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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1880)
December, 1880. THE WEST SHORE. 325 We leave the boat and take the rail, way car. We thought the steamer sped too fast, but now we are whirled along, with only tantalizing glimpses of the splendor about us. The seething, boil ing rapids below; struggling with fear ful might to free themselves from their rocky confines, or in playful mood, toy. ing with great mossy boulders ; tossing snow-wreaths upon the dark green sur faces. Upon the right the river-bottom is green as emerald dotted with large trees, their leaves bronzed, their branches twisted and gnarled, draped in gold-brown moss, which catches and holds the sunbeams in most bewildering way. There are inland bluffs wholly con- cealed by a network of rich mosses, spray-like grasses and delicate drooping ferns. Leaving the Lowei Cascades the scenery continues grand and imposing High jagged bluffs jut out four hundred teet above the river. Look! a vista! where? away in the distance, a silvery mist rests upon dark lolty Willi's ; and, rising from tjie mist, into the sky itself, is a broken shaft, So the scenes shift, until the wild ruggedness dies out, and a sweet peace fulness replaces it. Here the bright Willamette joins her nobler sister in the journey to the sea Broad, clear and blue are the waters flowing around wooded islands, gaily decked in frost-touched garments. He fleeted in the clear depths below, is all this rich beauty, as well as that of the glorious sunset sky. We leave the proud Columbia with regrets and pursue our course up the Willamette. Placid and restful arc the scenes around us as we journey on. The tinting of the foliage is most dainty and fairy-like, the coloring pale Pink and cream have taken the place of crimson and orange. The sunset skies bend over the scene of calinful beauty, " In the crynlal deep, inverted, Swings a picture of the ky, Uke those wavering how of Aideiin Dimly in our dreamt that lie l Clouded oflen, drowned in turmoil, Faint and lovely, far away Wreathing sunshine on the monow, Breathing fragrance round to-day, Ijjve would wander Mere and nder Hither poetry would dream j Life's old quettioni, Sad iuggeationa, ' ' Whence and whither T throng thi tteam.' TRAVELING TIIROUtiH THE PACIFIC NORTIIWKST. On all the transportation lines in this country, with the exception of two stage lines, the traveling is done by daylight, so that the tourist and immigrant will have ample opportunity to see all there is to be seen. For a tourist a three months trip, say during the months of April, May and June, or from the middle of August to the middle of No vember, would not be any too much time. The sportsman o 111; lit to stay here six months if he wants to try his hand at all our different species of game. The best time for immigrants to come is early in spring, this will give them ample lime to sec the country, select home and get it started before the winter rains set in. Tourists should leave the steamship at Astoria, visit one or two of the salmon canning establishments which are always in full blast during the months of May, June anil July. To one who has never seen the modus operandi of salmon fishing ami canning it is alone worth half the expense of the entire trip to see it. Stopping at Astoria will also give the tourist an opportunity to visit the oys terbeds of Shoalwater bay, at an ex nense of $.1.00 for the round trip. On 1 his way back he can without loss of time and free of expense, examine the fortifications of the Columbia River and Cape Hancock Light, and view a grand combination of ocean, river and woodland scenery, to lie seen nowhere else. If an extra day can lie spared, a trip to Clatsop Hunch ut an expense of $3.00 for the round trip, would g"l the visitor a glance at the Coney Island of Oregon. The trip from Astoria to Portland is accomplished in about tj hours, including all stoppages, fare $2.00. The trip is one full of interest, the steamer stopping a few minutes al nearly all of the fisheries on the Col umbia river. The scenery en route is very line, a two or three minutes atop is made at Mount Collin, (see illustration), half wav between Astoria and Portland, it was named bv Admiral Wilkes, who visited it in 1841, whilst lieutenant of the U. S. Exploring Expedition. It i of basaltic formation, about .100 lect hiirh. und had been an Indian burial place for ages, hence the name. From its summit which is easy of access, a fine view can 1 had of the rich farm ing land in the delta between the Col umbia and Cowlit rivers. Just before entering the Willamette river the traveler obtains a view of live snow peaks, namely: Hood (height l l,22 fuel,) Adams (M,JVS lii l,) JiT- ferson (10,000 feet,) Ranier, (i.v-H feet,) St. Helens (9,55 feet). In lortlauil, the me'ropoli of the Pacific Northwest, there is enough to see to maxe a two weeKs stay a pleasant one. From here, round trip one day excursions at an expense 01 from 50 cents to $1.00, can be made to the Falls and Locks of the Willamette river, at Oregon city, to the garrison at ancouver, and other places ot interest. The trip to the Cascades and return, a distance of 125 miles, can be made at an expense of $$.(x, in one day, on one of the Oregon Railway and Navigation ' Co k. Moating palaces. The grandeur and beauty of the scenery on this trip through the gorge of the Columbia to the Cascades is in describable; artists and writers fail to do it justice. The famous Multnomah Falls, Rooster Rock, Cape Horn, Castle Rock (lv0o feet in height), and fundi) the Cascades, follow each other in an ever-changing panorama. To enumerate all places of interest in the Northwest would more than take up the entire space in this number. The' tourist, having once set foot on the soil of the Northwest, will soon iiiui that every minute of his time, even if a full three months be given to the trip, will be taken up in sight-seeing. Rates of fare over the Oregon Rail way and Navigation Co.'n lines and connections first-class tickets only, KKOM ISIS I LAN II TO KASTKKN OXfcllON AND WAHIINOTON, Pallet $ S oo...,lIuialilla $10 uo Wallula 12 00. . . . Ainnwuiili, (N. I'. K. K, Tcnnimii). . It oo Walla Walla. , 12 oo. Uwiiton, I. T. 20 on, Canyon lily. . . poo, romeroy 20 00, SHikan Fall. , Jl 00. SilverClly, I.T. 55 00, I'cnrwawa or Almola iH 00 Maker Cily, . . 38 00 llavlon, W.T. 17 00 lolfna 24 00 llie Cily ... 25 00 Kelt, m (C. I', K. K) 65 00 TO TDK 1,1'MIIMIINO KKiilUNa AND (OAI. MINKS OK I'lMiKT SOUND AND IIHII'Inll 1111,1 MIMA OVKN N. P. . K. AND I'UUr.r WIU Nil i. N. CO. Tacoma $ 7 oo. .. .Olympla $ 7 25 Seattle 8 00. . .. I'orlTowiiMml 10 00 Vlcloria, II. C, Ij 00. , . .Nanalmo, or New Weilmlnitler, II. C. 16 00 1 II K OKKOON AND CAI.IHlKNIA Railroad run daily train on tlx eul tide of the Willamette river to Kowlmig, 2uo mile, ami on the wel tidrof the Willamclle river lo CorvallU, 117 mile. 1 o actual linmigranlt, half fare lit kclt are iuued lo all points in the Willamette valley. wrr alliK. $ 1 oo,,..( omcliu.,.,,$ 1 25 I 50. ...North Yamhill 3 00 I 00. ...Iletry 1 50 J 50. , . . Inleirnden'. J 00 4 00. . , . From ( nivalin lo AllMiiy liy tlage I 00 KAr HICK, Oregon Cily.. $ 75.,..Auioia I oti Salem 2 25. . . . Allainy 400 lUUry 5 00. , . . Ilarmlsiig. . . 5 75 lunclion e 25. ...F.ugrne l ily ,, 700 llraint 975 Oakland II 35 Koaclmrg 12 25 llillihoro . . . , IWit (irove. MiMinnville . Italia loivallit, . . , . Wirifc-lralv.;