Year: 1875

|
Is varied by the exhibitions or the parasItical
SIDE shows, so the sameness OF the regular march
through this Western country is relieved by the
| little side trips which exploring party Is fire.
| quently compelled to take. Many portions or the
mountainous region are very dtricult OF access
for heavily laden packs and when IL 10 desirable
TO penetrate TO such localities a main camp Is
established, from which point, as centre, these
| onsnoots are made. Leaving the wagon ana all
OF the cargo that We should not require until odr
return simply taking with US TWO weeks pro-
visions and only such bedding and Photographic
Instruments as were absolutely necessary, we left
San Juan City on the 23d of June for trip through
a portion OF the Uncompahgre Mountains, CEN
tring around the great peak OF that name. Fol
! lowing an old trail in northwest direction we
passed to the west OF Lake Santa Maria and tray-
elled over the hills toward the top OF the divide
for fifteen miles, when we made the discovery
that our trail was bearing too much to the east
and was, In TACT, the wrong one, on which we mad
unaccountably gotten, and we first suspected our
mistake by meeting several bands OF Ute Indians
ON their way from Los Pinos Agency the sou h.
ward. The squaws invariably rode ahead with
the pack ponies, all the luggage and the pappooses,
while their lords followed leisurely laughing and
joking. We camped just TO the west OF this
Indian trail, at elevation of 10. 600 feet Just
below the Snow line, where the ridges and points
surrounding US were white and cold. The
pleasantest part of the day Is that por-
tion when work Is finished, between supper
and bed time, when the sun sinks behind the
! western peaks and twilight creeps rapidly
around the air grows chill ana all hands
bring an armload OF wood TO contribute to the
evening camp fire. In Lhe mountains, where tim
ber Is plenty. great pile OF huge pine trees are
laid one top OF the other, and around the roar
ing cracking, genial blaze which they make we
all gather to keep warm, and recount the adven-
| lures Of the day or listen TO the marvellous tales
or wild Western life with which Jolly packers
Degune the time. Then sleep begins to overcome
us, and one by one we slip away welcome
couches. At this elevation, where snow lies in
patches nearly all the year round, the nights are
quite COOL and with difficulty IL Is that we can
keep comfortable. On awakening in the morning
before the sun is mp we find half incn or Ice in
our water kettles. This is the case in The very
warmest season, and there is not one night dur
ing the year when SIX or eight blanket above one
would feel too warm. According to our maps
The lake for which we were bound lay mmedi
ately west OF and In order to reach She
trail which led to 1t we were obliged TO
traverse rough, rocky canyon for several
miles. Thus with great dif1culty we finally found
the TRAIL but before we could enter 1t we were
compelled TO cross large area OF marsny land
formed ny the melting OF the snow along the
ridges above. There was nothing to do but to
push through, although we we're aware that be-
fore could accomplish tne crossing some Of the
mules would be certain TO mire. mule. on &C
OF the small size or It's feet, Is always likely
to founder In boggy soil, and as we reached the
middle OF the swamp Two OF our heaviest loaded
animals went down knee deep and Tell over On
their packs Standing ankle deep In water
had to unload them and remove botn animals and
loads to a secure place beyond. This occupied an
hour or SO. ana when we were at length prepared
to resume our journey we were all tired out from
our late exertons. AS we reacned the very
SUMMIT THE DIVIDE


or watershed which separates the waters OF the
two oceans, old UncompanRre stood unveiled In
all ITS magnifcence TO the northwest OF us. 1t
appeared very rugged. precpitous and dangerous
TO ascend, but we gazed long Its timDerless
summit in q sort OF helpless fascination Tor In
few days we were to climb its sides. This noun
tain is the highest in the Uncompahgre group,
standing Ia, 235 feet above the sea- and 1t Is said
to be the second In height In the whole Rocky
Mountain range, Mount Harvard being the loftiest,
having altitude OF IL, 1885 eet. But these giants
vary only a few feet, and there are In Colorado
more than a dozen which measure between 1900
and 14,40O. Just to the left OF Uncompahgre and
nearer to us lay an immense cone, with rounded
barren top. whose sides were covered
with o brick coored rock and for want
OF better we gave it the name
the Red Peak. From this standpoint we could
see our two weeks hard work before us. and we
commenced to realize that the labor OF the season
had indeed commenced in earnest. The old trail
took very precipitOus descent, falling In three
or four miles, 2,7OO ieet that we had TO walk
the whole distance to the valley, leading those
packs which were likely TO plunge ASIDE out OF
the trail and scrape their loads Off between
q n III
tanned o glimpse through the trees OF the beaut-
ful lake, go 500 feet vertically below, ana q
little past oon we emerged on level valley and
camped in what almost appeared bottomless
pit so low were We beneath the mountains
which surround us; but even at this depth
we found we were 5000 1eet above the
sea. We were now In the lake mining
district. Around us ana ali over tue mountain
sides mineral lodes stood gaping to the light or
day, and, scattered moro prousey over the en-
tire country, deserted prospecting pits told the
tale OF gold, gold, gold. Quartz mining here is
very remunerative, and some OF the best mines
are rich In gold, silver, copper, galcna and iron
pyrites. Mining on the hill SIDES blasting furt1er
up in the mountains digging in the river banks
and prospecting here, there and everywhere, the
miners toll ana labor from morning till night In
tent on the acquisition OF but one object-gold.
For the purpose of avoiding confusion the loca-
hon Ol calmS upon Tue discovery OF lOdeS the lOl-
lowing mining laws we're enacted by the Counsel
and House OF Representatives OF Colorado Terri
tory In the year 1S74:-


MINING LAWS.


SECTION 1.-The length any lode claim hereafter To-
cated may equal, but not exceed 15OJ along
vein


2-The width of lode claims hereafter located in
Gtlpn, Clear Creek, Boulder ami .ummit countess sha
be 70 ieet on each side 0l the centre
ice and In ali other counties l5) provided that
hereafter county, any general election, may de-
termInc widLh exceeding 800 feet
may determine 10 take less.


SBN 3-Ihc discOverer lode shall, within three
months from the date Of discovery record claim in
the Office OF the Recorder the County in which such
lode situated by location certificate, wntch shall


contain frst the name OF tho lode; second, the
OF the lOcatOr thrd, the date OF fourth the
number OF feet In length claimed side of the
centre Of discovery shaft nfth the general OF
| the lode,


SEC 5-Betore filing sucn location certificate the dis
shall locate his claim by sinking n discovery
shat the lode TO the depth feet
tue lowest part Of the rim OF
or deeper, " necessary show well defined crevce