Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-25
aTHE RIVER OF LIFE"
A SpriohtIy Letter from q New
Mexico Tourist.
THE TRAIL OF AN APACHE CHEF.
Monumental Rocks That surpass the Famous
Garden Of the Gods-How lnger-
soil Got left in Min
ing Venture.
Correspondence Of the Registtr.

Correspondence Of tie R>gistr.
HEARr OF THE BLACK RANGE, DoSA Ana
Co, NKw MExIoo, September Isl cannot
resist the temptation Of writing the REsp.
rER few lines from this camp, in the home
Of the bear, deer and wild turkey. On
some OF the maps this Is called the Head Of
the Minbres, or Heart o. the Black Range.
From here flows the Rio Animas, or "River
Of Life" named so probably because dow.
ing from the highest elevation or head Of
the range, or on account Of it, heading In
the heart Of this range Of mountains, and
animated as it is with game and fish OF all
kinds. The river, as II dashes among tho
rocks Is filled with many different kinds
OF fish, and we have had supper and break.
fast on all the fish We cocld eat. few
rods below us We counted four bear skins,
the result OF three days encampmsnt BY
one hunter who had never shot bear be-
fore In his life. We were . little skeptical
about believing his stories until We saw the
bear skins lying around. Deer and Wild
turkey came around his camp every day.
but he hunted only for bear, he tells Us.
But hark,
lHear shot Near Camp.
Our boys have just finished breakfast aud
started on hunt. Nose has gone Q hsh.
ing. In front Of me are Ave squirrels
sporting on tall pine tree; and in ths
stream below fish by the hundred are dart
ing through the perfectly transparent
water, andMose says, ready to bite the bait
hook snd jump into your hand ~ fast as
they can be pulled out
have been among some OF the iihest
snd widest scenery In Colorado and West.
trn Territories, and have travelled over
some wild and romantic spots among tho
Alleghenies and the Blue Ridge, and Was
not prepared 10 see such scenery S We
have around us, and as We passed on trav.
ellng up Il eAnemas river yesterday. Noun.
tain scenery that is worth looking at Is In
describable. When one spends months
among the mountains, OF course II tskes
something unique and out of the way OF
ordinary mountain scenery 10 create any
enthusiasm.
All phases Of mountain character seem
to lie thrown in here. High and pennacled
peaks, dyke crowned cliffs, castsllatsd
combs OF rugged rocks, deep and dark gul.
deer, the timid turkey and the brave bear.
Bears have the reputation OF being very
brave and ferocious. A short distance be.
low camp Is q large field OF standing or
monumen n tai rocks. along side OF which
the Garden OF the Gods In Colorado would
only be a door plat, and ] remember TAX
ing Off my hat In reverence the hrst time
passed through the scarlet colored rocks
Of the Golden Gate, at what 10 now Man
itou.
The Tra,I Of the Apache ChseG.
This country also possesses some histort-
cal interest We came here over the trail Of
"Old Vic" which he used when he raided
among the foothills OF the Rio Grande Va.
ley, on one OF which raids only two years
ago with band Of seventy five Apache's,
he murdered 30 people. About ten miles
back we pass over one OF his battle grounds
where from an ambush In High Cliiis ho
attacked two companies OF L. 5. cavalry
Hnder command Of Col. Byers. Cartridge
shells are still thokly strewn over the
ground. About the same distance TO the
north, on the polomas, (which Is Mexican
for another part OF the body is another
battle ground, fought between Vic's band
a body OF citizens known - Parkers
Scouts. in which the scouts got away With
the Indian body, and am told that the
bones and hair Of Indians are still TO DO
found lying around with other debris Of
the battle. This was Nic's last raid. He
was shortly afterward killed In Mexico
during raid there.
Let us hope that these Indian raids are
all over and We turn TO our own raid Into
the heart OF this country. Nose Ray, who
10 along. called US the 'assinine party"
there being six men aud three jackassss.
making nine, the asses taking the lead.
As we iourneysd along through the unbro-
ken wilderness, Frazier and Porter mount
ed and In the lead, was often reminded OF
the days when Fremont and Kit Carson
travelled through this country on thslf
mission as pathhndes.
We fnd on the river bottom here many
varieties Of Wild grapes, % fully rips and
some yet green; different varieties OF Wild
cherries, raspberries, Wild pumpkins. po-
taroes, etc. The squirrels and other game
wTe fsueniDg on these A. well - scorns,
ard pinon nuts. OF which there is IN abund.
snts. Besides these there are acres Of
hops, the veritable hop from which the
'u,Vers makes our beer, and our wives
rsI,e our bread. In such country - this
xr'ma little assistance, one should think
thnt nature would not allow fellow 70
stsrve. We alsJ passed through several
hslCs of luruTiant granana grass,
Tboasaods ef Acres
of which the foot OF the COW bas never
,rodden. On the mesas and ridges grcsn.
the Mexican banAns, q very pslatable fruit,
something like the Southern banana, are
Just getting ripe. Another days ride, they
tell US, would take % up 70 Clorids.
Robson, the lvsnhse, and othsr noted
mines and mining camps. The Ivanhoe 10
the mine In which Bob 1ngsrsoll and his
friends were interested snd got lsft.
want 10 tell story on lngsrSoll II ]
can be INDUCED. When he came out 70
zee the mine In which he was interested,
Gillette, the mins wrecksr, who hsd the
reputation Of wreckins svsfy mine Win
which be has anything 10 do and num-
bers among the ,cslps ct his Eirdls the
Ivsuboe Lake Valley. 10 this sec.
tim acted ~ bis guide. He does not
exactly wreck the mine, but wrecks
those who own or have stock IN ne
mine. 30 ray the workman here, and
from one OF them heard this story on
Bob. Gillette had in his outbt . mule
named jesus Mexican animal, and %
you may know, this common name for
MtIican men, ~ we'll - mules and buf'
rors.
"Jesus'' wsuld buck. as fne looking
m ules and bnonchos out here often VIII.
In going out 70 see The mine Gillette .:
signed "Jesas' 10 Ibsersoll. He mounted.
Whether from interest or not, tbs mule
.Jesas,, ThSew lnGeyssi,
snd his frssnds a. veil - foes hers enjoy
the story very much. and although tbs
great Jesus himself would ride colt the
foal OF - 90. Ingsrsoll, could not
Further and sSpropos Of the great inndsl
a. con Docted wan mine Wrecklng. Wa
he went 10 the mine snd eIsmiDsd be
remar lsd that the mips had bseu reported
10 hinA q worth . niIlion, but . btllioa
vouii1 not cover its worth, and yhsn he
went home ~ indeed his friends 70 10.
vest The result was that thSy lost. bos
Bob uss hoaorsbis enough 10 make up -
bia friends al tbsy hsd iogt; and ays The
NJ iper who told ne this " be would Ike
to vote f1 him for President. although be
did not hslieys In him, bot hS did believe
IN square dealisEa Indeed sons OF the
old miners hsve peculiar bsnsfs. bot tesy
| all believe in killing OF Indiana whsthse
/ they ass on OF o6 tAs ssssrysfioa. fhsy
ihink that The Apsehss "plsyed is %
| Gen. Crook, Who tSsy admire - Q man. bat
10 use the commoa sIpsessioc here think
| he J. of his NUT % IN Indian fighter.
rsnt there 10 no s,countins for tsstss.
| sens, however. believe thst Dorssy doce
1 be iaasre thing when be 10 bore on biz
.ncb in New MEXICO. he ho 10. reck:
r or ,0ms Of bis Gov boys would send