The Mountaineer 4] 
great peaks, and for a long time all things went in harmony. 
But for convenience sake, Sahale had created the great toma- 
nowas bridge under which the waters of the Columbia flowed, 
and on this bridge he had stationed a witch woman called 
Loowit, who was to take charge of the fire. This was the 
only fire in the world. As time passed on Loowit observed 
the deplorable condition of the Indians, destitute of fire and 
the conveniences which it might bring. She therefore be- 
sought Sahale to allow her to bestow fire upon the Indians. 
Sahale, greatly pleased by the faithfulness and benevolence of 
Loowit, finally granted her request. The lot of the Indians 
was wonderfully improved by the acquisition of fire. They 
began to make better lodges and clothes and had a variety of 
food and implements, and, in short, were marvellously bene- 
fited by the bounteous gift. 
“But Sahale, in order to show his appreciation of the care 
with which Loowit had guarded the sacred fire, now determined 
to offer her any gift she might desire as a reward. Accord- 
ingly, in response to his offer, Loowit asked that she be trans- 
formed into a young and beautiful girl. This was accord- 
ingly effected, and now, as might have been expected, all the 
Indian chiefs fell deeply in love with the guardian of the 
tomanowas bridge. Loowit paid little heed to any of them, 
until finally there came two chiefs, one from the north called 
Klickitat and one from the south called Wiyeast. Loowit was 
uncertain which of these two she most desired, and as a result 
a bitter strife arose between the two. This waxed hotter and 
hotter, until, with their respective warriors, they entered upon 
a desperate war. The land was ravaged, all their new com- 
forts were marred, and misery and wretchedness ensued. 
Sahale repented that he had allowed Loowit to bestow fire 
upon the Indians, and determined to undo all his work in so 
far as he could. Accordingly he broke down the tomanowas 
bridge, which dammed up the river with an impassable reef, 
and put to death Loowit, Klickitat, and Wiyeast. But, inas- 
much as they had been noble and beautiful in life, he deter- 
mined to give them a fitting commemoration after death. 
Therefore he reared over them as monuments, the great snow 
peaks; over Loowit, what we now call Mount St. Helens; over 
Wiyeast, the modern Mount Hood; and, above Klickitat, the 
great dome which we now call Mount Adams.” 
