observations, and by telling stories of their explorations and adventures. Such men as Kit Carson, Walker, Baker, Jim Bridger, and others of like stamp were of that number.

The story is told that on some such occasion, one night after supper, a comrade who in his travels and explorations had gone as far south as the Zuni village, New Mexico, and had dis-,

covered the famous petrified forests of Arizona, inquired of Bridger:

"Jim, were you ever down to Zuni?" "No, tharaint any beaver down thar." "But Jim, there are some things in this world besides beaver. I was down there last winter and saw great trees with limbs and bark and all turned into stone."

"O," returned Jim, "that's peetrifaction. Come with me to the Yellowstone next summer, and I'll show you peetrified trees a-growing, with peetrified birds on 'em a-singing peetrified songs."

Now it so happened that he had been to the Yellowstone, and had seen the "peetrified trees" standing, but not the "peetrified birds" or the "peetrified songs." The geysers of the Yellowstone at intervals eject hot water, supersaturated with carbonate of lime and geyserite, to a height of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet. This water is carried laterally by the wind, sometimes two or three hundred feet, saturating the trees, and gradually covering the nearest side with a crystal formation, while on the other side are living branches. So Jim Bridger's story was in part true.

Our American jewelers for some years have been cutting up the petrified trees from the famous forests of Arizona and fashioning them into exquisite ornaments.

In the northwestern part of New Mexico, in Navajo County, are some extremely interesting stone ruins. They are oval-shaped and very symmetrical, from three to seven stories in height, and the largest must have originally contained over a thousand rooms. It is very apparent that they were constructed by a people well advanced in civilization. It is extremely

desirable that these ruins should be more thoroughly explored, in order that we may obtain more satisfactory information regarding the people who once inhabited them, and whose entrance into and disappearance from this country are both equally mysterious. The so-called "Aztec ruins," near the Animas River, in Colorado, are not so well preserved and are much smaller than those in New Mexico.

Sante Fé, at present the capital of the Territory is an interesting city situated seven thousand feet above the sea level, amid beautiful scenery. The houses are built of adobe, and are mostly one story in height. There are many interesting historical associations connected with this place as it is one of the oldest settlements of America. There is also a school for Indian girls here. There are many old buildings and among others the oldest cathedral on the continent. The population is chiefly Mexican. Albuquerque is a more modern American town and a railroad center.

Fifty miles to the south of Denver, is Pike's Peak. This lofty mountain towers up to a height of nearly fifteen thousand feet, and can be seen a hundred and fifty miles away. From its top can be seen a large part of Colorado. From Colorado Springs, its great white shoulder rising up above the blue and purple of the hills, it seems so near that it is difficult to believe that it would take more than a short walk to reach its base. The clearness of the atmosphere has much to do with this optical illusion.

There are three ways of reaching the summit. The hardy little burro so commonly found in this region will take you there, but he must have his own time, which will probably be two or three days. There is also a cog railroad which will take one to the top very comfortably. Possibly, after all, the most delightful way is by carriage over a mountain road of seventeen miles, affording views of the most magnificent scenery all the way, and making the ascent into the regions of thin air sufficiently gradual.

At Colorado Springs, just at the foot of Pike's Peak, for many years Helen Hunt Jackson, who has written so much in favor of the Indians, made her home; and her enthusiastic pen-pictures have made the scenery of this part of the country famous all over the world. Although she afterward removed to California, where she died, her body was, according to her own directions, brought back and buried on the top of Cheyenne Mountain, where she had spent spent so many delightful days during her life.

GENERAL MILES' ENVOY TO THE HOSTILES ON THE STAKED PLAIN. SEE PAGE 176.

Three miles from Colorado Springs lies the famous Garden of the Gods, and its gigantic gateway, consisting of two enormous stones nearly three hundred feet high, may easily be seen from the town. Great masses of red and yellow sandstone lie scattered about in the wildest confusion, many of which nature has carved into shapes both strange and grotesque.