78 JOURNAL OF LT. WILLIAMSON’S SIDE EXPLORATIONS, COMPILED. FROM HIS NOTES. 
among a dense mass of young trees and fallen timber, until we reached a lake a mile in 
diameter, which received no tributary and was evidently the source of the stream. A 
short distance beyond was another and larger lake with no outlet. We encamped on the small 
lake, and Lieutenant Sheridan and myself ascended a bald hill, about three miles distant, the 
summit of which was nearly two thousand feet above camp. We had an extensive view. To 
the westward was a low ridge connecting with the snow mountains. This ridge may he the 
crest of the Cascade mountains, hut there were successive ranges beyond it, some of which ap¬ 
peared to he very high, and thirty miles off. There was no snow on them. Between two 
overlapping ridges we saw a faint line of mountains, indefinitely distant and scarcely visible. 
To the northward were the snow peaks, which we afterwards found to he the Three Sisters. 
Two only were distinctly visible, hut peaks of others were seen behind them, apparently sepa¬ 
rated by low depressions. Between us and the nearest ridge were several lakes, nearly a dozen 
in all. It afterwards proved that others were hidden from our view. To the southward we 
saw a large lake at the base of a saddle peak. It was six miles or more in diameter, and was 
evidently the source of the other fork of the stream which we had been following. To go to the 
westward among the mass of mountains, I saw would require more time than I could spare, and 
I finally determined to cross the divide among the snow mountains, which might prove to he 
the crest of the Cascade Range. We returned to camp a little after sunset. 
August 31.—Our course to the depression between the two snow peaks was nearly north. 
The ground was covered with volcanic rock in ridges and masses, with steep irregular ravines 
between. About ten miles from camp, we reached a good sized lake at the base of the snow 
peaks. We here struck an old Indian trail which led us to the depression. In ascending, we 
came to a beautiful little valley with a stream flowing through it towards the la.ke. This stream 
issued from the hills with a vertical fall of about thirty feet. We at length reached the summit of 
a ridge, which we supposed to he the culminating point. Its height above the sea was 6,303 feet. 
We then descended to a series of small lakes, one or two hundred feet below the crest just passed, 
and lying immediately at the base of the snow peaks. The trail again began to ascend, and, 
at length, reached the summit of a ridge about five hundred feet higher than the first. On 
looking back we saw plainly that we had crossed an extinct crater, which had thrown to the 
southward the immense streams of lava we had passed over. Descending on the Indian trail, 
we encamped on a little brook with a red earth bottom. Its valley was small, but there was a 
little grass. The night was cold and windy, and the sky obscured by clouds. I sent a corporal 
and two men back with instructions to Lieutenant Abbot to move camp to the second branch 
below. 
September 1.—To-day we resumed our march on the trail. We soon overtook two mounted 
Indians, a male and a squaw. The latter disappeared as soon as possible, but the man pro¬ 
ceeded with us a short distance, and then went off at a gallop to join his comrade. He spoke a 
little Chinook, and gave us to understand that the trail soon forked—one branch going to the 
Dalles, the other to the Willamette valley. About nine miles from camp we reached the forks. 
After riding a short distance on the northern branch, we left it to follow down a small brook 
which we had seen near the forks. This soon became dry, but its rocky bed conducted to a 
considerable stream, a branch of the Des Chutes, called by the Indians Why-chus. Here we 
encamped. Our barometer was unfortunately broken to-day. 
September 2.—This morning we crossed over to the next branch, where we expected to meet 
Lieut. Abbot, but he was not there. The road was good, and practicable places could be found 
