The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-08-06
THE WONDERFUL. YELLOWSTONE VAL
LEY.


volcanic origin. among groups OF geysers and
hot springs. and through suocc sson Of those
beuutltul grassy gladeS peculiar to the Rocky
Mountains. until we reached tho Washburne
divide. which separates the sources of the Mis-
pull over steep grade brought us to the sum
init. about 1000 feet above tho tide. From
tn iir we looked 3 paSk over thousand sanar9
divide to a horizon Of snowy peaks in Wyom-
ing, Idaho md Montana. Half way across the
midst Of pine forcst, Ii contains no Ash. but
swarms with n species of lizard with long
frnged ears Another mile brought us to more
goyscrs. hot springs. and gas vents around
which there were piles of sulphur crystals.
Hero wo began to descend into tho Yellowstone
valley. and after crossing several hot sulphur
crooks took lunch at u cold ono that seemed
fairly alive with mountain trout. Hero those
suow.Daiing match in July plenty OF am
munition being found in u ravnc near by.
though the weather was hot enough
The rest OF our journey to the Yellowstone
was through more open country where We
saw many herds Of elk. antelope. and deer. On
approaching Sulphur Mountain we saw what
we supposed was man standing UP in the
road bcfore,us but whonit dropped on all fours
Syn sn tbnt io WA was "o'2 oy
passed along the base of sulphur Mountain. u
big hill. composed principally Of sulphur and
springs. md other curious things The sui
phur gas that issues from innumerable vents
in tho hill and the slopes around it ID not pleas
ant to smell or saio to breathe
Across the Yellowstone from Sulpher Noun
tain there is n broad, meadow, upon which wo
Everybody Yelled 6uff,iol," but. the ifeid
glasses showed Shd them to be Elk. the herd being
stone very high, and after fording u swollen
creek; came 70 a halt at tho end Of tho wagon
to OF polos. with u couple OF canvas wagon
covers and all. was soon erected for shelter. u
fire built in front. and tho cook having served
up some outlets OF elk meat. tho most impatient
OF US set out down pony trail to the falls.
There was nothing in tho landscape to ro-
mind us that we were near such Il grand canon (:
the river before us was a placid stream about
zoo feet wide, flowing here between grassy
and int e 81
to the north except of the summit OF Mount
washburne. Tho most rugged view was to the
were sharply outlined against tho sky How
ever. We could hear the roar Of the Upper Fails
woods over high hills and across deep ravines
we noticed change in tho general aspect
crowded into a third Of its original width and
The roar Of tho falls sounded louder and
louder. u great cloud Of spray showed up
brought US out on a point of rock Immediately
Here the great volume of water is compressed
scent to tho edge of the cliff. gaining such an
impetus before making its grand plunge of 100
The foot Of the fails is hidden in t''C cloud E,t Of
spray. from which great goyser-ike spurts of
water shoot out at an angle Of iorty,ivo degrees
through the narrow channel above conveys, an
idea OF irresistible force: one would think that
a thousand tons Of rock thrown in there would
be swept over into the gulf before 1t could
touch bottom. The thunder of the falling wa
beautiful one. and. with its wild Surroundings
possesses u fascination that would have chain
cd us to the spot for the rest Of the evening
under ordinary circumstances. But, though to
our eyes more attractive than Niagara, we
knew these falls to be second rate hnrdly men
toned by the / lustrious writer's who have done
up the park. being so far outrivacd by the
scenes below: so we pressed on toward another
cl9 %h OF spray half Ia mile lie bel ,%
a few hundred yards TO- u scene We had forgot
ten i,bout-Crystal falls and grotto. A clear
series of cascades, and falls thirty feet over
the face OF rock into grotto. where it rests a
from which it shoots out horizontally, descrlb.
ing II graceful curve in tho air before regal ming
its rocky bed 1870 feet below These tails are
considered among tho most beautiful in Amer
board bearing the legend. To the Great Falls"
OF several a on
ledge over the cataract. Here hesitate TO give
us has bssd ali attSmpis al at des script iH by
writer's Of more ability than possess.
j, Tho river for sh IT distance above the falls
i9rmance-a clear leap 9f337 feet, considera-
Falls. We were SO close to the brink that we
could sight down along tho face of the cataract
Seemed do perfect he'll of bSiinr foam wi and
spray, that no creature could enter and live
We threw stones out into the gulf and they
kept falling down; down. down until as some
Of the boys remarked, they got tired Of falling
and disappeared in the spray. The falls mark
the entrance to the Grand Canon the walls OF
which tower to height of GOO feet. being here
lS0o SSt dfeRR Hut as a tnI the S9p rises
n
per mile the canon rapidly iGopcns to ! 500.
1000, 2.3oD. and probably 5000 feet, In some
waters edge. but generally. after tho first drop
Of snvera hun lreI feet, they slope more or less.
and are broken into maze Of pnnaces of the
most fantastic shapes and gorgeous colors that
can be imagined.
Much us We had read and heard OF this Won
deriul place. We were amazed at the reality:
People who have seen only the Sombre- hued
rocks OF other regions cannot readily associate
brilliant coiors with any rocks and imagine
that the coors mentioned in descriptions OF
Yellowstone scenery originate in the poetic
ancy ana t en'anTsm h 81 5aa wsr TaS
were formed by different agencies from those
of any other canon yet discovered They rep
pots, sulphur vents and other volcanic action
for ages. Tho rlst wall Is composed largely OF
Brightest yellow. varied by large areas Of red red
scoria obsidian. and other material Of innu-
merablo shades. The west wall has been built
by paint pots, as well MS the other agencies.
These deposits have hardened. as any paint
Will in time. and POSSESS about the same sus-
ceptibility to the action Of the elements hence
tho curious pnnacles that are seen here in
such profusion. Tho pinnaclc9 are Of magnin-
cent proportions. battting heir surroundings
We had Misunderstanding climb to the top OF
the canon. and went out ON u point half a mile
below the falls. We looked down upon one min
nace about the shape of "a bayonct but stand
ing about 300 fcet high. and looking AS il a
gust Of wind would blow it over. On its uoint
was nm eagles nest. in which our glasses dis
covered u young eagle, while the old birds cir
cled around IN some excitement, as ii they
didn't know that no man could reach that nest
The pinnacle. pure white from top to bottom
wore u cap OF rich brown. and rested on nod
estal of bright red, on q layer OF yellow on n
layer of brown, on q slope in which all the
above and other cOlorS We're harmonOusy
blended. This pinnacle was ono Of n row Of
pure white ones. on II sloping ridge; another
ridge bore row OF brown pinnaces another OF
red. &c.. every pinnacle having base and can
Of suitable colors and many being variegated
over their entire length.
The effect of the whole. in sunlight or shade
was magnificent, tho painting seemed ali in
harmony, and no ono could wish color
changed. Tho great river. two thousand feet
below us seemed like tiny brook, Of a bril-
liant green color. except whore lnshed into
foam by rocky impediments The depth was so
great that no sound Of its struggles could roach
us. and the falls above in the perfection OF