Chapter II: Part 2

"The trip down the Quiniault river with its manifold beauties and experiences beggars description--the swift current, the whirling eddies, the deep, dark-green water, trout leaping into the air to catch the flying insects, the banks clothed with magnificent forests, log jams through which or under which we passed, animated branches marking the rhythmic motion of the current, the floating canoes gliding into the deeper, darker water to seek the current that hurried them on and ever on to the ocean. The Indians skillfully guided the little craft through the dangerous places, then settled back to rest until the next test of skill or strength was necessary, in the meantime relating bits of history or legends which explained names or some natural phenomenon. The boom of the surf announced the end of the journey. As the Mountaineers left the canoes on the beach at Taholah, it was agreed that the trip down the Quiniault marked the red-letter day of the 1913 outing."

WILLAPA BAY.

The water area of this bay is 100 square miles, composed of two sections, one extending southward and separated from the ocean by a long narrow peninsula, nowhere more than two miles in width, and the other reaching eastward to South Bend and Raymond. Into it flows Willapa river, besides other short but swift mountain streams teeming with trout and other game fish. The bar is about a mile wide and the waters covering it 28 1/2 feet deep at low tide, thus enabling sea-going vessels to cross without the aid of tugs--a great advantage to ocean liners and big lumber schooners, which may be seen almost any day either lying at the docks or loaded to the gunwale passing out to sea.

The southern arm approaches within three miles of the Columbia River. People in Pacific County say that Uncle Sam plans to dig a canal through this narrow strip so that vessels may enter the river by way of Willapa Bay and avoid the Columbia bar, kept open by jetties built at enormous expense.

Photo by Asahel Curtis.]

The cities of Raymond and South Bend are other examples of what lumbering and fishing have done for Washington municipalities. Where a few years ago was nothing but a wilderness, known only to the Indians or an occasional fisherman, are now busy marts with extensive waterfront factory sites. Pretty roads start from these cities and wind along the harbor front or penetrate the interior. Excursions by water may be made to Bay Center and Tokeland, summer resorts and fishing stations. Crab and clam fisheries and the oyster beds may be seen here to advantage, Tokeland being the place where eastern oysters were first transplanted for mercantile purposes.

South Bend and Raymond are also starting points for the North Beach ocean resorts. On this trip one gets a full view of the bay, and the ocean surf tumbling over the bar. At Nahcotta, a pretty oyster village, all passengers are transferred to the O.-W. R. & N. train bound for Ilwaco and Megler, whence regular steamers cross to Astoria. This train makes frequent stops, permitting close scrutiny of the attractive summer cottages that face the boundless ocean constantly visible on the right.

Located at almost the southern extremity of the peninsula is the quaint town of Ilwaco, overlooking the Columbia bar. Near by are the most extensive cranberry marshes in the state. Another attraction is "North Head," most southwesterly point in the state of Washington, where an unobstructed view of the ocean is obtained. From this point may be seen the waters of the Columbia mixing with the ocean, "Tillamook Head" in Oregon, the light house, the life-saving station, Fort Canby, the wireless station, and the "Seal Rocks," where hundreds of sea lions are usually sunning themselves.

Instead of returning by the same route, the Columbia River may be chosen to Kalama, whence the Sound Country may be quickly reached by the Pacific Highway or by rail. Every tourist should make at least one visit to the Harbor Country and see the ocean from the southwest corner of the state.

"_Owning no mightier but the King of kings_"

_Copyright by Curtis & Miller_]

"What vastness and sublimity
Were spread before our eager gaze!
What wild and varied scenery!
What pictures for the poets lays!"]

One day, late in summer, I was sitting upon a commanding promontory nearly 7,000 feet in altitude, entranced by a panoramic view most wonderful to behold. The sky was clear, the sun's warm rays were unobstructed, and the air I breathed pure as the nectar of heaven. Only five hours before I had left the city of Tacoma and a little earlier Seattle--two great cities throbbing with the activities of nearly a half million people engaged in manufacturing and mercantile pursuits.

Just beyond the foothills visible towards the west were the green valleys in which these metropolitan centers lay--the nearest only forty miles distant by an air line, close to the waters of Puget Sound. Yet here, almost in sight of them, I was enjoying a quietude known only to the haunts of nature. More than seven thousand feet above me towered the majestic dome of the second highest pinnacle in the United States, reserving observation to the north until its summit should be reached, while far toward the east and the south extended range upon range of mountain peaks, like an army of giants gathered around their chief. Here and there among them appeared the sub-chiefs, Adams and St. Helens in Washington; and Hood, Jefferson, and the Three Sisters, far beyond, in Oregon. Between their serrated ranks darker shadows marked the deep canyons where grows some of the choicest timber in the state.

Near by crawled the huge glacial bodies gnawing their way down the mountain side and splitting its surface into rugged ridges. Between them and below were spread the meadowed alpine parks or abandoned cirques--veritable fairylands--which had been carved out by these superhuman agencies eons before. Barely distinguishable was the road by which I had made the circuitous ascent, bending back and forth across the face of an apparently perpendicular wall, while the glacial streams glittering in the sunshine, resembled huge serpents lying in the profound hollows formed by the extending hills.

The hours spent in reaching this favored point were of themselves worth the effort. Either rail or automobile may be chosen to Ashford where each train is met by an auto stage. Leaving Tacoma, the highway threads a picturesque gravelly prairie for thirty miles, ascends the beautiful canyon road, crosses the Ohop Valley, leads to the brink of the Nisqually Canyon a thousand feet deep, plunges through dense virgin forests, reaches Longmire, and zigzags to the snout of the Nisqually Glacier, whence the ascent to the Camp of the Clouds may be continued afoot, on horseback, or by horse stage.

This region was only recently set aside as a National Park. Perhaps no other area in the world brings so many and such varied natural wonders to the very doors of two great cities. It contains a total of 207,360 acres, or 324 square miles, of which 100 square miles is occupied by Mount Rainier (or Mt. Tacoma), king of mountains, rising apparently directly from sea level, and visible from almost every point in the state.

