Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-07
PART TWO [Ths Country Qf the Sai"ts.l
CHAPTER 1.

In the central portion o4 the great North American continent there lies an arid and repulsive desert, which for many q long year served as barrier against the advance of CiviliZatiCn. From the Sierra Nevada to Nebraska and from the Yellowstone river in the north to the Colorado upon the south is region of desolation and silence. Nor is nature always in one mood throughout this grim district It com prises snow capped and lofty mountains and dark and gloomy valleys. There axe swift flowing rivers which dash through jagged canyons, and there are enormoES plains which in winter are white with snow and in summer are gray with the saline alkali dust. They all preserve, however, the common characteristics uf barrcnness. inhospitality and misery. There are no inhabitants of this land of despair. 4 hand of Pawuees or of Blacktect nay occasionally traverse it in l order 10 reach other hunting grounds, | but the hardest Cf the braves are glad l to lose sight of these awesOme plains and tU find themselves once more upon l their prairiCS The coyote skulks among the scrub, the buZzard flaps heavily | through the air. and the clumsy grizzly | bear lumbtrs through the dark ravineS I and picks m such suStenanCe as it can | among the ruckS, These are the sole dwrllrrs ill the wilderness.
 In the whole world there can be ro moro dIeary view than that from the northern slope of the Sierra Blanco. As far as the eve can reach stretches the great fat rlain land, all dusted over with patches of alkai and intersected by | cIumpS of tie dwarfish chaparral bushes. | On the extreme verge of the horizon lie long chain Cf mountain peaks, with | their rugged sU,nmits fieCked with snow. | In this crt..s stretch of country there is 1 no sign If lie Eor of anything apper- tninirE tN life. ThCro is no bird in the | steel blue heaven. no movement upon the dull, gray earth. Above all, there is 1 absolute silence Listen as one may, 1 thcrC is TO shadow of a sound in all that mighty wilderness. Nothing but silence | -COnDlcte and heart subduing silence. It las been said there is nothing ap- l pcrtaiLing to life upon the broad plain. That is hardly true. Looking down from tho Sierra BlanCo one secs O pathway traced out across the desert, which winds away and is lost in the extreme 1 distance. It is rutted with wheels and troddcn dow Il ty the feet of many adven. l turcrs, Here and there arc scattered white objects which glisten in the sun and stand cut against the dull deposit oi alkai. ApHrC;,Ch and examine them They are tonc,:, sono large and coarse, others smaller aHd more delicate. The | former have bC!o.ECd to oxen and the latter to men Ter l, 500 miles one may trace this ehaStiy caravan route by the scattered remains Ci those who had fallcL by the way2:s.o,
 Locking GvVvH on this very scene there stood uncH tAe =th of May, lS47, q solitary tr,.v,!,-. His appearance wa: such that le might have been the very genius Cr Gtlnun of the region. An ob server would have found it difficult tC say whNJhtr he WIS EearGr to 70 or 60 His lace Ms !>;,m and haegard, and tho brown, Iart..!us utl.hr skin was GrawT tightly uYvr tie projecting bones; hi: long. NrGWu h!ir and beard were al feckod E:'G ,l;.>hCd with white: his eye: were SUI hcu ill his head and burned with all u; natural luster, while tho hand w!:ic'l Sra>pcd his rife was hardly more t9e $: Y than that of skeleton. X! he stood. Er leaned upon his weapon fol support, and vet lis tall figure and the massive framework f his bones suggest cd Wirv G,.i vigorous constitution. Hi! gaunt f3cr, E"v,vcr. and his clothes wkich !uIG s" llE-ily over his shriv elcd li,.l!.>. !-eclain.ld what it was tha gave l:rN t!-.y ftnila and dccrepit ap Dgara1cn The man WAS dyinC-dyinl tTv:n hunger and from thirst.
 He ind toilel raiEfully down tn, ravlEo GGl cn to this little elevation in gAc vain hOHc of stcing some siErs O wa;' T. Now the great salt plain stretch C,l before his eyes, and the distant bel of savage mountains, without sigI anywhere of plant or tree, which IHigh iu,iCate the presence of moisture. In al tLat broad landscape there as 10 g!can | If hope. North and east and west h. } looked with wild, questioning eycs, anC then he realized that his wandering had cone to an end, and that there. ol that larrtn Crag, he was about to die Why not here as well as in fcathc ted 20 years hence?" he muttcIed a ne :, atcd himself in the shelter of , bowll,r.
 F, folo sitting down he had ,ie r.s lie, urou tho ground his useless riG". ant alsJ a la,2o bundle tied up iu q cra, shaw. Nii'h lo had carried sl;rS oyc his light ,I.o4!,i,r It apPeaIcd to b somow hat tuo heavy for his strength for, i'll lowering 1t. it came down on th ground with sume little violence. In stantly there broke from the gray parce littlo moaning cry, and from it ther , protrCded a small, scared face, witt very t- Sht brown eyes. and two speckle, dimplcd fists.
 ''YOu've hurt mel" said chiIdisl voice rcproachfully.
 Have l, thuugh:" the man answer ed penitently. II didn't go for to d it. " As he spoke he unwrapped the gra :. shawl and txEricated pretty little gir of about years of age, whose daint shoes and smart pink frock, with its lii tie linen apron, all bespoke 0 mother = care The child was pale and wan, br ] her healthy arms and legs showed tn. she had suffered less than her compaI
 ion.
 How is it now?" he answered am a iously, for she was still rubbing tt t towsy golden curls which covered tt
 back of her head.
 kiss it and make it we'll, " she saiC
 with perfect gravity, showing the il
 jured part up to him. That's wh;
 mother used to do. Where's mother?''
 Mothers gone I guess you'll St 7 her before long"
 Gone, eh:'' said the little gir Funny she didn't say goodby. St o most always did if she was just goi
 over 10 aun;ie's for tea, and now she
 been away for three days. Say, it's av
 full dry, ain't it? Ain't there no wat' E. nor othiu to eat?''