University of California • Berkeley 
 IN HONOR OF Peter Frazier 
 
 UPON HIS RETIREMENT IN 2OO5 
 
 FROM The Council of the Friends of 
 
 The Bancroft Library 
 after his years of valuable service 
 
MJp^"^ --^ 
 
 
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 ^' •7^ov>V ^***'^^^^ aW^«^ 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/daysforeverflownOOhaslrich 
 
DAYS FOREVER FLOWN 
 
.<- 
 
DAYS FOREVER FLOWN 
 
 " Voice of the Western windy 
 
 Thou singest /ro7n a/ar^ 
 Rich with the inusic of a land 
 
 Where all thy mem'ries are. 
 But in thy song I only hear 
 
 The echo of a tone 
 That fell divinely on my ear 
 
 In days forever flown. 
 
 •' Star of the Western sky. 
 Thou beamest from afar. 
 
 With lustre caught from eyes I know. 
 Whose orbs were each a star. 
 
 But, oh t those eyes too widely bright 
 No m.ore eclipse their own, 
 
 A nd never shall I find the light 
 
 Of days forever flown." j (V^ |^^. (^ pkV f^' 
 
 PRIVATELY PRINTED 
 
 NEW YORK 
 MDCCCXCII 
 
GILUS8 BROTHERS 
 A 402 WEST 14TH STREET PRINTS BY THE 
 
 NEW YORK «EW YORK PHOTOGRAVURE COMPANY 
 
 FROM ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS 
 
yf T the repeated request of many friends, these 
 yg leaves from my Journal of iSgi are given, 
 with no additions or alterations, and few 
 eliminations ; and although of little interest to others, 
 and unworthy to he read, as they were written solely 
 for the refreshing of our memories as years passed 
 on, they are offered to those who knew and loved 
 my husband, in the hope that a glimpse of the last and 
 happiest months of his young life may be of interest to 
 them. Perhaps, — wandering in the same direction at 
 some future time, it may be a pleasure to know what 
 paths he chose, what scenes of peculiar interest at- 
 tradted him, and what unusual sensations and im- 
 pressions were his. 
 
 As the writing of this journal was at his instigation, 
 and was stimulated and sustained by his earnest en- 
 treaties and watchful care, that no day should be with- 
 out a chronicle; and as he always sat near during 
 the hurried times of writing, it seems as if his Spirit 
 and sentiraents so pervade these pages, that they must 
 have been unwittingly written for just such a purpose, 
 as a ''Memorial of Sunshine,'' to give the brightness 
 from those happy months to those who loved him. 
 
 How blessed that through those wonderful wander- 
 ings we dreamed not of the shadow, so swiftly follow- 
 
ing our path of sunshine. As we stood, side by side, 
 in those supreme moments, when marvelous beauty 
 suddenly surrounded us on every hand, and our eyes 
 seemed to behold the reflexion of some heavenly 
 grandeur, we did not realiT^e how soon the Gates of 
 Pearl would open for one of us, and one would stand 
 in the light, — and the other in the darkness. There 
 was no fear for us then, by day or night; life seemed 
 too bright for shadows or sorrows, — and it is well that 
 " we are led on, like the little children, by a way we 
 know not. ' ' 
 
 The sun will not shine for us forever, the brightness 
 of life cannot always be ours, for '" into each life some 
 rain must fall, ' ' but when *' the days are cold and dark 
 and dreary,'' we can look upward to the '"Man of 
 Sorrows," who was acquainted with grief, and back- 
 ward upon our lives, and win calm and peace to walk 
 ''serene in sorrow," from the happiness which has 
 been ours, and from the blessed memories which the 
 Father hath granted us. 
 
 " With grateful hearts the past we own. 
 The future, all to us unknown, 
 We to Thy guardian care commit, 
 And peaceful leave before Thy feet T 
 
 M. A. H. 
 Jan. 7, i8g2. 
 
OUR JOURNEY OVERLAND 
 
 FRIDAY, MAY 8TH, 1 89 1. 
 
