208 
TOPOGRAPHICAL REPORT ON WESTERN DIVISION. 
of transmigration, must still work mischief under another covering; and accordingly, in a very 
rebellious mood, she endeavors to undermine the aforesaid chief’s dominions. These caves 
were the result produced by her spite. With all due deference to the Eliptillicum, we may con¬ 
clude, however, that its cause was volcanic eruption—the lava overrunning an existing stream, and 
suddenly cooling, the waters of the stream being forced into another channel. 
There is a low chain of mountains stretching off from Chequoss along the right of the trail, 
and from two to three miles from it, and continues on towards the east. The Hoolhoolse rises 
in this chain. 
The country is very rough and mountainous on the left of the trail, south of Mount Adams; but 
none of the spurs come down to it until after we have crossed the Nikepun, about four miles 
beyond the Hoolhoolse, where a pretty high range runs to the southeast. 
From Chequoss the country is heavily timbered up to the branch of the Klikatat. From that 
river to the Hoolhoolse there is open pine forest, free from underbrush and covered with fine 
bunch-grass. 
From Hoolhoolse the trail bears south of east for nine miles to Tabk plains. The Nikepun, 
a rapid mountain stream, is crossed three miles from the Hoolhoolse. The latter is a branch of 
it. The Nikepun is thirty-five feet wide, and three deep—bottom rocky. One mile beyond this 
river is the range running southeast from Mount Adams. Thus far the trail is over very level 
country, covered with open fine limber of small growth and bunch-grass—no underbrush. The 
remainder of the distance to Tahk plain is over this range, which is more heavily timbered; and 
the trail crosses two small branches of the Nikepun heading in this range. The first ascent 
is long and abrupt; the rest is broken and rolling. The timber on the last two miles is more 
open. 
A range of high hills borders Tahk plain on the east, spurs of which put down to it; but the 
range between the Nikepun and this plain is the last which connects with the main range. On 
the west it is limited by high hills which come down from Mount Adams. This plain is ten miles 
long, and from one to three miles wide. There is a marshy lake, a mile and a half long, in it, and 
a branch of the Wah-wuk-chic leading from it, and running to the northeast. This plain is low 
and wet in many places, and gives evidence of being partially, if not entirely, under water 
during the wet season. From Tahk the trail bears northeast for thirty-seven miles, to the Sah- 
penis, a branch of the Yakima. For twelve miles the trail lies over Tahk plain and a slightly un¬ 
dulating country, but not hilly. A little loose lava rock is occasionally found on the surface. 
Here the Wah-wuk-chic crosses the trail. The Wah-wuk-chic has no valley, and is reached 
by an abrupt descent. The river is about seventy feet wide at the ford, and two and a half 
feet deep—bottom sandy, current rapid, rough rapids just above and below crossing. A spur 
from the Cascades comes down along the northern side of the river, and intersects the range 
of hills running north and south on the east side of Tahk plain. For two miles from the Wah- 
wuk-chic the country is rough and broken, and ascends over two abrupt hills to a high undulating 
table-land beyond. The divide or highest part of this table-land is about fifteen miles from the 
Wah-wuk-chic, where occur some very large boulders of basalt. 
From this ridge to the Sahpenis the country is more rough and broken, and an abrupt and 
deep ravine runs along the left of the trail, in which is a branch or fork of the Sahpenis coming 
in from the southwest. The other fork comes in Ifom the northwest through a similar ravine. 
Two small brooks are crossed between the Wah-wuk-chic and the dividing ridge. This ridge or 
range runs off to the northeast, along the right of the trail. Leaving the Sahpenis at the forks, the 
trail runs back from the main stream and bears northeast over a basaltic broken spur, until it 
reaches the Sahpenis by a gradual descent seven miles beyond. There is a great deal of loose 
angular lava on this spur; the timber becomes more scattering and scrubby, and ceases three 
miles beyond the forks: this is the eastern limit of the pine timber. The Sahpenis runs on the 
left of the trail, gradually approaching it in a basaltic canon with almost perpendicular sides. 
