Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-08-23


eHeesnslAy- Here are several thousand
eeres over which the members of 10,
hSd and Gun Club ooaId run their dog.
aud test thsir skill IN wing shoofinr. foa
TOE blue grouse Do here abound. Thsu
again, this table land is q mixed o.
either side vItb branches OF tue Sno
q1almie river. where tie larser sf the
speckled beauties await the cast of ths
n.y. Worthless for pasturaee or svri
culture, why shoald It notshe made Z
game preserve or park? We rolled owe
this barren plain IN the cool of ii,
morning, and amid q grand pauorarn.
OF mountain scenery. Uncle Sis noun
tain vas to our left, whose rocky sides
edyered here and there With dead anC
fallen and dying timber. presented :
view OF sublime desolation. To ,h,
night Was the wooded spur or ridge thsi
separated the wsiers Of the Snoqaalmis
and Cedar rivers; IN from, was the hack
bone over which ve must pass- Al TIA
foot OF this backbone xe we're oyertsker
by j. Borst and Taylor, Who were to b
members Of our party
We were now fairly at the foot OF
tue Cascade range, and We had before
rs a good climb. The road keeps along
tue side OF the mountain. ascending
gradually. It IL free from roots and
large rocks, and is quite practical
wagon way mp the mountain. ArriyIns
at tne summit of the backbone, we took
baromstricsl observation. and fouad
that We were l7T5 feet above tidewatsr.
We travelled for about two ho1rs over
a rolling country covered With q denss
forest Of iareh, hemloek, fir and cedar.
TIL we came to rocky-ford, where We
ook anothsr observation, and found
the elevation TO be only 1925 feet, or 50
feet lower than the Coal creek divide.
We oaniped that evening on the Sno-
quslmis river, about four miles from
tie Pass. Elevation of camp. 2075 feet.
II. aRd young ID. went fishing, and be-
fore supper caught a fine string of
treut. cooked them in hunters style,
by wrapping them in vet paper, after
proper seasoning. and then buried them
In hot ashes. They we're delicious.
The cooking was proRounced q success.
This is the way the camping epicure
cooks his game and fish,
We we're up bright and early the next
morning, and were soon on our wAy.
We followed the road for about three
miles, then cached cur wagon and loaded
our blankets and provisions upon our
horses and took the trail for the Denny
mining cabin, distant about one mile
north of the road. We arrived at the
cabin about 10 O'Clock am.
After partsking of an early dinner,
young D., H., L. and myself started fog
the Denny ledge. We ascended the
mountain by the most villainous trail,
in some regards, ever passed over.
You climb over one thousand feet in a
quarter of q mile, and do the most of
it in the last half of that quarter. The
trail ends, or did end that day, so far
IS. | was concerned, on the brink of the
gorge. Ii is about 175 feet from said
brink to the bottom Of the gorge. G aims
have been cot into the c1nQiomerate
rock formation, and rope tied to the
root Of a tree extends to within about
twenty feet of the bottom. II you are
sure footed, you can follow the gains
after you let go of the rope; otherwise
you can slide down, but 1t is hard on
pants. D., II. and T. vent boldly down,
but after taking careful inventory Of
my muscles, nerves, and physical econ
emy generally, concluded il was not a
proper day for me to desceRd, but to
ascend; so went mp the mountain to
what is known as the "Chh Ledge"
Here found an inexhaustible supply
of magnetic iron ore, assaying from 6e
TO 50 per cent. of metallic iron, aHd free
of phospfIor. Ii was walled in with
marble Of fine quality, some white, some
stained with iren, and Some OF Rrayish
color.
My companions returned late in the
afternoon. loaded down with the speci-
mems of the undeyeloped wealth Of that
wonderful region. i
The next day the same parties. with
the addition OF Mr.. Borst, went up Denny
creek to the mouth of the gorge, and
thence assembled il to she "Denny
Ledge" The gorge is, on an average,
ab ut twenty Ut wide at the bottom,
with recky walls from Fifty to i've hun
dred feet in night; at some places per-
pendieular, at Others sloping, but not a
very inviting slOpe. There is q small
creek, whose waters come tumbling
down this sunless abyss, fed by the
melting snow. Is was up this yavninR
cFsvAsse in the eternal rocks that We
slo sly wended our way. A short dis
tsnce below the ledge there was fall of
full fifty fert. This compelled Us TO
ssceud one Of these uninvitiug slopes to
that hight. II. and ID. cut gains or foot
steps in the recks with their small pros
psotinR picks, aud followed slowly be-
hind. Finally We came TO poiat where
there was a shoulder of about i2 inches
ia width perpendicular below and above.
II. generously extended his band, and !
passed over. We were sosn at the Denny
ledge. IL Is a mass of Peacock copper
ore yielding from 5 to 25 per cent. tif
copper, hanked on either side by mag
netie iron ore. The ledge of copper ore,
where it crosses the gorge, IL "a feet
wids. Il extends up the side of the
gorge at least Ih0 feet; how deep il ex-
do not know. There is another mass of
copper ore higher mp the gorge. bat the
attempts TO reach it failed. There also
is in this gorge q ledge OF mieacious
hematite iron ore; also fine quality OF
red oohre; also eyst filed with garnets.
II is a wonder land. It's varied forms
OF capitalization are wonderful, and its
mineral deposits are vonderfol.
Having accomplished our mission.
how 10 get out was the question. We
all decided on the rope ascent, and were
coon in the upper region. We stayed
Two more daye ~ tno mlbes tAktuk OO-
seFvations. d. and II. furnished as sn
abundant supply Of trout. Mr.. A. A.
Denny went up to the Pass one day and
took its hight with his barometer. He
made il 1918 feet above medium tide.
This ia. l believe. 35 feet lower than
heretofore reported; bat aiffsrence IN
the points Of obaervation may accsant
for the discrepancy; differences In at
mospheric conditions would also account
for it. Mr.. Denny, while in the Pass.
attempted 10 stop the hight OF one OF
our teamsteF's horses by seiziDa the rope
and vas heavily thrown, and. as We
feared, was badly iniared. but We hope
net. We are az home all right viii
call attention 10 the road, by your per
mission, in future article. y. j.