The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-11-27

basalt, melted by volcanic fires and con.
gealed as into lake of cast iron. Along
its longitudinal axis stand isolated peaks
known as the Three Butes, which erect
themselves to the snow line, like volcanic
cones protruding above the sea. Cracks
of profound depth traverse this plain,
whose blasted surface is without vegeta-
ton or water. 1t is traversed beneath by
subteranean streams, which issue from
natural tunnels in the wall of Snake river,
plunging into its bed by magnificent cas-
cades. Bald naksdness, rather than ster.
ility, is the extreme characteristic of this
wonderful plain, which has around its rim
a fringe of little vases" upon the streams
bubbling from the mountain base, of ex.
quisite fertility and of the most perfect
romantic beauty. When We call to mem.
DRY the interest attracted in every age to
the diminutive formations of crystalline
basalt upon the north of Ireland, near the
city of Mexico, and in Southern Italy, we
are struck with awe at the repetition here
of these same phenomena, on scale OIL
stupendous grandeur.
Upon the alternate flank of the Sierrs
Madre, the bowl of the Yellowstone prop.
erly Classics itself as second in order o.
the parks, having its oval form streaked
longitudinally with many parallel and mar.
row mountain ridges gorged by parable
rivers. This park is very fertile, of the
grandest scenery. and delightful eli
mate.
Such is a partial sketch of the Cordil.
lera Of the Sierra Madre, from the 49tf
deg. to the 43d deg. of latitude. A few
dominating features only are pointed out
the serrated crests, alternately rising int
peaks and mesas above the SHOWS, and de.
pressed by passes; the TANKS gorged by
descending rivers or branching out int
mounta;nispur between them-the parks
the general direction is south-south- east
I omit to speak of the regions around the
higher sources of the Missouri and Colum.
bis, and still onward to the north, not be.
cause they are less interesting and attrac.
tive, but because l have not myself seer
them, and because they are of identica
features, and are as yet remote from the
column of progressing empire.
The third Park is the plain of the South
Pass. Although adjacent to the othel
two, it Is in perfect contrast to them in al
its characteristic features. It's surface o.
clay has the perfect smeothness of wa.
ter plain, over which the eye ranges with.
out interruption. Rain is rare, and the
vegetation of grass and artemisia scantJ
and uniform. Upon its south front rises
again the Cordillera, under the local name
of Table Mountain. This forms an i'm.
mense arc, similar to the Wind Rive
Mountain, but in the opposite direction
for, turning to the southwest, it subside.
to the Rio Verde, which is the great Col.
orado. These two arcs approach one an.
other within thirty miles, forming 8
double corner over the gorge through
which the Sweetwater escapes. To make
the continuity of the mother crest, a gen.
tie crown traverses the plain from one
mountain corner to the other, only trace
able by the perfect division which it makes
between the waters of the Atlantic ant
Pacific Oceans.
In the Table Mountain the Cordiller,
rises again. It resumes its direction, con
fguration and altitude, which it preserves
with uninterrupted uniformity clear thro
the continent to Tehuantepec. As far a,
the SO deg. of latitude it sheds the waterl
of the great Colorado from Its western
flank; those of the Plates and Arkansa.
rivers from It's eastern flank.
I am sdmonished here to pause and FL
attention on the number, grandeur and va
riety Of the physical elements combined
around this eliminating point of tn.
mountains and rivers of our continent
Nature here, more perfectly than at any
other point upon the globe, unites into one
grand coup d ali all her grandest features
which, harmoniously grouped, present t.
the mind combination of superlativt
sublimity. These contrasted parks, so
different yet so close together! the n
tense massiveness of the Cordillera tn,
number and proximity and serenity of thu
atmosphere in which they shine! the aw
full storms which at long intervals brew
among and shatter the iced mountain
tops the graphic conviction ever presen
to the mind of the immediate presenc,
and presiding omnipotence of the Creator
The impression left with me, and mad,
by the peculiar grit and appearance of tn,
soil which overlays the plain of the Soutl
Pass, is "placer of kasline," resemblin,
the biscuit from which porcelain is burned
This is disintegrated, and washed dow
from the bald mountain TANKS of porphy
rite granite. Whether there may be ais,
here concealed immense placers of golt
and precious stones, coming from tn,
same source, is not yet tested; but sucl
ought to be the fact, from the pure aurif
erous material of the mountains.
To resume again the pursuit of tn
mountain crest. This continues to recov
er its altitude. Soon upon the easter
flank of the Northern Park, the Bull-pen
reveals itself; along whose center mean
ders the great Platte River, along her
running to the north in direction contra
~ to the mountain crest. This is fourtl
in number of the parks, but has been tn
first and best known in popular reputa
ton. Being very large, very central, an,
easily accessible to US going ont from tn
lower Missouri, it became the favorit
winter home of the early trappers and ex
plorers. It is an amphitheatre of larg
area, whose mountain sides, covered witt
soil, vegetation, and scattered forests @
evergreen, slope gradually up on ever,
side. Its level plain is laced with stream
and chequered with meadows, sparklin
with flowers, and romantic groves, in per
fectly graceful alterations; its atmos
phere is genial and exhilarating, and tn
temperature mild through the year.
Immediately beyond the highest ex
tremity Of the fourth, but upon an alter
nate flank Of the mountain crest, the ey
drops into the bowl of the fifth or Middl
Park, expanding to contain the oonf1uen
streams which form the Grand river Of tn
Colorado. This park is larger in area tina
the fourth, but is vexed with ar-protrud
ing mountain spurs, narrow streams rat
thing over rocky beds, and a cloudy q,
mosphere, made 6tful by the altitude an,
close proximity of snow-clad mountai
backs. This park has its mouth toward
the Pacific. Towering up from the noun
| tain crest. where il divides these tv