90 BOOK OF A HUNDRED BEARS 



Bridger's lies were so notorious, and his stories 

 so improbable, that no one believed them and his 

 tales passed, without notice or examination, as 

 ^'Old Jim Bridger's Hes," till 1859, when Captain 

 Reynolds was directed to proceed to British 

 America to observe the eclipse of that year and, 

 incidentally, to explore the Yellowstone. It was 

 early in the season, and his attempt to find a pass 

 through the Tetons was a failure. After floun- 

 dering through snowdrifts without progress, until 

 the time of the eclipse drew near, he abandoned 

 the attempt and that ended his expedition. 



In 1869, the Government once more sent out an 

 expedition, the Folsom party, that was a partial 

 success. They discovered the Lower Geyser 

 Basin, but were compelled by a shortage of provi- 

 sions to retreat. 



But, in the meanwhile; these different reports, 

 fables and exaggerations had aroused interest, 

 and, in 1870, General Washburne, who was then 

 Surveyor-General of Montana, organized the 

 expedition that first really ''discovered" the Yel- 

 lowstone and its wonders. With him were 



