America's wonderlands

Front matter

1 %

Glass_ L- cb <5

Bnnk

Table Of Contents

PAGE

The Sublimely Grand and Incomparable Scenery op America. —Picturesque lauds and places of other countries —Engagement of a corps of Photographers—Equipment of our Camera car—A trip to the Rocky Mountains—Hasty resume of the pictorial districts visited—From summer climes to Alaska’s glacial shores — Excursions by car, stage, donkey and foot—Educational benefits of the tour—

The work one of patriotic incitement,.6-16

Chapter I

Among the Wild Scenes of Colorado. —Through the Gate¬ way of the Rockies—Wondrous visions—In the canons of Bear Creek—Colossal cleavage of Clear Creek—A sub¬ merged forest of petrified trees—Among the clouds—Devil’s Gate to Bridal Veil Falls—The Loop at Georgetown—Silver Flume—Cornucopias of silver—Over the switchback to silver lands—Between towering crags—Terrific convulsions of nature—Dome Rock—Invocation of surging waters—The highest point ever reached by rail—A marvelous tunnel—

An astounding view—Through Boulder Canon and into North Park—A tour of Estes Park—Visits to Fong’s Peak and Bald Mountain—Wild game in savage haunts—Climb¬ ing the American Matterhorn—Bewildering prospect from the “key-hole”—A trip to Table Mountain and examina¬ tion of the glaciers—A journey through Middle Park—A story of Grand Fake—Away up on a dizzy brink, . . . 17-40

Chapter II

Manitou the Mighty. —Twin cities that sit at the feet of Pike’s Peak—A spell of wonderment wrought by the eccen¬ tricities of nature—God’s acres of tumultuous stone—The story of Major Pike’s discovery—The first ascent of Pike’s Peak—The cog-wheel railroad to the summit—A trip to cloud-land—The wonderful panorama to be surveyed from the peak—A battalion of mountains in review—A storm on the mountain—Ute Pass to Cascade Canon—Rainbow Falls and Grand Caverns—From the Cave-of-the-Winds down William’s Canon—Garden of the Gods—Nature in wild riot

PAGE

of gruesome forms and sublime creations—Through Glen Eyrie and Monument Park—Witcheries that confound imagination—A visit to Cheyenne Canon—Seven Falls— Entrancing hymns of nature—Fegends of the Manitou, . 41-62

Chapter III

Grand Canons of Western Rivers. —A land of graceful, deep-leaping waterfalls—A park of marvelous petrifactions —Buena Vista, the beautiful view—Sportsmen’s Paradise—• Through Hagerinan Tunnel to Mount of the Holy Cross—

Grand River Canon—Sixteen miles of natural wonders—

The Grand Canon of the Colorado—Major Powell’s Trip from Green River to Yuma—A perilous journey richly recompensed — Flaming Gorge and Horseshoe Canons—•

Tossed by dangerous rapids into halls and temples carved by Titans—In a chasm 7,000 feet deep—Caverns of En¬ chantment and walls flecked with rainbow colors—A bor¬ derland of phantasy—Cave habitations of an extinct race—

Story of the hunted refugees—Vermilion Cliffs, Temples of the Virgin and Marble Canon—Glories that thrill the heart with ecstasy, and fill the soul with reverence, .... 63-84

Chapter IV

Marvels of the Great Desert. — Magnificence of the scenery along Grand River—From mountain to plain— Beautiful Provo Falls—Our great inland sea—Fruitfulness of Salt Fake Valley—A wall of mountains around Salt Fake—Shores of ancient Fake Bonneville, now America’s dead sea—Islands of Salt Fake—The Mormon City and how it was founded—Red Butte and Emigrant Canons—Garfield Beach and Giant’s Cave—Echo and Weber Canons—Val¬ leys of marvelous diversity—The Devil’s Slide and the Witches’ Playground—Beaver River Gulch and scenic wonders about Ogden—A trip across the creviced lava fields of Idaho—The magnitude and awfulness of Shoshone Falls—A second Niagara in the desert—Twin, Cascade and Bridal Veil Falls—A realistic description of this incompar¬ able wonderland.85-112

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPER V.