 ALTHOUGH superstition points to an un- 
 lucky ending for anything begun on this 
 day of the week, James and I had long 
 ago chosen it as our particular day for 
 going anywhere, and as James often said, "We 
 start everywhere on a Friday, and we always have 
 good luck." 
 
 After spending together, at home, the wedding 
 anniversary — 
 
 " As it fell upon a day 
 In the merry month of May " — 
 
 which chronicled seven years of happiness, we 
 started to-day, Friday, May 8th, for our anticipated 
 journey overland. 
 
 The day was without incident; the "Pennsyl- 
 vania Limited "to Chicago passing through quite 
 familiar country, and being "an old story" to us, 
 we had little to marvel at, and nothing to attract 
 us, save the beautiful suggestions of the coming 
 Summer, which are ever a powerful stimulant to 
 thought and reflection. A little verse on the 
 
prophecy of Spring, which Mamma wrote, recurs to 
 me : 
 
 "And so the tiny tender blade 
 Whispers the promise God has made 
 Of Summer sun, — the song of bird, 
 The valleys green, — the grazing herd, — 
 And from the trees, the slender shoot 
 Foretells the bud, the flower, the fruit." 
 
 "The April winds are magical,'* and bring the 
 beautiful blossom-laden month of May, and the 
 dainty daisies with their hearts of gold, and the 
 violets in their modesty; — sweet shy blue-bells, 
 hanging their heads "as they wait for their lover;" 
 and the glorious daffodils; — truly the Springtime 
 brings a newness to life and expectation, which 
 makes the world as attractive and entrancing, as if 
 touched by a wand of magic. There seems a new 
 brightness and joy in the sunshine, a new beauty in 
 the buds and blossoms in every Springtide, as if we 
 had not experienced the same sensations only a 
 twelvemonth ago. 
 
 And so a journey begun at such a beautiful 
 season is always full of hope and promise. 
 
 SATURDAY, MAY 9TH. 
 
 \\T E reached Chicago at 9.45 A. M., and drove at 
 once to the Auditorium Hotel. It was a 
 pleasure to return to the beautiful city which was 
 once home to us, and after five years' absence, we 
 naturally found numerous changes in the appear- 
 
 8 
 
ance of things. If ** Architecture is frozen Music " 
 Chicago is one glorious harmonious anthem. 
 
 After resting, seeing some friends, and dining, we 
 went to see Mr. and Mrs. Kendal, in "The Iron- 
 master," and James was much impressed by the 
 fine acting of the English favorites. Through great 
 rolling tears Jamie smiled at me, and said ** Is this 
 the play that Mother and Lizzie wept over? I 
 don't wonder at it ! " 
 
 SUNDAY, MAY lOTH. 
 
 nPHE day dawned for us about ten o'clock, and it 
 
 was pouring and promised a wretched day. 
 
 It was bright indoors, however, for our welcome to 
 
 Chicago was so cordial and enthusiastic, and friends 
 
 were with us all day. We went to Cousin L *s 
 
 to supper. 
 
 MONDAY, MAY IlTH. 
 
 A LOVELY, lovely morning. After breakfast, 
 '^ James went down-town to see his friends, with 
 whom he was associated in business many years in 
 the " West Countree." His welcome was more 
 than he had ever dreamed it would be, and he was 
 like a big happy boy, when he returned to tell me of 
 
 it. Miss K came to see me at once, and invited 
 
 us to dine with them this evening, and see Mr. and 
 Mrs. Kendal again, which invitation we accepted, 
 and had a most enjoyable time. 
 
TUESDAY, MAY I2TH. 
 
