The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-18
HE'S 1 MODERN ORPAEUS.
now J. n. vEN0 CHARMED WOLVES
AND COUGARS IN COLORADO.
Tour From Colorado springs to
seattle. Armed Only with . Picco-
IL, Bound for the Yukon Country.

A Rocky mountain Orpheus is ]. II.
yeno, an old Colorado prospector. who
arrived in Seattle Friday evening from
Colorado Springs on his way to the Yu-
kon. after hazardous trip Of !, 40 miles
on foot through Colorado. Utah. Idaho
ana Oregon, unarmed. and with only
piccoio in his pocket as safeguard
against wild beasts.
yeno Is 81 years old, little under me
dunn height, but stur1iiy built, and he
undertook the long pedestrian tour he
has ius, finished in order to prove 10
his own satisfaction that he was still
young and strong enough TO undertake
journey TO the gold fields Of Alaska In
the venture he was successful. beyond his
expections. and he enthusiastically rec
ommends a similar tour to any one who
really wishes to see the beauties OF ma
ture in the Rocky mountains.
Venos most amusing experiences were
those he had with the cougars and other
''varmints' in the Colorado mountains.
far from civilization. AT night, when
ne had cooked and eaten his frugal event.
ing meal of bacon and rolled wheat and
lay wrapped in his blankets by the en-
pers of his camp fire. the cougars and
big gray timber wolves in the forest
about him would prowl close to his bed
1AId iudht utSu mucous WltH tnelI nOWlS.
Then IL was that the piccolo came into
play. Veno says that on such occasions
ne would sit UP In his blankets and play
cheerful tune or two. and that the wild
beasts would Immediately cease their
bowling and peace reign the balance of
the night. Veno does not attempt to ex-
plain why. but simply states II as fact.
Two explanations are plausible; one that
music hath charms to soo;he the savage
ISL NJ nxrxa 49,
other. that when the varmints heard
Venos efforts on the piccolo they were
shamed into silence and retired to their
lafrs TO brood over the futi.ity Of the
attempts Of Nature to vie with Art
After leaving Colorado veno followed
the railroads pretty closely. stopping at
the section houses at night to cook and
sleep. His pack generally weighed about
tfirfy-fve pounds. consisting principally OF
his blankets. some bacon. rolled wheat,
coffee. and few cooking utensils. and
kodak, for Veno Is something of an anna
teur photographer. as well as a carpenter
and a prospector. He had little company
on the way. and generally managed when
the weather was good to make from TWEEN
ty-five to thirty-dve miles day when on
the road. He left Colorado Springs on Oc-
tober IL. Once in Utah and once in Ore
gon in the Blue mountains he was COM
PEELED TO take the railroad trains and ride
lot considerable distance on account or
heavy SHOWS. for II was rnidwinter.
In Portland Veno was laid up for about a
month with an attack OF pleurisy. but 9TH
erwfse had good health and looks remark
ably rugged. HIS only serious accident on
the trip was when he fell overheard from
the steamer Glide Friday. shortly after
leaving Tacoma for this city He was in
the water for about thirty minutes in his
heavy clothes before a boat was lowered
and picked him up but. according TO the
story told by his rescuers. Il. f. Crowley
and T. p Alley, two of the Glida's crew.
he swan bravely and had not got his coat
collar wet when dragged into the boat.
A change of clothing furnished by the
passengers and crew and plenty of hot
blankets soon brought him around in good
shape, though ne was badly chilled.
Veno is native of Nova Scotia and has
lived in Texas. where he has children re-
siding at Galveston.