UC-NRLF 
 
 $B 2fiE ESE 
 
 
1 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 Mrs. Marion Randall Parsons 
 
7^ 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 witin funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 lnttp://www.arcliive.org/details/campingoutincaliOOriderich 
 
CAMPING OUT 
 
 IN 
 
 CALIFORNIA 
 
 BY 
 
 Mrs. J. B. Rideout, 
 
 Author of "SIX YEARS ON THE BORDER." etc. 
 
 >»>»■«♦• — 
 
 R. R. PATTERSON 
 
 429 Montgomery St. San Franoisco. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 
 1889, 
 
 By R. R. PATTERSON, 
 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 GIFT 
 
R5 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Chapter I. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 The Gigantic Redwoods 4 
 
 Chapter II. 
 MeDdocino City 22 
 
 Chapter III. 
 Treasures of the Deep 36 
 
 Chapter IV. 
 Hunting a Whale 54 
 
 Chapter V. 
 Sabbath on the Mountain 71 
 
 Chapter VI. 
 Sight-seeing in San Francisco 103 
 
 Chapter VII. 
 Santa Clara Valley 126 
 
 ivi8i662l 
 
Chapter VIII. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 G. A. 11. Reunions 164 
 
 Chapter IX. 
 Tlie Orphans' Home .* 194 
 
 Chapter X. 
 Insane Asylum ; 207 
 
 Chapter XI. 
 Crossing St. Helena 219 
 
 Chapter XII. 
 Home at Last 226 
 
Camping Out in California. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE GIGANTIC REDWOODS. 
 
 In the month of Jul}^ I received 
 an invitation to go with a party of 
 young folks. They were to take a large 
 wagon and roam '' over the mountains 
 and far away," pitching their tents 
 wherever night found them, and cook- 
 ing their provisions the old-fashioned 
 way over a camp-fire in a dutch oven 
 and a long-handled frying pan. 
 
 I must confess I felt dubious about 
 starting, but after the comforting assur- 
 ances that if we were upset down some 
 steep mountain side, or if wild beasts 
 devoured us, or a band of robbers car- 
 ried us away, they would all willingly 
 bear me company in each and every 
 
6 Camping Out in California. 
 
 trouble, I consented to cast in my lot 
 with the rest. 
 
 There were seven of us, but as I have 
 not asked permission, I shall not give 
 their true names, but will call some of 
 them Linnie, Will, Eda, Ben and Harry; 
 all in their teens except Harry, and he 
 as brave and eager for fun as the 
 others. 
 
 After the provisions, bedding, tent 
 and etceteras were packed in the wagon 
 it did not look as if there was room for 
 the living portion of the load, but when 
 we safely stoived away we had comfort- 
 able seats. 
 
 Traveling northward, we journeyed 
 along Clear Lake, situated near the 
 centre of Lake County. It is a beauti- 
 ful sheet of water which we have heard 
 tourists say reminded them of the Sea 
 of Galilee. 
 
 The bosom of the lake is disturbed 
 by a light breeze, that causes the waves 
 and ripples to sparkle in the sunlight 
 as if covered with millions of flashing 
 
The Gigantic Redwoods. 7 
 
 diamonds, while beautiful capes shaded 
 with the dark green of the oak and the 
 light green of the manzanita, shoot out 
 in the lake, and the reflection of moun- 
 tain and cape and foliage is wondrously 
 lovely, for the dazzling sunlight re- 
 flected from mountains on every side, 
 turns this body of water into a grand 
 mirror in which the pinnacles with oak 
 and pine can look down and see their fair 
 faces and giant forms. On the western 
 side is "Uncle Sam," the loftiest moun- 
 tain in the county, and nestling close 
 under its shadows is ''Soda Bay," a 
 delightful resort for invalids or pleas- 
 ure seekers. The grounds around the 
 hotel are extensive and shady, and 
 scattered here and there under the trees 
 are little cottages* and tents. 
 
 Soda Bay receives its name from the 
 quantity of mineral springs bubbling 
 up through the water of the lake near 
 the shore. The largest and most bois- 
 terous of these is situated in a reef that 
 extends into the lake, and over it they 
 
8 Camping Out in California. 
 
 have built a bath house, and bathing 
 in its tepid waters is found very bene- 
 ficial to nearly all invalids. 
 
 We should have found it extremely 
 warm through the valley but for the 
 canvas cover on the wagon which shel- 
 tered us from the rays of the sun. 
 
 Before night we came to a sign-board 
 marked ''Two miles to Pearson Springs." 
 We had heard of this health resort and 
 turned aside to visit it. It is in a quiet 
 little nook surrounded by mountains. 
 The springs are a curiosity, displaying 
 a wonderful freak of bountiful nature. 
 There are four springs in a strata of 
 rock on the mountain side, about forty 
 feet above the hotel. It is but three hun- 
 dred feet from the first to the last, yet 
 they are all entirely different mineral, 
 iron, soda, magnesia and sulphur, and 
 all very strong and of remarkable cura- 
 tive power. The sulphur water is not 
 unpleasant to the taste but it has an 
 exceedingly disagreeable odor 
 
 They told us that a few feet higher 
 
The Gigantic Redwoods. 9 
 
 up the mountain we would find the 
 whiskey spring, but as we were all 
 ''Good Templars" we did not care to 
 visit it. 
 
 We had great fun pitching our tent 
 and making down our beds for the first 
 time. We filled our coarse ticks with 
 hay, and if they were not quite equal 
 to spring beds, they served the same 
 purpose, for we all slept soundly and 
 well. 
 
 About two miles on our journey in 
 the morning we came to Blue Lakes, a 
 very pleasant resort for tourists; and 
 from there our way wound upward 
 around the side of a high mountain. 
 
 The view was delightful. Before us 
 rose the oak-croAvned mountain. 
 Behind us lay the little valley, and 
 from the trees we could still see the 
 bright green festoons of the wild grape 
 vines swaying gently to and fro in the 
 breeze, forming a pleasing contrast to 
 the brilliant scarlet of the poison-oak, 
 which flecked the landscape everywhere, 
 
10 Camping Out in Calif orhia. 
 
 giving tone and color to the most som- 
 bre place. Below us on the right 
 rested the three lakes like lovel}^ tur- 
 quois gems with a momitain setting. 
 
 Before sunset we had crossed the 
 mountain and reached a small town in 
 the valley, where we camped over the 
 Sabbath. Each had taken a Sunday 
 suit, so we had the pleasure of listening 
 to an excellent service. 
 
 Monday morning our way led up 
 another mountain and some one told 
 us it was ten miles to Shady side, the 
 first good resting place. The weather 
 was hot, and after the first few miles 
 the mountain was so steep that the 
 young folks walked; then the miles 
 lengthened out until we were ready to 
 assert that we had come twenty at least, 
 when around a turn in the road we 
 found a large trough filled with water 
 from a cold spring near by, and a camp- 
 ing ground. 
 
 There were three other ivagon loads 
 of campers enjoying the shade, and we 
 
The Gigantic Redwoods. 11 
 
 were sony to learn that they were going 
 in the opposite direction. 
 
 After a good lunch we started on and 
 in a short time were among the gigantic 
 redwoods. Words give hat a faint 
 idea of the appearance of these grand 
 old monarchs of the forest, so large 
 and tall and straight, tapering gradually 
 to the far away tops. We were all quite 
 excited and looked out first on one side 
 and then on the other, and every few 
 minutes the boys would jump out and 
 measure a tree, until they fovmd one 
 that was over forty feet in circum- 
 ference and even then they were not 
 satisfied, but wanted to measure an- 
 other one that looked a little larger. 
 
 It was now cool and pleasant, and we 
 soon began to go down, down the moun- 
 tain, whirling around short turns and 
 still seeing the road winding hack and 
 forth below us. There were places 
 which made me feel dizzy to look down, 
 and if the other members of the party 
 had not reminded me of the fact that 
 
12 Camping Out in California. 
 
 they were clinging to me I would have 
 been more frightened. 
 
 The road was very steep and they 
 kept the brake on the wheels until I 
 became alarmed and said, ''Oh, I am 
 afraid the brake will break." 
 
 ''If it don't brake we shall all be 
 killed," replied the driver coolly. 
 
 Occasionally we passed a house built 
 of shakes, and in comparison with the 
 trees around, it looked like a play- 
 house built by some child. 
 
 It was nearly sundown when we 
 reached the bottom of the grade at a 
 place called Low Gap, where we were 
 granted permission to camp near the 
 spring on condition that the boys would 
 not shoot the quail, which were so tame 
 that they came up to eat with the 
 chickens. 
 
 Low Gap was a very dismal place, 
 dense woods on every side, and as 
 darkness settled around us the girls 
 became somewhat afraid and talked in 
 lugubrio us tones of grizzly bears, moun- 
 
The Gigantic Redwoods. 13 
 
 tain lions and other beasts of prey. 
 
 After a moment's silence one said 
 softly: 'The grand old woods, 'God's 
 first temple/ how they draw us nearer 
 to him;" and another repeated, ''They 
 go up by the mountains, they go down 
 by the valleys unto the place thou has 
 founded for them." "As the mountains 
 are round about Jerusalem, so is the 
 Lord round about his people." And 
 his blessed promises stilled our fears, 
 and after committing ourselves once 
 more to his care, we lay down with the 
 quieting assurance that he would be 
 round about us. 
 
 We had a lively time in the morn- 
 ing, for the pigs smelled our breakfast, 
 and came flocking in from all directions, 
 determined to share it with us, and we 
 were glad when we were ready to resume 
 our upward way. 
 
 Now we began to really enjoy our 
 journey, for the air was cool and filled 
 with a woody fragrance that was pleas- 
 ant and refreshing. The joyous birds 
 
14 Camping Out in California. 
 
 welcomed us with their sweetest music, 
 and the bright jay-bird tlitted noisily 
 through the trees and ever and anon 
 large flocks of quail would go whirring 
 beyond the reach of a stray shot, while 
 all the time busy squirrels went scam- 
 pering up the trees, scolding loudly at 
 our intrusion, and the scenery was 
 both beautiful and grand all that day. 
 
 While we were driving along the top 
 of the mountain with the giants of the 
 forest on one side, and a canyon on the 
 other where we could look down on the 
 tops of the tall trees, it seemed as if we 
 could hear a voice whisper, ^'Be still 
 and know that I am God." 
 
 We came to a good camping place as 
 the sun was sinking among the distant 
 trees, piercing with his flying arrows of 
 gold the bright mountain bowers, 
 which, like those of Eden, had some 
 time in the long ago been planted by 
 the hand of God. 
 
 Here, while the boys were pitching 
 the tent, we stood and gazed in wonder 
 
The Gigantic Redwoods. 15 
 
 and admiration upon the bright pict- 
 ures of nature, which, untarnished by 
 the hand of fallen man. hang in this 
 mountain cathedral. Yonder in the 
 canyon, hundreds of feet below us, and 
 in the shadow of the distant rising cliffs, 
 we look down upon the dark foliage, 
 which, too low to be disturbed by the 
 evening breeze, reminds us of some of 
 the lakes we had already passed. Stand- 
 ing where we were and looking down, 
 far dow^n on the tops of the trees, they 
 seemed all on a level, but beyond the 
 canyon the trunks of the massive red- 
 woods and pines were visible from the 
 roots to the branches. What an army 
 of monsters, standing every one a little 
 higher than its nearest neighbor below, 
 and nodding their lofty heads to the 
 ocean wind that marched along the 
 high land but did not dare venture 
 down into the deep gulches; they almost 
 seemed like a battalion of giant sol- 
 diers climbing the mountain. 
 Far above and overhanging the valley, 
 
16 Camping Out m Califonda. 
 
 were hugh pinnacles of rock which re- 
 minded us of ancient castles, with high 
 walls, domes and vestibules, all bril- 
 liantly lighted by the fire-rays of the 
 setting sun. While just above the cas- 
 tellated rocks a bright cloud moved 
 silently like a chariot of the heavens, 
 from which we could imagine angels 
 were looking out in order to get a pass- 
 ing glimpse of earth's attractive beauty 
 and thrilling sublimity. 
 
 But our pleasant reverie was broken 
 by the shouts of the girls and the crack- 
 ling of the camp-fire which recalled us 
 to the fact that supper must be pre- 
 pared. The boys were seen coming 
 through the trees bringing gray squir- 
 rels and a young rabbit as their addition 
 to the bill of fare, and the dutch-oven, 
 frying-pan and coffee-boiler were placed 
 over the fire, and a good supply for all 
 was soon ready. 
 
 Supper being over and the curtain 
 of night fallen around us, we sat in 
 front of the tent to watch the twinkling 
 
The Gigantic Redwoods. 17 
 
 stars with never a shadow of fear, for 
 we fancied the words of the Psalmist: 
 "Praise ye the Lord from the heavens, 
 praise him in the heights, praise him 
 all ye stars of light, mountains and all 
 hills, fruitful trees and all cedars," were 
 echoing in the sound of the wind- 
 tossed boughs high over our heads. 
 
 The morning was delightful and a 
 joy to be long remembered. The rock- 
 b^und cliffs and the green valleys that 
 lay below were flooded with the morn- 
 ing sunlight, but we could not tarry 
 long to feast our eyes upon such loveli- 
 ness. 
 
 We were winding slowly along the 
 mountain, when we were startled by 
 seeing directly below us the great 
 feathery top of one of the mountain 
 sentinels moving slowly through the 
 air. The axe had done its work, and 
 an emblem of human loftiness, it was 
 bowing to the earth from whence it 
 arose. 
 
 The pyramid of bright green moved 
 
18 Camping Out in California. 
 
 slowly along for an instant and dis- 
 appeared beneath the waving foliage, 
 as a vessel disappears beneath the 
 billows of the ocean. But oh ! the crash 
 that followed; we could feel the moun- 
 tain tremble as the thunder of the fall 
 arose from the dark canyon below, and 
 re-echoed among the surrounding 
 mountains. But in a moment all was 
 quiet; the boughs that were moved by 
 its fall had ceased to sway; the rever- 
 beration had died away in the distance, 
 and the monarch that went down would 
 never be missed by its giant brothers. 
 
 One of the company said: ^'That is a 
 good illustration of the great men of 
 the world who go down. The earth is 
 moved by their fall and for a short time 
 their names and deeds ring from ocean 
 to ocean, but how soon they are forgotten 
 and all is quiet." 
 
 Here our driver started up the horses 
 and our wagon again moved along the 
 serpentine road, and soon reached the 
 place where they had been cutting 
 
The Gigantic Redwoods. 19 
 
 down the redwoods. The trees had 
 been cut off several feet above the 
 ground, and we wondered why it was 
 done and how^ and as there was a man 
 near making raikoad ties, we asked 
 him about it. 
 
 He said the timber near the roots 
 was not easy to work, and as it was a 
 hard job to saw a log off, they cut 
 through the bark, drove in wedges, 
 built a platform to stand on, and cut 
 the tree off as high up as they thought 
 best. 
 
 The boys w^ere greatly interested 
 and wished we had time to watch the 
 men make preparations for felling a' 
 tree. 
 
 The logs looked immense when com- 
 pared with those we had seen in other 
 places, and an enthusiastic passer-by 
 had written on the ends of some of 
 them, 'This is a buster," This is the 
 boss," ''Hard to beat," and they were 
 surely hard to beat, for Will climbed a 
 stump and found it measured nearly 
 
20 Camping Out in California. 
 
 seventeen feet across, bnt we soon 
 learned that even this stump could be 
 beaten. Near the road where we 
 stopped for our nooning stood a barn 
 of medium height with a steep roof 
 made of redwood shakes. It was one 
 of the largest barns we had seen in 
 several miles. The owner said it was 
 large enough for four horses, wagons, 
 and considerable hay. This barn was 
 a huge hollow stump with a door in 
 one side. The fire had burned it out, 
 leaving only a shell. The gentleman 
 laughed at our astonishment, and told 
 us that over in the timber a few miles 
 was a large family living in a stump. 
 The young folks wanted to visit them, 
 but the road looked too rough. 
 
 We camped early on the bank of the 
 Albion river, for there were deer tracks 
 all around and Will wanted to go hunt- 
 ing. He loaded his rifle and started 
 off with the expectation of having some 
 venison for supper. 
 
 Ben soon made the discovery that 
 
The Gigantic Redwoods. 21 
 
 there was fish. in the river, so the rest 
 of us went fishing and were rewarded 
 with a large string of mountain trout. 
 Harry was eager to catch one, but after 
 he succeeded he felt so sorry that he 
 said, 'Toor little fishie, you can go 
 right straight back to your mother," 
 and dropped it into the stream and 
 gave up fishing. 
 
 We heard quite a number of shots 
 and Linnie said, ''Will must be killing 
 deer enough to supply a regiment," but 
 the sun was nearly down and we were 
 getting uneasy about him, when became 
 into camp bringing one small cotton- 
 tail rabbit. 
 
 He bore all our teasing good-naturedl}^ 
 as he had been quite a successful 
 hunter, keeping us well supplied with 
 small game. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 MENDOCINO CITY. 
 
 The next morning we passed an old 
 logging camp. Ben and Harry said 
 they would like to live there all the 
 time, they could have such fun playing 
 on the stumps. 
 
 The fire had swept over the fallen 
 trees and the side of the mountain was 
 seamed and scarred where they had 
 sent the huge logs crashing down into 
 the stream. We thought of the grand 
 and beautiful forest through which we 
 had been passing and the contrast be- 
 tween that and this blackened and dev- 
 astated scene was so great that it made 
 us think of Eden before and after the 
 fall, and we wondered why it was that 
 man so often marred the handiwork of 
 God. 
 
 For quite a number of miles our 
 
Mendocino City. 23 
 
 road lay through this despoiled forest. 
 We then entered a damp, dark canyon, 
 so cold we hastily donned our heavy 
 cloaks and coats, and wrapped up in 
 blankets to keep comfortable, while far 
 above our heads the grey light faintly 
 glimmered through the interlaced 
 branches. On one side of the road 
 there was a stream so sluggish that it 
 had formed in pools bordered by coarse 
 sedges. 
 
 It was so cold and gloomy that even 
 the birds did not sound a note of praise, 
 although we saw them occasionally flit- 
 ting from bough to bough and darting 
 across the road before us. An auda- 
 cious little chipmunk was the only thing 
 that dared make a noise. From the 
 branches which overhung the slimy 
 pools drooped long loops and pendants 
 of ragged grey moss which gave a weird 
 look to the dreary scene, while away 
 througli the dark vistas of the forest 
 we imagined we could discover under 
 the mistletoe-crowned oaks just such 
 
24 Camping Oat in California. 
 
 places as the ancient Druids would 
 have chosen for their most inhuman 
 rites. 
 
 After a few hours in this dark canyon 
 which seemed like the 'S^ alley of the 
 shadow of death/' we beheld ''a light 
 shining in the darkness." Like the 
 dawn of morning it presented such a 
 contrast to the gloom of the canyon 
 that we were not a little comforted by 
 its appearance. 
 
 Here in this opening we found other 
 trees, but they were loaded, almost 
 bending to the earth beneath their 
 burden of ripening fruit. What a 
 variety of colors, gold and red and pur- 
 ple, in their different shades. 
 
 After gazing upon the immense trees 
 of the mountains and then suddenly 
 coming in sight of an apple tree with 
 its branches bowed down with its bur- 
 den of fruit, we were forcibly reminded 
 of the words, ''As the apple tree among 
 the trees of the wood, so is my beloved 
 among the sons." 
 
Mendocino City. 25 
 
 We could feel a great difference in 
 the air and everything looked as if 
 there had been a refreshing shower, 
 but as Ave knew that was not probable 
 in the month of July in California we 
 concluded there must have been a heavy 
 fog. 
 
 In this opening stood a neat log 
 house with trailing vines over the doors 
 and windoAvs, and surrounded by fruit 
 trees, huge black stumps, piles of rail- 
 road ties, and fence posts, a few stacks 
 of grain and hay and a number of 
 cattle. 
 
 The clearing contained but few acres 
 and on one side the forest Avas so near 
 that some of the large trees falling in 
 the direction of the house Avould haA^e 
 crushed it. Around this little home of 
 the mountain forest, as if by the hands 
 of the Dryads, the Avooded curtains 
 ornamented Avith Avaving fringe and 
 dotted Avith red and yellow leaves were 
 hung on every side. Not much of the 
 world could we see there. But it Avas 
 
26 Camping Out in California. 
 
 a home that many a city child might 
 well envy; the atmosphere so bracing, 
 the water so cold and pure, and the 
 music of the winds and birds and brook 
 so cheering, while the heaven above 
 with eyes of radiant light looked as lov- 
 ingly on that secluded spot as on the 
 city mansions of the lordly and aristo- 
 cratic. 
 
 As we passed through the niche in 
 the forest, we saw three or four children 
 at play. Their cheeks were nearly as 
 bright red as the apples that hung over 
 their heads, while by their merry shouts 
 and ringing laughter we knew they 
 were as happy as the birds flying above 
 them. 
 
 The great region known as the red- 
 Woods is strewn with such little homes, 
 and we were told that thousands and 
 thousands of acres remain to be taken. 
 This land is not very valuable at pres- 
 ent, but the time, no doubt, is not far 
 distant when those who hold land in 
 that region will be very wealthy. 
 
Mendocino City. 27 
 
 We soon came to a large plain that 
 some time in the past had been swept 
 hy the fire. Scattered over it here and 
 there were the bare, lifeless trunks of 
 blackened trees. The ground was cov- 
 ered with dark green bushes, which 
 caused one of the company to say, 
 ^'That looks very much like a blueberry 
 bog;" and as we reached the bushes 
 another exclaimed, ''Blueberries! Blue- 
 berries!" 
 
 The bushes were loaded with berries > 
 and as it was the first time we had seen 
 any growing since we left New Eng- 
 land, we went to gathering the fruit, 
 and when we had eaten all we wanted, 
 we filled pails, pans and everything 
 available with the delicious berries. 
 
 What a hearty laugh we had after 
 we gathered at the wagon, for we were 
 an exceedingly blue looking company. 
 As there was no water on the plain we 
 were obliged to be resigned to our blue 
 looks, but we thought if we should meet 
 any one he would conclude water must 
 
28 Cmnping Out hi California. 
 
 have been very scarce where we last 
 camped. 
 
 The scenery was different now, for 
 we had left the mountains. The trees 
 were not so large and we found hazel 
 and blackberry bushes, but we were 
 too late to share in the nuts and ber- 
 ries. We saw a peculiar looking bush 
 with the nuts growing each in a shell 
 b}^ itself, but about twenty clustered 
 together in a compact ball. They were 
 not quite ripe and we could never learn 
 what they were. 
 
 We were very much interested in 
 the different flowers, shrubs and trees 
 and would have lingered longer had we 
 not heard the distant roar of the ocean. 
 As we drew near the coast, expectation 
 was at its height. We all eagerly de- 
 sired to look out on the rolling billows 
 of the mighty Pacific. The young peo- 
 ple clapped their hands and talked and 
 laughed so heartily that a gentle rebuke 
 from the more sedate was occasionally 
 necessary. 
 
Mendocino City. 29 
 
 But how exceedingly cold and damp 
 it was ! Never before had we exper- 
 ienced such a chilling sensation in the 
 month of July. The fog became so 
 dense that we could see but a few feet 
 in either direction, and the great drops 
 of water fell so constantly from the trees 
 that we almost imagined ourselves in 
 an eastern forest during a shower. But 
 there was something pleasant in the 
 sound of the patter, patter of those 
 drops falling on our wagon-cover from 
 the tops of the trees. The road soon 
 became muddy with pools of water 
 standing here and there, while the 
 horses were as wet as if they had been 
 out in an actual shower, and we were 
 so wrapped in blankets that Ben 
 thought every person we met would 
 think we were traveling mummies. 
 
 But presently we passed out from 
 under the dripping branches of oaks 
 and pines into a broad, well-beaten 
 thoroughfare. Here we were at a loss 
 to know whether to turn to the right 
 
30 Camping Out in California. 
 
 or to the left. After waiting a few mo- 
 ments in suspense, looking first in one 
 direction and then in the other, a very 
 little old women, wrinkled and bowed, 
 came like a misty shadow out of the 
 darkness of the fog. 
 
 As she came near, the driver said, 
 ''Madam, where does this road lead to?" 
 
 ''San-freen-cees-ko," was the reply. 
 
 ''Where is Mendocino City?" 
 
 "Turn to de right, and you are right 
 dere," and she disappeared in the mist 
 on the other side. 
 
 Turning to the right we went but a 
 few rods before we came to the bridge 
 which spans the Albion river. At this 
 point it is a large, beautiful river, clear 
 and deep, called by some of the people 
 there "Big river." A vast amount of 
 lumber lay along the shore. 
 
 While crossing the bridge, we beheld 
 a little to our left the white feathery 
 foam and spra}^ that was thrown a few 
 feet in the air, as the waves rolled 
 against the rocks, while all beyond was 
 
Mendocino City. 31 
 
 gloom and darkness. The ocean had 
 disappointed us. After coming so far 
 to behold her majesty, how cruel! She 
 seemed to cover her fair face with her 
 own thick veil and refuse to be seen. 
 
 Mendocino City is ''set on a hill;" 
 and we found it to be a very attractive 
 and flourishing little town, containing 
 the usual amount of business tact and 
 energy generally found in California 
 cities and villages. It is the central 
 point of trade for the lumbermen of an 
 extensive region which alone is capable 
 of assuring permanent growth. Fish- 
 ing is quite an industry here and will, 
 no doubt, become a profitable business. 
 The town has about one thousand in- 
 habitants, broad streets and an excellent 
 class of buildings. 
 
 Our attention was especiall}' attracted 
 by the fuchsias which grew in great pro- 
 fusion and beauty, and so luxuriantly 
 that they reached the eaves of the houses, 
 and drooped over porches and fences; 
 even the yards of the vacant houses 
 
32 Camping Out in California. 
 
 were made bright with their presence 
 as they bloomed in lonely grace and 
 loveliness. 
 
