NATIONAL PARKS, a term applied to certain territory in the United States, set aside by act of congress and specifically exempted from sale, being reserved. by reason of picturesque character and general natural features, as common to the entire people; except for settlement or private use. Up to the present time (1881) two tracts of land have thus been appropriated----the Yosemite valley and the Yellowstone the former of which was made a national park by act of congress passed June 30. 1864. and ordered to include the Mariposa Big Tree grove: the Yellowstone park was set aside by net approved Mar. 1, 1872.—The wonders of the Yellowstone region were first made known to the world through the report of a government reconnois:ince, or exploration of the Yellowstone river and the surrounding country, made by officers of the U. S. corps of engineers, under the orders of lieut.gen. Sheridan, in 1871. This region. long known as the "Great Divide," is comprised in the territories of Montana and Wyoming, being the geographical center of North America The area covered by the reservation MeaSil•e-3 3.578 sq. miles. Generally speaking, it lies between 100° and 110° w. long. and in 44° or 45° n. lat., the general elevation being about 6,000 ft. above the level of the sea, though mountain ranges on every side rise to a height of 10.000 to 12,000 feet. Four mules lead to the Yellowstone national park : 1, From Corinne, on the Central Pacific railroad, to fort.Ellis, thence 30 m. to the Yellowstone river; 2, by way of the upper Missouri: 3, from the Canadas and the great lakes to Duluth, and thence by the Northern Pacific railroad; and, 4, from Walla-Walla, on the west. The most convenient and practicable route has hitherto been that from Corinne to Virginia City, Montana; thence to fort Ellis, crossing the Madison river, one of the head-waters of the Missouri; and to the Gallatin valley, which is about 40 m. in length and 10 to 15 broad, the finest. agricultural land in Montana; at the upper end of which is Bozeman, and 3 m. beyond, fort Ellis.. Erorn.this point. the. trail leads to..a,. Crow agency, ,about 30 m. dis taut ; and thence by a course nearly due s., following that of the Yellowstone river, to the great falls of the Yellowstone. The whole of this route, after reaching the river, offers some of the most impressive and sublime scenery in the world. Picturesque masses of rock, tall columns of basalt, and a landscape generally volcanic in character, present the must prominent features of the trail; chief among which is the " Slide, au extraordinary vertical rock formation, projecting a thousand feet into the air. Pro• eeeding up the valley, Gatlin er's river, or Warm Stream creek, is met, as it enters the valley and joins the Yellowstone 15 m. frog' the middle canon. Here begins the hot district, with the largest spring in the country, consisting of a basin 40 ft. long by 25 wide, through three openings, in Which great quantities of carbonic acid gas are discharged. In this spring, which offers water of different degrees of temperature, in smaller basins and terraces, are found the most fantastic deposits of stalactites and sitting mites; while the basins are •gracefully curved and scalloped, and vary in color from a rich yellow to a vivid red, offering a most brilliant and beautiful effect. Leaving this point, the "low divide" is crossed between the valley of Gardner's river and that of the Yellowstone, and the precipitous entrance to the great canon is reached, so gloomy and forbidding in aspect that it is named the "Devil's Den." Through this narrow gorge the river rushes with great velocity, until it shoots over the abrupt descent of a Pill of about 150 ft., and, after a series of rapids and cascades, finally leaves the great cafion with a single leap of 850 ft., after which its course lies over a rolling prairie for several miles, The great canon loss never been explored, but the height of its sides is known to be more than 2,000 feet. A new hot spring region is now reached, remarkable for its "mud geysers," and particularly for a mud volcano, having a crater 25 ft. in width and 80 ft. in depth, and in a constant state of ebullition. One of the geysers having a basin 60 ft. in diameter, spouts at regular intervals of six boors. Eight m. from these geysers is Yellowstone lake, more than 7,000 ft. above the sea-level, 30 in. in length, IS rn. broad, and from to 50 fathoms deep, with a shore line measuring more than 300 miles. Almost in contact with this remarkable body of water is a chain of hot springs; fish abound in the lake, game of all kinds is found in the surrounding forests, and there are facilities for boating, and rude accommodations for the tourist. Striking
westward. the traveler now journeys toward the head-waters of the Madison river, The country, though impressed with volcanic characteristics, is here diversified dense tracts of forest; and about 10 m. front the Yellowstone a new system of hot springs is readied, the whole district presenting the appearance of at vast limekiln in active combustion. Shortly after reaching the crest of the divide between the Yellowstone and the Madison, a valley is entered in which the springs are strongly impregnated with sulphur. In what is known as the Fireliele valley—that of the Firchole river, the main eastern fork of the Madison—are large numbers of beautiful springs. But the object of greatest interest to the tourist is the oTeat geyser basin, which is entered from the north, following the course of the Madison river. The geysers are all named, the first seen being two which are very active, placed one on each side of the river, and known as the " Sentinels." Next is the " Well " geyser, which has a. crater formed like a well, and which spouts to a height of 80 or 90 feet. An extraordinary formation, 8 ft. high and 90 in 'circumference. s called the "Grotto;" it is hollowed into arches, and plays to the height of 60ft. several times in every 24 hours. The•" Giant " geyser is considered one of the most remarka ble in the group. It has a crater 5 ft. in diameter, and its highest point is 15 ft. above the mound on which it stands. It throws a column of water the size of the opening. to the measured height of 130 ft. continuing each active period for an hour and a Nil. From this system of geysers, a journey of about 12 m. reaches " Castle" geyser, which is situated on a platform of deposit, measuring 100 ft. in length and 70 in breadth. From the center of this platforni rises a chimney 12 ft. high, 120 ft. in diameter at the base, and 60 ft. at the top, with a tlnee-foot aperture. This monster geyser, when in operation, sends a column of water to a height of 250 ft., the movement being not con tinuous, but pulsating, at the rate of about 70 throbs to the minute, the time of activity being about an hour. At the head of floe valley stands the geyser known as " Old Faith ful," so called because it plays with great regularity every three-quarters of an hour, throwing a stream 100 to 150 ft. in height. From the mound of this geyser can be seen the best presentment of the basin. The entire valley is drained of its hot water by the Firehole river, which takes it into the Madison. The geysers visible from this point are severally named the "Bee-hive." the "Giantess," "Grand," "Young Faithful," "Fan," "Riverside," "Saw-mill," "Turban," etc. The Firehole river is itself one of the most remarkable features of this region. Its bed and banks, entirely composed of hot-spring deposit, are honeycombed and scooped-out by geyser springs and pools, vary ing between minute vents not bigger than a quill and great tanks of boiling water. The course of the river is very straight., and resembles that of a canal thorough a country of limekilns covered with slag-heaps and refuse of old smelting-works. The borders of this stream, and of its confluent, Iron Spring creek, are dotted in all directions with mud ponds, warm poo:.4. boiling springs, and the remains of ancient geysers. The 'Yellow, stone region has been only visited by tourists, and the therapeutic qualities of its springs have not been analyzed. The writer of the government report said of the country in question: "No other locality. I think, can be found which combines_ so many attrae• tions, both of climate and scenery.' The, act of eongreSti by wlirdeihe Yellowstone country was reserved as a national park, stated that it was "reserved and withdrawn front settlement, occupancy, or sale, under the laws of the United States, and dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people," while by the same act it was Aced under the exclusive control of the secretary of the interior. The park is 63 in. n. and s. by 55 tn. e. and west. During the summer months the atmosphere is pure and invigorating, with an claim absence of storms. The number of springs is from 5.000 to 10,000, and there are at least 50 geysers. The tem perature of the springs ranges between 160° and 200°.