No grander expression of Nature's sculptural art exists than this mighty pinnacle, 14,408 feet in altitude, whose glacial area, no less than 45 square miles in extent, exceeds that of any other peak in the United States. One of the most interesting glaciers is Carbon on the north slope, reaching down to a lower elevation than any other; the most readily reached is the Nisqually, five miles in length; and the largest is the White or Emmon's. Other primary glaciers are the Cowlitz, Ingraham, Winthrop, North and South Mowich, Puyallup, North and South Tahoma, and the Kautz. The most important secondary glaciers are Van Trump, Frying-Pan, Stevens, Paradise, and Interglacier.

ON THE WAY DOWN

AVALANCHE LILIES

THE ASCENT

IN MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK.]

The summit may be reached by five different routes. These are the Paradise Valley, Indian Henry's, the Kautz Glacier, Ptarmigan Ridge, and Emmon's or the White Glacier route. The Paradise Valley (known also as the "Gibraltar") route, on the south side, is by far the most popular, for it is well provided with hotel accommodations, and both the government road and Paradise trail lead right up to the Camp of the Clouds, at the mountain's foot. It is usual to leave this tented village at midnight, arriving at Muir Camp (10,062 feet elevation) at about 5 a. m., and Columbia Crest, the highest point on the mountain, at about 11 a. m. From this celestial height one may see more than a hundred miles in every direction, far away to the ocean on the west and into the great Inland Empire on the east. The snow-capped peaks already noted are seen toward the south, Mount Olympus to the northwest, and Baker, Shuksan, Stuart, and Glacier Peak to the north; while the Mother, the Sluiskin, the Sourdough Mountains, and the Tatoosh Range near by seem like mere foothills, between eight and nine thousand feet below. No grander or more inspiring view may be observed anywhere in the world.

Scaling the peak, however, is a feat undertaken by only a few, and always with the aid of an experienced guide. The largest measure of real joy is found in the alpine "parks." The best known and most frequented is along the Paradise River. Tributary to it and reached from Longmire, are Indian Henry's, Van Trump, Cowlitz and Magnetic Parks. Others requiring more time to visit are Summerland, one of the largest and most beautiful, Elysian Fields, and Morain, Saint Andrews and Grand Parks.

Surrounded by rugged peaks and snow fields these natural amphitheaters present a pleasing contrast. Scarcely any underbrush exists in them but many beautiful flowers, shrubs, and trees abound; three hundred distinct plants are said to exist; pretty lakelets gem their surface; and all are drained by trickling streamlets or cut by raging rivers producing waterfalls of rare beauty as they go tumbling from the melting glaciers to the sea. Excellent trails, built by the government, lead to every point of interest and extend clear around the mountain. Camping places are plentiful or accommodations may be obtained at comfortable hotels.

"Or lose thyself in the continuous woods
Where rolls the Oregon."]

This wonderful and majestic river whose history is enhanced with legend, offers the exploring tourist or curious sight-seer unusual opportunities to indulge his unbounded imagination and to satisfy his desire for the spectacular in nature. Upon its banks were enacted events of greatest importance in northwest history, while interwoven with the incontrovertible happenings is many a fascinating Indian story and song. Overlooking its waters were the first settlements of the Pacific northwest, upon whose sites are now built, within easy hearing of its persistent dashings, some of the proudest and most prosperous cities of the country.

One of the largest rivers on the American continent, with many important tributaries, it drains a territory equal to five times the area of the state of Washington. By a series of cataracts, falls, cascades, and bold turns, it flows nearly 1,400 miles with a total drop of 2,500 feet, before finally delivering the waters gathered from many sources to the great Pacific ocean.

Like other great rivers, some portions have needed vast expenditures to increase its value as a navigable stream. Near Stevenson the government has built locks at a cost of several million dollars, enabling large vessels to reach The Dalles, at present the head of navigation. At Celilo, two hundred miles from its mouth, where, in twelve miles distance, the river falls eighty-one feet at low tide, other locks are being constructed. When these are completed, merchant vessels can go direct from the sea as far as Priest Rapids, a distance of over four hundred miles. As many miles additional are navigable, but broken in places by rapids and falls.

Important as this river is from a commercial and geographic standpoint, the greatest interest by far centers in the phenomena that are of its own creation, visible every mile from its mouth to its source. A journey upon its surface rivals one along the historic Rhine, the picturesque Hudson, or the beautiful St. Lawrence. The panorama includes besides the wilder grandeurs, economic scenes suggesting the fecundity of the earth and the industry of the husbandman. To enumerate and describe these ever so briefly would require an entire volume. This short chapter is a suggestion only that "By reason of scenic grandeur, absorbing interest of physical features, the majesty and mystery of its flow through some of the wildest as well as some of the most beautiful regions of the globe, and at the last by the peculiar grandeur of its entrance into the greatest of the oceans, this 'Achilles of Rivers' attracts alike historian, scientist, poet, statesman, and lover of nature."

In many places the natural appearances are the same now as when Gray, Lewis and Clarke, the Astorians and the Northwest and Hudson's Bay Company men first viewed its banks, with the exception that the shores have in places been denuded of their largest timber and either a younger growth has inherited the dominion or portions have been claimed for the agriculturist.

CASTLE ROCK

CAPE HORN AND CIGAR ROCK

PACIFIC OCEAN FROM CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT LIGHT

ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER.]

Here and there may be seen the little fisherman craft, "chugging" away from their moorings in the early dawn and returning at the setting of the sun heavily laden with the famous Columbia river salmon that feed thousands throughout the world. On sandbars or sand islands, of which there are many in the lower part of the river, the "purse seiners" are conspicuous and the horses dragging the nets strangled with the products of the deep. In the deeper waters close to the shore, but far from the sea, are the fish wheels whirling by the force of the same waters that conceal the treasures being sought.

