Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-11-24

were permitted to see "old Sal" sink
down blushingly into a sea OF land. So
morning, methinks, augers
glorious day in views and feelings. The
day has not advanced far until there
seems to be general stn ring oft trav-
elers, the secret of which, I discover,
lies in the fact that we are nearing the
Buffalo country. Now all is excitement
every eye is strained to get the first sigh.
of buffalo; guns and revolvers are
primed and capped for the fight; look
ing first to one side, then the other, then
as far forward and as far bacl. ward as
circumstances yil permit: a buhaio--a
buffalo is the general call Presently a
close observer cries out 'yonder they
are;' rush-and all eyes gaze with in
tense interest at some black spots that
appear on the plain. Yes tt ere they are
sure enough-ffty or Il hundred Of them
all in bunch; but at so great dis
tance that the shaggy head and the
fiery eye can only be distinguished
through the glass. Soon they diminish
and die in the distance, but are there not
more on this broad plain? Again all eyes
are fixed; eve'y colo~ed spot carefully
sc.utinized; 'yonder'-no, us only the
running heat who e black scallops much
resemble the backs Of SO many moving
animals. The Antelope, with fleet foot
speeds to the distance; the hare Jack
rabbit frightened from his nest cf sand +,
looks every way for which way and
running a few PAGES stops again and
does.the same thing over; prairie wolf
with scornful looks gives way TO oar
train and hundreds ofii:tle short-legged
'stubby- tailed yelping prairie dogs sit
majestically (?) on their hind legs or
turn ummersetts into their holes, but
where are the Uuffaloes? Last week,
we are told thousands and tens of thous-
ands, lined each side CT the track but
where are they now? Carcass after car
cass, tell that some have fallen prey TO
their puisuers but where are the rest?
Thousand of acres o. parched buffalo
grass awsit their approach why are they
not here? Thus We pass the buffalo re-
gien-not q gun is fired-lot revolver
emptied not buffalo scared. But
many ale the hopes blasted and many
the expectations thwa ted.
Now We recognize that we are in the
very midst of the great Gamer can Des-
ert.' Not Tree or bush for miles rises
up to destroy the m'onotony; nothing but
a seemingly bound!2ss bel of sand lies
before, behind and on every side. The
Stations at which we now mostly stop
are wateQanks, guarded by squads of
soldiers, who eat, drink aud sleep in
houses of mud, commonly called dug
outs. Occasionally as Il curve was made
by the road We could see for miles the
telegraph poles appa emily side by side
like SO many soldiers ready for the con-
test; and judging flom the appearance
of hundreds of then. they have been
badly worsted 10 their conflict with the
thunder bolts of heaven.
TtSIucnlly uuiiuS ehC aoy VIC ochpiu
that freak of nature by which so many
have been deceived. We see in the dis
tance a lake OF beautiful clear water;
how inviting it looks! In "A moment tits
gone. Suddenly another appears toward
the horizon; how distinct it seemsI you
see reelected in it thegrass and the weeds
intervening and conclude that if deceiv-
ed before you surely Ncannot be now. You
have hardly reflected thus until it van
ishes.s In a moment perhaps another
more distinctly marked than the-pre-
ceeding, comes into view; if mistaken
before you surely cannot he now; it must
be lake. But like the rest it is 1o more
seen. Thus at times during all the day
we behold the .'Mirage of the Desert.''
AS the sun sinks in the West we reach
Kit Carson and stop for supper. Soon
after leaving, night comes on and eyes
wearied with gazing all day long seek
rest in sleep. But on goes the mighty |
locomotive with its train of unconscious |
human beings. The morning dawns
and we are quartered around the fire in
the best hotel the city cf Denver affords.
l get my breakfast and prepare for ride
of fifty miles into the Rocky Mountains.
d. d.