The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-06
Passing the Last Vestige
Of Civilization.
THE SULTAN MOUNTAIN.
Camping at Castle Springs
and Animas City.
SILVER ORB IN Tile San JUAN MINING COUNTRY.

bly, severe and travelling is rendered extremely
dificult by the heavy falls of snow which I'LL up
the valleys and passes and cover the hills and
alter the whole appearance OF The country to
such an extent that the Oldest residents are I'M
able to pursue their ways by the aid Of once
familiar landmarks. But we were informed by
one OF the miners that Bakers PARK was an ex-
eeption to the rule ana during the winter months
there were rarely more than Iour feet OF snow on
a level in the valley. However, when the SHOWS
set in, 1t is impossible to cross the mountain
boundaries or the Park except by snowshoes
and those generally used in cases OF emergency
are what are designated the Norwegian shoes
consisting or two strips OF thin wood from nine
TO twelve feet in length and four'or i've inches
wide, turned up at the front ends, and
just behind the centre are straps Tor the toes and
small blocks OF wood against which the heels rest.
They are used very muen In the manner OF skates,
by pushing or sliding one foot ahead OF the other,
and 1t may be imagined what labor is required IN
thus gliding up steep mountain. In leaving
BAKERS Park We were unavoidably delayed un-
til late hour in the morning by the disappear
ance OF TWO OF our beasts OF burden, which had
strayed Off from the herd during the night. To
add to this misfortune an old horse had entered
our camp while we all slept and strewn our last
sack OF nour over the ground, eaten all the meat
We had prepared Tor our breakfast, turned over
several OF our recently bLuueu apareJOes Ia klnu
OF pack saddle) and devoured much OF the hay
with which they were ned, besides doing consld-
cradle other damage TO our cargo The valley
and gulches were searched for some time, but
with no avail for the missing mules until at
length one or them was discovered far up Gun
ningham Greek; but little Mexico was still alb
sent. We decided, therefore, to pack up
and start on our journey, while one of the
men returned TO the head OF the guleh to find
her. 1t was most unpleasant day and we were
constantly deuged by heavy showers OF rain.
Before leaving the San Juan mining country It
may be wen TO mention that the whole section,
called Is divided into districts, the principal
and best known Deing-Lake, which includes
the upper part or the lake fork OF the Gunnson
River and its tributaries, Uncompahgre, Adams,
Eureka, Administering in most OF Bakers Park,
all OF which contain lode mines, and the La
Plata, or as 1t Is locally called, the Califernla
Placer district to the south OF the others. Leav-
ing Howardyille and Silverton. the fartnest pio-
neer towns on our route, the last vestfge OF
civilization which we pass on the road Is the
Bakers Park milk team. returning from the lat
ter city, where 1t has been dispensing its daily
milk, in the form OF a jackass laden with two
kegs OF the liquid, which is drawn like beer from
spigots.
THE SULTAN MOUNTAIN.
The little rock martens or marmots sat at THAR
rocky thresholds ana cnirped at us as we passed,
or frisked their small tailIess bodies and disap-
peared from view. Our trail from Bakers Park
TO the Animas Valley lay along the east side OF
Sultan Mountain. and, although We HAD been
frequently advised OF It's almost impossible
condition, we were unprepared for what we
found 1t to be- From Silverton it assembled alb
ruptly for several hundreds of 1eet amid dense
timber, where the sun never penetrates, and the
n heu ha n oh eniI tutn
soft bog, in which the feet OF the animals sunk
deeply and were withdrawn with loud smack.
For time every step of advance made the trav-
cling more difficult, and after sliding over our
mules tails repeatedly, saddles ana all, we had
shortly to dismount and PICK our ways
best we could over the steep, slippery
rocks and through the Shiny mud In several
spots were perpendicular stones two or three
feet high, up which we had to scramble on hands
and knees, and in one place the trail
passed over sliding, slippery rock walled
up on one side by cir and falling or Tor untold
hundreds OF feet the other, ana 1t was scarcely
two feet WIDE. How the packs ever passed by
without some one or more OF them falling over
seemed 10 US u miracle, and, indeed, one OF them
slipped outward and on the point OF going,
but very fortunately all crossed IN safety. ''Bln-
key" whose eyes are somewhat damaged, one OF
them being entirely obhterated and the other
rather hazy, crowded up TO the cln, having his
shady side to the wall, and the moment his pack
touched 1t he imagined he was being pushed by
some invisible power, watch occasioned him to
lean the harder, and he rubbed past at an incna-
ton OF thirty degrees. Then the way grew easier
for time and we commenced to get into the
Devenian limestones, whose fossils were percep-
tiDle to as we rode over and through them.
Thus far the tran was without exception the worst
w a IT
not have been any worse and at the same time
passabe for animals Between each shower the
sun shone out resplendenty and cast bril-
liant bows across the canyon OF the
Animas far below us. The sharp, Jagged,
barren quartzite peaks penetrated the azure
across the gulf and little above us on the oJner
side stood the extreme summit OF Sultan. We
made our twentieth camp tnat night by the side
of an Alpine lake, more tnan ten thousand
feet above Underwater, in a grove OF spruce trees,
beautifully iestooned with long, gracefully dreop-
ing, pale green moss. The next day the trail was
abomlnable and we were detained In several
places for hours. Once half the train tumbed
down Q high hill, ana each animal had to be led
up repeatedly before the whole party reached the
summit. short distance from this spot three or
four OF the mules mired so deeply that, after work
ing with them an hour, we were compelled to I'M
pack and dig the soil away from their legs for two
Ieet before they co1ld be extrcated. After we
were well through the tnckest or the timber,
however, the path grew better, and In few
hours OF steady travelling we came out on a hard,
well beaten track, which lay through beautiful
green grass, amid which the most gorgeous
flowers wasted their sweetness. After we mad
crossed Cascade Greek we passed through some OF
the richest and most beautiful country in Colo
RADIO.
CAMP AT CASTLE SPRINGS.
Behind us stood Engineer Mountain. $4,000 feet
high' ana forms Of perfectly horizontal layers OF
beautifully colored trachytes, lime ana sandstone.
Before us lay great piles OF castle cliffs OF the
same character Our tran passed through lovely
open parks covered with tnick, luxuriant punch
grass, in which our animals waded up 90 their
knees and fingered at almost every step to crop
some inviting norsel, IN spite or threats, blows
or oaths. Charming groves OF evergreen stood
on either side ana extended up the mountain
sides TO the timber line Our camn AZ Costia