Year: 1860

pretty good for the greatest "humbug
diggings. But that one is the best dis
covered there yet. in the Tarryall, or more
properly the Grab all diggings. lis found
that the whole hill sides pay well--never
rained enough to wash it down. Several
miners are w;ntering there, and many
more on the Blue, to hold their claims un-


til spring. On the Blue they have erect
ed fort for protection against the Indians.
Some 30 Yate Indians came to Tarryall
and told the miners they must leave, but


they don't go--lor men will stay where
there is gold or women, yod know, even
at the risk of their lives. The Indians


have committed some depredations on the


other side Of the snow range, killing small
prospecting parties, but they have killed
none on this side, but wounded one man,


&c. have not seen an Indian or snake
since l have been in the mountains, nor
anything more poisonous than red-month-
ed abolitionist, and they are not very nu-
merous. Not much politics here.


We have had a pretty cold snap; they
say the thermometers were frozen up in


Denver; but the cold comes on so regular


we don't feel it much; and for few days
past we have had the finest kind of wealth
er, plenty warm to work with our coats
of; no SNOW on the South hill sides, bus
none metS on the North side. We don't
expect to have much snow here until next


March. Our biggest snow came the 28th
of September: it run about a thousand out
ef the mountains, and some ran back to
earn their grub, for we had two months
good washing weather, aud some washing


is done yet, but rather cold. AS for rain


we have had none since August, nor don't
expect to have until next May; then rain
and snow until nearly the last ofthe month.
then no morn till July. Last July and


August we had about fifty days of rain
and sprinkle. But l have seen it rain
more in the States in two hours. than the
whole time here Where | was, after it
commenced it raincd just enough TO keep
up garden had as fine radishes as |
ever saw in any country, and peas, turn
ips, lettuce, mustard, &c, were good
Rather 100 cold nights for corn here in the
mountains, bat in the valley they HAD
splendid roasting ears, and | gIess the
corn ripened- Most anything can be
raised in the valley that can be raised in
Northern Indiana, and all the valley that
is productive is taken up Cor farms. Great
preparations are making for farming next
year; those that farmed it this last year
made more money than most anybody else.
There will be any amount of women.
and cows all through the valleys
the coming season, there are several flmi-
lies there already. The men that were at
Boulder City last spring. and returned to
the States. would be surprised TO see the
town and adjoining country next spring.
They are building houses. fencing firms.
making roads, &c. They are making
great preparations for the coming season;
they have the machinery, and are putting
up the largest quartz mill in the mountains
above Boulder City. They say the quartz
is richer there than here, and they think
they will get the travel that way another
year, and go ahead of Denver City-it
being higher and close to the timber
Saw timber is not SO plenty as many think
it is, seeing there is so much timber. Ii
appears that the fires have run through it
from time immemorial, kept most of the
timber small, and there are hundreds of
of acres with scarcely living
tree. This last season it came near burn
ing over all that would burn, and even
caught men, poneys and dogs. l heard
Did men say they had seen prairies burn,
and thought them great fires" but they
were nothing to the pines burning. 1t
will blow from one Hill to another, for a
half mile, and catch and run to the tops
IF the trees and blaze as much higher, and
he roar is to be heard for miles.


There was steam saw mill here in the
summer, and lumber sold at fifty dollars
per thousand, but, like the women, it las
gone to the valley to winter, and expects
70 return in the spring. Many OF the men
went to the valley to winter, but have re-
turned, and say it is warmer here than


there, and plenty of wood here in the bar
gain.


Game Is plenty in different places and
IN different seasons--none in this section
Jour hunters to one game; it is too close
% The valley. Deer and Elk are cheaper


han beef in Denver City, and are more
eaten; plenty of turkeys there at "bit"
per pound, feathers and all, just as they