Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-10-10

foot OF the mountain can be seal
among the debris the excavations o
several burned out geysers and mum
berless other things with polished
coatings, among them the most prom
inent is Liberty Cap, pinnacle abou
100 feet in height, which is composed
of this same formation. It has eyi
IDENTIFY been an active geyser some
day, but is now inauimate.
On leaving here we ascended {
mountain three miles in length, which
rises at the rate OF d thousand feet L
the mile, that IS one Of the difficulties
Of the Park. When we had scanned
the apex we were on 8 Level With Park
and at an altitude Of 5000 feet. Ar
afternoons drive brought Us to Alb
sidian cliffs in Gibbon canyon, where
we camped for the night. Our roa6
now winds over glass, real glass Q.
volcanic origin, as black as jet, glis
tening and strangely wrought, ans
the pillars of Gibbon canyon consis!
Of this same material.
The following afternoon, however
we reached Norris Geyser Basin, anc
hearing a tremendous rumbIing, thun
| deriner sound in the distanse. we hast
ened to ascertain the cause. On reach
ing the place, We found that from az
orifce in the rocks four feet in diam
eter. comes in regular putTs, as the
puisations Of a great waste pipe, The
most violent outbursting Of steam
from natures source ever witnessed
by man. This basin consists OF an
immense amount Of mud geysers,
each of which We're spouting con
stant]y. much to the pleasure and de
light of the lookers-on, each doing its
utmost to excel the other IN heighth,
but none Of which managed to raise
its murky flow over 30 feet; also two
vociferous steam vents which could
be distinctly heard at distance of
two miles, so powerful was the press
ure, and two geysers, the Minute Man
and Mammoth. The former, which
is Of little OF no consequence, as the
orifce is small and the subtarranean
power seems limited A short dis
tance from the Minute Man, however,
can be seen the crater OF the Mann
moth geys2r. When at rest you can
look into its gaping, thirsty throat,
and listen to its blood-chilling gUrgle,
but when she heaves a sigh, and the
ground begins to tremble beneath
you it is high time to seek a distant
view, for there will soon be a deIuge
Of water flow ruthlessly to the sur
face, and with belch like that of a
volcano she will inevitably reach the
heighth Of 245 feet. From under foot,
through crevices in the earth, come
steam, Kissing and frying in every di-
rection. The ali was being filled with
sulphurous gas, which rendered it
very disagreeable and suffocating
Of all the blood-curdling places on
earth, this is the most terrible. The
thoughts Of perdition flashes through
the mind more than once while in
this strange land, and during our stay
there an agreement was made with
the Creator which resulted in prom
ise that if he would deliver me safely
out Of that scrape, [ would obey his
commandments the rest my days.
Six miles travel, through hand
somely turned forest, brought US to
Elk Meadows Here our guide-book
with the assistance of a sign-board
that stood by the roadside, informed
us that the Paint Pots we're near by.
We accordingly followed a dim trail
which lead of to the left, through the
woods for half or three-quarters of a
mile, and at length reached the Paint
Pots. Their singularity combined
with uniqueness, make them very at
tractive. The colors are brilliant,
vivid and varied in hue A person
can stand in one place aud gaze on a
dozen different shades without NOV
ing, all set into the earth in irregular
form, each Of which seemed to be
sputtering away in its sphere regard
less of the cares OF its neighbor, and
the industrious neighbor
was doing about the same After
rapturously enjoying the surrounding
scenes for half an hour or SO, becom-
ing very much fatigued and hungry,
we returned to camp. Luncheon be-
ing duly served and heartily partaken
of, we continued our journey down
the F'irehole river.
In travelling along on hot, snltry
day, we would occasionally see q nice
little spring by the roadside foot or
two across, elegantly encircled with
beautiful wild flowers and green grass,
which gave them a soul-cooling, thirst
quenching and refreshing appearance.
How real sympathetic they seom to
be. as the water tlickles renflE down