The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-08-11

tries. who would ne it as a base for TN
game fosfered in the park and that stray
ed lust over the boundary. II Is wonder
full. however, how 0 the widest eam'
instinctiyely learn the limits OF theil
safety. even 20 an extent greater than ex'
ercised by their human slayers. IL would
be a good thing, no doubt, to extend the
game law of the park TO a boundary
some 20 or 80 miles beyond the present.
boundaries of the park itself, at least
while the Territories remain as such, on
until as States they can be strong enough
10 enforce their game laws, which Terri
tories are seldom able to do.
Lewis and Clarke's famous expedition
sent out by President Jefferson IN the
early years of the present century TO re-
port upon the far West and especially
the then great Oregon Territory was the
first 10 give any information concerning
this wonderland of the world, but IT was
Of such a roundabout, indirect character
that il was not greatly credited. Neither
one ofthese officers, nor any party sent
out by them authorized 10 make a report
got into the most mysterious regions OF
the park, but a wild, adventurous sort OF
fellow, with a predisposition TO trading
and trapping with savages, and who had
accompanied them TO the great PACING
Sea, upon returning left them some
where on the Yellowstone River, n
turning backward must have made ms
way into the park region by a series OF
frontier escapades that would have made
him famous without taking into account
the wonderful regions he visited, but
which ~ have not time to report here.
lie finally got back 10 the borderland OF
civilization, and spoke of great wells
~spouting fire and steam at intervals OF a
few minutes, Of boiling springs Of mud
and rock. Of lands on fire. His previous
fair record for veracity by those who
knew him well gained him sufficient at
tention 10 be heard, but in general
.'Couiter's Hell - could be classified with
those many unreasonable ideas like
svme's Hole and others that are "ccsis-
ionally thrown upon the public. During
Coulter's for such was the trapI-rs
name) life his story was not believed, but
in the Yellowstone National Park it has
been wonderfully verified.
Colonel Reynolds, of the United States
Army, made a trip into the Yellowstone
region just before our great civil war
broke out, and the wonders of his report
were almost lost in the fierce struggle of
that prolonged war and its subsequent
aspects. He apparently does moi believe
those he did not actually see, for he
speaks If them as "Munchausen Tales
One was TO this effect "In many parts
of the country petrifactions and fossils
are merry numerous, and as a consequence
il was claimed that in some locality i
was moi able 10 fix il definitely, a large
tract 81 sage bush is perfectly petrlfied,
with all the leaves and branches in per-
feet condition, the general appearance of
the plain being the same AS the rest of
/ the country; but all is stone; while the
rabbits. sage hens, and other animals
usually found in such localities are still
there, perfectly petrified and as natural
as when they were living, and, more
wonderful still the petrified bushes bear
the most wonderful fruit diamonds, ru-
bies. sapphires, emeralds, &c, as large as
black walnuts are found in abundance"
DIR. Gannett's report Il the United States
Geological Survey of 1873 commenting
ON this singular story SAYS: This story,
absurd, as il sounds, has a large basis in
fact. The narrator, however, had mixed
up distiact phenomena, and over all had
spread layishly the c%oloring of his imagi-
nation. There are fields Of sage as well
as bits Of forest, which, lying in immedi
ate proximity to groups of springs, have
been petrified while standing The hot
silicious water from the springs is drawn
up through the pores of the wood, and
between the wood and the bark, by Ca
pillary attraction, and depositing SILICA
wherever II goes, the tree or bush is rap
idly transformed into rock.
The story of the remarkable fruit
borne by these stone trees is not far from
correct. the main difference between the
story and the fact being that the fruit is
borne on the outside and inside Of the
trunks of the trees instead of on the ends
are not as given in the story either, but
that is q matter Of no vital importance.
In the prpcess of silicifcation Of wood
the last result of all is the production Of
quartz crystals, The tree trunk is con-
verted totally into crystalline quartz, IA
dating from within outward, the crystals
being all crowded out of shape. The in
side and outside of the hollow cylinder
of quartz which represents the former
i lftt ATT NtAtlth VIII lllt Aiaai
quartz pyramids. Such products of silici-
fication are very abundant in the Park,
particularly ON Amethyst Ridge, and are
undoubtedly the stone fruit of the pet
rified trees and bushes. The crystals are
colorless. amethystine, or yellow, and,
according To the color, are known to
mountain men as diamond, amethyst,
topaz, &c. Ii is unnecessary 10 say that
the part of the story relating to animal
life was manufactured from whole cloth"
Prof. HAYDEN made a reconnaissance
Of the park region just Is wears ago, aud
his report, backed by his recommenda-
ton, led to the presen, boundaries of the
park being mapped out and set aside or
" dedicated and set apart as a public park
or pleasure ground for the benefit and
enjoyment of the people"
After getting 10 Cinnahar the rest of
the trip Is somewhat at the disposal Of
the tourist as 10 the manner in which it
shall be taken-either by stage, on foot,
or on horseback. Each one must choose
for himself or herself, for there are charm
ing little books of travel on each way.
The first thing of special interest as one
enters the park-for everywhere are
sights on which could write an article
as long az this-is the group of the Nam
moth Hot Springs. Holding lime in so
luton due TO the heat, this calcareous
matter is deposited by them on It's exit