Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-03-31
CHAPTERS ON COLORADO.


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of young bears and young mountains.
We will now drop the bears and leave
them to the bearesses, and have word
or two more of the young mountains.
There are some of these mounts so very
small that they are actually not more
than twenty times as large as the Island
of Mackinaw. But oh, let US not talk
of:the homeliness and tameness of that
great magnificent wonder Of the northern
world, compared with the smallest
and homeliest one of these. You might
as we'll compare toad stool to cauli-
flower. The next thing that draws our
attention is the Castle Rock. 1t stands
on a small hill near the roadside, the
granite walks Of which tower perpendic
ular to the height of three hundred
feet. A handsomer and more complete
formed castle no man need wish to look
upon. Clothed with all its angles, tow
ers and turrets, need not describe it
further-a castle complete, only of more
vast and ponderous size than man ever
erected.
Now few miles, and we come to the
town of Monument, taking its name
from the wonders around ii. A beauti.
full little town itself, surrounded by all
manner Of natural monumental struc
lures, obelisk, minaret, spire pyramid
and monumental shafts, with many other
formations of fantastic shape; some of
these rising in complete shaft-Iike form
from the level to the height OF over
three hundred feet, some of which are
crowned with very extraordinary orna-
mental work, but ali Of nature. Pass
we on to Pueblo. the second town in size,
I believe, i'm the state, situatek on the
plain close to the Foot mountains. Stop
here little, then proceed south for
LaVeta. Pass stations and many things
of interest, we get (when the Foot hills
will permit,) passing glance at the
great sublime Pixies Peak, only fourteen
thousand three hundred feet i'm altitude.
There goes two jack rabbits, great, lanky
fellows, ears nine inches long.
Onward. and arrive at LaVeta in the
night. Stop at the Plaza Hotel, which,
by-the-way, was the first adobe, or Dolby
building had ever seen, Ihave seen
plenty of them since. Here two days
waiting for the coach to carry us to Lake
City, in the San Juan country, Tor San
wan,n as it is pronouncedj. This San
Juan country comprises nearly all the
southwest quarter of the state. Its limits
are indefinite, and takes its name from a
stream which runs through part OF it,
and is tributary of the great Colorado
of the west that empties into the Gulf of
California, and so it is on the Pacific
slope.
While in LaVeta occupied the time
III little sightseeing. Beautiful wales
and mounts, clear streams, luxuriant
growths, plenty of hustle for the ''San
Wan" But the greatest scene of all was
the Spanish peaks, which overlook til,
town, towering aloft like huge pyramids
heavily snow-capped. although an almOs
tropical summer below.
We start early next morning. Off We
90. our coach and six. directly west fol
the mountains. Up and up the rocky
roads till we strike fairly into the Sangle
de Christie range. which lame in Spanish
is the Blood of Christ mountains.
These Spanish like the French) seem
to like the names of saints and deity tC
call places and things by; very religious
people, deeming, perhaps, that giving
such names will gain them g free pass tC
heaven, while, perchance, if they gel
YOUR back turned they would run knife
in you, although they are too cOwardly
TO face you with one.
These mountains are very picturesque
the most unbrOken range l have seen
mainly twelve thousand feet, very peaked
on the summiIs, they look at a distanc,
"a old Dryden said of his cocks comb
s.dented and embattled like castle wall
Up we 90. seeming to swing between
heaven and earth, winding around thei
cone-like sides, the road so narrow tina
we clnnOt see it unless we project OH
head over the door of the coach, then w,
see The wheels from foot to six inche
FROM the edge OF the precipice, wher
the dark chasm yawns many hundred
feet below. Look out on the other side
and wesee tremendous cragS overhangins
us: some dizzy heads would reel, bu
from these heights the scenery is sublime
On dash our six sturdy 2thOns till W.
gain the summit of the range, or tn
divide" Now we descend their west
ern slope on like road. Some would
think every minute to get sheer launch
of hundreds of feet into the canon be
low, but had seen somewhat of noun
tains, and when young had been raise(
among them, so it came to me. as gOins
aboard ship, as natural as though haC
but left them the week before.
Here. we met with brook trout il
plepty; we could look from the cOacl
and see them in dozens. Beaver also il
this stream, have seen some. Wher
we stopped at ranches for meals we hat
plenty of trout.
Down we go, and gradually gain tn
great San Luis park, between the Sangr
dc Christie ranges. You must not pic
ture to yourself the parks of your knOwl
edoe. this one is seventy-five miles long
and twenty-five wide, without shrub o
tree but wild sage. which almost cover
it, and a few other plants resembling II
sparse line of aspens which show Tia
course of the Rio Grande del Norte, il
snake-like windings across its surface T.
the westward. which river We touch
several points, and where we Sc
trout in abundance, some OF which ar
very larOa