 A NOTHER lovely day. After breakfast, James 
 
 and I went down town on some important 
 
 errands, but returned in time to see our good friend 
 
 C. S.W., who lunched with us and was delightful, as of 
 
 old. We missed so many callers to-day, for we went 
 
 about five o'clock, with Cousins L and A 
 
 for a delightful drive, through Jackson and Washing 
 ton Parks, and to visit the site of the World's Fair. 
 Chicago impresses us more than ever. It is a 
 marvelous city, with superb drives and wonderfully 
 beautiful parks, and so many and so large, that the 
 few little breathing spaces, in most of our eastern 
 cities, seem nothing in comparison. We dined at 
 the fine " Washington Park Club," of which Cousin 
 A. is a member, and had a charming drive back to 
 the hotel. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 13TH. 
 
 "IXTE had a feast this morning in some home let- 
 ters, and such a laugh over a " Clever Collec- 
 tion of C-ing-C-ong Comedy," an unceasing flow from 
 the little Mother's witty pen. The first few hours 
 of our winged flight from New York to Philadelphia, 
 I amused myself composing a stupid affair about 
 " cheery cottages, with creeping climbers, churches 
 with chorus choirs, chuckling chickens, comely cows, 
 captivating caterpillars, capering calves and such 
 coarse, comic comedy, " sending it home from Phila- 
 delphia on a postal card, and calling it " Concoction 
 
No. I." Imagine our surprise to receive in answer 
 from the Mother, " Careening cars, carrying certain 
 characters 'cross country, in continuous course, 
 cause continual commotion, constantly conjuring 
 clever conceptions, carefully concealed in capacious 
 cerebral chambers, and conspicuously conveyed on 
 a convenient card, to one closely connected by con- 
 ditions of consanguinity. The Concoction, a curi- 
 ous concern from its commencement, containing 
 considerable and commendable commodities, will 
 convince and convict, caress and cajole its contents 
 as you will, constraining one to conclude its con- 
 tributor was certainly ' C '-sick, or perhaps 'half 
 c's over* ! " 
 
 James with C. S. W. went to visit Pullman to-day, 
 to see the place where, five years ago, he gave up 
 his business relations and interests. He wanted to 
 see the friends there as well, and the three clerks 
 whom he gladly gave a start in the business world 
 before he left them. He had a most satisfactory 
 visit ; every one was rejoiced to see him, and he was 
 thoroughly pleased that he had gone. 
 
 My day was a full one, with so many calls, a de- 
 lightful luncheon with the H's in their beautiful 
 new home, and we made calls in the evening. 
 
 THURSDAY, MAY 14TH. 
 
 A MONG many visitors to-day was a young fel- 
 '^ low whom James had taken into his employ 
 when he first went to Pullman, and of whom he was 
 
always fond. He was so anxious to see James, and 
 after paying me a visit, he followed him down to 
 Mr. K.'s office, and saw him there. He told me 
 that he remembered so well the morning he arrived 
 in Pullman, and sat on his trunk outside James's 
 store. James happened to pass soon after, and 
 seeing this nice little fellow of thirteen years, 
 stopped and spoke to him, and finding he desired 
 employment, James took him at once into his 
 store, " for he was such a smart little chap," as he 
 often told me. This " little chap " is now a fine 
 big fellow, and he told me to-day, ** It was my for- 
 tune to meet Mr. Haslehurst that morning, for he 
 has always been my ideal ever since in all I have 
 done, and I have never felt for any one else in the 
 world the regard I have for Mr. Haslehurst." I 
 could ''fill a small volume" with his praise for 
 James, but I felt most deeply when he solemnly 
 added, " He started me right in the world, Mrs. 
 Haslehurst, and I owe my good fortune to his ad- 
 vice and example." That boy is right; he is a 
 " true knight and matchless." 
 