 The next we noticed was the Pres- 
 byterian church, a large neat building 
 and the only Protestant church in the 
 town. We were told that it was gen- 
 erally filled on the Sabbath by a class 
 of moral, intelligent and religious peo- 
 ple who were united in supporting the 
 gospel. This seemed glorious and very 
 different from most small towns in Cal- 
 ifornia. I know one — about the same 
 size — where there are eight churches, 
 each weak and barely able to survive. 
 When the church-going people of a com- 
 munity are divided into so many denom- 
 inations, each congregation must of 
 necessity be small and feeble. 
 
 We spent several hours in this cool 
 little city of the coast, not attracting 
 any special attention, as campers' 
 wagons, throughout the long summer, 
 are daily passing and repassing through 
 this town, which, to the inhabitants of 
 
Mendocino City. 33 
 
 a vast mountain and inland region, is 
 the chief point of sea-side attraction. 
 
 Here we found it necessary to obtain 
 another supply of provisions, for the 
 pure mountain air and the cold sea 
 breeze proved to be wonderful tonics. 
 Never once in all the time we were 
 camping did I hear one of the company 
 complain of having no appetite. 
 
 One of our number was dyspeptic. 
 Before leaving home he ate but twice 
 a day, and only crackers, broth, rice, or 
 such light articles of diet usually rec- 
 ommended to invalids. Now he ate 
 three hearty meals consisting of coffee, 
 bacon, hot biscuits and wild game, be- 
 sides vegetables and fruit. 
 
 We bought some delicious honey in 
 the comb, and as it was considerable 
 trouble to pack it safely away, Eda 
 volunteered to hold it. The box leaked, 
 and before we reached our camping 
 ground she was as sw^eet as she had 
 been blue a few hours before. She 
 took the laughter and joking quite 
 
34 Camping Out in California. 
 
 cooll)^ and said: ''Now if I hadn't 
 washed off the blue-herries I should 
 have been pretty good sauce." She re- 
 ceived immediate assurances that she 
 was saucy enough as it was. The brac- 
 ing air put fire into the youthful bloody 
 and as they had started out for a good 
 time we did not object to their merri- 
 ment. 
 
 We camped near a pretty little cove 
 and went to bed early, for a ge_.tleman 
 told us it would be low tide about six 
 o'clock in the morning, and a good time 
 to gather abalones. 
 
 The roar of the ocean wind and the 
 loud and continuous booming of the 
 waves against the rocky coast were so 
 different from the pleasant music of 
 the forest, which had so long acted as 
 a lullaby in soothing us to rest, that 
 we found it almost impossible to sleep. 
 
 While lying awake listening to the 
 "steady beat of the sad sea waves," we 
 thought of Mrs. Heman's poem : 
 
Mendocino City. 35 
 
 Thou art sounding on, thou mighty sea, 
 
 Forever and the same ; 
 
 The ancient rocks still cUng to thee, 
 
 Whose thunders naught can tame ; 
 
 Oh ! many a glorious voice is gone 
 
 From the rich bowers of earth, 
 
 And hushed is many a lovely one 
 
 Of mournfulness, or mirth ; 
 
 But thou art swelling on, thou deep, 
 
 Through many an olden clime. 
 
 Thy billowy anthems ne'er to sleep 
 
 Until the close of time." 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 TREASURES OF THE DEEP. 
 
 Ill the morning we found that the 
 ocean had not lifted her veil, but we 
 did not fret about that, for we were 
 determined to remain at the coast until 
 we could have a good view of the 
 Pacific. 
 
 We did not wait for breakfast but 
 made ready to go hunting abalones. 
 When the gentleman came along with 
 an iron rod, and a sack, he said if we 
 would go with him he would show us 
 the best place to find them. He led 
 the way along the cliff and finally 
 began to descend an almost perpendicu- 
 lar path. It looked as if it was a peril- 
 ous undertaking, but the boys and girls 
 went ahead and told me if I fell I could 
 fall on them so I would be all right. 
 
 For some distance the path wound 
 
Treasures of the Deep. 37 
 
 under trailing vines, so dense we could 
 not part them, and so low we could not 
 stand erect. When we came to the 
 ledge we found crevices in it which en- 
 abled us to cling with more safety, but 
 it was so damp with the ocean spray 
 that we had to ''make haste slowly." 
 
 The rocks left bare by the tide were 
 covered with sea-moss and weeds. The 
 gentleman lifted some of it and point- 
 ing to something beneath said, ''That 
 is an abalone." We had never seen 
 an abalone, and the object to which he 
 called our attention looked to us like a 
 bulge in the rock covered with a grey- 
 ish looking moss, but he inserted his 
 rod at one edge and in a moment more 
 it fell upon the sand. Then the girls 
 said, ''Ugh! who could eat such a horrid 
 black thing as that?" 
 
 The boys gathered about a dozen, 
 then we went to the camp to have our 
 breakfast. They dug the abalone out 
 of the shells and trimmed off the out- 
 side until it could hardlv be distin- 
 
38 Camping Out in California. 
 
 guished from a peeled white turnip; 
 then it had to be sliced and beaten 
 like a piece of tough steak, and fried in 
 hot lard. The children liked them 
 very well, but we never ate anything 
 that had the least resemblance in taste 
 to an abalone. 
 
 The shells in their natural state are 
 very pretty. The outside is a dark 
 red, blue and grey tint, while the inside 
 reflects the bright colors of the rainbow. 
 After they are treated with a chemical 
 preparation, and polished, they are the 
 most beautiful shells we have ever 
 seen. 
 
 After breakfast we hastened to the 
 beach, The young folks had made 
 plans for having a fine time bathing 
 in the sea, but the change from the 
 heat of the valley was so great that we 
 could scarcely keep comfortable with 
 our winter flannels on, so there was no 
 temptation to try a sea bath. 
 
 But we clambered over the rocks and 
 examined the treasures of the deep. 
 
Treasures of the Deep. 39 
 
 We found clinging tightl}^ to the rocks 
 with its dozens of suckers, the star-fish 
 or five-fingers. The name sea-star is 
 sometimes applied to it from its shape, 
 and we thought while examining them 
 that truly the stars of the ocean were 
 more of a curiosity than the stars of 
 the heavens, because these stars have 
 life while the others have none. It is 
 said that if some of the rays or fingers 
 were cut off others would be formed to 
 take their places, or if one were cut in 
 two and put back in the water each 
 piece would grow and form a star-fish. 
 It is also said that if the eggs which are 
 attached to the under side should be 
 moved a short distance the fish would 
 crawl to them and gather them under 
 her again. Looking at a star-fish it 
 was hard to believe there could be so 
 much mother-love existing in it. We 
 found them of all sizes, from the baby 
 star, as Harry called it, to a large one 
 which measured ten inches from one 
 point to another. 
 
40 Camping Out in California. 
 
 In England they are called Devil's 
 fingers, and people are afraid to touch 
 them for fear of being poisoned. But 
 the boys gathered quite a number of 
 each color to take home. We also 
 found the sea urchin, or sea hedgehog 
 as they are sometimes called. They 
 are a great curiosity with their hun- 
 dreds of dark red spines bristling in 
 every direction. We found their shells 
 after the spines had been worn off by 
 the rolling waves; then they are called 
 sea eggs. They were of different sizes 
 and were ornamented with regular rows 
 of tiny buttons or knobs, varying in size 
 from the point to the head of a large 
 pin. 
 
 There were ugly looking crabs of all 
 sizes crawling in every direction among 
 the rocks. Harry was especially in- 
 terested in them, and had great fun in 
 making them run backwards and side- 
 ways, until one nipped his finger and 
 then the rest of us had the fun. 
 
 Ben had wandered out some distance 
 
Treasures of the Deep. 41 
 
 on the rocks, when he called excitedly 
 for us to come and see his flowers. He 
 had found the lovely sea anemones. 
 In the water their bright tinted petals 
 were gently moving as flower petals 
 move in a breeze, so they looked like 
 real living flowers. They were of sev- 
 eral different colors and some were 
 reallv beautiful, and when we went to 
 touch them we found they possessed 
 more life than ordinary garden flowers 
 for they closed instantly. We dis- 
 covered the gorgonia or sea fan and 
 many different varieties of sea mosses 
 and weeds. 
 
 When the tide was in so we could 
 not go down the cliffs to the rocks we 
 visited the little sheltered cove, where 
 we never tired of watching the billows 
 as they came gently gliding up to the 
 beach, one after the other like children 
 at play. 
 
 We found a species of kelp with a 
 turnip-shaped bulb, and a root from 
 one to twenty feet long. The boys con- 
 
42 Camping Out in California. 
 
 sidered them a good substitute for 
 whips and had a lively time chasing 
 each other up and down the beach. 
 There was quite a variety of shells, and 
 the girls gathered more than we had 
 room to carry. 
 
 The fog still hid the ocean from view 
 and we concluded to go farther up the 
 coast, ''Seeking new worlds to conquer," 
 Will said, so we ''folded our tents like 
 the Arabs," but not silently, for that 
 was impossible with our merry crowd. 
 
 We were soon moving slowly along 
 the coast road, winding first to the 
 right and then to the left, now climb- 
 ing a sharp hill and then descending to 
 the valley, while the dark, cold and 
 heavy mist limited our view of the 
 surrounding country. 
 
 After going down a long but smooth 
 grade we came to a beautiful stream 
 which was spanned by a rickety and 
 dangerous looking bridge. Above the 
 bridge was a deep mill-pond into which 
 massive redwood logs were leaping one 
 
Treasures of the Beep. 43 
 
 after another. These bulky logs were 
 sent iiito a chute down a steep hill 
 and really seemed like living creatures 
 plunging into the pond, dashing the 
 water into a spray and sending it fly- 
 ing several feet in the air. Sometimes 
 orie of these swiftly flying logs would 
 spring on the back of its fellow, and 
 with a roar and a bound and a strug- 
 gle for the ascendency they would settle 
 down half buried in the water, then 
 quietly swim side by side toward the 
 other shore. 
 
 By the side of the pond stood a large 
 m.ill, in and around which a great 
 number of men were at work. We 
 yielded to the wish of the young peo- 
 ple, and entered the building, which 
 seemed like a busy hive of industry 
 and wealth. 
 
 The gentlemen were very kind and 
 explained some of the machinery, 
 which was altogether new to us. 
 
 We gazed with amazement upon the 
 roaring, whirling, angry saws with 
 
44 Camping Out in California. 
 
 teeth stronger and sharper than those 
 of a lion, as they seemed to march 
 through the sohd logs (one above and 
 the other below), splitting the thick 
 sound-hearted wood into planks, boards, 
 and other lumber ready for the me- 
 chanic. We were told that single trees 
 had been sawed into eighty thousand 
 feet of lumber. 
 
 One man was busy removing the 
 refuse lumber with a hand car which 
 ran on a track to the end of a bridge or 
 scaffold, a short distance from the mill, 
 where he dumped it off into a roaring 
 fire which burned continually. It 
 seemed too bad to burn up such quan- 
 tities of lumber which if on the plains 
 would be valuable for barns, sheds, and 
 fences, but the man said there was no 
 other way of getting rid of it. 
 
 On either side' of the stream were 
 good houses, which, with a neat school 
 house and church, made a very pleas- 
 ant village. 
 
 Passing along northward, we came 
 
Treasures of the Deep. 45 
 
 to the town of Noyo, Avhere we imme- 
 diately laid in another supply of pro- 
 visions, after which we endeavored to 
 find a camping place, where we in- 
 tended to remain a few days. 
 
 But in this Ave found much difficulty. 
 As we passed along, one of our party 
 went to several houses making inquiries 
 as to where we could pitch our tent, but 
 without success. Some of the people 
 were deaf, some were dumb or fright- 
 ened, and others, judging from their 
 looks and actions, were very unfriendly 
 and inclined to look upon us as high- 
 waymen, tramps or spies. 
 
 The yards and fields were enclosed 
 by high board fences on which were 
 notices warning all persons to keep out 
 of the enclosure, threatening the full 
 penalties of the law to trespassers. 
 
 At last, quite disgusted with the place 
 and people, we drove beyond the town 
 and found a quiet spot among the 
 trees beside the road where a pile of 
 stones and ashes showed us that other 
 
46 Camping Out in California. 
 
 campers had ventured to stop, so we 
 pitched our tent without asking per- 
 mission. 
 
 But we found that if the human in- 
 habitants were inhospitable, so were the 
 other dwellers in the land. They gath- 
 ered around us with songs of welcome, 
 but instantly demanded tribute for our 
 presence among them. ''Oh dear! mos- 
 quitoes!" exclaimed one and another, 
 and in a moment was heard the falling 
 of hands, and exclamations of disap- 
 pointment, when it was found that 
 although a red spot was left where the 
 blow fell, the savage tormenter had 
 escaped unharmed. 
 
 We had expected to find poisonous 
 insects and reptiles and had taken an- 
 tidotes with us, but this was our first 
 annoyance,and by keeping on the smoky 
 side of the fire we managed to finish 
 our supper and prepare for bed. We 
 built a fire near the door of the tent 
 and had a good night's rest, despite the 
 protests of our musical visitors. But 
 
Treasures of the Beep. 47 
 
 the poor boys, who always slept in the 
 wagon, showed unmistakable signs of 
 a warfare. 
 
 The next morning the sun was shin- 
 ing brightly, but we were out of sight 
 of the ocean, and the girls prepared 
 breakfast in a hurry, fearing they would 
 not have a good look at the Pacific be- 
 fore the fog came down again. 
 
 A gentleman told us that the road 
 up the coast wound along a high cliff, 
 where, if we should be unfortunate 
 enough to go off, we would fall about 
 five hundred feet into the ocean beneath, 
 so, when we were ready to start once 
 more, we took a vote to decide which 
 way to go, three voting to go across the 
 mountains into Humboldt County and 
 five voting to go down the coast. 
 
 As we were all Presbyterians, the 
 minority yielded without a murmur, 
 and we turned and journeyed south- 
 ward, passing through Novo as quickly 
 as possible, having no desire for fur- 
 ther acquaintance. 
 
48 Camping Out in California. 
 
 We soon reached a point where right 
 before us, bathed in the splendor of the 
 morning sunlight, lay the vast and 
 mighty ocean. The girls could scarcely 
 find adjectives enough to express their 
 delight and admiration of the glorious 
 scene — and I really think the boys used 
 about as many adjectives as the girls 
 — but who could w^onder. They were 
 watching for the first time the restless 
 rolling billows of the vast and mighty 
 ocean, and words cannot express our 
 feelings ' of awe and admiration as we 
 found ourselves repeating with rever- 
 ence and solemnity Bryant's '^Hymn 
 to the Sea:" 
 
 "The sea is mighty, but a mightier sways 
 His restless billows, Thou whose hands have scooped 
 His boundless gulfs, 9,nd built his shores. Thy breath 
 That moved in the beginning o'er his face, 
 Moves o'er it evermore." 
 
 The grandeur of the mountain forests 
 oh our left, and the majestic sublimity 
 of the ocean on our right, seemed to 
 join in a perpetual hymn of praise, lift- 
 
Treasures of the Deep. 49 
 
 ing our hearts nearer the Creator of all. 
 Far out from the. shore Avere huge rocks 
 over which the waves dashed almost 
 continviously. When Harry noticed 
 them, he cried out, "Oh, see the whales! 
 Look quick, their backs are coming out 
 of the water !" and it looked so real, that 
 he still talks about the whales w^e saw 
 playing in the ocean. 
 
 Away in the distance, we could see 
 the white-winged ships moving swiftly 
 and majestically over the billows, and 
 we wondered if the happy hearted pas- 
 sengers and sailors on those stately 
 vessels Avould safely reach their homes, 
 or if they would sink 
 
 "Into the depths with pitying groan 
 
 Without a grave, unknelled, nncoffined and unknown," 
 
 while loving friends would Avait long 
 and anxiously until weary and heart- 
 sick, they could nevermore hear the 
 sound of the sad sea waves without a 
 shudder. 
 
 All along the cliff we noticed that 
 the pines were very different from those 
 
50 Camping Out in California. 
 
 we had passed in the seclusion of the 
 forest. Here, instead of being tall and 
 massive and symetrical, we found them 
 stunted, dwarfed and gnarled. Contin- 
 ually shaken and beaten by the mighty 
 ocean wind, they leaned toward the 
 mountains, and with their branches all 
 extending in the same direction, they 
 seemed to implore assistance from their 
 sheltered and more favored brethren. 
 The scrubby, woeful looking trees 
 brought to mind the stories we had 
 read of the innocent country lads and 
 lassies, who, tempted from their quiet 
 and peaceful homes by the attractions 
 of a city life, had been buffeted by the 
 allies of the evil one, and had dwarfed 
 and blighted until their sin-sick souls 
 were fain to cry out for the joys and 
 purities of their country homes. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HUNTING A WHALE. 
 
 The report reached us that a large 
 whale had been cast ashore between 
 Noyo and Mendocino City. The shore 
 at this point was a long distance from 
 the road. We drove through a gate 
 and then along a rough and narrow 
 lane a distance of perhaps a half a mile, 
 when we came into a pasture and found 
 ourselves among rocks, stumps, rotten 
 logs, and dead trees. 
 
 Unable to proceed farther with the 
 wagon we tied our horse i t o an old 
 dilapidated barn. We felt a little timid 
 in doing this as there was a house in 
 an adjoining field out of which rushed 
 several men, as many women, and twice 
 as many children who stood in a group 
 and looked intently towards us but said 
 nothing. 
 
52 Camping Out in California. 
 
 After feeding the horses we started 
 out in search for the whale. 
 
 We climbed over old logs and hedges^ 
 and followed meandering cow-paths 
 until we reached the ocean bank and 
 saM^ the white feathery foam beneath 
 our feet. We stood there and watched 
 the tireless billows beating the unyield- 
 ing rocks, until we were well sprinkled 
 with the spray and nearly deafened by 
 the ocean thunder. We then started 
 dowm along the cliff, liunting for a 
 whale. 
 
 Occasionally we w^ould stop a moment 
 to look doAvn on the water fifty feet 
 below us. Such a heaving, churning^ 
 splashing, perpetual motion. Now fall- 
 ing away, leaving the bare rocks spotted 
 with shells and moss, now rising with 
 a fantastic whirl as if determined to 
 overleap all bounds, while we with dizzy 
 heads start back, as the mighty volume 
 settles down and glides back into the 
 deep. 
 
 After walking about two miles from 
 
Hunting a Whale. 53 
 
 where Ave left our team, we saw some- 
 thing that resembled a boat turned 
 bottom side up but soon discovered that 
 it was the big fish. 
 
 Carefully climbing down the cliff we 
 stood by the side of the monster. It 
 had probably died of old age and the 
 odor could not be likened to the ^^sweet 
 scented gales from Araby the blest." 
 
 After a moment of silent wonder 
 Linnie exclaimed, ''Did you ever?" 
 
 Eda made reply, ''No I never, hardly 
 ever." 
 
 Harry gazed in such quiet astonish- 
 ment that we listened for his first 
 words. Drawing a long breath he said, 
 ''Well, I should think a whale could 
 swallow Jonah easy enough." 
 
 How little and insignificant we felt 
 as we stood by this ponderous creature 
 in which the Almighty had put life. 
 We were told that it was about eighty 
 feet long and fourteen feet across. Some 
 one had used a ladder to climb on its 
 back and Ben wanted to go up, but 
 
54 Camping Out in California. 
 
 as it was kept in motion by the waves 
 rolling against it we would not con- 
 sent for him to make the dangerous 
 experiment. We were much interested 
 in this vessel which for many years 
 had run on the waters of the North 
 Pacific without pilot, captain, or crew, 
 strong as a locomotive, and capable of 
 leaving the swiftest steamer behind, 
 but finally cast away on the rocks of 
 Mendocino shore. 
 
 The boys made an attempt to pluck 
 some of the barnacles from the side of 
 the whale to keep for souvenirs, but 
 they were too slow and a large wave 
 gave them a cold bath, which completely 
 quenched their whaling curiosity. 
 
 We now retraced our steps and found 
 our horses waiting patiently and all 
 ready to travel on. Passing through 
 the narrow lane we were soon on the 
 broad highway. 
 
 Early in the afternoon we reached 
 Mendocino City again and pitched our 
 tent on a plot of grass at the foot of a 
 
Hunting a \Miale. 55 
 
 hill covered with green trees, and near 
 a flowing spring. From here we'could 
 see the waves playing over the rocks, 
 the spray glittering in the sunlight, 
 and the vessels far out on the deep blue 
 billows. 
 
 We crossed the bridge and walked 
 along the bank of Big River which is 
 clear as crystal and has a strong cur- 
 rent. Looking down into the water 
 we saw schools of fish varying in dimen- 
 sions, forms and species. 
 
 Passing through the little village as 
 the sun was going down we noticed 
 many young people out for an evening 
 walk. The}^ seemed to be full of life 
 and happiness. Not a delicate or sickly 
 person did we meet. 
 
 Here the river, fresh and pure, coming 
 from the distant hills meets the briny 
 wave as the tide marches up the stream. 
 Here the mountain atmosphere coming 
 down from aloft meets and mingles 
 with the cold breath of the ocean, and 
 as nature loves variety, the wonderful 
 
56 Camping Out in California. 
 
 commingling of salt and fresh water, 
 sea and mountain air makes Mendocino 
 a very healthy place. 
 
 Eeturning to our camp the boys 
 made a roaring fire near which the 
 mosquitoes did not dare approach, 
 although they made music for us only 
 a little in the distance. While sitting 
 there and talking over the events of 
 the day we saw the dim form of some 
 one coming ''out of the darkness into 
 the light," and soon recognized an old 
 acquaintance, who joined our circle 
 around the cheerful camp-fire and we 
 spent a very pleasant evening. 
 
 Early the next morning we heard 
 Will exclaim, ''Oh, the fog, the fog,'^ 
 and as we opened our eyes we saw the 
 dark mist creeping as silently as some 
 evil spirit into our tent. 
 
 After breakfast we started down the 
 coast. The air was very chilling but 
 we were not so sensitive to the cold as 
 we were when we first came from the 
 valley. For some time the fog was so 
 
Hunting a Whale. 57 
 
 dense we could see only a few feet in 
 front of the horses, but about nine 
 o'clock it began to vanish and before 
 noon the sun was shining beautifully 
 upon the face of the ^ 'great deep." 
 
 Occasionally a streak of fog coming 
 from the vast world of water and shin- 
 ing in the glowing sunlight reminded 
 us of an old-fashioned snow storm. 
 
 We saw several such aerial streams 
 flowing over the tops of the trees, and 
 up the sides of the mountain, so cool, 
 so invigorating and picturesque. 
 
 From Navarro Ridge ten miles south 
 of Mendocino City we could Took down 
 about four hundred feet on the flourish- 
 ing village of Navarro Mills with nearly 
 five hundred inhabitants. 
 
 This town is at the mouth of Navarro 
 River and is completely walled by the 
 strong bulwarks of nature. 
 
 On the east the river like a silver 
 serpent glides from under the mountain 
 forest. On tlie north and south the 
 towering hills which rise almost per- 
 
58 Camping Out in California. 
 
 pendicularly remind one of the walls 
 of some ancient city adorned with pic* 
 tures of birds and flowers. 
 
 On the west the dark waves, like 
 living creatures from some distant isle 
 of the sea, are daily and nightly rising, 
 one after another, and throwing their 
 wings, which, when unfolded, turn into 
 snowy whiteness, over the boulders that 
 lie along the shore. 
 
 The village consists of a large mill^ 
 neat white cottages, a general store, 
 shops of various kinds, and a town hall 
 with a lodge room for the I. O. G. T., 
 and a large and valuable library for the 
 benefit of the employes. 
 
 The mill company own the whole 
 town together with a region of timber 
 land running several miles from the 
 coast and lying on both sides of the 
 river. They also have a railroad run- 
 ning from the mill to the lumber camp, 
 so that instead of harnessing a team of 
 horses, they hitch up an engine, drive 
 out seven miles in the mountains and 
 
Hunting a Whale. 59 
 
 haul in ten or fifteen thousand feet at 
 a load. 
 
 We were told that the mill sawed 
 from fifty to sixt}^ thousand feet of 
 lumber each day. The company is said 
 to be vastly rich, and very honorable in 
 all their transactions. They own their 
 own vessels and ship their own lumber, 
 employing about five hundred men pay- 
 ing the most liberal wages. 
 
 From the beach we could see the 
 Point Arena Light-house twenty miles 
 away, and the ocean far beyond. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon when a 
 bank of fog began to lift from the very 
 horizon far in the distance, and the 
 sun shining from tiiC dark cloud formed 
 a scene which would have delighted 
 the eyes of an artist. 
 
 The ocean of water seemed to change 
 into an ocean of heaven's own glory. 
 Such flashing emblazonry, such daz- 
 zling brilliancy, svich dancing of colors. 
 Indeed, we were reminded of a ''sea of 
 glass mingled with fire." 
 
60 Camping Out in California. 
 
 And then we could imagine as we 
 gazed in almost breathless silence, be- 
 yond the dark watery plains that the 
 New Jerusalem had descended with all 
 its intermingling of ruby, and emerald, 
 and sapphire. 
 
 And as we continued our ardent gaze 
 until our eyes were almost blinded, we 
 found ourselves exclaiming, 
 
 ''O Beulah Land, sweet Beulali Land, 
 As on thy highest mount I stand, 
 
 I look away across the sea, 
 
 Where mansions are prepared for me, 
 
 And view the shining glory shore, 
 My heaven, my home, for evermore." 
 
 Along the coast road we crossed sev- 
 eral streams that were deep down in 
 narrow gulches. Some of these streams 
 We crossed on bridges so high above 
 the water that we found ourselves 
 among the topmost branches of very 
 tall trees, and it made our heads dizzy 
 as we attempted to look down upon the 
 little silver brooks that were silently 
 gliding on to mingle with the mighty 
 ocean. 
 
