Helena weekly herald., 1870-10-27

| Where temptation to fall into the besetting
sin of tourists il great, the merit of avoiding
them is equally great. The Yellowstone
expedition left Fort Ellis on the 22nd of
August. Through the Bozeman Pass il
made its way to Trail Greek. from which q
view was had of the mountains beyond the
Yellowstone. Soon after it reached tho
mouth of Gardiner River, which enters the
Yellowstone just below what is called the
Grand Canyon. Here the explorers pitched
their camp amid magnificent scenery They
found abundance Of game and trout, hot
springs of five or six different kinds, includ-
ing sulphur and iron, and basaltic columns
Of enormous size that constantly suggested
some mighty effort at human architecture.
But finer and more imposing still they found
the river-the Gardiner, just before reach
ing the YcllOwstOne-runningb between q
procession of sharp pinnacles, looking like
some noble old castle, dismantled and sbiv.
cred with years. but still erect and defiant.
Suddenly, and between two Of these turrets,
leap of ITO measured feet. and then flows
peacefully into the Yellowstone This cat.
aract, which has been named the Tower
Fall, must be in form, color and surround.
ings one OF the most glorious objects on the
American Continent.
Beyond this. from an elevated peak, q
panorama was obtained of vast extent and
Yellowstone Lake. the jagged summits of
the Wind River, Big Horn and Lower Vel.
iowstOnc ranges of mountains. while still
further could be discernetl the tops of the
Tet0ns. Soon the party came upon huge
boiling springs, giving forth volumes Of
steam and their sides cncrustcd with sui.
phur. These, with questionable taste, were
named Hell Broth Springs and a gorge
nara ny. where mountain stream had ages
back tore its way through rock Of lava.
was naturally called the Devils Dcn'
More picturesque cascades were aetcrwnrd
found. several of them exceeding one hun
ircd feet in height. the water possessing
beautiful emerald green TINT. to which, Gen.
Washburnc often refers. But beautiful is
Yellowstone Here the height more than
doubles Niagara. The water Of the river
is flung in one sheet down u perpendicular
wall of three lunlled and fifty fet aud
the mingling of green water ana white spray
with the rainbow tints above is spoken of as
gorgeous beyond description Not far away
there is something more amazing stll.
There is Il canyon. or ravinc, which. q thou.
sand feet deep ut the Lower Fails, becomes
ncnrly double that deptl, further on. Ju..
ting ohl,quely over This canyon frowns a
rock. itself two hundred feet high, Oh the
top Of which is an eagles nest Close by,
little rivulct comes chasing down past this
rDck anu leaps sQuAscIy INTO the canyon.
II Is dashed into mist long before il can
reach the bottom
"'Thcre arc many other strange things in
the Yellowstone Basin whicl, would take
much space to describe There arc extinct
volcanoes and hills made Of solid brimsto one:
there is u large sulplIurc spring. twenty
feet by twelve. filled with boiling water,
which is constantly thrown up by clfcr-
vesccncc high into the mir; there is a spot
covered with springs Of nearly every color
yellow, green blue and pink; ihcrcis another
Of alum water, mott solution only, but crys-
tallized. and there arc geysers Of mud and
steam ccasclcssly active that must exceed in
size and power those Of Iceland One of
the number, according to Mr.. Washburn,
throws mud three hundred feet high. and
another spouts only ut intervals, becoming
perfectly still. and anon throwing up y
volume OF boiling rubbish to IL great alti-
tudc. We have said that this record reads
like fairy tale, and readers will hy this
time agree with US. Ii. official character,
however. may be added to the evidence Of
that simplicity of style already commended
Us earnest "f the trustworthincss Of tile
narrative. Rarely do descriptions of nature
come to our hands so ounaffectedlycx expressed,
and yet so giled with true romance