Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-10-16
The Niagara of the WeSt---the Great
ShOShOne Falls.

In the wilds of Idaho, midway between Salt
Lake and Oregon, thunders cataract as
imposing as Niagara, and that Will one day
divide with it the admiration of the world,
when the secluded region where Its savage
grandeur is concealed shall he thrown open
70 the curiosity of the traveller. 1t is called
the Great Shoshone Falls. and is lew miles
from the overland stage route between Salt
Lake and Boise cities, and about one hum
drcd miles from each Of those places. 1t
was discovered in 1868 by parties of the first
Oregon Cavalry. while in pursuit of Indians.
The Salt Lake Fedette furnishes the annexed
description OF this remarkable waterfall
TIE river about two hundred yards in
width. coming slowly from the southeast,
.rvertowered by perpe"dicular WA Is OF base /
tic rock over eight hundred feet high. sud-
denly expands into basin OF twice it's width,
and there is divided into a half dozen
streams. by dark looking rocks which raise
their gloomy crests above the sparkling surf
# the maddened waters Every fall is OF n
different shape. seeming iancf;tl and i4ctua-
ting. yet physically fixed, as they have ever
',een while centuries Ike shadows have
down over them. The river resuming its
course is again divided and takes second
tumble of sixty feet stIll further, but this
time by only rec ii 'ferent streams. Three
.als are the result one on each side,
broken and falling in solid sheets; the cen
trail one being formed by seven ian-shaped
Steppes of rocks. From the one of these
branches u the other underneath. the water
falls in a smooth, transparent sheet, forming
z cascade unsurpassed in the world, and con-
trasting strangely, by its dark transparent
color, with the rustling. roaring, toamIpg
screams su rounding it both above and at the
sides The river becomes once more smooth
and dark in color. Its banks suddenly Iut
out from both sides. narrowing the channel
to four hundred feet and through this gap
the confined mass of water precipltates
itself in one whole volume, without break Or
hindrance. into an omin abyss over two
hundred feet IN depth. No pen can describe
this scene. This is in reality be :. Great
Fall" and is well worthy of its name, leap
ing as it does from the loom Ot nature like a
colossal sheet of silver.
Forming a slight horseshoe, its central
waters appear blue until they meet the spray
that rises heavenwa-d from the foot of the
f,1amIng cataract. The sides are f-aved into
f,am and remind one of the pictured ava
lanches in the Alps Right on the edge of
the fall stands lone pillar of gray sand
stone. on whose summit. undisturbed by the
whiz of waters or the fear of fate last yawn-
ing on their eyre, pair OF bald-headed
eagles have built their nest, and are now
rearing their Young. secure in the sight of
the solitude surrounding The cataract's
sound - but slightly heard above-is abso-
utelv deafen'ng as you reach lne r,ver's
base. the rocr OF the falls combined as it is.
nv the high walls of The canyon, -ushing
down the chasm aad increasing in volume
it rolls, 50 as to be heard full thirty miles
southwest. Close to the cataract is a square
shaped cave OF fifteen feet each side. and
twenty high, whose falls a-e supported by
basaltic columns, the regularity OF whose
= hv .b he
Isle of Stafa o. the Giants Causewav.
Slid 'ng out of this cave and falling about
eight feet on 10 Il g-assv slope that leads to
the waters edge. within two hUndred feet of
the foot of the falls. you a-e right in the
m ddlc of the IN st, ana wet through ii an
instant. 1t is here thai, bv looking up, the
enormous al1;tude OF the fall can be realized,
and the fist feel ny is one of self-prese-va-
ton. and Involuntary drawing back, .or the
whole mass seems ready TO drop ana crush
YOU where you stand. Never can the weird
beauty of this scene be forgotten by behold
ers Ranbows of Il thousand hues seem To
surround YOU and their rises to arch you in
the sky.
The white foaming waters form brilliant
back ground TO the magic prisns pictured by
the spray. The dark f-own;ng rocks.
lieved by the light green jun pers. make
fitting frame 60, Ibis magn fcent sigbs.
Ond 70 none n po NJ OF No'dnca as lt Is seco 40
to none in savage g-andeu-. As measured
by officers in the first Oregon In;antry, the
main fall is 2l0 feet from the edge to the
level OF the water below The upper falls
has not yet been measured. but the total fall
of the river, the three distinct tumbles it
takes, cannot be less than three hundred feet,
while the river itself is over fou- hundred
feet at its narrowest width. The channel of
the stream below the falls is chasm 81 0
feet in depth, with perpendicular walls of
rock enclosing 1T