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diff --git a/42706-8.txt b/42706-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 803cd54..0000000 --- a/42706-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,16502 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Across America, by James F. Rusling - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Across America - The Great West and the Pacific Coast - -Author: James F. Rusling - -Release Date: May 13, 2013 [EBook #42706] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ACROSS AMERICA *** - - - - -Produced by Douglas L. Alley, III, Charlene Taylor and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: YOSEMITE FALLS.] - - - - - ACROSS AMERICA: - - OR - - THE GREAT WEST - - AND - - THE PACIFIC COAST. - - - - BY - JAMES F. RUSLING, - _Late Brevet Brigadier-General, U. S. V._ - - [Illustration] - - - NEW YORK: - SHELDON & COMPANY. - 1874. - - - - - Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by - JAMES F. RUSLING, - in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. - - - - - PREFACE. - - -In the summer of 1866, having lately concluded a tour of inspection -through the West and South, and awaiting orders in Washington, it was -my fortune one morning to receive the following: - - "QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, } - "WASHINGTON, D. C., _July_ 10, 1866. } - - "GENERAL:--You will immediately enter upon a tour of inspection - of the affairs of the Quartermaster's Department, as administered - at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and thence west _via_ Denver - City and Salt Lake City to the Pacific Coast, inspecting - all intermediate Posts while _en route_. At Denver City you - will confer with Brevet Col. Howard, A. Q. M., as to the - practicability of breaking up that depot, and removing the stores - to other points where needed. Thence to Salt Lake City, where a - rigid inspection is needed. Thence to San Francisco, Cal. - - "Upon reaching the Pacific Coast, you will confer with the - Commanding General and Chief Quartermaster of the Military - Division of the Pacific, and having procured necessary - information relative to the locality, importance, etc. of the - various Posts, you will proceed upon a careful inspection - throughout California, Oregon, Nevada, and Washington and - Arizona Territories. Upon completing this duty, you will return - to this city, _via_ the Isthmus, and report in person to the - Quartermaster-General. - - "It will be necessary to keep this Office fully informed, in - advance, as to your probable whereabouts, so that instructions - may be telegraphed to you at the stations where you are on duty - when necessary. - - "You are authorized to take a clerk with you. - - * * * * * - - "Very respectfully, - "Your ob't serv't., - "M. C. MEIGS, - "_Quartermaster-General_, } - "_Brevet Maj.-Gen., U. S. A._" } - - "_Brevet Brig.-Gen. James F. Rusling_, } - "_Inspector Q. M. Dep't._" } - -These, my orders, were subsequently endorsed as follows: - - "HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, } - "WASHINGTON, D. C., _July_ 18, 1866. } - - "Commanding officers will, on the requisition of Gen. Rusling, - furnish the necessary escorts to enable him to make the within - directed inspections. - - "By command of Lieut.-Gen. Grant, - "GEO. K. LEET, - "_Ass't. Adj't.-Gen._" - -The general object of this tour, perhaps I should explain, in a word, -was to examine into the condition of our various depots and posts -West, and consider their bases and routes of supply, with a view to -reducing if possible the enormous expenditures, that then everywhere -prevailed there. How well or ill _this_ was accomplished, it is not -for me to say, nor is this volume the place--my Reports at the time -speaking for themselves.[1] - -The route thus roughly indicated was long, and in parts reputed -dangerous; but for years I had cherished a desire to see something -of that vast region in the sunset, and here at length was the golden -opportunity. I need scarcely say, therefore, that I obeyed my orders -with alacrity, and in the execution of them was absent in all about -a twelvemonth. During that period, crossing the continent to San -Francisco, among the Mountains, along the Pacific Coast, and thence -home by the Isthmus, I travelled in all over 15,000 miles, as per -accompanying Map; of which about 2,000 were by railroad, 2,000 by -stage-coach, 3,000 by ambulance or on horseback, and the remainder by -steamer. This book, now, is the rough record of it all, written at odd -hours since, as occasion offered. Much of this journey, of course, was -over the old travelled routes, so well described already by Bowles, -Richardson, Nordhoff, and others. But several hundred miles of it, -along and among the Rocky Mountains, a thousand or so through Utah and -Idaho, and perhaps two thousand or more through Southern California -and Arizona, were through regions that most overland travellers never -see; and here, at least, I trust something was gleaned of interest -and profit to the general reader. Moreover, my official orders gave -me access to points not always to be reached, and to sources of -information not usually open; so that it was my duty, as well as -pleasure, to see and hear as much of the Great West and the Pacific -Coast everywhere, as seemed practicable in such a period. - -Of course, I kept a rough diary and journal (apart from my official -Reports), and retiring from the army in 1867, perhaps these should have -been written out for publication long ago, if at all. But it proved no -easy task to settle down again into the harness of civil life, after -being six years in the army, as all "old soldiers" at least well know. -I plead only this excuse for my delay--the absorption of a busy life -and health not firm; and trust these notes on Western life and scenery, -if lacking somewhat in immediate freshness, will yet be considered not -altogether stale. The completion of the Pacific Rail road, it will -be noted, made this long tour of mine, by stage-coach and ambulance, -through the Great West and along the Pacific Coast, about the last, if -not _the_ last, of its kind possible; and, therefore, under all the -circumstances, it has seemed not unfitting, even at this late date, to -give these pages to the world. - -Writing only for the general public, it will be noticed, I have -tried everywhere to avoid all military and official details, as far -as practicable, and to confine myself mainly to what would seem -of interest, if not value, to everybody. So, too, I have aimed to -bridge the interval from 1866-7 to 1874 by such additional facts -as appeared necessary; but without, however, modifying my own -observations and experiences materially. If some persons, and some -localities, are spoken of more flatteringly (or less) than usual, -it is at least with truthfulness and candor, as things seemed to -me. No doubt errors of fact have been committed, but these were not -intended; and some of these, of course, were simply unavoidable in -a book like this. So, too, as to style, no pretension whatever is -made; but I claim merely an honest endeavor to convey some useful, if -not interesting information _currente calamo_, in the readiest way -possible, and a generous public will forgive much accordingly. - -In brief, if what is here roughly said will lead any American to a -better love of his country, or to a truer pride in it, or any foreigner -to a kindlier appreciation of the Republic, verily I have my reward. - - J. F. R. - - _Trenton, N. J., March, 15, 1874._ - -FOOTNOTE: - -[1] Mostly published by Congress in 1867-8, and among the Pub. Docs. -for those years. - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER I. - - _New York to Fort Riley, Kansas._ - - Across America.--Off July 24, 1866.--West by Erie Railroad.--The - Great West.--Northern New Jersey.--Western New - York.--Ohio.--Miami Valley.--Indiana and Illinois.--Buckeye - _vs._ Hoosier and Sucker.--Cincinnati and St. Louis _vs._ - Chicago.--St. Louis _redivivus_.--Missouri.--Her Germans - and Vineyards.--The Missouri River.--Leavenworth.--Lawrence - and Topeka.--Valley of the Kansas.--Junction City.--Kansas - Generally.--Her fine Building-stone.--Her Scenery.--Her - Enterprise and Thrift.--"Fall Leaf" and the Delawares.--A Big - Chief and his Exploits.--The Pottawatomies.--Returning from a - Buffalo Hunt.--The Indian in Kansas. 21-32 - - - CHAPTER II. - - _From the Kansas to the Platte._ - - _Compagnons du Voyage._--Afloat on the Plains.--Travelling - by Ambulance.--Camping-out.--Outfit and - Escort.--The "divides."--The Platte itself.--The - Grasshoppers.--Prairie-chickens and other Game.--Prairie - Dogs.--A Happy Family.--The Little Blue.--The Pawnees - and Indian rumors generally.--Virginia Station and Big - Sandy.--The Settlers _en route_.--A Pennsylvania Dutchman - Westernized.--Life on Fancy Creek.--Rev. Mr. Silvers of Wild - Cat Creek.--A Pioneer Missionary. 33-39 - - - CHAPTER III. - - _Up the Platte to Denver._ - - The Union Pacific Railroad.--The Overland Stage Company.--Mr. - Ben Holladay.--An Enterprising Missourian.--Concord Coaches - and Teams.--Stage Stations.--Meals _en route_.--The - Drivers generally.--Fellow-passengers.--Col. B., an - ex-Lieut.-Governor turned Sutler.--A Swiss Artist.--A Doctor - of Divinity.--A New York Banker and his Patriotic Wife.--The - Weather.--Life on a Stage-Coach, outside Day and Night.--The - Scenery generally.--Magnificent Sunsets.--A particularly fine - one. 40-46 - - - CHAPTER IV. - - _Up the Platte to Denver_ (concluded). - - The Platte Valley in general.--Its Features and Resources.--The - Platte River itself.--The Cañon Cedars.--Want of - Timber.--Costly Fuel, Grain, etc. at Fort Sedgwick.--Scenery - of the Plains generally.--Buffalo and their Range.--A - Ride after Antelope.--Lost on the Plains.--Buffalo - Trails.--The Settlers generally.--Kearney City, Julesburg, - etc.--The Ranches.--Fort Wicked.--Wagon-trains.--Prairie - Schooners.--Bull-drivers.--Sioux Indians.--"Big Injun" - stories generally. 47-57 - - - CHAPTER V. - - _Denver and the Mines._ - - Denver itself.--A Mountain City.--Her Growth and - Enterprise.--Judge Gale and her Gamblers.--Bishop - Randall.--Her want of Trees and Shrubbery.--Metropolis of - Colorado.--Gov. Cumming.--Hints of Judge Lynch.--Reception - of Gen. Sherman and Brother.--Golden City.--The Snowy - Range.--Central City.--Its Population and Pluck.--Placer - Mining.--Quartz Lodes.--Gregory Mine.--A Good Superintendent - _vs._ a Poor One.--Colorado Ores in general.--A new "process" - wanted.--Watered Stock Companies.--"Freezing Out."--Mining - Statistics.--The Coming Mineralogist.--Idaho City.--The - Saratoga of Colorado.--Georgetown and Mill City.--Clear Creek - and ride back to Denver.--Miners Slang.--"You Bet." 58-74 - - - CHAPTER VI. - - _Among the Mountains._ - - First View of Rocky Mountains.--Above and Across them to Fort - Garland.--Rumors of Indians.--A Stormy Divide.--"Dirty - Woman's Ranch."--Castle Rock.--Buttes.--Monument - Creek.--Garden of the Gods.--Pike's Peak.--Soda - Springs.--Colorado City.--Cañon City.--_Fontaine qui - Bouilli._--Irrigation.--Pueblo.--The Arkansas, Greenhorn, and - Huerfano, and their Valleys.--Mexican Laborers.--Hincklin's - Ranch.--Sangre del Christo Pass.--Views from Summit.--Descent - into San Luis Park.--Sangre del Christo Creek.--A - Mule-back Ride.--Trout Fishing.--Snow-squalls and a Cold - "Camp."--Mexicans and Bronchos,--Culebra.--A Mexican - Baille.--Don Jesus.--A Dancing People. 75-93 - - - CHAPTER VII. - - _Among the Mountains_ (continued). - - The Parks of the Rocky Mountains.--San Luis Park - particularly.--The Backbone of the Continent.--The Rio - Grande and its Bottoms.--Fine Trout-streams.--Snow - Squalls.--Sierra Blanca.--Russell's Ranch.--Good Specimen - of a Colorado Pioneer.--Homan's Park.--Kerber's Ranch.--A - Dairy in the Heart of the Rocky Mountains.--Hospitable - Germans.--Camping-out on the Summit.--Poncho Pass - and Creek.--Absence of Game.--A Bad Road.--The - Arkansas again.--South Park.--Leutze's Painting in the - Capitol.--Mexican _vs._ Yankee.--Salt Works.--Duck - Shooting.--Fair Play.--South Platte.--Placer - Mining.--Buckskin Joe.--Judge Costello and his Hotel.--The - Newspapers again.--Elections of 1866.--Rocky Mountain - Eagle.--Down the South Platte.--A Good Road.--Bradford's - Hill.--The Plains again.--The Mule Kate.--A Gold and Silver - Mining Company.--A Little Fun! 95-113 - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - _The Indians--Gen. Sherman--Kit Carson, etc._ - - Sherman and Utes in Council at Fort Garland.--Sherman and - the Arrapahoes.--Gov. Cumming and Ute Treaty.--Indian - Ponies.--Ute Costumes.--Ute Village.--Boy - Braves.--Indian Dogs.--Indian Profanity.--Lost at - Night among them.--Something of an Adventure.--A - Scary Situation.--Wellington.--The Treaty - itself.--Ooray.--Ancantash.--Shauno.--Speech of Gov. - Cumming.--Kit Carson as Interpreter.--Ooray's Cute - Replies.--Indian Presents.--"Swopping."--Jack Cox.--Ute - Dance by Moonlight on the banks of the Rio Grande.--Ute - Squaws.--The Average Indian.--Kit Carson.--His Personal - Appearance and Character.--His Life and Adventures.--Kit - on Fremont.--Sherman on Kit Carson.--Kit on the Indian - Question.--The Chivington Massacre, etc.--Sherman's Opinion - of New Mexico, etc.--Sumner's Ditto.--Sherman as a Talker and - Smoker. 114-142 - - - CHAPTER IX. - - _Denver to Salt Lake._ - - Rocky Mountains from Denver.--Off for the Pacific.--Mountain - Mud-wagons.--Laporte.--Gen. Dodge.--The Foot-hills.--Virginia - Dale.--Miners going East to Winter.--Willow Spring.--An - Indian Scare.--Stampedes.--Old Fort Halleck.--Laramie - Plains.--North Platte and Valley.--Bridger's - Pass.--Across the Summit.--Sulphur Springs.--Bitter - Creek Country.--Alkali Region.--A _Delirium Tremens_ - Passenger.--A Square Meal at Laclede.--A Driver's Opinion - of Bitter Creek.--Green River.--Church Butte.--Rocky - Mountain Stories.--Stage-coaching Philosophically - Considered.--Something about Smoking.--A Mustang Team and a - Runaway.--Fort Bridger and Judge Carter.--Sage-hens.--Marmion - and the Bible in a Cabin.--Echo Cañon.--Mormon Campaign, - 1857-8.--Weber Valley.--Mormons.--Parley's Cañon.--Salt Lake - City.--A Hearty Sleep. 143-163 - - - CHAPTER X. - - _At Salt Lake City._ - - Salt Lake House.--Beauty of the City.--Rasselas' Happy - Valley.--A Sunday at the Tabernacle.--A Mormon - Missionary.--Their Sacrament.--George Q. Cannon and his - Address.--Exercises generally.--Mountain Fever.--Hot - Sulphur Springs.--City-wall.--Mormon Militia Muster.--The - Review--Their Lieutenant-General Commanding and - Brigadier-Generals.--A Dubious if not Menacing Military - Body.--Interview with Brigham Young.--A Talk about Southern - Utah.--He "Disremembers" rather Suspiciously.--His Views - on Religion, Polygamy, Utah, etc.--His Personal Appearance - and Character.--Mormon Theatre.--Brigham and his Family - Present.--General Audience.--Polygamy and its Effects. - 164-182 - - - CHAPTER XI. - - _Mormon Outrages--Polygamy, etc._ - - Previous Impressions.--A Recent Outrage.--Dr. Robinson's - Case.--Proceedings in the U. S. District Court.--An - Atrocious Murder.--The Church Implicated.--A Vigilance - Committee Proposed.--Shrewdness of Brigham Young.--His - Telegram to Sherman.--It Paid the Saints.--The Logical - Fruit of Mormonism.--Bad Teachings of Leaders.--Gentiles - _vs._ Mormons.--Remarkable Statements of a U. S. Judge.--He - Believes in Thugs and Danites.--His Views of Dr. Robinson's - Case.--Mormon Juries.--Brassfield's Case.--The Mountain - Meadow Massacre.--Brigham Young Responsible.--Andrew - Johnson on Utah.--Growth of Polygamy.--Its Practical - Workings.--A Second Wife on the Rampage.--Polygamous - Children.--No Free Schools.--Foulness of Polygamy.--The - Jury Trouble again.--Judge ----'s Remedy.--U. S. Troops - essential there.--Pacific Railroad unlikely to solve the - Problem soon.--Brigham Young's Successor.--His Cowardice - Personally.--A Brave Official.--The High Council of the - Church overrules Federal Decisions, etc. 183-198 - - - CHAPTER XII. - - _Mormonism in General._ - - Mormon Industry and Thrift.--Their System of Irrigation.--Small - Farms.--Good Homes.--No Drunkenness or Gambling.--Salt Lake - City again.--Mormonism itself.--A Colonization Scheme, - rather than Religion.--The Bishops Sharp Business Men.--The - Tendency of Mormon Teachings.--Mormon Disloyalty.--Mormon - Women.--Polygamy an Insult to Civilization.--A Crime against - Humanity.--It should be Stamped Out, _sans_ Ceremony, and - Instanter. 199-205 - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - _Salt Lake to Boisè City._ - - Ben Holliday again.--His Great Stage Lines.--Wells, Fargo & - Co.--Profits and Losses.--His Appearance and Character.--Off - for the Columbia.--Great Salt Lake.--Brigham Young's - Islands and Cañons.--Hot Springs.--Ogden City.--Bishop - West.--Joseph Young.--Brigham City.--A Ute Brave.--Ute - Squaws.--Brigham Young's Indian Policy.--Bear River.--The - Country generally.--Bad Water.--Malàde Station.--Indians - and Wolves.--Snake River.--Subterranean Stream and - Cascade.--Great American Falls.--Barren Country.--Valley - of the Boisè.--The Ride generally.--Square Meals.--Mr. - Superintendent Halsey.--A Live Man. 206-222 - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - _Boisè City to the Columbia._ - - Idaho.--Boisè City.--Miners.--Saloons.--Specie and "Dust" - _vs._ Greenbacks.--John Chinaman.--An Idaho Dogberry - _vs._ Judge Lynch.--Idaho generally.--Fort Boisè.--A - Lucky Paymaster.--"Swinging Round the Circle."--Off for - the Columbia.--Burnt River and Powder River and their - Valleys.--Snake River again.--Farewell Bend.--Steamboating - on the Snake.--Bituminous Coal.--Oregon.--Baker - City.--Grand Ronde Valley.--Le Grande.--Crossing - the Blue Mountains.--Mules _vs._ Horses.--Le Grande - River.--Scenery.--A Corkscrew Road.--"Jordan a Hard Road - to Travel."--Freight Trains and Teamsters.--Some "Horse" - Philosophy.--Bull-whackers as a Class.--Ox-teams.--A - Hard Pull.--Break-downs.--"Meacham's."--A Live - Oregonian.--Pikes and Confederates.--Caught in a Snow - Storm.--A Fine View.--"Crawfords."--"Well's Springs."--A - Sick Horse.--Umatilla River.--Indian Reservation.--Fine - Water-power--John Wilful.--A Specimen Idahoan.--Good-bye to - Stage-coaching, etc. 223-249 - - - CHAPTER XV. - - _Down the Columbia._ - - Umatilla.--Indians.--A Mr. Micawber.--Steamboats.--Capt. - Stump.--Oregon Steam Navigation Company.--The - Columbia and its Tributaries.--Indians.--"Calico" - Horses.--Celilo.--Railroad Portages.--Shooting the Rapids - in a Steamboat.--The Dalles.--Upper Cascades.--Lower - Cascades.--Wild and Picturesque River Scenery.--Cascade - Mountains.--Cañon of the Columbia.--Castle Rock.--Mount - Hood.--Hood from the Columbia.--Quick Changes of - Climate.--Coast Region and Rains.--Fellow-passengers. 250-260 - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - _Fort Vancouver to San Francisco._ - - Vancouver.--Gen. Steele.--About Sherman.--The Truth as to Grant's - Vicksburg Campaign.--A True Army Bachelor.--Isothermal - Lines.--Superb Hood again.--Portland.--Her Enterprise - and Importance.--Yankee Doodle _vs._ John Bull.--Puget - Sound.--Oregonians generally.--John Chinaman.--His Good - Qualities.--Off for San Francisco by Steamer.--Mountain Views - from Mouth of Willamette.--Jefferson, Hood, Adams, and St. - Helen's.--Astoria.--Rain and Fog.--Bar of the Columbia.--Fort - Stevens and Cape Disappointment.--Crossing the Bar.--The - Oriflamme and Capt. Conner.--Sea Sickness.--Bad Weather.--A - Rough Voyage.--Off 'Frisco.--All hail, the Golden Gate! - 261-275 - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - _San Francisco._ - - Her Position Geographically.--Her Great Bay.--Location - of City faulty.--Her Sand-hills.--Her Sea-wall.--Her - Great Commerce.--Some Statistics.--The View from - Telegraph Hill.--Her Progress and Energy.--Bad - Climate.--Her Rainy Winters.--Her Earthquakes.--Her Raw - Summers.--Montgomery Street.--Her Public Buildings.--Private - Residences.--Flower Gardens.--Wind-mills.--The Representative - Californian.--Montgomery Street Dames.--Her Sabbaths.--Jewish - Synagogue.--Starr King's Church.--Other Churches.--Society - generally. 276-289 - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - _San Francisco_ (continued). - - Greenbacks _vs._ Gold and Silver.--General Prices.--Loyalty - of the Coast.--Anxious for Alaska.--Christmas and - New Year's.--Lucky Army Officers.--Adventure on the - Bay.--Oakland.--Cliff House and Sea Lions.--"Ben Butler" - and "Gen. Grant."--Fine Ride.--Ups and Downs of California - Life.--Eccentric Oscar H.--Things Improving. 290-299 - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - _San Francisco_ (concluded). - - The Heathen Chinee.--Their Numbers, Costumes, Habits, - etc.--Eager to Learn Melican Ways.--Pigeon English.--Grand - Banquet.--Their Graceful Manners.--Their Great - Companies.--Their Talent for Organization and Business.--They - run the Mission Mills and build the Pacific Railroad.--An - Evening in the Chinese Quarter.--Their Theatre and - Orchestra.--A Lottery Office.--The Barbary Coast.--An - Augean Stable.--Their Gambling Houses.--Chinese New - Year.--Their Hospitality and Politeness.--Good Bankrupt - Law.--Their Josh-Houses and Religion.--The Chinese Problem - generally.--Good Chance for Missionary Work.--_Fiat - Justitia._ 300-321 - - - CHAPTER XX. - - _San Francisco to Los Angelos._ - - Off for Los Angelos.--A Race with the _Golden Age_.--A - Pacific Sea.--Coast Scenes.--Santa Barbara.--Spanish - Missions.--San Pedro.--San Diego.--Her Harbor.--John - Phoenix.--A Deserted Village.--The County - Jail.--Climate.--Business.--Whale-fishing.--San - Pedro again.--Wilmington.--Gen. Banning.--A - Representative Californian.--The Village - Barber--The Los Angelos Plains.--Rancheros.--Wild - Geese, etc.--Acequias.--Los Angelos and its - Suburbs.--Population.--Climate.--Sundays.--Vineyards.--"Don - Benito" Wilson.--His Noble Ranch.--His Orange Groves, - Vineyards, Wine-cellars, etc.--Cheap Lands. 322-338 - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - _Wilmington to Fort Yuma._ - - Outfit.--Getting Off.--Anaheim.--German Enterprise.--Santa - Anna River.--Laguna Grande.--A Spanish Hacienda.--Buena - Vista.--Villacito.--Colorado Desert.--Carissa - Creek.--Desolate Landscapes.--Sand Storms.--Mirage.--The - Laguna.--Alamo.--Pilot Knob.--The Country generally.--Stage - Stations.--Carissa Creek again.--A Stray Texan.--Bill - of Fare.--Indians.--A Border Outrage.--Gambling - Charley.--Mexican Exiles.--Maximilian.--"Inside" and - "Outside." 339-354 - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - _Fort Yuma to Tucson._ - - Fort Yuma itself.--Arizona City.--Rio Colorado.--Difficult - Navigation.--High River Freights.--A Yuma Sand - Storm.--The Thermometer at Yuma.--Yuma Indians.--Old - Pasquol.--Good Missionary Ground.--Gov. McCormick, - etc.--"Outfit."--Off for Tucson.--Gila City.--The Gila - itself.--General Scenery.--Gila Bottoms.--Bunch-grass and - Mesquite Trees.--Arizona Settlers.--Gila Bend.--Maricopa - Desert.--A Dangerous Cañon.--Painted Rocks.--The - Country generally.--Big Cactus.--Maricopa and Pimo - Indians.--Well-to-do Aborigines--Indian Traders.--Pimo - Wigwams.--Our then Indian Policy.--Good Roads.--Sparse - Population.--Big Cactus and Bunch-grass.--Picacho and Point - of Mountains.--Climate.--Apaches, etc. 355-373 - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - _Tucson to Prescott._ - - Tucson.--Misses a "Sensation."--Population.--A - Mexican Padre.--High Prices.--The Santa - Cruz.--Climate.--Apaches.--Blackbirds.--Rip Van Winkle - Town.--Headquarters of Military District.--Route - of Supplies.--Libertad and Guaymas Routes.--Copper - and Silver Mines.--Church at San Xavier.--Maricopa - Wells again.--Freshets in the Gila and Salado.--Col. - Crittenden, etc.--An Out-of-the-way Place.--A Fortunate - Discovery.--Crossing the Gila.--Brave Louis Heller.--Mules - on a Swim.--Crossing the Salado.--Fort McDowell.--Down - the Salado.--Among the Apaches.--Poor Cavalry-horses.--A - Blind Road.--The Agua Frio.--White Tanks.--A Supperless - Night.--Up the Hassayampa.--A Hard Road to Travel.--Arizona - Quicksands.--No Hurry for Population or Business.--Roads and - Bridges Wanted. 374-389 - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - _Tuscon to Prescott_ (continued). - - Wickenburg.--The Vulture Mine.--A Fine Quartz-mill.--A Valuable - Mining Property.--San Francisco Mountains.--Singular - Roads.--Skull Valley.--Sparse Population.--Apaches and - Yavapais.--Bell's Cañon.--Indian Attacks generally.--The - Intervening Country.--Ancient Ruins and Broken Pottery.--A - Huge Acequia.--Work for Antiquarians.--Good Bottoms along the - Salado and Gila.--A Railroad Much Needed. 390-396 - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - _Prescott, the Apaches, etc._ - - Prescott.--A New-England-like Village.--An Army Officer's - Opinion.--Location, Plan, Buildings, etc.--A Barber's - Opinion.--Her Gold and Silver Mines.--Her Quartz-mills - Idle.--Mining Operations "Sick."--Her Advantages, - however.--Capital of Arizona.--Population of Territory.--The - Indians.--The Apaches generally.--Their Brave Exploits.--Good - Horse-thieves.--Their Wise Strategy.--Their Captive - Children.--A Raid near Prescott.--Their Pursuit to Hell Cañon - and beyond.--Gen. Irvin Gregg.--A Fight with the Apaches.--A - Dangerous District.--A Typical Emigrant.--Aztec Remains.--A - Fine Wild Turkey.--Fort Whipple.--A Costly Post.--An - Expensive Flag-staff, etc.--Hail, Cavalry Gregg! 397-408 - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - _Prescott to Los Angelos._ - - Off for Los Angelos.--Williamson's Valley.--Wild - Game.--Juniper Mountain.--Rock Springs.--Cottonwood - Cañon.--Beale's Springs.--A Desolate Country.--Sage-brush - and Grease-wood.--Want of Water.--Indians - again.--Sublime Scenery.--Union Pass.--Rio Colorado - again.--Mojave Indians.--Our Indian Policy then.--Fort - Mojave.--A Rude Post.--A Pittsburg Lady "Roughing - it" there.--Hardyville--Adjacent Mines.--Mr. Hardy - himself.--Costly Transportation the Great Drawback to - Arizona.--The Colorado should be Utilized.--Beaver Lake.--A - Desert Country again.--Changes of Elevation.--Heat and - Rattlesnakes.--Interesting Bed-fellows.--Pai-Ute Hill--A - Break-down.--Camp Rock Springs.--Our Frontier Posts - generally.--Soda Lake.--A Weary and Anxious Sunday.--An - Indian Scare.--Mojave River.--Strange Anomalies in Arizona - and Southern California.--A Dismal Ranchman.--Camp - Cady.--Cajon Pass.--San Bernardino.--The Los Angelos Plains - again.--"Out of the Wilderness."--Back to 'Frisco by Sea. - 409-424 - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - _San Francisco to Virginia City._ - - Off for Sacramento.--Fellow-passengers.--Children.--Sacramento - River.--Sacramento City.--Thence by Railroad.--Country - generally.--The Wheat Fields and Live Oaks.--The - Foot-hills.--Placer Mining.--Water-ditches.--Hydraulic - Mining.--Changes in Climate.--Central Pacific - Railroad.--Cisco.--The Sierra Nevadas.--Deep Snows still, May - 17th.--Snow-sheds.--John Chinaman again.--Donner Lake.--The - Truckee.--The Geiger Grade.--Sunday in Nevada.--A Noted - Revivalist.--Virginia City.--The Comstock Lode.--Silver - Mining generally.--The Sutro Tunnel.--Mining a Risky - Business. 425-436 - - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - - _Virginia City to Stockton._ - - Return by Placerville.--Carson City.--Carson River and - Valley.--The Sierras again.--Mountain Turnpikes.--A Rough - Night's Travel.--Crossing the Summit.--An Ambitious - Mother and her Florence Mary.--A Morning Ride.--Lake - Tahoe.--Splendid Stage-driving.--Placerville.--Sacramento - City again.--California's Wealth of Roses, etc.--Country to - Stockton.--Live Oaks.--Wheat-fields.--Vineyards.--Flocks and - Herds.--Wind-mills.--Stockton itself. 437-442 - - - CHAPTER XXIX. - - _Stockton to the Yosemite._ - - Off for the Yo-sem-i-te.--Wheat-fields again.--The Stanislaus - and Tuolomne.--The Coast Range.--Coulterville.--A - Horseback Ride.--Mustang Pony.--My Guide.--Bower - Cave.--"Black's."--A Romantic Trail.--Up and Over the - Sierras.--Floundering through the Snows.--First View of the - Yosemite.--Fording Mountain Torrents.--Descent into the - Valley.--"Hutchings'."--A Ramble through the Yosemite.--A - Fissure in the Sierras.--Its Lofty Walls.--Snowbanks - above; Strawberries below.--Waterfalls.--Bridal Veil - Fall.--El Capitan.--Yosemite Fall.--Merced River.--The Lake - and Domes.--South Fork.--Prof. Whitney and Party.--The - Cascades.--Vernal Fall.--Rainbows.--Nevada Fall.--Mt. - Broderick.--Sentinel Peak.--Cathedral Rocks.--The Valley - generally. 443-455 - - - CHAPTER XXX. - - _The Yosemite to San Francisco._ - - Prof. Whitney again.--The Mariposa Trail.--Inspiration - Point.--A Sublime View.--The Hermitage.--The Snow - again.--A Grizzly Bear and Cubs.--The Sugar Pines.--The - South Merced.--"Clerk's."--Galen Clark himself.--Mariposa - Big Trees.--Grizzly Giant, etc.--The Species - generally.--California's Duty.--Mariposa.--A Sleepy - Town.--Honitos.--Bear Valley.--The Coast Range and Mt. - Diabolo.--Stockton again.--Back to San Francisco. 456-465 - - - CHAPTER XXXI. - - _San Francisco to New York._ - - Ride to San Josè.--Off for New York.--The Weather.--Delightful - Voyaging.--The Constitution.--Fellow-passengers.--Cape - St. Lucas.--Manzanillo.--Acapulco.--A Mexican - Seaport.--"Greasers."--Good Divers.--Sights Ashore.--The - Cathedral.--The Old Spanish Fort.--Off for Panama.--Panama - itself.--Location.--Business and People.--Railroad to - Aspinwall.--Breakdown in a Jungle.--Tropical Scenery.--The - Railroad itself.--The Natives.--Aspinwall.--The Rising - Star.--New Passengers.--Caribbean Sea.--Cuba.--Gulf - Stream.--Sandy Hook.--Home again.--"Adios." 466-477 - - APPENDIX 481-492 - - INDEX 493 - -[Illustration: MAP OF UNITED STATES MEXICO & CENTRAL AMERICA TO -ILLUSTRATE _RUSLING'S "ACROSS AMERICA"_] - - - - - ACROSS AMERICA; - - OR, - - THE GREAT WEST AND THE PACIFIC COAST. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - FROM NEW YORK TO FORT RILEY, KANSAS. - - -Across America, from New York to San Francisco, may be roughly -estimated as three thousand miles. The first third of this occupied -us only about three days and three nights, though the whole trip -consumed just less than a twelve-month. From New York to St. Louis, -_via_ Cincinnati, was our first stage, and of course by railroad. We -left New York, Tuesday, July 24, 1866, by the Erie Railway, and on -the following Thursday afternoon reached St. Louis in time for a late -dinner. Tarrying here a day or two, to pick up some information about -the Plains, we passed on to Leavenworth; and thence, after a longer -pause to Fort Riley. The Union Pacific Railroad, Eastern Division -(or Kansas Pacific, as it is now generally called), halted then at -Waumega, some thirty miles from Fort Riley, whence we reached Riley -by stage-coach. The coach itself was a lumbering, weather-beaten -vehicle, with sorry teams of horses; it was a hot August afternoon, -with rolling clouds of dust; we had nine passengers inside and -three outside, with freight and baggage everywhere; and altogether -this little stage-ride was a good initiation into the mysteries and -miseries of stage-coaching across the continent. - -From New York to St. Louis is already a series of towns and cities, -with the country as a whole well settled up, for America. The Great -West, it is soon seen, is no longer the valley of Ohio and the -prairies of Illinois. It has long since crossed the Mississippi, and -emigrated beyond the Missouri. What used to be called the "West" -has already become the centre; and "out west" now means Kansas or -Colorado, if anything at all. The Erie road, with its broad-gauge -coaches, takes you through the picturesque, as well as rich and fertile -regions of northern New Jersey, and western New York, whence the ride -through Ohio, down the lovely valley of the Miami to Cincinnati, is -substantially as through a garden. Over much of this region, it is -plain to be seen, New England has left her mark, never to be effaced. -Her school-houses and churches, her intelligence and thrift, are all -reproduced (only slightly westernized), and one can see that he is in -Yankee-land still at a glance. You might know it, by the omnipresence -of white paint and green blinds, if nothing else. You see it in -the average inhabitant and detect it in his speech. And yet it is -Yankee-land, with enlarged freedom and independence of thought and -action, and therefore doubly welcome. Southern Indiana and Illinois, -you find rapidly filling up; but they still seem much behind that sunny -heart of Ohio, the Miami Valley. Populated largely by the overflow from -Kentucky and Tennessee--chiefly the "poor whites" of those former slave -states--the results are everywhere unmistakable. Evidently, even to -the passing traveller, the average Hoosier or Sucker, as yet, is much -behind the average Buckeye, and he will find it a hard task to overtake -him. The lineal descendant of the Cavalier and the Corncracker, how can -he expect to compete successfully with the regular representative of -the Roundhead and the Yankee? - -Cincinnati and St. Louis strike you as large and growing cities; but -they do not impress you like Chicago, at least as she did before the -great fire. They seem to have taken Quaker Philadelphia, as their -type and model, rather than buoyant New York. Many of their streets, -you find similarly named, and a like atmosphere pervades much of -their business. In talking with their magnates of trade and finance, -you note a conservative tone, that illy accords with your ideas of -the West, and you are inclined to wonder whether the far-famed push -and pluck of that romantic region are not myths after all. Buffalo -and Toledo, Cleveland and Chicago, however, would soon undeceive -you--especially, Chicago. The push and drive, the enterprise and -_elan_ of New York, that are reproduced so well along our northern -tier of cities, all culminated at Chicago--at least before the -fire--until she seemed New York incarnate or even intensified. The -metropolis and brain of the northwest, how a day in her busy streets -braced and inspired one! With all her brave memories of the past, no -wonder she still believes enthusiastically in herself, and even in -her ashes doubted not her future! - -St. Louis, long her rival in trade, we found just beginning to -recover from the benumbing effects of slavery and the rebellion. The -rebellion, sealing up her railroads and extinguishing her down-river -trade, had given her a bad set back. But she was already fast picking -up the broken threads of her commerce, and was again preparing to -contend with Chicago for the palm of supremacy. Seated on the -Mississippi, with a vast river trade up and down, and an immense -region back of her, her geographical position could scarcely be -surpassed, and no doubt she has a grand and noble future before her. -Her levees, we found, thronged with steamers, some up for New Orleans -1,200 miles south; others for Fort Benton 3,100 miles north and west. -Her population already exceeded a quarter of a million. Her suburbs -were steadily filling up, in spite of numerous sinkholes in the -limestone formation there. Her streets were already well gridironed -with horse-railroads. Her facilities for business were large and -increasing. And with her vast system of rivers, north to the British -Dominion and south to the gulf, and her rapidly developing back -country--even to the Rocky Mountains and New Mexico--nature seems to -have destined her to become the great and abiding metropolis of all -that region. Her vast bridge and tunnels were not yet begun, but she -was already prophesying great things for the future. - -From St. Louis, three hundred miles through Missouri, to Leavenworth, -Kansas, you find a noble region, that needs only a live population to -make it a garden. It is mostly rich rolling prairie, but with more -timber and streams than in Illinois, and with limestone abounding -nearly everywhere. All along the route, it was plain to be seen, -Missouri had suffered sadly from slavery. Both in population and -business, in town and country, clearly "the trail of the serpent" had -been over her all. But the wave of immigration, now that slavery was -dead, had already reached her, and we found its healthful currents -everywhere overflowing her bottoms and prairies. The new-comers -seemed to be largely Yankee and German, almost everywhere. France -once so predominant here, was already supplanted by Germany, and the -Teuton bade fair to rule Missouri soon, even then. At Hermann, where -we stopped for dinner, a German Hebe tendered us excellent native -wine, and the culture of the grape, we learned, had already become a -leading industry of this section of the state. The sturdy Rhine-men, -as true to freedom as in the days of Tacitus, were already everywhere -planting vineyards, and in the near future were sure of handsome -returns from petty farms, that our old time "Pikes" and "Border -Ruffians" would have starved on. Throughout the ride, the Missouri or -Big-Muddy, as the Indians call it, was often in sight, a broad tawny -stream; and many of its bends and reaches were so beautiful, that it -hardly seemed to deserve that savage criticism of Bayard Taylor's, as -being "too lazy to wash itself." Its banks as a rule are higher and -better, than those of the Mississippi anywhere below Cairo, and its -bottom lands seemed unsurpassed in fertility. - -Leavenworth, on the Missouri, where it takes a final bend north, -was still the entrepôt for New Mexico and the plains. Omaha had -already tapped the Colorado and Utah trade and travel, and has -since mainly absorbed them, by the completion of the Union Pacific -railroad. But Leavenworth still had a large trade and travel of her -own, as a point of departure for New Mexico and the Plains, and -seemed destined to maintain it. Only a decade or so before, she was -without a house or inhabitant; but now she claimed thirty-thousand -people, and was rapidly increasing. We found many handsome stores and -elegant residences everywhere going up. Her streets were fast being -graded and macadamized, and the guttering especially was most solid -and substantial. She had several daily papers already, with weekly -editions of a large circulation. Many of her stores were doing a -wholesale business of a million of dollars annually. A fine Catholic -church was being erected, which when completed promised to be the -chief ornament of the city. But the largest and showiest building -there then was a combined brewery and dance house, which augured -badly for the town. Off on the suburbs of the city, we passed a park -of wagons or "prairie-schooners," acres in extent, tangible evidence -that we had already struck the commerce of the Plains. - -By Lawrence and Topeka, already towns of several thousand people, -over the historic plains of Kansas, we sped along up the valley of -the Kaw or Kansas to Waumega; and thence, as I have said, by stage to -Fort Riley. Junction City, just beyond Fort Riley, at the confluence -of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers, we found to be a hamlet of -several hundred people, and already growing rapidly. It had been -projected, with the expectation that the railroad would bend north -here, and ascending the Republican go thence to Denver, which would -have made Junction the last station and grand depot for all New -Mexico and much of the Rocky Mountain region. But, as it had been -decided afterwards to keep on up the Smoky Hill instead, Junction had -missed of much of its importance. Its location, however, was good, -at the confluence thus of two rivers; and with its single street of -straggling houses, of all styles of architecture, and in every stage -of construction, it was a good specimen of a frontier town, in the -first year of its settlement. - -The country as a whole, thus far through Kansas, much surpassed our -expectations. Not only were the broad bottoms of the Kaw everywhere -dotted with farms, but even the high rolling prairies beyond were -fast settling up. Of course, settlements grew more scattering the -farther we progressed westward; but they were always in sight and -everywhere rapidly increasing. Herds of horses and cattle grazed -along the bottoms, and grouse and sage-hens whirred up by the -roadside as we sped along. At one point, a brace of oxen, yoked -together, got upon the track, and our engine mangled the poor beasts -dreadfully before they escaped. The road, as yet, was poorly ditched, -and without fences on either side, so that horses and cattle strayed -across it quite at will. The wheat-crop had everywhere been fair, -and Indian corn was promising to be magnificent. Corn had looked -well, all through Ohio and Indiana, Illinois and Missouri; but in the -Kansas bottoms it was superb in its "embattled glory," and seemed to -be a great favorite with the farmers. Indeed, Kansas, both in soil -and climate, is a rare state, and well worth to freedom all the blood -and treasure she cost us. True she lacks timber; but so far she had -got along, and the weight of testimony seemed everywhere to be that -her growth of timber improved with the reclamation and settlement -of the country. The Indian was everywhere retiring before the pale -faces, and the autumnal fires ceasing with his departure, bushes and -trees soon appeared, and we heard repeated instances of springs even -breaking out, where none had been known before. As an offset to her -want of timber, coal had been discovered in many places, and all -through the valley of the Kaw, she has a cream-colored limestone in -the bluffs, that works up beautifully for building purposes. When -first quarried, it is so soft that a common hand-saw or chisel can -dress it into any shape desired; but exposure to the atmosphere soon -hardens it, and then it continues so. In appearance it resembles the -Milwaukee free-stone, that used to make Michigan Avenue, Chicago, -so handsome and stately, and as a building material will prove -immensely valuable through all Southern Kansas. At Junction City -it was being got out by machinery, and fashioned into blocks by -horsepower. A company controlled the business, and as they could -furnish this elegant stone at a much less cost than lumber or brick, -they were anticipating very handsome profits. - -The scenery of Kansas possesses many points of interest, but as a -whole lacks grandeur and sublimity. The view from Prospect Ridge, -back of Leavenworth, up and down the Missouri, is good; but the -landscape from Indian Point, near Junction City, up the Smoky Hill, -has more scope and variety, and was the finest we saw. Here, and -at other points, are some superb specimens of river terraces. We -counted four and five separate "benches," as they call them there, -or terraces, in many places, and the ancient water-marks of past -geologic ages seemed very evident. The rounded appearance of the -country generally, cropping out here and there into rough and -misshapen ridges, indicated pretty clearly the former water-line, and -we often interested ourselves in tracing it for miles. - -Kansas, of course, abounds in enterprise and thrift. Saved to freedom -by Sharpe's rifles and the Bible, she invested largely in the -school-house and the church, and already reaps her fit reward. Her -Yankees whittle away just as cutely as they used to in New England, -and her Western men spread themselves hugely as elsewhere. Since the -war, she had received quite a large accession of population from our -ex-officers and soldiers. We found specimens of the Boys in Blue -scattered almost everywhere, and usually they were doing well. A fine -_esprit du corps_ animated them, and will keep them knit together -for the future. At various points we found them just "squatted" -on a quarter-section, and with the very rudest surroundings, but -ever plucky and hopeful. At Junction we met a late Paymaster, U. S. -Vol's., who was half-owner of the chief grocery and liquor-store, -as well as partner in a stone-quarry, and was about establishing a -National Bank. He was a man of spirit and enterprise, and seemed to -have enough surplus energy left for several more employments. - -At Leavenworth, up at the old Fort, we saw our first Indians--a -party of Delawares. They consisted of Fall-Leaf, war-chief of the -Delawares, his nephew General Jackson, and a handful of other braves. -They were dressed in the usual rough costume of the border, but with -an eagle-feather or two in their broad-brimmed sombreros trailing -in the wind. Fall-Leaf was a noble specimen of the Indian in a -half-civilized state. He was a brawny, athletic, powerful fellow, -five feet eleven inches high, weighed one hundred and ninety-six -pounds, and was fifty-five years old. A perfect mass of bone and -muscle, without an ounce of superfluous flesh, his frame was a -sight to look upon--especially the massive splendor of his neck and -chest. A Hercules of the Plains, we could well believe the stories -told of his great strength and powers of endurance. General Jackson -was a lithe, light-built man, about thirty-six years of age, and in -physique almost the opposite of his brawny uncle. Three of them had -just been engaged as guides to a military expedition about leaving -for the Indian country, and a fourth was going along as interpreter. -Fall-Leaf had long served the government, with marked fidelity, as -guide on the Plains and in the far Indian country, and received one -hundred and fifty dollars per month and rations when absent on such -duty. He was familiar with the whole country west, as far as the -Rocky Mountains, and southward to New Mexico, and was reputed as -invaluable in his way. He told me the Delawares numbered about a -thousand souls yet, and had stood at those figures for several years. -They occupy a Reservation of several thousand acres on the Missouri -just below Leavenworth, and are engaged generally in farming and -stock-raising. They have a church, pretty generally attended, and a -good school, well-patronized. He said his people were fully impressed -with the importance of education and religion, and generally there -was an earnest desire among them to have their children learn all -"Pale-Face ways." He said he took a drink of "fire-water" himself -occasionally, on cold or wet days, and rather liked it; but that, -as a rule, drunkenness was on the decrease among the Delawares, and -he was glad of it. He had a wife and eight children, and said they -allowed "only one wife at a time in his tribe." He said he was born -far away toward the rising sun, on a river among the mountains; and -when I showed him a map, he immediately pointed out the head-waters -of the Delaware. When I told him I had just come from there, and that -my "wigwam" stood upon its banks, he seemed greatly interested. The -first steamboat he ever saw, was many years before at St. Louis, and -he thought it "Very good," because "It went itself! Puff! Puff! No -paddle!" His first locomotive, was quite recently at Leavenworth, and -he thought it "Much good! Went whiz! Beat buffalo or pony!" Of the -telegraph, he said, "I no understand; but very much good! Heap swift! -Like arrow or bullet between wide places; only heap better!" - -He said, the Delawares believed in the Great Manitou, who made -earth, and sky, and everything; but many did not believe in the Evil -Manitou. He himself seemed to be a pretty good Universalist. He -thought God "very much good," and couldn't imagine how any lesser -being could interfere with Him. "Perhaps, Evil Manitou somewhere; but -Fall-Leaf know only Good Manitou." He admitted some of his people -believed in spirits; but he himself had never seen any, and was -skeptical on the whole subject. Some medicine-men, he said, claimed -to have seen them, and to be able to control them; but he thought the -whole thing "a heap humbug." - -Fall-Leaf, as I have said, was then War Chief of the Delawares. -In his time he had been quite a noted warrior, and was proud of -his reputation for bravery and prowess. His last fight against the -Plains Indians had been about two years before, when he covered the -retreat of a squad of infantry, from a body of mounted Cheyennes -and Arrapahoes, and brought them all safely off. His last fight at -the head of the Delawares had been some ten years before, when with -less than fifty warriors he encountered and fought over two hundred -Pawnees, and whipped them well. Altogether, he supposed, he had -killed and scalped two or three hundred Indians, in his time; but -never a pale-face. He was a dignified and quiet enough looking Red -Skin to talk to through an interpreter, and occasionally would grunt -out a little broken English himself; but when roused, and with the -fury of battle upon him, no doubt he would be an ugly customer to -deal with. His face was full of smothered force and fire, of latent -power and fierceness, like a tamed tiger's; and notwithstanding -his peaceful demeanor, he all the while suggested that a single -war-whoop, or a scalping-knife flashing through the air, would -speedily transform the gentle Fall-Leaf into a hideous savage again. - -Beyond Topeka we passed St. Mary's, a Catholic Mission among the -Pottawotamies. These Indians had a Reservation there then thirty -miles square, of as fine land as there was in Kansas. Stock-raising -seemed to be their chief occupation, though they had some fields well -fenced, and their corn crops were looking well. They lived in one-story -log-cabins, and by dint of years of hard work the missionaries had -succeeded in reducing them to a sort of semi-civilization; but the -aborigine survived still, and cropped out fearfully everywhere. It was -an anomaly and an anachronism to see them driving teams and threshing -grain; and they themselves seemed to confess it by their awkwardness. -Beyond Manhattanville we met _en route_ a large party of them--braves, -squaws and papooses--returning from a Buffalo hunt on the Plains. -Some were in wagons with their spoils of buffalo meat and robes; but -the majority went careering along on horseback. Most of them were in -semi-civilized costume, not much rougher than an average borderer, -though their head-gear usually ran much to feather. A few of their -young squaws were decidedly pretty and piquant, and, as they ambled by -on their gaily-caparisoned ponies, created quite a sensation among us; -but the older ones were hideous looking hags. - -In all this part of Kansas, the Indian had already had his day, and -everywhere was being fast eliminated. The valleys of the Kaw and its -two chief tributaries, the Republican and Smoky Hill, had already -heard the whistle of the white man's locomotive, and the whole region -there was beginning to shake with the tread of the onward march of -civilization. As "Bleeding Kansas," she had had her dark days; but -these, happily, were past, and the tide wave of eastern immigration -was now surging and swelling all up and down her borders. We met -cheery voices and friendly hands at every stage of progress; and -could not but bid Kansas a hearty God-speed as we journeyed on. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - FROM THE KANSAS TO THE PLATTE. - - -It was the middle of August, before I was ready to leave Fort Riley; -and now a word about my _compagnons du voyage_. These were two, Mr. -J. D. L. of Boston, my well-tried clerk and friend; and Dr. B. E. M. -of New York, then recently Ass't. Editor ---- Magazine. Mr. L. had -been with me for several years in the field and at post; was active, -intelligent, alert; and was as capital a shot, as he was rare a -penman. Dr. M. I knew but slightly; but he came well-recommended, as -a _literateur_ and gentleman, and I was glad to have his company. He -had been considerable of a traveller in Europe, and was now desirous -of crossing the Continent to San Francisco, whence he might go over -to Japan and China. Another gentleman had also talked much of joining -us; but his heart failed him at the last hour, and he preceded us to -California, _via_ the Isthmus. - -My inspections at Leavenworth and Riley being completed, we left -Fort Riley just after sunrise Aug. 16th, and soon were fairly afloat -on the Plains, and off for the Pacific. Hitherto the railroad had -still served to connect us with the East. But now we bade good-bye -to cars and locomotives, and did not see them again until we heard -their tramp and whistle two thousand miles away, in the cañon of the -Columbia. "Afloat," I think, is the only right word for the Plains; -because the first impression they give you is that of the sea, so -vast is their extent, and even the wagons that cross them--huge, -lumbering, fore-and-aft vehicles, with from eight to ten yoke of oxen -each--in border parlance are called "Prairie-Schooners." - -My orders were to proceed from Fort Riley on the Kaw or Kansas, to -Fort Kearney on the Platte; and, as the shortest and most direct -route, we were now off, across the country, in execution of them. Our -route lay northwest across the high "divide" between the Kansas and -the Platte, through central Kansas; and as there was no stage-line -here, we had to go by ambulance. Neither was there any well-defined -road; but we were told that at Marysville, some sixty miles north, -we could strike the great Overland Route, from Atchison, Mo. and -afterwards travel westward by that. Our "outfit" consisted of one -ambulance for ourselves, one army-wagon for our escort of five -infantry-men, and another for baggage, forage, and rations. Our -friends at Riley knew little about the intervening country, except -that Indians were reported there; and as their cavalry was all out -scouting, could furnish only the infantry escort, as above. Even this -seemed small; but we were all well-armed ourselves; and what with our -repeating rifles and revolvers, few as we were, felt good for fifty -red skins or more, come as they would. - -For the first seventy-five miles or so, we were seldom out of sight -of scattered ranches; but long before reaching Fort Kearney--some two -hundred and thirty miles from Riley--they had dwindled away to only -the occasional stage-stations, every ten or twelve miles or so apart. -Along the creeks and streams, we found farms rapidly springing up; but -the "divides" between these were generally barren and withered up. -Oftentimes we could find no water for ten or twelve miles, and wood -was even rarer. Of course, we "camped-out" during the whole trip, and -frequently had to carry our necessary fire-wood fifteen and twenty -miles. In the spring, all these "divides," as well as the bottoms, are -clothed with luxuriant verdure; but in summer, the rainless atmosphere -there sweeps over them, like a sirocco, and everything soon perishes. -At night, we found the air grew rapidly cold, and we shivered under our -blankets; but in the middle of the day, the sun fairly blazed from a -cloudless sky, and I have seldom felt its effects more severely. When -we struck the Overland Route, we found its roadway a mass of impalpable -dust, black and stifling. With the breeze dead-ahead, or athwart our -course, we got along very well; but when it chopped around behind us, -the black prairie soil rose in clouds, and our poor mules suffered -terribly. Two of them, indeed, died outright, from heat and dust, -before reaching the Platte, though we drove very carefully, seldom -averaging over thirty-five miles per day. Evidently this part of Kansas -must grow more trees, and thus secure more rain and moisture, before -these high "divides" or ridges between the Kansas and the Platte will -amount to much for farming purposes. - -After a week of travelling like this, our first sight of the Platte, -with its broad and luxuriant bottoms waving with verdure, was -refreshing to the eye. Our jaded animals snuffed the water and grass -afar off, and of their own accord broke into a trot as we neared -them. We struck the river at Valley Ranche, a collection of a dozen -or so sod-houses, some seven or eight miles below Fort Kearney. The -Platte here is a mile or more wide, and looks like a noble stream; -but it is shallow and treacherous with shoals and quicksands, as -well as tainted with alkali, and altogether is about as thorough a -swindle as a river can well be. Its northern bank was still fringed -with cottonwoods, but its southern had scarcely a bush to break the -monotony. Ascending it to Fort Kearney, we found its broad bottoms -literally swarming with countless millions of Plains grasshoppers. -They really covered the ground, a moving army; they filled the -air, coming in all directions, their white wings twinkling like a -snow-squall. Egypt's plague of locusts could scarcely have been -worse, for they swept a broad tract of country clean of everything, -as they moved eastward. We found the settlers complaining of them -bitterly, as the greatest pests of the region, destroying all -vegetation and forbidding all attempts at farming, some seasons. Said -a butternut Missourian, in speaking of them: "The pesky varmints! -They eat up all my corn, and tobacco. And then when I cussed 'em for -it, they coolly sat on the Shanghai-fence thar, and squirted tobacco -juice at me!" But they have been almost as bad in other new states, -at first, and it was thought the advance of our line of settlements -would soon subdue or extirpate them. - -On leaving Riley, we had anticipated some good shooting _en route_; -but game generally proved rare, or else quite shy. Prairie-chickens -or grouse abounded until we got beyond the settlements, when they -disappeared almost entirely. They are a timid bird, and hard to -approach on foot; but on horseback or in a wagon you may get close -upon them very easily. Feeding in the grass or reeds, in small flocks, -at the first sound they pop their heads up erect, as if inviting the -sportsman to crack away at them. This we did continually from an -ambulance or behind it, and seldom went into camp the first few days -without prairie-chickens enough for all. We expected to see deer and -buffalo, but were unable to catch sight of even one, being too far -east yet. As we approached the Platte, we saw a solitary antelope, -gazing at us from a distant bluff; but when we drew nearer he wheeled -about and dashed quickly out of sight among its sand-hills. Doves -and cow-birds appeared in quite considerable numbers when we struck -the Overland Route, and, of course, the crow or buzzard also--the -omnipresent scavenger of the Plains. Our first prairie-dogs turned up -on the Little Blue, just beyond Thompson's. Here was quite a village -of the little fellows, with their sentinels duly out; but as we came -nearer, the alarm was sounded, and soon "whisk" went a hundred tails, -as they plunged head downwards into their holes. A few noses peeped -cautiously out as we drove by; but the most of their dogships continued -_perdu_. Just above one hole a diminutive owl still stood guard in -the deepening twilight, and the settlers insisted that the old yarn -about the prairie-dog, the owl, and the rattlesnake being tenants in -common--all keeping house in one and the same hole--is really true. -We overheard our teamsters (all old Plainsmen) disputing about this -one night, around their camp-fire, as we lay awake; but their final -conclusion, and the weight of frontier testimony, seemed to be in favor -of this Happy Family. - -Of Indians we heard a great deal, but saw none. Rumors of them -increased as we moved north and west; but, if about, they gave us a -wide berth. At Virginia Station, about half way, the station-keeper -reported the Pawnees in force on the Little Blue; and at Big Sandy -the last stage-driver through from Fort Kearny reported Fort Reno -taken, Fort Laramie besieged and Kearny itself in danger. He said, -one settler had already been lanced and killed on the Little Blue; -that the Pawnees there--six hundred lodges strong--were moody and -hostile; and, as our party was too small for effective resistance -advised our return. Further on we found ranches here and there -abandoned, with the crops left growing; and one day we descried a -solitary horseman in the distance galloping rapidly towards us, that -we were sure must be a red skin. But as he came nearer he proved to -be a settler's half-grown boy, who had been up the road several miles -helping a neighbor move. He, too, had heard "Big Injun" stories, but -said his people did not mind them much. These reports, at first, -I confess, were rather startling, as we had no idea of losing our -scalps; but as our safe advance day by day exploded one after another -of them, we soon became quite skeptical on the Indian question. -The chief effect was to increase our prudence and vigilance. We -looked well to our arms morning and evening, and seldom halted, even -briefly, without posting a guard. In due time we reached and passed -the valley of the Little Blue without seeing a Pawnee--they had all -gone off a fortnight before to the Republican and Smoky Hill to hunt -buffalo--and finally arrived at Fort Kearny in safety. There they -laughed at the idea of Indians south or east of them, but confessed -to ugly reports about Reno and Laramie. Ultimately, as we got farther -west, these also proved false; and our conclusion as to Big Injun -stories in general, was not very favorable. - -The few settlers along the route consisted chiefly of New Englanders, -with a goodly sprinkling of Germans. They generally had milk and eggs -to sell, but seldom butter or vegetables. We camped one night on -Fancy Creek, near a Mr. Segrist's, where we got tomatoes and onions, -as well as eggs and milk; and as we had shot several prairie-chickens -during the day, we supped luxuriously. Our mess-kit was rather -a primitive affair, not much to speak of, and our cook quite a -worthless fellow, as it turned out; but L. developed a talent that -way very surprising, and so we got along comfortably. This Segrist -himself was quite a character in his way. A Pennsylvania Dutchman by -birth, he was bred in Indiana, but emigrated to Fancy Creek during -the Kansas troubles, to help save the territory to freedom. Squatting -on a quarter-section there, he first built himself a log-cabin, and -then subsequently enlarged and improved this by a "lean-to;" now -he had just completed a good two-story stone house, of magnesian -limestone, and aspired to luxury. He had flocks and herds well about -him; he was a hearty, cheery man, not afraid of hard work, nor a -spice of danger; and, it was plain to be seen, would soon be a rich -man, if he kept on. Of course, he was a Republican in politics, and -took the St. Louis _Westliche Post_. - -On Wild-Cat Creek, the first day out from Fort Riley, we struck a Mr. -Silvers, who proved to be a minister of the United Brethren. He had -a half-section of land there, and his son-in-law as much more just -adjoining. They were both living in rude shanties put up by themselves, -but seemed happy and contented. During the war, he had sent one son -to the army, and when Price invaded Kansas he himself shouldered his -Plains rifle, and marched to the defence of Lawrence and Topeka. When -at home, he worked upon his farm; but he had a frontier circuit, -with preaching places a hundred miles in every direction, which took -him away most of the time. He seemed to be a veritable missionary, -looking up the lost sheep scattered along the Border, and we bade him -God-speed. His "gude wife" gave us a bowl of buttermilk fresh from the -churn, and we paid her in the latest eastern newspapers. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - UP THE PLATTE TO DENVER. - - -The Union Pacific Railroad had then just reached Fort Kearney from -Omaha, and was the sensation of the hour. With a large force of men, -it was being pushed rapidly up the north bank of the Platte; but as -our road lay up the south bank, we did not cross to see it. There was -little to prevent its rapid progress of a mile and even two miles -per day, as the Platte valley ascends gradually, and for railroad -purposes is almost everywhere practically a level. We now dismissed -our ambulance and escort, with instructions to return to Fort Riley, -and transferred ourselves, bag and baggage, to Holliday's Overland -Stages, which here connected with the railroad. - -This stage-line was long one of the first enterprises of America, -and, as the forerunner of the railroad did its part well in carrying -civilization across the continent. It was then owned and controlled -by Mr. Ben Holliday, an enterprising Missourian, but then living in -New York. It had originally fallen into his hands for debt, but he -had since greatly enlarged and extended it. It then ran from Fort -Kearney to Denver, with branches to the mining regions; thence across -the Rocky Mountains to Salt Lake;[2] thence through Idaho to the -Columbia, with branches through Montana; extending in all, nearly -three thousand miles, employing six thousand horses and mules, and -more than three hundred coaches. He paid his general superintendent -ten thousand dollars per year; his division superintendents, half -that; and lesser employees proportionately. His hay, and grain, and -provisions, he had to haul hundreds of miles, distributing them along -the route, and his fuel frequently one hundred and fifty. To offset -all this, he carried the U. S. Mail, daily each way, and for this -service alone received over half a million of dollars per year from -the government. In addition, his passenger fares from Fort Kearney -to Denver were one hundred and fifty dollars; to Salt Lake, three -hundred; to Nevada, four hundred and fifty; to California, five -hundred; and to Idaho and Montana, about the same. - -We found his stages to be our well-known Concord coaches, and they -quite surpassed our expectations, both as to comfort and to speed. -They were intended for nine inside--three seats full--and as many more -outside, as could be induced to get on. Their teams were either four or -six horses, depending on the roads, and the distance between stations. -The animals themselves were our standing wonder; no broken-down nags, -or half-starved Rosinantes, like our typical stage-horses east; but, -as a rule, they were fat and fiery, and would have done credit to a -horseman anywhere. Wiry, gamey, as if feeling their oats thoroughly, -they often went off from the stations at a full gallop; at the end of -a mile or so would settle down to a square steady trot; and this they -would usually keep up right along until they reached the next station. -These "stations" varied from ten to twelve miles apart, depending -on water and grass, and consisted of the rudest kind of a shanty or -sod-house ordinarily. Here we would find another team, ready harnessed, -prancing to be gone, and in fifteen minutes or so would be off on -the road again. Halts were made twice a day for meals, forty minutes -each, and with this exception we kept bowling ahead night and day. Our -meals were fair for the region; generally coffee, beef-steak or bacon, -potatoes, and saleratus-biscuit hot; but the prices--one dollar and one -dollar and a half per meal--seemed extortionate. In this way, we often -made ten and twelve miles per hour, while on the road; and seldom drove -less than one hundred, and one hundred and twenty-five miles, per day -and night. - -We talked a good deal, or essayed to, with the drivers; but as a -rule, they were a taciturn species. Off the box they were loquacious -enough; but when mounted, with four or six in hand, they either -thought it unprofessional to talk, or else were absorbed too much -in their business. I remarked this to a Division Superintendent, -when he replied, "You bet! A talking driver is like a whistling girl -or crowing hen, always of no account!" They each had their drive -of fifty or sixty miles, up one day, and back the next, and to the -people along the route were important personages. Many we found were -from New Hampshire, and Western New York. Usually they were a roving -class; but when they once settled down to stage-driving, they seldom -left it permanently. There seemed to be a fascination about the -life, hard as it was, and we found many of these Jehus who had been -driving for years, and never expected to quit it. They were fond of -tobacco and whiskey, and rolled out ponderous oaths, when things did -not go to suit them; but as a rule, they were hearty and generous -fellows, and were doing the world good service. As bearers of the -U. S. Mail, they felt themselves kings of the road, and were seldom -loth to show it. "Clar the road! Git out of the way thar with your -bull-teams!" was a frequent salutation, when overtaking or meeting -wagon-trains; and if this was not complied with quickly, they made -little hesitation in running into the oxen, and swearing till all was -blue. I have a vivid recollection of one instance of the kind, when -we ran into an ox-team, and the justly exasperated teamster sent us -his compliments, in the shape of a bullet whizzing through the air, -as we whirled away again. - -In fellow-passengers we were remarkably lucky. Col. B. was a good -specimen of the ups and downs of an average Westerner. He was a -graduate of West Point, or at least had been a cadet there, and -afterwards served some years in the Regular Army. Retiring to civil -life, he subsequently was elected Lieut.-Governor of a western -state, and afterwards became Governor--the incumbent dying. When -the war broke out, he turned up as Colonel of a volunteer regiment; -and now, like the Irishman, having been "promoted backward," was -vegetating as sutler at a post on the Plains. He was a man of rare -wit and intelligence, of infinite jest and humor (his own worst -enemy), and we were sorry to part when he reached his post. Then we -had a Swiss artist, M. Buchser, sent over by his government to make -a grand painting illustrative of our late war, embracing our most -famous statesmen and generals, for the Capitol at Berne. Having a -month or two of leisure, he was spending it wisely in making a run to -the Plains and the Rocky Mountains. Now he was hurrying on to join -Gen. Sherman at Julesburg, whence he was to accompany him and his -brother, the Ohio Senator, on a tour of inspection to Fort Laramie, -Buford, Denver, and then east again via the Arkansas. He was a close -observer, had travelled much on both continents, and was very chatty -and companionable, speaking English like a native. He sketched -constantly _en route_, making "studies" of the Platte valley from -the top of the stage-coach, and when we parted at Fort McPherson, it -was with the mutual hope of meeting again at Denver. Next we had a -Doctor of Divinity from Illinois, of the Methodist persuasion, _en -route_ to Golden City and the Mountains, in search of health, and -to look after certain mining interests of some company in the east. -Then we had a banker from New York, of copperhead tendencies, bound -for Idaho City, also in quest of mines; but his wife was a staunch -Republican, and more than offset his political heresies. We had -others besides, merchants, miners, telegraph-men, etc., and really -not one disagreeable person. - -As to the weather, we found that intensely hot in the middle of the -day (it being the last of August and first of September), but the -mornings and evenings were delightful, and the nights always superb. -Most of the passengers preferred the inside; but Dr. M. and I chose -the outside, which with some inconveniences had its advantages -after all. By day it gave us a wider view of the country; and at -night we used to give our blankets a "shake down" on the flat top -(first borrowing an armful of hay from some station), and then go -luxuriously to sleep. At first when we tried this, not understanding -the philosophy of the situation, we came near rolling off when the -coach would pitch into a chuck-hole, or give a lurch from heel to -port; but we soon learned to boom ourselves on, with a rope or -strap from railing to railing, and thus managed to secure not a -little of "tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep," while our -fellow-passengers down below (nine inside), packed like sardines in -a box, got seldom a wink. The most of the time, the moon was at the -full or about that, and superb in her unveiled glory. The sky was -packed with a myriad of stars, far beyond what we ever see east. The -air, pure and dry, free from both dew and frost, was a perpetual -tonic to lungs and brain. Every hundred miles or so we stopped over -a day or two to inspect some Military Post, and so got rested. The -scenery from day to day was ever fresh and changing, abounding in new -sensations. And, in short, in all my experiences of life, I have few -pleasanter recollections than in thus staging it outside, across the -Plains, and up the Platte to Denver. One night, however, a wind-storm -from the summit of the Rocky Mountains struck us, and for hours raged -furiously--raw and gusty, piercing to the bone. But at midnight we -rolled into Fort Morgan, and halting in its hospitable quarters, -waited until the wind blew itself out. - -The sunsets now and then were magnificent, and one particularly -beyond Fort Sedgwick or Julesburg deserves further mention. We were -rolling rapidly along, when the sun went down behind a cloud, that -formed the huge segment of a circle on the horizon, and from around -and behind this his rays came flashing forth with a beauty--a glory -and a gorgeousness--that we had never seen equalled. Heavy, sombre -clouds hung about the west, while over head and off to the east they -thinned out into fleecy mottled masses almost invisible, until his -reflected rays illuminated them. Up among these, across the whole -dome of the heavens, the colors flamed and went, as tremulous as a -maiden's blushes--now crimson and gold, then purple and violet, and -now again a dreamy, hazy, half-pink, half rosy light, that baffles -description. I had seen gorgeous sunsets elsewhere--on the Hudson, -among the Alleghanies, by the sea--but never any so full of glory -and majesty, and sublimity as this. The fleecy masses overhead seemed -to hang in curtains, one behind the other, like the top scenes at a -theatre, and the shifting light playing about among them added to -the illusion. Nature seemed here to enrobe the heavens in her most -magnificent and gorgeous tapestry, as if trying to show what glorious -fabrics her noiseless looms could weave; and over all brooded that -mysterious silence of the Plains, that seems like the hush of -eternity. It must have been some such scene, that flamed through the -poet's brain when he wrote: - - "All the west was washed with fire; - Great clouds were standing round the setting sun, - Like gaping caves, fantastic pinnacles, - Citadels throbbing in their own fierce light, - Tall spires that came and went like spires of flame, - Cliffs quivering with fire-snow, and peaks - Of piléd gorgeousness, and rocks of fire - A-tilt and poised, bare beaches, crimson seas." - -A singular part of it all was, that passengers in the next -stage-coach, a hundred miles east, were struck with the same -magnificent sunset, and followed us into Denver with similar accounts -of its grandeur and sublimity, at the point where they had been. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[2] The line thence to California was run by Wells, Fargo & Co. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - UP THE PLATTE TO DENVER (_Concluded_). - - -The Platte Valley itself is a great furrow or groove in the heart of -the Plains proper, extending substantially due west from the Missouri -to the Rocky Mountains. On the line of our tier of northern cities, -and so in the track of northern ideas across the continent, it is -as if nature intended it for a great natural highway, and already -it had come to its fulfilment. Its early selection by our army of -emigrants to Colorado, Utah, California, etc., was because of its -supplying the three great desiderata of wood, water and grass, better -than any other route; and its easy grades, as well as accumulating -trade and travel, made it the predestined pathway of the Pacific -Railroad. It varies in breadth from five to ten miles, and is bounded -on either side by abrupt bluffs two or three hundred feet high, -whence outstretch the Plains proper. Extending from the foot of these -bluffs, for a mile or more usually, is a level plateau or "bench" -(in Plains parlance), composed of sand and gravel, and worthless for -agricultural purposes from want of moisture. To be sure, during the -spring a meagre herbage is sustained here, but long before summer -ends everything green parches and withers up. Then come the bottoms -proper, on either side of the river, of rich loam and clay, which -produce grass in goodly quantities all summer, and we saw no reason -why they should not also grow most cereals and vegetables. Perhaps -it is too far north for Indian corn; but wheat, barley, oats and -rye ought to flourish there, except in localities where the soil -may be too strongly impregnated with alkali or soda. Their natural -adaptation, however, is for grass, and I apprehend we shall soon -have our flocks and herds, by the acre, feeding all up and down by -the Platte. When you reach the North Platte the valley of course -subdivides, and you continue on up the valley of the South Platte -to Denver. The fertile and cultivable bottoms, of course, narrow -as you advance; nevertheless, they maintain a considerable breadth -nearly everywhere, despite encroaching bluffs, and around and beyond -Denver are made highly productive by occasional irrigation as needed. -Utilize the unfailing waters of the Platte by windmills or otherwise, -as they do their streams in Italy, Egypt and China, and the Platte -valley throughout its length will yet become a garden. - -The Platte itself to the eye is a broad and lusty stream, and in -places, as near Fort McPherson, expands into a sea of islands, -most refreshing to behold after days of dusty travel. But while in -volume sufficient for a first-class river, its banks are so shifting -and its sand-bars so numerous and variable, that it has always -proved practically unnavigable, notwithstanding our western rivers -swarm with stern-wheelers, many of which it is said only require a -respectable ditch or half decent dew. Unbridged and without ferries, -we found it crossed only at a few well-defined fords, and even these -were so cursed by quicksands, that trains in crossing stood in great -danger of bringing up at Jeddo or Pekin. Its waters were considered -healthy and sweet, notwithstanding a trace of alkali, and with all -its shortcomings, it seemed nevertheless a perfect God-send to that -particular region. Its banks and islands were usually fringed with -cottonwoods and poplars, and furnished almost the only supply of -fuel to passing emigrants and travellers. The settled residents -there, however, the station-keepers and ranchmen, depended more on -the stunted cedars, that abounded generally in all the ravines and -cañons, with which the side-bluffs of the valley are more or less -seamed. Here also they procured the most of their lumber, and from -here supplied thousands of ties for the Union Pacific Railroad. We -were surprised to find these cedars so abundant in the cañons, where -nothing tree-like was visible until you entered. Then we found the -whole bottom and sides frequently lined with them to the top; but -there they abruptly ceased, as if close shaven by the winds, which in -certain months sweep over the Plains mercilessly. - -In both wood and lumber, however, we found the Platte valley sadly -lacking, and the whole Plains country generally. Good peat had been -found at Julesburg, and bituminous coal was reported near Fort Morgan; -but our posts were depending for both fuel and lumber mainly on the -Platte and its side cañons. At Fort Sedgwick, near Julesburg, they had -been hauling wood nearly a hundred miles, at a cost to the government -of over a hundred dollars per cord, there being none nearer or cheaper. -Lumber cost one hundred and seventeen dollars per thousand, and -shingles fifteen dollars per thousand, and were held cheap at that. -The year before, lumber had cost two hundred and five dollars per -thousand, and shingles in proportion. Grain (corn and oats) was wagoned -from the Missouri, and cost the government, put down at Sedgwick, -about seven dollars per bushel. Hay was cut in the vicinity, and cost -thirty-four dollars per ton. Recently they had made a contract with -shrewd operators in Denver, for lumber at ninety dollars per thousand, -and wood at forty-six dollars per cord, both to come from the Rocky -Mountains, over two hundred miles away; but the contractors availed -themselves of cheap freights by eastward-bound wagon-trains, otherwise -returning empty. At Julesburg, we were told, there was not a tree even -for fifty miles; formerly there had been a scrubby cottonwood, on the -south bank of the Platte there--a lone star in solitary splendor--which -was regularly shown to tourists as one of its lions. But this had -recently fallen down and floated away, and now Julesburg mourned its -loss as "the last of the Mohicans." There was some talk of erecting a -monument to its memory; but even this would have to be of "adobe," as -stone was equally a rarity there. - -Down in the valley proper, the field of vision is limited by the side -bluffs, and you see but comparatively little of the country generally. -But ascend the bluffs on either side, and the vast ocean of the Plains -stretches boundlessly before you--not flat, but billowy with swells and -ridges, an illimitable plateau, with only here and there a solitary -"butte," sharply defined against the clear sky. In spring this whole -vast extent is a wilderness of verdure and flowers; but the summer -skies, untempered by rain, as elsewhere said, scorch and burn the -ground to cinders, and long before autumn comes all vegetation there -practically perishes. Even the hardy buffalo-grass becomes brown and -tinder-like, and the only grazing there is in the cañons and valleys. -Nevertheless our Plains have hitherto sustained buffalo by the million, -and do it still, although these shaggy monsters have of late mostly -disappeared from the Platte region. We did not see one in our entire -trip to Denver; but a friend, who came through a month or so later, -over the Smoky Hill route, where there was less travel, reported -buffalo there yet by the horizon full--the whole country being -substantially black with them. The short and sweet buffalo-grass is -indigenous through all this region, and is said to be nutritious, even -when dried up, the year round. What a magnificent range for stock these -great Plains will yet afford, when the country becomes more thickly -settled up! Much of this region is marked on the old maps as the "Great -American Desert;" but from all we saw and heard I doubt not, as a -whole, it will yet become the great stock-raising and dairy region of -the Republic, whence we shall export beef and mutton, leather and wool, -in exchange for cloth and steel.[3] - -We had several fine rides with brother-officers among the cañons and -bluffs while stopping over to inspect our military posts _en route_, -and a grand gallop one bright September morning over the Plains and -far away after antelope. In the cañons and along the bluffs we started -plenty of jack-rabbits; but the antelope were shy and apparently -always on the run, so much so we could never get within shot of them. -We formed a long line across the country, and as we swept forward -started two or three small herds; but they were all too fleet for Uncle -Sam's coursers. Subsequently we halted, and lying down tried the old -hunter's trick of enticing them with a handkerchief on a ramrod, with -our rifles ready to blaze away as they drew near; but they were too -cunning to be caught by any such rascally flag-of-truce arrangement, -and it seemed a shame to attempt it. The ride itself, however, was a -great satisfaction, full of excitement, exhilaration, enjoyment. The -sky was a perfect sapphire, without cloud or haze. The clear atmosphere -braced one's nerves like wine, and revealed distant objects with a -pre-Raphaelite distinctness. A pyramid-like "butte," off to the -southwest, seemed near at hand, though more than twenty miles away. The -ground was baked hard, with a thin covering of dry-grass, except in the -occasional buffalo-wallows; and altogether our horses seemed to enjoy -the gallop quite as much as we did ourselves. There was just a spice -of danger in the ride, too, as Indians were reported prowling about, -but none appeared. We left the Platte with its bluffs and cañons behind -us, and out into the boundless Plains we rode, on and on, and only -drew rein when we discovered that we had lost our reckoning, and were -without a compass. The person charged with providing this had forgotten -it, and suddenly we found ourselves at sea, without guide or headland. -Fortunately we had the well-worn buffalo-trails, that there run almost -due north and south--the old paths over which they formerly went to and -from the Platte for water--and following up one of these, after an hour -or two, we found ourselves in sight of the river again. These "trails" -are no wider than ordinary cow-paths, but they are worn deep into the -soil, and show by their great number and depth what countless herds of -buffalo must have roamed here in other days. They are a sure guide up -and down the bluffs, many of which are so precipitous that safe ascent -or descent elsewhere seems impossible. But the buffalo, by a wise -instinct, seems to have hit just the right point, and deserves credit -for such skillful engineering. - -The population of the Platte Valley was yet mostly _in futuro_. The -little _in esse_ was grouped sparsely around the several Military -posts--Forts Kearney, McPherson, Sedgwick and Morgan--the intervening -stage-stations, and at Julesburg. The largest hamlet, perhaps five -hundred inhabitants or so, was near Fort Kearney, having grown up on -the outskirts of that post, and bearing the same name. Julesburg -consisted of a blacksmith-shop, a grocery, a billiard-saloon, and a -half-dozen houses all of adobe. It was on the South Platte, at the -point of crossing for the Utah and Montana travel, which here bore -away northwest for Bridger's Pass, and so did a considerable business -already in canned-fruits and tangle-foot whiskey. A year afterwards, -it was the terminus for awhile of the Union Pacific Railroad, went up -speedily to two or three thousand inhabitants, and figured largely in -eastern journals. But, presently, with the ongoing of the railroad, -its importance ceased, and its inhabitants, - - "Folded their tents like the Arabs, - And silently stole away." - -The stage-stations usually had a ranch or two adjoining, though -these grew more infrequent, as we got farther west. These were -only rude huts of sod or adobe, with dirt-roofs, divided into -two apartments--one for sleeping purposes, and the other for a -cross-roads grocery. The stock on hand usually consisted largely -of tobacco, canned-fruits and vegetables, and the worst varieties -of "needle-gun" whiskey, warranted to kill a mile away. Hay and -wood were also kept on hand, for sale to passing trains, and many -ranchmen managed thus to pick up considerable money in the course -of the year. Generally two men occupied a ranch thus together, -though sometimes squaws were found serving as "brevet"-wives. Much -of their time was spent, especially at night, in playing "poker," -"old-sledge," "seven-up," etc. for the want of something else to do; -and a newspaper, a Congressional speech, or even a Pub. Doc., was -always welcome. Farther west, the stage-stations and ranch-huts were -built more substantially, and often were regularly bastioned and -loop-holed for a siege. One of the most notable of these was Fort -Wicked, about half-way between Julesburg and Denver. It was built of -sods and adobe, with a thick wall of the same on three sides, and was -really an arrow and bullet-proof block-house. A year or so before, -it had been attacked by a party of Cheyennes and Arrapahoes; but the -owner and his men showed fight--killed several of the red-skins, and -put the rest to flight--whereupon some one christened the place "Fort -Wicked," and the name stuck. - -[Illustration: PLAINS INDIANS.] - -Wagon-trains going west or returning east, we met frequently, but -not to the extent we anticipated. They usually consisted of from -ten to twenty wagons each, with from eight to twelve pairs of mules -or yokes of oxen to each wagon. Going up from the "River," as the -Missouri was always called, these trains being loaded all had their -full complement of wagon-masters, teamsters, cooks, etc. But, -returning empty, several wagons were often coupled together--the -surplus employees stopping over in the mines. By day, these trains -stretched their huge length along, the great white-sheeted wagons -or "prairie-schooners" carrying each from ten to twelve thousand -pounds; but, at night, their wagons were formed into a "corral," -with the animals inside to prevent the Indians stampeding them, and -the picturesque effect of such encampments was always pleasing. -Even here on the Plains, about the last place we would suppose, the -inherent aristocracy of human nature cropped out distinctly. The -lords of the lash _par excellence_ were the stage-drivers. The next -most important, the horse or mule teamsters; and the lowest, the -"bull-drivers." The horse or mule teams made from twelve to fifteen -miles per day; the ox-trains eight to ten. For real vagabondage, -pure and simple, life with one of these trains seemed hard to -beat. An Arab of the desert, or a Gaucho of the pampas, could ask -for nothing more nomadic. And if anybody is sick of Sybaris, and -anxious to get away from all trace of civilization, here is the place -for him. It seemed to be going down to the bed-rock in the social -scale, and afforded a splendid opportunity to study first principles. -A school-friend of mine, a man of fine culture, tried it formerly, -and his experiences were racy and rare. Subsequently, as miner, land -agent, speculator, and lawyer, at Pike's Peak and Denver, he made two -or three fortunes and lost them; then emigrated to San Francisco, -where he made another as army contractor; and then wisely forsook the -fickle goddess, and settled in New York. - -Rumors of impending troubles with the Indians thickened as we advanced. -The settlers and stage-people said the Indians appeared but little on -the road, which was a sure sign that a storm was brewing. Further they -said the tribes had had a grand pow-wow recently on the Smoky Hill -and the Republican, in which they had agreed to bury the hatchet and -make common cause against the pale-faces. Subsequently, later in the -autumn, they did attack some stations on the Smoky Hill route, and a -stage or two on the Platte route; but we reached Denver unmolested. -East of Julesburg, at Baker's ranch, we passed an encampment of Sioux, -perhaps two or three hundred, papooses and all, in cone-shaped wigwams, -evidently the original of our army "Sibley." While changing horses, we -strolled into several of their wigwams, and found them full of braves, -squat upon their hams, intently engaged in playing cards. In Indian -pantomime, they warmly invited us to participate, but we were obliged -to decline the distinguished honor. The squaws were mostly at work on -moccasins or blankets, and their tawny little papooses (stark naked, -except a breech-cloth) were either practising with bows and arrows, or -"lying around loose." The entire party seemed utterly poverty-stricken, -even to their ponies and dogs, and, generally, about as wretched as -human beings could well be. Their main provisions seemed to be rusty -army-rations, which had recently been issued to them at one of our -neighboring posts, and without these they would have been practically -destitute. Dirty, squalid, indecent, and half-starving, they seemed -but little removed above the brute creation, and gave a terrible shock -to all preconceived ideas about the "Noble Red Man," if we had any. -They were the first real savages--pure and simple--we had met, and our -poetry and romance, born of Cooper and Longfellow, shivered at the -spectacle. Some miles farther on, we encountered two young "bucks," -gaily attired in blankets, beads, feathers, etc., jogging along on -their ponies to the camp at Baker's. They had given a big scare to a -poor German we overtook--a blacksmith, travelling alone from station to -station, in a light two-mule buggy, to shoe the Company's horses. The -appearance of our coach, however, made him feel his scalp more secure, -and falling in behind he followed us up for miles, singing at the top -of his voice "Annie, dear Annie of the vale!" Our stage was full inside -and out, and we were all well-armed--in fact, fairly bristled with -repeating-rifles and revolvers--and had we been attacked no doubt would -have given a good account of ourselves. Our experiences up to Denver, -however, inclined us to be somewhat skeptical on the Indian question, -and our subsequent observations did not greatly change this. The whole -region, indeed, seemed to be over-sensitive on the subject. The air -was everywhere thick with rumors, that one by one disappeared as we -advanced, and we hardly knew which to wonder at the more--the veracity -or credulity of the Plains. In fact, that prince of romancers, Baron -Munchausen, seemed to preside over the country, or the people to be his -lineal descendants, almost everywhere. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[3] See Appendix. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - DENVER AND THE MINES. - - -We reached Denver Sept. 5th, and remained there several days. -Approaching by the South Platte, you catch sight of the town a mile -or two away, when crossing a "divide," and are surprised at its -size and importance. Ten years before, there was not an inhabitant -there; but now she claimed seven thousand or more, and boasted with -reason, of two hundred and fifty houses erected that year. Moreover, -the new buildings were chiefly of brick or stone, while the old ones -were log or frame. At the junction of the South Platte and Cherry -Creek her streets are well-laid out, mostly at right-angles, and for -suburbs she has the boundless Plains. Apparently on a plateau, she -is nevertheless really a mountain city; for at St. Louis you are -only three hundred feet above the sea, at Omaha nine hundred feet, -while at Denver you have got up imperceptibly to four thousand feet -above the sea, or higher than our average Alleghanies. Her climate is -pure and dry, without rain or frost for many months in the year--the -paradise of consumptives--and for scenery, she has the ever-glorious -Rocky Mountains. Already she had six churches, two seminaries, two -daily papers, a banking-house with a business of twelve millions a -year, a U. S. Mint, a theatre, and hotels and saloons unnumbered, -though these last it was thought were diminishing. Until recently, -gambling-hells had also flourished openly on her streets, with -their usual concomitants of drunkenness and affrays. But some months -before, a Judge Gale--backed by a strong public opinion--had taken -hold of the gamblers, and squelched them effectually. Like other -"peculiar institutions," they died hard, raising large sums of money -to prolong their evil life--threatening some men and bribing, or -trying to bribe, others; but Judge Lynch came to the support of -Judge Gale, with the counter-threat of "a cottonwood limb and a -rope," and so gamblers ceased to rule in Denver. The happy change -was freely commented on, and now that it had come, people wondered -why they had endured the blacklegs so long. Denver was now evidently -aspiring to better things--to "sweeter manners, purer laws." Her -merchants and bankers were building themselves homes, sending east -for their families, and settling down, as if to stay. Though not -so law-abiding and Sabbath-loving, as our eastern cities, yet her -churches were well-attended; and her Episcopal Bishop (Randall), we -found scouring the country with all the earnestness and zeal of an -old-time missionary, or Methodist itinerant. Band and gown, stole -and chasuble, and other ritualistic millenary, he affected but -little; but he preached Christ and Him crucified with a tenderness -and power, that touched all hearts, and Colorado already had come -to love and honor him. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His -righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you," was -his text for as sound and appropriate a discourse the Sabbath we -were in Denver, as we had heard in a long while. Every sentence -struck home, like a rapier or a bullet, at some sin most prevalent -in Colorado, and Denver might well "make a note of it." Subsequently -we heard of him in the mines and among the mountains, preaching in -quartz-mills and by the roadside--wherever he could gather a handful -of hearers--always engaged in the Master's work, and always leaving a -deep impression behind him. - -Denver, with water and coal both near, yet had neither water nor gas -works then, and scarcely a tree or shrub growing anywhere. Numerous -trees had been planted, and much shrubbery; but the long and rainless -summers had proven too much for them. The winter before, a company -had been chartered to bring water from the mountains, for irrigating -and other purposes, and they already had one ditch completed--three -or four feet wide, by one or two deep--and were projecting others. -This one irrigated several farms, turned a grist-mill or two, and -then, with a branch to the fair-grounds, emptied into the Platte. But -Denver must have such ditches, all around and through her, if she -wants trees and shrubbery and then she may have streets and suburbs -unsurpassed anywhere. Salt Lake, we afterwards found, had done this; -and Denver will, when she has once been well scourged by fire. Then -she was powerless against the fire-fiend, and a large conflagration -well under way would have swept the town.[4] - -Though the largest town in Colorado, and of commanding influence -there, yet Denver we found was not the capital, but Golden City -instead--a hamlet of five hundred inhabitants or so, fifteen -miles farther west, at the base of the mountains. The Territorial -Legislature convened there every winter, as required by law; but -immediately adjourned to Denver, where all business was really -transacted, and where the governor and other territorial officers -resided, when not absent in the states, as some often were. In -location, Denver itself was, no doubt a geographical blunder, as the -business of the country was really among the mines and mountains; but -as gold had been first discovered here, it got the start, and bade -fair to maintain its supremacy. The sharpest and shrewdest men in -Colorado, we found were all settled here. All enterprises, of much -pith and moment, began and ended here. All capital centred here. And -Denver brains and Denver capital, it was plain to see, ruled and -controlled our whole Rocky Mountain region, north to Dacotah and -south to New Mexico. - -Denver had two real "sensations," while we were there--one, the alleged -usurpation of Gov. Cumming, the other the arrival of Gen. Sherman. It -seemed there had been a territorial election, for delegate to Congress, -and the returns not being clear, Gov. Cumming assumed to give the -certificate of election to Hunt, an Andrew Johnson man, rather than to -Chilcott, a radical Republican--notwithstanding the Board of Canvassers -decided otherwise. The governor claimed that the law and facts were -with him, but the Board of Canvassers protested to the contrary, -and popular opinion seemed to sustain them. There was a breezy time -in Denver for awhile. The papers savagely denounced the governor's -conduct, as an outrage and usurpation, and fell into a vein of coarse -vituperation they seemed incapable of before. The saloons were filled -with excited crowds at night; knots gathered on the streets by day; -and presently, one morning out came the papers with the old-time -suggestion of "a cottonwood limb and a rope," if His Excellency did -not yield. An explosion was now hourly expected, but it did not come. -Denver evidently had grown in grace. The mob-spirit of her early days -could not be revived, and all good citizens rejoiced to see it. No -doubt she liked Judge Lynch still; but she liked Eastern immigration -and English capital better, and would do nothing to startle either. The -governor wisely appeared in public but little, and for several nights -found it convenient to sleep elsewhere than at home. Finally, it was -given out, that the military were on his side, as in duty bound, and -the storm presently blew over. Subsequently it appeared, that said -military consisted of only _two_ officers, without a single soldier; -but His Excellency attributed his safety to them, all the same. General -Sherman's arrival immediately after was just in the nick of time. It -followed on the heels of the election imbroglio, and was a good salve -to the public sore. All Denver turned out to welcome him and his -distinguished brother (the Ohio Senator), and a cavalcade of horsemen -and carriages met them miles away. Next night there was a reception, -banquet, speeches, ball, etc. and hundreds assembled to do them honor. -There was a lamentable lack of ladies; but brighter, keener men, you -could find nowhere. What there were of ladies, were intelligent and -sprightly, and all were richly attired and adorned; but Denver needed -more of them. Everybody vied in doing Sherman honor, as a great soldier -who had fought nobly for the country. They did not know his views yet -on the Indian question, which a few months afterwards they denounced -so severely. By an ambulance tour of two thousand miles, from post -to post, through the heart of the Indian country, he was trying to -study the Indian question for himself, as _the_ great question of -his Military Division; and yet Denver, fond of contracts, claimed to -understand that _questio vexata_ better than he! - -We left Denver one bright September morning for Central City and the -Mines. A stage ran daily, but wanting to travel more leisurely we -went by ambulance. Across the Platte, and over the Plains again for -fifteen miles, brought us to the mountains and Golden City, just -within the foothills. Clear Creek dashes through the "city," a broad -swift stream, furnishing fine water-power for several mills already, -with plenty to spare for more. Coal, iron, lead, copper and kaolin -were said to exist in the mountains adjacent, and this water-power -was therefore justly esteemed very valuable. Four or five miles -farther on, the mountains seem to close up--a solid rampart--before -you; but suddenly the road shifts and at Gate City, through a -narrow rocky cañon you again pass on. The road here follows up a -diminutive mountain stream, crossing and re-crossing its bed every -few yards, and by a very sinuous course slowly makes its way forward -between abrupt masses of red and purple rock, that everywhere seemed -to block its progress. Farther on, the hills open out, and wild -currant and gooseberry-bushes appear, with pines and firs here and -there--many charred by former fires. The road gets wilder the farther -you proceed, and the mountain views become more and more superb. -You catch glimpses of the great Snowy Range from time to time; but -after awhile you cross the first range, and then you have the great -white-capped Sierra almost always before you. Three peaks there are -especially superb--Old Chief, Squaw and Papoose--their white and -glittering summits flashing gloriously in the sunshine. Sometimes -we got long views of the Snowy Range, for miles on miles; and then -again, deep down in some wild gorge, its rocky sides would suddenly -expand, and there would stand these three grand peaks projected -against the clear sky, framed in like a picture. A right "kingly -spirit throned among the hills," Old Chief seemed to be keeping watch -and ward over these Rocky Mountain fastnesses in solemn and solitary -grandeur; but the Yankee and the miner had been too much for him. - -We dined _en route_, getting a good meal for seventy-five cents, and -reached the Conner House at Central City, about 6 P. M., forty miles -from Denver. What a strange place was this, and how surprising it all -seemed! A busy, active, bustling town, with all the appliances of -eastern civilization, in the very heart of the Rocky Mountains--our -_ultima thule_ but a few years ago! Or, rather, four towns--Black -Hawk, Gregory Gulch, Mountain City, and Central City--all now grown -into one. It never was any place for a town; but there had to be one -there, and so American genius and pluck went to work and created -it. Imagine a narrow, winding mountain-gorge, with Clear Creek -flashing through it, with scarcely standing-room on either side -for an antelope even, and you have about all Nature has done for a -town-site there. Yet our miners had stuck mills, and stores, and -saloons, and dwelling-houses, and churches here, almost everywhere, -in the most delightful and picturesque confusion. Some were astride -of Clear Creek, as if wading up stream. Others were propped up on -its edges, as if about to topple in. Others again were mounted on -lofty stilts, all along the mountain side, as if just ready to start -and walk away. About and through them all, following the general -course of Clear Creek, wound one long and narrow street--too narrow -for side-walks--and here in this bizarre place, walled in on all -sides by the Rocky Mountains, lived and flourished six thousand -souls, all apparently busy and well-to-do--with banks, schools, -churches, newspapers, telegraphs, theatres, and pretty much all the -institutions and destitutions of modern society. There only remained -one need, a railroad, and that was already in contemplation, down -Clear Creek to Golden City, and so away to Denver. This would bring -the ores and coal together at Golden City, for fuel was becoming -scarce among the mines; would save much of the cost of travel and -transportation by the wild mountain roads; and be a great blessing to -the mining regions every way.