The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-05
BRITISH COLUMBIA RIVERS.
They Flow Up Hill and Grow Ice from
the Bottom.

They Flow Up Hill and Grow Ice from
the Bottom.
There are few very curious things about
British Columbia rivers. Everybody knows
that they flow in the wrong direction while
they are young. For instance, the Peace
and Lizard persist in going to the Arctic
ocean, in defiance of the Rocky mountains
and the laws of nature, while the Columbia,
Fraser and Kootenay only consent to travel
seward after going in the opposite direc-
ton some hundreds of miles. But they
also have very peculiar ways of making ice,
quite opposite to that laid down in the text
books. In the Skeena have observed the
ice in autumn to form on the river bed
among the boulders in globules, like mass
of fish spawn. this often growing until the
reef actually reaches the surface, but more
often it breaks away in large pieces and
floats off down the stream, bearing pebbles
and even boulders for many miles. have
seen the river in December entirely covered
with this ground ice drift. the globules be-
loose snow.
There are many natural bridges on our
rivers also. In the Kicking Horse, three
miles below Field station, there is rock
bridge, in slate formation, which is in
clined SO as to present sharp edges; very
passenger on the Canadian Pacific railroad
has noticed the snow bridge on the Illecille-
waet. but there are records of ice bridges
also. think I have heard of one on the
Homatheo river, but of the Stickeen mar
velous story is told. There is great gla-
cier descending out Of the high. snowiield
to the north, and this in ancient times
flowed right across the valley. meeting
lesser ice stream from the heights opposite.
The Stickeen flowed under the ice in tuIl-
mel, and at very low water the passage was
too small for it, although the water must
have been banked up into lake at the
spring freshet.
Now, the Sloane Indians of the upper val
Hey used to regard this tunnel in the ice as
Heading to the s'sweet by and by" They
|were therefore very anxious to avoid the
place. But once the tribe was encamped
very old man and his wife with them who
were too mean to die because of the expense
|pf giving a funeral feast. They were very
rich and of no use and had large appetites,
Rnd their relatives at last consented to part
with them. They were therefore set adrift
in leaky canoe ana consigned to the cur
rent. and all the people, conscious of self
Bacrifce, stood on the bank and watched
the canoe vanish into the tunnel and felt
kood. Now, the old people were very
frightened and squealed good deal, but
when the blue shadows of the ice closed
bver them they thought they were dead In
lians, and behaved accordingly. Presently
he old lady thought it was getting light,
ind became curious and looked about her.
Then she kicked the old man and asked If
he didn't wish they were at the
uneral feast. He looked up and
ound the canoe out in the open
igain, the glacier behind them and the
4nrId nfottv rnnNh No Y1onn1 They DOt
shore, cut paddles and poles, and pre-
Jared to 60 home again. The old man
egan TO be hungry for the grease boxes;
he old lady set her heart on grease and
erries. and they both determined to get
0me for the banquet since they had as
sted at the funeral. Well, by dint of
baking the old lady work, while he steered
nd gave good advice, they succeeded in
laking their way up through the tunned and
ome. and were in ample time for the feast.
fact, they lived happily ever afterward.
mt how shall We condole with the relatives,
hose sweetest and most pious traditions
nd been shattered about the sweet by
nd by?
Not least among the natural wonders of
be coast, is Mckenzie Passage. little to
he westward of Kingcome inlet. It is
hasm about six miles in length, leading to
g base of an isolated and broken peak.
665 feet high. The walls are very close
,Qether. vertical and snow crowned. The
n never shines in this awful gorge; the
kpor from its waters hangs dark and bitter
BID, unmoved by any wind, and no living