Hunting a Whale. 61 
 
 Several of the bridges were old, shat- 
 tered and narrow, Avith no railing, 
 and would tremble beneath the horses' 
 feet and the rolling wheels. And 
 there were a number of holes through 
 the plank that the horses were liable 
 to step, into and receive serious in- 
 juries. 
 
 We went down a steep hill at the 
 foot of which was one of these old 
 bridges, our horses were on a lively 
 trot and one stepped through a hole 
 and fell. We thought his leg was 
 broken, but fortunately it was not, 
 although he was very lame for several 
 days. 
 
 Along this road we found some of 
 the hills to be very steep and were 
 necessarily compelled to alight from 
 the wagon and practice pedestrianism 
 on the ascending grade. This, how- 
 ever, was not unpleasant, as we needed 
 exercise and it afforded us the pleasure 
 of examining the rocks that projected 
 from the banks and of gathering 
 
62 Camping Out in California. 
 
 Various kinds of mosses, ferns and wild 
 flowers. In this Golden State, Flora, 
 with bountiful hand has everywhere 
 scattered her beautiful treasures, from 
 the tiny alfillarea to the fragrant mount- 
 ain lilac and waxy blossomed madrone, 
 so we met new and sweet surprises all 
 the way. 
 
 We had a delightful view of the 
 ocean from the Point Arena Light- 
 house, which is considered one of the 
 best on this coast, standing on the bank 
 and rising one hundred and fifty feet 
 above the water, its red light can be 
 seen from Mendocino City, a distance 
 of thirty-five miles. 
 
 As we climbed the winding stairs 
 within the tower, stopping occasion- 
 ally to rest, and look out of the little 
 windows, we could feel the tall and 
 slender building tremble as the wind 
 was blowing very hard, and we were 
 inclined to be a little nervous. But 
 when at the top viewing the wonderful 
 and voluminous lamp with its power- 
 
Hunting a Whale. 63 
 
 ful lens — powerful yet so delicate and 
 sensitive that it could not endure the 
 touch of Harry's inquisitive fingers, — - 
 and the white-capped waves of the an- 
 gary ocean, we were fully repaid for our 
 toil and trouble. From those lofty 
 windows the radiant light flashes far 
 out over the dark and stormy sea, and 
 the heart of many a sailor is cheered by 
 its dazzling brightness. This light- 
 house stands in a conspicuous place 
 on a dangerous point that projects 
 several miles into the ocean, and with 
 the billows on three sides it stands a 
 faithful sentinel nightly warning the 
 sailors away from danger and death; 
 yet it has been only a few years since 
 a steamer was wrecked on the reef 
 close by this signal light. 
 
 While standing there so far above 
 the world of sin and care, and looking 
 out upon the vast and mighty deep 
 toward the north, south and west we 
 could readily perceive the important 
 position which it occupied. 
 
64 Camping Out in California. 
 
 The keeper told us that the light 
 must be guarded, kept in order, and 
 watched with care that it might shine 
 brightly for the benefit of those who 
 travel the highway of the Pacific. If 
 the light should go out it would mean 
 destruction of life and property. But 
 the Christian who is placed as a light- 
 house upon the dark and dangerous 
 shore of time, often allows his light 
 to burn dimly and sometimes to go 
 out. 
 
 Our Savior said, '' Let your light 
 shine before men that others seeing 
 your good works may glorify your 
 Father which is in heaven." And 
 when neglecting his orders the Chris- 
 tian lets the light in his heart go out, 
 the effects are more deplorable and 
 disastrous than when the radiance dis- 
 appears from the light-house tower. ^'If 
 the light that is in you be darkness, how 
 great is that darkness?" 
 
 After coming down from the dizzy 
 height and placing our feet once more 
 
Hunting a Whale. 65 
 
 upon the solid earth, we felt that an 
 impression had been made upon our 
 minds that would linger there for a 
 long time. 
 
 Now the keeper takes us several 
 rods from the bank and shows us a 
 large hole, (quite a number of feet 
 across), in the earth which is sur- 
 rounded by dry, level and fertile land. 
 As we look down into this opening we 
 behold the water rising and falling as 
 the waves roll in and out. The ocean 
 had worn away the sub-soil and grad- 
 ually crept in beneath the bank until 
 this opening was made by the ground 
 dropping into the water. 
 
 While standing there we realized for 
 the first time that the sea was beneath 
 our feet even while we w^ere standing 
 on green grass and in the midst of 
 blooming trees and flowers. 
 
 In several places we noticed small 
 pieces of land ranging from one or two 
 rods square to a half acre or more 
 standing with perpendicular walls fif- 
 
66 Camping Out in California. 
 
 teen or twenty feet above the water 
 which surrounded them on all sides. 
 And thus North America, ''The land 
 of the free and the home of the brave," 
 is actually wearing out. The hand of 
 angry Neptune is stealing our land from 
 beneath our feet. 
 
 And if this powerful invader contin- 
 ues to steal one inch from this coast 
 every year, in less than two hundred 
 million years it will reach the Missis- 
 sippi River. And in the meantime 
 the waves of the Atlantic, and the 
 Gulfs of Mexico and St. Lawrence will 
 grind away the remainder of the United 
 States, and if the world should remain 
 so long a time what will its inhabitants 
 do for land to cultivate? 
 
 Perhaps it is not wise or best at the 
 present time to be looking so far into this 
 worldls future. One blessed assurance 
 we have, God's children have the prom- 
 ise of a home which not even a mighty 
 world of waters can destroy. 
 
 As we traveled through this region 
 
Hunting a \'\'hale. 67 
 
 we were forcibly impressed with the 
 scarcity of Christian workers; the un- 
 belief and opposition to the Bible, and 
 the indifference and lukewarmness on 
 the part of those who professed to be 
 followers of Christ. 
 
 In Point Arena there were two min- 
 isters, two church buildings and nine- 
 teen church members. From Point 
 Arena to Ingrams, a distance of fifty 
 miles, there was not a Protestant 
 church of any denomination. And the 
 whole distance was settled by enter- 
 prising farmers, woolgrowers and lum- 
 bermen. There were also several vil- 
 lages containing mills, stores, school- 
 houses and saloons. 
 
 How sad to see such fields unoc- 
 cupied, while in some small railroad 
 towns there are a dozen ministers 
 preaching to the same people, and in 
 some of the cities a still larger number 
 are waiting for a call to some wealthy 
 or desirable field. 
 
 We were told that the road down the 
 
68 Camping Out in California. 
 
 coast was more dangerous and difficult 
 to travel than any we had passed over^ 
 so we concluded to leave the coast, 
 and for a few days try the mountains 
 and valleys again. After passing 
 through a beautiful and fertile country 
 we found ourselves slowly climbing a 
 steep mountain. The road was narrow 
 and rough, and much of the time we 
 were compelled to walk. 
 
 We reached the summit as the sun 
 was sinking in the west, and a more 
 picturesque scene than the one we then 
 beheld is seldom spread out before the 
 eyes of humanity. 
 
 We seemed to be standing on the 
 dome of a vast cathedral looking down, 
 far down, upon an extensive emerald 
 lake glittering with the jewels of a 
 brighter world. 
 
 That very morning we gazed out 
 upon the dark billows of the broad 
 and deep Pacific, now we are looking 
 far over the waves of leaves and feath- 
 ery boughs, which are gloriously inter- 
 
Hunting a Whale. 69 
 
 mingled with the golden waves which 
 flow from the sinking orb of da)^ Even 
 our horses, though tired and covered 
 with sweat and dust, lift their heads 
 and seem revived at a sight so grand 
 and invigorating. 
 
 For several evenings we had listened 
 to the heavy, drum-like music of the 
 billows lashing the rocks, and the 
 shrill voice of the sea-fowl. Now as 
 we stand far above ocean, field and 
 forest, we listen to the mountain zephyr 
 as it plays so softly among the droop- 
 ing branches, while far beneath us and 
 along the surface of what still appears 
 like a richly colored lake of paradise, 
 the birds with wings glistening in the 
 sunlight are darting and sailing in 
 evening sport, and the rich chorus of 
 their voices, like sweet notes from heav- 
 en's orchestra, arise to the mountain 
 height. 
 
 While standing around our wagon 
 feasting our eyes on the surrounding 
 glory, the mild and golden radiance 
 
70 Camping Out in California. 
 
 vanished, the birds disappeared be- 
 neath the surface, the distant mount- 
 ains assumed a darker hue, and we 
 were seriously reminded of the fact 
 that we had not yet reached the land 
 where there shall be no more night. 
 
 The boys, after taking the harness 
 from the horses, turned them out on a 
 plot of grass, which, although some- 
 what withered and parched by the 
 sun, was, nevertheless, very nutritious 
 and afforded our burden-bearers a 
 rich repast. As the shadows of night 
 gathered around us we pitched our 
 tent in the light of our blazing camp- 
 fire and after we had fared sumptu- 
 ously on bread, fruit and wild-game, 
 we lay down to rest while the dying 
 embers still glowed in front of our 
 tent. 
 
 Before falling asleep, however, we 
 had some serious thoughts concerning 
 the wild beasts that might be prowl- 
 ing near, as we had seen several strange 
 tracks on the mountain side. 
 
Hunting a Whale. 71 
 
 And that we should have startling 
 thoughts Avill not seem strange to my 
 readers when I relate a little of our ex- 
 perience two years previous to this 
 time. We were rusticating on the 
 summit of Elk Mountain in a little 
 hrush house which served as a pro- 
 tection from the sun by day and the 
 wind by night. Immediately to the 
 north of our temporary dwelling-place 
 was Grizzly canyon, so deep and dark 
 that w^e could not, from our location, 
 see the bottom. It was said to have re- 
 ceived its name from the many grizzly 
 bears that had been seen in and around 
 it. The first night while surrounded 
 by our spicy curtains, we heard a 
 crashing in the brush and then heavy 
 footsteps. At first we thought it might 
 be a horse, but as it passed near we 
 imagined we heard a low growl. Next 
 morning we discovered tracks w^hich 
 measured twelve inches across, an In- 
 dian said they were those of a very 
 large grizzly bear; a few rods from our 
 
72 Camping Out in California. 
 
 little booth were two dead sheep that 
 had been torn to pieces during the 
 night. They belonged to a gentleman 
 who kept a large flock on the mount- 
 ain. He said Bruin stole a number 
 of his sheep every year. We did not 
 spend another night in that frail dwel- 
 ling and even the boys were afraid to 
 venture down into Grizzly canyon. 
 
 As we lay in our tent thinking for a 
 moment of that powerful denizen of the 
 dark mountain gorge that made us 
 such a friendly visit, and not knowing 
 but members of the same family might 
 be very near, we felt a little momentary 
 disquietude. 
 
 But the wind changed the lofty tree- 
 tops into sweet toned instruments of 
 music and played such gentle tunes 
 that we could almost fancy angels were 
 hovering over us, now soft as the 
 harps of heaven, now rising higher as 
 if new instruments and new voices were 
 joining the chorus, and now lulling to 
 a mere murmur and dying away among 
 
Hunting a Whale. 73 
 
 the branches of other trees in the dis- 
 tance. Thus, after committing our- 
 selves to the care of Him who shields 
 and protects his children, our weary 
 spirits were soothed into quiet rest 
 and we were safely folded in the arms 
 of nature's balmy restorer. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 SABBATH ON THE MOUNTAIN. 
 
 We were awakened the next morn- 
 ing by the happy birds that were send- 
 ing forth their soft silvery notes into 
 the pure morning air that hovered 
 over the mountain's brow. It was the 
 holy Sabbath, and far from the sound 
 of a church bell we arose to keep the 
 day holy unto the Lord. 
 
 Although we were not blest with the 
 opportunity of sitting within the sanct- 
 uary to receive instruction from the 
 sacred desk, our hearts were not pained 
 by beholding men, women and chil- 
 dren violating the Sabbath of the Lord 
 our God. 
 
 The heavens above us, and the earth 
 beneath us, and all things around us 
 were quietly resting. It indeed seemed 
 glorious to be able to spend a Sabbath 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 75 
 
 where we could look around upon the 
 handiwork of God without witnessing 
 the desecration of the fourth command- 
 ment. 
 
 But how humiliating is the fact that 
 in order to dwell in a place where the 
 Lord's day is not profaned we must 
 find some secluded spot away from our 
 own brothers and sisters, yes, away 
 from the very creatures who were made 
 in the image of their Divine Maker, 
 and the only creatures of earth to 
 whom is given that power and exalted 
 privilege of communing with the omnip- 
 otent Jehovah. 
 
 Here, exalted above the lower world, 
 above and far from the noisy crowds 
 who, disregarding the commands of 
 Him who keeps them in existence, and 
 holds their eternal destiny in his power 
 are not afraid to use the day which He 
 has set apart to be kept holy in seeking 
 their own pleasure, we were not 
 ashamed to look the Holy Sabbath 
 squarely in the face. 
 
76 Camping Out in California. 
 
 No wonder the prophet Jeremiah 
 said, ''Oh, that I had in the wilderness 
 a lodging place, that I might leave my 
 people." 
 
 We never realized more forcibly the 
 purity and glory and spiritual beauty 
 of the Christian Sabbath where it is 
 untouched by the guilt-stained hand of 
 sinful man. 
 
 We could look in every direction far 
 away over valleys, rivers and plains 
 without having our vision darkened by 
 the workers of iniquity. 
 
 We could listen to nature's sweet and 
 perpetual anthem that came from the 
 stream beneath, the birds above, and 
 the breezes all around without having 
 our ears grated upon by the discord of 
 sinful and inharmonious notes. 
 
 And although we could see the effects 
 of sin in the scarred and broken rocks 
 of the distant towering cliff, the gnarled 
 and twisted trees, the fire-red of the 
 poison-oak, and the loathsome weeds 
 intermingled with the grass and flow- 
 
Sabbath on the, A/ountain. 77 
 
 ers, we could see no sin outside of our 
 own unsanctified hearts. 
 
 We spent the da}' in reading God's 
 word and in prayer and quiet medita- 
 tion. And as the evening breeze arose 
 from the ocean and came merrily sing- 
 ing through the branches and leaves, we 
 felt to mingle our voices with the sweet 
 refrain in the use of the precious words : 
 
 ''Thine earthy Sabbath, Lord, we love, 
 But there's a nobler rest above : 
 To which our longing souls aspire, 
 With ardent pangs of strong desire." 
 
 As the setting sun was smiling upon 
 the barren peak and the wooded vale, 
 and sending his piercing arrows through 
 the red-wood drapery, and gorgeously 
 coloring the little clouds that sailed 
 like fairy ships upon the vast ocean of 
 ether, we felt that we were standing in 
 the midst of the glory of the omnipo- 
 tent God. And like Jacob of old we 
 exclaimed, ''How dreadful is this place, 
 this is none other than the house of 
 God, this is the gate of heaven." 
 
78 Camping Out in California. 
 
 If a Sabbath on the mountain top, 
 above the commotion and turmoil of 
 the world is so glorious, what will it be 
 in the land where sin is ever unknown, 
 
 ''Where congregations ne'er V)reak up, 
 And Sabbaths never end." 
 
 Where nothing can enter *'that de- 
 fileth or maketh a lie." 
 
 When the sun had gone down and 
 the night seemed to be dropping out of 
 the glowing day 
 
 ''And the last beam of daylight, 
 Shone dim in the west," 
 
 We buttoned our tent and retired, 
 feeling at peace with God and all the 
 world. 
 
 Early next morning we were going 
 down the other side of the mountain 
 which we found less difficult and far 
 more pleasant than the ascending 
 grade, so it is all through life, easy to 
 go down and hard to go up. 
 
 We had gone only a short distance 
 when we heard happy voices merrily 
 shouting, singing and laughing, and 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 79 
 
 in a few moments met three teams 
 loaded with a jovial crowd of young 
 people. They were full of life and joy, 
 and saluted us with pleasant smiles 
 and friendly greeting, and passed on. 
 
 "Like as a plank of drift-wood, 
 
 Tossed on the watery main, 
 Another plank encounters, 
 
 Meets, touches, parts again ; 
 So tossed and drifting ever, 
 
 On life's unresting sea, 
 We meet, and greet, and sever, 
 
 Parting eternally. ' ' 
 
 In a short time we reached the 
 grove in which they spent the Sabbath. 
 It was a very cool and pleasant place. 
 The trees were trimmed a little higher 
 than a man's head, and the under- 
 brush removed and comfortable seats 
 here and there, and a table on which 
 were scraps of meat and crumbs of 
 bread for the birds and squirrels, and 
 the smoke of the camp-fire feebly aris- 
 ing from the earth. On one of the firs 
 was nailed aboard on which was printed 
 in large letters, "Happy Camp." ''Well 
 
80 Camping Out in California. 
 
 named," said Linnie, ''for it is the hap- 
 piest looking place I liave yet seen." 
 Here the trees seemed to be alive with 
 birds of various sizes and colors, some 
 very tiny creatures, but their feathers 
 were bright and their voices sweet. 
 Eacli one seemed to do its best to excel 
 in singing louder than the others. The 
 brook was not silent, but kept up a 
 low harmonious chant, as the spark- 
 ling water whirled around a rock or 
 poured over a sunken log. 
 
 In this stream we noticed several 
 deep pools which looked as though 
 there might be mountain trout at the 
 bottom, and as there were fish bones 
 around the public table of this forest 
 mansion, the boys thought it a good 
 place to try our luck at fishing, but we 
 deemed it best not to linger on our 
 way so early in the morning. As we 
 were passing along, we beheld in a 
 lovely glade, a doe quietly feeding, and 
 standing near her side was a cute little 
 fawn, beautiful as a picture. We 
 
Sabbath on the Momdain. 81 
 
 scarcely caught sight of them before 
 they went bounding away beyond our 
 sight. 
 
 Eda exclaimed, ''Oh, the dear little 
 creatures." ''Certainly Eda. We all 
 knew they were deer,'' replied Will. 
 ^*0f course they are deer, and dear as 
 they can be.'' 
 
 It was about ten miles to the foot of 
 the mountain. All the way the woods 
 were sweetly perfumed by the breath 
 of summer. Although the sky was 
 clear and the sun shone brightly, we 
 did not suffer with the heat. We had 
 a better protection from the power of 
 Sol's burning eye than the wagon sheet. 
 Far above our heads was the almost 
 unbroken and impenetrable shade. And 
 with little, sparkling springs gushing 
 here and there from the rocks, and our 
 road on either side fringed with the 
 beautiful maiden-hair and other varie- 
 ties of ferns we greatly enjoyed our 
 morning's fall of a thousand feet. 
 
 At the foot of the mountain we came 
 
82 Camping Out in California. 
 
 out from under the great and richly 
 tasseled sun shade, which nature had 
 prepared to protect the traveler from 
 the burning rays of the noon-day sun. 
 
 Here we entered a fertile valley and 
 during the remainder of the day beau- 
 tiful farms lay on either side of the 
 road. 
 
 And in front of almost every house 
 was a delightful flower garden, in 
 many of which women and girls were 
 at work. 
 
 In this A^alley everything seemed 
 home-like. Horses and cattle and 
 sheep were grazing in the pastures, 
 while pigs, geese and chickens seemed 
 to have possession of the highway. 
 
 That night we camped in an open 
 field in which a number of wagons 
 loaded with men, women and children, 
 — eight children in one wagon — had 
 entered a little before our arrival. 
 
 In this party there were several in- 
 valids who claimed to be improving 
 every day, and judging by the quantity 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 8$ 
 
 of provisions cooked in their dutch- 
 ovens and skillets for the supper that 
 night, we did not doubt that statement 
 in the least. 
 
 They had no tent, but slept on the 
 ground, and lived on hot biscuit, wild 
 game, etc. An invalid must indeed 
 be far gone if unable to rally by thi& 
 kind of treatment. 
 
 Among our new acquaintances and 
 quick made friends was a very old lady 
 — nearly eighty — who was so weak 
 before starting on her camping trip 
 that she was unable to sit up but a 
 few moments at a time. When they 
 started she was lifted into the wagon^ 
 and placed on a bed which had been 
 prepared for her. But now there was 
 a tinge on her wrinkled cheeks, and 
 her eyes were bright, and her step 
 seemed nearly as elastic as that of a 
 young woman. She told us she would 
 be perfectly satisfied if there had been 
 room in the wagon for her rocking 
 chair. 
 
84 Camping Out in California. 
 
 She was a pert, little grandmother 
 and loved to tell funny stories, and re- 
 hearse the experiences of her early life. 
 Linnie and Eda listened with close at- 
 tention, and looked at each other 
 amazed and somewhat incredulous as 
 the aged dame told about crossing 
 the plains in '49, and how folks lived 
 when she was a gal. 
 
 Ben and Harry spent the evening 
 in romping and playing around the 
 camp-fires with other children, and it 
 was late in the evening before we re- 
 tired. 
 
 The next morning we were somewhat 
 diverted to see the long rows of uncov- 
 ered heads that were lying near our 
 tent, and notice the diversity of colors. 
 They were different shades of white 
 and brown and red. 
 
 But presently one after another be- 
 gan to rise, and about nine o'clock we 
 parted from our friends — who took 
 another road — and continued our jour- 
 ney southward. 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 85 
 
 As the day was very warm and the 
 road dusty, we drove slowly and stopped 
 occasionally in the shadow of some 
 large oak, or near some stream where 
 €he horses could rest Avhile the boys 
 searched for game, and the girls gath- 
 ered flowers to adorn and perfume our 
 carriage. 
 
 Flowers, and ferns, and moss, and 
 grass, and bearded grain, and starfish, 
 and curious rocks were tied to the 
 bows, and pinned to the cover, and 
 crowded under the seat, until we could 
 well have passed for a traA^eling 
 museum. 
 
 Before night we came to the foot of 
 a mountain and seeing no water or 
 good camping ground we concluded to 
 continue our journey in the cool of the 
 evening. When about half way to the 
 summit. Will and Ben turned off on 
 an old road to have — so they said — a 
 little hunt. As we continued to climb 
 the grade we heard the report of their 
 gun every few moments, and every 
 
86 Camping Out in California. 
 
 crack and reverberation seemed far- 
 ther away, until our ears completely 
 failed to catch the faint sound as it 
 came struggling up from the canyon 
 below. 
 
 As we were all suffering with thirst 
 and could find no water, we were com- 
 pelled to go on until night had over- 
 taken us on a strange and gloomy moun- 
 tain. 
 
 Here we paused and called first 
 ^'Wiir' and then ^^Ben," but received 
 no reply except the pensive sighing 
 and moaning of the wind. 
 
 Finally we resolved to travel on, and 
 down, down we went until we were two 
 or three miles from the summit, then 
 we distinguished a little, light away up 
 the side of the mountain, and nearly a 
 quarter of a mile distant. 
 
 The girls immediatel}^ seized the 
 bucket, and starting up the steep as- 
 cent said they would have some water 
 if they had to pay two bits a drink. 
 
 They soon returned, bringing a sup- 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 87 
 
 ply which was not the best, but we 
 were so thirsty that we drank it with- 
 out waiting to complain of the quality. 
 
 When we had gone about another 
 mile and reached the foot of the moun- 
 tain, we came to a stream and suc- 
 ceeded in finding a level spot near the 
 road large enough for our tent. 
 
 With some difficulty w^e gathered a 
 few sticks, sufficient to make a little 
 fire, after which we prepared supper 
 thinking the boys would arrive by that 
 time. 
 
 Supper being over we became very 
 anxious and strained our eyes gazing 
 through the dim color of night, and the 
 girls said with tremulous voices, ''Don't 
 you think you can hear them coming? 
 Certainly they ought to be here by this 
 time;" and Harry cried because he was 
 afraid an old grizzly had caught them. 
 
 Thus we watched and waited until 
 very late, when tired as we were, we re- 
 solved to go back and search for the 
 lost. 
 
88 Camping Out in California. 
 
 As we were about to start we heard 
 a shrill whistle on the mountain side, 
 which was follow^ed by the flash and 
 report of the shot-gun. 'There they 
 come," shouted Harry. The girls 
 clapped their hands and said ''Good. 
 We are so glad." 
 
 And while a thrill of joy entered 
 our hearts, and the pleasure of instan- 
 taneous relief fell like a benediction of 
 the night upon us, we took a long breath 
 in concert, and then welcomed the 
 prodigals, w^ho came loaded with game. 
 
 It was past the hour of midnight ere 
 we fell asleep, and in the morning twi- 
 light our quiet slumber was disturbed 
 by the thunder of lumber wagons, which 
 were on their way from the mountain 
 mills to the railroad. 
 
 The mountains now subsided into 
 hills and about the middle of the day 
 we beheld just below us the thrifty lit- 
 tle village of Cloverdale. It is at the 
 end of a narrow but fertile valley with 
 mountains on either side which shelter 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 89 
 
 it from the coast winds and fogs. It is 
 an infant city, slumbering in nature^s 
 cradle, bathed in a flood of sunshine, 
 and adorned with richly colored and 
 sweet-scented flowers. 
 
 But it cannot long remain a babe, 
 for it is not only the terminus of the 
 railroad but also the starting point of 
 several popular stage lines. 
 
 The iron horse which comes every 
 day running up the valley, halts here, 
 as if afraid to venture farther on among 
 the mountains and canyons. A vast 
 amount of freight is shipped to this 
 town and then hauled on heavy wagons 
 into the mountains and valleys be- 
 yond. 
 
 The road along this valley was so 
 hard and smooth that it resembled a 
 city avenue. 
 
 The sun shone with midsummer 
 brightness and the air was so quiet 
 that there was not even the lightest 
 stir among the leaves or grass, and we 
 soon began to sigh for the pleasant and 
 
90 Camping Out in California. 
 
 refreshing forest shade or the cool breeze 
 of the ocean. 
 
 It has well been said that in a few 
 hours' travel in California a person can 
 find any climate he desires. But one 
 could scarcely realize that a few miles 
 could possibly. make such a difference. 
 At the coast, only about forty miles 
 distant, ladies were wearing their win- 
 ter clothing and heavy cloaks, wliile in 
 this valley they were clothed in light 
 lawns and white dresses, and carrying 
 parasols and fans instead of wraps. 
 
