The Shasta courier., 1862-04-12
SH ASIA COURIER.
nstter ffon Fort Charchnl.

Litter from Fort Churchill.
FoHr CHuacHILL, N. T., March 90, 1862.
! promped you, friend Skillman, that
would penyou line from my new abode on
tie eer s,cpe of the Sierras. 1t is high
tfm& fslaning mysMord. While
at Shass.., you and regarded it an effort tc
Chamber Trinity and Scott mountains.
will tell you, in all confidence, that those
mountains are mere mole hills compared to
the ragged and terrific heights that shoot up in
this wild and desolate region. Towering and
snow.clad mountains, and sterile and sandy
deserts, are the sole variety iq this dreary
Territory. With its wonderful wealth of
mineral resources, in all else this region
seems to be under Gods ban. Vegetation is
of the most sickly and unsatisfactory char
acter. There is scarcely any game on plain
or upland. But it is not to give you the
general characteristics of the country that l
now write. / know you are anxious to CLEAN
some information Of Fort Churchill, which
has been my residence for the past five
months. will suppose the curious traveller
has crossed the Sierras. and has reached Car
son City, at the foot of those same mountains;
he has still travel Of some thirty six miles,
in an easterly direction, before he accom-
plishes the distance to the pleasant little val
ley on which is located the site of our high
land fort. Should you make Virginia City
your starting point, you will attain our gay
little quarters by proceeding in south east
erly course some twenty-six miles. You
perhaps wonder why ! speak in such glowing
terms of our mountain fortress, while we are
perched on an altitude Of sonle 5?Oa feet
aboye the leysl sf the sea. The Switzer, and
even the Norwegian, has his valleys, that
gather comfort and beauty in contrast with
the surrounding snow and glaciers. While
1 write, a warm and pleasant atmosphere is
through our sheltered vale. Just
beyond us the storm. cloud is being rifted on
the surrounding SUBMITS. Carson City tow.
ers ab0.e as some hftcen hundred feet, while
Virginia City springs to loftier height of
some six hundred feet. Though I have
cours% much over Nsyaadqaa TerriittsSry, have
found no spot to compare with our military
reservation in equability of climate and
charming scenery. The Carson river Hrges
its rapid current along at the base of the gen.
tie decligity on which are located the excel
lent baiIdings which constitute the fort. Its
banks are shropded with dense growth of
willow and cottonwood trees. which afford
an unusual and cxhilirating view in this
drear and desolate region.
have spoken of our buildings here. They
certainly reflect credit upon those who were
instrumental in their construction. Though
erected from adobe, it is material composed
of peculiar kind of clay that has all the
durability of your California brick. They
are rendered still more impervious to tie at
tacks Of the weather by the application of an
inerasabe cement. You would be filled with
surprise could you witness the taste and ele-
ganee of the officers quarters. They are
spacious mansions, two stories in height,
with al the care of arrangement
and mechanical skill hch mark the most
excellent city edifces. You have nothing to
equal then, in your old town of Shasta. The
same taste and discrimination pervade the
arrangement of the grounds. The buildings
enclose an oblong space that furnishes most
parade ground, as level as the sur
face Of one of our mountain lakes. Nor are
we so isolated from the great world as you
might imagine. The post is situated on the
main emigrant and overland stage route con-
Quoting from Carson City to Salt Lake. If
YOU are willing to embrace our aboriginal
e She category of companionship,
- W addition, thai our merry and STIR
riA, Tile post is in the heart Of the Pi-ute
regioi, distant, in northerly direction, from
the Walker River Reservation, about twenty
1--WE miles. and from the Truckee River Re-
servation, about thirty miles southerly.-
There are some fifty of these hrep4ed children
of the wilderness constantly upon the prem
ises. Being somewhat impoverished in world
ly goods, they hoyer around in quest OF cast
off clothes, and such food as .fastidi0as 'ear
riors ara indisposed to consume Then every
few days a swarthy delegation from some
neighborins tribe appears in our midst. They
insist upon protracted talks with the Com
mandant of the post. They are frequent
with grievances and demands for PROVISIONS
r
They leave in due time, laden with sacks OF
-four and blessings of the Commandant.
You recollect the tumultuous and disas-
trous battle of Pyramid Lake The lake is
not more that twenty-five miles from our
mountain station, and the battle that bears
its name provoked the emergency Of this
most 60 here We are, in our tight and secure
mountain fortress, merry and bnstling as
any Doe hive.
You Knew Ned Rowe, formerly of Unity
county. In these clarion tires of war he has
emerc.d from the tame life of y civilian into