The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-27

of the Catholic Church--the same that Is
chanted in St Peters and before kings and
queens. The valleys are. hanked by gigantic
precipices formed by the action of the waves
in prehistoric ages when all the country was the
bed of some vast ocean. These precipices appear
to have been their shores. For the most part
they are perpendicular and pillared banks OF hard
red clay white or red sandstone rocks. Often
they are carved by the action of the waters into
fantastic shapes, resembling IN the distance
grand castles, churches and cathedrals. AT their
bases lie gigantic streams of black lava, scanned
and broken as if they had cooled only the night
before Astronomers speak of the moon as be-
ing mass of dead matter. Western New Mex
leo puts onefn mind of an extinct world: 1t is
aland of destruction and devastation. which In
former ages, after being harried by volcanic fires,
was afterwards deserted by God and turned over
to the floods and storms
AS we approach Arizona the scenery gradually
changes, valleys and rivers make their appear
ance and with them the Navajos and other
tribes Of red men, and their fioeks and herds.
Gradually the lava and mountains die away and
the vast stretches of what was once known as
the great American desert take their place.
Arizona is a euphemism for AMID zone, but to
my mind the blunt Saxon 'term-great American
desert-cannot be improved upon, although 1t
would no doubt hurt tho political prospects of
the land-office receivers and those aspiring
Statesmen who hope in few years to become
it's representatives at Washington. Think OF
vice-president Hendricks blandiy recognizing
''the senator from the great American desert
The territorial extent of these vast countries
is almost incredible. New Mexico is equivalents
to over six States like Indiana, while Apache
county, Arizona, is larger than from the OHIO
river to Michigan. The nearest neighbor to the
Wabash Cattle Company's ranch, from which
am writing. is over twelve miles away, while
the ranch itself is trIf1ing affair of 6Go, 600
acres the settlers in this strange country never
try land, it is always water. good spring is a
bonanza BY the statute law OF this Territory
the ownership or possession of a pool Of water
entities it proprietor passport to keep OF all in
truders for two miles in either and all directions
The buildings of this ranch are near a couple OF
pools that constitute the only watering places
for over thirty miles upon the highway lead
ing from the railroad to the county seat.
Here, in couple of dcpressions in the
sand, exactly resembling bowls, side
and salt water The fresh water is as clear and
cold as il from the snow fields upon mountain,
while the salt water Is to the touch as soft as
silk and can be whipped into lather of foam.
Here at all hours of the day long lines of sleek
cattle come In from the ranches 20 drink. The
whole country is covered for miles and miles
with curious dwarfed CEDAR which affords the
herds shelter from sun and storm and the herds
man invaluable material for corrals and fire.
wood. They grow almost thirty feet apart, and
the sandy interval is clothed with buffalo and
gramma grass and nutritious sage bushes,
upon which stock range and keep fat
the year round. Cattle will go two
days, when necessary without water. Finer
looking cattle never saw. Herdsmen will not
buy the long horned Texas variety, and often
import choice herds from the States for the pur
pose Of giving character to the ranch The
Territory is rapidly being filled up by the
very best class of Eastern and Western people.
Upon the cars | met three New England ladies,
exaellently well-dressed and whose conversation
indicated the highest intelligence, who were 60
ing with their husbands into the heart of Ari
iona, hundred miles distant from the railway,
to take charge of the domestic affairs of their
ranches. have made the acquaintance of sew
eral cowboys and found them, notwith
standing their enormous whiskers and
hats, and the artillery that they wear in
their belts, by no means the outlaws that the
dime novels picture them Underneath their
bespanged hats is the kindly human face, and
within their sunburned exterior beats the
kindly, although it must be acknowledged
rough, human heart The further / travel the
more l see Of the human race, the more I ad
mire and find to be true the profound sentence
of ST. Paul: 'For He hath made of one blood
all the nations of the EARTH" The cowboy has
his code of honor and his ideals of life, dress and
manners. What right have any of US in our small
cenceit to say: 1--WE are holier than thou9
d. p. BALDWIN.
SALT LAKE, Apache County, A. T., April 20.