Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1875-11-26
GABRIEL icoNRoY."
Bret Harte's Novel.

nCTldl Ill DCTtOU6TS lOI NOVCIuUcI, Iul
opens with the following description
of the Sierras in winter:
"Snow. Everywhere. AS far az
the eye could feach-fifty miles, look
ing southwark from the highest white
peak. Filling ravines and gulches
aud dropping from walls of canons ii
white shroud-like drifts. Fashionine
the dividing ridge into likeness of Q
monster grave, hiding the bases of gi
ant pines and completely covering
young trees and larches, trimming will
porcelain and bow-like edges of still
cold lakes, and undulating in motion
less white pillows to the distant hori
zon. Snow lying everywhere over
the California Sierras on the 18th day
of March, lS4S, and still falling. II
had been showing for ten days; snow.
ing in finely granulated powder, in
damp, spongy flakes, in thin, feathery
plu'nes; showing from a leadeh sky
steadily, showing ficrcely, shaken out
of purple-black clouds in white floccu
lent masses, or dropping in long level
lines like white lances from the tum.
bled and broken heavens, but always
silently. The woods were so choked
with it, the branches were so laden
with it; it had so permcat,.d, filled
and possessed earth and sky; it had
so cushioned and mufflcd the ringing
rocks and echoiny hills. that all sound
was deadcned. The strongest gust,
the iicrccst blast awoke no sigh or
complaint from the snow-packed, rigid
files of forest. There was no cracking
of bough nor crackle Of underbrush; !;
the overladen branches Of pine and fir
yielded and gave way without sound.
The silence was vast, mcasurclcss,
complete.
"Nor could it be said that any out
ward sign Of life or motion changed
the fixed outlines Of this stricken
landscape. Above there was no play
of light and shadow, only the occa.
sional deepening of storm and night.
Below, no bird winged fits fight across
the white expanse, no beast haunted
the confines of the black woods; what
ever OF the brute nature might have
once inhabited these solitudes had
long since flown to the lowlands.
There was no track or imprint; what
ever foot might have lett it's mark up
on this waste, each succeeding snow
fall oblitclatcd all traces or record.
Every morning The solitude was vi:-
gin and unbrokcn; a million tiny feet
had stepped into the track and hlled
it Up. Aud yet, in the center Of this
dcSolation, III the very stronghold of
this dim forest, there was the mark of
human toll.
"a few trees had been fellcd at the
entrance of the canon, and the freshly
cut chips were but lightly covered
with snow. They served perhaps to
indicate another tree 'blazed" with an
ak, and hearing rudely shaped hn-
man hand. pointing to the canon. Be-
low the hand was a square strip of
securely nailed against the
bark ard bearing the following in
scription:
Capt. Conroy's party Of cmigrants are
lost in the snow and camped up this can
On. Out of provisions and starving!
Left st. 10 October 8, 1S47.
Left Salt Lake January l, 184S.
Arrived here March /, 184S
Left half our stock on the Platte.
Abandoned our wagons February Goth.
HELP
Our names are:
Joel Mccormick, Jane Bracket,
Peter Dumphy, Gabriel Conroy,
Paul Devarges, John Walker,
Grace Conroy, Henry March,
Olympia Conroy, Philip Ashley:
Mary Dumphy.
(Then in smaller letters In pe1cil)
Mamie, died November 8, Sweetwater.
Minnie died December 4, Echo Canon.
\ James died January 2, Salt Lake.
.Jglncs Bracket lost February g
HElip