The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-09-03

Ct Nfeab DuDumlLys
n Snake river is the South fork of t
Columbia, having the alternate name
/ Lewis RIVER, named after Lewis, oneof Il
D early pioneers who came West by way
the Rocky Mountains following the cour
OF the river to the point at which it EN-
ties into the Columbia. Snake river ris
IN the Rocky Mountains, near Fremont
peak, on the Dakota line, flowing sc
: miles through Southern Idaho in gene
al westernly course, thence north 100 mil,
: forming the boundary line between Idab
and Oregon, receiving as tributaries til
BOISE, OWyhee, Salmon and Clearwate
! rivers, besides numerous smaller stream
and finally running with the north for
or Clark's river to form the great Colun
bia
The valley Of the Snake lies along q
almost direct line from the South Pass c
the Rocky Mountains, and in the earl
days it furnished the most practicabi
route overland to the Pacific. In it's dc
scent over the elevated plains of Idaho
about 400 miles from whence it takes if
rise In the Rocky Mountains, Snake rive
forms the great Shoshone Falls. The riy
er here runs through narrow, rock,
gorge, which widens and terminates alb
ruptly III precipitous Cliffs the summit O
which is about one hundred feet above tn,
level OF the rapids and so steep that thu
traveller can descend at only one point
an Old Indian trail, its numerous winding,
making it about mile in length. Fol
lowing this trail slowly and carefully, the
tourist will in due time find himselfstand
ing upon the banks of the river ona Level
with the rapids and overlooking the falls
The width of the river at this point has
been variously estimated-we thought il
at least two hundred yards.
The rapids here form series of cascades
ranging from thirty to sixty feet each il
height, and just below them the river, in
one unbroken mass, leaps two hundred
and ten feet into the bottomlesS pit be.
low. The course of the river at this point
is almost due east and west the contour
OF the falls is that of an irregular horse.
shoe, and their width, following the course
OF the water, is at least four hundred wards
Although the river is now quite as wide
at this point as the Niagara river the falls
arc higher and quite as beautiful. The
most complete view of the falls, including
viz AANNA dOONC anu DGIOW Gllc IGDlUS
cliffs and surrounding scenery, is obtained
from Lookout Point. Lookout Point is q
narrow cape of rocks projecting from the
main bluff about three hundred yardslow.
er down on the river than the falls, SC
narrow that two persons cannot walk
abreast. Care and caution should be ex
ercised in going to the extremity of thi:
point-the very timid and over bold
should never attempt it-a slip of the
foot would in moment precipitate one
three hundred feet into the raging torrent
below
Standing at this point, we will endeav
or to name the prominent places of inter
est. The first object which attracts ouI
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 riv-
er, and almost overhanging the main cat
aract Upon the topmost peak of this
an American eagle has built his eyrie, q
fitting home for our noble national bird
long may he live to occupy his unique
and romantic abode Just above, and
about the centre of the cataract, is Ballard
Island, 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 Sentinel-two huge rocky pill
lars-are one on the north, the other Oh
the south side, overlooking the falls and
reminding 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-tht
falls, the foaming rapids, eagle rock, the
two sentlnels, the huge pillars of perpet
ual spray rising from the bottom and neal
the centre of the cataract, but extending
as it rises to either side, and made beauti-
ful by the many -colored rainbows which
shed halo of glory upon the whole scene.
Still lower down the river is Prospect
Gulch. Several gentlmen of the party,
actuated by the spirit of adventure, deter
mined to attempt through the gulch to
reach the river below the falls. They
lowered themselves fifty feet on rope
down the perpendicular sides of a 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
bAlG%o IllSI IIOuDltS Hdu just DeRuui Luey
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 strjakjngJy 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 themselves in an erect posture
On their knees, they held with their hands
to the overhanging brush to prevent be-
ing blown into the river,
We think that one cannot fully compre-
bend the immensely Of the sheet of water
and the sublimity Of the scene, until he
can gaze upward aswe did. This point il
the Cave of the Winds. The Shoshone
Falls, as a whole, will compare fayorably
with Niagara. Those of our party who
have seen both places pronounce the for
mer superior in many respects. In beauty
and wildness Of scenery, the Shoshone
cannot be surpassed. Niagara excels in
magnitude only.