The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-09-08

bluffs are composed, sometimes miles iu
extent, but broken and disturbed at in.
tervals by the Intervention Of watercour.
ses or other influences.
After leaving Box Elder, our road
gradually assembled, winding among the
rounded and less regularly arranged
Buttes first described above, but passing
no water but single spring. and little
available grass, until it descends long
hill to a part of Howard's Creek, twenty
miles from Box Elder. Hero We stopped
for dinner at 3, p. m.. with two or three
wagons of Pixies Peakcrs, from whom
We obtained generous supply eff fresh
bread and another Antelope ham, very
much to the improvement Of our edible
resources. may as we'll explain here
that all the emf grants We met going into
the Kansas diggiugs, had started from
the Missouri, on the north side of the
Platte, aud had failed to cross at Shinn's
ferry, sixty five miles up that stream,
supposiDg that they could do so at Fort
Kearpey, or some other point below the
forks; but in the absence of ferries, the
high water had headed them of, and
forced them clear up to Laramie, whence
they we're now working southward, hav-
ing lost fully two hundred miles by me-
gleeting to cross the Platte where they
might have done 50. In all this region,
it is settled maxim that you must cross
a stream directly upon reaching it, if
your way lies across it, never camping
before you do 30, lest sudden rise should
obstruct your passage for days. Many
have lost fortDight,s weary travel by
failing to heed this rule in spirit with re-
gard to the Platte.
We moved again at 5, passing over
ridge and into broad valley, with round
ed hills on the west and a range of such
precipitous clay-rock bluffs as / have
tried to describe on the east. These
bluffs were broken through at intervals,
and the streams that came down on the
hills on the west ran out at the brooks,
after traversing the valley for two or
three miles, and flowed away east to join
Howard s Fork and the South Platte
Our trail here bore considerably west of
north, evidently to reach the mouth OF
the Cheyenne Pass. We had hoped to
make our next camp at that point, but
night tell upon US before reaching it, and
We stopped on little run where we
found good water and grass, but close
under the mountains, and in one of the
loneliest spots ever beheld. Not tree
nor shrub was visible, nor had been for
miles; yet it was not difficult to gather
dry sticks enough to cook our supper,
proving what have elsewhere observed,
that wood was formerly more common in
all this region than now. We had all
turned in by 9, and were doing very well,
when rush by one of our mules apprised
US that he was loose, having broken his
lariat; but he was soon caught and made
fast, and we all addressed ourselves to
slumber again. In an hour, however,
there was fresh alarm, and not without
reason, for three or four of our mules
had gone, we could not tell whither.--
The first impression was that band Of
Cheyennes, who were known to be en-
samped in the mountains very near US,
had been watching our progress from
their heights unsuspected by US, and had
stolen down under cover of the deep dark
ness, uDfastened and started of our mules
with intent to run. them of. This was
not an agreeable view of the case, as We
could hope neither to recover nor replace
bur faithful animals for at least week.
However, little watching of the mule
still fast convinced our conductor that the
others had started back on the road We
lad traversed, which was route the
Jheyennes were most unlikely to take,
while so near their hiding places in the
Mountains. So two of our men started
IN the back track, but returned in an
,our unsuccessful. Then the remaining
mule was saddIed and bridled-and he
lad to be thrown down twice before he
would submit to the operation-when our
conductor mounted him, expecting to be
instantly thrown by the perverse beast.
unused to the saddle, but he was happily
disappointed, and started down the road
N brisk trot. By this time there was
moonlight; and he found all the missing
mules little beyond the poibt to which
lie had proceeded on foot, and brought
hem back in triumph. 1t was now break
f day, and we resolved to feed and break
ast for once before starting. We did so,
nd moved on at 6 a. m, reaching "Camp
Volbach," at the Cheyenne Pass, in less
han half an hour.
Let me halt here moment to Illus
rate the Military aud Public Land sys-
ems of the United States. 1t last year
uttered the head of some genius conDec-
ed with the War Department, that the
ublic interest or safety required the es-
abli.hment of Military post at this
oint, and one was accordingly planted
nd maintained there throughou last
Winter. OF course, buildings we're re- .
uired to shelter the officers, soldiers and
nimals in that severe climate, and they
1ere accordingly erected; some OF the
nber being transported from this point
"a distance Of fully eighty niles. In