National Republican., 1873-09-24
WESTERN EXPLORATION.
tconitnsed from Firyt Puse.)

tconttnsed from F'rft PaseJ Is
Government has been just, II not generous,
to this tribe at least.
Up and down steep mountain slopes from
carly dawn until sunset wo took our weary
course, q few heavy rain showers every day
making some OF the mountain sides 80 soft and
miry that our patient animals struggled
through them with much labor aud difficulty,
As general thing the rain commenced
towards evening, so that we almost invariably
encampcd IN rain, drcnchcd TO tho skin, and
no tents. However, a good supper (or din
ner,) with cup or two Of strong coffee, that
benehcent rcetorer Of wasted energies, 70.
stored our gobd humor, and building a
rousiDg hrc-hundrcds OF dry, fallen pines
within reach-we would spread our blankets
under tho friendly shelter Of apinc, or pre-
ferably Or tree, and sock the rcposc we so
much needed, and which therefor required
but little wooing. And yet, after marching
climbing, sliding the long, long day, We Ind
but accomplished n march Of perhaps eight
miles at night. -,.L -
we not had occasion to admit the truth Of
the saying, 'The night Is no mans friend"
Has II ever been your lot TO pass night In o
deep canon, In an entirely unknown e0gntryi
II not, you have not yet experienced true,
mysterious loneliness. You arc encamped In
an opening, very small one probably, In a
as camp because water docs not usually
run on mountain tops, but Of their base, and
II Is necessary that yourself, your compan-
Ions and your animals should have water.
On both sides of you loom up the steep walls
Of the mountain, flye hundred feet high, per-
haps more, seldom less, covered densely with
tall sombrc pines, whose tops swaying in tho
night wind are chanting mysterious re-
quiem. Below you the mountain stream, In
cataract shape, utters an angry roar not fur
of the coyotes yelp or the nght-birds cry
suggests Indian signals, and tho mules, whose
well-known Instructive dread Of aud aversion
for the Indian makes them at such times the
especial friend and ally Of tho white man,
'scentipg the Indian from afar," aud often
acting as most efficient sentinels, snort and
plunge In frequent and apparently causelcss
paroxysms Of terror, while now and then tho
the forbidden campfire, casts weird shadow
over the camp. Though sleepy and cx.
haustcd you are always on tho alert and
finally hall with delight the lrst gray streak
Of dawn.
How different arc your feelings when the
usual glorious sunrise dispcls tho gloom Of
The dismal night tho sudden charge OF
hundred Indians would not then inspire you
with AZ. much dread as tho mere cry Of u
night-bifd few hours before. .rr....l
After hvo days marching ovcl rough,
broken but beautiful mountain sa1aeCy we
reached the summit Of the White Noun
tains, where we remained encamped
two days, the geographical position Of the
three principal peaks being accurately estab-
lishcd by astronomical and Typographical OBJ
scrvationr, and o monument bulit oh each.
We also measured n baso line Of one mile on
the very summit over which l ran the odo-
meter, q onc-whsclcd vehicle attached to q
inulo by q pair Of shafts, to tho wheel OF
which an ingenious contrtvance--lately per-
fected by Lieut.. II. l.. Hoxlc, corps Of en-
gineers-is attached, registering the number
of revolutions of the wheel, aud after calcu-
lating the number Of revolutions II makes per
mile, enabling one TO ascertain distances In n
moment. had the honor, land tho hard
ship,) In addition to Other duties, Of operating
this instrument during the entire White
Mounta,u feconnoissancc; no easy task, nor
safN Asin case Of sudden attack from Indians
and the retreat OF my companions or escort
at times not more than ono or two men-l
should have been unable to keep up" and
forced to enact the role Of au Epaminpndas,
peak--thc highest point OF the mountains :
we found numerous small stone bracelets and
ciecps Of Indian pottery, and concluded that
these had been deposited there by tribes, per-
haIs now extinct, rs q sacrifice. The summit
Is some II 600 feet above sea level, and gives
amagnihcent view Of ep imnicnse tract Of
country, extending Into New and Old Mexico,
the Pinal and Mogoon mountains, San
Francisco mountains aud others. At tho base
f the mountains to the south, 5000 feet be-
low, stretched forth green, grassy, beautiful
plateaus, hundreds Of miles In circumference,
calling up visions Of Immense catle-herds.