 We reached Healdsburg a little be- 
 fore sundown and found a camping 
 place near the river. 
 
 It was a lovely evening and our 
 young folks greatly enjoyed a lively 
 promenade along the river bank, across 
 the long bridge, and through some of 
 the principal streets of this pleasant 
 village. 
 
 Ben and Harry found amusement 
 l)layingin the sand and skipping stones 
 on the water, where the silver ripples 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 91 
 
 were dancing to the music of bees and 
 birds, while we who had traveled far- 
 ther on the journey of life were content 
 to sit within the tent door and enjoy 
 the enjoyment of the young. 
 
 Healdsburg is a thriving town con- 
 siderably larger than Cloverdale and 
 pleasantly situated in the broad and 
 rich valley. 
 
 Here the Seventh Day Adventists 
 have their stronghold. Disregarding 
 the sanctities of the glorious Lord's day, 
 they, like the Jews — who do not believe 
 in the divinity of Christ — keep Satur- 
 day instead of Sunday. 
 
 Next day we went to Santa Rosa, the 
 valley like a river still widening as 
 we neared the sea, and large vine- 
 yards and orchards appearing all the 
 way. • 
 
 We reached Santa Rosa early in the 
 afternoon and had considerable diffi- 
 culty in finding a place to pitch our 
 tent. 
 
 While the boys were looking for a 
 
92 Camping Out in California. 
 
 camping ground, we girls remained in 
 the wagon in one of the principal streets. 
 
 This was during the Fair, and crowds 
 of well dressed cheerful-looking people 
 were moving in every direction. 
 
 Our canvas curtain was rolled up 
 so as to afford us the benefit of the 
 breeze and also a glimpse of life as it 
 exists in this beautiful and enterpris- 
 ing city. 
 
 We had on our camping suits and 
 broad sun hats, and a thick covering 
 of dust. And judging from the side 
 glances, and mirthful looks that were 
 cast at us, we were taken for gypsies^ 
 or way-worn emigrants looking for a 
 home. 
 
 After an hour had' passed during 
 which time we were a gazing-stock for 
 old and yoting, rich and poor, black 
 and white, our young and brave heroes 
 returned and we were quickly trans- 
 ferred to a comfortable camping ground 
 by the side of the stream. 
 
 After a liberal use of water and a 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 93 
 
 little quiet rest, we all started out for a 
 walk. 
 
 Our attention was called to the Bap- 
 tist church which is probably the larg- 
 est house of worship in Santa Rosa. 
 It is ceiled throughout and we were 
 credibh' informed that the entire 
 building including pews and pulpit 
 was built from one redwood tree, and 
 besides the material used for the church 
 there were eighty thousand shingles 
 sawn from the remainder of the tree. 
 As we had been through the*redwood 
 forest we did not think this the least 
 incredible. 
 
 We also noticed the Young Ladies' 
 Seminary, which is a beautiful build- 
 ing surrounded by lovely lawns, walks 
 and flowers. 
 
 We heard the ability and earnest 
 zeal of the sisters who own the Semi- 
 nary, mentioned by many in highest 
 terms. One lady said, ''All the girls 
 who attend that school turn out well.'' 
 
 The boys took us to see a large bal- 
 
94 Camping Out in California. 
 
 loon that was struggling to get away 
 from the world. As we looked upon 
 the bulky but light and aerial structure, 
 swaying back and forth as if filled with 
 sensitive nerves, now settling down for 
 an instant in quietude as if exhausted 
 by its efforts for victory and freedom^ 
 now rallying as with renewed strength 
 and springing upward like a chained 
 eagle endeavoring to break the fetters 
 that held it to the earth, we were forci- 
 bly reminded of many whom we knew 
 to be held down by the strong chains 
 of vice, struggling to get free but unable 
 to break the iron bands that held them 
 down. 
 
 It seems to me that if there is one 
 creature on earth more to be pitied 
 than another, it is a human being 
 made in the image of God, who is over- 
 come by temptation, and yet struggling 
 in vain to break loose from the strong 
 grasp of the vice which he knows to be 
 an oppressive tyrant. 
 
 Indeed it was not necessary to call 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 95 
 
 to remembrance those whom we had 
 known, for we were able even then to 
 look upon some whose very appearance 
 gave evidence of inward battles, heart 
 and soul struggles with evil. 
 
 It was only necessary for us to look 
 in the faces of many around us in order 
 to realize tha- "ihe flesh warreth against 
 the spirit and the spirit against the 
 flesh, and these are contrary the one to 
 the other." 
 
 When we returned to our camp a 
 gentleman told us that it was not safe 
 for us to remain there during the night, 
 that unfortunately we had located in 
 the part of town where all the roughs 
 were in the habit of passing from one 
 haunt of vice to another. 
 
 After the daylight had disappeared 
 and the full moon was shining upon us^ 
 the boys harnessed our horses while the 
 girls packed the tent and bedding, and 
 then we rolled out to find a place where 
 we CO aid sleep in peace and safety. 
 
 After continuing our journey about 
 
5)6 Camping Out in California. 
 
 three or four miles we found a little 
 spot of gfass in a corner where two 
 fences joined, and there by the glow- 
 ing moonlight, we set up our tent, and 
 were soon peacefully at rest, while our 
 liearts were filled with thankfulness 
 and gratitude to God. 
 
 But we did not sleep much during 
 the night. Wagons kept passing until 
 nearly morning; also men on horse- 
 back, and on foot, several of whom were 
 nnder the powerful influence of alcohol. 
 
 One poor fellow was raving and curs- 
 ing like a mad man, while a woman, I 
 know not whether a mother, wife or 
 sister, followed the inebriate, sobbing 
 and crying piteously. Several remarks 
 were made concerning our tent but no 
 one interfered with our humble abode. 
 
 The next day we arrived at Petaluma, 
 another California village, that was 
 filled with California push and enter- 
 prise. 
 
 Here we also found it inconvenient 
 to secure a camping place. (5ne kind 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 97 
 
 gentleman gave us permission to pitch 
 our tent in a corral among the cattle, 
 another said if it were not for the teams 
 coming and going, we coulii camp in 
 the lumber yard. Finally, some one 
 told us of a place outside the town where 
 the gypsies were in the habit of camp- 
 ing and we concluded to go there. 
 
 We found it a very good place but 
 almost impossible to secure wood 
 enough to make a fire. Will and Ben, 
 however, climbed some of the gum trees 
 and broke off dead limbs sufficient to 
 answer all purposes. 
 
 A few rods away and near the fence 
 there Vas a mound of fresh earth which 
 resembled a grave, and Will said he ex- 
 pected one of the gypsies was buried 
 there. The girls hastened awa}^ from 
 the grave and began to make objections 
 to camping over the Sabbath with a 
 dead gypsy. Little Harry, however, was 
 not so easil}" frightened. He said, ''A 
 hundred dead gypsies could not scare me 
 if they were all buried in the ground." 
 
?W Camping Out in California. 
 
 After a while Ben said some of the 
 boys told him it was only a dog that 
 was buried there. 
 
 Then the girls' faces briglitened up 
 as Eda remarked that she was not 
 afraid of a dog but she would be of a 
 gypsy dead or alive. 
 
 While in this town we visited the 
 woolen mills^ of Avhich we had heard 
 before leaving home. Here we watched 
 the wool from where it was emptied 
 from the sack, just as it had been shorn 
 from the sheep, dusty and matted, to 
 where it was picked, cleaned, carded, 
 spun, (three hundred and sixty threads 
 at a time by one man,) woven, dyed, 
 and hung on the line bright red, soft 
 flannel. 
 
 As we gazed upon the unclean wool 
 going in, and the beautiful cloth that 
 would honor a king's wardrobe coming 
 out by the hundreds of yards, we were 
 reminded of the long time ago when 
 the New England mothers and daugh- 
 ters persevered in their irksome method 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 9d 
 
 of cloth-making by hand. The wool 
 had to be washed, picked, carded and 
 then spun one thread at a time. The 
 weary house-wife would walk back and 
 forth, deftly handling the wheel with 
 jne hand and the yarn with the other. 
 
 And then the slow process of weav- 
 ing by gliding the shuttle to and fro^ 
 first with the right hand and then with 
 the left, while the blue-striped or plaid 
 Aveb grew from one to six yards a day. 
 What would our great grandmothers 
 think, if they could stand for an hour 
 in this manufactory, and see the wool 
 going in and the cloth coming out? 
 
 The next morning it was the Sabbath 
 sun that smiled upon us again, but we 
 were about one hundred miles from 
 where we camped the Sabbath before, 
 and how vastly different were our sur- 
 roundings! Instead of nature's calm 
 and harmonious music, our ears were 
 greeted with the coarse voices of shout- 
 ing boys, the rattle of cow-bells, the 
 squealing of pigs and the sound of ham- 
 
100 Camping Out in (California. 
 
 mer and axe. But we had the oppor- 
 tunity of going to the house of God and 
 hearing a clear and forcible sermon on 
 the atonement. 
 
 On the following day we drove to 
 San Rafael where we met some kind 
 friends, who not only invited us to* 
 camp in their yard, but endeavored to 
 make it as comfortable and pleasant 
 for us as possible, even furnishing feed 
 for our horses and insisting that we 
 should eat at their table. Here we were 
 so comfortably and bounteously enter- 
 tained by such cheerful, refined and 
 Christian company that our stay was 
 somewhat prolonged. 
 
 San Rafael is a delightful little city 
 containing many elegant and costly 
 mansions. In front of these fine resi- 
 dences were beautiful lawns which were 
 bordered with the choicest shrubbery 
 and flowers, and shaded by handsome 
 trees, and kept green and flourishing 
 by the refreshing spray of many foun- 
 tains. 
 
Sabbath on the Mountain. 101 
 
 Beneath these trees and in the midst 
 of dahlias, roses and other lovely and 
 odorous blossoms were bright-faced 
 boys and girls who were richly clad, 
 and as happy as the larks whose joyful 
 songs had cheered us during the day. 
 
 Beautiful children, with beautiful 
 homes in a beautiful city. Happy 
 children in a happy community, sur- 
 rounded by happy friends and asso- 
 ciates. 
 
 But in this town we also saw houses 
 that were far from being mansions. 
 
 Near these fine and decorated homes 
 were dwellings that were small and 
 somewhat dilapidated. In front and 
 around these humble abodes were also 
 lovely and merry children. Their 
 homes were far from being elegant, 
 their clothing was not fine, and we ma}^ 
 reasonably suppose that their fare was 
 very plain. But the greater and richer 
 blessings were theirs. The bird-songs 
 were for them, the sunshine was for 
 them, the pure atmosphere was for 
 
102 Camping Oat in California. 
 
 them, the sweet perfume that came 
 from the gardens of their wealthy neigh- 
 bors was for them, and even that city 
 of glory where the girls and boys are 
 playing on the golden streets, is for 
 poor children as truly as for the wealthy. 
 ''The rich and poor meet together; 
 the Lord is the maker of them all.'' 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 SIGHT-SEEING IN SAN FRANCISCO. 
 
 Leaving our team in the care of our 
 friends we took the train for San Fran- 
 cisco. 
 
 Linriie had never seen the cars be- 
 fore. All her days had been passed 
 among the mountains. She knew how 
 to saddle and ride a horse, paddle a 
 canoe, row a boat across the lake or 
 shoot a deer, but the sharp whistle of 
 the engine and the running away of the 
 house on wheels, was more than she 
 had bargained for, but she could not 
 stop the iron horse by clinging to the 
 seat and saying barely loud enough to 
 be heard : ''Wh-o-a, easy there, hold on 
 if you please." 
 
 After passing through a tunnel and 
 darting out into the light, the girl of 
 the mountains wore an expression of 
 
104 Camping Out in California. 
 
 anxiety and although somewhat amused 
 at such innocence abroad, we hastened 
 to speak comforting words and assure 
 our young companion that her fears 
 were only imaginary. 
 
 When we stepped from the train 
 Linnie took a long breath like one es- 
 caping from prison, while Eda and the 
 boys could not suppress their feelings 
 of merriment, and thought it a bless- 
 ing that our ride in the cars was ended. 
 
 Now we passed from the train into 
 the boat, which to Linnie seemed like 
 a vast floating palace occupied by the 
 sons and daughters of a king. It is 
 very probable that those who are in 
 the habit of crossing the bay ever}^ few 
 days have become familiar with the 
 ever varying lights and shadows of the 
 clouds and Avater which make the bay 
 and surrounding shores a scene of 
 beauty and grandeur, so that they are 
 able to cross and recross without realiz- 
 ing the glory by which they are sur- 
 rounded. 
 
Sight-seeing in San Francisco. 105 
 
 It indeed seemed not a little strange 
 that ladies and gentlemen could sit 
 quietly poring over the pages of a daily 
 paper or love -sick novel, while thus 
 gliding over the eloquent tongue of the 
 continent within the veryllips of the 
 Golden Gate. 
 
 If ever wo desired more than one 
 pair of eyes so that we could look in 
 every direction at the same time, it 
 was on that lovely and long to he re- 
 membered morning. 
 
 In one direction lay Oakland, ^'the 
 crowning city, whose merchants are 
 princes, whose traffickers are the hon- 
 orable of the earth." In another direc- 
 tion was America's broad and wonder- 
 ful gate, which was open for all who 
 desired to enter except the poor Mon- 
 golian. He is requested to turn back 
 on the cold wave. But if the gate of 
 this land of Liberty is closed to the 
 Chinaman, the golden gate of heaven 
 itself is not. 
 
106 Camping Out in California. 
 
 " That gate ajar stands free for all 
 Who seek through it salvation ; 
 The rich and poor, the great and small, 
 Of every tribe and nation." 
 
 Stretching far away to the south was 
 an arm of the bay that blazed with flash- 
 ing diamonds of the first water. And 
 then there stood the great sea goat with 
 his ponderous head above the surface 
 and all read}^ to butt any vessel that 
 might be foolish enough to venture too 
 near. White-sailed yachts and boats 
 were skimming over the waves almost 
 as lightly and swiftly as the white- 
 Avinged gulls. Steamboats were moving 
 speedily in various directions, while on 
 their decks were scores of men, women, 
 and children, who were fanned by the 
 ocean breeze and bathed in the morn- 
 ing sunlight. And then the large 
 ships that had come from different 
 parts of the wo^ld were lying at anchor, 
 rocking as gently as a family cradle, 
 while the forest of masts reminded us 
 of a New England cedar swamp a few 
 years after the fire had passed through 
 
Sight-»eeing in San Francisco. 107 
 
 it killing all the trees. And toward 
 that forest of dead trees, which swayed 
 back and forth with every w^ave, our 
 boat seemed to be swiftly moving. 
 
 When we reached the landing w^e 
 were borne along by the motley crowed 
 until we found ourselves on one of the 
 principal streets of the great city of the 
 west. Here we beheld the surging 
 tide of restless humanity. Men, women 
 and children of different rank, color 
 and nationality, rushed hither and 
 thither wdth the speed of a belated 
 traveler in a wilderness, or one in search 
 of a lost treasure. 
 
 And we noticed almost immediately 
 that the vast crowds who were driven 
 along so swiftly by the city excitement. 
 Had a more anxious and careworn look 
 than those who live in the solitudes of 
 California hills and dales. 
 
 And although we failed to see the 
 calm serenity of countenance we had 
 noticed in the country, we beheld 
 many aged men and women who went 
 
108 Camping Out in California. 
 
 bounding along with nearly as much 
 vivacity as that of the young. 
 
 In the metropolis we wished to visit 
 the most noted places, consequently we 
 took the street car for Woodward's Gar- 
 dens. 
 
 Here we were much interested in the 
 richly colored flowers which seemed to 
 fill the air with sweet perfume, appear- 
 ing in various shades and tints along 
 the walks and in man}^ other places 
 throughout the entertaining and in- 
 structive garden. 
 
 We alsD passed through the aquarium 
 and examined the fish of difl'erent 
 species that moved slowly and grace- 
 fully through the water as if proud to 
 show themselves to visitors. 
 
 Our young ladies paid great atten- 
 tion to the birds which were arrayed in 
 garments of many colors and greeted 
 us in varied tones of expression, and a 
 diversity of voices. These feathered 
 songsters are numerous and ranged in 
 size, all the way from the tiny hum- 
 
Sight-seeing in San Francisco. 109 
 
 ming bird to the ostrich that Avas con- 
 siderably taller than Harry. This, how- 
 ever, was very small when compared 
 with some of which we have read. In 
 Africa they have been known to be 
 eight feet tall and to weigh three hun- 
 dred pounds. 
 
 As this monster bird stood still and 
 allowed the girls to stroke its glossy 
 plumage while it endeavored to pick 
 the buttons from Ben's coat we were 
 reminded of the proverb used by the 
 Arabs, ''stupid as an ostrich." 
 
 The boys spent several minutes look- 
 ing at the alligators, which, as Ben said, 
 winked sideways because they couldn't 
 help it. They were lazy looking crea- 
 tures sluggishly resting on their stone 
 bed. We also looked into the home of 
 Mr. Grizzly and companion, the old 
 gentleman appeared very sociable, but 
 we did not fancy his looks ; he resem- 
 bled some old toper who in a drunken 
 row hard been unfortunate enough to 
 lose a portion of his nose. 
 
110 Cam'ping Out in California. 
 
 As this big clumsy looking creature 
 went springing up the frame that stands 
 in the center of the pit, Harry ran 
 away saying ''He is after us, and he 
 will eat every last one of us if we don't 
 get away from here." 
 
 Harry, however, was not alarmed at 
 the young black bear which was in an 
 enclosure by itself, and was standing 
 erect flourishing its paws seemingly as 
 playful as a dog. He said 'That little 
 bear wants to have some fun," and he 
 started to climb in to play with it. Eda 
 caught him, exclaiming "You foolish 
 boy, if you was in there the bear would 
 have fun, but it wouldn't be fun for 
 you." 
 
 We visited the happy family and 
 found all hands in a quarrel, "Happy 
 family I should say," exclaimed Linnie. 
 
 A poor kitten was endeavoring to es- 
 cape fl'om a vicious little dog which 
 seemed determined to kill it if possible. 
 But when the dog would attempt to 
 bite the kitten a number of monkeys 
 
Sight-seeing in San F'-ancisco. Ill 
 
 would take him by his legs and draw 
 him away. Had not the monkeys 
 interfered the kitten would certainly 
 have been killed. 
 
 There was much scolding, threaten- 
 ing, boxing of ears and fault-finding 
 among the members of the happy 
 family. 
 
 We also called on Mr. Camel and 
 found him lying on his bed taking a 
 little rest. Will asked him to get up 
 and show himself, and he did so very 
 politely. He is a bony, hump-backed 
 and coarse looking fellow, with large 
 cushioned feet, and although not hand- 
 some, is very useful when on the des- 
 ert, as he can travel nearly a week with- 
 out water. We have read of camels so 
 strong as to be able to carry sixteen 
 hundred pounds, and some so swift 
 that they can travel one hundred miles 
 in a single day. 
 
 We were introduced to the king, who 
 is a powerful looking creature, with 
 long hair, heavy beard, and a strong 
 
112 Camping Out in California. 
 
 voice. His name is Lion, and he is 
 well called the king of beasts. 
 
 As we stood before him he opened 
 his mouth and gave a fearful roar. The 
 girls were startled and stepped back, 
 and Harry said, "If he should break 
 out wouldn't we run?" 
 
 After passing from one object of in- 
 terest to another, carefully scanning 
 the tigers, leopards, hyenas and many 
 other beasts, and sailing a few times 
 around in the wheel boat, and examin- 
 ing many curiosities in the building, 
 we passed out and mingled with the 
 marching crowd. 
 
 As we had heard much about the Bat- 
 tle of Waterloo we concluded to visit that 
 wonderful scene. After passing into a 
 large round building and through the 
 darkness up a flight of stairs we found 
 ourselves standing — to all appearance 
 — in the center of a vast battle field, 
 and surrounded by a raging tempest of 
 carnage. There, upon our right hand 
 and on our left, lay the ghastly dead 
 
Sight- seeing in in San Francisco. 113 
 
 in the midst of the mournful dying, 
 mangled forms trampled and crushed 
 beneath the feet of the war-horse, and 
 arms dripping with blood. Soldiers 
 falling from their saddles and riderless 
 horses plunging into disordered and 
 broken ranks, while burning buildings, 
 bursting shells, shattered gun-carriages 
 and moving ambulances could be seen 
 in various directions. It seemed as 
 though we could almost hear the roar 
 of the artillery, the shout of the victo- 
 rious and the shrieks of the wounded 
 and the moans of the expiring. 
 
 We never before had such a realizing 
 sense of the horrors of w^ar, as while 
 standing there in the midst of thous- 
 ands of brave soldiers who were wildly 
 rushing forward to the slaughter of their 
 brethern, as innocent as themselves. 
 There were the commanding officers 
 with their hands uplifted giving direc- 
 tions to officers beneath them. 
 
 Away in the distance was the army 
 of Blucher coming to decide the heart- 
 
114 Camping Out in California. 
 
 rending contest and send the brave 
 Napoleon away into exile. 
 
 As we gazed upon that raging battle 
 and beheld the falling and splintered 
 trees, the puffs of white smoke from 
 the mouths of the muskets and can- 
 nons, the flattened fences, the fresh 
 earth torn and riddled by grape and 
 cannister, and the fields of grain 
 turned into blood-stained couches for 
 the thousands who have been torn and 
 butchered and mangled, not by wild 
 beasts, not by the devastating tornado, 
 not by the railroad disaster, but by in- 
 telligent and educated gentlemen, we 
 felt to ask with David, "What is 
 man?" 
 
 "Oh tell me can it be on earth, 
 Such scenes of horror have their birth?" 
 
 How earnestly should Christians 
 pray for the coming forth of that glo- 
 rious day when the nations shall learn 
 war no more because the earth will be 
 filled with the knowledge of God. It 
 seemed wonderful indeed that a paint- 
 
Sight-seeing in San Francisco. 115 
 
 ing could be made no perfect and so 
 real. 
 
 Near where Ave stood was the natural 
 ground on which was scattered arms^ 
 knapsacks, canteens, clothing and 
 small trees. 
 
 We never knew before that manza- 
 nita bushes grew in Belgium and on 
 the field of Waterloo. It was difficult 
 to tell where the ground ended and the 
 painting began. 
 
 After coming out, and standing again 
 on the street, we looked upon the build- 
 ing and wondered how such a vast scene 
 could be contained in a brick house 
 which occupied only a portion of a 
 block. We could scarcely realize that 
 the vast country over which we had 
 been looking, apparently several miles 
 in each direction, was contained in 
 that edifice. 
 
 Our young friends desired to visit 
 the Golden Gate Park and the Cliff 
 House, consequently we took the cable 
 car and started for those popular places 
 
116 Camping Out in California. 
 
 of entertainment and recreation. 
 
 Now we find ourselves seated in an 
 open car, to which neither horse nor 
 engine is attached, and moving swiftly 
 along the middle of the street. 
 
 Linnie wanted to know what was 
 hauling the car, and Harry said ''It 
 just goes itself." When we went glid- 
 ing up a hill he remarked, ''It must be 
 a strong car to haul itself and so many 
 people too." 
 
 On reaching the Park we found a 
 delightful resort, especially for those 
 whose homes and places of business are 
 wedged in among the buildings and 
 blocks of the city. 
 
 Fine carriages were rolling on the 
 principal avenues, and many ladies 
 and gentlemen were leisurely strolling 
 along the graveled walks or resting in 
 comfortable seats beneath the shade, 
 while happy children walked hand in 
 hand as with their joyous prattle they 
 seemed to add additional happiness to 
 their parents and friends. 
 
Sight-seeing in San Francisco. 117 
 
 Our young folks were much inter- 
 ested in the statue of General Garfield. 
 They thought it looked so noble and life- 
 like, and they were loath to turn their 
 eyes away from the monument of the 
 good, wise and patriotic President who 
 had been so shamefully murdered. 
 
 The conservatory — a large glass 
 building — is one of the most interest- 
 ing and pleasant places we have ever 
 visited. We seemed to be walking 
 among the petals of some gigantic blos- 
 som that had bloomed on the sun and 
 been brought by some flower-loving 
 angel to this lower world to refresh and 
 comfort the weary sons and daughters 
 of earth . 
 
 Enveloped in a cloud of perfume 
 that was almost suffocating we won- 
 dered if earth could afford a lovelier and 
 sweeter spot. 
 
 It seems to me that any attempt to 
 describe the flowera and plants with 
 all their variety of richness, delicacy 
 and beauty, would be a failure. 
 
118 Camping Out in California. 
 
 While looking upon some of those 
 wonderful plants we felt compelled to 
 say, ''Entreat me not to leave thee." 
 Indeed we could have lingered there 
 for several hours, had we not been re- 
 minded of the fact that *' time flies." 
 
 As we left that translucent mansion 
 that seemed almost ready to burst with 
 sweetness, we never expected to stand 
 in a more lovely place on this side of 
 Jordan. Over there, however, we hope 
 to find this conservatory equaled if not 
 surpassed^ 
 
 The girls would like to have gath- 
 ered a bouquet, but those flowers were 
 too precious for ordinary use. 
 
 From the Park we took the dummy 
 and went to the Clifl' House. The road 
 ran most of the way through dry, 
 dreary, sand hills which Harry said 
 were beautiful. Some of the ladies 
 laughed at the child's idea of beauty, 
 and he added, ''beautiful to play in." 
 We were told that a large portion of 
 the ground on which the city stands 
 
Sight-seeing in San Francisco. 119 
 
 was once covered with such sand dunes 
 as these. 
 
 In a few moments we find ourselves 
 again standing face to face with the 
 Pacific, looking far out over the "laugh- 
 ing water" in the direction of China. 
 
 Although there was no forest, hill or 
 mountain to obstruct our vision, our 
 eyes were not quite large enough to see 
 the land of the Celestials. 
 
