42 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



TFeb. IB, 1888, 



vwiiiiln'V.1 was too poov to entertain for any length of time 

 (he beggar who had sought his hospitality, and so he proposed 

 o the old man as the best he eould do for him that he -would 

 ake him to the city where he might ply From door to door 

 his vocation as a common mendicant. The poet gives the 

 talk that passed hel ween the two on their way to town, and 

 as they entered the e«url of the palace from which Odysseus 

 ad set out for Troy, and then he adds: 



That was the way they iIlsBua&ect such miners talking together, 

 Only raising liis head the dog pricked his ears as be lay there. 

 Argos that long slnbfi was reared by stout-Hearted Odysseus, 

 Not for his maater'B delight, too soon to Ilion sacred 

 That one had gone. But I lie do;' young '"en had formerly taken 

 Going to hunt the wild goats, the deer and the swift -footed rabbits. 

 Object of loathing then when Ion,; from home was his master, 

 Lying on heaps of filth which was piled in front of the stables 

 Where were kept oxen and mules manure awaiting the season 

 When of Odysseus the slaves should use this for dressing his acres. 

 There lay Argos the dog all covered over with vermia. 

 Then, indeed, when ho knew OflysSeus standing beside him 

 Fawned the clog with his tall, and he lopped both ears for his glad- 

 ness, 

 Having no longer Die strength that he could go to his master. 

 That, one turning aside brushed a tear unobserved by Eumaeos, 

 Raising a question at once with a view to diverting attention. 



!, jl i i !i!!-i rj':' ],, this dog lying here on the dung-hill. 



Well indeed Is he formed, but this i do not know clearly 

 Whether in truth he is switt to run as his looks may betoken. 

 Or if he be of such sort as attend their masters at table, 

 tsucli as gentlemen keep to give them an air of distinction." 

 Now in reply to the man did thus speak, Eumaeos the swineherd, 

 'This is a dog that belonged to one who died far from his country. 

 If he were only the same in form as well as in action, 

 As upon going to Troy his owner Odysseus once left, htm, 

 You would quickly admire observing his strength and his lleetness, 

 For there was not any chance that game which he was pursuing 

 Should in the forest escape, for he knew the game by the footprints. 

 Now is the dog taken ill, and fur from home has his master 

 Died: and the negligent women have no concern for this favorite. 

 Well, but the truth is that slaves when their masters no longer give 



orders 

 Not any longer themselves have a care to do what is becoming. 

 Half at the least of hts worth does Zeus whose view is extended 

 Take away from a man as soon as he falls under bondage." 

 Holding such converse he came to the palace pleasant to dwell in: 

 Straight through the hall he went to join illustrious suitors 

 Then indeed did the fate of dark death fall upon Argos 

 Soon as Odysseus he saw come home after twenty years absence. 

 KM. XVn..2'ia 837,5 

 1. B. C'HOATE. 



\kt §j$mtmt[m% HJ»omi$i 



THE YELLOWSTONE REGION. 



IT is believed that there is no part of the North American 

 Continent where there is to he found so much (and of 

 such varied character) to attract those fond of viewing 

 what is grand and beautiful and wonderful in nature, as 

 lies within a circle, described with a radius of sixty miles, 

 with its center at or near the outlet of the Yellowstone 

 Lake, on the head of the Yellowstone River. 



On the Pacific slope is that succession of beautiful lakes, 

 bordered by beautiful parks, that are unsurpassed in this re- 

 gard in any country, such as Jackson, De Lacy (unjustly 

 called Shoshone mi the maps;, Lewis, Heart and many 

 smaller lakes, though none the less beautiful. Overlooking 

 this panorama are the highest and most remarkable moun- 

 tain peaks north of the Union Pacific road, "The Three 

 Tetons,' whose needle-shaped pinnacles tower 8,000 feet 

 above the waters of Lake Jackson, immediately at its feet, 

 and 6.000 feet above the main Continental Divide, lying 

 forty miles to the north. These peaks are nearly 14,000" feet 

 above sea. level, aud tire a noted landmark hundreds of miles 

 down the valley of Snake River. 



