The Litchfield County post., 1827-10-11
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

The Philadelphia Gazette, contains extracts from
letter dated Sweet Water Lake, July 9th, 1921 ad-
dressed gentleman In ThitaueIphia' III "hAc the
writer says:
"Mr Smith, one of our traders arrived few days
since in forty days from the Gulf of Calaorna. He
has explored the country south OF thus he informs
ms that he was on board of two merchant men from
Roston-the ship courier, Captain Cunningham and
schooner the name of whose master not recoccted
Cant. G. was taking in cargo OF hides and taoW.
His suffering were extreme, OWING 10 the VAST SANDY
deserts living between this place and the guilt
The same letter gives price current OF various ar
t;cles in the region of the Rocky Mountains. The
Gazette contains also the following letter from the
same writer, which we copy, as giving picture OF
SWEET LAKE, July 8, 1897.
Shortly after writing to you last year TOOK my de-
narure for the Black Foot Country, much against my
will hut could not make party tor any other route.
W. tool Northery direction about fifty miles, where
,ye crossed Snake rlver the South fork oil Column
b;a at the forks of Henry's and Le"iss or North
fork which bears North OF East thirty miesand eros
sed large rugged mountain Whlch separates he TWO
ks from thence East up the other fork to ITS source
Uh;ch heads ON the great chain of the Rocky Noun
tans which separate the waters OF the Auahuc from
those of the Pacific. AT or near TINS pace eaos tie
Luchkadee or California Sinking iorh, eiioW otohe
South fork of Maswr and Henry's tork--all those
besd At one angular point; that OF Yellow Stone has
large fresh water lake near ITS head on the very top
of the mountain which is one hundred by lorty mules
in diameter, and clear as crystal Oh 'ne SCUM
;nTs como Of water and others OF most beautiful
6ne clay resembling mush pot and throwing paru-
ces at the immense heghlh OF from twenty 10 thrty
feet The clay is of white, ana Oh d PhN cooI, anu
- tor annears fathomless as 1t appears to be en-
t;ro, holioy Underneath. There is also number oil
naces where pure phur IS sent iort III aounuace
One Of our men visited one OF these Whilst taking our
recreation-there at an instant INC I Tn III " e
ondoms trembling and he with difhculty made his
nscane when an explosion took place resembling that
of thnnder During our stay III that quarter he"ic
!, e.erv dav From this place by ccuitous rout to
the North West we returned 1"o olie' anu ny s
nnshea ON in advance for the purpose OF accumnauhs
few more beaver and in the act OF passing uno"sh
n narrow confine in the mountain we were lnet pump
in the face by large party oil BLACK root inu'ans
whosnot knowing onr Number, heu III oo"ceom i INV
,ha mountain we retired to small grove OF WILLOWS
hare we made every preparation tor oattie--aer
which finding our enemy as much alarmed as
we mounted our horses, winch were neaViy ioaued
and took the back retreat 1 ne from ,he mountain tor
nd almost cut off our retreat We here put whip to
onr horses and they pursued US IN close ets uu
III we reached the plains, when we ie ueth pcl,lno
On this trip one man was closey nten gu
RiacL feet several others were closely pursued
m This trip lost one horse by accident ana iaSt
IN .,o hy the Utaws who killed three for the pur-
nose Of eating of them, one OF WhishMas iNo"t'le
aIoe horse This loss cannot be eomputed al less
than tour hundred and fifty dollars few days pre-
1ns IN my arrival at this place. party OF l%o back
feet approached the camp and Killed onaAe nmu'an
and his suuaw. The alarm was mmealateiy gwen,
Snakes Uaws and whites sailed 1%a Tor eaiS
the enemy fled to s .ns mber surrounded by
a ur"nnS In this engagement the basy
in ,browng up batteries and dragging of the
only ,dx s %'s w sasf ps.o sho
o i 10, he assured that almost every shot conn
y"n The loss Of the Snakes three killed
, fo oam number wounded; that Of the whites, one
wounded and two narrowly made their escape that
oi tnc &c Ri bravery The loss of the enemy is
p pnt Inowpsix were found dead on the ground
Great humber besides carried of on horses To-
morrow depart for the west