The Yellowstone National Park Part 23

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_Terry Engr. Co._

Original Sketch.[BN]

[BN] See foot-note, page 168.]

To many visitors the stream far down in the bottom of the canon is the crowning beauty of the whole scene. It is so distant that its rapid course is diminished to the gentlest movement, and its continuous roar to the subdued murmur of the pine forests. Its winding, hide-and-seek course, its dark surface when the shadows cover it, its bright limpid green under the play of the sunlight, its ever recurring foam-white patches, and particularly its display of life where all around is silent and motionless, make it a thing of entrancing beauty to all who behold it.

It is not strange that this canon has been a theme for writer, painter, and photographer, from its discovery to the present time. But at first thought it is strange that all attempts to portray its beauties are less satisfactory than those pertaining to any other feature of the Park. The artist Moran acknowledged that "its beautiful tints were beyond the reach of human art;" and General Sherman said of this artist's celebrated effort: "The painting by Moran in the Capitol is good, but painting and words are unequal to the subject."

In photography, the number of pictures by professional and amateur artists, that have been made of this canon is prodigious. But photography can only reproduce the form, it is powerless in the presence of such an array of colors as here exists.

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_Terry Engr. Co._ _Haynes, Photo., St. Paul._

Lower Fall of the Yellowstone--from above.]

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_Terry Engr. Co._ _Haynes, Photo., St. Paul._

Grand Canon in Winter.

Probably from Lookout Point.]

The pen itself is scarcely more effective than the pencil or camera.

Folsom, who first wrote of the canon, frankly owned that "language is entirely inadequate to convey a just conception of the awful grandeur and sublimity of this masterpiece of nature's handiwork." Time has shown this confession to be substantially true. From the clumsy work of the casual newspaper scribe, to the giddy flight of that eminent clergyman, who fancied he saw in this canon a suitable hall for the great judgment, with the nations of the earth filing along the bottom upon waters "congealed and transfixed with the agitations of that day," all descriptions do injustice to their subject. They fall short of their mark or overreach it. They are not true to nature. We shall therefore pa.s.s them by, with one exception, and shall commend our readers to a study of this great wonderwork from the pine-clad verge of the Grand Canon itself.

The exception to which reference is made relates to the Grand Canon in winter. It has been explained in another place why it is that the winter scenery of the Park must ever remain a sealed book except to those few hardy adventurers who are willing to brave the perils of winter travel in that region. It is a pleasure, therefore, to give at first hand what one of those intrepid spirits felt as he stood upon Lookout Point less than two years ago, and saw the famous canon clad in its annual mantle of white. He says:[BO]

"I suppose thousands have stood grasping the stem of that same st.u.r.dy, ragged tree, and have looked in silence as we did. They have seen the canon in summer, and I wish they might all see it also in the depth of winter. Now the glorious colors of the walls were gone, but the peaks and crosses and pinnacles were there, free of all color, but done in clean, perfect white. It was "frozen music"--the diapason of nature's mightiest and most mysterious anthem all congealed in white, visible, palpable, authentic. No thinking man could stand there and not feel the exalted and compelling theme go thrilling to his heart."

[BO] E. Hough, in _Forest and Stream_, June 30, 1894, p. 553.

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_Terry Engr. Co._ _U. S. Geological Survey._

Granite Block, near Inspiration Point.]

Back perhaps a quarter of a mile from Inspiration Point, but within fifty yards of the brink of the canon, is a huge rectangular block of granite which rests alone in the woods, a most singular and striking object. It is evidently an intruder in unfamiliar territory, for there is not a particle of granite outcrop known to exist within twenty miles. It must have been transported to this place from some distant quarry by the powerful agencies of the Glacial Epoch.

To the eastward from the Grand Canon are several interesting hot springs districts, and there is one notable group at the southern base of Mount Washburn.

CHAPTER XIX.

A Tour of the Park.

_The Grand Canon of the Yellowstone to Junction Valley._

Distance twenty-two miles.[BP] From the Grand Canon north lies the true scenic portion of the tourist route. Hitherto, the main attractions have been the geyser basins, the Yellowstone Lake, and the Grand Canon. The tourist has probably frequently expressed his disappointment at not finding as much rugged mountain scenery as he had expected. But from this point on he will have no cause to complain.

[BP] The distances given in this chapter are only approximate, the surveys for a wagon road from the canon to Mammoth Hot Springs, via Mt. Washburn, not being yet completed.

