The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-06-22
THE FALLS OF THE MISSOURI
The Anniversary Of the Discovery OF
the Falls Of the Missouri Occurred
Wednesday, May 13.
fhe Description Of the Falls Given by
Capt. Lewis a. lie Saw Them
June ID, 1908.

HOuII - v eO
graphic and accurate than that made by
Cant. LOWS exactly eighty years ago
last Wednesday. For tourists visiting
the falls the following extracts are made'
as Il must be q matter OF interest to
compare an account OF their appearance
M witnessed nearly a century ago and
their present condition with tho adjuncts
Of civilization crowding the river banks.
On June 2, 1905, after many dangers
and fatigues, they had ascended the
Missouri river as far rs the junction
With the Marias. 1t then became an in
tareatipa question which WAS the true
Mieaouri. and for tho purpose OF ascer-
tainino they dispatched two canoes with
three men up each of the streams with
orders to ascertain the width, depth, and
ranidity OF the current 30 as to judge OF
their comparative bodies Of water. AT
The same time parties were sent ont by
land 70 penetrate the country and dis
cover from the rising grounds, II possi-
bic. the distant bearings OF the two
rivers. 1t ie worthy OF note that the In
dams, who appeared to be we'll %acquaint-
ed with the geography Of this country,
had previously informed the party that
the Missouri proper could be distin-
ouisbed from the other streams by the
great falls, and in their language it was
spoken of az "the river which scolds at
ali Others" On the evening OF the 80
the different exploring parties returned
without having arrived at any solution
Of the question. Therefore on the morn
ing Of the 4th Capts. Lewis and Clarke
set out to explore the two rivers, Capt.
Lewis taking the north fork and Clarke
the south fork. On their return they
were etill unable to determine which
was the main stream. On June III Capt.
Lewis with four men set out on an ex-
pedition up the south branch and on
the l3th."his ears were saluted by the
agreeable sound OF a fail Of water, and
as he advanced a spray which seemed
driven by the high southwest wind arose
above the plain like a column vi smoke
and vanished in an instant. Toward
this point he directed his steps, and the
noise increasing as he appropriated, soon
became too tremendous to be mistaken
for anything but the great falls OF the
Missouri. Having travelled seven miles
after first hearing the sound he reached
the falls about l2 o'clock. The hills as
he approached were difficult OF access
and eco feet high. Down these he hur-
ried with impatience and seating him
self on some rocks under the center OF
the falls enjoyed the sublime spectacle
of this stupendous object which since
it's creation had been lavishing its mag
niRcence upon the desert
The Great Falls.
The river immediately at its cascade is
three hundreds yards wide, and is pres
sed in by a perpen dicular clti on the
left, which rises to about one undied
feet and extends up the stream for a
mile; on the right tho bluff is also
perpendicular for three hundred yards
above the falls. From ninety or a humid,
red Yards from the left cliff tho water
falls In one smooth sheet over a prcci-
pice of at least eighty feet. The ire
naming part of tho river p%recipitates
itself with a more rapid current, but be
ing received as it falls by the irregular
and somewhat projecting rocks below
forms a splendid prospect OF perfectly
white foam two hundred yards In length
and eighty in %perpendicu ar elevation
This spray is dissipated into a thousand
shapes, sometimes flying up in columns
Of fifteen Or twenty feet, which are then
oppressed by larger masses OF the white
foam, on all which the sun impresses the
brightest colors OF the rainbow. AS il
rises from the fall it beats with fury
against a ledge OF rocks which extends
across the river at one hundred
and city yards from the prccipice. From
the perpendicular cliff on the north t.
the distance OF one hundred and twenty
yard the rocks rise only a few feet above
the water, and when the river is higf
the stream finds a channel across then
forty Yards wide and neal the higher
parts of the ledge (which then rise'
about twenty feet and terminates alb
ruptiy within eighty or ninety yards o
the southern side. Between them ant
the perpendicular cliff on the south, TIT
whole body Of water uns with grea
swiftness. A few small cedars grow nea
this ridge of rocks which serves as a bar
rier to defend a small plain Of abou
three acIe shaded with cottonwoods, a
the lower extremity Of which is a Il grow
Of the same tree, where are sevsral In
dian cabins of sticks; below the point o
them the river is divided by a large rock
several feet above the surface OF tn
water, and extending down the strear
for twenty yards. At the distance Q
three hundred yards from the sam
ridge is a second abutment oil solid per
pendicular rock about sixty feet high
projecting at right angles from the sma
plain on the north for one hundred an
thirty-four yards into the river. Afte
leaving this, the Missouri again spread
. itself to its usual width OF three hui
dred yards, though with more than II
ordinary rapidity.
Crooked Falls.
The river is about four hundred yarc
wide, and for the distance OF three hui
dred throws itself over to the depth
nineteen feet, and 90 irregularly that b
gave Il the name Of the Crooked fall
From the southern shore 1t extends OF
liquely upwards about one hundred an
fifty yards, and then forms an acu'
angle downwards nearly to the con
mencement OF four small islands close
the northern side. From the perpendl
ular pitch to these islande, q distance
more than one hundred yards, the wat
Rlides down q sloping rock with a velo
fty almost equal to that OF its fall
Rainbow Falls.
Above this fall the river bends sudde
ly to the northward; while viewing tn
place Capt. Lewis heard a loud ro
above him, and crossing the point OF
hill for q few hundred yards he saw Of
Of the most beautiful objects OF natur
xho vhclo Miauouri ia auddanlV 6tODDl