Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-02-03
Communication.
For the Fayetteville Observer.
From Utah to Montana

FTOIu Juan TO montana
Sunset on the Lake--Fareweu f
Utah A "CIOud Burst, "A
Aurora BOrealis.
FLINTvILLE, Tenn, Feb. i, 1876
After my return from South
ern Utah, l went to the mines a
Cottonwood and remained unit
September, 1870. Having oh
tanned situation from some edit
ors, | prepared for an extensiv,
journey to Montana. The evenin!
before | set out, | mounted a wilC
mus tang and galloped down t.
Great Salt Lake tosee thesun set OF
the American Dead Sea. Twas Jus
in time. 1t was a sea of COLDER
tints--a majestic scene! The
musical murmur Of the wave.
could be beard, like myriads of
tiny bells ringing along the sand,
shore, while a light breeze from
the west gently rolled the image
of the sky on the surface of the
Lake. Away to the westward
where the bending sky seemed tc
meet the glowing water, l saw q
steam boat slowly makingits way e
C0rinne-a few sail vessels were
wandering over the lake, like
white lambs astray, and the last
rays of the setting sun tipped
the grassy hills on Antelope is.
land with splendid hues of green
and gold. The hues soon began
to change to deep red, then violet,
and then they assumed all the
tints Of the rainbow. At last,
like all earthly things, the gorge.
Gus tints began to fade, and as the
scene was wrapped in a curtain
of purple and silver, babe adieu
to.the sweet cadence of the crys-
tai waves as they laved the snowy
sands on the margin of the lake.
Nowhere, save on the sea shore,
can the tourist view such a spleu-
did sunset as the one | had seen
that evening The prairie be-
tween the lake and Salt Lake City
is an inclined plane carpeted with
grass, and was just in the mood
to enjoy a twelve mile ride that
evening, if my pony had behaved
properly; bat he suddenly CON-
menced Jumping at Il fearful rate
about twenty ieet at a jump and
lighting on bis fore feet with a
quick jerk. This movement of
mustang ponies is called "buck-
ing by the western people, and it
jars the rider fearlu,ly. The vi
cious animal soon "bucked" me
off on the prairie, and it was sew
cral minutes before | knew any
thing about fine sunsets" or even
the blue eyes Of the female Saints
of Utah. 1t was near midnight
before | arrived at the hotel. =
The next morning, l took my
position on the back of my po.
ny, and on the outside of him.
and took the road northward to
Montana. After wandering up
Bear river for twenty miles, |
left Utah, passed through a
portion of Idaho near Malad
city and was sOoE in Montana.
Once across the Rocky Noun
tains, / entered Beaver Head
Valley and came near losing
my life there. 1t happened in
this way-I was riding along
the road near the Jefferson riv-
er, when my attention was at
tracted towards a black cloud
that was hanging over the crest
Of a mountain on my right
Almost instantly, there was a
rattling noise, like that of a
wagon when smashed to pieces
by a runaway team. The cloud
had burst and the water (for it
was not a rain) fell in sheets
large streams of water came
roaring down the GITOyaS, on
the sides of the mountain, and,
[ knew at once, that it was a
"cloud burst [ saw my dan
ger, and my first impulse was
to climb a telegraph pole-I
leaped from my pony and tried
It. but the pole was slick as
creased lightning, and | slid to
the earth and found the water
at the top 6f my boots. Sud
denly it ceased. Only a small
part Of the cloud was directly
over me-the body of it had
bursted on the top of the noun
tain. Had ! been there, these
lines would never have been
written. Beaver Head runs-in-
to the Jefferson through the
valley already mentioned. Large
bands Of elk, deer, antelope and
rocky mountain sheep were
seen daily. / saw Indians In