Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-07-29
FAILS
A DESCRIPTION OF THIS MAGNET.
CENT NATURAL PANORAMA.
It's Superiority to Niagara-A Day at
the Falls-The Upper and Lower
rails : Pulpit Rock--Eagle Rock
The Lovers Leap-Ete. So

| Inc Lovers Leap-Etc. So 4 ga
There is one side trip from the Shor,
Line that should by no means be
omitted. 1t is that from Shoshone to
the great falls of the same name
This makes necessary a rs mile ride
in genuine Concord, pulled by four
horses, presided over by one of those
thoroughly Western characters-a
Rocky Mountain stage driver. He is
generally tall and angular, sun burned
and Jovlal, full of stories and border
vernacular; will take drink when
pressed, and lottily smoke a proffered
cigar, holding the same at a ferocious
angle and eating about half of it.
The load is good and across desert
that is no pretense. No, streams OF
springs gladden. its barren surface,
broken only by CRASHES knobs and
blocks of lava. The horses fairly fly
| y
the downward impulse of one hill
sending them up the next. The only
pause is at the station, where there is
tank of water, and where the horses
are changed. The question arises
where all of the lava over which the
stage rolls comes from, as there are
no volcanic mountains for hundreds
of miles. The whole area was once
simmering mass, that being sub
merged resulted in many curious frac.
lures, into some of which an article
dropped will go blinking from side to
side till the noise dies away apparent
ly without bottom being reached. In
such a crevice the Lost River disap-
pears never to be seen again.
The desert seems to have no end.
The Snake River is indicated BY NO
sign, when all at once, from the edge
of a vast chasm, smooth between stu
pendous walls, it is seen floating hun.
dreds of feet below. What power
has wrought this sculpture? 1t does
not seem possible that that water, even
in untold ages, could wear into the
lava and granite, leaving the pillared
heights to testify its work. The roar
of the falls is heard, and picking their
way down the artificial slope, the four.
finland pause within ear.shot of the
solemn music and the baptism of the
spray.
Having arrived in the evening, it is
well to rest in luxurious bed and
wait the revelation of sunlight. II
comes in wave that seems CLEAN
of intelligence passing over the mighty
canyon. The walls rising hundreds
of feet, dark lava, catch the CLINT be.
fore it reaches the bottom of the
gorge and the river, and from heigh,
to height the beacons of the morning
flash signals. There are no mountains
by which to judge altitude, but DROP
out of the world appears to be taken
The overwhelming massiveness of the
gorge battles all eye-measure of the
stupendous rift out of which a clint
would be impossible. The Closeup
ing lava towers are sombre as prison
house.
After breakfast a boat is found in ,
little willow-fringed bayou ant
launched upon the open river where
it has bIoadened almost to lake
But silent, stern, powerful, the curren
sweeps along. That cloud of steam
ahead arises from Shoshone Falls, ant
that ceaseless clamor is the great voic'
of its waters. There is all easy trai
upon landing which leads through I
border of fir, and a rests taken upol
Point Lookout. Just then the SUI
breaks forth in renewed radience anC
from cliff to cliff there springs bov
as perfect as was ever made glorious
in the heavens an arc of beauteou
coloring against background OF gilt
tering, bead-like foam, tumbling ii
crystal chaos 220 feet, the circlinl
halo losing its bases in the turmoil ant
the mist, but its crescent unbrokel
above. The foothold of rock quivers
gentle bath dews the uncovere'
head, the spirit scars lofty as tn
illumined spray, there is spell llk
that of a nameless melody in the aw
fulness of the irresistible plunge.
Niagara is different but not superior
Where that is calm, Shoshone is tenn
nestuous Where that pours owe