The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-21

been bonsed By ". =. Thompson for nine
months for s1sose Extensions on this
ledge are the Rambler. By Joseph Thurber.
and the scrsmbser. BY Fl. z Walker.
There could hardly be a better country
for prospecting than that around Vernon.
for the proximity % stream transportation.
either BIZ .he Canadian Pacific railroad or
b. the steamer Aberdeen renders travel
ing speedy and supplies cheap Potatoes
cost 30 q ton. -four i-5s sack. pork 10
. cents a pound. beans 4 to cents a
pound, and other miners staples In proper
ton. The country Is open. horses can go
anywhere. feed Is abundant aud so are
wood and water. TIE snow usually dis
appears from all the mountains IN sight OF
the town By the middle OF March altnodgn
In this bleakest OF springs it stu lies on
all the highest ridges. With such favorable
conditions discovery ought 10 60 forward
rapidly and development should follow
close on fts heels
The okaaogan valley from the boundary
north ward is wateret by chain OF lakes
strung together by the okanogan river.
which may De said 10 have fits rise In the
great lake OF the same name. Vernon Hes
in broad wooded valley. through which
a chain Of smaller lakes extends north
ward and which terminates AT the head 4
the east arm OF Okanogan lake, four miles
south OF the town. okanogan lake itself
is a noble body of water, eighty miles long
and running almost north and south De-
tween ranges OF hills which are constant
study for the geologist. AT times they
rise from the water In abrupt cliffs, but
generally they roll back gently IN knoh
after knoll. covered with bunch grass ex-
cept where lodges Of rock protrude through
the surface soil and refuse TO be covered.
Above the hills grow sleeper ana are CLOTH
ed with timber and patch or white on
the highest points In the background tells
where the snow fingers. Through gulcnes
and deep canyons streams pour from the
heights 70 brighten with a rich emerald
the level bottoms at their outlet. Towards
the southern end OF the lake the banks are
cliffs OF sand. which constantly crumbls
away into the water. Half way along the
the east shore the mountains recede IN
semi-circle to make room for one or the
garden spots of British Coiumbia-the Mis-
sion valley. with Kelowns, EMPOWERED
among cottonwood groves on Its western
edge. Here is broad. level stretch OF the
richest land. extending inland for several
miles and winding around to the foot OF
Long lake. a sheet of water twenty miles
long parallel with okanogan lake Here
grain. fruit and hops grow In abundance,
cattle grow fat and sleek and experiments
are now being made a. growing tobacco.
At It's southern end the lake washes the
low shore of a broad isthmus separating
IL from Dog lake. The small white settle
and hotel OF penticton are on a hill at
one corner for the bottom land Is re-
serve where about $50 Indians raise cattle,
horses. grain and sometimes Cain. The
newborn Okanogan river winds through
these fats and Is joined by several good
sized streams. which make the road a
succession of fords and bridges-mostly
fords The river empties into Dog lake,
the next in the chain stretching south
ward. II is a blue strip OF water six or
eight miles long, 10 which the eye turns
with infinite relief from the high. shifting
sand hills which shut IL In, with rolling
bunch grass hills. Scared with rock be-
hind them and high pine-ciad mountains
behind them-the old familiar landscape
common 10 this section. The water Is SO
wondrous clear that some men would say
that from tho road on the hill above they
could see fish swimming in the bottom,
but they have either second sight or fervid
imaginafions. The road winds up the
sand hills and back among the bunch grass
hills. but the Indians have made short
cut horse trail which scarcely leaves the
lake and comes down to the valley again
where the river flows through another
strip of bottom land after pouring In a
divided channel over two lodges or rock at
Okanogan falls. Here Is Dogtown-a few
scattered log cabins and a silent sawmill
It's population consists 6f few dogs, less
human beings and millions OF gnats. Our
party. riding down from Penticton, trust
ing to the mlsguidance OF an Indian, cross
ed the river here and had 10 climb the
stony hin on the east In order to get into
the government road. This led down to
the valley again at Swan lake and gave
a splendid opportunity OF studying the
strata. Great cliffs OF slate and lime con-
glomerate several hundred feet high rise
sheer from the waters edge, so that the
road had to be blasted out to keep out
OF the lake. and In one place great
point of rock hangs clear over II. The
strata lie as regular and horizontal as in.
a well-n1ade Jelly cake and can be traced
right I'd TO the summit II you are not
afraid o, craning your next 10 look up.
Again the hills draw hack and give the VAL
ley a chance 10 widen and the river room
10 meander In a tortuous course, clearly
traceable by the fringe OF cottonwood.
auaking ash. elder. hazel. Wild rose and
other shrubs and trees. Then level benches,
where the prairie disputes possession with
the sagebrush and crossword, give an OPP
portunity for a brisk trot past little Vas
seur lake and on down the valley 70 Oso-
yoos lake which curves around for nine
miles 20 the boundary. The whole valley
OF the okanogan for thirty miles from
Penticton 10 the head OF osoyoos lake Is
owned BY one man. Thomas Ellis, who
has cattle by the thousand and horses by
the hundred on the bank OF the lake Is
the Canadian custom house, at which
Theodore Kruger. the pioneer trader. Is
deputy collector. and near 1t Is the gov
eminent house. where c. A. r. I.ambly.
the gold commissioner and l.. V. Cup
page. the provincial constable. make their
headquarters on the summit Of Kruger
mountain 70 the south is the line OF
monuments marking TIRE boundary. which
every good American. afte~ wandering into
foreign lands. is gIad TO cross.
In okanocan County. Wash.
orc. wash. June fa-The great diorits
belt IN which ere found lodges Of gold
-. -,xDna- s4r~vssAz has ha.,