St. Paul daily globe., 1889-07-30
1T Is A VALLEY OF DEATH.

A Ravine in Yellowstone Park
Where Game Is Asphyxiated.
San Francisco Chronicle.
In Yellowstone Park there is a IA
vine that proves as deadly to ami NAL
life as that Death Valley Of Java, where
wild beasts perish by the score," said
Henry W. Mcintyre at the Palace hotel
last night. The gentleman was con-
nected with the party who surveyed the
reservation, under the leadership of Ar
mold Hague, park geologist. While fol-
lowing the streams to trace the extinct
hot springs the explorers reached ra-
vine, in which the bones of many ami
mals-bears, deer, rabbits and squirrels
were found. The presence of the re-
mains caused the party much wonder,
and a solution of the strange affair was
found only when crow that had been
seen to fly from the side of the valley
to carcass that was yet fresh, lit on its
prey, and almost Immediately fell to the
ground.
"The death of the bird" continued
Mr.. Mcintyre. twas caused by gaseous
eXhalations, whose presence in the park
had been before unsuspected. The
larger game also met its death by inhal-
ItS tllC ga lhO ioNiiS 10 III
the northeastern part of the park, in the
vicinity of the mining camp of Cook
Creek, and not far from the line
of the mail route. All about this
region gaseous eXhalatiOnS are given
off. which form SulphurOus deposits.
In the almost extinct hot spring areas of
Soda Butte, Lamar river and Cache and
Miller creeks the ravine was found.
This region is rarely visited, although
it is an admirable spot for game, which,
however. goes unmOlested by man. the
laws against hunting being very severe.
Theroad to the valley has few attractions
and the visitors to the FOSSIL forests
and HindoO basin seldom make the trip.
''ln the center of meadow, reached by
an old elk trail, isa shallow depression
that was once the bed of hot-spring
pool. This is now dry and is covered
with slight deposit of salt, and that is
the bait that attracts the elk and other
game of the region. The 'lic' extends
for seventy-fve yards up the ravine,
and is thicker and more palpable towards
the upper end. The creek runs past
along the side of the valley and
boils and bubbles as if it were
the outlet of hot spring. But
the water is cold and the dis
turbance in its surface is caused by the
emissions of gas. mainly carbonic acid.
1t also coutains sulphur, as particles OF
that are seen on the SIDES of the creek.
AS we went up the stream the odOr of
sulphur became very strong and caused
irritation of the bronchial passages.
! About eighty yards above Cache creek
were the bones of large bear and
nearby was a smaller grizzly decom-
posed, but with the skin and hair yet
fresh. Only short distance farther
on were the skeletons of many more
animals, such as elk and deer and other
large game. Squirrels, rabbits, birds
and insects were lying about in qnanti-
| ties, and the ravine looked as if it had
been the SCOOP of drive into which
the animals of the park had been
hunted and had there been left to die of
| hunger out of mere wantonness. There
were no wounds apparent on the bodies
before us; all the animgls had been
asphyXiated by the deadly gases that
| hung few feet from the surface OF the
gulch in dense. palpable curtain.
1.-THE first bear we saw was good
wav down the gulch, where neck is
formed. To that point the gas must
have been driven by the wind, and its