Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-01-18
The Lost Lake.
THE STORY OF ITS FORMATION AND
SURROUNDINGS.

The Lost Lake.
THE STORY OF IT'S FORMATION AND
SURROUNDINGS.
walla walla Statesman
about the "Lost Lake" of the Blue
mountains, and many stories advanced
as to its location and surroundings,
but no two of which seem to CORE
spond. Almost every person who has
learned of it, and heard the story con-
cerning this lake, adds more to its al
ready magnified curiosities and his
tory. 1t has been the good fortune Of
a Statesman representative recently to
engage in Il conversation with a gen.
tleman who is thoroughly acquainted
with the entire country in which this
lake is situated, and wsse, We believe,
has informed us correctly The gentle
man says the lake lies almost due east
of Walla Walla, in one of the several
large canyons that head near the sum-
NIT OF the Blue mountains, just be-
yond the three tall peaks at the head
waters of Mill creek, that are plainly
seen from this city, and empties into
the north prong of Grand Ronde river.
1t is said by some persons, who claim
to have been to the lake, that it could
not be approached from but one direc-
ton, and from that by only very
small passage way, as the mountains
that surround it are perpendicular
from Il height of so or 100 feet, and
some places much higher than that
Our informant, however, says this is
not altogether true. While the noun
tain sides are very steep, yet one can
reach the margin of the lake without
much difficulty.
This is not natural lake, having
been caused by the mountains sliding
into the canyon from each side, back
ing the water up until complete lake
has been formed. Until the last year
or so this used to be great place for
the Indians to bathe in. They would
construct their little sweat-houses on
the bank. get into them until they
were perspiring very freely, when they
would rush into the cold water and
swim around. They were all right if
they kept away from certain place,
but on approaching this particular
point they were swallowed up in the
twinkling of an eye, and nothing was
ever seen of them again. This caused
the red man to look upon the lake
with hoi ,.r, and to desert it as bath
ing place, as they could not under
stand why it was that SO many Of
their number were sent to the d" happy
hunting grounds" and they cali it
Hell's Lake"
1t seems that the water escapes
underneath the dam, as it might be
termed, that slid in from the sides
and causes a whirlpool, and, of course,
everything that gets within reach of it
is taken under Immediately. So it
was with the Indians, who knew moth
ing of this whirlpool until too late.
The water that sinks in the lake does
not come to the surface again for a
distance Of about three miles below,
when it continues on until the Grande
Ronde river is reached.
For many years there has been
whisperings of this mysterious "lost-
lake." and We know of many expcdi-
tions that have started out in search
of it. Reports have been rife that
large nuggets of gold were found here
at one time, and that the prospector
could never return to the place. Then
again that an explorsr found were
miners had been at work; there lay
rusty picks and shovels, that the storm
of winter and time had almost entirely
consumed their wooden handles, while
rust had demolished to great extent
the iron and steel portions of these
evidences of mining. There is now
no doubt that great deal of this re-
port originated in the Imagination
only. Its mysterious locality is now
no longer mystery-the "lost lake of
the Blue Mountains" is found.
Whether the Indians obtained report
ed quantities of gold from this locality
or not is unsolved but our informant
inclines to the belief that this portion
of the story is only myth, and that
the general outline above given is all
the interest appertaining to the "lost
lake"