PAGE

Over the Heights and into the Deeps of Wonderland. '

—Through the portals of Black Canon—Astounding views along Gunnison River—Chippeta Falls and Currecanti Needle—A sight of Fossil Ridge and the Cone of Ouray—

Tflie trip over Marshall Pass—The terrible mightiness of the Royal Gorge—Hanging Bridge—The tempestuously craggy route between Ironton and Ouray—Marvelous engi¬ neering skill—Weirdly savage Animas Canon—A railroad balcony 1,500 feet above the river—A flight high as the eagle’s—Kit Carson’s Exploits in Canon de Chelle—The awesomeness of Toltec Gorge—A parade-ground of Nature’s Idols—Looking down upon the world—Blooming flowerland of San Luis Park—Down through Comanche Canon—

A side trip to ruined pueblos and cliff dwellings in New Mexico—Something about an extinct race—The Grave of Kit Carson—Some history of remarkable interest—The ancient Pueblo Indians and their dwellings—Magnificent ruins of the Casa Grandes—Montezuma’s Palace—Evidences of a walled and towered city—Prehistoric man in New Mexico,.113-152

Chapter VI

Across the Cactus Desert into California’s Golden Land.— The Zuni plateau—Approach to the Grand Canon of the Colorado—A scene of overpowering sublimity—A Mohave Village—Death Valley—From sterility to fertility —Monterey and its attractions—A visit to the Lick Observ¬ atory and the great telescope—In and around San Francisco —The Seals’ Sporting Grounds—The Mariposa grove of big trees—A trip through the wondrous valley of the Yosemite—A stage journey through a region of incomparable grandeur—Wonders and curiosities of the Yosemite—Falls of extraordinary beauty and peaks of amazing height—

The Calavaras big trees—The journey from Ogden to Cali¬ fornia—Across the great American desert—Indian camps along the way—The Humboldt Palisades—Lake Tahoe—

The sad story of the Donner party—Along the lofty crest of American Canon—Giant’s Gap and Cape Horn—The beau¬ tiful Sacramento Valley, .153-192

Chapter VII

Our Journey Through Picturesque Regions of the Northwest.—W inter in vernal climes—A plunge into the

PAGE

Siskiyou Range—the light that crowns Shasta’s head—

Soda Springs that titillate the palate like champagne— Exquisite Mossbrse Falls—A glorious sight from Portland’s heights—Lofty peaks of the Cascade Range—A trip up the Columbia—Pictorial shores that lend charm to interest—Its dales, palisades and waterfalls—A panorama of extraordi¬ nary grandeur—A side trip to Crater Lake—Traditions of the Klamath Indians—The most marvelous body of water on earth—Indian legend of creation, the flood and repeopling of the world—Wondrous visions on the lake—The core of a great volcano—A Siwash legend of the Saviour—A voyage to Alaska—First sight of the glaciers—In the land of ice¬ bergs—Description of Muir Glacier—Birth of icebergs—His¬ tory of the glacial epoch—Facts and fancies about Alaskan natives—Their religion and mortuary customs—O, glorious night of the North!. 193-234

Chapter VIII

Across the Mountains to Yellowstone Park.— A detour on the Canadian Pacific Railroad — Magnificent scenery along Fraser River—Green lakes on mountain brows— Canadian National Park—A glimpse of the Sandwich Islands through other eyes than ours—Down the Yakimer River—Spokane and Palouse Falls—Sights along Snake River—Pinnacle Rocks—Lost Falls—Lakes of marvelous beauty and rivers of torrential flow—A trip to the 12 falls of the Missouri—Our visit to Yellowstone Park—The won¬ drous gateway to Gardiner Canon—Nesting place of the sentinel eagle—Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces—Remark¬ able formations more beautiful than the Cave of Stalacta—

