Early Life in the Columbia
Basin
E KNOW that the first garden that God planted eastward in Eden and the River which went out of it were beautiful beyond compare. We also know that the one planted here, and the River called by men Columbia, which goes out of it, were formed by the same hand. How long it was before He brought the living creatures after their kind and placed them in this new-made garden, we know not. Nor can we tell how long a time elapsed before He brought the several roving tribes of men into this earthly Paradise in quest of food.
A few miles west of Celilo Falls the trees begin. The landscape changes rapidly as one goes toward the sea, descending the river or ascending the Cascade Range.
Ever higher these mountains lift their heads, until fve great peaks are seen at once above the timber line, "their craters healed with snow" which never leaves them.[1]
The Indian legends and our early history tell of plenty. Great herds of antelope and buffalo without number roamed the plains on the head waters of this kingly river. They browsed on the rich bunch grass which grew knee high over the thousands of square miles in that treeless region, which is the basin left by the ancient Inland Sea, to the east of the Cascade Range.
The Indian tribes, who loved the chase and lived for the greater part of the year on plain and mountain top were athletes, while the tribes on the western
- ↑ The older Indians tell us their fathers saw these mountains smoking, and some declare that fire and rocks were thrown into the very heaven. They knew St. Helens as "Lowela-clow," meaning "Big Smoke Daytime—Big Fire Night." Fremont and others also saw St. Helens smoking and report that ashes from this mountain fell in the streets of The Dalles to the depth of half an inch in 1842. Dr. Parrish saw it active on the 23d day of November, 1842. Kane saw it smoking and made a sketch of it March 26, 1847. Winthrop noticed the black spot in the snow on the southwest side of St. Helens (this being the location of the last crater). He said in 1853, "sometimes she showers her realms with a boon of hot ashes to notify them that her peace is repose not stupor; and sometimes lifts a beacon of tremulous flame by night from her summit."
On one occasion (date unknown, supposedly 1842) ashes from St. Helens fell at Fort Vancouver for three days and it was so dark at mid-day that tallow dips were burned.
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