07 Monday, August 12

Diary of Fletcher Linn

Crater Lake Trip, August 1889

Monday, Aug. 12

        Prof Watt and Everett took a hunt for deer starting at about four o’clock; returned at about ten with no game.

        Rest of party arose late and had breakfast at nine.

        Party from near Ashland who had been with us since our arrival at the lake left us about 6:30.

        Storms(?) hurricanes(?) etc. raged at about one o’clock in the morning and all but Carrie, Nina and Kubli, suffered severely from them.

        This being the nineteenth anniversary of Miss Nina’s birth, it was agreeable to all to celebrate in birth-day style. A fine dinner was prepared and a good “old fashioned” candy-pulling was indulged in, in the evening, and the event observed in a most commendable manner. A most enjoyable time was had. Singing and playing, and games of various kinds were enjoyed, and no pains were spared to make Nina’s “birth-day in the mountains” one which she will always remember with extreme pleasure.

        Some retaliatory measures were adopted by those who were the victims of the storms and hurricanes? Before mentioned, which, although discovered before being carried out, were successful in producing the desired effect.

        Several good jokes were carried out quite effectively, and all taken good naturedly.

        Three fine snipe were killed, and a fine lot of huckleberries were gathered during the day.

        Retired about eleven at which time the song “I’ll forgive, but never forget” was appropriately sung and well rendered by the ladies.

        Having quite a pleasant and agreeable camp, we rather regretted that on the morrow we were again to renew our journey, and leave the lake. Lake of the Woods is nearly directly east of Jacksonville, and about five miles from Mt. Pitt. It is about three miles long and one mile wide, and is now surrounded by a sandy beach of considerable width. At present the lake is lower than ever before known.

        No stream of much size runs into it or from it, but its water is furnished by the rains and snows, and by numerous springs in and about the lake. It is considered one of the prettiest lakes in Oregon.

        Mt. Pitt could be seen on account of the dense smoke. It is about ten thousand feet high, and is usually either wholly or partly covered with snow. This year the snow entirely disappeared, so we were informed by Mr. Fitzgerald who had recently been to the summit.

        Mr. Pitt and the scenery surrounding Lake of the Woods are grand and picturesque when the atmosphere is clear but of the pleasure of this scenery we were deprived on account of the dense smoke.

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