The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-01-23
Early Experiences of a From
tiersman.

This last evening of the old year am
spending in Topsfeld, Mass, with one
of my western neighbors, who used to
while away many winter evening in
our Washington forest home telling US
Of his early experience in the West. In
1898 he, in company with brother, ex-
plored Cliff Cave, Mo-, rs miles from St.
Louis. AS memory recalls, the entrance
to the cave was 20 feet wide and IL feet
high. There was IL feet of stone and
earth above the entrance. After enter
ing the cave the first apartment was 40
by 80 feet and 20 feet high. A stream
of water ran along the left side. AS
the apartment had a smooth floor and
mad been used for dancing a wall of
brick had been built along the edge of
the water to keep the merry-makers out
of the water. AS we followed this under
ground stream toward its source, we dis
covered by the light of candles numerous
apartments, some of them connected by
an opening so small that a man would
have to crawl through on hands and
knees. After going from one-fourth to
one-half mile the caves became too low
to walk in, and the party returned. The
stream at the upper end was feet wide
and inches deep.
On approaching the entrance of the
cave footsteps were heard and the party
cnncao1o6 thatocaluoc 70 u,a1cp,na ha
newcomers. 1t proved to be young
man accompanied by two ladies. AS
ne was explaining the cave to them a
sixshooter was discharged in the op-
posite direction by a member of the
concealed party. The echo and re-echos
of the sound against the numerous walls
caused the new corners to disappear and
they were not seen again. Doubtless
they reported band of desperadoes in
the cave.
About the middle of the following
February the two brothers started out
of Chicago on western hunting and
prospecting expedition. Near the city
limits they were halted by an officer and
returned to the police station to be ex-
amined as suspects, as some goods had
been stolen during the night. After be-
coming satisfied that this was not the
guilty party they We're allowed to pro-
coed on their journey. The horse was
protected during the cold nights with a
blanket and canvas extended to the
ground and the men had good bed and
tent. Near Colfax, Iowa, they worked
for two weeks to replenish their purse
and rest their horse. The farmer who
employed them allowed mis- stock to run
to self-feeding corn cribs. Camping OH
the Platte river they heard the sound of
wild geese in the night, dressed hastily
and attempted to secure their game.
After an hours pursuit they returned
wiser, but not the richer. When return
ing to camp one evening just at dusk,
one with white tick full of hay bal
anced on his head, two men on horse
back We're seen approaching. When
they were nearly opposite and only a
few rods away the tick was dropped in
front of him and the horsemen taking
fright at the ghost urged their horses to
their utmost speed. Quail, prairie chick
ems, ard, farther west, sage hens, were
abundant. The campfire caught in the
grass and made business lively for a
while. The owner of the property see
ing the fire came in haste on horseback.
Luckily the fire was between a road and
running water and easily extinguished.
In eastern Wyoming, near the foot of
&he mountains. men owned large corrsls
and dipping watts which they rented to
sheep owners during the hearing season.
Many bands of sheep were grazing in
the foothills in full view North of
Cheyenne 1t was common to see numer-
GUS bands of antelope, 20 or 30 in band
and out Of curiosity they would some
times come within easy gunahot.
Fail River basin in the region of the
Yellowstone National Park drains into
Snake river. Instead of following the |
circuitous route of the water they at
tempted to cross the mountains so as to
strike the Snake river far down in its
course. Before the close of the first
day the pack-horse slipped down an in
cline about Is FEET into the river below.
Though it was the 4th day Of July it was
near enough to the snow line so that
D. there were patches of snow and ice to
make the path slippery. Their bedding
and provisions were drenched in feet
of water ano had to be removed from |
the horse before he could get out of the
river. They built a fire so hot as to
nearly parboil themselves in the wet
bedding during the night. They follow
Il up the river during the forenoon to a
olace where the water fell perpendicular
y about 40 feet. Without attempting
to scale the cliff it seemed advisable to
retrace their steps and follow Fall River
to the Snake river. Nearly perpendicu-
lar bluffs often came so near to the
river that the horse could not proceed on
ahat side and was taken across the |