Middletown transcript., 1871-11-11
rmE w.srnas cousrnY.


The Northern Psciac Surveying party
which vas sent out from DaooSah 10 6nd
il possible, practicable route through shs
valley Of the Yellowstone. hiss returned t.
Fort Rice Tbs expedition is ssid to have
been cmincnsly successfal. General Ros.
sic reports the discovery of ! direct line
to the Yellowstone river. through country
presenting but few obstacles to tho con.
strucsion Of road, and having abundance
Of water. and timber, and coal.
The valley Of the Yellowstone. through
which tho Northern Pacific Railroad Il
soon destined TO pass. j. Of singular inter.
est, BY reason Of the remarkable character
Of its scenery and its strange geological
formation. Il is wild. savage, aud gro-
tesqqcly picturesque. Its most notice.
able features is ito Gcysefs. Heretofore
these spouting springs havc only been
found IN Iceland and In California. The
California GeysefD Darc, however. but small
as compared with those Of the Ysllswstone
country One valley Of the Yellowstone
contains no less than hundred and City
Of these springs. Some Of them are ol
weak power and insignificant Dimensions.
Others shoot upwards. nt intervals, Jets,
or columns, Of hot water 10 q height ol
from sixty to hundred feet. One, ia
particular, throws nm immense column oil
water to n height Of over two hundred
feet
Besides these remarkable 0eysers the
Yellowstone has other wonders in it's Can.
ons; in its springs Of water varionsly col.
ored through graduation Of ,ihts. from,
white to lGvcnder ard brilliant pink Ia
its mud volcanoes. and in the strangely
weird character Of its mountains and gor-
gcs Some Of these days many curious
travellers will be attracted towards this
singular country; whilst it may eventually
obtain reputation among iays..ds, NJ u
sanitarium. from the healing virtues at.
tribat@d 10 its bot springs.
Another tract Of country has recently
been explored to find an available route
for Southern Branch Pacific Railroad
from the Arkansas river through New
Mexico and Arizona to the lower waters
of the Colorado-whch cmplics into the
Gulf of Calitornia--and thence By north
westwardly course to San Francisco This
! country is also reported to be emincntly
| picturesque From the boundary Of Kan
sas; down the Purgatoris river and the
upper waters of the Rio Grande across
the broken mountain spurs Of Arizonn, and
the Mesas, or elevated plains. to the Gila
Valley, the surveying parties met with an
almost constant Succession Of natural won.
dcrs. Large portions Of the country cy.
plored were Of volcanic formation; bui
some Of the plains aud valleys were rich
in grasses. Iron aud coal. Of mn excel.
lent quality, were discovered in the noun.
tains b., iinmense tracts Of country
| particularly TO the west and south Of the
/ line Of route, were alkaline deserts, with
an entire absence Of vegetation But tht
most striking feature Of all this region o.
mingled beauty, grandeur, aud desolatiou
is the Colorado Canon-a profound gorge
through which the waters Of the Colorado
river secthe and foam for distance O
five hundred miles on their way to the
Gulf Of California The first white mur
that ever passed safely through the rapid,
aud whirlpools Of this dangerous Canor
was james White. M adventurous from,
,iersinan. For six days he aoated dowr
! the river on a raft between nearly per.
pcndicular mountain walls. Between tn,
snn Juan river aud the Colorado Chiqui,o
the enclosing sides Of this black gorg,
were. in some places, fve thousand fee
in height. Within year past tho Colo
rado Canon has been thoroughly explored
by an expeditionnry party, led by Colonc
Powell and fitted out expressly for III,
purpose After encountering many peril
tho entire party passed safely through.