 Here we stand on a cliff which over- 
 hangs the sea, and just beyond are the 
 islets of rock which rise above the 
 waves and are known as the renowned 
 '*seal rocks." 
 
 Here are scores of sea-lions, some on 
 the higlier rocks basking in the sun- 
 shine, some climbing the ledges, and 
 others tumbling in the water below. 
 
 It is l)oth interesting and amusing to 
 watch through a spy-glass these awk- 
 ward and clumsy creatures as they rise 
 from their watery dens and climb with 
 an air of independence the recessed 
 walls of their old wave-washed castles, 
 
120 Camping Out in California. 
 
 which are safely moored in the depths 
 below. Those seals, as if aware of the 
 fact that they are protected by the laws 
 of the land, seem altogether independ- 
 ent and indifferent to the presence of 
 man, moving with boldness and sleep- 
 ing in safety. 
 
 They are of various sizes; the largest 
 would weigh, perhaps, three hundred 
 pound. They have large eyes, small 
 web feet, and very small heads, and 
 although so slow and clumsy on the 
 rocks, in the water they shoot back and 
 forth like arrows in the air, apparently 
 as much at home as the salmon or cod. 
 Although they growl and bark and oc- 
 casionally when disputing the priority 
 of right to some desirable location^ 
 strike and bite each other, they seem 
 to enjoy life better than some human 
 beings we have known. 
 
 There were also many huge birds 
 which claimed an interest in those rocky 
 abodes of the sea. Great pelicans were 
 flapping their wings, while numerous 
 
Sight-seeing in San Francisco. 121 
 
 gulls were resting on the higher pinna- 
 cles or spreading their sails to the ocean 
 breeze. 
 
 From the Cliff House we passed up 
 to Sutro Heights, and having no de- 
 scription of this resort, we were agree- 
 ably surprised as we entered the gate, 
 to find ourselves within what appeared 
 a beautiful garden. Following a broad 
 walk which was fringed with gerani- 
 ums, heliotropes, fuchsias, pansies and 
 other flowers that were unusually large 
 and brilliant, and stopping now and 
 again to admire some interesting 
 statue, we passed along to the right, 
 through a miniature park, where carven 
 deer, dogs and other animals were lying 
 on the grass, and found ourselves on the 
 highest point where we could look away 
 down to the Cliff House. There was a 
 railing and statues a short distance 
 apart all around this height. After 
 resting a few minutes we climbed to 
 the top of an adjoining building, when 
 one said, ''What a glorious view we 
 
122 Camping Out in California. 
 
 would have of the distant islands were 
 it not for that bank of fog away in the 
 western horizon." But the bank seem- 
 ed to be immovable, and we have that 
 view left for some future time. 
 
 From this height a flight of stairs led 
 down the opposite side, and following 
 another path we came to a circle of gro- 
 tesque images, which the children 
 thought must be to represent some of 
 the fairy tales they had read. There 
 is also a conservatory here, which, al- 
 though inferior to the one at the Park, 
 is filled with rare and beautiful plants 
 and flowers, interspersed with statu- 
 ary. 
 
 At the door Harry cried, ''Oh, look, 
 how pretty the sea and everything else 
 is, it is red as if it was a big fire." 
 
 Eda looking through the same door 
 said, ''Why, Harry, it is all a bright 
 green." 
 
 To me everything looked as blue as 
 it does on a "blue Monday." But, so 
 it is through life, the world generally 
 
Sight-seeing in San Francisco. 123 
 
 looks to US about the color of the glass 
 through, which we view it. 
 
 For several hours we wandered 
 through the labyrinthine paths and 
 found new beauty in art and nature on 
 every side. Here it would be a l^rge 
 group of dahlias of every shade and 
 color and magnificent in size, and at 
 the next turn a bed of gorgeovis hued 
 gladioli greeted our admiring eyes; 
 and when compelled to leave we w^on- 
 dered how long we could have roamed 
 through this attractive place finding 
 pleasant things to admire. 
 
 But we could not tarry all the time 
 in the pleasing portions of San Fran- 
 cisco, so turned to that w^iich is con- 
 sidered the "plague spot," Chinatown. 
 
 Passing from the bustling throngs of 
 English-clad people of Market and 
 Kearny streets to the foreign dressed 
 crowds of Dupont, had it not been that 
 the buildings were decidedly American^ 
 we could easily have imagined ourselves 
 in another land. 
 
124 Camping Out in California. 
 
 Among the many foreign curios dis- 
 played in the shop windows we noticed 
 pagodas, vessels, and other articles of 
 carved ivory which were very beautiful. 
 
 The china was as delicately tinted 
 as the petals of a rose and so frail and 
 delicate that it seemed as if it might be 
 crushed as easily as an egg shell. 
 
 We stepped into one of the art stores 
 and were disappointed, for the choice 
 pictures were but an elaboration of the 
 ones to be seen on their fans and tea- 
 chests. Their drugs and medicines 
 were in packages instead of bottles, and 
 the customers undergoing operations in 
 the barber-shop had a very ludicrous 
 a-ppearance, and the younger members 
 of our party thought nothing less than 
 a photograph could do them justice. 
 
 There were children playing on the 
 streets who were dressed like the older 
 persons, but they were neither so noisy 
 or as obtrusive as "Young America.*' 
 
 In a little room under a store we saw 
 a mother playing with a tiny babe 
 
iSight-seeing in Saa Francisco. 125- 
 
 while another small child was leaning 
 against her knee. 
 
 A fond father brought out his two 
 year old son for us to admire. In 
 answer to the query if he could talk, he 
 proudly answered in the affirmative, 
 but when asked if the child could speak 
 our language, he shook his head say- 
 ing ''He no sabe 'Melican." 
 
 Among the vegetables we saw niany 
 that were new to us; one resembling the 
 seed-pod of milkweed, we were told was 
 a Chinese cucumber. In their meat 
 market we saw meat and fish that had 
 been shipped from China, and a large 
 roasted hog was hanging there Trom 
 which they were cutting slices for cus- 
 tomers. It might have been very 
 choice but we instantly lost all desire 
 for roast pork. 
 
 We noticed some objects resembling 
 biscuits that were for sale. One of the 
 girls exclaimed ''Biscuits for breakfast;'' 
 at the same time she touched one, and 
 her finger went nearly through it, she 
 
126 Camping Out in California. 
 
 said ''Oh, I don't want any of them.'' 
 We did not have time to go to their 
 theatre or ''Joss house," hut we visited 
 the Bon Ton restaurant. It was finely 
 ornamented with hright and shining 
 brass work and the large chandeliers 
 were sparkling with many prisms. In- 
 stead of chairs they used stools and in 
 each room was a recess and two wooden 
 pillows. These recesses must be very 
 convenient for "John" when he eats 
 too hard or too much he can lie down 
 :and rest. 
 
 We saw them gathered around their 
 .'gaming table gesticulating vehemently, 
 but we saw neither whiskey-bottles nor 
 -glasses, nor did we hear the loud up- 
 roar or oaths which issue from the 
 gambling dens of those who say "The 
 Chinese must go." 
 
 Leaving Chinatown we returned to 
 Market street, and on our way to the 
 wharf we noticed the wonderful Palace 
 Hotel. This is a magnificent building, 
 said to be the largest hotel in the 
 
Sightseeing in San Francisco. 127 
 
 world, having accommodations for 
 twelve hundred guests. It is seven 
 stories high, and three hundred and 
 fifty by two hundred and seventy feet 
 on the ground and it cost about five^ 
 hundred thousand dollars to furnish it. 
 The cost of the building was one mil- 
 lion seven hundred and fifty thousand 
 dollars, and the ground on which it 
 stands cost one million, making an ag- 
 gregate of three million two hundred 
 and fifty thousand dollars. 
 
 In passing along the principal streets 
 we were continually jostled by the 
 crowds, some of whom were moving 
 with us and some in the opposite di- 
 rection, while the street-cars, drays and 
 carriages were so crowded together that 
 one would naturally expect a continual 
 coming in contact with each other, re- 
 sulting in broken limbs, frightened 
 horses, and splintered vehicles. But 
 strange to say there was nothing of the 
 kind. They moved among each other 
 with nearly as much system as the 
 
128 Camping OiU in California. 
 
 stars move in the heavens. Horses 
 as truly as drivers seemed to under- 
 stand the art of moving through the 
 unoccupied spaces with care and cau- 
 tion. It was interesting to watch the 
 stream of men, women and children 
 that marched with a continual tramp 
 down Market street toward the ferries. 
 
 We were in the crowd but felt so 
 'Small we could scarcely find ourselves 
 until we were on the deck of the 
 steamer, and startled by the loud voice 
 of the engine as the boat pulled out 
 from' the wharf. 
 
 Before lea ;ing the landing, however, 
 our, young fellow-travelers went on 
 board the Victoria, a large ship about 
 three hundred feet long. The seamen 
 were very kind and gentlemanly, tak- 
 ing them around through the great 
 craft that travels the 'Vild and stormy 
 main.'* 
 
 Will said he would like to be a sailor, 
 but Harry thought there was danger of 
 getting upset over a whale's back. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 SANTA CLARA VALLEY. * 
 
 Returning to San Rafael we bade our 
 friends farewell and, after a half day's 
 drive, were on our old gypsy camping 
 ground in the suburb of Petaluma. 
 
 On the following day we had a pleas- 
 ant drive to Sonoma, a neat little berg 
 in one of California's pleasant valleys. 
 
 Here Linnie was fortunate enough 
 to find an aunt whom she had never 
 met before. We remained in Sonoma 
 until the next day so that Linnie might 
 enjoy a pleasant visit with her new 
 found cousins, who seemed to be very 
 amiable young people. When we were 
 ready to resume our journey Linnie 
 told us not to wait for her, that she 
 would overtake us after a while. 
 
 We passed over a low mountain, and 
 
130 Camphig Out m California. 
 
 about noon reached the Napa Valley. 
 As the sun was very hot we camped in 
 the shadow of a large oak, and had 
 barely made read}^ our lunch, when 
 Linnie and one of her cousins drove up 
 in a fine buggy, and we all enjoyed ''a 
 feast of fat things/' (squirrels and 
 quails) which our persevering hunts- 
 men had killed while crossing the 
 range. Linnie spent a portion of the 
 afternoon in riding through the princi- 
 pal streets of Napa, and then the young 
 cousins bade each other farewell. 
 
 From Napa we went to Vallejo. 
 Most of the way we found the road 
 good; at one place, however, several 
 men were repairing a bridge, and we 
 were compelled to take another road 
 and go a number of miles out of the 
 regular way and over a high hill, where 
 wo found the road to be very rough, 
 although passing through a beautiful 
 neighborhood with an excellent class 
 of buildings. 
 
 When we reached Vallejo the sun 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 131 
 
 was going down, and we began to look 
 around for a place to camp. As soon 
 as our canvas cover was discovered, 
 children came from all directions, and 
 escorted us to a corner lot where an old 
 building had been torn down, and where 
 the rank and tangled weeds made it ap- 
 pear like a little swamp. By the time 
 our tent was up we were surrounded by 
 boys and girls. They climbed in the 
 wagon, crowded into the tent, and some 
 perched themselves on the horses' 
 backs; and, judging from their ques- 
 tions as to where we came from and 
 where we were going, we concluded 
 that they had never had much experi- 
 ence in regard to camp life. Some of 
 them remained with us until about ten 
 o'clock, and then went home by the 
 glowing light of the twinkling stars. 
 
 The next morning we visited the 
 navy-yard on Mare Island, and saw 
 some wonderful machinery, piles of can- 
 non balls and many large guns. We also 
 saw the cannon that sank the Alabama. 
 
132 Camping Out in California,. 
 
 Several war vessels were in the har- 
 bor apparently all ready for action; 
 but we hoped that they might die of 
 old age and go to decay without an 
 opportunity of fighting other men-of- 
 w^ar. Besides the sectional floating 
 dock, wliich to us was quite a curiosity ^ 
 there were many other places of inter- 
 est where we might have spent a much 
 longer time with profit and enjoyment. 
 Returning to our tent late in the after- 
 noon we drove four miles to Benicia^ 
 another prosperous town situated on 
 the Bay. Here we were shown an 
 open field that was covered with fresh 
 grass, and told that it was free for 
 campers. In this field we Avere soon 
 comfortably situated, while our horses 
 were feasting on the rich grass, looking 
 as happy as though they had discover- 
 ed a bonanza. 
 
 Harry found a bird's nest with four 
 tiny, unfledged birds, and we all ac- 
 cepted an invitation to go and see them, 
 he leading the way. But the old birds 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 133 
 
 did not enjoy our visit, they flew around 
 our heads and cried piteously, hegging 
 us to leave, despite Harry's repeated 
 assurances that they should not be 
 harmed. 
 
 ' After the sun went down the wind 
 began to blow furiously, and in a short 
 time it wa-? very cold. 
 
 About the middle of the night, it 
 seemed that our tent would ''make to 
 itself wings and fly away,'' and leave 
 us unprotected from the roaring temp- 
 est. The boys put the break on the 
 wagon to keep it from being blown 
 into San Pablo Bay. Will drove the 
 stakes of our tent farther into the 
 ground so as to make it more secure. 
 But the wind continued to blow with 
 more and more force, until near the 
 dawn of day, when the stakes on the 
 windward side drew out, and our tent 
 came down, fluttering like the torn sails 
 of a vessel in a severe storm. 
 
 There we were in the cold wind and 
 the darkness of night, endeavoring to 
 
134 Camping Out in California. 
 
 re-establish around us the walls that 
 had fallen to the earth. 
 
 In our efforts to erect our demolished 
 tent, which fluttered over our heads 
 like a vicious bird of pre}^ seeking to 
 devour its victims, we realized that too 
 much sail was not good for weak ves- 
 sels, as we w^ere pulled from our moor- 
 ings, jostled against each other and 
 tumbled on the ground, ''heaps on 
 heaps." 
 
 We Avere chilled and nearly dis- 
 couraged, but Will said, ''If at first 
 you don't succeed, try, try again;" so 
 we continued trying until we succeeded,, 
 but our tent had several such windows 
 (wind doors) as the Kansas pre-emptor 
 has in his cabin when he goes to prove 
 up on his land. 
 
 During the excitement, the bottle 
 which contained our antidote for snake 
 bites was broken, and our tent and 
 bedding became permeated with the 
 contents. If a stranger had happened 
 along at that time, and seen our per- 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 135 
 
 formances and smelt the medicine, he 
 would not have taken us for Good 
 Templars. 
 
 As for snakes, we are inclined to 
 think they all left, we did not see any 
 for several days. After we had made 
 the tent secure the grey light of morn- 
 ing could be seen and being hungry we 
 preferred breakfast to sleep. That 
 morning we were in no hurry to start, 
 as the wind continued to blow and we 
 did not feel very vivacious after, (as 
 Will said,) having such a spree in the 
 night. 
 
 About the middle of the forenoon we 
 drove our team on board the ferry- 
 boat and were on our way to Martinez. 
 
 As we left the wharf we noticed the 
 huge boat coming from Port Costa 
 bringing a long train of cars. It in- 
 deed seemed wonderful that a train of 
 twenty or thirty cars, all loaded with 
 freight and hundreds of passengers, 
 could run on a boat and sail in a few 
 moments across the bay to continue 
 
136 Campirtg Out in California. 
 
 its lightning speed on the other side. 
 
 After landing at Martinez and driv- 
 ing through the town which seemed 
 like a tidy little place of three or four 
 hundred inhabitants, we stopped for 
 dinner. 
 
 On the left side of the road the fire 
 had just swept over a vast region burn- 
 ing fences and large quantities of hay 
 and grain. 
 
 We built our camp-fire on the burnt 
 ground a short distance from the road, 
 where any person could see that it was 
 impossible for it to do any damage, yet 
 several men and one or two women 
 came from their houses and fields tell- 
 ing us to ''look out for that fire." 
 
 And from passing wagons we were 
 cautioned to "be careful of that fire." 
 One said, "be sure and put out every 
 spark." We soon learned why we were 
 so sharply cautioned and warned. The 
 fire that had just swept hundreds of 
 acres was started by some careless 
 campers. Had we known the bitter 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 137 
 
 feeling that existed against campers we 
 would not have dared kindle a fire on 
 any consideration. 
 
 On the right-hand side of the road 
 was a neat farm cottage standing in 
 the midst of a flourishing vineyard. 
 Eda took a pail and went through the 
 vineyard to the house for some water 
 and soon returned bringing instead of 
 water the pail full of milk which the 
 lady of the house gave her. 
 
 May that kind good woman live long 
 and have all the rich milk and cream 
 she desires. We had a good old-fash- 
 ioned bread and milk lunch, and the 
 boys drank what was left. They said 
 it tasted so good they thought it must 
 be Jersey cow^s milk. 
 
 After lunch we had driven only a 
 few miles before we noticed a decided 
 change in the weather. Our horses 
 were wet with sweat and the only fan 
 we had was kept in vigorous motion. 
 
 While passing over a hill, Ben w^ent 
 to a cottage that was perhaps an hun- 
 
138 Camping Out in California. 
 
 dred yards from the road for some 
 water. He passed around on the oppo- 
 site side of the house and we waited in 
 the hot sun several minutes wondering 
 why he was so delayed 
 
 After awhile we saw him running 
 towards the wagon with the empty pail 
 and a vicious dog behind him. He 
 forgot all about the gate and came the 
 nearest way, going over the picket 
 fence with the agility of a cat in the 
 same situation. Just as he cleared the 
 fence a young lady called the dog, at 
 the same time telling Ben to come for 
 the water as the dog would not bite 
 him. 
 
 The other boys and the girls remind- 
 ed Ben occasionally of his hast}^ retreat 
 and his peculiar style of climbing 
 fences. 
 
 A little before sundown we reached 
 Danville, situated in a rich farming 
 country filled with an enterprising and 
 religious class of people. 
 
 While driving through the town we 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 139 
 
 saw a tall gentleman of clerical ap- 
 pearance, and one of our company ask- 
 ed him if he could give us information 
 as to where we could find a comforta- 
 ble place to camp over the Sabbath. 
 
 He answered in the affirmative and 
 in a few moments obtained permission 
 from one of the trustees for us to camp 
 in the school yard beneath a delightful 
 grove of walnut and locust trees. 
 
 The next day we heard this gentle- 
 man preach an unusually thrilling and 
 touching sermon which gave us to un- 
 derstand why he had been such a suc- 
 cessful and popular pastor. This broth- 
 er had just resigned his work on ac- 
 count of his health, and, if I remember 
 correctly, this was his farewell sermon. 
 
 During a pastorate of ten years he 
 had been instrumental in building up 
 a strong self-sustaining church of near- 
 ly one hundred communicants who 
 loved him as a faithful minister and a 
 valiant soldier of the cross of Christ. 
 We shall not soon forget the prayer of 
 
140 Camping Out in California. 
 
 this resigning pastor as he poured out 
 his heart to God in behalf of the ''dear 
 little church." 
 
 His successor was on the field and 
 although we did not hear him preach 
 we were convinced that he was "a 
 w^orkman who needeth not to be 
 ashamed." We heard many speak in 
 highest terms of the new pastor as 
 well as the old. 
 
 Several of the people visited us at 
 our tent bringing us milk, fruit and 
 other luxuries. 
 
 While we were conversing with these 
 Christian friends we came to the con- 
 clusion that the minister did not de- 
 serve all the credit for the advancement 
 of the church. While it is true that 
 a good pastor is sure to elevate the 
 flock, it is no less true that a good 
 flock will elevate the pastor. We have 
 known weak and uneducated congrega- 
 tions to whom the ministrations of a 
 Spurgeon, or a Talmage would be ac- 
 ceptable only for a short time. 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 141 
 
 In many such churches the people 
 are unthankful and calculated to blunt 
 the energies, deaden the sensibilities 
 and extinguish the fire in the soul of 
 their pastor. 
 
 The next morning we were early on 
 our way and found the road so good 
 that our horses could trot most of the 
 distance. 
 
 For several miles the broad thorough- 
 fare was walled on either side by sym- 
 metrical trees planted in the long ago^ 
 and perhaps by hands that are now 
 beneath the sod. The air was cool and 
 bracing, and beautiful birds greeted us 
 with their morning carols. Great drops 
 of dew that glittered in the morning 
 light reflecting the rainbow's beauty 
 were hanging not only on either side, 
 but also over our heads, while the sun 
 was carefully wiping the tears from the 
 sweet and dimpled faces of the flowers 
 that appeared from time to time. 
 
 A ride through a strange but beauti- 
 ful country while bathed in the fra- 
 
142 Camping Out in Caiifomia. 
 
 grance of a sweet summer morning and 
 surrounded by the works of Nature's 
 God and the delights of a balmy Sab- 
 bath enriched with heavenly incense 
 still fresh in the mind is glorious be- 
 yond description of tongue or pen. 
 New objects for admiration and con- 
 templation appeared one after another^ 
 broad fields, baling and threshing ma- 
 chines in operation, loaded fruit trees, 
 cattle and sheep grazing in the pas- 
 tures, and distant hills apparently 
 coming nearer and lifting their heads 
 as if to look down upon us. 
 
 We also passed farm houses of dif- 
 ferent forms and colors, many were un- 
 painted and gray, but surrounded by 
 much that is calculated to make life 
 both blessed and pleasurable. 
 
 Occasionally in the yard, through 
 the window or open door we would 
 catch a passing glimpse of faces that 
 were evidences of happy homes. 
 
 The aged grandmother with lint- 
 white hair and a smile on her serene 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 143 
 
 countenance, a pleasant little wife in 
 the garden conversing jocundly with 
 her stalwart husband, pretty blue-eyed 
 girls adorned with blue ribbons, play- 
 ing in the shade and occasionally look- 
 ing up among the blue plums and per- 
 haps into the blue sky beyond; a tow 
 headed baby in front of the door tod- 
 dling to meet a fond father who now 
 with his strong arms tosses it high into 
 the air. And the boys! they seemed to 
 be everywhere, in the road, in the field, 
 on the fences, and along the streams, 
 some walking, some riding, and others 
 hunting. 
 
 We noticed one little fellow with a 
 shot gun stooping low as he crept cau- 
 tiously along a fence seeking an oppor- 
 tunity to shoot a happy little squirrel. 
 
 After awhile we realized that the 
 dew-drops have all vanished and not 
 one to be seen, the sun shines with 
 greater strength, and our horses object 
 to traveling as swiftly as they did in 
 the cool of the morning. 
 
144 Camping Out in California. 
 
 In the afternoon our road winds back 
 and forth among hills and little valleys 
 and ofttimes across a brook. 
 
 While passing quietly along the foot 
 of a hill, we were startled by a loud 
 scream, and looking behind us and on 
 higher ground Ave beheld a steam 
 engine followed by a train of cars flying 
 directly toward us, and the next 
 moment went shooting past with such 
 arrow like velocity that the passengers 
 through the open windows appeared 
 like spirits passing away to another 
 world. 
 
 Our horses threw up their heads, 
 and setting their ears forward began 
 to dance, but scarcely had time to be 
 frightened before the iron horse was 
 out of sight, and the cars like winged 
 monsters, that lived ages before the 
 creation of man, flew away beyond a 
 hill chashing each other onward in 
 their flight. 
 
 Late in the afternoon we came to a 
 stream and a level spot on which we 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 145 
 
 concluded to set up out tent and remain 
 during the night. 
 
 The sun was shining through a rose- 
 colored cloud that seemed so soft and 
 delicate, that we could only compare it 
 to the robe which some angel had cast 
 off while passing through the gates of 
 the evening star. 
 
 But it was not an angel's robe nor 
 any royal vesture that had blown from 
 some distant world of light, but simply 
 an earthly fabric in which were woven 
 the dew drops that hung over our heads 
 in the morning and passed away into 
 the invisible even while we were gazing 
 upon them. 
 
 Our young friends could scarcely 
 realize that the morning dew drops 
 were in yonder beautiful cloud so high 
 in the heavens and wonderfully ethere- 
 al ized, consequently a few words of 
 instruction, together with the following 
 w ords of the poet were necessary for 
 their satisfaction. 
 
146 Camping Out in California. 
 
 '* Though one by one the pearly drops of morning, 
 From drooping flowers, on viewless pinions rise, 
 We'll see them yet the gorgeous clouds adorning. 
 With glowing arches of celestial dyes. 
 Though one by one the friends we fondly cherish. 
 Withdraw from ours the cold and trembling hand, 
 And leave us sorrowful, they do not peiish. 
 They yet shall greet us in a fairer land." 
 
 The next day we reached the boom- 
 ing city of San Jose, and found a grand 
 camping place in a vacant lot beneath 
 a grove of oaks. 
 
 Here we remained two days and 
 then on a warm afternoon we drove to 
 Los Gatos, a distance of twelve miles, 
 and through the world renowned Santa 
 Clara valley. 
 
 On our way we stopped at Santa 
 Clara, hoping to see a lady friend, but 
 unfortunately she was not at home. 
 
 Arriving at Los Gatos a little be- 
 fore dark, we were granted permission 
 to camp on the school lot where a 
 new school house was in course of 
 erection. 
 
 As the darkness gathered around us 
 
Santa Clara Valley. 147 
 
 we heard the music of a church hell, 
 and we though it had a Presbyterian 
 tone, and we were not mistaken as 
 some of our party responded to the 
 invitation and found an interesting 
 young people's meeting presided over 
 by one of the San Francisco pastors, 
 the Los Gatos pastor being absent. 
 The next morning our city brother and 
 his better-half called at our tent. We 
 enjoyed their visit very much and 
 spent about an hour in pleasant con- 
 versation. The metropolitan Bishop 
 gave us valuable information concern- 
 ing the road across the mountains to 
 Santa Cruz as he had traveled with 
 horse and buggy the same journey that 
 we were about to undertake. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon when we 
 left Los Gatos and began to move 
 slowly up the well known and exten- 
 sively traveled Santa Cruz mountains. 
 
