Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-09-18

y ssng
A band 0! blessed angels bss left the hes-en,
ly choi,s,
And what you heard las. erening were
sersph lips and Tyres.
o.
A River in Idaho 400 Yards Wide. Falls
21o Fest Siberia Mountain Scene Of
Great suhlimity.
From the Oregon Statesman.
Snake River is the south fork Of the
Columbia, 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 practical route
overland to the Pacific. In its de-
scent over the elevated plains of Idaho
about 400 miles from whence it takes
its rise in the Rocky Mountains, Snake
river forms the great Shoshone Falls
The river here runs through narrow,
rocky gorge, which widens and ter
inmates abruptly in preclpitous cliffs,
the summit of which is about 100 feet
above the level Of the rapids, and so
steep that the traveller can descend at
only one polnt-an old Indian trail,
it's numerous windings making il about
mile in length. Following this trail
slowly and carefully, the tourist will
IN due time find himself standing upon
the bank Of the river on level with
the rapids, ard overlooking the falls
The width OF the river at this point
has been variously estimated-we
thought j. at least two hundred
yards.
The rapids here form series Of
cascades; ranging from thirty to sixty
feet in height, and just below them
the river, in one unbroken mass, leaps
two hundred feet into the bottomless
pit below. The course Of the river at
this point is almost due east and west !;
the contour Of the falls is that of an
irregular horseshoe, aud their width,
following the course ot the water, is
at least four hundred yards. AL
though the river is not GU te as wide
at this point as the Niagara river, the
falls are higher and quite as beauti-
ful The most complete view of the
falls, including the river above and
below the rapids, cliffs and surround
ing scenery, is obtained from Look
ont Point. Lookout Point is mar
row cape of rocks projecting from
The main bluff about three hundred
wards lower down the river than the
falls, so narrow that two persons can
aot walk abreast.
Standing upon this point VS. vii
e.ldea, or TO nam lie proinincn. ace
Of n.eresr. Tire first ohice, which at.
tracts our attention is Eagle Rock. a
perpendicular pillar OF rock about one
hundred '"at IN height rising Iroau the
l..iast Of ne re.2;i7 Err yards from
&c sonth hank OF the river, and almost
oycshaag.ne nc G.a.a cataract Upon
tic topnost peak Of this rock an
American eagle has buiit his evrie, A
fitting home for Cur noble national
bird-long may he live 70 occupy his
unique ani romantic AIDE. just
above, anl ,.',oa; the center oe the cat
.ract, : Ballard Island, q small rocky
island covered with cedar AMI inniper
s-acs. Several sr,alle: islands, to the
right and IeIt Of tl.e large one, OF Bal
lard Islands, A.. 10 ;.lc beauty and
picturesnueness ot the scene.
The Two Sentin ele--wo hage rocky
piliars--are one or Tie -. y, the 9TH
er on the south side. overlooking the
falls aai reminding onc @ grim senti-
nals guarding their rast. Lower
down she r:T.f, ar3 from higher
star lpo:a., one c:a g.. !! Z sae pano-
raln!c view o.. the wi1ol.--She tails,
the ioaminr tap.s,s, Et-ie Rock, the
Two Seat:ao.s, the huge pillars of per
petual spray rising from the bottom
and near the center Of the cataract,
hs. extending IS il rises to either side,
and made beautiful by the many col
ored ra;nbows which sh4d \ halo of
glory upon the whole scene. Still
lower down the river IS Prospect
Galeh. Several gentlemen OF the par.
t., actua.ed by the spirit OF adventure,
determined TO attempt, through the
gulch. to reach the river below the
falls. They lowered themselves fifty
feet on rope down the perpendicular
sides OF rocky Cliff. Reaching firm
ground, they managed, with but little
difficulty; to scramble down about five
hundred fcot to the banks of the river.
Arriving there. they found that their
troubles hal Just begun; they We're
six hundred yards from the falls, 70
reach which their path lay around and
sometimes ever huge boulders of slip
pery rocks, winding along the foot OF
the steep banks and then through the
ioaming an; boiling waters, the heavy
swells Of which reminded them strtk-
:eg'y OF the breakers on the sea shore.
Finally they reached point about
thirty feet from the falls. Their jour
ney 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 themselves 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 com
prehend the immensity OF the sheet o1
water and the sublimity Of the scene
until he can gaze upward as we did
This point is the Cave Of the Winds