The Dickinson press., 1905-07-08
MAJESTIC SCENERY.
CURIOUS ROCK FORMATIONS ON THE
COLUMBIA RIVER.

The Pillars of Hercules, Two pictur-
esQue Basnltic 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 a nam that was peculiarly 40.
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 the ancient Greeks, when
returning from the western kingdom
Of Geryon o 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 q like service
for the Columbia river? It certainly
would have been a feat worthy Of his
prowess. The Columbia river, after
pursuing it's placid way across the arid
wastes Of land Oh 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 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 it's
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 Oh edge in order to
squeeze through. Some distance be-
low this point the river pours over a
succession Of rugged lodges; then it
oAAAAAA6AN pktooCo OA ITO way " Liz SCds
The scenery in this cut through the
mountains is thought by some to rival
in sublimity that to be found my
where In the world. Pinnacles Of vol
canic rock tower toward the heavens.
On them have lodged seeds carried
thither by the wind or birds. From
these seeds trees have germinated.
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 a single repre-
sentative Of the evergreen trees which
abound Oh the western slope of the
Cascades elevates it's foliage with all
the impudent audacity and farcical
diminutiyeness Of Il clowns stovepipe
hat. There it stands as securely fas-
tened and its foliage as rakishly in
clined as the hat on the clowns brow.
What depth Of soil it has in which to
plant its roots doubtless not many
know, for the ascent Of the column has
probably bccn accomplished by few. It
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 in
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 the sky
over preciplces 500 feet high and, hid
den in mist, plunge into the serene
bosom Of the great river.
There are a number Of other striking
formations OF basaltic columns besides
the Pillars of Hercules. There are bat
tlemented castles, rounded domes and
a thousand rocks Of other fantastic
shapes. One group Of %pinnacles, down
which numerous small stream descend,
Is called Cape Horn. Dominating the
scene everywhere through this region
are the two extinct volcanoes, snow
capped warders Of the pass, Mount Ad-
ans on the north and Mount Hood on
the south.
The Indians have q 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
quarreled f%uriously. They belched forth
fire and smoke and hurled great stones
ut each other. Some Of these stones
passed across the river, while many
others fell into the stream. In the fiery
conflict a roof Of rock which spannel
the river was broken into fragments.
The lodging Of all these fragments and
stones in the stream created the cas-
cades.
The white mai has several theories.
One is that the ledge Of solid rock over
which the current sweeps was deposit
ed by a great rockslide down the sides
Of the gorge. These mountain sides are
wildernesses Of broken crags extending
to the submits, 5000 feet high. The
ledge Is crowned with large powders
80 great that the massy body Of water
cannot move them.-New York Trib-
une.
Old mems eyes are like old mems
memories-they are strongest for things
49, 80 IffNt