Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-06-22
MAJESTIC SCENERY.
CURIOUS ROCK FORMATIONS ON THE
COLUMBIA RIVER.
The Pillars of Hercules, Two Pictur-
esque Basaltic Columns, Rise From
the Oregon Side of the Stream.
Towering Mountain Peaks.

.
esaue Basaltic Columns, Rise From
the Oregon Side of the Stream.
Towering Mountain Peaks.
The person who gave the name Pill
lars of Hercules to two picturesque
basaltic columns rising from the edge
of the Columbia river, in the Cascade
range, on the Oregon side of the river,
chose name that was peculiarly APP.
proprlate. One of the interesting nuts
which the biologists In this country
have had to crack has been when and
how the majestic Columbia burst
through the basaltic Cascade range and
found Its way to the foaming margin
of the Northern Pacific ocean. Who
knows If the mighty Hercules--who,
according to the ancient Greeks, when
returning from the western kingdom
of Geryon tore asunder the European
and African continents In order that
the waters of the Atlantic and the
Mediterranean might mingle-did not
go beyond Erythia, Geryon's island
kingdom, and perform like service
for the Columbia river? 1t certainly
would have been feat worthy Of his
prowcss. The Columbia river, after
pursuing its placid way across the arid
wastes of land on the eastern side of
the Cascade range for nearly 200 miles
approaches the stately row of noun
IL, nlya ,yI, hot m
the towering peaks, Mounts Hood and
Adams. After descending In boiling
cascade, from which ii Is said that the
range of peaks derives its name, the
Columbia, or, as 1t has often been call
ed, the Oregon, rolls between ever
erected by the turbulent sea across its
mouth
One with a good strong arm could
throw q stone across the river at the
point where 1t enters the portals Of
the mountains. Literally the river has
turned itself on edge In order to
squeeze through Some distance be-
low this point the river pours over a
succession Of rugged lodges; then 1t
smilingly passes on its way to the sea.
The scenery In this cut through the
mountains Is thought by some to rival
I'm sublimIty that to be found any
where In the world. Pinnacles of vol
canlc rock tower toward the heavens.
On them have lodged seeds carried
thther by the wind or birds. From
these seeds trees have terminated.
These cling to the rocks with remark
able tenacity, and some of them, one
would think, have precarlons living.
| On the very summit OF one OF these
Pillars Of Hercules single repre-
sentative Of the evergreen trees which
abound on the western slope or the
| Cascades elevates its foliage with al
the impudent audacity and farcica
diminutiveness Of u clowns stoyepipt
hat. There II stands as securely fas
tened and its foliage as rakishly in
clined as the hat on the clowns brow
What depth Of soil II has In which to
plant its roots doubtless not many
know, for the ascent Of the column has
probably been accomplished by few. II
is said that In the early days OF com
merce on the Columbia, when sailing
ships plowed their way up the stream
into the heart of the country, the yard
arms would often become entangled IL
the branches Of the trees which over
hung the water. To the sailors aftel
their long sojourn at sea 1t was ike
entering paradise. Beautiful water
falls add to the charm Of the scene
They come pouring AS If from the SKY
over precipices 800 feet high and, hid
den in mist, plunge into the serene
bosom Of the great river.
There are number Of other striking
formations of basaltic columns besides
the Pillars Of Hercules. There are bat
tlemented castles, rounded domes anC
a thousand rocks Of other fantasti'
shapes. One group Of pinnacles, dowr
which numerous small streams descend
Is called Cape Horn. Dominating TIT
scene everywhere through this regioi
are the two extinct volcanoes, snow
capped wardcrs Of the pass, Mount Ad
ans on the north and Mount Hood OF
the south.
The Indians have a legend as to tn
origin Of the distractions to Navigation
which form the cascades. They say ina
the two earth giants, the mountains
Jealous Of each others power. ono
auarreled furiously. They belched fort
fire and smoke and hurled great stone
at each other. Some Of these stone
passed across the river, while man.
others fell into the stream. In the fier
conflict roof Of rock which spanne'
the river was broken into fragments
The lodging of all these fragments ant
stones in the stream created the cas-
cadeS.
The white man has several theories
One is that the ledge Of solid rock owe
which the current sweeps was deposit
ed by great rocksllde down the side
OF the gorge. These mountain sides ar
wildernesses OF broken crags extendin
to the SUBMITS, 5000 feet high. tn
ledge Is crowned with large bowlder
so great that the MASSEY body OF waite
cannot move them.-New York Trit
une.