Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-12-09
A Rival to Niagara Falls.
The Great American or Shoshone Falls on Snake
River, Idaho Territory.

Snake River IS the south fork of the Co
lumbia, having the alternate name of Lew
is River. The valley of the Snake lies along
an almost direct line from the South Pass
OF the Rocky Mountains, and in early days
it furnished the most practicable route over
land TO the Pacific.
In its descent over the ..levated plains of
Idaho, about 400 miles from whence it takes
its rise in the Rocky Mountains Snake Riv-
er forms the great Shoshone Falls The
river here runs through a narrow, rocky
gorge, which widens and terminates abruptly
in paecipitous cliffs, the summit of which is
about loo feet above the level of the rapids.
and 50 steep that the traveller can only de
scend at one point-an old, Indian trail Its
numerous windings making it about a mile
IN length. Following this trail slowly and
carefully, the tourist will in due time, find
himself standing on the bank of the river.
on level with the rapids, and overlooking
the Fails. The width of the river at this
point has been yariously estimated-we
thought it was at least 200 yards The rap
from thirty feet each in hight and, just be-
low them, the river, in an unbroken mass,
leags 30 feet into the bottomIess pit below.
The course of the river at this point is al
most due east The contour of the falls is
that of an irregular horseshoe, and their
width, following the course of the water. is
at least four hundred yards Although the
river Is not quite as wide at this point as
the Niagara River, the falls are higher and
quite as beautiful. The most complete view
Of the falls, including the river above and
below the rapids, cliffs AM surrounding
scenery, is obtained from Lookout Point
Lookout Point is narrow cape Of rocks
projecting from the main bluff about three
hundred yards lower down on the river than
the fall, 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
the attention is Eagle Rock, perpendicular
rock, about 100 feet in height, rising from
the main cataract. On the topmost peak of
this an American eagle has built his eyrie.
a fitting home for our national hird-long
may he live to occupy his unique and roman
tic abode! just above, about the center of
the cataract, is Ballard Island small rock
island covered with cedar and juniper trees
Several smaller islands 10 the right and left
of the larger one or Ballard Island add TO
the beauty and picturesqueness Of the scene.
The Two Sentinels-two huge rocky pillars
one on the north. the other on the south
side, overlooking the falls and reminding
one Of grim Sentincls guarding their object
Lower down the river, and from a higher
standpoint, one can obtain fine panoramic
view of the whole-the falls. the foamirr
rapids Eagle Rock, the Two Sentinels, the
huge pillars Of perpetual spray rising from
the bottom and near the center cL ff- -a.a-
ract, but extending as it rises 20 q aJalr -.sa.
and made beautiful by the mans .arar-l
rainbows which shed a halo Of e.ar. nrar
the whole scene Still lower down tie ..r..-
is Prospect Gulch. Several gentlemen OF
the party actuated by the spirit Of adven-
ture, determined to attempt, through this
gulch, to reach the river below the falls
They lowered themselves fifty feet by rome
down the perpendicular sides -o6 rocky
cliff. Reaching firm rorh,d. they managed
with liftie difficulty, to scramble down about
five hundred feet to the bank Of the river
Arriving there they found that their troubles
had just begun. They were six hundred
yards from the falls, to reach which their
path lay around and over some huge bouId-
ers Of slippery rock, winding along the foot
of the steep bank, and then through the
foaming and boiling waters, the heavy swells
of which reminded them Of the breakers
from 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 vio-
lence 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 One
cannot fully comprehend the immensity of
the sheet of water and the sublimity of the
scene, until he can gaze upward as we did
This point is the Cave Of the Winds The
Shoshone Falls, as whole, will compare
fayorably with Niagara. Those Of our party
who have seen both places, pronounce the
former superior in many respects. In beauty
and wildness of scenery the Shoshone Falls
cannot be surpassed. Niagara excels in
magnitude only.