New-York tribune., 1874-07-07

ACROSS AMERICA: o., GREAT wysr AND THE PACIFIC
CoAsT. B' JANEs hCsLING limo pp 5O5 Sheldon ca.
The journey, upon which this record OF
travel is founded undertaken in the discharge of
official duty as inspector OF the Western military posts
in the year 1861. embraced extensive territory
10 San Francisco, among the Rocky
Mountains, along the Pacific Coast 10 Panama. and
thence home by the Isthmus, making course OF over
1900 miles, OF which 5000 Travelled horseback,
or by ambulance. The interval which has elapsed since
abe tour made. necessarily dminshes the freshness
of the narrative, but still not little interest
as Of faithful IL not brilliant sketches OF per
sonal incident and adventure and executed in natural,
ohand manner, which Is perhaps better suited TO the
occasion than a more artificial style Of com
position. As specimen OF General Ruslng's
descriptive talent, the following portraiture Of
Brigham Young will be read with satisfaction.
Though then about sixty-Ave he looked at least ten
years younger aud evidently had many hard work
In him yet He OF medium hight. stoutly built
every way and of late years incuiDg to cOrpulency
His hair was a sandy red. we'll sprnkled
with gray and somewhat disposed TO curl.
HIS eyes, pale blue, resoue and sagacious but
had steey look in them at times that might any
depth Of cruelty tyranny. His nose, though not
pronounced as his would indicate neyerhe
less very characteristic while his mouth, though large
and frrD had less OF the animal about it than would
naturally be expected. His under-jaw would, perhaps
strike you than other feature. Heavy and
stron full and massive, II looked like castiron ana
times when he talked Of Congress or OF his enemies 1t
would shut with snap ike gigantic nutcracker. His
dress was plain black. and his altogether
cepuonable His position as head of the Mormon peo
ple bred the habit Of power, whlehis contact with
representative men from abroad has impaired much
the elegance and sudrier IN mode of the OF the
world that lac would pass for pretty good diplomat
almost ans where. To take Brigham Young for a fool
or a mere fanatic, it plain TO be seen. would be "a
great mistake. II is true, he knows nothing about
md
his knowledge OF all the country there. and of hu
man nature, found to be fuu and exact, and
west Of the Rocky Mountains knows better how to make
a good bargain, fill paying contract However
niterate, he has patience shrewdnoss. cunning. and
abundance Of hard common sense hOFse-sense,'
we used to say OF Grant 10 the army-and, dOubteeS,
would have made his way In the world in whatever
sphere he happened 20 drop. II he had not become
Brother Brigham great hieTArch OF the Mormon
Church and autoceat Of AL Utah. worth s25 10000 in
his right (as reported owning countless lands and
herds, doubt be would hs~o grayitsted into first
class hotelkeeper. or "a money king Wall Street.
great railroad cOnraOtOf. something OF that
quiring keen perceptions and Dne executive abilities
TO deny him some such qualities evidently psepos
ferrous. DsCredt him In every way call him carlstan
and humbug II please the fact still remains that he
has changed an isolated desert into land flowing with
milk aud honey. and created a community OF a hundred
thousand souls devoted 70 mis- will holding their lives
aud fortunes absolutely at his bdding-aud suroly no
mbece bunderer could have achieved such re-
sGts" Although the contents Of the voume have some
what antiquated air. great has been the prog
ress since the completioO Of the Pacific Railroad It
affords excellent starting point comparison OF
the present WITH the past, and strikngly illustrates the
development OF vitality. intelligence, and material
cess in the region o< the Pacific Coast