Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-02-15

SNAKE River OetuTbot-AnC RSiAD
OF the Niagara the Only Body OF
water In the Word Superior to
It. Some of the Thoughts Pro-
duced by q Visit.
Albert ID. Richardson, In bis book en-
titled Beyond the Mississippi gives
an account Of his visit to the great Sho.
shone Falls In 1865. He says;
II had heard much Of the Shoshone or
Great Fall Of the Snake river, but was
unable to find any white man who had
seen It. Returning from Oregon we nr.
rived at Rock Creek, stage station only
twelve miles distant. Hostile Indians
had hitherto rendered visiting II unsafe,
but the lieutenant In charge OF detach.
ment Of Oregon soldiers encamped
at the station undertook 10
conduct us. Before daylight we
started for the cataract. Probably our
vehicle was the first that ever approached
1t. The tall sage-brush crushed by our
slow wheels, loaded the air with a
heavy perfume. Through the dim dawn
we were guided by the everlasting pillar
of cloud arising from the troubled water
six miles away. Soon we heard family
the eternal roar Of the cataract. Still
the river was invisible In It's winding
chasm, one thousand feet below the
plain, but now at three miles we heard
more clearly iu thrilling roar and saw
the mist with its violet tinge OF rainbow
which arises forever and ever, as If old
Shoshone was taking vapor- bath or
smoking his pipe. Al last we alighted
on q broken floor Of brown lava, descend
ed the precipice for three hundred feet
by natural rock stairway. walked few
hundred yards across terrace OF grass,
lava and cedars and stood upon second
precipice. Peering over the edge. five
hundred feet beneath US we saw the
river, after its fearful leap, peaceful as
mirror. Half mile above, In full
view, was the cataract. II is unequalled
in the world, save by Niagara. Of which
1t vividly reminded IN. II is not all
height, like Yosemite, nor all breadth
and power like the Great Falls of the
Missouri, nor all strength and volume
like Niagara, but combines the three
elements. Like most cataracts, 1t has
the horseshoe form and the undying
rainbow. The torrent IL less than Niagara
and its crescent summit appears Tess
than o thousand feet wide. But the
descent, two hundred foet Ia one
third greater, while above the brink
solemn portals Of lava rising for hun
drsds Of feet on each bank supply an
element Of grandeur which the monarch
Of cataracts altogether lacks. One OF
these lava columns is crowned with an
eagles nest. Below the fall, over the
cAfion side, shrivelled cedars with roots
like clans cling to the rock. Down the
stream could find no place where l
dared attempt to descend the almost un.
broken wall to the waters edge. But
lust below the brink I crept out to the
waters edge Of the projecting rock.
Clinging to hardy cedar saw the
peaceful waters two hundred and fifty
feet below mo. Above. the surface Of
the water IL broken into fine channels
by little islands. Thence / saw the
river come gliding swift, clear and
smooth to the dizzy edge, the long
plunge and the cauldron which boils
beneath, under waiting clouds OF
spaAy. The fall itself is Of purest
white. interspsrsed with myriads
Of slittering. CLASSY drops-a catar-
act Of snow with an avalanche Of jewels,
mocking and belittling oil human splen.
dor. Nature Is here In her lace and
pearls, her robe Of diamonds and tiara
ef rainbow. The world, how far away
II seemed, and God, how near Under
the deafsning roar how the firm.set
earth quailsd and vibratedi How deep
the ohasm from which rose pearly mist,
hiding forever from human sight the
secret Of Its troubled heart Long lay
upon the bookshelf, gazing over the
brink, riveted by the great white cata
raet and the absorbing fascination Of
that profound, tempting gulf. How
easy, by one leap. to leave behind all
earthly cares and griefs--to solve the
solsmnmysteries Of death--perchance to
Join the loved and lost. who wait MS In
the lifo beyond