[5] After tea, we strolled through the -town for a mile or more, and found the streets full to overflowing. -The theatres were crowded, and the drinking and gambling-saloons -in full blast; yet the streets were comparatively orderly. The -population seemed of a better class than one would suppose, all -things considered. There were scarcely any women, it is true, and -what there were had better been elsewhere, as a rule; but the men -carried keen, clear-cut, energetic faces, that well explained the -enterprise and _elan_ of this audacious town. Of foreigners, there -were far fewer than one ordinarily meets east, and the Americans as -a rule were athletic and live men--fit to be the pioneers of empire. -The inevitable African, of course, cropped out here and there; but -usually he had risen from the dignity of a barber or a bootblack, to -be a merchant or a miner. Everybody talked of "feet," and "claims," -and "dust;" and bets were made, and drinks paid for, in "ounces" and -parts of an ounce, as determined by the universal scales and weights. -Greenbacks were still taken, but they were regarded as a depreciated -currency, unworthy of the Mines and Mountains. - -Indications of mining operations appeared first at Denver, where -gold was first discovered at the junction of the South Platte and -Cherry Creek. But the "diggings," or placer mines, here were soon -worked out, and then the miners naturally ascended Cherry Creek to -Clear Creek, and so into the heart of the mountains. All along -North Clear Creek, you see where the stream has been turned aside, -and its bed "panned" over, and as we approached Black Hawk we found -a few miners still humbly at work this way. But placer-mining in -Colorado had mostly been abandoned as no longer profitable, and now -the chief labor and capital were applied to the quartz mines--the -parents of the "diggings." These seemed to occur, more or less, all -through the Rocky Mountains, wherever quartz cropped out; but the -richest of them thus far had been found in the narrow defile about -Central City. The sides of the ranges there had been "prospected" -all over, until they seemed honey-combed or like pepper-boxes, so -ragged and torn were they with the process. Here and there they -were divided up into infinitesimal lots, rudely enclosed, embracing -a few hundred feet or so, denoting mining "claims." Many of these -had shafts sunk some distance, with a board up, proclaiming name -of mine and the ownership thereof, but others were without these. -The favorite mine in Colorado just then seemed to be the Gregory -Consolidated, near Central City. We went down into this some three -hundred feet, exploring its various galleries, and it seemed to be -all that was represented. The gold here was so much diffused through -the quartz as to be imperceptible to the eye, and was further mingled -badly with silver, copper, and sulphur. The company had erected no -mill as yet, but were contenting themselves with developing the -lode, and getting out "pay-ore." Their plan was to sink the main -shaft straight down on the lode, and every twenty feet or so follow -up the indications by lateral galleries, to see whether the vein -held out or not. So far it was doing well, and the ore continued -of an excellent quality. But it was so difficult to reduce, there -was no mill in Colorado that could save a fair proportion of the -gold; so that what ore they cared to work was shipped east, or to -Swansea, Wales, even, for reduction. The superintendent of the mine -was a sturdy young Englishman, once a humble miner with his pick and -candle, but afterwards sub-superintendent of a great silver mine in -Mexico, and now for two or three years here--a man of rare energy -and intelligence. No wonder the stock of the Gregory Consolidated -was steadily rising, with such a policy and such a superintendent. -Too many of the companies organized in the east were pursuing just -the contrary course. They were putting up mills at once at great -expense, with steam engines and stamps complete, and then when -they came to sink down upon their veins, lo! they had no "pay-ore" -there, or at least none worth working. A signal instance of this had -occurred a year or two before. A New York Wall street Company had -been organized, on a broad basis, and with great expectations. With -a West Point ex-army officer superintendent and plenty of capital, -their stock soon went soaring up like a rocket; but presently it came -down again like a stick--_a la_ their superintendent during the war. -He erected a splendid mill of dressed stone at a cost of thousands -of dollars, and went in wildly for all the latest and most improved -machinery; but when afterwards he came to test their lode thoroughly, -alas! he discovered they had only a poor sickly trace of ore, that -soon "petered out," and so that fine company of gold and silver -miners incontinently collapsed--or, as Mr. Mantilini would have said, -"went to the demnition bow-wows!" Machinery that cost the company -thirty-three thousand dollars in New York, was afterwards sold by the -Colorado sheriff for thirteen hundred dollars, to pay freight bills; -and other property in proportion. Other instances were reported -to us, but none quite so bad as this. But from the large number of -mills and mines standing idle--fully fifty per cent., it seemed--we -could well believe that mining machinery could be bought cheaper in -Colorado than New York, and that steam-engines and boilers were a -drug. A foundry-man beyond Golden City, we were told, found it more -profitable to buy up old machinery and recast it, than to work a rich -iron mine, though the former was scattered through the mountains and -the latter was just at his door. - -The trouble with the Colorado ores was, they were refractory -sulphurets, which we had not yet learned how to reduce at a profit. -They assayed very readily two hundred and even three hundred -dollars per ton, or more; but when you came to mill them out in -large quantities, you were lucky if you got twenty-five or thirty -dollars per ton. The problem Colorado then wanted solved was how to -desulphurize these rich ores of hers at a profit. Various "processes" -were continually being tried at great expense, but none of them -seemed yet to be the "success" she desired. Stamp-mills, with -copper-plate and quicksilver amalgamators, seemed to be the process -in use generally, though not saving over twenty-five per cent. of the -precious metals usually. Many companies were using these and saving -their "talings," or refuse, with the expectation of yet realizing -goodly sums from working the "talings" over by some new process -by-and-bye. A "process" just introduced was saving from twenty-five -to fifty per cent. more from these "talings:" but it was too costly -for general use, or, perhaps, to pay. Individual mine-owners and -the lighter companies seemed mostly to have suspended, or like Mr. -Micawber to be waiting for "something to turn up"--for the strong -companies to go on and find the much coveted "new process," when -they would resume operations. Another trouble evidently was the -great number of companies organized to sell stock east, rather than -to mine successfully. Companies, with a property worth a hundred -thousand dollars, had frequently issued stock for a million, and -of course could not expect to make regular dividends on such an -overplus. On a basis of a hundred thousand dollars, or real value, -with an experienced honest superintendent, they might have got along -well, if content to creep at first and walk afterwards. But as a rule -they had preferred to "water" their stock, after the most approved -Sangrado method; and the result, after a year or two's operations, -was disappointed stockholders and the old, old cry of "bogus" and -"wild-cat." Many of the companies, too, were heavily in debt, and -what was called in Colorado parlance "freezing out" was taking place -largely. That is to say, a company gives a mortgage for say twenty -thousand dollars on property worth perhaps a hundred thousand, or at -least represented by that amount of stock. When due it is not met, -the treasury being empty, and the stockholders discouraged from want -of dividends, or by "bear" reports about the mine; whereupon the -mortgage is foreclosed, and the "bear" directors buy the property in -for a song, thus "freezing out" the feebler and more timid brethren. -This operation may lack the essential feature of old-fashioned -honesty, but is no doubt a paying one--pecuniarily--for the new -owners, who can now well afford to go bravely on. "Others may sink; -but what's the odds, so we apples swim!" - -No doubt Colorado is rich, immensely rich, in mineral -resources--gold, silver, copper, iron, coal, etc.,--but she was -scarcely making much decided headway as a mining community, so far -as could be seen, in 1866. Considerable of her population, indeed, -had gone off to Montana and Idaho, to the reputed rich gold-fields -there, and many of the rest were waiting patiently for the Pacific -Railroad and a market. Great results were anticipated from the -oncoming of the railroad, and it is to be hoped she has realized -them. Her yield of the precious metals in 1862, it was estimated by -good authority, amounted to ten millions of dollars; but in 1863 it -fell to eight millions, in 1864 to five millions, and in 1865 to four -millions. Ross Browne, in 1866, in his report of _Mineral Resources -of the United States_, with characteristic exaggeration, estimated -her yield for that year at seventeen millions; but more accurate -observers regarded this as a California joke, and pronounced his -estimate at least four or five times too high. The large yield in -1862 represented the maximum from gulch or placer mining, and the -soft outcroppings of the quartz veins. But in 1866 placer mining, -as I have said, had mostly ceased, and our quartz-miners had to go -down so deep, and then got only the hardest and most refractory -sulphurets, that the business greatly languished. Yet, it was plain -to be seen, the gold and the silver were all there, in inexhaustible -quantities, practically speaking; or as Mr. Lincoln once remarked, -in speaking of our western mines, "We there hold the Treasury of -the world!" All Colorado wanted, as elsewhere said, was the right -"process" to subdue these rebellious sulphurets and compel them -to release their imprisoned deities. Science surely holds the key -somewhere, and waits only the coming man to hand it over to him. -Millions of our countrymen are watching and praying for him. A half -a continent calls for him. And when this coming man does come, who -shall estimate the untold treasures he will here unlock and outpour -upon the world! He will but have to strike the naked rocks, and -abundant streams of wealth will gush forth. He will but have to -touch the rugged mountain sides, and gold and silver by the million -will obey his bidding--enough not only to pay our own National Debt, -but the National Debts of the world. Let Colorado, then, be of good -courage. The Pacific Railroad will cheapen supplies, and swell the -volume of her immigration. The Yankee hand and brain are busily at -work, conning over her knotty problem; and we may be sure, that the -right hour will bring the necessary man. - -From Central City we crossed the range at an altitude of nine -thousand feet above the sea, and thence descended to Idaho, on South -Clear Creek. A fine hotel here, in good view of the Snowy range, -boasted itself the best in Colorado, and we found none better. Here -also were several fine mineral springs, that bubble up quite near to -each other, and yet are all of different temperatures. A bath-house -had been erected, where you might take a plunge in hot or cold -water, as you chose; the walks were romantic, with a possibility of -deer or bear; the sights, what with ravine, and ridge, and peak, -were magnificent; and Idaho, already something of a summer resort, -expected yet to become the Saratoga of Colorado. Up South Clear -Creek, above Idaho, were the new mining districts of Georgetown and -Mill City, then but recently discovered and reputed quite rich; but -we had not time to visit them. Down South Clear Creek, and thence -to Denver, is a wild and surprising ride of forty-five miles, that -well repays you. Much of the way Clear Creek roars and tumbles by -the roadside, with the rocky walls of its cañon towering far above -you; and when at length you cross the last range and prepare to -descend, you catch a distant view of Denver and the Plains, that has -few if any equals in all that region. The sun was fast declining, -as we rounded the last crag or shoulder of the range, and the -Plains--outstretched, illimitable, everlasting--were all before us, -flooded with light as far as the eye could reach, while the mountains -already in shade were everywhere projecting their lengthening -shadows across the foot-hills, like grim phantoms of the night. A -cloudless sky overarched the whole. Denver gleamed and sparkled in -the midst twenty miles away, the brightest jewel of the Plains; and -beyond, the Platte flashed onward to the east a thread of silver. It -was a superb and glorious scene, and for an hour afterward, as we -descended the range, we caught here and there exquisite views of it, -through the opening pine and fir trees, that transferred to canvas -would surely have made the fortune of any painter. With our Pacific -Railroad completed, our artists must take time to study up the Rocky -Mountains, with all their fine effects of light and shade--of wide -extent and far perspective, of clear atmosphere, blue sky, and purple -haze--and then their landscapes may well delight and charm the world. - -Mining is, of course, the chief business of all that region, from -the Missouri to the Mountains, and the habits and customs of the -miner prevail everywhere. He digs and tunnels pretty much as he -wills--under roads, beneath houses, below towns--and all things, -more or less, are made subservient to his will. His free-and-easy -ways mark social and political life, and his slang--half Mexican, -half miner--is everywhere the language of the masses. A "square" -meal is his usual phrase for a full or first-rate one. A "shebang" -means any structure, from a hotel to a shanty. An "outfit" is a -very general term, meaning anything you may happen to have, from -a stamp-mill complete to a tooth-pick--a suit of clothes or a -revolver--a twelve-ox team or a velocipede. A "divide" means a ridge -or water-shed between two valleys or depressions. A "cañon" is -Mexican or Spanish for a deep defile or gorge in the mountains. A -"ranch," ditto, means a farm, or a sort of half-tavern and half-farm, -as the country needs there. To "vamose the ranch" means to clear out, -to depart, to cut stick, to absquatulate. A "corral," ditto, means an -enclosed horse or cattle-yard. To "corral" a man or stock, therefore, -means to corner him or it. To go down to "bed-rock," means the very -bottom of things. "Panned-out" means exhausted, used-up, bankrupt. -"Pay-streak" means a vein of gold or silver quartz, that it will -_pay_ to work. When it ceases to pay, it is said to "peter out." Said -a miner one day at dinner, at a hotel in Central City, to a traveller -from the east, "I say, stranger," pointing to a piece of meat by his -side, "is there a _pay-streak_ in that beef thar?" He wanted to know -if there was a piece of it worth eating or not. The short phrase -"You bet!" is pure Californice, and has followed our miners thence -eastward across the continent. We struck it first on the Missouri, -and thence found it used everywhere and among all classes, to express -by different intonations a great variety of meanings. For example, -meeting a man you remark: - -"It is a fine day, my friend!" - -He answers promptly and decidedly, "You _bet!_" - -You continue, "It is a great country you have out here!" - -He responds, "You BET _ye!_" sharp and quick. - -"A good many mills standing idle, though!" - -"Wa'll, yes, too many of them! You bet!" with a knowing shake of the -head. - -"Miners making much now-a-days?" - -"Oh, yes! Some of us, a heap! _You_ bet!" rather timid. - -"Going back to the states one of these days?" - -"When I make my pile! _You_ BET!" firm and decided. - -"Get married then, I suppose?" - -"Won't I? Just that! _You_ BET _ye_!" with his hat up, his eyes wide -open, and his face all aglow with honest pride and warm memory of -"The girl I left behind me!" - -In Central City they told us a story of a miner, who was awakened one -night by a noise at his window, and found it to be a burglar trying -to get in. Slipping quietly out of bed, he waited patiently by the -window until the sash was well up, and the burglar tolerably in, when -he placed his revolver against the fellow's head, and sententiously -remarked, "Now you _git_!" The story ran, the burglar looking quietly -up surveyed the situation, with the cold steel against his brow, and -as sententiously replied, as he backed out and dropped to the ground, -"_You_ BET!" - -FOOTNOTES: - -[4] See Appendix. - -[5] This road since built and now in operation. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - AMONG THE MOUNTAINS. - - -The Plains after awhile became somewhat of a bore, they are so vast -and outstretched, and you long for a change, something to break the -monotony. To us this came one evening, just beyond Fort Morgan, when -a hundred and fifty miles away, just peeping above the horizon, we -descried the cone-like summit of Long's Peak, all pink and rosy in the -sunset. "Driver, isn't that the Mountains?" said some one. "You bet!" -was his answer, of course. "'Tisn't often you can see the Peak this -fur; but it is mighty clar to-day!" The night soon afterwards shut down -upon us, during which we bowled rapidly along from station to station, -and the next morning were early awake. Soon the sun rose bright and -clear; but the air was keen, with a stiff breeze eastward in our teeth. -We were down in a wide depression of the Plains; but presently we rose -up out of it, and as we struck the summit of the "divide," lo, the -Rocky Mountains were before us in all their grandeur and sublimity. -To the north rose Long's Peak, fourteen thousand feet above the sea, -heaven-kissing, but with his night-cap still on; to the south, was -Pike's Peak, eleven thousand feet above the sea, snow-crowned; while -between, a hundred miles or more, swelled and towered the Mountains--at -the base mere foot-hills, then ridge mounting on ridge and peak on -peak, until over and above all the Snowy Range cropped out sublime. -Patches of pines dotted their surface here and there, but the general -effect was that of nakedness and barrenness. Clouds hung about their -summits, or lingered along their sides; but the uprising sun soon -dissipated these, or sent them careering aloft, as if bound for heaven. -In the course of the morning we whirled into Denver, and there for -a week or more--by sunlight, by moonlight--the Mountains were ever -before us, in all their thousand varieties of tint and shadow. They -never seemed precisely the same. Some new point was ever looming up, or -flashing out--and yet they always realized one's best conceptions of -beauty, grandeur, vastness, and sublimity. - -Subsequently, accepting an invitation to accompany Gen. Sherman and -Gov. Cumming to Southern Colorado and an Indian treaty there, we -spent nearly a month among the Rocky Mountains, following down their -eastern base and crossing them to Fort Garland, some two hundred and -fifty miles, and thence returning to Denver again through the heart -of them, _via_ San Luis Park, Homan's Park, and South Park. This trip -we made by ambulance, camping out at night, and rationing ourselves, -as there were no stages on the route and very few settlements. Our -little party, by the addition of officers and others at Denver, had -swelled to seven, exclusive of cook and teamsters. Our "outfit" -consisted of two four-horse ambulances and an army-wagon, with spare -animals for saddle or other purposes, as occasion required. We took -a tent along, but seldom had occasion to use it. We had blankets and -buffalo robes for the night; some stray books and magazines for the -day, when weary of the scenery; pipes and tobacco for all; and other -supplies, it seemed, _ad infinitum_. In the matter of arms, what -with our repeating-rifles and revolvers for Indians, and a brace of -fowling-pieces for game, our ambulances were travelling arsenals. And -from reports on leaving Denver, (Sept. 13th) we did not know but we -should want all, and more. With the usual exaggeration of the border, -the story current there was, that a Mexican belonging to one of the -settlements down below had quarrelled with a Ute about a squaw, and -wound up by killing him; that the Utes were consequently up in arms, -stealing stock and murdering the inhabitants; that Fort Garland was -already practically besieged; and that the United States was of "no -account, no how," because we did not send more troops to Colorado. -However, we started for Garland, well-armed as above; we did not meet -a hostile Indian on the way; and when we arrived there, we found -there hadn't been a settler molested, or mule stolen; and the whole -yarn had come from a Ute found dead, supposed killed by lightning. -When first discovered, near one of the settlements, the Utes were -considerably ruffled; but when the post-surgeon at Garland and their -medicine-man had examined him and found no marks of violence, the -chiefs laid their heads together and sagely concluded the Great -Spirit had called him. - -Our course from Denver was about due South, following the trend of -the mountains, and always near them. For several days our road was -substantially over Fremont's old trail of 1843, across the high -"divide" between the Platte and Arkansas, and so down the dashing -_Fontaine qui Boulli_ to the Arkansas. This "divide" bears an -unenviable reputation, as a storm-region. Coloradoans aver, that -it rains, hails, snows, or blows there, when it is fair weather -all around it, and we were warned of it accordingly. It is a high -rolling region, running well up into the mountains, with Pike's Peak -frowning over it, and I suppose the configuration of the country -is such as to attract and concentrate storms there. We made haste -to get across it, but sure enough encountered both rain and hail, -though we found the country both north and south of it basking in a -dreamy, autumnal atmosphere, that seemed like the very wine of life. -That night we camped near "Dirty Woman's Ranch," close into the -mountains, and slept delightfully in a hay-yard. The sun went down in -a cloudless sky, transfiguring the snow-clad summit of Pike's Peak -with a glory all its own, whose pink and crimson faded into purple, -and this again to blue, as the day died out. So, too, the rest of the -range, from purple and blue, came out sharp and black against the -star-thick sky, and night shut down upon the Plains with scarcely a -sound to break the silence. - -During the day, the blank monotony of the Plains was broken by -numerous "buttes," some of which were very surprising. The chief -one, "Castle-Rock," was an abrupt precipitous mass, well bastioned -and castellated, that rose sheer into the air several hundred feet, -as if the work of hammer and trowel. At a distance, it seemed almost -squarely perpendicular, but two of our party, who had galloped on -ahead, found an accessible path to the summit on its southeast side. -As we drove up abreast of it, we descried them on its dizzy edge, -but took them to be eagles or buzzards, until they out with their -handkerchiefs and fired off their pistols. The smoke curled away on -the breezy air, but the sound was inaudible down by the roadside as -we drove by. These "buttes" dot the country over there for miles, -standing solitary and alone--wholly disconnected from each other--and -are a strange feature of the Rocky Mountain region. - -The next day we struck Monument Creek and followed this down to the -_Fontaine qui Bouilli_. Here the country for miles is marked by great -masses of sandstone and limestone, chiseled by wind and rain into the -most fantastic shapes and forms. Some are slender columns of gray or -red rock, a hundred feet or more in height, worn and smooth; while -others are cut and carved so curiously, that it seems they must be -the deft handiwork of man. Right under the shadow of Pike's Peak, -they seem to culminate, and here is Colorado's famous Garden of the -Gods. Entering from the roadside we passed through a little ravine, -that rapidly widened into a _bijou_ of a valley, and there near its -centre uprose two tremendous rocks, red dashed with gray, six hundred -feet long by two hundred high, tapering to a knife-like edge. They -were both inaccessible to man, but the elements had bored a hole -through the summit of one, that looked for all the world as if a round -shot or shell had knocked its way through there. A score of swallows -were twittering about this, as we passed by, and their nests were -visible all up and down the rocks. A little distance off stood three -red sandstones, ten or twelve feet in diameter, by a hundred or more -high, like the surviving columns of some ruined temple--one somewhat -splintered and shattered, but the others still uplifting their capitals -sublime against the sky. Farther on the whole country here is studded -for miles, with these wedge-shaped and columnar masses of red and gray -rock, some even on a grander scale, as though it were a cemetery of -Titans, marked by Cyclopean tombstones. It is a vast meadow, rich with -herbage, with Monument Creek meandering through it, vocal with the song -of birds, the whole lying close up under the overshadowing Mountains; -while over all, breaking sharp and clear against the faultless sky, -stands Pike's Peak, imperial in his majesty, dark below with pines -and firs, but his bald head crowned with eternal snows, looking calmly -down, as if God's sentinel keeping watch and ward over all below. -Altogether the grouping of the landscape there is very fine, as if the -gods had done their best; and on the glorious morning when we saw it, -beneath a perfect September sky, we thought Colorado had indeed here -much to be supremely proud of. - -Some three miles farther on, near the banks of the _Fontaine qui -Bouilli_, which here comes boiling down from the foot of Pike's Peak, -there are several fine natural soda-springs. They come bubbling up -on either side of the stream from the far depths below, and their -overflow during the long ages has deposited large rocks of calcareous -tufa or carbonate of soda all about them. We tried this soda-water, -and found it as cool, and as sharp and titillating as that from a -city-fountain; and when treated with an acid, it effervesced and -vanished quite as freely. H---- and B---- tried it with lemons and -whiskey and reported their cocktails quite unequalled since leaving -New York. Col. Chivington, of Sand Creek memory, had recently -purchased these springs and the land adjacent for three thousand -dollars; but he was now asking ten thousand, though there had not -been a dollar expended for improvements yet. Combined with Pike's -Peak, the Garden of the Gods, and all the unique and romantic scenery -from there to Denver, as well as the general Plains and Mountains, -the investment did not seem to be a bad one, and no doubt will pay -handsomely some day. But it was then waiting the completion of -the Pacific Railroad, and the in-pouring of population, that all -Coloradoans then devoutly hoped and prayed for.[6] - -Just beyond the Soda Springs, stood or rather _slept_ Colorado City. -We had been so unfortunate as to break our ambulance-tongue in -pulling out of a mud-hole, and halted there to have a new one made. -In the days of 1857-60, when mining centred at Pike's Peak, Colorado -City was the Denver of southwestern Colorado, and must have been -a place of considerable importance. But the "diggings" there long -since gave out, and C. C. was now in a bad way. Corner-lots were for -sale, dirt-cheap. It had plenty of empty shanties, but scarcely any -population; and what it had, were the sleepiest-looking Coloradoans -we had yet seen anywhere. The "hotel" or tavern, was forlorn and -dirty; the people, idle and listless; and the "City," as a whole, -was evidently hastening fast to the status of Goldsmith's Deserted -Village. Cañon City, farther up in the mountains, they told us, was -even worse off--having no inhabitants at all. It had good buildings, -some even of brick and stone, equal indeed to any in Colorado; but -all stood empty, like "some banquet-hall deserted," and the once -busy "City" was now as silent as Thebes or Petræ. Such is life in -our mining regions. Population comes and goes, as restless as the -sea, according as the "diggings" promise good "pay-dirt" or bad. And -what are prosperous and busy centres this year, next year may become -empty and deserted.[7] At sunset we went into camp on the banks of -the _Fontaine qui Bouilli_, while a snow-squall was careering around -Pike's Peak. Several of these had been prancing about his summit -during the afternoon, and about five P. M., one of them swept down -over the foothills and valley, with far out-stretched wings, giving -us a taste of its icy breath as we journeyed by. At sunset the hues -along the mountains and among the snow-peaks were magnificent and -glorious; but the air became keen and nipping as night fell, and -all the evening we hugged the fire closely. Just before dark, while -supper was cooking, two or three of us tried the _Fontaine qui -Bouilli_ for trout, and caught--not a nibble even! - -Soon after leaving Colorado City the mountains trend away to the -southwest, while the road to Fort Garland continues on down the -_Fontaine qui Bouilli_ to the Arkansas. Fording this at Pueblo, and -subsequently its two affluents, the Greenhorn and the Huerfano, you -again strike the mountains, a hundred miles farther south, at the -foot of Sangre del Christo Pass. The high ridges or "divides" between -all of these streams are barren and sterile, to an extent little -imagined in the east; but the streams themselves are bordered by -broad valleys, rich and fertile, that as a rule need only irrigation -to produce luxuriantly. In some seasons they do not require even -this, as their proximity to the mountains affords them rains enough. -Still, no farmer is safe there without his system of _acequias_ -or water-ditches, to irrigate if necessary; and we found these -everywhere constructed, if not in use, where settlements had been -made. In all of these valleys we already had scattered ranches--some -of them very large--and raised wheat, barley, corn, oats, etc. -in considerable quantities. Colorado had formerly imported all -her grain and flour from the Missouri, at an enormous cost; but -latterly she had drawn large supplies from these fertile valleys, -and in '66 considered herself about self-sustaining. Not more than -one-tenth, or less, of her arable land here, however, seemed to be -under cultivation, and agriculture even then was of the rudest and -simplest. The ranchmen were mainly Americans or Germans, but the -labor was all performed by Mexican peons, subjected for generations -to but one remove from slavery. It was the threshing season, and in -many places we saw them treading out their wheat and barley by mules, -with a Greaser on the back of each, lazily whiffing his cigarrito, -while his donkey dozed around. Elsewhere, their threshing done, we -saw them winnowing their grain by hand, as the breeze chanced along. -We did not see or hear of a threshing-machine or a fanning-mill in -the whole region there, and doubt if there was one. The Mexicans do -not comprehend these nineteenth century new-fangled notions, and -will have none of them. They prefer by far their old-time _dolce -far niente_. _Festina lente_ is their national maxim, and your -thorough-bred peon would choose a broncho rather than a locomotive -any day. And naturally enough, the American settlers here, we found, -were mostly from the south, and during the war had been none too -ardent for the Union. - -Most of the farms here were large in size, and in crossing the -Greenhorn we passed through a noble ranch, twelve miles wide by -eighteen long, owned by a Mr. Zan Hincklin. In '65 he sold his crop -of grain for eighty thousand dollars, and in '66 expected to do -even better. He had on hand a thousand horses, three thousand head -of cattle, and six thousand sheep, all of which he grazed the year -round. He lived very plainly, in a rude adobe hut, that we should -think hardly fit for a canal-laborer east; but was as hospitable and -generous as a prince. We had scarcely gone into camp, on the banks -of the rippling Greenhorn, before he sent us over butter, eggs, and -vegetables, and bade us welcome to his heart and home. He acquired -his great estate by marrying one of the half-breed daughters of -the celebrated John Brent, who used to hunt and trap all through -this region, and who lived so long among the Indians that he became -himself half Red-Skin. He died possessed of vast tracts of land here, -acquired chiefly through trading with the Indians, but his children -it appeared, as a rule, had turned out poorly. One of his sons had -returned to Indian life, joining a wandering tribe, and others still -hung about the settlements, of small account to anybody. - -From the Arkansas, the country gradually but constantly ascends, until -you strike the mountains again at the foot of Sangre del Christo -Pass. Here you follow up a dashing rivulet, that courses away to the -Huerfano, and advantage is taken of a depression in the main ridge to -cross into San Luis Park. We camped the night before in a sheltered -nook among the foot-hills, surrounded on three sides by gnarled piñon -trees, while the fourth opened on a little plateau sloping down to -a noisy brook, that afforded water and grass in abundance. The next -morning we breakfasted early, and were off up the Pass soon after -sunrise. The morning air was nipping, and as we advanced we found the -mists rolling down the mountains, and so off over the Plains eastward. -The teams being a little slow that morning in packing up and getting -off, some of us concluded to walk on; but we had not proceeded far, -before some one suggested this might be dangerous, as Indians were -reported about, and our arms were all behind in the ambulances. -Halting, therefore, for the rest to come up, two of us then secured -our Spencers and six-shooters, and mounting one a horse and the other -a mule pushed on ahead again. The ascent, though gentle, we found -nevertheless very constant, and gradually the ambulances dropped much -behind. The road led over a shelving plateau, and up a pretty sharp -hill, and then plunged by a rapid descent into a little valley again. -Here we met several men, with a drove of indifferent cattle and sheep, -_en route_ from Culebra to Denver and a market. Climbing out of this -valley, we struck a sharp ascent, that led southward along and up -the ridge, and then turning west by south struck straight across the -summit. As we raised the summit, a keen, fierce wind met us from the -west, and soon set our teeth to chattering in unison with it. On the -tip-top we found a contractor's train, _en route_ to Fort Garland -with supplies, doubling up ox-teams and doing its "level best" to -forge slowly ahead. The summit or ridge, the tip-top of the Rocky -Mountains--the very backbone of America here--we found only a few -hundred yards across; and then we came out on the western slope, with -all the glories of the San Luis Park nestling at our feet, or uprising -gorgeously before us. Below, the Park lay wrapped in a dreamy haze, -with the Sangre del Christo creek flashing onward through it; above, -peak on peak--huge, snow-white, and sublime--rimmed it round, as with -a crown. Over all, hung one of those blue and faultless skies, for -which the Rocky Mountains are so world-famous, with the sun sweeping -majestically through it, while God himself seemed ready to speak on -every side. This was to the west. Turning to the east, the view there -seemed, if possible, even more grand and sublime. Peak and ridge, -plateau and foot-hill, stretched away beneath us; in the distance the -brace of Spanish Peaks, two bold "buttes" passed the day before, shot -up abruptly six thousand feet into the sky, from the dead level of -the Plains around them; while beyond and around to the dim horizon, -east, north, and south, for hundreds of miles, outstretched the -illimitable Plains. The elevation of the Pass is given, as about ten -thousand feet above the sea. At our feet, the fog was breaking up and -rolling off eastward in sullen masses, which the morning sun gilded -with glory, or here and there pierced through and through down to the -earth beneath. Soon it passed away into airy clouds, careering along -the sky, and presently vanished altogether. And then the Plains! The -Plains! How their immense outstretch absorbed and overwhelmed the eye! -It was not the ocean, but something much grander and vaster, than even -the ocean seems. If you could view the sea from the same altitude, -doubtless the impression would be much the same. But what is the -loftiest mast-head, compared with the summit of Sangre del Christo? -The grandeur and sublimity of the scene awed one into silence, as if -in the presence of Deity himself, and the great and holy thoughts -of that hour well repaid us for all our toil and fatigue. Say what -we may, there is something gracious and ennobling in such mountain -scenery, which men can illy dispense with. How it deepens and widens -one's feelings! How it broadens and uplifts one's thoughts! How it -strengthens--emboldens--one's manhood! What Switzerland is to Europe, -and New England to the Atlantic States, this and more, the whole Rocky -Mountain region will yet become to America. - -Descending the mountains westward, a ride of a mile or two brought us -to a spring, where a Mexican was taking his noon-day meal of tortillas, -while his inevitable mule was cropping the grass near by. H. dismounted -and scooped up a drink with his hands, Indian fashion, but I was not -yet thirsty enough for that. A mile or two farther, still descending, -brought us to the head of Sangre del Christo creek, a dashing rivulet -fed by snow streams, that runs thence to the Rio Grande. A winding -defile or cañon, of steady though not very rapid descent, affords a -bed-way down the Pass and out into the San Luis Park, and down this -the wild little creek shoots very serpentinely. It crosses the road no -less than twenty-six times in ten miles, and constantly reminds you of -the famous Yankee fence, which was made up of such crooked rails, that -when the pigs crept through it they never exactly knew whether they -were inside or out! We jogged leisurely down the creek, until we judged -we were some six or seven miles from the summit, and perhaps half way -down the mountain, when we halted for the teams to come up. The wind -blew sharply up the Pass still, though it was now much after noon, and -we found the shelter of a neighboring ravine very welcome. Here we -unsaddled our animals, and turned them loose to graze. They fed up and -down the ravine, cropping the rich herbage there, but would never stray -over a hundred yards or so away, when they would turn and graze back -to us again. On such mountain trips saddle-animals become attached to -their riders, and will seldom leave of their own accord. So, also, they -are unerring sentinels, and always announce the approach of Indians -or others with a neigh or bray. Building a royal fire with the dry -fir-trees there, we next spread our saddle-blankets on the ground, and -then with our saddles under our heads, and our feet Indian-fashion -to the fire, smoked and talked until the rest arrived. About two P. -M. I noticed Kate (my mule) stop grazing and snuff the air, very -inquiringly; presently, with a whisk of her tail and a salutatory bray, -she darted down the ravine, as if thoroughly satisfied; and in a minute -or two along came the ambulances, with our friends chilled through, -despite their robes and blankets. All tumbled out to stretch their -benumbed limbs, and we ate lunch around our impromptu fire grouped -very picturesquely. - -Meanwhile about everybody nearly had got "trout on the brain." We -had caught frequent glimpses of the speckled beauties, as we crossed -Sangre del Christo creek or rode along its banks, and concluded to -go into camp early, so as to try our luck with a fly or two. A good -camping place was found a mile or two farther on, near the foot of -the Pass, and here while supper was preparing, several of us rigged -up our lines and started off. H. and I were most unfortunate; we -whipped the stream up and down quite a distance, but came back -fishless. H. caught a bite, and I several nibbles, but neither of -us landed a trout. We could see plenty of them, young dandies, -darting about in the black pools, or, old fogies, floating along by -the banks; but they were Arcadian in their tastes, and disdained -the fancy flies we threw them. Dr. M. and L., however, had better -luck. The spirit of good Isaak Walton seemed to rest upon and abide -with them. They caught a dozen or more, of handsome mountain trout, -weighing from two to three pounds each, and the next morning when -brought on our rude table for breakfast, hot and smoking from the -fire, nothing could have been more savory and delicious. Gen. B. and -L. turned cooks for the occasion, and judged by the result Delmonico -might have envied them. Their broiled trout, fresh from the brook and -now piping hot, buttered and steaming, assailed both eye and palate -at once, and we awarded them the palm, _nem. con._ - -The weather that day, from noon on, had grown steadily colder, though -the sun shone unclouded most of the time, and before we got our camp -well pitched a snow-squall struck us. The flakes came thick and fast -for awhile, but presently passed away, though more or less continued -sifting downward until nightfall. Farther up the Pass, around the -crest of the mountains, snow-squalls marched and countermarched most -of the afternoon, and at sunset the air grew nippingly cold, even -down where we were. We soon pitched our tent, and built a glorious -fire in front of it; but that not sufficing, supper once over, we -carried our sheet-iron cooking-stove inside, and all huddled about -that. When bed-time came, blankets, buffalo-robes and great-coats -were all in demand; yet in spite of all, we passed a sorry night of -it, and morning dawned at last greatly to our relief. - -We reached Fort Garland next day (Sept. 20) about one, P. M., without -meeting a single Indian, either hostile or friendly. Denver, as -before said, had warned us to be on our guard, and we tried to be; -but all reported dangers vanished as we advanced--Munchausen after -Munchausen exploding in turn. From the Huerfano across the mountains -to Garland, some fifty miles or more, there was but a single ranch, -and scarcely anybody on the road. A Mexican on foot and another -on a donkey were emigrating to the Huerfano, and at one point we -encountered a whole family similarly engaged. Paterfamilias, whiffing -his cigarito, led a diminutive broncho (Mexican for jackass) about -the size of a spring calf, on which sat his household gods, to wit, -his Señora also smoking, with a child before and another behind -her--all of them astride. Another broncho of about the same size -followed on behind, loaded down with clothing, bedding, and various -domestic utensils until there was but little to be seen of him except -his legs. What the locomotive is to the Yankee, and the horse to the -borderer, that the broncho is to the Mexican, and the two seem alike -fitted for each other and inseparable. His patient little beast -costs but little, and when stopping browses by the wayside the best -it may, while Don Quixote himself sits basking in the sunshine. -The serene and infinite content of a Mexican peon, as he sits thus -wrapped in his poncho or serape, sucking his everlasting cigarrito, -no American can imagine. His dignity is as perfect as that of a -Castilian; but the stolidity of his brain, who shall describe? - -Some fifteen miles or so from Fort Garland, in the heart of the San -Luis Park, lies San Luis de Culebra, a hamlet of five or six hundred -people, and I believe, the most considerable "city," there. You -strike the Park proper some distance east of Fort Garland, and from -there to Culebra the country is substantially a dead-level. Culebra -was then a genuine Mexican town without an atom of the Yankee in or -about it, and seemed a thousand years old, it was so sleepy, though -comparatively a new settlement. Its houses were all one-story adobes, -with chimneys in the corner, in the true Mexican style, and were all -grouped about a central "plaza," of course, or the town would not -be Mexican. All Southern Colorado, it will be remembered, formerly -belonged to New Mexico, and hence these Mexican settlements here and -beyond. The people raised wheat, barley, and oats to some extent; but -depended on their flocks and herds chiefly for support. We entered -Culebra at dark, amidst a multitudinous chorus of dogs, and halted -at the house of Capt. D. a bright German, formerly an officer of New -Mexican Volunteers, but who had recently married a Culebra señorita -and settled there. He gave us an excellent supper, after which we all -adjourned to a "baille," or Mexican Ball, gotten up especially in -honor of Gen. Sherman and Gov. Cumming, but which Sherman was unable -to attend. Several of his staff-officers, however, and the governor -were present, and these with the rest of us made up quite a party. -These _bailles_ are great institutions among the New Mexicans, who -retain all the old Spanish fondness for music and dancing, and are -ready for a "baille," any time. The Culebrans had already had two or -three that week, but got up the Sherman-Cumming one on short notice -and in grand style. The only thing necessary was to engage a room and -music, and send a runner through the village, to announce a baille -was on the tapis, and the whole population--men, women, children, -dogs, and fleas--were sure to be there. At the primitive hour of -eight P. M. the people began to assemble, and by nine P. M. the -baille was in full blast. The ball-room itself was an adobe building, -one-story high, perhaps fifty feet long by thirty wide, with a dirt -floor, and seats all around. At the farther end was a rude bar, with -a transparency over it, bearing the motto, "Limonade and Egg-nog," at -which each cavalier was expected to treat his lady from time to time. -Near this was a rough platform for the musicians, who consisted of -three or four violinists, led by an irrepressible guitarist--blind -and quite a character in his way. As the evening progressed, he -worked himself up into an ecstacy of enthusiasm, and then, with his -eyes "in fine phrensy rolling," improvised words to every piece -they played. He appeared perfectly absorbed and carried away with -playing and singing, and when a dance ended seemed quite exhausted. -No bone-ist, or tambourine-ist, in a troupe of minstrels east, -ever performed with more thorough and reckless abandon. His head -was thrown back; his eye-balls rolled wildly: his coarse, matted, -coal-black hair swept his shoulders: his long and bony fingers fairly -flew up and down his quivering guitar: while his shrill, piping, -tenor voice rose and fell above the music, in thorough unison with -the general scene. Later in the evening, after frequent potations of -egg-nog, Don Jesus, (for that was his name) became immensely funny, -and his gyrations amused us greatly. - -With the first sound of the violins, the couples took the floor, -and kept it up vigorously to the "wee sma' hours." The older people -participated less, but young and old were all there, apparently the -whole population, in their best "bib and tucker." Women came carrying -their infants, and others held the babies while their mothers danced. -The younger people, down to mere boys and girls, of course, all -danced. First came some slow, stately Spanish dances; but presently -they slid into schottisches and polkas, and performed these with a -vigor worthy of New York or Paris. Many present were dressed humbly, -and but few comparatively were well dressed; but ornaments abounded, -and the baille or fandango seemed to put all on an equality. Most -of our party selected partners, and soon were lost in the maze and -whirl. True, they could not speak a word of Spanish, nor their -señoritas any English; but that did not matter, as the Mexicans -regard it as a mark of ill-breeding to converse while dancing. Their -manner of saluting each other, when first they met, was unique and -original, to wit: the sexes poked their heads over each other's -shoulders, and took a good old fashioned hug. Throughout the evening, -of course, there was a total absence of indecorum. As a whole, they -seemed to be honest, simple folk, who took life as it came, without -fret or worriment, and enjoyed themselves greatly. There was less -beauty among the women, but more intelligence among the men, than we -expected; their hospitality was hearty and generous--they did their -best to give us a pleasant evening; and altogether the baille at -Culebra was an event long to be remembered. I left Gov. C. at 11 -P. M., looking on and enjoying it, and went to sleep on a good wool -bed--the only kind used there--in a comfortable room, for the first -time since leaving Denver. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[6] I believe these are now called Colorado Springs, and much -resorted to, and Manitou is somewhere about the Garden of the Gods. - -[7] The Denver and Santa Fe narrow-gauge railroad, now in operation, -following the mountains down, has doubtless done much to revive and -stimulate this whole region again. But it halts, I believe at Pueblo -for the present. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - AMONG THE MOUNTAINS (_Continued_). - - -Returning next day from Culebra to Fort Garland, we proceeded thence -subsequently up the Park to the Indian treaty on the Rio Grande; and -from there _via_ Homan's Park and Poncho Pass north to Fair Play in -South Park. These "parks," so called, are a peculiar feature of the -Rocky Mountains and play an important part in the scenery. There are -five of them--North, Middle, South, Homan's, and San Luis--of which -we passed through the last three. They constitute in reality a great -system of plateaus or valleys, morticed as it were into the very -heart of the mountains, from twenty-five to fifty miles long by half -as many wide, disconnected by intervening ranges, yet all alike in -their general features. One of the main ranges of the Rocky Mountains -bounds them on the east; but _the_ main range, the real Sierra -Nevada or Mother Range--the great Snowy Range or real water-shed of -the continent, dividing the waters of the Pacific from those of the -Atlantic--runs along the west. True, this is disputed by enthusiastic -Coloradoans; but the facts seem nevertheless, as above. The North -Platte, South Platte, Arkansas, and Rio Grande, all take their rise -there, and piercing the eastern range flow thence to the Atlantic or -the Gulf, while no considerable stream flows thence to the Pacific. -Kit Carson, whom we met at Fort Garland, the best geographer of that -region, took this view of the subject, and I humbly concur. - -The largest of these Parks, by far, is the San Luis, and we found -it fairly gridironed with trout streams, and rimmed around with -mountains. Its general elevation is from six to seven thousand -feet above the sea, with its surrounding peaks and ridges about -as much more, which is too cold for Indian corn, though the other -cereals--such as wheat, barley, oats, etc.--may readily be grown -there. Volcanic agencies have had much to do with its formation, as -its wide-spread igneous rocks and pebbles still plainly show. Along -the Rio Grande and its numerous affluents wide bottoms have been -formed, that are very rich--the very washings of the mountains; but -elsewhere you have only rocks and gravel, sage-brush and grease-wood. -It contains no timber, except a fringe of cottonwoods and poplars -along most of the larger streams; but cedar, pine, and fir are found -in the neighboring cañons and mountains. Cattle and other live-stock -find good grazing in summer along the streams, and in winter they -were said to thrive well on the coarse bunch-grass, with which the -surrounding cañons all abound. The broad bottoms of the Rio Grande, -waving with tall grass and fatter than the prairies of Illinois, -ought to make magnificent meadows, and will some day when more of -our Anglo-Saxon population overflows there. The population of the -Park was grouped mainly in two or three Mexican hamlets, and was -computed by Kit Carson (then Colonel of New Mexico Volunteers and -Post Commandant at Fort Garland) at about five or six thousand only. -A noted citizen of Denver, who owned a large part of the Park, had -reported it to us as about twenty thousand. Not that he intended to -be inexact; but his imagination was naturally very vivid, and his -language apt to be poetic. In purchasing property there, under an -old Spanish grant, he certainly acquired any quantity of magnificent -mountain, and a wide stretch of plain; but we suspected, he would -wait some time before he saw his money back again. - -Our general ride up the San Luis Park, and so through Homan's to -Poncho Pass, was unique and perfect in its way. Our route on leaving -Fort Garland was first across several mountain brooks, where the -trout were so abundant, that the soldiers at the fort caught them -with blankets and feasted on them at will, and then directly up the -Park, with the Sierra Blanca or Snowy Range towering on our right. -Striking the Rio Grande, we found it alive with geese and ducks, and -when we went into camp, L.--our champion sportsman--caught several -noble trout, weighing from five to six pounds each. Singularly -enough, the streams flowing to the Rio Grande all abound in trout, -while those going to the Mississippi, we were told, all lack them. -We halted two days here, attending the Indian Treaty before alluded -to, and then proceeded on. At Fort Garland, we were advised to -return to Denver by the same route we had come, as the season was -already advancing and nobody had come through by Poncho Pass since -the previous spring. Moreover, the trail was reported impracticable -for ambulances, and even Kit Carson shook his head, unless we went -by pack-mules. But as the pack-mules were not to be had, and we were -all averse to returning over the old route, we resolved to push -ahead by Poncho Pass, and get through the mountains that way, if -possible. From the Treaty-Ground, our route lay nearly due north, -with the snowy crest and peaks of the Sierra Blanca on our right -and about parallel. Bidding our friends good-bye, we set out early -(Sept. 24), with the wind dead-ahead and bitter cold. Toward noon, -the weather moderated somewhat; but snow-squalls chased each other -along the mountains all day, and once we counted nine in view--one -careering along behind the other--at the same time. Now and then one -would expand its wings, and sweep across the Park; and several times -in the course of the day we were thus in the midst of real winter. -The range to the west was more or less broken into foot-hills and -ridges; but the Sierra Blanca to the right seemed a solid rampart, -rugged, inaccessible, sublime. Its serrated crest, white with -perpetual snow, rose five or six thousand feet above the level of -the Park; its tree-line was distinctly marked, as with a rule; and -the whole seemed so near and so gorgeous, when the sunset swallowed -up the snow-squalls, that we could scarcely realize it was yet miles -away. As we got farther up the Park, the soil grew thinner, and more -volcanic in its origin; but we crossed several handsome streams, that -might be made to irrigate considerable land there. - -We found only one ranch, however, north of Fort Garland--a Mr. -Russell's, at the extreme north-eastern end of the Park. We camped -there one night, and found the proprietor to be a good specimen of -the average Coloradoan. Born in Illinois and bred a blacksmith, the -gold-fever had taken him to California, where he worked partly in the -mines and partly at his trade. When he failed in the mines, as he -usually did, he again resorted to his trade; and had he stuck to his -anvil, he verily believed, he would have been well-off long before. -But as soon as he had hammered out a little money, his evil genius led -him back to the "diggings;" and so he had wandered all up and down our -mining regions--California, Nevada, Colorado, etc.,--until 1861, when -he found himself in Denver, without a cent in his pockets. Mining -happened to be dull there, a regiment of volunteers was then forming -for service against the Indians, and so he turned soldier. Before his -three years were up, he had saved a moderate "pile," and when he was -finally mustered out and discharged, he came here and "squatted" on -a quarter-section. The money saved while thus soldiering started him -in farming, and he now thought his future secure. This was his first -year there, but he had got along very well so far. The Indians had -not disturbed him, though frequently there, and his Mexican peons -had proved faithful laborers, though a little slow. He had raised -fine crops of oats, barley, and potatoes, which he would sell to the -garrison at Garland at good prices; but his wheat was a failure--he -feared, for want of sufficient warmth. He had a good adobe house, which -he meant to enlarge and improve, and a fine flock of sheep, besides -considerable cattle. The worst feature of his ranch was, that he had -to irrigate; but he said he had plenty of water for this, and the cost -was small. His nearest neighbor was eighteen miles off, and that was -too near; his post-office, sixty miles; and church, two hundred. It is -strange, that men can be content to bury themselves thus, in the heart -of a wilderness, when God and nature are so bountiful elsewhere. It is -the everlasting itching, I suppose, that we Americans have for change, -which comes to little good after all. No doubt plenty of Coloradoans -would emigrate to the moon, or even to Le Verrier, if there were a -practicable "trail" there. - -The next day crossing a low ridge, through a forest of gnarled cedars, -we entered Homan's Park, and found it to be nearly a duplicate of the -San Luis, on a smaller scale. It is about thirty miles long, by perhaps -half as many wide, and its essential features are about the same as -those of the San Luis, though its soil seemed deeper and more generous. -About half way up, a lusty mountain-stream crosses from west to east, -lined with cottonwoods, and here four Germans had each "pre-empted" -a quarter-section, all lying together. They had all been officers of -Colorado Volunteers, and when mustered out came and "squatted" here -together, in this picturesque little valley. The last year of their -service, being stationed at Fort Garland, they had been up that way on -a scout after Indians; and, falling in love with the Park, selected -it for their future homes. One of them was married, and his wife--a -tidy young German woman--kept house for all. They began operations the -previous year, and already had accomplished large results. They put in -seven thousand dollars as joint-capital, and with this purchased all -the necessary animals, implements, provisions, seeds etc., to start -well with. Among the rest, they bought a hundred and forty cows, which -the following spring brought them in nearly as many calves, all of -which they were now raising. Pasturage was abundant in summer, and -in the winter the adjoining cañons supplied bunch-grass, etc. They -milked all their cows, and converted the milk into butter and cheese, -which two items alone had paid their current expenses so far, with a -small margin over. A sluice-way from the brook carried the water into -their milk-house, where instead of tin or earthen pans, they had long -milk-troughs hollowed out of logs, around which the water flowed, and -then passed back into the stream again. A bowl of buttermilk, that -they tendered us, fresh from the churn, was an unlooked-for luxury in -the heart of the Rocky Mountains, that none of us could refuse. The -ensuing winter they proposed to build a water-churn, and so make their -friendly brook serve them still further. They had had tolerable crops -of barley, oats, and potatoes, all of which that could be spared they -were husbanding for seed the coming year. They had tried some corn and -wheat, but neither had matured well, and they would hardly venture them -again. Their butter and cheese they sold to the miners over in South -Park, and some they sent even to Denver and a market. They called their -place _Kerber's_ Ranch, after their leading partner, who seemed to be -a live Dutchman all over. Of course, we had to stop to dinner, though -it was not yet noon; and when that meal was announced, they conducted -us to a table Denver might have envied. Trout, venison, grouse, krout, -with all the vegetables of the season, and lager-beer home-brewed, made -up a meal not to be despised anywhere, least of all in the fastnesses -of the Rocky Mountains. They had seen no officers and hardly any body -else, for months, and would take no pay for anything; but gratefully -accepted an armful of "literature," as we bade them good-bye--the last -of our newspapers, magazines, and books still left from our supply on -leaving Denver. Their nearest neighbor was eighteen miles off, and -nearest post-office seventy-five. To Denver was a hundred and fifty -miles, and it took a team a month or more to go there and return -_via_ Poncho Pass. They pronounced the Pass, in response to our eager -inquiries, entirely practicable, with careful driving, if we crossed by -daylight; and with their kindest wishes, we went on our way rejoicing. - -Some miles after leaving Kerber's, we began to ascend the mountain, -but the ascent was so gradual you scarcely noticed it. There was no -well-defined road any where--only an old Indian trail for saddle and -pack animals, along which only a few wagons had ever passed before. -We continued to ascend until dusk, hoping to reach and cross the -summit before going into camp; but after sunset, the trail became -so faint and our animals so leg-weary, we were compelled to halt -at the first wood and water we came to. This we did on the bank of -a beautiful stream, that washed the base of a high bluff or rather -"butte," and rushed thence _via_ Homan's Park to the Rio Grande. -Several of us had rode on ahead on horseback, but the teams did not -get up until after dark. Meanwhile, we had gathered wood, and built -a roaring fire; and when the rest arrived, we soon had camp pitched, -and the coffee boiling. We had shot some ducks on the Rio Grande, -and brought along some excellent beef-steaks; and these H. and L. -now broiled before the fire, on sharpened sticks, in a style the -Parker House could hardly have beaten. We found excellent grass here, -although so far up the Pass, and our poor tired animals cropped it -eagerly. The moon was at the full that night, and the sky cloudless; -but before morning the air grew bitter cold. We shivered through -the night, in spite of our blankets and buffalo-robes; and the next -morning at breakfast, the ice formed in our tin-cups between the -intervals of eating and drinking. We were camped, in fact, on the -summit of the Rocky Mountains, at a height of nine or ten thousand -feet above the sea, with snow-peaks all about us, and the only wonder -is that we got through the night so well. For the first time since -leaving Denver, we felt a sense of loneliness and danger; and the -occasional yelping of the wolves around us, in the still midnight -air, did little to allay this. Our animals, also, seemed fretful and -uneasy, and we suspected Indians about, but nothing came of it. We -looked well to our arms before retiring, and talked much of the night -away--it was so cold; and the next morning broke camp early, and were -off up the Pass again. - -A half an hour's ride or so brought us to the summit, which -surprised us, as the ascent had been so gentle all the way up from -Kerber's--far less than that of Sangre del Christo from Fort Garland. -The view from the summit we found limited, compared with that from -Sangre del Christo; and soon after we descended into a sheltered nook -knee deep in grass, with wood and water both just at hand, where -we had been advised to camp the night before, if able to reach it. -Following the banks of a diminutive brook, we descended gradually to -Poncho Creek; and here our really bad road began. So far, the Pass -had been excellent, all things considered, and we were astonished -at its bad reputation; but after we crossed Poncho Creek, and got -started down its wild cañon, we soon found ample cause for it all. -A narrow defile, with precipitous banks on either side from five -hundred to a thousand feet high, furnished the only road-way, which -here found room first on one side of the creek and then on the other, -the best it could, and in many places it had to take to the bed of -the creek itself, in order to round the rocky bluffs. The trouble -with the Pass was, it had had no work done on it, and needed grading -badly at several points. A few hundred dollars judiciously expended -would have made it much superior to Sangre del Christo, we all -thought. It is not so high by a thousand feet or more, nor nearly so -steep, and we judged it would yet become one of the favorite routes -to and from San Luis Park. - -While the teams were working through, L. and I passed on ahead, with -our rifles at our saddle-bows, hoping to start a bear or shoot a -buck-tail deer, but saw no game of any kind. Our experience among -the mountains on this trip, indeed, was unfavorable to the stirring -accounts we had heard and read of great game there. The lack of trees -there, except in the cañons, and especially of nut-bearing trees, -and likewise of fruit-bearing bushes, must be unfavorable to animal -life, as a rule, and I doubt if there ever was much there, except an -occasional deer or bear, eagle or buzzard. We were surprised to find -so few birds, and scarcely any squirrels, except a little red species -no bigger than our ground-squirrels east. We met two of Kerber's teams -toiling wearily up the Pass, as we descended it, and gave them the -first news they had had from the ranch in weeks. We got several miles -ahead, before we knew it, and did not halt until we reached the foot of -the Pass, where it debouches into the valley of the Little Arkansas. -It was an hour or more before the ambulances overtook us, and then we -received a rough account of their experiences. In several places, they -had had to lash ropes around them and edge them along the hillsides -the best they could. In others, they would have upset repeatedly, -but managed by walking and pushing to keep them on their wheels, and -finally got through safe and sound. The wagon, however, being heavier -and clumsier, had capsized badly, and they had driven ahead and left -it, with instructions to follow on as soon as possible. Crossing the -valley of the little Arkansas and a high range beyond, late in the -afternoon we descended into the valley of the Arkansas proper, and -at sunset went into camp on its banks, near Schwander's ranch. The -Arkansas, we found, was here already a very considerable stream, but we -forded it without difficulty. Our unfortunate wagon, perhaps it should -be added, got along after dark, much the worse for wear; and jaded and -weary with the day's journey, we were glad to pass a quiet night of it. - -The next morning we crossed another lofty range, the ascent of which -was wild and picturesque, and thence descended into South Park. Less -in size than the San Luis, and more broken in surface, the South -Park nevertheless has the same general characteristics, though more -nearly circular. Its enclosing mountains are abrupt and bold, and the -views from many points are very striking and charming. Passing out -of it to Denver, we ascended the range from which Leutze is said to -have conceived his well-known painting in the Capitol at Washington, -"Westward the star of Empire takes its way." The facts are little -like the painting aforesaid, because no emigrant train would ever -attempt to pass over such an impossible road, as Leutze has painted: -but the landscape from the point referred to is nevertheless noble -and grand. The range there, I believe, is about eight thousand feet -above the sea. South Park, at your feet, extends say, thirty miles -north and south, by twenty east and west; down in its bosom nestles -a necklace of exquisite little lakes, with streams flashing onward -from the mountains to them; while beyond--all along the west, in -fact--runs the perpetual Snowy Range, notched and peaked, clear cut -and beautiful against the sky, though not so grand and stately as we -had seen it farther south. To the north of the road the range shoots -up nearly a thousand feet higher, but the view from there did not -compensate us for our toil in ascending it. The whole view here, -though fine in its way, lacks breadth and sublimity, as a specimen -of Rocky Mountain scenery, and Leutze would have done better (in -my judgment) had he gone to Sangre del Christo or perhaps Poncho -Pass. The sky and general coloring of his painting are good; but how -inadequately, how feebly they express the exquisite serenity and -unapproachable glory of the Mountains! Bierstadt's skies, though -thought impossible east, are nearer to the truth, as our critics -will yet learn, when they come to know more of Colorado. - -[Illustration: TWIN LAKES (South Park).] - -In South Park, we had struck a new civilization, the evidences of -which grew constantly more apparent. The Mexican and the herder had -given way to the Yankee and the miner, and the contrast was most -striking. Ranches and settlements were more numerous, and the spirit -of enterprise was everywhere observable. First we struck some saline -springs, where extensive salt-works had already been erected, and they -were reported to be paying well. They were said to furnish a superior -article of salt, at a less price than it could be imported from the -east, and the company expected thus to monopolize the salt-market of -Colorado and the adjoining regions. Beyond these, ranches thickened up -all the way to Fair Play, and we found some splendid duck-shooting in -the marshes, that now and then skirted the road. Some of the flocks, -however, carried off an immense amount of lead, or else H. and L. were -indifferent shots--we were never quite able to decide which. They -were our champion sportsmen, and though they bagged a number of fine -ducks _en route_, they never were entirely satisfied. They both fired -simultaneously at a great flock that rose up as we drove by, and when -none dropped H. protested, "I know I hit a dozen that time, but these -confounded Rocky Mountain ducks don't know what shot is. They fly -away with enough honest lead in them to kill an ordinary eastern duck -twice over." L. of course, confirmed this, and adduced the abundant -feathers as proof of their joint achievement. B. suggested that the -Indians had charmed their fowling-pieces, and meekly inquired of H., -"Didn't the ducks carry off your shot-pouch also?" At Fair Play, in -the northwest corner of the Park, we found a mining town of four or -five hundred inhabitants, apparently busy and prosperous. Timber grew -plentifully in the neighboring cañons, and now adobe huts gave place -to frame and log shanties. The South Platte skirts the town, and is -already a considerable stream here, although it cannot be far away from -its source. At Fair Play it heads north up into the great Snowy Range, -or water shed of the continent, which feeds it perpetually, and runs -thence east to join the North Platte near Fort McPherson, where we had -struck it by stage-coach a month before. Good "gold diggings" had been -found here long before, and its entire banks about Fair Play have been -dug over, "panned out," and ransacked generally. They presented a torn -and ragged appearance, as if a young earthquake or two had recently -broken out there, and this was not materially improved by the long and -high flumes then going up. When these were completed, they expected to -turn the Platte considerably aside, and to find rich "placer mines" -in its sand-bars and bed again. The principal mining then in South -Park, however, was farther up the Platte, at Empire, Buckskin Joe, and -other euphoniously named places, none of which had we time to visit. -The business generally seemed to be settling down to quartz-mining, as -at Black-Hawk and Central City, and to be passing more and more into -the hands of Companies. We met several huge boilers on the road, _en -route_ to various mills, and it seemed marvellous how they could ever -wagon them so far across the Plains, and up into the very heart of the -Mountains. Progress with them must have been slow and tedious anywhere; -but when they struck a slough, or reached the mountain ranges, then -came the whacks and oaths. - -Judge Costello, of the Fair Play House, entertained us while there, -and gave us excellent accommodations. There had been several -inches of snow at Fair Play a few days before, and arriving just at -nightfall after a long day's drive, we felt the cold very keenly. But -the Judge soon had a roaring fire blazing on his hearth, and welcomed -us to Fair Play right royally. In due time he gave us a substantial -dinner, piping hot--roast-beef, chicken-fricasee, potatoes with their -jackets on, dried-apple-pie and coffee--a meal that seemed supremely -Sybaritic, after "roughing it" by the roadside for over a fortnight. -We did ample justice to it, having breakfasted nearly twelve hours -before, and then adjourned to a common bed-room, where we smoked -and read the papers until midnight. We had seen none since leaving -Denver, nearly a month before; but Judge C. happened to have just -received a large supply, which we devoured eagerly. The elections in -California and Oregon had just been held, and the North was again -rocking with enthusiasm. Andrew Johnson's apostacy, it was clear, -promised to be a losing game after all. The spirit of a few people -at last was aroused, as after the firing on Sumter, and evidently -the nation meant again neither to be bribed nor scared. True, the -November elections were yet to come; but we took increased faith in -the virtue and intelligence of the masses, and rejoiced that Congress -was still true to Liberty. Absence from "the states" is a great -purifier of one's political ideas. We see things at home clearer, and -reverence the Union more, the farther we get away from New York and -Washington. We forgot all the wretched hair-splitting east, by one -side or the other; and came to love only the old flag, in its highest -and best significance, as the symbol of freedom and justice, for each -and for all men, the broad continent across and the wide world over. - -The next morning, a young miner invited us out to take a look at -a fine specimen of the American black-eagle, which he had caught a -few days before, while "prospecting" along the Snowy Range. He was -comparatively a young bird still, yet measured some six feet from tip -to tip of wings, and was as brave and fierce as a tiger. He was kept -chained by the leg in a dark stable; but he was as wide awake as he -could be, and screamed and flew savagely at every one who came near -him. It was intended to forward him to the great Fair soon to be held -at St. Louis, as a specimen of the feathered tribe from Colorado, -where no doubt he created a sensation. His eyes were bright and keen -as a falchion, and his talons ugly looking grappling-irons. So, too, -his legs were massive, compact columns, that seemed made for strength -and endurance. And altogether he was not a bad representative of the -Rocky Mountains, where his species have their birth-place and home. - -From Fair Play we descended the South Platte direct to Denver, -following the course of the river wherever practicable. In some places, -its narrow and precipitous cañons prevented this, but we always -returned to its banks again as soon as possible. Some miles from Fair -Play, we passed several gems of lakes, which H. declared to be "the -natural home of the wild-duck;" but though the ducks were there, he -failed to bag any, greatly to his disgust. L. more fortunate, got -one, and killed several others, but failed to reach them because of -the marshes. Our road led over several ranges, some of them quite -precipitous, but in the main followed the windings of the Platte, as -before said. Here and there the wild cañons, through which the Platte -sped like an arrow, became picturesque in the extreme. Frequently our -course ahead seemed barred by impenetrable fastnesses, yet somehow -we always got through. High and rocky cliffs towered all about us, -and all up and down these, wherever they could secure a foothold, the -fir, pine, maple, ash, etc. grew densely. As we neared Denver, ranches -became more frequent, and saw-mills multiplied, the lumber from which -was shipped far and near, among the mines and across the Plains, even -to Julesburg and Fort Riley. The road in the main was a natural way; -but here and there it had been blasted out of the bluff, or built up on -the edge of the Platte, at large expense, and I believe is a chartered -turnpike from Fair Play down. The Platte alone makes such a road -practicable, and South Park and all its dependencies would be virtually -inaccessible, were it not for this great natural highway into the very -heart of the Mountains. Altogether, it is a remarkably good road, all -things considered, and so are the majority of the roads there. As a -rule, they follow the streams that seem to lead almost everywhere among -the ranges, as if purposely chiseled out from the beginning, as future -pathways of civilization. Our miners, taking the hint, carry their -roads over heights, and through depths, and among peaks, that would -appal most eastern engineers, and thus enable us to conquer nature in -her mightiest strongholds. - -The last day out from Denver, we ascended Bradford's Hill--our last -serious climb--about noon. This is in reality the first range of the -mountains, and gets itself up to some 8,000 feet above the sea; but is -yet termed a "Hill," in Colorado parlance. We all got out or dismounted -and walked up, to relieve our worn animals, and became well blown -ourselves before reaching the summit--the atmosphere grew so rare. -As we rounded its western shoulder, we caught a grand view of the -Snowy Range again, solemn and sublime over and above all intervening -peaks and ridges; but with one accord, all hastened forward to behold -once more the Plains, the Plains! Yes, there they were, in all their -immeasurable extent! We were out of the Mountains--our long jaunt -almost over. No more cañons. No more forests. No more snow-squalls. No -more rides, hour by hour, through narrow valleys and defiles, where -the whole man feels "cabined, cribbed, confined." No. There were the -Plains, illimitable, grand, in all their immensity and sublimity. We -thought the view from Sangre del Christo fine, and so it is; but as a -view of the Plains proper, without the Mountains thrown in, this view -from Bradford's Hill, I think, perhaps surpasses it. There is no end -to the vast outstretch and outlook, and in the serene atmosphere of -that region the eye ranges over it all with an ease and freedom, only -equalled by the eagle himself when poised in mid air. To say that the -Plains are visible for miles on miles--north, south, east--is but a -feeble description of the wonderful panorama, that there unfolds before -you. To the south appeared Castle Rock and its sister buttes, that we -had passed three weeks before, looking now like mole-hills beneath us. -Issuing from the Mountains at our feet, we could trace the South Platte -and Cherry Creek to where they unite near Denver, and then follow the -Platte on and on to the east, till lost in the far horizon. Denver lay -like a toy-city, seemingly at the base of the Mountains, though really -twenty miles away. Over all, was one of those perfect days, - - "So cool, so calm, so bright, - The bridal of the earth and sky." - -as old George Herbert wrote, which no Bostonian or Gothamite ever -truly witnesses--with not a cloud or haze even visible, the air so -pure it was joy to breathe it and ecstacy to gaze abroad through it. -Verily, here in Colorado, if anywhere. - - "The sky _is_ a drinking cup, - That was overturned of old, - And it pours into the eyes of men - Its wine of airy gold; - We drink that wine all day - Till the last drop is drained up, - And are lighted off to bed, - By the jewels in the cup." - -Off to the southwest, just shouldering over the range, presently -a white cloud loomed up, no bigger than a man's hand; but the dry -atmosphere east was too much for it, and it faded away as fast as it -toppled over. As we stood gazing at the immensity before us, some one -incidentally said, "I think I now understand how Bilboa felt, when -from the summit of the Andes he beheld the Pacific;" and it is a good -illustration of the identity of thought under like circumstances, -that half-a-dozen others quickly responded, "You bet! Just thinking -of the same thing!" - -We reached Denver the same evening, jaded and travel-stained, -but full of enthusiasm over our trip among the mountains. We had -traversed nine counties, some as large as a moderate state east, and -been absent nearly a month in all. We had been reported captured and -slain by the Indians, as much as two or three times, but from first -to last did not see a hostile aborigine. We drove the same animals -down and back, over five hundred miles continuously, without the -loss of a mule, and seldom made less than thirty or forty miles a -day, when on the road. Our ambulances proved very convenient and -serviceable, but in crossing the ranges or in bad cañons I always -preferred a mule. My favorite was Kate, a noble jenny, as large as -a horse and a splendid walker, that carried me over many a mile -delightfully. She was as gentle as a kitten, and as faithful as a -dog--it sometimes seemed almost as knowing as a man--obeying every -whim of her rider, and following him everywhere. If any mule ever -attains immortality and a sort of heaven hereafter, surely Kate -deserves to. In crossing the ranges or threading the cañons thus, -on horse or mule back, several of us would often get miles ahead, -and the time thus gained afforded ample leisure for observation and -reflection. We were seldom at a loss for conversation, there was so -much to investigate and discuss; but when all else failed, we amused -ourselves by organizing (on paper) two monster Mining Companies, with -fabulous capitals, in which we divided off and took stock. I believe -I belonged to the Grand Sangre del Christo Rocky Mountain Mutual -Benefit Gold and Silver Mining Association; capital, $20,000,000! -H. and C. and others constituted a rival company, with like assets -and name equally pretentious. We set up these financial fictions -early in the trip, when somebody fell to talking about "feet;" and -what with selling "short," operating for a "rise," "corralling the -market," "declaring dividends," and abusing each others' "Company," -they served to while away many an idle interval. The last afternoon -out, we "consolidated," shook hands over the "union," elected a full -"Board of Officers," and adjourned to receive our "joint dividends," -at New York; but hitherto have never been so fortunate as to get a -"quorum" together there, and doubt now if we ever will. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE INDIANS--GEN. SHERMAN--KIT CARSON, ETC. - - -At Fort Garland, in San Louis Park, Sept 21st, Gov. Cumming, Gen. -Sherman, and the famous Kit Carson (then Bv't. Brig. Gen. U. S. -Vols.), met in council, concerning the Utes and the Indian question -generally. Sherman, as elsewhere intimated, was then in the midst of -a long tour by ambulance, through the heart of the Indian country -embraced in his then Military Division, and as he had already -travelled about 1200 miles, with no escort except a couple of -staff-officers and the necessary teamsters, without seeing a hostile -Red Skin, he was getting to be somewhat skeptical on the whole Indian -subject. The grand Treaty with the Utes was to come off Sept. 22d -and 23d on the banks of the Rio Grande, some thirty miles northwest -from Fort Garland; but as Sherman had decided to leave Garland on the -22d for his return east _via_ the Arkansas, a preliminary council -was called at Fort Garland on the 21st. Runners had been sent out a -day or two before, and the Big Chiefs of the Utes kept arriving all -that day. The council was held late in the afternoon, in a large room -back of the commandant's quarters. The chiefs were grouped on one -side of the room, squat upon their haunches, grave and dignified; -while on the other sat Sherman in loose uniform, puffing a cigar, -with Gov. Cumming on one side and Kit Carson on the other. Carson -served as interpreter, speaking Mexican well, which the chiefs mostly -understood. After some preliminary skirmishing, Sherman said he had -called them together to ascertain whether the Utes were willing to -quit their nomadic life and settle down on a Reservation. He urged -this upon them, as their true interest, if they wished to maintain -their tribal existence, and said he had only come among them to -promote their happiness and welfare. He added, he had recently been -visiting many other tribes with the same object and purposes, and as -a friend to their race was convinced their only hope for the future -lay in going on a Reservation. The chiefs debated the matter among -themselves for awhile, and presently made answer, that they thanked -the Big Warrior for his suggestions and approved them; but that their -young men were opposed to such a policy, and they feared it would be -difficult to persuade the Utes of its wisdom, until the Cheyennes -and Comanches--their hereditary foes--had first adopted it. The -council lasted an hour or more, with much skillful fencing and adroit -diplomacy on the part of Ooray and Ancantash, the head-chiefs; but -this was the substance of all that Sherman could worm out of them. He -tried to explain and reason with them in various ways, but at last -broke up the council in disgust, and blurted out in his peculiar way, -as he strode back to his quarters, "They will have to freeze and -starve a little more, I reckon, before they will listen to common -sense!" Subsequently he told us of a council that he had held about a -fortnight or so before, at Fort Laramie or somewhere up there, with -the Arrapahoes or the Sioux. He had urged upon the chiefs, that their -white brothers were opposed to war and desired peace, and he hoped -there would be no more bloodshed in that region between the Red Man -and the Pale Face. The chiefs presently replied, with a wariness -worthy of Talleyrand, that they reciprocated his Quaker sentiments, -and would do all in their power to enforce them; but that their young -men were rash and fiery sometimes, and it might be difficult to hold -them in. "Well, then," said Sherman to the interpreter, firing up, -"Tell the rascals so are _mine_; and if another white man is scalped -in all this region, it will be _impossible_ to hold _mine_ in." The -chiefs saw the point, and no doubt sagely concluded they would have -trouble, if ever they got Tecumseh Sherman fairly after them. - -The grand Treaty with the Utes came off, as I have said, on Sept. -22d and 23d, on the banks of the Rio Grande, some thirty miles or so -northwest from Fort Garland. We left Garland early in the morning -by ambulance, and reached the treaty ground soon after noon. Gov. -Cumming and Indian Agent Hunt had preceded us, and on arriving we -found them just sitting down to discuss a Rio Grande trout, nearly as -large as an eastern shad. The Utes had pitched their lodges a mile or -so away, in a bend of the river, but they were constantly passing to -and fro on horseback and afoot. Apparently none of them ever walked, -if he could afford the luxury of a pony, and often one puny pony was -made to carry two or three lubberly fellows at a time. Evidently the -Plains Indians are as averse to walking, as the traditional Texan, -who is said never to leave his door-sill without mounting a mustang. -These Ute ponies are hardy, sagacious little fellows, some of them -very handsome, and are of course, the lineal descendants of the wild -horses of the Plains. Ooray, their head chief, rode a bright little -bay, that would have taken a first-class premium almost anywhere. Of -course, they get no grain, but subsist exclusively on grass. They -constitute their owners' chief wealth, and a Ute will part with -almost anything sooner than his pony. Braves, squaws, papooses, all -ride astride, and generally at a gallop. They seldom use the spur, -but rarely mount without a whip, and this they keep going pretty -steadily while on the road. Their saddles are rude affairs of wood, -with very short stirrups; but their bridles are better made, and -usually have some kind of an iron bit, if at all obtainable. - -In the course of the afternoon, hundreds of the Indians thronged -our little camp, in all varieties of costume, though chiefly in -breech-cloth and blanket or buffalo-robe. Both sexes dress much -alike, and at first it was difficult to distinguish one from the -other, though you soon came to know the squaws from their smaller -stature. The paraphernalia of some of them was ludicrous in the -extreme. One young buck had managed to secure an old-style artillery -hat, with long scarlet horsehair plume, and a dilapidated white -shirt; and as he strutted about in these (only these and nothing -more!) considered himself wholly _en regle_. Another, the princess -and beauty of the tribe, a dirty belle of seventeen, resplendent in -paint and feathers, was arrayed in much gorgeousness of beads and -buckskin, and whiffed her cigarritos by the hour together. During the -morning she had ridden her thirty miles, man-fashion, with the chiefs -from Fort Garland, and in the afternoon she lolled about camp in -magnificent indolence. Her laugh was rich and musical, and she seemed -indeed quite a pet with the tribe. - -The afternoon was passed in preliminary arrangements for the Treaty, -and towards evening a number of us walked over to the Indian village -to return our calls. We found it to consist of perhaps three hundred -wigwams, arranged pretty regularly in streets, and containing in -all some twelve hundred souls. The wigwams or lodges were made of -skins and hides, stretched over circularly inclined poles--rude -originals evidently of our army Sibley tents--with an opening at the -top for the smoke to escape through. At the door were planted their -spears or lances, and shields; inside, on skins or blankets, the -braves were fast asleep or playing cards; without, the youngsters -were playing ball or practicing with the bow and arrows. We wandered -through the streets until nightfall, striking up a talk or barter -in our broken Ute the best we could, and had some interesting -experiences. Just then the village was all agog with excitement and -joy. The day before, their Agent had given them several beeves, -which they had at once slaughtered and partly eaten; the surplus -was now hanging all about on lariats and poles, curing in the dry -atmosphere. "Jerked-beef," I suppose, our Plains-men would call -it. A flock of sheep had also been given them, and the squaws were -now busy "corraling" these, as we happened along. A few refractory -ewes refused to enter the corral--a slight enclosure of brush--and -these were being hotly pursued by the boy-braves and dogs. The -dogs headed them off on all sides, while the boys lassoed them one -after another, until the squaws came up and caught them. It was -fine practice for the lasso, and the youngsters seemed to enjoy it -greatly. Dogs abounded everywhere. Each wigwam seemed to have a -goodly supply, and the village at large a brigade besides. They were -small wolfish-looking curs, as a rule, and the most vociferous and -incessant yelpers I ever listened to. They had no regular bark--only -a wild yelp, like their savage ancestors, the cayotes of the Plains. -It is only the civilized dog, that "bays deep-mouthed welcome"--that -has a full, open "bark"--and this he loses when he relapses to -savagery again. There was no moving anywhere about the village, -without having a score or more of them yelping at your heels; but -this seemed to be the extent of their hostile intentions. When they -became rather noisier than usual, some passing squaw would dash at -them with a stick and a shower of "God dams," and that would scatter -them for the time. Most of our Indians have all learned to swear the -rough oaths of the Border, and always swear in English, as they have -no corresponding words in their own language. In describing cavalry, -they put the thumb and forefinger of one hand on the palm of the -other, and then move them along in imitation of a gallop. In speaking -of ox-trains, they stretch out their arms, and say, "Whoa-Haw! Git!" -But when they come to mule-teams, they invariably speak of them as -"God dams! Go 'long!" because of the copious oaths our teamsters hurl -at them. Indeed, the average Indian always speaks of the donkey, as a -"God dam," and thinks that the correct name. These Utes in general, -I must say, seemed to be much more thrifty and comfortable than we -had anticipated, though doubtless some of this was due to the recent -generous issue of supplies by the Agent. - -Our party scattered pretty well through the village, one after -another halting to palaver with acquaintances we had picked up; -but as it grew dark, we gradually drifted together and prepared to -return. Dr. M. was still bargaining with a chief for a fancy shield -he wanted as a souvenir, when the rest began moving off, and begged -me to wait a minute until he was through. Several minutes passed by, -and then his bargaining ended in failure--the Big Chief refusing -to "swop"--their universal word for selling or trading. Then we -started to overtake the rest, but they had passed out of view in -the deepening twilight, and though we hallooed to them could get no -answer--the hubbub of the village evidently drowning our voices. -Emerging from the wigwams, we soon discovered, that neither of us -had taken any proper notes of the landmarks, as we came over, being -busy talking with the rest, and consequently neither knew the way -back. Here was a pretty predicament, surely, for two ambitious -young men--cast away in a village of a thousand savages, unable to -speak a sentence of their language intelligibly or they ours, night -already come, and no hint of how to extricate ourselves. To make it -doubly absurd, we presently discovered, that our only belligerent -weapons, whether for offence or defence, consisted of a Rogers' -penknife apiece. We had been so remiss, as to leave camp without our -revolvers--a precaution that no Mountain or Plains-man ever neglects. -While pondering the "situation," we luckily caught sight of the -Sierra Blanca glistening in the moonlight, and as we knew this to be -southeast of our camp we concluded our route lay toward it. We set -off accordingly, and had made perhaps a quarter of a mile, across -sloughs now dry and through the rank grass, when one of us suggested, -that we could not be going right, or our camp-fires would appear. -This seemed reasonable, the country was so level; so a halt was -ordered, while we scanned the horizon for fires elsewhere. Presently -far away to the left, we descried a fire blazing loftily up, and -concluded this must be ours, and that our comrades had put on extra -fuel to guide us the better home. The direction seemed wrong, judging -by the position of the Sierra Blanca; but as it was the only fire -visible, except those at the Indian village, we concluded it must be -ours, and changing our course struck for it accordingly. A trudge -of a mile or more, with an occasional tumble into a dry slough, at -length brought us to the fire, when to our disappointment we found -it to be only the camp-fire of two rough-looking customers, who said -they were out "prospecting" for mines. They said they had reached -there just at nightfall, from a long trip through the Mountains, and -as yet had seen nothing of our camp, and of course knew nothing of -its whereabouts. Two Utes were squatted before the fire, who they -said had just rode over from the village, and we asked one of the -men, who had been talking with them in Mexican, to inquire the way -to "Kit Carson's Camp" for us. He did so, and the Indians jumping up -responded, they would conduct us there. We thought now we were in -luck, surely, and thanking the miners for their kindness prepared -to follow our copper-colored friends. Unloosing a little pony, that -was picketed near by, they both clambered upon him, and then with -grunts and mutterings to each other, of which we only understood an -occasional "God dam," they rode along ahead for perhaps a quarter of -a mile, when suddenly they turned round on the pony without stopping, -chattered and gibbered away at us for a minute or two like monkeys, -and then with a wild whoop, that for a moment quite dazed us, -galloped wildly off toward the Indian village. - -We were now worse off than ever, and our affairs were evidently -coming to a crisis. Of course, we halted again, and called another -"council of war." M. advised going back to the miners' camp-fire, and -trusting our fortunes for the night with them. I objected that we -knew nothing about them; that they were suspicious looking customers -anyhow--hadn't the air of genuine miners; and suggested that we camp -down where we were, on the banks of a bayou, as there was plenty of -dry wood there for a fire, and when morning came we would hunt up -the Rio Grande, and follow it down to our lost camp. He assented -to this, but on reflection I further suggested, whether it wouldn't -be better, after all, to go boldly into the Indian village, and -govern ourselves by circumstances. We knew Ooray and Ancantash, the -head chiefs, and why not ask for them? If we could find _them_, our -troubles would be over. If we couldn't, at the worst, we could claim -the hospitality of some other chieftain, and quarter for the night -in a Ute wigwam. I urged that the Indians already knew where we were -anyhow, and also knew that we were unarmed and lost; that it would -be disagreeable to hear their arrows whizzing around us there, or -perhaps be scalped and tossed into the bayou before morning; and -that, in short, I would risk the Utes, if he would. M. approved the -plan, as the best we could do under such dismal circumstances; so off -we trudged again for the Indian village, which by that time we were -beginning to wish we had never seen. We tried to keep our courage -up by discussing Mark Tapley, and his philosophy of the "jolly;" -but the result could hardly be called a success. Perhaps the two -braves who had so suddenly deserted us, with such unearthly whoops, -were lying in wait for us somewhere ahead! Perhaps the next step we -would hear an arrow whiz by, or over us--perchance _through_ us! -Nevertheless, I remember also a ludicrous feeling at the idea--after -escaping unscathed from the rebellion--of falling ignominiously -there, on the banks of the Del Norte, by the hand of a Ute, with only -a pocket-knife to defend myself with! - -However, we proceeded cautiously forward, with many a halt and -"hist," and presently without molestation reached the village again. -The dogs, of course, challenged our approach with a multitudinous -yelping, as before: but some friendly squaws appeared, and soon -dispersed them with a copious shower of "God dams." Approaching a -lodge in which we saw a number of Indians reclining around a fire, we -tried to make them understand, that we were lost and wanted to find -the way to "Kit Carson's Camp;" but met with the same poor success as -before. Then we inquired for Ooray and Ancantash, but they either did -not comprehend, or else were unwilling to bother with us, as their -only answer was a grunt--"Ugh"--or a stare. Evidently, on reflection, -they concluded we were _bores_, for they soon resumed their pipes, -and the low drawling song they were crooning when we entered. We -tried two or three more lodges, with the same result, and had about -made up our minds to camp down for the night, where we were, when -M. suggested that we try one more wigwam, and if we failed there to -give it up. This seemed almost providential; for as we entered the -lodge-door, up sprang a lithe young chief, whom we had met during the -day, and came smiling toward us with the greeting, "How, Gen-e-ral! -How, Doc-tor! Know me? Me, Wellington!" (_How_ is all the Indian -has learned yet of How do you do? or How are you?) Greasy and dirty -as the fellow was, we could have hugged him with delight; for now -we knew our troubles were all over. We answered him, "O yes! Know -Wellington, of course! In our wigwam to-day! But lost now! No find -wigwam! Kit Carson's Camp?" He comprehended our lingo, and "the -situation," in a moment, and quickly replied, "Yes! Wellington go!" -and then, with an eye to the main chance, shrewdly added, "How much?" -We answered, "Two paint, and some tobacco." He held up three fingers, -and bargainingly responded, "Three paint, and 'baccy a heap?" By -"paint" he meant little packages of Indian paint--blue, vermillion, -yellow--such as some in camp had brought along for barter, and -we readily acceded to his terms. As it was growing late, he asked -another young buck to go along, who demanded the same terms, which -of course we cheerfully granted. Then they took up their bows and -arrows, drew their blankets around their shoulders, and bidding the -rest "_bueno noche_" we moved off. - -We soon observed, that they were conducting us toward the Sierra -Blanca, in the same direction that we took originally. We questioned -Wellington about this, but he persisted it was right; and so we -pushed on, though not without some misgivings. A half hour or so, -however, brought us safely to camp, where we found our friends -discussing our absence, and wondering what had become of us. We -cautioned each other to say nothing about our adventure; but the joke -was too good to keep, and the facts all came out in the course of the -evening, as we sat around the camp-fire and smoked our fatigue away. -However tame it may read now, it was exciting and romantic enough at -the time, and I record it here for the moral involved, to wit: 1. -Mind your topography, on leaving camp; 2. Never quit camp, without -your rifle or revolver! - -Of course, we paid Wellington and his friend their paint and tobacco, -and dismissed them with hearty thanks. We won their hearts by -inviting them both to lunch next day, and continued fast friends -during the rest of our stay there. - -The next day (Sept. 23d) having been set apart for the Treaty, -Indians of both sexes and all ages at an early hour began to swarm -through our encampment. All, of course, were naturally on hand, to -hear the Big Talk and share the many presents. The chiefs and braves -were there first, gorgeous in paint and feathers; but long before -the Council assembled, the poor squaws also arrived, freighted with -their papooses. The spot selected was a sloping sward on the banks -of the Rio Grande, and but a short distance therefrom. Blankets were -spread on the grass for the Commissioners and head chiefs: the young -chiefs and braves formed a rude circle around these; and beyond these -still were the women and children. The four leading men seemed to -be Ooray, _Arrow_, Sha-wa-she-wit, _Blue Flower_, Ancantash, and -Chi-chis-na-sau-no, also abbreviated into Shauno. The head chief of -the tribe, and the finest looking Indian we had yet seen, was Ooray. -He was a medium sized, athletic looking man, of about forty, with as -fine an eye and head, as you will see anywhere. Moreover, he was very -neat and clean in his person, as if he believed in the saving virtues -of soap and water--something wonderful for a Red Skin. Two or three -years before, he had made the tour of Washington and the East, and -to-day wore the handsome silver medal, that President Lincoln then -gave him. Kit Carson said he had made good use of this eastern trip, -and being already a rising man, the knowledge and experience then -acquired had since raised him to the king-ship, notwithstanding his -want of age--several of the chiefs being older, but none so shrewd as -he. The head-warrior, however, was Ancantash, and he was certainly -one of the coolest and bravest looking men I ever met. He was a -reticent, reflective, but very observant man, with many of the calm -characteristics of our own Grant, and no doubt is quite as desperate -and obstinate a fighter in his small way. Kit Carson cited instances -of his prowess, that showed supreme manhood and courage; but there is -not room for them here. Shauno, taller and more dignified, had a face -and form much like Tecumseh's, and altogether was about as fine a -looking specimen of the savage as history makes mention of. - -The Council opened, as usual, with a general smoke, the pipe being -passed for a whiff or two from one to another all around, and then -Gov. Cumming proceeded to address his copper-colored friends. He -said the Great Father at Washington had made him Big Agent for -Colorado[8], and as such he had come down from Denver, to bring -them their annual presents, hear their grievances, if any, and have -a general talk about their future welfare. This was interpreted by -Kit Carson into Mexican, with profuse pantomime, after the Indian -fashion, and then reinterpreted by Ooray into Ute for the benefit -of his red brethren. It was received with a general grunt of -satisfaction all round, and then Ooray replied: - -"Good! Let the Big Chief speak on!" - -"Our Father at Washington has many children, both white and red, and -the Great Spirit bids him regard all alike. He has watched his red -children, the Utes, a long time, and generally found them peaceable and -friendly. Therefore, he loves them very much, and is pained to see them -diminishing in numbers from year to year. He thinks this is because -of their wars with other tribes, and increasing scarcity of game, and -believes if they would settle down in one place, like his pale-face -children, they would be much better off. Then they could raise cattle, -and sheep, and barley, and have comfort and plenty always." - -To which, Ooray: - -"True! So; a heap! Utes got plenty now. Hunt give. But soon all gone, -and then Utes starve a heap. Long time ago, Utes always had plenty. -On the prairie, antelope and buffalo, so many Ooray can't count. -In the mountains, deer and bear, everywhere. In the streams, trout, -duck, beaver, everything. Good Manitou gave all to red man; Utes -happy all the year. White man came, and now Utes go hungry a heap. -Game much go every year--hard to shoot now. Old man often weak for -want of food. Squaw and papoose cry. Only strong brave live. White -man grow a heap; Red man no grow--soon die all." - -To which, Gov. C.: - -"Our Great Father knows all this, and it grieves him very much. But -he can think of no way to remedy it, except by the Utes quitting -their wandering life, and settling down on a Reservation. If they -will do this, and will stop fighting the Cheyennes and Comanches, he -will have a good Reservation set apart for them, with water, wood, -and grass in abundance. He will give them cattle, sheep, seeds, and -implements. And he will send good white men among them, to teach -them farming, etc. By this means, the Utes will soon have houses and -fields, flocks and herds, the same as white men, and all will be -better off and happier." - -To which, Ooray: - -"Yes! So! Much true! Ooray and Big-Chief understand, and know Utes -must go on Reservation some day--raise beef, pony, and barley--or -perish. But young braves no understand; hard to make 'em. Some, too, -say, if Utes go on Reservation, Cheyennes and Comanches--enemies -of Utes always--will know where to find. Then some night, when -Utes all asleep, will come like a squaw and kill a heap. Utes hate -Cheyenne--Comanche--God dam!" - -"But our Great Father will prevent that. He will build forts, and -station his blue coats near you, and they will keep off the Cheyennes -and Comanches." - -When this was interpreted to Ooray, for the first time he lost his -savage dignity, and laughed outright. When he reinterpreted it to the -Utes, there was a general chorus of laughter, which lasted several -minutes. Evidently, they had little respect for the average soldier -of the Plains, whether infantry or cavalry. Presently, however, Ooray -recovering his dignity replied: - -"Why don't our Great Father's blue-coats keep off the Cheyennes -and Comanches some now? Last snow the Comanches came right by the -forts, found the Utes in one place, and killed many. Utes killed -Comanches back a heap. Now Utes move about much--hunt buffalo on the -prairie--build wigwam in the mountains--fish in Del Norte. Utes stop -not in one place, and Comanches no find. But Utes settle down; then -Comanches come and kill. Tell Great Father, Cheyennes and Comanches -go on Reservation _first_; then Utes will. But Comanches first." - -This was about the same answer substantially, that they had given Gen. -Sherman down at Fort Garland; and with all his diplomacy, Gov. C. could -not extract more from them. There was a deal of good common sense in -it, too--the instinct of self-preservation--and the governor could -not help admitting this, much as he desired to enforce the views of -the Government. He rehashed his arguments, and presented them anew in -various ways; but to all of them, Ooray steadily made answer: - -"Ooray has spoken!" And there the matter ended. - -Subsequently, after some considerable talk with his brother chiefs, -Ooray resumed: - -"Suppose Utes go on Reservation, and bad pale-face come and shoot -Indian; what will our Great Father do then?" - -"Why," answered Gov. C., "Our Great Father will have him arrested -and tried in his courts; and, if found guilty, will hang him. If the -Great Father's own brother, he would hang him all the same." - -Ooray had great difficulty in understanding this. Gen. Carson had to -repeat and explain it a number of times, before he could comprehend -what a court and jury were, and even then he seemed somewhat dazed. -Doubtless he found it hard to believe, that we would hang any white man -for killing an Indian, let alone our Great Father's brother, after what -he had seen and heard of law and justice on the border. But after much -questioning back and forth, he appeared to catch some glimpse of the -idea, and after pondering it awhile, sorrowfully answered: - -"Yes! So! Ooray comprehend! Much good! But my people no comprehend. -No make them now." - -He seemed to think there was no use, in even trying to get such an -idea into their heads, and communicated to them some short answer, -which apparently satisfied them. - -Again, after much deliberation, he warily asked: - -"Suppose pale-face steal pony from red-man, what will Great Father do?" - -To which Gov. C.: - -"He will compel the pale-face to restore the pony. And if the thief -can't be found, and his red children prove their loss, the Great -Father will pay for it in goods or money." - -This seemed to give great satisfaction, when he first interpreted it; -but presently the chiefs became excited, and a hot discussion spread -among them. Kit Carson said, as well as he could make out, they -were canvassing among themselves, whether on the same principle the -government would not compel them to restore or pay for what _they_ -stole from the whites; and as their thefts were evidently much the -larger, they speedily directed Ooray to dodge this question, without -further talk. - -There was some other desultory conversation, and much repetition -necessarily; but the above is about the substance of it all. The -council lasted two or three hours, and finally wound up with a -dignified expression of thanks by Ooray, for the interest the Great -Father and Gov. C. took in them. This was followed by a general -expression of "Bueno! Bueno!"