The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-01
THAT UNKNOWN LAND
Norman r. Smiths Olympic
Explorations.
THE MYSTERY FULLY LAID BARE.
A Description or the Olympic Country
BY Man who Explored 1t
Years Ago-wild Scenery.

Mr. Norman r. Smith, of Port Angeles,
returned yesterday from Washington City,
where he has been pushing the bill making
Port Angeles SUPPORT of entry. The bill
is now through both houses and has gone
into conference on the salary of the coli
lecsor of Port Townsend.
MT. Smith has thoroughly explored the
Olympic range of mountains, and in the
course of a conversation with reporter for
the PosT-INTELLIGENcEI, gave great deal
of information about the character of the
country. The following is his story, as
nearly as possible in his own words:
II 1881 went with d. W. Smith and a
man named Cottle from Quilcene bay into
the Jupiter hills. In the same year sur
veyed the territorial road from Clallam bay
across to QuiIlayute. In 1885 made the
trip with Lieutenant O'Neil. accompanied
by Messrs Hawgood and Havershem from
Port Angeles, sent into the heart of the
mountains, and have subsequently ex-
plored the country from time 10 time in in
Vulnerable directions, paying strict atten-
ton to the feasibility of railroad building
around the mountains by the lakes to the
west of the range. l made reconnais-
sance in 1882 for the West Side railroad
from Port Townsend to Union City.
1.-THE Olympic range forms v with the
apex near the head of Hoods canal or
just above lake Cushman. One side of
this v extends north along to Hoods
canal, including Mt Constance, and ter
| inmates in the Jupiter hills, which are
about twenty-five miles southwest of Port
Townsend The other side of the v runs
northwest to Mt. Olympus. which is
south and west from Port Angeles,
distant about twenty-five miles. thence
continuing from Mount Olympus in q
northwesterly direction and terminating in
low hills south of Pysht, or about thirty
| miles from Cape Flattery. In front Of the
open side of the v and twelve miles south
of Port Angeles, stands what is known as
Mount Angeles, which is evidently direct
product of volcanic action, and is itself an
extinct volcano, three sides of the crater
being intact.
The Elwha river heads near the apex
of the v, passes through low rolling hills
on the west side of Mount Angeles and
empties into the Straits of Fuca, six miles
west of Port Angeles. Another small
stream, known as Chambers creek, heads
south and east around the base
of the mountain and empties two miles
east of Port Angeles. The Skokomish
river heads just over the divide from the
headwaters of the Elwha and flows south
into the head OF Hoods canal at Union
City. There are seven small streams head
ing in the eastern portion OF the range and
running into Hoods canal Among these is
the Big Quilcene. which heads in Lake Helen
under the Jupiter bills, and flows thence
through subterranean passage for nearly
a mile, where it bursts out of the rock, a
full-fedged mountain torrent. The Quini-
anlt heads on the southwest side OF the
apex of the v. within few miles of the
Elwha and the Skokoriish. and runs
little south of west into Quiniault lake and
then through the Quiniauit Indian reserva-
ton to the ocean. From the west
side of the high peaks adjacent to
Mount Olympus on the north and west
heads the Solduk. which is the principal
affluent of the Quillayute. the largest river
on the peninsula. flowing nearly west and
traversing rich bottom lands for the last
twenty-five miles of its course. Between
the Quillayute and the Quiniault are three
considerable streams. the Hob, the Queet-
shee and the Raft. traversng heavily
timbered country with fertile bottom lands.
The Dungeness river flows north from the
Jupiter hills into Dungeness bay.
"The Lake of the Sun, or Swan Lake,
which empties into the ocean through the
Osette river, lies about midN ay between
the Quillayute river and Cape Flattery,
near the coast. Back of Freshwater bay
and emptyng its waters through Indian
creek eastward into the Elwha
river, is Lake Sutherland, between
the foothills and the mountains.
1t is about three miles long and averag-
ing one and half miles IN width and is a
beautiful sheet of water, Astounding in
trout. A mile and half west of Lake
Sutherland and extending about twelve
miles westward is Crescent lake, so called
| from its having the form of crescent,
from one to three miles wide, and
emptying into the straits through the
Lyre river. On the northeast side of
Mount Angeles is lake with little island
| in the centre, which is the head water of
| the east branch OF Ennis creek, one branch
| of which heads right in the crater of the
| mountain. As you look down at it from
| the mountain it has exactly the form of
| slipper.
1.-The country adjacent to Swan lake is
rich. comparatively level and covered bv a
large proportion of decudious trees. The
| point from this lake to Cape FIattery and
| Clallam bay is broken and principally COW
/ cred with hemlock and spruce. From
Clallam bay to Freshwater bay along the
| straits the land is covered with the finest
/ growth of fir and cedar in the state.
The agricultural country of this PENN.
| sula extends from Sequim bay to Crescent
bay. along the coast OF the straits for a
distance of forty miles and varying from
FIVE to fifteen miles in width.
also from Swan lake to the
Queetshee river, about fifty miles, aver.
| aging fifteen miles inland from the ocean.
The mountain region abounds in fertile
valleys and gentle slopes. Although this
coast region on the north and west of the
/ Olympic mountains is for the most part
covered by fine timber, when cleared the
| land is proven to be of the finest QUALITY
1t will grow all the root crops. hons. oats.
wheat, hay and all the fruits which. fIonr.
ish in the Sound section.
The Elwha river has four prineipaI
branches, which meet little east OF north
of Mount Olympus and then flow through
a canyon whose precipitous sides rise hum
/ dreds of feet above the water. From
there it flows fifteen miles To
the straits having stretches of 100 IN a0o
acres OF rich bottom lands. first ON one
| side, then on the other The onIy pyacti-
| cable route into the mountains from the
| mouth of the canyon is from the E,wba
| river. little above the upper smokaboue.