Page:The Overland Monthly, Jan-June 1894.djvu/256



192

Up tke Columbia in

[Feb.

once to the counter, while back of the salesman were racks filled with arms of various kinds, handy for use at any moment.

In the little cove between the store and mainland lay the steamer Hassaloe, an Indian name signifying " Morning Star." She was new, and Engineer Grenzebach was then fitting the en- gines. She was the first sidewheel steamboat on the middle Columbia, and the largest. Only two small steamboats navigated the waters of the Columbia

Appearances indicate truth in the legend : the break on each side is abrupt ; the width of the river above is notice- able ; and after leaving the Upper Cas- cades you can see the remains of for- ests with standing trees in the clear depths of the river as you pass over' them.

The cascades proper have a length of about four miles, and the deadfall in that distance is twenty-six feet. It seems scarcely possible that a stern- wheel river steamer could pass them

Phuto by Watki

A SALMON WHEEL, LOWER CASCADES.

at that time, the Mary, Captain Dan Baughman, and the Wasco, Captain I. S. McFarland.

The best view of the Cascades is from the block house. The Indian legend of the forming of the cascades is briefly as follows : In time long past the river ran smoothly between narrow banks under a natural bridge of the mountain. One day Mounts Hood and Adams got into a terrible fight ; fire issued from their tops, lava flowed down their sides, and finally heavy earthquakes occurred, causing the bridge over the river to fall.

safely, but in 1857 the steamer Venture, owned by Lawrence W. Coe and R. R. Thompson, performed the feat safely. The boat was new, and her engines had not been thoroughly tested. She was lying above the Upper Cascades and had on board some freight for Captain Jor- dan, then post commander at Fort Dalles, which was needed ; so taking on a few passengers, they started out. The pumps failed to supply the boilers and they returned shortly ; repaired them, filled the boilers, and understanding from the engineer that steam was on,