New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-07-17
A TRIP TO COLORADO.
Iv.-CRossING THE PLAINS.

/
confined yet this is not the Toward sunset the
driver handed me mail bag, asking TO pick out the
letters for Fort Fletcher tho given TO this post and
the assortment had scarcely been made before the coach
surrounded by crowd Of soldiers apparently new re-
cruits clamong vocferouy first for tobacco and then
for newspapers II difficult to decide which want was
the keene gave them what cigars had IN my POCKET,
but was destitute of papers, and could only inform them
that the Fenians had not yet taken Montreal felt no
less disappointed than the poor fellows themselves that
could not better supply their wants. ..
My companions no less interested than myself IN
the projected railroad routes Colorado and therefore
scanned the Smoky Hill Valley from every elevation, with
regard TO two and raoadu ties
So far, everything favorable The Smoky Hill was
everywhere marked By line Of timber and we noticed
that at each junction with its afuents there
were largo groves The bluffs the southern side
frequently covered 10 their SUBMITS with growth Of red
cedar. All bottom land is exceedingly rich aud well
adapted for farming while the broad rolling upands fur
nish tho finest pasturage in the world Near Big Creek,
coal has been found and there also rumors OF tin and
copper With sufficient force the road may be extended
fiom Fort Riley Big Creek in years time and carry
| permanent settlement with it.
At Big Creek station which reached after dark, we
board Mr. Scott the Superintendent OF the Middle
Division Of the road. There still moon and, for
tunately no musketoes also The night was fresh yet
scarcely cool enough require the blankets procured
for the journey. Hafaseep and halfawake, now lulled
into sumber by the sowness of progress now bumped
into angry wakefuness in crossing deep gully,
dragged through t night and in the morning found our
selves at Downers A miles further Here an empty coach
had inst arrived from Denver the third had met going
eastward without passengers The Colorado people, 1t
seems, are still afraid of this route.
Our breakfast here was another "square meal PORK
fat and halEbaked biscuits At all the stations the people
complained of lack of supplies; some were destitute OF
everything but beans They gave us what they mad ana
wo were very willing pay dollar rather than go hungry
but one would naturally expect that where stage goes
decent food be transported AS there Is but one
change of teams at the stations Obliged to take
the same mules which had just arrived from Cornell
Springs 20 miles further hence progress was very
slow and discoursging On arriving there second tired
team was harnessed to carry 30 miles, to Monument
saon 80 that we lost full four hours during this days
journey.
The driver of tho down coach informed MS that the
Chyennes had appeared Monument station the day De-
fore but they had committed no depredeons, ana ap
poared to be friendly. The chief had even invited bin
on account of his red ha join their tribe. Mr. Scott
however who has had eight years experience Of the iu-
dams of the Plains seemed place little faith in their
prssions They arc report to have declared that they
must and will retain the Smoky Hill country as II is tho
best range for game between the Missouri and the Rocky
Mountains.
From the irst rise aer leaving Downers, we saw, lar
away to the right, long range OF chalk buhs, shining
against background of dark blue cloud They seemed
like stretch of the southern coast of England breastng
the rolling green of the Plains. Over great swes
covered with the short sweet builaograss, and starred
with matches OF crimson anemone pink yerbens unknown
oranee and salmon-rcd flowers drove for two hours
watching the isolated and fantastic Of roel
| Prom of huff. Tho A
= sumed the stangest and most Ene1pecod fHsms. Herr
WAS fudal castle of tho Nit~ Aoasi -,'~.- a
D,ogular obesk, or br,Sen pv.end and finally, rsin
alone nom the ie'', Of meadow we behed three per
pendcuiar To- es 80 feet high resting on common oaSe
n Their s,s were of bright orange hue, fading downwar
into white Beyond them EXTENDED tho shattered pa.H
,,sy, sparkling IN The sunshine Inc Ola
~ ridges beyond the Smoky HILL ten mas away! oimed "
re background Of this remarkable picture -
. The green Of the plains here began to be ,'Fed wit
belts of dark purple, which found to be what is ac
"bunchsass, very fine and wiry growth but said to b.
excellent forage. At distance IT resembled the heather
bloom on the English moors Over these brilliant green
purple tins snowy orresses of chalk started up
with dazzling effect There is not the least approach to
monotony in the scenery Of the Pansbut continual, in
spring change.
We were to have another new experience that day.
Our route, for distance lay elevated plateau
around which, for hour two dark thunderclouds
collected. Out of of these dropped curtain of ran
gray in tho center, but of intense indigo the
edges. 1T slowly passed the north, split from
minute TO another by sreaks Of vivid rosecolored light
ning followed by deafenng decorating peals when Just
seemed to have escaped, It suddenly wheeled and
burst upon US.
1t like a white squall ropc sea- We had not
lowered the canvas curtains of the coach before dam
gave way heads, aud of mingled wind,
RAIN hal and thunder overwhelmed The driver turned
his mules far possible away from the wind, and
stopped the coach rocked and reeled if about
turn tho hail smote like voeys of muskey and in less
than fifteen minutes the whole plain lay four inches under
water have witnessed anything approach.
lug the violence of this storm IL WIS marvel that the
mules escaped with their lives The bullets Of hail were
nearly as large pigeons eggs aud the lightning played
around us like succession of Bengal fires We laid the
rides in the bottom Of the coach and for half hour
in silence holding down the curtain and expecting every
moment to be overturned Then the tornado suddenly
took breath commenced again twice or thrice aud ceased
4 as suddenly as II came. -.- =" tt ..--
For short time the road was swift stream and the
tufts of buaograss out of an inundated plain but
the water found its level and journey not
delayed, had TO fear Presently Mr. Scott
deserted huge raesnako and stopped the coach and
Jumped out The attle wero wet to give any sound
and the snake endeayored TO escape German frontiers
man who was with us fred a revolver which stunned
rather than wounded the reptile Then posing knife
he threw it with such aim that the snakes head
was pinned the earth Cutting OF the rattles which
appropriated we did him further injury.
The Monument Station is called from collection Of
quairangur chalk towers, which rise directly from the
plain At first sight they resemble deserted city, with