LETTERS 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 PACIFIC SLOPE; 
 
 OR 
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 BY 
 
 HARVEY RICE. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 
 
 90, 92 & 94 Grand Street. 
 
 1870.
 
 Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 
 HARVEY RICE, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for 
 the Northern District of Ohio.
 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 PAGE. 
 From Lake Erie to the Rocky Mountains ft 
 
 LETTER II. 
 From the Rocky Mountains to Salt Lake Valley 12 
 
 LETTER III, 
 Suit Lake— The City— Polygamy 20 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 The Tabernacle— Worship— Proselytes 27 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 Reno— Washoe— Carson City 'M\ 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 Society in Carson— Visit to Lake Tahoe 43 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 Stage Ride— Lake Donner— Sacramento 50 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 From Sacramento to San Francisco— The City 59 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 Sand-Hills— Windmills— Chinese— Climate 67 
 
 256736
 
 IV. 
 
 LETTER X. 
 Churches— Nationalities— Fruits— Cliff House 77 
 
 LETTER XL 
 A Drive— Oakland— Alameda— Earthquake 85 
 
 LETTER Xll. 
 
 Sea Voyage to Los Angeles— Ranch Life 93 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 Anaheim— Its Vineyards— San Diego 102 
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 
 Suspicious Passenger— Los Angeles— San Bernardino 110 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 Return Voyage— Earthquake Theory— Asiatics 119 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 Yosemite— Big Trees- Geysers— Nature 127
 
 LETTEB, I. 
 
 SnE!iMAN, St'ptember 23(1, WJ9. 
 
 The time has hecii when a journey overland 
 to California partook of the marvelous. But 
 now the trip has lost its former import, and 
 amounts to little more than a pleasure excursion. 
 And yet it is really a marvel, that we can now 
 traverse a vast continent in seven or eight days, 
 instead of consuming seven or eight months, as 
 was done by the early emigrants. In fact, the 
 only difficulty to be overcome, now, is simply — to 
 start. We started — myself and wife — in Septem- 
 ber, hSdi) ; the year made meniorai)le l»y the com- 
 pletion of the great trans-continental railway. 
 
 In Avhat I may have to say, you will probably 
 recognize but little that is neAv ; for I am well 
 aware that this is a reading age, and that almost 
 everybody is more or less familiar with the lead- 
 ing cliaracteristics of the Pacific Slope. Yet it is 
 ])ossible my impressions of the golden land may
 
 6 LETTERS FROM 
 
 serve to umuse you, if they sliould not instruct. 
 
 From the Southern Shore of Lake Erie to 
 Council Bhiffs, tlie general aspect of the country 
 is somewhat monotonous, being for the most part 
 a rich alluvial plain of vast extent, enliven- 
 ed by cultivated fields and small farm-houses, 
 and begemmed liere and there with infant vil- 
 lages and pretentious young cities. The railroad 
 bridge Avhich spans the Mississippi and connects 
 Eock Island Avith Davenport, is a splendid struc- 
 ture, about two miles long. 
 
 On arriving at Council Bluft's, formerly the 
 limit of western civilization, we found ourselves 
 ushered into a new region, seeming not only 
 strange, but peculiar in its geological formation. 
 The bluffs consist of a collection of conical sand- 
 hills, barren in appearance, yet graceful in out- 
 line. They look like a platoon of grenadiers 
 drawn up in military attitude to i^rotect from in- 
 yasion the rich valleys of the Missouri. ^Ye pass- 
 ed them unchallenged. The town derives its 
 name from the fact that the explorers, Lewis and 
 Clarke, in 1804, held a council here with the lu- 
 dians. Tlie plucc has now become a city, con- 
 taining about twelve thousand inhabitants. Her 
 citizens, it is said, regard Omaha, Avhich is situat- 
 ed on the western l)ank of tlie river, as an in- 
 trusive rival, aiul ol'tcn speak of her. 'ironically,
 
 THE I'ACLI-IC SLOPE. 7 
 
 US "ii twill sister" born too late in life to take 
 precedence in the commercial circle of that 
 country. 
 
 Yet Omaha is equally plucky, and enter- 
 tains no fears of being eclipsed, though born as 
 late as 1854. She has a population of nearly 
 twenty thousand. When the railroad bridge 
 across the Missouri is completed, she will keep 
 her foot in the stirrup, and continue to advance 
 with a still higher degree of self-assurance. The 
 distance between the two cities is four miles. 
 The river is about a mile wide, turbid and treach- 
 erous. We were transferred on a steam ferry boat, 
 keeping our seats in the omnibus the meantime ; 
 and were deposited like so much freight, uncere- 
 moniously, at the grand depot of the Pacific road 
 in Omaha. Here we found the train, consisting of 
 eight passenger cars, ready and waiting with 
 steam up to recei\'e us. In " the twinkling of an 
 eye "' our party was thrust on l)oard, bag and bag- 
 gage, when the whistle gave the signal, and the 
 impatient steam-horse snuffed the air with a 
 spasmodic puff, and then took to his lieels. head- 
 ed for the Eocky Mountains. In leaving Oinalia, 
 Ave left the old " Far West " "behind us, which, by 
 the people on the Pacific coast, is now called the 
 " Far East." In tlie progress of the age the Far 
 West has been obliterated, and is now no where
 
 8 LETTERS FROM 
 
 to be found. The great Platte River Valley upon 
 which we now entered, running with almost 
 lightning speed, presents one of the most beau- 
 tiful and lovely landscapes, at this season of the 
 year, that I ever beheld, — a vast sweep of level 
 plains, waving Avith tall grass and wild flowers, 
 and dotted, for the first fifty miles, with corn 
 fields, stubble fields, shorn meadows, and humble 
 cabins. In point of soil it is a rich country, but 
 deficient in its supplies of living water, as well as 
 entirely destitute of timber. 
 
 While in the Platte Valley, we were suddenly 
 overtaken by a terrific thunder storm, attended 
 with a violent wind and rain. The storm occur- 
 red in the early part of the evening, and continued 
 for an hour or more. It seemed as if the artillery 
 of Heaven had been brought into conflict, firing 
 by regiments in every direction. We could see 
 the electric fluid roll like cannon balls down the 
 sky and over the vast plains. The scene was as 
 sublime as it was terrific, and awed every })assen- 
 ger into silence. But in the morning, after the 
 storm had passed, all nature seemed regenerated, 
 and looked as beautiful as a young bride at her 
 marriage festival. 
 
 Though you may imagine that these plains 
 must appear monotonous and unattractive, yet in 
 proceeding westward you see many filings that
 
 THE PACIIIC SLOPE. 9 
 
 coiistcintly interest you, novel sights of a singular 
 character, accompanied with more or less amus- 
 ing incidents. As we Hew steaming and puffing 
 over this silent and uninhabited region, we fre- 
 (|uent]y startled herds of antelope feeding near 
 the wayside, who ran, hounding gracefully over 
 the plain, until lost in the distance. In one in- 
 stance Ave saw two bears walking leisurely amid 
 the sage-brush, Avithin two hundred rods of the 
 train, and seeming to care for nothing but them- 
 selves. We also passed tlirough many villages 
 whose only denizens are prairie dogs, a very pret- 
 ty little animal, resembling the fox squirrel, and 
 about the same size. They play, frolic, and bark 
 within a stone's throAV of the passing cars. Their 
 houses are built of sand cemented with clay, and 
 located near each other Avith narrow interA^ening 
 streets, and are entered through a circular door- 
 way. They are conical in structure aiul resemble 
 potato-hills. The flesh of these animals is deli- 
 cate. At one of the stations our breakfast table 
 Avas furnished Avith a dish of prairie dog in the 
 form of a stcAv. "We Avere often regaled Avith an- 
 telope steaks at other stations — a kind of meat 
 Avliicli Ave A'ery much preferred, and Avhich most 
 of the passengers regarded as perfectly delicious. 
 As Ave approached what is called the Rocky 
 ^fountain range. Ave kept a sliarp lookout for tlie
 
 10 LETTERS FROM 
 
 mountains, with the expectation of catching a 
 sublime A'iew of their lofty grandeur. But in 
 Yain. We arrived at Sherman, the highest point 
 in the route, an elevation of more than eight 
 thousand feet above the level of the sea, before 
 we became conscious of having reached even 
 their base. The truth is, the Eocky Mountains, 
 in the direction of the railway, are but a myth — 
 nothing but an elevated plain on a vast scale, 
 with here and there a low range of cobble-stones 
 embedded in bluffs, which look like the bank of a 
 dried up river Avhose opposite bank has been re- 
 moved, or lost in the even surface of the adjoining 
 plain. The grade over this elevated plain, both 
 the ascent and descent, for the whole distance, is 
 so easy that in passing you would scarcely perceive 
 it. The country produces little else than sage- 
 brush and a few dwarf pines. 
 
 The town of Sherman, at present, but a sta- 
 tion, is located on the very apex of the Eocky 
 Mountains, the backbone of a continent, five 
 hundred and fifty miles west of Omaha. The at- 
 mosphere is so clear that you can see Pike's Peak 
 looming up in the south, at a distance of one 
 hundred and sixty-five miles. The town is in- 
 debted to General Sherman for its name, who is 
 the tallest, and I might say, the bravest and most 
 srallant general that held a commission in the
 
 THE I'Al ll'lc si.opi:. 11 
 
 Union army, durmg the l\ebellion. His famous 
 '• march to the sea " has immortalized his name, 
 and addrd a lirilHant paire to the history of his 
 eonntrv.
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Uintah, September 25tli, IHO'.t. 
 
 It was at Sherman that we commenced our 
 descent down the Pacific Slope. From tliat point 
 which is the continental watershed, the waters 
 divide and flow in opposite directions, west to the 
 Pacific, and east to the Atlantic ocean. The de- 
 scent is like the ascent, so gradual that you would 
 scarcely perceive it. The Black Hills are to be 
 seen in the distance, which take their name from 
 the fact that they are clad with pines, giving 
 them a dark and gloomy appearance. It is a 
 wild region, the favorite domain of still wilder 
 Indians, who, in addition to their pastimes of 
 hunting and fishing, frequently attack and plun- 
 der emigrant trains and other parties of white 
 men passing through the country. Not long 
 since a skirmish occurred near here between the 
 Indians and a detachment of soldiers, who had 
 J)een sent out from the Fort for the ])u'r])ose of
 
 THE l'A( IFK SLOPE. 13 
 
 recoverin<f stolen horses. In the encounter three 
 Indians and one white man were killed. Soon 
 after passing Sherman, we were overtaken by a 
 freakish snow storm, the first of the season, which 
 whitened tlie ground to the depth of two or three 
 inches. The country here assumes a new aspect, 
 being diversified with a multitude of rounded 
 hills as naked as when born into the world, and 
 yet resembling the ruins of old dilapidated cities. 
 Here and there you will recognize among them a 
 hill still retaining the pefect outline of an old 
 church of the gothic style, an ancient castle per- 
 haps of the feudal age, or a weather-beaten farm- 
 house, such as Avere built in early days by the 
 New England Puritans. It would seem as if Na- 
 ture, tired of waiting for man, had liere under- 
 taken to build cities on her own account, and had 
 succeeded. 
 
 In this direction there is a plenty of wild 
 game, antelope, elk, black tailed deer, bear, 
 grouse, sage hens, with an abundance of fish in 
 the lakes and rivulets. In the summer it is a 
 perfect paradise for sportsmen, and so healthful 
 that a dyspeptic could not die if he would, unless 
 he should resort to medicine. Here Nature 
 iieals the sick and works miracles, and is too be- 
 nevolent to charge a fee for it. 
 
 Lake Como. A\l)ich lies near the road and in
 
 14 LETTERS FROM 
 
 full view, is a beautiful sheet of Avater, nearly two 
 miles long by one wide, and contains fiye or six 
 excellent yarieties of fish. It is also a favorite 
 locality for ducks. At Carbon Station, a little 
 west from here, was discovered the first mineral 
 coal found on the line of the Pacific Union Road. 
 The coal is abundant and of excellent quality, 
 and is now mined and shipped to eastern towns 
 in large quantities. Coal mines of equal value 
 have since been discovered at different points 
 along the road, some of which are noAv worked 
 with remunerating success. 
 
 At Bitter Creek, you reach a locality which 
 has been made famous in the annals of the early 
 emigrants. The water is so strongly impregnated 
 with alkali, that neither man nor beast can drink 
 it with safety. The banks of the creek are marshy 
 and dangerous of approach, Avith evidences of 
 coal oil floating on the surface. The Avhitened 
 bones of horses and cattle and of man, that are 
 still to be seen along this valley, sufficiently indi- 
 cate the route pursued in former years by emi- 
 grants and freighters. They often arrived here, 
 overcome Avith thirst; drank from necessity and 
 died. After leaving the valley of this modern 
 Merali, Ave soon glided into the valley of Green 
 RiA'er. Much of the Avay the bluffs are bold and 
 precipitous. Not far away, on the SweetAvater
 
 'I'lIK PACIFIC SLOPE. 15 
 
 River, gold mines have been discovered, which are 
 said to be rich, and which are now worked with 
 considerable success. And now as we proceed, 
 the hills and bluffs often approach within a few 
 rods of the track, presenting a perpendicular 
 front of naked wall, composed of sandstone, and 
 laid up in range-work, like solid luasonry. These 
 walls are in some instances hundreds of feet high, 
 and look as if built in the days when there were 
 ••ffiants on the eai'th." The Church Buttes are 
 so called, because they resemble churches. They 
 are simply earth elevations, having a church-like 
 outline, larger than hills, yet smaller than moun- 
 tains, which have arisen, without regard to order, 
 out of the surface of an extensive jilain. On 
 first view they surprise the beholder and rivet his 
 attention like a passing panorama of wonders. 
 The moss-agates, which are so prized when pol- 
 ished and wrought into jewels for the ear, breast, 
 and fingers, abound here, and along the whole 
 line of the road from Green Eiver to Piedmont, 
 They are found lying loose on the top of the 
 bluffs, and within the crevices of the rocks where 
 the winds Inive blown away tiie sand. They are 
 l)robal)ly the result of vok-aiiie or cU'ctrieal heat, 
 and were originally formed in the sandstone 
 rocks, where they still lie embedded in large 
 numbers. How this could have occurred aud flu>
 
 16 LETTERS FROM 
 
 agates still retain the imprint of mosses of the 
 most delicate textnre, is a marvel. We purchased 
 a few specimens from pedlers Avho offer them for 
 sale on the cars as well as at the stations. 
 
 Many of the stations take their names from 
 some novel circumstance, or historical fact. We 
 passed one called "Lone Tree." The tree that 
 stands there is the only one to be seen in that re- 
 gion. Bridger Station takes its name from one 
 James Bridger, who was a famous hunter in these 
 parts, some forty years ago. Fort Bridger, not 
 far from here, is still more famous as the military 
 post or locality where the Mormons, led by Orson 
 Pratt, on the 23d of November. 185T, in the 
 night, and amid a driving snow storm, attacked 
 and robbed the supply train on its way to the 
 western army, commanded by (leneral Johnson. 
 The train had encamped for the night, and con- 
 sisted of one hundred and sixty wagons, and a 
 party of tAvo hundred and thirty persons. The 
 Mormons seized the supplies, and burned the 
 wagons, and left the party to starve and die in 
 the wilderness, a thousand miles away from the 
 border settlements. Only eight of the party sur- 
 vived the wintei, aiul they did not reach home 
 until the next June. The Mormons feasted on 
 the supplies in tlie meantime, while Johnson's 
 army were put du shoil rations. For tliis nierci-
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 17 
 
 le.ss outnigc the (ioveriinient h;is never punished 
 the Mornmns, or taken official action in reference 
 to it. Though mercy be a divine attribute, the 
 exliibition of too much of it, as in this case, be- 
 comes not only a moral, but a political evil. 
 
 The Wahsatch ^Mountains are not generally 
 hum'. l)ut form a rancfc of irregular, l)roken liills 
 and peaks Avith l)ald lieads, and intervening 
 gorges, dee]), dark, and sometimes fearful. It 
 is here a desolate, silent, voiceless region of 
 country, and like much of the country through 
 whicli we liavi' i)assed, })roduces little else than 
 sage-brush and grease wood. In passing along 
 Echo canyon we plunged into the bowels of one 
 of the mountains, running through a tunnel 
 seven hundred and seventy feet, the longest on 
 the Pacific Union Koad, and emerging into a 
 beautiful ^ale, as green, fresh, and flowery as 
 Eden. This vale is one of Nature's favorite re- 
 treats, a garden hidden aAvay among these deso- 
 late mountains. Here she has Avatered the soil 
 with perennial rills, and cultivated its fiowers 
 with a woman's luuul. 
 
 Near this, we passed what is called the Castle 
 Kocks. which overhang the railway, and tower 
 into the sky from five liundred to two tlnni- 
 sand feet. It is impossible to describe tlie l)t'au- 
 ties. wonders, aiul sublimities of the scene. At
 
 18 LETTEKS FROM 
 
 one point, u thousand feet above the ])ed of the 
 canyon which is narrowed here to a mere })ath- 
 way, the Mormons in 1857. built a fortilica- 
 tion and placed on the rim of the precipice a 
 long line of huge stones with a view to crush 
 Johnson's army when it should attempt to pass, 
 by rolling the stones down on his soldiers. But 
 for some reason they did not carry into execution 
 this murderous scheme. 
 
 In proceeding along the river down Weber 
 canyon, one becomes convinced that Nature 
 graded the route with the expectation that a rail- 
 way would be l)uilt here some day. By the ajv 
 plication of some tremendous force, perhaps with 
 nitro-glycerine, she split open the mountain 
 range for miles, leaving the side Avails just Avide 
 enough apart to admit of a free and easy passage ; 
 and to make it plain, penciled the track with 
 AVeber Eiver. No human engineer could mistake 
 the design, or accomplish such a work. On the 
 bank of the riA^er stands a tree of much interest 
 to travelers, the solitary pine, labeled '"' 1000 
 miles IVom Omaha," and near it you 2)ass the 
 "devil's slide,'"' a narroAV path doAvn an abrujit de- 
 clivity Avith a fence twenty feet high on each side, 
 constructed by Nature of huge flagging stone set 
 edgcAvisi' in tlic ground, '^riu' slide descends in 
 a straiii'lit line, ami is more than a llionsaud iVet
 
 TIIK I'AClI'lc SLOI'K. 19 
 
 l()n<;\ IIowL'Vor slippery the doscont. it is evident 
 the devil's sled cuiuiot iiy the tniek. Whether he 
 draws his sled back or slides hack, I cannot say, 
 bnt everybody knows lie is a backslider. Very 
 good men in the church sometimes accuse each 
 other of the same sin. A little westward from 
 this slide comes the " devil's gate/' a fearful pass 
 l)etween two perpendicular rocks or gate posts, 
 more than a thousand feet high. The gate is 
 supposed to have been demolished Avhen his Sa- 
 tanic Majesty with undue haste and violence, 
 threw it wide open to let the Mormons pass into 
 Salt Lake Valley. In five minutes after emerg- 
 ing from Weber canyon, we reached Uintah, the 
 first station in the holy land of many wives. 
 From here we go by stage to Salt Lake City. 
 The distance is thirtv miles.
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 Salt Lake City, September 27th, 1869. 
 
 The stage-route by wliicli we came from Uin- 
 tah to this '• much married " city, winds along the 
 base of the mountains which encircle this great 
 valley, as if to guard it from the profane intru- 
 sion of the outside world. The dark blue waters 
 of Salt Lake slumbered calmly on our right, and 
 occupy a central })osition in the valley. It is 
 about seventy-tive miles long by ten wide. In its 
 centre there looms up a mountain island, which 
 gleams like an emrralil sut in c'l)0uy. Its outline is 
 oval. '^rhc extensive meadow-like plains that 
 border on tlie Lake are rich and beautiful, and 
 divided into ranches occupied for the most part 
 ])y j\Ionu()ns. Tlu' margin of the Lake is en- 
 crusted with crystal ized salt of excellent cpuility, 
 which the ])eo]de here generally use for domestic 
 ))urposes, and wliicli any one may shovel up and 
 carrv awav bv tlu- wa<jon load, if he cares to do
 
 THE l'A( IIIC SJ.Ul'E. 21 
 
 SO. Ill otlu-r word.s, lu-ro are Xatuiv'.s salt works. 
 
