakima county. W. T.. 7
(ct A 1879


On Wednesday. Sept. cath. left
Jerry Bors.'s residence. OF the Snoqual-
mie Prairie. for my trip over the noun
tains Stopping awhile at Aun. Lucin.
da's. that diminu.ive lady Of 320
pounds weigh. whom all traveller. over
the mountains are expected to see. and
converting with different psrsous on
the prairie. took up the time so tina. il
was nearly noon before left the upper
end OF the prairie. That night |
camped about half way up the summit.
I should have been several miles far
ther had not been confused and turned
back on the trail in crossing a footlcg,
when the trail only went along the edge
OF the water. bat did rot cross the river.
The next day l crossed the summit.
passed down on the other side to Like
kitchelss, and campsd on top OF the
mountain beside the lake. The third
day I passed down to the first crossing
of the Yakima river, sben on the west
side Of the river by Thorp's cabin.
crossed the river the second time, and
then the Yeallum. and cAmped near
the forks Of tho trail. where one fork
goes to Thorp's house and the other to
Ellensburg.
On Saturday. the 27.h Of September.
passed down on the Ellensburg trail
by mistake. it being y better travelled
road than the one to Thorp's house,
which intended TO have taken After
going so:ne FIVE or six miles on this
route, and having crossed the Teans-
wan. another tributary Of the Yakima
river. l found myself in besu,iful
valley TO the left Of the trail. though
l soon perceived that | had left the
trail, and that it would DO nece,sary
to retrsce my steps to get on the main
trail; yet there were 90 many attractive
features to notice in the valley that !
decided TO run the risk Of hunger (hav-
ing just eaten the last portion Of food
taken with me over the mountains) and
spend the day in exploring this beauti-
full valley. l walked rapidly. without
stopping. from between 8 and 0 o'clock
in the morning until sundown, when |
found myself up among the big blue
mountains. whore the broad valley had
become . narrow canyon and the river
. little stream which . person could
step scross. Then the thought struck
mo OF the rAshness Of this step, as l
might miss oil the settlements, so that
il would require fifty miles Of travel
before l could got food. The trail had
hsen carefully noted in going up the
valley, and l deter mined TO retrace nay
steps - far - possible that night by
moonlight. ~ that could without fail
strike food the next day. 1t raiued in
the evening enough to make the brush
very wss. l walked - rapidly - pos
able. and by 2A.M. Sunday morning
struck camp under . pine trec about .
mile from the Ellensburg road.
In . three-mils walk on Sunday
morning crossed the Swank, just be-
yond which WAS . new house nearly
completed. belonging to Mr. Geo Virden.
This is tho fret dwelling house on this
road east Of the mountains. II 10 . log
house about 28 feet square. divided into
four rooms OF the ground. with the front
half one and . half stories high. It
has neat porch in front. and presents
. very tidy and attractive appearance.
Shortly after passing this evidence Of
civilization l met in the road Ephraim
Allyn aud son. who are canped on the
west side Of Horse Canyon. about two
miles beyond the crossing of the Swauk.
They have located there. raised fne
garden on the cod this year. will build
this fall. but in the meantime arc camp
ing out and making shingles for . start.
As soon - they ascertained the condi-
tion Of my Affairs they insisted on re-
turning to their camp aud providing
food for the occasion. I was not very
backward in accepting their generous
offer. Soon . bountsous meal was pre-
pared, with almost every kind OF vege.
table Of the season. for our breakfast.
Although l had suffered no iuconveni-
ence from . fast Of over "a hours and .
tramp Of some 60 miles during that
time, yet l had . coming appetite and
On i'm void to ill. that did ample
Justice to the quantity aud quality OF
feed provided for the occasion. Under
the circumstances ! feel that more than
a passing notice is due tho really very
due garden of Mr. Allyn. His ard Mr.
Virden's gardens are the tirst tracts OF
cultivated ground ono sees on this road
after crossing the summit. They are
situated near the boundary Of the TIM
Der land and open country. Both have
settled within . year among the loot
hills; neither irrigates. ana irrigation
il hardly necessary on this kind OF land
Mr. Allvn last spriug plowed and fenced
two acres Of ground. npon which he
nlanted on the sod and raised success
fully the following crops: Three kinds
OF corn, pop corn. yellow corn and sweet
corn; some half dozen k'nds OF
souashes and pumpkins; w.tsrmeions
and mu,kmslons; white and rutAosga
turnips; carrots. bests. onions. t""s,
tose. beans. reas, parsnips, potatoes 400
Hoheooo I sav oil Of these thisgs
1rovin9 % successfully - they can be
grown anywhsrs. Bssides. he nAd
raised sadishes md lettuce IN 'nei1 ses