Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-25


some of the marvels of that wonderful region i
Fort Ellis is about twenty-five miles rorth
west by north from the NclltW Stone river, and
on one of the branches of the cast fork of the
Gallatin river, the country beyond this place
would not admit Of wagons, SO that we fitted up
a pack train of horses and mGles--lhe only eii-
Cient mode of transportation that can be ems
ployed In this wild and uneXplored country.
Soon after we had passed over the divide and
assembled a grassy hill slope, which fell away
gently to the river ahead, we eame in view df
one of the greatest chains OF lava peaks that can
be found on this continent. From right to left
as far as the eve could reach il rested upon SER
ried front of ragged, pinnacled SUBMITS, so
sharp and keen as To shed the SHOW way down
upon their torn and Rugged Hauks, leaving the
bare rock pointing upward like needles, nina
rcts and gothic roofs The snow beneath seems
ed to depend upon the Struggling aud stunted
pines for support while these timber lines in
turn fell away down the mountain sides TO
grassy benches and pateaus. The whole form
ing one of the most perfect pictures of lava up
heaya and overflow that the world afford. In
this chain there are a hundred peaks that are
over ii 900 feet above tile sea-, and 1000 feet
above the river and eight or ten that will easily
reach the altitude of 1000 or $4,000 feet In
my travels on the northwest coast | have seen
isolated mountains higher than these, but such
Il grand aggregate Of lofty and, in most cases,
inaccessible submits, had never gazed upon be-
fore,
The valley which cradles the Yellowstone
river at the base Of the range Is trihe over
seventy miles in length, between the canon of
the mission (wherc the river breaks through
great limestone ridge and TURNS out Upon the
plains and the lower canon, above, varying in
width from one to five it is well waterCd, with
a most luXuriant growth Of bunch grass almost
everywhere within it. At tho present time
there is but one rancho iii lt and that Is sustained
nv an lip is no
of party of miners who are working in Emf
grant gulch, supplying them with vegetables of
all varieties, milk, butter, etc, His cattle run
out the whole season around without cafe or
shelter, and are 10 excellent condition.
Near the mouth of the lower canon, where
the river comes out from abrupt mountain
gorgeS, a small stream flows in from the west,
and bears the name, on peane's map, OF "Gardi'
neI'S river while it IL known to the traDperS
as "Warm Spring Creek" We assembled it
some three miles, and came into camp at the
base of most wonderful hot spring.
Up here on the rolling semi:wOOded slopes of
high mountain one sees at first what appears
to be huge bank of snow, covering Very
large area, with the strange phenomenon of
steamy clouds of vapor rising from it; APP
preaching nearer it is found to be, in reality, a
little mountain made up by the precipitation
and deposition of soda and carbonate Of lime,
which are held In scltton by the hot Water Of
the springs, which comes up through basaltc
assures from some great depth, as the water is
always at the boiling point The deposition of
the material in solution is made in delicate
layers overlapping, and In beaded rows, the
WhoiG oeln@ ~, III appearances not unllhe inc
GnoIaI lcel lme spiIhS ~ tnie way - cGnstaiil,
some other place not far Distant BY this
closing up and breaking out again of the
springs a large area of country is covered with
their deposit, and the spot am describing can
HuI pc lcSS man i've huhuieu "Cieo III eAtent,
1Ngr Wulcli, ncre agn .ilelt hte tnltty Vi loriy
poiihS springs, tue uel'th VI ihc Precipttatioh III
many places DENY over TWO nunuFeu lcet,
me water ltsell - peiutliul que; ah4 liii"s-
parent 10 gIe'.l uep1u'tl ic.sV 10 uep!nS IIlat
seem fathomesS-dnd IN many places, IN How
lng over Its deposits OF soda and lime,lt shows
tllts OF the most cAquisue aelcacy, Sltch as
rose, creamy yeiIow, ana talnt purple. We gave
TWO days 10 the survey OF TINS system OF springs
ana inc adJaceht country; !hehce proceeded
over roInug woodland prairle-the river roar
M III us steep, deep canon on our lett WIN Il
uensely ulnpeIed piateau Oh the MADISON on our
rlGht-to the NOUN OF inc great canon, three
lnleS ABOVE inc nead OF the lower, ana camped
at the beautiful lails 81 Tower creek. AT the
Junction OF inns stream with the Yellowstone
apoVe ana oeloW, Ior mlle or so, are num-
DER Cl sulphur ana Suipnuretted hydrogen
springs; Wlllle nl@h up on the 9asallc walls OF
tue canon opposite the yeloW stain OF dead
or cold sulphur springs Is very marked. The
structure oil the DaSaltc column Just above the
Stalhlhg Is very perfect ana beautifully regular.
ROWS OF pillars from twenty 10 thirty feet stand
without nav or crack IN regular tiers, one above
the otner' Inc great canon may ne sad TO
END al lower creek, and rise at the foot of the
lower falls, giving 1t length OF twenty-five or
thirty miles: 1t is great basaltic iisSure, or
rather rent IN the earth, varying IN depth from
one TO TWO thousand feet, along down which
the river seems delighted TO fairly whirl,