The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-16
WONDERLAND.
The Journey of the ''Cook," the
Guide and the Scientist"
Continued.
Among the Grandeurs of the
Yellowstone.
CHAPTER V.

The next point of interest was thu
Grand Falls. Leaving Turbid Lake
we passed over some densely tim
bered hills, which lay between Us
and the head of the Lower Yellow
stone, where the beautiful waters Of
the lake start for the Missouri. We
were surprised to see the Lower
Yellowstone, grand stream, the
waters OF which are clear and beauti.
full, noiselessly gliding on between
Its moss covered banks and around
It's enchanting islands. A days ride
along the bank of the stream at this
point, is day in Paradise. Every
thing is arranged to crafty the in
tense longing for the picturesque.
An excellent trail led us to within a
short distance of the falls, and at the
foot of a hill composed entirely of
porphyretic obSidian, we camped.
The river water, pure and good
one mile above, is, at the foot of this
hill, so impregnated with alum, as
to make it nauseating. It makes
very good coffee or tea, and in
this form we took what we
wished, without any trouble.
During the night the fowl
on the river kept up a continual con-
cert; ducks, geese, cranes, pelicans,
etc.. all joining in a sad refrain.
Before sunrise the following morn
we were up, and wrapped in a
heavy fog, and we could still hear
the mOurnful notes of the biDedS
on the opposite side of the river.
Riding down the stream, we encoun-
tered some sulphur springs, and be
fore noon we could hear the awful
roar Of the Grand Fails. Ascend
ing to the verge of the canyon, we
saw the lower falls. The party
stood spellbonnd by the sublimity
Of the scene. aud even the animals
stood and 81 Zed in wrapt admira-
ton. We r. ii u tde stream to the
falls above, I'd d, nj suggestion of
the Guide, Ia de our campon a little
fiat just abol the upper falls. After
dinner we !.ttermined to take a
closerIyiew o. the falls While waiting
for dinner the Guide caught some
fish, Just for fun. The beautiful
salmon trout everywhere above the
falls are all diseased, intestinal
worms rendering them unfit for
food, though Captain Jones says
his Indian guides eat them with
great relish. These parasites tinge
the flesh to a bright pink, and are
found clinging in clusters to the
intestines, and in some have eaten
their way into the flesh. Having
plenty of venison we did not care to
experiment, SO we contented our
selves with a careful examination
of the specimens caught.
In the afternoon we spent four
or five hours with the falls. The
upper falls are a fitting prelude to
the lower or Grand Falls. The scene,
as we viewed it from our camp, was
one of chaste grandeur. The
waters Of the river rushed to the
verge of the precipice by a success
sion of the widest rapids, and be-
fore taking the leap the stream nar-
rows to about 100 feet in width, aud
then hurls itself over the rocks into
the abyss below a distance of $50
feet. The waters rebound in jets of
feathery spray which reach above
the verge of the falls, and in the sun
shine form the most perfect and
sublime rainbOwS resting upon pill
lars of emerald.
Nearly half a mile below are the
Grand Falls, where the river makes
its final leap into the most gorgeous
canyon in the world. The width of
the stream at the verge of these
falls is over 100 feet, and the dis
lance to the bed of rock below isl
over 400 feet. The Guide and Cook
descended to the river bed, a few
rods below the falls, and there lay,
wrapt in that delightful quiet which
the presence of sublimity enforces
upon the appreciative beholder.
The stream divides into i've dis
5inct columns, and for about 100 feet
its beautiful green tint
hen all is foam and spray. Down,
with a deafening roar below, the
waters madly hurl themselves, and
4 thousand rocket-like jets, which
shoot heavenward, vie with each
other for the ascendancy. Thel
breeze carries the spray to the Walls
Of the canyon and covers them with
a hue dear to every Irishman'S heart.
In MYRIAD of silver streams, the
water, laughingFand bubbling, hur-I
ries down to the river again as i'll
the change but anxious toI
return.
Along the river, as far as we can
see, are hot springs of sulphur and
silica continually boiling ard spark |
ing as if bent upon adding to the
interest and beauty of the stream |
Breaking camp early next day we
started for Barronet's bridge,
miles from the falls. Wei
ode along the verge of the canyon
Is far as possible, and spent consid-
,rrble time at different points, adj
hiring the beautiful tints of the
;anyon walls, as they reared them
elVes from 1000 to 900 feet above
he river. Looking down the can
,on we saw pinnacles, towers and
antastic forms rising to the verge,
which is covered with beautiful
imber; while far below us ran the
liver, lashing itself into foam and
glowing its way down as if anxious
o pass through this labyrinth of
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