Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1873-02-13

The stumps of trees, above and below ths
rivers surface, along either shore attest te
the fact that at no remote period dense pine
forest must have covered the whole extent Of
country now traversed by the deep broa6
river. How did they get there? We search
in vain in the contiguous cliffs for solution
of the mystery. With the exception of an
occasional silicifed or carbonized branch,
there is nothing to show that these trees have
been half century submerged, for they are
unaffected by the action of the water. In
the absence Of all other explanation, the In.
dian legend is worthy of attention. Many
years ago, it says, when the tribes of the
upper Columbia visited the ocean, at point
just below the Dalles they entered with their
canoes huge tunnel in the mountains, which
terminated at the end of the Cascades in the
river, distance of sixty miles. This tunnel
had rocky covering, upon which the pine
forest grew and flourished. A time came
when old Mount Hood and Mount Adams en-
gagged in combat, and threw red hot stones
and rocks at each other. The quarrel con-
tinued for many days, waxing hotter and
hotter until its close. The stones thrown by
both combatants fell upon and broke down
up and set back the river, inundating the up
per valley. In time the river worked its
present channel through the obstruction,
overt1owing in its course the trees that had
fallen with it.
That this forest may have been thrown
from the mountains and rocks into its present
position by volcanic agency is not improba-
ble. The entire range of the Cascades is
volcanic, and the rocks of the Columbia, as
shown by their fracture, are perfectly solid,
without strati6cation from base to summit
Smoke is often seen ascending from the cra-
ter of Hood, and ashes are occasionally
thrown for miles from St. Helens. Making
proper allowance for the play of the imagina-
ton, the Indian explanation of the forest
mystery may not be far from correct In
the absence of any other it is, at least, &C.
ceptable.
Dalles City is at the foot of the Dalles of
the river, which form an obstruction of fif-
teen miles to steamboat navigation that are
traversed by railroad. 1t is a lively town
of 1000 inhabitants the terminus of stage
route to the Central Pacific, which passes
through Wallula, Boise, Idaho City, Silver
City, in Idaho, to Winncmucca. The town
has promising business appearance, and is
surrounded by good farming country.
The Dalles of the river, is the name given
to the narrow passage of the Columbia, for
fifteen miles, through an immense table of
trap rock. From width of 400 yards the
river above the Dalles is crowded into pas
sage of less than forty yards, and runs seeth-
ing, whisking and boiling, as if impatient of
this restraint, to its outlet at Dalles City,
where it expands to width of 600 yards.
The water is very dark, rapid and deep, and
very fully realizes the idea of river turned
on edge. Among the early fur traders, this
passage was known ae the Long Narrows.
Frequent mention is made of it in Mr.. Irving's
Astoria. Three miles above it, stood in those
days, the Indian settlement of Wishram,
which, on account of the hostility and thiev-
ing propensities of the Inhabitants, was much
dreaded by the Astorians. They were often
attacked there while passing to and fro, and on
two or three occasions, in conflicts with the
Indians, some of their numbers were slain.
We oYnpripncnd pOO1 treatment ot tho
Umatilla House, fine hotel at Dalles City,
where we spent the night, and returned the
next day to Portland. ALTER EGO.