The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1885-02-27
CASH In NATURES FACE.
Black Canyon in tho summit of the
Big Horn Mountains.

Black Canyon is cleft in the very
summit of the Big Horn mountains
and yawns for a somewhat tortuous
length of thirty miles, stretching from
Its junction with the canyon, through
which the waters OF the Big Horn
river force their way southeastward
into Wyoming and almost to the
boundaries of the National Park,
writes correspondent OF the st. Paul
Pioneer Press" 1t has never been
thoroughly explored, but, at the
southermost extremity, maintains a
nearly uniform depth OF two thousand
feet. As westerners well know,
mountains in these parts are treeless,
and reach to the snow line or beyond
in gradual and rounded slopes.
There is not the slightest indication
OF the Black Canyon until one reaches
its very verge, and the effect OF the
contrast between its densely-wooded
sides, where "the tall pines, like fun
eral plumes," wave to and fro and
sing ceaselessly, and the treeless ac-
clivities behind, is as unique as can
be imagined. Well is it named
"Black," for these same pines,
massed as they are with naught but
the denser foliage displayed give an
air of Erebus itself to the whole huge
fissure. Bringing into more marked
effect the somberness OF the greater
portion OF the canyon are huge white
cliffs, perfectly perpendicular, and
with their sheer height of more than
a third OF a mile towering into inn
presslveness which compels silence
on the part of the looker-on, be he
garrulous as Falstaf or querulous as
Holman.
He would be a queer American
who, looking down into the chasm,
did not feel an immediate and ire
| sistible desire to penetrate the depths
and look up. To accomplish this is
arduous, but neither difficult nor dam
gerous. Two or three miles south OF
the debouching OF the Big Horn cam
yon bride path leads TO the bottom
OF the Black. 1t is partly the bed OF
a stream which depends upon the
rainy season for its flow and partly
track made by bears, elk, or deer,
teraced as it were in the very side of
the steepness. From the entrance
to the deep wood to the bottom
plateau is about mile and
three-quarters by this path and
over all but a half mile it is pos
sible to ride. Steep as the side OF
house in almost every part, but wind
ing Sufficiently to allow the line OF
direction to be maintained within
ones base, a careful horse can make
good progress till more than hall way
down. Then must his rider dis
mount, for what was steep becomes
preciptous now, and the footway in
stead of being hard and even is COW
cred with sand, earth, loose stones
and other detritus from the towering
sides above. Both horse and rider
must slide; and, as in the middle of
the steepest part the path bends
round large rock, at an acute angle
while to the right yawns a precipice
hundreds OF feet in depth, one has
the elation which comes OF semi
danger after he has passed this evil
half-mile of descent with the COM
placency OF him who has encountered
and overcome obstacles. Yet it isn't
earth helps to hold one back, and a
number of army ladies have made
the descent in perfect safety, but with
more or less damage to habiliments.
Once landed on the perfectly level
surface at the bottom OF the big can
yon the explorer finds that the sides
do not meet, as they seem to do
when looked at from above, but are
separated from few hundred feet to
a quarter of a mile. The huge bare
walls Of rock are even more impress
sive when seen from below, and seem
like the battlements OF some huge
castle erected by Titans, and worthy
OF defense by the Olympian gods.
Shut ont from world and singing its
merry, dashing song through the GEN.
ter OF the lower level, runs Canyon
creek, here deep and narrow, there
wide and wadeable, and always as
cold as ice and as clear as crystal.
Why not? 1t is led by snow and ice,
and on its waves the sun can pour its
beams but four or five hours out of
every twenty-four. And in that
creek, what trout Lovely salmon
colored fellows; the mountain trout
of Montana and Idaho; gamey as the
oldest and bravest Of their Allegheny
brethren; delicious to the palate as a
Ward could desire, and sizable in
that many attain the noble size of
three or four Founders, and few which
the angler cares to save weigh less
than a pound. They will bite at any
thing from piece OF red flannel
coatlining to grasshopper, and to
see one snatch at bait in the midst Of
a headlong rush up stream, and then
to feel the thrill in wrist and shoulder
as he resents the barb, is to "have
fun" in as true and full sense as the