A WEDDING TOUR IN THE ROCKIES. 



449 



open space, and here we pitched our camp 

 for the night. When the regular routine of 

 camp work was done we climbed the hill 

 and with the glass viewed the lovely valley 

 lying at our feet. 



There are several families living here, all 

 acquaintances of my husband, and after din- 

 ner we went calling. At the first place the 

 family was not at home. At the next we 

 stayed a few minutes, and at the next the 

 family had just moved out for the winter. 



When morning came the rain-clouds had 

 vanished, and though chilly it was pleasant. 

 Our route now lay through the forest, and 

 by noon we reached the Yellowstone Park 

 boundary line. That night we camped 

 at a station called Riverside. Here 3 

 soldiers are stationed to protect the game. 

 As no hunting is allowed, our guns were 

 sealed and we had to keep them so while in 

 the park. Toward dark the air became 

 warmer, foreboding a storm, and in the 

 morning it was snowing. We stayed in 

 camp all day; but the second morning was 

 clear and cold, with about 6 inches of 

 snow on the ground. We moved early and 

 followed a winding wagon road up, up, over 

 a mountain range. 



In the distance was the Pyramid range, 

 white and glistening in the frosty air, while 

 nearer at hand were smaller ranges and the 

 broad basin below us. Many tracks of elk, 

 deer, antelope, bear and mountain lions 

 were seen, but nothing appeared in sight 

 but one lion, which crossed the road di- 

 rectly in front of us. After reaching the 

 summit, the road was quite easy; only a 

 gradual down-hill grade, until we rounded 

 a curve, came down the hill and then were 

 at the Firehole Basin. Uncle Sam has 

 spared no pains to make the roads good, 

 and they are gradually being extended 

 through all parts of the park. 



We forded the river and traveled the road 

 up past Hell's Half Acre, past the great Ex- 

 celsior geyser, and camped for the night 

 right among boiling springs and on the 

 bank of the river, on the only piece of bare 

 ground we could find. No need to heat 

 water here. Just go out and dip up all you 

 want and then it is too hot to use without 

 cooling. 



We moved camp as early as possible in 

 the morning, for the vapor was rising like 

 a fog; the bedding was damp and our 

 clothing was becoming so. We traveled 

 the usual road to the upper geyser basin, 

 some 3 miles away. The geysers were 

 steaming in all directions but we had little 

 time to spare, for some high ranges were 

 between us and our destination, and we had 

 seen the park before. 



Leaving the geysers, we traveled a new 

 road which we thought 'would take us to 

 Shoshone lake; but it did not. It wound 

 around and around up the mountain, up un- 

 til we could see the main range of the 

 Rockies — the Continental divide. After 



getting clear to the top of this divide we 

 could see our destination, but that was not 

 being there. Like a panorama the coun- 

 try lay at our feet; the green trees, the pure 

 snow, and farther on the blue, shining water 

 surrounded by mountain chains; while in 

 the distance, just peeping above the other 

 ranges, were the mountains I had longed so 

 much to see, the Teton range. 



We made an abrupt descent, making a 

 trail for ourselves, through the timber and 

 into small open spaces, running on to elk 

 and bear sign, and finally coming out at a 

 lovely little spot beneath tall trees and on 

 the East shore of Shoshone lake. 



Did you ever camp in a place you felt as 

 if you never wanted to leave? This was the 

 way I felt about leaving Shoshone lake the 

 next day. But the morning was passing 

 and we must leave for a long, hard ride 

 through the timber, up and down ravines, 

 on the shores of the lake again. We passed 

 Lewis lake, skirted its shores some dis- 

 tance, then plunged into the forest again 

 and followed a very dim trail. It was 

 a long, tiresome ride, through " forests in- 

 terminable," crossing small ravines, jump- 

 ing fallen timber and over boggy, spring 

 marshes. 



Finally, we came to a small open spot on 

 the banks of the Lewis river and rode out 

 into the stream to admire the falls. They 

 were more cascades than falls, for the water 

 leaped and tumbled in feathery foam over 

 rocks of perhaps 50 feet or more in 

 height. Leaving this small park, we again 

 plunged into the forest and traversed it 

 without a break in the monotony until we 

 found a small opening where camp could 

 be made; but it was late, later than we had 

 ever made camp before and we had ridden 

 fully 25 miles, and this was the 10th day of 

 our trip, October 14th. 



It was noon when we left this camp, and 

 came to a camp of soldiers, andafter our fire- 

 arms were examined and found sealed we 

 were allowed to pass. In a short time we 

 met a party returning from a long hunt. 

 The hunters said while on Buffalo fork, 

 they could hardly sleep, for the elk made 

 such a noise whistling. You should have 

 seen their eyes open at the sight of a woman 

 in these wilds. One man stared at me as if I 

 were a strange animal, or a crazy woman. 



Ahead of us was a pass, and on reaching 

 it a glorious sight met our eyes. Straight 

 ahead, but far away, was Fremont's peak, 

 and at its base lay our Mecca. Near at hand, 

 on our right, were the grand Tetons. 

 When a child at school I used to gaze long- 

 ingly at a picture of Teneriffe peak, in my 

 old geography, and thought that was the 

 way all peaks should look; but although I 

 had lived 7 years among the moun- 

 tains my ideal had never been reality until 

 now. When they burst upon my vision 

 with clearness, and so near at hand. I at 

 least had one illusion realized. Never shall 



