NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY UPPER KLAMATH LAKE. 67 



eyes were measuring our advance. We had struck a small arm of the lake, from which Klamath 

 river issued. Following along the eastern side, we crossed a grassy meadow, and encamped 

 at the extremity of a hilly promontory which projected into the lake. Excellent bunch grass, 

 with bushes and small trees for fuel, abounded in the vicinity. East of the promontory, a wide 

 field of tule prevented approach to the water; but the western shore was rocky and bold. 

 Snakes of various kinds were very plentiful. Several large rattlesnakes were killed before we 

 had been in camp an hour; and I counted nearly a dozen cast off skins lying within a rod of 

 each other. Two squaws came into camp in the afternoon, with a few fish which they had 

 caught in the lake. We gave them some presents, and they paddled rapidly away in their canoe 

 to spread the news. The water taken from the lake had a dark color and a disagreeable taste, 

 occasioned apparently by decayed tule. 



August 15. — We remained in camp to-day, waiting for Lieut. Williamson. Several good 

 observations were obtained for latitude and altitude. 



About midnight a sudden alarm aroused camp. The cook's fire had spread, by some dead 

 roots, to the dry grass and bushes ; and a general conflagration was prevented only by the most 

 vigorous exertions. It was at first supposed that the Indians had kindled the fire, to engage 

 our attention while they stampeded the mules, and this idea did not tend to lessen the excite- 

 ment and confusion of the scene. 



August 16. — To-day was spent in taking astronomical and barometric observations, while 

 waiting for Lieut. Williamson. A thick haze which covered the lake, entirely concealed the 

 opposite shore. The taste of the water was so disagreeable that several vain attempts were made 

 to discover a spring in the vicinity. 



August 17. — Lieut. Williamson with his escort came into camp at noon, having made a satis- 

 factory examination of Lower Klamath lake. A description of his route will be found in 

 Chapter IV. Three broken down mules of the escort train were shot to-day, and every prepara- 

 tion was made for an early start to-morrow. 



August 18. — The ridges on the eastern side of the lake, which were composed of vesicular trap, 

 appeared to run parallel to each other in a northeast and southeast direction, and to termi- 

 nate abruptly at the water's edge. A well marked Indian trail followed along the shore ; but 

 members of the party who had explored it for a short distance reported it very rocky, and 

 impassable for "the little cart," as the odometer wheels still continued to be termed. Lieut. 

 Williamson had observed several Indian trails diverging to the right on his last clay's march ; 

 and he therefore determined to follow a southeast course, hoping to discover some good pass 

 by which he could cross the ridges, and thus avoid the rocks and bends of the shore. After 

 travelling about three miles in this direction through a wooded country, he thought it best to cross 

 abruptly a steep and rocky ridge to the east. We thus reached a narrow valley, lying 

 between two steep ranges of hills, and filled with open pine timber. There was a large Indian 

 trail in it, which conducted us to the lake. A precipitous and rocky ridge rose abruptly from 

 the water, leaving barely sufficient room to pass along the bank. After travelling a short 

 distance, we reached a point where several springs gushed from the hill side, and disappeared 

 among thick bushes surrounded by luxuriant grass. The water was clear and pure, and Lieut. 

 Williamson at once encamped. Elder and service berries were found in abundance. A thick 

 haze prevented astronomical observations, and concealed the western shore of the lake. Snakes, 

 as usual in this region, were very numerous, and one of them glided suddenly among our 

 dishes, as we were sitting down on the ground to eat. 



