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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, 11 est filmA A partir de Tangle supArieur geuche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Las diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■*.. .■- ^-.4-. ■ $ w ff ■P ! M O o H o P4 S H f I \ as ^■i 5"^ WANDEEINGS IN ^p^ WESTERN LANrf'£,l'' .^< in*- By A.yPENDARVES VIVIAN, M.P., F.G.S. ' Go yo, and look upon that land, That I'ar vast land that few behold, Anil none, beholdinK, undorstand ; That old, old land, which men call now. That land as old as time la old. ' Go, journey with the seasons through Its wastes, and learn how limitless. How shoreless lie the distances. Before you come to question this, Or dare to dream what grandeur is." JoAcaiu Mir.LEB. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM ORIQINAL SKETCHES F.Y MR. ALBERT BIER8TADT AND THE AUTHOR. SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON, CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET. 1879. \_AU ritjhln reserved.'] I fi''-l^. '-^^ 'P ' y i i ... mam mm fm^ INTRODUCTION. In the following pages I have endeavoured to record the recollections of a few months' wanderings in North America, spent chiefly in " hunting " in the Kocky Mountains. My principal objects in making the trip were to obtain a thorough change of scene, and to see something of a country of which we have all heard so much. I make no claim to having done or seen more than any one else could have done, having the same time and means at their disposal, and possessed of the same keenness for sport as myself. I believe, however, that I was "in luck on the hunt;" at least, I am told so by some well able to judge. I would endeavour at once to disarm adverse criticism, by acknowledging numerous faults, per- ceptible even to myself, and by pleading very broken leisure for writing. My main object has been to describe in a plain, unvarnished manner the lead- ing incidents of a short but very enjoyable run to regions many parts of which are within easy reach of all. o p •*• <) r: «) 7 VI Introduction. I must record my sense of the general courtesy which I experienced throughout, witli scarcely an exception ; even the rough western men, the hardy sons of the Indian frontier, accustomed from boyhood to fighting for existence, were hospitable and generous to a degree hard to find in more civilized life. I have availed myself of the admirable reports of the Surveys of the United States Government, not only to confirm my own observations, but to supply information when I have been unable from any cause to speak from personal experience. In conclusion, one word of thanks to my old fnend and brother sportsman, Lord Aberdare, who most promptly and kindly consented to wade through my manuscript, and gave me the benefit of his most vrluable advice. For many of the woodcuts I am indebted to my friend Mr. Bierstadt, that true delineator of nature's beauties in the "Western Land, who most courteously placed his original oil sketches at my disposal. ; ;i A. PENDARVES VIVIAN. 7, Belquavb Square, London, July, 1879. .1 mmmmxs^ssm I CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Voynge out— St. John's, Newfoundland — Inhabitants — Country — Sporting — Trade — Mining — Passage to Halifax-— Cape Raoe — French Islands — Sable Island — Halifax: Approach, Situation, Environs, Fortifications, Defenders ..,,.... PAOE CHAPTEii II. Start for the Hunt — Outfitting and Outfit — Railroad Cars and Conductors — The Intercolonial System — Canadian Forests — Waste by Fires — Causes — Legislation — Spring Hil) — Coal Mine— New Line — Cumberland County — Settlers — Varieties of Timber — Maple Sugar- making 14 J CHAPTER III. After Bear — My Indian Hunter— "Woodcraft — Ferocity of the Bear — Our first Camp — Camp-making — Food — Sleep— Stillness — Unsuccessful Hunting — The Moose — Close Time — Legislation — Cause of Scarcity — Modes of Hunting — " Snow-shoe-running " — A successful " Creep "— " Calling " and Mosquitoes 2C viu Contents. CHAPTEE IV. Saint John'^, N.B.— The late Fiie— Extent— Suffering- Destruction of Property — The Night following — Belief — Incidents— Energy of Inhabitants — The St. John's Eiver-— Eeminiscences of the Past— Fredericton Cathe- dral — Houses of Eepresentatives — Members— Business — The Lumber Trade and Lumber Men PACK I 42 f CHAPTEE V. Start for our canoeing Trip — Indian Birchbaric Canoes — Disaster — Across to the Head^waters of the Miramichi — Glashvillo — Hardships of its early Settlers — Gray's Mill — McEwing's — Afloat — Beaver — Bear Incident — Camp-making in the Dark — Slow Progress — Shoalaess of Water — Signboard —Thunderstorm — A miserable Night — Old Gabe — Capsized — Construction of Canoes —Lake Miramichi — A charming Camp — "Moose call- ing " — " Caribou Creeping " — A sutcessful Stalk — A grand Beast — The Caribou— Two Varieties — Colour — Habits— Scarcity — En routo again— Daily Life- Beauty of Banks— Burnt Hill — Fishing — Mosquitoes — Blackflies — Eemedies — Picnic Party — Bciestown — Eod-fishing— The "Great Miramichi Fire"— Extent and Sutt'erings — Indian Town — Shooting a Eapid — Eenous — White trout Fishing — Waste of Timber — Lumber-men — Newcastle — Eud of Canoe Trip . 07 CHAPTEE VI. On the Eail — Quebec- Situation — History — Wolfe's Vic- tory — Citadel — Garrison — Falls of Montmorency — Afloat again — Montreal — The Lachine Eapi Is — Toronto— Niagara — The Falls and Surroundings — A perilous Voyage— Fascination of the Locality 83 CHAPTEE Vir. Hamilton — Detroit— Chicago -- Population — Trade— Away again — Across the Continent — Omaha — Buildings — O i ,.i H ,..H«m i! tm Conte7its. IX ( PA OF Indiana— Population— " Then Westward ho!"— The Union Pacific Bailroad — History and Construction — The Prairie— The Old Emigrant Eoad— Early Way- farers — " Bones that bleach in the Sunshine "—Indian Attacks — Train Eobbery— Cattle— Their Owners and Attendants— The Prairie Dog — Cheyenne— History — " Stage tapping "—The Blackhills of Dakotah— Indians and their Eeservations — The Denver Pacific Line Greely — Denver lOO CHAPTER VIII. En route forEstes Park— Golden— Mining and Smelting— Lignitlj formation — Metalliferous Lodes — Mr. Hill'^ Works— Miners and their Wages— Boulder City— Tlie Caribou Lode — Longmount— Its Disagreeables— To Estes Park- Beauty of Scenery— Tlie Park— Bad Luck —Griffith Evans— Unwelcome Visitors— The Skunk War — P' ,. clarities of the Enemy — Cold Weather— tlnsuccepsful Hunting— Camps in Horse-Shoe Park- Attempts to cross the Eange— The Black Canon Storm— A high Camp— Poor Prospects — '* A Bear, by Jove!"— A Miss— A long Chase— Success at last— '•Uraus ferox" — Driven back— More storming— Start for Itock Creek— Fogg's— Marianna— Off tlie Track- Fort Collins— La Porte— Jim Baker— Character and "Grit." . . . . 12G CHAPTER iX, Geology — Of the Mountains, Foothills, and Prairies — Fertility— Irrigation — Water Supply— Herds of Cattle— A Load of Deei-- The Fork's Hotel— The Old Cherokee Trail — Laramie Plain — Singeuborger Eanche — The Laramie Eiver— A shooting Case— "Wild Bill "-Crossing the Divide— Antelope— A Kill— Tlie Prong-horn— Old Man Pinkhara's— A Day's X Contents. I' A OK Hunting — Success — A Timber Wolf — Their Cunning — A Bear story — North Park — Physical and Geo- logical — Massacre on Independence Mountains — Bad Storm — A Wolverine 159 CHAPTER X. L.'a departure— After Elk— On the track— A Shot—" He's hit" — A fruitless hunt — A deserted Camp — Loneli- ness — Move Camp — A Porcupine — " Ned's " Punish- ment — Another Move — '* Played out " — A hunter's Cabin— Its Occupants — A strange Night — Curly Eogers — A Wapiti's " roar " — A fine Sight — A " boss bull"— The Stalk— Bad Luck— A Trudge Home— Loss of Ponies — Unsuccessful Tracking — A severe Day — Bear Trap — Wapiti again — Meat at last — After Bulls — A View — Too late — Ride Home — Touched with the Frost — At the Bulls again — A successful Stalk— « A right and left "—A fine Head— A mys- terious Camp-fire — Another Beast — Packing to Camp — Danger from Snow — " On the Move " — " Whiskey Jacks"— Awful Day— The Rose Family— The "Old Man's" again— The Wapiti— Change of Outfit—Up the Park — Solitary Hunt— Successful Issue — Search for Quarters — Night in a Waggon — The Indian Ques- tion 180 r CHAPTER XI. The Log Cabin — Return to Pinkham's — Encampment on the Platte — More Wapiti — Bad Hunting — Disagree- able Adventure — Independence Mountain — The deserted Cabin — Sad History — After Bison — "Drummer"- A spoiled Stalk — No Luck— The Mountain Bison — Magnificent Scenery — Doleful Prog- nostications — Encc iraging Gossip — " Back tracks " — Indian Experien< s — " Bill Wales " — Old Quarters —On the Move— A Puma's "Cache"— The Beast himself — Exciting Hunt — " He's our meat ' — Great h ■■mr-SrWL'. ,4JB.j!L _'_!.(. .wwT^n Contents. XI joy— A severe Walk— On Beaver Creek— A wounded Wapiti—" Curly'a " Misbehaviour— Awful Weuther— A red-letter Day— Almost a Tragedy— Hunting for " GrifF"— Ned's " Sport "—Men's amusement— Cloth- ing — Stimulants— A welcome Return .... PAGE 220 i t! CHAPTER XII. Move of Camp—" Grand Encampment"— A curious Cha- racter — An improved Climate — More Antelope — After Sheep— No Luck— Jack Watkins- Cold Weather- Snow Blindness— Sage Hen.^— A disagreeable Incident —The Mountain Sheep or Big Horn— Wild Scenery —Austin's — A hungry Coyote— More Storming — Griflfa Tumble— A.n Altercation- Awkward Position —A fine Canon— Near Game— A " Sight " at last Bad Luck— " Consolation Steaks"- A Bear story - A Mountain Lion's Den— On the Move— Sage Bush — An Adventure — A curious Shakedown— Branding Cattle— Wyoming Fertility— Tim Foley— A solitary Eide— A Reunion — Independence Rock— Indians — The Sioux — Arrapahoes and Utes .... 252 CHAPTER XIII. After Buffalo— An Indian Trail— •' After hair "—A Scare —A family Party— Bad Advice—" Hoise Creek" Camp— The Rattlesnake Rauge— " Buffaloes"- A good Stalk— "Right and left"— True Bronchos— Spoiled Meat— More Buffalo— An exciting day— The Buffalo —Ferocity— Modes of hunting— Scarcity— Its causes —Wanton Slaughter and sinful Waste — Probable Ex- tinction — Legislation ..... 282 CHAPTER XIV. Back for the Sweet-water— Bad camp— An Alkali Lake- Loss of Stock— Planted— A Broncho hanged— A " Cache "-After Sheep— A disagreeable Adventure— " Lost "—A hard Time— A Welcome Outline— Back once more — Foot-note 301 xn Contents. CHAPTER XV. Sheep once more — New Companions — George Perries — A good Ranche — Hopes of Sport — A Stalker's get-up — An exciting Day — The " heart-shaped " Tracks — A Race with the sheep — Beaten — " Creeping the Ledges " — A Hair-trigger — My last Chance gone — Indepen- dence Rock again — A lucky Lift — Sand Creek — The Ferries Mines — To Rawlingrs — Cheery Companions- Brown's Caiion — A "one-horse" Town — Topography of the Western Country— Train Life — The Con- tinental Divide — Green River — Evanston — Lignite: its Geological Position — Utah — Echo and Weber Canons — Ogden — Shoshone Indians — Humboldt County — Battle Mountain — Summit of the Sierra — Beautiful Scenery — The American River — The Wes- tern Slope — Sacrauicuto — San Francisco — Beautiful Position — Tlie Palace Hotel— The Seal Rocks- Unique Sight— The Streets— The Hoodlum — The Chinese Question — Climate — Drainage — The Rain- fall — California as a Mining State — Bullion Produc- tion — Agriculture — Fertility — Exportation — Wool — Wine — Fish — Deer — Small game — Future . I'AOK 317 CHAPTER XVI. Trip to the Toseniite— Position of the Valley — Bad Time of Year — Merced — Miserable Conveyance — Ilornitos — Gold Mining — Different Systems — "Rebellious" Ores ■ — Geological Occurrence of gold Veins — The Foothills of the Sierra Nevada — Nature's Garden — The Mari- posa Estate — A curious History — " Making time " — " More haste, worse speed"— A. Disaster — A crowded " House " — " A shooting case " — American Law-courts —System of Judge-making — Its Results 3i8 CHAPTER XVII. Start from ^Mariposa — Vexatious Delays — Route — Hite'a Mine — A romantic Story— Change of Vegetation — • Dr. Brewer's Report — A lovely Evening — Clarke's Contents. xiii I'AOG Kanche — Late arrival — The Mariposa Big Trees — Na- ture's Arboretum — Colossal Growths — " Cockney " Practices — Probable Age — Eide into the Valley — Snow once more — A lucky Shot — My Bag — Better Weather — Inspiration Point — Magnificent View — "Quite a stone"— The Valley— Liedig'a Hotel— A doubtful Pleasure- The Yosemite Fall — Back Tracks — Frisco once more 3GU CHAPTER XVIII. A Chapter on Mining — Off for the Comstock — The Carson Valley — Virginia City — The " Boss of the Bonanza " — The Comstock Ledge — General Character — The Con- solidated Virginia and California Mines — Excessive Heat — Impurity of Water — Extensive Output — Great value — Miners — Their Wages — Cost of Living — Cor- nish-men — The Irish Element — A determined Fenian — " Shrewd withal " — Boring Machines — Blasting — Timbering —Wonderful Consumption — " Flumes " — Cost of Fuel — The Ore — Assay Contents — Cost of " getting "— After-treatment — Stamping — Amalgama- tion — Eefining — Discovery of Quicksilver — Bullion Production — Virginia Consolidated and California Mine Accounts — Balance Sheets — Management — The Sutro Tunnel — Objects — DiflSculties — Future Value — Prospects — Baron Kichthofen — The Heat Question . 379 ; \ CHAPTEB XIX. Hurried Movements — The Eureka District — The Ore and its Treatment — Ogden — Utah — The Wahsatch Moun- tains — The "Great Basin" — Geology — Salt Lake City — The Mormons — Their Habitations — Polygamy — The Governor's Message— Newspaper Comment — Camp Douglas — The United States Army — The Indian Bureau — The Great Salt Lake — The Oquirrh Moun- tains — The Mineral Veins of Utah — The Emma Mine — Professor Hayden's Eeport — Other Mines — Cha- racter of the Ores — Cornish Miners— Non-observance of the Sabbath — A lamentable Blemish 397 XJV Cofitenis. CHAPTER XX. " Homeward bound " — A beauteous Morn — Train Life again — Evauston — Snow-ploughs — " Clearing the course " — " Quite scared like " — Fellow-travellers — An unfor- tunate "Eoad-agent" — A miuing Prospector — The Black Hills— Their Geology— The Ores -Cost of Treatment— The Crops of Illinois — An oyster Mer- chant — His Trade — Niagara — Arctic Desolation — Kochester — *' A White Elephant " — An enthusiastic Naturalist — New York — A flying Visit — " On the Ocean Wave " — Luxurious Voyaging — A quick Kun — Our Log — Queenstown once more — A quiet Sea — An English Fog — Familiar Haunts — Satisfied withal . PAOE 417 !S^^« ^ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ^ FULL-PAGE ENGRAVINGS. NO. 1. A Mountain Lion or Pdma 2. In Estes Park 3. Wapiti on the Prairie . 4. A Sioux Camp near Laramie Peak 5. In North Park 6. The Mountain Sheep 7. A Mountain llange with black-tailed Deer 8. The Cathedral Eocks in the Tosemite . PAGE Frontispiece To face 137 207 213 229 261 305 376 SMALLER ENGRAVINGS. 9. " Good-bye." The old Head of Kinsale . 10. Entrance to St. John's, Newfoundland 11. Cuckold's Head, Newfoundland . 12. The North-West Arm, Halifax . 13. Out of my Window — Halifax 14. A dead Moose 15. A Micmac Wigwam, Nova Scotia 16. Lumber Boats and Raft on the St. John's River 17. A Steamer towing Lumber . 18. On the Miramichi 19. Our Camp on Lake Miramichi 20. A Caribou head . 21. Long's Peak, Estes Park 22. The Black Canon 1 3 6 11 13 38 41 49 56 57 66 71 127 138 l.>M ■f||i.T<^,wiP»p.i II .mini I fW- n > nmfc » XVI ■ i' List of Ilhistrations. NO. FAOK 23. Our Camp in Horseshoe Park 145 24. A Sheep Eock 146 25. A Bacge Grizzly .... 158 26. The prong-horned Antelope . 169 27. A Wapiti '♦ roaring " , 180 28. •' My first AV apiti " . . . . 198 29. A "Eight and Left" .... 201 30. A Scotch Eed Deer head . 201 31. A "Wapiti feeding .... 206 32. "The Miner's last Abode" . 225 33. Camping-ground near the frozen Platte 256 34. A Canon of the Platte . 267 35. Head of a Bull Buffalo .... 292 30. Camp in the Svreet-water Country 301 37. The Seal Eocks near the Golden Gate, San Francisco . 334 MAPS. 1. Parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with route marked by red line 1 2. Geological Map of part of the Western Land . . 1 3. Block Map of From Denver to Estes Park, &c. . 127 \ mm Ststaummm VAUTS OF Ni:W liiniNSWK^K "ti ^^ "i —^ T ViBV ilUINSWlCK Sc NOVA SCOTIA. U4" fU/i^ ~' 'If 1'%, ShfUtillr fza. ^,0^' l'* KHrniiiiuat; North ( WANI)EniN(;H IN WK.HTKUN LAN IKS A r. VIVIAN. M.l». Aiilhitrh ruule, iumI liiii'^^^^. I'liiiiiv vityiiftr ilvwn thr Mirmnichi , Ihitn ,iuL/i/u/ I'l . 'ini Cotr l\)iul .w] Wt I'lnviiji/uf r^hL Q&f*f niif^ H^^J'^i i'ilmie ZoU >^ iii^ Ki'iif A/I J. . ,, , XMinmuttiinhorMixuvchr, iluhniiiiuiir Hiwh . •' •' \ ^Ol ifV \. ^^ .\itinuntaa»(t or Monkioiv (ove , :l»ifi .. .i .Vrti/ w / »' o .1 VJ. H^. >>^' ■r-^.. "(»■<. H(!'i<>(/f/'/.«/i ,., _V -V* . - - -, ikTifinnh ^, V''''^.i^«''!^J'KlNrE EDWAHD I. ♦7' .'"'^'^' *%»»^> IV^^, •^. <"'>>-, « »' n-^. JvC? .i .■^t'' ^:<. r.\W cfA)iuiir liar i, , „, w,,.iii'' .i/u ,0' H. ■jintii, vv r"-' V v,_ ir,r I u It aa'^r Htddiiiuuu Kf,m^ ( I' f'limont , JftUw"" !ll> .P*"* Dl"!'. .v>^ Oris JJ-Vill 33 i I ^^.>.y^- -* ^ Jliirtiiiiyiii 'in,. r*^ w c; w Mimiriiiflif M iihr. t O II '---TZWhtrt *vVi^ -JC S?.. Vif'- .^WAtttf'x* * All € ISfillf J ■ 1 ^ ^1 .^', itLd' itt :^ Sfxtir itrtf «AY VKHTK Walrtitunlt' w / *' .4) j«^ 'l4nntht rXiir^y^f ! t :4, "fo?4^ W 4 .V,. 3>y • s^ J?i »»/J»ii ifi MrrJioiucKVrtt, ^ I il. rtif' \y^>^0 Ar;i.w[, .«. % ■-^t v e ,.I.L^ \ U \* 'V li(iiiV1i>ii(l(-ri-v Kihu C*fv '^.^ >j.iii« ■w. x: y\ Uiul H ^A^^\/ •;{ 4«° .4*. "y^: 1 ;?nf'iKiS ' /Ha r^' vs m ' i,11'^-'' '«%a/ BifiVJiirt^' S'prinMhiU Suit S'pr'i iJr .■'«v 1*^" ■% tfM-' ^rrsbp^'oiiv 'a ^J ^*«,;.t|^^i|J ^, ' (witb istlci M'^ &' Aw 1 ^ C.C'hi^nu'cto' #i«''li horouijh\ ^ fV r ■^a r«^. "■>v.">^^. ^-^^^ :/ii., MINES M A S 1 V i ;& t\/ffi "?/-, h-r^-^^ /Xt ^lOK^ ■ ^ili- W!?'*^' cjJ^'J H ' ^< * * V^ *''''"*''4i'f « ^ Ml.,. , ^ II hmit ^ l.diiVliiiiili'I'i'V /' vt-^.v-*- \ -t^ ^ ■?:■'* % ''■''^. V IS \ ) (■ Kiiji;: Slut; MiIhh. ♦O Loiidoii . S;iiii|iHoii Low K- y^'^^i Kf "V:'" /v^' -a-'^f* ^♦*' / V. liOll^llllllllTI'V /. -1 .»■■■>• I • i>A / >c^ ^ ■• t'^'a^ / / \-, j-1^1 if-y ^^ ■ xr^ ■lA^ >"* »|' j-v ^''r *(1 ( j hi>r,»^-, # ,.i: 7"''''\lu '•*' th ^. . W ( /..s,^..^>-^-'jy"'*' ^v " , Vr i n J'l H ^-\ 3^-^ ///„»„,„*■ flr' T<' t'*^^:^ . itWA. .//'■'"•"'■ ,- v i/f '%.. W// -f^J 0"'>VyW S^V \n S ll f ill P O <» kc / -^'/.IV '/''■'■>>//, I, 4.V>' ftJSw/. .^ I /;i./iiuiV.f)trtiv'r' lAi^AiiWi'm'JN,' \ '•% V i iW W...J' (Ir. •.'-ta/i/'."^(jyf 6ri (/'■ £ stai'^ LcTuion iidoii . S/ini|>Moii Low X* (>o. * MUt^i 'I m I i» HW -i»MM-»' 4 «■ l~T -%W*' w&m t lA r CKOI.OdKAL MAP OF PAliT ()1> l.iiiiiliiii : SiiinpMiii l.iiH iampmiiiMHiii I'AIJT OK TJIK VVKSTKHN LANi). '.■; (Wi/ra/'hiiW F.'^rzih^ C^tii'u^ ; '\'.v .'i/M.-r -, ■"!* ttoii: SiiiM|)*iiii( \.\\y> \ ( mm r i f 'rt: V M m ; h n t f WANDERINGS IN THE WESTERN LAND. (KluP-IiVF. TIIK OLD IIKAI) (PK KINSALE. I'm,,, II Sh-li'h ill A. r r CTFAPTKR I. « I. »> i'i:i; MARE — i'i:ii tktjram. A'(iya<,'n nut — St. -lolm's, XowfouiuUaml — Iiilniliitunls — Cnuntry — Spoitiii^f — Tnule — MiiiiiiL,'--l';iss;i;^a' {o Halifax — Cape Race — Kiriuli Islands — Salili' Islaml — Halifax: Aj^jroacli, Situation, i'lnviimis, Kortilicatioiis, I k'fciulci'rf. After ;i prosporous and uiu'vciitfiil voyn_<>'e of six days t\vo-5nid-a-li:dl" lioiirs from Liv(>i'pool, we I'an through tlie iiari'ow entrance into tlie harbour of IVandcrings in the Western Land. St. John's, Newfoundland, on the dull and gloomy evening of tlie 14tii August, 1877. The voyage had been, on the whole, very prosperous. Our ship, the " Caspian," of the Allan Line, had met with some knocking about at the very commencement, in encountering, between Liverpool and Queenstown, what is meteorologically noted as a *' moderate gale," but after this, for the remainder of the voyage, had had no reason to complain ; in fact, so well had the elements belia\^ed, that, although a slow boat, she had been able to average about 21)0 knots per twenty-four hours. We, her passengers, had undergone the wearisome routine of daily life on board ship with as many comforts aiid as few dis- agreeables as were po5sil)le. We had ate and slept with regularity, walked or tried to walk the deck daily, watched the heaving of the log, speculated on seeing icebergs, and discussed our future plans ad nauseaw. But now all was over, for here we were, going to set our sea legs once more on motlier earth ; some of us, it is true, only for a few hours, but others had reached tlieir final haven, and 1 canncjt lielp confessing that I envied tliem mucli. Such a quaint little harbour as this is, which we have squeezed into througli the narrowest of entrances, formed by a rent in the granite clitfs ; how it was ever discovered must always be a matter for wonder. It nuist be difficult navigation to accom- phsh, l)ut when once in, there a[)peared to be peifect shelter from every quarter. About two years ago the entrance got blocked by an iceljerg, which had to be blown up witli powder before a free passage could be re-establislied. The whole [ilace has a West Highhiiid look about it; but the odour is pccu- S/. Jolin s^ Neiufoiindland. 3 liar, thanks to the cod and seal fisheries, which are the staple trades of the place. rsriiAM 1; In SI. jdii.N s, M.WKoivur.wn. From a Skrtch 6y .1. P. V. 'riic little town, consist inu; eliicfly of Avooden houses, is built oil the sideot'tlic hill I'Mciu^' the harbour; the Kouijiu (*jitholic euthedral and (Jovei'iuneiit House Ix'iiiu," pei'liaps the two most (•oiis[)ieuous edifices. The present (Jovernor is Sir John (ilover, V.C. of Ashautee reputation, a most h()sj)ital)le and pojiular I'uler. 1Mie fJovernment House possesses no ai'chi- teetural beauty nor anything- of interest, ])eyond a fine; collection of eai'iboo antlers from the interior of the island, amongst \vliich is a great curiosity, namely, two jtairs of antlers locked so firndy to- gether that they cannot be separated, the poor beasts having evidently got entangled in figliting and so ])erished by starvation. Newfoundland, with a [»o[)ulation of over 200,000, is still a separate colony of Great Britain, having f 1 " I' If 4 JVaudcrings in the Western Land. refused to join the newly-t'ormecl Dominion of Canada, fear of an increased taxation being, I be- lieve, tlie principal reason against amalgamation. It possesses no military of any sort ; a police force of seventy-eight foot and six mounted constables is sufficient to maintain order. A few years ago, on the occasion of an Irish riot, the six mounted con- stables did excellent service in dispersing the rioters by repeated charges on the ice of the frozen harbour, since which it has l)een an annual motion of the irreconcilables in the House of Representatives to reduce the vote by the amount required for their maintenance, but hitherto witliout success. Tlie inhabitants, as a rule, are said to be most loy.'d to the British crown, and in this respect resemble the rest of the British North Americans. The general appearance of the country at a little distance from St. John's is very like some ])arts of the Highlands of Scotland. There is the same sort of moorlands, with here and there bare patches of rock cropping up through the wild herbage. Lower down and nearer the town cultivated ])lots abound, in the midst of which, and surrounded with clumps of spruce and birch, nestle snug-looking homesteads and cottages. The interior of the island is said to b(^ barren and un])roductive and but very thinly iidiabited, most of the aboi'igines having migrated northward towards the sea-coast. I was told that, with proper guides, good cai'iboo liunting can be obtained, but that it is a difficult country to pass through. Much of the travelling must ])e done in canoes, which have, togethei' with the stores, to be " portaged " by Indians between the different waters. Wolves abound in parts, and i Ncwfotindland — Sport — Dogs. of be- lt ' in conscfjiieuce of the severe cold in these northern latitudes, their fur greatly surpasses in quality that of the same animal on the American continent. The black bear is also to be found, but is far mor(^ common in Labrador, and on Anticosti, where they are reported to be very numerous. There are no moose on the island, but attempts are now being made to introduce them. At the proper seasons of the year the gunner may find himself at home heie. The so-called ])ai'ti'idge — which in habits and appearance resem- bles much more the gi'oy hen than any European partridge — is very plentiful. When disturbed off the ground, this bird generally takes to a tree, from the branches of which it can be shot down by the merest tyro. But, besides this doubtful sport, the lovei" of the shot-gun can get most excellent goose and (luck-shooting on the inland waters, which har- bour many varieties of the nataforrn. For those who care about fishing, I am told that salmon abound in some of the rivers, but that there is at present great difficulty in getting to many of the most fa\oured spots, on account of their dis- tances from any inhabited localities or roads. But tills is all hearsay, as I had no opportunity of test- ing the [Iccuracy of my information by any personal experience. In Newfoundland I naturally expected to s(?e in great perfection tlie far-famed Newfoundland dog, but in that I was doomed to disappointment. It is said that the purc^ breed is as rare hei'e as it is in England. Quantities of black animals there are, no doubt, I'unning about the streets of 8t. John's; but " all is not coal that's black." My local infor- li n 6 IVaudii-incs in the JFcs/cni Land. maiit — .111 Tvisliiiiiin — who aoemeil to bo a con- nohacur in dofvs, said one of tlio clinriickTistica of tlio truo breed is .a web between tlio toes. Tliey are now vei'Y vabiable, and are becoming nioi'o so. I nnderstand as mnch as oO/. has been given for a tlioronghbred dog. All import of Newfonndhmd of no mean merit is port wine. This trade lias l)e(Mi carried on direct witli Portugal for many yeai's, the wine being sent in exchange for the di'ied cod-fish, which is in much request in that Roman (catholic country. Tt is curious thiit the severity of this chmate seems to suit the wine, and that it rather gains than h")ses in quality by being frozen. Ciood port Ciin be jmr- chased at the tiuie I write for about i 17. per quarter cask in bond here, a ])rico which, considering the quality, can scarcely be said to be exorbitant. Our ship got out tlie Newfoundland jiortion of her cargo lurniff the niuht. The rattlinjif (jf the steam craiu'S did not conduce to n^fivshing slee]>, notwitlistandiug that the operations were cari'ied on with as little noise as circu instances would allow. Tlio following forenoon we were again under way, steaming steadily southward towards (;ape Race. That part of the coast near St. John's is veiy fine. Bint!' headlands of nfranite and Killas slate stand out grandly into the sea, rennnding me much of the wave-worn front of old Cornwall. As in the latter country, tlu're are here also great mineral deposits, and mines of considerable reputation are being busily worked at Betts (/ove, on the north-eastern coast of the island, where a rich yellow co])per oro is being shipped, most of it across the ocean to Swansea in South Wales. T should have been glad (tll- of .ll'O [ a /' Ncivfoiiudlaud— Coast — Cape Race. 7 to have visited tlieso min(>s, but ilio oomrannication witli St. Jolui's i.s very iiTogiilar and uncertain, and CI'CKOM) S IIKAl). TIIK COAST OK M'.Wl DIMiI.A M). I'rum (( Skeffh Ini A P. V. tlie (expedition would liave taken far more time than I could well have s])iired. After l(»avin_ii^ S(. John's we had a smootli time of 't, and were nble thoi'oughly to enjoy this portion of tlie voyage. We passed a good many tishing nnd coasting craft, geiuM-ally of the regular American fore-and-aft rig, with sails as -white as a yacht's. Fn tlie aftei'uoon we were abreast of the far-famed but unim[)osing Cape Kae(^ eighty-six nautical miles from St. John's. In old days the Liverpool and New Yoj'k mail steamin-s wei-e wont to make this headland, and, in order to save the loss of time in going iuto St. John's, used to throw the mails overboai'd iu a water-tight tin case, a gun being fired from the shij) to attract the notice of those on shore. A reward of ten shilliugs was paid to the 4 I 11 d //(/in //<:••< ill Ifii' IW'slciii Laud. liardy fisluMTncn by tlio sliorc siuthoritios lor oiu^h case (lelivi'ivd to tlit'iii; jukI, woiidort'iil to relate, very few were over lost. Nowadays raili'oads and tele' jj^radually lessened in height as we came sontliwards. The cliffs are covered with a short slubby nnder^j^rowth, apparently a sort of dwarf pine, and no trees of any size seem to j>row near the coast. From Cape Race the coast bends away to thc! west and north, towards Cape St. JNlai'y and the (inlf of St. Lawrence. On this south-west coast arc many French settlers, Avitli certain peculiar rij^'hts as to fishini^, &e., which are likely to require before very long the attention of the two Gov(Tnmonts. Not very far from here are the vei-y small islands of Miqnelon and St. Pierre, the last footholds in these parts left to Frances by the Quebec and other treatit^s. The following afternoon we were about fifty mih^s north of that curious spot on the ocean, " Sable Island," a low Hat bank of sand (hence the nanu») heaved up from tlu^ bed of the ocean, ft is situated off the coast of Nova Scotia, and is about 2l20 miles east-south-east of Halifax. Its westernmost end is in N. lat. 4:$" 5()'; \V. long. (50 71'; and its eastern end N. lat. AX 59'; W. long. 59 VI'. It is about 50 miles in length, from eiul to end, with bars of sand running out foi" 10 miles on the north-western, and 28 miles on the other end ; both bars are from I mile to 1] miles in width. On these bars a most fearful sea l)reaks in bad weather. As a dreadful proof of the dangers of this bank, two hundred lives are said to have beeu lost here in one year. No Sa/f/c Island -Appi'oacJi to ffalifax. sliful) or tree omws on tlie isliiiid, only V)eofc grass, with some cranberry and vvhortleboriy bushes. One of the sand-liills on it is 100 feet in height. This curious storm-swopt island was first colonized by Ibrty French convicts, who were landed on it in ]r)!)8bythe IVlarfjuis do la Roche, and who would have been starved had it not been for some sheep which happened to l)e thrown ashore from a vessel. In old days, before it was well lighted, many a terrible wreck used to occur on this iidiospitable shore, and starvation generally awaited the poor unfortunate seanum who escaped the fearful surf. The authorities endeavoured to lessen such horrors by turning out a few cattle on the ishmd. They thrived, and did well on the scanty herbage; but such is the greed for filthy lucre that scoundn^ls us(h1 to land from vessels for the purpose of killing and carrying awiiy this provision for the shipwrecked, and in this way the stock has disappeared. IMie present inhabitants of the island are the lighthouse-keepers and their families, and, curious to relate, some wild horses. These latter are sup- posed to be the descendants of some Spanish horses cnst ashore very many years ago. They subsist on till* scanty sand-gi-ass, aiid obtain water by pawing up the sand with their fore feet. Occasionally parties land and capture some for the purposes of sale. A more uninviting abode than this island can scarcely be conceived, and one can well imagine the intense horror with which it used to be regarded by the ancient mariner. Now, although well lighted, the universal instructions to all captains are to give it a very wide berth. A night's steaming brought us into the harbour of Halifax, the approach to which is very pleasing. lO Waudii'iftos in the Western Land. The Avostorn cntraiico, uj) wliich wo sail(M], niid wliioh is till! only oiio for liir<]^o vcshoIs, is well [)i'ot(.'clc(l by loi'ts on both slioros, and on tlio IVfcNiib and (leorjro Islands. Tlio i'ornior of those dividos tlio wostoru fi'om tho oastorn ontranco. The forts mount vory heavy ^uns of the most modern pattern, and are manned by Enu;lisli artillerymen, but the complement is said to bo far short of wliat would be i-ecpiircd to work tlie guns. This matter shoidd liave tli(» attention of our Government ; for it is of national impoi*- tanco that this, our only naval station, and now tho only f]fari-ison of English troops in North America, shoidd be in such a condition that in time of wai' it should be able to afford shelter and security to our imperial and mercantile marine. If it is worth holding at all, it is worth hohling well, and every- thing should b(« done to make it a secure haven for ourselves and an object of terror to an aggresso- w, liaven to Avhich, in time of war, oiii" nKM'cluiu could run for safety, where our war vessels could refit in security, and whence they could issue at any time to harass the enemies' ship[)ing, blockade tiieii' ])orts,or descend on theii' vulnerable })Ositi()iis. The so-called McNab Island, derives its name from an old fisherman, who, having been seized outside the harl)()ur by the French, in one of the expeditions of ])y-gone days, and forced to pilot their squadron into Ilalifax, took tlw opportunity of the darkness of night to steer them into what is now termed the north-west arm of the harbour. Here the water is very shallow, ami the vessels soon grounded. History does not say how the old salt himself escaped, oi', indeed, whether he escaped at all ; but the result of his piloting to the French was T J fall fax — Avicrican hotels. 1 1 the (lostriiction of tlicir sriundron, and to liiiiisolf, or liis fiiinily, tlui <^irt IVoiii tlu^ IJi-itisli (lovci-iiinoiit of that important island wliicli now bojii's l\is niunc ;;.. V.#^- ?l va4_ ~r ■ - IIIM \()l!lll-\\i:si' Al!\l, IIAI.IIAX, \.S. Finm 'I Skrtrh hi/ ,(, 7', f Halifax is a |)ictnrosqu(' town, sitnatod on the si(U' of i» liill overlooking the harl)onr, on the snmniit of wliic'h is the woll-knowu citadel. It is old for AnuM'io;!, having been founded about, the year 1750. Amongst other novelties to bo encoujitered on fii'st liuiding in Anierien, are the peculiai'ities of the hotel life. 'IMu> system is, as it were, r)i pt'iisimi., so many dollars per day (geiu^rally from S^^.^O to So. •")(.) — ll,s'. to 22.S'.) for rooms and food. The meals take ]>lace at fixed times, between stated hours ; they are served at separate little tables, the waiters iK'ing usually coloured men. The functions of the various offieials do not quite coincide with what they are with us. As for instance, 1 found out on my very iirst morning that brushing clothes does not constitute part of the duties of the individual 12 lVandrn'uo;s in the Western Land. i'l, answorins: would brush them " as the weather was too hot." 1 apologized for having asked for such a service in such trying weather, and was only too glad to get them back and be released fi'oin my bedroom in an unbrushed condition. I found out that one is ex- pected to have them brushed, or rather whiskcnl over in situ, by the individual who takes the hats, at the entrance to the .sv;///' a iiiajn/ci . The weather was somewliat hot, but not intoler- ably so — in fact, very enjoyable. The heat does not, however, last long at this lime of year — tlu^ latter end of August — and is soon succeeded by the fresli " Fall " weather. In the environs there arc many very beautiful and varied drives and walks. Some of the most ])0])ular are along the Bedford l^asin ; through the Park to thf» North West Arm; from Dartmouth on the other side of the hai'bour, round by some lovely fresh- water lakes, itc.j .ic. Melville Ishiiul is worth a visit; it is situated down the harbour, not far from the North West Arm, and is now used as a INIilitary l^rison. When we were there, about tifty prisoners were em])loye(l in bi-eaking stoiu-s for the I'oads, The stones were doulitless neeessai'y, but could b(> obtained fi'oni inferior labour, and it seemed as if such a mass of men would have been Ijetter employed in Halifax — Environs — Dejenccs. in erectiiit^ the foiis Avliicli, I am told, liave been decided upon, but wliicli are still in the future. Whqn these works are finished and armed, then comes tlie all-important question of manning them efficiently, 'riu; Dominion artilh^rymen are, I believe, good, but are far too few in number, and, moreover, at present, liave not ])een drilled to work our new and improved ordnance. As for our own Royal Artillery, but few probably could bo spared in time of wt»r from our more important European positions. T am told, however, tluit the native fisherman is the finest raw material possible. During that portion of the year when he could not carry on his natural calling, h(^ would no doubt be willing, for a very small remu- neration, to put himself through a course of training. Being strong and xGvy hardy, intelligent and keen- sighted, he would soon rendi>r himself an effective gunner, and in the hour of need could be relied on as a stui'dy defendtM", not only of those forts which now exist, but of those which are to be erected hereafter. HIT OK MV WINDOW AT H/LUAX, N.S. I'vima Shich hij A. P. V. fl» mmmmmmmmmmsmmm wmf. \i \\ CUAVTKll U. " This is the forust primeval. The, nmrimiriiig j)ines aiul Iho lieni locks, ]')('arile»l with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight, Stand like Drnids of eld, with voices sad and i»ro])iii'tic, 8tand like har]>ers lioar, willi beartls that nst on their l)os(jm." L(ii/'//'t//i)ir'n " Krainiilini ." li I Start for the Hunt — Outfitting and Ontlit- iJailroad Cars and Conductors— Tiie Intercolonial System — ( "anadian l"'orests — "ires- — ('auses — Leyislatii •y -Sp Mine— IS'ew Line — Cumberland County — Settlers — Varieties of Timber — Majile and Sugar Making. il i \\ I il I HAD spent nearly a week very pleasjuitly in Halifax, w hen one (lav I a'ot a tele^'rain from niv brotlier-i 'ly o n. law, liOrd Dunraven, to say lie liad landed at New York, and that if there were bears in the province. h dd le would come ni) lor a f( (( hnnt. 'V] lis V led t o an Indian, who had been with him on a former occasion, being tele.u"raj>lied for, to give his opinion on our bear prospects ; and his opinion was so favoui'al)lo that an answer was sent to D. to come up " right away," and that I would meet him with the Indian hunter and my Scotch stalkei', at a station called Spring Hill, on the Intei'colonial Kailway, and bring with me tents, camp-utensils, and sulHcient stores for u fortuiii'ht's hunt. ■MH Preparations for the hunt. 15 As I had never done any real " camping-out,'! I was perfectly ignorant as to Avliat sort of stores were required, as well as the quantity of each necessary. All this was, however, made very easy to me through the kiuduess of Col. Gierke — a very old campaigner — and the general knowledge of Scott, grocer and outfitter. Colonel Gierke, at D.'s request, had kindly procured for me an excellent tent from Hemmenway, New York, which turned out so good, that after several months' experience, I had no fault to find with it. It remained perfectly water-tight to the end of my campaign (except where holes had been torn), and stood the rough usage it was subjected to in a most exemplary manner. It was not fui-nished with poles, Avhich for use in Canada was no disadvantage, but for hunting on the plains of the Kocky ]\Iountains certainly ought to be forthcoming, and these should be so arranged as to })ack with the tent. If winter weather is to be encountered, a small stove should also be provided, vvhen a hole for passing the stove-pipe through, must be made in the canvas. Stoves of all sorts are quite a spiridlitc of Amei'ica, and the small tent and cooking-stove is no exception to their general excellence. But to return to ray preparations for my first camp out. All the necessaries being provided for me, nothing devolved upon my own responsibility but the luxuries ; these consisted of a few reindeers' tongues, cans of potted soup, a little ])reserved milk (wliicli, by the way, nearly always leaked out and bedaubed other things), and a few tins of preserved or " canned " salmon. The third day found me ready and keen to make a start. m TIT^ i i6 JVtDiden'ngs in ike IVcsiem Laud. <'; i i' My " out-fit " (as a party is termed in America) on starting from Halifax consisted of myself and Handie Macdonald, a true Highlander and a good stalker, of Glengarry birtli ; " Ned," a short-haired colley dog, hailing from Glen Nevis, and reported to be a first-class deer tracker ; and an Irish water- spaniel called " Sailor," who had already seen great sport with me on the Nile, and in Albania and Greece, and who accompanied me now in case of my having any duck or prairie-fowl shooting. Tliis was a somoAvhat large party to move Jibout by train, in addition to the stores and other im pediment a, but as I had been kindly given a general letter of intro- duction by a Canadian railway swell, or, as he would be termed here, a railway " boss," my travel- ling was made very easy. I may here say that, throughout my travels, I met with the greatest civility from all officials, the only exception being from certain jacks-in-office, in the shape of the baggage-men on the LTnion l^acific Railroad, who on more than one occasion annoyed m(; much about ray guns. It appeared that these gentry are allowed to extract, as a perquisite and part payment of their services, so much for each gun from any passenger having such an article amongst his baggage. As may be supposed, this leads to much (juestioning on the part of these worthies, as to fii'st, whether you have any, and secondly, how many guns you have in your baggage. I have not met with such a practice in any of my other wanderings, and I would submit that such a way of pai'liy paying their cinphii/rti is scarcely worthy of a great railway company. To return to my present journey, however. Evxtv- » y^ ^p American Raihvay Travelling. 17 thing was made as smooth and agreeable as possible, and without any vexatious haggling or bother of any sort or kind, I found myself seated in one of the long cars of the Intercolonial Railway, bound for the happy hunting-grounds of the Parsborough country. It is unnecessary to dwell upon the pecu- liarities of American railway travelling, as they have been so often and so well described, and are well- known to many from personal experience. The great difference in the appearance and arrange- ment of the cars or carriages from our own, strikes an Enghshman at once. Tliese are usually about sixty feet long, with a passage down the centre, having a succession of two seats together, on each side. They are carried on four pairs of small bogie- wheels, two pairs at each end. The locomotive is remarkable Vo our eyes from the well-known bell- mouthed smoke funnel, and the useful " cow- catcher," like a great ploughshare, protruding in front of the wheels. The ease of travelling varies much on different lines. On this it was smooth and steady, but the pace of evoji the fast(»st passenger trains is not great, s(?ldom exceeding twenty-eight miles an hour. The conductor is the groat personage on an American railway. tlis authority is paramount, and his terse order, " All on board," must be obeyed " right away," or the lagging passenger will assuredly find himself left behind. To be sure, unless the train has actually got well away, he can generally get on to the last car, and pass through the central passage into his own car; but should he be too late for this on his way across the continent, the punishment of being left behind is not a slight one, for there he will be planted for twenty-foiu' i8 lVa7idc>'iiiqs in the Western Land. i %{ % It 1^' ;. hours, until tlic corresponding train of the follow- ing day arrives. By the conductors being allowed to collect money from passengers having no tickets, railway companies naturally stand a good chance of being considerably defrauded, and many amusing stories are told of such occurrences. On one occasion a conductor who had been long in the employ of a company, was discovered retaining money to a very large extent. He was had up before the Board of Directors, reproached for such behaviour, and asked whetlier he had anything to say why he should not be instantly dismissed. His reply was forcible, — •" Well, I guess, you arc making quite a mistake in shunting me. You see I have made my fortune, but the gentleman who follows after will have to make his." One of my hunters in the Rocky Mountains had had a friend !i conductor. The first day he was on, he collected about $50; he tliought of this sum ho would hand in about $30, keeping the remainder for his own uses! "Hallo, wliat's this?" said the inspector. " Why the money I took yesterday," was the reply. " Well you did have a big day of it anyhow. The gent before you never took more than $20 in a day " ! ! So much for their ticket system, which I do not think we need copy, however far ahead they undoubtedly are in many other particulars con- nected with the comfort of railway travelling. This Intercolonial Railway is a new line, having been only opcMied a few years. It unites Halifax with Quebec, joining the Grand Trunk system at Riviere du Loup. The distance fi'om Halifax to Riviere du Loup is 501 miles, which is run in 20 hours. On the rail — Canadian Fo7'ests. 19 At Moncton, 187 miles from Halifax, a branch line goes off 89 mile? to St. John's, New Brunswick. On leaving Halifax the line (or, as it is called here, the " track ") runs for a long distance through a tiat well-timbered counti-y, passing many a likely- looking lake, on the margins of which one could imagine the gigantic moose disporting himself, but not a sight of game of any sort gladdened my eyes throughout the whole journey; there appeared, in fact, a general want of wild animal life. Here and there might be seen patches of hundreds of acres of burnt timber, testifying to the fearful ravages made by fire in these gi^and Canadian forests. These fires sometimes originate from sparks from locomotives, more frecjuently perhaps from carelessness on the part of the settlers them- selves, or other parties, camping out in the woods. It is really too sad to contemplate the wreck made by such conflagrations, and it is high time for the Government to adopt some practical measure for enforcing as nuieh care as possible on those with whom these disasters originate. The United States have already very stringent laws for this purpose, which are put in force when- ever proof of carelessness can be obtained. The Canadian forests are indeed grand heirlooms, but heirlooms which are getting less and less year by yea!', even at the present rate of legitimate consump- tion. A tim(^ must soon come when Canadian timber will be far more difficult to get than at present, and far more costly. Why then should this comparative scarcity be hastened on by needless carelessness or reckless mischief? Sometimes the embers of a fire, not extinguished before the camp is left, kindles up c 2 20 WandcriuiTS in the Wcstei'u Land. \h % V I into a flame again ; at other times the careless light- ing of a pipe or the wanton mischief of a boy m.ay start a fire, which results in the destruction of hundreds, aye, thousands of acres of magnificent forest timber. It is truly distressing to see these blackened stumps and poles, stretching away for miles, where, only a few months before, forest giants luxuriated in their primeval grandeur. Let us hope that ere long effective measures will be in force wliich will check this sinful waste. But to return ; at Spring Hill station wo branched off from the main line of the Intercolonial Eailway, and luiving to wait here some time, I wms able to learn a little about this, one of the most important coal producing districts of tlie Dominion. The Spring Hill colliery has been opened about three years, and is one of the largest undertakings in this locality. It is in communication witli the main line by a branch of about four and a half miles from the Spring Hill station. The " out-put " at the present time is about '300 tons per day. The measures are steep, — that is, lie at a sharp angle, — about 35'^ I was told ; the coal is won by a slant driven down over 100 fathoms in one of the veins. Three veins are being worked ; the largest has a thickness of about nine feet of coal, the quality is said to be strong bituminous. I see the analysis is given as 60*95 7o carbon, 25'38 7o volatile matter, the remainder asli, with a little sulj)liur. Ft is used exclusively by tin; locomotives on the Intercolonial Railway Com{)any, and seems to answer well. There are about 300 men employed in connexion with the colliery, for whom cottages have been built by the company. On the hu7tt — Harrison^ s. 21 About a quiirtor of an hour's rail from Spriug Hill station landed us at the colliery, where we chauf^cd from a mineral into a baggage- waggon, which, witli a few "lumber" or timber trucks, formed the train for the remainder of our railway journey. A run, or rather a crawl, of three hours to perform fourteen miles, brought us through a well-timbered, thinly-inhabited country, to a cross- road called Halfway River. Here ourselves and baggage were deposited on the side of the track, this being the nearest S])ot on the railway to the country of our future hunting operations. Leaving the i taped iweuta in charge of Sandie Macdonald, I set off on foot for a settler's homestead about a mile away, and arranged with the owner to convey us to another settler's, called Harrison, from whose liO ise we hoped the next day to make our start into the woods. A very comfortable home was Harrison's. A plain, w(^ll-built plank-house, lined inside with birch bark to keep out the cold and draughts, and covei'ed with creepers ; the interior was ])lainly but substantially furnisiied, and con- tinued more comforts than might have been expected so far away from any town or stores. Outside, it possessed an important addition to good living in the shape of a capital garden and orchard. Wild hops grew luxuriantly, as is generally the case in this country, but I never saw them cultivated as a crop by the (^anadian farmer. I could uever ascertain why this was, for all I asked seemed to agree in the suitability of tlie climate and the ready market which coulu be made for them. Our host was a good specimen of a well-to-do Canadian settler. He had emigrated from the " old m 9S i* 22 JVixndcrings in the Western Land. y» I . r f f f I country " aa a poor labourer some fifty years ap^o, and had settled at once where we now found him. He has acquired a considerable estate, and has reared a large family, the youngest of wliom is already in her teens. A largo portion of his land is covered with timber, on which ho sets a great value, foreseeing, tliat, owing to the vast quantity which is felled yearly, and the immense destruction by fire, the value of timber (or *' lumber," as it is here termed) must increase enormously. The timber hereabouts is principally "black spruce," which grows so fast that when tliirty yeai's old, Harrison told me, he could cut " deals " out of it twelve inches wide by three inches thick. IJesidi^s the spruce, of which there are three varieties, there are three kinds of birch and two of maple. In addition to the wholesale modes of destroying timber of Avhich I have spoken, there is individual or retail waste constantly going on. If a settler finds a fine tree encroaching on his clearing or road, instead of felling it and making use of the timber, he will often, as they say here, " niek " it, that is, cut a deep notcli in the tree about four feet from the ground all the way round. Circula- tion is stopped, and the tree dies and falls. Then again in hunting, if an Indi.'-n wants to mark his way, he will pass along bi"iaking the leading shoots off the young firs as lu; goes. If it suits his fancy, he will make his camp-fire at such ' • )se pi'oximity to, it may be, the finest tree of the forest Ihat \\w roots are consumed and the tree itself (lestroy(>(l. This was the case at our first camp, and when I sug- gested the removal of the fire a little further from the splendid spruce, a contemptuous smile lighted up J Forest trees — The sugar maple — Syrup, 23 the face of our hardened old indiaii, accompanied by some lifi,lit remarks about tliero being plenty more. By the end of our week's sojourn the roots and side of the stem nearest tlie fire were completely charred, and the gigantic old fellow had but to die. From the variety of ma})le called here the rock niM])lo {([ccr sacchariiius), a fine white sugar is made. The })rocess — which takes place in the month of April — consists in cutting a V in the bark, in the point of which a plug of wood is inserted wliich serves as a tap for the juice to flow over, lliis is collected into vessels, and concentrated by boiling until crystals arc obtained, in mncli the same way, 1 believe, as the ordinary cane-sugar is manufactured. It is stated that a very good tree will yiehl in a season, without injury to itself, thirty- two gallons of sap or juice, which would make about 8 lbs. of sugar ; ])ut I believe such a yield to be far fibove the average, which would i)e, probably, nearer twenty gallons of sap per tree. In appearance, the maple sugar is vci-y like ordinary white sugar. Both in the States and in Canada it is in much favour, as well as the syru]) made from the same source. The consumption of syrup in North America inust be enormous. No meal is considered com- plete, even in the backwoods, without this " fixing," and to such an extent is this a necessary that it is a regular item in the fitting-out stores of the hunter, miner, and lumberman. This would seem to confii'm the theory that to a great extent saccha- rine matter supplies the |)lace of alcohol in the liuman system, as but little spirits are, as a rule, consumed by this class of " outfits." Amongst the other principal forest trees of 24 IVmidin'n^'s in the Western Land. s Vs Caiiiulji iiro tho pines, of which thoro aro said to bo four chief vai'icties, viz. tlio Weymouth, or vvliito pine (jn'iin.^ Sfrobns); the yellow pine (j^inuti mitis); the red or i)itch pine {piiiufi rcf^lnosa) ; and the grey pine (piiius nanhsiana), of no commercial value. Then there are four principal sorts of spruce, viz. the hemlock (piuiifi or alneft Cauadeiisis) ; the wuito (pinufi allxt), and the black {pi'nm nlt/ra), and the balsjim spruce (i>ini(s hahai)iV[ifi'JJi)ir, ^' I'j-ain/c/iiic," 4tli par., 2nd part. After ])ear- ^ly hidian Hunter — "Woodcraft — Ferocity of the Bear — Our First Camp — Camp-making — F'ood — Sleep— Still- ness — Unsuccessful Hunting —The Moose — Clo.scTime —Legis- lation — Cause of Scarcity — Modes of Hunting — Snowshcjo Ivunr'Mg — A Successful "Creep" — "Calling" and Mos- quitoes. The next moinim? wo were off at an oarlv hour for the country in wliich wo iutondod to inak(» our liunt, for bear. A waggon was cliarterod to convey our baggage, Sandie being told off as l)aggage-guard. "Wo left a niessago for D , to inform liini of our niovoments and the Avliereabouts of our future camp; while the Indian, John AVilliams, and myself wont ahead on foot, to hunt some of the most likely places on our way to the camping renih'-:ri)iis. .lohn was a famous comj)anion, besides being a most killing hunter. Pie was of the Micmac ti-ibo, to which all the Indians in Nova Scotia, and a trreat many of those now located in New Brun.swick, belong. They are a (piiet, peacefid, inoffensivo race ; hard working and money earning. They an* ■^ All Indian hunter. 27 M said to 1)0 able to do as hard a day's work and earn as much money at the lumber trade as a white man. But John was not one of this sort ; he was evidently meant for hunting, and not for hard manual labour. He delif^hted in the chase, and was an imdeniablc hunter ; but his ^)c.da]{ie was his woodcraft. Many as good a stalker (or, as it is termed here, " creeper ") could be found in the Highlands of Scotland; but in his dense native forests it would be difficult to find John's equal. Not a thing escaped his notice. Wh.en the ground was too hard to show !i track, tlu> fallen (\vhYli< of the pine and hard wood were darefully scrutinized ; twigs of the neighbour- ing shrubs, which a beast might have rubbed in passing, were consulted ; shoidd a morsel have been ui])})e(l off a sapling, it was sure to attract John's hawk eye; and woe betide any beast which he once got on (lie trail of; not the finest-nosed sleath- hound could follow with a greater certainty of a view than my companion of to-day. Tn appearance ho was p(H'u]iaj", though not striking in anyway; lie stood al)()ut five feet six inches, was wiry in makts sallow in complexion, with long, lanky, black hair; in gait ho was rather shntfling, but capable nevertheless of groat endurance and considerable sp(VMl. [lis costume was not strictly in accordance with one's Scotch-conceived ideas; it consisted of a dirty tweed shooting-coat, a pair of blackish ovoi-alls, an^-' 28 JViinda'i7igs in the ] Vest cm Land. I I I, %\ \ ¥. and rotten twigs, and made so miicli noise, that I felt trnly ashamed of myself, before I encountered John's half-astonished, half-reproacliful looks at my misbehaviour. When game was near, and tracks became what is called " burning hot," the joyful twinkle in Jolin's dull eyes was Avorth seeing, it seemed to say, " Hurrah ! I am all right, it is only for you to do yovr part now." To-day it did not much signify how much iioise T made, nor how skilfulJohn was, for not a fresh track of bear did we ccme across ; there were ])lenty of old ones, and other signs, too, such as stones and pieces of timber turned over in search of ants; but nothing denoted any recent visit on Bruin's part to tlie " barrens " we searched so diliij^entlv. These so- called "barrens " arc open spaces in the timber, off wliich the trees have been destroyed by fire or axe ; a short undergrowtli quickly comes up, consisting chiefly of " blueberries," as they are here termed ; which are very sweet and attractive to the bear, and on them and beech-nuts at this time of the year ho largely subsists. But if I had no actual sport, I had at any rate a good lesson ; for old John initiated me in all the dift'eivnt signs of the bear. The track is not unlike a child's foot in a mocassin, from the fact tlwit the animal places the last joint of his leg on the ground at thn same time as his ])aw. Having never come across a black bear, I cannot say anything from personal obsei'vation on their beliaviour when brought to close (juarters ; but all 1 heard satisfied me that, unless cornered and unable to get away, from wounds or any other cause ; or uidess in the case of a she-bear det'entiinij her young, they will always " skip " (run off) as fast as Otir first camp — Camp making. 