98 NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY — CASCADE MOUNTAINS. 



they would have rendered an advance, without cutting a way with axes, impracticahle. Driving 

 about sixty loose animals through this forest was no easy task, as when the leaders were delayed 

 by the logs, those behind would leave the trail on both sides, and crowd into places where it 

 was impossible to advance and nearly so to retreat. Our usual order of march had been for the 

 gentlemen of the party, with a man riding the bell horse, to form an advanced guard ; while the 

 packers, in charge of Mr. Coleman, brought up the rear of the train. The fallen timber now 

 compelled me to separate the men among the animals, giving a certain number in charge to 

 each man. This scattered our little party over a space of more than half a mile, and rendered 

 a successful defence against a sudden attack almost hopeless. 



Yaugh-pas-ses meadow is drained by a small brook that discharges itself ints a branch of 

 Tysch creek, which we crossed a little more than a mile from camp. It was a clear rapid stream, 

 about fifteen feet wide, flowing in a small ravine near the northern base of two prominent peaks, 

 called Nu-ah-hum by the Indians. We followed along the side of this narrow valley about 

 seven miles, to the source of the stream. It was a mountain lake called Wat-tum-pa, which 

 was more than a mile long, bordered by a little meadow grass and surrounded with thick 

 forests. Its banks were so miry that our animals could with difficulty drink. Here we were 

 compelled to encamp ; our mules had spent the day in jumping over or creeping under logs, 

 and the men in strugging after them and repairing broken packs. We were all fully convinced 

 that wandering amid "forests primeval" in poetry, and among the Cascade mountains, are 

 two essentially different things. 



We began to find among the trees a few mountain whortleberries, called Oo-lal-le by the 

 Indians, who gather them in large quantities and dry them for winter food. There were two 

 varieties, one large and black, growing on bushes about six feet high, and the other much 

 smaller, of a blue color, and found on bushes of about half that height. Both were delicious 

 when fresh. We also noticed that we had passed beyond the region of bunch grass, and that 

 its place among the trees was supplied by a very coarse, deep green species, which none of the 

 animals would taste. 



October 8. — Last night a few of our animals strayed off into the forest, and we were delayed 

 some hours in searching for them ; by the great exertions of Mr. Coleman they were at length 

 all found, and we started. The trail lay on a ridge, having a ravine parallel to it on each side. 

 The fallen timber was not so troublesome as yesterday, but the forest, which was composed of 

 huge trees of yew, fir and spruce, and some pine, was very dense. In about a mile we crossed a 

 small stream with no grass near it. A mile further on we reached an open prairie, about one 

 mile long and half a mile wide, covered with a coarse kind of grass ; it was called by the Indians 

 Lu-ah'-hum-lu-ah'-hum, and appeared to be sometimes occupied by the savages as a camping 

 place. Doubtless there must be water near it, but we found none. There were several large 

 trails here, hut our guide, after hesitating a few moments, took a very small one leading west, 

 through a thick forest of young trees and bushes. In about two miles we came to a beautiful 

 mountain lake, called Ty-ty-pa. It had a narrow border of rich grass, separating it from the 

 dense forest around ; but the whole open space was only about half a mile long. This is the 

 second camping place of the Indians when travelling from Tysch creek to the Willamette by 

 this trail. It is also a favorite resort for gathering whortleberries, which we found growing 

 in very great abundance. The ground had been dug over by bears in many places, and 

 large numbers of ducks and a few wild geese were swimming in the lake. The forest concealed 

 the surrounding country, but the Indian said that it was level for a long distance, both north 

 and south, and filled with deer. He also said that the next water was very far off, and the 



