Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-10

JuI z.-Weather pleasant; mosquitoes abundant, but
not troublesome washed the two dirty shirts which com
pose my wardrobe. No signs of Indians and begin to
hope we shall not be troubled with them Nevertheless
Keep the TgM medicines at hand and the guns ready
Grass abundant and good animals thriving; killed an elk
dried some meat; still sick
JMty o-Employed the day in drying the meat killed
yesterday Weather very hot but for the sunshine
would suppose it to be showing the air being filed with
ign, nesces ike snow-fakes from the cottonwood The
creek IS falling, but slowly Time drags very heavily
nree days gone, however and nine remain twelve days
being the time allotted to 60 and return from Taos
JEy 4Celebrated the day by eating last cups
OF pinole; felt highly excited by it, Henceforth go
on tobacco and dried meat The Delaware killed doe
toeraby fat dried the meat still sick bathed in creek
found the water excessively cold felt much refreshed
and better after the BATH besides having killed hour
JWy o-day We killed only rabbit The day has
been somewhat COOL though the evening is dry and sui
Try ana the mosquitoes much more troublesome than
usual Took BATH which to give me relief from
my malady which, thank God is worse We hope that
our men have reached Taos this evening.
JMy o.-To-day has been cloudy, with rain in the
mountains all around US, though but few scattering
drops have reached the valley We all complain this
of great weakness aid entire lack of energy with dzz
in the head and do know from what cause
ceeds The bath in the creek has not had its usual
yigorating effect; mosquitoes very troublesome made
little soup in a tin box and found it toerabe.
Jaty7-For the last two days have killed nothing.
This evening had quite shower of rain started to
take long walk, but broke down very soon being
~,
the least of my anxietes Would to God had other
Took the usual evening bath in the creek which has
slightly fallen during the day. and the quite
cold which encourages hope that the supply of snow
In the mountains is nearly exhausted.
July S-This morning our anxieties from Indians have
commenced At ten o'clock three of them rode into camp
and shorty afterwards some dozen more.
July 9.-Yesterday, after the Indians arrived gave
them what little tobacco could spare and of our
small stock of dried elk meat After eating and smoking
for awhile they insisted my accompanying them to
their camp, which ten miles off explained to
them well as could who was
Knowing that il is best always to act boldly with In
dans, if you felt fear whatever armed myself and
started with them Our road for mile or two led over
barren plain, tMckly covered with grease wood but
soon struck the base of the mountain where the firm rich
mountain grass swept saddle girhs cantered
over it. We crossed considerable mountain covered
with timber and grass and the summit of which
quite cluster of small but very clear and apparently
deep lakes. They were not more than two in
sze and not that but surrounded by uxuriant
grass and perched away up the mountain with fine
timber quite them 1t the most beautiful
ry in the world it formed quite hunters paradise for
deer and elk bounded of from approached and
then stood within rfesho looking back in astonshment
few hours ride brought us to the Indian camp and
wish here could describe the beauty of the charming
valley in which they lived. 1t small, probably not
than FIVE miles wide by fifteen long, but surrounded
on all sides by the boldest mountains covered to their
submits with alternate patches of timber and grass Civ
ing the appearance of having been regularly laid off in
Smdl through the centre nne D0lQ stream
badly three feet deep by forty wde watersd the meadow
land, and gave the last touch which the valley required
to make it the most beautiful had Hundreds
of horses aud fcrDg the meadow and hill
siacs and tbs Indian lodges with the women and chill
dren standing III front of them to look at the approaching
stranger strongly reminded Of the old patriarcha
times, when hocks and herds made the wealth happ
Of the people, and tent good palace.
conducted to the lodge Of the chief old and nrm
man, who Welcomed me kindly, and told his young
men had told him had given Of my small store to them
and TO s' sit in peace"
brought out my pipe, filed it. and we smoked to.
gether. In about fifteen minutes squaw brought in two
large wooden platters containing very fat deer
meat and boiled corn, to which did ample Justice
After this followed dish which one must have been
two weeks without bread TO have appreciated as did,
Never at the tables Of the weahest in Washington did
find dish which appeared TO me perfectly without
parallel. Ii was some cornmeal boiled in goats milk,
with little elk fat. think certainly eat near half
peck of this delicious ato and then stopped not be-
cause had enough but because had scraped the dish
dry with my fingers and licked them long the small
est particle remained, which is Sndnners" among In
dians and also among Arabs Eat all they give you or
get somebody to do it for you is to honor the hospitality
you receive To leave any is slight needed not the
rale to make eat all.
After this smoked again. and when about to start
found large bag of dried meat and peck of corn put
up for me to take to my people.
Bidding friendly good bye to my hosts and dividing
among them about pound Of tobacco and two handker
chiefs and giving the old chief the battered remains Of
small eaden picayune looking glass mounted my mule
to return The just setting when started and
before reaching the summit Of the mountain quite
dark As there road and the creeks very dark in
the bottoms, had toilsome time of IT, At one
creek which reached after very great difficulty in get
ting through the thick and almost impenetrabe under
growth, il dark that could see nothing; but
trusting to luck, jumped my mule off the bank and
brought up in nearly covering my saddle Getting
in bad enough but coming out worse for find
ing the banks high the other side, obliged to
follow down the for half mile or more not know
ing when should be swimming until succeeded with
great difficulty in getting out through the tangled bush
wood on the opposite side. arrived at camp late at
night and found my very anxiousy awaiting my re-
turn having almost concluded give me up and TO think
had lost my I" hair" A little rain
July ll.-To-day raised camp and went over to the
valley Of the Sayoya, my Indian neighbors The
more Of this valley the delighted with It
how it be in winter but this time il
is certainly the most beautiful valley and the richest in
grass, wood SOIL and water have ever seen The Della
brought into camp last evening small deer alive
which he had caught in the mountains IL was beaut-
full creature, but escaped in the night.
July l2.Went out this morning with the Indians to
hunt. They lent me fine horse but God forbid that
should ever hunt with such Indians again thought
had something of rough riding before but all my
perence faded before that of the feas Of to-day Some
places which assembled and descended il seemed
that even wild cat could hardly have passed and
yet their active and thoroughly well trained horses took
them as part OF the sport, and made missep
bunder during the entire day We killed three anteopes
aad young deer Yesterday Indian while sitting at
our camp, broke the handspring Of his rife lock His
distress was beyond any thing within the power Of de-
scrpuon To him it every thing The corn, wine,
and oil Of his family depended on it. and he for
hour looking upon the wreck Of his fortune in perfect
despair He appeared much cast down by il that at
last went into lodge and brought my rAe which
gave him TO replace the broken first he could not