Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-07-25
Things we Saw.

Things we Saw.
Brief Notes of n Trip from Sea to Sea.
Leaving Portland Cor rather AL
bina) at 1925 on the pleasant after
noon of the 18th, in an elegant Pull
man car, with but half q dozen fell
low passengers in our lewiston of the
train and they all apparently people
of good social position, with the
prospect of 2,000 mile journey
before them, it will not be sur
prising to the reader that the icy
fettcrs OF conventionality were soon
broken, and each was Oh amicable
terms with his fellow voyaeers and
determined to make the best of what
would, otherwise, lie a tedious jour.
ney.
Every moment We pass something
to interest and excite comment.
Each station has something charac.
teristic to enlist the attention. Now
we pass through the Pillars of Her
cules, two columns of rock several
hundred feet in height through
which the train passes, as through
grand portal to the open lands be.
yond. Near by is Rooster Rock,
that prominent Landmark SO well
known to everybody who has passed
up or down the river, which rises
from the water like the spire of some
submerged cathedral. A few miles
below, on the north side of the river,
is Castle Rock, which stands alone
in its grandeur reminding one of
what he has read of the feudal en-
tienchments of the Old World. Still
further below is Cape Horn, q preci-
pice 200 feet high, rising abruptly
from the water.
The railroad track winds along
the bank of the river like some huge
serpent in its sinuosity, now hug
9inS close to some great cliff, now
passing over the turbulent flood on
trestle-bridges, and anon dnrting
through tunnels, which for few
moments plunge US into Egyptian
darkness.
4 halt of fifteen min utes is made
at Multnomah Falls, to allow the
passengers an opportunity of closer
inspection of this grand sight. The
stream, which flows over the preci-
pice at q height of S25 feet is by
no means large, being what sports
men would denoninate small trout
stream, but the immense distance
the water falls, and broken into
spray as it is by intervening crags, it
presents the appearance of a silver
ribbon waving in the air. After
falling several hundred feet into
rocky basin, volume is gathered for
another leap to nearly the level of
the Columbia. A rustic bridge
spans the chasm, near the basin
referred to, and MIR. Samuel Will
liams (my companion du royage)
Mr.. j. B. Allen, the writer, and
others climbed the rugged pathway
to stand upon this picturesque spec
linen of sylvan architecture and en-.
JOY more fully the beauties of the
scene.
Our progress for a considerable
distance after leaving the falls was
slow, as the curves are unnecessarily
short, and the bluffs in some places
insecure. The blasts which were
made for the track has lifted huge
masses of disintegrated rocks which
seem ready at the slightest jar to
roll down on the track. This is
scarcely probably, but still nervous
passengers do not have their doubts
removed by the slowing of the train
and the sight of workmen still
engaged in laying up walls OF rock
in terraces at several points on the
steep incline. These walls are laid
with the precision of rentable ma
sohry but without morter or cement,
and will doubtless stand for ages
from the accuracy with which each
stone is adjusted.
Many pages might be written of
the scenery at the Cascades, but
these " Notes would be too volum.
iuous 10 do more Than select q few