Cities appear at frequent intervals, both on the Washington side and in Oregon. Before the entrance to the Snake River is reached, one will have passed Ilwaco, Cathlamet, Kalama, Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Stevenson, White Salmon, and Wallula on the Washington side, besides many important cities on the Oregon shores: namely, Astoria, the site of the first settlement on the Columbia; Portland, the largest city in Oregon, near the mouth of the Willamette; and The Dalles, for many years the head of navigation. Kennewick and Pasco are located just beyond the mouth of the Snake River, ready to derive full benefit from the improved navigation conditions of the future. Between these larger towns is many a tiny hamlet, while isolated farms and orchards surrounding pretty dwellings slope gently towards the river and tend to make the traveler dissatisfied with his own home.

At times is visible a beautiful waterfall, a palisade of wonderful basalt, and occasionally some island draped with verdure of many tints. Further away a murmuring brook or crystal streamlet may be heard hurrying down a rocky hillside or winding between towering cliffs, adding its share to the tuneful sound of the powerful orchestra that seems everywhere to be heard. Constantly shifting color and shade attract the eye and tones of varying quality please the ear.

When the mouth of the Cowlitz is neared there appear, stretching toward the north, broad areas where man has mingled his skill with Nature's works. Green fields, sometimes fringed with willows, near the waterfront, and dotted with orchards, farm houses, and dairies, are visible as far as the eye can see. These evidences of man's encroachments are noted all the way to Vancouver (and beyond), at which city, the oldest in the state, a tourist should linger long enough to appreciate the region which arrested the attention of our earliest settlers and inspired the beginning of the first city in Washington. A bridge, costing nearly two million dollars, will soon connect it with the beautiful city of Portland.

SALMON FISHER'S RETREAT--MOUTH OF COLUMBIA

50,000 AT THE CANNERY

"LIFTING THE BRAIL", PUGET SOUND

THE SALMON FISHING INDUSTRY.]

Cultivated lands are seen on either side as the river is ascended, until the mountainous region is reached and the roar of the cascades is distinctly heard. These cascades, according to Indian lore, were created by the falling of the "Bridge of the Gods," which once extended from shore to shore and formed the great highway connecting the mountains on the north and their extension to the south, while beneath a mighty river peacefully pursued its course to the sea. The perpendicular buttresses on either hand, the forest areas that apparently fell from above, trees growing out of the water, petrified logs up in the reddish cliffs within the vicinity of Stevenson, and many other freaks of nature all seem to strengthen the evidence on which this story is based.

Throughout the mountainous region are wonderful examples of Nature's diverse skill. Among the most striking are Castle Rock, or Wehatpolitan's gravestone, a great basaltic rock 900 feet high; St. Peter's Dome, a sublime elevation of 2,000 feet, considered one of the wonders of the American continent; Oneonta Gorge, almost concealed behind towering rocks; Multnomah Falls, a matchless waterfall with a sheer drop of 800 feet; Cape Horn, a long palisade of basalt; Rooster Rock, unsurpassed for beauty of form and variety of color; and Cape Eternity, a massive precipice 1,000 feet in height.

Thorough appreciation of the surrounding charms necessitates climbing some of the neighboring hills, or traveling over the wooded river banks and visiting the rustic towns that lie at the foot of the mountains and guard the gateway to the alluring valleys. Near Stevenson, county seat of Skamania county, overlooking the cascade locks, and Carson, are several hot springs where accommodations for the most particular are available. From these towns one may follow the Wind River Valley to its source beyond the headquarters of the rangers where the U. S. forest nurseries are maintained. A few miles further are the Government Hot Springs, near which many low peaks, easy for climbing, offer expansive views of the surrounding country.

Photo by Asahel Curtis.]

A twenty-five mile drive up the famous White Salmon Valley takes one to Trout Lake, not far from the ice and lava caves in the foothills of Mount Adams, and near Huckleberry Mountain, a pow-wow place for the Indians. On the way, hundreds of scientifically developed orchards, and oat fields yielding over 100 bushels to the acre, are passed; also the Northwest Electric Company's power plant, which, generating 20,000 horse power, supplies power to cities seventy-five miles away. From the massive bluffs of White Salmon a panorama of perfectly blending color may be seen, formed by the unusual combination of the Columbia River and the mountains to the east and the west, while the entire Hood River Valley, with Mount Hood beyond, is visible on the Oregon side.

The trip from Lyle to Goldendale along the Klickitat River is a journey of surprises. The railroad follows the winding canyon past pretty waterfalls, crosses hurrying brooks, and emerges finally into a wide, fertile plain overlooking the Columbia basin. Fields of waving grain and other products exhibit the richness of the Klickitat valley. Those desiring can motor from Goldendale into the Yakima valley or return to the Columbia via Maryhill, where Hon. Samuel Hill has built a $100,000 road across his 6,000-acre farm.

Nor do all the wonders belong to the lower Columbia. Before being joined by the Snake River, it has drained a region noted for agricultural superiority and contributed liberally to the needs of irrigation. The "Big Bend" on the left, and the valleys watered by its tributaries from the right, are described under the chapter entitled "The Inland Empire."

Following its channel still farther towards the source, wilder scenes are met with, the gorges are deeper, the cascades noisier, native trees more plentiful, waterfalls higher, and the course of the stream more winding. Startling phenomena appear in rapid succession, and scenes unimagined will astonish the tourist who spends a little time in re-exploring this great river, for ages a prize eagerly sought by the searchers for the unknown.

Photo by Curtis & Miller.]

"See Pan with flocks with fruits Pomona crowned:
Here blushing flora paints the enameled ground;
Here Ceres' gifts in waving prospect stand,
And nodding, tempt the joyful reapers hand."]

