The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-08-05

, stteams cipssed II, and lengthwis
through II flowed the mighty Snake.
the forest primeval and over the vcrdul
| clad plains roamed the mastadon, ii
mammoth, the camel queer kind {
horse and many other kinds of pre-
historic animals, We know all this
be true BY reason OF the discovery {
the remains OF these extinct animal
| in the recent excvations made at Men
idoka Rapids.
| A great catastrophe overwhelmed TIL
| valley. On seven different ocmsion
the lofty Tetons, which frome its east
ern boundary, and which were thel
active volcanoes, erupted and pourc'
forth sea of lava which swept down
ward and eastward, covering the beau
tiful valley with blanket Of fiery liqui,
more than 500 feet thick. In the clata
clasm ali the teeming life was annihi
ated. The rivers were burned up ant
their channels obliterated.
The Snake river cut its way through
the lava sheet, carving for itself one Of
the most wonderful canyons in the West
other streams from the south persisted
and finally joined the parent stream. On
the north the rivers encountered the wal
OF lava, but did not cut through 1t. II
is striking photographic feature oI
the valley that for hundreds of mile.
not river crosses il from the north.
Among the streams which flow south
ward from the range OF snow capped
mountains ON the northern edge of the
valley two are especially interesting
the Big and little Lost rivers. In that
long ago before the mountains belehed
forth fire these rivers formed an i'm.
portant tributary to the Snake, but
the channel was obliterated by success.
sive layers OF lava which flowed over IT,
Today the floods OF these rivers flow
for a short distance on the surface Of
the plain and then disappear in iissures.
creyices, or in the softer and looser
formations. Both are truly lost rivers,
II Is more than a hundred miles from
where they lose themselves in the lava
to the canyon OF Snake River. Yet 1t is
believed that a part of the waters Of
these rivers, passing through subterra-
mean channels hundreds OF feet below
the surface, finally reach their former
conhuent. Shepherds and herdsmen who
Craze their flocks and herds in winter
on this broad plain have long insisted
that several places where there were
yawning chasms in the lava the rushing
waters could be heard distinctly.
Further evidence OF the soundness OF
this theory is found in the huge springs
which break out along the northern walls
of Snake Canyon. One group OF these
near the head OF Hagerman Valley, is
the most remarkable in the world. They
are known as Thousand Springs. 1t Is
as difficult to describe them as IL is 70
find words with which to portray
Niagara.
Conceive, II you can, more than half
a mile Of precipitous canyon. with black
and frowning face nearly 500 feet high.
Then imagine thousand geysers gush.
ing forth under tremendous pressure
the water, white with foam, describing
a perfect parabola and then falling sheer
200 feet, to be dashed into spray on the
rocks below. The roar Of all these cata-
racts is deafening In the spray which
rises the bright sun paints innumerable
rainbows of Undesirable coloring AMI
beauty.
More than 100000 gallons of water
pours out of fountains every minute in
the year. You can travel for ten miles
down the canyon and never be out of
sight of dozen waterfalls.
More than half the normal flow OF the
river at this point is supplied by these
springs, which have their source prob
ably hundreds of miles to the north,
and which are drawn from some UNDER
ground reservoir beneath the treeless
plain.