The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-24
WHEN TOURISTS SHOULD GO TO THE
ROCKY MOUNTAINS.


Western, too. in the time selected for a trip in
tho Rocky Mountains. The hot weather of
June. July and August causes thousands to
rush to the highland towns; causes other thou
sands to go into tents that are pitched in tho
outskirts Of the mountain watering places. 1t
is true that these people escape from the In
tense heat of the arid wind-swept plains and
interior towns; but it is also true that they en-
ter the highlands when they are swarning with
insect life. and ut the very time they should be
avoided by all sensible persons, and they leave
the mountains just as the people who thorough
y understand mountain life begin to wipe out
their double -barrced guns and rifles and to
test their fishing rods and lines. The trappers.
placer miners. and prospcctors only seem to
know when life is most enjoyable In these rug
ged pne-cad hills.
During the summer months. until the middle
OF August the Rocky Mountain region Is in
tested with understanding insects Early in
June. before the snow has disappeared the
mosquitoes appear. The mountain mos
qnitoes arc the most vigorous OF their
kind. They are an insect of the daylight. tho
nights being too cold for their thin blood.
They apparently draw their life from the sun.
They hatch in ice water, and rising in the cool
air. fly through the forest to the nearest snow
bank. There they rest and survey tho country
miner Tho further north in the range you
may be. tho more numerous the mosquitoes
are. On the Peace River-but no one goes to
the Peace River for pleasure. so why retcl the
yarn an old Montana comrade of mine told to
me one July evening many years ago. as we.
wrapped in heavy blankets. sat in the dense
clouds of smoke rising from fire Of rcsnous
logs on the south bank of the Kootenay River?
In July. the deer ny-a winged staghound-
makes its appearance. These course through
the highlands. They drive the game almost
crazy. have seen one of these insects, about
the size OF a honey bee. take firm hold of u
200-pound man and fairly hurl him three feet
into the air and bite him again before lie came
down swearing. slapping. panic-strcken. and
asking in trembling tones if Indians were
about. and If they had MORALLY wounded him.
| These staghoundS Of the air are short lived.
month. happily spent by them in chasing the
elk and deer through the forests and driving
! them into the perpetual snowbanks and
through lofty mountain passes. keeping the
game constantly moving and thin in flesh and
| their life is ended.
| Late in July n gnat similar to the buffalo
gnat. but more cunning in attack than those
! stupid reckless insects. appears in moderate
numbers. These gnats are the most dreaded
| of all the mountain insects. Their bite causes
|
| intolerably.
Before the sharp frosts OF late August these
| insects disappear and then tho highlands are
free from ali insect life for the OF the year.
Ice forms almost every night in early Septem-
ber The grass in the deer parks is brown.
| The leaves of the willow bushes turn yellow.
The Oregon grape plants. low shrub. the
roots of which are highly valued for their
medicinal properties bend low under their
burdens OF purple grapes. The ripe. red.
mountain huckcberries thickly stud the four
inch high evergreen bushes. The grouse are
full grown and feed among the shrubs and on
| spruce buds. " .e pine squirrels are saucy.
The male deer and elk have grown their horns.
| and being free from insect attack are growing
fat. The presence OF female deer and elk with
their weaned young by their sides incites the
horned males to fierce combat. The believing
of bull elk as they roam through the forest
Turing the cows with sonorous calls resounds
along the pine-clad TANKS of the mighty
ranges. Occasionally patches of torn earth.
| where huge grizzly bears have dug for roots or
insects to satisfy their swine ike appetite, are
seen. startling the hunter and causing him to
Life is worth living in the Rocky, Mountains
during September and October. The season Of
| placer mining Is over. The air is cool. Tho
grass and shrubs are heavily coated with hoar
frost in the early morning. II is Indian sum
mer. The hay air is laden with the rcsinous
scent Of the eyerGreens and the odor of the ripe
Mild fruit. The pine trees seem to rejoice "a
and the flakes Of winter are at hand. The
mountaineer' know they arr. alive. because
mails They eat, sleep soundly roam through
the forests. ana know they have stomach. be-
cause. no matter how heartily they have eaten
of broiled elk or deer steaks and baked pota-
toes for breakfast. it is always empty before
noon. and compainingiy saying. See here,
para. Is not thls an unusually long morning
/ it not time for dinner! 1t ls surely o'clock
1t must be. | know the sun is not high. and
that your watch says it is but 9 O'Clock; but
don't you think the shortness of this climate
affects watches and sun dias Come let's eat
There is grouse in that tree. Shoot him and
cook h m on II stick. and let's eat him. | am
II was but Yesterday that weakly yielded to
the appeals OF Stomachus and shot cock blue
grouse. | roasted the fowl rs thoroughly as
possible; seeing that was hurried by the un.
that the bird Was sufficiently roasted when the
agreeable smell Of sngcd meat filed the air
Sat BY sprnG of lee water that gEshed from
ana ddrinkInr ai,isrward saw pretty sight.
was sharp. iliwhistn. and nimby running
over the pine need e-clad ground came SPUR
rel in pursuit another and large, squirrel. In
tent on escape, apparently bind With terror
the foremost squirrel ran TO within two feet oi
me before she SAW me. Seeing me. she threw
herself Z? one side and uttered IL loud
pursuit and nlmbIy climb trer. while
SAG Inns Spr.a ainc up .n ANOTHER oyt sitting 81
her sides ,hcaying and her tail jerking
neryously. she looked me- in the face, Appur
entity satisfied that l did not intend 10 harm
her she sat upright. and like mad" her tot
let. soon saw Il halt-grown squirrel descend
ing ueighbpring tree. He chHtted incc-suut
ly apparently calling his brothers and sisters
rs they speedily followed him Tn" foremost
OF the little ones saw his mother. who was re-
garding the descending squirrels with grra
interest, and uttered a little bark. Tie ar,iru,
lalCd something tntcllieihic to tn" others. as
they became highly excited and jumped uuIck
/ ~ from tree To tree and clambrrrd on To th"i
mother. They were reJocod t. Sru her. She
standing uprlght. pushed them OF. Uudauut
ed, they ri!rcss"! her tumb."d over her, hug
ged her Ii was apparent To mo that they wrr,
! art!ul.y aNlnE herlnto Il good humor, in hope,
of being allowed to draw nouri-hmnnt flun
exhausted fountains. Her counterfeit Of rlg,
was lrri'"t and pretty. Shr slapped, she hit
She kicked. and, kicking, clear Of tn
! four. ran M and down lofty trees IN,
along fallen logs, with The. -four youn.
children III eager pursuit. This chase lnstc,
for nearly an hVur. 1t looked like play. but i
was actually the manifestation of an rarncs
/ intention on the mothers part II wcan tn,
hali-grown SQUIRRELS. Durips the chase, tn,
father squirrel had sat. loudly prutrstin,
against my presence. in u nrishbOrinG tree