 More calls, and all day ! Such a cordial and 
 hearty reception in Chicago pleases James exceed- 
 ingly, and is more than we could have expected. 
 As we rolled into the depot last Saturday morning, 
 with so much anticipation in our hearts, I whis- 
 pered to James, " I wonder if we will be glad we 
 have come, or perhaps we have lost our places in 
 the hearts of our friends, and we will be quite ready 
 
to move on next Thursday." We feel like children 
 now, quite ready to cry, because we have arranged 
 to start on to-night. Chicago was never so charm- 
 ing, our friends have showered upon us most lovely 
 attentions,and we find them more attractive than ever* 
 
 At half-past nine o'clock to-night, with C. S. W. 
 accompanying (and a large roll of magazines and 
 newspapers, and a big basket of every conceivable 
 kind of fresh and candied fruit, which his bounty 
 had provided) James and I started for the Chicago 
 and North-western Railroad Depot, where we took 
 a train for the West, 
 
 As we reached the depot, C. S. W. exclaimed, 
 " This road discharged four hundred and fifty 
 switchmen this morning, owing to a strike, and 
 have new hands on to-night." Little chills played 
 tag up and down my spinal column, but I only 
 smiled automatically. As we moved out of Chicago, 
 I rolled up my curtain and looked out, and sure 
 enough every switchman was accompanied by a 
 policeman, with club upheld, and in the weird light 
 of the switchman's lantern, and the green and red 
 lights of the switch signals, it was anything but 
 comforting and reassuring. We slept, however, in 
 spite of danger, real or imaginary. 
 
 FRIDAY, MAY 15th. 
 
 /^N the train from Chicago to Denver. Breakfast 
 ^^ at 7.45 A. M., and after that, what a long day 
 it was ! I was ready for bed at 11 A. M. ! It was 
 
 13 
 
one of God's days of creation, without beginning 
 and without end. We managed to procure stools 
 from the porter, and sat out on the rear platform of 
 the car, within the folds of the vestibule appliance, 
 most of the day. We met a gentleman from New 
 York, and we three sat together in our " Observa- 
 tion Car,*' the two gentlemen smoking, chatting, 
 reading, etc. We discussed Theology and Theoso- 
 phy, Darwin and Evolution, and then descended to 
 conundrums and stories. 
 
 We passed through Iowa and Nebraska to-day. 
 Iowa is a beautiful State to us, finely cultivated, and 
 for miles and miles we seemed to be traveling 
 through great farms ; the ground was ploughed and 
 planted, cleared of all rubbish, and stumps and 
 stones, and one could easily imagine they were 
 traveling through English country. Prosperity and 
 contentment were in the very air, and if we could 
 have seen the farmers and their families, I am sure 
 we would have found them all well fed and well 
 clothed. It was a pleasant journey to Council 
 Bluffs. There we waited a half hour, while wheel- 
 men went under the cars, other men on top, exam- 
 ining and cleaning everything for the rest of the 
 trip. We saw sad sights among some emigrants ; 
 poor people, they are handled like cattle in trans- 
 portation. 
 
 When we crossed the muddy Missouri and reached 
 Omaha, our friend, seeing some wretched huts and 
 hovels near our tracks, exclaimed in most ironical 
 
 14 
 
tones to me, ^* This is the aristocratic part of the 
 town ! " ** No, sir, it ain't," exclaimed a man stand- 
 ing near, who looked as if he had never understood 
 a joke in his life ; " I've lived here two years, and 
 the best part of the town is up yonder." Well, 
 Omaha is a fine city no doubt, but from the railroad 
 it is singularly uninviting. 
 
 We hurried along through or into Nebraska, and 
 as we came to the prairies, we were filled with inter- 
 est to see the beautiful clusters of fine trees, the 
 pretty farm houses and barns gathered under these 
 trees, and lovely verdure everywhere. Gradually 
 the trees diminished in number, and in nearness to 
 one another, the houses were fewer and poorer, and 
 finally there were no trees at all, and such parched 
 and dry lands, such desolate and dreary deserts, and 
 the huts and shanties looked as if they would tum- 
 ble into heaps of rubbish, if their owners sneezed. 
 Then the prairies became rolling and sandy; hills of 
 sand had formed by the side of the tracks, where 
 protective walls and fences had been erected, and as 
 we went further, into Nebraska, the desolation was 
 dreadful, and the degradation was in keeping with 
 the rest. We saw ranchmen on their horses, some- 
 times shooting, at other times galloping across a 
 limitless, undivided country, without road or any- 
 thing to guide one, save marks at intervals of wheels 
 and hoofs. The herds of horses and cattle were 
 near the tracks, by hundreds and hundreds ; and such 
 deplorable, dispirited animals, looking like whipped 
 
 IS 
 
dogs ; they made our hearts ache, they seemed 
 so dejected and forlorn. Even the cows (and I never 
 did like cows), made me feel pity for them. They 
 move like snails across the prairies. 
 
