FORT GRANT, A. T.,
August 4, 1888.
MY DEAR MOTHER:
We were up in the mountains when I last wrote you. Anson came
back from the court he was on and he and the doctor came up on
the mountain. We went the next day on horses and burros to the
summit of Mt. Graham. It was about four miles from our camp,
and is ten thousand six hundred feet above the level of the
sea. We wrote our names and put them in the tin can left by the
surveyors. Anson and Constance Lydia both wrote their own names.
It was a very pleasant trip. I rode a burro, astride, of course,
as I shall never ride any other way. Anson is going to take my
picture as I appeared. Anson came up to the camp on Friday. On
Saturday we went to the summit. That same evening, in a pouring
rain, a courier came in bringing a copy of dispatches from San
Carlos saying six Indians had gotten away and the troops were
after them. Of course we could not tell but it was the beginning
of another big outbreak. The commanding officer of Fort Grant
said he had already sent out some pack mules and might have to
send out all the rest, but if we wished to come down to the
post next day he would send us what animals he could spare. We
immediately decided to come down to the post, for in case of an
outbreak, the Indians could easily take our camp. We left the
camp about two o'clock Sunday afternoon. Anson was mounted on
a horse with Constance behind him. I had a big white mule with
little Anson behind me. We rode about a mile and reached the
steep part of the trail where I was afraid to ride down. Indeed
the whole party, about thirteen of us, dismounted and walked
down the steepest part. We could in places look down on the post
which looked so green, like an oasis in the desert. Mrs. Viele,
Constance and I walked for about two miles, as we did not care
to ride over places steeper than a pair of stairs, but the rest
mounted before we did. We reached the post about six o'clock,
pretty tired. The next day, Monday, I was stiff and tired, but
everything in the house needed straightening up.