 After climbing several miles, we 
 heard the heavy and hoarse breathing 
 and wheezing of the iron horse as he 
 
148 Camping Out in California. 
 
 came after us puffing and coughing as 
 if nearly exhausted with his load of 
 four cars hesides passengers and freight. 
 At this point the wagon road is 
 perhaps two hundred feet above the 
 railroad, consequently we could see the 
 train a long distance behind us, and 
 after it had passed a long distance 
 before us. It indeed seemed wonderful 
 to behold a train of cars thus climbing 
 the lofty range, moving first to the 
 right and then to the left, now clinging 
 to the almost perpendicular wall and 
 passing beneath overhanging rocks, 
 now darting out into a more open 
 space. One moment bounding over a 
 deep chasm, and the next running into 
 a tunnel as a fox runs into his hole in 
 the earth. But such is the ingenuity 
 of man that he travels by water over 
 the dry, rocky mountain, as well as on 
 the ocean or river. A little hot water 
 endeavoring to get out of prison to float 
 among the sunbeams is strong enough 
 to roll the ponderous engine and a 
 
Skyland and Capitola. 149 
 
 train of loaded cars to the summit of 
 a lofty mountain. 
 
 On the south side and above the 
 track ran a flume conveying water to 
 the valley below, and in some places it 
 was so high along the perpendicular 
 ledges that the boys could not imagine 
 how it was possible for men, without 
 the aid of a flying machine, to place it 
 there and fasten it securely. 
 
 About the middle of the afternoon 
 we reached a point called Skyland, and 
 we considered the name a very appro- 
 priate one. Far up in that beautiful 
 sky land, bathed in the mellowed glory 
 of the mid afternoon sun that filled 
 the little elevated fields and mantled 
 the skyland groves, we paused a few 
 moments to gaze and reflect. 
 
 There we stood on the very fringe of 
 the continent, looking out into the 
 misty void in the direction of the sink- 
 ing sun. And as the aged pilgrim 
 who has about reached the end of the 
 
160 Camping Out m California. 
 
 journey of life looks back upon the 
 world through which he has passed, 
 •and also forward into the ocean of 
 eternity on whose very shore he lingers, 
 so we could look back upon the conti- 
 nent over which we had traveled and 
 also forward into the purple haze of the 
 broad Pacific. 
 
 Behind and beneath .us lay the great 
 Santa Clara Valley, and just beyond 
 the lofty Sierras, while before us we 
 seemed to be looking into the impene- 
 trable void as into eternity itself. 
 
 In this Skyland lived an aged 
 minister of the gospel who was pro- 
 claiming the glad tidings of salvation 
 to those who lived so near the calm 
 and peaceful heavens. For years he had 
 been toiling in the lowlands of Cali- 
 fornia, but providentially had just been 
 called to a higher, brighter and 
 healthier land. But by and by his 
 earthly work will be completed and 
 then he will be called to come up 
 
Skyland and Capitola. 151 
 
 higher still, and dwell in the promised 
 land away beyond the blue. 
 
 But as the day was passing and we 
 were again going to the ocean we dared 
 not linger longer on this ''delectable 
 mountain" from whence the ''celestial 
 city" seemed very near, consequently 
 we moved forward and the brake of our 
 wagon began to grind on the wheels. 
 
 Our horses,willing to take the advan- 
 tage of the down hill portion of the 
 road, went bounding around sharp 
 curves, and over narrow and rickety 
 bridges and along the margin of deep 
 canyons and wooded ravines leaving a 
 cloud of dust behind. While gliding 
 down the western slope of the coast 
 range we passed through some grand 
 forests, with little openings here and 
 there, in which were bare-headed chil- 
 dren, barking dogs, and cackling hens. 
 
 We also had a glimpse of the popu- 
 lar "Hotel de Redwood," where inva- 
 lids grow fat on pure spring water, 
 
152 Camping Out in California. 
 
 medicated mountain air and wild 
 game. 
 
 About sundown we reached the foot 
 of the mountain and pitched our tent 
 in a beautiful grove where a picnic had 
 been held a few days previous. 
 
 Near by was a large farm house 
 where we secured a good supply of 
 milk, butter and fruit, to which we 
 did ample justice as the ocean breeze 
 had again met us and sharpened our 
 appetites, and, at the same time, giv- 
 ing us a friendly feeling for the roar- 
 ing fire which the boys made for our 
 evening's entertainment. 
 
 The next morning about ten o^clock 
 we reached Soquel and spent nearly an 
 hour in the paper mill. Here a large 
 number of men were at Avork, some 
 attending to the straw that was going 
 into the machinery, and others carry- 
 ing away the paper that came out in 
 squares all ready for use. 
 
 After leaving Soquel we drove a 
 
Skyland and Vapitola. 153 
 
 short distance on the Santa Cruz road 
 and then turned to the left for Camp 
 Capitola. 
 
 Near a little stream we stopped for 
 dinner and reached the end of our jour- 
 ney about two o'clock in the afternoon. 
 As we arrived at the top of the hill and 
 looked down on Capitola our young 
 friends were much excited. 
 
 The sandy shore was lined with men. 
 women, and children, and playing in 
 the surf and among the breaking bil- 
 lows that gently rolled in upon the 
 beach, and then back into the deep, 
 were scores of hilarious bathers . The lit- 
 tle ones were near the shore, so near that 
 the retreating waves would leave them 
 like stranded fish endeavoring to swim 
 on bare ground. Farther out among 
 the breakers were larger boys and girls 
 who were just learning to swim, and 
 beyond these were ladies and gentle- 
 men rising and falling on the waves 
 with the ease and gracefulness of float- 
 
164 Camping Out in California. 
 
 ing water fowls. 
 
 The suits worn by the bathers were 
 of such a variety of shade and color — 
 black, blue, and white, green, plaid, and 
 striped — as to add to the interest and 
 attraction of the scene. 
 
 After finding a sheltered place for 
 our horses and putting up our tent we 
 all went to the beach and joined the 
 crowd of amphibious mortals who were 
 seeking health and enjoying pleasure. 
 In a moment our youthful traveling 
 companions had disappeared and as we 
 looked for them both on the land and 
 on the sea we were able only to dis- 
 cover little Harry, in a blue suit, run- 
 ning from an approaching wave; but 
 the wave overtook him and rolled over 
 his head, and we would have been 
 frightened had there not been so many 
 away beyond. As the wave went glid- 
 ing back into the ocean, leaving Harry 
 on the smooth sand, he knew for the first 
 time what it is to take a sea bath. 
 
Skyland and Capitola. 155 
 
 It was very amusing to see the little 
 boys and girls follow the waves back 
 and then run as the next one came in, 
 frequently disappearing beneath the 
 foaming brine, but only to rise and 
 shake themselves like young ducks 
 playing in a meadow brook. Those 
 little folks kept up such a shouting 
 and laughing that we concluded the 
 salt water must have a salutary effect 
 upon the youthful blood. 
 
 But it was more interesting to notice 
 the different ways in which the grown 
 people met the billows. Some would 
 retreat only to be overtaken, thrown 
 from their feet, submerged, and then 
 left sprawling like lobsters on the sand. 
 Others would brace themselves and 
 stand firm until the wave passed over 
 them. Others would spring head first 
 into it and darting like an arrow through 
 it, come out on the other side. And 
 others would rise and fall on the rolling 
 waves as easily and gracefully as the 
 
156 Camping Out in California. 
 
 gondolas on the water streets of Venice. 
 
 Thus we were reminded of the differ- 
 ent ways in which individuals meet 
 trouble. Some fall beneath and are 
 overwhelmed by it, others either stand 
 firm against it or plunge through it, 
 while still others rise gently upon it ex- 
 claiming: "T glor}^ in tribulation also." 
 
 Many of the young ladies and gentle- 
 men were under the training of profes- 
 sional swimming teachers. One of these 
 professors had saved several lives. He 
 said on one occasion he pulled a rich 
 man out of the water and as the capi- 
 talist recovered consciousness he said to 
 his rescuer: "You have saved my life 
 and I will reward you for it as soon as I 
 can change a five dollar bill." 
 
 The brave man who liad risked his 
 own life to save the life of the rich man 
 replied: "You need not go to so much 
 trouble as I shall not charge you any- 
 thing." 
 
 It was very interesting to watch the 
 
Skyland and Capitola. 157 
 
 hundreds of young ladies and gentlemen 
 (who had thus been trained in physical 
 navigation) away out fifty rods from 
 the shore playing hide and seek with 
 the gently rolling waves. 
 
 They seemed as familiar with the 
 black billows that march with mournful 
 dirge over the ghastly dead as happy 
 school children are with the little hills 
 of their beloved playground. Some- 
 times one would disappear beneath the 
 surface and for a moment our eyes 
 would glance to the right and then to 
 the left to see where he would come up. 
 They would roll and plunge and chase 
 each other to and fro without showing 
 the least sign of fatigue. 
 
 Their suits were — like Joseph's coat 
 — of many colors, but we sympathized 
 with those garments that had suffered 
 the amputation of every limb. The 
 deficiency, however, was made up by 
 sweet smiles and radiant blushes. 
 
 The sand over which the waves rolled 
 
158 Camping Out in California. 
 
 was smooth as a floor while beyond the 
 reach of the surf it was dry and of such 
 a character as not to soil the finest silk. 
 
 Each afternoon we spent three hours 
 with the crowd which was about equally 
 •divided between those who were in the 
 water and those who were reclining in 
 the sand. We considered it a delightful 
 and healthy mode of recreation, not only 
 for the young and vigorous, but also 
 for the aged and delicate. 
 
 Several mornings we arose at the first 
 glimmer of dawn and went two or three 
 miles down the coast in order to have 
 the first selection of the treasures of the 
 deep that had been thrown upon the 
 shore during the night. The shells were 
 tinged with many glowing colors, while 
 the moss seemed so light and downy 
 that we almost wondered if it did 
 not grow on the wings of beautiful birds 
 that have their homes on some lone and 
 unknown isle of the sea. 
 
 One kind closelv resembled a feather 
 
Skyland and Capitola. 159 
 
 duster, while another was of a purple 
 shade, and so fine and delicate that a 
 small sprig properly arranged on the 
 surface of a bowl of water had the 
 appearance of a miniature tree. A card 
 placed under the floating sea feathers 
 and raised gently out of the water has 
 stamped upon it a wonderful picture of 
 loveliness, surpassing the critical work 
 of an experienced artist. 
 
 In one of our morning rambles on the 
 beach we discovered a shark probably 
 eight feet long, but he was powerless to 
 harm us, having met his fate, perhaps as 
 Ben suggested, in a duel with a sword 
 fish. 
 
 Towards night we would see the fish- 
 ermen going out in their boats and often 
 when they returned in the morning the 
 cry would be ''we have toiled all night 
 and taken nothing." Then again we 
 would see them come in with a boat 
 lo€id of large shining denizens of the 
 deep. 
 
160 Camping Out in California. 
 
 During our visit at Capitola we made 
 the acquaintance of the captain of one 
 of the pleasure yachts who told us 
 many entertaining and some amusing 
 stories. He said a very romantic couple 
 wished to be united in marriage on the 
 ocean beyond the bounds of any country 
 and he was engaged to take them out in 
 his yacht. When they came on board 
 they were overflowing with mirth and 
 happiness, and doubtless the lovers 
 thought that nothing but death could 
 ever separate them. 
 
 As the sails filled and the boat began 
 to move seaward the young lady ex- 
 claimed rapturously, '^Oh, George, isn't 
 this just too lovely? I wish we could 
 sail on and on forever." And the young 
 man made reply as ardently as a lover 
 should on such an occasion. 
 
 But soon the little vessel began to roll 
 in the waters, rising and falling on the 
 waves, and silence crept on apace and 
 also the sensation upon which neither 
 
Skyland and Capitola. 161 
 
 romance nor love has the least effect. 
 
 Presently the young lady bowed her 
 head and George anxiously asked, '^Dar- 
 ling, do you love me now ? ' ' She answered 
 ^'Yes, dear, my love is intense. I can- 
 not describe it. Indeed my heart seems 
 ready to burst with love to you, George, 
 but the very thought of being married 
 overcomes me." 
 
 In a few moments George was seized 
 with the same intense and indescribable 
 feeling and the young, lovely and loving 
 couple withdrew from each others' near 
 presence by mutual consent; and when, 
 the hour of the ceremony came they 
 utterly refused to be married and 
 begged to go home to their mothers. 
 
 They desired no more sailing on and 
 on together, but returned to the shore 
 with single blessedness and also a better 
 idea of matrimony on the deep, and 
 were willing to be married in a more 
 prosaic mode. 
 
 Among the pleasure seekers at Capi- 
 
162 Camping Out in California. 
 
 tola were the members of a brass band 
 from one of the inland towns. They 
 were accompanied by their female 
 friends and judging from the noisy 
 merriment which pervaded their camp 
 until long after midnight, they were a 
 jovial company. 
 
 When the holy and beautiful Sabbath 
 dawned a minister who was there for 
 his health asked permission to hold ser- 
 vices, but was politely informed that 
 they usually had skating or dancing on 
 the Sabbath. He finally succeeded in 
 obtaining the skating rink by agreeing 
 to take a collection to pay for the use 
 of it. 
 
 Notices were posted throughout the 
 camp and out of the hundreds at Capi- 
 tola perhaps fifty attended the service. 
 
 During that beautiful Lord's day pleas- 
 ure and fishing parties left on the yachts 
 and sail boats, larger crowds gathered on 
 the beach at the hours for bathing, the 
 band played its gayest airs, and young 
 
Skyland and Capitola. 16 
 
 girls went strolling away with dudes 
 until we felt compelled to ask ^ 'where 
 are the mothers?" 
 
 While standing in the light of the 
 sweet Lord's day and looking over the 
 crowd of gay pleasure seekers we saw 
 many who nottvithstanding their out- 
 ward enj oyment and apparent happiness 
 had an anxious and careworn look, which 
 betokened sadness of heart and the in- 
 ternal fires of grief. 
 
 As the beautiful bells of the night- 
 shade cannot remove the poisonous na- 
 ture of the plant, so can neither laugh- 
 ter nor mirth drive sadness and re- 
 morse from the heart. ^'I said of laugh- 
 ter. It is mad; and of mirth, What do- 
 cth it?" 
 
 After noticing for some time the 
 young people who were merrily flitting 
 to and fro, like gaudy butterflies among 
 garden trees and flowers, we looked out 
 over the incoming tide and waves. 
 Near the shore the billows were streaked 
 
164 Camphtg Out in California. 
 
 and grim with sand and mud washed 
 up from the bottom of the sea. And 
 then, while standing between the Bible 
 picture and the great reality which it was 
 intended to represent, we found more 
 meaning than ever before in the words 
 of the prophet: ^The wicked are like 
 the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, 
 whose waters cast up mud and dirt; 
 there is no peace for the wicked, saith 
 my God." 
 
 I have no doubt but that very night 
 at Capitola, there was many a sigh 
 from the depths of the immortal soul 
 and many a silent tear on the sleeper's 
 cheek. 
 
 As the shadows of night gathered 
 around us, the revelers became more 
 boisterous. Loud talking and laughing 
 and music and the discharge of firearms 
 lasted until nearly daylight, disturbing 
 the rest of the more quiet and those 
 who suffered from sickness. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 G. A. K. KEUNIONS. 
 
 The next morning we concluded to 
 move to ''Camp Alhambra," a quiet 
 little resort just across the San Lorenzo 
 River, south of Santa Cruz. Here we 
 pitched our tent on a spot of level 
 ground covered with soft grass about 
 forty feet above the beach. We found 
 this place far superior to Capitola. No 
 saloons, consequently everything quiet, 
 orderly and pleasant. The proprietor 
 (Mr. Hall) seemed like an upright and 
 accommodating gentleman. 
 
 Here we could rest in peace without 
 being startled by horrid yells, bitter 
 oaths and discharging pistols. Here 
 we could look upon and contemplate 
 the works of God, without being com- 
 pelled to behold scenes that are calcu 
 
166 Cc^mping Out in California. 
 
 lated to bring tears to the eyes and 
 leave dark spots on the memory. 
 
 Here we could walk out of our tent 
 in the evening twilight, and, looking up 
 into the star spangled heavens and out 
 over the rolling deep and away toward 
 the dark wooded mountains, and listen- 
 ing to the music of nature, grasp the 
 sentiment of the poet: 
 
 "Cathedral, boundless as our wonder, 
 Whose quenchless lamps the sun and moon supply ; 
 
 Its choir, the winds and waves ; its organ, thunder; 
 Its dome, the sky." 
 
 Here, after retiring to rest, we could 
 hear the rhythmical beating of the rising 
 tide against the cliff, and, at short inter- 
 vals, discern, amid the roaring of the 
 waves, something like the discharge of 
 artillery. We thought it must be* 
 caused by the breaking away of a por- 
 tion of the bank and wondered if it 
 could break away as far as our tent. 
 Then to our mind came the promise, 
 ^^Hitherto shalt thou come but no fur- 
 
G. A. R. Reunions. 167 
 
 ther; and here shall thy proud waves 
 be stayed," 
 
 In the morning, when we visited the 
 shore, we found everything as calm 
 and peaceful as on the evening before, 
 and it was sometime ere we learned the 
 cause of these explosions. There were 
 caves along the cliff, which were worn 
 by the surging of the wind-tossed waves, 
 and, at the turn of the full tide, a large 
 wave sealed the mouth of a cave, press- 
 ing the atmosphere before it and the 
 explosion was caused by the breaking 
 of the watery seal. 
 
 Our young folks went bathing in the 
 San Lorenzo and thought it delightful, 
 as it was sheltered from the wind and 
 the water was warmer than in the 
 ocean. In this pleasant place, the 
 river seemed alive with scores of young 
 people, who were not backward in man- 
 ifesting the exhilarating effects of the 
 salt water and sea air upon the youth- 
 ful blood. Some were in deep water 
 
168 Camping Out in California. 
 
 playing with apparent ease, occasionally 
 disappearing for a moment, and then 
 coming up in another place to fill their 
 lungs with fresh air. Others were 
 climbing into boats and then bounding 
 out in the water again, while each en- 
 deavored to excel all the others in 
 laughing and talking the loudest. 
 
 Several of the girls were jumping 
 from the foot bridge, which was a few 
 feet above the water. This to Eda 
 seemed like very fine fun, and she con- 
 cluded to join the party and become a 
 participant in the exercises. Off she 
 went, and, as she could not swim and 
 the water was quite deep, she had a 
 very unpleasant experience and prob- 
 ably would have drowned had there 
 been no others there. She learned, 
 however, the valuable lesson not to 
 jump into danger because others do. 
 
 We drove out to the Santa Cruz light- 
 house, which is far inferior to the one 
 at Point Arena, but the lighthouse mu- 
 
G. A. R. Reunions. 169 
 
 seum is delightful, as it contains beau- 
 tiful shells and wonderful curiosities 
 from various parts of the world. The 
 ladies who have charge of the light- 
 house were very pleasant and accom- 
 modating. 
 
 August fifth was to be a gala day and 
 one long to be remembered in Santa 
 Cruz, as an invitation had been given 
 and accepted and the Grand Army of 
 the Republic was to honor the city 
 with its presence. At an early hour, 
 we crossed the foot bridge which unites 
 Camp Alhambra and Santa Cruz, and 
 in the High School ground awaited 
 the arrival of the G. A. R. The High 
 School building is very fine and com- 
 mands a grand view of the city of the 
 Holy Cross and also of Monterey Bay. 
 
 Bright flags were waving in thebreeze^ 
 and the streets were thronged with gaily 
 dressed people. The plaza had been 
 turned into a bower of evergreens. The 
 pillars upholding the green canopy were 
 
170 Camping Out in California. 
 
 wreathed with flowers . Each pillar was 
 of one variet}^ of blossoms, making a 
 grand display of roses, dahlias, gerani- 
 ums, chrysanthemums and other floral 
 beauties, too numerous to mention. 
 
 Had it not been for the tables within 
 this bower, loaded with rich and sub- 
 stantial provisions, we could have im- 
 agined ourselves near some sylvan re- 
 treat of the fairies. 
 
 The trains came in and the soldiers 
 received hearty cheers, congratulations 
 and such poetical invitations as: 
 
 **Wil] you come to the bower we have shaded for you? 
 Your bread and your meat shall be fresh, sweet and 
 
 new; 
 Then haste to the plaza, ye brave boys in blue, 
 And charge double quick on the big barbecue." 
 
 The Grand Army then marched up 
 the hill, and the aged veterans forgot 
 that they were halt, lame or blind, as 
 with quick step they kept time to the 
 stirring old tune ''Marching Through 
 Georgia," and soon reached the entrance 
 to the feast. We were thinking sadly 
 
G. A. R. Reunions. 171 
 
 of the other brave boys who were lying 
 in nameless graves, when near at hand 
 one soldier broke from the ranks, and 
 with a cry from the heart, such as we 
 did not think it possible for a man to 
 utter, he threw his arms around the 
 neck of one of the bystanders. 
 
 The company halted, but he waved 
 his hand with a *'go on boys," and there 
 they stood, two elderly men locked in a 
 close embrace, tears of joy slowly steal- 
 ing down their bronzed cheeks. 
 
 We never knew whether they were 
 brothers or comrades, but tears filled 
 our eyes at the joy and comfort of the 
 unexpected meeting. 
 
 We thought, will it not be so in the 
 great hereafter, when a ransomed soul 
 ^'washed in the blood of the lamb," 
 enters the city of glory, cheered by 
 bands of heavenly music; will he not 
 here and there, as he walks along the 
 gold paved streets, see some loved and 
 almost forgotten friend, and with a glad 
 
172 Camping Out in California. 
 
 cry of remembrance and joy, the old 
 friends "greet each other there." "Eye 
 hath not seen," therefore we cannot 
 know. 
 
 There were many happy faces and 
 joyous greetings that day, and the 
 bounteous lunch provided by the liberal 
 people, was sufficient not only for the 
 G. A. R., but also for all other visitors. 
 
 We desired to be at San Jose for the 
 reunion of the Grand Army there, so 
 we made preparations in the morning 
 to start eastward again. 
 
 It was with feelings of regret that we 
 visited the beach for the last time. 
 The ocean had proved so interesting to 
 us, such a mysterious world, with its 
 caverns of wealth and woe; its fields 
 and forests filled with life so different 
 from that in the world around us; its 
 everchanging hues and moods, from 
 the hour when with its untiring surge 
 it would seem as if it must sweep on 
 and on and seize everything before it, 
 
G. A. R. Reunions. 175 
 
 to the hour when it would lay peace- 
 fully asleep, reflecting the tender shin- 
 ing of the stars and moon. During 
 our week's stay on the beach we had 
 wandered in our thoughts through the 
 low-lying valleys, among coral groves, 
 and blue and purple sea-flowers, and 
 millions of sporting gold fish. We had 
 walked on the floor of glittering sand 
 and snowy pearl-shells and beheld the 
 green and crimson flags waving in the 
 calm and glassy water as gracefully as 
 the prairie grass waves in a summer 
 breeze. 
 
 We had looked up and beheld white- 
 winged vessels, flying like giant birds, 
 five miles above our heads. We had 
 stood on the tops of lofty mountains 
 with thousands of feet of surging brine 
 above us, and looked down into dark 
 canyons and gorges two and three miles 
 deep. We had wearily climbed those 
 rocky paths that have never been trod- 
 den by human teet until we stood on 
 
174 Camping Out in California. 
 
 some distant islet, and in the midst of 
 the glowing sunlight and the balmy 
 air of a higher realm, a new world. 
 
 "The water is calm and still below, 
 
 For the winds and waves are absent there, 
 And the sands are bright as the stars that glow, 
 
 In the motionless fields of upper air, 
 And life in rare and beautiful forms, 
 
 Is sporting amid those bowers of stone. 
 And is safe when the wrathful spirit of storms 
 
 Has made the top of the waves his own." 
 
 But as we dared not longer linger we 
 turned our faces homeward, and our 
 backs upon the world of water. We 
 concluded to travel by another route 
 and visit the grove of Big Trees. We 
 found the road in excellent condition, 
 and the beautiful forest scenes were re- 
 peated, only the trees and shrubs 
 seemed to have taken on more loveli- 
 ness, for Autumn had touched her 
 brush here and there, adding new and 
 brighter shades to the foliage, and a 
 deeper sense of rest and quietude 
 brooded everywhere. 
 
 In the afternoon we came to the 
 
G. A. R. Reunions. , 175 
 
 road leading off to the Big Trees, and 
 turning into a little field we pitched 
 our tent and then walked to the grove, 
 a very pleasant way through shady 
 dells and across a musical mountain 
 brook. 
 
 The trees would have seemed more 
 wonderful if we had not passed through 
 the forests of immense redwoods of 
 Mendocino county before coming here. 
 
 The ' ^ General Fremont" is said to h ave 
 been honored by the presence of the 
 famous General years ago. It is sixty 
 feet in circumference, and has two 
 holes cut for windows, and another for 
 a stove pipe, as a family lived in it 
 during a cold winter. 
 
 The ''Jumbo" is a stately tree and 
 has a large curious knot projecting 
 from one side, and people whose im- 
 aginative powers ape strong, say it is 
 the exact shape of an elephant's head 
 and trunk. 
 
 The 'Twin Sisters" are tall and 
 
176 Camping Out in California. 
 
 straight, and united at the root where 
 they measure one hundred and twelve 
 feet in circumference. 
 
 But here in the midst of the beautiful 
 and mighty handiwork of God, Satan 
 has one of his little degrading work- 
 shops. We had seen these treacherous 
 man-traps scattered along our journey 
 of near five hundred miles, but we did 
 not expect to see one in this secluded 
 place. As we returned to our tent 
 thinking how the snares of Satan are 
 every where spread to capture the 3^oungy 
 and wondering when the curse of alcohol 
 would disappear, we noticed a very 
 large redwood stump that showed signs 
 of decay. Around this stump stood 
 nine beautiful trees, perhaps twenty 
 feet high and at nearly equal distances 
 apart, forming a circular bower of 
 loveliness. 
 
