New-York tribune., 1874-08-17
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE BLACK HILLS.
A VALLEY OF FLOWERS.


ExuBrRANT FLORA THIS SIDE OF CALIFORNIA
A HIGHLY FERTILE AND PRODUCTIVE REGION.
IRON THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRiBuNEI
CAMP No. %, BLACK Hills FLORAL VALLEY, July
26-An Eden in the c!ouds-how SHAH ne
scribe it confess that have too much pleasure
in this lovely scene to make the attempt As well
try to paint the flavor Of a peach the odor OF a
to turn this beautiful valley led sweetly
in the hills. 900 feet above the sea, with all rS
wealth of bloom and fragrance, into PLAIN, prosaic
printers ink. Perhaps one poet in the world might
translate into verse the mystery of this charm per
haps the soul of Mendessohn, i'll now song without
words might phrase in sympathetic melody tho
sweet emotions which this little Eden awakens.
but only the greatest of painters with brush IN
spired could convey to the imagination picture
of the vale itself. Yet what task for a FAINTER
1t is not to paint the grand the magGihcent, the
sublime for the valley in which write Is none ot
these. The hills are lofty indeed, strong aud bold
in their bearing and guard the vale beneath them
with Jealous pride which seemed 70 trown at oar
intrusion, as we tramped Tue lovely flowers beneath
our feet ana maug.ed their roots with cur
wagon wheels. But magnificent grand, or
sublime they are not Nor is there anything hero
that is There are no gushing gcyscrs, as IN tbe
Yellowstone Park sending their spray high III tho
air great rush and roar Of waterfalls as at Nj
! agdra or st. Anthony; colossal trees as IN tho
grand primeya forests of California; nothing at all
sensational. Each element in the picture-the lofty
hills the host of tall pines, the clear pure stream OF
swift but almos, silent water and above all, the IN
expresSibe wealth and elOquence of flowers To
which all else seems 10 contribute-each of these IL
but a word in the utterance of the whole picture.
THE VALLEY AND ITS INDEsCRIBABLE CHARMS.
1t would not be very difficult to analyze the facts
and elements in this scenic charm which extors adj
miration and praise from even the most cynical or
critics. Col Ludlow could measure the bills and
the valley and reduce them to figures and angles IN
his note book. Prof. Winchell with his hammer
could catechse the rocks and transcribe their EVIL
dence DR.. Williams could catalogue the exuberant .
flora If you gave him the privilege Of naming a few
Of the flowers which have bloomed mayhap for CEN
tuies in this quieude unquestioned by the botanst
The SOIL the atmosphere, tho running stream,
the bubbling mOss-ned springs, could all be EMU
merated But what engineer, botanist, mathemati-
can or chemist could add up the elements and ar
rive at the beautiful unity into which nature has
merged them ALI AS well try by counting the
strands in a Gobelin tapestry to picture to the mnd
the interviewer design; as well attempt by anat-
omv. physiology, and chemistry to reframe and re-
animate the form which these have resolved. SO
right here in this heavenly valley science IS bafied
bya nameless beauty. which it can anayze and de-
stroy but cannot reproduce.
Pardon the apostrOphes, but away up here IN the
clouds thought like air becomes rarlhed, ana oiood
like water is easier brought to the boiling point
But have over-stepped record; let us go Dack
10 the Heeng-ya-Kaa, and with tue frontier ih'
stinct follow the frail.
HARD CLIMBING.
At the Heeng-ya-Kara we found ourselves on tho
westerly range of the Black Hills. at point not dis
tant from the center Gen. Custer then determined
To,,tar 4 fbn le4T N
whole range with a view of finding the central
park which the Indians had reported TO exist there
The view from the Hceng-ya-Kara had failed 10
show lis a pathway to the interior Our Indian
cuidos knew only the general direction, and but
little else They could point out no gapor pass
which promised or even broached way TO the lnte-
ror The only authentic map of that section Is a
piece of blank paper. A wall of hills defended
by a great army Of pines threatened MS II we at
tempted the most direct route. The valley We h&d
followed seductiycy led in another direction as X
Intentionally to thwart our purpose. The odds OF
circumstance, therefore, were against u.s. Out the
odds of pluck and perseverance were III our taVoI'
Gen. Custer boldly turned his COLUMN to the east.
Capt Yates, with his company of Oh Cavalry was
ordered to charge on the pine brigade. HIS men ad-
vonce1 promptly with axes and slew them night and
Ift The hill WAS steep-a hard task for our mules;
INT they had had days rest and plenty of elsS ana
went at the hill with Il good stomach. IhcrdnVers
| renrtation for profanity and teamS;2rshlp was
s+al,ed on the OCCASION So they la,hed them hard
wifb tongue and whip, and threatened their hearts
with never-endng pain if they failed. EncohfaRed
nv the gross voice and whip, If not by tie dlsin'l
theology the poor rat tails pulled as II they wero
inspired. We reached the top of the bill ana louhh
that fires in the forest had saved our pioneers much
clearing: bnt the brush was very heavy ana annoy
ing. festive log in the way tipped over one OK
Iieut Chances Gattling guns by way OF amusement,
| but hurt nothing or nobody. The hanking cavalry
| bo1 to crash their way through heavy underorhsh
| and vonng poplar and pine. Hats were I'M
| nertinentlv removed and clothes received
n GOOD brushing and those in the advance
| marched at times more by faith than by sight. BIT
we pushed on Where we were going we did not
know We were on q crusade certainly but like
the unetered enthusiasts Of the first crusade, who
expeced TO find Palestine next to Germany all that
we could certainly say that we were gong east
and that the road was a hard one 20 travel We
could not turn well to the south, the only other
direction which would have favored our course.
without running into a valley with a heavier
growth of timber than the one that opposed onr
progress The prospect OF gcttrg "Out Of tho
woods was not encouraging.
THE ENTRY INTO FLORAL VALLEY.
Was it by instinct, chance, or COED fortune that
somewhere about noon Gen. CuStercaug glimpse
of the foot might almost say the httle toe-of q
small valley away down at the base of the lofty
hllsf Louis Egan, our half breed guide thought II
was By some sad calamity, for. said he, if we get
down INTO that place we can never get out again.
But the nearest problem how to get down, and
whether it would pay to make the descent. Gen