The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-03

e'SAlH5 puleS one 'aItef another CrdWlS out from under their heavy blankets.
 By heavens, gentlemen, there is Ice In thls pail, and l was advised not to bring my heavy overcoat!" Ice there certainly was, but it had been unusual ly cold for this season of the year. But in the hottest days of summer 1t is cool Tn the shade, and the hottest nights are not too hot for a blanket. So the hrst night in camp was successfully over, and we may consider that our
 tenderfeet' had been somewhat toughened. A dash of cold water, though somewhat expensive, washed away the cobwebs and the day com menced with renewed life and vigor, When we remark that it cost three dol lars for water for our horses we shall be understood when we said that a dash of cold water was somewhat ex- pensive. The spirits of the party re- VlVed with the rising sun, and by the time it commenced to get it's work in every one thought that he was having good time. It takes but a short time with all hands at work to get a move on, and as we are informed that within the next twenty miles we shall take a drop of some two thousand feet, and to where the cold blasts of the Rockies will be tempered by the warm breath of the plains, every one is anxious for the drop. In short time after start ing it becomes evident that drop in- deed must be taken if the route is to be continued, for Canon Largo, as it is called, yawning chasm, opens deep wat or,.1ya Nl lA freak of nature is presented in this wonderful canon; at once beautiful, marvellous, grand and imposing. That ancient waters have made this tortuous cut two thousand feet in depth is doubtless the corset theory, and no ar tist no architect, could have more pie turesquely formed and colored the mountains than natures freak has done on either side. Castle walls and gates, Moro castles, pinacles, pillars and fan tastic shapes meet the view at all points as the road carries us to the val ley below, twenty miles or more, No description can convey to the mind the wonderful grandeur and strange beau ty of Canon Largo, and we are in- formed that many such canons are to
  New Mexico. In this country you may also think at times that you are look ing out upon an almost endless un- broken stretch of flat prairie land, where an advance of a comparatively short distance will bring you to the edge of a canon or gulch which will look like the jumping-off place.
 Canon Largo was successfully de- scended, but not without some trepida- tion and several dismounts from the wagons, which. however, were ecu 'ppsd with trusty brakes. The party would rather trust themselves on their feet. a 5 tender as they were Notwithstanding the enthus, ,asm oecasioned by the won derful panorama just passed, lunch was a magic word and every thing gave way to vulgar appetite, and within sight of drowning fortresses this party had the audacity to strew the ground with remnants of sardine and other cans. Doubtless a cork or two might be found, or will perhaps, later dangle on the line of some Mexican fisherman, who, going forth from his red-pepper adorned adobe hut, seeks to allure the willy catfish which inhabit the streams of the canons, when the streams are deep enough to accommo- date them, which, it may be said. is not the case at all times of the year.
 Onward again and upward, for it seems that we have got to climb out of this canon. going nearly as high as we have descended. With the incident of a balky horse. that finally makes up his mind to resume work with the custo- mary plunge, at the moment the ear- riage is within a foot of a steep preci- pice, causing all the occupants except ing the Mexican driver, who appare t y enjoys the situation, to jump for safe ty, the task is accomplished and out we roll once more on to the open prairies.
 Camp No. 2 is simply sport. All hands after their long ride are anxious to do something, and the camp is made in a twinkling How bankers and in- surance men can saw wood is well known, and it is also well demonstra- ted here how well they can gather and chop it. Every ones appetite equals that of the horses, who have so thor oughly and patiently earned theirs. Well fed, soon to bed. Ponchos are un- rolled, blankets are spread and crept between, and notwithstanding the lack of the modern comfort and luxury that these men are used to, tired natures s sweet restorer" soon captures them. and all is left to the whims of the sneaking coyote who hunts amidst the fantastic shadows cast by the rev crescent moon, which hangs low over the right shoulder of the camp.
 An early start in the morning soon brings our company to the gates of the Bell ranch, an estate of nearly seven hundred thousand acres in extent, be- ing entirely enclosed by a three-strand wire fence. Within it's borders mag nificent stretch of fine grazing land presents itself to view, and mile after mile of the highly prized grammar grass, as it is called, stretches out like a carpet as far as the eye can reach. The gaze is interrupted only by a mountain called the Huerfano which rises pyran1id-like out of the flat sur- face, reminding one of the ancient pyr- amids of Egypt. In reality this great stretch of table-lands is broken up into canons, ravines and valleys, affording the very necessary and valuable pro- lection for stock in case of storm or bad weather. The Red river flows through this ranch in a winding course for one hundred miles, and many other water supplies are continued source of life to the whole property The Bell ranch is appropriate named, to take a