The Dickinson press., 1891-02-28
WORK OF A %LOUDBURST

WORK Of A CLOUDBURST
THE COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION
OF A LOVELY VALLEY.
In Fifteen Minutes the Scene Changed
from Paradise to Desolation-Wild Race
of Animals Before a Wall of Rushing.
Foaming 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 u
river, and here and there it is crossed by
q creek which seems a thread of silver
trailing along the green grass.
A carpet of grass and howers-here
and there a grove-birds flying up and
down-a warm and gentle SUI pouring
down from out of IL clear June sky. AS
we look down upon this valley we are
reminded of paradise. Never Il scene on
earth more peaceful. One swinging in
a hammock under one of those green
trees beside the brook would find him
self rs near to the peace and %quietness
of heaven as any spot Oil earth affords.
There is a herd of buffalocs grazing
affair up the valley. There are deer i'll
the groves. Three or four wild horses
are standing in the brook, while others
are lying on the grass Il 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 tho mountain are desolation and de-
spair: here are beauty and contentment.
Look there!"
1dB BLACK CLOUD APPROACHING.
Away up among the dark hills We SEQ
ahhA& cloud rising up into the clear
skies. But for it's blaclness one might
believe it n signal smoke made by the
Indians. 1t is a cloud trying to lift it.
self over tho mountain from tho 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 it's first formation.
The cloud lifts itself up and up, and in
its struggles it sways Ikea balloon. AS
it ne;trs the mountains the vapors are
condensed and become heavier, and rs
the weight increases tho struggle be-
comes %fierccr. There is no byplay of
thunder and lightning; only a black
mcnacing cloud fighting itself.
Up! Up! Up!
All! Heaven help them! There is
nothing but animal life in tho valley so
far as we can sec, but every on-looker
utters a groan of despair as he sees tho
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 that tall
peak on a line with us there came a
cloudburst. The tons of water held i'll
that big cloud fell to earth with a force
you can scarcely conceive. Trees were
made into matchwood. Rocks weighing
Il thousand tons were whirled about.
Bowlders which Il 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 have been moved
only by the blast of q 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 tc
the right or left and finds a place where
he can ascend, and a big wolf scrambles
up the almost perpendicular bank at oul
feet, and there lies crouching and whin.
ing in terror.
A WILD RUSH FOR LIFE.
Look up the valley. No man viii
ever see such a sight twice in his life
time. There is a wall across the vale,
"a wall Of roaring, tumbling, seething
foaming waters. Its height is eight OF
ten feet and its speed is that of a rail
road train. The buffaloes were the fur
thest up the valley. Watch them com
ing. The herd numbers about fifty, an'
every animal runs for his life. Nov
buffalo, deer, wolf, horse and hare ar
coming in a wild mob, and close benin
them that foam crested wave of deatl
AS it reaches the trees they melt away
AS it tears along the sides of the vale
great rocks are loosened and carrie
along.
The rush is led by a sorrel horse-h
new coat shining like velvet-his eye
full of excitement-his ears laid fl;
back. He is 200 feet ahead of ever,
thing, and we wave our hats and chez
him as he passes us.
Rolll Tumble! Foam! Crash! III
waters are Uttered with trunk and brane
and bush. The noise is deafening. II
power is so great that the mountain
shaken. We clutch the bushes at o.
side and hold our breath as the wa
strikes.
y
1t is over. Looking up the valley ,
see-what? Never q blade of grass