Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-09
A Wonderful Lake in Oregon.
Portland Oregonian.

The Fleetwood was launched on the
18th, and on the 18th nine members of
our party made the circuit of the lake
on tour of inspection. The scenery
was grand to degree far beyond our
most sanguine expectations. -Four. strong
oarsmen soon brought US to Lao rock,
and as we gazed in silent wonder at its
rugged sides, reaching nearly half a mile
above US, for the first time. did I realize
the immensely of such a spectacle.
Beyond LAO rock we found beautiful
little bay, and beyond this larger one,
probably one mile long by quarter Of
mile deep. Here we found narrow
beach Of small gravel running almost the
entire length OF the bay, while further
out in the lake is composed of sand. As
this point has not only never been nam
ed, but probably was never before visited
by human beings, we decided to christen
it Fleetwood bay.
Passing on our journey it was soon
seen that the cliffs on the north side are
not so high as those to the south. In
several places it appears that good trails
could easily be made to the waters edge,
over which person might ride, and IN
one place, without any grading whatever,
a good pack train could descend with
comparative ease.
About two O'Clock a thunder shower
came suddenly upon US, just as two
beautiful grottoes came in view. Into
one of these the boat was run, where we
were entirely beyond the reach Of rain.
It proved to be about thirty feet deep
and ten feet wide, with an arched roof
probably eighteen feet above the water,
while the rocky bottom could be distinct
ly seen ten feet below the surface. So
the hand Of man had hewn it from the
solid rock. Beyond it towers an immense
cliff, very high, with broken, rugged sides
picturesque and sublime, which insist
on naming Quito cliff, in honsr of Capt.
Dutton, who has done and is doing so
much to make Crater lake Justly famous.
Immediately north of DuttOn cliff the
elements have worn the sides of the
mountain, leaving a harder substance,
alternately colored and yellow, resembl-
ing the Mansard roof of a cottage, while
in one place tall red chimneys stand
aloft, making in all, such scene that
Cottage rock could scarcely be improV ed
on for a name. Lying on the points
above referred to a break in the walls
was found that is almost perpendicular,
but certainly does not exceed 400 feet
in height. This is by far the lowest
point in the walls. Just at the foot of
Dutton cliff an island was discovered
200 feet wide and 400 feet long, and over
100 to the top of the rocks that stand up
on it like great chimneys or towers, Civ
ing it an appearance like the castles of
old. We did not land, but an appropri-
ate name would be castle island.
Crater lake has again risen to the oc-
casion, as accurate tests will prove be-
yond all question that but few bodies
of water in the world equal it in depth,
except the ocean, and none whatever of
an equal size, while in the western hemis-
phere it will stand absolutely unrivaled.
Heretofore Tahoe has been considered
the deepest lake in America, being 1,64O
feet. Only preliminary soundings have
beed made as yet, and the figures OBJ
tanned are subject to slight change. The
deepest being 1885 feet.