Overlooking'this same region is the Red Mountain range, 

 ten miles south of the main range. From the highest 

 peak of this range, Mount Sheridan, (10,400 ' feet 

 above sea level and 2,500 feet above Heart Lake, im- 

 mediately at its feet) is the giandest, the most extended, 

 and most" beautiful view it has ever been my good fortune 

 to enjoy. Seven lakes are in view almost at one sight, 

 while' to the south is a very fine view of the grand "Tetons" 

 and to the north is a splendid view of the Yellowstone Park- 

 proper, with Pilot peak and the high mountains at the head 

 of the Clark's Pork of the Yellowstone River, en tin; hori- 

 zon to the northeast, and the Shoshone range ou the head of 

 the Stinking River, to the east. The main Continental Di- 

 vide, ten miles to the north and 3,000 feet below, with its 

 sniall lakes and marshes and parks, almost on the very suni- 

 niit, is apparently a beautiful valley. This divide is not, 

 exceeding 400 feet above the waters of the Yellowstone and 

 Heart lakes, and their waters might be intermingled by a 

 canal not exceeding twelve miles long, and without the use 

 of locks. 



Un the Atlantic slope are the various and very rental kahle 

 cations of the Madison, the Gallatin, Ihe Yellowstone, the 

 Boulder, the Rosebud, the Clark'sFork. the Stinking River, 

 the Gray Bull and the Upper Yellowstone. Near the center 

 of this enchanted circle the most important waterfalls are 

 the Gibbon (named from General Gibbon), the Gardner, the 

 Tower and the Upper and Grand tails of the Yellowstone, 

 the latter with a single vertical leap of 39? feet, the remain- 

 der with single leaps of from 120 feet to 160 feet. 



Whai gives ibis region its celebrity, however, and entitles 

 it to be called the "Wonderland of 'America,'' are the nu- 

 merous groups of overflowing and spouting geysers scattered 

 throughout its entire extent. At the head of these groups 

 stands prominent the spouting geysers of the tipper Geyser 

 Basin, on the head of the Madison. These are, doubtless, 

 the most wonderful geysers of the world. Then come the 

 groups at the Lower Geyser Basin, the mammoth. Hot 

 Springs on Gardners River, and the smaller groups in the 

 Gibbon Basin, on Pelican Creek, ou Alum Creek, and the 

 various groups around the Brimstone. Yellowstone, Heart 

 and De Lacy lakes. Resides these larger groups there are 

 localities where the mountains are full of smaller groups, 

 either active or extinct. 



To most of the readers of the Forest and Stiikam these 



wonders' are more or less familiar, either from personal 

 inspection or the description of others. In the past six 



years it has been my good fortune to have, explored the 

 greater portion of this wonderful region, and I can truth- 

 fully report that the delineation of these wonders, either 

 with the pen of the camera, fails greatly in coining up to 

 the reality. New explorations are discovering new wonders 

 each year, 



A portion of the past three years has been spent in a 

 bunting and exploring trip on the heads of the Clark's Fork, 

 Stinking and Gray Bull rivers, most of which region is but 

 little known, except to a few trappers; aud the opinion is 

 entertained that there is enough of the grand and wonder- 

 ful in this region lying east of the present boundary of Ihe. 

 Yellowstone Park" to induce a trip across the Atlantic. 

 The Shoshone Mountains, occupying this region, are one of 

 the most rugged aud remarkable of the Continental Divide, 

 many of whose peaks are from 12,500 to 13,000 feet above 

 tide-water. 



Through this mountain chain the Stinking River has worn 

 a deep valley, denuding in its course that most remarkable 

 formation of red silieious pudding-atone conglomerate, that 

 also crops out at the Lower Falls on the Yellowstone, and 

 on the head of the East Fork of that stream, (forming what is 

 known as the " Hoodo " region of the mountain men), 



For twenty miles the North Fork of Stinking River is 

 walled in by vertical cliffs of this formation of from 200 to 

 500 feet heights, that assume sometimes such fantastic and 

 wonderful shapes that by their weird appearance they carry 

 one back to the days of the fairies and giants of the story- 

 books. Sometimes the mountain peaks are crowned by 

 castellated structures of this formation. The most remark- 

 able of tbcui is "The Giant's Castle," a noted landmark of 

 the upper valley. Space does not admit at this time of a 

 description of this canon. I can only say that it far sur- 

 passes in extent, and in every other respect, what hits been 

 published in regard to the "Hoodo" region. 



