Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-12-18

: 1t was such men as Golfer, who, ignor,
ing danger and bearing hardships with
Socratic Indifference, made way for. ..civiliza
ton and progress in this boundless
western country.
It is but even justice that the name OF
from oblivion by the sparkling cataract
which bears his name
RAINBOW FAILS.
After this long DEPRESSION, let us drop
down the river a half a mile to a sublime
object, which for combined beauty and
grandeur is almost unique in all nature.
Here, a shelving rock extends diagonally
across the channel for over quarter of a
mile, unbroken. as smooth as if formed
by art. Over this the whole Missouri
preoipitates itself fifty feet perpendicular
ly, its waters dashed by the rocky bottom
of the abyss, into purest spray in which.
when viewed i'll the sunshine, we read its
name traced by nature's lavish hand, in
the resplendent colors of the Rainbow
CROOKED FALLS
And now the angry waters, foaming,
boiling, rush to and fro, until their vagrant
particles come violently together for
| leap OF nineteen feet in the form of an ir-
regular horseshoe and are lost for
moment amidst a cloud of mist, in
the seething vortex below. Just beyond
this, seated on a huge projecting rock on
| the north bank of the Friver we must sit
| ourselves down and quietly contemplate
this enchanting scene, rendered more
weird, grand and inspiring by the soft
light Of the moon which we are Just get
ting glimpse of, over our right shoulder.
Here indeed, is a subject worthy the best
talents of an inspired poet or painter, for
weare in full view of the majestic Rainbow
aud the convulsed Crooked Falls. But
human words fall wide of the mark in
describing Natures handiwork. To be
appreciated it must be conveyed to the
mind through the medium Of the most
blessed of divine gifts to man, the sense
of sight. But while we have been sitting
here: the waters have been bounding along
their rugged path, forming scores Of cata-
racts and finally concentrated in full force.
in the narrowing channel, confined BY the
canyon walls ready for the final and stu
pendous plrn se, known as
GREAT FAILS
Which measures, parpenaicuIarly, about a !,
hundred feet, From a high rock under
the centre Of the falls the best view can |
be obtained. Seated there, one morning
over eighty years ago, Capt. Lewis made
the following comments in his note book |
'''Ehe river Immediately at it, cascade IS
three hundred yards wide, and is pressed |
in by a perpendicular cliff, on the left,
which rises to about 100 feet. For
ninety or a hundred yards from the
left cliff, the water falls IN one
smooth. even sheet over pre-
cipice Of at least eighty feet. The remain
ing part Of the river preeipitates itself
with a more rapid current, but being re-
ceiyed as it falls by the irregular and
somewhat projecting rocks below, forms
splendid prospect OF perfectly white foam
two hundred yards i'll length and eighty
in perpendicular elevation This spray is
dlssipated into thousand shapes. some
times flying up in columns of fifteen or
twenty feet, which are then oppressed by
large masses Of the white foam, on all of
which the sun impresses the brightest
coiors of the rainbow. As it rises from +,
the fall it beats with fury. against ledge !
Of rocks which extends across the river at
l50 yards from the precipice." Though
lacking the graceful beauty and symmetry
Of the Rainbow falls, the Great falls, of
course, surpass all others of the series, in I
,ugged grandeur and wild, irregular sub
unity. t
SULPHUR SPRINGS.
Before retracing our steps let up pro
,eed six miles further, toward the north.
out down the swift flowing river to the |
sulphur springs, which burst from the q
mitten rocks at distance of about 200 /
ards from the north bank of the Mis- ]
ouri, into which it empties over a rocky '
orecipiee of about twenty-five feet. The L
water is perfectly transparent and strongly S
mpregnated with sulphur with some traces t
'firon, also. Besides the principal spring, !
hose healing waters ooze from innumera- /
lie assures in the rocks for several hun f
red yards along the river bank Already