Ho dry Mountain Trip 
i 
shadows and highly colored, velvety grass (or vegetation). The 
fleeting fleecy clouds tipping the peaks and hanging like airy 
animated creatures over the lowlands - altogether a scene unpeg** 
allellod, sublime as an ocean and to the eye as limitless* To 
the north and east were Hikes Peak 100 miles away, and the Green¬ 
horn Hts* and Wet lit* valley and Huerfano park- The plains and 
|yg 
the Bauldy group and the Sanghti de Christo and Aveta passes, the 
Culabra, Castilla and groups of mountains to the south Hite lit* 
San&enlonia I-.Tt , , the smmlt district and the valley of the Hie 
Grande, with a line of light to the south and west- The descent 
was apparently more wearisome than the ascent* fe reached camp 
at dark as weary .mss, a set of mortals as could have been met in 
many miles* 
Aug. 29th ? Marched to the Rio Grande* The Sierra Blanca 
is all schistose near camp and extending for a mile southwest is 
a dyke quite narrow, a row of small hills to the left and wo 
passed from camp out to the borders of the plains is tracfcytic( ?) 
frees ? pinoris,yet,pixies sparse, aspens, cottonwoods, willow, wild 
cherry, sago, grease wood and other shrubs * The streams, i*e* 
the small ones, soon sink in the plain. Passed a few adobe 
houses and fenced meadows, then all is level and barren* March 
near 30 miles* Struck road within ten miles of river* Camped 
at ranch near river* 
Aug, 30th ; Marched up river to Del forte, hunched at 
the Modoc Ranch* Mr* Tenable Informs us that there lias been a 
more than ordinary amount of travel - mostly to the San lian 
mines. Season has been dry* Hay is fill per ton. Del forte is 
looking up* Times are much better than, last year. Camped by 
