The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-02-04


friends continued their journey. and
we had to pack up. our goods. catch
and box hens and cats, hunt for Jennie
Blue, the greyhound, sc. Then came
our adieus to our neighbors, for. the
last II days, and we were on the road
again. 1t was desirable TO get near the
snow as possible, so we could cross.
over in the morning while it was
frozen. Those who dined with us had
our supper ready when we reached the
stopping place, and Mr.. Sims gave
sleeping room in his house and grana-
ries for Is of us at least; Mr.. Moody
and son were camped near with 2 herd
ers and several thousand sheep, and
several loads Of Gypsies, that is, the
women and children were Gypsies, the
men appeared to be Englishmen. You
might suppose those travellers, herders,
&C., would be tired enough to retire
early, but such was not the case; they
brought out couple Of violins and
had a dance, and said they amused
themselves the same way the evening
before. We. understood afterwards
that the GypSies kept guard all night,
the women even taking a watch, while
the rest Of US slept the sleep of the
innocent and never thought of guard
ing our property. The next morn we
left the lumber wagon. trunks, &c,
brother taking our bedding and lunch
box in the light wagon, and we follow
ing in the little buggy. The arranging
took time, so we were the last to get
started, and when we reached the
steepest part of the mountain heard
Ho, Emma" coming from above, and
looking up through the heavy timber,
saw the last of the other teams, so far
above us and going in. the opposite di-
rection.
When we came to the snow all but
the drivers were glad to alight. The
snow gets soft down next the rocks first:
if not deep, melts and runs off, so the
team may go through when you least
expect it, and the wagon comes down
with rush every time it comes to the
ground, unless prevented by using the
brake. 1t WAS most dangerous in the
buggy, for there was no brake, and our
horse Eighty. The occasional breaking
through the crust on the snow made
me afraid to try horseback riding, but
several young Understanding my
youngest daughter-Were glad to get q
horse to ride. Our neighbors had to
double teams, and take up one load at
a time, and must follow the windings
Of the road, while we pedestrians and
those on horses went directly up the
mountain eide. When we gained the
summit my brother and daughter had
passed the other teams, and were start
ing down the other side. / did not wish
to lose sight of them, so FASTENED after
with my little boy, but were behind a
covered Gypsy wagon that turned over
in the ascent. The young man did not
| wish to drive down the perilous road
| An elderly heavy set man who was
trying to steady the wagon by pulling
on a rope fastened to the front and
passing diagonally across the top said
You ought to be able to drive, If that
girl can" A few rods below the sum.
nit Is a place called "The Robbers
Roost." There are steep rocks extending
upward on the left, and a deep descent
down to the right. The fear of rolling
down the mountain led the young man
! to drive a little back from the edge
and the wagon hub became fast upon
the rock. Everything assumed a
bloody" hue, judging by the. old
mans oaths, and we could hear him
clustering longer than we could see
them, after we passed them. They took
the horses off and tried to get the
wagon out by hand; would not let,any
one help. for fear some hiron " would
be broken. It was we'll our teams were
ahead. Our neighbors stopped to lunch
on the summit, and when they came to
the Gypsy wagon they hitched on their
teams and took it out in a hurry. One
man said, if the old fellow would not
| let them take the wagon cut of the
way by fair means, they would rolfit
down the bank. Those we met encour-
aged Carrie by telling her she would
be killed. One man said, "You don't
intend to let that girl drive down the
mountain? Why there has not a man
drove down yet but was turned over or
thrown out" Brother replied, "it is
time we make a change in drivers"
That morning man had been thrown
from his wagon and kicked 80 severely
by his horse that he could not continue
his journey. We heard Of a good many
who were thrown from the stage or
other vehicle afterWard, but none of
them were hurt badly, though several
were ladies. But cutting across the
zigZags and almost running down the
slopes-it was not easy to avoid run
ning-we kept even with our teams.
| The width of the snow, was variously
estimated at from 21a to five miles, !
concluded the PA was straight across
as a bird might fly and the the real
distance We travelled. 1t took US 2K
hours, and my feet were just soaking,
and muddy quite above my high shoes.
We reached brothers place that after
noon, found Mr.. Sauber making biscuit
!, for supper. They brought the sheep
Toy different route. and had been here
10 days. Edwin's schoolmates may
wish to hear that he learned to shoot
quail while camping out, and ne shot
deer in the shoulder one day; it ran,
and he did not know it could run with
a death wound so did not follow. it.
We have moved from one ranch to an
other since we were here. This moving
so often with such large family is not
very pleasant. The most Of our neigh
bors started to the valley the 1st of
this month. They shear their sheep
down there. 1t was. cold through
Augustine been pleasanter this month,
is freezing quite hard nights, now. We
are looking daily for brothers return
from the valley to move us down to
Cana, Butte Co., again. The mountain
meadows are $500 feet above sea level,
and favorite summer resort, but
must defer telling you about them at
present, as my sheet is full.
This is continuation of the travels
in my last letter.
Mrs. ]. SAUBgR.
-~-~-~--~s-. .~~0
Mr.. EDIToR.--I felt called upon,
some time ago, to express my views on
the slavery question. Bezeek has at