THE WEST SHORE.
851
GLIMPSES OP WILLAMETTE VALLEY.
1)R0BABLY no better or more satisfactory bird's-eye
L glance at the flower of the Willamette Valley can
bo obtained than is afforded by a good view from the
summit of Mary's Peak, or " June Peak," as it is called
U,,,..r l,;,.l, .,il i X J J. xl 1
unun, nuivu mui w.i a jjioin uepui uunng ine long winter
months on the summit of this peak, generally disappears
some time in June, and hence the origin of the name
" J une Peak. Mary's Peak is located in Benton County.
about eighteen miles almost due west of Corvallis. With
out doubt it is the highest mountain along the entire
length of the Coast Range. One bright, lovely morning,
early in August, a party of four, including tho writer,
left the lively town of Corvallis, fully equipped for tho
excursion to tho summit, and turned their faces to tho
west
Two hours' leisure riding brought us to the lower end
of Little Mary's River Valley, or "Oroasy," as it iH
known in slang parlance among the early settlers of that
region. Here we diverged from the main route of travel
and entered the foothills, which lead by somowhat abrupt
gradations to the main Coast Range. From that time
on, until the base of tho mountain was readied, our
progress was slow and toilsome. Tho party moved for
ward very deliberately, now winding arquml the base of
a sharp projecting spur, climbing along tho stoop side of
a hill, riding "single file" as we followed tho narrow
trail through dense forests and -tangled thickets, or,
again, plunging with cautious stops down a deep, rugged
canyon, gloomy in morning shadows, and still damp with
the uudried dews of night.
About two o'clock tho base of tho peak was reached.
Before commencing the wearisome ascent the party halted
and discussed, with hearty relish, an excellent lunch.
Shortly before three o'clock we started up tho stoop trail
that led a zig-zag course along the side of the peak. Full
three hours were consumed in reaching the summit, as
we moved very slowly under tho sweltering afternoon
sun, and paused at short intervals to allow our jaded
liorsos an opjortunity of recovering their wind It was
late in the afternoon before wo cleared the thick lxslt of
timber and entered tho small prairie that crowned tho
extreme summit Pousing for a few minutes the party
rested, and then commoncod a tour of olworvation, deter
mined to utilize tho brief interval of day that remained.
Evening was moving rapidly apace. Already the sun
was low down near the horizon, and the sky was glowing
with roseate tiuU L irgd shadows ware creeping across
the summit and stretching far down tho mountain's side.
Within less than an hour summer twilight would gutly
wrap the mountains and valleys.
A few minutes' walk brought tho party to tho highest
jxiint of tho peak. This jxt was found at tho extreme
southeastern point of the mountain. Hero was a long
ledge of rock, which overhung tho precipitous sido of the
jwak. Several small, stunted spruce trees grew out from
the' fissures of tho lodge, their roots clinging to the
rugged sides, and drawing from tho sterile ond reluctant
soil a mcogcr life. Tho topmost branches of these dwarf
trees rose only a few feet alx.ve the edgo of the projecting
rocks. Those standing thoro could easily look over
their raggtxUi unU nnd ol.Luu ua UiiuLutractcJ vicT rf
tho broad panorama of landseaK lielow and IwyomL
Standing thus, with the sun jiiHt sinking Itohind the
waves of tho Pacific Ocean, with the cloudless Bky bathed
in hues of purple, gold and red, with tho whole visible
world steeped in tho soft glamour of the sunset hour, what
a scono of grandeur and lsmuty spread out Itoforo us!
Far to tho southeast nwo the dark, wooded outlines of
tho Cnlnpooiii Mountains, stretching from Const Rango
across to Cascades. This rango constitutes the southern
boundary of tho Willamette Valley proior. From be
tween the foothills of the Cascades and Calaxxia, where
those approach and fuse into one, nponrod the Maokon
zio Fork, one of the chief tributaries of the Willamette
ltivor. lis course could be dimly traced winding through
the distant hills, until the stream rushed upon tho fertile
valley east of Eugene, Following its course the eye
noted each turn until its waters mingled with the other
parent fork known as tho Willamette ltivor. United, the
stream, widened and decerned, moved onward in its
march to tho ocean. Kach turn and wind of the Istatitiful
river was clearly marked by tho broad, green lxlt of tiin.
Iter growing along the banks. Down the rich valley
glided tho stream; hero moving in a straight Hue fur
several miles; there twisting like a gigantic serpent, In
places almost turning back uxu its general course;
winding among the oak-clad hills of Lauo; along through
the fertile plains of Linn and Benton; past the rich
fields of yellow, waving grain and the smiling homes of
thrifty, happy farmers; past the cheerful hamlets of
Harrisburg, Monroe and Peons; past t!i moro proton.
tioiis towns of Corvallis and Albany, whose white resl-
lences, somlier-huod brick buildings and church spires
showed vaguo and misty in the ml light of the expiring
lay. Onward, onward, flowed the clear, lovely river,
expanding and deotMtuiiig as it glided softly toward its
far-off ocean home, glancing and gleaming like a broad
riblxni of burnished silver as its waters Hashed into view
between occasional oxmings in its green environment.
Onward, ever onward, singing its low musical lay, as the
waters fretted the ohbly shores, until the stream fadml
away, lost in the dreamy, mysterious distance amidst tho
emerald hills of Polk and Marion counties.
Sweeping tho eye. along the valley south, what
diversified panorama was presented I Latin County
spread out its broad, rich acres of prairie, timlx-rod
plain and undulating upland. lute cottages dotted the
laudscaH) liko mere speck ill a sen of dark verdure.
Fields of golden grain uoddixl in the twilight wind with
their swelling promise of abundant harvest. Several
small streams, leaving the base of the Cascade, wound
across tho country and poured their watery stores into
the Willamette. Far above the surrounding lundxcnpe
roso the Ixild knob-shaod head of Htoncr'a Butte.
Westward the eye roved aero the V illamette River
and txk in at one eoiiiprehensivo glance the southern ,
portion of BonV'U. The Coast Range, trending south.