Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-06-11
A N.tur.l Boar rr.p.


In the Yellowstone National Park there
d locality to which was given the ap-
propriate name Of Death Gulch. 1t was
discovered in July, 1888, by w. w. Weed
Of the geological survey, and the writer.
It is situated In the extreme northeastern
portion Of the park, on Cache creek, sew
eral miles above Its confluence with La.
mar river, or the east fork Of the Yellow
stone, ns It is often called. 1t is easily
reached by horseback ride Of about hve
miles from Soda Butte, the mail station
ON the route between the Mammoth Hot
Springs and the little mining town OF
Cooke City, Montana.
In the center Of the former hot spring
area of Cache creek the creek makes
broad pool which "boils" furlously from
the action of escaping gas, and Is, In TACT,
a natural soda water fountain. Small
particles of sulphur are also floating In
the water, and are being deposited about
the edge Of the pool. Just above the pool
the creek has cut through bank OF sui.
phur and gravel. and few yards peyono
Is the debouchure of a small lateral gully
or gulch coming down from the mountain
side. Following this gulch we come With
in a quarter of mile to the end, or,
rather, beginning, which Is scoop" or
basin about 200 feet above the creek. The
sides of the gulch, except at the head, are
very steep, and In the bottom fows q
tiny stream of cold, clear water, sour with
sulphuric acid.
We were making our way up this gulch
md had lust entered the terminal portion
when our attention was directed to
huge sIlver-tlp grizzly bear within twenty
feet Of us. He was In such natural po-
sItion that we supposed him to be asleep,
but closer Inspection showed him to be
dead. The body was perfectly fresh, ana
could hardly have been dead two hours.
We examined the body very carefully Tor
bullet holes or other marks of Injury, but
beyond few drops Of blood under the
nose there was not the slightest trace OF
violence. But during this examination we
were conscious Of the near presence OF
other decomposing matter, and short ex-
animation revealed the presence OF the
more or less decomposed bodies OF four
more bears, an elk, several squirrels, rock
hares, besides numerous dead butterflies
and other insects One of the bears was
good-sized cinnamon bear, and was In an
advanced stage Of decomposition. The
other skeletons were almost denuded OF
flesh, although the claws and much OF the
hair remained.
At first We were unable to account for
this strange accumulation Of dead bodies
of animals until a choking sensation OF
the lungs suggested the presence OF nox-
ious gases, and the death of the animals
by asphyxiation. The hollows were tested
with lighted tapers for the presence OF
carbonIc acid gas, with only slight results,
hut as strong wind was blowing down
the gylch at the time, the gases would
have been rapidly diffused. A strong sui
phurous odor was present. On subse-
quent visit, however, there was no wind.
and the presence OF carbonic acid gas was
more manifest.
1t Is likely from the nature Of the sur
roundings that there is never very
great accumulation OF this deadly gas,
for II would naturally tend to how down
the ravine. and be rapidly dlssipated. II
the head Of the gulch was more marked
basin the accumulation of gas would I'm.
doubtedly have been very marked, and
the consequent fatalities more numerous.
The first animal doubtless wandered In
and was overcome, and thus served as a
halt to lure the others In turn to their
destruction. Certain II was, the body Of
the bear that was fresh on our first visit
was widely advertised bait on second
visit some weeks later.
As Mfr. Weed has suggested. this grlch
has doubtless served as death trap for n
very long period Of time. but these bodies
and skeletons must be the remains only
OF the most recent victims, for the ravine
Is 80 narrow. and the fall so great. that the
channel must be cleared out every few
years, II not annually.