Year: 1879

Having Just returned from an extended !
prospecting trip through the Yellowstone
country, hasten to give you some facts
Of most startling discovery made in n
lonely canon on the outskirts OF the Ma
tional Park. Myself and companions,
three in mum Der, had been prospecting and
mining in the Black Hills, and were on
our return to Montana by way OF the
Yellowstone and C,ark's Fork, thence
over the divide by the recent quartz dis
coveies. thence to tho East Fork and |
down the same to the main river thence
up the latter, through the Park, and by |
the southern gateway bomeward. After
remaining at the lake for II few days to |
rest our stock, we started on trip for
two or three weeks across the mou ntains
in southeasterly direction, descending
the same to the east on divide between
two great gorges or basins. In the early
part of our trip we had encountered great
patches of snow drifts on the higher
mountains, which we either had to pow
through or circle around ; but there was
no snow on the divide, and what seemed
strange to us, as we made the descent, it
appeared to lay in great patches at the
bottom OF the deep gorges. When, how
ever, we Mt length reached the bottom,
we found that these white patches, instead
OF being snow, MS we had all along sup~
posed were really beds and mounds of
pure silica, some of them resembling
glass and others white quartz. These do
posts of silica bore no resemblance to tho
dikes and lodes seen elsewhere throughout
the Rocky Mountains, but were mere
surface deposits, apparently Of recent for
nation, the face of some of them being
almost as smooth and sleek as ice. In
deed, it was with difficulty we made our
way over them with our bare footed pom
les, as wc proceeded down the now united
gorgcs. Another difficulty we encounters
ed was in getting through


A LABYRINTH OF FALLEN TIMBER,


And, most wonderful to relate, nearly all
Iuc tIeeS hlu liiii oS ~ hiB upuh 'lo Bl"""u
had turned to stone. In fact, the fossiiz-
ed trunks of trees over hundred feet in
length were s!rewn over the ground, some
of them of shining luster, others Of n
pure white, and still others of rose or
flesh color. Nothing could be more beau
til'ul than these long tapering columns Of
stone, resembling great masts of polished
marble. Even the roots and trunks Of
some of the standing trees were petrifled
several feet above the ground. Where
petri(nction had ceased the tree had brok.
parts had turned to stone. Petrifactions Of
all kinds prevailed everywhere. The
leaves and cones of the pine, flowers in
blossom, the peta,s of plants and herbs Of
various kinds, and even blades of grass
had turned to stono and crystal of almost
every color and tint. O., how beautiful
these cystal gems appeared, dazzling the
eye with their bright scintillations. There
was no sign of even game trail to be
seen, either on the divide we had do
scended or on the creek below. In fact,
we werc in country where we supposed
no white man had ever sci foot. Imagine
our surprise, then, when we had proceed
about one mile below tie intersection Of
the gorges we cam suddenly upon small
cabin standing on the hillside near tho
creek. IN the door stood man, little
above the medium size, square built, with
unkempt hair and flowing beard, his open
hand resting over his eyes to shade them
from the descending sun, and peering in
mute astonishment Mt our sudden appear
ance. We made n sign of good will and
rode up and saluted the recluse. 1t was
some time before he spoke, and when he
did it was in broken English, asking
where we had como from and what had
brought us into this unfrequented and un.
known lard. On being told that we were
prospectors in search Of gold, and as night
was approaching we designed to camp, he
invited US 20 alight. We pitched our
tent short distance from the cabin, near
II clear spring OF


ICE COLD WATER.


Alter we had prepared and dispatched our
evening meal, and while seated around
the camp fire, the person we had seen and
saluted in the door Of the cabin camp up,
accompanied by decrepit old man, and
the two seated themselves in the circle
before the fire. then discovered they
were both Germans, and being Of Ger
man birth myself, / addressed them in
that language. They seemed really glad
TO see us, and asked US many questions,
Emperor Wilhelm, in whom the young
man seemed to take great interest. On
taking their leave for the night they ex>
pressed desire that we should remain
near them for some time, and If they could
be of any service TO us in our search for
gold they would cheerfully render 1t. We
continued our camp at this place for II
week, and Of course during that time our
acquaintance with the occupants Of the
cabin became more intimate day by day
More especially the younger man seemed
30 take liking to me, probably on ac>
count of my being a German, and because
| could converse with him in our native
tongue. From the time OF our unexpect-
ed meeting with them in this strange,
weird place, it had been matter of great
curiosity with us TO know what had in
luced them to come here, and what they