Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-07-04
LEGENDOF CASCADES
INDIAN TRADITION OF FALL OF
GREAT NATURAL BRIDGE
Terrible Battle Between Mount ho0o
and Mount Adams Brought De
stsucnon to Bridge Of
the Gods"


The cascades In the Columbia river
near the Dalles are very interesting
sub,ect for the geologist and scientist.
Al this point about 100000 cubic
feet Of water Pass each second OF time
duriug hlgh water and about 1000
600 cubic feet Of water al low water
fage in the river The water rushes
and dashes over great rocks and
through creyires and forms many
waterfalls and deep. swirling pools
From the topography Of the adjacent
country the scientist judges that at
one time there was here either q won
derful waterfall or. as Indian legend
has II. an immense natural bridge.
Let us follow out the Indian tradi-
ton about the place. says Wilhelmn's
Magazine.
Indian lore has Il that % this point
there was n natural bridge across the
Columbia and that beneath this i'm
mense natural archway flowec the
rolling river and that the re1men nav
igated this water way In their ca
noes This bridge was covered with
pines and FRS and a trail passed over
II leading from bank 10 bank. The
name Of this trail was in the Indian
language ~Tomanowas." which means
bridge OF the gods" As the nCians
have no written language. this history
has been handed down by wore OF
mouth from one generation 10 ano her
for hundreds and hundreds Of yrars
until the present day.
An old Indian who once lived u1on
thc banks Of the Columbia relates that
when he was a very young boy his
grandfather called him 70 secluded
spot one day and In a most Impressive
manner told him the legend Of the
cascades. Said this aged Indian:
My grandiather's father said that
when be was a little boy there was a
bridge across the river one sleep from
Kliekiiat tan Indian village near
where the Dalles Is now and that he
sat upon the rocks 200 feet above the
present river and fshed In still water
the FISH there were plenty
The Kilckitat Indians have the
story among the legends Of their
tribe that az one time there was a
bridge across the Columbia. IN
aged Klickiiat once said and maip-
tanned with all gravity: My grand
fathers mother padded a canoe under
that bridge: II was dark for very
long time: she had little by with
her who was much frightened; this
boy when he grew up often told OF that
great. long. dark. very dark way far
under the ground"
Other Indians tell the story that at
one time many moons ago the great
mountains nov called Mount Hood
and Mount Adams made a terrible
battle and fought desperately-so des-
peTaiely that the earth shook and
trembled-and in the night that the
mountains were set afre and a great
lake which lay In the depression
above the bridge was drained that
the bridge was torn down and the en-
tire character OF the country changed.
This immense battle no doubt was
an earthquake ana the FIRE TO the In
dians' mind was volcanic action az
these two mountains wherein vast
quantities Of molten lava were spewod
out and DESTROYED the forests upon
the bridge with its forest Of trees was
destroyed and the banks OF the river
caved in. which accounts for the MANY
dead tree trunks which strew the river
bed from the little town Of Mosler.
Ore. 10 the Cascade Locks. which. al
though submerged. sim stand as II
we're like gravestones telling the tale
OF a dead and forgotten past.
The two mountains. which are the
pride Of the region. are Of volcanic
origin. The broken mountain range
upon each side Of the river shows
plainly that such a condition could
have and must have existed al one
time The detached rocks broken
from the PERCEPTIONS banks and the
canyon sides upon each side OF the
river bear out this theory. The old
water line marked plainly upon the
rocky sides Of the PERCEPTIONS banks
tell the story Of water levels above
that OF the present day. A bridge
across the Columbia Of earth. rock
and trees did II one time exist. The
time OF it's existence. however. Is about
ss possible Of determination as the
date Of the garden OF Eden. Very like
" 5000 OF GOO years have elapsed
since men crossed over upon that
natural bridge and as many since II
fell in ruins to make an impossible
barrier for navigation but il did sure
" exist and the locality OF its exist
ence is an interesting and delightful
place 10 visit
E.sa...I-- mi,