Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-01-02
NATURES RAREST GEM.
The Wonderful, Shoshone Falls in Ida
hos DESERT.
A Cataract as Wonderful as Niagara Roaring
In the Heart Of Crater Amid Lava Blocks,
toissnis Ashes, Sage Ba,h aud Coyotes
Grand Spectacle

GRAND Spectacle
A splendid mountain trail leads from
the village OF Shoshoue into the
desert Tho wagon runs smoothly over
the road for twenty miles or more
through arank growth Of sage brush,
CROSSWORD and tufts OF pink cactus.
There are no signs OF life anywhere.
There IL not even 40 much rs the
6hirp Of a bird 10 hreak the terrible
stiffness. The dust that comics from
wheels Is mixture OF powdered lava
and alkali, aud has nm acid taste.
Bones SO peculiarly white TO AN alkali
desert are scattered among the clumps
OF sage brush aud mark the ferocity OF
the blizzard aud sandstorms which
sweep over tho waste in midwinter
The next five miles OF the ride Is over
great blocks OF lava, where explosions
have hurled them in heaps upon either
side Of trail. Straight ahead " blue
haze gives the horiaSn the appearance
OF great sea out OF which score 81
snow-capped mountains, many OF them
pyramidal In form and looking like
brigantines sailing along, with every
stitch OF snowy canvass set poke their
hoary heads. The trail finally leads
into deep cut into the rocks and
down AN incline blasted from basaltic
aud limestone walls. A moment later
the traveller has reached the grandest
bit OF scenery in the new world He
stands In the center OF q monster
crater--perhaps tho giant crater from
which poured the fiercest torrent OF
all the torrents OF molten, lava that
swept over the country.
In other places In the to wering walls
which surround this blighted hole the
flames OF that prehistoric upheaval
made Gaverns aud Ghasms actually
ate their way into the rocks in their
wild fury TO join In the devilish orgy
outside. Looking from the summit OF
the trail into the great basin 1000 feet
below--a basin OF circumference OF
at least ten thousand feet and wal led
Ia by perpendicular volcanic palisades
/, 100 feet high.-the spectacle Ia one Of
awful sublimity. The visitor instinct
lively feel. rs though he had entered
the theatre OF the devil. Above the
great hole Is the blue sky with hawk
soaring lazily. Moving sluggishly
through "a narrow channel IN tho bot
tom of the basin Is the Snake river.
whose waters are rs green as the
brightest emerald. These are the only
coors All else Is dead and In disor-
der Here Is where you might expect
TO see the evil one sitting astride fro
scanned rock Mt midnight contemplate
ing the ruin below by the light OF the
moon In its last quarter. A flash OF
blood-red lightning and u roar OF thun-
der are all that are necessary TO COM
plete the picture Of the Internal re-
gions. The grass is yellow and stunt
ed The few blasted trees and brshe
growing upon tho lodges look like
those pictured in the haunts OF sprites
aud gnomes All are white as the
shrouds Of the dead:
The only noise heard In this cradle
OF chaos is a continuous and sullen
roar which comes from the bottom of
the pit. Mau can never know how in-
fnitesimal he really Ia until he picks
his way over the hre.swept flooring OF
the basin in an effort 10 dnd the source
OF the ceaseless roar. Around him Is
stretched an umphitheatre Of walls 80
great In their dimensions and so regu-
lar in their formation as 10 instantly
give birth TO visions OF multitude OF
insensate beings watching from their
circliug seats the turmoil below.
Tracing the sluggish stream until it
| begins TO boil In its race over rocks and
through Caverns, the stranger finally
creeps 10 the edge Of II mighty cataract
which tumbles In one broad, sheer fall
| u distance OF 2l0 feet. A cloud Of spray
hangs over the boiling waters below
and through the white, pulsating veil
II rainbow spanning the yeasty
maelstrom blazes with vivid bright
ness. Here Is the jewel in this great
ring Of death. Niagara Cannot be
compared with IL in beauty or Ia
the grandeur OF its environments. The
volume OF water pouring over the cati,-
ract is not so great as that Mt
Niagara, but the fall is greater aud far
more varied. From tip TO tip the foam-
ing, roaring crescent at Shoshone Is a
quarter OF mile. Before the tumb-
! ling waters reach the brink they plunge
! over rapids, over cataracts and through
! lava powders which have been gnaw-
ed into caverns. Beginning at one end
| Of the crescent where the water falls In
n broad thin, silver spray, the torrent
grows In volume until the main cata-
ract Is reached. Here the water Is OF
| such solid green that IL carries its coll
! or half way down its tremendous fall.
| Nearer the other end OF the crescent
| the cataract tumbles over domes,
minarets and pulpits OF volcanic rock
and joins in the mighty roar below.
In the oppressive sublimity Of all these
surroundings towering walls OF
the crater, the laundering Of the twin
cataract OF the new world, the waiting
Of the hungry coyote at the red sun
sinking behind the purple, white-hood-
| cd mountains In tho distance. and the
knowledge OF the barren waste stretch.
ing all about the great basin the WIS.,
, itor loses all sense Of fear and sits like
one suddenly bereft of the power Of
srticnlatiOn