The Republican journal., 1916-04-13
"Reminiscences OF
Western Travels.
From the Geysers to the Lake.
BY HELEN IN. TODD.

From the Geysers to the Lake.
Next morning found US setting forth
in the stages once more, bidding fare.
well to the Geyser camp and its weirc
surroundings. Our way led past Ole
Faithful Inn, and close to Old Faithful
Geyser, which was thoughtful enough te
be giving farewell performance for oul
benefit. Despite the novel and wonder
full scenes in the geyser basin, it was
with sense of relief that we left the
barren and desolate formation" for the
more beautiful, if more ordinary, seen
cry of forest and river Two miles from
camp we reached Kepler's Cascade.
where platform built out on the rocks
above the Firehole enables the tourist to
obtain full view of this splendid bit OF
scenery. The rockywalled canyon,
with its fringe of evergreen trees, and
the white foamed river dashing down
over the boulders, is but another of our
many beautiful memory pictures of the
scenic Firehole River. "Bill" by this
time knew the weakness of his particu'
lar "dudes," and good naturally allowed
time enough for SNAPSHOTS before sum-
moning US back to the trail again.
The road became a steady upgrade,
leaving the Firehole and following
Spring Greek, until it was not even
worthy the name of Greek" becoming
a mere trickling brooklet by the road
side as we neared the first crossing of
the Continental Divide at $500 feet ele-
walton, Immense bear tracks that were
plainly visible in the dust of the road
kept US on the "qui vive" for sight Of
Bruin himself, but we watched in vain,
although our friends in the stages ahead
reported a glimpse of his huge black
hulk making off among the trees. At the
top of the Divide, an unpretentious little
sheet of water, lisa Lake, in the height
of its spring freshets, pours water into
both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
A winding descent down fCorkscrew
Hill"-which. despite its name, had
nothing on''-the winding road down
from the High Sierras over which we
had journeyed from WaWona to MADEIRA,
month before brought US safely to
the foot of the mountain slope. ready to
climb up again to Shoshone PORT, and
the secord crossing of the Continental
Divide
AS we drove arou11 the curve at Sho-
shone Point, Bill stopped the horses to
allow US to feast our eyes on the Won
derful view We were high above the
tops of the trees on the slopes below and
beyond us, and Shoshone Lake shone
silver in the distance. The jagged snow
capped tops of the Teton mountains on
the horizon line completed marvellous
picture. We were brought quickly back
to thoughts of earthly things, however,
as Bill related that this Identical spot
was the scene of daring hold-up the
previous season. and that here the pas
money and valuables. | venture to say
there was not 'dude" in our party
who heard that story without straight
way taking nervous inventory of his
personal treasures, but calm reflection
soon told US that no highwayman would
be looking for booty before the official
opening day Of the Park! The spot was
ideal for such an occurrence, it was iso-
lated and lonely, with plenty of chance
to rob one stage before the next one
came along, while the dense underbrush
or either side of the road offered safe
hiding place. And when, not more than
a month after We left the park, we read
IN the newspapers about daring hold
up Of tourists there, mental PICTURES
rose before Us of lonely Shoshone Point,
which think might be appropriately re-
named "Highwayman' S Paradise"
After the second crossing Of the Dr.
vide, $3.50 feet above sea-level, the
horses began the descent of another
steep grade, and soon we caught our
first glimpse of Yellowstone Lake, while
still on the heights above, and some ff-
teen minutes before our actual arrival at
the Thumb Lunch Station. 1t was a
beautiful sight, with its clear, blue
waters sparkling in the sunlight, and it's
wild beauty reminded US very forcibly of
our own Maine Rangeley Lakes. yell
iowstone Lake, 1890 feet above sea-evel,
with its area of nearly 140 square miles,
is remarkable for being the largest lake
at its altitude in the world, with one ex-
ception, Lake Titicaca in the Andes.
We could wait for the lake, but not
for dinner, and before the welcome
sound of the bell had died away the
hungry dudes" were swarming into
the dining tent with voracious appetites
reused by the long ride. Our stage had
brought from the Geyser Camp young
girl who was to be waitress at the Thumb
during the season. We had become
most friendly on the drive, and what
little kindness we had been able to show
her was repaid a hundred fold at dinner.
They had been fishing shortly before we
arrived, and while they had not caught
enough for the tourists, the fishermen