,illustration3 ,,the ,,great ,,geyser ,,basin ,,of ,,the ,,upper ,,yellowstone4 ,,wonders ,,of ,,the ,,yellowstone ,,edited ,,by ,,james ,,richardson4 ,new ,edition1 with new ,map and ,illustrations4 ,,new ,,york ,,charles ,,scribner',s ,,sons #ahhf ,entered according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahgc1 by ,,scribner1 ,,armstrong ,,co41 ,in the ,office of the ,librarian of ,congress at ,washington ,,contents4 ,,page ,,chapter ,i4 ,the ,crown of the ,continent--,yellowstone ,lake--,ancient ,volcanic ,action--,modern ,thermal ,phenomena #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,early ,explorations--,lewis and ,clarke's ,expeditions--,trappers' ,yarns--,colonel ,raynold's ,expedition--,the ,washburn ,expedition--,colonel ,barlow's ,expedition--,dr4 ,hayden's ,geological ,survey #e ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,route from ,fort ,ellis to ,bottlers' ,ranch--,fort ,ellis--,prospect from the ,divide--,snowy ,mountain--,trail ,creek--,pyramid ,mountain--,the ,bottler ,brothers--,yellowstone ,valley #ae ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,bottlers' ,ranch to ,gardiner's ,river--,river ,valley--,second ,caon--,cinnabar ,mountain--,the ,devil's ,slide--,western ,nomenclature--,precious ,stones #ba ,,chapter ,v4 ,hot ,springs of ,gardiner's ,river--,third ,caon--,rapids--,valley of ,gardiner's ,river--,thermal ,springs--,white ,mountain--,hot ,springs--,natural ,bathing-pools--,diana's ,bath--,liberty ,cap--,bee-hive--,extinct ,geysers--,beautiful ,water--,vegetation in ,hot ,springs--,antiquity of ,springs--,classification of ,thermal ,springs #bg ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,gardiner's ,river to ,grand ,caon of the ,yellowstone--,forks of ,gardiner's ,river--,gallatin ,mountains--,basaltic ,columns--,falls of ,gardiner's ,river--,mountain ,prospect--,over the ,divide--,agatized ,wood--,delightful ,climate--,mountain ,verdure--,volcanic ,ridges--,ravines--,third ,caon of the ,yellowstone--,hell-roaring ,river--,hell-roaring ,mountain--,east ,fork of the ,yellowstone--,ancient ,springs and ,calcareous ,deposits--,first ,bridge over the ,yellowstone--,rock ,cutting--,tower-creek ,caon--,column ,rock--,the ,devil's ,den--,tower ,falls--,the ,devil's ,hoof--,mineral ,springs--,mouth of ,grand ,caon #dc ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,over ,mount ,washburn to ,falls of the ,yellowstone--,ascent of ,mount ,washburn--,extensive ,view--,steam ,puffs--,elephant's ,back--,grand ,caon--,yellowstone ,basin--,the ,three ,tetons--,first ,view of ,yellowstone ,lake--,madison ,mountains--,gallatin ,range--,emigrant ,peak--,geological ,history of the ,yellowstone ,basin--,ancient ,volcanic ,action--,descent of ,mount ,washburn--,hell-broth ,springs--,the ,devil's ,caldron--,cascade ,creek--,the ,devil's ,den--,crystal ,cascade #fa ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,the ,grand ,caon and the ,falls of the ,yellowstone--,description of ,grand ,caon--,descent into the ,caon--,history of ,grand ,caon---,lower ,falls--,upper ,falls #gh ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,from the ,falls to the ,lake--,river above the ,falls--,alum ,creek--,boiling ,springs--,crater ,hill--,a ,narrow ,escape--,the ,locomotive ,jet--,sulphur ,springs--,mud ,puffs--,no ,vegetation--,temperature of ,springs--,muddy ,geyser--,mud ,volcano--,mud-sulphur ,springs--,the ,grotto--,the ,giant's ,caldron--,movements of ,muddy ,geyser #ij ,,chapter ,x4 ,yellowstone ,lake--,setting of the ,lake--,shape of the ,lake--,shores of the ,lake--,yellowstone ,trout--,worms in ,trout--,waterfowl--,the ,guide-bird--,fauna of ,yellowstone ,basin--,islands in the ,lake--,the ,first ,explorers #aje ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,around the ,yellowstone ,lake--,hot ,springs of ,pelican ,creek--,hot ,springs of ,steam ,point--,fire ,slashes--,difficult ,travelling--,little ,invulnerable--,poetry in the ,wilderness--,volcanic ,peaks--,mounts ,langford1 ,doane1 and ,stephenson--,brimstone ,basin--,alum ,creek--,upper ,yellowstone--,wind ,river ,mountains--,valley of ,upper ,yellowstone--,the ,five ,forks--,bridger's ,lake--,yellowstone ,mountains--,heart ,lake--,madison ,lake--,mount ,sheridan--,flat ,mountain--,bridger's ,two ,ocean ,river--,a ,companion lost--,lakes and ,springs--,hot ,springs on the ,west ,shore--,bridge ,creek--,dead ,springs--,the ,elephant's ,back #aad ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,upper ,geyser ,basin--,the ,grand ,geyser ,region--,firehole ,river--,madison ,lake--,mountains about the ,lake--,cascades--,the ,geysers--,old ,faithful--,the ,bee-hive--,the ,giantess--,castle ,geyser--,grand ,geyser--,the ,saw-mill--,the ,comet--,the ,grotto--,the ,pyramid--,the ,punch ,bowl--,black ,sand ,geyser--,riverside ,geyser--,the ,fan--,the ,sentinels--,iron ,spring ,creek--,soda ,geyser #acc ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,lower ,geyser ,basin--,down the ,firehole--,prismatic ,hot ,springs--,the ,cauldron--,old ,spring ,basins--,the ,conch ,spring--,horn ,geyser--,bath ,spring--,the ,cavern--,mud ,springs--,thud ,geyser--,fountain ,geyser--,mud ,pot--,fissure ,spring--,white ,dome ,geyser--,bee-hive--,petrifaction--,hot ,spring ,vegetation--,cold ,spring--,general ,view of the ,basin--,the ,twin ,buttes--,fall of the ,fairies--,rainbow ,spring #afb ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,natural ,history of ,geysers and other ,thermal ,springs--,iceland ,geysers--,history of ,the ,geyser--,the ,strokr--,eruption of the ,geyser--,growth of the ,geyser--,mechanism of ,geysers--,artificial ,geysers--,life and ,death of ,geysers--,laugs--,new ,zealand ,hot ,springs--,te ,tarata--,hot ,springs of the ,waikato--,origin of ,mineral ,springs--,chemistry of ,mineral ,springs #ahj ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,mr4 ,everts's ,thirty-seven ,days of ,peril--,lost--,loss of ,horse--,midnight ,dangers--,starvation--,return to ,lake--,no ,food in the ,midst of ,plenty--,bessie ,lake--,thistle ,roots--,hunted by a ,lion--,storms--,first ,fire--,vain ,efforts to find ,food--,attempt to cross the ,mountains--,the ,lost ,shoe--,forest on ,fire--,hallucination--,turned back--,the ,doctor--,physiological ,transformations--,descending the ,river--,loss of ,lens--,discovery and ,rescue #aii ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,our ,national ,park--,the ,yellowstone ,reservation--,dr4 ,hayden's ,report--,text of ,act of ,congress--,appointment of ,hon4 ,n4 ,p4 ,langford ,superintendent of ,park #bej ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,,great ,,geyser ,,basin ,front ,,hot ,,springs ,,of ,,gardner',s ,,river #bg ,,diana',s ,,bath1 ,,gardner',s ,,river #ca ,,liberty ,,cap1 ,,gardner',s ,,river #cf ,,extinct ,,geyser1 ,,east ,,fork ,,of ,,the ,,yellowstone #ej ,,the ,,devil',s ,,hoof #eh ,,getting ,a ,,specimen #gb ,,the ,,devil',s ,,den #gf ,,upper ,,falls ,,of ,,the ,,yellowstone #hf ,,the ,,mud ,,volcano #ajj ,,yellowstone ,,lake #ajf ,,the ,,first ,,boat ,,on ,,yellowstone ,,lake #aac ,,breaking ,,through #abb ,,the ,,grand ,,geyser1 ,,firehole ,,basin #add ,,the ,,giant ,,geyser #aec ,,fan ,,geyser1 ,,firehole ,,basin #aeh ,,the ,,bee-,,hive #afa ,,grand ,,ca,,on ,,and ,,lower ,,falls ,,of ,,the ,,yellowstone #aid ,,imaginary ,,companions #bcf ,,the ,,giantess1 ,,firehole ,,basin #beb ,,maps4 ,,hayden',s ,,geological ,,survey ,,of ,,yellowstone ,,national ,,park4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,crown ,,of ,,the ,,continent4 ,in the northwest corner of the ,territory of ,wyoming1 about half way between the ,mississippi ,river and the ,pacific ,ocean1 and in the same latitude as the ,state of ,new ,york1 the grand ,rocky ,mountain system culminates in a knot of peaks and ranges enclosing the most remarkable lake basin in the world4 ,from this point radiate the chief mountain ranges1 and three of the longest rivers of the ,continent--the ,missouri1 the ,columbia1 and the ,colorado4 ,on the south are the ,wind ,river ,mountains1 a snow-clad barrier which no white man has ever crossed4 ,on the east is the ,snowy ,mountain ,range1 and the grand cluster of volcanic peaks between it and ,yellowstone ,lake4 ,on the west is the main divide of the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,on the north are the bold peaks of the ,gallatin ,range1 and the parallel ridges which give a northward direction to all the great tributaries of the ,missouri from this region4 ,set like a gem in the centre of this snow-rimmed crown of the continent1 is the loveliest body of fresh water on the globe1 its dark-blue surface at an elevation greater than that of the highest clouds that fleck the azure sky of a summer's day1 over the tops of the loftiest mountains of the ,east4 ,its waters teem with trout1 and the primeval forests that cover the surrounding country are crowded with game4 ,but these are the least of its attractions4 ,it is the wildness and grandeur of the enclosing mountain scenery1 and still more the curious1 beautiful1 wonderful and stupendous natural phenomena which characterize the region1 that have raised it to sudden fame1 and caused it to be set apart by our national government as a grand national play-ground and museum of unparalleled1 indeed incomparable1 marvels1 free to all men for all time4 ,evidences of ancient volcanic action on the grandest scale are so abundant and striking throughout the lake basin1 that it has been looked upon as the remains of a mammoth crater1 forty miles across4 ,it seems1 however1 to have been rather the focus of a multitude of craters4 ,it is probable1 says the ,united ,states geologist1 ,dr4 ,hayden1 with his usual caution1 that during the ,pliocene period the entire country drained by the sources of the ,yellowstone and the ,columbia was the scene of volcanic activity as great as that of any portion of the globe4 ,it might be called one vast crater1 made up of a thousand smaller volcanic vents and fissures1 out of which the fluid interior of the earth1 fragments of rock and volcanic dust1 were poured in unlimited quantities4 ,hundreds of the nuclei or cones of these volcanic vents are now remaining1 some of them rising to a height of #aj1jjj to #aa1jjj feet above the sea4 ,mounts ,doane1 ,longford1 ,stevenson1 and more than a hundred other peaks1 may be seen from any high point on either side of the basin1 each of which formed a centre of effusion4 ,all that is left of the terrific forces which threw up these lofty mountains and elevated the entire region to its present altitude1 now finds issue in occasional earthquake shocks1 and in the innumerable hot springs and geysers1 whose description makes up so large a portion of this book of wonders4 ,nowhere else in the world can the last-named phenomena be witnessed on so grand a scale1 in such limitless variety1 or amid scenes so marvellous in beauty1 so wild and unearthly in savage grandeur1 so fascinating in all that awes or attracts the lover of the curious1 the wonderful1 the magnificent in nature4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,first ,,explorations4 ,in their exploration of the headwaters of the ,missouri in the summer of #ahje1 the heroic ,captains ,lewis and ,clarke discovered and named the three terminal branches of that river--the ,jefferson1 the ,madison1 and the ,gallatin2 then ascending the first named to its springs among the ,rocky ,mountains1 they crossed the lofty ridge of the divide and pursued their investigations along the ,columbia to the sea4 ,the following summer they returned1 separately exploring the two main branches of the ,great ,river of the ,northwest1 each perpetuating the name and fame of his brother explorer by calling a river after him4 ,ascending the southern1 or ,lewis ,fork1 ,captain ,clarke recrossed the mountains to ,wisdom ,river1 7a branch of the ,jefferson17 then traversed the country of the ,jefferson1 the ,madison and the ,gallatin to the ,rochejaune1 or ,yellowstone1 which he followed to its junction with the ,missouri1 where he rejoined ,captain ,lewis4 ,the map of the country explored by these brave men1 makes the source of the ,yellowstone a large lake1 doubtless from information received from the ,indians1 but they seem to have heard nothing of the marvels along the upper reaches of the river and around the lake from which it flows4 ,in later years--especially after the discovery of the ,montana gold-mines had drawn to the upper valleys of the ,missouri an adventurous1 gold-seeking population1 who scoured the mountains in all directions--rumors of burning plains1 spouting springs1 great lakes and other natural wonders1 came down from the unknown regions up the ,yellowstone4 ,and not content with these1 the imagination was freely drawn on1 and the treasure valleys of the ,arabian ,nights were rivalled1 if not reproduced4 ,our over-venturous party1 hotly pursued by ,indians1 escaped1 report said1 by travelling night after night by the brilliant light of a huge diamond providentially exposed on a mountain4 ,a lost trapper turned up after protracted wandering in this mysterious region1 his pockets stuffed with nuggets of gold gathered in a stream which he could never find again4 ,more astounding still was a valley which instantly petrified whatever entered it4 ,rabbits and sage-hens1 even ,indians were standing about there1 like statuary1 among thickets of petrified sage-brush1 whose stony branches bore diamonds1 rubies1 sapphires1 emeralds and other gems by the thousand1 as large as walnuts4 ,i tell you1 sir1 said one who had been there1 to ,colonel ,raynolds1 it is true1 for ,i gathered a quart myself and sent them down the country4 ,the first earnest attempt to explore the valley of the upper ,yellowstone was made in #ahei1 by ,colonel ,raynolds1 of the ,corps of ,engineers4 ,his expedition passed entirely around the ,yellowstone basin1 but could not penetrate it4 ,in his report to the ,war ,department1 he says3 ,it was my original desire to go from the head of ,wind ,river to the head of the ,yellowstone1 keeping on the ,atlantic slope1 thence down the ,yellowstone1 passing the lake1 and across by the ,gallatin to the three forks of the ,missouri4 ,bridger said at the outset that this would be impossible1 and that it would be necessary to cross over to the headwaters of the ,columbia and back again to the ,yellowstone4 ,i had not previously believed that crossing the main crest twice would be more easily accomplished than the transit over what was in effect only a spur2 but the view from our first camp settled the question adversely to my opinion at once4 ,directly across our route lies a basaltic ridge1 rising not less than #e1jjj feet above us1 its walls apparently vertical1 with no visible pass or even caon4 ,on the opposite side of this are the headwaters of the ,yellowstone4 ,bridger remarked triumphantly and forcibly on reaching this spot1 ',i told you you could not go through4 ,a bird can't fly over that without taking a supply of grub along4' ,i had no reply to offer1 and mentally conceded the accuracy of the information of 'the old man of the mountains4' 99 99 99 99 99 ,after this obstacle had thus forced us over on the western slope of the ,rocky ,mountains1 an effort was made to recross and reach the district in question1 but although it was ,june1 the immense body of snow baffled all our exertions1 and we were compelled to content ourselves with listening to marvellous tales of burning plains1 immense lakes1 and boiling springs1 without being able to verify these wonders4 ,i know of but two white men who claim to ever have visited this part of the ,yellowstone ,valley--,james ,bridger and ,robert ,meldrum4 ,the narratives of both these men are very remarkable1 and ,bridger1 in one of his recitals1 described an immense boiling spring1 that is a perfect counterpart of the ,geysers of ,iceland4 ,as he is uneducated1 and had probably never heard of the existence of such natural marvels elsewhere1 ,i have little doubt that he spoke of that which he had actually seen4 ,the burning plains described by these men may be volcanic1 or1 more probably1 burning beds of lignite similar to those on ,powder ,river1 which are known to be in a state of ignition4444 ,had our attempt to enter this district been made a month later in the season1 the snow would have mainly disappeared1 and there would have been no insurmountable obstacles to overcome4 ,i cannot doubt1 therefore1 that at no very distant day the mysteries of this region will be fully revealed1 and though small in extent1 ,i regard the valley of the upper ,yellowstone as the most interesting unexplored district of our widely expanded country4 ,ten years after ,colonel ,raynolds's unsuccessful attempt to solve the problem of the ,yellowstone1 a small party under ,messrs4 ,cook and ,folsom ascended the river to the lake1 and crossed over the divide into the ,geyser ,basin of the ,madison4 ,no report1 we believe1 was published of their discoveries4 ,at any rate1 the general public were indebted for their first knowledge of the marvels of this region to an expedition organized in the summer of #ahgj by some of the officials and leading citizens of ,montana4 ,this company1 led by ,general ,washburn1 the ,surveyor-,general of the ,territory1 and accompanied by a small escort of ,united ,states cavalry under ,lieutenant ,g4 ,c4 ,doane1 left ,fort ,ellis toward the latter part of ,august1 and entered the valley of ,yellowstone ,river on the #bc;d4 ,during the next thirty days they explored the caons of the ,yellowstone and the shores of ,yellowstone ,lake2 then crossing the mountains to the headwaters of the ,madison1 they visited the geyser region of ,firehole ,river1 and ascended that stream to its junction with the ,madison1 along whose valley they returned to civilization1 confident1 as their historian wrote1 that they had seen the greatest wonders on the ,continent1 and convinced that there was not on the globe another region where1 within the same limits1 nature had crowded so much of grandeur and majesty1 with so much of novelty and wonder4 ,mr4 ,langford's account of this expedition1 published in the second volume of ,scribner's ,monthly1 and the report of ,lieutenant ,doane1 printed some time after by the ,united ,states ,government1 7,ex4 ,doc4 ,no4 #ea1 #dast ,congress17 gave to the world the first authentic information of the marvels of this wonderful region4 ,though their route lay through a terrible wilderness1 and most of the party were but amateur explorers at best1 only one 7,mr4 ,everts7 met with a serious mishap4 ,this gentleman's story of his separation from the company1 and his thirty-seven days of suffering and perilous wandering1 is one of the most thrilling chapters of adventure ever written4 ,the path fairly broken1 and the romance of the ,yellowstone shown to have a substantial basis in reality1 it was not long before others were ready to explore more fully the magnificent scenery and the strange and peculiar phenomena described by the adventurers of #ahgj4 ,as soon as the following season was sufficiently advanced to admit of explorations among the mountains1 the ,chief ,engineer of the ,military ,department of the ,missouri1 ,brevet ,colonel ,john ,w4 ,barlow1 set out for a two months' survey of the ,yellowstone ,basin1 under special orders from ,general ,sheridan4 ,his route lay along the river to the lake2 thence along the northern shore of the lake to the hot springs on its western bank2 thence across the mountains westward to the ,geyser ,basins of ,firehole ,river1 which he ascended to its source in ,madison ,lake2 thence to ,heart ,lake1 the source of ,snake ,river2 thence across the mountains to ,bridger's ,lake1 in the valley of the ,upper ,yellowstone4 ,descending this stream to where it enters ,yellowstone ,lake1 he returned by the east shore of the lake to ,pelican ,creek2 thence across the country to the ,falls of the ,yellowstone2 thence over the mountains to the ,east ,fork of the ,yellowstone1 which he followed to its junction with the main stream4 ,in the meantime1 a large and thoroughly-organized scientific party1 under ,dr4 ,f4 ,v4 ,hayden1 ,u4 ,s4 geologist1 were making a systematic survey of the region traversed by ,colonel ,barlow4 ,the work done by this party is briefly summarized by ,dr4 ,hayden as follows3 ,from ,fort ,ellis1 we passed eastward over the divide1 between the drainage of the ,missouri and ,yellowstone1 to ,bottlers' ,ranch4 ,here we established a permanent camp1 leaving all our wagons and a portion of the party4 ,a careful system of meteorological observations was kept at this locality for six weeks4 ,from ,bottlers' ,ranch we proceeded up the valley of the ,yellowstone1 surveyed the remarkable hot springs on ,gardiner's ,river1 ,the ,grand ,caon1 ,tower ,falls1 ,upper and ,lower ,falls of the ,yellowstone1 thence into the basin proper1 prepared charts of all the ,hot ,spring groups1 which were very numerous1 and continued up the river to the lake4 ,we then commenced a systematic survey of the lake and its surroundings4 ,mr4 ,schnborn1 with his assistant1 made a careful survey of the lake and the mountains from the shore1 and ,messrs4 ,elliott and ,carrington surveyed and sketched its shore-lines from the water in a boat4 ,careful soundings were also made1 and the greatest depth was found to be three hundred feet4 ,from the lake ,i proceeded1 with ,messrs4 ,schnborn1 ,peale1 and ,elliott to the ,firehole ,valley1 by way of ,east ,fork of the ,madison2 then ascended the ,firehole ,valley4 ,we made careful charts of the ,lower and ,upper ,geyser ,basin1 locating all the principal springs1 and determining their temperatures4 ,we then returned over the mountains by way of the head of ,firehole ,river1 explored ,madison ,lake1 ,heart ,lake1 etc4 ,after having completed our survey of the lake1 we crossed over to the headwaters of the ,east ,fork by way of the valley of ,pelican ,creek1 explored the ,east ,fork to its junction with the main ,yellowstone1 and thence to ,bottlers' ,ranch1 which we reached on the #bhth of ,august4 ,from this place we passed down the ,yellowstone1 through the lower caon1 to the mouth of ,shield's ,river1 to connect our work with that of ,colonel ,wm4 ,f4 ,raynolds1 in #ahfj4 ,from there we returned to ,fort ,ellis4 ,it is safe to say that no exploring expedition on this continent ever had a more interesting field of investigation1 or ever studied so many grand1 curious and wonderful aspects of nature in so short a time4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,fort ,,ellis ,,to ,,bottlers' ,,ranch4 ,the ,yellowstone tourist leaves the confines of civilization at ,fort ,ellis4 ,this frontier military post1 situated near the head of the beautiful and fertile valley of the ,east ,gallatin1 commands the valleys of the ,yellowstone and the three forks of the ,missouri--the finest and most productive portion of ,montana4 ,on the east and north are ranges of hills and mountains which form the divide between the waters of the ,yellowstone and the ,missouri4 ,on the south and west1 the beautiful ,valley of the ,gallatin4 ,abundant vegetation1 beautiful scenery1 streams of pure water flowing down the mountain-sides and across the plains on every hand1 and a climate that can hardly be surpassed in any country1 combine to make this pleasant station one of the most charming places on the continent4 ,for the first six miles the road from ,fort ,ellis to the wonder-land of the ,yellowstone ,valley follows the general course of the ,east ,gallatin1 up steep acclivities and through the defiles of a hilly country to the crest of the divide4 ,the road here takes advantage of a natural pass between hills that rise from six hundred to twelve hundred feet above the road1 itself considerably more elevated than the summit of the ,white ,mountains4 ,from the tops of the hills on either side the view is wonderfully fine in every direction4 ,to the west lies the ,gallatin ,valley1 with its cordon of snow-capped peaks1 its finely-timbered water courses1 and its long1 grassy declivities1 dotted with the habitations of pioneers1 and blooming with the fruits of industry4 ,to the eastward lies the beautiful ,valley of the ,yellowstone1 not yet laid under tribute to man4 ,on the further side of this valley--the bed of an ancient lake--the eye takes in at a glance one of the most symmetrical and remarkable ranges of mountains in all the ,west4 ,indeed1 ,dr4 ,hayden says1 in describing them3 ,several of my party who had visited ,europe regarded this range as in no way inferior in beauty to any in that far-famed country4 ,a series of cone-shaped peaks1 looking like gigantic pyramids1 are grouped along the east side of the valley for thirty or forty miles1 with their bald1 dark summits covered with perpetual snow1 the vegetation growing thinner and smaller as we ascend the almost vertical sides1 until1 long before reaching the summits1 it has entirely disappeared4 ,on all sides deep gorges have been gashed out by aqueous forces cutting through the very core of the mountains1 and forming those wonderful gulches which only the hardy and daring miner has ventured to explore4 ,this range1 which is called on the maps ,snowy ,mountains1 forms the great water-shed between two portions of the ,yellowstone ,river1 above and below the first caon1 and gives origin to some of the most important branches of that river4 ,from the summit of ,emigrant ,peak1 one of the highest of these volcanic cones1 one great mass of these basaltic peaks can be seen as far as the eye can reach1 rising to the height of #aj1jjj to #aa1jjj feet above the sea4 ,emigrant ,peak1 the base of which is cut by the ,yellowstone ,river1 is #aj1fbi feet above tide-water1 while the valley plain near ,bottlers' ,ranch1 on the opposite side of the river1 was found to be #e1ibe feet4 ,this splendid group of peaks rises #e1jjj feet and upward above the valley of the ,yellowstone4 ,about three miles from the divide the road strikes the valley of ,trail ,creek1 a small-sized trout-stream of great clearness and purity1 flowing southeastward to the ,yellowstone1 between high hills wooded at the summits4 ,approaching the river1 the country becomes more and more volcanic in appearance1 masses of basaltic lava cropping out from the high ridges on the right and left4 ,many of these masses show a perpendicular front of several hundred feet1 with projections resembling towers1 castles and the like4 ,several miles away on the right1 is ,pyramid ,mountain1 a snow-capped peak4 ,farther to the south is a long range of mountains1 also covered with snow1 even in midsummer4 ,on the left of the valley the foot hills bear abundant verdure1 the highest summits being covered with a vigorous growth of pines4 ,trail ,creek enters the ,yellowstone about thirty miles from ,fort ,ellis4 ,ten miles further up the ,yellowstone is ,bottlers' ,ranch1 the last abode of civilized man in this direction4 ,the ,bottler brothers1 who have established themselves here1 belong to that numerous class of pioneers who are satisfied only when their field of operation is a little in advance of civilization1 exposed to privation and danger1 yet possessing advantages for hunting1 trapping and fishing not enjoyed by men content to dwell in safety4 ,these1 however are not their only occupations4 ,they have under cultivation large fields of wheat1 potatoes and other crops1 possess extensive herds of cattle1 and make large quantities of butter1 for which they find a ready market in the mining camps of ,emigrant ,gulch across the river1 which at this point is a very rapid stream1 about three hundred feet wide and four feet deep on the riffles at low water4 ,of this part of the valley ,dr4 ,hayden says3 ,it is about fifteen miles long1 and will average three miles in width2 it is well watered1 soil fertile1 and in every respect one of the most desirable portions of ,montana4 ,we may not look for any districts favorable for agriculture in the ,yellowstone ,valley above the second caon2 but this entire lake basin seems admirably adapted for grazing and for the cultivation of the usual crops of the country4 ,the cereals and the roots have already been produced in abundance1 especially wheat and potatoes4 ,the mountains on either side are covered with snow1 to a greater or less extent1 all the year1 which in melting feeds the numerous little streams that flow down the mountain-sides in the ,yellowstone4 ,hundreds of springs flow out of the terraces4 ,one terrace near ,bottlers' ,ranch gives origin to fifty springs within a mile1 and then1 all aggregating together in the river bottom1 form a large stream4 ,thus there is the greatest abundance of water for irrigation1 or for any of the purposes of settlement4 ,the elevation of the valley at this ranch is #d1ibe feet1 and this may be regarded as the average in altitude4 ,but a small portion of it is occupied as yet1 but the time is not far distant when the valley will be covered with fine farms and the hills with stock4 ,it will always be a region of interest1 from the fact that it is probably the upper limit of agricultural effort in the ,yellowstone ,valley4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,bottlers' ,,ranch ,,to ,,gardiner',s ,,river4 ,at ,bottlers' ,ranch the wagon road terminates4 ,for the first ten miles beyond1 the trail runs along the west bank of the river through the wildest imaginable scenery of rock1 river and mountain4 ,the path is narrow1 rocky and uneven1 frequently leading over steep hills of considerable height4 ,from the top of one of these1 a bold mountain spur coming down to the water's edge1 the view up the valley is very fine1 embracing the river fringed with cottonwoods1 the foot hills covered with luxuriant1 many-tinted herbage1 and over all the snow-crowned summits of the distant mountains4 ,above this point the valley opens out to a bottom of large extent and great beauty4 ,across the river the steep lava mountains come close to the stream1 their lofty fronts covered with stunted timber4 ,a large portion of the bottom land is subject to overflow by the numerous mountain streams that come in from the right1 and bears an abundance of grass1 in many places waist high4 ,the river is skirted with shrubbery and cedars1 the latter having thick trunks1 too short for ordinary lumber1 yet of beautiful grain for small cabinet work1 and susceptible of exquisite finish4 ,at the head of this valley is the second caon of the ,yellowstone1 granite walls rising on either side to the height of a thousand feet or more1 and the river dashing through the narrow gorge with great velocity4 ,seen from the lofty mountain spur over which the trail is forced to pass1 the bright green color of the water1 and the numerous ripples1 capped with white foam1 as the roaring torrent rushes around and over the multitude of rocks that have fallen from above into the channel1 present a most picturesque appearance4 ,above the caon1 which is about a mile in length1 the valley widens slightly1 then narrows so as to compel the traveller to cross a ridge1 on whose summit lies a beautiful lake4 ,descending to the valley again the road traverses a tract of level bottom land1 a mile or two wide1 covered with a heavy growth of sage-brush4 ,throughout all this portion of its course1 the ,yellowstone is abundantly stocked with trout of the largest variety known this side the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,some ten miles above the second caon on the edge of the river valley is ,cinnabar ,mountain1 whose weather-beaten side presents one of the most singular freaks of nature in the world4 ,two parallel vertical walls of rock1 fifty feet wide1 traverse the mountain from base to summit1 and project to the height of three hundred feet for a distance of fifteen hundred feet4 ,the sides are as even as if wrought by line and plumb4 ,the rock between the walls and on either side has been completely worn away4 ,speaking of this curious formation1 ,mr4 ,langford says3 ,we had seen many of the capricious works wrought by erosion upon the friable rocks of ,montana1 but never before upon so majestic a scale4 ,here an entire mountain-side1 by wind and water1 had been removed1 leaving as the evidences of their protracted toil these vertical projections1 which1 but for their immensity1 might as readily be mistaken for works of art as of nature4 ,their smooth sides1 uniform width and height1 and great length1 considered in connection with the causes which had wrought their insulation1 excited our wonder and admiration4 ,they were all the more curious because of their dissimilarity to any other striking objects in natural scenery that we had ever seen or heard of4 ,in future years1 when the wonders of the ,yellowstone are incorporated into the family of fashionable resorts1 there will be few of its attractions surpassing in interest this marvellous freak of the elements4 ,according to the observations of ,dr4 ,hayden1 the mountain is formed of alternate beds of sandstone1 limestone1 and quartzites1 elevated to a nearly vertical position by those internal forces which acted in ages past to lift the mountain ranges to their present heights4 ,standing at the base and looking up the sides of the mountain1 the geologist could not but be filled with wonder at the convulsions which threw such immense masses of rocks into their present position4 ,ridge after ridge extends down the steep sides of the mountain like lofty walls1 the intervening softer portions having been washed away1 leaving the harder layers projecting far above4 ,in one place the rocks incline in every possible direction1 and are crushed together in the utmost confusion4 ,between the walls at one point is a band of bright brick-red clay1 which has been mistaken for cinnabar1 and hence the name ,cinnabar ,mountain4 ,the most conspicuous ridge is composed of basalt1 which must have been poured out on the surface when all the rocks were in a horizontal position4 ,for reasons best known to himself1 one of the first explorers of this region gave these parallel ridges the title of ,devil's ,slide4 ,the suggestion was unfortunate1 writes the historian of the ,expedition1 as1 with more reason perhaps1 but with no better taste1 we frequently had occasion to appropriate other portions of the person of his ,satanic ,majesty1 or of his dominion1 in signification of the varied marvels we met with4 ,some little excuse may be found for this in the fact that the old mountaineers and trappers who preceded us had been peculiarly lavish in the use of the infernal vocabulary4 ,every river and glen and mountain had suggested to their imaginations some fancied resemblance to portions of a region which their pious grandmothers had warned them to avoid4 ,it is common for them1 when speaking of this region1 to designate portions of its physical features1 as ,firehole ,prairie1--the ,devil's ,den1--,hell ,roaring ,river1 etc4--and these names1 from a remarkable fitness of things1 are not likely to be speedily superseded by others less impressive4 ,these impressive titles stand in curious contrast with the fanciful names bestowed in this region by ,capts4 ,lewis and ,clarke1--,wisdom ,river1 ,philosophy ,river1 ,philanthropy ,creek1 and the like4 ,from the ,devil's ,slide to the mouth of ,gardiner's ,river1 twelve miles1 the ground rises rapidly1 passing from a dead level alkali plain1 to a succession of plateaus covered slightly with a sterile soil4 ,evidences of volcanic action begin to be frequent3 old craters converted into small lakes appear here and there1 prettily fringed with vegetation1 and covered with waterfowl4 ,scattered over the hills and through the valleys are numerous beautiful specimens of chalcedony and chips of obsidian4 ,many of the chalcedonies are geodes1 in which are crystals of quartz2 others contain opal in the centre and agate on the exterior2 and still others have on the outside attached crystals of calcite4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,v4 ,,hot ,,springs ,,of ,,gardiner',s ,,river4 ,ten miles above the ,devil's ,slide1 ,gardiner's ,river1 a mountain torrent twenty yards wide1 cuts through a deep and gloomy gorge and enters the ,yellowstone at the lower end of the ,third ,caon4 ,at this point the ,yellowstone shrinks to half its usual size1 losing itself among huge granite boulders1 which choke up the stream and create alternate pools and rapids1 crowded with trout4 ,worn into fantastic forms by the washing water1 these immense rock masses give an aspect of peculiar wildness to the scenery4 ,but the crowning wonder of this region is the group of hot springs on the slope of a mountain1 four miles up the valley of ,gardiner's ,river4 ,the first expedition passed on without seeing them1 but they could not escape the vigilance of the scientific company that followed4 ,the lower reaches of the valley of ,gardiner's ,river1 and the enclosing hillsides1 are strewn with volcanic rock1 having the appearance of furnace cinder4 ,the tops of the rounded hills are covered with fragments of basalt and conglomerate1 whose great variety of sombre colors add much to the appearance of desolation which characterizes the valley4 ,here and there are stagnant lakes fifty to a hundred yards in diameter1 apparently occupying ancient volcanic vents4 ,crossing a barren1 elevated region two miles in extent1 and three or four hundred feet above the river-bed1 the trail descends abruptly to a low bottom covered with a thick calcareous crust1 deposited from hot springs1 now for the most part dry4 ,at one point1 however1 a large stream of hot water1 six feet wide and two feet deep1 flows swiftly from beneath the crust1 its exposed portion clearly revealed by rising steam4 ,the quantity of water flowing from this spring is greater than from any other in this region2 its temperature ranges from #abf to #acb ,fah4 ,a little further above are three or four other springs near the margin of the river4 ,these have nearly circular basins1 six to ten feet in diameter1 and a temperature not above #abj4 ,already these springs have become the resort of invalids1 who speak highly of the virtues of the waters4 ,a short distance up the hill are abundant remains of springs1 which in time past must have been very active4 ,for nearly a mile the steep hill-side is covered with a thick crust of spring deposits1 which1 though much decomposed and overgrown with pines and cedars1 still bear traces of the wonderful forms displayed in the vicinity of the active springs further up the hill4 ,ascending the hill1 ,dr4 ,hayden's party came suddenly and unexpectedly upon these marvellous deposits1 which they agreed in pronouncing one of the finest displays of natural architecture in the world4 ,the snowy whiteness of the deposit1 which has the form of a frozen cascade1 at once suggested the name of ,white ,mountain ,hot ,spring4 ,the springs now in active operation cover an area of about one square mile1 while the rest of the territory1 three or four square miles in extent1 is occupied by the remains of springs which have ceased to flow4 ,small streams flow down the sides of the ,snowy ,mountain in channels lined with oxide of iron of the most delicate tints of red4 ,others show exquisite shades of yellow1 from a deep1 bright sulphur1 to a dainty cream-color4 ,still others are stained with shades of green1 all these colors as brilliant as the brightest aniline dyes4 ,the water after rising from the spring basin flows down the sides of the declivity1 step by step1 from one reservoir to another1 at each one of them losing a portion of its heat1 until it becomes as cool as spring-water4 ,within five hundred feet of its source ,dr4 ,hayden's party camped for two days by the side of the little stream formed by the aggregated waters of these hot springs1 and found the water most excellent for drinking as well as for cooking purposes4 ,it was perfectly clear and tasteless1 and harmless in its effects4 ,during their stay here all the members of the party1 as well as the soldiers