Thousands of years ago, scientists tell us, there existed between the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade range a vast inland sea--the waters left imprisoned when the ocean had receded. After many ages these pent up waters burst the restraining barriers and forced their way to the ocean, creating the deep canyon of the Columbia, but leaving behind a broad plain, now known as the Inland Empire.

What was once a desolate waste, however, has been transformed into a "Land of Canaan." Its plateaus unite to form one of the bountiful "bread baskets of the world" while its valleys yield generously of nearly all the products of husbandry. Near its borders the mountains, with their retinue of trees, flowers and grassy meadows, reach as far as the invisible power permits and then dispatch their emissaries, the rivers, to wind through and through and distribute the welcome waters that enkindle the irrigated districts with life and activity.

Far beyond the boundaries of our own state spreads this wonderful plain, but the brief description contemplated in these few pages must be confined chiefly to Washington. The curious sight-seer or the serious homeseeker can well afford to spend many days exploring this region, marveling at both the mighty forces of creation and the embellishments of man. Under far more pleasant circumstances can it be traversed now than when the early pioneers first fought their way over the mountains. Lewis and Clarke, the Hudson's Bay Company men, and Marcus Whitman, supplemented their sturdy limbs and indomitable courage with the trusty saddle horse, the slow prairie schooner or the rude river raft. Today the palatial cars of four transcontinental lines make daily trips across the state; branch lines accommodate the territory north and south; and parts not reached by rail are served by well constructed thorofares.

CHIEF FEATURES.

In addition to the Columbia river basin, the most important features are the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys; the Lake Chelan region; the Okanogan Highlands with the valleys of the Methow, Okanogan, San Poil, Colville and Pend Oreille; the Spokane Country; the Walla Walla valley; the Snake River; the Big Bend and Palouse wheat sections with their "coulees"; and the Blue Mountains. There are also a few low bare ridges of a semi-mountainous character which relieve the prairie effect and permit cycloramic views of the surrounding territory. Among these are the Saddle Mountains, the Simcoe Hills, and the Horse Heaven Plateau; while a number of spurs from the Cascades, including the Wenatchee Mountains, help form the fertile valleys to the west of the plain.

HOW TO REACH THEM.

These different sections may be easily reached from almost any city in the state. Visitors coming by way of Spokane can make a quick yet comprehensive survey of eastern Washington in two ways. After seeing the immediate Spokane vicinity and visiting the Pend Oreille Valley to the north, either automobiles or Great Northern trains will convey them up the Colville Valley to the junction of the Kettle and Columbia rivers, whence the trip may be continued to Republic by train, and down the San Poil by auto. At Republic trains connect for Oroville, whence the journey may be continued to Wenatchee down the Okanogan Valley, both by auto and rail. Side trips may be taken up the Methow Valley and the Lake Chelan canyon, as well as to numerous other places of interest. From Wenatchee the Great Northern railway or the Sunset Highway insures an interesting ride back to Spokane through the wheat fields of the Big Bend. The southern half of the region will be seen by making a tour through the Palouse to the Snake River and Walla Walla country. Transportation leads from there direct to the Columbia River, and the Yakima and Kittitas valleys. The Horse Heaven may be reached from Kennewick and Pasco, or from Prosser.

SUNNYSIDE CANAL--MOUNT ADAMS IN DISTANCE

"_And the old wilderness is changed
To cultured vale and hill_"]

The other plan reverses the order. After visiting the Palouse, Snake River, Walla Walla, Yakima, and Kittitas valleys, from Ellensburg a scenic overland route may be taken direct for Wenatchee, whence a loop may be made to include Lake Chelan and the Okanogan Highlands, the Big Bend and the Spokane Country.

THE YAKIMA VALLEY.

Broadly speaking, the Yakima Valley includes all the rich territory tributary to the Yakima River, reaching from Lakes Keechelus and Kachees, its sources in the Cascades, to the Columbia--a total distance of nearly 175 miles with a range of altitude, at the water's edge, varying from 2,250 down to 340 feet. It embraces, besides the Yakima Valley proper, the Kittitas and a number of minor valleys, including the Naches, the Ahtanum, the Cowiche, the Selah, the Wenas, the Satus and the Toppenish. These last two belong to the rich country just south of "Union Gap," where Sunnyside and Toppenish are located, two enterprising cities, vieing for supremacy over the rich south half of Yakima county. Further south is Prosser, county seat of Benton county. Above the Gap is North Yakima with a population of 18,000, the metropolis of the region and home of the State Fair; while Ellensburg, with 6,500 people, is Queen of the Kittitas Valley. The south half of Yakima county constitutes the Indian Reservation where the Yakima Tribes dwell peaceably by the side of the whites, tilling the soil and occasionally entertaining the people with many a "Round Up," or Wild West Show. At Fort Simcoe is their school, deserving of a visit from anyone interested.

Photo by Curtis & Miller.]

In this valley, where once was nothing but sage brush and bunch grass, is irrigable land enough to support a population of a million people; for the total water capacity as surveyed by the United States Government is estimated at 927,000 acre feet, sufficient to water 600,000 acres. Less than a third of this is at present cultivated and watered from small canals, built by private capital, and from the two largest ones in the state, constructed by the U. S. Reclamation Service. These latter are the Tieton, with water sufficient for 34,500 acres, and the Sunnyside, capable of irrigating 100,000 acres.

A journey along the banks of these canals or the Yakima river unfolds a panorama of unusual breadth and interest. Instead of the heavy forests of the west side, the sage brush struggles for existence just above the main ditches; but the country below is checkered with orchards, farms, and gardens; and cotton woods protect the banks of the streams. Impressive is the sight in springtime when fruit trees are all in bloom and the Blossom Festival, participated in by a hundred-thousand people, is ushering in the full tide of spring; or in autumn when deeper touches of color mark an immense crop ready for the harvester.

