Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-03
THE EVENING STAR,
FEATURES OF CRATER LAKE
One Of the strangest Bodies Of Water in the
World.
A Source of Never-Ceasing Wonder
and Fear to the Indians of
Northwestern Oregon.

From til. Minneapolis Tribune.
Crater lake is in the northwest portion OF
klamath county, Ore, twenty-five miles
west of north of Fort klamath, and about
ninety miles northeast of Ashland The
Indians of southern Oregon have known of
it for ages but until recently none have
seen 1t, for the reason that a tradition,
handed down from generation to genera
ton, described 1t as the home Of myriads
Of sea devils, or, they were called, LAOS.
and it was considered certain death for
any brave to even look upon it. This SUPER
stition still haunts the Klamaths. While
few of the tribe have visited it, they do so
with sort of mysterious dread of conse-
quences,
1t was discovered by a party of twelve
prospectorS June II, 1853, among whom
were j. W. Williams, George Ross, James
Louden, Pat McManus. Isaac SkeeIers and
a Mr.. Dodd. These had left the main party
and were not looking for gold, but, having
run short of provisions, were looking for
the wherewithal to stay the gnawing sensa-
tons that had seized upon their stomachs.
For time hunger forsook them, as they
stood upon the cliffs and drank in the awe
of the scene that stretched before them.
After partaking of the inspiration fostered
by such grandeur they decided to call it
Mysterious, or Drop Blue lake. 1t was
subsequently called Lake Mystery, and by
being constantly referred to as a crater
lake it gradua 1y assumed that name, which
is in itself so descriptive.
The waters surface is S,251 feet above
sea level, and is completely surrounded by
cliffs or walls from 1000 to over 1000 feet
high, which are scantily covered with con-
ferrous trees. To the southwest is Wizard
Island, which is SO feet high, circular in
shape and Slightly covered with timber In
the top IS depression or crater = the
Witches Cauldron-100 feet deep and 475
feet in diameter. This was evidently the
last smoking chimney of a once mighty VOL
cano.
Directly north of the island is LAO rock,
a grand old sentinel, standing boldly out
on the west side of the lake and reaching
over 1000 feet perpendicular. From the
top OF 1t you can drop a stone and it will
pass down and grow smaller until your
head begins to swim and you see the stone
become mere speck and fade entirely from
view. and at last, nearly half a mile below.
IL strikes an unruffled surface of the water
In making soundings there several years
ago a writer makes this report:
The first was made about 100 yards off
shore. 1t was supposed that We might pos
sibly find as much as 100 feet of water,
put as the lead ran out Our excitement
grew with each succeeding 100 feet until
over 1.2OO were out. At 121p feet the ma
ehihe stopped, and our pent-up feelings ex-
plod5d in one villa yell of delight For a
number of days the soundings were con-
tlnued. The greatest depth recorded was
.st feet, which. making allowance for
stretches of wire would give zoos feet or
the whole number made is are over .an
Is over 1.S0, II over no, 16 over 800 and
II over l,1tO 1t was found that at the bot
tom OF the northeastern end was a plain of
several square miles, almost perfectly level
Wh1ie south of the center is 4 cliff about 500
1eet high, and west of the center seems to
be cinder cone. nearly loo feet in height,
with crater in the center go feet deep
Its summit is 600 feet below The surface of
the water
There is probably not a point of interest
in America that completely overcomes
the ordinary Indian with fear as Crater
lake. From time immemorial no power
mas been strong enough to induce him to
APPROACH within sight of it. For a paltry
sum he will engage to guide you thither,
but before you reach the mountain Top
savage mind it is clothed with deep vel
OF mystery, and is the abode of ali manner
OF demons and monsters. Old Allin Davy,
chief Of the Klamath tribe. gives the fol-
the lake:
"A long time ago. long before the white
man appeared in this region to yex and
drive the proud rative out, a band Of kla-
maths, while out hunting, came suddenly
upon the lake and were Startled by its re-
markable walls and awed by its majestic
p: oportions. With spirits subdued and
trembling with fear. they silently approach
ed and gazed upon its face; something
within told Them the Great Spirit dwelt
there. and they dared not remain, but
passed silently dCwn the side of the noun
tain and campad far away. By some unac-
ccuntable influence, however, one brave
was induced 20 return. He went up to the
very brink of the precipice and started his
camp hre Here he lay down to rest; here
he slept till morn, slept until the sun was
nigh In the air, then arose and Joined the
tribe far down the mountain. AT night he
came again: again he slept until morn
Each visit bore charm that drew him
back again. Each night found him Sleep
ing above the rocks; each night strange
voices arose from the waters; mysterious
noises filled the air.
AT iast, after a great many moons. he
CLIMBED down in like manner, and frequent
ly saw wonderful animals, similar in all
respects to klamath Indian, except that
they seemed to exist entirely in the water.
than any Indian of his tribe because of his
many visits to the mysterious waters
Others then began to seek its influence Old
warriors sent their sons for strength and
courage to meet the conflicts awaiting
them. First they slept the rocks above
then ventured to the waters edge, but last
OF all they plunged into the water and the
coveted strength was theirs. On one occa-
sion the brave who first visited the lake
killed a monster .or fish, and was at once
set upon by untold numbers of excited
LAOS for such they were calledl, who car
ried him to the top of the cliffs cut his
throat with stone knife, then tore his
body into small pieces, which were thrown
down to the waters far beneath. where he
shall be the fate of every klamath brave
who from that day to this dares to look
upon the lake.
VIII G. Steele says. in writing of q trip
he made to the lake In 1886:
Near the base of Dutton cliff stands q
solitary rock, probably 100 feet high by 200
in length and nearly the same breadth,
that while not seen by the present genera
ton of Indians, 1t is nevertheless known to
them, and Is special object of supersti-
tious dread. They consider 1t as a pecu-
Early ferocious monster. but are unable to
describe its characteristics. 1t stands in
the lake entirely alone and about so yards
from shore. Standing the cliffs about
five miles to the west and looking across
the lake. this strange rock Is plainly visible
In the sunlight. its rugged peaks reaching
aloft, giving the appearance of full-rig-
ged ship at anchor. Should cloud pass be-
fore the sun as the shadow strikes the rock
1t will pass from view as effectually as
though it had ceased to exist. While sound
ing the lake in 1856 1 caused a party of
Typographical engineers to be landed here
for observations. but 1t was SO rugged
that the most diligent search failed to re-
veal a level place large enough to accom-
modate the tripod attachment to their in
struments. and we were compelled to resort
to point on shore for the purpose. I have
never learned its Indian name, but among
= ha ub ia he no