Through Eyes of an Eagle

By Wahclellaspirit

Through Eyes of an Eagle

Steven Warnstaff was born Steven Simonis, his father Elvin, and his mother Evon Sevy, both attended Union High School. The Simonis family were one of the first families to live in the Baker Valley, and eventually landed in North Powder, Oregon.

In 1976 he moved from California to Eastern Oregon to a town named Elgin where he worked in a lumber mill a few miles away in Alicel.

One day as he visited with his grandparents he asked his grandmother Olena, what it was like to live during the latter years of 1800 and early 1900’s when the state was being settled by the pioneers.

His grandmother told him she had lived out in the valley between Baker City and North Powder as a child, attended school in a one room schoolhouse, to which Steve’s father had since moved into North Powder as his home before he passed.

Several stories were shared of the Nez Perce travelling from their villages in the Wallowas to hunt elk and deer in the Blues and Elkhorn mountains above Baker City. She mentioned they had always stopped to ask permission to camp the night on her family’s property, and as her father agreed, on the return trip the Nez Perce stopped and offered a deer and an elk in gratitude.

This story had stayed with Steve since its inception and has brought many questions to lie unsettled as the government had stated just the opposite, the Nez Perce were not a friendly tribe and had threatened the settlers.

Truth be told, Steve says it was the settlers who first broke the treaties and promises made between the two peoples in order they both could live peacefully side by side.

First there were the gold miners who tore the landscape searching for their fortunes. Then ranchers and farmers came with plows that tore at the heart of Earth Mother as they turned the fields to grow hay for the cattle and horses to survive the long and cold winters.

Do you remember Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery?

Yes, it was the Nez Perce who saved them from starvation as they were bogged down in the deep of winter’s snow without food.

Steve has stated that he knew there must be a story yet untold that would resonate the truth of American history regarding the Native American Indians of the Pacific Northwest.

This story, the idea bringing it to fruition had begun as Steve sat upon the high rock above Wahclella Falls and began to dream of what is, instead of what was.

He says as he sat looking down upon the clearest of waters it was like a vision as it brought memories of his many journeys through the Columbia River Gorge.

Each waterfall had a guardian spirit who lent wisdom to fall upon his heart, and wind spoke volumes as he sat patiently and began to listen to the cadence of its song.

Steve states it is us, ourselves, that must want to see the rise of tomorrow’s sun, or one day soon, we will fall from upon the lands and be cast to the heaven as dust and not be seen nor heard again.

Smohalla was a great man, a great leader to those Indian that had not fallen from the graces and beliefs of the Great Spirit. Hope of a better life had invested itself swiftly upon many Indian, sadly, it was through a bottle, or many bottles of whiskey their spirits were stolen from within them.

Cast to the winds their names and memories were spent, quickly forgotten, never to be mentioned again by their people.

This was the government’s and settler’s method of controlling the Indian as they feared an uprising might occur.

From the dream, the prophet Smohalla had been chosen to share, came the religion of Washani. This was a religion that spoke of peace and honor, respect, and thankfulness for all the Great Spirit had offered their people so they could too live to see the rise of all their tomorrow’s suns.

Close your eyes and smell the sweet scent of the Cedar in summer as the softest of breeze carries your thoughts upon journeys yet untold.

This is the way to reunite one’s soul

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781984585790

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Copyright © 2020 by Wahclellaspirit. 814308

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced

or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or

mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any

information storage and retrieval system, without permission

in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and

incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination

or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual

persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely

coincidental.

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

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Rev. date: 07/02/2020

The Majestic Columbia River Gorge

A Journey Treasured Throughout Time

Volume IV

Through Eyes of

An Eagle

Wahclellaspirit

Photo Names and Locations

Front Cover–Dancer at the Celilo Village Spring Salmon Festival Celebration in Longhouse

Columbia River Gorge taken from Women’s Forum

Page 3—Mt. Hood taken from Cathedral Ridge Trail

Page 4—Mt. St. Helens-(Lawala Clough) from Johnston Ridge

Page 5—Mt. Adams-(Pahto) near Goldendale, Washington

Page 6—Mt. St. Helens Crater

Page 9—Horsethief Lake w/Horsethief Butte, Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 10—Rimrock along She Who Watches Trail

Page 11—Rimrock along She Who Watches Trail

Page 13—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 14—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 15—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 16—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 17—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 18—She Who Watches, Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 19—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 20—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 21—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 22—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 23—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 24—Columbia Hills State Park, Washington