29 they cfin. I believe nearly all wild animals will do the same ; the rhinoceros, African panther, East Indian tiger, and grizzly bear being perhaps occa- sional exceptions to this general rnle. As this was our first camp, we were anxious to reach pretty early the spot previously arranged on by John and the teamster. The locale selected was w ridge in the forest, on ore side of which was a valley through which crawled a small sluggish stream. In this little brook were plenty of small and indifferent trout, of which we were always able to procuiH^ sufficient for our wants with but little difficulty. On the other side of the ridge, at a higher level, was a small spring as clear as crystal, trickhug down a gentle slope, very small in quantity, but of excellent quality, and it was from this we got our drinkmg supplies. Of the other great camp necessary, firewood, there was indeed an abundance ; we were established in the midst of a clump of gigimtic spi'uce, agaiust one of which our camp fii'e had been lighted; and all around, as far as the eye could I'eacli in every direction, were to be seei! dense masses of fir, spruce, and other forest trees ; the undci'wood and younger saplings were exof'Uent materials for the camp fire. The process of nuiking camp was new to me, and a it may be so to some of my readei'S, and may inl rest them, [ will l)riefly describe the vwdiis opfraiidi. The general locale being selected, the TU'xt thing is to pick out the exact spot most suited f(^r the cam|) fire. This is chosen with regard to the number and position of the tents to be pitched around, and pi'oximity to wood and water. Having selecteil the spot, a fire is at once " started." In ^mm. ^^^■M^ ■n.1«.>MMr.. <*«fifl !l if I I If I I If it ' i \o Wandcj'ings in the Western Land. tliis, as in many otlier things, to make a commonco- meut is the chief difficulty, and often requires a great exercise of patience. A small quantity of dry birch bark or, where this is not procurable, of tlie driest twigs is first collected, a handful of which is gathered iq), and the ofttiines ])reci()us match is \.\\v\\ struck and carefully applied ; when well ignited, the bunch is gently laid on the ground, and a little more of the same material is added very gradually to it. By continu- ally adding larger and larger ])ieces of dry branches, the fire is fostered and encouraged into a certain substance of blazing materials, on which may be gently laid, crossways, two or three logs of dry spruce, or fir (in the Rocky INIountains, cotton- wood or pitch pine). Now all is safe, at any rate for a considernble time, and the individual to whom is deputed the culinary department, can look after his pots and pans, and viands, and the otliers set to work cho])ping wood for the night, cutting tent poles, clearing spaces of dead wood and rubbish for the tents, clipping off the small branches of the spruce for forming the beds (of wliich more anon), or the many other little things wliich have to be looked to for future comfort. It was indeed a fortunate thing for me that I was regularly instructed in tlie art of making a fire early in my canq)ing-()ut life ; other- wise, when afterwards " lost" in the Rocky Moun- tains, it would have gone hard with me. Hut to go on with oui* canqj-making : as level and dry a spot as was obtainable near the camp fire having been cleared of all rubbish, such as dead boughs, roots, young growth, i^:c., the? tents — of which we had three on the present occasion — are pitched and securely fastened to the pegs, tree-roots, or brushwood. Camp making. 31 Tlic tents arc pljiccd so that the doors face the fire, and as near to it on the probable lee-side as safety ii'oin the sparks will allow. Often in cold weather the hunt(>r is tempted to pitch his tent too near the fire, when he is lucky if ho escape only with holes burnt in the canvas, through which water may in future drop on his prostrate body, as a punish- ment for his indiscretion ; sometimes, however, the total destruction of the canvas home is the sad result of trying" to secure warmth at the expense of safety. The tents being pitched and secured, the " floor " is covered when procurable with the small branches of the spruce, laid a couple of inches thick, with the ])rickly side downwards. Nothing can exceed the comfort and luxurious lying of a fresh-made bed of this description. It is soft and springy, and it has about it a delicious, comforting aroma, satisfying and soothing in the extreme. The evening meal is being seen to all tliis time, and by the time our beds are made, the food is ])ronounced ready. Lay- ing hold of our tin plate and a knife and fork, wo proceed to operations, and find that this half-hour of supper is by no means the least pleasant of the twenty-four. On the present occasion, we were obliged to be content with bacon and canned viands: but we had most excellent bread, baked in a frying- pan on the red-hot wood ashes. We were generally able afterwards to vary this too civilized fare with some game, most commonly the so-called " par- tridges," of which there are two varieties, locally called " the common " and " the bircli partridge." When in the haunts of venison, the meals are real eveats. If meat is plentiful, only the choicest parts - ;/ 32 Wanderings in the Western Land. I I \\% are taken for camp use, and when these morsels are fried in lard or elk's fat, and supplemented with the most delicious new bread, made of the finest Colorado flour (of the " snow-flake " brand), and eaten in that wonderfully pure and invigorating atmosphere, we have a meal not to be equalled for enjoyment by the best dinner of the civilized world. I cannot say that I slept as well on this my first night in camp as I probably should have done in my own bed after a stiff day's walking. All was so strange and new. The novelty, not to say discom- fort, at first, of sleeping in an unaccustomed garb ; the chilliness which comes over one towards morn- ing, when camping out in hot weather ; the sense of loneliness and the absence of all sounds of life, except the shrill, uncanny cry of the owl — all tend at first to light sleeping and constant waking. Then the intense stillness of a Canadian forest, even in the daytime, naturally much intensified at night, must be felt to be understood. No one can fully estimate the value of song-birds till after they have experienced their want. Here not a chirp is ever heard — nothing but the melancholy " tap, tap, tap," and the peculiarly wild note of the wood- pecker. How one longs for the rich, full notes of our own familiar birds ! and how welcome would be the chirp of even the much-despised London house- sparrow ! The howling of the many-tongued coyote would be an actual relief to the death-like stillness of the night, but even this is denied to the Canadian forest, where an unbroken quiet reigns around, made more lonesome only by the wailing of the air in the branches of the pines. The break of day came at last, but all remained The Forest stillness — On the hunt. v5. oppressively still until our outfit began to move about ; then chattering and chopping commenced in earnest, and everybody was busy and at work at something. The first thing to be done in the morn- ing after " fixing up " the fire is to boil the water necessary for ablutions; then the bread has to be baked, and the meat fried for the early meal. Often, if well banked up on turning in, the fire will be all aglow in the morning, and only require the addition of some fresh fuel, and a skilful kick or two, to make it break forth into an active flame. How comforting is its warmth to one's bones, when wait- ing eagerly for food after a bitter night, during which it has been somewhat difl&cult to keep warm enough for sleep ! In what form one feels by the time breakfast is ready ! and what a quantity is consumed before the meal is o^er ! There is no doubt about it, that camping out gives an appetite and a relish which are never forthcoming in the domesticated routine of home life, and however many meals are con- sumed, that miserable production of civilized life, in- digestion, is a complaint unknown in the backwoods. After doing justice to our provender, John Wil- liams and I started off for a morning's hunt. The result was nothing but a good walk and plenty of talk, chiefly on hunting and the mysteries of woodcraft. Although we saw no fresh signs of bear, there were plenty of indications that we were in the country of that largest of the deer tribe the moose [Alcoi Amcrl- canus, or Malchh), hut this was the close season, the Legislature of Nova Scotia having deemed it prudent to prohibit the killing of moose for three years, which period expires on the coming 1st of October. A few words about the advisabihty and working D 4 ii y ' -JL . . WJ _| T Wanderings in the Western Land, of this law. I begin by saying that I most fully concur in any legislation Avliicli would tend to the better preservation of this grand animal, but I doubt very much whether prohibiting their being killed altogether for three years, and then allowing them to be slaughtered at pleasure during the winter months, commencing with the 1st of October, is calculated to attain this object. Every one who has had anything to do with the deer tribe in general, knows that the male about this time of year begins to get out of season, and I believe that the moose is no exception to this general rule. From what I am told, the bull moose is in prime condition from about the 20tli of August to the 1st of October, and is at that time well able to take care of himself in his native fastnesses ; but after the snow has fallen he is out of condition and weak, and falls an easy prey to the hunter shod with snow- shoes. The heavy brute himself breaks through the crust formed on the surface of the snow, whilst the broad snow-shoes bear the hunter over the fickle skin of ice. The cows heavy with calf fall easy victims, and are killed chiefly for the sake of their hides; hitherto both sexes seem to have been slaughtered indiscriminately. Is it any wonder, then, that this grand deer is becoming rapidly extinct? What would become of our Scotch red deer if stags and hinds were to be killed all through the winter? The only wonder to me is that there are so many left as there still are. Another of the endeavours of the local Legislature to protect the moose (and caribou) is a regulation that no one in any one year shall kill more than two moose and three caribou. But who is to enforce I % Moose lepts/ation. 35 \ this law ? How is it possible to obtain proof of an. offence against it, considering the extent of the thinly inhabited and thickly timbered regions which have to be dealt with ? I believe that if the Legis- lature were to enact that no bull moose should bo killed except during the months of August and Sep- tember, and that no cow moose should be killed at all for a certain number of years, and then that they should have the same close time as the bull moose, making the penalty for killing or possessing double what it is at present — viz., one hundred instead of fifty dollars — that there would soon be plenty of moose again. Against this it will be urged that the winter is the great time for moose hunting, and that it is such " sport " on snow-shoes. I have never tried it, so am unable to form an opinion ; but I can hardly believe in the enjoyment of this sport, which consists in runnino: down a fine animal, wasted and miserably out of condition, floundering through the crust of snow, which is strong enough, however, to support you on your snow-shoes. Then again it will be said, that it would be hard on many poor Indians, and some settlers, who now subsist largely on moose meat through the winter. Well, under any circumstances, these individuals will soon have to find something else to subsist on, as under the present system there will soon be no moose at all ; besides which, it would be quite open to them to cure for their winter's wants any meat killed in the autumn, as is often done now. These enactments should of course be made equally applicable to Indians and whites, and a good portion of the fine should be allowed to the informer on whose evidence the conviction is obtained. D 2 36 Wanderings in the Western Land. Various causes are assigned by the inhabitants for the increasing scarcity of the moose. It is said that, on the occasion of our troops going out to Canada at the time of the " Trent " affair, a most lament- able slaughter took place by both Indian and white hunters to provide mocassins for the soldiers, whicli the Government thought to be necessary. The bears are often accused of assisting in the destruction of the moose by killing the young calves ; but I could not find out that this was the case, at any rate, to any considerable extent. I believe that the slaughter which has taken place in the deep snows of winter is the main cause of the present scarcity, and that this will, unless checked by effectual legislation, oventually cause the total extinction. I do not mean for one moment to assert that the three years' rest which has now been given in this province, has not been of very great service ; on the contrary, I be- lieve from what I am told that the moose has in- creased enormously during this period ; but I am very doubtful whether the coming winter will not leave as great a scarcity as has ever before existed, and for the following reason : every hunter and would-be sportsman knows that they are more than usually plentiful now, and that the Legislature may at any moment re-enact a fresh close time ; con- sequently, all are anxious to be at them, and the poor beasts will get a very hard time of it from all sides. And now to close this dissertation on the pro- tection of the moose, and to say a few words about the animal itself, and the two other modes of " hunting " it, besides that on snow-shoes in winter. Judging ])y the only specimen I ever killed, and from what I heard and saw, the American moose is The Moose — Modes of himfiug. 37 identical with the elk of Northern Europe. The bull is of groat size, weighing frequently, when " gral- loched," from GOO to 700 lbs., or even 800 lbs., say from 40 to 00 stone. He sheds the velvet oft' his horns about the beginning of September ; and commences " running " about the middle of that month, remaining with tlu^ cows about five or six weeks. He generally has only one or two cows with him, but does not remain with the same for long. At this time of year ho usually frequents the thick undergrowth of the Canadian forests abutting on damp, wet ground, and seems perfectly at home in the water. Both the bull and the cow liavo something comical and antediluvian in their ap- pearance ; but, notAvithstanding their great size, their movements are surprisingly rapid, and tlio the pace at which they can get through the thickest growth is most astonishing. Their senses of .sight, smell, and hearing are all very acute, but more especially their hearing ; and it is a matter of the greatest difficulty to get near them, unless a smart wind is blowing to make a stir amongst the branches of the timber. The other ways of " hunting " the moose, besides that to which I have already alluded, are " creeping," or what we should call " stalking " — and " calling." The " creeping" is pursued chiefly in the "fall," or autumn, and consists in walking most carefully, and against the wind, the likely places of the forest, watching narrowly the signs you may come across, such as the foot-tracks, browsing of the shrubs, tl'c, &c., and looking out sharply for a snap shot. A good Indian can tell to a nicety and with certainty the exact age of each track, the probable size of the beast, how long such a small twig has been browsed. \ J immm i«"«* '■ 38 U^aiicicrin^s in the Western Land, &c., &c. AVlicn it is deemed that the boast Is in close proximity, the utmost caution is uecessury; the crnckinf]^ of a piece of dried stick might " jump " (start) him at any moment, and ho would bo n way without your getting even a sight of him. You may be lucky enough, as was my case, to sight him standing broadside on for a moment, just long cr.ough to get your rifle off, and to know, notwithstanding Trum a Skelch >•!/ Albert BientuJI. his rapid disapj)earance into the densest of thickets, that you were well on him. Ah ! then comos the thrilling joy, the inexpressible feeling of delight, which repays the sportsman for many a bad night and real rough work, when on taking up the track you come first on his blood, and then a little further on liis gigantic body, lying prone and helpless ! I need not dilate on the rhapsodies which your hunter and yourself pour out over the fine beast ; nor on iMoose ^Ualluigy 39 the intorcstof tlio •\ftor pwcoa^oa of ''giViillocliinpf," or " (Jro.ssin^," and tlin way in which tho prized morsols, suoli (iM tht> " miiHVl " (ornost»), uM«l longue, &c., arc coiwuuuitod mum inul puokodtbrtluU tivulL>lo oven now to rcouli, it in soon ovei, uml ii long' \\\\\\ wovere trudge buck to camp, purtly iu \\\\\ ihirk through fallen timber, moon taki s off Homowhui uf itd IVeshness. The tl\\rd mndo of hu\»tlng S\\\\ moose is " calling." This is followed from about the middle of September to the end of the first week in October, the most favourable time of the twenty-four hours being very early in tho morning and very late in the evening, when the moon is at her full. I believe that no white man can call well, and that an Indian must always bo employed. His instrument is a piece of birch bark, twisted np into tho shape of a speaking-trumpet. Tho call, or cry, is in imitation of that of a cow moose, but it is skilfully varied with the note, or perhaps " roar," of the bull. The noise made is not unlike what I have occasionally heard from red deer stags, but not tho regular roar of the latter. To "call" well is a matter requiring great practice and skill ; and even the Indians themselves vary much in their pro- ficiency. The modm ojJeramU is to take up a posi- tion with your " caller " towards evening, or very early in tho morning, in some clearing or " barren " in the forest, taking care that the wind shall be coming from that portion of the forest where you think it is most likely that a moose will be. Being tolerably well hidden by brushwood, the caller emits one of the prolonged grunts or calls ; if no answer of any sort is made from the neighbouring forest after an interval of ten or fifteen minutes, the pro- m J 40 Waiiden7tgs in the Western Land. cess is repeated, and so on until the calling time is paao. If any answer comes, the greatest skill has to be displayed by the caller in order to allure the moose within raiiofc of the I'ifle. Should he come out into the open, and get drawn on within one hundred yards, the calling must not be attempted, or h") would at once detect the imposi- tion. Sometimes he will stop tAvo hundred or three hundred yards off, and refuse to come any nearer, being what a Highlander would call " sus- peecious ;" then there is nothing for it but to try a steady shot at that distance. This mode of hunting is often very effective, and some sportsmen speak with enthusiasm of the ex- citement of it. i have had but little experience of it, and that little brought mo no success, so I am but ill able to speak of its enjoyment ; but I must confess that what little I saw did not commend itself to me as a sport. All, except the actual shooting, must depend on your caller. It may be that my judgment of this sport is influenced by the vivid recollection of having become, one warm even- ing late in the " fall," a living victim to perfect swarms of mosquitoes and black flies. It may sound " soft " to care about such trifles when in ])ursuit of such noble game, but let any one who luis not the skin of a pachyderm try for one hour what it is to lie still on a quiet warm autumn evening in a swamp of a Canadian forest, unprotected by gloves or veil, before he gives an opinion, and then I think he will aofree with me in acknowledainj): that he had grown somewhat desirous of a move, and did not care ' for a repetition of the entertainment. That evening, I remember, even the Indian took it seriously to heart, and proposed an earlier return to MM U_!i- No game — A move. 41 camp tlian perhaps the prospects of sport (for wo had had a reply from a bull moose) fully justified. Glad was I that night to roll my head up under ray blanket, the branches of a fine old tree my only p)o- tection overhead, and the ground my mattress, but at any rate I was now safe "from the savage attack of those venomous pe^ts, whose marks I bore for many a week afterwards. But I have gone ahead some weeks, and must return to our present camp and doings. Dunraven and Dr. Morgan joined me the day after I arrived ; but several unsuccessful r' ..vs' hunting for bear, forced us to the conclusion that it was no use trying any longer in this district, and that we had better be off' into the neighbouring province of New Bruns- wick, where there are bear, and where, moreover, it is lawful to kill moose and caribou at tliis or anv c/ other time oF vear. A MlCilAC WlliWAM. I'l-om a Sketch liij A. P. I', ■S=aBE5!?!li wm. wm '1 CHAPTER IV. A key of fire van all along the shore, And lighten'cl all the viver Avith a blaze ; The waken'il li'los heifan again to roar, And wondenng lish in shining water gaze. To every nobler portion of the Lown The curling billows roll their restless tide ; In parties now they straggle up and down As armies, unopposed, for prey divide. Those who have homes, wh ui home they do repair, To a last lodging call their wandering friends, Their short uneasy sleeps are broke with care, "• To look how near their own der'Mction tends. Those who have none sit round where once it was, And with full eyes each wonted room ri'iiuirc ; Haunting the yet warm ashes of the place, As murder'd men walk Avhere they di >. ^^^ ^<^ ^ z _J jJM^yiiflMg^JB^ IgSaPw^'.rVWVTVMH M ■c^g ; jai mg ^' H iM 52 Wanderings in the Western Land. members to the Dominion Parliament at Ottawa. It is a cause of complaint here that the maritime in- terests of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward's Island, are swamped in the Dominion Par- liament by the overwhelming number of members from the agricultural provinces o^ Central and Western Canada. The members of the Provincial Parliament ap- peared contented, hard-working, shrewd, and most loyal, and well calculated to deal with the local interests of a young and developing country. We spent some few days in Frederic ton laying in fresh stores, purchasing canoes, and engaging In- dians preparatory to a canoeing expedition. But before leaving this great lumber river, I must say a few words on that trade of which so much is to be seen around on all the big rivers of this country. Most of the trees made use of for lumber are of the fir tribe, for although ihere are many others, such as birch, maple, &c., which come into the market, yet the logs, deals, and battens cut from the conifercB form the chief staple of the trade. My informant was a very intelligent merchant of Cornish descent. His principal business was supplying the lumber camps with flour and the other necessary stores for their winter campaigns. For the infor- mation of the uninitiated, I must explain some of the local and technical terms. By " lumber " is meant timber ; a " lumber man " is one who cuts or " chops " the lumber during the winter, and later on takes his part in the various subsequent processes on the streams and main river; a "lumber camp" is the log hut or huts in which the lumber men live or " locate " themselves during the winter operations. The Lumber Trade. About the month of October experienced men are sent out into the forests exploring, or to use their own term "cruising;" their object being, in the first place, to find suitable lumber for chopping; and, secondly, that it shall be in such a locality as to make it remunerative to get it to a market. Having selected a suitable site — generally a district abounding with large spruce, and in near proximity to a good stream of water — they return to civilization, and enter into negotiations with those to whom the timber belongs. The Government, or a Kail way Company are usually the proprietors, the latter re- ceiving it as a grant for making a line through that part of the country. An arrangement having been entered into, about November a suitable place for a camp is selected, and to this spot a rough road is made through the forest. Then a log hut is built to accommodate as many men as are going to " ope- rate" during the winter — sometimes as many as eighty men are located in one place — and to this encampment stores of flour, tea, coffee, tobacco, molasses, salt pork, &c., are forthwith hauled. In old times there was an open fire in the middle of each hut, but nowadays a stove is used instead. Every chink and crevice is caulked as tight as possible, so that when the door is closed with all the occupants inside, and wet clothes are being dried around the parching hot stove, the atmosphere had better bo imagined than described. By the begin- ning of December all is ready for the lumber men, who at once take up their abodes in the encampments, most of them not revisiting civilization till late in the following spring. The spruce they fell is generally chopped, so as ,.,HfKr. *""■■;■■ !" 54 Wanderings in the Western Land. to measure not less than ten inches diameter at the small end, and to lengths of from twenty to forty feet. Those logs are hauled over the surface of the hard snow to the "browse," which is the bank overhanging the stream down which the timber is to be " driven " or floated when the ice bi^eaks up in the spring. Piles of logs are here formed by driving in very strong retaining posts and heaping up the lumber against these in such a manner that when the uprights are cut away the whole pile shall be free. When released it crashes madly down the hillside into the stream below. These operations of felling, hauling, and stacking go on all the winter months. When the spring comes and the ice breaks up, the lumber camps are abandoned and the " browses " are let go. The lumber is then "driven" or floated down the smaller streams into the main rivers, such as the St. John, Miramichi, &c. Here it is stopped and gathered into what are culled " boombs ;" these are bays of the river shut off from the rest by large *' boombs " or logs of timber chained together, and made fast to the shore at one end and to a mooring at the other with the opening up stream. From these depots, rafts, or, as they are called here, "joints" are formed, which are towed down by steamers to the various saw mills on the banks of the river. These rafts contain usually about 5000 cubic feet of timber ; a steamer may have as much as a million cubic feet in tow at one time. In the saw mills the logs are cut up into " deals," that is, planks three inches thick, and seven, nine, and eleven inches in width ; if less than seven inches they are called " battens." The thin ends cut off >J The Lumber Trade. 55 \ from the tops of the trees are split up into " latlis " for building purposes. I fear the foregoing description is dry, but it is difficult to make it otherwise. The operations themselves, however, are not without excitement, and even danger. Two of them are really very ticklish, involving risk to life and limb. The first of these is, cutting away the uprights which retaiii the browse, when it sometimes happens that the browse comes away before the unfortunate lumber-man can escape on one side, and then he must inevitably be smashed amongst the masses of rolling logs, tearing wildly down the hill into the stream below. Sometimes it happens that the operation is so evidently hazardous that the lumber- man is let down from above by a rope and pulley. The other dangerous operation is when what is called a " jam " occurs in driving or floating the lumber down the smaller streams. This happens when logs get caught in an obstruction and gradually form a barrier, which stops the further progress of the floating lumber in rear. Then comes into play the services of a not only very active man, but one well skilled and experienced in the work which has to be done. He finds out first of all the offending logs which cause the " jam," and then sets to work v/itli his axe to cut them awav. Of a sudden the mass is freed. To fling his axe away, and skip for dear life to the shore, jumping like a cat from log to log as they spin and whirl down the stream, is the work of a few seconds ; but even surprisingly nimble as he is, he sometimes finds that he cannot reach the shore before the mass is on him, and he is driven to take the last chance of plunging into the water and 1 ^■ t ll i l ■*» I—— 56 Wanderings in the Western Lattct. diving underneath the surging mass, allowing it to pass over him. Should he get hit by a log his fate is sealed. Yet with all these risks and dangers, and the dis- comfort of being shut off from his friends and civilization for a great portion of the year, the life of the lumber-man is most popular. In fact, it is a common complaint that it is difficult to get any young man to take to anything else, and that agri- culture suffers in consequence. The lumber-man's wages are not excessive for America, varying from $14 to $18 (2/. lOs. to 37. 12s.) per month, everything except clothes and tools being found. The life itself must be a very healthy one, for it would be difficult to find their equals in strength, activity, and endurance. I should say they would averige about five feet eight inches in height, and would weigh between eleven and twelve stone right through. What a fine, raw material for soldiers we have here ! Accustomed as they have been all their lives to roughing it, the labours of a campaign vould come to them not only quite naturally, but as an actual enjoyment. Should it be the misfortune of the British empire ever to be involved in a vital war, I feel sure that a Canadian contingent would prove a most important addition, and that it would leave its mark on the nation's history. \ I "^fc^*^ -»i-^ STEAMEU TOWING KAFT OF LIMBER. I 55a 1 ! ON THE MIUAMICIII. From a Sketch by A. P. V. CHAPTER V. I " And the forest life ■\v!\s in it, All its mystery and its magic ; All the lightness of the birch tree, All the toughness of the cedar, AH the larch's supple sinews ; And it floated in the river. Like a yellow leaf in autumn, Like a yellow wator lily." Loiif/J'eUow'ii ** Himmtha," vii. Start for our canoeing trip — Indian Birchbark Canoes — Disaster — Across to the head waters of the ^Miramichi — Glashville — ILird- ships of its early settlers — Gray's Mill — McEwing's — Afloat — Keavcr— Bear Incident — Camp-making in the dark — Slow 58 Wanderings in the Western Land. l)i'Ogress — Shoalness of water — Signboard — Tliuuderstorm — A iiiiserablo in<,'ht — Old Gabo — Capsized— Construction of Canoes — Lake Miraniichi— A charming camp — Mooso Calling — Caribou Creeping — Successful Stalk — A grand beast — Tho Caribou — Two Varieties — Colour — Habits — Scarcity — Kn. route again — Daily life — Beauty of banks — Burnt Hill — Fishing — Mosquitoes — Blackflios — liemedics — Picnic Party — Boiestown — Eod-fishing — Tho " Great Miramichi Tire " — Extent and sufferings — Indian Town — Shooting a rapid — Kcnous — White-trout fishing — Waste of timber — Lumber- men — Newcastle — End of canoe trip. By the 1st of September we had refitted and were ready for our canoeing trip down the Miramichi, one of those grand rivers flowing into the Gulf of St. La^vrence, or more accurately into the Bay of Miramichi, which abuts on that magnificent gulph. Our " outfit " consisted of Lord Dunraven, Dr. Mor- gan, and myself, Sandie Macdonald (my Highlander), and four Indians. Two of these, our old friend John Williams and Hood, we had brought with us from Nova Scotia, and were of the Micmac tribe ; the other two were Milicetes, a father r.nd son, of the name of Gabe. To carry ourselves and our impedimenta we had hired, bought, and borrowed, three birch canoes, of Indian construction. As I was not well, D. started ahead of us with the canoes and Indians, leaving me and Dr. M., who was kind enough to stop with me, to follow on as soon as I was sufiiciently recovered from the very severe chill I was suffering from. A couple of days found me ready, but in the meantime a disaster had occurred to our transport service, for the team of horses which D. had hired to convey the canoes from the nearest railway station, Kent, to the head waters of the Miramichi, had been scared at 1 e '^En route "for the Head waters of the Miramichi. 59 )r io It 1 the whistle of the train, and bolted with one of our canoes on board. The result was the irreparable annihilation of the frail bark, which meant the loss of the fourth part of our means of transport. A telegram arrived before leaving Fredericton, ac- quainting us with the misfortune, and telling us to replace the smashed canoe. This we did, as well as we could in so short a time, but, as often hap- pens, the canoe which was destroyed was our best, and that we now bought was as bad as could be, consistently with floating at all. The after conse- quences to our expedition were great loss of time and temper in pitching and plastering to keep this last ship afloat. Thedriveof sixteen miles fromKent station to Gray's Mill, on the head waters of the south-west branch of the Miramichi, is at first through a country Avell covered with birch and other hard-wood trees ; then we got into denser forests, chiefly composed of coniferae, as well as maple and birch, the latter attaining a size inconceivable to those accustomed only to the English growth. Our progress was slow and tiresome ; the roads were very bad, and we had to be careful not to strain our canoe or smash it against the overhanging branches. But all around was new to me, and there is always a charm in looking out for novelties in Nature's works. There was little to be seen of animal life. We disturbed one covey of " partridges," which caused us to descend from our conveyance and demean ourselves by shooting a few off the tree "for camp use." I mention that they were for food, as affording extenuating circum- stances in the eyes of my fellow sportsmen for the dastard deed. In the vegetation, however. I T '' 60 Wanderings in the Western Land. there was much strange and new, and I often wished on this and other occasions that I knew a little of botany. About niidwny wo passed through a new small settlement called " Glashville," consisting of a few log houses and an inn with the high-sounding title of " Glashville House." The inhabitants are hardy Scotchmen, who had been induced to clear and settle here by a grant of one hundred acres free per man, they on their part undertaking to make a road free of cost to the settlement. The first winter after their arrival from the old country was terribly hard for them, poor people ! They were all quite new at a settler's life in this very severe climate, and seem to have suffered fearfully. However, with the indomitable perseverance of Scotchmen, they stuck to their work, and have established a fairly pros- perous settlement. Nine more weary miles brought us to Gray's mill. Here we had hoped to find D and our advanced guard, but here they were not ; and all we could ascertain from the Irish inhabitants was that they believed they had gone on to a settler's called McEwings, eight miles farther down the river. Taking on the same team of horses, we made the best progress we could, but the pace was slower even than before, and it was getting on towards dusk before we made McEwiugs's. We found here two of our Indians and our canoe; they had pitched our tent, but as we were very anxious to overtake D , we determined not to stop the night here, but to take to our canoes and get as far as the remaining daylight would allow. It was a lovely autumn evening; Dr. M and m Canoeing — An Autumn evcnii ,n 6i to Ind 1, with the Indian, Hood, were in one canoe ; Sandio and the dogs, and the other Indian, young Gabe, were in the other. I did not aspire to being a canoeist, so contented myself by lying at the bottom of the frail barque on a bed of soft young spruce shoots, whilst Hood and Dr. M did the propelling part. Unfortunately the water was rather " small," and consequently the shallows frequent, so that a great deal of scraping, and shoving, and lifting had to be encountered, with a fair chance of getting cap- sized, where the current was strong. So nearly did this happen that on several occasions we took in water over the gunwhale. Where, however, it was tolerably deep the motion was most delicious and soothing. Nothmg disturbed the almost unnatural stillness of the blissful evening but the lapping of the water against the canoes and the slushing of the paddle or the pole; a deep quiet pervaded every- thing. The tops of the trees were tipped with the warm madder of the rich and gorgeous Canadian sunset. Thick, almost impenetrable, forests ran right dowm to the very water's edge, dense enough to harbour any amount of any kind of big game. But the only "signs" we saw, were those of the beaver, which were frequently to be detected on the soft mud of the shelving banks. Judging by the amount of tracks, these little animals must have been very plentiful, but we could not stop for such small game. Had we known, however, as much as we did afterwards, I should have been very much tempted to have delayed our movements ; for it afterwards transpired that, near where we had embarked, a black bear had been encountered the previous afternoon by the oldest of our Indians. i^."wjT»f'"l '" 62 lV(xndcnngs in the Western Land. Ho had been loafing about, as Indians arc apt to do, just to " take observations " of tlio locality, when ho came suddenly on a young but full-groAvn black bear. Being unarmed, and tho bear in very close proximity, Hood speedily made up his mind that tho best thing to do was to try the effect of tho vox humana, and commenced forthwith to yell and halloo vociferously. This had the desired effect ; tho bear was scared, and bolted; and Hood lost no time in making back tracks for camp. It appeared that ho had had quite enough of bear-hunting for tho present, so took care not to mention what had happened — at least, to any white man — until wo had placed a goodly distance between us and tho scene of his adventure. We had canoed aboiit five or six miles when the light began to wane ; and as making camp in the dark is a thing to be avoided if possible, we went ashoro at the first suitable place. It was, how- ever, very late before we had completed our camp arrangements; the selection and chopping of the fire-wood having to bo carried out by tho blazing light of a fine old birch tree, which one of oui Indians had fired for that purpose alone. The next morning by half -past seven we had struck camp and were again under way; our rate of progress was very slow, owing to the continued shallowness of the water. We kept a sharp look-out on both sides for any signs of our party, and were in the afternoon rewarded by a sign-board, curious in device, of D.'s design and manufacture. After close study — some difficulty arising from a portion of it having fallen to the ground — we made out that he wished us to Canociw^ — A bad niirht. 63 s e follow him lip a small stream which ran into tho main river hero from tho i>liramichi Lake. The Indians judged from the signs that our party had been hero tho previous day, so wo determined, although it was getting late in the afternoon, and none of tho outfit had been in these parts before, to push on up tho brook as far as wo could, before tho night overtook us. At first the water was very shallow, and consequently our progress was anything but rapid ; but after about a milo it became deepei* and more sluggish, and we were able to get along famously. This night was one of tho most uncomfortable I experienced whilst hunting in Canada. Wo were making good progress up tho small stream, when a most fearful thunderstorm broke quite suddenly upon us. To get ashore and make camp as rapidly as pos- sible, was all that could be done. Fortunately wo struck on tho very spot where our advanced party had passed the previous night, so wo had /o clearing to do. Almost everything, however, got soaked in no time. One dripping tent was soon pitched on the soppy, spongy ground, and under it wo piled all those things we wished most to save from the doAvn- pour. During tho process of camp-making, the storm was at its height, and tho peals of thunder and flashes of tho most dazzling forked lightning were appalling. Once I saw something like a bomb burst apparently not far from us, the rain coming down the whole time in perfect sheets. Although the intense fury of the storm did not last very long, the rain continued to fall heavily during the greater part of the night. Most fortu- nately my tent, although wetted through during the 'i'BSftf trgrfetii^iiri I A.TMBiiai iW mnmmattlimiima 64 Waitdcyings in the Western Land. operation of pitching, proved really waterproof ; and not a drop came inside during the whole of the sub- sequent downpour. .What a lovely morning succeeded that terrible night of storm ! One could hardly imagine it possible that the serene, peaceful scene now before us was so lately the battle-field of so fierce a struggle of the elements. The quiet but swollen stream flowed sluggishly before us, disturbed now only by the jumping of fish or the splash of the musquash or musk-rat ; and all was so still and calm, not even a sigh of aiv moving to stir the bright green spruce branches on which glistened the rain-drops in the blaze of the rising sun. All nature seemed exhausted and reposing after the conflict of the previous night. But we had no time to linger and admire; we must away again as quickl}'' as possible in pursuit of our companions, whom we thought could not be far ahead of us. A short distance more of dead water between mud banks, on which were plenty of signs of musk-rats, beaver, and otter, and then we got again into some steep rapids. Hero we had to turn out and walk through the dense timber on the banks, the water being so shallow as to necessitate the canoes being _mptied of all human freight The canoes were then shoved along from the stern, or dragged by the bows, by the Indians. Soon after entering these rapids we were surprised to come suddenly on a canoe, Avhich we were dehghted to see was being propelled by old Gabe, one of D.'s Indians. He had heard some shots we had fired last night before the storm, and had come down to render any assistance we might require. Capsized — The birch-bark canoe. 65 '*| He told us that we were not far from the Miramichi Lake, on which D was encamped. But before reaching camp Di-. M and I came in for another ducking, the result of our being together in the same canoe, and one of us attempting to fly-fish. Over went the crank piece of bark, and the first I knew of it was the difference of temperature to my body between lying on my side basking in the sim and the cold water of the river. The contrast was somewhat startling, but dry clothes and all the requisites for a good fire were close at hand, and I soon got fairly comfortable again. I came, however, to the conclusion that these canoes are not to be trifled with, and are certainly not adapted for fishing, being almost as tender and crank as a Thames outrigger. When it is considered how and of what they are made, this peculiarity is not to be wondered at. A skeleton of light tough wood, generally cedar, in appoarance something like the backbone of a small whale, over which are nailed and tied layers of birch bark, the outside to the water ; the endb of the canoe are squeezed in, closed, and turned up so as to be quite sharp, and form a cut water. Most ingenious and light are these crafts, but neither safe for beginners, nor calculated for any rough usage. The white settlers do not patronize bark canoes, but construct for them- selves v/liat are called " Dug-outs," that is, stems of large trees, shaped on the outside like a canoe, and scooped out in the centre ; these are far more lasting and are rot nearly so crank, but are far heavier and more clumsy than the bark canoes. Both sorts are either " poled " or punted ; the pole is used when the depth of water will allow of it, and the p ■ ^<'Sf**'''-'^r'»»)P»j:rwr»i-t*J 66 Wandenngs in the Western Land. paddle when it becomes too deep for the pole. A good bark canoe, capable of carrying say three persons and some baggage, is worth from fifteen to twenty dollars (3L or 4?.) ; the weight is about sixty or seventy pounds. To return to the Miramichi Lake, into which we entered very soon after the little incident just narrated. We found that D. had selected a most charming spot for a camp at the south end of this OUR CAMP ON iAKE MIIiAMICHI. From a Sketch by A. P. V. really very beautiful little piece of water. A clear streamlet discharged itself into the lake within a very short distance, and magnificent spruce, maple, and birch covered the ground in all directions. The lake itself was about four miles long by three broad, surrounded by tolerably h'gh hills except on the eastern side, where the g ound was flat and very swampy. Our encampment was close to the lake I oMaMM* Otir camp on Lake Miramichi. 67 shore, upon which we soon found old tracks both of cariboo and moose, exciting to behold. Not far off was a very small trail leading through the forest to another little lake, called " Napadurgan," of which more hereafter. As wo should in all probability remain in this delightful spot some few days, our outfit had taken much trouble to make it as habit- able and comfortable as possible. The two tents for our own use were pitched near some fine large trees with their backs to the lake, and sheltered from the cold air and fog which drifted down the lake mornings and evenings by some underwood. A space had been carefully cleared in front of the doors of our tents for the main camp fire, on the oppo- site side of which was a marvellously constructed " lean-to," the handiwork of the Indians, and made of fir poles covered with sheets of the ever-useful birch bark. Here on every spare moment they would squat on their haunches and chatter away in their own native lingo, in great enjoyment of the many good stories of which they had a large stock, judging by the almost incessant chuckling and laughter which proceeded from the little shelter. The floor of the lean-to had been carefully levelled, and was strewn, inches thick, with the deliciously-soft and turpentine-smelling shoots of the spruce branches. The men's tent and the cooking fire were a few yards off. Gabe the younger was our cook, and a very good one he proved. The first evening after we arrived D. and I went out with our old friend John Williams, to *' call " moose. The spot selected was a small "barren" two miles from camp, and not very far from the edge of the lake. It was oppressively and F 2 i m 68 Wanderjnos in the Western Land. If \ I ' ;< strikingly still ; not a sound was to be heard except the occasional, wild, melancholy cry of what is called here the " Loon " bird (the great northern diver), a constant frequenter of the Canadian lakes. The beating of one's heart sounded like the thumping of an engine when waiting with intense eagerness for any answer from the surrounding forest to the Indian's call. There is a curious feeling of enjoyment in this in- tense stillness in the midst of these boundless and magnificent forests. A feeling of quiet repose comes over one, producing a soothing, calming effect on mind and thoughts, which is hard even to understand in the haunts of civilization. The season was not sufficiently advanced for calling, nor had we seen any fresh signs of moose in this locality, so we were not sanguine when we went out, but I was glad to try it, although I cannot say that it impressed me much as a sport, and after about an hour's " call- ing" we re-embarked in our canoe and made for camp. The next morning I was all ready for a day's " creeping," or " still hunting," or, as we should call it in the highlands, " stalking," after moose, cari- boo, or bear. D. most good-naturedly lent me old John Williams, and very early he and I and Sandie started away far a barren, which D. and John had seen the day before near the Napadurgan Lake. We ought not to have been very hopeful, for there were no very fresh signs in the vicinity, but somehow I thought something would come of the day, and Sandie seemed to share my hopes. A trudge of five or six miles along the trail through the forest brought us to the little lake, which was surrounded i Mmm wmmmmmm After Caribou — An exciting si. ilk. 69 with much swampy and partially-wooded ground, just the favourite haunt for moose and caribou. Our movements now became very slow and care- ful. The cautious old Indian who led the way examined with " skinned " eyes every fresh piece of ground which came in view, and I followed close on his heels with my favourite little " express " ready to open fire on the slightest provocation. All of a sudden the Indian drops on his knees, followed instanter by Sandie and myself ; then he whispers eagerly that he thinks that he has seen a stag caribou lying down some little way off, but he was not cer- tain, for it was so far off, and he had been so anxious to get out of sight again, that he had dropped down before he had made quite sure. All doubt is soon put an end to by my old stalking-glass, which revealed to us a most exciting little family party, consisting of Ji very fine caribou stag, his wife and child, all peace- fully lying down and ruminating. The ground was well-adapted for stalking, being covered with patches and clumps of short stubby cedar ; but there was no wind, and it was so very sloppy that there was great danger of the slushing of our footsteps being heard by the acute-eared beasts. Leaving Sandie behind to watch the deer with the glass, John and I started off on the stalk. I must confess to feeling more than ordinarily excited. It was the first caribou I had seen ; the stag was an unusually fine one, and large caribou are getting scarce ; moreover, as my stay in Canada was to be but short, probably I might not get another chance, at any rate not at so fine a specimen. Fortune favoured us, and my nerves did not desert me ; some friendly cedar bushes allowed us to get within about ninety yards of the stag, and by kneeling as high as I I :i( ft i. 70 Wanderings in the Western Land. I could, I was able to see about liaF the depth of his body. 1 iiking him low behind the shoulder, I pulled. Off he went at a gallop, but I soon saw that he was badly wounded, and I felt happy ; and well I might, for within about 150 yards he fell dead. A sudden impulse made me snap at the hind with my second barrel as she galloped away, but fortunately — as I thought afterwards — I missed her. Sandie was soon on the spot, and gralloched the stag a r^cossaise ; during which process most lavish was the admiration poured by all of us upon the grand beast. His head was very fine, pos- sessing both length and span of horn, and no less than twenty-five little points. Being in excellent condition, his haunches were covered with inches of fat, and the hair of the skin was sleek, glossy, and thick. We had no means of ascertaining his weight, but Sandie, who had had great experience of red deer and cattle, estimated it to be about 450 pounds — over thirty-two stone — " clean." Sandie packed the head back to camp on his shoulders, a distance of six or seven miles, through thick and fallen timber, and over some infamously swampy ground, a feat which raised him much in old John's eyes, who, I fancy, rather looked down upon the modus operandi of the previous gralloching. On reaching camp many were the congratulations on my luck, and most excellent were the tit-bits we had brought home with us for supper. The next day four of our men started off early, and having skinned and cut up the deer, brought him back in four parts. They calculated that they carried over 100 pounds each, besides the skin and head, which bore out Sandie' s estimate. The meat "^.f i-i^wnw^lip^j;™ iUijlf|l)«,i4i-- if^i^rmm^m^ The Caribou. was excellent, and having set apart for use as much as we could consume fresh, the Indians smoked and dried the remainder. Even from a commissariat point of view this was a great piece of good fortune ; it kept us well supplied with meat for the rest of our voyage, and even smoked caribou is very superior to salt pork and bacon, which would otherwise have been our portion. MY CARIBOU, And now to say a few words about this fine and sporting representative of the deer tribe. The caribou, or cariboo {tarandus rangifer), is the reindeer of America, in the same way as the moose is the American elk, though in the latter case the American and European representatives are much more nearly identical than are the cariboo and the 72 Wander htgs in the Western Land. reindeer. Authorities seem to recognize two varieties of caribou in North America, namely, the " barren land caribou " and the " mountain caribou." The former is found in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is generally larger and coarser than the mountain caribou, which inhabits Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and other parts of Canada, and some parts of the United States. The specimen I was lucky enough to get was as fine a mountain caribou as Professor Ward, of Rochester, New York State (a gentleman of vast experience), had ever set up. These deer go in herds like red deer, but the difference of size between the stag and the hind is much more marked. The colour of the skin is a greyish brown, the stag having a broad white stripe extending from the shoulder to the neck; the feet arc large and broad. With the fore feet they clear away the snow when in search of food, for I am told that it is a popular fallacy to suppose that this process is performed with their brow antlers, and it is evident that if this were so, the hinds would fare but badly, for although they generally have small spike horns, they never have the brow antler. The stag sheds the velvet about the middle of August, and commences to go with the hinds about the end of that month, or the beginning of September. In point of size, the caribou comes about third of the American deer kind, the Moose {akei^ lualchls) and Wapiti {cervus canadensis) being both larger. It is a matter greatly to be regretted that this fine animal, like many others, is becoming yearly more and more scarce. It would seem pretty certain that eventually it will be extinct, unless means are taken, and that speedily, for its protection. ", .ir-;. i^- Canoeing — Ou the river again. After this piece of hujk, I was laid up with a bad cold for some days, and could not get out of camp much, but D hunted most perseveringlj. Be- yond seeing the hind and calf belonging to the stag I had killed, and hearing a bear near his camp- lire when sleeping out one night, he never came across any sort of big game. "Wo therefore decided on " pulling out " from this beautiful locality and continuing our voyage down the river. My canoe was navigated by the old Indian, '"'ube imc^ a most excellent canoeist, skilful but at the same time very careful and slow ; moreover he got no as- sistance from me, whereas D was himself almost as good as any Indian, and Dr. M and Sandie worked hard, poling or paddling, as the case might be ; the consequence were that our usual order of progression was as follows : First canoe, well ahead and leading easily, D and John Williams (Indian) ; second canoe. Dr. M and Hood (Indian) ; third canoe, Sandie and young Gabe (Indian), with the two dogs (who generally spent half the time in the water or running on the banks), and in the fourth and last, old Gabe and myself. The imjiedimcnta were divided between all the canoes ; the cooking utensils being with the cook, young Gabe, whose c.