I then went to the court, where Mr. MacKeen sat in placid dignity. The counsel engaged were Mr. Roxburgh and Mr. Marshall, and the question, whether an alien could hold mining property. After listening with some attention for a good long time, I came to this conclusion.

The American Act of Congress (and there is no blame to them for it, for they were neophytes in such matters) was originally drawn by people who had no distinct views on legal matters; but there it is. And both these gentlemen cited the same extracts. It was so indistinct that I am bound to say it supported the argument of each disputant. This will be one of the many things this great people, when they have time, will have to clear up; but perfection here will require a century to establish.

I then went to dinner, and had some fair Californian champagne, which is very nice to drink with water. I also, in the evening, secured my first mint julep, which was undoubtedly good. I was so dead tired with the travelling and getting the money, which required some little argument, and the getting about during the day, that I went up-stairs at nine, and threw myself down on the bed in my clothes and fell asleep. I was woke up after a time, and heard a man next door put out his boots. I thought that it was time to get up, and washed and dressed, as we were to be called at five.

To my surprise, when I got down, I found it was a quarter to one, and that the man with the boots had just gone to bed! I retired again, and had a four hours' snoose till five.

We then left at half-past six, and reached Ogden, and found breakfast ready, and eat a good one, and started. I ought to mention that the bill at Walker House was a favourable pattern for all innkeepers to adopt, and very reasonable.

CHAPTER XX.

WEBER RIVER AND CANON-DEVIL'S SLIDE.

I HAD telegraphed onwards for a lower section of the sleeping car, which is easier to enter than the one above, and more suited to a paralytic old gentleman. About thirty miles from Ogden, we reached the beginning of the "Weber" River, and began to toil upwards through the "Weber Canon." Canon means a rift in the mountain; for instance, "Chedder Cliffs," and the pass through it would be a canon. It is pronounced "Canyon," as if a “y” followed the "n." This was very fine, particularly the "Giant's Gate," where there are some fine rocks. Then we came to a curious stone, two hundred feet long, hollow in the middle, called "The Devil's Slide." I know nothing of this gentleman, but have heard him described by those who do, as a slippery fellow," which he must well be, if, with the impediment of a tail, he could manage to get a slide out of these rocks.

The rocks about here were fine enough, but as we continued to ascend the so-called "Rocky Mountains," they turned out the most veritable imposture I ever met with, 66 except at Sherman the summit, there was no token of rocks, and only there some granite boulders. No danger, but prairie land more flat than Salisbury Plain.

We also crossed a high and long trestle bridge over the Dane Creek, passed two nights in our beds on board, eat and drank at some good houses of entertainment, where we had good or bad meals, as the case might be, and finally came down an easy descent to a rising place, called Cheyenne, which is the point of junction for Denver and Colorado. I had rather thought of going to Colorado, which was perfectly easy from Cheyenne, but the news I had had from home, hastened me onwards. After that, we moved on to Omaha, which is a large central town. We had passed various small "towns," consisting of six houses, each made up of three "saloon " or drinking-houses, a grocery store, and the station. 'Liquoring" forms some portion of an American's daily life. At Omaha, we passed over the “Missouri" river by a fine iron bridge.

There are three routes to Chicago from hence, and a corresponding number of touts persuade you to accept that of their employers. I was very nearly made a spread eagle of, by two taking me by

T

each arm, and pulling me to their respective train. I produced my ticket for the Burlington route, and got safe on board."*

As evening came on, we were at a small "passing station," waiting for another train to pass by the siding, when we learnt by telegram that the road was stopped a few miles along the line by a goods train off the line. It was then eight, and we had to wait till half-past eleven. This was a sad drawback,. as, though some of the time was made up, we got late into Chicago.

The land throughout the line was beautiful and black, and I was so much interested in it, that I ran over after breakfast at Burlington, and got somepapers from the Land Office, which I have for the information of those whom it may concern. We crossed the "Missouri," and reached "Aurora," which is a fine business place, and about seventeen miles from Chicago, found a fine wooded park, laid out for plots and roads, traced to form sites for the erection of Chicago merchants' houses.

*This is their phrase for “ any more passengers, all right."