The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-02-01
Marvels of Montana.

III lOIlultI hlCiCS III lO SuDJCSG |
of explorations of the Rocky Noun
tain region was testified by the filling
of a large hall of the Cooper Insti-
tute, On Saturday evening, with eager
listeners to the lecture of the Hon. N.
p. Langford upon recent wonderful
discoveries in the vicinity of the head
waters of the Yellowstone river. Mr..
Langford has been n resident of Mon
tana since 1862, was originally from
Oneida county, n. Y, and was APP
pointed governor of the territory in
the latter part of President Johnson's
administration, but did not assume
the duties of the office. The lecture
abounded in graphic descriptions. and
was frequently applauded,
An expedition of nineteen persons,
including a cavalry escort Of five men,
commanded by a lieutenant, and as
signed for the duty by Major G General
Hancock. was organized at Helena,
and set out for a six weeks journey,
last August. The adventure was re-
garded as a very dangerous n on
account of the presence of hostile In
dams in the hitherto UNEMPLOYED re-
gion which it was intended to visit
The ascent of the Belt Range, said
Mr.. Langford, began from Fort Ellis,
was irregular and tedious, leading
through narrow defles, and up sharp
declivIties and over numerous peaks,
until the summit was attained; the
elevation being 5000 feet. From
this point an amphitheatre of noun
tains, 500 miles in circumference. in
closing a valley as large as New Hamp-
shire, with all its details of pinnacle,
peak, dome, rock and river, is COM
pretended at a glance. Following
the range to the right for 40 miles,
the eye rests upon the singular depres-
sion where, formed by confuent
streams of Madison, Jefferson and
Gallatln, the Missouri begins its me-
andering to the gu'f. At the left are
the glowing peaks of the Yellowstone,
their SUBMITS enveloped in clouds.
or glittering with perpetual snow. In
front, carpeted with verdure, is the
magnificent valley of the Gallatin.
The explorers were much impressed
by the beauty and grandeur of the
valley of the Yellowstone river, and
found canons rivaling those OF the
Colorado They proceeded directly
up the valley, encountering many
wonders on the way, such as immense
water falls, columns of pillar basalt,
like the Giants Causeway," and hot,
and cold, and sulphur springs, until
i'll a few days they reached a summit
from which they obtained a view OF
Yellowstone lake, and to visit it left
the well defined Indian trail and pass
ell through a region never before ira
versed by civilized men.
The Yellowstone lake was reached,
twelve miles beyond the mud valcano,
and many days were spent in explor-
ing the country in its vicinity. The
lake was ascertained to be $3.50 feet
above the level of the sea. 1t is
an expansion of the river, and is about
twenty-five miles long by fifteen wide.
1t abounds in speckled trout of the
finest quality, and vast tiocks of geese,
ducks, swans, and pelicans resort to
it. 1t is surrounded by %stupendous
mountain ranges, which are approach
Ell on all sides by undulating plains
and grassy foot hills. Forests OF pine
touch its banks at intervals and it.
beautiful margin presents every varies
ty of sand and pebbly beach, glitter
ing with crystals, comedian, and cha.-
cedony. Indians rarely approach it
on account of the superstition inspired
by the volcanic forces of the vicinity.
The journey arounl it was attended
with difficulty, and distress. One of
the party, Truman c. Everts, was lost
and left to his fate, after a long search
by his comrades. After thirty sever
days, during which he nearly persisted.
he was rescued by two trappers, who
found him ITO miles from the place
where he had been missed. Snow had
fallen to the depth of tw~enty-siX inches
when the explorers turned homeward.
They aimed to strike the head waters
of the Madison, and succeeded in do
ing so, after struggling slowly through
the snow for several days, and suffered
very much. The desire for home had
taken place of all their interest in the
explorations In the words of this
lecturer: We had within a distance o!
fifty miles, seen the greatest wonders
of the continent. We were convinced
that there was not on the globe, anoth-
er region where, within the same lin
its, nature had crowded so much of
grandeur and majesty with so much
of novelty and straEgeness. Judge,
then, of our establishment on entering
the basin of the Madison, and seeing
inst before us an immense body of
sparkling water projecting suddenly
and with terrific force into the air to
the height Of 125 feet. We had found
a real geyser. In the valley before us
were 1000 hot springs of varioas
sizes, and 500 eroters throwing out
vapor. The geysers were seen in &C
ton in every direction, projecting wat
ter to various heights. Tie one first
refe red to vas throwing from an ir-
regular crevice, about seven by three
feet, a column of water Of correspond
ing dimensions to a height of 125 feet.
Various names were given to the gey-
sers. , One wss called the "Fan," as
it threw up to the height OF 60 feet
two ~radiating sheets Of water, resen-
bling a feather fan. Forty feet from
this gcyser is a vent, connected with
it, and two feet in diameter, which,
during the eruption, expels, with LoHd
reports, dense masses OF vapov. One
of the party crawled into "The Grot-
to" from curiosity, not supposing it to
be a live geyser, and as he emerged,
he was followed by an eruption of
boiling water, which, if it had over
taken him, would have cooked him.
G M c...D ! 4, roono1 1onnSIf nrn.