^noe (our last purchase), as I said before, leaked like a sieve, but without detriment to the pots and pans, or apparently to the canine and human occupants. The river was so " small " that much dragging over shallows had to be done ; and the bottoms of the canoes got chafed, and all more or less leaky. At nights they were pulled up on the banks, and turned bottom upwards so as to dry well ; then in the morning we were able to see any 74 Wanderings in the Western Land. fresh-made holes or rents, and these were patched over with bits of rags and hot resin. Sometimes, if the water came in too fast and entailed too much baling, this operation had to be repeated, in the middle of the day The weather was lovely, and fortunately continued so the whole of the voyage. Our daily routine was somewhat as follows : Having every morning, after breakfast, to strike our tents, repair and pack canoes, &c. &c., it was gener.illy nine o'clock before we got fairly under way ; then we kept going till about midday, when we stopped about an hour for lunch, after which we paddled on till we brought up finally for the night, about five o'clock. From fifteen to twenty miles a day was about our average rate of progress in the first part of our voyage, until the water deepened. The upper part of the river was full of trout, of which we were generally able to get a good dish for supper when we made camp early enough for an hour's fishing before dark. The almost total absence of animal life is a great drawback to the enjoyment of these splendid Canadian rivers. Be- yond a few of the large kingfishers, an osprey or two, and a few red-breasted mergansers, we saw no sign of life for days together. The hopes of sighting a bear on the banks kept us always on the look- out, but none was forthcoming, and except a pair of young lynxes killed by D , our canoeing trip on the main river was devoid of all fourfooted game. The banks got higher as we proceeded down the river, and the scenery reminded me of the neigh- bourhood of Cliveden on the Thames, above Maiden- head. Where they had not been cut for lumber, Canoe voyage — Burnt Hill — Salmon fishing. 75 the banks were clothed down to the water's edge with the dense sombre greens of the firs, spruce, and cedars, but here and there refreshing jiatches of bright maple and birch relieved the eye. At this time of the year — the middle of September — the maple are brilliant to a degree scarcely to be believed by any one who has not visited North America in the fall. On the same branch, aye, even on the same leaf, of delicate light green, may be seen every shade of red, from a rose madder to a bright crimson lake. A few days of this slow but enjoyable and luxu- rious mode of travelling brought us to Burnt Hill, one of the chief " fishing stations " of this well- known salmon river. We were too late in the season to expect any real sport ; in fact we were within a few days of the close season, but we thought we might kill a few fish, and with this object determined to give the best pools a good trial. We set to work with a will, fisiiing hard in the early morn, and again as soon as the sun was sufficiently low in evening, for during the day, when the bright rays of the still fierce sun fell on the pools, it was perfectly hopeless to attempt it, more especially with the water as low as it was now. The pools themselves were both promising and numerous, and the whole of them can be fished from one bank or the other. The width of the river here is about that of the Thames at Marlow, but it is not so deep, and is more rapid and stony. We flogged away most resolutely, but, whether owing to the lateness of the season or smallness of the water, with scarcely result ; one fish of about 5 lbs., of any very 76 JVjndcn')iw>-^*-. ;f-" ■- ■r";''«^*#»**ifw "^;ir is very swift for some distance above the Fail , ovfii before the so-called rapids com- mence. About a mile and a half above is a ferry, and boats, through accident or improper management, have been swept down even from that distance above. Whatever goes over the Horse Shoe Falls is generally found — or rather its remains are — in the so-called " Whirlpool," about one and a half miles below, but when anything goes over the 96 IVandcriugs in the Western Land. American Fall it is generally smashed up and arrested amongst the many rocks at the foot. The Rapids above the Falls are wild and grand in the extreme, whether you see them from Goat Island or from the mainland, or the smaller islands of "Cynthia" or " Log," on the Canadian side. One's ideas of rapids are altogether out of joint when one comes to see these ; they are more like a strong race of tide at sea, or in some of the kyles on the West coast of Scotland, than anything else I have ever seen. Nothing could have a chance against them ; all must give way before the tearing irresistible power, and be carried on in the foaming, surging torrent to the awful plunge. Goat Island is reached from the American side, by a bridge to Luna Island (on which is placed, alas! a large paper factory), and a second suspension bridge hence completes the distance. It is well wooded, and very charming, abounding, especially on the side towards the Horse Shoe Falls, with beau- tiful peeps of the Falls and Rapids. The " Sister Islands" — connected with Goat Island by small suspension bridges — are also well worth visiting. The view of the Falls from Prospect Point, in the Park on the American side, is certainly one of the finest and most extensive. Also from the very fine suspension bridge connecting the two countries, about half a mile below the Falls, a very compre- hensive and instructive view is obtained. This bridge has a span of 410 yards, and is 256 feet above the surface of the boiling river below. It is a fine specimen of engineering skill, even for this country, which is full of scientific triumphs over great natural difficulties. It is worth while to cross ^ 1' Niagara—''' The " Maid of the Misty 97 in tlie ferry-boat underneath the Falls, which, by taking advantage of the eddies, can be rowed across by one man within a quarter of a mile of the Falls themselves. A short distance below, the magnificent river again tears away at a terrific pace, as if it had not already had enough of it, and the rapids here are even more terrific and fascinating than those above. " Ihe fall of waters ! rapid as the liglit, The flashing mass foams shaking the ahyss ; The hell of waters ! where they howl and hiss And hoil in endless torture." " Ch ilih Ihirohl" Dijron. It was down these fearful rapids that six years ago the little steamer, the " Maid of the Mist," made her wonderful voyage, merely to escape from the sheriffs' officer. It appears that her captain and owner, Robinson, was about to lose her for debt. On learn- ing what was to happen Robinson told the engineer to get up steam, not informing him or any one else what he was going to attempt. Casting loose, away he started down the river, taking the helm himself. It is said that the puny craft was at times buried in the surging torrent, and that everybody thought she must be lost, but Robinson got her through all right and saved her from the myrmidons of the law. The strain on his nerves, however, was so great that he never got over it, and he died last year, by no means an old man. The little steamer had to pass through the far-famed " Whirlpool," and this part of her short but fearful voyage is looked upon as more wonderful than even the descent of tne Rapids. The water in the centre of the Whirlpool is said to be eleven and a half feet higher than at the sides, H mmm •uMiniMvnpn , -- — < j<— t w iwopwwiw 98 lVajideri7igs in the Western Land. being forced up by the confining banks. The scenery in the neighbourhood is magnificent ; the giand river, foaming and boiling as in a cauldron, is driven through a gorge of splendid limestone cliffs, wooded and green wherever there is sufficient hold for soil to accumulate. When we visited this spot the carcase of a wretched horse was being made sport of in the swirling eddies ; at one moment it was thrown high up above the surface of the current ; at the next, it was hidden from view in the boiling waters ; round and round it spun, never apparently getting nearer the edge of the circular power of the Whirlpool, and how it was ever to escape out of the vortex of this awful trap, and to resume its dreary voyage down the rushing, roaring river, remained to us an unsolved enigma. The gorge through which the river runs below the Falls is only 300 feet wide, whereas the breadth of water above them is said to be over a mile : this hemming in of the waters, together with the steep gradient, causes the striking phenomena of the Rapids and the Whirlpool, both worthy sequences to the glorious Falls themselves. I should have liked to have lingered on here some days ; the natural surroundings are so magnificent and grand, and I can quite understand any amount of enthusiasm about them ; they had much the same effect upon my mind as the ocean or perpetual snow mountains. The sense of Nature's power is so ever present and overwhelming. One reflects how this colossal force has been exerted from the creation until now without any cessation ; the same incessant flow of irresistible power has rushed on year after year, and season after season, perfectly independent of Niagara — Effects a7id impressions. 99 our poor little outside world ; and the thought that they will so continue as long as the world lasts, fills the mind with an overpowering sense of the great- ness of Nature and the littleness of man. I quite believe in the fascinating effect the Falls are said to produce on beings of enthusiastic temperaments. Amongst the many stories told of such cases is one of a delicately-nurtured youth who lived in the woods on Goat's Island for many a month through the fierce heat of summer and the intense cold of a North American winter, never able to tear himself away from the sight of his beloved Falls. One day his little hut was empty, and he was found drowned in their waters. We had much to do and see, however, and only a very short time still at our disposal, especially for my companion, so were obliged to be off, hoping before we returned to England to have another look at the Falls, which might then be in their winter garb. II -1,- —*.-^,. mmm CHAPTER VII. "And the palpitating engines snort and steam across the acres." — Miv. DrownuKj, •* Lady GerahJim\^ Courtship." " These are the gardens of the desert, these The unshorn fields, boundless and beautiful, For which the speech of England has no name, The prairies " Lo, they stretch In airy undulations fiir away. As if the ocean in his gentlest swell Stood still, with all his rounded billows fixed, And motionless for ever." " Thn Pvairu's" Wm. C. Bri/niit. Hamilton — Detroit, the frontier town — Chicago — Population — Trade — Away again — Across the (Jontinent — Omaha — Build- ings — Indians — Population — " Then Westward ho ! " — The Union Pacific Pailroad —History and construction — The Prairie — The Old Emigrant Road — Early wayfarers — " Bones that bleach in the sunshine " — Indian attacks — Train robbery — Cattle — Their owners and attendants — The Prairie l)og — Cheyenne — History — " Stage tapping " — The Black-hills of Dakotah — Indians and their reservations — The Denver Pacific line — Greely — Denver. " Taking the cars," we hurried on by the Canadian Great Western express to the rising town of Hamil- ton, situated at the western end of Lake Ontario. Here are the head-quarters of the Great Western Railway, apparently one of the best managed sys- tems in Canada. Our stay here was very short, and we were soon away again along the well-laid steel road Detroit — Chicago. lOI to Detroit. The whole train is here taken on board a large steam ferry-boat, and in this manner the frontier between Canada and the United States is crossed. No custom-house officials disturbed our repose, and the night was peacefully passed in the Wagner sleeping-car, in blissful ignorance, it might have been, of having taken so important and vexa- tious a step, in a European's eyes, as entering another countrv, with its own customs and duties. Our meals are well served in a dining-car attached to the train, to which access is obtained between certain hours for breakfast, dinner, and supper. The passenger is thus able not only to fare well, but at his leisure. About forty-four hours' incessant travelling from Niagara found us at that marvel of modern cities, Chicago ; and truly it is a marvel when we consider that it is only six years ago since it was almost totally destroyed by fire, and that now it is not only rebuilt to its former size, but is superior in every way to what it was before the terrible disaster. Splendid wide streets, full of excellent " stores," public buildings, gigantic ware- houses, and colossal oflfices, are to be seen in every direction. Nor do these edifices seem to have been run up in the cheapest and most expeditious manner, as we too often see at home, but they are apparently really good, solid, "square" buildings, on which both time and money have been spent. Not- withstanding the awful fire, the population increased in the decade in which it occurred, from 224,251 in 1866 to 407,661 in 1876, and the debt of Chicago is still very far less in proportion to its size than that of most large towns in the United States. ■♦*•■ I M n 1 02 IVanderinos in the IVesiern Land. The main staples of trade seem to be grain, '^\A live and dead stock. From its situation on Lake Michigan, a very large and prosperous shipping trade is carried on with the eastern cities, and this young " Queen of the West " is said now to inter- fere somewhat seriously in many markets with old- established New York, notwithstanding the many advantages which seniority must give to the latter. Here has been carried out to a large extent the essentially American idea of raising bodily not only the houses, but even the streets; and, strange as it may sound, this process has not unfrequently been accomplished without any interruption to the every- day work. But I must not dwell longer on Chicago, or attempt to describe a city now so well-known. Our stay was of the briefest description, and in a very few hours we were steaming away again to- wards the banks of the transparent Mississippi and its muddy-complexioned sister, the Missouri. I cannot say that the railway journey across this great continent is particularly interesting, beyond the undeniable fact of seeing so much that is new and strange to our English eyes. Points of great novelty and interest there unquestionably are, but on the whole, the journey is wearisome and mono- tonous, until the long breadth of prairie beyond Omaha is passed, and the mountain ranges forming the back-bone of the continent are reached beyond Cheyenne. The Mississippi is crossed near Bur- lington, about ten hours from Chicago. It is truly a magnificent river, clear and rapid, and contrasts very favourably with the dirty, sluggish, and erratic Missouri, which is reached twelve hours i Omaha — Population — Military position. 1 03 afterwards at Omalia. Two sections of the iron railway bridge over the latter were under repair, having been literally blown down in a hurricane a short time ago. This scarcely sounds well for the stability of the structure, but nobody seemed to take much notice of it, or to think it signified. Omaha, the capital of the State of Nebraska, has 40,000 inhabitants, and possesses some fair-looking edifices. Amongst the most imposing are the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the High School. According to the driver — who was conveying us to church during the few hours' stoppage here on a Sunday morning — the town is deficient in churches, for that it " had run into schools, and that the churches were awful mean." Here are the head-quarters of the Platte Military District, which can muster all told about 1,000 troops. We came across here the first red Indians we had seen since entering the States. They were of the once formidable but now almost extinct Omaha tribe ; not striking-looking individuals in any way, spare and diminutive in stature, and very dirty, and they looked, poor fellows, as if they would be more at home in their native blankets than in the worn- out civilized clothing which now covered them. Their reservation is but a short distance from the town, and the fifty representatives of the tribe — all that now remains — occupy themselves in fishing and shooting, obtaining thereby a bare and very precarious existence. My informant's opinion of Indians was very summary, and as it is shared in by most of the inhabitants of the west, I give it in something like his own laconic language. " The boys in blue," he said (i. e. the troops), " are too kind to « 1^H ' ■UPPPI «!»» 104 // 'ixudcrin^is in the Western Land. them Indians ; tlioy want the settlers and ranchmen to deal with them ; there is nothing for it but to shoot tliom down." Another western man said to mo thiit lie " never believed in an honest Indian until ho was djad." Omaha contained in 18G5 only 4,500 inhabitants; in 1875 the population had increased to 20,000, a fair specimen of the manner in which these Avestern towns grow when situated on the highways across the continent. The train stopped here three hours ; when again under way we entered on a more re- cently " settled up " country, and in a short time were running along the valley of the Platte, but although this interesting and important river was often close to us, we very seldom caught even a glimpse of it. This part of the country is very productive, and realizes to sell from $3 to $10 (12.S'. to 2/.) per acre, which is considered a high price out here. And now that we are ftiirly embarked on that great line of railway which especially unites the At- lantic with the Pacific, it may perhaps interest my readers to learn something about its origin and con- struction. Tlic colossal project had been mooted many years before any steps were actually taken to carry it into effect. It might have remained in the future for many a year longer, had not the Civil "War broken out, when it became most desirable, as a matter of national policy, to connect the Western with the Eastern States by more rapid communica- tion than the old stage-coach lines. The Govern- ment of the day, being fully alive to the desirability of getting the railroad completed with the least possible delay, granted most favourable terms to the pro- The Union Pacijii Railroad. '05 nioters and coustnictors. I believe they piaranteed the stock, and subsidized very largely in the usual American manner of granting to the companies every alternate mile of country passed through for a depth or breadth of twenty miles. Two companies set to work to construct the line; the Central Pacific Railroad Company started eastwards from San Francisco ; the Union Pacific Railroad Com- pany set out westwards from Omaha. The actual work of construction began about the commence- ment of 18G6, and the line was completed in May, 1860. As the Government subsidy was so very liberal, the rivalry between the tAvo companies became intense as to which should construct the largest portion and thus obtain the greatest share of the country passed through. From Omaha to San Francisco is 1,91 5 miles; but the Central Pacific Com- pany, by taking advantage of the carriage by water afforded by the Sacramento River from San Fran- cisco, was enabled to make Sacramento their first base of operations, and thus establish their starting- point 140 miles nearer the other. The number of miles to be laid was in this way reduced to 1,775 miles. Both companies had at first great difficulties to contend with, but as far as I could judge the Cen- tral Pacific had by far the most expensive and difficult portion of the road as their portion. The whole of their rails, fish-plates, spikes, and other iron work had to be brought round by sea from the Eastern States to San Francisco, and they had to contend with very great engineering difficulties at an early- stage of their career, in crossing the Sierra Nevada. The Union Pacific had also at first to pay very dearly for their materials ; even their sleepers (or, as they /: "IP mmm wataaaw w i o Bii III I w m i i ii . n ni iii L. wi 1 06 Wanderings in the Wesiern Land. are called here, " ties ") had to be brought from the far-off States of Michigan and Pennsylvania. But on the other hand they had more prairie to travel over, which may well account for the final result, namely, that of the 1,775 miles which had altogether to be constructed, the Union Pacific Company were able to place to their credit 1,085 miles before the rails met each other on 10th May, 1869^ at Pro- montory, a station in Utah, fifty-thi'ee miles to the west of Ogden. The work of construction was carried on by per- fect armies of navvies and roughs, all of them armed, on account of the Indians and of one another, and, if half the stories be true, they had more to fear from themselves than from the onslaughts of tlie dreaded Sioux. As might be supposed, there were here gathered together desperadoes from all parts of the world, who, whatever were their crimes, were safe here from the liand of justice. The consequence was that, during out-of-work time, gambling, drinking, and every sort of vice used to be rife, accompanied as usual by quarrelling, brawling, and what is called out here " shootings." Vigilance Committees were formed wherever any small settlement was established on the line of progress, and endeavoured to maintain some sort of order and regard for iiieuyn and fuuw^ by a most liberal exercise of Lvncli law. Two waggons, drawn up alongside one another, with the two poles placed upright and lashed fast at the top, would form an effective and speedily-constructed gallows. But notwithstanding these social draw- Ijacks, progress was the order of the day; more than seven miles of railroad have been known to be laid in one day by the Union Pacific Company, Union Pacific Railroad — history of construction, i o 7 and I see in that interesting and instructive guide- book by Williams, that even this has been ex- ceeded by the Central Pacific Company, who, on the 29th of April, 1869, laid and finished in twenty- four hours, fit for the locomotive to pass over, no less than ten miles of road. To feed these advancing armies was of course a matter of grave consideration, but fortunately the country passed through was generally covered with buffalo grass, on which the cattle did well, so that as long as they were on the prairies, as far as meat was concerned, all they had to do was to have sufficient herds moving alongside of them, and to see to the numbers being properly kept up. When the Rocky Mountains were reached, gairxC played no inconsiderable a part in the com- missariat department. Men were told off to hunt, and elk (as the wapiti are here called) and deer, in addition to the prong-horned antelope of the prairies, were brought to the camps in great quantities. One mountain on the left of the line, beyond Laramie, still bears the name of " Elk Moun- tain " from the number of those grand animals which it supplied to the first constructors of the " U.P.," as this railroad is familiarly termed. But I must not weary my readers with more details on this matter; if they care to know more about it, I must refer them to that handy little volume to which I have already alluded, namely, " Williams's Pacific Tourist and Guide across the Continent,'' published in 1877 in New York, moderate in price, and w^ell worthy of possession. And now to return to our own experience of this line. For miles and miles we run alongside the old emigrant road leading to the fertile tracts of Colorado mmiJfei!ff9 P^ au Kvmf-^K-m - mir ..i i^-^^i-i-.* ■4V«JViCi»v^4.;^Vt. -.*■"' I I I' if 1 08 Wanderings in the Western Land. and to the other Western States and territories. The mind may here picture to itself the many fearful encounters with the Indians which this road has witnessed ; the many scenes of desolation, despair, and woe in which the poor " played-out " emigrants have taken part on their way westward to the " promised land ;" poor creatures ! often bereft of their all by the Indians, or brought to a standstill by their stock faihng, and left to die of starvation, thirst, and cold. The bleached bones of cattle and horses bear ghastly testimony to such episodes, and to the severe and disastrous struggles under which they have succumbed. Many a little mound of heaped-up earth and gravel may be observed on this dismal, dreary road, sometimes surmounted by r. few bits of wood, sometimes without any mark at all, to denote the spot where a poor wayfarer has here at last found a resting-place for his weary, broken- down frame. What the early emigrants must have suffered on their awful journey of many weeks', aye months', duration, it is difficult for us to conceive. Before their destination could be reached, hundreds of miles of dreary, desolate prairie had to be traversed, sparse in herbage, wanting in water, and infested with hostile Indians, who hovered on their flanks, always ready to take advantage of any want of cau- tion, and to swoop down with devastating effect on the fated " outfits." Generally the emigrants travelled in large parties or caravans, sufficiently strong to present such a front that attacks were either not attempted, or were easily repulsed, and it is a source of great comfort in a hostile Indian country to know that the "redskins" will never The Early Emigrants — Indian attacks. 109 attack if there is any likelihood of proportionate loss, which is regarded by them as bad generalship. But recklessness and disregard of ordinary precautions were very common amongst the early settlers, and, consequently, fearful scenes of massacre and misery are recorded. Nor did the Indians confine their attacks to the road caravans ; for on more than one occasion they have been known to make fierce onslaughts on the, at first dreaded, railway trains. Plum Creek (a station 230 miles west of Omaha) was the scene, in 1807, of one of the fiercest of these attacks, when a party of Cheyenne Indians con- trived to upset a goods train by removing some of the rails. The vans and cars were at once sacked, and the contents made off with. Both the engine- driver and stoker fell victims, burnt and scalded to death by tlie upsetting of the locomotive. But vengeance speedily overtook the perpetrators; armed parties of whites and friendly Indians were quickly on the track, and in a very short time canio up with and shot down the offending redskins. Nowadays the railroad is free from such dangers, and the traveller and emigrant can pass from one seaboard to the other, without the smallest risk of molestation by Indians. But it would seem as if security from the white " desperadoes " — as the roughs are here termed — is not quite so certain. Not a fortnight before we passed over this road the express train bound eastwards was stopped and plundered by a band of six ruffians, at a station called Big Spring, 3G1 miles west of Omaha. As this incident was most unusual and caused a good deal of sensation at the time, and as the attendant circumstances are characteristic of this far-off coun- r' a^^bj^ ;,j i)ij p.ii UiAatn i iBI. «** I ' ( t Wanderings in the Western Land. looked forward to the time when he should have realized a sufficient competence to enable him to return to his native land, a feeling not uncommon among emigrants, especially amongst those of Celtic origin. Cheyenne is a military post of some importance ; there are generally six or eight companies of in- fantry quartered here; but at the time I write there were not more than 100 men, six companies having been sent out in pursuit of the Nez Perces Indians, who had been giving trouble in Oregon. It is not believed that the troops will fall in with the aborigines, and hardly to be hoped that they will ; for the common belief is that when the " boys in blue " are matched against the wily, well-armed Redskins, the usual result is that the soldier gets " whipped." From what I have heard, drink seems to be the curse of the soldier, as well as of many others in these parts. For the accursed whiskey he will frequently " trade " his kit and not unfrequently his rifle too. From Cheyenne a stage coach runs in twenty hours to Deadwood, in the Black-hills of Dakotali, about 200 miles distant. This is said to be one of the richest mining districts discovered of late years. At present the journey to it is not made without a shade of excitement, as of late the coach 1 as been robbed — or, to use the native phrase, " the jtage has been tapped " — pretty frequently. On these occa- sions passengers and "treasure-box" have alike been lightened of their valuables. A short time ago it happened that two soldiers were " on board " for extra security. The stage was attacked and the soldiers thought it prudent to *' skin out " (Anglice, bolt) ; the only person who made any re- The Black-hills — An Indian reservation. 123 sistance was the unfortunate driver, wlio was shot through the leg. I am informed that tke Black-hills mining district is situated in the Indian reserve, guaranteed to the unfortunate natives by treaties with the United States Government; but when minerals were dis- covered and the coi^atry was wanted for the whites, the wretched redskin had to go, treaty or no treaty. This is only one of the many cases of similar treat- ment on the part of the whites, and the natural consequence is, that great ill-feeling prevails be- tween the two races. In the case of the Black-hills of Dakotah, the dispossessed happened to be the warlike Sioux, and a long and sanguinary war ensued, which led to the retreat of the largest portion of the tribe within the Canadian frontier, under the leadership of their great medicine-man, " Sitting Bull." The remainder of the tribe arc said to be subdued and ready to come into the posts assigned to them by the United States Government ; but whether this will be a permanent peace is another matter. The Indians are extreme! v cunning; they readily consent to be supported, themselves and their families, during the hard months of winter, but not unfrequently with the full intention, when the spring returns, of re uming hostilities against their hereditary enemies. But more by-and-by on this Indian question. As to the Black-hills them- selves, there seems to be but little doubt that they are destined to be a rich and populous minino- district, though there are great differences of opinion as to the value of the discoveries already made. The richest lodes of ore are said to be near the rising town of Deadwood, and to bear much . Mi 124 Waitderings in the Western Land. resemblance to the famous Comstock Lode of Nevada. The United States Government appears to have given up any idea of dispossessing the white miners from the territory, " reserved " though it be, and so there exists but little doubt that the district will soon be opened out by the indefatigable " pros- pectors " — as the mining explorers are here termed — and the population which will soon follow them. Should the Indians themselves interfere, it will only hasten their total extinction ; for although the western miner is quiet enough when left alone, yet when interfered with he is more determined and vindictive than even the ranchman or cow puncher. Woe betide the tribe of Indians who molests the miner; his brother miners will remember it ever after, and however busy or prosperous a mine may be, should a chance of revenge offer, the whole mine will turn out, and dire will that vengeance be. Later on, I came across some very good speci- mens of auriferous quartz and small nuggets from this district, but what are the real prospects I am unable to say. Had our time allowed of it, I should have much liked to have visited the mines and judged for myself, but the journey would have been long and tiresome, and we were anxious to get on to Denver and the mountain ranges of Colorado. From Cheyenne to Denver, by the Denver Pacific Railroad, is a little over 100 miles, and takes about four hours to accomplish. The country passed through is at first monotonous and unin- teresting, except to a stock-owner's gaze ; but after a while the fine range, of which Long's Peak is the highest point, comes into view, and lends at once charm and interest to the journey. A few small From Cheyenne to Denver — Greely — Denver. 125 stations are passed on the road, the most important of which are Greely and Evans, the former situated on the Cache la Poudre river, and in the midst of one of the finest corn-growing countries of the world. Although containing over 2,000 inhabitants, it is said to be a strict temperance town, no " drink- ing saloon" — answering to our public-houses — being allowed in it ; and the inhabitants are satisfied and well to do. We are now in the newly-formed State of Colorado, of which Denver, prettily situated on the plain about thirteen miles from the base of the mountain range, is the capital. From its eleva- tion of 5,224 feet above the sea, the air is light and bracing, and on this account it is much resorted to by invalids. The State generally is said to be a most salutary climate for all chest complaints, when not in a too advanced stage, for although in winter the cold is very severe, yet it is always a dry cold, and even in mid-winter, bright days may be looked for with a tolerable certainty. The storms, which are at certain seasons pretty frequent, pass quickly over, and then all is left as dry and bright as before. Denver contains some 10,000 inhabi- tants, is cheerful and gay, and full of tempting shops. Its frontier character has quite passed away, and it now seems to be as safe and comfort- able a place of residence as any European town. From its convenient situation it is much used as a starting-place for hunting expeditions, and possesses some excellent gun and other stores, from which all the necessaries of an outfit can be obtained. ^j i VIEW OF LONO'S I'EAK IN KSTES I'AllK. From a »kctch by A. P. V, CHAPTER VIII. J i I ! " In these plains The bison feeds no more. Twice twenty leagues Eoams tlie majestic brute, in herds that shake The earth with thundering steps — yet here I meet His ancient footprints stamp'd beside the pool." " The Praina.^," WilUam Bryant. En route for Estes Park — Golden — Mining and Smelting — Lignitic formation — Metalliferous lodes — Mr. Hill's works — Miners and their wages — Boulder City — The Caribou lode — Long- mount — Its disagi'eeables — To Estes Park — Beauty of scenery — The Park— Bad luck— Griffith Evans — UnAvelcome visitors ^rf\ 9\ .9 aIoncsPeak* 14.271 © 13,173 tvARDS Arapahoe P"?^ 13,520 ^^ M-E BOULC Scale about SymUs'-lIruh. r^ontpsi d' .^f ,^rOiStVro .'J>. O. LONCMONT ,-.', 4856 TjTn. Cred^ M f^". ziez GoldHffl ^ BOULDCRB/ J^o 8,503 to'r C^'i ROLUNSVILLE >LACKHAWK •me Chief A 11,133 Lakesy divans 1 14,330 1 tf. yv JjCrrcfr ^Central City a4oo. Idaho VGoLDtHjCrrv ] 5,729 TheSqaaw ^ 11.230 Jt^ «0^ 5.196 iDENVEfll ^ i->-V(4 \>' V FROM DENVER TO ESTES PARK, [_Fi'om a Oorerntnent Map. ^P" En route for Estes Park. 120 — The Skunk war — Peculiarities of the enemy — Cold weather — Unsuccessful hunting — Camps in Horse-Shoe Park— At- tempts to cross the Range — The Black Canon — Storm — A high camp — Poor prospects— A bear hy Jove ! — A miss — A long chase — Success at last — " Ursus ferox " — Driven back — More storming — Start for Rock Creek — Fogg's— Marianna — Off the track — Fort Collins — La Porte— Jim Baker — Charac- ter and "grit." We did not linger long in Denver, but were soon away again for Longmount, en route to Estes Park, where we meant to commence hunting operations. As far as Longmount there is a railroad which runs for about sixteen miles over the prairie, until the junction for Golden is reached, whence a three foot guage line runs up a narrow glen for twenty- one miles to Black Hawk. In this valley metalliferous mining is carried on to a considerable extent, and nearer Golden, where the geological formation is lignitic, extensive smelting works are established. This lignite is very different in appearance from the " Braunkohle " of Germany, being blacker and denser, and often resembling at a distance bituminous coal ; but the amount of ash and moisture, as shown by the analyses given in the Government Survey Reports for Colorado, by Professor Hayden, proclaims it to be a very inferior fuel to even a low-classed bitu- minous coal. The average of four analyses gives 13-38 7o of water, and slightly under 4% of ash, whilst the volatile matter, or gases, in two analyses were 36 % » ^^^ '^^ fixed carbon or coke 46*50 7o* The average thickness of the main seam is put down at five feet ; but this appears somewhat difficult to arrive at, as the thickness varies from a few inches to eight or ten feet. The smelting works of Mr. K 1 30 WandcrtHj^s in the IVestcni Land. ft m (I \f I M ■ ■ Hill arc carrit'd on licrc ; but to what oxtoiit lignite is used in the operations I was unablo to ascertain. I was told, however, the pine-forests of the neigh- bouring hills were almost exhausted, and that before long the proprietors of the smelting works would be obliged to bring bituminous coal by rail from very distant parts at a large cost. The ores here dealt with come from the George Town, Black Hawk, Cen- tral City, and many other mining localities lying up in the mountain ranges to the westward. They are principally lead ores, more or less rich in silver and gold, and are found in lodes in the old formations of gneiss and schist. Th(3 ordinary concomitants of a good mining district, volcanic rocks, are not wanting. They are here granite and the n o recent porphyry, and hornblende. Both the sedi- mentary and igneous rocks are stated to vary nmcli in character, and to afford ample scope for a more defined and closer mincralogical nomenclature. The main systems of lodes run due east and west, whilst some of the smaller vary to about from north-east to south-west. The hornblende dykes run north and south. In some places the granite masses enclose the more recent porphyry. The lead is generally in the form of the sulphuret, as galena, containing more or less silver. Silver is also found as native, and in various combinations of its own, as chlorides, sulphurets, and, I believe, alloyed with the comparatively new metal tellurium. The matrix, or vein matter, is said to be generally (juartz. The system adopted here for valuing the ores is the same as in other parts of the States, and differs materially from our English custom. With us an ore is said to contain so many per cent, of \} 1' American assays — l^a/ue of ores. 131 lead, copper, or any of the less valuable metals, and if silver or gold are present, so many ounces of those metals per ton of ore, fi'om which the purchaser can make his own calculation as to value, whereas in this country the ores are, as it were, at once money valued by the assayer. An ore is said to be worth $100 or $200 per ton, as the case may be, according to its contents with certain well-known deductions. The American system would certainly seem to have the advantage of being easier understood by the general public. It is stated in the Government Geographical Sur- vey of Colorado, 187;^, that Mr. Hill's scale of pay- ment for ores delivered at his works is as follows : — " Ores containing per ton $50 he charges for smelt- ing $35, and pays $15; ores containing per ton $100, charges for smelting $40, pays $60; ores containing per ton $1 50, charges for smelting $45, pays $105 ; ores containing per ton $200, charges for smelting $50, pays $150; and in addition to this $1 50c. for every per cent, of copper in 2,000 pounds. All the prices of this schedule are in currency." I believe the miners' wages until lately were often as high as $4 per day ( = lCs.), but there is now a downward tendency. It is very difficult to make anything like a correct comparison between the actual benefit received by the miner here in Colorado and in the old country, the rent of houses and all the ordinary commodities of life, with the exception of meat and flour, being so much higher here. There must be, moreover, so many social drawbacks in a miner's life here, and which must necessarily continue for a long time to come. But, as I shall K 2 i;?2 IVandcrings in the Wcstcyu Land. M have to speak liorcaftcr on the subject of mines and miners, no more for the present. From Golden we had still thirty-seven miles to travel to Longmount, and the speed of the Colorado Central Railroad being anything but express, two and a half hours were required. The track runs northwards, skirting the foothills, with the higher mountains visible beyond. Boulder City is passed on the way, which, like Golden, is the county town of a large raining district extending far into the mountains, and of which a place called Caribou is the " mining camp." The term " mining camp " is very common out here, and means the head- quarters, or centre, of a mining district. The famous (\aribou lode occurs in syenite, a sort of granite in which hornblende takes the place of the mica of ordinary granite. The mining camp of Caribou is spoken of as intensely cold in winter, which is scarcely surprising considering that it is nearly 10,000 feet (9,905 feet, speaking accurately) above the sea level. We reached Longmount soon after midday, and, although we were now in October, the sun was striking down with a fierceness as great as on the hottest day of midsummer in England, and clouds of hot dust swept along the roads and streets, making the place anything but agreeable. We con- soled ourselves, however, with the thought that in a few hours we should escape from these miseries, and be inhaling the delicious breezes of the higher foothills. But we reckoned without our hosts ; for although we were only -35 miles from the ranche at Estes Park, and seven hours' daylight still remained, the livery stable-keepers refused to undertake the • i| /- ongmon nt — ' * A checks " ^11 journey ; Uiey plrtuiotl t litit t lio season wii« ov»'r, that tlieir Uorsea wn^ro tired, tlmt the '"oiul wus bml, aind liiidily, that ihui'e woidd ho n "i^ta^" on llu» monvjw. All e.\|Mmtuhttion wum usi'Iush ; tlioy >veh< in command of tho poHiti*>n iu»d wvMe iuuuuvabUv In vain we declarud our wilhn^ntisti to I'ide thi^l'o on horseback, but no, they wouUl not h't »»vyh ft pony out of their stabltis ; ro tliure was Uv)thiug {\\\ \\ but to resign ourselves with the best graie we could to spending the rest of the day in this most uninviting city, town, or village, or whatever other title they may please to give it. Being situated on a bare, parched- up prairie, hot, baking sand lay inches deep in its streets, which was to-day set into rapid motion by a strong whirling breeze, and persistently made its way into one's eyes, ears, and hair. Certainly that after- noon was one of the most unpleasant 1 ever spent, and we wished over and over again that we had never left our comfortable quarters in Denver. The place was to-day by the way of being unusually lively, as an election for a sheriff was going on, which crowded to repletion our miserable little pot-house, rejoicing in the dignified appellation of the "Hotel St. Vrain." How we panted for the mountain breezes and the tim- bered ridges, apparently so close at hand — but really twelve miles off, when measured only to the base of the foothills, — and what would we not have given to have been transported on to the top of one of those many peaks, of which — as we were told by a geographical memorandum at the back of an hotel card — there were no less than forty-three upwards of 14,000 feet above the sea level, the highest being Blanca, 14,464 feet. But it was no use chafing over our misfortunes ; we tried to practise equanimity, sauntered about a 134 V/anderi7io^s in the Western Land. little, and, when driven in by the blasts of hot sand and the stifling heat, did our best to pass the time in the miserable hostelry. Longmount boasts a daily paper,. and judging by the paragrr^pli in which it announced the arrival of our poor selves, it is not wanting in enterprising imagination. The paragraph ran as follows : — " Mjmbers of the English Parliament and other English notables passed through here on their way to Estes Park. Their ba^ofao^e consisted of eleven guns, sixty-two pairs of blankets, several dogs, ammunition, and a great variety of camp equipage, paraphernalia, &c." (Loiigmou :t PoHt.) ! ! Now, as a matter of fact, our party, all told, con- sisted of myself and L., Sandie (stalker), and L.'s servant ; we had one pair of blankets each, six guns all told, and two dogs between us. Our " great variety of caiup equipage " was one tent and two camp bedsteads, which, together with our four selves and " paraphernalia,'' were all packed comfortably next morniiig into one not over large vehicle. So on the whole thir, spoke well for tlie T^ongmount power" of " tall writing." But I am sure every excuse should be made for the fearful cuiiif.i of enterprising minds doomed to pass an existence in tliis wretched place. After trying in vain to take an interest in the sheriff's election — for no one seemed to care the least about it, or to be able to give us any informa- tion — we at last gave up and turned in at a very early hour, and at an early hour turned out again, relieved beyond measure with the prospect of getting away from this wretched little town. The vehicle, a sort of brake, called here the "hack," was ready . Cl w.cL^.-iiMmii0ifi^i^£M On the road to Estes Park — The foothills. 135 for us about 7 a.m., and soon afterwards we were shaping our course across the plain towards the base of the foothills. It was a miserably cold morning, which we felt the more after tho excessive heat of the previous days, but the air was lif"ht and in- vigorating. Passing by patches of cultivation, from which magnificent crops of wheat had been taken in the fall, we at last reached the mouth of the caiion, or glen, up which our road lay to Estes Park. Close by here were some very dncky-lookmg lakes, which are the resort in the early part of Mio winter of immense flocks of goese and other sorts of wild fowl, attracted here to feed in tlie Ioug: wheat stubbles. If a good harvest specially brings tliese wanderers, there ought to be a rare lot of them this autunm, for they tell mo the corn crop had been most abundant, averaging as much as forty bushels of wheat per acre, and this grown simply by irriga- tion and without a pound of manure. After entering the canon, through which runs the little stream called the St. Vrain, tlie scenery became very beautiful. The foothills tlirough which our road lay were luxuriant with a varied vegetation, most refreshing to behold aftei' the monotony of the plain. The two most common conifers were the yellow pine {pliiua 'pomJenisd), which grows to a height of from seventy to one hundred feet, and the balsam pine. OF other trees there are some very fine specimens of that peculiar poplar called the cotton Avood [pop III 11!^ hahain.iiu'/era), and the small birch, and the dwarf or scrub oak ((jucirus alba). Here and tliere were great masses and slabs of granite, or, properly speaking syenite, cropping out through the dense forest growth, and adding ini- ^■: * "Si 1 i tt-ti^Mm^ •«*■ ■*<1«fci*»i*- -* zsSa I i inwi iilli ffii liw wAm 1 i 136 IVajidcriiio's in the Western Land. iDeiisely to the charm of the scenery, which put me much in mind of the Esterelle mountains in the south of France, but here, the high range beyond is nearer and higher than the Alpes Maritimes, though not at this time of year covered with snow. I cannot say much of the road itself In those my early days of inexperience I thought it pretty nearly as bad as a team could be got over; now, perhaps, after som(> little trial of the tracks of the West, I might think more charitably of it. We had, however, a capital man at the • lines," and we came to no grief, although some of the very abrupt and sudden dips must have sorely tried the stability of our machine. How wood and iron can be put together to withstand such jars and jerks as we came in for, I cannot conceive. Certainl^^ our American cousins do understand carriagfe buildinof, and their hickory wood, of which their best vehicles are built, muM bo the toughest of mrterial. JBut n|thougli tli(! loiul is so infamous, the toll-gate is there, making its modest demand for $3 (12s.) for our one conveyance ! Higher and higher we get as we slowly perform the journey by the simple but sure process of more ups than downs, until at length we readied the ridge above Estes Park, and looked down upon this lovely basin with the grand encircling mountains beyond. The beauty of this view must be seen to be appreciated ; even such an artist as Bierstadt, w :0 is certainly the happiest 1 have seen in depict- !!ig American scenery, could not do justice to this be- V etching conp-iTa'iL The ** Park " lies below us, like a well kept pleasure ground, about a couple of miles in breadthj^and-ten or twelve miles long. Running 1 ■. I mmm. ; w 11 ! P» 5' mfi .a (•«t I ■jiiiff*' ^a mrt mj-si mti n m -•ret^fmrm^^^ -a- ^- ■! W■" ' - ■ " ^'^'^l« w^ 1■> ■*■■■■* " ■'■Wii " * f wi w i ' H w^wwawWW " * " ' " iw ypi * ;9r ^a^ssammmm mm ai3hr?t i S . i i 1? g> Sf' i !■ Ittll ^' ■ ( : * t in tS- ' 1 (I 5> e<5 C4 H CO i ;* y ^trnw^-'A First view of Estes Park — Former inhabitants. 0/ a 5> up from it iuto the range are many little gleus, some pretty long and broad, others mere " gulches," but none extending more than six or eight miles before the mountain sides are reached. The en- circling range on the left of our view can boast of Long's Peak, which is 34,271 feet above the sea level, and the highest point in the park ; but the peaks opposite are within a thousand feet of it, and have equally enchanting outlines. The loveliness of the scene is much enhanced by the brightness of the green of the park itself, which, although in marked contrast with the grim and sombre crags of the mountains beyond, seems to pass away to them in perfect harmony through the medium of the pine-covered sides. The trees grow as high up as a 12,000 feet elevation, beyond which are the bare ragged masses of volcanic rocks towering up two or three thousand feet more. Truly, the introduction to Estes Park is a lovely one. The sun was beginning to get low when we " made " the little nest of wooden erections re- joicing in the general appellation of the Estes Park Ranche. What a charming spot on Dame Nature's face it is ! what must Estes, the trapper — who only died last year — 'have thought of liis discovery ? At that time he was a solitary trapper, probably in constant dread of the Indians, who ranged undis- turbed over these happy hunting-grounds, and who, no doubt, looked upon a white as a dangerous interloper, to be disposed of as speedily as possible. In thosee days they must have had a real good time of it, for the quantities of old bison heads and iiiagiiificent wapiti horns which lie scattered abouS evea '>aw are really marvellous. And they had ift nm l ff^- ^. 138 JVandiTiiiPS in the Western Land. their little excitements too, for there exists now in the park the undoubted sites of more than one sanguinary battle. THE BLACK CAxOX AND RANGE IN ESTKH I'AUK. /'/•(/»( smell ; but this was by no means successful, and we were again treated to the loathsome odour; so bad was it that ray men were glad enough to throw trap and all into a neighbouring stream. \ once stopped at a dairy ranche, where, a short time previously, I am afraid to say how many tens of gallons of milk had been itterly spoiled by a skunk having emitted his stench in the cellar in which the milk was kept. It is said that the bite is very poisonous, the effects resembling that from a mad dog; but this I can hardly believe, as 1 am told that some of the hunters make pets of them, taking care to remove the gland in which the fetid secretion is retained. These little animals live in burrows or under old buildings, like rats, and are carnivorous in their tastes. (3ne morning at Estes Park we were amused by seeing a large skunk dragging along a fidl-grown fowl which it had killed ; it was followed by a small pack of different descriptions of dogs, varying in size from a bloodhound to a terrier, and having amongst them a lai'ge and savage black retriever ; all joined in a chorus of anger, but not one dared to attack. Having arrived at its hole under the old ranche, the skunk found the fowl too big to be pulled into it. How it would have got over the difficulty must remain unknown, as one of the bipeds of the establishment appeared on the scene, and the skunk had to abandon his prey, fixUing a victim to a charge of small shot. One day I was fishing in the " Big Thompson " River, which flows through the park, when my oid ^. ^'^ ^„0. V a! IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I U£|2J| |2.5 |5o "^ H^H ■^ 1^ 12.2 :!: ii£ 12.0 — '"11= i^ - 6' 0% niotographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRUT wnsTex.N.y. ms«o (716)I73-4S03 *> v^^ I/. ^:^i^'#A<., I'\ 144 Wanderings in the Western Land. retriever, " Sailor," pointed a small bush. Not knowing what was likely to be inside it, I told him to fetch it out. In he went, a fearful struggle ensued, followed by the most powerful emission of skunk odour conceivable. I retreated at once, and called out the old dog, but too late to be of much use; he came out in triumph with the dead skunk in hi« mouth, but, poor old fellow, the only reward for his bravery was to be banished to the smith's shop, as, notwithstanding constant baths in the river, he was perfectly unendurable for many a day. We spent some time hunting in the neighbour- hood of the ranche, and very enjoyable it was. The scenery was very beautiful, and our quarters tho- roughly comfortable ; the weather a little cold, but by no means disagreeably so, for although the thermometer registered as low as 17" of frost in our sleeping huts, it was so dry and still that we experienced no inconvenience from it. Although now getting late in the autumn, it was too early for game in these comparatively warm and sheltered regions. Until the weather has settled into winter the wapiti and black- tailed deer prefer hanging high up about the timber line, and not till they are actually forced by the extreme cold will they leave their mountain fastnesses, and retreat downwards towards the habitations of their greatest foes, the human race. The black-tailed deer come down first, but generally do not linger on the road until they reach their permanent winter quarters. As it was plain, from a series of blank days that no game had yet arrived in this immediate locality, we determined if possible to cross the Camp ill Horse- Shoe Park, 145 range of mountains, and to get over into North Park, which was said to be the summer and autumn haunt of the deer tribe. It was now getting late in the season for this expedition, so, if attempted, it must be so without delay. Mr. Whyte thought it very desirable that we should first make an experi- mental camp at no great distance from the ranche, in order that we should find out for ourselves our particular wants and requirements. Accordingly one lovely day we took our two hunters, Messrs. Row and James, and our two servants, and accom- panied by Mr. Whyte himself, started ofi" for Horse Shoe Park, a beautiful branch glen about seven ' "^^^^^^^^^ ,£^» '^<.l^-- LAMP IN HOBSE-SHOK PARK. Fr-)m a Sketch hy A.P. V. miles from the ranche. Here, in the midst of the grandest scenery, and by the side of a tempting little trout stream called Fall River Creek (pro- nounced " crik "), we made a most enjoyable camp. L ujiuui 1 84 Wiifideinngs in the Western Land. I ' III; effect on the animal, which eventually got well away and was never brought to bag. But to return to the present occasion. When " Ned " rejoined us exhausted and tired, having evidently had a long run, it was so late in the day that we had to give up further pursuit, and had only to make for our bronchos, and get back to camp as quickly as we could. Fortunately the night was pretty clear, for most of our ride was in the dark, and Griff knew nothing of these parts ; he was, however, very good in wood-craft, and had marked the country well, so we got back without a hitch. What a fearfully depressing thing a deserted camp is ! a lonesome overpowering stillness reigns, where a few hours before all was active, stirring life. Such feelings of depression assail us more strongly on a return from a long day's unsuccessful hunting, tired, cold, and hungry, than when we have some- thing to show for our labours. And to add to our present trials our party before leaving in the morning had neglected to bank up the camp-fire, or to cut any firewood; consequently directly we got in, we had to go out and seek for wood in the dark, and then to set to work and " chop " it. For- tunately some cotton-wood trees were not far off, and we managed to get a fire pretty soon, for the weather was bitter and we felt the necessity of speedy warmth. To add to my own discomfort, I found that the bag which contained my change of clothes was locked, and no key could be discovered fCi' " 'nte a while." Whilst I was engaged in the seirch. Griff had been most successfully occupied with the supp.ep." :\pur fare was antelope venison )me- to the tire, we the i^or- ofE, the f of t, I e of Bred the pied ison i-^ Move of camp — " Ned's " disobedience. 