The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-07-22
THE sH0sR0NE FALLS.
A Herald Correspondent
Views Niagara's Rival.
sPELLBeUSD WITH DELIGHT.
A Magnifsosns Piece ofNstaFe's k8andi-
wOrk-PicturOsQne and sublime
EAce to Face With Nature.

WOCh-E kCtuEOsQN0 anu - AOALAAAp-
EAce to Face With Nature.
Arriving at ShOshone station at
O'Clock Oh Tuesday morning July 10th)
Mr.. Ross, Mr.. Allen, and myself took a
stage" as they call it there, towards
the Great shoshone Falls. The distance
is stated at twenty-five miles. but seems
greater than that. The road runs
through desert Of lava rock and sand,
over which sage brush is the principal
growth We saw only three animals -s
coyote, at which the teamster fired
without effect; badger, and jack
rabbit. This wide plain has an appear
ance OF severe desolation. Lava rock is
everywhere, seen projecting in small
hills. .o7!st ..et.
We wearied Of our long ridn, though
the heat was not great in the morning
and anticipated disappointment, for we
had taken careful look at the Ameri-
c. Falls as We passed them that morn
ing, and had made up our minds that
the apparently small amount of water
supplying those rapids could not in any
situation rival Niagara. After that we
spoke in derision of the Snake River
dubb ng it miserable brook.
DUB HOPES LOWERED YET MORE
when We finally reached the river. and
obtained from the long dugway first
hint of the falls. The cliffs, to be sure,
mad sort OF sublime majesty, and the
roar OF the falls with the rising clouds
OF steam, suggested the presence Of
great fire, but the rapids looked ordi-
nary, while We we're tired 8nt impa-
tient. The river at the ferry looked dull
and shallow, though the hoteikeeper
afterwards informed us that the depth
is far greater than 200 feet at this place.
After crossing. the heavy roar of the
falls incre sed as We nesred them, till
suddenly half The great fall br. ke upon
our view a shout OF astonishment
and delight, burst from our lips, and
springing from the wagon we ran down
to a iutting point which afforded full
view of the com ined waterfalls. Here
the numerous smaller cRtarscts ard
rapids from above have united them
selves into Que vast. wondrous plunge,
and the sesthlDg. roaring mass rolls
over the precipice. in never-ending
clouds of liquid spfendor varying in
color from the whiteness of snow to the
pale yelloTish color of inferior pearl.
Long ST. ans OF glisteniug beads, and, in
the rainbow, diamonds and rubies seem
to shine, all changing into soft. downy
snow rs they near the bottom, and
rising anew in white cloud of the
most surprising elegance. which quite
conceals the last wild plunses OF the
water. This cloud becomes
A RRATlUFuL VEIL OF INTANGIBLE GRACE,
its gossamer forms decking the sur
rounding cliffs, aud softening with its
delicate folds the stern severity of their
bold outlines. Nor is this cloud pleas
ant to the eye alone, for, waited by the
winds, it impsrIs a dewy freshness to
the air and cools with its feathery touch
the spell-b0und visitor.
We gazed upon the falling water till
We seemed to lose our own identity in
the presence of so magnificent piece of
natures handiwork. 1t seemed as
though We would like to be resolved into
some of the lie uid elements, and roll in
splendor with our fellow PARTICLES in
the graceful sweep OF the great cataract
We seemed to have kind of desire to
leap into the banks of descending foam
and to glide with them in what appeared
so easy descent. And as the roar
of the falling sea drowned our voices,
it produced, in effect, q silence SO pro-
found-sn oblivion as complete as to
all other things-that now at last We
seemed to- commune with nature face to
face. Our own insignifcance, never
before so apparent, taught US hu-
mility; and in the awful solitude one
emotion rose above all others, and
thrilled our minds with an indescrib
able, hopeful longing: Man was dis
tant, but God was near.
Recovering from our first surprise,
we descended the grrd hank ny II steep
trail, part of which IS formed by lad
ders, and viewed tie tails from b. low.
Perpendicular cliffs of lava rock rise
| 600 feet from the water. The height
of the fall is 2l0 feet and their width
over l CO.. feet Niagara is wider, but
rot so high (163 feet). Great rocks of
lava rise from the water just above the
falls breaking it INTO numerous rapids
and one pretty fal! of smalle size. The
view of all these from the bank
is PICTURESQUE AND SUBLIME.
On the banks are vigorous cedars,
and at the bottom of the chasm the
cedars form groves, and rise to height
of about 100 feet. Here are some of the
best places Tor enjoying picnic that
the writer has yet seen. One of them,
called Vaulted Dome. is q grotto hol-
lowed out of the lock, about fifteen feet
square and 175 feet high. Cold spring
water trickles from the vaulted roof and
drops into sshailow basin IN the centre,
whence it runs to the river. Red column
pines and fresh moses cling to the
walls.
In Engine Cave the reverberation of
the waters roar IS thrown from side to
side in a remarkable manner, exactly
reproducing the quick puffs of loco
motive.
We clambered along the waters edge
in the river-bed till we were almost
under the falls. and here we reclined in
the cooling spray, watching and envy
ing the birds that fitted among
the foam and vapor until the