The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16
STRANGE RIrERS or THE P1orFic.
Streams OF Stones That Flow Down nud Of
Sand That Flow Upward.

Streams OF Stones That Flow Down aud of
Sand That Flow Upward.
AVALON. Cal. July 1O--"Almost every one
thinks that perforcs q river must be OF water"
said man on the little car that winds IN
Mount Lowe. In tho Sierra Madres, but IL Ia
by no means necessary. As IN example look
at this' and the speaker pointed up the steep
slope OF the mountain as the car passed the
curve. Reaching from the track. which. in
deed. had crossed it, was a mass Of stones, some
larger, some smaller than a walnut that ey-
tended upward as far as the eve could see.
The grade was very steep. and to all ntents
and purposes river of stone was impercep-
tibly flowing down.
Its perfect river Of rock" continued the
passenger. Some peculiar atmospheric effect
Is continually wearing it away or break ting II
out so that IL crumbles and gradually rolls
down In well-defned shape-a yeritaLle
stream gradually making its way n to the canon
bottom. just such river was discovered by
Agasslz In Patagonia when lie landed there
from the Blake. though in this case the So
called river was Of great size and the rocks all
largo and moving In given direction with
irresistible force
In a few quarters OF the globe similar
rivers can be seen and nowhere are they
moro Interesting than on the Pacific coast.
The site OF the city Of San Francisco is the bed
OF an interesting sand river that even to-day is
flowing in from the Pacific toward the city.
IL an excavation is made In the heart OF San
Francisco to-day beneath the pavements Of
the streets will be found vast deposit OF sand.
and this can be traced from the bay to the
sea. about six miles. forming a we'll defined
stream. The city has covered up much Of
1t. but out near the park the strange
waves of the sand river are seen in
mounds, ledLA and dunes CnrypI int curiOua
Shapes by the wind. and ny watching these
during the prevalence of the almost constant
trade wind the passage OF this river OF sand
can be observed Over the surface constant
flow Of sand is ever moving on to the east.
the tiade wind Hundreds Of years ago il
bSgan Blowing the light sand from the sea-
stream, until il reached the bay 81 san Fran;
sg0 t nys s5 mes 3, aWay Kan Tbs river e. sa"a
Sand ri vers Of remarkable size and interest
can be observed on the island OF san C!emente.
island on the west slope appears 10 be covered
with glaciers that All the deep canons. which at
are OF sand, and instead Of flowing down they
flow upward d., Some are eyident!y 100 feet in
hat ever sq reachns p up S MINI Sq The
island. or portions of it,. with devastation.
somS q th f rivers are So inGrgsted that they
being covered with snail shells in such num-
hsrs thql theY IAN be SCORED ~, 10y huudr"ts.
buried in the sand. which gradually blows
away. leaving tn" shells in relief.
That these sand rivers have been here for
ages is evident from the remains found OF the
ancient inhabitants of the island. In one spot
what had apparently been q battlefield APP
pearcu. twoscore or more skeletons being
piled together in confusion. Skulls were
crushed and broken and leg bones fractured.
Some OF the bodies lay OH their faces: others
were doubled up, as though after hattie they
had been hurredly covered with sand. In the
river bad were found many curious impe-
m"nts. mortars Of stone and ornaments OF the
prarly hallOtiS. the writer found shell
flied with beads near a skull. and by one
skeleton, buried in a sitting position. were two
flutes made from tho bones OF q deer. each in
laid with pearl that had been selected for its
beauty.
In walking over the surface OF ono sand river
the writer suddenly found himself on the edge
OF a remarkable pit or depression 100 or more
feet deep and rerhaps 100 feot across The
sides were OF pure gray sand. carved 10y the
wind 30 perfectly that the surface was smooth
as though polished. 1t was a nit or cone ho-
lowed out BY the wind and at the very bottom
was small bare place and tree showing how
deep the sand deposit was. The pit was al an
angle Of perhaps sixty degrees. and by Jump
ing from the edge one would slide the thirty or
forty feet and find it dihlcuIt to make thu return
In the sliding sand. Near here several smaller
pits were found. illustrating the peculiar power
OF the wind.