THE MOUNTAINEER. 



the "Wateetash"). Wishpoosh killed 

 and devoured all the animals in the 

 lake and tore out the lake walls till 

 the accumulated waters flowed down 

 by successive stages to the wide plain 

 now lying about the junction of the 

 Snake and Columbia Rivers. An im- 

 mense sea Avas there held in check by 

 the Umatilla highlands, but that was 

 finally gnawed through by the mon- 

 ster, and then the accumulated 

 waters covered all the vast region 

 from the Pasco plains to the vicinity 

 of The Dalles. For a long time the 

 towering ramparts of the Cascades 

 restrained the sea. but the onslaughts 

 of Wishpoosh sufficed at last to part 

 the barrier and the torrents poured 

 through the cleft, never pausing till 

 they lost themselves in the Pacific. 

 But even here the infuriated Wish- 

 poosh still killed and devoured all 

 life, fish and whales and birds. 

 Speelyi seeing that it devolved on 

 him to stay the fury of the monster, 

 flew out on the ocean armed with 

 supernatural weapons, and after a 

 desperate struggle killed Wishpoosh. 

 whose carcass floated up on Clatsop 

 beach, stretched out many yards 

 upon the sand. Out of the carcass 

 Speelyi made the various Indian 

 tribes. Thus was the great Columbia 

 Valley drained, the river taking its 

 way through the pathway of Wish- 

 poosh, and thus were the native 

 tribes started upon life. This and 

 other Indian tales are well confirmed 

 by the present traces of past events. 

 ]\tore interesting to ^lazamas and 

 ^lountaineers will be a brief pano- 

 ramic view of the great isolated 

 peaks, which, based upon the broad 

 floor of the ancient granite axis that 

 "in the beginning rose out of chaos," 

 were upheaved by the irresistible 

 energy of internal heat to the stately 

 height where they commune with the 

 stars. Few, indeed it may be ques- 

 tioned whether any elsewhere in the 

 world, have so rich and varied a be- 

 stowal of sublimities in mountain 

 scenery as have we in this same good 



state of Washington. Easily accessible 

 their tablets of stone the open record 

 of geologic eras, garlanded with flow- 

 ery meads and parks, otfering infin- 

 ite opportunities to the climber, yet 

 without any serious dangers, these 

 mighty sentinels of rock and ice be- 

 come to us living beings, primeval 

 deities, gods of the elemental world, 

 each of whom we might imagine to 

 join the sublime song of the Earth- 

 spirit in Faust, which Goethe ima- 

 gines to sing: 



"Thus at Time's humming loom 

 'tis my hand prepares 



The garment of light that the 

 Deity wears." 



If we could fly with the sun, and 

 pass along the entire line in a suc- 

 cession of days without weariness or 

 delay, we might catch the marvelous 

 succession of views round the circum- 

 ference of each and give perfect de- 

 scriptions of all. As it is, any at- 

 tempted description is fragmentary 

 and inadequate. But as may be pos- 

 sible, let us briefly describe each of 

 our Sacred Mountains in location and 

 essential features. 



Taking our starting point at the 

 northern boundary, we find ourselves 

 first of all at the foot of Baker or 

 Kulshan. And before saying a word 

 of the peak itself, we cannot forbear 

 a glance at tlie sad blunder by which 

 the conmionplace appellations of a 

 job lot of British sailors and admirals 

 and diplomats became foisted upon 

 the glorious objects of our state, 

 such as Baker, Puget, etc., etc. See 

 how the sonorous and poetical native 

 name Kulslian. the great white 

 watcher, puts to shame the cheai) an;! 

 absolutely insignificant name of 

 Baker. 



It is enough to make one with any 

 poetry in him rebel to think 

 that the Avorld will go on forever say- 

 ing Baker, when the sonorous Kul- 

 shan, Great White Watcher, might 

 be rolling off the tongues of coming 

 generations. 