comprising their escort1 enjoyed the luxury of bathing in these most elegantly carved natural bathing-pools2 and it was easy to select1 from the hundreds of reservoirs1 water of any desired temperature4 ,these natural basins vary somewhat in size1 but many of them are about four by six feet in diameter1 and one to four feet in depth4 ,their margins are beautifully scalloped1 and adorned with a natural beadwork of exquisite beauty4 ,illustration3 ,,bathing-,,pools 7,,diana',s ,,bath47 ,the level or terrace upon which the principal active springs are located1 is about midway up the sides of the mountain1 covered with the sediment4 ,still farther up are the ruins of what must have been at some period more active springs than any at present known4 ,the sides of the mountain for two or three hundred feet in height1 are thickly encrusted with calcareous deposit1 originally ornamented with elegant sculpturing1 like the bathing pools below2 but atmospheric agencies1 which act readily on the lime1 have obliterated all their delicate beauty4 ,the largest living spring is near the outer margin of the main terrace4 ,its dimensions are twenty-five feet by forty1 and its water so perfectly transparent that one can look down into the beautiful ultramarine depth to the very bottom of the basin4 ,its sides are ornamented with coral-like forms of a great variety of shades1 from pure white to a bright cream yellow1 while the blue sky reflected in the transparent water gives an azure tint to the whole which surpasses all art4 ,from various portions of the rim1 water flows out in moderate quantities over the sides of the hill4 ,whenever it gathers into a channel and flows quite swiftly1 basins with sides from two to eight feet high are formed with their ornamental designs proportionately coarse2 but when the water flows slowly1 myriads of little basins are formed1 one below another1 with a semblance of irregular system4 ,the water holds in solution a great amount of lime1 with some soda1 alumina and magnesia1 which are slowly deposited as the water flows down the sides of the mountain4 ,underneath the sides of many of the pools are rows of exquisitely-ornamented stalactites1 formed by the dripping of the water over the margins4 ,all these springs have one or more centres of ebullition which is constant1 though seldom rising more than four or five inches above the surface4 ,the ebullition is due mainly to the emission of carbonic acid gas4 ,the springs in the centre of the main basin are probably all at the boiling point--#aid at this elevation4 ,being inaccessible1 however1 it is impossible to determine their actual temperature4 ,the hottest that could be reached was #afb ,fah4 ,the terrace immediately above the main basin is bordered by a long rounded ridge with a fissure extending its whole length1 its interior lined with beautiful crystals of pure sulphur4 ,only hot vapors and steam issue from this fissure1 though the bubbling and gurgling of water far beneath the surface can be distinctly heard4 ,back of this ridge are several small springs which throw up geyser-like jets of water intermittently to the height of three feet4 ,on the west side of this deposit1 about one-third of the way up the ,white ,mountain from the river and terrace1 where was once the theatre of many active springs1 old chimneys or craters are scattered thickly over the surface1 and there are several large holes and fissures leading to vast caverns below4 ,the crust gives off a dull hollow sound beneath the tread1 and the surface gives indistinct evidence of having been adorned with the beautiful pools or basins already described4 ,at the base of the principal terrace is a large area covered with shallow pools some of them containing water1 with all the ornamentations perfect1 while others are fast going to decay1 and the decomposed sediment is as white as snow4 ,on this sub-terrace is a remarkable cone about #ej feet in height and #bj feet in diameter at the base4 ,its form has suggested the name of ,liberty ,cap4 ,it is undoubtedly the remains of an extinct geyser4 ,the water was forced up with considerable power1 and probably without intermission1 building up its own crater until the pressure beneath was exhausted1 and the spring gradually closed itself over at the summit and perished4 ,no water flows from it at the present time4 ,the layers of lime were deposited around the cap like the layers of straw on a thatched roof1 or hay on a conical stack4 ,not far from the ,liberty ,cap is a smaller cone1 called1 from its form1 the ,bee-hive4 ,these springs are constantly changing their position2 some die out1 others burst out in new places4 ,on the northwest margin of the main terrace are examples of what have been called oblong mounds4 ,there are several of them in this region1 extending in different directions1 from fifty to one hundred and fifty yards in length1 from six to ten feet high1 and from ten to fifteen feet broad at the base4 ,there is in all cases a fissure from one end of the summit to the other1 usually from six to ten inches wide1 from which steam sometimes issues in considerable quantities1 and on walking along the top one can hear the water seething and boiling below like a cauldron4 ,the inner portion of the shell1 as far down as can be seen1 is lined with a hard1 white enamel-like porcelain2 in some places beautiful crystals of sulphur have been precipitated from the steam4 ,these mounds have been built up by a kind of oblong fissure-spring in the same way that the cones have been constructed4 ,the water1 continually spouting up1 deposited sediment around the edges of the fissure until the force was exhausted1 and then the calcareous basin was rounded up something like a thatched roof by overlapping layers4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,liberty ,,cap4 ,near the upper terrace1 which is really an old rim1 are a number of these extinct1 oblong geysers1 some of which have been broken down so as to show them to be mere shells or caverns1 now the abode of wild animals4 ,dr4 ,hayden attempted to enter one of them1 and found it full of sticks and bones which had been carried in by wild beasts2 and swarms of bats flitted to and fro4 ,some of the mounds have been worn away so that sections are exposed1 showing the great number and thickness of the overlapping layers of sediment4 ,many mounds are overgrown with pine-trees1 which must be at least eighty or a hundred years old4 ,indeed1 the upper part of this mountain appears like a magnificent ruin of a once flourishing village of these unique structures1 now fast decomposing1 yet beautiful and instructive in their decay4 ,one may now study the layers of deposit1 sometimes thousands on a single mound1 as he would the rings of growth in a tree4 ,how long a period is required to form one of these mounds1 or to build up its beautiful structure1 there is no data for determining4 ,on the middle terrace1 where the principal portion of the active springs are1 some of the pine-trees are buried in sediment apparently to the depth of six or eight feet4 ,all of them are dead at the present time4 ,there is1 however1 evidence enough around the springs to show that the mineral-water is precipitated with great rapidity4 ,it is probable that all the deposits in the immediate vicinity of the active springs are constantly changing from the margin of the river to the top of the ,white ,mountain and return4 ,the deposits upon the summit are extensive1 though now there is very little water issuing from the springs there1 and that is of low temperature4 ,quantities of steam are ever ascending from the springs1 and on damp mornings the entire slope of the mountain is enveloped in clouds of vapor4 ,but1 observes ,dr4 ,hayden1 in summing up his account of this indescribable locality1 it is to the wonderful variety of exquisitely delicate colors that this picture owes the main part of its attractiveness4 ,the little orifices from which the hot water issues are beautifully enamelled with the porcelain-like lining1 and around the edges a layer of sulphur is precipitated4 ,as the water flows along the valley1 it lays down in its course a pavement more beautiful and elaborate in its adornment than art has ever yet conceived4 ,the sulphur and the iron1 with the green microscopic vegetation1 tint the whole with an illumination of which no decoration-painter has ever dreamed4 ,from the sides of the oblong mound1 which is here from #cj to #ej feet high1 the water has oozed out at different points1 forming small groups of the semicircular1 step-like basins4 ,again1 if we look at the principal group of springs from the high mound above the middle terrace1 we can see the same variety of brilliant coloring4 ,the wonderful transparency of the water surpasses anything of the kind ,i have ever seen in any other portion of the world4 ,the sky1 with the smallest cloud that flits across it1 is reflected in its clear depths1 and the ultramarine colors1 more vivid than the sea1 are greatly heightened by the constant gentle vibrations4 ,one can look down into the clear depths and see1 with perfect distinctness1 the minutest ornament on the inner sides of the basins2 and the exquisite beauty of the coloring and the variety of forms baffle any attempt to portray them1 either with pen or pencil4 ,and then1 too1 around the borders of these springs1 especially those of rather low temperature1 and on the sides and bottoms of the numerous little channels of the streams that flow from these springs1 there is a striking variety of the most vivid colors4 ,i can only compare them to our most brilliant aniline dyes--various shades of red1 from the brightest scarlet to a bright rose tint2 also yellow1 from deep-bright sulphur1 through all the shades1 to light cream-color4 ,there are also various shades of green1 from the peculiar vegetation4 ,these springs are also filled with minute vegetable forms1 which under the microscope prove to be diatoms1 among which ,dr4 ,billings discovers ,palmella and ,oscillara4 ,there are also in the little streams that flow from the boiling springs great quantities of a fibrous1 silky substance1 apparently vegetable1 which vibrates at the slightest movement of the water1 and has the appearance of the finest quality of cashmere wool4 ,when the waters are still these silken masses become incrusted with lime1 the delicate vegetable threads disappear1 and a fibrous1 spongy mass remains1 like delicate snow-white coral4 ,the antiquity of these springs is a question of great interest1 yet difficult of solution4 ,when were these immense deposits begun8 ,on the margin of the mountain1 high above the present position of the hot springs1 is a bed of white1 or yellowish white limestone1 from fifty to a hundred and fifty feet thick4 ,it is regularly stratified and the jointing is complete4 ,there is a belt a mile long and one fourth of a mile wide1 covered with cubical masses of this rock that have fallen down the slope of the mountain4 ,these immense blocks1 fifty to one hundred feet in each dimension1 appear as if the mass had slowly fallen down as the underlying rocks were worn away4 ,so thickly is this belt covered with these huge masses that it is with the greatest difficulty one can walk across it4 ,it would seem that this bed must at one time have extended over a portion or all of the valley of ,gardiner's ,river4 ,much of the rock is very compact1 and would make beautiful building-stone1 on account of its close texture and color1 and it could be converted into the whitest of lime4 ,if the rocks are examined1 however1 over a considerable area1 they are found to possess all the varieties of structure of a hot-spring deposit4 ,some portions are quite spongy1 and decompose readily2 others are made up of very thin lamin1 regular or wavy2 enough to show the origin of the deposit without a doubt4 ,but in what manner was it formed8 ,dr4 ,hayden believes that the limestone was precipitated in the bottom of a lake1 which was filled with hot-springs1 much as the calcareous matter is laid down in the bottom of the ocean at the present time4 ,indeed1 portions of the rock do not differ materially from the recent limestones now forming in the vicinity of the ,west ,india ,islands4 ,the deposit was evidently laid down on a nearly level surface1 with a moderately uniform thickness1 and the strata are horizontal4 ,since this group of strata was formed1 the country has been elevated1 and the valley of ,gardiner's ,river has been carved out1 so that the commencement of the period of activity of these springs must date back to a period merging on1 but just prior to1 the present geological period--probably at the time of the greatest action of the volcanic forces in this region4 ,classed with reference to their chemical constituents1 the springs here and elsewhere in the ,yellowstone ,valley are of two kinds3 those in which lime predominates1 and those in which silica is most abundant4 ,the springs of ,gardiner's ,river are mainly the former4 ,where does the lime come from8 ,the geology of the country surrounding the springs shows already that there is underneath the spring deposits1 at least a thickness of #a1ejj feet1 of carboniferous limestone2 and if the origin of the heat which so elevates the temperature of the waters of these springs is as deep seated as is generally supposed1 the heated waters have ample time and space for dissolving the calcareous rocks through which they flow4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,gardiner',s ,,river ,,to ,,grand ,,ca,,on4 ,about a mile above the springs1 ,gardiner's ,river separates into three branches--the ,east1 ,middle1 and ,west ,forks1 which rise high up in the mountains1 among perpetual snows4 ,they wind their way across a broad plateau covered mostly with a dense growth of pines1 but with some broad1 open1 meadow-like spots1 which1 seen from some high mountain peak1 lend a rare charm to the landscape4 ,after gathering a sufficient supply of water1 they commence wearing their channels down into the volcanic rocks1 deeper and deeper as they descend4 ,each one has its water-fall1 which would fill an artist with enthusiasm4 ,from the high ridge between the ,east and ,middle ,forks a fine view is obtained of the surrounding country4 ,far to the southwest are lofty peaks covered with snow1 rising to the height of #aj1jjj feet1 and forming a part of the magnificent range of mountains that separates the ,yellowstone from the sources of the ,gallatin4 ,from this high ridge one can look down into the chasm of the ,middle ,fork1 carved out of the basalt and basaltic conglomerates to the depth of #ejj to #hjj feet1 with nearly vertical sides4 ,in the sides of this caon1 as well as those of the ,east ,fork1 splendid examples of basaltic columns are displayed1 as perfect as those of the celebrated ,fingal's ,cave4 ,they usually appear in regular rows1 vertical1 five and six sided1 but far more sharply cut than elsewhere seen in the ,west1 though occasionally the columns are spread out in the form of a fan4 ,sometimes there are several rows1 usually about fifty feet high1 one above the other1 with conglomerate between4 ,the caon is about #ejj yards from margin to margin at top1 but narrows down until on the bottom it is not more than forty yards wide4 ,at one point the water pours over a declivity of #cjj feet or more1 forming a most beautiful cascade4 ,the direct fall is over #ajj feet4 ,the constant roar of the water is like that of a train of cars in motion4 ,the pines are very dense1 usually of moderate size1 and among them are many open spaces1 covered with stout grass1 sometimes with large sage-bushes4 ,upon the high hills the vegetation is remarkably luxuriant1 indicating great fertility of soil1 which is usually very thick1 and made up mostly of degraded igneous rocks4 ,above the falls the rows of vertical1 basaltic columns continue in the walls of the caon1 and they may well be ranked among the remarkable wonders of this rare wonder-land4 ,the lower portion of the caon is composed of rather coarse igneous rocks1 which have a jointage and a style of weathering like granite4 ,the ,west ,fork rolls over a bed of basalt1 which is divided into blocks that give the walls the appearance of mason-work on a gigantic scale4 ,below the falls the river has cut the sides of the mountain1 exposing a vertical section #djj feet high1 with the same irregular jointage4 ,south of the hot springs is a round dome-like mountain1 rising #b1ajj feet above them1 or #h1ejj feet above the sea4 ,its summit commands a prospect from thirty to fifty miles in every direction4 ,to the north and west stands a group of lofty peaks over #aj1jjj feet above the sea1 and covered with huge masses of snow4 ,these peaks form a part of the range that separates the waters of the ,gallatin from those of the ,yellowstone4 ,farther on to the southward are the peaks of the head of the ,madison1 and in the interval one black mass of pine forest1 covering high plateaus1 with no point rising over #h1ejj feet above the sea--the whole region being more or less wavy or rolling1 interspersed here and there with beautiful lakes a few hundred yards in diameter2 and here and there a bright-green grassy valley through which little streams wind their way to the large rivers4 ,in one of these lakes the explorers saw the greatest abundance of yellow water-lily1 which blooms in great profusion on the surface of all the mountain lakes of the ,yellowstone ,basin4 ,on the east side of ,gardiner's ,caon1 and west of the ,yellowstone1 is a sort of wave-like series of ridges1 with broad1 open1 grassy interspaces1 with many groves of pines4 ,these ridges gradually slope down to the ,yellowstone1 northeast4 ,far to the east and north is one jagged mass of volcanic peaks1 some of them snow-clad1 others bald and desolate to the eye4 ,far to the south1 dimly outlined on the horizon1 may be seen the three ,tetons and ,madison ,peak--monarchs of all the region4 ,a grander view could not well be conceived4 ,leaving ,gardiner's ,river1 ,dr4 ,hayden's party ascended the broad slope of the dividing ridge between that river and the streamlets which flow into the ,yellowstone4 ,immense boulders of massive granite1 considerably rounded1 are a marked feature of the country about the entrance of the ,east ,fork4 ,one of these1 a mass of red feldspathic granite1 is twenty-five feet thick and fifty feet long4 ,the high wavy ridge1 #i1jjj feet above the sea1 is composed of beds of steel-gray and brown sandstone and calcareous clay1 in which are numerous impressions of deciduous leaves4 ,vast quantities of silicified wood of great perfection and beauty are scattered all over the surface4 ,in some cases long trees have been turned to agate1 the rings of growth as perfectly shown as in recent wood4 ,the soil is very thick1 and covered with luxuriant vegetation4 ,we were travelling through this region in the latter part of the month of ,july1 writes ,dr4 ,hayden1 and all the vegetation seemed to be in the height of its growth and beauty4 ,the meadows were covered densely with grass and flowers of many varieties1 and among the pines were charming groves of poplars1 contrasting strongly by their peculiar enlivening foliage with the sombre hue of the pines4 ,the climate was perfect1 and in the midst of some of the most remarkable scenery in the world1 every hour of our march only increased our enthusiasm4 ,the climate during the months of ,june1 ,july1 and ,august1 in this valley1 cannot be surpassed in the world for its health-giving powers4 ,the finest of mountain water1 fish in the greatest abundance1 with a good supply of game of all kinds1 fully satisfy the wants of the traveller1 and render this valley one of the most attractive places of resort for invalids or pleasure-seekers in ,america4 ,from the summit of the ridge the party descended to the valley of the ,yellowstone1 nearly opposite the mouth of the ,east ,fork of that river4 ,the road was a rough one4 ,during the period of volcanic action in this region1 the sedimentary rocks were crumpled into high1 sharp1 wave-like series of ridges2 from innumerable fissures1 igneous matter was poured out over the surface cooling into basalt2 and from volcanic vents was also thrown out1 into the great lake1 rock fragments and volcanic dust1 which were arranged by the water and cemented into a breccia4 ,deep into these ridges the little streams have cut their channels1 forming what should be called valleys1 rather than caons1 with almost vertical sides4 ,these ravines1 #ejj to #hjj feet deep1 covered mostly with grass or trees1 occur in great numbers1 many of them entirely dry at present1 but attesting the presence and power1 at no very remote period1 of aqueous forces compared with which those of the present are utterly insignificant4 ,before studying this portion of the ,yellowstone ,valley1 it may be well to retrace our steps to the mouth of ,gardiner's ,river1 to explore the ,third ,caon of the ,yellowstone1 so far as possible1 and the rest of its interesting valley up to this point4 ,as already noticed1 the country about the mouth of ,gardiner's ,river is desolate and gloomy4 ,the hill-slopes are covered with sage brush1 the constant sign of arid soil1 and grass is scarce4 ,this is the first poor camping-place on the route4 ,the caon being impassable1 the trail passes to the right1 crossing several high mountain-spurs1 over which the way is much obstructed by fallen timber1 and reaching at last a high rolling plateau4 ,this elevated tract is about thirty miles in extent1 with a general declivity to the north4 ,its surface is an undulating prairie1 dotted with groves of pine and aspen4 ,numerous lakes are scattered throughout its whole extent1 and great numbers of springs1 which flow down the slopes1 are lost in the volume of the ,yellowstone4 ,the river breaks through this plateau in a winding caon over #b1jjj feet in depth--the middle caon of the ,yellowstone rolling over volcanic boulders in some places1 and in others forming still pools of seemingly fathomless depth4 ,at one point it dashes to and fro1 lashed to a white foam on its rocky bed2 at another1 where a deep basin occurs in the channel1 it subsides into a crystal mirror4 ,numerous small cascades are seen tumbling from the rocky walls at different points and the river appears from the lofty summits a mere ribbon of foam in the immeasurable distance below4 ,standing on the brink of the chasm the heavy roaring of the imprisoned river comes to the ear only in a sort of hollow1 hungry growl1 scarcely audible from the depths4 ,lofty pines on the bank of the stream dwindle to shrubs in dizziness of distance4 ,everything beneath1 says ,lieut4 ,doane1 has a weird and deceptive appearance4 ,the water does not look like water1 but like oil4 ,numerous fish-hawks are seen busily plying their vocation1 sailing high above the waters1 and yet a thousand feet below the spectator4 ,in the clefts of the rocks down1 hundreds of feet down1 bald eagles have their eyries1 from which one can see them swooping still farther into the depths to rob the ospreys of their hard-earned trout4 ,it is grand1 gloomy1 and terrible2 a solitude peopled with fantastic ideas2 an empire of shadows and of turmoil4 ,the plateau formation is of lava1 generally in horizontal layers1 as it cooled in a surface flow1 yet upheaved in many places into wave-like undulations4 ,occasionally granite shafts protrude through the strata1 forming landmarks of picturesque form4 ,like dark icebergs stranded in an ocean of green1 they rise high above the tops of the trees in wooded districts1 or stand out grim and solid on the grassy expanse of the prairies4 ,illustration3 ,,extinct ,,geyser1 ,,east ,,fork ,,of ,,the ,,yellowstone4 ,near the head of the ,third ,caon a stream flows into the ,yellowstone from the northeast1 bearing the sonorous title1 ,hell-,roaring ,river4 ,it is quite a large stream1 rising high among the mountains1 and flowing with tremendous impetuosity down the deep gorges4 ,the mountains on either side come close down to the channel of the ,yellowstone1 and are among the most rugged in this rugged region4 ,a huge peak of this sort1 composed of stratified gneiss1 with deep strata of massive red and grey granite1 stands at the mouth of ,hell-,roaring ,river1 and takes to itself the same imposing name4 ,a short distance above the mouth of ,hell ,roaring ,river1 the ,east ,fork of the ,yellowstone comes in from the southeast4 ,its sources are high up among the most rugged and inaccessible portions of the basaltic range1 several jagged peaks which rise from #aj1jjj to #aa1jjj feet above the sea4 ,the summits of these high peaks1 observes ,mr4 ,hayden1 are all close1 compact trachyte1 while all around the sides are built up walls of stratified conglomerate4 ,it is plain that all of them are the nuclei of old volcanoes4 ,the trachyte may sometimes be concealed by the conglomerates1 but ,i am inclined to think that each one has formed a centre of effusion4 ,large quantities of silicified wood are found among the conglomerates1 mostly inclosed in the volcanic cement1 evidently thrown out of the active craters with the fragments of basalt4 ,my impression is1 that when the old volcanoes disgorged their contents into the great lake of waters around1 they threw out also portions from the sedimentary formations1 and thus the silicified wood comes from the ,tertiary or ,cretaceous beds1 which may have formed the upper part of the walls of the crater4 ,at any rate1 these woods belong to the ,coal ,series of the ,west1 and they are scattered profusely among the conglomerates4 ,interlaced among the massive beds of volcanic conglomerates are some layers of a light-grey or whitish sandy clay1 which show that the whole breccia or conglomerates1 with the intercalated layers of clay or sand1 were deposited in water like any sedimentary water rocks4 ,interesting ruins of ancient springs abound in this valley4 ,mr4 ,hayden describes one1 a very curious mammiform mound of calcareous deposit1 about forty feet high1 built up by overlapping layers like those of ,liberty ,cap on ,gardiner's ,river4 ,this cone is a complete ruin4 ,no water issues from it at the present time1 and none of the springs in the vicinity are above the ordinary temperature of brook-water2 sulphur1 alum1 and other chemical deposits are abundant4 ,this old ruin is a fine example of the tendency of the cone to close up its summit in its dying stages4 ,the top of the cone is somewhat broken2 but it is eighteen feet in diameter at this time1 and near the centre there is a hole or chimney two inches in diameter1 plainly a steam-vent4 ,this marks the closing history of this spring4 ,the inner portions of this small chimney are lined with white enamel1 thickly coated with sulphur1 which gives it a sulphur-yellow hue4 ,the base upon which the cone rests varies in thickness4 ,on the east side huge masses have been broken off1 exposing a vertical wall twenty feet high1 built up of thin horizontal lamin of limestone4 ,on the west side the wall is not quite as high1 perhaps eight or ten feet4 ,it would seem1 therefore1 that it was at first an overflowing spring1 depositing thin horizontal layers until it built up a broad base ten to twenty feet in height2 then it gradually became a spouting spring1 building up with overlapping layers like the thatch on a house1 until it closed itself at the top and ceased4 ,in the tongue that runs down between the junction of the ,east ,fork and the ,yellowstone1 there is a singular butte cut off from the main range1 which at once attracts the traveller's attention4 ,the basis or lower portion of the butte is granite1 while the summit is capped with the modern basalt1 and the dbris on the sides and at the base is remarkable in quantity1 and has very much the appearance of an anthracite coal-heap4 ,this butte will always form a conspicuous landmark1 not only on account of its position1 but also from its peculiar shape and structure4 ,just below the junction of the ,east ,fork the first and only bridge across the ,yellowstone was constructed in #ahgj for the accommodation of miners bound for the diggings on ,clark's ,fork4 ,it was a work of considerable boldness1 as the river is some two hundred feet wide1 and flows with great rapidity over its narrow and rocky channel4 ,a short distance above the bridge1 on the west side of the ,yellowstone1 is a splendid exhibition of black micaceous gneiss1 forming a vertical wall on the right side of a little creek1 while on the left the entire mass of the hills for miles in extent is composed of the usual igneous rocks4 ,through these rocks the stream1 now not more than four feet wide and six inches deep1 has cut a channel from two hundred to four hundred yards wide1 through the hardest rocks to a depth varying from five hundred to a thousand feet6 ,further up the ,yellowstone1 on the same side1 are a number of wonderful ravines and caons carved in like manner into the very heart of the mountains4 ,most conspicuous of these is the ,caon of ,tower ,greek4 ,before reaching that stream1 however1 ,column ,rock1 a noticeable feature in a landscape of great extent and beauty1 demands at least a passing notice4 ,column ,cliff would be a more appropriate name1 since it extends along the east bank of the river upwards of two miles4 ,says ,mr4 ,langford1 whose observations were made from the west side3 ,at the distance from which we saw it1 we could compare it in appearance to nothing but a section of the ,giant's ,causeway4 ,it was composed of successive pillars of basalt overlying and underlying a thick stratum of cement and gravel resembling pudding-stone4 ,in both rows1 the pillars1 standing in close proximity1 were each about thirty feet high and from three to five feet in diameter4 ,this interesting object1 more from the novelty of its formation and its beautiful surroundings of mountain and river scenery than anything grand or impressive in its appearance1 excited our attention1 until the gathering shades of evening reminded us of the necessity of selecting a suitable camp4 ,tower ,creek rises in the high divide between the valleys of the ,missouri and the ,yellowstone1 and flows for about ten miles through a caon so deep and gloomy that it has earned the appellation1 ,devil's ,den4 ,about two hundred yards above its entrance into the ,yellowstone1 the stream pours over an abrupt descent of one hundred and fifty-six feet1 forming one of the most beautiful falls to be found in any country4 ,these falls are about #bfj feet above the level of the ,yellowstone at the junction1 and are surrounded with columns of volcanic breccia1 rising fifty feet above the falls and extending down to the foot1 standing like gloomy sentinels1 or like gigantic pillars at the entrance of some grand temple4 ,one could almost imagine1 says ,dr4 ,hayden1 that the idea of the ,gothic style of architecture had been caught from such carvings of nature4 ,speaking of the symmetry of some of these columns1 ,mr4 ,langford says3 ,some resemble towers1 others the spires of churches1 and others still shoot up as lithe and slender as the minarets of a mosque4 ,some of the loftiest of these formations1 standing like sentinels upon the very brink of the fall1 are accessible to an expert and adventurous climber4 ,the position attained on one of their narrow summits1 amid the uproar of waters and at a height of #bej feet above the boiling chasm1 as the writer can affirm1 requires a steady head and strong nerves2 yet the view which rewards the temerity of the exploit is full of compensations4 ,below the fall the stream descends in numerous rapids1 with frightful velocity1 through a gloomy gorge1 to its union with the ,yellowstone4 ,its bed is filled with enormous boulders1 against which the rushing waters break with great fury4 ,many of the capricious formations wrought from the shale excite merriment as well as wonder4 ,of this kind especially was a huge mass sixty feet in height1 which1 from its supposed resemblance to the proverbial foot of his ,satanic ,majesty1 we called the ,devil's ,hoof4 ,the scenery of mountain1 rock1 and forest surrounding the falls is very beautiful4 ,here1 too1 the hunter and fisherman can indulge their tastes with the certainty of ample reward4 ,as a half-way resort to the greater wonders still farther up the marvellous river1 the visitor of future years will find no more delightful resting-place4 ,the name of ,tower ,falls1 which we gave it1 was suggested by some of the most conspicuous features of the scenery4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,devil',s ,,hoof4 ,the sides of the chasm are worn into caverns lined with variously-tinted mosses1 nourished by clouds of spray which rise from the cataract2 while above1 and to the left1 a spur from the great plateau rises over all1 with a perpendicular front of #djj feet4 ,the fall is accessible both at the brink and at the foot1 and fine views can be obtained from either side of the caon4 ,in appearance it strongly resembles ,minnehaha1 but is several times as high1 and the volume of water is at least eight times as great4 ,in the basin a large petrified log was found imbedded in the dbris4 ,nothing1 says ,lieutenant ,doane1 can be more chastely beautiful than this lovely cascade1 hidden away in the dim light of overshadowing rocks and woods1 its very voice hushed to a low murmur1 unheard at the distance of a few hundred yards4 ,thousands might pass by within a half mile and not dream of its existence2 but once seen1 it passes to the list of most pleasant memories4 ,along the ,yellowstone1 near the mouth of ,tower ,creek1 is a system of small mineral springs distributed for a distance of two miles in the bottom of the deep caon through which the river runs4 ,several of these springs have a temperature at the boiling point2 many are highly sulphurous1 holding1 in fact1 more sulphur than they can carry in solution1 and depositing it in yellowish beds along their courses4 ,several of them are impregnated with iron1 alum1 and other substances4 ,their sulphurous fumes can be detected at the distance of half a mile4 ,the excess of sulphur in the rock-walls of the caon give a brilliant yellow color to the rocks in many places4 ,the formation is usually very friable1 falling with a natural slope to the edge of the stream1 but occasionally masses of a more solid nature project from the wall in curious shapes of towers1 minarets1 and the like2 while over all the solid ledge of trap1 with its dark and well-defined columns1 makes a rich and beautiful border inclosing the pictured rocks below4 ,this is the mouth of the ,grand ,caon of the ,yellowstone4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,over ,,mount ,,washburn ,,to ,,the ,,falls ,,of ,,the ,,yellowstone4 ,the ,upper or ,grand ,caon of the ,yellowstone extends from the mouth of ,tower ,creek to the foot of the ,great ,fall1 a distance of twenty miles4 ,it is impassable throughout its entire length1 and accessible to the water's edge only at few points and by dint of severe labor4 ,the trail ascends the divide between ,tower ,creek and the ,yellowstone1 skirting for six or eight miles the caon of ,tower ,creek4 ,the ground rises rapidly and is much broken by creek-beds running parallel with the river4 ,following the highest ridges1 the first explorers reached at last a point whence they could overlook the ,grand ,caon cleaving the slopes and breaking through the lofty mountain ranges in front4 ,here they caught their first glimpse of a phenomenon afterwards to become a familiar sight to them4 ,through the mountain gap formed by the caon1 and on the interior slopes some twenty miles distant1 an object appeared which drew a simultaneous expression of wonder from every one in the party4 ,it was a column of steam1 rising from the dense woods to the height of several hundred feet4 ,they had all heard fabulous stories of this region1 and were somewhat skeptical of appearances4 ,at first it was pronounced a fire in the woods1 but presently some one noticed that the vapor rose in regular puffs1 as if expelled with a great force4 ,then conviction was forced upon them4 ,it was1 indeed1 a great column of steam1 puffing away on the lofty mountain side1 with a roaring sound1 audible at a long distance1 even through the heavy forest4 ,a hearty cheer rang out at this discovery1 and they pressed onward with renewed enthusiasm4 ,the highest peak of this ridge was named by the first company who climbed it--,mount ,washburn--in honor of their leader4 ,the view from its summit is grand beyond description2 yet some conception of its grandeur can be formed1 let us hope1 from the graphic review of its more striking features by ,lieutenant ,doane4 ,looking northward1 the great plateau stretches away from the base of the mountain to the front and left with its innumerable groves and sparkling waters1 a variegated landscape of surpassing beauty1 bounded on its extreme verge by the caons of the ,yellowstone4 ,the pure atmosphere of this lofty region causes every outline of tree1 rock1 or lakelet to be visible with wonderful distinctness1 and objects twenty miles away appear as if very near at hand4 ,still further to the left the snowy ranges on the headwaters of ,gardiner's ,river stretch away to the westward1 joining those on the head of the ,gallatin1 and forming1 with the ,elephant's ,back1 a continuous chain1 bending constantly to the south1 the rim of the ,yellowstone ,basin4 ,on the verge of the horizon appear1 like mole-hills in the distance1 and far below1 the white summits above the ,gallatin ,valley4 ,these never thaw during the summer months1 though several thousand feet lower than where we now stand upon the bare granite1 and no snow visible near1 save in the depths of shaded ravines4 ,beyond the plateau to the right front is the deep valley of the ,east ,fork bearing away eastward1 and still beyond1 ragged volcanic peaks1 heaped in inextricable confusion1 as far as the limit of vision extends4 ,on the east1 close beneath our feet1 yawns the immense gulf of the ,grand ,caon1 cutting away the bases of two mountains in forcing a passage through the range4 ,its yellow walls divide the landscape nearly in a straight line to the junction of ,warm ,spring 7,tower7 ,creek below4 ,the ragged edges of the chasm are from two hundred to five hundred yards apart1 its depth so profound that the river bed is nowhere visible4 ,no sound reaches the ear from the bottom of the abyss2 the sun's rays are reflected on the farther wall and then lost in the darkness below4 ,the mind struggles and then falls back upon itself1 despairing in the efforts to grasp by a single thought the idea of its immensity4 ,beyond1 a gentle declivity1 sloping from the summit of the broken range1 extends to the limit of vision1 a wilderness of unbroken pine forest4 ,turning southward1 a new and strange scene bursts upon the view4 ,filling the whole field of vision1 and with its boundaries in the verge of the horizon1 lies the great volcanic basin of the ,yellowstone--nearly circular in form1 from fifty to seventy-five miles in diameter2 and with a general depression of about #b1jjj feet below the summits of the great ranges which form its outer rim4 ,mount ,washburn lies in the point of the circumference1 northeast from the centre of the basin2 far away in the southwest1 the three great ,tetons on ,snake ,river fill another space in the circle2 connecting these two highest are crescent ranges1 one westward and south1 past ,gardiner's ,river and the ,gallatin1 bounding the lower ,madison1 thence to the ,jefferson and by the ,snake ,river range to the ,tetons2 another eastward and south1 a continuous range by the head of ,rose ,bud1 inclosing the sources of the ,snake1 and joining the ,tetons beyond4 ,between the south and west points1 this vast circle is broken through in many places for the passage of the rivers2 but a single glance at the interior slopes of the ranges shows that a former complete connection existed1 and that the great basin has been one