The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1905-03-25
MAJESTIC SCENERY.
CURIOUS ROCK FORMATIONS ON THE
COLUMBIA RIVER.

COLUMBIA RIVER.
The Pillars of Hercules, Two Pictur-
enque Basnltic Columns, Rise From
the Oregon Side IF 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 tie Oregon side Of the river,
i-J;e u name that was peculiarly ap-
Iropriate. One Of the interesting nuts
switch the biologists in this country
have had to crack has been when and
how the majestic Columbia burst
through the basaltic Cascade range and
founu Its way to the foaming margin
Of the Northern Pacific ocean. Who
knows if the migAty Hercules-who,
acror ing 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
50 beyond Erythia, Geryon's island
Kingdom, and perform IL like service
for the Columbia river? 1t certainly
would have been a feat worthy of his
prowess. The Columbia river, after
pursuing its placid way across the arid
Nv ~ 90 l,,,J ~, %Jn No,knr,, c;Io ~
the Cascade range for nearly 200 miles,
approaches the stately row Of noun
tain peaks and pushes through between
the towering peaks, Mounts Hood and
Adams. After descending in a boiling
Cascade, from which it is said that the
range Of peaks derives its name, the
Columbia, or, as it has often been call
ed, the Oregon. rolls between ever
widening banks to the white bulwark
erected by the turbulent sea across its
mouth.
One with a good strong arm could
throw a stone across the river at the
point where it 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 " a
succession Of rugged lodges; then it
smilingly passes on its way to the sea.
The scenery in this cut through the
mountains is thought by some to rival
in sublimity that to be found any
where in the world. Pinnacles Of vol
canic rock tower toward the heavens.
On them have lodged seeds carried
thlther by the wind or birds. From
these seeds trees have terminated.
These cling to the rocks with a remark
able ~tenacity, and some Of them, one
would think, have a precarious living.
On the very summit of one of these
Pillars Of Hercules q single repre-
sentative of the evergreen trees which
abound on the western slope Of the
Cascades %elevates its foliage with all
the impudent audacity and farcical
diminutiveness of a clowns stovepipe
hat. There it stands as securely fas-
tened and it's foliage as ralkishly in
clined as the hat on the clowns brow.
What depth of soil it has in which to
plant it's roots doubtless not many
know, for the ascent Of the column has
probably been accomplished by few. 1t
il said that in the early days Of com
mercc Oh the Columbia, when sailing
ships plowed their way up the stream
into the heart Of the country, the yard
arms would often become entangled III
the branches Of the trees which over
hung the water. To the sailors after
their long sojourn at sea it was like
entering paradise. Beautiful water
falls add to the charm Of the scene.
They come pouring as If from b sky
over preclpiccs 500 feet high and, hid
Aeu in mist. plunge into the serene
bosom Of the great river.
There are Il number of other striking
formations of basaltic columns besides
the Pillars of Hercules. There are bat
uemented castles. rounded domes n
4 thousand rocks Of other fantastic
shapes. One group of %pinnacles, down
which numerous small streams descend.
dh called Cape Horn. Dominating the
SCENE every where through, this region
are the two extinct volcanoes, snow
capped warders of the pass, Mount ADJ
AIMS OH the north and Mount Hood on
the south. ..
Tie Indians have Il legend as to the
origin Of the distractions to navigation
Which form the cascades. They say that
the two earth giants, the mountains.
jealous Of each others power. once
4aarreied furiously. They beiched forth
ire and smoke and hurled great stones
at each other. Some OF these stones
ssassed across tue. river. while many
others fell into the stream. In the fiery
conflict Il roof of rock which spanned
he river was broken into fragments.
The lodging Of all these fragments and
stones in the stream created the cas-
eadcS.
The white man has several theories.
One il that the ledge Of solid rock over
which the current sweeps was deposit
al 10y a great rockslidc down the sides
sf the gorge. These mountain sides are
jwi1dernesses Of broken crags extending
ito tho submits, 1900 feet high. The
ledge IL crowned with large bowlders
so great that the massy body of water