Ice Cliffs on the Kowak River, Alaska. (Lieutenant J. C. Cantwell,
_National Geographic Magazine_, October, 1896.)--On the shores of the
Kowak River are a series of ice cliffs of from about 25 meters to
45 meters in height. On top of these ice cliffs is a layer of black
silt-like soil some 2 meters in thickness, and from this springs a
luxuriant growth of mosses, grass and Arctic shrubbery. The melted ice
shows a residuum of fine dust, which while fresh emits a pungent odor.
Subterranean Ice Sheet on Kotzebue Sound. (Otto von Kotzebue,
_Entdeckungsreise in die Südsee_, etc. Weimar, 1821. Vol. IV., page
140.)--Dr. Eschholz discovered near Kotzebue Sound, in 1816, a mass of
ice more than 30 meters thick, and entirely covered with a layer at
least 15 centimeters thick of clay, sand, and earth, on which heavy,
long grass was growing. In the ice and in the soil overlaying it, were
many remains of extinct animals. On the side towards the ocean the ice
was entirely bare, exposed to sun and air, and much of it was melting
away in streamlets.
Freezing Lava Caves, Washington. (R. W. Raymond, _Overland Monthly_, 3d
November, 1869, page 421. Th. Kirchhoff, _Reisebilder und Skizzen aus
America_, 1876, vol. II., page 211. _Philadelphia Ledger_, September
25th, 1899.)--These caves are distant about four hours from the foot of
Mount Adams, and about 56 kilometers from the mouth of the White Salmon
River, where it falls into the Columbia River. The caves are in basalt,
and they are connected at both ends with the open air. Only a few of
them contain any ice, which in the largest cave is about 6 meters below
the entrance, from which one descends by a ladder. The cave opens on
one side and is some 15 meters in depth, 6 meters or 8 meters in width
and 3 meters or 4 meters in height. This part contains the most ice.
The other side gradually narrows from the entrance, is longer, and
reaches out through fallen rocks and rubbish to daylight. In the lower
portion, there are a few ice stalactites and stalagmites: one a superb,
transparent hillock, which rises nearly to the roof, is called the
Iceberg. A strong draught flows into the cave in summer through the
open arm.
The following paragraphs from the _Philadelphia Ledger_ probably refer
to the same locality:--
"Ice for the cutting, and that in August and early in September, is a
novelty not often found in regions as far south as the Columbia River
basin; but the novelty is enjoyed every year by people who visit the
ice caves under the shadow of Mount Adams, about 100 miles northeast
of Portland. It is a very extensive region. Frank McFarland, who has
just returned from a six weeks' vacation camping trip there, gives an
interesting account of its general make up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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