THE WEST SHORE.
loitering too long with his single vessel
lest the Spaniards should make an ef
fort at reprisal. For the same reason
lie determined upon a new route home
ward, which from the discovery he had
made at the South he took for granted.
Though he seemed to have forgotten
that the object of his voyage had been
to make a "perfect discovery of the
South Seas," he was not unwilling to
make any that fell in his way, and ac
cordingly sailed northward with his
ship of a hundred tons, meaning to re
turn to England around the northern
end of North America!
In latitude of 42" he began to expe
rience "nipping rnld," though it was
already June when he reached the
southern boundary of Oregon, and two
degrees farther north he found the cold
to be of Arctic inteniity so cold, in
deed, that a tire did not suffice to thaw
the frozen meat! One does not know
what to think of such a summer as that,
off the coast of Oregon. Doubtless
men just from a voyage in the tropics
found the winds which blew along the
coast of California and Oregon some
what piercing. But freezing ( ?) either
the "sea-king," and his chaplain, who
wrote the account of the expedition,
were very sensitive, or the climate of
the Pacific is subject to great variations.
From the enormous growth of our firs
and cedars, one might reasonably doubt
whether any of these veterans of the
forest had ever experienced an Arctic
summer.
Somewhere about in latitude 47 de
grees Drake anchored in a " bad bav,"
which not giving the security he de
sired, he put to sea again as soon as the
fog lifted, and continued northward
another 'degree notwithstanding the
extreme cold. So near was he to dis
covering the great strait half a degree
further north which he surely would
have concluded to lead into the Atlan
tic. But from here he was driven ten
degrees south, where he discovered a
good harbor, probably thatot San Fran
ciscothe only boy or harbor of any
consequence that was entered by this
sea-king, who was sworn to make a
" perfect discovery " of the Pacific; but
fortunately worth more to commerce
than any other between the almost-discovered
Puget Sound, and the Gulf of
California.
Here, too, Drake found snow in sum
mer! However the climate must have
been endurable since he protracted his
stay for a month, erecting a " fairc great
poste," on which was engraven the
name of Her Gracious Majesty, Queen
Elizabeth, together with her Highness'
picture and arms, in a piece of English
money ; and under this his own name,
lie must have enjoyed this defiance of
Spanish death-penalties, while taking
possession for the English sovereign of
territory already claimed by the sover
eign of Spain. After a month's repose
in the good California bay, whose cli
mate he no doubt purposely slandered
w ith something of the same exclusive
policy of Spain, he sailed for the Phil
ippine Inlands, and thence homeward,
by the Cape ofGood Hope; thus mak
ing in 1580 the first voyage round the
world that any ship or commander had
ever made with one crew : but yet with
out making any great discovery in ad
dition to those already made by the
Spaniards, except that of the meeting
of the oceans around Cape Horn.
Seven years later, Thomas Cavendish,
an English navigator, appeared in the
Pacific, and laying in wait for the g ll
Icon from Manila to Acapulco, succeeded
in capjuring her cargo and destroying 1
the vessel. The crew was landed on j
the barren coast of the California pe
ninsula, where they must have perished i
had not their vessel Ken driven on
shore. Thev were able to repair it,
and put to sea again, arriving at last
safely in a port of the mainland. Among
those thus saved from death were two
men afterwards distinguished in the
history of Spanish discoveries Sebas
tian Viscanio, a noble of Spain; and
Juan dc Fuca, a Greek, in the service
of Spain; whose real name was Apos
tolos Valerianos: he who afterwards
discovered the strait that leads into Pu
get Sound.
A SKETCH OF SOUTHERN OREGON
SCENERY AND TRADITIONS.
K OCCJDBKT.
In the southern part of Oregon, and
separated from the valleys where Na
ture first invited the white man, lies
the beautiful land of the Klamaths, al
though the ancestors of its present oc
cupants were residents long before the
hieroglyphs were carved on the time
worn pyramids of Egypt; yet no crypt
or moss-grown ruin is found to attest
the fact. We can only derive it from
the ceremonies of the present race, and
the legendary but unwritten history
that has been handed down from sire
to son through the long centuries of
the mystic past.
Klamath valley, as seen from the
summit of the Cascade range, which
bounds it, is one of the loveliest pictures
that ever pleased the eye of man. Mt.
Pitt at the west of the valley lifts his
hoary head above the clouds of sum
mer, and, like a grim sentinel, seems
to hold the region in awe at his maies
tic presence. Long after the sun has
sank behind the dark and gloomy range
of the coast, he basks in its mellow
light, and though the pull of night
hangs over the valley, its people can
look up and see his frosty, snow-capped
brow still glittering with its fiery ravs.
