The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-01-05
WONDERS OF sCsRNCE.
EAe gmnaamse Glaciers or Alaska
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EAe gnmGnse Glaciers OF Alaska.
The study Of the geology Of California
enabled Prof. Whitney, and others, 10
point oue the traces Of immense glaciers
which at 3 time geologically recent had
existed In the mountains OF Sierra Ne
vada. The climate and the dinainuaon
OF the rainfail, consequent upon COM
Paratvely recent geological changes,
have however, caused tho disappear
Aace OF the greatest part of these, and tt
was not TIL 1870 that Mr.. Clarence King
discovered actual glaciers on tho north
eide OF the extinct volcano az Shasta IA
Northern California.
From the summit cf Shasta, Il, 200
feet above the sea, VS. look down on thres
considerable glaciers. One Of these has
q breadth Of three or four miles, and
sends branches four or fye miles down
the canon. Its thickness is estimated
In places 10 be 90 ieast I 800 feet, aud
- surface pvckents great crevssses, tyro
q them z, ,0G0 feet lcng, and thirty OF
found on Mount Rainier, or TachoIna,
Washington Territory, on Mount Hood,
Ia Oregon, and in AIaskA.
Much more would be known about the
glaciers OK Alaska but for it's compare
lively recent settlement, the thinness OF
Its population even now, and the diff
crlty OF scientific observation.
The Stickine Is perhaps better known
that any other river in Alaska, because
Of its being the way back 10 the Caasiar
gold mines. Tt is about $50 or 400 miles
long, and navigable for small steamers
100 miles, flowing first in a general
westerly direction, through grassy, un-
dulating plains, darkened here and there
with patches of cvergleens, then curYing
southward, and receiving numerous trib-
ntaries from the north, it enters the
coast range and sweeps across e TO the
sea through valley more than 100 miles
long, and one to three miles wide at the
bottom, and from 5000 to 5000 feet
deep, mervelously beautiful and inspir-
ing from end to end. To the apprecia-
tive observer sailing upthe river through
the midst Of 1t all, the canon for the dis
tanco OF about 10 miles is q gallery Of
sublime pictures. an Hnbroken series of
majestic mountains, glaciass, falls, CAS-
cades, forests, groves, fowery garden
spots, grassy meadows in endless variety
OF form and composition-furnitu
enough Tor 8 dozen Yosemites-while
back OF the walls, snd thousands Of feet
above them, innumeraDle 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 g shattered ice-cascade
nearly to the level Of the river. Here
the canon is ebout 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 glacier-laden
Alps from 10, 900 to IL, 600 feet high, the
source Of the largest tributary OF tho |
Stickine.
Thirty FIVE miles above the mouth of |
tee river the most striking object of all |
comes In sight. This Is the lower ex-
panded part Of the grest glacier, mess- |
uriR0 about six miles around the snout,
pushed boldly forward into the middle |
of the valley among tho trees, while its
sources are mostly hidden. Ii takes its |
rise Ia the heart of the range, thirty or
forty miles away. Compared with this
the Swiss n1eT de 0lDoe Is small thing. !
Is is called the /" Ice Mountain and |
seems to have been regarded rs a mo-
6onless mass, created on the spot, like /
the rocks and trees about, without vent |
2ring to guess es TO how or when. The I
front Of the snout is about 200 feet high, /
but rises rapidly back for q few miles TO
> height OF about l, eco fact.
Seen through gaps Of the trees grow
Ing on one Of its tersninal noraines, %
yoa sail slowly along against tho cur
ront,. the marvellous beauty Of the
shssns and clustered pinnacIes shows
10 fine advantage Ia the sunshine.
Forbes, Tyndall, Ramsay, Merrimsn,
Hayes, and other observers, have writ
sen much about the wonderful glaciers
of other parts of the world, and yet the
aaystery Of the exact period OF the
arigin OF these great masses OF ice In
Alaska is seldom referred to.