228 MOUNT ST. HELENS 



dammed up the waters of Lake Merrill. The space between the 

 lake and river on the north is comparatively level, the lava in 

 many places being covered with soil, and that with a heavy 

 growth of timber. Where the sand and ashes predominate the 

 growth is poor. The flow of lava, volcanic sand, etc., that ends 

 at Lake Merrill and the falls of the Kalama, starts from the west 

 and southwest sides of Mt. St. Helens, flows against the Green 

 Buttes and neighboring hills, almost filling up the space between 

 these elevations and the mountains, passes around the buttes, 

 unites and fills in between Goat mountain and the high ridge 

 northeast of it, forming a swampy meadow at the base of Goat 

 mountain, the waters of which are strongly impregnated with 

 iron, while to the south of the ridge runs a clear, cold stream com- 

 ing from the lava at Cold Springs and joined by a second stream 

 coming from the snow directly west of the summit. To the south 

 from Green Buttes the country is filled in until checked by a 

 semicircle of hills that turn to the west and extend south of the 

 Kalama river. A small lake fills the level space between the 

 .hills. The Kalama river bursts as a full-fledged stream, bub- 

 bling up like a fountain from the southwest side of the more 

 northerly hill, flows south to the lake, tlT^en turns to the north 

 of west, flowing at first through willows and swampy ground, 

 then gradually gains strength and cuts down in the volcanic 

 sand and boulders on its north bank, the high ridge being to 

 the south. Finally, near where the trail crosses the river, it cuts 

 through the volcanic formation and ends by leaving all the vol- 

 canic deposit on the south side, a spur from Goat mountain form- 

 ing its north bank. When the river tumbles over the falls it leaves 

 the volcanic formation and runs through a growth of fine timber 

 to the Columbia river at the town of Kalama. Except where 

 lava and bed rock are exposed, the countr}^ below the level of 

 5,000 feet is covered with a dense growth of timber and brush. 



To the east of the head of Kalama river is a run of lava that 

 starts near the summit of St. Helens and extends with a nearly 

 uniform slope to the north fork of Lewis river. This lava has 

 filled up the country in its course, flowing around hills as a river 

 around islands. About two miles from the river it has crossed 

 the course of a small stream, forming during the wet season a 

 large pond, with an underground outlet sufficient to carry off 

 the flow of the stream during the dry months and the exeessj 

 due to rain and snow, after the dry season sets in. The water 

 from the pond and stream finds its way into Lewis river under 



