YELLOWSTONE Early History of Yellowstone National Park and Its Relation to National Park Policies

[From the notes of Hon. H. D. Washburne, Surveyor General of Montana]

As your readers are aware, the Yellowstone expedition left Fort Ellis on the 22d of August, through the Bozeman Pass, finding it all that the Bozemanites claim for it—easy and practicable—and camped for the first night on Trail Creek, having a fine view of the mountains beyond the Yellowstone. The next day they struck the valley, and their journey up the river commenced. They camped for the night at the ranch of Mr. Bottler, the last settler up the river. Crow Indians were quite plenty during the day, and a heavy rain at night gave anything but a pleasing aspect to the commencement of the trip; but a bright sun, about 10 o'clock, made everything right, and we moved to the canyon of the river, about 14 miles distant, and camped on one of the loveliest spots in Montana. Two small streams put in from the east from an elevation near camp. The river and valley can be seen stretching away far to the north, the river bank plainly defined by the trees skirting its margin. South, the river can be seen pouring through the canyon; while far away to the east and west the mountain peaks were then covered with snow—the setting sun brightening both in its last rays, before night's mantle was thrown over the party.

We passed through the canyon next morning and found it about 6 miles long—the trail leading us along the side of the torrent and sometimes hundreds of feet above it. Night found us at the mouth of Gardiner River, a fine mountain stream coming from the south and entering the Yellowstone just below the Grand Canyon, over 30 miles in length and nearly equally divided by the East Fork. The canyon proving impracticable, we took to the mountains, camping one night in them and the next night a few miles above. The river runs for 16 miles in nearly a due west course here. Our camp was on a fine stream coming in from the opposite side of the East Fork, and designated by us as Tower Creek. The camp was called Camp Comfort. Game and trout were abundant. We found here our first hot springs, small but attractive, and of five or six different kinds—sulphur, iron, etc. This canyon of the river is grand. Basaltic columns of enormous size are quite numerous. But the great attraction here was the falls on the creek near our camp. The stream is about as large as the Prickly Pear and for a mile rushes down with fearful velocity, it seems at some time to have been checked by a mountain range, through which it has torn its way, not entirely removing the barrier but tearing through, leaving portions still standing; and these, by the elements, have been formed into sharp pinnacles. Looking from the canyon below it appears like some old castle with its turrets dismantled but still standing. From between two of these turrets the stream makes its final leap of 110 measured feet, and then, as if satisfied with itself, flows peacefully into the Yellowstone. We attempted to compare it with the famous Minnehaha, but those who had seen both said there was no comparison. It was not as terrible in its sublimity as Niagara, but beautiful and glorious. You felt none of the shrinking back so common at the Great Fall, but rather, as you stood below and gazed upon its waters broken into white spray, you felt as though you wanted to dash into it and catch it as it fell. By a vote of the majority of the party this fall was called Tower Fall.

The canyon of the main river here runs in a southwest direction. The party crossed over a high range of mountains and in two days reached the Great Falls, in crossing the range, from an elevated peak, a very fine view was had. The country before us was a vast basin. Far away in the distance but plainly seen was the Yellowstone Lake. Around the basin the jagged peaks of the Wind River, Big Horn, and Lower Yellowstone ranges of mountains, while just over the lake could be seen the tops of the Tetons. Our course lay over the mountains and through dense timber. Camping for the night 8 or 10 miles from the falls we visited some hot springs that in any other country would be a great curiosity, boiling up 2 or 3 feet, giving off immense volumes of steam, while their sides were incrusted with sulphur. It needed but a little stretch of imagination on the part of one of the party to christen them "Hell-Broth Springs." Our next camp was near the Great Falls upon a small stream running into the main river between the Upper and Lower Falls. This stream has torn its way through a mountain range, making a fearful chasm through lava rock, leaving it in every conceivable shape. This gorge was christened the "Devil's Den." Below this is a beautiful cascade, the first fall of which is 5 feet, the second 20 feet, and the final leap 84 feet. From its exceedingly clear and sparkling beauty it was named Crystal Cascade.

