The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-22
AMONG THE OLYdPICS
The Mountains Are Jagged Be-
cause Comparatively New.
GRASS LANDS AMONG THE PEAKS
Fertile Valleys Wear the Cnasf-iron
Probably Eri 80. and TIRE Country
Has Not Been Pro~pccted.
s c. Gilman in American Geographical
NAgaxins


The Olympic peninsula IN Northwestern
WASHINGTON. forms the extreme noEta-
west corner Of the United States proper
IL les west OF Puget sound. Admiralty
tnlet and Hoods canal. commonly spoken
OF collectively as Puget sound. Arc ex-
tends over hin ~ miles along the so2tn
side OF the straits OF Juan de Fuca- as
west coast borders for ies miles on the IA
ciNe ocean, while Grzy's harbor and the
Chehalis river furnish deep water navi-
CATION for thirty miles along its southern
border. leaving only q neck OF twenty -nSe
miles In with connecting its southeastern
part with the mainland
As the northern. eastern and southern
sides Of the peninsula bordering on F0ca
straits. Puget sound and the Chehais nv
er and Crsys hzrbor. are partially SET
tied and comparatively wen known for
six to ten miles back from those waters,
this article vii have reference almost ex-
elasively to the Interior and western por-
tons Of the peninsula The whole PENN
scla contains al area OF about 5, 10 square
miies. OF which probably 3@o square miles
are occupied by the Olympic mountains.
from winch the pen nsria takes its name.
The main watershed OF these mountains
begins at Cape Flattery and extends
soEtheasteriy almost parallel with the
straits and about twelve miles therefrom
until nearly south Of Port Angeles. where
an abrupt turn to the south is made for
about six miles. passing by the east end
OF Mount Olympus. thence southeast
twenty miles to Pyramid peak; thence
southwest and gradually swinging TO the
west for thirty miles to Mount Frances
al the head OF Oainsnit lake: thence
southwest for about eig hteen miles. rap
idly decreasing in height until 1t reaches
its termination. Such Is the general
course OF the divide between the waters
flowing westward TO the Pacific ocean and
these flowing to the north. east and south
into Fuca straits. Puget sound and Gray's
harbor. From the main divide and in
many places exceeding IL in height. branch
oat in all directions spurs and ranges.
they In their turn rebranching and
branching again, until the complicated
ramifications OF mountain ridge and peak
SO completely cover the country with
their rugged heights that there Is barely
room for II e gorges and canyons and ra-
vines that lie between, and none At ali for
valley or plain These mountains are .
comparatively recent upheavaI. and ma
ture has not yet had time to round on
their slopes or duh the jagged sharpness
OF their submits. She has, however,
through the agency OF an enormous rain
fall. cut various gigantic sluices In the
rocky face of the mountains. and through
these a large amount OF detritus is brought
dogn.
Mount Olympus. the name peak. $50
feet high. Is the highest and most con-
spicuous mountain in the range. II was
first named La Sierra Santa Rosslia. by
Perez. In l51i. but in i7Ss Capt. John Meers
saw and described it under the name of
Mount Olympus 1t Is about twenty miles
south OF Freshwater bay on the straits Of
Faca, and is southwest OF the main d.
vide. with which II connects by a short,
sharp. high ridge. II Is cluster OF sharp.
Jagged rock peaks projecting upward
through an accumulation OF ice which
forms a cap two miles wide and four miles
long 10 the main body of the mountain.
1t Is difficult TO estimate the thickness OF
this ice cap. AT the close OF summer.
when 1t Is thinnest. there are places where
1t has the appearance of being at leas.
500 feet thick. 1t Is built up many addi-
tional feet In thickness by the storms OF
winter. to be spondiugly melted away
again by he succeeding warm summer
months. The Queets, Hob and Solduck
rivers head in Mount Olympus. and Hig-
ley and Tunnel Creeks. branches Of the
Elwha. have their sources In an ice-field
two miles long and three-fourths OF a mils
wide close to the northeast end of Olym-
pus. Tunnel creek has formed a beauti-
fuliy arched tunnel twenty feet high and
forty feet Wild Gin sammerl, through
which 10 flows for two and one-half miles
under an accumulation OF ice that fills the
gorge TO a depth of 100 10 800 feet. These
accumulations OF ice are very numerous
among the higher peaks all through the
range.
As for scenery. perched on one of the
numerous accessible peaks you are sur
rounded by towering. sky-piercing pima
cles and ragged, rocky ice-capped ridges
that are plowed ard narrowed by slides OF
rock and ice and chiseled and worn by
ages OF rushing water. mantled with snow
ana garianded with great patches OF roses
and daisies and dainty mountain flowers
and gowned With dense, dark evergreen
forests, reaching far down into cayernous
depths Of canyon and rsviue. across which
on some oppocite mountain side is rush.
ing down from its Icy fountain head a ,u-
muituous mountain torrent which finally
dashcs over a lofty preciplce and Is lost
In Vel % mist in the valley below. AWAY
TO the west is seen the ocean with its lszily
rolling blows. the dark trail OF a steam
er's smoke. and the white sails OF a ship
Just showing above the horizon To the
east lie Hoods canal and Puget sound.
with their bays ara arms and iniets
spread out Ike silver leaf on a CARPET OF
green Beyond rise the dark. wooded
slopes and snow-clad SUBMITS of the Cas-
cades, with grand old Rainier standing
guard TO the southeast and the majestic
Baker to the northeast
Lakes Cushman. Crescent and ouinsult
ara al Of considerable extent and great
depth. Al Qpinault lake. nearly twenty
miles from the ocean. the boom OF the
breakers on the beach Is plainly heard dur
ihg ami after a storm. bit the sound comes
from the opposite direction to the ocean.
being reflected from the stones Of Mount
Frances on the east. For twenty-five
miles north from the mouth Of Grsv.s
haroor IS A stretch OF broad. smooth hari
sand beach reaching to Point Grenvius.
From Point Grenvtlie TO Cape F1st.erv
Inns 100 70 - feet high border the ocnsn
Sometimes they stand a little back. isav-
tug 4 narrow s.rfp Of loose sand. gravel
ooul1ers or slippery ledge between then,
AMI the sea Sometimes they apr-oa,h
htde closer the strip Of sand or rork IL
carrespcudsrgly narrower and ~ove-a-5
Win water as the tide rises. often they
push toiaiy !nt1 TIE sea. which continu-
aAN slfSes and dashes al their fee. and
leaps hiEh Jp thesT face About f7x,s villa.
southwest Of the mouth q the H,h r,,,s-
anc fnur Ullcs OF shore "a I,s-s+r,,,,t1-,
Island, 50 called OF account q the pu-n.r-
c1s afrcks that have occurred on -
reefs and CT The adjacent main shore Tn.
Island stands among many br7aas rs.fa
some - watch are Just visible A. lov- 90.
ard ovsr these the oreAn ssreus
foam and boil at high tsa I,
Fsses abruptly. with perceptions ssse~
r'eAiy feet above the water. and then
SPREADS o1I smooth and level ah,o,,, 80
ARES IN exteat. The Hoh Indians hs~s
lotlE cultivated several sr-an no,at.
matches On 81 ard have also uSe.s 8, AZ
i0-oSoat station for whale. n -ba ea,,g-s
81 @hirh animal they have attained 80,
proficiency. The United S,s.ax ~oe-s-~>
nett a1s s1ilt on the island isshthol,x.
o. iiae tFsi order, eighty feet high U.fh
as1e's toghcrr and the usual auxillsrv
y,'.''l''~ 3 y commands a ans view Of