 In passing aroinul the spur of a mountain as 
 \vc ai)proaclK'(l the eity,, we drove througli tlie 
 I'apid current of a hot spring flowing from the 
 mountain's base, and steaming with offensive 
 gases, and so heated that \ou eould not hold 
 your hand in it. Its volume is quite large, almost 
 a rivulet, and its Avaters are said to be highly es- 
 teemed for their luedieimil properties. Springs of 
 a like character abound still nearer the city, and 
 L'ven within its limits, Avhere several bathing- 
 houses have been erected to which Brigham and 
 his disciples often resort and undergo ablutions 
 wliicli. I doubt not, they much need; and yet I 
 • pR'stion whether the waters, though heated to a 
 scald, could cleanse them from their moral leprosy. 
 
 Near the city, and along the roadside, are still 
 to be seen the dilapidated walls of several old 
 fortifications, black as tar, and originally built 
 ten or twelve feet high, enclosing plats of ground 
 broad enough to accommodate an army of ten 
 thousand men. The Avails are one continuous 
 solid mass, and appear to be constructed of ce- 
 ment made of gravel and asphaltum, impenetra- 
 ble to musket balls. The Mormons erected these 
 walls in 1857, as we Avere told, for the purpose 
 of defending the Holy City against the crusade 
 of the Federal troops, then in command of Gen.
 
 22 I.HTTK'.IS FROM 
 
 Johnson, who had been sent to Utuli by the (Jov- 
 ernniont Avith orders to see that the hiws of C'<tn- 
 gress were diil\ ciitui-ci'd. 
 
 ^'erv sonii after passing the iorlitieations we 
 entered the city proper, and took lodgings at a 
 Mormon hotel. Here we fonnd excellent aceom- 
 inixhiiituis. and (hiring onr stay wei"e tivated witli 
 all the attention and i»oliteness we eonld desiiv. 
 Wi' observed nothing. Avhile at the hotel, which 
 indneed us tn bflirve that it ditfered in any re- 
 spect I'rom other iirst class hotels; and yet. as a 
 matter of fact, onr landlord rejoiced in the pos- 
 session of hve wives, if joy there can I)e in Inn- 
 ing live times too much (•(■ a good thing. Tlic 
 first wife was, apparently, jjast middle age. wore a 
 faded calico dress and a downcast look, and seem- 
 ed unhappy. The second appeared much young- 
 er and prettier, was clad in silks and jewels, and 
 had the general superintendence of the servants 
 and of the household. The other three, it Avas 
 said, kept house by themselves in different parts 
 of the toAvn. and took charge of their owji child- 
 ren and family affairs : yet Avere, in fact, sujiported 
 by the landlord, their common husband. Hoav 
 many children he has by his five Avives, Ave did 
 not learn, but they arc said to be numerous. 
 He is regarded as a man of Avealth, and in his 
 style of manners has the appearance of an ac-
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 23 
 
 complislied gentleman. He is a native of Maine; 
 apparently abont sixty years old, and has resided 
 in Salt Lake City twenty years. 
 
 On .Sunday we attended cliureh, and heard 
 Brighani Young preach. lie had a full house, 
 and ajipearcd to be a man of much more jiolish 
 and culture than I expected to see, from all I had 
 lieard said of him. llis language was select, and 
 his style of oratory earnest, talkative and sincere. 
 He indulged in no expressions which could be re- 
 garded as inconsistent with good taste ; yet when 
 contradicted or irritated, it is said, he sometimes 
 employs coarse and unqualified language. Ho 
 evidently feels and knows that he is the acknowl- 
 edged dictator and Supreme Head of the Church 
 in Mormondom. It must be admitted that he is 
 a shrewd tactician, decidedly foxy, and ever ready 
 in adopting expetiients. If this were not so, he 
 could never have achieved what he has. If not a 
 great genius, he is certainly no ordinary man. 
 This was my impression of him at first sight. 
 His discourse was not Avritten, nor did he take a 
 text, but proceeded at once to give utterance to 
 his train of thought. If I had not known who 
 he was, I should not have questioned the ortho- 
 doxy of his discourse, until he alluded to the 
 subject of polygamy. In this allusion he pro- 
 nounced it a divine institution, and then remark-
 
 24 LKTTKKS KltOM 
 
 ed that tin- outside world called it his " iieouliar 
 institution." He said tliei'e was really notliing 
 })ecii]iai' ahiiiit it, and declared tliat. i)()ly^ainy 
 was saiiclioued hv Ixilli tile Old and New Testa- 
 nient, as well as by the i)resent ciistoiiis of inan- 
 kiiid ill various ))arts of the civilized world. ]Ic 
 also declared the liook ol' .Mornion. n |)i\iiie Rev- 
 elation, because he knew it to be such, asserting 
 that the " Ijatrer Day Saints" are the only true 
 chosen people ol" (Jod. He said all other systems 
 of reli<;"ioii hail failed in their object, and that 
 the new revelation became a necessity, and is 
 therefore the true "light of the world.'' Jle call- 
 ed Christ his elder brother, and claiined the ))ow- 
 er of working' niiratdes. In conclusioii, he a[)- 
 l)ealed to the women to be submissive to their 
 condition, and iir^cd this as a religious duty, 
 lie told them that (Jod destined them to become 
 the mothers of mankind, and that they were 
 made wives and mothers in the providence of 
 God, for the pnr])Ose of building up Zion for 
 ••' Zion's sake." 
 
 In personal appearance, lii'igham is a tine 
 looking gentleman, tall and portly, easy and self- 
 possessed in manner, dresses elegantly, is about 
 seventy years of age, yet appears much younger, 
 and weighs at least two hundred. Tie has more 
 wives than pounds of llesh. l\' distributed
 
 THE PACIFIC .SLOPE. 25 
 
 among- them, he wouldn't go round at a pound 
 apiece. He has wives celestial and wives terres- 
 tial. Of tlie celestial there are several hundred: 
 of the terrestial some forty or rift3\ The former 
 are pious, confiding- old ladies, wlio have lost 
 their charms, and only claim the iirivilege of pin- 
 ning tlu'ir faitli to his sleeve. Tlie latter are 
 still })ossessed of considerable youth and beauty, 
 and have the privilege of "building up Zion.'' 
 HoAv many children Brigham really has, is not 
 known, and it is doubtful if he knows ; but they 
 say he has somewhere from fifty to one hundred 
 and fifty. In providing for their education, he 
 erected especially for them a large two-story 
 school house, which Juis now Ijecome too small 
 to accommodate them. He has nineteen or 
 twenty favorite wives. Avho (K'eu])y distinct dwell- 
 ings in diflerent parts of tlie city. He visits 
 them occasionally, and so far as they are unable 
 to take eare of themselves, he i)rovides for 
 them. The salvation of every woman who mar- 
 ries Brigham or any of his church dignitaries, is 
 considered al)solutely certain. Hence, their sys- 
 tem of celestial marriages embraces old women 
 as Avell as young, and often women who have 
 been in their graves for years. The nuptial cer- 
 emonies are iierformed in church. In marrvinji 
 a deceased woman, the bridegroom appears before
 
 •>(J LETTERS FKO.M 
 
 the priest, locked arm in arm with a living wife, 
 who consents to the nuptials, as the representa- 
 tive of the iiivisi))le hridc: in this way the de- 
 parted woman is sealed to an earthly lnisl)and in 
 celestial marriage. The faithful, especially the 
 wicloAvs, believe in celestial marriages: and of 
 course are all anxious to secure their salvation by 
 becoming sealed as celestial wives to Brigham, or 
 to some one of his divine officials in the church. 
 The Mormons claim that all within the pale of 
 their church are brothers and sisters in a natural 
 as well as spiritual sense, and therefore hold, that 
 intermarriages without regard to the degiee of 
 consanguinity are in perfect accordance Avith the 
 dictates of God and Nature. AVhile we were in 
 the city, a brother married his sister, as Ave Avere 
 credibly informed. 
 
 The priesthood go so far as to say that father 
 and daughter, mother and son, may, Avithout vio- 
 lating either natural or divine law', intermarry, if 
 they choose. Such is polygamy in its tendency 
 and in its most revolting form. Is there no rem- 
 edy ? The time is rapidly approaching, I trust, 
 Avhen this corroding stain, this foul plague-spot 
 on our national escutcheon, Avill be forever oblit- 
 erated, and that too, Avithout the hope of a resur- 
 rection. And yet what can be done, or Avhat Avill 
 be done, remains to be seen.
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 Salt Lake City, September 28th, 18C9. 
 
 In the afternoon, on Snnda}', religions ser- 
 vices Avere held in the great Mormon Tabernacle 
 l)y the snbordinate members of the priesthood. 
 Brigham does not often i)reach, and when he 
 does, he prefers to preach in the Chapel which is 
 mnch smaller than the tabernacle, and in which 
 it is much easier for him to speak since he has 
 worn his lungs "threadbare," as he expresses it, by 
 the public speaking he , has done in the last 
 twenty-five years. 
 
 Both the chapel and tabernacle are enclosed 
 in the same lot or square, of ten acres, by a close 
 substantial fence or Avail, fifteen feet high, and en- 
 tered through massive prison-like gates. The 
 tabernacle is an immense structure, two hundred 
 and fifty feet long by one hundred and fifty 
 broad, and ninety-fiA^e feet high. It is oval in its 
 outline, roof and sides, and looks like a huge
 
 28 J.K'ITKHS IKOM 
 
 land tiirtk' .staiuliiig niotioiilcss in its tracks. 
 'I'lic roof rests on tho side walls, and has no in- 
 side pillars to support it. It is suid to be the largest 
 building ever erected in this conntrv. without 
 having interior columns. It will seat ten tiiou- 
 saiul people. At one end there is an elevated 
 platform liri»ad enough to accoiumodate the en- 
 tire priesthood, which consists of Brigham as Di- 
 vine Master, his three divine ct)unselors, twelve 
 apostles, and seventy elders. On this i)latform 
 there stands a magnilicent oigaii. brilliantly gild- 
 ed in front, which is seventy-tive feet high, and 
 thirty-hve wide. It was built by a ^Moiinon. 
 Its t(»nes are as heavy as the multering thunders, 
 and yet as sweet as the music of the spheres. AVe 
 were politely seated by the usher in a front seat, 
 below, Avith the audience. There are no galleries, 
 'i'lie iiouse was well lillrd, i»rol)ably not less than 
 six or eight thousand i)eople were in attendance. 
 The priesthood occupied the platform, and, judg- 
 ing from their numbers, I should suppose they 
 were all there except Brigham, "who seldom attends 
 service in the afternoon. The women occupied 
 the central seats in the main body of the taberna- 
 cle, and the men encircled them n)uud al)out like a 
 hoop. I never before saw such a sea of upturned, 
 credulous faces, as I beheld in this assemblage. 
 There were twice as manv women as meii. and
 
 THE I'AriFlC SLOPE. 29 
 
 '•'such beauties did they groAv," that you woukl 
 have fancied yourself auywliere else than in a field 
 of lilies. The audience was composed of almost 
 every nationality kno"\vn on the face of the globe. 
 They all seemed absorljed in the services, which 
 consisted in singing, reports from returned mission- 
 aries, and a ram])ling hit-and-miss discourse from 
 one of Brigham's divine counselors. Most of the 
 priests appeared to be elderly men, with broken 
 constitutions, avIio presided with a degn-e of rus- 
 tic dignity that appeared somewhat ludicrous. 
 
 Brigham owes his success mainly to his mis- 
 sionaries. He sends them ]>y hundreds to almost 
 every part of the civilized world. The result is, 
 that he obtains proselytes by the thousands, every 
 year. Five parties of immigrants were reported 
 at the tabernacle last Sabbath, as b^'ing on their 
 way, or as having arrived this year; each party 
 numbering from three hundred to seven hundred 
 persons. In one of these parties seven different 
 languages were spoken, indicating the various 
 countries from which they came. All this was 
 reported as the fruit of a single year's missionary 
 labor. 
 
 The ^lormon church is rich, and transports 
 its proselytes from Europe to I'tah, at its own ex- 
 pense, and is afterAvards reimbursed from their 
 earnings in this country. After they have paid
 
 :}() i.ktti;ks i-uo.m 
 
 this expense in work wliich is iilluttecl them, 
 they are then, like all other Mormons, re({niretl 
 to pay tithes to the elnirch in cash or in kind, 
 annually, (hiring their natural lives. These tithes 
 in kind are either sold or applied, as needed, to 
 support poor immigrants, until they become able 
 to provide for themselves. Nearly all the prose- 
 lytes to the Mormon faith, for the last lifteen years, 
 are made up of the ignorant and poverty-stricken 
 classes of the old world, who, having nothing to 
 lose, but every thing to gain, .were induced to be- 
 lieve that in Salt Lake Valley they would find, 
 not only an earthly paradise, but be enriched with 
 all the I)lessings and wealth that this world can 
 bestow. It is seldom that an American joins the 
 Mormons. When Brigham dies, if not before, the 
 organization will explode Already there are fac- 
 tions in the church, which threaten its existence. 
 In fact, Brigham seems aware that he has an ele- 
 phant on his hands, and in order to prevent a 
 crisis, nvill soon be obliged to announce a new 
 ReA'elation. 
 
 Salt Lake City contains about twenty thousand 
 inhabitants. It is laid out in one hundred and 
 eighty square blocks of ten acres each, Avith inter- 
 vening avenues of one hundred and thirty feet in 
 width. The blocks are then sub-divided into lots, 
 larger or smaller, to suit the wants of the-citizens.
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 31 
 
 and are generally built up Avith wood or adobe 
 dwellings, in which two or three families, some- 
 times more, belonging to one man, are often 
 domiciled. With some exceptions, each family 
 occupies a distinct apartment, which is entered 
 through a separate outside door. You can gener- 
 ally tell, therefore, how many families occupy the 
 same house by the number of its front doors. The 
 gardens are usually large, and tilled Avith fruits, 
 vegetables and flowers. Peaches, pears, and apples, 
 of the largest size and finest quality I ever saw, 
 abound here. Living streams of pure water, Avhich 
 descend from the neighboring snow-capped moun- 
 tains, course along on either side of every avenue 
 in the city, and are conducted in small rills through 
 side-cuts into gardens and lawns to such extent as 
 may be needed for the purpose of irrigatioii. The 
 town is located on a plain, which extends from the 
 base of the circular mountains on one side to the 
 banks of the river Jordan on the other, a distance of 
 two miles or more. This sacred river, as the Mor- 
 mons esteem it, is ten or twelve rods wide, and fif- 
 teen miles long, connecting Lake Utah with Salt 
 Lake. In the holy waters of this modern Jordan the 
 Mormon converts are baptised, and as they say, 
 w^ashed of their sins. We visited the river, and 
 picked up on its shore a black jasper, which we re- 
 tain for exhibition to our friends, and as a me-
 
 32 LH'ITEKS I-IJOM 
 
 monto of Mormonism. tlic sfniiuk-st Imiiibuji' of 
 the Nineteenth Centnrv. 
 
 It is a singnhir I'act that Salt J.ake has no 
 outlet, and tliungli it receives into its Ixisin sev- 
 eral streams of fresh water, it grows none the less 
 saline. It is, in many respects, like the Dead Sea. 
 Neither tisli, nor other living tiling, can inhabit 
 its waters. It is a fountain, if not a jtillar of salt, 
 which, though not conseci'ated to Lot's wife, will 
 forever remind mankind of Bi'igham's wives. 
 
 Beside Salt T^ake valley, there are many other 
 beautiful valleys in Utah ; though much smaller 
 in extent, they are as rich and fertile as the great 
 valley. Nearly all of them, within a circuit of a 
 hundred and tifty miles, are now occupied l)y Mor- 
 mons and regularly visited l)y their Home Mis- 
 sionaries, who. in many instances, have wives and 
 fomilies of children in each valley with whom 
 they stop when on the circuit. These families are 
 expected to take care of themselves; but if una- 
 able to do so, they receive aid from the church 
 revenues or tithes. The entire Mormon po])ula- 
 tion. at this time, is said to be nearly two hundred 
 thousand, and is rapidly increasing. The Mormons 
 intend to control Utah as they ever have done, 
 when it becomes a State. The penniless dupes 
 they import are told that Utah is -a land flowing 
 with milk and lionev." and encircled with moui>
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 33 
 
 tains of gold and silvL-r. and that its climate is a 
 summer of perpetual fruits and flowers, with bread 
 enough and to spare ; nor are tliey informed, espe- 
 t'ially the women, until they arrive, that polygamy 
 is embraced in the articles of their new faith. It 
 is then too late, destitute as they are, to retrace 
 their steps. The priests select the handsomest 
 girls for their wives, and do not seem to regard 
 the act as amounting even to '• a pious fraud." 
 
 And yet, in all this there may be a wise Provi- 
 dence that looks to higher, nobler and holier 
 results. Had it not been for the early, not to say 
 unjust, persecution of the Mormons in the Eastern 
 States, and their forced emigration to Utah in 
 search of protection and a peaceful home, the 
 grand Pacific Railway, in all probability, would 
 not have been built for at least fifty years to come. 
 The Mormons were thus made the pioneers Avho 
 took the lead and opened the gateways into a new 
 world, where they ^vlU iinally be compelled to 
 abandon their " peculiar institution,"' and lose for- 
 ever their identity in the flowing tide of western 
 emigration. 
 
 Be this as it may, Salt Lake City Avill have a 
 name, fame, and record, which time cannot oblit- 
 erate. It is a beautiful city, and the natural scen- 
 ery which surrounds it, is not only beautiful, but 
 grand and sublime. The climate of the valley is
 
 34 LETTERS FROM 
 
 mild Mild suiniiK'r-likf tlirouglioiit the yt-ar. and 
 the soil as rich and productive as the <;ardeii ol' 
 Eden. Nature lias made the spot an earthly i)ar- 
 udise. lirighaiii Ydiinii- founded the city. Jt is 
 and ever will he a .Monument, uliich will com- 
 memorate his name, ^'et not satislied with this, 
 he has already laid the roiiiidatiou ol" a mighty 
 temple which, when completed, will exceed in c(»st 
 and o-raudeur the temple of Solomon. It is to l»f 
 constructed of granite, with many s])ires and tur- 
 rets, in accordance with divine instructions com- 
 municated, as he says. l)y an angel from Heaven, 
 who appeared to him in a vision. "We saw the 
 foundation. It is built of immense blocks of hewn 
 granite, procured from the mountains, eighteen 
 miles distant, and cost a million of dollars, as we 
 Avere informed by the architect. The whole cost 
 of the teniple. wlien linislied, is estimated at three 
 millions. Brigham is full of gigantic projects. 
 He evidently means to survive death. He has 
 done some good things. He educates the youth 
 of his city, and prohiljits the sale, within its limits, 
 of all intoxicating liquors : yet tolerates a theatre, 
 for the sake of its revenues, and often attends it 
 himself. He maintains an efficient police force for 
 the protection of the city and its citizens, and it is 
 understood that he has secret agents, who execute 
 the unrevealed decrees of the priesthood. As Head
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 35 
 
 of the Church, he owns nearly all the real estate 
 of the city, and has several millions of gold de- 
 posited in the Bank of England, witli wliieh to 
 meet emergencies. He has built a railroad con- 
 necting the city with the Pacific road. It became 
 a necessity, and will soon be put into active oper- 
 ation. He owns the road, and will control it. 
 None of his wives, or proselytes, will be ticketed 
 over it, who meditate escape from Mormondom. 
 From appearances, I am satisfied that the Avomen 
 of Salt Lake are generally unhappy, and if they 
 but had the opportunity, or had wings, would 
 leave like a flock of pigeons. But this is impos- 
 sible, so long as Brigham is the great lawgiver, 
 and accepted as the second Christ by his misgui- 
 ded followers. As much as he may love women, 
 he loves gold still more, and no man understands 
 better than he the power of a blind religious faith, 
 or the arts by which it may be made available, in 
 promoting selfish and nnhallowed purposes. And 
 yet time may sanctify the character of Brigham, 
 and perhaps deify him. At any rate, he has estab- 
 lished a religion which will not die with him; 
 though it may undergo material modifications. 
 Mormonism is in fact but a revised edition of 
 Mohammedanism. Five hundred years hence it 
 may predominate the world over. Who knows ?
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 ("ARSON City, Sopteiiibcr 30th, 1869. 
 