1 85 and fresh baked bread, and right good they were. We thoroughly enjoyed the repast, and having done ample justice to Griff's cooking, and being well tired out, were very soon curled up for the night. The following day was a most glorious one for hunting, but as we had decided on moving camp some seven or eight miles further up the park to be nearer the best elk ground, the greater part of it was spent in this operation. The work was hard and took a long time, as there were only two of us to strike the tent, and then pack and drive the laden bronchos, so that the sun was nearly down be- fore we got to the spot we had selected on the pre- vious day, on the bank of a creek or stream, close to where it escaped from the mountains. Near here we thought from appearances there would be both good grazing and plenty of wood and water — the main essentials of a good camp. Whilst Griff unpacked the bronchos and pitched the only tent we now had with us, I thought 1 should have time before sundown to take a quiet hunt with *' Ned." Leaving camp, I maJe for a neighbouring pine-clad ridge, where, as I expected, I soon found fresh elk tracks ; it was too late, how- ever, to follow them, and, after making a detour, 1 headed back for camp. On my way hither I came across an ungainly-looking creature, which I soon made out to be a porcupine, and with little trouble I got a shot at and wounded it. Unfortunately " Ned " did not " down charge," but, despite my loudest shoutiner, went straight at the brute, and '&> severely did the poor old dog get punished for his disobedience. A yell of pain, ai]jfi^H»v^^ precipitate ♦ ■ )«I1 1 86 Wandcritigs in the Western Land. y ii , retreat showed that the porcupine had made good use of its natural means of defence. Poor " Ned " was stuck full of quills — his mouth, cheeks, and fore- legs appearing like a pincushion. With some diffi- culty I got him back to camp, and then, as may bo imagined, we had truly a nice job to extract the quills. Luckily I had some nippers, and with these, and with the aid of Griff Evans's firmly-planted incisor teeth, we contrived to get most of them out of the lips and cheeks of the poor suffering dog. By the time we had finished with his head we had had quite enough, and, thinking that he would be able to take them out for himself from his paws and legs, we were glad to leave these for his own treatment. But it appeared afterwards that his patience was not like ours, and instead of extracting the quills whole, he had bitten them off" short, and consequently the points worked in, and made him lame for many a long day. This porcupine is not the same variety as the South African and Indian (Nystrix cristata), but is, I believe, the urson, or Canadian porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). Its flesh is said to be very fairly good, and in request among the Indians. It is supposed by many that they possess the power of shooting out their quills clear of the body, and it would seem as if Longfellow shared in this opinion, for he writes in " Hiawatha : " — " From a hollow tree the liedgo-hog With his sleepy eyes look'd at him, Shot his shining quills like arrows." But from what I saw and heard from others, I think this is a mistaken idea ; the fact is that the quills Another move — Under difficulties. 187 the but ipine very . It rer of id it inion, think mills can be very easily detached, and being very pointed and sharp, the moment anything comes in contact with them, they are left sticking in that object. If not removed at once they work in with wonderful quickness, and cause great suffering, and even danger. But to resume — during my absence Griff, after making camp, had discovered that the spot we had fixed on was a complete swamp, and that there was nothing for it but to move ! Truly a delightful prospect! bad enough for a weak-handed party in broad daylight, but with the light fast failing, and a second time in the same day ; it was really enough ( ^ make one sit down and greet. But it had to bo done, so to work we set. First of all we had to lay hands on those ill-conditioned and mule-like bronchos, who evidently considered that any further call on their services was most unwarrantable and not to be endured, and resisted to their utmost ; but Griff's blandishments and tact at last pre- vailed, and my own especial pony, who seemed to be the ringleader in the obstruction, was at length caught and bridled. With her the resistance ceased, '.nd the other two soon gave in. Then we had to r; ]' ick, and as the distance to the new campmg ,^0 nd was only a few hundred yards, we naturally tuought it unnecessary to make the packs very secure. Unfortunately, in that short distance we had to cross the creek, and all the things which could possibly fall off took the oppor- tunity of doing so, generally at the exact moment when they were over the rushing water. Amongst them w%is my box of rifle cartridges, and a nice soaking it got. By this time it was dark, and we mmmmmmm i8S IVcmdcriuds in the Western Land. ¥:■ had to grope about for everything in a most dis- heartening and wearisome manner ; but with all our endeavours we failed in recovering that night all wo had lost, and some things were never found at all. AVe were completely beat by all these trials and exertions, and at last we found ourselves, as Grift' called it, " quite played out," and that before we had begun to get our second camp made. We were so exhausted that we could scarcely collect enough wood for a fire at which to warm ourselves and cook some meat, without even attempting to repitch the tent or unpack any of the things. Fortunately the evening was fine, though bitterly cold ; what was now to be done ? we must get some shelter and warmth for the night somehow. As it happened, on our way up in the morning we had met a young trapper whom we believed to be living in a hut somewhere up this creek, but where we had no idea ; supper had, however, refreshed us much, and we thought the best thing we could do would be to try and find him out, and get shelter with him. Following the creek for about a quarter of a mile, we most luckily came on the hut, at the door of which we knocked loudly, but for some time without any answer. At last a sleepy voice re- sponded, and we raised the latch and went in. A curious sight awaited us, which by the fitful blaze of the waning fire we could just make out. The interior of the hut seemed to be about twenty-five feet square. On one side were arranged against the wall two " bunks " or berths, in one of v/hich slept a woman ; in the other, the young trapper. On the earth floor, beside the woman, were five little chil- dren rolled up in blankets like so many mummies ; -^,miii^» T 194 JVanderiiigs in the Western Land. ycsterdny and up we went. Wliat a climb wo had of it ! The mountain-sido was steeper than any honsc-roof I ever saw, and the footing almost as difficult ; and after all we never even saw our game. Time after time we came to where they had stopped only a few minutes before, and probably looked down on us in our labours, and then had quietly continued their own comparatively easy ascent as soon as we got within dangerous proximity. This wild-goose chase we continued until the timber line was nearly reached (12,000 feet), when we came to the conclusion that they had made up their minds to cross the divide into the Laramie Valley, and decided upon abandoning the severe and disheart- ening stern chase. On our way back Curly showed me where he had successfully " set a rifle trap " for bear during the past summer. It was made by securing a loaded rifle at full cock to a tree, with the muzzle pointed at an elk's carcase. Round the bait was stretched a cord about a foot off" the ground made fast at one end to the trigger of the rifle, so that nothing could meddle with the carcase without setting ofl^ the rifle. By this arrangement Curly had killed one bear and severely wounded another. A fine golden eagle had also fallen a victim, and lay now untouched, where it fell, but too far gone for preserving. Wlien we got back to camp we were relieved to find that Griff had recovered the ponies. He had found them about four miles further down the park, beside a swampy creek which had barred their pro- gress towards better pastures. The next day 1 took Griff with me for a hunt, and i ' I . Catup on the Big Sandy — Elk meat at last. 1 95 worked the ground to the southward. After some little time we struck and followed the trail of a couple of bull elk, and presently found them feeding in the timber ; but luck was still against me, for, as we were getting well in for a quiet shot, one of our miserable ponies — which we had dismounted and left some little way off — suddenly appeared on the scene and put the deer away at a gallop ; a scram- bling, running, hurried chance was all I got, and this I missed. But we were not destined to go back to camp meatless, for shortly after this we came across the fresh tracks of a small band of elk, which we followed into the thick green timber we had hunted on the first day. Very soon after entering this they seemed to have dispersed and broken into small groups in a very unusual manner. Under these cir- cumstances it was most difficult to do any good with them, as they were continually '* on the lope " and scaring one another. Eventually we came across a very fine old cow elk alone, which we at once made sure of, the meat of the cow being thought very superior and a great delicacy. Evans had got my large eight-bore gun loaded with spherical ball, and not thinking that I had seen the animal as well as himself fired at the same moment as I did ; his bullet entered the neck, and on its way thither cut down a small fir-tree. My express, too, had shot truly, striking the elk just below the shoulder ; both were fatal shots, and the poor beast never stirred from the spot. So at last we had got some elk meat, and of the finest quality ; but I am free to confess that I should have much preferred a bull, with less good meat and a head with horns. 2 \ii 196 IVaiidcrin^^s in the JVcsfcni La ml. The next morning T waH out early with Fjvans on the mountain-side to the northward of the camj). Wo soon struck elk tracks, and as they wore fresh we followed them on. After some time it became evident that we were quite close on a band of bulls, and as the wind was all right and the trail lay through timber more or less dense, we did not know the moment we might "jump " them. This excite- ment continued all the afternoon, until it became so dark as to compel us to think of making back tracks for camp. Before doing so, however, feeling that the band could not be far off, I ascended a little rise, and fired off my rifle to sec if it would disturb any- thing within sight. It was a " happy thought " of Griff's, for scarcely had the sound died away before there appeared on a small hillock about three- quarters of a mile off a band of eight magnificent bull elk, a glorious sight indeed. There they were, grand beasts, behaving just like a herd of red deer stags, running after and poking each other and playing about on the top of the bare knoll like so many great kittens. They were but little scared, for they had not seen us, and did not seem to have any idea what the alarming sound was, or where it had come from. We sat watching them for some little time, full of wishes for a couple of hours' more day-light, but it was now getting hopelessly dark, so the best thing we could do was to leave them in quiet pos- session, and hope that we might find them on the morrow ; we turned our weary footsteps to where we had left our ponies, and thence had a ten-mile ride in intense cold to camp. This ride was very nearly a bad business for me; my feet — shod in A touch of frost — A grand stalk. 197 English shootiiig-boots — had got (lamp in tho snow, half melted by tho rays of the sun, and during tho ride home had got partially frozen ; they were quite benumbed at first, but after many and vigorous rubbings with coal-oil (paraflBne) and keeping them in a compress of the same, pain set in, and no further harm resulted than the loss of skin, and more or less pain for many subsequent months. It was a lesson to me, however, which I did not forget. Henceforth I wore nothing but " gum boots," — that is, boots made of indiarubber, which I had luckily sent for by L. to Laramie, — and with the most satisfactory results. As may be imagined, the next morning was like that of the 1st of September in old Et )n days. Very early was our start, and " You bet, Sirree," no time was lost in getting back to where we had seen the band of bulls the previous evening. We then soon " took the trail " and followed it some little wav, but finding it was leading us up towards the ridge of the divide, we thought it would be more advisable to try and find them by sight. After some hours " speer- ing " about the open spaces in the timber, we were gladdened by the sight of the whole band quietly feed- ing on a very steep part of the mountain-side. They were undoubtedly our friends of the previous evening, the same in number and with the same remarkably fine heads, one in particular making my heart flutter. Now came the real excitement of the stalk. Leav- ing our bronchos well hidden in some thick timber, we sat down, and, " made propositions "as to how the stalk was to be made, how the wind was there, &c., &c. Griff showed himself an old and experienced hand, and having settled our plans, away we started. .■-—•■*v. »•*»■•■'" ■"««;;*,' '.t*.*^"!!!* «| JH I«.]. '.1llt>IV*fm 198 JVandci'm^s in the Western Land. ^'U! U f <■ li \- \ ' At first some thick timber liicl us well from view, but after getting tlirough this, between it and the base of the steep hill on the side of which were the elk, we had to take the open. The quantity of loose stones and dead timber afforded " MY FlKSr WAl'llI. Tram n Sketfh by A.P.V us some shelter, but being covered with srow they made the travelling difficult and tiring, and I was glad enough to get on to the firm ground of the hill-side, steep as it was. Having toiled up this to a level at least as high, if not higher, than where the elk were, we took ad\antage of some scattered A chance at last — A steady shot. 199 Ik undergrowtli to reach unobserved a ridge of broken and rocky ground, wliich abutted on to the edge of a very steep gorge, or "gulch." Arrived here at last, we knew the deer were on the opposite side of the gulch, but could not be certain of their exact distance or whereabouts. Cautiously peering along the edge of a rock, I saw within 150 yards of me a magnificent bull elk, the nearest of the band. Under ordinary circumstances I should have been well satisfied to have got such a chance, but I had seen a monster head with the band and knew that this was not it, and my heart was set on pos- sessing that if possible. As is so often — one may almost say always— the case in deer-stalking, the largest beast was not the nearest. On the present occasion 1 soon made out my grand head, bent in feeding about fifty yards or more beyond the nearest of the herd. But there was no chance of getting any nearer ; the gulch was too bare of cover to get into without being seen, and the nearest elk com- manded it completely. Nothing therefore was to be done but to settle down for a shot from where I was, and " tak* him noo." How it came on to storm just at this momentous crisis ! the keen wind blew the frozen snoAv into my eyes and face until they smarted again with pain, but the excitement was too intense to think of such trifles at the time. My one thought was to get the big head, and I did not care what I suffered so long as I could draw a steady bead on my beauty. Getting myself into the best posi- tion I could, I pulled off as steadily as for a bull's- eye at a thousand yards. Bang went the rifle, but the big brute never stirred ; a moment more and ho moved forward a yard or so, but in that short move- 200 IVandei'in^s in the Western Land. ment I was able to see that he had got the ball well, and at once turned my attention to the first bull, who was standing quite still, trying to make out what caused the alarm. Taking him with my second barrel, I had the satisfaction of hear- ing him tumble into the gulch, setting all the stones rattling as he fell. Reloading, I fired again at the large elk, who was now bolting away with the rest of the herd ; whether I hit him or not, I do not know, but he disappeared with the rest. Without stopping to gralloch, or even look at the second beast, we started off in pursuit of the " boss." There was no difficulty in t;aking his track in the heavy snow, he was bleeding so freely; but wo were rather too rash in our pursuit, and rushed into sight as he lay about 300 yards off, and away he bolted again. He now left the trail of tlie rest of the band, and turning down the hill laid down amongst some timber. I was then able to stalk in pretty close, and to give him the coitp de grace, but not without some trouble, as the vitality of the elk is very great, and as long as life is in them care must be taken not to give them an opportunity for a charge. . This was truly a magnificent beast ! such a grand head of fourteen points ; and what splendid points they were ! the largest of them measured twenty- eight inches in length ! The circumference of the horn round the coronet was twelve inches, and the greatest "timber" (Angl., beam or girth) was half an inch more. It was a very regular head, which is somewhat unusual in wapiti, the horns very often having curious growths and excrescences, probably arising from injuries when soft and young. After gralloching the big beast we turned back to the A '' Right and Left r 201 other, which proved to be a very fine one, but his A " KIGIIT AND LEFT." A LARGE SCOTCH RED DEER HEAD. Drawn on tame ecule an Wapiti above. points were a good deal damaged by the fall into the gulch. Griff judged the weights to be about J ! ■.«iB«w. -at^te 202 WaJidcrm^^s in the Westei'n Lcuid. 600 pounds each (over forty-two stone) when "dressed" (Angl., clean). We had a long pull back to camp, and encountered some very severe squalls of wind and snow, but what did the weather signify after such sport ? We had a little excitement, too, on the way in the shape of a strange camp fire about a mile off our track, and some little distance out on the plain. Judging from its position, so far away from the timber. Griff did not think it was likely to be a white man's camp, nor was it likely to be Indians here in North Park. We did not care, however, about investigating further, being only two of us, and curiously enough we never heard afterwards a satisfactory explanation of the unwelcome vision. Elated with yesterday's success, I was away early next day with Griff to the southward of our camp, and after some hours' hunting sighted on the out- skirts of some timber a little band of elk, consisting of one good bull and a few cows. They had evidently seen us, and were uneasy, so leaving Griff with the ponies to keep their attention, I proceeded to stalk them by myself. From the commanding position they occupied I was unable to get nearer than about 250 yards, and then, seeing that they were about to move, I took a quiet pull at the bull. My first barrel missed him, but he stood still for a moment, and with my second I had the satisfaction of seeing that I had decidedly scored. Off they all started, the bull with the rest, but after following the track some little way, we found that he had parted from the cows. This is generally an unmis- takable sign of a severe wound, and so it proved to be in this case ; for although I had a long piece of /. Ou7' move from the Dig Sandy 20 tracking, I got him afc last, after liaving " jumped " him four times, each time, except the last, with scarcely a chance of a shot. The head was a good one, though nothing like those of yesterday, nor was his body so heavy. The next day was spent by Griff and the Swede, Martin — who had now rejoined us after taking L. to Laramie — in getting the heads, &c., to camp. When this was accomplished it v/as too late to move camp, as had been our intention, for the weather had now become so severe and threatening, that we deemed it advisable to get down to a less elevated region, lest such a fall of snow should come as might cut us off from civilization. If this had happened wo should have been obliged to abandon the waggon and our poor horses, the latter to perish of cold and hunger, while we ourselves would have had to to get out, on snow-shoes, as best we could. The next morning we made a very early start with all our goods and chattels from our encampment ou the " Big Sandy," as the creek was called. Although the weather was intensely cold, and further delay was full of risk, I was very sorry to leave ; I had had such capital sport in this locality, and we had become so comfortably settled. I had grown quite fond even of the poor " Whiskey Jacks " (" Clark's crow," corviis or piclcorvus Colmnbianus)^ which so often associate themselves with camp life in the Rocky Mountains. In shape and size these busy birds are more like magpies or jays than crows, and reminded me much in their behaviour and movements of our black and white friends in the old country. The plumage is a sort of drab grey of various shades. We had always from three to mmmmmmmmmm 204 Wandej'ings in the Western Land. five about our camp here, taking a most livelj* interest in all our proceedings, and ready to come down and peck at any scraps which might be thrown away while the cooking or feeding was progressing. Find- ing they were not interfered with, they became so tame that they used to perch and sit within a few yards of us. Their notes were lively and cheery, and any noise was welcome in these lonely wilds. The poor birds are often shot at by way of practice for the six-shooter, and then become wild and canny. They are found only in elevated regions, rarely descending below a 3,000-feet altitude. It was now the second wf'ck in November, and the cold was getting more severe every day. The winter storms had begun in earnest, and the weather in which we moved from the Big Sandy to Old Man Pinkham's was truly a caution. Almost from the very commencement it stormed, and we had to fight the whole of the way against a cutting snow, propelled by the keenest north-east wind. Griff would not stop for baiting or rest in the twenty or twenty-five miles, fearing that the horses would freeze. At times we could not see at all, the driving frozen snow was too blinding and cutting, and the cold was so intense that it was all we could do to keep ourselves from freezing. As it was, I lost the skin off my ears, although they were well tied over, and Griff was knocked up for many a day afterwards. When about six miles from Pinkham's we passed the minister. Rose, in a little open cart drawn by a mule and a pony, in which were his wretched wife and the four small children, rolled up in some scanty bedding at the bottom. How that poor woman and her infant Old man Pinkhavns again. 205 offspring ever got through that awful day I cannot imagine; but they did, and moreover, two days later, crossed the Divide into the Laramie Valley, in the warmer cHme of which they intended to pass the winter. One of our wheelers, Nell, " played out " (Angl., " broke dow n ") within two miles of Pinkham's, and we were obliged to leave her to weather that night as best she could. I was very sorry to do so, but we could not help it ; for no one could stand the cold to stand by and coax her on, through such a storm as this. We hardly knew whether the poor beast would be alive in the morning, but contrary to the prevailing opinion of the inmates of the ranche, she was alive, and able to walk in to the shed which served for stables. She seemed, how- ever, never to recover from the effects of that journey, and was not of much use during the rest of our hunt. The nex four days we remained at the ranche for the benefit ...oth of ourselves and of the stock, and I was here able to lighten our load by leaving the wa- piti heads and hides, to be sent from here to Laramie city, thence to be " expressed " eastwards for preser- vation. It was a great amusement to me superin- tending the packing, and talking over the trophies, and I will take this opportunity of saying a few words on this splendid representative of the deer tribe, of which I had now got such good specimens. The wapiti {cermis Ganadensis), usually misnamed out here the "elk," is essentially the red deer of America, as the caribou is the reindeer, and the moose the elk, only with the wapiti the similarity with the European representative, except the size, is even more marked than in the case of the other two. .g^ai 2o6 Wandcrhigs in the Western Land. As far as I could ascertain, its habits are identical with our red deer. The " bulls " (or stags) go with I WAPITI FKEbliNG. From a Sketch hy A. Bitrttmlf. I the " cows " (or hinds) till the rutting commences, about the beginning of October. This season lasts about six weeks, after which the bulls keep by them- selves in small " bands " or herds. As I have on other occasions observed of deer in foreign climes, they re- cover their condition very quickly after the rutting season is over, which is doubtless owing to the superior quality of pasture compared with that which our own red deer can obtain, and it is a merciful provision of nature that the spring is far advanced before their constitutions are called upon to bear another strain in growing their colossal horns, which do not become sufficiently hard to allow of the velvet being shed ', "WT-'^'',-."fTf"'*-'fW,f 'jS^l^feJ «:»;■. . m, :)' « If iMii^i' fM'H iH cs I •x M U n H o The Wapiti^ habitSy &c. 207 ■ u n H o III before tho beginning of August. From this time to the commencement of the rutting season, the bulls are in their best condition. In colour thoy are a rich reddisli brown, with very dark, almost black, points. A full-grown bull will stand from fifteen to sixteen hands in height, and will W(Mgh about forty stone " clean," and a good cow will weigh nearly thirty stone. The meat of tho cow is considered of finer quality than that of tho bull, and remains good all through tho winter. Wapiti are, I believe, easily domesticated, but when in that state the bulls are said to be very unsafe during the rutting season. I heard of a man in the Eastern States being caught when crossing an enclosure in which some were con- fined, and having been rescued with the greatest difficulty from the attack of a savage stag. Good mocassins, or rather leggings, are made out of the skin of the hind leg, peeled oif for a few inclies above and below the hocks, the bend of the hock forminsf the heel of the boot. I found the wapiti as difficult to stalk as red deer, but I believe when in large herds they are not so wary, and do not get under way so rapidly, as when alone, or in small lots. When in motion they are not so swift as smaller deer, and on this account it is sometimes easy, when they are massed together, to obtain what the hunters call "a stand," that is, a chance of firing an unlimited number of shots into the brown before they can get sufficiently far away to be out of shot. I have heard of as many as seventeen of all sorts and kinds — bulls, cows, and calves — being killed in this way on one occasion by a single repeating rifle — an unsportsmanlike proceeding 2o8 IVandcrings in the Western Land. I 1^1 well calculati'd to hasten tlio extorinination of this the handsomest of the deer tribe. Old Man Pinkhain's had been somewhat trans- mogrified in the short time since we were here on our way up the park. The " old man " was away on a hunt after what are called here '* bison," in distinction to the bufl'alo of the plain, but of this hereafter. The ranche had been turned into a sort of inn, and was "run" (Angl., conducted) by a Froncliman and his wife. The solitary room had been divided in half by a thin board partition, to make it, I suppose, rather more private for the wife ; but the numbers who slept under this roof were such that very little privacy could be sccui'cd even under these new con- ditions. Here I parted with the Swede and engaged a man from La Porte, on the Cache la Poudre, by name Edward Herridge, together with his waggon and team of horses. " Edd," as he was called, was a native of Devonshire, but had emigrated here when only a few years old. It would see. : tliat from earliest boyhood he had been a regular Weltkiinfy having run away from his ])arents when very young, and since then spent his life in wandering on horse- back — or "packing," as he called it — through most of the Western States. He had gone through a very varied experience of hardship and excitement, and although still a fine and well-made man, and only about thirty-five years of age, yet from the many serious accidents which had befallen him, and from the hard life he had led, he was much weak- ened both in physical strength and constitution. He and Griff now formed ray paid retinue, but besides them 1 had two volunteers, friends of Edd, M it* My nciv " outfit'' ;o9 I who were anxious to sco the country I was about to visit, and in return for being fed by me rendered such services as cooking and camp work, besides occasionally assisting in the hunt. These two men were called Lee and Hank. The former was a well- made, active young fellow of about thirty, who had originally been brought up in a druggist's shop " down east," but had preferred a wild western life of sometimes mining, sometimes hunting, to the tame routine of civilization. He, too, had seen some wild work. In self-defence he had been obliged to shoot two white men, one in a card row, the other about a cow. One of these unfortunates was killed on the spot ; the other still lived, and, it was believed, waited for revenge. He was a good- natured, obliging fellow, and I never had any occa- sion to find fault with him. The other volunteer, Hank, although under thirty years of age, had already seen more roughing and hardships than fall usually to the lot of even a frontier man. He had done a great deal of what is called " freighting," that is, carrying goods for the Government or private traders from the railway stations to outlying posts. In his wanderings he had seen much, and had it not been for his excessive use of the strongest western phraseology, he would have been a very entertaining companion. Hank was our cook, and a very good and enterprising one he was. So after Curly Rogers left us, on Cow Creek, a little further down the Platte, we mustered five hands all told, and this was our strength through my subsequent hunting campaign. For nearly two months from this time I did scarcely anything but hunt. Those, therefore, of P 210 IVanderijK's in the Western Land. fi Hi ■ I \\ my readers who do not care for tins amusement wonld do well, according to Bacon's advice, to taste and not digest the pages devoted to my sporting adventures, until Rawling's Spring, on the U.P.R., is reached. /( a.\ (_^^^ ^ 7- ♦ AVhilst my stock and outfit were recruiting and refitting at Pinkham's, I went up the park with my new acquaintance. Hank, to fetch down the first elk I had killed. The weather had been so intensely cold that there was no fear of its having been spoiled by its lengthened sojourn on the hill ; in fact, so severe was the frost now, that all the meat required for cooking, had to be chopped with an axe. So far from being detrimental to the quality, this freezing process appeared to improve it both in tenderness and flavour, and to make it far better than the same meat killed during the warmer season and eaten fresh ; I found that this was a fact well known to hunters. We had about eleven or twelve miles to drive from Pinkham's before we turned off the plain towards the mountains where the elk lay. The snow being very deep our progress was slow, and it was late in the afternoon before we reached the stream which we had to follow towards the high ground where we were to camp for the night. Arrived here we took the horses out, made a fire, and cooked some meat. Whilst Hank was so employed I thought I would have a little hunt in the surrounding timber. I soon struck some fresh tracks, and, keeping a sharp look-out, was speedily gratified by seeing four large bull elk browsing in an open place about half a mile off. Unfortunately, they were in a very commanding position, and I A sticcessfiil stalk. 21 I soon saw that tlie most I could do would be to get a long shot from the opposite ridge, and that that could only bo done if I could get unseen into the hollow below. Marking the ground carefully, I pro- ceeded to cai'ry out my ideas ; but when I got on to the nearest ridge I found the distance from the elk was further even than I had expected, and that they were still at least two hundred and fifty yards off. Seeing, however, that I could not get any nearer, I determined to make the best of it, and, picking out the bull with the finest head, I waited till he gave me his broadside, and then pulled off steadily. Away dashed the four big beasts into the thick timber, every one of them apparently unin- jured. Faithful, however, to a good old practice, I went to the spot and took their tracks, to satisfy myself that I had not scored. I had not gone very far on the trail before an occasional crimson shilling lay on the pure white snow, and then a little further on a large splotch of gore showed that the deer had received a fatal wound ; then a few hun- dred yards more, and my eyes were greeted with the sight of the grand beast lying on the snow. He was not quiie dead, however, for he quickly jumped on to his legs, and I, as quickly, put a tree between him and me; but he soon fell again and died without another shot. He proved a very fine beast, with a magnificent head of thirteen points. After discussing with Hank an appetising meal of antelope venison, we proceeded to gralloch him, and then set out to look for the small log cabin which was described as being somewhere in this locality, and in which it was our intention to pass the night. We searched for it as long and as closely as we could, I' 2 I T^ 2 1 2 Wandei'mgs in the Western Land. W for the weather was fearfully cold, and we neither of us fancied an al fresco camp in such threatening weather ; but no hut could be found, so, when dark- ness came on, we had to seek the waggon, and make the best arrangement we could for a night in the open. Another meal of fresh-baked bread and meat and tea, and then we settled down for the night. With my Old Country prejudices against sleeping on the ground, I preferred the waggon covered over with the sheet, whilst Hank — a very old campaigner — spre'ad his blankets on the frozen ground, close to the immense pitch-pine fire, and I feel pretty sure he had the best of it ; for the wind certainly did come up through the chinks and cracks of that mean old waggon, and mighty cold I was before the morning broke. Hank appeared comfortable enough when he aroused from his slumbers, and had no complaints to make. On the contrary, he was full of congratulations that it had not stormed during the night, and that it had been so fine and quiet. Besides being a good cook, he was a very cheery fellow, and whiled away the time pleasantly enough during meals with stories of his experience in freighting, of which he had done much to and from the mines and the Indian "aofencies." These " asfen- cies " are Government posts, at which the Redskins reside during winter, and where they are fed and clothed by thu Government on condition of good behaviour. According to all accounts, the rob- beries perpetrated by the officials of these posts at the expense of the Indians have been scandalously great, and this is, I believe, one of the principal sources of the hostile feeling which now exists between the two races. The Indians have been promised so many e neither "eatening len dark- md make the open, neat and b. With g on the >ver with aigner — , close to J sure lie did come at mean fore the e enough had no was full I during [juiet. y cheery ^ enough ience in nd from ) " agen- tedskins fed and of good he rob- ts at the y great, iirces of the two many ' 11 ..r^r^mmmff^-n ¥fji|iiiiM"i;ii|iii||||ii|r mim ,,. I'iiii '■^V;;;:::l; ii.;,u"! isiiiliir't-ijyL; III It I'' 11 '' I "I!' liilililir^'^^^^^'' ' mm^^.m^ ■:%:!*'>» Wh ill 3 n a 5 I 9i ■< X ■«) l-l S3 -I M H t-i o I 4 5C ■X Ik M I-) el M a ■< o m Mismanagement of the Indian Bureau. 2 1 3 thousand blankets, or whatever else it may have been, by the Government on certain specified conditions, which the Indians on their part generally honour- ably carry out. And so, too, would the United States Government were they not baffled by their emi^loyes^ who, after the money has been voted by Congress, subject it to a regular system of black- mail as it were, on its way to the Redskin. Of the rascality practised, every one who travels through this country and comes in contact with the fre- quenters of posts, will probably hear enough. It would appear as if the Indian Bureau from top to bottom has been mismanaged and corrupt. Even after the blankets and clothing have been purchased and sent to the agencies, the Indian rarely gets them without paying for them, nor, when paid for, are they of the quality intended by the " "White Father." I have been told too that goods sent as free gifts by Government are often sold by the officials to the Indians actually before they have been unloaded from the waggon in which they have been brought to the post, and that a single blanket is not unfre- quently cut in half and sold as two. So much for dishonesty ; now for mismanagement. Last year, I heard from a man who freighted for the Government to the Red Cloud Agency in the Black- hills, that at the time the United States were at war with a portion of the Sioux, under the leadership of the famous " Sitting Bull," by some means or other the squaws at this Sioux agency were enabled to draw rations for 13,000 mouths, whereas there were not half that number of Indians here. The surplus, however, was useful to the Indians, as it assisted to support " Sitting Bull " and his band in their i 214 Wanderings in the Wesiern Land. difficulties with the troops, and as a climax, it is said to have been conveyed to the warriors on horses stolen from the whites ! The horses " run off " by Indians last year in that district alone amounted to no less than ten thousand ! So said my informant, and 1 can quite believe it,3udging from the many stories of similar pur- port which reached me from all sides. It is alleged that the number of the United States troops is so miserably small, having regard to the posts they have to occupy, that the local commanders are afraid of dealing out even justice to the white and the Indian alike. The whites complain that if Indians steal their horses or stock near a post where the troops are few and the Indians numerous, they get no redress from the commandant from his fear of creating a disturbance, and are obliged to put up with the loss. My informant himself was engaged in " freighting " to a Government agency, when, on one of his journeys, he was met by some Indians at a short distance from the post. One of them claimed one of his horses, my friend objected, and the case came before the commandant. The Indian stated that the horse had been stolen from him two 3'^ears before; the white man proved that the horse had been in his own possession over three years. But the Indians were numerous and independent, and the troops but few ; so it was thought politic to decide in favour of the Indian ! Such cases naturally create and keep up a very sore feeling on the part of the white settlers towards the Indians, and one hears frequent vows of ven- geance to be taken on the Redskins should this sys- tem continue. I am not going to dogmatize on the Indian question. My stay in the country was too 1 . '' .'■ I . ■ f' r The Indian question. 215 short to enable rae to get more than a cursory insight into the case as between the United States people, the GovernTtnent, and the Indians. As far as I could gather, I believe that Congress, as the representatives of the people, mean to be just and fair in their dealings with the Indians; but that their intentions have been hitherto most extensively thwarted by the slackness and corruption of the Indian Department or Bureau. The poor Indians are the chief sufferers by this ; a great deal of the money voted to ameliorate their conquered condition feathers the nests of the officials and subordinates. No wonder then that they cease to believe in the white man's promises. There is another cause which has created much ill blood between the two races. Certain parts of the country are assigned to different tribes on condition of their resigning their rights to their natural pos- sessions which may be required for settling or other purposes. These assigned districts are called " reser- vations," and are guaranteed by the United States Government. It often happens that in a short time the population of settlers has increased largely and that it has overflowed into the assigned districts, per- haps from stock runs or minerals having been opened out. In either of these events the Indian must go, nolens volensy and the Government will scarcely have a voice in the matter. Naturally enough, this process of expulsion will not be carried out without strong remonstrance on the part of the Indians. They rightly look upon it as a breach of faith, and set themselves to work to oppose it by force. Then follow massacres — whenever a white man is killed it is called a "massacre" — reprisals, and all the ^- ,** • V II iiiiiiriiiw'Tr.Tir-T'liiii m 2 1 6 Wanderings in the Western Land ho.Tors of Indian warfare. Troops are collected, and a campaign takes place, in which not unfre- quently, being inferior in numbers and no better armed, the soldiers are at first severely " whip- ped." A bad precedent is thus established, and the well-armed, independent, and brave Indians are encouraged to resist and prolong a miserable war which can have but one issue. This system, together with the frauds committed against them in the matter of supplies, has created a feud between the mass of the Indians and the whites which can, it is feared, only end with the extinction of most of the 320,000 Indians now still existing in the United States territory. Very disparaging comparisons are often made as against the United States Government, in contrasting our management of the Indians in Canada and theirs here. I dare say there is a great deal of truth in what is said. For instance, the Dominion Government does not — as has actually happened with the United States Government — undertake to supply the Indians with good cattle, worth $40 each, and allovr a con- tractor to give them Texan brutes worth $11 each, which trie Indians are obliged, in self-defence, to shoot the day after delivery. But, on the other hand the flow of settlers into Canada is very different from that into the States ; consequently lands in Canada are not so keenly desired, nor have mining discoveries been made there, pos- sessing the same force of attraction as in the States. The Dominion Government has not there- fore been brought into the same immediate contact with the Indians, nor consequently had the same difficulties to deal with. When the time comes that 1 The IndiJK question. '7 this Government shall require for her white settlers tracts of country now occupied in perfect freedom by tribes as warlike as the Sioux of the north or tho Commanches of the south, then will commence her ^ed Indian difficulties. Let her profit by the ex- perience and misfortunes of the States Government, and let her, under all trials and difficulties, continue to practise that unswerving good faith in her inter- course with the natives which has hitherto redounded at once to her honour and security. If this policy bo adhered to, we may hope that the lamentable feeling of hatred and mistrust now existing in the States between the two races, will never be aroused to the same extent in the Dominion. It may perhaps be doubted whether, even under conditions the most favourable, the entire extinction of the Red Indians can long be delayed. It would appear as if, wherever the whites and the red men of the West are brought into contact, diseases and the ac- cursed fire-water do their work and carry off the Indians with fearful rapidity. Maladies which are not fatal to the white man attack his red brother with the virulence of the plague; hence the In- dians are diminishing so rapidly that, without any extraordinary causes, we shall soon have them only known and handed down to us by the works of historians and novelists as the most pugnacious and enduring, but at the same time the most cruel and cunning, of nature's warriors. Attempts have been made to induce them to take to agriculture, and, I believe, in some cases with partial success ; but, as a rule, they are too fond of their wild, marauding life to settle down to peaceful labour, at any rate so long as they are able to procure meat and hides sufficient ;' tmmtmimsmm mmmmtmi immim!»ifi''mimm 2 1 8 IVanderings in the Western Land. for a bare subsistence, and for the purchase of rifles and other necessaries only to be procured from the posts and settlements. Some few tribes, such as the Shoshones, appear to be too lazy to follow any sort of active life ; they would rather exist from hand to mouth, and pass a miserable and precarious existence hanging about the haunts of the white man. But these are the exception ; the vast mass of the Red Indians prefer the wild but hard, trying life of the war-path and the hunt with all their attendant uncertainties and dangers. If, perchance, there exists in some of them any portion of the energy which has enabled the native Indian of the east of Canada to adapt himself to civilized life so as to appear in some departments industry a worthy opponent of the white, it lies \ery deep, and has not yet been " tapped ;" for even in the older States, where labour is very highly re- munerated, and where anv sort would be welcome and well paid, he is an incorrigible loafer, and seems to prefer a life of loitering, begging, or pilfering to the slightest regular exertion. I am, however, bound to add that I have had but few per- sonal opportunities of acquainting myself with the characters of the Red Indians, and that most of my information is derived from conversations with settlers and hunters, whose opinions were certainly not exempt from prejudice. One cannot help feeling very sorry for the unhappy Redskin, and conscience suggests that matters might have been very different had one's own race behaved more wisely and justly towards him. It would seem to be now too late for regrets, and that the only problem remaining is how to make the process of y^ I The Indian question. 219 extinction as painless as possible. Let us hope tliut at any rate in future, those spots of refuse on his native soil will be strictly respected, and that he may be allowed to pass away quietly on them, pro- tected as far as practicable by his " White Father " from the headlong and dispossessing energies of the irresistible settler. ' B-l"- ' - ' J !f.iiJJ-!l '* .." i ■ ,w.t t« il. ' »ii. '»B (CHAPTER XI. " ( )li, no lit'o is liko tho mountaineer's ; Ilia lioinc is near tho sky, Wlicrc, throned above this worhl, he licars Its strife at distance die. Nor only thns through summer suns His hlithe existence cheerly runs — Ev'n winter, Moak and dim, ]3rings joyous hours to liim ; "When, his rifle behind hin.' flinging:. He watches the wild den- springing, And away, o'er the hills away, ru-echoes his glad ' hurra I ' " T. Mdorc, " J'JvenliKjs In Greece" The log cabin — Ktturn to I'inkham's — Encampment on the Platto — !More wapiti— Ead hunting — Disagreeable adventure — Independence Mountain — Tiio deserted cabin — Sad history — After Bison — " Drummer " — A spoiled stalk — No luck — The Mountain Eison — Magnificent scenery ^ — Doleful prognos- tications — Encouraging gossip — "Back tracks" — Indian ex- periences — "Bill Wale's" — Old quarters — On tho move — A puma's "cache" — The beast himself — Exciting hunt — "He's our meat" — Great joy — A severe walk — Ou Beaver Creek — A wounded wapiti— "Curly 's " misbehaviour — Awful wea- ther — A red-letter day — Almost a tragedy — Hunting for " Griff " — Ned's " sport " — IMen's amusement — Clothing — Stimulants — A welcome return. It was easy enough the following morning, in the bright hght of day, to find the hunting cabin, use- less to us now, but looking very comfortable as I recalled the miserable night I had passed in the old Pitii'/tatns i^ain —A/ifi'f i^f^fdrUrs. 22 1 waggon. W»! obaorved that olt>»o iH>und tlio cabin do(\v »v wolveriiu) luu] b«v a prowling \\uit very night ; the tracks wri'o (juite pt)i('in)| in tho snow, and ho weemod to luiv»' hud ii n»ind iw ^w in al tlu-opon door. Perhaps I n\ij^ht have hiul a hIkM ut l>iM» bud wo passed tho niglit tbore; wlio knows V Mnd I thought with regret of liiivingfov a s«uu)nd tiiui» Ulissed tho oppor- tunity ofgi'lting a speriu\on of \\\U (^uaint animah We got ba(5k to Pinkhara's that evening, and passed ahnost the whole of the next morning in skinning, sabmg, and packing tho remaining wapiti heads ready for "expressing" eastwards. This work finished, the next morning we " pulled out," and en- camped on the Platte, six miles below Pinkham's, just at the entrance to the canon through which the river passes out of North Park. The snow was so deep that our teams had had enough for one day by the time we reached this spot, and we were anxious ourselves to have a hunt amongst the neigh- bouring rocky ledges and forests. Tho Platte is hero about fifty yards across, but it is by no means so vo- lumnious as one would expect from the immense area it drains. It is a very curious thing that this river never seems to got any larger as it fiows onwards, a fact much commented on by the natives, amongst whom it bears a very bad reputation for the shifty, treacherous nature of its fords. Both these traits may arise from the porous or absorbent nature of the soil over which it flows. Another peculiarity it possesses is that neither it nor any of its tribu- taries contain trout, whereas the South Platte and its streams abound with them — an interesting pro- blem for naturalists. A few hours' hunt after making camp enabled us _— .»**«^ MUOMOHi f" 222 Wanderings in the Western Land. to find a band of elk, consisting of thirty cows and a large and a small bull. It was too late to attack tliem that evening, so we returned to camp, having marked wbll their whereabouts, which was a sheltered gulch or dingle running down to the frozen river — and a nice mess Edd Herridgt ai.d myself made of it when we did " go for them ! " Early the next morning we looked for them where we had left them, but they had moved aw^ay in the night, and it was some little time before we " struck" them again, on a bare ridge, surrounded with pine forest. We the. took counsel together and arranged how they were to be got at ; but, unfortunately, Edfi was somewhat precipitate in his movements, and I was not cool nor dec'ded enough to make the best of the chance I got. The stalk wfis well conceived, but badly executed ; for, after having got well within shot of the herd, they made us out before we could see the bulls, and went off at a gallop. All I could do was to let drive at about eighty yards at a fine cow, as we wanted meat for camp, the bulls not being then in sight. In conse- quence of the lie of the ground, after the de .r had once started, we could not see them again until about 300 yards off, when they were all disappearing into the thick timber. Edd had got his Am'^ricaii " Sharp " with him, and after I had once fired, com- menced a veritable file-fire, but the result of this expenditure of powder was — I am ashamed to say for my own part — none killed; four separote tracks gave proof on the snow that this number of poor beasts were wouuded. We followed the trail for miles, but without coming up with any; then Edd said he would return and see if he could find any fresh game near where we had discovered tlie Return to caiup- Troiigh the ice. 221 herd in the morning. Here he got a cow elk, which Griff and I strongly suspected was the one I had fired at first, as it was so close to the spot of our first onslaught. I followed on the tracks oi ;;he wounded deer with Curly Rogers, until it began to storm and became so dark that we had to make back tracks towards camp as fast as we could. Neither of us knew the country, and we were foolish enough to try to get back on the frozen river through the canon. The ice in some places was ry thick and strong, but in other places, where the current was swift, it was rotten and treacherous, but we got along pretty well until we reached a spot where almost perpendicular rocks jutted out far into the bed of the stream. These rocks were smooth, slippery granite, with scarcely any foothold. Curly was afraid of the ice near them, the current being evi- dently very strong, so he counselled climbing the face, to cut off the small promontory. I was willing, but tried it in vain. I could get no foothold with my " gum boots," and kept slipping back time after time. Curly, shod in mocassins, was able to manage it, but I had at last to give it up. There was then no other course open for me but to try the ice. It was getting quite dark now, and Curly had just said that if we did not take care we should not make camp that night ! — a pleasant prospect with the thermometer anything below zero, and no food or blankets ! On to the ice T went ; at first it bore me notwithstanding portentous crackings, but just as I thought I should manage it all right, crack it went, and in a moment I was in the freezing water. For- tunately it was not very deep, and by struggling ^4 Wanderings in the Western Land. i tlirougli the ice I readied tlie shore. Here 1 found Curly awaiting me; he liad heard the crash and was on tlie alert. Noav came the only real danger, namely, freezing. I thought the best thing to do would be to take off my long boots, empty out all the water, nnd substitute for it the contents of a flask of brandy, with a small deduction for the internal use of Curly and myself. Curly evidently thought that it would have been far better if the whole had gone down our throats; but my previous experience of freezing made me very careful to save myself, if pos- sible, ivoxw a repetition. A. sharp hour's walk then brought me to camp not much the worse for the adventure. I was out early the following morning on a cpuet hunt by myself, but saw nothing except the fresh tracks of a small puma, or of .i lynx. Whilst I 'vas hunting half my party were movujg camp to an old log cabin on Independence Mountain, about eleven miles from our present encampment, and in the ncighbiMirhood of which we hoped for elk. Wliei) I got back from my morning's work I had an excellent lunch of elk's brains fi'ied with eggs and bacon, and then set off alone on my broncho, following the tracks of the waggon wheels. J reached the cabin in good time, and found Griff and Curly comfortably housed in this solitary abode. The hut consisted or a single room about twenty- five feet long by twenty feet broad, remarkably well and substantially built of (ine round logs. When it was built and by Avhom no one now knows, but it is supposed to have been the work of a party of miners, who had selected this pine-clad slope to supply them with the lumber necessary for their operations, and On Mount Independence. ^25 it was tliouo^lit that about the year 1872 thejAvere all massacred by Indians. This was about the date of i' nr-Vfe "THE MIXEk's last AliODK." Vrom a SMch by A. F. V. the larger massacre of which I have ah'eady spoken, and which occurred on this same mountain. The only clue to the occupation of the original inmates were the remains of a small smithy close by, and the weird stumps of felled timber in the innnediate neighbourhood of the hut. Such is life in these wild parts ! All recoi'd or memory of even who or what tlie poor fellows were has died out in this short pericd, and their well-built dwelling alone remains, a welcome resting-place for occasional hunting parties or chance miners ! It lies well for the latter, being on the way between the Hans Peak Mines and Laramie city, from which it is distant some sixty miles. Each successive party had left the cabin in a little worse condition than they found it ; -i^ 2 id Wancieritigs in the Western Land. it was in consequence gradually getting out of repair, and no one appeared to have even swept it out, for it possessed a most uninviting floor of thick dirt. However, a log hut in any condition was not to be despised in so severe a climate and season ; and too glad were we to avail ourselves of its shelter from the intense cold. Amongst various relics left by past occupants were the remains of a head of a mountain sheep, suggesting that these animals existed in the neighbourhood, and kindling hopes and thoughts of coming sport. From this hut I managed only one day's hunting, which resulted in a couple of long and fruitless shots at two bull elk, who had got our wind and were on the move. Having been told of two herds of mountam bison en the western side of North Park, and E. Herridge having stated that he knew their whereabouts, which was only a day's journey from here, I was tempted to delay and have a hunt for them — a somewhat risky proceeding, as it was now the middle of No- vember, and we had to pass over two divides to get back into the western part of the park. If a fall of snow took place whilst we were in the park, we should have great difficulty in extricating even our- selves ; waggons and all iDipedlmenta would certainly be lost, and we should be lucky to save the horses. Under these circumstances I determined to go lightly equipped, and to take with me only the lightest waggon and as little as possible in it, with Edd and Curly Rogers to cook and do camp work ; the rest of the outfit were to await our return at the cabin. The drive was a lovely one. After crossing the divide above the cabin, we followed up a magnifi- cently-timbered valley, wliich at one point narrowed After mountain bison — ^'^ Drummer ^ 227 to a gorge or canon, widening out again a little higher up into two broRJ glens. The snow was deep, and we had to mount considerably ; conse- quently our progress was so slow that when camp- ing time came we were still some way from the bison country ; but an early start next day brought us by one o'clock down far enough into the park to be able to take a hunt that evening. Whilst making camp, two bull elk were seen walking quietly over a high ridge above us. I at once started in pursuit, leaving the two men to finish the operations. A steep climb broughf-; me to the spot where they had crossed the ridge, and as the snow was fresh and heavy, I had no difficulty in tracking them. When I had last seen them going out of sight they were browsing and walking quite cannily, and the wind being well in my face and the travelling very quiet, I felt sure of soon getting shot. But the best pro- spects are often doomed to disappointment, and so it was with me on this occasion. Bdd Herridge had a bloodhound which he valued much, named " Drummer ;" this brute was reported to be a most wonderful sporting dog, but I never saw him do anything except disturb a whole district. My dog " Ned. " had evidently the same antipathy to " Drummer " as I had myself, as, although a much smaller dog, he could not help fighting him about uuce a week, when poor " Ned " always got the worst of it, which did not in any way interfere with a renewal of hostilities on " Ned's " part within a very few days. Well, I had not gone far on the track when I was joined by *' Drummer." He was such a nasty-tempered brute that his master him- (i 2 til I H H K lW ft rt WmBil Wanderings in the Western Land. self did not much like offending him ; so after tid- ing to drive him back to camp, and his refusing to go, I did not think it necessary to take rougher measures, but determined to trust to his reputed training. We proceeded on the track quietly enougli for some time. It was evident we were close on the elk; the old dog's eyes glistened, and he showed anxiety all over. Once or twice he attempted to push a little in front of me, but a gentle reminder with the rifle barrel on his head brought him back again. Every moment I expected to see something of the fine beasts ; every fresh bit of ground was full of excitement ; my nerves were at the utmost pitch of tension, but withal I felt very deadly. All oi' a sudden, with a bouna and a rush, the okl villain of a dog shot past me, and in a minute more I heard 1 im " jump " the elk, and commence his useless yelping. The scent had become too hot for the old brute, and he had been unable to resist it any longer. What my feelings v/ere may perhaps be imagined. At first I felt inclined to send the contents of mv rifle after him, but luckily restrained myself from so useless a proceeding. In the afternoon we made a careful survey with my stalking-glass of the plains frequented by the much-coveted bison, but not a sign was to be seen of them. They had evidently moved off to winter quarters, and where those were, Edd had no notion. Everything was hard frozen, and covered with snow too deep, no doubt, for any representatives of the cattle tribe. I was very anxious to get one of tht>se so-called mountain bison, to compare with the buffalo >^i the plain ; but from all T heard after- wards, I became satisfied that they are one and the so r II > 2g S I M » » O Mountain bison'' — Magnificent scenery. 