[9] by the rest of the Indians, and -so the pow-wow ended. The governor managed his side of the affair -with much shrewdness and ability, but failed to secure the positive -pledges the government so much desired. On the other hand, Ooray -certainly conducted himself with great dignity and good sense, for -an "untutored savage," and fully realized our old-time notions of an -Indian chieftain. Should he live, he will yet make a figure among -the Indians, and go down to history as a Logan or a Red-Jacket. His -trip to Washington, he told me, convinced him, it was idle for his -people to contend with the pale-faces, and his counsels were always -for peace and civilization. Subsequently, some months afterwards, -when the Utes rose in hostilities against his advice, he deliberately -repaired to Fort Garland and gave himself up, refusing to have -anything to do with the tribe, until they laid down their arms again. -All honor and praise to this dusky son of the Plains and Mountains! - -After the council broke up, there came a grand distribution of -presents, the most sensible of which were a flock of sheep and a small -herd of cattle. The balance amounted to but little in a practical point -of view, though the Utes of course were delighted with their beads, -paint, scarlet blankets, gilt trinkets, etc. The Agents seemed to deal -fairly and honestly by their savage wards, and I doubt not Mr. Hunt -(since Gov. of Colorado) did his duty in the premises very faithfully. - -During the day, and indeed most of the time we were there, there -was considerable bartering going on between some of us and the -Indians, though in a petty way. We were eager for Indian relics and -trophies, to send East as souvenirs, and they were equally eager -for some articles we possessed; so that barter was not difficult. -Neither party knew much, if any, of the language of the other, but -the bargaining went steadily on for all that. The Utes came into -camp, with such articles as they wished to dispose of. If we desired -them and had anything to exchange, we laid it on the ground, and -then--pointing to the Indian articles--uttered the classic word -"Swop?" If they assented, the bargain ended, and the exchange took -place immediately. But if they refused, or wanted more, they shook -their heads and answered "No swop!" These words, "Swop" and "No -swop," are about the only English necessary in trading with them, -and we found them current everywhere among our Indians, from the -Missouri to the Pacific. In this way, our party succeeded in securing -a few lances and shields, bows and arrows, grizzly-bear skins, -buffalo-robes, etc., though their stock of skins had been mostly -disposed of to the regular traders some time before. We found them, -as a rule, fond of trading, and keen at a bargain, but averse to -parting with their ponies or their bows and arrows. Their ponies -they held in special regard, and asked extravagant prices for them. -Their bows and arrows were made of tough, elastic wood, very scarce -in that region, and they were loth to sell them, except for a pistol -or a "carabina." In this matter of trading, however, a young chief -named Jack Cox seemed to be a marked exception. He had a handsome -wolf-skin quiver, beautifully finished and embroidered--the finest -we saw there--and I was desirous of securing it, if he cared to part -with it. Various offers were tendered him, but all were refused. He -had set his heart on one of our repeating-rifles, and his constant -answer was, as he patted the barrel, "Me take carabina! Nothing -else!" Subsequently, others pressed him with various offers; but they -could not shake his resolution. At last he rose up, as if vexed and -irritated, and pointing to a group of Utes, who were crowding around -all eager for barter, indignantly exclaimed, "Mean Indian swop--pony, -bow, quiver, robe, any thing! Jack Cox no swop!" Instinctively I -handed him a pipe, and begged him to join in a smoke. Accepting -the courtesy, he sat down again, and as he spoke a little broken -English we managed to talk some on several subjects. But, all the -while, he watched the "swopping," that was going on about him, and -when he saw any one about to make what he considered a foolish or -bad bargain, he would sneer at his want of judgment, and set all the -rest of the Indians to laughing at him--a trick which usually broke -up the bargain. Subsequently, he went off to the village for a fancy -buffalo robe, which he said he would "swop" me for something that -pleased him, and kept his promise by returning with it an hour or so -afterwards. This Jack Cox was a bright, shrewd young fellow--lithe, -sinewy and straight as an arrow--about seventeen or eighteen years -of age; and, if he live, will doubtless yet distinguish himself -among the Utes. He was already much deferred to among those of his -age, and was decidedly the keenest one among them. He had heard of -Washington and the east, and asked many curious questions concerning -them. I inquired if he would not like to make a trip east, as Ooray -and others had done. He answered, after reflecting a little: - -"How long be gone?" - -I replied at hap-hazard: - -"Perhaps five snows," meaning five years. - -He rejoined, - -"O, no! No! Not _five_ snows! One snow! Then Jack Cox go!" - -He interested us very much at the time, and we all augured well of -his future. - -The same evening Wellington and Jack Cox sent word, that they were -going to have a Big Dance over at the village, and invited us all -over. Accordingly soon after dark their tom-toms began to beat, and -at about 8 P. M., several of us walked thither. The dance had already -commenced, on a natural lawn that sloped down from the village to -the Rio Grande. Here were perhaps a hundred or so young braves, with -hand locked in hand and shoulder pressed to shoulder, moving slowly -round in a circle facing inward, while back of them were gathered the -whole village gazing on. Two or three of them beat time on rude drums -or tom-toms, while all joined in a wild chant or song. The music was -barbarous, and their movements not much of a dance; but they went -through it all with much gravity and earnestness, whatever they meant -by it. Jack Cox left the crowd as we approached, and invited us to -participate, which several did. One was allowed to beat the tom-tom, -as a special favor; but his performance proved to be not a "success," -as he failed to keep time. We spent an hour with them, and no doubt -the Utes will long remember the occasion, when their pale-face -friends from the east danced with them by moonlight on the banks of -the Rio Grande. Altogether, it was rather a unique experience, and we -wondered what would come next. As we strolled back to camp, the moon -had mounted above the Sierra Blanca, and was flooding the whole Park -with a sea of light. The notched and jagged peaks of the Mountains -all about us, tipped with snow, glittered in her beams. And the hour -and the place seemed, for all the world, more like a chapter from -fairy land, than sober reality. - -As already intimated, we found some striking characters among the -Utes--Ooray, Ancantash, Jack Cox, etc.--but they were few and far -between. The great mass of the tribe were small, undersized men, -with coarse, animal faces, that looked as if they went hungry half -the time, if not more. Their dress in general consisted of the usual -breech-cloth, a blanket or buffalo-robe, and deer-skin leggings and -moccasins. The nights and mornings were already sharp and chilly; -but they had a knack of twisting a robe or blanket about them, even -when on horseback at a gallop, that I have never seen equalled, -and they declared they were not uncomfortable. In winter, however, -especially their winter, we would suppose they must suffer from the -weather severely. They seemed to treat their poor squaws about as -shabbily as all other Indians--that is to say, about as bad as bad -can be. They compelled them to wait upon and serve them on every -possible occasion, no matter how degrading. In coming to and going -from our encampment, the braves always galloped or trotted along on -horseback, while the squaws as a rule trudged wearily by on foot, -with their papooses at their backs. It was the squaws, who made their -bows and arrows, spears and shields--dressed their skins--pitched -and struck camp--saddled and unsaddled their ponies--and, in short, -performed all other menial or laborious offices, that Indian life -is heir to. They carried their papooses strapped to a board, with -a wicker-work at the top to protect the child's head--the whole -swung over the shoulders or across the forehead by a rude thong. -This board was made round at the lower end, to rock backward and -forward when necessary, and thus serve as a sort of cradle. In camp -it is hung up on a tree, which places the child out of danger, -while at the same time the wind sways it to and fro. On the march, -the whole dangles from the mother's shoulder. Some of these Ute -cradles were quite neatly adorned with paint and bead-work, and -made as soft and cosy as buck-skin and buffalo-robe or beaver-fur -could make them. The papooses occupying them, with their jet-black -eyes and copper-colored cheeks, seemed to be model babies; for they -never even whimpered. The wretched and degraded condition of their -women, however, is everywhere the reproach of savage life. There -was a forlorn and hopeless look in the faces of these Ute squaws, -as if all their womanhood was crushed out, that would have touched -a heart of stone. A father, we are told, may chastise any of his -children, but a mother only her daughters. She must not lay a finger -on a boy-brave, on pain of death; and this is only a specimen of -her disabilities. On the whole, I must say, we were not favorably -impressed with Ute life, as a rule. It had its romantic features, -but their universal "shiftlessness," their long matted hair sweeping -loosely about their faces or hanging in heavy plaits around their -shoulders, their general squalor, raggedness and dirt, and above -all, their neglect and abuse of their poor squaws--all made a bad -impression and dispelled many of the poetic ideas about the "Noble -Red Man," "Lo, the poor Indian, etc." that we cherish in the east. -In spite of our preconceived notions, we could not help regarding -the great majority of them, as but little above the wild animals, -that roam over the Plains and through the Mountains with them; and -as a whole--for all practical purposes of citizenship--infinitely -below the colored race, even of the cotton states. Of course, there -were some noble exceptions, such as Ooray and Ancantash, but then -they only proved the rule. In point of intellect and character, and -promise of improvement, the African will certainly beat the Red Man -all to pieces, as the future will show. Nevertheless, I must say, we -found the Utes truthful and honest in their way, and Kit Carson--a -good judge--credited them with being the bravest and best Red Skins -he had ever met, in all his wide wanderings. - -I have spoken several times of Kit Carson, and as he is a real -historical character, perhaps can not conclude this chapter better, -than with a word or two more in regard to him. We met him first -at Fort Garland, where we found him in command of a battalion of -New Mexico Volunteers, and Brevet Brigadier-General. When the war -broke out, and most of our troops were withdrawn from the Plains -and Mountains, he applied to Mr. Lincoln for permission to raise a -Regiment of Volunteers in New Mexico, to protect our settlements -there, and the "good President" very properly granted it. At the -head of these, Kit did excellent service during the war, on one -occasion taking 9,000 Navajoes prisoners with less than 600 men, and -at its close was ordered to Fort Garland and given command of a wide -region there. We found him in log quarters, rough but comfortable, -with his Mexican wife and half-breed children around him. We had -expected to see a small and wiry man, weather-beaten and reticent; -but met a medium sized, rather stoutish, florid, and quite talkative -person instead. He certainly bore the marks of exposure, but none -of that extreme "roughing it," that we had anticipated. In age, -he seemed to be about forty-five. His head was a remarkably good -one, with the bumps of benevolence and reflection well developed. -His eye was mild and blue, the very type of good nature, while his -voice was as soft and sympathetic as a woman's. He impressed you -at once as a man of rare kindliness and charity, such as a truly -brave man ought always to be. As simple as a child, but brave as a -lion, he soon took our hearts by storm, and grew upon our regard -all the while we were with him. He talked and smoked far into the -night each evening we spent together, and we have no room here for -a tithe of what he told us. Born in Kentucky, he emigrated to the -Plains and Mountains when a child, and attached himself to a party -of trappers and hunters, when he was so small that he couldn't set a -trap. When he became older, he turned trapper himself, and as such -wandered all over our possessions, from the Missouri to the Pacific, -and from British America to Mexico. Next he became a government -scout and guide, and as such piloted Fremont and others all over the -Plains and through the Mountains. He confirmed the accounts, we had -heard, that Fremont, as an explorer, was somewhat of a charlatan, -and said the worst time the Pathfinder ever had was, when on one of -his expeditions, he disregarded his (Kit's) advice, and endeavored -to force the Mountains northwest of where Fort Garland now stands. -Kit told him he could not get through or over them at that period of -the year, and, when Fremont nevertheless insisted on proceeding, he -resigned as guide. The Pathfinder, however, went sternly forward, but -got caught in terrible snow-storms, and presently returned, with -half of his men and animals perished outright, from cold and hunger. -Subsequently, Kit became a U.S. Indian Agent, and one of the best we -ever had. Familiar with their language and customs, he frequently -spent months together among them, without seeing a white man, and -indeed became sort of half Indian himself. In talking, I observed, -that he frequently hesitated for the right English word; but when -speaking bastard Spanish (Mexican) or Indian, he was as fluent as -a native. Both Mexican and Indian, however, are largely pantomime, -which may have helped him along somewhat. The Utes seemed to have -the greatest possible confidence in him, and invariably called him -simply "Kit." Said Sherman, while at Garland, "These Red Skins think -Kit twice as big a man as me. Why his integrity is simply perfect. -They know it, and they would believe him and trust him any day before -me." And Kit returned this confidence, by being their most steadfast -and unswerving friend. He declared all our Indian troubles were -caused originally by bad white men, and was terribly severe on the -barbarities of the Border. He said he was once among the Indians -for two or three years exclusively, and had seen an Indian kill -his brother even, for insulting a white man in the old times. He -protested, that in all the peculiar and ingenious outrages for which -the Indians had been so much abused of late years, they were only -imitating or improving on the bad example of wicked white men. His -anathemas of Col. Chivington, and the Sand Creek massacre of 1864, -were something fearful to listen to. He pleaded for the Indians, as -"pore ignorant creatures," whom we were daily despoiling of their -hunting grounds and homes, and his denunciations of the outrages and -wrongs we had heaped upon them were sometimes really eloquent. - -Said he, "To think of that dog Chivington, and his hounds, up thar at -Sand Creek! Whoever heerd of sich doings among Christians! The pore -Injuns had our flag flyin over 'em, that same old stars and stripes -thar we all love and honor, and they'd bin told down to Denver, that -so long as they kept that flyin they'd be safe. Well, then, here -come along that durned Chivington and his cusses. They'd bin out -several days huntin hostile Injuns, and couldn't find none no whar, -and if they had, they'd run from them, you bet! So they just pitched -into these friendlies, and massa-_creed_ them--yes, sir, literally -massa-_creed_ them--in cold blood, in spite of our flag thar--women -and little children even! Why, Senator Foster told me with his own -lips, (and him and his committee investigated this, you know), that -that thar d----d miscreant and his men shot down squaws, and blew the -brains out of little innocent children--even pistoled little babies -in the arms of their dead mothers, and worse than this! And ye call -_these_ civilized men--Christians; and the Injuns savages, du ye? - -"I tell ye what; I don't like a hostile Red Skin any better, than you -du. And when they are hostile, I've fit 'em--fout 'em--as hard as any -man. But I never yit drew a bead on a squaw or papoose, and I loathe -and hate the man who would. 'Tain't nateral for brave men to kill -women and little children, and no one but a coward or a dog would do -it. Of course, when we white men du sich awful things, why these pore -ignorant critters don't know no better, than to follow suit. Poor -things! I've seen as much of 'em as any white man livin, and I can't -help but pity 'em! They'll all soon be gone anyhow." - -Poor Kit! He has already "gone" himself to his long home. But the -Indians had no truer friend, and he would wish no prouder epitaph, -than this. He and Sherman were great friends, and evidently had -a genuine regard for each other. They had known each other in -California in '49, when Sherman was a banker there, and Kit only -an Indian guide. In '65, when Kit was at Leavenworth on a visit, -Sherman sent for him to come down to St. Louis, and they spent some -time together very pleasantly. Now Sherman returned his visit, by -coming to Fort Garland, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. It will -be betraying no secret to say, that Sherman had but a poor opinion -of the Plains country, especially of New Mexico and Arizona; for -he did not hesitate to say so anywhere. While at Garland, he told -the following good story one night, as we all sat smoking around -the fire, and he will pardon me for repeating it here. He said the -Quartermaster General during the summer had written him several -letters, calling his attention to the enormous cost of our posts -on the Plains, in New Mexico, etc., and begging him if possible to -suggest some plan, that would reduce expenses, etc. "At first," said -Sherman, "I paid no attention to these letters, because I could not -help the matter. The Posts were there--established by order of the -Hon. Secretary of War--and he knew it. Moreover, the people would -have them there, and I could not help it, if they did cost a 'heap.' -Above all, I was _ordered_ to keep them up, and I always obey orders; -so what could I do? So, at first, I did not answer his letters, but -let him write away! But finally they got to coming so thick and long, -that one day I sat down and replied, that the Posts were all there, -and ordered there, as he knew, and we were bound to supply them, no -matter what it cost. But that, in my judgment, of the whole vast -region there, the greater portion was not worth a Confederate note -to us, and never would be; and if he wished my opinion as to the best -way of reducing expenses, I would respectfully recommend, that the -United States sell New Mexico, and all the region round about, to -Maximilian for $15,000,000, and lend him the greenbacks to pay with! - -"I must say, the government don't seem to have considered my -recommendation favorably yet. But neither have I received any more -letters from the Q. M. Gen'l. So, I suppose, he is satisfied!" - -He told this with infinite gusto, as if he enjoyed the joke hugely, -and presently added: - -"The idea, however, wasn't wholly my own, but was suggested by an old -story we used to hear about Gen. Sumner. You knew Sumner, I suppose, -in the East? We used to call him Bull Sumner, in old times, because he -was so obstinate, and so thoroughly a soldier. Well, some years ago, -he was sent out to command in New Mexico, and he certainly entered -upon his duties with great alacrity and enthusiasm. He was going to -explore the country, he said, make known its vast resources, pacify -the Red Skins, induce immigration, settle up the country, and thus do -away with our costly Posts, and all that. Of course, he was sincere in -the matter--always was sincere--one of the honestest men I ever knew. -So, he went to work, and for two or three years worked hard, summer -and winter--did a vast amount of work. But, finally, he came to the -same conclusion I have--viz. that the whole region was worthless--and -reported to the Secretary of War, that in his judgment, the wisest -thing we could do, would be to buy out the New Mexicans and pay them to -emigrate--to old Mexico, if possible--and then throw the whole country -open (and keep it open) to the buffalo and the Indians! - -"Sumner, they say, recommended this seriously, and thought it a good -thing. But I have never heard that the government agreed with him, -any more than it will with me!" - -These were the stories substantially; but it is impossible to give -the twinkle of his eye, the jocular toss of his head, and the -serio-comic twitch of his many-wrinkled features, as he got them -off. Meanwhile he smoked furiously, and kept up that everlasting -long stride of his up and down the floor, with his hands deep in his -trowsers' pockets, as if he would never weary. Sherman is a great -talker and smoker, and beyond doubt a great man and original thinker -in many ways. At the Denver banquet, he made a better speech than his -distinguished brother (the Senator from Ohio); and it is no wonder -he outwitted Joe Johnston, and smashed Hood as he pleased, when -"marching through Georgia." Neither is it any wonder, when you come -to scan him closely, that he should sometimes err a little, as he did -at Raleigh. Evidently, with all his great talents, now and then he -needs a "governor" to steady him, as much as any other steam-engine -does. Then, he is a hundred horsepower or more; and as General of the -Army, long may he live! - -The Treaty over, we returned to Denver through the heart of the -Mountains, as related in the preceding chapter; and now for Salt Lake -and beyond. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[8] As Governor he was _ex-officio_ Superintendent of Indian Affairs -there. - -[9] Good! good! - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - DENVER TO SALT LAKE. - - -From Denver, we shipped eastward by express the various Indian -trophies, we had secured--shields, lances, bows and arrows, grizzly -bear-skins, etc.--and rested for a day or two. We found the weather -there hot and oppressive, compared with what we had experienced in -the Mountains, and the change to the dry atmosphere of the one, from -the moist air of the other, affected us very sensibly. Here they were -still wearing summer clothing, though in the Mountains we needed our -great-coats, and Denver mocked at winter as weeks yet to come. From -Denver the Mountains as a whole seemed grander than ever; and the view -of them at sunset from our hotel windows could scarcely be finer, as -the snowy range and the heaven-kissing peaks one by one faded away, -through orange, crimson and purple into night. The majesty and grandeur -of the general range impress one more there at Denver, I think, than -elsewhere; and then, there is always something new about these mighty -Mountains--they never seem the same for an hour together. A difference -of clouds, or of atmosphere, or of your own point of vision, makes all -the difference in the world; and to me, I confess, the Rocky Mountains -from Denver were always a constant joy and perpetual delight. So calm, -so grand, so superb, such stately rest, such profound peace. As if they -upheld the sky, and steadied the earth, and did it easily. If there -be no God, no being of infinite wisdom and goodness, there ought to be -one, to account for the might and majesty, the beauty and sublimity, -with which the universe is filled, when it might so easily have been -monotonous and commonplace. - -Finally, Oct. 4th, we closed up our duties at Denver, and started -for Salt Lake. The stage left at 8 P. M., and after much hearty -hand-shaking and kindly good-byes, we were at last off for the -Pacific. For the first time we fully realized, that we had definitely -cut loose from the Atlantic States, and had a long and toilsome trip -now before us. I remember a feeling of sadness, as this conviction -came sharply upon me; but we were soon whirling across the Platte, -and off for Laporte. The fare through to Salt Lake, some 600 miles, -with 25 pounds of baggage, was $150, currency; meals extra, at $1,00 -and $1,50 each. Our coach, "Red Rupert," was a mountain mud-wagon, -with a low canvas top, so as to be less liable to capsize in crossing -the range, than a regular Concord Coach, and was intended for ten -passengers--nine inside and one outside. As we had only half that -number of passengers, however, we thought we would get along very -comfortably. We had gamey, spirited horses, that carried us along -quite rapidly, until near midnight, when we stuck fast in a mudhole, -and all hands were ordered up to help shift baggage and lift the -coach out. Next morning early we rolled into Laporte, having made -seventy-five miles since leaving Denver. It was a bright clear -morning, with a crisp bracing air, and we sat down to an excellent -breakfast of fried elk, potatoes, eggs, etc., as hungry as wolves. In -the corner of the room, at a rude table, sat a little bearded man, -eyeing us occasionally as he bent over his maps and papers, whose -face seemed familiar; and presently I recognized him as Gen. Dodge, -an old acquaintance of war times in Tennessee in 1864. Now he was -Chief Engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad, and was here comparing -maps and surveys, to see whether they couldn't find a shorter route -to Salt Lake, than the somewhat circuitous one by Bridger's Pass. He -recognized me about the same moment, and we had a hearty hand-shake -and chat over old times. - -Past Laporte, our road speedily entered the foot-hills, or -"hog-backs" as the Coloradoans call them; and all day long we were -bowling ahead, either between or across these. These abrupt ridges -hid our view of the Plains and Mountains usually, so that the day's -ride as a whole proved dull and monotonous. We were well armed, but -saw no Indians, nor any game worth mentioning. It was plain, that -the road was gradually ascending, but there were no sharp ascents, -and but little to indicate, that we were actually crossing the -Rocky Mountains. The country, as a whole, was rocky and barren in -the extreme. Here and there the old red sandstone cropped out, and -had been fashioned by the elements into all sorts of curious forms, -which travellers had named Castle Rock, Steamboat Rock, Indian Chief, -etc. The day's ride ended at Virginia Dale, where we got a tolerable -dinner, and found an exquisite little valley, as if nature was trying -just there quite to outdo herself. Abrupt mountains tower all around -and shut it in like a picture, while the entrance to and exit from -the vale are bold and precipitous. With its limpid stream, green -sward, and bristling pines, it seemed like an oasis in the desert -of the foot-hills there; and a party of miners encamped there for -the night, _en route_ from Montana to the States, appeared to enjoy -its freshness and beauty to the full. We met several such parties -of miners between Denver and Salt Lake, all bound east to winter, -expecting to return in the spring. They said the difference in the -cost of living would more than pay them for the trip, while at the -same time they would be with their families and friends. They moved -in parties of a dozen or so, and said they considered themselves safe -against all hostile comers, whether Road Agents or Indians. They were -all well-mounted, and literally bristling with rifles, revolvers, -and bowie-knives. Their baggage and "traps" generally were usually -piled high on pack-horses or mules, that they drove along ahead of -them. They all carried their own provisions, and when night came -camped down by the nearest stream, where there was wood, water, and -grass. Such a life has its hardships and risks, but is not without -its enjoyments also; and many an eastern cockney might well envy the -big-bearded, bronzed, weather-beaten, but apparently thoroughly happy -fellows, that we met _en route_. - -We left Virginia Dale about 6 P. M. and the same night about 10 P. -M. reached Willow Springs, one of the most desolate stage-stations -on the road. It was a raw chilly night, and while the stage-men were -changing horses, all of the passengers except myself got out and -strolled off to the station-house--a hundred yards or so away--to get -warm. Weary with the stage ride of two days and nights continuously, -I remained half-dozing in the coach, wrapped in my buffalo-robe, when -suddenly I was aroused by a distant noise, that grew rapidly louder -and nearer, and presently came thundering down the road directly -toward the station. While pondering what it could be, half-sleepy -still, all at once the station-keeper, who was helping with the -horses, broke out with: - -"I say, Tom (our driver), hark! Do you hear that?" - -"Yes, Billy! What the deuce is it?" - -"Why, good heavens, it must be the infernal Injuns, shure as -you live! The d--d Red Skins, I reckon, hev jest stampeded that -Government-train down the road thar; and they'll all be yer, licketty -split, quicker than lightnin', you bet!" - -I was wide awake in a second, now. They pushed the horses quickly -back into the stable, and shouted to me to seize all the arms and -hurry to the station-house. I was not certain, that it was not better -to stand by the coach, and "fight it out on that line," come what -might; but concluded the stage-men knew more about such encounters -than I did, and so followed their directions. Out I tumbled, gathered -up all the rifles and revolvers I could lay my hands on, and rushed -to the station-house, shouting "Indians! Indians!" Soon the driver -and stock-tenders came running in from the stable, as fast as their -legs could carry them; and for a few minutes we thought we had the -Indians upon us at last, sure enough. The pluck of the party, I must -say, was admirable. L. and M. stood to their guns. Nobody thought -of flight or surrender. But all quickly resolved, as we grasped our -rifles and revolvers, to make the best stand we could, and to fight -it out in that shanty, if it took all summer. But presently, as the -mules thundered up the road and past us, just as we were about to -fire on one of their pursuers, we saw him tumble from his horse all -sprawling, as it stumbled across a chuck-hole, and as he gathered -himself up heard him break out swearing in good vigorous English, -that stamped him as a Pale Face beyond a question. The swearing -probably saved his life, however objectionable otherwise, and we were -soon at his side. We found him more stunned, than hurt, and presently -his comrades succeeded in stopping the herd. They were unable to say -what had caused the stampede; but as no Indians appeared, we were -soon off on the road again. - -These "stampedes" of animals are not uncommon on the Plains, and -sometimes prove very embarrassing. A herd of mules, well stampeded, -will run for miles, over every thing that opposes them, until they -tire themselves thoroughly out. Had we been on the road, they would -probably have stampeded our stage-horses--thundering up so behind -us--and then there would have been a break-neck race by night, among -the Rocky Mountains, that would have been rather exciting, not to say -more. It is a favorite trick of the Indians, when they want to steal -stock, to stampede them thus at night, and then run off the scattered -animals. A large freight-train, that we subsequently heard of, had -lost all its mules a few nights before by such a stampede, and been -compelled to send back to the nearest settlement for others. - -Thence on to the North Platte, our route wound over and between -foot-hills and ridges, where the general ascent was indeed perceptible, -but never difficult. One by one we flanked the main ranges, and at old -Fort Halleck, 8,000 feet above the sea, found a natural depression or -cañon through the Mountains, in the absence of which a wagon-road there -would be seemingly impossible. It really appeared, as if nature had -cleft the range there expressly to accommodate the oncoming future; and -we swung through it, and so down to the North Platte, at a steady trot. -Here and there, in crossing the ridges, we caught exquisite glimpses -of snowy peaks off to the west, and of the far-stretching Laramie -Plains off to the east; but the country, as a whole, was barren and -desolate. We reached the North Platte just at dusk, having made 104 -miles in the last 24 hours. This seemed a good day's drive, considering -we were crossing the Rocky Mountains; but it was not quite up to the -regular schedule. We had hoped to get down into the Platte valley -before dark, but daylight left us before we reached the station. We had -caught long stretches of the valley, as we came over the ridges and -down the bluffs; but darkness fell so suddenly, we saw little of it -close at hand. Parts of it, we were told, are well adapted to farming, -and nearly all of it could be made cultivable by proper irrigation; -but it seemed too cold for anything but grass, and the more hardy -cereals. No doubt it could be made available for grazing purposes, -and the cañons of the neighboring Mountains would afford shelter and -grass for winter. Antelope and elk were reported quite abundant still -in the valley. We saw a herd of antelope feeding quietly, a mile away, -soon after we struck the valley, and at the station they gave us -elk-steaks for dinner--"fried," of course, as usual. Gold was reported -in the Mountains beyond, but little had been done there yet in the -way of mining. No doubt the Rocky Mountains are penetrated nearly -everywhere by gold-bearing veins, and where these crop out, and water -runs, "placer mines"--more or less lucrative--will be found. We found -the North Platte a very considerable stream, though readily fordable -then and there. It had already come a long distance through and out of -the Mountains, and now struck eastward by Fort Laramie, for its long -journey through the Plains to the Missouri. What a delightfully lazy, -dreamy, lotus-eating voyage it would be, to embark upon its waters in -an Indian canoe, far up among the Mountains, and float thence day by -day, and week after week, adown the Missouri, _via_ the Mississippi, to -the sea! - -At North Platte, we changed our mountain mud-wagon, for a coach -lighter and less top-heavy still, and pushed on continuing to -ascend. We left Colorado near Fort Halleck, and were now in -Wyoming. At Bridger's Pass, we were at last fairly across the Rocky -Mountains--had left the east and the Atlantic slope behind us--and -turned our faces fully Pacificwards. The North Platte was the last -stream flowing east, and about 3 A. M., after leaving it we struck -the headwaters of Bitter Creek, a tributary of Green River, that -flows thence _via_ the great Rio Colorado and the Gulf of California -two thousand miles away to the Pacific. The Rocky Mountains, the -great water-shed of the continent, were thus over and past; but we -had crossed the summit so easily we were not aware of it, until our -driver informed us. Our first introduction to the Pacific slope -was hardly an agreeable one. At our great elevation the night was -bitterly cold, and we had shivered through its long hours, in spite -of our blankets and buffalo-robes. Routed out at 3 A. M., for -breakfast, we straggled into the stage-station at Sulphur Springs, -cold and cross, to find only dirty alkali water to wash in, and -the roughest breakfast on the table we had seen yet, since leaving -the States. Coffee plain, saleratus-biscuit hot, and salt pork -fried--only this and nothing more--made up the charming variety, -and we bolted it all, I fear, as surlily as bears. A confused -recollection of cold, and discomfort, and misery, is all that remains -in my memory now of that wretched station at Sulphur Springs, and may -I never see the like again! - -Long before daylight we were off on the road again, and now had fairly -entered the Desert of the Mountains, the famous or infamous "Bitter -Creek Country," accursed of all who cross the continent. Here, when -the sun got fairly up, the sharp keen winds of the night hours changed -to hot sirocco breezes, that laden with the alkali dust there became -absolutely stifling. Alkali or soda--the basis of common soap--abounds -throughout all this region for two or three hundred miles, and -literally curses all nature everywhere. It destroys all vegetation, -except sage-brush and grease-wood, and exterminates all animals, except -cayotes and Indians. The Indians even mostly desert the country, and -how the cayotes manage to "get on" is a wonder and astonishment. The -wheels of our coach whirled the alkali into our faces by day and by -night, in a fine impalpable dust, that penetrated everywhere--eyes, -ears, nose, mouth--and made all efforts at personal cleanliness a -dismal failure. The only results of our frequent ablutions were -chapped hands and tender faces--our noses, indeed, quite peeling off. -In many places the alkali effloresced from the soil, and at a little -distance looked like hoar-frost. It polluted the streams, giving the -water a dirty milky hue and disgusting taste, and in very dry seasons -makes such streams rank poison to man and beast. The plains of Sodom -and Gomorrah, after the vengeance of Jehovah smote them, could not -have been much worse than this Desert of the Mountains; and good John -Pierpont must certainly have had some such region in his mind's eye, -when he wrote so felicitously: - - "There the gaunt wolf sits on his rock and howls, - And there in painted pomp the savage Indian prowls." - -One wretched day, while traversing this region, one of our -passengers, from whom we expected better things, unable to "stand -the pressure" longer, indulged too freely in Colorado whiskey; and -that night we had to fight the _delirium tremens_, as well. He tried -several times to jump out of the coach, and made the night hideous -with his screams; but we succeeded finally in getting him down under -one of the seats, and thus carried him safely along. As if to add -to our misfortunes, soon after midnight one of our thorough-braces -broke, and then we had to go humping along on the axle-tree for ten -or twelve miles, until we reached the next station. This no doubt -was a good antidote to John Barleycorn; but it scarcely improved our -impressions of "Bitter Creek." - -At Laclede, in the heart of the Bitter Creek Country, we halted one -day for dinner, and were agreeably surprised by getting a very good -one. This station had once been famed for the poorness of its fare, -and so great were the complaints of passengers, that Mr. Holliday -resolved to take charge of this and several others himself. He -imported flour and vegetables from Denver or Salt Lake, and employed -hunters on the Platte to shoot antelope and elk, and deliver them -along at these stations as required. The groceries, of course, had -all to come from the Missouri or the Pacific. We found a tidy, -middle-aged, Danish woman in charge at Laclede--a Mormon imported -from Salt Lake--and she gave us the best meal we had eaten since -leaving Laporte or Denver. We complimented her on the table, and on -the general cleanliness and neatness of the station; and she seemed -much gratified, as she had a right to be. - -Our ride through the Bitter Creek region, as a whole, however, was -thoroughly detestable, and how the slow-moving emigrant and freight -trains ever managed to traverse it was surprising. The bleaching -bones of horses, mules, and oxen whitened every mile of it, and -the very genius of desolation seemed to brood over the landscape. -Nevertheless, the station-keepers averred, there were cañons back -of the bluffs, where grass grew freely; and they pointed to their -winter's supply of hay in stack, as proof of this. So, too, at Black -Buttes station, we found good bituminous coal burning in a rude -grate, and were shown a bluff a hundred yards away where it was -mined. Elsewhere we heard of petroleum "showing" well, and one day -I suggested to our driver, that as the Creator never made anything -uselessly, there must be some compensation here after all. - -"Bother, stranger!" he rejoined; "The Almighty'd nothin to du with -this yer region. 'Tother fellar (pointing downward) made Bitter -Creek, ef it ever war made at all; tho, I reckin, it war just _left_!" - -"But what about the coal?" I said. - -"Dunno ef there's enny thar! But ef thar be, Providence only 'lowed -it, jist to help in the last conflaggerration--you bet! He didn't -mean enny human critter to live yer, and mine it--not by a long -shot--you bet!" - -At several points, however, we observed the bluffs abounded in slate -shales, and other coal-bearing earths; and as we suspected then, -the Union Pacific Railroad has already developed a vast deposit -of coal there. Bitter Creek itself flowed sluggishly by us for a -day or so, and was a little miserable stream, that just managed to -crawl--usually at the bottom of a deep gulch or abrupt cañon--its -chalky color proclaiming its alkali taint even before you tasted -it. We must have followed it for a hundred miles or more, and yet -it continued very nearly the same in size throughout. What water it -drained in one locality was largely evaporated in another, and its -wretched, villanous character made it everywhere an eye-sore, instead -of a pleasing feature in the landscape as it should have been. But -enough of Bitter Creek, and its God-forsaken region. - -Past Green river, here a considerable stream, we entered the Butte -region, and one evening just before sunset approached Church Butte, -the most famous of them all. It was too late in the day to explore -it, but we had a grand view of it in the shifting sunlight, as we -drove slowly by. On the box with the driver, a portion of it was -pointed out, that resembled a colossal Dutchman, about lifting to his -mouth a foaming beaker. Further on, as we rolled westward, the Teuton -faded out, and the church-like character of the Butte more fully -appeared. Seen from the west, it presents a very wonderful likeness -to an old-time cathedral, of the Gothic type, and at a distance -might well be taken for the crumbling ruins of some such edifice, -though of cyclopean proportions. Porch, nave, dome, caryatides, -fluted columns, bas-reliefs, broken roof and capitals--all are there -in shapes more or less perfect, and the illusion was very striking -in the shadowy twilight. The Butte itself, like most others there, -is a vast mass of sandstone, covered with tenacious blue clay, both -of which are being constantly chiseled down by wind and rain. These -buttes all seemed either to have been upheaved from the dead level -around them, or else to be the surviving portions of great mountain -chains, from which the earth has been washed or blown away, leaving -their skeletons--so to speak--behind in solitary grandeur. The latter -theory seemed more probable, judging by the general direction of the -buttes themselves. Much of the scenery about here for a hundred miles -or so, was enlivened by sandstone bluffs, cut and chiseled by the -elements into castles, fortresses, etc., that frowned majestically at -us in the distance; but we were only too glad to quit their grandeur -and sublimity, that turned only to barren rocks as we approached, -and to hail some signs of cultivation again as we neared Fort -Bridger. No doubt the wind has been an important agency in fashioning -all these, though scarcely to the extent that is claimed by some -travellers. In Bowles' "_Across the Continent_," he tells a story -about a wind-storm down in Colorado, that dashed the sand against a -window so furiously, that a common pane of glass was converted into -"the most perfect of ground glass," in a single night! We met a good -many Coloradoans, who were laughing at this "yarn," and were told -to set it down among other good "Rocky Mountain" stories. The fact -is, people who live out there on those vast Plains, or among those -great Mountains, become demoralized with the amplitude of everything; -and when they attempt to narrate, unconsciously--I suppose--get -to exaggerating. Not intentionally; of course not. But bigness -"rules the hour," and we early learned to distrust--and discount -largely--most of the extraordinary stories we heard. - -We reached Fort Bridger late at night (Oct. 8th), and found ourselves -pretty well jaded, both in body and mind. We had been four days and -nights continuously on the road since leaving Denver, and in that -time had made four hundred and eighty miles. This was the hardest -ride by stage-coach we had had yet, and altogether was a pretty fair -test of one's power of endurance. We became so accustomed to the -coach, that we could fall asleep almost any time; but slumber in a -stage-coach, or rather "mountain mud-wagon," is only a poor apology -for "tired nature's sweet restorer," after all. The first night -out, there being but five of us, four each "pre-empted" a corner, -while the fifth man "camped down" on the middle seat. Along about -11 P. M. we struck a piece of extra good road, the conversation -gradually wound up, each settled back into his great-coat and robe, -and presently we were all fairly off into dreamland. A half hour or -so rolls by, when bump goes the coach against an obstinate rock, or -chuck into a malicious mud-hole; your neighbor's head comes bucking -against you, or you go bucking wildly against him; the man on the -middle seat rolls off and wakes up, with a growl or objurgation, -that seems half excusable; your friends on the front seat get their -legs tangled and twisted up with yours, or you get yours twisted and -tangled up with theirs--you don't exactly know which; and, in short, -everybody wakes up chaotic and confused, not to say dismal and cross. -Of course you try it again after a while, you wrap your robes still -better about you, you adjust your legs more carefully than before, -and settling down again into your corner, think now you will surely -get a good sleep. However, you hardly get to nodding fairly, before -there comes a repetition of your former dismal experiences, and so -the night wears on like a hideous dream. A series of unusual jolts -and bumps disgusts every one with even the attempt to sleep, and -presently all hands drift into a general talk or smoke. The history -of one night is the wretched history of all--only each successive -one, as you advance, becomes "a little more so." Long before reaching -Fort Bridger, we were in a sort of a half-comatose condition, with -every bone aching, and every inch of flesh sore, and with the romance -of stage-coaching gone from us forever. Now, if a man's body were -made of india-rubber, or his arms and legs were telescopic, so as to -lengthen out and shorten up, perhaps such continuous travelling would -not be so bad. But, as it is, I confess, it was a great weariness -to the flesh, and looking back on it now, with the Pacific Railroad -completed--its express trains and palace-cars in motion--I don't -really see how poor human nature managed to endure it. Conversation -is a good thing _per se_, but most men converse themselves out -in a day or two. So, a good joke or a popular song helps to fill -the hiatus somewhat, and accordingly we buried "John Brown," and -"Rallied round the flag," and "Marched through Georgia," day after -day, until they got to be a "bore," even to the most severely -patriotic among us. Our only constant and unfailing friends were our -briar-wood pipes, and what a _corps de reserve_ they were! Possibly -smoking has its evils--I don't deny it--but no man has thoroughly -tested the heights and depths of life, or shall I say its altitudes -and profundities, its joys and its sorrows, its mysteries and -miseries--especially stage-coaching--who has not bowed at the shrine -of Killykinnick, and puffed and whiffed as it pleased him. There -is such comfort, and solace, and philosophy in it, when sojourning -on the Plains, or camped down among the Mountains, or cast away -in a stage-coach, that all the King Jameses and Dr. Trasks in the -universe, I suspect, will never be able to overcome or abolish it. - -Our horses were usually steady-going enough, the splendid teams of -the Plains; but one night, just before reaching Fort Bridger, we had -a team of fiery California mustangs, never geared up but once before, -and, of course, they ran away. The road was slightly descending, but -pretty smooth, and for the time our heavy, lumbering mountain mud-wagon -went booming along, like a ship under full sail. Presently, too, the -lead-bars broke, and as they came rattling down on the heels of the -leaders, we had every prospect for awhile of a general over-turn and -smash-up. But our driver, a courageous skillful Jehu, "put down the -brakes," and at length succeeded in halting his runaways, just as we -approached a rocky precipice, over which to have gone would have been -an ugly piece of business. We expected an upset every minute, with all -its attending infelicities; but luckily escaped. - -We halted at Fort Bridger two or three days, to inspect this post and -consider its bearings, and so became pretty well rested up again. -Some miles below the Fort, Green River subdivides into Black's and -Smith's Forks, and the valleys of both of these we found contained -much excellent land. Judge Carter, the sutler and postmaster at -Bridger, and a striking character in many ways, already had several -large tracts under cultivation, by way of experiment, and the next -year he expected to try more. His grass was magnificent; his oats, -barley, and potatoes, very fair; but his wheat and Indian corn -wanted more sunshine. The post itself is 7,000 feet above the sea, -and the Wahsatch Mountains just beyond were reported snow-capped the -year round. Black's Fork runs directly through the parade-ground, -in front of the officers' quarters, and was said to furnish superb -trout-fishing in season. In summer, it seemed to us, Bridger must be -a delightful place; but in winter, rather wild and desolate. Apart -from the garrison, the only white people there, or near there, were -Judge Carter and his employees. A few lodges of Shoshones, the famous -Jim Bridger with them, were encamped below the Fort; but they were -quiet and peaceable. The Government Reservation there embraced all -the best lands for many miles, and practically excluded settlements; -otherwise no doubt quite a population would soon spring up. Sage-hens -abounded in the neighboring "divides," and we bagged several of -them during a day's ride by ambulance over to Smith's Fork and -return. We found them larger and darker, than the Kansas grouse or -prairie-chicken; but no less rich and gamey in taste. Maj. Burt, in -command at Bridger, was an enthusiastic sportsman; but our ambulance -broke down seven miles out, and we had to foot it back after dark. - -We were now in Utah proper, and Judge Carter was Probate Judge of -the young county there. A Virginian by birth, from near Fairfax -Court-House, he enlisted in the army at an early age, and served as -a private for awhile in Florida. It was a romantic freak, and his -friends soon had him discharged; but he still continued with the -army, as purveyor or sutler. Subsequently, he accompanied our troops -to California; but afterwards returned east, and followed Albert -Sidney Johnston to Utah in 1858. When in that year Fort Bridger was -established, he was appointed sutler, and had continued there ever -since. Gradually his sutler-store had grown to be a trade-store with -the Indians, and passing emigrants; and in 1866 he reported his sales -at $100,000 per year, and increasing. He was a shrewd, intelligent man, -with a fine library and the best eastern newspapers, who had seen a -vast deal of life in many phases on both sides of the continent, and -his hospitality was open-handed and generous even for a Virginian. - -We left Fort Bridger October 12th, at 10 P. M., in the midst of gusty -winds that soon turned to rain, and reached Salt Lake City the next -night about midnight; distance 120 miles. We halted for breakfast at -the head of Echo Cañon, and were at a loss to account for the air -of neatness and refinement, that pervaded the rude station, until -we noticed Scott's Marmion and the Bible lying on a side shelf. Two -nice looking ladies waited on the table, and it is safe to conclude -a taste for literature and religion will keep people civilized and -refined almost anywhere. Echo Cañon itself proved to be a narrow -rocky defile, some thirty miles long through the heart of the -mountains there, with a little brawling creek flowing through it. -Its red sandstone walls mostly tower above you for several hundred -feet, and in places quite overhang the road. Here in 1857-8, Brigham -Young made his famous stand against the United States, and flooded -the cañon by damming the creek at various points. The remains of -his dam, and of various rude fortifications, were still perceptible; -but Judge Carter reported them all of small account, as Johnston's -engineers knew of at least two other passes, by either of which they -could have flanked the Mormon position, and so entered the valley. He -said, our troops should have marched at once on Salt Lake, without -halting at Bridger as they did; but the Mormons showed fight, and -our commanding officer--not liking the looks of things--called a -council of war, after which, of course, we did nothing. Councils of -war, it is well-nigh settled, never do. Clive, that brave soldier of -his time, never held a council of war but once, and then made his -fortune by disregarding its decision. When Sidney Johnston assumed -command, late in the fall of 1857, he had no orders to advance; and, -therefore, inferred he was wanted merely to maintain the _status -quo_! Accordingly he made haste to do nothing, and soon after went -into winter-quarters. Meanwhile, Brigham--unmolested by our show -of force--waxed fat and kicked. The next spring a compromise was -effected, which like most other "compromises" decided nothing, and -left the "saints" as saucy as ever. Judge C. knew all the men of that -troubled period well, especially Army people; and said he had long -thought, that the reason why the troops were not ordered forward was, -because Davis, Floyd, & Co., were already looking ahead to secession -in the near future, and did not care to establish _coercion_ as a -precedent. They feared such a precedent might be quoted against their -own "sovereign" States, in such a contingency, and so managed to -have the Army instructed How _not_ to do it, until Brigham found a -convenient loop-hole, and crept out of the scrape himself. Verily, -the ways of politicians are "past finding out!" - -Past Echo Cañon, we struck Weber Valley, and here found ourselves -at last thoroughly among the Mormons. Fine little farms dotted the -valley everywhere, and the settlements indeed were so numerous, that -much of the valley resembled rather a scattered village. The little -Weber River passes down the valley, on its way to Great Salt Lake, -and its waters had everywhere been diverted, and made to irrigate -nearly every possible acre of ground. Fine crops of barley, oats, -wheat, potatoes, etc., appeared to have been gathered, and cattle -and sheep were grazing on all sides. The people looked like a hardy, -industrious, thrifty race, well fitted for their stern struggle with -the wilderness. Everybody was apparently well-fed and well-clad, -though the women had a worn and tired look, as if they led a dull -life and lacked sympathy. Children of all ages and sizes flocked -about the gates and crowded the doorway, and to all appearances they -were about the same frolicking youngsters that we have east, though -they seemed less watched and cared for. Near the head of the valley, -we saw several coal-drifts that had already been worked considerably, -and were told that these mines supplied all the coal then used in -Utah, though it was thought coal would soon be found elsewhere. -It was of a soft bituminous character, far from first-class, but -nevertheless invaluable in the absence of something better. - -Just at dark, we found ourselves at the head of Parley's Cañon, and -still several miles distant from Salt Lake City. Snow-flakes had -sifted lazily downward all day, but at night-fall they changed to -sleet, which thickened presently into a regular snow-storm, and soon -the roads usually so good became heavy and slushy. In many places -the track was merely a roadway, quarried out of the rocky bluffs, -with a swollen and angry rivulet below; and as we wound cautiously -along this, both the coach and horses were constantly slipping -and sliding. Only a week before, in a similar snow-storm, the -stage-horses lost their foot-hold here, and a crowded coach--team -and all--went crashing down into the creek below. I had no fancy for -this sort of an experience; but when, soon after dark, we saw the -driver light up his side-lamps for the first time since leaving the -Missouri, I concluded that our chances for an "upset" at last were -perhaps improving. L. got nervous, and being somewhat mathematical -in his turn of mind, fell to calculating how far it was down to -the water and rocks, and what would be the probable results of -plunging down there quite miscellaneously. But I was half sick and -thoroughly tired out--in that worn and jaded condition, where a man -becomes fairly indifferent as to what may happen--and at length, -as L. averred, went soundly to sleep, though I had no recollection -afterwards of anything but dozing. I only know that when the horses -again struck a trot, as we began to descend the cañon westward, I -roused up shivering with cold; and was only too glad, when far away -in the distance our driver pointed out the lights of Salt Lake City, -twinkling through the darkness. It seemed then, as if the coach -never would get there. But at last the farms thickened into suburbs, -and the houses into streets, and a little before midnight we drew -up and halted at the Salt-Lake House. A smart-looking colored man, -acting both as porter and night-clerk, showed us to a comfortable -room, and I need scarcely say we retired at once. What a luxury it -was, to get between clean sheets once more, and stretch our cramped -up limbs wholly out again, _ad libitum_! No one but an Overland -stage-passenger can fully appreciate the downy comfort of a bed, or -truly sleep almost the sleep that knows no waking. How we _did_ sleep -and stretch ourselves, and stretch ourselves and sleep that night! -It seemed almost as if to sleep was the chief end of life, and we -made the most of our pillows accordingly. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - AT SALT LAKE CITY. - - -Our first day in Salt Lake city (Oct. 14) was Sunday, and of course -we rose late--I to find myself stiff and ill. A package of letters -from the east, and a bath near noon, set me up somewhat, and when -the gong sounded at 1, P. M. we went down to dinner. Here everything -was profuse and excellent, the vegetables and fruits especially. -But apart from the table, the Salt Lake House proved indifferent, -though the only hotel in the city. Its rooms were small and dingy, -and its appointments of the plainest, though its rates for every -thing were all-sufficient. The policy of the saints had been opposed -to Gentile travel, and hence no hotels at all were allowed at first. -But subsequently Brigham Young built the Salt Lake House, and leased -it to a Mr. Little--our three-wived landlord--and that paid so well, -he was about erecting a new and enlarged one, commensurate with the -wants and business of the city. - -After dinner, as the sun was out brilliantly and the air bracing, -we concluded to take a short stroll. Our snow-storm of the day -before in the mountains had been only an affair of an inch or two -here, and what had fallen was already fast disappearing. A walk of a -square or two soon revealed the unique and wonderful beauty of this -far-famed town. Its streets, eight rods wide with broad foot-walks, -cross each other at right angles, and down each side course clear -and rippling streams, fresh from the neighboring mountains. These -spacious streets divide the city into squares or blocks of ten acres -each, which are in turn subdivided into homestead lots of an acre -and a quarter each, except in the heart of the city, where of course -it is built up pretty solidly for several blocks. Standing back from -the street in these goodly lots are their houses, built of frame or -adobe, usually only one story high but sometimes two, and with as -many doors ordinarily as the owner has wives. These were literally -embowered in shrubbery and fruit trees, the grounds having been made -wondrously fertile by irrigation, and as we walked along we could -see the apple, peach, plum, pear, and apricot trees loaded down with -their ripening fruit. The snow of the day before did not seem to have -injured any of them materially, it was so unseasonable and soon gone. -So, too, roses and flowers in rich profusion crowned the door-yards, -while the gardens beyond seemed heaped with vegetables exquisite in -their perfection and development. Lofty mountains, their snow-capped -summits glittering in the sun-light, rimmed the valley in, whichever -way you turned; while in the distance, tranquil as a sapphire, -flashed the expanse of Great Salt Lake. To the traveller worn with -stage-coaching, or weary from Bitter Creek, no wonder Salt Lake -seems like Rasselas's Happy Valley, or Paradise Regained. Imagine to -yourself a valley say fifty miles north and south, by thirty east and -west, crowned above with snow-clad peaks, thick below with clustering -farms, its interlacing streams flashing in the sun-light, with a fair -city of fifteen or twenty thousand people gleaming in the midst, -embowered in fruit and shade-trees, and you may form some conception -of the prospect that greets you, as you rattle down the Wahsatch -range, and out into the valley of Great Salt Lake. I doubt if there -is a more picturesque or charming scene anywhere, not excepting the -descent from the Alps into Italy. You involuntarily thank heaven, -that "Bitter Creek" is over and past, and congratulate yourself on -having struck civilization once more, Mormon though it be. - -We took in much of this scene, as we strolled along, with senses -keenly alive to its beauties and felicities. Flowers never seemed -more fragrant; fruits never so luscious. In the clear atmosphere how -the mountains glowed and towered! How crisp and elastic was the air! -How the blood went coursing through one's veins! The streets seemed -alive with people, and as they were moving mainly in one direction we -followed on, and presently found ourselves at the Mormon Tabernacle. -This was an odd-looking, oblong structure, built of adobe, and with -no pretence evidently to any of the known orders of architecture. Its -side-walls were low, and between these sprang the roof in a great -semi-circle, with narrow prison-like windows near the line where the -walls and roof came together. Outside, the walls were of the usual -dun adobe color; inside, plain white--the whole utterly devoid of -ornamentation whatever. The organ and choir occupied the end near the -street; opposite was a raised platform, extending entirely across the -audience-room, and on this sat fifty or more plain-looking men--the -priests and chief dignitaries of "the Church of Jesus Christ of -Latter Day Saints." The audience consisted of perhaps two thousand -people--men, women, and children--all dressed respectably, and though -the average of intelligence was not high, yet as a whole they were a -better appearing people than we had been led to expect. This edifice -was their old tabernacle; the new tabernacle, an enormous structure -on much the same plan, but with a capacity of ten or twelve thousand -souls, was not yet completed, though well under way. Their great -Temple had not yet progressed beyond the foundation stones, and there -seemed to be much doubt whether it ever would. Its plan, however, is -on a magnificent scale, and if ever completed, it will doubtless be -one of the greatest edifices on the continent. - -Religious services had already begun, and we found a Mr. Nicholson, a -returned missionary from England, expatiating at the desk with much -fervor. We were too late for his text, but found him discussing at -length the evidences and undeniability of their peculiar doctrines. -He was a fluent, but vapid speaker, and, with all our curiosity -to hear him, soon became very tiresome. The gist of his argument -was, that the saints knew for themselves, in their own hearts, that -Mormonism was true, and, therefore, that no Gentile (or outside -unbeliever) could possibly disprove it. He said, "My brethren, we -_know_ our doctrines to be true, yea and amen, forever. They have -come to us by express revelation from heaven, and we have tested -them in our own experience; and, therefore, to argue against them is -the same as to argue against the multiplication-table, or to doubt -logic itself. Yes, our priesthood, from Brother Brigham down, is -God's own appointed succession, and whoever rejects its teachings -will be damned for time and eternity." He iterated and reiterated -these crude and common-place ideas for an hour or more _ad nauseam_, -until finally Brigham Young (who presided) stopped him, and ordered -the sacrament administered. This consisted only of bread and water, -passed through the audience, everybody partaking of the elements. -This over, singing followed, in which all participated, the chief -functionaries leading. Now came another "returned missionary," whose -name we missed. He talked for twenty minutes or more, in a very loose -and rambling way, about the work in England and Wales, and evidently -was regarded as a rather "weak brother," to say the least of him. -The next speaker was George Q. Cannon, a leading dignitary of the -church, and a man of decided parts in many ways. He is an Englishman -by birth, and for awhile after arriving here served Brigham Young as -secretary. Now he was a stout, hearty looking man, in his prime, with -good frontal developments, and impressed us as the smartest Mormon -on the platform--Brigham, perhaps, excepted. He spoke for nearly an -hour, delivering a calm, connected, methodical address, and evidently -moved his audience deeply. The substance of his discourse was, that -they as a church were blessed beyond and above all other churches, -because they had a genuine priesthood, appointed by God himself, -and in constant communication with Him. "Other churches," he said, -"in their decadence had dropped this doctrine, and accordingly had -lost their spirituality and power. But Joseph Smith, in the fulness -of time, found the Book of Mormon, where God had concealed it, and -so became His vice-gerent on earth. Brother Joseph selected Brigham -Young, Heber Kimball, and Orson Pratt, as his co-workers, and through -these and others Jehovah now communicates his unchanging will to the -children of men. These great and good men speak not themselves, but -the Holy Ghost in and through them. What we shall speak, we know -not, nor how we shall speak it; but God inspires our hearts and -tongues. Ofttimes we are moved to declare things, that are seemingly -incredible. If left to ourselves, we would prefer _not_ to declare -them. But Jehovah speaks through us--we are but his mouth-pieces--and -what are we to do? We _must_ proclaim His solemn revelations, and -to-day I tell you, brothers, what Brother Brigham has often said -before, that the time is not distant--nay, is near at hand--when -the North and South will both call upon Brigham Young and his holy -priesthood to come and help them re-establish free constitutional -government there. We, here in Utah, have the only free and Christian -government upon the earth, and God has revealed it to us, that His -holy church shall yet occupy and possess the continent. Some of you -may doubt this, and Gentiles especially may mock at and deride it. -But Jehovah has so spoken it, to Brother Brigham and others, and many -now here will yet live to see this fulfilled. Heaven and earth may -pass away, but my words shall not fail, saith the Lord!" All this, -and much more of the same purport, he uttered with the greatest -solemnity, as if devoutly believing it, and his audience received it -with a hearty chorus of "amens." There was more singing, and then -Brigham, who had presided over the meeting as a sort of moderator, -dismissed the congregation with the usual benediction. We had hoped -to hear him speak also, as their great chief and leader; but he was -ailing that day, and so disappointed us. - -The speaking, as a whole, scarcely rose above mediocrity, except -perhaps Mr. Cannon's. It was noisy and common-place, without logic or -symmetry, and would have provoked most eastern audiences to ridicule, -rather than led to conviction. Mr. Cannon evinced much natural -ability; but all seemed quite illiterate, their rhetoric limping -badly, and their pronouns and verbs marrying very miscellaneously. -But little was said about their "peculiar institution" of polygamy, -though it was alluded to once or twice, and its sacredness assumed. -The singing was strong and emotional, and swept through the -tabernacle a mighty wave of praise. Of course, it lacked culture; but -then there were passionate and glowing hearts back of it, for all -sang "with the spirit," if not "with the understanding also." Their -fine organ we missed hearing, as it was then out of order. A new -and much larger one was building for the new tabernacle, by workmen -from abroad, and this it was claimed was going to be bigger, if not -better, than the great one at Boston. Let the Hub look to her laurels! - -The next morning I found myself down, with what is termed out there the -Mountain Fever. And so this was the explanation of what had troubled me -occasionally, even before leaving Denver. I had struggled desperately -against it for a fortnight, but now surrendered at discretion, and was -taken to Camp Douglas--the military post north of the city--where I -found sympathizing comrades and a hearty welcome. This Mountain Fever -seems to be an ugly combination of the bilious and typhoid, with the -ague thrown in, and often pays its respects to overland travellers, -unless they are very careful. In my own case it yielded readily to -calomel and quinine, but only after liberal and repeated doses of each. -For over a fortnight I wrestled with it there, sometimes hardly knowing -which would conquer; but a resolute determination _not_ "to shuffle off -this mortal coil" in Utah, if I could help it, and a kind providence at -last brought me safely through. At first, this loss of time was greatly -regretted, as I was eager to complete my duties at Salt Lake, and push -on; but ultimately, I was not sorry, as it afforded an opportunity -to observe and study the Utah problem, much more fully than I should -otherwise have done. - -My first day out again, a beautiful October day and perfect of its -kind, the Post-Surgeon advised a ride in the open air. Accordingly -Major Grimes, the Post-Quartermaster, brought round his buggy, and -together we drove down to the city, and thence out to the hot Sulphur -Springs. These are on the Bear River road, some two or three miles -north of the city. The water here bursts out of the ground at the foot -of a bluff or mountain, as thick as a man's leg, and runs thence in a -considerable stream to Great Salt Lake. It has a strong sulphur color -and taste, and a temperature sufficient for a warm bath. Some miles -farther north there are other Springs--we were told--hot enough to boil -an egg. In the bath-house adjoining, we found a number of men and boys -enjoying the luxury of a sulphur plunge, and the place appeared to be -a considerable resort already, especially on Sundays. Most passing -travellers and miners endeavor here to get rid of the accumulated -dirt of their journey hitherward, and to depart cleaner if not better -men. A refreshment-saloon near by furnished superb apples and peaches -fresh from the trees, and most other American edibles, including our -inevitable "pies;" but no drinkables, except tea and coffee. The -patrons of the springs, it was said, complained bitterly of Brigham's -stern, prohibitory liquor laws, but with little result. Even in Salt -Lake City itself, a town of fifteen or twenty thousand souls, (1866), -there were but two or three drinking-saloons, and these, we were told, -were either owned or strictly regulated by the church _i. e._ Brigham -Young. Whatever else the saints may be, Brigham intends that they shall -at least not be drunkards, if he can help it. - -Returning we drove by the ruins of the old city-wall, erected by -the Mormons soon after they settled here, of concrete and adobe, -as a defence against the Indians. The growth of the town and the -disappearance of the Indians, rendered it useless years ago, and it -was now fast falling to pieces, though no doubt of service in its -day. It was one of Mr. Buchanan's Salt Lake scarecrows in 1857, but -would not have stood a half-dozen shots from an ordinary field-piece, -or even mountain-howitzer. The labor of erecting it, however, must -have been prodigious, as it enclosed originally several square miles, -and its remains even now speak well for the industry and enterprise -of the saints in those early times. - -Thursday, Nov. 1st, was a great gala-day at Salt Lake, and we were -fortunate to be there still. It was the chief day of their annual -militia muster, and the whole country-side apparently turned out. -The place selected was a plateau west of the Jordan, some three -miles from Salt Lake city. Proceeding thither, we found a rather -heterogenous encampment, with not much of the military about it, -except in name. The officers were mainly in uniform, but the men -generally in civilian dress, and many without either arms or -accoutrements. As we passed through the encampment, they were all out -at company drill. Of course, there were many awkward squads, but the -so-called officers were the awkwardest of all. In many instances, -they were unable to drill their men in the simplest evolutions; -but stood stupidly by, in brand-new coats, resplendent with -brass-buttons, while some corporal or private, in civilian dress, -"put the company through!" - -Soon after noon, a cloud of dust and a large accompanying concourse -of people heralded the approach of the chief Mormon dignitaries--in -carriages. The flag of the "State of Deseret" floated in the -advance; then came the standard of the old Nauvoo Legion; and as -the procession neared the parade-ground, the "Lieutenant-General -Commanding the Militia of Utah" and a brilliant staff (chiefly of -Brigadier-Generals) moved out to meet and escort the hierarchs in. -In the carriages, were most of the leading Mormons then at Salt -Lake. Brigham himself was reported absent sick, but he sent his -state-carriage instead, with Bishops Kimball and Cannon in it. The -Lieutenant-General and staff, with the carriages following, now rode -by in review, after which the troops formed column and marched by in -review. They moved by company front, and being near the reviewing -station, we made a rough count as they straggled by, and estimated -the total force at about a thousand infantry, five hundred cavalry, -and a battery of artillery. The cavalry was tolerably mounted; -but the artillery was "horsed" with mules, and consisted of mere -howitzers, no two of like calibre. The personnel of the force was -certainly good; but everything betrayed an utter lack of discipline -and drill. Nevertheless the Mormon officials seemed greatly elated -by the martial array, and much disposed to exaggerate its numbers. -Having been introduced to his excellency the Commander-in-chief, -"Lieutenant-General etc.," I took occasion incidentally to ask him -how many troops were on the field. He replied, he could not exactly -tell, but he "reckoned" about three thousand! Afterwards, in reply -to a similar question, his Adjutant-General--a son-in-law of Brigham -Young's, and, of course, a Brigadier-General--answered, he guessed -about four thousand! Other Mormon dignitaries computed them at -from five to six thousand, even. I said nothing, of course, about -my own passing "count;" but on returning to Camp Douglas, found it -substantially confirmed by a very accurate count, made by another U. -S. officer present, who had a better opportunity. - -The true _status_ of this Salt Lake militia appears pretty -clearly, I judge, from the following conversation with the said -Lieutenant-General. We were still "on the field," and I had casually -asked him, whether this was the militia of the Church or of the -Territory? - -"O, of the Territory, of course!" he replied, with a smile that was -child-like and bland. - -"But its officers are all Mormons, and its men mostly so, I believe?" - -"Why, yes, sir!" sobering down. - -"Its chief officers, especially, I observe, are men high in the -church, like yourself, Generals C---- and Y----, and others I see -here; are they not?" - -"Well, yes sir!" becoming more grave. - -"Are these troops, then, the quota of Utah, or only of a single county?" - -"Only of Salt Lake County. The other counties have similar -organizations, but smaller; and all are required to spend at least -three days per year in camp, for drill and review." - -"To whom, however, does your militia report?" - -"To myself only. By act of the Territorial Legislature, I am -Commander-in-Chief of the Utah Militia, and of course they take -orders only from me." - -"Then his excellency, the governor of the Territory, though its chief -executive, has no power to call out the territorial militia, or in -any way to control it?" - -"Why, no--no--sir! I believe--not!" very hesitatingly, and as if a -good deal confused. - -By this time, he began to see the drift of things somewhat, and -suddenly remembered he had important business elsewhere. This was -not surprising; for had he not already virtually acknowledged, that -this whole militia force--such as it is--was nothing more nor less, -than an auxiliary of the Mormon church, organized and held well in -hand to do her bidding? Gov. Durkee, the territorial governor, a -few days afterwards confirmed this view of the subject, and added, -that in his judgment this militia was a standing menace to our -authority in Utah, and would make us trouble there yet. He said, -in his last Annual Message, he had called the attention of the -Legislature to its anomalous character, and recommended that the -militia laws be amended, so that the troops should report to him, -and that he be provided with the usual staff--Adjutant-General, -Quartermaster-General, Inspector-General, etc.--the same as in all -our other Territories. The Legislature, however, being wholly Mormon, -paid no attention to his recommendations, and he did not suppose it -would very soon. No doubt this militia from its Lieutenant-General -commanding, down, is a mere creature of Brigham Young's--Mormon in -composition and organization--Mormon in spirit and purpose--Mormon -in body, brain, and soul--and what Brother Brigham proposes to _do_ -with it, it remains for our good-natured Uncle Samuel yet to see. In -case of a future collision in Utah, between United States and Mormon -authority, we shall probably soon learn. - -Two days afterwards the encampment broke up, and the troops marched -into Salt Lake City, and so past the Bee-Hive House, for Brigham's -inspection in person. Having business with his excellency or -reverence (whichever you choose to call him), accompanied by Major -Grimes, I called that morning, and thus chanced upon quite an -assemblage of their chiefs and dignitaries. Among them, were Heber C. -Kimball, George Q. Cannon, Bishop West, Lieut.-Gen. Wells, Brig.-Gen. -Clawson, Brig.-Gen. Young, (Brigham, Jr.), Col. Young--another -son--and others, whose names were not noted. Brigham himself met us -at the door, with an ease and dignity that well became him, and after -shaking hands very cordially, introduced us all around. Our object -was to obtain certain information for the War Department, about the -region between Salt Lake and the Rio Colorado (then little known), -with a view to supplying Camp Douglas, and possibly Fort Bridger -also, by that route hereafter, if practicable, _via_ the Gulf of -California. The Salt Lake merchants and others had given us a mass of -facts, or supposed facts, concerning it; but we had been told, that -the Church had made surveys and maps of all the country between, and -that Brigham Young knew more about the region there, than any other -white man living. The problem was to extract his information, for the -public benefit, if possible. I began by congratulating him on the -general appearance of industry and thrift in Utah--the wide-spread -evidences of their prosperity--(which one might safely do)--and -then, having thus paved the way, casually asked him why it was, that -with all their shrewdness and intelligence, they still persisted in -wagoning their goods and merchandise twelve hundred miles from the -Missouri, across the Plains and Mountains, when they might strike -navigation--it was alleged--on the Colorado at less than half that -distance? He answered instantly, with perfect frankness, as if -delighted with the question: - -"It _is_ extraordinary, surely! For ten year now, and more, I've -bin tryin' to talk it into our people, that the Colorado is our -true route. But Californy has done nuthin to open it, or _draw_ us -toward her, while New York keeps tight hold of us; and it is mighty -hard to change the course of trade and travel." And then he added, -by way of comment, "When things git _set_, it takes a heap to alter -'em, you bet!" which was certainly excellent "horse-sense," to say -the least of it. A philosopher--not even the elder Weller--could -have said it better. We discussed the subject very generally for -some minutes, he appearing full of interest; but presently, when -I began to inquire more minutely about the intervening country, -its roads, resources, distances, etc., suddenly, with a flash of -intelligence, he seemed to divine some sinister object, and at once -began to "disremember" (his own word) nearly everything asked him. -He was positive there were no maps or surveys of that region in the -Record Office of the Church, though subsequently I received copies of -several there; and drew back into his shell on the subject generally, -as far as possible. One of the Bishops present, not perceiving the -studied ignorance of his chief, answered several of the questions, -which Brigham "disremembered," but presently caught his cue and -relapsed into silence. On most other topics, Brigham talked with -much fluency and politeness; but as to Southern Utah, we soon found -he had no idea of giving any information he could suppress, and -so changed the conversation. We talked for perhaps an hour, on a -variety of subjects, and he impressed me as anything but an ignorant -man, though slimly educated. He believed their religion to be the -latest revelation of God's will to man, and that it would yet reform -or supplant all others. He thought "plurality of wives" a Divine -arrangement, and essential to Utah, whatever it might be elsewhere. -It had given them the most frugal and thrifty, the most honest and -moral population on the earth; and what more could be desired? If -Congress didn't like it, they could lump it. God Almighty would stand -by them. He said, Utah now numbered about a hundred thousand souls, -and they were rapidly increasing. They had gained three thousand that -year (1866), by immigration alone, mostly English and Welsh; some -years they got more, seldom less. He said their soil and climate were -all that could be desired, and claimed that by judicious irrigation -they could beat the world, especially in fruits and vegetables. He -thought they had coal, iron, and salt in abundance; but did not -believe their gold and silver amounted to much, and hoped to Heaven -they never would. Subsequently, I learned from other sources, that -silver and copper had been discovered in considerable richness, at -Rush Valley and elsewhere; but mining operations in Utah, as yet, -had been feeble. The Church was averse to an influx of Gentile -miners, for obvious reasons; and, accordingly, did all she could to -discourage mining, as a business. - -This conversation, though lacking in the results desired, yet afforded -an opportunity for observing Brigham pretty well. Though then about -sixty-five, he looked at least ten years younger, and evidently had -many years hard work in him yet. He was of medium height, stoutly -built every way, and of late years inclining to corpulency. His hair -was a sandy red, now well sprinkled with gray, and somewhat disposed -to curl. His eyes, a pale blue, were resolute and sagacious; but -had a steely look in them at times, that might mean any depth of -cruelty or tyranny. His nose, though not so pronounced as his career -would indicate, was nevertheless very characteristic; while his -mouth, though large and firm, had less of the animal about it, than -would naturally be expected. His under-jaw would, perhaps, strike -you more than any other one feature. Heavy and strong, full and -massive, it looked like cast-iron, and at times, when he talked of -Congress or of his enemies, it would shut with a snap like a gigantic -nut-cracker. His dress was plain black, and his manners altogether -unexceptionable. His position as head of the Mormon people has bred -the habit of power, while his contact with representative men from -abroad has imparted much of the elegance and _suaviter in modo_ of -the man of the world; so that he would pass for a pretty good diplomat -almost anywhere. To take Brigham Young for a fool, or a mere fanatic, -it was plain to be seen, would be a great mistake. It is true, he -knows nothing about grammar or rhetoric, and but little about the -dictionary; but his knowledge of all the country there, and of human -nature, we found to be full and exact, and no man west of the Rocky -Mountains knows better how make a good bargain, or fill a paying -contract. However illiterate, he has patience, shrewdness, cunning, -and abundance of hard common-sense--"horse-sense," as we used to say -of Grant in the army--and doubtless would have made his way in the -world, in whatever sphere he happened to drop. If he had not become -"Brother Brigham," great hierarch of the Mormon Church and autocrat -of all Utah, worth $25,000,000 in his own right, (as reported), -owning countless lands and herds, no doubt he would have gravitated -into a first-class hotel-keeper, or a money king on Wall Street, or -a great railroad-contractor, or something of that sort, requiring -keen perceptions and fine executive abilities. To deny him some such -qualities, is evidently preposterous. Discredit him in every way; call -him charlatan and humbug, if you please; the fact still remains, that -he has changed an isolated desert into a land flowing with milk and -honey, and created a community of a hundred thousand souls devoted -to his will, holding their lives and fortunes absolutely at his -bidding--and surely no mere imbecile, or blunderer, could have achieved -such results. - -[Illustration: BRIGHAM YOUNG.] - -We saw Brigham again, a few days afterwards, one night at the -theatre. The Salt Lake Theatre is really a fine building, and very -creditable to the city. Its scenery, and appointments generally, -are unsurpassed in this country, outside of a few of our great cities -East, and but few of our play-houses indeed equal it even there. -Nearly everything about it has been imported from England, at large -expense, and Englishmen in the main manage it now. The play the night -we were there was of the kind yclept Moral Drama, but it was put on -the stage with considerable ability. Two "stars" from San Francisco -took the leading characters; the minor ones were sustained by the -stock-company, most of whom were Mormon residents of Salt Lake. -Among these a sprightly looking girl of seventeen was pointed out -to us, as a daughter of Brigham Young's, though on the bills she -bore a high-sounding theatrical name. What corresponds to the "pit" -in most theatres, is their dress-circle, and this was well-filled -with families--chiefly women and children. The rest of the theatre -was occupied mostly by Gentiles and soldiers. What impressed one -particularly, was the domestic or family character of the whole -thing. Men, women, and children, were all there, down to the last -baby, and young misses came and went at will, quite unattended, as -at church East. Between the acts, paterfamilias and all munched -their apples and nuts, and promenaded about quite _ad libitum_; but -during the performance everything was very decorous. In the very -centre of the house were four long seats, handsomely upholstered, -and "reserved" for Mrs. Brigham Young. There were "sixteen of her," -as poor Artemus Ward used to say, there that night, all ordinary -looking women, apparently from thirty-five to fifty years of age, and -dressed rather plainly. A fine large rocking-chair, abreast of the -seats, was pointed out to us as Brigham's place when he sits with -them. Ordinarily he occupies a private box, with his favorite wife, -and did so that evening with his dear Amelia. He paid but little -attention to the play, but most of the time was sweeping the audience -with an opera-glass, or conversing with a gentleman by his side. Mrs. -Amelia was well-dressed, but not richly, and was scarcely better -looking than the other sixteen, whom she had displaced in Brigham's -affections. Evidently the Prophet has no taste for female beauty, or -else is indifferent to it. Sometimes, between the acts, he comes down -and chats a little with his domestic flock below, but retires to his -box again when the play resumes. That evening, however, he continued -faithful throughout to Mrs. Amelia. - -Flanking the stage were two long seats, upholstered somewhat better -than the rest, and here sat some twenty or more of Brigham's -children--of all sizes and both sexes. They were mostly maidens from -ten to fifteen years of age, though some were only prattling infants -on their mothers' knees. They were better dressed and brighter -looking, than most of the young people present; but the sight was a -singular one for the nineteenth century, and in Christian America. -Altogether, Brigham was said to have over fifty children--mostly -girls. Heber Kimball was credited with about the same number, but his -were chiefly boys--whereat he was inclined to joke Brigham. Their -wives so-called, were reported at the same number, about twenty-five -each. Recently Brigham had said, that he had "about a dozen or -twenty, he was not certain which--it was nobody's business but his -own." But public opinion at Salt Lake credited him with twenty-five -or more, regular and "brevet" together, when we were there; and he -has probably increased the number one or two per year, ever since. - -Our main object, however, in going to the Theatre, was to get a good -look at the general audience. On the surface, I must say, this -was genteel and respectable. There was no fashion or "style" about -it, of course; but the people as a whole were well-dressed--always -comfortably--and in the main looked contented and well-to-do. Here -and there a woman's face however, showed, unmistakable signs of grief -and anguish; but there were not nearly so many of these, as might -be expected. What the women's faces chiefly lacked, was that air of -sprightliness and grace, of culture and refinement, that characterizes -the majority of theatre-going ladies East and elsewhere. There was -an ugly subdued look about many of them, as if they felt themselves -trodden down and inferior to the men--much such as we used to see in -the negro's face down South--and too little of that calm, masterful, -rounded equipoise of self-respect, which is the true glory of either -man or woman. Prolong polygamy for a century, with all such downward -forces constantly at work, and what may not our Utah dames and damsels -become? The men, on the other hand, looked heavy and coarse, and while -there were keen sharp faces among them, here and there, that could have -belonged only to men of character anywhere, yet in too many instances -the animal was evidently creeping over them, and in the end would -surely predominate. It was pitiful to think how inexorably their higher -nature must suffer, if polygamy continued, unless all history is false, -and physiology a lie. But there are some things, that need not be said; -it is enough to intimate them. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - MORMON OUTRAGES--POLYGAMY, ETC. - - -As to the alleged outrages and wrongs by Mormons against Gentiles, -we found public opinion at Salt Lake much divided. The Mormons, as a -class, of course, all repudiated and denied them; while the Gentiles, -as a class, were equally earnest in affirming them. Before arriving -there, we were very skeptical on this subject; but before leaving, -and afterwards, heard so many ugly stories, that we were compelled -to believe somewhat in them. It is a delicate subject to touch at -all, and I would fain avoid it; but no account of Salt Lake would be -complete without some allusion thereto. Space would fail me to speak -of them at length; so that I shall content myself with recording -only a case or two, and from them the reader must judge for himself. -The Mountain Meadow massacre, and the Brassfield murder, were old -stories; but just previous to our arrival, a party of Gentiles had -been threatened with drowning in the Jordan, and indeed, while we -were there, the atrocious murder of Dr. Robinson occurred. The editor -of the little _Vidette_, the plucky Gentile paper then at Salt Lake, -was one of the Gentiles above referred to, and his story was that a -band of masked men seized them on the street one night, and taking -them out to the Jordan tied them hand and foot, and then gave them -the option--either to leave Utah in one week, or to be tossed in -and drowned. Their only offence was, that they had been too bitter -against Mormonism, and Salt Lake they were informed was "an unhealthy -place" for such people. They all agreed, we believe, to emigrate. -But the _Vidette_ man, on getting home, concluded such a promise -under duress was not very binding, and proceeded to strengthen his -conclusion by securing a guard from Camp Douglas. Loaded down with -revolvers, he went about his business as usual in the day time, but -at night kept within doors, and so far had remained unmolested. -The others, however, as a whole, thought it safer to keep their -agreement, and accordingly duly quitted Utah. - -The murder of Dr. Robinson (Oct. 22d), it must be admitted, was a -cold-blooded atrocity, worthy only of fanatics or savages. He had -come to Salt Lake originally, as Surgeon or Ass't-Surgeon of a -regiment of volunteers, ordered there from California during the war, -to replace the Regulars sent east. When his regiment was mustered -out, he concluded to settle at Salt Lake, and soon after "pre-empted" -the quarter-section containing the Hot Sulphur Springs. Associating a -Dr. Williamson with him, who had also been in the army, they put up -a bath-house and refreshment-saloon at the Springs, and by liberal -advertising were soon in a fair way to make some money. Now, all at -once, two Mormons living near suddenly discovered that the property -belonged to them, although they had never claimed it before, or -regularly "pre-empted" it, or made any "permanent improvement" there, -as required by our pre-emption laws. They accordingly brought suit -in ejectment against Messrs. Robinson and Williamson, in the U. S. -District Court there; but before the cause reached trial, became -convinced there was nothing in their case, and concluded to abandon -it. Now, however, Salt Lake City itself stepped in as plaintiff in -the cause, and claimed the Springs also as corporation property, by -virtue of some old ordinance, though two or three miles beyond the -city limits. Immediately, without waiting for the Court, Messrs. R. -and W. were declared trespassers, and the Mayor ordered the city -police to eject them from the premises, which was done one night by -tearing down the buildings over their heads, and dragging them both -off bodily. This summary proceeding, no better than a riot, naturally -created much excitement among the Gentiles, and was still being -talked of when we reached Salt Lake. Meanwhile, Dr. Robinson took it -very coolly, and moving into Salt Lake, opened an office for practice -there, proposing to abide the judgment of the Court. Shortly, -however, before this could be reached, he was roused up one night by -a man at his door, with the plausible story, that a friend down the -street had broken his leg and needed his immediate services, being -already in great agony. His wife, newly married, fearing treachery, -begged him not to go. But the Doctor felt bound by the vows of his -profession, and while proceeding forth upon this supposed errand -of mercy and benevolence, he was waylaid on one of the most public -streets, knocked down, and shot through the head, three or four -times, as if his assassins meant to make sure work of their victim. -From the testimony of those awakened by the shots and his loud -outcries, it appeared there were over a half a dozen of his assassins -and their accessories--some doing the bloody work, while others stood -guard on the adjacent corners--and yet not one of them was arrested, -though it was a bright moonlight night, and a fresh fall of snow on -the ground. The city police, when sought, were all found collected at -the Central Police Station, as if purposely out of the way, and no -serious or concerted attempt was made to track the murderers. His -watch was untouched; his pockets, unrifled; there was no evidence -that he had a personal enemy; and the almost universal conviction -of the Gentiles then at Salt Lake was, that he had fallen a victim -to the Mormons, at the bidding or instigation of the Church--they -preferring to end their action of ejectment thus summarily, rather -than abide "the law's delay," or its "glorious uncertainties." -Subsequently, a leading Mormon, a son-in-law of Brigham Young's, -_admitted_ to me, indeed, that Robinson had probably been "silenced" -by some ignorant or bigoted brother; but repudiated, of course, all -connection of the Church therewith, or responsibility therefor. - -The morning after the assassination, as the facts got known, the -Gentile population became greatly excited, and for a day or two there -was hot talk of a "Vigilance Committee," etc. Happily, however, this -last suggestion was abandoned, or the Mormons would have exterminated -them, as they outnumbered the Gentiles fully six to one in the city, -and immensely more than that outside in the Territory. To pacify them, -however, a coroner's inquest was ordered, and, as the excitement grew, -the City Government came out ostentatiously with a reward of $2,000, -for the apprehension and conviction of the murderers. So intense was -the feeling, Brigham Young himself thought it wise to start a private -subscription, and raised $7,000 more among the Mormon merchants -and "tender-footed" Gentiles. The sturdier Gentiles, however, and -many of the U. S. officials, refused to have any thing to do with -this; and one, at least, of the U. S. Judges, when asked to sign it, -unhesitatingly branded the whole movement, as only "a cheat and swindle -to throw dust into the eyes of people East." It was, however, a shrewd -dodge, worthy of such an old fox, and Brigham immediately telegraphed -to Gen. Sherman, at St. Louis, then commanding that Department, "We -have offered $9,000 reward for Dr. Robinson's murderers. The church -nothing to do with it!" No doubt, when interrogated by tourists about -such outrages and wrongs hereafter, he will refer to that "$9,000 -reward," for many a day, with great unction, and extol his saints to -the skies accordingly. Of course, it was perfectly safe to "subscribe" -it; for it was never meant, that any body should be caught. The -coroner's inquest made a show of sitting several days, but nothing -came of their labors. Some Gentiles, indeed, went so far as to retain -Ex-Gov. Weller, of California, who happened then to be at Salt Lake, -and he prosecuted the inquiry with some vigor; but the verdict of -the jury was, "Killed by some person or persons unknown." The effect -of it all was, to deepen the sense of insecurity in the minds of all -Gentiles there, as to both person and property, and to intensify the -general feeling against Mormonism, which we found everywhere throughout -Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and the Pacific Coast generally. It -became at once another wall of division, another root of bitterness, -between Gentiles and Mormons throughout all that region; and will be -sure to be treasured up "as wrath against a day of wrath," when that -dark day comes. And justice, against even Brighamdom, we may depend, -will not sleep forever. - -Mrs. Robinson, it should be added, subsequently returned to her -friends in California, and Dr. Williamson left for the East, both -abandoning their undoubted property, after such convincing arguments. -The City immediately leased the Springs and their appurtenances for -$2,000 per year; and thus this cruel assassination was apparently a -"paying" operation for the Saints, whatever may be its barbarism, or -however others fared. - -This case I have given somewhat in detail, because it occurred under -my own eye--so to speak--and I endeavored to sift its facts pretty -thoroughly for myself. In my Official Report on Utah, attention was -called to it; and whatever else may be said or thought of it, one -thing seems clear, to wit, that such unlawful and wicked acts are but -_the logical fruit of the habitual teachings of the Mormon chiefs and -leaders_. Said Brigham Young some time before, in one of his pulpit -discourses, "Brethren, if any body comes here, and goes to interfere -with our lands or women, my advice is to send 'em to hell across lots." -Said the editor of the _Salt Lake Telegraph_, the chief Mormon paper -there, one day in my hearing, "If a man comes here, and don't like our -institutions, all he has to do is to leave. If he stops here, and minds -his own business, he will get along well enough--nobody will molest -him. But if he goes to denouncing President Young, or interfering with -our domestic relations, of course he will get into trouble mighty -quick, you bet!" I thought _that_ a fair statement of their position; -but failed to see wherein it differed from the hideous despotism down -South, which we had just had to break as with a rod of iron, and dash -in pieces as a potter's vessel. He indignantly denied, that Gentiles -were ordinarily ill-treated or tabooed; but his own statement, it -seemed to me, confessed away the whole case substantially of _Gentile -vs. Mormon_, involving as it does a thorough surrender of our cherished -freedom of speech and of the press. This editor was a bluff and -hearty Englishman, about forty years of age, and was reported engaged -to a daughter of Brigham Young's, only about seventeen. The current -criticism of him was, that he really believed no more in Mormonism, -than the most incorrigible Gentile; but he had found the institution, -or rather "destitution," (as Theodore Parker called its "twin relic," -and would much more have branded _it_), to "pay," and so eulogized and -defended it. - -Perhaps I can not do better, than relate just here a rather remarkable -conversation I had with a high judicial officer of the Territory, on -this and kindred subjects. He had been there several years, was a -man of ability and character, and I give the conversation at length, -because it seemed trustworthy, and also because it will probably answer -a variety of questions the reader may want to ask. It took place in his -own chambers, while I was at Salt Lake; and as no injunction of secrecy -was imposed, or apparently desired, I see no objections to publishing -it. He said he had come to Utah unprejudiced against the Mormons, but -at length had become convinced, however reluctantly, that they had a -secret organization--call it "Thugs," "Danites," "Destroying Angels," -or what you will--whose sworn duty it was to "put out of the way" any -person, who became hostile or obnoxious to their views or interests. -For a long while after coming there, he had refused to credit this; but -at length was compelled to, by the most indubitable evidence, to wit, -his own multiplied observations and experiences as a U. S. judge. He -continued: - -"I can't help believing, sir, that poor Dr. Robinson was killed in this -way, and when Brigham Young's hypocritical subscription-paper, for a -reward for the arrest of the assassins, was presented for my signature, -I indignantly spurned it. I told the committee in charge, that it was -only another of Brigham's tricks to throw dust into the eyes of the -people at Washington, and I would have nothing to do with it." - -"Do you think his murderers will ever be discovered?" - -"Suppose they are, they will never be convicted. No Mormon jury -would convict a brother Mormon, in such a case, even if indicted, as -everybody knows here. I know very well who murdered poor Brassfield -some time ago, and where the Church sent him abroad to keep him out -of the way. I suppose England would return him, under our extradition -laws, if requested. But _cui bono_? Our juries here are all summoned -by the Mormon sheriffs, and the jurors, of course, are either -Mormons, or dough-face Gentiles, worse than Mormons; so that, it -would be hopeless to expect a righteous verdict." - -"Then you really think, the accounts we get East of outrages and -crimes by Mormons, against Gentiles or apostate Mormons, are, on the -whole, true?" - -"Why, yes, I am sorry to say, I fear so--the most of them--as true as -holy writ. But the half of them never come to light. 'Dead men tell -no tales.' And what do we know of the mysteries and miseries of their -barbarous polygamy?" - -"Do you think Brigham Young has much to do with such outrages?" - -"In some cases, yes, directly. In others, only indirectly, by his -sermons and addresses. No doubt he advised, or at least suggested, -the 'taking off' of Brassfield and Dr. Robinson, to save trouble -and serve as examples. So, also, he was directly responsible for -the Mountain Meadow massacre, that occurred several years ago, when -a whole train of Gentile emigrants, _en route_ to California, were -murdered in cold blood, and their property and little children -distributed around among the Mormons. They had offended the Saints -while passing through Salt Lake, and this was their revenge. This -murder by wholesale they have always charged upon the Indians; but -I myself have seen the secret orders for their massacre, signed -'By order of President Young, D. H. Wells, Adj't.-Gen.' I was in -Washington in the autumn of 1865, and was at the White-House one day, -when these orders were shown to Andrew Johnson. He took the tattered -and discolored papers to the window, scanned them closely for awhile, -and when he returned them said, with much feeling, it was "high time -something was done to _clean out_ such scoundrels." It was a generous -impulse, while it lasted, and he meant it, too. But subsequently, -when I saw him again, in the winter, he had become embroiled with -Congress, and dismissed the Utah question with the curt remark, -that there was "practical polygamy in Massachusetts too, as well as -Utah." The property of these Mountain Meadow emigrants, I repeat, -was divided up, and distributed around among the Mormons. Some of -their furniture is in Salt Lake now, and can readily be identified. -Many of their mules were sold by Capt. H.--subsequently our delegate -to Congress--to the U. S. Quartermaster then here, and the proceeds -shared by himself, Young, Wells, and others. There is plenty of -evidence of all this, that I can put my finger on at any time; but it -would be ridiculous to submit it to a Mormon jury, with any hope of a -conviction now. And so, the case rests." - -"I suppose, this also is why our anti-polygamy laws prove to be a -failure?" - -"Certainly, sir! It is an old adage, 'Dog won't eat dog!' There -didn't use to be much polygamy here. But as soon as Congress made it -a misdemeanor and a crime, Brigham and his Bishops set to work to -get as many of their people into it as possible, so as to make the -enforcement of the new law difficult, if not well nigh impracticable. -They argued very shrewdly, 'You can't indict and try a whole people.' -Polygamy, indeed, used to be only a matter of taste, and but little -talked about; but now it is constantly preached, as a civil and -religious duty, and all who can support more than one wife are -proceeding to take others. The women objected a good deal, at first, -and do still; but they were told, it was a New Revelation, 'thus -saith the Lord,' and submission would make them 'Queens in Heaven' -etc., and so they yielded. What else could they do in these mountain -fastnesses, with Gown and Sword both against them?" - -"Well, judge, you must have seen a good deal of the 'peculiar -institution.' What are its practical workings?" - -"Bad, and only bad--every way. It tends to make the men petty despots -and mere animals, of course, while it degrades American women to -the level of the Oriental harem. Their husbands, so-called, already -habitually think and speak of them, as their 'women'--not _wives_--as -you may have noticed, as a part of their goodly possessions, somewhat -more esteemed perhaps than their flocks and herds, but not so much -more either. Affection, sympathy, confidence--the finer instincts and -feelings--all true delicacy between husband and wife--are fast dying -out, and we have nothing half so good to show for them. Sometimes, -however, a first wife gets the bit into her teeth, and then the -others have to stand around, or leave. _Per contra_, sometimes -the first wife herself gets ejected. One of Heber Kimball's sons -married a second wife some time ago, and soon after she persuaded -his first wife--a wife of many years, with several children--to -vacate, by three shots from a revolver, and then installed herself -as _first_ wife instead! No doubt, the Saints have many a little -"unpleasantness," like this, to mar their domestic felicity; but they -hush them up, and keep quiet about it." - -"What about their polygamous children?" - -"Why, they are inferior of course, in many ways, _ex necessitate_, as -the fruits of such a practice always are, and must be. Go to the City -Cemetery, and you will find it a perfect Golgotha of infant graves. -If not feeble and tainted already in constitution, they must speedily -become so; or else all History is false, and Science a slander." - -"And yet those we have seen on the road, and about the streets here, -seem bright and spry enough." - -"No doubt. It is a good climate, and there has not been time enough -yet. But, then, have you considered the whole foul brood of downward -influences at work here, and what must be the logical result in due -season, by the very nature of things? Why, with our population of a -hundred thousand souls, we have not a _Free_ School yet in all Utah, -and outside of this city scarcely a _School_-House. Here, we have a -few Ward Schools; but the teachers are inferior, and the rates of -tuition, cost of books etc., so high, that only the children of the -better classes can attend. Brigham Young has a school of his own, in -his seraglio grounds, where his numerous progeny are taught music, -dancing, and some of the commoner branches; but the great bulk of our -rising generation here are growing up in a state of ignorance and -superstition so dense, as to be absolutely inconceivable elsewhere. -So, too, many of the Saints have two or more sisters for wives, at -the same time. Others, again, marry their own blood-cousins, and some -even their own step-daughters. And instances exist, where they have -had mother and daughter for wives, at the same time. Now, where -all this is to end, it seems to me, it is not difficult to predict, -unless Nature suspends her laws, and Evil becomes our Good." - -"It is certainly very shocking, judge. But what do you propose to -_do_ about it?" - -"Well, I would do something, or at least _try_ to. I have thought a -good deal about it, since I got my eyes open; and, first of all, I -would have Congress authorize and instruct the U. S. Marshal here -to summon the jurors for the U. S. Courts direct. By some strange -oversight, I suspect by Mormon intrigue (for they watch Congress -closely, and boast they control it on all Utah matters usually), -this was omitted in our Organic Act, and consequently our jury-lists -are now taken from the county-lists, which are of course made up by -Mormon sheriffs. Therefore, all open and avowed Gentiles, who have -any back-bone in them, are left off, and we get nobody in our U. S. -jury-boxes even, except Mormons and doughface Gentiles. Of course, such -juries won't indict or convict for polygamy, or any other offence worth -mentioning, if a Mormon is to be mulcted for it. But if our jurors were -summoned by our Marshal direct, out of the whole body of the Territory, -as they are everywhere else, I believe, he could take good care to -put only reliable citizens on the lists, and thus give us juries that -_would_ indict and convict in all necessary or flagrant cases."