Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-08
The Niagara of the West.
THE GREAT sHOsHoNE FALLS.

In the wilds of Idaho, midway between
Salt Lake and Oregon, thunders a cataract
as imposing as Niagara, and that will one day
divide with 1t the admiration of the world,
| when the secluded region where it's savage
grandeur is concealed shall be thrown open
| to the curiosity of the traveller. 1t is called
| the Great Shoshone Falls, and is few miles
from the overland stage route between Salt
Lake and Boise cties, and about go miles
| from each of those places. 1t was discovered
in 1868 by parties of the lst Oregon Cavalry,
while in pursuit of Indians. The Salt Lake
Vede.te furnishes the annexed description of
| this remarkable waterfall:
/" The river, about two hundred yards In
| width, coming slowly from the southeast,
| overtowered by perpendicular walls of basal
| tic rock, over eight hundred feet high, sud
denly expands into basin OF twice its width,
and there is divided into half dozen streams,
| by dark looking rocks which raise their gloomy
crests above the sparkling surf of the mad
dened waters. Every stream rushes over a
fall of thirty fest and every fall is OF a differ
ent shape, seeming fanciful and huctuating
yet physically fixed, as they have ever been
while centuries like shadows lave down over
them. The river resumlng It's course Is again
divided and takes a second tumble Of sixty
| feet still further, but this time by only three
different streams. Three falls are the result !;
one on each side ken and falling IN solid
| sheets the central one being formed by seven
ian shape steppes OF rock. From the one OF
these benches 10 the other underneath, the
water falls in smooth, transparent sheet,
forming a cascade unsurpassed In the world
and contrasting strangely, by Its dark trans
parent color, with the rustling, roaring, foam
ing streams surrounding 1t both above and at
she sides The river becomes once more smooth
and dark In color. Its banks suddenly Jut
out from both sides, narrowing the channel
to four hundred feet and through this gap
the confined mass of water precipltates i.self
in one whole volume, without break or hind
rance, into an ominous abyss over two hun
dred feet IN depth. No pen Can decribe this
scene. This Is IN reality the Great Fall,
and is well worthy of it's name, leapng as ii
does from the loom of nature like a colossal
shees OF silver.
Forming slight horseshoe, Its central
waters appear blue until they meet the spray
that rises heayenward from the foot OF the
foamlng cataract The sides are frayed into
foam, and remind one OF the pictured ava
lanches in the Alps. Right on the edge of
the tall stands lone pillar OF gray sandstone,
on W hose summit, undlsturbed by the whIz
of waters or the fear of fate fast yawnlng on
their eyrie, a pair of bald-headrd eagles have
built their meet, and are now rearing their
yOunS, ccCuEC III VI VIZ cooAAi-iAsy ohA
solitude surrounding. The cataract's sound
but slightly heard atove-ls absolutely
deatening as you reach the rivers base, the
roar of the tails confined, as it is, by the high
walls of the canyon, rushing down the chasm
and increasing In volume as 1t rolls, 50 as to
be heard full thirty miles southwest. Close
to the cataract Is a square-shaped cave OF nj
teen feet each side and twenty high, whose
walls are supported by basaltic columns the
regularity OF whose formation is unsurpassed
by any thing IN The Isle of Stafa or the Chants
Causeway. Sliding out OF this cave and fall
ing about eight feet on to a grassy slope that
leads to the waters edge, within two hun
dred feet of the foot of the falls, you are
r.ght in the middle of the mist, and wet
through in an instant. IL is here that, by
looking up, the enormous altitude of the fail
can be realized, and the first feeling Is one of
representation, an involuntary drawing
back, for the whole mass seems ready 10 drop
and crush you where you stand. Never can
the weird beauty of sthis scene be forgotten
by beholders Rainbows of a thousand hues
seem to surround you, and their irises to arch
you In the skies.
The white foaming waters form a brilliant
background to the magic prisms pictured by
the spray The dark trownlOg rocks, relieved
by the bright, green jumpers, make a fitting
frame for this magnificent sight, second to
none in point of volume as 1t is second to
none in savage grandeur. As measured by
officsrs of the lst Oregon infantry, the main
fall is 2lO feet from the edge to the level of
the water below. The upper falls have not
vet been measured, but the total fall OF the
river on the three distinct tumbles 1t takes,
cannot be less than 800 feet, while the river
itself is over 400 feet at Its narrowing width.
The channel of the stream below the tails is
a chasm 1900 feet in width, and 1000 IN depth,
with perpendicular walls: of rocks inclosing