Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-07-04

5000 t~AfA~a ~ ~ " ess~ A~' $500
uel Parker, during trip from ST. Louis
to the mouth Of Columbia River. A
contemporary, in notice Of the work
says:--
The Journal" is description o
occurrences, curiositics, and scenery,
as they presented themselves to the no.
tice OF our traveller, with occasional
observations having more immediate
bearing upon the objects OF his tour,
viz. to ascertain the most Ill openings
for missionary operations among the
Indians. "The country here oescri-
bed" snys the Author, in his Preface,
ais SUI gcneris; every thing is formed
on large scale. Its lofty and perpet-
ual snow-topped mountains rising TWEEN
ty thousand feet or more, the trees oil
the forest, the wide extended praircs,
plants of an enormous growth, and The
results OF volcanic agency which you
meet in almost every direction, render
the whole an ever increasing scene OF
interest TO the traveller; and il any
statements appear large, it is because
the facts are so in themselves. = We
are glad to find, by the extract first
quoted, that passage is reserved thro
the Rocky Mountains, suitable for
Railroad, as we shall wish to take a
trip TO the mouth OF the Columbia Riv-
err, few years hence, when we have
twelve to fifteen days to spare or II
we don't 20 ourselves, we may wish TO
send our children. There is hardly a
doubt that such work will eventually
be constructed, and that our latest news
from China and the Sandwich Islands
will come through this channel. I'm
der date of 10Th of August, 1885, MIR.
Parker thus writes:
The passage through these noun
tains is in valley, SO gradual in the
ascent and descent, that | should not
have known we were passing them,
had it not been that as we advanced,
the atmosphere gradually became cool
err, and at length we found the perpet.
ual SHOWS upon our right band and up
on our left, elevated many Thousand
feet above us--in some places ten
thousand. The highest parts oil these
mountains are found by measurement
to be eighteen thousand feet above the
level of the sea. This valley was not
discovered until some years since. -
Nj. Hunt and his party, more than
twenty years ago, went near II but dId
not find it, thoagh in search OF some
favorable passage. II varies 10 WON
from five to twenty miles; and follow
ing its course, the distance through the
mountains IS about eighty miles, or
four days journey. Though ,horc are
some elevations and depresslors IN thus
valley, yet, comparatively speaking,
it is level. There would be no dun
Guilty in the way of constructing rail-
ROAD from the Atlantic to the Pacilic
Ocean; and probably the time may
not be very far distant, when trips VIII
be made across the Continent, us they
have been made to the Niagara Falls,
to see Natures wonders.
Sulphur Spring.
At a place called Jackson's Hole,
narrow defile near the head waters OF
Columbia River, is remarkable Sui
phur Spring. Mr.. Parker thus briefly
describes it:
Here, for some distance, | was much
annoyed with the strong scent OF sui
pburetted hydrogen, and soon saw at
the foot of the mountain, under the bed
of gypsum, large sulphur sprng'
which sent up as much as thirty gall
Ions of wafer per minute. Around
this spring were large quantities OF IN
crusted sulphur, and so strongly IS the
water saturated, that it colofs the wa
ter of the river, on the side next TO the
spring, a greenish yellow for more
than mile below.
Magnificent Scenery.
A few miles west Of Jackson's Hole,
the caravan encamped three days, to
give their animals opportunity 10 re-
cruit.
While we continued here, took an
Indian and went up TO. the top OF a
very high mountain, to take view oil
the scenery around. The prospec,
was as extensive as the eye could
reach. diversified with mountains, hills
and plains. Most of the mountains
were covered with woods, but the hills
and plains were covered with grass
presenting less Of bright green, how
ever, than might be expected, u Inc
summers on this side ofthe mountains
were favored with rains as on the east.
The Rocky Mountains at the east pre-
scented the appearance of an immense
" large bank Of snow, or large l1 "a,
nous clouds skirting the horizon. The
Trois lemons were in full view, and
not very far distant at the north
m, n cluatar of very high POM