Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-14

ance. "Mazy Land" would be far better
They are most deceitful and perplexing in
their effect upon the eye and mind. In ap
preaching them one seems to see q greai
white city rising from the plains, with tall
spires, with roofs and chimneys, with pin
nacles and minarets. It looks in the dis
tance like walled city of ancient times
and we could almost expect to see vast
crowds of people and soldiers in arms, NOV
ing through its gates. So
So complete is the delusion which they
produce that during the past summer Q
Swede, who had but recently arrived in this
section, and knew little about it, while
searching for land, beng far from any set
tIement, observed tile strange forms of the
Bad Lands in the distance, and supposing
them to be great city. made for them with
the intention Of spending the night. Reach
ing them he passed in through one of the
openings and was soon lost in the may
windings of the innumerable gulches, draws
and canyons which traverse this remarkable
region in every direction.
DANGEROUS DELUsIoNs.
It is an easy matter to find ones way into
the Bad Lands, but it is far more difficult to
find the way out again. The poor Swede
soon discovered that he was like the lost cava-
and wandered around in search of an outlet
without success, The mazy windings
seemed to become more labyrinthine and
perplexing as he went on. In vain did he
try to discover the place where he entered,
and ever and anon would come up against
the great white wall which lowered perPen-
dicularly above his head and extended
around this region. For several days he
was lost in the Windings of the Bad Latds,
and during that time was without foot or
water. At last a cowboy found him lying
on the ground in one of the canyons u
state of exhaustion. He was taken to the
nearest ranch and on regaining his strength
told of his adventures. There were mtny
stories of this character told by the cowbbys
who herd their cattle in the Bad Lands, Ind
have become familiar with their windhgs
and passes.
It is a mistake to suppose that the Bad
Lands are a useless area. The canyons ind
some of the levels, which occur in places,
contain rich vegetable growth. For his
reason very extensive herds of cattle s,an
and do find valuable grazing there. 7 is
not at all probable that settlers will, at East
for two or three generations, select lands
embraced within the Bad Lands, but stock
men will never fail to appreciate and make
that of the grazing advantages. On ac-
count of the remarkable character of this
amazing waste, and the never-failing inter-
est which it has for the curiosity-seeker,
some South Dakota citizens have proposed
that the State secure a grant of the Bad
LANDS from Congress, and set them apart
forever as a State park,
POINTS FOR PIONEERS.
Many rumors of mineral wealth have
rained currency both ih South Dakota and
the neighboring States. In that portion
which lies north of the Cheyenne river some
prospecting for gold and silver has been
done by Black Hills miners and some ex-
peditions are already proposed from that
section for the spring. pc is not well, how
ever, for anybody to be ed astray by reports
of the existence ofgold, outside of the Black
Hills, in South Dakotal It may be found
in this north western palt of the reserve and
indications can be autaoritatively said to
exist, but they are not slch as to cause any
excitement. Miners wp have prospected
on the Indian Territory blaim the existence
of gold there in payilg quantities, and
assert that they only desisted from
producing by reason of the inter-
terence of the Indian iolice; but miners,
like fishermen, do not care to admit
failure, and are Ingenious in ex-
cuses. It can be stated al a fact, however,
that coal exists in the northwestern part OF
the reservation in large Quantities, as has
been proven by development work done
there. 1t is not of superpr quality, as far
as known, being of the ligite species, and
not suitable for coke. Theindications, not
developed, in the country bItween the White
and Cheyenne rivers, ar that immense
quantities of bituminous loal exist there
and in the spring many companies of coal
prospectors will 60 in searchof that mineral.
Taken all in all, the new acquisition Of
the Government presents an ample field for
the prospector, the farmer, the stockman
and the speculator. Perhaps no section of
the United States presents so many oppor-
tunities for men of small means, and for the
honest and intelligent worker! But above
all the opening of the tract between the
Cheyenne and White rivers is like opening
gateway to country which is not only a
magnificent empire in extent, but also in
richness and variety.