22, WESTERN INCIDENTS.

to meet us here and show us about ; but the violent storm
had evidently prevented his coming.

It had also been our desire and intention to spend the
one or two following days m an examination of the Boul-
der Valley and Pass, under the guidance of Mr. Rawlins,
whose works are situated on the Boulder ; and whom we
had met in Denver; but he was nowhere to be found.
The storm was still raging and the weather growing colder.
Icicles a foot in length were hanging from the eaves of
the houses. Our venerable driver and more venerable
mules also became objects of our deepest solicitude—the
driver claiming that the oulfit was unfit to go further this
stormy day ; but if we would let him and the mules vest
till to-morrow morning, he would then drive us to Denver
(forty miles), or perish in the attempt.

We finally concluded that, as the main object of our
journey had been accomplished ; and as the state of the
weather rendered a further examination of mountain
passes and scenery exceedingly unpropitious at the pres-
ent time, we would turn our faces toward Denver, with a
view of reaching there on the following night. To insure
this result, it appeared important that we should accom-
plish a portion of the distance during the present after-
noon. We therefore set out again in the storm at four
Pp. M., with the intention of reaching the Junction Ranch,
nine miles distant, before nightfall.

BLACK-HAWK AND LYONS MILLS.

On our way down the valley of North Clear Creek, we
passed through the town of Black-Hawk, about two miles
below Central City, where we stopped an hour to examine
two of the largest quartz mills now in operation in this
valley. One, the Black-Hawk mill, which adheres to the