Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-01-25
the Missouri River.


the Missouri river, from where it and ii
tributaries T. emerge from the ROCKY
MOuntaiDsto its junction with the Miss
issippi, is from SEARS pictorial descrip
ton 0f Missouri: Ns. Gg 81
gAs the distance Of about one hundred
and eighty miles from its jgnction--oro
four hundred and fifty miles from The
source of the Jefferson branch--ths riVeI
escapes among the Rocky Mountains. nd
loosesthe character, which, till shortly
previous it had borne throughout of a
foamlDg torrent. The spot at which il
energies, 10 remarkable for the sublimity
Gifts scenery. For nearly six miles, pre-
ciPitous massesof roekrises perpendicular
ly from the waters edge, TO, the height of
nearly twelve hundred feet. They are
composed says the official narrative of
Lewis and Clark, of black granite near
its base, but from itsaligater color above.
and from its ligaments We suppose. the
upper part to be flints of a yeIlowrsh brown
and cream color. Nothing can be i'm.
agined more tremendous than the frown.
ing darkness ofthose rocks, which project
over the river and menace us with des.
truction. The river Of three hundred and
fifty yardy in width seems to have forced
its channel down the solid mass, but so
reluctantly has it given way, that during
the whole distance the water is very deep
even at the edges,a and for the first three
miles there is not a spot, except one of
few yards, in which mar, can stand
between the water and the towering per.
Pendicoar Of the mountain. The con.
Tulsion OF the passage must have been
terrible, since at its outlet there are vast
columns of rock torn from the mountain.
which are strewed on both sides Of the
river, the trophies as it were of the vic.
tory. Several fine springs burst out from
the chasms of the rock, and continue to
increase the river. which has now a strong
current, but fortunately, we are able t.,
overcome it with our oars, besides it
would be impossible for US to use either
the cord or The pole, This extraordinary
range Of rocks we called the Gates of the
Rocky Mountains.
About one hundred and ten miles from
this tremendous chasm. the Fails of the
Missouri occur; and for the space of sew.
enteen oreighteen miles, the, river pre-
sents succession ofrapids and cataracts.
At the Great Falls" as the larges, OF
these is termed, il is three hundred yards
wide; and for about third ofthis breadth.
the water rolls in one smooth, even sheet,
over a pFecipice ofnenrly ninety feet in
height. The remaining portion of the
stream precipitates itself with more rap.
Id current, ard being broken in its fall by
projecting rocks, forms splendid pros
poets of perfectly white foam, two hun.
dred yards in length, with all that glory
ofrefrac.ed light and everlasting sound
and infnity OF motion, which, to use the
words, Ola modern writer, making great
water fall the most magnificent Of all
earthly objects. The fall which is next
in height, is perhaps more rema rkable
object still. 1t extends completely across
the river, where its width is at least a
quarter ola mile; the whole Missouri.
says the narrative Of Lewis and Clark,
lis suddenly stopped by one shelving rock,
without single niche, and with an edge
as straight and regular as ifformed by art,
ever which the volume of its waters is
precipitated in one even uninterrupted
sheet, to the peroe ndicular height of fifty
feet, whence dashing against the rocky
bottom, il rushes rapidly down, leaving
behind it spray of the purest foam. The
scene which it presented, was, indeed,
singularly beautiful. without any of the
wild, irregular sublimity of the lower falls
it combined all the regular eIegancies
which the fancy of a painter would select,
to form a beautiful water fall.
- From the falls down to the very mouth
Of the Missouri--a distance of more than
two thousand Ave hundred miIes--there
is no obsticIe to the navigation of this
river. but what arises from the rapidity Of
itseurrent." n