[10] - -"But would the Saints meekly consent to be thus overslaughed, and -ignored?" - -"Of course, not! The first verdict we got and attempted to enforce, -there would be a riot, or threatened riot, and then we would have to -fall back on the Military. The Utah Militia, of course, could not be -depended on; for it is all officered and controlled by the creatures -of the Church. Therefore, we would have to call on the United States, -and it would be for Uncle Sam to decide at last. This, of course, -would necessitate an increase of troops here; for, if the garrison -were small, the Saints might make trouble. But give us a couple of -batteries, a regiment of cavalry, and say two regiments of infantry, -such as Sherman 'went marching through Georgia' with; and Brighamdom -can be made to obey the laws, the same as Dixie, or be ground to -powder." - -"But, judge, will not the Pacific Railroad solve the problem in a -more excellent way--peaceably and quietly--by bringing in such an -influx of Gentiles, that Mormonism will be neutralized? This is what -we all hope East?" - -"Perhaps so, if this 'influx' is _big_ enough, and _good_ enough. -But, you see, the Saints claim to have pre-empted about all the -land here, that is worth anything, and they won't sell or lease -to Gentiles, unless the Church says so. Besides, with the heavy -immigration the Mormons are constantly receiving--about three -thousand this year, to next to nothing by the Gentiles, and their -naturally rapid increase, I fear they will keep greatly ahead of -all outsiders, who won't be likely to come and stay long where they -will be ostracised and outlawed. It isn't natural, that they should. -Won't it be the same, as it was down South before the war, and has -been ever since? Northern brain and capital wouldn't go there, and -won't, because they believe in perfect freedom of speech and of the -press--absolute security of person and property--and won't settle -where these are wanting. How then can we expect them to emigrate -here, where we have no true enjoyment of either? What sensible man -would come to Utah, or bring his wife and children here, when he -could go just as well to Colorado or Montana, Oregon or California, -and escape the dismal drawbacks we have here? I admit I have great -hopes of the Railroad, in time; and yet I confess, I fear, our -_questio vexata_ here in Utah, like its "twin" question down in -Dixie, will find its solution only in gunpowder, if it is to find -it soon. When nothing else will do, I have great faith in the moral -power of bayonets--especially, when used on the right side." - -"But, judge, is not Brigham Young the main cohesive power; and when -he dies, what then?" - -"Well, when that happens they may split up, on the question of -his successor; but I suspect Brigham is too shrewd and far-seeing -for that. He already has Brigham Young, Jr., his smartest son, in -training for the succession--sent him missionary to England, and -now he is a Brigadier-General in the Mormon Militia here--and the -probability is, a "Revelation" will designate him for the Presidency, -if death don't come too suddenly. Brigham will undoubtedly keep the -succession in his own family, if he can; but he will not hesitate a -moment to designate some other person, if the seeming interests of -the Church require it. Of course, he is very illiterate; but he is a -very able and sagacious man, for all that--devoted to Mormonism, and -"dangerous" in every sense of that word." - -"Have you no fear of him, yourself, judge? You speak your mind pretty -plainly." - -"No, I think not. He would hardly strike so high. Besides he is reputed -to be a coward, personally, and I guess _that_ is so. I have seen -him charged with complicity in the Mountain Meadow massacre, and his -shirking and cringing then was pitiful. No doubt, my life is always in -danger here, more or less, as would be that of any other upright and -fearless judge. Indeed, I have good reason to know, that they cordially -hate me. After Dr. Robinson's assassination a friendly Mormon came to -me at night, and told me confidentially my turn would come next. But -I keep indoors after dark, or else go out only in company, or when -heavily armed, and am prepared to sacrifice my life, if need be, at any -time. I have lived too long in this world, to be much afraid of leaving -it; and I don't know as I could die better anyhow, than in upholding -and enforcing the laws of my country here in Utah." - -"Do your Courts ever meet with real opposition to their ordinary -courses of procedure?" - -"Why, no--not formally; though I never have much confidence in a -verdict, where one of the parties is a Gentile. Where plaintiff -and defendant are both Mormons, our verdicts are usually righteous -enough; though these are liable to be overruled or set aside, by the -High Council of the Church--a body of irresponsible ecclesiastics, -of course, unknown to the laws. This Council is composed of Brigham -Young, and a number of the chief dignitaries of the Church, and is -often appealed to by "big" Mormons, when the civil courts have gone -against them." - -"No! Really? But is not this mere rumor, judge?" - -"No, indeed! I could cite several such cases, but will only trouble -you with one. Not long ago, down in one of our Southern counties, a -laboring man--a Mormon--was working in a barn, for and with a Mormon -Bishop. In some way or other, they got into a quarrel, which ended in a -fight, and in the course of this the Bishop hurt the poor fellow very -badly. Among other things, he struck him with a pitchfork, harpooning -him--so to speak--through the leg, so that the poor man was laid up for -months, and made a cripple indeed for life. After his recovery, the -outrage was so atrocious, and the community so generally with him, he -mustered up courage enough to bring an action against the Bishop. The -cause was tried in the Probate or County Court, where of course, all -were Mormons. But the jurors, being neighbors of the injured man and -cognizant of all the facts, resolved to do justice, and accordingly -without much delay returned a verdict for $3,500 damages. The Bishop -being rich, as the high dignitaries all are, appealed the case to my -court, where I, after a full hearing, of course, affirmed the judgment -of the court below, with heavy costs. - -"Well, now, I supposed this settled the case, as there was no higher -court here. But judge of my astonishment, when some weeks after -the plaintiff came to me one day, and said the Bishop had further -appealed the case to the High Council of the Church, where they had -tried it over again, and awarded him only $1,000 damages; and he -wanted to know if this was right and "good law" here? Of course, I -could do nothing for him myself, with the facts in that shape. But I -referred him to one of our Gentile lawyers here, and told him if he -would put the case in his hands, and have the facts brought regularly -before me, so that I could get hold of the matter judicially, I -would soon teach this "High Council of the Church" a lesson, as to -their rights and duties, as against a United States Court, that they -would be apt to remember for awhile. He thanked me, and took my -advice. But before the papers got regularly before me, the Mormons -somehow got wind of the matter, and hastened to settle with the man. -I believe they gave him $2,000, or something like that, and I suppose -frightened him into silence. Now, to think once of these insolent -villians, presuming--without law and in violation of law--to review -and overrule the solemn decision of a United States Court! I tell -you, it made my Quaker blood boil, when I heard of it.[11] I would -just like to have laid my hands on that "High Council of the Church," -in a case like that. I feel right sure, I would have taught Brigham -Young and his lawless associates a wholesome lesson, they wouldn't -have forgotten very soon, if it had cost me my life to do it." - -There was something grand and heroic--almost sublime--about this -man's talk at times, and I only reproduce it here very faintly. He -knew I was seeking official facts, and doubtless unburdened his -whole soul to me. He had had unusual opportunities for observation; -he seemed to be well-informed; and certainly was thoroughly -honest. Further than this, I cannot vouch for him, but report the -conversation substantially as it occurred, from notes made the same -evening. I must, however, do him the justice to add, that his views -in the main were everywhere corroborated by almost all the Federal -officers I met--both civil and military--as well as the vast majority -of Gentile settlers, throughout all that region. Such were the views -of Judge----; and subsequent events there, it must be confessed, have -pretty well illustrated them. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[10] Senator Wade's Bill (1867) met the Utah Question somewhat like -this, and I suspect Judge ---- had a finger in it. So, Senator -Cragin's Bill subsequently, and others since. The present imbroglio -in Utah hinges on this Jury Question, more than anything else, and -Congress ought to settle it speedily, on a just and right basis. -Judge McKean may be in the wrong technically; but substantially, -he is fighting for truth and justice, and if he lacks the -necessary weapons, should be furnished them. This is what Senator -Frelinghuysen's Bill, now pending, (1874) proposes well to do. - -[11] He was originally from Pennsylvania. - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - MORMONISM IN GENERAL. - - -In the two previous chapters, I have discussed Utah pretty thoroughly, -touching most of the mooted questions there; and now, to sum up. -Without doubt, it must be said of the people of Utah, that they are an -industrious, frugal, and thrifty race. By their wonderful system of -irrigation, they have converted the desert there into a garden, and -literally made the wilderness, "bloom and blossom as the rose." Their -statistics (1866) showed, that they had already constructed over a -thousand miles of irrigating canals and ditches, watering 150,000 acres -of land, at a cost of nearly $2,000,000. Each family has its own few -acres, and these are cultivated so thoroughly, that the total annual -product is surprising. In Salt Lake City many families almost live on -their acre-and-a-quarter lots, and many of their farms elsewhere do -not exceed forty or fifty acres, with many much smaller. With their -system of careful culture and general double-cropping, one man cannot -well manage over ten or twelve acres per year; nor is more necessary -for an ordinary family, the land proves so bountiful. Fifty and sixty -bushels of wheat per acre, we were told, was not an unusual yield. -So, since leaving the Missouri, we had nowhere seen more comfortable -and apparently well-to-do homes. We must say, they were much superior -to the average homes of our people in Colorado. Evidently, these -Utahans had come there to _stay_, and from the first had "governed -themselves accordingly;" while the Coloradoans, it was plain, were too -many of them, only "birds of passage," like so much of our population -in the West generally. Their towns and villages are well laid out, -and in the main neatly built. In the country, their little farms are -well-fenced or walled, with comfortable adobe houses clustering with -vines and flowers, or surrounded with fruit and shade trees, while -a throng of hay and grain-stacks encircle their barns. So, too, the -Mormons, whatever else may be said of them, are certainly a sober race -of people. Many of them no doubt keep liquor about their premises, -and drink when they choose to; but drunkenness as a vice, or habitual -drinking as a practice, is unknown in Utah, comparatively speaking. So, -too, they allow no gambling there, except "on the sly;" and no houses -of prostitution, unless you regard every "much-married" Mormon's as -such, which it seems hardly fair to do--the women considered. On the -whole, it is safe to say, that the Mormons deserve marked commendation -and praise for what they have accomplished in Utah, in redeeming a -barren wilderness and building up a prosperous community there, and -full credit should be awarded them accordingly. They brag constantly, -and largely, about Great Salt Lake City, and surely they have a right -to. In the essential points of beauty, comfort, cleanliness, and good -order, it has few equals, and perhaps no superiors of its age and size -anywhere, and all things considered is indeed a perfect miracle for -Utah. In the very heart of the great internal basin of the continent, -and the centre of a busy and thriving people, it really seemed to be a -natural metropolis there, and was everywhere talked of as the future -workshop and mart of that region. - -On the other hand, it is due to truth to say, that impartial as I -tried to be, the more I studied affairs there, the more Mormonism -impressed me as, in many respects, a huge mass of thorough iniquity. -It did not strike me as a Religion at all, _per se_, and I suspect -there is less of the purely "religious" about it, than any other -ecclesiastical organization on the earth. Their sermons were not so -much theological discourses, as they were sectarian stump-speeches. -The whole Church, "so-called," struck me ordinarily, as a coarse -utilitarianism, not to say rude materialism. Their missionaries -seemed to be sent out, not so much to spread the gospel (even -according to J. Smith and B. Young), as to induce and hasten -immigration to Utah. It is true, they have Bishops and other -subordinate clergy; but their main duty appeared to be to preside -over and direct colonization, rather than to cure souls. They had -indeed their regular dioceses; but these were so arranged as to make -the Bishop the chief man in each town or settlement, and judging by -those we saw these dignitaries were selected rather for their shrewd -business talents, than any special piety or virtue. They were almost -invariably sharp smart Americans, while the great majority of the -Mormons were English, Welsh, Danes, etc., of the very lowest and -poorest classes. In every community, the Bishop's word was law and -gospel, as he claimed to receive "revelations" direct from heaven on -most knotty questions, and he virtually inspired and directed all -its business. Usually he owned the mill, store, and hotel, and he -who controls these three essentials of a new community ordinarily -controls the community itself. Observation shows, that nearly -everybody in a new country becomes mortgaged, sooner or later, to the -miller, store-keeper, or hotel-keeper; and hence as the Bishops are -all three of these in one, their chances for amassing wealth are -simply enormous. The result is, that all or nearly all of the Mormon -Bishops have become immensely rich, while Brigham himself is reported -worth a fabulous amount in his own right, independently of the vast -property he holds, as "Trustee in trust for the Church of Jesus -Christ of Latter Day Saints."[12] Indeed, to sum it up in one word, -the whole institution of Mormonism--polygamy and all--apart from its -theological aspects, impresses you rather as a gigantic organization -for collecting and consolidating a population, and thus settling up a -Territory rapidly, whatever else it may be; and its success, in this -respect, has certainly been notable and great. - -As a whole, the Mormons are no doubt a very ignorant, and, therefore, -very bigoted people, and the whole tendency of their pulpit-teachings -is to lawlessness and violence, so far as Gentiles are concerned. -They affect to despise mere intellect and sentiment, and to pride -themselves on being plain-spoken and practical. They will not -"fellowship" with open and avowed Gentiles, if they can avoid it; and -boldly proclaim their hostility to and contempt for the Government -of the United States, as on the Sunday we were at their Tabernacle. -No doubt, if opportunity offered, they would assail or embarrass -it, though now they are more wary and circumspect, than they were -before the South learned a lesson on this score. So, Brigham Young -is governor _de facto_ in Utah, and has been always, no matter who -is governor _de jure_, and will be, while that other "twin relic of -barbarism," polygamy, endures. The evidence on all these points, I -must say, seemed fairly overwhelming, though no more can be given -here. So, too, they believe, or affect to believe, that the United -States dares not touch their "peculiar institution," and brand all -our laws against it as acts of "National wickedness," "Federal -tyranny," invasions of their "sacred rights," etc. It seemed to me, -that we had heard such complaints before; but not from a part of the -country, that led us to respect them greatly, when reiterated there -in Utah. The true test is, what are the results to Humanity, and -how do they affect us as a People? And I am sure, the answer in all -candor must be, a bigoted and seditious race of _men_, a degraded -and inferior class of _women_, an ignorant and degenerate herd of -_children_; and does not the inevitable, and inexorable, logic of -things necessitate just these? If these be the elements of progress -and the seeds of empire, then Utah should be let alone; if otherwise, -then let us lay the strong hand of the Government upon her, and teach -her respect for and obedience to the laws, the same as all other -parts of the Union. - -No doubt their poor women are already relapsing into a condition, -that is truly pitiable, as elsewhere intimated, and their tendency -must be rapidly to the worse. Evidently the Saints take care to -seclude them from Gentile gaze, as much as possible; but a more -dreary, homely, pokey set of women, as a whole, were never seen. I -may have been unfortunate, but in all Utah, I did not see a truly -happy and sunny countenance, or noble and serene, on a mature Mormon -woman; nor did I anywhere hear of one, who would fully realize our -old and fond ideal of - - "A perfect woman nobly planned, - To warn, to comfort, and command; - And yet a spirit--still and bright-- - With something of an angel's light!" - -But, what else could be expected in a country, where a husband -signifies only the fractional part of a man, and a wife--any number -of women you please? Beyond controversy, their "peculiar institution" -of polygamy _is_ a "relic of barbarism"--yea, verily, a "twin-relic" -to slavery--as the Republican party in 1856-60 had the manliness -and courage to pronounce it. "Peculiar" institutions, of whatever -character, have no business in a republic; they mean inequality, -and inevitably tend to violence and disorder. No doubt, had -Abraham Lincoln lived, when we had finished our first "twin" right -thoroughly, he would have found a way to look well after the other. -We owe this to our mothers and sisters, to our wives and daughters, - - "The graces and the loves, that make - The music of the march of life--" - -to all of womankind, the broad continent across and the wide world -over; and Congress should take care, that we lend not the sanction -of our flag to this hideous crime, an hour longer than we must. Our -age, so far, has largely honored itself, in honoring and respecting -womankind, and it is too late now to let Christian America barbarize -any portion of herself, with the exploded savagery of pagandom. We -_must_ have freedom of speech and of the press there, security of -person and property--absolute and perfect--the same as in New York or -Massachusetts, or our flag is a lie. We must maintain and execute our -national laws against polygamy, the same as everywhere else, no matter -who opposes, or our government is a sham. And if Mormon juries won't -do this, refusing to indict or convict, and nothing else will do, -so that we have to fall back on the bayonet, why then I see nothing -in Utah so sacred, that we should not give Brighamdom the bayonet, -the same as we did Jeffdom. I believe in the Pacific Railroad, and -hope much from its civilizing and refining influences; I have great -faith in the locomotive and the telegraph; but I also believe, with -Judge ---- in "the moral power of bayonets, when nothing else will -suffice--especially when used on the right side." We have just had to -use them against one "twin-relic," when nothing else would do, in spite -of our Railroads there; now let them charge down upon the other, if -Utah will not obey the laws, and that right speedily. Were Mormonism -merely a religion, as a republic we should be the last to touch it. But -polygamy, its baleful flower and fruit, and the source of all Utah's -woes, is an unmitigated barbarism; an outrage and crime, not only -against woman, but humanity; an organized insult to the Christianity -and civilization of the age; and we Americans, of this generation, owe -it to ourselves and to history, to end it--to stamp it out if need -be--_sans_ ceremony and instanter. Let us not dally with it, as we did -with Southern slavery. Else may God, in his just wrath, break us again -with a rod of iron, or haply dash us in pieces as a potter's vessel. -Let Congress and the President but do their duty in the premises, and -Brigham Young I predict will receive a "new revelation," that will -quickly end the whole trouble. The power is with them, and History will -hold them justly responsible. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[12] His account in the Bank of England was said to be _fourth_ on -the list, in point of magnitude, and his wealth estimated any where -from $25,000,000 to $50,000,000. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - SALT LAKE TO BOISÈ CITY, IDAHO. - - -It was our intention originally to proceed from Salt Lake to San -Francisco direct, _via_ Nevada; but our long sojourn at Salt Lake -induced us to go _via_ Boisè City and the Columbia instead. When -arranging for our departure, we happened to meet Mr. Ben Holliday, -the great stage-proprietor of the Plains there, and he advised us to -inspect Idaho first, or we would be caught there in winter. He was -then temporarily at Salt Lake, on one of his semi-annual inspections -of his vast stage-lines. The Pacific Railroad has supplanted these -now, in the main; but they were then the only means of rapid transit, -and a great and important agency of civilization throughout all that -region. His line of stages commenced then at Fort Kearney on the -Platte, and ran thence to Denver, about five hundred miles; thence to -Central City, in the heart of the Colorado mines, about forty miles; -returning to Denver, thence along and across the Rocky and Wahsatch -Mountains to Salt Lake, about six hundred miles; thence through Idaho -and Oregon, to Umatilla on the Columbia, about seven hundred miles, -with a branch at Bear River, through Montana to Virginia City, about -four hundred miles more. In all, his stage-lines then footed up about -two thousand two hundred and forty miles, through the great frontier -heart of the continent. From Kearney to Salt Lake, he ran a daily -stage each way; over the balance of his routes, only a tri-weekly. -From Salt Lake to California, about seven hundred and fifty miles -more, there was also a daily stage each way, but this line was owned -and run by Wells, Fargo & Co., then and still the great Express -Company of the Pacific Coast. Mr. Holliday, in anticipation of the -Railroad, with his wonted sagacity, was just completing the sale -and transfer of all his stage-lines to Wells, Fargo & Co., whose -stage-business alone thus became one gigantic enterprise, reaching -from the Missouri to the Pacific, and from Salt Lake to the Columbia. -What a prodigious undertaking! How colossal in its proportions! It -was estimated that these lines would then foot up over three thousand -miles, and to operate them would require about five hundred coaches, -and fully ten thousand horses and mules, first and last. Mr. Holliday -said his lines had been very profitable some years, but in others -again he had lost heavily. Sometimes the Indians stole or destroyed -a quarter of a million's worth of his property per annum, and then -again his expenses were always necessarily enormous. Stations had -to be erected and maintained, ten or fifteen miles apart, along all -the routes. Grain had to be hauled, in the main, from either the -Missouri or Salt Lake, although Colorado and Idaho had begun to yield -something. Hay had to be transported often fifty miles, and fuel -sometimes a hundred and fifty. He paid his General Superintendent -ten thousand dollars per year, and his Washington Agent about the -same; his Division Superintendents about half that sum; his drivers -and station-keepers from seventy-five to a hundred dollars per month -and their board; and then there were ten thousand and one incidental -expenses besides. One would have supposed, that the oversight and -management of his vast stage-enterprises would have been enough -for one man to carry. But, in addition, he owned and ran a line of -steam-ships on the Pacific from San Francisco to Oregon and Alaska, -another to Lower California and Mexico, and was planning to get -more business still. He was a man apparently of about forty-five, -tall and thin, of large grasp and quick perceptions, of indifferent -health but indomitable will, fiery and irascible when crossed, and a -Westerner all through. Apparently he carried his vast business very -jauntily, without much thought or care; but he crossed the continent -twice each year, from end to end of his stage-routes, and saw for -himself how matters were getting on. When he went through thus, extra -teams and coaches were always held in readiness, and he had made the -quickest Overland trip recorded. Time was everything with him then; -horse-flesh and expense--nothing. Once he drove from Salt Lake to -the Missouri, over twelve hundred miles, in six days and a half, and -made the total trip from San Francisco in twelve days. The locomotive -beats this now, but nothing else could. The usual schedule-time was -about twenty days; but it often took two or three more. - -Mr. Holladay, however, was beginning to show signs of his hard work, -and on this trip had found it necessary to bring his physician -along with him. Subsequently, we met him in San Francisco, still an -invalid, but as hard at work as ever, and there seemed to be no end -to his teeming schemes. Of course, we found these great stage-lines -not always popular, because they were rapacious monopolies, _ex -necessitate_. Nevertheless, on the whole, they accomplished a great -work in their day; and, all things considered, did it cheaply -and well. They have a history of their own, full of incident and -adventure, that will read like romance a few years hence; and the -man who will gather up all the facts, and give us a full account of -them, will do the future a real service. Now, if ever, is the time -to do this; for the Railroad has already done away with the main -lines, and soon over all our American stage-coaching will be written -"Ichabod"--its glory has departed. - -Mr. Halsey, Mr. Holladay's general superintendent at Salt Lake, was -about going to Boisè City to look after stage-affairs generally, -and politely invited us to share his special coach. I was still -feeble, and it was some days before I could leave; but finally Nov. -7th, we bade good-bye to Camp Douglas and Salt Lake, and were off -for the Columbia. Once out of the city, our route struck due north, -and skirted the shores of Great Salt Lake for a day or so. This -great inland sea, fifty miles long by twenty wide, was on our left, -while to the right rose abrupt mountains barren to the summit. The -Lake itself was surrounded by marshes, abounding in water-fowl, and -just then afforded excellent duck-shooting to frequent parties from -the city. It was dotted with islands, several of them large and -mountainous, which furnished rich pasturage for large herds of horses -and cattle, belonging chiefly to Brigham Young. These beautiful -islands had been "granted" to him by the Utah Legislature, as well -as the exclusive right to numerous streams and cañons in other parts -of the Territory, that were esteemed especially valuable. Among -others, they had granted to him City Creek cañon, which contained -about the only valuable timber within many miles of Salt Lake City, -and now every man, who chopped a load of wood there, had to pay -tribute to Brother Brigham to the tune of one dollar per cord. Along -the base of the mountains, we frequently came across hot Sulphur -Springs, steaming in the sharp November air, and Mr. Halsey pointed -out several said to be hot enough to boil an egg. The sulphur and -heat from them destroyed all vegetation around them, and also for a -considerable distance along the issuing streams, that flowed thence -into Great Salt Lake. Every few miles we crossed dashing rivulets, -that came roaring and foaming out of the cañons, all making their -way ultimately to the Lake--the common reservoir of all that basin. -Great Salt Lake drains many hundreds of square miles there, receiving -streams from all directions, but giving out none. Its only relief is -evaporation, which of course must be enormous during the long and -dry summer there. Hence its saltiness and great specific gravity, a -man floating in it--it is said--very readily. Its volume that year -was greater than usual, owing it was thought to a heavy rain-fall; -but this year (1873), I see it reported as several feet higher, than -ever before. This would seem to confirm the favorite theory of many -pioneers, that as the country became settled up and cultivated, the -average rain-fall constantly increased. Between the mountains and the -Lake, along its whole extent, there was usually a fine broad plateau -of land, and this was dotted thickly with farms to Ogden and beyond. - -Ogden, now the stopping point on the Pacific Railroad for Salt Lake -City, and about forty miles north of it, was then a smart little -town of perhaps 1200 inhabitants, and rapidly growing larger. It -was Salt Lake City over again, on a reduced scale, but evidently -patterning after it, both in plan and detail. Its streets were broad -and rectangular; its irrigating streams, clear and cold from the -neighboring cañons; its houses, adobe or frame; and its yards and -gardens, a mass of beauty and luxuriance. A general air of industry -and thriftiness pervaded the little community. Everybody appeared -to be constantly at work, though not very hard work. And, indeed, -so far as material comfort was concerned, there seemed little -ground for criticism. The supervisor and main-spring of the whole -was Bishop West--a burly active man of forty, with three buxom -wives, and a house-full of well-graduated children. He was a live, -go-ahead business man, with little or nothing of the sacerdotal -about him--owned the mill, store, and hotel there, and managed them -all with rare shrewdness and energy. His hotel was a comfortable -two-story adobe house, with shingle roof, and was remarkably well -kept for a country tavern, all things considered. He was a heavy -contractor with the stage-line, to deliver grain along at the -stations between Salt Lake and Boisè City, and Mr. Halsey concluded -to stop over one night to see and confer with him. He received us -with generous hospitality, and was soon conversing freely upon all -matters relating to Utah, aside from Mormonism. He little suspected -then the good luck in store for him, by the oncoming of the Pacific -Railroad, which has doubtless made him a millionaire, if he was not -approaching that before. Salt Lake was then depending on the Railroad -coming there, and doubtless was grievously disappointed, when it left -her "out in the cold"--forty miles to the South.[13] - -The Bishop's partner in many of his operations was Mr. Joseph -Young, the eldest son, I believe, of Brigham. He happened at Ogden -that night, and we saw considerable of him. Mr. Halsey said he was -"some married" already, having four wives, and as he was still a -comparatively young man--about thirty-five--might have a good many -more yet. He was a tall, well-knit, resolute looking young fellow; -but did not seem to be overly well stocked with brains or judgment. -Nevertheless, in addition to his investments with Bishop West, he -owned saw-mills in the mountains beyond Salt Lake, and was a heavy -contractor with the stage-company besides for supplies elsewhere. He -spoke carelessly, not to say disrespectfully, about Mormon affairs -in general, and left the impression, that he might abjure the faith -some day yet, when the fit occasion came. Brigham, it appears, had -discarded him for the succession some time before, in favor of his -younger brother, Brigham, Jr., who was said to be a much abler and -discreeter man; and this, it was thought, had something to do with -"Joe's" free and easy thinking. - -From Ogden to Brigham City, about half way to Bear River, the country -continued much the same, except that the mountains trended away more -to the east, and the plateau thence to the Lake consequently became -broader. Settlements continued most of the way, but the farms grew -more scattered, and ran more to grazing. Wherever a stream issued -from the cañons, it had been caught up and carried far up and down -the plateau, to irrigate a wide breadth of land, and its application -appeared always to have met with a generous return. Brigham City -was a clever little town, of a thousand inhabitants or so, and in -its general plan and make up was as much like Ogden as two peas. It -lies on a higher bench or plateau, however, and affords a much finer -prospect of the bottom country below. We halted there for dinner, -and while waiting in the office a Ute Indian came in, with a noble -wild goose for sale, that he had just shot in the marshes. He was a -splendidly built young fellow, with nothing in the way of clothing, -however, except a ragged blanket and the inevitable breech-cloth. -His feet and limbs were entirely naked, and would have served well -as models for a Belvidere Apollo. It was a cold raw day, with -alternating rain and sleet, and no wonder the poor wretch mumbled, -"Me cold; much cold!" as he huddled up to the fire. He sold his -goose for two "bits," and the last we saw of him he was purchasing -"smoke-tobacco" at the nearest store. We saw many lodges of Utes, -while _en route_ from Ogden to Bear River, and they all seemed to be -pitiably off. As we left Brigham City, we observed a dozen squaws or -more loitering around a slaughter-house on its outskirts, waiting -to secure the entrails or other refuse, that the butchers might -throw away. Just beyond, several more crossed the road, loaded down -with great bundles of sage-brush, that they had been out gathering -for fuel, while their "braves" loafed at home. "Mr. Lo" (the poor -Indian!), as our borderers satirically call him, in brief, has -certainly sadly deteriorated in Utah, whatever he may be elsewhere. -These Utes seemed to be a taller and better class of savages -naturally, than their cousins on the Rio Grande; but from contact -with the Mormons they were fast disappearing, and would soon become -extinct. Brigham Young was credited with saying, with his wonted -shrewdness, "I can kill more injuns with a sack of flour, than a keg -of gunpowder;" and no doubt he was correct. When left to themselves, -as children of nature, they manage to get along somehow, on the old -principle of "root pig, or die!" But when they mix with the whites, -they acquire our habits and tastes in part, without learning how -safely to gratify or benefit by them; and consequently, when left to -themselves again, sicken and die. - -From Brigham City to Bear River, the country was wilder and more -unsettled; but ranches--the true forerunners of settlements--were -starting up in various places. The mountain streams were smaller and -fewer, but still there were enough to irrigate thousands of broad -acres there yet, and to spare. Indeed, the whole country from Salt -Lake to Bear River, as a rule, needs only population, to become -prosperous and nourishing. The mountain streams did not seem to be -a quarter utilized; and, apart from these, vast tracks of land were -unused, where grazing would certainly prove profitable. - -We crossed Bear River, here a broad deep stream, on a rude bridge, -and were now fairly off for Boisè City. Here, eighty-three miles -from Salt Lake, the road forked--one branch going to Virginia City, -Montana, and the other continuing on to Boisè. The Montana travel -was then much the larger, and the stages thus far went full. But the -Idaho travel was light--most of her miners preferring the Columbia -as a base. From Bear River quite through to Boisè, the country as a -whole proved wild and sterile, with but little to recommend it, until -we struck the valley of the Boisè. There were some good grazing lands -here and there, judging by the "bunch" grass; but Idaho, as a rule, -seemed to be a high volcanic plateau, barren and desert-like. Much of -it reminded us of Bitter Creek, though here there was less alkali and -old red sand-stone. There were no settlements anywhere, except the -isolated stage-stations, and but little travel beyond the tri-weekly -stages. The lonely stations occurred as usual, every ten or fifteen -miles, but they were most dreary and dismal habitations, as a rule. -They were built generally of stone, laid up loosely with clay, and -often their only fuel was sage-brush and grease-wood--about the last -apology for fuel on the earth. The whole region seemed destitute of -timber, until you reached the Boisè, and even here there was not much -to brag of. Good wholesome water seemed to be equally rare, and even -at the stage-stations where they had dug for it, the water was often -very unpalatable. We passed three stations, one after the other, one -day, where Mr. Halsey knew the water to be bad, without essaying to -drink, and finally became so thirsty that when we reached the next -station, all hands sung out to the station-keepers: - -"I say, men, what kind of water have you here?" - -"Wall, strangers," was the reply, "Honor bright, it is not much to -brag of! It is a heap alkali, and right smart warm; but we manage to -drink it, when it cools a little. It's altogether, you see, in gitten -used to it; you bet!" - -But as we hadn't got "used to it" yet, and hadn't time to wait, we -concluded to pass on to the next station. At most of the stations, -the only persons were two stock-tenders or stable-hands, and -sometimes only one. At Maláde, however, as we halted there one cold -and blustering night, we were agreeably surprised to find a blazing -fire and an excellent meal, that gained all the more by contrast with -the forlorn and cheerless stations, that greeted us elsewhere. A -neat and tidy woman, with an instinct of true refinement about her, -was the simple explanation. But how she came to drop down into that -desolate station, with a husband and two or three children, will -always remain one of the inexplicable mysteries of the Universe to me. - -We were now on the old and well-travelled Emigrant Trail from the -Missouri to Oregon. But emigration that way had mostly ceased, -and the general unattractiveness of the country was shown, by its -leaving no settlements behind. Much of the route had always been a -natural road across the plateaus; but in crossing the "divides" -and descending into the abrupt valleys, considerable digging and -blasting had been done here and there. We neither saw nor heard of -any Indians, and I judge the country as a whole was always too barren -and desolate to support any thing but wolves. Night after night we -heard these howling around us, and sometimes by day a single cayote -would skulk across the road; but they took good care to give our -Remingtons and Spencers a wide berth. How the cayotes or wolves of -these plateaus, and of the Plains, manage to live, it is hard to say. -There seems little for them to subsist on ordinarily. And yet camp -where you will at night, an hour afterwards the whole surrounding -landscape becomes vocal with them. First, it is a solitary yelp, and -then a constantly widening chorus, until thousands of the cowards -seem to be on the bark. One night we got out to walk, over a piece -of extra bad road, and as we rounded a rocky point toward the coming -station, suddenly a score or more of them opened on us at once. It -was pitchy dark, and the suddenness of their onset certainly startled -us; but we sent them our compliments in the direction of the sound, -from a Spencer carbine and two revolvers, and that was the last we -heard of them. The Indians sometimes counterfeit their howling, in -order to take travellers unawares; but otherwise, however startling, -there seemed to be little real danger about it, as they seldom or -never attack a man. - -We crossed Snake River on a rude ferry-boat, stage and all, and found -it to be there some two or three hundred yards wide, by perhaps forty -feet deep. Its banks were abrupt--its water of the same pea-green, as -that at Niagara. It was skirted by narrow bottoms on either side, and -then came precipitous basaltic walls, hundreds of feet high to the -plateau above. This plateau again was of the same sterile character, -as the country already passed over--devoid of animal and vegetable -life, except wolves, sage-brush and grease-wood, and even these -didn't seem much inclined to nourish there. The Snake itself seemed -to be an abrupt cut, through the heart of a vast volcanic plateau, as -if following in the track of some ancient earthquake. - -Snake River Station was on the north side, just at the foot of the -high basaltic bluff, which here rears its majestic front six hundred -feet or more perpendicularly into the air. Half way up, a small river -bursts forth, and descends in a beautiful cascade two or three hundred -feet, whence it rushes like an arrow down the broken, rocky hillside, -and so off to the Snake itself. This fleecy waterfall, against the -black basaltic bluff, is the first object that strikes you, as you -descend into the valley of the Snake, and is a charming feature of the -landscape just there. Our route lay along the Snake for many miles, and -at several other points we observed similar cascades, on both sides -of the river, though none so large or lofty as this. The conclusion -seems inevitable, that subterranean streams, having their sources in -the far away Mountains, pervade all this barren region; and could these -be tapped and brought to the surface, all these plateaus might be made -cultivable and fertile. No doubt a way of doing this, by artesian-wells -or otherwise, will be found in the future, when the continent fills up -more, and Idaho becomes necessary. But these cascades could be utilized -immediately, to irrigate much of the bottoms of the Snake at trifling -expense, if anybody chose to settle there. These bottoms, as a rule, -appeared very rich; but in the absence of rain there for months, were -no better than a dust heap. At Snake River Station, indeed, attempts -had been made to raise potatoes, and other garden vegetables, and -the results seemed encouraging. No doubt, rye, oats, barley, and flax -might be grown there thus very readily; but probably the region is too -elevated, and too far north, for the more delicate cereals to succeed -well. - -The great American Falls of Snake River were twenty miles or so -farther up, and, much to our regret, we failed to reach them. Mr. -Halsey intended taking us that way, but he was already overdue in -Boisè, and as I myself had lost a fortnight by illness at Salt Lake, -and the weather was threatening, we concluded to hasten on. These -falls have been described by some travellers, as much superior to -Niagara; but the station-keeper at Snake River said he had visited -them the previous spring, and they seemed to him to be only about a -hundred feet or so in height in all. He described them, as consisting -of two Falls--the first about twenty-five feet high, with foaming -rapids to the second or main fall, which itself then goes down -perhaps seventy-five feet or so more. He said, however, that a party -of soldiers, from an adjacent post, had measured them only a few -weeks before, and they reported them as one hundred and ninety-four -feet high in all, by perhaps two hundred yards wide, and with the -black basaltic walls of the cañon rising some six hundred feet above -them still, on either side. During seasons of high water, this would -make them quite worthy, indeed, of their great reputation. But -the volume of water there for many months in the year must be so -small, that it is to be doubted whether they ordinarily approach the -grandeur and sublimity of majestic old Niagara. However, Idahoans set -great store by these Falls, as the chief wonder of all that region; -and as the country just there has little else to brag of, perhaps it -is well not to gainsay them. - -From the Snake to the Boisè, as already intimated, the country was, -if anything, still more barren and desolate, than the region we had -just passed over. In some places, it was strewn thick for miles -with black volcanic stones and rocks, glazed and scarred by ancient -fires, with no signs of ordinary animal or vegetable life anywhere. -In such localities, the wolves disappeared, and even the inevitable -sage-brush and grease-wood disdained to grow; or, if they grew at -all, only eked out a miserable existence. Once across this high -"divide," however, we struck the valley of the Boisè, which soon -introduced us to an excellent region again, and as we neared Boisè -City we found ranches and farms everywhere thickening up. Horses and -cattle were out grazing by the roadside in considerable numbers, -and down in the bottoms frequent squads of stacks indicated, that -goodly crops of hay and grain had been cut and harvested. Wagons now -appeared again on the road, as beyond Bear River, (we had not met a -single one since leaving there), and people flocked to the doors and -windows as the stage rolled by. Once across the "divide" between the -Snake and Boisè, the whole country sloped gently to the Boisè, and we -spun along and down these descending grades at a splendid gait. We -made one hundred and twenty miles, in the last twenty-two hours out -from Boisè City, and rolled up to the Overland House with our last -team as fresh and gamey as stallions. - -Our general ride from Bear River, however, was hardly an enviable -one. There were but three of us--Mr. Halsey, myself, and L. We had -mattrasses along, which we carried on top by day, and at night arranged -into a passable bed. So, too, we had india-rubber pillows, and robes -and blankets in abundance. But the weather was very disagreeable, even -for the season, and though convalescent I yet found myself far from -strong. We left Bear River about 10 P. M., in an ugly storm of rain and -sleet, well tucked in for a night's ride; but in an hour or so were -roused up by the stage coming to a dead-halt, and the driver singing -out--it sounded half-maliciously--"Good place to walk, gents! Bad -place ahead!" Out we got for a dismal walk of a mile or more, through -a soft and yielding bottom, where the horses could hardly pull the -empty coach through, and then in again with muddy boots and disgusted -feelings generally. Just before daybreak, we struck a long and steep -"divide," where the sleet had thickened into snow, without stiffening -the ground enough to bear the coach up, and here again we had another -cheerful walk of a couple of miles or so, to relieve the blown horses. -At King Hill, the last serious "divide" before reaching Boisè, we had -another promenade of a mile or two, through five or six inches of snow, -just after midnight; but I managed to stick by the stage. The weather -continued raw and cold, rainy and sleety, by turns, and we found it -necessary to keep well wrapped up, except in the middle of the day. -At night our mattrasses proved too narrow for three, after all, and -Halsey's shoulders or knees were constantly punching into either L. or -me. He and L. usually slept right along all night, but I got scarcely -a genteel wink from Bear River to Boisè. By sunrise ordinarily we were -up, and then came a general smoke and talk over the night's experience. -By nine or ten A. M. we halted for breakfast, which usually consisted -of chicory coffee, stringy beef or bacon, and saleratus-biscuit. -Sometimes we got fried potatoes in addition--which helped the meal out -somewhat--but not often. Late at night we stopped for dinner (only two -meals a day), which was generally only a poor edition of breakfast over -again, with the courses perchance reversed. Bilious and aguish with -that accursed mountain-fever still hanging about me, I need scarcely -say, I had little relish for such a bill of fare, and indeed scarcely -ate a "square meal" from Bear River to Boisè. Fortunately, among other -extras, Mr. Halsey had had the forethought to lay in a half a bushel -of apples, just fresh from the tree at Salt Lake, and these we all -munched _ad libitum_ as we journeyed along. They were always juicy -and cool, piquant and delicious, when nothing else was palatable; and -for my part, I really don't see, how I would have got through without -them. We were three days and three nights on the road continuously, -never stopping except forty minutes or so at a time for meals. The last -twenty-four hours out, the weather was raw and cold even for November; -and as we rolled into Boisè, with every joint aching, the lights of a -town never seemed more winning and welcome. At the Overland House, they -were already full. But they gave us a good hot supper, followed by a -"shake-down" in the parlor, and every comfort at their disposal. - -A word more about kind Mr. Halsey. A New Yorker by birth, he drifted -west when a boy, and at an early age became clerk on a Mississippi -steamer. Subsequently, he followed the Army in 1857 to Utah, and -was engaged for awhile in the Q. M. Dep't. at old Camp Floyd. Then -he passed into Mr. Holladay's employ, and now for several years had -been his general superintendent at Salt-Lake, with a handsome salary -of course. He was a quick, sharp man, about thirty-five, devoted -to business, and sure to make money anywhere, if there was money -to be made. Slightly conservative, he was still a strong Union -man, and especially proud of Grant and Sherman, whom he had known -before the war. He was a robust and hardy man, of the kind that can -chew cast-iron or digest pebble-stones (and hence, Idaho pies and -biscuit!), but with a heart as big and tender as a woman's. In the -spring of '65, he attempted to stage it from Atchison to Salt Lake, -but had to walk most of the way, because of the execrable roads -that season. Day after day, he and a single companion pushed on -ahead of the coach, frequently fording streams up to their arm-pits, -especially among the Mountains, where they must have been icy cold, -and never even changed their clothes the whole way. They were never -dry, or even comfortably warm, for a day together; and yet they -reached Salt Lake all right, and he said, never seemed to mind it. -It is of such men, that the Border is made up, and these are the -ones that accomplish such miracles out there. Such men are always -the pioneers of the race, and the rightful founders of empire. -"Natural Selection," I suppose, steps in and duly provides them, -by the "survival of the fittest." We were indebted to him for many -courtesies, in various ways, and would duly acknowledge this here. -Afterwards we met him in San Francisco, and subsequently, I believe, -he settled in New York. Stalwart, go-ahead, whole-souled Mr. Halsey, -good fortune attend you, wherever you may go! - -FOOTNOTE: - -[13] But she has already filled this gap with a branch Road, which -ultimately she will push north to the Columbia, and south to the Gulf -of California. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - BOISÈ CITY TO THE COLUMBIA. - - -Idaho, one of the latest of our new Territories, was formed by -lopping off the eastern prolongations of Oregon and Washington, -and calling the incipient state by that euphoneous name. Lewiston, -the head of navigation then, _via_ the Columbia, was originally -its capital; but the "shrieks of locality" demanded a more central -position, and so Boisè City secured the honor. We found it (Nov., -1860) a mushroom town of log and frame buildings, but thoroughly -alive every way. Three years before, there was nothing there but -the Boisè bottoms, and a scattered ranch or two. Now she boasted -three thousand inhabitants, two daily newspapers, stage-lines in all -directions, and ebullient prosperity. A hotel, of large capacity, -that was to "take the shine" out of all the rest, was just being -completed. The Episcopalians and Presbyterians already had their -churches up, and the Methodists were expecting soon to build theirs, -though then worshipping temporarily in the Court House. Excellent -free-schools, to accommodate all the children and more, abounded, -and the sermon we heard on Sunday was chiefly a "pitching into" -Brigham Young, largely for the want of these. The preacher had been -down to Salt Lake, spying out the land for missionary purposes, and -had returned filled with hearty unction against the whole system of -Mormonism. Boisè City was then the centre of the mining regions of -Idaho, though not _of_ them--like Denver, as related to Colorado. -The mines were chiefly miles away, at Owyhee, Ruby, Idaho City, and -Silver City; but all business sprang from and converged here at -Boisè, as the most central point, all things considered, and most -of the "bricks" dropped first into her lap. Mining operations were -mostly over for that season, and the streets and saloons of Boisè -were thronged with rough miners, _en route_ for the Columbia, or -even California, to winter and return. They claimed they could save -money by this temporary exodus--the price of living was so high in -Idaho--and at the same time escape the rigor of the climate. With -expansive hats, clad chiefly in red-shirts, and "bearded like a -pard," every man carried his bowie-knife and revolver, and seemed -ready for any emergency. They were evidently a rougher crowd, than -the Colorado miners, and in talking with them proved to be from -California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Frazer's River, Montana, -and about everywhere else, except Alaska. Your true miner is a -cosmopolite, who has "prospected" everywhere, from the British -Dominion to Mexico, and he is always ready to depart for any new -"diggings," that promise better than where he is, on half a day's -notice, no matter how far. His possessions are small, soon bundled -up or disposed of, and he mocks at the old maxim, "A rolling stone -gathers no moss," though usually he is a good exemplification of it. - -The chief business of Boisè, just then, seemed to be drinking -whiskey, and gambling. The saloons were the handsomest buildings -in town, and were thronged at all hours of the day and night. -The gamblers occupied corners of these, and drove a brisk trade -unmolested by anybody. The restaurants were also important points -of interest, and gave excellent meals at not unreasonable prices, -all things considered. Here at Boisè, our U. S. greenbacks for the -first ceased to be "currency," and the precious metals became the -only circulating medium. It did one's eyes good to see our old gold -and silver coins in use once more, though gold and silver "dust" was -also a recognized medium of exchange. All the stores, restaurants, -and saloons kept a delicate pair of scales, and their customers -carried buck-skin or leather bags of "dust," from which they made -payment, and into which they returned their change. Disputes now and -then arose, from the "dust" offered not being up to the standard; -but these were usually settled amicably, unless the "dust" proved -basely counterfeit, and then the saloons sometimes flashed with -bowie-knives, or rung with revolvers. - -Here, also at Boisè, for the first, we met John Chinaman. Quite a -number of the Celestials had already reached Idaho from California, -_via_ the Columbia, and were scattered through the towns, as waiters, -cooks, launderers, etc. A few had sought the mines, but not many, -as they preferred the protection of the towns. Along with the rest, -these Chinese miners were also migrating to the Columbia and beyond; -and as they paid their stage-fare and rode, while many others footed -it to the "River," of course, we augured well of them. The imbecile, -brutal, and barbarous laws of the whole Pacific Coast, where Chinamen -are concerned, it appeared, however, were still in force in Idaho. -A good illustration of their practical workings had just occurred -over in Owyhee, or somewhere there, and should be recorded here. -Three or four ruffians over there, it appears, had set upon an -unoffending Chinaman at Work in the mines, and had first abused and -insulted him, and then robbed and killed him. Other miners, hearing -of the circumstances, arrested the murderers and took them before an -Idaho Dogberry, who promptly liberated them on the ground, that no -Anglo-Saxon was present at the transaction, and that the Chinamen -(who were) were incompetent as witnesses, as against white men! This -was good Idaho Law and Justice, no doubt. But it was too strong for -the indignant miners, and the same day Judge Lynch amended it, by -_hanging_ all the miscreants in the nearest gulch. This was rude law, -and rough justice, no doubt; but was it not infinitely better, than -the absurd and inhuman code of the Pacific Coast? - -Idaho, as a whole, seemed then to be at a stand-still, and her -merchants, as a rule, were sighing for the flush times of '63 and -'64, when our miners were on the rush there. Her total yield of the -precious metals for '66 was computed at about $5,000,000, against -Montana's $15,000,000. Ross Browne, indeed, with "conspicuous -inexactness," reported Idaho at $15,000,000 that year; but nearly -everybody seemed to think this at least three times too much--Mr. -Halsey, who was a good judge, especially. Her "placer" mines, or -"diggings," it was thought, were already well exhausted, and her -quartz-mining will always prove very expensive, because of the -scarcity of fuel, and the heavy cost of transportation. Railroads, it -was hoped, would cheapen both of these items in the future, but as -yet they seemed distant. From the Columbia to Boisè City, was only -about three hundred miles, and yet the charge then for transportation -over this short distance was _more than half_ the charge from the -Missouri to Salt Lake, some twelve hundred miles. This was explained, -as one result of their coin basis, and of the high price of wages, -and everything else in Idaho. But the fact remained, as an ugly -circumstance, for Boisè to digest. - -Fort Boisè, on the outskirts of the town, was headquarters of -military affairs in Idaho, but had ceased to be of much importance. -The Territorial Legislature had already applied to the proper -Department at Washington, for the post buildings, for use of the -Territorial Government, and the troops were ready to vacate any -day. We stopped there a week, studying Idaho affairs generally, and -were delightfully entertained by the post-officers. One of them had -been stationed in California, at Benicia Barracks, when the war -broke out, and he gave us an interesting account of the attempted -Rebel movement there, which the sudden arrival of Gen. Sumner on the -Coast so effectually squelched. Another was a Baltimorean, who by -reading the _Tribune_ had become a staunch Republican, and was one -of the intensest Union men I ever met. One day a Paymaster happened -along, whose baggage a fortnight before had been robbed of $65,000 -in greenbacks, and an equal amount in vouchers, while he was taking -supper at Fort Boisè. At first, he was paralyzed to lose such an -amount, in that wild region. But subsequently he struck a "lead," -and followed it up with the pertinacity of a sleuth-hound, until -he recovered most of the money and vouchers, and arrested all the -thieves. His success was simply wonderful for Idaho, and his story -sounded more like romance than sober reality, as he told of the -long chase and final capture, with the finding of his greenbacks -in carpet-bags, knapsacks, etc., buried by the roadside, and some -even under the ruts of the very roadway. While halting there, the -news also reached us by telegraph of the November elections East, -and the final outcome of Mr. Johnson's "Swinging round the circle!" -Army officers though we were, we could not repress a mild hurrah, -and how intensely proud we felt of the loyal North! Surely we were -a great and noble people, after all. Step by step--_nulla vestigia -retrorsum_--we had overcome all obstacles, in the name of Humanity -and Justice; and now, evidently, our reactionary leaders had better -take care how they trifled with the Republic! We talked it all over -among ourselves, as we sat around the camp-fires, at that distant -post in Idaho; and thanked God for America, and that there was "life -in the old land yet!" - -Recruited up again pretty well by our stay at Boisè, we left there -Nov. 19th for Umatilla and the Columbia. Stages ran three times a -week, but they were going so crowded, and the roads were reported so -heavy, that I deemed it more advisable to proceed by ambulance. It -was three hundred miles, and by ambulance it would take three times -as long; but this would give me an opportunity of resting at night, -and I feared to venture on otherwise, anxious as we were to reach -the Columbia before winter set in. Our route lay substantially down -the valley of the Boisè, and other tributaries of the Snake, to the -Snake at Farewell Bend, and thence across the Blue Mountains to the -Umatilla, and down that to the Columbia. The chief tributaries of -the Snake just there were the Boisè, Pratt's River, Burnt River, -and Powder River, and we traversed the valleys of each of these -successively. These valleys were all substantially alike, and -consisted usually of bottoms from two to three miles wide, very -fertile throughout, but all requiring irrigation, except for grass -which grew tolerably well without this. Here and there irrigation had -been resorted to, to some extent, with fine crops in return; but only -a very little of the land had yet been brought under cultivation. -Generally, beyond these bottoms, on either side, were elevated -benches or plateaus, from five to six miles in width, extending back -to the outlying bluffs or mountains. These were covered chiefly with -the inevitable sage-brush and grease-wood; but the soil looked fat -and fertile enough, and evidently required only patient irrigation, -to become as prolific as the fields of Utah. Water for this might be -supplied in part from the rivers mentioned, and in part perhaps from -the neighboring cañons, if they be not dry cañons. The chief drawback -of the country to the Snake, indeed, seemed to be the scarcity of -timber, for fencing and building purposes. For fuel, coal had been -discovered, both at Farewell Bend and near Boisè City; but timber -for other purposes was everywhere scarce and dear. In the valley -of the Boisè, "Shanghai" fences were frequent, such as we had seen -in eastern Kansas; but the Idahoans used thongs instead of nails, -to fasten the boards or rails to the posts--hides evidently being -cheaper there, than hardware. - -The valley of the Snake, most sinuous of rivers, as its name well -indicates, proved scarcely better, than where we had crossed it -several hundred miles farther up, a fortnight or so before. But -the Snake itself had now swelled into a broad and majestic river. -We travelled down its banks for ten or twelve miles, and found its -rocky and precipitous bluffs came quite down to the river generally; -and where this was not the case, there were often only great banks -of sand, whirled into such sheltered places by the winds of ages. -Indifferent timber appeared here and there, but not much to speak -of. The road wound along close to the bluffs, and was often quarried -out of them, without room for more than one team to pass at a time. -We passed one such place by moonlight, with the bluff high above -and the river deep below, but fortunately got through safely. We -reasoned, that the usual trains would have gone into camp by sundown, -and took the chances for any accidental travellers like ourselves. It -was a beautiful night, with the moon out in all her glory, walking -a cloudless sky and filling the cañon of the Snake with a flood -of light; but we were not sorry when we heard the lowing of the -cattle, and the wee-hawing of the mules, belonging to the trains -in camp beyond. It was eight P. M., (Nov. 20th), when we reached -Farewell Bend, and here crossed the Snake again on a stout ferry-boat -propelled by the current. - -Farewell Bend--a hamlet of half a dozen houses--is so called, because -here the Snake makes a sudden turn north, and goes off in a wide -circuit through the mountains of Idaho and Oregon, instead of keeping -straight on to the Columbia, as it seems it should have done. Here, -too, is where the great Emigrant Trail, from the Missouri to the -Columbia, finally leaves the Snake, and hence also perhaps the name -to this bend. The Snake, or Lewis' Fork of the Columbia, as it is -sometimes called, altogether is a right noble stream--by far the -largest in all that region--and it seemed would yet be made available -for navigation, though now badly beset with reefs and rapids. A -steamboat had already been built at Farewell Bend, to run up to the -neighborhood of Boisè and beyond; but that was her first season, -and the results were yet to be seen. It was said, that by starting -early in the season, she could reach a point within about two hundred -miles of Salt Lake, and thus communicate with a vast region there, -then comparatively isolated. A fine vein of good bituminous coal had -just been opened in the overhanging bluff at Farewell Bend, and here -was fuel cheap for all the country up the Snake. Below Farewell Bend -there were rapids that would have to be circumvented by slack-water -navigation or railroad portages, the same as on the Columbia. But -with this done, the Snake had long stretches of navigable waters, -that needed only population and business to make them teem with -commerce. The same Company, that made the Columbia navigable, also -built the boat at Farewell Bend, and doubtless intended to push the -enterprise, though what they have since accomplished I can not say. - -The Snake is the western boundary of Idaho, and, having crossed it -at Farewell Bend, we were now fairly in Oregon. We soon struck the -valley of Burnt River, and followed it up for many miles. At first, -it abounded in wild and rocky cañons, that seemed to have no outlet; -but farther on, it widened out, and frequent ranches dotted its -broad and fertile bottoms. Powder River valley, the next beyond, was -more promising still. This contained thousand of acres of rich grass -lands, and hundred of settlers had already pre-empted homes there. -Cattle and sheep were grazing along the bottoms in considerable -numbers, and the adjacent mountains, we were told, abounded in -timber for all necessary purposes. At Baker City, in the heart of -Powder River valley, we halted one day for dinner, and found a brisk -little town of perhaps five hundred inhabitants or so. It contained -two quite respectable hotels, and at one of them we got a plain -but excellent dinner. Just in the suburbs, we found a ten stamp -quartz-mill in full blast, much to our surprise, yielding--it was -said--a clear profit of $4,000 in coin per month. The ores came from -a silver mine, ten or twelve miles away in the mountains, and the -mill was located here to take advantage of Powder River, which was -here really a fine stream. - -Farther on, after a long and tedious drive up and across a stony -"divide," we came suddenly out on Grande Ronde valley, and were amazed -at its beauty and fertility. At first view, it seemed almost circular, -and looked like a vast bowl hollowed out of the mountains there. -Mountains bristling with pine or fir-trees rimmed it in on all sides, -while in their midst the valley reposed, as if a dried up lake. Some -thirty miles in length, by twenty-five in width, it contains over six -hundred square miles of the very washings of the mountains--the whole -as rich and fertile as a garden. Cedar, fir, pine, and oak abound in -the embracing mountains; but the valley itself is as bare of timber, -as an Illinois prairie. Numberless springs burst out of the mountain -sides, and coalescing into streams gridiron the valley--uniting at last -in Grande Ronde River, which flows thence to the Snake. In places, -we were told, there are hot mineral springs also, but we saw none of -these. The edges of the valley--seemingly like the rim of a plate--were -already sprinkled well with ranches, while horses, cattle, and sheep by -the thousand were grazing off in the bottoms. But few houses appeared -in the bottoms yet--the settlers apparently preferring to hug the -mountains. The wheat crop of the valley that year alone was computed -at half a million of bushels, and large quantities of oats, barley, -potatoes etc., had been raised besides. Indian corn, or maize, however, -had never flourished well, and it was doubted if it would--it being so -far north. Even here, though, irrigation had to be resorted to for most -summer crops, but down in the bottoms grass grew luxuriantly without -this. Grande Ronde, indeed, resembles the great parks of Colorado, -only her soil is far finer, and if cultivated to the full, along with -Powder River and Burnt River, would alone supply Idaho with pretty -much all she needs. We met old settlers there, who years before had -emigrated thither from Missouri and Illinois, tempted by the wondrous -beauty and fertility of the place, and one could not wonder at their -choice of a home. In all that region we saw nothing like Grande Ronde, -and indeed but few places to compare with it from the Missouri to -the Columbia. Its only drawback seemed to be the severe winds, which -prevail there much of the year. It appeared strange, that a valley so -embosomed in mountains should be troubled so with winds. But it seemed -to be a sort of funnel, and they said the winds were often fierce and -continuous there, for long periods together. Nevertheless, unless these -approximate to hurricanes or tempests, we could only say, "Blessed be -the man who dwells in Grande Ronde!" - -Le Grande, the county-seat, we found to be a thriving town of a -thousand or so inhabitants, and the largest and busiest place by -far since leaving Boisè. At the foot of the Mountains, where the -road from the Columbia debouches into Grande Ronde, it caught a -large amount of trade and travel that way, and also did considerable -business with several gold and silver mines in the adjacent -mountains. These mines, it seemed, were not believed to amount to -much; but they helped to sustain and build up Le Grande, and so were -welcomed. Just then the town was discouraged somewhat, by the recent -transfer of the mail-route to Uniontown. But as the county-seat, with -two weekly papers, and Grande Ronde to back her, she would evidently -continue to prosper, notwithstanding her loss of the stages. A smart -church, and a really fine public-school-house, graced the plateau -beyond the town--both of which spoke volumes for Le Grande. The main -street, however, was almost impassable for the deep and unctuous mud; -but by keeping straight ahead, and a little careful manoeuvring, we -managed to reach "Our House," the most respectable looking hotel, at -last. Here they gave us excellent accommodations for the night, and -the next morning we started to cross the Blue Mountains. - -We had left Boisè with a four-mule team, but at the end of the -first day our lead-mules gave out, and we had to hire a pair of -ponies to take their places. These ponies--the only animals we -could secure--were bright and active little nags, and with them at -the head we posted along, at the rate of forty or fifty miles per -day very readily. But at Powder River, one of them becoming lame, -we were compelled also to drop the other, and this reduced us to -only our original wheel-mules--a pair of large, but antiquated, -and sorry-looking donkeys, that entertained grave constitutional -objections to any gait faster than a walk. When we struck a bit of -extra good road--especially if a little down hill--our driver usually -managed, by much pounding and profanity, to persuade them into a mild -trot. But when we reached the bottoms, or if a "divide" appeared, -they speedily gravitated again into their natural creep. We were all -day long making our last twenty-six miles out from Le Grande, and it -was clear we would never get over the Blue Mountains with this pokey -team, if the roads were as reported. Fortunately, at Le Grande, we -succeeded in hiring a fresh team, of four fine and spirited horses, -and with these we swung out of the town (Nov. 24th) on a good round -trot--a delightful contrast to our snail-like pace on coming in. We -had sighted the Blue Mountains--the northern prolongation of the -Sierra Nevadas--two days before, soon after leaving Baker City, -and all along had got ugly accounts of the condition of the roads -there. Their bald summits already showed snow here and there, and -for a day or two another snow-storm had been lowering in the sky, -much to our anxiety. But as we rolled out of Le Grande, the sun came -out bright and clear, and with our ambulance stout and strong, and -our high-stepping steeds, all the auspices seemed to change in our -favor. We soon struck the Le Grande river, and followed this up for -several miles, through wild and picturesque cañons, or along the -shelving sides of the mountains, where often two teams could hardly -pass. The Le Grande carried us well up and into the Mountains, and -every hour the scenery became grander and wilder. Grande Ronde valley -soon passed out of sight; but, as we ascended, from various points -we caught exquisite views of the wide-stretching ranges and valleys -beyond. Farther up, we became environed with hills and gorges, -covered thick with gigantic fir-trees, though here and there a clump -of cedars or pines appeared. All along we met the wild snow-drop, -loaded down with its berries, and in sheltered nooks saw the wild -currant, with here and there harebells, though these were rare. The -mountain-laurel also occurred frequently; but the great predominating -growth was the Oregon fir, from the size of a bamboo cane to the -leafy monarch, "fit to be the mast of some great admiral." The -road was constructed on the cork-screw principle--much around to -get a little ahead--but after countless twistings and turnings, -we at length reached the summit, long after noon. Here we found a -comparatively level plateau, some two or three miles in width, with -only a few scattered fir-trees, swept keenly by the wind, from which -we slowly descended over the remains of a once corduroyed road to -"Meacham's." We arrived at "Meacham's" about 4 P. M.--only twenty-six -miles from Le Grande, after all; but as it was still twelve miles to -"Crawford's," the next ranch, at the northern foot of the Mountains, -it seemed imprudent to venture on that day. - -As to the wagoning, I need scarcely say, it well exemplified, with -abounding emphasis, "Jordan's a hard road to travel!" The roads, -indeed, as a whole, after we got up into the Mountains, were simply -execrable, and our ride in that respect anything but romantic. All -along the route, we found freight-trains, bound for Boisè City and -the Mines, hopelessly "stalled." Some of the wagons with a broken -wheel or axle, had already been abandoned. Others were being watched -over by their drivers, stretched on their blankets around huge fires -by the roadside, smoking or sleeping, patiently awaiting their -comrades, who had taken their oxen or mules to double-up on some team -ahead, and would return with double teams for them to-morrow or next -day, or the day after--whenever they themselves got through. Snow had -already fallen on the Mountains, once or twice that season; we found -several inches of it still in various places, and the air and sky -both threatened more, as the day wore on. Yet these rough freighters -looked upon the "situation" very philosophically, and appeared quite -indifferent whether they got on or stayed. If it snowed, the forest -afforded plenty of wood, their wagons plenty of provisions, and their -wages went on just the same; so where was the use of worrying? This -seemed to be about the way they philosophized, and accustomed to the -rude life of the Border, they did not mind "roughing it" a little. An -old army friend used often to parade a pet theory of his, that a man -could not associate much with horses, without directly deteriorating. -"The horse," he would say, "may gain largely, but it will only be at -the expense of the man. Our cavalry and artillery officers always -were the wickedest men in the service, and all because of their -equine associations. The animals, indeed, become almost human; but in -the same proportion, the men become animals!" I always thought him -about half-right; but if this be true as to intimacy with horses, -what must be the effect on men of long and constant association with -mules or oxen! I thought I saw a good deal of this in mule-drivers -in the army, in Virginia and Tennessee; but a harder or rougher -set, than the ox-men or "bull-whackers" (as they call themselves) -of the Plains and Mountains, it would be difficult perhaps to find, -or even imagine. On the road here in the Blue Mountains, with their -many-yoked teams struggling through the mud and rocks, of course, -they were in their element. _Outré_, red-shirted, big-booted, -brigand-looking ruffians, with the inseparable bowie-knife and -revolver buckled around their waists, they swung and cracked their -great whips like fiends, and beat their poor oxen along, as if they -had no faith in the law of kindness here, nor belief in a place of -punishment hereafter. And when they came to a really bad place--in -crossing a stream, or when they struck a stump or foundered in a -mud-hole--it is hard to say whether their prodigious, multiplied, -and many-headed oaths were more grotesque or horrible. To say "they -swore till all was blue," would be but a feeble comparison; the whole -Mountains corruscated with sulphur! Some few of the trains consisted -only of horse and mule teams; but ox-teams seemed most in favor, and -slow as they were, we took quite a fancy to them--they appeared so -reliable. When the roads were good, they averaged ten or twelve miles -per day, and subsisted by grazing; when they became bad, they managed -to flounder through any how--some way or other. At extra bad places, -the teams were doubled or trebled up, and then the wagon was bound -to come, if the wood and iron only held together. Twenty or thirty -yoke of oxen straining to the chains, with the "bull-whackers" all -pounding and yelling like mad, their huge whip-lashes thick as one's -wrist cracking like pistols, was a sight to see--"muscular," indeed, -in all its parts. The noise and confusion, the oaths and thwacks and -splashing of the mud, made it indeed the very hell of animals; but, -for all that, the wagon was sure to reach _terra firma_ at last, no -matter how heavily loaded, or pull to pieces. We had great sympathy -for the patient, faithful oxen, and wished for Mr. Henry Bergh and -his Cruelty-Prevention Society many a time that day. Here, indeed, -was some explanation of the high rates of freight from the Columbia -to Boisè; and Idaho would find it to her interest to improve such -routes of transportation forthwith. - -I need scarcely add, it was a hard day on our noble horses, but they -carried us through bravely. Our ambulance was a light spring carriage, -with only L., myself and the driver, and could not have weighed over -fifteen hundred pounds, baggage and all; yet it was just as much as -the four gamey horses wanted to do to haul us along. It was a steady, -dragging pull throughout, after we were well into the Mountains, with -scarcely any let-up; up-hill, of course, most of the way, with deep -mud besides; chuck-holes abounding, and quagmires frequent; in and -out, and around freight-trains "stuck" in the road; and on arriving at -"Meacham's," our gallant team, though by no means exhausted, yet seemed -very willing to halt for the night. How we congratulated ourselves on -securing them, before quitting Le Grande! Had we started with our pair -of dilapidated donkeys, we would never have got through; but would -probably have had to camp out in the Mountains over night, and send -back for another team, after all. Once in rounding a rocky hillside, -above a yawning chasm, our "brake" snapped short off, early in the -forenoon; and again, in one of the worst quagmires, our drawing-rope by -which the leaders were attached broke, and we would no doubt have been -hopelessly ship-wrecked, had it not been for our forethought on leaving -Le Grande. Fortunately, accustomed to army roads on the Peninsula and -in Tennessee, we laid in a supply of rope and nails there, with a good -stout hatchet, and these now stood us in excellent stead. With these -we soon repaired all damages satisfactorily, and went on our way--not -exactly rejoicing; but rather with grave apprehensions lest we should -break down entirely, far away from any human habitation, and have to -pass a supperless night by the roadside, or around a roaring fire, with -wolves, bears, and such like "varmints" perhaps uncomfortably near -about us. - -So, it was, we were glad to be safe at "Meacham's," at last, and to -sit down to the generous cheer he gave us at nightfall. Though 8,000 -feet or more, above the sea, and built wholly of logs, it was the -cleanest, cheeriest, and best public-house we had yet seen in either -Oregon or Idaho, outside of Boisè City; and even the "Overland" -there indeed set no better table, if as good. We did ample justice -to the luscious venison, sausage, and pumpkin-pies, that they gave -us for dinner at 6 P. M.--having breakfasted at 6 A. M., and eaten -nothing since. Mr. Meacham himself, our genial host, was a live -Oregonian, who had come thither from Illinois several years before, -and with his brother now owned this ranch, and the road over the -Blue Mountains--such as it was. Bad as it was just then, it had cost -them a good deal of money, first and last; and being the shortest -road from navigation on the Columbia to Idaho and Montana, it had -paid well in other years, when there was a "rush" of miners to -those regions. But the emigration thither had now fallen much off, -and besides a competing road had been opened from Wallula on the -Columbia--flanking the Mountains in part--to Uniontown in Grande -Ronde valley, and so beyond, which it was believed would hurt the -Meacham Road seriously. The mail now went this new road, and trade -and travel it was thought would be apt to follow the stage-coaches. -Yet Mr. Meacham was not discouraged. He was a plucky, wide-awake man, -some forty years of age, with brown hair and stubborn-looking beard, -and in general looked like a person who could take care of himself -well, travel or no travel. His wife was a really interesting lady, -with several well-bred children; and in the evening, when we asked -for something to read, he surprised us by producing a file of the -_N. Y. Times_, Greeley's American Conflict, and Raymond's Abraham -Lincoln. He had been a candidate for the Oregon Legislature at the -recent election, and though running much ahead of his ticket, had -been beaten by a small majority. He explained, that "the left wing -of Price's army" was still encamped in that part of Oregon, and that -the Oregon democracy generally were only a step removed from Gov. -Price and Jefferson Davis. The early settlers there, he said, had -been mostly "Pikes" from Missouri, and they still clung to their -old pro-slavery (and therefore Confederate) ideas. In '61, many of -them had indeed favored secession, and later in the war when Price's -forces were finally routed in Missouri, hundreds of his soldiers -deserted and made for Oregon, where they already had acquaintances or -friends. We had heard something of this before, and now understood -what was meant by the popular expression--even at Salt Lake--that -"the left wing of Price's army was encamped" in Idaho and Oregon! -Later in the evening, he gathered his little ones about us, and would -have us talk about army experiences, during the war and afterwards, -and affairs East generally. In return, he gave us his experiences -West and incidents of border-life, by the hour together. Thus we -spun yarns by his ample fire-side, until the "wee sma' hours" and -after--the fir-logs blazing and roaring welcome up his wide-throated -chimney--when he showed us to a cosy room, and an excellent bed, -clean and sweet beyond expectation even. - -During the night, I was awakened by the rain pattering on the roof, -just over our heads; but this soon ceased, and the next morning we -had several inches of snow, with huge flakes still falling. This -was a bad outlook; nevertheless, we decided to go on, as it was -impossible to say how long the storm would last, or how severe it -would become. We did not want to be "snow-bound" there, and besides -we thought we could reach "Crawford's" anyhow, as it was but twelve -miles or so, and that would take us well out of the Mountains. We -left "Meacham's" accordingly at 7 A. M., with our horses fresh and -keen after their night's rest, and got along pretty well for a couple -of miles or so, when suddenly, in drawing out of a chuck-hole, -one of our wheels struck a stump, and "smash" went our king-bolt. -Down came the ambulance kerchuck in the snow and mud; out went the -driver over the dashboard _a la_ bull-frog, but still clinging to -the ribbons; while L. and I sat wrapped in our great-coats and robes -on the back seat, at an angle of forty-five degrees or so. Here was -a pretty predicament, surely! On top of the Blue Mountains, broken -down in a quagmire, the snow falling fast, and no house nearer than -"Meacham's!" Fortunately, our gamey horses did not frighten and run -away, or we would have been infinitely worse off. Tumbling out, we -presently ascertained the extent of our damages, and all hands set to -work to repair them. Now it was, that our forethought at La Grande -again handsomely vindicated itself. With our hatchet we cut props for -the ambulance, and lifted it up on these; and then found, that though -part of the king-bolt was broken off and the balance badly bent, it -could yet be hammered into shape sufficiently to carry us forward -again, with careful driving. It took an hour or more of sloppy and -hard work, before we got the bolt back again into its place and -every thing "righted up;" and then, as an additional precaution, -with our good rope we lashed the coupling-pole fast to our fore -axle-tree besides. Altogether it made a rough looking job, but it -appeared stout and strong, and we decided to venture it anyhow. The -rest of the way out of the Mountains, however, we proceeded very -cautiously. The snow continued to fall right along, and concealed the -bad places, so that the roads were even worse, than the day before, -if possible. At all extra-bad spots, or what seemed so, L. and I got -out and walked; and even when riding, we tried to help the driver -keep the best track, by a sharp lookout ahead and on either side. Our -ambulance, however, rolled and pitched from quagmire to chuck-hole, -like an iron-clad at sea; and repeatedly when out walking I stopped -deliberately, just to see how beautifully she would capsize, or else -collapse in a general spill, like a "One-Horse Shay!" All around us -was the dense forest: all about us, that unnatural stillness, that -always accompanies falling snow; no human being near; no sound, but -our panting horses and floundering ambulance; no outlook, but the -line of grim and steely sky above us. "There she goes! This time -sure! See what a hole!" And yet by some good luck, she managed to -twist and plunge along through and out of it all, in spite of the -mud and snow; and at last landed us safely on the high bald knob, -that overlooks "Crawford's," and the valley of the Umatilla. We had -about ten miles of this execrable travelling, expecting any moment -to upset or break down; and when at last we got fairly "out of the -wilderness," it was a great relief. We had an ugly descent still, -of two miles or more, before we reached the valley; but this was -comparatively good going, being downhill, and besides the snow above -had been only rain here. - -The view from this bald knob or spur, as we descended, was really -very fine. Just as we rounded its brow the clouds broke away, and -the sun came out for awhile quite brilliantly. Far beneath us, vast -plateaus, like those between Bear River and Boisè City, stretched -away to the Columbia; and in the distance, the whole region looked -like a great plain or valley. To the north-east, we could follow for -miles the road or trail to Walla-Walla, as it struck almost in a -straight line across the plateaus; to the northwest, we could mark -in the same way the route to Umatilla. At our feet, and far away to -the west and north, we could trace the Umatilla itself, as it flowed -onward to the Columbia. Beyond all these, to the north and west -still, a hundred and fifty miles away, sharp against the sky, stood -the grand range of the Cascade Mountains, with their kingliest peaks, -Adams, Hood, St. Helens, and Rainier, propping the very heavens. On a -bright, clear day, this view must be very fine; as it was, we caught -but a glimpse or two of it, just enough to make us hunger for more, -when the clouds shut in again, and we hastened on. Now that we were -out of the forest, the wind blew strong and keen in our faces, with -no fir-trees to break it, and for a half hour or so we shivered with -the cold; but it also spurred up our gallant horses, and we were -soon whirling out of the foot-hills, at a rapid rate. We drew up at -"Crawford's" at 1 P. M., and here halted to lunch and to bait our -animals--well satisfied, after all, with our morning's work. - -An hour afterwards we started again, and now bowled along famously. -Our route lay down the valley of the Umatilla, and as the road was a -little sandy, the rain had made it just good for travelling. L. and I, -with our baggage and driver, were no load at all for four such gamey -nags, especially over a descending grade, and soon after dark we rolled -into "Wells' Springs"--42 miles from "Meacham's." Here we encountered -a motley crowd of teamsters, miners, and others, all very rough, _en -route_ to Idaho and Montana. "Wells' Springs" was a shabby ranch, and -we had no intention of stopping there, but were unable to go on--one of -our horses becoming suddenly sick. The house was dirty, and the supper -poor and badly cooked; so that we could readily believe the slouchy, -slatternly landlady, when in the course of the meal she remarked to -one of her rough guests, "O, we never care for puttin' on _style_ -here! Only for raal substantials!" Supper over, there was a general -smoke and talk, and how those rough fellows did talk! At bedtime, we -were put into a little closet, partitioned off from the rest, while -the main crowd quartered around "loose" on the floor outside. The last -thing we heard, two "bull-whackers" were disputing as to who I was--one -insisting I was Gen. Grant, and the other contending I was only -Inspector-General U. S. A.! We soon went heavily to sleep; the next -morning, when I awoke, the same chaps were disputing still! - -[Illustration: OREGON INDIAN.] - -Next morning, our sick horse was better, but still not himself. We -left "Wells' Spring," however, at 7 A. M. on a walk, but soon -achieved a trot, and were getting on quite satisfactorily again, when -our ambulance struck a stone and smash went one of the rear springs. -Two of its leaves showed old breaks, and it was a mystery how it ever -stood the rough and tumble drive across the Mountains. Again our Le -Grande rope came into play, and breaking a box to pieces we happened -to have along, we soon succeeded in splicing up the spring, so as to -make it hold. An hour's drive more, however, over a descending road, -took us into Umatilla without further accident, and we hauled up at -the _Metropolitan_, at 11 A. M. having come eighteen miles. We were -just too late for the tri-weekly boat, down the Columbia to Portland, -which we had been aiming at for a week--she having left an hour or -so before. If it had not been for our break-down in the Mountains, -or for our sick horse, we would have made Umatilla either early in -the morning, or late the night before, and thus saved two days. As it -was, there was no use lamenting it--we had done our best--and besides -a little time for rest and writing was not unwelcome. - -After emerging from the Blue Mountains at "Crawford's," our route -thence to the Columbia was chiefly down the valley of the Umatilla. -This was not over a mile or two in width usually, with high outlying -plateaus, that showed only sand, sage-brush and grease-wood, with here -and there a rocky butte. Population was very scarce, though we passed -a few fine ranches along the Umatilla, that looked to be doing well, -and off on the plateaus we saw several large flocks of sheep--thousands -in number--grazing under their shepherds. Just beyond "Crawford's," -the Umatilla and Walla-Walla Indians have a Reservation twenty miles -square, of the best lands in the valley, and the government has agents -there, teaching them to farm, raise stock, etc. Their farming did not -seem to amount to much, but their horses, cattle, and sheep, by the -thousand, all looked well. Both of these tribes together now numbered -only about a thousand souls, and were said to be steadily decreasing. -We saw scores of them on the road, scurrying along on their little -ponies--all of them peaceable and friendly. They were larger and -stouter, than our Ute friends on the Rio Grande; but did not seem -endowed with half their fierceness and grit. The whole district, from -Crawford's to the Columbia, lacked regular rains in summer, and hence -farming to be successful required irrigation, as much as in Utah. For -this, the Umatilla itself might be made to suffice, a thousand fold -more than it did. Draining a wide region of country, it rushed with -a rapid descent to the Columbia, and hereafter should be utilized -not only to irrigate largely, but also to drive numerous mills and -factories, that ought then to throng its banks. Long before reaching -the Columbia, it is but little better than a broad raceway; and for -miles, as we drove along, it seemed the beau-ideal of a natural -water-power. Some day, in the not distant future, when all that region -settles up, an Oregon Lowell will yet hum with spindles there, and its -woolen-cloths and blankets become world-renowned. - -It will be seen, we were seven days and a half in getting through from -Boisè City, though expecting to make it in six. The stages advertised -to make it in three, but the last one had been out five, with the -passengers walking much of the way at that. A party of Irish miners we -overtook on the road, footing it from Montana to the Columbia, indeed, -raced with us for several days, following us sharply into Le Grande -and beating us into "Meacham's;" but after that, we distanced them. -At Umatilla, people said, we would have found a better road and made -quicker time, if we had come by Uniontown, instead of crossing the -Mountains; but our driver insisted "Meacham's" was the best road, and -we had been guided of course by his superior wisdom. - -This driver of ours, by the way, was something of a character. An -Ohioan, so long ago as '49, he had joined the first rush to California, -and soon succeeded in picking up $30,000, or so. Thence he went to -Frazer River, on the first wave, and in a few months sunk pretty much -all he had previously made. Then he mounted a mule, and with pick-axe -and wash-pan "prospected" all over the Pacific Coast, landing at last -in Idaho. Here he had again picked up a few thousands, and had just -concluded a freight contract with a mining company at Owyhee, that he -thought was going to "pay big." But it did not commence until spring, -and meanwhile he was trying his hand at the lively business in Boisè. -While on the coast he had lived in California, Nevada, British America, -Washington, Oregon, and now Idaho; had camped out in the mining -regions; shot grizzlies in the Sierra Nevadas; trapped beaver on the -Columbia; wandered with the Indians for months together; and "roughed -it" generally. He had but one eye--had lost the other, he said, in -a battle with the Indians, one arrow hitting him there, and another -passing through his body; yet he rode seventy miles afterwards on a -mule, supported by his comrades--the pure air of that region and his -Buckeye grit carrying him through. This was his story, without its -embellishments. But he was a person of fine Western imagination; and -somewhat, I fear, addicted to "romancing." - -But, good-bye, driver--John Wilful, well-named! Good-bye, mustangs -and donkeys! Good-bye, stage-coaches and ambulances! Two thousand -four hundred miles of their drag and shake, of their rattle and -bang, across the Plains and over the Mountains, had given us our -fill of them. We had had runaways, we had had breakdowns, and about -every stage experience, except a genuine upset, and how we happened -to escape _that_ will always remain a mystery. Our romance of -stage-coaching, I must say, was long since gone. There before us now -lay the lordly Columbia, with visions of steamboats and locomotives. -And looking back on our long jaunt, with all its discomforts and -dangers, it seemed for the moment as if nothing could induce us to -take it again. Hereafter, we felt assured, we should appreciate the -comfort and speed of eastern travel more, and pray for the hastening -of all our Pacific Railroads. With a grand trunk line now overland, -through Utah, it can not be long before a branch will be thrown -thence to the Columbia, substantially by the route we travelled; and -when that is done, the ride from Salt Lake to Umatilla will be soon -accomplished. The region nowhere presents any serious obstacle to a -railroad, except the Blue Mountains; and a Latrobe, or a Dodge, would -soon flank or conquer these. - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - - DOWN THE COLUMBIA. - - -Umatilla was then a river town, of two or three hundred houses, -mostly frame. It was still the chief point of departure from the -Columbia for Idaho and Montana, though Wallula--25 miles farther -up--was beginning to compete for this. Trade and travel that season -had not been large, and the whole region there complained of dullness -and stringency. The _Metropolitan_ was a fair hotel, with a goodly -supply of eastern and California papers, and seemed like a palace -after our long "roughing it" from the Missouri to the Columbia. It -was well patronized, especially by babies; and I do think they were -the worst _enfans terribles_ I ever saw. One doting mamma asked L. if -he did not think her red-eyed, puffy-faced youngster "a _dear_ little -cherub;" and though he smiled approvingly, of course, he subsequently -vowed he should think better of King Herod hereafter. The town -already boasted one weekly newspaper, a public school-house, and two -young churches, with a goodly complement of saloons and restaurants. -Of course, the patent-medicine venders had long since reached it. -"S. T. 1860 X. Drake's Plantation Bitters," was emblazoned on every -dead-wall, "in characters of living light," as it had been from New -York there. The year before I had observed it all through the South, -in over ten thousand miles of travel there; and here it was again, -mysterious and blatant, at the head of navigation on the Pacific -Coast. So, we had found it all through the Rocky Mountains, at Salt -Lake, and Boisè, as inevitable as the stage-station and post-office; -and the design was the same huge cabalistic characters always. -Another advertisement accompanied us regularly across the Plains -to the Rocky Mountains; but "S. T. 1860 X. etc.," followed us to -the Columbia and beyond, and everywhere seemed as universal as the -air--as omnipresent as sunlight. - -Indians were seen on the streets occasionally, but they were usually -in the last stages of dissipation and degradation. They ought to be -forbidden all such border towns, as their life there ends only in ruin. -The white population consisted chiefly of Oregonians and Californians, -of every shade of character. The Micawber type, of course, was not -wanting. One afternoon, while writing in my room, a seedy individual, -whom we had met at Wells' Springs, sauntered in, and, after some -conversational skirmishing, solicited, "the loan of five dollars." -He had been keeping a "hotel," he said, up in Owyhee, but the miners -hadn't paid up their board-bills, and he was now "dead-broke," on -his way back to Puget Sound. He would give his due-bill, and would -certainly remit to me at San Francisco, but really couldn't tell -exactly when! He claimed to be "a son of old Massachusetts, sir," -and from Boston at that. But as he was odorous afar of "needle-gun" -whiskey, the Hub, I suspect, would have haughtily repudiated him! - -Ding! Dong! Puff! Puff! The steamer had come, and Nov. 28th, we at -length embarked for down the Columbia. She was a little stern-wheel -boat, scarcely longer than your finger, called _Nez Perce Chief_, -Capt. Stump, master. Her fare to Fort Vancouver or Portland, including -railroad-portages, was $18 in coin, which at rates then current -was equivalent to $25 in greenbacks. Meals were extra, at a cost of -$1,50 each, in currency, besides. The distance to Portland was about -200 miles; to the mouth of the Columbia, 100 or so more. We found -Capt. Stump a very obliging Oregonian, and obtained much interesting -information from him. His boat was part of a line belonging to the -Oregon Steam Navigation Company, a gigantic corporation that controlled -all the navigable waters of the Columbia, and with far-reaching -enterprise was now seeking to connect them with the headwaters of the -Missouri. He said, their boats could ascend to Umatilla all the year -round, except in mid-winter, when the Columbia sometimes froze over -for several weeks together, though not usually. With good water, they -could go up to Wallula, at the mouth of the Walla-Walla, 25 miles -farther, which they usually did six months in the year. With very high -water, they could run up to Lewiston, at the junction of the Snake and -Clearwater, about 175 miles more, three months in the year--making -about 500 miles from the sea in all. Above Lewiston, there was a bad -cañon in the Snake, with shoals and rapids for a hundred miles or so -to Farewell Bend; but after that, he thought, a light-draught steamer -might get up at least three hundred miles farther, or within about 200 -miles of Salt Lake, as stated heretofore. - -Clark's Fork of the Columbia, or the Columbia proper, makes a sharp -bend north at Wallula, and for 300 miles, he said, was unnavigable, -until you reach Fort Colville near the British line, when it trends -east and south, until it disappears in the far off wilds of Montana. -Just above Fort Colville, it became navigable again, and a small boat -was then running up to the Great Bend region, over 200 miles farther, -where good placer mines had been discovered (Kootenay) and worked a -little. This boat could connect with another, already plying on Lake -Pond Oreille (a part of Clark's Fork), and this with still another -then building, that it was believed with short portages would extend -navigation some 200 miles more, or into the very heart of Montana, -within two or three hundred miles only of Fort Benton--the head of -navigation on the Missouri. These were weighty facts, marrying the -Pacific to the Atlantic; but Captain Stump thought the O. S. N. -company could accomplish them, or anything else, indeed, it seriously -undertook. Just now it was bending its energies in that direction, -and he said would beat the Northern Pacific Railroad yet. No doubt -we have a fine country up there, near the British America line, -abounding in lakes and threaded with rivers, and roomy enough for all -enterprises, whether railroad or steamboat. - -Puff! Puff! And so we were off down the Columbia, at last. How -exquisitely pleasant, how cosy and delightful, our little steamer -seemed, after 2,400 miles of jolting and banging by stage-coach and -ambulance! The state-rooms were clean and tidy, the meals well-cooked -and excellent, and we went steaming down the Columbia without -thought or care, as on "summer seas." Occasionally rapids appeared, -of a serious character; but as a rule the river was broad and deep, -majestic in size and volume. On the banks were frequent Indian -villages, with their hardy little ponies browsing around--apparently -on nothing but sage-brush and cobble-stones. These Indians fancied -spotted or "calico" horses, as the Oregonians called them, and very -few of their ponies were of a single color. They spend the summer -mostly in the Mountains, making long excursions in all directions; -but as winter approaches, they return to the Columbia, and eke -out a precarious subsistence by fishing, etc., till spring comes. -Timber was scarce, and frequently we saw numbers of them in canoes, -paddling up and down the river in search of drift-wood, for their -winter's supply of fuel. Past Owyhee rapids and the seething caldron -of Hell-Gate, we reached Celilo, eighty-five miles from Umatilla, -with its long warehouse (935 feet), and its mosquito fleet of five -or six pigmy steamers, that formed the up-river line. Here we -disembarked, and took the Railroad around the "chutes" or rapids, -some fourteen miles, to still water again below. The shrill whistle -of the locomotive and the rattle of the cars were delightful sounds, -after our long exile from them, and soon convinced us we were on the -right road to civilization again. This portage had formerly been -made by pack-mules, and then by wagons; but recently a railroad had -been constructed, after much hard blasting and costly wall-work, -and now "Riding on a rail," there, with the Columbia boiling and -roaring at your side, like the Rapids above Niagara, was exhilarating -and superb. At very high water, these "chutes" or rapids somewhat -disappear, though they still continue very dangerous. No attempt -had been made to ascend them with a steamer; but the spring before, -Capt. Stump had safely descended them, much against his will. It -was high water in the Columbia, with a strong current, and his boat -drifting near the rapids was suddenly sucked in, before he knew it. -Clearly, escape was impossible; so he put on all steam, to give her -steerage-way, and then headed down stream--neck or nothing. There -was a good deal of bumping and thumping--it was a toss and a plunge, -for awhile--and everybody he feared was pretty badly scared; but his -gallant little boat ran the rapids for all that, and reached still -water below safely at last. It was a daring feat, and worthy of this -brave Oregonian. Just now, the Columbia was very low, rocks and reefs -showing all through the rapids--among, around, and over which the -waters boiled and rushed like a mill-race. - -The locomotive carried us to the Dalles, at the foot of the Rapids, -a town of some two thousand inhabitants, with a maturer civilization -than any we had seen since leaving Salt lake. It was but five or -six years old; yet it was already in its decrepitude. A "rush" of -miners a few years before, to alleged fine "diggings" near there, -had suddenly elevated it from an obscure landing into quite a town; -but the mines did not justify their promise, and the Dalles was now -at a stand-still, if not something worse. "Mining stock" and "corner -lots" had gone down by the run, during the past year or two, and her -few merchants sat by their doors watching for customers in vain. -The enterprise of the town, however, deserved a better fate. At the -Umatilla House they gave us an excellent supper, at a moderate price, -and the hotel itself would have been a credit to a much larger town -anywhere. The mines on John Day River, and other dependencies of the -Dalles, had formerly yielded $2,000,000 per year, and Congress had -then voted a U. S. Mint there. We could but sincerely hope it would -be much needed, some day or other. - -Halting at the Dalles over night, the next morning we took the -side-wheel steamer _Idaho_, and ran down to Upper Cascades--some -fifty miles--through the heart of the Cascade Mountains. Here we took -the railroad again for six miles--to flank more rapids--and at Lower -Cascades embarked on the _W. G. Hunt_, a large and elegant side-wheel -steamer, that some years before had come "round the Horn," from New -York. The Columbia, soon issuing from the Mountains, now became a -broad and majestic river, with good depth of water to the ocean -all the year round, and larger vessels even than the _W. G. Hunt_ -might readily ascend to Lower Cascades, if necessary. Our good boat, -however, bore us bravely on to Fort Vancouver, amidst multiplying -signs of civilization again; and as we landed there, we realized -another great link of our journey was over. - -To return a little. Our sail down the Columbia, and through the -Cascade Mountains, altogether was a notable one, and surpassed -everything in the way of wild and picturesque river-scenery, that -we had seen yet. Some have compared the Columbia to the Hudson; but -it is the Hudson many times magnified, and infinitely finer. It -is the Hudson, without its teeming travel, its towns and villas, -its civilization and culture; but with many times its grandeur and -sublimity. The noble Palisades, famed justly throughout the world, -sink into insignificance before the stupendous walls of the Cascade -Range, which here duplicate them but on a far vaster scale, for many -miles together. Piled along the sky on either side, up two or three -thousand feet, for fifty miles at a stretch, with only a narrow -gorge between, the Columbia whirls and boils along through this, in -supreme mightiness and power; while from the summit of the great -walls little streams here and there topple over, run like lace for -a time, then break into a million drops, and finally come sifting -down as mist, into the far depths below. Some of these tiny cascades -streaked the cyclopean walls, like threads of silver, from top to -bottom. Others seemed mere webs of gossamer, and these the wind at -times caught up and swayed to and fro, like veils fit for goddesses. -These Mountains, all through the cañon of the Columbia, abound with -such fairy cascades; whence their name. Just below Lower Cascades, -where the river-bottoms open out a little, stands Castle Rock, a -huge red boulder of comparatively moderate dimensions at the base, -but seven hundred feet high. Its walls are so perpendicular they -seem inaccessible, and on top it is covered with a thick growth of -fir-trees. Its alleged height appeared incredible at first, but on -comparing it with the gigantic firs at the base, and those on the -summit, the estimate seemed not unreasonable. All along, the vast -basaltic walls of the cañon are shaped and fashioned into domes and -turrets, ramparts and battlements; and surely in point of picturesque -grandeur and effect, the Columbia would be hard to beat. We had not -seen the Yosemite yet. But already, we felt, the Columbia compensated -us for all our fatigue and danger, in crossing the Continent; and -it is not too much to say, that all true lovers of the sublime and -beautiful in nature will yet wonder and worship here. - -Before reaching the Dalles, and afterwards, we had several superb -views of glorious Mt. Hood. All good Oregonians claim Hood is the -highest peak in the United States; but Californians boast their -Shasta equals, while Whitney out-tops it. A party of savans had -recently ascended Hood, and they reported the general range, of -which Hood is a part, as 4,400 feet above the sea; above which Hood -still shot up 13,000 feet. The summit proved to be crescent-shaped, -half a mile long, by from three feet to fifty wide. The north -front was a precipice, of naked columnar rock, falling sheer -down--perpendicularly--a mile or more at a jump. On the west side -was an ancient crater, a thousand feet in depth from which clouds of -sulphurous smoke still issued occasionally. On the flanks were true -glaciers, with terminal and lateral moraines, the same as among the -Alps. Smoke about his summit, just before we reached the Dalles, -heralded a smart shock of earthquake there, and no doubt he is the -safety-valve of all that region. We had caught a glimpse or two of -Mt. Hood in descending the Blue Mountains, and again from Umatilla: -but it was only for a moment, and usually with his night-cap on. But -in threading the cañon of the Columbia, one morning as we rounded -a rocky bastion, suddenly, a hundred miles away, Hood stood before -us, a vast pyramidal peak, snow-clad from base to summit, resting -in solitary grandeur on a great mountain range--itself black with -firs and pines. From the apparent level or slight undulation of the -general Cascade Range, Hood quickly shoots up loftily into the sky, -individual and alone, and serene and unapproachable dominates the -far-stretching landscape. From all points of view, whether descending -the Columbia, where the cañon often frames him in like a picture, or -at Fort Vancouver, where he stands superb and glorious against the -sapphire sky, Hood always gives you the impression of vast loftiness, -of serene majesty, of heaven-kissing superiority and power, and -Oregonians may well be proud of him. Butman's two pictures of Hood -are both good, but neither does justice to his great merits. The -White Mountains and the Alleghanies are well enough in their way. The -Rocky Mountains are indeed noble and majestic. But once see Hood, -and all these pall upon the mind, and he alone rules the memory -and imagination afterwards. Up the Columbia and down, off at sea, -and pretty much all over Oregon, Hood is a great and magnificent -landmark; and, of itself, is well worth a trip across the continent. - -[Illustration: MOUNT HOOD.] - -Past the Cascade Mountains, we came suddenly out into a new region, -and a totally different climate. From Umatilla to the Mountains we -had the same clear atmosphere and perfect sky, that we had found -everywhere from the Plains to the Columbia, substantially. The -country naturally was the same barren and sterile region as at Salt -Lake, abounding only in sage-brush and grease-wood; and, indeed, the -whole internal basin of the continent, from the Rocky Mountains to -the Sierra Nevadas, and from British America down to Mexico, appeared -to be of this same general character--from want of regular rains -in summer. Over most of this vast region, there had been no rains -for weeks, or indeed months; and for days together as we journeyed -along, we had never seen a cloud or mist even, to mar the absolute -ultramarine of those perfect skies. But now, in descending the -Columbia, as we approached the Mountains, we descried the clouds on -their western slope ever trying to float over, but never apparently -succeeding, their white discs gleaming in the sun; and when we -drew nearer, we beheld a fleecy mist drifting up the Columbia, and -streaming eastward like a pennon. Nearer still, we encountered a -stiff breeze sweeping through the cañon, as through a funnel; and -when we got well down into the jaws of the gorge, it needed all our -steam, as well as the strong westward current to carry us forward. -Sometimes, it was said, the Columbia just here becomes so rough, -because of this conflicting wind and current, as to cause real -sea-sickness on the boats, and occasionally indeed they have to cast -anchor, unable to descend. Farther down, this mist thickened into -rain, and when we got fairly through and out of the Mountains, (it -raining most of the way), we debouched into the Coast Region, where -it was still raining steadily, as it had been for many days, and -continued to for weeks together afterwards. As soon as we struck the -rain, trees and herbage at once made their appearance, clothing the -mountains and bottoms everywhere; lichens and mosses again decorated -all the rocks; and when we got well out of the Mountains, behold -such forests of fir, pine, cedar, oak, etc., as never appear East. -In half a day, you may thus pass from a comparatively rainless to a -thoroughly rainy region; and in winter from a severely cold, to a -comparatively moderate climate. The contrast is very striking, and -you soon feel it keenly in every sense. Your eyes glaze, your skin -becomes moist, and if there is a weak spot about your lungs, you will -find it out very quickly. The proximity of the Pacific, of course, -explains it all--the warm, humid winds from which sweep up against -the Cascade Range, but find in their lofty crest an insurmountable -barrier. If light enough to ascend, their wealth of moisture is -condensed as rain or snow along the mountain sides or summit, by the -cold of the upper regions, as with your hand you squeeze a sponge; -and, consequently, they topple over the Range dry and clear--to curse -a vast region beyond with their sterility. If unable to ascend, they -career along the western slope of the Mountains, and hover over -the Coast Region generally, literally deluging Western Oregon and -Washington, at certain seasons of the year, with rains and fogs. -The year before, at Fort Vancouver, they had had one hundred and -twenty consecutive days of rain, in one year, without counting the -intervening showers; and they said, it wasn't "much of a year for -rain" either! Another year, they didn't see the sun there for eighty -days together, without reckoning the occasional fogs. No wonder the -Oregonians are called "Web-Feet." They do say, the children there are -all born web-footed, like ducks and geese, so as to paddle about, and -thus get along well in that amphibious region. Perhaps this is rather -strong, even for Darwinism; but I can safely vouch for Oregon's -all-sufficing rains and fogs, whatever their effects on the species. - -Our fellow-passengers down the Columbia were chiefly returning miners, -going below to winter and recruit; but rough as they were and merry at -times, they were, as a rule, self-respecting and orderly. Our Fenian -friends, who had raced with us down Powder River and Grande Ronde -Valleys and across the Blue Mountains, turned up here again--"Shanks," -"Fatty," and all--and subsequently embarked on the same steamer with us -at Portland for San Francisco. A few Chinamen also were on board; but -they behaved civilly, and were treated kindly. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - FORT VANCOUVER TO SAN FRANCISCO. - - -Fort Vancouver is an old Government Post, established in 1849, when -Washington Territory was still a part of Oregon, and all the great -region there was yet a wilderness. The village of Vancouver, a -parasite on its outskirts, had grown up gradually; but had long since -been distanced by Portland, across the Columbia in Oregon. A fine -plateau, with a bold shore, made the Post everything desirable; but -back of the post-grounds, the unbroken forest was still everywhere -around it. It was now Headquarters of the Department of the Columbia, -and the base for all military operations in that section. Here troops -and supplies were gathered, for all the posts up the Columbia and its -tributaries; though Portland, rather, seemed to be the natural brain -of all that region. So, too, it controlled and supplied the forts at -the mouth of the Columbia and the posts on Puget Sound; and, indeed, -was of prime importance to the Government in many ways. - -Gen. Steele, in command of the Department, was an old Regular -officer, who during the war commanded first in Missouri, afterwards -around Vicksburg, then in Arkansas, and always with ability. He -is now no more (dying in 1868), but some things he related in -speaking of the war seem worth preserving. He said, Gen. Sherman -was undoubtedly a great soldier; but he owed much to the rough -schooling of his first campaigns, and improved from year to year. -He said, Sherman in '62 was "scary" about Price's movements in -Missouri and cited as an instance, that he once ordered the depot -at Rolla broken up and the troops withdrawn, for fear Price would -"gobble up" everybody and everything. He (Steele) then a Colonel, -but in command at Rolla, appealed to Gen. Halleck, and was allowed -to remain; and subsequently Sherman, with his customary frankness, -admitted his mistake. So, he said, Sherman in '63, when campaigning -around Vicksburg, had little confidence in Grant's famous movement -to the rear, via Grand Gulf and the Big Black, though the results -were so magnificent. He said Sherman was somewhere up the Yazoo, -with Porter and the gun-boats, and from there wrote him (Steele), -in command of the Corps during Sherman's absence, that the proposed -movement was perilous, and would probably fail, ruining them all; -but, "nevertheless," he added, right loyally, "We must support -Grant _cordially_ and _thoroughly_, dear Steele, whatever happens." -Subsequently, after they had landed at Grand Gulf--repulsed Pemberton -and hurled him back on Vicksburg--cleaned Joe Johnston out of Jackson -and chased him out of the country--and were crossing the Big Black -in triumph, the movement now apparently a sure thing, Sherman and he -were lying down to rest a little, at a house near the bridge, while -the troops were filing over. Presently, an orderly announced Gen. -Grant and staff riding by, when Sherman instantly sprang up, and -rushing out of the house bareheaded seized Grant by the hand, and -shaking it very warmly exclaimed, "I congratulate you, General, with -all my heart, on the success of your movement. And, by heaven, sir, -the movement is _yours_, too; for nobody else would endorse it!" He -added, he never heard of Sherman's "protesting" against the movement, -as reported afterwards in the newspapers, and didn't believe he ever -had--"was too soldierly, by far, for that"--but he (Steele), knew all -the facts at the time, and the above was about the Truth of History. - -Poor Steele! He was a true Army bachelor, fond of horses and dogs, -and a connoisseur in both. He was besides a man of fine intelligence, -and after dinner told a camp-story capitally. I remember several -he told, with great gusto, while we shared his cosy quarters at -Vancouver; but have not space for them here. Afterwards, we met him -again in San Francisco, on leave of absence, the beloved of all army -circles, and the favorite of society. May he rest in peace! - -But to return to Fort Vancouver. We spent several days there very -pleasantly, getting the bearings of things from there as a centre, -and were loath to leave its hospitable quarters. It was now the first -week in December; but the grapes were still hanging on the vines at -Maj. N.'s quarters, and all about the post the grass was springing -fresh and green, as in April in the East. We had fog or rain, or both -together, about every day; no heavy down-pours, however, but gentle -drizzles, as if the Oregon-Washington sky was only a great sieve, -with perpetual water on 'tother side. They said, this was their -usual weather from fall to spring, and then they had a delightful -summer; though sometimes occasional snow-storms, sweeping down from -the Mountains in January or February, gave them a taste of winter. -Such snows, however, were light, and never lasted long. It seems, -the Gulf Stream of the Pacific, sweeping up from the tropics, bears -the isothermal lines so far north on this coast, that here at Fort -Vancouver in the latitude of Montreal, they have the climate of -the Carolinas in winter, with little of their excessive heats in -summer. Walla-Walla, in latitude 46°, boasts the range of Washington, -D. C. in 39°; and San Francisco, on the line of New York, claims -the climate of Savannah. One evening while there, after a day of -weary rain, the clouds suddenly broke away, and just at sunset we -caught another noble view of Mount Hood again. A thin, veil-like -cloud enrobed his feet, extending much of the way up; but above, his -heaven-kissing head rose right regally, and his snowy crown became -transfigured through all the changes--from pink to purple, and into -night--as the day faded out. He looked still loftier and grander, -than we had yet seen him, as if piercing the very sky, and was really -superb. Aye, _superbus_. Haughty, imperial, supremely proud--which is -about what the Romans meant, if I mistake not. - -A ride of six miles down the Columbia, on the little steamer _Fanny -Troup_, and then twelve miles up the Willamette, landed us at -Portland, Oregon, the metropolis of all that region. The distance -from Fort Vancouver, as the crow flies, is only about six miles, -but by water it is fully eighteen, as above stated. Here we found -a thrifty busy town, of eight or ten thousand people, with all the -eastern evidences of substantial wealth and prosperity. Much of -the town was well built, and the rest was rapidly changing for the -better. Long rows of noble warehouses lined the wharves, many of the -stores were large and even elegant, and off in the suburbs handsome -residences were already springing up, notwithstanding the abounding -stumps nearly everywhere. The town seemed unfortunately located, the -river-plateau was so narrow there; but just across the Willamette -was East Portland, a growing suburb, with room plenty and to spare. -A ferry-boat, plying constantly, connected the two places, and made -them substantially one. Portland already boasted water, gas, and -Nicholson pavements; and had more of a solid air and tone, than any -city we had seen since leaving the Missouri. The rich black soil, on -which she stands, makes her streets in the rainy season, as then, -sloughs or quagmires, unless macadamised or Nicholsoned; but she was -at work on these, and they promised soon to be in good condition. -Several daily papers, two weekly religious ones, and a fine -Mercantile Library, all spoke well for her intelligence and culture, -while her Public School buildings and her Court-House would have been -creditable anywhere. The New England element was noticeable in many -of her citizens, and Sunday came here once a week, as regularly as in -Boston or Bangor. The Methodists and Presbyterians both worshipped in -goodly edifices, and the attendance at each the Sunday we were there -was large and respectable. - -Being the first city of importance north of San Francisco, and -the brain of our northwest coast, Portland was full of energy and -vigor, and believed thoroughly in her future. The great Oregon Steam -Navigation Company had their headquarters here, and poured into -her lap all the rich trade of the Columbia and its far-reaching -tributaries, that tap Idaho, Montana, and even British America -itself. So, also, the coastwise steamers, from San Francisco up, all -made Portland their terminus, and added largely to her commerce. -Back of her lay the valley of the Willamette, and the rich heart -of Oregon; and her wharves, indeed, were the gateways to thousands -of miles of territory and trade, in all directions. Nearer to -the Sandwich Islands and China, by several hundred miles, than -California, she had already opened a brisk trade with both, and -boasted that she could sell sugars, teas, silks, rice, etc., cheaper -than San Francisco. Victoria, the British city up on Puget Sound, had -once been a dangerous rival; but Portland had managed to beat her out -of sight, and claimed now she would keep her beaten. It was Yankee -Doodle against John Bull; and, of course, in such a contest, Victoria -went to the wall! - -It seemed singular, however, that the chief city of the northwest -coast should be located there--a hundred miles from the sea, and -even then twelve miles up the little Willamette. Your first thought -is, Portland has no right _to be_ at all, where she now is. But, it -appears, she originally got a start, from absorbing and controlling -the large trade of the Willamette, and when the Columbia was opened -up to navigation rapidly grew into importance, by her heavy dealings -in flour, wool, cattle, lumber, etc. The discovery of mines in Idaho -and Montana greatly invigorated her, and now she had got so much -ahead, and so much capital and brains were concentrated here, that it -seemed hard for any new place to compete with her successfully.[14] -Moreover, we were told, there are no good locations for a town -along the Columbia from the ocean up to the Willamette, nor on the -Willamette up to Portland. Along the Columbia, from the ocean up, -wooded hills and bluffs come quite down to the water, and the whole -back country, as a rule, is still a wilderness of pines and firs; -while the Willamette up to Portland, they said, was apt to overflow -its banks in high water. Hence, Portland seemed secure in her -supremacy, at least for years to come, though no doubt at no distant -day a great city will rise on Puget Sound, that will dominate all -that coast, up to Sitka and down to San Francisco. From want of time, -we failed to reach the Posts on Puget's Sound; but all accounts -agreed, that--land-locked by Vancouver's and San Juan islands--we -there have one of the largest and most magnificent harbors in the -world. With the Northern Pacific Railroad linking it to Duluth and -the great lakes, commerce will yet seek its great advantages; and the -Boston, if not the New York, of the Pacific will yet flourish where -now are only the wilds of Washington. The Sound already abounded -in saw-mills, and the ship-timber and lumber of Washington we -subsequently found famed in San Francisco, and throughout California. -She was then putting lumber down in San Francisco, cheaper than -the Californians could bring it from their own foot-hills, and -her magnificent forests of fir and pine promised yet to be a rare -blessing to all the Pacific Coast. - -The Portlanders, of course, were energetic, go-ahead men, from all -parts of the North, with a good sprinkling from the South. Outside -of Portland, however, the Oregonians appeared to be largely from -Missouri, and to have retained many of their old Missouri and -so-called "conservative" ideas still. All through our Territories, -indeed, Missouri seemed to have been fruitful of emigrants. Kentucky, -Indiana, Illinois, were everywhere well represented; but Missouri -led, especially in Idaho and Oregon. This fact struck us repeatedly, -and was well accounted for by friend Meacham's remark (top of the -Blue Mountains), "the left wing of Price's army is still encamped in -this region." The tone of society, in too many places, seemed to be -of the Nasby order, if not worse. No doubt hundreds of deserters and -draft-sneaks, from both armies, had made their way into those distant -regions; and then, besides, the influence of our old officials, -both civil and military, had long been pro-slavery, and this still -lingered among communities, whom the war had not touched, and among -whom school-houses and churches were still far too few. Of course, -we met some right noble and devoted Union men everywhere, especially -in Colorado; but elsewhere, and as a rule, they did not strike us -as numerous, nor as very potential. In saying this, I hope I am not -doing the Territories injustice; but this is how their average public -opinion impressed a passing traveller, and other tourists we met _en -route_ remarked the same thing. - -Here at Portland, John Chinaman turned up again, and seemed to be -behaving thoroughly well. At Boisè, we found these heathen paying their -stage-fare, and riding down to the Columbia, while many Caucasians -were walking, and here at Portland they appeared alike thrifty and -prosperous. Their advent here had been comparatively recent, and there -was still much prejudice against them, especially among the lower -classes; but they were steadily winning their way to public favor -by their sobriety, their intelligence and thrift, and good conduct -generally. Washing and ironing, and household service generally, seemed -to be their chief occupations, and nearly everybody gave them credit -for industry and integrity. Mr. Arrigoni, the proprietor of our hotel -(and he was one of the rare men, who know how to "keep a hotel"), spoke -highly of their capacity and honesty, and said he wanted no better -servants anywhere. One of them, not over twenty-one, had a contract to -do the washing and ironing for the Arrigoni House, at a hundred dollars -per month, and was executing it with marked fidelity. He certainly did -his work well, judging by what we saw of the hotel linen. In walking -about the town, we occasionally came upon their signs, over the door -of some humble dwelling, as for example, "Ling & Ching, Laundry;" -"Hop Kee, washing and ironing;" "Ching Wing, shoemaker;" "Chow Pooch, -doctor;" etc. As far as we could see, they appeared to be intent only -on minding their own business, and as a class were doing more hearty -honest work by far, than most of their bigoted defamers. We could not -refrain from wishing them well, they were so sober, industrious, and -orderly; for, after all, are not these the first qualities of good -citizenship the world over? - -We left Portland, Dec. 11th, on the good steamer _Oriflamme_, for San -Francisco. For a wonder, it was a calm clear day, with the bracing air -of our Octobers in the east, and as we glided out of the Willamette -into the noble Columbia, we had a last superb view of Mts. Jefferson, -Hood, Adams and St. Helens all at the same time. Sometimes Rainier also -is visible from here, but ordinarily only Hood and St. Helens appear. -We thought this the finest view of these splendid snow-peaks that we -had had yet, and it seemed strange no artist had yet attempted to group -them all in one grand landscape, from the mouth of the Willamette as -a stand-point. Or, if he could not get them all in, he might at least -combine Hood and St. Helens. The breadth and scope, the grandeur and -sublimity of such a picture, with the Columbia in the foreground, and -the great range of the Cascade Mountains in the perspective, would make -a painting, that would live forever. We watched them all, with the -naked eye and through the glass, until we were far down the Columbia, -and to the last, Hood was the same - - "Dread ambassador from earth to heaven!" - -How he soared and towered, beyond and above everything, as if -communing with the Almighty! Lofty as were the rest, they seemed -small by his majestic side. St. Helens, however, though not so -imperial, was perhaps more simply and chastely beautiful. An unbroken -forest of fir, deep green verging into black, girt her feet, while -above she "swelled vast to heaven," a perfect snow sphere rather than -cone, whose celestial whiteness dazzled the eye. She looked like a -virgin's or a nun's white breast, unsullied by sin, and standing -sharply out against the glorious azure of that December sky, seemed -indeed a perfect emblem of purity and beauty. Farther down the river, -we detected a light smoke or vapor, drifting dreamily away from -her summit, and Capt. Conner of the _Oriflamme_ said this was not -unusual, though St. Helens was not rated as a volcano. He thought it -steam or vapor, caused by internal heat melting the snow, rather than -smoke; but the effect was about the same. - -We reached the mouth of the Columbia, the same evening; but Capt. -Conner thought it risky to venture over the bar, until morning. The -next morning early, we lifted anchor, and steamed down to Astoria--a -higgledy-piggledy village, of only four or five hundred inhabitants -still, though begun long before prosperous Portland. Her anchorage -seemed fair; but ashore the land abounded in a congeries of wooded -bluffs and ridges, that evidently made a town or farms there -difficult, if not impossible. A short street or two of straggling -houses, propped along the hillsides, was about all there was of -Astoria; and yet she was a port of entry, with a custom-house and -full corps of officials, while Portland with all her enterprise and -commerce was not, and could not get to be. What her custom-officials -would have to do, were it not for the business of Portland, it seemed -pretty hard to say. A venture of John Jacob Astor's a half century -before, as a trading post with the Indians, she had never become -of much importance, because lacking a good back country; and it -appeared, had no future now, because wanting a good town-site. This -was unfortunate perhaps for Oregon, and the whole Columbia region; -but over it Portland rejoiced, and continued to wax fat. - -Of course, it had begun to rain again, and by the time we had passed -the ordeal of the custom-house at Astoria, the weather had thickened -up into a drizzly fog, that caused Capt. C. much anxiety--especially, -when he observed the barometer steadily going down. The bar of the -Columbia, always bad, is peculiarly rough in winter, and only the -voyage before the _Oriflamme_ had to lay to here, nearly a week, -unable to venture out. Her provisions became exhausted, and she had -to "clean out" Astoria, and all the farm-houses up and down the -river for miles, before she finally got away. Our company of four -hundred passengers had no fancy for an experience of this sort, and -"dirty" as the weather promised to be, Capt. C. at last decided to -try the bar, even if we had to return, hoping to find better skies -when fairly afloat in blue water. Our engines once in motion, we soon -ran down past Forts Stevens and Cape Disappointment, at the mouth -of the Columbia, on the Oregon and Washington sides respectively, -with the black throats of their heavy cannon gaping threateningly -at us. Both forts seem necessary there, as they completely command -the mouth of the Columbia, and so hold the key to all that region. -But life in them must be an almost uninterrupted series of rains -and fogs, with the surf forever thundering at your feet, and one -can but pity the officers and men really exiled there. Gathered -about the flag-staff or lounging along the ramparts, they gazed -wistfully at us as we steamed past; and already in the distance we -could see the white-caps, racing in over the dreaded bar. Heading -for the north channel, we put all steam on, and once out of the jaws -of the Columbia were soon fairly a-dancing on the bar. The wind and -tide both strong, were both dead ahead, which made our exit about -as bad, as could well be. The sea went hissing by, or broke into -huge white-caps all about us. The engines creaked and groaned, and -at times seemed to stand still, as if exhausted with the struggle. -The good ship _Oriflamme_ pitched and tossed, battling with the -waves like a practiced pugilist, yet ever advanced, though sometimes -apparently drifting shoreward. At one period, indeed, Capt. C. feared -we would have to about ship and run for the Columbia--we progressed -so slowly; but something of a lull in the wind just then helped us -on, and at last we saw by the receding head-lands, that we were -fairly over the bar and out into the broad Pacific. We congratulated -ourselves in thus getting speedily to sea; but our tussle on the bar -had been too much for the majority of our passengers, and soon our -bulwarks were thronged with scores "casting up their accounts" with -Father Neptune. Sea-sickness, that deathliest of all human ailments, -had set in, and our "rough and tumble" with the waves had been so -sharp, that many began to suffer from it, who declared they had -never been attacked before. A notable New Yorker, a brawny son of -Æsculapius at that, bravely protested, that sea-sickness was "Only a -matter of the imagination. Anyone can overcome it. It only requires -a vigorous exercise of the will." But, unfortunately for his theory, -soon afterwards he himself became the sickest person on board, not -excepting the ladies. My own experience ended with a qualm or two; -but the majority of our passengers suffered very much, for several -days. Our steamer really had accommodations for only about one -hundred passengers; but some four hundred had crowded aboard of her -at Portland, mostly miners eager to get "below" to winter, and those -who had no state-rooms now "roughed it" pitiably. They lay around -loose--on deck, in the cabin, in the gang-way, everywhere--the most -disconsolate-looking fellows I ever saw, outside of a yellow-fever -hospital. The few ladies aboard were even sicker; but these all had -state-rooms, and kept them mostly for the voyage. - -The weather continued raw and the sea rough, most of the way down -the coast, and our voyage of eight hundred miles from Portland to -San Francisco, as a whole, could hardly be called agreeable. We -had fog, and rain, and head-winds all the way down, and with the -exception of a day or two, it was really cold and uncomfortable. -The steam-heating apparatus of the vessel was out of order, and -the only place for us all to warm was at a register in the Social -Hall--a narrow little cabin on deck, that would not accommodate -over thirty persons at the farthest. There was a similar place for -the ladies, but they usually filled this themselves. Groups huddled -here all day, smoking and talking, and when the weather permitted -also swarmed about the smoke-stacks. And then, besides, as already -stated, our ship was badly overcrowded. Of our 400 passengers, less -than a quarter had state-rooms, and the rest were left to shift for -themselves. After the sea-sickness began to abate, we filled two or -three tables every meal; and when bed-time came, mattrasses thronged -the cabin from end to end. How it was down in the steerage, where the -miners and Chinamen mostly congregated, one need not care to imagine. -Fortunately great-coats and blankets abounded, or many would have -suffered much. We found many choice spirits aboard, and in spite of -wind and weather enjoyed ourselves, after all, very fairly. When it -did not rain too hard, we walked the deck and talked for hours; and -when everything else failed, we always found something of interest in -the gulls that followed us by hundreds, and the great frigate-birds -with their outstretched pinions, and the ever-rolling boundless sea. -Our table-fare was always profuse and generally excellent, especially -the Oregon apples and pears they gave us for dessert; and had it not -been for our broken heating apparatus, no doubt we would have got -along very satisfactorily after all, all things considered. - -We arrived off the Golden Gate, late at night, Dec. 14th, only four -days out from Portland; but the sea was still so rough, that we -feared to venture in. Next morning, however, when the mist broke -away a little, we up steam and headed again for San Francisco. We -had a tough time getting in, nearly as bad as getting out of the -Columbia. We had to combat a strong wind dead-ahead, and to wrestle -with a heavy sea. But, nevertheless, our good ship held on her course -bravely; and at last, weathering Point Reyes, and rounding Fort -Point, we steamed up past frowning Alcatraz, and with booming cannon -dropped anchor at the Company's wharf. The storm we had encountered -was reported as one of the worst known on the coast for years, and -we were glad once more to touch _terra firma_, and strike hands -with a live civilization. In a half hour we were ashore and at the -_Occidental_, a hostelry worthy of San Francisco or any other city. - -And so, we had reached California at last. All hail, the Golden Gate! -And 'Frisco, plucky, vain young metropolis, hail! Bragging, boasting, -giddy as you are, there is much excuse for you. Surely, with your -marvellous growth, and far-reaching schemes, you have a right to call -yourself the New York of the Pacific Coast, if that contents you. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[14] Though since scourged severely by fire, (1873), she has vindicated -herself well by prompt and general rebuilding, like Chicago. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - SAN FRANCISCO. - - -Geography demonstrates the matchless position of San Francisco, as -metropolis of the Pacific coast, and assures her supremacy perhaps -forever. The Golden Gate, a strait six miles long by one wide, -with an average depth of twenty-four fathoms--seven fathoms at -the shallowest point--is her pathway to the Pacific. At her feet -stretches her sheltered and peerless bay, fifty miles long by five -wide, with Oakland as her Brooklyn just across it. Beyond, the -Sacramento and the San Joaquin empty their floods, the drainage of -the Sierra Nevadas, and afford channels for trade with much of the -interior. Her system of bays--San Pablo, Suisun, and San Francisco -proper--contain a superficial area of four hundred square miles, -of which it is estimated, eight feet in depth pour in and out of -the Golden Gate every twenty-four hours. On all that coast, for -thousands of miles, she seems to be the only really great harbor; -and then, besides, all enterprise and commerce have so centred here, -that hereafter it will be difficult, if not impossible, to wrest -supremacy from her. Until we reached Salt-Lake, New York everywhere -ruled the country, and all business ideas turned that way; but from -there on, the influence of Gotham ceased, and everything tended -to "'Frisco," as many lovingly called her. This was her general -name, indeed, for short, all over the Pacific coast; though the -Nevadans spoke of her, as "the Bay" still. The city itself stands -on a peninsula of shifting dunes or sand-hills, at the mouth of the -harbor, much the same as if New York were built at Sandy Hook. It -was a great mistake, that its founders did not locate it at Benicia, -or Vallejo, or somewhere up that way, where it would have been out -of the draft of the Golden Gate, had better wharfage, and been more -easily defended. But, it seems, when the gold fever first broke out, -in 1849, the early vessels all came consigned to Yerba Buena, as the -little hamlet was then called; and as their charter-parties would not -allow them to ascend the Bay farther, their cargoes were deposited on -the nearest shore, and hence came San Francisco. It took a year or -more then to hear from New York or London, and before further advices -were received, so great was the rush of immigrants, the town was -born and the city named. Benicia tried to change things afterwards; -but 'Frisco had got the start, and kept it, in spite of her false -location. Her military defences are Fort Point at the mouth of the -Golden Gate, Fort San Josè farther up the harbor, and Alcatraz on -an island square in the entrance, which with other works yet to be -constructed would cross-fire and command all the approaches by water, -thus rendering the city fairly impregnable. - -From the first, she seems to have had a fight with the sand-hills, -and she was still pluckily maintaining it. She had cut many of them -down, and hurled them into the sea, to give her a better frontage. -Her "made" land already extended out several blocks, and the work -was still going on. With a great _penchant_ for right-angles, as if -Philadelphia was her model city, she was pushing her streets straight -out, in all directions, no matter what obstacles intervened. One -would have thought, that with an eye to economy, as well as the -picturesque, she would have flanked some of her sand-hills by leading -her streets around them; but no! she marched straight at and over -them, with marvellous audacity and courage, like the Old Guard at -Waterloo, or the Boys in Blue at Chattanooga. Some were inaccessible -to carriages; still she pushed straight on, and left the inhabitants -to clamber up to their eyrie-like residences, as best they could. -Many of these hills were still shifting sand, and in places lofty -fences had been erected as a protection against sand-drifts; just as -our railroads East sometimes build fences, as a protection against -snow-drifts. The sand seemed of the lightest and loosest character, -and when the breeze rose filled the atmosphere at all exposed points. -And yet, when properly irrigated, it really seemed to produce about -everything abundantly. While inspecting one of the harbor forts, I -saw a naked drift on one side of a sand-fence, and on the other a -flower-garden of the most exquisite character, while just beyond was -a vegetable and fruit-garden, that would have astonished people East. -A little water had worked the miracle, and this a faithful wind-mill -continued to pump up, from time to time as needed. Towards the south, -the sand-hills seemed less of an obstruction, and thither the city -was now drifting very rapidly. Real-estate there was constantly on -the rise, and houses were springing up as if by magic in a night. The -city-front, heretofore much confined, was now extending southward -accordingly. It was about decided to build a sea-wall of solid -granite, all along the front, two miles or more in length, at a cost -of from two to three millions of dollars. This expenditure seemed -large; but, it was maintained, was not too great for the vast and -growing commerce of the city. - -But a few years before, it was a common thing for ships to go East -empty or in ballast, for want of a return cargo; but in 1867 San -Francisco shipped grain alone to the amount of thirteen millions -of dollars, and of manufactures about as much more. Here are some -other statistics that are worth one's considering. In 1849, then -called Yerba Buena, she numbered perhaps 1,000 souls, all told; in -1869, nearly 200,000. In 1868, 59,000 passengers arrived by sea, -and only 25,000 departed, leaving a net gain of 34,000. The vessels -which entered the bay that year, numbered 3,300, and measured over -1,000,000 tons. She exported 4,000,000 sacks of wheat that year, and -half a million barrels of flour. Her total exports of all kinds were -estimated at not less than $70,000,000, and her imports about the -same. Her sales of real-estate aggregated $27,000,000, and of mining -and other stocks $115,000,000, on which she paid over $5,000,000 -of dividends. The cash value of her real and personal property was -estimated at $200,000,000. She sent away six tons of gold, and forty -tons of silver every month, and in all since 1849 had poured into the -coffers of the world not less than $1,030,000,000.[15] Her net-work -of far-reaching and gigantic enterprises already embraced the whole -Pacific Coast, northward to Alaska and southward to Panama, while -beyond she stretched out her invisible arms to Japan and China, and -shook hands with the Orient. - -One cloudless morning, after days of dismal drizzle, an enthusiastic -Forty-Niner took me up Telegraph Hill, and bade me "view the landscape -o'er!" I remembered when a school-boy reading Dana's "Two Years before -the Mast," in which he speaks so contemptuously of Yerba Buena, and -its Mexican Rip Van Winkles. What a change here since then! Off to -the west rolled the blue Pacific, sea and sky meeting everywhere. Then -came Fort Point, with its formidable batteries, commanding the Golden -Gate; and then the old Presidio, with the stars and stripes waving over -it. Farther inland were the stunted live-oaks and gleaming marbles of -Lone Mountain Cemetery, with the Broderick Monument rising over all. -Then came the live, busy, bustling, pushing city, with its quarter of -a million of inhabitants nearly, soon to be a million, its wharves -thronged with the ships of all nations, but with harbor-room to spare -sufficient to float the navies of the world. Beyond, lay Oakland, -loveliest of suburbs, smiling in verdure and beauty, with Mount -Diabolo towering in the distance--his snow-crowned summit flashing in -the sunlight. The Sacramento and Stockton boats, from the heart of -California were already in. Past the Golden Gate, and up the noble bay, -with boom of welcoming cannon, came the Hong Kong steamer fresh from -Japan. The Panama steamer, with her fires banked and flag flying, was -just ready to cast off. While off to the south, a long train of cars, -from down the bay and San Josè, came thundering in. A hundred church -spires pierced the sky; the smoke from numberless mills and factories, -machine-shops and foundries, drifted over the harbor; the horse-car -bells tinkled on every side--the last proofs of American progress--and -all around us were the din and boom of Yankee energy, and thrift, and -go-ahead-ative-ness, in place of the old Rip Van Winkleism. I don't -wonder, that all good Pacific Coasters believe in San Francisco, and -expect to go there when they die! Her hotels, her school-houses, her -churches, her Bank of California, her Wells-Fargo Express, her Mission -Woollen Mills, her lines of ocean steam-ships, and a hundred other -things, all suggest great wealth and brains; and yet they are only the -first fruits of nobler fortune yet to come. She is what Carlyle might -call an undeniable fact, a substantial verity; and, in spite of her -"heavy job of work," moves onward to empire with giant strides. She -contained already fully a third of the population of the whole state -of California, and was "lifting herself up like a young lion" in all -enterprises--at all times and everywhere--on the Pacific slope. - -Her faulty location, however, gives her a climate, that can scarcely -be called inviting, notwithstanding all that Californians claim for -their climate generally. It is true, the range of the thermometer there -indicates but a moderate variation of temperature, with neither snow -nor frost, usually. But her continual rains in winter, and cold winds -and fogs in summer, must be very trying to average nerves and lungs. -We found it raining on our arrival there in December, with the hills -surrounding the bay already turning green; and it continued to rain -and drizzle right along, pretty much all the time, until we departed -for Arizona in February. Sometimes it would break away for an hour or -two, and the sun would come out resplendently, as if meaning to shine -forever; and then, suddenly, it would cloud over, and begin to drizzle -and rain again, as if the whole heavens were only a gigantic sieve. -Really, it did rain there sometimes the easiest of any place I ever -saw--not excepting Fort Vancouver. Going out to drive, or on business, -we got caught thus several times, and learned the wisdom of carrying -stout umbrellas, or else wearing bang-up hats and water-proof coats, -like true Californians. Once, for a fortnight nearly, it rained in -torrents, with but little intermission, and then the whole interior -became flooded--bridges were washed away, roads submerged, etc. In -the midst of this, one night, we had a sharp passage of thunder and -lightning--a phenomenon of rare occurrence on that coast--followed -by a slight earthquake, and then it rained harder than ever. But -at last, the winter rains came to an end, as all things must, and -then we had indeed some superb weather, worthy of Italy or Paradise. -Californians vowed their winter had been an unusual one; that their -January was usually good, and their February very fine; but, of -course, things must be reported as we found them. As a rule, nobody -seemed to mind the perpetual drizzle, so to speak; but with slouched -hats and light overcoats, or infrequent umbrellas, everybody tramped -the streets, as business or pleasure called, and the general health -of the city continued good. The few fair days we had in January and -early February were as soft and balmy, as our May or June, and all -'Frisco made the most of them. The ladies literally swarmed along -Montgomery street, resplendent in silks and jewelry, and all the -drives about the city--especially the favorite one to the Cliff-House -and sea-lions--were thronged with coaches and buggies. Meanwhile, the -islands in the harbor and the surrounding hills and country, so dead -and barren but a few weeks before, had now become superbly green, and -the whole bay and city lay embosomed in emerald. - -We left there the middle of February for Arizona, and did not get -back until late in May. Then, when we returned we found the rains -long gone, the vegetation fast turning to yellow--grain ripening in -the fields--strawberries and peas on the table--and the summer winds -and fogs in full vogue. At sunrise, it would be hot, even sultry, and -you would see persons dressed in white linen. By nine or ten A. M., -the wind would rise--a raw damp wind, sometimes with fog, sweeping -in from the Pacific--and in the evening, you would see ladies going -to the Opera with full winter furs on. How long this lasted, I -cannot say; but this was the weather we experienced, as a rule, late -in May and early in June. Heavy great-coats, doubtless, are never -necessary there. And so, on the other hand, thin clothing is seldom -wanted. Many indeed said, they wore the same clothing all seasons of -the year, and seldom found it uncomfortable either way. The truth -seemed to be, that for hardy persons the climate was excellent--the -air bracing and stimulating--but invalids were better off in the -interior. Consumptives could not stand the winds and fogs at all; -and it was a mooted question, as to whether the large percentage of -suicides just then, was not due in part to climatic influences. The -really healthy, however, appeared plump and rosy, and the growing -children promised well for the future. Had 'Frisco been built at -Benicia, or about there, she would have escaped much of her climatic -misery. Even across the bay, at Oakland, they have a much smoother -climate. But she _would_ "squat" on a sandspit, at the mouth of the -Golden Gate, where there is a perpetual suck of wind and fog--from -the ocean, into the bay, and up the valley of the Sacramento--and now -must make the most of her situation. - -Montgomery Street is the Broadway or Chestnut Street of San Francisco, -and California her Wall Street. Her hotels, shops, and banking-houses -are chiefly here, and many of them are very handsome edifices. The -Occidental, Cosmopolitan, and Lick-House hotels, the new Mercantile -Library, and Bank of California, are stately structures, that would -do credit to any city. Their height, four and five stories, seemed a -little reckless, considering the liability of the Coast to earthquakes; -but the people made light of this, notwithstanding some of their best -buildings showed ominous cracks "from turret to foundation stone." So -long as they _stood_, everything was believed secure; and commerce -surged and roared along the streets, as in New York and London. -Brick, well strengthened by iron, seemed to be the chief building -material in the business parts of the city, though stone was coming -into use, obtained from an excellent quarry on Angel Island. The Bank -of California had been constructed of this, and was much admired by -everybody. The private residences, however, seemed chiefly frame, and -were seldom more than two and a half stories high. Doubtless more heed -is given to earthquakes here, though your true Californian would be -slow to acknowledge this. Nevertheless, deep down in his heart--at -"bed-rock," as he would say--his household gods are esteemed of more -importance, than his commercial commodities. In the suburbs, Mansard -roofs were fast coming into vogue, and everywhere there was a general -breaking out of Bay-Window. Brown seemed to be the favorite color, -doubtless to offset the summer sand-storms, and the general prevalence -of bay-windows may also be due partly to these. Convenience and -comfort--often elegance and luxury--appeared everywhere, and to an -extent that was surprising, for a city so young and raw. Shade-trees -were still rare, because only the native scrubby live-oaks, with deep -penetrating roots, can survive the long and dry summers there. But -shrubbery and flowers, prompted by plentiful irrigation, appeared -on every side, and the air was always redolent of perfume. The most -unpretending homes had their gems of flower-gardens, with evergreens, -fuchsias, geraniums, pansies, and the variety and richness of their -roses were a perpetual delight. A rill of water, with trickling side -streams, made the barren sand-hills laugh with verdure and beauty, and -gaunt wind-mills in every back-yard kept up the supply. The wind-mill -California rises to the dignity of an institution, and is a godsend -to the whole coast. In winter, of course, they are not needed. But -throughout the long and rainless summer, when vegetation withers up -and blows away, the steady sea-breeze keeps the wind-mills going, and -these pump up water for a thousand irrigating purposes. The vegetable -gardens about the city, and California farmers generally, all patronize -them, more or less, and thus grow fruits and vegetables of exquisite -character, and almost every variety, the year round. The markets and -fruit-stands of San Francisco, groaning with apples, pears, peaches, -plums, pomegranates, oranges, grapes, strawberries, etc., have already -become world-renowned, and the Pacific Railroad now places them at our -very doors. - -Montgomery street repeats Broadway in all but its vista, but with -something more perhaps of energy and dash. The representative New -Yorker always has a trace of conservatism somewhere; but your true -Californian laughs at precedent, and is embodied go-ahead-ativeness. -In costume, he is careless, not to say reckless, insisting on comfort -at all hazards, and running greatly to pockets. Stove-pipe hats are -an abomination to him, and tight trowsers nowhere; but beneath his -slouch-hat are a keen eye and nose, and his powers of locomotion are -something prodigious. Cleaner-cut, more wide-awake, and energetic -faces are nowhere to be seen. Few aged men appear, but most average -from twenty-five to forty years. Resolute, alert, jaunty, bankrupt -perhaps to-day, but to-morrow picking their flints and trying it -again, such men mean business in all they undertake, and carry -enterprise and empire in the palms of their hands. The proportion -of ladies on Montgomery street, however, usually seemed small, and -the quality inferior to that of the sterner sex. Given to jewelry -and loud colors, and still louder manners, there was a fastness -about them, that jarred upon one's Eastern sense, though some noble -specimens of womanhood now and then appeared. Doubtless, the hotel -and apartment-life of so many San Franciscans had something to do -with this, as it is fatal to the more modest and domestic virtues; -but it must be doubted, whether this will account for it entirely. -Evidently, California is still "short" of women, at least of the -worthier kind, and until she completes her supply will continue -to over-estimate and spoil what she has. At least, this is the -impression her Montgomery street dames make upon a stranger, and -unfortunately there is much elsewhere to confirm it. - -Respect for the Sabbath seemed to be a growing virtue, but there was -still room for much improvement. Many of the stores and shops on -Montgomery and Kearney streets were open on Sunday, the same as other -days; and it seemed to be the favorite day for pic-nics and excursions, -to Oakland and San Mateo. Processions, with bands of music, were not -infrequent, and at Hayes' Park in the Southern suburbs the whole Teuton -element seemed to concentrate on that day, for a general saturnalia. -On the other hand, there was a goodly array of well-filled churches, -and their pastors preached with much fervency and power. The Jewish -Synagogue is a magnificent structure, one of the finest in America, -and deserves more than a passing notice. It is on Sutter street, in -a fine location overlooking the city, and cost nearly half a million -of dollars. The gilding and decoration generally inside, viewed from -the organ-loft, are superb. But few of the large choir were Jews, -and scarcely any could read the old Hebrew songs and chants in the -original; so these were printed in English, as the Hebrew _sounds_, and -thus they maintained the ancient custom of singing and chanting only -in Hebrew! Their music, nevertheless, was grand and inspiring, and it -would be well, for our Gentile churches, to emulate it. This was called -the Progressive Synagogue. The congregation had recently shortened the -ancient service from three hours to an hour and a half, by leaving -out some of the long prayers--"vain repetitions," it is presumed--and -the consequence was, a split in this most conservative of churches. -The good old conservative brethren, of course, could not stand the -abbreviation. They were fully persuaded, they could never get to -Paradise, with only an hour and a half's service. So, they seceded, and -set up for themselves. Very prosperous and wealthy are the Jews of San -Francisco; and, indeed, all over the Pacific Coast, our Hebrew friends -enjoy a degree of respectability, that few attain East. They number in -their ranks many of the leading bankers, merchants, lawyers, etc., of -San Francisco; and more than one of them sits upon the Bench, gracing -his seat. Poor Thomas Starr King's church is a model in its way, and -the congregation that assembles there one of the most cultivated and -refined on the Pacific Coast. Their pastor, Dr. Stebbins, though not -equal to his great predecessor, in some respects, is a man of marked -thought and eloquence; and, by his broad Christian charity, was doing -a noble work in San Francisco. So, Dr. Stone, formerly of Boston, was -preaching to large audiences, and declaring "the whole counsel of God," -without fear or favor. His church is plain but large and commodious, -and was always thronged with attentive worshippers. Dr. Wadsworth, -lately of Philadelphia, was not attracting the attention he did East; -but his church was usually well-filled, and he was exerting an -influence and power for good much needed. The Methodists, our modern -ecclesiastical sharp-shooters, did not seem as live and aggressive, -as they usually do elsewhere; but we were told they were a great and -growing power on the Coast, for all that, and everybody bade them God -speed. The Episcopalians, as a rule, I regret to say, appeared to make -but little impression, and were perhaps unfortunate in their chief -official. The Catholics, embracing most of the old Spanish population -and much of the foreign element, were vigorous and aggressive, and -made no concealment of the fact, that they were aiming at supremacy. -In this cosmopolitan city, the Chinese, too, have their Temples, -or Josh-Houses; but they were much neglected, and John Chinaman, -indeed, religiously considered, seemed well on the road to philosophic -indifference. - -During the past decade, however, things on the whole had greatly -improved, morally and religiously, as the population had become -more fixed and settled; and all were hoping for a still greater -improvement, with the completion of the Railroad, and the resumption -of old family ties East. The drinking-saloons were being more -carefully regulated. The gambling-hells, no longer permitted openly, -were being more and more driven into obscurity and secrecy. Law and -order were more rigidly enforced. The vigilance committees of former -years still exerted their beneficent example. The _Alta_, _Bulletin_, -and _Times_, then the three great papers of the city and Coast, -all noble journals, were all open and pronounced in behalf of good -morals and wholesome government; and it is not too much to say, that -the prospect for the future was certainly very gratifying, not to -say cheering. "Forty-Niners," (Bret Harte's _Argonauts_) and other -early comers, declared themselves amazed, that they were getting -on, as well as they did. "Yes," said one of the best of them, a man -of great shrewdness and ability, "I grant, we Californians have been -pretty rough customers, and have not as many religious people among -us yet, as we ought to have; but then, what we have are _iron-clad_, -you bet!" I suspect that is about so. A man, who is really religious -in California, will likely be so anywhere. The severity of his -temptations, if he resist them, will make him invulnerable; and all -the "fiery darts of the wicked one," elsewhere, will fall harmless -at his feet. Faithful Monitors are they, battling for Jesus; and in -the end, we know, will come off more than conquerors. With all our -hearts, let us bid them God speed! - -FOOTNOTE: - -[15] See Appendix. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - SAN FRANCISCO (_continued_). - - -Here in San Francisco, our National greenbacks were no longer a legal -tender, but everything was on a coin basis. Just as in New York, -you sell gold and buy greenbacks, if you want a convenient medium -of exchange, so here we had to sell greenbacks and buy gold. A dime -was the smallest coin, and "two bits" (twenty-five cents) the usual -gratuity. A newspaper cost a dime, or two for twenty-five cents--the -change never being returned. Fruits and vegetables were cheap, but -dry-goods, groceries, clothing, books, etc., about the same in gold, -as East in greenbacks. The general cost of living, therefore, seemed -to be about the same as in New York, _plus_ the premium on gold. -California and the Pacific slope generally had refused to adopt the -National currency, and it was still a mooted question whether they -had lost or gained by this. At first, they thought it a great gain to -be rid of our paper dollars; but public opinion had changed greatly, -and many were getting to think they had made a huge mistake, in not -originally acquiescing in the national necessity. The prosperity of -the East during the war, and the pending sluggishness of trade on -the Coast (still continuing), were much commented on, as connected -with this question of Coin _vs._ Greenbacks; but it was thought too -late to remedy the matter now. This hostility to our Greenbacks -did not seem to arise from a want of patriotism, so much as from -a difference of opinion, as to the necessity or propriety of their -using a paper currency, when they had all the gold and silver they -wanted, and were exporting a surplus by every steamer. If there was -a speck of Secession there at first, California afterwards behaved -very nobly, especially when she came with her bullion by the many -thousands to the rescue of the Sanitary Commission; and Starr King's -memory was still treasured everywhere, as that of a martyr for the -Union. The oncoming Pacific Railroad was constantly spoken of, as -a new "bond of union," to link the Coast to the Atlantic States as -with "hooks of steel;" and, evidently, nothing (unless it may be the -Chinese Question) can disturb the repose of the Republic there, for -long years to come. The people almost universally spoke lovingly -and tenderly of the East, as their old "home," and thousands were -awaiting the completion of the Railroad to go thither once again. - -Their great passion, however, just then, was for territorial -aggrandizement. Mr. Seward had just announced his purchase of Alaska, -and of course, everybody was delighted, as they would have been if -he had bought the North Pole, or even the tip end of it. Next they -wanted British Columbia and the Sandwich Islands, and hoped before -long also to possess Mexico and down to the Isthmus. The Sitka Ice -Company, which for some years had supplied San Francisco and the -Coast with their only good ice, was proof positive, that there was -cold weather sometimes in Alaska; nevertheless, they claimed, the -Sage of Auburn had certainly shown himself to be a great statesman, -by going into this Real Estate business, however hyperborean the -climate. It was soon alleged to be a region of fair fields and -dimpled meadows, of luscious fruits and smiling flowers, of -magnificent forests and inexhaustible mines, as well as of icebergs -and walrusses; and straightway a steamer cleared for Sitka, with a -full complement of passengers, expecting to locate a "city" there -and sell "corner lots," start a Mining Company and "water" stock, or -initiate some other California enterprise. - -Christmas and New Year in San Francisco were observed very generally, -and with even more spirit than in the East. The shops and stores -had been groaning with gifts and good things for some time, and on -Christmas Eve the whole city seems to pour itself into Montgomery -street. Early in the evening, there was a scattering tooting of -trumpets, chiefly by boys; but along toward midnight, a great -procession of men and boys drifted together, and traversing Montgomery, -Kearney, and adjacent streets, made the night hideous with every kind -of horn, from a dime trumpet to a trombone. New Year was ushered in -much the same way, though not quite so elaborately. On both of these -winter holidays there happened to be superb weather, much like what -we have East in May, with the sky clear, and the air crisp, and the -whole city--with his wife and child--seemed to be abroad. The good -old Knickerbocker custom of New Year calls was apparently everywhere -accepted, and thoroughly enjoyed. Every kind of vehicle was in demand, -and "stag" parties of four or five gentlemen--out calling on their -lady friends--were constantly met, walking hilariously along, or -driving like mad. Quite a number of army officers happened to be in -San Francisco just then, and their uniforms of blue and brass made -many a parlor gay. Of names known east, there were Generals Halleck, -McDowell, Allen, Steele, Irvin Gregg, French, King, Fry, etc., and -these with their brother officers were everywhere heartily welcomed. -Indeed, army officers are nowhere more esteemed or better treated, -than on the Pacific Coast, and all are usually delighted with their -tour of duty there. In former years, many of them married magnificent -ranches--encumbered, however, with native señoritas--and here and there -we afterwards met them, living like grand seignors on their broad and -baronial acres. Ranches leagues in extent, and maintaining thousands -of cattle and sheep, are still common in California, and some of the -best of these belong to ex-army officers. Their owners, however, do -but little in the way of pure farming, and are always ready to give a -quarter section or so to any stray emigrant, who will settle down and -cultivate it--especially to old comrades. - -The great feature of San Francisco, of course, is her peerless bay. Yet -noble as it is for purposes of commerce, it avails little for pleasure -excursions; and 'Frisco, indeed, might be better off in this respect. A -trip to Oakland is sometimes quite enjoyable, and the ride by railroad -down the peninsula, skirting the bay, to San Josè, is always a delight. -But the bay itself is fickle and morose in winter, and in summer must -be raw and gusty. The suck of wind, from the Pacific into the interior, -through the Golden Gate, as through a funnel, always keeps the bay more -or less in a turmoil; and during the time we were there, it seemed -quite neglected, except for business purposes. One day, in the middle -of January, however, we had duties that took us to Alcatraz and Angel -Island, and essayed the trip thither in a little sloop. On leaving the -_Occidental_, the sky was overcast, and we had the usual drizzle of -that winter; but before we reached Meigg's Wharf, it had thickened into -a pouring rain, and as we crossed to Alcatraz squalls were churning -the outer bay into foam in all directions. After an hour or two there, -on that rocky fortress, the key of San Francisco, with the wind and -rain dashing fitfully about us, we took advantage of a temporary lull -to re-embark for Angel Island. We had hardly got off, however, before -squall after squall came charging down upon us; and as we beat up the -little strait between Angel Island and Socelito, the sloop careening -and the waves breaking over us, it seemed at times as if we were in a -fair way of going to the bottom. Just as we rounded the rocky point -of the Island, before reaching the landing, a squall of unusual force -struck us athwart the bows, wave after wave leaped aboard, and for -awhile our gallant little craft quivered in the blast like a spent -race-horse, as she struggled onward. An abrupt lee shore was on one -side, the squall howling on the other; but we faced it out, and in a -lull, that soon followed, shot by the landing (it being too rough to -halt there), and weathering the next point dropped anchor in a little -cove behind it, just in time to escape another squall even fiercer -than the former. Had we been off either point, or out in the bay, when -this last one struck us, no doubt we would have gone ashore or to Davy -Jones' locker; and altogether, as our Captain said, it was a "nasty, -dirty day," even for San Francisco. Returning, we had skies less -treacherous and a smoother run; but were glad to reach the grateful -welcome and spacious halls of the _Occidental_, best of hotels, again. -It may be, that the bay was a little ruder that day, than usual; but -it bears a bad name for sudden gusts and squalls, and San Franciscans -give it a wide berth generally. Sometimes, in summer, it is afflicted -by calms as well as squalls; we heard some amusing stories of parties -becalmed there until late at night, unable to reach either shore; so -that, altogether, however useful otherwise, it can hardly be regarded -as adding much _per se_ to the pleasures of a life in 'Frisco. - -As an offset to this, however, all orthodox San Franciscans, swear by -the Cliff-House and the sea-lions. To "go to the Cliff," is the right -thing to do in San Francisco, and _not_ to go to the Cliff-House is -not to see or know California. In the summer, people drive there in -the early morning, to breakfast and return before the sea-breeze -rises, and then hundreds of gay equipages throng the well-kept road. -Even in winter, at the right hour, you are always sure to meet many -driving out or in. Of course, we went to the "Cliff"--wouldn't have -missed going there for anything. Past Lone Mountain Cemetery, that -picturesque city of the dead, the fine graveled road strikes straight -through the sand-hills, for five or six miles, to the Pacific; and -when you reach the overhanging bluff, on which the hotel perches like -an eagle's nest, you have a grand view of the Golden Gate and the -far-stretching sea beyond. On the very verge of the horizon hang the -Farallones, pointing the way to Japan and China, and the white sails -of vessels beating in or out the harbor dot the ocean far and near. -Just in front of the hotel are several groups of high shelving rocks, -among which the ocean moans and dashes ceaselessly, and here the -seals or "sea-lions," as 'Frisco lovingly calls them, have a favorite -rendezvous and home. The day we were there, there appeared to be a -hundred or more of them, large and small, swimming about the rocks -or clambering over them, while pelicans and gulls kept them company. -Some were small, not larger than a half-grown sturgeon, while others -again were huge unwieldy monsters, not unlike legless oxen, weighing -perhaps a thousand pounds or more. "Ben Butler" was an immense, -overgrown creature, as selfish and saucy, apparently, as he could -well be; and another, called "Gen. Grant," was not much better. They -kicked and cuffed the rest overboard quite indiscriminately, though -now and then they were compelled to take a plunge themselves. Many -contented themselves with merely gamboling around the water's edge; -but others had somehow managed slimily to roll and climb forty or -fifty feet up the rocks, and there lay sunning themselves in supreme -felicity, like veteran politicians snug in office. Sometimes two or -three would get to wrangling about the same position, as if one part -of the rocks were softer than another, and then they would bark and -howl at each other, and presently essay to fight in the most clumsy -and ludicrous way. "Ben Butler," or "Gen. Grant," would usually -settle the squabble, by a harsh bark, or by flopping the malcontents -overboard, and then would resume his nap with becoming satisfaction. -Uncouth, and yet half-human in their way, with a cry that sometimes -startled you like a distant wail, we watched their movements from -the piazza of the hotel with much interest, and must congratulate -'Frisco on having such a first-class "sensation." May her "sea-lions" -long remain to her as a "lion" of the first water, and their numbers -and renown never grow less! In former years, they were much shot at -and annoyed, by thoughtless visitors. But subsequently the State -took them under her protection, and now it was a penal offence -to injure or disturb them. This is right, and California should -be complimented, for thus trying to preserve and perpetuate this -interesting colony of her original settlers. - -Returning, we had a superb drive down the beach, with the surf -thundering at our wheels; and thence, by a winding road over and -through the hills, reached the city again. It was a glorious day in -February, after a fortnight of perpetual drizzle--a June day for -beauty, but toned by an October breeze--the sun flashing overhead -like a shield of gold; the road, over and between the hills, gave -us from time to time exquisite glimpses of the sea or bay and city; -every sense seemed keyed to a new life and power of enjoyment; and -the memory of that "drive to the Cliff," is something wonderfully -clear and charming still. It would be surprising, if Californians did -not brag considerably about it. They are not famed for modesty, and -would be heathens, if they kept silence. - -Californians are proverbial for their ups and downs, and we heard much -of their varying fortunes. You will scarcely meet a leading citizen, -who has not been down to "hard-pan" once or twice in his career, and -everybody seems to enjoy telling about it. In former years, many had -been rich in "feet" or "corner-lots," who yet had not enough "dust" to -buy a "square-meal;" and men with Great Expectations, but small cash -in hand, were still not infrequent. I ran foul of an old school-mate -one day, who arrived in California originally as captain of an -ox-team, which he had driven across the Plains. But now he was deep in -mining-stocks, and twenty-vara lots, and was rated as a millionaire. I -met another who for years lost all he invested in "feet." But luckily, -at last, he went into Savage and Yellow Jacket, and now he owned -handsome blocks on Montgomery and California streets, and lived like -a prince at the _Occidental_. Another still, named O., an eccentric -genius, came out to California early, and his uncle (already there) -secured him a place in a dry-goods house. In a few months, the house -failed, and O. fell back on his uncle's hands again. Then he was -given a place in a silk-house, but in a short time this also failed. -A fatality seemed to accompany the poor fellow. Wherever he went, the -houses either failed, closed up, or burned out; and thus, time after -time, he came back to his uncle, like a bad penny. Once he was reduced -so low, he went to driving a dray, glad to get even that; and again, -turned chiffonier, and eked out a precarious living by collecting the -old bones, scraps of tin, sheet-iron, etc., that lay scattered about -the suburbs. Finally, he wisely concluded he had "touched bottom," -and that California was no place for him. So, his kind-hearted uncle -bought him a ticket home by the "Golden City," and supposed when he -bade him good-bye on her gang-way, that that would be the last he would -see of O. in California. But a week or so afterwards, early one Sunday -morning, he was roused up by some one rapping lustily at the door, -and opening it lo! there was his hopeful nephew again--"large as life -and twice as natural!" It seems, the ill-fated steamer, when two or -three hundred miles down the Coast, had caught fire and been beached, -with the loss of many lives; but O., strange to say, had escaped -scot-free, and now was on hand again. He now tried two or three more -situations, thinking his "luck" perhaps had turned, but failed in all -of them or they soon failed; and finally set out for the East again, -but this time across the Plains, driving a "bull-team." He got safely -back to New York, and taking hold of his father's business--grain -and flour--for a wonder, made it prosper. He pushed ahead with this -swimmingly for awhile, until he had made fifty thousand dollars or so, -when he concluded to go into a flour speculation on his own account. -He did so, buying largely, when suddenly the bottom dropped out of the -market, leaving O. penniless again, with a large deficit--he meanwhile, -disappearing. Some years afterwards he turned up in Minnesota, where -he had married a border maiden, and gone to farming, and at the last -accounts was doing tolerably well again. - -Californians will spin you such "yarns" by the evening--half -humorous, half pathetic--and it is upon such romantic histories, that -the Golden State has advanced to empire. - -But the day of her adventurers is passing away, and society there is -fast settling down to its normal conditions. Fewer and still fewer -of her people return East, to spend their hard-earned fortunes; -and the generation now growing up there regard the Coast as their -natural home, and love it dearly. Proud of the soil and enamored of -the climate, they expect great things of the future, and surely all -the world should wish them well. There are no better or braver men, -than our citizens there generally, and the Pacific slope is safe in -their hands and brains, beyond peradventure. "Who helps himself, God -helps," is a wise old French maxim; and California believes in it, -fully and thoroughly, from the Sierras to the sea. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - SAN FRANCISCO (_Concluded_). - - -The Chinese Question, we had an opportunity of looking into -considerably, first and last, and here are some conclusions. Striking -the orientals at Boisè City, in Idaho, we had followed them down -the Columbia and the Coast to San Francisco, and here endeavored -to learn all we could about them. We found them everywhere on the -streets and in the houses, in pretty much all occupations except the -very highest, and were constantly amazed at their general thrift and -intelligence. Out of the hundred thousand or so on the Coast, perhaps -half were massed in San Francisco and its suburbs; so here was the -place to see and study John Chinaman in America, if anywhere. All -wore the collarless Chinese blouse, looped across the breast, not -buttoned--that of the poorer classes of coarse blue stuff, but of -the richer of broadcloth. Otherwise, they dressed outwardly chiefly -as Americans. Here and there a Chinese hat, such as you see in the -tea-prints, appeared, but not often--the American felt-hat being the -rule, stove-pipes never. A Chinaman with a stove-pipe hat on would -truly be an anomaly, a violation of all the unities and proprieties -at once. A good many still wore the Chinese shoe, wooden-soled, with -cotton uppers; but the American boot and shoe were fast supplanting -this, especially among the out-door classes, such as mechanics and -laborers. Pig-tails were universal, generally hanging down, but -often coiled around the head, under the hat, so as to be out of the -way and attract less attention. In features, of course, they were -all true Mongolians; but here and there were grand faces, worthy of -humanity anywhere. Their food consists chiefly of fish and rice; -but the wealthier classes indulge freely in poultry and beef, and -the Chinese taste for these was constantly on the increase. The old -stories of their dog and rat diet are evidently myths, at least here -in America, and no doubt are equally so in China, except in very -rare instances, among the poorest classes, and even then only under -the direst necessity. Intelligent Californians laugh at such reports -as antediluvian, and say their Chinese neighbors are only too glad -to eat the very best, if they can only get it. Everybody gave them -credit for sobriety, intelligence, and thrift, the three great master -qualities of mankind, practically speaking; and without them the -industry of the Pacific Coast, it was conceded, would soon come to a -stand-still. All are expert at figures, all read and write their own -tongue, and nearly all seemed intent on mastering English, as quickly -and thoroughly as possible. When not at work or otherwise occupied, -they were usually seen with a book in their hands, and seemed much -given to reading and study. Their chief vices were gambling, and -opium-smoking; but these did not seem to prevail to the extent we had -heard, and appeared really less injurious, than the current vices of -other races on the Coast, all things considered. The statistics of -the city and Coast somehow were remarkably in their favor, showing a -less percentage of vagrancy and crime among these heathens, than any -other part of the population, notwithstanding the absurd prejudices -and barbarous discriminations against them. Their quickness to learn -all American ways, even when not able to speak our tongue, was -very surprising. They engaged in all household duties, ran errands, -worked at trades, performed all kinds of manual labor, and yet as a -rule, their only dialect was a sort of chow-chow or "Pigeon English," -of which the following is a good specimen. It is Longfellow's -"Excelsior" done into Pigeon-English, and speaks for itself. - - - "TOPSIDE GALAH. - - "That nightee teem he come chop chop, - One young man walkee, no can stop; - Colo maskee, icee maskee; - He got flag; chop b'long welly culio, see-- - Topside Galah! - - "He too muchee solly; one piecee eye, - Lookee sharp--so fashion--alla same mi; - He talkee largee, talkee stlong, - Too muchee culio; alla same gong-- - Topside Galah! - - "Inside any housee he can see light, - Any piecee loom got fire all light; - He look see plenty ice more high, - Inside he mouf he plenty cly-- - Topside Galah! - - "'No can walkee!' olo man speakee he; - 'Bimeby lain come, no can see; - Hab got water, welly wide! - Maskee, mi must go topside-- - Topside Galah! - - "'Man-man,' one galo talkee he; - 'What for you go topside look-see?' - 'Nother teem,' he makee plenty cly; - Maskee, alla teem walkee plenty high-- - Topside Galah! - - "'Take care that spilum tlee, young man; - Take care that icee!' he no man-man; - That coolie chin-chin he good night; - He talkee, 'mi can go all light'-- - Topside Galah! - - "Joss pidgin man chop chop begin, - Morning teem that Joss chin-chin, - No see any man, he plenty fear, - Cause some man talkee, he can hear-- - Topside Galah! - - "Young man makee die: one largee dog see, - Too muchee bobbery, findee he; - Hand too muchee colo, inside can stop; - Alla same piecee flag, got culio chop-- - Topside Galah!" - -"Pigeon" is said to be the nearest approach a Chinaman can make to -"_business_," and hence "Pigeon English" really means _business_ -English. Most of the above words are English, more or less distorted; a -few, however, are Chinese Anglicised. They always use _l_ for _r_--thus -_lice_ for "rice;" _mi_ for "I," etc.; and abound in terminal "_ee's_." -_Chop-chop_ means "very fast;" _maskee_, "don't mind;" _Topside Galah_, -"_Excelsior, hurrah!_" If you call on a lady, and inquire of her -Chinese servant, "Missee have got?" He will reply, if she be up and -about, "Missee hab got topside;" or, if she be still asleep, "Missee -hab got, wakee sleepee." Not wishing to disturb her, you hand him your -card, and go away with, "Maskee, maskee; no makee bobbery!" - -We had seen a good deal of the Chinese generally, but on the evening -of Dec. 31st were so fortunate as to meet most of their leading men -together. The occasion was a grand banquet at the _Occidental_, given -by the merchants of San Francisco, in honor of the sailing of the -_Colorado_, the first steamer of the new monthly line to Hong-Kong. -All the chief men of the city--merchants, lawyers, clergymen, -politicians--were present, and among the rest some twenty or more -Chinese merchants and bankers. The Governor of the State presided, and -the military and civil dignitaries most eminent on the Coast were all -there. The magnificent Dining-Room of the _Occidental_ was handsomely -decorated with festoons and flowers, and tastefully draped with the -flags of all nations--chief among which, of course, were our own Stars -and Stripes, and the Yellow-Dragon of the Flowery Empire. A peculiar -feature was an infinity of bird-cages all about the room, from which -hundreds of canaries and mockingbirds discoursed exquisite music -the livelong evening. The creature comforts disposed of, there were -eloquent addresses by everybody, and among the rest one by Mr. Fung -Tang, a young Chinese merchant, who made one of the briefest and most -sensible of them all. It was in fair English, and vastly better than -the average of post-prandial discourses. This was the only set speech -by a Chinaman, but the rest conversed freely in tolerable English, and -in deportment were certainly perfect Chesterfields of courtesy and -propriety. They were mostly large, dignified, fine-looking men, and two -of them--Mr. Hop Kee, a leading tea-merchant, and Mr. Chy Lung, a noted -silk-factor--had superb heads and faces, that would have attracted -attention anywhere. They sat by themselves; but several San Franciscans -of note shared their table, and everybody hob-nobbed with them, more -or less, throughout the evening. These were the representatives of -the great Chinese Emigration and Banking Companies, whose checks pass -current on 'Change in San Francisco, for a hundred thousand dollars or -more any day, and whose commercial integrity so far was unstained. -There are five of these Companies in all, the Yung-Wo, the Sze-Yap, -the Sam-Yap, the Yan-Wo, and the Ning-Yung. They contract with their -countrymen in China to transport them to America, insure them constant -work while here at fixed wages, and at the expiration of their contract -return them to China again, dead or alive, if so desired. They each -have a large and comfortable building in San Francisco, where they -board and lodge their members, when they first arrive, or when sick, or -out of work, or on a visit from the interior. Chinese beggars are rare -on the Coast, and our public hospitals contain no Chinese patients, -although John before landing has always to pay a "hospital-tax" of ten -dollars. This is what it is called out there; but, of course, it is a -robbery and swindle, which the Golden State ought promptly to repeal. -These great Companies also act, as express-agents and bankers, all -over the Coast. In all the chief towns and mining districts, wherever -you enter a Chinese quarter or camp, you will find a representative of -one or more of them, who will procure anything a Chinaman needs, from -home or elsewhere; and faithfully remit to the Flowery Kingdom whatever -he wants to send, even his own dead body. Both parties appear to keep -their contracts well--a breach of faith being seldom recorded. Here, -surely, is evidence of fine talent for organization and management--the -best tests of human intellect and capacity--and a hint at the existence -of sterling qualities, which the English-speaking nations are slow -to credit other races with. Such gigantic schemes, such far-reaching -plans, such harmonious workings, and exact results, imply a genius -for affairs, that not even the Anglo-Saxon can afford to despise, and -which all others may ponder with profit. A race that can plan and -execute such things as these, must have some vigor and virility in it, -whatever its other peculiarities. - -Some days after the Banquet, we were driven out to the Mission Woolen -Mills, where Donald McLennan, a Massachusetts Scotch-Yankee, was -converting California wool into gold. The climate being so favorable -to sheep, the wool-product of the coast was already large, and -everywhere rapidly increasing. In 1867, California alone yielded -ten million pounds, and the rest of the coast fully two millions -more. Of this amount, about one-half was consumed on the Pacific -Coast, and the balance exported to New York and Liverpool. The -average price per pound in San Francisco was about seventeen cents, -coin; but this was lower, than it had usually been.[16] There were -several other Woolen Mills on the Coast; but the Mission-Mills were -the largest, and had a great reputation for honest work. They were -then doing a business of about a million dollars per year, coin, -in cloths, cassimeres, blankets, flannels, shawls, etc., and the -demand for their goods was constantly on the increase. Their work, -on the whole, was of a superior character, and Californians were -justly very proud of it. They were supplying all the Army blankets -in use on the Coast, and what a contrast they were to the "shoddy" -webs, issued to our Boys in Blue east during the war! The troops -transferred from the east now threw their old Army blankets away, on -arriving in San Francisco, and gladly furnished themselves with these -Mission blankets, at their own expense, before leaving for the wilds -of Washington and Arizona. Some extra specimens, intended for the -Paris Exposition, as white as new-fallen snow and soft as satin, had -the American and French coats of arms embroidered very handsomely -on them. Another pair, meant for General Grant, were lustrous with -the Stars and Stripes, and traditional eagle, and now no doubt help -to furnish the White House. A pair sent to Gen. M. in the east, a -noted connoisseur in blankets, he declared the finest he ever saw, -and added, "My daughter would make one of them into an opera-cloak, -they are so elegant, if she hadn't one already." I mention all these -things thus particularly, in order to emphasize the fact, that out of -the 450 persons then employed about these Mills, 350 were Chinamen. -For the heavier work, Americans or Europeans were preferred; but -the more delicate processes, we were assured, Chinamen learned more -quickly and performed more deftly, besides never becoming drunk, or -disorderly, or going on a "strike." We saw them at the looms, engaged -in the most painstaking and superb pieces of workmanship, and they -could not have been more attentive and exact, if they had been a part -of the machinery itself. And yet, these one hundred Anglo-Saxons were -paid $2,95 per day, coin, while the three hundred and fifty Chinamen -received only $1,10 per day, coin, though the average work of each -was about the same. Without this cheap labor of John Chinaman, -these Mills would have had to close up; with it, they were run at -a profit, and at the same time were a great blessing and credit -to the Pacific Coast in every way. So, also, the Central Pacific -Railroad was then being pushed through and over the Sierra Nevadas, -by some ten thousand Chinamen, working for one dollar per day each, -in coin, and finding themselves, when no other labor could be had -for less than two dollars and a half per day, coin. It was simply a -question with the Central directors, whether to build the road or -not. Without John, it was useless to attempt it, as the expense -would have bankrupted the company, even if other labor could have -been had, which was problematical. With him, the road is already a -fact accomplished; and in view of possible contingencies, nationally -and politically, who shall say we have completed it an hour too -soon? Here are practical results, not shadowy theories--of such a -character, too, as should give one pause, however anti-Chinese, and -ought to outweigh a world of prejudices. - -Not long afterwards, we were invited to join a party of gentlemen, -and make a tour of the Chinese quarter. Part were from the East, -like ourselves, bent on information, and the rest Pacific-Coasters. -We started early in the evening, escorted by two policemen, who were -familiar with the ins and outs of Chinadom, and did not reach the -_Occidental_ again until long after midnight. We went first to the -Chinese Theatre, an old hotel on the corner of Jackson and Dupont -streets, that had recently been metamorphosed into an Oriental -play-house. We found two or three hundred Chinese here, of both -sexes, but mainly males, listening to a play, that required eighty -weeks or months--our informants were not certain which--to complete -its performance. Here was drama for you, surely, and devotion -to it! It was a history of the Flowery Kingdom, by some Chinese -Shakespeare--half-tragedy, half-comedy, like most human history--and -altogether was a curious medley. The actors appeared to be of both -sexes, but we were told were only men and boys. Their dresses were -usually very rich, the finest of embroidered silks, and their acting -quite surprised us. Their pantomime was excellent, their humor -irresistible, and their love-passages a good reproduction of the grand -passion, that in all ages "makes the world go round." But it is to be -doubted, if the Anglo-Saxon ear will ever become quite reconciled -to John's orchestra. This consisted of a rough drum, a rude banjo or -guitar, and a sort of violin, over whose triple clamors a barbarous -clarionet squeaked and squealed continually. Japanese music, as -rendered by Risley's troupe of "Jugglers," is much similar to it; only -John's orchestra is louder, and more hideous. Much of the play was -pantomime, and other much opera; some, however, was common dialogue, -and when this occurred, the clash and clang of the Chinese consonants -was something fearful. Every word seemed to end in "ng," as Chang, -Ling, Hong, Wung; and when the parts became animated, their voices -roared and rumbled about the stage, like Chinese gongs in miniature. -The general behavior of the audience was good; everybody, however, -smoked--the majority cigars and cigarritos, a very few opium. Over the -theatre was a Chinese lottery-office, on entering which the proprietor -tendered you wine and cigars, like a genuine Californian. He himself -was whiffing away at a cigarrito, and was as polite and politic, as -a noted New York ex-M. C., in the same lucrative business. Several -Chinamen dropped in to buy tickets, while we were there; and the -business seemed to be conducted on the same principle, or rather want -of principle, as among Anglo-Saxons elsewhere. - -Next we explored the famous Barbary Coast, and witnessed scenes that -Charles Dickens never dreamed of, with all his studies of the dens -and slums of London and Paris. Here in narrow, noisome alleys are -congregated the wretched Chinese women, that are imported by the -ship-load, mainly for infamous purposes. As a class, they are small -in stature, scarcely larger than an American girl of fourteen, and -usually quite plain. Some venture on hoops and crinoline, but the -greater part retain the Chinese wadded gown and trousers. Their -chignons are purely Chinese--huge, unique, indescribable--and would -excite the envy even of a Broadway belle. They may be seen on the -street any day in San Francisco, bonnetless, fan in hand, hobbling -along in their queer little shoes, perfect fac-similes of the figures -you see on lacquered ware imported from the Orient. They are not more -immodest, than those of our own race, who ply the same vocation in -Philadelphia and New York; and their fellow-countrymen, it seemed, -behaved decently well even here. But here is the great resort -of sailors, miners, 'long-shoremen, and the floating population -generally of San Francisco, and the brutality and bestiality of the -Saxon and the Celt here all comes suddenly to the surface, as if we -were fiends incarnate. Here are the St. Giles of London and the Five -Points of New York, magnified and intensified (if possible), both -crowded into one, and what a hideous example it is for Christendom -to set to Heathendom! San Francisco owes it to herself, and to our -boasted civilization, to cleanse this Augean stable--to obliterate, -to stamp out this plague-spot--to purge it, if need be, by fire--and -she has not a day to lose in doing it. It is the shameful spectacle, -shocking alike to gods and men, of a strong race trampling a weaker -one remorselessly in the mud; and justice will not sleep forever, -confronted by such enormities. - -The same evening we took a turn through the Chinese gambling-houses, -but did not find them worse than similar institutions elsewhere. -Indeed, they were rather more quiet and respectable, than the -average of such "hells" in San Francisco. They were frequented -solely by Chinamen, and though John is not averse to "fighting the -tiger," he proposes to do it in his own _dolce far niente_ way. They -seemed to have only one game, which consisted in betting whether -in diminishing steadily a given pile of perforated brass-coins, an -odd or even number of them would at last be left. The banker with a -little rod, drew the coins, two at a time, rapidly out of the pile -towards himself, and when the game was ended all parties cheerfully -paid up their losses or pocketed their gains. The stakes were small, -seldom more than twenty-five or fifty cents each, and disputes -infrequent. A rude idol or image of Josh, with a lamp constantly -burning before it, appeared in all these dens, and indeed was -universal throughout the Chinese quarter. - -The Chinese New Year comes in February, and is an occasion of rare -festivities. It began at midnight on the 4th that year, and was -ushered in with a lavish discharge of fire-crackers and rockets, to -which our usual Fourth of July bears about the same comparison as -a minnow to a whale. The fusilade of crackers continued, more or -less, for a day or two, until the whole Chinese quarter was littered -with their remains. It takes them three days to celebrate this -holiday, and during all this period there was a general suspension of -business, and every Chinaman kept open house. Their leading merchants -welcomed all "Melican" men who called upon them, and the Celestials -themselves were constantly passing from house to house, exchanging -the compliments of the season. I dropped in upon several, whom I had -met at the Banquet, and now have lying before me the unique cards -of Mr. Hop Kee, Mr. Chy Lung, Mr. Fung Tang, Messrs. Tung Fu and -Co., Messrs. Kwoy Hing and Co., Messrs. Sun Chung Kee and Co., etc. -Several of these understood and spoke English very well, and all bore -themselves becomingly, like well-to-do gentlemen. Like the majority -of their countrymen, many were small; but some were full-sized, -athletic men, scarcely inferior, if at all, to our average American. -Their residences were usually back of their stores, and here we -everywhere found refreshments set out, and all invited to partake, -with a truly Knickerbocker hospitality. Tea, sherry, champagne, -cakes, sweetmeats, cigars, all were offered without stint, but never -pressed unduly. For three days the whole Chinese quarter was thus -given up to wholesale rejoicing, and hundreds of Americans flocked -thither, to witness the festivity and fun. John everywhere appeared -in his best bib and tucker, if not with a smile on his face, yet -with a look of satisfaction and content; for this was the end of his -debts, as well as the beginning of a new year. At this period, by -Chinese custom or law, a general settlement takes place among them, a -balance is struck between debtor and creditor, and everybody starts -afresh. If unable to pay up, the debtor surrenders his assets for -the equal benefit of his creditors, his debts are sponged out, and -then with a new ledger and a clean conscience he "picks his flint -and tries it again." This is the merciful, if not sensible, Bankrupt -Law of the Chinese, in force among these heathen for thousands of -years--"for a time whereof the memory of man runneth not to the -contrary"--and its humane and wise provisions suggest, whether our -Christian legislators, after all, may not have something to learn, -even from Pagan codes. - -The Chinese temple, synagogue, or "Josh-House," of which we had -heard such conflicting reports, stands near the corner of Kearney -and Pine streets, in the heart of the city. It is a simple structure -of brick, two or three stories high, and would attract little or no -attention, were it not for a plain marble slab over the entrance, -with "Sze-Yap Asylum" carved upon it, in gilt letters, and the same -repeated in Chinese characters. It was spoken of as a "Heathen -Synagogue," a "Pagan Temple," etc., and we had heard much ado about -it, from people of the William Nye school chiefly, long before -reaching San Francisco. But, in reality, it appeared to be only an -asylum or hospital, for the unemployed and infirm of the Sze-Yap -Emigration Company; with a small "upper chamber," set apart for such -religious services, as to them seemed meet. The other companies all -have similar hospitals or asylums, but we visited only this one. -The first room on the ground-floor seemed to be the business-room -or council-chamber of the company, and this was adorned very richly -with crimson and gold. Silk-hangings were on the walls, arm-chairs -elaborately carved along the sides, and at the end on a raised -platform stood a table and chair, as if ready for business. The room -adjoining seemed to be the general smoking and lounging room of the -members of the company. Here several Chinamen lay stretched out, -on rude but comfortable lounges, two smoking opium, all the rest -only cigarritos--taking their afternoon siesta. Back of this were -the dining-room, kitchen, etc., but we did not penetrate thither. -A winding stairs brought us to the second floor, and here was the -place reserved for religious purposes,--an "upper chamber" perhaps -twenty by thirty feet, or even less. Its walls and ceiling were -hung with silk, and here and there were placards, inscribed with -moral maxims from Confucius and other writers, much as we suspend -the same on the walls of our Sunday-school rooms, with verses on -them from _our_ Sacred writings. These mottoes, of course, were in -Chinese; but they were said to exhort John to virtue, fidelity, -integrity, the veneration of ancestors, and especially to admonish -the young men not to forget, that they are away from home, and to -do nothing to prejudice the character of their country in the eyes -of foreigners. A few gilded spears and battle-axes adorned either -side, while overhead hung clusters of Chinese lanterns, unique and -beautiful. Flowers were scattered about quite profusely, both natural -and artificial--the latter perfect in their way. At the farther -end of the room, in "a dim religious light," amid a barbaric array -of bannerets and battle-axes, stood their sacred Josh--simply a -Representative Chinaman, perhaps half life-size, with patient pensive -eyes, long drooping moustaches, and an expression doubtless meant -for sublime repose or philosophic indifference. Here all orthodox -Chinamen in San Francisco, connected with the Sze-Yap company, were -expected to come at least once a year, and propitiate the deity -by burning a slip of paper before his image. There was also some -praying to be done, but this was accomplished by putting printed -prayers in a machine run by clock-work. Tithes there were none--at -least worth mentioning. Altogether, this seemed to be a very easy -and cheap religion; and yet, easy as it was, John did not seem to -trouble himself much about it. The place looked much neglected, as -if worshippers were scarce, and devotees infrequent. A priest or -acolyte, who came in and trimmed the ever-burning lamp, without -even a bow or genuflection to Josh, was the only person about the -"Temple," while we were there. The dormitories and apartments for the -sick and infirm, we were told, were on this same floor and above; but -we did not visit them. This Josh-worship, such as it is, seemed to -be general among the Chinese, except the handful gathered into the -various Christian churches; but it did not appear to be more than a -ceremony. The truth is, John is a very practical creature, and was -already beginning to understand, that he is in a new land and among -new ideas. Surely, our vigorous, aggressive California Christians -stand in no danger from such Pagan "Temples," and our all-embracing -nationality can well afford to tolerate them, as China in turn -tolerates ours. The hospital and asylum part of them, we might well -imitate; and as for the rest, is it not Emerson, who says: - - "_We_ are masters of the years, - Of the seven stars and golden spheres, - Of Cæsar's hand and Plato's brain, - Of Lord Christ's heart, and Shakespeare's strain?" - -Our own religion and civilization are too potent, or ought to be, to -be affected by such a worship; and if its simple rites comfort or -content John in his rough transition to the nineteenth century, let -him practice them in peace. If treated wisely, it will not be long -before he discards them forever. - -So much for the Chinese in San Francisco. Elsewhere, throughout -California and Nevada, subsequently, we saw them at work in -vineyards, on farms, in the mines, and their industry, fidelity, -and skill were conceded substantially by everybody. This Chinese -Problem, of course, has its embarrassments; but it is already looming -into importance, and must be met. Already we have nearly a hundred -thousand of these almond-eyed strangers on the Pacific Coast, and the -number swells monthly. In spite of obstructions and discouragements, -this yellow stream sets steadily in, and seems as irresistible as the -tide, if not as inexhaustible. China, with her teeming population of -four hundred millions of souls, or one-third of the human family, -has already overflowed into all the countries adjacent to her, and -now seeks further outlet here in America. To her, it is simply a -question of increase and subsistence. And here, fortunately, from -Alaska to the Isthmus, we have room enough and to spare, for all her -surplus millions. With her, labor is a drug, the cheapest article -she has, and so she exports it. With us, it is largely in demand, -and everywhere rising in value. The Pacific slope, and the great -internal basin of the continent, to-day absolutely need millions of -cheap workers--men, who can deftly handle the pick-axe and the spade, -the plow and the hoe, the shuttle and the loom, and, it is plain, -must get them from Asia, or not get them at all; for the Atlantic -slope, and our great West, stand ready to absorb all Europe can -spare, and more. With John, their mines will be opened, their forests -cleared, their fields irrigated and tilled, their railroads built, -their cotton and woollen-mills erected and run, and in short every -avenue of industry and trade made busy and prosperous. Without John, -a vast expanse of matchless territory there must remain practically -a wilderness and a desert, for long years to come. Is it wise, then, -would it be humane and sensible--to turn aside from and reject these -patient, industrious, orderly, frugal, labor-seeking, business-loving -strangers, whom Providence just now seems to tender us, as a -mighty means for subduing and civilizing the continent; or should -we not, rather, accept them thankfully, as God's instruments for -good, and make the most of their brain and muscle? The inexorable, -all-prevailing law of supply and demand, it would seem, has already -settled this question, or is in a fair way to settle it; and it but -remains to consider, what we shall _do_ with them. - -In the first place, John nowhere aspires to vote, nor even to be -a citizen. So far, his sole claim has been for the right to work, -and to receive "a fair day's wages for a fair day's work." With the -imperturbability of fate, he has settled down on this, and calmly -awaits our answer, not doubting the result. If you object, that he -persists in being a foreigner, all expecting some day to return to -China, his answer is all immigrants to a new country are more or less -of that mind; and, besides, as yet nothing has been done to induce -him to Americanize himself. Their leading men said, no doubt many of -their countrymen would bring their wives and children here, and settle -down among us, if they could be sure of safety and protection; but -that now California was "no place for a China _woman_--hardly safe for -a China_man_!" They said, they had found America very good for work, -and "muchee" good for business; but they had to pay odious taxes, not -exacted of other persons--were not permitted to testify in court, -except for or against each other--were abused and maltreated from one -end of the Coast to the other--were at the mercy of white ruffians, -who might rob and even kill them, with impunity, unless Caucasians -were present--and, in short, that as yet Chinamen here "had no rights -that Melican men were bound to respect." Now, I say, let us change all -this. Let us do justice, even to the poorest and humblest of God's -children. Let us give John, too, "a _fair_ start and an _equal_ chance -in the race of life," the same as every other human being on American -soil; and we shall soon check the re-flow to the Flowery Kingdom, and -build up an empire on the Pacific Coast, worthy of our matchless soil -and climate there. Existing labor and skill might suffer somewhat at -first, as in all industrial changes; but, in the end, they would become -employers, and supply the brains to guide the Mongolian hand and foot. -The first generation passed away, the next de-Chinaized, Americanized, -and educated, would soon become absorbed in the national life, and -known only as model artisans and workers. As the ocean receives all -rains and rivers, and yet shows it not, so America receives the Saxon -and the Celt, the Protestant and the Catholic, and can yet receive -Sambo and John, and absorb them all. The school-house and the church, -the newspaper and the telegraph, can be trusted to work out their -logical results; and time, our sure ally, would shape and fashion even -these into keen American citizens. - -There were indications, that the Coast had fallen to thinking seriously -of all this, and somehow meant to deal more justly with the Chinese -hereafter. The anti-Chinese mobs in the cities and towns were passing -away, and even among the mining-camps Vigilance Committees were -beginning to execute rough justice on thieves and murderers, when their -treatment of John became too flagrant and notorious.