229 ^ I •A M ■"1 n H O same beast. It is probable that these two small herds of about sixty each had been driven in days gone by up into the mountains by some accidental and exceptional scare, and had not afterwards returned to the lower grounds. Living much in the timber, they are seldom exposed to the sun, and consequently their coats become darker than if they lived on the shadeless prairie, while nature provides them too with longer hair, to meet the severer cold of these elevated regions. These are the great differences between them and the so-called buffiilo ; they are said to be smaller, but if so this arises probably from a scarcity of food, as is the case with the mountain bears. When we had satisfied ourselves that the bison had " skinned out," we made for camp in a some- what depressed state of mind. But my want of success in hunting had been much compensated by the magnificent scenery I saw this day, unsurpassed by any it had been my fortune as yet to come across. The views from the ridges were very grand. Within a very short distance to the west, started up a grand range of mountains attaining a height of at least 13,000 feet. Dense pine-forests clothed them to within two or three thousan(' feet of their summits, beyond which the pure whiteness of the snow was only broken here Jind there by serrated masses and peaks of volcanic rock. This range seemed almost to join on to the more distant range to the south-west, called the " Rabbit FJar'' (or " Rabbadere ") Range, which is here the main divide of the continent. Away to the north stretched the mountains we had travelled along, in wbich was Mount Independence, and further to the north and west was the so-called Hans 1 ■- mTi ^ mti.tv^'* "^l^pr- |; (I 230 Wanderings in the Western Land. Peak Range. The boldness and abruptness of tlio outlines were very striking. The whole scene was wrapped in that profound and indescribable stillness which so often accompanies intense cold. Heavy banks of cloud were heaping up to the westward, which, although they added beauty to the magnifi- cent sunset, betokened in E. Herridge's opinion a coming storm. Keenly anxious was he to "pull out," and get back to the cabin on Mount Indepen- dence ; and now that I was satisfied that there was no chance of bison, and that it would be only fool- hardy to remain longer, with two " divides " between us and civilization, I felt I ouglit to accede to his wishes. Soon after dark it bego^n to snow a little, which led to the most doleful stories from Edd of sudden falls, from two to four feet in depth ; of how last year a trapper in this district only got out by aban- doning his waggon, and packing what he could on his horses ; of how two years ago, in the neighbour- ing Hans Peak Range, two trappers, being caught by an imexpected fall of snow, only escaped themselves on snow-shoes, and lost all their goods and chattels, and had to slioot their horses to save the poor brutes the misery of dying of starvation. Then he had another tale with a very sad termi- nation, of two trappers who had taken in pro- visions, and arranged to spend the winter here- abouts, to hunt for furs, and who had calculated on being assisted in their commissariat with the flesh of the beaver they caught. Their trapping not proving very successful, they began to get short of food. They then settled that one of them should get out on snow-shoes, whilst the other ;f A sad story — Edcfs Indian experiences. 231 > remained liehind, subsisting on the provisions still left. The man on whom it fell to make the attempt to reach civilization eventually did so in a very exhausted condition ; and whether he thought his partner had sufficient food to last him till the coming spring, or whether he could not get back to him with fresh stores, Edd did not know, but, at any rate, he did not return until the trails were open in tho spring. He then found that his poor partner had not been able to hold out, and had died of cold and hunger. Undoubtedly such stories did not encourage delay, so early next morning camp was struck, and we turned our faces once more towards the old miner's cabin. We passed on our way near tho scene of the Mount Independence massacre of 1870, and this led to Edd recounting some of his many Indian adventures. On one occasion, he had been saved a skirmish with the Indians in the Black-hills of Dakotah by breaking his leg, in consequence of which he had been unable to continue his journey. The Indians " ran off" the horses of his outfit, but the " boys " were too quick, and shot seven of the marauders before they could get away. On another occasion he was " packing " across the country with another " boy," when they were followed late one evening by Indians. They were able to pitch their tent in a very narrow canon, which could only be approached on one side. The next morning the Indians attacked, and commenced a heavy fire into the tent. Being, like most Red- skins, singularly afraid of losing their lives, they did not dare to come to close quarters, and Her- ridge and his partner, by lying flat on the ground IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 Ui m 12.2 1.4 III i^6 ^r /2 % e: m > % > ^ v ? ^%. m op. HiotDgraphic Sciences Corporation 23 WiST MAIN STREIT WfiSTER.N.Y. '4SM (716) e/2-4S03 A^ *''4^tf j^;^ ^ _';jr-. Vr WE; -■wm mmmmm ^ i -?!*f- M."t"lTfr'iili lii ' i i ii^ i i ''^*^'.ia»M>fiiM. 232 IVaadcrings in the Western Land. r 1- until the Indians had done their shooting, escaped unhurt. Another of his stories showed how pluck and presence of mind may desert even these frontier men when most needed. Herri dge, with a man named Bill Wales, and another, Wcts "packing" through tlie Sioux country, Avlien two warriors of that tribe suddenly appeared, galloping towards them. Her- ridge thought they might be the advance-guard of a party, and that there would be more following, so counselled taking up a position behind some big rocks, where they could defend themselves to advantage. Bill Wales, who was a sort of desperado, was> on the contrary^ for fighting, and said, at any rate he meant to have some fun. Herridge and the other man having vainly endeavoured to dissuade him, ensconced themselves behind the rocks, and watched the issue. Bill was an experienced hand, was well mounted, and well armed with an American Henry rifle and two six-shooters. His right game was to sit still, and to await quietly the attack of the Indians, shooting them down as soon as they came within sure range. But when the critical moment arrived, his nerve apparently forsook him, and he wheeled his horse round and galloped away. The leading Sioux quickly and easily rode alongside, and shot him dead without the slightest trouble. He then scalped him, and rode away with the ghastly trophy, and Wales's horse and firearms. Edd and his partner were witnesses of the whole proceeding, but did not dare take any part in it, nor did they think it pru- dent to leave their natural fortress till the following morning. They were so struck by the easy way in which the Indians overtook Bill Wales, that they i I I Bill Wales end — An appetite. 233 I 1 measured the next day the strides of the respec- tive horses, and found that of the Sioux to be twenty-two, against twenty-one feet covered by Bill Wales's, which was a remarkably fine animal. Fortunately for us the threatened storm still held off, and very little fresh snow having fallen since we passed over the track, we were able to reach the cabin in good daylight. Hank had got us ready a most excellent supper, consisting of soup made of the ribs of the fat cow elk, fried slices off the haunch, and, as usual, capital bread. My appetite in these parts was scarcely credible ; I was able to consume this very day, with the greatest comfort to myself, no less than six meat meals. The frozen venison is such food as I have never come across in civilized parts. It has a flavour and juici- ness which no domestic meat I have ever tasted possesses, and it is as tender as well-kept Welsh mutton. It being now the end of November, the cold in- tense and the snow very deep, my men thought it probable that the bands of elk and deer would by this time have moved down the Platte to lower regions. We therefore decided to follow their example, and settled on a stream called Beaver Creek, about fifteen miles further north, for our first camping-place. As, however, some of our stores were running short, we settled that Evans should drive the lightest waggon back to Pinkham's Ranche, get what was required, and rejoin us there, where we would remain encamped until his return. As it turned out afterwards, this was a risky proceeding so late in the year, but as Griff proposed it himself, and the rest of my outfit Wande rings in the Western Land. offered no objections, it never entered into my head as being in any way dangerous. I was always glad to escape the tedium of riding alongside the waggon when moving camp, and as the range between Mount Independence and Beaver Creek was well covered with timber, and very likely for elk, I determined to hunt the way on foot, taking the boy Curly with me to assist in finding the new camp in the evening. On leaving the hut we struck up at once into the timber, and within a couple of miles crossed the deep caiion, through which the torrent called " Big Creek " flows. What a pity it is that the old Indian names are lost. These wretched, commonplace appellations, such as Horse Creek, Cow Creek, Sand Creek, given in early times are repeated over and over again, and mountains, settlements and mining camps alike enjoy the same miserable disregard for practical, not to say eupho- nious, names. Not long after starting, we came ' The following extract from a supposed colloquy between two old mining " prospectors " on meeting after a long separation, written by Dr. Degnool, gives an admirable idea of western nomenclature and phraseology : — " IJut where ye been, Jim, ever since We left the Stanislow, And puU'd up stakes down there at Dent's, Now eighteen years ago ? " " "NVal, since the time that we put out On that stampede from Stoney, Been mos' the time knockin' about Down into Air-e-zony (Arizona). " Only been back a month or so, And thought I'd take a tramp Through the old diggins, 'long with Jo, Who stops at ' Nigger Camp.' i Westei'u nomenclature. 235 ' on a mound of snow, in which it was evident something had been "cached" or hidden by a " Started from Alpha on our trip, And passed up the Divide, Through ' Tangle-Leg ' and ' Let-Her-Kip,' ' Red Dog ' and ' Whiskey Slide.' " Then after leaving thar we went Down by the ' Tail-Holt-ISIill,' 'Crest ' Greenhorn INEountain' to ' Snow Tent,' And up to ' Gouge-Eye Hill.' " From ' Gougo-Eye ' down to ' Esperani-o ,' ' Slap Jack ' and ' Oro Fin ; ' Through ' Dead wood ' over to * Last Chance,' < Root Hog,' and ' Lost Ravine.' * • « * * " Then came along to ' Poverty,' ' Dead Jiroke,' and ' Bottle Ridge,' By ' Hangtown,' ' Poor Alan,' and * Lone Tree,' ' Garotte,' and ' Smash-up Bridge.' " Through ' Nip and Tuck ' and ' Old P.ear Trap,' • Coon Hollow ' and ' Fair Play,' iVlong by ' Scorpion ' and ' Fir Gap,' 'Kanaka' and 'El Rev.' '• AVe stopped one day at ' Xever Sweat,' Another up at ' Ophir,' Then moved our boots on to ' You Bet,' And struck across by ' Gopher.' "To * Sucker,' near ' Grass Widow Bend,' Whar, as 'twas getting late, We brought our journey to an end, Down by the ' Devil's Gate.' " Then in this striking little poem Jim goes on to inquire after common friends : — " Wal, Dan, you've been about some, too— But tell me, if you know, What has become of Ned IVIcGrew % And whar is Sleepy Joe ^ Illlllil ^■'■«i<*Mm^ 2X6 Wanderings in the Western Land. wild animal. On further examination we found tlie fresh tracks of a large "mountain lion," or puma. As they were what is termed in western parlance " burning hot," I was for trying to overtake him by following on ; but Curly, like all the hunters I came across, was strongly impressed with the common opinion that it was hopeless ever to try to overhaul a mountain lion, that they were continually on the move, always slouching and travelling and watching, and he thought nothing was to be done. In a very disconsolate mood at having been so near this rare and much prized animal, I sat down on a rock, and began to spy with my glass the barren spaces in the timber for anything I might see. Whilst so employed, I was surprised by the small " And Poker Potc and Monte Bill, And — I forget his name — What used to run the Whiskey Mill, Ana keep the keno game % " " Well, as for Xed, can't 'xactly say, Bnt 'bout the t'other three. The last, we heard, were up this way A hanging on a tree. " Went into the Iload Agency, Along" with Texas Jim ; The Vigilants of Montany (Montauii) Likewise also got him. " Sleepy was drown'd at ' Upper Dalles,' And so was Al La Tour, Went in a skift over the falls, And we didn't see 'am no more. " Some think that iS^ed was eat by bears. And I most think so, too, 'Cause didn't one gobble up Nick McNarcs On the trail to Cariboo 1 ' " " ' ^' " jr- ^.imm- " A vio7tntai • icon " — ' An exciting chase.'' 237 greyhound Curly had with him making a sudden dash away from us. " HuUoa, Curly, what does she see?" " Don't know ; maybe it's the mountain lion," and so sure enough it was. About 300 yards off this object of my greatest ambition was quietly sloping away from us through the timber. I opened fire at once, but after a few shots I soon found that I must try and get nearer if T wanted to hit him, for the bullets were cutting up the snow very short. Curly's dog soon overhauled him, and actually made a snap at his tail before the lion seemed aware of her presence; but once was enough, for the beast immediately wheeled round, showing such a front of teeth and claws taat the greyhound retreated, as fast as she could, for our protection. I then put " Ned " on, and he and the greyhound again came up with him. The dogs barked at him, but on the same for- midable front being presented, they both turned tail and sought safety with us. All this time I was not idle. I was runnmg as hard as I could throusrh three feet of fearfully heavy snow, trying to get near to an isolated piece of thick timber, for which it was evident the lion was making. I thought he would not rest there, but travel through it, and that I might get a chance at him as he broke on the other side. So it turned out, but he passed so quickly through the thick timber that I was still about 250 yards from the edge of it when he reappeared on the other side. He did not give a good broadside, not being more than half on to me, but there was no choice in the matter ; I must take this chance or none, so sitting down and pulling myself together as well as 1 could after the run, I opened fire. All the shots dropped short, although 1 kept giving more 238 IVandtrin^s in the Western Land. and more elevation, until about the sixth, when I had the satisfaction of seeing one of his forelegs drop helpless, with a wild lash of his long tail. His pace now quickened from a trot to a canter, and he soon dis- appeared over the neighbouring ridge of the Big Creek Canon. Then came a shout from behind, " Hurrah, he is our meat," from the breathless Curly, who had followed close on my heels. I, too, felt very sanguine of eventually getting him, as the leg appeared to be broken very highup, and the ball had probably entered the fore-part of his body. Moving quickly on, we made straight for the place on the ridge where he had disap- peared. Here all was bare rock, the strong wind hav- ing swept the ridge clean of snow. On looking over we could at first see nothing of the lion, nor could we take up his track, and I was just going to put "Ned" upon his scent, when I suddenly espied the bullet-head protruding over a rock about eighty yards below us. He was keeping a sharp look-out below, but, singu- larly enough did not seem to apprehend danger from the very direction in which he had received his hurt. Crawling cautiously forward until I opened his whole body, I took a quiet, deliberate shot, and put the ball in just in front of his loins. This completely para- lyzed his hind quarters, and he rolled off the rock like a rabbit. Down we rushed, expecting to find him lying dead beneath the rock ; but not a bit of it, the game was not up yet. He had pulled himself together, and was sitting on his haunches below the rock, looking awful in his ferocity, growling and snarling, and showing his teeth, and making the claws of his forefeet start out in a most suggestive and unpleasant manner. It was a sight worthy of Landseer's brush, and such a backing of wild scenery ■ **.*^a4fmr^ S:,rt,-t^)ee^- 1 ■ %»! * -- - . • »> tyy^ ■ Jiiui into — *' The death."' 239 as would have warmed the heart of that great painter. The skin was so beautifully clean, and the specimen such a perfect one, that I felt sorry at having to give him the coiqj'tU-gnice by shooting; but although paralyzed as far as any aggressive movement was concerned, he still possessed one formidable fore-leg uninjured, besides a fearful mouth, and when approached he took care to show he meant to use both. I was looking out where to shoot him with least injury to the skin, when Curly wanted to try if he coidd not kill him with a *' rock " (Angl., stone). I had no objection to the attempt, although I looked upon it as a perfectly useless proceeding; but the "boy" was all game, and having selected a couple of large stones, he approached as close as he could, then delivered the first of tliese missiles with unerring aim. striking the beast a tremendous blow between the eyes. An enraged and bitter growl was the only result. Nothing daunted, Curly hurled the second stone, which took effect on the point of the nose. For a !nomcnt the eyes closed and the head dropped, and like lightning, Curly's keen knife was buried in the lion's throat. It was out again in a second, and lucky it was so, for the beast quickly recovered ; but the knife had done its work, the jugular was cut, and life's blood was ebbing slowly but surely away. He proved a magnificent adult male, measuring eight feet six inches from nose to tip of tail, and weighing about 150 lbs. We took the skin off there and then, but the operation occupied two hours, and precious cold work it was after our hot chase. When finished. Curly shouldered the hide, and I the two rifles, and we made the best of our way ofl" the range to the plain below. We were at least fourteen miles from the 240 IVandcTtiigs in the Western Land. 1 nearest })lace at which our outfit could have made a camp, and it was quite possible they might have found it necessary to go still further before a good supply of fuel was struck. The snow was very deep, and the travelling very heavy. My light companion, shod in mocassins, made easier work of it than I did, but by the time we had reached the lower plains he had had quite enough of carrying the skin, and suggested hanging it on a tree till the mori'ow, when a pony could be sent back for it. My only objection to this was lest the mischievous coyotes might get hold of it, but Curly assured me that the lion was the " boss of the country," and that all other animals would take good care to give the scent a very wide berth. The cold became so piercing that Curly got "scared "at being frozen, and as soon as he was relieved of his burden made off for the new camp, leaving me to follow on his track as best I could. This was easy enough in the heavy snow as long as daylight lasted, and luckily before it got very dark I had struck the trail made by our waggon. I must con- fess that I was well-nigh " played out " before I reached camp, between seven and eight o'clock that night. But T had had a great day's sport, and after having got through a prodigious supper, I almost forgave Curly for deserting me. I found that he had arrived a very short time before me, and had already narrated the events of the day to the rest of the men. They were greatly surprised at my luck ; none of them had ever killed a "lion," and on my expressing some regrets at not having had time to follow a bull elk I had seen on my way home, Herridge said, " Why, a lion is worth forty bull elks." The vioitntiiin lion — Bad ivcathcr. 141 I inny add tluit tlio AiiKM'ican puma (,/V//.s' ^.o//- ro/or) is considerably lai'gvr and uioro tawny tliau the Indian variety, exactly resembling an ordinary lion in colour ; hence the local name, as it might at a distance be very easily mistaken for at small lioness. The specimen 1 had got turned out to be an unusually fine one, and in perfect health. We were now encamped on the north fork of Beaver Creek, and were to remain here until re- joined by Evans with the necessary stores. The camp was not altogether Avell-selected ; there was plenty of wood and a beautiful little stream of water close by, but we were not sheltered from the fearful cold wind, which came tearing down from the mountain range to the westward. The long-threatened storm broke on us here, and we had a time of it, with a vengeance, for the whole week of our stay. The first day, although the storm had begun, was not so bad as to prevent my going out in the afternoon for a hunt with Herridge. We were lucky enough to get a stalk on two largo bull elk in the timber, the finest of which I got, and wounded the second ; but this one went away straight over the range, and notwithstanding all "Ned's" eiforts to turn him and bring him to bay, we failed to get him. We nearly had an accident with the other bull, from trying to finish him without firing another shot, and so further disturbing the ground. After the first shot the poor beast had gone on a little way and laid down, and was so sick that he conld not rise again; he had, however, the full use of his head, and it was a matter of danger to get too near him. Herridge said, that by getting the horns round a small tree he could keep him 11 JVamh'ritigs in the Western Land, down whilst I finiHlied him with the knife. Know- ing the atrengtli even of a red deer nnder these circumstances, I riither doubted Kdd'a powers, but as he was an old and experienced hunter, I waived my own opinion, and consented to take my part in tlio operation. At the tirst touch of the knife the powe. ful beast violently released himself from Herridge, and, fortunately for !ne, I either fell or was thrown out of reach of his horns. One attempt was enough for both of us, and a cartridge with a half-charge of powder was quickly called into requisition. On another occasion whilst hunting from this camp, I took out Curly as my assistant, but it was the last time I troubled him. The " boy " used to carry about an old soldier's rifle, which, judging from its shooting, must have been of the ram's-horn pattern of grooving. Certain it was that scarcely a beafet had been slain by it during the many months Curly had been on the hunt, in spite of frequent and easy chances. If, however, it did not kill, it "scared " as much as the most accurate "express." Curly was moreover very ambitious, and I had had more than once to declare most positively that only with my leave was he ever to use his rifle. Up to this time he had behaved remarkably well, but to-day the spirit of keenness overcame his obedience, and taking advantage of my stopping to try some very heavy timber with " Ned," he went off on the hunt on his own account. I missed him, but not thinking much of it went on alone. Presently I spied v/ith my glass two fine bull elk in an open place amongst the timber, and having thought over quietly how they were to be got at, proceeded to carry out my Curly s viisbchavioiir — Great cold. 243 plans. Imugiiio my disgust on lieiiring, when within some 500 yards of the deer, tlie sharp crack of a rifle, followed by 'mother and another, and yet an- other ! On scuttling up a little rise as fast as I could, I saw my two bull elk tearing up the range at full speed quite uninjured, while the worthy Curly was standing below, evidently disgusted with his misses, and gazing after the fast retiring forms ! But his hunt was not over yet; he had capital walking powers, so following on through the timber, he had actually throe more chances at other wapiti, with equally futile results. After this he came back, found my tracks, and followed me, iiaving come ^,0 the conclusion, probably, that it was no use any longer trusting to his own shooting. 1 had gone on in a fever of indignation, and when he joined me I naturally gave him a bit of my mind ; so too, I fancy, did some of my men on his return to camp. Such trials of temper one mnso be prepared for in these regions, where it is often necessary to re- member and put into practice, if the trip is to be enjoyed, the advice of old Horace, to preserve equanimity under trying circumstances. The storm continued with increasing intensity for several days, the cold being truly severe. All our meat had to be cut with an axe, and my beard and eyelids were constantly frozen during the night. One day I tried to make a watercolour sketch, but the colour became ice before it had time to be ab- sorbed into the paper. The ink inside my bag froze, everything, in fact, froze that could freeze. We seemed to be approaching almost the miner's K 2 244 JVaiidcn'nQs in the IFcsicrn Land. H'r t: description of the cold on ono of liis expeditions, when he says, — " Cold up North ! I've known a niuiie To congeal in my mouth ; And that is how the saying canu; About the 'frozen truth.' " Yes ; and I have seen still stranger feats — You know, Jim, I'm no liar — The flames freeze into solid sheets As they rose up from the lire." A fiercely strong wind generally prevailed, and ilns made camp life just now anything but pleasant. Sometimes it was no easy matter to keep the tire from being blown clean, away, which added con- siderably to the difficulties of cooking. Still 1 was wonderfully well, .-ind fit and able to enjoy ;i id take advantage of any break in the storm. A very enjoyable day after wapiti I call to mind especially — a red-letter dayboth in weather and sport. One of Edd's friends, Lee, had volunteered to come with me that day; and a very good assistant he proved. Mounting our bronchos, we started for the range lying to the north of our camp. Many herds of antelope were passed on the way, but they had no attraction for us to-day ; v/e were bent on a wapiti, and no inferior game would suffice. Having hobbled our horses at the mouth of one of the small canons which come down to the plain, we started up into the range. We had not gone far on foot when we spied two magnificent bull elk lying in the open, in a sort of little corrie or punch- bowl. They were well placed for a stalk, so having marked our ground, we got the wind all right, went round, and crawled in to the edge of the little hollow. yl successful stalk — A grand beast. 245 On lookingtliiougl) tlie long grass, a sight n^iet my eyes qnite sufficient to make even a more tutored heart beat fast. There they liiy within easy distance, two gigantic bulls, with horns " like young trees," as Lee whispered, in perfect and blissful ignorance of any of the human race being within a thousand miles. It was a beautiful sight and well worth enjoying more leisurely, but one knows from experience that, in stalking, a favourable opportunity is not to be dallied with. Selecting, therefore, the best head, I took every care to direct the contents of the first barrel to a vital spot and fired. Up they jumped and stood for n moment, trying to make out whence came the dis- turbance ; this gave me a good chance for my second barrel at the other bull, and down the hill he stag- gered, bleeding profusely and evidently xnortally wounded. In the meantime, the first bull stood stock still, but as ^ lid not drop, I thought it advis- able to put in another cartridge, and make sure. This brought him down ; so telling Lee to go after the other and gralloch him, I gave ray attention to the firsc. He was a magnificent beast, a real prize; and well satisfied did I feel on seeing him stretched on the ground before me. The length of his horns fi'om coronet to ti[) was fifty-eight inches and the beam round the coronet twelve and a half inches. Tl,e other head was also very good, the horns being almost pahiiated, and on this account very peculiar. This made mo regret the more the misfortune which befell it in " packing " it to camp, when the horse which carried it fell down the hill, and smashed it to pieces. After this great piece of sport we continued our 3 \ 1 if t \ 246 Wa7idermgs in the Western Land. hunt, and ran some risk of finishing the day with a real tragedy. Lee was leading the way through thick timber in which we expected to come across elk or deer, when all of sudden he dropped down and whispered to mc, that he saw an elk feeding close in front of us. With my rifle to the fore I took Lee's place, and certainly did see some beast pushing forward through the thick underwood, but I could not make out his head or his form, and waited anxiously "ntil he should get to an open place a little farther on. I was of course at full tension, my rifle at the shoulder and at full cock, forefinger round the trigger, and eye along the sights, but mercifully did not fire, as Lee urged me to, until I could get a more certain view of my game. AVell it was that I took my own line ! For when the beast did assume a more definite form, it was that of one of our own horses, mounted by Herridge ! He was followed closely by another of our ponies led by Hank, on which was secured the head of the elk I had killed two days previously. I must say my blood chilled ; but no harm was done, and it all ended in a hearty laugh, in wliicli Lee joined the loudest. The weather continuing fearfully bad, we became very uneasy about Evans, who should liave rejoined us some days ago. Herridge proposed to go in search of him on horseback ; and this being settled on, he left us early the following morning with the intention of making our old cabin on Mount Independence before nightfall. The storms had driven the game furth< i* down — a long and fruitless trudge through a love y game country convinced mo that the sooner we shifted our ground the better. ► Severity of the gale — " Ned's ' ' sport, 247 ► Tho cold continued intense, and the gale very severe ; it was therefore in every way desirable to get down from this elevated region ; but until Svans had been heard of no move could be made. Those who have not experienced the winter gales of these high districts cannot conceive their severity and fierceness and the danger of being out in them. It was at times a difficult matter to cook our food, the wind blowing the camp fire away. Then after dark it was hardly possible to keep a light in the tents, and had it not been for a small coal-oil lamp I purchased before leaving civilization, I should have often been in darkness even at ray meals. We had great trouble to keep the tents up ; in addition to the ordinary ropes we had to press into the service ail the lariats from tho horses, and even then I some- times thought, during the fearful gusts of wind at night, that I should be buried underneath canvas and snowbefore morning. No real damage, however, occurred duringthe whole gale, but it was monotonous and trying work when for many days Ave could hardly get outside our tent from morn to night. My men scarcely ever remembered such fearful weather, and certainly not before Christmas. Poor old " Ned " was the only one who had any sport during the worst of these weary days of storm, and this was of doubtful enjoyment even to himself. Near to our camp, in the banks of the stream, was a burrow of skunks. Curly had trapped one, but the stench was too strong for him even, and he had thrown it away, trap and all. Master " Ned," being bored, T suppose, at his confinement to camp all one day, thought he would stroll out in the evening and have a hunt. Very foolishly he selected I 248 IVaiidcrinos hi the Western Land. ' I a skunk as the object of liis rA/f.v.sr, and he must have been ignominiously defeiited, for he came back very clejected and crestfallen, AVorsc still for him, he was so odoriferous that I simply could not bear him inside my tent; and although very sorry for the j)oor brute, for the cold was fearful, I barricaded the tent-door with every possible obstacle before turning in for the night. Three times " Ned " charged, and on each occasion would have carried the work had I not used my voice as a second line of defence. Eventually he gave it up, and then with extraordinary sagacity waited until the camp fire was out, and dug himself a hole where it had been. The next morning he was not ordy alive but quite warm and " tickled " (Angl., jolly), and, more- over, had so singed his coat that all skunk smell had been burnt away, and he was once moi'e endurable. During these days of inaction the men seemed to pass the time pretty agreeably to themselves. They used to sit huddled together in their tent, with a frying-pan full of glowing embers in their midst, round which th-^y played cards and told stories. The smoke of the smouldering wood made it im- possible for any ordinary mortal to exist in the upper strata of this atmosphere ; even to squatters on the ground it was so pungent as to cause the eyes to water and smart in a most unpleasant man- ner. The stories were chiefly of their own ex- periences in their many wanderings, and episodes in the early life of the frontier towns, all of which were told in the purest western vernacular and phraseology. It was, as may be imagined, very difficult to I I V A Clothing — Penetration of the tvind. •49 ^ keep oneself warm in sueli weather. In the flay time my own outer clothing was of Scotch tweed, which J found very ill adapted to meet the severity of the weather. The wind seemed to treat two flannel shirts and two waistcoats as if the whole was net-work, so fearfully did it penetrate to one's skin. Buckskin is capital for keeping out the wind, and is well adapted to this very cold dry climate; but I had not been "posted up" in such matters before starting and was ill-prepared for intense cold. I had tried to get a suit of buckskin sent up to me when Loyd left; but it had been for- warded to Laramie Station, " C.O.D." (i. e. cash on delivery), and my messenger had not the wherewithal to pay, and so it had returned to Denver whence it came. As soon as I could I got a suit of *' Cali- fbrnian goods," such as are w^orn by most of the ranchmen, made of a close brown canvas, lined with Californian blanketing, which I found excellent, being as impervious to the keen wind as buckskin, and at the same time warm and light. Under this J wore two flannel shirts, and what is called here a " Cardigan," or knitted Avaistcoat with sleeves. I found my English woollen nnder-garments and stockings far superior to what can be got out here, which my men designated as " shoddy." The material best suited for outer clothing should bo light and close in texture, so as to prevent the })enetration of wnid, and at the same time allow free action to the limbs when walkino:. Some old hunters prefer the Ca.lifornian goods even to buck- skin, which they think has a rheumatic tendency, and wdiich, no doubt, if wet, becomes disagreeal)le to wear. In all this cold I did entirely without stimulants. Il ' II |i4 I H I ' I i 250 Waitderings in the Western Land. nor (lid 1 feel the want of thom in this fine dry atmosphere. I had one bottle of cognac with me, but only for medicinal purposes, in case of accidents or illness, and my only drinks were te.i and coffee. The men would have indulged freely in spirits, I have no doubt, but all they had was purchased by themselves, and therefore limited in quantity and soon exhausted. As long as it lasted theyused to take a nip before breakfast of a drink composed of half rye- whiskey, half hot water, mixed with a little salt butter and sugar and nutmeg, and its flavour was by no means bad, odd as it may sound. The second afternoon after Edd left, a joyful shout was heard in camp. The snow had been falling so heavily, and the weather was altogether so miserable, that I had scarcely been outside my tent the whole dav: I could not conceive therefore the cause of this ebullition of spirits, and I rushed out, not knowing exactly what to expect. I was just in time to see Edd's and Griffs arrival, the former on horseback, the latter driving the light waggon. A curious sight they were, for scarcely anything but shapeless forms of pure white snow were to be seen in their respective places. Griff's story was soon told. He had waited at Pinkham's Ranche for the arrival of the stores from Laramie city ; the storm had come on, and the stores liad been delayed on their transit. He had only left Pinkham's the previous morning, and had mad(» the cabin on Mount Independence before dark, where he had found Edd Hcrridge. They had left the cabin morninjr, and had had a fearful drive. vei y early 'n» Griff said it was so bad that he did not kno\v how Edd had been able to find his way at all in the blind- Griff's return — Local news. 251 ' ing frozen snow, driven with the whole force of the north-westerly gale. There was a general feeling of relief in camp at the wholo party being reassem- bled, and many were the vows not to get separated again under any circumstances. Griff brought much news, but all was strictly of a local character, such as the freezing to death of a man near Tyseiden ; the severity of the storm even in the comparatively low Cache la Poudre district, Avhere two feet of snow had fallen ; old man Pinkham too had had a successful hunt after the bison, of which he and his partner had killed five. But no intelligence of any sort or kind reached me fiom the civilized world, and I could not expect to get any now for many a week to come. ft CllAVTVAl XTT. "Sproaflii)}:; lietwron tlirsc stroiinia arc the wi)Ih1i()Iis, beautiful prairies, Billowy bays of grass ever rolliii'^ in shallow and sunshiuf. Ovor thoni wandor the scattcrM tribes of Ishinael's chililreii, .Stuiiiinj; the desert with blood ; und above their terrilile war trails Circles and sails aloft on i)in'ons majestic the vidture, Hero and there rise smoke irom the camps of these savage maraiiilers." LoiKlfrlloir's " J']r(iniii'/ii/'i." M(»ve of camp—" Grand encampment" — A Curious character — An improved climate — ^loie antelope — After sheep — Xo luck — .lack Watkins — (Jold weather — Snow blindness— Sage hens — A disagreeable incident— The Mountain sheep or I Jig horn — Wild scenery — Austin's — A hungry coyote — More storming — (Jrili's tumble — An altercation — Awkward position — A fine Cafion — Near game— A sight at last — Had luck— Con- solation steaks — A bea.- story — A mountain lion's den — On the move — Sage bush — An adventure — A strange night — Branding cattle — AVyoming fertility — Tim F(dey — A solitary ride — A re-union — Independence JJock — Indians — The Sioux — A'"rapahoes and Utes. Ai/niour.H the next morning was almost as l)acl as any of its predecessors, we were so sick of our present camping-ground, tlie quantity of snow, and the ex- treme cold, tliat we determined to make an attempt at pulling out and getting further northwards to less frozen regions. It sounds odd to talk of going north to seek warmth, but so it is here. The lie of the elevated country sloi)es towards the north; the ■«■ Move of cmnp — Grand encampment. 253 river, itself tlio North Platte, flows northwards, rinniing in a canon cnt thronj^'ii a land of open wastes and granite rocks. Onr conrso lay over a plain nearly parallel with the river, with a range of high mountains on our left, and a region of rocks and foothills on the right. The slope to the north is pretty rapid, so that we hoped before many days to get out of the snow-covered country. We had now had so nmch of it that we were (piite wearied of the white world, and I could well en ir into the feelings of one of my men who informed me that when he saw bare ground again " he would lie on the ground and roll, like a broncho." The day of our move from Beaver Creek was a trying one, and it was with great difficulty we reached another stream called " Grand Encamp- ment," although it was only some ten miles ofl". Here we found a snndl cabin, inhabited by the most curious weather-beaten old buckskin conceivable. If that old fellow's adventures and experiences were chronicled, I am much mistaken if they would not be a trifle startling. He seemed to have known western life in every phase ; but he was not com- municative, except in his sleep, when I used to hear him talking away like a lunatic. I should like to have " interviewed " the old fellow, although I doubt whether I should have got much out of him ; for even when all the rest were busily employed gossip- ing round the camp fire, very little came from his dry parchment-like lips. His present employment was minding a few head of cattle for their owner, named Bang, who had removed to a more genial climate. My men had no hesitation in taking pos- session of the cabin, in which proceeding, I must 254 IVanderinj^s in the Western Land. say, the old fellow most fully concurred, and too glad were we to exchange flimsy canvas for solid logs of wood, as a shelter against the inclement elements. "We had, however, even in the ten miles improved our climate ; there was far less snow, and we had caught up the antelope, which, like ourselves, were retiring before the driving storms. Had I wished to kill a large number of antelope, now was my chance ; herds of them were to be seen feeding within a very short distance of the ranche, and I shot two fine bucks one morning within 300 yards of the cabin door. But I had already obtained some very good heads, and my great object was to get as far as I could a representative of all the mammalia worth killing. What I hoped for in this locality were mountain sheep. Vain hope ! GrifF and I hunted hard, but not a trace could we find ; nor did our old buckskin lead us to believe that any existed in this neighbourhood, and I fancy the old fellow was above the average run of hunters. We deter- mined therefore to make without delay for the range of mountains lying further north and to the right of the Platte, to which belong the well-known Elk and Sheep Mountains. On them I hoped to find my oves ; but on our way thither we came across a hunter friend of Herridge, who gave so deplorable an ac- count of the game prospects there that we changed our course and struck straight away for the Medicine Bow Range and the other mountains still further northwards. What a pity it is that civilization must destroy all wild life ! From this aforesaid Elk Mountain only a few years ago, at the time of the making of the Union Pacific Railroad, one celebrated hunter, named Scarcity of ^i^amc — ''Jack Wat kins'' 255 Jack Watkins, was able to send sufficient venison to feed the whole army of "constructors" on the line between Laramie city {jnd bort Fred Steele. Now- a-days an elk is rarely met with on the whole range; and as for sheep, inviting- as the rocks of Sheep Mountain looked, it was considered too poor a " show " for even a flyin<^ visit. Jack Watkins was, by-the-bye, a well-known and rather a respected character in these parts. He had the reputation of being one of the best shots and hunters ever heard of ; but when the railroad was completed, and the large demand for meat ceased, he seems to have given over his Nimrodian pro- pensities, and to have taken to the less healthy and very lawless vocation of " running a drinking saloon " without a licence. This was considered so serious a bread 1 of the law, and such an injurious precedent, that even in these out-of-the-way parts it was decided that it must be put a stop to. Accordingly, his apprehension was resolved upon ; but, knowing their man, and that he was not likely to be taken without some trouble, the authorities deemed it advisable to send a whole company of soldiers to effect his arrest. The soldiers were halted at a short distance from the ranche, and the officer in command advanced towards the door. Here he was met by Jack Watkins, armed with his Winchester repeating rifle, who quietly remarked that he would probably have heard that he, Jack Watkins, was a remarkably good shot, and not likely to miss his man, and that, if the soldiers advanced any further, or did not at once " make back tracks for their camp," he would shoot every one of them, commencing with himself, the 256 ll'ti//(/ir/;/^s in llw Western Land. ofllccr. The lul tcr sconuul to liiivo tliouolit it prohnblc .hick would keep his worti, jiiid llmt it wiis bi'ttcr thcivfoi'o to rt'tiru whilo .still intact, which ho uccord- iii^dy did. *' What do you think of that, Hirrco ? " said my informant, Leo, glowinjj^ with admiration at Jack's successful defiance of the authorities. " Well, I should have gone the next day with a, battery of artillery, which would soon have knocked the ranche about Jack's ears," was my reply, at which, and my enthusiasm for law and order, Lee seemed " (juite put about." Our camps now were generally in close proximity to the fi'ozen Phitte. The strong winds and fall of CAMl'l.NU-UKOLXU XKAlt TllK FUO/.K.N I'LATl K. Ffum a Sketch liy A. P. V. I snow had ceased, but the cold continued intense. My thermometer, as I have already stated, was made to register ordy a few degrees below zero, and had struck work long ago, so I coidd not take the Grcai cold — Snoiv blindness. 257 teiupcraturc raysolf ; but wo wore horo at 11 far groatei* elovation and higher up in tho valloy of tlio Platto than Fort Fred Steele, whore, during those sevoro nights — at tho end of Novonibor — tho Govornmont observations had registered 25° below zero. From our position, I think it would bo within tho mark to assume that wo wore at least 10'' colder, in which case we should havo undergone 07° of frost ! Pretty cold for under canvas ! All our surroundings continued covered with a thick coating of snow, and Avhen tho sun was out tho dazzle and glare became most painful and trying to the eyes. Some of my men wore coloured goggles, and blackened underneath their eyes with charred wood. By adopting this latter expedient and using dark glasses I got on pretty well, though often in tho forenoon I was unable to look about nnich. Snow blindness is not uncommon in these parts. The boy " Curly " had had an attack, and dreaded much a repetition. My men now left off pitching their tent at all. They preferred to lie on it, with a couple of large fires built on either side of them. Fortunate it was for our comfort that stillness prevailed, and that we were able to enjoy in peace the great luxury of the roaring camp fires. We had luckily plenty of dead cotton wood for fuel, and for food tlio primest venison (antelope and elk). Wo despised jnountain hares — called here "jack rabbits " — as also the " sage hens " or "cock of the plains" {centrocercuti urojihasianiis). These are magnificent birds, as large as capercail- zies ; the cock measuring as much as two and a half feet in length, and weighing up to six pounds. They live entirely in the open, and take long high flights .a -i^i»'2^«j^| :'mti^^^^amai^-> 258 IVaiideriiios in the IVcstcrn Land. like black game. Tlio plumage is of a brownisli grey, sprinkled with white, the cook and hen being alike in colouring, but the former is larger, and has a somewhat long and pointed tail, which the female does not possess. They usually keep in packs, and are not difficult to approach. From feeding on the sage-bush their flesh tastes very strongly of that dwarf shrub, and this flavour was insurmountably unpleasant to me, and apparently to the men also, for none of those I killed Avcro ever cooked. Coues says, in his "Birds of the North-West," th;\i; this disagreeable flavour can be got rid of by taking out the intestines immediately on being killed. He states also that this bird has the peculiarity, in a scientific point of view, of possessing no gizzard, the stomach, instead of "being hard and very muscular, as in other gallinacea, is soft and membraneous, like that of the birds of prey." As they u ere no good to us for food, as soon as I had obtained as many as I wanted for specimens, I gave iip shooting them, but before this they were nearly the cause of a disagree- able adventure. It happened that one day I was riding near the waggons, when some of these birds got up and flew away behind us. I marked them down, and leaving the teams to continue their jog, started back alone for a stalk. When near the spot I got oft' my broncho, taking care to throw the ])ridle over her head, a proceeding which hitherto had had the desired effect of stopping her from rambling. But some demon possessed the animal on this occasion ; for having had my shot and secured three of t^^e heavy birds, I retraced my steps, meaning to remount and gallop on after the waggons, which were by this time out of sight. The broncho had A disagreeable position — Antelope again. 259 other views, for no sooner had I got within twenty yards of her, than away she galloped, and, worse still, in an opposite direction to that in wdiich the waggons had disappeared. She stopped to graze some half mile off, when I approached her again, and with the same result. After this second flight, T sent " Ned " round her, which had the effect of stopping her for a few minutes, but very soon she broke the bay and bolted off again. I must say I felt anything but comfortable. It was getting towards night, the waggons were so far away that I had no chance of catching them on foot, even if I had been able to keep the track ; I had no food, and there was no fuel but sage brush for fire, and to be with- out a fire all night in this cold meant freezing before morning. My only chance then was to come to terms with my pony. Dropping the sage hens, I now set about a regular quiet stalk, and was lucky enough this time to get within distance of the drag- ging reins before she made her rush, on finding which she soon succumbed. Glad enough was I to feel myself on horseback once more, and "making time at a good round lope" after the waggons, which I overtook just before they made camp. We had now left the close proximity of high moun- tains, and were passing over a large prairie, through which the North Platte (h'ags its sluggish course towards the Medicine Bow and Sweet-water country. On this plain were plenty of antelope; one day 1 killed three, but beyond taking an occasional stalk when they came on our line of march, I did not pay much attention to them. After leaving the higher mountains we lost all signs of elk, but I hoped to fall in -with them again when we struck the n hi I n [Py i:-Sll«KL5;£i"«JS--* 260 Wanderings in the Western Land. ranges further northwards, a hope destined to be disappointed. The Platte, here about thirty yards across, was so hard frozen that the waggons could cross it almost anywhere. It seemed a curious phenomenon of nature that at one spot on the banks of this ice-bound river a hot spring should be bubbling up on its very margin. I did not ascertain the temperature of the water, but it must have been very consider- able, for steam was coming off freely. A sort of little establishment had grown up around this spring, consisting of small log huts, in which were located the owner and a few invalids undergoing a course of the waters. Amongst these latter was, curiously enough, a true cockney, born within the sound of Bow Bells. He had been in America thirty years, and had suffered greatly from rheumatic pains in his limbs, which had become lately so severe that the doctors had wished to amputate the affected parts ! Fortunately he had heard of these springs, and was obtaining very great relief from the use of the waters. My native townsman was very keen to hear all he could about the little city, and I gratified him to the best of my ability. Cattle ranches were now pretty frequent, and we found at all of them great readiness to afford us shelter, and to furnish us with juy necessaries we required. Some of these ranches kept a lot of milcli cows, and made a large quantity of butter ; others were able to secure stocks of hay, which realized $22 {\i. 86'. Ot?.) per ton, delivered at the Govern- ment.postof Fort Steele. ,The gre,at/'\object of my ambition now was to get a good specimen of the mountain sheep or big horn id. billed to bo OSS, was so 3 it almost omenon of s ice-bound up on its amperature y consider- A sort of onnd this n'^hicli were dergoing a latter was, within the 1 America rheumatic lately so iputate the 'd of these f from the was very city, and I 1 Is 'r ■' it, and wo afford us ssarios wo t of milcli t; others I realized 3 Govern- ras to get ' big horn (»0 n I s H O o H ■"1 H !<< t9 o I I The motmtain sheep. 