The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-06-25
UP THE COLUMBIA.
(PoR THE INTBLLfaENCER. /

Having Just returned from q trip ur
the Columbia to its Junction With Snake
river, aud thence TO Lewiston. in Idaho
a distance OF 401 miles, the writer
deems It not unlikely that Q brief de-
scription of the sights and scenes wit
messed on the route may prove interest
ing to the readers Of the INTELLI
aENcEn. The scenery embraces some
of the grandest and most imposing or
tho continent. aud u,erits the excreiss
of ADLER descriptive powers than those
which now undertake the task. BY
taking OF Portland one of the Oregon
Railway and Navigation Company,
steamers, than which there are NJ
better differed. more commodious or
com Portable steamers on the Pacific
coast, the tourist and pleasure seeker
can view these grand sights under cir.
cumstsnces at once agreea bleand profit
able. a. 4n "a
Leaving Portland q, 5 o'clock in tht
morning, the steamer makes her first
landing at Vancouver. a town which
will surprise many who see it for The
first time. as it did the writer. by it,
general appearance IL covers large
level tract Of land, slopiug gradually
to the river. which at high stages sub.
nerges portion Of it. % it does ii
present. The town is embellished
with clumps and groves Of trees o,
luxuriant foliage. pretty gafdens. mapy
handsome dwellings and several large
structures. the most prominent Of which
10 the hospital erected BY the Sisters o!
Charity. A square mile OF Vancouver
10 occupied by Uncle Sans bulwarks
of liberty IS . military station THU
helps to swell the dimensions of thu
town. which thus seems q place o.
goodly proportions - well as If pleas
ant and attractive features In short
Vancouver msy be called Q really
pretty country tom. and it the mors
fAvorably improsses the bsholdsr a
such after sssing the other towns up thu
river.
On leaving vanonuver the scenery be
comes more varied. Rocky sninenoss
come into view, with alternately marrow
AMI broad strips er benches of fsrtil'
land at their base. while their summit'
yet retain vestiges of last winter
snews; cascades Of fosuning water Or
seen here and there leaping over tn,
rugged surface of the rocks, casting
their spray on either side % they de
scend two, three. four and ave hundre'
feet TO the basins which they have hol
lowed ont in the earth |; now . solia
wall Of rock descends perpendicular,
into the water, With . surface smootl
enough to fancy il chiseled By the ham
of man ! anon the rocks assume grotss
/ QUE and fantastic shapes. Ia whicl
the beholder can. sec the figures ant
forms Of creatures with which the cy,
il familiar; in one place, near Hoo
river. they form . row Of pillars. ne
nnliks thois of the hmed 0iant's CAuss
way Of Ireland !. in cther plocea whe,
lsthsy peoetrats seAe 66ter. are aaslou
indsntAtionsa ssd cares. several OF whic
are said 70 - from twenty to City fee
! in dspth. The rocks above describe,
| vary 10 hight nom about two hundre
TO two thousand feet some are terrace
with quite degree Of regularity. th
upper sidss sloping and green vii
vsrdurs others are piled mp irregnlarl
layer upon layer. with indentsd line
hstwesn the layers similar TO those zee
10 masonry. They are oil bssaltic. al
differ emily IN the manner in which the
| lie ~ stand some being massed 4
| gether In pillars from ten to twent
I feet long. but tbe greater part il blocl
J or powders without form. snd Gil q
visibly crumbling. For City or sixt
miles this rocky scenery = dissrsitie
!. by many trees Of respectable dimsn
! sions, which sometimss extend to th
summit Of the sloping mauntaius b
] yond the DAllss the river banks q
destitute Il trses. aud the soesery be
. comes u,onot0nous from its samsnesl
Several rocks are painted out TO pAassr
gers rs objects Of interess the mo.
prominent Of these il Castle Rocl
which 10 $50 fest high and covers :
acres. II stasds alone. between d
river aud adjsc~ns moanfains. and ]
said 10 be stili oWns0 By Jay COOKE
Bat there are many focks, on both ID
COLUMBIA and Snake fivsss. which mos
closely rssambls osakles than the @
mentioned. Eaoueh. housser, be-. bse
| said on this score.
At the lower Cspsdee pasongsv
! exchange The eoonodioss sssansf "a