Year: 1879

impressive difference in the air it affects the
sight and breathing. and. through the latter.
the physical energies and powers of endurance.
Pixies Peak be distinctly seen from the Kansas
Pacific Railway ut distance of IT'S miles-twenty-
five miles further than from New York to Albany
Aud the noble mountain. eighty five miles away
in the southwest, and the equally majestic Long 3
Peak. sixty tive miles of toward the northwest are as
clearly visible from Denver as the Catskils from
Kingston. Indeed the "foot hills" which hrst
break through the monotonous level OF the great
plains. preparing the way for the more majestic
peaks of the "snowy range" do not seem more than
four or five miles from Denver though in reality
you must travel nearly thrice that dis, ais,
or Merritt would find great difficulty in
making the journey at "go-as-you-please
schedule until they had become acclimaed ana usea
to the light air While cannot say that one can
any further distinctly in still loftier altl
tudes. can testify that the effect upon the lungs
and the general enervation increases as you
go higher When I first crossed the Berthond
Pass. in June. 1878. found at that elevation
" 800 eet). whole nest OF humble bees singing IN
my ears. and had difficulty in dragging one foot
after the other. When l returned some months
later and assembled the summit of Mount Flora.
which looms up from 1900 to 1000 feet higher,
on the northeast side OF the pass. the Indian
pony which / brought back with me, although
raised in the mountains bied at the nose. Inc t,s
attitudes it is impossible for man beast to endure
much exertion. Two or three miles walk or the
ascent of hill. even such as would not be extraor-
dinary in this part of tho country compels one to
sit dc wn and rest.


HARD WINTERS.


The winters come early and stay late, and are In
tensely severe. The mercury often sinks to the
point of solidity and the falls three four and
five feet the level in the valleys. while on the
mountains and passes there is telling it's depth.
The few scattered settlers and trappers and miners
obliged to lay in supplies for at least six months
every fall before 'the range shuts up.


THE INDIAN ENDUREs.


But this wonderful and inaccessible country-so
full or peril and hardship to the white man-is the
home OF the Indian. lie has climbed those crags
from childhood and knows every trail and ford
Ha l.tarn
distances with eyes which can see an ap
proaehng enemy miles and miles away oHd
the signals which telegraph his coming from peak to
peak little dreamed OF. He is rs familiar with
every nook and corner OF this rough wild maze ,or
hundreds OF miles in every direction from his
agency as any turner's boy OF sporting proclivites
is with the woods and gens and thickets which lie
within ten miles OF his paterna The light air
has depressing influence upon his powers and
endurance. for he has run and leaped and climbed
and hunted in it all his life He does not suffer from
the cold and snow for he has learned to endure and
protect himself against them winter after winter
He clothes himself in furs. and forth fearlessy
in the roug weather. wraps himself in buffalo
or bear skins and sleeps warm and comfortable
when the mercury is out of sight. Practice has
taught him to go for Gays watnoms % eni,ng 1i,ias
he will take 1t raw with equal relish. For all
practical purposes there is no limit to the number
of his ponies strong of limb and surc-footcd, fleet
as the wind tough and hardy as their master. accus
toned to carry him 100 miles in a day when
ever called upon to camp ami 70 stssps sn%
grow fat on mountain grass, summer and
winter, paving, when necessary, through
the snow to find it. Believing. and in many
with far too much reason. that the white mans chief
business is to cheat and oppress him. and that tho
invasion is to drive him from his native hunting
grounds and sooner or later exterminate him; dis
gusted with the philanthropy which has sought to
force upon him against his will the arts and employ
ments Of civilization; avarcious for the arms and
animals and provisions of the soldiers not to speak
of their buttons and jack knives; always ready to
fight, for plunder. whom he thinks he has the
best of IT. shrewd cunning and treacherous trained
to strategy by the practice which has taught him to
ontwit the elk and deer and mountain sheep and
antelope; an adept in the philosophy that


He who fights and runs away.


Lives to fight another day.
and ready whenever the tide of battle turns against
him, put it into practice and vanish. only to
appear again at the right place aud moment-with
all nature for his ally and his wild love of free
dom for his instigaion he is likely to prove much
more formidable and expensive adversary than
fear Ooverument O neODla imaoiue.