The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-16
OUR OWN ALPS.
PICTURESQUE DESCRIPTION OF oG.
DEN CANYON.
A Party of Salt LalSers n Hunting
Go-Amusing Mishaps of Pici<wic-
khan SpOrtsmen-VaIIeys Teeming
With the Fruits of Agriculture.


Dark, heavy, threatening clouds were
over-spreading the sky and skirting the
mountain tops foreboding a heavy
storm Friday morning, August 10, in
the year of our Lord A. D. 1894, when
our party of six, with great expecta-
tons, perched upon three seats behind
four noble representatives of the equine
family, rolled swiftly from the pre-
cincts of our municipality into the
picturesque and imposing scenery of
Ogden canyon. The scenic grandeur of
this canyon has frequently been de-
picted in all its respondent loneliness,
and certainly not without exaggeration
The rugged and gorgeous elevations of
subteranean Stag with their peaks
standing boldly out against the blue
sky, strike with awe and wonderment
the lover of mountain scenery. 1t pre-
sents classic field for observation to
| the practical eye of the geologist with
its multifarious fittings and foldings
of varied strata, with beautiful cam
yons and ravines, bearing eternal evil
dence Of the activity of geological
agencies in the earth's past The spark
/ ling stream that flows at the bottom of
this canyon as it rolls and surges and
! thunders on its way, fed by numerous
! tributaries from the mountain slopes,
adds intense interest to the natural at
! Effectiveness.
Emerging at the other end of the
canyon beautiful valley thrus@ itself
on the view, Immediately presenting an
agricultural capacity by the great
| OF oh Of
sentatives of toll and industry, indicat-
ing an encouraging condition of its in
| habitants. On entering South Fork
canyon, famous for the huge boulderS
that are strung promiscuously along the
road, We are again in the midst of pic
| turesque mountains with their massive
walls covered with a rich PROPULSION or
pines and shrubbery of vigorous growth
with a sprinkling of yellow among the
varied hues of summer.
! Mr. Harnish, one of our party, famous
for his unquestionable ability for
driving, handled the ribbons with
great dexterity, urging on the foaming
and anxious steeds with unprecedented
speed against the vehement protests
of Mr.. McGinty, occupying the. rear
seat of our wagon. "Reminiscences to
| the speed proved to be well taken, as
we had not proceeded but five or six
miles into the canyon when an accident
occurred that will ever be fresh in the
memories of our party. The driver in
sisting on throwing the long line i. e.
! (whip) at the leaders, when suddenly
and without the exercise of our Volt
/ ton, our conveyance became uncoupled.
! With a crash and bang the front end
struck the ground, becoming instantly
separated from the running gear. The
driver and Mr.. Folker were drawn
swiftly over the box, clinging to the
/ iJocr
| terrific rate up the canyon, attached
to nothing but the running gears, driver
and brakeman, the double trees dang
| ling at the heels of the leaders urging
them furiously on, while the driver and
brakeman were clinging desperately to
the lines, spanning twenty feet to each
step. The frantic steeds were finally
stopped, having run 200 yards. 1t was
indeed an exciting and impressive scene,
as the four passengers that were left
behind slightly disigured, will bear tes-
timony Having manufactured another
reach from native timber, we were soon
bounding over hill and dale and sud
denly in the midst of Beaver canyon.
The character of the formation of this
canyon as it winds to the north, pre-
sents a great contrast to the rugged
walls of Ogden canyon; instead of
being abrupt with rapid ascents,
the mountains a. round ana
graceful, retreating gradually, with
but little variety to lend enchant-
ment to the view. Passing TO
+ the extreme north of this canyon a vast
stretch of country consisting of gigan-
tic mountains and broad open valleys,
dawns on the view. Great focks of
sheep and herds of cattle Craze over
this range, extending as far as the eye
can reach.
AS the sun was casting a beautiful
glow over the tops Of the western
mountains, we pitched our tent at the
head of Scare canyon, overlooking a
broad valley of sagebrush, the great
retreat of sage hens that seem to con-
/ gregate here to spend the summer
months
It might be interesting at this point
I to advert to the ability of two of our
| party as hunting sportsmen. Mr..
/ Shaw, whom 1 would compare with
/ the illustrious Picl1wickian, Tracey
! Tupman, of Charles Dickens, and Mr..
Burt with Mr.. Wrinkle of the same
author. These two gentlemen, DESTROYS
/ of establishing a reputation early in
/ our expedition, arose with the sun the
next morning, and shouldering two shot
| guns marched majestically across the
! SagebruSh fiat in quest of Ehe unsus-
/ pecting chickens. The remainder of
/ our party. eager to witness this pros
! pecllVe eAntDlllOn, TOOK position on a
small elevation near camp, just as the
sun was peeping over the eastern
mountains. AS they walked with light
step and fluttering heart to enact their
heaviest role, suddenly there was a
futter and furry simultaneous with the
rising of a flock of chickens. Bang,
bangl The smoke curled up from the
two barrels of Mr. Shaw's gun, when
! Mr.. Burt yelled frightfully for him to
! ell q w c in 10 CT
! of a shower of shot, seeming to regard
the position as very uncomfortable
| Mr.. Shaw was doubtless greatly ex-
cited, as his countenance was extremely
| pale, looking like a white spot amidst
J the sagebrush. as the sun was pouring