Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-04-10
Cimarran, New Mexico,
March Dist, 1874.

March 2lst, 1874.
FRIEND WooDBURN: Your very wei.
come letter came two days since, and as
| am just in from long and bard ride,
| will spend an hour in fulfilling your
request, by few random shots at show
we do it," First, about the people. /
can only say they are exactly adapted to
the care of sheep, if they have some
white man to look after them. They are
polite, as race, and | don't think |
have ever net one who was in my en-
ploy who did not lift his hat to me. Still
they are very treacherous race, and use
the knife with all the skill of an Indian.
Indeed, there is but very little difference
between these two races in appearance,
and quite too little in their habits.
You perhaps know of one of our lead
ing Generals who was sent to a country
hereabouts, and when asked how he liked
it, said If owned Texas and Hell,
I'd sell Texas AMI live in He'll" This
will answer your question as to how | like
the country and save me from using any
profane language. in which | am not
skillful. We have on the two ranches
under my immediate supervision, some
more than 5000 sheep. We range them
in focks of 1000 to 5000, and often send
two focks, of same general character, to
the same camp, and run them as two
focks by day, and put them together for
the night just now the focks are in the
mountains, and under the care of Mex
lean, who is termed Major Domo, or
overseer of the ffocks, and who sleeps
with the flock at night and cooks for the
herders by day. We do not allow them
to camp often in the same place, as the
dust from their offal is injurious to theil
condition, though the country is so dry
only during the rainy season, that it i,
only datst anywhere we go. The water
is very scarce, and it is not uncommon
for man who controls single spring
to have the control of section of coun
try about him, as large as four towns like
Windham, if the hills of Windham were
only level. The past winter until Janu
airy 18th, was very mild, but February
with the exception Of the first four Of
FIVE days, was quite like aointer, and w
had very deep SHOWS. Our storm lastec
, for two days, and it was very still anc
collected something like five or six inches
1t was very welcome, and made tn
splendid feed in the mountains of use t.
, US, as the sheep can use snow for water
SO we have taken advantage of it, an
the focks are there still, though the sno'
is one of the things that acre.
The great excitement now is the me-
mining field in the San Juan countr,
and the whole country is focking Their
= Towns are growing up almost after tb
! manner of Jonah's gourd, and the tr
l. mendous fall of snow in the mountain
= is bound to make the placer mines nea
!. us very great attraction the comm
summer. Just now the nearest mine
the Montazuma and the "Aztus
only fifteen miles or so from Cimarra
are buried ten to thirty feet deep in sno'
!, while the snow on the mountains in sigh
west of the head of the Rio Grande
81 too deep to mention, as | don't wish yc
- &c think I've lost my streak of truthful
l. ness by living here. However, it's alwa
. been eternal" snow on that range,
;. I'll not try to frame an expression, f
= the subject is quite beyond my reach.
- OF the eight men | brought out hel
:, | have left with me very worthy son
/ old Windham, who is at present out
= a hunting expedition with some frien
L. of ours, having got furlough for
: week. l expect he will have big stori
!, to tell of the game they bag, and frc
- my acquaintance with the young man
TeCkOu the oGOFy Will hOb NC inuOh lae
. ing, even if the game is. But he i;
v very Esau to hunt as know from ext
= rience, and after he had gone up I
~ river three days and brought in G
. beaver and one wild cat the first day, {
wild cat the second day, and goose a
"a beaver the third day, had to for
- his going any more, lest he destroy
=, the game of the country. But
spinning this senseless epistle to an
~, moderate length. Shall expect to
Vermont in about three months mt
~ NY kindest regards to your family {
III all who care to Inquire. If res
~ worthy clergyman puts in his appearal
- I'll suggest Windham to him. am v
100 truly yours, HENRY Nj. Arms
me Though 1 give my body to
lent burned and have not charity it prof