The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-04-04


story is something like this:
Hundreds of years ago, long be-
fore white men came to this great
west, the Indians, who at that time
occupied the valley of the Portneuf
where Pocatello now stands, their IA
vorite camping grounds and tribal
headquarters, were wont to journey
in season to the great Sawtooth
range Of mountains ito hunt and fish
and stock their larders for a season.
That where Pocatello now stands was
the headquarters for these aborig-
ines is evidenced by the celebrated
picture rocks" along the Portneuf
river at the south end of Garfield
avenue. These rocks bear strange
hieroglyphics, carved with infinite
pains by the Indians of long ago. No
coherent translation of these picture
writings have ever been made, even
the experts at the Smithsonian In
stitution at Washington being I'M
able to figure them out.
In making their annual hunting
trips to the Sawtooth mountains in
those prehistoric days, the Indians
were compelled to travel in order to
be near the water as much as possible
down the Portneuf to the Snake, and
up that stream to point about
where Blackfoot now stands. From
this point the parties would make an
all day dash across the bad lands
between that point and Lost River,
and then another dash to their final
destination. 1t was a roundabout
route, and one day, so the legend
runs, a scouting or exploring party,
ran across the strange spring in the
lava beds approximately 25 miles
northwest of American Falls This
spring was hidden away in the very
heart of the desert, so it is said, and
was surrounded on all sides by great
crevasses or fissurs, by giant unheav-
ais of lava, and by gnarled and cast
ellated masses of volcanic origin that
made travelling almost impossible.
The Indians figured that this spring
would make a good camping place on
more direct route to the hunting
grounds, so according to legend, they
put the whole tribe to work build
ing a wonderful trail direct to the
meadow and spring through the. up
heaved lava masses. This trail, it is
said by those who have seen it, is
straight as an arrow, resembling a
railroad cut, and must have required
years to build. On its completion
the Indians journeyed on their an
nual hunting trips, from Pocatello
down to the Portneuf to the Snake
river ford near Horse Island, and
/ then straight to the spring in the
bad lands, distance of approxima-
tely 20 miles-a fair days journey
From the hidden spring a dash ac-
cross the lava plains further to the
north for about an equal distance,
brought them to the streams of the
Lost river country, and thence it was
easy and pleasant travelling to the
hunting grounds. The new route
was shorter by 100 miles than the old
and thirsty route via Blackfoot.
When the white men came and the
Indians were cooped up in reserva-
tions they gradually abandoned their
hunting parties, preferring to live on
the bounty of Uncle Sam. Thus the
strange trail and the mysterious lost
spring were forgotten, and it is to
rediscover them and also to learn
something more of that mysterious
region that the exploring party
from Pocatello will be organized.
In the party from Pocatello, unless
present plans undergo a change, will
be DR.. William Cureton, George
Kimpton, who will act as guide
Professor Miles F. Reed, president of
the Acadamy of Idaho; DR.. W. +.
Howard, George Oliver, George ].
Bailey of the Bookstore pharmacy;
B. A. Robinson of Idaho Falls, an In
dian guide from the Fort Hall reser-
walton, to be furnished by L. L. Ev
ans of American Falls and L. Bush
Livermore of the Tribune. A meet
ing of the members of the proposed
party will be held next month to dis
cuss the details of Quitting. 1t is
planned to leave here on May 1, and
anyone who cares to join the explor-
ing party is invited to the scheduled
meeting.
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