Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-01-01
Written for the Herald.
K1NTANA's SCENIC MASTERPIECES.
BY HI. L. HOSMER.

Some years ago, while Steam1nS tnrOugl
that section of the Upper Missouri known a.
the Bad Lands, casually observed 10 fel
low passenger that thought ii the most re
markable bit of scenery had ever seen.
eyes," he replied, "but what use can yor
make of it? I would not give an acre O
Miami corn land for the whole of it,
This reply is really a key to the spirit O
the age The first inquiry with our people
lis, Cui bOnO9 The taste for the wonderful
and beautiful in nature and art is swallowed
up in the intense love for the practical an6
useful. Hence it is, presume, that so little
has been written and said about the grandeur
and impressiveness of the natural scenery
which abounds in all parts of your magnif
cent Territory. Ever since | heard that the
march of improvement had commenced il
the valley of the Lower Yellowstone l have
been looking for some description of the ma.
jestic scenery of rock and mountain with
which it is adorned, but have looked in vain
Your correspondents have been practical men
They have written about its capabilities fol
farming, its vast growth of bunch-grass, the
facilities it afforded for rrigatiOn, and thou
sand other matters very important in them
selves, but not one has had word to say
about its magnificent rocks and their erOded
Beauties its picturesque mountain ranges
and the beautiful curves and sweeps of the
majestic river. 1t is perhaps misfortune
to be an admirer of nature, but if so, it is
not without cOmpensations. ! recollect OF
thinking, as I sailed down the Yellowstone
in 1865, and felt its countless beauties grow
ing upon me and filling my imagination with
the most delightful impressions, that the day
was not very distant when people would
come from all parts of the civilized world to
be similarly affected by the grandeur and
profusion of its natural scenery. Nature has
been unsparing in the extent and variety of
rock-wOrk which decOrates the banks of this
magnificent river, and as if to make Just
correspondence in all the surroundings. she
has thrown into the views innumerable
mountains, precipices and rapids, with just
groves and color enough to give sublimity
OF aspect to the whole, that l have never
seen elsewhere even approached. If | could
have halted at every spot was minded to-,
| should have been months in passing through
this enchanting valley, but proper regard
for my scalp restrained this excess of curl
oslty, and | hurried on with dream of beau
ty in my memory, never to be effaced The
castles and towers, the massive temples and
citadels, separated by immense groves of cot
tOnwood, which passed panorama-like before
me as | glided down the rapid current, real
lied all that l ever imagined in earlier days
of romance and sentiment.
As we approached the Missouri, the i'm
mense ridge of yellow sandstone, from which
these wonderful works were formed, gradu-
ally disappeared, the mountains faded, the
trees vanished, and we entered region of
desolation. Huge mounds of var
iegated clay immense tables of earth, quaint
looking pyramids, burt apparently to brick
color, rose ON every hand, and the river SO
rapid and clean before, moved sluggish and
turbid among them. The change was magi-
cal, As the scenery had seen, so this, while
entirely dissimilar to that, was unlike any
other Oh the continent, and in itself quite as
curious and interesting
This region of grandeur has been eclipsed
by the wonders of the upper river-wonders
so great that they have overcome even the
practical notions of Territorial visitors, and
found their way into public notice.
Similar if not equal in its novel attractions
to he scenery Of the Yellowstone, are the
twelve miles of Bad Lands ON the upper
Missouri Huddled together in this small I
space, [ will venture to say, are the most re-
varieties of eroded rocks in the |
wTld There is scarcely form in architec-
5ue Or statuary that will not find SEM
Dl,nce here. The rock is of q cadaverous
appearance, friable, and has been wrought by
he elements into thousands of forms-sOme
infants, others giants, and others,
till, churches and castles, as large and as
,r,ndly pinnacled as the Milan Cathedral
There is not in the world another bit of seem
ry affording so much that is novel and strik-
ns in appearance. No description worthy
f it, has ever been written.
Nestled away amid a Heterogeneous cluster
f gigantic precipices and mountains, in a Sc
luded corner, are the Great Falls of the Mis-
DIri. Beautiful of itself, this cataract de-
ives its greatest charm from the grandeur of ,
surroundings. The Gateway of the Noun
lins near it inspires the behOlder with a 3
error not unlike that so commonly expe-
nced at Niagara. :,
But why enumerate? Often since / left :
u Territory have l taxed memory and !
licy to live over again the eight years / !,
ssed so pleasantly amid its awe-inspiring
emery of mountain, rock and river This
prospect has been sharpened by absence.
"a thing of beauty is a joy forever c
But the reality, always comes too late. ] 6
DuN appreciate now, were / to return to )
E Territory, that grandeur and sublimity a
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