New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-09

skin Joe, without visiting the abundant "pay-streakS
in its neighborhood.
One evidence of the richness Of the locality met u.s.
however, at the outset. We rode along the borders
Of q narrow gulch-nOw all stones and gravel-out
Of which 100000 were washed in 1860. Thence,
two miles over rough, timbered mountain brought
US 10 Mosquito, another mining village of hundred
inhabitants, al the mouth of anarOw, winding gorge,
issuing out Of snow-sreaked nights 10 the southwark
Into this gorge led the TRAIL difficult in places, but
not to lie compared to the swamps and rocky ladders
Of the Middle Park. Mr.. Willet walked briskly In
advance, entertaining Us with stories Of his Winter
Journeys on foot over the pass carrying the weekly
mail He did not appear to be troubled by the rarity
of the atmosphere, OF which j was very conscious,
even in the saddle.
The ascent was quite gradual, yet we soon passed
the timber line and the fields of snow orept down
the sleeps of grass and rock, ever nearer feed
ing the torrent which rushed through the gorge. On
| the left lowered an apparently inaccessible mass
of darkred rock to the hight Of two thousand feet;
field Of snow in 'front.' shining against the sky, was
equally impossible, and the steep on our LETT must be
scaled. We dismounted, and commenced the heart.
breaking task. Climbing dozen steps ct time, and
then hating to recover breath We slowly toned up
ward around great slant of melting snow, which
had lodged under the cornice of the mountain.
could take no note Of the wonderful scenery which
opened and widcned under u.s. for every pulse
thrObbed as if ready TO burst my eyes were am ana
my head gddy in the endeavor to Ill my collapsed
lungs. The pony climbed faithfully at my SIDE, ana
more than once should have fallen but for his sup.
porting neck.
We circumscaled the snow at last, and came over
the sharp crest upon an upland mile or two long
bounded By the highest SUBMITS. 1t was black,
Arctic landscape; where the snow had melted there
were patches OF brickcoored rock and brown grass,
or pools of dull chilly water. The great ellis across
the gorge cut Off the distant mountains and valleys
from Wow; we were alone in the upper world rs bleak
as that on the Norwegian 6eHs, The summit-ndge
we to cross lay TO the southwark, but we could
detect no way 10 reach IL without crossing broad and
apparently dangerous drifts. Mr.. Nillet, however,
who had frequently made the journey in storm and
mist, marched with confident air, Leading us
across the tabe-land, up stony angle oil the noun
tain with snOw-hled rayines on either side, until we
reached point where 1t was necessary 10 usnouht
for the last climb
This was the toughest work Of oil. The trail be.
came a rocky staircase, crossed by drifts thirty or
forty feet in DEPTH where, after walking firmly on the
surface for few yards, man and horse would SINK
down Unexpectedly and founder in the melting snow.
In those lofty regions there is such thing as getting
Il Second wind'-every step ia like blow which
knocks the breath out of ones body. was conscious
OF dry disagreeable tinglng sensation in the lungs.
which the most rapid open-mUuthed inhalation of air
could not alay. At every tenth step We were forced
TO pause overcome by what / may call respiratory
fatigue. The air nevertheless, was dellciously pure
and bracing and none of US experienced any nausea,
bleeding at the nose, or dimness Of vision, such as
STILL the physical discomfort soon passed away. The
lodges Of naked red rocks increased climbed the
dark-blue sky sank lower behind the crcsi and at one
o'clock in the afternoon stood upon the summit OF
the pass.
our elevation above the sea.levol could not have
been much less than 1900 feet. The timber line
was FAR below US; near at hand we were surrounded
by desOlation of snow and naked rock Mount
Lincoln, on the north, gathered together toe white
folds Of the separating mountaln-rauges, AID set his
supreme pyramids them; while far to The south
east where the sage-plans Of the South Park stretch
for hundred miles, all features were lost IN hot
purple mist. Before u.s. however lay the GROWING
grandeur. The ridge upon which we stood shd down,
ike the roof of house, 10 the valley OF the Upper
Arkansas which we could trace 10 the very iOunan'
head of the river its pine groves and long meauder-
ing lines Of cottonwood drawn upon q neld OF pearly
graz green. Starting from Mount Lincoln, the eye
followed the central chan--the backbone OF the
cOntinent--n wide semi-ciIce around the head OF
the valley until it faced the opposite side, and
then kept on It's course southwark, and ever on.
slowly fading into airs hundred miles Of eternal
snow Beyond the Arkansas Valley (where there Is
pass considerably below the timber ne) glmmered,
if out Of blue air, the rosy snow OF other and
farther ranges. Westward, 20 miles distant, stood
the lonely Sopris Peak, higher than Mount Blanc.
New landscapes are often best described By cOmpsr
ison with others that are known; but know not
where TO turn for any mountain WOW at ell resembling
this In wondrous breadth and extentin the singular
combination Of subdued coloring with great variety
OF fern IL is at once simple. sublime and bound
less. With very clear atmosphere, the effect might
be dfereut II, the iarthest peaas ana ran
ges metCl inseusiby ont OF the line OF vision, sdg-
costing almost incredible distances. There were
glaciers thrusting down their wedges between the
forests; great upper plateaus Of lmpacted snow
pouring their cat6racts from rocky walls 0s IN the
Alps. The srOw-line. though broken by ravlues was
quite uniform, but the SHOWS were flushed with such
exquisite color and cut tho SKY with such endless va
riety Of outline, that they substituted q beauty Of
another and rarer kind. This, and the view OF the
Blue River Valley, in the Middle Park, are represen-
tative landscapes; and they alone worth Jour-
ney across the Plains.
We celebrated the day with none but the most loyal
and patriotic sentiments. Our toas2 were few, for
there was little Of the material out Of which they
grow; our speeches short, iol breath was scarce
commodity: but we duly remembered the American
Eagle. aud magnied the shadow Of his wings There
has been no loier celebration this day in tue United
States ! am sure.
Il was impossible 20 mount our horses until
certain point, nearly 1900 feet below u.s. had been
reached There was no snow on the southern slope;
bnt zgzag. headOng path over bare stones (am0ng
which Mr. Byers saw constant indications Of gold)
for two miles or more, and we reached the bottom
with trembling knees and dripping faces After this
the path gradually fell into OF the lateral gens
which debouch into the Arkansas Valley, and We
pushed Ineily on through pine groves and green
meadows stung by the gadHy OF hunger Mr..
Wllet insisted taking US out OF the direct path TO
SEQ the evidences Of gold-washIng in California Gulch
We objected, preerung TO see a dinner; but I've was
our guide. and nc had his way. The obturate man
made us ride along mile Of hideOus grayelpits and
piles OF dirt, smacking his ips over the hundreds OF
thousands OF dollars which had been dug out Of then
while every one Of MS was suffering indescnbable
pangs. What was il 20 us that men are even now
washing out 500 day2
Log cabins made their appearance at last, then
miners. then moro log cabins, then street with
several saloons, eatnghouses and corrais-and that
was Orc City. The place did not promise much,
must confess: but one must never judge from the
outside in Colorado. What We found l will relate