Delta chief., 1884-02-13
RAMBIINGs OF AN IDLER.
A Trip Through FOrked Tongue and
Its Tributaries.

informed you done with u view to obtaining
situation, but it seems as if you have thus
far seen fit to ignore my petition, and will
have to do as the Bible says, ''labor without
ceasing," if l may reasonably expect my
prayers to be answered hence the following.
The portion of country of which | am to
speak is that ad accent to Forked Tongue and
its tributaries. My visit to Surface creek was
made on footback and wishing to improve if
possible on such mode of travel screwed
my CHECK" up to about seven hundred fine,
and tackled Surface creek ranchnian for
one of his cayuses, and to my surprise he
complied with my wish, and am no longer
"sod-pounder." Forked Tongue proper is
formed by the uniting of its tributaries, five
in number, which drain II large amount of
country, situated on the southern slope of the
Grand mesa, north of Delta. The lay of the
country is such as to render it highly valua-
Bile not only as II farming country but for
grazing purposes, it being one of the best
cattle ranges in western Colorado This en-
tire slope is to the south, securing ut all times
the full force of the sun, which, rs a matter
of fact, even in mil-winter, rids II large por-
tion of this slope of snow thereby aiiordIng
an unlimited stock range the year round.
Besides the valleys along the creeks, there
are numerous small mesas all of which
highly susceptible of cultivation, as there is
an abundance of water easy of access, and OF
the very best quality for domestic purposes
There is scarcity of timber. Cottonwood
is in abundance along the creeks, cedar posts
by the thousands in the cedar belt just above
with an unlimited supply of quakingasp,
spruce and pine on the mesa
The first man converted into host was
Vim. Young, who has ranch the east
branch of Tongue creek where he has resided
since the spring of 80. Mr.. Young was for
merly of Lake City, where he spent several
seasons tramping over the hill III search of
that 'the love OF which is the root of all evil"
He has some very nice hogs well as chick
ems, in which he takes just pride in attend
ing to. In expressing his views of II ranch
mans life on the Reservation he said: e
| have been successful in the raising of one
thing, potatoes, of which will sell man
one. two three tons. and warrant every po-
| tato as big AS his foot but d-n ranchIng
without Woman" At ihis juncture, about
8 Il. m, the wind blew oil my hat, the band
struck mp that familiar old hymn, "What is
Home without Mother, and left. Taking
an easterly direction soon found myself at
! the domicie of Thos. Hainline, who lives on
| the second branch of Tongue creek from the
| east. He has IA small bunch of cattle, between
which he expects to divide his time and
ranching. He has an excellent ranch and is
well pleased with the country. There lives
on this branch several ranchmen, but owing
to the incemency of the weather | was un-
able to visit their respective ranches.
| From here proceeded west, halting only
at such places "a found it necessary TO clear
the course of dead cedar tops, sage brush,
ETC., of which there seemed to be II multiple
| ity. However, being favored by kind
| providence, ] Mt last hove in sight of the
residence of W. IL Pollard, where ! was
ushered in and permitted to dry and thaw
out, having ridden for some time in rail-
attended with dashes of snow, which tended
to convey the idea that my presence was not
wanted in these parts. and my visit untmely.
| by the man whose ducks went in the direction
of q country the climate of which is from all
accounts anything but congenial. Mr.. Pol
lard says he has roamed over the country for
a long while but has finally struck it. /. C.,
has.struck place where he can, with his
family, enjoy perfect health, kill deer or
catch mess of trout any day in the year; in
! fact. said he, 81 have come to stay" IL was
here got directions over the trail leading to
Amasa Feathers, said trail led over, or rather
along, the backbone of n ridge just wide
enough to admit of the trail passing, with
deep cavernOus gulches on either side. Add
to this the horror of being that ridge on
bare-footed horse, with no place the
trail wide enough to admit of my dismount-
ing, and the ground as slippery as an otter
slide. Picture this out in your Imagination,
and you have then but a faint idea of my
feelings, as the least mistake on the part of
| the horse would have prccipitated us to the
bottom of a gulch at least one and One-half
miles below. Being of u God-loving, God
fearing turn of mind, naturally sought con.
ISOLATION in biblical lore, one passage of which
seemed to read thus: IF the Lord is for you
/ who can be against you?" Consoling myself
as best could with this passage | pressed
! forward, arriving at Mr.. Feathers at 2 y. IN.
| was soon informed of the fact that was too
late for dinner, but the hostess lost no time
| in placing before me goodly number of pies
and cakes upon which | waged war, and that
/ in manner that at once conveyed to the
good wife the fact that pies and cakes stood
about as much show in my presence as
SNOWFALL would in-that county where we
don't want to go. After eating about fifty
! five minutes by the watch, it was gently
hinted that they always had supper at the
usual hour, and in company with the host we
took stroll about the ranch, which is on
about the same elevation above the surround
| ing country as the mesas along the rivers do
over the rivers and valleys. My curiosity
| being rather excited as to how he got water
for farming purposes, he showed me the sur
veyed line of his ditch, part of which is COM
| pleted and works admirably. IL was here
that was convinced of the fact that water
would run up hill, for standing in the valley
below the line of the ditch com mpleted had the
appearance, for all the world, of one of the
| Ute trails that so commonly mark the sides Of
|. the mesas. The ditch in question is being
| dug by Messrs. Feathers x Pifer, and is being
| built for irrigatng and domestic purposes the
coming season. The soil on this mesa is of
loose, red loan, very clear of stone, and
| lays well for irrigating. Mr.. Feathers thinks
| the altitude of his ranch is about $500 feet
| and that the climate is milder than in the