The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-12-05

beautiful bloodlike sandstone formation.
Just beyond the East and West Temples are
ranged three cOne-shaped mountains. Wildly rug
ged in their outlines and facing another court OF
totally different type from that which fronts the
Western Temple. Here again has Bible history
contributed the titles, for the three peaks are
known as the 1.-THE Patriarchs' and the space
at their base the Court Of the Patriarchs.'
A little farther on is another trio which occu-
pies the eastern wall. OF decidedly different for
nation and coloring, they are called the Three
Brothers."
A great white dome is known as the Mountain
of the SUM-" Here the breaks in both canon
walls have brought about a most interesting eff
feet, for this beautiful mountain catches the first
CLINT of the rising and receives the last kiss of
the setting sun. Still another feature Of the
Mountain Of the SUM- is the tint of the afterglow
that changes its chalky summit into a rosy dome.
Many intersecting canOns and the %tortuous
course of the main canon give great variety to the
formations. Possibly Ell Gobernador is the gem
of them all. Standing at a turn of the canon, its
mighty mass rises sheer 5000 feet from the creek
that skirts it's base, this pile presents a picture
unsurpassed. Gray at its base, it clears to a
glistening white with a summit that terminates in
a great table. Far up on one of its faces there
hangs a wonderful natural bridge, the top of
which has never been pressed by the foot Of man.
Beybnd El Gobernador the canon twists and
turns until ii WidenS out into the most weird OF
all its bizarre features. This is the Great Tenn
pie of Sinawava," which occupies a vast amphi-
theater shut in by walls of brilliantly cOlOred
rock towering 1000 feet above it's floor. Here the
ripping creek horseshOes around q most remark
ably formed sandstone object that closely resem.
bles a Buddha seated on his throne. Legend has
given this place as the locality where the pre-
historic people Of this southwestern land gathered
to do reverence to Sinawava, their ruling deity.
The place fills the bill. If ever there was a spot
where weirdly mystic nominations and wildly
impressive ceremOnials would seem to accurately
fit into the surroundings, 1t is this same rock
bound pocket in the depths of Zion.
Just beyond the prehistoric temple the canon
enters its narrOws until the creek occupies every
foot of the floor and feathery waterfalls dash
down from moss and lchen covered terraces.
As if these were not enough, it is known that
there are other beauties possibly Of even more
wonderfrl quality. Secretary Lane of the In
terror department. in recommending the bill,
wrote:
cause it is now so readily accessible and because
1t Is actually being used as a tourist resort, but
there are other canons in the reservation that
are bigger and even more beautifully colOred.
Still more remain to be entered and explored. In
time they will all be open to the public. Further
more, there are in the reservation mountains, wa
~terfalls, natural bridges, ancient cliff dwellings,,
and numerous other features interesting to the
tourist and exceedingly valuable to the scientist
and student"
Yosemite the Beautiful apparently must look
to Its laurels.