Away to the south, and beyond the
black piles of lava that circumvallates
the chain of Modoc lakes, vises the
white form of "Old Shasta." Near him,
his first-born, "Little Shasta," is seen;
the two seem like fair resting places on
the way to the stars, as in bold relief
their eternal shrouds of white arc pic
tured against the blue canvass of the
horizon. Between these giant monu
ments of 'time, lies the picturesque
valley of the Klamath, held aloft in the
strong arms of the Cascade range, that
at a northern point separates, and like
a river that encircles an island, forms a
border around the valley, anil isolates
it from the rest of the world. At the
base of Mt. Pitt, and stretching away
to the southward, is the "Lake of the
Valley," or "Klamath," as it is more
commonly known. Looking down up
on its sky-tinted waters from some
promontory height, you would not
think it a lake, but a panoramic view
or painting of some fairy region; for
as far as the eye could reach, would be
seen pictured on its calm surface the
rsfletted images of the tall cliffs, snowy
peaks, and grim forests that diversities
and enriches its surroundings. Within
this mountain-walled valley are grouped
together, like specimens In a mu-euiii,
a greater variety of (he grand and
beautiful in Nature's gallery, than can
be seen on any other part of the globe.
Situated on its northern rim is "Mona
Toya," or "Spirit Lake," w here, as the
Klamaths say, the chief of the lower
World ascends to earth; and tradition
tells us that at times he has risen from
his subterranean home, and stood like
a mighty colosus on the mountain's
summit, where with giant arms he
hurled the "curse of fire" over the land.
For days and week would he thus re
main, scourging the tribes for their
sins, and naught could appease his tci-
rible anger, except the sacrifice of ihe
great "medicine man" of the tribe.
When thtl btciinc a BOCeasity, we arc
told that bnvelv the victim met his I
late, and that with faith as strong as
Abraham's of old, calmly submitted to
the will of the gods. Calling the tribe
about him, he publicly handed over
the powers of his priesthood to some
younger one of the order, aud with a
lighted torch in each hand ascended the
mounjtairi till he had gained the sum
mit and reached the verge of the then
fiery lake. Standing upon a high pin
nacle that overhangs the chasm, and
plainly visible to the people of his
tribe, he awaited till darkness had
shrouded the scenes about him; then
throwing aloft his lighted brands as a
signal to the tribe, lie would plunge
himself headlong into the volcanic
hell. "Mona Toya," the "Fire Chief,"
would quickly disappcur, and happi
ness and prosperity again favor the
tribe.
The lake is situated on the top of a
volcanic mountain 7,500 feet above sea
level. Its waters are 2,000 feet below
the surrounding surface, and held
within an oval or ncarlv round.sh,mi-,l
1
cavern, which is about three miles in
diameter. In looking down upon its
imprisoned waters, you cannot help
but feel the strange influence of that
superstitious fear that makes the red
man regard it as the abode of infernal
spirits. A deathly stillness forever
broods over its mirrowed surface. No
hum of insect life, or song of bird was
ever known to strike an echo against
its ambient walls. Nothing save the
dreary monotone of the wind as it
sweeps across the chasm, relieves the
awful quietness of the place, and it
seems so unnatural to the hearer, that
his aroused imagination easily trans
forms it to the blended tones and moan
ing cries of condemned spirits In Tar
tarus, rising up to earth through this
gloomy portal.
Yet, all this dreariness rather en
hances than detracts from the beauty
of the scene. We look down upon the
dismal picture with feelings of awe;
its sombre walls rise in varied column
so perpendicularly, us to forbid any
natural way to the surface. But wc
can sec their forms reflected upon the
glassy bosom of the lake so truthfully
to Nature's copy, that in beholding it
we unconsciously open our hearts to a
better acquaintance with the Great
Master, who has created it. It is not
strange that the darkened intellect of
the Klamaths should associate such
scenes with their superstitious ideas of
the Great Spirit; for he has made the
world a gallery of beauty, that he
might have the love and praise of his
children who enjoy it; aid 'tis not the
sound logic and silverv eloouence of
the preacher, or the erudition of tuc
scholar spent in theological reasonings,
that proves His existence, His wisdom,
or His attributes, but the incompara
ble works of His hand.
CLIMATE AND RESOURCES OF WASH
INGTON TERRITORY.
