The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-17

fields of the mineral deposits glitter
ing in all the tints OF a prismatic
glass catching the sunlight, emit a
vapor that burns the tongue like fire.
The mud geysers or volcanoes, 10;
which the visitor creeps up to watch,
the mortarlike contents boiling
angrily with the extravaganza OF
color of all the other spots in the
park, will burst forth and splash the
trees and any person near with the.
burning mud Nearby trees are
, standing dead and plants have been
turned almost TO stone by the ex-'
plosions and deposits of these
geysers. Deep pits, now the tomes
of once busy springs, draw the
sightseer to the sides, possibly to go
headlong to the still boiling water at
the bottom.
Whatever it is, wherever the Wis.
itor goes, geyser, spring, and lake
offer the eye almost unearthly beau
ty. and, some day, to one OF the
strangers, death.
In one place volcanic rocks have
been laid by glacial action, the
original source of the park, and by
time split and worn into crude but
deeply impressive representations or
forms Of life There are birds and
animals which may be readily recog-
nized. And there is funeral altar
with the victim laid on ii, as If pre-
historic giants had been the servants
of Mother Nature in making the
sacrifices exactcd at the park to this
day. By some mysterious, uncanny
appreciation of this purpose of the
rock, eagles will sweep against the
lambs of mountain sheep on the
cliffs and brush them down hundreds
of feet TO be dashed TO pulp on the
rocks below. Engineers have tried
to bring the destinations of the place,
which Is called the Hoodoo region,
to their fellows by building a road
on the top. But they admit that IL
is a perilous journey. and that some
day the altar will have a living vic
time from the human beings who
think they have conquered the dan
gers of the rocks.
OF the famous Yellowstone Falls
one dropping between canyon walls
that seem TO pierce the sky dis
lance of 10 feet and the second
fully 500 feet, an early explorer has
written:
You are oppressed with sense
of danger. It as though the vast
ness would soon force you from the
rock TO which you cling Ga ledge
oyerhanging high in the air). 1t Is
a relief TO feel the firm earth be-
meath yenr feet again as you care
fully crawl back from your perching
place" Yet as strong as this man,
a clergyman, seems to have been in
will. the beauty of the view held
him. 81 was appalled,. fascinated,
afraid, and yet compelled to cling
there"
AS overpowering as the beauty OF
the place, of the rugged peaks and
cliffs, the mighty canyons, the trans
parent lakes, the snowy vapor from
the hot springs and the geysers, and
the gem-covered ground may be,
however, land where blue flame
burns al the bottom OF a deep river,
where plants are turned TO stone as
they stand, where the surface Of the
earth is fiimsy covering OF boiling
watts into which any person may be
plunged to a death as horrible as
any fiend of the middles ages in
vented. and where all the vicinity
breathes fumes that will deprive
man of his senses and subject him
to the tortures that the cauldrons on
every side have waiting. is not far
from being the region which that
Indian suspected, the hell of which
he had heard the white man speak.
Yellowstone Park is the crater or
a dying volcano. Below the surface
for 1000 feet is the same lava that
poured out OF Mt Pelee and swept
ST. Pierre out of existence. From IL
spout 100 geysers and 4,0C0 springs,
all venting water with a temperature
of 165 degrees Fahrenheit on any
thing within reach. The dazzling
ground is a lid OF a gigantic caul-
dron. Thousands will go, 10 come
within the spell of the beauty of the
covering. Somebody from time to
time must be drawn down into the
fires to pay Mother Natures price OF
life for the delight of the thou
, sands.