261 H a ■* H n < St I O o 04 M M 3] 00 -1 H »!) o I I R (ows monlana). These much-coveted animals, corre- sponding to the ov'is ammon of India, and the mouflon of Sardinia, inhabit elevated regions, in which rocks and ledges abound. They are scarcely ever seen in the plain, even in the immediate neigh- bourhood of rocks ; but should they be found there, woe betide them, for any ordinary dog can then " tree them," that is, drive them on to the nearest isolated cliff or rock, and then the poor beasts can be shot at pleasure. Their habit is to fly when disturbed to the nearest precipices, from the ledges and points of which they can survey with composure their old enemies, the wolves and the pumas. The latter are said to have a marked partiality for them as a prey, and no wonder, for their meat is second to none, savouring more of venisonthan mutton. They seem to be the con- necting link between deer and sheep. In size they run up to a red-deer, a full-grown ram weighing as much as from fourteen to eighteen stone " dressed " (Angl., " clean "). The skin is covered with a very fine deer's hair, and the feet and legs are also like a deer's. But notwithstanding that it has so many points like the deer kind, yet the head, shape, and movements are so entirely sheep-like that the animal conveys much more the impression of a sheep than a deer. In capacity for scrambling it equals, if not surpasses, the chamois, rushing and jumping down such steep faces of rock as it would appear impos- sible for any creature even to crawl down. The heads of both rams (or " bucks," as they are here called) and ewes are furnished with horns, those of the male attaining a magnificent size. I have been told of horns seventeen inches round at the base, and of n Ik 26: lVanderi7i{rs in the Western Land. enormous length ; of a head that weighed sixty pounds ; but I never saw one more than ten or twelve inches round the coronet, or weighing over twenty-five or thirty pounds. It was an old idea that these animals were able to save themselves by falling upon their horns when jumping from great heights, but. I need scarcely say that this, like many other hunters' tales, is without the smallest foundation. In consequence of the quality of the meat, and the estimation in which it and the heads and skins are held at the stores and trading posts, I am sorry to say that this quaint and attractive creature is becoming very scarce. It is very shy of civilization, perhaps more so than any of the deer kind, but it is met with at times and places when little expected, and on this account there is more of luck in hunting it than most other animals. It is excessively quick- sighted, trusting more to its eyes than to its nose to give notice of the approach of danger. I feel sure, after what I have said, that my brother sportsmen will enter into my feelings of keenness to secure a good specimen of this half-sheep half-deer. But the fates were against me, and I utterly failed. I believe, however, another week's stay at one locality would have put me in possession of more than one good head, but at that time I was obliged to move off elsewhere. And so it happened that I had eventually 'o turn homewards without a moun- tain sheep's head. But to return to our progress down the Plutte. Not a single likely place for sheep was passed which 1 (lid not try. Griff Evans was both an experienced and successful sheep hunter, and I had the benefit of his knowledge and advice. But experience and Fine scenery — Austins ranche. 26 hard work were all of no avail, for we came across Rotliing but tracks, more or less old. If, however, the actual success was wanting, the hunt took me amongst the most magnificent scenery, where no human being but a sheep hunter ever thought of going. High ridges of bare red granite, split into peaks and precipices, on which, wherever the slope would allow, flourished cedars and splendid red pines. Through these rocky wilds wound the frozen Platte, hemmed in by perpendicular walls of rock hundreds of feet high, producing grand canons which would be difficult to equal in wildness, grandeur, and desolation. One of the finest and wildest of these moun- tain ridges was in the neighbourhood of a ranche beyond tlie Medicine Bow Creek, occupied by a man of the name of Austin. A rough, but very hearty stock-man, he was one of those hardy characters to be met with only in the ad- vanced positions of civilization. In past life he appeared to have been always ready to fill any position that came across his path. At one time engaged as a soldier in the Northern army, fighting against his brethren of the South ; then taking his turn with his comrades in one of those wretched Indian wars ; and he was now settled down here with a partner of a kindred spirit, possessing about 800 head of cattle and a score of horses, in a country but very lately held by the warlike and cruel Sioux, and probably still to be subjected to their raids. Here he retained much of his soldier's training. Everything in this ranche was done sys- tematically and by clockwork. Early hours were strictly observed. We breakfasted by lampliglit ; •(■•WPXIIV'VW B i< •■ 264 Waiidenjtos in the Western Land. and directly supper was over, about nine o'clock, turned in, when tlio solitary coal-oil lamp was turned out. This did not altogether suit the lazy habits of some of my men; but, as it offered greater chanpes of sport, it agreed well with my own keen spirit. The only piece of luck I had during my stay hero was getting a coyote (prairie-wolf), which, being pressed with hunger, actually penetrated to the cattle-sheds by the ranche. We were sitting at breakfast one morning, when in rushed a cattle-boy with the information. Seizing my rifle, I ran out; it was so dark I could scarcely see the form of the aiiimal, much less the fore-sight of my rifle, but I could hear the beast snapping his jaws at one of the dogs. He allowed me to approach so close that I could almost have struck him with the end of the barrel, when by a lucky shot I put a ball through his heart. On leaving Austin's we had to cross a low divide of the Seminole range, and when on a high, bare plateau came in for another of those fearful snow- storms. It was with difficulty we made way against it, and glad were we when we sighted once more our old friend the Platte, on the banks of which wo had decided to camp. On crossing the river on the ice, the first and only accident happened which befell any of our party in its wanderings. Griff Evans, who was, as usual, driving one of the teams, was jolted oft' the high driving-seat, and falling on the side on which he carried a six-shooter, drove that weapon violently into his ribs. Luckily the result was nothing more than a severe bruising, but Griff did not for many a day Griffs s fail — A disagreeab/e altercation. 265 afterwards, take at all a hopeful view of his injuries. Ho was at first apparently but little hurt, and was able to take the leading part in a most disagree- able altercation between himself and Edd Herridge as to where camp should be made. Griff vv^anted to go some miles back to an old cabin on the side of the mountains ; Edd said it was too late in the day to go so far, and that he and the others would camp on the river, whatever Griff did. High words cMisued, and at last I saw Griff's waggon, with my blankets, clothes, and other necessaries going in one direction, whilst the other waggon, driven by Hank, and containing all the food and cooking utensils, was bound in another. Then I thought it was high time to assert my authority. To be with- out the contents of either one of the waggons, even for a single night in such a climate, was too serious a matter, so I ordered Griff back, and both disputants to camp in a spot selected by me. This succeeded, and things went on much as usual. But when Griff's temper began to cool down, the pain of the bruise began to come up, and he bemoaned his sufferings loudly and persistently. Unfortu- nately, none of my outfit were adepts in the surgical art, and his groanings were such that I really began to be afraid he was seriously injured. I thought perhaps some ribs were broken, and had pierced the lungs or done some other internal injury. The affected part was so tender that he could not bear any one to touch it. I could feel his pulse, which was so quiet that I was reassured and endeavoured to comfort him, but without much success. By this want of " grit," as my men called it, Griff did not rise in their estimation ; they I'^l i « 1 1 ! h 1 1 I 266 // 'audenngs in llic II cstern Land. (loclarod that tliero was " too mucli of tho graiul- inotlier about him." It was pretty evident that we should be detained here some days, before GrifF would bo so far re- covered as to be able to move. Fortunately wc were in the neighbourhood of a canon of the Platte, said to be very good for mountain sheep ; and that there moreover resided at a ranclie close by, a first-class old hunter, whom I hoped to induce to accompany me on the hunt, and to show mo the likely country. I found him most willing, and it was soon arranged that we should have a hunt the next day. Starting from his abode, which was close to our camp, wo walked some little distance up the canon on the f ''ozen river ; and then turned up a very stony gully, between steep granite rocks, a sort of place which would be called a " screten " in tho Highlands. The scenery was magnificently grand ; through the narrow and precipitous canon flowed the usually roaring river, now silenced in most places by a coating, not of inches, but of feet of ice ; only here and there, where the torrent was so rapid and weighty as to preclude freezing, was anything to be seen or heard of its waters. In these spots the stream appeared of a bright green colour, boiling up throug^.i the dull white of the surrounding snow and ice. Magniii'-ent walls of red columnar granite rose abruptly from the very edge of the river to a height sometimes of 1,500 feet, often in strange and castel- lated forms, like ruined strongholds. Occasionally isolated rocks stood out Hke solitary giants ; at other times they ran up in one sheer face almost to the level of the mountain plateau above. It was curious to observe how in every little nook and hollow capable < A canon of tlie Platte — Shccp-huntiug. 26; of holding ji liai)dful of soil, luxuriated tlio cedar, the i)iue, or some of tho many varieties of dwarf red shrubs which grow in these parts. • A CANON OF TllK PLATTE. I'fom a SkiMt hy A.P. V. Up one of tho most practicable of these slants we toiled, until we had reached the level of the mountain country. From the first it required but half an eye to see that my companion, Bennett, was a hunter of no ordinary merit. It did one good to see the care with which he scanned every rock as it came fresh into view, and took note of every track we came across. We had got the wind all right, blowing straight down from the country we were going to hunt, and I felt full of hope. As we approached the ridge Bennett evidently thought we were near game ; he advanced to the sky-line with as great care and caution as the most experienced Highland stalker. I watch him closely, ■**" ._ i Wj^ W: p ^ i w : i m 268 IVandtTings in the IVcstcrn Land. nnd feel ho liiia aeon something. With an expressive gesture ho motions mo to keep low, and a gleam lights up his weather-beaten face. Crawling forward a little I am enabled to take in the ground he sees. Yes, by Jove ! there they are at last ! The beasts I have toiled so hard after for so many weeks, and almost within a long rifle-shot. What a heart-beating sight ! a herd (or " band " as they are hero called) of about a dozen ewes and lambs and two bucks, one, a grand old fellow, the othei* a threc-yoar-old. What game, quaint-looking creatures they are, with their rich brown and white coats and queer horns. They are lying and feeding on the other side of a gulch, or little glen, about 400 yards from where we are. Some of them are evidently suspicious, for their heads are up, and the old ram is already thinking of moving. Bennett is, hov/ever, as cool as a cucumber, and surveys quietly the intervening ground with the eyo an old stalker. Quickly he pronounces the attack hopeless from this quarter, and whispers that we must get back as quietly as we can, return down the slope and get in on them further up tho canon. This we at once commence to carry out, and I hope, as we move away, that the beauties will settle down again, and that we shall be abl'j to get a good chance at them from above. Bui, alas I here I am again doomed to disappointment, for when we como next in sight of their whereabouts, not a beast is to bo seen — all have " skinned out." What a disappoint- ment, and after such days of toil and hardship ! But it is no use bemoaning our luck, so we arc soon on their tracks, following them up the canon as fast as we can. They had, however, made good their escape, and we saw tliem no more that day. •*». Be unci Cs bear story. 269 As a sort of consolation, on our way back in tlio evening wo came on a fine cow elk, which I killed for camp meat, and very fine steaks she furnished. Besides being a good hunter, Bennett was unusually good company ; most of his life had been spent as a trapper, and he was full of anecdotes of his experi- ences. One story I cannot hjlp repeating, as, from the reputation of tjo man who told it mo, and his Avholo manner, unlike many bear stories, I believe it to be true. It was as follows : — Bennett and two part- ners were " after furs," that is, on a trapping expedition. Having got " quite a number," one of then, had gone down to dispose of some at the nearest post and to bring back necessary stores. A night or so after his departure a bear came and took away three tame beavers, besides a quantity of meat. This so enraged the hunters that they determined to set a trap for the marauder. Accordingly half an antelope's carcase was pinned to the ground, around it a line was stretched and fastened to the trigger of a rifle, loaded and pointed at the savoury bait. The trap was skilfully conceived and care- fully set. Very soon after the hunters had retired to their " bunks " they were aroused by the discharge of the rifle, and on going out found a grizzly boar's cub lying dead. Pulling the body inside the small tent, they reset the trap and turned in again. In a very short time they were made aware of a most unwelcome visitor, in the shape of the old she-bear herself. She had come to look for her cub, and having scented it, had followed it into the tent. The poor beast fondled the dead offspring and licked it and whined over it, sometimes in her raoveijients actually treading on the hunters' feet and legs. The 2/0 ]Vandcrings in the Western Land. k l!! I, wretched men scarcely dared to breathe, knowing ])erfectly well that that moment she discovered them Avould most likely be their last. At last she left, when, fearing that she would return they lost no time in leaving the tent and getting up the nearest tree. She did return and remained " quite a while," but, although now safe, our friends were by no means to be envied, for the night was bitterly cold, and they were "up a tree" in the lightest of cos- tumes. Eventually she again retired, when Jack at once declared " that he could stand it no longer, no, not for all the bears in Wyoming," so down he came and lighted a fire, and fortunately the bear did not again appear. As might be supposed, after having once sighted sheep, I was not likely to leave the locality without another try for them, but again without success. Once indeed we found them high up the caiion, l)ut they had seen us and were scuttling up through the rocks like rabbits. I fired and my men fired too, but the enfilade resulted in neither killed nor wounded. This second time the three-year-old ram Avas with them, but the old fellow had taken himself ofp, no doubt thinkinc: himself like manv an old red deer staj?, safer in ])erfect solitude than with tlie rest of the herd. In this canon we came across the den of a moun- tain lion, a large hole between great ])oulders of granite. The smell from it was most ofFensive, and quantities of bones of animals and birds scattered around the entrance testified to the destructive power of the formidablr3 owner. The men who were with me pronounced him " at home," but as we had no means of bolting him, nothing could be done. Unfortu- Bolting " mountain lions- Sand and svgar 271 natcly, wo never thought of smoking him out, which I believe would have been practicable, and whicli operation — so Griff told me — was on one occasion successfully carried out in Bstes Park. The " boys," however, were so scared at the sudden appearance of the lion amongst them, that they all fired wildly and the brute escaped unscathed. Bolting mountain lions, after the manner of ferreting rabbits, would at any rate have been a novelty in the sporting line, and I wished much that we had thought of the smoking expedient. Evans was now so far recovered that we were able to make a move, and glad enough wo were to do so. Our camp here had been anythiiig but a good one ; the locality abounded in sand, which in the windy weather which prevailed, was a source of real discomfort. Nothing could keep it out ; it penetrated food, clothes, and bedding. When mixed with one's victuals it was especially dis- agreeable and distasteful. A slight misfortune, too, had happened to our store of sugar ; the can of " coal-oil " (paraffine) for the lamp had leaked, and some of its contents had found their wav into the bag. This oil certainly possesses a wonderful jiower of penetration, for although only a few drops apparently had escaped, yet the whole contents of the bag were tainted and uneatable as sugar. Hank contrived, however, to make a very passable syrup of it by simmering it in a frying-pan for a long time over a dull fire. Our line of march from here lay at first north-east, along the right bank of the Platte, which we then crossed and headed due north across a sandy, alkaline prairie. Although very little grass appeared on the \\ y MM»ia»-iM ' h-r'im^i^*ii^ ' ' f ''^~> ' ^'9'!^'! f ^' ' ^ ^' i imimMt i m E£:.7.Vv:tS*-.'?*T(«J .'55K?55i '' I 272 IVandc rings in the Western Land. surface, great quantities of cattle were thriving on it. It is said, however, that owing to the alkaline deposit on these plains they lose their teeth prematurely. Hero and there Avere enormous bushes of sage (avte- misia trident ata), usually only a few inches high, but in this locality luxuriating by the side of the streams in the most wonderful way, and attaining the size of large shrubs. In one spot they were over my head on pony-back, and I had some difficulty in forcing my way through them. A decoction of this shrub, Avhich goes by the name of " sage tea," is in much repute amongst the hunters and others for the treatment of all sorts of illnesses, especially what is locally called " mountain fever," which seems to be of the typhoid type and occasionally ends fatally. My men had a story of two men suffering from it at one of the frontier towns ; one of the cases was scientifically treated by the army doctor, the other with sage tea by the local tailor. The sage-tea patient got well, but the other succumbed to the disease. The most common growth on these true alkaline plains is what is locally called " grease wood," a spare, small, and at this time of year (December) leafless shrub, from which, when burning, a sort of oil or grease exudes, hence the local name. It is too quick burning for a good camp fire when used alone, but when mixed with sage-bush does very well. The margins of the little lakes, of which there are many in this locality, are covered with a thick coat of an alkaline salt. I did not keep any for analysis, but judging from the taste the chlorides of sodium and calcium appeared to be the chief ingredients of its composition. We were still in the land of antelope, though less An luiliicky stalk — Left behind. "-^11 numerous than further south, and oti one occasion I nearly spent a night cut through hunting them. As was my custom Avhen on the march, I was riding within sight of the waggons, but so far ahead as to get a sight of game before it was disturbed. A herd of antelopo had attracted my attention, and I had ridden off alone for a stalk. The men had seen me, and I had got my shot so soon that I was afraid almost of firing, so direct were the waggons in the line of fire. Having killed, I waited by the (lead antelope, expecting one of the men would come buck to *' dress " it, and " pack " it to the waggons. When, however, after waiting some time no one appeared, I gralloched it myself, and cutting off the two haunches — called here " hams " — and the head, and packing them as well as I could on my saddle, set off in pursuit of the waggons. But nowhere could I strike the trail ; the soil was light and sandy, and a strong breeze was blowing, so that it was, to my comparatively obtuse sense of sight, quite oblite- rated. What was to be done now ? If I rode after the teams, it would be at a great risk of never seeing them again, at any rate for that day, for Edd Herridge himself, our chief pilot, had been in doubt when starting of the exact course to be steered, and he meant to make it out as he went along. I must confess to feeling very uncomfortable ; but I was mounted, and had meat, and could make a fire, so, had I only had my blankets with me, I should have had nothing to fear, unless one of those awful winter storms had broken upon me. After carefully considering my position, I came to the conclusion that the first thing I had better do was to mount a hill which I saw not very far off, T m rc^^3«*««i>-« a* i -3^^=«iEifjj rBs *w i ^g»«Miii!4Wm.a^^ 274 Wandermp's in the Western Land. m \ E!' and take a survey with my glass ; perhaps from that elevated spot I might see something of the teams. This I did at once but not a vestig^e was to be seen of my outfit. I spied all the country most carefully, and hoped for some time that the teams might be in some hollow, and would come suddenly into sight ; but no ! they had evidently " made good time" after I had left them, and got clear away over some distant sky-line. It was now late in the afternoon, so I had to make up my mind quickly what to do. The weather was fearfully cold, and even with plenty of food and a good fire, a night without blankets was a thing to be avoided. On speering around I was able to make out with the glass, in the far distance, a sort of habitation which had the appearance of an Indian lodge, or *' tepee." We had passed within sight of it in the morning and I had heard some of the men discussing what it was. I had gathered that they believed it to be some sort of white man's ranche. I now could see it plainly with the aid of my stalking-glass, and could moreover make out figures moving about, and smoke rising up near it, so that at any rate it was inhabited. On consideration I thought that I had better ride back to this place, where most likely, I should get shelter and perhaps assistance in refinding my outfit, the loss of which in itself was an awkward matter in this boundless country. Taking the exact bearings with my compass, I de- scended the hill and rode straight away for the edifice. I was rather unea°y about the reception I should get on my arrival at these strange quarters, but I had uniformly experienced nothing but hearty " ppyiites or Redskins " — The doubt solved. 275 'h\ welcomes from the " cow-punchers " of the west. If then they were whites I was not apprehensive ; but what if my men were wrong and they were Redskins ! We had heard there were two camps of the Arrapahoes out on the war-path a httle further on ; tliey were nominally after their old enemies the Utes, but the " young bucks " — as the young warriors are called — are said to be not over particular " whose hair they lift " when they are out on the war-path. But, I argued to myself, these frontier men are not often mistaken, especially in the matter of Indians ; besides, I will take the precaution not to go straight into camp until I have reconnoitred. At any rate shelter at night at this time of year, in case of a storm, is most needful, so I determined to push on. I made such good speed, that I had bright day- light for approaching the curious-looking erection, but when I was hundreds of yards off I was able easily to determine the nationality of the occupants, by that peculiar western vernacular which issued from many lusty throats at once. It was evident that there was here a large gathering of ranche- men, and it seemed that they were employed on some cattle matter, but what that was I could not for some time make out. On getting nearer I at last discovered that the process called "brand- ing" was being carried out on a considerable scale. No one noticed my approach, so intent were they all on their work. At length I got one of them to attend to my queries, and from him I ascertained that there were amongst the company two old acquaintances whom I had met further up the country. They were delighted to see me, T 2 %\ u> r:.-?r!v n about a couple of miles away. In order to make it clear that I was on my way to join them. Griff suggested that I should fire a shot, which apparently had the desired effect, for the waggon instantly stopped. As Griff" Evans was not going with me, but was to stay behind with Lee and Hank to search for the missing stock, and as my direction now was straight away from our old camp, neither he nor I thought it of any use for him to come out of his way any further, so I sent him and my old dog " Ned " back to camp, and I then started off alone as direct as I could for the waggon. In descending the steep hill-side after parting with Griff" the formation of the ground soon hid the wag- gon, but as I had got my marks, I felt no unejisiness on this score. The two miles or so were quickly covered, but when I got to the spot where the waggon had been, nothing was to be seen of it or the men. I soon, however, got the track ; and as the ground le men. A stern chase — Incrcasim^ dijjictiltics. 307 was undulating, 1 thoiien Ithonght thttt possil»ly, tool knt-n ^n'obulily, starvation awaited me. Truly, at fivHt, \ IumI as nuich aR I could do tok(U»|MUV hoad ; I t\'l( iurliued t«» give it up and lio down; if I did IImh I know \\\y fate was seah^d, ami that probtil>ly I ulnndd n(*ver awako again. I roaU«ed t'ldly thai my lifo diju^iided on keeping my head, and 1 prayi»d lor hulp to do so, and it was grant( \l to me throughout that fearful night. It was now a little past seven o'clock ; I knew the moon would rise about half-past nine, and that pos- sibly I might be able to recover the track in the bright moonlight, if I could only stay here till then. But a cutting wind was driving down from the snow-covered mountains and 1 noon hegou to freeze 1 I had no extra clothes, only those which I had walked in all day, and there was no possibility of building a fire, for there was no fuel, not even a sage busli as big as a cabbage, anywhere within reach. I attempted walking about, but I soon felt that in the darkness I was getting further away from where the track lay. If I remained here, freezing stared me in the face. What then could I do ? The only other course open to me was to try and make my old camp on the '* Sweet- water," which I thought would be about twenty miles from here. I had come, I imagined, a south-westerly course since leaving Evans, I therefore argued that north-east should bring me back again. At any rate I ought by this course to strike the somewhat isolated range of hills on which we had hunted, or perhaps I might strike the Sweec- water river and if I did, it would be easy enough then to find camp. The stars were scarcely il' »w »i p ri<»>M»i» ■-■<■■ > I 310 Wanderings in the Westa'u Land. visible through the cold haze which hung over the earth, but T was able at last to make out the North Star, to shape ray C( urse by. It was evident very soon after starting again that I was not on the line of country I had just come over, th ^ rature of the surface was so entirely different. Sometimes I was amongst boulders and rocks, sometimes almost on the edge of a precipice, whilst at other times I was ploughing through deep sand. It was a difficult matter to keep my course, as I had so often to make detours to avoid sudden and deep drops, but I kept on pretty straight, and what between fast walking and at times almost running I travelled at a good pace. A little before ten the moon rose, and I saw to ni}'' right a faint outline of mountains. I hoped, and thought at first, that they were the range I sought for. Away to the left I saw some abrupt cliffs whicli looked like the Devil's Gateway on the Sweet- water ; if so, I ought soon to strike the stream, and I walked on with redoubled vigour. But no, I was wrong ; the river was not to be found where it should have been had my conjecture been right, and I wandered on down-hearted and dispirited. At last I was all but " played out," and for other reasons too felt that I must have rest and a fire. Fuel was now a necessity, and I therefore made for the mountains, on the side of which there would most likely be some trees or shrubs. Merci%lly, I soon came across a dead pitch-pine tree, and having matches in my pccket, and having luckily learnt the art of building a fire, I soon had a blazing one. I sat down before it and rested, my first real rest since early morning. \ i It ''Lest " — Uneasy rests. 311 % It was now past midnight ; all was strange and weird around me ; the very trees and rocks took uncanny forms ; the only noises which broke the silence of the night vrere the wild howlings of the prairie wolves and tiie sighing of the wind through the pine trees. I could not rest long here, I began to be uneasy about the Arrapahoe Indians, who, I knew, were encamped not far below our old camp on the Sweet-water, and I did not kno\v how near I might be getting to them. If they saw my fire, it might lead to an investigation on their part, and an easily-obtained white man's scalp, with rifle and ammunition, would probably be too great a tempta- tion for the " young bucks," out, perhaps, on their first war-path; so at one o'clock I was off again, heading the same course as before. The tops of the mountains were now enveloped in mist ; not a single landmark could I recognize. Once, when coming over a low ridge, I fancied I saw a herd of antelope close to me ; rather thoughtlessly I fired into them, hoping for meat ; but, alas, it was only a few shrubs waving in the wind. By three o'clock my strength was again failing me ; I had had nothing to eat, except the one biscuit, since the early breakfast of the previous day, and I had been walking hard almost ever since. I was forced again to rest, and Indians or no Indians, I v.iiist have a fire. To add to my uneasiness, I felt too I might be going further and further away from all my known haunts and landmarks. This time I got into a cleft in a rock, and built a fire in front of me, which had the double effect of preventing the fire from being seen except from tb»' tI '.'.'Z.^'MSiiSmiat'V 1 tj i t h l( I 3 1 2 Wa7idcrings in the Westei'u Land. direct front, nnd of protection from tlie wind and from a rear or flank attack slionld the Indians by cliance come on me. Here I sat with my rifle across my knees — not daring to let myself fall asleep — until the first streak of early dawn appeared in the east, a little before seven o'clock. How rejoiced I was to see it, an end at last to that miserable night, if not to my difficulties. With the daylight I hoped to be able to make out some known landmark, and -with this object I toiled up the steep hill-side immcdiiitely behind the spot where I had been rest- ing. Broad sunlight soon reigned; hut not an on f- linc, not a feature, iu the u-hole hiiuhcap", eovhl I recognize! Broken-down, disheartened, exhausted physically and mentally, I again almost gave up ; but 1 had mercifully got through the a',*'ful night, and I felt I must hold on. 1 had still a few matches left, and my rifle and nine cartridges, so I might get on for some days longer unle s assailed by a storm or Indians ; besides, I would have another look from a mountain about a mile off, whicli T saw was much higher than the last, and would theref(H'e command a better view. For this I made, and again forced my weary limbs to the top. This time, after a long survey, I thought I recognized the jagged ridge of a range of granite mountains which was visible from our camp on the Sweet-water, and amongst which the Utes were encamped. If this was so, I must be down on the divide between the Platte and the Sweet-water, and close to the junction of these two rivers. Near tliis spot I had understood the Arrapalioe camps to be, but I was relieved at not seeing anything of them. How glad I was to believe T knew an outline can scarcely be ima- Vi. I Lost'' — A known cntiinc- -T he last pull. 313 so. pfined. I was only afraid lest I should be again wrong ; but no, I felt tbe more certain the longer I looked at the distant range. But in this case what a distance I must have walked in the night ; for I had started a long way to the south and west of Independence Rock, and would be now many miles to the eastward of it. Pulling myself together, I started at once in the supposed direction of the rock, and at last reached it about eleven o'clock. I need not be ashamed to confess that I was completely exhausted. I had eaten hardly anything since early the previous morning, and had walked since parting with Evans over sixty miles — at least so said one of Macdonald's ranchemen, who the next day happened to pass over a portion of my track — and this, too, after a long day's hunting. The distance from the hill, from which I had taken my last survey, to the rock was fourteen miles in an " air line." This night will be ever remembered by me. The feeling of heinxj lost was a strain on my nerves such as I had never before experienced, and trust I may never again be subjected to, and I can quite under- stand that a man might lose his senses under such circumstances. Colonel Dodge narrates the follow- ing incident : — " When serving in Texas, a soldier of my company became lost while returning to the post from a small village two miles off. A party was sent out in search for him, and on the second or third day came upon him almost naked in a little thicket. As soon as he discovered the party, he bounded off' like a deer, and was pursued. After an exciting chase he climbed a tree, from which he was taken by force, and with the greatest difficulty — '^<. \ 7«t' u\ ill. iiii 'h 'i 11 — aw'i'' i '' «i' "« i ii ii u»iWiiBi i WBiBW'i * Wi'»M Mi»»i*»« ii w ^^ ^^ »ii am «*^#irMii'giiii'iMiVii[ii,. - ,.i,ri ... i t r 314 IVa^idcriucs in the Western Land. struggling", striking, and biting like a wild animal. He was brought back to the post perfectly wild and crazy, confined, and watched, and attended with the greatest care for over a month, before he recovered his mind. He was an excellent man, more than usually intelligent ; but I doubt if he ever fully recovered the shock. He recollected nothing but going a little distance off the road for something, and getting ' turned round,' and realizing that he was lost." So sudden a loss of reason may seem improbable io those upon whom the fearful sensation of being lost in a trackless and inclement wilder- ness has never been forced ; I have no difficulty in believing it. It turned out in my case that I should not have been looked for for some days, inasmuch as each party thought I was \n\\\ the other. It appeared that Edd Herridge and Macdonald, on coming to the rendezvous, had found the fresh track of a pony, and had taken it into their not over- wise heads that I had ridden on, and that they had not heard the shots I fired before Griff Evans left me. Not finding me at Sand Creek, they thought I had gone back with Griff to the old camp after hunt- ing. They would not, therefore, have looked for me without further information. Griff and the rest of the outfit naturally thought I had joined Macdonald, and was at Sand Creek, so thev would not have thought of my being lost until informed of that fact by tlio others. Not a little astonished were they when I walked into the ranche that morning, and still more so when I told them of my adventures. "All's well that cnu.i well," but I mean to take every human precant-.o^i " Airs well that ejids well'"' 3^5 on any future occasion not to run the lisk of a repetition of that awful night. ^ ■ I lay the following episode in this night's wanderings l)efore my readers, simply as a curious natural phenomenon, to be accounted for, I daresay, by the learned, but perfectly inexplicable to myself. I was passing over the prairie land between the mountains in a moderately clear moonlight about ten or eleven o'clock p.m., when I suddenly saw a bright light flash up on my right hand, at first apparently some distance otf, in the direction of a line of moun- tains. I thought it was some of my men who had come out in search of me, and had, as is often done, lighted u fire to let mo know their whereabouts. I stopped, therefore, and faced the light, so that I might watch it more closely. To my great astonishment, it appeared to mo now to be approaching rapidly. What it could be I could not imagine. Face it I must, Avhether Indians or anything else ; so, cocking my rifle, I awaited its arrival. Wiien apparently about forty or fifty yards otf it stopped. It seemed to be about the height of a torch carried in a man's hand, and partook of that character of light, but I could connect it with no figure of any sort or kinil. I felt that I must, if possible, find out what it was, so I walked towards it with my rifle ready. It then retired, keeping the same distance; from me, I then put my rifle up to my shoulder, but without producing any eifect on the movement of the light. Tliinking that it must be some delusion, and that, at any rate, I could do nothing, I resumed my former course. The light came on too, moving parallel with nu?, keeping all the time the same distance from my right side. ]\Iil(! after mile I travelled on, over all sorts of ground and elevations, sometimes faster, sometimes slower ; but whatever my movements, whenever I turned my head to the right tlu-re was the mysterious light, always in j)recisely the same relative position. At last I resolved to make a lire, and I altered my coarse accordingly towards the mountain side ; still the light accompanied me, a7id it was not until a bright lire blazed forth that I lost my uncanny companion, which did not reappear in my after wanderings. I give the foregoing incident just as it occurred and for what it is worth. 1 may mention that when the light first appeared to me I had bc(m walking for about si.xteen hours, during live of which I had beca under the mental strain which inevitably accompanies a situation such as I have described, and during that period I had 1 \k J i i II i"i'.a:T ■Xantmm.m — _ . 1 6 lVa7idc7'iugs m the Western Land. only eaten one small roll. At the same time, watching myself narrowly, I was unconscious of any unusual excitement, or of being in a frame of mind inconsistent with forming a sound judgment on any natural phenomenon which might present itself. On the con- trary, I had been able to keep my head quite clear in the many matters, such as the course to be steered, obtaining fuel, and lighting the fires, &c., which, although small in themselves, required consideration and execution. '> 'II i V I li £l !i J g myself ' of being gment on the con- lie many fuel, and Bmselves, I M CHAPTER XV. " Westward tlio course of Empire takes its way." Bishop Berheley^n Epitaph to Bancroft's Ilistonj of the United States. Slicep once more — New companions — George Ferries — A good Ranche — Hopes of sport — A stalker's get-up — An exciting day — The heart-shaped tracks — A race for slieep — Bea' n — Creeping the ledges — A hair-trigger — My last chance gone — Independence Eock again — A lucky lift — Sand Creek — The Ferries ^Mines — To Kawlings — Clieery companions — Brown's Canon— A "one-horse" town — Topography of the Western Country — Train life — The Continental Divide — Green Eiver — Evanston — Lignite : its geological position — XTtah — Echo and Weber Canons — Ogden — Shoshone Indians — Humboldt County — Battle ^Mountain — Summit of the Sierra — Beautiful scenery — The American River — The Western Slope — Sacramento — San Francisco — Beautiful position — The Palace Hotel — The Seal Rocks — Unique sight — The streets — The Hoodlum or Celestial— The Chinese Question — Climate — Drainage — The rainlall — California as a Mining State — Bullion production — Agriculture — Fertility — Exportation — Wool — Wine — Fish — Deer — Small game —Future. With the last cliaptor finishes the actual hunting portion of my trip ; but suffering still from sheep on the brain, I could not resist wasting a couple more days later on, in fruitless pursuit of the coveted animals. The last of these, although unproductive, was so full of enjoyable excitement that I cannot 1^ If \ i ji •^ N- t 3 1 8 IV(7 hrings in the Westei'n Land. lielp fighting' it over again. It so luippenod tliat none of my old " outfit " were with me. All except Herridge — who had returned to his Indian wife at La Porte, on the Cache la Poudre — were still search- ing for the lost stock in the Sweet- water country. My own companions were two in number — one a hunter of much reputation in military circles ; the other a well-to-do rancheman, by name George Ferries, who had formerly been a successful trapper, and who still loved dearly the wild mountain life. lie now owned a ranche and a herd of cattle, the former far above the average both in size and comfort, and in it we had slept the night previous to the last day's chasse. Besides being one of the best hunters I had met on this side of the Atlantic, George was a first-class stockman, and, moreover, bore a high reputation for straightforwardness and lionest dealing. The scene of our hunt was a canon, through which flowed our old friend the North Platte. I had great hopes of success from this hunt — not only on account of the reputation of my companions, but from the promising reports I had had of sheep in this neighbourhood. The prospects of fine weather on the previous evening had been rather doubtful, for althongh it was bright and still, there were signs of one of those fearfvd winter storms. Fortunately it held off a few days longer, and the morning of oiii' hunt was all that could be desired. George Ferries looked all over like business — the brown suit of " Californian goods " and small felt hat ho wore, by no means assimilating badly with the colour of the rocks and ground among wliich we had to seek our game. But I cannot say so much for the get-up of A stalker s "■get up " — A hopeful viorning. 319 liigli our other comrade, who, in his present costume, would have done well for a stage brigand, and would have spent the rest of his days in the best deer forest in Scotland without the remotest chance of a kill. On his head he wore a gigantic thin felt somhrerOf or wide-awake, which flapped with every breath of wind, like the wings of some colossal bird ; his jacket and pants were of dark brown corduroy or fustian, and round his ample waist he wore a broad crimson sash ; long " rubber *' boots com- pleted his attire. How he was ever to get near the quick-eyed sheep was a puzzle to me ; but I was told that he was a most successful hunter, and tliat I was very fortunate to seciire his services. I could only, therefore, imagine that he eitlvT did not always clothe himself like this, or that he must be a remarkable good hand at never showing himself to game. But he was a good-natured, cheery fellow, and I had great confidence that his workmanlike com- panion would so manage matters after we had got into the game region tliat our friend should do no harm to our hunt. The early morning found us all three galloping away on very fair steeds for the high ground leading up to the caiion. In about an hour we had rc^ached the likely ground, and our eyes were " kept skinned," searching the snow for the heart-shaped tracks. Presently George had " struck" iliem leading down a sharp slope into a gulch below. Leaving our horses, we followed them a few Inuidred yards, wlien v,'e came suddenly on some black-tailed deer. They stood for a few moments gazing wonderingly at us, affording a most tempting chance, but no shot was fired, sheep alone being the object of the ii fi . ■ ■ ;i5 it') li ■tfi I f I' sr' Hill i' If i ?v, I. ''*«jl 520 Wiiftdcrings in the Western Land. day. When tho deer had thoroughly made us out, they jumped away with that peculiar bounding action in an opposite direction from the tracks wo were following, so without injuring our prospects of sport. On peering over a ridge a little further on, our eyes were gladdened by the sight of a band of some twenty sheep — of which two were good " bucks " — about 500 yards oif in the gulch below. Although they were not actually moving when we first saw them, yet they were *' suspicious " and uneasy. May- be they had had a glimpse of our friend's flapping sombrero, or got a touch of our wind ; at any rate, in a very short time they had made up their minds, and were on the " lope." George evidently knew their haunts well, and the rocks they were likely to make for; for, hurrying us back to the horses as quick as he could, we commenced a quick move- ment along the high ground parallel to the course of the galloping sheep below. It was now a regular race for several miles between ourselves and the sheep, our object being to cut them off from tho highest part of the range. Gallop we did most cer- tainly, and over some roughish ground ; but even- tually they beat us, and we were just in time to see the last of them tearing up on to the precipices about half-a-mile ahead of us. Even then our chance was not gone. George knew the locality well, and commenced at once stalking on foot the likely rocky ledges. One of these he thought offered a very good chance, and we ap- proached the ridge above it with rifles all ready for a shot. Nothing could be seen at first, and we had almost turned away, when G saw a ewe or two under a flat rock ; drawing back, we were getting A hair tricrgcr — My last chance. 121 nv round quito close to tliom, ^vllen bang went a rifle behind me. Our friend of tlio sombrero had sot his rifle on the hair tri^wer, and it liad gone off by aceident in his excitement ! Fihcii fiu/accs ! to rusli to the edge and snap at the bounding animals as they almost fell down the face of the sheer rocks was the work of a moment, but with no results, as might have been expected. George's indignation was great, and my feelings certainly none of the gentlest. G susfcreslod *oo* that if it was his, "he would fling the said rifle down tlie precipice after the sheep," and our tiorahrcro friend looked downcast and sheepish enough, only I'emarking that " it had never happened to him before, but that his hands Avero so cold" — a good time for a hair trigger, forsooth ! However, it was no use lamenting over our luck ; besides which, the bucks were not with the ewes, and miglit still be behind ; so we searched for them as carefully and long- as circumstances would allow, but it was now getting late in the day, and commencing to storm, and wo Avere compelled at last to give it up disheartened and thoroughly l)eaten. Thus ended my last day after sheep, as unlucky as all other days after these much- coveted animals. Sorely was I tempted to remain on, and hunt until I got one ; but my dnys in America were numbered, and I was forced to be off for niore civilized parts. But all this is digression, and I must now return to the ranclie at Independence Hock the day after I was lost. I. was able most fortunately to get a lift over to Sand Creek on a very rougli waggon, driven by a loquacious Irishman, whieh happened to be going that way for some chance stock purposes. On I %^ 4^^ ^>' IJ** '^ ■*- „«5. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 4 % :/_ fc 1.0 I.I 1.25 I^IM 12.5 ■50 ■^~ ml^M ■^ 1^ 12.2 Siii* 2.0 U 11.6 6" — V 73 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTM.N.Y. USSO (716) 872-4S33 3 T '''^mM&uiiiis^iii'tissMi. ii ■ I' ^ !^ 10 "> Wanderings in the Westci'n Land. arrival there I found that Macdonald and Herridge were still here, and had taken up their abode at a stamp-mill, erected some years since for dealing with the auriferous quartz from the mines situated in the Ferries Pmge, north west of this. These ores have not proved of sufficient richness to com- pensate for the difficulties attendant on the situa- tion; amongst which are the distance to the railroad, and the cost and scarcit}'- of labour. "We slept in the log hut attached to the mill, rough enough in every way, but too glad was I to feel a roof over my head again, and to be in the company of my fellow-creatures. The following day we travelled on towards Raw- Ijngs, or Rawlings Springs as it is sometimes called, on the Union Pacific Railroad. Our conveyance was a light cart, drawn by two small horses, the property of Macdonald, who did driver. Besides Herridge, we had as a passenger, a rather amusing character in the person of an old "stage driver," who had followed his vocation for many years in Utah and other Western parts, but had now abandoned it for the less-stirring work of cattle herding. He was possessed of a very fair voice, and whilod away the weary time with songs, which though not of the most select description, were decidedly quaint and strange to civilized ears. Macdonald had also a musical turn, but, alas ! possessed not tlie smallest idea of tune. He droned away hour after hour at the same wretched ditty, the refrain of which was — *' ^\'e roU'd away quite merrily, but I often look'd behind ; Tor the rocks and woods of Dixie were passing lliroiigh my mind." I concluded this was meant to have some reference Browiis Canon — Rawlings. 'I <-> -^ to a melody called " Dixie's Land," but thought it wiser net to inquire, for fear of further infliction. On he droned — oh, how sick I was of it ! — and on we jolted over the most execrable road, or rather track, in a bare, alkaline country, until a cafion was reached, called Brown's Caiion, perhaps named after the same Mr. Brown as the famous "Brown's Hole," on Bear River, which bears the reputation of being the home of many a desperado and outlaw. A good-sized stream flowed through this in summer time ; but now it was hard frozen and silent. The rocks of this locality appear to be a sort of quartz schist, the geological section exhibiting a series of ledges or uorraces of soft and hard rock. From this point the roi:d improved, and we were soon able to make our entry into the quiet railway town of RawKngs, where I was speedily housed in the decent railroad hotel, very fairly clean and com- fortable. Everything in this little settlement has to do, directly or indirectly, with the Union Pacific Rail- road. It is the centre of one of their systems, and consequently the residence of a number of oflBcials and labourers, with the requisite stores or shops. Usually it is by no means a lively abode, and was well described to me beforehand as a "one-horse town ;" but being now Christmas time, the place is quite lively. The second night I was there a ball took place at my little inn, at which the neighbouring ranchemen and trappers attended. Although much was strange to my eastern eyes, there was no up- roarious drunkenness or brawling, and the next morn- ing all appeared as cold and quiet as usual. But I had no time to lose, if I wanted to see anything of Cali- Y 2 324 Wandcriitgs in the Western Land. \'\\ i( % t IS ,^, fornia and Nevada before my return to England ; so, after "expressing" my heavy luggage and frozen buffalo heads, &c., eastwards, I got " on board" the through express train for California. How comfortable, and even luxurious, the Pull- man sleeper seemed to me after my camp life. How cold and queer the sheets felt, but neither so warm or comfortable as the blankets. The feeding seemed unnecessarily refined, and the quantity of new faces and voices perplexing and strange. And now, having returned to the so often and well described route of the Union Pacific Railroad, my observations on the many interesting scenes passed through will be of the very briefest descrip- tion. Before starting away for the long run to the Pacific coast, I would merely remark that west of the Mississippi the general character of the topography of the country is given by three great and main lines of elevation, which traverse from north to south. These are the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and the so-called Coast Ranges. Between the two former is a large plateau, ovt^' 500 miles wide, and extending in length far into Mexico, of an elevation varying from 4,000 to 8,000 feet. For the informa- tion of geologists, the Sierra Nevada is composed of granite, and metamorphic slates of the Triassic and Jurassic periods. The Coast Range is made up mostly of far more recent rocks belonging to the miocene. On going westwards, after reaching the Rocky Mountains, there is a vast improvement in the scenery ; for, although on this western slope there are hundreds of miles of dreary, sandy, alkaline plains to be passed over, covered only with a small growth of sage bush, and grease wood, yet there is nmch moit) lA }V From Raivlings to San Francisco. 325 mountain scenery, abounding in rugged and wild canons, pine-covered slopes, and precipitous cliffs. The distance from Rawlings to San Francisco is a little over 1,200 miles, and the time occupied by the express from sixty-four to sixty- six hours. The rate therefore is not what we should call " express speed," being only something over eighteen miles an hour, inclusive of stoppages for meals. Half an hour is allowed three times each day for these re- pasts; breakfast about seven or eight a.m., dinner about one or two p.m., and supper about five or six p.m. After supper the occupants of the Pullman's sleepers gradually turn into their by no means un- comfortable berths, and by nine p.m. or so, all is quiet for the night. I was fortunate throughout to secure a lower berth, which has the twofold ad- vantages of fresher air and the command of the two windows, which I appreciated immensely. There was some^"hing very enjoyable in being able to look out from one's bed in the bright still moonlight on the wild scenery through which we were running, and especially so when crossing the mountain ranges, or following the rivers through curious weird-looking canons. Although the highest point of the line has been passed at Sherman, 160 miles east of Rawlings, where the elevation is 8,242 feet above the sea level, yet the track is still at the latter station over 6,700 feet, and continues over 6,000 feet for 300 miles, till the Weber Canon, on the other side of the Wahsatch Range, is reached. The actual water- shed of the continent is crossed about three miles to the west of a small station called Creston, nearly 200 miles west of the highest point on the line, and more u^^^M^^f^m.^.^^mmmimmubi^ ^,*«i£.nii4t^<>^-, ■^^i^ii>'^S^i&&^MMi:i»>^^a^.. .,fT ■— A-^— r— *r' K n (I ; ll i i' i ! Ill 111 328 IVandenngs in the Western Land. gather that it seems quite certain that the beds will supply for very long the great requirements of the railroads, and of the other local manufactures, and the waste incurred in the mining, but as the formation extends over a very great area, new beds of the mineral may be discovered and opened out. It may be, too, that hereafter discoveries may be made which will enable the bituminous shale of the forma- tion to be used with advantage for various purposes for which lignite alone is now employed. To give some idea of the value of the lignite producing heat, I see that the average of thirteen analyses of different varieties by Mr. J. T. Hodge gives the following results ; volatile matter 35'277o; fixed carbon 49-667o; ash 4'257o. The rest was water, varying from 3-28Vo up to IS'OOVo. The specific gravity ranged from I'OOYo to l'34;7o. Soon after leaving Evanston we passed out of Wyoming and entered the territory of Utah, and very shortly we found ourselves amidst the wonderful scenery of the Echo Caiion, The red sandstone rocks on each side of the track assume the wildest and quaintest shapes, and, as is usual in a country fre- quented by tourists, are named after the objects which they are supposed most to resemble, such as the "Castle," the "Kettle," " Jack-in-the-pulpit," the " Steamboat," " Sentinel," &c. &c. The rocks put me much in mind of those isolated cliffs on the South Devon line between Dawlish and Teignmouth, though more numerous and larger. Echo Canon leads into Weber Caiion, through which flows the river of that name. Here the rocks are greyer, but more striking even in shape and quaintness than those in the Echo Canon. It was a lovely bright afternoon when we From Raw lings to San Francisco. 329 ran through these mountain gorges, and the strange abrupt outlines were shown off to the best advantage in the horizontal rays of the gorgeous winter sun. We reached Ogden soon after emerging from the Weber Oailon. Here are situated the termini of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads. Here, too, is the branch to Salt Lake City, of which more on my return journey. A stoppage of about an hour and a half, spent in changing Pullmans and at supper, and then away again wes wards in what is called a " Silver Palace Car," which, to an ordinary individual, appears to be nothing more than a modification of a Pullman, and possessing the same comfortable berths, whicli avo soon turned into. The morning found us at Elko, where we break- fasted, having accomplished during the night about 275 miles out of the 882 from Ogden to San Fran- cisco. The " outlook " is now enlivened by a good many Shoshone Indians, a miserable-looking lot, small and ungainly by nature, and many of them rendered even less pleasing of aspect by being clothed in dirty, loud-coloured blankets and tawdry finery. Their lodges .are to bo seen all along the line, truly wretched-looking hovels for human beings to inhabit, but their occupants appeared to be quite happy in their squalor and idleness. From Palisade station a three- feet gauge line runs to Eureka, a large mining district ninety miles dis- tant, of which more hereafter. We were now travelling through Humboldt county, in the State of Nevada, renowned for its mineral wealth, especially of copper and argentiferous lead ores. There seems to be too an agricultural future 330 IVandcrim^s in the Western Land. 1 i ' 4 -I for this country, witli the aid of irrigation from the Humboldt river. Battle Mountain is reached by dinner-time. It gets its name from an action fought here in 1857 between the Indians and a Government Surveying Expedition. Pretty specimens of the red oxide of copper are to bo seen at the station, which may be purchased for a handsome consideration. About a quarter of a mile from Golconda station there are some hot mineral springs, the steam from which is visible from the railway. Winnemucca sta- tion, 468 miles from San Francisco, and 414 from Ogden, apparently "taps" the Idaho country and the eastern part of Oregon. Humboldt, with its good buffet, is leached by supper-time, such a wonderful little " oasis " of green trees and water in the midst of a barren, desolate desert. The river Humboldt, by wliich we have been running all day, loses itself near this place in a lake with- out an outlet, the water going off in evaporation and by absorption into the sand, as fast as it runs in. During the night we had passed out of Nevada, the richest mining State of the Union, and had entered California. About midnight Reno was reached, from which the lino to Virginia city branches off, and at four a.m. the highest point in crossing the Sierra Nevada, at a station called " Summit," 7,042 feet above the sea. It is a matter greatly to be regretted that this part of the journey is not performed, going or coming, in daylight, but both the eastern and western expresses cross this divide in the night. Wo were fortunate so far, that the night was fine and clear, and that a good moon did its utmost to light up the grand scenery. It is From Razvlinqs to San Francisco. 