To new comers our climute is usually
disagreeable, but to nine out of ten old
residents, is the most delightful under
the sun. As a general thing, we have
about two months in all of cool, dry
weather, spread along during the half
jcar commencing with October anil
ending with March. The thermometer
will then range along from alwut
twenty to fifty degrees Fahrenheit, sel
dom indeed getting below the lesser
figure named. Two of the other
months will usually lie wet enough to
make a man from the dry States of the
Northwest think the whole country
was nbout to be deluged, ami the other
two months will he aricd, having a
little wind, little rain, and good deal
of sunshine a sort of April weather.
The six remaining months of the Near
may be set dow n as of the finest dc-'
scription; the nights Wing cool, the'
davs u.irin aud oleasant. tin- .iitn.. I
phcrc balmy, health. giving and cxhil-'
223
anting. The temperature seldom gets
above ninety degrees in the summer or
below thirty degrees in the winter;
and, being very equable, probably
averages the year around, night and
day, about midway sixty degree,
During the past year, we have had not
less than eight months of fine weathei,
two months of mixed, a mouth of coi l
and dry, a month of wet aud disagree
able. The fall f snow at this point did
not in all exceed two inches, nor did it
remiiin 011 the ground in any case
more than twenty-four hours. Flowers
bloomed out of doors all winter, the
grass remained green, cattle subsisted
in good order without feeding, no ivc
tor either skating or packing was
formed, and, in fact, we really had no
winter. The above refers entirelv to
the western half of the Territory, to
which the resilience of the writer has
been Confined, The eastern half varies
somewhat, being hotter in the suminei,
colder in winter, and dryer the ye. 1
arourifl.
The resources of the Territory arc
exceedingly varied, but as yet little de
veloped. Agriculture, lumber, coal,
and the fisheries are those to-day mo t
prominent. Our cattle and hones' me
driven across the Rocky Mountain-,
and find ready sale by the thousands in
Illinois and New York. Not less than
a million bushels of wheat will be
shipped this year cither to San Fran
cisco or Europe; almost as much more
of oats and barley; while of Imps tiir
thousand bales will find their way to
the markets of California, the Atlantic
States, Australia and England. Our
lumber mills are among the largest in
the world, and their products go to the
chief ports of both Americas, Asia,
Australasia and Europe. The present
annual cut, for home aud foreign con
sumption, is in the neighborhood ol
three hundred million feet, and is ca
pable of unlimited increase. Hoop
poles, bolts, etc., may also be Included
under this head, and may be stated to
be immense ami extending, while for
shipbuilding this country is destined in
good time to be probably the greatest
in the world. Two years ago about
ninety thousand tons of coal were
hipped abroad, last year one hundred
and twenty thousand tons, while for
this year and next year one hundred
and fifty thousand and one hundred
thousand tons, respectively, are very
Moderate estimates. With trifling es
ccptions, our coal all goes to San Fran
cisco. The fisheries arc chiefly those
on the Columbia Kivcr, which export
annually millions of dollars' worth of
the finest salmon that can be caught.
Our salt water fisheries Include herring,
seal, halibut, cod, dogfish, etc., with
some oysters, clams and crabs. Besides
these resources, in a fair state of devel
opment, we have numerous others yc
almost untouched by the hand of man.
Some little gold is continually being
mined, w hile of iron, copper and other
minerals, (he soil of our virgin Territory
is known to be richly possessed, 1111. 1
which, one day, with ils coal will make
U in no respect unequal to the great
Keystone Stale of the Union. Yes,
our resources are richly abundant and
all that is lacking to make the people
of the East powerfully cognizant of the
fact is the capital for their proper de
velopincnt. Seattle 1'ribune.
IlKAn Valley, Grant county, is dis
tant from Canyon City about 20 miles
in a southeasterly direction on the Camp
Harney road, and from Ihe popular sum
iner resort, Soda Springs, some three
or four miles. The valley is fifteen
miles in length, and nine in width, ami
is surrounded on all sides by mnunliiim
heavily timbered with tamarack, blai li
and yellow pine. This valley, were A
not for its high altitude, and cold frOMy
nights, etc., would make a fine agriiul
lurid country. Grass grows luxuriantly,
also a species of wild nd clover. The
game of the valley consists of antelope,
sage hens, cranes, ducks, geese, curlew ,
and the common snipe,
" At La Conner and on the Swino
mish flats any man w ho wants to Wade
and build dykes and dig ditches, 1 .1 .
get employment at fair wages. Tin y
can't find white men willing to do il.
atid arc compelled toemploy Chinamen ;
but if white men request it they v . I
hnc the preference.
Tut most difficult thing is 10 know
one's self; the most easy, to give i"llli
selsto another; md the meet delightful,
to obtain the Completion of our desin - .
, . '