From the hills on either side, the picture assumes its most perfect form. Cities, meadows, orchards, vineyards, hop fields, vegetable gardens, alfalfa farms, corn fields, and prairies, bisected and crisscrossed by railroads, highways, canals, and rivers, protected by the brown hills near by and watched over by the mountains in the distance, supply composition for pictures that in detail and variety must discourage all competition.

THE WENATCHEE VALLEY.

Equally beautiful but of smaller dimensions is the Wenatchee Valley, reaching from the Columbia well up into the foot hills of the Cascades. This, too, was a desolate brown slope until the effects of irrigation were felt on its rich volcanic ash soil. After that only ten years were necessary to convert it into a garden of dazzling splendor. Instead of the forlorn looking sagebrush, a maze of orchards, extending up the valley and ascending the hills, presents in springtime a solid mass of blossoms, varying from purest white to daintiest shades of pink. Serpentining along the hill sides, as if protecting the gardens below, are the great viaducts, conducting the precious waters that irrigate the land; while dodging from one side of the vale to the other, or paralleling the Great Northern Railroad, the Wenatchee river hastens onward towards the Columbia.

The north, south, and west are guarded by forest-covered hills, spurs of the Cascades, over which many trails lead to charming mountain lakes and streams, where summer homes are maintained, and game awaits the hunter. The east opens up toward the wheat fields of the Big Bend, while the Columbia River Valley to the north and south is tributary and joins in all the enterprises of the district. Every tiny tributary stream in the vicinity marks the location of a peaceful home supported in affluence by successful fruit culture or gardening.

Within this valley are several prosperous cities, including Wenatchee, the metropolis of north central Washington, with a population of about 5,000, at the junction of the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers; Leavenworth near the head of the valley; and Cashmere, midway between the two. The pervading spirit is one of optimism and liberality, for the Wenatchee red apple is famous the world o'er and nets its producers $5,000,000 annually.

LAKE CHELAN.

Chelan, "Beautiful Water," is the name of one of the grandest sheets of fresh water reposing upon the bosom of the American continent. It is one of a number of beautiful lakes found throughout the highlands in the vicinity of the upper Columbia, but on account of its thrilling beauty and easy approach has become one of the favorite resorts for the entire northwest.

It is reached usually via the city of Wenatchee, but sometimes from the Columbia and Okanogan valleys on the north. River boats, automobile stages, or Great Northern trains allow three principal modes of transportation, each of which reveals different scenes of interest. During summer months the overland trip is undoubtedly the most pleasant and presents the fullest opportunity for appreciating the scenery. The return might be by river boat or train, necessitating a ride down the Chelan gorge, where the river drops 400 feet in its brief course of four miles, and furnishes at low water 125,000 horsepower.

Photo by Curtis & Miller.]

Surpassing the canyons of the Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Columbia, and the Colorado, the total depth of the Chelan canyon reaches in places nearly 8,000 feet, while its waters occasionally cover a bottom 1,700 feet below the surface. Throughout the 55 mile ride from Chelan to Stehekin, views are observed that for immensity, sublimity and color blending are unexcelled. Right into the heart of the Cascades the traveler is drawn, while the solemnity and general impressiveness of the whole increases, as he is gradually brought in closer intimacy with divine nature. Among features of striking scenic importance are Railroad Creek, descending 6,000 feet in 20 miles, the Stehekin River, and Rainbow Falls.

THE OKANOGAN HIGHLANDS.

This region consists of low picturesque mountains, alternating with fertile valleys and studded with lakes protected by open forests of spruce, pine, and tamarac. Opportunities for the homeseeker, pleasure for the sportsman, and continuous scenes of interest for the tourist are suggested. Here one can yet feel the presence of the true western spirit of frontiership, for this part of the state was the last to be thrown open to settlers; and the Indians are still in full possession of the Colville Indian reservation, comprising some 1,300,000 acres in the south central part of the section, extending from the Okanogan river to the eastern boundary of Ferry county. Under irrigation the valleys yield liberally of fruits, vegetables and dairy products, and the higher lands are devoted to grain and stock raising. Lumbering plays its part and mining for precious metals assumes greater importance than elsewhere in the state.

FARM SCENE IN THE METHOW

PATTERSON LAKE

METHOW VALLEY

FORT OKANOGAN--FIRST WHITE SETTLEMENT IN WASHINGTON

ORCHARDS IN THE OKANOGAN VALLEY

THE OKANOGAN AND METHOW VALLEYS.]

The valleys of the Pend Oreille, the Colville, the Kettle, and the Okanogan rivers, are now served by rail; but the San Poil and the Methow are dependent on highway conveyances. Of extreme interest is the ride from Spokane up the Colville and Kettle River valleys to Oroville, with a short side trip to Republic, the leading gold producing city in the state. The railroad crosses the boundary line several times, enforcing the unique experience of being at one moment under the dominion of King George of England and the next back under the Stars and Stripes. Cultivated valleys, broad wheat fields, and picturesque canyons are invaded before arriving at the heights from which Oroville appears far below--requiring an hour for the train to descend by a series of remarkable switchbacks.

Most of the towns in the Okanogan Highlands are still in their infancy, for its development has been so recent; but therein lies much of its charm. In the Pend Oreille Valley the leading city is Newport, the county seat, prettily located on both sides of the river, half in Idaho and half in Washington. In Stevens county are Chewelah, a mining town, and Colville, the largest city in the region, with a population of over 1,500 people. A place that attracts tourists for miles is St. Mary's Indian Mission on the Colville Indian Reservation near Omak. Other interesting towns are scattered throughout the four counties.

FIRST WATER ON THE LAND

A VINEYARD

PRUNE ORCHARD IN BLOOM

IRRIGATION SCENES IN EASTERN WASHINGTON.]

Photo by Frank Palmer.]

THE SPOKANE COUNTRY.

