Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-08-13

tresses are improvised and made |
of Colorado feathers, pine boughsl
and valley feathers, (hay) and
are covered with material in guam
tity and quality suited to the
eoolness of the nights, SO tha
nothing except mosquitoes and
possibly bad conscience could
interfere with ones rest, and
would say that with little pro-
lection against moquitoes we slept
soundly.
For supper there were two
miners and three visitors OF us
and there being only three sit
tings (boxes) I waited till second
table, which waiting and unusual
exercise l had, no doubt improved
the quantity of the supper.
Now, gentle reader, after my
recital of some of the rude environ
ments of the miner l hatter my
self that 1 have already excited in
you some sympathy because Of our
bill of fare such as would seem a
natural accompaniment, but | wish
to say for the miner that the mar
ket affords nothing too good for
him to eat. The canned vegetables
to be had nowadays are a con-
venience to him and the purity of
the atmosphere prevents his food
from spelling; experience makes
him good cook, and his hospitali-
ty cannot be surpassed; his assur-
ance of welcome is untainted with
affection, and his "come again" is
from an unquestioned sincerity
that is a genuine satisfaction to
the pilgrim.
Yesterday, the 14th, was set
apart for tramp to Gray's Peak
one of the highest peaks in Colo
RADIO. 'The Mint mine is in the
north end of Mcclellan mountain,
in shape semi-circle, and joins
Gray's Peak at its southern ex-
tremity. The east and convex
side affords pasture { if there were
any stock to eat it, and the west
side would be nearly perpendicu-
lar out for the numerous "hog's
backs" which are void of all shape,
and the ever falling rocks and
earth that give it in places a slop-
ing surface. Within the half cir
Gle formed by this mountain is
Kelso mountain, beautiful from
It's symmetry and the greenness OF
its vegetation, and wealthy from
its mineral resources, as evidenced
by its many mines.
The route to Gray's Peak, as
recommended to US, follows the
ridge of Mcclellan mountain. Mr..
Lee who accompanied me, knew
what we were undertaking, though
he had not Travelled it; l know
) now, because [ have travelled it.
My impression of the route two
days ago, from looking it over,
was that the distance was proba-
! bly, little over two miles, and
that the ground was sufficiently
rolling to relieve the monotony,
and when the dinner basket and
an early start were suggested, I
thought ''yes, we may wish to go
somewhere else" But my i'm
pressions to-day are that we start
ed at FIVE o'clock, at nine the din
ner was carefully divided and half
of it eagerly eaten; the serrations
, in the surface as seen the day be-
fore with the open sky as back
, ground, developed to mountains
and valleys, each succeeding noun
tain surprising in height the
one'before it; the distance had
grown to seven miles (horizontal), J,
l and we reached our destination at
| II o'clock. 1t is quite enough to
, think of going 5000 feet higher
and return the same day, but to go
5000 feet lower and 10000 feet
higher, makes food for more
iChCCllOuS.
The saddle that connects Nc
) Clellan mountain and Gray's Peak,
is called 'hog'sback," and makes me
t wish L may never see the hog from
: which it took it's name-much less
!, to ride it as we did its namesake.
l So narrow is it in places that a
t brisk breeze would have made
walking upon it dangerous; and SO
i. rocky that we were repeatedly
f forced to retreat and pick our way
: around the bluffs. Occasionally
l we would amuse ourselves by
starting large rocks downward and
: watch them while they bounded
a over other rocks and splashed
g through snow drifts, finally finding
g. rest in the valley so far below that
e we could scarcely see them. In
e this, though, we avoided miners
t cabins, for the same reason that
e we would help miner or anybody
: else avoid an earthquake if that
t were possible,
S There are no large rocks on
e Gray's Peak, neither are there any
e smooth rocks or pebbles, but the
whole mountain seems huge pile
e of granite broken.in pieces, varying
a from the size of horse-fy to that
), of a large dog. There is no vege-