James Mooney, The Ghost Dance Religion and Wounded Knee

The Cascade Range, where it crosses the Columbia River, exhibits enormous cross sections of lava, and at its base are petrified trunks of trees, which have been covered and hidden from view except where the wash of the mighty stream has exposed them. Indians have told me, of their knowledge, that, buried deep under the outpours of basalt, or volcanic tufa, are bones of animals of siah , or the long ago

Traditions of the great landslide at the Cascades are many, but vary little in form. According to one account, the mountain tops fell together and formed a kind of arch, under which flowed, until the overhanging rocks finally fell into the stream and made a dam, or gorge. As the rock is columnar Basalt, very friable and easily disintegrated, that was not impossible, and the landscape suggests some such giant avalanche. The submerged trees are plainly visible near this locality. Animal remains I have not seen, but these Salmon-eating Indians have lived on the river’s borders through countless ages, and know every feature in their surroundings by constant association for generations, and naturally ally these facts with their religious theories. (MacMurray MS.)

Cheri Dohnal, Columbia River Gorge: Natural Treasure on the Old Oregon Trail

Some 500 years ago, Native Americans who lived along the banks of the Columbia River witnessed an even of legendary proportions. In fact, those who lived to tell about it did pass down a fable to explain the freak occurrence.

[She says "a mountain on the Oregon side of the river apparently fell way into the riverbed," however, I believe current research now supports the argument that the slide originated on the Washington side, and, looking at satellite and lidar imagery, the remains of the massive event are pretty clearly visible to this day.]

... The landslide blocked the river's flow, linking what are now Oregon and Washington with a natural dam. Water backed up behind the dam, flooding the inland prairies as far away as western Idaho. Native tribes of the area called the dam "The Great Crossover," and it later became known as the "Bridge of the Gods."

There is evidence of a natural bridge, or at least part of one, that did exist at this location... Furthermore, local Indians of the nineteenth century claimed to have ancestors who used the bridge to meet with others in a great tribal council, and it is a part of their oral history.

The geologic formation leaves today's experts with many unanswered questions. Both science and legend would have us believe that the rock formations came together to form a bridge over the river – not simply a place where the river was rerouted, but an actual bridge where water ran underneath. Modern thought leads us to imagine an elevated arch above the water, but of course this is not what the natives saw.

Geological studies have shown that probably began as a fairly solid land mass, more of a dam than a bridge, with enough seepage to allow water to exist on both sides of the bridge. Water pressure eventually the rock and gravel dam, bursting through it with a generated force of up to 50-foot waves as the water rushed toward the sea. Many Native Americans undoubtedly lost their lives and there is some speculation that entire tribes may have been wiped out in the resulting flood, which also covered what is now Portland.

Only several large boulders remained of the dam, which created the Cascade Rapids, and a mound of smaller debris on the river's north side. A man-made bridge was constructed much later (1926) at the same location, its northern pilings anchored in the remnants of the natural bridge, aptly named "Bridge of the Gods." The Cascade Rapids were the impetus for naming the Cascade mountain range, although the rapids were eventually submerged in waters now held back by Bonneville Dam.

All legends about the Bridge of the Gods seem to hold a common thread, but specific details vary from one tribe to another.

The man-made Bridge of the Gods spans the Columbia River at the approximate location of the legendary natural bridge near Cascade Locks, a short distance upriver from Bonneville Dam. In fact, the northern pilings are secured in remnants of the natural bridge. Many of the boulders that made up part of the once-dreaded rapids on the Columbia were blasted into much smaller pieces with dynamite when the new dam and locks were constructed. Although most of the river's original features were lost to the rising waters, the stone masonry of the old canal at Cascade Locks can still be seen.

Lyn Topinka, Columbia River Images

One version of the legend is given in Katharine Berry Judson's Myths and legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon, published in 1912.

The Bridge of the Gods

... Long ago, when the world was new, Tyhee Sahale with his two sons, came down Great River. They came near where the Dalles now are. The land was very beautiful and each son wanted it. Therefore they quarrelled. Then Sahale took his bow and shot two arrows. One he shot to the north; the other he shot to the west. Then Sahale said to his sons, "Go. Find the arrows. Where they lie, you shall have the land."

One son went north over the plain to the country of the Klickitats. He was the first grandfather of the Klickitats. The other son followed the arrow to the Willamette Valley. He was the first grandfather of the Multnomahs.

