8
YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION OF 1870
pinnacle of trap, the columns of which are exactly
perpendicular, and of a perfect outline. The great curiosity of the locality,
however, is the Tower Fall of Hot Spring Creek, where that stream is precipitated,
in one unbroken body, from an amygdaloid ledge, a sheer descent of 115
feet, into a deep gorge, joining the Yellowstone a few hundred yards below.
At the crest of the fall the stream has cut its way through amygdaloid
masses, leaving tall spires of rock from 50 to 100 feet in height, and
worn in every conceivable shape. These are very friable, crumbling under
slight pressure; several of them stand like sentinels on the very brink
of the fall. A view from the summit of one of these spires is exceedingly
beautiful; the clear icy stream plunges from a brink 100 feet beneath to
the bottom of the chasm, over 200 feet below, and thence rushes through
the narrow gorge, tumbling over boulders and tree trunks fallen in the
channel. The sides of the chasm are worn away into caverns lined with variously-tinted
mosses, nourished by clouds of spray which rise from the cataract; while
above, and to the left, a spur from the great plateau rises above all,
with a perpendicular front of 400 feet. The fall is accessible either at
the brink or foot, and fine views can be obtained from either side of the
cañon. In appearance, they strongly resemble those of the Minnehaha,
but are several times as high, and run at least eight times the volume
of water. In the basin we found a large petrified log imbedded in the débris.
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 pass by within a half mile and not dream of its existence;
but once seen, it passes to the list of most pleasant memories. In the
afternoon the remainder of the party arrived, having lost the trail on
the previous day.
Seventh day -- August 28. -- We remained
in camp, visiting the different localities of interest in the neighborhood.
The Indians we had been following crossed the river a short distance above
the mouth of Hot Spring Creek, on what is known as the Bannack Trail, leading
from the headwaters of the Snake River, around by the way of the headwaters
of the Madison and Gallatin Rivers, and through this district to the great
buffalo range between here and the Missouri. The two hunters previously
spoken of followed this trail across the range to the head of Rose Bud
Creek. They found on the headwaters of the East Fork the skeletons of two
hunters murdered by the Indians two years ago. They also report the existence
of numerous hot springs, geysers, jets of steam issuing from the rocks,
and other curiosities, at different points about the sources of that stream.
They report the country beyond the range, at the distance of 70 miles,
to fall off to a rolling prairie, black with buffalo as far as the eye
can reach. They found strong indications of gold on the head of Rose Bud,
but were deterred from prospecting for fear of the Sioux.
Since leaving Fort Ellis I had suffered considerably
with a pain in the thumb of my right hand, which was now increased to such
an extent as to amount to absolute torture. I had it lanced here three
times to the bone with a very dull pocket-knife, in the hope of relief,
which, however, did not come. It proved a felon of the most malignant class,
and was destined to subject me to infernal agonies. I passed the night
walking in front of the camp-fire, with a wet bandage around my arm to
keep down the pain.
Eighth day -- August 29. -- We broke camp
about 8 o'clock and for a distance of six miles climbed the divide separating
Warm Spring Creek
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