vast crater of a now extinct volcano4 ,the nature of the rocks1 the steepness and outline of the interior walls1 together with other peculiarities to be mentioned hereafter1 render this conclusion a certainty4 ,the lowest point in this great amphitheatre lies directly in front of us1 and about eight miles distant3 a grassy valley1 branching between low ridges1 running from the river toward the centre of the basin4 ,a small stream rises in this valley1 breaking through the ridges to the west in a deep caon1 and falling into the channel of the ,yellowstone1 which here bears in a northeast course1 flowing in view as far as the confluence of the small stream1 thence plunged into the ,grand ,caon1 and hidden from sight4 ,no falls can be seen1 but their location is readily detected by the sudden disappearance of the river2 beyond this open valley the basin appears to be filled with a succession of low1 converging ridges1 heavily timbered1 and all of about an equal altitude4 ,to the south appears a broad sheet of water--the ,yellowstone ,lake4 ,across the ,grand ,caon1 on the slope of the great mountain wall1 is the steam jet seen this morning2 and in the next ravine beyond it are six more of inferior volume4 ,still farther south are others1 to the number of perhaps twenty1 and to the southwest more of them1 scattered over the vast expanse of the basin1 rising from behind the wooded hills in every direction4 ,the view in this respect strongly resembles that from the ,alleghanies1 where they overlook iron and coal districts1 with all their furnaces in active operation1 save that one looks in vain here for the thrifty towns1 country villas1 steamboats1 and railroad depots4 ,does this picture seem overdrawn8 ,the briefer and less enthusiastic description of ,dr4 ,hayden confirms its truth1 though he does not accept in full ,lieutenant ,doane's interpretation of it4 ,he says1 in his official report3 ,the view from the summit of ,mount ,washburn is one of the finest ,i have ever seen1 and although the atmosphere was somewhat obscured by smoke1 yet an area of fifty to one hundred miles radius in every direction could be seen more or less distinctly4 ,we caught the first glimpse of the great basin of the ,yellowstone1 with the lake1 which reminded one much1 from its bays1 indentations1 and surrounding mountains1 of ,great ,salt ,lake4 ,to the south are the ,tetons1 rising high above all the rest1 the monarchs of all they survey1 with their summits covered with perpetual snow4 ,to the southwest an immense area of dense pine forests extends for one hundred miles without a peak rising above the black1 level mass4 ,a little farther to the southwest and west are the ,madison ,mountains1 a lofty1 grand1 snow-capped range1 extending far to the northward4 ,nearer and in full view1 to the west commence the bold peaks of the ,gallatin ,range1 extending northward as far as the eye can reach4 ,to the north we get a full view of the valley of the ,yellowstone1 with the lofty ranges that wall it in4 ,emigrant ,peak1 and the splendid group of mountains of which it is a part1 can be clearly seen1 and lose none of their marvellous beauty of outline1 view them from what point we may4 ,to the north and east the eye scans the most remarkable chaotic mass of peaks of the most rugged character1 apparently without system1 yet sending their jagged summits high up among the clouds4 ,farther distant are somewhat more regular ranges1 snow-covered1 probably the ,big ,horn4 ,but with all this magnificent scenery around us from every side1 the greatest beauty was the lake1 in full view to the southeast1 set like a gem amid the high mountains1 which are literally bristling with peaks1 many of them capped with snow4 ,these are all of volcanic origin1 and the fantastic shapes which many of them have assumed under the hand of time1 called forth a variety of names from my party4 ,there were two of them that represented the human profile so well that we called them the ,giant's ,face and ,old ,man of the ,mountain4 ,these formed good landmarks for the topographer1 for they were visible from every point of the basin4 ,as regards the geological character of the country seen from ,mount ,washburn1 ,dr4 ,hayden observes1 in discussing the geology of the region3 ,we may say1 in brief1 that the entire basin of the ,yellowstone is volcanic4 ,i am not prepared to pronounce it a crater1 with a lake occupying the inner portion1 while the mountains that surround the basin are the ruins of this great crater2 but1 at a period not very remote in the geological past1 this whole country was a scene of wonderful volcanic activity4 ,i regard the hot springs so abundant all over the valley as the last stages of this grand scene4 ,hot springs1 geysers1 etc41 are so intimately connected with what we usually term volcanoes that their origin and action admit of the same explanation4 ,both undoubtedly form safety-valves or vents for the escape of the powerful forces that have been generated in the interior of the earth since the commencement of our present period2 the true volcanic action has ceased1 but the safety-valves are the thousands of hot springs all over this great area4 ,i believe that the time of the greatest volcanic activity occurred during the ,pliocene period--smoke1 ashes1 fragments of rock1 and lava poured forth from thousands of orifices into the surrounding waters4 ,hundreds of cones were built up1 fragments of which still remain2 and around them were arranged by the water the dust and fragments of rock1 the ejectamenta of these volcanoes1 in the form of the conglomerate or breccia as we find it now4 ,these orifices may have been of every possible form--rounded or oblong1 mere fissures1 perhaps1 extending for miles1 and building up their own crater rims as the hot springs build up their rounded1 conical peaks or oblong mounds at the present time4 ,leaving ,mount ,washburn1 with its summit piles of basalt1 and its precipitous slope scattered with agates and beautiful fragments of sardonyx1 chalcedony1 and malachite1 let us descend to the valley4 ,the trail pursues a tortuous way to avoid the fallen timber and the dense groves of pine1 descending the almost vertical inner sides of the rim of the ,yellowstone ,basin1 to the valley of a small creek4 ,two or three miles down this stream is a hideous glen1 filled with sulphurous vapor emitted from six or eight boiling springs of great size and activity4 ,mr4 ,langford says of this unsavory place3 ,it looked like nothing earthly we had ever seen1 and the pungent fumes which filled the atmosphere were not unaccompanied by a disagreeable sense of possible suffocation4 ,entering the basin cautiously1 we found the entire surface of the earth covered with the incrusted sinter thrown from the springs4 ,jets of hot vapor were expelled through a hundred natural orifices with which it was pierced1 and through every fracture made by passing over it4 ,the springs themselves were as diabolical in appearance as the witches' caldron in ,macbeth1 and needed but the presence of ,hecate and her weird band to realize that horrible creation of poetic fancy4 ,they were all in a state of violent ebullition1 throwing their liquid contents to the height of three or four feet4 ,the largest had a basin twenty by forty feet in diameter4 ,its greenish-yellow water was covered with bubbles1 which were constantly rising1 bursting1 and emitting sulphurous gas from various parts of its surface4 ,the central spring seethed and bubbled like a boiling caldron4 ,fearful volumes of vapor were constantly escaping it4 ,near it was another1 not so large1 but more infernal in appearance4 ,its contents1 of the consistency of paint1 were in constant1 noisy ebullition4 ,a stick thrust into it1 on being withdrawn1 was coated with lead-colored slime a quarter of an inch in thickness4 ,nothing flows from this spring4 ,seemingly1 it is boiling down4 ,a fourth spring1 which exhibited the same physical features1 was partly covered by an overhanging ledge of rock4 ,we tried to fathom it1 but the bottom was beyond the reach of the longest pole we could find4 ,rocks cast into it increased the agitation of its waters4 ,there were several other springs in the group1 smaller in size1 but presenting the same characteristics4 ,the approach to them was unsafe1 the incrustation surrounding them bending in many places beneath our weight1--and from the fractures thus created would ooze a sulphury slime of the consistency of mucilage4 ,it was with great difficulty that we obtained specimens from the natural apertures with which the crust is filled1--a feat which was accomplished by one only of our party1 who extended himself at full length upon that portion of the incrustation which yielded the least1 but which was not sufficiently strong to bear his weight while in an upright position1 and at imminent risk of sinking into the infernal mixture1 rolled over and over to the edge of the opening1 and with the crust slowly bending and sinking beneath him1 hurriedly secured the coveted prize4 ,illustration3 ,,getting ,a ,,specimen4 ,there was something so revolting in the general appearance of the springs and their surroundings--the foulness of the vapors1 the infernal contents1 the treacherous incrustation1 the noisy ebullition1 the general appearance of desolation1 and the seclusion and wildness of the location--that1 though awestruck1 we were not unreluctant to continue our journey without making them a second visit4 ,once more our amateur explorers had recourse to their western vocabulary1 and bestowed on this unhappy locality the title1 ,hell-broth ,springs--which1 says the historian of the expedition1 fully expressed our appreciation of their character4 ,the following season this remarkable group of springs was thoroughly examined by the party under ,dr4 ,hayden4 ,that careful observer says3 ,they are evidently diminishing in power1 but the rims all around reveal the most powerful manifestations far back in the past4 ,sulphur1 copper1 alum1 and soda cover the surface4 ,there is also precipitated around the borders of some of the mud springs a white efflorescence1 probably nitrate of potash4 ,these springs are located on the side of the mountain1 nearly #a1jjj feet above the margin of the caon1 but extend along into the level portions below4444 ,one of these springs was bubbling quite briskly1 but had a temperature of only #ajj4 ,near it is a turbid spring of #agj4 ,in the valley are a large number of turbid1 mud1 and boiling springs1 with temperatures from #age to #ahe4 ,there are a number of springs that issue from the side of the mountain1 and the waters1 gathering into one channel1 flow into the ,yellowstone1 ,the number of frying or simmering springs is great4 ,the ground in many places1 for several yards in every direction1 is perforated like a sieve1 and the water bubbles by with a simmering noise4 ,there is one huge boiling spring which deposits fine black mud all around the sides4 ,the depth of the crater of this spring1 its dark1 gloomy appearance1 and the tremendous force which it manifested in its operations1 led us to name it the ,devil's ,caldron4 ,there are a large number of springs here1 but no true geysers4 ,it is plainly the last stages of what was once a most remarkable group4 ,extending across the caon on the opposite side of the ,yellowstone1 interrupted here and there1 this group of springs extends for several miles1 forming one of the largest deposits of silica1 but only here and there are there signs of life4 ,many of the dead springs are mere basins1 with a thick deposit of iron on the sides1 lining the channel of the water that flows from them4 ,these vary in temperature from #ih to #abj4 ,the highest temperature was #aib4 ,the steam-vents are very numerous1 and the chimneys are lined with sulphur4 ,where the crust can be removed1 we find the under side lined with the most delicate crystals of sulphur1 which disappear like frost-work at the touch4 ,still there is a considerable amount of solid amorphous sulphur4 ,the sulphur and the iron1 with the vegetable matter which is always very abundant about the springs1 give1 through the almost infinite variety of shades1 a most pleasing and striking picture4 ,one of the mud springs1 with a basin twenty by twenty-five feet1 and six feet deep1 is covered with large bubbles or puffs constantly bursting with a thud4 ,there are a number of high hills in this vicinity entirely composed of the hot-spring deposits1 at least nine-tenths silica1 appearing snowy-white in the distance2 one of the walls is #age feet high1 and another about #gj feet4 ,they are now covered to a greater or less extent with pines4 ,steam is constantly issuing from vents around the base and from the sides of these hills4 ,there is one lake #ajj by #cjj yards1 with a number of bubbling and boiling springs rising to the surface4 ,near the shore is one of the sieve-springs1 with a great number of small perforations1 from which the water bubbles up with a simmering noise2 temperature1 #ahh4 ,this group really forms one of the great ruins4 ,a short day's march from ,hell-broth ,spring brings the traveller to a little stream flowing into the ,yellowstone1 between the upper and the lower fall4 ,from its rapid and tumultuous flow1 the first explorers called it ,cascade ,creek4 ,just before its union with the ,yellowstone it traverses a gloomy gorge cut through a kind of volcanic sandstone1 largely made up of fragments of obsidian and other igneous rocks cemented with volcanic ash4 ,this rock is worn by the water into so many fantastic shapes and cavernous recesses1 that--with their usual poverty of invention and tartarean taste--the first observers straightway gave the uncanny channel over to the ,prince of ,darkness1 and dubbed it the ,devil's ,den4 ,a mile below this gorge the stream flows over a series of ledges1 making a cascade as beautiful as its previous course has been weird and ugly4 ,there is first a fall of five feet1 which is immediately succeeded by another of fifteen1 into a pool as clear as amber1 nestled beneath overarching rocks4 ,here the stream lingers as if half reluctant to continue its course1 then gracefully emerges from the grotto1 and1 veiling the rocks down an abrupt descent of eighty-four feet1 passes rapidly on to the ,yellowstone4 ,for a wonder1 this charming fall has received a corresponding name--,crystal ,cascade4 ,an infinite variety of volcanic specimens1 quartz1 feldspar1 mica1 granites1 lavas1 basalts1 composite crystals--in fact1 everything1 from asbestos to obsidian1 is represented by fragments in the bed of this stream4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,devil',s ,,den4 ,at the foot of the gorge and on the margin of the ,yellowstone stands a high promontory of concretionary lava1 literally filled with volcanic butternuts4 ,many of these are loose1 and can be taken out of the rock with the hand2 broken open1 they are invariably hollow1 and lined with minute quartz crystals of various tints4 ,this rare formation occurs frequently in the great basin4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,grand ,,ca,,on ,,and ,,the ,,falls4 ,no language1 says ,dr4 ,hayden1 can do justice to the wonderful grandeur and beauty of the ,grand ,caon4 ,it has no parallel in the world4 ,through the eye alone can any just idea be gained of its strange1 awful1 fascinating1 unearthly blending of the majestic and the beautiful2 and1 even in its visible presence1 the mind fails to comprehend the weird and unfamiliar1 almost incredible scenes it reveals4 ,says ,mr4 ,langford3 ,the brain reels as we gaze into this profound and solemn solitude4 ,we shrink from the dizzy verge appalled1 glad to feel the solid earth under our feet1 and venture no more1 except with forms extended1 and faces barely protruding over the edge of the precipice4 ,the stillness is horrible4 ,down1 down1 down1 we see the river attenuated to a thread1 tossing its miniature waves1 and dashing1 with puny strength1 against the massive walls which imprison it4 ,all access to its margin is denied1 and the dark gray rocks hold it in dismal shadow4 ,even the voice of its waters in their convulsive agony cannot be heard4 ,uncheered by plant or shrub1 obstructed with massive boulders and by jutting points1 it rushes madly on its solitary course4 ,the solemn grandeur of the scene surpasses description4 ,the sense of danger with which it impresses you is harrowing in the extreme4 ,you feel the absence of sound1 the oppression of absolute silence4 ,if you could only hear that gurgling river1 if you could see a living tree in the depth beneath you1 if a bird would fly past1 if the wind would move any object in the awful chasm1 to break for a moment the solemn silence that reigns there1 it would relieve that tension of the nerves which the scene has excited1 and you would rise from your prostrate condition and thank ,god that he had permitted you to gaze1 unharmed1 upon this majestic display of natural architecture4 ,as it is1 sympathizing in spirit with the deep gloom of the scene1 you crawl from the dreadful verge1 scared lest the firm rock give way beneath and precipitate you into the horrid gulf4 ,the fearful descent into this terrific caon1 ,mr4 ,langford adds1 was accomplished with great difficulty by ,messrs4 ,hauser and ,stickney1 at a point about two miles below the falls4 ,by trigonometrical measurement they found the chasm at that point to be #a1aij feet deep4 ,their ascent from it was perilous1 and it was only by making good use of hands and feet1 and keeping the nerves braced to the utmost tension1 that they were enabled to clamber up the precipitous rocks to a safe landing-place4 ,lieutenant ,doane also made the descent1 somewhat further down the river1 accompanied by one of his company4 ,selecting the channel of a small creek1 they scrambled down its steep descent1 wading in the stream4 ,on entering the ravine1 we came at once to hot springs of sulphur1 sulphate of copper1 alum1 steam jets1 etc41 in endless variety1 some of them of very peculiar form4 ,one of them in particular1 of sulphur1 had built up a tall spire1 standing out from the slope of the wall like an enormous horn1 with hot water trickling down its sides4 ,the creek ran on a bed of solid rock1 in many places smooth and slippery1 in others obstructed by masses of dbris from the overhanging cliffs of the sulphureted limestone above4 ,after descending for three miles in the channel we came to a sort of bench or terrace1 the same one seen previously in following down the creek from our first camp in the basin4 ,here we found a large flock of mountain sheep1 very tame1 and greatly astonished1 no doubt1 at our sudden appearance4 ,mc,connell killed one and wounded another1 whereupon the rest disappeared1 clambering up the steep walls with a celerity truly astonishing4 ,we were now #a1ejj feet below the brink4 ,from here the creek channel was more precipitous1 and for a mile we made our way down over masses of rock and fallen trees1 splashing in warm water1 ducking under cascades1 and skirting close against sidelong places to keep from falling into boiling caldrons in the channel4 ,after four hours of hard labor we reached the bottom of the gulf and the margin of the ,yellowstone1 famished with thirst1 wet and exhausted4 ,the river-water here is quite warm1 and of a villainously alum and sulphurous taste4 ,its margin is lined with all kinds of chemical springs1 some depositing craters of calcareous rock1 others muddy1 black1 blue1 slaty1 or reddish water4 ,the internal heat renders the atmosphere oppressive1 though a strong breeze draws through the caon4 ,a frying sound comes constantly to the ear1 mingled with the rush of the current4 ,the place abounds with sickening and purgatorial smells4 ,we had come down the ravine at least four miles1 and looking upward the fearful wall appeared to reach the sky4 ,it was about three o'clock ,p4,m41 and stars could be distinctly seen1 so much of the sunlight was cut off from entering the chasm4 ,tall pines on the extreme verge appeared the height of two or three feet4 ,the caon1 as before said1 was in two benches1 with a plateau on either side1 about half way down4 ,this plateau1 about a hundred yards in width1 looked from below like a mere shelf against the wall2 the total depth was not less than #b1ejj feet1 and more probably #c1jjj4 ,there are perhaps other caons longer and deeper than this one1 but surely none combining grandeur and immensity with such peculiarity of formation and profusion of volcanic or chemical phenomena4 ,the history of this tremendous chasm is not hard to read4 ,ages ago this whole region was the basin of an immense lake4 ,then it became a centre of volcanic activity2 vast quantities of lava was erupted1 which1 cooling under water1 took the form of basalt2 volumes of volcanic ash and rock-fragments were thrown out from the craters from time to time1 forming breccia as it sunk through the water and mingled with the deposits from silicious springs4 ,over this were spread the later deposits from the waters of the old lake4 ,in time the country was slowly elevated1 and the lake was drained away4 ,the easily eroded breccia along the river channel was cut out deeper and deeper as the ages passed1 while springs and creeks and the falling rain combined to carve the sides of the caon into the fantastic forms they now present1 by wearing away the softer rock1 and leaving the hard basalt and the firmer hot-spring deposits standing in massive columns and ,gothic pinnacles4 ,the basis material of the old hot spring deposits in silica1 originally white as snow1 are now stained by mineral waters with every shade of red and yellow--from scarlet to rose color1 from bright sulphur to the daintiest tint of cream4 ,when the light falls favorably on these blended tints the ,grand ,caon presents a more enchanting and bewildering variety of forms and colors than human artist ever conceived4 ,the erosion was practically arrested at the upper end of the caon by a sudden transition from the softer breccia to hard basalt1 and the falls are the result4 ,from below the ,upper ,fall the vertical wall of basalt can be clearly seen passing diagonally across the rim4 ,the ,lower ,fall was formed in the same way4 ,a grander scene than the lower cataract of the ,yellowstone1 writes ,mr4 ,langford1 was never witnessed by mortal eyes4 ,the volume seemed to be adapted to all the harmonies of the surrounding scenery4 ,had it been greater or smaller it would have been less impressive4 ,the river1 from a width of two hundred feet above the fall1 is compressed by converging rocks to one hundred and fifty feet1 where it takes the plunge4 ,the shelf over which it falls is as level and even as a work of art4 ,the height1 by actual line measurement1 is a few inches more than #cej feet4 ,it is a sheer1 compact1 solid1 perpendicular sheet1 faultless in all the elements of grandeur and picturesque beauties4 ,the caon which commences at the upper fall1 half a mile above this cataract1 is here a thousand feet in depth4 ,its vertical sides rise grey and dark above the fall to shelving summits1 from which one can look down into the boiling1 spray-filled chasm1 enlivened with rainbows1 and glittering like a shower of diamonds4 ,from a shelf protruding over the stream1 #ejj feet below the top of the caon1 and #ahj above the verge of the cataract1 a member of our company1 lying prone upon the rock1 let down a cord1 with a stone attached1 into the gulf1 and measured its profoundest depths4 ,the life and sound of the cataract1 with its sparkling spray and fleecy foam1 contrasts strangely with the sombre stillness of the caon a mile below4 ,there all was darkness1 gloom1 and shadow2 here all was vivacity1 gayety1 and delight4 ,one was the most unsocial1 the other the most social scene in nature4 ,we could talk1 and sing1 and whoop1 waking the echoes with our mirth and laughter in presence of the falls1 but we could not thus profane the silence of the caon4 ,seen through the caon below the falls1 the river for a mile or more is broken by rapids and cascades of great variety and beauty4 ,between the ,lower and ,upper ,falls the caon is two hundred to nearly four hundred feet deep4 ,the river runs over a level bed of rock1 and is undisturbed by rapids until near the verge of the lower fall4 ,the upper fall is entirely unlike the other1 but in its peculiar character equally interesting4 ,for some distance above it the river breaks into frightful rapids4 ,the stream is narrowed between the rocks as it approaches the brink1 and bounds with impatient struggles for release1 leaping through the stony jaws1 in a sheet of snow-white foam1 over a precipice nearly perpendicular1 #aae feet high4#a ,midway in its descent the entire volume of water is carried1 by the sloping surface of an intervening ledge1 twelve or fifteen feet beyond the vertical base of the precipice1 gaining therefrom a novel and interesting feature4 ,the churning of the water upon the rocks reduces it to a mass of foam and spray1 through which all the colors of the solar spectrum are reproduced in astonishing profusion4 ,what this cataract lacks in sublimity is more than compensated by picturesqueness4 ,the rocks which overshadow it do not veil it from the open light4 ,it is up amid the pine foliage which crowns the adjacent hills1 the grand feature of a landscape unrivalled for beauties of vegetation as well as of rock and glen4 ,the two confronting rocks1 overhanging the verge at the height of a hundred feet or more1 could be readily united by a bridge1 from which some of the grandest views of natural scenery in the world could be obtained--while just in front of1 and within reaching distance of the arrowy water1 from a table one-third of the way below the brink of the fall1 all its nearest beauties and terrors may be caught at a glance4 ,we rambled around the falls and caon two days1 and left them with the unpleasant conviction that the greatest wonder of our journey had been seen4 ,a few scattered sentences1 culled from ,dr4 ,hayden's calmly scientific account of the falls1 will suffice to show that ,mr4 ,langford's description o'ersteps not the modesty of nature4 ,illustration3 ,,upper ,,falls ,,of ,,the ,,yellowstone4 ,above the ,upper ,falls the ,yellowstone flows through a grassy1 meadow-like valley1 with a calm1 steady current1 giving no warning1 until very near the falls1 that it is about to rush over a precipice #adj feet1 and then1 within a quarter of a mile1 again to leap down a distance of #cej feet4 ,from any point of view the ,upper ,falls are extremely picturesque and striking4 ,the entire volume of water seems to be1 as it were1 hurled off of the precipice with the force which it has accumulated in the rapids above1 so that the mass is detached into the most beautiful snow-white1 bead-like drops1 and as it strikes the rocky basin below1 it shoots through the water with a sort of ricochet for the distance of #bjj feet4 ,the whole presents in the distance the appearance of a mass of snow-white foam4 ,on the sides of the basalt walls there is a thick growth of vegetation1 nourished by the spray above1 which extends up as far as the moisture can reach4444 ,after the waters roll over the upper descent1 they flow with great rapidity over the apparently flat rocky bottom1 which spreads out to nearly double its width above the falls1 and continues thus until near the ,lower ,falls1 when the channel again contracts1 and the waters seem1 as it were1 to gather themselves into one compact mass and plunge over the descent of #cej feet in detached drops of foam as white as snow2 some of the large globules of water shoot down like the contents of an exploded rocket4444 ,the entire mass of the water falls into a circular basin1 which has been worn into the hard rock1 so that the rebound is one of the magnificent features of the scene4444 ,it is a sight far more beautiful1 though not so grand or impressive as that of ,niagara ,falls4 ,a heavy mist always rises from the water at the foot of the falls1 so dense that one cannot approach within #bjj or #cjj feet1 and even then the clothes will be drenched in a few moments4 ,upon the yellow1 nearly vertical wall of the west side1 the mist mostly falls1 and for #cjj feet from the bottom the wall is covered with a thick matting of mosses1 sedges1 grasses1 and other vegetation of the most vivid green1 which have sent their small roots into the softened rocks1 and are nourished by the ever-ascending spray4 ,at the base and quite high up on the sides of the caon1 are great quantities of talus1 and through the fragments of rocks and decomposed spring deposits may be seen the horizontal strata of breccia4 ,on his return down the opposite or eastern side of the river1 ,colonel ,barlow descended to the foot of the ,lower ,fall for the purpose of exploring the caon4 ,he says3 ,i expected this to be an undertaking of great difficulty and attended with some danger1 but entering a sharp and narrow gorge or fissure in the side of the caon1 immediately below the great fall1 ,i found the descent much easier than was anticipated4 ,it proved to be very steep1 but the rock being solid1 with projecting angles1 there was little danger to a careful climber4 ,a slope of loose and finely broken rock1 a hundred feet in height1 moist from the falling spray1 terminated the descent4 ,sliding to the bottom of this slope1 ,i stood at the foot of the great fall1 #cej feet below its crest1 the walls of the caon rising #gjj feet4 ,my first impression on beholding this fall from below was one of disappointment2 it did not appear as high as ,i expected4 ,the fall1 however1 was grand1 and presented a symmetrical and unbroken sheet of white foam1 set in dark masses of rock1 while rainbows were formed in the spray from almost every point of view4 ,the steep rocks near the falls1 constantly wet with rising mist1 were covered with vegetation of an intensely green color4 ,the river below runs with the velocity of a torrent1 rushing down declivities1 spinning round sharp angles1 and dashing itself into spray at every turn4 ,i found it impossible to follow the bed of the stream1 the steep and slippery side affording no footing whatever1 and crumbling at the slightest touch4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,from ,,the ,,falls ,,to ,,the ,,lake4 ,half a mile above the ,upper ,fall the ,yellowstone gives no intimation of its approaching career of wildness and grandeur4 ,it rolls peacefully between low verdant banks and over pebbly reaches or spaces of quicksand1 with beautiful curves and a majestic motion4 ,its waters are clear and cold1 and of the emerald hue characteristic of ,niagara4 ,great numbers of small springs1 fed by the slowly melting snows of the mountains1 flow from the densely wooded foot-hills1 irrigating the bottoms1 and sustaining a growth of grass and flowers that clothes the lowlands with freshness and vividness of color4 ,everything terrific1 diabolic1 volcanic1 would seem to have been left behind4 ,the first hint to the contrary is given by a pretty little rivulet1 a yard wide and a few inches deep1 clear as crystal1 winding along through the rank grass to join the ,yellowstone4 ,it looks like any clear-watered mountain stream2 but a single taste shows that it has a different origin4 ,it is strongly charged with alum--hence its name1 ,alum ,creek--and its source is in a remarkable group of sulphur and alum springs two or three miles further on1--that is1 about ten miles above the falls4 ,all about these springs are evidences of volcanic action in great variety and profusion4 ,mr4 ,langford says3 ,the region was filled with boiling springs and craters4 ,two hills1 each #cjj feet high1 and from a quarter to half a mile across1 had been formed wholly of the sinter thrown from adjacent springs--lava1 sulphur1 and reddish-brown clay4 ,hot streams of vapor were pouring from crevices scattered over them4 ,their surfaces answered in hollow intonations to every footstep1 and in several places yielded to the weight of our horses4 ,steaming vapor rushed hissingly from the fractures1 and all around the natural vents large quantities of sulphur in crystallized form1 perfectly pure1 had been deposited4 ,this could be readily gathered with pick and shovel4 ,a great many exhausted craters dotted the hill-side4 ,one near the summit1 still alive1 changed its hues like steel under the process of tempering1 to every kiss of the passing breeze4 ,the hottest vapors were active beneath the incrusted surface everywhere4 ,a thick leathern glove was no protection to the hand exposed to them4 ,around these immense thermal deposits1 the country1 for a great distance in all directions1 is filled with boiling springs1 all exhibiting separate characteristics4 ,the most conspicuous of the cluster is a sulphur spring twelve by twenty feet in diameter1 encircled by a beautifully scolloped sedimentary border1 in which the water is thrown to a height of from three to seven feet4 ,the regular formation of this border1 and the perfect shading of the scollops forming it1 are among the most delicate and wonderful freaks of nature's handiwork4 ,they look like an elaborate work of art4 ,this spring is located at the western base of ,crater ,hill1 above described1 and the gentle slope around it for a distance of #cjj feet is covered to considerable depth with a mixture of sulphur and brown lava4 ,the moistened bed of a small channel1 leading from the spring down the slope1 indicated that it had recently overflowed4 ,a few rods north of this spring1 at the base of the hill1 is a cavern whose mouth is about seven feet in diameter1 from which a dense jet of sulphurous vapor explodes with a regular report like a high-pressure engine4 ,a little farther along we came upon another boiling spring1 seventy feet long by forty wide1 the water of which is dark and muddy and in unceasing agitation4 ,about a hundred yards distant we discovered a boiling alum spring1 surrounded with beautiful crystals1 from the border of which we gathered a quantity of alum1 nearly pure1 but slightly impregnated with iron4 ,the violent ebullition of the water had undermined the surrounding surface in many places1 and for the distance of several feet from the margin had so thoroughly saturated the incrustation with its liquid contents1 that it was unsafe to approach the edge4 ,as one of our company was unconcernedly passing near the brink1 the incrustation suddenly sloughed off beneath his feet4 ,a shout of alarm from his comrades aroused him to a sense of his peril1 and he only avoided being plunged into the boiling mixture by falling suddenly backward at full length upon the firm portion of the crust1 and rolling over to a place of safety4 ,his escape from a horrible death was most marvellous1 and in another instant he would have been beyond all human aid4 ,our efforts to sound the depths of this spring with a pole thirty-five feet in length were fruitless4 ,the report of the ,geological ,expedition describes these curious springs somewhat more minutely4 ,the first that attracted ,dr4 ,hayden's attention was the powerful steam-vent above mentioned1 which he calls the ,locomotive ,jet4 ,the aperture is about six inches in diameter1 a sort of raised chimney1 and all around are numerous small continuous steam-vents1 all of which are elegantly lined with the bright-yellow sulphur4 ,the entire surface is covered with the white silicious crust1 which gives forth a hollow sound beneath the tread2 and we took pleasure in breaking it up in the vicinity of the vents1 and exposing the wonderful beauty of the sulphur-coating on the inner sides4 ,this crust is ever hot1 and yet so firm that we could walk over it anywhere4 ,on the south side of these hills1 close to the foot1 is a magnificent sulphur-spring4 ,the deposits around it are silica2 but some places are white1 and enamelled like the finest porcelain4 ,the thin edges of the nearly circular rim extend over the waters of the basin several feet1 yet the open portion is fifteen feet in diameter4 ,the water is in a constant state of agitation4 ,the steam that issues from this spring is so strong and hot that it was only on the windward side that ,i could approach it and ascertain its temperature1 #aig4 ,the agitation seemed to affect the entire mass1 carrying it up impulsively to the height of four feet4 ,it may be compared to a huge caldron of perfectly clear water somewhat superheated4 ,but it is the decorations about this spring that lent the charm1 after our astonishment at the seething mass before us--the most beautiful scolloping around the rim1 and the inner and outer surface covered with a sort of pearl-like bead work4 ,the base is the pure white silica1 while the sulphur gave every possible shade1 from yellow to the most delicate cream4 ,no kind of embroidering that human art can conceive or fashion could equal this specimen of the cunning skill of nature4 ,on the northeast side of the hills1 extending from their summits1 are large numbers of the steam-vents1 with the sulphur linings and deposits of the sulphur over the surface4 ,these hills are entirely due to the old hot springs1 and are from #ej to #aej feet in height4 ,the rock is mostly compact silica1 but there is almost every degree of purity1 from a kind of basalt to the snow-white silica4 ,some of it is a real conglomerate1 with a fine silicious cement inclosing pebbles of white silica1 like those seen around the craters of some geysers4 ,although at the present time there are no true geysers in this group1 the evidence is clear that these were1 in former times1 very powerful ones1 that have built up mountains of silica by their overflow4 ,the steam-vents on the side and at the foot of these hills represent the dying stages of this once most active group4 ,quite a dense growth of pines now covers these hills1 which rise up in the midst of the plains1 and from their peculiar white appearance are conspicuous for a great distance4 ,at one point there is a steam-vent so hot that it is difficult to approach it1 emitting a strong sulphurous smell1 and within two feet of it there is a larger spring1 boiling like a caldron4 ,so far as ,i can determine1 there is no underground connection of any of the springs with each other4 ,sometimes the rims of these craters1 as well as the inner sides of their basins1 have a beautiful papulose surface1 the silica just covered with a thin veil of delicate creamy sulphur4 ,at this locality are some very remarkable turbid and mud springs4 ,one of them has a basin twenty feet in diameter1 nearly circular in form1 and the contents have almost the consistency of thick hasty-pudding4 ,indeed1 there is no comparison that can bring before the mind a clearer picture of such a mud volcano than a huge caldron of thick mush4 ,the surface is covered all over with puffs of mud1 which1 as they burst1 give off a thudlike noise1 and then fine mud-waves recede from the centre of the puffs in the most perfect rings to the side4 ,although there are hundreds of these mudpots1 yet it is very rare that the mud is in just the condition to admit of these peculiar rings4 ,the thud is1 of course1 produced by the escape of the sulphureted hydrogen gas through the mud4 ,the mud is so fine as to have no visible or sensible grain1 and is very strongly impregnated with alum4 ,for three hundred yards in length and twenty-five yards in width1 the valley of this little branch of ,alum ,creek is perforated with these mud-vents of all sizes1 and the contents are of all degrees of consistency1 from merely turbid water to a thick mortar4 ,the entire surface is perfectly bare of vegetation1 and hot1 yielding in many places to a slight pressure4 ,i attempted to walk about among these simmering vents1 and broke through to my knees1 covering myself with the hot mud1 to my great pain and subsequent inconvenience4 ,one of the largest of the turbid springs has a basin with a nearly circular rim twenty feet from the margin to the water1 and forty feet in diameter4 ,there are two or