Evening star., 1909-08-27
IS A WORLD WONDER
Rare Beauties of the Great
Yellowstone Canyon.
A RIOT OF RICH COLOR
The Colorado and Yosemite Outdone
in Many Respects.
A FAMOUS ONE-MAN H0LD-UP
How a Lone Highwayman Stopped
and Robbed Seventeen Stage
coaches.
A FAMOUS ONE-MAN H0LD-UP
By WILLIAM Z. CURTIS


The monstrous cash in the surface or
the earth, through which the Yellowstone
river finds its way, is, without doubt, the
most beautiful of all the CANYONS in the
world. The canyon of the Colorado is
very much larger The canyon OF The
Yellowstone would be lost in it, and the
impressiveness is increased accordingly;
but no human eye can comprehend the
canyon OF the Colorado, without long
observation, while the entire canyon OF
the Yellowstone may be seen, at least
the most wonderful part OF it, from sew
eral points of view looking in both d1-
rections It's beauty is enhanced by two
waterfalls. within few hundred Yards
of each other. The upper falls is IL
feet; the lower falls is $40 feet. almost
twice as high as that of Niagara. and the
total, 422 feet which is greater than that
of any other waterfall known to man.
The crowning glory Of the canyon OF
the Yellowstone, however. ana that Wlllch
makes it unique, Is the brilliant colorlns
upon Its walls. The gorge below the tails
is LOO feet deep. A cross section at the
widest part measures 2.cO0 feet across
the top and 200 feet at the bottom Tne
entire bottom is filled with roaring TOT
rent which dashes over the rocks so rap
idly that it is continuous ribbon of
foam.
The walls Of the canyon are not SO
irregular as those OF most canyons, ana
are perpendicular in many places. the
rocky formation. which appears in ledges
and isolated pinnacles, is broken by drifts
of earth and disintegrated rock, often ex-
tending from the top to the waite eoSe,
and its surface presents the most prlhlaht
colors. 1t has also been said that every
known color may be found here, and
while that statement Is generally accu-
rate. ] was unable to find any shade OF
Blue. Red, yellow, pink and purple are
the prevailing colors. and appear most
vivid when the sun is obscured by clouds.
The brighter the atmosphere the less is
the effect of the color scheme, but at all
times it is wonderful and there is moth
ing to compare with it elsewhere
I shall not attempt to describe the can
yon. Many word-artists have attempted
the task. but no combination of adjec--
,ives, no flights OF fancy. no sft OF
tongues can do 1t justice. those great
pictures hanging in the corridor of the
Capitol at Washington which Thomas
Moran painted from Artists point
many years ago. give better ldea OF the
canyon than any written description
have. ever read.
There is a driveway !on either side of
the rim and platforms have been placed
at the most favorable points of view with
great care and judgment. NO other
spectacle of THE kind can be seen to such
buit flight of $50 stairs, with frequent
landings. ffopl the rim about half way
down the SIDE of the canyon just below
the falls. This is a tiresome climb. but
it pays: no physical 'exertion that ]
know of Is SO we'll rewarded. The best
views Of the canyon can be obtained
from, Artistic point, which Mr.. Moran Sc
,ected for his easel, and Inspiration point
on the other side
Many Canyons in One.
There afe many canyons in the Yellow
stone. there are many waterfalls and
gorges of great depth and beauty. There
are three within easy drive of the Nam
moth Hot Springs Hotel and it would be
difficult to find combination of rocks, |
water and foliage with greater beauty |
Those who are fond of more quiet land
scapes can feast their eyes upon Hayden
valley and otner meadows that are cross |
ed in the regular drives If they have
the tina and disposition to 80 a little off
the beaten path their enjoyment will be
very much increased.
The Yosemite Park has grander gorges |
and mountains more sublime. but not so
much meadow nor so great a variety of |
landscape: And the profusion of wild
OF the park. Col Crittenden, in his book
on the park. gives a chapter to the flora. |
1t is asserted that the botanical display
IS more extensive and, the field for the
wild flowers here than anywhere else.
The Yosemite Park" as Col. Crittenden
says, ''is one vast garden OF flowers. They
grow almost everywhere ard one rarely |
failed to bsautify it with some simple
blossom. They lift their heads almost
from under the melting drift and they
persist in the fall until the snow crushes
them to the ground. Their beauty, more |
over. increases with the hardness of their
environment. and the most exquisite tints
are found in those lofty and exposed sit |
uations where the conditions OF growth
seem most unfavorable. One of the
pleasantest surprises to visitors who
ascend any of the high mountains Is in
finding the permanent snow banks border |
ed with banks of flowers SO dense and so
rich as to paint the ground with their
color. The traveller who leaves the main
road to follow one of the many trails that
lead through the woods to some distant
mountain peak is sure TO come upon spots
more picturesque and beautiful than any
thing art can produce
There is blind man in the PARK this
summer and Mr. Haynes tells me there
was blind woman here several years
ago. He seems to be able to comprehend
the majestic scenery OF the mountains and
and the beauty Of the floral displays that
are spread out on every side. He goes
about with a cane in his right hand, |
supported by and guided by the arm of q |
one OF the platforms overlooking the
canyon with a rapt expression upon his |
ace while lady of his party was de- |
seribing the view that lay before his sight |
less eyes. If one could judge by the
changing expressions upon his face he |
saw II all, quite as we'll as she did. and
the glory seemed to sink into his soul.
Blind Mans Perilous Feat.
saw him crawl on his hands and
knees across a periious causeway, to one |
of the favorite points of view The pas
sage IS teo narrow for any one to lead
him across and few visitors attempt it,
because a misstep would throw them over
a prectpice upon the rocks several hun
dred feet below But this blind man
craWled across alone, to get the view
from the pinnacle beyond. a gentleman
OF his party followed him, and they stood
together arm In arm for some minutes
upon point of rock tit only for an
eagles nest. / suppose his friend was de-
scrlbing the depth aud the grandeur and
the vivid colors Of the gorge, for the lat
ter are seen In their greatest brillancy
from that poist.
These colors. as you know. are caused
by the action of the rain upon the chemi-
Gals that are concealed in the dsintegrat- |
ing SOL and rocks. The comparative in
tensity OF the different colors depends
upon the abundance of the mineral sub
stances. And the blind man seemed TO
sec it all, for he came away wearing an
expression of contentment and satisfac-
ton
In driving between Old Faithful Inn
and Yellowstone lake the Continental
divide is twice crossed within a few