Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1871-04-01
Wonders oft!te Upper Yellow
asOne.

The Pick and Plow, q Newspaper
published in Bo1oman city, Monta.
ma Territory, contains an account
of the great natural wonders of the
Upper Yellowstone river, written
by n gentleman who has recently
visited thst comparatively unknown
region. lie describes the river in
one spot as "pouring through n
canyon whose stately stairs Of rock
ascend n thousand foet, towering
and stretching away distance Of
three miles"
In ascending its southern bank
the party entored n "dozen rocky
dcns, and cast side looks into Il
hundred more--generally shallow
in depth, but occasionally penetra-
ting, with high roofs of grey con
glumeratc, to - distance OF fifty
feet into the mountain side. Com
ing to series of cells, similarly
placed about the cone Of we'll
worn hill, we are startled to oncoun-
ter u pctrifed tree, which shoots
through the hinty roof Of one Of
these hollows into the clear blue
sky, to a great height, and stretch
os out its stony arms from half Il
foot to twenty feet in all directions.
The trunk Of this giant is eighteen
feet in diameter at the base, and
tho bark, in places, is ontirc-all
pctrified, from bottom to top. Acres
of ground in this vicinity are strewn
with fallen trees and debris of!imbs
and stumps, sections Of snakes, bone
and flesh Of various wild animals.
all changed to solid rock, and as
varied in color as light itself BY
pccring from rare accessible points,
where q mis-step would end in
death, we have a fine prospect along
the canyon, through which the riv
or roArs and f0ams, interrupted here
and there by grotesque buttresses Of
rock and pillared columns, stand
ing dreadful sontinels in the midst
of the tremendous gateway, cloven
through the solid rock by this
mountain artery, Directing our
course to tho south, we como upon
q forest region of pine and cedar,
and, cutting along tho slopes, occa-
sionally catch view ota very para
disc of wild pasturage, fringed with
leaguo-long bods of hardy flowers
white, blue, green, golden and
crimson-where the botanist would
realize his most sanguine hopes.
"Evertyhing along the Yellow
stone indicates volcanic influence
and most tremendous convulsion.
We pass many burnt districts,
whose active internal fires send
forth sulphurous flames and steam.
The shrill sound of escaping steam,
through tube-liko openings in the
level plain, is often heard to a dis
.tance of eight miles, the most re-
markablo being that above the
Falls, called The sawmill.' In the
vicinity of Hen Run, and on both
sides of The main forks of the Ycl-
lowstono, these blowing pipes, the
most appropriate name can give
them, most abound; while foun-
talns or gcyscrs of boiling water,
clear and limpid. or black and thick
as tar, are in plentiful supply. One
remarkable geyser, southeast Of tho
Fork, by overfows and dippings,
has built for itself a small hill of
grey stone with knobby sides. 1t
possesses on the top a bowl or era
ter, into which, by climbing, we
can enter. This inside is beautiful
ly white and porous, and being
easily broken, exhibits most deli
cate tracory of fret-work, produced
by the action of the water. a cir
cular passage in the centre, one foot
in diameter, gives periodic vent TO
its internal troubles. These vents
occur at regular intervals of about
five minutes each, with loud re-
ports, always preceded by low nut
lerings, which increase in violence
until the rim wells over, when a
jet of several hogsheads Of water is
projected TO an immense height and
falls around in warm drops"
The wonderful fall OF the Yellow
stone is also graphically described.
The river, with a breadth OF nearly
500 yards, plunges at one point in
a clear PerPcndicular pitch Of at
least one thousand feet. But the
depth from above appears immeas-
urable.
This same person brought back
with him from his trip, a. speci-
mems Of the natarai curiosities he
saw, a perfectly petriied toad. q
petri6ed wild cherry tree, a large
lump Of r0ss-colOred alum. besides
a large number Of mineral speei-
mems"