 Of course there are places in all this dreary desert 
 that surprise and interest one. Corning, Nebraska, 
 is a lively little place, with electric lights, a cable- 
 road, and showed signs of genuine thrift. But 
 these places of size and activity are few and far 
 between in Nebraska. Grand Island was wide-awake 
 and stirring, and when we asked what made its suc- 
 cess and prosperity and growth, they told us 
 " There's a big beet-sugar factory here." 
 
 SATURDAY, MAY i6TH. 
 
 A LTHOUGH we were conscious of long waits in 
 the night, and -visions of Indians with toma- 
 hawks and knives were in my dreams, we did not 
 know until we awoke on Saturday morning, that a 
 burning bridge had delayed us three hours and a 
 half. A queer resignation comes over one, when he 
 is in a fix and there is no help for it, and so Jamie 
 and I settled ourselves, to wait indefinitely for 
 breakfast, oranges and bananas, from the bountiful 
 basket presented to us when we left Chicago, quiet- 
 ing the most acute pangs of the long enforced fast. 
 About ten o'clock a porter's welcome voice rang 
 through the car, and announced that " this train will 
 stop ten minutes at La Salle (Colorado) for break- 
 fast." Everybody braced up at the mere mention 
 
 16 
 
of such a thing, and visions of something, at least 
 edible, wandered through our empty and benumbed 
 craniums. It was pouring hard when La Salle was 
 reached, and a low one-story shanty, with a counter 
 across one end, was the " breakfast room." Mud- 
 like coffee was sold to the weary traveller, with 
 sandwiches, and although Jamie was among the 
 first to leave the train in search of something 
 tempting, the sandwiches had given out before he 
 reached the counter. Dirty and distressing it was, 
 a little house set down in the wide weary waste, and 
 the only thing attractive there, animate or inani- 
 mate, was a great big good-natured Newfoundland 
 dog, who wanted every one to pet him, — but we 
 could not eat him ! We returned to our fruit 
 basket, with a " Thank God, we have this," and 
 after our appetites had been appeased, having seen 
 some weary and tired people in the emigrant car, I 
 went there with my basket and attempted to feed 
 them. When I asked one nice looking woman, who 
 had evidently seen better days, if she would have 
 an orange, she answered, ** Oh, yes, indeed I will, 
 and I'll pay you too, how much is it?" After 
 explaining that they were given to me, and I in 
 turn desired to give them to her, she hurriedly 
 added, "But I always like to pay for what I have.'* 
 Next I passed the basket to a young mother with a 
 baby on her breast, and her big-lipped, stupid look- 
 ing husband said " How much, Ma'am ? " My 
 single word " Nothing " must have produced the 
 
 17 
 
desired result, for they accepted and devoured in 
 silence. I then visited a poor young woman with 
 two wee babes, and left my basket and its diminish- 
 ing contents to her to distribute. 
 
 On reaching Denver at half past eleven, we drove 
 to the hotel where President Harrison had stopped, 
 but as it was not yet open for regular guests, we 
 went to "The Windsor." We felt the high altitude 
 of the city greatly, which is at an elevation of five 
 thousand, one hundred and ninety-six feet, and it pro- 
 duced a depressing effect at first. It seemed as if 
 our heads would surely leave our shoulders, they 
 felt so light. " Was it the air," does any one ask ? 
 Unkind, unfeeling mortals ! 
 
 SUNDAY, MAY 17TH. 
 
 nPHEY say they seldom have seen such a rainy day 
 as yesterday, in Denver, and that five months 
 may pass now, without more rain visiting the city. 
 