Crossing above the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone you find the river 100 yards in width, flowing peacefully and quiet. A little lower down it becomes a frightful torrent, pouring through a narrow gorge over loose bowlders and fixed rocks, leaping from ledge to ledge, until, narrowed by the mountains and confined to a space of about 80 feet, it takes a sudden leap, breaking into white spray in its descent 115 feet. Two hundred yards below the river again resumes its peaceful career. The pool below the falls is a beautiful green capped with white. On the right-hand side a clump of pines grow just above the falls, and the grand amphitheater, worn by the maddened waters on the same side, is covered with a dense growth of the same. The left side is steep and craggy. Towering above the falls, halfway down and upon a level with the water, is a projecting crag, from which the falls can be seen in all their glory. No perceptible change can be seen in the volume of water here from what it was where we first struck the river. At the head of the rapids are four apparently enormous bowlders standing as sentinels in the middle of the stream. Pines are growing upon two of them. From the Upper Fall to the Lower there is no difficulty in reaching the bottom of the canyon. The Lower Falls are about half a mile below the Upper, where the mountains again, as if striving for the mastery, close in on either side, and are not more than 70 feet apart. And here the waters are thrown over a perpendicular fall of 350 feet. The canyon below is steep and rocky and volcanic in its formation. The water, just before it breaks into spray, has a beautiful green tint, as has also the water in the canyon below. Just below, on the left-hand side, is a ledge of rock from which the falls and canyon may be seen. The mingling of green water and white spray with the rainbow tints is beautiful beyond description.

The canyon is a fearful chasm, at the Lower Falls a thousand feet deep, and growing deeper as it passes on, until nearly double that depth. Jutting over the canyon is a rock 200 feet high, on the top of which is an eagle's nest which covers the whole top. Messrs. Hauser, Stickney, and Lieutenant Doan succeeded in reaching the bottom, but it was a dangerous journey. Two and a half miles below the falls, on the right, a little rivulet, as if to show its temerity, dashes from the top of the canyon and is broken into a million fragments in its daring attempt.

After spending one day at the falls we moved up the river. Above the falls there is but little current comparatively for several miles, and the country opens into a wide, open, treeless plain. About 8 miles from the falls, and in this plain, we found three hills, or rather mountains, thrown up by volcanic agency, and consisting of scoria and a large admixture of brimstone. These hills are several hundred feet high, and evidently are now resting over what was once the crater of a volcano. A third of the way up on the side of one of these hills is a large sulphuric spring, 20 feet by 12, filled with boiling water, and this water is thrown up from 3 to 5 feet. The basin of this spring is pure solid brimstone as clear and bright as any brimstone of commerce. Quite a stream flows from the spring, and sulphur is found encrusting nearly everything. Near the base of the hills is a place containing about half an acre, but covered with springs of nearly every description—yellow, green, blue, and pink. Flowing from the base of the hill is a very strong spring of alum water—not only alum in solution but crystallized. This place we called Crater Hill, and as we passed over, the dull sound coming from our horses' feet as they struck proved to us that it was not far through the crust. All over the hill were small fissures, giving out sulphurous vapors. The amount of brim stone in these hills is beyond belief.

Passing over the plain we camped on the river bank, near a series of mud springs. Three of the largest were about 10 feet over the top and had built up 10 or 12 feet high, in the bottom of the crater thus formed thick mud was boiling and bubbling, sputtering, and splashing as We have often seen in a pot of hasty pudding when nearly cooked. Near these we found a cave under the side of the mountain, from which was running a stream of clear but very hot water. At regular intervals the steam was puffing out. For some time we had been hearing a noise as of distant artillery, and soon we found the cause. Some distance above the level of the river we found the crater of a mud volcano 40 feet over at its mouth, it grew smaller until at the depth of 30 feet, when it again enlarged. At intervals a volume of mud and steam was thrown up with tremendous power and noise, it was impossible to stand near, and one of the party, Mr. Hedges, paid for his temerity in venturing too close by being thrown backward down the hill. A short time before our visit mud had been thrown 200 or 300 feet high, as shown by the trees in the vicinity. Not far from this we found our first geyser. When discovered it was throwing water 30 or 40 feet high. The crater was funnel shaped and 75 by 35 feet at its mouth. We stayed and watched it one day. Without warning it suddenly ceased to spout, and the water commenced sinking until it had gone down 30 feet or more, it then gradually commenced rising again, and three times during the day threw up water 30 or 40 feet.

