Smyrna times., 1859-07-07

Mountain, little lake CLEANED in the morning
sunlight. Beyond, at the foot of the mountains,
were the pigmes again the valley of the Platte
stretched far away, beautiful panorama-dot-
ted with LillipuIians hills, and strip of dark
timber along the river. Before US was noun
tain piled on mountain. A few were covered
with grass; others were walls and peaks OF bare
rock
BALD old heads of Ntture;"
while upon the most, rose the cOniferal-pine,
! fir, spruce and hemlock-slraight and pointed
as arrows. For hundreds of acres there was
often but deSolatlon-many of the trees lev
eled TO the earth by hurricanes; and the black
ened trunks OF others, branchess aud leatiess
showing the track of wIdr-spreadng hres.-
Though the bark of the larger trees Often very
tall, and two feet in dlameer) had yell0wish
tinge, the pitch pine was the only variety
| The aspen-closely resembling the cottonwood
was frequehty seen among the slopes; ITS
| leaves quivering when we could not detect the
! least stir in the air The formation was gruH
ltic, Containing great deal OF mca' and some
quartz and cOnglomerate rock. A few flowers
OF remarkably pure aud clear coors, nestled
among the rocks. A newly made grave by the
roadside marked The resting place of a young
a pistol. Numerous casualties from the Care
less use Of firearms have occurred among the
emigrants within the last two weeks. Above,
around and below US, much of the mountain
scenery was grand and the snow-range, in its
mantle of white, was so high as to leave in
view no peaks beyond. Our road was such as
men would travel for nothing but gOld-leoding
up and down the steep sides OF mountains
across swift cold mountain streams; over beds
of Jagged roads, and along narrow canons, from
which it would again abruptly turn up precIpi-
tous hills.
NIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS.
We had journey ed nearly forty miles, when
il became evident that we could not come
through that night. So our patient mules were
turned loose to Craze, and camp, open on one
side and the roof sloping to the ground, was
SION constructed of poles and and hastily
thatched with twigs of fir and pine. Our cook
| elect procured some coffee and sugar from
camp of emigrants; and in a short time. with
the aid of our unfailing bread and meat, pre-
pared supper by glorious fire which we had
| built of tree trunks That meal dispatched,
our buffalo robes and blankets were soon spread
in the camp; our evening cigars and pipes
the usual companions of travellers upon the
mountains and plains-broUghi into requlsllon,
and did we not take our ease in our inn! A
| returning emgTant stopped for moment by
our genial fire; assured us that he had been
three days in the mountains without finding
gOd or seelsg any 10 speak of; that 1t was all
an arrant humbug, and he was going back To
the States. He had just gone, when another
an old Prussan--cume in and craved the
privilege of sleeping near our fire.
! ENTERING THE DIGGINGs.
On Wednesday morning our sIumoers were
broken at an early hour by the conductor oi
the party. The old PTussiun rose from his
sleep in the open air apparently as much re-
freshed as if he had spent the night IN pal
ace. packed his blankets upon his shoulders, and
departed, after thanking US for his poor accom-
modations, with a grace that any gentleman
might envy. Ia few minutes our mules were
saddled. aud we were pushing on toward The
digrings. Our road, much like that OF the
previous day, presented lively scene. lmml
grants, some on foot, with provisions, cooking
utensils and tools packed upon their backs
others with ha nd, horse and OX-carts, with ropes
attached by which they might be kept iron
overturnnV on the steep hills; and others stll
with pack mules that occasionally broke theI
pirths, threw up their heels and sent their het
erogenous burdens flying in all directions
were hurrying on, before sunrise, toward I'M
. spot thew had come so many weary miles Il
} reach. One of the high peaks on our route
t was surmounted by tall mass of solid rock
5 which gave it the appearance OF great caihe
dral, with its huge dome rising tar toward TN
I skies. After a ride of elk miles, we descende
a steep hill into the narrow valley OF the Ore
CORY Diggings. II was novel sIghI-a con
fused mingIDg of men, tents, camps, wagons
oxen and mules: and all seemed to be IN me
:, tion. The fret digger we met had excava'e
: some six feet beside a little rivulet. and tn
l narrow hole in which he was working resem
!, bled grave. AS yet, he said, he had not foun
usy.dirt. Passing up one of the many branch
= inG rayines, we soon reached the main dlgglng
!. SETTLEMENT IN THE MOUNTAINS.
n NV first impression wes one OF astonlshmeT
Y that these mountains, almost without huna
q ho;no FIVE weeks ago. should now exhibit {
Ell much busy life. A week since there were on
,e ,wo buildings in the digglngs; now, at lea
d, 6ftv log houses are erected and many more al
-e commenced. The number of tents and cam
pt I shall not attempt TO estimate. The settleme
" and diogiugs extend along the valley Tor s
r. milas. From what saw am convinced IN
in Eve ,housand is low estimate OF the peop
g. noU in these mines, and they are pouring I'D
ly tho rate of more than five hundred per day.
ne THE whole numbe: of inhabitants IN Wes'e
ed Kansas cannot be less than ten thousand.
,n q town" called Mountain City, has ulrea'
,g been started at the mines. There are te
trading houses, or rather tcnts, at which ho
is sold at fifty cents per pound, aud other al
, cles in nroportion. We noticed several WON
al snnaged in washing, for which tine regul
'w chsrge is three dollars per dozen. As exc
an lent water is found on the spot. they cant
IRE complain com of being poorly paid. We were t.
au , ,%nt there were just seven white women at
as Sigpings, dior and five squaws-the wives Of VIII
,ur mss who have been trsppers 10 the mounta
~ ~ for several years.
es AMONG THE MINERS.
mr. Assr bresktas,-eaten in the open air.
ar, side the Mountain Hoelour company El. ava ",
lss ;o,o taree pariet, and spent some hOuIs am D
uld the miners. The facts wncn W. i"su ,hs -, "
ing them will be found iuiiy s.a.ea :" "s % 'Ss in ~
,he .,ab;rh I enclose. The substancs OF 'ne ~
w WHICH, ,...'t. mo Gained il, that few men