Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-11-04

smoking with recenthreS, and where
we found great difficulty in keeping
any trail. For three days more we
travelled away from the river, most
OF the time over an Indian trail,
which bore the traces of recent use.
Most of this route had been very
good thus far, and most of the diff
culties we contended with might
have been avoided, had we been
willing to take a little more time
and do some work. But as we ex-
pected to return by another route,
we preferred to pass everything that
was passable, and push on as fast
as possible. After getting among
the hills we found the timber in
creasing, until it became in places
almost impossible. There were fire.
quent openings, and still some &C.
casional bare hills. 1t was Satur-
day night when we camped on a
large swift creek, after descending
very steep mountain. The beauty
of the surroundings and the good
cheer in camp induced us to call
this, location Scamp Comfort"
We found ourselves here once
more near the river, and in the vi
cinity of one of the prettiest cas-
cades had ever seen. The large
creek on which we were camped
makes a leap of 1873 feet as we meas
ured it, both by rope and angles.
In any other section less replete with
wonders and beauties, it would have
attracted more attention and justifi-
ed a fuller notice. The locality sur
rounding these falls is most singu-
larly picturesque. Tall conical col
umns of yellowish, loose, conglom-
crate rock shoot up around the brink
of the falls, which suggested the
name of "Tower Falls" which we
gave them. The colored bluff banks
of the river, with buttrcssed crcsts
and sides, the green waters of the
river just visible in the deep gulf,
with streaks and patches of white
foam contrasting with the dark green
of pine-covcrcd hills, and the still
more distant snow-cappcd mount
aims have left deep impress on my
memory, and hallowcd that quiet
Sunday afternoon forever in nv
heart, when l sat for two hours on
the brink of a dizzy cliff ovcrhang-
ing the basin of the river and falls.
| see that the subject is beyond
the reach of ordinary limits to my
time and space, and I must defer to
another time description of the
Falls of the Yellowstone. The brim-
stone basins, boiling springs, mud
volcanoes, sulphurous cavcrns, that
we saw before reaching the great
Yellow stone lake, on which we were
camped IA days, around which we
Travelled completely, with great diff
ficu'ty, and with the sad result of
losing one of our party, who stray
ed from the train September 8, and
of whom no trace has yet been
found-the most wonderful district
that we saw on our whole trip was
upon the headwaters of the Madison
river, which we struck the second
day after leaving the great lake.
Here, within radius of two miles,
| saw hot springs by the thousand,
and the geysers that surpass the
great geyser Of Iceland. ! saw no
less than seven Of these geyscrs in
operation during the two days of
our stay-one of these threw water
to the height Of $50 feet, but as my
own eyes bore me witness, it was a
surprise to all of us and exceeds all
power Of brief description, so | pass
it for future mention.
About eight days of hard riding
with tired horses down the Madison
river brought us home within six
weeks from the date of our depart
ure. ! would try to write you more
but the territorial fair All! district
court, in addition to arrears of bus
mess, leave ME little prospect of do
ing more at present. Yours truly,
MONTANA.