The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-12-21
LETTERS FROM NEVADA.
NUMBER 8.
CARSON Cry, NEVADA,
September goth, 1866.
FRIENDs:


promised in my last at
cttcr to conclude in this one, the stos ~ ~
~ of our iaunt among the Indians al
It took us bat short time to get sc
ready to start for Pyramid Lake, af- n
ter we had once decided to go there, = y
and it was amusing to see US as we n
when we started; some on
mules or horses well equipped, and il
some on either with no equipments at "
all; the most daring riding bare = :,
back" and the more timid perched up /
on blankets, with stlrrups made OF r
handkcrcheifs knotted together, and a I
rope for q bridle. 1t was my good
fortune to have fine saddle, and a
good steady mule, which, for travel
ing over narrow mountain trails,
would preferito the finest thorough
bred horse that could be found,
The valley Of the Truckce between
Camp Story and Pyramid Lake is
livery beautiful, we'll timbered, and
covered with The finest grass l have !
ever seen; the water OF the river is
pure and sweet; making the valley an
admirable site for preservation, as
, it very properly has been made. Our
way for few miles lay in the midst
of this verdure, and in places the grass
was as tall as the mules, but soon we
turned aside to better defined trail
l in tho hills, and so barren were they,
it almost appeared on leaving the val
Icy, like going out ola highly cultlva-
, ted garden into the street. Over
= these hills we clambered and toiled
# an hour or two, when we descended
into the valley again, but though all
was green and lovely, it was ''naught
v but desolation," to us for on this field
10 of the Indian battles of tho year before,
% lay bleaching in the sun the bones ol
our former comrades, here an arm OF
leg. there a skull; and in one place an
entire skeleton lay exposed. INC
AZ poor fellows had been buried as wei
le as could bc done at the time they were
1e shot down, but the ground had been il
~ ~ possession Of the Indians, and NJ at
he he tcntion could be paid to their graves
It. and rs wolves and coyotes abound II
o. this region it was painful in the ex
o. treme to imagine the fate that had be
~, fallen their mouldering bodies.
" About sunset we came upon tn
as Lake, and brilliantly indeed did it
5 silvery sheen reflect the rays OF tn
., dying day. The Lake is tho outle
~ '| or ''sink" for tho Truckee river, whlc
hat takes its riso in Lake Tahoe, at
,is. though Lake Tahe and the river a
an as sweet as fresh water can be, Pyr
the mid Lake is almost as dense and 81
n
nos nos as the Great Salt Lake of Utah. 1t
itu, called Pyramid Lakc because tho
aph are three islands rising in u pyraml
rti- al form from its midst, and "barrini
q the forests, it reminds ono, from Il
tied nolnt from which we saw it, of La
nay George us seen from Fort Wllll'
)ru- Henry. -'l ~t
over We were weary, and in alltCIe viii
tn" had IL e, eat fire burning, and oar 81
RS OF per cooking beioreit. Some OF {
tate party had been in the recent lnd'
heir lights, and We were on storIod grou
IN OF and until late hour we sat and !,
lum ened to tales of hangers they had
' tor count cred then, and when our dYl
tersi embers admonshed us to retire,
IL be wrapped our blankets around us,
us OF beneath Heavens canopy, "lay do
thin to pleasant dreams" Next morn
ears, the bugle's call reused us early,
may after a hearty breakfast we separa
epre- to explore the neighborhood. Or
II ev- ing little bayou wo camc upon W
)opu. Haven, now deserted, and bey'
We ut roso Pickett Guard Hill, where
.., pckets used to hold many lor
.... watch'ovcr their slumbering comri
.,oe. hollow them We tried to ascend
o"Oh hin, and found it rough work, for
sharp a mass o' soor'r, "%G = ~ nnl,, to foI
RUs's tho example Of King Henry's mi
strot. "march down again" After 6atl
.han; in the Lake, and eating hasty lu
a IN con, wo mounted our steeds. an'
,ms tn turned to Camp Story in time to T
prin- the lons-eH 'oo'0u t0'0"'"''N' ~ ~
l,een. nucca
A'"p Ap This chief is tho head of all tn
IF, his Utes, ana Is " nne 'i"u .'.,,''. - io.'"
~ his feature, aswel as in character.
,;not, is the only Indian l ever saw 6
w. w. 5,v w call handsome, and his intcre
T;ms couutenance | felt like watching I
c.om ly all the time he was in conversu
GRO 10 Ho did not speak our language
4 send listened attentively TO all that
/, na;d said to him, and addressed all hi
doL bv marks to tho speaker as courte'
~ Io,L as n gallant of the olden time. l
I;s on taller than most Indians, and W
ront a, suit OF buff buckskin, nicely dr.
and embroidered with silk and
o,ro, era, with great taste and ingonu
Preparations were already
cant made Tor the council, and at eigt
art 49, clock the bugle sounded, and we
oncd 10 the SPOT to witness, TO