At the point where the Stinking River debouches ou to 

 the plains, bordering the Big Home, is the easternmost out- 

 crop of the geysers. At, the lower end of what is known as 

 the ' 'Stinking River Basin" the two forks (North and 

 South) join and run for four miles through a deep and im- 

 passable canon, culling off to the south "Cedar Mountain" 

 from the main or "Sheep Mountain." Piotu this point to 

 the bend of this stream, seventy miles west, there is no in- 

 dication of geyser action. At ihe upper end of this cafiou 

 the side of Cedar Mountain is incrusted with this unmistak- 

 able formation, showing evidently that the hot; water had at 

 one time flowed down its side and left its deposit. On a bar 

 near the junction of the rwo fork-; a tepid sulphur spring 

 bubbles up, its waters highly surcharged '" 



while all over the 

 instantly bubbling up. 

 I taste, is a tine appetizt 

 ~ tratoga 



This 



At the In 

 formation, 

 some time 

 sers, but nr 

 from these 



.vilh 



id of this 



let- 

 to l 

 of i 



nlloi 



uts 



s gl 



v water thi 

 t sulphury, 



3 pleasant a 



od effects. 



qu 



te a 



i extent, of 



the 



gas, supposi 

 hydrogen si 

 can ua.detei 

 that caused 

 what iu the: 

 of the OroM 



extinct. 1 

 ties, it boils up 

 immense spri 



spring 



gh the 



j these falls 

 shooting out frr 

 leousiderable m 



l the 



g exl 

 Pi . 



ed to be carbonic acid gas. with probably 

 ulphide, for the. unmistakable smell of this gas 

 ■ted for miles around. It is this peculiar smell 

 .... the Indians to give this river the present name, 

 in their language means "stinking," The 'sign mlk" 

 ( rows in alluding to this stream is most amusing and 

 itive. The formation near tliis spring was almost pure 

 iilum. of such an alkaline character as to burn holes in a 

 silk handkerchief in a short time. There is, also, bear an 

 abundance of almost, pure sulphur, with a warm sulphur 

 spring on the opposite bank. 



On twd occasions I have crossed this stream iu mid-winter. 

 On one occasion, after leaving camp, above the forks, with 

 both streams frozen solid, from a temperature of —38°, a 

 few days previous, and approaching the ford below Ihe 

 canon a'ud lookiug into its clear and limpid water.-, without 

 even a skim of ice fringing its borders, the contrast seemed 

 marked as to suggest the idea of spring. The water 

 had a slight pungent taste, as if produced by carbonic acid 

 or dilute sulphuric acid. To produce this marked change 

 in such a volume of water, and in so short a distance (two 

 or three miles), presupposes the existence of many more aud 

 extensive springs near the center of tins cation. This stream 

 has never been known to freeze over at ibis point, and yet 

 there is said to be an abundance of trout to be. caught at the 

 proper season. This canon will bear a great deal *f investi- 

 gation. 



But by far the greatest wonder of the Shoshone Mange is 

 the Grind Canon of the Clark's Fork, located near 

 where this stream debouches on to the valley of the Yellow- 

 :me. As there is an old traveled trail passing within tour 

 ih-s uf the deepest part of this canon, it is the more i » 