three centres of ebullition2 temperature1 #ahh4 ,a couple of miles above these springs1 near the banks of the ,yellowstone1 is a not less remarkable group of sulphur and mud springs4 ,all the intermediate space abounds in the remains of similar springs1 now quiescent or dead1 yet giving evidence of former power and activity beyond that displayed by any now existing4 ,there were giants in those days6 ,mr4 ,langford describes a group of these unsightly caldrons1 varying in size from two to ten feet in diameter2 their surfaces from three to eight feet below the level of the plain3 ,the contents of the most of them were of the consistency of thick paint1 which they greatly resembled1 some being yellow1 others pink1 and others dark brown4 ,this semi-fluid was boiling at a fearful rate1 much after the fashion of a hasty-pudding in the last stages of completion4 ,the bubbles1 often two feet in height1 would explode with a puff1 emitting at each time a villainous smell of sulphuretted vapor4 ,springs six and eight feet in diameter1 but four feet asunder1 presented distinct phenomenal characteristics4 ,there was no connection between them1 above or below4 ,the sediment varied in color1 and not unfrequently there would be an inequality of five feet in their surfaces4 ,each1 seemingly1 was supplied with a separate force4 ,they were embraced within a radius of #a1bjj feet1 which was covered with a strong incrustation1 the various vents in which emitted streams of heated vapor4 ,our silver watches1 and other metallic articles1 assumed a dark leaden hue4 ,the atmosphere was filled with sulphurous gases1 and the river opposite our camp was impregnated with the mineral bases of adjacent springs4 ,at the base of adjacent foot-hills we found three springs of boiling mud1 the largest of which1 forty feet in diameter1 encircled by an elevated rim of solid tufa1 resembles an immense caldron4 ,the seething1 bubbling contents1 covered with steam1 are five feet below the rim4 ,the disgusting appearance of this spring is scarcely atoned for by the wonder with which it fills the beholder4 ,the other two springs1 much smaller1 but presenting the same general features1 are located near a large sulphur spring of milder temperature1 but too hot for bathing4 ,on the brow of an adjacent hillock1 amid the green pines1 heated vapor issues in scorching jets from several craters and fissures4 ,passing over the hill1 we struck a small stream of perfectly transparent water flowing from a cavern1 the roof of which tapers back to the water1 which is boiling furiously1 at a distance of twenty feet from the mouth1 and is ejected through it in uniform jets of great force4 ,the sides and entrance of the cavern are covered with soft1 green sediment1 which renders the rock on which it is deposited as soft and pliable as putty4 ,about two hundred yards from this cave is a most singular phenomenon1 which we called the ,muddy ,geyser4 ,it presents a funnel-shaped orifice1 in the midst of a basin one hundred and fifty feet in diameter1 with sloping sides of clay and sand4 ,the crater or orifice1 at the surface1 is thirty by fifty feet in diameter4 ,it tapers quite uniformly to the depth of about thirty feet1 where the water may be seen1 when the geyser is in repose1 presenting a surface of six or seven feet in breadth4 ,the flow of this geyser is regular every six hours4 ,the water rises gradually1 commencing to boil when about half way to the surface1 and occasionally breaking forth in great violence4 ,when the crater is filled1 it is expelled from it in a splashing1 scattered mass1 ten or fifteen feet in thickness1 to the height of forty feet4 ,the water is of a dark lead color1 and deposits the substance it holds in solution in the form of miniature stalagmites upon the sides and top of the crater4 ,as this was the first object which approached a geyser1 we1 naturally enough1 regarded it with intense curiosity4444 ,while returning by a new route to our camp1 dull1 thundering sounds1 which ,general ,washburn likened to frequent discharges of a distant mortar1 broke upon our ears4 ,we followed their direction1 and found them to proceed from a mud volcano1 which occupied the slope of a small hill1 embowered in a grove of pines4 ,dense volumes of steam shot into the air with each report1 through a crater thirty feet in diameter4 ,the reports1 though irregular1 occurred as often as every five seconds1 and could be distinctly heard half a mile4 ,each alternate report shook the ground a distance of two hundred yards or more1 and the massive jets of vapor which accompanied them burst forth like the smoke of burning gunpowder4 ,it was impossible to stand on the edge of that side of the crater opposite the wind1 and one of our party1 ,mr4 ,hedges1 was rewarded for his temerity in venturing too near the rim1 by being thrown by the force of the volume of steam violently down the outer side of the crater4 ,from hasty views1 afforded by occasional gusts of wind1 we could see at a depth of sixty feet the regurgitating contents4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,mud ,,volcano4 ,this volcano1 as is evident from the freshness of the vegetation and the particles of dried clay adhering to the topmost branches of the trees surrounding it1 is of very recent formation4 ,probably it burst forth but a few months ago4 ,its first explosion must have been terrible4 ,we saw limbs of trees #abe feet high encased in clay1 and found its scattered contents two hundred feet from it4 ,on the east side of the ,yellowstone1 close to the margin of the river1 are a few turbid springs1 and mud-springs strongly impregnated with alum4 ,the mud is yellow and contains much sulphur4 ,these1 the discoverers1 ,dr4 ,hayden and his company1 called ,mud-sulphur ,springs4 ,the main basin is #ae by #cj feet1 and has three centres of ebullition1 showing that deep in the earth are three independent orifices for the emission of heated waters4 ,dr4 ,hayden's description of the roaring spring issuing from a cavern1 coincides with that given above4 ,he called it the ,grotto4 ,around all these springs he observed an abundance of grasses1 rushes1 mosses1 and other plants growing with a surprising luxuriance4 ,the recent mud-volcano described by ,mr4 ,langford was considered by ,dr4 ,hayden as the most remarkable mud-spring thus far discovered in the ,west4 ,it does not boil with an impulse like most of the mud-springs1 he says1 but with a constant roar which shakes the ground for a considerable distance1 and may be heard for half a mile4 ,a dense column of steam is ever rising1 filling the crater1 but now and then a passing breeze will remove it for a moment1 revealing one of the most terrific sights one could well imagine4 ,the contents are composed of thin mud in a continual state of the most violent agitation1 like an immense caldron of mush submitted to a constant1 uniform1 but most intense heat4444 ,all the indications around this most remarkable caldron show that it has broken out at a recent period2 that the caving in of the sides so choked up the orifice that it relieved itself1 hurling the muddy contents over the living pines in the vicinity4 ,the steam rising from this spring--the ,giant's ,caldron--can be seen for many miles in every direction4 ,the movements of ,muddy ,geyser were closely watched for twenty-four hours by ,mr4 ,campbell ,carrington1 who was specially detailed for that duty by ,dr4 ,hayden4 ,his observations began about nine o'clock ,a4,m41 ,july #ast4 ,then the pool was calm4 ,shortly after1 he heard the loud1 hissing noise of escaping steam4 ,hurrying to the geyser1 he saw a wave about three feet in height rise and die away to the left2 three similar waves followed in quick succession4 ,their dense columns of steam burst up to the height of twenty feet1 with a dull1 heavy explosion1 the action continuing for fifteen minutes1 when the spring ceased flowing as suddenly as it had begun4 ,the average height of the flowing was about fifteen feet1 though some of the jets reached fully thirty feet4 ,five minutes after the eruption the pool measured twenty-five feet in circumference and three in depth1 where before it was a hundred feet in circumference and eleven in depth4 ,ten minutes later the mud began to rise slowly in the pool4 ,this continued for a little over three hours1 when the spring began to boil near the centre4 ,the ebullition gradually increased in violence for twenty minutes1 then it suddenly stopped1 and the eruption began as at first4 ,this rising1 falling1 and overflowing took place eight times in twenty-four hours4 ,the following table shows the time of the observed flowings and their length3 ,first flowing1 #i4bj ,a4,m4 to #i4ce ,a4,m42 length1 #ae minutes4 ,second flowing1 #a4cj ,p4,m4 to #a4ej ,p4,m42 length1 #bj minutes4 ,third flowing1 #e ,p4,m4 to #e4ae ,p4,m42 length1 #ae minutes4 ,fourth flowing1 #h4cj ,p4,m4 to #h4ej ,p4,m42 length1 #bj minutes4 ,fifth flowing1 #ab4cj ,p4,m4 to #ab4de ,p4,m42 length1 #ae minutes4 ,sixth flowing1 #d ,a4,m4 to #d4ae ,a4,m42 length1 #ae minutes4 ,seventh flowing1 #g4cj ,a4,m4 to #g4de ,a4,m42 length1 #ae minutes4 ,eighth flowing1 #aa ,a4,m4 to #aa4aj ,a4,m42 length1 #aj minutes4 ,total length of time1 #bf hours4 ,aggregate time of flowing1 three hours and #ae minutes4 ,average length of flowings1 #ae minutes and #cg and one half seconds4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,yellowstone ,,lake4 ,such a vision1 exclaims the sober-minded chief of the ,geological ,survey1 is worth a lifetime2 and only one of such marvellous beauty will ever greet human eyes4 ,secluded amid the loftiest peaks of the ,rocky ,mountains1 writes ,mr4 ,langford1 possessing strange peculiarities of form and beauty1 this watery solitude is one of the most attractive natural objects in the world4 ,its southern shore1 indented with long narrow inlets1 not unlike the frequent fiords of ,iceland1 bears testimony to the awful upheaval and tremendous force of the elements which resulted in its creation4 ,the long pine-crowned promontories1 stretching into it from the base of the hills1 lend new and charming features to an aquatic scene full of novelty and splendor4 ,islands of emerald hue dot its surface1 and a margin of sparkling sand forms its jewelled setting4 ,the winds1 compressed in their passage through the mountain gorges1 lash it into a sea as terrible as the fretted ocean1 covering it with foam4 ,but now it lay before us calm and unruffled1 save by the gentle wavelets which broke in murmurs along the shore4 ,water1 one of the grandest elements of scenery1 never seemed so beautiful before4 ,it formed a fitting climax to all the wonders we had seen1 and we gazed upon it for hours1 entranced with its increasing attractions4 ,the beautiful sheet of water so enthusiastically yet fittingly described1 is somewhat more than twenty miles long and fifteen broad1 with an irregular outline1 presenting some of the loveliest shore-lines that water ever assumed4 ,its form has been compared to that of an outspread hand1 the northern portion representing the palm1 the southwestern a swollen thumb1 the first and second fingers aborted1 the third and fourth disproportionately large4 ,a glance at the map will show that a juster comparison would be to the head and shoulders of some grotesque animal with two slender ears and a pair of huge knobby horns--the head facing the north4 ,the greatest stretch of water extends from the end of the heavy lower jaw 7the outlet of the ,yellowstone7 to the top of the upper horn1 where the ,upper ,yellowstone comes in2 while the great body of the water lies between the forehead and the base of the shoulder4 ,the superficial area of the lake is about three hundred square miles2 its greatest depth #cjj feet1 and its elevation above the sea #g1dbg feet4 ,in the last respect it has but one rival1 ,lake ,titicaca in ,south ,america4 ,illustration3 ,,yellowstone ,,lake4 ,lying upon the very crown of the continent1 ,yellowstone ,lake receives no tributaries of any considerable size1 its clear cold water coming solely from the snows that fall on the lofty mountain ranges that hem it in on every side4 ,in the early part of the day1 when the air is still and the bright sunshine falls on its unruffled surface1 its bright green color1 shading to a delicate ultramarine1 commands the admiration of every beholder4 ,later in the day1 when the mountain winds come down from their icy heights1 it puts on an aspect more in accordance with the fierce wilderness around it4 ,its shores are paved with volcanic rocks1 sometimes in masses1 sometimes broken and worn into pebbles of trachyte1 obsidian1 chalcedony1 cornelians1 agates1 and bits of agatized wood2 and again1 ground to obsidian-sand and sprinkled with crystals of ,california diamonds4 ,here and there hot-spring deposits show wave-worn bluffs of the purest white2 and in sheltered bays1 clay-concretions and casts from mud-puffs strew the beach with curious forms1 that exploring trappers mistook for the drinking cups1 stone war-clubs1 and broken idols of some extinct race4 ,vegetation is abundant in the lake as well as around it4 ,several species of plants grow far out into the deep waters1 living thickly on rocks twenty feet below the surface4 ,after a severe storm their uptorn stems strew the beach like kelp on the seashore1 and the water is discolored with vegetable matter for several yards from the shore4 ,the water swarms with trout1 but there is no other kind of fish1 no shells1 no shell-fish1--nothing but trout4 ,of these1 ,mr4 ,carrington1 the naturalist of the ,geological ,survey1 reports the following interesting observations3 ,although ,i searched with diligence and care in the neighboring streams and waters around the ,yellowstone ,lake1 ,i was unable to find any other species of fish except the salmon-trout2 their numbers are almost inconceivable2 average weight1 one pound and a half2 color1 a light-grey above1 passing into a light-yellow below2 the fins1 all except the dorsal and caudal1 vary from a bright-yellow to a brilliant orange1 they being a dark-grey and heavily spotted4 ,a curious fact1 and one well worthy of the closest attention of an aspiring icthyologist1 is connected with these fish1 namely1 that among their intestines1 and even interlaced in their solid flesh1 are found intestinal worms1 varying in size1 length1 and thickness1 the largest measuring about six inches in length4 ,on cutting one of these trout open1 the first thing that attracts your attention is small oleaginous-looking spots clinging to the intestines1 which1 on being pressed between the fingers1 break and change into one of these worms1 small1 it is true1 but nevertheless perfect in its formation4 ,from five or six up to forty or fifty will be found in a trout1 varying1 as ,i said before1 in size1 the larger ones being found in the solid flesh1 through which they work their way1 and which1 in a very short while1 becomes almost putrid4 ,their number can generally be estimated from the appearance of the fish itself2 if many1 the trout is extremely poor in flesh1 the color changes from the healthy grey to a dull pale1 it swims lazily near the top of the water1 losing all its shyness and fear of man2 it becomes almost savage in its appetite1 biting voraciously at anything thrown in the water1 and its flesh becomes soft and yielding4 ,if1 on the other hand1 there are few or none1 the flesh of the fish is plump and solid1 and he is quick and sprightly in all his motions4 ,i noticed that it was almost invariably the case when a trout had several scars on the outside of his body that it was free from these worms1 and ,i therefore took it for granted that the worms finally worked their way through the body1 and the flesh1 on healing up1 leaves the scars on the outside2 the trout1 in a short while1 becomes plump and healthy again4 ,the only way that ,i can account for the appearance of these worms is1 that the fish swallows certain bugs or insects1 and that the larv formed from them gradually develop into the full-grown intestinal worm4 ,but even if this explanation of their appearance was received1 does it not seem a little strange that while all the fish above the ,upper ,falls are more or less affected by them1 that below and even between the ,upper and ,lower ,falls such a thing as wormy trout is never heard of8 ,being unable1 with my limited knowledge of icthyology1 to arrive at any definite conclusion in regard to their appearance1 ,i submit the above facts to those who are more learned than myself in this most interesting branch of natural history4 ,waterfowl make up in number and variety for the lack of life within the lake4 ,the surface fairly swarms with them4 ,lieutenant ,doane enumerates swans1 pelicans1 gulls1 geese1 brants1 and many varieties of ducks and dippers2 also herons and sand-hill cranes4 ,the pelicans are very plentiful1 immense fleets of them sailing in company with the majestic swan1 and at nightfall the low1 flat islands in the lake are white with them4 ,the gulls are of the same variety as those of ,san ,francisco ,harbor4 ,eagles1 hawks1 ravens1 ospreys1 prairie chickens1 grouse1 mocking-birds and woodpeckers are common in and around the lake basin4 ,mention is also made of a guide-bird1 whose habits correspond with its name4 ,it resembles the blackbird1 but is larger4 ,lieutenant ,doane says3 ,i saw but one of these--the day ,i went to the bottom of the ,grand ,caon2 it hopped and flew along from rock to rock ahead of us during the whole trip down1 waited perched upon a rock while we were resting1 and led us clear to the summit again in the same manner1 making innumerable sounds and gestures constantly to attract attention4 ,others of the party remarked birds of the same kind and acting in the same manner4 ,herds of deer1 elk1 and mountain sheep1 throng the forests and mountain meadows about the lake4 ,buffalo signs1 grizzly bears and ,california lions are far from uncommon1 while the smaller lakes and creek-valleys of the basin are fairly alive with otter1 beaver1 mink1 and muskrats4 ,lieutenant ,doane observed several unnamed and undescribed species of squirrels and weasels1 and doubtless there are many other new varieties of animal life peculiar to this little-known region4 ,one department of natural history1 however1 is happily unrepresented in the basin4 ,there are no snakes1 though rattlesnakes are plentiful down the ,yellowstone4 ,there are but two considerable islands in the lake--,stephenson's and ,frank's--each about a mile long1 narrow and covered with a thick growth of pines4 ,dot ,island1 near ,frank's1 a small lozenge-shaped mud-bank1 not over a third of a mile long1 and half a dozen of smaller size1 usually near the shore1 complete the list4 ,the first explorers constructed a rude raft for the purpose of visiting these islands and exploring the shore-line of the lake1 but it was speedily wrecked by the choppy waves beat up by the sudden gusts from the mountains4 ,the ,geological ,expedition took the precaution to carry from ,fort ,ellis the framework of a little craft1 twelve feet long1 three and a half feet wide1 and twenty-two inches deep1 which1 covered with well-tarred canvas1 made a very serviceable boat for fair-weather navigation4 ,our little bark1 whose keel was the first to plow the waters of the most beautiful lake on the continent1 says ,dr4 ,hayden1 was named by ,mr4 ,stephenson in compliment to ,miss ,anna ,l4 ,dawes1 the amiable daughter of ,hon4 ,h4 ,l4 ,dawes4 ,my whole party1 he adds1 were glad to manifest1 by this slight tribute1 their gratitude to the distinguished statesman1 whose generous sympathy and aid had contributed so much toward securing the appropriation which enabled them to explore this marvellous region4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,first ,,boat ,,on ,,yellowstone ,,lake4 ,the little craft rode the waves well and performed excellent service4 ,its first voyage was to ,stephenson's ,island1 named after the first assistant of the expedition4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,around ,,yellowstone ,,lake4 ,the ,yellowstone leaves the ,lake with an easy flow in a channel a quarter of a mile wide1 and deep enough to swim a horse4 ,a mile to the eastward of the outlet is the mouth of ,pelican ,creek1 whose swampy valley is the resort of myriads of waterfowl4 ,on the northern side1 three or four miles from the lake1 ,sulphur ,hills stand as monuments of a once magnificent system of boiling springs4 ,the deposit covers the side of the mountain to an elevation of #fjj feet above the lake shore4 ,the huge white mass of silica1 covering an area half a mile square1 can be seen from any position on the lake shore1 whence it appears like an immense bank of snow4 ,in the valley near ,pelican ,creek1 a few springs issue from beneath the crust1 distributing their waters over the bottom and depositing oxide of iron1 sulphur1 and silica in the most beautiful blending of gay colors4 ,although the waters of the springs are #afj in temperature1 the channels are lined with a thick growth of mosses and other plants1 and in the water is an abundance of vividly green vegetation4 ,the mass of hot-spring material built up here cannot be less than #djj feet in thickness4 ,a large portion of it is pudding-stone or conglomerate4 ,some of the masses inclosed in the fine white silicious cement are themselves globes of pure white silica1 eight inches in diameter4 ,it is plain1 from the evidence still remaining1 that this old ruin has been the theatre of tremendous geyser action at some period not very remote1 and that the steam-vents1 which are very numerous1 represent only the dying stages4 ,these vents or chimneys are richly adorned with brilliant yellow sulphur1 sometimes as a hard amorphous coating1 and sometimes in delicate crystals that vanish like frost-work at the touch4 ,it seems that it is only during the last stages of these springs that they adorn themselves with these brilliant and vivid colors4 ,hot springs are scattered along the valley of the creek for several miles1 some of them of considerable size and beauty4 ,the average width of the valley is about two miles2 the heat from the springs and the extremely fertile soil combining to fill the valley with abundant vegetation4 ,at the northeastern corner of the lake1 five or six miles from the outlet1 is a long1 low spit of land built out into the lake by ancient geyser action4 ,a few roaring steam-vents1 giving name to the point1 are all that remain of the violent action that once characterized the place4 ,the hot spring area is four or five miles long by two wide2 the ground in many places being perforated like a cullender with simmering vents4 ,a mile or so from the lake is a large pond where there is another extensive group of springs1 depositing sulphur1 alum1 common salt1 and staining the ground with oxide of iron4 ,south of ,steam ,point is a small bay bounded by a deposit of yellow clay1 full of the remarkable concretions already referred to4 ,further up the eastern shore are pebbly beaches strewn with agates cornelians1 and chips of chalcedony4 ,beyond1 the narrow lake-shore is quite impassable4 ,the adjacent lowlands1 and the higher levels and hill-slopes further back1 are almost as difficult of penetration1 owing to the dense growth of lofty pines and the interminable fire-slashes that cover large areas4 ,these fire-slashes are due to autumnal fires which sweep through the forests1 burning the vegetable mould1 so that the trees are left without support1 and the first wind lays them down in the wildest confusion4 ,through these networks of fallen timber it is with the utmost difficulty that a passage can be forced4 ,all the explorers speak of the exasperating nature of their tribulations in these wildernesses4 ,mr4 ,langford treats it with characteristic good humor4 ,ascending the plateau from the beach1 he says1 we became at once involved in all the intricacies of a primeval wilderness of pines4 ,difficulties increased with our progress through it1 severely trying the amiability of every member of the company4 ,our pack-horses would frequently get wedged between the trees or caught in the traps of a network of fallen trunks1 from which labor1 patience1 and ingenuity were severely taxed to extricate them4 ,the ludicrous sometimes came to our relief1 proving that there was nothing so effectual in allaying excitement as hearty laughter4 ,we had a remarkable pony in our pack-train1 which1 from the moment we entered the forest1 by his numerous acrobatic performances and mishaps furnished amusement for the company4 ,one part of the process of travel through this forest could only be accomplished by leaping over the fallen trunks1 an exploit which1 with all the spirit needful for the purpose1 our little broncho lacked the power always to perform4 ,as a consequence1 he was frequently found with the feat half accomplished1 resting upon the midriff1 his fore and hind feet suspended over the opposite sides of some huge log4 ,his ambition to excel was only equalled by the patience he exhibited in difficulty4 ,on one occasion1 while clambering a steep rocky ascent1 his head overtopping his haunches1 he literally performed three of the most wonderful backward headsprings ever recorded in equine history4 ,a continued experience of this kind1 after three weeks' toilsome travel1 found him as sound as on the day of its commencement1 and we dubbed him the ',little ,invulnerable4' ,in another place ,mr4 ,langford writes3 ,our journey of five miles1 the next day1 was accomplished with great difficulty and annoyance4 ,almost the entire distance was through a forest piled full of fallen trunks4 ,travelling was but another name for scrambling2 and as man is at times the least amiable of animals1 our tempers frequently displayed alarming activity1 not only towards the patient creatures laden with our stores1 but towards each other4 ,once1 while involved in the reticulated meshes of a vast net of branches and tree-tops1 each man1 with varied expletive emphasis1 clamorously insisting upon a particular mode of extrication1 a member of the party1 who was always jolly1 restored us to instant good-humor by repeating1 in theatrical tone and manner1 those beautiful lines from ,childe ,harold3-- ,there is a pleasure in the pathless woods1 ,there is a rapture on the lonely shore4 ,our ',little ,invulnerable1' too1 was the unconscious cause of many bursts of laughter1 which1 like the plaudits of an appreciative audience1 came in at the right time4 ,the eastern rim of the ,yellowstone ,basin is formed by one of the grandest volcanic ranges in the world1 the general level of their summits being about #aj1jjj feet above the sea1 while numerous peaks thrust their rugged crests a thousand feet higher into the sky4 ,mr4 ,langford and ,lieutenant ,doane were the first to penetrate this range1 climbing with great labor one of the highest of the groups of lofty peaks near the southeast corner of the ,lake4 ,the grandeur and vast extent of the view from this elevation1 writes ,mr4 ,langford1 beggar description4 ,the lake and valley surrounding it lay seemingly at our feet within jumping distance4 ,beyond them we saw with great distinctness the jets of the mud volcano and geyser4 ,but beyond all these1 stretching away into a horizon of cloud-defined mountains1 was the entire ,wind ,river range1 revealing in the sunlight the dark recesses1 gloomy caons1 stupendous precipices1 and glancing pinnacles1 which everywhere dotted its jagged slopes4 ,lofty peaks shot up in gigantic spires from the main body of the range1 glittering in the sunbeams like solid crystal4 ,the mountain on which we stood was the most westerly peak of a range which1 in long-extended volume1 swept to the southeastern horizon1 exhibiting a continuous elevation more than thirty miles in width2 its central line broken into countless points1 knobs1 glens1 and defiles1 all on the most colossal scale of grandeur and magnificence4 ,outside of these1 on either border1 along the entire range1 lofty peaks rose at intervals1 seemingly vying with each other in the varied splendors they presented to the beholder4 ,the scene was full of majesty4 ,the valley at the base of this range was dotted with small lakes and cloven centrally by the river1 which1 in the far distance1 we could see emerging from a caon of immense dimensions1 within the shade of which two enormous jets of steam shot to an incredible height into the atmosphere4 ,between the lake and this group of mountains--the three highest of which bear the names of ,langford1 ,doane1 and ,stephenson--is ,brimstone ,basin4 ,for several miles the ground is impregnated with sulphur1 and the air is tainted with sulphurous exhalations4 ,streams of warm sulphur-water course the hillsides and unite to form a considerable rivulet called ,alum ,creek1 whose channel is coated with a creamy-white mixture of silica and sulphur4 ,old pine logs1 once lofty trees1 lie prostrate in every direction over the basin1 which covers an area some three miles in extent4 ,from all appearances this basin must have been the scene of thermal activity within a comparatively recent period2 but now not a spring can be found with a temperature above that of ordinary spring-water4 ,similar brimstone basins are numerous around the lake1 on the lower slopes of the mountains1 at the foot of bluffs1 or more frequently in level districts4 ,the latter are always wet1 and generally impassable1 the thin crust covering an abundance of scalding mud1 especially dangerous to horses4 ,the ,upper ,yellowstone rises in the high volcanic range which shuts off the ,yellowstone ,basin from the ,wind ,river drainage1 forming what is known as the great water-shed of the continent4 ,this range of mountains has a marvellous history4 ,as it is the loftiest1 so it is the most remarkable lateral ridge of the ,rocky ,range4 ,the ,indians regard it as the crest of the world1 and among the ,blackfeet there is a fable that he who attains its summit catches a view of the land of souls1 and beholds the happy hunting-grounds spread out below him1 brightening with the abodes of free and generous spirits4 ,in the expedition sent across the continent by ,mr4 ,astor1 in #ahaa1 under command of ,captain ,wilson ,p4 ,hunt1 that gentleman met with the first serious obstacle to his progress at the base of this range4 ,after numerous efforts to scale it1 he turned away and followed the valley of the ,snake1 encountering the most discouraging disasters until he arrived at ,astoria4 ,later1 in #ahcc1 the indomitable ,captain ,bonneville was lost in this mountain labyrinth1 and1 after devising various modes of escape1 finally determined to ascend the range1 which tremendous task he succeeded in accomplishing1 in company with one of his men4 ,it was this same line of snow-clad1 craggy peaks that turned back ,captain ,raynolds in #ahei4 ,illustration3 ,,breaking ,,through4 ,near its mouth the ,upper ,yellowstone is about half the size of the main stream as it leaves the lake4 ,its valley is about three miles wide and very marshy2 all the little streams flowing down from the wooded hill-slopes being obstructed by beaver-dams1 so as to form continuous chains of ponds4 ,the sides of the valley are dark1 sombre walls of volcanic rock1 which weathers into curious and imposing forms4 ,looking up the valley from some high point1 one almost imagines himself in the presence of the ruins of some gigantic city1 so much like ancient castles and cathedrals do these rocks appear--a deception that is not a little heightened by the singular vertical furrows cut deep into the cliffs4 ,at the base of the walls immense masses of breccia have fallen from the mountain tops1 in many instances cutting long swaths through the pine forests4 ,in the upper part of the valley1 which in midsummer is lush with vegetation1 five streams flow down from the mountains to swell the waters of the ,yellowstone4 ,these streams ,colonel ,barlow calls1 in honor of his commander's greatest victory1 the ,five ,forks4 ,here the valley terminates abruptly1 the mountains rising like walls and shutting off the country beyond4 ,just at the head of the valley is a little lake1 a hundred yards or so in width2 the large lake which has been placed on maps as ,bridger's ,lake having no existence4 ,dr4 ,hayden with two assistants ascended the mountains to the west of the head of the valley to survey the district bordering on the great divide4 ,from this point as far as the eye can reach on every side are bare1 bald peaks1 domes and ridges in great numbers4 ,at least one hundred peaks worthy of a name can be located within the radius of vision4 ,the rocks everywhere1 though massive1 black1 and deeply furrowed vertically1 have the appearance of horizontal stratification4 ,in some instances the furrows are so regular that the breccia has a columnar appearance4 ,the summits of the mountains are composed entirely of breccia1 containing angular masses of trachyte1 from #aj to #cj feet in diameter1 though most of the fragments are small4 ,dr4 ,hayden's party camped at night near a small lake1 by the side of a bank of snow1 #aj1jjj feet above the sea1 with short spring grass and flowers all around them4 ,there are but two seasons on these mountain summits1 spring and winter2 as late as ,august fresh new grass may be seen springing up where a huge bank of snow has just disappeared4 ,little spring-flowers1 seldom more than two or three inches high1 cover the ground--,clatonia1 ,viola1 ,ranunculus1 and many others4 ,the following morning they travelled for several miles along a ridge not more than two hundred yards wide1 from one side of which the waters flow into the ,pacific1 and on the other1 into the ,atlantic4 ,to the westward the outlines of the ,teton ,range1 with its shark-teeth summits1 are most clearly visible1 covered with snow4 ,from whatever point of view1 the sharp-pointed peaks of this range have the form of huge sharks' teeth4 ,to the southward1 for fifty miles at least1 nothing but igneous rocks can be seen4 ,toward the ,tetons there is a series of high ridges1 passing off from the main ,teton ,range toward the northeast1 and varying in height from #i1ejj to #aj1ejj feet above the sea1 and from #a1jjj to #a1hjj feet above the valleys at their base4 ,the explorers ascended one of the high ridges1 7not the highest1 however17 and found it to be #a1fej feet above the valley at its foot4 ,the northeast side is steep like a roof1 the southwest breaking off abruptly4 ,from the summit of this ridge1 the view is grand in the extreme4 ,to the westward the entire country1 for the distance of fifty miles1 seems to have been thrown up into high1 sharp ridges1 with gorges #a1jjj to #a1ejj feet in depth4 ,beautiful lakes1 grassy meadows also1 come within the field of vision4 ,i can conceive1 says ,dr4 ,hayden1 of no more wonderful and attractive region for the explorer4 ,it would not be difficult for the traveller to make his way among these grand gorges1 penetrating every valley1 and ascending every mountain and ridge4 ,the best of grass1 wood1 water and game are abundant to supply the wants of himself and animals4 ,i think1 he continues1 that numerous passes could be found from the valley of ,snake ,river to the basin of the ,yellowstone4 ,it seems to me there are many points on the south rim of the basin where a road could be made with ease into the valley of ,snake ,river4 ,from this ridge there appears to be but little difference in the altitude of ,yellowstone ,lake and ,heart ,lake1 and they cannot be more than eight or ten miles apart1 and yet the latter is one of the sources of ,snake ,river4 ,the little branches of ,snake ,river nearly interlace with some streams that flow into the lake1 and the gullies come up within two miles of the shore-line4 ,there is a very narrow dividing ridge in one place1 between the drainage1 which may be within one mile of the lake4 ,heart ,lake was visited by ,colonel ,barlow1 who found it a pretty1 pear-shaped sheet of water1 four miles long and two wide in its broadest part4 ,from the north it receives a warm creek fed by a considerable group of hot springs4 ,its outlet at the southern end joins the terminal creek of ,snake ,river1 a few miles from its source among the ,yellowstone ,mountains4 ,ten miles northwest of ,heart ,lake is ,madison ,lake1 the source of ,madison ,river1 the country between being a somewhat rugged range of mountains1 of which ,red ,mountain is the most conspicuous4 ,to the eastward from ,heart ,lake is ,mount ,sheridan1 from the summit of which a magnificent view of the ,yellowstone ,basin can be obtained4 ,nearer the great lake is ,flat ,mountain1 whose altitude falls a little short of #aj1jjj feet4 ,between ,flat ,mountain and the ,yellowstone ,range the divide is very low1 some of the branches of ,snake ,river extending up to within two miles of the lake1 where the elevation is not more than #djj feet above the lake level4 ,it is doubtless this singular interlacing of the headwaters of the ,yellowstone and ,snake ,river that gave rise to ,bridger's story of the ,two ,ocean ,river4 ,at sunrise on the morning of ,august #ajth1 at the west base of ,flat ,mountain1 the thermometer stood at #ae ,fah41 and water froze in ,dr4 ,hayden's tent that night a quarter of an inch thick4 ,it was in this neighborhood that ,mr4 ,everts was lost from the first expedition4 ,the country between ,flat ,mountain and the hot springs at the southwestern extremity of the lake is a level plateau with alternating spaces of grassy glade and dense thickets of pine around and between a perfect network of small1 lily-covered lakes4 ,the hot springs on the lake shore are numerous and of great variety and interest4 ,there are no true geysers1 however1 though some of the springs are pulsating springs1 the water rising and falling in their orifices with great regularity4 ,higher up the bank are a large number of mud-springs1 two or three hundred in all1 of variable temperatures1 the most of them not differing materially from those already described4 ,some1 however1 have a character strikingly unique4 ,the area covered by the springs is about three miles long and half a mile wide1 a portion of it reaching out into the lake4 ,some of the submerged springs have built up funnel-shaped craters of silicious deposit1 from five to twenty feet in height1 rising from the bottom to the surface of the water4 ,extending a pole over the deep water1 members of ,dr4 ,hayden's party caught trout and cooked them in these boiling springs out in the lake without removing them from the hook4 ,four hundred yards from the lake shore is a large boiling basin of pink-colored mud1 seventy feet in diameter1 with a rim of conical mud craters1 which project the hot mud in every direction4 ,the deposit speedily hardens into a firm1 laminated stone1 of beautiful texture1 though the brilliant pink color fades to a chalky white4 ,near and around this basin are a dozen springs1 from six to twenty-five feet across1 boiling muddy water of a paint-like consistency1 varying in color from pure white to dark yellow4 ,close by are several flowing springs of clear hot water1 from ten to fifty feet in diameter1 their basins and channels lined with deposits of red1 green1 yellow1 and black1 giving them an appearance of gorgeous splendor4 ,the bright colors are on the surface of the rock only1 which is too friable to be preserved4 ,below these springs are several large craters of bluish water1 boiling to the height of two feet in the centre1 and discharging large streams of water2 their rims are raised a few inches in a delicate rock-margin of a fringe-like appearance1 deposited from the water4 ,beyond these are two lakes of purple water1 hot1 but not boiling1 and giving deposits of great beauty4 ,near by are two more blue springs1 one thirty by forty feet1 and #agc in temperature4 ,this spring discharges a considerable stream into the other1 which is seventy feet distant1 and six feet lower4 ,the latter is forty feet by seventy-five1 #ahc in