Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-09
wAYFARINe N the ROCKIES coMrINvEo'

WAYFARING IN the ROCKIES CONTINUED
We crossed the Utah state line into
Idaho nearly due north OF the Great
Salt Lake. Low hills, with the Goose
creek mountain range to the west and
the ever-present sage brush, completes
the landscape picture. Occasionally
jack rabbit hoppel across the road in
front or darted thru the sage brush to
the right or left. enlivening an otherwise
endless monotony. Almo, our first
town in Idaho, is small Mormon COM
munity on the Raft river. All southern
iuaho towns are in a great part of the
mormon faith-the overflow from Utah,
suppose. On leaving this town we
were misdirected and followed the old
e!nAgrant road which my grandfather
rad passed over fifty years ago to the
4 new Eldorado in California We sus-
pected that we were on the wrong road,
put travelled on in the hope of meeting
a team or seeing Shepherd Just at
hightfall, when we had about despaired
OIL hndlng water which, frequently, is a
1 serious problem in this little better than
desert, we came to an old camp
i ground and cool. pure spring gushing
from the side of a rocky hill. This we
felt was one of our most lucky finds:
Tor had we not found it our tired and
thirsty horses as well as ourselves
would have had to pass the night with
out water. A short time after our ar
rival a shepherd came down from the
hills to the spring and from him we
learned our whereabo We were
twenty miles off our road. AT this place.
beside the spring, we passed one of our
most enjoyable evenings. The day had
been hot and the road dusty, but as
\ soon as the sun had disappeared behind
the far-off western mountains the air
cooled rapidly and with a full moor
made an ideal evening. AS we sat be-
side the spring in the mellow light of
the moon, drinking in the pure mount
am air waited down from the pines and
4 cedars. en- this perfect evening, our i'm
\ asinations drifted backward a half CEN
4 fury to other evenings. doubtless az
beautiful, at this spot Here MANY a
49er had slaked his thirst and that ot
ms weary OK team, and after ENJOYING
en- evening such as we were eniovinp
rad lain down beside his wagon with
II a
covering; had in imagination thought
the arched dome above farsoff
California and the stars nuggets of gold
winch IN vain he tried to count until
1 sleep closed the tired eyes, to dream of
"i!e anc babes at home in Iowa or Illi-
| nois Little did he think of the riches
4 about him for if he had looked closely
1 at the sandy bottom of the pool formed
nc 1,eA1 NJ =
pure waters he might have espied fine
4 yellow particles of the precious metal
i Tor which he had suffered SO much and
Travelled SO far. And just over the hill
i from the spring are now some of the
| richest silver mines in the world. Fancy
\ mad pictured for him treasures in far
off land and unmindful of the wealth at
hand he arose the next morning and
with renewed hopes and farewell
crirk at the spring disappeared finally
To- the bills to the vest while we. a
haii cs;itu45 later, retraced our steps
| and turned TO the north.
\ A journey of fifty miles thru !, sage
brush country brought us to the great
Snake River One approaching the
river from the south would not suspect
unless previously informed that a great
river snded its way thru the nearly
level plain. The river several hundred
feet below the level of the plain has
worn its way forming narrow cannon
As we arrived at the brink of the canon
one of the most beautiful sights we
have seen in the west unfolded itself to
! our view.
We were just opposite Shosfone Falls
and the deep blue winding stream above
and below the falls and the great leap
| of the waters was scene beautiful, and
inspiring beyond compare. The river
flows with gentle current to the first
falls which are about thirty feet high,
then few yards farther a second leap
is made of about the same distance
here huge rocks divide 1t into several
falls and then few yards farther. all
combining in one great stream makes a
mighty leap of $50 feet into the surging
whirlpool below. The water in making
the descent produces many pleasing eff
fects Among them might be seen long
silyery ribbons, the shade slightly va
| ried by light and shadow, nearby the
| falling water resembled a snow storm
| when the flakes are largest and come
| down in showers. The latter part of the
leap is screened from view by great
| cloud-like mist or fog which rises like
white smoke and rolls down stream fill
ing the canon from side TO side
| for short distance The color
| of the water of this stream adds
much to the beauty of the falls.
The water is of a deep blue, nearly
green, changing as the light falls on it
from different angles. / think that the
color may be attributed to the fact that
the water contains much sulphur. as
we passed many sulphur springs in
! southern Idaho, and there the water
had the same peculiar color The sides
of the canon are nearly perpendicular
and of black, sponge-like lava rock
1 The plain thru which the river flows
was doubtless in ages past an immense
lava lake. The falls, as we'll as the
large hotel near by. are the property of
Senator Clark of Montana, late of
bribery fame. He also owns the ferry
boat which carried us across the river
| several hundred feet above the falls.
| We followed along the brink of the
canon northwest for about seventy five
miles. AT several points along the river
/ are immense springs flowing out Of the
porus lava rock forming the sides Of
the canon. They are simply under
ground streams flowing into the Snake
river. The water gushes out in great
streams and the creeks flowing away