The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-09-14
A SUBMERGED FOREST.

Many years ago, even so far back that
the traditions of the oldest Siwash extend
not thelet there was some vast upheaval
OF mother earth on the shores of Lake
Samamish that sent portion of the big
Newcastle hills sliding down into the lake
with its tall evergreen forest intact, and
there it is to this day. About this time OF
the year the waters Of the lake are at their
lowest, and then the tops of the talest of
these big submerged trees are out of the
water but never more than ten or twelve
inches
Unfortunately for the curiosity seeker
and travelling public generally the sub
merged forest is on the opposite side OF the
lake from the railroad and the station of
Morohon, and very few people ever see the
phenomenon unless they take the time and
pains necessary to reach it,
Sam Coomhs, the pioneer, has just been
oven to view the submerged forest, and he
is very enthusiastic concerning its beauties
and mystery. lie talks Chinook huently
but with all his quiHzcling of the red-skin-
ned inhabitants he has never learned any
thing that will throw any light on the
forest under water. The waters of the
lake are very deep, and the bluffs back OF
the beach very treacherous, SO that the
only explanation of the freak is that either
by an earthquake or some other means n
great slide had been started in early times
and it went down rs a mass until it found
| Judgement ut the bottom of the lake. At
this time one can see down in the CLASSY.
mirror like depths OF the lake for thirty
feet or more. Near the banks the forest
trees are interlaced at various angles and
in confusion, but further ont in the deep
water they stand straight, erect and limb
less and barkless 100 feet tall They are
not petriiied in the sense of being turned to
stone, but they are preserved and appear
to have stood there for ages. They are
three feet through, some of them, and so
firm in texture as to be scarcely affected by
knife blade. The great slide extended
/
dangerous piece of work for steamer to
attempt passage over the tops of those tall
trees. Even now the water along shore is
very deep, and 4 ten foot pole would sink
perpendicularly ten feet from the shore
line
All over this country are found strata of
blue clay, which in the winter season are
very treacherous and given the least bit of
opportunity will slide away, carrying
everything above with them. This is the
theory of the submerged forest of lake
Samamish 1t probably was growing
above one of these blue earth strata, and
heavy rams or probably an earthquake set
it moving. The quantity OF earth carried
down was so great that the positions of
little affected. 1t is hardly to be believed
that the earth suddny sank down at this
point and became portion of the beautiful
lake.
Few such places exist. There is place
in the famous Tumwater Canyon, on the
line of the Great Northern near Leayen.
worth, which is in some respects similar.
At some early time a portion of the great
mountain side came rushing down and
buried itself at the bottom of the canon.
Now there is a considerable,ake, and in
the centre stand tall, limbless trees, differ
ent in species from those growing along
the canon.
At Green Lake, Georgetown, Col, a lake
which is TO-, 900 feet above sea level, is a
submerged forest of pine trees, some hum
dred feet tall, but not so numerous as in
Lake Samamish. This same theory ex-
plains their presence as given above
Seattle, WASH, Times.