The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-04-06
STUNNED BY INDIANS
CRATER LAKE, IN OREGON, OVER
WHELMS THEM WITH DREAD.


Magnificent and Awe Inspiring In
It's Grandeur, 1t Is Justly Regarded
as One of the Strangest Bodies of
Water In the World.
Crater lake is in the northwest portion
of klamath county, Or, % miles west Of
north of Fort klamath and about 80
miles northeast of Ashland. The In
dams of southern Oregon have known of
it for ages, but until recently none has
seen it, for the reason that tradition
handed down from generation to genera
ton described it as the home of myriads
Of sea devils, or, as they were called,
Llaos, and it was considered certain
death for any brave to even look upon it.
This superstition still haunts the Kla-
maths. While a few of the tribe have
visited it, they do so with sort of mys-
FERROUS dread of consequences.
1t was discovered by a party of IL
prospectors June u, 1858, among whom
were J. w. Williams, George Ross,
James Louden, Pat McManus, Isaac
Skeeters and a Mr.. Dodd. These had
| for gold, but having run short of provi-
sions were looking for the wherewithal to
| stay the gnawing sensations that had
seized upon their stomachs. For time
hunger forsook them as they stood upon
| the cliffs and drank in the owe of the
scene that stretched before them. After
| partaking of the inspiration fostered by
such grandeur they decided to call it
| Mysterious, or Deep Blue, lake. 1t was
subsequently called Lake Mystery, and
| by being constantly referred to as era
ter lake it gradually assumed that name,
| which is in itself so descriptive.
| The waters surface is G,2o1 feet above
| sea level and is completely surrounded
| by cliffs or walls from 1000 to over
1000 feet high which are scantily cover
| cd with conferous trees. To the south
west is Wizard island, which is S45 feet
| high, circular in shape and slightly COW
cred with timber. In the top is dcpres-
sion or crater-the Witches caldron-
100 feet deep and 415 feet in diameter.
| This was evidently the last smoking
chimney Of once mighty volcano.
Directly north of the island Is Lao
rock, grand old sentinel, standing bold
| ~ out on the west side of the lake and
reaching over 1000 feet perpendicular.
| From the top of it you can drop n 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 Il mile below, it strikes the
| unruffled surface of the water. In max
| ing soundings there several years ago a
writer makes this report:
1.-THE first was made about 100 yards
| off the shore 1t was supposed that we
! might possibly find as much as 100 feet
| of water, but as the lead ran out our eX-
| element grew with each succeeding 100
feet, until over | 200 were out. At 1,210
feet the machine stopped, and our pent
| up feelings exploded in one wild yell OF
| delight. For number of days the sound
| ings were continued. The greatest depth
recorded was 1896 feet, which, making
allowance for stretches Of wire, would
| give zoos feet OF the whole number
made IS are over 1900, IS over 1880, IL
| over LOO, 16 over 1,GOO and 10 over
1900. 1t was found that at the bottom
Of the Northeastern end was plain Of
several square miles almost perfectly lev
el, while south of the center is cliff
about 900 feet high, and west of the CEN
ter seems to be cinder cone, nearly 1,2OO
feet in height, with crater in the center
$50 feet deep. Its summit is GOO feet be-
low the surface of the water"
There Is probably not q point of inter-
est in America that SO completely over
comes the ordinary Indian with fear as
Crater lake. From time immemorial no
power has been strong enough to induce
him to approach within sight Of it. For
paltry sum he will engage to guide you
| Al: Al. l,,k I0p nnh
tain top will leave you TO proceed alone.
To the savage mind it is clothed with a
deep veil of mystery and is the abode Of
all manner of demons and monsters. Old
Allin Davy, chief of the klamath tribe,
| gives the following Indian history of the
discovery of the lake:
"a long time ago, long before the white
man appeared in this region to vex and
drive the proud native out. u band of
klamaths while out hunting came sud-
denly upon the lake and were startled by
its remarkable walls and awcd by its ma
jestic proportions. With spirits subdued
and trembling with fear, they silently ap-
| preached and gazed upon its face. Some
| thing within told them the Great Spirit
dwelt there, and they dared not remain,
| but passed silently down the side of the
mountain and camped far away. By
| some unaccountable influence, however,
| one brave was induced to return. He
| went up to the very brink of the precipice
| and started his campfire. Here lie lay
| down to rest; here he slept till morn,
| slept until the sun was high 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 sleeping above the rocks |:
| each night strange voices arose from the
| waters; mysterious noises filled the air.
| AT last, after great many moons, he
| climbed down in like manner and fire.
| quently saw wonderful animals, similar
| in all respects to Il klamath Indian, eX-
cept that they seemed to exist entirely in
| the water. He suddenly became harder
! and stronger than any Indian of his tribe
| because of his many visits to the mystic
rious 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
OIL the rocks above, then vcntured to the
! waters edge, but last of all they plunged
| into the water. and the coveted strength
| was theirs. On one occasion the brave
| who first visited the lake killed monster
or fish and aas at once set upon by I'M
told numbers of excited LAOS for such
| they were called, who carried him to the
top of the cliffs, cut his throat with a
stone knife, then tore his body into small
| pieces, which were thrown down to the
| waters far beneath, where he was de-
voured by the angry LAOS. And such
| shall be the fate of every Klamath brave
who from that day to this dares to Look
upon the lake" minneapolis Tribune.
DiHtfnctiOn.