The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-05

frontiersmen. half breeds. named Geduhn
and Apgar, who were familiar with these
Wild mountains and trackless forests. It
was an arduous undertaking, but they
toileu persistently onward. The steep.
narrow trail led northward from the lake
Tor perhaps ten miles; when this distance
had been accomplished their journey was
only just begun. For many miles they
were Obliged TO chop their way through
dense forests and tangled undergrowth,
where nothing but the trails Of deer and
footprints OF bears-many Of the latter
very fresh-cOuld be detected.
After two days OF indcfaugabIe labor
they suddenly came upon a spot of such
rare beauty that DIT. L. b. Sperry of Min
neapolis, one of the party, and consid-
cred an authority on American scenery,
pronounced it "a scenic gem of the first
water" This consisted of a basin in the
shape of horseshoe, about two miles in
length and mile or a mile and a half in
width, surrounded on all sides by walls
OF rock, rising almost perpendicularly TO
nights varying from 500 to 400 feet In
the floor Of this basin, like a jewel in Its
setting, was a beautiful lake of deep sap
phire blue, mile and a half in length
by half a mile in width; its waters of such
perfect clearness that the speckled trout
with which they were filled, were plainly
visible The surrounding lodges of rocks
were surmounted by numerous peaks, ris-
ing to dizzy nights, 900 TO 1000 feet above
the amber line, their summites white with
perpetual snow.
At the head of the basin were two
streams of icy water, pouring in beautiful
cascades over the rocks and cliffs; some
times clinging TO the walls, resembling
ribbons and cords of silver, and sometimes
dashing over the lodges diffusing them
selves in clouds of rainbOw-tinted spray,
hundreds of feet below. The total hight
of these silvery streams was estimated to
be at least 300 feet, and they derive their
supply from the vast fields of eternal
SHOWS lying In the awful solitudes far
above.
Along a portion of the southern wall
there was slope extending from the hight
of 1000 feet down nearly TO the border of
the lake. Here avalanches are of fire.
quent occurrence, shooting down the
slope with terrific force, and with a rush
ing, roaring sound not unlike peals OF
thunder and plunging into the unfath-
enable DEPTHS of rocky chasms On ac-
count of these oft-recurring avalanches
the party christened this secluded noun
tain valley Avalanche Basin" and the
surrounding peaks and picturesque masses
OF rocks We're given names suggested by
their appearance; the Sphinx, the Dome,
Cathedral Spires, the Castle and the Mat
terhorn, the last on account of its sur
prlsing resemblance to the far-famed Al
pine peak.
The walls enclosing this bit of wonder
land are of metamorphis sandstone, some
or the strata being of uncOlOred SHOWS,
while other strata are of bright red. The
formation Of the rocks exhibits many
marvellous phenomena, and the place con-
tains many scientific, as well as scenic
attractions, and Will prove most inter-
esting field Of study for the geologist ana
mineralOgist.
1t is very probable that long ago, In
the prehistoric oges, this spot was the bed
OF some enormout inland lake of great
depth, of which the little lake now exist
ing in its center contains, comparative
" speaking. only the last few drops i'm the
slowly emptying basin. But whatever may
have been its history IN the dim and dis
tant past, it is easy to predict its flu
ture; for when by the construction of
good roads, communications shall have
been established with the railways, it is
certainly destined to become one Of the
most celebrated resorts; q shrine where
earth's weary pilgrims will find peace and
rest.