The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-04

to and fro in playful mood, and there IS
nothing to frighten the most tlmid- The
| peaceful influence is SO powerful that we
| hush our voices as we look down.
liz some awful CONFUSION of nature these
| grim mountains were heaved up from the
bowels of the earth-grm, sterile, desc
late-landmarks of m goty conf ct of ele-
/ ments. AT the same time nature created
this valley as an Offset On the mountain
is desolation and despair; here is beauty and
contentment.
"Look therel"
Away up am ng the dark hills we see
black cloud rising up into the clear skies.
B 1t for its blackness one might believe it "A
signal smoke made by the Indians. 1t Is
cloud trying to lift itself over the mountain
from the east side. 1t began forming fifty
miles away, and il has travelled slowly and
followed the windings rivers and cree IS
and exacted tribute from D nds and lakes,
drops--gills, quarts, barrels, tons OF water
have been absorbed and lifted up as the
cloud Travelled, and the desolate mountains
were magnets which attracted it from its
| first formation. aaz sl.g.t.ee y.-e
The cloud lifts itself up and up, and in
its struggles it sways like balloon. As it
meats the mountains the vapors are con-
densed aud become heavier, and as the
weight infreases the struggle becomes
fiercer. There is no by-play of thunder and
lightning; only a black menacing cloud
fighting self. =.
Up! UpI Up!
All! Heaven help theml There is noth>
ing but animal life in the valley so fer as
we can see, but every onlookerf utters a
groan ofsdespair as he sees the cloud sud
denly fall out of sight behind the peaks
| What does that signify2 1t means that the
cloud could not lift itself high enough to
clear the mountain, and that when its lower
| edge hit that tall peak on a line with us
there came a oloudburst The tons of1water
held in that big cloud fell to earth with a
| force You eau scarcely conceive. Trees
were made into matchwood. Rocks weigh
| ing thousand tons were whirled about.
| Boulders which hundred horses could not
pull from t cir beds were sent flying down
he m junGaiu side like marbles. Every
handful of earth, every tree, shrub, vine,
flower every stone, roc and boulder which
could have been moved by the blast Of a
hundred pounds of pc der is swept in one
awful avalanche into the mouth Of the val
leyl
We hear the crash. We feel the noun
tain culver under us. We are warned oil
| what is coming. Every living thing below
| us has heard the crash and felt the q liver.
Instinct tells them what has happened and
warns them to fee In ten seconds every
living thing in sight in the va ley is rushing
down is length Here and there deer
turns to the right OF left and finds place
where he can ascend, and big wolf scram.
bles up the almost perpendicular bank al
our feet. and there lies crouching and
whining in terror.
Look up the valley. No man will ever
see such a sight twice in his lifetime There
is wall acr IS the valley-a wall Of roar
ing, tumbling. seething. foaming waters
Its hight is eight or ten feet, and its speed
is that of railroad train. The buffaloe
were the furthest up the valley. Watch
them coming. The herd numbers about
fifty, and every animal runs for his life
Now buffalo, deer. wolf, horse and hare ar,
coming in wild mob, and close behind
them that foam-crested wave Of death. As
it reaches the trees they melt away. As il
tears along the sides of the valley great
rocks are loosened and carried slong.
The rush is led by sorrel horse-his new
coat shining like velvet-his eyes full Of ex
citement-his ears laid fat back Heis 20(
feet ahead Of everything, a d we wave ouI
hats and cheer him as be passes US.
Roll Tumblel Foam Crashl The waters
are Uttered with trunk and branch and
bush. The noise is deafening The power
is 50 great that the mountain is shaken. VIZ
Gluten the bushes at our SIDE and hold oul
breath as the wave strikes.
|