Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-09
MAJESTIC SCENERY.
CURIOUS ROCK FORMATIONS ON THE
COLUMBIA RIVER

lie person VINO gave inc name III
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 q name that WAS peculiarly ap-
propriatc. One of the interesting nuts
which the biologists IN this country
have had TO crack Inns been when and
how the majestic Columbia burst
through the basnltic Cascade range and
found its way 10 the foaming margin
OF the Northern Pacific ocean. Who
knows If the mighty lIcrculcs-who,
according TO the ancient Greeks, when
returning from the western kingdom
Of Gcryon tore aSundcr the Enropeun
and African continents in order that
the waters of the Atlantic and the
Mediterranean might minglc--did not
go beyond Erythia, Gcryons island
kingdom. and perform Il like service
for the Columbia river? 1t certainly
would have been Il 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
tnin peaks and pushes through between
the towering peaks. Mounts Hood and
Adams. After descending in Il boiling
cascade, from which it is said that the
range of peaks derives it's namc, the
Columbia. or, rs it has often been call
cd. the Oregon. rolls between eyer
widening banks to the white bulwark
erected by the turbulent sea across its
mouth
One with q good strong arm could
throw n stone across The river ut the
point where 1t enters the portals of
the mountains. Literally the river has
turned itself OH edge in order TO
squeeze through Some distance be-
low this point the river pours over IL
succession Of rugged lodges; then 1t
sinilingly passes OH its wayto Tie sea.
The scenery in this cut through the
mountains is thought by some TO rival
in sublimity that to he found my
where in the world. plnnaclcs OF vol
cnnic rock tower toward the heavens.
On them have lodged seeds carried
thithcr by the wind or birds! From
these seeds trees have gcrlninatcI.
These cling to the rocks with remark
able tcsincity, and some Of them. ono
would think. have Il procnrious living.
On the very summit of ono OF these
Pillars Of Hercules single repre-
sentative OF the;AShrgreem trees which
abound on the western slope or Tie
Cascades elcvates its foliage with all
the impudcnt audacity and farcical
diminutivcncss of clowns stovcpipc
hat. There it stands as securely fas-
tened and It's foliage rs rallishly in
clined as the I'm ion the clowns brow
,WhatIcptll Of soil 1t has III which TO
plant its 'ropts !. doubtless not. many
know, for the ascent of the column has
probably been accomplished by few. 1t
is said that in the enrly days of COM
mcrce OH the Columbia, when sailing
slips plowcd their way up the stream
into the heart of the country. the yard
arms would often become cntanglcd i'll
the branches OF the trees which over
hung the water. TO the sailors after
their long soiourn at sen it was like
entering paradise: Beautiful water
falls add to the charm OF the scene.
They come pouring rs IL from tho sky
over prccipices 800 feet high and, hid
den in mist. plunge into the serene
bosom OF tho great river.
There are II number Of other striking
formations Of basaltic columns besides
the Pillars Of Hercules. There arc bat
tlemcnted castles, rounded domcs and
n thousand rocks of other fantastic
shapes. One group of pinnaclcs, down
which numerous small streams descend,
Is called Cape Horn. dominating tho
scene everywhere through this region
arc The two extinct volcanoes SHOW
capped wnrdcrs of the pass, Mount Adj
ans on the north aud Mount Hood on
the south.
The Indians have legend as 10 the
origin OF the Instructions 10 navigation
which form The cascades They say that
the two earth giants, the mountains.
jealous Of each others power, once
Iuarreied fnrlously. They belclcd forth
lire and smoke and hurled grcnt stones
ut each other. Some of these stones
passed across the river, while many
Others fell into the stream. In the fiery
conflict roof Of rock which spanncd
Inc river WIS broken into fragments
Tho lodging OF all these fragments and
stones In the stream created the cas-
cadcs.
The white man has several theories.
One Is that the ledge OF solid rock over
which the current sweeps was deposit
cd by great rockslidc down the sides
OF Tic gorge. These mountain sides are
wilderncsscs Of broken crags extending
TO the SUBMITS, 1000 feet high. The
ledge is crowned with large powders
so great that the massy body OF water
cannot move them New York Trib-
une.