Morning journal and courier., 1886-07-31

Tour of the Yellowstone PRrk-The
Geysers and other objects of Inter-
est.
BOHEMIAN, Montana, July 23.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
In continuation of our journal it is noted
that on Saturday, the 18th, we took an early
start for tour of the Yellowstone Park.
Our party as made up after reaching the
Springs Hotel was composed of Methodist
minister and wife; a ieutenant-governor,
wife and daughter; a captain i'll the army
and wife, and two visitors from New Haven;
total ten. One of our drivers was a young
man formerly from Albany, New York.
g. L. Henderson, man of thought and en-
tirely devoted to geyser phenomena. This
Mr. Henderson is the longest in of any per-
son at the park, having passed the time con-
tinuously here since 1882. He knows every
geyser by name, knows their habits and of
not few the age. Like seer he seems to
stand on the crater and the pent up forces
gush and hiss, rush and roar at his bidding.
The first section of our journey ends at Nor
ris Basin and is made over good roads and
amid a wonderful panorama of mountain
scenery. Up through the Golden Gate,
passing Swan Lake bearing on its bosom a
living freight of wild ducks. Snow noun
tains to the right and the lett, some of which
appear to be but short drive off. Leaving
Electric peak on the right towering over
eleven thousand feet above sea level, we pass
Obsidian cliff on the left with its terrible
story of volcanic wrath gashed in its sides
by the huge black glass boulders that lie at
its base. Beaver Lake, full of interest to
the tourist, but empty of beavers, is left far
to the rear when we halt at Norris for din
nar having riddpu about fwaOEv-two rnilas
At this point the road diverges, one in the
direction of the falls, the other to the lower
basin, and is quite a rendezvous for visitors
at dinner hour. Notable among the hungry
with us at this station were Chief Justice
Waite and party.
The Norris geyser basin is full of all sorts
of geysers with all sorts of names, but the
two that have left the plainest impress are
s'the Growler" and s'Paint-pot." Fearing
the evil one himself may get after US in this
sulphurous smell and smoke, we push on to
the lower basin for the night, being visited
en- route by a terrible thunder storm. One
of the famous geysers here is the Fountain,
which was nearly due when arrived at its
base. Our party will not forget this geyser,
as after eruption had commenced a quantity
of hot water splasned on to one of our
horses, frightening him and causing conster-
nation among the ladies. The upper basin is
the objective point of all sight -seers. In
fact there is not much to see beyond in the
geyser line. Here we find ourselves Sunday
forenoon waiting for Old Faithful, and he
did not disappoint This geyser is the
favorite from among the many thousand of
his associates, always 'erupting" time
every sixty-fve minutes, and the action is
pleasing to the eye, being very graceful and
attractive. At this point are probably the
most interesting sights to be seen in the way
of geysers, to wit-Giant, Giantess, Bee
Hive, Grand, Castle, etc. One small one has
many visitors. 1t has been named the Mug
wump, and as we watch its kick, kick, kick
and think of the pure in heart that could not
see Blaine we enjoy good laugh.
We return to lower geyser, that being our
base for the march to the falls, and on our
way go around via FtHell's Half Acre. and
Paradise Lake" This is wonderful spot
and fills the mind with awe and fear. We
over which we drive sounds hollow and thin.
Besides at this place there terrible out
break in 'eighty-two, washing away bridges
on the Fire Hole river.
The one thing about all of this strange
geyser bushes that surprises me the most is
the large quantity of hot water that is being
constantly vomited out of these vents of
he'll. The two forks of Fire Hole river and
the Madison river, with the Gibbon, all good
sized and rapidly running streams, are large
ly supplied by the waste from spouting gey
sers and hot springs.
uOuud1 Gn6 1OGu, altS4 d 1OIlS esuo tceilOus
ride over a rough and well-nigh impossible
road embracing what is known as Marys
Mountain, we made Yellowstone Falls, the
latter part of the way in severe rain storm.
The rain continued to such an extent as to
mar the pleasure of a thorough inspection of
the falls and wonderful canon below. A
few, however, took in the whole view and
saw the eagle feed her young and the refec
ton of the sun on the yellow sides of rocky
ribs two thousand feet in length. We re-
turn to the Norris basin via new road just
laid out and our ladies declare it the worst
ever made, always excepting Mary's Noun
tain.
At sundown of the fourth day we are
again at comfortable hotel, tired and sore
from one hundred and thirty miles of rock
climbing and corduroy crossing, but filed
with a wonderful experience. The fifth day
is passed in inspecting the Terrace and sur
roundings, and to-day we are in the fertile
Gallatin valley resting for all its pure air can
give J. D. D.