Page 32—Blalock Canyon, Oregon

Page 33—Bighorn Ram—Blalock Canyon Exit I-84

Page 34—Bighorn Ram

Page 35—Bighorn Ram

Page 36—Bighorn Ram

Page 37—Blalock Canyon Basalt

Page 38—Bighorn Ewe

Page 39—Blalock Canyon Basalt

Page 40—Bighorn Ram

Page 41—Blalock Canyon Basalt

Page 44 –Longhouse, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

Page 49–Pupseela, Yakima Nation Dancer

Page 67–Mt. Hood taken from Larch Mountain, Oregon

Page 77–Lady Washington, Stevenson, Washington

Page 78—Lady Washington, Stevenson, Washington

Page 79–Hawaiin Chieftain, Stevenson, Washington

Page 88–Lake off Washington Hwy. 14, west of Bridge of the Gods

Page 94–Chipmunk at sunset, Johnston Ridge, Mt. St. Helens, Washington

Page 95—Pelicans—Mt. Shasta—Yreka Region, Northern California

Page 96—Lucia Falls, Battleground, Washington

Page 97–Lucia Falls, Battleground, Washington

Page 110–Ainsworth Park Exit—I-84, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 111–Big Spring, Mt. Adams, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington

Page 112–Big Spring

Page 113–Lower Lewis River Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Cougar, Washington

Page 114–Lower Lewis River Falls

Page 115–Ramona Falls, Mt. Hood National Forest

Page 118–Mt. Adams, Washington Sunset, Wasco County, Volcanic Overlook

Page 119–Sunrise, Castle Rock to Johnston Ridge Observatory, Washington

Page 123–Latourell Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Historic Highway, Columbia River Gorge

Page 126–Horsetail Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 127–Upper Horsetail Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 128–Tamanawas Falls, Eagle Creek Trail, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 129–Upper Punchbowl Falls, Eagle Creek Trail, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 130–Shepperd’s Dell Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Historic Highway

Page 139–Carty Unit Sunset, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

Page 141–Sandy River, Oregon taken from bridge

Page 147–Three Fingered Jack, Central Oregon Cascades taken from Hoodoo Ski Resort

Page 151–Columbia River Gorge

Page 154–Daybreak Park, E. Fork Lewis River, Battleground, Washington

Page 155–East of Ainsworth Park Exit I-84, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 160–Wahclella Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 161–Wahclella Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 163–Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 168–Horsethief Butte, Washington from I-84, Oregon

Page 173–Forest, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 174–American White Lily, lake west of Bridge of the Gods, Washington

Page 178–Taken from bridge at Sheppard’s Dell Falls, Oregon

Page 182–Salmon in Horsetail Falls bowl, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 188–Old Historic Highway, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 192–Stormy Weather, Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington

Page 196–Cabin, Mosier, Oregon

Page 197–Homestead, Grass Valley, Oregon

Page 202–Cherry Orchard, Mosier, Oregon

Page 212–1800’s Sears and Roebuck Mail Order Home, lost in 2017 wildfire near The Dalles, Oregon

Page 216–Sternwheeler, Cascade Locks Park, Oregon

Page 220–Wheat fields, Oregon Gold, Grass Valley, Oregon

Page 224–Artwork

Page 228–Blue Moon Rise, Mt. Hood, (Wy-East) from Larch Mtn., Oregon

Page 234–Lichen

Page 242–Channel Sternwheeler, Cathlamet Island, Washington

Page 243–Boathouses near Vancouver Lake, Washington

Page 248–Mt. Adams Sunset, taken near The Dalles, Oregon

Page 253–Sunset, Mt. Adams,, taken near Wasco, Oregon, Volcanic Overlook

Page 255–Homestead, near Grass Valley, Oregon

Page 262–Elowah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 263–Elowah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 271–Wahclella Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Page 272–Mt. Hood captured from near Dee, Oregon

Page 275–Cooper Hawk Male

Page 277–Cooper Hawk Female

Page 282–Reflections, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Carty Unit, Washington

Page 284–Sandhill Cranes and Great Blue Heron, Carty Unit, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington

Page 285–Tree

Page 289–Watching the third egg hatch, Female Cooper Hawk

Page 294–Fungus

Page 295–Fungus

Page 296–Branch

Page 299–Fungus

Page 300–Fungus

Page 301–Blackberry Blossoms

Page 305–Mushroom

Page 306–Mushroom

Page 307–Mushroom

Page 311–Fungus

Page 312–Cooper Hawk Chicks

Page 313–Female Cooper Hawk

Page 314–Plant

Page 315–Fungus

Page 317–Box Turtle

Page 318–Western Painted Turtle

Page 319–Female Cooper Hawk after bath

Page 320–Female Cooper Hawk

Page 321–Female Cooper Hawk

Page 322–Female Cooper Hawk

Page 323–Female Cooper Hawk

Page 324–Female Cooper Hawk

Page 325–Female Cooper Hawk

Page 328–Cooper Hawk Chicks

Page 329–Cooper Hawk Chicks

Page 330–Cooper Hawk Chicks

Page 331–Gray Jay, Larch Mountain Overlook, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Rear Cover– My wife Joan at the Sandy Creek Covered Bridge, Hillsboro, Missouri