1 -^ I H I It annoying too that some of tho most beautiful views are lost owing to the provoking, but necessary, " snow sheds," which are very numerous hereabouts. In this part of the transcontinental crossing a won- derful change occurs very suddenly in the scenery. In a few hours wo rush from the miserable barren - looking plains of the Humboldt country to tho luxu- riant timber-covered slopes of the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains. This portion is certainly very enjoyable; such magnificent forest and mountain scenery and such a deliciously light and invigorating atmosphere. All around seemed so bright, green, and luxuriant as in early morn we " snaked " round the elevated ridge of Cape Horn, the north fork of the American River rushing along many hundreds of feet beloAV. We saw plenty of signs of gold-mining in tho descent towards Sacramento, at first chiefly of the so-called "hydraulic mining," but afterwards of the older " placer working," or " gulching." Most of these " placer workings " are now abandoned by the whites, and afford only a bare living for the hard- working and abstemious Chinaman. These latter live on one-tenth of that required by a native white, and are amply satisfied when they can make a dollar per day, or even less, whereas the regular miner is not content with less than from three to four dollars for his day's work. As we run down towards the plains the vegetation changes rapidly ; oaks and other hard woods take the place of the varied and beautiful pines, and agricul- tural clearings become frequent. From being spread over so long a distance — nearly 100 miles — the incline or " grade " from the summit to tho Sacra- nV^ — T^TWSi '■I 1 Ml ! ' 1 332 iyan(Artngs in the Western Land. * monto valley is by no mcana stoop. Nowcastlo Sta- tion, wlioro tlio elevation is first under 1,000 feet, is seventy-four miles from the summit, so that the 6,000 feet difference is spread over that lengthened distance. Wo breakfasted at Colfax, and reached Sacramento in a couple of hours afterwards, passing over a mono- tonous dry-looking country about Stockton, which, however, on occasional seasons grows marvellous crops of wheat. A largo irrigation canal is being constructed for this district, when no doubt it will become a more regular corn-producing locality. The town of Sacramento is prettily situated nn the river of that name, and is tibout 125 miles from San Fran- cisco. The rest of the journey may be performed by steamboat, but as they run generally by night, nothing is to be gained in the way of scenery. If however the town itself, or the Chinese, who muster strong here, are objects of curiosity to the traveller, he may in this way obtain a few hours wherewith to satisfy his craving. Sacramento used to be the chief starting-point for emigrants bound for the interior, who came here from San Francisco by water, and commenced their land journeys from this point. But the railroad has interfered with this outfitting business, and the town is now rather a central camp or dejiofi from which a large agricultural district and some mining communities draw their supplies. Six hours' more rail over a flat corn-growing country, thickly covered with ranches and villages, and we are finally deposited at Oakland, a suburb of San Francisco, but on the opposite side of the har- bour. Although I must guard against any attempt at a guide-book description of this well-known Sun Francisco — Beauty of its situation — Hotel. 333 metropolis of the west, yet I cannot help saying a few wovds ni passant to boar my testimony to the beautiful cu\i'i)-(l\v/d on approaching it from this (piartcr. The quantity and variety of shipping, riding securely in the great land-locked haven ; the imposing position of the town itself, the beautiful chain of mountains known as the Coast Range ; the lovely colour of the sky and sea ; the queer-looking gulls and other sea birds, disporting themselves in apparent security close aronnd us; all these when first seen in the glories of a winter's setting sun, made it one of those pictures which memory loves to dwell upon. But we had not much time to enjoy the beauty of the scene. The fine ferry steamer had soon transported us across, when wo were forthwith taken possession of by the representative of our respective hotels. My selection was the "Palace," one of those monuments of American enterprise and conceptions which so astonish us less specu- lative and less ambitious inhabitants of the Old AVorld. It is said to have cost $5,000,000 (1,000,000/.), and to have been the outlay of a single individual. It can make up over 1,000 beds, and everything else is on the same surprising scale. In the basement there are shops or " stores," but, after my first evening's acquaintance with them, when at the hair-cutter's I was charged $1 (= 4.s.) for cutting and washing my hair, and $1 more for washing my brushes, I did not see any advantage in patronizing them any further. The hotel itself was comfortable, and not more expensive than others of far less pretensions. I was not particularly struck with the architecture J^ ? 334 IVajiderin^s in the IFvs/eru Land. of" Frisco." Some of the buildings are fine, but these U/ J the exception, and the general effect fell far short of wliot I had anticipated. From being the abode of so many millionaires, very good private residences might be looked for, but of such I saw scarcely any. But that rich men do abound in Frisco there seems no doubt, for I saw two dozen names given in one of the leading newspapers of men possessing over $4,000,000 (800,000/.) each, and it was further stated that the four principal owners of the Central Pacific Railroad are credited with an aggregate for- tune of $50,000,000, or $12,500,000 (2,500,000Z.) each ! I believe many of these gentlemen live out of town, and that some of their country seats are most sumptuous and magnificent. Seme of the environs are charming, especially the entrance to the harbour, called the " Golden Gate," and the " Seal Rocks," and both of these 1 % % % Tllli SKAL UUC'KSj BAN JTUANC'lSiCO. From u Skcic\ bj) A. P. V. are within an easy afternoon's drive. The view from ihe Cliff' House on to the vast Pacific Ocean, San Francisco^ its environs — The Seal Rocks. 335 with the Seal Rocks in the foreground is very fine, and it is made the more interesting to an English- man by the feeling, that in gazing westwards here he is looking towards Australia and not America, as from his own native land. These Seal Kocks are extremely striking and inte- resting. They are literally covered with sea lions and seals. Therethey are to be seen any day, bellowing and disporting themselves in full enjoyment of nature's freedom, and that, too, mthin a few miles of this large and populous city, and within a few hundred yards of a suburban resort, like Greenwich or Richmond. So curious a sight of wild nature is simply unique, and I can well understand that the authorities have hitherto jealously guarded the sea monsters from molestation. It seem:? difficult to believe, but apparently a well- grou^fled rumour is now abroad, that it has been de- cided to destroy this, the greatest curiosity of San Francisco, on account of the number of salmon and other fish which the poor beasts kill ! Surely such a step will not be taken without the most undoubted and incontrovertible evidence that the mischief done is really excessive and seriously injuring the fishing interests, and moreover that it is directly trace- able to the seals. A scarcity of fish may arise from so many causes — such as natural bad seasons, destruction of the spawn or fry — that the poor phocjB might easily get blamed and destroyed for an evil by no means of their creation. When they are destroyed the true cause of failure in tlio fisheries might be found out, but too late to resus- citate the departed wonders, and this most curious sight would have become a thing of the past. But a few more words on the town itself before in 336 PVaitderings in the Western Land. \\ n I ' ■ * riit % leaving it again for other scenes. The streets are crowded with a motley energetic mass, hampered occasionally in their busy movements by groups of business men standing in knots outside the banks and Stock Exchange, or by squads of idlers and loafers on the look-out for anything and everything which may occur. These latter worthies have ob- tained the local name of " hoodlums," and are said to be the great instigators in the movement now raging against tie hard-working Chinaman. I believe this would-be persecution has arisen simply because the Celestial is ready to work for less wages than the native, and that in this way ho is producing a downward tendency in the labour market. Unfortunately the " hoodlum's " views have been taken up by some popularity- seeking stump orators as a political platform, and men of influence have pledged themselves to pro- pose to Congress a bill for expelling Chinese sub- jects or at any rate for their exclusion in future. That Congi'ess should seriously entertain such a proposition is more than an outsider can imagine. I have always understood that one of the funda- mental laws of the United States is that every one is on a perfectly equal footing and cannot be inter- fered with so long as he conducts himself in con- formity with the laws of the country, and I never heard it asserted, even by his bitterest enemies, that John Chinaman was not a well-con- ducted individual. He is acknowledged, I believe, by all to bo a law-abiding, industrious inhabitant, and so long as he continues such, how, in the name of justice, c: .1 he be expelled? Moreover, how is it possible to taboo a countiy, by passing a law that' its San Francisco — T/ie Chinese qaeslion. 337 inhabitants shall not become the citizens of a free country, such as this ? As far as I saw in my very brief stay, the Chinese element seemed to have be- come almost a necessity in this part of the world. In all phases of the working portion of society, from the domestic washerwoman (or rather washerman) to the railway labourer and the miner in " placer" workings, the curious-looking celestial was con- spicuous. I happened to visit a large tailoring establishment in this town. Here at work in long rooms or lofts were scores of Chinese, laughing and jabbering away in their own lingo. I do not doubt that San Francisco and other communities would be able eventually to get on without them, but I question whether many establishments and interests, and amongst these especially domestic households, would not feel it very difl&cult to supply the vacuum caused by the expulsion of the 90,000 Asiatics ; and whether such a measure would not produce a very large increase of expenditure to all concerned. To an outsider it would rather appear that the right and proper course for the government of this free people to pursue would be, not to give way to this popular but unjustifiable cry by imposing a capitation tax — as some of our own colonies have tried — or any such doubtful and protective measure, but rather to endeavour to improve the social position of this useful citizen by well-con- sidered measures for the moral training of his children and for bettering the social and sanitary condition of his dwelling-places. And now a few words about the climate and productions of San Francisco and California gene- rally. Judging from my own short personal ex- z I! « I I .Wipi I III '-^ ■■ 33< Waitderings in the Wester n Land. ■ i'; .* i \>\- \ 'h. perience of the former it appeared to be very mild and relaxing, but treacherous and subject to cold blasts of wind off the ocean. This must make it trying for invalids, notwithstanding that the mean temperature is so high and equable. The average temperature in the month of January is no lower than 49°, and of July not above hT. Southern California seems however to possess a more desirable climate for a winter residence. The mean tempera- tures of the month of January at Santa Barbara is 54°; at Los Angeles, 52°, and Santa Monica, 52°, and they are not, I believe, subjected to the same sudden changes as further north. Great quantities of all sorts of fruit are grown in these districts, which are sent preserved or canned by rail to the Eastern States. A pumpkin outside one of the stores here, from Los Angeles county, weighed 1551bs., and I heard extraordinary accounts of the height to which the maize grew in those parts. The drainage question seems likely to be a source of trouble to San Francisco. Great cause for un- easiness would seem to exist, for the head of the sanitary department has stated in his report that " death from zymotic causes was 34*8°/^ of the total mortality daring the past year, against 19*1% for the previous year." The whole of this document is most interesting, and shows that that gentleman (Dr. Meares) is well up in all the improvements of the modern system of house and town drainage. He makes mention of, and advocates strongly, venti- lation not trusting solely to traps, which in times now happily past have doubtless often been the cause of fearful outbreaks of typhoid and other fevers. More than ordinary care will have to be taken to Y'i California^ its rainfall — Minijig position. 339 ensure a full supply of flushing water, on account of the long periods of drought which occur here. The annual rainfall of California seems to b*? extra- ordinarily variable. It is most curious to observe how the prosperity of all branches of the community seems, directly or indirectly, to depend upon its abundance. To the agriculturist, it is not only a question of good corn crops but even of the actual preservation of their flocks and herds. To the miners, so many processes of gold-winning depend on a full supply of water, that to them an abundant rainfall is of paramount importance. In these Western States the prosperity of the whole com- munity depends upon these two great industries, on the results of which in the year 1877 I will just cast a glance. Although California is no longer the leading mining State, its production falling far short of that of its sister State, Nevada, and although it is fast becoming primarily an agricultural State, for according to the miner's ditty — " But I tell you what it is, Tlxe times they ain't no more In Californy as they was 'Way back in Fifty-four. " Hit's swarming with them Chinese rats Wot's tuk the country sure — A race that lives on dogs and cats Will make all mean or poor." Yet in deference to its past mineral celebrity, we will first compare this part of its productions with those of the other Western States and Territories. On referring to the "Annual Review" for 1877, published at the Commercial Herald office, San z 2 340 Wanderings in the Western Land. Francisco, I find that the money value of the precious metals produced in California were as follows: gold, $15,237,729 (= 3,047,546/.); silver, $2,936,987 (= 587,398/.) making together a total of $18,174,716 ( .= 3,634,944/.); whereas the value of the bullion produced in Nevada is stated as $51,580,290 (10,316,060/.). The total worth of the precious metals produced in all the States and Territories (inclusive of California and Nevada) west of the Missouri River and including British Co- lumbia, and some received in San Francisco from the west coast of Mexico, is put down as : gold, $26,525,331 (= 5,305,066/.), and silver, $71,891,423 (= 14,378,285/.), giving together a value of $98,421,754 (= 19.683,351/.). This is stated to be an increase of some $7,000,000 (= 1,400,000/.) on the production of 1876, not- withstanding "a greatly restricted water supply.*' Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Colorado, and Dakotah show an increased bullion production, while in California, New Mexico, Montana, British Columbia, and Mexico there has been a falling off. This review goes on to state that " since the discovery of gold in Cali- fornia, which event occurred thirty years ago this present month (January, 1878), there have been created in the countries lying west of the Missouri River, and mostly on American territory, bullion values to the amount of $1,948,000,000 (or 389,600,000/.) ; of this sum, about $1,586,000,000 (or 317,20J3,000/.) has been composed of gold, very little silver having been produced here prior to 1861, when the Comstock deposits, discovered three years before, began first to turn out this metal in I ' I Bullion production of the Western States, &c. 341 the (or notable quantity." Tlie value of tbe gold in the bul- lion produced from the Pacific States and Territories goes on decreasing every year, whilst the value of the silver greatly increases. Since 1861, inclusive, "the production of gold for the entire coast has been $876,000,000 (= 175,200,000Z.) ; silver, $372,000,000 (= 74,000,000Z.), while last year, 1877, the value of gold and silver in the bullion was not far from being equal ; the gold being $51,000,000 (= 10,200,000/.), and the silver $49,000,000 (= 9,800,000/.)." It appears now, however, to be an established fact in the case of many of the mo^t important silver-mines that the lodes become more and more gold-bearing as they increase their depth from the surface. This takes place with the celebrated Comstock lode in Nevada, the bullion from which during the past year has been very nearly of equal value in gold and silver, the latter being still slightly in excess, but on this more anon. It is the practice in the assay offices of San Francisco, as in other parts of the States, to give the results of an assay in monied valued, not in con- tents, as with us. One of the chief conclusions to be deduced from a perusal of the mineral statistics of these regions is, tliat their prosperity is subject to frequent variations. Some districts seem on the whole to be doing well and producing largely, others again are " playing out," and amongst the latter must be placed, if taken as a whole, the State of California.. Now as to agriculture, the agricultural prosperity of California and of the other States and Territories on the Pacific slope during the past year was greatly 342 Wanderings in (he Western Land. affected by the before-mentioned small rainfall. The grain crop is said to have been not more than one third of that of an ordinary year, and heavy losses have been suffered on sheep and cattle. The State of California is as largo as many countries of Europe. I believe the area is 188,981 square miles or 120,947,840 acres. Of this quantity it is said that 40,000,000 acres are fit for the plough, and that as much more presents excellent facilities for stock raising, fruit growing, &c ; while little more than one eighth of the whole area is at present cultivated. Besides this, there are mountain graz- ings capable of producing excellent meat in years of moderate rainfall. From the above figures it will be seen that " the agricultural area exceeds that of Great Britain and Ireland together, or the entire peninsula of Italy." The population, however, is at present far too small to occupy effectually so large a quantity of land. It is said to be one million; while it is calculated that ten times that number would be required to do justice to such a territory. The southern and south-eastern provinces seem to be developing very fast in growing grain and fruit as well as meat. Systems of irrigation are being planned and carried out which will compensate for the scarcity of water with which they have hitherto had to contend. In addition to these pro- spective benefits, they are already deriving great advantage from being tapped by the Southern Pacific Railway system. To give some idea of the rapidity and the scale on which things arc done in this country I read of a single ranche of 7,000 acres now irrigated and under California, as an agricultural State. 343 the plough and producing grain, vegetables, and fruit, where three years ago there was a complete waste. The size to which things grow is astonishing. It is said that many of the potatoes from this same ranche weigh from one to five pounds each, while some reach ten pounds and even more. Its farm stock at the end of last year (1877) was as follow8,4,000 cattle, 7,000 sheep, and 2,000 hogs, and a large number of horses, mules, poultry, &c., be 'des 6,000 tons of hay, 5,000 sacks of barley, 2,600 sacks of wheat, and very large quantities of corn (maize) and roots for the sheep and cattle ! It would seem from the foregoing statement that California, as an agricultural producer, is still in her infancy, and that when capital is brought to bear and irrigating canals constructed to meet the destruc- tive droughts, we may anticipate a very consider- able increase of importations from her. Perhaps one of the best criterions of the productiveness of the land is to be found in the exports of grain, and I extract therefore the following table, showing the exportations from San Francisco for the last five years : — Flour. harrels. Wheat. centals. Barley. centals Oats. centals. 1873 479,417 9,175,960 269,896 5,725 1874 535,695 8,054,670 222,596 78,354 1875 497,163 7,505,320 126,188 5,377 1876 508,143 9,967,941 351,897 3,721 1877 434,684 4,931,437 90,330 4,544 China was the best customer for flour, having taken in 1877 over 164,000 barrels against 157,000 r ( « 344 IVaiidcrings in the IVcstern Land. taken by Groat Britain ; but for wboat and barley the British market — independent of her colonies — stands out as pre-eminently the greatest outlet. Of wheat Great Britain took 4,870,069 centals, and of barley 72,744 centals. As an additional proof of the effect of a small rainfall on agriculture, the decrease in value of ex- ports of grain in 1877 over 1870 is estimated at $8,810,672, or 1,762,186?. So much for the grain productions, but there nre other exports of great importance besides bullion and corn. Perhaps the article next in the list would be wool. Last year the clip was over fifty-three million pounds. In 1876 it was fifty-six millions ; in 1875 forty-three millions ; in 1874 thirty-nine millions; and in 1872 twenty-four millions. The total production since 1 854 inclusive is stated to be 381,570,780 lbs., of which probably 333,000,000 lbs. may be credited to the last ten years, the production having in that period been stimulated by a large home demand. In some parts the cultivation of the vine is attracting much attention, and wine already takes a leading position among the many and varied productions of the State. In 1876 seven million gallons were made, but last year the yield fell to four millions, in consequence of a hot sirocco wind, which prevailed for some time and shrivelled up the fruit. There were besides 20,000 cases of champagne produced in 1877 and a considerable quantity of brandy. The names of European wines, such as ijort, sherry, champagne, &c., have been generally adopted, which is now looked upon as a mistake, and it is thought that it would have been California^ its natural resources. 145 bettor to have adhered to the original local nomeii* claturos. It is indeed wonderful how bountiful nature has been to these regions. It is sufficient to visit the market of San Francisco to be convinced alike of tlie fertility of the soil, and of the resources of tlie rivers, lakes, and forests. Not only are out-door vegetables and fruit obtainable at almost any season of the year, but in early summer they are in astounding quantities. Last year 2G00 tons of green fruit were sent eastwards ; and the re- ceipts of strawberries during the latter part of April averaged GoO cliests per day, weighing eighty pounds each. In one day thirty -four and a half tons were received in the market ! Oranges and lemons are being now largely grown, but both comparatively recently. Then as to fish, I saw magnificent salmon from the Sacramento River, and less inviting- looking lake trout, from that very elevated inland sea Lake Tahoe, of good size, but long and lanky, and unsatisfactory- looking in a fisherman's eyes. It is stated that 1 70,800 packages of salmon, of the value $960,000 (zz 192,000/.), were sent away by sea in 1876, and 100,982 packages, of the value of $1,023,446 (=204,689/.), in 1877. Game is said to be still plentiful at a little distance from the towns, but far less so than formerly, and legislation has been invoked to prevent its further destruction. The beautiful pastures of the slopes of the timber-covered ranges are true paradises for the deer tribe, and if only a proper close time and fair play are secured, there would be no danger of extermination or even of scarcity. It appears, how- ,1 ■WMi 346 IVandenngs in the IVcstent Land. ever, th.it of late tlio p^love trade has required so much buck and doe skin that both Hexes of deer have been slaughtered at all seasons and at all ages to meet the demand of the factories. Laws have now been passed by the local Legislature to meet this evil, and it is to be hoped that they will be successfully enforced. Small game is plentiful. Quail and ducks are to be found in groat numbers at the proper season. I heard of one gentleman killing 114 canvas-back ducks in a single day. Unfortunately I liad not time to take advantage of some tempting invitations to try my hand at this enjoyable but difficult shoot- ing ; my holiday was nearly over, and I had most reluctantly to say nay. I have said enough on the natural capabilities of California. Any number of dry statistics could be collected in proof of its mineral and agricultural wealth. But with all these advantages it does not strike one as altogether a desirable country to settle in. Man does not seem as yet to have arrived at a just appreciation of the gifts of a bounteous Pro- vidence, or to understand that only a due observance of those social duties which enable people to exist together, and to contribute to one another's welfare and happiness, will permit him to reap advantage from a fertile soil and a fine climate. For the proof that nature's gifts, however bountiful, will not alone make a country happy or great, the inhabitants have only to look to the adjoining Mexican Republic. It is quite true that in California a more sober-minded people predominate, but the alloy is considerable. Originally, at the time of the gold discovery, a very rough sample from all parts of the world was collected !J California, its social fiiliirc. 347 here. Whctlier this roving element has died out, or moved on, or still remains to give future trouble to the more order-loving portion of its citizens, is a question which disturbs the peace of many a worthy member of the thinking portion of society. It would seem to an outsider as if the capital and labour ques- tion was destined to give more trouble here than perhaps in any other part of the world. The rowdy meetings against the Chinese portend no good, and if the lowest and laziest elements of society succeed, as seems not unlikely, in their unjust demands, what will they next assail ? Will commanism be the next plunge? and if it should succeed, what miserable in- ternal fightings must follow ; and then of what avail are nature's bounties ? However favoured a country, we may rest assured that man's duty towards his fellow-man must bo observed ; social order must be preserved ; capital and labour must play their re- spective parts, or even California, with all its sur- prising natural advantages, will fail to become the happy and envied home of a contented and pros- perous people. CHAPTER XVI. •' Gold ! gold ! gold ! gold ! Bright and yellow, hard and cold, Spurn'd by the young, but hugg'd by the old To the very verge of the churchyard mould ! " Hood, " Mitis KihnaiKtagg." " !^^urther most foul, as in the best it is." Shdliesj^carc, " Hamlet." Trip to the Yoscmitr —Position of the Valloy — l>iid time of year — Merced — ^liserable conveyance — Hornitos — Gold-Mining — ] )if- ferent systems — " ItebulIii)Uft " ores — Geological occunence of Gold Veins — The Foothills of the Sierra Nevada — Niiture's Garden — The Mariposa Estate — A curious history -" Making time" — -'More liaste, worse speed" — A disaster — A crowded " House " making — Its results, " A Shooting Case "^^American Law Courts — Judge- As it w«is now, perhaps, the worst part of the year, namely the beginning of January, there were some doubts expressed at San Francisco as to the prac- ticability of an excursion to the far-famed Yosemite Valley. It was feared that the depth of snow on the " divides " would be too great, certainly for wheels, and possibly for pack-horses. But I thought that, to return home without having visited the Yosemite and the Big Trees would be not only a great disappointment, but a blot on my wanderings. Accordingly I determined to make the attempt, and The Yosemitd Valley, position and routes. 349 arranged with an obliging ticket-agent at Frisco to put himself in communication with the local agents, in order that no unnecessary delay might occur to my movements. I was accompanied by a "Welsh gentleman, who was as anxious as myself for the excursion. During the proper season the trip is made from San Francisco with the most perfect ease and com- fort, a return ticket costing $80 (16?.), and the time occupied being about four or five days. The Yosemite Valley is a caiion of the Merced River, and is situated about 140 miles slightly south of east from San Francisco. It is nearly in the centre of the State of California, north and south, and exactly midway between the east and west bases of the Sierra Nevada range, which is here about seventy miles across. The ordinary route from San Francisco is by rail to Merced, distant about 139 miles, on the Central Pacific Railroad, which takes nearly seven hours to accomplish. Then sixty miles in a " stage," by Mariposa, to Clark's Ranche ; then by stage again into the valley about twenty-five miles more. The return journey is often made by way of Coulterville to Merced, where the rail is again joined, after a somewhat long drive of ninety- four miles. In our case we had no choice of routes, only one being deemed practicable, on account of the snow on the divides. The first night we slept at the Railway Inn at Merced, and started early the next morning for Mariposa in a wretched eld vehicle, which out of the season did the duty of the " stage." Our road at first lay over a most uninteresting plain, the greater 350 JVa7iderings in the Western Land, ■ •< i; \l i -li : part of which seemed to afford only a doubtful existence to scattered flocks of Merino sheep. Where irrigation had been brought to bear, enor- mous tracts of stubble testified to the great extent to which this district had contributed to the grain crop of the past year. Our driver was a queer specimen of a western Jehu, very quaint in his ideas, and quite noted even out here for the way in which he expressed them. He was rather of a morose turn of mind, and the " nipping and eager air" of the early morning did not improve this natural tendency. Moreover, his amiability was not increased by a breakage which occurred to the springs of the old rattle-trap very soon after start- ing, wh'cli delayed us some little time. As wo were the only passengers, with the exception of an occasional " pick up," we saw and heard plenty of our friend before the day was out, and he rather improved on acquaintance, perhaps from the ex- ternal influence of the sun's rays, or the internal glow imparted by sundry drinks of whiskey. The first and only change of horses was at Hornitos, twenty- three miles from Merced, before arriving at which we had begun ascending out of the plain, and had reached an elevation of about 700 feet. ^Ve were now in what had been once a rich and celebrated gold-mining district. Signs of old work- ings were to be seen on all sides, and perhaps, a few words here on the systems of gold-mining in general use will bo of interest to my readers. The most common and general modes of mining gold seem to be three in number, and go by the name of " placer," " hydraulic," and " quartz " mining. The so-called " placer mining " is the most :h l Jl ■ ; , Gold mining, the different systems. 35 1 ancient system, being the only one practi?ed when gold was first discovered. It consists in " washing " and " dressing " the alluvial gravel deposited in the river-courses, gulches, &c, by means of " pans," " rockers " (which are not unlike a baby's cradle), " long Toms," and " sluices," &c. The alluvial deposits in early times were very rich in gold ; but most of them have now been washed over several times, and are no longer capable of returning to the operator as much as a dollar per day. Such earnings do not suffice for white men, consequently, as I have said before, nearly all the placer-operations are now carried on by Chinese. The *' hydraulic " system can be worked only at such places where a head of water is obtainable. The water is led through pipes, to the end of which hoses and nozzles are attached ; and such is often the head of water and consequent force, that to be struck by the jet is instantaneous death. Banks and deposits of auriferous quartz gravel left in the beds of the old or "dead" rivers, (whose courses are supposed to have been interrupted by volcanic dis- turbances,) can be operated upon on this system with great success. Some of the large mining companies work only in this way, a scanty rain- fall therefore is felt as much by them as by any other class of the community, and often puts an entire stop to their operations. The third system is the " quartz mining." This is perhaps the most extensive and successful of all. It seems to have been first introduced about 1851, when the shallow diggings began to show signs of exhaustion. Owing, however, to its having been often at first tried on lodes not sufficiently rich, and also : J . .., t.-'-^^j.'.M .-.K-.w wn^^im 352 lVaiiderui£s in the Western Land. t' w Si to very great and unnecessary expenditures being incurred in erecting machinery and stamp-miils, this systen^. at first proved a failure, and was to a certain extent abandoned until 1853, when it was resus- citated, and seems to be now steadily on the in- crease. It consists in simply winning and working the auriferous quartz veins, in the same way as if they were ordinary metalliferous lodes, b}^ means of sinking or driving shafts or levels to suit the lay of the strata, and other local circumstances. I am told that the expense of treatment in hydraulic mining is very small indeed. It is said to pay to treat stuff worth originally only 20c. (say Ls'.) per ton ; whereas in " quart/ mining " it should not be worth less than $7 or $8 {28s. or 32*'.) per ton to return a profit, even if the mill in which it is afterwards crushed and treated is close at hand, and the property of the same adventurers. Here in the neighbourhood of Hornitos a great deal of placer-mining has existed, and some is still being carried on, in a small way by, the Chinese. There are also some quartz mines close by ; one of them about five miles off, called the Washington, is of considerable importance. The shaft is driven on the slant or dip of the quartz vein in a slate and granite "country rock," as it is here termed. At this mine a mill of twenty stamps has been erected, and over a hundred men are employed by the company. A great difificulty is often met with in the treat- ment of much of the ores from auriferous quartz mines, on account of their containing a blackish substance, called by the Mexicans " plumosa," which makes the ores " rebellious " or " refractory," and Gold mining — " Rebellions " ores. (53 as if entails a loss of produce in the after-treatment by amalgamation with quicksilver. I saw specimens of ore from this neighbourhood, showing a con- siderable quantity of this " plumosa," which in appearance resembles thin layers of zinc blende ("black jack"), but I could only examine it in a very cursory manner, and cannot speak with any certainty. A small mine I visited near here was sunk on a quartz vein, lying at an angle, I should say, of 50°. The lode itself consisted of a dense milk-white quartz, containing a very little finely-disseminated native gold, but great quantities of auriferous iron pyrites. It varied from five to twelve feet in thick- ness, and I was told that ore had been taken from it, worth from $50 to $200 (10/. to 40Z.) per ton, but that it was very " rebellious." I was told that at the Washington mines they treated the " rebellious " ores by " chlorodising," but that even then there was a considerable loss of produce, and that nearly all their gold output was from "free" (or native) gold contained in the quartz. Here we have, then, a metallurgical problem which will well repay any one skilful enough to discover a practical solution, for there appears to be no doubt that great quantities of gold are now thrown " over the heap "in the ores too "rebellious" to treat profitably by the existing known modes of extraction. The auriferous quartz veins occur principa-Uy in a slate formation, which the great American geologist, Mr. Clarence King, has satisfactorily determined by fossils — such as belemnites, ancellae, and others — to belong to the Jurassic period. In much the largest number of cases the veins coincide in dip and A a ^;!S«lHMi|N «H 354 Wmtderings in the Westci'u Land. wm I m P \) strike with the rock in which they are enclosed, although in a few instances they appear to cut the slate at a slight angle. Mr. King states that, " Nearly all the veins which occur in the granite, and they are quite numerous, have the same dip and strike, as those in the slates ; a few, however, run at right angles to these " (Geological Survey of California, vol. i. p. 226). There appears also to be cross courses of more recent volcanic rocks very similar to what occurs in other metalliferous slate formations. The granite is of a light grey colour, crystalline and compact. In some places beds of carboniferous limestone may be seen interstratified with the auriferous slates. After leaving Hornitos, the scenery became much more interesting and enjoyable. We now passed through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, with no great growth of forest trees, but covered in places with a dense undergrowth of " chaparal," composed principally of the crooked, but picturesque red- barked manzanita, a sort of maple, and what is called here " buck's-eye," resembling in growth a dwarf fig- tree. Amongst the forest trees were oak, spruce, and cedar ; but I saw no very fine specimens of any of these until after we had passed Mariposa. The hill-sides appear to have been recently denuded of timber for the use of the mines, which would account for the scarcity of fine forest trees. In the summer time the beauty of these braes must be very wonderful, for, besides the many flowering shrubs and undergrowth, the sward is covered with masses of gorgeous wild flowers, wherever they have any mould to grow in. To give an idea of the beauty of nature's carpet. Prof. Brewer, in the The Mariposa Estate — A airious history. 355 Government Report of California in 1864, says — that "there are 1600 flowering plants, and 100 species of mosses growing naturally within the limits of the State ! " In the spring the whole country must indeed be one beautiful garden. Our road now lay through Bear River Valley, one of the most productive mining portions of the famous " Mariposa Estate." This so-called " estate " is a nice little property of seventy square miles, or 44,380 acres, containing within its circuit the richest mineral districts of the State. On it were located the once famous mines, " Josephine," " Pine Tree," " Mari- posa," "Mount Ophir," and "Princeton." The past history of the property is so interesting and peculiar that I cannot help giving a very short out- line of it. This most valuable tract was granted originally by the Mexican Government to one of its own subjects, from whom it was purchased in 1847 by J. C. Fremont, the great explorer. This gentleman had his rights confirmed by the United States in 1856, not long after the country came into possession of the American people. Very soon afterwards a nice legal question arose as to whether Fremont had a right to the minerals. It appeared that the original Mexican grant did not convey it ; but a law-suit resulted in the decision that an American patent for land carries the minerals with it. The occupiers of the mines would not, however, concur in this decision, and defied the oflBcers of the law. " The mines were converted into fortifications ; the mouths of the tunnels were barricaded ; there were besiegers and besieged, and several men were killed. But at last, in 1859, A a 2 '«MMMiMMiMMia ^ II iMtW I MW I »■ t:; I i V I ii f! Vl ,1/ ■) ^. 356 Wandei'in^s in the Western Land. Fremont triumphed, and, under his Mexican grant, obtained land which the Mexican Government did not intend to grant, and minerals which it syste- matically reserved." (Government Report, " Re- sources of United States," 1868, p. 22.) A short time after this the monthly yield of gold from the quartz mines of the estate became very large. In 1860 it averaged $39,500 (7,900/.) ; in 1861, $53,500 (10,700/.); in 1862 (although great damage was done this year to mills and mines by floods), $43,500 (8700/.) ; in the first five months of 1863, $77,000 (15,400/.) ; in May rf that year it produced $1 01,000 (20,200/.) worth of bullion. " It seemed then to have reached the figure of $100,000 (20,000/.) per month, with a fair prospect of still further increase. It was at this time that the estate was sold to an incorporated company in New York, and the stock put upon the market in the midst of the San Francisco mining-stock fever, which extended its influence across the continent. The prospectus of the company presented a very attractive picture to speculators. The average monthly yield for three years had been $50,000 (10,000/.), and for half a year the net profits had equalled that sum." Then followed in the said prospectus, most hopeful reports and flourishing accounts of future prospects from various mining engineers, .ind consequently " Large quantities of the stock were purchased, and there were large quantities to be purchased ; for the paper capital of the company was $10,000,000 (2,000,000/.). The company was organized by Fremont's creditors, who had become owners of the property ; but in- stead of cancelling the debt and taking stock for it, they took a mortgage for $15,000,000 (3,000,000/.), The Mariposa Estate Mininq Company. 357 payable in gold, and issued the stock subject to that debt, which was supposed to be the only encum- brance on the property ; at least, that was the supposition of many who bought the stock. It soon appeared, however, that there were $480,000 (96,000/.) in gold due, besides $300,000 (60,000/.) on the Garrison hen, $50,000 (10,000/.) on the Clark mortgage, and $130,000 (26,000/.) to workmen and others in California. Moreover, with the new pos- sessors, the yield at once fell off ; it seemed as if every nerve had been strained to make the yield of May as large as possible, and that as soon as the sale was made the production decreased more than fifty per cent. The yield for the first five months in 1863, before the sale, was $385,000 (77,000/.), and during the last six, after the sale, $186,993 (37,399/.). In the former period there was a net profit of $50,000 (10,000/.) per month, in the latter a net less of $80,000 (16,000/.)." Matters appear to hpve gone from bad to worse, until, in 1867, a receiver was appointed. I quote the foregoing history of this curiosity even in western mining transactions from the Government Report of the Mineral Resources of the United States for 1868. No comment is required from me to call attention to the more than ordinary uncertainty of human affairs as exhibited in this western mining property. But to return to our Yosemite trip. In conse- quence of the delay at the commencement of the stage portion, we had been behind all through the day. Our driver had, however, " made good time " through Bear Valley, and we had hoped to reach Mariposa before it was dark. We had travelled, if not very rapidly at any rate very jauntingly, for the r^mmtmmmMim I ..iumt -mr 358 Wanderings in the Western Land. roads were infamous. On our way we had passed many signs of the extensive mining operations of the aforesaid Mariposa Company at Princeton, Mount Ophir, and elsewhere. We had reached to within a mile of our destination, the town of Mari- posa, and were going at a gallop at the bottom of one of the many little dips or " gulches " which we had hitherto so successfully "sprung," when, all of a sudden, without the slighest warning, snap went the kingbolt, and thud on to the hard ground dropped the after-portion of our miserable vehicle. The horses and the fore-wheels continued their course as if nothing had happened, with the wretched driver hanging on to the reins, vociferating in the most endearing western vernacular to his beloved quad- rupeds. Vain were his blandishments; along the hard road they continued to drag his prostrate form, until at last he was forced to let go, and return be- draggled to see what had become of us. Fortunately no real damage was done to any one, and com- paratively little to that portion of the vehicle which remained in situ ; so, after a certain amount of bad language towards the old rattle-trap and all con- cerned, it was arranged that we should proceed on foot to Mariposa, and send out assistance, whilst the driver stayed to guard the baggage. Amongst this was the " treasure-box " of Wells, Fargo, and Co., the well-known express agents, containing $25,000 (5,000Z.) in gold, rather a tempting piece of plunder for any passing " road agent." It was not very dark, so we had no difficulty in keeping the road and in finding our way to the small inn, which re- joiced in being the best " house " in this uninviting little town. Our horses had arrived some time A "s/d^c** accident — Afariposa. 359 time before us, and had successfully steered the front portion of our late vehicle into the yard in which the " stage " was in the habit of bringing up. It was at once guessed that an accident had happened, and a relief party of three men and a waggon and our own horses had already been organized to go to the rescue. We did not care to go back ourselves, BO directed the party to the scene of the accident. But the old vehicle had not yet finished its career of mischief. A second disaster followed, and this time not quite of such a harmless character. It appeared that the men took with them the fore- wheels, and made them fast to the after-part of the carriage. Tliey then tried to bring the patched-up wreck into town on its own wheels. Allick, our driver, went inside with two others, whilst George, — a noted Jehu and our future guide, — handled the "lines." This time the hind-wheels took to run- ning sideways, and in a very few minutes the trap was capsized. Away bolted the horses, dragging the stage on its top; the unfortunate occupants — enclosed as in a box — were only set free when the edifice was completely smashed up. Allick had his head broken and face cut, and gave a most amusing description of his sensations when being dragged, which he said was like " thunder inside that there stage." George and the others presented very swollen and sanguinary appearances, and were for the rest of the evening objects of unusual in- terest to the bar-loungers of the wretched little hotel. We had found this " house " crowded to excess, and were scarcely able to get one room for the two of us. Special assizes were being held for the trial I Kl n t \>' 'I 360 Wanderings in the Western Land. pf some " shooting cases," which had lately occurred in this, the Mariposa county. Those so-called ** shooting cases " are really murders, and often of the very worst description. In these parts they appear to be of terrible frequency, and a disgrace to the country. What could be more cold-blooded and barbarous than tlio case which Avas now being tried ? And as the evidence was so circumstantial and peculiarly conclusive, I will venture to give an out- lino of it, illustrative, as it is, of the state of society here. Two fiirmers, or ranchemen, lived within a few miles of each other. The one, an old Scotchman, by name Patterson, a settler of many years' stand- ing, had reared a family out here, and bore an excellent character. The other, a young man from Kansas, called Clow, had come to the neighbouring ranclie two years ago, and was evidently of that rough type which is reported to be pretty numerous in Kansas. It appeared that the latter envied Pat- terson's ranche, and "jumped the liens " of some little piece of ground which Patterson had lately taken in. Clow seemed to have already tried to pick a quarrel with Patterson, and had on one occa- sion savagely assaulted him with "knuckle-dusters," for which he had been fined. A few months ago the old Scotchman's wife died, and left him alone with a lot of young children. Very shortly after this sad event his body was found with a rifle-ball through it. The shot had come from behind, and struck him down whilst riding on his own farm. Clow's horse was tracked to where the shot was fired from. The ball was extracted from the body, and found to be from a Remington rifle. An empty cartridge-case (called here a " shell ") found Mariposa — A trial for murder. ;6i close by, was also of tlio Ucinington pnttorn, and on it was a peculiar mark, as if there had been something wrong with the extractor. Only two men in the county had Remington rifles, Clow and another man. This other individual was proved to have been many miles away that day from the scene of the murder. There could, therefore, be but little doubt that it was Clow's rifle that had fired the fatal shot. But, as if to make doubly clear and beyond the smallest doubt that this was so, the extractor of Clow's rifle on being examined was found to be out of repair, and to mark the cartridge-cases precisely like that picked u^. I went to hear a part of the trial, and when I was there the prisoner, a most unprepossessing young man, happened to be undergoing cross-examination by the prosecuting lawyer on this particular part of the evidence. He was sitting down, picking his teeth, by the side of his lawyer, apparently quite at his ease, and answering the questions at his leisure. But even a Californian jury could not ignore such evidence. They were obliged to find Clow guilty of murder of the first degree; but having, in this county, the power of determining the sentence as well as of finding the verdict, they did not sentence him to be hanged, but to penitentiary for life, which, I am told, is very often commuted after a few years have expired. If one may judge by the frequency of crimes of violence, this tendency to indiscriminate leniency has a disastrous efiect on the state of society. I was told that in this little county, with a population by last census of 4,572 inhabitants, there have been no less than ten mur- ders by shooting in the last three months. The ^m '"'^^u^mAim^Agi- -^i»**»(»^/,/,-.^^.^^- 362 IVandermgs in the Western Land. ^ m w ; I sentences have been invariably light, not a single individual having been hanged (or "tightened hemp," as AUick familiarly termed it) ; and it is doubtful whether the sentence on this occasion would have been as heavy as it was, had not the continual fees of $750 (150Z.) to the prosecuting lawyer for each case, besides other expenses, appealed to the pockets of the ratepayers. From what I heard I believe that life must be safer and certainly far more agree- able amongst the rough but hearty western cow- punchers than in this old-settled part of the country. Violent deaths seem indeed to be fear- fully common here ; on passing a graveyard, Allick casually remarked " that very few boys lay there but had turned up their toes in their boots," i. e. had been killed. The general appearance of the court in which the assize was being held was anything but dignified or impressive to English eyes. I certainly believe that the absence of all distinctive costumes, and of the outward signs of the majesty of the law, detracts from the calm dignity which a court of justice should possess. Judge, jury, counsels, prisoner, witnesses, sheriffs, and sheriffs' officers were here all arrayed alike, in ordinary dark clothing. The only thing that distinguished the judge was his somewhat isolated position. No constables, or peace officers of any sort, were distinguishable. All police work is done by the sheriff, who can swear in whom he hkes to assist him in the execution of his duties. No staves or ^v^eapons of any sort were visible, but probably there was in that court many a loaded six-shooter reposing quietly in that purposely-made pocket at Mariposa — A trial for murder. 36 the back of the trousers, and ready for use on the slighte.it provocation. On our return from the Yosemite the trial had just been concluded and the jury had found their verdict. The place was in a great state of excite- ment, for a report had gone abroad that the pri- soner was to be rescued from the gaol that very night by a secret society called the " Rangers' Asso- ciation,'* of which he was a member. So serious was the position considered that the sheriff swore in a quantity of citizens, who had during the night to patrol around the prison walls, armed with six- shooters. Our little inn had afforded accommodation to many of those closely concerned in the trial, for besides some of the jury, and counsel, the prisoner's wife and children lodged here, and were present at the public meals. When the sentence was made known, the hat was sent round for their benefit, in which proceeding the jury themselves seemed to take a great interest, and apparently subscribed liberally. There seemed to exist here a general inclination of antagonism to the law and of sympathy with the prisoner, but the sheriff is armed with such un- limited powers that such feelings seldom assume any outward form of opposition. But, it would seem that the general system of appointments to the American courts of justice is very ill calculated to result in the employment of the most learned and upright men, if it is true, as I was told, that the judges, except of the very highest courts, are elected for a certain term, and that they need not even have had the training of i)ii % 64 VVaizderins's in the Western Land. i \ \ > ' lawyers. In consequence of this the appointments are frequently both unsuitable and corrupt. Rumour says that political tailors have been appointed "right away " from their boards, for services rendered to government " bosses." Some of their worships' after-proceedings have been worthy of their training, and have not contributed to the " punishment of wickedness and vice," or to the dignity of the bench. The stories of judges are almost as numerous and incredible as the bear stories, but I cannot help giving one, which I believe to be worthy of credence, of a judge who had a very lofty idea of his own legal capacity, and was at the same time anxiou> to sustain the dignity of his court. A " shooting oa^-; came before him ; there was no direct evidence as to the perpetrator of the murder, but the individual was well known, and indeed confessed it. When brought into court his worship cautioned the pri- soner rot to commit himself; that he must re- member his rights as a free citizen, &c., &c., and that above all things he must not interrupt the proceedings of the court. After this friendly warn- ing, the judge proceeded to state that he, the prisoner, was accused of having on such a date shot the deceased. Whereupon the prisoner broke in, " Well, and so I did." The judge was indignant at the interruption. " Hold your tongue, sir ; haven't I told you not to commit yourself nor to in- terrupt me? I shall commit you for contempt of court if you do so again." He then repeated the accusation, upon which the prisoner again broke in, " I have told you before that I did kill — ." Upon this second interruption, the judge's indignation was very intense. " Mr. Sheriff, what is ' your American Law Courts — A judicial ruling. 