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FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 14, 1887. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Pub. Co. 

 WINTER IN WONDERLAND.- 



THROUGH THE YELLOWSTONE PARK ON SNOWSHOES. 

 II. 



ON February 16 1 visited Nonis Geyser Basin. A heavy 

 fog hung over the country, with a light snow. As 

 I approached the Basin, I was startled by the resemblances 

 to men and animals the ice-laden trees showed, as, stand- 

 ing sentinel duty on each side of the road, they appeared 

 to be watching our approach. Everything was loaded 

 down with the steam frozen as it had drifted from the 

 geysers. There were fantastic forms of men and women 

 looking into the pools. Up the road were seen hogs, rab- 

 bits, mules, elephants, leopards, tigers, cats and dogs; 

 animals of all kinds and shapes, creatures that outside of 

 the Park nothing but a disordered mind could conjure 

 up. All were in white, but often with dark eyes, ears 

 and mouth, or limbs or faces, where the deep green of 

 the pines showed through the white ice. Now and then 

 a bough free from frost projected through the ice to form 

 the plume of a soldier or the ears of a mule or rabbit. 

 Again there appeared the form of a woman holding a 

 child, bending over it as if to protect it from the wintry 

 blasts. Others there were with groups of children gath- 

 ered about them, all in white, as though just escaping 

 from their burning homes; and it wanted but the red 

 glow of a sunset to make the illusion complete: the steam 

 looked like smoke, while the confused sounds of the gey- 

 sers resembled the burning and crackling of flames and 

 the crash of falling buildings. I was alone with all 

 this mysterious, ghostly band, and I confess to a strange 

 sensation amid these weird surroundings as I descended 

 into the basin through the fog. On every side could be 

 heard the rush and roar of hot water and steam. Even un. 

 der foot was heard the hissing of escaping steam and 

 gases, and the bubbling and sputtering of waters through 

 the sand and decomposed formations. Mud pots were 

 puffing and splashing their inky contents, or whirling and 

 dashing their turbid waters against the banks of the cal- 

 drons, all invisible until one was within five or ten feet 

 of the brink of the pool and geysers. 



I soon noticed an increase in the activity of most of the 

 geysers through the Basin. I timed the Five Minute, or 

 Constant Geyser, the eruptions occurring every twelve 

 to fifteen seconds. It threw its clear waters from 15 to 

 20ft. high. There would be several thuds, agitating the 

 waters considerably, then a burst of steam and gases 

 which threw the waters to their fullest height. 



Wandering around among the pools in the mystery of 

 the fog, alone in the world— like one at sea on a raft 

 without a sail in sight — I could not see the ghostly goblin 

 band over the hill I had left behind, but I could feel their 

 presence; and now and again I would suddenly come in 

 sight of more of them as I approached the timber either 

 on my right or left. I found ice and snow everywhere 

 in the valley. I could travel on my snowshoes on snow and 

 ice 3ft. deep, by the side of streams of hot water, while 

 snow was falling on me, and white rabbits were mysteri- 

 ously disappearing from sight among the snow-laden 

 trees on my left. Flies were seen on the surface of the 

 stream, and where the water was collected in shallow 

 pools a water insect like a worm could be seen on the 

 bottom moving sluggishly about. Most of the colors of 

 the rainbow lined the bottom of the stream, though the 

 shades were pale. I followed down the stream of the 

 waters running from Constant, Black Growler, Ink 

 Geyser, and the pools in the northern part of the Basin, 

 until it was joined by the waters from the Monarch, New 

 Crater, Vixen, Spiteful, Coral and the other beautiful 

 pools, springs and geysers in the main basin. This stream 

 I then followed up until I had visited every point of 

 interest. I was often cautioned by signs "not to drive 

 over the formation." Once seeing a queer ice mound I 

 could just make out a sign, and breaking away some of 

 the ice I was notified "to extinguish my fires." Well, 

 hardly, on this cold day, if you please. The snow, which 

 was from 4 to 5ft. deep, was seamed everywhere by little 

 streams of hot water, all leading to some hot spring or 

 geyser; the snow and ice extended up close to the hot 

 water, sometimes within 1 or 2in. I could step across 

 most of the streams without getting off my snowshoes. 



As I approached Coral Spring I was almost tempted to 

 shoot at a large polar bear; he was ten feet up a dead 

 tree, near the spring; he had climbed up the tree and was 

 looking back at the hot water as if afraid of it; I could 

 have believed him to be alive as I first saw him through 

 the fog and falling snow. He was only ice, however, 

 and had grown right there where he was, as the frozen 

 steam had added to his bulk. He was at least ten feet 

 long; and as he grasped the tree with all his legs, one 

 foreleg thrown over a dead limb, he was a perfect picture 

 of a great white bear. If carved from a block of ice by 

 an artist he could not have looked more natural. All the 

 trees in and near the basin are small second growth pines, 

 the fires having killed off all the large timber. These trees 

 are just large enough to form ice figures of proportions 



to make their resemblance to human beings and animals 

 perfect. 