Page.4.Table.of.Contents..jpg

Table of Contents

Chapter 1  In the Beginning

Chapter 2  A New Sun Rises

Chapter 3  A New Beginning

Chapter 4  Contention

Chapter 5  To Dance with Spirits

Epilogue

Heartland Rediscovering One’s Self

Acknowledgements

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Through Eyes of An Eagle

Chapter 1

In the Beginning

One day I chose to accept my own quest in understanding the significance of Tsagaglalal, She Who Watches, and travelled to Horse Thief Lake State Park in Washington where I looked deep within her mysterious eyes to feel her soul, so I could better grasp to the spirit She embraced.

As I crossed The Dalles from Oregon into Washington State, I arrived at Horsethief Lake State Park. Here the wind normally bellows fiercely, but as I arrived, the air was calm, and barely a sound came from where I stood.

A great beginning towards a new adventure I imagined as I began to search back into the histories of our Pacific Northwest and of the Indians who were first to find prosperity upon the lands of this nation.

I led off on my journey as I began to walk towards the sacred grounds where She Who Watches was fixed hidden to the world around her.

Wind began to breathe heavily through the blades of drying grass as they bent to kneel before me, each step led me closer to where her voice called out for me to sit beside her.

With each stride, each breath, I began a journey through the epochs of time as I was reminded to the many seasons which had passed after the basalt formations were laid down to form the Lands of Wah throughout Northeastern and Northwestern Oregon, southern Washington, and the lands of western Idaho, and northeastern Nevada.

Long before people first came to these lands, great spirits spoke from the mountaintops.

Wy East, Mt. Hood, and Pahto, Mt. Adams, had fought for the love of Mt. St. Helens, Lawala Clough, and each were told through visions of our fathers to have wielded fiery arrows on their bows as they were pointed towards one another in warning.

They each stood high above in the clouds of heaven as they cast from their peaks, large fires and rock upon one another’s kingdoms.

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Trees were then lain scorched to their root, and the lands would have been seen sweltering in flame beneath thick black smoke that was raised to the heaven. The lands were then scoured bare of life for many seasons.

Great Spirit became angered at his two sons, and the bridge that crossed the Columbia River, (En che Wauna), at Cascade Locks, which allowed passage between the two brother’s kingdoms was then dropped into the river so they could not trespass into one another’s lands again.

Lawala Clough was then shamed by the battle brought on by the jealousy between the two brothers who had courted her to join them in marriage, and to this day, she stands distant and alone, a princess without a prince.

Great Spirit then shot an arrow to the north and one to the south, and it was chosen to what lands the brothers would rule.

Legend has it, one day, long after the battle between Wy-East and Pahto had ceased, the lands returned as it was in the beginning.

From greening meadows grew flowers and fern, and trees again reached to touch the feet of Great Spirit in heaven. Elk and deer settled in the long meadows, and beaver had built lodges across the meadow’s tarns that had quickly become lakes teeming with fish as they came from fast waters that led to the Columbia.

Life was good, and Great Spirit was pleased.

Then one day, Missoula’s jealousy of Wy East and Pahto and the glorious lands of their kingdoms soon brought him to yield a sharp spear in his hand, and as he threw it into the ice, it pierced the heart of the great glacier that formed the dam behind his waters.

Flood began to swarm through all the lands between Missoula and Wy-East toward the Pacific.

Quickly the waters thundered with great complaint through many canyons and across the vast grasslands of both states of Washington and Oregon into the beautiful gorge where now flows the Columbia River.

More floods followed over thousands of years, and as each of those floods scoured the walls of Wah, they carved the beautiful landscapes we see today where waterfalls cascade from high up upon the cliffs of the Cascades.

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The trail I follow leads me to where I lean down to feel each rock’s soul that rims the sides of the trail, each beckoning for my touch.

I too pass beside a great wall that had once climbed from the bowels of the earth many, many, many centuries ago when fire had become stone as it rose from fissures split open below ground and had first formed the body of the lands..

As I began to enter the sacred grounds where She Who Watches sits, I stopped upon the trail and closed my eyes in prayer.

I prayed so I might be allowed an understanding into the lives of those Indian who may have sat upon distant hills near She Who Watches and witnessed Suyapee’s arrival the first days.

Though my eyes are still closed, I know I am not alone. Voices begin to approach me, louder and louder I hear them chant to Great Creator from