_Mt. Washburn_ (12 miles) is the most celebrated peak in the Park, and the first to receive its present name. Its prominence justifies its notoriety, but the real cause of it is the fact that for eight years the main tourist route lay across it. From its summit the Washburn party received the first definite confirmation of the truth of the rumors that led them into this region. All reports and magazine articles which first gave a knowledge of the Park to the world were written by persons who had crossed this mountain. As the view from its summit is comprehensive and grand, covering almost the entire Park, it of course figured prominently in all narratives. Tourists fell into the custom established by the first explorers, of leaving their cards in a receptacle for the purpose on the summit. Many eminent names are to be seen there. It is a matter for congratulation that the progress upon the road system will soon restore this mountain to its former place in the tourist route.

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_Terry Engr. Co._ _U. S. Geological Survey of the Territories._

Tower Falls.]

_Tower Falls_ (20 miles) is perhaps the most graceful cataract in the Park, and should never be pa.s.sed without a visit. It is on Tower Creek only a short distance back from the Yellowstone. Lieutenant Doane says in his report:[BQ]

"Nothing can be more chastely beautiful than this lovely cascade, hidden away in the dim light of overshadowing rocks and woods, its very voice hushed to a low murmur, unheard at the distance of a few hundred yards. Thousands might pa.s.s by within a half mile and not dream of its existence; but once seen, it pa.s.ses to the list of most pleasant memories."

[BQ] Page 8, "Yellowstone Expedition of 1870." See Appendix E.

Near this point on both banks of the river are numerous sulphur fumaroles, the last evidence of subterraneous fire which the tourist will encounter on his trip. A little way above the mouth of the stream is the old Bannock Ford, the same by which Colter crossed in 1807. It is the only practicable ford within twenty miles in either direction.

_Junction b.u.t.te_ (22 miles) is on the right bank of the Yellowstone in the angle between that stream and the East Fork. It stands not only near one of the most important stream junctions in the Park, but also near a not less important road junction. It is a very striking object.

Its summit is nearly flat, and its sides near the summit are perpendicular. Below this is a steep slope composed of enormous ma.s.ses of finely broken stone disengaged from the cliff by the force of the elements. It is a fitting landmark for its important situation.

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_Terry Engr. Co_ _U. S. Geological Survey of the Territories._

First Bridge Over the Yellowstone.]

_Baronett's Bridge_ crosses the river immediately opposite Junction b.u.t.te. It is the first and only bridge yet (1895) built across the Yellowstone within the limits of the Park. It was built by the well known mountaineer, J. H. Baronett, in the spring of 1871, for the convenience of Clark's Fork miners. It was partially destroyed by the Nez Perces in 1877, but was repaired by Howard's command, and still further repaired the following year by Baronett and Norris. In 1880, it was replaced by a more substantial structure. At present it enjoys the unique distinction of being a private toll bridge on a government reservation.

_Junction Valley_,[BR] described elsewhere, is a name properly applicable to the valley inclosed by Crescent Hill, Mt. Washburn, Specimen Ridge, and the mountains north of Lamar River. This valley, and those of tributary streams, form the largest treeless tract in the Park.

[BR] The popular name for this locality is "Yancey's," from John Yancey, who has long held a lease in the Valley of Lost Creek at the foot of Crescent Hill. He has kept a sort of hotel or stopping place for the convenience of travelers to Cooke City, as well as for tourists between the Grand Canon and Mammoth Hot Springs by way of Mt.

Washburn.

_Amethyst Mountain_, _Specimen Ridge_, and the _Fossil Forests_ are names at once suggestive of the action of geological agencies which have been described in another chapter. Amethyst, limpid quartz, milky quartz, chalcedony, carnelian, prase, chrysoprase, banded agate, flint, jaspers of all colors, semi-opal, calcite, and many other varieties abound. The forest petrifactions present one of the most interesting scientific problems in the Park.

The _Lamar River Canon_ (7 miles above Junction b.u.t.te) is a gorge about half a mile long, the chief characteristic of which is the enormous number and size of boulders which have fallen into it. These are almost spherical in shape, and, in many instances, are as smooth as if from the hand of a stone glazier. They are piled up like billiard b.a.l.l.s, to such a depth that the stream flows entirely out of sight beneath them.[BS]

[BS] Above the head of this canon are the remains of what seems to have once been a bridge, but no record concerning it has come to the writer's notice.

_Soda b.u.t.te_ (15 miles above Junction b.u.t.te) and _Soda b.u.t.te Canon_, extending from Soda b.u.t.te to Cooke City, are worthy of much attention.