The new North-west., 1872-06-15
Ght YtI' 8orth- -#fst.
SKETCHES OF WESTERN
TRAVEL,
lxL.-Murch and Camp.


TRAVEL.
lII.-March and Camp.
[BY r. v. RAyxoxD.l
The great Madison tasin 10 perhaps thirty
miles wide by fifty miles long. The river
enters it on the South by q narrow canyon,
which now lay before us; and leaves 1t on
the North by the canyon We had avoided in
our detour cio Henry's Lake. The southern
canyon, upon which We entered after cross.
ing the basin. 10 nine or ten miles long, and
extremely picturesque. Bassltic cliffs 4
thousand feet in teight overhang the pas.
sage. at the bottom of which there il room
for the rushing river, with grassy openings
and groves of pine on either side. The
forest and the wave alike TEEN with legged
and winged game. Fish there are none II
speak Of, probably on account Of the hoi
which IL perceptible In the moderate (th0ugh
not tepid) temperature Of the water, the
dense mists which arise from It in carly
morning, and the presence Of certain aquatic
plants along the bOttOm. which We (perhaps
mistakenly attributed To the warm springs
above. The lower Madison abounds in fish.
and there 10 nothing TO prevent them from
ascending to this point, except the possible
effect of the thermal waters.
We named no end of grand pinnacles and
precipicee In this
BEAUTIFUL CANYON;
But I fear our names willnot stick. Doubt.
less Hayden or somebody came along after
ward, with dictionary and . reporter. and
dubbed them all over again; and ere long
the Plantation Bitters man with his pot and
brush will have 0bliterated distinctions ut
terly, and labeled al the prominent points
alike. 1t IS with . sad presentiment, there.
fore, that recall the glories of Cathedral
Rock, where high in the air the basaltlc col.
umns strangely curve and meet to form in
the face Of the cliff the outline of stately
gothic arch; or Pulpit Rock, . bold, ele-
waited rostrum. after the fashion which Mr.
Bcecher dctests; or Thrasher's Hole. gap in
the western wall, through which was seen a
fascinating alnphitheater OF wooded hills.
and which g0t its name from the difficulty
with which Thrasher, his mule ard his
camera were restrained from ''going for il" !"
to the infinite delay Of the expedition; or
Family Buttes, \ magnificent series of iet>
ting peaks and buttresses, terminating the
canyon, beneath the shadow of which we
made camp after the passage.
Our journey had not been altogether with
out stirring adventures. such 40
THE cHRIsTENING OF DUCK cREEK
And the interview of Hardpan with bear
The way to christen . creek Is to immerse
something In IL; and the article immersed in
this case was member of the party, who
desires me tO suppress bis name. We were
tr0tiing along the river bottom, when an
inquisitive coyote or prairie-wolf poked his
head over the terrace above Us. A rifle shot
checked his curiosity without really fright-
ening him much. aud he kept pace with Us
upon his upper level. in that graceful and
letsurely way which characterizes his tribe
The loafers Of the wilderness. Sawtelle was
suitably indifferent, as an old hunter should
be. knowing well the small pecuniary value
of coyote skin; hut Sawtclle's dog raced
after the trivial prey like mad; and two or
three of rs, realizing that anything is game
which gives you good chase, sprang up
the terrace In eager pursuit. Result: Mr..
Coyote surveying Us with calm wonder, out
OF rifle range, and with the whole continent
for his line OF retreat; y brace of painting
sportsmcn. looking and feeling ridiculous;
and worst of all, Sawiclle's dog yelping away
with al the breath left in his bOdy, after y
dozen antelope, that sailed away up the
highland, alarmed by our TOO sudden en,er-
gence from below. There was nothing for
Il but an antelope hunt by another relay Of
the party, and an ixnOminiOus return ut The
ones TO lead and drive the pack An
imals
The gentleman to whom ] have iimly al.
luded happened To have the task Of leading
IN ambitious bay l,.,rse, " whose noble but
broken winded spirit the pack
wac an unaccustOmed insult. As we pushed
along the valley. we came To narrow; live
~ stream, across which most of us passed
without difficulty. The docile steed which
this gentleman rode waded peacefully
through the flood. and the vicious beast be
was leading ''bucked" suddenly on the
hither shore. He would not let 60 the lead
ing rope, since that involved long gallop
after runaway; and firmly holding on. be
the recusant in On inspiring tone
to '.git up and git!" Unfortunately exhort.
attOns arc most needed where not needed;
the good horse got up and got. anil the
found myself-I mean this gentleman,
whose name 10 hereby suppressed, found
the cool, cool wave. Blessings
On those big Spanish stirrups, out Of which
one slips - easily! SO We chr;stened il
Duck Greek. and went on our dripping way.
Thank fortune, those fellows who went af-
ter antelope didn't get any that time! There
b damp kind of misery which cannot bear
to look upon success. and drying ones self
1t gaIlop In biting wind makes the tenn
per as creaky - the joints
The hero Of Duck Greek was likewise he
who climbed the dead cottonwood after \
wounded eagle in ito nest. Those who re-
matned TO scOn, under the tree. say It was
beautiful 70 zee him. embracing with legs
md arms the wlnd.swsyed trunk. proceed
After the fashion of . measuring worm.
while the bottoms Of his pantaloons, catch.
lng the contagious upward tendency, trav.
eled knee ward along his noble limbs. faster
lhan he skyward. on the cottonw00d's.
Four times that heroic being ascended in
vaii,; four times he descended. with rapid
friction, bringing much rotten and cotton
wood. But the 6fth time he carried up in
bis ind0mitable clenched teeth the end of
artat. which be fastened around the tree;
Md then, descsnding In triumph, planted
himself ON . neighb0ring knoll, and vict0.
:eusly tetered out and captured the shot
.sgle and two eaglets.
II VA down . the camp on Bear Creek
HA1DPAN MT81vlEwED
The bear. He was not hunting bear lust
i that time. but eating berries with both |
hands and III his mouth and might A
Puatlin1 In tn hnakaa 3nA2~>A>1 ehA -,