[17] Capital, -always keen-sighted, was getting to see the necessity for their labor -and skill, and the culture and conscience of the Coast were already -on their side. Gov. Low, (since Minister to China, most fittingly) -presided at the _Occidental_ Banquet, and in his remarks there took -strong ground in their favor. He said, among other good things: - - "We must learn to treat the Chinese who come to live among us - decently, and not oppress them by unfriendly legislation, nor - allow them to be abused, robbed and murdered, without extending - to them any adequate remedy. - - "I am a strong believer in the strength of mind and muscle of the - Anglo-Saxon race, which will win in the contest for supremacy - with any people, without the aid of unequal and oppressive laws; - and the man, who is afraid to take his chances on equal terms - with his opponents, is a coward and unworthy the name of an - American. - - "Were I to sum up the whole duty imposed upon us, I should - say, let us be honest, industrious and frugal, be persevering - and progressive, and remember Raleigh's maxim, that 'Whoever - commands the sea commands the trade of the world, and whoever - commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world, - and consequently the world itself.'" - -So, the pulpit, and the press, as a rule, omitted no opportunity -to speak a kind word for them, and to denounce the barbarism, and -absurdity, of existing statutes against them. In San Francisco, -a public-school had been established for their benefit, and was -crowded day and night with adult Chinamen striving to learn English. -The public-school fund running short that year, (1867) the Chinese -merchants promptly volunteered to eke out the appropriation, rather -than have the Board of Education close the school. Since then the -Rev. Dr. Gibson, (formerly a Methodist missionary to China, and a -man of great energy and force), has started his Sunday-Schools, -expecting to plant them all over the Coast, and there seems a marked -uprising in John's behalf generally. True, Mr. Senator Casserly, -himself a catholic foreigner and the negro-hating democracy, are -just now essaying a crusade against them; but this is because the -XVth Amendment has ended the "nigger," and they are sadly in want -of political capital. Our churches have certainly, now and here, -a noble opportunity for effective and valuable missionary work. -Instead of having to go half round the globe, across the sea, into -malarious regions, among Pagan influences, to seek out the lost sheep -of the House of Israel, we here have the heathen at our back-door, -and ought to unfurl the Banner of the Cross to them, in every -town and from every hillside. The story of the Yankee, who gave a -missionary-collector a quarter of a dollar, and when he was leaving -called him back, and gave him a dollar more, "to send that quarter -along," has it not some grains of truth in it? Here the whole dollar -and a quarter may be made immediately effective, and our missionary -money should be forthcoming without stint. Not only would we thus -more readily and cheaply evangelize the Chinese on our shores, but -their returning thousands in turn would evangelize their countrymen -at home; and we would thus accomplish a hundredfold more for China, -than our missionaries there now seem to be doing, judging by their -statistics, all put together. And not only do our Chinese themselves -call for this, but the harmony and purity of the national life demand -it, and may our churches awake to their great responsibility. Here is -their true field for instant and aggressive missionary work, and they -should occupy it overwhelmingly. - -From a full survey of this _questio vexata_, I must conclude, if -"God made of one blood all the nations of men to dwell upon the -earth," if we are children of a common Father, redeemed by a common -Saviour, and bound for a common eternity; if the good old rule, -"whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto -them," (which the Chinese had in a negative form a thousand years -before the Sermon on the Mount), is not yet effete; if we believe -with Thomas Jefferson, that "all men are created equal, and endowed -by their Creator with the inalienable rights of life and liberty;" -then, we are bound as a nation to accord justice and fair-play even -to these poor Mongolians, yellow-skinned, pig-tailed, and heathen -though they be. Now, as heretofore, and always, we shall find our -reward as a people in right-doing. Right is always politic. Justice -is never wrong. And let us as a nation do right, even to the humblest -of God's creatures, and leave the consequences with Him, who holds -in his hands the destinies alike of individuals and of races. This -is not always an easy road; but the Republic has already travelled -it so far, and so courageously, we can not now afford to depart from -it. Justice, if the sky falls. But, we may be sure, it will not fall. -Rather, it will stand all the firmer and broader, for the Justice -done and Humanity saved. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[16] In 1873, she yielded 36,000,000 pounds, which she sold for about -twenty cents per pound, or say $7,000,000. - -[17] See p. 225. - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - - SAN FRANCISCO TO LOS ANGELOS. - - -We left San Francisco, Feb. 9th, on the good ship _Orizaba_, for -southern California and Arizona. She was a first-class side-wheel -steamer, with good accommodations, and belonged to the California -Steam Navigation Company--a corporation that then monopolized or -controlled all the navigable waters of California, besides running -coast-wise lines North and South. She was one of a line, that ran -semi-monthly to San Diego and return, touching at Santa Barbara and -San Pedro, and seemed to be paying very well. We might have gone -southward from San Francisco to San Josè by railroad, and thence by -stage to Los Angelos and Fort Yuma; but our long stage-rides, from -the Missouri to Salt Lake and thence to the Columbia, had worn the -romance off of stage-coaching, and we infinitely preferred to proceed -by steamer. It was a superb day, with sea and sky both "darkly, -deeply, beautifully blue"--a day of the kind Californians always -mean, when they brag about their climate--as we flung off our lines -at San Francisco, and steamed down the harbor broadside with the -Golden Age _en route_ for Panama. We passed by Alcatraz and through -the Golden Gate neck and neck, with the decks of both vessels crowded -with excited passengers; but once across the bar, the _Orizaba_ drew -steadily ahead, and long before sunset we left the _Golden_ _Age_ -hull down astern. I don't say this was a race, indeed. Perhaps their -leaving together was quite accidental. But the _Orizaba_ soon showed -her mettle, all hands were eager and excited, and her officers were -in ecstasies at the results. - -Once fairly at sea, our steamer turned her prow sharply south, and -all the way down followed the coast from headland to headland. -Usually we steamed along some five or six miles off shore, with -the land itself always in view, and the ocean everywhere like a -millpond. From the Columbia to the Golden Gate in December, we had -found the Pacific to belie its name; but now steaming farther south, -we saw it in its calmness and beauty, and felt like christening it -anew. Most of the way, the sky was magnificently clear, the weather -moderate, the air bracing and stimulating, while the whole Coast was -a shifting panorama of beauty and grandeur. The ocean too smooth for -sea-sickness, we strolled about the deck by twos and fours, or lolled -for hours on the settees, inhaling life and vigor at every breath, -until we almost seemed to be navigating fabled seas or voyaging into -paradise. The Coast itself, never out of sight, rose generally in -abrupt hills or mountains, and these were now green and gold to their -summits. In places, whole hillsides seemed alive with wild-flowers of -every hue, while here and there flocks and herds dotted the landscape -far and near. Now and then an adobe house gleamed out of some -sheltered nook; but, as a rule, houses were infrequent, and trees -and shrubbery very scarce. A few stunted oaks and cedars fringed the -ravines here and there, but as a forest they were nothing to speak -of. The Coast Mountains lifted themselves everywhere, smooth to the -summit as if shaven, with no glory of trees to shelter or crown them; -and in summer, when their verdure dries up and blows away, they must -seem very bald and desolate. - -At Santa Barbara, some three hundred miles down the Coast, we touched -for an hour or two, and put ashore several passengers, and some -thirty tons of freight. While discharging the latter, we sauntered up -into the town, and found it to be a pleasant place of some fifteen -hundred inhabitants--county-seat to a county of the same name. The -buildings were mostly adobe, of course, and all quite old; but the -town had an appearance of comfort and respectability, if not of -thrift, and the few Americans we met were sanguine of its future. -The Santa Barbara plains, just back of the town, consist of a broad -and beautiful valley, enclosed by two imposing mountain ranges, that -here jut obliquely into the ocean, and they have a climate that is -no doubt seldom equalled even on the Pacific Coast. As a sanatarium, -Santa Barbara was already being much resorted to by invalids, and -doubtless will become more so when better known. With great evenness -of temperature the year round,[18] without either snow or frost, or -intense heat, the grape, fig, orange, peach, pomegranate, olive, all -nourish here in the open air; and Nature seems so prodigal of her -gifts, the Santa Barbarans appear exempted from the primal curse, -"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, etc." Mountain -streams from the neighboring ranges, they had, however, trained into -irrigating ditches, and by these cultivated a considerable breadth -of land. They said, they had water sufficient to irrigate thousands -of acres more, and needed only capital and population to build up -a prosperous and thriving community. In old times--"before the -flood," as a Forty-Niner would say--the Jesuit Fathers had one of -their most flourishing Missions here, and their old Mission Church -on a plateau back of the town was still standing, though now used -chiefly as a school. Dr. O. formerly of the Army, but now married -to a señorita and settled at Santa Barbara, escorted us through the -town, and afterwards regaled us with wine from his own vineyard, of -an excellent brand. He pronounced Santa Barbara, with its fruits and -its flowers, a second paradise, the only place fit to live in--where -one would about never die--and half persuaded some of us to the -same way of thinking. The petroleum wells near there, as yet, had -produced but little; but there seemed no doubt of the petroleum being -there in large quantities. We had noticed it floating on the sea for -miles before reaching Santa Barbara; and, if it issues beneath the -sea sufficient for this purpose, it ought to be struck somewhere -in that vicinity in paying quantities. The Santa Barbarans by no -means despaired of doing this yet, and thus hoped to add another -item to their already large and growing products. . At San Pedro, -the seaport of Los Angelos, a hundred miles or so farther down the -Coast, we put off some four hundred tons of freight, and parted with -the bulk of our passengers. Of this place, more hereafter. Thence, -past Anaheim, a settlement of German wine-growers, we steamed on down -a hundred miles farther, and halted at last at San Diego. A stiff -breeze, freshening into a gale, and a rough swell, followed us into -San Diego; but once inside the jaws of the harbor, we found the bay -almost unruffled, while all outside was wild and threatening. The -harbor, indeed, is quite land-locked, and after San Francisco is the -finest on the Pacific Coast, below Puget Sound. But a few hundred -yards in width at the entrance, it soon spreads out into a broad -and handsome bay, one or two miles wide by ten or twelve long, and -with a depth of water close in shore sufficient to float the largest -vessels. A bold promontory running obliquely into the sea, as all -the headlands on this coast do, shelters the harbor perfectly from -all north and northwest winds, and contributes much to make San -Diego what it is. In the old Mexican times, before the days of '49, -San Diego was a leading Mission on the Coast, and the chief seaport -of California, whence she shipped wool, hides, etc., and where she -received supplies. San Francisco, gushing young metropolis now, was -then only sterile Yerba Buena, and practically nowhere.[19] When -the rush of miners to California came in '49, San Diego still held -her own for awhile, quite courageously. The Panama steamers then -touched here in going and coming. A large city was projected, and -built--on paper, with "water-fronts," "corner-lots," and the like, -quite _in extenso_. But there was no sufficient back country--no -mines or agricultural resources to speak of--to support a town, -and so in the end San Diego incontinently collapsed. Poor Derby of -the engineers, immortal as John Phoenix, flourished here in those -days, and afterwards used to say in his own inimitable style, he -"Thanked heaven his lot was not cast in San Diego; it _had_ been, but -was sold for taxes!" We anchored off the old wharf, then fallen to -decay, where in other days the Panama steamers had floated proudly, -and after rowing well in were carried ashore on the shoulders of -Mexican peons. The U. S. barracks and corral, now empty and without -a watchman even, and a score or so of other buildings, were grouped -near the landing, constituting New San Diego; but the main town, -or Old San Diego, was three miles off up the bay. A rickety old -ambulance, once U. S. property, but long since condemned and sold, -carried us up to the town, where we spent several hours. Formerly -numbering two or three thousand inhabitants, and a pretty stirring -place, it now had only about two or three hundred, and was a good -illustration of some of California's changes. Its buildings, of -course, were all one-story adobe, but partly inhabited, and these -were grouped about a squalid, Plaza, that reminded one of Mexico -or Spain, rather than the United States. Being the county-seat, of -course, it had a court-house and a jail--the one, a tumble-down -adobe--the other, literally a cage, made of boiler-iron, six or seven -feet square at the farthest. The day we were there three men were -brought in, arrested for horse-stealing, or something of the sort; -but as the jail would accommodate only two--crowded at that--the -judge discharged the third, with an appropriate reprimand. At least, -we supposed it "appropriate;" but as it was in Californicè, and -the judge a native, we could make nothing of it. In hot weather, -this iron jail-cage must be a miniature tophet; but, no doubt, it -remains generally empty. On a hill just back of the town, commanding -it and the harbor, were the remains of Fort Stockton, which our -Jersey commodore of that name built and garrisoned with his gallant -Jack-Tars, during the Mexican war, and held against all comers. -Beyond it still, were the ruins of the old Mexican Presidio, with -palm and olive trees scattered here and there, but all now desolate -and forsaken. The general broken-down, dilapidated, "played out" -appearance of the town, was certainly most forlorn. And yet, the -San Diegoans, like all good Californians, had still a profound -faith in their future, and swore by their handsome bay as stoutly -as ever. They knew San Diego would yet be the western terminus of -the Southern Pacific Railroad, whenever this got itself built; and -with this, they fondly believed, would come population, prosperity, -power (the three great _p's_ of modern civilization), and come to -stay. With the exception of a handful of Americans and Jews, engaged -chiefly in merchandizing, the inhabitants consisted mainly of native -Californians, in all stages of impecuniosity. Being steamer-day, -several Americans--most of them ex-army officers--had galloped in -from their neighboring ranches, some coming ten and twenty miles -for this purpose, and all were as hospitable and warm-hearted, as -men leading such a life usually are. They laughed and chatted over -their California experiences, predicted great things for San Diego -yet, and offered a hundred acres or more from their leagues-square -ranches, to any American who would come and settle among them. All -united in pronouncing the climate simply perfect, though a little -warm in summer; and, I must say, it really seemed so, when we were -there. They declared the thermometer never varied more than twenty -degrees the year round, and maintained people never died there, -except from the knife or bullet. When reminded of a Mr. S. who had -died that morning, they replied, he came there too late--a confirmed -consumptive; otherwise, he would have got well, and in the end have -shrivelled up and evaporated, like the rest of their aged people. - -As to business, the town really seemed to have none, except a little -merchandizing and whiskey-drinking, and these only gave signs of life, -because it was "steamer-day." The country immediately about the town -was dull and barren, from want of water to irrigate and cultivate it. -The great ranches were at a distance, and these depended on streams -from the Coast Range, that mostly disappeared before reaching the -harbor. Here horses, cattle, and sheep were raised in considerable -numbers; but the breadth of valuable land was not considered large, and -the population of the section seemed to be on the stand-still, if not -decrease. A railroad from the Atlantic States, and another north to San -Francisco, would of course soon change all this; but these were yet -in the future. The splendid harbor, however, is there--the second as -I have said, on the California Coast--and it will be passing strange, -if the future does not evolve something, that will give it vitality -and importance. Its noble waters, surely, cannot lie idle forever. -With its superb anchorage and far-stretching shores, it seemed already -the prophecy of great things to come, and I sincerely trust the San -Diegoans may speedily realize them.[20] - -Down by the mouth of the harbor, were several fishermen's huts, whose -owners, it was said, gained a precarious living by whaling. Off the -harbor, for miles up and down the coast, we noticed a heavy growth -of kelp or sea-weed, and this we were told the whales frequented in -certain seasons of the year, as a feeding ground. We kept a sharp -lookout for them, both coming down and returning; but were rewarded -by seeing only a single dead one, which had been harpooned and left -floating near shore, with a buoy attached. Capt. Thorne, of the -_Orizaba_, reported these whales as quite numerous off the coast -sometimes, and thought this business might readily be made much more -lucrative, than it was. - -Here at San Diego, we were about five hundred miles south of San -Francisco, and less than one hundred and fifty from Fort Yuma. We had -expected to find a stage thence to Fort Yuma; but the line had recently -been withdrawn,[21] from want of business, and we were compelled to -return again up the coast to San Pedro and Los Angelos. On the evening -of Feb. 14th, we accordingly bade good-bye to San Diego, and the next -morning, when we came on deck, found the Orizaba at anchor again off -San Pedro. This, as I have before said, is the old seaport or landing -for Los Angelos, and all the country about there, whence supplies -were then wagoned into Arizona, Southern Nevada, and even Utah. The -Salt Lake merchants, then barred from the East in winter by the heavy -snows on the Rocky Mountains, were in the habit of eking out their -stocks by purchases in San Francisco, which they shipped 400 miles -down the coast to San Pedro, and from here wagoned them _via_ San -Bernardino and Cajon Pass, through Southern Nevada, 800 miles more to -Great Salt Lake. Of course, the completion of the Pacific Railroad has -changed all this. San Pedro itself, unfortunately, has no harbor, but -is a mere open roadstead, where vessels may ride at anchor in fine -weather, but when storms come must slip to sea. From here a slough -or gut of the sea sets up to Wilmington, some six miles through a -tide-water marsh, where we found a Mr. Phineas Banning doing his "level -best"--and it was a big "best"--to build up a nascent city. Formerly, -everything was lightered ashore at San Pedro; but recently, Mr. Banning -had introduced steam-tugs, and with these at high tide he carried -everything to Wilmington, where he had wharves, store-houses, shops, -stages, wagon-trains, and about everything else, on a large scale. He -was an enterprising Delawarean, but without much regard for "the eyes -of Delaware;" had failed two or three times, but was still wide-awake -and keen for business; had come to California a common stage-driver, -but now ran lines of stages and freight-wagons of his own all over -southern California and Arizona, for eight hundred and a thousand -miles; had married a native señorita, with several leagues of land, and -made her a good husband; was now state senator on the Republican side, -and talked of for governor; and, in short, was a good second edition of -Mr. Ben Holliday, yet without his bad politics. His town of Wilmington -consisted of a hundred or two frame buildings, in true border style, -with perhaps five hundred inhabitants, all more or less in his service, -or employed at Drum Barracks, the U. S. military post there. A man of -large and liberal ideas, with great native force of character and power -of endurance, he was invaluable to Southern California and Arizona, -and both of these sections owe him a debt of gratitude, which they -never can repay. His "latch-string" was always out to all strangers -in that latitude; there was no public interest with which he was not -prominently identified; and from San Pedro to Tucson, and back again, -_via_ Prescott and Fort Mojave, through some fifteen hundred miles of -border travel, there was scarcely a day in which we did not see his -teams or stages, or touch his enterprises somewhere. - -Here at Wilmington, in the village barber, we found another good -illustration of the adaptativeness of the average American. -Originally from Independence, Mo., he had emigrated thence to Oregon, -thence to San Francisco, and thence to Wilmington. In Missouri, -he was a farmer by occupation; in Oregon, a cattle-drover; in San -Francisco, a teamster; in Wilmington, he was now regularly a barber, -but occasionally cobbled shoes, or worked as a blacksmith, and on -a pinch also practiced medicine. He had not preached, or edited a -newspaper yet; but doubtless would have had no objection to trying -his hand at either or both of these, should opportunity offer or -necessity occur! But such men, after all, are our Representative -Americans--real pioneers of empire and champions of civilization--and -history will not forget to recognize and respect them accordingly. - -Back of Wilmington, some thirty miles wide by seventy-five long, from -the Pacific to the Mountains, stretch the great Los Angelos plains, -than which there are few finer sights on the Coast, at the proper -season. Just now they were green with herbage and gemmed with wild -flowers in all directions, from the Mountains to the ocean, a perfect -sea of verdure, with flocks and herds roaming over them at will, under -the guidance of native rancheros. The latter, mounted on gamey little -horses, full-blooded mustangs, with saddles that nearly covered their -steeds, and tinkling spurs that almost swept the ground, galloped -hither and yon as occasion needed, or lolled for hours on the ground, -basking in the sun, while their cattle and sheep fed peacefully about -them. The landscape one day, when Gen. Banning drove us over to Los -Angelos, to see the vineyards and orange-groves there, with the Pacific -rolling in the distance, the Mountains towering before us, and the -Plains stretching all about us, in green and purple and gold, was a -perfect idyllic scene, which lingers in my memory yet, as one of the -fairest recollections of a life-time. Just then, the marshes about -Wilmington, and the Plains beyond, were a halting place for vast flocks -of wild-geese, on their annual migration north, and they thronged the -country in countless thousands. Off on the Plains, where they were -feeding on the young and succulent grass, they whitened the ground -sometimes for acres, and were so careless of danger, you might knock -them over with a club. Gen. Banning said, they were even more numerous -in former years, but even as they were, we had never seen anything to -equal them. As we drove along, they rose up by the roadside in flocks -of thousands, and fairly deafened the air with their multitudinous -konkings. Further on, we found the grass rank and luxuriant, and it -seemed impossible to believe, that when summer came, all this wealth -of vegetation would wither up, and substantially blow away. Yet this -seemed to be the fact--these broad and beautiful Plains, beneath -their then rainless sky, becoming everywhere a barren desert, save -where _acequias_ (Mexican for "water-ditches") regularly irrigate and -vitalize them. - -We struck the acequias several miles out from Los Angelos, and -followed them into the town, our road winding about among and -crossing them several times. They are simply water-ditches, four -or five feet wide by one deep, the same as those at Salt Lake, but -most of them far older. They were begun a century ago, by the old -Spanish Jesuits, who formerly had one of their largest and most -flourishing Missions here, and are kept in repair and regulated by -the city corporation--the water being farmed out, at fixed rates. -Their source of supply is the Los Angelos river, a little stream -that issues from the Coast Range some miles away, and sinks again, I -believe, before reaching the ocean. If husbanded properly, with the -same care exercised at Salt Lake, it might be made to irrigate many -times the present breadth of land, it would seem; but as it is, it -suffices to vitalize hundreds, if not thousands, of acres about the -town, where they grow wheat, barley, oats, the grape, the orange, -the lemon, citron, olive, peach, pear, and almost everything else, -in great profusion and of the finest character. Along the road, and -skirting all the main acequias, willows have been planted, and these -growing rapidly serve for both fencing and fuel. Here and there wild -flowers also have been planted, or have sprung up naturally among the -hedges, and these shower their wealth of bloom and fragrance almost -the year round. The robin, the blue-bird, the oriole, abounded here; -and the whole air seemed vocal with song, as we whirled along through -the suburbs, and up into the town. - -Los Angelos itself proved to be a brisk and thriving town. It is -the county-seat of a large county of the same name, and probably -contained then some five thousand inhabitants--about one-third -Americans and Europeans, and the balance native Californians -and Indians. The Americans seemed to own most of the houses and -lands, the Europeans--chiefly Jews--to do the business, the native -Californians to do the loafing, and the Indians to perform the -labor. It had mail communication with San Francisco twice a week by -stage, and twice a month by steamer _via_ San Pedro, and telegraphic -communication _via_ San Francisco with the whole coast and country. -It boasted two or three very fair hotels, a fine old Spanish church, -and quite a number of brick and frame residences, that would have -been called creditable anywhere. The town seemed steadily increasing -in wealth and population, as more and more of the surrounding Plains -were brought under cultivation, and already had a substantial basis -for prosperity in its vineyards and fruit-orchards, aside from its -flocks and herds. It was also doing a considerable business with -Utah, Arizona, and Southern California, for all which regions it -was then largely a mart and entrepot. Its climate was mild and -equable, reminding one more of Italy and the Levant, than America, -and already it was quite a resort for invalids from all parts of the -Coast. Then in February, and again in May, when we returned there -from Arizona, the air really seemed like the elixir of life, and -quickened every sense into new life and power of enjoyment. As in -all Spanish American towns, however, Sunday seemed to be the chief -day for business and pleasure. A few stores and shops were closed; -but the majority kept open, the same as any other day. The native -Californian and Indian population of the surrounding country flocked -into town that day, in holiday attire and, after a brief service at -the old church (dedicated "To the Queen of the Angels,") assembled in -the Plaza, to witness their customary cock-fights. There were several -of these, which men and women, priests and people--alike eager and -excited--all seemed to enjoy; but to us, Eastern-bred, they seemed -cruel and barbarous. The poor fowls pecked away at each other, until -some fell dead, and others dropped exhausted, when the survivors were -borne away in triumph. - -A ride across the breezy Plains, ten miles to the south, brought us -to the ranch and vineyard of Mr. Ben. D. Wilson, noted over all -the Coast for his excellent fruits and wines. "Don Benito" Wilson, -he is called out there, and the name is a good one. Without much -urban polish, he is nevertheless one of nature's noblemen, and a -fine Representative Californian. A Tennessean by birth, long before -the acquisition of California, he had hunted and trapped across the -continent, living for years among the Utes and Apaches, and finally -marrying a California señorita, with three leagues square of land, -had settled down here. His noble ranch lies at the foot of the Coast -Range of mountains, with their snow-clad summits towering above, the -Los Angelos plains in front stretching away to the ocean, while an -intervening roll of hills shuts out the raw winds and fogs of the -summer and autumn. Two or three dashing rivulets, that issue from the -mountains like threads of silver, have been caught up and carried by -_acequias_ all along the slopes, whence they are distributed wherever -the thirsty soil in summer needs them. Here he has orange, lemon, -peach, olive, almond, and English walnut groves, by the many acres, -while beyond are his vineyards by the hundred acres--part planted -by himself, but many a half century ago by the Jesuit Fathers. Just -now, his vineyards, trimmed closely as they were, looked for all the -world like a Delaware or Jersey field of old peach-trees, with the -tops sawn off, as we sometimes see them here. Without trellis or -support of any kind, these aged vines stood stiff and gnarled, in -rows five or six feet apart, themselves about as many inches thick; -but in summer, they throw out runners, that form a leafy wilderness, -loaded down with the purpling clusters. In addition, he had great -herds of horses, and cattle, and flocks of sheep by the thousand, -that roamed over his outlying broad acres and the Los Angelos plains -at will. In sauntering through his orange-groves, he showed us trees, -from which he had gathered twenty-five dollars' worth of the golden -fruit each, that season, and one that yielded him forty dollars' -worth. A few of his oranges, dead ripe, were still gleaming amid the -rich, deep green of their peculiar foliage, and we had some of these -fresh and luscious on the table each meal we took with him. In his -wine-cellars, back of the mansion, he showed us two hundred thousand -gallons of wine, the product of that year's vintage alone, and it -hadn't been much of a year for wine either. This he reported to be -worth only fifty cents a gallon then, but as increasing in price, -of course, with age. He made both white and red wine, of a superior -brand, and had branch houses in San Francisco and New York, that -disposed of the bulk of it at fair figures. It all had the peculiar -sharpness and alcoholic qualities of the California wines generally; -but, he thought, with more careful culture, and increasing age, their -wines would improve in this respect. He computed the wine-product of -California then, at not less than three millions of gallons annually, -and rapidly increasing. The Mission grape was the one mostly grown, -as yet; but he thought some foreign varieties, of a finer quality, -would gradually supplant this. The white wines were the pure juice -of the grape; the red the same, but with the color of the skins -added. Farther North, the Sonoma and Sacramento wines were lighter -and milder, resembling claret and hock; but these Los Angelos wines -were heavy and strong, with a body like those of Spain, whence no -doubt the Mission vines originally came. The expressed juice was -first put into large casks, holding a hundred and forty gallons or -more each, whence after due fermentation it was bottled and sent to -market. He said at the end of a year and a half, the wine usually -became clear and less alcoholic; but it continued to mellow and -soften with age for twenty years, when its delicacy of flavor and -oiliness of consistency culminated. Brandy was made from indifferent -or miscellaneous grapes, skins and all, and from what we saw of -its effects, was as fierce and fiery a liquid, surely, as Jersey -lightning, or Nebraska needle-gun. - -Mr. Wilson lived rather plainly, in anything but a palatial mansion; -but he had a fine library, well-selected, and took most of the -leading magazines and newspapers, from San Francisco to Boston. We -were really surprised at the extent and variety of his periodical -literature. He said he had been intending for years to build himself -a new house, on a grander scale; but the old one was very roomy and -comfortable, and he had never found time to pull it down. We found -him a very bright and intelligent old gentleman, well versed in the -world's affairs, with an eye keenly alive to passing events both at -home and abroad, notwithstanding his seclusion. He was a warm friend -of Gen. Banning's; for they naturally comprehended, and appreciated -each other, to the full. - -Land just about Los Angelos, and adjacent to the acequias, was held -at a good figure; but a few miles from the town, it was selling at -only five and ten dollars per acre, and a great stock or fruit ranch, -it would seem, could be built up here, at small expense, in a few -years. The soil and climate are certainly all anybody could desire; -the chief drawbacks seemed to be the absence of good schools and -churches. These, however, will come with time and sufficient Yankees; -and it is not too much to say, that the Plains and City of the Angels -will yet become widely known, and well-peopled. California, rich in -so many things, may yet well be vain of them. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[18] See Appendix - -[19] In those days, it appears, the Jesuits had over a score -of Missions in California, and some thirty thousand half -civilized-Indians living in their communities. Their horned cattle -numbered four hundred and twenty-four thousand; their horses, mules, -and asses, besides the wild ones that scoured the plains in troops, -sixty-two thousand five hundred; their sheep, goats, and swine, three -hundred and twenty-one thousand; and the wheat, barley, maize, and -other grains they raised measured one hundred and twenty-two thousand -five hundred bushels annually. The richest in cattle and horses, and -the greatest grain-producer, was San Gabriel, now a modest hamlet. -Next to it in everything else, and ahead of it in sheep, was San Luis -Rey, now even modester, which also had the most Indians. The Mission -Dolores, now San Francisco, stood low on the list, with its five -hundred Indians shivering in the wind and fog, five thousand horned -cattle, sixteen hundred horses and mules, four thousand sheep and -swine, and other things in proportion. - -[20] Since the above was written, I believe, the Panama steamers have -resumed their calls at San Diego, and doubtless the town is again -looking up. So, also, the Arizona trade and travel now start mainly -from here, and a railroad to the Colorado at least seems inevitable. - -[21] See foot-note page 329. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - WILMINGTON TO FORT YUMA. - - -We had intended to go by stage from Los Angelos to Fort Yuma, to -save time, though we knew it would be a "weariness to the flesh;" -but the route had just been changed there from San Diego, and as -it would take a fortnight to transfer the stock, and get things to -working smoothly again, we decided to proceed by ambulance. To this -end, we returned to Wilmington, or Drum Barracks, the military post -there, whence we left for Arizona, Feb. 19th. Our "outfit," furnished -by the quartermaster there, consisted of a substantial vehicle, -half-ambulance and half-Jersey wagon, loaned for the trip by Gen. -Banning, equipped with four stout mules and a plucky driver. A fifth -mule was also added, to meet contingencies; but this was only as a -led mule. The vehicle was a contrivance of Gen. Banning's own, with a -boot before and behind, capacious boxes under the seats, pockets for -books and periodicals, slings for rifles, pistols, etc., which he was -accustomed to use in his own long trips through Southern California -and Arizona, looking after his widely extended business. Originally, -we designed using this only as far as Fort Yuma; but afterwards it -proved to be our home for two months, through fifteen hundred miles -or more of long and desolate land-travel. A gentleman from San -Francisco, connected with the Post-Office department, (Hon. B. T.), -accompanied me, and relieved the tedium of many an hour by his rare -wit and humor. Our baggage consisted only of a light valise and roll -of blankets each, a box of writing-materials and official orders, a -sack or two of barley and oats, and some packages of canned fruits -and vegetables. For lodgings and provisions generally, we decided to -depend on the scattered ranches and stage-stations, notwithstanding -vague rumors we would be likely to "rough it," in doing so. With -"Adios!" and "Good luck to you!" from broad-shouldered, big-hearted -Gen. Banning, we rolled out of Wilmington one day toward noon; and -crossing numerous sloughs and quicksands, past countless flocks of -wild-geese, arrived the same evening at Anaheim. - -Here we found quite a settlement of Germans, fresh from Rhineland, -engaged chiefly in wine-making. It appears, they had clubbed together -in San Francisco, and bought a thousand acres of the Los Angelos -Plains, bordering on the Santa Anna river, whose waters they now -used for irrigating purposes. This they divided into twenty-acre -lots, with a town-plot in the centre and convenient streets, each -lot-holder being also owner of a town-lot of half an acre besides. -Here were some five hundred or more Germans, all industriously -engaged, and exhibiting of course their usual sagacity and thrift. -They had constructed acequias, and carried the hitherto useless -Santa Anna river everywhere--around and through their lots, and past -every door; they had hedged their little farms with willows, and -planted them with vines, orange, lemon, and olive trees; and the -once barren plains in summer were now alive with perpetual foliage -and verdure. Of course, there had consequently been a great rise in -values. The land had cost them only two dollars per acre in 1857; but -now in 1867, it was rated at one hundred and fifty dollars, with -none to sell. We drove through the clean and well-kept avenues or -streets, scenting Rhineland on every side; and, indeed, this Anaheim -itself is nothing but a bit of Germany, dropped down on the Pacific -Coast. It has little in common with Los Angelos the dirty, but the -glorious climate and soil, and was an agreeable surprise every way. -We halted at the village-inn, which would have passed very well for -a Wein-Haus in Fatherland, and were entertained very nicely. The -proprietor was also the village-schoolmaster, and his frau was one -of the brightest and neatest little house-keepers, we had seen on -the Coast. They gave us bologna sausage and native wine for supper, -as well as excellent tea; and when bed time came, we were conducted -to apartments unimpeachable every way. In the course of the evening, -half the village seemed to drop in for a sip of wine or glass of beer -(they kept both, of course), and the guest-room became so thick with -smoke, you could have cut it with a knife. The next morning they gave -us some wine for our trip, five years old, that had lost much of its -alcoholic properties, and so soft and oily, it would have passed for -tolerable Hockheimer, or even Johannisberger, almost anywhere. - -Here we bade good-bye to civilization, and at last were fairly off for -Arizona. The distance from Wilmington to Yuma is about three hundred -miles, and we hoped to make it in ten days at the farthest. We got an -early start from Anaheim, and crossing the Santa Anna river through -a congeries of quicksands rode all day, with the Coast Range to the -right of us, and another serrated ridge ten or twelve miles off to -the left, through what was mostly an arid and sterile plain, though -here and there it was broken up into ravines and "arroyas," or dry -water-courses, abounding in cottonwood and live-oaks. Just at sunset, -we crossed a divide, and before us lay a sheet of water, five miles -long by two wide, reposing like a sea of silver, skirted by wide -plateaus, and these in turn flanked by outlying ranges of mountains. -This was Laguna Grande, the pet lake of all that region. Draining a -wide extent of country, it always remains a large body of water, though -in summer much of it disappears, and the balance becomes brackish from -alkali. It continues palatable, however, for horses and cattle, and -accordingly here we found a great hacienda, one of the largest, south -of Los Angelos. The proprietors were two brothers Machado, who here -owned leagues square of land, from the summit of one mountain range to -the other, including the Laguna. They lived in a rude adobe hut, with -three rooms, that no common laborer East would think of inhabiting; -but they numbered their live-stock by the thousand, and esteemed their -rude home a second paradise. They raised a little barley and some beans -on a few acres, bordering on the lagoon; but devoted the great bulk of -their broad acres to stock-raising. Señor Dolores Machado met us at -the door, as we drove up; but as he could speak no English, and we no -Spanish, there seemed to be a predicament. Before leaving Los Angelos, -we had anticipated this, knowing the old Mexican or Spanish-speaking -population still prevailed over most of Southern California and -Arizona, and had provided ourselves with "Butler's method of learning -to speak Spanish quickly," accordingly. We had conned this over several -days, selecting the phrases that would apparently be most useful, and -now assailed Señor Machado with everything we could summon. Imagine our -disgust, when he looked wild at our attempted Spanish, and responded -to every phrase, "No sabe, Señors!" Our driver, Worth, at last came -to our rescue, with some mongrel Spanish he had picked up, when -soldiering formerly down in Arizona; and when Señor M. understood we -only wanted entertainment for the night, he smilingly replied, "O, Si! -Señors! Si! Si!" "Yes! Yes!" with true Castilian grace, and invited us -into his abode. He gave us a rough but substantial meal, of coffee, -frejoles, and mutton; and when bedtime came, allowed us the privilege -of spreading our blankets on the softest part of the only board floor -in the house. He and his wife occupied a rude bed in one corner of the -same room, while his brother slept on one in another. There was not, -and never had been, a pane of glass in the house, notwithstanding they -were such large-landed proprietors. The breeze stole in at the broken -shutter, that closed the only window in the room, and all night long we -could count the stars through the dilapidated roof. - -Thence to Buena Vista, we passed through a succession of small valleys, -between the same general mountain ranges before mentioned. Though -wanting in water, yet these all had small streams of some sort flowing -through them, which if carefully husbanded could be made to irrigate -thousands of fertile acres all through here. Cottonwoods occurred -frequently, and along many of the bottoms there was a goodly growth of -scrubby live-oaks, that looked particularly green and inviting amidst -those arid landscapes. Buena Vista valley seemed to be the outlet of -several others, all of which might be largely reclaimed, with proper -industry and effort. The soil is rich, the water there, and the climate -matchless apparently the year round. Warner's Ranch stands in the midst -of Buena Vista valley, and consists only of an adobe hut or two, that -answer for grocery and road-side inn. We were detained here a day, by -a severe rain that set in at nightfall, just after our arrival, and -continued for twenty-four hours; but as it gave us and our team a bit -of rest, we did not greatly regret it. Thence to Villacito, the valley -opened broader and wider, and the grand San Bernardino peak--which day -after day had dominated the landscape off to the right--its outlines -sharply defined against that exquisite sky--dropped gradually out of -sight. - -Here we struck the southern California or great Colorado Desert, and -thence on to Yuma--one hundred and fifty miles--we might as well have -been adrift on the Great Sahara itself. Until we reached this point, -the country consisted chiefly of arid plains, it is true; but broken, -more or less, into ravines and valleys, with some semblance of life, -or at least capacity for supporting life hereafter, should sufficient -intelligence and labor ever drift that way. But as we approached the -Desert, all this ceased, and the very genius of desolation seemed -to brood over the landscape. We descended into it through a narrow -rocky cañon, so rough and precipitous, that T. and I both got out and -walked down, leaving the driver to navigate the empty ambulance to -the foot, the best he could. Jolting and jumping from rock to gully, -now half upset, with wheels spinning in the air, and now all right -again, he got down safe and whole at last, and we augured well of our -wheels and springs, after such a rugged experience. - -Quitting Villacito, we found the road sandy and heavy, the air sultry -and hot, and the nearest water eighteen miles off at Carissa Creek. -The country was one dreary succession of sand and gravel, barren -peaks and rocky ridges, with arroyas now and then, but no signs of -humidity anywhere. It was not, however, such a perfect desert, as we -had anticipated; for here and there were clumps of chemisal, mescal, -and cactus, and these somewhat relieved the general dreariness of -the landscape, poor apologies as they are for trees and shrubbery. -The chemisal grows in clumps, something like our alder-bushes east, -but with rods straighter and slenderer, bearing a pale-green leaf. -The mescal seems to be a bastard variety of aloes, much similar to -what is popularly known as Eve's Thread, though on a larger scale. -The Mexicans and Indians distil a villainous liquor from it, which -they also call "Mescal," that is worse in its effects than even -fusel-oil or strychnine-whiskey. The cacti appeared to be of several -varieties--many the same as we have in conservatories east, but all -vastly larger here. The flora, as we proceeded southward, constantly -became sparser and thornier; but the fauna continued about the -same--the chief species being jack-rabbits and California quails--the -latter a very handsome variety, with top-knots, never seen east. The -rabbits were numerous, and the quails whirred across our road in -coveys quite frequently, until we were well into the Desert, when -both mainly disappeared. We reached Carissa Creek, with its welcome -though brackish water, about 2 P. M.; but as it was thirty-three -miles yet to the next certain water, at Laguna, with only uncertain -wells between (dug by the Government), concerning which we could get -no definite information, we concluded to halt there till morning. - -From there on, the first few miles were about the same as the day -before. Then we ascended an abrupt bluff, that looked in the distance -like an impassable castellated wall, and suddenly found ourselves on -an elevated _mesa_ or table-land, the very embodiment of dreariness -and desolation. On all sides, it was a vast, outstretched plain, of -coarse sand and gravel, without tree, or shrub, or living thing--even -the inevitable mescal and cactus here disappeared. Behind us, to the -north and east, there was a weird succession of grand terraces and -castellated mountains, reminding one of portions of Wyoming. On our -right, to the west, the ever-present Coast Range loomed along the -landscape, barren and ghostly. To the south, all was a dead level, -panting and quivering beneath the sun, as he neared the zenith, -except where here and there a heavy mirage obscured the view, or -vast whirlwinds careered over the desert, miles away--their immense -spirals circling upward to the very sky. These last, on first sight, -we took for columns of smoke, so erect and vast were they. But soon -they rose all along the southwestern horizon, one after another, -like mighty genii on the march, and our driver bade us look out for -a Yuma sand-storm. We had already here and there found the sand -drifted into ridges, like snow-banks, where sand-storms had preceded -us, and had heard ugly accounts of them before leaving Wilmington; -but, fortunately, we escaped this one--the whirlwinds keeping away to -the southwest, where they hugged the Coast Range, and in the course -of the afternoon obscured the whole landscape there. This was now -the Colorado or Yuma Desert in earnest, without bird, or beast, or -bush, or sign of life anywhere--nothing, in fact, but barrenness and -desolation, as much as any region could well be. A large portion of -it is so low, that the overflow of the Colorado often reaches it -during spring freshets, and remains for weeks. In travelling over -this portion, now baked dry and hard beneath the sun, we had frequent -exhibitions of mirage, on a magnificent scale. One day in particular, -we had been driving since early morning, over a heavy sandy road, -with the sun blazing down upon us like a ball of fire, with no water -since starting, our poor mules panting with heat and thirst, when -long after noon we observed--apparently a mile or so ahead--what -seemed like a great outspread pond or lake, with little islands -here and there, their edges fringed with bushes, whose very images -appeared reflected in the water. The scene was so perfect, that the -driver and T. both insisted it must be water; however, I inclined -to believe it mirage, as it afterwards turned out, but the optical -illusion was so complete in this and other instances, that when later -in the day we really did approach a veritable sheet of water at the -Laguna, we all of us mistook this for mirage also. Here, however, we -found a body of water a mile long by half a mile wide, surrounded by -a rank growth of coarse grass, and covered with water-fowl--a perfect -oasis in the desert. This was also a part of the overflow of the -Colorado, there being a depression in the Desert just here, which -holds the water like a cup. The quantity is so large, that it lasts -for two seasons; but after that, is apt to dry up, if the overflow -does not come. But as this usually happens every year, this Laguna -(Spanish for _lagoon_ or _lake_) becomes a perfect god-send to the -traveller here. On its southern margin, a Mr. Ganow from Illinois had -established a ranch, and already was acquiring a comfortable home. -His horses and cattle found ample subsistence in the brakes, on the -borders of the lagoon, and the passing travel to and from California -and Arizona made him considerable patronage in the course of the year. - -Thence past Alamo to Pilot Knob, where we rounded the corner of -the mountains, and struck the valley proper of the Colorado, the -country continued more or less an unbroken desert. The roads were -heavy and dusty, the air hot and stifling, the landscape barren and -monotonous; and when, at last, we made Pilot Knob and struck the -river, eight or ten miles below Fort Yuma, we rejoiced heartily, -that the first stage of our tour was so nearly over. The Colorado -flowed by our side, red and sluggish, but of goodly volume; the -breeze came to us cool and moist across its broad bosom; and as we -neared the post, the garrison-flag floating high in air seemed to -beckon us onward, and welcome us beneath its folds. Starting long -before daylight, and lying by in the middle of the day, we had driven -fifty-three miles that day, over a country that equals, if it does -not surpass Bitter Creek itself (see p. 150-3); and when at last -we drew rein at Fort Yuma, we were thoroughly jaded ourselves, and -our poor animals quite fagged out. We had made the distance from -Wilmington in nine driving days, instead of ten; but they seemed the -longest we had ever driven. - -Of the intervening country as a whole, especially from Villacito, -it may justly be said, not only is it practically a desert, but -even what streams it has seem to be slowly but surely disappearing. -There were evidences frequently, that the country had formerly been -much better watered than now, and the population--sparse as it -was--appeared to be diminishing. After leaving Anaheim, there was -only a scattered ranch here and there, every ten or twelve miles -apart, of the rudest character--sometimes not even these--where -coarse groceries, canned fruits and vegetables, and whiskey and -mescal, were kept for sale to Indians and passing travellers. These -had mostly been stage-stations on the great Butterfield Overland -Route before the war, and when this broke that up, these ranchmen -still remained, hoping something would "turn up." The station at -Carissa Creek was a good representative of this, and likewise of -many others. "Carissa Creek" itself is one of southern California's -"blind" streams, like so many in Arizona, beginning and ending -nowhere in particular--without either source or mouth apparently. -Issuing from a sand-heap, it terminates in another a few miles away; -but just here at the station is a shallow creek--a few yards wide, -by six inches deep--tainted, of course with alkali. The station -itself is the adobe remains of an old stage-station, whose roof -was all gone, and as a substitute the enterprising proprietor had -thrown some poles across, and covered them with willows and coarse -grass. This turned the sun somewhat, and the easy-going proprietor -said, "'Twer'nt no use, no how, to roof agin rain; 'cause, you -bet, stranger, no rain ever gits yer!" His forlorn structure, part -of which was used for a chicken-roost, also served its owner as -bar-room, grocery, kitchen, parlor, bed-room, etc., and yet contained -only one rude apartment, altogether. - -"Mine host" here was a Texan, who somehow had strayed away out here, -and dropped down at Carissa Creek--he hardly knew how. He "didn't -think it much of a place, that's a fact; no how, stranger! But then, -you see, I'm yer; and it's a heap of trouble to move elsewhar! -Besides, yer know, I couldn't recommend nobody else to buy me out, -no how! Somebody has got to live at Carissa Creek, anyhow; and why -not me?" His philosophy, under the circumstances, seemed delicious, -worthy of Mr. Mark Tapley himself, and, of course, we had not the -heart to disturb it. - -For meals and lodgings _en route_, we did indeed have to "rough -it" pretty generally, nearly everywhere--especially after passing -Villacito. Salt pork fried, saleratus biscuit hot, and coffee plain, -came again into vogue, as in the famous Bitter Creek region; but we -supplemented them this time with some excellent canned fruits and -vegetables, that we had the foresight to bring along. Our evenings -usually ended in long "yarns," after which, spreading our blankets in -the hay-corral, or on a sand-heap, we went cosily to sleep beneath -the stars. We always slept with our revolvers under our heads, and -our rifles by our sides; and though a bit nervous sometimes when we -reflected how much we were at the mercy of the rough customers we met -_en route_, yet we slept well, and went through safely. - -At Porte de la Cruz, before reaching the Desert, we passed an Indian -village; but they all seemed quiet and peaceable. They belonged to the -Dieganos, a tribe extending from the Coast Range to the Colorado, and -wandering over much of the country we had passed through. A score or -more of them lay basking in the sun, as we drove by, and they seemed -to be about as helpless and idiotic a people, as human nature could -well furnish. They are said to subsist chiefly on snakes, lizards, -grasshoppers, mescal, etc., and appeared to be worse off than any Red -Skins we had encountered yet. At Laguna, in the midst of the Desert, we -chanced upon another party of them. As we drove up to Mr. Ganow's, the -station-keeper there, we observed quite a crowd of them running around -the corner of the lagoon, and making for the station. We supposed, at -first, that our arrival was the sensation that attracted them; but as -they drew nearer, we saw they were angry and excited, and Mr. Ganow -presently explained, that one of them had been robbed of a knife and a -silver dollar by a white man at Indian Wells--some four miles farther -on--and, when afterwards he remonstrated, the white man had tied him -up and flogged him. The poor wretch, still bruised and bleeding, now -came with twenty or thirty of his comrades, from their camp beyond -the Laguna, to Mr. Ganow--to report the outrage and seek redress. -Ganow said the white man referred to was a mean fellow, bad enough -for anything, who made a living chiefly by gambling with the Indians, -and selling them mescal and needle-gun whiskey, and that he kept the -countryside in a constant turmoil. He advised his copper-colored -friends to return to the Wells, and demand their property again, and -say a U. S. officer was at his ranch, and would be along next day and -look after him, if he did not give it up. This seemed to satisfy them, -and they all started off on a long trot, kicking a ball before them -as they ran, and were soon out of sight. One of them, rejoicing in -the name of Charley, was dressed in cast-off army-clothing, and spoke -broken-English pretty well. We gave him a handful of cigarritos and -matches, in return for his broken talk, and he went trotting off with -the rest. - -That night we spread our blankets as usual, in the corral, at the foot -of a hay-stack, and before going to sleep fell to talking about this -affair, and its possible consequences--perhaps even to Ganow and his -family themselves. He had a smart wife and two bright children, and -it seemed strange a man like him would expose them thus, in such a -remote and dangerous locality. From this we strayed to other topics, -and talked far into the night, as was often our wont on this trip--the -stars were so brilliant, and the night-air so inviting. Near midnight, -while T. was spinning one of his longest yarns, and I was lazily -listening--on my back, with my hands under my head, and knees at an -angle--suddenly an Indian, half naked, loomed up just at our feet, -with bow and arrows in hand, and a revolver at his waist. To seize my -Spencer was the work of an instant, and the next I demanded: - -"Who's there? What do you want this time of night?" - -T. stopped talking, and quickly fished up his revolver from the hay, -not seeing the Red Skin till after I challenged him. Back jumped the -Indian, exclaiming excitedly: - -"Ugh! No shoot! Me friend! Me Charley!" - -"Well, what are you doing here at this hour? What do you want now?" - -"Me been down to Indian Wells. 'Tother fellow got him knife and -dollar. Good! Dieganos much friend to Gen-e-ral. Heap!" - -"Well, then, Charley, why don't you go home, with the others? What -are you loafing here for?" - -"Me been playin' cards, till now! Charley gamble a heap! _Mucho! O -mui mucho!_ Lost all. Coat, hat, shirt, all gone. Me beggar now; got -nothing. Charley want Gen-er-al and fat friend (T. _was_ a little -stout) give him one dollar. Win um all back, quick! Heap more!" - -We pitied the poor fellow, but bade him leave till morning. He still -lingered, reluctant to go, but presently walked slowly off muttering -to himself, and we both became uneasy, as we knew there were a -hundred savages close within his call. However, after lying awhile -undisturbed, we concluded there was no use borrowing trouble, and -T. agreed to keep watch, if I would try to sleep. Once or twice he -woke me up with a "hist," and we fancied we heard the stealthy tread -of Red Skins about us; but none molested us, and morning broke at -last much to our relief. We breakfasted and were off too early for -Indian habits, so that Charley missed his "dollar," after all; but -we left him a plentiful supply of matches and "smoke-tobacco," which -doubtless served him far better. This experience, altogether, was -rather exciting at the time; and it is not too much to say, that our -friend Charley just escaped getting a bullet or two through him. - -As to travel, we met but little, and this was chiefly Mexicans _en -route_ to California. At Carissa Creek, as we drove up, we found quite -a party of these, resting there during the heat of the day. The men -were lounging about the station, or sleeping in the sand; the women, -washing clothes in the little creek. Their animals--a heterogeneous -herd of horses, mules, and bronchos,--were browsing by the roadside, -on chemisal, mescal, or whatever they could pick up. The entire party -consisted of imperialists, who were now fleeing from the vengeance of -the just triumphant liberals in Sonora. When Maximilian first came, -the liberals had to leave; but now Juarez was in the ascendant, and -the imperialists had Hobson's choice of emigration or the halter. Our -host there said, that in the past four months about twelve hundred -imperialists had passed California-ward, while during the same period -only about two hundred liberals had returned Sonora-ward; so that -California seemed to be the gainer, by this exodus. We essayed some -talk with the party, in our hobbling Spanish, which daily improved, and -one who seemed to be the leader responded, as follows: - -"Si, Senor! Imperialists we, all; Maximiliani! Sonora no good place -for imperialists now, Jesu, no! Liberals just take one knife, this -way (and he drew his hand significantly across his throat); or one -lariat, this way (and he twirled his fingers around his head); or -else, one carabina--bang! Carahu! We vamose to California!" - -He said this, with such wild grimaces and mad gesticulations, as only -a Mexican can achieve; and presently, to our delight, the whole -banditti cut-throat looking crew moved off, with a friendly chorus of -"Adios! Senors! Adios!" - -The few Americans we met _en route_--but a handful--all reported -themselves as going "inside," and smiled at us bound "outside." By -_inside_, of course, they meant California and civilization; by -_outside_, Arizona and something else! Of all the Borderisms we had -heard yet, these seemed the strangest, until we got well "outside" -ourselves, and thoroughly comprehended them; and then they appeared -the aptest, indeed, of any. How much so, this chapter suggests in -part already; and others will further disclose, when we get well into -Arizona. "Inside" and paradise, "outside" and purgatory--these were -the opposing ideas constantly expressed, and we learned not to wonder -at them. - - - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - FORT YUMA TO TUCSON. - - -Fort Yuma is popularly believed to be in Arizona, but is in reality -in the extreme southeastern corner of California. The fort itself -stands on a high bluff, on the west bank of the Rio Colorado, which -alone separates it from Arizona, and is usually occupied by two or -three companies of U. S. troops. Directly opposite, on the east -bank of the Colorado, stands Arizona City, a straggling collection -of adobe houses, containing then perhaps five hundred inhabitants -all told. Here and at Yuma are located the government store-houses, -shops, corrals, etc., as the grand depot for all the posts in -Arizona. Hence, considerable business centres here; but it is chiefly -of a military nature, and if the post and depot were removed, the -"City" as such would speedily subside into its original sand-hills. -Being at the junction of the Gila and Colorado, where the main route -of travel east and west crosses the latter, it is also the first -place of any importance on the Colorado itself; and hence would seem -to be well located for business, if Arizona had any business to -speak of. The distance to the mouth of the Colorado is one hundred -and fifty miles, whence a line of schooners then connected with San -Francisco two thousand miles away _via_ the Gulf of California. From -the head of the Gulf, light-draught stern-wheel steamers ascend the -Colorado to Yuma, and occasionally to La Paz, and Fort Mojave or -Hardyville--one hundred and fifty, and three hundred miles, farther -up respectively. Sometimes they had even reached Callville, some -six hundred miles from the Gulf, but this was chiefly by way of -adventure, as there was no population or business sufficient to -justify such risks ordinarily. - -The Rio Colorado itself, or the great Red River of the west, although -rising even beyond Fort Bridger, in the very heart of the continent, -and draining with its tributaries the whole western slope of the Rocky -Mountains for two thousand miles, was yet pronounced an unnavigable -stream, after the first few hundred miles, and rather a hard river -to navigate even that distance. Much of the way it runs through a -comparatively rainless region in summer, and the last few hundred miles -it ploughs its course along through a sandy alluvium, where its channel -is constantly shifting, and sand-bars everywhere prevail. The tiny -river-steamers reported the channel never in the same place for a week -together, and they always tied up when night came, for fear of running -ashore or grounding in the darkness. The current, moreover, was usually -very swift; so that between the sand and water together, voyaging on -the Colorado was regarded generally as a slow kind of business. These -boats usually took from three days to a week, to make the one hundred -and fifty miles, from the mouth of the river to Arizona City, and from -ten to twenty days more to ascend to Hardyville--three hundred miles -farther--whence, however, they descended to the Gulf again, with water -and sand both to help them, in a tithe of the time. In all, there were -three boats then on the Colorado, supported chiefly by a contract they -had to transport government stores. Without this, there was not enough -travel or freight, apparently, to keep even one running, though it was -hoped the development of mines in Arizona would soon make business more -brisk. - -As a means of a water communication, from the Gulf of California into -the very heart of the continent, it would seem, that this great river -ought to have become more useful to civilization, than it has. But -the difficulties of navigating it, even to Callville, were reported -great; and beyond that, was the insuperable obstacle of the Big Cañon -of the Colorado, which nobody then knew anything about, except as a -geographical mystery, but which Prof. Powell has since explored so -gallantly. At Yuma, the river was a turbid, rolling flood, broad and -deep; and, judging by what we saw of it there, it would seem, that -steamers of proper draught and build ought to be able to stem its -current, and be of great service hereafter to all the upper country. -The rates then current on the river were as follows: From the mouth of -the Colorado to Yuma or Arizona City, 150 miles, twenty dollars per -ton, coin; to La Paz, 300 miles, forty dollars per ton; to Fort Mojave -or Hardyville, 450 miles, sixty dollars per ton. The rates from San -Francisco to the mouth of the river, some 2000 miles, were then from -twelve to fifteen dollars per ton, coin, besides; so that every load of -freight put down at Arizona City or Hardyville, cost say thirty-five -dollars and seventy-five dollars per ton, coin, respectively, for -transportation alone. This may have been good business for the -transportation companies; but it was death to mining, and other -private enterprises, and operated practically as a prohibition to -business, over most of the country there. It made Arizona substantially -inaccessible, to population and trade, by this route (and there was no -other so advantageous), and the whole country was hoping against hope, -with prayers without ceasing, for a sometime oncoming railroad. - -March 2d, while still at Arizona City, inspecting the depot there, we -saw something of a Yuma sand-storm. The whirlwinds we had observed in -the distance, when crossing the Colorado Desert a day or two before, -seemed to have been only its precursors. It struck Yuma on the 2d, -and promised to be only a passing blow, lulling away at eventide; -but on the 3d, it resumed its course, with increased violence, and -all day long rolled and roared onward furiously. We had heard much -of these Yuma sand-storms, and on the whole were rather glad to see -one, disagreeable as it proved. The morning dawned, hot and sultry, -without a breath of air anywhere. Along about 9 A. M., the wind -commenced sweeping in from the Desert, and as it increased in power -uplifted and whirled along vast masses of sand, that seemed to trail -as curtains of tawny gossamer from the very sky. As yet, it was -comparatively clear at Yuma, and we could see the sweep and whirl -of the storm off on the Desert, as distinctly as the outlines of a -distant summer shower. But, subsequently, the Desert itself seemed -to be literally upborne, and sweeping in, on the wings of the wind. -The heavens became lurid and threatening. The sun disappeared, as -in a coppery fog. The landscape took on a yellowish, fiery glare. -The atmosphere became suffocating and oppressive. Towards noon, -the wind rose to a hurricane; the sand, if possible, came thicker -and faster, penetrating into every nook and cranny; the air became -absolutely stifling, until neither man nor beast could endure it -passably. People kept within doors, with every window closed, and -animals huddled in groups with their noses to the ground, as if the -only place to breathe. As night approached, the tempest gradually -ceased, as if it had blown itself out; but it followed us on a minor -scale, for a day or two afterwards, as we journeyed up the Gila. -The ill-defined horror, and actual suffering of such a day, must be -experienced to be appreciated. Out on the Desert, in the midst of -the storm, the phenomenon no doubt would amount much to the same -thing as the simooms of the Sahara. Travellers or troops caught in -these sand-storms have to stop still, and instances are not rare -where persons have lost their lives, in attempting to battle with -them. They obliterate all signs of a road, where they actively -prevail, whirling the sand into heaps and ridges, like New England -snow-drifts; and the next travellers, who chance along, have either -to go by the compass, or employ a guide, who understands the lay -of the mountains, and country generally. Col. Crittenden, of the -32d Infantry, who crossed the Desert with a portion of his command -some time after, was detained two days by such a storm, and his men -suffered greatly, especially for want of water. - -These sand-storms, it appears, are pretty much the only _storms_ -they ever get at Yuma, and they would not be unwilling there to -dispense with even these. In the spring and summer, they frequently -prevail there, sweeping in from the south and southwest, and it is -not too much to say, that they are simply execrable. They have done -much to make the name of Fort Yuma proverbial on the Pacific Coast, -as the hottest place in the Union; and in San Francisco there was -a story current about a soldier, who died at Yuma in a customary -spree, and of course went to tophet. Subsequently, however, the -story ran, his ghost came back for his blankets, because as alleged -he had found the climate there much _colder_ than Yuma--a sort of -Alaska to California! The Post stands on a high gravel bluff, facing -to the east and south, exposed to the blazing sun throughout the -day; and, consequently, becoming saturated through and through with -heat, retains it for months together. Hence, in the summer months, -for weeks together, the thermometer there ranges from 100° to 125° -in the shade, and the chief end of the garrison becomes an effort to -keep cool, or even tolerably so. A tour of duty there was commonly -regarded on the Coast, as a kind of banishment to Botany Bay; and -yet we found the officers a very clever set of gentlemen, and spent -some days there quite delightfully. Col. W., the commandant, proved -to be an old acquaintance of the Army of the Potomac; and Dr. J., the -surgeon, an old school-mate. - -The Post here was established about 1857 to overawe the Yumas, then a -stalwart and numerous tribe of Indians, occupying both banks of the -Colorado for a hundred miles or more. Though much reduced, they still -numbered over a thousand souls; and physically speaking, were the -finest specimens of aborigines we had seen yet. They cultivate the -river-bottoms to some extent, and raise barley, wheat, beans, melons, -etc.--for their surplus of which, when any, they find a ready market -at Fort Yuma and Arizona City. Some chop wood for the river-steamers, -and others indeed we found employed on the steamers themselves, as -deck-hands, firemen, etc. Altogether, these Yumas seemed to have more -of the practical about them, than any savages we had met yet, and -no doubt they might be saved to the race for generations to come, -were proper efforts made to protect and care for them. They had been -peaceable for years, and scores of them thronged the Post and the -depot, every day we were there. The men wore only a breech-cloth, -with long ends fluttering fore and aft; the women but little more, -though some of them affected a rude petticoat. Both sexes, as a -rule, were naked from the waist up, and many of each were superb -specimens of humanity; but all seemed corrupted and depraved, by -contact with the nobler white race. The open and unblushing looseness -and licentiousness of the riff-raff of Arizona City, with these poor -Indians, was simply disgusting, and it is a disgrace to a Christian -government to tolerate such orgies, as frequently occur there, under -the very shadow of its flag. Great blame attaches to the army, in -former years, for ever admitting these poor creatures within the -precincts of the Post there at all. Some time before, it was said, -the commanding officer sent for Pasquol, their head-chief, and bade -him order his squaws away. - -"_My_ squaws?" he indignantly responded; "no _my_ squaws now! -White man's squaws! Before white man come, squaws good--stay in -wigwam--cook--fish--work in field--gather barley--heap good. But now -squaws about Fort all day--City all night--and Yumas no want 'em. -White man made squaws a heap bad. White man keep 'em!" - -And with this, old Pasquol, a stately old savage, wrapped his blanket -about his shoulders, and strode haughtily away. As far as we could -learn, there had never been a missionary, or teacher of any kind, among -these poor Yumas; and to all who feel a call in that direction, we -would suggest the place as a superb field, for earnest missionary work. -Will not some of our religious organizations, now that they have got -the Red Man so fully in their hands, make a note of this, and try to -look a little after these splendid savages, degraded though they be, as -well as the Cheyennes and Sioux, and other more eastern tribes? - -At Fort Yuma we overhauled Gov. McCormick and wife, who had left -San Francisco in advance of us, and who were now about to leave -for Prescott, then the capital of Arizona. On reflection, however, -rather than lose such good company, they decided to journey with us -to Tucson, and thence somewhat back to Prescott; whence we designed -returning to Los Angelos again, _via_ Fort Mojave. Accordingly, we -left Arizona City, March 4th, our route lying up the Gila easterly -two hundred miles to Maricopa Wells, and thence southerly one -hundred miles to Tucson, the oldest and most considerable town in -the Territory, and now again the capital. Much as we had "roughed -it," while _en route_ from Wilmington to Fort Yuma, according to -all reports we would have to rough it much worse before reaching -Tucson, if we trusted to the wayside ranches; and, therefore, before -setting out, we secured a joint cook, and provided ourselves with a -tolerable larder. Our "outfit" consisted of two four-mule ambulances, -into which and outside we stowed and strapped ourselves, baggage, -rations, forage, cooking utensils, etc., as best we could. Expecting -to "camp-out" at night, we also took along two extra wagon-sheets, to -pitch as tents, if necessary; but never found occasion to use them, -except as beds, beneath those exquisite skies. There was no cavalry -then at Yuma, and the road as far as Maricopa Wells being reported -comparatively safe, we decided to proceed thither without escort, -depending upon our own courage and vigilance. Nevertheless, we took -the precaution before starting to arm our cook and both drivers with -Springfield muskets, while we ourselves were equipped with a Spencer -or Remington rifle apiece, as well as our revolvers. - -With a host of "adios" and "good-byes," from our Yuma friends, we -swung out of Arizona City late that morning, through sand knee-deep, -and thus were fairly off for Tucson. The roads proved heavy all -that day, and the remains of the sand-storm kept us company; yet -we succeeded in making thirty-one miles, and went into camp before -night-fall on the banks of the Gila. Some twenty miles out we passed -Gila City, consisting of two adobe huts and an abandoned mine, -then famous as the spot where Gen. McD., and some San Francisco -friends, had recently made rather "permanent investments." Thence -on to Maricopa Wells, indeed all the way from Arizona City, the -road ascends the south bank of the Gila, and confines itself pretty -closely to it, except here and there where it strikes across the -mesas, to avoid some bend in this most tortuous of streams. The -Gila itself ordinarily is an insignificant river, apparently famed -more for quicksands than water; but just now its banks were full -with the spring freshet, and its usual fords dangerous if not -impassable. Its valley is of uncertain breadth, from one to five -miles, though its river bottoms--its only really valuable land--are -of course much narrower. Beyond the valley, on either side, are high -mesas or plateaus, covered often with barren volcanic rocks, like -the table-lands of Idaho; and, beyond these still, are substantial -mountain-ranges. The range on the north, day after day, was a -constant wonder and delight. Instead of ridges and peaks, it seemed -to be rather a succession of domes, and towers, and castellated -ramparts, sharp and well-defined against a peerless sky, chief among -which was Castle Dome--a superb dome-like mountain, that dominated -the landscape for two or three days together. These dome-shaped -mountains are a feature of Arizona, and abound everywhere in the -Territory, especially in the northern part of it. - -As already intimated, we found the Gila very high and still rising. -In several places, it had just washed the banks away, destroying -the road, and we had to pick our way across the bottoms, through the -chemisal and mesquite, to the connecting part, the best we could. -In this way, it seems, its channel is constantly shifting, and this -was said to be one of the chief drawbacks to constructing acequias, -and cultivating its fine bottom lands by irrigation. The head of an -acequia to-day, tapping the river well, a month hence may be three -feet or more out of water, and then all the work of excavating -ditches, damming the river, etc., has to be done over again. The bed -of the Gila itself, in the main, seems to be pure quicksand. At one -point, a station-keeper showed us where a year before piles had been -driven down fifty feet, in making a wing-dam to divert a portion -of the river into an acequia; but at the first freshet, the cross -currents had underbored everything, and left the head of the acequia -high and dry. No doubt the river-bottoms are all exceedingly fertile, -and would produce well, if irrigated; but not otherwise. Of these, -there is a considerable breadth, at many points along the Gila, and, -here and there, there had been some attempts at cultivation, but -scarcely any worth mentioning. - -These bottoms nearly everywhere abound with bunch-grass and -mesquite-timber--the one the delight of horses and cattle, the other -invaluable in that treeless region. The mesquite has but little -height; but its trunk is often two and three feet in diameter, though -only about as many high, from which point it throws out great, -sturdy, black, gnarled limbs for a distance of thirty or forty feet -all around. We saw many of them, that I think could not have been -more than five or six feet in height, the bend of the branches -included; nevertheless, with their crooked and gnarled limbs, they -sprawled over the ground for a diameter of fully seventy-five or -one hundred feet. At first they strike you as dwarfs, puny in -aspect and purpose; but afterwards, as stunted giants, massive in -strength and power, writhing in very anguish, because unable to tower -higher. For lumber purposes, the mesquite amounts to but little; -but for fuel, it is invaluable, and the future settlers on the Gila -will prize it highly. It occurs pretty much all through Arizona, -on the best river-bottoms, and everywhere seems a providential -institution. It makes a fire-wood scarcely inferior to oak or -hickory, and bears a bean besides, which constitutes a large part -of the subsistence of the Mexicans and the Indians there. These -mesquite beans make a very sweet and palatable dish, and horses, -mules, cattle, etc. are especially fond of them. The Mexicans we met -_en route_ to California, were subsisting upon them almost entirely, -and subsequently in wandering through a Pimo village, we found them -in every storehouse. A Pimo belle, for a bundle of cigarritos, -cooked us a dish of them, and we have eaten worse things in New York -and Washington. Said an old Arizonian one day, "Wherever you see -mesquites, strangers, look out for good land, you bet!" and we found -it so invariably. Indeed, with a moderate amount of enterprise, and a -small amount of capital, we saw no good reason why the valley of the -Gila should not eventually be dotted with excellent farms. The land -is all there, and plenty of water to irrigate it (if only the Gila -can be subdued, and surely it _can_), and the climate the year round -must be delicious. But, as a rule, we found the country desolate and -forsaken, with the exception of a starving ranch here and there, -whose dirty and dilapidated proprietor cared more to swear at his -snarling half-cayote dogs, and sell an occasional glass of mescal or -whiskey, than to do an honest hard day's work. The truth is, the most -of these settlers, as well as too many throughout Arizona generally, -were exiles or emigrants from Arkansas and Texas, with little in them -of the kind of stuff that founds states and builds empires. They -knew how to drink, and swear, and "shoot a Red Skin, sir, on sight;" -but were strangers to honest toil and steady industry, and therefore -missed their logical and golden fruits--prosperity and thrift. Of -course, like all such everywhere, they were opposed to "Chinese cheap -labor;" and, like the good William Nye, hated the "Heathen Chinee," -even worse than the negro. - -At Gila Bend, some fifty miles from Maricopa Wells, the river makes -a sharp curve north, and the road leaves it, for a direct course -across the Bend to Maricopa Wells. This embraces what is known mainly -as the Maricopa Desert--a wide circuit of level country, practically -a waterless desert, though with some good land here and there. In -wet seasons and during rainy months, water remains in a few holes -near the middle of the Desert; but we found all long since dry. The -distance is usually made in two stages, water being carried along -for drinking and cooking purposes; but our "outfit" was light, and -taking an early start and driving late, we pushed through in one. -The Desert itself, as level as a house-floor, is covered with a sort -of fine gravel, that makes an excellent road, over which our wheels -rolled easily. Near its eastern borders, a range of barren mountains -crosses the Desert from north to south, apparently blocking the way; -but the road climbs along through a narrow cañon, that opens as you -approach, and makes the plains beyond very readily. This cañon is a -noted resort of the dread Apaches, and several attacks had recently -occurred here. Before leaving Fort Yuma we had been told we would -find hostile Indians here, if anywhere. But we took the precaution -to dismount from our ambulances, and skirmish through on foot; and -consequently, Señors Apaches failed to show themselves, if there. Our -experience was the same all the way to Tucson. Subsequently, while -_en route_ thither, we passed several other places, where we had been -warned to look out for Apaches, especially at Picacho, where the -mountains crowd down to the road, and form something like a cañon -again. But a prudent vigilance by day, and a few simple precautions -by night, carried us safely through; and we were more than ever -convinced, that the great majority of Indian attacks come from -carelessness and neglect, on the part of the attacked. - -A few miles west of Gila Bend, between Berk's Station and Oatman's -Flat, we passed a group of rocks, that interest everybody, but which -nobody seemed to know much about. They stand near the roadside, and -consist of smooth red porphyry, or some such stone, curiously carved -with figures of men, birds, beasts, fishes, etc. Many of the figures -are now quite indistinct, but sufficient remain to show what they -were, and their very indistinctness--coupled with the hardness of -the stone--proves their great antiquity. The rocks themselves, when -struck, ring like genuine clink-stones; and, it would seem, only -the sharpest and hardest instruments could make much impression on -them. The place is called "Painted Rocks," and we had only time -for a cursory examination; but the sculpturing seemed too remote -for Spanish times, and was generally attributed to the days of the -Aztecs. However this may be, they appeared to be there as a species -of hieroglyphics, and doubtless have a story to tell, that some -future Champollion may unfold. It may be, that the ancient travel -for Mexico left the Gila here, or about here, and struck across -the country for the Santa Cruz and so south, flanking the Maricopa -Desert, and that these sculptured rocks record the place as the -starting-point--as a sort of finger-board or mile-stone. This is only -a conjecture; but here, at least, is work for the archæologist and -antiquarian, as well as at so many other points in Arizona. - -With the exception of some mesquite, iron-wood, and palo-verde -trees, scattered here and there along the Gila and its bottoms, the -whole country from Yuma to Tucson is practically treeless, and must -continue so from want of rains. Sage-brush and grease-wood abound, -as in Utah and Idaho, and throughout the great internal basin of -the continent generally; and on the uplands, you find the great -columnar cactus in full vigor and maturity. Indeed, from the time we -struck the Colorado Desert, we were fairly into the cactus region of -the continent, but the varieties were few, and the size moderate, -till we got well into Arizona. Here they increased in height and -bulk, until we reached the Maricopa Desert, where we found them -thirty and forty feet high, by two or three feet in diameter, with -perpendicular branches halfway up, nearly half as large as the main -stem. This variety is a green fluted column, with its edges armed -with semi-circular thorns, and bears a cluster of apples on top, from -which the Indians extract a rude molasses or sugar. Inside, it is a -frame-work of reedy poles, that serve many useful purposes in that -woodless region. These immense cacti dot the country over to Tucson, -and beyond--indeed, down to Mexico, and largely through it--and -are a leading feature of southern Arizona. Sometimes you miss them -altogether; but, as a rule, they occur more or less on the _mesas_ or -plateaus nearly everywhere, and seem in the distance like monumental -columns. Their clustering groups and varying heights, when seen -from afar, have all the effect of a rural cemetery; only here the -shafts are emerald green, instead of marble white. In fights with -the Indians, they often prove of value as a defence, and their huge -trunks secrete a fluid much akin to water, that has saved the life of -many a thirsty traveller, when lost amid these arid wastes. How such -a gigantic vegetable or immense plant can thus nourish here, where -nothing else comparatively will grow, is a continuing mystery and -perpetual astonishment. It would seem more fit for a luxuriant soil -and a tropical climate. Yet here it is, _magnum opus_, mocking the -naturalist apparently to scorn. - -At Maricopa Wells, and thence up the Gila, we found a large settlement -of the Maricopa and Pimo Indians. The Maricopas, it seems, are an -offshoot of the Yumas, and number less than a thousand souls. The Pimos -foot up five or six thousand, and from them are sprung the Papagos--a -great tribe dominating all southern Arizona. The Maricopas and Pimos -have a Reservation here together, some twenty-five miles long by four -or five wide, embracing both sides of the Gila, and live in twelve -different villages scattered over it. Two of these are occupied wholly -by Maricopas--the rest, by Pimos. Both tribes are a healthy, athletic, -vigorous-looking people, and they were decidedly the most well-to-do -aborigines we had yet seen. Unlike most Indians elsewhere, these two -tribes are steadily on the increase; and this is not to be wondered -at, when one sees how they have abandoned a vagabond condition, and -settled down to regular farming and grazing. They have constructed -great acequias up and down the Gila, and by means of these take out -and carry water for irrigating purposes, over thousands of acres of as -fine land as anybody owns. Their fields were well fenced with willows, -they had been scratched a little with rude plows, and already (March -9th) they were green with the fast springing wheat and barley. In -addition, they raise corn, beans, melons, etc., and have horses and -cattle in considerable numbers. One drove of their live stock, over -two thousand head, passed down the road just ahead of us, subsequently -when _en route_ to Tucson, and we were told they had many more. The -year before, these Indians had raised and sold a surplus of wheat and -corn, amounting to two millions of pounds, besides a large surplus of -barley, beans, etc. The most of this was bought by Indian traders, -located at Maricopa Wells and Pimo villages, at from one to two cents -per pound, coin, in trade; and then resold to the government, for the -use of troops in Arizona, at from six to seven cents per pound, coin, -in cash. This is a specimen of the way in which the old Indian Ring -fleeced both the Indians and the government, and I give it as a passing -argument in favor of the new policy. These Indians, it appears, have -practiced agriculture somewhat from time immemorial, and they should be -encouraged in it, as there is no surer way of "pacifying" or civilizing -them. During the rebellion, they furnished two companies to the Union -volunteers in Arizona, and the most of these had just re-enlisted, to -serve as scouts against the Apaches. These wore a mongrel uniform, half -Indian, half soldier; but the rest, only the traditional breech-cloth. - -Their wigwams are oval-shaped, wicker-work lodges, made of poles, -thatched with willows and straw, and this in turn overlaid with earth. -An inverted wash-bowl, on an exaggerated scale, would not be a bad -representation of one of them. They are usually five or six feet high -in the centre, by fifteen or twenty in diameter, and would be very -comfortable dwellings, were it not for their absurd doors. These are -only about thirty inches high, by perhaps twenty wide, and consequently -the only mode of entrance is on your hands and knees. While halting at -the Pimo villages for a day, we managed to crawl into one, for the sake -of the experience; but the smoke and the dirt soon drove us out. There -was a dull fire in the centre, but with no means of exit for the smoke, -except the low doorway. Rush or willow mats covered the rest of the -floor, and on these three or four Pimos lay snoozing, wrapped in hides -and blankets. Various articles of rude pottery, made by themselves, -were stowed away under the eaves of the roof; and at the farther side, -suspended from a roof-pole in a primitive cradle, was a pretty papoose -sound asleep. As we crawled in, the venerable head of the family, -raising himself on his elbow, saluted us with: - -"Ugh! White man?" - -To which, we, in true Arizona dialect, responded: - -"How! Buenos dias, Señor!" - -His dignified and elegant answer was: - -"Heap good! 'Bacco? Matches?" - -We gave him some of each, and shook hands all round, when the aged -aborigine was pleased to add: - -"Pimos! Americanos! Much friends! _Mui Mucho!_" - -These Indians had long been quiet and peaceable, and it would -seem are already on the road to civilization. What they need -is school-houses and religious teachers. They had an Agent, an -ex-officer of volunteers, who seemed honest and capable. But his -hands were tied, as to many essential things, and as a rule he was -powerless for good. The Indian Bureau, with its then accustomed -wisdom, continued to send him fishing-lines and fish-hooks, although -there was not a palatable fish in the Gila--I suppose, because the -Indians formerly on the Ohio and the Mississippi needed these; -but persistently refused him carts and wagons, although these were -constantly called for, to enable them to haul their crops and fuel. -As it was, we found the poor squaws gathering their scanty fuel as -best they could--often miles away--and lugging it home to their -villages, on their backs and heads, from far and near. A single cart -or wagon to a village would be invaluable to these poor creatures, -and would do more to ameliorate their condition, than a car-load -of fish-hooks, or a cargo of trinkets and blankets. Religiously, -their ideas seemed confused and vague, except that they believed, -in a general way, in some sort of a supreme being, whom they call -Montezuma. On the mountains to the west of them, clear-cut against -their azure sky, is a gigantic human profile, which they claim is -Montezuma asleep. It bears, indeed, a striking resemblance to our own -Washington, and is a marked feature of the landscape for many miles. - -Thence on to Tucson, nearly a hundred miles south, we found the -country much the same as up the Gila, and across the Maricopa Desert. -There was a great want of water everywhere, and often we would travel -for twenty and thirty miles, before we came to a stream or spring. -Our road was almost a dead level, generally free from sand, along -which our teams trotted gaily, and it really seemed, as if specially -designed for a natural highway here forever. A railroad could want -no better route; and here is surely the predestined pathway of -our future Arizona Southern, or some such road, into Sonora. Of -population there was even less than on the Gila, until we struck -the Santa Cruz near Tucson, when ranches again thickened up, and -flocks and herds on a moderate scale were not infrequent. The chief -characteristic of the country everywhere was the columnar cactus, the -gigantic species spoken of on page 368. The farther we got south, -the larger it grew and the more it branched out, until it became -indeed quite a tree, after a clumsy sort. Sage-brush and grease-wood, -of course, constantly occurred, and here and there superb bunch-grass -abounded, which will prove invaluable hereafter for grazing purposes, -when the country settles up. The mountains usually gave us a wide -berth; occasionally, however, they crowded quite down to the road, as -at Picacho and Point of Mountains, and as we neared Tucson they shot -up into a bold, castellated front off to the east, that would be very -surprising outside of Arizona. Here, however, such dome-like peaks, -and castellated walls, are frequent features of the scenery. - -The weather proved delicious all the way down, and our ride -throughout a delightful one. We heard of Apaches at one or two -points, but it was always a fortnight before or several miles ahead, -and we went through unmolested. Before leaving Maricopa Wells, we -were warned of Apaches _en route_, and as a prudent precaution -accepted an escort of three infantry-men, whom we mounted on our -ambulances--there being no cavalry on hand. These stood guard in turn -at night, and were vigilant by day. But we saw no enemy, and their -only service was to arrest an insubordinate and drunken teamster, -who afterwards escaped from them, but the next morning returned and -resumed his mules. He was a queer genius, indigenous to the Border; -but, subsequently, proved himself a brave and gallant fellow--one of -the best teamsters I ever knew. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - TUCSON TO PRESCOTT. - - -Tucson we found to be a sleepy old town, of a thousand or so -inhabitants, that appeared to be trying its best to take things -easy, and succeeds in doing so. It was formerly, and is now again, -the capital of Arizona, and the largest town in the territory. It -is reputed to be some two hundred years old, and its appearance -certainly justifies its reputation. It sort of half awoke from its -lethargy one day, when news arrived that our party were _en route_, -at Point of the Mountains, and would reach Tucson next morning. -Arrangements were hastily made to organize a procession, and give -their distinguished visitors a grand reception, with music, speeches, -etc. No doubt it would have been a curious performance, all things -considered. But while its projectors were agitating, and discussing, -and deciding what hour to start, lo! our dusty and jaded teams -trotted into town, and Tucson missed one of its biggest sensations. -No doubt the honorable Committee and their selected orator were much -put out; but others, it is certain, secretly rejoiced. - -The town itself is built wholly of adobe, in thorough Mexican or -Spanish style, and its population fluctuated. During the rule of -Maximilian in Mexico, there was a considerable influx of Liberals here -from Sonora, so that the town at one time numbered perhaps fifteen -hundred souls. But with his "taking off," and the rise again of Juarez, -many had returned thither; so that the population was then only about a -thousand or so, as above stated, of whom fully two-thirds or more were -Mexicans, originally or by descent. Its streets are unpaved, and all -slope to the middle as a common sewer, as in Spain. It boasted several -saloons, one rather imposing, and some good stores; but had no bank, -newspaper, school-house, or church, except a rude adobe structure, -where a Mexican padre officiated on Sunday to a small audience, with -much array of lights, images, drums and violins, and afterwards -presided at the customary cock-fight. As specimens of ruling prices, -grain (barley and wheat) sold at $3 per bushel, hay at $40 per ton, -lumber at $250 per thousand, all coin, and other things in proportion. -The lumber came from the Santa Rita Mountains, fifty miles away, and -was poor and scarce at that. - -The basis of Tucson's existence, it appears, is the little Santa -Cruz river, which flows along just at the edge of the town, and -irrigates some hundreds of surrounding acres, green just then -(March 13th-18th), with wheat, barley, oats, etc. There is a good -breadth of fine land here, and near here, and the river ought to be -made to irrigate the whole valley. No doubt with proper husbanding -and utilizing of the little stream, thousands of acres might be -cultivated, and the whole region, both above and below Tucson, be -made to produce largely. Peach-trees were in bloom down by the -river side when we were there; the grape, the orange, and the olive -appeared in many gardens; and both climate and soil seemed all the -most fastidious could wish. But Tucson lacks energy and capital, and -besides, it seemed, the Apaches claim original, and pretty much -undisputed, jurisdiction over most of the country there. Merchants -complained that the Apaches raided on their teams and trains _en -route_, and ranchmen that the wily rascals levied contributions -regularly on their live stock, as soon as it was worth anything, and -did not hesitate to scalp and kill, as well as steal, if it came in -their way. Farming or grazing under such circumstances, it must be -conceded, could hardly be called very lucrative or enticing, and the -Tucsonians are entitled to the benefit of this explanation. - -The livest and most energetic things, however, that we saw about -Tucson were its innumerable blackbirds, that thronged the few -trees about the streets, and awoke us every morning with their -multitudinous twittering and chattering. How those birds did chatter -and sing, from daylight well on into the morning; and what a relief -they were to the dull and prosy old town! The men and women, wrapped -in their serapes or blankets, sunned themselves by the hour in -the doorways. The dogs and cats, the goats and pigs, slept on in -the streets, or strolled lazily about at will. But these plucky -birds sung on and on, with all the heartiness and abandon of the -robin or mocking-bird in the East; and Tucson should emulate their -intrepidity, and zeal. She should shake off somewhat of the spirit of -Rip Van Winkle, and remember she is under Yankee Government now, and -in the latter half of the nineteenth century. - -Tucson already drove a considerable trade with Sonora, and expected -to increase this much, now that Maximilian had subsided. Its main -importance, however, just then, arose from its being the headquarters -of the Military District there, and the chief depot for the several -posts comprising said District. The stores for Camps Lovell, Cameron, -Wallen, Bowie, Goodwin, and Grant, were all received here from Fort -Yuma by contractors' trains, and then re-distributed by army teams -to these posts, respectively, as needed. This made considerable -business, first and last, and rendered the Quartermaster at Tucson -quite an important personage. The route was by sailing-vessels, -semi-occasionally, down the Pacific Coast and up the stormy Gulf -of California to the mouth of the Colorado; thence by cockle-shell -steamers up the aggravating Colorado River to Fort Yuma; and thence -by contractors' teams to Tucson--at a total cost, from San Francisco, -of about _twenty cents per pound, in coin_, for every load of -Government freight thus put down at Tucson. The time consumed was -anywhere from two to four months, depending on the head-winds and -"borers"[22] in the uncertain Gulf, the amount of water or sand -in the Colorado River, and the condition of the roads and Indians -generally up the valley of the Gila. Private freight, of course, -largely followed the same route, _ex necessitate_, and the rates were -simply ruinous to Tucson. Merchants and freighters there claimed, -that the same work could be done, _via_ either Libertad or Guaymas, -instead of Yuma, at a cost of not exceeding seven or eight cents per -pound, coin, and in not more than from twenty to thirty days, from -San Francisco, at the farthest. This, of course, meant steamers from -San Francisco to the Gulf; but a coast-wise line already touched -semi-monthly at Guaymas, and it was thought would also put in at -Libertad, if inducement offered. Libertad lies two hundred miles off, -to the southwest of Tucson, on the Gulf of California, and is a port -not equal to San Francisco or San Diego, indeed; but yet it is not -much behind San Pedro or Santa Barbara, and it seems is of sufficient -advantages most of the year round. It is an open roadstead like the -latter, but is well sheltered from all but southwest winds, and when -these come, there is the broad Gulf for an offing. Guaymas, farther -south, and a hundred miles farther away, is one of the best ports -on the Pacific Coast; and the roads to both are excellent natural -highways, unsurpassed as such in America. - -True, both of these ports are in Mexican territory, which was one -of the blunders of our treaty of cession there; but the Mexican -authorities, it was said, were willing and anxious to have us make -use of them, and now that the Imperialists had left Sonora, there -was no difficulty in traversing the country, except from occasional -Indians. Individuals, it was said, already travelled everywhere -alone there, camping out at night with safety; and a train of teams, -with armed teamsters, it was believed, would be invincible against -any aborigines, that would be likely to turn up. At least, this was -Tucson's oft-told story, and the burden of her griefs, when we were -there. What she wanted was to get "inside," or secure access to -civilization, cheap and quick. She had rich copper mines and fair -silver ones, as we ourselves witnessed, only a few miles off; but -these were now all lying idle, because of Apaches, and the excessive -cost and slowness of transportation. This last item, of course, -was the chief one. For cheap and quick transportation would bring -population, stimulate enterprise, develop the country, re-open her -mines, "pacify" or extirpate the Apaches, and release the military -for duty elsewhere. What she specially wanted, just then, was to -get the Government contractors' teams to select either the Libertad -or Guaymas route, instead of _via_ Fort Yuma and the Gila--she did -not care much, which. The wagons returning thither would take her -ores, and surplus grain and wool, down to the coast "and a market" -cheap, rather than go back empty; and thus solve the problem of -her prosperity and growth. Of course, she looked forward to a -transcontinental railroad in time; but, as yet, this was in the dim -future. The chief object of my trip thither was to look well into -these facts, and they were duly reported to the proper Department at -Washington, for its information and action. This change of routes, -it really seemed, would result in a saving of at least _two hundred -thousand dollars, in coin_, to the Government annually; but it may -not have been thought advisable, notwithstanding that, to trust our -line of supplies thus to foreign soil. - -South of Tucson, some ten miles, on the road to Tubac and Mexico, on -the banks of the Santa Cruz still, is the famous church of San Xavier -Del Bac, a venerable relic of the former Spanish rule in Arizona. The -road thither leads through dense mesquite and palo verde bottoms, -with water enough in the Santa Cruz to irrigate them all; but, as -yet, they were unbroken by the husbandman. The church itself seems -to have been built about a hundred years ago, and, though abandoned, -is still in a good state of preservation. It is not of adobe, but of -large, red, kiln-burnt brick, rough-coated with a yellowish cement, -that seems well-nigh indestructible. It is cruciform in style, -with thick and solid walls, and its antique front and towers have -originally been profusely decorated with saints, angels, griffins, -etc., in niche or bas-relief, though many of these are now mutilated -or destroyed. Inside it is handsomely frescoed, and was no doubt -once rich in paintings, ornaments, relics, etc., though these have -now mostly disappeared. Its roof seems to be a sort of asphaltum or -concrete, and appears as tight and firm, as when first laid. In one -of the towers, there is still a fine chime of bells, that came no -doubt originally from Castile or Arragon. The age of this church -is variously reported, but from a cursory examination it appeared -to have been erected about the year 1797, although we were shown a -mutilated register of marriages, births, deaths, etc., that began in -1752. This last, however, seemed to antedate the church, as if it had -been in use by the Spanish settlement here in early times, before -they were able to achieve such an edifice. This church was no doubt a -link in the chain of Spanish Missions, that the Jesuits a century or -more ago established, from the City of Mexico to Northern California, -and was abandoned like the rest of them, with the subsequent collapse -of their priestly power. No doubt, in its time, it was the centre of -a considerable community there; but now, only a squalid village of -Papago Indians crouches at its feet, who regard the aged structure -with a superstitious reverence, and will not permit its fine chime of -bells to be removed to Tucson, for fear of Our Lady's displeasure. -The padre at Tucson comes down and says mass occasionally, and -baptizes their young children; but he cannot cajole them out of -their bells, and doubtless they would fight, rather than lose -them. Altogether, this church is now the best and oldest civilized -structure to be found in Arizona. Very slight repairs would fit it -for occupancy and worship again; but, unfortunately, there are no -inhabitants there now to occupy and worship in it, except the Papagos -aforesaid--and as specimens of good clean Christians, they don't -amount to much now-a-days, whatever they were once. - -From Tucson, we retraced our steps to Maricopa Wells, reaching -there again March 21st, _en route_ to Prescott; and here had every -prospect of being detained a month or more, by the spring freshets -in the Gila and Salado. While down at Tucson, there had been heavy -rains, and a great melting of snows, on the mountains to the east; -and the usually sluggish, half-dry rivers were now all alive, and -booming. The Gila, especially, had overflowed its banks, and its -whole valley below in many places was inundated. Ranch after ranch -had been swept away, and in several instances the scant inhabitants -had barely escaped with their lives, from its treacherous waters. The -fine mesquite bottom at Gila Bend was reported four feet under water, -and Mr. James' house, corral, etc. there--the finest we saw coming -up the Gila--were all gone. The freshet was said to be the highest -known there for years, and inflicted a loss on the Gila valley alone, -it was alleged, of many thousands of dollars. The road was submerged -or washed out in many places, and all travel to and from Yuma was -interrupted for weeks, except such as could make its way around over -the hills and mesas, by the old Indian trails. Col. Crittenden, with -a column of three hundred men, _en route_ to Tucson and Southern -Arizona, succeeded in getting through to Maricopa Wells in fifteen -days, though we had made it in five. He was accompanied by his wife, -a brave lady and true-hearted Kentuckian, who deserved and received -much praise, for the long and arduous trip she was thus making, -rather than separate from her gallant husband. - -These two rivers, the Gila and Salado, lay directly across our path -to Fort Whipple and Prescott, for which we were now bound--Gov. -McCormick and wife to return to their home there, and T. and I to -look after U. S. post-office and military affairs there generally. -They were both, swollen and turbid; nobody had forded them, for a -month; and they were still at freshet height, and rising--without -bridge or ferry. As nothing better could be done, we decided to halt -at Maricopa Wells for a few days, as we could neither get forward to -Prescott nor backward to Yuma, though the delay was most vexatious at -such an out-of-the-world place, where the mail was so intermittent, -and their freshest newspaper more than a month old. We spent the -time in writing up our note-books, and in studying the Pimas and -Maricopas; but the days wore heavily on, with small prospect of the -waters subsiding. Finally, after waiting nearly a week, chafing at -the delay, we heard of a little row-boat owned by a German, down -at the McDowell crossing of the Gila, which it was reported would -suffice to ferry us over, if we took our ambulances well to pieces. -We would then have to mount the boat on a wagon and transport it -thirty miles or so, overland to the Salado, and there repeat the -operation; but this was better, than halting indefinitely at the -Wells. We had been told, there was no boat, available for such a -purpose; but I determined to see what we could do, with this one. Of -course, it would be slow work, and perhaps dangerous, ferrying over -two swollen rivers, by piecemeal thus. But it seemed better, than -being embargoed and flood-stayed here--practically five hundred miles -away from everywhere--and with no news from "inside" or civilization, -for over a month now. As to whether we would succeed, we could only -say _nous verrons_, or _quien sabe_; but meant to try, anyhow. - -Accordingly, early March 25th, we said "adios" to our good friends -at the Wells, and, with many thanks for their hospitality and kind -wishes, drove down to the Gila, some six miles away. We found it at -freshet height, perhaps a hundred yards wide, by ten or twelve feet -deep, and running like a mill-race--its tawny waters tossing and -whirling, hither and yon, and overflowing its thither bank for a -long distance. Now and then, as if to enliven the scene further, a -floating mesquite or an uprooted cottonwood would come rushing by, -sweeping all before it. Altogether, I confess, the Gila was not a -very inviting stream, just then, to navigate. But Louis Heller was -there, with his little boat; Prescott was before, and the Wells -behind us; and we resolved to venture over, if possible. His boat -was a mere cockle-shell affair at best, a rude canoe, ten feet long -by three wide, and clumsy at that; but Louis, nevertheless, with -true German grit and skill, managed to make it ferry both us and -our "outfit" safely across, in the course of the day. First, went -our baggage and forage, with the Governor and his lady; then the -vehicles, after being taken well to pieces; then, with much hallooing -and shouting, we forced the mules into the stream, and made them swim -for it. Only two or three got across at first, though the boat led -with a mule swimming behind it, held by a lariat; but these served -as decoys, and the next trip the rest ventured over. There was a -great struggling and whee-haw-ing in the water for awhile, and now -and then a donkey would whirl over or go under, and some landed far -down stream; nevertheless, we lost none, and soon after we ourselves -got safely across. The little tub of a canoe tossed and tumbled very -shakily, when she got out into the current, and for a few minutes -shot wildly down stream; but the strong arm of our sturdy Teuton -mastered the wild waters, and at last brought us safely ashore. - -It was nightfall, before we got over, and our ambulances together -again. The next morning early, we put Louis and his boat on a wagon, -and started for the McDowell Crossing of the Salado, some thirty-five -miles away. The Prescott Crossing, several miles below, was reported -impracticable, even with the boat, because of the wide overflow of -the banks there; but we hoped to get over at the McDowell Crossing, -and then follow down the north bank of the Salado, until we struck -the Prescott road again. It was late in the afternoon when we reached -the McDowell Crossing, and the condition of the Salado there was -anything but encouraging. We found it at least three times the size -of the Gila, and with its waters even more swollen and turbulent. -Nevertheless, it was perceptibly falling, and Louis predicted a much -better state of things next morning. This proved to be true; so, -early on the 27th, we began to ferry over again, as at the Gila. But -it was a tedious and delicate operation. The river, as I have said, -was three or four times as wide, and the swollen flood so swift, -that the boat usually landed a quarter of a mile or more below where -it went in. Then we had to drag and pole it back along the opposite -bank, half a mile or so above, whence we could row it diagonally -across to the place of starting again. - -It took us two days, to cross the Salado thus, and I need scarcely -say, they were long and anxious ones. We were now in a region infested -by Apaches, and we had to be constantly on the alert to guard against -surprise. Late in the afternoon of the second day, leaving our -teamsters and little escort to get the ambulances together and repack -them, we proceeded up the Salado to Fort McDowell--the commandant there -having heard of our approach, and sent an ambulance to bring us. It was -some fifteen miles, part of the way through a dreaded Apache cañon; -but we passed safely on, though we did not reach the post until after -nightfall. We found the post--the largest and finest in Arizona--short -of rations, and wholly out of forage, as it had been for several weeks, -because of the spring freshets, as it was alleged, though there was -plenty at Maricopa Wells, which it would seem might have been got -there, if we could. This was suggested to the officer in charge, and -no doubt was well heeded. We remained there until the next afternoon, -inspecting the post and its bearings (it seemed admirably located -for its work, well into the Apache country, protecting the valley of -the Salado and the Gila), and then returned to our ambulances at the -Crossing. The next morning, by sunrise, we were up and off, for the -Prescott road--if we could find it. At Fort McDowell, they told us, we -could never reach it. Some said it was thirty miles off--others claimed -it was fifty or sixty, with an impassable country between. The only -thing known definitely was, that there was no road at all down the -north bank of the Salado, though we were sure to strike the regular -Prescott road, if we kept along down that bank of the river far enough, -and could get through. We might meet Apaches anywhere, they said, for -it was one of their favorite tramping grounds, or we might go through -unmolested, depending on circumstances. We had expected to get an -escort of a dozen cavalry-men here, to accompany us to Prescott; but -six cavalry-men, and six mounted infantry-men, were all the post could -spare. The horses of these, though the best on hand, were so broken -down for want of forage, that part were sent back before we got three -miles out; and of the balance, only five went through to Prescott with -us, by extra care and regular feeding with the grain, which we had -taken the precaution to bring along from Maricopa Wells. An army wagon, -with a six-mule team, also from Fort McDowell, furnished transportation -for our escort, as the cavalry-horses successively gave out. - -For the first fifteen miles or so, after leaving the Crossing, we -found a well-broken road, used the year before as a hay-road from -the river-bottoms to Fort McDowell. But, ultimately, this ended in a -bend of the Salado, and from there on all was wild and unbroken--a -veritable _terra incognita_. We found the Salado crookeder than a -ram's horn, or a mesquite tree, or anything else that is most crooked -and involved. Laying our course partly by the compass, and partly by -the Salado's fringe of cottonwoods, we struck across from bend to -bend of the river, sure only of one thing, and that was--keeping near -to water. We found the river bottoms, as a rule, thick with chemisal, -relieved here and there by dense mesquite groves, looking in the -distance like old orchards, through which it was almost impossible -to penetrate with ambulance or wagon. Now and then we had to flank a -slough, or flounder through a quicksand, and sundown still found us -pushing along through these bottoms, though we had made fully thirty -miles since morning. We went into camp by the riverside just at dusk, -thoroughly worn out, and not without a degree of anxiety, as we had -crossed a number of Indian trails during the day, though none seemed -fresh. Our animals were well blown, especially the cavalry horses, -and the best we could do for them was a bite of corn, as we had no -hay along, of course, and it was too late to graze them. - -The night passed wearily away, but without cause for alarm, and -early next morning we were again on the move. A drive, or rather -struggle, of three miles or so through the mesquite and chemisal, -brought us out to an ill-defined track, bearing away in the supposed -direction of Wickenburg (and so to Prescott), and we resolved to -take that, though certain it was not the regular road. We had heard -of a "cut-off," or by-road somewhere there, made by a Lt. Du Bois -some months before, and we concluded this must be his road. At all -events, we were desperately tired of struggling through the mesquite -and chemisal, and concluded we would follow this track up for a while -anyhow. It was lucky we did; for, after rather too much easting for -the first few miles, it finally struck directly across the Agua Frio, -and came into the true Prescott road near White Tanks. This Agua -Frio, usually one of Arizona's "dry rivers," we found with three -feet of water in it, and bad quicksands beneath that. However, we -discovered a practicable crossing, and soon after nightfall reached -the vicinity of White Tanks, some thirty miles, since morning. - -Here we camped by the roadside, glad to have struck the regular -Wickenburg or Prescott road at last, and went supperless to sleep--for -fear our fire, if made, might disclose us to the Indians. We could find -no water for our poor animals, and the next morning would have missed -our accustomed coffee even, had we not taken the precaution to keep -our water-kegs well filled. Of course, we broke camp early, and moved -wearily on to the Hassayampa, some ten or twelve miles, where we halted -to water up and lunch. This Hassayampa, ordinarily, is another "dry -river," like the Agua Frio, but we found three feet or more of water -in it, and bottomless quicksands nearly everywhere. Our road, then -the only road from Southern to Northern Arizona, ran directly up the -Hassayampa, for some twelve or fifteen miles here, using the river-bed -as a roadway, as the only practicable route through the mountains, and -nobody had ventured through for a month or more. - -The Hassayampa itself flows through a wild and rocky cañon, with high -precipitous walls on either side; and it was soon apparent, that our -only alternative was either to flounder through its quicksands, -or retrace our steps to Maricopa Wells. The latter was out of the -question, as our rations and forage were both about exhausted, and, -besides, our improvised ferry-boat had returned to the Gila; so -that the only thing left for us was to try the Hassayampa, and get -through, somehow, at all hazards. We had heard of a trail, across -the ridge and over the mountains, by the Vulture Mine, and so into -Wickenburg, by a roundabout course; but a careful reconnoissance -revealed no trace of it. We called a "council of war," and discussed -the "situation," pro and con, with due gravity, and finally decided -that there was nothing for us to do, but to ascend the Hassayampa; -and so, into it we plunged. And, verily, it was a _plunge_. Nothing -but a prolonged flounder, and plunge, from ten A. M. to six P. -M.! Now into the stream; now out on a sand-bank; now deep into a -quicksand; crossing and recrossing, from side to side, to take -advantage of any land--not less than fifteen or twenty times in the -course of the twelve miles! Sometimes a cavalry-man on horseback, -"prospecting" the way for the ambulances, would go down, until -it seemed impossible to extricate him and his horse. Again, an -infantry-man, on foot, would suddenly sink in to his armpits, and -call out to his comrades to come and rescue him. Then an ambulance -would slip to one side, and half of it commence sinking, while the -other half remained on solid ground. Then our six-mule team would go -in, and half of the mules would flounder over the tongue, or turn -a summerset out of the harness, and, perhaps, come near drowning, -before they could be extricated, while the rest would be all right. -Now we would be all ashore, clambering along the rocky walls of -the cañon, to give the ambulances a better chance; and now, all -hands would be out into the water, to start a stalled team, and -then such a whooping and shouting, such a whipping and tugging at -the wheels, one seldom sees equalled. I campaigned with McClellan, -on the Peninsula; I was with Burnside in his Mud Campaign, after -Fredericksburg; we had bad roads down in Tennessee and Georgia, when -after Joe Johnston and Hood. But this tedious and toilsome drive, -through the cañon and quicksands of the Hassayampa, beat all these; -and we never would have got through, had we not had light loads, and -skilful, plucky, magnificent drivers. - -As it was, we just managed by good luck to struggle through, and -got into Wickenburg about dusk, with our animals thoroughly blown, -and ourselves pretty well used up. It had taken us just a week, -to come through from Maricopa Wells, usually a drive of a day or -two--or three, at the farthest. But the Gila and Salado were still -unfordable, and we would have been detained at the Wells, probably, -for a fortnight or more yet, had it not been for Louis' boat. We -found we were the first party through in a month, and nobody was -expected to venture the Hassayampa either way, for a month or so to -come. Of course, with such rivers and roads--rivers without either -bridges or ferries, and roads that follow the beds of rivers--our -only conclusion was, that Arizona was in no hurry, for either -population or business; and, I judge, _this_ is about so. She must -bridge her streams, and construct good substantial roads--at least -between all chief points--before she can expect to grow and prosper. -This is fundamental in all civilized communities, and she would have -recognized it long since, had her population been more from the busy -North, than from the indolent, happy-go-lucky South. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[22] Huge tide-waves at the head of the Gulf. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - TUCSON TO PRESCOTT (_continued_). - - -Wickenburg, much longed for and at last reached, we found to be an -adobe hamlet, of perhaps one or two hundred inhabitants, depending -chiefly on the Vulture Mine. We were all so thoroughly jaded and worn -out, by our rough ride through the country, from Maricopa Wells, -that we decided to halt there for a day or two to rest and recruit. -This afforded us an opportunity to visit the Mine, which we gladly -embraced, as we had heard so much about it. It is really a fine mine -of gold-bearing quartz, off in the mountains, some fifteen miles west -of Wickenburg, whence the ore was then wagoned to the mill, on the -Hassayampa at Wickenburg. It consists of a fine vein of free quartz, -from five to fifteen feet wide, and mostly devoid of sulphurets, or -other refractory substances. Seventy or eighty men--half of them or -more Mexicans--were hard at work, sinking shafts and getting out -ore; and already a large amount of work had been done there. One -shaft was already down a hundred feet, and another half as far--it -being intended to connect the two by a lateral gallery, to insure -ventilation, etc. Unfortunately, no water could be found near the -mine, and all used there then was transported from Wickenburg, at -a cost of ten cents per gallon. So, all the ore taken out had to -be wagoned, from the mine to the mill at Wickenburg, at a cost of -ten dollars per ton. The cost of everything else was about in the -same proportion. Nevertheless, we were told the mine paid, and that -handsomely, and I sincerely trust it did. - -The mill at Wickenburg, belonging to the same company, was a fine adobe -structure, roofed with shingles, and had just gone into operation. -They had previously had a small five-stamp mill, which paid very well; -but this new mill ran twenty stamps, and would crush forty tons of -quartz per day, when worked to its full capacity. Their ore was reputed -to average from fifty to seventy dollars per ton, though of course -"assaying" much more, and we were assured would pay for working, if it -yielded only from twenty to thirty dollars per ton. If so, we thought, -stock in the Vulture Company must be a "gilt-edged" investment; and -their noble mine certainly was the best-looking enterprise, we had yet -seen in Arizona. It appeared, however, to be a sort of "pocket" vein, -as prospecting on either side of it, as yet, had failed to discover -other points worth working. Fine as it was, the mine was embarrassed -by financial difficulties, and was then in the hands of creditors, -authorized to work it until their claims were met, though these -troubles it was thought would soon end. - -Thence on to Prescott, _via_ Skull Valley, some eighty-four miles, -we passed without further mishap. We made the distance in two and -a-half days, and rolled into the capital, just as the last rays of -the setting sun were purpling the triple peaks of the distant San -Francisco Mountains. The road generally was naturally a good one, but -here and there developed a peculiarity seldom seen elsewhere. For -example, on a perfectly good road, apparently, even dry and dusty, -suddenly a mule would go in to his girth or a wheel to the hub, and -there seemed no bottom to the execrable quicksands. In other places, -there had been surface-water or mud, that served as a warning. But -between Skull Valley and Prescott, when trotting along as usual, -we often struck spots, where the dust was blowing, and yet when we -ventured on, our vehicles seemed bound for China or Japan, rather -than Prescott. Skull Valley itself proved to be a narrow little -vale, of perhaps a thousand or two acres, but devoid of timber, and -inaccessible in all directions, except over bad mountains. A few -ranches had been started here, and a petty Military Post was there -to protect them; but this last had already been ordered away, the -location was so faulty, and with its departure, Skull Valley, as a -settlement, seemed likely to collapse. - -Here and at Wickenburg were the only settlements, and, indeed, the -only population, we found between Maricopa Wells and Prescott--a -distance of nearly three hundred miles, by the way we came. The -whole intervening country, as a rule, was barren and desolate, and -absolutely without population, except at the points indicated, until -you neared Prescott. There were not even such scattered ranches, or -occasional stations, as we found in crossing the Colorado Desert, -and ascending the Gila; but the whole district seemed given over, -substantially, to the cayote and the Indian. The Apaches and -Yavapais are the two main tribes there, and were said to infest the -whole region, though we saw nothing of them. In the valley of the -Hassayampa, and across the Aztec Mountains, they certainly had an -abundance of ugly-looking places, that seem as if specially made for -ambuscades and surprises. If they had attacked us in the cañon of -the Hassayampa, while floundering through the quicksands there, they -would have had things pretty much their own way--at least, at first, -vigilant as we were. They had killed a wandering Mexican there, -only a few days before; but we did not know it, until we reached -Wickenburg, and came through ourselves unscathed. - -Perhaps the worst place was Bell's Cañon, a long, tortuous, rocky -defile--diabolical in every respect--a few miles south of Skull -Valley. Here a Mr. Bell and others had been killed by Apaches, -some two years before; and here also the Indian Agent, Mr. Levy, -and his clerk, had lost their lives, but a few weeks previously. -For miles there, the rocks have been tossed about in the wildest -possible confusion, and their grouping in many instances is very -extraordinary. A small band of Indians there, ensconced among the -rocks, would be able to make a sharp fight, and nothing but cool -heads and steady courage would be likely to dislodge them. From the -peaks on either side, they can descry travellers a long way off, -through the clear atmosphere of that rainless region; and should they -decide to attack, nothing would be easier than to conceal themselves -behind the massive boulders, that bristle along the cañon. We -expected trouble here, if anywhere in Arizona, and, as we approached -it, "governed ourselves accordingly." But the "noble Red men" allowed -their "Pale-face brothers" to pass in peace. Arizonians spoke of -this villanous-looking place, as rather dangerous, and didn't care -to venture through it alone; but parties of two and three travelled -it frequently, and it seemed safe enough, if they went well armed, -and kept a sharp look out. The trouble is, travellers in Arizona, and -in all Indian districts, as a rule, _see_ no Indians, and so after a -few days believe there are none--become careless, wander on ahead, or -straggle along behind, _without their arms_--when presto! suddenly -arrows whiz from behind gigantic rocks or down shadowy cañons, and -men are found dead in the road, with their scalps gone. In all such -regions, the only safe rule is the rule of our western Borderers, to -wit: "Never unbuckle your six-shooter, and never venture from your -camp or train without your Spencer or Henry!" - -As I have already said, we found the intervening country substantially -unsettled, and much of it will never amount to anything for -agricultural purposes. Its mineral resources may be great; but, as a -rule, it lacks both wood and water, and much of it is a barren desert, -given over forever to chemisal and grease-wood. On the Agua Frio and -Hassayampa, however, there are considerable bottoms, that might be -successfully irrigated; and between the Gila and the Salado there is a -wide district, that deserves some further notice. As you come up out -of the Gila bottoms, you pass through scattered mesquite trees, and -at length enter on a broad _mèsa_ (Spanish for "table-land"), ten or -fifteen miles wide by thirty or forty long, which bears every evidence -of having once been well cultivated, and densely populated. Instead of -mesquite, you here find clumps of chemisal two or three feet high, and -bits of broken pottery nearly everywhere. Farther on, some eight or ten -miles from the Salado, you find immense ruins in various places, and -soon strike a huge _acequia_ winding up from the Salado, in comparison -with which all the _acequias_ we had yet seen in Utah or California -were the veriest ditches. It must be, I should think, thirty feet wide -by ten or twelve deep, and seems like a great canal of modern times. -Just where the road to Fort McDowell crosses this, it subdivides into -three or four lesser _acequias_, and these branch off over the _mèsa_ -indefinitely. This great _acequia_ heads just above where we crossed -the Salado. The river has a considerable descent or "rapids" there, and -the ancient constructors of this gigantic water-course, apparently, -knew well how to take advantage of this. They have tapped the river -there by three immense mouths, all leading into one common channel; and -this they have coaxed along down the bottoms, and gently up the bluff, -until at a distance of miles away it at last gained the level of the -_mèsa_, and there distributed abroad its fertilizing waters. So, there -are other ancient _acequias_, furrowing the bottoms of the Salado on -either side, though we observed none so large as this. - -The ruins of ancient buildings, thoroughly disintegrated, are -scattered widely along these bottoms, and in some places there must -certainly have been large cities. The rectilinear courses of the -walls, and the dividing lines of the rooms, are all plainly visible -still, though nothing remains but the cobble-stones and pebbles, out -of which they seem to have been mainly constructed, and here and -there a bit of cement or mortar. The ancient builders and occupiers -of these could not have been our present Indians there, because they -use different forms and materials. They could not have been Mexicans -or Spaniards, because they invariably use brick or adobe. Who they -were, where they came from, when they disappeared and _why_--these -are knotty problems for the antiquarian, which it is to be hoped time -will soon solve. One thing is certain, these ancient builders--Aztecs -(as popularly believed) or whoever they were--were at least good -architects and engineers, and they must have peopled much of Arizona -with an industrious and dense population, such as it will not see -again--I was going to say--for centuries to come. But the Salado, -in those days, must have been a larger river than it is now, or -probably ever will be again; because two or three of these old -_acequias_ would carry off all its present waters, and leave none for -the others, whose remains yet furrow the country there everywhere. - -However, the larger _acequias_ may have been used only as receiving -reservoirs, to husband the spring freshets, and for this purpose -they might soon be utilized again. However this may be, there are -fine lands all along the bottoms of the Salado, and enough water -flowing there yet to irrigate many thousands of acres. Indeed, the -best lands we saw in Arizona are here in the heart of it, on the -Gila and Salado, and in time no doubt there will be flourishing -settlements there. What the region needs, is a railroad to connect it -with "inside," or civilization; and this the "Texas and Pacific," it -seems, will eventually furnish. Now, like so much of Arizona, it is -inaccessible, or practically five hundred miles across a desert--from -about everywhere. A railroad will remedy all this, and stimulate -Arizona wonderfully in many ways. The whistle of the locomotive -will end her Indian troubles, and many others, and may she hear it -echoing and re-echoing among her mountains and cañons very soon! A -railroad, indeed, is a great blessing everywhere; but in our western -territories it means civilization as well, and without one Arizona -will evidently continue to slumber on, as she has for so many years. - - - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - PRESCOTT, THE APACHES, ETC. - - -Prescott had been described to us, as resembling very much a "New -England village." We were told so in San Francisco. It was repeated -at Fort Yuma. It was hinted at Tucson. Well, perhaps, it did, except -as regards school-houses and churches, white paint and green blinds, -general thriftiness, and a wholesome respect for law and order. -Eliminating these, Prescott, perhaps, _was_ quite New-Englandish; but, -otherwise, it resembled rather some country cross-roads in Missouri, -or Arkansas. In brief, there was not a school-house, or church, or -bank, in the place. Business we found at a general stand-still, because -of absolute stagnation among the mines. And the peaceable and quiet -population had just shown their New-Englandlike disposition, by robbing -and beating a squad of United States soldiers--a part of those recently -sent out better to protect that region--mortally wounding one, and -severely injuring several others. Of course, the Blue-Coats were off -duty, or the cowards wouldn't have assailed them. - -Said I to an old acquaintance I met, an ex-Army of the Potomac officer: - -"I hear you have quite a New England village here?" - -"Yes, indeed, it is very New-Englandlike! Last night I was in our -billiard-saloon here. A game of monte was going on in one corner, -brag-poker in another, and a couple of dogs were having a free fight -under the billiard-table. I lived in Boston once for some time, but -have no recollection of seeing anything exactly like that!" - -"But you have a good class of population, have you not, as a general -thing?" - -"O yes! Excellent! Less than five hundred, altogether! But we have -ten drinking-saloons, and a dozen gambling-hells, more or less! What -kind of a population that implies, judge for yourself!" - -I think my friend was, perhaps, somewhat prejudiced. He had, probably, -invested in mining "feet," and found out he had made a "permanent -investment," with slight prospect of "dividends." Nevertheless, -Prescott had been much overrated and bepraised, and, consequently, -suffered somewhat in the estimation of strangers. We found it well -laid-out, on a scale of Magnificent Distances, like its illustrious -prototype, the National Capital, and lacking only--buildings and people -to be a fine city. Its site, though nearly six thousand feet above the -sea, is a good one, along the undulating bottoms of Granite Creek, -about a mile or so from Fort Whipple, then the chief military-post in -northern Arizona. Its houses were grouped mostly around a spacious -plaza, after the old Spanish custom, though a few straggled off -into ragged streets either way. They were chiefly of logs and rough -lumber, and guiltless of paint, though some brick and adobe structures -appeared here and there. The population seemed to be between four and -five hundred. The autumn previous, it had been largely increased by -a notable immigration from Montana, which came to Prescott with the -expectation of finding rich placer mines, from what they had seen -published about the region. But the most of these had already left, -cruelly disappointed, and others would follow, if they had the means. -The barber, who shaved me one day, proved to be a Montanian, from -Helena City. I asked him, casually, what he thought of Arizona. - -"Why, you see, stranger, I pays for this yer room eight dollars a -month, in "dust." For a room in Helena City, of the same size, I paid -last summer seventy-five dollars per month." - -"You mean _that_ for a fair comparison of Arizona, with Montana?" - -"Sartin! Thet's about it naow, you bet! Our fellers, who come down -yer with me last fall, most all gone; others leavin' every week. I'm -goin' to vamose, too, 'fore long, you bet!" - -These placer mines were scattered over a district of ten or twelve -miles around Prescott, and the truth seemed to be, that as a general -thing they had produced poorly. It appeared, there were two or three -hundred men, in all, engaged in them still, but these were making -only indifferent wages, and many were quite discouraged. The quartz -mines covered a much wider area, and beyond question were very rich -in the precious metals; but the ores were sulphurets, of the most -refractory character, and there was no known "process" to work them -at a profit. Eleven mills, of from five to twenty stamps each, had -been erected, at mines whose ores assayed from one hundred to two -hundred or more dollars per ton--an excellent yield, of course. -But, of all these, only one five-stamp mill was then running--the -Ticonderoga--and that was reported as only about paying expenses. -Instead of two hundred dollars, or more, per ton, as per assay, -the mills in fact could only stamp out and save from ten to twenty -dollars per ton; and this was a losing business. A new "process" -was just being tried at the Eureka Mill, which did excellently well, -as per assay in the laboratory; but it was uncertain what would be -the result, when applied to large quantities of ore in the mill. -The Bully-Bueno and Sterling lodes seemed to be the most in favor. -Specimens from the Sterling, that were shown, were indeed wonderful -in richness, and there seemed to be no doubt that the ledges around -Prescott abound in mines, which will yield very largely, if only -a process can be found to treat successfully such obstinate and -refractory sulphurets. For the present, however, mining operations -about Prescott were very "sick," with poor prospect of speedy -recovery. The region had indeed two advantages, very rare in Arizona, -to wit, good fuel, and sufficient water. The breadth of timber here, -however, had been much overstated. An area of ten miles square or so -embraced the bulk of the pine, which was an exceptional growth just -there; the rest consisted chiefly of scrawny juniper and scraggly -cedar, fit only for fuel and fencing. - -The Territorial capital was still at Prescott, but its permanent -location was yet to be decided on. Maricopa Wells and Tucson were -both contending for the honor, and the latter it seems has since won -it. Ultimately, however, it is probable, the Territory will divide on -the line of the Gila, and Prescott again become the capital of the -northern part of it. Arizona naturally and geographically subdivides -on that line, and the interests of the two sections are usually quite -divergent. The population of the territory was variously computed at -from three to four thousand only, of whom the major portion by far -were Mexicans and their descendants. The other whites were mainly -Arkansans and Texans, many of them no doubt exiles from the East, -"for their country's good." Of course, this was not a very promising -basis for a commonwealth, and the Territory, it appeared, was about -at a stand-still. As evidence of this, there was not then a bank, or -banking-house, or free-school, or Protestant church, or missionary -even, throughout the whole of Arizona--a region some four or five -times as large as the great State of New York. The Indian population -was estimated at about twenty thousand, of whom ten thousand were -regarded as friendly, five thousand as hostile, and five thousand as -half and half--that is, sometimes friendly, and sometimes hostile, -depending on circumstances. To offset and antagonize these, the -Government had then about twenty-five hundred regular soldiers in -Arizona, which would seem sufficient, if well handled, though the -people of course were clamoring for more. The great controlling -tribe in Arizona, and extending into New Mexico, and the terror of -the Mexican border, were the Apaches. Those that we saw gave one -the impression of a fierce, sinewy, warlike race, very different -from the Plains Indians, and it was plain there would be no peace -in Arizona, nor much hope for its development, until these Apaches -received a thorough chastisement. This they had never yet had, from -either Mexicans or Americans, and consequently they despised and -hated the Pale Faces, as we hate (or ought to hate) Satan himself. -They inhabited the mountains chiefly, though they often descended -into the plains, and in bands of two or three, or more, scoured the -country far and near, as it suited them. About Tucson and Tubac they -stole stock, and occasionally killed travellers, often within a mile -or two of the towns. Sometimes, for months together, they would leave -a road unmolested, and then, suddenly, attacking it at different -points, clean out all the ranches. A few miles from Camp McDowell, -on the road between there and Maricopa Wells, they infested a rocky -cañon on the Rio Salado, and mockingly defied all attempts to expel -them. A fortnight before we reached Maricopa Wells, _en route_ to -Tucson, a party of them crossed the Salado and Gila, and stole ten -head of stock from a ranch only three miles from the Wells. About -the same time, another party of three lurked around the station at -Blue Water, on the road to Tucson, some fifty miles south of the -Wells, and, failing to find anything they could steal, vented their -spleen by shooting an arrow into a valuable horse that was stabled -safely from their reach. This done, the same night they struck across -the country, some fifteen or twenty miles, to the peaceable Pimo -settlements on the Gila, where they each stole a couple of horses -apiece, and made good their escape with them to the mountains. - -Some of their exploits were very amusing, as well as very daring, -worthy of the best days of Osceola or Tecumseh. We heard one of a -party, that had just preceded us in Arizona. They camped at a station -for the night, and thought their animals thoroughly secure, when they -had put them into an adobe corral, with a wall four or five feet high -by two thick, and then lay down themselves across the only entrance, -with their rifles by their sides. The stealthy Apaches waited until -their pale-face friends were well asleep, and then with a piece of -dry cow-hide, hard and thin, sawed out a section of the adobe wall, -at the other end of the corral, and in the morning _Los Americanos_ -found themselves horseless and muleless. We may "fancy their -feelings," when they discovered the opening! Just then, I fear, they -would have made poor Peace Commissioners! Especially, as they had to -foot it fifty miles, back to the next station, for new animals! - -There was another story told of a gallant army officer, who had -been out on a scout the year before, and was determined not to lose -a favorite horse he had along. The Apaches were about thick, and -the night before had stolen several animals, in spite of the utmost -vigilance. To guard against what he supposed even the possibility -of loss, the officer picketed his horse with a lariat to a tree, -and then spreading his blankets camped down under the tree--at the -same time posting a sentinel over his horse, with strict orders to -watch faithfully. Toward morning the sentry thought the horse was -a little farther from the tree than he should be; still, as he saw -nothing suspicious, he supposed he must be mistaken as to the length -of the lariat. After walking a few more beats, he thought the horse -was still farther off; but it seemed so little, and the horse was -so quiet, he did not think it right to make an alarm. A few beats -more, however, convinced him that something must be wrong, as the -horse was evidently still farther away. But now, simultaneously with -his challenge, lo! an Apache sprang lithely upon the steed, and in a -twinkling he was galloping off through the chaparral and cactuses, -with a yell of defiance at the astonished Blue Coat! Creeping -stealthily up in the dark, with a more than cat-like caution and -silence, he had severed the lariat, and edged the horse off little by -little, until at last his capture was sure. - -If a party were strong, or not worth cleaning out, or killing, the -Apaches usually gave them a wide berth. But woe to those whom they -marked for their prey, if not well armed, and ceaselessly vigilant. -They would dog a party for days, with the tireless energy of the -sleuth-hound, watching for an unguarded moment in which to attack, -and then suddenly pounce upon them, like fiends, as they were. As a -rule, they used bows and arrows still; but many had fire-arms, and -knew how to handle them with deadly effect. We were shown several -of their children, captured in different fights, and they were the -wiriest, fiercest little savages imaginable. Sullen, dogged, resolute -little Red Skins, they lacked only maturity and strength to "make -their mark" on somebody's head; and this they seemed quite likely to -do yet, unless their Apache natures were thoroughly "reconstructed." -They had a peculiar and pleasant _penchant_ for setting fire -to hay-stacks and ranches, and on the whole were a species of -population, that nobody but an Arizonian would care much to fancy. -They were held as servants in different families, and their service -in too many instances approximated to downright slavery--so much so, -indeed, that the attention of the Territorial authorities was already -being directed to the matter. - -As if to give us some proof of their enterprise and audacity, a -band of these Apaches made a raid near Prescott, the very day we -arrived there. They attacked a ranch only three miles east of "this -New-England-like" village, and seized several cattle and drove -them off. A mounted scout was at once sent out from Fort Whipple, -and though they marched seventy-five miles in twenty-four hours, -they failed to come up with the Red Skins. The officer in command -reported the bold marauders as strong in numbers, and fleeing in -the direction of Hell Cañon--an ugly, diabolical-looking place, -some forty miles east of Prescott. Gen. Gregg, then commanding the -District of Prescott, immediately ordered out two fresh companies -of cavalry, and, himself at their head, made a forced march by -night, in order to surprise them in their reported stronghold. Next -morning at daybreak, he was at Hell Cañon, but no Apaches were found -there, nor any traces of them. After a brief halt, he ordered the -cavalry to follow down the cañon to its junction with the Verde, -and after scouring all the cañons centering there, to return by a -wide detour to Fort Whipple. The General himself now returned to -Prescott, and I cheerfully bear witness to his vigor and chagrin, -having accompanied him out and back. A detachment of the cavalry, a -day or two afterwards, succeeded in finding a rancheria of Apaches in -a villainous cañon, miles away to the southwest of the Verde--a thin -curling smoke in the mountains revealing their presence. The troops -pushed boldly in, and came suddenly on the rancheria, or village, -before they were discovered. Dismounting from their horses, they -poured in a rapid volley from their Spencer carbines, that killed -five Apaches, and wounded twice as many more. The rest fled, but in -a few minutes bravely rallied, and soon came swarming back, down -the cañon and along its rocky cliffs, in such numbers and with such -spirit, that the officer in command deemed it prudent to fall back on -the main column. This he succeeded in doing, but it required a march -of several miles, as the column had moved on; and when he rejoined, -it was thought best for the whole command to return to Fort Whipple, -as their rations and forage were about exhausted. Subsequently, -Gregg sent them out again, and this time they succeeded in damaging -the Apaches very considerably; but it was not long before they were -lurking about the country again. - -The rough ride to Hell Cañon and back, despite occasional -snow-squalls, was not unpleasant, and not without its interest. Our -route in the main was down the valley of Granite Creek, and past -the site of old Fort Whipple, now called Postle's Ranch. Here was a -fine plateau of several hundred acres, with acequias and a petty -grist-mill, the whole used formerly by the troops; but occupied now -by only a family or two. The truth is, population was too sparse, and -the Apaches too plenty, to make farming an agreeable occupation just -there. We saw several men at work in the fields, as we rode along, -all with rifles slung across their backs, and the infrequent settlers -protested they meant to quit the country, as soon as their harvests -matured. The last ranch eastward--the one most remote from Prescott, -and, consequently, the very edge of the frontier there--was owned and -occupied by what may justly be called a typical American emigrant. -Born in New Jersey, the nephew of an eminent minister there, he early -emigrated to Canada, and thence to Michigan. Here he married, and -soon afterwards emigrated to Illinois. Thence he went to Kansas, -and thence to New Mexico. Subsequently, he emigrated to California, -and when he grew weary there, as he could "go west" no farther, -concluded to remove to Arizona. Here he had been for two years, with -his family, on the very edge of the border; but was now tired of the -West, and meditating a return East. He said his children were growing -up, and needed school-houses and churches, and he meant to sell out -and leave as soon as practicable. - -The country as a whole proved barren and sterile, like so much of -Arizona elsewhere, though here also the Aztecs (or whoever the -ancient population were) had left their marks, as on the Salado and -Gila. The remains of edifices, or fortifications, and acequias, were -still quite visible in various places, and no doubt the ancient -settlers had followed up the rivers, and their tributaries, nearly -everywhere. They seem to have been a pushing, progressive people, -bent on conquest and civilization, after their kind, and doubtless -swayed the whole interior of the continent. At Point of Rocks, on -Willow Creek, we halted for an hour or two, to explore the wonderful -rock-formations there; and subsequently dined with a settler on -a wild turkey, that stood four feet high and weighed forty-three -pounds, when first shot, and about thirty pounds dressed. We were -tired and hungry, from long riding and light rations, and you may be -sure enjoyed our meal to the full. - -Fort Whipple, already alluded to several times, was situated on -Granite Creek, a mile and a half east of Prescott, near the centre of -a Reservation there a mile square. It consisted of a rude stockade, -enclosing the usual log quarters and barracks of our frontier posts, -and was then Headquarters of all the district north of the Gila. Its -garrison was small, and dependencies few and petty; but the cost -of maintaining it seemed something enormous. Here are a few of the -prices then current at the post: hay cost about sixty dollars per -ton; grain, about twelve dollars per bushel; lumber, from fifty to -seventy-five dollars per thousand; freight on supplies, from San -Francisco (and about everything had to come from there _via_ the Gulf -of California and the Colorado), two hundred and fifty dollars per -ton; and these all in coin. The flag-staff alone, quite a respectable -"liberty-pole," was reported to have cost ten thousand dollars; and -District Headquarters--a one-and-a-half story frame house, surrounded -by verandas, but barely comfortable and genteel--was said to have -cost one hundred thousand dollars. This last, plain as it was, was -then about the best modern edifice in Arizona, but was used as -the Post Hospital--Gen. Gregg ("Cavalry Gregg" of the Army of the -Potomac) in the true spirit of a soldier, declining to occupy it, -until his sick and disabled men were first well sheltered, and -provided for. Himself and staff, as yet, shared the log cabins of the -Post proper, through whose open crannies the wind and rain had free -course to run and be glorified, during every storm. We were there -during a wild tempest of rain and hail, as well as for a week or more -besides, and learned well how to appreciate their infelicities and -miseries. All honor to this chivalrous and gallant Pennsylvanian, for -his courtesy and humanity. A Bayard and a Sydney combined, surely he -deserves well of his country; and the Army may justly be proud of -such a representative soldier. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - PRESCOTT TO LOS ANGELOS. - - -Prescott, as already intimated, was not Paradise, and we left there -April 13th, for Los Angelos, _via_ Hardyville and Fort Mojave, on -our return "inside," with real rejoicing. Our first stage was to -Fort Mojave, on the Colorado, distant one hundred and sixty miles, -and this we made in five days. Of course, we travelled by ambulance, -and "camped out" every night, as elsewhere mostly in Arizona. The -road was a toll-road, but its general condition was hardly such, -as to justify the collection of tolls ordinarily. As a whole, it -was naturally a very fair road, though there were some bad points, -as at Juniper Mountain and Union Pass, where considerable work had -been required to carry the grades along. At Williamson's Valley, -twenty miles out from Prescott, we found one of the best agricultural -and grazing districts, that we had yet seen in Arizona. There were -but two or three settlers there then, though there were apparently -several thousands of acres fit for farms. The hills adjacent abounded -in scattered cedars and junipers, that would do for fencing and fuel, -and game seemed more abundant near there, than in any place we had -yet been. Quails, found everywhere in Arizona to some extent, here -soon thickened up; the jack-rabbits bounded more numerously through -the bushes; even pigeons and wild-turkeys were heard of; and as we -rattled down through a rocky glen, at the western side of the valley, -a herd of likely deer cantered leisurely across the road--the first -we had seen in Arizona, or indeed elsewhere in the West. - -Thence across Juniper Mountain to Rock Springs, some fifty miles, -the country was wild and desolate, with a scraggy growth of cedars -and junipers much of the way. A few scattered oaks and pines grew -here and there, but they could scarcely be called good timber, or -much of it. At Rock Springs was a fine bottom of several hundred -acres, but not a single inhabitant. Thence on to Hardyville, through -Cottonwood Cañon, past Hualapai Springs, Beale's Springs, etc., for -nearly a hundred miles, there were no ranches, and no cultivable -lands, indeed, worth mentioning. The country, as a whole, seemed a -vast volcanic desert--of mountains, cañons, and mesas--and what it -was ever made for, except to excite wonder and astonishment, is a -mystery to the passing traveller. Even at the high elevation we were -travelling, usually four or five thousand feet above the sea, the -sun was already intensely hot by day, though the air grew bitingly -cold at night, before morning. The principal growth, after leaving -Rock Springs, was sage-brush and grease-wood, and in many places it -proved difficult to secure sufficient for fires of even these. Water -was found only at distances of ten and twenty miles apart, and in the -dry summer months it must be still scarcer. Our poor animals suffered -greatly, and one day we came near losing several--two of them -continuing sick far into the night. Now and then we found an Indian -trail crossing the road, but the Red Skins either did not see us, or -else kept themselves well under cover, intimidated by the half-dozen -cavalrymen, that accompanied us as escort. - -The prevailing hues of the landscape were a dull red and brownish -gray, and these produced at times some very singular and striking -effects. The one thing, that relieved our ride from utter dullness -and monotony, was the weird and picturesque forms, in which nature -has there piled up her rocks, and chiseled out her mountains. Domes, -peaks, terraces, castles, turrets, ramparts--all were sculptured -against the cloudless sky; and we fell to interesting ourselves -sometimes for hours, as we rode along, in tracing out the strange -resemblances to all sorts of architecture and animals, ancient and -modern, that nature, in her silent sublimity, has perpetrated there. -At sunset, when parting day lingered and played upon the surrounding -or distant mountains, it bathed their rock-ribbed sides and summits -in the most gorgeous tints of purple and maroon, and filled the -imagination with all that was most sublime and mysterious. What -Milton must have thought of in portraying Hell, or Dante imagined in -delineating the weird and sombre landscapes of his awful Inferno, -may well be realized in passing through this singular region, where -Desolation seems to have outstretched her wings, and made up her mind -to brood gloomily forever. - -At Union Pass, we crossed the last mountain range, at an elevation of -fully five thousand feet, whence we caught welcome sight again of the -ruby waters of the Colorado. Debouching into the valley, we presently -struck the river at Hardyville. Here it winds its sinuous course, -through a broad valley of volcanic mesas and mountains, and has no -bottoms worth mentioning, except those occupied of old by the Mojave -Indians. These are fertilized by the annual overflow of the Colorado, -like the bottoms of the Nile, and no doubt might be made to produce -very largely. As it was, the Mojaves scratched them a little, so as -to plant some corn and barley, and raise a few beans, vegetables, -etc., the surplus of which they sold chiefly at Hardyville, for Mr. -Hardy to re-sell to the Government again--of course, at a profit. It -seemed, on the whole, that they did not usually raise enough, off of -all their broad acres, to feed and clothe themselves comfortably; -and we were told they would often go hungry, were it not for the -gratuitous issues of flour, meal, and other supplies occasionally -made to them by the commanding officer at Fort Mojave. We rode -through their villages one evening, while halting at Fort Mojave, and -found they numbered about a thousand or so just there; but farther -down the Colorado, at La Paz, there was said to be another branch -of them, even more numerous. They were usually a shapely, well-made -race, and seemed to take life even more easy, if possible, than their -red brethren elsewhere. Their women made a rude pottery ware, that -seemed in general use among them, and the men themselves sometimes -labored commendably, in gathering drift-wood for fuel for the petty -steamers, that occasionally ascended to Hardyville. These Mojaves -had been quiet and peaceable for years, and it seemed very moderate -efforts would put them on the road to civilization, as readily as the -Choctaws and the Cherokees. But they complained, and quite justly, -that the Government did not furnish them implements, tools, seeds, -etc., to enable them to work their lands and support themselves, -while the savage Hualapais, Pai-Utes, and other hostile tribes, were -being constantly bribed with presents and annuities. This, however, -was only another instance of the stupidity and blundering of our -Indian Department at that time, whose policy, or rather impolicy, -seemed to be to neglect friendly Indians, and exhaust its money and -efforts on hostile ones, under the plea of "pacifying" them! As -if "gifts" and "annuities" ever really pacified or civilized a Red -Skin yet, or ever will! No; the only true policy with our Indians, -then as now, is to encourage and reward the friendly, in every right -way; while the hostile ones should be turned over to the Army, for -chastisement and surveillance, to the uttermost, until they learn the -hard lesson, that henceforth they must behave themselves. - -Fort Mojave, some four miles or so below Hardyville, on the east -bank of the Colorado, was a rude post, most uncomfortable every way. -It had been established originally in 1860, abandoned in 1861, but -re-occupied in 1864, and maintained since then. We found it hot, and -dusty, and miserable, even in April; and could well imagine what it -must be in July and August. At Prescott, we were some six thousand -feet above the sea; but here we had got down to only about eleven -hundred, and the change was most perceptible. Here were a handful -of troops, and two or three officers, all praying for the day when -they might be ordered elsewhere, assured that fortune could send -them to no worse post, outside of Alaska. One officer had his wife -along, a lady delicately bred, from Pittsburg, Pa., and this was her -first experience of Army life. When we first arrived, she tried to -talk cheerily, and bore up bravely for awhile; but before we left, -she broke down in tears, and confessed to her utter loneliness and -misery. No wonder, when she was the only white woman there, no other -within a hundred miles or more; and no newspaper or mail even, except -once a month or fortnight, as things happened to be. - -Hardyville itself was then more of a name than place, consisting -chiefly of a warehouse and quartz-mill, with a few adobe shanties. -Near Hardyville, some ten or twenty miles away in the outlying -mountains, there were several mines--gold, silver, and copper--of -more or less richness, and the mill was located here to take -advantage of the two great essentials, wood and water. The mill, -however, was standing idle, like most enterprises in Arizona, and -but little was doing in the mines. Mr. Hardy himself, a hard-working -energetic man, and the Ben Holliday or Gen. Banning of that region, -controlling all its business, including Government contracts, from -the Colorado to Prescott and beyond, was getting out some ore, and -specimens we saw at his store were certainly very handsome. He -said there were "leads" in the neighboring mountains of exceeding -richness, and indeed here and at other similar points along the -Colorado, as at La Paz, Aubrey City, El Dorado Cañon, etc., there -seemed the best chances for mining of anywhere in Arizona. Here were -wood (drift-wood, in which the Colorado abounds) and water, the two -great needs, usually wanting elsewhere in Arizona; and the Colorado -itself, it would seem, ought to afford reasonably cheap and quick -transportation, if the steamboats on it were constructed and run with -proper enterprise and efficiency. - -The great drawback to Arizona then, overshadowing perhaps all others, -not excepting the Apaches, was the perfectly _frightful and ruinous -cost of transportation_. To reach any mining-district there from -California, except those along the Colorado, you had to travel from -three to five hundred miles through what are practically deserts; -and for every ton of freight carried into or out of the Territory, -you were called on to pay from three to five cents per pound, per -hundred miles, in coin. Golconda, itself, could not flourish under -such circumstances, much less Arizona--which is scarcely a Golconda. -The patent and palpable remedy for all this, was either a railroad or -the speedy and regular navigation of the Colorado. It seemed nonsense -to say that the Colorado could not be navigated, and that too at rates -reasonably cheap. It looked no worse than the Ohio and the Missouri, -and like western rivers ordinarily; and there appeared but small hope -for Arizona very speedily, until she availed herself to the full of its -actual advantages. With the alleged mines along the Colorado, from Ft. -Yuma to El Dorado, in good operation, her population, as it increased, -would naturally overflow to other districts; and, in the end, arid -Arizona would become reasonably prosperous. But, like all other -commonwealths, she must have a base to stand on and work from. That -base seemed naturally and necessarily the Colorado River, indifferent -as it was. And all attempts to develop herself, except from that, in -the absence of a railroad, seemed likely to end like the efforts of -the man, who tried to build a pyramid with the apex downward. History -declares it was _not_ a "success." - -Bidding good-bye to our friends at Fort Mojave, we crossed the -Colorado on a rude flat-boat, on the evening of April 18th, and -proceeded three miles to Beaver Lake where we camped for the night, -in order to get a good start next day. We dismissed our escort at -Fort Mojave, as no longer necessary; and, Gov. McCormick and wife -having left us at Prescott, our little party was now reduced to -two and our drivers. Col. Carter, Secretary of the Territory, had -accompanied us from Prescott to Mojave; but here he left us for -a trip up the Colorado, intending to push into the Big Cañon, if -possible. Subsequently, I learned, he failed in doing this; but the -fault was not his, and, for the present, we bade him speedy success -and a safe return. - -From Fort Mojave, on the Colorado, to Los Angelos was still about -three hundred miles, and this we accomplished in eight days. The -valley or great basin of the Colorado extends most of the distance, -and of the intervening country, as a whole, the most that can be said -of it is, that it is an absolute desert of extinct volcanoes and -outstretched sand-plains, fit only for tarantulas and centipedes, -rattlesnakes and Indians. As far as could be seen, I think this a -fair and truthful statement of pretty much all that region to Cajon -Pass, and don't see how it can well be objected to, by any honest -mind. Its changes of elevation are, indeed, something very curious. -At Fort Mojave, on the banks of the Colorado, you are only about -a thousand feet above the sea. Thence, for ten or twelve miles, -you steadily ascend, until you get where the view of the Colorado -Valley proper becomes something really sublime--a barren ocean, a -sea of desolation, with a line of living green meandering through -the centre--and at Pai-Ute Hill, only some thirty miles from the -Colorado, you reach an elevation of some four thousand feet. At -Government Holes, indeed, you get up to 5,204 feet; but at Soda Lake, -about a hundred miles from Fort Mojave, you descend again to 1,075 -feet, or seventy-four feet lower than the Colorado itself.[23] From -here you climb back to 1,852 feet at Camp Cady, some forty miles from -Soda Lake; 2,678 feet at Cottonwood Ranch, some eighty miles from -Soda Lake; and gradually get up again to 5,000 feet at Cajon Pass, -about one hundred and twenty miles from Soda Lake. These ascents and -descents usually are not sudden, nor indeed much perceptible; but -gradually you roll up and down over a vast desert region, where the -sun was already (in April) intensely hot by day, and getting to be -fairly warm at night. - -In the long drives by day, sometimes forty and fifty miles--to reach -water--the heat and glare from the sand became terrible to the -eyes, and twice we drove all night, lying by in the day, to avoid -this. By day, we usually saw no live thing, except here and there a -stray buzzard, or scampering lizard, or horned toad. By night, we -would hear the rattlesnakes hiss and rattle, as we drove along--our -"outfit" as we rattled by, I suppose, disturbing their quiet siestas, -or moonlight promenades. It was too early in the season, however, to -be troubled much with such interesting acquaintances as rattlesnakes, -tarantulas, centipedes, etc. They were but just beginning to come out -of their holes, and we were glad to escape from the country before -they ventured forth much. We saw, indeed, some centipedes, and killed -several rattlesnakes. One night one of the party woke up, and found -something reposing snugly on the outside of his blankets. Giving it a -kick and sling from underneath, it proved to be a snake, and answered -him back from the place where it landed, with the usual inevitable -hiss and defiant rattle. Another night, at Soda Lake, while sleeping -by the rocks there, a rattlesnake crawled under the bottom blankets, -and in the morning when the owner of them began to yawn and stretch -himself, preparatory to getting up, his snakeship from beneath -hissed, and rattled, and protested, as badly as a northern copperhead -or a southern rebel at the Proclamation of Emancipation, or the -Reconstruction measures of Congress. Of course, we all slept on the -ground every night, _ex necessitate_; but, after this, we usually -retired with all our clothes and tallest boots on! - -Pai-Ute hill, so-called (before spoken of), is really a sharp and ugly -little mountain, up which we toiled slowly and wearily. In rounding -an angle of the road, soon after beginning the ascent, one of our -ambulances sliding struck a rock, and soon like the famous "One Hoss -Shay," ended in a "general spill!" There could hardly have been a more -thorough collapse of spokes and felloes--everything seemed to go to -pieces--and it could hardly have occurred in a worse place. It was a -wild and desolate cañon, barren and rocky, miles away from every human -habitation; yet there was nothing for it, but to leave the driver in -charge, and the rest of us proceed on to Camp Rock Springs, whence we -sent an army-wagon back to gather up the remains and bring them on. -Camp Rock Springs itself was a forlorn military post, consisting of -one officer and perhaps a dozen men, guarding the Springs and the road -there. The officer was quartered in a natural cave in the hillside, and -his men had "hutted" themselves out on the sand the best they could. -No glory there, nor much chance for military fame; but true patriots -and heroes were they, to submit to such privations. Too many of our -frontier posts are akin to this, and little do members of Congress -east, who know only "the pomp and circumstance of glorious war," -imagine what army-life out there really is. It is a poor place for fuss -and feathers, gilt epaulets and brass buttons; and our "Home Guard," -holiday Militia east, so fond of parading up and down our peaceful -streets, with full rations and hotel quarters, would soon acquire for -soldiering there only a rare and infinite disgust. Yet these are the -nurseries of the Army, and from such hard schools we graduated a Grant -and Sherman, Sheridan and Thomas. - -Soda Lake, already mentioned, is simply a dried-up lake, or sea, -whose salts of soda effloresce and whiten the ground, like snow, -for miles in every direction. The country there is a vast basin, -rimmed around with desolate hills and mountains, and during the rainy -season a considerable body of water, indeed, collects here. Soon, -however, evaporation does its work, and the Lake proper subsides to -little or nothing, worth speaking of. When we were there, it was -said to be twenty miles long, by four or five wide, though of course -everywhere very marshy or shallow. Skirting the borders of it, we -reached a rocky bluff on (I think) the northern shore, and there -found a noble spring of excellent water, welling up of from unknown -depths, within a stone's throw of the soda deposits. Here was the -usual halting-place, and as we had driven all night, we went into -camp on arriving there, soon after sunrise. It was Sunday, April -21st; there was no house or even hut there; no person or living -thing; and what with the heat, and glare, and awful desolation--our -weariness, fatigue, and sense of isolation--I think it was about the -most wretched and miserable day I ever spent anywhere. To crown all, -during the night before, while jogging along, we had descried what we -supposed to be an Indian camp-fire, off to the south of the road some -distance; we had driven quietly but hastily on, getting the utmost -out of our jaded mules; but whether the Red Skins were asleep, or -had discovered and were now dogging us, awaiting their opportunity, -we were blissfully ignorant. We passed the hours away, as best we -could, sleeping and watching in turn; but the next morning, bright -and early, we were up and off for Camp Cady. We would have departed, -indeed, by night; but the route lay largely up the disgusting cañon -of the Mojave, and was impracticable in the dark. This was the only -sign of hostile Indians we saw _en route_ from the Colorado. We could -hardly call it a genuine "scare;" and yet were not greatly grieved, -when we found they had given us a wide berth. - -Some fifteen or twenty miles beyond Soda Lake, we struck the Mojave -River, so-called, which there runs for several miles through a narrow -and rocky cañon, much similar to that of the Hassayampa, though its -walls are not so high. The road itself leads up this cañon, for lack -of a better route over and through the mountains there, and on first -view, it promised to be the Hassayampa over again; but, fortunately, -the bottom is chiefly gravel and rock, and therefore has not the same -disagreeable habit of "dropping out," when you venture over it. We -found from one to two feet of water in the Mojave here, and crossed -it, I suppose, at least thirty or forty times between there and Camp -Cady--within say twenty miles. Two days afterward, when we crossed it -for the last time, farther up, at what is called the Upper Crossing -of the Mojave, we found it two feet _deeper_ than it had been a -hundred miles below, and with more than _twice_ the volume of water. -Our famous Pathfinder, in one of his great expeditions, struck it -near here, at freshet height, and it is said reported the Mojave as -"an important tributary of the Colorado, navigable for light-draft -steamboats several months in the year." He would have been partly -right, perhaps, if the Mojave indeed continued on to the Colorado. -But unfortunately, it sinks in the desert, long before it gets there; -and the enthusiastic explorer's "light-draft steamboats" would have -to go paddling across a broad expanse of sand and rock, if they -wanted to voyage from the Mojave to the Colorado, or _vice versa_! -The Mojave, in fact, although draining the snow-capped San Bernardino -Mountains, and a wide stretch of country there, is only another -of the many strange anomalies that one meets with in Southern -California and Arizona. Said a ranchman in that region: - -"Dis yer's a quar country, stranger, you bet! All sorts of quar things -out yer. Folks chop wood with a sledge-hammer, and mow grass with a -hoe. Every bush bears a thorn, and every insect has a sting. The trees -is pretty nigh all cactuses. The streams haint no water, except big -freshets. The rivers get littler, the furder they run down. No game but -rabbits, and them's big as jackasses. Some quails, but all top-knotted, -and wild as greased lightning. No frost; no dew. Nobody kums yer, -unless he's runnin' away. Nobody stays, unless he has to. Everybody -'vamoses the ranch,' 'cuts stick,' 'absquatulates,' as soon as he kin -raise nuff 'dust' to 'git up and _git_' with. You _bet_--ye! Sure!" - -It is due to truth to say, that our friend had just got up from the -"break-bone" fever, and was still troubled with the "shakes." His mine -had "petered out," and his "outfit" was about "gone up." In fact, he -looked, and I have no doubt felt, slightly dismal--not to put too fine -a point upon it. But I give his opinion, as he gave it to us; and the -reader must take it _cum grano salis_--as much or little as he chooses. -In truth, we have a vast region there, that as a whole is simply barren -and worthless, and that will never be utilized or seriously amount to -much, until the rest of the continent is well occupied and settled up. -We may, of course, regret it; but that is about the truth of things, -and emigrants thither soon discover it. - -Beyond Camp Cady, another rude post, much like Rock Springs, we found -a few ranches scattered here and there along the Mojave; but they -were importing grain and hay fifty and a hundred miles, from San -Bernardino and Los Angelos, for sale to passing teams and travellers, -which looked as if their prospects were not very flattering. There -ought, however, to be some good farms there, if the Mojave were -properly utilized; and doubtless this will be done soon, if it has -not been already. - -At Cajon Pass, through the lofty Coast Range, you quickly run down -from five thousand feet above the sea, to about one thousand feet -at San Bernardino, or even less. The descent is through a wild and -picturesque cañon, that almost equals in grandeur and sublimity the -far-famed Echo Cañon of Utah. We camped all night near the foot of -the Pass, sleeping so soundly that several mounted deserters[24] -from Fort Mojave passed us unheeded, and the next morning, bright -and early, we rolled into San Bernardino. Here was a well-laid out -and tolerably built town, of a thousand or so inhabitants, with a -newspaper, telegraph, and most modern improvements. It reminds one -of Salt Lake City, and was, indeed, patterned after that gem of the -mountains, being settled originally by the Mormons many years ago, -when they planned a route through here to the Pacific at San Diego. -We remained here but a few hours, and, as the weather was already -becoming warm, started the same evening for Los Angelos, some sixty -miles north, where we arrived late next morning. - -The country just now (April 26th), between Cajon Pass and Los -Angelos, was beautiful and glorious beyond description. I scarcely -know how to speak of it in fitting terms, but I remember well how -it impressed us at the time. The Los Angelos Plains, seventy miles -long by thirty wide, were one wild sea of green and yellow, pink and -violet--herbage and flowers everywhere. Thousands of lusty cattle -and contented sheep roamed over them at will; but not one herd or -flock, where there ought to be a score or hundred. The vineyards -were all putting forth their leafy branches, and preparing for their -purple clusters. The fields were heavy with barley and wheat. The -olive and walnut orchards were clad in foliage of densest green. The -orange groves were everywhere filling the air with their delicate -and delicious fragrance, so exquisitely sweet and ethereal it seemed -as if distilled from heaven. Ten thousand "beautiful birds of song" -flitted and twittered, from bush to tree, as we drove along. On the -west rolled the blue Pacific; on the east rose the noble Coast Range; -and over all, like a celestial benediction, hung the California -sky--a superb sapphire we never see East. The setting sun lit up the -distant hills, as we gazed, and now clothed with crimson and gold--an -ineffable glory of splendors--the snow-clad peaks, that towered to -the north and east. Up there was the frozen zone, most of the year -round; but down on the Plains, the balmy zephyrs of the tropics, and -nature literally one wild scene of beauty and of glory. - -The transition from the Mojave Desert, and Arizona generally, to this -delightful region, was like coming into Eden--seemed like "Paradise -Regained," in very truth. As we emerged from the mountains at Cajon -Pass, and drove down into it, we could scarcely refrain from shouting -for joy. Our animals whinnied, pricked up their ears, and, jaded -as they were, trotted along with a new-found speed. Poor beasts, -faithful donkeys, we had driven some of them fully fifteen hundred -miles, "outside" and "inside," forth and back. Just to think of -it once, plenty of good water, fresh green grass, and a moist and -fragrant atmosphere once more! No more blazing sun; no more glaring -sand; no more alkali streams; no more thorny mesquite and prickly -cactus; no more Apaches and Hualapais, Pai-Utes and Chemehuevis; no -more scanning every bush and rock by day, and listening intently -to every sound by night; no more riding with rifles in our hands, -no more sleeping on our arms; no more bottomless quicksands; no -more fear of rattlesnakes and centipedes; no more freshets, and -no more sand-storms. No! The long drag of fifteen hundred miles -was over, and once more we struck hands with civilization and -school-houses--touched steam-ships and telegraphs. - -Verily, we had a right to sing "Out of the Wilderness," and "Home -again," with infinite gusto; and it is not surprising, that with -these and other jolly airs we did, indeed, make the welkin ring. -Once more we had the newspapers--we hadn't seen one in a month -before--that is, less than a month old--and to fair and hospitable -Los Angelos, ever and truly the City of the Angels, we were welcomed -as ones from the desert, if not from the dead. We had, indeed, been -reported several times, as waylaid and captured by the Indians; but -here we were _in propriis personis_, brown and hearty, though dusty -and fatigued. Our good friend Banning and Don Benito Wilson were -among the first to congratulate us; and their kindness and courtesy -during the next three days, and until we left by steamer for San -Francisco (April 30th), when shall we forget? - -FOOTNOTES: - -[23] Hence the recent proposition to turn the Colorado thither and -convert all this district, including the Yuma or Colorado Desert, -into a great lake or inland sea. It seems hardly feasible in this -generation; but, possibly, may happen in the future. - -[24] They were our escort from Prescott, whom we had dismissed at -Mojave, with orders to return as soon as rested. But, it seems, the -poor fellows were tired of Arizona, and as they were so far on their -way "inside," concluded to continue thither! - - - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - SAN FRANCISCO TO VIRGINIA CITY. - - -A sojourn of a fortnight or so, at San Francisco, sufficed for rest -and bringing up back Reports, and on the evening of May 16th, we took -the good boat, Chrysopolis for Sacramento, and thence on to Virginia -City. There were posts in Nevada I was ordered to inspect, and this -was then the best route to reach them. The weather was raw at San -Francisco, but when we got well up the bay and past Benicia, the air -became mild and June-like, and the evening was passed delightfully -on deck, under such star-lit skies as only California and the Far -West can boast. We had a full complement of passengers, of all grades -from New York cockneys to Nevada miners; but the proportion of -ladies was small, as usually on the Coast. The few children aboard -seemed general pets, and many eagerly seized a moment's chat with -them. I saw a rough-looking miner, tall, and "bearded like a pard," -entice two of them to his side, and, subsequently wander all over -the boat with them, talking with the little folks by the hour, about -the machinery and whatever else excited their curiosity. At supper, -we had a substantial and excellent meal; at bed-time, we found the -berths clean and sweet; and the conduct of the boat in general was -all that could be desired. - -The Sacramento itself is a noble stream, of which any commonwealth -might well be proud. To Benicia, and beyond, it is navigable for -first-class sea-going vessels, and here upon the bold shores and by -the deep waters thereabouts, San Francisco ought really to have been -built, as elsewhere intimated. But, unfortunately, the metropolis got -itself camped down on the sand-hills, near the Golden Gate, and now -will remain there forever. - -We reached Sacramento City, one hundred and twenty miles from San -Francisco, about 2 A. M. next day, and after an early breakfast and -a short walk through the town, took the train at 6-1/2 A. M. for -Cisco, then the advance station on the Central Pacific Railroad. -This ride, of about a hundred miles, was first up the rich valley of -the Sacramento, and then through the foot-hills, and up the Sierra -Nevadas. At Sacramento the river was still broad and deep, but with -low banks that necessitated levees to guard against overflows. Once -a clear mountain stream, fresh from the Sierras, it was now tawnier -than the yellow Tiber, with the results of mining on its head-waters -and tributaries, and, it was reported, was steadily filling up. -Sacramento, indeed, may well have an eye to this; but what she can do -to correct or prevent it, it seems difficult to say. - -As we advanced, the valley of the Sacramento steadily narrowed, but -everywhere appeared rich and fertile. Broad farms stretched out on -every side, and clumps of live-oaks, with their deep green foliage, -everywhere relieved the golden yellow of the ripening wheat-fields. -The general lack of timber continued noticeable, but these scattered -live-oaks, sturdy and defiant, relieved the landscape, and they seemed -preserved with commendable care. As we approached the foot-hills, the -soil grew thinner, the lordly wheat-fields gave place to extensive -vineyards, and soon the dense pines of the Sierras made their -appearance. Here, too, we struck the mines, and on all sides saw -evidences of the spade and rocker. In many places, there were only -old placers abandoned, with the hills ragged and torn, and the earth -generally topsy-turvy with past operations--cabins empty, ditches dry, -sluice-ways falling to pieces; but, in others, the washings were still -in full operation, and the hills and streams seemed alive with human -industry and energy. Little mining hamlets were perched, here and -there, on the edge of mountain torrents; and, where the water did not -suffice, broad ditches, improvised for the locality, brought it from -some far-off point and carried it wheresoever wanted. - -Some of these water-ditches are among the wonders of the Pacific -Coast, and deserve more than a passing notice. With surprising -engineering, they wind down and around and among the mountains, -leaping ravines, crossing ridges, and everywhere following the miner, -like faithful servants of his will. Wherever necessary, the miner -taps them, and either uses the water in his ordinary sluice-way, or -else by his hydraulic pipes hurls it against the hills, and literally -washes them to the plain. This hydraulic mining seemed to be most in -favor there, and the power developed by some of these streams was -immense. The momentum acquired by the water in its long descent, -sufficed to melt huge hills of clay and gravel very quickly; and -instances were reported where men, and mules even, had been killed by -being struck by the water, as it issued from the pipes or hose. The -men engaged in mining were rough and hirsute, as miners everywhere -are; but they looked bright and keen, and as if they believed in -California and her future, come what might. - -The change in the climate, as we plunged into the foot-hills, and -felt our way up into the Sierras, was very apparent, and soon -became disagreeably so. At Sacramento, the weather was close and -warm; but hour by hour, as we ascended, the thermometer went down, -and long before reaching Cisco, only about a hundred miles or so, -we were shivering in winter garments. As I have said, this was then -the "jumping off" place or terminus of the Central Pacific road, and -is well up into the mountains. We reached there soon after noon, -and I must say were surprised at the general excellence, as well as -audacity of the road. Some of its grades are over a hundred feet to the -mile,[25] and in many places it literally springs into the air, over -immense trestle-work bridges or along the dizzy edge of precipices, -that seem fraught with peril and destruction; but we reached Cisco safe -and sound, and sat down to a smoking dinner, with the snow-drifts still -up to the eaves of the roofs of the hotel, and the houses round-about. - -Cisco was then a scattered village, of frame tenements, only a few -months old; but as the terminus of the road, and depot of supplies -for all Nevada, it was bustling with business. The Overland Mail, for -Virginia City and the East, left here daily, on the arrival of the -train; and, after a hurried dinner, we were off again with the mail. -It was now May 17th, and though the advancing summer had melted the -snow in the regular roadway, so that wagoning was practicable for -some distance, yet the old snow still lay six and eight feet deep on -the general level, and our road ran between solid walls of it. We -set off from Cisco in stage-coaches (mountain mud-wagons), but soon -had to surrender these for sleighs; and then came a long and dreary -pull, through slush and mud and ice, for several miles, till we got -well across the summit of the Sierras, when we again took coaches and -rattled down to Donner Lake, where we arrived at 8-1/2 P. M., having -made only eighteen miles since noon. The most of us walked a good -part of the way, and found it altogether rather a fatiguing march. -The depth of the snow still left on the summit seemed surprising; but -a gentleman I met in San Francisco assured me, that when he crossed -the Sierras in December previous, he found the telegraph poles, even, -in many places snowed under. The stage-people reported the snow as -having been fifteen and twenty feet in depth on the level generally, -and we could see where they had set up poles and "shakes" long -before, to mark out the general course of the road itself. - -It was these huge vast snows that the Central Pacific folks had -mainly to provide against, and the problem would have appalled most -men. But they quietly set to work to board the snows out, and since -then have literally housed their road in for thirty miles or more. -The surrounding forests furnished them cheap timber, and portable -saw-mills shifted from point to point soon converted this into the -required lumber. But what a herculean job it really was! These great -snow-sheds or snow-galleries consumed in all nearly forty-five million -feet, board measure, of sawed timber, and over a million and a quarter -feet of round timber, equivalent in the aggregate to fifty-two and -a half million feet, board measure, of sawed timber; and nearly a -thousand tons of iron and spikes. Two general styles of construction -were adopted--one intended for localities where the _weight_ of the -snow only had to be supported, and the other for such places as -were exposed to "slides," and the slower but almost irresistible -"glacial movement" of the snow, as on the steep and rocky slopes near -the summit. These galleries have proved a great success, and though -frequently covered with drifted snow to a depth of ten or twenty feet, -and in some places of more than fifty feet, they afford a safe passage -for trains at all seasons, without noticeable detentions. - -Near the summit, we came upon John Chinaman again, in all his glory. -Here was the "Heathen Chinee," five thousand strong, burrowing and -tunnelling a way for the road, through the back-bone of the Sierras. -It was a huge piece of work, nearly half a mile long, through the -solid granite; but John was patiently pegging away at it, from four -different faces, and soon afterwards completed it successfully. They -all wore their pig-tails, the same as in San Francisco, but usually -had these sacred appendages twisted well around their heads, instead -of dangling at their heels; and, with the exception of the universal -blue blouse, were dressed like ordinary navvies or laborers. Of -course, they had American or English superintendents and foremen of -gangs; but these all spoke well of the almond-eyed strangers, and -praised them, especially, for their docility and intelligence. A more -industrious or orderly set of workingmen, were never seen; and though -railroad-building was a new employment for Asiatics, they seemed to -take to it very kindly. Subsequently, they pushed the Central down -the mountains, and through to Ogden City; and the day is not distant, -when they will push such roads, with their thousand civilizing -influences, all through the Flowery Kingdom. - -We crossed the summit just at sunset, and from that proud -altitude--seven thousand two hundred feet above the sea--gazed down -upon that gem of the Sierras, Donner Lake--a body of crystalline -water, five miles long by over half a mile wide, in the very heart -of the mountains. The crest of the Sierras lifts itself boldly along -the west, but elsewhere the ridges slope down to the Lake, and the -hoary peaks and cliffs seem to hold it in their lap, like a sleeping -infant. The sunset itself, that evening, was superb. The clouds -became gold, the snow burnished silver, while a purple haze sifted -down from the sky, and soon veiled exquisitely the lake and its -far-stretching cañons. As the night gathered deeper, the lights and -shadows became grandly sublime; and then, as a fitting sequel, came -one of those glorious skies, ablaze with stars, for which the Coast -is so famed. It was blackest marble, gemmed with silver. It seemed to -uplift itself into eternity. The whole scene fixed itself indelibly -in the memory, and though we saw Lake Tahoe afterwards I preferred -this view of Donner Lake. - -In the midst of the falling shadows, we passed the snow-limit, and -again betook ourselves to mountain mud-wagons, which farther down -we again exchanged for Concord coaches. About 9 P. M. we halted for -supper, but were soon on the road again, and striking the Truckee, -followed it down until long after sunrise. Once out of the mountains, -its valley rapidly broadened; but here was the rainless region, and -sage-brush again prevailed, as in Idaho and Arizona. Here and there, -we passed some fair farms; but irrigation was the secret, and without -this, agriculture in Nevada, as elsewhere in the great basin of the -continent, will seldom amount to much. The air continued raw and -chilly, well into the morning; but the roads had become dusty and -superb, and we bowled along down the mountains, and up the wonderful -Geiger grade, at a swinging pace, that brought us into Virginia -City--seventy miles or more from Cisco--at about 10 A. M. Here we -stopped at the International, then the "swell" house of Virginia -City, and found excellent cheer, for the hungry and the weary. - -The next day was Sunday, and though many of the business houses -continued open, yet the mines and mills as a rule were silent, and -the proportion of church-goers was larger than we expected. Virginia -already boasted several creditable churches, and in one of these a -noted revivalist from the East (Rev. Mr. E.) was attracting crowds -by his zeal and earnestness. His discourse that day was bald to -plainness, but direct and searching; and when, at its close, he invited -penitents to rise, a score or more stood up--many of them rough and -burly men, bathed in tears. He had crossed our path in Oregon in -December, and subsequently we had heard of him again in San Francisco, -where the press were divided as to his merits. But here in Nevada, he -was regarded as a great evangelist, and one enthusiastic journalist -asserted that he had added more to the church, during his brief tour on -the Coast, than all their parsons before all put together. Some days -after, when about to depart for other fields, he was presented with a -silver "brick" or two, as appropriate evidence of Nevada appreciation. - -As a mining town, Virginia City impresses one very favorably, and her -growth seemed steady and real. She already possessed many excellent -buildings, and others were fast going up. She sits high and dry, -on the side of a silver mountain, six thousand feet above the sea, -with a population of some eight or ten thousand souls, with other -mountains shouldering away beneath and above her; and, of course, -would never have been at all, had it not been for the lucky discovery -of the Comstock Lode. This is _the_ great lode of Nevada, from -which the bulk of her silver has been taken, and few of her mining -operations elsewhere were then paying for themselves. White Pine had -not then been discovered (May, '67), and the great enterprises of -Nevada, such as Gould & Curry, Yellow Jacket, Ophir, Savage, Crown -Point, etc., were all located on the Comstock Lode. This ran along -the mountain-side, beneath the town, for two or three miles, varying -in width from fifty to one hundred feet, and of unknown depth. The -Gould & Curry Company had sunk a shaft nearly a thousand feet, and -the argentiferous deposits still appeared, more or less richly. -Less than a third of the companies then at work on this great lode, -however (some thirty in all), were then paying dividends, and the -general product of the State, it was conceded, was falling off. -One company had spent over a million dollars, in "developing" its -property, without striking "pay-ore," and others were following in -its footsteps. But others, again, had paid very handsomely. The Gould -& Curry, on an investment of less than two hundred thousand dollars -from its stockholders, had paid them back four millions in dividends, -and altogether had produced over twelve millions in bullion. In one -year, it had yielded nearly five millions, with a clear profit of -over one million; but in 1867, it was not promising so well. It had -spent vast sums in mining and improvements, with something here and -there that looked like extravagance, if not worse. Its magnificent -mill, of eighty-stamp power, cost over a million of dollars, and was -said to be the largest and finest quartz-mill in the world. This -company owned twelve hundred feet of the Comstock Lode, and had -dug down nearly a thousand feet in depth, and back and forth fifty -times. Its shafts and tunnels measured over two miles under ground, -and it had used more lumber in strengthing its walls, it was said, -than was embraced in the whole of Virginia City overhead. We spent -an afternoon wandering through its drifts and galleries, part of the -time nine hundred and fifty feet beneath the surface, and were amazed -at the work that had been done. - -Another, the Yellow Jacket, had yielded over two millions of dollars, -and paid its stock-holders nearly four hundred thousand dollars, or -fifty thousand more than all their subscriptions and assessments. -The Savage had taken out six millions of bullion, and the Ophir over -twelve millions; but, as yet, the stockholders had realized but -little, because of bad management and expensive experiments, that -proved failures. This Comstock ore averaged less than forty dollars -per ton, more usually only twenty-five to thirty; but it was less -refractory than most American ores, and required only to be crushed -and amalgamated to extract the bullion. Better "processes" were -continually being looked for, as in Colorado, with which it was hoped -much poorer ores would pay well. Selected ores, such as averaged a -thousand dollars per ton or so, were still shipped to Swansea, Wales, -for treatment, though this seemed absurd, considering the distance -and expense, and our vast deposits of coal at home. The famous Sutro -Tunnel, in behalf of which Congress has since been so earnestly -memorialized, is a magnificent scheme to tap this great lode at lower -levels, where it may be drained and worked at much better advantage; -and, if ever realized, will no doubt result in the Comstock turning -out fabulous sums again.[26] - -The most of the mining capital seemed to be furnished by California, -and the best-informed people thought, notwithstanding the large -yield of many mines, that she had not yet received back the amount -of money she had actually invested. A fair estimate was, that she -had put fully a hundred millions into Nevada mines and mills, and -had taken out only about sixty millions, leaving a balance of forty -millions on the wrong side of the ledger yet; but then there were -the shafts and tunnels, the mills and machinery, with large added -experience, and 'Frisco capitalists were still hopeful of the future. - -The fluctuations of mining stocks were great and frequent, and we -watched them with interest while on the Coast. A lucky "strike," -probably in some rich "pocket," would send Savage or Yellow Jacket -high up·on the list for a few days or weeks, when the vein would -"peter out," and again it would drop to its former figures or -below. Our conclusion was, that silver-mining, after all, is a very -risky business. There may be money in it, for superintendents and -directors; but for stockholders, as a rule, very little. The Mexicans -have an adage, and they are old and experienced miners, that "it -takes a _mine_ to work a mine;" and that seemed to be about the -opinion of the best minds we met with. Miners and mining-life, are -much the same everywhere; and if the reader wants to know more about -them, let him turn to Chapter V., p. 58. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[25] Above Dutch Flat, the maximum grade of 116 feet per mile has -been resorted to, for over ten miles. From Owl Gap to the Summit, a -distance of twenty-four and a half miles, the average grade is 81, -and the maximum 85 feet per mile. From the Summit to the Truckee, -the average is 84, and the maximum 90 feet per mile; but down the -Truckee, the grades average less than 40 feet per mile. - -[26] See Appendix. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - - VIRGINIA CITY TO STOCKTON. - - -After concluding my duties at Fort Churchill, some thirty miles east -on the road to Austin, we returned again to Virginia City, and on -the morning of May 22d took the coach for California again. As we -had come over by Cisco and Donner Lake, we decided to return by Lake -Tahoe and Placerville, and thus see as much of the country both ways -as possible. Our route lay first through Carson City and Genoa, and -thence across the Sierras by Lake Tahoe to Placerville. The sun shone -clear, but cool, as we swung out of the Silver City, amidst rolling -clouds of dust; but when we reached the grease-wood and sage plains, -it speedily grew warmer. We found Carson a diminutive "city," noted -chiefly for its penitentiary, and pushed rapidly ahead all day. We -threaded the valley of the Carson, and striking the Sierras skirted -their base for miles; but finally turned square west, and zigzagged -over the first range, by a splendid turnpike, that is unsurpassed -anywhere. The range was so abrupt, and the road so sharp, that the -summit seemed higher than it really was; but when we reached there, -we were repaid by a magnificent view of the valley of the Carson, -and the far-stretching sage and alkali plains of Nevada. So far, we -had encountered no snow; but when we approached the second range, or -Mother Ridge of the Sierras, we found it snow-crowned still, and -prepared ourselves for the worst. - -At Yank's Station, where we changed horses just at nightfall, they -reported the road ahead as not good enough for sleighs, and too bad for -coaches; but concluded, on the whole, we had better risk a coach. So, -after a hearty supper, we set off in a Concord coach, being the first -one over the Placerville route that spring. We had a full load--nine -passengers inside and four outside, including two ladies and three -children; but our six horses were fresh and gamey, and for a time we -swung along at a spanking pace. Halfway up the range, however, we -struck the ice and slush, and soon came to a dead halt, with a request -from the driver for all to get out and walk, except the ladies and -children. With only these on board, the coach forged ahead for a mile -or so more, when again it halted, and these, too, were ordered out. Two -of the children were small, only four or five years of age, and these -the rest of the passengers chivalrously agreed to shoulder and carry -by turns. The road was itself quite steep; its bed, mingled ice and -slush; while on either side were still four or five feet of snow, as -on the Donner Lake route. It ascended the range by long zigzags, and -some who attempted a "short cut" across these, trusting the snow, soon -found themselves up to their waists or shoulders in it. It was slow and -painful travelling at best, especially with a child on your back; but -the coach progressed still slower, and often we heard it floundering -along far below us, or wholly stalled in some villainous chuck-hole, -worse than the rest. - -Reaching the summit at last, near midnight, by such long and -toilsome climbing, we there found a rough station, where we dried -our feet and clothes, and got fresh horses, after which we pushed on -again--now, however, sticking by the coach, and helping to lift it -out, and urge it along from time to time as needed. Sometimes, it -seemed hopelessly stalled, especially when it got wedged in, besides, -against one of the snow-walls; but by lifting and prying, and much -faithful shouting, we always managed somehow to pull out, and at last -struck _terra firma_ again along toward morning. But we were six -mortal hours, in making less than ten miles, across this range; and -what with trudging through the slush, helping the ladies forward, -and carrying the children, it was altogether one of the worst -night-journeys I ever experienced. If anybody thinks differently, -let him try his hand at carrying fifty pounds of childhood, up a -slushy road, six miles more or less across a mountain, through the -chilly night air, about midnight and after. When happily we regained -the coach, after passing the snow, we supposed our troubles about -over; but an ambitious mother from Virginia City, _en route_ to -San Francisco, left her Gertrude Jane unselfishly to me, while -she herself sank gracefully into a corner of the coach, and went -deliberately to sleep. It was, perhaps, characteristic of her sex on -the Coast, where women are so few, they are over-appreciated; but to -the Eastern mind, I confess, it seemed somewhat too much of a good -thing, considering the premises. - -Once out of the snow, we struck comparatively good roads again, and -whirled along down and out of the mountains at a magnificent rate. Our -general pace was a good square trot, but we swung around the zigzags -usually at a sharp gallop, and often shaved the edge of cliffs so -closely, that it made the goose-flesh come and go, or one's hair about -stand on end. With the first break of day, I sought the outside of -the coach, and revelled in the ride through the breezy pines of the -Sierras--monster coniferæ, ten and twelve feet through, and running -up straight as an arrow by the hundred feet--and so down the range to -Lake Tahoe. This (Tahoe) is the gem of the Sierras, _par excellence_, -according to all good Californians; and one scarcely wonders at their -immense pride in it. Itself six thousand feet above the sea, skirted -with primeval forests, rimmed about with snow-clad peaks, it stretches -wide for ten or twelve miles, and its waters are so pure and clear, -that trout may be seen at all depths in it. It had already become a -popular resort for all the Pacific Coast, and waited only for the -completion of the railroad, to welcome visitors from the East. Here was -the limpid heart of the Sierras; and the wild, the picturesque, and -the sublime, all combined to enhance its conceded beauty. California -herself, ever alive to her own interests, was also entertaining some -very utilitarian views with regard to it. A long-headed, broad-minded -German engineer proposed to tap it, by tunnelling through the Sierras, -and conducting its crystal waters across the State--first utilizing -them as water-power and a grand irrigating canal _en route_ as wanted, -and at the terminus supplying San Francisco with unimpeachable water. -It was a gigantic project, involving many millions; but was already -much talked of, and was just the kind of scheme to interest the minds, -and lighten the pockets, of good Californians. - -Past Lake Tahoe, we whirled over and down the mountains at a telling -pace--by the side of rushing torrents, amidst aromatic pines, -along the dizzy edge of precipices--it was the very romance of -stage-coaching--and drew up at Shingle Station, on the Placerville -and Sacramento Railroad, at 11 A. M., having come 116 miles since -leaving Virginia City, only the day before, despite the snow on -the summit. At Placerville, we struck the original gold-fields of -California, and saw abundant evidences of past washings on all sides -of us. These were now mostly abandoned, except by the Chinese, who -here and there were still patiently at work, content to glean what -Americans despised. Placerville itself, in the then early spring, was -one mass of perfect roses and foliage. The balmy breath of summer -seemed everywhere at work, and the climate reminded one rather -of Charleston or Savannah in May or June. Her ragged hillsides, -abandoned by the miner, were everywhere changing into vineyards and -orchards, while skillful irrigation was rapidly converting her waste -lands into productive farms. Once out of the foot-hills, we again -struck the lordly wheat-fields, and thence on to Sacramento we were -never out of sight of broad acres of waving grain. - -At Sacramento, we found hearty welcome, and good hotels, and tarried -there for a day or so. It was then a city of fifteen or twenty -thousand people, and though not prospering as in former years, -as capital of the State and the centre of a magnificent farming -district, was yet certain of its future. Here, as at Placerville, the -wealth of roses was something surprising, and indeed the whole city -seemed to be a wilderness of color and perfume. It is difficult for -one residing on the Atlantic slope, to realize how richly California -is endowed with flowers. To us, here, they were a constant wonder and -delight, though this may have partly come from our sudden transition -from the snows of the Sierras. - -From Sacramento, we rode over to Stockton, some fifty miles, leaving -at 6 A. M. and reaching there at 1 P. M. As there were but few -passengers, we had the coach pretty much to ourselves, and the ride -proved delightful, barring the dust. Our route lay mainly down the -valley of the Sacramento proper, and we found the country a dead -level or gently rolling, not unlike an Illinois prairie, though -diversified here and there with groups of live-oaks, festooned with -Spanish moss. Now and then these oaks thickened into respectable -groves, but nowhere did they seem to amount to much as timber. The -soil was everywhere black and deep, all a farmer's heart could wish, -and there appeared to be literally no end to the wide-stretching -wheat-fields. They skirted the road for miles, on every side, and -our driver was continually pointing out to us this hundred or that -thousand acre wheat-field. Wheat seemed too much their main crop, -though vineyards and fruit-orchards were not infrequent, and on the -"divides" we here and there saw some large flocks of sheep and herds -of cattle, quietly feeding under their native rancheros. Evidently -their breadth of wheatland was constantly extending. When California -first began to grow wheat, for several years it was thought the -bottom-lands were the only ones worth cultivating. But it was found -that good crops could also be grown on her uplands, and year by year -more of these were now being reclaimed and sown. Unlike other crops, -her wheat nowhere requires irrigation; but, sown late in the fall or -early winter, it germinates beneath the December rains, grows rapidly -all winter, and by May is ready to harvest. Her long and rainless -summer affords ample leisure to gather and market it--no granaries or -barns being required; and the reported yield--50 to 80 bushels to the -acre--seems fabulous to any one, but a Californian. - -Her fruit and vegetable fields require regular irrigation, the same -as in Colorado and Utah; and wherever these appeared, long-armed -windmills wearily beat the air, pumping water to the surface. The -steady sea-breeze of the long summer renders these very reliable, -and California everywhere had been quick to adopt them. All about -Stockton, they stood gaunt and skeleton-like against the sky, like a -cordon of ghostly sentinels; but they seemed to serve their purpose -admirably well, and this was the main thing. The water they lifted -to the surface was conducted by troughs and ditches hundreds of -yards away, as needed, everywhere converting the parched and arid -earth into bountiful fields and gardens. Stockton seemed literally -embosomed in these, foliage and flowers abounding on all sides, and -her climate appeared perfect even for California. At the head of -steamboat navigation on the San Joaquin, she gathered into her lap -the trade and travel of a wide district there, and was already a -busy and thriving town of several thousand inhabitants. Of course, -she has no great and magnificent future, like San Francisco; but as -an important inland city, doubtless she will continue to grow and -prosper for many years to come. - -[Illustration: YOSEMITE VALLEY (from foot of Mariposa Trail).] - - - - - CHAPTER XXIX. - - STOCKTON TO THE YOSEMITE. - - -Here at Stockton, I had expected to find friends from San Francisco, -to go through to the Yosemite with me, and return. (_Yo-Sem-i-te_, -big-grizzly bear.) But, instead, I found letters, begging off, on -the plea, that it was yet too early in the season to venture there. -It was, indeed, rather later than usual; but the previous winter -had been a severe one, and in San Francisco, they said, the snow -was still too deep on the mountains, to reach the far-famed valley. -This was all very well for them, being residents on the Coast. But -my official duties there were now substantially over; there was only -about a fortnight or so left, before the steamer sailed on which I -had engaged passage; and the question with me was, whether now, or -perhaps never, to see California's (if not the world's) chiefest -wonder. I inquired at the Stockton hotels, but could find no one _en -route_ to the Yosemite; and finally concluded I must go alone, or -not at all.