Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-05-25
MAJESTIC SCENERY.
CURIOUS ROCK FORMATIONS ON THE
COLUMBIA RIVER.

The Pillars of Hercules, Two Pictur-
esque BasaItic 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
basatic columns rising from the edge
Of the Columbia river, in the Cascade
range. on the Oregon side of the river,
chose a name that was peculiarly ap-
propriate. 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 Ghe ancient Greeks. when
returning from the western kingdom
Of Geryon tore asunder the European
and African continents tn order that
the waters OF the Atlantic and the
Mediterranean might mingle-did not
20 beyond Erythia, GeryonS lslanu
kingdom, and perform like service
for the Columbia river? 1t certainly
would have been q feat worthy OF his
prowess. 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
tain peaks and pushes through between
the towering peaks, Mounts Hood and
Adams. After descending in a boiling
Cascade, from which 1t is said that the
range Of peaks derives its name, the
Columbia, or, rs 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 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
succession Of rugged lodges; then IL
smilingly passes on its way 10 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
canio 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 remark
able tenacity, and some of them, one
MOULD think. have precarious living.
On the VeEY summit of one of these
| Pillars Of Hercules a single repre-
sentative Of the evergreen trees which
Aboufd on the western slope OF the
Cascades elevates It's foliage with all
ha impudent audacity and farcical
dtuifptiveness of clowns stovepipe
haA There it stands as securely fas-
| tensd and its foliage as rakishly In
mined as the hat on the clowns brow.
| What depth of soil II has IN which to
| olant its roots doubtless not many
know. for the ascent Of the column has
b4obably been accomplished by few. 1t
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 couRIy, the ysro-
arms would often beoouetentangled IN
| the branches Of the trees which over
hung the mater. To the sailors after
their lopd sojourn at sea 1t was Ike
entering paradise. Beautiful water
falls add to the charm of the scene.
They come pouring as II from the sky
over precipices 800 feet high and, hid
den in mist, plunge into the serene
bosom Of the great river.
There are q number of other striking
| formations Of basaltic columns besides
| the Pillars OF Hercules. There are bat
tlemented castles, rounded domes and
thousand rocks Of other fantastic
shapes, one group Of pinnacles down
which n6tuerous small streams descend
is called caps Horn. Dominating the
| scene everywhere through this region
| are the two extinct volcanoes, snow
capped YJders Of the pass Mount Ad-
ans on the north and Mount Hood on
the south.
The Indians hays a legend as. to the
| In and Ont.
| A prominent physician in Baltimore
recently, Dsspetrated a witticism at his
own expense. It was late at night
The doctor had lost his night key; the
door wssSttJked, and the more he rang
the nfshfsbeu the more the suspicion
| Qrew In Ms mind that some one had
| Chloroformed tho entire household
Finally. however his /. sister Yes
aroused by a long ring or the BEN
Naturally she thought that there was
some one Mt the door who wished to
see the doctor and that, as the doctor
was out, she would herself have ia
answer the summons, else the caller
would keep her awake for a long time
/ So. hastily throwing a loose gown over
her nightdress. she hurried TO the door
Opening the door the least bit, in order
not to present her dishabille TO an In
truding eye, she shouted through the
crack in a tone Of sleepy impatience
The doctors out" and was about tc
close the door when tho, physician
thrust one foot through, at the same
time exclaiminR.
Eyes, | know the doctors oct, but h'
wants to get -Harper'ss ssW eekly
FROM A WIPES DIARY.
A word to the wise IS resented.
Many are called, but few get up.