The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-11-17
On the Columbia.

The great river of the west. as Mrs.
Victor calls it in her celebrated work. is
majestic stream, and it passes through the
grandest scenery on the continent. Tourists
have gone Wild in describing the trip down
the Hudson. passing the Palisades. with
the Catskills in the background. You
journey past Sleepy Hollow, which Irving
has made immortal by his attractive writ
-ings. And there are other scenes which he
has rendered famous in hi, history of the
knick erbockers. The Columbia possesses
no wealth OF literature, but for view of
natures workings in her grandest moods
there is nothing equal TO it, not even Alpine
scenery in Europe.
Last Sunday was one OF those perfect
days only experienced at this latitude, and
at o'clock the Regulator left her dock for
an excursion trip to the Cascades. There
were quite number of citizens who availed
themselves of the privilege. and were on
board when the last whistle blew. The.
NOR ming was cool and lnyigorating, and an
or three hours plowing the bosom of the
Columbia We are fairly in the gorge of the
river. and away up on either side are
hoary-headed mountain peaks. standing
grim and solemn in their tireless duty as
natures sentinels, which they have per-
formed tor many centuries. The .iboat
throbs with apparently the pulse-beats of
animated creation, ,sand cTefts the CLASSY
bosom of the river In silvery burrows Be-
hind it follows the foamy pillows, and the
force of the engine Impels 1t forward at
rapid rate. The hillsides are beautiful.
Maple, ash and oak have put on their
autumnal hues, and the variegated eolors
form panorama that entrances the vision.
At sunset the tints on these equal any
Italian landscape, and furnish a study for
the painter that he cannot procure else
where.
The rock. ribbed sides of the everlasting
hills brgln in places at the brink of the
river and continue upward until lost in
jatting peaks embraced in the frowning
| cloud. Then little rivulet trickles down
the sides of some snow capped mountain,
| until it is lost IN silYery spray as it MIN
giles with the old Columbia. Up, up, in
| the misty clouds It's bright line can be de-
| tected, and this can be followed down,
| down, over precipice and through canyons
until it pours its offering into the wealth OF
the great reservoir. Hood. Adams and St.
Helens, eternally snow.capped, raise their
whitened heads aboye the Cascades giving
indisputable evidence of the immensity of
nature, the greatness and sublimity of God,
and the Insigni6cance of little man as he
treads the surface of the sphere Inflated
with his own Importance.
Having satiated sense and feeling with
the grsndeur and picturesqueness of the
scenery, it is restful and enter aiming to
climb to the pIlot.house. There we found
Capt. John McNulty, the mate, at the
wheel. Since 1868 he has DasIgated the
middle Columbia, and he has world of 10.
structiye remini. cences. He points out a
jotting rock resembling giants face. '.For
| thirty years have watched the expression
on that stony face" he says, "and summer
| and winter it has the same benIgnant look.
| When the storm king hOwls around the
peaks away up yonder, the giant looks
calm and oontented, and in summer sun
shine there Is no percepsible change" Jour
| ueying on few miles the submerged forests
are seen, and the different explanations oi
the phenomena Capt. McNulty gives. One
| says they were caused by landslide; but
the perpendicular position of the stumps
contradicts this theory. They grew where
they are, and by some evolution of nature
were covered by the river. This is the
most reasonable theory. and the only one
that will stand scientific investigation.
Captain Short, the master of the boat.
takes his place at the wheel, aud relieves
the mate. He is an old Willamette captaio,
but has not been on the middle Cola mbla
but little over a year. A careful navl
gator and very affable gentleman. it is
| pleasure to be in his company.
He is as familiar with all points on
the Willamette as 9 pilot can be, and hal