The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-10-18
An Interesting Wilderness.
It is stated in the sixth annual rer

1t is stated in the sixth annual report
of the United States Geological Survey
of the Territories, by F. V. Hayden,
United States Geologist, that there is no
more unknown or more Interesting geo
graphical region in America than that OF
the different branches of the Snake Rlv-
er and the Madison, the great water dl-
vide of the continent. The maps now
in process of construction Will almost
entirely change the geography of this
wonderful region. Within the radius of
ten miles NAV be found the sources of
three of the largest rivers in America.
The general elevation is from 1000 to
5000 feet above the sea, while the noun
tains. whose eternal SHOWS form the
sources of these great rivers, rise to a
height of 10000 to $4,000 feet. Flow
ing northward are the numerous branch
es of the Missouri, Yellowstone, and
Wind Rivers, which all eventually unite
into one mighty stream, the Missouri.
To the south are the branches of Green
River, which, uniting with the Colora-
do, finally empties into the Gulf of Cal
ifornia while south and west flow the
branches of Snake River, which, unit
ing with the Columbia, pour their vast
volume of water into the Pacific. The
exploration of this remarkable water di-
vide proves that the Madison Fork has
its source in a small lake not hitherto
noted on any map, and that the so-called
Madison Lake belongs entirely to the
Pacific slope This latter lake was dis
covered to be about twelve miles long
and eight miles wide. From this body
of water flows a stream about one hun
dred feet wide, which, after a distance
of about five miles, empties into a sec
ond lake, which is four miles long and
one mile and a half wide. The former
of these lakes was named Shoshone, and
the latter Lake Lewis, in honor of the
great pioneer explorer of the northwest.
At the upper end of Lake Shoshone a
new geyser basin was discovered, with
from seventy-five to one hundred springs
many of them geysers of considerable
power. In some respects these springs
were considered more interesting than
those in Fire hole Basin.
The divide between the Yellowstone
Lake and Lake Lewis was found to be
about fifty feet above the former and two
hundred feet above the latter. This low
ridge on the great water divide of the
continent has doubtless given rise to the
story of the Two-Oceans River, and such
stream has found its way into most OF
our printed maps. From the summit OF
the mountain the scope of vision EN-
braced a radius of $50 miles, within
which 40 mountain peaks worthy of q
name could be distinctly observed. The
area that could be swept by the eye from
this point could not have been less than
so, 900 square miles, embracing every
variety of grand and beautiful scenery
of mountain and valley, probably with
no parallel on the continent. Ten large
lakes and several smaller ones were en-
braced in the view, and the entire Yel-
lowstone Park was spread out to the eve.
To the east the Wind River and Bic
Horn ranges, with the snow-clad sum
mits of Fremont's, Union, and Cloud
Peaks, bounded the view. On the north
the Yellowstone range, with Emigrants
Peak, and many of the loftiest noun
tains in Montana, were clearly seen. To
the west the numerous ranges comprised
in what are called the Salmon River
Mountains of Idaho formed the horizon
of vision in that direction, while the
mountains near Fort Hall and the Wa
satch range completed the mighty am
phitheatre. This remarkable view en-
braced a large portion of Wyoming, Ida
no, Montana, and Utah Territories.
About forty small streams, which unite
and form the upper portion of Snake
River, were carefully examined. The
party then proceeded down the valley of
the Snake River, through its remarkable
canons, and examined Jackson's Lake
and the Numerous streams that enter the
main river on either side