Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-09-05
SKETCHES OF TRAVEL IN IDAHO.
NUMBER v.

Prairie. From there into Lewiston it Is va
riously estimated at from 40 to IS miles, and
wagons travel the whole distance, although Tue
road, for long stretches of miles, is quite din
outside of the old trails very pereeptible beat
en- track. This Camas Prairie is 80 miles ID
greatest length and Is miles IN greatest width
Its a vast area of magnificent prairie roll
ing land, capable of high and very prolific
cultivation in by far the greater portion, aud
fully half of it is already taken up by farmers
whose careful aud progressive husbandry was
grandly aud gratiiyingly manifest, as we passed
through the Prairie. Large fields OF ripened
wheat, barley, and oats, goldened by the sun,
and their heavy tops waving at the breath OF
every disporting breeze. were ready for the
harvest Reapers and thresaers, OF the latest
patents, were busy in the harvesting scene all
along the road, from Browns and CROOKS, to
Byron's ut the lower end, and the farmers are
not of the lazing and trust to luck class, but
seem 10 be governed in their tillage by the
moral To the fable of the WAGNER and Hercu-
les. that be who calls the gods far help
should first show his right TO the aid by putting
his own shoulder To the wheel.
The mountains and hills which completely
surround the Prairie yield ample supply oi
timber for every use, and myriad mountain
streams aud small branches in the foot hills
furnish water II would be grateful Ia the
scenery and OF great bcueiit To the farmers If
there were some uf the forest growth and more
OF the running water directly ia their prairie
lands, but they are $" blrst III that which they
have it would seem unreasonable Ia ash for
more at iair and bounteous Natures hands.
From the Prairie the road leads immediately
up the gentle slope aud atop ol Crais's moun-
tain, which is about twenty miles across. but
all the way it is an easy, pleasant trail To jour
ney Oh, without steep pitches or sharp asccnts.
and through \ very drl.ghtiul raage In The way
Of picturesque scenery aud cheerful travel.
From Browns. Mr.. Lock- and ourscf had
started for lewiston together, as We had con-
cadrd nnt 10 accompany Mr.. Butler and Mr.
Fem OH the trip to ORC Elmo, over sixty miles
distant, aud where there were less than one
hundred white men in camp-Chiuameu hav-
Ing nearly noaopolized the mines there
About noon We campcd in "a charming little
vale, near a fine stream OF dylcousIy cold wa
ter. and there rested ourselves and allow cd
our animals to beautifully feed on the rich
grass, aud To rest aud gambol. la two hours
We were again on the road. Toward sundnwn
l. L
ing we saw house. and ut first concluded 10
stop there for the night. But on reaching the
place We saw that band Of Cinnamon on
their way into some dggings in the interior.
had taken quarters there for the night. and we
moved on, to reach Whites Station. rgh. or
nine miles further on. As We rode hy this
Eous" We saw the only white man visible about
the place hnrrying away, towards q gulch
which made ~ the right AMI in the direction
We were travelling. Ills singular movements
attracted our attention, for be- clearly sought
n0n-recogHitlou, and gave furtive glances back
rs he rapidly walked away from the road He
carried double. barrellrd shotgun under bis
long loose linen coat. as if he wished to con-
ceal it from view, but the wind once or twice
blew about the garment SO IA to reveal to ia
the weapon, and soon he passed out of sight
We thought nothing more Of the man and his
strange conduct for an hour or So Finally, Mt
nightfal, when objects were not very perccpt-
IDLE little way off, we had to enter, from
small open prairie, into a thckly timbcred
stretch the entrance to which was through a
very dense growth Of high brush on either side.
When within about two hundred yards of this
thicket, Mr. Locke discovered an object in the
road, a short distance ahead, which he Mt first
took to be a cayote, but MS we approached we
found it to be a dog. 1t stood in the middle Of
the trail, and as we came up the animal neither
stirred nor made any sound whatever It
looked like an Indian cur, aud we thought it be.
longed, perhaps, to some rowing Neg Perez,
who was hunting about there. But DIR. Locke
happened to observe the very plain tracks of |
man, who must have worn pretty large sized
boot, oil around the spot where the dog stood |
These tracks had come from the direction of
the timber, and the freshest tracks showed the
fellow had returned in the same direction.
These, IN connection with the very singular
conduct of the dog, which refused 10 be coax.
ed from It's place in the trail, and acted equally
stran0a in other rsenact. .....a -