The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-02
AN IDAHO WOND ER.

a River 900 Yards Wide Falls eIO Feet
Sbeer-A Mountain scene of Great Sub
Unity.
RfOni the oregon Statesman.
Snake River is the South fork OF the Column
bia, having the alternate name of Lewis River
The valley of the Snake lies along an almost
direct line from the South Pass OF the Rocky
Mountains and in the early days it furnished
the most practicable route overland to the
Pacific. In its descent over the elevated plains
of Idaho, about 400 miles from whence 1t takes
its rise in the Rocky Mountains, Snake River
forms the great Shoshone Falls. The river
here runs through a narrow, rocky gorge
which widens and terminates abruptly in pre-
cipitous cliffs, the summit of which is about
one hundred feet above the level of the rapids
and so steep that the traveller can descend
at only one pOint-an old Indian trail its
numerous windings making it about a mile in
length. Following this trail slowly and care
fully, the tourist will in due time find himself
standing upon the bank of a river on a level
with the rapids, and overlooking the falls.
The width OF the river at this point has been
variOusy estimated-we thought it at least
two hundred yards.
The rapids here form a series of cascades,
ranging from thirty to sixty feet each in
height, and just below them the river, in one
unbroken mass, leaps two hundred and ten
feet into the bottomless pit below. The course
VI luf IlNtT dJ tHl5 punt Is almost Qub EaSt
and West; the contour of the falls is that of
an irregular horseshoe, and their width, fol-
lowing the course of the water, is at least four
hundred yards. Although the river Is not
quite az wide at this point as the Niagara
river, the falls are higher and quite as beauti-
full The most complete view OF the falls in
cluding the river above ard below the rapids,
cliffs and surrounding scenery, is obtained
from Lookout Point. Lookout Point is a
NO Of clysV th,,
bluff about three hundred yards lower down
on the river than the falls, SO narrow that two
persons cannot walk abreast.
Standing upon this point, we will endeavor
to name the prominent places of interest. The
first object which attracts our attention is
Eagle Rock, a perpendicular pillar of rock
about one hundred feet in height, rising from
the midst of the rapids fifty yards from the
South bank of the river, and almost over
hanging the main cataract. Upon the topmost
peak OF this rock an American eagle has built
his eyre, fitting home for our noble national
blrd-l0Dg may he live to occupy his UNIQUE
and romantic abode Just above and about
the centre of the cataract, is Ballard Island a
small rocky island covered with cedar and
juniper trees. Several smaller islands, to the
right and left of the large one, or Ballard
island, add to the beauty and picturesqueness
of the scene.
The Two Sentinels-two huge rocky pill
lars-are one on the north, the other on the
south side, overlooking the falls, and remind
ing one of grim sentinels guarding their post.
Lower down the river, and from higher
standpoint, one can obtain a fine panoramic
view of the whole-the tails, the foaming
rapids, Eagle Rock, the Two Sentinels the
huge pillars of perpetual spray rising from the
bottom and near the centre of the cataract,
bnt extending as it rises to either side, and
made beautiful by the many y-colored rainbows
which shed halo Of glory upon the whole
scene. Still lower down the river is Prospect
Gulch. Several gentlemen of the party,
actuated by the spirit of adventure, deter
mined to attempt, through the gulch,
to reach the river below the falls.
a rope down the perpendicular sides
of rocky cliff. Reaching firm ground, they
managed, with but little difficulty, to scramble
down about five hundred feet to the banks of
the river. Arriving there they found thai
their troubles had just begun they were six
hundred yards from the falls, to reach which
their path lay around and sometimes over
huge boulders of slippery rocks, winding
along the foot of the steep banks and then
through the foaming and boiling waters, the
heavy swells of which reminded them strikingly
of the breakers on the sea-shore. Finally they
reached a point about thirty feet from the
falls. Their journey here came to an abrupt
termination by the shelving of the rocks into
deep water. The wind struck this point with
such violence that they feared to trust them
selves in an erect posture. On their knees,
they held with their hands to the overhanging
brush to prevent being blown into the river.
We think that one cannot fully compre hend
the immensity of the sheet of water and the
sublimity of the scene until he can gaze up
ward as we did. This point is the Cave of the
Winds The Shoshone Falls, as whole,
will compare favorably with Niagara. Those
of our party who have seen both places pro-
nounce the former superior in many respects.
In beauty and wildness of scenery the Sho.
shone cannot be surpassed. Niagara excels
in magnitude only.