San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-11-18
For the FREE PsRss:
Among Bandera's Hills.

We started out one pleasant morn
ing Just at day-dawn, three of us in
party, to scale the Sugar-Loaf Peak,
the highest OF these beautiful hills,
which make Bandera one Of the
lhealthiest counties in western Texas.
After brisk walk OF mile we be-
gan the ascent. Such climb as it
was! It reminded me Of some SINH
lar scrambles in far away Guatemala.
The steep, precipitous sides were
covered with thousands and thou
sands OF minute fragments OF what
the hill-folk term ''honey comb rock,
a species of limestone shale, showing
the action of waters, may be OF ante
deluvian floods. Their sharp, jagged
points wounded out feet sorely, some
times cutting quite through our shoes.
Wicked looking scat. claw brush
reached out elfn fingers to stay our
progress, while here and there lurk-
ling "aguarite" thorn stabbed our
hands cruelty from some unsupported
clump of shrubs to which we were
fain to cling for support while essay
ing to secure firmer footing on the
sliding earth and stones beneath.
We had supplied ourselves each
with flower rstalk of the soto plant
to use as an Alpine () stock to assist
us in the climbing.
We were informed by our guide
himself O ranch-owner and stock
grower-that parts of this singular
plant are largely used rs feed fol
sheep during severe winters when
other vegetable food becomes scarce
It resembles the Mexican maguey
plant in it's growth. The outer Gov
ering of base leaves is stripped from
round the heart of the plant, which is
white and brittle, and then it is chop
ned into bits and fed to the hungry
fiocks which eat it quite readily.
After climbing for about an hour
with much exertion, frequent stops
for breath, and many exclamations
ut the beauty OF the scenery around
which increased as the elevation in
} creased the advantages of our view
we reached the summit. The pano
ramic scene which lay bathed in the
soft haze of early morning, hundreds
of feet below, was grand beyond ex-
preston Far to southwark swept
the verdant vale of the Hondo, the
course of which was plainly marked
by clumps OF timber along its margin
1t creeps onward down its valley un-
til it becomes lost to view behind the
magnificent girdle of hills which en-
circle the basin-shaped region, which
takes it's name from the stream which
finds its source among the northern
ones, Hondo Canyon.
; We look toward the ranch from
which we came, and see, rendered
diminutive by the distance, as scenes
from fairy land. the pretty pictures
formed by the corrals, with quiet
groups of cattle waiting to be driven
to their feeding grounds.
Borne on the wings OF the fresh
mountain breeze comes the tinkle oi
innumerable sheep bells, sounding
family to us from our height
There is a rarity and purity about
} this noun tain mir which causes us
long accustomed to the sluggish
summer atmosphere OF the valleys, tc
gasp little in the unusual exertior
! attendant on the effort Of breathing
and unconsciously speculate as to the
probable sensations of fish out Of
= water.
We havebeen watchinga patriarcha
cone which reared its bald, ragged
looking head to the eastward. ant
saw, with rising interest, a peculiar
silvered-rose glow deepen perceptibly
/ about it's crown. The dew, whicl
! lay quite heavily about began tC
= emit brighter sparkies, and presently
; to sends out CLEANS of light eclipsinG
their crystal counterpart, the endur
ing diamond. Birds. which had slepI
securely in dark cedar jungles, nov
. began to fit from leafy coverts, greet
ing with little bursts Of song the
E coming Of the god Of day.
! Presently the red glow behind th'
frowaing rock-masses, piled in hinge
! heaps upon the brow Of the opPosit'
= height az il some primeval gaint had
: flung them there in titanic sport
t burst into a blaze Of light. and The