384 Reminiscences of 



We found the valley of considerable extent, 

 surrounded by high hills, and a most pleasant place, 

 having fine grazing for our horses, and good springs 

 of water. Upon the summit of a high mountain 

 rising east from the valley was an immense mono- 

 lith of granite, having the form of a kneeling nun, 

 visible for many miles from all directions, a prominent 

 landmark visible for more than twenty miles. At 

 one place, by the small stream which meandered 

 through the valley, was an old peach orchard planted 

 more than a century before, where the trees, dying 

 of old age, had renewed themselves with new sprouts 

 as the old trees fell away, and were now bearing fruit, 

 though of an ordinary kind. We found very good sport 

 about this valley, as deer were plentiful in the sur- 

 rounding hills. 



When we returned to Deming — heretofore men- 

 tioned — ^we found a great change had occurred. A 

 large general depot was being built for the two roads. 

 Many houses were going up, and order was pretty 

 well sustained, although a good many rustlers were 

 about. Tucker had been made sheriff, and had 

 signalized his promotion by shooting down a num- 

 ber of turbulent characters. When committing one 

 of these acts, an immediate hearing occurred be- 

 fore the local court, from which he received a speedy 

 acquittal. When I came down to Deming some 

 months afterward he had on the day of my arrival 

 shot down a desperate character for whom a warrant 

 was out, who had shot a cattle-man in the vicinity 

 in a most unprovoked manner. 



Tucker had killed a partner of this man, for whom 

 a warrant was out, who was slow about throwing 



