Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-30
CRATER LAKE A MYSTERY.
Wonders of the Deepest Body of Water
in America.

Most wonderful of all the so-called
''bottomless lakes" is undoubtedly Mys-
terry; or. Deep Blue lake, as it was named
by its white discoveries half a century
ago, but better known nowadays as Ora
ter LAKE, in Oregon. There are very few
Places in il where the depth Is less than
1900 feet, and no other lake on the West
ern hemisphere approaches this. 1t is no
wonder, then, that Crater lake was ut
first supposed to be bottomless.
However, the truth is that all lakes
over $50 feet deep possess a similar repu-
tation. Any body Of water that is deeper
than the length of the longest feeling
line is sure 10 lack bottom in the popu-
Crater lake is 625l feet above the sea
level. five miles in diameter, nearly cir
cular, and occupies the crater of an eX-
tinct volcano in the northeast portion Of
Klamath county. twenty-five miles west
and north of Fort klamath. and about
ninety miles northeast OF Ashland. The
Indians OF Southern Oregon have known
of its existence for many generations, bur
until recently few redmen had seen it for
the reason that a tradition, handed down
from the fathers OF the tribe, described
the lake as the home of myriadS of sea
devils, OF, as they were called, LAOS, and
it was considered certain death for any
brave to even look upon il. This super
stition still haunts the Klamaths. While
a few of the tribe have visited it in the
capacity of guides to white explorers,
they do so with dread Of consequences.
1t is bad medicine" in the fullest sense
CI lHc ltIIU. here Is probably no point
Of interest in America that 50 complet sly
overcOmes the ordinary Indian with fear
To the savage mind the lake is clothed
with deep veil OF mystery and is the
abode of all manner of demons and mons
tiers.
Old Allin Davy. chief of the Klamath
tribe, once gave the following history Of
the discovery of the lake by his people:
"A long time ago, long before the white
men appeared to veX and drive the Indian
out, band of Klamaths, while out hunt
ing, came suddenly upon the lake and
were startled by its remarkable walls and
awed by its majestic proportions. Their
spirits subdued and trembling with fear,
they silently gaZed upon the face of the
them told the braves that the Great Spir-
it dwelt there and they dared not remain.
or explore the shores of the lake, but
passed silently down the side OF the
mountain and encamped far away.
by some unaccOuntable influence, how
ever, one brave was induced to return.
He went up TO the Very brink of the
precipice and started his campfire. Here
he lay down to rest; here he slept till
morn; slept until the sun was high in
the heavens, and then rose and returned
to his tribesmen far down the mountain.
AT night he went again, and again he
slept until mOrns Each visit bore a
charm that drew him back again. Eac;.
night found him sleeping above the blue
lake: and each night strange voices arose
from the waters; mysterious noises filled
the air.
AT last. after a great many moons, he
was invited to bathe in the waters of
the lake by a stranger who appeared to
him in the night. This stranger looked
and was dressed like klamath Indian,
but he was really a LAO. There We're
many of these people in the lake and
they seemed to exist almost entirely III
the water.
THE klamath brave suddenly became
harder and stronger than any man in
his tribe because Of his plunge in the
mysterious waters. Others then began
to seek its influence. Old warriors sent
their sons for strength and courage to
they slept on the rocks above, then Ven
tured to the waters edge, and last of all
plunged into the lake and the coveted
strength was theirs.
ION one occasion a brave who visited
the lake killed monster fish. and was
at once set upon by untold numbers of
excited LAOS. who carried him to the tor
of the cliffs, cut his throat with a knife.
and then tore his body into small pieces,
which were thrown down to the waters
far below where he was devoured by 9TH
er angry LAOS; and such shall be the
fate of every Klamath brave who from
that day to this dares to look upon the
lake"
Bearing in mind this legend it is not
strange that the existence of Crater lake
was not suspected by the first white pion-
GERS in oregon, nor was it heard Of
through the Indians themselves. 1t was
discovered by party of prospectors June
u. 1S5S-J. w. Williams, George Ross,
James Louden, Pat McManus, Isaac
Skeeters, and a sixth man named Dodd.
These had left the rest of their party
below and were not looking for gold, but
having run short of provisions. We're on
hunt for game. For a time hunger for
sock them as they stood upon the cliffs
and drank in the scene that stretched be-
fore them.
The water Of Crater lake is Of a deep,
cold blue color, and Is completely sur
rounded by cliffs from a thousand to more
tily covered with coniferous trees. To the
mountains stands what is known as Wiz
ard island, which is S45 feet high, eircu-
lar in shape, and likewise slightly covered
with timber. In the top of this inland
island" is a depression, or crater-the
Witches cauldron-i0O feet deep and AIS
feet across, evidently the last smoking
chimney of once mighty volcano. But
the fire mountains which once found its
vent through the bottom of what is now
Crater lake. must have made its neighbor
volcanoes look small indeed.
Will G.. Steele says, in writing of trip
he has made to the lake i'm 1880: Near
the base of Dutton cliff stands q solitary
rock, probably 100 feet high by 200 ii,
length and nearly the same in breadth.
that while never having been seen by the
present generation of Indians, is never
theless known to them, and is special