What magnificent summer grazing lands,
lying totally Idle! A beautiful lake--no doubt
the one referred to by the Indian tradition
lay to the southeast OF the mountains.
Having seen not one sign Of the presence OF
Indians so far, Lieutenant Wheeler left the
pack-train with half Of the command In
camp, while with the other half, In forced
marching order he started Tor siI'days
For sli days we passed over the same beau
tifni but broken country; killed, after tht
hring Of many shots, two large brown bears
one Of which made quite q stand, chasing
several Of the party. In this encounter tn,
handsome young Indian, Archy, showed grea
valor and sang: :froid; he would fife his re
volver into tho bear, and as the latter charged
him dodge nimbly behind tree, fire agair
saucily, until finally poor bruins spirit winged
its course from these unhappy hunting
grounds, his heart, liver and lungs proving Il
have been pierced. The credit OF killing III,
other bear lies bctwc cen Lieut.. Wheeler ant
the chief packer, Mr.. Duffy. We also killc,
few wild turkeys, two deer, three ducks
some grouse, q huge wildcat, porcupinc-
the latter two being inundated In the gastrl
receptacle Of the geological department as th'
best way Of decidins their respective ages
With mountain trout aud larger ash fount
pnly In these parts, and called according tc
Mr.. Gilbert the 'Gila elegans, wo soon be
came surfeited. On the I'D We encamped o.
the Lake Of the Mermaid, who did not, how
ever, condescend TO favor the white intruder
with her presence. The lake proved to be
shallow sheet Of water, three miles In lengt
by one In breadth, surrounded by rich, grass
lands aud groves Of Pine and ash. and covere
with hlloEa The ahlaf named II the Myatl(
This is certainly the coolest August mont
have ever known; though seven degrees q
latitude south Of Washington, there ha
scarcely been an hour during the Who'll
month whom fire was not most welcome
aud at times a positive necessity. 1t ha
mometer ranged between thirty and sixty
five degrees MISUNDERSTANDING iu I'll
morning aud al night usually at from forty
fOrty-eight deg. Owing to the frequent rain
and the consequent moisture the dltercnc
between the dry and the wet bulb thcrmon
deg. This Is something unusual for sectio
Of country west Of the Rocky Mountains, bt
Ia, of course, owing TO the mountainous natuI
Of the country and the altitude Of the platea
over eight thousand feet above sea level.
During this time, In spite Of rains an
fatigue mule stampedes and heartbeatng
our health has been splendid and our app
titcs appalling. No day Of rest for twenl
days, yet ten generous pounds Of avoirdupo
heavier!
Ye grassy, shady forests and icy-col
brooks 70 trout and bear, and deer, ar
turkeys, farewell As to your csnons, yo'
innumerable steep slopes, your rocks. yo'
rains, your alarms-I nm mum. shall forg
but never forgive them.
We returned to Camp Apache on tho 3o
of August, having been entirely successful
accommodating, surveying and opening up
large, rich, magnificent section OF count
lying totally idle, and showing no sign Of u
presence Of the savage. Wake up! ye stoc
raisers, wool-growers and farmers OF .
narrow East, and make hay while the 81
shines, for such country was not made
lie Idle.
Tomorrow we lose our chief, who goc
eastward. Though he has been At times
severe task-master, we recognize the wor
Of his ambitlon,-we know that he consid'
the 'laborsr worthy Of his hirc"-wc ha
shared common dangers and common ha'
chips, and In measure common AIMS, a
we are sorry 10 lose him. We arc sorry
loee the genial Lockwood. Au repoir 10 bo
Before close this letter desire to rccc