The streams of the Rocky Mountains were thoroughly exploited by the trappers in the twenties and thirties. Notwithstanding the paucity of evidence concerning Yellowstone visitations, it is unreasonable to believe her great rivers were neglected. These phantomlike trapper men went everywhere, saw everything, tarried only long enough to strip furry coverings from the beaver, and vanished. On rare occasion a bit of artifact shows up: an initialed rock or tree, a broken trap or flintlock, a group of steel-cleaved trees, a trapper cabin, a rifle pit or cache.[98] These evidences bear mute testimony that hunters passed through Yellowstone. In 1880, Colonel P. W. Norris discovered an initialed tree one half mile above the Upper Falls. The significant legend, J.O.R. August 19, 1819, had every indication of authenticity.
In 1822, trappers engaged by Andrew Henry and General William H. Ashley entered the Rocky Mountains. Within that decade some of the men had unquestionably visited the Park area. Evidence of one such visit exists in a letter published in the Philadelphia Gazette, September 27, 1827, and reprinted in the Niles Weekly Register (Baltimore) the following week, October 6, 1827. Daniel T. Potts wrote this particular letter at Sweet Lake in the Rocky Mountains on July 8, 1827, and sent it to his brother Robert T. Potts of Philadelphia. This letter, which constitutes the first printed account of Yellowstone phenomena, is now on file in the Yellowstone Park Library at Mammoth. The section of the letter definitely descriptive of the Park area follows:
... the Yellow-stone has a large fresh water lake near its head on the verry [sic] top of the Mountain which is about one hundrid [sic] by fourty [sic] in diameter and as clear as crystal on the south borders of this lake is a number of hot and boiling springs some water and others of most beautiful fine clay and resembles that of a mush pot and throws its particles to the immense height of from twenty to thirty feet in height. The clay is white and pink and water appear fathomless as it appears to be entirely hollow underneath. There is also a number of places where the pure sulphor [sic] is sent forth in abundance one of our men visited one of these whilst taking his recreation at an instan [sic] the earth began a tremendious [sic] trembling and he with dificulty [sic] made his escape when an explosion took place resembling that of thunder. During our stay in that quarter I heard it every day....[99]
Again, it is a matter of written record that Jedediah Smith and his associates “worked the country lying between the sources of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, finally going into winter quarters on the Wind River” in 1829. He was probably the man to whom Superintendent Norris referred:
I have always given much credence to a well-endorsed campfire legend of a mountaineer named Smith, having, prior to the days of Bonneville, written a narrative of his explorations of the Firehole regions, and being killed before its publication.[100]
It was in 1829 when Joseph Meek became separated from his associates of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company and wandered for five days in a southerly direction in the area that divides the drainage between the Madison and Gallatin rivers. The factors of time and place are entirely consistent with the report he gave:
Being desirous to learn something about the progress he had made, he ascended a low mountain in the neighborhood of his camp, and behold! the whole country beyond was smoking with vapor from boiling springs, and burning gases issuing from small craters, each of which was emitting a sharp whistling sound.[101]
Meek thought himself reminded of the city of Pittsburgh as he had once seen it on a winter morning. Meek also said that blue flames and molten brimstone issued from certain craters. Of course the brimstone was a slight exaggeration, but he undoubtedly believed it to be true.
There are still other references strongly indicative of the movements of those silent sons of the wilderness in Yellowstone. However, the journal of Warren A. Ferris, an employee of the American Fur Company, positively proves that he observed some of its mysteries. He first heard stories of astonishing marvels from a party of trappers at the rendezvous in 1833. These trappers confirmed other reports that were current, affirming that geysers really were as extensive and remarkable as generally represented. Backed by the united testimony of more than twenty men on the subject, Ferris decided to go there himself for the specific purpose of enjoying such an experience as would be afforded by water volcanoes.
In company with two Pend d’Oreille Indians he journeyed from Camas Creek through the “piny woods” to the Madison River, which he followed to the Upper Geyser Basin, where he camped. During the night of May 19, the thud and resounding of violent thermal action assailed him. Allow him to relate the story: