Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-05-20
sOMg NATURAL WONDERS.
BIZ PROF. THOMAS cospos.

OF late date published under the above
head a communication from Adam
Duncan, of Priest Rapids. in regard to
some natural wonders of that region.
One of these is lake. which, though
near the rapids of the river, rises when
the river is at its hight, until nothing is
left OF II but dry bed, perforated by a
number of large wells of widely different
| kinds of water. Another of these won
ders IS described as a natural ice fac
tory, in which the ice is formed in mid
summer.
An extensive and very interesting
group of facts OF my own observation
IS at once. recalled by Mr.. Duncan's pa
thetic inquiry Why is all this thus:"
While the explanation / am about to
attempt il only intended to apply d.
rectly to the ice formation it will
give clue to an equally clear explana-
ton of the other, because the two facts
are really closely allied.
Several years ago an ice cave was dis
covered In Washington Territory, a few
miles west of one of the branches of the
White Salmon river. The supply of ice
IN this case was 80 good and abundant
that pack trains were loaded with it for
The Dalles market, and once or twice
land. That this ice in White Salmon
river was formed in spring and summer
WAS plain, for, as Mr.. Duncan observed
of the ice in his cave, it accumulated in
icicles or stalactite masses, and in warm
weather, while the water that thus froZe
plainly came from the external surface.
trickiing through the roof of the cave.
On examining the interior of the cave,
dark opening was found through
which q strong current of cold air flowed
into the cave. The trucking water from
the surface through the roof, the stalic-
tite form of the ice, and this cold cur
rent of air suggested to me at the time
] examined them an explanation. But,
instead of narrowing the problem, the
explanation widned 1t, so that 1t claimed
other groups of facts In the same region,
as kindred of its own. A short dIgres-
sion will enable us to gather these into
our theme. Our party found other
caves i'll the neighborhood without ice;
most OF those examined we found
Astounding i'll evidence that currents of
melted rock once flowed through them.
Portions of this still hung to the roof in
ropy masses or more slender drops;
other twisted fragments adhered to tho
sides Of the passage. We broke of
specimens from roof and ledge, SO plain
and demonstrative that no ono Of us
doubted that We were standing on The
bed of an ancient lava flow; one that
flowing for months had abundant time
TO cool and harden III its inotionlcss
portions, and on its surface, into thick
sheet of basalt rock, while u narrow
stream of fresh hot lava kept up run
ming current through the duct.
Ii now We suppose the supply sud
denly arrested by some change in the
crater. plainly this narrow stream would
run out, leaving long, empty, cavern
Gus passage in the rock. But now for
the relationship of these facts:
First, our ice cave was one of these
old lava ducts, differing from the others
only in its ice supply. Second, why this
difference? These lava ducts were once
very numerous, most of them having
been broken up by subsequent violence;
few still remain entire; these entire
ones arc now underground passages
| from the crater on the mountain, or
some opening connected with it to the
place Of discharge in the valley or plain
| below. While winter lasts there Is no
| downward current III this passage, for
| tho air is cold at both ends; but April.
| May tkA0 0uAko ClullSc aA Wills, AutkIuk
il warm i'll the plain below, while it is
cold on the mountain top only: this
difference increases after sunset, and
the weight of this colder air of the sum
NIT presses through the old lava duct,
forcing the summer air out OF the cave,
and substituting this freezing air of The
mountain top; thus continually adding
at night to the mass Of loo not melted
on the preceding day. have no doubt
Mr. Duncan's lice formed in midsum-
mer' can DO explained in a similar W ".
These underground lava ducts, acc s.
sible and inaccessible, are far more
numerous than one would suppose, Of
ten causing the hollow ground perceived
| in riding over surfaces of basaltic rock.
that they often communicate with lakes
on the surface, causing them to rise aud
fall by reason Of varying supply of
| water, might be expected. Gravelly
Lake, near Tacoma, is an instance in
point. 1t is without visible inlet, vet
rises in midsummer to such hight
above its winter stage, as to prove an
| underground connection with melting
SHOWS; without doubt one of Mount
Rainier cid lava ducts. II We suppose
| that Priest Rapids Lake out of all I'M
derground connection with the waters
Of the Columbia, which il evidently is.
and in connection with one or moro Of
the lava duets. whose supply Of water
comes at different season from that of
| the food of the river, the observed phe-
nomena will be explained.