 arkable that its wonderful features are entirely unknown 

 even the guides and mountain men 

 Within the past few years a half-dozen military expe- 

 ditions have passed along this trail, but having no informa- 

 tion of Ihe locality, made no investigation. In 1870 I spent 

 six davs in the South Fork Park within six miles of it, but 

 never happened to stumble upon it. In 1381 1 spent two 

 months on "Sheep Mountain ' aud within twelve miles to 

 the south, and only saw enough to induce further investiga- 

 tion, hut as it. involved a descent into Ihe South. Fork Basin 

 of 8,000 feet- in a distance of 2.1 or 2£ miles, and down a 

 much dreaded trail, it was not undertaken that year. From 

 a high point, at least 3,000 fett above the water below 

 "Lookout. Point," its most interesting features, then knoWn, 

 were discovered, including the "Zeta" Falls, formed by the 

 "South Fork" apparently leaping out from a hole iu the 

 vertical wall into the main gorge. All these features were 

 pointed out, to Captain Stanton, of the at my, on his way 

 into the National Park during that sumrnei 

 never seen his report, do not know i 

 at his disposal admitted of a furt 

 canon, as neither of us were aw 



I the past E 



1 the 



(June 



, bethel' the limited linn 

 icr examination ot thi 

 if the depth of the uppe 



Jur- 



is 



to 



trthei 



^ busini ssof rafting my 

 lti- rapid stream, advau- 



ore the lower end for 



the canon walls close in 

 wever, is only one mile 

 Fork Basin," which can 



to the water's edge. This point, b 

 below the. lower edge of the South 



be reached by a circuitous trail over the mountain. Subse- 

 quently having been detained by high water in the Stinking 

 River,' I spent several days in this exploration, at and below 



Ihe mouth of the South Fotk. This in vol \ so 

 of the severest labor (one day climbing up and down a verti- 

 cal height of 2,000 feet), hut the result- amply repaid the 

 effort. 



I have seen all the principal canons of MjontuUE I id 

 Wyoming, tout have seen enlarged photos of the' Royal 

 Gorge ou the Ark: nsas River of Colorado, yet I have'no 

 hesitation in asserting that. thi-. canon, in most iil.ii. 

 passes ibem all, ana is only secondary, In tlhscoi il 



the "Grand Canon of the Colorado.'' 



The lower seven miles of this canon are rather open, 

 sufficiently so for a good wagon road (at one place there 

 being a little park). The walls'rL, up with a slope of about 

 1 to 1 with the highest peak on ihe Easl i H ! ' 



4,500 feet above the water, and not, exceeding . ,.;'-,, 



the east on a horizontal line. 



The point where the canon shuts in to the water's edge is 

 Opposite " Point Loofcout," ".100 feel vertically above the 

 water, and not exceeding 500 yards away on a la 

 line. Lookitigdown from this height you imagine vou can 

 cast a stone into the water, apparently "just at your i 



From this point to a point just below the mouth of Crau- 

 dall Creek, about twelve miles, this stream rushes through 

 a narrow chasm, or rather "crack," in the granite rock 

 made by some convulsion of natnie The solid granite 

 walls, shutting in the stream to the widei's edge, are' nimo-t 

 vertical, their slope being about ,'. to I. and near the lower 

 cud are at least 1,200 fee! in height above the w iter. 



From the south comes in Dead i Indian Creek y.nd the South 

 Fork, through chasms of a similar character, except not so 

 wide, and falling, from the fords on the trail near ihe level 

 of the basin, three and one-half and four miles above, to ihe 

 level of tin- main stream. 1,20(1 to l.-HHl leet vertically. The 

 funnel si ream descends in a system of cascades and rapids 

 Wie entire distance. The latter and much larger Stream de- 

 seentiftiri the same manner but not quite , rapidh until 

 the gorge of the main stream is reached, when "it leaps 

 out trout Ihe face of the vertical wall and tumbles down 

 300 feet into the valley below, the first 100 feel befog 

 in a single leap, the latter 200 in a succession of cas- 

 cades. On the brink of the fall the width pf opening 

 in the wall is about, 50 feel, with Walls rising 700 or 

 S00 feet, almost, vertically, orr each side. Wear the. top 

 of this wall, on the east, i-'. apparently carved in the face of 

 the cliff, the letter Z of colossal proportions, Hence I sug- 

 gested asjbo name of these talis, "Zeta," from the Greek 

 "in a point jus! below, the wa- 

 i a hole in the solid cliff. Nor 

 ', as those can testify who have 

 seen il at ils average stage. 



This stream joins the main stream about 300 yards above 

 Dead Indian Creek (the military maps indicate they come 

 together before their junction with Ihe main pi vol"), and in 

 thai distance the side of the chasm is a mass of huge boul 



ders, evidently disrupted [mm the main clitf in 1 1 



convulsion ofiiature. One of He n .... i i , , : . .,,,, 



me. it itaiiied 320 cubic yards, which would indica i u 



weight of about TOO tons. 



1 a? gorges through whieb these Iributarief, passed . m. 



scarcely secondary in interest to that of them: ,., 



On Indian Creek" a point was readied stoppifi 

 progress, when- the width at. the water le< el WHS Ui foot, 

 With 600 feet walls on each side. JuSt above ain 

 bend was heard the noise of no inconsiderable fall On 

 the South Fork was found a point wKfirefl stOflecOUld be 



cast into the water below with tl littl effort than 



merely dropping from the hand. A suewssion of (rial i 'fth 

 as round boulders eould be found show»(l thttt their 

 descent took eight seconds to tite water, in icabing 

 law of fulling bodies without allowance lor uir resistance, 



it depth of over 1,(100 feet. A lead hall would have fallen 



in somewhat shorter time. The next day si doseonl was 



made, hv a -ide gorge, to the water's edge, n Utile below, and 

 thi aneroid indicated 700 feet. This point was estimated 

 400 feet above the main stream. The width betv ■ tjj£i 



at this point tit top. as determined by the known 

 n title ball, was 150 yards. At: some points this width across 

 the main chasm was' not exceeding .'.in.. >n mis. The 

 watci channel was 15 to 80 yards. The main ; 



for the entire length of the channel, suV 10 miles, '3,200 to 

 2.500 feel. 



I have thus briefly glvwi the maiu features of this remark- 

 able canon, and will defer to u future paper to give 

 more details. The vertical heights are no guess work, but 

 were obtained by personal observation with a eery reliable 

 aneroid barometer, el, i el., ,i | i; , such means as He CHS 

 gested. 



Comparing this cafiou with that well-known one below 

 the Grand Falls of the. Yellowstone; il has something less 

 volume of water, but is fully as long; has vertical, solid 

 ._',,, -iii i „:,!!■, ! iste d of walls o! earthy material, with slopes 

 of 1 tot: its depth is greater, 1,200 feet; whereas. I believe 

 the depth of the latter enfibn, at the point of Mt. W"s hbun 

 does not exceed t,000 let 1, with highest peak, within one mile 

 of the water, of not exceeding 1,500 feet, whereas, the first 

 named canon has a peak of 4. 000 feel height, aud within three 

 quarters of a m le of the water. 



There are no landscape view? from points hear the Yellow- 

 i meCi Son. There arc. on the contrary, mountain peaks 



v overlooking the Clark'sFork Canon 

 on]y give a magnificent view of ihe canon below, i, , lading 

 Zeta Palls, bill ore of the grandest views of park and distant 

 mountain peaks to he had in Montana or Wyoming I'heri 

 are peaks within twelve miles of Ibis locality 12,000 feet 

 above tide level. 



I heartily concur in the recommendation of Gen. Sheri- 

 dan, that the boundaries of this Park be. extended, on Ihe 

 east to the line of Cedar Mountain and ou the south to the 



forty-fourth parallel. Lwonldrecommendthesoiutberi I 

 ary lie extended still further, to the forty-third and a hall de- 

 gree parallel, or at least far enough to include the 'Three 

 Tetons and the Teton Basin. Hayden's Sliivey shi 

 none of this district will 1, . , i.nili! Lei 



above lea level. I have never known anj crop-, either in 

 Montana or Northern Wyoming, to be raised at a greater 

 altitude than 5,500 feet, so that no interest will be inj 

 by this latter extension The extension ot thi . ten 

 boundary to Cedar Mountain will take in the "Stinking 



River Basin," the summer range of two large I End ! o£ I 

 lie and some small bands of horses, That uilbcultj might 

 be obviated by making the line pass through the '"] 

 ,,, ' -, Captain Jones's survey, situated immedia 

 the lower end of the Canon of the North and about 

 miles west of Cedar Mountain Foik ot Stinking River, It 

 would be well, however, in extending the. boundaries of 

 this Park, to allow prospecting lor minerals, and in case of 

 valuable mineral deposits being found, to give faoilitici icr 



