66 NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY LOST RIVER NATURAL BRIDGE. 



We found, encamped near the stream, a party of men that had come from Yreka to meet 

 and escort an expected emigrant train. 



August 13. Lieut. Williamson determined to pass around the western side of Lower 

 Klamath lake, with Lieut. Sheridan and the dragoon detachment, to examine the route, and 

 to ascertain whether Klamath river flowed through the lake or not. He gave me instructions 

 to proceed with the main party to Upper Klamath lake, and, after selecting a good camping 

 place near its southern extremity, to await his arrival. Nine of the foot soldiers were sick, and 

 they accompanied Lieut. Williamson, to be sent, in charge of a non-commissioned officer, 

 through the pass south of Mount Pitt to Fort Lane. 



My party left camp first. We followed up the eastern bank of Lost river, through a dusty 

 sage plain almost destitute of grass, to the Natural Bridge. The river was here about eighty 

 feet wide and very deep ; but it was spanned by two natural bridges of conglomerate sandstone 

 from ten to fifteen feet in width, parallel to each other, and not more than two rods apart. 

 The water flowed over both of them. The top of the most northern one inclined down stream, 

 but it was only covered to a depth varying from six inches to two feet. The other was nearly 

 horizontal, but the water, being unusually high, was too deep for fording. There are probably 

 hollows under both arches, through which the river flows. Emigrants cross here with their 

 loaded wagons. There is no ford for a considerable distance above, and none below. We 

 passed over without difficulty, and followed a well marked Indian trail towards the north, 

 through a level valley dotted with sage bushes and a few clumps of bunch grass. The river, 

 which was full of short bends, was often sunk as much as thirty feet below the plain. There was 

 apparently a good ford 4.5 miles above the Natural Bridge. The valley was about three miles 

 wide, and bordered by high hills ; those on the east being well timbered with pine, and those 

 on the west nearly bare. The bunch grass became more abundant as we advanced, and the 

 sage bushes fewer in number. After travelling twelve miles from the Natural Bridge, we 

 reached a place where the river issued through a canon from the hills to the eastward ; and, 

 although the valley continued towards the north, it was entirely destitute of water. As the 

 distance to Klamath lake was unknown, we left the trail and encamped near the mouth of the 

 cailon. The general surface of the plain was here about forty feet above the water ; but it was 

 connected by a bench, about 200 yards in width, of not more than half that height. This 

 formed a good camping ground ; being covered with fine bunch grass, while bushes and small 

 trees for fuel were found in abundance near the edge of the stream. 



August 14. This morning some excitement was created in camp by the discovery of a huge 

 rattlesnake coiled up under a blanket. The reptile was killed ; but, as we all slept without 

 tents on the ground, unpleasant ideas were suggested by the incident. Our course lay towards 

 the north, through a narrow valley thinly covered with sage bushes and clumps of bunch grass. 

 It was bordered by timbered hills which gradually closed in upon the trail. We crossed several 

 dry beds of streams, and also the bottom of what, in the rainy season, was undoubtedly a small 

 lake. It was now dry, and covered with a white efflorescence. After travelling 9.5 miles we 

 reached a low line of hills, which formed the northern boundary of the valley. Klamath river 

 forced its way through the ridge by a narrow canon, and, after flowing along the western side 

 of the valley for a short distance and spreading out into a small lake, disappeared among the 

 hills towards the west. On reaching the summit of the very low divide, composed of trap rock, 

 we saw outspread before us Upper Klamath lake. It was a fine sheet of water, thirty miles 

 long and twelve miles wide, bordered by timbered ridges with an occasional narrow belt of tule. 

 Light clouds of smoke rising from signal fires upon several of the hills satisfied us that watchful 



