Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-05-17
Our Utah Correspondent.
SILVER CITY, UTAH TER. Nj

l have just been looking over the Jan. and
Feb. numbers of Harper, containing J. Ross
Brownies "Peep at Washoe "-suppose
you've seen it l am not personally ac-
quainted with Ross Browne, but am perfectly
well satisfied from reading his "Peep" that
he was never intended for a prospecter or
mountaineer-he must be nervous little
cuss! In his eyes mole-hills assume the
formidable dimensions and frowning aspect
of granite-capped mountains He gets lost
in going from Gold Hill across American Flat
to the Carson City road-a distance OF G.
5 miles through valley or pass hemmcd in
by high hills with no more chance to lose
the way than there would be in passing from
Cedar Falls to Waterloo in sl1ift; in one
case he would be obliged to leave his boat and
wander off in the woods and in the other
leave the Valley and climb almost perpendic-
ular hills. The most charitable view that we
in Washoe can take Of this part Of Brownies
narrative, of woeful mishaps, that the bever-
age he was in the habit of imbbing-i G. a
mixture of arsenic, plumbago, copperas and
corrosive sublimate," must have affected his
brain after the manner of hasheesh and that
the horrors of that trip were " all in his eye"
a sort Of nightmare vision.
The remarkable sensations he experienced
on beholding the Jew, whom he mistakes for
the "Old gentleman himself" may be ad.
duccd as conclusive evidence that his brain
was in an unhealthy state Of excitement.-
He says: Now all this may seem very alb
strd, as compared with the sufferings en-
dured by Colonel Fremont in the Rocky
Mountains, and doubtless is, in some res
poets. ."-you bet you! BY stepping to the
door of my casa have good view Of the
horrid region in which for " six hours'' the
Jew (wanderingD "wash pc loshtn and We
puissant Browne, was bewildered for an in
definite period perhaps for as long as the
celebrated Rip Van Winkle snoozed! and
even own small path Of 40 acres in spot
where the valley widens out into what is
known as American Flat.
Perhaps may be the lucky possessor Of
the identical spot whereon the famous meet
ing of Browne and the light -fngured, iocose
jew, took place, and might make q good
thing by inclosing the spot and exhibiting it
at two bits "peep" and one bit for squint
at the original illustration, by the author"
clipped from Harper. have "cedar BUSH
too, which am almost ready to swear is the
rery one under which j. Ross Browne. We
puissant, stretched" himself "and resol-
we'd 10 await what assistance Providence
might send" In fact, standing in my door
and looking upon the scene Of Grip Van)
Brownies wanderings, cannot conceive how
even an old woman, blind in one eve and
sorely afflicted with cataract in the other.
could become so utterly bewildered, lost and
cast away, as did poor Browne As to that
orful gripin and other symptoms of pizin."
why must Browne go and drench himself
with solution of arsenic, plumbaeo. con-
pcras and other yarbs, when there is anv
amount of quite passable water in the town.
such as the citizens have been using for near
two years. II the water was as bad as j. r.
.B. tries to make out, Virginia CITY would
present most singular appearance: we
would see the entire population about the
streets with their hands pressed on their
bread-baskets and when our neighbor un-
doubled to speak to another the salutation
would bellows your bowels? Browne
must have used the solution ash sort of
initiatory hardening process for the perilous
trip across American Flat to the Carson road.
or having it in view to write his Peep, he
might have swallowed " the Solution 10
induce huge disgust and I. stir ND orful
feelins." Don't think from what have said
ofBrowne's Peep" that l am down on him.
nothing of the sort. admire j. r. b.
admire his Peepr' what an imaginatio, the
man has His eyes possess magnifying
powers of the highest order, it is great pity
he did not set himself up as assayer; he could
have seen things, sich things." But, will
be honest with Ross, am always ready to-
give the--orany oneelse, his due: Brownies
picture Of the fighting and confusion and per.
haps of the weather viii do--a little too high
" colored, but we..must make some allowance
for the effects Of arsenic, plumbago, copper