The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-09-01
WONDERS OF SCIENCE.
Eho Ernlnanse Glaciers OF AIasIra

Ahc EInknsuSe Glaciers Of Alaska.
The study Of the geology Of California
enabled Prof Whitney, and others, to
point out the traces Of immense glaciers
which ut time gcoiogically recent had
existed in the mountains of Sierra Ne
Vada. The climate and the diminution
OF the rainfall, consequent upon com
pnatVely recent geological changes,
have, however, caused the disappear
ance OF the greatest part of these, and it
was not til 1870 that lIr Clarence King
discovered actual glaciers on the north
side of the extinct volcano of Shasta IN
Northern California.
From the summit Of Shasta, 1900
feet above the sea, we look down or three
considerable glaciers. One Of these has
n breadth of three or four miles, and
sends branches four or five miles down
the canon. It's thickness is estimated
IN places to be ct least 1900 feet, and
~ surface presents great crevasses, two
. them 1000 feet long, ard thirty or
forty feet wide. Glnciers have also been
found ON Mount Rainier, or Tachuna,
Washington Territory, on Mount Hood,
IN Oregon, and iu Alaska.
Much moro would be known about the
glecicrs of Alaska but for It's compare
lively recent settlement, the thiuness Of
Its population even now, and the diff
Guilty Of scientific observation.
The Stickine is perhaps better known
that any other river in Alaska, because
OF its being the way back to the Cassiar
gold mines. 1t is about $50 or 400 miles
long, and nayigaDle for small steamers
$50 miles, flowing first in a general
westerly direction, through grassy, un-
dulatlng plains, darkened here and there
with patches Of cvergreens, then curving
southwark, and receiving numerous trib-
utarles from the north, it enters the
coast range and sweeps across 1t to the
sea through q valley more than 100 miles
long, and one to three miles wide ut tho
bottom, and from 5000 to 5000 feet
deep, nargelously beautiful and inspir-
ing from end to end To the apprecia-
tive observer sailing upthc river through
the midst Of it all, the canon for the dis
lance OF about 1l0 miles is O gallery of
sublime pictures, IN unbrOken series OF
majestic mountains, glaciers, falls, cas-
cades, forests, groves, howGry garden
spots, grassy meadows il endless variety
of form and position-furniture
enough for q dozen Yosemites-while
back of the walls, and thousands of feet
above them, innumerable peaks and
spires and domes OF ice and snow tower
grandly into the sky.
About fifteen miles above the mouth
of the river you come TO the first of the
great glaciers, pouring down through
the forest. IN a shattered ico-cnscade
nearly 10 the level of the river. Here
the canon is about two miles wide,
planted with cottonwoods along the
banks Of the river, and spruce. and fir.
and patches of wild rose and raspberry
extend back to the grand Yosemite
walls. Twelve miles back to this point
noble view is opened along the Skoot
River canon-a group of giacier-luden
Alps from 10000 to II 600 feet high, the
source OF the largest tributary OF the
SticlIine
Thirty-fye miles above the mouth of
the river the most striking object of all
comes in SIGHT. This Is the lower ex-
banded part of the great glacier, meas
uring about six mules around the snout.
pHshed boldly forward iuto the middle
Of the valley among the trees, while It's
sources are mostly hidden. 1t takes its
rise IN the heart Of tho range, thirty or
forty miles away. Compared with this
the Swiss lRcy' dc glGce isa small thing.
II is called tho lee Mountain" and
seems to have been regarded ass a mo-
tionloss mass, created on the spot, like
the rocks and trees about, without vent
uring t. guess as 90 how or whom The
front of the snout is about 500 sect high,
but rises rapidly back for few miics 10
4 height OF about 40 feet.
seen through gaps ct the trees grow
ing ON one of It's terminal ultraiues, as
yOu sail slowly along against the cur
rent, the marvellous beauty OF the
chasms and clustered piuIacies shows
e. line advantage ia the sunshine.
Forbes, Tyndall, Ramsay, Aleruman.
Hayes, lnd other ohserVyrs, have writ
ten much about tho wonderful glaciers
Of other parts of the world, and yet the
mystery OF the exact period OF the
origin Of these great masses OF ice IL
Alaska is seldom reiulrcd TO-