temperature1 and discharges a stream of one hundred inches4 ,the craters of these springs are lined with a silvery-white deposit of silica1 which reflect the light so as to illuminate the water to an immense depth4 ,both craters have perpendicular but irregular walls1 and the distance to which objects are visible down in their deep abysses is truly wonderful4 ,west of these is another group of clear watered hot springs1 which surpass all the rest in singularity if not in beauty4 ,these have basins of different sizes and immeasurable depth1 in which float what appear like raw bullock hides as they look in a tanner's vat1 waving sluggishly with every undulation of the water4 ,on examination1 this leathery substance proves to be of fragile texture1 like the vegetable scum of stagnant pools1 and brilliantly colored red1 yellow1 green1 etc41 black on the under side4 ,this singular substance is about two inches in thickness1 jelly-like to the touch1 and is composed largely of vegetable matter1 which ,dr4 ,hayden thinks to be diatoms4 ,of the beautiful transparency of the springs above described1 ,dr4 ,hayden says3 ,so clear was the water that the smallest object could be seen on the sides of the basin2 and as the breeze swept across the surface1 the ultramarine hue of the transparent depth in the bright sunlight was the most dazzlingly beautiful sight ,i ever beheld4 ,there were a number of these large clear springs1 but not more than two or three that exhibited all those brilliant shades1 from deep sea green to ultramarine4 ,occasionally1 says ,lieutenant ,doane1 this anomaly is seen1 namely3 two springs1 at different levels1 both boiling violently2 one pours a large and constant stream into the other1 yet the former does not diminish1 nor does the latter fill up and overflow4 ,most of the springs1 however1 seem to be independent of each other1 since they have different levels at the surface1 different temperatures and pulsations1 and rarely are the waters and deposits of any two exactly alike4 ,passing northward through dense woods and almost impenetrable fire-slashes1 the next noteworthy region arrived at is the valley of ,bridge ,creek1 the creek receiving its name from a natural bridge of trachyte thrown across the stream4 ,the bridge is narrow1 affording scanty room for the well-worn elk-trail two feet wide1 while the descent on either hand is so great that a fall from the bridge would be fatal to man or beast4 ,numerous herds of elk make daily use of this convenient passway4 ,dead and dying springs are abundant all along the valley of this creek1 the most of them being reduced to mere steam-vents4 ,in one place the spring deposits cover several acres and present a most attractive picture4 ,the ground is thickly covered with conical mounds1 from a few inches in diameter to a hundred feet1 full of steaming orifices lined with brillant sulphur-crystals4 ,the under side of the heated crust is everywhere adorned in the same manner4 ,the basis of the deposit is snow-white silica1 but it is variegated with every shade of yellow from sulphur1 and with scarlet from oxide of iron4 ,from a distance the whole region has the appearance of a vast lime-kiln in full operation4 ,most of the country has been eroded into rounded hills from fifty to two hundred feet high1 composed of the whitish-yellow and pinkish clays and sands of the modern lake deposit1 which seems to prevail more or less all round the rim of the basin1 reaching several hundred feet above the present level of the lake4 ,between ,bridge ,creek and the outlet of the lake1 completing the circuit of the basin1 is the ,elephant's ,back1 a long1 low mountain1 noticeable only for its rounded summit and precipitous sides4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,upper ,,geyser ,,basin ,,of ,,firehole ,,river4 ,just over the western margin of the ,yellowstone ,basin1 yet within the limits of our great ,national ,park1 is the grand geyser region of ,firehole ,river4 ,here1 in a valley a dozen miles long and two or three wide1 is an exhibition of boiling and spouting springs on a scale so stupendous that if all the corresponding phenomena of all the rest of the world could be brought into an equal area the display would seem as nothing in comparison4 ,firehole ,river1 the main fork of the ,madison1 has its source in ,madison ,lake1 a beautiful sheet of water set like a gem among the mountains1 dense forests of pines coming down to the very shores4 ,a pointed ridge extends into the lake on the west side about half a mile1 giving it the form of a heart4 ,its area is about three miles from north to south1 and two from east to west4 ,its shores are paved with masses of trachyte and obsidian4 ,the high mountains about the lake and along the river are gashed with deep gorges1 with steep and jagged sides4 ,pines grow upon the mountain-sides where the declivity is so great that they cannot be scaled4 ,in the obstructed gorges and on the mountain-tops1 from #i1jjj to #aj1jjj feet above the sea1 little lakes occur every mile or so1 nestled among the pines4 ,clear-watered mountain-torrents tumble down the almost vertical ridges to swell the ,firehole1 making cascades that in any other region would enjoy world-wide fame4 ,just before reaching the geyser-basin1 some ten miles below the lake1 the river roars through a deep gorge in the trachyte rock1 and as it emerges1 dashes over two cliffs1 one twenty1 the other fifty feet in height4 ,these pretty falls1 writes ,lieutenant ,doane1 if located on an ,eastern stream1 would be celebrated in history and song2 here1 amid objects so grand as to strain conception and stagger belief1 they were passed without a halt4 ,shortly after1 the caon widens and the dominion of the ,fire ,king begins4 ,scattered along both banks of the river are boiling springs from two to twelve feet across1 all in active eruption4 ,the craters of these springs are from three to forty feet high4 ,like the springs on ,gardiner's ,river1 these gradually seal themselves up by depositing mineral matter around and over their orifices4 ,numbers of such self-extinguished craters1 now cones of solid rock1 are scattered along the river-side4 ,two miles further down the stream is the upper geyser-basin1 an open1 rolling valley1 two miles wide and three long1 the mountains on either side rising #a1ejj feet above the valley1 with steep1 heavily-timbered ledges of dark rock4 ,hurrying down the ,firehole1 thinking the wonders of the ,yellowstone country had been left behind1 and anxious only to reach the settlements of the ,madison ,valley1 the expedition of #ahga was startled and astonished to see at no great distance an immense volume of clear1 sparkling water projected into the air to the height of one hundred and twenty-five feet4 ,geysers6 geysers6 exclaimed one of the company1 and1 spurring their jaded horses1 they were soon gathered around an unexpected phenomenon--a perfect geyser4 ,the aperture through which the column of water was projected was an irregular oval1 three feet by seven in diameter4 ,the margin of sinter was curiously piled up1 the exterior crust filled with little hollows full of water1 in which were globules of sediment1 gathered around bits of wood and other nuclei ,this geyser stands on a mound1 thirty feet above the level of the surrounding plain1 its crater rising five or six feet higher4 ,it spouted at regular intervals nine times during the explorers' stay1 the columns of boiling water being thrown from ninety to one hundred and twenty-five feet at each discharge1 which lasted from fifteen to twenty minutes4 ,they gave it the name of ,old ,faithful4 ,near the crater1 and as far as the irruptive waters reach1 writes ,lieutenant ,doane1 the character of the deposit is very peculiar4 ,close around the opening are built up walls1 eight feet in height1 of spherical nodules1 from six inches to three feet in diameter4 ,these stony spheres1 in turn1 are covered with minute globules of stalagmite1 incrusted with a thin glazing of silica4 ,the rock1 at a distance1 appears the color of ashes of roses1 but near at hand shows a metallic gray1 with pink and yellow margins of the utmost delicacy4 ,being constantly wet1 the colors are brilliant beyond description4 ,sloping gently from this rim of the crater in every direction the rocks are full of cavities in successive terraces1 forming little pools1 with margins of silica the color of silver1 the cavities being of irregular shape1 constantly full of hot water1 and precipitating delicate1 coral-like beads of a bright saffron4 ,these cavities are also fringed with rock around the edges1 in meshes as delicate as the finest lace4 ,diminutive yellow columns rise from their depths1 capped with small tablets of rock1 and resembling flowers growing in the water4 ,some of them are filled with oval pebbles of a brilliant white color1 and others with a yellow frost-work which builds up gradually in solid stalagmites4 ,receding still farther from the crater1 the cavities become gradually larger1 and the water cooler1 causing changes in the brilliant colorings1 and also in the formations of the deposits4 ,these become calcareous spar1 of a white or slate color1 and occasionally variegated4 ,the water of the geyser is colorless1 tasteless1 and without odor4 ,the deposits are apparently as delicate as the down on the butterfly's wing1 both in texture and coloring1 yet are firm and solid beneath the tread4 ,those who have seen the stage representations of ,aladdin's ,cave1 and the ,home of the ,dragon ,fly1 as produced in a first-class theatre1 can form an idea of the wonderful coloring1 but not of the intricate frost-work1 of this fairy-like1 yet solid mound of rock1 growing up amid clouds of steam and showers of boiling water4 ,one instinctively touches the hot ledges with his hands1 and sounds with a stick the depths of the cavities in the slope1 in utter doubt in the evidence of his own eyes4 ,the beauty of the scene takes away one's breath4 ,it is overpowering1 transcending the visions of the ,moslem's ,paradise4 ,as the next party of explorers were leaving the basin1 ascending the river1 this grand old geyser1 which stands sentinel at the head of the valley1 gave them a magnificent parting display4 ,with little or no preliminary warning1 writes ,dr4 ,hayden1 it shot up a column of water about six feet in diameter to the height of #ajj to #aej feet1 and by a succession of impulses seemed to hold it up steadily for the space of fifteen minutes1 the great mass of water falling directly back into the basin1 and flowing over the edges and down the sides in large streams4 ,when the action ceases1 the water recedes beyond sight1 and nothing is heard but the occasional escape of steam until another exhibition occurs4 ,this is one of the most accommodating geysers in the basin1 and during our stay played once an hour quite regularly4 ,old ,faithful stands alone1 though surrounded by a number of old geyser hills1 whether built up in past ages by one spring shifting its position from time to time1 or by a group of springs1 now almost exhausted1 it is impossible to tell4 ,just across the river1 and close to the margin1 stands a silicious cone1 very symmetrical1 slightly corrugated on its exterior surface1 three feet in height and five in diameter at its base4 ,its orifice is oval1 with scalloped edges1 and two feet by three in diameter4 ,of this unpretending cone ,mr4 ,langford writes3 ,not one of our company supposed that it was a geyser2 and among so many wonders it had almost escaped notice4 ,while we were at breakfast upon the morning of our departure a column of water1 entirely filling the crater1 shot from it1 which1 by accurate triangular measurement1 we found to be #bai feet in height4 ,the stream did not deflect more than four or five degrees from a vertical line1 and the eruption lasted eighteen minutes4 ,we named it ',the ,bee-hive4' ,a hundred yards further from the river1 near the centre of the large group of spouting and boiling geysers1 of which the ,bee-hive is one1 is a large oval aperture with scalloped edges1 the diameters of which were eighteen and twenty-five feet1 the sides corrugated and covered with a greyish-white silicious deposit1 which was distinctly visible at the depth of one hundred feet below the surface4 ,no water could be discovered1 writes ,mr4 ,langford1 on his first approach to the spring1 but we could distinctly hear it gurgling and boiling at a great distance below4 ,suddenly it began to rise1 boiling and spluttering1 and sending out huge masses of steam1 causing a general stampede of our company1 driving us some distance from our point of observation4 ,when within about forty feet of the surface it became stationary1 and we returned to look down upon it4 ,it was foaming and surging at a terrible rate1 occasionally emitting small jets of hot water nearly to the mouth of the orifice4 ,all at once it seemed seized with a fearful spasm1 and rose with incredible rapidity1 hardly affording us time to flee to a safe distance1 when it burst from the orifice with terrific momentum1 rising in a column the full size of this immense aperture to the height of sixty feet2 and through and out of the apex of this vast aqueous mass1 five or six lesser jets or round columns of water1 varying in size from six to fifteen inches in diameter1 were projected to the marvellous height of two hundred and fifty feet4 ,these lesser jets1 so much higher than the main column1 and shooting through it1 doubtless proceed from auxiliary pipes leading into the principal orifice near the bottom1 where the explosive force is greater4444 ,this grand eruption continued for twenty minutes1 and was the most magnificent sight we ever witnessed4 ,we were standing on the side of the geyser nearest the sun1 the gleams of which filled the sparkling column of water and spray with myriads of rainbows1 whose arches were constantly changing1--dipping and fluttering hither and thither and disappearing only to be succeeded by others1 again and again1 amid the aqueous column1 while the minute globules into which the spent jets were diffused when falling sparkled like a shower of diamonds1 and around every shadow which the denser clouds of vapor1 interrupting the sun's rays1 cast upon the column1 could be seen a luminous circle radiant with all the colors of the prism1 and resembling the halo of glory represented in paintings as encircling the head of ,divinity4 ,all that we had previously witnessed seemed tame in comparison with the perfect grandeur and beauty of this display4 ,two of these wonderful eruptions occurred during the twenty-two hours we remained in the valley4 ,this geyser we named ',the ,giantess4' ,the central spring of this group stands on the summit of a great mound built up in thin layers1 by the continual but moderate overflow of the spring4 ,the crater is twenty feet in diameter1 slightly bubbling or boiling near the centre1 and with a thin1 elegant ring projecting a few inches over the water4 ,looking down into the clear water of this spring one seems to be gazing into fathomless depths1 while the bright blue of the water is unequalled even by the sea4 ,there are many such central springs1 usually crowning the summits of mounds1 and with projecting rims carved with an intricate delicacy truly marvellous1 and adorned with colors that defy description4 ,the great beauty of the prismatic colors1 writes ,dr4 ,hayden1 depends much on the sunlight2 about the middle of the day1 when the bright rays descend nearly vertically1 and a slight breeze just makes a ripple on the surface1 the colors exceed comparison2 when the surface is calm there is one vast chaos of colors1 dancing1 as it were1 like the colors of a kaleidoscope4 ,as seen through this marvellous play of colors1 the decorations on the sides of the basin are lighted up with a wild1 weird beauty1 which wafts one at once into the land of enchantment2 all the brilliant feats of fairies and genii in the ,arabian ,nights' ,entertainments are forgotten in the actual presence of such marvellous beauty2 life becomes a privilege and a blessing after one has seen and thoroughly felt its cunning skill4 ,across the river1 and a short distance below this group1 is the largest and most imposing formation in the valley--the crater of ,castle ,geyser4 ,this geyser receives its name from its resemblance to the ruins of an old castle as one enters the valley from the east4 ,the deposited silica has crystallized in immense globular masses1 like cauliflowers or spongiform corals1 apparently formed about a nucleus at right angles to the centre4 ,the entire mound is about forty feet high1 and the chimney twenty feet4 ,the lower portion rises in steps formed of thin lamin of silica1 mostly very thin1 but sometimes compact1 an inch or two thick4 ,on the southeast side1 where the water is thrown out continually1 these steps are ornamented with the usual bead and shell work1 with the large cauliflower-like masses3 but the other portions are fast going to decay1 and the dbris are abundant4 ,this has undoubtedly been one of the most active and powerful geysers in the basin2 it still keeps up a great roaring inside1 and every few moments1 as observed by ,dr4 ,hayden1 it throws out a column of water to the height of ten or fifteen feet4 ,occasionally it seems to have more imposing eruptions1 since on one occasion ,lieutenant ,doane saw it throw a column of water to the height of sixty feet1 with the escape of heavy volumes of steam4 ,the next year ,colonel ,barlow saw a similar display4 ,according to the latter observer1 the base of the crater is three hundred and twenty-five feet in circumference1 and the turret one hundred and twenty-five4 ,at the base of the turret lies a large petrified pine log1 covered with a brilliant incrustation several inches thick4 ,across the river1 and a little below the ,castle1 are some fifty springs and geysers1 the chief of which has been called ,grand ,geyser1 its power seeming greater than that of any other in the valley4 ,lieutenant ,doane describes this magnificent geyser as follows3 ,opposite camp1 on the other side of the river1 is a high ledge of stalagmite1 sloping from the base of the mountain down to the river4 ,numerous small knolls are scattered over its surface2 the craters of boiling springs from #ae to #be feet in diameter2 some of these throw water to the height of three and four feet4 ,on the summit of this bank of rock is the grand geyser of the world1 a well in the strata1 #bj by #be feet in diametric measurements1 7the perceptible elevation of the rim being but a few inches17 and when quiet having a visible depth of #ajj feet4 ,the edge of the basin is bounded by a heavy fringe of rock1 and stalagmite in solid layers is deposited by the overflowing waters4 ,when an eruption is about to occur the basin gradually fills with boiling water to within a few feet of the surface1 then suddenly1 with heavy concussions1 immense clouds of steam rise to the height of #ejj feet1 and the whole great body of water1 #bj by #be feet1 ascends in one gigantic column to the height of #ij feet2 from the apex of this column five great jets shoot up1 radiating slightly from each other1 to the unparalleled altitude of #bej feet from the ground4 ,the earth trembles under the descending deluge from this vast fountain2 a thousand hissing sounds are heard in the air2 rainbows encircle the summits of the jets with a halo of celestial glory4 ,the falling water plows up and bears away the shelly strata1 and a seething flood pours down the slope and into the river4 ,it is the grandest1 the most majestic1 and most terrible fountain in the world4 ,after playing thus for twenty minutes it gradually subsides1 the water lowers into the crater out of sight1 the steam ceases to escape1 and all is quiet4 ,this grand geyser played three times in the afternoon1 but appears to be irregular in its periods1 as we did not see it in eruption again while in the valley4 ,its waters are of a deep ultramarine color1 clear and beautiful4 ,the waving to and fro of the gigantic fountain1 in a bright sunlight1 when its jets are at their highest1 affords a spectacle of wonder of which any description can give but a feeble idea4 ,our whole party were wild with enthusiasm2 many declared it was #cjj feet in height2 but ,i have kept1 in the figures as set down above1 within the limits of absolute certainty4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,grand ,,geyser ,,of ,,the ,,firehole ,,basin4 ,dr4 ,hayden describes it with equal enthusiasm4 ,we camped the evening of ,august #eth1 in the middle of the ,upper ,geyser ,basin1 in the midst of some of the grandest geysers in the world4 ,colonel ,barlow and ,captain ,heap1 of the ,united ,states ,engineers1 were camped on the opposite side of the ,firehole4 ,soon after reaching camp a tremendous rumbling was heard1 shaking the ground in every direction1 and soon a column of steam burst forth from a crater near the edge of the east side of the river4 ,following the steam by a succession of impulses1 a column of water1 apparently six feet in diameter1 rose to the height of #bjj feet1 while the steam ascended a thousand feet or more4 ,so steady and uniform did the force act1 that the column of water appeared to be held there for some minutes1 returning into the basin in millions of prismatic drops4 ,this was continued for about fifteen minutes1 and the rumbling and confusion attending it could be compared only to that of a charge in battle4 ,it would be difficult to describe the intense excitement which attended such a display4 ,it is probable that if we could have remained in the valley several days1 and become accustomed to all the preliminary warnings1 the excitement would have ceased1 and we could have admired calmly the marvellous ease and beauty with which this column of hot water was held up to that great height for the space of twenty minutes4 ,after the display is over the water settles down in the basin several inches and the temperature slowly falls to #aej4 ,we called this the ,grand ,geyser1 for its power seemed greater than any other of which we obtained any knowledge in the valley4 ,the are two orifices in one basin2 one of them seems to have no raised rim1 and is a very modest-looking spring in a state of quiescence1 and no one would for a moment suspect the power that was temporarily slumbering below4 ,the orifice is oblong1 two and a half by four feet1 while for the space of ten feet in every direction around it are rounded masses of silica1 from a few inches to three feet in diameter1 looking like spongiform corals4 ,nothing could exceed the crystal clearness of the water4 ,this is the ,grand ,geyser4 ,within twenty feet of this orifice is a second one1 of irregular quadrangular form1 fifteen by twenty-five feet2 the east side of the main outer rim of reservoir extended twenty feet beyond the large orifice4 ,the bottom of this great reservoir is covered with thick spongiform masses1 and in addition the rim is most elegantly adorned with countless pearl-like beads1 of all sizes4 ,there are several beautiful triangular reservoirs1 one and one half by three feet1 set around the outer sides of the rim1 with numerous smaller ones1 full of clear water1 with hundreds of small depressions most beautifully scalloped4 ,as we recede from the rim1 the waters as they pass slowly away produce1 by evaporation1 broad shallow basins1 with thin1 elegantly colored partitions1 portions of which have the form of toad-stools4 ,when the water settles into these depressions1 or flows away toward the river in numerous small channels1 the wonderful variety of coloring which is so attractive to the eye is produced4 ,the larger orifice seems to be in a state of violent agitation as often as once in twenty minutes1 raising up the entire mass of water ten or fifteen feet4 ,it is never altogether quiet4 ,although these two orifices are within the same rim1 ,i could not ascertain that there is the slightest connection with each other4 ,when the large orifice is much agitated it does not disturb the equanimity of the ,grand ,geyser4 ,they both operate perfectly independently of each other4 ,indeed ,i do not know that there is a connection between any of the springs in the whole basin1 though there may be in some rare cases4 ,the ,grand ,geyser operated twice while we were in the basin1 with an interval of about thirty-two hours2 of course the displays could not be exactly periodic1 but it would be an interesting study to remain several days to watch carefully the movements of such a power4 ,just east of ,grand ,geyser is the ,saw-mill1 a moderate sized geyser1 with three smaller ones by the side of it1 all playing at the same time4 ,from the larger a column of water is constantly shot up fifteen or twenty feet1 with much the sound of the escape of steam from a pipe4 ,the orifice is not more than six inches in diameter2 but with the three smaller ones playing at the same time a great commotion is excited4 ,near this little group are several large boiling springs1 which throw up the water in the centre from two to four feet4 ,these are funnel-shaped1 with orifices from six inches to two feet in diameter1 in basins with nearly circular rims1 from fifteen to forty feet in diameter4 ,about one fourth of a mile northeast of the ,castle1 upon a mound thirty feet about above the river1 built up of thin lamin of silica1 and rounded off1 rise four chimneys of different sizes1 which are geysers1 though perhaps not spouting extensively at present4 ,one is twelve inches high1 nearly circular1 and three feet in diameter2 the second is oblong1 four by six feet1 with rather coarsely scolloped margins1 with an aperture about fifteen inches in diameter2 the third chimney is about three feet high and six feet in diameter at the base1 with an orifice nearly quadrangular twelve inches across4 ,the spongiform masses inside are covered all over with beautiful pearly beads of silica4 ,the fourth chimney rises five feet above the mound1 is ten feet in diameter at the base1 with an orifice two feet across1 lined inside with the spongiform masses4 ,this has been at one time a first-class geyser1 but is now fast going to decay1 a beautiful ruin4 ,the elegant bead work on the margin1 and all the spongiform masses1 now are falling into pieces1 forming great quantities of dbris around the base of the mound4 ,there is also one boiling spring of great beauty4 ,the orifice1 which is nearly circular and beautifully scolloped around the margin1 extends straight down1 and the water rises within an inch or two of the margin4 ,the water is in a state of constant agitation1 boiling up two feet at times4 ,the margin has a coating of bright cream-yellow1 while all around the surface there is the most delicate and intricate embroidering1 surpassing the most elaborate lace-work4 ,surrounding the crater is an outer reservoir four feet wide1 with a white and reddish-yellow rim1 while in the bottom of the reservoir is the variegated sediment which aids in giving such a wonderfully gay appearance to the spring4 ,a stream of water flows from the spring to the river1 and the channel is lined for fifty yards with the variegated sediment4 ,near this is another mound which rises1 with laminated steps1 about six feet4 ,dr4 ,hayden called it the ,bathtub4 ,it has much the shape and size of an ordinary bathing-tub1 five feet by ten1 beautifully scolloped around the inner margin with the spongiform or cauliflower masses of silica1 the outer surface being adorned with the greatest profusion of pearly beads4 ,the water is constantly boiling up two feet high1 though but a small quantity flows from the spring4 ,the entire valley is full of similar springs1 many of these no doubt geysers whose periods of activity have never been observed4 ,we could not distinguish1 writes ,lieut4 ,doane1 the geysers from the other hot springs except by seeing them play1 and doubtless there are many besides in the valley of great size1 which we saw when quiet1 and classed as boiling springs4 ,they all vary in times1 force1 deposits1 and color of water4 ,the number of springs of all kinds in the valley is not less than fifteen hundred2 and1 with the exception of the ,bluestone ,springs1 scarcely any two are exactly alike4 ,taken as an aggregate1 the ,firehole ,basin surpasses all the other great wonders of the continent4 ,it produces an effect on the mind of the beholder utterly staggering and overpowering4 ,during the night we were several times awakened by the rush of steam and the hissing of the waters1 as the restless geysers spouted forth in the darkness4 ,a constant rumbling1 as of machinery in labor1 filled the air1 which was damp and warm throughout the night4 ,lieutenant ,doane's suspicion that many quiet-looking springs were slumbering geysers1 was speedily and grandly justified4 ,the very next morning his company were awakened by a fearful hissing sound1 accompanied by the rush of falling water4 ,on looking out1 they saw on the other side of the stream a small crater1 three feet in height1 with an opening #bf inches in diameter1 which had scarcely been noticed on the previous day4 ,now it was playing a perpendicular jet to the height of #bai feet1 amid great clouds of steam1 and causing the ground to tremble as the heavy body of water fell with tremendous splashes upon the shelly strata below4 ,huge masses of rock were torn from their places and borne away into the river channel4 ,it played thus1 steadily1 for ten minutes1 giving time to obtain an accurate measurement by triangulation4 ,this crater gave no notice of being a geyser1 and its appearance and size1 compared with others1 were altogether insignificant4 ,we were more than ever convinced1 adds ,lieutenant ,doane1 that continued observation would develop the knowledge of geysers in greater numbers1 and perhaps of greater projectile force than any we had seen4 ,crossing the river once more to the south side--that of ,old ,faithful and the ,castle--we find another large group of springs1 the chief of which is the ,giant4 ,this is remarkable rather for its immense flow of water than for any peculiarity of structure4 ,it has a rugged crater1 shaped like the base of a broken horn1 twelve feet high4 ,its cavity or nozzle is seven feet in diameter4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,giant ,,geyser4 ,during its quiescent state the boiling water can be seen in its chambers at a depth of forty feet1 the action of the steam and water together producing a loud1 rumbling sound4 ,near1 and acting in concert with it1 are half a dozen smaller craters from two to eight feet in height1 constantly full of water1 and boiling violently from two to six feet into the air4 ,this great geyser1 says ,lieutenant ,doane1 played several times while we were in the valley1 on one occasion throwing constantly for over three hours a stream of water seven feet in diameter1 from #ij to #bjj feet perpendicularly4 ,while playing it doubled the size of the ,firehole ,river4 ,at the base of the mountain further south is a remarkable geyser1 discovered by ,colonel ,barlow1 and called by him the ,comet4 ,the crater of this geyser is very beautiful1 though1 being but slightly elevated above the general slope of the plateau1 it might easily be overlooked1 should it not happen to play during the visit of an examining party4 ,there are three openings4 ,one1 a very small aperture1 emits puffs of steam1 similar to the exhaust-pipe of a steam engine4 ,the large one in the centre1 six feet across1 boils violently during an eruption1 but does not throw water to a great height4 ,the third opening is the geyser proper4 ,it is twelve by eighteen inches in diameter1 somewhat narrowed as it descends1 and is of great depth--smooth and straight4 ,these cavities are all lined with delicate deposit1 beautifully enamelled1 in appearance as delicate as frost-work1 but hard and strong1 requiring the assistance of a hammer to detach fragments for specimens4 ,soon after ,colonel ,barlow entered the basin he witnessed a grand eruption of this geyser4 ,he says3 ,a roar was heard near the hill-side a hundred yards distant1 and upon rushing out in that direction we saw a huge mass of steam issuing from a crater at the base of the hill1 accompanied by a column of water rising to a height far exceeding that of any geyser yet seen4 ,this grand fountain continued to play for several minutes1 when1 having subsided1 ,i approached to obtain a closer view of the aperture whence had issued such a powerful stream4 ,a sudden gush of steam drove me away1 following which the water was again impelled upward and upward1 far above the steam1 until it seemed to have lost the controlling force of gravity4 ,the roar was like the sound of a tornado1 but there was no apparent effort--a steady stream1 very graceful and perfectly vertical1 except as a slight breeze may have waved it to and fro4 ,strong and smooth1 it continued to ascend1 like the stream from a powerful steam fire-engine4 ,we were all lost in astonishment at the sudden and marvellous spectacle4 ,i have no hesitancy in stating that this geyser played to the height of over two hundred feet4 ,it commenced at five o'clock in the afternoon and continued twenty minutes4 ,the enthusiasm of the party as they watched this wondrous display knew no bounds4 ,those who were usually loud and boisterous in the exhibition of their feelings1 became subdued and simply gazed in silent awe2 while the more sober members seemed to lose their natural gravity and manifested their delight in shouts of rapture4 ,for myself1 ,i remember trying to obtain a view of the fountain from all points of the compass at once1 and was brought to a realizing sense of the difficulties attending the execution of this desire1 by discovering that ,i was waiting in the torrent of hot water which was now flooding the nearly level surface of the surrounding rock4 ,after the grand column of water subsided1 vast clouds of steam1 were for some time ejected from the throat of the geyser1 and also from a small rent close beside the main orifice4 ,during the following day we watched this crater with increasing vigilance in the hope of witnessing another of its stupendous exhibitions4 ,the photographer kept his camera levelled upon the spot all day1 and careful arrangements for triangulating the height of the column were also made4 ,but though numerous indications of another eruption were observed at intervals by the rising of the water with violent ebullitions1 no explosion occurred till about ten o'clock at night1 when the grand performance was repeated4 ,the spectacle by moonlight was truly sublime1 but less satisfactory than in the day1 since it was more difficult to distinguish between the column of water and the masses of vapor escaping with it4 ,the interval between its eruptions was approximately determined as about twenty-nine hours2 we therefore reasoned that it would play again at three o'clock the following night1 and at eight on the succeeding morning4 ,but we were doomed to disappointment2 the eruption persisted in taking-place before daylight on the three succeeding nights1 thus preventing the observations we so much desired to make4 ,two hundred yards below the ,giant is the ,grotto so named from the curious irregularity of its inclosing walls4 ,it has an exceedingly intricate formation1 with fantastic arches1 pillars1 and turreted sides1 and discharges several times a day4 ,several of the first explorers crawled through the sinuous apertures when all was quiet4 ,it seemed as harmless as curious then1 but their opinion was changed slightly when they saw it an hour after throwing a column of water six feet in diameter to the height of sixty feet4 ,near it are several vents in which the water boils constantly to the height of six feet1 large streams running down the banks into the river4 ,around the point of a hill a few hundred yards south of the ,grotto1 and partially concealed by a grove of pines1 is a white cone twenty-five feet high and a hundred feet in diameter at the base4 ,it has evidently been a geyser of considerable importance1 but it now merely sends forth puffs of steam from a small orifice at the top4 ,near it is a quiet hot-spring with a most elegantly scalloped rim4 ,back of this ,pyramid is the ,punch ,bowl1 and still further south1 the ,black ,sand ,geyser1 neither of which has been specially described4 ,returning to the river and crossing we find at the water's edge1 nearly opposite the ,grotto1 the ,riverside ,geyser1 and a short distance below1 on the same side1 is the ,fan4 ,the latter geyser has a double orifice1 which discharges five radiating jets to the height of sixty feet1 the falling drops and spray giving the appearance of a feather fan4 ,the effect is very beautiful4 ,its eruptions are frequent1 lasting usually from ten to thirty minutes4 ,a vent connected with it1 about forty feet distant1 expels dense masses of vapor fifty or sixty feet high1 accompanied by loud1 sharp reports1 during the time the geyser is in action4 ,lieutenant ,doane describes the curious action of these vents as follows3 ,first the steam would rush from the upper crater1 roaring violently1 then this would suddenly cease1 to be followed by a fan-like jet of water rising from the lower crater to the height of over forty feet1 playing for perhaps two minutes2 then this would suddenly stop flowing1 and the steam would rush forth again for a time4 ,occasionally the small crater threw a transverse stream1 alternating with the others2 and thus they played on for hours1 after which all would subside to a gentle bubbling4 ,illustration3 ,,fan ,,geyser4 ,along both banks of the river are small craters built up in every conceivable shape4 ,several streams pour out cascades from round holes in the rocky bank of the river1 and all around are little geysers playing at intervals from six to forty feet4 ,a plateau opposite the ,fan contains fifteen hot springs of various characteristics2 some are of a deep blue color and have fantastic caverns distinctly visible below the surface of the water4 ,the openings at the surface are often beautifully edged with delicately wrought rock fringes4 ,one variety deposits a red or brown leathery substance1 partially adhering to the sides and bottom of the cavern and waving to and fro like water plants4 ,in size these springs vary from five to forty feet in diameter4 ,two hundred yards below the ,fan are two lively geysers called the ,sentinels4 ,the one on the right bank of the stream is in constant agitation1 its waters revolving horizontally with great violence1 occasionally spouting upward to the height of twenty feet1 with a lateral projection of fifty feet4 ,much steam is thrown off at each eruption4 ,the crater of this geyser is three feet by ten4 ,the companion ,sentinel on the other side of the stream is smaller and less active4 ,at this point the river-valley is narrow and the stream rapid1 with a considerable fall4 ,forty or fifty comparatively unimportant geysers and boiling springs are scattered along the narrow valley to the junction of ,iron ,spring ,creek1 the lower limit of the ,upper ,geyser ,basin4 ,iron ,spring ,creek1 a stream about half the size of ,firehole ,river1 takes its name from a group of springs on its banks1 about a mile south of the ,giant4 ,among the most noticeable of these is a group of eight beautiful springs enclosed in a single rim1 one hundred and forty feet in length4 ,the interior of the basin is lined with a rose-colored deposit4 ,these springs are situated on the crest of an eminence incrusted with rocky deposits which encroach on the adjacent forest1 whose dead and whitened trunks bear evidence of the deadly effect of the hot water flowing among them4 ,on a considerable mound1 at the junction of ,iron ,creek with the main stream1 is a group of geysers that do not differ materially from those already described4 ,the central member of the group is known as ,soda ,geyser4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,bee-,,hive4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,lower ,,geyser ,,basin4--,,firehole ,,river4 ,between the ,upper and ,lower ,geyser ,basin is a space of two or three miles entirely free from hot springs2 yet the abundance of spring deposit over all the valley shows that the region was once the scene of great thermal activity2 the bottom over which the river flows is paved with silica4 ,vegetation grows remarkably rank along the stream1 and in the valley where the crust of silica does not prevent it1 the perpetual warmth caused by the proximity to the springs being very favorable to the growth of plants4 ,the forest grows close down to the margin of the river1 making travel very difficult1 and in one place the hills of trachyte almost close in the valley4 ,at the upper end of the basin--which comprises an area of about thirty square miles--are three large boiling springs1 on the west margin of the river2 nearly opposite are three more1 and a short distance below1 on the same side1 four or five more4 ,anywhere else these springs would be accounted marvels2 but they are so eclipsed by a group a few rods further down the stream that we can give them only a passing glance4 ,this group includes some of the grandest hot-springs in the world4 ,the most formidable is near the margin of the river4 ,dr4 ,hayden says3 ,it seems to have broken out close by the river1 and to have continually enlarged its orifice by the breaking down of its sides4 ,it evidently commenced on the east side1 and the continual wear of the under side of the crust on the west side has caused the margin to fall in1 until an aperture at least #bej feet in diameter has been formed1 with walls or sides twenty to thirty feet high1 showing the lamin of deposition perfectly4 ,the water is intensely agitated all the time1 boiling like a caldron1 from which a vast column of steam is ever rising1 filling the orifice4 ,as the passing breeze sweeps it away for a moment1 one looks down into this terrible seething pit with terror4 ,all around the sides are large masses of the silicious crust that have fallen from the rim4 ,an immense column of water flows out of this caldron into the river4 ,as it pours over the marginal slope1 it descends by numerous small channels1 with a large number of smaller ones spreading over a broad surface1 and the marvellous beauty of the strikingly vivid coloring far surpasses anything of the kind we have seen in this land of wondrous beauty--every possible shade of color1 from the vivid scarlet to a bright rose1 and every shade of yellow to delicate cream1 mingled with vivid green from minute vegetation4 ,some of the channels were lined with a very fine1 delicate yellow1 silky material1 which vibrates at every movement of the waters4 ,mr4 ,thomas ,moran1 the distinguished artist1 obtained studies of these beautiful springs1 and from his well-known reputation as a colorist1 we look for a painting that will convey some conception to the mind of the exquisite variety of colors around this spring4 ,there was one most beautiful funnel-shaped spring1 twenty feet in diameter at the top1 but tapering down1 lined inside and outside with the most delicate decorations4 ,indeed1 to one looking down into its clear depths1 it seemed like a fairy palace4 ,the same jelly-like substance or pulp to which ,i have before alluded1 covers a large area with the various shades of light-red and green4 ,the surface yields to the tread like a cushion4 ,it is about two inches in thickness1 and although seldom so tenacious as to hold together1 yet it may be taken up in quite large masses1 and when it becomes dry it is blown about by the wind like fragments of variegated lichens4 ,near this magnificent spring is a hill of silica with a spring #aej feet in diameter on its summit4 ,it is known as the ,cauldron4 ,the water boils up in the centre1 and overflows with such uniformity on all sides as to form a succession of ornamental steps1 from one to three inches in height1 just as water would freeze in flowing down a gentle declivity4 ,it has the same transparent clearness1 the same brilliancy of coloring1 as the spring above described1 but the hot steam and the thinness of the rim prevented an approach near enough to observe its depth1 or ascertain its temperature1 except at one edge1 where it was #ahj4 ,the average temperature of twenty of the springs of this group was #ahd4 ,about a mile below this group1 on the west side of the river1 are four small lakes1 with quiet surfaces and water as blue as the sky4 ,one of them is nearly half a mile in length4 ,their water is cold at the present time1 but their basins give indications of their having once been enormous hot springs4 ,a mile or so further down the river is a group of a hundred or more important springs besides a countless number of unimportant and dead springs1 covering a space of nearly a square mile4 ,only a few of them can be specially noticed here4 ,one1 on the right bank of the river1 is called the ,conch ,spring1 from the resemblance of its basin to a shell1 eight feet by ten4 ,a little below the ,conch ,spring1 on the very margin of the river1 is a fine geyser1 which has built for itself a crater three feet high1 with a shell a foot thick4 ,the inside of the crater is about six feet in diameter4 ,the water is in constant agitation2 sometimes it will boil up so violently as to throw the entire mass up four feet1 and then it will die down so as to boil like a caldron4 ,the water is perfectly clear1 and the overflow forms a stream six inches wide and two inches deep1 passing down the sides of the crater and thence into the river along a most exquisitely decorated channel4 ,the entire surface of the crater is covered with pearl-like beads1 formed by the spray4 ,a section of the crater shows it to have been built up very slowly1 in thin lamin4 ,another spring has a crater like a horn1 about a foot in diameter at the top and six feet at the base4 ,it is called the ,horn ,geyser4 ,it is in constant ebullition1 and has the same ornamentations as the one just described4 ,a spring on a level with the river has an enormous square basin1 thirty feet across1 of unknown depth4 ,it is called the ,bath ,spring4 ,a little below is another basin of wonderful beauty1 called the ,cavern4 ,the water issues from several apertures beneath the crust near the margin of the river4 ,the basin itself is fifteen by twenty feet1 and twenty feet deep4 ,nothing can exceed the transparent clearness of the water2 the slightest object is reflected in its clear depths1 and the bright blue tints are indescribable4 ,mud springs are also numerous and important in this group4 ,as usual1 they are of all sizes1 from an inch or two to twenty or thirty feet in diameter1 with contents varying from turbid water to stiff mud4 ,they seldom have any visible outlet1 but are in constant agitation1 with a sound which varies with the consistency of the contents2 several give off a suppressed thud as the gases burst their way through the stiff mortar4 ,sometimes the mortar is as white as snow2 sometimes brown1 or tinged with a variety of vivid colors4 ,one mud spring1 located in the woods near a small lake1 northeast of the ,cavern1 has a basin thirty by forty feet1 with sides fifteen feet high4 ,it is in constant action1 frequently hurling the mud outside of the rim4 ,all around it are a number of little vents1 which keep up a simmering noise4 ,some of these vents have built up little cones1 from four to twelve inches high1 many of them sealed at the top4 ,on removing the cone1 the inside is found to be lined with delicate crystals of sulphur1 deposited from the steam4 ,on the opposite side of the river1 along a little branch that flows in from the west1 is a considerable group of geysers and boiling springs4 ,near the base of the mountains is a first-class boiling spring with a curious fungus-like rim4 ,it is always in violent agitation1 sending forth great columns of steam4 ,it flows from beneath a hill1 and is surrounded with springs whose silicious deposits take the form of the toad-stool fungus4 ,some of this group may be called spasmodic springs4 ,one1 with a most beautifully scalloped rim1 fifteen by twenty feet in diameter1 is always boiling1 and occasionally explodes with great violence1 shooting its water several feet into the air4 ,along the eastern side of this ,lower ,geyser ,basin are several extensive areas abounding in mud-springs1 boiling springs and geysers1 whose infinitely varied characteristics can have no more than the briefest notice4 ,beginning at the north1 the first that commands attention is that whose central object of interest is the ,thud ,geyser1 so called from the peculiar noise it makes as the water rises and recedes4 ,it is situated on the slope of a small hill1 is about twenty feet in diameter1 and has a crater five feet wide and five high1 composed of geyserite of a greyish color1 full of deep pockets containing balls of the same material1 about the size of walnuts1 each one covered with little rosette-like formations4 ,the column of water thrown out by this geyser during its eruptions is very wide1 and reaches the height of fifty feet4 ,near it was obtained some pieces of wood1 coated with geyserite of a delicate pink tinge3 the silica had thoroughly penetrated the woody fibre4 ,there were found1 also1 pine-cones coated in the same manner1 forming beautiful specimens4 ,a few yards back of the geyser are three large mud-springs1 in one of which the mud is red1 in another white1 and in the third pink--the jets of steam causing the mud to assume the form of small conical points throughout the basins4 ,they are situated in a bed of clay1 the red color being due to iron4 ,below these latter are some chalybeate springs whose bright-red iron deposit have spread over a considerable area1 in glaring contrast with the white color of the silicious deposits of their neighbors4 ,in the same group is a fissure spring forty feet long1 four feet wide and ten deep1 clear as crystal2 also a large basin nearly circular1 fifty feet in diameter with a number of huge apertures1 some of which throw up water thirty feet4 ,one orifice shoots a constant stream six feet high4 ,all around this geyser-group are smaller springs continually bubbling1 and large numbers of small geysers1 some constantly playing to heights not exceeding ten feet1 while others merely keep up a violent ebullition1 rising and falling with a pulsating motion4 ,there is also one beautiful quiet spring1 with a basin so large that it looks like a small lake4 ,into its clear depths one may look down thirty or forty feet1 beholding a fairy-like palace adorned with more brilliant colors than any structure made by human hands4 ,the aggregate waters of the group form a little stream which flows westward into the small lake already noticed in connection with the mud-springs at the lower end of the basin4 ,south of the ,thud ,geyser is a large basin #aej feet in diameter1 enclosing a crater twenty-five feet in diameter4 ,from the inner crater the water is thrown up in a vast column sixty feet high1 falling back in silver-white globules1 a natural fountain of marvellous beauty4 ,a short distance south of this ,fountain ,geyser is the most remarkable mud-pot in the ,firehole valley4 ,its surface1 forty by sixty feet in diameter1 is covered with large puffs1 which1 in exploding with suppressed thuds1 throw the hot mud several feet into the air and spatter the broad rounded rim in every direction4 ,the mud is an impalpable silicious clay1 of every shade of color from the purest white to a bright pink4 ,within a few feet of this mud-spring is a large clear spring sixty feet across1 with perhaps fifty centres of ebullition4 ,it is filled with the rusty1 leathery deposit already described1 and all around the basin where the waters overflow is an extensive deposit of iron4 ,a quarter of a mile east of the mud-springs1 at the northwestern base of a mountain-spur and extending a thousand yards up a ravine1 is a group of springs occupying a space five hundred yards wide4 ,one of these1 the ,fissure ,spring1 is a hundred feet long and from four to ten feet wide4 ,quite a large stream flows from this spring4 ,many of the surrounding springs remain full to the rim1 and are in constant ebullition1 yet no water flows from them4 ,others discharge great quantities of water4 ,in this group are three sulphur springs1 the only ones in the region3 the sulphur present however is not very abundant4 ,silica and iron seem to be the dominant constituents of nearly all the deposits4 ,some of the springs send forth a disagreeable odor1 and deposit a curious black sediment like fine gunpowder4 ,near the centre of the group is a small lake #fjj feet long and #aej wide4 ,by its eastern shore is a geyser which spouts very regularly to the height of fifteen or twenty feet4 ,west of the lake are two small geysers cones incrusted with a cauliflower-like formation2 near them in a fissure are balls of geyserite coated in the same manner4 ,a thousand yards further south1 in the southeastern corner of the basin1 is a ravine a mile and a half long and three hundred yards wide1 occupied by a most interesting group of springs and geysers4 ,just below the mouth of the ravine1 on a mound fifteen feet high1 is a large cone twenty-five feet high1 probably a geyser4 ,steam issues steadily from the top with the sound of a high-pressure engine4 ,it is called the ,white ,dome ,geyser4 ,in this lower basin there are very few raised craters1 the most of the springs and geysers having funnel-shaped basins1 with rims of various forms1 but mostly circular4 ,in this group there is besides the ,white ,dome a small cone with its top broken off4 ,it is four feet in diameter1 with an aperture eighteen inches across4 ,it is called the ,bee-hive1 ,for several feet around on all sides the surface of the ground is ornamented with pearly tubercles of silica1 from the size of a pea to three inches in diameter4 ,the spring basins in this group have every variety of form4 ,one1 a fine boiling spring1 has an oval rim five feet by eight1 its sides running straight down beyond the reach of vision4 ,another is funnel-shaped1 tapering to a narrow aperture1 with a scalloped rim1 projecting several inches over the water4 ,some springs discharge no water2 others send forth a stream two feet wide and six inches deep4 ,in one of the streams1 the channel of which is about two feet wide and one foot deep1 the water is filled with a plant with a pinkish-yellow base1 bordered with a very fine green silky fringe1 perpetually vibrating with the flowing waters4 ,except that they were a rich vegetable green1 these fringes had the form and texture of the finest cashmere wool4 ,the luxuriant growth of vegetation in and along the borders of these little streams1 adds ,dr4 ,hayden1 was a wonder of beauty4 ,the whole view was there superior to anything of the kind ,i had seen4 ,in some of the springs ,dr4 ,hayden's assistants found butterflies which had fallen in and been scalded to death4 ,on taking them out they were found to be partially petrified1 and coated with silica4 ,at the mouth of the ravine is the principal geyser of the group4 ,its basin is circular and about #fj feet in diameter1 although the spring itself1 which is in the centre1 is only about #ae or #bj feet in diameter4 ,the incrusted margin is full of sinuses1 filled with hot water1 which falls into them whenever the geyser is in operation4 ,these pockets contain also smooth pebbles of geyserite1 varying in size from that of a pea to a large-sized walnut1 rounded by the action of the water4 ,the water in the spring of the geyser is of a blue color and in constant agitation1 though more violently so just before spouting4 ,the column of water projected reaches the height of #ajj feet1 and is accompanied by immense clouds of steam4 ,not far from this geyser is an elegantly scalloped spring1 nearly circular1 twenty-five feet in diameter1 and with vertical sides to an unknown depth4 ,the entire mass of the water is most violently agitated at times1 and1 overflowing the sides of the basin1 passes off in terrace pools or reservoirs to the main stream1 producing a system of architecture out of silica similar to that of the calcareous springs on ,gardiner's ,river4 ,the gay colors1 from bright pink to delicate rose1 are well shown4 ,the valley is filled with springs up to its very source2 and springs which burst from the mountain side1 eight hundred feet above the level of the basin1 have temperatures ranging from #aff to #ahj4 ,tracing one exceptionally cool stream up the south side of the caon1 ,dr4 ,hayden found on the almost vertical side of the mountain a little spring so imbedded in bright green moss that it could hardly be seen4 ,with great difficulty1 he says1 we managed to climb up the mountain side1 and1 clearing away the moss1 obtained the first water that we could drink for eight hours4 ,in all of our examination during the day we had not found a drop of water of sufficiently low temperature to take into our mouths1 though there were hundreds of the most beautiful springs all around us4 ,we were like ,coleridge's mariner in the great ocean1 ',water1 water everywhere1 but not a drop to drink4' ,looking back over the valley the morning before his departure for the ,upper ,basin1 ,dr4 ,hayden saw it literally filled with columns of steam1 ascending from more than a thousand vents4 ,i can compare the view1 he writes1 to nothing but that of some manufacturing city like ,pittsburgh1 as seen from a high point1 except that instead of the black coal smoke1 there are here the white delicate clouds of steam4 ,small groups or solitary springs that are scattered everywhere in the woods1 upon the mountain-sides1 and which would otherwise escape observation1 are detected by the columns of steam4 ,it is evident that some of these groups of springs have changed their base of operations within a comparatively recent period2 for about midway on the east side of the lower basin there is a large area covered with a thick1 apparently modern1 deposit of the silica1 as white as snow1 while standing quite thickly all around are dead pines1 which appear to have been destroyed by the excessive overflow of water and the increased deposition4 ,these dry trees have a most desolate look2 many of them have fallen down and are incrusted with the silica1 while portions that have fallen into the boiling springs have been reduced to pulp4 ,this seems to be one of the conditions of silicification1 for when these pulpy masses of wood are permitted to dry by the cessation of the springs1 the most perfect specimens of petrified wood are the result4 ,in one instance a green pine-tree had fallen so as to immerse its thick top in a large hot basin1 and leaves1 twigs1 and cones had become completely incrusted with the white silica1 and a portion had entered into the cellular structure1 so that when removed from the water1 and dried in the sun1 very fair specimens were obtained4 ,members of my party obtained specimens of pine cones that were sufficiently silicified to be packed away among the collections4 ,grasshoppers1 and even butterflies1 as we have seen1 are occasionally subjected to the same treatment1 with the same result4 ,by-and-by1 when the geyser regions become a popular resort1 the preparation of petrifactions to be carried away as mementos1 may become quite an item of entertainment if not of industry4 ,to obtain a complete view of the ,lower ,geyser ,basin1 ,colonel ,barlow made a trip to the summit of the ,twin ,buttes on the west side of the basin4 ,from this point the valley of ,firehole ,river could be overlooked for a distance of twenty miles2 but nothing new was discovered except an attractive fall plunging over a precipice a short distance to the south4 ,after much severe climbing over rocky ridges1 and scrambling through deep and thickly wooded ravines1 he succeeded in reaching the foot of the fall--the loveliest vision he had ever beheld4 ,towering above my head1 he writes1 was a perpendicular cliff1 three hundred feet high1 while from a slight depression in its upper edge descended a sparkling stream1 dashed into spray as it impinged against projecting angles of the rocky wall4 ,on reaching the bottom the mist is gathered into a shallow basin1 forming a pool of clear cold water1 delightfully refreshing in this region of steaming geysers and volcanic heat4 ,after resting a moment in this quiet retreat1 the water slowly finds its way through the forest1 and crossing the geyser valley eventually reaches ,firehole ,river1 some two miles distant4 ,from the marshy ground about the fall the pines shoot upward to an astonishing altitude1 as though ambitious to overtop the cliff4 ,colonel ,barlow approached the fall through a natural avenue in these pines1 and as he caught sight of its dancing water1 leaping with life-like action down the face of the overhanging cliff1 the thought of fairies was so strongly suggested that he could think of no name so appropriate as the ,fall of the ,fairies4 ,the extreme north of the ,lower ,basin is bounded by the ,east ,fork of ,madison ,river1 along whose valley1 within the basin and above it1 are numerous groups of interesting springs1 though not materially different from those already described4 ,near the head of the stream sulphur springs are abundant1 with here and there extensive deposits of sulphur4 ,steam-vents are frequent1 their orifices lined with sulphur1 and the surrounding crust filled with crystals of a vivid yellow4 ,the channels of the streams are lined with a delicate veil of creamy sulphur4 ,in some of the springs1 lower down the stream1 iron predominates4 ,within the basin on the south side of the ,east ,fork are a hundred springs or more1 any one of which1 if alone1 would be worthy of elaborate description4 ,in some the fallen leaves of trees are frosted with silica as white as snow1 and the inner surface of the basins are covered with a delicate bead-like embroidery of marvellous beauty4 ,the most beautiful of the group is a ,prismatic ,spring1 like those described in the ,upper ,basin4 ,nothing ever conceived by human art1 says ,dr4 ,hayden1 could equal the peculiar vividness and delicacy of coloring of these remarkable prismatic springs4 ,about a mile south of the ,east ,fork1 at the head of a little stream that flows into the ,firehole1 is another of these brilliant springs4 ,a thin1 delicately ornamental rim of silica surrounds a basin six feet in diameter1 filled to the brim with water of marvellous transparency4 ,when its surface is rippled by a passing breeze1 the reflected sunlight is broken as by a million prisms4 ,it is called the ,rainbow ,spring4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,natural ,,history ,,of ,,geysers ,,and ,,other ,,thermal ,,springs4 ,in ,icelandic speech the word geyser means simply rager1 and is applied indiscriminately to all turbulent fountains of water or mud4 ,the most violent and noisy rager on the island being the great intermittent spouting spring near ,haukadal1 it naturally gained for itself the title1 ,the ,geyser2 and being the earliest known and most remarkable fountain of the kind1 its native common name was adopted in other languages as the generic name for all springs of its class4 ,the history of this great1 but no longer the greatest geyser1 begins in the early part of the fifteenth century1 when its eruptions are mentioned in ,icelandic records4 ,in the middle of the seventeenth century the ,bishop of ,skalholt noticed its daily discharges4 ,a hundred years later ,olafsen and ,povelsen described it as having three or four eruptions a day1 some of them attaining the height of #cjj feet1 including1 doubtless1 the uprush of vapor4 ,the depth of its tube was then #gb feet2 now it is commonly given as #gd1 though ,commander ,forbes1 ,r4 ,n41 claims that it is not so deep by ten feet4 ,in #aggd ,von ,troil estimated the height of the ejected column at #ib feet4 ,seventeen years later1 ,stanley gave #if feet as its greatest height4 ,forty yards west of the ,geyser this traveller found a rival1 called the ,strokr1 7in ,english1 the ,churn17 playing to the height of #acj feet4 ,the same year1 #aghi1 an earthquake destroyed the mechanism of the ,strokr1 converting it into a quiet reservoir of boiling water1 whereupon its name was transferred to the present ,strokr1 which then became especially active and noisy4 ,in #ahjd the ,geyser had regained somewhat of its ancient power1 erupting every six hours to the height of #bjj feet2 and the original ,strokr had repaired its tube so that it could lift a column to nearly the same height and sustain it for a much longer period4 ,during the next five years the power of the ,geyser fell off a half1 and its paroxysms became much less frequent--,hooker estimating its column1 in #ahji1 at #ajj feet1 and ,mackenzie1 a year later1 at #ij feet1 its eruptions taking place every thirty hours4 ,at the same time the ,strokr played every ten or twelve hours1 sixty feet high1 for the space of thirty minutes4 ,in #ahae the periods had changed again1 the ,geyser erupting every six hours1 to an average height of #hj feet1--the jets occasionally reaching #aej feet1 while the ,strokr had prolonged its quiet intervals to twenty-four hours4 ,of late years the ,geyser's violent eruptions seldom occur oftener than once in thirty hours1 and do not exceed #ajj feet in altitude1 and generally averaging #gj or #hj feet4 ,between these eruptions are usually two minor spirts1 attaining from #cj to #ej feet4 ,the ,strokr is exceedingly irregular in its operation1 and generally requires a dose of turf to bring on an exhibition4 ,a grand eruption of the ,geyser has been admirably described by ,commander ,forbes4 ,twice during the night1 he says1 ,i was aroused by the unearthly complaints of ,the ,geyser2 but beyond the vast clouds of vapor which invariably follow each detonation1 and a gentle overflowing of the basin1 they were false alarms4 ,as morning was breaking it sounded an unmistakable 'reveille1' which would have roused the dead3 and ,i had barely time to take up my position at the brink of the old ',strokr' before full power was turned on4 ,jet succeeded jet with fearful rapidity1 earth trembled and the very cone itself seemed to stagger under the ordeal4 ,portions of its sides1 rent with the uncontrollable fury it had suddenly generated1 were ripped off and flew up in volleys1 soaring high above water and steam1 whilst the latter rolled away in fleecy clouds before the light north wind1 and catching the rays of the morning sun just glistening over the ,jkul tops in the ,east1 was lustrous white as the purest snow4 ,discharge succeeded discharge in rapid succession for upwards of four minutes1 when1 apparently exhausted and its basin empty1 ,i scrambled up to the margin1 intending to have a good look down the tube1 which ,i imagined must also be empty2 but the water was still within a few feet of the brink1 and boiling furiously4 ,hastening back to my former position1 the basin filled rapidly1 and ,i was just in time to witness the most magnificent explosion of all4 ,everything seemed to depend on this superhuman effort1 and a solid1 unbroken column of water twenty-five feet in circumference1 was hurled upwards1 attaining an altitude very near #ajj feet4 ,here the column paused for a moment before reversing its motion1 then fell listless and exhausted through the volumes which followed it into its throbbing cup1 again to undergo its fiery ordeal at the threshold of the infernal regions4 ,grand as this display must have been1 it was but a momentary spasm1 a feeble effort compared with the terrific force which sustains the ,giant's river-volume1 with a steady uprush two hundred feet high1 for the space of three hours and a half4 ,there are many1 perhaps scores1 of geysers in the ,firehole ,basin1 which--even in midsummer1 when their action is weakest--far surpass the glory of ,iceland4 ,but what is the origin of the power that sustains these wonderful eruptions8 ,and what is the cause of its intermittent action8 ,fortunately these questions are not only answerable1 but the answers are susceptible of demonstration1 as ,professor ,tyndall has shown in his admirable lectures on heat considered as a mode of motion1 wherein he gives the following lucid description of the mechanism and development of the ,great ,geyser of ,iceland3 in principle the description applies equally to the geysers of ,firehole ,basin1 and all other springs of the kind4 ,it consists of a tube seventy-four feet deep and ten feet in diameter4 ,the tube is surmounted by a basin which measures from north to south fifty-two feet across1 and from east to west sixty feet4 ,the interior of the tube and basin is coated with a beautiful smooth silicious plaster1 so hard as to resist the blows of a hammer2 and the first question is1 how was this wonderful tube constructed--how was this perfect plaster laid on8 ,chemical analysis shows that the water holds silica in solution1 and the conjecture might therefore arise that the water had deposited the silica against the sides of the tube and basin4 ,but this is not the case3 the water deposits no sediment2 no matter how long it may be kept1 no solid substance is separated from it4 ,it may be bottled up and preserved for years as clear as crystal1 without showing the slightest tendency to form a precipitate4 ,to answer the question in this way would moreover assume that the shaft was formed by some foreign agency1 and that the water merely lined it4 ,the geyser basin1 however1 rests upon the summit of a mound about forty feet high1 and it is evident from mere inspection that the mound has been deposited by the geyser4 ,but in building up this mound the spring must have formed the tube which perforates the mound1 and hence the conclusion that the geyser is the architect of its own tube4 ,if we place a quantity of geyser water in an evaporating basin the following takes place3 in the centre of the basin the liquid deposits nothing1 but at the sides where it is drawn up by capillary attraction1 and thus subjected to speedy evaporation1 we find silica deposited4 ,round the edge a ring of silica is laid on1 and not until the evaporation has continued a considerable time do we find the slightest turbidity in the middle of the water4 ,this experiment is the microscopic representative of what occurs in ,iceland4 ,imagine the case of a simple thermal silicious spring1 whose waters trickle down a gentle inclosure2 the water thus exposed evaporates speedily1 and silica is deposited4 ,this deposit gradually elevates the side over which the water passes until finally the latter has to take another course4 ,the same takes place here1 the ground is elevated as before1 and the spring has to move forward4 ,thus it is compelled to travel round and round1 discharging its silica and deepening the shaft in which it dwells1 until finally1 in the course of ages1 the simple spring has produced this wonderful apparatus which has so long puzzled and astonished both the traveller and the philosopher4 ,the time required for the construction of the ,great ,geyser tube has been estimated by ,commander ,forbes as ten or eleven centuries1 on the following grounds3 a bunch of grass1 placed under a little fall made by the ejected water1 receives1 in twenty-four hours1 a coating of silica the thickness of a thin sheet of paper1 or about one five-hundredth part of an inch4 ,at this rate it would take #ajcf years to build up the #gfb inches1 which1 according to his measurement1 is the depth of the tube4 ,in evidence of the probable truth of this estimate he makes note of the following facts3 first1 there is no notice of this fountain in the early history of the colonization of the island #ihf years ago1 at which time the tube would have been only three feet deep1 and its eruptions too slight to attract attention2 second1 #dcf years afterwards1 when the tube would have been twenty-six feet deep1 and the eruptions proportionately important1 the ,geyser is mentioned2 third1 accurate records of all occurrences were kept by the early inhabitants1 and if so remarkable a phenomenon had existed at the time1 it could not have been left unnoticed4 ,the phenomena attending a geyser-eruption--the filling of the basin with water1 the agitation of the water1 with deafening detonations1 the escape of steam1 and so on--have been sufficiently described in the preceding chapters4 ,their causes have been ingeniously explained by ,professor ,bunsen1 who succeeded in determining the temperature of the geyser-tube1 throughout its entire length1 a few minutes before an eruption4 ,the annexed diagram shows on the left the observed temperatures of the water at different depths1 and on the right the temperatures at which water would boil1 taking into account the pressure of the atmosphere increased by the presence of the superincumbent column of water4 ,the degrees have been changed from ,centigrade to our familiar ,fahrenheit standard1 disregarding fractions4 ,illustration ,it will be observed that in no part of the tube does the water reach the boiling point4 ,the nearest approach to it is at ,a1 thirty feet from the bottom2 out even here the water is some four degrees below the temperature at which it could boil4 ,how then is an eruption possible8 ,professor ,tyndall's explanation is in substance this3 ,suppose that by the entrance of steam from the ducts near the bottom of the tube the geyser column is elevated six feet1 a height quite within the limits of actual observation2 the water at ,a is thereby transferred to ,b4 ,its boiling point at ,a is #bee1 and its actual temperature is #bea2 but at ,b its boiling point is only #bdi1 hence when transferred from ,a to ,b1 the heat which it possesses is in excess of that necessary to make it boil4 ,this excess of heat is instantly applied to the generation of steam2 the column is thus lifted higher1 and the water below is relieved of pressure1 and its boiling point lowered4 ,more steam is generated2 this lifts the column still higher1 and compels the generation of more and more steam1 until the whole upper portion of the column bursts into ebullition1 and the water1 mixed with steam-clouds1 is projected into the atmosphere1 and we have the geyser eruption in all its grandeur4 ,one confirmation of this theory of ,bunsen's is that small stones suspended in the lower part of the geyser-tube are not thrown out during an eruption2 and a stronger confirmation lies in the fact that all the peculiarities of geyser action can be imitated4 ,professor ,tyndall uses for this purpose an apparatus consisting of a tube of iron six feet long1 surmounted by a basin1 and heated by fires underneath4 ,to imitate1 as far as possible1 the conditions of the geyser1 he encircles the tube with a second fire1 two feet from the bottom4 ,as the water in the tube becomes heated1 the phenomena of geyser eruption are repeated in miniature with beautiful regularity4 ,by stopping the mouth of the tube with a cork1 the enforced explosions of the ,strokr are reproduced2 and by similar simple devices the action of all other eruptive springs may be accurately imitated4 ,all through the ,firehole ,basin and around ,yellowstone ,lake are many extinct geysers2 sometimes1 as in the case of ,old ,faithful1 an active geyser is surrounded by a number of deserted cones1 the remains of ancient roarers4 ,what occasions their decline8 ,earthquakes may1 and no doubt frequently do1 derange their mechanism1 as observed in the old ,strokr4 ,but most of them probably die a natural death1 from old age and decrepitude4 ,a moment's reflection1 says ,professor ,tyndall1 will suggest that there must be a limit to the operations of the geyser4 ,when the tube has reached such an altitude that the water in the depths below1 owing to the increased pressure1 cannot attain its boiling point1 the eruptions of necessity cease4 ,the spring1 however1 continues to deposit its silica1 and often forms a ,laug1 or cistern4 ,some of these1 in ,iceland1 are forty feet deep4 ,their beauty1 according to ,bunsen1 is indescribable4 ,over the surface curls a light vapor2 the water is of the purest azure1 and tints with its lovely hue the fantastic incrustations on the cistern walls2 while at the bottom is often seen the mouth of the once mighty geyser4 ,there are in ,iceland vast1 but now extinct geyser operations4 ,mounds are observed whose shafts are filled with rubbish1 the water having forced a passage underneath and retired to other scenes of action4 ,we have1 in fact1 the geyser in its youth1 manhood1 old age1 and death here presented to us4 ,in its youth as a simple thermal spring2 in its manhood1 as an eruptive column2 in its old age1 as the tranquil ,laug2 while its death is recorded by the ruined shaft and mound1 which testify the fact of its once active existence4 ,all that ,professor ,tyndall describes so eloquently of ,iceland1 exists in our ,grand ,national ,park in infinitely greater variety1 and magnitude1 and splendor4 ,and much more3 ,iceland has no ,gardiner's ,river4 ,to find the nearest approach to the marvels of ,white ,mountain ,hot ,spring1 we must go to the opposite side of the globe--to ,new ,zealand4 ,in the celebrated ,lake ,district of the ,north ,island is a region of hot springs1 far exceeding in extent and variety all the others in the world1 save those of the ,yellowstone4 ,first of all1 says ,hochstetter1 the most marvellous of the ,rotomahana marvels is the ,te ,tarata--the ,tattooed ,rock--with its terraced marble steps projecting into the lake4 ,the spring lies about eighty feet above the lake1 on a fern-clad hill-slope1 in a crater-like excavation1 with steep reddish sides1 from thirty to forty feet high1 and open only toward the lake4 ,the basin of the spring is about eighty feet long and sixty wide1 filled to the brim with perfectly transparent water1 which in its snow-white basin appears of a beautiful blue1 like the blue turquoise4 ,immense clouds of steam curl up from the surface1 obstructing the view1 but the noise of boiling and seething is always audible4 ,the water is slightly salt1 but not unpleasant to the taste1 chemically neutral1 and possesses petrifying1 or rather incrusting qualities1 in a high degree4 ,the deposit is silicious1 like that of the ,iceland springs and the springs around ,yellowstone ,lake1 not calcareous1 like those of ,gardiner's ,river2 yet the system of terraces built up by the deposit on the hill-slope has the same appearance of a cataract plunging over a series of natural shelves and suddenly turned to stone4 ,the deposits cover an area of about three acres1 a mere trifle compared with the square miles of similar formations on ,gardiner's ,river and in the ,yellowstone ,basin4 ,in the same neighborhood is a system of bubbling mud-pools1 miniature copies of those on the ,yellowstone above the falls4 ,the principal group1 lying in a ravine nearly a quarter of a mile long1 is described by ,dr4 ,hochstetter as follows3 ,the entrance to the ravine is overgrown with a thicket and rather difficult of access2 it also requires considerable caution1 as suspicious places have to be passed1 where the visitor is in danger of being swallowed up in heated mud4 ,inside1 the ravine has the appearance of a volcanic crater4 ,the bare walls1 utterly destitute of vegetation1 are terribly fissured and torn1 and odd-looking rocky serratures1 threatening every moment to break loose1 loom up like dismal spectres from red1 white and blue fumarole-clay--evidently the last remains of decomposed rocks4 ,the bottom of the ravine is of fine mud1 scattered with blocks of silicious deposit1 like cakes of floating ice after a thaw4 ,here1 a big caldron of mud is simmering2 there1 lies a deep basin of boiling water2 next to this is a terrible hole1 emitting hissing jets of steam1 and further on are mud-cones from two to five feet high1 vomiting hot mud from their craters with dull rumblings1 and imitating on a small scale the play of large fire volcanoes4 ,the gay colors of the ,yellowstone