Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-07-28

.
stone. So. on the outer side Of the wall,
the soil is white from the white walls,
which are rich with the finest gypsum.
Glen Eyrie is nearly mile north of
the Garden of the Gods. much lower
down, and closely shut in between the
parts of mountain severed by Queens
Canon. Indeed, the canon is part of
the glen, or the glen might be called the
entrance to the canon. The huge walls
extending on northward from the Garden
of the Gods. completely shut the glen in
from the outer world. A beautiful stream
of water, running down from the mount
aims through Queens Canon, has pas
sage opened for it through this wall. By
means of this opening an entrance is
gained to the glen, which has its name
from its being the haunt of eagles, whose
nests may still be seen hundreds Of feet
up the inaccessible rock. Among the
curiosities of this charming nook of cre-
alton, is a group Of red-rock spires, one
of which has been named "Major Domo."
The Major stands erect; is fifteen feet
in diameter both at base and top, and is
one hundred and twenty-seven feet high.
Another rock, in shape like the thin,
high comb of black Spanish COCK, is
about three hundred feet high. The
| principal feature of the Queens Canon,
aside from its pure stream of water, per-
pendicular walls of over six hundred
feet, and beautiful foliage, is the "Dev-
| IFS Punch Bowl" This curious bowl is
formed by the approach Of the sides of
the canon to twenty feet of each other.
The water comes pouring over slight
fall into this narrow passage, the outlet
from which being about two feet in width
has caused deep bowl to he worn into
the solid rock. Why it should be called
the DEVILS Punch Bowl, know not,
unless it be that it absolutely stops the
further progress of the explorer. 10
stand here in the bowels Of the earth,
with all passage cut off-no way to 60
even for twenty feet, save to retrace your
steps-and look into that bubbling pool,
may have reminded some thoughtful soul
of that cup of death, which sparkles and
bubbles with temptation /; which is COM
pletely shut in by habit and social GUS
tom, and from which there is only one
way of escape-the way you came-total
abstinence.
Monument Park is ten miles north
and consists of basin three miles long
by one-half mile wide, formed by pro-
jecting spurs from the foot hills. A very
ordinary looking place, and is noteworthy
only for its monuments and rare speci-
mems. The monuments are natural and
of great number. The rocks out of which
these monuments have been cut by the
elements, are simply sand and gravel,
such as may be seen any where upon the
sea shore, but cemented into fint-like
rock. The gravel lays in the rock just
as it was washed by the waves. After
the sea receded beds of sand were appar-
emily blown over the gravel, and the
whole cemented solidly together. The
heavy rains pouring down over this
watershed have cut through the softer
parts leaving that which is harder, until
vast rocks with their finer sand-formed-
crust.tops stand out by themselves.
Sometimes they are entirely alone like
the huge "anvil'' shaped rock, or near
each other in groups like the "brothers
and sisters" or even joining hands like
the Dutch Wedding" drawn up as
horsemen like 'Gen. Washington and
his staff" or just forming in great num-
bers on the edge of the cliff like "baby.
town." The sand-crust being harder
than the gravel formation below, forms
cap which protects the monument from
the storm. When once that cap falls of
the whole soon crumbles into dust, look.
ing very much like cement. These mon
uments often take the form of persons
hence their names. One looks like al
idiot, another like an old woman, ant
thd anvil rock is almost perfect. L
stands over twenty feet in height Thu
anvil is eleven feet long and five wide.
In this enchanting place ] picked u
many curious and rare specimens anon:
: others, large crystal of very fine quail
ty, many pieces of agate, petrifed wood
both from the hard and soft woods, aga
tized wood. etc. As another trophy o
the place, | brought away the horn of
half-grown deer. The shrubberry of thi
park consists chiefly of scrub pines
: though occasionally scrub oak and othe
! woods may be seen.
Space forbids more particular descriE
q ton of these wonderful freaks of Nature
: and this can serve only to bring befor
g your mind dim outline. Wonderful
e are the works of God ! When you car
d go and see for yourself.
T W. III. HOLMES.