Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-09-24
OF STARS,
MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Prosress
in Field, Laboratory
and Study.
BIZ THOMAS r. HENRY,

Patagonia, today region of cold bar
rem steppes, once was q warm, moist
country covered by vast tropical forests,
1t developes from study of thousands Of
fossil plants gathered there by DR.. Ed
ward w. Berry of Johns Hopkins Uni
versity.
Many of these fossils of evergreen,
ferns and Towering shrubs are new to
science. They grew, Prof. Berry believes.
from 10000 900 to 80, 900 600 years ago, at
time when the Andes Mountains were
much lower than they are today. since
there was no difference in climate on
their eastern and western sides.
At that time. Prof Berry says. "the
Andes were sufficiently high to give the
Pacific region a greater rainfall and q
dense forest, and this forest streamed
eastward over low divides and populated
the Patagonian valleys" He states that
the prevailing winds were westerly be-
cause of the enormous beds of volcanic
ash in Patagonia whose source must have
been the Andean region. and which thin
out toward the east. Seas, moving in
land from east and west. eventually COW
cred much OF the continent.
Says Prof. Berry: Forces within the
earth later uplifted the Andes. and the
seas were drained. Erosion wore the
mountains down gradually to low relief
and another period of earth disturbances
resulted in the final uplift of the present
Andes. This uplft is the main reason
for the dissimilar climates and conse-
quently dissimilar fioras found on the
eastern and western sides today"
He favors the theory already advanced
by many botanists that in the distant
past the present barren continent OF
Antarctica was far greater than it is
today, uniting Australia, New Zealand
South America and South Africa, and
that many Of the plants found in these
regions now originally immigrated from
the lands around the South Pole. He
points out that with the exception of the
land connection between North America
and Asia in the Boring Sea region no
land bridge Is better authenticated than
that which is supposed to have connected
Patagonia and Graham Land.
Study of the Patagonian flora, how
ever, leads him to conclude Ihat one
stock OF flora may have reached its pres
ent destination by one route and that
another stock with a similar modern
range may have come in from an entirely
different direction.
He can find no evidence in fossil plant
distribution. he says, for the geological
hypothesis of continental drift. Accord
ing to this theory all the continents
once were joined, but later drifted apart
to their present locations on the globe.
Utah-the highlanders.
Tacoma-SnoWy peak.
Observation-Disclosures
Manitoba--the spirit.
These derivations of American place
names from Indian languages have been
traced down by DR.. John P. Harrington,
Smithsonian Institution ethnologist and
expert on the tongues Of some of the
Western Indian tribes.
Utah, it has generally been assumed,
was taken directly from the tribal name,
the Utes, of the aboriginals who original
ly lived in the territory. 1t was not their
own name for themselves. Dr. Harring-
ton found. but was applied to them by
the Navajos and Apaches. Dslying
deeply into Navajo linguistics, he finds
that the term is derived directly from
the word for upper and means the
upper people" or "hill-dwellers. 1t was
probably, he says. almost the direct
equivalent to the English term "high-
landers,' applied to people dwelling in
the Scotch mountains.
Cheyenne" he has determined, is a
direct derivation from a Sioux word
meaning barbarian" or "one who does
not speak our language" 1t may have a
slight odor of dislike or contempt, since
the Sioux regarded the Arapahos. Crows,
etc, in the valley of the Cheyenne River
as intruders in territory which should
belong to them.
Tacoma. DR.. Harrington finds, is a
mispronunciation of the common Puget
Sound Indian word for snowy mountain
ia -ko-bed." 1t is the name applied to
Mount Rainier. Mount Baker at Everett,
Wash: Mount Hood and Mount Nc
Laughlin. Early settlers mistook it to be
specific name for Mount Rainier.
Seattle thus far eludes DR.. Harring-
ton. 1t is derived directly from Sch
Ahl,' the name of an influential Indian
at Lake Union, near the present Univer-
sity OF Washington. Names Of individu-
ais, however, usually had some definite
meaning and "Seh-Ahl" apparently de-
fles analysis.
Manitoba" Mr.. Harrington says, is
relatively easy. 1t means land of the
spirit and comes from the Algonouinian
word "manitoowa.' meaning spirit 1t
was generic term for spirit" identical
0vrifI w. 1,