New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-02
pocKy VOUVTAIY SCENERY.

tits everywhere the mountains which con-
troll the features of the landscape. Wherever
a wave in the earth's crust has been arrested
after its upheava, it is the height and structure
of tho mountain range thus established which
determine the lines where running water snail
channel its way to the sea, following out val
ley systems, wearing away building up aho
moulding the surface of the land into all ts
variety and completely 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 HANKS IL
is the degraded rock of the highlands, TOO,
which furnishes soil to cover the eaTth's naked
ness and clothe it with verdure. In true
sense, therefore, all natural scenery, even TO
its minor details. displays the dominating torce
of mountain masses, although they may Dc q
thousand miles away But it is In the noun
toins themselves where the bandwork of
Natures elemental forces is visbly and COM
prehensively manifested. Here where nood
and fire and frost have been working their Will
throughout all geologic time to rear and ruin IS
found the most complete embodiment at once
of infinite might and absolute repose Vast
end silent and strong, the great mountains are
the chosen homo of the Sublime in Nature.
Along the axial ridges of the continents the
great rock masses which furnish the grandest
and most impressive scenery are naturally
looked for. Our own Rocky Mountain region,
with its domes and pinnaces and buttressed
walls. its gorges and chasms and cascades, fur
pishes stupendous examples of the awful and
majestic. All that is wild and extravagant
Il. nIar do of MOuumput
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 oil the Oreat
Divide The entire region Is full OF interest
and vet the world knows comparatively little
of il. There are whole mountain 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 melting SHOWS flows to Hud-
sons Bay through the Saskatchewan, ana TO
the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific 10y way Of
the Missouri and the Columbia. From this in
teresting point score CT glitterlng peaks can
be seen which are all 10000 feet in height,
and vet this region and the parallel ranges
southwark for n hundred miles seem TO have
been avoided almost entirely by tourist ana
student. There has been no twisting or
crumpling of the sheets of rock north OF the
Dearborn River, at which point the folded
strata indicate volcanic disturbance just where
the Belt Range begins. But the level or reg
ulaIly inclined rock layers of different degrees
fbafa
sharp edges while glaciers and torrents have
excavated vast ampbithcatrcs, giving to the
whole mass startling resemblance to archi-
tectural ruins. Genuine glaciers were recently
discovered here 10y an exploring party OF the
Northern Transconinental Survey which are
the only known examples OF this kind IN the
Continental Divide, with the exception OF those
reported in the Wind River Mountains some
years ago by Dr. ID. Hayden.
In another column is some account Of
McDonald's Peak, an elevation in the Mission
Range. The scenery here lacks some clements
CT beauty and grandeur which are found In the
ridges north of Flathead Lake. But the rock is
similar in its general structure to that abont the
Old MaIius Pass, and produces something oil
the same effect The mountain Is specially IN
teresting now because it has just been brought
within easy reach by the completion CT the
Northern Pacific Railroad. It's base is only
twelve miles from the station Rayalli, so named
after one of the early Jesuit Fathers at st.
Ignatius Mission near by If some OF the dis
tingushed foreigners who arc now crossing the
continent would take day to ascend MELON
AIDS Peak they would gain some impressions
of Rocky Mountain scenery worth carrying
h.ck with tbpm to EurOne
Tile WASHINGTON NOTEL.