White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-09-24

oIuy OuIAAS PcIlOOS VI uldGIIlS ana
rearing young that pocket gophers
mingle. says the Bureau of Biological
Survey. Two pocket gophers placed to-
gether in a cage are likely to fight
furiously, and one of them may kill
the other.
rent and drifted for several hours, with
not very clear idea about what we
were going to do at the next town.
We fiddled with the broken screw for
awhile, when, to our establishment, it
started out. We were soon under way
after the points were cleaned.
"At Maryhill ferry slip was being
constructed and we asked some of the
river rats who were working there for
information regarding the river below
One young buck was very friendly; he
drew us chart showing how to make
our way through Biggs' rapids, few
miles below Maryhill; how to- find the
way through Hell's Gate; how to get
into the canal at Cello. Biggs' rapids
we're much more dangerous than we
expected. We shot through between
two big boulders, buried the forward
deck in big roller, drenched our
selves, and were out of them.
"Hells Gate deserves it's name More
abrupt end there, we were told later.
1t is the entrance to the channel
around somebody Others island-a
channel where the water flows jade
green between lichen-covered cliffs
that drop on either side as sharp as
walls, into the river. After few
miles of this travel, the canyon walls
become less precipitous and as we
passed the lower end of the island the
river was once more broad and smooth
Several miles ahead, we could see
the bridge across the Columbia at the
falls, and soon we could see wisps of
vapor hanging over the surface of the
river. We landed and walked down to
i the falls as we hadn't the slightest
desire to go over them. The Indians
were fishing at the falls. We watched
for quite a while We though we
might be able to shoot the falls and
live if it were absolutely necessary,
but we had little inclination to try
it for the fun Of it.
"We got quite a thrill out of navi-
eating into the canal for the first time
Huge, concrete walls rose above us;
ahead, massive steel current-gate
swung open, wide enough for our pas
sage. The canal is about a. feet wide
at the gates, wider in the stretches,
and has an 8-ft. clearance. There
are three locks, all near the lower end
Of the canal. We made good time in
the canal, which is judge, about six
miles long. We soon came under the
first lock gate. climbed up a steel
ladder and hunted up the lock tender.
A tug with pile driver and barge
were going up the river, and we were
lowered on the same water as the
driver. It was something of coinci-
dence that after six weeks during
which the gates were unopened, two
boats should arrive at exactly the
same time from opposite directions.
1t was thrilling experience for us
the huge Illuminated steel gates creep
ing slowly open and shut as if moved
by a giant invisible hand; the slow
settling, with the concrete walls rising
around us until we seemed to be at
the bottom of gigantic we'll; the
opening of the lower gate into the
river channel again
Eve thought our hardships were
over, but the wind had risen to a
young gale and the channel was roll
ing big whitecaps. W.T. pitched and
bucked through to The Dalles, where
we were lucky enough to be invited
to spend the night with the Bonns.
think we shall always remember their
hospitality with warm feeling of
gratitude, especially as were we're
soused with spray and otherwise de-
pressed as result of the heavy wea-
| ther.
Sunrise found us once more battling
| the comberS. The wind seemed to
enjoy battering us. 1t piled the waves
mountain high, tore the tops off them,
and hurled water by the gallon over
us. The boat drove over the tops of
them, but there was 40 or so feet be-
tween the crest and gulf, with sick
ening bam-bam. The boat rode
remarkably well for the speed we were
travelling. We more than once re-
Elected that if it had been built with
nails instead of screws and bolts, it
would never have stood the battering
it got in the Gorge.
1--WE somehow managed to get to
Cascade locks after seemingly endless
hours of waiting for the gale to die.
From there on, the river was superb
broad, deep and placid. Our spirits
rose and the last part of the trip was
the happiest We swung around bend
after bend where the broad silver of
the river would stretch out for miles
ahead, and it was not long until the
towers of the Interstate bridge showed
above the trees. Vancouver And
Portland few miles to the left!