The Elbert County tribune., 1906-06-21
.LEGENDOFCAsCADEs
INDIAN TRADITION OF FALL OF
GREAT NATURAL BRIDGE.
Terrible Battle Between Mount Hood
and Mount Adams Brought De-
struction to bridge Of
the Gods"


the Gods"
The cascades in the Columbia river
near the Dalles are a very interesting
subject for the geologist and scientist.
At this point about 100000 cubic
feet of water pass each second of time
during high water and about 4.000,-
900 cubic feet of water at low water
stage in the river. The water rushes
and dashes over great rocks and
through crevices 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 a won
derful waterfall or, as Indian legend
has 1t, an immense natural bridge
Let us follow out the Indian tradi-
lion about the place. says Wilhelmn's
Magazine.
Indian lore has 1t that at this point
there was a natural bridge across the
Columbia and that beneath this i'm
mense natural archway flowed the
rolling river and that the redmen nav
igated this water way in their ca
noes This bridge was covered with
pines and frs and a trail passed over
it leading from bank to bank. The
name of this trail was in the Indian
language "Tomanowas," which means
bridge OF the gods" AS the Indians
have no written language. this history
has been handed down by WORD of
mouth from one generation to another
for hundreds and hundreds of years
until the present day.
An. old Indian who once lived upon
the banks of the Columbia relates that
when he was very young boy his
grandfather called him to a secluded
spot one day and in most impressive
manner told him the legend of the
cascades. Said this aged Indian:
'My grandfather's father said that
when he was a little boy there was
bridge across the river one sleep from
Klickitat ian Indian village near
where the Dalles is now) and that he
sat upon the rocks 200 feet above the
present river and fished in still water
the fish there were plenty"
The Klickitat Indians have the
story among the legends of their
tribe that at one time there was
bridge across the Columbia. An
aged Klickitat once said and main
tanned with all gravity: MY grand
fathers mother padded a canoe under
that bridge; it was dark for a very
long time; she had little tDy 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 now called Mount Hood
and Mount Adams made a terrible
battle. and fought desperately-so des-
perately that the earth shook and
trembled-and in the fight that the
mountains were set afire and 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 and the fire to the In
dians' mind was volcanic action of
these two mountains wherein vai,t
quantities of molten lava were spewed
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 Mosier,
Ore. to the Cascade Locks. which, al
though submerged, still stand as 1t
were like gravestones telling the tale
of 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 at one
time. The detached rocks broken
from the precipitous 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 precipitous banks
tell the story of water levels above
that of the present day. A bridge
across the Columbia of earth, rock
and trees did at one time exist The
time of its existence. however, is about
as possible of determination as the
date of the garden of Eden. Very like.
ly 5000 or 5000 years have elapsed
since men crossed over upon that
natural bridge and as many since 1t
fell in ruins to make an impossible
barrier for navigation, but it did sure
ly exist and the locality of its exist
ence is an interesting and delightful
place to visit