Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-09-28
A LAND
The Yellowstone Region al James
Bridaer Saw II.

he he9ion ds Sd'Hes
Bridser Saw It.
As a teller of tales, Munchausen had
a worthy rival in James Bridger, the
celebrated hunter, trader and guide
whose mann and career are part Of the
pioneer history Of the west. Bridgel
was thoroughly familiar with the re.
gion now comprised in the Yellowstone
park as far back as 1880.
In his book, The Yellowstone
Park" the author, Hiram M. Critten-
den, brigadier general United States
army, retired, sets down some Of the
yarns Bridger told about that land o.
wonders. Many of the Yellowstone
country tales ascribed to Bridger have
survived to this day, probably be-
cause they have never been capped
The first story Gen. Crittenden tells
relates to the celebrated Obsidian cliff
a mass Of black volcanic glass with
which all the tourists are familiar. Its
discovery by Bridger was the result Of
a hunting trip, and it happened in this
way:
Coming one day in sight Of a mag
nifcent elk, he took Careful aim at the
unsuspecting animal and fired. To his
amazement the elk not only was no,
wounded, but seemed. not to have
heard the noise Of the rifle. Bridgei
drew considerably nearer and gave the
elk the benefit of his most deliberate
aim, but with the same result as be-
fore. A third and fourth effort me-
with the similar fate. Utterly exas-
perated, he seized his rife by the bar
rel, resolved to use it as a club, since
it had failed as a firearm. Rushing
madly toward the elk, he suddenly
crushed into an immovable vertica,
wall which proved to be a mountain
Of perfectly transparent glass, on the
farther side of which, still in peaceful
security, the elk vas quietly grazing
Stranger still, the mountain was not
only of pure glass, but was a perfect
telescope lens, and, whereas the elk
seemed but a few yards off, it was In
reality twenty-five miles away"
Another of Bridger's discoveries was
an ice cold spring near the summit OF
a lofty mountain, the water from
which flowed down over a long,
smooth slope, where it acquired such
velocity that it was boiling hot when
IL .oooLal tha hntfopo Thic q lofor in
vestigator Of the Firehole river found
was a case in which a hot spring dis
charged into the river bed.
Alum creek, a tributary Of the Vel
lowstone, received it's name from ar
accidental discovery by Bridger. One
day he forded. the creek and rode out
several miles and back. He noticed
that the return journey was only q
small fraction Of the distance going
and that his horses feet had shrunk
to mere points, which sank into the
solid ground so that the animal could
scarcely hobble along. Seeking the
cause, he found it to be in the astrin-
gent qualities Of the water, which was
saturated with alum to such ar extent
that it had power to quicker distance
itself.
Bridger also found a fine place to
fish: Somewhere along the shore ar
immense boiling spring discharges Its
overflow directly into the lake. The
specific gravity Of the water is less
than that Of the lake, owing to the ex-
a stratum Of three or foul feet thick
upon the cold water underneath. Wher
Bridger was in need Of fish it was tc
this place that he went. Through the
hot upper stratum he let fall his bait
to the subjacent habitable m and
having hooked his victim, cooked hin
on the way Quit"
The visitor to the region Of petrifica
tons in the northwest corner Of the
park and to various points in the hot
springs districts will have no difficulty
in discovering the base material out OF
which Bridger contrived the following
picturesque yarn:
"a mountain in the park was once
crossed by a great medicine man Of the
Crow nation. Everything on the noun
tain at the time Of this dire event be-
came instantly petrifed and has re
manned so yer since. All forms Of
life are standing about in stone where
they were suddenly caught by the
petrifying influences, even as the in.
habitants of ancient Pompeii were sur.
prised by the ashes Of Vesuvius. Sage
brush, grass, prairie fowls, antelopes
and bears may there be seen as
perfect as in actual life. Dashing tor
rents and the spray mist from them
stand forth in arrested motion as il
carved from rock by a s%culptor's chisel
Even flowers are blooming in colors OF
crystal, and birds soar with wings
spread in motionless flight, while the
air floats with music and perfumes
siliceous. and the SUI and noon shine
with petrifed light" 1t is denied
though, that Badger was responsible
for the story that ever the laws OF
gravitation were petriied in the re-
gion.