Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-10-13
The Mountains.

which control the features of the land
scape. Wherever wave in the earth's
crust has been arrested after its up
heaval, it is the height and structure of
the mountain range thus established
which determine the lines where run
ming water shall channel it's way to
the sea, following out valley systems,
wearing away, building up and mould
ing the surface of the land into all its
variety and complexity of contour.
The same mountain barrier directs the
air currents, orders the rainfall, and
brings back the clouds from the sea to
replenish the fountains of the streams
which flow forever from its bank. 1t
IS the degraded rock of the highlands,
too, which furnishes soil to cover the
earth's nakedness and clothe it with
verdue. In a true sense, therefore, all
natural scenery, even to its minor
details, displays the dominating force
of mountain masses, although they may
be n thousand miles away. But it is
in the mountains themselves where the
handiwork of natures S elemental forces
is visible and mprehensively mani
tested. Here where flood and fire and
frost have been working their will
throu9 hout all geologic time to rear
and ruin is found the most complete
embodiment at once of infinite might
and absolute repose. Vast and silent
and strong, the great mountains are
the chosen home of the sublime in ma
ture. Along the axial ridges of the
continents the great rock masses which
fttrt ,tCl hn Il
sive scenery are naturally looked for.
Our own Rocky mountain region, with
its dome and pinnacles and buttressed
walls, its gOrges and chasms and cas-
cades, furnishes stupendous examples
of the awful and majestic. All that is
wild and extravagant can be seen in
the wonderlands of Monument and
Yellowstone parks. Every aspect of
nature, from the savage and appalling
to the green pastures and still waters
which soothe and "restore the soul,
can be found somewhere among the
heights and depths of the great divide.
The entire region is full of interest,
and yet the world knows comparative
ly little of it. There are whole noun
tain systems of which no adequate
geological or geographical survey has
yet been made, and important ranges
which are yet practically unknown.
Near the northern boundary of the
United States is the true apex of the
continent, where the water from melt
ing SHOWS flows to Hudson's Bay
through the Saskatchewan, and to the
Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific by way
of the Missouri and the Columbia.
From this interesting point a score of
gllttering peaks can be- seen which are
all 10000 feet in height, and yet this
region and tho parallel ranges south
ward for hundred miles seem to have
been avoided almost entirely by tourist
and student. There has been no twist
ing or crumpling of the sheets of rock
north of the Dearborn river, at which
point tie folded strata indicate volcanic
disturbance just where the belt range
begins. But the level or regularly in
clined rock layers of different degrees
OF hardness have weathered away, leav.
ing sharp edges, while glaciers and
torrents have eXcavated vast amphi-
theatres, giving to the whole mass a
startling resemblance to architectural
ruins. Genuine glaciers were recently
discovered here by an exploring party
OF the northern transcontinental sur
vey which are the only known exam
Plies of this kind in the continental
divide, with the exception of those re-
ported in the Wind River mountains
some years ago by DR.. ID. Hayden.
In Chicago from $50 to 200 marriage