The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-01-19
WONDERS OF sCrENCR.


Tho Hnancnsc Gs1cfcrs Og AlnslrEas
The study Of tho geology Of California
enabled Prof Whitney, and others, To
point out the traces of immense glaciers
which at q time geologically recent lad
existed ia the mountains OF Sierra Me-
voda. The climate aud the diminution
OF tho rainfall, consequent upon COM
parntively recent geological changes,
have, however, caused the disappear
once of the greatest part of these, and 10
was not till 1870 that Mr.. Clarence King
discovered actual glaciers on the north
side Of tho extinct volcano of Shnsta Ina
Northern Califolnia.
From the summit Sf Shasta, II. 400
feet nbcve the sea, we look down on thrO0
considerable glaciers. One OF these has
q breadth OF three or four miles, ana
sends branches four or Ave miles down
the canon. Its thickness Il estimnbed
"a places 10 be ot leaSt SOC feet, and
its ssErfacc presents great oreyasses, two
U them 2, 900 feet long, and thirty or
forty fcGS wide. Glaciers have also been
found oa Mount Rainier, on Tach0ma,
Washington Territory, on Mount Hood,
ia Oregon, and i'm Alaska.
Much moro would Be known about tho
glaciers OF Alaska but for its comparR-
lively recent settlement, the thipness oe
It's population even now, and Tho diff
entity Of scientific observation.
The Stiokine is perhaps better known
that any other river in Alaska, because
oE its being the way back 30 The CaHsiar
gold mines. II Is about $50 or 400 miles
long. and nayigRble for small steamers
100 miles, flowing FIRST in a general
westerly direction, through grassy, un-
dulating plains, darkened hero and there
southward. and receiving numerous trib-
utaries from the north, it enters tho
coast range and sweeps across 10 30 the
sea through valley more than loo miles
long, and one to three milos wide nt tho
bottom, and from 5000 10 5000 feet
deep, marvelously beautiful and iDBpir-
ing from end TO end. TO tho apprecia-
tire observer sailing upth river through
the midst Of IL ell, the canon for tbe dis
t0nce q about no miles is o gallery of
sublime pictures, an unbroken series a
majestic L.ountains, glaciers, falls, cas-
cades, forests, groves, howery garden
spots, grassy meadows in endless variety
OF form and Observation-Disclosures
enough for dozen Yosemites--while
back OF the wlils, and thousands CT feet
above them, innumerable peaks and
spires and domes OF loo and snow tower
RktAudAy 116O TAG sky
About fifteen miles above the mouth
OF the river you come 10 tho Arst ~ the
great glaciers, pouring down through
the forest in o shattered ice-cnscade
nearly 10 tho level of the river. Here
tho canon Is about two miles wide,
planted with cottonwoods along tho
banks Of the river, and spruce, and fir,
and patches Of Wild rose and raspberry
extend back 10 the grand Yosemite
walls. Twelve miles back to this potnS
noble view is opened along She Skoot
River canon--a group pf Rlacier-laden
Alps from 10000 TO IL, 900 feet high, tho
source OF the largest tributary Of tho
Sticlkine.
Thirty-five miles above the mouth Of
tho river the most striking object Of all
comes Ia sight. This - the lower ex-
panded part of the great glacier, meas
uring about six miles around tho snOut,
puahed boldly forward into the middle
OF tho valley among the treca, while it's
sources ORC mostly hidden II takes los
rise IN the heart OF tlo range, thirty or
forty miles away. Compared with thia
! It In called the Ioe Mountain" and
seems TO have been regnrded ns @ mo-
Honless mass, created ON the SPOT, like
ule rocks and tnoes about, without wont
uring TO guess as 10 huw or when. The
front Of the snout is abont 3O0 feet high,
but rises rapidly back kE a few miles 70
q height OF about 90 fsOk
Seen through gi,ps % tiSe trees grow
ing on one OF It's terminal mOrninee, aa
you sail slowly along ngninst the cur
| rent, tho marvellous beauty of ths
chasms and clustered l'inIanlos shows
70 enc advantage In tho sItnShino.
! Forbes, TyndAll, Ramsay, Norman,
| Hayes, and other obscTvers, have writ
1 han much about the wonderful glAciara
OF other parts OF thc world, and Jet tho
mystery OF tho exact period Of the
origin OF khesS great masses a leo in
i Alaska is seldom referred 10.