The next day we recrossed the river and succeeded in reaching the lake and camped on the lower end. The fishing, which had been good all the way up the river, proved remarkably so in the lake. Trout from 2 to 4 pounds were to be had for the taking. Flies proved useless, as the fish had not been educated up to that point. Remaining over Sunday we took up the line of march around the south side of the lake, which took us through a dense growth of pine filled with fallen timber. The third day's march was over a mountain, and but little progress was made, the train going into camp about 2 o'clock. Mr. Everts failed to come into camp, but this occasioned no uneasiness as we had all expected to reach the lake and believed he had pushed on to the lake, as he had once before done, and was awaiting our arrival. Moving on 5 miles we struck an arm of the lake but found no trace of him. A party was sent down the shore and two other parties to climb the adjacent mountains to search for him and to build fires on them to attract his attention. Next morning, no news being heard of him, a council was held and the camp moved to the main lake and search commenced vigorously but without avail. The fourth night a snowstorm commenced and continued for two days, rendering the search during that time impossible. The situation of the party was becoming precarious; away from the settlements, no trail, without a guide, and snow covering the ground. Another council was held and it was determined that it was best to move toward the settlements. Mr. Gillette volunteered to stay and prolong the search, and two soldiers were left with him. Mr. Gillette is one of the best mountain men of the party, and there is hope that he may bring some tidings of the missing man. On the south end of the lake is a very beautiful collection of hot springs and wells—in many the water is so clear that you can see down 50 or 100 feet. The lake is 8,000 feet above the level of the sea, a beautiful sheet of water with numerous islands and bays, and will in time be a great summer resort, for its various inlets, surrounded by the finest mountain scenery, can not fail to be very popular to the seeker of pleasure, while its high elevation and numerous medicinal springs will attract the invalid, its size is about 22 by 15 miles,

Leaving the lake we moved nearly west over several high ranges and camped in the snow amid the mountains. Next day about noon we struck the Fire Hole River and camped in Burnt Hole Valley. This is the most remarkable valley we found. Hot springs are almost innumerable. Geysers were spouting in such size and number as to startle all, and are beyond description. Enormous columns of hot water and steam were thrown into the air with a velocity and noise truly amazing. We classified and named some of them according to size.

No, 1. The Giant, 7 by 10 feet, throwing a solid column of water from 80 to 120 feet high.

No. 2. The Giantess, 20 by 30, throwing a solid column and jets from 150 to 200 feet high.

No. 3. Old Faithful, 7 by 8, irregular in shape, a solid column each hour 75 feet high.

No, 4. Bee Hive, 24 by 15 inches, stream measured 219 feet.

No, 5. Fan Tail, irregular shape, throwing a double stream 60 feet high.

No. 6 is a beautiful arched spray, called by us the Grotto, with several apertures, through which, when quiet, one can easily pass, but when in action each making so many vents for the water and steam.

Upon going into camp we observed a small hot spring that had apparently built itself up about 3 feet. The water was warm but resting very quietly, and we camped within 200 yards of it. While we were eating breakfast, this spring, without any warning, threw, as if it were the nozzle of an enormous steam engine, a stream of water into the air 219 feet, and continued doing so for some time, thereby enabling us to measure it, and then as suddenly subsided.

Surrounded by these hot springs is a beautiful cold spring of tolerable fair water. Here we found a beautiful spring or well. Raised around it was a border of pure white, carved as if by the hand of a master workman, the water pure. Looking down into it one can see the sides white and clear as alabaster, and carved in every conceivable shape, down, down, until the eye tires in penetrating,

Standing and looking down into the steam and vapor of the crater of the Giantess, with the sun upon your back, the shadow is surrounded by a beautiful rainbow, and by getting the proper angle, the rainbow, surrounding only the head, gives that halo so many painters have vainly tried to give in paintings of the Savior. Standing near the fountain when in motion, and the sun shining, the scene is grandly magnificent; each of the broken atoms of water shining like so many brilliants, while myriads of rainbows are dancing attendance. No wonder, then, that our usually staid and sober companions threw up their hats and shouted with ecstasy at the sight.

We bid farewell to the geysers, little dreaming there were more beyond. Five miles below Burnt Hole we found the "lake of fire and brimstone," in the valley we found a lake measuring 450 yards in diameter, gently overflowing, that had built itself up by a deposit of white substrata, at least 50 feet above the plain. This body of water was steaming hot. Below this was a similar spring; but of smaller dimensions, while between the two, and apparently having no connection with either, was a spring of enormous volume flowing into the Madison, and is undoubtedly the spring which Bridger has been laughed at so much about, as heating the Madison for two miles below. For some distance down the river we found hot springs and evidences of volcanic action. Our passage down the river was a little rough but generally very pleasant, and on the evening of the 22d we reached the first ranch on the Madison, where we found a paper dated September 1, the latest news from the inside world. Next day we sent to Virginia for papers, and soon found that the world had been moving.

Our trip was a grand success, only marred by the loss of one of our number, if he is merely lost, there is still hopes of his return, as he had a good horse and plenty of ammunition and matches. The danger is that he has been killed by the Indians for his horse and gun.

H. D. W.

(Helena (Mont.) Dairy Herald, September 27 and 28, 1870.)