Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-10-15


our visit CHANGED to be so timed tina
it sshowed off" for us Immediately OF
our arrival.
During this days ride we crossed
the Continental Divide at an elevation
of $40 feet, and at Shoshone Point
were able to see rs miles away the
Three Tetons-Pilot Knobs of oul
school geography,-14,00 900 feet high
cleaning in the sunlight across the
blue waters of Shoshone lake. At
Lake View, few miles further, a
break in the timber brings Yellow
| stone lake into view. Around it's en-
tire rim pine forests come to the
waters edge; along the eastern shore
extends the Absoroka range of noun
| tains.
Clear as crystal, not wave on its
surface, mirroring every passing cloud
and rejecting every shadow, this sheet
of water, covering an area of $50
square miles, 800 feet deep and 7741
feet above sea level, is the most beau
tiful and remarkable body of water in
the world.
Our camp was made on the lake
shore, and the sunset, cloud colorings,
afterglow, moon rise and sunrise here
witnessed transcend any similar nat
ural phenomena ever seen or hoped
for.
Sunday preacher from neighbor-
ing camp held the first religious ser
vices ever conducted at Thumb Lunch
Station. Near the Thumb Station is
hot spring basin, some paint pots, a
small geyser and the ''Fishing Cone"
the cone of a hot spring rising from
the surface of the lake. Here one can
stand, catch fish from the lake and
boil them in the spring without re-
moving them from the hook. The
afternoon was spent in steam
boat ride on the lake, and camp was
made near the Natural Bridge, an
arch of stone forty feet high with
thirty foot span and roadway about
six feet wide crossing Bridge creek.
From here the following days drive
took us down Yellowstone river, past
Mud volcano, a crater some thirty
feet deep in the bottom of which a
caldron of lead colored clay, thick as
mortar is bubbling and steaming. The
sight is at once fascinating and sick
ening, and recalls some of Dante's
vision of Hades.
The persons naming localities and
objects in the Park evidently we're of
the Calvinistic school. They believed
in the existence of his Satanic Majesty,
and a place of future punishment;
witness: Devils Frying Pan, HELPS
Half Acre, Devils Ink Well, DEVILS
Slide, DEVILS Elbow and others.
My recollections of sermons heard
in boyhood were refreshed when we
reached Sulphur mountain, nigh hill |
of almost pure sulphur, near the base
of which is boiling sulphur spring,
15 by 20 feet inside. It's rim rises to |
a height of four feet and is composed |
of pure crystallized sulphur; this rim
is estimated to weigh forty tons. The
bed and sides of the stream flowing
from the spring are also clear sulp hur
The odors arising from this spring and
from vents in the hillside are nearly
suffocating.
Camp was made that night just
above the rapids, within hearing of
the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone.
The upper fall is 112 feet high. The
river for the last five miles has run a
tranquil course about 800 feet wide, in
the cascades it narrows to 100 feet and
shortly above the falls it turns an
angle, and, contracted to about SO feet
wide, makes a sudden plunge into the
abyss. The fall is unique, grand and
but only a preparation for
5he Lower Falls, half mile further
down the gorge. Here the stream
makes another plunge 80 feet of un-
broken fall. The fall itselfis wonder
ul, one third of it's height being
hidden by spray, but the ceaseless
:oar tells of the mad fury beneath.
Now I have come to the hard part
If my story. I would tell you of the
of the Grand Canyon of
he Yellowstone.
I have read many pages of attempt
1t description by Talmage, Stoddard,
preachers, lecturers, lawyers, writer's,
md hoped from them to Gull some
hing that would describe this canyon.
They all fall short. Then what can /.
ay? Simply, that words are made
Iuate. And yet, on second thought,
will quote Stoddard's description.
GAS for the gorge through which the