St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-13

the expedition further. This left but six men,
among them James White, who were ready to
follow Captain Baker, no matter where he
led. The wagons and mules were sold, and
the proceeds divided among all who had a
share. Four animals were then bought by the
little party, to carry their food and mining
outfit into the then comparatively little
known region Of the San Juan. There were
no roads through the mountains in those
days, and the trails were SO difficult and tor
tuous that it was much easier to traverse
them on foot than mounted. As the hour of
their departure drew near, the protests of the
people of Canyon City, and of the men who
had accompanied them across the plains, grew
stronger; but Captain Baker knew the
country, had made up his mind to go, and
could not be changed from his purpose.
They went west through the Wet Mountain
Valley, and by following what was then known
as the "Old Ute TRAIL" they succeeded in
reaching the Puntia Pass, at the head OF the
Little Arkansas River. By means Of this pass
they crossed the rocky range without diff
Guilty, and found themselves in Holman's
Park, which is really a cove at the northern
terminous Of the great San Luis PARK. The
mountain streams flied with trout, and the
scenery as fine as any on the continent, while
game was abundant. In the park they came
upon q camp of Ute Indians, under the COM
mand of the since famous chief, Ouray, man
whom I knew and the only red man ever
met who in any way approached the best ideals
given us by the great story teller, Cooper.
The Ute Indians were encamped in village
of white tepees, while on the slopes about
them, under the care of the women and chill
dren, were thousands Of sheep ard cattle,
and hundreds of horses, that gave an air Of
peace and plenty to the scene.
Up to this time, and for years afterwards,
these Indians had never been at war with the
whites. They were peaceful and hospitable,
and had always treated the hunters and pros
pectors who came to their villages with the
greatest kindness. They received Baker and
his party as though they had been old friends.
Ouray, and many of the head men of the tribe,
spoke the Spanish patois of the Rio Grande
region, and Baker being familiar with this
dialect, there was no difficulty in commune
eating with them. Ouray had not heard of
the outbreak of the Navajos and Apaches, but
as they had long been the traditional enemies
of his tribe, he did not like them; he be-
heved them to be treacherous, even in times
of peace, and he advised Captain Baker to
keep out Of their reach.
But the captain and his men were SO de-
lighted with the treatment received at the
hands Of the Utes that they believed they
would be equally successful if they met the
Navaios or the Apaches. They felt certain
that if a war had broken out the Utes would
have known of it, and so they reasoned that
the fears of the people at Canyon City were
ill-founded
Except Fort Garland, at the western end of
the Sangre de Christie Pass, the only settle
ment in San Luis Park was at Conejos, some
eighty miles away, and near the eastern
slope of the Sierra Madre Mountains.
More and more confident of success, Baker
and his friends started off again, and after
march of two weeks, during which the
abundance of fish and game enabled them to
economize the supplies carried on the pack
animals, they left the Atlantic Slope, and
found themselves on the western side of the
Sierra Madre, the Great Continental Divide.
Standing on the mountain peaks that COM
manded a view for hundreds of miles to the
north, west and south, they gazed upon one
OF the most wonderful areas in the world.
There was not a cloud in the sky; beyond
the mountain range at their back, there was
not a tree in sight; mesas, or fat table lands,
Isolated peaks, vast tracts of sterile valley,
intricate gorges, or canyons that scanned the
earth in every direction, were all that met
their gaze. 1t was aland of desolation; it
appeared to be land of DEATH Neither
anta ba-
no sign of white man nor of red man. 1t
looked, as they gazed out on. the vast sterile
expanse, above which the hot air rose in
shimmering. trembling waves, as if the wing
OF bird or insect had never disturbed that
phenomenal atmosphere. i-
cit doesn't look very promising, boys" was
Captain Bakers comment, when he saw the
expression of disappointment and surprise
on the faces of his companions, '.but it's been
my experience, out in this country, that the
land that's best for gold is good for
nothing else. Nature, is not too generous
with her bounties. Down in those black
canyons, we shall find, in bushels, the yellow
nuggets for which we have come; and nv
word for it, our mules will carry back
heavier loads Of dust than they are now
carrying of grub"
AS always before, whenever he chose to
move them, the men caught the courage of
their leaders spirit, and cheered him; then
began their descent into the valley, which
was to be the valley of death to all but one.
Concluded Nert Week.
The Lady Trapped.