Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1891-09-10

in early days. Once across the
beautiful "San Luis isValley," a vast
medley OF rocks are in view, Curl
GUS and fantastic forms are on
every side, hedged in by rickety-
colored cliffs from six to seven
hundred feet in height. Suddenly,
another scene, and we are plung-
ing through Toltee Tunnel, cut
through the top of a mountain.
When we emerged from this, we
run on balcony around the cliff ;
above US was six hundred feet of
solid limestone rock, below US, the
wonderful "Toltec Gorge" This
scene is thrilling, awful, sublime,
and glorious:
Centuries pass. The deep drifted
/ SHOWS
Fade meath summer suns, and the
| stream
Widens the gorge, and misty breath
/
throws
High up black walls that silvery
CLEAN.
But web is cast of iron strong,
Like spiders home of thread-like
coil;
The brook is tanned, and its echoing
| song
Praises the power of human skill"
Amidst this wild scenery we
catch mere glance at the Garfield
monument erected by the Conven-
ton of National Railroad Passen-
ger Agents, Sept. 26, 1sS1-the
day President J. A. Garfield was
buried at Cleveland, Ohio.
Passing away from this great
yawning chasm we reach the sum-
NIT of the Cumbres Mountains,
1O,115 feet, and here, at another
turn, great variety of scenery is
before US, timber, rich grazing and
streams. The Rio de Las Floridas
winds its way through a beautiful
valley, rich with verdure.
Scene after scene is changing.
Canons, mountains, gorges, cata-
racts, wild precipices, sharp
chasms, until We reach Animas
Canon, one OF the widest and most
picturesque canons in the Rocky
Mountains, the mad, roaring, CUR
Cling torrent, called by the senti-
mental Spaniards, "Rio de Los
Animas Perdidas," the river of
"Lost Souls." rushes through this
gorge, and as We heard its dismal,
awful roar, we could but think
that it had been appropriately
named.
"Rapid the current rolls,
In the River of Lost Souls.
Flashing, dashing.
Whirling, crashing,
Foaming, leaping,
Roaring, creeping,
Rumbling, tumbling,
Blending, smiling,
Care-beguiling-
Tearing, wearing,
Rapid the currant rolls,
In the River of Lost Souls.''
Rolling through and away from
this awful canon, the scene soon
changes and we are in the very
heart of the great reproducing
region of Colorado-Red Noun
tains.
At Silverton we leave the palace,
Car and take an old.fashioned stage
coach. From the "deck" of this
primitive "six in hand" we get
a view that is grand, glorious and
life enduring. Eight miles (over a
narrow road blasted out from
mountain sides,) via the "Rocky
Mountain Cannon Ball." brings US
to Ouray, one of the finest noun
tain towns in Colorado. At Ouray
we take D. & r. G.. again and of
we go-more rapidly, mountains
to the right of us, mountains to the
left of US, mountains above US, and
mountains, mountains below us:
35 miles to Montrose. Here we
turn eastward, Cimarron Canon,
Cerro Summit, and then the terri
bly, wild, grandly, boldly formed,
and awe-inspiring "Black Canon
of the Gunnison" is reached. For
forty miles we feel like we are in
the black road leading to the deep,
dark, internal world.
"Oh! rushing river, emerald-hued,
How mad thou art and fearless,
No gate, though granite-barred,
Can curb thy waters, peerless
Gunnison.
The silent gods of stone
Revoke their ancient laws of might,
When through the gorge with torrent
l flight,
Thou plungest on mad, alone,
II Wild Gunnison."
u Mountains are still in view
everywhere. Mount Skavano, a.
238 feet, and 9 score of others.
. As We ascend the summit of
Marshall Pass ranges and ranges
are IN view-a vast, glorious, in
i spring scene. Through the thin,
| high, electric air We almost think
} we can see halfway round the
J world. AS we descend, track over.
tapping track, We run iIto the
: beautiful valley of the Arkansas
, and rapidly wind our way into the