From the city of Spokane all corners of the Inland Empire are easily reached. Five transcontinental lines enter the city and two others operate trains; while a network of electric lines serves the immediate vicinity, penetrating the territory as far south as Colfax, Palouse, and Moscow; southwest to Medical Lake and Cheney; and eastward to Hayden Lake and Coeur d'Alene. Highways have been built through the most scenic sections along the river valleys and up into the mountains. Each mode of transportation unfolds a different panorama. The hills nearest Spokane are covered with a dense growth of pine. Farther away are forests of pine, fir, cedar, and tamarac, concealing many lakes teeming with trout and black bass. Within a radius of a hundred miles are fifty mountain lakes, thirty-eight of which are ideally located and supplied with all necessary equipment for camping. They include Pend Oreille, the second largest fresh water lake in the United States, fifty miles east; Hayden Lake, forty miles east in the heart of the Idaho National Forest Reserve; Chatcolet Lake, thirty-two miles distant; Liberty Lake, seventeen miles; Priest Lake, seventy-eight miles; Spirit Lake, forty-three miles; Coeur d'Alene, thirty-two miles; and Twin Lakes, thirty-three miles.

The mountains are visible either to the north or the east. They are neither as lofty nor as rugged as the Cascades and Olympics, but they are nevertheless beautiful. The highest peak in eastern Washington is Mount Spokane, 5,808 feet, twenty miles northeast of the city. From its summit one may look out into the three northwestern states of Oregon, Idaho and Washington, and into the province of British Columbia; and count seventeen different lakes and rivers.

Towards the north are the Okanogan Highlands with the valleys of the Pend Oreille and Colville, while the Bitter Root mountains are approached on the east. The roads westward and southward lead past well cultivated gardens, green meadows and groves, until finally is spread before one a sea of grain--continuous wheat fields--the Big Bend to the west and the Palouse to the south.

HARVESTING

SEEDING

INLAND EMPIRE WHEAT FIELDS.]

Towards the east the "Apple Way," one of the most remarkable roads in America on account of the high class material of which it is constructed, enters the Spokane Valley, crosses the state of Idaho and connects with roads leading to the National Parks in Montana. This valley more than thirty miles in length, with an average width of eight miles, comprises a level irrigated country cut up into intensive garden and orchard tracts. Thousands are supported in affluence by raising apples, pears, cherries, small fruits, garden truck, poultry, and live stock. The advantages of abundant water power, proximity to a great city, rapid transit facilities, and a healthful climate, are quickly transforming the region into one of attractive suburban homes.

The Spokane River drops 1,280 feet in a distance of 100 miles, and 130 feet within the city limits, falling precipitously 70 feet in the heart of the business section, over a dam 200 feet wide. On both sides is built the city sloping towards its waters and overlooking the country beyond. Extensive economic developments are taking place, there being seven distinct projects under way which involve expenditures of nearly $35,000,000. These include railroad construction, power plants, manufacturing and business blocks, and hotels for tourists. Historical events are associated with Fort George Wright, named for a famous Indian fighter; Indian Canyon, tribal home of Spokane Indians; Mount Spokane, a pow-wow place for Indian tribes; Fort Spokane, one of the first government Indian posts; Old Block House, a protection for the early fur traders; and Steptoe Butte, the scene of a famous battle.

PALOUSE FALLS 198 FEET

WHITMAN'S MONUMENT

THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AN HOURS RIDE

126 BOXES A YEAR

SCENES AROUND WALLA WALLA.]

THE WHEAT PLATEAU.

The wheat belt includes principally the area within the big bend of the Columbia river, the "Big Bend Country," which stretches eastward until it blends with the rolling Palouse, one of the richest farm regions in the northwest, and southeast across the Snake River to the Blue Mountains; although considerable wheat is raised in the country lying between the Columbia and the Cascades, as well as in the four counties to the north. The green carpet is visible, in spring, and the waving heads of yellow grain, in summer, extending away to the horizon. The combined harvester, drawn by thirty-six horses, is a familiar example of the immensity of the machinery needed when gathering the mammoth crop, which for the entire state is in the neighborhood of 50,000,000 bushels annually.

The Big Bend is broken in places by "coulees" or old river courses, sometimes 500 to 600 feet in depth, where irrigation is practiced and where strings of small alkali lakes have been scattered. Two of the most important are Moses Coulee in Douglas county, and Grand Coulee forming the boundary line between Douglas and Grant counties, said to be the old bed of the Columbia. Almost surrounded by the wheat belt lies the Quincy Valley, containing 435,000 acres of level fertile land to be some day irrigated by water conducted under the Columbia river from Wenatchee Lake in Chelan county.

The best known lakes include Soap Lake, a health resort, Moses Lake, near which irrigation from wells is successfully carried on, and Rock Lake, a rock bound sheet of water in the Palouse. The most important river is the Palouse which creates the Palouse Falls just before joining the Snake River. Near this stream are several prosperous cities, including Colfax, Palouse, and Pullman, the home of the State College and Experiment Station.

THE WALLA WALLA COUNTRY.

The Snake river, largest tributary of the Columbia, with a canyon of 1,500 feet, cuts this plateau in two, and forms a natural dividing line between Whitman and Franklin counties on the north, and Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin on the south. Its warm canyon is famous for early fruits and berries which are shipped in carloads to eastern and western points.

Fields of wheat, barley or rye extend southward in all four counties to the Blue Mountains, interrupted occasionally by orchards which assume their greatest proportions in the beautiful Touchet and Walla Walla valleys. Over this rich country the fair city of Walla Walla reigns supreme, her authority being limited only by the Columbia and Snake rivers, or the Blue Mountains; although Waitsburg, Dayton, Pomeroy and Clarkston are important centers in their own districts.

Steeped in historical associations is this valley, from Wallula, the site of the first Hudson's Bay fort, to the city of Walla Walla. When once seen, no words are needed to tell why these lovely plains, all ready for the planting and moistened with sufficient rainfall annually, were so attractive to the early settlers, and inspired the first serious efforts at colonization.

THE COLUMBIA RIVER.

