The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-10-27
A RAMBLE OVER UNCLE SANS TERRI
TORY.
NUMBER FIVE.

NUMBER FIVE.
We visited sold Faithful first as the
nearest, and most reliable one, and in q
few minutes watched the rather slender
column of steam and water shoot to the
height of 20 feet, and very handsome
picture it made. Then farther off were
the Lion" the 'Lioness," the Cub"
the Castle and many Others, all gey
sers of the largest size, but of varying
periods of activity. About mile from
the hotel are some of the most beautiful
pools in the whole park. The "Black
Sand' is named from the volcanic metal
lie black sand surrounding it, the color
of the water which is of a most dazzling
emerald hue, is greatly enhanced by the
black frame which encloses it The
"Rainbow' and Sunset" are shallow
pools but rich in color, the former hav-
ing the most perfect rainbow hues in
broad band on the surface all around the
edge, while the latter looks exactly as
the western sky does, when glowing
with particularly beautiful sunset.
Close by is the Morning Glory" whose
basin, about s feet across, is counter
part of the cup of the flower for which.t
is named. Another pool has an edge
like the corrugated lip of large sea shell; !;
the whole of soft grey color; words are
a very difficult medium with which to
paint pictures of these rare gems of ma
ture, and we could not but look up to
Natures God, whose hand has formed
these wonders for the delight of His child
rem. All about this district were lying
numerous trunks of trees slowly petrify-
ing, almost snow white from the action
of the minerals which had penetrated
nj tho NUnpH Ware frnOn
now these will be like the peJrified wood
now found elsewhere; there is petrified
forest over beyond Yellowstone Lake, but
no road has yet been constructed to it.
Baedeker's guide books, so well known to
travellers in Europe, has never had a vol
ume on America until this year, and
most of the Germans who swarmed in
the park, had this book. 1t has good ac-
count of the park, ,gand among other
things says that the process of wood pet
rifaction can be seen in this basin, so the
first thing every German looks for is the
process, and it is comical to see their
looks of disgust when the guide tells
them these are the trees. Germans far
outnumber all the other foreigners who
visit the park. | understood that most
of them travelled in care of large COM
pany formed i'll Germany for the pur-
pose. That they learn our language in
their schools was evident, for most of
them could talk more or less English;
more than the average American can do
with German when he visits that coun-
try. 1t is a curious fact that if piece OF
soap is thrown into any of the geysers, II
will cause it to spout at once, but this is
strictly forbidden under pain of arrest
and heavy punishment, as it makes the
eruptions spasmodic; they will no longer
play regularly at their stated times as be-
fore, and no one would know when to
look for the eruption. | did not know
but the guard would arrest me for soap
ing the Monarch" when he found me
there alone and the geyser in full erup-
ton much longer than ever before, but
his wonder seemed to be greater than his
curiosity. Passing three times over the
same piece of road was quite trial, but
next morning we were on the road to
Yellowstone lake, from the Fountain
hotel at 7 a. M, passed through the Up
per BASIN a second time, but did not
stop. The road led up, up the mountain
| side through heavy pine forest, past a
| beautiful waterfall at the roadside, where
we alighted to peer into the gorge: a con-
tinual upward climb until at last we were
on the summit of the great continental
Divide" at the pass 5000 feet above tide,
while the various peaks about it lowered
far above. On the side we came up, the
waters run to the Pacific; on the Other
side by way of the Yellowstone, Nilsson
ri and Mississippi to the gulf. Starting
down the grade we caught glimpse OF
Shoshone Lake miles away to the east
ward, nestled down among the noun
tains; good sized sheet of water, but
smaller than Yellowstone lake. The
route through the park, suppose, viii
some time go that way, but now no road
leads to it. The road turned and twisted
around the mountains, over high bridges
and skirted deep valleys, until we reached
the lake, 1000 feet below the divide, a.
the point called the Thumb" The
lake is divided into bays by long projec
tions Of land, it is as if huge hand was
laid on IL, the thumb and fingers land
the spaces between them water, as thu
hand lies with fingers spread apart.
The lunch station at the Thumb" o.
Yellowstone lake has a charming situa
ton, overlooking the lake, and about 2
feet above it at the top of the slop
ing bank. Standing in the door of thu
largest tent one looks north across th'
miles of clear blue water TO the grea