365 evidence?" "I have nothing but circumstantial evidence, your honour, and the prisoner's own con- fession." " Then," said the judge, " I discharge the prisoner on this charge, but commit him for contempt of court!" I was told this by a most respectable gentleman, absurd and improbable as it may seem to us ; and many such stories are rife in the Western States, and are generally credited. ' *ft*W***1U.kw«v* ..-',"■ SSB 1 1' I .»! I CHAPTER XVII. " Per invias rupes, fera per juga, Clivosque prceruptos, sonaiites Inter aquas, nemorumque iioctem." Grai/'s Poems, ^^ Alcaic Ode on Neighhourhood of the Grande Chartreuse." Start from Mariposa — Vexatious delays — Eoute — Kite's Mine — A romantic story — Change of vegetation — Dr. Brewer's report — A lovely evening — Clarke's Eanche — Late arrival — The Mariposa Big Trees — Nature's Arboretum — Colossal growths — "Cockney" practices — Probable age — Ride into the valley — Snow once more — A lucky shot — My bag — Better weather — " Inspiration Point " — Magnificent view — " Quite a stone " — The Valley — Liedig's Hotel— A doubtful pleasure — The Yosemite Fall — Back tracks — Frisco once more. I WAS not sorry to leave Mariposa and its abnormal excitement and to be once more on the move for the Yosemite. From here we had to travel on horseback, as it was not considered advisable to go any further on wheels, and in consequence of our half-bred guide, George Munro, having been hurt in last night's accident, it was late in the morning before the horses were ready and we were fairly under way. Our road at first lay down a valley, the alluvial gravel of which seemed to have undergone many washings for gold. Then we turned easterly to- wards the range, of which we crossed three oi* four Mite's Mine — A romantic story — Vegetation. 367 spurs or ridges in the day's ride, and passed the small trail which leads by Kite's mine into the valley. Hite's mme is a large and prosperous quartz under- taking owned and worked by a single individual. There is a curious and romantic story attached to it. It is said that many years ago, when the present owner was a lad, he met with an accident whilst hunting which incapacitated him from moving. He was found by an Indian woman, who took him to her lodge, and nursed him until he was well. Then she showed him the very rich quartz vein, on which the present mine is sunk. Out of grati- tude he married her, and they lived together very happily until she died. This event only happened a short time ago, and the man's experience of the family was such that he has since taken her sister to wife. As the day wore on we gradually attained a much higher elevation and found a marked difference in the forest trees. Oak and small conifers had given way to grand cedars (many over 100 feet high), Douglas Spruce, and that magni- ficent and most striking perhaps of all the pines, the sugar pine {piniis Lamhertiana) which I now saw for the first time. Its stately stem some- times reaches to eighty feet without a branch, and enormous yellow cones hang down from the horizontal limbs like golden bunches of fruit, striking with admiration and wonder even a casurl observer like myself. As the reader will probably have found out long ago, I am sadly ignorant about trees. I admire them none the less, and as it may be of interest to some to have a good authoritative account of this, one of nature's most '! I 368 Wa?idc7'mgs in the Western Land. celebrated arboreta, I will quote a description given in the Government Survey of California, 1860 — 1864 (vol. i. p. 335), the botanical department of which was under the charge of Dr. Brewer. Speaking of this western slope of the Sierra Nevada Range, he says,— " The great forest belt of the mountain, however lies higher " (i. e. than the foothills), " at an eleva- tion of from 4,000 to 7,000 feet above the sea. Of this belt all the most conspicuous trees belong to the family of the coniferae, and the forests of this region, as well as their continuation along the coast further north, are unsurpassed, and probably un- equalled in grandeur by those of any other part of the world. Ten or twelve species occur, but the principal effect is produced by eight of them, all of which attain at times a diameter of over six feet and a height of over 200, while several are often over 250 and some as much as 300 feet high. These species are sugar pine (pinus Lamhertiana)^ pitch pine (pinus ponderosa), and pitch pine {pinus Jcffreyi), bastard cedar {lihrocedrus decurrens), Douglas spruce {ahies Douglasii), three different sorts of firs {picea grandisj p. amahilis, and p. nobilis)f pinus contorta^ p. Balfouriana and p. tuherculata. Two or three species of fir and spruce, besides those named before, also occur, but are not among the common and conspicuous trees. Of these species the sugar pine is the grandest tree. It occurs at all altitudes between 8,000 and 6,000 feet, but attains its greatest dimen- sions between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, when it is fre- quently 300 feet high. Its trunk is perfectly straight, its head symmetrical, and from the slightly The Forest growth of the Sierra Nevada. 369 drooping ends of the horizontal branches the enormous cones hang down in bunches of two or three, like tassels. One tree measured by us was found to be 300 feet high, without a flaw or curve in its trunk, and only seven feet in diameter at the base. These forests are rather open, the trees being seldom densely aggregated; and owing to the dryness of the air, their trunks are very free from mosses and lichens. As we go higher on the sides of the mountain, among the forests we find the pines decreasing in number, while firs are con- stantly becoming more abundant. Picea nohills is the predominating species at 7,000 to 7,500 feet. All the species of firs which are found here are very beautiful. They all attain a large size, are very symmetrical in their growth, and have a very dark green and brilliant foliage, Avhich is very fragrant. The branches are often very regularly and pri- mately divided, producing a most brilliant effect. The colour of the sky is perceptibly darker, as seen through this peculiar foliage raised in a canopy so high above the observer." Although the foregoing technical and scientific description refers properly to another part of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Range, namely Mount Shusta, yet it so clearly describes the forest growth passed through on the way into the Yose- mite, and recalls so vividly that charming ride, that it could not have been more applicable had it been written of this special locality. The beauty of the views from the ridges, embracing miles of dark foliage stretching to the plains beyond, and termi- nating only with the distant mountain ranges, must be seen to be understood. The colouring of the B b 370 Wancterings in the Western Land. U ; I'j W .i i iW V i landscape on that lovely evening waa enchanting, and such as I had never seen before ; it ranged from the almost black green of the timber-covered foreground to a light cobalt on the far-distant mountains, each tint so striking in itself, yet so toned down by nature's delicate hand as to be deliciously soft and harmonious as a whole. Gladly would I have lingered over the more beautiful points of view, but the shades of evening were already beginning to creep on us, and George kept on croaking of the distance we had still to " make " before the " Big Tree Station " was reached. And George had some reason, for it was dark before avu arrived at Clark's Ranclie, notwithstanding that we had taken advantage of the " down grade " of the last few miles, and made it at a good " lope." Although still called " a ranche," this establish- ment has long ceased to be mainly concerned with agriculture. Clark himself exists no longer, at any rate in this locality; that individual sold his in- terests many years ago to Messrs. Washbourne, who "run the stage," and are now the " bosses of the route " between this and Merced. The ranche is now a small but comfortable and roomy inn, and during the tourists' season is often filled to overflow- ing. Besides having constructed the twenty-five miles of capital road hence into the Yosemite Valley, Messrs. Washbourne are again showing their enter- prise by making a road direct to Merced, the object of which is to save thirty miles over the present Mariposa route. The weather was so threatening, and a fall of snow seemed so imminent, that we meant to have The Mariposa Big Tree Grove. 371 pushed on into the valley the next clay, but, un- fortunately, my companion was so fatigued with yesterday's ride that we had to rest a whole day here. This we employed in a very satisfactory manner by making a longer visit to the far-famed Mariposa Big Tree Grove than we had intended. I will not say that I was disappointed with these monsters ; it is difficult to be so with such colossal productions of nature, but I do think that from the position in which they are placed one fails to take in at first their extraordinary proportions. This arises, no doubt, from the trees around, to which the eye is at once attracted, being themselves so gigantic. The neighbouring sugar pines and cedars are truly magnificent, and of such extraordinary height that they would be considered wonders any- where else, and this marvellous growth applies to all the other forest trees of this peculiar locality. As is generally known, the scientific name of these giants is " Sequoia Gigantea ;" the substantive in honour, it is said, of a chief of the Cherokee tribe of Indians who first endeavoured to educate his people ; the adjective is apparently varied from "Gigantea" to " Wellingtonia," and " Washingtonia," it may be to suit the different nationalities of tourists. The number of Big Trees in this, the Mariposa Grove, is said to be 600. In the King's River Grove, further to the south in this same State, and situated about 6,000 or 7,000 feet above the sea, the trees are not so thick, but extend over a far greater area. The Mariposa Grove must be at about a like elevation, for the ascent from Clark's Ranche is considerable, and the ranche itself is 5,500 feet above sea level. On the size of the trees I cannot speak from my B b 2 V 372 Wandei'ings in the Western Land. own measurements. I can only say that I rode easily through the stem of one of them, an archway having been burnt through it, and that I was told, on undoubted authority, that one which had fallen down in the King's River Grove measured 450 feet in length, and that my informant was able to ride upright along through a portion of the stem which had been hollowed out by fire, until he came to a knot which had fallen out, and through the hole thus formed he had passed out again into the open air I In the Government Survey of California it is stated that a big tree in King's River Grove measured lOG feet in circumference at the base, but that it was partially burnt, so that the original circumference must have been 115 or 120 feet ! This tree was not more than 276 feet high, which is less than might have been expected from such an enormous girth. But so many have borne testimony to the colossal size of these giants, that no doubt can exist thereon, and I will give no more dry details. The stem of the sequoia grows straight and thick, and is covered with a reddish velvety fibrous-like bark. It is sometimes 100 feet or more before the branches begin to show, and these have the appear- ance of being puny and stunted, and quite out of proportion with the sturdy solidity of the stem. Many of the trees have been greatly damaged by fire, originated probably by carelessness. The finest speci- men of this grove is a tree called the " Grizzly Giant," a picturesque old fellow with grotesque withered branches, sprawling about like ungainly arms. It is stated to be 100 feet in circumference at the base ! A wretched cockney-like habit prevails of labelling with fancy names these splendid growths, just as if they were show potatoes or turnips produced by The Mariposa Big Tree Grove. Zll some would-bo famous manure. Nailed on to tlie grand old giants are flat white boards, on which are painted such names as " Caroline," " Andrew John- son," "The Fallen Monarch" (the two last have fallen), " The Faithful Couple " (a tree which is spht into two a short way up), &c. &c. Visiting cards are also often affixed, and names cut into the bark, still further disfiguring the grand old stems. Now that the grove is the property of the State and possesses regular custodians, it seems strange that this bad taste should be allowed to exercise itself. It certainly mars the enjoyment of nature's works to have miserable placards staring you in the face at every turn, a practice which prevails to a still greater extent at Niagara, where advertise- ments of wonderful oils and successful pills are painted on the face of the splendid cliffs and rocks. All the giant trees I saw here appear to be past their prime, and becoming rapidly withered and rotten. There seemed moreover to be a great want of a young stock to take their places. Whether this is really so I was unable to ascertain, but the Govern- ment Report of California (vol. i. p. 444) speaking of another part of the State, says that there (near Visalia) *' specimens of it (the ' Big Tree ') may be found in every stage of growth, and the smaller ones are sawn up for lumber at lliomas's Mill, above Visalia." As to the age of the present giants, one was cut down in the Calaveras Grove, which, at six feet from the ground — where it measured twenty- three feet in diameter inside the bark — had 1255 annual rings, with a decayed centre of about one foot through, so that it is safe to assume this tree was at least 1300 years old ! The next day, my companion being recovered ■4Mi«« In the YosemiU — Liedig's Hotel. 177 feet, when the light began to wane, and we were obliged to push on to save the brief twilight for our ride to Liedig's Hotel, under the " Sentinel Rock." Our host was glad enough to see us, for tourists are very scarce commodities at this time of the year, and he determined to celebrate our arrival by exploding a dynamite cartridge, that we might at the same time enjoy the grand echoes. These were doubtless extraordinary, but I am free to confess I Avould rather have gone away without hearing them than have experienced the anxiety of mind, and real risk to body, which preceded the pleasure. It appeared that the large dynamite (or " hercules powder") cartridge had frozen, and had to be "thL'wed," which operation was performed under the stove of our sitting-room ! In vain I expostu- lated, pointing out the imminent danger of its exploding and blowing ourselves and the house into little pieces. Not a bit of use; our host was as obstinate as a mule, and would have it. There he sat, surrou.nded with his children, watching the thawing process, and occasionally feeling the cart- ridge with his fingers to see if it was mastic enough to allow of the percussion-fuse being inserted. Glad was I when he pronounced it sufficiently soft, and departed with it to the scene of action. A few minutes later we heard a loud explosion, followed by reverberation after reverberation from the surround- ing crags and precipices, a joyful announcement to us that all further risk Avas over. The next morning broke damp and hazy, but the clouds gradually lifted, and we were able before starting on our ride back to Clark's to see a little of the valley beyond the " Sentinel," in which is the 4 85 hoir^e, and not sent to feed the liatod Saxon. In liis own calling he was a well-informed, shrewd, practical fellow, and 1 was much amused at his opinion of a common acquaintance, who was in the habit of hold- ing forth learnedly on mining matters. " Mr. knows a good deal about mines, doesn't ho ?" I in- quired. " Ah, faith, he just knows enough to lose his money," was the brief but telling response. But to return to the mine. Ingersoll's and Bur- leigh's rock-boring machines are extensively used ; both are highly spoken of, though the former, I am told, is the favourite. The " shooting " (blasting) is done with what is here called " No. 3, giant powder," a sort of slow dynamite which is quicker and less violent in its action than black powder. On this account there is less chance of loss through the scattering of small bits of ore amongst the heavy timbering, &c. The ore being of such great value, all the ore-bearing portion of the ledge has to be taken out clean. Large cavities are thus formed, which have to bo " timbered," and the following solid and costly system has to bo adopted : Heavy logs, twelve and fourteen inches square, laid horizontally, are morticed together in a rectangular form with very strong vertical posts, about seven feet, sometimes only five feet, apart, and the space thus enclosed is filled up and made as solid as practicable with waste material from the mine. Notwithstanding this exceptionally strong timbering, a "crush " will some- times take place within a very few months, and great difficulty is often experienced in keeping the places open even for the short time required to fetch the ore out. I am told that eighty thousand c iV' 386 IVnitflcrings in the IVesterji Land. foot of timber aro supplied daily to tlioso two mines. As may be imagined, the mountain-sides, far and wide, have been denuded of every stick to meet the requirements. Even the roots and stumps have disappeared, having been grubbed up for fuel. The present supply is brought from great distances, even as far as from the neighbourhood of the famous Lake Tahoe, and the eastern range of the Sierras. It is brought down in mill races as it were, the water being confined between wooden planks, called here " flumes," in which flows a sufficient stream to float the largest baulks. This wonderful demand has led to large companies being formed to supply the mines, by " tapping " new and well-timbered dis- tricts with flumes and railroads. I am told that nearly all is now being cut off Government lands, the State receiving a royalty of %\\ (5«.) per acre. Considering that most of the land is useless after it has been denuded of its natural covering, this royalty would appear very low, yet, notwithstanding, the wood for fuel costs about $10 (= 2/.) per cord ; and as it takes l^ . ords to do the work of a ton of good coal, it would appear that it costs here 3/. to get as much steam raised as would be produced in many mines in England for about lOi.". or 12.9. This very important item in economical working is becoming more and more scarce and costly as the distance increases from which it has to be brought. And now a few more words about the ore itself, and its subsequent treatment. In appearance it is a dull grey mass, presenting here and there metallic spots. Two pieces I brought ut> with me from the 1,650 feet level in the California mine gave by analysis 858'3 ozs. of silver and 37H ozs. of The Cohistock ore, and its aftcr'trcatmcut. 387 «(ol(l, and tlio other 1,122*0 ozs. of silvci' an«l 37*6 ozs. of gold per ton of ore respectively, with about 27o of copper. Probably the whole of the gold is present as " native," but the silver, besides being " native," is in combination with sulphur, us silver glance ; with sulphur and antimony, as " stephanite " and " ruby silver ;" and with chlorine, as " horn silver " and " polybasito." The presence of this latter mineral may account for the small amount of copper shown in the analysis. I am told that the ore costs $18 (= 3?. 12s.) per ton, delivered into the amalgamation works from the Virginia Consolidated and 23 cents (say l.s.) more from the California mine ; this slight difference arising out of certain law expenses. The first process after being delivered from the mine into the mill, or works, is pulverising under stamps with water until the ore becomes a very fine slime or " pulp." The mill I visited was driven by steam and contained eighty such stamps, each weighing 940 lbs., about 1^ horse-power being required for each stamp. After passing through vertical sieves of fine wire, the slime is run into large pans, in which revolve iron arms or fans, requiring eight-horse power to drive each set. With the slime is mixed quicksilver, copper vitriol (sulphate of copper), common salt, and a little soda, and the whole mass is heated by steam. Chemical decomposition of the silver com- binations takes place, and the well-known affinity of metallic gold and silver for quicksilver leads them at once to combine and form an amalgam. After being strained through blanketing to re- cover mechanically as much of the quicksilver as is c c 2 ,f •■ pr Wanderings in the Western Land. possible, the amalgam is heated in retorts, when the quicksilver is driven off in fumes, which are con- densed and collected in the metallic form. The residue in the retorts is an impure gold and silver mass, which is taken up into the melting-house, and run down in graphite pots, capable of containing about 3,000 ozs., which is laded into three bars of bullion. The value is then stamped on them and they are "expressed" by rail to San Francisco, where the gold is separated from the silver and coined, and the silver is sold as ingots. The great advantage of the amalgamation process is its extreme simplicity. Its drawbacks are loss of quicksilver by volatisation, and loss of that part of the produce which cannot be recovered from the so-called " tailings." These latter are caught in a series of slime-pits, until the assay shows a value of not more than $7 or $8 (286*. to 32^*.) per ton, below which they do not consider it profitable to throw back and treat over again. It is possible that better produce might be obtained by altera- tions and modifications on the existing process, or by the substitution of some of the many other well- known metallurgical methods for the extraction of silver, but whether this would be remunerative is another matter, and everything seemed to me to be so well managed and considered here, that I have very little doubt any improvement of real practical value, having regard to local conditions and cir- cumstances, would be very speedily adopted. The discovery of quicksilver in California has been of the utmost importance to these works. It costs here now 50 cents (2s.) per lb., and is obtained from the sulphuret (" cinnabar "), which has been of The Comstock Ledge ^ its great wealth. ^89 late years found in such quantities that not only is the home consumption fully met, but last year over 46,000 flasks, of a value of $1,625,310 (= 325,062/.) were exported, chiefly to China. A run through the assay and melting-house, which is the property of the Consolidated Virginia, but which does the work of the two companies, com- pleted a most interesting visit, and I came away from Virginia city impressed both with the wealth of the Comstock Ledge and with the gigantic scale of the undertakings I visited. As a practical exemplification of the wealth, it is computed that $350,000,000 (70,000,000/.) worth of bullion has been produced from this lode up to the present time, and the following is the produce of the Consolidated Virginia alone, since 1873 inclu- sive, as stated in the annual report of the President, Mr. C. H. Fish:— i Gold. 1873.— S3U,289= £62,858 1874.— 2,W3,438= 412,688 1875.-7,035,207 = 1 ,407,042 1876.-7,378,146=1,475,629 1877.-6,270,519=1,254,104 Silver. $331,293= £66,258 2,918,0 16= 583,609 9,682,188 =.1,936,437 9,279,504=1,855,901 7,463,500=1,492,700 Total. $645,582 =£129,116 4,981,484= 996,297 16,717,395=3,343,479 16,657,650=3,331,530 13,734,019=2,746,804 $52,736,130 £10,547,226 Of this vast amount it appears that $35,640,000 (7,128,000/.) has been paid in dividends ! I am not aware what the actual capital now employed amounts to ; it would seem, however, that $438,490 (87,698/.) was expended before a dollar was returned. The California mine accounts are also both interesting and instructive, and testify equally to the riches of the Comstock. In 1876, the average value of the 127,540 tons raised was about $105 (21/.) per ton, and the total value of the bullion tr~-' .Z- -~\r 390 Wanderings in the Western Land. was $13,400,841 (2,680,168Z.), of which $6,488,640 (1,297,728?.) was gold, and $6,912,203 (1,382,440/.) silver; the dividends paid to shareholders in this year was $8,640,000 (1,728,000/.) ! Last year (1877) the ore raised from the California was 213,683 tons, of an average value of $88^ (17Z. 2s. 9c/.) per ton. The dividends paid to shareholders amounted to $12,960,000 (2,592,000/.) ! The cost of working and after treatment of the ore was $25. 70c. (5/. 3s.) per ton ; of this amount the labour for getting the ore was $3. 57c. (say 14s.) ; hoisting (or winding out of the mine), 86c. (3s. Id,) ; after-treatment, $10. 39c. (2/. 3s. 2>\d^. The silver extracted weighed 404f tons, of" a value of $9,538,104 (1,907,621/.) ! and about eighty-three tons of gold, of a value of $9,386,745 (1,877,349/.) ! So that the total value of the bullion was $18,924,849 (3,784,270/.)! The wages paid were $776,362 (155,272/. 10s.), of which $712,536 (142,507/.) was to miners at $4 per day; the average wages throughout the concern was $4.33c. (18s.) per man per day. I do not know that anything gives a better idea of the scale on which an undertaking is carried on than the actual balance-sheet, so will now give what purports to be that of the Virginia Consolidated for 1877, as stated in one of the San Francisco daily papers. There appears to be a mistake in the addition, which I am at a loss to account for, the credits being correct, but the debit side should be $15,529,996.82, a difference of $1,630,339.27, or about 326,068/. However, the figures wiU sufiice to show the very large amounts expended on the various items, which are so amply met by the great value of the bullion produced. The Comstock Ledge — A mine account. 39 1 CONSOLIDATED VIRGINIA, 1877 Receipth. 8 Yield of the mine for the year Sundry ores sold during the year . Received from sundry parties for 13,734,019.07 = 68,201.38 „ assaying . Balances outstanding 62,424.31 „ 35,012.79 „ & 2,746,804 13,640 12,485 7,002 Last annual meeting since settled . $13,899,657.55 = £2,779,931 Disbursements. % £ Cash and bullion samples in hand > Superintendent at Virginia 10,743.06 = 2,149 Cash on hand, San Francisco Office 1,353.25 „ 270 Balance of cash in Nevada Bank . 1,088,349.01 „ 217,670 Virginia office expenses 3,284.45 „ 657 Team account 1,271.20 „ 254 On purchase 93,933.53 „ 18,787 Surveying .... 700.00 „ 140 Assay Office exi)enses (Virginia) 38,269.90 „ 7,654 Books and Stationery . 1,614.45 „ 323 Legal expenses . 299.07 „ 60 Advertising .... 199.50 „ 40 Water 6,000.00 „ 1,200 Real Estate .... 1,652,000.00 „ 330,400 Hoisting — balance paid above re coipts .... 3,142.14 „ 628 Taxes ..... 282,579.23 „ 56,216 Redu. lion (crushing) . 1,449,188.60 „ 289,838 Interest and Excliango. 89,934.39 „ 17,987 Bullion Freight . 48,402.19 „ 9,680 Dividends (Nos. 33 to 40 inclusive' 8,640,000.00 „ 1,728,000 C ai 1 C Shaft .... 131,000.00 „ 26,200 BuUi '1 Discount .... 975,416.05 „ 195,083 Suppli ■;..... 391,505.87 „ 78,301 Salaries and Wages 615,545.50 „ 123,109 San Francisco office 5,265.43 „ 1,053 $15,529,996.82 = £3,105,999 The board of management is, I believe, a committee of five, elected yearly at a general meeting of the -<^,f-ir ■-»-ii-^'. ■' ■"-:» !- i ( f li iM 392 Wana'e7'ings in the Western Land. shareholders, who have the power of caUing a general meeting between-times, and altering the composition of the committee. Most mining com- panies in these parts are incorporated under an Act of Congress similar to our own Limited Liabilities Act. If a company is not under this Act, the liability of the shareholders is unlimited. I must not quit this locality without saying a few words on that great work for which an Act of Congress has been obtained, and which will be of such importance to the mining adventures situated on this lode. I mean the Sutro Tunnel. This tunnel (or adit, as we should call it) has for its main object the unwatering of the mines, at a depth of 2,244 feet from the surface, by branches or cross- cuts; but, besides this, it is expected to prove of greub value as an intake of fresh air for the deep workings, and as a base, as it were, for exploring operations. The mouth of the adit is between Corral and Weber Canons, a little over four miles from the Comstock outcrop, but as the ledge dips to the east, it is expected to cut it in 20,178 feet, or three miles and 1,446 yards. To expedite the work and pro- cure fresh air for the men, four shafts are to be sunk in this distance, about 4,500 feet apart, the depth of which will vary from 443 to 1,942 feet. The rock through which it has to be driven is said to be on the whole easy to deal with, and to con- sist of trachyte, trachytic breccia, and, trachytic greenstone, the latter partially decomposed, and pro- bably requiring timbering for its whole length of 300 yards or more. The vertical section through the self-supporting rock is described as "a circle of The Comstock Ledge — The Sutro Tunnel. 393 twelve feet diameter, witli offsets three and a lialf feet from the bottom, about one foot wide, which support the superstructure of the railroad track, to be used for removing ore and debris from the mine. The space under the superstructure is for drawing the water from the lode. Where timber supports are required to sustain the adjacent rock the top is level, and ten feet wide, clear of the framing; height, eight feet to the bottom of the timbers sup- porting the railroad, where it is twelve feet wide in the clear. Below this there is a triangular space, three feet seven inches in depth, forming the water way." (Government Report, 18G8, p. 398.) It is estimated that 10,535 feet will be through solid rock, and 9,643 feet through decomposed rock requii'ing timbering. It was originally computed that the time actually required to carry out this great work would be a little more than two and a half years ; but allowing for delays and contingencies, it was thought that it would probably take from three and a half to four years. But as it was begun in 1871, and is not yet connected with any of the workings on the Comstock, we may assume that unexpected difl&culties have been met with. Burleigh's drills have been extensively used ; and in the month of December, 1874, 417 feet were driven (13 feet per day). Up to the end of 1877 the total quantity completed was 18,607 feet, the year's work being 3130 feet (261 feet per month). There would then be about 1,500 feet still to drive to reach workings on the Comstock lode. The importance which such an adit would be to mining undertakings continually troubled with water, only miners themselves can fully appreciate. / ' M.( 1 i',"' 394 Wa7tderings in the Western Lmid. In some cases it may make the diflference of actual existence, whilst it will place at the disposal of all in connexion with it a large intake for the purposes of ventilation, which may prove of very great value in the future, in dealing with the heat question. It is anticipated, too, that a great hydraulic power will be developed for the benefit of all mines connected with it. Before leaving the Comstock I may be expected to say a few words on the probable future of this " mine of wealth," although I feel it somewhat pre- sumptuous in a mere visitor like myself to make even a surmise. The surface extent of the fissure is now pretty well known, but the problem yet unsolved is whether it will continue its peculiar wealth to the deep? whether the same precious metals will con- tinue to predominate, or whether the lode will not alter its character as the depth increases ? Such an occurrence as the latter is by no means uncommon in metalliferous lodes, as an example of which, many of the copper-mines of Cornwall maybe mentioned which have turned into tin as they have increased their depth from surface. The scientific investigators who have had the best opportunity of forming an opinion of this ledge seem to think that it will continue of much the same character as at present. Baron Eichthof en, m his Report to the Mechanics' Institute in 1805, on the Sutro Tunnel, writes : " The value of a deep tunnel will, of course, chiefly depend upon the question whether these mines will ever be worked to considerable depth ; that is, whether the Comstock vein will extend far down, and whether it will retain its metalliferous character in depth. Both questions will have to be decided from the \ , The Comstock Ledge, its future. 395 study of the structure and nature of the Comstock vein, and from comparing the results with the observations at such mines in other countries which have already been worked to great depth. My experience on the Comstock vein is based on close and repeated examinations of nearly all the mines on its course. I believe I concur with almost every- body who has had equal experience about them, in the opinion that it is a true fissure vein, of extra- ordinary length, and extending downwards much further than any mining works will ever be able to be carried on. It would be too lengthy to enumerate the various reasons which lead most positively to this conclusion. It is now assumed almost universally as a fact, and the number of those who consider it as a gash vein, or a system of gash veins, is fast diminishing. As to the downward continuance of the ore-bearing character, every instance goes to show that the average yield in precious metals remains about the same at every depth. Some mines had accumulations of ore near the surface; in others they commenced very near under the surface ; at others, again, considerable work had to be done before bodies of ore of any amount were struck ; and some which had no ore heretofore appear to have good prospects to find it soon There is no reason to doubt that the equality of average produce and yield throughout the entire length of the vein will continue downwards to any depth; besides the very obvious theoretical conclusion that vast amounts of silver could not be carried into the fissure from the overlying or enclosing rocks, but naturally had to rise from unknown depths, through the channel of the fissure itself, to be ^1 a: 396 Wandei'ings in the Western Land. deposited in it where the conditions for sublima- tion or precipitation were given in its open space. Experience in other countries by no means shows of a regular decrease or increase in yield as of com- mon occurrence, though either of them may happen. More commonly, the produce of true fissure veins in precious metals has been found to be about constant." So wrote Baron Richthofen in 1865, and his views were thought of such weight, that they were published in the Government Report of 1868 on the " Mineral Resources of the United States " (p. 391), with an observation that explorations made since " strongly confirm the views expressed by him." Should these views prove correct, and the lode continue wealth-producing to the deep, a serious question will present itself, namely, how to meet the rapidly-increasing high temperature. Even at the present depth of about 1,700 feet in the California and Consolidated Virginia the heat is causing incon- venience, and requires artificial means to counteract it. But this inconvenience, at the present rate of increase, will become a positive trouble by the time the depth of 2,000 feet is reached. In this matter the Sutro Tunnel will doubtless prove of very great value as an " intake," and the natural draw of the deep shaft and the heated atmosphere of the workings may easily be assisted by artificial means, such as fans, in the same way as if an inflammable colliery was being dealt with. At any rate we n?ay rest assured that should the valuable nature of the lode continue downwards, science will come to the rescue, and enormously deep workings will be carried on before heat alone is allowed to drive the determined miner from his vocation.- CHAPTER XIX. " A land of r.paco and dreams ; a land Of sea, salt lakes, and dried up seas ! " Joaquin Miller, " The Grout Plaim and Desert." " Restore to God His due in tithe and time : A tithe purloin'd, cankers the whole estate." Herbert, " The Temple." Hurried movements — The Eureka District — The ore and its treatment — Ogden — Utah — The Wahsatch mountains- Tho " Great Basin " — Geology — Salt Lake City — The Mormons — Their habitations — Polygamy — The Governor's Message — • Newspaper comment — Camp Douglas — The United States Army — The Indian Bureau — Tho Great Salt Lake — The Oquirrh Mountains — Tho mineral veins of Utah — The Emma Mine — Professor Hayden's report — Other Mines — Character of the ores— Cornisli Miners — Non-observance of the Sabbath — A lamentable blemish. It had been my intention before leaving the western slope of the Rocky Mountains to visit the well- known Eureka mining district, but Parliament was now summoned, so this and other pleasant and interesting expeditions liad to be abandoned, and I had only time for a flying visit to Salt Lake City on my way back across the continent. Eureka is reached, by a branch three-foot gauge line 90 miles in length, from Palisade station on the Union Pacific Railroad 595 miles from San Fran- rt i: Wa7tdc7'-i)igs in the Western Land. CISCO. There is only one quick train daily on this branch each way, and they are so timed that two days must bo consumed on the trip. I should have much liked to have seen this locality, which must be most interesting in its mineralogical and geo- logical aspect, but it was not feasible with the time I had left. I was told, on good authority, that the ore is nearly entirely a carbonate of lead, and that it occurs in connected vertical pockets in the limestone. These pockets are en- closed within walls of quartz and a sort of shale, impervious to water. It would appear that the ore was originally galena (sulphuret of lead), and that the passing of water down through the vein has decomposed it, and that it has become a carbonate, a natural lemical process by no means uncommon in other localities. Occasionally lumps of galena are found coated and surrounded with the new-formed carbonate. The practical result here of this process is an ore admirably adapted for metal- lurgical treatment — the approximate contents of which are about '^57o of lead, and 45% of oxide of iron, with about 135 ozs. of silver, and 4^ ozs. to 5 ozs. of gold per ton of ore. The gold probably occurs as " native " in the quartz and the silver as a sulphide. Such is the ore as it is raised from the mines without any "dressing" or expenditure upon it whatsoever; and in this condition it is delivered to the works. It is tben treated in high furnaces, each of which smelts about 75 to 80 tons of ore per day, with a consumption of 25 bushels of charcoal. There are two large companies at work here, both of whom mine and smelt their own ores. One of The Eureka Mining District, its production. 399 the companies is composed chiefly of Han Francis- cans, and is called the Eureka Company ; the other, the Richmond Consolidate! Company, is an English adventure. A lawsuit has lately been going on between them, in which th^^ chief point in dispute was whether the occurrence was a "fi-suve" or a " pipe," and on this the verdict depended. Tt was eventually ruled, I am told, that it was a " fissure." The base bullion made in this district in 1877 (which contained over 167o of gold) was of the value of $12,000,000 (= 2,400,000/.), and the Richmond Consolidated Company alone produced 5,200 tons of pig lead, from which the precious metals had been extracted. At Ogden — 883 miles from San Francisco — I branched off by the Utah Central Railroad to Salt Lake City, distant 36 miles. The line runs in close proximity to the beautiful Wahsatch Mountains, the peaks of which are more than 12,000 feet above the sea. This range forms, as it were, the eastern side or slope of a great interior basin, of which the Sierra Nevada is the western. Geologists say, that, in comparatively modern times, this basin was one great inland sea, and state as one of the proofs of this, that the calcareous and arenaceous beds, which are deposited over the intermediate space sometimes to a thickness of 800 and 1,200 feet, often abound with fresh- water shells. At that time the higher peaks of the smaller mountain ridges lying between these two main ranges must have appeared as islands above the surface of this vast extent of water. A large portion of this inland region does not find any direct drainage to the ocean. To this special portion, the early explorer, Fremont, gave 7=^^ I ft 400 IVandcrings in the IVcilern Land. the iiamo of tlio "Groat Basin," whioli has now passed into general use. It is worthy of note that on the line of the Union Pacific Railroad the mountain ranges tend ^oneruwly nearly north and south, and are locally parallel. In their geological structure they would, I believe, exhibit, as a rule, a section ot a sedimentary rock, more or less metamorphised, overlying volcanic or igneous rocks, the latter generally forming the hij^h peaks and rugged outlines of the ridges. Well worthy of a trip would the Wahsatch Range prove to any enterprising members of the Alpine Club who may be no longer satisfied \x\\\\ the mountains of old Europe. Amongst these wild peaks and precipices they would find ascents difficult enough to please the most indefatigable, and be rewarded with distant views in this clear transparent atmosphere which would be impossible in our moister hemi- sphere. Salt Lake City is a bright, quiet little town of about 20,000 inhabitants, clean, regularly built, and picturesquely situated. The long, broad streets and roads, laid out at right angles to each other, are formal and stiff. There is here nothing attractive to the eye of a stranger, at any rate on his first acquaintance, nothing differing much from what ho might expect to see in any other western town. The only object which would strike him as peculiar would probably be the hideous exterior of the " Tabernacle," a long elliptic brick building, 250 feet in length by 150 in breadth, with a wooden-shingle dome-shaped roof. The interior of this edifice is capable of seating 12,000 people, and possesses extraordinary acoustic powers. In order to give me an opportunity of The Mormon tabernacle — Population. 40 1 now [Tnion I. in elicve, ^ rock, i,nic or e liiff^i Well • prove le Club untains ,ks and ougli to led with losphere r bemi- judging of ihems \\\y yfnid*?, who possessed a very good ti^nor V(»ioJS HUhp; w few bars " j}iiinlnHi'mo^* on the platform, wlulsl i wlood at the other end of the bmldiu^\ \\\A 1 co\dd ht»ar every note distinctly. Tlu^ orp^n in VIMm lMrj4:i\ imd of native nianiifacturo, ^c\\\\[\ \\( tl\o pipt^n wvw WWy feet hif^h and two feet h«piMre. 'V\\\* way in \\\\\A\ the seats were arranged Htruek mo hh p\^M\liiv»' yet practical, the floor being on a ^ontli^ nhipo U\\\\\ the platform to the oppo- site end o('tl\o i»\UidU\iv, so that all the audience is able to see tlio preacher over the heads of those in front of them. This buikling is not used in winter, on account of its not possessing any heating a])pa- ratus ; the congregation has then to attend tlio meeting-houses with which each of the city wards is provided. I understand that about three-fourths of the population arc Mormons in the city, but that in the territory of Utah the proportion is greater, for out of the 100,000 inhabitants, about 85,000 are Mormons and 15,000 Gentiles, as the non- Mormons are here commonly called. The Mormon element is said to bo on the decrease, in con- sequence of the unwillingness on the part of some to pay the tithes on all produce as required by the elders. In such cases instant dismissal from the community follows. I suspect that the proximity of Camp Douglas, where the United States Government keeps a small military force, encourages and renders possible resistance to the edicts and commands which would not have been ventured upon formerly. Yet the sect must bo still prosperous and financially strong if one may judge by their public buildings and domestic D d ' I 402 Wanderings in the Western Land. Oi-jli ] . 'li Hi \tA I 'I '% ( dwelling-houses. A very fine new tabernacle of dressed granite is being erected for their cere- monies, and substantial stone edifices form the abodes of their "bosses." One of these latter, p, very nice-looking house, had five small doors open- ing on to the street. I was told that these five openings demonstrated that the proprietor was the possessor of five wives, each of whom had her own door. Another had three doors for the same reason ; and another, said to be that of Bishop (!) Sharp, formerly a Scotch collier, had two doors. Another, with a like num'^er, belonged to an old brute of an elder, who had very recently lost a wife, and had just replaced her with a young Scandinavian girl. Brigham Youn^i's establishment is enclosed within walls, with the exception of the Amelia House, a part of which his favourite wife still occupies. He himself used to reside in the Bee-Hive House in which he died, and he was buried in the grounds attached to it. A watchman's hut has been erected in the garden for the purpose, it is said, of guarding the grave. It is sincerely to b': hoped that not many years will elapse before polygamy will cease; and the follow- ing circumstance would seem to point that way. The United States Goverror, Emery, opened the Terri- torial Parliament a few days ago, January 10, 1878, and is reported in the Salt Lake Daily Herald, a Mormon organ, to have used the following words in his " message :" — " The majority of the people of this territory, belong to a religious sect known as the ' Latter-day Saints.' I do not intend to discuss the merits or demerits of this new religion, but to lefer to one of Governor Emery's Message. 403 its distinctive features, polygamy. This system of marriage has continued here for thirty years, and for fifteen years in violation of law. In all the States and Territories except Utah it is considered a grave offence, and is severely punished. Poly- gamy is no less a crime here than in other portions of our country ; and yet the law remains a dead letter upon the statutes. I regard this system of marriage an evil, undermining the peace of society brought within its influence, and carrying with it dark shadows, wliich rest like a blight upon the offspring of these illegal relations, and the women who are maintained in them. The number of poly- gamous wives in Utah is large — how large I have not the means of knowing — yet it is safe to say they number thousands. Such a condition of things is an anomaly nowhere else to be found in a Chris- tian country. This, gentlemen, is a serious ques- tion, and should be met openly and with candour. It is for you to decide whether from nil the sur- roundings you will take action in the premises and provide against the continuance of these criminal relations, or ignore the consequences of this state of affairs. Congress has reserved to itself the right to approve or disapprove of any territorial legislation, and also to enact such laws as may appear neces- sary to the welfare of the people. Yet, notwith- standing these reserved powers, it is more than probable that Congress would acquiesce in any measures inaugurated by yourselves looking to a permanent and equitable settlement of this ques- tion. The territories are the wards of the national Government created by Congress, and whatever privileges are enjoyed within them are extended D d 2 ! i ! i ^'wossasBsni 404 Wande7'ines in the Western Land. T: li. i-i \':\ Hi li i by that body, all of wliioli Congress lias the power to modify or revoke. The policy of the Govern- ment has been to allow citizens of the territories to legislate for themselves, and no doubt it will con- tinue in that policy, provided they enact judicious laws, such as are in accordance with the general government, and in harmony with those of the States, and not otherwise. Polygamous marriages are so fre(pient and so numerous throughout this territory, and the sentiment of the majority of the people so much in their favour, that the officers of the law, thougli charged with the duty of enforcing the law, find themselves unable to do so without further and more stringent legislation on the subject. This legislative body has sufficient jurisdiction over the matter to provide such enactments as the circum- stances require; but it it fails to act in the pre- mises, then it is the duty of Congress to take cognizance of the fact and to provide such legisla- tion as will metL, this case, or abolish the law whicli makes polygamy a crime." Some further remai-ks follow, but I think I have quoted enough to show the feeling of the Govern- ment towards this practice, and the apparent pro- bability that it will soon be suppressed by SDccinl Act of Congress, should the Territorial Parliament refuse to deal with it themselves. Considering that a very large majority of this local legislature are Mormons, who should support polygamy as one of the tenets of their religion, its suppression would bo a bitter [all for them to swallow ; but abolish it they must, or pressure will be brought to bear from the east. The Salt Lake Daily Herald of January Kith, 1878, — the Mormon organ — in an article comment- Mormon comments on the Message. 405 ing on tlie message, alludes to this passage in the following off-hand way : — " No message by a ' Gen- tile ' governor of Utah would be complete without a reference to polygamy ; hence his excellency, who doubtless desired that his communication to the assembly should be lacking in nothing, devotes a portion of the document to that practice. He talks as if he was expected to say so much on the subject ; but we doubt if the governor dreams that his words will have any effect upon the mem- bers of the dignified body, a majority of whom are presumed to practise what he asks them to abolish, and all of whom belong to a religious faith and organization, one of the tenets of which is this doctrine of plural marriage. His language on this subject ought to pacify the radical anti-Mormou class." This is certainly a somewhat cool way of treating a message from the Central Government as if it Avere mere bounce to be put aside. They make, how- ever, some little amende by pronouncing that "on the whole the production is very fair," and to be rated, in market parlance, as " above fair to middling." Tlie foregoing passage from the message gives too an interesting and official view of the relation existing between the Territorial Legislatures and Congress, "^rhe elected Territorial Parliaments are allo\ved to legislate on local matters and their recommenda- tions, if not in contravention of tlie acts and views of Congress, are sanctionetl by the latter body and become law. One of the most charming views of the city and its lovely surroundings is to be had from the United States Government post of Camp Douglas, situated V !! Jl'i J- /' '(■• ,f ?. ii'iii Wauderings in the Western Land. about three miles ofP, under the Wahsatch Range. This is an entrenched camp, capable of accommo- dating seven companies of infantry, and possessing about a dozen brass field-pieces in a commanding position. At this time there were only thiee com- panies here, the remainder of ihe garrison being, as usual, in pursuit of phantom Indians, a work of fatigue and hardship, and attendant with but little glory. I found the officer in command most civil and communicative. Like most officers in this small service, he had had a very large and varied expe- rience of military life. Indeed, it cannot well be otherwise after a few years' service with the United States army of scarcely 25,000 men, who have to occupy more than 200 posts, scattered over such an enormous extent of country. Like our own, these troops are subjected to great changes of climate, from the parching heats of southern Arizona and New Mexico to the intense colds of nortliern Wyoming and Montana. The service is not a popular one, and less so with the privates than the officers. To be one of the " boys in blue " is looked upon by the indigenous western men as a career not to be tolerated even under tlie most pinching necessity. Probably the life is too fettered for their ideas of liberty, and consequently, althougli the pay is good, $17 (3/. 8s.) for privates, and $32 (6/. 8.S.) for non-commissioned officers per month, and all found, yet a native American in the ranks is the exception. I am told that nearly all the rank and file are Germans or Irish. Enlistment is volun- tary, and for a period of five years. Great induce- ments are offered to the men to ..uvi;. Ti^ ^"^ ^ / ^n '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 145M (716) 173-4503 4"^ t^ ■■^^ \ t i I ■I, it li ^1 414 Wanderings in the Western Land. staff. The ore is of a precisely similar character, namely, galena, often decomposed into the carbonate, and rich in silver. The Bingham and Telegraph Mines seem to be the two principal undertakings " located " in the Oquirrh Range. Their ores are argentiferous and auriferous sulphurets and carbonates of lead, but I am told that they are somewhat less rich than those from the Wahsatch Range. It would appear as if a kind nature had meant the ores of these two ranges to be treated in the same smelting works. One contains much silica, the other is rich in oxide of iron, so that together a most happy mixture is formed for metallurgical treat- ment. The fuel used at the works is charcoal and coke, which is brought all the way from Pittsburg, and costs, it is said, $30 (6Z.) per ton. Most of the miners in these parts are from old Cornwall, and they seem to be much appreciated for their untiring energy and working capabilities. Here, as in nearly all other mining districts of the Western States, there is no observance of the Sabbath. That day is like any other as far as actual labour is concerned. The only bright exception I heard of was at the Hans Peak Mines, on the borders of Colorado and Wyoming, where a church has been built, and the officials oncourage the men to go to it. At the Prince of Wales's Mine, before-mentioned, they tried to stop work on Sundays, but such fearful scenes of gam- bling, brawling, and shootings ensued, that the day of rest had to be abandoned. I was told that the Protestant Bishop of Salt Lake City had said that it was " far better to have it a working-day than to Non-observance of Sunday. 415 incur such dreadful scenes of vice." True enough, no doubt, but is it right to let the matter drop here ? "Would there be those scenes if the men, as in the old country, had places of worship to go to with their families, and were encouraged in so doing by their ministers and their superiors ? Surely there is no reason for assuming that their natures are changed by the voyage across the ocean, and that the Sunday would be less well kept here than it is in their recently left homes, in the mining districts of Corn- wall and elsewhere, were the same opportunity for keeping it properly provided for them? Is there not, moreover, an undeniable duty, a moral obliga- tion, incumbent on those who are now benefitting by the miners' labour, and amassing by it such enormous fortunes ? should they not, in mere gratitude, do what they can to provide for the spiritual welfare of their hardy labourers ? There is really something miserable in the feeling that the weary, dreary round of work goes on con- tinuously from week's end to week's end, from year's end to year's end, without a day of rest of any kind. " Work, work, work," the only cry ; the " almighty dollar" the only object. Here is surely a field for the missionary, where he can labour amongst, as it were, his own kith and kin? many of whom have been brought up actually in our midst. In former days in the old country they have been accustomed to keep the sabbath in such an orderly way as to be an object of remark to the passing stranger. Hard times have come upon them, and they have been obliged to emigrate. Now they find themselves in regions where, apparently, scarcely any attention is paid to religion. They are sur- )i \ \ n h ■ I. J/ ■^ i .. ^1 FINIS. OTIBEBT AND ETTINOXOy, rBINTSBS, ST. JOHN'S SQUABE, LOXDOIT. '. :»*■ -y^ XV le le le re ot at ire n- rt- lur «(A jff ':^ J' ire ^st for Biy old dst ed. ore lot v>dteM^''jU^^^ r^svy^rKtT ■ immm -•"■•mill" wmm A Catalogue of American and Foreign Books Published or Imported by Messrs. Sampson Low & Co. can be had on application. . Crown Buildings, 188, Fleet Street, London ^ April, 1879. % tX^i of ISooksi PUBLISHED BY SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON. ALPHABETICAL LIST. A CLASSIFIED Educational Catalogue of Works pub- •*^ lished in Great Britain. Demy 8vo, cloth extra. Second Edition, revised and corrected to Christmas, 1877, 5J, Abney {Captain W. de W., R.E., FR.S.) Thebes, and its Five Greater Temples, Forty large Permanent Fliotographs, with descrip- tive letter-press. Super-royal 4to, cloth extra, 63J. About Some Fellows. By an Eton Boy, Author of " A Day of my Life." Cloth limp, square i6mo, is. 6d, Adventures of Captain Mago. A Phoenician's Explorations 1000 years B.C. By Leon Cahun. Numerous Illustrations. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, gilt, 7^ 6 8 4 Ditto ditto cloth . . . each o 4 The "Hymnal Companion" may tunu be had in special bindings for presentation ■with and without the Common Prayer Book. A red line edition is ready. Lists on application. Bickersteth {Rev. E. 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