Helena weekly herald., 1881-01-01
Written forthe Herald.
4 TRIP TO SNIELMEN FALLS, WEST.
ERN MONTANA.
nY KAN.

On one OF the three days Of sunlight dur
inc which we remained in the valley, while
the snow was melting from the rugged nights
above. the Major and myself made trip
down into the canyon of Snielmen creek, and
congratulated ourselves on being the first
whites who ever stood in the wreathing spray
at the foot Of the Great Falls. Mounting our
horses, after an early breakfast, we galloped
across the grassy foothills and assembled the
ridge along the left hand side OF the stream,
until we were some distance above the SNOW
line and Immediately over the cataract IN
the gorge beneath. Hitching our steeds III
small clearing amidst the dead TIMBER we
commenced our descent and after occupying
half an hour in a series Of downward jumps
that kangaroo might have envied, we reach
ed the bottom and stood upon the torrent
washed slate on the border Of the stream
Thereupon, looking up out of the depth into
which we had so quickly plunged, we gained
for the first time an idea of the majestic
height and grandeur Of the towering walls
Of the gorge. The eyesight, following the
densely matted tops of the pine forest on the
left, whose velvety shades frightened i'll the
sunlight as outlines receded, reached the
limits of straggling timber at the base OF a
bare and barren mass of yellowish rock, and
climbing from one snow-filled cleft to an
other, was finally lost in q fleecy cloud that
wreathed the topmost pinnacle with vapory
crown and hid from view the lofty peak on
which had stood 4 few evenings previous.
The south wall OF the canyon was y counter
part of the northern, only so much pcrpen-
dicularized and torbidding in its aspect of
protruding, rugged and Jagged rocks that an
attempt TO scale it would have been scaley in
the extreme. \. B.-This joke is gratis
Finding the northern side of the creek mo
thoroughtare," we crawled across on a spray
moistencd log ut the verge OF small cas-
cade to the opposite side, and proceeded to
approach as near as possible to the grand
cataract above. After some risky climbing
around several falls, varying in height from
thirty to one hundred feet, we at last sue
cceded in attaining the lower edge of deep
pool, into which thundered the great mass
of falling waters from 4 perpendicular height
OF fully two hundred and fifty feet. No pen,
welded by the most vivid imagination, could
picture from the realms of fancy SO perfect
IN embodiment of all the elements of wild
and picturesque grandeur as there surrounded
us on all sides. Far up between the walls of
yellowish rock, and outlined against the dark
background of sombre pines, the chrystal
waters trembled on their lofty verge, and
then, leaping into mid air, fell like ray of
frosted light into the waving, tremulous spray
beneath. Giant pines that were old CEN
turies ago, rose from clefted rocks, and from
proud heights looked down on the rising
mist; and listened, as they had listened in
ages past, to the ceaseless tones of the cata-
ract's voice. Massive portions Of the tower
ing peaks above, which the Titan powers of
the elements had wrested from their lofty
homes in the everlasting snow, lay prostrate
in shadows which they once had cast, and
were shrouled in growth Of tangled and
luxuriant moss. Standing in the dim .shad-
ows Of the broken defle, amidst primeval
solitudes, we gazed ON the dizzy fight Of
falling waters and heard in their deep mono
tone the reverberations Of mighty past.
What an endless succession of years has