er period, but probably no
worse than the others. Directly we begin to plan an excursion to the
South Park, seventy-five miles distant, and going out to look for
wagon and horses, we catch our first sight of the Rocky Mountains, a
line of dim, misty heights, with the more pronounced outline of the
foot-hills beneath. We engage a strong covered wagon, with a good pair
of horses and a driver, the latter only seventeen years old, but owner
of the team, and carrying himself man-fashion, with the precocity of
the Western youth. The wagon is brought to the hotel and loaded, so
as to be ready for an early start in the morning: we have a tent and
camp-equipage, with gun and fishing-rods for Levell and Scribe, and
the sketching-gear belonging to Sepia.

So on the 18th, at 8 A.M., we drive over the bridge which crosses
Cherry Creek, and then cross six miles of uninhabited prairie, seamed
with gulches, and brown with withered herbage and cactus--no verdure
except along the canals, where several species of _Artemisia_ and a
prickly poppy with a large white flower grow profusely. We then begin
to mount the bare foot-hills, among which are curious masses of red
rock as large as city churches, and washed by the storms of ages into
various fantastic forms. We then enter a ravine or canon through which
flows Bear Creek, a tributary of the Platte.

Along Bear Creek are ranches where good crops of wheat are raised, and
butter and milk made for the Denver market. The grass in this region
makes the most delicious butter; indeed, I may say that I never tasted
poor butter in Colorado. In the month of August it is as sweet and
fragrant as the very best of our June butter in the States. The time
will come when the butter of Colorado will be sent to the Atlantic
cities: at present there is no surplus made.

We now began to ascend Bear Mountain by a road cut along its side: it
was smooth and easy of ascent, but only wide enough for one carriage,
with a precipice of several hundred feet on either side, so that
we shuddered to think of the consequences of our meeting a wagon.
Happily, we met with none, although we overtook one, and had to keep
behind it till we reached the summit. Then down the other side to a
strip of bottom-land on a creek, where we camped for the night, having
come twenty miles from Denver.

_August_ 19. Rose at five and breakfasted on fried pork, corn bread
and coffee. Started at ten, and drove fourteen miles to Omaha Ranch