Gulf and Glacier; or, The Percivals in Alaska

by Madeline Leslie

  CHAPTER XIV.

  WONDERLAND.

  "Hurrah!" cried Tom, who had now fully recovered from his recentunpleasantness with the silver-tip. "Hurrah! Here we are in Cinnabar."He had jumped from the car, and was tapping at Kittie's curtainedwindow.

  Kittie waved her hand to signify assent and keep him quiet, and beforelong all the passengers were hurrying through their breakfast andpreparing for the long coach journey through the park. While this isgoing on, in the now motionless Northern Pacific train, we have timefor a few words regarding the great reservation itself.

  About one thirtieth of the new State of Wyoming--the extremenorthwest corner--is reserved by the United States Government forthe "Yellowstone National Park." Nearly the whole area thus setapart remains a virgin wilderness, traversed only by rough and narrowcarriage roads, and hardly affording shelter to the increasing numberof tourists each summer in its hastily erected hotels. The whole parkis about the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

  The Government, through the Secretary of the Interior, has issuedcertain regulations regarding the conduct of travelers in the park.These relate chiefly to camping, destroying trees, etc. One of the moststringent rules forbids the discharge of firearms within the limits ofthe Reservation. Mounted soldiers of the regular United States Armyare scattered all through the park, doing police duty; and if you arecaught firing a gun, or even having one (unsealed) in your possession,good-by to your fowling-piece and good-by to the park. The former isat once confiscated, and you are marched out of the latter withoutceremony. Those travelers who wish to take firearms are obliged to havethe lock sealed by a Government official, at the entrance of the park.

  The result of this wholesome regulation is that wild game of all sortsis on the rapid increase, in this favored spot. About one hundred andfifty buffalo, the remnant of the immense herds that once roamed theWestern prairies, are peacefully quartered somewhere among these wildhills--nobody knows exactly where.

  Most of these facts Tom hastily repeated to his companions inthe "Broadwater," as the dining-car was called. The ride over toMammoth Hot Springs was full of interest, the road following a wildmountain-stream, and finding its way farther and farther into thewilderness.

  At one point an exclamation from Randolph called the attention of therest to an eagle's nest on a jutting cliff that almost overhung theroad. The heads of the young eagles could be plainly seen over the edgeof the nest, and far overhead soared the parent birds.

  On making up the wagon parties at the hotel, the Percivals found totheir delight that all could go in one team, including Mr. and MissSelborne. Off they went with shouts and cheers, leaving the wonders ofthe "Mammoth" district for their return trip.

  Up and up, along the edge of frightful precipices, where the road wasbuilt of planking, with great props, sheer out around promontories ofrock; up and up, to the high tablelands of the park; through evergreenforests, along silent lakes, haunted by beavers and strange water-fowl;beside black cliffs of volcanic glass, or "obsidian"; across unbridgedstreams where the horses plunged into the swift-running waters, and thewagon lurched from side to side, hub-deep in the flood. So onward untilthey had covered twenty-two miles, and reached the Norris Geyser Basin,where dinner was served in a long, shed-like structure called a hotel.

  As soon as the meal was over, the young people hurried ahead on foot,to see their first geysers. A quarter of a mile walk, and a sudden turnof the road brought them into view. Strange, uncanny things they were,bursting upward at intervals through the treacherous and chalk-like"formation," and throwing their jets of steaming water into the airwith hollow gurgles and growls from their hot throats.

  The atmosphere was charged with sulphurous odors, and while thetravelers were fascinated with the novelty and mystery of the scene,they were glad to enter their wagons once more and press forward ontheir journey. They all felt the rarity of the air, being about athousand feet higher than the summit of Mt. Washington, above the levelof the sea. It became very cold, too, as the sun went down. The girlswere glad to don their sealskin capes, and the boys turned up theircoat-collars.

  Eighteen miles over the wildest country they had yet seen, brought themto the Lower Geyser Basin.

  That night the hotel was so crowded that each room was shared by threeor four occupants. Tom, Randolph, Fred and Rossiter were allotted to achamber in an outbuilding. They had to reach it by an outside stairway,and I grieve to state that all four--not excepting the ReverendRossiter Selborne--told stories and laughed over them until very nearlymidnight.

