The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-04-30
A GLIMPSE OF WYOMING.

and mountaineer, Jim Bridger, turned
west from the Sheetskadee, or Green
river. After following one of its numer-
Gus tributaries, called Henry's Fork, for
the distance of about thirty miles, they
changed their course and proceeded due
north, to find themselves one day upon
the ridge of steep bluffs overlooking the
valleys of Smiths and Blacks Forks, and
upon the latter stream they decided to
establish a trading post. Gen. Ashley
was supposed to have been at that time
in the employ of the American Fur COM
pany, and for some reason or other soon
retraced his steps eastward, leaving jim
Bridger in possession of the valley that
now bears his name.
Jim, with spirit of pardonable pride,
called his camp Fort Bridger." He
married wife, built hut of woven
willows and logs, after the fashion of his
Indian neighbors, and for several years
carried on most successful traffic witll
the Indians and the emigrants, chiefly
Mormons, who began to settle in the vi
cinity.
Among the guides and trappers who.
during the years following it's establish
ment, made Fort Bridger their head
quarters, were two Frenchmen, named
Gosha presumably contraction of Gau-
tier) and Mariana, known by their COM
rades as the TOAD eatin' parley voos."
They were perhaps the first to discover
certain very minute weapons and crude
tools of stone and iron upon the plateau
of Smiths Fork, and interpreted to trav-
elers the following fantastic Indian leg
end concerning their origin and utility.
A race of pygmies had formerly inhabi-
ted the valley and heights, and waged
eternal war upon the eagles. They fash
Toned and stored away in numerous
mountain caves and crevasses the tiniest
arrow heads and spears, and fought va
liantly for their existence. But in the
end the eagles were victorious, and de-
voured their llliputian adversaries with
pitiless voracity. Then in after years the
rains washed down the weapons, and the
Indians made use of them for petty traf-
fic and various games.
Since 1868 the tertiary beds in the vi
entity Of Bridger have proved of primary
Importance to biologists and paleontolo-
gists in all parts of the world, and Pro-
feQsor Geikie, of Edinburgh, in the inter-
esting sketch he published of his journey
through the United States, speaks of the
intense eagerness with which he had al
ways looked forward to visiting the
''most wonderful fossil beds of the
world-the cretaceous and tertiary de-
poslts of northwestern America" The
yield of fossil specimens, in fact, has
equaled that of the famous terres maui
VASES of Dakota, and extensive research
by Professor Hayden, Professor Marsh,
DR.. Lcidy and other noted scientists
have brought to light an especial fauna,
the former existence of which was un-
known.
Among the earlier and more unim-
portant fossils discovered in the Green
river and Bridger basins were flies,
fishes, insects and shells-especially the
long, gracefully shaped oyster shells, SO
abundant in central and northern Europe,
known as Ladies' Fingers" A most re-
markable specimen was the feather of
bird which Professor Marsh regarded as
unique and Of great value. Many species
of turtle were discovered, the vertebra
Of crocOdiles, and, in the intervening
years, the cranial bones of mammoth
extinct animal to which Professor Marsh
gave the generic appellation of Dinoce-
rata, and which DIR. Leidy, on the other