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Show BLACK HAWK. 101 "Finally Dawson and Jackson had West's antagonist in a proper state of mind to receive his ultimatum. "They presented the cartel to him for his signature. It had already received West's and ran to this effect: "The parties were to be on the ground at sunrise on the following morning; the instruments to be bowie-knives of equal length and sharpness; the blade to be not more than 8 inches long and 1^ inches at the widest part; the combatants to be placed back to back, one on the south edge of North Table Mountain, the other on the north edge of South Table Mountain, and at the word, 'one, two, three,' to turn and fight across the intervening gulch! " The chasm over which the fight was to take place is fully a half-mile across. Dick, of course, saw the joke, and the very ridiculousness of the proposal acted upon him as expected, and he declared himself satisfied, accompanied the seconds to the Mountaineer office, and compromised it over a bottle of ' old cherry bounce.' "' Yes,' said Mr. West, ' that was one of the duels I didn't fight, and I assure you it was decidedly a ' satisfaction' affair." I was deeply impressed with the danger (?) of early journalism in Colorado. CHAPTER XXIII. BLACK HAWK. We take the cars again and are whisked into a valley of scenic wonders. Fantastic turrets crowned with lofty pines tower above us, and below, the angry, foaming tor- Tent of Clear creek coursing down toward the sea. |