 To-day has been lovely. This morning the mud 
 was ankle deep, but it has dried rapidly and was 
 really dusty when we drove about the city in the 
 afternoon. 
 
 Denver is a wonderful city. There are fine 
 buildings and fine dwellings, some really palatial 
 homes, but altogether the city impressed us as a 
 great big town, overgrown and provincial. But the 
 street-car system is marvelous. Cable-cars run in 
 every direction, north, south, east and west, around 
 curves, passing and crossing tracks of other lines, 
 
 x8 
 
and making one dizzy by their rapid movements. 
 The city seems like a great aeolian harp, for every 
 car must sound a gong at crossings, and they ring in 
 every key of the chromatic scale. 
 
 We saw all parts of the city, Ex-Senator Tabor's 
 residence, Grant Street, Lincoln, Logan and Sher- 
 man Streets, Colfax and Pennsylvania Avenues, 
 etc., as well as churches of all denominations and 
 creeds, and much of real interest. While a marvel- 
 ous city in growth, power and prosperity, Denver 
 attracts us less than any city we were ever in. 
 Perhaps we are not yet in tune with the western 
 spirit and enterprise, but I think we are fair in our 
 judgment and criticism. 
 
 Everybody here is from the East, even the bell- 
 boys and maids and the porters. To-day our porter 
 said *' I'm from Boston M'am, I had the asthm-y, and 
 had to come here, but I'm cured now." 
 
 MONDAY, MAY i8TH. 
 
 A X rE are thoroughly satisfied with our knowledge 
 of Denver, as a long walk this morning added 
 to our acquaintance with this western city. 
 
 It was beautifully bright in the early part of the 
 day, but a mist and heavy clouds obscured our view 
 of the mountains, which our geographical bumps 
 told us surrounded Denver. When we turned on 
 our homeward tramp, the clouds had all rolled 
 away, and there before us were the snow-capped 
 Rocky Mountains. They were most majestic and 
 
 19 
 
wonderfully imposing to us, and we stood spell- 
 bound with admiration. A great range of dark 
 stormy mountains surround Denver, and behind, 
 peeping between the dark summits, are the great 
 monarchs, beautifully and dazzlingly white. The 
 highest peak we saw to-day was Long's Peak, over 
 fourteen thousand and eighty-eight feet high. They 
 are so near heaven, it seems as if they must reflect 
 the glory of the Great White Throne. 
 
 TUESDAY, MAY I9TH. 
 
 TXrE were glad our lucky star had aided us in 
 deciding to leave Denver to-day, for before 
 we were astir, the hotel was noisy with the newly 
 arrived representatives from Louisiana and Texas, 
 for the Trans-Mississippi Congress. Before we were 
 out of our room, while we were dressing, two noble 
 specimens were assigned to our palatial apartment, 
 but as we strongly objected, they went away. 
 While we were at breakfast, we hired the chamber- 
 maid to abide in our room, and guard our goods and 
 chattels, and while she was getting fresh linen for 
 the bed, the blooming Southern representatives 
 walked in, deposited their '* where-with-alls " and 
 dusters, and began " a tub " in the bath room. They 
 were cut short in their exercises by the return of 
 our fair hired damsel, and were ushered out until 
 we should start. They left their bags reluctantly, 
 fearing we might "take them by mistake." 
 
 We left Denver at 9 A. M., and before we had 
 
pushed our way out of the city, we were speechless. 
 The great mountains of the Rockies stood out in 
 bold relief, and such grandeur in their size and 
 shapes, with the ever-changing fleecy clouds passing 
 over them, made a picture against the sky never to 
 be forgotten. The rocks and scrub-oaks were liter- 
 ally black in the shadows made by the passing 
 clouds, and they stood out in such boldness against 
 the white snow mountains in the background. It 
 was a perfect day, and a perfect vision of wonder 
 and surprise to us. Our trip from Denver to 
 Colorado Springs was one long exclamation! Jamie 
 and I, as usual, sat on the rear platform of the train, 
 on comfortable stools provided by the porter. 
 
