Among the members of the first party that ever explored Yellowstone Park were Messrs. M. P. Langford, S. T. Hauser and T. C. Everts.  There was also a military escort under Lieutenant Doane.  The party proceeded up the Yellowstone River to the Grand Canon, thence across to Yellowstone Lake, around its eastern edge to the southern end, whence turning west they followed down the Firehole River through the Upper Geyser Basin to the Madison River.  Following this river out from the park, they returned to Western civilization—­all but one of them.

On the nineteenth day out, September 9th, when moving across the country bordering the southern shore of the lake, Mr. Everts became lost.  The traveling here was difficult, owing to fallen timber, rugged heights and no trails, and he was not missed until camp was made at night.  Mr. Everts was not seen again for thirty-seven days, when he was found by two mountaineers on the verge of what is now known as Mount Everts, perfectly exhausted, and partly deranged through exposure and suffering.  On the very first day of his absence his horse, left standing and unfastened, with all the man’s arms and camp equipments attached, became frightened and ran away.  Everts was near-sighted, had not even a knife for use or defense, and only a field glass to assist him in escaping.  He first managed to reach Heart Lake, the source of Snake River.  Here he remained for twelve days, sleeping close by the Hot Springs to keep from freezing.  His food was thistle roots, boiled in the springs.  One night he was forced into a tree by a mountain lion, and kept there all night.

Finally, he bethought himself of the lenses of his field glasses, and thus was enabled to kindle fires.  He wandered all along the western side of the lake and down the Yellowstone to where he was providentially found.  He gave the story of his terrible experience in the old “Scribner’s Magazine,” since become “The Century,” and a thrilling tale it makes.  In a country filled with a network of streams, abundantly supplied with animal life for food, gorged with timber for fuel, the man nearly froze and starved and perished from thirst.  Twice he was five days without food; once three days without water.  It was late in the season, and the storms swept down on him and chilled him to the bone; the snows kept him prisoner in camp, or, when on his painful marches, blocked his progress.

Naturally, he lost strength, and became hourly in danger of succumbing to the vast difficulties which confronted him.  His sufferings were increased by the fear which was created by a large mountain lion, which got on his trail and followed him, evidently with a view to making him a feature of the menu of his next meal.  It seems incredible that Mr. Everts should ever have escaped with his life.  Fortune, however, came to his rescue at last.  He was rescued and nursed back to life by good friends.  To the plateau on which he was found, his name was given, although there are few who will remember the significance of the name.