The New York herald., 1874-09-16
BLUE JACKETS OF THE HILLS.
The Pleasures and Perils of an
Ascent of Mount Daly.
A PARADISE FOR HUNTERS.
Temporary Halt of the Expedition on
Account of Illness
HAYDEN's EXPEDITION.
IN CAMP Foot OF MOUNT DAILY,

Sitting here in this deep valley beside the roar
OF Snow Mass Creek begirt by granite peaks, the
wearied faces OF our mountaineers fitting here
and there behind WILLOWS and pines, peerlng into
the tent In which one Of our companions Is thought
to be dying from sheer exhaustion, confess am
perpexed as to how 10 begin 10 record the excit-
ting life OF the past five days. 1t has been an expe
rience so unreal the Eastern traveller, and, in
fact, 80 unreal to ourselves that it congresses
itself into one OF those hinty, isolated chapters
which quietly stow away, as soli-
tary monuments in our hle's history,
for the silent reverie OF those years when
we all hope to look upon self-sought adventure as
a reckless passion If our youth. Not that any OF
us have been assailed by hostile Indians or
plunged into profound chasms, leaving us objects
OF unslghliy mutilatlon, but rather that we have
been placed in positions which do not court for
the second time, ano in which, as they are now
past, discover an excitement which, If 1t had
been given loose reign in the critical moment,
would have cost our mortal coils. This is all
characterized In the parlance OF the explorer as
"A SIDE TRIP
Query, then, what is side trip? will try to de-
scribe 1t. We travel in these mountains with
twenty-five anmals-elght horses and fourteen
mules. Ten Of these mules bear cumbrous packs,
each of which weighs about 300 pounds, making
to be transported from camp to camp, regardless
OF altitude or protoundness Of depth, rain or
shine. Contained In these stores are our daily
food, tents. cooking apparatus instruments and
bedding. All OF these articles must be packed
and unpacked night and morning and slowed
under appropriate covers away from expos.
ure. 1t is manifest that such labor
can be performed by man or beast, when one must
penetrate thickly wooded and uneXplOred Junges
or ascend great sleeps covered with fallen timber
or rendered all but impossible by treacherous
bogs In such an emergency the main camp is
pitched at the debOuchment OF the main noun
tain stream along which you are moving
and you dptach two strong and well seasoned
pack mules to do the perilOus work, perhaps
twenty miles distant. This is what we did at
daybreak on the $50, after we had spent the
night ON snow Mass Creek. Professor Hayden had
decided upon side trip to Capitol Peak and the
imposing mountains which terminate the Elk
Mountain range to southwark and westward
John, our picturesque, weather beaten and potato
loving cook, therefore slowed away four days. pro-
visions in pair OF mess boxes, giving us ham, a
saddle OF deer, fifty pounds of hOur, potatoes,
hOminy and coffee, and the coarse condiments.
With the two mules deserving of the most dis
tinction on account of their previous exemplary
behavior. "Hoggy" and "Mersla," DR.. Hayden,
Mr.. Holmes the artist, Mr.. Chittenden, the topo-
grapher, Mr.. Broadhead and your correspondent
and our packer, Fred, started out on
THE EvENTFUL JOURNEY
Fred deserves a word. He is to certain extent
typical of many OF the hard working men to be
found in the mountains although 1t may seem
strange that he came out here a confirmed inva-
lid. Brought up by his parents. well.to do people
in Cleveland, ONO, he took to medicine, studied
with doctor OF standing, and finally went to Ann
Arbor University, where he attended course Of
lectures. HIS lungs weakening and his general
health declining, he came to the Territories eight
years ago, and here mas he followed rowing, hard
working existence until he is now capable OF the
greatest physical endurance. To see this ma rrow-
chested but otherwise well developed man
singing pack Of 800 pounds one would
hardly believe that he came here the
picture of emaciated feebleness, stricken with
the terrible disease Yet this is not the case OF
one only. Weak lungs-the curse OF the bleak
and barren regions OF the Union-drive many
men, destined for placid professional lives, to the
Rocky Mountains, where eventually they adopt
the calling OF the mountaineer, and are ready to
accept any employment however menial. But do
not imagine that these men accept also the obll-
cations OF the serving-man feeling any personal
inferiority. submitting to any exacting con-
troll Like all lmountaineers, even resembling those
naughty and courageous Inhabitants OF the east
ern Caucasus, they are thoroughly independent,
often lnsu5ordinate, and can never be
made TO act under military discipline.
When l first came into the mountains ! was
no less surprised than shocked at what
then considered the bravadO OF these men as they
gathered about the camp fires at night and would
tell OF how they had replied to an order OF a su.
perior with ''Go to hell or ''Drop on yourself
you tender loot" then made up my mind that
II 1t should be my evil fortune ever to command
such subordiuates as these, that they and not
would 'drop on yourselr'-a drop from which
conceive they would not be apt to rise. I am
wiser now. and mountaineering among the "old
timers" has taught me that You must take them
for what they are and what they are WORTH which
10 considerable. Unless you are born among them
as leader, you are, as a novice, like gentleman
landsman among old salts. They are
THE BLUE JACKETS OF THE MOUNTAINS,
even, might say, more so. They eat with you |;
they interject quaint mountain phrases into the
body and soul OF your repaytte; they take the first
shot at deer II you happen to be elevating your
rine at the same time; they look upon the con-
vent0nal gentleman as tender sapling OF soft
nesh and denominate him zone OF those high
toned bugsn Much OF this spirit Is, doubtless
due to the opposition to army imperiOusness which
ID common 10 all ClVIIlHus, anu esPeCIally W
civilian shooting men. Yet beneath this 81 am he"
exterior their runs deep VEN OF genuine, kindly
feeling breaking out in distress, and manifesting
itself in every emergency where humanity should
shine. am, therefore, decidedly pleased with
these men. and this leads me often to inquire into
their former lives which, without single excep-
ton, have lound to be tinged by some piercing
sorrow, of which they speak and think with reluc
tance. l know that you can meet no person, not
even the chlrplng schoolgirl who will not conn-
dentaliy assure you that she longs to die-that
gnawlng ache Is eating away her heart. Does not
every comey maiden dream that her lie would
make thrilling novelY And are men so dlfferentY
But tnese mountaneers do not turn their backs
on cues ana homes in a mere spasm OF maudln
eenumehtaiy. hence when they come here they
remain.
Having elected from Fred some of the facts OF
his cary ltie as we rode down through a
deep canyon, ! spurred my lazy horse IN
order to overtake Dr. Hayden. Now my
horse IS tue healtniest, strongest and snapeest
animal in the outdt; but he Is terribly lazy ter
riDly hesltatlng; always going on a Wild leap over
q bog, into winch, II very wide, he Is sure TO