Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-11-04

the great spring which bursts from the
foot of the mountain, making surging
stream OF clear, cold water which
whips itself into foam as 1t rushes
against the rocks, makes the roar of
the rapids and, far below the mansion.
forms the falls. To the north the rock
walls rise abruptly and are bleak and
bare. save for some scraggy cedars
that overhang the perilous heights.
From the south the Big spring is
reached by a path. very steep in
places, which leads down through
dense growths Of trees, wild flowers
and ferns. The spring Git may be but
the outlet of some subterranean
stream) has flow 80 feet across and
averaging five feet in depth-a volume
of water sufficient to supply large
city. We follow this stream, in whose
waters we see scores Of fine fish, down
through Trout glen, the most beauti-
full of all the beauty spots, past the
Balanced rock, the meadow and the
mill, until it spreads out, forming
60-acre lake, on which wild ducks
nest, and moss and water cress grow.
At the lower end of the lake the water
rushes over a dam on through sluice
gates, then on a few hundred yards
into the Niangua river, the waters CT
which, like that of the lake and
smaller streams, is so clear that the
rocky bottom may be seen to a great
depth.
To fh4 80 l,a1 a ~
Coliseum and Natural bridge. The
Coliseum, so-called because of its for
nation, natural slopes making seats
on all sides, would seat 10000 people,
and the acoustic properties are so
superior that all could hear speech
delivered in an ordinary tone of voice.
From the central plane rise tall and
almost branchless trees seeking the
sunshine. The entrance to the Coli
scum is through the Natural bridge.
$50 feet in height, and above which
runs a roadway. Farther to the east
is the Devils fireplace, with an open
ing large enough for yule log that
would last week and a sure-enough
chimney, so big that old Santa could
drive his deer down it. Near by ara
the Red Sinks, really a small hill-in-
closed meadow, without an outlet, the
water, after rain, rapidly sinking
into the ground.
But all the beauties of this wonder.
land are not above ground. The caves
of which there are a number, are
among the finest in America. The
principal ones are Island Cave, Coun-
terfeit Cave, once the headquarters Of
a band of counterfeiters; Amphithe>
ter Cave, Bear Cave, in which the last
bear killed in the county met its
death; Robbers Cave, long ago the
rendezvous of band of robbers;
River Cave. Cullin's Cave, Onyx Cave,
Bunch Cave, Griffith Cave and Bridal
Cave.
The Ha-Ha-Tonka region Is an ideal
place for the hunter and fisherman.
Beating and bathing are also fine.
The streams abound in trout, bass,
crappie and many other game fish.
The late Col. Snyder was an enthusiasts
tic fisherman and stocked the streams
with a carload of rainbow trout. The
finest trout shown at the st. Louis
worlds fair were taken from these
waters. 1t has been several years
since bear were seen, but there are
yet number of deer in this region
Wild turkey are so plentiful that nc
good hunter who knows the haunts
and the how" need fail in a days
hunt to bag a bird. Wild cats are oc
casionally killed and small game of ali
kinds is plentiful.