18 WESTERN INCIDENTS.

neath us. From the summit the waters flow to the Pacific through
the Colorado of the West, and to the Atlantic through the Platte.

Peaks, five hundred, and one thousand feet higher than this, are
near us, while Long’s Peak, supposed to be nearly fifteen thousand
feet above the sea, is in full view forty miles to the northeast. During
the next two weeks, Col. Seymour and myself expect, in company with
Gen. Dodge, the Chief Engineer, to look over the routes surveyed
across the Black Hill range, one hundred miles north of this place.

The Union Pacific Railroad is under rapid progress. In November
next the locomotive is expected to cross the bridge over the North
Platte, two hundred and eighty-five miles from Omaha. The opening
of this work across the plains, will soon make the people of the States
more familiar with this Rocky Mountain range and its grand scenery ;
and, what is more important, will afford ready access to a new field of
enterprise in the work of developing its vast mineral wealth.

J. L. WILLIAMS.

We found our venerable driver at the foot of the trail,
as per arrangement ; but in order to insure his return to
Empire the same night, he had taken the precaution to
exchange his mules temporarily, with the Empire land-
lord, for a pair of good horses.

Mr. Brown and myself kept our saddles till we reached
Empire City, at six p.m.; but Mr. Williams, participating
to some extent in the peculiar characteristics of a locomo-
tive, from his long ride wpon the back of old “ Knock-
um-Stiff,” as he facetiously styled his horse, concluded to
take his accustomed seat in the carriage.

On our way down to Empire City, a conspiracy was
organized by our venerable driver to make a permanent
exchange of his mules with the Empire landlord for his
horses, but I am sorry to say that the scheme was not
successful.

The name of Bayard Taylor, that greatest of deserip-
tive travellers, who had preceded us but a few months
over Berthoud Pass, was still fresh in the recollection of
the mountain residents who had been favored with his
acquaintance. —