mud-springs are frequently exhibited in the volcanic lake district of ,new ,zealand1 and so indeed are most of the other phenomena we have been studying1 though on a far less magnificent scale4 ,for example1 the grandest ,firehole basin on the island occupies the ,shallow valley of a little stream the ,waikato1 for the distance of a mile4 ,it is but a cabinet exhibition comparatively1 yet the learned geologist of the ,novara expedition grows eloquent in his description of it4 ,in the morning a dense fog lay upon the ,waikato1 but it soon vanished1 the sun shone brightly into the valley1 and now--what a sight6 ,in its swift course1 forming rapids after rapids1 the ,waikato was plunging through the deep valley between steep-rising mountains2 its floods whirling and foaming round two small rocky islands in the middle of the river1 were dashing with a loud uproar through the defile of the valley4 ,along its banks white clouds of steam were ascending from hot cascades falling into the river1 and from basins full of boiling water shut in by a white mass of stone4 ,yonder a steaming fountain was rising and falling2 now there sprung from another place a second fountain2 this also ceased in its turn2 then two commenced playing simultaneously1 one quite low at the river bank1 the other opposite on a terrace2 and thus the play continued with endless changes1 as though experiments were being made with grand waterworks1 to see whether the fountains were all in perfect order1 and whether the waterfalls had a sufficient supply4 ,i began to count the places where a boiling waterbasin was visible1 or where a cloud of steam indicated the existence of one4 ,i counted seventy-six points1 without1 however1 being able to survey the whole region1 and among them were numerous intermittent geyser-like fountains with periodical eruptions of water4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,great ,,ca,,on ,,and ,,lower ,,falls ,,of ,,the ,,yellowstone4 ,the picture is admirably drawn1 but could the artist have done so well with the stupendous chasm of the ,grand ,caon8 or the thousand volcanic vents of ,firehole ,basin with their deafening detonations1 their immeasurable evolutions of water and steam8 ,it is possible1 but scarcely probable4 ,the incomprehensible grandeur of the scene would have awed1 astounded1 bewildered him1 and like our ,yellowstone explorers1 he would have despaired of grouping the myriad marvels into one grand effect1 and contented himself with setting down a few details of form and color4 ,in following the exploration of the ,yellowstone country and ,firehole ,basin1 the reader has doubtless observed1 in the passage from the quiet springs of ,gardiner's ,river to the erupting fountains further on1 that there is a complete change in the nature of the deposits4 ,the mounds and terraces built up by the former have for their basis lime1 those of the latter silica4 ,dr4 ,hayden attributes the calcareous deposits to the deep bed of limestone underlying the springs1 but not all waters have the power of disolving lime so freely1 nor could ordinary water take from the trachytic lavas below the silicious springs around ,yellowstone ,lake and in the ,firehole ,basin1 the silica that appears so abundantly in their deposits4 ,there must be other forces at work4 ,what are they8 ,both kinds of springs1 says ,dr4 ,hochstetter1 in his chapter on ,new ,zealand springs1 owe their origin to the water permeating the surface and sinking through fissures into the bowels of the earth1 where it becomes heated by the still existing volcanic fires4 ,high-pressure steam is thus generated1 which1 accompanied by volcanic gases--such as muriatic acid1 sulphurous acid1 sulphuretted hydrogen and carbonic acid--rises again toward the colder surface and is there condensed into hot water4 ,the overheated steam and the gases decompose the rock beneath1 dissolving certain ingredients which are deposited on the surface4 ,according to ,bunsen's ingenious observations1 a chronological succession takes place in the coperation of the gases4 ,the sulphurous acid acts first4 ,it is generated where rising sulphur vapor comes in contact with glowing masses of rock4 ,wherever vapors of sulphurous acid are constantly formed1 there acid-springs or solfataras arise4 ,incrustations of alum are very common in such places1 arising from the action of sulphuric acid on the alumina and alkali of the lavas2 another product of the decomposition of the lavas is gypsum1 or sulphate of lime1 the residuum being a more or less ferruginous fumarole clay1 the material of the mud-pools4 ,after the sulphurous acid comes sulphuretted hydrogen1 produced by the action of steam on sulphids2 and by the mutual decomposition of sulphuretted hydrogen and sulphurous acid sulphur is formed1 the characteristic precipitate in all solfataras1 while the deposition of silica is either entirely wanting or quite inconsiderable1 and the smell of sulphuretted hydrogen is but rarely noticed4 ,these acid springs have no periodical outbursts of water4 ,in course of time the source of sulphurous acid becomes exhausted1 and sulphuretted hydrogen alone remains active4 ,the acid reaction of the soil disappears1 yielding to an alkaline reaction by the formation of sulphids4 ,at the same time carbonic acid begins to act upon the rocks1 and the alkaline bi-carbonates thus produced dissolve the silica1 which on the evaporation of the water is deposited in the form of opal or quartz or silicious earth1 and thus the shell of the springs is formed1 on the structure of which the periodicity of the outburst depends4444 ,the deposition of silica in quantities sufficient for the formation of this spring-apparatus in the course of years1 takes place only in the alkaline springs4 ,their water is either neutral or has a slightly alkaline reaction4 ,silica1 common salt1 carbonates and sulphates are the chief ingredients dissolved in it4 ,in the place of sulphurous acid the odor of sulphuretted hydrogen is sometimes observed in these springs4444 ,by the gradual cooling of the volcanic rocks under the surface of the earth the hot springs themselves gradually die out1 for they too are but a transient phenomenon in the eternal change of created things4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,mr4 ,,everts',s ,,thirty-,,seven ,,days ,,of ,,peril4 ,on the day that ,i found myself separated from the company1 and for several days previous1 our course had been impeded by the dense growth of pine forest1 and occasional large tracts of fallen timber frequently rendering our progress almost impossible4 ,whenever we came to one of these immense windfalls1 each man engaged in the pursuit of a passage through it1 and it was while thus employed1 and with the idea that ,i had found one1 that ,i strayed out of sight and hearing of my comrades4 ,we had had a toilsome day4 ,it was quite late in the afternoon4 ,as separations like these had frequently occurred1 it gave me no alarm1 and ,i rode on1 fully confident of soon rejoining the company1 or of finding their camp4 ,i came up with the pack-horse1 which ,mr4 ,langford afterwards recovered1 and tried to drive him along4 ,but failing to do so1 and my eyesight being defective1 ,i spurred forward1 intending to return with assistance from the party4 ,this incident tended to accelerate my speed4 ,i rode on in the direction which ,i supposed had been taken1 until darkness overtook me in the dense forest4 ,this was disagreeable enough1 but caused me no alarm4 ,i had no doubt of being with the party at breakfast the next morning4 ,i selected a spot for comfortable repose1 picketed my horse1 built a fire1 and went to sleep4 ,the next morning ,i rose at early dawn1 saddled and mounted my horse1 and took my course in the supposed direction of the camp4 ,our ride of the previous day had been up a peninsula jutting into the lake1 for the shore of which ,i started1 with the expectation of finding my friends camped on the beach4 ,the forest was quite dark1 and the trees so thick1 that it was only by a slow process ,i could get through them at all4 ,in searching for the trail ,i became somewhat confused4 ,the falling foliage of the pines had obliterated every trace of travel4 ,i was obliged frequently to dismount1 and examine the ground for the faintest indications4 ,coming to an opening1 from which ,i could see several vistas1 ,i dismounted for the purpose of selecting one leading in the direction ,i had chosen1 and leaving my horse unhitched1 as had always been my custom1 walked a few rods into the forest4 ,while surveying the ground my horse took fright1 and ,i turned around in time to see him disappearing at full speed among the trees4 ,that was the last ,i ever saw of him4 ,it was yet quite dark4 ,my blankets1 gun1 pistols1 fishing-tackle1 matches--everything1 except the clothing on my person1 a couple of knives1 and a small opera-glass were attached to the saddle4 ,i did not yet realize the possibility of a permanent separation from the company4 ,instead of following up the pursuit of their camp1 ,i engaged in an effort to recover my horse4 ,half a day's search convinced me of its impracticability4 ,i wrote and posted in an open space several notices1 which1 if my friends should chance to see1 would inform them of my condition and the route ,i had taken1 and then struck out into the forest in the supposed direction of their camp4 ,as the day wore on without any discovery1 alarm took the place of anxiety at the prospect of another night alone in the wilderness1 and this time without food or fire4 ,but even this dismal foreboding was cheered by the hope that ,i should soon rejoin my companions1 who would laugh at my adventure1 and incorporate it as a thrilling episode into the journal of our trip4 ,the bright side of a misfortune1 as ,i found by experience1 even under the worst possible circumstances1 always presents some features of encouragement4 ,when ,i began to realize that my condition was one of actual peril1 ,i banished from my mind all fear of an unfavorable result4 ,seating myself on a log1 ,i recalled every foot of the way ,i had travelled since the separation from my friends1 and the most probable opinion ,i could form of their whereabouts was1 that they had1 by a course but little different from mine1 passed by the spot where ,i had posted the notices1 learned of my disaster1 and were waiting for me to rejoin them there1 or searching for me in that vicinity4 ,a night must be spent amid the prostrate trunks before my return could be accomplished4 ,at no time during my period of exile did ,i experience so much mental suffering from the cravings of hunger as when1 exhausted with this long day of fruitless search1 ,i resigned myself to a couch of pine foliage in the pitchy darkness of a thicket of small trees4 ,naturally timid in the night1 ,i fully realized the exposure of my condition4 ,i peered upward through the darkness1 but all was blackness and gloom4 ,the wind sighed mournfully through the pines4 ,the forest seemed alive with the screeching of night birds1 the angry barking of coyotes1 and the prolonged1 dismal howl of the gray wolf4 ,these sounds1 familiar by their constant occurrence throughout the journey1 were now full of terror1 and drove slumber from my eye-lids1 but above all this1 however1 was the hope that ,i should be restored to my comrades the next day4 ,early the next morning ,i rose unrefreshed1 and pursued my weary way over the prostrate trunks4 ,it was noon when ,i reached the spot where my notices were posted4 ,no one had been there4 ,my disappointment was almost overwhelming4 ,for the first time1 ,i realized that ,i was lost4 ,then came a crushing sense of destitution4 ,no food1 no fire2 no means to procure either2 alone in an unexplored wilderness1 one hundred and fifty miles from the nearest human abode1 surrounded by wild beasts1 and famishing with hunger4 ,it was no time for despondency4 ,a moment afterwards ,i felt how calamity can elevate the mind1 in the formation of the resolution not to perish in that wilderness4 ,the hope of finding the party still controlled my plans4 ,i thought1 by traversing the peninsula centrally1 ,i would be enabled to strike the shore of the lake in advance of their camp1 and near the point of departure for the ,madison4 ,acting upon this impression1 ,i rose from a sleepless couch1 and pursued my way through the timber-entangled forest4 ,a feeling of weakness took the place of hunger4 ,conscious of the need of food1 ,i felt no cravings4 ,occasionally1 while scrambling over logs and through thickets1 a sense of faintness and exhaustion would come over me1 but ,i would suppress it with the audible expression1 ,this won't do2 ,i must find my company4 ,despondency would sometimes strive with resolution for the mastery of my thoughts4 ,i would think of home--of my daughter--and of the possible chance of starvation1 or death in some more terrible form2 but as often as these gloomy forebodings came1 ,i would strive to banish them with reflections better adapted to my immediate necessities4 ,i recollect at this time discussing the question1 whether there was not implanted by ,providence in every man a principle of self-preservation equal to any emergency which did not destroy his reason4 ,i decided this question affirmatively a thousand times afterwards in my wanderings1 and ,i record this experience here1 that any person who reads it1 should he ever find himself in like circumstances1 may not despair4 ,there is life in the thought4 ,it will revive hope1 allay hunger1 renew energy1 encourage perseverance1 and1 as ,i have proved in my own case1 bring a man out of difficulty1 when nothing else can avail4 ,it was mid-day when ,i emerged from the forest into an open space at the foot of the peninsula4 ,a broad lake of beautiful curvature1 with magnificent surroundings1 lay before me1 glittering in the sunbeams4 ,it was full twelve miles in circumference4 ,a wide belt of sand formed the margin which ,i was approaching1 directly opposite to which1 rising seemingly from the very depths of the water1 towered the loftiest peak of a range of mountains apparently interminable4 ,the ascending vapor from innumerable hot springs1 and the sparkling jet of a single geyser added the feature of novelty to one of the grandest landscapes ,i ever beheld4 ,nor was the life of the scene less noticeable than its other attractions4 ,large flocks of swans and other waterfowl were sporting on the quiet surface of the lake2 otters in great numbers performed the most amusing aquatic evolutions2 mink and beaver swam around unscared1 in most grotesque confusion4 ,deer1 elk1 and mountain sheep stared at me1 manifesting more surprise than fear at my presence among them4 ,the adjacent forest was vocal with the songs of birds1 chief of which were the chattering notes of a species of mocking-bird1 whose imitative efforts afforded abundant merriment4 ,seen under favorable circumstances1 this assemblage of grandeur1 beauty1 and novelty would have been transporting2 but jaded with travel1 famishing with hunger1 and distressed with anxiety1 ,i was in no humor for ecstasy4 ,my tastes were subdued and chastened by the perils which environed me4 ,i longed for food1 friends1 and protection4 ,associated with my thoughts1 however1 was the wish that some of my friends of peculiar tastes could enjoy this display of secluded magnificence1 now1 probably1 for the first time beheld by mortal eyes4 ,the lake was at least one thousand feet lower than the highest point of the peninsula1 and several hundred feet below the level of ,yellowstone ,lake4 ,i recognized the mountain which overshadowed it as the landmark which1 a few days before1 had received from ,general ,washburn the name of ,mount ,everts2 and as it is associated with some of the most agreeable and terrible incidents of my exile1 ,i feel that ,i have more than a mere discoverer's right to the perpetuity of that christening4 ,the lake is fed by innumerable small streams from the mountains1 and the countless hot springs surrounding it4 ,a large river flows from it1 through a caon a thousand feet in height1 in a southeasterly direction1 to a distant range of mountains1 which ,i conjectured to be ,snake ,river2 and with the belief that ,i had discovered the source of the great southern tributary of the ,columbia1 ,i gave it the name of ,bessie ,lake1 after the ,sole daughter of my house and heart4 ,during the first two days1 the fear of meeting with ,indians gave me considerable anxiety2 but1 when conscious of being lost1 there was nothing ,i so much desired as to fall in with a lodge of ,bannocks or ,crows4 ,having nothing to tempt their cupidity1 they would do me no personal harm1 and1 with the promise of reward1 would probably minister to my wants and aid my deliverance4 ,imagine my delight1 while gazing upon the animated expanse of water1 at seeing sail out from a distant point a large canoe containing a single oarsman4 ,it was rapidly approaching the shore where ,i was seated4 ,with hurried steps ,i paced the beach to meet it1 all my energies stimulated by the assurance it gave of food1 safety1 and restoration to friends4 ,as ,i drew near to it it turned towards the shore1 and oh6 bitter disappointment1 the object which my eager fancy had transformed into an angel of relief stalked from the water1 an enormous pelican1 flapped its dragonwings as if in mockery of my sorrow1 and flew to a solitary point farther up the lake4 ,this little incident quite unmanned me4 ,the transition from joy to grief brought with it a terrible consciousness of the horrors of my condition4 ,but night was fast approaching1 and darkness would come with it4 ,while looking for a spot where ,i might repose in safety1 my attention was attracted to a small green plant of so lively a hue as to form a striking contrast with the deep pine foliage4 ,for closer examination ,i pulled it up by the root1 which was long and tapering1 not unlike a radish4 ,it was a thistle4 ,i tasted it2 it was palatable and nutritious4 ,my appetite craved it1 and the first meal in four days was made on thistle-roots4 ,eureka6 ,i had found food4 ,no optical illusion deceived me this time2 ,i could subsist until ,i rejoined my companions4 ,glorious counterpoise to the wretchedness of the preceding half-hour6 ,overjoyed at this discovery1 with hunger allayed1 ,i stretched myself under a tree1 upon the foliage which had partially filled a space between contiguous trunks1 and fell asleep4 ,how long ,i slept ,i know not2 but suddenly ,i was roused by a loud1 shrill scream1 like that of a human being in distress1 poured1 seemingly1 into the very portals of my ear4 ,there was no mistaking that fearful voice4 ,i had been deceived by and answered it a dozen times while threading the forest1 with the belief that it was a friendly signal4 ,it was the screech of a mountain lion1 so alarmingly near as to cause every nerve to thrill with terror4 ,to yell in return1 seize with convulsive grasp the limbs of the friendly tree1 and swing myself into it1 was the work of a moment4 ,scrambling hurriedly from limb to limb1 ,i was soon as near the top as safety would permit4 ,the savage beast was snuffing and growling below1 apparently on the very spot ,i had just abandoned4 ,i answered every growl with a responsive scream4 ,terrified at the delay and pawing of the beast1 ,i increased my voice to its utmost volume1 broke branches from the limbs1 and1 in the impotency of fright1 madly hurled them at the spot whence the continued howlings proceeded4 ,failing to alarm the animal1 which now began to make the circuit of the tree1 as if to select a spot for springing into it1 ,i shook1 with a strength increased by terror1 the slender trunk until every limb rustled with the motion4 ,all in vain4 ,the terrible creature pursued his walk around the tree1 lashing the ground with his tail1 and prolonging his howlings almost to a roar4 ,it was too dark to see1 but the movements of the lion kept me apprised of its position4 ,whenever ,i heard it on one side of the tree ,i speedily changed to the opposite--an exercise which1 in my weakened state1 ,i could only have performed under the impulse of terror4 ,i would alternately sweat and thrill with horror at the thought of being torn to pieces and devoured by this formidable monster4 ,all my attempts to frighten it seemed unavailing4 ,disheartened at its persistency1 and expecting every moment it would take the deadly leap1 ,i tried to collect my thoughts1 and prepare for the fatal encounter which ,i knew must result4 ,just at this moment it occurred to me that ,i would try silence4 ,clasping the trunk of the tree with both arms1 ,i sat perfectly still4 ,the lion1 at this time ranging round1 occasionally snuffing and pausing1 and all the while filling the forest with the echo of his howlings1 suddenly imitated my example4 ,this silence was more terrible1 if possible1 than the clatter and crash of his movements through the brushwood1 for now ,i did not know from what direction to expect his attack4 ,moments passed with me like hours4 ,after a lapse of time which ,i cannot estimate1 the beast gave a spring into the thicket and ran screaming into the forest4 ,my deliverance was effected4 ,had strength permitted1 ,i should have retained my perch till daylight1 but with the consciousness of escape from the jaws of the ferocious brute came a sense of overpowering weakness which almost palsied me1 and made my descent from the tree both difficult and dangerous4 ,incredible as it may seem1 ,i lay down in my old bed1 and was soon lost in a slumber so profound that ,i did not awake until after daylight4 ,the experience of the night seemed like a terrible dream2 but the broken limbs which in the agony of consternation ,i had thrown from the tree1 and the rifts made in the fallen foliage by my visitant in his circumambulations1 were too convincing evidences of its reality4 ,i could not dwell upon my exposure and escape without shuddering and reflecting that probably like perils would often occur under less fortunate circumstances1 and with a more fatal issue4 ,i wondered what fate was in reserve for me--whether ,i would ultimately sink from exhaustion and perish of starvation1 or become the prey of some of the ferocious animals that roamed these vast fastnesses4 ,my thoughts then turned to the loved ones at home4 ,they could never know my fate1 and would indulge a thousand conjectures concerning it1 not the least distressing of which would be that ,i had been captured by a band of hostile ,sioux1 and tortured to death at the stake4 ,i was roused from this train of reflections by a marked change in the atmosphere4 ,one of those dreary storms of mingled snow and rain1 common to these high latitudes1 set in4 ,my clothing1 which had been much torn1 exposed my person to its pitiless peltings4 ,an easterly wind1 rising to a gale1 admonished me that it would be furious and of long duration4 ,none of the discouragements ,i had met with dissipated the hope of rejoicing my friends2 but foreseeing the delay1 now unavoidable1 ,i knew that my escape from the wilderness must be accomplished1 if at all1 by my own unaided exertions4 ,this thought was terribly afflicting1 and brought before me1 in vivid array1 all the dreadful realities of my condition4 ,i could see no ray of hope4 ,in this condition of mind ,i could find no better shelter than the spreading branches of a spruce tree1 under which1 covered with earth and boughs1 ,i lay during the two succeeding days2 the storm1 meanwhile1 raging with unabated violence4 ,while thus exposed1 and suffering from cold and hunger1 a little benumbed bird1 not larger than a snow-bird1 hopped within my reach4 ,i instantly seized and killed it1 and1 plucking its feathers1 ate it raw4 ,it was a delicious meal for a half-starved man4 ,taking advantage of a lull in the elements1 on the morning of the third day ,i rose early and started in the direction of a large group of hot springs which were steaming under the shadow of ,mount ,everts4 ,the distance ,i travelled could not have been less than ten miles4 ,long before ,i reached the wonderful cluster of natural caldrons1 the storm had recommenced4 ,chilled through1 with my clothing thoroughly saturated1 ,i lay down under a tree upon the heated incrustation until completely warmed4 ,my heels and the sides of my feet were frozen4 ,as soon as warmth had permeated my system1 and ,i had quieted my appetite with a few thistle-roots1 ,i took a survey of my surroundings1 and selected a spot between two springs sufficiently asunder to afford heat at my head and feet4 ,on this spot ,i built a bower of pine branches1 spread its incrusted surface with fallen foliage and small boughs1 and stowed myself away to await the close of the storm4 ,thistles were abundant1 and ,i had fed upon them long enough to realize that they would1 for a while at least1 sustain life4 ,in convenient proximity to my abode was a small1 round1 boiling spring1 which ,i called my dinner-pot1 and in which1 from time to time1 ,i cooked my roots4 ,this establishment1 the best ,i could improvise with the means at hand1 ,i occupied seven days--the first three of which were darkened by one of the most furious storms ,i ever saw4 ,the vapor which supplied me with warmth saturated my clothing with its condensations4 ,i was enveloped in a perpetual steam bath4 ,at first this was barely preferable to the storm1 but ,i soon became accustomed to it1 and before ,i left1 though thoroughly parboiled1 actually enjoyed it4 ,i had little else to do during my imprisonment but cook1 think1 and sleep4 ,of the variety and strangeness of my reflections it is impossible to give the faintest conception4 ,much of my time was given to devising means for escape4 ,i recollected to have read1 at the time of their publication1 the narratives of ,lieutenant ,strain and ,doctor ,kane1 and derived courage and hope from the reflection that they struggled with and survived perils not unlike those which environed me4 ,the chilling thought would then occur1 that they were not alone4 ,they had companions in suffering and sympathy4 ,each could bear his share of the burden of misery which it fell to my lot to bear alone1 and make it lighter from the encouragement of mutual counsel and aid in a cause of common suffering4 ,selfish as the thought may seem1 there was nothing ,i so much desired as a companion in misfortune4 ,how greatly it would alleviate my distress6 ,what a relief it would be to compare my wretchedness with that of a brother sufferer1 and with him devise expedients for every exigency as it occurred6 ,i confess to the weakness1 if it be one1 of having squandered much pity upon myself during the time ,i had little else to do4 ,nothing gave me more concern than the want of fire4 ,i recalled everything ,i had ever read or heard of the means by which fire could be produced2 but none of them were within my reach4 ,an escape without it was simply impossible4 ,it was indispensable as a protection against night attacks from wild beasts4 ,exposure to another storm like the one just over would destroy my life1 as this one would have done1 but for the warmth derived from the springs4 ,as ,i lay in my bower anxiously awaiting the disappearance of the snow1 which had fallen to the depth of a foot or more1 and impressed with the belief that for want of fire ,i should be obliged to remain among the springs1 it occurred to me that ,i would erect some sort of monument1 which might1 at some future day1 inform a casual visitor of the circumstances under which ,i had perished4 ,a gleam of sunshine lit up the bosom of the lake1 and with it the thought flashed upon my mind that ,i could1 with a lens from my opera-glasses1 get fire from ,heaven4 ,oh1 happy1 life-renewing thought6 ,instantly subjecting it to the test of experiment1 when ,i saw the smoke curl from the bit of dry wood in my fingers1 ,i felt1 if the whole world were offered me for it1 ,i would cast it all aside before parting with that little spark4 ,i was now the happy possessor of food and fire4 ,these would carry me through4 ,all thoughts of failure were instantly abandoned4 ,though the food was barely adequate to my necessities--a fact too painfully attested by my attenuated body--,i had forgotten the cravings of hunger1 and had the means of producing fire4 ,i said to myself1 ,i will not despair4 ,my stay at the springs was prolonged several days by an accident that befell me on the third night after my arrival there4 ,an unlucky movement while asleep broke the crust on which ,i reposed1 and the hot steam1 pouring upon my hip1 scalded it severely before ,i could escape4 ,this new affliction1 added to my frost-bitten feet1 already festering1 was the cause of frequent delay and unceasing pain through all my wanderings4 ,after obtaining fire1 ,i set to work making preparations for as early departure as my condition would permit4 ,i had lost both knives since parting from the company1 but ,i now made a convenient substitute by sharpening the tongue of a buckle which ,i cut from my vest4 ,with this ,i cut the legs and counters from my boots1 making of them a passable pair of slippers1 which ,i fastened to my feet as firmly as ,i could with strips of bark4 ,with the ravellings of a linen handkerchief1 aided by the magic buckle-tongue1 ,i mended my clothing4 ,of the same material ,i made a fish-line1 which1 on finding a piece of red tape in one of my pockets better suited to the purpose1 ,i abandoned as a bad job4 ,i made of a pin that ,i found in my coat a fish-hook1 and1 by sewing up the bottoms of my boot-legs1 constructed a very good pair of pouches to carry my food in1 fastening them to my belt by the straps4 ,thus accountered1 on the morning of the eighth day after my arrival at the springs ,i bade them a final farewell1 and started on my course directly across that portion of the neck of the peninsula between me and the southeast arm of ,yellowstone ,lake4 ,it was a beautiful morning4 ,the sun shone bright and warm1 and there was a freshness in the atmosphere truly exhilarating4 ,as ,i wandered musingly along1 the consciousness of being alone1 and having surrendered all hope of finding my friends1 returned upon me with crushing power4 ,i felt1 too1 that those friends1 by the necessities of their condition1 had been compelled to abandon all efforts for my recovery4 ,the thought was full of bitterness and sorrow4 ,i tried to realize what their conjectures were concerning my disappearance2 but could derive no consolation from the long and dismal train of circumstances they suggested4 ,weakened by a long fast1 and the unsatisfying nature of the only food ,i could procure1 ,i know that from this time onward to the day of my rescue1 my mind1 though unimpaired in those perceptions needful to self-preservation1 was in a condition to receive impressions akin to insanity4 ,i was constantly travelling in dream-land1 and indulging in strange reveries such as ,i had never before known4 ,i seemed to possess a sort of duality of being1 which1 while constantly reminding me of the necessities of my condition1 fed my imagination with vagaries of the most extravagant character4 ,nevertheless ,i was perfectly conscious of the tendency of these morbid influences1 and often tried to shake them off1 but they would ever return with increased force1 and ,i finally reasoned myself into the belief that their indulgence1 as it afforded me pleasure1 could work no harm while it did not interfere with my plans for deliverance4 ,thus ,i lived in a world of ideal happiness1 and in a world of positive suffering at the same time4 ,a change in the wind and an overcast sky1 accompanied by cold1 brought with them a need of warmth4 ,i drew out my lens and touchwood1 but alas6 there was no sun4 ,i sat down on a log to await his friendly appearance4 ,hours passed2 he did not come4 ,night1 cold freezing night1 set in1 and found me exposed to all its terrors4 ,a bleak hill-side sparsely covered with pines afforded poor accommodations for a half-clad1 famishing man4 ,i could only keep from freezing by the most active exertion in walking1 rubbing1 and striking my benumbed feet and hands against the logs4 ,it seemed the longest1 most terrible night of my life1 and glad was ,i when the approaching dawn enabled me to commence retracing my steps to ,bessie ,lake4 ,i arrived there at noon1 built my first fire on the beach1 and remained by it1 recuperating for the succeeding two days4 ,the faint hope that my friends might be delayed by their search for me until ,i could rejoin them now forsook me altogether4 ,i made my arrangements independent of it4 ,either of three directions ,i might take would effect my escape1 if life and strength held out4 ,i drew upon the sand of the beach a map of these several courses with reference to my starting-point from the lake1 and considered well the difficulties each would present4 ,all were sufficiently defined to avoid mistake4 ,one was to follow ,snake ,river a distance of one hundred miles or more to ,eagle ,rock bridge2 another1 to cross the country between the southern shore of ,yellowstone ,lake and the ,madison ,mountains1 by scaling which ,i could easily reach the settlements in the ,madison ,valley2 and the other1 to retrace my journey over the long and discouraging route by which ,i had entered the country4 ,of these routes the last mentioned seemed the least inviting1 probably because ,i had so recently traversed it1 and was familiar with its difficulties4 ,i had heard and read so much concerning the desolation and elemental upheavals and violent waters of the upper valley of the ,snake1 that ,i dared not attempt to return in that direction4 ,the route by the ,madison ,range1 encumbered by the single obstruction of the mountain barrier1 was much the shortest1 and so most unwisely1 as will hereafter appear1 ,i adopted it4 ,filling my pouches with thistle-roots1 ,i took a parting survey of the little solitude that had afforded me food and fire the preceding ten days1 and with something of that melancholy feeling experienced by one who leaves his home to grapple with untried adventures1 started for the nearest point on ,yellowstone ,lake4 ,all that day ,i travelled over timber-heaps1 amid tree tops1 and through thickets4 ,at noon ,i took the precaution to obtain fire4 ,with a brand which ,i kept alive by frequent blowing1 and constant waving to and fro1 at a late hour in the afternoon1 faint and exhausted1 ,i kindled a fire for the night on the only vacant spot ,i could find amid a dense wilderness of pines4 ,the deep gloom of the forest1 in the spectral light which revealed on all sides of me a compact and unending growth of trunks and an impervious canopy of sombre foliage2 the shrieking of night-birds2 the super naturally human scream of the mountain lion1 the prolonged howl of the wolf1 made me insensible to all other forms of suffering4 ,the burn on my hip was so inflamed that ,i could only sleep in a sitting posture4 ,seated with my back against a tree1 the smoke from the fire almost enveloping me in its suffocating folds1 ,i vainly tried1 amid the din and uproar of this horrible serenade1 to woo the drowsy god4 ,my imagination was instinct with terror4 ,at one moment it seemed as if1 in the density of a thicket1 ,i could see the blazing eyes of a formidable forest monster fixed upon me1 preparatory to a deadly leap2 at another ,i fancied that ,i heard the swift approach of a pack of yelping wolves through the distant brushwood1 which in a few moments would tear me limb from limb4 ,whenever1 by fatigue and weakness1 my terrors yielded to drowsiness1 the least noise roused me to a sense of the hideousness of my condition4 ,once1 in a fitful slumber1 ,i fell forward into the fire1 and inflicted a wretched burn on my hand4 ,oh6 with what agony ,i longed for day6 ,a bright and glorious morning succeeded the dismal night1 and brought with it the conviction that ,i had been the victim of uncontrollable nervous excitement4 ,i resolved henceforth to banish it altogether1 and1 in much better spirits than ,i anticipated1 resumed my journey towards the lake4 ,another day of unceasing toil among the tree-tops and thickets overtook me1 near sunset1 standing upon a lofty headland jutting into the lake1 and commanding a magnificent prospect of the mountains and valley over an immense area4 ,in front of me1 at a distance of fifty miles away1 in the clear blue of the horizon1 rose the arrowy peaks of the ,three ,tetons4 ,on the right1 and apparently in close proximity to the eminence ,i occupied1 rolled the picturesque range of the ,madison1 scarred with clefts1 ravines1 gorges1 and caons1 each of which glittered in the sunlight or deepened in shadow as the fitful rays of the descending luminary glanced along their varied rocky irregularities4 ,above where ,i stood were the lofty domes of ,mounts ,langford and ,doane1 marking the limits of that wonderful barrier which had so long defied human power in its efforts to subdue it4 ,rising seemingly from the promontory which favored my vision was the familiar summit of ,mount ,everts1 at the base of which ,i had dwelt so long1 and which still seemed to hold me within its friendly shadow4 ,all the vast country within this grand enclosure of mountains and lake1 scarred and seamed with the grotesque ridges1 rocky escarpments1 undulating hillocks1 and miniature lakes1 and steaming with hot springs1 produced by the volcanic forces of a former era1 lay spread out before me like a vast panorama4 ,i doubt if distress and suffering can ever entirely obliterate all sense of natural grandeur and magnificence4 ,lost in the wonder and admiration inspired by this vast world of beauties1 ,i nearly forgot to improve the few moments of remaining sunshine to obtain fire4 ,with a lighted brand in my hand1 ,i effected a most difficult and arduous descent of the abrupt and stony headland to the beach of the lake4 ,the sand was soft and yielding4 ,i kindled a fire1 and removing the stiffened slippers from my feet1 attached them to my belt1 and wandered barefoot along the sandy shore to gather wood for the night4 ,the dry1 warm sand was most grateful to my lacerated and festering feet1 and for a long time after my wood-pile was supplied1 ,i sat with them uncovered4 ,at length1 conscious of the need of every possible protection from the freezing night atmosphere1 ,i sought my belt for the slippers1 and one was missing4 ,in gathering the wood it had become detached and was lost4 ,darkness was closing over the landscape1 when1 sorely disheartened with the thought of passing the night with one foot exposed to a freezing temperature1 ,i commenced a search for the missing slipper4 ,i knew ,i could not travel a day without it4 ,fearful that it had dropped into the lake1 and been carried by some recurrent wave beyond recovery1 my search for an hour among fallen trees and bushes1 up the hill-side and along the beach1 in darkness and with flaming brands1 at one moment crawling on hands and feet into a brush-heap1 another peering among logs and bushes and stones1 was filled with anxiety and dismay4 ,success at length rewarded my perseverance1 and no language can describe the joy with which ,i drew the cause of so much distress from beneath the limb that1 as ,i passed1 had torn it from my belt4 ,with a feeling of great relief ,i now sat down in the sand1 my back to a log1 and listened to the dash and roar of the waves4 ,it was a wild lullaby1 but had no terrors for a worn-out man4 ,i never passed a night of more refreshing sleep4 ,when ,i awoke my fire was extinguished save a few embers1 which ,i soon fanned into a cheerful flame4 ,i ate breakfast with some relish1 and started along the beach in pursuit of a camp1 believing that if successful ,i should find directions what to do1 and food to sustain me4 ,the search which ,i was making lay in the direction of my pre-arranged route to the ,madison ,mountains1 which ,i intended to approach at their lowest point of altitude4 ,buoyed by the hope of finding food and counsel1 and another night of