The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-02-22
MR.. BLUESKIN.

NH. blu EOhlN.
Not far from the military post of Fort
Garland, which is situated in Costilla
county Colorado, almost at the foot of
the Sierra Blanca the peaks of which are
ID, 900 feet above the sea, rushing
stream tumbles from the summit of the
Trinchera into the San Luis valley, and
then flows calmly for a score or so of
miles to its confluence with the Rio
Grande. On the bank of this stream,
which takes its name from the peak
whose perennial SHOWS give it existence,
there dwells a gentleman whom | pro-
pose to call Blueskin, for short. l hest
tate to announce the name he goes by, as
his peculiarities with firearms have not
been confined to the determination of
quadrupeds; and | am here for nv health,
as are most of the ''honest miners here
about. What his name was before he
appeared in Colorado is not known to
even the oldest of the pioneers, for he
came out when the country was being
weaned.
In 1877, many years before it was
thought possible for a locomotive to
climb the rugged sides of the rocky cliffs
Luis park, the mails and what few tourists
came that way were brought over the San
gre de Cristo pass by stage, and in adj
dition to the natural difficulties of such
trip were those offered by band of
Mexican outlaws, three in number, whose
depredations were SO frequent and so
successful that the governor of the Ter
ritory was at last induced to offer re-
ward of $500, to be paid to the proper
party upon evidence of their capture or
determination, certified to by the nearest
civil military authority. Mr.. Blueskin,
who had at that time but lately recovered
from the effects of an interview with
grizzly bear, at the close of which the
bear had become merchantable for food.
and Mr. Blueskin nearly So but for sci
entific purposes-Mr. Blueskin proposed
to himself to see what he could do to-
ward obtaining the reward, as his doc
tors bill for repairs was a little heavy;
and so, without announcing his inten-
ton, rode one morning carelessly on his
broncho up the road toward the Sangre
de Cristo, and for the space of day
was seen no more. If his disappearance
excited any remark among the English
speaking community, which, outside of
the fort, was not more than half dozen
in number, it was expressed in semi
shrug of the shoulders and the single
word Barr The MeXfcans grinned.
All MeXicans do-even when dead.
If Mr.. Blueskin had not mentioned to
me what he had done after he left the
main road and struck into the pinons
that fringe the foothills of the Sangre de
Cristo, it would require but few words
to relate what occurred after he came
out again; and as he is the only witness
in the case, it will be necessary to pre-
sent his own testimony as to what did
occur. He soon found trail and fol-
lowed its ascending sinuosities until it
became lost in the tumble of boldcrs
which formed the base of the peak Here
he halted, alighted, looked anxiously
about for u moment, and then leading
his ure-footed beast toward what seemed
to be an utterly impenetrable mass of
rock, all at once disappeared with the
animal. Almost Immediately he came
into view again, but alone, and then
carefully retraced his steps for nearly a
mile, frequently pausing as if to listen,
and bringing his rifle down from his
shoulder into both hands as he peered for
ward into the pinnons, which, as he de
scended, grew more and more dense, and
thus increased the difficulty of travelling.
Suddenly he stopped, and after another
look forward, behind and on each side
of him. struck off to the left. This time
there was no trail to guide him, but he
kept straight on as rapidly and, thanks
to his moccasined feet, almost as noise
lessly as a snake, until the now lessening
growth of timber brought into view, at a
distance of less than hundred yards
what appeared to be an extinct crater,
save that its sides were formed of i'm
mense bolders which some convulsion
of prehistoric days had piled up in the
space of an acre with striking precision.
Within this was the Robbers Roost.
But, as it was time for the stage to come
through the pass, about mile beneath,
none of the gentry were at home. Blue
skin had counted upon this, but with a
trapper's caution he took no chances,
and, after placing his broad -bladed
hunting-knife between his teeth, slung
his rifle across his back, and, crouching
TO the ground, crawled upon his stomach
until he had gained IA crevice between
two high rocks Commanding clear view
of the robbers abode beneath, which n
careful scrutiny assured him was. unten-
anted. Then, as it was still light, and
not probable that the objects of his ex-
petition would be where he wanted
them to be for some hours, he laid down,
and, like an Indian, an animal, or a
child, went to sleep, having first placed
beside him his loaded rifle and the two
revo!vers he always carried in his belt.
He was quite secure, as his position was
inaccessible from below and could only