Springs glowing with brilliant coloring—Terraces of petri¬ fied rainbows—Through the Golden Gate, by deep canon, lofty waterfall and far-soaring cliffs—In purgatorial regions —Growling caves and spouting Geysers—The Devil’s Kitchen and his Majesty’s Mush-pot—Along Fireliole River and into the Lower Basin—The land of fearful sur¬ prises and volcanic energy—Yellowstone Lake and its game-abounding shores—Death Valley and Petrified Forest —Grand Canon of the Yellowstone and its flowing beauties —Tower and Yellowstone Falls—A grave-yard of mam¬ moth quadripeds. 235-288

Chapter IX. Table Of Contents

PAGE

Among the Wonders of the Black Hills.— Beautiful Dells of the St. Croix—Scenes of the last Indian uprising—The scenery about Deadwood—Tumultuous wonders of Custer Park—Marvels of Elk Creek Canon—Harney’s Peak and Wedge Rock—Horseshoe Curve—Keith’s Crystal Cave—

A trip to the Belle Fourche—Astounding wonder of the Devil’s Tower—A basaltic column higher than the Eiffel Tower—Speculations concerning its formation—Crow Butte and Signal Rock—A story of Indian heroism—St. Anthony’s Falls—Charming beauty of Minnehaha—Dells of the St.

Croix—The Devil’s Fishing Place—Customs of the Wiscon¬ sin Indians—Making a Medicine Man—Witchery of the Wisconsin Dells—Cleavages of extraordinary curiosity— Funeral ceremonies of the Ojibways—Wonders of Devil’s Lake and Camp Douglas—Through the Straits of Macki¬ naw—Picturesqueness of Superior’s Shores—Pictured pali¬ sades and frozen waterfalls—Scenery along the north shore —A trip down the Mississippi, . 289-344

Chapter X

Scenic Marvels op the Great Northeast. — Mountain scenes in the vicinity of Eureka Springs—Legend of the Starved Rock in Illinois—Sublime glories and immensity of Niagara Falls—Utilization of the waters—Some interest¬ ing scientific facts—The Mohawk Valley and Leather Stocking Stories—Magnificence of Watkin’s and Havana Glens—The poetry of idyllic retreats—Down through the Thousand Islands—Chatauguay Chasm — Canons of the Ausable and bewildering glories of the Adirondacks — Hunting grounds of the great North wilderness—Scenes of incomparable grandeur—Story of our tramp through the Catskills—A trip down the Hudson—Places famous in American history—West Point and its noted surroundings, 345-382

Chapter XI

A Pictorial Tour of the Eastern States. —A trip through the scenic regions of Canada—Torrential mightiness of Chaudiere Falls—The falls of Montreal River—A trip through Lachine Rapids—Something about the early history of Quebec—Winter sports in Montreal—The home of Queen Victoria’s father—Beautiful scenery in the vicinity of Quebec —A journey through the New England States—The Green Mountains of Vermont—Description of the White Mount-

PAGE

ains—Singular examples of nature sculpturing—Ascension of the highest peaks and bewildering views therefrom—The cog-wheel railroad up Mount Washington—Sensations and charms of the ascent—A typical village in a New Hampshire valley—Vagaries and reveries of a poetaster—Wild grandeur of Wild-Cat River—Afloat on the pretty lakes of New Hampshire—From Maine to Boston—Historic places of Massachusetts, and the stories connected with them— Curiosities around Pittsfield and description of the Shaker settlement,. 383-414

CHAPTER XII. On Historic Fields op Virginia and Pennsylvania

From the Blue Grass Regions to the Shenandoah—Scenery of the Kanawha River and Blue Ridge Mountains—Mar¬ velous Natural Bridge of Virginia—Some remarkable scenes in East Tennessee — Pen-pictures of some of the mountaineers—War memories that are fast fading—The Great Smoky Mountains—Portraitures of North Caro¬ linians, and some typical farm scenes—Scenery about Asheville—A tragic story of the ascent of Mount Mitchell—

A visit to Luray Caverns—Beauties of the Under-world that dazzle with their splendor—Descriptions of the subterranean chambers—Valley of the Shenandoah—Memorable battle¬ fields—Down the Juniata—Scenery of the Susquehanna—

Visit to a land of waterfalls beyond the Water Gap, . 415-448