Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-05-17
LARAMIE PEAK MOUNTAIN, N. 7.

LARAMIE PEAK MOUNTAIN, N. 7.
] am situated in one Of those deep bot
toms or chasms found only in similar re-
gions where you are not blessed with the
face of the sun till nearly nine o'clock,
and it never fails at this season of the year
to bid you goodnight BY early four, as
it sinks to rest behind thosilyery peak of
Laramie.
Its difficult for the imagination to con-
ceive of a more rough country than that
in this immediate vicinity. 1t combines
the wiielcst .with the tamcst From the
peak, just short ride from my log cabin,
facing the west, your eye rests on hill
piled on hill, raising their head heaven
wards, till the lofty peak of Laramie is
lost in the clouds. Wheel to the south,
and here you find series of deep, gloomy
"kagnons," which neither the moccasin
Of the Indian nor the foot of the indomi-
table mountaineer has ever explored
Even the game of the country changes
its course to the less ragged hills and
valleys, save the mountain sheep, who
know no barrier in their path. Turn
again to the east, and your view rests
upon continuous range of undulating
plains, stretching far to the southeast,
interspersed here and there by small
patch of pincsor cedar, with the broad
I" Plat" the Little Laramie" river,
and the Glitter Cotton Wood winding
its snake-like course eastward .swith its
border of yellow willow and (now dried)
cotton wood growth. Then look towards
the north here you behold one of the
most barren and desolato spectacles your
eye would wish to look upon---sand hills
rising to the horizon, some of which lift
their heads in lofty competition with
/" Laramie Peak" itself; not the first
sign Of vegetable life, except occasionally
an isolated cedar or pine, stunted by the
sterility of the soil. Truly, it is mel
ancholy sight.
Lsuppose you wonder what the writer
docs to wear away his many monotonous
hours. These hills and forests abound in
game of every description almost that is
found in this latitude. Ne find both the
black and white deer; the nimble antelope,
the elk, with his enormous horns The
panther, of a very large size; the wild
CIT, and truly rather an ugly species. of
game three kinds of wolves, prairie,
gray, and black Rocky Mountain wolf.
Then we have the Incompatible sheep
found in no other region than in the i'm
mediate vicinity ofthe Rocky mountains.
OF all the animals ] ever chased these
beat the world. They will jump down
perpendicular prccipice of twenty-five
feet, leap from cliff 10 cliff, and never
miss their footing You seldom find.
them except in the loftiest peaks, and
then in the toughest retreats. Ilhave
only been successful IN getting three Of
them-~two after chase of some twelve
miles. Mr.. White, gentleman from
the post, and myself, together, killed
ram which We estimated to weigh near
five hundred pounds. His horns at the
root measured over twcnty-four inches
round. Even a partial list Of the game
in this country would be incomplete we're
one to leave out that king Of the noun
tains, the grizzly boar There have been
several killed this season here. ] have
avoided his majesty. got on the trail
of one the other day when out alons; |
soon left it. have not forgotten
fierce encounter with one ] participated
in when en- route 10 Oregon in 1910. i
prefer to give him free use Of the forest
rather than enter into any dispute as to
his rights Some Of my men fred three I
times at an old follow last week, but TO
no account. None but the most expert
hunters ever attack them alone.
/ never saw a respectable storm ill
sent on this detached service. thought
the plains could get up very good apol- /
ogy for one. but The shorers there wit
messed are only petty squalls in COMPARE
son with a three days snow storm, amidst
these Alpine heights. The most vivcd
Imagination viii fail to give any concep-
ton Of their reality~ have seen foot