The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-06-29

TIE snow falls more early and much more thin
ly than in the open plains TO the eastward; tn
storms congregate about the high mountains
and leave the valleys free. In the beginnin,
of December we found yet no snow on thu
HuerfGnO river, and were informed By an ole
resident then engaged in establishing q farm
at the mouth of this stream, that snow seldom
or never fell there, and that cattle were left il
the range all the winter through
This character of country continued to thu
foot Of the dividing crest, and to this point ouI
Journey resulted In showing very easy grade
for road, over country unobstructed either
by snow or other impediments, and having all
the elements necessary to the prosperity Of an
agricultural population in fertility of soil
abundance of food for stock, wood and coal
for fuel and timber for necessary eonstruc-
tons.
Our examinations around the southern head
| waters OF the Arkansas have made US acquaint.
&c with many passes, grouped together in a
small space OF country, conducting by short
| and practicable valleys fcom the waters Of T. e
Arkansas just described, to the valleys Of the
Del NOrte and East Colorado The Sierra
Blanca, through which these passes lie, is high
and rugged, presenting a very broken appear
ancc, bot rises abruptly from the open countr7
on either side, narrowed at the points through
which the passes are cut, leaving them only
six or eight miles in length from valley to val
ley, and entirely unobStructed Ly QUILTING
ranges or broken country. To the best OF
these passes the ascent Is along the open valley
of water courses, uniform and very gradual in
ascent. Standing Immediately at the mouth
OF the Sand Hill PdsS--one Of the most practi-
cable in the Sierra Blanca, aad above those
usually travelled-at one of the remotest head
springs Of the Huerfano river, the eye Of the
| traveller follows down without obstruction or
abrupt decent along the gradual slope CT the
valley 70 the great plains which reach the
! Missouri. The straight river aad the open
valley form, with the pI.ins beyond, one great
| slope, without Il hill to break the line Of sight
or obstruct the course OF the road On either
side of this ine hills slope easily to the river,
| with lines of timber and yellow autumnal
grass, aud the water which flows smoothly be-
tween ID not interrupted by fall in its course
TO the ocean. The surrounding country is
wooded with pines and covered with Iuxuriant
grasses Up to the very crags of the central
submits. On the Ssh Of December We found
the whole OF this country free from snow, and
Daguerre views taken sc this timo show tie
grass entirely uncovered in the passes.
Along al this line the elevation was care
fully determined by frequent baronetrical OBJ
servati0ns, and its character exhibited by g
0OAANo VI uoS"NtAScHS ~ views, CJIl lfHcBu'IiS
the face Of the country almost continuously,
OF at least sufficiently 60 to give thoroughly
| correct impression OF the whole.
Two tunnel-llke passes pierce the mountlins
here, almost in iuxtaposition, connecting the
| plain country on either side by short passages
| five to eight miles long. The mountains which
| they perforate constitute tho only obstruction,
and are tho only break in the plane or valley
line Ct road from tbs frontier OF Missouri to
the summit hills Of the Rocky Mountains, q dis
| tance OF about $50 milcs, OF more than half way
| to the San joaquin valley. Eoteri1g one Of
| theee passes tsoBl tho eastern plain, distance
of about one m.lc upon a wagon road, already
| travelled by wagons, commands ga opea view
of the broad valley Of San Luis and the great
range e Sal Jum beyond, Gu its western side
| here connected the line If the prtsent cxpe-
dition with one explored 10 lS48-49, from the
mouth Of the Kansas to this point, end the
results Of both will be embodied in . fuller re-
port.
| At this place The limo entered tic middle
| section, and continued ite western course over
an open valley country, admirably adapted for
| settlement, acrots the San Luis valley, and up
the fiat bottom lands of the Saltwater to the
heights Of the central ridge of the Rocky
| Mountains. Across these wooded heights
wooded aad grass covered up to and over their
rounded summts--to the Coc-cha- to-pe pass,
the line followed an open easy wagon way,
| such rs Is usual TO T. rolling countTy On the
| high summit lands were forests OF cohIf-rous
trees, and the snow in the pass was four inches
deep. This was On the l4;h Of December 4
day earlier, our horses feet would not have
touched snow in the crossing. Up 70 this point
we had enjoyed clear and dry pleasant wealth
er. Our journey had been all along on dry
ground and travelling slowly along, waiting
for the winter, there had been abundant leisure
for becoming acquainted with the country
The open character Of the country joined TO
good information, indicated the ex s.eDce of
other passes about the head Of the Sah-watch
This it was desirable to yer,fy, sod especially
to examine neighboTing and lower pass, con
Meeting more directly with the Arkansas val
ley, known as the Pow. che
But the winter had now set in over ell the
mountain regions, and the country was so
constantly enyel0ped and hidden with clouds,
which rested upon it, and the oir so darkened
| by falling snow that exploring became difficult
and dangerous, precisely where We felt moot
| Interested in making Il thorough examination.
We were moving in fogs and clouds, through
q region wholly unknown 60 ~ and without
guides and were, therefore, obliged to content
| ourselves With the examination CT a single line,
| and the ascertGinment Of the winter condition
of the country over which it passed; which
was in fact the main object Of cur expedition.
Oar progress in this mountainous region
was necessarily SLOW and during ten days
which it occupied Us to pass through about one
hundred miles Of the mountainous country,
| bordering the eastern side of the Upper Colo
RADIO valley the greatest depth OF the snow was
among the pines and aspeus on the ridges,
about two and half feet, and in the valleys
4 !. \
and dry for much SNOW, and the valleys, pre-
tectcd by the mountains, aye comparatively
free from it, aad warm. We here found VII
ages of Utah Indians III their wintering ground,
in little valleys along the foot Of the higher
mountains, and bordering the more open com
try Of the Colorado Valley. Snow vas here
| December 25) only few inches deep-the
grass generally appearing above it, and there
being none under trees and On southern hill
sides
| TIE horses Of the Utahs were living on the
range, and, notwithstanding that they were
used in hunting, were il excellent condition.
O0e which we had occasion to Kill for food
had on It about two inches Of fat, being in as
good order as any buffalo We had killed in No
vember on the Eastern plains Over this val
ley couEtry--abous enc hundred and fifty miles
aorcfs--the Indians informed US thai snow
falls Only 2 few inches in depth; such as We
saw it at the time.
The immediate valley of the Upper Colora-
do, for about one hundred miles in breadth,
and from the 7sh TO tho 22d Of January, was
entirely bare of snow and the weather resem-
blcd that OF autumn in this country. The line
here entered the body Of mountains known es
the Wax SGtch and Ah-ter-rtd ranges, which
are practicable at several places in this part of
their course but the falling snow and desti-
tute condition of my party again interfered to