Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-23

muskets of father and elder son. The dis
charge was so nearly simultaneous that il
sounded to those at the houses we had just
left, like the double shot of two barreled
fowllng piece.
On the road we are at length, AMI, having
descended the .'diyide," we find the way
through the Big Creek bottoms quite pictur-
esque-especially when, on leaving Tip Top
to the left of us, we cross the Horseshoe
Bend of the Iron Mountain railway, and,
turning up the Southern Ravine through
the Hogan Mountain Canon, we pursue our
winding way to the Tom Sank stream and
| waterfalls.
Few auimals we are likely to see, so noisy
and jolly the Juvenile portion of our party,
and there being majority of three. 4 plu-
ralty of five, against us two old fellows.
Making game for ourselves, rather than
hunting it up for other people, was the
| order of the day. Some little chipmunks
for the dogs, at least, aud an occasional
squirrel for ourselves, we got; but nothing
OF Il gamier kind did we see bigger than a
mule or smaller than 4 deer-tick-the fiercest
and toughest of them all. launching in a
hollow glen on the bank of clear, running
| stream, we start for glorious climb over
another mountain spur, and, neglecting TO
! take some bottled water from the stream
below, we learned what to do next time; for
the sun shone brightly down on us for the
next two hours, and twas not till we got
down from the summit and came in view of
those remarkable twin rocks towering above
the roadway and leaving hut u wagons width
| - -
good breathing-spe in the shade of this
called DEVILS Toll-G Gate. Pity you cannot
have reproduced the drawing of its grand
proportions and unique character, as also of
the boys scrambling, fishing and ''fooling"
along the puring stream, in many shady
hooks, perched on bold porphyry powders,
down, down, to the right of the road, below.
Let not the reader, whose eye would find
Niagara small, because of its incapacity to
convey at first glance realization o. the
grandeur described 10y former visitors,
imagine a grand scene here. IT'S bat a
pretty place, like all the rest of our Arcadian
views.
Following the meanderings of Tom Sank
westward, we come to the East Fork of
Black River, and here opens up to view
rich agricultural country. with fine farms
well titled and evidently very productive.
But before abandoning the stream of mas
culine and, perhaps, Semitic Teutonic name:
The legend is, that many, many years ago,
an Indian hermit filled the post of guardian
to this locality, and fed his soul on its soli-
tude, his body on its "sucker'' ish he caught
there; but failing to crafty the curiosity of
the early voyageurs and mine hunters, they
corrupted his name from the original Tam
Sauk to the more energetically expressive
tom Suck"
One nights bivouac on the banks of the
East Fork afforded good sleep to the younger
members of the expedition, while the two
old travellers mutually recounted their past
experiences by "fl0od and field" till the
moon had gone down and daylight coming,
sent one to that short morning nap, and the
other to the pretty village of baskerville for
Il fresh supply of coffee, tea and candy, while
the youngsters disported them in the water.
Breakfast over, the awnings down from
the trees, the one-horse wagon packed, and
off we set again. This time taking Il more
northery course, and after climbing the
western base of the Tom Sank mountain,
finding that heavy rain and wind storm
threatened, we took counsel of i famous
hunter whom we met, and leaving the
wagon in defile on the mountain side, toted
the traps and led the horse down steep
and rugged descent, till, at the foot Of the
upper fall, near the base of some ancient
cliff mines, we found deserted cabin, with
roof secure enough to shelter the juniors
of the party for the night, and keep our fire
from being swept totally away. The storm
came on. The scene in that wild gorge was
grand. The full moon from time to time
shone out through the massive clouds above
the tall trees, and made grand contrast
in color to the ruddily lighted crowd within
the cabin. But the horse, though well fed,
pinned to climb among the pines above, and
br oke the bonds that pinioned him below,
and climbed.
Next day, the party cached the surplus
traps and tricks, and manfuliy breasted the
mountain and the rain, and found the sensi-
bic horse at home, and all was well. II.