Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-23

wild beasts in the long ago, A summer camper at the mouth of the canyon told us She had killed two rattlesnakes during the season. We failed to see or hear one. Later on members of cur party killed two.
 On our way back to our machines we found one lone fisherman preparing to try the stream for trout. He had been there before and had caught many.
 From Rapid City we travelled south through Hill City to Custer, city or six hundred population. It is named TOT General Custer who conducted an eX- petition to the Hills in 1874. On the third day of July of that year Rose Austin, chief of his scouts found the first gold of this region. The city is 5.31S feet above sea level, and is close Ito the highest rougest and boldest scenery of the Hills. The season is so short that gardens are out of the ques- ton. They had heavy frosts in July and August The principal crop in this
 part of the Hills are wheat and oats.
 Harney Peak, the highest altitude east of the Rocky Mountains, is only short distance from Custer. We found a tree, comfortable camping ground on the edge of the city, with free fireNrood and cleo tric lights We intended to spend day
  in the morning we discovered storm was coming fast the hctel was filled with guests and we struck camp and started for Hot Springs, riding in the storm, over muddy, slippery road ds. If , you have never been over South Dakota road in a rain storm or soon after you know nothing about mud. The roads are very good when dry but after a short storm they are almost impossible. There l is no macadam outside some of the cities. i The gravel roads are better than the 1 dirt, and the road commissioners are sub stituting gravel as fast as they can. 1 They arg spending vast sums of money in l highway improvements and in a few years the roads will oe much better. We 1 were sliding from one side of the road ] to the other and several times get out and pushed our car out of the ditch back onto the road. In a few hours of sun shine and wind. which IS always blow 1 ing in this country. they are dry again, and after being dragged by the road re- pairers quite smooth. Passing Wind Cave we arrived at Hot Springs late in l the afternoon. Instead of going into camp we quartered at the Minnekahta Inn. where we rested two days. Hot Sp1 ings is the great health resort of the | Hills It abounds in sanitariums anc 1 baths A stream of warm water flows winter and summer through the gutter of, the street leading from enc Of the springs. There is a swimming pool said to be the finest natural bath in the
 world. We tried it. The water was
 ninety five degrees temperature. The springs flows so fast that the water i: changed every ten minutes, and so clea1 that a newspaper can be read at it:
 deepest point, nine feet below the sur face. With spring boards. swinging rings, toboggan slide, safety ropes, dress ing rooms and a cold shower 1t is a de lightiul place to spend an hour. Int
 state has maintained soldiers homo here for many years. Since the worlC
 war the national government has estab llished a large sanitarium for soldiers O all wars. The national home is located on Battle Mountain and Is reached by icarriage drive or by steps leading ul