 From ^;ilt Liikc City avc returned Ijv stage to 
 the Pacitle road, and })r(K-eeded on our Avay west- 
 ward by rail. For many miles we ran along the 
 margin of the great Salt Lake valley through a 
 region Avhitened with a crust of soda or alkali, 
 Avhich appeared to the eye as if there had been a 
 recent fall of snow. In many other parts of this 
 country the soil is encrusted in a similar manner, 
 and so deeply impregnated with this alkaline sub- 
 stance, as to destroy all vegetation. 
 
 On leaving the valley, we ascended Promon- 
 tory Point, winding our way up by zigzag lines 
 along the ledges of rock, Avhich crop out and over- 
 look the great Salt Lake basin. The vieAv is as 
 grand as it is extensive. We dined at the station 
 on the summit. The dining hall is constructed 
 with rough boards outside, and lined inside with 
 white muslin. The dinner was excellent and po-
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 37 
 
 litely served. Here for the first time our dessert 
 consisted of California fruits, grapes, pears, and 
 apples, very large, fine and delicious. The charge 
 was one dollar in gold. From this station west- 
 ward gold is the general circulating medium, 
 but as a matter of accommodation to passengers, 
 greenbacks are received at the stations in pay- 
 ment of traveling expenses. 
 
 After we left Promontory Point we frequently 
 passed gangs of Chinamen at work, repairing and 
 finishing up the road. They are a strange look- 
 ing set of chaps, and look as much alike as 
 two peas. They are much smaller in stature than 
 Americans, have dark yellowish skins, smooth, 
 round faces, black hair and black almond eyes ; 
 and as we passed them, they grinned and smiled 
 in a manner that was truly comical. They are a 
 quiet, submissive and respectful people in their 
 demeanor. Some were dressed in Chinese cos- 
 tume, and others in half American style. They 
 lodge in very low cloth tents, three or four feet 
 high, and in some instances, instead of tents, they 
 burrow in earth-mounds which resemble kennels. 
 As laborers, they are faithful and etficient, work- 
 ing from sunrise till sunset, without regard to the 
 ten hour system, and if they do not always mind 
 their P's, they certainly do their queues. "When 
 at work they wear their queues, which are about 
 
 256736
 
 38 LETTERS FROM 
 
 four feet long, coiled up, like a lady's switcli, on 
 the back part of the head. 
 
 We had now entered i^pon the vast plain, 
 through which flows the Humboldt river, with 
 here and there a bald-headed mountain and low 
 range of equally bald hills. At this season of 
 the year no green thing is seen, not even a tree, 
 shrub, or blade of grass. It is a barren desert, 
 silent as it is vast, producing nothing but sage 
 brush. The soil is strongly impregnated with 
 alkali. The dust wliicli arises ironi the plain as 
 the cars pass, is anything but agreeable. It parches 
 the lips and skin, and irritates the throat and na- 
 sal linings to a degree that is often tormenting. 
 
 At most of the stations along this part of the 
 route, we saw groups of Indians, men, women and 
 children, standing idle and curious to see the train 
 and its novelties, and begging for money, bread, 
 meat, clothing, or anything else the passengers 
 might please to give them. Dressed partly in 
 Indian costume, and partly in old cast-off Amer- 
 ican garments, they created quite a sensation 
 among the passengers, who enjoyed hugely their 
 comical appearance. These Indians are remnant 
 tribes, known as Shoshones, and Piutes, who are 
 now regarded as quite harmless, but were once 
 numerous and formidable; often at vvar^vith each 
 other; and sometimes ])lundered and murdered
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 3,9 
 
 emigrants. But now " the wing of their spirit is 
 broken." The onward march of ciA'ilization lias 
 overtaken them, and will soon extinguish the race. 
 
 The Humboldt river is comparatively small, 
 larger in the direction of its source than at its 
 termination, owing to the absorption of its waters 
 in the sand as it flows. It is two hundred and 
 fifty miles long, and empties into a lake of the 
 same name. Along its course there are some grand 
 and sublime scenes — especially the pass between 
 the Palisades, a twin range of perpendicular rocks, 
 fifteen hundred feet high, and apparently split 
 asunder by volcanic action. In other places you 
 will see granite rocks projecting from the faces 
 of the round headed hills, resembling dragon's 
 teeth, and reminding you that you are entering 
 the dismal realms — if not the very jaws of destruc- 
 tion — yet this valley, in some seasons of the year, 
 wears a cheerful aspect, as compared with the dry 
 season, and affords excellent pasturage. The old 
 emigrant trail may still be traced through its en- 
 tire extent.. 
 
 On reaching Eeno, which is located on the 
 eastern slope of the Sierras, we again stopped off, 
 and took the stage to Carson City, the capital of 
 Nevada, distant thirty-three miles. On the way we 
 passed the famous '* Steamboat Springs," near the 
 road-side. Thev derive their name from the fact
 
 40 LETTERS FROM 
 
 that they puft' like a steamboat under sail, and 
 throw out on the air a trailing wreath of smoke 
 or cloud, which induces you to look for the pass- 
 ing boat. But on examination, instead of a 
 steamboat, you lind several extensive fissures in 
 the rocky surface of a treacherous spot, where the 
 steam issues, and where it seems to be generated 
 by a current of heated Avater, which you can hear 
 bubble and hiss beneath your feet, and Avhieh is 
 hot enough to boil potatoes in a few minutes. 
 Whether the water is heated by a combination of 
 chemical ingredients deep down in the earth, or 
 by volcanic fires, is a (|uestion for science to settle ; 
 but at present the phenomenon remains a mystery. 
 If you were to stand on the spot where I stood, I 
 am sure you Avould think the infernal regions 
 something more than a theological fiction. 
 
 Soon after passing the springs we entered 
 AVashoe, a small village in a deep valley, famous 
 for its silver mines. It has several quartz mills 
 at work, day and night, and turns out a large 
 amount of bullion. It is located midway between 
 Keno and Carson City. Like Washoe, Carson is 
 also located in a deep valley, known as Eagle Val- 
 ley, and is surrounded by picturesque mountains, 
 clad with pines. The city is situated on the Car- 
 son river, which winds its Avay gracefully along 
 the valley, and contains a population of four or
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 41 
 
 five thousand. It is a inucli larger and riclier 
 town tlian Waslioe, and is alike famous for its 
 quartz mills and production of bullion, It now 
 lias a railroad connecting- it with Virginia City, 
 whence it derives most of its silver ore to supply 
 its Mills. Being the seat of government for Ne- 
 vada, nearly all the State officials reside here, the 
 Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and Judges of 
 the Supreme Court. The State officials are all 
 gentlemen of intelligence and pleasing manners. 
 In a word, they are not only men of brains and 
 refined manners, but an honor to the State. The 
 salary of the Supreme Judges is seven thousand 
 dollars each, and this is paid in gold coin. One 
 of them. Judge Johnson, was Governor of Cali- 
 fornia, in the days of the ffimous Vigilance Com- 
 mittee. As yet, Nevada has no State House, and 
 for the present, the Legislature and Supreme Court 
 hold their sessions in rented halls, and the public 
 offices are kept in side-rooms. The State Library 
 is quite extensive for so young a State. 
 
 Nevada has exhibited her wisdom in making 
 liberal provision for common schools, both liy tax- 
 ation and appropriation of pul)lic lands. She is 
 about to erect for herself a magnificent State 
 House. She has already built a Penitentiary, a 
 very fine, substantial stone edifice,* Avhich is kept 
 in excellent condition, and under a strict svstem of
 
 42 LETTERS FROM 
 
 discipline. It has, at this time, thirty-six inmates 
 or convicts, three of whom are Chinamen ; bnt no 
 Avomen. There is also a splendid Mint at Carson, 
 which has just l;)een erected by the Federal Gov- 
 ernment. The structure is of stone, spacious in 
 its dimensions, and an ornament to the town. 
 The quartz mills in the vicinity are doing a pros- 
 perous business. The rock mineral is pulverized 
 by immense hammers or stamps, to a fine powder, 
 and then run through vats in currents of water, 
 the silver settling at the bottom from its weight. 
 It is then collected by commingling quicksilver 
 with the mass and separating it. I saw masses of 
 silver bullion lying about loose, as large as I could 
 lift, and vainly wished I could have as much as I 
 could carry on my shoulder. If my wish had 
 been granted, doubtless, I should have felt the 
 need of more backbone than I possess. Nevada 
 abounds, not only in the precious metals, but in 
 copper, tin, lead, iron, coal, and quicksilver. In 
 fact, her elements of wealth are inexhaustible. 
 Every mountain is a mine, and every valley a 
 granary. A thousand years will not disclose the 
 half of her hidden treasures.
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 Carson City, October 4th, 1869. 
 
 There are many points of interest in and 
 about Carson. Xot only the neighboring silver 
 mines, but the graceful scenery of the winding 
 valley, the mountains and their deep gorges inter- 
 woven with the lights and shadows cast by the 
 reflected rays of the sun, the whispering pines, the 
 mountain rills, the wild flowers that "Avaste their 
 sweetness on the desert air," all combine to lend 
 "enchantment to the view." 
 
 And what adds still greater interest to the fasci- 
 nations of this charming little city, is the delight- 
 ful society one may find here, especially among 
 the " upper ten," a class of refined and cultivated 
 people, who are just aristocratic enough, and yet 
 democratic enough, to make themselves exceed- 
 ingly pleasant and agreeable in all their social 
 relations, and popular generally among their fel- 
 low citizens. The ladies we met, while in the
 
 44 LETTERS FROM 
 
 city, fully convinced us that elegant and refined 
 women may be found in the West as well as in the 
 East. The ladies of Carson, at least many of 
 them, are fine specimens of true womanhood, and 
 are characterized by good taste and good sense, as 
 well as by cordiality and elegance of manners. 
 The kind and polite attentions we received, dur- 
 ing our visit of a few days, will ever be remem- 
 bered with gratitude; yet cannot be repaid with 
 mere words of acknowledgement. 
 
 From Carson we made an excursion, in com- 
 pany with our friends, to Lake Tahoe, which is 
 embosomed in the summits of the mountains, 
 fifteen miles from the city. It is the most eleva- 
 ted lake on this continent, being six thousand feet 
 above the level of the sea. It is reached by a 
 turnpike, which winds its way up the mountains 
 by angular lines, commanding at every turn mag- 
 nificent views, and which cost the company that 
 built it a hundred and forty thousand dollars. It 
 is used, principally, for transporting pine lumber 
 by teams from the mountain heights to the valley. 
 Most of the teams emidoyed consist of six or eight 
 pairs of mules or oxen, and each team draws two, 
 and sometimes three wagons, attached by chains, 
 and carries from thirty to sixty tons to the load. 
 In regions where there are no roads, they trans- 
 port thnber and fir:-w>x:)d down the mauntains
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 45 
 
 through Humes, constructed of plank, and into 
 which streams of water are conducted, floating 
 the wood and timber, stick by stick, for miles, and 
 going at a rushing rate. The mountains are cov- 
 ered with dense forests of pine, and stand so hud- 
 dled, and yet so independent of each other, as to 
 resemble great earth-bubbles, inflated, I doubt not, 
 by the action of subterranean tires, at some remote 
 period in the earth's history. What is singular, 
 the largest pines grow on the summits of the 
 mountains, owing, perhaps, to the fact that they 
 catch more sunlight than the smaller pines on the 
 lower grades. Or it may be, the mountains were 
 lifted up but halfway at the first convulsion, thus 
 giving the summit pines a longer time to attain 
 their growth. 
 
 Lake Tahoe is certainly a beautiful gem — the 
 most beautiful that ever glittered in the crown of 
 a mountain monarchy. Its waters are as clear 
 and pure as crystal. It is said to be more than two 
 thousand feet deep; and though it receives several 
 streams, it has no outlet. You can see fish and 
 pebbles glimmering in its depths, as in a mirror. 
 It is quite a large lake, being thirty miles long 
 and ten or twelve broad ; nor was it made in vain. 
 San Francisco is agitating the question of mo- 
 nopolizing its waters for the use of its citizens, by 
 conducting it in ii-on pipes to the city, a distance
 
 46 LETTERS FROM 
 
 of a hundred und fifty miles, and at a cost esti- 
 mated at twelve millions of dollars. Its borders 
 are wild and romantic. It is surrounded by snow- 
 capped mountains, which are reflected in the 
 mirror of its waters. Ragged rocks, looking like 
 armed giants, stand out here and there along its 
 margin, as if to guard the spot from intrusion. 
 Though located in a region of perpetual frost and 
 snow, its waters never freeze ; but wiiy they should 
 not, is a mystery. In summer it is a place of pop- 
 ular resort. The mountain air is pure, cool, and 
 exhilirating. No invalid can breathe it without 
 feeling its invigorating influence. Indeed its res- 
 torative influence is like the fabled elixir of life, 
 it makes one, however old he may be, feel youth- 
 ful, if not absolutely frolicsome. There is a small 
 steamboat that plies on the lake, for the benefit 
 and pleasure of visitors, and on both sides of the 
 lake there are several first-class hotels, which fur- 
 nish excellent accommodations for summer guests 
 and pleasure parties. We stopped at the Glen- 
 brook House, Avhieh commands a fine view of the 
 lake and its scenerj^ The lake abounds in silver 
 trout, so called because they are dotted with silver 
 stars; a fresh-caught one, weighing six pounds, 
 supplied us with an excellent dinner. The table 
 was loaded with all kinds of luxuries, including
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 47 
 
 the best of California fruits, and attended by a 
 Chinese waiter. 
 
 Glenbrook gives name to the liotel, and runs 
 dashing by its door, giggling and laughing like a 
 mountain maid. On the opposite side of the glen 
 rises Shakespeare Eock, two hundred feet high, 
 looking like an immense statue, chiseled by human 
 hands. It is in itself a marvel. Its apex resem- 
 bles very distinctly the head of Shakespeare. The 
 features of the face are like his in expression. 
 The brow is crowned with a wreath of golden 
 moss ; and the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin, fully 
 delineated. There he stands facing the lake, and 
 gazing in mute rapture upon its placid waters. 
 No artist could improve this portraiture of genius, 
 which has been thus lithographed by the hand of 
 Nature, and placed on exhibition in this lofty 
 granite hall of her own Mountain Home. 
 
 Not far from the Shakespeare statue appears 
 Cathedral Eock, which is so named from its re- 
 semblance to a Eoman chnrcli. It looks so much 
 like a magnificent church, that you imagine you 
 can see the worshipers inside, through the gothic 
 windows, engaged in their devotions. About three 
 miles from Glenln'ook there is a wonderful cave 
 in a rock, which presents a bold, perpendicular 
 front, overlooking the lake and rising to a height 
 of four hundred and eighty feet. The cave opens
 
 48 LETTERS FROM 
 
 at its base and extends into the ruck, like an 
 arched passage-way, a hundred feet or more, and 
 is high enough to admit of standing erect in it. 
 We entered and advanced to its termination, but 
 saw nothing except blackened, vitrified walls, and 
 some specimens of jasper and agates. The cave 
 was probably produced by volcanic action, and is 
 well worth a visit. 
 
 There are many other interesting spots along 
 the borders and in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe, 
 which, every excursionist should visit, who enjoys 
 communion with Nature and admires her wonder- 
 ful works. A few weeks spent here in summer, is 
 worth more than a year squandered in Europe, or 
 at a ftishionable watering place in the Eastern 
 States, so ftir as regards pleasure, or the attain- 
 ment of health. 
 
 After enjoying the day here in the most de- 
 lightful manner with our friends in sight-seeing, 
 we returned to Carson in the evening by moon- 
 light. We had a rapid and exciting ride down 
 the mountains. The commingled lights and shad- 
 ows that fell on our wa}', and on the mountain 
 sides, and in the deep gorges, reminded us of fairy 
 land, and produced in our minds visions of all 
 that is magical and beautiful, not to say fearful, as 
 we were whirled along the edges of precipitous 
 cliffs and abrupt descents, which terminated in
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 49 
 
 unknown depths. Yet we made a safe trip of it, 
 and reached the city at a seasonable liour in the 
 evening, highly gratified with the experiences of 
 the day.
 
 LETTER YII. 
 
 Sacramento, October 6th, 1869. 
 
 Yesterday we tojk leave of our friends and 
 the many pleasant acquaintances we had made at 
 Carson City, and returned by stage to Eeno, in 
 time to take the niglit train going west. We had 
 an exciting ride. The stage team consisted of six 
 horses, fat, sleek and fast. The famous Hank 
 Monk held the ribbons — the same chap who 
 drove Horace Greeley over the mountain road to 
 Placerville, a few years ago, in time to lecture. 
 On entering the coach, I alluded to the fact, and 
 requested a specimen of his skill ; but remarked 
 that I was a good democrat and didn't think I 
 deserved, on the score of political sins, so hard a 
 jolting as he gave Greeley. But we had no sooner 
 started than the speed began to increase, until the 
 jolts became so intolerable that I implored moder- 
 ation. " Hank " replied to me as he did to Horace, 
 '•' Keep your seat, sir." This I tried to do, but the
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 51 
 
 more I tried the more I couldn't, and the result 
 was, we reached Reno, a distance of thirty-three 
 miles, an hour and a half ahead of time. The 
 moment " Hank " entered the hotel, I congratula- 
 ted him, extolled the speed of his horses and his 
 horsemanship, and gave the barkeeper an intima- 
 tion that put Hank in good spirits, or rather 
 good spirits into Hank, a compliment which he 
 acknowledged Avith a very low, conciliatory bow ; 
 and thereupon we parted, exchanging a profusion 
 of kind wishes for each other's success in the 
 journey of life. 
 
 Eeno is an important railroad station, extem- 
 porized of canvas and rough boards, contains six 
 or seven hundred inhabitants, and takes its name 
 from Gen. Reno, who was killed in battle at South 
 Mountain. It is built without much regard to 
 order; yet is rapidly advancing in wealth and 
 population, and promises to become the leading 
 city of the mountains. It is located within a rich 
 and extensive mining district, and only twenty 
 miles from Virginia City. Almost every mush- 
 room town, though not much but a railroad sta- 
 tion, is dignified Avith the name of a city in this 
 region of the country. Truckee is the great 
 lumber mart of the mountains, and the largest 
 city on the Central. It has a population of nearly 
 five thousand. Not far from here you pass Don-
 
 52 LETTERS FROM 
 
 ner I^ake. It is ii beiiutiftil, rock-rimmed basin of 
 water, pure as liquid silver ; yet there is connected 
 with it a very sad story of human suffering. 
 
 In 184:0, late in the fall, a party of emigrants, 
 who had crossed the plains, arrived at this lake 
 and camped for the night on its borders. They 
 brought with them horses, wagons, and a few 
 head of horned cattle, but their provisions were 
 nearly exhausted. The party consisted of sixteen 
 persons, among whom were Mr. Donner, his wife 
 and four children. During the night there came 
 on a violent snow storm, which continued for 
 three days, and completely blockaded every avenue 
 of escape. Their situation became alarming, and 
 the prospect of relief, at so late a period in the 
 season, seemed entirely hopeless ; and yet, if they 
 attempted to remain for the Avinter, they knew 
 they must perish of cold and hunger. 
 
 In view of this fearful state of things, the 
 strong men of the party resolved to make an effort 
 to reach the valley on the coast, and for this pur- 
 pose saddled the horses, and invited the entire 
 party to join them. But Mr. Donner, being un- 
 well, declined. His wife concluded to remain 
 with him, but permitted her children to go. After 
 the party had mounted their horses, and were 
 about to start, one of them, a stout Dutchman, 
 dismounted and declared his intention to remain
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 53 
 
 with Donner and his wife. The party then started 
 on their perilous journey, and, after severe strug- 
 gles and much suffering, reached the valley in 
 safety. Soon after their departure, the cattle and 
 horses left at the camp, escaped, and were lost in 
 the mountains. The remaining scanty supply of 
 provisions in camp were soon exhausted. Star- 
 vation came with all its horrors. It is supposed 
 that Donner and the Dutchman cast lots to de- 
 termine which of the two should lose his life to 
 become food for the others. The lot fell on the 
 Dutchman ; but in the conflict, he killed Donner, 
 and when the food thus furnished was consumed, 
 he killed Mrs. Donner. This is probably the 
 truth ; for in the spring, when the party in the 
 valley returned to the mountains, with a view to 
 relieve the sufferers, they found the Dutchman in 
 the cabin, greedily gnawing the roasted flesh from 
 a human arm, which had been severed from the 
 body. On searching, they found the mutilated 
 remains of Mrs. Donner, buried in the snow near 
 the cabin. The indications were that she had 
 been murdered. The cannibal was seized, taken 
 to the valley and imprisoned, but refused to 
 give any account of the matter. A few words 
 written on a slip of paper, by Mrs. Donner, and 
 found in the cabin, revealed the manner in which 
 her husband had been killed. In addition to this,
 
 54 LETTERS FROM 
 
 a large sum of money, known to have belonged 
 to Mr. Donner, was found secreted on the Dutch- 
 man's person. This Avas taken from him and 
 awarded to the Donner orphans ; but the cannibal 
 was finally acquitted of the crimes charged against 
 him, for want of sufficient legal testimony. He 
 still lives, it is said, and wears the brand of a 
 murderer — a cannibal — burning on his brow. 
 Such is the terrible tragedy, which gave the name 
 of Donner to that beautiful mountain lake. 
 
 The highest point on the route over the Sier- 
 ras, is Summit Station, seven thousand and forty- 
 two feet above the level of the sea. In crossing, 
 we ran through some dozen tunnels, the longest 
 of which is seventeen hundred feet. Some of the 
 bridges that span the gorges, are six to seven sto- 
 ries high, all built of trussel work. They creak 
 and tremble under the weight of the cars, and if 
 you look down into the chasms below, you may 
 expect your head to swim with a dizzy sensation. 
 The immense chasm, called Cape Horn, is, per- 
 haps, the most terrific. Not only its fearful depth, 
 but its sweep of breadth and extent, and its awful 
 overhanging crags of rocks, all combine to make 
 it one of the grandest and most entrancing views 
 of natural scenery anywhere to be found. In this 
 part of the route there are sixty miles of snow- 
 sheds, erected to protect the road from snoAv-slides
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 55 
 
 that descend from the higher parts of the moun- 
 tains, and snow drifts that would otherwise accu- 
 mulate on the track. The sheds are constructed 
 of heavy timber, secured by iron bolts, and roofed 
 with plank, so as to correspond Avith the slope of 
 the mountain-sides. The side of the sheds over- 
 looking the descent, is boarded up leaving here and 
 there a window space, covered with a board-blind, 
 hung on hinges, which is lifted and left open in the 
 milder portions of the year, so as to allow passen- 
 gers to catch a view of the passing scenery. The 
 train, like a huge anaconda, seems to leap the 
 chasms, and wind itself around the mountain 
 sides, gliding with a terrific hiss through the dark 
 snow-sheds and dismal tunnels, as if in pursuit of 
 prey, or frightened by some implacable enemy. 
 
 In the vicinity of Gold Run, a small town in 
 the mountains, we saw abundant evidences of 
 surface mining for gold. The soil for miles has 
 been dug over and upturned by the miners. On 
 both sides of the road there are long lines of 
 flumes, constructed of j)lank or boards, conduct- 
 ing currents of water to suit the several localities 
 of the diggings. Cleats or strips of board are 
 nailed across the bottom plank of the flume, to 
 arrest the particles of gold as they float, which 
 are heavier than the drifting soil, and therefore 
 sink and lodge against the cleats or stops. Large
 
 56 LETTERS FROM 
 
 amounts of gold-dnst have been obtained in this 
 simple way. The same method is adopted in 
 hundreds of other localities, but has become much 
 less remunerative than formerly, owing to the ex- 
 haustion of the surface mines, so far as they have 
 yet been discovered. The quartz rock mines, 
 where mills are employed, are now regarded as 
 much the most reliable, as well as the most pro- 
 ductive. Near this is Colfax, a A'eiy pretty town, 
 which exhibits much good taste in the style of its 
 buildings, especially its j^ublic buildings. It takes 
 its name from Schuyler Colfax, now Vice-Presi- 
 dent of the United States, and has about twelve 
 hundred inhabitants. 
 
 The descent down the western slope of the 
 Sierras is comparatively steep and rapid, and soon 
 accomplished. The " Junction " at the foot is 
 the last eating station going west. It is so called 
 because the Central connects here with the Sacra- 
 mento and Oregon Eailroad. It is here we first 
 entered the great coast valley of California. From 
 here the country is generally level in the direc- 
 tion of the Pacific, and the plains begin to widen 
 as you proceed. They are rich in point of soil, 
 and here and there you will see herds of cattle 
 and horses roaming at will. There are no fences. 
 In the winter and spring months, California, they 
 say, may justly be called " The Flowery Kingdom,"
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 57 
 
 nor do I pretend to doubt it ; but, at this particu- 
 lar season of the year, it looks like a vast desert. 
 At least, it so appeared to me, as I saw it in this, 
 my first vision of the Sacramento valley. There 
 is nothing green to be seen. Everything is dry as 
 a husk, far and near, except gardens and other 
 spots irrigated by artificial means. 
 
 The City of Sacramento, where we arrived at 
 noon, is situated on the east side of the river, 
 bearing the same name. It is quite a large city, 
 famous for its enterprise and great wealth. The 
 leading men here are not men of straw, but men 
 of pluck and of enlarged views. Nothing, however 
 formidable, seems too much for them to under- 
 take. A few years ago the city was but a hamlet, 
 a mere outpost on the borders of the mining dis- 
 trict ; but now, though nearly destroyed several 
 times by fire and flood, it has become a rich and 
 flourishing city, containing some thirty thousand 
 inhabitants. It is the capital of California, and 
 within a hundred and twenty-six miles of San 
 Francisco. Its leading hotels and public edifices 
 are built on a large scale and in magnificent style. 
 It is the grand centre of railroads and machine 
 shops, and manufacturing establishments, of al- 
 most every kind'. The shops belonging to the 
 Pacific Central cover twenty acres of ground. 
 These shops are supplied with water by artesian
 
 58 LETTERS FROM 
 
 wells. The car-shop alone employs three hundred 
 and seventy men. In connection with the shops 
 there is a hospital, built by the railroad company, 
 for the care of sick and disabled workmen. Of 
 all the American cities I have yet seen, I think 
 Sacramento not only the most enterprising, but 
 possessed of the most solid wealth, considering 
 its population.
 
 LETTER YIII. 
 
 San Fkancisco, October 10th, 1869. 
 
 On the way from Sacramento to this city, we 
 saw and learned some things that interested us 
 exceedingly, and perhaps some account of them 
 might interest you. I allude to the vast, but shorn 
 wheat fields, and the method of cultivating wheat. 
 The farms, or ranches, as they call them, through 
 which we passed, are very extensive, consisting, in 
 some instances, of many thousand acres. At this 
 season the entire extent of the country, along the 
 route from Sacramento to this city, looks like a 
 continuous stubble-field, and is dry and dusty. 
 The Sacramento valley is, in fiict, the heart of 
 the wheat region. The lands are rich and gener- 
 ally level ; but in some parts they become rolling 
 and even hilly. The quality of the wheat grown 
 here excels that of any other part of the Avorld. 
 The flour it makes is the whitest, and the bread 
 the sweetest and most delicate imaginable. The
 
 60 LETTERS FROM 
 
 grain is so hard that it requires a special process 
 to mill it. Some farmers sow a breadth of one 
 thousand to six thousand acres. They plow with 
 a machine, sow with a machine, reap with a ma- 
 chine, thrash and winnow with a machine. The 
 plow, called a "gang-plow" runs on wheels, and 
 holds itself. It has an elevated seat for the team- 
 ster, who sits and rides like a gentleman in a 
 sulky. The reaping machine, called a " header," 
 runs ahead of the team that propels it, and clips 
 off the wheat heads with a vibrating knife, letting 
 them fall on a revolving canvas, Avhich deposits 
 them in an attendant wagon. "When full, the 
 wagon delivers its contents to a thrashing-machine, 
 which thrashes and winnows the grain, depositing 
 it in heaps, where it remains in the open air, 
 sometimes for weeks, until it can be sacked and 
 delivered at a railroad station for transportation. 
 In a climate so dry as this is, they have no fears 
 of rain for six or seven months in the year, and 
 therefore build but few barns. At <lifferent sta- 
 tions, along the Sacramento valley, we saw millions 
 of bushels of wheat in sacks, lying along the 
 track, corded up like fire-word, and extending for 
 miles in a line with the wayside. Ks appearance 
 reminded me of the great Chinese wall. A coun- 
 try that fortifies itself with sacked wheat, can 
 never be sacked, or subjugated. The wheat crop
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 61 
 
 of this year is estimiited at twenty millions of 
 bushels. 
 
 Here let me stop and take l^reath for a few 
 minutes. It is refreshing to do so, in the midst 
 of a series of constant surprises. Coming from 
 the East overland to California, is literally step- 
 ping into a new world. Everything is new — a 
 chaos of wonders. Before I forget it, alloAv me to 
 give you, in a few words, my general impressions 
 of the mountain plains and the California valley, 
 or coast, so far as I have already seen them. 
 
 In the mountain ranges, with a few exceptions, 
 the face of the country is destitute of timber of 
 every kind ; looks like a desert, and is relieved by 
 no green thing, except sage brush. This plant 
 abounds, and in its odor and appearance resem- 
 bles our garden sage, but grows much larger and 
 stronger, and is as scraggy as the witch of Endor's 
 hair. It has its uses, however, and is gathered, 
 dried and consumed, as fuel, by the pioneers and 
 aborigines. It has a pungent taste and the flavor 
 of sage, and doubtless may possess valuable medi- 
 cinal qualities. 
 
 So in the valleys and plains along the coast 
 range, there is little or no timber to be found. 
 The only trees to be seen in traveling by rail, are 
 the low branching live oaks, an evergreen which 
 looks like an aged apple tree in its shape and size.
 
 63 LETTERS FROM 
 
 These oaks stand scattered over the face of the 
 country in places, or rather in groups, in such a 
 way as to induce you to think them apple or- 
 chards. The trunks of the trees are short and 
 gnarled, the tops low and broad ; but the timber 
 is of no use, except for fire-wood. They have no 
 fences in this country, and need no fire-wood, ex- 
 cept for cooking purposes, so mild is the climate. 
 
 We arrived in San Francisco on the 6tli inst., 
 early in the evening, crossing the Bay in a steamer. 
 The moment we stepped on the wharf, we were 
 surrounded by an army of noisy and uproarious 
 hackmen, who contended with each other mani- 
 fully for the prizes, or lather for the victims. 
 Every hotel in the city was lauded as the best, and 
 denounced as the worst in town. We knew where 
 we wished to go, and soon escaped from the battle- 
 field in a private hack to a friend's house. 
 
 The next day we took a brief survey of our 
 whereabouts, and found ourselves in the heart of 
 a splendid city, only twenty years old, yet looking 
 mature, and destined to become the great central 
 city of the commercial world. It is here that 
 Europe, Asia and America will meet, shake hands, 
 and be good friends. Here they will concentrate 
 their wealth, exchange commodities, gamble in 
 stocks, and test the comparative sharpness of 
 their wits.
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 03 
 
 In the course of a few days, after our arrival, 
 we began to feel quite at home in the city. The 
 citizens are candid, frank and polite to strangers, 
 and generous to a fault. They are proud of their 
 city, and seem to think there is no other place in 
 the wide world so delightful as California. In 
 this opinion I concur so far as my brief experi- 
 ence extends. The general aspect of the city is 
 peculiar. It looks as if it was constructed of 
 sand-hills and windmills, and in truth it really is. 
 The picture, however, has some other features of 
 a more attractive character. It is a difficult city 
 to describe. In fact, there is very little use in 
 attempting to describe it. If I should attempt, it 
 would outgrow my description before I could 
 finish it. 
 
 The city is located on the tip end of a tongue 
 of land, or peninsula, lying between the Bay and 
 the Sea. This peninsula is about forty miles long 
 and ten to twelve broad. The surface is broken 
 into hills and vales, and presents to the eye a 
 scene of great natural beauty, wild and romantic 
 as fairy land. From the north end of the penin- 
 sula the city has already extended itself southerly 
 some six miles, and is rapidly advancing. It con- 
 tains at this time, it is said, one hundred and 
 seventy-five thousand inhabitants. This is a won- 
 derful growth for a city but twenty years old.
 
 64 LETTERS FROM 
 
 especially when we consider the fuct that it has 
 been twice almost entirely destroyed by fire. The 
 time will soon come when the city will extend 
 over and densely occupy the whole peninsula. 
 The Bay is amply sufficient in breadth and depth 
 to accommodate the navies of the civilized world, 
 and furnishes a line of dockage that might be 
 improved and extended to the entire distance of 
 forty miles. If I were a land speculator, I would 
 invest in the peninsula, in preference to investing 
 in the richest gold mine as yet known in Califor- 
 nia. One can hardly miss it, who purchases land 
 anywhere within ten or twenty miles of the city. 
 Nature evidently intended there should be a great 
 city here — the central mart of the commercial 
 world — and has therefore done her part in laying 
 the foundations on a magnificent scale. The San 
 Franciscans, though sagacious and quick in their 
 perceptions, do not yet seem to comprehend the 
 great, the splendid future that lies before them. 
 It may be truthfully said of the Pacific coast, 
 generally, that for climate and productiveness of 
 soil, it excels the world. For beauty of natural 
 scenery and sunny skies, Italy does not compare 
 with it. The air here is so pure and exhilarating, 
 that it makes one feel, who breathes it, as if he 
 were drinking champagne all the time. It not 
 onlv invigorates the invalid, but rejuvenates old
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 65 
 
 age, and prolongs life to an indefinite period, so 
 long, indeed, that persons wishing to die at three 
 score and ten, caji't. So say the Californians. It 
 is enongh, perhaps, to say that it is a wonderful 
 country — a land of fruits and flowers, enriched 
 with mountains of gold. It is the gold that 
 " lends enchantment to the view." Yet this mod- 
 ern paradise has its annoyances. In San Francisco, 
 dense fogs envelop the city till ten o'clock in the 
 morning, and strong winds prevail the rest of the 
 day, drifting the sand into mounds, and into your 
 eyes so as to blind you. Turning the corners of 
 the streets in the wind, reminds you of a drifting 
 snow-storm, in mid-winter, in a New England city. 
 Still, by way of compensation for all this, you have 
 here a cloudless sky for nine months in the year ; 
 a climate that is uniformly mild; and a vernal 
 season that flings over the hills and the valleys a 
 mantle of wild flowers, perfuming every breath of 
 air you breathe. And yet, in California, it is gold 
 that makes the man ; the want of it, an outcast, 
 or an outlaw. It is said there are at least seven 
 thousand able-bodied men in San Francisco, who 
 cannot find employment, and probably more than 
 twice that number roving about the State, await- 
 ing chances, who are alike destitute of friends 
 and of money ; and hence, many of this class, with 
 starvation staring them in the face, resort to steal-
 
 66 LETTERS FROM 
 
 ing, or highway robbery, in order to live. It is, 
 after all, a po(»r country for a poor man ; but a 
 good country for a man who has capital, nerve, 
 and perseverance.
 
 LETTEE IX. 
 
 San Francisco, October 20th, 1869. 
 
 The more I see of this city the more I am 
 surprised with its peculiarities, nationalities, and 
 novelties. It is a modern Eome, built on not only 
 seven, but seventy times seven hills. Some of these 
 hills are large, and composed of granite ; but the 
 most of them are conical sand-hills, which have 
 been drifted into strange and novel shapes by the 
 prevailing winds, and which are constantly increas- 
 ing or diminishing, at the will of the freakish and 
 invisible spirits that mould them. In many parts 
 of the city nearly every lot is, or was, prior to the 
 grade, encumbered with a sand-hill. The grading 
 often costs more than the lot. The large sand- 
 hills are removed by steam shovels, and cars that 
 run on temporary railways, constructed for the 
 purpose. In this way, deep valleys are filled up 
 by the deposit, and new lots made. In fact, it has 
 cost about as much to orrade the citv as to build
 
 G8 LETTERS FROM 
 
 it. Lots seem to go and come with the wind. 
 
 The windmills give to the general appearance 
 of the city a feature that is as singular as it is re- 
 pulsive to architectural taste. They are erected 
 for the purpose of pumping water from wells to 
 irrigate the lawns and gardens, and consist of a 
 frame tower twenty or thirty feet high, surmounted 
 with a circular tank, and a fan-wheel which re- 
 volves in the wind, working a force-pump, that 
 supplies water to the tank, whence it is conducted 
 in pipes, or open flumes, to every part of the laAvn 
 or garden. By this means the grounds occupied 
 for residences are kept green, and the gardens 
 made productive, the year round. Those citizens 
 who neglect to irrigate, reside in sandy deserts, 
 just the size of their respective lots, during the 
 dry season, which continues for seven or eight 
 months of the year. The poorer classes cannot 
 afibrd the luxury of irrigation, and consequently 
 the town plat for two thirds of the year looks like 
 a chequer board, or patch bed-quilt. 
 
 The commercial part of the city is located 
 along the Bay, and built up in magnificent style, 
 in blocks of stone, brick, and iron, three and 
 four stories high, and equal to the best business 
 streets in the eastern cities. Most of the build- 
 ings are anchored or braced with iron bolts, so as 
 to secure them against the action of earthquakes.
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. GO 
 
 The ground in this part of tlie toMn is level, be- 
 ing made-land by grading the sand-hills into the 
 bay. By this process some five hundred acres 
 have been reclaimed from the sea. and are now 
 quite densely occupied. The wholesale and retail 
 stores are not only imposing in the fronts they 
 present, but largely stocked with every variety of 
 goods and products gathered from every clime. 
 The churches and other public buildings, are 
 generally characterized by a corresponding grand- 
 eur and magniiicence. The principal hotels are 
 spacious and fitted up in elegant style, and con- 
 ducted on a scale of liberality, not to say extrava- 
 gance, which would astonish you. 
 
 There is no city on the face of the globe, I 
 think, in which the leading business men exhibit 
 so much activity and intensity of purpose, so much 
 rushing ahead in the streets, as in San Francisco. 
 The business streets, from morning till night, are 
 crowded with passing drays, and men stepping on 
 each other's heels, and jostling elbows at every 
 angle, as if life were at stake. And more especial- 
 ly is this true on steamer days, so called from the 
 sailing of the Panama steamers every two weeks, 
 when all merchants are expected to settle balances 
 with each other. In doing this an unusual bustle 
 is created in the streets and in the banks ; hun- 
 dreds of men are seen bearing hither and thither
 
 70 LETTERS FROM 
 
 sacks of gold coin on their slionklcrs, containing 
 in some instances as mncli as they can convenient- 
 ly lift. At almost every shop-door you will hear, 
 in passing, the "mnsical ring" of twenty dollar 
 pieces, as they are connted out in adjustment of 
 dues and demands. On one of these steamer days 
 I stepped into the Bank of California, where I saw 
 more gold received and paid out, and standing in 
 cord-piles, than I ever expect to see again. It took 
 an army of clerks to count the money. It was a 
 rich sight worth going across the continent to be- 
 hold, especially in these days when we have noth- 
 ing in the East but filthy scrip and greenbacks. 
 This bank has a capital of five millions, and owns 
 gold and silver mines, Government stocks and 
 real estate, valued at five times its original capital. 
 In a word, it controls the financial interests of the 
 Pacific coast. 
 
 The various nationalities concentrated in San 
 Erancisco, make it an epitome of the civilized 
 world. In fact, every civilized nation is represent- 
 ed here. The Irish predominate and dominate. 
 The Chinese are curiosities. They dress alike, and 
 look alike, and are really a very shrewed people. 
 Not much less than thirty thousand reside in the 
 city. Some of them are merchants on a large scale, 
 worth from thousands to millions of dollars, and are 
 truly very intelligent and accomplished men. The
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 71 
 
 Chinese population occupy, almost exclusively, 
 seyeral of the business streets, and follow all sorts 
 of trades and employments from cooks to bankers. 
 They all read and write their own language with 
 apparent facility. They have in their tongue an 
 extensive literature, consisting of novels, history 
 and philosophy. They have a religion founded on 
 the teachings of Confucius, and worship in temples. 
 We stepped into one of their temples, escorted 
 by a Chinaman, and took a view of its interior and 
 the manner of the worshipers. The temple we 
 visited is built of brick, stands retired from the 
 street and in the rear of other buildings, and is 
 reached by a narroAV passage between high brick 
 walls. In the second story there is a spacious hall, 
 dusty and dismal as a prison, which is but faintly 
 lighted by a single taper standing on a sort of pul- 
 pit or desk, near the end of the hall. Behind this 
 desk, on a shelf-like projection somewhat elevated, 
 sits Joss — the god — before whom the worshipers 
 reverently bow in a kneeling posture, hiding their 
 faces in their hands as in prayer, and whispering 
 a few words, then rise and retire without observing 
 any special order or time, either in going or coming. 
 The hall is decorated with fantastical pictures of 
 man, beast and plant, and other things unlike any 
 thing in nature. The graven image, Joss, sitting 
 on his elevated seat behind the desk, resembles a
 
 72 LETTERS FROM 
 
 little old man ; is puiiited black, and striped with 
 red and yellow, and in outline presents a grotesque 
 appearance. He has a sullen and unrelenting ex- 
 pression of face, and with a curled lip seems to 
 grin and gnash his teeth, as if he intended to de- 
 vour his delinquent devotees. He is regarded, not 
 as the Good Spirit, hut as the Evil Spirit, who in- 
 flicts on the Celestials all the ills that l)efall them 
 in this life. In the hope of averting these ills, 
 they propitiate his forbearance by worship and 
 offerings. On his right hand stands a wooden 
 horse saddled and bridled ready for him to ride; 
 on his left stands a burning taper to light his way. 
 He is supposed to take a ride into the wide world 
 in the night time. In addition to these they 
 furnish him, daily, with nice dishes of cooked food, 
 such as roast pig, baked fowl, and other delicacies, 
 which he is presumed to relish. This supply of 
 food always disappears in the night, and the Celes- 
 tials believe Joss consumes it. Near the god there 
 is a narrow side-door in the wall which opens into 
 the priest's apartment, and doubtless the crafty 
 priest manages to live on " the fat of the land." 
 
 In regard to the Good Spirit, the Celestials be- 
 lieve that all the blessings they enjoy in this life 
 are derived from him, and that he is too good and 
 too kindly disposed in his nature to do them harm. 
 They say he dwells in Heaven, is invisible, and
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOP?::. 73 
 
 undefinable, and cannot, therefore, be represented 
 by an image, or elevated or gratified by hnman 
 worship, but receives the souls of all good Chinamen 
 at death, who live in accordance with the divine 
 instructions of Confucius, and whose dust is com- 
 mingled, after death, with the sacred soil of the 
 Celestial Empire. Hence every Chinaman desires 
 to be buried in his native land, and, in case he dies 
 in a foreign country, makes provision for the return 
 of his remains, if possible. In San Francisco, there 
 are several organized companies among the Chinese, 
 who receive deposits and apply the money in pay- 
 ment of expenses for re-shipping to China the re- 
 mains of their countrymen, who die in California. 
 This practice grows out of their religious belief. 
 They are, indeed, a peculiar people. There is 
 much in their character, however, which should 
 command the respect of Christendom. They are 
 an honest, industrious, peace-loving people, who 
 have achieved a refined civilization; a civilization 
 which is older, nobler and i)urer than tluit of Rome, 
 Greece or Egypt. The " Golden Rule," the very 
 basis of Christianity, was derived from China, and 
 taught in China more than four tliousand years 
 before the commencement of the Christian era. 
 Their government is based on moral character and 
 educational acquirement. Tliey revere their rulers, 
 honor age, and ccunmunc witli the spirits of tlieir
 
 74 LETTERS FROM 
 
 dead. They regard eacli other as a common 
 brotherhood. Tliey not only excel in the arts, but 
 liave inventive genius of a high order. They in- 
 vented gunpowder and discovered the art of print- 
 ing long before either was known in Europe. They 
 are imitators by instinct, and can do any thing they 
 see done. Their language is unlike any other 
 known language, ancient or modern. It consists 
 of about three hundred and thirty monosyllables, 
 each of which has four distinct sounds, and each 
 sound conveys a different thought or idea, and is 
 represented in writing by a separate character. 
 The number of characters employed is at least forty 
 thousand. It is, therefore, a difficult language to 
 acquire. 
 
 It is true the Chinese love money, and will do 
 any thing, or suffer any hardship, to get it; yet 
 they are trustworthy and skilful in whatever they 
 engage, and strive to give their employers satisfac- 
 tion. In this they seldom fail. They are general- 
 ly liked, except by the Irish, who hate and abuse 
 them because they cheapen labor and are preferred. 
 They are very considerate of the prejudices of white 
 men and never intrude, not even to take seats in- 
 side street cars, but pay and ride on the outside 
 platform. They are habitually j^olite, civil and re- 
 spectful, in wluxtever position they are placed, 
 whether as servants in families, or as laborers in
 
 THE rAcifjc SLOPE. 75 
 
 tlie Avork-sliop, in tlie fcictory or field. Scattered 
 along the Pacific slope, there are probal)]y not less 
 than seventy or eighty thousand Chinese, with here 
 and there a few Japanese. Of late the Japanese 
 come in colonies, and propose growing silk and tea 
 in this country. They regard the soil and climate 
 of California as well adapted to these products, and 
 doubtless the experiment will prove successful. 
 
 In fact, these Asiatics are becoming an import- 
 ant element in American civilization, and not only 
 deserve to be encouraged, but should enjoy equal 
 rights Avith American citizens. We have a vast un- 
 occupied territory that needs developement ; noth- 
 ing but cheap labor can do it, the more the better. 
 China might spare a hundred millions of her dense 
 population and hardly miss them. This country 
 could receive tluit number by degrees, and in the 
 course of a half century become the mart and 
 master of the world, if .she is not already. 
 
 The uniform mild climate of the Pacific coast 
 is really an Asiatic climate, happily adapted to 
 the occupation and developement of the Mongo- 
 lian race. There is something in the effect of 
 climate that enstamps its impress on the race to 
 which it is adapted. Hence the Mexicans, the 
 Indians, the Pacific islanders, the Japanese, the 
 Chinese, and Hindostanese belong to an Asiatic 
 climate, and are constituted essentiallv alike in
 
 Tf; LETTERS FROM 
 
 their color, statue, and other leading characteris- 
 tics. It is evident from the history of races that 
 the Anglo-Saxon cannot flourish in a warm, 
 equable climate. His nature requires the extremes 
 of heat and cold, as marked by the four seasons in 
 higher latitudes. In a uniform mild climate he 
 will gradually deteriorate, and finally become ex- 
 tinct. People the Pacific coast with Saxons, and 
 allow no accessions or intermixture for a centuiy 
 or two, and I doubt not the law of climate would 
 greatly modify their native characteristics, if it 
 did not extinsruish them.
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 San Francisco, October SOth, 1869. 
 
 Gold not only concentrates but begets tulent. 
 This is fully illustrated in the history of San 
 Francisco. Here you will find, concentrated, more 
 men who excel in every art and science, than 
 in any other city in the world containing the same 
 population. This is true, whether you refer to 
 genius and excellence, as exhibited in the pulpit, 
 at the bar, on the bench, at the counter, or in the 
 workshop. The public libraries are numerous, and 
 some of them extensive. The Mercantile library 
 contains over thirty thousand volumes. The pub- 
 lic schools are conducted with great efRciency and 
 sustained by a liberal taxation. The churches, of 
 which there are some sixty or more, are also liber- 
 ally sustained and generally well attended. The 
 church in Avhicli the late >Starr King preached, is 
 among the most attractive for its size, tinish and 
 arrangements. The societv built it in aceor-
 
 78 LETTERS FRO-M 
 
 dance with his taste and })lan. He was a very 
 popular, eloquent and genial g'entleman, as Avellas 
 an ardent patriot and preacher. He wielded an 
 iinbonnded influence not only in the city, but 
 throughout the state. The church is his monu- 
 ment, lie sleejis in its lawn and beneatli its sha- 
 dow. 
 
 The Jewish synagogue, on 8utter street, is a 
 veiy large and im})osing edifice, richly hnislied in- 
 side and out, and in point of wealth and grandeur 
 might be taken for Solomon's temple. Its circu- 
 lar towers overlook the city, and like the shot tower, 
 are among the first objects that attract the strang- 
 er's eye. The " old Mission Church," on Mission 
 street, built of adobe by the Jesuits nearly one hun- 
 dred years ago, is an interesting relic of olden time, 
 and well worth a visit. The Catholics are suppo- 
 sed to be the most numerous religious sect in San 
 Francisco, the Protestants next, and then the Jews. 
 A large number of the merchants, it is said, are 
 Jews ; the balance French, Spaniards, Italians, 
 Germans, Scotch, English, Irish, Chinese and 
 Americans. In the latter class are embraced nearly 
 all the leading merchants of the city. Tliey are 
 the men of backbone and enterprise, who build the 
 city and pay the burthen of its taxation. 
 
 The trade and commerce of San Francisco have 
 become comparatively immense. In less than
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 7^ 
 
 tAventy years the merchandise export trade has in- 
 creased from one million and a half to twenty-two 
 millions of dollars per annnm. The gold exports 
 average for the last twenty-one years neai-ly fifty 
 millions per annum. Though the gold mines are 
 less productive than formerly, the silver mines 
 have largely increased their productions, and 
 pi'omise a still more liberal yield for the future. 
 
 The climate here is always temperate and de- 
 lightful, not excepting the rainy season, Avhich is 
 made up, like our Ajjril, of sunshine and showers.. 
 The thermometer rarely varies more than seven 
 degrees. But twice in the last twenty years have 
 snow-flakes whitened the ground, or been known 
 to fall in San Francisco. For at least three-fourths 
 of the year you may here enjoy a continous sun- 
 shine, without the interruption of a cloud. Woolen 
 clothing is worn the year round by the citizens. 
 The nights are always cool, and you sleep well. 
 The markets are stocked throughout the year Avith 
 the best of beef, mutton, wild game, fish and fowl, 
 including every variety of fruits and garden vege- 
 tables. The gardens furnish strawl)erries, green 
 corn, green jieas, new j^otatoes, and other luxuries 
 of this character in abundance, every month in the 
 year. The fruits and vegetables are as excellent 
 in quality as they are remarkable for size. Onions 
 grow as large as tea-i)lates; beets sometimes weigh
 
 80 LETTERS FROM 
 
 from fifty to sevi'iity-five pounds apiece ; sweet po- 
 tatoes five to six pounds ; pears two pounds ; ap- 
 ples one pound ; peaches half a pound ; a stem of 
 grapes from five to twelve pounds. Breadstuffs 
 are exceedingly cheap. Fuel is not much used ex- 
 cept for cooking. 
 
 A man may live here for fifty cents a day. or at 
 the rate of five dollars a day, and so far as food is 
 concerned about equally well at either price. 
 Wages are high ; laborers who are skilful are scarce, 
 while speculators are quite too numerous. And 
 yet the city is full of idlers who live, nobody 
 knows how. You see them at every corner in the 
 business streets, standing in groups earnestly dis- 
 cussing or cursing their luck and prosj^ects. The 
 hotels overflow with strangers comino: and ffoinof, 
 all on tlie rush. On some of the streets, nearly 
 every other door opens into a drinking saloon, 
 gambling den, or something worse. The gamblers 
 dress richly and overload themseh'es with ostenta- 
 tious jewelry. There is no place so safe that thieves 
 do not "break ilirough and steak" And yet there 
 is as much good society to be found in San Francis- 
 co as in any other city of the same population. 
 They are a social, genial, generous people, especi- 
 ally the better classes. They appreciate talent. A 
 high order of talent commands any price it pleases 
 to ask, in the pulpit, at the concert, or in the lee-
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 81 
 
 ture-hall. Their editors and magaziuists are men 
 of eminent abilities. The " Overland Monthly," 
 for originality, freshness, and vigor of thought, ex- 
 cels its Eastern contemporaries. 
 
 The city has natnral advantages which cannot 
 be taken away from her. She has no rival, and 
 need fear none. She sits majestic on her throne 
 of hills, and bathes her feet in the sea. Telegrapli- 
 hill is her flag-statf. It looks in the distance like 
 a church spire, and is built with dwellings to its 
 apex. From its highest point floats the American 
 flag, as a signal to ships at sea, seeking to enter 
 the Golden Gate. The islands in the bay are small, 
 but exceedingly picturesque, and look like emeralds 
 bestudding the bosom of the ocean. The Govern- 
 ment occupies several of them for military pui-jio- 
 ses. Nature opened the golden gate by cleaving 
 asunder a mountain range, and left it open. Any 
 ship can pass through it that pleases, except a pub- 
 lic enemy. The adjoining fort, ])uilt as it were on 
 one of the gate-posts — a bluff — commands the en- 
 trance. If an enemy should attempt to pass, one 
 broadside from the guns of the fort would annihi- 
 late him. 
 
 Montgomery street is the Broadway of San 
 Francisco. It is thronged from morning till night 
 with a richly dressed people, many men, and some 
 fair women. In other words, it is the fashionable
 
 S2 1>ETTERS FROM 
 
 shop row of the city, elegantly buih and stocked. 
 Here you will find every thing lieart can wish, and 
 the thing you will most wish will be gold in your 
 purse. They keep splendid goods, and ask extra- 
 vagant prices. Rents throughout the city are ex- 
 cessive. In the business part of the city some 
 stores pay a rent of fifteen hundred dollars a mouth. 
 Houses that are merely ordinary, rent from two 
 to three thousand dollars a year, and better class 
 houses for five thousand. Taxes are still more ex- 
 cessive than rents. How^ people contrive to live 
 here is to me a mystery. Yet everybody dresses 
 well and appears to live well. There is seldom a 
 professional beggar to be seen. 
 
 In the evening Avhen the street lamps are light- 
 ed, if you climb flag-staff hill and take a survey of 
 the brilliant scene, you will think you have caught 
 a view^ of the great celestial city, all ablaze with 
 glory, and undulating in billows of light over a vast 
 range of hills and valleys, where the infinite armies 
 of the blest, clad in glittei-ing raiment, are march- 
 ing on from height to height, until lost in the 
 unbounded domain of the burning stars. 
 
 There are several public gardens within the city 
 which are filled with all that is rich and rare in 
 art and nature, especially Woodward's. In the sub- 
 urbs, also, there are many pleasant places of public 
 resort. The Cliff House is one of the most popu-
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 83 
 
 luT, situated about ten miles from the city, on a 
 rocky point of land extending into the ocean. 
 Here we saw hundreds of seals sleeping on the rocks 
 or frolicking or diving in the sea. Some of them 
 are very large, weighing from three to live hundred 
 pounds, aud when gathered on the rocks some- 
 times quarrel and howl like a pack of hounds in 
 full chase. Thev have heads much like dogs, 
 short legs, and are usually of a brown color. The 
 rocks look like old ruined castles, and stand out a 
 little way from shore in the sea, yet in plain sight 
 from the Cliff House. These rocks, at all times of 
 day, are covered with seals which are regarded by 
 visitors as objects of great curiosity and interest. 
 Here you will see pleasure parties, the elite of the 
 city, arriving and departing at all hours in the 
 day. The house keeps every kind of refreshments 
 the '• inner man " can desire, and furnishes a band 
 of musicians in addition. The gaities and fes- 
 tivities of this delightful resort excel in interest 
 anything of the kind we have ever before seen. 
 Here you can dance or sing, eat, drink aud be 
 merry ; ogle the seals, or ogle the girls, as you 
 please. Whatever else you may do, you are not 
 allowed to disturb the seals. They are protected 
 by law, and seem to enjoy tliemselves hugely, and 
 to care for nobody.' 
 
 In going to the Cliff House, we took the turn-
 
 84 LETTEKS FROM 
 
 pike, whicli is as fine a road as there is in the 
 world, and returned by the ocean beach, along 
 the water's edge, on the trackless sand, which was 
 as hard as a pavement. On our riglit was the 
 vast ocean, rolling landward its mountain billows, 
 which broke on the sand beneath our carriage 
 wheels ; and on our left lay a sandy plain, covered 
 with little sand-hills, of conical shape, which had 
 been moulded by the ocean winds, and over Avhich 
 had grown a wild myrtle, giving them the appear- 
 ance of hay-cocks in a farmer's meadow. As the 
 billows broke on shore, the spray drifted over us, 
 and refreshed the myrtle with a dewy baptism, as 
 if flung from the godly fingers of old Neptune 
 himself. The scene was one of great beauty and 
 grandeur, connected as it was with a sunset, which 
 threw a brilliant pathway on the ocean, glowing 
 as if paved with fire, and which seemed to span 
 the restless and untrodden deep, and lead upward 
 from earth to Heaven, until lost in the mysteries 
 of the infinite.
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 San Fkancisco, November 5th, 1869. 
 
 In this fcimous city and in its snrronndings, 
 there are so many places of interest to a stranger 
 that I tind it impossible to visit them all. A lew 
 days ago we took a drive on the San Brnno tnrn- 
 pike, a delightful load that winds along the mar- 
 gin of the bay, and around the spurs of Mount 
 Bruno, that terminate upon it. On the one hand 
 lay the placid waters of the bay ; on the other, 
 mountain spurs and intervening valleys of rare 
 beauty. It is one of Nature's theatres, in which 
 she appears clad in all her native charms. 
 
 Along the line of the bay, and within a fcAv 
 rods of us, thousands of Avaterfowl, ducks and 
 geese, were swimming, or flying about in groups, 
 quite fearless of man and thoughtless of danger. 
 On the land-side, the natural scenery was ever 
 varying, as we rounded the sharp points and pro- 
 jections of the mountain spurs. Here was an
 
 86 LETTERS FllOM 
 
 alcove, and there a cradled valley, of surpassing 
 beauty. Some of these valleys are occu})ied by 
 settlers. It was cheering to see the neat farm- 
 house, tlie wliite cottage on the hillside, the garden, 
 the meadow, and the cultivated lields. It is here 
 that you may find not only the '' happy valley," 
 but a great many of them. The views in every 
 direction, from the hills and from the bay, are 
 grand, combining the romantic with the beautiful. 
 
 In the distance, on the opposite side of the 
 bay. Mount Diablo lifts his giant form, as if taking 
 a quiet survey of this lovely realm. Pie feels in- 
 terested, I doubt not, in the " march of civiliza- 
 tion," and is waiting patiently for opportunities. 
 They say, go where you will, the evil one is ever 
 present. Diablo is a prominent landmark, being 
 the meridian point in the survey of the State ; a 
 lofty mountain, standing alone in the midst of the 
 surrounding plains. There is an extensive coal 
 mine connected with it, that furnishes several of 
 the neighboring towns with fuel. In the course 
 of our ride we crossed the San Jose Railroad, and 
 stopped to rest our horses at a ftirm-house, belong- 
 ing to our friend, one of the party, wlio resides in 
 the city. We returned by the Mission Bay route, 
 led by the stars. It was a delightful excursion, 
 and one which we shall long remember. 
 
 We next visited the famous Dry Dock, at
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 87 
 
 Hunters Point, on the bay. It is u marvelous 
 Avork, which does the engineer, who phmned and 
 excavated it, infinite credit. It is cut in soh'd 
 rock, originally the spur of a mountain, which 
 projected into the bay. It is oval in shape, and 
 looks like a vast stone trough. It is four hundred 
 and sixty-five feet long, one hundred and twenty- 
 five wide and forty-five deep, and receives the 
 largest class of ships. It cost over a million of 
 dollars, and belongs to a joint stock company. 
 There is nothing like it, or that can equal it for 
 convenience, elsewhere. 
 
 There are so many pleasant spots, villas and 
 toAvns, in the vicinity of San Francisco, that it is 
 quite impossible for me to describe the half of 
 them. The truth is, it is a realm of natural 
 beauty, so improved by art, as to baflfle my descrip- 
 tive powers. If you would kuoAv all about it, 
 you must come and see for yourself; there is 
 positively no other way of acquiring a true knowl- 
 edge of this more than fairy land ; and especiallv 
 is this true of the eastern side of the bay. You 
 can go over by steamer any hour in the day yon 
 please ; and if you go once, you Avill be sure to go 
 several times. 
 
 Oakland is the first town over the bay you 
 will prefer to visit. It stands in about the same 
 relation to San Francisco that Brooklvn does to
 
 88 LETTERS FROM 
 
 New York. It is, ;i.s a place of residence, otic of 
 the most deligiitfnl I ever saAv. Many of the 
 leading niercluiiits and professional gentlemen, 
 who do business in San Francisco, reside here, 
 and have built themselves palatial dwellings, with 
 spacious lawns, gardens and orchards attached. 
 The streets are broad, air}', and cleanly as a park. 
 In fact, the town is but a park highly cultivated 
 and ornamented with all that is beautiful in nature 
 ami in art; contains about seven thousand inhab- 
 itants; is rapidly advancing, and has a liberal 
 sprinkling of tine churches and excellent schools. 
 The name, Oakland, has been given it because it 
 is located in the midst of an extensive grove of 
 native evergeen oaks. Among its best schools 
 there is one conduct3d by individual enterprise, in 
 which a full course of literary and military in- 
 struction is com1)ined. It is popular, and enjoys 
 a generous patronage. We visited it and wit- 
 nessed the military drill of the pupils. The exer- 
 cises were exceedingly interesting, and performed 
 with an efficiency, accuracy, and soldier-like bear- 
 ing, that quite astonished us. It is a rare, good 
 school. 
 
 Near Oakland, and on the same side of the 
 bay, is Alameda, a rural town of ten or twelve 
 hundred inhabitants, who reside in the midst of 
 flower gardens and vineyards, and beautiftilly cul-
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 89 
 
 tiviited farms, and seem to enjoy all that it is 
 possible for an earthly paradise to afford. Ala- 
 meda is, in fact, tlie ''Garden of the State." The 
 lands are level ; the soil rich ; the air pure and 
 cool, yet summer-like the year round. It is dis- 
 tinguished for its numerous orchards of apples, 
 pears, peaches and other fruits, as well as for its 
 fine vineyards. Indeed every kind of fruit and 
 vegetable that can be desired, grows here in great 
 perfection and abundance. The live oak is scat- 
 tered over the plain, giving to the entire region 
 the a})pearance of being an old ai)ple orchard, for 
 the reason that this species of oak looks exactly 
 like an aged appletree. This grove land is called 
 in the Spanish language the " Encinal." Yet it 
 is a cultivated land of fruits and flowers and 
 happy homes. 
 
 While here Ave were entertained at the house 
 of a friend, who is a distinguished lawyer, doing 
 business in San Francisco. He has an accom- 
 plished lady for a wife, and a fine family of prom- 
 ising children, almost " too numerous to mention," 
 and is evidently one of the happiest men alive, 
 amid all his cares and responsibilities. His house 
 is a spacious one, furnished in modern style, and 
 located in a ten-acre garden, which is cultivated 
 to a high degree in all that is not only useful, but 
 rare and l)eautiful. It was late in October when
 
 00 LETTERS FKO-M 
 
 we were tliere, and at that time apples and pears 
 had ripened and fallen to the ground, and Avere 
 so abundant that they could neither be sold nor 
 given away. We passed orchards in which there 
 were thousands of bushels of apples and pears 
 13'ingon the ground and going to decay ; the very 
 best, largest and finest fruit I ever saw. It was a 
 pitiful sight. But we Avere told that it cost more 
 to send them to market than they would bring, 
 though the distance bv rail and steamer to San 
 Francisco is only twelve miles. It seems almost 
 incredible that such a waste of fruit should be 
 permitted so near a large city, where it could be 
 sold at moderate prices, were not the freights so 
 exhorbitant. It is evident that California needs 
 an increase of transportation facilities. 
 
 The little village of Hay ward, twenty-two miles 
 south-east of San Francisco, is somewhat noted 
 for its hot springs, which are medicinal and often 
 visited by invalids. The village is cheaply built, 
 with small frame buildings, standing two or three 
 feet high from the ground, on wooden blocks or 
 stilts. The earthquake of October 21st, 1808, 
 destroyed, it was said, most of the town. The 
 buildings were not in fact destroyed, but merely 
 thrown from their legs to the ground. It was a 
 sort of a vibrating wrestle Avith an earthquake, 
 which the denizens did not much relish. Every-
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 91 
 
 body was frightened, but nobody ■iiiirt. Yet it 
 was one of the most violent sliocks of earthqiuike 
 known on tliis part of tlie Pacific coast for many 
 years. It was severely felt at several points. The 
 electrical currents, or forces, seemed to move in 
 belts. In an extensive meadow, at Alameda, the 
 earth opened for several miles in a direction at 
 right angles with a board fence, and closed up 
 with such violence as to leave a ridge in the soil, 
 resembling a double furrow turned by a plow. 
 The fence at the point of intersection parted, and 
 was no Avhere else disjointed ; but in the re-action 
 did not reach its original position by two feet. 
 Some one has more land there, now, than he pur- 
 chased. Whose is it ? 
 
 The shocks of the earthquake were more de- 
 structive in 8an Francisco than elsewhere. The 
 currents of electricity passed in two distinct belts 
 through the city. The range of the belts, or 
 tracks, were nearly parallel, as marked by the 
 damage that was done. In the business part of 
 the city the walls of the brick buildings were in 
 many instances cracked, or shattered, while some 
 were prostrated in ruins, killing a few persons 
 outright, and terrifying the citizens generally. 
 The first shock occurred about the usual break- 
 fast hour. This was the severest, and did not 
 prove a desirable appetizer. The fashionables,
 
 *32 LKTTKKS FROM 
 
 who Ijotird ;it hotels and sleep late in the morn- 
 ing, sprang from their beds and ran into the 
 streets withont making their toilettes, and enac- 
 ted such a comedy as was never before Avitnessed. 
 Every street was a theatre, and croAvded to over- 
 flowing — seats free — yet every one was puzzled in 
 knowing Avhen to applaud. The ridiculous scenes 
 which occurred, however, have been remembered, 
 and Avill never cease to be the subject of merri- 
 ment. And yet an earth(|uake is a serious matter. 
 A Franklin disarmed the lightning, but Avho shall 
 disarm the earthquake ? Science may yet do it. 
 Nothing is impossible.
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 Los Angeles, Novemlicr 10th, 1869. 
 
 We left San Franci.sco on tlie Gtli in.st., and 
 after a voyage ])y the coast steamer of two days 
 and a half, entered the Bay of San Pedro, where 
 w^e were transferred to a small class steamer and 
 taken seven miles np the bay to Wilmina-ton : 
 thence by rail, twenty-two miles, to this ancient 
 city. There is just now a great rush of ti'avel to 
 this and other towns along the coast, especially to 
 San Diego, where the Southern Pacific Eailroad, 
 as it is expected, will make its terminus. The 
 steamer on which we came, left port with three 
 hundred passengers, and was overladen with 
 freight ; the sea rough, and nearly all sick ; some 
 swore and some cascaded. On the way Ave saw a 
 whale spouting and frolicking within two hun- 
 dred yards .of the ship. He frequently showed 
 his back above water, and in spouting, gave us a 
 good specimen of the fountain, when playing, in
 
 i^ 
 
 04 LETTERS FROM 
 
 our CleveUiiuI Park. We sto}iped on the way at 
 Santa Barbara for a short time, to deliver freight 
 and receive passengers. It is an old Spanish town, 
 of about six thousand inhabitants, located on the 
 plain and hill-side, close to the bay. It is noted 
 for having i)roduecd the largest grape vine known 
 on the American continent. This celebrated vine 
 has a main trunk eight feet high and fifteen in- 
 ches in diameter, and throws off long branches, 
 which take root and extend like the Banyan tree, 
 covering a large space of ground. It was planted 
 nearly a century ago, by a Spanish lady, and bore 
 last year six tons of grapes. On the hill-side, 
 near the limits of the town, stands an old cathe- 
 dral, an imposing structure, built by the Jesuits 
 almost a hundred years ago. It commands a fine 
 view of the town ; and the valley lands in its 
 vicinity are rich and highly cultivated.. Ameri- 
 cans are now settling here so rapidly that specu- 
 lation in lands has created a feverish excitement, 
 not only in this locality, but along the entire coast. 
 Los Angeles is indebted to the Jesuits for its 
 name, which means "The City of the Angels;" 
 but judging from the specimens I have seen here, 
 I should say that their visits have been " few and 
 far between," unless angels are made up of mixed 
 bloods, and of all colors, and sadly made up at 
 that. Tak:' it aUogether, it is a unique old town,
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 95 
 
 full of oddities and whimsicalities. Half the 
 population is Mexican, the other half Amerii-an, 
 English, Scotch, Irish, German, and the Lord 
 knows what; yet there is a goodly number of in- 
 telligent, refined and accomi)lished people, who 
 reside here and give tone to society. The learned 
 professions appear to be overstocked, yet each is 
 represented by some individuals of distinguished 
 talent. The city, with few exceptions, is built in 
 Mexican style, and wears a dilapidated look. It 
 contains a population, they say, of about twenty 
 thousand. The roofs of the houses are generally 
 flat and the walls adobe. It is situated at the 
 base of the foot-hills, about thirty miles from the 
 line of the sea coast, and extends into the plain 
 for a considerable distance. It includes within 
 its limits many fine gardens, vineyards and orange 
 groves. It is emphatically the land of fruits and 
 flowers, always fresh and fascinating. If not the 
 first, it is the second edition of the true Garden 
 of Eden. 
 
 The climate here is the finest in the world, 
 never too hot and never too cold, ])ut always equa- 
 ble and exhilarating. It never rains except in 
 winter; the fruit trees, the gardens and the vine- 
 yards are ever flourishing, and commingle fruits 
 and flowers in perennial profusion. The winter 
 rains are nothiuir more than irenial showers. In
 
 96 lettp:r8 from 
 
 fact, the winter is like our spring, when tlie leaves 
 of the trees, and the buds and the flowers burst 
 into life, and the fields become green. 
 
 In the vicinity there are several extensive 
 orange and lemon groves, as well as vineyards and 
 other fruits. The orange grove we visited con- 
 tains twelve hundred and sixty trees, sixteen 
 years old, and was ladened Avith fruit in every 
 stage of growth from buds and blossoms to ripe 
 fruit. The average annual crop from each tree, 
 we were told, yields a profit of seventy-five dol- 
 lars. We also saw a grove of the English walnut, 
 the annual product of which, jier tree, was esti- 
 mated at one hundred and twenty-five dollars. 
 In addition to these they cultivate many other 
 kinds of fruit with equal success, if not Avith 
 equal profit, such as figs, olives, dates, limes, pears, 
 peaches, and apples. It is here that the two 
 climes, the tem})erate and the tropical, seem to 
 overla}) each other, and to vie with each other in 
 the excellence and abundance of their productions. 
 
 From Los Angeles, which we regarded as our 
 base, or central point, we made an excursion into 
 the country, and visited several of the most ex- 
 tensive ranches within the circuit of a hundred 
 miles, traveling in an open carriage. A ranch is 
 simply an old Spanish plantation, containing 
 usuallv from ten thousand to one hundred and
 
 THE PACIFIC SI.Ol'K. 07 
 
 fifty thnusand ucivs, and sometimes more ; in or 
 near the centre of wliich stands an old flat-roofed 
 house, built of adolie. m hicli is a large Sf|nare mud 
 brick, dried in the sun, instead of bein<i" burned 
 in a kiln. Tlie house is <i:eneral]y consti'ucted in 
 the shape of a iiarallelogram, inclosing an o])en 
 court, and having on the outside an open })()rtico. 
 It is a (pieer looking sort of a mansion; yet, in 
 the olden time, it possessed all the charms of a 
 royal jjalace in the estimation of the populace. 
 It was in ])alatial residences of this character, that 
 llie richer classes of the Mexicans and Spaniards 
 took their ease and lived in comparative luxury, 
 until the war with Mexico occurred, when they 
 were annexed to the United States. 
 
 After the war they atteniitted to adopt Ameri- 
 can habits, and to live in American style ; tlie 
 result was, they became extravagant, and soon so 
 encumbered their estates that they were obliged 
 to sell them at nominal prices. The Americans 
 were the purchasers, and obtained the lands, in 
 many instances, as low as ten cents an acre. Some 
 of these large tracts, thus obtained, are now worth 
 from five to fifty dollars an acre. They compose 
 the best lands in California, and extend in a chain 
 of valleys from San Diego to San Francisco, and 
 even along the entire coast of the State. The 
 appearance of these ranch lands in tlu' summer
 
 98 LETTERS FROM 
 
 and fall months is quite unlike the green lields 
 Ave see in the Eastern States. Here the grasses 
 acquire a rank growth after the I'ains in winter 
 and during the early spring, and then become 
 perfectly dry, still standing upright where they 
 grew, and thus remain, for seven or eight months, 
 during the rainless season, as dry and sweet as 
 the best of hay preserved in a barn. While in 
 this condition, these grasses are still rich and nu- 
 trative, and afford abundant feed for the vast 
 herds of sheep, cattle and horses, that roam at 
 large over the plains. In a word, Nature does the 
 haying, and leaves man with little to do, except 
 to guard his flocks and herds, and take it easy. 
 The old grass remains sufficient and in good con- 
 dition until the new grass appears under the in- 
 fluence of the early winter rains ; it then jEtills, and 
 in its decay, serves to enrich the soil. 
 
 "We visited several ranches, and Avere not only 
 politely received and entertained, but acquired an 
 interesting, though l)rief, experience of ranch life. 
 We remained nearly a week at the ranch, known 
 as the (San Joaquin. This ranch consists of one 
 hundred and ten thousand acres, and is stocked 
 Avith forty thousand fine-Avooled sheep. In extent, 
 it is one of the largest ranches south of Los 
 Angeles, being some tAvelve miles Avide by tAventy 
 long. It is mostly valley land, and stretches from
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 00 
 
 tlie foot-hills to the sen. In sonn' of tht- hills, 
 within its boundaries, mines of coal and (luieksil- 
 ver have recently been discovered, which promise 
 to become valuable. The ranch is amply watered 
 l)y springs, and a chain of small lagoons, extend- 
 ing through it, centrally, supposed to be a subter- 
 ranean river, from the connection there is in the 
 hidden currents that pass from one lagoon to 
 another, and the tremulous character of the soil, 
 which seems to rest on its surface. In some i)laces, 
 if you thrust a pole through the turf, it disappears 
 at once, and is never seen again. 
 
 These lagoons terminate in a small ])ay, which 
 extends from the ocean into the ranch about two 
 miles. On the shore of this bay I saw a camp of 
 Mexican fishermen, who Avere engaged in manu- 
 facturing oil from the carcasses of sharks, which 
 they catch in abundance along the sea coast. The 
 Mexicans make this a profitable business. They 
 go out to sea in small boat?, and catch the sharks 
 by harpooning or shooting them, as they rise to 
 the surface in their eagerness to swallow the bait 
 flung to them. When caught, they are towed into 
 the bay, and so great is the number of their skel- 
 etons lying about the cami), that the atmosphere, 
 throughout the entire vicinity for miles, is rendered 
 impure and even offensive. Nothing of this kind. 
 I believe, can offend the olfactories of a ^lexican.
 
 100 LETTERS FROM 
 
 The sheep Avith which this ranch is stocked, 
 ure subdivided in flocks of tliree thonsand to live 
 thousand, and each division placed in charge of a 
 shepherd, who watches over them, by day and by 
 night, like the shepherds of old, but with this 
 ditference, perhaps, that he gathers the sheep into 
 a corral or pen at night, and then betakes himself 
 to his eight-by-ten board cabin, next the enclos- 
 ure, and there cooks, eats and sleeps as best he 
 can, with no other associates than his sheep and 
 faithful dog. His life is truly a lonely one, and 
 yet he seems happy in the companionship of his 
 sheep and dog, who understand his signs and his 
 whistle, and even the import of his Avords, and 
 obey him with a child-like confidence in his supe- 
 rior wisdom and intelligence. The annual clip of 
 wool from the sheep of this ranch, is said to be 
 about two hundred thousand pounds. It is of the 
 finest quality, and sells at a high price in the 
 eastern market. Add to the income from the 
 wool the annual product of twenty thousand 
 lambs, and it is easy to see that wool-growing is a 
 very profitable business in California. 
 
 In some parts of the coast range, there are 
 numbers of very extensive dairy ranches. One 
 ranch in Marin bounty, containing sixty thousand 
 acres, is stocked with over three thousand head of 
 milch cows. Some fifteen or twenty other ranches
 
 THK rVClFK' SLOI'K. 101 
 
 keep from three hundred to a tliousaiid head. 
 Tlie most productive part of the year f(jr ])utter 
 and cheese, commences in Xovem])er and ends in 
 June. After that i)eriod the grass dries up, and 
 is converted into standinir liay. under the influ- 
 ence of a hurning sun and cloudless sky. And 
 yet it is said that a good milch cow will produce 
 from a hundred and fifty to a hundred and 
 seventy-tive pounds of hutter, annually, or nearly 
 twice that amount of cheese. 
 
 The largest cheese ever made in the world, 
 was made on one of these dairy ranches. It was 
 made during the late war, and weighed four thous- 
 and pounds. It was sold in San Francisco at 
 flfty cents a pound, for the henefit of the " Sani- 
 tary Fund." The hutter. as Avell as the cheese, is 
 manufactured hy steam power. In this business, 
 fortunes may he made or lost in a single year. 
 Little things cannot be done in California; it 
 must be great things or nothing.
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 Anaheim, NovimhIht itJtli, istiit. 
 
 This is a beautiful little Geniuui city. *■' the 
 loveliest of the plain." situated on the banks of 
 the Santa Ana river. The name of the town com- 
 bines the German word "home" with the name of 
 the river. A German company inirchased the 
 site, consisting of one thousand acres, some fifteen 
 years ago, and laid it out in city lots, with broad 
 streets i-unning at right angles. Each lot con- 
 tains twenty acres, and is planted Mith a vineyard. 
 In other words, it is a city of vineyards, and takes 
 the lead in California as a wine district. The 
 quality of its wine is excellent, and the amount 
 annually produced, very large. The wine is sold 
 by the pipe, and goes to dealers in San Francisco, 
 who bottle it and put it into the market. They 
 paid but twenty cents a gallon for the product of 
 this year, and sell it bottled at the rate of three 
 dollars per gallon. Much of it is shipped east.
 
 Tin; I'Acii-ic sLoi'K. 10:5 
 
 We visited several of tlie vineyiirds, and wen- 
 delisflited Avitli their heautv and tlie skill maiii- 
 fested ill tlu-ir culture. The cultivators say, how- 
 ever, that they are not paid for their labor at the 
 l)resent price of wine, and some of them have 
 already introduced the raisin grape, and propose, 
 hereafter, to grow raisins instead of wine. We 
 saw some of the raisin grapes : the raisins made 
 from them, are excellent, quite equal to the best 
 Smyrna raisins. The jirocess (»f manufacture is 
 sim})le — nothing more than drying the grapes in 
 the sun on a board platform, and then packing 
 them in boxes. The juices of the grape, in the 
 process of drying, crystallize and coat the fruit 
 with sugar. In this culture, women and children 
 can be employed with equal advantage, and, for 
 the product, there is everywhere a ready market 
 at remunerative prices. 
 
 In one of the fruit oreliards here, we saw an 
 appletree loaded Avith the second crop of apples 
 which it has borne this year. They were of me- 
 dium size, and would ripen in January. The fruits 
 in California, esi)ecially apples and grapes, are 
 much milder in flavor than those grown in the 
 Eastern States. Belmonts become nearly sweet, 
 and Rhode Island greenings lose their acidity in 
 a good degree, while grapes, of whatever variety, 
 acquire a degree of sweetness which is almost
 
 104 I.K'nKKS I-KOM 
 
 sickening, as conipitrcd willi the eastern eatawba. 
 
 In returning IVuni the sheep-ranch to this 
 vine-clad city. Me crossed several large rivers, 
 nearlv half a mile wide, Init with channels dry as 
 a sand desert. In this country, most of the rivers 
 become dry in summer, or so low that the water, 
 what little there is at different points, sinks, and 
 is lost in the sand ; })erhaps in underground cur- 
 rents. But, in the rainy season, the rivers often 
 overflow their l)anks and flood the country, far 
 and near, nuiking it extremely dangerous to cross 
 them with teams. As yet, there are no bridges or 
 ferry boats. The quicksands in the beds of the 
 streams, increase the danger of passing them. It 
 often happens that horses, wagons, and all, go 
 down, and sometimes are lost. 
 
 Southern California is almost etirely destitute 
 of valuable timber. In some directions you might 
 go a hundred miles and not be able to cut a walk- 
 ing stick. There are, of course, no fences. Every- 
 body's herds and flt)cks graze where they please, 
 unless watched by herders. It is bewildering to 
 ride through the vast plains of tall grass and Avild 
 mustard, especially at this season of the year, 
 when vegetation stands erect, though dead and 
 dry as a stubble-field. The mustard grows seven 
 feet high, and when mature, resembles a field of 
 ripened rye. It is of good quality, and is often
 
 < THE PAflFlC SI.Ol'K. 105 
 
 gathered and sold in the market at a handsome 
 profit. Thousands of acres are densely covered 
 with it, and in traveling through it, one is liahle 
 to get lost. The country is so level and smootli 
 that you can drive a team in any direction you 
 please. There are but few roads ; in many parts 
 of the country nothing more than trails or path- 
 wavs. It seems to a stranger like an uninhal)ited 
 land. 
 
 Wild game is veiy abundant. J]inumeral)k' 
 squirrels, gray and black, burrow in the ground 
 for Avant of trees, and may 1)e seen running in all 
 directions. The coyotes, a kind of Avolf, are also 
 numerous, and destructive among the sheep. In 
 addition to these, there are deer, wildcats, bears 
 and lions, among the foot-hills and higher moun- 
 tains, and acres of wild geese iiying in the air, or 
 feeding along the lagoons and water courses. 
 There are two distinct varieties of geese, the white 
 and the black. We also saw rabbits in al)undance, 
 as well as multitudes of quails, hawks, crows, and 
 buzzards. Blackbirds in flocks follow the sheep, 
 and often light on their backs, picking the grass- 
 seeds lodged in their avooI, and riding along at 
 leisure. The sheep submit with perfect indiffer- 
 ence. It is a novel sight. 
 
 Beside all this variety of game, there are 
 plentv of wild hogs running about in the marshes
 
 106 LP^TTEIIS FROM 
 
 and l)rii.sli thickets. They belong to anybody wlio 
 can catch or kill them. In some parts of this re- 
 gion "vve saw hundreds of acres of corn, as stout 
 as ever grew, for which there is no market. As 
 many as one thousand and forty kei'nels have been 
 known to grow on a single ear. Pork Ijrings a 
 high pi'ice. and so for want of tame hogs to con- 
 sume the corn, the ranchmen catch and fatten the 
 wild ones, and thus make their corn crops availa- 
 ble. Hunting and catching wild hogs is an excit- 
 ing business, and requires skill and experience. 
 They are pursued with trained dogs and lassooed. 
 This is rare sport Ibr a Mexican. 
 
 We had thought of visiting San Diego, the 
 border town in tSouthern C^alifornia. but on meet- 
 ing with a relial)le personal friend, who had just 
 returned from there, and who gave us a particular 
 description of the place and its vicinity, we aban- 
 doned the idea. The part known as the '• old 
 town," is located some distance from the harbor, 
 and is settled ])rincipally by Mexicans. It is built 
 of adobe, with a broad common, or plaxa, in the 
 center. The bay is said to be as commodious and 
 safe as that of San Francisco. The Southern 
 Pacific IJailroad is to terminate here, and make a 
 direct connection with the Asiatic trade. When 
 this is done, San Diego must become the formida- 
 ble rival of San P^'rancisco. in anticipation of
 
 THK l"A(II-I< M.oi'K. 1(17 
 
 this ivsnlt. .speoulutors I'fom aln-diul are coiKrn- 
 trating liere, and purchasing lands and city lots 
 at extravagant })riccs. In fact, several new towns 
 along the line of the hay have lieen plattetl and 
 built within the last six months. The houses are 
 of the most temporary character, little else than 
 hoard cabins; yet they command an exhor])itant 
 rent, and sell at fabulous prices. It is said that 
 jiarties in the railroad interest have not, as yet, 
 made any investment here in real estate, but have 
 viewed the ground, and doubtless knoAv what they 
 intend to do, and at Avhat point on the bay the 
 road will terminate. Neither at the old or new 
 towns is the water deep enough to admit a tirst 
 class shij) to approach nearer shore than half a 
 mile. Thei-e is a point some five or ten miles up 
 the bay, where the Avater is deep enough for the 
 largest ships to approach close to shore, and there, 
 as our friend says, the future town will be built 
 and the road terminate. 
 
 The future of San Diego is destined to be 
 brilliant. Its bay is capacious, and being the ter- 
 minus of the southern trans-continental railway, 
 it cannot fail to become, at least, the second great 
 city of the Pacitic coast. At present, it is impos- 
 sible to ascertain the exact point where the pro- 
 jected railway will terminate; yet the land specu- 
 lators are ]»urchasing and selling city lots to each
 
 108 LETTERS FliOM 
 
 other, und surveying" new cities along the line of 
 the bay, for miles away from actual settlements. 
 Money is plenty, and fortunes are said to he made 
 ill a day. This may be true in a very feAv instan- 
 ces. But the expenses of living have become 
 extravagant, for the reason that there is a scarcity 
 of provisions and of hotels. The surrounding 
 country is, for the distance of forty miles or more, 
 nothing but a sand desert, on which not even a 
 blade of grass, or shrub, or plant grows, except 
 the cactus. In some directions the territory is so 
 encumbered by this bristling plant — the terror of 
 man and beast — tliat it costs from twenty-five to 
 thirty dollars an acre to clear it. 
 
 The country, generally in this region, is as bar- 
 ren as the desert of Sahara. Sohie attempts have 
 Ix'en made to sink wells, l)ut without much suc- 
 cess. It is claimed, hoAvever. that the soil, though 
 nothing but white sand, will produce grain, fruits 
 and vegetables in perfection, if irrigated. But as 
 there are no living streams of water, this cannot be 
 done to any considerable extent. Eain seldom 
 falls, and what is still worse, a hot wind, a peri- 
 odical sirocco, generated in the vast sand deserts 
 of Arizona, comes sweeping over the plains, and 
 along the coast in the direction of San Diego, 
 withering every green plant, vegetable and tree, 
 whicli vdu attein))t to rear by the process-of irri-
 
 TIIH rACIFlC S1A)1'K. 109 
 
 gatioii. Ill an agricultural point of yie^v. the 
 lauds are wortliloss. Yet the railway, when com- 
 pleted, will bring the needed supplies, and in time, 
 build u]) at this ])oint a great commercial city.
 
 LETTER XIY. 
 
 Los Ai\GEr-KS, Novt'inber 18th, 18ti9. 
 
 From Antilic'ini ^\^v returned by sttige to this 
 ancient City of the Angels. Myself, wife, and an 
 Englishman were the only passengers who took 
 seats in the coach at Anaheim. The coachman, 
 accompanied with an armed guard, sat on the 
 outside. The distance between the two cities is 
 about forty miles, and the region through which 
 we had to pass, is for the most part wild and un- 
 inhabited. A few weeks prior to this time the 
 stage coach had been waylaid on this route, and 
 all the passengers r<)l)bed of their money and 
 other valuables. 
 
 "When we arrived at the first station, a man of 
 middle age took passage with us. His manner of 
 entering the coach and his general appeai'ance, 
 were anything but i)repossessing. lie looked 
 rough, seedy and sunburnt, Init said nothing. I 
 soon discovered that he carried in a leathern belt.
 
 THE PACIFIC SI.OPK. Ill 
 
 beneath his coat, a b(»\vii' kniiV' ami i)i,stol, whicli, 
 in liis restless iiiovenieiits, were exposed to view. 
 This gave the Englishman, as well as myself and 
 wife, some uneasiness in regard to his real char- 
 acter and intentions. His face wore a fiendish 
 expression, as he scanned us occasionally with a 
 critical eye. He seemed puzzled to determine in 
 his own mind who we were, or where to place us. 
 At last, addressing first the Englishman, and then 
 myself, he asked where we resided. The English- 
 man replied at Los Angeles. Eegarding this as 
 the most politic reply, I made the same answer. 
 He evidently doubted, but made no further enqui- 
 ries. We were now passing the most desolate part 
 of the route, a marshy tract of country, full of 
 ambuscades. Here he thrust his head, every few 
 moments, outside the coach, looking this Avay and 
 that way, intently and anxiously, as if ex[)ecting 
 aid or pursuit, and then would nervously place his 
 hand on his pistol and adjust it to his right side, 
 where he could readily grasp it at any moment. 
 
 In a short time we emerged into an open 
 }»lain of vast extent, bordered by the s])urs of the 
 neighboring mountains on our right. 1 lere we saw 
 two sinister looking Mexicans, who were mounted 
 on horses and belted with pistols, heading in the 
 direction of the mountains. Our seedy fellow- 
 passenger watched their movements with intense
 
 112 ' I.ETTEKS I-'HO.M 
 
 interest, and with evident discippointuient. Why 
 they were objects of so much interest to him, or 
 what connection they might have had with him, 
 is more tlian I can say. But his appearance and 
 the circumstances gave us unpleasant impressions, 
 and, in fact, somewliat alarmed us. The English- 
 man, like myself, was unarmed. He had but 
 recently arrived from England, and was possessed 
 of considerable money, Avhicli he desired to invest 
 in California lands. This I had learned from him 
 before leaving Anaheim, and thought it possible 
 the fact might be known to our suspicious looking 
 fellow-passeuger. Hut Avhen we reached the out- 
 skirts of the city, he leaped like a tiger from the 
 coach and disappeared. We all felt relieved, and 
 congratulated ourselves on the happy riddance. 
 The next day we heard that he was one of the 
 bandits who. a few weeks previously, had waylaid 
 the stage in the night, at a jioint near the city, 
 and i)lundered the passengers, lie had agreed, it 
 was said, to turn State's evidence against his asso- 
 ciates in crime, wli<^ had been arrested, and thus 
 secure his own escape from the penalties of the 
 law. For having made this agreement, he proba- 
 bly feared assassination by tlie hand of some one 
 wdio belonged to the same secret organization as 
 himself It was mainly on his testimony that his 
 comrades were convicted, and sent in chains to
 
 Tin: !\\(ii-i< si.oi'K. 113 
 
 the iK-nitcntiarv. In a few weeks iifterwards the 
 witness himself was shot liy some unknown per- 
 son, and left to die by the wayside, near the 
 identical spot where lie liad assisted in eoniniitting 
 tlie ori(]^inal robbery. 
 
 While remaininfi: at Los Angeles, we visited 
 some of the spots of the most interest — the court 
 honse — the old cathedral, built in 1T73, and the 
 hill that overlooks the town, where Gen. Fremont, 
 in the war with Mexico, entrenched the forces un- 
 der his command, and held the city in subjection. 
 The entrenchments are still to be seen. AVhile 
 here, the (leneral observed symptoms of revolt in 
 the movements of the Catholic priesthood, on a 
 Sunday, at the church, under the guise of relig- 
 ious services ; and seeing armed men jiassing in 
 and out, ordered a cannon shot to ])e fired in that 
 direction, which struck the gable-end window and 
 passed through the church, in the walls of which 
 the ball-hole still remains visible. The result was 
 a grand scare, short prayers, and a sudden exit of 
 the congregation. This unexpected mixture of 
 prayers and powder did not agree very Avell with 
 either the religious views or })atriotic feelings of 
 the Mexicans. The last battle with the Mexicans, 
 Avliich occurred in this region, was fought on the 
 banks of the river San Gabriel, within a few miles 
 of ihe city. This proved decisive. Annexation
 
 114 LETTEKS 1-KOM 
 
 soon followed. But many of the richer Mexiciuis 
 disliked annexation, and removed to Mexico. 
 Those who remained, still rrtaiii their jnrnier 
 habits and customs. Their ])]'inci[)al occupation 
 seems to be idling, o-amhlino-. i-icing. cock-fighting 
 and drinking. 
 
 Tlie main street oi" the city is about a mile 
 long. The south half is occui)ied almost exclu- 
 sively by Mexicans; the north half mostly by 
 Americans. The style of l)uilding distinguishes 
 very plainly the difference in taste and character 
 of the two nationalities. In the immediate neigh- 
 borhood of the city are several very fine fruit 
 orchards and gardens, which are much visited and 
 admired 1)y strangers. We have met, while here, 
 several southern gentlemen, who were distinguish- 
 ed, officers in the war of the llebellion, and Avho 
 have located themselves on ranches near Los An- 
 geles, and are now engaged in growing wool and 
 fine horses. They are gentlemen in every sense of 
 the word, and submit to the new condition of 
 things with becoming grace and a genial temper. 
 They say they prefer a whiteman's government, 
 and confidently })redict that negro-freedom will 
 prove a failure — a misfortune, alike, both to the 
 white and the black race. 
 
 The Union Hotel has the lead. Here we find 
 the best of company and the best of accMnmoda-
 
 THE I'Aciric si.oi'i;. 115 
 
 tiiiiis. 'i'lierc aiv several other good Jiotel.:). all of 
 wli it'll, as well as the Union, are overflowing with 
 guests at tlic pivsi'nt tinu'. You will sec licre but 
 very iV-w hidies, either at the hotels or on the 
 streets. There is just now a rush of adventurers 
 and land s])eeulators to this point, who are at- 
 tempting to make fortunes by overreaehing each 
 other. Yt't we have noticed the arrival of some 
 families, who propose to become permanent citi- 
 zens. City lots have advaneed rajiidly within the 
 last few months, and the prospect of a railway 
 connecting San Diego and Los Angeles with San 
 Francisco, has had a magic efiect in direeting pub- 
 lic attention to this region. The citizens here are 
 juliilant, and seem disposed to indulge in ex- 
 travagant expectations. As yet, however, business 
 appears to be done on a limited scale. 'J'he mer- 
 chants, small and large, occupy main street. More 
 than half the shops are devoted to the sale of fiuits, 
 refreshments, or whiskey, interspersed with an 
 undue proportion of gambling saloons. In and ^ 
 about these shops you meet with all nationalities, 
 and a mixture of all colors. Nearly all the living 
 languages of Europe, Asia and America, are spo- 
 ken here. It is somewhat difficult to distinguish 
 the Indians from the Mexicans, the two races have 
 l)ecome so intermixed. There is a large ranch, 
 consisting, as Ave are told, of a hundred thousand
 
 IIG LKTTKliS FKOM 
 
 acres or more, situated just nortli of the city, 
 whicli is owued by an Indian, an old chief, who 
 refuses to sell, it or any part of it to a white man, 
 fearing if ho were to do so, that some sudden ca- 
 lamity would befall him and the remnant of his 
 race. This refusal seriously retards the progress 
 of the city, as well as the adjoining country. 
 The old chief lives on a slender income from his 
 herds of cattle and horses, or nither from the few 
 whicli are not stolen from him. The white citi- 
 zens are attempting to force him to sell his lands, 
 by laws imposing a high rate of taxation. 
 
 Los Angeles is the central point of business 
 operations in Southern California. The lands 
 that surround it are fertile and desirable, and 
 must eventually become valuable. In fact, all the 
 valley lands among the neighboring mountains 
 are rich in point of soil, and only wait the advent 
 of the agriculturalist to give ample evidence of 
 their capabilities and productions. About sixty 
 miles south-easterly from the city, there is an ex- 
 tensive tract of rich, level land, known as the San 
 Bernardino Valley. The climate is delightful the 
 year round, and thither the swelling tide of emi- 
 gration, with a Aiew to actual settlement, is at 
 present directed. Every one who has visited this 
 beautiful valley, s])eaks of it in glowing terms. 
 Tlie lands can be obtnined at Government price,
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOl'E. 117 
 
 or h\ acquiring pre-emi)ti<)ii rights. There is 
 more or less valuable timber to l)e found in the 
 gorges of the mountains, and much of the land 
 can be irrigated by diverting the natural streams 
 of water. 
 
 But, at present, the valley is somcAvhat diffi- 
 cult of access, and far from market. The roads 
 are simply trails, and exceedingly rough along 
 the mountain passes. Yet a good man}' families 
 have already settled tliere, and will ultimately re- 
 alize, their most sanguine expectations, if one may 
 judge from the expression of common sentiment 
 in regard to the promising future of that region. 
 The adjoining mountains are said to be rich in 
 mineral wealth, such as coal, gold and iron. Our 
 stage acquaintance, the Englishman, had visited 
 this valley, and was (juite enchanted with its fer- 
 tility and beauty. He regretted the want of law 
 and order, and rel^^ted an occurrence Avhich took 
 place while he was there. A traveler, on horse- 
 back, while a})proaching the valley through a 
 mountain gorge, Avas attacked by three ruffians, 
 robbed of his money, watch, horse and clothing, 
 and left to find his Avay. as best he could, to some 
 habitation. In the wilder portions of California, 
 crimes of this character are committed almost 
 daily. Pistols and pluck are the only safe-guards 
 on which you can rely in such emergencies. It is
 
 118 LETTERS FROM 
 
 never safe here to go unarmed, or travel alone, es- 
 pecially if you are well dressed, or display golden 
 ornaments on your person. 
 
 Here I must conclude for the present. At 
 eleven this morning we leave the city for San 
 Francisco; by rail to Wilmington, and thence by 
 sea. It is Thanksgiving Day, and I knoM' not 
 Avhere we shall dine ; certainly not Avith our old 
 tried friends at home. Pleasant, indeed, are the 
 many reminiscences connected with the thanks- 
 givings of the past ; the intermingling at the old 
 homestead of youth and age, eating, drinking, 
 laughing, joking, dancing and story-telling. 0, 
 that I were at home and young again — wouldn't I 
 have a gav old time of it ? Good l)ve I
 
 LETTEE XV. 
 
 Ban Francisco, December 5th, 1869. 
 
 "We came up tlie coa.st on the steamer Orizaba, 
 having left Los Angeles on thanksgiving day. 
 The sea Avas rough, and soon after stepping on 
 board, we concluded to defer eating our tlianks- 
 giving dinner till next year. AVe tried to take it 
 easy, but felt very nneasy, and, in all we had to 
 say and do, manifested 'a critical taste, decidedly 
 squeamisli. In fact, we were in a critical mood — 
 moodish — and remained so for nearly three days, 
 when Ave lifted np our eyes and beheld the Golden 
 Gate, the gate of deliverance, feeling truly thank- 
 ful that there is such a thing as dry land. 
 
