The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-02-08
For the K enosha Telegraph
Leaves from Tent Lifc-VI,

On the 9th of June, we travelled thirty miles, and
camped for the night on branch of Snake river.
1t was calm still stream and very pleasant to mute
with after the wild tempestuous waters we had
been recently crossing. Its banks were high and
rocky, The projections being tipped with red as
were most of the rocks we had been passing for
several days. There were ducks in the river and
swarms of birds large the raven of pure white
all save their wings which were tipped with black,
fiutter DER tn" camp and river, skimming close
ly DER the still waters and again mounting to some
projecting rock, would plume themselves, their
Wilderness tipped with black, standing out boldly
against the rocks red glow. = sf r1 Es
The next day we struck the old Fort Hall and Salt
Lake road. Grass grown and deserted it looked,
but its deep grooves spoke of the amount of travel
which passed over it in years gone by When we
had followed it two miles, we entered a canyon,
whose entrance was guarded by tall towerlke look
ing rocks, and the mountains around resembled
broken shafts and ruins We wound through il for
two miles along its roaring little torrent, and we
leftit, passed two sentinelike looking rocks, and
before us was a mimic Devil Gate" Forty feet
to our left full ten feet above the road was Steep
high mountain, its almost perpendicular sides of a
gray stone colored rock, dappled with crimson
Twelve feet in front of this rose huge boulder that
head looking as though waiting for mother Nature
to cover it with cap OF moss and projecting to-
wards the opening like an open door that could be
shut at any time Between these, the brook on its
tortuous way from mountain spring, rushed with
wild musical gush. We passed on, our road be-
ing hedged by perfect thicket of wild rose bushes
in full bloom, and drew rein plain covered with
wild wheat of luxuriant growth and nearly ripened.
Scattered through it wild currant bushes with
ripening currants We had seen clumps of them
on the Sweetwater, in flower and found them to be
what we called towering currant. On the morning
OF the 18th, we left camp at half past six and
made our way through fairy land of blossoming
flowers Of almost every description, all unknown
and strange One of the most beautiful was lily,
having three broad leaves, and between each OF
these were three narrow pointed ones making six
in all. The broad were pure white and the
narrow being green on the under side looked a
greenish white The center was pale lilac, and on
each of the broad leaves far down in the cup was the
form of the smallest one OF bright orange tipped
on the point with deep purple. 1t much
smaller than the tiger lily. Another kind grew in
clumps with one blossom on a stalk 1t was about
the size of cent, ola bright canary color and filed
full like dGhlia, with the most minute pointed
leaves. .l IL
After travelling nine miles, we left the Fort Hall
road and took one bearing south of west. We
ed wide deep branch of Snake River, which
bridged. 1t was slow river, with muddy banks but
pebbly bottom, running between two snow ranges
with broad valley on either side. g
The last night of June, we pitched our tents for
the first time on Snake River 1t is perfect gem
Of River Where we first reached it, it resembled
smooth, fair lake, branch coming in just there,
q i n1nc yEidar ho naira Eola
worth journey there to see. The waters fall fifty
feet down ledge of rocks, with loud rushing
roaring sound, lashing the waters with foam. Very
high hills of every shade of brown rock ecked with
deep red earth came close to the brink on the oppo
site side, and Swallowed and the spray drifted over
it like invisible presence. While on our side be-
heath the suns bright beams, it hung veil of rain
bows. We wound along its glistening tide, over
hills and through ravines many times. hundreds of
feet above its flowing waters and again they kissed
the pebbles that paved the shore along which our
path lay.
Snake River rises far north, in Washington Terri
tory, and making great bend south flows north
again into the Columbia River of which it is the
principal branch.
We, crossing from the South Pass, struck it
where flowing east it turns north Soon we saw
quantities of Cacti in full bloom, in this vicinity
Some were of straw color, with faint shading of
rose in the outer leaves. Others were of beautiful
deep crimson. They were nearly the size of wild
rose. with two layers of leaves.
The moning Of July first rose hot and sultry; but
nothing stays the feet ofth traveller in these regions
when westward bound. After following the river
short distance we passed through an opening in the
mountain, and lost sight ofit-onr road running in
more southery direction.
The next morning we came into Sublitte's Cut-off:
that and Landors both following the old Fort Hall
road, which was travelled by most CaIifornians in
1850, and took them by Fort Hall in place of salt
Lake; being about far north of direct route ga
Salt Lake is south. Landors lies between the two
We came into Sublittes Cutoff just before entering
deep kanyon. 1t swept gracefully round the curve
OF hill into our road and we hailed it joyfully for
we knew. we were but 80 miles from the Salt Lake
road. During the afternoon we passed through .
great basin or valley, surrounded on all sides by
snowcapped mountains, shelving grad ually down 10