  Next morning Rossiter left the room before the boys were up, and walkedout in the clear, cold air. He had not taken a dozen steps when he sawBess and Kittie emerging from the main building, which was dignifiedby the term "hotel." Hailing them merrily, he was soon at theirside, and the three walked down to the Firehole River, from whosesulphurous waters there arose a warm, faint odor, as it foamed alongits white-and-yellow-streaked bed.

  Over they went, one by one, on a narrow log bridge to the further bank,which they followed down to a little fir grove. There they had a tinycamp-fire, taking great precautions to keep the blaze down and use onlydry twigs, so as not to make a smoke.

  After breakfast the teams were ready again, and the journey wasresumed. For twelve miles they rode among geysers and springs, throughlow fir woods, over chalky formation, to the Upper Basin, where theywere to spend the night.

  On the way, it should be mentioned, they stopped to view a singularmud spring, called the "Mammoth Paint Pot." There was a bowl-shapedcrater nearly filled with gray, pasty mud, through the surface ofwhich great bubbles slowly forced themselves, as in a boiling kettleof molasses candy, nearly done. As one of the guide-books said, therewas "a continuous bubbling up of mud, producing sounds like a hoarselywhispered 'plop, plop.'" Travelers were further informed that thesebubbling circlets of mud fell into beautiful floral forms; but Kittiecould find in them no resemblance to anything but electric bell knobs;while her mother plaintively declared they looked like nothing so muchas old-fashioned doughnuts.

  That evening Tom caused great merriment at the supper-table by gravelyasking Mrs. Percival to "pass the plops," he having previously ordereddoughnuts for that purpose.

  But if I were to tell you of all the wonders the Percivals visitedand heard with their ears and saw with their eyes, I might be accusedof writing a guide-book myself. I can only add that during the nextforty-eight hours our friends became intimately acquainted with a dozenor more great geysers, knowing their names and the times for theirappearance to the hour, if not the minute.

  There was the "Excelsior" (this was passed on the right between theLower and Upper Basins), the largest geyser in the world; the "Giant,"throwing a huge volume of scalding water high into the air every eightdays; the "Grotto," with a crater of strange, irregular walls as ifbuilt by gnomes; the "Castle," to the brink of which two of the girlsclimbed and gazed fearlessly down into the terrible throat; and "OldFaithful" which spouts a hundred feet once every sixty-five minutes,and has probably been as prompt as a clock, scientific men tell us, forthe last twenty thousand years.

  A comical incident occurred as the party were standing near thelast-named geyser waiting for it to "erupt." Tom had timed it by hiswatch, and had given out word that it would begin to play in just threeminutes and a half.

  While the words were on his lips, a man was seen approaching from acamp near by, carrying a bucket and some clothes which he evidentlyintended to wash in warm water from one of the many pools near thecrater's mouth. It was then merely a hole, some four or five feet indiameter, from which came occasional wreaths of steam, and an ominousgurgling growl which the new-comer disregarded altogether.

  "You wait!" cried Tom to the rest. "He isn't near enough to get hurt,but he'll be about the most astonished man in Wyoming in just oneminute and three quarters."

  The camper proceeded to dip up a bucket full of water with greatcoolness, and, having taken a comfortable seat on a ridge of"formation," was
just proceeding to immerse his wash, when upcame "Old Faithful's" head. In less time than it takes to tell it,the great, roaring, boiling jet was hurling itself far aloft, anddescending in floods of hot, sulphurous water. The man had givenone startled look over his shoulder at the first outbreak, and thenfled like a deer, leaving his property to be reclaimed later in theday. The sight of his ludicrously startled face and flying heels wasirresistible, and the boys screamed with laughter.

  Beside the great, active geysers, there were multitudes of hot springs,some of them many feet wide and deep, with treacherous, overhangingbanks and exquisitely tinted depths of turquoise and sapphire, throughwhich arose a continuous train of silvery bubbles. There was a storytold, that summer, of a lady who had neglected the precautions whichothers took, and straying carelessly among these springs, broke throughthe thin crust of sulphurous deposit. She was instantly drawn out, butnot before she was terribly scalded.

