The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-09-10
OUR NATIONAL PARK.
BEAUTIES AND WONDERS OF THE
YELLOWSTONE RESERVATION.


Snake River.
There are many wonders within our grent
national reservation that have never been
noticed by the numerous guide books, ana
there are just rs many more outside OF the
border line a::d in the neighborhood which
should have been included when the park was
created Tho mistake was in not making 1t
twice the size, for the whole country round
about is ono region of continuous wonders,
such as no other portion of the known or UNI
known world can boast Of. The Cinnabar
mountains, the Devils Slide, the beautiful
valley of the Sinking Water the Teton
Basin, Just across the Continental divide, and
last, but not least, Henry's lake, over in
Idaho-these and the other marvels close by,
when taken as whole, and leaving out all
that is not included in the park proper, COM
bine region Of stupendous and startling
wonders, fully equal, il not actually SUPERIOR
to all that is contained in the 1915 square
miles of the park.
The Cinnabar mountains are full OF petri-
factions of every kind, and the fossils scat
tered all through the canyons and gorges ana
on the peaks are numerous and varied enough
to supply all the museums in the country for
ages to come On the SUBMITS of these huge
piles are undoubted evidences Of the glacial
period. Glaciers exist even now in the Wind
river and Teton ranges, much below l2,OOO
feet.
A GEOLOGICAL CURIOSITY.
But the most remarkable example OF tne
glacial period in this region is huge bowlder
resting on the brink of the Grand canyon,
about mile and half below the great falls
1t is very compact, a coarse, crystalline 1eids-
pathic granite, in shape rectangular, the cages
sharp and unworn, and its cubical dimensions
somewhat more than {, 800 feet. 1t Is within
stones throw Of the brink OF the canyon,
and rests upon series Of sheets OF rhyollte,
surely not more than 900 feet in thickness.
In seeking the possible source OF this rock one
would naturally turn toward the south, the
sources of the Yellowstone; but the great
ranges to the east and south are volcanic,
and are not known to contain single
exposure of granite rock. There are no such
formations in the whole upper Yellowstone;
for there is total absence of granite pebbles
on the shores of the lake or in the beds OF the
rivers. The home of this wanderer must be
sought in the north, beyond the valley OF the
Third canyon, fifty miles away, and at the
southern end of the Gallatin mountains.
-Four miles from the northern border line
of the park and just after passing the Second
CANYON going south is the famous Devlls
Slide. 1t is a rosy, brown-colored shoot run
ming from the top to the base of the mountain
at an angle of about 80 degrees, and looks for
all the world like toboggan slide that
has been generously sprinkled with CHINA
mon At the top on either side rise two lofty
minaret towers, so wonderfully paired in
size, shape and outline that one might very
well suppose they were constructed from
single model rather than being. as they are,
the simple handiwork of nature. The slide
starts from this point and shoots down
steep grade. bringing up sharp and abrupt on
the brink of the Second canyon, The Indians
believe that when it Numbered the evil one
went plunging down this awful incline, pitch
ing into the roaring Yellowstone at its base,
and then by some subterranean passage within
the earth mounted to the top again, and re-
heated his little diversion until it ceased thun-
dering. The lightning was caused by friction
with the ry-colored roadbed in the devils
rapid descent.
A GARDEN OF EDEN.
The Valley of the Sinking Water is the
most beautiful little garden Of Eden on the
North American continent. The title would
seem to convey the impression that it is a bad
smelling stream, of offensive odor and vile
taste as it's name would indicate. On the
contrary. it is a beautiful mountain rivulet OF
the cleai'est and purest water but strongly
impregnated with sulphur. On account OF Its
peculiar odor it was named by the Bannock
Indians, whose reservation was, long time
ago. the park, "Yuskinmaya Wicista," which
translated into the vernacular signifies bad
water. Here it is that the few large game
animals still left alive in the northwest seek
a refuge from the ready rifle of the hunter
This beautiful country is the home of the
mighty elk. Here are to be found the brown
species, the giant blue elk and the rarest OF
all game animals, the albino elk. The sEoW
elk is certainly the scarcest of the big game
still left in our country, and until a short time
ago was known to the white man only by ira
dition The Indians have often spoken OF it
but their statements were never credited
Now comes the proof in the seeing. A bano
of fifty was sighted in the Sinking Water
country by a party of hunters last February
and, although they were pursued for two
DAYS and a night by the indetatigable noun
taineers, yet did they fortunately succeed II
escaping the deadly bullets of the pot hunters
They finally made their escape over into the
National park, where they were safe from
pursuit.
Just across the western boundary in Idaho
is the lovely Henry lake. Before it is too lat
this beautiful sheet of water should be pre-
served from destruction. 1t is situated OF
the public road built by the government
leading from the upper geyser basin to Vir
ginia City. This lake is the headwaters OF TIL
Henry's fork or Snake river. Snake river
followed throughout its course, is truly
river of rapids. For three miles above TN
Shoshone falls it flows through immens
caverns with lofty basaltic walls on each SD
hundreds of feet high. At the Twin or Llttl
falls the river is divided by an island, and TN
two streams rush over separate precipice
and pitch into a pool us feet below: A
viewed from the bluff, hundreds OF feet above
the sight is grand; and as for looking VI
from below, the gorgeous panorama Is to
awful and tremendous to describe In WORDS
Five miles below are the great falls wher
the entire river descends in one mighty shee
2l0 feet Forty miles further are Solomon
VI. Srr,nC