Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-15

ders from one side of the valley to the
other. 1t washes the base of the towering
palisades first on the right and then on the
left. 1t maintains close relationship with
a cliff fer half a dozen miles. Then II
suddenly crosses through the bottom lands
and hugs the opposite frowning mass.
On a bright day a stretch of the winding
river seen from the summit of the palisades
shimmers like well-polished silver. White
aptly describes the appearance A nearby
view from the banks reveals a degree of
purity which is not equaled by any other
western river. The contrast of comparison
with the streams which flow through allu-
vial country Is striking. White river has Its
origin in mountain springs. Numberiess
underground channels in the limestone
strata help to swell the volume. Tributa-
rieS vary from tiny rivuets starting high
up on the benches of the mountains to pow
erfui streams which gush forth with roar
Twenty miles below Forsyth, beside the
White is McGin spring. which pours out
from the face of the Cliff body OF water
strong enough to run large mill 1t is
type of hundreds, while the smaller and
unnamed springs can only be enumerated
by tens of thousands. The Buffalo, the
Crooked and the North Fork in like man.
ner grow from the springs along their
courses, and add to the White their con-
tributions of the same, Nclear sparkling
water
Only when heavy rainfall occurs in the
watershed of the White does the water lose
it's distinctive character. Even then, while
the rocky surface sends to the river con-
siderable portion of the rainfall stained by
the vegetation and the SOIL the greater part
sinks into underground reservoirs and
courses. and, slowly filtering and settling,
reaches the river through the springs,
which defy the longest drouth periods.
White river booms for few days with
mighty flow after protracted rains A for
ty-foot rise is not extraordinary in the con-
tracted parts of the valley. The water as
sumes a dirty whitish look. But the flood
subsidies quickly, the current clarifies even
more rapidly and the river runs steadily
during the dry season. 1t is not want of
water which causes the unnavigable stage.
of long levels and of short rapids. If the
current was evenly distributed there would
be depth enough for the lght-draught
stern-wheelers all the year.
Many years ago Forsyth was reached by
steamboats, on White river. The bold navi-
gators pushed their sternwheeiers to the
foot of the rapids Then they sent the
roustabouts clambering over rocks and
full length. The upper end was strongly
fastened to stand the strain. The boat end
of the hawser was wound around the cap
stan With the paddle wheels driven by
every pound of pressure available and with
the donkey engine winding in the towline
the boat dragged and pushed itself I'D foot
by foot through the foaming rapids. After
the passage was made long reach of
smooth, deep water made easy progress for
perhaps twenty, perhaps fifty miles, In this
way Forsyth WIS reached. And when the
boat. loaded to the guards with lead and
cotton and hogs and the various products
of the White river country, turned prov
down stream, there was little to do but to
trust to Providence and the nerve of the
man behind the pilot wheel The current
did the rest.
One day. in a spirit Of daring, Capt. Bate
man said he was going to take the Mary C.