 On the way I took but few notes, and saw but 
 little worth noting. A screaming flock of sea- 
 gulls, a shark and a brigade of porpoises followed 
 the ship during the entire voyage. We amused 
 ourselves in looking over the taffrail at the gliding 
 porpoises, and in flinging fragments of food over-
 
 120 LETTERS FROM 
 
 board to the seagulls, who would descend like a 
 flock of hungry chickens, and seize, in a moment, 
 the floating morsels. 
 
 The line of the coast, for nearly the whole 
 distance of four hundred miles, is abrupt, chalky 
 and barren. It has neither grass, nor tree of any 
 kind growiug upon it. It is bordered by a range 
 of hills and broken mountains, which subside, at 
 different points, as they approach the sea, into 
 table lands of considerable extent. The coast is 
 uninhabited, with the exception of a small town 
 or two, and so monotonous as to Aveary the eye 
 with its uniformity. About the only landmark of 
 any interest, is Point Concepcion, the spur of a 
 foot-hill thrust into the sea, and on the brow of 
 which stands a Government lighthouse, with a 
 large bell swinging in its tower. When our steamer 
 rounded the jioint, the lighthouse bell was mer- 
 rily rung by way of paying the customary salute. 
 
 In San Francisco, as well as elsewhere, there 
 are wise men — prophets who utter their annual 
 predictions. They say that earthquakes may be 
 expected about these days. The severe earth- 
 quake, which occurred here on the 21st of October, 
 1868, was so peculiar in its character, as to attract 
 the attention of scientific men, who, in attempt- 
 ing to investigate the true cause, have advanced 
 some ino;enious theories.
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 121 
 
 The prevailing modern idea seems to 1)e that 
 earthquakes result from electrical action in the 
 earth's crust, or in the atmosphere, simultaneous, 
 perhaps, in both. We know that electricity is an 
 invisible force, active or quiescent, and abounds 
 everywhere, in a positive or negative state. When 
 the equilibrium has been disturl^ed, whatever the 
 cause, it is certain that it will be restored ])y a 
 like cause. The action of the electrical forces 
 may or may not be instantaneous. The earth is 
 said to be a great electrical reservoir, and so, in all 
 probability, is the atmosphere ; the one positive, 
 the other negative, generally, or at points ; yet 
 always accumulating force, quietly, or violently, 
 in the vain endeavor to restore a perfect equililjri- 
 um. Hence, we have thunder and lightning over- 
 head and earthquakes under foot. The forces are 
 the same. The one is a skyquake, the other an 
 earthquake. The one would seem to be a substi- 
 tute for the other, as in California, where they 
 never have thunder and lightning, but are amply 
 compensated by frequent eartlKpiakes. For eight 
 or nine months in the year they are favored with 
 a bright sun and a cloudless sky. When the 
 rainy season commences, it brings with it violent 
 electrical changes, resulting not in thunder and 
 lightning, but in earthquakes. In this way. it 
 mav he ]ir('suined. the cquililn-iuin is ri'Stort'd.
 
 122 lettj:rs from 
 
 Fearful as earthquakes may seem, I doubt not, 
 many more persons are killed by lightning than 
 by earthquakes. The subtle influences of elec- 
 tricity are, indeed, mysterious, and doubtless con- 
 stitute the life-principle which pervades all life, 
 whether it be animal or vegetable. 
 
 The State of California is destined to become 
 one of the richest in the Union. Its present pop- 
 ulation is estimated at six hundred thousand. 
 The aborigines number about forty thousand, but 
 diminish rapidly, and will soon disappear. In 
 natural resources, the State is not exceeded by 
 any equal extent of territory in the world. The 
 valleys and foot-hills extending from the southern 
 to the northern limit of the State, are but a suc- 
 cession of inexhaustible wealth, awaiting the labor 
 and skill of American enterprise to develop it. 
 Here is silver, and gold, and bread, in abundance ; 
 enough for everybody who is ready and willing to 
 work. The only condition imposed, is intelligent 
 labor. Nature has done her part, and now invites 
 man to do his part. There are but two serious ob- 
 jections to the country; one is the want of timber, 
 and. the other the want of timely rains and more 
 living streams. There are some places in the moun- 
 tains, where red wood and pine abound, which 
 make excellent lumber for building and fencing 
 ])urposes. The California laurel is a beautiful
 
 THK l'.V(II-I(- SLOI'K. \'i'.) 
 
 wood, receives a line polish, and is uiuch used for 
 cabinet work. Yet much of the timber is quite 
 inaccessible, and the trans})(irtati(in of (^ucli as can 
 be obtained, is exceedingly expensive. Not a 
 ranch or farm in the tState, so far as I could see 
 or learn, is fenced. There are but few living 
 springs of water. Many of the few living streams 
 are so impregnated with alkali, as to render the 
 water unwholesome and dangerous for man or 
 beast to drink. Here and there, where a farmer 
 can control a mountain stream, and divert its 
 Avaters into small channels so as to flow his lands, 
 he can obtain luxuriant ci'ops of every kind, grain 
 and fruits, in the highest perfection. Yet, the 
 cost of erecting plank flumes and of cutting chan- 
 nels, requires an outlay which but fcAv adventurers 
 can afford. In some localities artesian wells have 
 been obtained at moderate expense. Horticulture 
 in the vicinity of the larger towns i)roves to be a 
 profitable pursuit. The gardeners, who are devo- 
 ted to growing vegetables for the market, require 
 a regular supply of water, which they obtain from 
 ordinary' wells and elevate into tanks by a Avind- 
 mill pump, and then conduct it by plank flumes 
 and earth channels through every part of their 
 grounds. By this means fresh vegetables and the 
 small fruits can be grown and the towns snjiplied 
 throughout the year. The process of planting
 
 124: lettj:rs from 
 
 and gathering at the same time, and in the same 
 gardens, never ceases. Corn, peas, beans, and 
 other vegetables are phmted every month, and 
 gathered every month, and may be seen along side 
 of each other at all times, in their various stages 
 of growth. Only think of it, strawberries freSh 
 from the vines every day in the year, and that too, 
 in abundance. Isn't it a wonderful country? 
 
 The periodical winds are somewhat disagreea- 
 ble, and prevail a considerable portion of the year. 
 No fruit tree or ornamental tree can be grown 
 without artificial irrigation and protection against 
 the action of these prevailing winds. You must 
 either build high board fences to protect the trees, 
 or plant them in some valley or on some hill-side, 
 where they will not be exposed. Nearly every 
 tree in California leans in the direction of the 
 prevailing windb. So you can always tell '" which 
 way the wind blows,"' by looking at the trees, if 
 not by observing the laws of trade. 
 
 Almost everybody here is a speculator, especi- 
 ally in San Francisco, where they are constantly 
 engaged in speculating among themselves in city 
 lots. In fact, they have done so much at it, and 
 at such exhorbitant rates, that they have com- 
 pletely shingled the city over with mortgages. 
 They have been stimulated by the idea that east- 
 ern capitalists, now the Pacific railway is com-
 
 THE i'acifk; slope. 1-i'y 
 
 pleted, are coming with a rush to purcluiso most 
 of the city, at any price. The quicker this idea 
 explodes, tlie l)etter. Tlie ineYita])le result of all 
 this must be, that proi)erty will change hands at 
 greatly reduced figures. 
 
 In California you can regulate the climate to 
 suit yourself In the valleys, it is perpetual sum- 
 mer. In the mountains, you can have all the 
 changes of the four seasons. In one day's travel 
 you can reach a region where it is spring, summer, 
 fall, or Aviuter, as you may prefer. It is, therefore, 
 a glorious country for invalids, as well as for peo- 
 ple in sound health. Here you have all the luxu- 
 ries, fruits, flowers and vegetables, which either a 
 temperate or tropical clime can produce. AVhat 
 more can one wish or desire ? Yet here, as else- 
 where, I believe no one is fully satisfied with his 
 condition in life. 
 
 The Asiatics having espied out this "goodly 
 land,*' are now arriving in great numbers, with a 
 view to share its Avealth and test its capabilities. 
 Here they say they can grow tea, silk, sugar and spi- 
 ces as Avell as in their own country. The land is 
 cheaper and much more fertile. The cheap table 
 lands they regard as admii-ably adapted to the 
 silk and tea culture. In a few years, I doul)t not, 
 the foot-hills and elevated table lands will be 
 crowned with the tea plant and the mulberry, and
 
 126 LETTERS FROM 
 
 the valleys enriched with extensive fields of sugar 
 cane. But the Americans will still retain their 
 power and controlling influence ; monopolize the 
 best lands, and take the lead in all lucrative en- 
 terprises. They will still plan, invent, and con- 
 duct the commerce of the country. The Asiatic 
 element will do no harm, but on the contrary, aid 
 in promoting a rapid development. In view of 
 what has already been achieved, it may be said, 
 that the future of California knows no limit. 
 Yet here, as well as elsewhere, fluctuations in bus- 
 iness affairs, and in the value of pro])erty, often 
 occur. '" All is not gold that glitters.""
 
 LETTER XYI. 
 
 San Francisco, December Tth, 18(39. 
 
 It cannot be doubted that California presents 
 more points of natural beauty and sublimity than 
 any other part of the known world. It abounds 
 in marvels and originalities. Among the principal 
 l)oints of interest to the tourist, are the Yosemite 
 \'alley, the Big Trees, and the Geysers. The first 
 is indescribable ; the second incredible ; and the 
 third infernal ; and yet they all actually exist. 
 Everybody who reads, knows as much about them 
 as I do, and perha^JS more. Owing to the late- 
 ness of the season, I did not visit them : but have 
 heard them described so often, by friends wlio have 
 visited them, that I can readily imagine how they 
 appear, and especially so, since these masterpieces 
 of Nature's Avork have many duplicates, scarcely 
 less magnificent, which I have seen. Yet the Yose- 
 mite Valley will always l)e spoken of 1)y tourists 
 in a stvle of grandilonuriicc, which iniglit induce
 
 128 LETTERS FROM 
 
 one. vciT })roper]_v. to ([iiestion their veraeity, if 
 not their sanity. 
 
 This wonderful valley may l)e described as ten 
 or twelve miles long and half a mile wide, made 
 hy splitting a mountain range through the back- 
 bone, to the depth of five or six thousand feet ; 
 then leveling the base by filling in soil and plant- 
 ing it with grass, shrubs and flowers, and penciling 
 it with silver rills and rivulets that originate in out- 
 side fountains, and come dashing over the valley's 
 rocky rim, as if their glittering currents fell direct 
 from Heaven, creating a mist or spray resembling 
 a bridal veil. The valley has ever been regarded 
 l)y the Indians as l^ature's Sanctuary, where the 
 Great Spirit dwells. But now }'ou find here sev- 
 eral hotels, filled, in summer, with visitors, who 
 devote themselves to sight-seeing, frolic and fun, 
 dancing, cards and billiards. These unsanctified 
 intrusions on Nature's halloM'ed retreat, I should 
 think, would incur her displeasure, if not shock 
 her moral sense. 
 
 There are some twenty groves of the big trees, 
 which liave l>een discovered in different parts of 
 California. The most noted are located in Mari- 
 posa and Calaveras counties. The largest trees 
 are thirty-five feet in diameter, three hundred feet 
 high, and the bark two feet thick. A hollow one 
 that has fallen, will admit sixteen men on horse-
 
 THE PACIFIC SLOI'E. 12D 
 
 back Aery ct)iufortably. In ascending its fjiUen 
 trunk you have to clinil) a ladder forty feet long. 
 A few years ago a section of one of these hollow 
 trees \\ as shijiped to T^ondon, set on end, and used 
 as a drinking saloon. It proved a profitable in- 
 vestment. The distance from 8an Francisco to 
 \'osemite and the big trees, is nearly one hundred 
 and fifty miles, and to the Geysers, about sixty 
 miles. In visiting the Geysers, your moral cour- 
 age Avill be put to the severest test. The descent 
 into the yawning gulf is made by a stage coach, 
 driven by an expert, and is not only very piveip- 
 itous, but hazardous. Still no serious accident 
 has, as^ yet, happened. When you i-each this 
 '' lower region," you find yourself in a narrow can- 
 yon, about half a mile long, surrounded by 
 wizard nooks and angles of the wildest character, 
 and standing on fiery billows that roll beneath 
 your feet. Scalding jets of steam ascend at a 
 hundred different points about you, as if leaping 
 from a caldron boiling beneath the soil. In many 
 places you cannot step without burning the soles of 
 your boots. The springs of hot and cold water 
 are so near each other, in some localities, that you 
 can thrust one hand into hot and the other into 
 cold water, at the same time. In many spots on 
 the surface of the soil ther.e is an issue of noxious 
 gases, where sulphur deposits itself in considerable
 
 130 LETTERS FROM 
 
 quantities. The first discoverer of this wonderful 
 canyon, which is, probably, a A^olcanic crater of 
 ancient date, supposed, Avlien he discovered it, that 
 he had reached the outside door or portico of the 
 infernal regions, and thus impressed, fled in dis- 
 may, and could never be persuaded to make a 
 second descent. 
 
 Everywhere in the mountains of the Pacific 
 Slope, you will see marked evidences of volcanic 
 action. The soil is red, and the rocks appear to 
 have been subjected to intense heat, and are some- 
 times vitrified. The Great Salt Lake Valley has 
 the appearance of being the volcanic subsidence 
 of a mountain chain — a vast crater that hiis been 
 filled in with soil, abraded in the course of time 
 from the adjoining mountains and elevated plains. 
 The lake occupies the central portion of the orig- 
 inal crater, and is still growing narrower by the 
 influx of soil. On the sides of the mountains that 
 encircle it, there remains a distinct Avater-mark, 
 at an elevation of several hundred feet, showing, 
 beyond a doul)t, that this was, at some former i^e- 
 riod, the boundary line of its waters. From this 
 fact, it is evident that the lake has subsided, or 
 that the bordering mountains have been elevated 
 by some sudden convulsion. 
 
 Amid the lofty mcftmtains sloi)ing into the 
 State of Nevada, there sleeps a lake, called Mono,
 
 THE rAf'IFIC SLOPE. 131 
 
 about seventeen miles long and nine wide. It has 
 no outlet, and is a perfect Dead Sea. No animal 
 life can exist in it. Its waters are composed of 
 chemical constituents, which decompose all animal 
 substances in a short time. In other words, it is 
 a sea of })otas]i held in solution, of the strongest 
 kind. The body of a man who was droAvned in 
 it, and even his clothing and boots, were almost 
 entirely consumed in the course of a few weeks. 
 It is a modern wonder. The seven Avonders of 
 the world, as known to the ancients, amount to 
 nothing as compared with the almost innumerable 
 Avonders of the Pacific .Slope. 
 
 In traveling among the Sierras, the scenes that 
 surround you, look where you will, are grand, 
 vast, and sublime. It is there that Xature sits 
 enthroned in sublimity ; eloquent in her silence; 
 inire in her sympathies ; and divine in her sway. 
 It is there that she has lifted mountains to the 
 skies, and sunk valleys to invisible depths. It is 
 there that she has buried dead rivers in moun- 
 tains that Avere once valleys, and given birth to 
 living rivers in valleys that Avere once mountains. 
 Her volcanoes, scattered here and there, are but 
 the chimneys of her Avorkshops. The Avealth of 
 her sublime empire is not only A'ast, but inexhaust- 
 ible. In fact, every mountain is a bank of deposit- 
 Whatever she does financially, she does on a specie
 
 132 LETTERS FROM 
 
 basis, and is ever ready to help those who are dis- 
 posed to help themselves. 
 
 Throughout the Pacific Slope yon will find, 
 almost at every step, something new ; something 
 that will surprise yon. It is a region entirely un- 
 like that of the Atlantic Slope. In the Sierra 
 Nevada range there are more than a hundred 
 mountain peaks that pierce the heavens, rising, in 
 some instances, to the height of fourteen or fifteen 
 thousand feet. One of the highest is Mount 
 Shasta, a giant, that seems to recline his head, like 
 a child, on the bosom of God. In this mountain 
 frame-work of California, you catch a glimpse of 
 that great temple which was built without hands. 
 It is here, in these cerulean halls, that Sublimity 
 and Beauty take their social walks, and, stooping, 
 smile on the cradled valleys that slumber at their 
 feet. In some places yon would think everything 
 about you in a state of chaos. It looks as if great 
 masses of matter still remained on hand after the 
 Avork of creation had been finished. On entering 
 a region of this character, my first thought was, 
 that I had caught Nature at work in her labora- 
 tory, moulding the mountains into shape, scooping 
 out the valleys, channeling the rivers, and planting 
 here and there a few favorite evergreens. I really 
 felt as if I had blundered into her presence without 
 rapping, or giving her an opportunity to make
 
 THK I'AriFIC SLOI'K. 133 
 
 her toilette. But 1 soon discovered tliat Nature 
 does not stand on ceremony, and that her native 
 beauty is like that of an artless maiden, " when 
 unadorned, adorned the most." 
 
 Dead rivers, as known to miners in California, 
 are such as have been dried up and sealed up, 
 midway, in the mountain ranges by volcanic ac- 
 tion. Their channels are reached by tunneling 
 into the mountain sides, and are found to contain 
 sand beds, worn stones, and rich deposits of gold, 
 in the form of gold dust aud nuggets. It is said 
 that more than half the gold mined in California, 
 has been taken from these dead rivers. They lie 
 at about the same height, and have been traced 
 hundreds of miles. 
 
 Nearly three-fourths of the ])opulation on the 
 Pacific coast are unmarried men, who would he 
 very glad to ennoble their manhood, if they had 
 the opportunity. In this connection, I might as 
 well say as think, that if the supernumerary 
 women of the Eastern, States, who ure now clam- 
 oring for their rights, would but emigrate to this 
 golden land, they would find it not only a golden 
 land, but would soon be able, like the Koman ma- 
 tron, to point to their jewels Avith a conmiendable 
 pride, and, perhaps, realize the fact that " a cur- 
 tain lecture," now and then, is vastly more effective 
 than public lectures, in securiug and jiresei-viiig 
 "• woman's rights."
 
 134 LETTERS FROM 
 
 And now let me say, if 3'ou want to see a new 
 world, go to California. Yon can go by rail from 
 the Atlantic to the Pacific, in seven to eight days, 
 running night and day, at the rate of about 
 twenty-five miles an hour. After the second day 
 out, you will not tire, if you take a sleeping car ; 
 for you then become accustomed to the change ; 
 sleep w^ell, eat well, and enjoy a kind of home-life. 
 The passing scenes, as you gaze from the car 
 windows, appear like a revolving panorama, and 
 constantly present to the eye novelties of intense 
 interest. You can get regular meals at the sta- 
 tions on the way, with the exception, perhaps, of 
 two days, while crossing the interior mountain 
 plains. Even there, you may rely on getting at 
 least one good '•' square meal " a day. At some 
 points the water is objectionable, being too alka- 
 line to be drinkable with safety. 
 
 By taking the lightning express train, which 
 makes the through trip once a week each way, 
 and has a dining car attached, you will be accom- 
 modated wath every '*' creature comfort "' you could 
 possibly desire, and would be led to think, while 
 on the route, that you were merely boarding at a 
 fashionable hotel, and enjoying the best of society. 
 Select parties, generally, prefer this train ; but 
 I should much prefer the daily express. There is 
 some difference in the expense, but not much in
 
 THE I'ACIf'IC SLOPE. 135 
 
 the running time. The sleeping curs tUtaclied to 
 either train are equally elegant 'and palatial. In 
 taking the daily express, you meet Avith well bred 
 people, and can make, if you choose, very agreea- 
 ble acquaintances. Besides, you can do as you 
 please, eat at the stations, or resort to your own 
 supplies. " Variety,"' you know, " is the spice 
 of life." 
 
 If you intend to make the trip, I should advise 
 you to take along with you a basket of lunch, a 
 flask of brandy, and a pocket pistol. If you have 
 a wife, take her also ; if you have none, maiTy at 
 once, and make it your bridal trip. A gentleman 
 Avho is accompanied with his wife, is sure of being 
 treated with consideration ; but if he travels with- 
 out a lady in charge, he must expect to be regarded 
 as of little more consequence than so much freight, 
 A word to the wise ought to be sufficient.
 
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