CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1902-09-25

which ! an about to relate. / was ed
ucated for the practice OF medicine,
but never practiced. | was rich and
didn't have 10.
Every one has his own peculiar am.
bition, or. what is the same thing. his
hobby. for what Is any ambition but u
more or less exalted hobbyhorse? The
one ambition OF my life has been the
climbing OF mountains. and have
made many fine ascents.
Last May was at the village OF
Pratollno. n place about fifteen miles
to the north of the city OF Florence. In
Italy. was stopping Mt the inn OF one
Guglielmo Zucchi. and there were pres
ent that night at table. besides myaelf.
Count Tagliapietra and several other
titled gentlemen. whose landed estates.
some OF them OF an area OF at least
five acres. lay IN the immediate vicini-
~. The talk happening TO run upon the
subject OF mountain climbing. ! narTui-
ed TO them some OF my exploits and
ended by giving them my experience
upon the top OF the Mesa Encaniada.
near the Indian village OF Acoma. In
New Mexico This enchanted table
land Is a block OF sandstone. "A mile
long aud COO feet high. rising perpen.
dicular from the arid New Mexican
plain and looking for all the world like
a section of huge cheese set upon its
edge.
..Nfy dear Lorenzo" exclaimed the
count ..th. rock or mountain which
YOU speak OF is certainly an Interesting
some,bInr OF the san:. Kind which we
hay. I'm this very neirhborhood. some
twenty or TWENTY-FIVE miles 10 the
northwest OF this place. anon: the
Ap.nnipes. there rises an isolated block
of mountain Of the Identical shape
which you mention. II is. however.
much larger aud more mysterious. be-
ing fully Ave miles I'm length. two or
three I'm thickness and !, 200 or 1900
feet I'm height This enchanted mesa
of ours which IN called II Mouumcnto
ON account Of it's resemblance TO a huge
.nrcopbar rus stands not upon the plain,
but in the midst OF one Of the pellueld
late. of III. Ap.uuInes It's top seems
fairly level. is fringcd with forest aud
,houId contain several thousands OF
acres. but whether Inhabited or no, no
man will ever know. ms Il is absolutely
impossible 60 reach its summit"
Thought 10 myself. The noble
count 10 trying to go me one better"
And. coming TO this conclusion. ! Of
fered to bet him 2,ooO lire that within
one week would climb TO the top OF
his mysterious mountain. He Imme.
diateiy accepted my bet. and saw
that he WIS positive OF having what
is called n sure thing"
Ny arrangements were soon made.
II was only necessary TO have certain
articles which were necessary 10 my
undertaking. and this was easily done
In Florence.
EsrIy upon the morning OF Thursday
1 set out ON foot from Pratolino with
my guide For several miles the roads
were good, but after passing over tho
Scenario we took a rugged path. which
led us 10 the west aud north OF Vnglla
md up into the very heart OF the Apen-
ulne. when we reached the shores OF
III. lake. which we did at about .
o.cloel I'm ,h,. afternoon. Il seemed as
II we had pussed entirely beyond the
limits OF human habItation and come
into n region totally uncxplured and
d.soIatc
Th. ,,k. wns very pretty body of
water and thourb eIrht or nine miles
On ,ony,h I, seemed a small pool as IL
Ia, ,har,. d.., down nmons. the .-luun-
a.. h,crs q, tho maintains A half
,,,,,a or 4, nnv IA. n mile. from the
.hnr. eos. from tho plnsslIke surface
~ ,h,. water tho mystcrIons nnd cube
III. h,ocr a, stone the island of rock
wh,ch had came to scale. I calculat-
Oh ,b,t 4, nns, be fiye or six miles in
,.rg,b ,i,ouyh Tho surroundings mad.
II secn mprl less II had dark red
d,sb lool us of sandstone. and II went
a., .,r,t,,, ,nd shr,r from the water