  While the Percivals were at the "Upper Geyser Basin," they were invitedto witness a queer sight in the edge of the woods about a quarter ofa mile from the hotel, just at dusk. One of the men employed about theplace began to call coaxingly, "Barney! Barney!" And now a dark formappeared among the pines, and out came a huge black bear. He approachedtimidly within a few feet of the silent group, now advancing, nowbounding lightly away at the cracking of a twig, and took severalpieces of raw meat from a stump near by. When his silent meal wasfinished, he gave the spectators one inquiring look, and wheelinground, disappeared in the shadow of the forest.

  All this time it was very cold, especially at night when, although itwas in August, ice formed over pools about the hotel.

  Reluctantly the tourists left the wonders of the "Upper Basin" behind,and drove on toward the next point of interest, Yellowstone Lake.

  "Give us the points, Tom," Randolph sings out, as the driver cracks hiswhip and the wagon rattles down the road. "Tell us about the Lake."

  "Nearly eight thousand feet above the sea," rejoins Tom. He is so readywith his figures that skeptical Kittie declares he makes them up,whenever his memory fails him.

  "Perhaps you think," rejoins Thomas, with dignity, "that the Lakedoesn't cover one hundred and thirty-nine square miles, and hasn't ahundred miles of shore line, and isn't chock-full of splendid trout,and hasn't a beautiful beach of obsidian five miles long, 'reflectingthe sun's rays like brilliant gems,' and doesn't"--

  "Oh! stop, stop, Davy; I'll come down," cried Kittie; while Fredstrikes up "Annie Rooney" at the top of his voice. It was afternoonwhen they drove down into a pretty valley where were clustered three orfour large white tents.

  "What's this--a circus?" shouted Tom.

  "It's Larry Matthews' hotel," replied the driver.

  Out came Larry himself, as the teams drew up with a flourish, beforethe door of the principal tent.

  "Glad to see yez, ladies an' gintlemen!" he cried, with broad, richbrogue. "Step right into me parlor, but be careful of the carpet, av yeplase!"

  As the tent knew no floor but turf, this raised a laugh, and this wasfollowed by another and another at Larry's quaint observations, whichhe showered without stint on his guests.

  When they were all seated at long tables, he was everywhere at once.

  "Milk, sor? Milk it is. Eggs? there's wan the little speckled hin laidfor you, mem! Coffee? Do take another cup! There's plenty more to behad--the geyser's playin' right along."

  The meal was eaten in a gale of merriment, and all hands declared thatsandwiches, boiled eggs and coffee--for of these viands it largelyconsisted--had never tasted so good.

  After dinner there was an hour or two of leisure, during which thetravelers strolled about on the hillside overlooking "Trout Creek" (forwhich this little encampment was named), securing kodak views, andenjoying life generally.

  "Good-by, sor! Good-by, mem!" shouted Larry to his guests, as they atlength clambered to their seats and rode off. "Long life to yez all!Come ag'in!"

  They now had a dozen miles of beautiful prairie, river and mountainscenery before reaching the Lake. The ride was not without attractionsalso, that bordered on the perilous.

  At one point they were told by the driver that only three weeks before,a huge buffalo had suddenly emerged from the woods, and with loweredhead galloped across the road. The six horses of the team immediatelyin front had been thrown into wild panic, and wheeling about, haddashed off, dragging a broken wagon after them.

  "So I had to dodge a buffalo and a runaway team," concluded John grimly.

  The wheel-tracks showed plainly in the turf where he had lashed his ownhorses out of the road. He added that one of the passengers, a ladyfrom the East, was quite severely injured in jumping from the forwardwagon.

  They saw deer feeding quietly beside the road. Great white pelicansfloated on the calm surface of the river; eagles flew overhead in fullview. There are many pumas, or "mountain lions," as they are calledthere, in the lonelier tracts of the park, and bears, brown, black andgrizzly, roam to and fro unmolested.

  But the great feature of the ride was presented about five milesfurther on--when they were driving close to the banks of a clearflowing stream.