 And we thought as those green and 
 flourishing trees will b3^e and bye de- 
 stroy that stump, so the glorious circle 
 
G. A. R. Reunions. 177 
 
 of temperance men and women who 
 are banded together to work for the 
 good of suffering humanity, will eventu- 
 ally destroy the whiskey traffic. Next 
 morning we unfortunately chose a 
 very poor road across the mountains, 
 and we found it rough and steep, and 
 the day was hot and the way grew so 
 tiresome that we anxiously looked for 
 the top of the mountain, which we did 
 not reach until about sundown. 
 
 We were granted permission by a 
 gentleman who lived there to put our 
 tent in his yard and the horses in the 
 stable, as we were out of feed. We had 
 expected to reach Skyland, but coming 
 another road were not able to do so. 
 
 The next day being the Sabbath 
 we remained in camp until late in the 
 afternoon, and then walked forth over 
 a little vine-clad hill that was set like 
 a crown on the mountain's brow to 
 bathe in the heavenly sunlight of the 
 Lord^s day, and look from nature to 
 
178 Camping Out in California. 
 
 nature's God. Although the king of 
 day was pouring his effulgence upon 
 us, and the sky was clear, and there 
 was scarcely a breath of wind to stir 
 the leaves on the trees, we could not 
 see the ocean. 
 
 While we looked up into the bright 
 sky we could also look down on the 
 clouds, which were spread over the 
 face of the great deep even to the very 
 horizon. 
 
 On this soft blue mantle of the sea 
 there seemed to be a gentle motion 
 like that of the mirage on the desert, 
 or the waving of silken drapery in a 
 king's palace. But in a short time 
 that mystical robe was folded like a 
 vesture and laid away in the beautiful 
 mansion of God, and the deep blue 
 ocean lay at our feet, apparently not 
 more than a mile beneath us. 
 
 We had been near two days in reach- 
 ing the summit, a distance of about 
 twenty miles from Alhambra, but now 
 
G. A. R. Reunions. 179 
 
 we were startled to find that we had 
 risen only a little above the dashing 
 waves and that the broad Pacific was 
 still spread out before us. Had the 
 ocean followed us up the mountain, or 
 had we during the night fallen back 
 towards our old camp on the beach? 
 But as we knew these to be impossi- 
 bilities, we could onl}^ account for our 
 surprise by considering the fact that 
 great things appear near, while smaller 
 objects appear far away. The heavenly 
 bodies seem near w^hile we imagine men 
 on the plains to be separated from us 
 by such vast distances. 
 
 Here we were led to reflect on the 
 great boundless ocean of God's everlast- 
 ing love which is always near — although 
 sometimes on account of our earthward 
 wanderings and clouds of unbelief, our 
 spiritual vision is so obstructed that we 
 cannot behold the height and depth, 
 the length and breadth of that divine 
 compassion which ''angels desire to 
 
180 Camping Out in California. 
 
 look into." But when those interven- 
 ing clouds are driven away by the 
 bright rays of the sun of righteousness, 
 we gaze with amazement upon the 
 riches of grace and wonder why we 
 ever imagined ourselves so remotely 
 exiled from the unbounded ocean of 
 everlasting love and omnipotence ! 
 
 On this high elevation the land is 
 very productive, the fruit trees, grape- 
 vines and cereals yielding abundantly; 
 while the sheep and cattle seemed to 
 thrive on the brown mountain side 
 
 We were not long the next day in 
 reaching the beautiful valley with its 
 pleasant homes. 
 
 Near the foot of the range and north 
 of Los Gatos we were shown a French 
 prune orchard containing one hundred 
 and sixty acres, from which the fruit 
 that year was sold for sixteen thousand 
 dollars. 
 
 The proprietors of some of the 
 orchards have their own canneries and 
 
G. A. R. Reunions. 181 
 
 evaporators, but the most of the fruit 
 is taken to the Los Gatos and San Jose 
 canneries, which are hives of industry, 
 filled with busy workers who take the 
 luscious fruit as it comes from the trees, 
 and after skillful manipulation send it 
 forth sealed and labeled so that 
 those who live in less fortunate portions 
 of the United States and in far away 
 countries may enjoy California luxu- 
 ries. 
 
 While passing through this charming 
 valley of fruit and flowers we concluded 
 to go a few miles out of our regular 
 course to visit the daughters of John 
 Brown. 
 
 Our young companions who had read 
 the history of the zealous friend of the 
 Negro and his quixotic undertaking, to- 
 gether with his tragical death, were 
 much surprised on learning that two of 
 his children were living only a few 
 miles from the main thoroughfare, and 
 they would not consent to leave the 
 
182 Camping Out in California 
 
 valley without visiting them. 
 
 Our road from Los Gatos to Saratoga 
 lay near the foot-hills, so that while we 
 admired the level valley farms on our 
 right, we also had a grand view of the 
 houses, fields, pastures, orchards and 
 vineyards on the mountain side. 
 
 While conversing with a gentleman 
 in regard to the wealth and advantages 
 of the country, he pointed to a little 
 spot away on what seemed to be the 
 very summit of the range, and said, for 
 several years that was the home of Mrs. 
 John Brown and children, and that it 
 was a beautiful place when once there. 
 
 From Saratoga we headed our team 
 in an easterly direction, and soon 
 reached the place where John Brown's 
 daughters lived. 
 
 On entering the house we were greeted 
 by two very pleasant ladies and imme- 
 diately made to feel at home. They 
 assured us that we were not the only 
 •ones who had called to see them, but 
 
G. A. R Reunions. 183 
 
 that they were visited by people from 
 all parts of the country. The eldest 
 daughter had recently lost her position 
 in the government service, owing to the 
 change in the administration. 
 
 The youngest is married and has a 
 family of intelligent children. They 
 told us many interesting adventures 
 connected with their early life, before, 
 after, and while crossing the plains, 
 thus making our visit a pleasure long 
 to be remembered. After bidding fare- 
 well to those who to us had previously 
 been mere historical characters, but 
 now intimate acquaintances and warm- 
 hearted friends, we returned to our 
 wagon and resumed our journey. As 
 the sun was now sinking low in the 
 West, our horses were encouraged to 
 double their speed so as to reach San 
 Jose before dark. 
 
 When near the city we came upon 
 the wonderful street known as the 
 Alameda. It is three miles long, and 
 
184 Camping Out in California, 
 
 smooth and solid as a stone floor. On 
 either side, and also along the centre, 
 are rows of large trees, thus forming a 
 perfect shade. 
 
 On this avenue were many fast 
 horses and fine carriages in which 
 scores of young ladies and gentlemen 
 were enjoying an evening's ride. As 
 the sun went down and the stars began 
 to shine, we pitched our tent on a 
 vacant lot in the heart of the city, and 
 after our evening's meal we went to a 
 large tent where a protracted meeting 
 was in progress. 
 
 But we were disappointed, the con- 
 gregation was small, and not much 
 spiritual food in the sermon. The main 
 effort of the preacher seemed to be to 
 explain away the plain simple meaning 
 of certain passages in the Bible and to 
 prove all orthodox theologians were in 
 the dark. 
 
 At San Jose the scene of welcoming 
 the G. A. R. was to be repeated. This 
 
G. A. B. Reunions. 185 
 
 city, however, was so level that we could 
 not watch the approach of the con- 
 quering heroes from any eminence, but 
 the multitudes gathered in front of the 
 Court House, where a stand was erected 
 for the honorable speakers. The 
 building was beautifully decorated, as 
 also was the stand, and the vast con- 
 course, arrayed in holiday attire, were 
 patientl}^ awaiting the great procession, 
 and when the brave generals appeared, 
 cheer after cheer went up from the 
 patriotic assemblage. 
 
 Mayor Breyfogle gave them a gracious 
 w^elcome. Commander-in-Chief Fair- 
 childs made response, '' 'Our eyes have 
 seen the glory of the Lord this morning, 
 and our hearts are rejoiced at the sight 
 of this beautiful valley and city. Many 
 of us have come from thousands of 
 miles away to this golden shore, and if 
 there is an old soldier in all this gath- 
 ering that ever regretted the pains, the 
 bruises, the heartaches caused by or 
 
186 Camping Out in California. 
 
 incident to the war, his balm has come 
 in his journey across this broad land, 
 in witnessing the prosperity that has 
 come to all portions of our beloved 
 country." 
 
 General Logan was received with 
 hearty cheers and several enthusiastic 
 admirers exclaimed ''Our next Presi- 
 dent." After a moment's silence he said: 
 ''I do not see how anyone could make 
 Sk speech to this vast audience; I 
 certainly cannot. All T have to say 
 to-day is this: Something more than 
 forty years ago this country was settled 
 by Americans. You have given us a 
 grand and patriotic reception, for 
 which we are all under many obliga- 
 tions to the patriotic citizens of this 
 beaatiful city. To California we give 
 the honors of having given the grandest 
 reception to the old soldiers that we 
 have liad anywhere in our country. 
 For that we return our most heartfelt 
 thanks. Our friend Lee said something 
 
O. A. R. Bevnions. 187 
 
 about Ohio. We all agree that Ohio is a 
 great State. But there are other people 
 represented here as well as those of 
 Ohio. They may not he as good, per- 
 haps, hut there are as many of them. 
 Massachusetts, ConnecticutjMaine, New 
 York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, 
 Ohio (of course), Indiana, Illinois, and 
 all of the States that participated 
 in preserving this great government. 
 For all these States I take responsibility 
 of saying that all the visitors have been 
 gratified at the manner in which they 
 have been received by the people of 
 California, and each and every one will 
 carry home in his heart gratitude to 
 this people for their kindness and 
 generous bearing towards the old vet- 
 erans that have come so far to visit 
 this golden shore. Ladies and gentle- 
 men, I thank you for the manner in 
 which I myself have been treated. I 
 thank you for your kindness and gen- 
 erosity, and I hope the time will come 
 
188 Camping Out in California. 
 
 when we shall meet here or elsewhere, 
 and that you may enjoy health, peace, 
 happiness and prosperity." 
 
 As General Logan left the stand in 
 the midst of deafening cheers how little 
 did any in the great congregation real- 
 ize that his life was so soon to end on 
 earth! And, as for himself, to all 
 appearances in perfect health, he prob- 
 ably had not the slightest idea that the 
 bright sun of his promising life was 
 about to go down at noon. 
 
 After the concluding address the 
 party adjourned to enjoy the lunch in 
 St. James Park. Although the grounds 
 were not arranged so artistically as at 
 Santa Cruz, the tables were protected 
 from the too fervent rays of the sun by 
 canvas awnings, and decorated with 
 evergreens and flowers. 
 
 The lunch was bountiful, and it was 
 estimated that eight thousand persons 
 ate to repletion. Among the decora- 
 tions in the park was an immense slab 
 
G. A, R. Reunions. 189 
 
 of ice, weighing one thousand pounds, 
 from the Los Gatos Ice Manufactory. 
 Frozen in the slab were four baskets, 
 two of fruit and two of flowers, main- 
 taining their original color and shape. 
 After lunch we ascended the dome of 
 the Court House and looked over the 
 ^'Garden City.'' It is no wonder that 
 the residents are proud of their beau- 
 tiful valle3\ On the East lay the foot- 
 hills, and the vineyards, orchards, gar- 
 dens and stubble fields, with their differ- 
 ent colors, light and dark, presenting an 
 appearance that we could liken to noth- 
 ing less than an immense crazy quilt. 
 And all the surrounding valley was 
 teeming with beauty, wealth, and pros- 
 perity, while the city itself was a vast 
 scene of joyous festivity. Every busi- 
 ness house, and all the principal resi- 
 dences were gracefully decorated with 
 flags, badges, and other appropriate 
 emblems of welcome. The most con- 
 spicuous and profusely decorated was 
 
190 Camping Out in California. 
 
 the electric tower. From the top of the 
 tower, a distance of two hundred feet, 
 depended at each corner a line of flags, 
 shields, and Grand Army emblems. 
 A large gilt ball was swinging in the 
 center of the tower, and long lines of 
 bunting diverged from this ball form- 
 ing a lovely canopy. On two sides were 
 G. A. R. badges, about seven feet in 
 length, and on the corners large por- 
 traits of the leading generals, Grant, 
 Sherman, Logan, Sheridan and several 
 others. Then the arches and girders 
 were twined, with evergreens, which 
 gave a rich and beautiful effect to the 
 whole structure. 
 
 Among the bright new banners dis- 
 played throughout the city, there floated 
 some of the old tattered and battle-worn 
 flags which had cheered many a brave 
 soldier on to victory, or death. After 
 the day^s parade was over we accepted 
 the invitation of kind friends to camp 
 at the Willows — two miles from the 
 
Q. A. R. Reunions. 191 
 
 business part of the city — and were 
 soon pleasantly resting under the shade 
 of a wide-spreading walnvit tree. In the 
 evening we had the pleasure of accom- 
 panying the family to the Horticultural 
 Hall, where the San Joseans had an 
 exhibition of fruit, flowers and works 
 of art. There were very many artistic 
 and striking arrangements. One most 
 unique was a chariot made of different 
 seeds, standing in a field of grain, with 
 a lady arrayed to represent the goddess 
 Ceres sitting in the chariot. 
 
 A beautiful representation of the 
 goddess Pomona was a handsome ship 
 laden with tempting fruit entering the 
 Golden Gate. The ocean was bounded 
 by tiny sketches of California scenery, 
 showing the different trees, ferns and 
 grasses of the country, while in the 
 background were glimpses of Lake 
 Tahoe and New York harbor. An altar 
 of beautiful blossoms of every shade and 
 variety had been erected to the goddess. 
 
192 Camping Out in California, 
 
 Flora, whose statue adorned with bright 
 hiied garlands, crowned the lovely 
 structure. 
 
 The statue of " Ruth the Gleaner'^ 
 was artistically arranged with cereals 
 and grasses. 
 
 A large bear was also added to the 
 other attractions. Not a dangerous 
 grizzly, but one more pleasant looking 
 and interesting formed of moss and 
 flowers. 
 
 The gallery walls were covered with 
 a grand collection of pictures, all inter- 
 esting and some most beautiful. Around 
 the hall were tables loaded, 3^es, almost 
 groaning beneath their burden of fruit; 
 for every kind of fruit — and the best 
 specimens — that is raised in California 
 had been brought here to prove that all 
 the credit ascribed to this State is fully 
 merited. 
 
 It would be in vain to attempt a de- 
 scription of the wealth and beauty here 
 displayed, but we could fully sympathize 
 
G. A. R. BemAor.s. 193^ 
 
 with the sentiment of a small boy who 
 was standing Avith a large cluster of 
 purple grapes in one hand and a two 
 pound pear in the other as he exclaimed, 
 ^'I tell you California is the boss place 
 for a boy like me." 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE orphans' home. 
 
 We remained at the Willows over 
 the Sabbath. In the morning and 
 evening we attended church, where we 
 heard two excellent sermons. In the 
 afternoon we accepted a kind invitation 
 to dine with our friends, after which we 
 spent an hour with them in a pleasant 
 Bible service. 
 
 Before leaving this great center of 
 population, we concluded to ascend the 
 mountains east of the city in order to 
 have an elevated and better view of one 
 of the most beautiful valleys in the 
 world. 
 
 We harnessed our team early in the 
 morning and were soon climbing the 
 meandering road and passing fertile 
 farms some of which seemed almost 
 standing on edge. As the day was hot 
 
The Orphans' Home. 195 
 
 and the road far steeper than we had 
 expected to find it, we did not reach 
 the most elevated point until late in 
 the afternoon. 
 
 From this exalted position we had a 
 fine view of the fertile valley as it lay 
 like a vast plain before us, checked with 
 straight roads, dotted with thousands 
 of costly houses, and gloriously orna- 
 mented with vineyards and orchards. 
 
 Away in the distance was the south- 
 ern extremity of the bay, glistening in 
 the sunlight, and pointing like a finger 
 of the ocean directly toward us, while 
 between the end of that ocean-finger 
 and the mountain on which we stood 
 lay quietly nestled among flourishing 
 trees the little town of Milpitas. 
 
 And then a long train of cars seemed 
 to shoot out of the city and went glid- 
 ing away through the distant fields, to 
 us as noiseless as the retreat of some 
 monster serpent. 
 
 Here we were reminded of Moses as 
 
196 Camping Out in California. 
 
 he stood on the heights of Nebo viewing 
 the promised land which he could not 
 possess. The country before us was in- 
 deed a goodly land flowing with milk 
 and honey and strewn with purple 
 grapes and blushing peaches, a land of 
 rose-fringed gardens and sparkling 
 fountains, a land within whose borders 
 an acre is an Eden and a cottage a pal- 
 ace, a land of cloudless summers, gold- 
 en days, and balmy nights. But in it 
 we had no home, no inheritance. 
 "Luck and chance happeneth to all 
 men," and how fortunate were those 
 who settled in this rich valley in an 
 early day. If they did not find the 
 fountain of youth, they found a natural 
 garden and one of the most delightful 
 places outside of paradise. We returned 
 by a different road which seemed like 
 the staging on the side of a high build- 
 ing as we looked into the green canyon 
 so far beneath our feet. 
 
 We were not long however in reach- 
 
The Orphans' Home. 197 
 
 ing the valley, and as the sun was not 
 yet doAvn, we had a lovely view of the 
 surrounding country and also the pleas- 
 ant home of Rusticus,andthoughtthatwe 
 better than ever before understood why 
 his pen like Aaron's rod could blossom 
 into such deep and flowery sentences. 
 The tree of life yields its fruit ever}- 
 month, but the pen of Rusticus yields 
 its fruit every week ! 
 
 Some noted author has advised young 
 people to read a rich book before at- 
 tempting to write for the press. But 
 
 Dr. B reads the book of nature, the 
 
 very book from whose fragrant and deli- 
 cate pages our Saviour taught his dis- 
 ciples such precious lessons of faith. 
 And this book is open and reveals 
 some of its brightest pictures on every 
 side of his house. We reached our 
 tent as the twilight was gathering 
 around us. 
 
 On the following day we started for 
 home and as our horses had enjoyed a 
 
198 Camping Out in California. 
 
 long rest we moved over the road with 
 considerable speed. That night we 
 camped near Danville, and the next 
 night at dark reached Martinez, where 
 we had considerable difficulty in find- 
 ing a place to camp, as the bitter feeling 
 towards campers had not yet died out. 
 
 Early the next morning we crossed 
 the ferry, passed through Benicia and 
 reached Vallejo about the middle of the 
 day. We left the boys to prepare the 
 lunch while we visited the Good Tem- 
 plars' Orphan Home. 
 
 It is a fine large building, situated 
 on a high hill which commands a grand 
 view of the bay and surrounding coun- 
 try. The school house stands but a 
 few feet from the main edifice. 
 
 The matron was very kind and seemed 
 pleased to show us through the estab- 
 lishment. The inmates had just re- 
 covered from a siege of measles, there 
 having been over ninety cases, but such 
 good attention had they received that 
 
The Orphans' Home. 199 
 
 among so many taken from homes of 
 poverty and disease only three or four 
 proved fatal. 
 
 The rooms were all pleasant and the 
 beds nice and comfortable. In the 
 nursery we found some little suffering 
 children who had just been brought 
 from the homes of drunkards, and our 
 eyes filled with tears as we gazed on 
 the wan pinched features and emaciated 
 forms. One was covered with bruises 
 and sores which too plainly indicated 
 the treatment it had received from 
 those whose love and sympathy had 
 been utterly destroyed by the demon 
 of strong drink. 
 
 But the children who had been there 
 long enough to recover from the chill 
 of their miserable homes, seemed well, 
 contented and happy. They were greeted 
 with smiles and caresses, and had an 
 abundance of clothing and food. We 
 visited the well filled store-room and 
 were in the kitchen and dining-room as 
 
200 Camping Out in Calijornia. 
 
 dinner was being prepared, and a better 
 or more substantial meal is not needed 
 in any home. The yards and playrooms 
 were pleasant and convenient for all 
 kinds of weather. 
 
 We have forgotten how many were 
 old enough to attend school, but there 
 were four rooms well filled, and they 
 appeared as attentive and orderly as 
 pupils in anyordinary school, and some 
 we noticed were very quick in their 
 answers. 
 
 Each department in this large Home 
 seemed to be under the care of judicious 
 and well trained helpers, and we think 
 the Good Templars may well be proud 
 of having rescued so many helpless 
 children from an evil life and given 
 them a chance to rise in the world. 
 
 It seems to me that no reasonable 
 person after visiting this purely benev- 
 olent institution could speak lightly 
 of the I. O. G. T. If their work should 
 accomplish nothing more, they should 
 
The Orphans^ itome. 261 
 
 be held in high esteem by all lovers of 
 suffering humanity. So many inno- 
 cent children, many of whom as some 
 one has said 'Svere not born but damned 
 into the world," fed, clothed, educated 
 and trained up in the way they should 
 go. 
 
 May the Good Templars go forward 
 with this glorious work, until the vic- 
 tory is won and there will be no need 
 of charitable homes for drunkards' 
 children ! 
 
 Leaving Vallejo late in the afternoon 
 we traveled but a few miles before the 
 sun went down, and we were granted 
 permission to camp in an open field 
 near the road. We had scarcely begun 
 to prepare supper w^hen a boy brought 
 us a pail full of fresh milk which we 
 all enjoyed very much. 
 
 The next morning we were early on 
 the road, passing vast vineyards that 
 were loaded with green, red, and purple 
 grapes which hung in immense clusters 
 
202 Camping Out in California. 
 
 from the bending vines, and some were 
 resting on the ground. Occasionally we 
 would see a passer-by alight from his 
 horse or carriage, and step among the 
 drooping vines and in a moment return 
 with three or four bunches of the de- 
 licious fruit. They did this with as 
 much composure and indifference as 
 though they were among their own 
 vines. As our young folks desired 
 some of the tempting grapes and we did 
 not wish to encourage them to take 
 what did not belong to them, we called 
 at a house to purchase a small quantity 
 to eat on the way. 
 
 But when the lady of the house said 
 "help yourselves" we concluded that in 
 this country the law of Moses is fully 
 recognized and endorsed, ''When thou 
 comest into thy neighbor's vineyard, 
 then thou mayest eat grapes tliy fill at 
 thine own pleasure, but thou shalt not 
 put any in thy vessel." It is certainly 
 a great [)rivilege for a poor, weary 
 
The Orphans' Home. 203 
 
 traveler on a hot day to eat freely of 
 such luscious fruit ''without money 
 and without price/' and at the same 
 time to know that there is no suspicious 
 eye upon him. 
 
 And thus the generosity and noble- 
 ness of the people were clearly revealed. 
 
 Late in the afternoon we reached the 
 residence of a friend, who for two years 
 had been a near neighbor, but had 
 moved away about a year before this 
 time. We stopped our team a short 
 distance from the house and Eda took 
 a pail and went in and asked her old 
 friend for some water. 
 
 As the lady returned from the well,, 
 she asked, "Which way are you going?'' 
 and as Eda attempted to reply, she 
 said, "Oh you little rogue," and push- 
 ing back the broad sun-hat kissed her 
 affectionately. 
 
 We were immediately invited into 
 the parlor and our horses put into the 
 barn. Here we enjoyed a very pleas- 
 
204 Camping Out in California. 
 
 ant visit of three days and were treated 
 with more than kindness. On the Sab- 
 bath we rode with our friends in a fine 
 carriage to Napa City and listened to 
 an unuiaually eloquent and forcible ser- 
 mon, a portion of which we still re- 
 member. The home of our friends was 
 on one side of the valley and on ele- 
 vated ground, consequently we were 
 able to see the dark hills beyond the 
 plain. After returning from church, 
 and as the lovely Sabbath was flying 
 away toward the west, and fluttering 
 its golden plumage over the distant 
 hills and filling the pure atmosphere 
 with its glowing radiance, we endeav- 
 ored to recall our thoughts, and words, 
 and actions, and wondered ^if the de- 
 parting Lord's day would return with 
 an olive leaf to meet us in the dying 
 hour, and cheer us at the entrance of 
 the dark valley. 
 
 We are so apt when meeting with 
 precious friends, from whom we have 
 
The Orphans' Home. 205 
 
 long been separated, to spend even 
 much of the Sabbath in speaking our 
 own words. Old time scenes must be 
 recalled, losses, crosses and disappoint- 
 ments must be rehearsed, future pros- 
 pects must be noticed, children's pres- 
 ent and future welfare must not be 
 overlooked, and thus how easy to allow 
 the precious moments of Sunday to 
 glide away without drawing from them 
 such spiritual strength as they are in- 
 tended to bestow on the spiritually 
 minded Christian. And thus many 
 times 
 
 "In the varied range of thought 
 The one thing needful is forgot." 
 
 But after the day had flown beyond 
 our sight, and the silvery dawn had 
 disappeared in the shadow of the west- 
 ern hills, we opened the Bible and read 
 the word of light and life, and then 
 bowed around the family altar and im- 
 plored pardon for the mistakes and 
 negligence of the day, and committed 
 
S06 Camping Diit in California. 
 
 ourselves to the sacred care of him who 
 never sleeps. 
 
 Our visit was so pleasant, it was with 
 feelings of sadness we bade our friends 
 adieu and continued our journey home- 
 ward* The day was delightful, and 
 through the pure atmosphere we could 
 see far down towards the shimmering 
 bay, and far along the mountains in 
 the direction of St. Helena, and across 
 the vale where vineyards were clinging 
 to the foothills, and flowers adorned 
 cottages, from Avhose clear windows 
 could be seen a vast and beautiful 
 country, over which daily trains move 
 with lightning speed. 
 
CHAPTER X, 
 
 INSANE ASYLUM. 
 
 When we reached the Napa Insane 
 Asylum, to gratify the curiosity of all 
 the party, we concluded to visit this 
 wonderful institution. 
 
