Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1914-01-30
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SHOSHONE FALLS GREAT
, EST WONDER OF THE DES-
ERT.

~ G. c. GOODWINl

Around and beyond there IL moth
ing but the desert-sere. silent life
less. as though desolation had buildec
there everlasting throne to sorrow and
despair.
Away back in remote ages. over the
Of fire 100 miles wide and 400 miles
long was turned. AS the fiery mass
cooled its red waves IT became trans
hxed and turned black. giving to the
double desert indescribably blasted
and forbidden face. But while this
river OF fire was in flow a river Of va
ter was lighting its way across ii or
has since made the way and forged
out for Itself "A channel through the
mass This channel looks like the
grave Of volcano that has been rob
bed Of its dead.
But right between its crumbling
and repellant walls transformation
appears. And such "A picture A river
as lordly as the Hudson or the Ohio
Tetons. with the water transparent as
glass but green as emerald, with ma
jestic flow and ever increasing vol
ume. sweeps on until it reaches this
point where the august display be-
gins.
Suddenly. in different places in the
river bed Jagged, rocky reefs are up
| raised. and these in a mighty plung
Of eighty feet downward dash on their
way. OF course the waters are churn-
ed into foam and roll over the preci-
pice waite as are the garments of the
morning when no cloud obscures the
sun The lovliest of these walls is
called the Bridal Vail' because it is
made of lace which is woven with "a
warp of falling waters and a wool Of
sunlight Above this and near the .
right bank is a long trail Of foam and .
this is called the Bridal Train" The
other channels are not so fair as the
one called the Bridal Vain" but they
are more fierce and wild, ana carry in
their furious sweep more power.
one of the reefs which divides the
river IN midchannel runs to peak.
and on this family of eagles have
tarough the years. maybe through cen
turtles. made their home ana reared
their young. on the very verge Of the
abyss and amid the full echoes of the
resounding boom Of the falls Surely,
the eagle is a fitting symbol of perfect
fearlessness and OF that exultation
which comes of battle clamors.
But these first falls are but be-
ginning. The greatest spIendor sue
ceeds with swifter flow the startled
waters dash on and within a few feet
take their second plunge in a solid
crescent over precipice. 21O r@et ,
to the abyss below ON the brink there .
is a rolling crest of white, dotted here {
and there. in sharp contrast, with
shining eddies of green as might '
necklace of emerald simmer on a S
throat Of snow and then leap and fall 6
Here more THAN foam is made. t
Here the waters are shvered into S
neccy spray. whittier and finer than +
any miracle that ever fell from India X
loom. while from the depths below an $
everlasting vapor arises the incense il
Of the waters to the waters God. Fin I
ally through the long, unclouded days, t
the sun sends down his beams, and to O
give the startling scene its browning b
splendor wreathes the terror and the n
glory m rainbow halo on either v
sulleu bank the eNtremiues of its arch f
arc anchored, and there in it's many $
.olored robes of light it stands out T.
stretched above the abyss like wreaths q
Of flowers above sepulcher Up Z
through the glory and the terror an e
,veras-ing roar ascends deep toned
as is the voice of fate: diapason like c
the rolling ocean, chants when his h
eager surges come rushing in to greet 7
md ncrcely WOO in irresponsible pro- $
Il
BUT 90 feel an the awe and to mark q
M the splendor and power that comes Il
II the mighty display one must climb Il
Town the steep descent to the rivers t,
drink below. and. pressing up as nearly ca
rs possible to the falls contem- G
,llte the tremendous picture. There h
something Of the energy that creates
hat cndlss panorama is compre e
,endcd all the deep throbbings of $
he mighty rivers pulse are felt; all 5
he magnificence is seen. v
In the reverberations that come Of Il
he war Of waters one hears some
hing like Gods voice. something like L
he splendor Of God is before the eyes. L.
akin TO Gods power is
itself before him; and his