The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-09-05
Some More of M. A. Y's Exquisite Pen
Sketching and Thrilling Adventures.
That Will Make Your Head Swim to
Read About.
But the Climbing Down Was Success
fully Done,
And SO the Adventure Winds Up Well.
special corr. to the New DOMINION {:

HELENA, Montana, August Is
"Yes! shall certainly go up that
mountain for little after dinner
constitutional some day."
"Would you really like to go to the
top Of Mt. Ida?"
"Fll not feel fully satisfied with
my trip out here unless / do CO.
Then you shall go but you will
find it something more than little
constitutional before you get back"
The above conversation occurred
during MY recent visit to the Hoover
rancho which lies on the lovely level
plateau near the foot of "The Twin
Buttes'' in the Missouri valley Moth
ing more was said for several DAYS
and then on Saturday afternoon
there was unusual stir and hustle
One man went to a neighbours and got
large field glass, another looked
over wheels and bolts and got out
harness, and loaded saddles into the
wagon. Another one rode away 10
miles to get me a pair of stout rub
Der shoes for climbing and in the
house my hostess was on ''hospitable
thought intent" packing hampers
with provisions and putting up pill
lows, bed clothing, towels &c When
| asked the reason for such unusual
preparation was told that my noun
tain climbing within was to be hui
mored-but not in one day-that it
would take day and half to &C
complish the feat as it was trip of
twenty odd miles there and back.
1t looked so very near | could not
believe it then, but now | am pre-
pared to make solemn affidavit that
it is forty odd at least
We drove five miles up the first
evening and just at nightfall reached
cabin which had been in use by
some lumber men. There was no
one around and we took possession;
according to the custom of the
country. The night was very
COlu uut VIC SOOu IOuHu some
matches, built fire in the
stove made tea and boiled some eggs
by the light of tallow candle.
There were three large hunks in the
cabin and as we were spreading clean
sheets over the dingy looking "out-
fit" Mrs. H remarked perhaps the
men who used this cabin have only
gone hunting and will come back as
soon as the moon rises There was
no way Of fastening the door and |
lay awake all night and every time
Ben Butler barked my heart popped
into my head with apprehension.
Ben Butler was not he of the elevated
optic, but magnificent stag hound |
6 feet from tip to tip and A feet from
his front feet to the top of his head |
The morning dawned as fair as
dream of Paradise and l was up at
an early hour listening to the chat
ter of the squirrels and the song of |
the birds. There was but one species
of the latter to be seen aud they were |
as tame as a horde of young chickens
and came around the door for their
morning meal. They had dark grey
backs and clay colored breasts and |
were about the size of cedar bird, |
Their bills were jet black and the up
per mandible curved down over the
under one like that of parrot. They |
uttered very sweet double note and
the woods were eloquent with their
songs till the sun was fully up. AS
we had now gotten as far as we could |
with wheeled vehicle the saddles
were strapped on and after an early
breakfast we set off up the mountain
side.
In some places the timber (pole
pines) grew almost as thickly as the
grain in field and every moment /
expected to be brushed off, in other
places the timber was all PROSTATE
on the ground perfect net work
through which the horses walked
and snapped off little trunks and
branches at every step at the risk of
breaking their legs.
After climbing almost to the top
of the lower mountains so steep that
my horses ears were level with my
face it was announced that we were
going in the wrong direction and
must descend piece. Then 0, then
l realized what | had so rashly
undertaken. The going up an
almost perpendicular surface is
bad enough but when you have
to ride down such place
so steep that the horses launches al
most touch the back of your head it
is infinitely more terrifying When l
finally, hours after, mounted the last
one of the $500 feet thatlay between
me and my coveted achievement my
head turned giddy and my heart
grew sick at the thought of the awful
return trip and | would have given
worlds to have been safely at sea
level once more.
Az one place as we went up which
as almost perpendicular the horse
in front of me scared, reared and
plunged back against me almost
hurting my little FLY from her pre-
carious footing. Further on our
horses were frightened by beauti-
full deer with branching antlers
which sprang out of some bushes
and disappeared in the timber ahead
of us. AT no point did we find
road or path, we could only fix our
eyes on the peak we were struggling
Ia reach and forge ahead. AS there
were several mountains between US
and Mt. Edith and as many of them
were so steep the horses had to zig
zne, The trip must have covered at
least 30 miles up and back.
In some places we rode through
grass and flowers knee deep, with not
a rec nr stone around and might
have imagined ourselves in the midst
Of a meadow had it not been tilted
80 nearly on edge. There were
dainty blue-bells. glowing cardinal
flowers, geranium maculatum and a
species of eidti weiss as we neared
The limher line.
The succnlent bunch and Buffalo
grass grow here in the greatest pro
fusion, and here during the winter
great herds of cattle live and feed
Ill spring and they generally keep
plump as pin cushions. There
were acres and acres of dead timber
Killed by fire, acres more uprooted