 As we tied our horses and started to- 
 ward the great edifice, Linnie wondered 
 which one of the company the people 
 would think was going there to remain. 
 And judging from the manner in which 
 several finely dressed ladies and gentle- 
 men looked at us, there was no small 
 effort to decide which was the lunatic* 
 
 After passing the main entrance, the 
 guide took us into one of the wards 
 which was filled with women, some of 
 whom were melancholy and quiet, oth- 
 ers seemed happy and talked inces- 
 santly. Before we were half way 
 through the ward, we were surrounded 
 
208 Campihg Out in California. 
 
 by the latter class, each endeavoring to 
 claim our attention to some amusing 
 or ridiculous story. 
 
 One middle aged woman said she 
 knew us all and was very glad to meet 
 us again. Another seemed anxious to 
 talk on the subject of religion. She 
 said the last minister who preached for 
 them was a good preacher and a nice 
 looking man, but she did not like him 
 because he had such big feet. She did 
 not seem to comprehend the scripture 
 which says, ^'How beautiful are the 
 feet of them that preach the gospel of 
 peace." 
 
 While passing through the men^s de- 
 partment, we noticed several large, 
 fleshy young fellows around a table 
 playing cards. They appeared to us to 
 be in perfect health, and we wondered 
 if some of them had not deceived the 
 physician and succeeded in obtaining a 
 home in the asylum where they could 
 live comfortably without work. 
 
Insane Asylum. 209 
 
 We also noticed a tall, venerable look- 
 ing man who was walking back and 
 forth the whole length of the ward 
 talking very earnestly all the while, 
 and were told that he was a minister. 
 This to us did not seem strange, be- 
 cause when we consider the trials, anx- 
 ieties and hardships of most ministers, 
 we cannot but think it a miracle of 
 God's mercy that many more do not go 
 insane. 
 
 Before we had gone halfway through 
 the building, several hundreds of those 
 who were not dangerous and many of 
 them convalescent, were let out into 
 the yards; and leaving Harry and Ben 
 in front of the asylum, we went with 
 the guide among more than two hun- 
 dred crazy women. Here was every 
 type of insanity in its mild form. One 
 young woman, somewhat fantastically 
 dressed, claimed to be the Queen of 
 England, and would not associate with 
 the others. Another said she was Lady 
 
210 Campivg Out in California. 
 
 Washington. One little hump-backed 
 woman, perhaps forty years of age, ran 
 up to Will, threw her arms around him 
 and said, ''O Jimmy, Jimmy, I am so 
 glad to see .you." 
 
 Will blushed like a child and endeav- 
 ored to get away from the little lunatic, 
 as he afterwards called her, but she 
 continued to cling to him, exclaiming, 
 ^'No, no, you needn't let on like you 
 don't know me. We were engaged, and 
 your cruel father wouldn't let you 
 marry me." 
 
 The poor boy succeeded in freeing 
 himself from her embrace and hastened 
 beyond her reach and seemed very anx- 
 ious to leave the enclosure, as he did 
 not know who would be the next one to 
 claim him. As our brave young man 
 was endeavoring to retreat, some of the 
 inmates looked as if they felt indig- 
 nant to tliink one of their company 
 should be so rude and unladylike; oth- 
 ers clapped their hands and laughed as 
 
Insane Asylum. 211 
 
 heartily as little children at play. 
 Another who was quite young and 
 had rather a mischievous look, followed 
 immediately behind the guide, stepping 
 very cautiously and bending low as if 
 to conceal herself, and, at the same 
 time, pointing with both forefingers to- 
 ward the back of his head. We in- 
 quired for one whose parents we knew, 
 and she was presently brought by one 
 of the ladies in attendance, but she 
 seemed somewhat sullen and answered 
 our questions mostly in monosyllables^ 
 until asked if she did not want to see 
 her folks, wlien she replied, "No, they 
 are all too crazy," We had much sym- 
 pathy for this unfortunate girl and her 
 friends. She belongs to an excellent 
 family, and was herself a bright and 
 lovely young lady before she lost her 
 mind. After leaving this yard, we 
 were again taken into the building and 
 conducted to a window, from which we 
 could se3 the men, who in like manner 
 
212 Camping Out in California. 
 
 had been let out for exercise and recre- 
 ation. Here we beheld a pandemonium. 
 Some were quarrelling, some were 
 singing, some were preaching, some were 
 talking politics and religion, and many 
 were uttering bitter oaths. Passages of 
 scripture and the name of God were 
 mingled with awful profanity. Even 
 those who pretended to preach the gos- 
 pel interspersed their solemn and earn- 
 estly spoken words with such blasphe- 
 mous expressions, that we shuddered 
 and turned away with horror. We 
 were taken into the drug department, 
 which contained all the medicines nec- 
 essary for such an institution, and also 
 many curiosities. The physician had 
 the appearance of a pleasant, kind- 
 hearted and courteous gentleman, and 
 after a short conversation, we felt as- 
 sured that he was the right man in the 
 right place. 
 
 The kitchen interested the girls, as 
 everything was on such a large scale 
 
Insane Asylum. 213 
 
 and in complete order. The range was 
 immense, and the kettles, which were 
 filled with oat meal and graham mush» 
 we thought would hold more than a 
 barrel each, and we were told that they 
 used nearly seven barrels of flour daity 
 There were about fourteen hundred pa- 
 tients in the asylum, besides the em- 
 ployees. 
 
 Beneath the building were railroads 
 and cars, on which the provisions were 
 carried to the elevators and then raised 
 into the several dining rooms and placed 
 on the tables, or taken to those who 
 were unable to leave their rooms. 
 Thus the inhabitants were necessarily 
 compelled to await the arrival of the 
 train three times daily in order to re- 
 ceive their regular meals. 
 
 As we passed from the building, we 
 found the convalescents enjoying the 
 freedom of the flow^er bordered walks, 
 lawns and arbors, while a band was 
 playing for their entertainment. 
 
214 Camping Out in California ^ 
 
 They all seemed to enjoy the music, 
 and, at the conclusion, one woman 
 caught a hat from the head of a person 
 standing near, and ran from one to an- 
 other, as if to take a collection. 
 
 After returning to our wagon, we 
 drove around the asylum, which wo 
 were told is just a mile. We allowed 
 our horses to walk slowly in order to 
 have a better view of this wonderful ed- 
 ifice, with its lofty domes, numerous 
 windows and irregular form. 
 
 Through most of the windows we 
 could see faces. Some were calm and 
 pleasant, and others wore the expres- 
 sion of gloom, telling more plainly than 
 words could express of internal grief 
 and blighted hopes. One middle aged 
 woman thrust her arm ovit between the 
 bars and pointing to us exclaimed, '^just 
 from Missouri." 
 
 Leaving the asylum, we passed 
 through the beautiful city of Napa, and 
 then for seveial miles almost one vast 
 
Insane Asylum. 215 
 
 vineyard, in which hundreds of China- 
 men were at work gathering, boxing 
 and loading in wagons for the wineries 
 tons of grapes, which if not as large as 
 those of Eschol, were, no doubt, equal 
 in beauty and flavor. But the thousands 
 of tons of grapes raised in this valley 
 are mostly made into w^ine and much of 
 it drank by the people of California. 
 Those who are engaged in the lucrative 
 occupation believe they are doing noth- 
 ing contrary to the law^s of God or the 
 spirit of the gospel, and many of them 
 are active church members. 
 
 One writer, when speaking of grape 
 culture in this valley remarks, ''Why, a 
 little generous wine ought to enrich the 
 blood and inspire nobility of thought. 
 If it does more than this — if it becomes 
 a demon to drive men and hogs into 
 the sea — then it is evident that both 
 were on too low a plane of existence for 
 any safe exaltation. But shall the 
 vineyards be rooted up for all this? It 
 
216 Camping Out in California. 
 
 is better to drown the swine and let the 
 grapes still grow purple on the hillsides. '^ 
 
 We could see some reason in such a 
 sentiment if there were none to suffer 
 except the swine. But if the blood of 
 the grape flowing into and enriching 
 the noble blood of the swine can 
 change them into ferocious wolves and 
 tigers and send them into ten thous- 
 and homes to tear out the hearts of 
 ^vomen and innocent children, and 
 stain doors and hearthstones with their 
 blood and brains, then in God's name 
 root up the vineyards and let the swine 
 die a natural death. 
 
 The drunkard's pale faced wife and 
 •emaciated child need only kind treat- 
 ment and wholesome food to enrich 
 their blood and ennoble their thoughts. 
 Eut they are deprived of these blessings 
 by the blood enriching and thought in- 
 spiring wine that is poured into the 
 stomachs of their liege lords. 
 
 We believe if those grapes were made 
 
Insane Asylum. 217 
 
 into raisins and used freely instead of 
 wine, they would be more enriching to 
 the blood and more inspiring to the 
 thoughts without the evil consequences 
 that often follow the drinking of wine, 
 and women and children could equally 
 and conscientiously share the blessings 
 with their husbands and big boys. 
 
 Christian people would not encourage 
 wine making if it was not a profitable 
 business, consequently, those who pre- 
 fer to put a stumbling block in a weak 
 brother's way, rather than follow in 
 poverty the blood stained footsteps of 
 the Master, who had not where to lay 
 his head, should look well to their 
 ways. 
 
 We reached the town of Rutlierford 
 a little before sunset and pitched our 
 tent in front of the cemetery, whose si- 
 lent residents s'eemed nearer to us and 
 on fully as intimate terms as the many 
 who passed and repassed, glancing cas- 
 ually at our mystical residence, which ^ 
 
218 Campirig Out in California. 
 
 like Jonah's gourd, sprang up at night 
 only to disappear in the morning. 
 
 That evening we accepted the invita- 
 tion of the country church bell and at- 
 tended religious services. The sanc- 
 tuary was well filled, and the sermon 
 was practical, instructive and delivered 
 with considerable earnestness. 
 
 The next forenoon we reached St. 
 Helena, one of the neatest and most 
 beautiful towns we had seen. Here 
 we tarried to visit a number of acquain- 
 tances, and then passed along through 
 the same vast vineyard to Calistoga. 
 This village is near the head of the 
 valley and the terminus of the railroad. 
 Here there are several hot springs, 
 which are said to possess great medic- 
 inal properties. One is called the chick- 
 en broth spring, but, judging from the 
 taste, we thought it a. poor substitute 
 for chicken broth. We were told that 
 laundry women sometimes did their 
 washing at one of these springs in 
 order to save fuel. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 CROSSING ST. HELENA. 
 
 The next morning we began to ascend 
 the well known St. Helena mountain. 
 We started early, so as to arrive as near 
 as we possibly could to the summit 
 before the heat of the day, as the road 
 in places was very steep and it was five 
 miles to the top. 
 
 Although the air was cool and fragrant 
 with dying flowers, withering grass, and 
 fading leaves, the rising sun seemed to 
 roll from the far distant hills a flood of 
 glory upon us, and in the pine trees 
 through Avhose green and silent 
 branches glimmered the morning sun- 
 beams the happy little birds were 
 chanting anthems of praise to the 
 Creator of all. 
 
 Occasionally we would stop to look 
 back upon the road over which we had 
 
220 Campihg Out in California. 
 
 traveled and view the valley beneath, 
 and as we ascended the mountain new 
 scenes continually burst upon our vis- 
 ion. The road w^as wide and far from 
 being dangerous, yet from one place we 
 could look into a ravine to a depth of 
 two or three hundred feet. 
 
 The girls who preferred to walk were 
 not backward in expressing their ad- 
 miration of the many pleasing and in- 
 teresting scenes. 
 
 They would look into the deep moun- 
 tain vases from which vast, fragrant, 
 and evergreen boquets arose, filling the 
 morning air with a rich and spicy per- 
 fume. 
 
 Then they would gaze upward among 
 the low bushes with which the rocks 
 were modestly adorned. Occasionally 
 they would stop in the shade of some 
 spreading oak or drooping pine to ad- 
 mire the morning rays that fell like 
 glittering grains of diamond dust among 
 the scalloped leaves and slender needles; 
 
Crossing' St. Helena, 221 
 
 and also to speak pleasant words to the 
 little birds that ventured near as if de- 
 sirous of becoming better acquainted 
 and knowing more of that creature who 
 was made in the ''image of God." 
 
 It was near the middle of the day, 
 when we reached the summit, and 
 although we had moved so slowly and 
 stopped so frequently we were a little 
 tired and consequently concluded to 
 tarry on the mountain top "and rest a 
 while." 
 
 All the way up the winding stairs of 
 three thousand feet the horizon wid- 
 ened to our view, and now as we stood 
 on the roof of Helena's vast and lofty 
 structure we could look far away beyond 
 other towering pinnacles into the blue 
 and purple haze of the misty cloud land, 
 while just below us lay the pleasant 
 village of Calistoga with its hot springs 
 and feathery palms. 
 
 A lively breeze was now passing 
 through the trees, and a few curled and 
 
22^ Camping Out m California. 
 
 woolly clouds were flying with eaglets 
 flight above our heads, causing the 
 shadows to glide across the valley and 
 up the mountain side with the velocity 
 of the red deer that once ran un- 
 molested over these very grounds. 
 
 And as we gazed above us, beneath 
 us, and around us, one of our company 
 repeated the words of a modern traveler 
 as he stood on the summit of Mount 
 Tabor. 
 
 "Thought after thought in countless throng 
 Comes chasing countless thought along." 
 
 After we had rested and carefully 
 viewed the surrounding country, we 
 plunged into the dark woods on the 
 north side of the mountain and began 
 to descend toward a little valley far in 
 the distance. 
 
 Here we did not find the road quite 
 as steep as on the south side, but it 
 wound back and forth in a remarkable 
 manner. At one place Ben and Harry 
 sprang from the wagon, ran down a 
 
Crossing St. Helena, 223 
 
 rugged declivity and stood in the road 
 at least a half mile in advance of the 
 team. 
 
 In a short time we had for a travel- 
 ing companion a beautiful little stream 
 that for several miles marched abreast 
 of the horses. It danced and laughed 
 and sang so sweetly that we almost for- 
 got we were "homeward bound" as we 
 listened to the soft tunes that the joy- 
 ful brook pla3^ed on the stone keys and 
 willow harps. 
 
 This enchanting streamlet was still 
 robed in summer attire, and adorned 
 with grass and flowers that were fresh 
 and fragrant, while its cheerful brow 
 was fanned by the waving ferns. 
 
 It occasionally kissed the drooping 
 boughs of the fir, and breathed on the 
 tassels of the pine, and sprinkled the 
 fading leaves of the oak as if desirous 
 of seeing them refreshed. 
 
 At the foot of the mountain we parted 
 with our babbling companion which 
 
224 Camping Out in California. 
 
 turned off in another direction and dis- 
 appeared among tall madronas and 
 pines that stood in the shade of the dark 
 hills with only their topmost boughs 
 penetrating the golden sunlight. 
 
 About the middle of the afternoon 
 we reached the village of Middletown, 
 situated near the centre of a fertile and 
 well cultivated valley. 
 
 Here our young campers enjoyed a 
 pleasant visit with a number of those 
 who had been their schoolmates. 
 
 From Middletown we continued our 
 journey and after passing many beauti- 
 ful farms and a large flouring mill we 
 found ourselves slowly ascending an- 
 other mountain which from its peculiar 
 shape is called Mt. Cobb. 
 
 About dark we reached the toll gate, 
 when a little man, without saying a 
 word, reached out his hand for the 
 money. 
 
 Our horses were now tired, but as we 
 could find no suitable spot for our 
 
Crossing St. Selena. 225 
 
 wagon and tent, we moved on and reached 
 the summit about nine o'clock. 
 
 Here we concluded to camp by the 
 roadside in the midst of huge rocks. 
 
 Presently the boys had a roaring fire 
 blazing from a hollow place on the top 
 of a rock that was as large as a small 
 house, and on that foundation of sclid 
 stone we surrounded the bright fire that 
 lit up the trees around, to drink our tea 
 from tin cups, and enjoy our stale 
 bread and broiled rabbit steak. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 HOME AT LAST. 
 
 The next morning was the Sabbath, 
 and as we were very uncomfortably 
 situated, we arose early and drove to 
 Glenbrook, a distance of four miles. 
 
 The descent was not steep and the 
 pleasant woods, the picturesque rocks, 
 the fallen trees, moss and fern covered, 
 which surrounded us on every side, en- 
 abled us to decide that this was the 
 most delightful mountain we had found 
 in our journey. 
 
 We soon reached a little glen and 
 hrook between two mountains, and one 
 of the loveliest summer resorts in the 
 State. 
 
 The brook fed by living springs which 
 have their birth in the cool, leafy re- 
 
Home at Last. 227 
 
 ceses of the mountains, ripples with a 
 musical flow over the rocks all through 
 the long, dry summer, and the water is 
 ever clear and cold. 
 
 Here we camped over the Sabbath, 
 close by a little fall in the shade of the 
 willows which grew along the brink, and 
 if the weather had not been quite so 
 warm this would have been a delightful 
 camping ground. 
 
 Among the green grass which bor- 
 dered the stream were blooming many 
 varieties of lovely wild flowers, while 
 the grapevines and feathery clematis 
 bending their graceful forms over the 
 limpid brook found cosy hiding places 
 where the care-free birds swayed to and 
 fro entertaining us with their sweetest 
 notes of melody, which, mingling with 
 the gentle cadence of the waterfall, made 
 music which seemed in perfect harmony 
 with the quiet rest of the Sabbath. 
 
 As we watched the happy birds that 
 went darting back and forth among the 
 
228 Camping Out in California. 
 
 boughs SO full of life and happiness, we 
 thought of the words of Luther. When 
 in deep distress of mind, he pointed to 
 a little bird that was singing sweetly, 
 and said: ''Happy creature; he leaves 
 God to think for him." 
 
 What a blessing it would be if Chris- 
 tians would allow their Heavenly 
 Father to think for them, instead of 
 training all the energies of body and 
 mind to think for themselves. 
 
 "They that are led by the Spirit of 
 God are the sons of God;" but, in order 
 to be led by tlie Spirit of God, we must 
 allow Him to think for us, and thus 
 our thoughts are His thoughts. 
 
 The quiet of ovir Sabbath was broken 
 by only one accident. 
 
 Harry thought he must ride one of 
 the horses to water, and passing up a 
 steep place along the stream, the wil- 
 low boughs brushed him off and he 
 fell about ten feet head first into the 
 water. 
 
Home at Last. 229 
 
 Ben, who was leading the horse, began 
 to scream for Will. 
 
 Harry had made no outcry, but was 
 struggling around with only the top of 
 his head out of the water, when Will 
 plunged in and brought him out. 
 
 Some one asked Harry why he did 
 not swim, and he replied earnestly, "I 
 did my very best." 
 
 Then Eda said, ''Why Harry, do you 
 think it is right for a little boy to go 
 swimming to-day?" 
 
 He answered quickly, "It ain't wicked 
 to go swimming Sunday when you don't 
 know you're going until you're gone." 
 
 Fortunately the water was very deep, 
 so the fall did not injure him and our 
 Sabbath closed with feelings of grati- 
 tude and happiness. 
 
 The next morning we began to climb 
 Mt. Hanna. We do not know why it 
 received this name, but as it immedi- 
 ately adjoins the lofty Uncle Sam that 
 stands erect with his head often bathed 
 
230 Camping Out in California. 
 
 in the nimbus clouds near three-quar- 
 ters of a mile above the shimmering 
 lake that slumbers at his feet, we won- 
 dered why it was not called Aunt 
 Hanna. 
 
 There are vast quantities of shining 
 black stones scattered over this moun- 
 tain, which some call obsidian and 
 others say are pieces of lava thrown up 
 by some volcano which is now extinct. 
 
 Although while on Mt. Hanna we 
 were below the shoulders of Uncle Sam,, 
 we nevertheless had a fine view of the 
 country that lay before and so far be- 
 neath us. 
 
 The morning we started on our jour- 
 ney we left Clear Lake on the north, 
 but now we are approaching it from the 
 south, from whence it appears to better 
 advantage. 
 
 It is true from this mountain we 
 could not see all the lake because it is 
 about thirty-five miles long and vary- 
 ing in width from four to fifteen miles, 
 
Some at Last. 231 
 
 yet we could look down on the center 
 and broadest portion of this beautiful 
 sheet of water. And while one of its 
 arms extended north among little hills 
 and valleys, and fertile farms, where the 
 wild flower blooms and the tule waves, 
 where peaches and plums ripen in the 
 shade of the oak, where the snowy 
 sheep and the hunted deer are near 
 neighbors and graze on the same ground, 
 the other arm was thrown around the 
 waist of Uncle Sam. 
 
 Lake County has been called the 
 Switzerland of America, and certainly 
 no spot on this continent is more de- 
 serving of the significant title. 
 
 Besides the striking resemblance of 
 climate, Clear Lake is near the size and 
 form of Geneva, Avhile the wonderful 
 chain of Blue Lakes possess a striking 
 resemblance to the blue Thun and 
 Brienz and also the Lucerne. 
 
 And then the valleys enclosed by 
 mountain walls, mostly small 'tis true, 
 
232 Camping Out in California. 
 
 but even in midwinter they are car- 
 peted with green grass and strewn with 
 delicate flowers and in summer yield- 
 ing burdens of wheat, alfalfa and fruit. 
 
 If we compare Big Valley, Scotts Val- 
 ley, and Bachelor Valley with Cham- 
 ouni, Zermatt, and Grindewald ot Swit- 
 zerland, we will find that the former 
 are not very much surpassed by the 
 latter in any respect. 
 
 Lake county, no doubt, has a promis- 
 ing future, because it is not yet thor- 
 oughly known that its peculiar com- 
 bination of lake and valley and moun- 
 tain and forest atmosphere is a balm 
 for nearly all diseases, while among its 
 hundreds of medicinal springs any 
 invalid may find, if not a permanent 
 cure, at least a speedy relief. 
 
 At Witter Springs, one mile east of 
 Blue Lakes and about six miles north 
 of Clear Lake, ie a bright little foun- 
 tain, called the ''Dead Shot," that has 
 been known to cure a number of can- 
 
ffome at Last 233 
 
 cers, so wonderful is its blood cleans- 
 ing power. 
 
 At the foot of Aunt Hanna we en- 
 tered the village of Kelseyville, which 
 stands half hidden by trees on the bank 
 of a large flowing stream. Here, after 
 traveling, perhaps, six hundred miles 
 from our starting point, we behold 
 scenery nearly equal to any on which 
 we had looked in all our journey. 
 
 In the center of this town is an im- 
 mense oak, which is far the largest we 
 have ever seen. 
 
 Here is a gas well, into which if you 
 drop on a dark night a lighted shaving, 
 a bright blaze will spring up to light 
 the streets. 
 
 Here is the best steam organ factory 
 we have ever visited. It is filling the 
 mountains and valleys with sweetest 
 music and pouring its golden notes into 
 many an humble home. 
 
 Immediately adjoining Kelseyville is 
 a prune orchard, fully as beautiful and 
 
234 Camping Out in California 
 
 as thrifty as any we had passed. 
 
 This town is a favored spot. It is 
 bounded on the south by Uncle Sam 
 and Aunt Hanna, on the east by a fer- 
 tile plain, stretching away to the lake 
 shore, on the west by the meandering 
 stream and the green clad hills beyond, 
 and on the north by rich farms, where 
 sixty bushels of wheat to the acre has 
 been grown partly in the shadow of 
 broad spreading oaks, and it is sur- 
 rounded by fine horses, cattle and flocks 
 of sheep. 
 
 This quiet village contains four 
 churches, and the commodious, well 
 furnished and properly conducted 
 Uncle Sam Hotel, where such as are 
 overburdened by the excitement of 
 city life, can find a superior place for 
 rest and recuperation. 
 
 Leaving this town we passed along 
 the valley road, on either side of which 
 lay productive farms that are in no 
 
Home at Last. 235 
 
 way inferior to those in the large val- 
 leys of California. 
 
 Presently we reach Lakeport, which, 
 like ancient Rome, is built on seven 
 picturesque hills. In some time, in 
 the not far distant future, this village 
 will very probably be known as a great 
 city on the shore of a beautiful lake 
 and the center of a vast natural sani- 
 tarium. Lakeport has five churches, 
 two weekly papers, large flouring mill, 
 two banks and a fine school building. 
 
 Passing through this city of the Lake, 
 we soon enter a little cottage which is 
 empty, but not by any means "swept 
 and garnished." And as we began to 
 sing, 
 
 **Be it ever bo humble, 
 There is no place like home," 
 
 a six foot tramp appears at the door, 
 and, after bowing very politely, he soars 
 aloft on the wings of eloquence: "My 
 name," he exclaims, "is John Wilson 
 Doubleday. I am a cousin of Colonel J. 
 W. Doubleday, you know; everybody 
 
236 Camping Out in California. 
 
 knows him. I am a gentleman, first 
 class, you know, was raised a gentle- 
 man, but am out of money; the best of 
 men will be strapped once in a while, 
 you know, and I would like to stay 
 with you a few days until I can get a 
 position as captain of one of the steam- 
 boats." 
 
 We concluded, not only from his won- 
 derful eloquence, but the smell of his 
 breath, that he was too familiar with 
 evil spirits and had just come from one 
 of their Lakeport dens; consequently, 
 after giving him a lunch, we advised 
 him to double day at some place where 
 he could work for his board. 
 
 As the night gathered around us, we 
 humbly thanked our Heavenly Father 
 for his protecting care during our long 
 journey, and also for bringing us all 
 safely back to our homes. And as we 
 retired to rest, we thought that our 
 journey was an emblem of the journey 
 of life. 
 
Home at Last. 237 
 
 We start out in infancy, and, after 
 travelling over mountains of happiness, 
 and through valleys of trouble and 
 along the ocean of infinite grace, we 
 return to the very place from whence 
 we started. ''Dust thou art and unto 
 dust thou shalt return/' 
 
 But from the death bed we start out 
 on a journey that will never end. 
 Through what kind of a country will 
 we travel eternally ? 
 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 BERKELEY 
 
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