undisturbed repose in the sand1 ,i resumed my journey along the shore1 and at noon found the camp last occupied by my friends on the lake4 ,i struck their trail in the sand some time before ,i came to it4 ,a thorough search for food in the ground and trees revealed nothing1 and no notice to apprise me of their movements could be seen4 ,a dinner-fork1 which afterwards proved to be of infinite service in digging roots1 and a yeast-powder can1 which would hold half a pint1 and which ,i converted into a drinking-cup and dinner-pot1 were the only evidences that the spot had ever been visited by civilized man4 ,oh6 thought ,i1 why did they forget to leave me food6 ,it never occurred to me that they might have cached it1 as ,i have since learned they did1 in several spots nearer the place of my separation from them4 ,i left the camp in deep dejection1 with the purpose of following the trail of the party to the ,madison4 ,carefully inspecting the faint traces left of their course of travel1 ,i became satisfied that from some cause they had made a retrograde movement from this camp1 and departed from the lake at a point farther down stream4 ,taking this as an indication that there were obstructions above1 ,i commenced retracing my steps along the beach4 ,an hour of sunshine in the afternoon enabled me to procure fire1 which1 in the usual manner1 ,i carried to my camping-place4 ,there ,i built a fire1 and to protect myself from the wind1 which was blowing violently1 lashing the lake into foam1 ,i made a bower of pine boughs1 crept under it1 and very soon fell asleep4 ,how long ,i slept ,i know not1 but ,i was aroused by the snapping and cracking of the burning foliage1 to find my shelter and the adjacent forest in a broad sheet of flame4 ,my left hand was badly burned1 and my hair singed closer than a barber would have trimmed it1 while making my escape from the semicircle of burning trees4 ,among the disasters of this fire1 there was none ,i felt more seriously than the loss of my buckle-tongue knife1 my pin fish-hook1 and tape fish-line4 ,the grandeur of the burning forest surpasses description4 ,an immense sheet of flame1 following to their tops the lofty trees of an almost impenetrable pine forest1 leaping madly from top to top1 and sending thousands of forked tongues a hundred feet or more athwart the midnight darkness1 lighting up with lurid gloom and glare the surrounding scenery of lake and mountains1 fills the beholder with mingled feelings of awe and astonishment4 ,i never before saw anything so terribly beautiful4 ,it was marvellous to witness the flash-like rapidity with which the flames would mount the loftiest trees4 ,the roaring1 cracking1 crashing1 and snapping of falling limbs and burning foliage was deafening4 ,on1 on1 on travelled the destructive element1 until it seemed as if the whole forest was enveloped in flame4 ,afar up the wood-crowned hill1 the overtopping trees shot forth pinnacles and walls and streamers of arrowy fire4 ,the entire hill-side was an ocean of glowing and surging fiery billows4 ,favored by the gale1 the conflagration spread with lightning swiftness over an illimitable extent of country1 filling the atmosphere with driving clouds of suffocating fume1 and leaving a broad and blackened trail of spectral trunks shorn of limbs and foliage1 smoking and burning1 to mark the immense sweep of its devastation4 ,resolved to search for a trail no longer1 when daylight came ,i selected for a landmark the lowest notch in the ,madison ,range4 ,carefully surveying the jagged and broken surface over which ,i must travel to reach it1 ,i left the lake and pushed into the midst of its intricacies4 ,all the day1 until nearly sunset1 ,i struggled over rugged hills1 through windfalls1 thickets1 and matted forests1 with the rock-ribbed beacon constantly in view4 ,as ,i advanced it receded1 as if in mockery of my toil4 ,night overtook me with my journey half accomplished4 ,the precaution of obtaining fire gave me warmth and sleep1 and long before daylight ,i was on my way4 ,the hope of finding an easy pass into the valley of the ,madison inspired me with fresh courage and determination2 but long before ,i arrived at the base of the range1 ,i scanned hopelessly its insurmountable difficulties4 ,it presented to my eager vision an endless succession of inaccessible peaks and precipices1 rising thousands of feet sheer and bare above the plain4 ,no friendly gorge or gully or caon invited such an effort as ,i could make to scale this rocky barrier4 ,oh for the faith that could remove mountains6 ,how soon should this colossal fabric open at my approach6 ,what a feeling of helpless despair came over me with the conviction that the journey of the last two days had been in vain6 ,i seated myself on a rock upon the summit of a commanding hill1 and cast my eyes along the only route which now seemed tenable--down the ,yellowstone4 ,how many dreary miles of forest and mountain filled the terrible panorama6 ,i thought that before accepting this discouraging alternative ,i would spend a day in search for a pass4 ,twenty miles at most would take me into the ,madison ,valley1 and thirty more restore me to friends who had abundance4 ,supposing that ,i should find plenty of thistles1 ,i had left the lake with a small supply1 and that was entirely spent4 ,i looked in vain for them where ,i then was4 ,while ,i was thus considering whether to remain and search for a passage or return to the ,yellowstone1 ,i experienced one of those strange hallucinations which many of my friends have misnamed insanity1 but which to me was ,providence4 ,an old clerical friend1 for whose character and counsel ,i had always cherished peculiar regard1 in some unaccountable manner seemed to be standing before me1 charged with advice which would relieve my perplexity4 ,i seemed to hear him say1 as if in a voice and with the manner of authority3 ,go back immediately1 as rapidly as your strength will permit4 ,there is no food here1 and the idea of scaling these rocks is madness4 ,doctor1 ,i rejoined1 the distance is too great4 ,i cannot live to travel it4 ,say not so4 ,your life depends upon the effort4 ,return at once4 ,start now1 lest your resolution falter4 ,travel as fast and as far as possible--it is your only chance4 ,doctor1 ,i am rejoiced to meet you in this hour of distress1 but doubt the wisdom of your counsel4 ,i am within seventy miles of ,virginia4 ,just over these rocks1 a few miles away1 ,i shall find friends4 ,my shoes are nearly worn out1 my clothes are in tatters1 and my strength is almost overcome4 ,as a last trial1 it seems to me ,i can but attempt to scale this mountain or perish in the effort1 if ,god so wills4 ,don't think of it4 ,your power of endurance will carry you through4 ,i will accompany you4 ,put your trust in ,heaven4 ,help yourself and ,god will help you4 ,overcome by these and other persuasions1 and delighted with the idea of having a travelling companion1 ,i plodded my way over the route ,i had come1 intending at a certain point to change it so as to strike the river at the foot of the lake4 ,stopping after a few miles of travel1 ,i had no difficulty in procuring fire1 and passed a comfortable night4 ,when ,i resumed my journey the next day the sun was just rising4 ,whenever ,i was disposed1 as was often the case1 to question the wisdom of the change of routes1 my old friend appeared to be near with words of encouragement1 but his reticence on other subjects both surprised and annoyed me4 ,i was impressed at times1 during the entire journey1 with the belief that my return was a fatal error1 and if my deliverance had failed should have perished with that conviction4 ,early this day ,i deflected from my old route and took my course for the foot of the lake1 with the hope1 by constant travel1 to reach it the next day4 ,the distance was greater than ,i anticipated4 ,nothing is more deceptive than distance in these high latitudes4 ,at the close of each of the two succeeding days1 my point of destination was seemingly as far from me as at the moment ,i took leave of the ,madison ,range1 and when1 cold and hungry1 on the afternoon of the fourth day1 ,i gathered the first food ,i had eaten in nearly five days1 and lay down by my fire near the debouchure of the river1 ,i had nearly abandoned all hope of escape4 ,at daybreak ,i was on the trail down the river4 ,the thought ,i had adopted from the first1 ,i will cot perish in this wilderness1 often revived my sinking spirits1 when1 from faintness and exhaustion1 ,i felt but little desire for life4 ,once1 while struggling through a field of tangled trunks which seemed interminable1 at one of the pauses ,i found myself seriously considering whether it was not preferable to die there than renew the effort to proceed4 ,i felt that all attempt to escape was but a bitter prolongation of the agony of dissolution4 ,a seeming whisper in the air1 ,while there is life there is hope2 take courage1 broke the delusion1 and ,i clambered on4 ,i did not forget to improve the mid-day sun to procure fire4 ,sparks from the lighted brands had burned my hands and crisped the nails of my fingers1 and the smoke from them had tanned my face to the complexion of an ,indian4 ,while passing through an opening in the forest ,i found the tip of a gull's wing2 it was fresh4 ,i made a fire upon the spot1 mashed the bones with a stone1 and consigning them to my camp kettle1 the yeast-powder box1 made half a pint of delicious broth4 ,the remainder of that day and the night ensuing were given to sleep4 ,i lost all sense of time4 ,days and nights came and went1 and were numbered only by the growing consciousness that ,i was gradually starving4 ,i felt no hunger1 did not eat to appease appetite1 but to renew strength4 ,i experienced but little pain4 ,the gaping sores on my feet1 the severe burn on my hip1 the festering crevices at the joints of my fingers1 all terrible in appearance1 had ceased to give me the least concern4 ,the roots which supplied my food had suspended the digestive power of the stomach1 and their fibres were packed in it in a matted1 compact mass4 ,not so with my hours of slumber4 ,they were visited by the most luxurious dreams4 ,i would apparently visit the most gorgeously decorated restaurants of ,new ,york and ,washington2 sit down to immense tables spread with the most appetizing viands2 partake of the richest oyster stews and plumpest pies2 engage myself in the labor and preparation of curious dishes1 and with them fill range upon range of elegantly furnished tables until they fairly groaned beneath the accumulated dainties prepared by my own hands4 ,frequently the entire night would seem to have been spent in getting up a sumptuous dinner4 ,i would realize the fatigue of roasting1 boiling1 baking1 and fabricating the choicest dishes known to the modern cuisine1 and in my disturbed slumbers would enjoy with epicurean relish the food thus furnished even to repletion4 ,alas6 there was more luxury than life in these somnolent vagaries4 ,it was a cold1 gloomy day when ,i arrived in the vicinity of the falls4 ,the sky was overcast and the snow-capped peaks rose chilly and bleak through the biting atmosphere4 ,the moaning of the wind through the pines1 mingling with the sullen roar of the falls1 was strangely in unison with my own saddened feelings4 ,i had no heart to gaze upon a scene which a few weeks before had inspired me with rapture and awe4 ,one moment of sunshine was of more value to me than all the marvels amid which ,i was famishing4 ,but the sun had hid his face and denied me all hope of obtaining fire4 ,the only alternative was to seek shelter in a thicket4 ,i penetrated the forest a long distance before finding one that suited me4 ,breaking and crowding my way into its very midst1 ,i cleared a spot large enough to recline upon1 interlaced the surrounding brushwood1 gathered the fallen foliage into a bed1 and lay down with a prayer for sleep and forgetfulness4 ,alas6 neither came4 ,the coldness increased through the night4 ,constant friction with my hands and unceasing beating with my legs and feet saved me from freezing4 ,it was the most terrible night of my journey1 and when1 with the early dawn1 ,i pulled myself into a standing posture1 it was to realize that my right arm was partially paralyzed1 and my limbs so stiffened with cold as to be almost immovable4 ,fearing lest paralysis should suddenly seize upon the entire system1 ,i literally dragged myself through the forest to the river4 ,seated near the verge of the great caon below the falls1 ,i anxiously awaited the appearance of the sun4 ,that great luminary never looked so beautiful as when1 a few moments afterwards1 he emerged from the clouds and exposed his glowing beams to the concentrating powers of my lens4 ,i kindled a mighty flame1 fed it with every dry stick and broken tree-top ,i could find1 and without motion1 and almost without sense1 remained beside it several hours4 ,the great falls of the ,yellowstone were roaring within three hundred yards1 and the awful caon yawned almost at my feet2 but they had lost all charm for me4 ,in fact1 ,i regarded them as enemies which had lured me to destruction1 and felt a sullen satisfaction in morbid indifference4 ,my old friend and adviser1 whose presence ,i had felt more than seen the last few days1 now forsook me altogether4 ,but ,i was not alone4 ,by some process which ,i was too weak to solve1 my arms1 legs1 and stomach were transformed into so many travelling companions4 ,often for hours ,i would plod along conversing with these imaginary friends4 ,each had his peculiar wants which he expected me to supply4 ,the stomach was importunate in his demand for a change of diet--complained incessantly of the roots ,i fed him1 their present effect and more remote consequences4 ,i would try to silence him with promises1 beg of him to wait a few days1 and when this failed of the quiet ,i desired1 ,i would seek to intimidate him by declaring1 as a sure result of negligence1 our inability to reach home alive4 ,all to no purpose--he tormented me with his fretful humors through the entire journey4 ,the others would generally concur with him in these fancied altercations4 ,the legs implored me for rest1 and the arms complained that ,i gave them too much to do4 ,troublesome as they were1 it was a pleasure to realize their presence4 ,i worked for them1 too1 with right good will1 doing many things for their seeming comfort which1 had ,i felt myself alone1 would have remained undone4 ,they appeared to be perfectly helpless of themselves2 would do nothing for me or for each other4 ,i often wondered1 while they ate and slept so much1 that they did not aid in gathering wood and kindling fires4 ,as a counterpoise to their own inertia1 whenever they discovered languor in me on necessary occasions1 they were not wanting in words of encouragement and cheer4 ,i recall as ,i write1 an instance where1 by prompt and timely interposition1 the representative of the stomach saved me from a death of dreadful agony4 ,one day ,i came to a small stream issuing from a spring of mild temperature on the hill-side1 swarming with minnows4 ,i caught some with my hands1 and ate them raw4 ,to my taste they were delicious4 ,but the stomach refused them1 accused me of attempting to poison him1 and would not be reconciled until ,i had emptied my pouch of the few fish ,i had put there for future use4 ,those that ,i ate made me very sick4 ,poisoned by the mineral in the water1 had ,i glutted my appetite with them as ,i intended1 ,i should doubtless have died in the wilderness1 in excruciating torment4 ,illustration3 ,,imaginary ,,companions4 ,a gradual mental introversion grew upon me as physical weakness increased4 ,the grand and massive scenery which1 on the upward journey1 had aroused every enthusiastic impulse of my nature1 was now tame and spiritless4 ,my thoughts were turned in upon myself--upon the dreadful fate which apparently lay just before me--and the possible happiness of the existence beyond4 ,all doubt of immortality fled in the light of present realities4 ,so vivid were my conceptions of the future that at times ,i longed for death1 not less as the beginning of happiness than as a release from misery4 ,led on by these reflections1 ,i would recall the varied incidents of my journey--my escape from the lion1 from fire1 my return from the ,madison ,range--and in all of them ,i saw how much ,i had been indebted to that mysterious protection which comes only from the throne of the ,eternal4 ,and yet1 starving1 foot-sore1 half blind1 worn to a skeleton1 was it surprising that ,i lacked the faith needful to buoy me above the dark waters of despair1 which ,i now felt were closing around me8 ,in less serious moods1 as ,i struggled along1 my thoughts would revert to the single being on whom my holiest affections centred--my daughter4 ,what a tie was that to bind me to life6 ,oh6 could ,i be restored to her for a single hour1 long enough for parting counsel and blessing1 it would be joy unspeakable6 ,long hours of painful travel were relieved of physical suffering by this absorbing agony of the mind1 which1 when from my present standpoint ,i contrast it with the personal calamities of my exile1 swells into mountains4 ,to return from this digression4 ,at many of the streams on my route ,i spent hours in endeavoring to catch trout1 with a hook fashioned from the rim of my broken spectacles1 but in no instance with success4 ,the tackle was defective4 ,the country was full of game in great variety4 ,i saw large herds of deer1 elk1 antelope1 occasionally a bear1 and many smaller animals4 ,numerous flocks of ducks1 geese1 swans1 and pelicans inhabited the lakes and rivers4 ,but with no means of killing them1 their presence was a perpetual aggravation4 ,at all the camps of our company ,i stopped and recalled many pleasant incidents associated with them4 ,one afternoon1 when approaching ,tower ,falls1 ,i came upon a large hollow tree1 which1 from the numerous tracks surrounding it1 and the matted foliage in the cavity1 ,i recognized as the den of a bear4 ,it was a most inviting couch4 ,gathering a needful supply of wood and brush1 ,i lighted a circle of piles around the tree1 crawled into the nest1 and passed a night of unbroken slumber4 ,i rose the next morning to find that during the night the fires had communicated with the adjacent forest1 and burned a large space in all directions1 doubtless intimidating the rightful proprietor of the nest1 and saving me from another midnight adventure4 ,at ,tower ,falls ,i spent the first half of a day in capturing a grasshopper1 and the remainder in a fruitless effort to catch a mess of trout4 ,in the agony of disappointment1 ,i resolved to fish no more4 ,a spirit of rebellion seized me4 ,i determined that thistles should thenceforth be my only sustenance4 ,why is it1 ,i asked of myself1 that in the midst of abundance1 every hour meeting with objects which would restore strength and vigor and energy1 every moment contriving some device to procure the nourishment my wasting frame required1 ,i should meet with these repeated and discouraging failures8 ,thoughts of the early teaching of a pious mother suppressed these feelings4 ,oh6 how often have the recollections of a loved ,new ,england home1 and the memories of a happy childhood1 cheered my sinking spirits1 and dissipated the gathering gloom of despair6 ,there were thoughts and feelings and mental anguishes without number1 that visited me during my period of trial1 that never can be known to any but my ,god and myself4 ,bitter as was my experience1 it was not unrelieved by some of the most precious moments ,i have ever known4 ,soon after leaving ,tower ,falls1 ,i entered the open country4 ,pine forests and windfalls were changed for sage brush and desolation1 with occasional tracts of stunted verdure1 barren hillsides1 exhibiting here and there an isolated clamp of dwarf trees1 and ravines filled with the rocky debris of adjacent mountains4 ,my first camp on this part of the route1 for the convenience of getting wood1 was made near the summit of a range of towering foot-hills4 ,towards morning a storm of wind and snow nearly extinguished my fire4 ,i became very cold2 the storm was still raging when ,i arose1 and the ground white with snow4 ,i was perfectly bewildered1 and had lost my course of travel4 ,no visible object1 seen through the almost blinding storm1 reassured me1 and there was no alternative but to find the river and take my direction from its current4 ,fortunately1 after a few hours of stumbling and scrambling among rocks and over crests1 ,i came to the precipitous side of the caon through which it ran1 and with much labor1 both of hands and feet1 descended it to the margin4 ,i drank copiously of its pure waters1 and sat beside it for a long time1 waiting for the storm to abate1 so that ,i could procure fire4 ,the day wore on1 without any prospect of a termination to the storm4 ,chilled through1 my tattered clothing saturated1 ,i saw before me a night of horrors unless ,i returned to my fire4 ,the scramble up the side of the rocky caon1 in many places nearly perpendicular1 was the hardest work of my journey4 ,often1 while clinging to the jutting rocks with hands and feet1 to reach a shelving projection1 my grasp would unclose and ,i would slide many feet down the sharp declivity4 ,it was night when1 sore from the bruises ,i had received1 ,i reached my fire2 the storm1 still raging1 had nearly extinguished it4 ,i found a few embers in the ashes1 and with much difficulty kindled a flame4 ,here1 on this bleak mountain side1 as well as ,i now remember1 ,i must have passed two nights beside the fire1 in the storm4 ,many times during each night ,i crawled to the little clump of trees to gather wood1 and brush1 and the broken limbs of fallen tree-tops4 ,all the sleep ,i obtained was snatched from the intervals which divided these labors4 ,it was so harassed with frightful dreams as to afford little rest4 ,i remember1 before ,i left this camp1 stripping up my sleeves to look at my shrunken arms4 ,flesh and blood had apparently left them4 ,the skin clung to the bones like wet parchment4 ,a child's hand could have clasped them from wrist to shoulder4 ,yet1 thought ,i1 it is death to remain2 ,i cannot perish in this wilderness4 ,taking counsel of this early formed resolution1 ,i hobbled on my course through the snow1 which was rapidly disappearing before the rays of the warm sun4 ,well knowing that ,i should find no thistles in the open country1 ,i had filled my pouches with them before leaving the forest4 ,my supply was running low1 and there were yet several days of heavy mountain travel between me and ,botelers' ,ranch4 ,with the most careful economy1 it could last but two or three days longer4 ,i saw the necessity of placing myself and imaginary companions upon allowance4 ,the conflict which ensued with the stomach1 when ,i announced this resolution1 required great firmness to carry through4 ,i tried wheedling and coaxing and promising2 failing in these1 ,i threatened to part company with a comrade so unreasonable1 and he made no further complaint4 ,two or three days before ,i was found1 while ascending a steep hill1 ,i fell from exhaustion into the sage brush1 without the power to rise4 ,unbuckling my belt1 as was my custom1 ,i soon fell asleep4 ,i have no idea of the time ,i slept1 but upon awaking ,i fastened my belt1 scrambled to my feet1 and pursued my journey4 ,as night drew on ,i selected a camping-place1 gathered wood into a heap1 and felt for my lens to procure fire4 ,it was gone4 ,if the earth had yawned to swallow me ,i would not have been more terrified4 ,the only chance for life was lost4 ,the last hope had fled4 ,i seemed to feel the grim messenger who had been so long pursuing me knocking at the portals of my heart as ,i lay down by the side of the wood-pile1 and covered myself with limbs and sage brush1 with the dreadful conviction that my struggle for life was over1 and that ,i should rise no more4 ,the floodgates of misery seemed now to be opened1 and it rushed in a living tide upon my soul4 ,with the rapidity of lightning1 ,i ran over every event of my life4 ,thoughts doubled and trebled upon me1 until ,i saw1 as if in vision1 the entire past of my existence4 ,it was all before me1 as if painted with a sunbeam1 and all seemingly faded like the phantoms of a vivid dream4 ,as calmness returned1 reason resumed her empire4 ,fortunately1 the weather was comfortable4 ,i summoned all the powers of my memory1 thought over every foot of the day's travel1 and concluded that the glass must have become detached from my belt while sleeping4 ,five long miles over the hills must be retraced to regain it4 ,there was no alternative1 and before daylight ,i had staggered over half the distance4 ,i found the lens on the spot where ,i had slept4 ,no incident of my journey brought with it more of joy and relief4 ,returning to the camp of the previous night1 ,i lighted the pile ,i had prepared1 and lay down for a night to rest4 ,it was very cold1 and towards morning commenced snowing4 ,with difficulty ,i kept the fire alive4 ,sleep was impossible4 ,when daylight came1 ,i was impressed with the idea that ,i must go on despite the storm4 ,a flash--momentary but vivid--came over me1 that ,i should be saved4 ,snatching a lighted brand1 ,i started through the storm4 ,in the afternoon the storm abated and the sun shone at intervals4 ,coming to a small clump of trees1 ,i set to work to prepare a camp4 ,i laid the brand down which ,i had preserved with so much care1 to pick up a few dry sticks with which to feed it1 until ,i could collect wood for a camp-fire1 and in the few minutes thus employed it expired4 ,i sought to revive it1 but every spark was gone4 ,clouds obscured the sun1 now near the horizon1 and the prospect of another night of exposure without fire became fearfully imminent4 ,i sat down with my lens and the last remaining piece of touchwood ,i possessed to catch a gleam of sunshine1 feeling that my life depended on it4 ,in a few moments the cloud passed1 and with trembling hands ,i presented the little disk to the face of the glowing luminary4 ,quivering with excitement lest a sudden cloud should interpose1 a moment passed before ,i could hold the lens steadily enough to concentrate a burning focus4 ,at length it came4 ,the little thread of smoke curled gracefully up wards from the ,heaven-lighted spark1 which1 a few moments afterwards1 diffused with warmth and comfort my desolate lodgings4 ,i resumed my journey the next morning1 with the belief that ,i should make no more fires with my lens4 ,i must save a brand1 or perish4 ,the day was raw and gusty2 an east wind1 charged with storm1 penetrated my nerves with irritating keenness4 ,after walking a few miles the storm came on1 and a coldness unlike any other ,i had ever felt seized me4 ,it entered all my bones4 ,i attempted to build a fire1 but could not make it burn4 ,seizing a brand1 ,i stumbled blindly on1 stopping within the shadow of every rock and clump to renew energy for a final conflict for life4 ,a solemn conviction that death was near1 that at each pause ,i made my limbs would refuse further service1 and that ,i should sink helpless and dying in my path1 overwhelmed me with terror4 ,amid all this tumult of the mind1 ,i felt that ,i had done all that man could do4 ,i knew that in two or three days more ,i could effect my deliverance1 and ,i derived no little satisfaction from the thought that1 as ,i was now in the broad trail1 my remains would be found1 and my friends relieved of doubt as to my fate4 ,once only the thought flashed across my mind that ,i should be saved1 and ,i seemed to hear a whispered command to struggle on4 ,groping along the side of a hill1 ,i became suddenly sensible of a sharp reflection1 as of burnished steel4 ,looking up1 through half-closed eyes1 two rough but kindly faces met my gaze4 ,are you ,mr4 ,everts8 ,yes4 ,all that is left of him4 ,we have come for you4 ,who sent you8 ,judge ,lawrence and other friends4 ,god bless him1 and them1 and you6 ,i am saved6 and with these words1 powerless of further effort1 ,i fell forward into the arms of my preservers1 in a state of unconsciousness4 ,i was saved4 ,on the very brink of the river which divides the known from the unknown1 strong arms snatched me from the final plunge1 and kind ministrations wooed me back to life4 ,baronet and ,prichette1 my two preservers1 by the usual appliances1 soon restored me to consciousness1 made a camp upon the spot1 and while one went to ,fort ,ellis1 a distance of seventy miles1 to return with remedies to restore digestion and an ambulance to convey me to that post1 the other sat by my side1 and with all the care1 sympathy1 and solicitude of a brother1 ministered to my frequent necessities4 ,in two days ,i was sufficiently recovered in strength to be moved twenty miles down the trail to the cabin of some miners who were prospecting in that vicinity4 ,from these men ,i received every possible attention which their humane and generous natures could devise4 ,a good bed was provided1 game was killed to make broth1 and the best stores of their larder placed at my command4 ,for four days1 at a time when every day's labor was invaluable in their pursuit1 they abandoned their work to aid in my restoration4 ,owing to the protracted inaction of the system1 and the long period which must transpire before ,prichette's return with remedies1 my friends had serious doubts of my recovery4 ,the night after my arrival at the cabin1 while suffering the most excruciating agony1 and thinking that ,i had only been saved to die among friends1 a loud knock was heard at the cabin door4 ,an old man in mountain costume entered--a hunter1 whose life was spent among the mountains4 ,he was on his way to find a brother4 ,he listened to the story of my sufferings1 and tears rapidly coursed each other down his rough1 weather-beaten face4 ,but when he was told of my present necessity1 brightening in a moment1 he exclaimed3 ,why1 ,lord bless you1 if that is all1 ,i have the very remedy you need4 ,in two hours' time all shall be well with you4 ,he left the cabin1 returning in a moment with a sack filled with the fat of a bear which he had killed a few hours before4 ,from this he rendered out a pint measure of oil4 ,i drank the whole of it4 ,it proved to be the needed remedy1 and the next day1 freed from pain1 with appetite and digestion reestablished1 ,i felt that good food and plenty of it were only necessary for an early recovery4 ,in a day or two ,i took leave of my kind friends1 with a feeling of regret at parting1 and of gratitude for their kindness as enduring as life4 ,meeting the carriage on my way1 ,i preceded to ,boseman1 where ,i remained among old friends1 who gave me every attention until my health was sufficiently restored to allow me to return to my home at ,helena4 ,my heartfelt thanks are due to the members of the expedition1 all of whom devoted seven1 and some of them twelve days to the search for me before they left ,yellowstone ,lake2 and to ,judge ,lawrence1 of ,helena1 and the friends who co-operated with him in the offer of reward which sent ,baronet and ,prichette to my rescue4 ,my narrative is finished4 ,in the course of events the time is not far distant when the wonders of the ,yellowstone will be made accessible to all lovers of sublimity1 grandeur1 and novelty in natural scenery1 and its majestic waters become the abode of civilization and refinement2 and when that arrives1 ,i hope1 in happier mood and under more auspicious circumstances1 to revisit scenes fraught for me with such thrilling interest2 to ramble along the glowing beach of ,bessie ,lake2 to sit down amid the hot springs under the shadow of ,mount ,everts2 to thread unscared the mazy forests1 retrace the dreary journey to the ,madison ,range1 and with enraptured fancy gaze upon the mingled glories and terrors of the great falls and marvellous caon1 and to enjoy1 in happy contrast with the trials they recall1 their power to delight1 elevate1 and overwhelm the mind with wondrous and majestic beauty4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,yellowstone ,,park4 ,as soon as ,dr4 ,hayden could make known officially the results of his exploration of the ,yellowstone ,basin1 action was begun to secure the reservation of a portion at least of the marvellous scenes which it embraces1 for the undivided benefit1 enjoyment and instruction of the country at large4 ,a bill to this effect was introduced into the ,senate of the ,united ,states1 on the #ahth of ,december1 #ahga1 by ,hon4 ,s4 ,c4 ,pomeroy of ,kansas4 ,about the same time a similar bill was offered in the ,house of ,representatives by ,hon4 ,william ,h4 ,claggett1 delegate from ,montana4 ,the bill was referred to the ,committees on ,public ,lands in both houses1 who after due consideration returned with approbation the following report prepared by ,dr4 ,hayden3 ,the bill now before ,congress has for its object the withdrawal from settlement1 occupancy1 or sale1 under the laws of the ,united ,states1 a tract of land fifty-five by sixty-five miles1 about the sources of the ,yellowstone and ,missouri ,rivers1 and dedicates and sets it apart as a great national park or pleasure-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people4 ,the entire area comprises within the limits of the reservation contemplated in this bill is not susceptible of cultivation with any degree of certainty1 and the winters would be too severe for stock-raising4 ,whenever the altitude of the mountain districts exceeds #f1jjj feet above tide-water1 their settlement becomes problematical unless there are valuable mines to attract people4 ,the entire area within the limits of the proposed reservation is over #f1jjj feet in altitude1 and the ,yellowstone ,lake1 which occupies an area fifteen by twenty-two miles1 or three hundred and thirty square miles1 is #g1dbg feet4 ,the ranges of mountains that hem the valleys in on every side rise to the height of #aj1jjj and #ab1jjj feet and are covered with snow all the year4 ,these mountains are all of volcanic origin1 and it is not probable that any mines or minerals of value will ever be found there4 ,during the months of ,june1 ,july1 and ,august the climate is pure and most invigorating1 with scarcely any rain or storms of any kind1 but the thermometer frequently sinks as low as #bf4 ,there is frost every month of the year4 ,this whole region was1 in comparatively modern geological times1 the scene of the most wonderful volcanic activity of any portion of our country4 ,the hot springs and the geysers represent the last stages--the vents or escape-pipes--of these remarkable volcanic manifestations of the internal forces4 ,all these springs are adorned with decorations more beautiful than human art ever conceived1 and which have required thousands of years for the cunning hand of nature to form4 ,persons are now waiting for the spring to open to enter in and take possession of these remarkable curiosities1 to make merchandise of these beautiful specimens1 to fence in these rare wonders1 so as to charge visitors a fee1 as is now done at ,niagara ,falls1 for the sight of that which ought to be as free as the air or water4 ,in a few years this region will be a place of resort for all classes of people from all portions of the world4 ,the geysers of ,iceland1 which have been objects of interest for the scientific men and travellers of the entire world1 sink into insignificance in comparison with the hot springs of the ,yellowstone and ,firehole ,basins4 ,as a place of resort for invalids1 it will not be excelled by any portion of the world4 ,if this bill fails to become a law this session1 the vandals who are now waiting to enter into this wonder-land will1 in a single season1 despoil1 beyond recovery1 these remarkable curiosities1 which have required all the cunning skill of nature thousands of years to prepare4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,giantess4 ,we have already shown that no portion of this tract can ever be made available for agricultural or mining purposes4 ,even if the altitude and the climate would permit the country to be made available1 not over fifty square miles of the entire area could ever be settled4 ,the valleys are all narrow1 hemmed in by high volcanic mountains like gigantic walls4 ,the withdrawal of this tract1 therefore1 from sale or settlement takes nothing from the value of the public domain1 and is no pecuniary loss to the ,government1 but will be regarded by the entire civilized world as a step of progress and an honor to ,congress and the nation4 ,in the ,senate the bill was ably advocated by ,messrs4 ,pomeroy1 ,edmunds1 ,trumbull1 ,anthony and others4 ,in the ,house the favorable remarks of ,hon4 ,h4 ,l4 ,dawes were so clear and forcible that the bill was passed without opposition4 ,the text of the ,act is as follows3 ,be it enacted by the ,senate and ,house of ,representatives of the ,united ,states of ,america in ,congress assembled1 ,that the tract of land in the ,territories of ,montana and ,wyoming1 lying near the headwaters of the ,yellowstone ,river1 and described as follows1 to wit1 commencing at the junction of ,gardiner's ,river with the ,yellowstone ,river1 and running east to the meridian passing ten miles to the eastward of the most eastern point of ,yellowstone ,lake2 thence south along said meridian to the parallel of latitude passing ten miles south of the most southern point of ,yellowstone ,lake2 thence west along said parallel to the meridian passing fifteen miles west of the most western point of ,madison ,lake2 thence north along said meridian to the latitude of the junction of the ,yellowstone and ,gardiner's ,river2 thence east to the place of beginning1 is hereby reserved and withdrawn from settlement1 occupancy1 or sale under the laws of the ,united ,states1 and dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people2 and all persons who shall locate or settle upon or occupy the same1 or any part thereof1 except as hereinafter provided1 shall be considered trespassers and removed therefrom4 ,,sec4 #b4 ,that said public park shall be under the exclusive control of the ,secretary of the ,interior1 whose duty it shall be1 as soon as practicable1 to make and publish such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary or proper for the care and management of the same4 ,such regulations shall provide for the preservation1 from injury or spoliation1 of all timber1 mineral deposits1 natural curiosities or wonders within said park1 and their retention in their natural condition4 ,the ,secretary may1 in his discretion1 grant leases for building purposes for terms not exceeding ten years1 of small parcels of ground1 at such places in said park as shall require the erection of buildings for the accommodation of visitors2 all of the proceeds of said leases1 and all other revenues that may be derived from any source connected with said park1 to be expended under his direction in the management of the same1 and the construction of roads and bridlepaths therein4 ,he shall provide against the wanton destruction of the fish and game found within said1 park1 and against their capture or destruction for the purposes of merchandise or profit4 ,he shall also cause all persons trespassing upon the same after the passage of this act to be removed therefrom1 and generally shall be authorized to take all such measures as shall be necessary or proper to fully carry out the objects and purposes of this act4 ,this ,act was approved ,march #a1 #ahgb2 and shortly after the ,hon4 ,n4 ,p4 ,langford1 whose graphic descriptions of the ,wonders of the ,yellowstone first called public attention thereto1 was appointed ,superintendent of the ,park4 ,illustration3 ,,map ,,footnote3 #a ,mr4 ,langford appears to have underestimated this fall4 ,the report of the ,u4 ,s4 ,geological ,survey gives the height as #adj feet4 ,,transcriber',s ,,note3 --,obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected4