ardson, of the
_Boston Journal_, was the only passenger in the coach. The trip was
not all that could be desired, for they met with numerous hardships
and many narrow escapes, as did hundreds of others who had preceded
them over that dangerous trail, many never reaching their
destination--having met death at the hands of the cruel Indians of the
plains.

During his stay in Denver Mr. Greeley wrote a number of letters to the
_New York Tribune_, confirming the finding of gold in the territory
and advising immigration. The people in the East were skeptical in
regard to its discovery and awaited a written statement from him to
this effect.

At the close of the war Mr. Greeley's advice to young men, through the
columns of his paper, was to go West and grow up with the country, and
it became a byword throughout the State of New York and the Nation,
"Young man, go West and grow up with the country."

Could Mr. Greeley have foreseen the number of young lives that were to
be sacrificed through his advice, I think he would have hesitated
before giving it; yet, it was the most valued utterance of any public
man of that day for the settlement of the then Far West.

After reading a number of these letters in the _New York Tribune_, I
became very enthusiastic over the opportunities that the West offered
for the young man. There was also a loyal friend of mine who became as
enthusiastic over it as myself. Thus, while we were still so young
as to be called boys, we made up our minds to follow Mr. Greeley's
advice, and "Go West and grow up with the country."

[Illustration: _MAP OF TRAILS
LEADING FROM
MISSOURI RIVER
TO DENVER, COLORADO
1865_]

In making our purchases for the trip we were obliged to make our plans
known to an acquaintance, who at once expressed a desire to accompany
us. After consultation, we consented and at the appointed time, the
fore part of July, 1865, just at the close of the Civil War, we
boarded a New York Central train at the depot in Geneva, N. Y., with
no thought of the hardships and dangers we would be called upon to
meet.

The first night found us at the Falls of Niagara--the most stupendous
production of nature that the country was known to possess at that
time. Our time was divided between the American and Canadian sides,
viewing the grand spectacle at all hours, from the rising to the
setting of the sun; and, awed by the marvelous masterpiece of
grandeur, we were held as if fascinated by its