Labouring the Rockies.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 160, 28 August 1886, Page 5

Labouring the Rockies.

When we first came here (on foot, 120 miles from Bozeman) we wer*o promised work ; : but, on account; of a misunderstanding between our employer?, we had to wait a few days ; however, we have both been working on a mountain pass, at two dollars and board a day. The work, swinging an axe, pick-axe, and shovel, is not &o very hard ; but the sleeping out in the open under t.vo blankets, sometimes pouring with rain, was not desirable. There were about twenty of us and a black cook, and the amount of bluebottle fliea and other insects I have eaten would have turned my stomach but for having a marvellous appetite. Boiled elk, bear, and tea was the programme for two weeks. When the job was finished, we immediately got work, fixing up and shovelling charcoal round a °melter, at three dollars, without board ; so we are now working at it, and come home at noon for our dinner in a little phack near the smelter; hours -seven to twelve; one to six. We cook our bread when we get through at six, generally boiling some buffalo meat for our next day's supply. I must not forget to mention that our appearerfce at night is somewhat similar to a coal-heaver s. ' This'is good, honest, though dirty work. Our intention at 'prese'tkt ia to save up 100 dollars start off from here, and camp up at Bridget's, 130 miles from here (about 12 miles on the other side of Bozeman), and cut cordwood to supply Bozeman, and by hard work hope to make" 1,000 dollars by next July. . . . , I want you k to think that lam doing my very best to make and save money. We have not .had even potatoes for a month. Goods are too expensive here, as they have to be hauled from/ Bozeman.' Before we .went, "on 0 tKe road business, we had a three da'ys^ jbb about five miles away; up on the side of a mountain covered with snow, and bad' to pack our blankets, grub, &c, acrosH tbe VBnow,V 8now, making sure of our footstepe, otherwise 'it might 1 have been all up with us. Once' we did' slip and went flying down the mountain for '4oo feet ; but there' happened to be a 1 curve which pulled us up. I shall never forget the sensation. We tried ix> get' a horse across.' He Blipped, rolled 'over~and'over with our blankets, frying-pan, and all oil his back. We thought' it was all over with him, but he got up and -walked* off,- leaving our teapot emashed in., I beliey.e the old beaat had | been there before. t „, ,c, c .t As long a 9 my health keeps up I don't care. I can get along well ; but this' high* kltitude'and the rough ljiying, nothing but bread and elk jUieat 1 , which is liable to^ give me dysentery, has stopped 'me workin'eftwd 'or tnree* day's. ,H6wever;l » td'^'all X rignt * to''rridrfow-'" °* li "»»;M»+,« *»''" ' v :;"

''I-have'" bben ? "W.o v pking J rotfn4 *a 1 Welted , ('which;has T nW^ij lab'1 ab' ( tmilytb^un to work) • f rbm 'sevetf o'd^oplfc'to cix, ; at^Kr'oe 1 dollars a

day. without board, so that, thougHTcfon't spend a cent except for meat), sugar,-, flour* and coffee^whicb, &y/the wayy r are /f rightfully dear, having i!o J>e hauled 120 miles, I cannot save" much. *! . , . This is the roughest of lives ; but as I cart get .good wages I,i can put up with ib. — '/ Prank's Ranche ;" or, My Holiday in the Rockies:"