The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-11
From New Mexico.
From Stanton to Santa Fee.


half mile or so the bottom of the Rio Boni
ta then crossing the stream, it bears off tC
the right into the foot hills of the Sierra Capt.
tan, crossing that range by an easy pass.
These mountains are generally covered by
a dense growth of phone timber. This pin
| one is variety of pine peculiar to New hexi
leo. The trees in form of growth resemble
lapple trees, seldom growing more than twenty
or thirty feet high and having bushy, spread
ing tops. The bark and leaf resemble the
pine, but are finer and closer grained. 1t is
very full of pitch, which makes it much es
teemed as fuel 1t also produces small edi.
bic nuts about half the size of hazel nuts, and
of very pleasant flavor
While passing through small canyon, |
met couple of Mexican hunters who had
bagged several antelope, and after consider
able amount of palavering purchased qua.
ter Of venison, intending to live fat on the
road. But what Is all earthly bliss! had
but one neal off my savory venison when it
slid off the wagon and went to feed the hun
cry cuyotas
Leaving the mountains and timber the
road runs for ten or twelve miles over an un.
dulating plain. In some places it is rockey,
but generally hard gravelly soil of red
color and producing scanty growth of grass.
As was ascending long hill | saw rig
coming from the opposite direction, which,
as it came nearer, proved to be lumber
wagon drawn by large horse and very
small mule The team was odd but the team.
ster was odder; so determined to interview
the traveller, and as he seemed equally desir-
Gus of swapping lies, we both came to stand
still In personal appearance our hero could
his long sleep. judged his age at about
fifty; his hair was very gray and worn long,
lying on his shoulders. His beard was also
long, and of a dirty yellow color, and his
eyes were small and Of a keen cold grey. On
his feet he wore a PAIR Of heavy cowhde
boots very badly in want Of repairs. His
pants were bucksllin, and had probably pass
'u tbiOhSl l'Nll hNN NalS VI val iNu hpNt i
ence, part of which had been wetting, for
they were shrunk so that they reached only a
little below the tops of his boots.
His shirt was manufactured from striped
ticking. The stripes however, were hardly
disccrnible on account of an inCrustation of
valuable placer dirt The weather was so
warm that Il coat was a superiority. His hat,
| should judge, had formerly been Il white
plug, or what was called during the last cam
paign Greeley hat, but which, from its APP.
pcarance, may have done treble duty Us hat.
camp stool and slop bucket.
lie gave his name as John Atson from
Maine. He crossed the plains during the
first Pixies Peak excitement, and had ever
since followed the life of miner and pros
pecter. He had twice during that time &C.
cumulated "A good stake, but luck seemed to
be against him, and the next move would be
breaker. He at last came TO New Mexico
with good outfit; was jumped by Indians,
who stole his horse and burned all his prop.
ertv. He said 81 felt disheartened, but was
given a Job by the quartcrmaSier at Stanton
as tcamster which in Il few months gave me
enough to buy another team, and when the
excitement about these mines started | was
one of the first on the ground. took part
ner to work my claim, and when we had got
out four hundred dollars worth Of dust, he
pocketed il and, stealing my best horse, III
out The excitement was soon over and
most of the five hundred miners who had
rushed in left. | now haul my water two
miles 10 wash gold. II is slow way, but Il
| have no bad luck | will soon be square
with the world again"
With all his nishaps, he still clung to the
idea that he woald some day return To th'
scenes OF his early childhood with suflicicn
money to spend his declining years in peace
and quiet; | heard his story, and from il
drew the conciEsion Life is but game o
chance We ali play, some 10 win, some e
n lose
$ After leaving this interesting traveller, ~,
pursued our journey in solitude tcr four o.
r. five mics, when, rounding a rocky promon
/. tory, We came 10 the Padas springs he frs