Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-01-26
The Yellowstone National Park.

tional park in the variety and perfection of
its objects of natural interest, and govern
ment which squanders millions on water
courses is surely not forced to pass into the
hands of spectators so valuable possession.
The volcanic forces which groau under what
seems to the tourist an slarmingly thin crust
of earth, produce the mightest geysers in
the world, hot springs and mud volcanoes
which surpass those of New Zealand and
Java and great pools of boiling sulphur wa
ter all having crater and borders adorned
with brilliance and wealth of coloring such
as no artist hand can initiate. The nam
moth hot springs are located on Gardiner riv-
or, near the north edge of the park. They
constitute a mountain literally covered with
natural fountains, and the effect is beautiful
in the extreme. As the tourist rides along
he is confronted with a scene from fairy
land,-s white, marble like mountain, beau
tifuly terraced rises in graceful outline.
Projections extend from the terraces as if
laid out by some great architect; and streams
gush over these walls and wells making the
whole surface of the mountain flash brilliant
fly in the sunlight Nearer inspection changes
the illusion, and one seems to be before a
great snow hill down whose sides cascades
have been caught by King Winter and their
foam crested waves congealed on the spot.
But the element which has produced all this
beauty reigns in the bowels of the EARTH and
some 60 springs of varied dimensions spread
ing over an area of about a mile square, at
test the power of heat no less impressively
than do the great gushing geysers. The
boiling water Of the hot springs contains in
solution great amounts of lime, sulphur and
magnesia, with some soda, alumina and other
substances which are rapidly deposited down
the mountain side in every conceivable form.
Mountains of sulphur have curious fss-
cination for the average traveller, and partic-
ularly people brought up on the New Eng
land religious diet of birthstone. 1t is scarce
ly to be wondered at that the Indians long re-
garded their Yellowstone country with super
stitious dread as the veritable abode of de.
parted spirits. Birthstone mountain, on the
divide between the Yellowstone and Firehole
valleys, does not long detain the timid sight
seer. 1t contains many acres of blasted,
burned earth over which lies a crust of sui
phur which can be caked off in bright yellow
blocks looking every bit as pure as the drug
store article. From thousands Of vents pour
out sulphurous hot water, or steam charged
with sulphurated hydrogen and other gases
usually emitted from volcanic craters. Near
the foot of old Birthstone are great sulphur
GUS steam Jets which maintain an internal
roaring, or burst with thunderous explosions
and eject showers of mud.
Not many people know that on the top OF
the main range of the Rocky mountains,
within the limits of Yellowstone park, is the
fourth largest fresh water lake in the United
States, resting in placid beauty 77sS feet
above the level of the sea. There are few
more picturesque bodies of water in the world
than Yellowstone lake. 1t covers 800 square
miles, has coast line of 175 miles, and
would float the navies of the world, its form
and surroundings resemble somewhat Lake
George and some of the grandest mountains
of North America surround this lofty body
of water. The pebbly beach slopes from
high bluffs, wooded islands dot the lake;
swans pelicans, geese, brant, snipe, ducks,
cranes and all manner of water fowl hover
over this pure cold blue water, which is in
places 300 feet deep and ont the banks dense
forests of pine, spruce and fir furnish COW
erts and feeding grounds for elk, antelope,
white and black tailed deer, bears and noun
tain sheep. The trout of this lake are un-
surpassed.
Out of this lake pours the Yellowstone riv-
er, almost as large as the Connecticut at
Springfield, but narrowing down where it re-
enters the mountain gorges or canons. The
hitherto lazy stream then frets and fumes as
its passage is contested by jutting rocks, and
becomes torrent raging between pine-clad
hills. For over 100 miles this stream fur
nishes as line trout fishing as need be desired
indeed, so abundant are the fish that one soon
wearies of the speckled beauties. The falls
of the Yellowstone-the upper 40 feet and
the lower 400 feet high-form the opening
scenes to the Grand canon, an abyss 20 miles
long. with walls of varied -hued rock rising
from 1000 to 5000 feet. This stupendous
channel, winding through the Elephants
Back mountains, is cut into soft volcanic rock
which has been eroded into the most gro
tesque shapes; lofty towers pinnacles and
domes, dyed in an endless variety of vivid
colors, stand out in unbroken array. Stately
cliffs, rising a mile or more in height, stretch
far as the eye can reach, a mass of yellow
gold or pale straw color, with lines and col
umns dyed deep carmine or pale pink,
brown or gray. From the falls rises a soft
veil of mist which forever hovers over the
crash of the angry stream. Five hundred
feet below the tourist, as he .gazes into the
canon at Moran's point, can sometimes be
discovered the nest of an eagle crowning
pinnacle of rock, with the old bird sailing
majestcally above her young, and yet the
eagle is only quarter way to the torrent hur-
rying along its mossy bed far below. There
are other cascades and falls of lesser magni-
tude. Tower creek, near the foot of Grand
canon, breaks out among massive towers of
black lava into a unique cataract, and 200
yards below the fall, whore the creek enters