  "What's that creature down by the water?" asked Adelaide carelessly. "Acalf?"

  They all glanced toward the river, when Tom--who was unquestionablyauthority on the subject--sung out, "A bear! A bear!"

  The driver pulled up his horses with a jerk, and none too soon. Upscrambled a huge brown, or "cinnamon" bear from the bank of the river,not a hundred yards ahead of them. She jumped a log which lay along theembankment, and crossing the road, began to climb the steep, woodedhill on their left.

  Presently a woolly cub, about the size of a half-grown Newfoundlanddog, came hurrying after her. He tried to climb the log as she haddone, but after straining to get over, exactly like a boy endeavoringto mount a horizontal bar, tumbled backward into the brush.

  Fred and Tom cheered him on, and the second attempt succeeded. Downhe went, head over heels, into the dusty road, and then how he didscramble up hill after his mother! The boys laughed and shouted to himuntil both bears were out of sight among the pines, far up the mountainslope.

  The horses had acted bravely during this scene, merely standing withquivering limbs and alert ears until little Bruin and his mother hadpassed.

  At Yellowstone Lake the boys hastily organized a fishing excursion, andcame back with a fine string of trout, averaging a pound to a pound anda half apiece. In the evening they took the girls out on the lake for amoonlight row. The songs they sang were of a gentler and more plaintivecharacter than usual; for they realized that the beautiful journey overgulf and glacier, and through Wonderland, was fast drawing to a close.

  "Row, brothers, row!" rang out Pet's sweet soprano; and even Fred's"Jolly boating weather" had an undertone of sadness, as the chorus camein, full and strong, at the end of each verse. Ah! how far ahead a"good-by" casts its shadow. How will it seem to reach a land where theword is not known!

  "The rapids are near, and the daylight's past," sang Pet; while themoonlight quivered on the waters of the strange, wild mountain lake.

  I must hurry on, myself, in my story of those fair, sweet days andsilvery nights; for I find myself lingering only too long among thehills--dreading perhaps, as I trust some of you do, my boy and girlreaders, the parting from the glad young lives that, in the course ofthese six volumes, have become a part of my very own. Yes, my manlyRandolph, impulsive, good-hearted Tom, merry Kittie, golden-haired Pet,and sweet, gentle "Captain Bess," I must leave you all too soon, in thefair morning-land where hearts beat warmly and young faces glow withmirth and noble resolve; whither in very truth, I have tried, poorlyand feebly but most earnestly, to take the real, living boys and girlswho have gathered around the pine-cone fires and many a time have sentme words of cheer from their own far-away firesides, year after year.God bless them, every one!

  * * * * *

  Randolph and Fred were loath to leave the fine fishing-grou
nds ofthe Lake, but the word was "Onward!" and another day's ride took theparty away from those picturesque shores to the Grand Canon of theYellowstone.

  On horseback they rode slowly along the banks of this mighty ravine,whose tawny flanks have given the river its name. One moment the girlswere speechless with laughter over Tom's dismay as his horse beganto slide down a steep descent; the next they caught their breath withwonder and awe, as they came out on the brink of the mighty canon, and,making their way on foot to the very edge of a jutting promontory,gazed downward into the fearful depths of a sheer thousand feet below.

  A few rods from their narrow perch was an eagle's nest, and it made thehead giddy and the pulse beat fast to see the great birds float outover the abyss. Coiling along the very base of the precipices was theriver, a silken thread of twisted white and emerald.

  But oh! the Falls. Here the Yellowstone gathered itself, at the head ofthe Canon, and leaped abroad into the air, falling three hundred feetbefore it knitted together its torn threads on the rocks below.

  "In His hands are the deep places of the earth," murmured Mr. Percival,half to himself.

  "The strength of the hills is His also!" finished the young clergyman,involuntarily baring his head, as if in the visible presence of theCreator.

  "How can He--how can He think of our little every-day-nesses, and ofthat!" said Bess, not turning to the last speaker, but knowing that heheard.

  Rossiter stooped, picked a single blade of grass from the brink ofthe awful cataract, and handed it to her without a word. And sheunderstood, and was grateful.