New-York tribune., 1886-07-14
THE Two UOADERLANDS.

The Southern Wonderland is situated In
New-Zealand, where the Late tremendous con-
wilson's have occurred. The Northern Won
delland is our own Yellowstone National Park.
The hkencsscs between these far separated
regions consist chiefly in the survival at both
places. of volcanic and gcySerite activities Of
a variety and extent to he found nowhere else
ON the globe. 1t has been believed by most
moleln geologiss that the remarkable pine
ucmcna referred to are only, 50 to speak,
the diving efforts of natural forces which III
gcologically recent times produced the most
prodigious physical changes. Tho recent cata-
clvsmal outbreak In ewZealand seems to
indicate that the decline of power III these
natural forces may be prematulcly assumed ::
or that there still remains enough dcepSeated
heat to create profound disturbances If sudden
chemical processes are set up, as by the Irlup-
ton of a great body Of cold water The rescm-
hlancc in the phenomena of the Southern and
Northern WondeIands naturally suggests the
inquiry whether any such convusipn as New
Zealand has just experienced Is liable TO oc-
cur in the Yellowstone Park.
The presumption is against such contin
gcncy. Although the National Park abounds
c:mic forces the general formation of the region
does not support the view that they aie very
formidable or extensive. Time wa> when the
highest peaks of the Yellowstone Valley were
under water. Later, enormous iceberg float
el in the deep basin, carrying thcil deposits to
trace them by subsequently. Glaciers crodcd
the hills and scooped ont the gorgcs. During
tie high-water period SubaqucOu, volcanoes
formed .hssules in the bottom miSses OF
gneous rocks Upon them >edimeLtay de
po~its were superposcd. When the waters
drained oil the volcanic and ecysciIte actIv-
ity continued, and perhaps ioI "A tlnc incIeas ed
In the Yellowstone Park there are hill. many
hlndlcds of feet in height which have been
lolmcd entirely by gcyseIitc deposits. These
may indicate the age OF the hot springs, ol
tLcy may show that their activity was formerly
much greater than now There l., however
abundmt evidence of the presence of numei-
Gus thickne>ses of tlachytic and graniic rocks
in the immediate vicinity of the gleatest vol
cinic activity, and the presumption must BE-
that for the most part the oIigin OF the Latter
is dccp-scatcd. No doubt ii any considerable
Dody OF water could make its WAY to the cen
tsal seat of the fires, great disul bance of the
surface would be Liable To result but as there
is 10 large body of water in the neighborhood
y cilowstonc Lake not answel ing TO that de
scIiption), the probability oi such an occur
renee may be thought small
The fact dat the National Park embraces
the greatest waler-divide Oh the continent. III
clIling the sources Of the Missouri on the one
hand and those of the Columbia on the other
lends additional interest To spcculations of
this kind. We may amuse ourselves by won
dcring what effect. ii amy. upon these great
rivers or their tributaries, such a shaking up
of the Yellowstone Basin as the North Island
-! Ncw-Iealand has just sustained, would, could
on might produce. OF course the probability
is that nothing of the kind will take place
In Ncw-Zcallnd, though I've Alne tieoiy oi