[27] At last, however, I heard of two Englishmen who had -just returned, declaring the route practicable _via_ Coulterville; -but alleging they were the only ones, who had been in and out that -season. This decided me, especially as I preferred to be on the -move, rather than idling in San Francisco until my steamer sailed. - -Accordingly, I took the stage early next morning (May 25th) for -Coulterville, and reached there the same evening. My design was to go -in by the Coulterville route, and come out by the Mariposa, so as to -visit the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees also, if possible; but, failing -that, to return by Coulterville. The first twenty-five miles of the -road from Stockton was through a sea of lordly wheat-fields, like -the ride from Sacramento; but, after that we struck the more barren -foot-hills, and settlements soon became fewer and poorer. Our general -course was up the valley of the San Joaquin and its tributaries--the -Stanislaus and the Tuolomne--with the country gradually rising, and -the Coast Range looming always grandly against the west. The latter -half of the way was dreary and desolate, the arid hills and plains -stretching on all sides around; and we hailed with joy the lovely view -of the Merced Valley, that betokened our approach to Coulterville. We -had several passengers thus far, evidently men intent on mines or other -local business, and Coulterville gave us a kindly evening welcome. - -The next morning a guide was found, who guaranteed to take me into -the valley and back, if I could stand a little rough riding and -walking; and after an early dinner we set cheerily out. He could -not promise to bring me out by the Mariposa trail, but he would do -the best he _could_, and in this I had faith. The distance to the -Yosemite was still some fifty-five miles, too much for one day's -journey, and we decided to go no farther than Black's, some eighteen -miles on, the first day. The wagon-road terminated practically -at Coulterville, and from here we proceeded on horseback, over a -wandering mountain trail, that seemed specially designed to bring -out all the finest views in the country. My horse was a mustang -pony, named Punty, small but sure of foot, and as brave and faithful -a little creature as ever lived. The day was glorious. The sky was -without a cloud. The atmosphere seemed, indeed, like "wine of airy -gold." The pines of the foot-hills and mountains perfumed every -breeze, and every sense seemed satisfied and full. As we had ample -time, we allowed our horses to take their "own sweet will," and -whiled the afternoon away in chat and song. My guide, Capt. Coulter, -was a companionable young fellow, who had seen something of army life -among the California Volunteers, and we got on together very well. - -At Bower Cave, halfway or so along, we halted to give the horses a -brief rest, and meanwhile explored the little bijou of a cave there, -which is quite perfect in its way. It is a natural cave, several -hundred feet in extent, in a limestone bluff there, with a pool of -water in one corner, forty feet deep, and clear as crystal. At the -bottom of the cave are several petrified trees, while from its mouth -uprises a group of stately maples, that spread their umbrageous -branches like a canopy over all. At a little distance, they quite -conceal the entrance to the cave; but down in the cave, looking up, -the light breaks through their multitudinous leaves, and illuminates -the cave and pool to the very bottom. Thence, we proceeded on to -Black's, in a sheltered nook, well among the mountains, where we -found plain but excellent entertainment, and went early to bed, with -the roses crowding about our windows, and the irrigating streams -that gave life to them murmuring in our ears. Here, as elsewhere in -California, irrigation was still essential; but Mr. Black had caught -and tamed a mountain rivulet--led it indeed everywhere--and wherever -it went, it worked wonders, in that virgin soil and matchless climate. - -The next morning, we were up bright and early, though withal a little -stiff and sore, and at 6 A. M. were off for the Yosemite again. Like -the day before, only hourly more and more so, the trail still wound -up, and along, and over the ridges and mountains--now through deep -forests of primeval pines, that would be monsters anywhere else, -where our horses sank to their fetlocks in mosses of emerald green, -and now along some rocky bluff, naked and barren, whence we could -gaze for miles on miles across ravine and ridge, wooded mountain -and arid plain, to the purple Coast Range beyond. Often I reined -Punty in, and gazed with delighted eyes over such glorious scenes -and far-away landscapes, as we are never permitted to see East. -There was a purity and clearness about the air, that lent long range -to the vision; and besides, our elevation above the sea had now -become so great, that the foot-hills seemed merged into the plains. -At times, there came a feeling of loneliness--only two of us thus -together, adrift among the Sierras; but the ever-changing landscape -soon banished this again, and throughout the day every sense seemed -filled to the utmost. This magnificent horseback ride, through the -foot-hills and up the Sierras, over and along their flanks and -summits, alone repaid me for all the toil and fatigue of the trip; -and then, there was the Yosemite, and other experiences besides. - -When we got within five or six miles of the Yosemite, however, we -struck the snow, and the remainder of our ride became chiefly a -plunge and flounder. The snow still lay several feet in depth, over -most of this distance, completely hiding the trail in many places, so -that my guide frequently became lost. A pocket-compass, and his own -keen eye for topography, however, usually soon put us right again, -and so we floundered on--determined to get through, if possible. In -places, the snow had a stout crust, which bore both us and the horses -up, and here we would mount and ride along quite gayly. But, in an -unguarded moment, when we were thinking the worst was over, or that -we were almost out of the snow-limit, suddenly our mustangs would -go in to their saddle-girths; and then, there was nothing left for -us but to dismount (if we were not already sprawling in the snow), -and coax them forward the best we could. This kind of travelling -told quickly upon our animals, and severely; however, we got along -better than we expected, and late in the afternoon, emerging -from the snow and pines, we rounded a rocky bluff, and before us -in a moment--yawned the Yosemite. At our feet lay the wonderful -valley--how sublime and glorious! Before us swayed the Bridal Veil, -in all its grace and beauty. To the left was El Capitan, looming up -in solemn grandeur. Beyond stood Sentinel Peak, piercing the clouds; -and still beyond, the great South Dome, propping the very sky. We -reined our horses in for a while, feasting our eyes on the general -view; but soon hastened on again, as the day was waning, and the -descent into the valley yet to be accomplished. - -Soon we struck a brace of foaming torrents, that shot across our -pathway like feathery arrows, and sped to join the lovely Merced in -the far valley below. Ordinarily, these were but mountain rivulets; -but now they were fierce and swollen, because of the melting snows, -and as they were unbridged, the only way was to ford them. We tried -the usual ford, but found it so deep and swift, and rocky withal, -that we were afraid to venture it. Finally, Capt. Coulter suggested, -that if I would cross by some fallen trees farther up, that nearly -met and made a sort of foot-bridge there, he thought he could -make Punty swim the streams, swollen and rocky as they were, when -the other horse would be likely to follow suit. So, taking off his -saddle and bridle, and shouldering these and my roll of blankets, -I cautiously made my way over the tangled trees, and presently -succeeded in reaching the other side in safety. From here, I called -to Punty to come over, while Capt. C. urged him in. At first, he -whinnied, as if he knew what was wanted of him; then ventured into -the icy water, and shrank out again, as if uncertain of himself. -But, finally, with more coaxing and urging, the plucky little fellow -plunged courageously in, and though the current bore him considerably -down, and the rocks bruised him cruelly, at length he reached my side -in safety. He walked up to me, a wet and dripping thing, but eager -for the biscuit with which I rewarded him; and, as he munched it, -rubbed his nose familiarly against my shoulder, as if to testify his -goodwill. An exchange of whinnies, now, soon brought the other horse -over, after a little urging; and Capt. C. crossing also by the trees, -we quickly saddled up, and were off again. A long and rather perilous -descent, over a rocky and precipitous trail, not yet repaired after -the spring washings, brought us at last down into the valley; and -soon after 6 P. M. we reached Hutchings'. In truth, it was a hard -day's ride, after all. We had been twelve hours in the saddle, first -and last; but had come thirty-seven miles, over an ugly road, and -were the first Americans of the season in the Yosemite. - -Here, at Hutchings', I spent three days in the Yosemite; but scarcely -know where to begin, or how to speak about it. They were all perfect -days in point of weather, and with Mr. Hutchings usually as guide, -I made the most of them. He was then one of the only two settlers -in the Yosemite, and his house the only real place of entertainment -there. An artist and an author himself of considerable merit, more -than a man of business, he had chosen the Yosemite out of all the -Pacific Coast, as the best place to live and die in; and was content -to be shut up here, from October to June of each year, without even a -newspaper or a word from the outside world, during that period. From -June to the last of September, he always had more or less company, -the influx of sightseers being pretty steady and constant; but, -after that, the snows interfered with travel, and with his family -he hibernated there the rest of the year. With rare taste for the -picturesque and the sublime, he had located his house--only a rough -shanty then, but meant to grow into something better--in the very -heart of the valley, with huge and massive El Capitan in front, the -incomparable Yosemite Falls to the right, and the spire-like Sentinel -Peak just off to the left. Standing on his lawn, you take all these -grand and majestic features in at one view, and at the same time -obtain a general view of the valley from there, I think, unsurpassed -elsewhere down in it. - -The first day, we took horses and rambled leisurely through the -valley, crossing and recrossing from side to side, as the views -were finest; and, much as had been anticipated, I confess, I was -overwhelmed with admiration and delight. The valley itself, running -about east and west, is some five miles long by a half-mile wide, and -seems to be a fissure or crevice in the heart of the Sierras there; -or rather, as if the bottom had here dropped out of the mountains, -and the lofty Sierras had sunk to a level with the plain. The sharp, -almost perpendicular, sides of the valley give you this impression -further, and it is hard to account for its features otherwise, though -some claim it all as the work of erosion, like the glen at Watkins, -or the gorge at Niagara. Its walls are often quite perpendicular, -half a mile or more in height; and its wonderful South Dome, rearing -its crest six thousand four hundred feet above the level of the -valley, or a mile and a quarter high, seems split half in two, as if -one half had suddenly disappeared, with its northern face so sharp, -that a stone dropped from its edge would fall to the bottom without -striking. This had never yet been ascended, and probably never will -be--its remaining half-dome is so smooth and globular. - -The general color of the walls is a grayish yellow, but here and -there they are mottled with green and black; and usually in every -niche and crevice, where a tree can gain a foothold, great spruces -and pines grow luxuriantly. In many places, however, its walls stand -sheer and bare, great masses of honest granite, from half a mile to a -mile perpendicularly; and, perhaps, I can't give a better impression -of them, than by saying, that if either of them was toppled over, in -many instances it would fill the valley and more. Up above, on the -summit of the range, snow lies more or less the year round; but down -below, in the heart of the valley, you have the general climate of -California outside, but without its aridity, for here showers prevail -in summer, as in the East. When I was there, the snow still lay five -and six feet deep on top of the walls and domes; but below, the -valley was a June meadow, rich with herbage, with groves of pine and -fir scattered here and there, shooting up two and three hundred feet -into the air, but dwarfed into saplings apparently by the majestic -walls. Birch, willow, and dogwood lined the streams; the primrose, -violet, and other early flowers dotted the lawns; the bluebird, the -robin, and the bobolink-- - - "June's bridesman, poet o' the year, - Gladness on wings--" - -twittered among the trees; and on every side, wherever we walked or -rode, the wild strawberries were ripening in the grass, and perfuming -the breeze. - -Here and there, plunging over the lofty walls, were waterfalls of -surpassing beauty, some a mere line of mist, tossed hither and yon -by the passing wind, like a veil of gauze, and others thundering -down with a voice approaching even Niagara's. Later in the season, -when the snows measurably disappear, these falls of course become -much shrunken in size, and visitors behold them then shorn in part -of their beauty and sublimity. But just then, so early in the -season, they gave one full greeting, and I counted a score or more -from different points thundering in chorus. We rode to the foot of -the Bridal Veil, usually a sheet of misty gauze, but now a roaring -cataract, and gazed up nine hundred feet, to where it leaped from -the southern wall. Then we crossed to El Capitan, a massive bastion -or angle in the northern wall, of solid granite, rising sheer into -the air for three-quarters of a mile without a break, except a niche -one-third of the way up, where a tall fir has gained a foothold, and -will never be molested by hand of man. Thence, we turned and rode -up the valley, to where the Yosemite Fall plunged boldly out from -the northern wall, like a thing of life, and thundered headlong down -twenty-six hundred feet, or fifteen times the height of Niagara. -Above, where it leaped from the cliff, and afterwards, it seemed a -goodly river; but long before it reached the bottom, it became a -column of mist, which the wind swayed to and fro at will, but whose -thunder yet shook the valley. From there, we rode back to Hutchings'; -and that night, when the moon rose and from a cloudless sky flooded -the valley with her silver light, Nature seemed to be endeavoring to -out-do herself in our behalf. - -The next day, we rode up the Merced River, which winds through the -valley and drains it--a stream ten or twelve feet deep by twice as -many yards in width, so pure and clear you may everywhere count the -pebbles at the bottom--to the Lake, and Domes. The former is a small -sheet of water, of wonderful clearness, that reflects the surrounding -mountains and falls, like a mirror; the latter are dome-like masses of -naked rock, peculiar to the Coast scenery, crowning the Sierras just -there. Of the South Dome, I have already spoken; the North Dome is -inferior in size and height, but is complete as a dome, and wonderful -to behold. A dozen such domes as crown the capitol at Washington could -readily be put inside of it, and there would be room for several more. -From here, turning an angle of the South Dome, we caught a superb view -of the South Fork of the Merced, as it came tumbling over the mountain -wall, a mile or more away, an unbroken mass of foam. At that distance, -it seemed a sheet of fleecy whiteness--purest lamb's wool--hundreds -of feet in height, and the rocks and trees framed it in as a picture. -Returning, we rode again to the grand Yosemite Fall, and tying our -horses, started to climb to the foot of the fall, which seemed not very -far above us; but again California air deceived us, and after toiling -for two or three hours up the mountain-side, from bush to bush and rock -to rock, without reaching it, we were forced to retrace our steps by -the approach of evening. - -The next morning, we saw a thin smoke curling above the trees in -the lower part of the valley, and after breakfast had the pleasure -of greeting Professor Whitney and party, of the State Geological -Survey. They had been out for weeks, geologizing along the Sierras -south of the Yosemite, and had entered the valley the evening before -by the Mariposa trail, to repeat some triangulations and surveys -they were not quite certain of. They reported the Mariposa route as -rather rough, but practicable, and this was good news, as they were -the pioneers of the season that way. There were five or six in the -party, all active, athletic men, as keen to walk and climb as to -analyze and cipher. They travelled with a pack-train, and "camped -out" invariably, and their Bedouin habits had made them all as brown -as berries. Greetings over, our horses were soon at the door, and -presently, we all set off together for the Vernal and Nevada Falls. -A mile or so above Hutchings', we struck the main branch of the -Merced, and turning up its bank soon found the ascent too difficult -for horses. Dismounting and turning our animals loose to graze, -we proceeded on foot by a narrow trail, that wound along beneath -umbrageous pines and firs, just on the margin of the river, which -here foamed and roared at our feet a rushing cascade for a mile or -more. Rounding a shoulder of the cañon, the spray from the Vernal -Fall suddenly wet us to the skin; but exquisite rainbows, perfect in -form and color, began to flame and circle around us, until it almost -seemed as if you could put their many-colored ends in your pockets. -Rainbows--quadrants and semi-circles--may often be seen elsewhere; -but these were perfect circles, whirling around and about us, and -most intense in color. Moist as we were, we all stopped to enjoy the -scene, and were reluctant to move onward. - -Here, at the Vernal Fall, the whole mass of the Merced drops 350 feet, -without a break, and the volume of water just then was very great. -Stairways and ladders carry you to the top, and here a natural wall or -breast-work of solid granite enables you to lean out and overlook the -Fall, and Cascades, and wild cañon beyond, without a tremor. Above, -the river comes shooting like an arrow, over half a mile of polished -granite, from the base of the upper or Nevada Fall. There the Merced -makes another leap, of seven hundred feet in all; but half-way down, -the rock shelves just sufficiently to keep the water on the flow, -whence it pours in hurrying sheets of lace-like foam to the bottom. -The water here seemed really instinct with life and motion; the long -lines of gauzy foam circled ever downward and onward; and the whole -seemed like one vast drapery of living lace, which Nature was here -ever weaving to deck the Yosemite. Valenciennes and point-lace capes -and collars, were never so airy and exquisite; but here they fell, and -flowed, and circled, in snowiest tracery, by the million. - -Returning by Mt. Broderick, we rode down to Sentinel Peak and -Cathedral Rock, with Prof. Whitney and party, having much interesting -and delightful talk by the way, and reached Hutchings' again at -nightfall. The day had been a fatiguing one, so much of the route -was wild and rocky; and I retired early, foot-sore and leg-weary. -Altogether, however, the day was very rich and enjoyable; and I -look back upon it now, as one of the noblest and best I spent on -the Coast. The views of the Yosemite were everywhere sublime and -picturesque; and at sunset, we beheld "parting day" still playing -among the Sierras, while the Merced and meadows down below were -already in shadowy twilight. In fact, down in the valley, looking up, -you never see but a mere ribbon-like line of sky at best, flanked -on either side by mountains; and in winter, for half the morning -and half the afternoon, the sun is never visible from Hutchings' -at all. The Yosemite is simply an open tunnel, so to speak, half a -mile or more deep, in the heart of the Sierras, and in winter-time -the sunlight cannot have much chance there, except about mid-day. -Doubtless the snow and ice there then must be something gorgeous, and -sublime--glaciers trailing from the walls, and avalanches now and -then thundering from the heights above, to the far depths below. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[27] Perhaps I should add, my friend Dr. M. had already returned -East, _via_ Hong Kong and Calcutta, around the world; and L. was in -San Francisco, suffering from the ague. - - - - - CHAPTER XXX. - - THE YOSEMITE TO SAN FRANCISCO. - - -The next morning (May 31st), I bade good-bye to Mr. Hutchings, most -hospitable of hosts and gracious of guides, and started to return _via_ -Mariposa. In addition to Capt. Coulter, I now had Mr. Galen Clark -also, who had piloted Prof. Whitney in from the Mariposa Grove of Big -Trees. Trotting down through the meadow-like valley, we reached the -Professor's camp, and found them just packing up, for their return -_via_ Coulterville. With a hearty hand-shake all around and mutual -promises to meet again at Stockton, if possible, we parted, and -continued on down the valley, past El Capitan, sublimest of mountains, -the Three Brothers, and Bridal Veil Fall; and, at length, turning to -the left, struck the Mariposa trail. One would naturally suppose, that -an exit might be found by following the river down; but the Merced -passes out between perpendicular walls of vast height, miles in extent, -so that the only way into or out of the valley then was by the old -Indian trails to Coulterville or Mariposa.[28] - -The Mariposa trail runs by sharp zigzags up the southern wall, -taking advantage of every rock and bush where an Indian could find a -foot-hold, and we found it a long and toilsome climb, before we got -to the top. We were over an hour by the watch; but when, at last, -we rounded the last bend, and stood perspiring and breathless on -the jutting ledge of Inspiration Point, what a view opened before -us! From here, you get, perhaps, the best general view of the -Yosemite, as a whole, that can be had; and as the eye sweeps over -its peaks and domes, its battlement and towers--its massive walls, -its flashing streams, its foaming cataracts--its fragrant groves and -sleeping meadows--the soul swells with unutterable joy; or, rather, -your whole being bows down in reverence and awe. To the right, the -exquisitely beautiful Bridal Veil Fall descends, wreathed in mists -and rainbows. Beyond, the Three Brothers and Sentinel Peak pierce -the heavens. To the left, in solemn and awful grandeur, stands El -Capitan, severe and self-centred--monarch of the vale--dominating -all. Beyond, the incomparable Yosemite Fall, as if pouring from the -clouds, leaps and sways and thunders--its mist at times streaming -like a gorgeous pennon, its deep-toned base a perpetual _Te Deum_. -While farther still, towering above all, clear cut and distinct -against the sapphire sky, the great South Dome rears its awful front, -as if the visage of the Almighty, and bids the universe bow down and -worship. Clinging to a gnarled and stunted tree, out-grown from the -very granite, we crept far out upon the rocky ledge, and there seemed -literally enfolded by the Infinite. - -The overwhelming sublimity, the awful loneliness and desolation of -the scene--its solemn beauty and grandeur--were simply unutterable. -It was a place to make one feel the littleness of all human -achievements, and to lead a man out of himself up to God. It was the -confrontal of God, face to face, as in moments of great danger, or -in solemn and sudden death. It was the perilous edge of battle. It -was storm and shipwreck. It was Niagara, many times magnified. It -was Switzerland, condensed into a _coup d'oeil_. I had stood on the -Rocky Mountains; I had descended the Columbia; I had crossed the -Sierras. But the Yosemite was all of these, and more, compressed into -one view; and, surely, our planet has not its equal. Most fittingly -has Congress set the Yosemite apart from the public domain, and -consecrated it to mankind, as a National Park and pleasure-ground -forever. Let it never be degraded to lower uses. So far it was yet -free from debasing associations, and California, as its natural -guardian, must keep it so. Beyond the necessary paths and bridges, it -had so far escaped our so-called "improvements;" and hereafter, as -heretofore, it is to be hoped, Nature will be allowed to work her own -sweet will there, unchecked by the hand of man. - -But our stay there was over, and lifting our hats we bade the Yosemite -a reverent good-bye, and mounting our horses, turned our faces towards -Mariposa. A short ride along the well-defined trail, over crackling -pine leaves and gigantic cones, brought us to the Hermitage--a huge -sugar-pine, ten or twelve feet in diameter, hollow in the centre, where -a Californian aforetime had made his home, closing the entrance with a -rude door. It afforded him a goodly-sized room, much better than many -of the border cabins; and here, in the midst of the gigantic pines, -miles away from any human habitation, as he swung his axe or boiled his -pot, he must have had Solitude to his heart's content. - -Passing on, we soon struck the snow, and for five or six miles again, -as when coming into the valley, we again had a decidedly "hard road -to travel." To plunge and flounder along so, through snow-field -after snow-field, was tedious and toilsome in the extreme; but -there was no help for us, and we struggled on. A mile or so from -Inspiration Point, in crossing an open glade, where the snow had -melted into a pool, we caught sight of grouse and deer; but they -were off before Clark, an experienced hunter, could get a shot at -them. Some two miles farther on, we came out into a larger opening, -and as we lifted our eyes from the blinding snow saw, right across -our trail, a hundred yards or so ahead, a huge she-grizzly and two -young cubs. We were all on foot, leading our horses over the snow -the best we could--Capt. Coulter behind, Clark and I some yards -ahead abreast of each other--our only weapons our trusty revolvers, -and a long single-barrelled rifle of Clark's. My own good Spencer -carbine (seven-shooter), that I had carried so faithfully across the -continent, and through Arizona, without occasion to use it, I had -left in San Francisco, not thinking it necessary in California. How I -wished for it now, with its seven good balls ready for instant use! - -Simultaneously with our sight of her, Madame Grizzly also descried -us, and Clark at once frankly said we were in great danger, if -she showed fight. For a minute or two, she stood with her head -raised, snuffing the air, as if calculating the chances, and -then deliberately wheeling in her tracks, shuffled off into the -forest--her cubs gambolling by her side, like clumsy kittens. Clark -instantly threw me his bridle, and decided to try a shot, if he -could sight her heart; but she kept herself well under cover, as she -moved off, and he was afraid to fire, unless certain of killing her. -He said if he missed or only wounded her, we would have to take to -the trees, as the attack would make her savage and ferocious; and -also, that if her cubs happened to turn and run toward us in play, as -they often did, we would have to run or climb for it, as she would -take this also for a hostile movement, and assault us fiercely. -Under the circumstances, clearly discretion was the better part of -valor; nevertheless, Clark wanted the brace of cubs, and when she -waddled off through the slush and snow, he followed cautiously after, -resolved to try his luck, if she gave him a decent chance. From -bush to bush, and tree to tree, for quite a considerable distance, -he dodged along after her; but presently returned, without firing, -declaring the risk was too great for such a venture, and we were not -sorry to be well rid of her. She was, in truth, as big as a small -cow, and altogether would have been an ugly customer to deal with, if -not killed at the first shot. - -Clark said, grizzlies were now rare on this route, although formerly -frequently encountered. And indeed on both routes, and in all our -travel among the Sierra Nevadas, I was struck with the general absence -of animal life--as I had also been among the Rocky Mountains. I doubt -whether in either of these ranges, there is anywhere such variety and -extent of animal life, as we always find East, in unfrequented forests -and mountains. The solemn stillness, the glad silence, the perfect -peace and rest of the Sierras, seemed everywhere profound; and nowhere -and never more so, than during this day's ride in general. - -Once well out of the snow, we remounted our gamey little steeds, and -the rest of the day the trail led down and over the ranges--through -magnificent forests of pine and spruce, cedar and fir--where to ride -along was itself a luxury and delight. The prevailing tree was the -California sugar-pine, so called because the Indians obtain a rude -sugar from boiling down its sap. These sugar-pines frequently grow ten -and twelve feet in diameter, and shoot up two hundred and fifty, and -three hundred feet in height. They bear a gigantic cone, four inches -in diameter, by sixteen inches in length usually; and lest this may -seem like a "California story," perhaps I should add, I myself picked -up one, as we rode along, measuring over eighteen inches in length, -and have it now in my private cabinet. Their dead leaves carpeted -the ground thickly under foot, and often our horses ambled almost -noiselessly along. Overhead, their dense shade excluded the sun, which -hourly became more uncomfortable, as we descended the range; while the -mountain air was everywhere resinous with their perfume. - -Late in the afternoon, we crossed the last ridge, and, descending -into the valley of the South Merced, halted at "Clark's," the -house of our new guide. We had come twenty-two miles since leaving -Hutchings'; and here found excellent accommodations for the night. -Mr. Clark himself was from the East, I believe Pennsylvania, but was -now an enthusiastic Californian. He said he had come to California -years before, a confirmed consumptive; but once among the Sierras, -inhaling their resinous breath, his lungs soon healed, and here now -he meant to abide the remainder of his days. He could not live in San -Francisco at all, the air was so raw and sharp there; but here among -the Sierras, he was well and strong, and he looked indeed as rugged -as the mountains themselves. His house contained several comfortable -rooms, and already the tide of Yosemite travel was setting that way, -and paying him well. - -Six miles from Clark's, on the border of Mariposa and Fresno Counties, -is the Mariposa grove of Big Trees. We visited them next morning (June -1st), under the guidance of Clark himself, who regards them as his -special wards. They number in all some five or six hundred, scattered -over perhaps a mile square, but usually in clumps together. You ride up -to them, through an open forest of huge sugar-pines and cedars, that -would be regarded as sylvan monsters elsewhere--ten and twelve feet -over; but these Big Trees dwarf even such giants, into pigmies. Many -of them, indeed, measure twenty-five and thirty feet in diameter, and -run up three hundred feet or more in height--the first hundred feet -or so without a limb, and scarcely diminishing in size. Six of them -are over thirty feet in diameter, and from ninety to a hundred feet in -circumference; fifty are over sixteen feet in diameter; and two hundred -over twelve feet. The "Grizzly Giant," the largest, is thirty-three -feet in diameter, and its first limb--ninety feet from the ground--is -itself six feet through. Another, still standing erect and vigorous, -but hollowed out by fire, three of us rode _into_ on horseback, one -behind the other, and there was still room for more. Another, prone on -the ground, and with its heart eaten out by fire--reduced to a huge -shell--we rode _through_ on horseback, for a hundred feet or more, and -then passed out--by a small knot-hole! - -Among them were some young trees, still coming forward, mere -saplings; but as a rule, these Big Trees (_Sequoia Gigantea_, I -believe the botanists call them) impress you with their great age, -and hoary venerability. With many the mountain-fires in other years -have made sad havoc, scarring and half-consuming some of them; but -these are now stopped, the Mariposa Grove being also included in the -Congressional grant, which sets apart the Yosemite as a National Park -and pleasure-ground forever. Their bark, often eighteen and twenty -inches thick, is of a pure cinnamon-color, and fluted up and down -like a Corinthian column. Their wood is of a deep red, and much -resembles that of the great red-wood trees, that are found everywhere -in the Coast Range. Their foliage and cones are much like those of our -ordinary yellow-pines East, though their leaves are somewhat smaller. - -[Illustration: A BIG TREE.] - -The trees here are of the same species as those in the Calaveras -Grove, though I believe a few of the latter are rather bigger. They -are also found elsewhere, along the western slope of the Sierra -Nevadas, in scattered groves or clumps; but the whole number is not -large. Evidently, they are the lingering survivors of some former -geologic period, and no doubt will soon become extinct. Many of -them are regarded, as already two thousand years old--some say six -thousand; but Professor Whitney assured me, that he had made a -very careful inquiry into their age, counting their annual rings -and otherwise, and he doubted if any were older than the Christian -era. But, at least, here are trees, that were wooing the air, and -rejoicing in the sun, when the babe was first laid in the manger at -Bethlehem. They have been growing in beauty and majesty ever since, -through all the sunshine and storms of nineteen centuries. And -to-day, they stand as matchless pillars in God's great temple, to -testify of His skill and power--a fit part of - - "That cathedral, boundless as our wonder, - Whose quenchless lamps the sun and moon supply; - Its choir, the wind and waves; its organ, thunder; - Its dome, the sky." - -Truly marvels in themselves, in one sense these Big Trees of -California are the greatest natural curiosity in the world, because -no other country possesses any trees like them. If not really _sui -generis_, their like, at least, I believe, has not yet been found. -California, at her own request, has been appointed their lawful -guardian; and the nation and mankind expect, that she will watch -them well. It would seem like sacrilege, indeed, to raise one's -hand against them; and the penitentiary, surely, would be small -punishment, for such a miscreant. - -Returning to Clark's, we left there at noon, and the same evening -reached Mariposa, twenty-five miles distant. The scenery most of the -way was superb, vista after vista opening constantly before us, as -we descended the mountains; but the sun had already acquired a June -fierceness, and the heat seemed doubly oppressive to one just fresh -from the snows of the Sierras. We rode up to the Mariposa House, dusty -and jaded, travel-stained and weary; but it was now Saturday night, and -the most inveterate cynic will concede, the week had been well spent. - -We found Mariposa to be a straggling village, of a few hundred -inhabitants, with uncertain prospects. It is the centre of what was -once Gen. Fremont's magnificent estate--seventy miles square, in -the heart of Mariposa County--and formerly was much noted for its -mining operations. But its placer-mines were now mostly abandoned, -except by John Chinaman; and its famous quartz-mill, that cost over -one hundred thousand dollars--perhaps the finest in California--was -standing idle. The Mariposans, however, had great faith in their -mining resources still, and were expecting their fine mill to resume -operations soon. In the interim, the town dozed along, in the -Micawberish way common to stagnant mining centres; and welcomed my -arrival, as the advance guard of the Yosemite travel, for that summer. - -Here, I bade good-bye to Punty, ever-faithful pony, and kindly Capt. -Coulter, my companions for a week (good luck to them both!), and took -the stage for Stockton again, _via_ Honitos. This was a ride of a -hundred miles, through varying landscapes--across the divides and -down the valleys of the Merced, Tuolomne, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin -rivers--and, though hot and dusty, was yet thoroughly enjoyable. In -crossing the ridge at Bear Valley, you catch a superb view of the -Coast Range and Mt. Diabolo, a hundred miles away; and for the rest -of the ride, Diabolo's lofty crest is almost always in view. Much of -the way was barren and uncultivated, but the ranches and settlements -were yearly pushing farther and farther into the foot-hills; and -as we neared Stockton again, the illimitable wheat-fields were -everywhere about us. - -At Stockton, I had the pleasure of again meeting Prof. Whitney and -party, and further comparing notes about California and the Coast -generally. Thence, taking the steamer together for San Francisco, we -reached there again June 4th--myself somewhat jaded and dilapidated, -indeed, but richly repaid for all my toil and fatigue in going to the -Yosemite. Kind friends welcomed my arrival, and the fine fare and downy -beds of the _Occidental_ seemed doubly luxurious. Its proprietor, of -course, was a Leland--one of that family of brothers, who beyond all -other Americans, know excellently well "how to keep a hotel;" and his -thoughtful attentions, his genuine kindness and courtesy to everybody, -were the constant remark of strangers on the Coast. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[28] Now, I believe, a carriage-road has been blasted out, following -the Merced. But what it adds in comfort, it must lose in scenery. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXI. - - SAN FRANCISCO TO NEW YORK. - - -A ride down the bay (June 8th), through San Mateo and Menlo Park, -some fifty miles to San Josè, completed my wanderings on the Pacific -Coast. The air at San Francisco, fresh from the ocean, was raw -and rasping; but at San Josè, sheltered by the Coast Range, the -thermometer measured over twenty degrees warmer, and the valley there -seemed sleeping in summer. The whole ride by railroad is through -farms and gardens, and San Josè itself we found embowered in roses -and foliage. Here are old Spanish convents and churches, with their -surroundings of vineyards, fig-trees, orange-groves, etc., as at -Santa Barbara and Los Angelos--only better preserved--and the ride -thither is a favorite excursion for San Franciscans and strangers. -The sleepy old town is in vivid contrast, with the rush and whirl of -the Golden Gate; and its soft and delicious air proves a soothing -balm, to the invalid and the weak. A fair hotel furnished good -entertainment, and the place seemed indeed like a haven of rest, -after "roughing it" so in the interior. - -Returning to San Francisco, the last farewells were said, and June -10th, at 11 A. M., the good steamer _Constitution_ bore us away for -Panama. We had spent six months on the Coast, and would fain have -remained longer, especially to visit the "Geysers." But my official -work was ended; and besides, I was in receipt of private letters, -that required my presence East. The 10th was "steamer-day"--still a -recognized event in San Francisco. All business ended then; and from -then, began again. There was a bustle about the hotels, and an air -of importance everywhere. Hundreds thronged the vessel and wharf, to -see their friends off, and tarried till the last moment. But, prompt -to the minute, the _Constitution_ cast loose, and rounding into the -stream, was soon heading down the bay, for the Golden Gate and the -Pacific. Past Alcatraz and Angel Island, past Fort San Josè and Fort -Point, we reached the bar, and crossed it in a chopping sea, that -soon sent most of the passengers to their berths. - -In San Francisco, the sun shone bright as we steamed away, but the air -was raw and chilly like our later autumn;[29] and once out at sea, we -found an overhanging mist, that often deepened into a winter fog. This -uncomfortable weather continued for a day or two, keeping most of the -passengers below deck--many of them sea-sick; but as we passed down -the coast, the weather gradually moderated, and soon we were sailing -beneath perfect skies, over, indeed, "summer seas." The rest of the way -down, what a superb voyage it really was! Looking back on it now, it -seems rather a grand picnic excursion, than a _bona fide_ journey by -sea. The ocean, in the main, proved itself truly Pacific. We were very -seldom out of sight of land by day. The purple, and crimson, and golden -hues of the Coast Range, were a perpetual wonder and delight. Schools -of porpoises, and now and then a vagrant whale enlivened the day; and -the phosphorescent waves, wide-spreading from our wake, made our track -a blaze of fire by night. - -And what skies those were! By day, "deeply, darkly, beautifully -blue;" by night, one blaze of flaming stars. It was the very luxury -of travel--the very poetry of locomotion. Sometimes I would lie for -hours on deck, breathing in the balmy air, watching the gulls and -frigate-birds as they hovered in our wake, or gazing on far-off hill -and mountain, as the shore opened up before us--losing all sense of -thought and action, content solely with being. Even novel-reading -sometimes seemed a task, and writing a great burden. And when evening -came, we would sit and talk far into the night; or, leaning over the -guards, would watch the stream as of liquid fire, that boiled, and -curled, and rippled away beneath us. - -As we got farther down the coast, the climate became warmer; but -blue-flannels and white-linens in place of winter-woolens, rendered -this endurable, and indeed the change from temperate to tropic--from -latitude 38° to 7°--did not seem so great after all, barring the -first day or two out from San Francisco. Some, however, who had -not provided themselves with such changes of clothing, complained -bitterly of the heat and lassitude, though most of us got on very -well. We had a thunderstorm one night, and a stiff rain next day, -when well down the Mexican coast; but otherwise were favored with -uninterruptedly fine weather. - -From San Francisco to Panama is somewhat over three thousand miles, -and we were fifteen days in making it. Our steamer was a fine -specimen of her class, with a burden of 3,500 tons, and a carrying -capacity of eleven hundred passengers, besides freight. She measured -three hundred and forty feet in length, by forty-five feet in -beam, and her great deck morning and evening was a rare promenade. -Of passengers, we had only about four hundred; so that all had -state-rooms, and to spare. We carried our own beef, and mutton, and -poultry, to be slaughtered as wanted; and our fare, as a whole, was -excellent and generous. Our company, it must be confessed, was rather -heterogeneous, but altogether was social and enjoyable. We had army -officers and their wives, going east, on leave or transfer; a U. S. -Consul from the Sandwich Islands, _en route_ to Washington, on public -business; Englishmen from Hong Kong, bound for New York or London; -merchants, bankers, and gamblers from San Francisco; red-shirted -miners from Nevada and Arizona; and women of all sorts, from fine -ladies and true mothers, to dulcineas of dubious character. The -general decorum, however, was above criticism; and on Sundays, when -a San Francisco divine held service, all were attentive listeners, -notwithstanding his High-Church absurdities. The morning promenade on -deck, and the evening smoke on the guards, were the great occasions -for conversation, and all enjoyed them to the full. - -Our first stopping-place was at Cape St. Lucas, the extreme point of -Southern California, where we put off two passengers, and took on -none. Thence, we crossed the mouth of the Gulf of California, and -halted at Manzanillo, Mexico--a little hamlet of two or three hundred -souls, the sea-port of the fine town of Colima, some seventy-five -miles inland. Here we put off a hundred tons of freight, intended -for the interior, and spent several hours. Eight days out, we -reached Acapulco, the chief Mexican port on the Pacific Coast, and -world-famous in other days, when Spain bore rule here. The harbor -is perfectly land-locked, with bold islands off the mouth and deep -water close in shore, and here ought to be a great and puissant city. -From San Francisco down, not counting San Diego, this is the first -really good harbor; and here is the great route for trade and travel, -across Mexico, _via_ the capital and Vera Cruz, to the Atlantic. Yet -we found only a squalid town of two or three thousand inhabitants, -mostly half-negro and half-Indian, with a trace of the Spaniard here -and there mixed in. A handful of Americans and Germans controlled -the business of the town; and as for the rest--they seemed to be -a lotus-eating, inert race, not inaptly denominated "greasers." A -general look of decadence prevailed everywhere; and if this be a -sample of Mexican civilization, after a trial of two centuries, -or more, alas for its future! Not a single wagon-road led from -the town inland, in any direction; and the only means of transit, -to or from the interior, was by horse or mule-back, over winding -mountain-trails, the same as in the days of Cortez. - -We reached there June 18th, soon after breakfast; and had scarcely -rounded to, before the Philistines were--not exactly upon, -but--around us. They swarmed about our vessel in bum-boats and -dug-outs, of all shapes and sizes, tendering oranges, limes, bananas, -shells, etc., for a consideration--sending them up the ship's sides -by a cord and tiny basket, trusting us to return the agreed-for coin. -When these failed to please, they paraded their skill as swimmers and -divers, plunging under like ducks when a coin was tossed overboard, -and sure to catch it before it reached the bottom. With little or no -clothing, except about the loins, and often not that, they seemed to -be an amphibious sort of creatures--equally at home on land, or sea. - -As we were to spend several hours here, taking in coal and water to -last to Panama, many of us embraced the opportunity to go ashore and -see something of the town. When we touched the beach, comely maidens -of coffee-colored complexion met us, with baskets and strings of -shells, to any of which we were heartily welcome, provided we paid -well for them. They always tender their wares as a "gift," a trick of -Acapulco's, as also of Manzanillo's and Panama's; but they invariably -expect more than their real value, in return. Passing on, we found -the town to consist of one-story adobes, with streets hardly more -spacious than good foot-pavements East, and with little business to -speak of, except what the tri-monthly steamers supplied. The stores -were chiefly baskets or boxes on the side-walks or street-corners, -and even these were in charge of women, while the lazy-looking -men "loafed" or lounged in the shade, sipping their aguardiente -or whiffing their cigarritos with infinite content. The flocks of -children, from infants to half-grown youths, were usually guiltless -of raiment, and all seemed supremely happy, if only sucking an orange -or munching a banana. - -All gazed at Los Americanos with good-natured curiosity, and a score -were eager to show us to the U. S. Consulate, which was already -well-designated by the Stars and Stripes drooping idly from its staff. -The Consul himself, unfortunately, was absent; but his deputy, Mr. -Sutter, gave us kindly welcome, and we spent an instructive hour, -listening to his stories of Mexican life and manners. From there, we -went to the rude church or "cathedral," on the plaza; and found in its -tawdry ornaments and doll-like images--its wax-figure Christs, its -tissue-paper angels, and pewter amulets--an easy explanation of the -ignorance, and squalor, and stagnation of this people. The fat and -jolly priest suspended his devotions, to sell us pewter charms (he -swore, by the Virgin, they were silver!) that would insure us against -fever and shipwreck on the voyage; and afterwards he invited us round -to take a sip of aguardiente and see his favorite game-cock. Thence, -we strolled down the beach, between rows of palms and bananas, to the -old Spanish fort, and found it a solid and substantial structure still, -though a century or two old. True, it would not stand long before one -of our modern monitors; but it was a fine work in its day, and showed -well yet. A company or two of dirty and ragged soldiers constituted -the garrison--their uniforms heterogeneous, and their arms really -worthless. We sent our compliments to the commanding officer, hoping -to gain an entrance; but he was absent, and his pompous subordinate -declined to admit such Northern barbarians. - -Returning to the _Constitution_, late in the afternoon we bade -good-bye to Acapulco; and thence, following the trend of the -continent, across the gulf of Tehuantepec, by Guatemala, by San -Salvador, by Nicaragua, by Costa Rica, and finally by New Granada, at -last, on the morning of June 25th, we cast anchor at Panama. During -all of this week's sail, we were hardly ever out of sight of land, -and usually were so near, that we could note the flocks and herds, -the houses and trees, and rich luxuriance of this tropical coast -generally, as we glided by. Lofty mountain-ranges and cone-shaped -peaks--old volcanoes now extinct, rising thirteen thousand and -fourteen thousand feet above the sea--were generally in view by day; -and at night fitful lightnings, playing apparently from peak to peak, -often lit up the whole heavens. - -Here at Panama, the key of two continents and two oceans, we again -struck the busy currents of modern life, though but little belonged -to the natives there. The broad bay itself, with its shapely -islands of perpetual green, crowned with the ever-graceful palm and -banana, was a delightful scene, tropical thoroughly; but here also -were lines of busy steamers, from Chili and Australia, as well as -California, and the old harbor gave multiplied signs of life and -energy. The railroad to Aspinwall, costly as it was, both in life -and treasure, opened up a pathway across the Isthmus to the commerce -of the world, and Panama stands at the gate. In another land, or -with a better people, she would soon become a mighty metropolis. -But we found her much like Acapulco, though with broader streets, -better houses, and more population. I believe she claimed four or -five thousand inhabitants then; but they were chiefly a mixed race, -in which the most of what is really valuable in humanity seemed to -be dying out. They had no public schools, and scarcely knew what -popular education meant. Their churches, venerable only for their -age, but in this dating back to the Spanish conquest, were crumbling -to ruins. Their religion was only an ignorant superstition or -savage fanaticism. And their government, so-called, was in a state -of chronic revolution, so that nobody seemed to know when it was -_up_ or _down_. Of course, the real business of the town was in the -hands of foreigners--chiefly Americans, Germans, and English--and -these "pushed things," with much of their wonted skill and energy, -notwithstanding the climate. The natives, as a rule, contented -themselves with driving a petty traffic in parrots and shells, -oranges and bananas; and literally swarmed around us, until we were -weary alike of their clamor and dirt. - -We reached Panama, as I have said, early in the morning, but did not -get off for Aspinwall until about noon. All this time was spent in -disembarking passengers, with their baggage, and fast freight; but, -at last, the impatient locomotive whistled "up brakes," and we moved -slowly off. The ride across the Isthmus is fifty miles, and is usually -made in two or three hours; but half-way across, a baggage-car broke -down, and we were detained four hours in an impenetrable jungle. It -had rained that morning at Panama, and the sun was still obscured; but -the air was dense with heat and moisture, that hung as if in strata -and folds about you, without a breath to disturb them--and to say we -steamed and sweltered, during those four long hours there, would only -half express our perspiring experience. All along the road, there -was a tropical luxuriance and splendor, which no word-painting can -describe, and here in this jungle both seemed to culminate. What we -in a sterner clime grow in hot-houses and conservatories, as rare -exotics, there rioted in the open air, as well they might, and all -nature seemed bursting with exuberance and richness. Underneath, -grasses and shrubbery so dense, that only the machete could clear -the way, or keep them under. Overhead, the lordly palm and gracious -banana, with flowering vines, pendent, interlacing, creeping, and -twining everywhere. Bread-fruit and bananas hung everywhere, in -clusters as big as half-bushel baskets; and here and there, birds of -brilliant plumage flitted to and fro, fit denizens with the chattering -monkeys, and screaming parrots, of such a wilderness. The whole ride, -indeed, through the heart thus of the tropics, after all, was a rare -experience; and the transition from the steamer to the railroad, -notwithstanding the heat, a welcome change. - -The railroad itself seemed well built, and fairly managed. It was -said, indeed, to rest literally on human bodies, so many poor fellows -perished in the deadly miasmas, while constructing it. The ties and -sleepers were of lignum-vitæ, and the telegraph poles of terra-cotta -or cement, as nothing else would withstand the insects and moisture -of the Isthmus. The stations were well apart, and seemed maintained -solely for the convenience of the road, as hardly a passenger got -off or on, except employés of the company. We could see the natives, -as we passed along, lolling in their hammocks, or stretched out on -mats, in their rude huts of poles and palm-leaves; and their herds of -children ran everywhere at will, as naked as when born. Sometimes, a -few of the inhabitants clustered about a station; but as a rule, this -required too much effort, and they preferred to take their _dolce -far niente_ in their huts. The taint of the Spaniard seemed to be -over them all; or, else, nature was too kindly to them, removing all -incentive to exertion, by omitting the necessity for it. - -We ran into Aspinwall at 6 P. M., and remained there until 8 P. -M. We spent the time in exploring the town, but found little to -interest any one. It had no storied past, like Panama; and its future -depended on--Pacific Mail. Some found cheap linens, wines, and -cigars, as Aspinwall was a free port, and laid in a stock for future -consumption, to the damage of our Customs Revenue. But the most of us -were sated and weary, with the day's rare experiences, and were glad -when the steamer's bell rang "All aboard!" Our High-Church chaplain -proved to be our only really useful man, at Aspinwall, after all. -He married a couple, while we halted there; and would have married -another, had there been time. Both had been waiting several weeks, -much-enduring souls--Aspinwall, it seems, not affording a minister. - -Our complement of passengers had been swelled, by accessions -from Valparaiso and Melbourne; and hence, from Aspinwall to New -York, we were rather overcrowded. Our good ship _Rising Star_ was -staunch and sea-worthy; but without the roomy accommodations of the -_Constitution_, or her thorough appointments. Her beef and mutton -were all brought from New York on ice, to last for a twenty-day's -voyage to Aspinwall and back; and, before we reached New York, were -not like Cæsar's wife--above suspicion. But, on the whole, there was -little to complain of; and the ship's officers certainly did their -utmost, to make everybody content and comfortable. - -Our route to New York, distant about two thousand miles, lay across the -Caribbean Sea, and thence off the eastern terminus of Cuba, through the -West Indies, home. We had some rough weather, with continuous thunder -and lightning, as it seemed, for a day or two, while crossing the -Caribbean. But, once past that, we entered a region of blue skies and -balmy breezes, and sighted New York in eight days from Aspinwall. We -passed Cuba so near, that her green hills and mountains seemed within a -stone's throw; and, threading the West Indies, struck the Gulf Stream, -whence both steam and current hurried us forward. We reached Sandy Hook -at sundown, July 3d, where they quarantined us till morning, much to -our disgust. But the 4th broke gloriously, over city and bay; and amid -ringing bells, and firing cannon, and fluttering bunting, we steamed -proudly up the harbor--it never seemed so magnificent before--and -touching the pier, thus ended our journey. - -To land on such a day seemed a fit conclusion, to such a -twelve-month's ramble, across the continent and over the seas; and -that evening at home, surrounded by loving friends, seemed doubly -dear from the long absence and safe return. How much we had seen of -the Great Republic--only a little can be told here! How it enlarged, -and dignified, one's conception of the Fatherland! What a magnificent -country we really have--washed by two oceans, crowned with mountains, -and gemmed with lakes; and yet, evidently, it is only a prophecy -of that Greater America, when we shall occupy the continent, from -the Arctic down to the Isthmus, with teeming millions, and convert -the Pacific practically into a Yankee sea. Well might Whittier, our -truest seer, melodiously sing: - - "I hear the tread of pioneers, - Of nations yet to be; - The first low wash of waves, where soon - Shall roll a human sea." - -And, best of all, over all this broad land, there shall then be but -one flag and one freedom, one law and one liberty, one Right and one -Justice, for us and for all men--wherever born and of whatever faith, -however poor or however humble. And _to_ this end, and _for_ this -purpose, let us, and all who love the English-speaking race, if not -mankind, sincerely pray, God save the Republic! - -In conclusion, let me add, to the many friends we met everywhere _en -route_, for their numberless kindnesses and unstinted courtesies, we -were much indebted; and I would gratefully record my sense of this -here. Nobler souls, more generous spirits, than most of the people we -encountered, especially in Colorado and California, never breathed; -and here is good fortune to them, one and all, wherever they may -chance to be! Surely, they have fought a good fight, in their rough -life on the border, preparing the way for civilization, and deserve -well of their country and their kind. - -But, all things must end--this volume included; and so, O reader, in -the vernacular of the Coast, "_Adios_," and good-bye! - - TRENTON, N. J., _March_, 1874. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[29] The evening before, I saw ladies at the opera, with their winter -furs on. - - - - - APPENDIX. - - - - - APPENDIX. - - -On page 51, I speak of the Plains as the great stock-raising and -dairy region of America, in the future. As some evidence of how fast -this prophecy is becoming fact, I append the following extracts from -an article by Dr. H. Latham, in the _Omaha Herald_ of June 5, 1870: - -"_Demonstrated Facts._--The season of 1870 has been a memorable one -in the stock business on the Plains. It commenced in doubt, but -closes with unlimited confidence in the complete practicability and -profits of stock-growing and winter grazing. - -"_Increase of Cattle in the West._--The number of cattle in the country -west of the Missouri River and east of the Snowy Range, is now double, -if not four times larger than in 1869. Its present magnitude and future -prospects entitle it to a full share of public attention. - -"_Shipments of Beef to Eastern Markets._--Two years ago our beef -and cattle were brought from the East. To-day, cattle-buyers from -Chicago and New York are stopping at every station on our railroads, -and buying cattle in all our valleys for Eastern consumption. It is -safe to predict that 15,000 head of beeves will be shipped from our -valleys East the present season. During the past week I have visited -some of the great herds on the Plains, and will give your readers an -account of them. - -"_The Great Herds._--The herds of Edward Creighton, Charles Hutton, -and Thomas Alsop, are grazed on the Big Laramie, which is a tributary -of the North Platte. The Laramie Valley is between the Black Hills and -the Medicine-Bow Range. It is about one hundred miles long and thirty -miles wide. It is about midway in this valley, and six miles from the -railroad station at Laramie, that these gentlemen have located their -stock ranches. They have extensive houses, stables, and corrals. As we -leave the station on a beautiful August morning (which is characterized -by the clearest of blue skies and golden sunlight), you see Mount -Agassiz directly in front of you, while Mount Dix and Mount Dodge, -with snow-covered tops, are respectively on the right and left. - -"We follow up the Laramie on a smooth road, which is like rolling -the wheels over a floor. We follow the windings of the stream, -which is clear as crystal, and pure as the snow from which its -waters have just come. We first come to a herd of 4,000, half and -three-quarter, breed cows; that is, there are none more than one-half -Texan, and many only one-fourth. They are known among cattle dealers -as short-horned Texas cattle. There are 3,600 calves in this herd, -that are from three-eighths to one-half Durham. These cows have been -here on the Plains one winter and two summers. All the dry cows are -exceedingly fat, and many of the cows, with calves by their sides, -are good beef. In this herd are many two-year-olds and yearlings, -all fat for the butcher, so far as their condition is concerned. In -all this herd there are as many as 9,000 head of cattle--4,000 cows, -3,600 calves, 1,000 two-year-olds, and 500 yearlings. - -"_Their Habits._--They range over a country fifteen by twenty miles. -The cows and calves run together the year around, and, in fact, are -never separated, but run in families of four, generally, cow, calf, -yearling, and two-year-old. They are to be found on the river bottoms -in the middle of the day, where they had come about 11 o'clock for -water. They return about 4 o'clock in the afternoon to the high -grounds, where the rich bunch and the nutritious gramma grasses are -abundant, and feed till night, and lie down on the warm sandy soil -till next morning, when they feed till the heat of the day. It is -interesting to see the habits of these cattle when unrestrained by -herders. They travel back and forth to the water and grazing-ground -in families and little herds, in single file, like their predecessors -of the soil, the buffalo, forming deep paths, or trails, like them. -After having spent three or four hours looking at this herd, we pass -up the river to the beef herd, which consists of 3,500 fat Texas -cattle, in the very highest order at which grass-fed cattle arrive in -this world. These cattle have been here one or two seasons, and will -weigh, upon an average, live weight, 1,300 pounds. They could all be -sold to-day for Eastern markets at good figures. They have yet three -months of good weather to fatten this season, when, with 5,000 more, -bought by these enterprising men, and on their way here, they will be -sold East, or slaughtered and sent East in the quarter. - -"There is, still higher up the stream, and nearer the mountains, a -stock herd of yearlings and two-year-olds, that occupy our time for -an hour or two. - -"_Blooded Stock Cattle._--Then we cross over to Sand Creek, a small -branch of the Laramie, and see the herd of American cattle, which, -including Hutton's and Alsop's, numbers 400, mostly cows. They are -as fine stock as can be found anywhere. Among this herd are several -fine-graded Durham bulls, and two thoroughbreds that were bought -in Ohio at high prices. These parties are owners of 300 blooded -bulls, from which the finest calves are being raised by the cross -between them and the graded Texan cow. It is interesting for the -stock man to see these calves, which show the Durham so clearly in -every instance--another proof of the general law that the stronger -and better blooded of the two races will give form and impress to -the progeny. This fact is remarkably illustrated in these herds--the -second and third crosses leaving no trace of the Texan blood. - -"Here, on this ranch, are 300 brood mares, and some young stock, -yearling and two-year-old colts, which have been raised here, and -have never been fed nor sheltered. They are as large and fine colts -as are raised anywhere. These brood mares and colts are herded, but -never stabled nor fed winters. - -"_Sheep._--We next proceed to these flocks of sheep, which in all -number more than 10,000 head, besides the lambs--of these there are -3,000--making in all 13,000. Some of these are from New Mexico, but -the great majority are from Iowa, and are fine Merino sheep. They -will average fully five pounds of wool per head. Ample shelters have -been provided them in case of storm. Much the larger number of these -flocks are ewes. The owners expect to raise 6,000 lambs, and to shear -65,000 pounds of wool next year. - -"These parties have about five miles of fence, inclosing hay grounds, -pastures for riding stock, and other purposes. They have, in all, -more than $300,000 invested here, which is a sufficient commentary -upon their enterprise, foresight, and courage. They are the great -stock princes of the mountains. Of all living men they have done most -to solve this question of winter grazing. - -"We next proceed to the Little Laramie, where Messrs. Mautle & Bath -have 400 head of American and half-breed stock; they are at the old -stage-road crossing, and have some fine blooded stock. Above them, -behind Sheep Mountain, directly under the white top of Mount Dodge, -named after General Dodge, on the head of the Little Laramie, is a -valley twenty miles long and ten miles wide, divided about equally by -the north, middle, and south forks of that stream. These are rapid -running streams that never freeze in winter. They have groves of -timber on their banks and bottom lands furnishing shade in summer -and shelter in winter. This valley is a pocket in the mountains, -having only one point of ingress, and no egress but by the same way. -Here are 2,900 cattle owned by Lambard & Gray, of New York, Captain -Coates of the Army, and the subscriber. Three men are able to herd -them, from the nature of the valley, and it is certainly a cattle -paradise. Of this herd, 1,200 are cows, 700 two-year-olds, 300 -yearlings, and 700 calves. This stock is short-horned Texan, and a -good lot of stock cattle. - -"_Iliff's Herds on Crow Greek._--After leaving this herd, we take a -three-hours' run on the railroad, which takes us across the Black -Hills to Cheyenne, which is the headquarters of J. W. Iliff. His -cattle range is down Crow Creek to the Platte, twenty to thirty -miles. On this grazing ground he has 6,700 cattle, classed as -follows: 3,500 beeves, 2,000 cows, and 1,200 calves. The stock cattle -are half-breeds, except yearlings and calves, which he has raised, -and which show the Durham cross. The beeves are heavy, fat cattle, -ranging in live weight from 1,200 to 1,400 pounds. This whole range -down Crow Creek, from Cheyenne to the Platte, affords the best of -grasses, and the creek bluffs shelter the stock completely from -storms. Mr. Iliff has been the owner of great herds of cattle in the -last twelve years, and is firm in the faith that this is the place -to raise beef for Eastern markets. His cattle have sold in Chicago -market from five to six cents per pound, live weight, this season. -The whole 3,500 head of beeves will be shipped East this fall. Mr. -Iliff is another of those who have demonstrated to the world that we -have winter grazing, and in so doing he has made a fortune. Long may -such men live to enjoy their fortunes! - -"On the other side of the Platte, on the Bijou, are the herds of the -Patterson Brothers, Reynolds, and John Hitson. These herds number -8,000 head of cattle, 6,000 of them being beef-cattle. The Patterson -Brothers are great cattle-raisers and dealers. They own ranches on -the Arkansas River, at Bent's Old Fort, and on the Pecos River, below -Fort Sumner, in New Mexico. They have handled hundreds of thousands -of dollars' worth of cattle in the last five years. - -"John Hitson is another of the great cattle-raisers and dealers in -New Mexico. His herds are numbered by the thousands. His operations -are transferred to Colorado now, and so are those of the Patterson -Brothers. On Box-Elder Creek, which is a branch of the Caché la -Poudre, is the ranch and stock range of Mr. Whitcombe, an old settler -of Colorado. He has 2,000 stock cattle and some fine blooded bulls. -This range and shelter are perfect. - -"Reed & Wyatt, on the Platte, nearer Denver, have 1,000 head of stock -and beef cattle. They are about adding largely to their number. - -"Farwell Brothers, Greeley, have 200 head of fine American cattle. - -"Baily, on the south side of the Platte from Greeley, has 400 head of -Durham and Devon stock, and 2,000 sheep. - -"Geary, on the Platte, has 300 head of American cattle. - -"The Lemons, at Greeley, have 400 head of American stock. In this -neighborhood, Ashcraft has 400 head of American cattle; Munson has -800 head of cattle and 3,000 sheep. Up the Caché la Poudre are twenty -large stock-raisers. - -"On the Big and Little Thompson's there are some five herds of -blooded stock. - -"After you leave Evans and go south towards Denver, the whole -country seems one pasture covered with stock. I travelled over this -same ground in 1869, and I am sure there are fully three times as -many cattle here now as then. There are hundreds of farmers on the -Lone-Tree Creek, Caché la Poudre, Big and Little Thompson's Creeks, -St. Vrain's, and many other streams which flow from the mountains to -the Platte, who have from one hundred to one thousand head of cattle, -a description of whose herds and grazing grounds would take too much -space in an article of this kind. - -"_Shipments of Cattle West._--Colorado has sold an immense number of -cattle this season to Montana, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. It is safe to -say that Montana will receive twenty thousand head of cattle during -the season of 1870, four-fifths of which are from Colorado. Many -have gone to Utah, Nevada, and Idaho from the same source, and yet, -ten years ago, the commercial and stock-growing people of the East -did not know that Colorado contained a thousand acres of grass land. -To-day they have no idea of the magnitude of her grazing resources. - -"Leaving Colorado, we find some herds along the base of the Black Hills. - -"_North of Cheyenne._--H. Kelly, on the 'Chug,' has 500 stock cattle. -He sold 100 head of American beeves at $70 per head. - -"Messrs. Ward & Bullock, at Fort Laramie, have 200 head of American -cattle. - -"Adolph Cluny, so long a resident on the North Platte, has a herd of -1,000 stock cattle between Forts Laramie and Fetterman. - -"Between Cheyenne and Sidney, on the line of the railroad, there are -several small herds. At Sidney are the Moore Brothers, who have -12,000 sheep and lambs, and 1,400 cattle; 400 of the latter are -American and very fine. The sheep sheared an average of five pounds -of wool per head last spring. They are graded Merinos, and are in -fine condition. There is no disease among them. The Moore Brothers -were ranchmen on the South Platte, prior to the day of railroads, -and are about returning to that stream for grazing. Their place is -the Valley Station of olden fame on the stage road. Above them, on -the Platte, at the old 'Junction,' Mr. Mark Boughton has 2,500 stock -cattle. He has as fine a cattle range as there is in the world, not -excluding the Pampas of South America nor table-lands of Australia. - -"Farther down the Platte, at O'Fallon's Bluffs, on the north side of -the South Platte, Creighton & Parks have 3,500 stock cattle, 400 of -which are Durhams. They range twenty miles up and down the Platte. -Near them, below, is the herd of Mr. Keith, of North Platte Station, -who has about 1,000 head. - -"Mr. M. H. Brown has 500 head of stock cattle and beeves near the -same place. - -"Across the Platte, in the neighborhood of Fort McPherson, the Bent -Brothers have 1,000 head of stock cattle, and will add another 1,000 -the present season. - -"Messrs. Carter & Coe have a large herd near there, which numbers -near a thousand. - -"Mr. Benjamin Gallagher has 1,200 head at the old Gilman ranch, -twelve miles from McPherson. - -"_Progress this Season._--More real progress has been made in stock -matters west of the Missouri this season than in all time before. We -have not only added to the numbers of our herds and flocks, but we -have given confidence to all our stock-growers and to Eastern people -in the permanency and profit of grazing in the Trans-Missouri country. - -"We are now in easy reach of Eastern markets. The railways are -landing the heaviest cattle in Chicago from the Rocky Mountains at -$9 and $10 per head; we can sell thousands and tens of thousands -annually to the Pacific slope, and there is still an all-absorbing -home demand to stock our thousands of valleys. - -"_The Future._--As every country in the West receives a new emigrant, -and his plow turns the grass under, that corn and wheat may grow in -its stead, the range of the stock-grower is that much contracted, -and the area of grazing lessened. By reason of the high value of -lands for grain-growing purposes the people of the country east of -the Mississippi River are already coming to us for beef and mutton. -Chicago and New York people are enjoying the juicy steaks from cattle -fattened on our nutritious grasses that grow in our valleys and on our -mountain-sides, close up to the perpetual snows of the Rocky Mountains. - -"As immigration takes up more and more of the pastures east of us for -grain, drovers will be obliged more and more to come to us for beef. -Texas, the great hive of cattle, has received three hundred thousand -settlers this season. The grazing area of that State has been -lessened at least a million acres thereby. Everywhere events point to -this Trans-Missouri country as the future dependence of the East for -wool, beef, mutton, and horses." - - * * * * * - -PAGE 60.--The following article, clipped from the _New-York Times_, -contains so much valuable information, bearing on the question of -Irrigation, as related to the Plains and the great Internal Basin of -the Continent, that I venture to insert it here. It seems to be a -careful _resumé_ of the facts that were brought before the notable -Convention of Governors and others, that met in Denver in the autumn -of '73, to consider the question of a general and comprehensive -system of irrigation for all that region: - - WATER SUPPLY FOR THE GREAT PLAINS REQUIRED. - - _Correspondence of the New-York Times._ - - DENVER, Colorado, Friday, Oct. 17, 1873. - -It is a fact, perhaps not generally considered, that the ninety-ninth -meridian of longitude west from Greenwich, the meridian of Fort Kearney -on the Platte, and Fort Hays, marks a division line in the physical -geography of the continent. Here the prairies merge into the great -plains, and the abundant rain-fall of eastern meridians ceases. West -of this line lies one-half of the area of the United States, all of -which, excepting a small strip on the shores of the Pacific, is without -sufficient rain-fall for the cultivation of the soil. This great arid -region comprises more than two-thirds of Kansas and Nebraska, a large -portion of California, Oregon, Washington, and Texas, and nearly all of -Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Nevada, -and Dakota. Here are one million square miles of barren country, and -the question is, What shall we do with it? - -The keen interest felt in this matter has been evident from the -large attendance upon this convention, and the mass of information -and argument presented. Whatever has been done thus far toward -reclaiming any portion of these waste lands has been by individual -enterprise, except in Utah and New Mexico a system of irrigation has -been enforced by legislative enactments. In New Mexico the acequias -are the most important features of the country. The subsistence of -the people depends upon them, and the laws protecting them fill many -pages of the statute books. An overseer of acequias is selected in -every precinct, who fixes the number of laborers to be furnished by -each land-owner, apportions their work, and distributes the water. -Yet not over 300 square miles is under cultivation in that Territory. -In Utah, where there is in operation the most complete and successful -system of irrigation in this country, only about 140,000 acres are -under cultivation. By legislative enactment the counties have power -to build canals just as they build roads. Water commissioners are -chosen at regular elections, in each county, and their services -are paid out of the general tax levy, and they give bonds for the -faithful performance of their duties. Subordinate commissioners, or -water masters, are selected by neighborhoods, cities, and towns, and -they are paid by assessments on the land. There are now over 1,200 -miles of irrigating canals in Utah, with a capacity for watering -100,000 acres. The population of the Territory is upward of 150,000. -It has 190 prosperous towns and cities. Its farm products are -shipped into the neighboring Territories, and even into the Missouri -Valley. In Colorado there has been no general plan of irrigation. -Private corporations build canals and sell the water therefrom to -the ranchmen. Several of the towns are supplied in this way. The -colonies have also done much in this respect. But no general system -has been adopted in that Territory, nor has the legislature ever -taken cognizance of the situation. The same may be said of the other -States and Territories interested in this movement. Irrigation has -been limited. The few acres that have been reclaimed in the immediate -vicinity of the streams and cañons, near the mountains, bear no -comparison to the vast body of plain and desert stretching hundreds -of miles in every direction. - -The cost of constructing irrigating canals varies according to the -character of the country. The average in Colorado has been $7 per -acre. It is thought by competent engineers that in a general system -of canals for the Plains, east of Denver, the cost must run from $10 -to $15 per acre. According to careful estimates, Colorado has a -water supply sufficient to irrigate 6,000,000 acres, an arable area -which, in Egypt, in the times of the Ptolemies, supplied food for -8,000,000 people. The Plains, extending from the foot-hills of the -Rocky Mountains eastward nearly 300 miles, comprise about 25,000,000 -acres. Of this vast tract there are 1,500,000 acres belonging to the -Kansas Pacific Railway Company, lying south of the Platte River, -and which a canal from the Platte Cañon to the headwaters of the -Republican will cover. Such a canal, 12 feet wide and 3 feet deep, -will cost $1,000 per mile. It will make lands that now go a-begging -at $2.50 per acre worth from $10 to $15. - -The want of water is the one and only drawback to the settlement -of the Trans-Missouri country. Farming along the streams has been -carried on enough to show that the soil is not only fertile, but -extremely so, insuring, with plenty of water, crops surpassing those -of the best farming districts elsewhere. The average yield, year in -and year out, through the Rocky Mountain region, whenever irrigation -is employed, has been found to be as follows: Wheat, 27 bushels per -acre; oats, 55; potatoes, 150 to 200; onions, 250; barley, 33. This -is far above the average of Illinois or Ohio. It is believed that the -mountain streams, if turned into proper channels, will irrigate the -greater part of the Plains, both east and west of the Mountains. This -is particularly true of Western Kansas and Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, -Wyoming, and New Mexico. The great rivers of the Platte, Arkansas, -Rio Grande, and Colorado could be divided at or near their source in -the mountains, and made to cover vast quantities of land. In Utah, -it is proposed to take out canals from the Jordan, Weber, and Bear -rivers, diminishing the supply in Great Salt Lake, and distributing -it over other adjacent portions of the territory. And in California, -engineers have been sent out to turn the Colorado River into the -desert of Arizona, and Southern California. - - * * * * * - -PAGE 279.--Her statistics (San Francisco) for 1873 are equally -significant, and foot up about as follows: In that year over 70,000 -people arrived there, by land and sea, and less than _half_ that -number departed. Nearly 4,000 vessels entered her harbor, measuring -about 2,000,000 tons. She exported 10,000,000 sacks of wheat, and -nearly 1,000,000 barrels of flour; and Californians claimed, it -wasn't much of a year for "wheat", either! The total wheat crop of -the State, which mostly sought her wharves, was estimated as worth -fully $26,000,000, or nearly $10,000,000 more than in 1872--prices -being higher; the wool-clip, say, $7,000,000; the wine product, -$2,000,000. Her total exports, of all kinds, was estimated at -about $80,000,000; and, best of all, while her exports had largely -increased, her imports had considerably decreased. Real estate had -been dull for a year or two, and yet her sales that year aggregated -about $15,000,000; while her mining stocks sold for $150,000,000, -and paid dividends about $14,000,000, as against less than half that -amount in 1872. The cash value of her property was estimated at -$250,000,000 and of the State at about $600,000,000. - -California's yield of the precious metals in 1873 was estimated -at about $18,000,000, which was some two millions _less_ than in -1872, and was already surpassed by her magnificent wheat crop of -$26,000,000. Her total agricultural products for '73 were believed to -aggregate $80,000,000; while all her mines and manufactures produced -only about $70,000,000, though employing nearly double the number of -people. Evidently, with her vast area of 120,000,000 acres of land, -of which fully 40,000,000 are fit for the plow, our farmers there -have a brilliant future before them, notwithstanding they will have -to irrigate to raise some crops. - - * * * * * - -PAGE 324.--The following is a table of mean temperature at Santa -Barbara for the year 1870-1: - - April, average of the three daily observations 60.62° - May, " " " 62.35 - June, " " " 65.14 - July, " " " 71.49 - Aug., " " " 72.12 - Sept., " " " 68.08 - Oct., " " " 65.96 - Nov., " " " 61.22 - Dec., " " " 52.12 - Jan., " " " 54.51 - Feb., " " " 53.35 - March, " " " 58.42 - - Average temperature for the year, 60.20°. - - COLDEST DAY. WARMEST DAY. - - April 12th 60° April 16th 74° - May 15th 66 May 23d 77 - June 1st 69 June 3d 80 - July 26th 76 July 11th 84 - Aug. 11th 77 Aug. 8th 86 - Sept. 23d 66 Sept. 27th 90 - Oct. 23d 60 Oct. 20th 92 - Nov. 7th 64 Nov. 20th 87 - Dec. 15th 52 Dec. 28th 71 - Jan. 11th 56 Jan. 3d 76 - Feb. 22d 42 Feb. 28th 71 - March 13th 56 March 27th 83 - - Coldest day in the year, Feb. 22d 42° - Warmest day in the year, Oct. 20th 92 - Variation 50 - -Compare these with the average temperature of the Atlantic Coast, -say at Trenton or New York, and what a paradise for invalids Santa -Barbara must be. - - * * * * * - -PAGE 434.--Our yield of the precious metals for 1873 was -exceptionally fine, and the following table of the total for that -year, from the districts west of the Missouri River, gave immense -satisfaction on the Pacific Coast: - - California $18,025,722 - Nevada 35,254,507 - Oregon 1,376,389 - Washington 209,395 - Idaho 2,343,654 - Montana 3,892,810 - Utah 4,906,337 - Arizona 47,778 - Colorado 4,083,268 - Mexico 868,798 - British Columbia 1,250,035 - ----------- - Grand total $72,258,693 - -The total yield for 1872 was only $62,236,913; so that here is a gain -of $10,000,000 or so in one year. This extra increase, however, was -chiefly from Nevada, whose total product, it will be seen, about equals -that of all the others; and it must be credited mainly to the great -Comstock Lode, whose ores, it is now about demonstrated, grow richer -and better, the deeper you go down, like the best mines of Mexico and -Peru. In 1871 they averaged only $27 per ton; in 1872 they increased -to $32; and in 1873 to $40. These figures well sustain Mr. Sutro's -theories, and his great tunnel may yet become a fixed fact, ere long. - - - - - INDEX. - - - Acapulco, 470 - " people of, 470 - " cathedral, 471 - " fort, 472 - - Acequias, 82, 333, 487 - - Across the Mountains, 150 - - "Adios", 477 - - Adventure among Utes, 120-3 - " " Dieganos, 351-2 - " on bay of San Francisco, 294 - " with grizzly bear and cubs, 459 - - Æsculapius, a son of, 272 - - Agua Frio, 287 - - Age of Big Trees, 463 - - Alkali region, 150-3 - - Alaska, 291 - - Alcatraz, 293 - - Alamo, 347 - - American eagle, 109 - " Falls of Snake, 218 - " a Representative, 332 - - Antelope, 37, 51, 149 - - Ancantash, 115, 125 - - Angel Island, 293 - - Anaheim, 340 - - Ancient ruins in Arizona, 395 - - Anomalies in Arizona, etc., 421 - - Arkansas, the, 82 - " Valley of, 82-104 - " Little, 104 - - Argonauts, Bret Harte's, 288 - - Army Life on Pacific Coast, 293 - " -lady in Arizona, 413 - " nurseries of the, 418 - - Arizona City, 355 - - Arizona generally, 372, 394 - " her quicksands, 388 - " her chief drawback, 414 - " her anomalies, 421 - " her ancient ruins, 395 - " her quails and rabbits, 409-21 - " her mines, 378, 399, 414 - - Assays, mining, 68 - - Astoria, 270 - - Asylums, Chinese, 312-14 - - Aspinwall, 475 - - Autocrat of Utah, 179 - - Aubrey City, 414 - - Average Westerner, 43, 98 - " Coloradoan, 98 - - Aztecs, 367, 395, 406 - - - Baker's Ranch, 55 - - Baille, a Mexican, 91-3 - - Bartering with Indians, 131-2 - - Baker City, 231 - - Banquet at Denver, 62 - - Bar of the Columbia, 271 - - Banquet at San Francisco, 304 - - Barbary Coast, " , 310 - - Bankrupt Law of Chinese, 312 - - Banning, Gen. P., 331-39-40 - - "Bed-rock", 73 - - Belvidere Apollo, 213 - - Bear River, 214 - - Bee-Hive House, 175 - - Better things ahead, 299 - - Bell's Cañon, 393 - - Beale's Springs, 410 - - Beaver Lake, 415 - - Bear Valley, 465 - - Bergh, Mr. Henry, 238 - - "Big Injun" stories, 38 - - Bierstadt's skies, 105 - - Bitter Creek, 150 - " " country, 150-3 - - Bill of Fare, a hard, 221 - - Big Trees of California, 462 - - Black Hawk, 64 - - Black-Butte Station, 152 - - Blue Mountains, 234-6 - - Blackbirds at Tucson, 376 - - "Black's", 445 - - Boys in Blue, 28 - - Border missionary, a, 39 - " bishop, a, 59 - - Bogus mining companies, 69 - - Boisè, valley of, 219 - - Boisè City, 223-6 - - "Borers", 377 - - Bower Cave, 445 - - Bradford's Hill, 110-12 - - Brent, John, 84 - - Bridger's Pass, 150 - - Bridger, Jim, 158 - - Brigadier-Generals abundant, 173 - - Brigham City, 212 - - Breakdown, a, 241 - - Breakdown, another, 246 - - Browne, Ross J., 70, 226 - - Brain of the Northwest, 266 - - Broderick monument, 280 - - Building stone, fine, 27 - - Buchser, M., 43 - - Buffalo region, 50 - " grass, 50 - " as engineer, 52 - - "Bull-drivers", 54, 237 - - Butte region, 78 - - Buckskin Joe, 107 - - Burt, Maj., 158 - - Burnt River, 228 - - Bunch-grass, 365 - - - Cavalier and Corncracker, 23 - - Camping-out, 35, 76, 88, 349, 362, 419 - " near summit of Rocky Mountains, 102 - - Cañon City, 81 - - Cañon, Echo, 159 - " of Columbia, 255 - - Castle Rock, 78, 256 - - Castle Dome, 363 - - Carson, Kit, (see K) - - Carson City, 436 - - Carter, Judge, 159 - - Carter, Colonel, 415 - - Cannon, George Q., 168 - - Calico horses, 252 - - Cascade Mountains, passage of, 255 - - Cascades, Lower, 255 - - California at last, 274 - " her growth, 279, 489 - " wines generally, 338 - " natives, 293, 328, 342 - " mines, 427 - " live-oaks, 426, 441 - " wheat-fields, 426, 441 - " wind-mills, 441 - " statistics, 279, 489 - - Cajon Pass, 422 - - Calaveras Big Trees, 463 - - Cape St. Lucas, 469 - - Cactus, columnar, 368 - - Carissa Creek, 349 - - Caribbean Sea, 476 - - "Cavalry Gregg", 407 - - Cayotes, or wolves, 216 - - Central City and mines, 62-4 - - Celilo, 253 - - Centipedes, 417 - - Central Pacific Railroad, 428 - " its grades, 428 - " snow-sheds, 429 - - Central America, 432 - - Chicago, 23 - - Cherry Creek, 53, 65 - - Chivington massacre, 139 - - Church Butte, 153 - - Children of Brigham Young, 180 - - Chinaman, John, 225, 268 - - Change from dry to wet, 258 - - Churches of San Francisco, 287 - - Christmas in San Francisco, 292 - - Chinese Question, the, 300-21 - " merchants, 304 - " New Year, 311 - " bankrupt law, 312 - " temple or Josh-house, 312 - " religion, 314 - - China's necessity America's opportunity, 315-16 - - Chemisal, 345 - - Charley, Diegano, 351 - - Changes of elevation, 416 - - Cincinnati, 23 - - Cisco, 428 - - Clear Creek, 63-64 - - Claims, mining, 66 - - Clawson, Brig.-Gen., 175 - - Climate of Colorado, 76, 100, 143 - " Oregon and Washington., 263 - " San Francisco, 281, 467 - " Santa Barbara, 324, 490 - " San Diego, 328 - " Los Angelos, 334 - " of Mexican Coast, 468 - " Isthmus of Panama, 474 - - Cliff House and sea-lions, 295-6 - - "Clarke's", 461 - - Clarke, Galen, 461 - - Coming man, 70 - - Companies, bogus, 69 - - _Compagnons du voyage_, 33 - - Costly supplies, 49, 375, 407 - - Coal, etc., 63, 153, 229 - - Copper, etc., 63, 378 - - Colorado ores, 68 - " mineral resources, 69-71 - " Springs, 80 - " City, 81 - " farming, 82 - " desert, 344-46 - - Coloradoan, an average, 98 - - Corkscrew creek, a, 87 - - Costello, Judge, 107 - - Council, Indian, 114-16 - - Councils of war, 160 - " Clive on, 160 - - Cox, Jack, 132 - - Courts, U. S., in Utah, 193-6 - - Columbia River, etc., 251 - " Clarke's Fork of, 251 - " bar of, 271 - - Conner, Capt., 270-3 - - Commerce and wealth of San Francisco, 279, 489 - - Comstock Lode, 433, 492 - - Coin _vs._ Greenbacks, 290 - - Conclusion as to Chinese, 320 - - Cock-fights, 335, 471 - - Cottonwood Cañon, 410 - - _Constitution_ steamer, 468 - - Colima, 469 - - Costa Rica, 472 - - Conclusion, 477 - - Coulterville, 444 - - "Crawford's", 244 - - Crossing the Rocky Mountains, 84, 150 - " the Blue Mountains, 234 - " bar of the Columbia, 271 - " Gila and Salado, 383 - " Sierra Nevadas, 428, 437 - - Cruelty Prevention Society wanted, 238 - - Cumming, Gov., 61 - " his speech to Utes, 126 - - Currants, wild, 63 - - Culebra, 90 - - Cuba, 476 - - - Dancing people, a, 92 - - Dance with Indians, a, 133 - - Dacotah, 150 - - Danites or Thugs, 189 - - Dalles, the, 254 - - Darwinism, 259 - - Dante's Inferno, 411 - - Denver, 58 - " her growth, etc., 60 - " reception of Sherman, etc., 62 - - Desert of the Mountains, 150 - - Deer, 410 - - Desolation, genius of, 411 - - Deserters, 422 - - Departure from San Francisco, 467 - - "Divides", 35, 73 - - "Diggings", 65, 107 - - Dirty Woman's Ranch, 78 - - Diabolo, Mt., 465 - - Divine, a High-Church, 469, 475 - - Dodge, Gen., 144, 248 - - Dogberry, an Idaho, 226 - - Donkeys, dilapidated, 234-8 - - Down the Columbia, 249 - - Donner Lake, 431 - - Down the Sierras, 438 - - Drive, an anxious, 239 - - Drake's Plantation Bitters, 249 - - Dry to wet, 258 - - Duck-shooting, 106-9 - - Duluth, 267 - - - Eagle, a plucky, 108 - - Echo Cañon, 159 - - Election imbroglio, 61 - - Elk, 149 - - El Dorado Cañon, 414 - - Elevation, changes of, 416 - - Empire City, 107 - - Emigrant trail, 215 - " a typical, 406 - - English capital, 62 - - Englishman, a sturdy, 67 - - Englishmen, enterprising, 443 - - Enforce the laws, 205 - - _Enfans terribles_, 249 - - Erie Railroad, 21 - - Exasperated teamster, 43 - - Exaggeration, Western, 96 - - Example, a shining, 298 - - Exploring the country, 386 - - Exploits of Apaches, 402 - - - Fall-Leaf, 29 - " his theology, 30 - " his bravery, 31 - - Fancy Creek, 38 - - Fair Play, Col., 106 - - Falls of Snake River, 218 - - Fare, hard bill of, 221 - - Farewell Bend, 230 - - Farrallones, 295 - - Fatherland, our, 476 - - Fellow-passengers, 43 - - Fenian friends, 260 - - Fellow-passengers home, 469 - - _Fiat Justitia_, 321 - - Fish-hooks _vs._ ox-carts, 371 - - Flood-stayed, 382 - - Fluctuations of mining stocks, 435 - - Forethought, 239 - - Fourth of July, 476 - - Fort Alcatraz, 277, 294 - " Benton, 252 - " Boisè, 227 - " Bowie, 376 - " Bridger, 227 - " Cameron, 376 - " Cape Disappointment, 271 - " Camp Cady, 421 - " Camp Douglas, 170 - " Colville, 251 - " Churchill, 436 - " Garland, 89, 114 - " Goodwin, 376 - " Grant, 377 - " Halleck, 148 - " Kearney, 40 - " Laramie, 115 - " Leavenworth, 29, 33 - " Lovell, 376 - " McDowell, 384 - " Mojave, 413 - " Morgan, 75 - " McPherson, 48 - " Point, 277 - " Riley, 21, 33 - " Rock Springs, 418 - " San Josè, 277 - " Sedgwick, 49 - " Stevens, 271 - " Stockton, 328 - " Vancouver, 261 - " Wallen, 376 - " Whipple, 407 - " Wicked, 54 - " Yuma, 355 - - Fraser's River, 224 - - Freezing-out, 69 - - Fremont's old trail, 77 - - "'Frisco", 274-6 - - Frigate-birds, 274, 468 - - Fruit of Mormon teachings, 188 - - Fun, a little, 113 - - - Gamblers, 59, 224 - - Gale, Judge, 59 - - Gate City, 63 - - Garden of the Gods, 79 - - Game, lack of, 103-4, 460 - - "Ganow's", 351 - - Germany, a bit of, 341 - - Germans, 24 - " a frightened, 56 - " enterprising, 100 - " a plucky, 383 - - Getting under way, 34 - - Georgetown, 71 - - Geiger grade, 431 - - Genoa, 436 - - Gertrude Jane, 438 - - Gila City, 363 - " River, 364 - " valley of the, 364 - " Bend, 366 - " freshet in, 381 - - Give John a chance, 317 - - Good grazing region, 50 - - Golden City, 60, 63 - - Golden Gate, 276 - - Gold mines, 66 - - Gold and silver, our yield of 1873, 491 - - Gooseberries, wild, 63 - - Good missionary ground, 319, 361 - - Gov. Low on Chinese, 318 - - Grasshoppers, 36 - - Granite Creek, 398 - - Grande Ronde Valley, 232 - - Great West, the, 22 - " American Desert, 51 - " Salt Lake, 209 - " American Falls, 218 - " Bend region, 251 - - Gregory Gulch, 64 - " Consolidated, 66 - - Greenhorn River, 82 - - Green River, 150-3 - - Gregg, Gen. Irvin, 407-8 - - "Greasers", 470 - - Grizzly bear and cubs, 459 - - Guaymas, 378 - - Guatemala, 472 - - Gulls, 274, 468 - - Gulf Stream, 476 - - - Happy Family, a, 37 - - Halsey, Mr. Supt., 221 - - Hardyville, 413 - - Hardy, Mr., 414 - - Hassayampa, 387 - - Hermann, 25 - - Hercules of the Plains, 29 - - Hell Gate, 253 - - Hell Cañon, 405 - - Heller, Louis, 383 - - "Heathen Chinee", 301, 430 - - Hermitage, the, 458 - - Hincklin's, Zan, estate, 83-4 - - High Council of Mormon Church, 196-8 - - Homan's Park, 99 - - Hoosiers, 22 - - Holliday's Overland Stages, 41, 207 - - Holliday, Ben, 41, 152, 207 - - Holmes' One-Hoss Shay, 242, 418 - - Home again, 476 - - Honitos, 465 - - Hood, Mt., 256, 264, 269 - - Horse philosophy, 236-7 - - Horses, a fine team of, 234 - - How not to do it, 160 - - Huerfano River, 83 - - Hunt, Indian Agent, 116, 131 - - Hualapai Springs, 410 - - "Hutchings'", 449 - - Hydraulic mining, 427 - - - Idaho Springs, 71 - - Idaho City, 224 - - Idaho, 223-6 - " mines of, 226 - " Dogberry, 226 - - Illinois and Indiana, 22 - - Indians, Apache, 401 - " Arrapahoe, 54 - " Cheyenne, 115, 127 - " Chemehuevi, 424 - " Comanche, 115, 127 - " Delaware, 30 - " Diegano, 350 - " Hualapai, 412 - " Maricopa, 369 - " Mojave, 412 - " Oregon, 252 - " Pai-Utes, 412 - " Papago, 380 - " Pawnee, 38 - " Pimo, 369 - " Pottawatomie, 32 - " Shoshone, 158 - " Sioux, 55 - " Umatilla, 245 - " Ute, 114, 135 - " Walla-Walla, 246 - " Yavapai, 392 - - Indian corn, 27 - " Point, 28 - " idea of steam, 30 - " " telegraph, 30 - " rumors, 38, 55-7, 77 - " council, 114, 116 - " treaty, 113-36 - " ponies, 116 - " costumes, 117 - " village, 118 - " dogs, 118 - " profanity, 119 - " speeches, 127-9 - " a sharp, 129 - " bartering with, 131-2 - " dance, 133 - " squaws, 135 - " generally, 135-6 - " trophies, 143 - " scare, 146, 419 - " exploits of Apaches, 402 - " their cunning, 403 - " policy of Brigham Young, 212 - " " our old, 370, 412 - " " our true, 413 - - "Inside" _vs._ "Outside", 354 - - Inspiration Point, 457 - - Interview with Brigham Young, 176-9 - " " U. S. Judge at Salt Lake, 189-98 - - Irish miners, 246 - - "Iron-clad" Christians, 289 - - Iron mines, 63 - - Irrigation, 60, 487 - - Isothermal lines, 263 - - Isthmus of Panama, 474 - " " people, 475 - - - Jackson, Gen., 29 - - Jack Cox, 132-3 - - Jack-rabbits and quail, 345 - - Jesus, Don, 92 - - Jerked beef, 118 - - Jewish synagogue, 286 - - Jews on Pacific Coast, 287 - - Jesuit missions, 326 - - Johnston, Albert Sydney, 159-60 - - John Day River, 254 - - John as a merchant, 304 - " a banker, etc., 305 - " an operative, 306 - " a railroad builder, 307 - " an actor, 308 - " a gambler, 309 - " a holiday keeper, 311 - " a legislator, 312 - " a heathen, 313-15 - " give him a chance, 317 - - John Phoenix, 327 - - "Jordan is a hard road," etc., 236 - - Josh-house, Chinese, 312-14 - - Judge Costello, 107 - " Gale, 59 - " Lynch, 59, 62, 226 - " Carter, 159 - " a brave, 198 - - Julesburg, 49, 53 - - Junction City, 26 - - Juniper Mountain, 409 - - Juries, Mormon, 190 - - - Kansas Pacific Railroad, 21 - - Kansas generally, 27 - - Kaolin, 63 - - "Kate," mule, 87, 112 - - Kaw, the, 32 - - Kerber's ranch, 100 - - Kimball, Heber C., 167-75 - - Kit Carson, 96-7, 114 - " his services, 136 - " personal appearance, 137 - " adventures, 137 - " Sherman on, 138 - " Indians on, 138 - " his opinion of Indians, 138-9 - - Kootenay, 252 - - - Lawrence, 26 - - Landscapes, superb, 72, 84-6, 243, 446 - - Landscape, a tropical, 478 - - Laramie Plains, 148 - - Laclede, 152 - - Latrobe, 248 - - Lake Pond Oreille, 252 - - Laguna Grande, 342 - - Laguna, 347 - - Lady, an army, in Arizona, 413 - - La Paz, 414 - - Lake Tahoe, 439 - - Leavenworth, 25 - - Lead, etc., 63 - - Leutze's painting, 105 - - Leave Utah or drown, 184 - - Lewiston, 223 - - La Grande, 233 - " mines near, 233 - " river, 235 - - Leland, a, 465 - - Little Blue, 38 - - Live mining-town, 65 - - Lincoln on our mines, 70 - - Life in a stage-coach, 155-7 - - Lieut. Genl. Utah Militia, 173 - - Little Arkansas, 104 - - Liberals _vs._ Imperialists, 353 - - Libertad, 377 - - Live-oaks of California, 426, 441 - - Long's Peak, 75 - - Lost among Indians, 120-4 - - "Lo! the poor Indian", 55, 135 - - Lone Mountain Cemetery, 280, 295 - - Los Angelos Plains, 333, 423 - " itself, 334-5 - - Lumber, costly, 49, 375, 407 - - Lynch, Judge, 59, 62, 226 - - - Manhattanville, 32 - - Marysville, 34 - - Mantilini, Mr., 67 - - Machinery, mining, 67 - - Manitou, Col., 80 - - Mark Tapley's philosophy, 122 - - Massacre, Sand Creek., 139 - - Maladé, 215 - - Machado's, Ranch, Señor, 342 - - Maricopa Desert, 366 - - Mariposa Trail, 456 - " Big Trees, 462 - " itself, 464 - - Manzanillo, 469 - - McCormick, Gov., 362 - - McDowell Crossing, 383 - - Meals _en route_, 42 - - Medicine Man, a, 77 - - Mexican peons, 83 - " baille, 91 - " beds, 93 - " emigrants, 86, 89, 353 - " life and manners, 471 - - Mexican _vs._ Yankee, 106 - - Menace to U. States, 175 - - "Meacham's", 239 - - Mescal, 345 - - Mesquite, 365 - - Merced River, 452 - - Melno Park, 466 - - Missouri, 24 - - Missouri River, 25 - - Mining town, a live, 65 - - Mining, placer, 66 - - Mining "processes", 68 - - Mining Companies, bogus, 69 - - Mining as a business, 435 - - Mines, yield of, 70 - - Mines, our, total yield of 1873, 491 - - Miners' slang, 72 - - Miners returning East, 146 - - Mines at Baker City, 231 - - Mines of Colorado, 63-71 - " Idaho, 226 - " Oregon, 254 - " California, 279, 427 - " Arizona, 378, 399, 414 - - Mines of Nevada, 432-5 - " U. S. generally, 490-1 - - Mills, stamp, 67 - - Mill City, 71 - - Miami Valley, 22 - - Micawber, Mr., 68 - - Micawber, a Boston, 250 - - Militia, Utah, 172-5 - - Mission Mills, 306 - - Milton's Hell, 411 - - Mirage, 346 - - Moral, a, 124 - - Mormon woman, 152 - " tabernacle, 166 - " preacher, 167 - " a sharp, 168 - " sermons, 169 - " militia-muster, 172 - " outrages, etc., 183 - " murder of Dr. Robinson, 184-7 - " Mountain Meadow Massacre, 191 - " juries, etc., 190 - " sobriety and thrift, 200 - " Bishops, 201 - " Brigham Young, 174-9 - - Mormonism in general, 199 - - Mormon Church, as immigration agency, 202 - - Mountain city, a, 64 - - Mountain scenery, effect of, 86 - - Mountain mud-wagons, 144 - - Mountain Fever, 170 - - Montgomery street, 285 - " dames, 286 - - Montana emigrants, 398 - - Mojave River, 420 - - Mother, an ambitious, 438 - - Monument Creek, 79 - - Mountains, Alleghany, 58 - " Rocky, 75, 113 - " Wahsatch, 158 - " Blue, 234, 244 - " Cascade, 255 - " Aztec, 392 - " San Bernardino, 420 - " Sierra Nevadas, 427, 437-8 - - Mt. Long's Peak, 75 - " Pike's Peak, 75-79 - " Hood, 256, 264-9 - " St. Helen's, 270 - " Shasta, 256 - " San Bernardino, 344 - " San Francisco, 391 - - Mule teams, 54 - " Kate, 87 - - Munchausen, Baron, 57, 89 - - Mustang team, 157 - - Mysteries and miseries of stage-coaching, 156 - - - Nasby people, 267 - - New England, 22 - " village, 397 - - Newspapers again, 108, 424 - - New Mexico, etc., 140 - - New Granada, 472 - - New York, 476 - - Nevada, agriculture in, 431 - " mines in, 433, 491 - " alkali plains of, 436 - - _Nez Perce Chief_, 250 - - Nicaragua, 472 - - North Platte, 148 - " Clear Creek, 66 - - "No makee bobbery", 303 - - Nurseries of the army, 418 - - - Ocean, a Pacific, 323 - - Off for the Pacific, 144 - " Los Angelos, 322 - " Ft. Yuma, 339 - " Yosemite, 444 - - Ogden City, 210 - - Ohio, 22 - - Old Chief, 63 - - Omaha, 40, 58 - - Ooray, 115, 125 - " his speeches at treaty, 126-9 - - Ophir mine, 434 - - Ores, Colorado, 68 - " Arizona, 399 - " Nevada, 432 - - Oregonian, a live, 240 - - Oregon Steam Nav. Co., 251 - " Indians, 252 - " rains and fogs, 259 - - Oregonians generally, 268 - - _Orizaba_, the, 322 - - "Out West", 22 - - Outrage, a border, 351 - - Outrages, Mormon, 183 - - "Out of the Wilderness", 424 - - Outside on a coach, 44 - - "Outfit", 72 - - Overland route, 35 - " stages, 41, 206 - - Owyhee, 224 - " Rapids, 253 - - Ox-trains, 54, 238 - - - "Pay-ore", 66 - - Pay-streak, 73 - - "Panned-out", 73 - - Pacific Railroad, Union, 40, 71, 80 - " Central, 428, 430 - " Northern, 252 - " Texas, 396 - - Pass, Sangre del Christo, 84-6 - " Poncho, 102 - - Parks, Rocky Mt., 95 - - Parley's Cañon, 161 - - Paymaster, a lucky, 227 - - Pasquol, old, 361 - - Painted Rocks, 367 - - Pai-Ute Hill, 417 - - Paradise Regained, 423 - " for invalids, 491 - - Panama, 472 - - Peat, 49 - - Peons, Mexican, 83 - - Petroleum, 153 - - Personal appearance of Brigham Young, 178-9 - - Pennsylvania Dutchman, a, 39 - - Phosphorescent waves, 467-8 - - Pike's Peak, 75, 79 - - Pigeon English, 302 - - Pilot Knob, 348 - - Picacho, 373 - - Platte River, 36, 48 - " Valley, 47, 49 - - Placer Mining, 65-66 - - Plains, the, 50, 52, 72, 111 - " as stock-raising and dairy region, 51, 481 - - Placerville, 439 - - Poncho Pass, 102 - " Creek, 103 - - Pocket-knives as weapons, 122 - - Polygamy, its workings, 192-3 - " bad results generally, 203 - " a barbarism, 204 - " laws against, should be enforced, 204-5 - - Portland, 264-8 - - Powder River, 228 - - Powell, Prof., 357 - - Postle's ranch, 405 - - Pony, a plucky, 448 - - Porpoises, 467 - - Prospect Ridge, 28 - - "Prospecting", 66 - - Prairie schooners, 26, 34, 54 - " chickens, 36, 53 - " dogs, 37 - - Praying machines of Chinese, 314 - - "Processes," mining, 68 - - Process, a new, wanted, 68 - - Preacher, Mormon, 167 - - Pratt's River, 228 - - Price's Army, left wing of, 240, 267 - - Press of California, 288 - - Prescott Crossing, 383 - " road, 385 - " itself, 397 - " her mining prospects, 399 - " population, 400 - - Precious metals, our yield of for 1873, 491 - - Project, a California, 439 - - Punty, 445-8 - - - Quartz mines, etc., 66 - - Quicksands of Arizona, 388 - " execrable, 392 - - - Ranchmen and their homes, 53 - - Ranches, 73 - " in California, 293 - - Ranchman, a dismal, 421 - - Randall, Bishop, 59 - - Railroad, Union Pacific, 40, 71, 80 - " Northern, 252 - " Central, 428, 430 - " Texas, 396 - " across the Isthmus, 474 - - Rather exciting situation, 121 - - Rapids of the Columbia, 253 - - Rains and fogs, 259 - - Rains and winds of San Francisco, 281-2 - - Racing steam-ships, 322 - - Rattlesnakes, 417 - - Reception of Gen. Sherman, etc., 62 - - _Red Rupert_, 144 - - Regions, barren, 215, 345, 410 - - Representative Californians, 285 - - Religion in California, 287-9 - - Revivalist, a noted, 432 - - Ride by stage-coach, 44 - - Ride after antelope, 51 - - Ride by muleback, 84-7 - " a rough, 220 - " a fine horseback, 446 - - Rio Grande, 96-7 - " bottoms, 96 - - Rio Colorado, 150, 356, 415 - - Rip Van Winkles, 279, 376 - - _Rising Star Steamer_, 475 - - River Terraces, 28 - - Rocky Mountains, 75, 143 - " parks of, 95 - - Roads, mountain, 110, 439 - - Road-agents, 166 - - Robinson, Dr., murder of, 184-7 - - Romancing, 247 - - Rough stage-coaching, 437 - - Roses in California, 440 - - Rock Springs, 410 - - Russel's Ranch, 98 - - Ruby City, 224 - - Rule, the only safe among Indians, 394 - - - Sacramento River, 425 - " Valley, 426 - " City, 440 - - Saratoga of Colorado, 71 - - Sangre del Christo, 84-6 - - Saddle animals, 87 - - San Luis Park, 96 - - Saw-mills, 110 - - Safe at last, 124 - - Sage-hens, 158 - - Salt Lake City, 164-6 - " House, 164 - " Theatre, 179 - " audience generally, 182 - " _Vidette_, 183 - " Mormon outrages at, 183, 198 - " what a U. S. Judge thinks of affairs there, 189-98 - " itself, 209 - (See Mormon.) - - Sand Creek massacre, 139 - - Sand-storm, a Yuma, 358 - - San Francisco, 276 - " her location, 277 - " sand-hills, 278 - " commerce, etc., 279 - " climate, 281-2 - " earthquakes, 283 - " hotels, 283 - " houses and gardens, 284 - " fruits and flowers, 284 - " churches, 287-8 - " her Christmas and New Year, 292 - " statistics, 279, 489 - " Barbary Coast, 310 - " Chinese, 301, 321 - " sail on Bay of, 294 - - Santa Barbara, 324 - " her climate, 490-91 - - San Diego, 325-9 - " court-house and jail, 327 - " climate, 328 - " neighboring ranches, 329 - " harbor, 329 - - San Pedro, 330 - - Santa Anna River, 340-1 - - Santa Cruz River, 372-5 - - San Xavier del Bac, 379 - - San Bernardino, 422 - - San Joaquin River, 444 - - San Mateo, 466 - - San Josè, 466 - - San Salvador, 472 - - Scare, an Indian, 146-7 - - Scott's Marmion, 159 - - Scout after Apaches, 404 - - Segrist, Mr., 39 - - Señors and Señoritas, 92 - - Sermons, Mormon, 169 - - Sea-sickness, 272 - - Sea-lions, 295-6 - - "Shanghai" fences, 36, 229 - - Sherman, Gen., 61, 114 - " on Kit Carson, 138 - " New Mexico, etc., 140-1 - " personally, 142 - - "Shebang", 72 - - Sha-wa-she-wit, 125 - - Shauno, 125 - - Shingle Station, 439 - - Silvers, Rev. Mr., 39 - - Sibley tents, 55, 118 - - Silver-mining, 66, 432-5 - - Silver City, 224 - - Sierra Blanca, 98 - " Nevadas, 427 - " " summit of, 430 - " " snows on, 428, 437 - " " silence of, 460 - " " sugar-pines of, 461 - - Skull Valley, 392 - - Smoky Hill River, 28, 50 - - Snowy Range, 63, 76, 105 - - Snow-squalls, 81, 89, 98 - - Snow-storm, in a, 162, 241 - - Snow galleries, 429 - - Snows on Sierra Nevadas, 428, 437 - - Snake River, 216 - " bottoms, 217 - " station, 217 - " valley generally, 229 - - Socelito, 294 - - Soda Springs, Col., 80 - - Soda Lake, 419 - - Soldier, a true, 408 - - Something about smoking, 157 - " " Vicksburg, 261-2 - - South Platte, 58, 65, 107 - " Clear Creek, 71 - " Park, 105 - - Spanish Peaks, 85 - " attempts to speak, 342 - - Specimen settlers, 39, 406 - - "Square meal", 72 - - Squaws, Indian, 135 - - Stage-horses, 41 - " stations, 41 - " drivers, 42, 54 - " staging it "outside", 44 - " coaching generally, 155, 206 - " good-bye, 248 - " across the Sierra Nevadas, 428, 437 - - Stampedes, 147 - - Stamp Mills, 67 - - Statistics of Stock-raising on Plains, 481-7 - - Statistics of San Francisco, etc., 279, 489-90 - " gold and silver product. 1873, 491 - - Stanislaus, 444 - - Steam navigation on the Columbia, 251 - " " on the Colorado, 414-15 - - Steele, Gen., 261-3 - - Stockton, 442 - " her windmills, etc., 442 - - Stormy Divide, 77 - - St. Louis, 23 - - St. Helen's, 270 - - Stump, Capt., 251 - - "S. T. 1860, X., etc.", 249 - - Sulphurets, 68, 399 - - Sulphur Springs, hot, 171, 209 - - Sunsets, 45 - - Sunset, a magnificent, 46 - - Superintendent of Mines, 67 - - Sugar-pines of California, 461 - - "Swinging round the circle", 227 - - Swiss artist, a, 43 - - "Swop" and "no swop", 131 - - - "Talings", 68 - - Tabernacle, Mormon, 168 - - Tahoe, Lake, 439 - - Taylor, Bayard, 25 - - Teamsters, as a class, 237, 244 - - Telegraph Hill, 279 - - Tehauntepec, Gulf of, 472 - - Texan Emigrant, 349 - - Texas and Pacific Railroad, 396 - - Tip-top of Rocky Mountains, 85 - - Topeka, 26 - - Tobacco, some defence of, 157 - - Transportation, costly, 357, 377 - - Transition, a welcome, 423 - - Treaty with Ute Indians, 113, 136 - - Trophies, Indian, 143 - - Trout-fishing, 88 - - Trout-broiling, 88, 102 - - Trout streams, 97 - - Truckee River, 431 - - Tucson, 374 - " her high prices, 375 - " business, 376 - " costly transportation, 377 - - Tucson's griefs, 378 - " mines, 378 - - Tuolomne River, 444 - - Turkey, a fine wild, 407 - - Typical emigrant, 406 - - - Umatilla River, 245-6 - " City, 249 - - Uniontown, 233 - - Union Pass, 411 - - Union Pacific Railroad, 40 - - Ups and downs of Californians, 297-9 - - Up the Sierras, 428 - - Utah militia, 172-5 - " autocrat of, 179 - " Judge, opinion of, 189, 198 - " U. S. Courts in, 193-6 - " laws in, enforce, 205 - (See Mormon.) - - Ute Indians, 77, 212 - " council, 114-16 - " treaty, 116, 136 - " princess, 117 - " village, 118 - " lost among, 120 - " chiefs, 114-15, 125 - " dance, 133 - " generally, 134 - " squaws, 135 - - - Valley of the Platte, 48 - " Boisè, 219 - " Burnt, Powder, and Pratt's rivers, 228 - " Snake, 229-30 - " Grande Ronde, 232 - " Umatilla, 247 - " Weber, 161 - " Salt Lake, 165 - " Columbia, 252 - " Gila, 364 - " Salado, 395 - " Colorado, 355, 411 - " Sacramento, 426 - " Yosemite, 447, 454 - - Vicksburg, something about, 261-2 - - Victoria, 266 - - View from Telegraph Hill, 280 - - Villacito, 344 - - Virginia Dale, 145 - - Virginia City, 432 - - Voyage from Portland to San Francisco, 273 - " a delightful, 323 - " up the Sacramento, 425 - " home, 467 - - Vulture mine and mill, 391 - - - Wagon-trains and teamsters, 54 - - Ward, Artemus, 180 - - Water-ditches, 82, 487 - - Walla Walla, 243, 251 - - Wallula, 249, 251 - - Wanted--a road, 385 - " roads and bridges, 389 - " a railroad, 396 - - Westerner, specimen of a, 55 - - Western exaggerations, 96-7 - - Wellington, young chief, 123-4 - - Weber Valley, 161 - - West, Bishop, 175, 211 - - Wells, Lt. General, 175 - - Wells Springs, 244 - - "Web-footed" children, 259 - - West Indies, 476 - - Whales, 467 - - Whirlwinds, 346 - - White Pine, 433 - - Whitney, Prof., 452, 456 - - Whittier's prophecy, 477 - - Wheat-fields of California, 426, 441 - " yield of, 441 - - Wickenburg, 390 - - Wildcat Creek, 39 - - Wind-storm, a, 45 - - Willow Springs, 146 - - Wilful, John, 247 - - Willamette River, 266 - - Wilmington, etc., 331 - - Wilson, Don Benito, 336 - " his noble ranch, 336 - " orange groves, 337 - " vineyards, 337 - " his home, 338 - - Williamson's Valley, 409 - - Wind-mills, 278 - " " in California, 285, 441 - - Winds and rains of San Francisco, 281-2 - - Wines, California, 338 - - Wood and lumber scarce, 49 - - Wolves or cayotes, 216 - - - Yankee-land, 22 - - Yankee hand and brain, 71 - - Yank's Station, 437 - - Yerbo Buena, 279 - - Yellow-jacket mine, 434 - - "_You bet_", 73-74 - - Yosemite Valley, 443 - " first view of, 447 - " South Dome and walls, 450 - " Bridal Veil and Yosemite Falls, 451 - " El Capitan, 451 - " by moonlight, 451 - " North Dome, etc., 452 - " Lake and South Fork, 452 - " Cascades and Vernal Falls, 453 - " rainbows in, 453 - " Nevada Falls, 454 - " Sentinel Peak, 454 - " Mt. Broderick, 454 - " Cathedral Rock, 454 - " in winter, 455 - " from Hutchings', 449 - " from Inspiration Point, 457 - - Young chief Wellington, 123-4 - - Young, Brigham, 175-9 - " wives of, 180 - children of, 181 - " shrewd dodge of, 187 - " success of, 195 - " Indian policy of, 212 - " Brigadier General, 175 - " Colonel, 175 - " Joseph, 211 - (See Mormon.) - - - Zan Hincklin's ranch, 83-4 - - Zig-zags, mountain, 437 - " swinging the, 438 - - - THE END. - - - - -Transcriber's Notes: - - -Obvious punctuation and spelling errors have been fixed throughout. - -Non-Latin characters have been replaced with the nearest Latin -equivalent for example [oe] (the oe ligature), was replaced with oe. - -Inconsistent hyphenation is as in the original. - -The Index is not in strict alphabetic order in the original. It has -been left in the same order as in the original. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Across America, by James F. 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