Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-07-26
The Niagara of the west.

In the wilds of Idaho, midway be-
tween Salt Lake and Oregon, thunders
cataract as imposing as Niagara, and
that will one day divide with it the ad-
miration of to world, when the seclu-
ded region where its savage grandeur is
concealed shall be thrown open to the
curiosity OF the traveller. It is called
the Great Shoshone Falls, and is few
miles from the overland stage route be-
tween Salt Lake and Boise cities, and
about 200 miles from each of those
places. 1t was discovered in 1868 by
parties of the 1st Oregon cavalry, while
in pursuit of Indians. The Salt Lake
Vedette furnishes the annexed descrip,
ton of this remarkable waterfall:
"The river, about two hundred yards
in width, coming slowly from the south
east, overtowered by perpendicular walls
of basaltiC rock, over eight hundred feet
high, suddenly expands into basin of
twice it's width, and there is divided
into halfdozen streams, by dark look
ing rocks, which raise their gloomy
crests above the sparkling surf of the
maddened waters. Every stream PUSHES
over fall Of thirty feet, and every fall
is of different shape, seeming fanciful
and fuctuating, yet physically fixed, as
they have ever been while centuries like
shadows have flown over them. The
river, resuming its course, is again di-
vided and takes a second tumble of sixty
feet, but this time by only three differ
ent streams. Three falls are the result,
one on each side, unbroken, aud falling
in solid sheets the central one being
formed by seven fan-shaped steppes of
rock. From the one Of these benches to
the other underneath, the water falls in
a smooth, transparent sheet, forming a
cascade unsurpassed In the world, and
contrasting strangely, by its dark trans
parent color, with the rustling, roaring,
foaming streams surrounding it both
above and at the sides. The river be-
comes 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 preclpi-
tates itself in one whole volume, with
| out break or hindrance, into an ominous
abyss over two hundred feet in depth
No pen can describe this scene. This is
! in reality the Great FALL and is well
worthy of its name, leaping as it does
from the loom Of nature like colossal
sheet of silver.
Forming slight horseshoe, its CEN
trail waters appear blue until they meet
the spray that rises heavenward from
| the foot of the foamipg catract. The
sides ale frayed into foam, and remind
one Of the pictured avalanches in the
Alps. Right on the edge of the fall
stands lone pillar of gray sandstone,
on whose summit, undisturbed by the
| whiz of waters or the fear of fate fast
| Yawning on their eyrie, pair of bald
| headed eagles have built their nest, and
are now rearing their young, secure in
sight of the sublimity and solitude sur
rounding. The cataract's sound-but
| slightly heard above-is absolutely deaf
| ening as you reach the rivers base, the
roar of the falls, confined, as it is, by the
high walls of the canyon, rushing down
the chasm and increasing in volume as
1t rolls, so as to be heard full thirty
miles southwest. Close to the cataract
is square-shaped cave of fifteen feet
each side and twenty high, whose walls
are supported by basaltic columns the
regularity of whose formation is unsur.
| passed by anything in the Isle OF Staffa
or the Giants Causewsy. Sliding out
of this cave and falling about eight feet
On to grassy slope that leads to the