All waters of eastern Washington reach the ocean through the Columbia river, uniting the entire region in one spirit of fraternity. The grandest and most reaching scenic feature of the region, it supplies unlimited water for successful irrigation and power purposes, and in places still provides the principal mode of transportation. Between Kettle Falls and the Snake river are a number of important rapids, chief of which is Priest Rapids, just below Saddle Gap, ten miles long with a descent of seventy feet and a possible horse power of half a million.

Just above the mouth of the Snake river are the cities of Kennewick and Pasco, ready to profit by direct navigation to the sea as soon as the Celilo locks are completed. At the lowest elevation in the Inland Empire and surrounded by a large area of irrigable land, they are served by three transcontinental railroads, permitting rapid transit to any part of the northwest.

"_The river rolled in cataract through the cañon_"]

"They build and toil, each road a nervous wedge
To hew a way where seats of empire wait."]

The state of Washington is rapidly developing a system of roads which, finally consummated, will rival in skillful engineering and commercial importance the French highways, and in scenic grandeur the mountain passes of Switzerland. Easy approaches are being constructed to every town and hamlet and into every farming community. So vigorously has the work been pushed that Washington now outranks every other state, except Colorado, in the facility and directness with which its mountain recesses may be reached. Upwards of 50,000 miles have been already completed, presenting altogether a labyrinth of broad thorofares, boulevards, and country highways. The most important highways built and maintained at state expense are the Pacific, the Sunset, the Inland Empire, the Olympic and the National Park.

THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY.

The Pacific Highway extends from the southern limit of the state of California to Vancouver, British Columbia, twenty-seven miles north of Washington's boundary line, a total distance of about two thousand miles. Three hundred and fifty miles is within the state of Washington, connecting Vancouver on the Columbia with Blaine at the international line. It traverses nine counties of Washington, containing forty-eight per cent of the wealth and fifty-five per cent of the population, and passes through nine county seats, including Olympia, the state capital, Vancouver, Kalama. Chehalis, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, Mount Vernon and Bellingham.

NATIONAL PARK HIGHWAY WILLAPA HARBOR

STATE ROAD ALONG THE METHOW

RAINIER NATIONAL PARK ROAD

SUNSET BOULEVARD NEAR SPOKANE

ALONG THE SCENIC HIGHWAYS.]

From Vancouver, Washington, this highway starts northward through the prune and plum orchards of Clarke county, where more of these trees grow than in all other parts of the state combined. Along the banks of the historic Columbia and through the fertile valley of the Cowlitz, it winds toward Kelso, famous for smelt fisheries; and Castle Rock, the gateway to Mount St. Helens. Deviating to the right at Vader, the north fork of the picturesque Chehalis is soon reached, which fertile valley is followed to the cities of Chehalis and Centralia, two rapidly growing railroad centers having a combined population of 15,500 people. Groves, orchards, gardens and prairies line the smooth gravelly road from here to Olympia, where the first view of Puget Sound is obtained. The desire to swerve off toward Grays Harbor or the Olympic Peninsula by the newly completed Olympic Highway, or to try the steamer on the peaceful Sound, is with difficulty overcome; but the Pacific Highway finally wins and draws one on toward Tacoma, thirty-two miles northeast. Rising above the famous Nisqually flats, and descending again to cross the oak moor lands marking the beginning of Tacoma's playgrounds and reminding one of southern England, the road soon enters Tacoma, third city in population in the state.

Along the Puyallup and White river valleys, the course leads, touching at Puyallup and Sumner, famous for berry culture; at Auburn and Kent, centers of a rich dairy section; and at Renton, bristling with manufacturing importance near the southern end of beautiful Lake Washington. A dozen miles more and you are on the streets of Seattle, metropolis of the northwest and third city in size west of the Rocky Mountains.

Northward the course continues. A broad paved road winds along by Lake Washington to Bothel, passing several pretty lakes, entering green woods, intersecting meadows, crossing streamlets, rising to sightly plateaus and descending again to peaceful valleys before it reaches Everett, a city of 32,000, located on an eminence overlooking the waters of the Sound.

The next town reached is Marysville, whence the highway skirts the Tulalip Indian reservation, crosses the Stillaguamish river in the Sylvan Flats and enters Stanwood where a scenic road branches off to Camano Island. At Mount Vernon and Burlington, where it intersects the Skagit county road leading from Anacortes eastward to the mountains, one may appreciate the famous Skagit Valley, the "Holland of the Northwest," where 173 bushels of oats to the acre have been yielded on land protected from the sea and river by immense dykes.

Within ten miles of Bellingham the Water Front Road is reached, said to be the most picturesque on the entire route: for the Sound is plainly seen from the shaded highway which clings to the side of Chuckanut Mountain, while the electric interurban and the Great Northern railway traverse the waterfront below. Bellingham, a city of 30,000, has innumerable attractions to hold the tourist, who still has twenty miles' journey if he would follow the Pacific Highway to the Washington limit at Blaine, the most northwesterly municipality in the United States. Near by is the Whatcom County Government Farm, the only one in the northwest; where bulb growing rivals the same industry in Holland.

SUNSET HIGHWAY.

The Sunset Highway is the only route at present permitting through automobile traffic across the Cascade mountains and connecting the western with the eastern counties. Throughout its full four hundred miles from Seattle to Spokane it introduces the tourist to scenes which for diversity and pleasant surprises, varying from rugged mountains and roaring waterfalls to peaceful irrigated valleys or broad wheat plains, can nowhere be duplicated. With the exception of a few miles the grades are never more than five per cent.

Branching off from the Pacific Highway at Renton, it rises northeastward to the headwaters of the Snoqualmie River. Just below the town of Snoqualmie appear the wonderful falls of the same name, the "Niagara of the West." This immense stream of water falling 268 feet, is now harnessed to supply power and light to the cities and towns of Puget Sound. Following the banks of this river the highway penetrates entrancing forests and exposes many a remarkable panorama. Both road and river are at times clearly visible from the Chicago-Milwaukee trains puffing towards the summit.

