, 1891-01-22
WORK OF A C%LOUDBURST
THE COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION
OF A LOVELY VALLEY.

In fifteen Minutes the Scene Changed
from Paradise to DssoIation-wnd Race
of Animals Before = wall of Rushing.
FoamInE Water.
Here, between the fir covered sides of
the parallel ranges of mountains, is a
valley half a mile wide AMI ten miles
long, its upper end beginning far up in
the grim hills. 1t winds about like a
river, and here and there it is crossed by
a creek which seems a thread of silver
trailing along the green grass.
A carpet Of grass aud fi0wers-here
n there a grove-birds flying up and
down-a warm and gentle sun pouring
down from out of a clear June sky. AS
we look down upon this valley we are
reminded of paradise. Never a scene on
earth more peaceful, OnS swinging in
q hammock under one of those green
trees beside the brook would find him
self as near to the peace and quietness
Of heaven as any spot on earth affords.
There is a herd of buffaloes grazing
afar up the valley. There are deer in
the groves. Three or four wild horses
are standing in h brook, while Others
are lying on h grass a few yards away.
Hares scamper to and fro in playful
mood, and there is nothing to brighten
the most timid. The peaceful influence
is so powerful that we hush our voices
as We look down.
In some awful CONFUSION of nature
these grim mountains were heaved up
from the bowels of the earth-grim,
sterile, Observation-Disclosures of a mighty
conflict of elements. At the same time
nature created this valley as an Offset.
On the mountain are d~esolation and de-
spair; here are beauty and contentment.
Look therei7
THE BLACK CLOUD APPROACHING.
Away up among the dark hills we see
a black cloud rising up into the clear
skies. But for its blacBness one might
believe it a signal smoke made by the
Indians. 1t is a cloud trying t o lift it.
self over the mountain from the east
side. 1t began forming fifty miles away,
and it has travelled slowly and followed
the windings of rivers and creeks, and
exacted tribute from ponds 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.
The cloud lifts itself up and up, and in
its struggles it sways like balloon. As
it mean the mountains the vapors are
condensed and become heavier, and as
the weight increases the struggle be-
comes fiercer. There is no byplay Of
thunder and lightning; only a black
menacing cloud fighting itself.
Upl Upl Upl
Ali Heaven help themi There is
nothing but animal life in the valley so
far as we can see, but every on-looker
utters a groan of despair as he sees the
cloud suddenly fall out of sight behind
the peaks. What does that signify? 1t
means that the cloud could not lift itself
high enough to clear the mountain, and
that when its lower edge hit hat tall
peak on a line with us there came a
cloudburst. The tons of water held in
that big cloud fell TO earth with a force
you can scarcely conceive. Trees were
made into matchwood. Rocks weighing
n thousand tons were whirled about.
Bowlders which a hundred horses could
not pull from their beds were sent flying
down the mountain side like marbles.
Every handful of earth, every tree, shrub,
vine, flower, every stone, rock, and
bowlder which could nave been moved
only by the blast Of a hundred pounds of
powder is swept in one awful avalanche
into the mouth of the Valley
We hear the crash. We feel the
mountain culver under us. We are
warned of what is coming. Every liv-
ing thing below us has heard the crash
and felt the culver. Instinct tells them
what has happened and warns them to
flee. In ten seconds every living thing
in sight in the valley is rushing down its
length. Here and there a deer turns to
the right or left and finds a place where
he can ascend, and a big wolf scrambles
up the almost perpendicular bank at our
feet, and there lies crouching and whin-
ing in terror.