Following up the waters from the new Crater Geyser, I 

 soon came to the geyser and saw it in eruption. There 

 has been some increase in the size of the Crater since I 

 saw it last summer. Leaving this I followed the high 

 ground to the Emerald,' a' k beautiful pool, whose bright 

 green shone more brilliant by being brought into strong 

 contrast with the white of the surrounding snow. Fur- 

 ther on I came to the Schauta Kessel, the only object 

 Mr. Arnold Hague, of the Geological Survey, personally 

 named. It is a very interesting mud geyser. The bot- 

 tom and sides of the basin are lined with a pearty forma, 

 tion, and when dry the points show a bluish-white tinge, 

 looking very pretty "against the dark background of the 

 basin. When in action this geyser is as attractive as any 

 I have seen; it throws jets of lead blue colored waters up 

 through a whirling, dashing, waving mass seven feet in 

 diameter. Its action is different from those of the other 

 geysers; they all differ very much when closely noticed 

 Some Park visitors say: "Well, I have seen one; I've seen 

 all." This is a great mistake. I know of no two alike, 

 either in action or formation. In mound, terrace, or cone 

 all are different, and one who is so well acquainted with 

 their formation as is Mr. Hague can tell from a specimen 

 which one of the principal geysers it came from. 



From this point I went up on a very perfect cone of ice» 

 6ft. high by 10ft. in diameter, formed by the frozen spray 

 and steam from the "safety valve," which was blowing 

 off as though on its efforts depend the integrity of the 

 whole crust of the basin. Sliding off the cone I visited 

 the Black Growler. Here, too, 1 think there is some in- 

 crease in the action. Following the hillside a little way 

 from the Growler, one leg, snowshoe and all, suddenly 

 dropped down with the snow, throwing me on my side. 

 For an instant I thought I was over a hot hole, but could 

 not remember any in the immediate vicinity; and soon 

 righting myself I looked into the hole and saw logs there* 

 I think the warm ground had melted the snow away, the 

 logs supporting the crust until I had stepped on it. My 

 foot and snowshoe passed between two logs. There was 

 not the least danger, but it taught me to be a little more 

 cautious unless I was sure the ground under me was safe. 



Further east I came to another steam escape, somewhat 

 sheltered from the wind. Near this was an ice-covered 

 tree, which had taken the form of a woman, her garments 

 covered with the most delicate frost work lace, fringes 

 and tassels, more delicate than the finest silk, and that a 

 breath of wind would disturb and break; a gossamer-like 

 bridal veil of frost hung over all, looped and gathered into 

 folds. It was the most delicate frost work I have yet 

 seen. With one beam of sunlight all would have disap- 

 peared. The whole fabric was so fine that parts were 

 continually breaking off and falling on the snow below, 

 making a train for the dress. 



I had now been in the Basin several hours, had seen 

 boiling water and solid ice within less than a foot of each 

 other, and little mounds of green and blue tinted ice, 

 where the spray from the small geyser jets fell; and I had 

 stepped across running streams of hot water, with my 

 snowshoes elevated above the stream by two or three 

 feet of snow and ice. In summer no such extremes meet; 

 nothing so beautiful and delicate as the frostwork is then 

 to be seen. Before I left the Basin the fog lifted; the 

 wind began to blow, swaying the trees about, rattling 

 their icy garments; the ghosts and goblins were going 

 through a weird dance, bowing and swaying to each 

 other, accompanied by the mournful music of the wind 

 as it sighed and moaned through the pines. 



The clouds lifting showed Mt. Holmes in the north- 

 west. This beautiful peak with ito snow-capped summit 

 rose from the dark masses of green timber. In places 

 the trees were so laden with snow as to give the whole 

 forest a white appearance; the last snow had covered 

 every limb and bough, and one could call it a forest of 

 silver trees.} [In a few places the wind had blown the 

 snow off, revealing a dark green and giving to the land- 

 scape the appearance of shadows of passing clouds. 



Returning to the hotel, I learned the history of the 

 Schwatka Exploring Expedition, the true cause of 

 its failure and the extent of its explorations. There 

 is much humbug about the whole thing. As well 

 talk of "exploring" Central Park, New York, as 

 the National Park. The National Park is a well- 

 known country; everything worth seeing is mapped 

 out and described in reports and geological surveys, 

 guide books and newspaper letters. The extent of the 

 Schwatka "explorations" consisted in following a first- 

 class wagon road, 30ft. wide, cut through the forest, and 

 planted with telephone poles every 200 feet. The party, 

 after being helped almost half way with teams, consumed 

 three days in going to the Norris Hotel from the Mam- 

 moth Hot Springs. The "explorers" had no packs to 

 carry, having several men as assistants. The trip was 

 very poorly managed; enough baggage was taken for 

 twenty men. Not only were the men burdened with 

 packs, but there were a "master of transportation" and 

 guides, who would carry no baggage. On a trip of this 

 kind every man ought to carry his proportion. As, when 

 starting out, they had more baggage than they could get 

 through with, the surplus was left in a log barn on 



Willow Creek, and in a tent, three-quarters of a mile this 

 side, where they made their last camp. Mr. Ross, the 

 snowshoer, was the first into Norris, Coho and Schwatka 

 coming in last. Mr. F. Jay Haynes, the photographer, 

 packed Ms portion of the baggage. 



