Yellowstone Memories: Stories from Yellowstone

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LIVINGSTON was reached at 5 A. M. The weather was a gain clear and much cooler. Our porters had placed an extra blanket on each berth last night, which was received with some derision and pushed to the foot of the berth, Somehow it did not remain there all night, being snugly in place with its mate this morning and not being at all laughed at. Quite a stop was made at Livingston this morning, owing to the number of trains in and out of the Valley. It was 5.45 before we were again under way. Towering mountain peaks surround Livingston, and the scenery was both rugged and grand. Soon after leaving the station we entered a narrow canon, still following up the Yellowstone River. For a mile or so there was just about room for the railroad, the stream and a wagon road., The scenery was magnificent, although very rugged, the rocks rising almost perpendicularly on either side and lighting up finely at the tops with the rays of the rising sun. Once through the narrow entrance the valley opened up to a respectable width and contained many ranches and small settlements. Signs of civilization that had been invisible for many hours began to show themselves. Horses, cattle and pigs were numerous, together with the accompanying cowboy with his pony and lariat. Another house at Chicory was shown as one of the stopping places of President Roosevelt on his late tour. We got all these locations down fine from our tourist agent, Kid McCoy, who accompanied the President on his tour and kept the reporters and other flies off him.

As the valley grew nearer to an end we passed into another narrow gorge or canon with much higher rocks on the sides. Some of the peaks were lofty and the climbing, if any could be done, was

more than rugged. On Mount Cinnabar appeared a reddish streak of earth or rock from top to bottom. This was introduced as the Devil's Slide, the first one of that individual's possessions in this neighborhood that we had seen, although they became more numerous after we entered the Park. Breakfast had been partaken of en route down the valley, and was not finished when the train pulled beside the station at Gardner at 9.45 A. M. The rustic log waiting shed and station, with its quaint waiting room and stone chimney, formed a very agreeable contrast to the line of shanties in the distance, which seemed to constitute the town of Gardner.

We took leave of our train crew and John Robbins with much regret, a feeling which seemed to be mutual. Much regret was also expressed that we could not attach the commissary car to one of the Park coaches. Tallyhos, with six horses attached, were already in waiting to take our entire party to Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, which was to be the end of the first day's ride. Grips and suit cases were rushed out and loaded in the boot behind and strapped on. If the. coach agent could have had his own way the passengers would also have had to be strapped on. He always seemed to think there was room for one more on each seat. In a short time every one was packed in or on the coaches and they were started for the five mile drive to the hotel. Just a. few rods beyond the station was the official entrance to Yellowstone Park through a high stone archway, flanked by two square towers, the whole built of large lava blocks. A large block of stone set in above the arch bears the inscription “For the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” The road goes Up through Gardner Canon, following the course of the Gardner River, which ran, cool and sparkling, alongside the road, obstructed by rocks and lava blocks of all ages and sizes. The road is a fine one, having been built at Uncle Sam's expense and kept well watered by the same individual. At times the grade was pretty steep, but six horses made light of it. On either side the mountains rose to a fine height. Fish hawks or eagles sailed around lazily, undisturbed by the proximity of the coaches or the large quantity of noise made by the occupants thereof. The first of so-called eagles' nests were seen soon after the entrance, perched on top of a bald eminence inaccessible to man, or beast. The sun was tolerably warm, but the air pleasant, and there was no use whatever for the linen dusters which the majority of the crowd had hired from, a peddler at Gardner Station in anticipation of a dusty experience through the Park.

About half way in we met several coaches coming out which contained a band that had been brought from Boston by Boston Commandery No. 1, of that city, or rather by one of its members, who had paid all the band's expenses sides furnishing its members with new uniforms. They had been left at the Hot Springs while the Commandery made the tour of the Park, and were now On the way back to their train, where the Commandery was expected this evening.

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