Then Sahale raised great mountains between the country of the Klickitats and the country of the Multnomahs. This he did that the tribes might not quarrel. White men call them the Cascade Mountains. But Great River was deep and broad. The river was a sign of peace between the tribes. Therefore Sahale made a great stone bridge over the river, that the tribews might be friends. This was called the Bridge of the Tomanowos.

The tribes grew, but they did evil things. They displeased Tyhee Sahale. Therefore the sun ceased to shine, and cold and snow appeared. The people were unhappy for they had no fire. Only Loo-wit had fire. Therefore the people sought to steal the fire of Loo-wit. The Loo-wit fled and because the runners were stiff with cold, they could not catch her.

Then Loo-wit told Sahale of the need of the Indians. Loo-with said the Indians were cold. So Sahale gave fire to the people. Thus Sahale built a fire on the bridge of the gods, and there the people secured fire. Sahale also promised to Loo-wit eternal youth and beautry. Thus Loo-wit became a beautiful maiden.

Then began the chiefs to love Loo-wit. Many chiefs loved her because she was so beautiful. Then came two more chiefs, Klickitat from the north and Wiyeast from the west. To neither would Loo-wit give an answer. Therefore the chiefs fought, and their people also fought. Thus did they anger Sahale. Therefore, because blood was shed and because Great River was no longer a sign of peace, Sahale broke down the tomanowos illahee. Great rocks fell into the river. They are there even to this day. When the water is quiet, buried forests can be seen even to this day. Thus Sahale destroyed the bridge of the gods. Thus the tribes were separated by Great River.

Then Sahale made of Loo-wit, Klickitat, and Wiyeast snow peaks. Always they were to be cold and covered with ice and snow. White men call them Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, and Mount Hood. ...

Source: Katharine Berry Judson, 1912, Myths and legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon.

Another version of The Legend was given in the 1885 publication "History of Clarke County, Washington Territory", by B.F. Alley and J.P. Munro-Fraser, published in Portland, Oregon, 1885. This verson tells of how the "natural bridge" spanning the Columbia was collapsed to bring the salmon to the surface so the Indians might fish.

The Bridge of the Gods

... One of the most remarkable tales which the old men along the Columbia told to the whites, was that in regard to a natural bridge across the river at the Cascades, and on this the evidence of all tribes is so clear that it leaves little doubt in the minds of those who have examined the matter, but that their story or prophecy is true. The legend is simply this -- In the days of the great-great-grandfathers of the old men of 1830 which would be somewhere in 1500, a natural bridge spanned the Columbia river at the Cascades where the "tumwater" now is. At that time the water flowed under the bridge undisturbed by the rapids, and there was no occasion for the salmon in their passage up the river to come to the surface or leap into the air. The consequence was that the fish remained down deep in the stream and the Indians could not catch them. Neighboring tribes came to this bridge and crossed over it, and it was so solidly arched that it seemed as if it would stand for ever. Disturbance, however, took place between the tribes both up and down the stream and the consequence was that the people at the Cascades being deprived of their salmon were on the point of starvation. They had always been faithful and obedient to the Great Spirit and in the day of their need He had forgotten them. He signified to the prophets of the great-great-grandfathers of the old men of 1830, that He would come to their aid and would bring the salmon to the surface and compel them to leap into the air that they might be speared and captured. Accordingly he stirred up enmity between Mounts Hood and St. Helens, and the two went to war. They showered ashes and hurled thunderbolts at each other. The sky was black with smoke and the heavens were pierced with lightnings that leaped between the warring mountains; the earth and river rose to an unatural height; the Indians fled to the hill-tops in dismay; the contest redoubled, and again the earth shook; a great crash was heard, the natural bridge fell down, and the whole disturbance was stopped. When the Indians returned to the Cascades they found that the deep fathomless channel which carried off the waters before and allowed the salmon to pass their camp scot-free, was filled with bowlders and great rocks and a magnificent " tumwater " was in this way formed, over which the salmon leaped, and never afterwards was there scarcity in the camp. ...

Source: Alley, B.F., and Munro-Fraser, J.P., 1885, "History of Clarke County, Washington Territory", Portland, Oregon.

Links

Columbia River Images: Bonneville Landslide and the Cascade Landslide Complex

Includes ... Bonneville Landslide ... Red Bluff Landslide ... Mosley Lakes Landslide ... Carpenters Landslide ... Cascade Landslide Complex ... "Table Mountain Landslide" ... Bridge of the Gods ... Table Mountain ... Red Bluffs ... Greenleaf Peak ...

http://columbiariverimages.com/Regions/Places/bonneville_landslide.html

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