„_, THE YELLOWSTONE PARK. 345 



HAI'l r..| 



geysers are found. They are the principal waters of all the geyser 

 basins and of most of the hot spring areas. Alkaline waters deposit 

 mainly amorphous silica as siliceous sinter, but in an endless variety 

 Of forms, as shown in the geyser cones and incrustations upon the sur- 

 face and' edges of the hot pools. These sinters form the brilliant white 

 deposits found over large areas in all the geyser basins. Scorodite. 

 realgar, orpiment, oxide of iron, wad, and other minerals occur under 

 favorable conditions as deposits from hot waters at certain springs, 

 each adding something of interest to the marvels of the Park. 



It is these unrivalled hydrothermal manifestations, and their geolog- 

 ical relations to the earlier volcanic eruptions, that have made the 

 Yellowstone Park famous throughout the world, and have justly gained 

 for it the appellation of the Wonderland of America. 



Another characteristic feature of the Park, and one that adds more 

 than anything else to the scenic charms of the plateau, are the sin- 

 gularly beautiful, deeply eroded canyons that carry the waters from 

 This elevated region to the broad valleys below. They are all of com- 

 paratively modern origin, presenting all the phenomena of recent 

 canyon cutting. Of all these picturesque gorges, the canyon of the 

 Yellowstone stands preeminent in grandeur and sublimity of its 

 scenery. Nearly all these gorges carry waterfalls of great beauty, 

 each adding some special attraction to the charm of the place. Nearly 

 twenty picturesque falls may be found within the Park. 



Across the plateau lies the continental divide, separating the waters 

 of the Atlantic from those of the Pacific. Entering the Park from the 

 southeast corner it runs with an irregular course in a northwest direc- 

 tion, following along the summit of Two Ocean Plateau, the waters 

 of the plateau draining to both oceans. The watershed follows the 

 undulating low ridge between Shoshone and Yellowstone lakes, and, 

 with a broad sweeping curve around the streams rui ning into the lat- 

 ter lake, crosses Madison Plateau and leaves the Park a short distance 

 south of Madison Canyon. Several large bodies of water form such 

 characteristic features on both sides of this divide that the country 

 has deservedly received the designation of the lake region of the Park. 



About 85 per cent of the Park is forest-clad. The timber is 688611 

 daily coniferous, with here and there a few small growths of aspen. 

 Two thirds of the trees belong to the black pine, 1'inns murrayana. and 

 on many of the gravelly, rhyolite ridges no other species is seen. It 

 rarely attains any great size, but for the purpose of water protection, 

 one of the objects for which the reservation is maintained, it meets 

 every economic requirement. 



