Ogden Daily Standard | 1919-04-19 | Page 9 | Valley of Bad Spirits, Once the Indians' Bogey, Now the Tourists' Delight

VALLEY OF BAD SPIRITS, ONCE THE INDIANS BOGEY, NOW THE TOURISTS' DELIGHT r i j 1 near is&Jci-trvu. CWa5 &o&d to JPMjMMWM Jost a holo in the RTound, or Na-ki-mu in Indian parlance, yet the object ob-ject of mystery, fear, curiosity and interest. This in brief, describes cnc of the natural wonders of the Canadian Pacific Kockies. Mystery and fear marked the Indians' attitude, atti-tude, curiosity prompted the white man to investigate the hole, and interest in-terest brintrs many visitors annually to visit the Nnkimu Caves. Once upon a time in 1904 to be exact there came into the Selkirk .Mountains near Glacier in British Columbia, a man who had hunted, firospected and explored the moun-ains moun-ains from Colorado to the Arctic-Circle. Arctic-Circle. His name was Charles H. Deutschmann and in his association with the Indians he had heard manv taL- of a Valley of Bad Spirits, of I Na-ki-mu In which these spirits lived and from whence issued their frrumblinfrs. He determined to solve the mystery. The Indians shunned' the place. r'Ha-lo Kla-wa-tn." mean- Injr "no co," was their dojrprcd an-1 swer when asked to accompany anyone into this, to them, fearsome place. So Dcutsehmon went alone. He found the spirits to be whisperings whis-perings made by shifting air currents cur-rents in a narrow canyon: he found I Na-ki-mu to bo the entrance to a Reries of wonderful caves which he ! has been exploring and charting ever j since. Today he acts as guide to '.he tourists who come from Glacier' j along the eight mile trail beside the : dancing waters of Couirar Creek to visit these caves 5.GU0 feet ubove sea I j level. The caves are formed of metamor- i phosod marblcucd lime, the woll being covered with incrustations el calcium carbonate in pale yellow pinK. white and black. When th jruide waves his torch back and forth pictures of indescribable beauty ar revealed. The first cave is a sort ol ante-chamber, beinjr but eighty; 6even feet underground; the second cave. 300 feet down, is an imposing vault 30 feet wide and 120 feet high Cougar Creek, now of Stygian blackness, black-ness, flow through the caves and addi to their wierdness. Huge icicles form a year round decoration. The air i? fresh and cold and visitors neec warm clothing. The caves may b visited from the middle of June tc the last of September. Botanists and naturalists find the N'akimu region a paradise ami I eut-chmann is a peerless eruide for those who wish to stop over and hunl for blossoms, bugs or bears.