A TRAIL

TUMWATER FALLS

PUGET SOUND FROM PRIEST POINT PARK

AROUND OLYMPIA, OUR CAPITAL CITY.]

Descending, the road leads southeast along the headwaters of the Yakima, and skirts the eastern banks of beautiful Lake Keechelus, where the government is building a huge dam for storing water to irrigate the Kittitas and Yakima valleys. Passing the southern extremity of Lake Kachees, another deep mountain lake, it soon passes Cle Elum, a coal shipping center, enters the broad Kittitas valley and reaches the cultured city of Ellensburg, mistress of the section and home of one of the state normals.

The route is now northeastward over Table Mountain by a 5,200-foot pass, permitting an excellent view of Mounts Rainier and Hood. The banks of the Columbia are followed to Wenatchee, the metropolis of north central Washington and the famous red apple district. Crossing the Columbia it proceeds along its east bank to Orondo, whence, plunging through a winding canyon, it rises rapidly to the great wheat plateau of the Big Bend, which bursts suddenly upon the view. Leaving Waterville, the county seat of Douglas county, it turns abruptly eastward to continue in an almost unbroken line through expansive wheat fields towards Spokane, the metropolitan city of the Inland Empire, over a hundred miles away.

At Coulee City, forty miles from Waterville, it would be worth while to linger long enough to explore the Grand Coulee, said to be the old bed of the Columbia. Full of strange features, it has attracted attention from geographers of international reputation. Wilbur, Davenport, the county seat of Lincoln county, and Reardan, besides many smaller settlements, almost lost in the midst of the great wheat fields, appear before the thin woods shading the approach into Spokane are reached.

INLAND EMPIRE HIGHWAY.

At Ellensburg the Sunset Highway connects with the Inland Empire Road, a southern route to Spokane via Walla Walla. Following the Wenas Valley to North Yakima, it continues southeast through the Union Gap and along the Sunnyside Canal, the largest irrigation ditch in the state, where a splendid view of the valley, with Mount Hood in the distance appears. From Prosser, county seat of Benton county and entrance to the Horse Heaven country, the road drops toward the Columbia river and soon reaches Kennewick, the home of early strawberries, and Pasco, county seat of Franklin county.

Photo by Frank Palmer.]

From here the Central Washington Highway threads the extensive wheat fields toward the northeast, passing through Connell, Lind, Ritzville, and Sprague, all important wheat shipping centers; and Cheney, the site of another state normal, fifteen miles southwest from the city of Spokane.

The Inland Empire Highway leads on to the beautiful city of Walla Walla; but at Dayton, the quaint county seat of Columbia county, it divides, uniting again near Rosalia, twenty-five miles south of Spokane. The shorter route trends northeast, crosses the Snake at Pataha and passes through Colfax, county seat of Whitman county, in the rich Palouse Valley. The other branch penetrates extensive barley and wheat fields, enters Pomeroy, county seat of Garfield county, and Clarkston, on the eastern boundary line, named for the great explorer. Bending northward it transects irrigated lands and wheat fields; enters Pullman, home of the State College, Palouse, Garfield and Oakesdale; joins the other branch at the county boundary line and soon reaches the southern outskirts of Spokane.

From Spokane this road presses northward through the Colville Valley to the Columbia, and thence to the international boundary line, having previously passed at Deer Park the Arcadia orchard, largest commercial apple orchard in the world; Loon Lake, a summer resort; Chewelah, a mining town surrounded by a dairying country; and Colville, county seat of Stevens county and largest city in this section. A pleasant contrast is this northern extension, regaining the mountains and evergreen forests, the swiftly flowing rivers with glorious waterfalls, and the chains of lakes adorning irrigated vales and green meadows.

OLYMPIC, NATIONAL PARK AND OTHER HIGHWAYS.

The Olympic Highway, when the few miles from Bogachiel to Lake Quiniault, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, are completed, will form a complete loop around the Olympic Peninsula, from which it derives its name. Winding along at the foot of the mountains, it connects the leading cities of the district and exposes some of the most scenic features of the Sound country, including Hood Canal, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Grays Harbor, and occasionally the Pacific Ocean. The principal cities touched at are Shelton, Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Hoquiam, Aberdeen, Elma and Olympia.

The National Park Highway extends from Tacoma to Rainier National Park, whence it bears southward to the headwaters of the Cowlitz, crosses to the Chehalis Valley and, after connecting with Chehalis and Centralia, leads southwest, over the low coast range to Raymond and South Bend on Willapa Bay, and from there continues to the mouth of the Columbia.

Other scenic routes are planned to cross the Cascade mountains. Two are nearly completed, viz., the McClellan Pass Highway, paralleling the Sunset as far as North Yakima, and one along the north bank of the Columbia. A third will sometime cross and connect the Skagit Valley with the Methow.

"The antlered monarch of the waste
Sprang from his heathery couch in haste"]

This book cannot expect to win the largest measure of approval from the followers of Nimrod unless a few paragraphs are devoted to the opportunities for the chase and the plentifulness of game fish and birds. Of course, the real sportsman would rather discover the prey for himself. To tell minutely where every prize is to be found would be like disclosing the end of an interesting story before the beginning had been read. But even if it were well to do so, every page in this publication would be needed just to mention each stream and lake containing fish, every coppice concealing fowl, and every wood protecting the quarry.

That the common species of game are plentiful is superfluous to say. On holidays and at week ends, during the open season, it is a familiar sight to witness the khaki-suited brave looking sportsmen, with guns or fish baskets and rods, clambering onto the trains or hiking to the nearest point where the welcome woods and the realm of habitation meet. It is equally common to behold this same army of hunters trailing along at the close of the holiday, burdened with fish of many species, vari-colored fowl, or the hides of various game animals.