Dodge City times., 1890-11-28

sometime ago. but was not published for want of
space Ii is from the Den OF Jesse Bratiey, Ford
county boy.
Continued from last week.
1t looks like little blue blaze in the
water, and the soldier "who was so
kind as to show US over this basin"
told US it showed like light at night.
About five miles more and We passed
Hell's Half Acre, which contains Pris-
matte Lake and Excelsior Geyser, the
largest known geyser in the world. 1t
spouts to height of between 200 aud
300 feet ) miles more and we we're
wholly within the Upper Geyser Basin,
where the main geysers of the basin
of the Park are to be seen. Old Faith
full, which well deserves the name,
spouts regularly every 64 minuets.
We saw it erupt seven times. Others
which acted during our stay, were the
Giant, Splendid, Lion, Grotto, Castle,
and several others There is some
thing Sabine in watching the geysers,
and when they erupt in various parts
of the basin at the same time, it is
quite exciting, and while watching
them one speculates as to the cause.
The Chinaman geyser is In this basin.
1t was of the quiet sort, and a thrifty
chinaman erected a small wash house
over its crater, thinking to scald his
clothes without the use of a furnace.
Que day the cinnamon came home
drunk and kicked box of soap into
the gcyser, and it Immediately erupted
blowing wash house and chinaman of
its crater From this it was found
that throwing soap in geysers will make
them crupt. Such information as the
above was obtained from the soldiers.
We boiled our coffee one evening in a
geyser, it taking about sixteen minuets.
Every evening bear comes to the ho-
tel in this bcsin for his supper, which
furnishes an interesting sight for tour
lists.
From the Upper Basin We returned
to the Mammoth Hot Springs, where
our party was disorganized, to no more
see the good times of baking Aap-jacks
frying our meat, and boiling the coffee
over the campfire in the Wonderland.
The writer went from there to the Per-
rifed Forest, and Specimen Mount,
where can be seen fine specimens Of
fossil, petrifed and crystallzed wood.
The highest petri6ed tree now standing
is hardly 25 feet, but many stumps are
to be seen though continually crumb-
ling down. Ga this side trip, l saw a
deer and mountain sheep.
From here [ went to Livingstone,
our starting point, to resume my work
ana think over the wonders of nature.
About 5000 people have visited the
Park this year, many coming from over
the ocean to view it. The railroad
company has seven hotels within the
Park, and have 46 stages to carry pas
sengers through the Park, but one
hears frequent complaints by tourists,
as they are hurried through, passing
many interesting objects at night, and
then charged enormous prices.
Below is given the first published
account of these wonders, taken from
the Montana Post, dated August IS,
1867.
ga por tion of the Bear Gulch STAN.
peders have rctur ned. They have been
to the lake at the head of the Yellew.
stone, and report the greatest wonder
of the age. For eight days they trav-
eled through volcanic country, emit
ting blue flames, living streams OF mol
ten birthstone, and almost every varie-
ty of minerals known to chemists. The
appearances of the country was smooth
and rolling, with long, level plains in
tervening. On the summit Of these
rolling mounds, we're craters from four
to eight feet in diameter, and every
where upon the level plains, dOtting
them like prairie dog holes, were small
er ones from four to six inches and up
wards. The steam and blaze were con-
stantly discharging from these subter-
raneau channels, in irregular evolutious
or exLaustions, like the boilers of our
steamboats,, and gave the same roaring
whistllng und. As far as the eye
could trace, this motion was observed.
They were fearful to aseena to the cra-
tiers, lest the thin crust should give
way and swallow them. Mr.. Hubble,
one of the party, who has visited this
region once before, ventured to ap-
proach one of the smaller ones. As
he neared Its mouth, his feet broke
through, and the blue fame and smoke
gushed forth, enyelop'ug him. Drop,
ping upon his body, he crawled within
two feet of the cratur, and saw that
the crust was very thin, like a wafer.
Lighting a match, he extended it to