The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-06-10
"WESTLAND TRAILS"
All rights reserved
(By H. G. REAGAN

"Westland Trails, written by H. c.
Reagan of Boulder, Colorado, and who
has written a number Of interesting
stories relating to our neighboring
erritories-Cooke City and Yellow
stone Park. "Westland Trails" centers
about the Cooke City mining camp and
the story is woven around characters
who are still living or have lived in
the little western camp. However, the
names are fictitious. Editors Note.
CHAPTER 1.
The old prospector stood with his
face turned toward the rising sun
which was coming over the mountains
and casting its glow over the vast
area of country before him. Nature
was at peace with itself, and all was
in stiffness except here and there could
be heard the sound of falling water,
also the call of the camp robber or
mountain jay whose cry of warning is
always heard in the mountainous
country.
The scenery in view was grand and
almost beyond human description.
Rugged peaks stood out like sentinels.
Some were covered above the timber
line by eternal snow. In contrast to
the white snow were the greens of the
vast area of timber on the mountain
sides and valleys. From the sides of
the abrupt cliffs could be seen ribbon
like streams of water, which leaped
down at some points a sheer thousand
feet, presenting to the eye beautiful
sight, as the sun rose higher. The col
ors changed, the shadows shifted and
seemed to alter the outline of the seem
cry, condition peculiar to the varia-
ton of sunlight.
In the midst of this vast amphithe-
atre stood this lone figure who repre-
scented a class of men who were in the
last stage of being, whose mission has
almost been fulfilled. Close examina-
ton reveals specimen of sturdy man
hood, one who has withstood the
storms and hardships of many win
tiers, one who has lived the life of a
prospector in its fullness The outdoor
life and customs had dealt kindly with
the man who stood erect, gazing in
tently toward the valley below him. A
vast stretch of timber as far as the
eye could behold lay before him.
Through the timber there could be
seen thin ribbon, which gave re-
Election from the sun. This body of
water was the north branch of the
Clark's Fork river, beyond which is re-
vealed to the eye the Clark's Fork
Canyon, through which this river
passes. On each side and above the
river bed rose the granite walls to
height of two thousand feet or more,
the sun making fantastic figures in
the walls due to the lights and shad-
ows; this canyon being one of natures
attributes to the great upheaval that
occurred in this section of the country.
To the right could be seen Index and
Pilot Peaks, a scene never to be for
gotten. To the north could be seen the
upper range and Mt. Fox, snow-clad
and bleak looking.
The prospector shaded his eyes with
his hand and peered down into the val
ley as if he were looking for some one
to appear. Failing to see that for
which he evidently was looking, he
turned and strobe back toward shack
made of pine poles and brush. Stand
ing patiently nearby was the prospec- !
tors friend and beast of burden,
burro. When we say "the prospector's
friend, we simply speak facts, as the
history of gold in the far western
country would be incomplete without
the burro, who has shared the hard
ships of the prospector, whose endur-
ance and sure footedness is coupled
with the faculty of being able to pick
up living anywhere. This particular
burro was equipped to travel on far
ther being loaded down with blankets,
pick and shovel and pan, the necessary
food stuffs, as bacon, flour, corn meal,
tea and sugar.
A sudden movement of the burro's
ears and raising of the head indicated
that the burro had detected noise
in The direction from which the pros
pector came. The man saw the action
and swiftly turned in that direction
with his ear strained to catch any
sound, as he did not want to be sur
prised. Failing to see any object he
went out to the point where he first
stood All at once a sound broke out
and reverberated among the hills. A
cloud Of smoke arose from the timber
below where the prospector stood. The