Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-25

blended into wonderful beauty. There are
hoss-like material vibrating with every
p0lsing of the waters, as fraii as beautiful,
a touch destroying it. At all times the side
OF the river next TO the geyser is hot, the
opposite side having pure cold water The
PrIsmatic Spring near by is, perhaps, the
most beautiful known. The dimensions
are about the same as the geyser. In the
center the water is deep blue, changing to
green at the edge. Near the rim are the
varied tints above described, only intensi-
fed. l do not know why they call this
Hell's Half Acre, for aside from ihe geyser
anything more peaceful, more exQuisitely
lovely, could not be imsgined.
Leaving this place with regret, we went
on past many places of lesser interest, and
on arriving at the hotel at the Upper Gey-
ser Basin tarried only long enough to regis.
ter, then went only short distance to the
old faithful geyser. This, every sixty min
utes, SENDS up a stream of boiling hot
water 200 feet high. We were here also in
time to see it shoot its silvery spray far up
IN the air, falling veritabie shower Of
pearls earthwaTd with the loveliest rain
bows around it. We were fortunate in
having q clear day for two weeks it had
rained every day, but there were no Jonahs
in our party. From here the entire band
mile, may be seen and heard as they
singiy or in unison give their grand
concerts with their steaming trumpets,
mumbling, muttering or in loudest tones
We saw here during the day some of the
most noted geysers in action but it would
require volumes to describe them all We
wandered from one to another, too much
engrossed to thirk how time was flying,
forgetting hunger and fatigue, till night
was upon us, and we were forced to leave
l cannot remember day more memorable
in my life. Yosemite and Niagara have left
their Impressions; Rome, Venice, Naples
Vesuvius and Pompeii, but none of these
are more impressive than are these scenes
in wonderland" to-day.
Dante could imagine nothing more desc
late and aTe-inspiring than IS seen here in
this basin. The clouds of steam hanging
over it, white wraiths of vepor, ghost like,
floating between the tree tops, and the
deep muttering, as the earth gurgles as ii
in throes of agony the air heavy with sui
phurous vapors, while ever shooting up
here and there is water, yelled in spray,
glimmering in the sunlight. No artist
could ever paint, no Dore illustrate these
marvellous fountains and Natures grand
gorgeous cOloring IN this the stronghold of
the wonderful.
the Grand Canyon and Falls of the yell
lowstone. We drove SO miles, then. with
out waiting for lunch, took saddle horses,
thus avoiding the crowd, and rode over a
steep bridle-path for several miles along
the canyon. The falls themselves, while
they do not compare with Yosemite still
have brightness and beauty of their own,
and viewed from the dizzy nights above the
lower falls are beautiful in the extreme.
My horse meant business from the first,
and if he was not of the kind that be-
longed to Balaam, did all that was neces-
sary without speaking. He knew better
than every vantage point, and would de-
liberately walk up to the very verge of the
dizzy chssm, and square himself around
/ for me to wonder and admire l was in
mortal terror st first, and had not
much breath left for speaking
purposes myself, for often single misstep
would have sent horse and rider down
these awful depths, where the rushing,
foaming river dashed in agony and vain
endeavor in its narrow channel, so far be-
low US that never a sound reached US on
the tops of these peaks. After time l
trusted to Providence and Peter, letting
him have his own way, watching with a
feeling of envy, however. the eagles and
fish-hawks sailing far below US, sure of
down on those beetling crsgs, were safe
from all marauders.
If | find it impossible to describe the
eruption of geyser, how shall 1 attempt
to tell of this canyon ?-of its vast pima
cles and sculptured rocks of the depths,
the stiffness and solemn silence of this
yawning chasm. We had dismounted,
and clambered down a narrow trail out on
the uttermost verge of the point of rocks
banging directly over the river. 1t needs a
sure foot, and many strong men cannot
endure to stand upon that dizzy hight.
Once in good position and clinging to a
portion of rock, one feels that it is worth
risking life only to stand for a moment
and take one glance. The chasm in tints
and coloring bright as the most brilliant
painting, it is as though the most vivid col
oring OF earth and sky had centered here:
the tints OF spring and gorgeous coloring
OF autumn, or that the banners of the
most brilliant sunsets had been caught and
imprisoned on those slopes. All combined
and reproduced could not exceed the love-
llness of those downward sleeps. What
builders and artists in the dim ages of this
old world labored here on tower and dome
and Gothic arch? What builders grouped
and fashioned in such wondrous beauty or
put the flames OF colors here and there ?
And down below all, the green thread OF
the soundless river. Silence seals up the
past and hovers over the present, and we
could only wonder, marvel and adore.
This, too, is another day never to be for
gotten. One is led on and on in this vast
park, being in some sort of way prepared
for these two last days, to the great geysers,
and lastly to this grand, solemn, gorgeous
canyon, from the tumult of yesterday to
the air of gentle, all-pervading peace, hang
ing over those peaks. Nature wooing one
to repose such as approaches ones idea OF
eternal rest. l think l could go there day
after day and never tire, and sometime |
want to return and spend weeks where l
only had days.