The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-27

sides of its elevated cone, for full seven
minutes subsidies. TO repeat again and
again this grand spectacle. Others of these
intermittent fountains present individual
peculiarities, all Of curious interest. Among
the little freaks. is an automatic laundry.
This is a small boiling cauldron. where
handkerchief dropped in disappears, when
it is said TO go down TO China Town"
Within two or three minutes it is thrown
to the surface, hot and clean, expenses
prepaid.
WHERE THE SCIENTIST REVELS.
In this field, Of all the spots in the park,
the scientist revels in his speculations. He
explains the surrounding phenomena, max
ing, as he thinks all clear but little; that
little. to the plain thinker, is the most puz-
zling. He says that deep down in the bowels
OF the earth is intense heat. not specihcal-
ly naming the combustible material that
keeps the fires a1ame; the water from sub
terranean reservoirs, comes in contact with
heated surfaces, thus generating steam,
which is held in cavities to a degree of ex-
plosion-then an eruption or geyser, vary
ing in time and volume The filling and
evacuation OF these underground boilers
cause a repetition of the explosion and
the process goes on with regularity But
as some of these geysers play at widely
irregular periods. the explanation does not
fully explain.
y day or two is usually spent by the
traveller in this field of rare connection
Again on his way. sometimes up steep ac-
clivities. then across lovely valleys, through
narrow defles, amidst magnificent pines,
he reaches the Continental Divide with its
elevation of more than $500 feet-the great
water shed Of the continent Although
numerous peaks, full 1000 feet higher, rise
at varying distances, still, at this point,
| looking TO the south some dozen miles
| away, can be seen the beautiful Shoshone
lake resting in its mountain defile, nearly
| a thousand feet below, and shimmering
like polished silver in the glories of the
morning Forty miles beyond rise the
! three TetOns in their sublime effort to
| pierce the sky. A few miles further TO the
east Yellowstone lake appears in all its
beauty. This body of water covers an area
of many square miles. It's western shore
is reached at the Thumb" one of its arms,
as this lake, in it's outlines, represents the
human hand. Here transferring to a sub
! stantial little steamer, probably floating at
a higher altitude than any other like craft
the tourist travels for full two hours at
rapid speed over ice-cod crystal water
from 100 to 200 fathoms deep. Reaching the
northern side of the lake, near its outlet,
where rises the Yellowstone river, he
comes to the end of another delightful day
Here he goes into camp amid the ever
companionable pines. fine stretch Of
velvety glade, some half-mile in width,
slopes down to the sparkling waters of the
lake in front.
AT YELLOWSTONE FALLS.
There is regret at leaving this enchanting
spot, but the next morning descent is made
along several miles Of the highly pictur-
esque Yellowstone river This is no
diminutive stream. At its source, where
1t breaks from the lake, it is fully six feet
deep, hundred yards wide, with an initial
flow Of not less than six miles an hour.
| After a few miles along its course the
| traveller DIVORCES to the west crossing the
| undulating Hayden valley to reach Sui
phur mountain, a towering mass of that
| mineral, in almost absolute purity. A
little further on is Mud geyser, black,
| retching belching monster, impressing one
| who holds orthodox ideas that this region
is not far from the home of the presiding
genius of darkness.
Once again the traveller is skirting the
Yellowstone, which in its dozen miles of
impetuOus rush has gathered strength for
its mightiest efforts. After innumerable
| struggles with rocks and powders, form
ing a succession of foaming, tumbling cas-
cades, it falls over a precipice of a hun
dred feet, and on again for a mile in un-
controllable fury it dashes over a pre-
cipitous wall for more than three hundred
feet TO the bottom of the Grand Canyon
of the Yellowstone whose glorious walls
tower fully LOCO feet above.
This spot has been the one great object
of the journey and is the sight of all sights
for which the traveller has been told to
wait" Other canyons are deeper, wider,
longer and more gigantic, but none so i'm
pressively beautiful and sublime as this
The first sensation is one of profound be-
wilderment. Many weep here in silence.
Standing upon the dizzy heights above one
gazes into this mighty chasm, where far
down the misty. roaring, reverberating
river struggles towards its destination. AS
the eye becomes more accustomed to the
yawning abyss its infinite beauties begin
to unfold. thousand fancies take posses
sion of the imagination. Here among it's
crags and peaks I'm bold relief are graceful
spires. mosques with their minarets, cas-
ties and fortresses buttressed strong No
living thing makes it's abode in this re-
sounding, re-echoing vault except the eagle
Balanced upon the pinnacle Of a towering
crag midway down the abyss is suspended
his aerie.
The climax In this master piece of nature
is reached I'm the commingling Of its re-
splendent coloring. More thar a half hun
dred hues are here tremendously blended
with a soft golden shade predominatins
over all. Drape the vast areas of its ancient
walls with tapestry woven from the
gorgeous colorings of an autumnal forest
after the first few days of frost and sun
have wrought their artistic touch and a
slight conception of the marvels of this
spot may be realized.
WINFIELD s. MILLER