Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-03-30
THE BIG HORN CANON.


the fact that each year witnesses a
steady increase in the procession of
tourists and sight.seeers who feel in
clined to avail themselves OF the grow.
Ing security and comfort of trip
through the northwestern territories,
1t may be Of interest to describe the
most wonderful natural features of
Montana-the most wonderful aside
from those in the national park. re-
fer to the canon OF the Big Horn
river.
1t is safe to predict that, at no very
distant day, the picturesque surround
ings of this spot, and its proximity TO
the very best hunting grounds in the
country, will attract thousands of visi.
tors, desirous Of feasting their minds
with the contemplation of nature In
her grandest aspects, seeking rest from
the excessive fatigue of busy life, and
restoration of strength not to be had in
the utter monotony of a fashionable
watering-place.
This canon formed by the course
Of the Big Horn river through the low
er range of mountains bearing the
same name, is about seventeen miles
long, measuring from outlet to outlet.
Its average width at the bottom is 240
feet, at top about 600 feet, and it is in
many places over 1900 feet deep. The
sides are for the most part formed of
rough sandstone and granite rock, the
formation resembling successive steps
or rock terraces with but small hOri-
ZoRtal distances between the vertical
planes of adjacent rock fences. this dis
lance being in most cases flled in, as
1t were, by piles of loose stones. Gen
orally the perpendicular faces of rock
are from fifty TO two hundred feet
sheer up, their height being greater
near the top of the cannon.
From the crevices and among the
heaps of loose rock grow clumps of
stunted cedars and pines. Viewed
from the top there lie nothing particu.
larry interesting or beautiful in the APP
pearance of the canon. 1t seems simply
an immense vent in the earth, with
steep, almost overhanging sides. To
realize its grandeur one must descend
carefully by one of the few game trails
as yet discovered to be practicable.
Ere the tourist reaches the bottom
safely, the very best of these tracks
will demand from him the free exercise
of all the qualities which constitute a
successful Alpine explorer, the care,
quickness of eye, and steadiness of
nerve which stand the hunter Of the
chamois In such good stead and insure
the footing of the Indian. A single
misstep, the turning of loose stone
under the foot, may prove fatal. That
this descent may be accomplished in
safety is proved by the fact that there
are no accidents recorded. Let us sup
pose it accomplished. You stand near
the bottom. The insignificant looking
brook seen from the top has widened
gradually as you descend, till now ii
has assumed formidable proportions
1t Is q rushing torrent, eighty feet wide
and from four to five feet deep, whose
waters roar and fill your ears with a
sound like that of a great cataract in
some immense vaulted chamber.
Cast your eyes upward, and you are
astounded. No combination of pictor
ial splendOrs which could unite more
potently the two requisites of beauty
and majesty can be conceived. The
upper parts of the walls fairly glow
with cold radiance of their own, anC
one sees tin:s of orange, pink, rec
yellow, and brown Of massivenes:
and harmonious blending hopeless Il
describe, and which the powers of tn,
greatest artist must fail to portray
Lower down, there is pile upon pil,
of lowering rocks resembling the WALL
of some huge castle, whose damp anC
somber shadows contrast vividly will
the brilliancy above. This sudden con
trast, the deafening roar of the waters
the chilliness of place to which sun
light seldom penetrates, produ upo1
ones senses an effect never to be for
gotten, and TO describe which Their,
are no words sufficiently powerful
And this is but a single glimpse amonI
many thousands. Follow along thi.
canon for miles, and ut every turn Their,
Is constant recurrence OF sOmethinI
equally grand, yet never exactly SINH
lar. From a tour of this canon on,
returns with vivid conception of tn,
greatness of nature, and the utter i'm
significance OF mans competition will
her.
Joining the main canon, about fouI
miles south from its northern outlet, i.
another of lesser extent but OF ecu ally
artistic beauty. 1t is called the BLACK
or Abzaraka canon, formed by tn,
course of a comparatively small stream
from its source in the mountains {,
the Big Horn river. Its direction i:
practically at right angles to that Of
the large canon. Its length is not NOR,
than seven miles. Its depth varies from
six hundred To nine hundred feet. It
width at bottom Is not more than sew
enty feet, and at top about eight hun
dred feet The faces of this canon ar,
less severe. There is quite a
much bright cOloring and MOI,
foliage. less perpendicular fatioj
OF rock, and much more o
the broken formation in the sides
which are therefore more easy of de
scent. This furnishes probably tn