The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-07-03
OLD BIT OF LAND
SUBMITS of Siskiyou Mountains
Above Water Ages Ago.
Border Guardians Between California
and Oregon Were Growing Forests
When Most of Europe
Was Sea.

According to geologis;s the SUBMITS
of the SiSkiyOu mountains, the border
guardians between California and Ore
gon, constitute one of the oldest bits of
land in the world. They were, assert
the scientists, growing a forest when
the greater part of Europe was still
beneath the water. They were the
hillocks of low fiat island hundred
miles in length when the Pacific ocean
reached eastward to the Rocky noun
tainS. Gigantic SaurianS baSked in the
shade of the islands trees, and the
leviathan of the Scriptures SWAMI about
It's shores. Finally the Pacific slope
emerged from the ocean and the island
became the backbone Of a mountain
range. Siskiyou tunnel, at an eleva-
ton of 1900 feet, extends through a
solid bank of ocean shells, and for its
length of 300 feet follows the shore
line of the ancient island, as indicated
by the sandstone which once formed
lts beach.
1.-TWO miles east of Siskiyou tunnel"
/ says a writer in THE Sacred SUBMITS
| Of the SiSkiyou," "Pilot rock rises
| from the very vertebrate of the barrier
| TO lift its sheer walls COO feet in the
! air. Pilot rock is chimney that
burned out in a hotter fire than was
/ ever known by man. 1t was one of the
Iiues through which the molten lava
snoutcd TO form the range. So terrific
VAS the outburst that it left the
strange, Enthusiastically shaped chimney
standing there against the sky. 1t was
% come into use, in the due procession
IF events, as one of the great signal
overs of the western wilderness, to-
ward which, on a hazeless day, the red
hunters and warriors for a hundred
niles around would turn a watchful
aye. Besides the rock was the meet
ng place of chiefs. They called it Sis
li-you. meaning the council ground
The result of their deliberations was
!. made known from this chimney top.
The Indians used a finger of black
umoke by day and a tongue of red
: lame by night When the chief OF
he Shastas died, the word was flashed
J rom the mountain that bore the tribal
, lame, was repeated from Pilot rock
md presently the Indians of the Nc.
: 4oughlin peak region, far to the north
: we're making mourning signs.
when gold was discovered around
/, Greka, in northern California, the set
, lers of the Mazamas country in Ore
E yon wished TO join the rush. but knew
t 40 southwark trail. 1t was then that {
D .hieftain, whose daughter had beer
brought back to health, led his whit,
oenefactors to a peak and pointed
across so miles of shimmering vale!
and hill to Pilot rock. BY the RICH
: side leads an easy TRAIL the wrinklet
cader said His friends We're instant
Y on their way and they had picked VI
fortunes at Yreka before their neigh
:. DOrs of the Mazamas could break thei
way through a tangled waste in whicl
hey could find no single sign of
: ,oad.
I'm the days of warfare with tn
native tribes the whites came to know
. md dread the almost incredible power
: IF Pilot rock. As often as q punitiv
expedition approached the barrie
:, .ange, the whites We're spied by shar
: ayes the warning was kindled uno
: he rock. and the faithful SentrieS ha
= vanished before the enraged soldier
)" ,ould struggle up TO the red tower an
Iuench the signal flames. Throughor
~ he Modoc wars runners brought FRI
luent word 10 the renegade Capital
: Jack from this clearing house of III
Ia lews. No wonder the Indians lighte
- all the peaks around with altar fire
~ and called them by name whiC
le meant the Sacred SUBMITS of the ST
Siyous!
"Galla2t General Candy knew ar
hated Pilot rock General Fremont
lg said to have included it in his explor
as tons and in his plans. Often Joaqu
k Miller sought the place for inspiratit
FL and fingered until there burst fro
h his lips some new song of the twin Ell
sh pires that unrolled below his eyes.
v: host of pilgrims of the adventure trs
e. have halted there 70 rest, and to av;
xe themselves of the far-reaching oil
IL look from this vaItage point