After resting, most of the explorers started for the 

 Lower Basin, leaving Mr. Brackett, an old gentleman 

 of 76, at the Jhotel. The Lieutenant got as far as the 

 Dude's Head, a peculiar stump beside the road, not quite 

 four miles from the hotel. There is here an abnormal 

 growth on a tree about 4ft. high, the road builders hav- 

 ing cut the tree off at this swelling and leaving the stump 

 as a landmark. Here it is said he had a hemorrhage of 

 the lungs, and with the assistance of Baronnett, the Gov- 

 ernment scout, he returned to the hotel and his base of 

 supplies until the party returned from the Basins, when 

 he mustered sufficient vitality to go to the Falls. Mr. 

 Brackett, with his burden of 76 years, also made this trip, 

 some twelve and a half miles. 



That part of the expedition that made the trip to the 

 Basins returned to Norris on about Jan. 12. At the 

 Lower Geyser Basin Mr. Haynes dropped the explorers. 

 Selecting two men and sending for Ed Wilson, with 

 these three he visited the Geyser Basins, returning by 

 the way he had come, and reaching Norris on Jan. 19, 

 during a very severe wind storm, which blew and broke 

 down hundreds of trees along the roads in the Park. 

 The storm disabled the telephone wire from the Mam- 

 moth Hot Springs to the Lower Basin, where it is down 

 in over fifty places, and rendered it useless for the winter. 



From the Norris Basin Mr. Haynes visited the Falls 

 and Grand Canon, going out over Mt. Washburn, on 

 which he and his party were lost for three days. They 

 were lost before reaching the top of the Pass on the east 

 trail. They had no bedding, no ax, and little provisions, 

 but fortunately enough were provided with matches, and 

 as they were on a well timbered country they did not 

 suffer for the want of a fire. Then- exploits have' been 

 described in several papers, in some greatly exaggerated. 

 One writer for a Montana paper, not knowing the geo- 

 graphy of the country, has them at noon on the summit, 

 later lost, then looking into Tower Creek Canon, then 

 back on the south side of the mountain, then well down 

 in the Yellowstone Canon— jumping them about by pro- 

 digious leaps of from ten to twelve miles at a bound, 

 before finally rescuing them. The fact is, that they were 

 lost before they began the ascent of the mountain; wan- 

 dering around on the south side they finally made then- 

 way around the mountain on the east, between it and the 

 Yellowstone Canon. They crossed a spur that is the high- 

 est point in the canon, and here they passed over one very 

 dangerous place, where they were likely to start a snow- 

 slide which would have swept them to certain death. 

 While crossing this -place not a word was spoken, for 

 each one realized the danger. I am quite familiar with 

 all the trails over and around the mountains, and I know 

 that even in summer there is much danger in riding 

 around this point. Tourists never travel this trail, but 

 take one further to the west known as the East, or Canon 

 Trail. 



After rounding this point they were soon on the waters 

 of Antelope Creek, and in an open country. Striking 

 across the country they soon descended to Tower Creek. 

 The party were too much exhausted to photograph this 

 beautiful fall, or a band of elk which they saw. Pushing 

 on, they arrived at Yancey's Station about 2 P. M., on the 

 third day from the Falls. Resting here a day, they then 

 went in to the Mammoth Hot Springs, glad to get safely 

 out of the Park. Lieut. Schwatka and friends had 

 returned to the Mammoth Hot Springs by the way they 

 came, before Mr. Haynes had got down from the geysers. 



I saw a clipping from the New York World telling of 

 the wonderful things the expedition was going to do in 

 the Park. The most wonderful of all was that they were 

 going to take with them some fifty Crow scouts. It 

 would take more than the whole United States Army to 

 drive a Crow Indian through the Park in winter. They 

 know nothing about the geyser country. They are afraid 

 of it. It is "bad medicine" for the superstitious Indians. 

 To ask one to go in there would be to get an answer to 

 the effect that a white man was "heap a dam fool, heap 

 crazy." 



Going over the hotel on my return from the Basin, I 

 saw the cracked walls and chimneys broken by the shak- 

 ing up the building had received by an earthquake shock 

 in November. It had shaken dishes off the shelves and 

 broken many of them. Throughout this region the snow 

 was about seven feet deep; one bank in front of the hotel 

 reached up to the second story. White rabbits were very 

 thick about here. Wolverine and lynx tracks were seen 

 every few rods; one can follow with his eyes the attempts 

 of the lynx to catch a rabbit for his dinner. They never 

 make many jumps, only about three; if they miss a rab- 

 bit then they give it up and try another. These rabbits 

 can make as long a jump as a lynx, and can outrun a 

 lynx on the snow. When a rabbit hides in the snow he 

 is unsafe. I noticed places where a lynx had been diving 

 for a rabbit; into his hole he would go, the rabbit getting 

 away from it and making for another place, to hide, only 

 to have the lynx down on him again; and so it went on 

 until the rabbit was overtaken by the lynx. A little 



