The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-02-06


over the ground, pointing towards the
east, showing the prevalence OF west
ern winds. The water gushes from
it's crystal fount rejoicing in its free
dom, but in places it becomes dis
colored by the sdmixture OF saline
and alkaline substances which so
deeply impreguate i. with death deal
ing properties that woe to the ami.
mails unwsry enough TO drink OF it.
for q few hours, or day at most, will
be apt to end their lives aud misery
together.
The morning was mild and beauti-
full, not even a cloud bedimmipg the
horizon around when three of us
slung our powder-horns and bullet
pouches over our shoulders, picked up
our rifles and eft our camp, deter
mined to have q days hunting after
antelope, which were then plentiful
in that region. Our nights camp
had been made upon the very top of
the pass, three miles at least from
water, that cur animals might have
the advantage OF the luxuriant grass
which there abounded and escape
drinking the poisonous waters spread
ing over portions Of the lower lands.
1t was in the hoWery month of May,
and though in so high an altitude. We
met with the wild rose, the dandelion
and in some quiet, retired hooks We
met with the modest bIue-bell. Other
flowers, of different hues and kinds,
reared their heads to the genial sun,
aud the hills around seemed clad in
their richest and gaysst green, for the
warmth OF summers sun had not yet
sered the leaf and shrub.
When We left the previous nights
encsmpment we directed our course
almost to southern point, at right
angles with the road pursued by our
friends. Ascending a low range OF
bills about two miles away, and look
ing back. as We stopped on the brow
OF the hill to breathe ourselves, we
saw the smoke OF the deserted camp
fires rising lazily aloft, while the
white covers of the wagons. with the
long strings Of oxen, lay like a SER
pent in the road. We speedily
turned, and descending into a valley
between two ridges, lost sight OF all
life but that presented by our little
party and By inanimate nature
around.
Thirsty and hungry, after some
hours steady walking, during which
we were unfortunate enough TO see
nothing worthy of being shot at,
we made for clump OF
trees We saw growing in a hol-
low formed by a bend in the
mountain. at the top of a long, fat
bench. AS We assembled, the grove of
trees, which from below We thought
but small, we found to be large one
of the cottonwood and aspen species.
covering several hundred acres. 1t
was thickly filled with underbrush of
thorn, chokecherry. service berry and
of rose bush. Within the shade Of
the grove, from the base of the noun
tain which overhung it, bubbled forth
q clear and cold spring, whose waters
flowed in mimic fury down the hill,
through the forest and became lost in
the thirsty earth, just after emerging
into the day beyond.
Below the grove we came upon a
rude csirnr or grave, in which re-
posed the remains of a man, as the
hesdstone, huge boulder, told US,
John Andrews, aged 80 wears.
killed by Indians, JuIe 10Th, 1885"
cut rudely In the stone in almost ur-
readable characters. We stopped for
a few minutss to look at this, then
entered the grove, and selecting a
nice, shady place, we eat down by
the bAbbling brook aud moistening
few crackers in the clear stream we
our thirs. and hunger.
My companions were dissimilar in
character. The younger like myself
is easily disposed Of. He was young
man of but little experience, but with
q good and kind heart. He had then
seen but the bright side OF life with
none of its sorrows, except such rs
are incident to the disappointment in
not realizing the wild Maynard
dreams youth will form, in spite and
defiance of the sage counsel OF our
seniors. The other person OF our
party was of an entirely different
Kind. He did not talk much of his
past lie, consequently, though l had |
Known him for years, l knew COM
oaratively but little OF his history pre-
Iious to our acquaintance. He was
,ast middle age in life, yet his form
lad lost none of its suppleness and
trength, nor his muscles their elias
lefty. nor the eye it fire. He was
inc specimen OF tho veteran frontiers.
nan; a cure shot with pistol or rife,
, kind companion to his associates
lot qusrrelsome nor easily offended,
nd good and true friend. | knew
10 had had remarkable past
experience. although he laid but
title about it, yet, at times,
ie would break through his
eseIve and talk OF desperate forays
nd hRir-bresth escapes fromiIndisns.
had noticed he looked gloomy and
lougiul when We came in sight of
De grave on the slope below, but said
othing, for l knew him well CROUCH i
} took for repulse, if undue curl
5ity were exhibited. Thereto e, we !
IT him to explain, or not, as he
nose, the cause of his gloomy
pp5arence.
After we had set sometime in the '
,ol shad OF the trees, our rifles lying q
sside US on the green sward, our s
ssds barred to the refreshing breezes
at played among the leaves; en-
.ged myself, in casting small sticks
10 the brook, watching them float
er the edge of a little waterfall
low. My elder companion spoke: .
"You saw that grave down below
erei"
YES"
We'll, I know you saw it and
ereby hangs a tale."
"WnatW said 1 "hsve you ever
IN this place before2"
Aye, that I have. boy, even
lore you were born. l have
down in this grove and D
rhsps this very spot more than r.
snty years sgo-aye, and l wished c.
sell thousand miles away at the
le, too. There is not a tree here
. what seem to know. though l
not have overmuch time to spend