Year: 1874

piece or wet canvas was siapping me In the face
and was iyipg In pond or water. Not romantic,
l then thought as hurricane, laden with water,
dashed over me. The night was tearfuily dark. It
dd not take long to communicate to my com
panion that the tent had been wrenched from its
fastenings and that we were literally at sea in a
howiing storm. ! confess to having been be-
wtldered. What to do, that was the ques
tion. We took hold OF the tent sides
and fairly struggled to hold them
down. We were beaten. / poured o quart OF
water out OF my boots and went boldly forth TO
seek shelter in some other tent. But the whole
camp had been swept away-not q tent was stand
ing, so ruthless had oeen the storm. In cropping
around stumbled on heap took to be "Steve,"
and shouted ] imagine in q plaintive way,
'steve we're blown down. what's the next
stepr


.swny lay nat down on your backs and trust in
Providence !"


1t was a sad alternative. and hesitated to &C.
cept It, Finally we remembered the immediate
vicinity OF barn, and can assure you that we
did not permit any verdure to spring up between
us and that barn on that particular night. We
finally arrived in the hayiOt. There was no dog
there, but there was Frenchman, who shouted


"Qut piue"


"Deatr ANTS"


We finally interviewed this paucre and found
that he was perpatetic vagrant who had Piled
the voca atiOn OF cutsinder In San Francisco, but
funds getting short he concluded to visit we'll
to-do brother Galveston, and had started out to
walk the short distance or $500 miles. We re-
marked to him that he had undertaken difficult
task especially as he said he was forty-eignt years
OF age The next day We met him on the road,
and a gilt OF crackers and cheese was the last
{th ha


IN THE SADDLE.


The next day we lett camp at ten A. NJ. 1t was
my good fortune. however to fall IN with an old
tlapper, Mr.. Benjamin Draper, with whom had
been acquainted in my early youth. As his life had
been spent almost wholly In these Territories he
gave me few useful hints as to how to
combat and ensnare the treacherous red
skin. Our second days march was twenty
miles, and the reason OF this small distance was on
account OF the pack mules who could not, at this
early stage OF the expedition, be exposed to great
1atigue. The route lay almost due SOUTH along
the base Of the Rocky Mountains. and in the
middle OF the fertile and lovely valley Of the Platte.
II would astOnish the Eastern man to behold the
territory along this stream under cultivation and
susceptible OF being worked up TO the highest de-
gree OF


AGRICULTURAL PERFECTION.


Gently undulating. rarely beyond the reach OF
natural irrigation with SOIL as black as the gar
dens Of Lombardy. this tract is, indeed, exceed
by lew in the world 1t is very thiny populated;
yet there are many ranches varying in size from
200 to 800 acres. But few years ago this was
great, but not a rich mining district Even
now gold can be found on the Platte,
and the ordinary workmen gain from 81
to $40 day. IL IS singular, however,
to hear the iaboring classes lament the dull times.
r,.o hafo ado bult t%ou
had plenty OF money and plenty OF work. Now the
railroads have depressed wages and have usurped
the functions once exercised by expert men and at
liberal wages Stock raising has also declined;
and il can believe all I hear, Colorado does not
contain many contented men, But what State
or Territory does Where are there
contented men ? Certainly, If they exist, they
should be here in healthy Colorado, with her swift
mountain streams bracing air, charming sunny
skies ard broad alluvial plains. / think there Is
no existing tract OF territory that have ever seen
so wonder uliy fertile and inviting as that between
Denver and Pike's Peak, distance Of eighty miles.


On the third day became tired OF following in
the wake Of the mule train so with my companion
we started out on ftty-mile ride, which we ac-
complished by an hour alter sundown. Crossing
the divide between the Arkansas and Platte
rivers we passed through singuiariy picturesque.
great natural wonders in the form OF castellated
rocks rising to stupendous heights, overshadowtng
meadow lands In the bloom Of luxuriant verdure.
Our horses stood up TO their work pretty well that
Gay and as we reached Colorado Springs and found
that Dr.. Hayden had gone to Manitou, the furthest
watering place Of the West, we started again ana
arrived too late to see him that night. Safely
landed in Manitou we concluded to take little
leisure Here have been during the past week,
while DR.. Hayden and his assistants have been
surveying the peaks in this immediate vicinity.
Our camp lies but few hundred yards from Mani
tou, to whose attractions viii devote q special
letter as soon as l get on the march.