The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-16
LAKE OF QUINIAULT.
Easy Of Approach From the
Gray's Harbor Country.
PRETTY PIECE OF SCENERY.
A GEN In the skirts OF the Olympics-
Timber and Mineral treans TAss
Sink I'm the Earth.


/, with others necessary for the outfit.
started 70 view out road from the present
terminus Of the Humptulip- road 10 Quini-
ault lake. So far rs we could learn but two
persons had ever been through the whole
distance. and neither OF these were on hand
70 guide us. so that 1t was practically
paunging into an unknown wilderness.
though We were able to procure guidance
and information which carried us half the
way in good shape. and by sending two
men ahead 70 get the approximate location
OF the lake we were enabled TO reach it
without meeting any obstacles except such
IS timber country necessarily presents on
this coast The grades are light. and a
railroad need not vary materially from our
route. In fact if one is ever built from the
harbor to the lake it must OF necessity fol-
low very close to IL. for the greater part OF
the way il runs on gravel beds. thus in
surfing good roads the most of the year.
The length Of the road Is eighteen and q
quarter miles, and the location Of the lake
is asceFtained TO be about fourteen miles
north Of the north line of township 70
north. and the line between range 9 and 10;
II extended north would about cut off the
eastern corner, which makes II about thir-
ty-ihree miles due north OF Hoquiam and
about forty-two by the road.
Our measurement of the lake was made
BY triangnlating and timing the echo Of a
gunshot, and determined il to he not to cx-
ceed two miles in width with an extreme
length OF about four miles. which is much
less than has generally been reported. 1t
lies in the shape of paraileilogram, two
by two and . half miles with an arm ex-
tending from the northwest corner. the
lines OF the sides running about northeast
and southwest, the upper river running in
near the center OF the northeast end. and
the lower river running out on the south
side about mile or : mile and half above
the extreme lower end. Our soundings de-
veIoped depth of "a feet with q COM
paratively level bottom, as about thirty
sonndings gave an average OF about 100
feet, which is much less than previous re-
ports, but is deep enough for any practical
purpose.
The lake and its surroundings present
charming scenery worthy Of any painters
brush. To the southwest Is . low wooded
ridge On the northwest and southeast the
mountains leaving the shore with gentle
ascent which soon changes to q sleeper
grade, rise to height variously estimated
at from 1850 to $500 feet; those on the
north being smooth to the top while those
on the southeast are surmounted with
huge pyramids OF solid rock. rising some
times with almost perpendicular sides to
apparently hundreds Of feet above the TIM
Der lire 1t their bases. and u the time of
our visit, April Is, were still pretty well
patched over with last winters snow, adj
ding very much to their picturesque APP
pearance. On the northeast the view
reaches. unobstrucsed, through the vista Of
the upper river valley to the cliffs and cam
yons and ragged peaks Of the snowy Olym-
pics, rounding the whole out 10 an exquis-
lite completeness OF design rarely met with
and which will never cease to attract and
delight tourists from all parts of the world
and in all years to come.
In the country We travelled over did
not see very much good timber. At one
place We passed through grove Of very
large cedars. but they were rough and did
not look TO be Of very much value, though
they might work up better than they
looked. The foliage allowed the noun
tains around the lake and as far As could
be seen up the river to contain large per-
centage Of cedar, but l couid not learn
whether or not it was of good quality. nor
whether the rest of the timber was Of fir.
spruce or hemlock. and l gan only say
that saw more hemlock than anything
else In the woods through which travelled
Bnt We were told that spruce Of good
quality existed in large quantities along
the upper river and also . piece of Drift
wood found on the beach was pronounced
white cedar.
could hear OF no mineral lodes having
been found. and at one place washed out
some sand and fine gravel obtained in .
situation that seemed to me most favor
able for containing gold II any existed In
the country, but found no trace, nor any
rubies or black sand: one or the other or
both of them being almost universally
present in placer mines.
Was informed. however by one gentle
man that he had found indications Of two
coal lodes but had not traced them up. A
piece of rock picked up by one of our party
was pronounced silver ore by those who
claimed to be posted on silver.
There are said 10 be some twenty-five
settlers on the lake shore and valley Of the
upper river, and room for as many more
on just as good land. though of course
farther up the river, and as the valley
seems to bold its size well up into the
mountains il seems reasonable TO suppose
that the amount of available land is not
greatiy over estimated. At present the
easiest way 70 get /. TO the lake Is up the
beach 10 the mouth OF Qufniauit river and
then by canoe the rest OF the way: bat
the Indians seem 10 have become adopts
"A the art of squeezing all they can out of
md rgfa inn A.,
take the trip will do well 70 provide little
surplus silver IL they wan: to be sure OF not
being left
Some speculation has been inaulged IN
rs 10 building q railroad from Hood 3 canal
TO the lake, bat single look NJ the noun
sains is Sufficient to satisfy any one with
any Judgment in regard TO railroad routes
that it IL not very likely to Be done. OF
course. IL seems in these days as though
impossibiissies In the way Of railroad build
inr did not exist. II the ends TO he Obtained
justified the expense; bat with level
route 10 tide-water on Gray's Harbor.
there does not seem 10 be airy call for .
road through the mountains 20 any other
point.
One natural curiosity that We discovered
IL perhaps worth mentisning: and that Is
the SIN king OF q number OF small streams
I went down the largest. ard fcrnd that II
spread ous and gradually disappeared in
eravei-bed. Another. quite small. ran
into hole, disappearing all .. once under
What was 4 natural bridge a bogiders and
eohsae-stones. and II Is likely thai upon
further examination other curious spots
might be found
yossce TO Mariners
PoErIAsp. Or. May Is. $50.
Notice Is hereby given shat the sscorsd-