 As we left Denver, the great snow-monarchs 
 seemed to form a half-circle about us, and as we 
 hurried along, the view was ever changing, and 
 presenting new and interesting sights. Looming up 
 against the sky, we would see great rocks, with every 
 kind of broken outlines, representing castles, ani- 
 mals, etc., and finally right before us, stood a great 
 wall of rock, hundreds of feet high, exactly like photo- 
 graphs I saw not long ago, in one of our magazines, 
 of the homes of the cave-dwellers of Mexico. As we 
 hurried along, on what western people call a fast 
 train (going twenty-five miles an hour), we were 
 deeply impressed by the queer rock formations, 
 along the plains and prairies on our left, and in the 
 great mountains on our right. Some huge piles of 
 stone, hundreds of feet high, terminated in a flat 
 
square top, making the whole mountain resemble a 
 cone decapitated. I exclaimed once, in the presence 
 of a fellow-traveller : " These must at one time have 
 been volcanoes, they look just like extinct craters.'^ 
 " And they are," came the answer from my better 
 informed companion. On top of some of these 
 mountains were formations of rock, like the castles 
 on the Rhine, as picturesque and beautiful, and of 
 one of them I was able to take a photograph. Some 
 rocks took the form of animals, — one near the rail- 
 road represented perfectly a huge elephant, — 
 another was poised on a high pinnacle, and resem- 
 bled an eagle. 
 
 It is wonderful to ride over these road-beds and 
 fine railroads, and realize that all these miles of road, 
 through the wild prairie lands and deserts, have 
 been laid mile by mile, by men's hands ; and it is 
 remarkable to see how all the obstacles of nature 
 have been overcome by the brains of men. The 
 country through which we passed was cultivated, 
 and looked rich and fertile, and the ranches seemed 
 prosperous and well-cared for. 
 
 What interested us greatly were the little towns 
 of prairie dog mounds. These little animals move 
 along in great numbers, and some hillsides were 
 fairly peppered by the little pointed sandy hills. 
 
 Colorado Springs we reached at twelve o'clock, 
 after a three hours' ride from Denver, and were most 
 agreeably pleased in our first view. The town 
 itself, numbering between ten and twelve thousand 
 
inhabitants, is prettily laid out, — the streets are 
 very wide and the houses are exceedingly pictur- 
 esque. Many people, who cannot live anywhere else 
 in health, can live here, consequently many wealthy 
 families have gathered in Colorado Springs, and as 
 their surroundings accord with their means and 
 taste, the town is exceedingly attractive. There 
 are no tall buildings, — the hotel, " The Antlers," is 
 the highest in town, and it is such a fine hotel, 
 beautifully furnished and most comfortable. The 
 whole city impresses one as a prairie town, with the 
 exception of the grand mountains in the back- 
 ground. The stores are good, presenting novelties 
 and attractions, and they have fine public buildings 
 as well. One remarkable thing in these western 
 towns is the great use of electricity. Nothing but 
 electric lights are used everywhere, and electric 
 cars go in all directions. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 20TH. 
 
 A LTHOUGH cloudy this morning, we deter- 
 '^ mined to start out about ten o'clock for a drive, 
 to begin to see the points of interest about this 
 pretty little place. We had a good driver, a light 
 wagon with a covering over our heads, and armed 
 with mackintoshes and umbrellas, we started. We 
 drove through Colorado City, which is ugly and 
 flat, and has absolutely no charms, save its close 
 proximity to the great rocks and wonders, rising so 
 unexpectedly out of the plains, and called the 
 
 33 
 
** Garden of the Gods." The great entrance, with 
 its red sandstone and white rocky mounds, presented 
 an imposing spectacle, as we first saw them during a 
 drive through Colorado City to Manitou. Manitou 
 is five miles from Colorado Springs, and is at the 
 foot of a great mountain range, all its roads being 
 up and down hill and wonderfully picturesque, with 
 the little shops bordering them, and the pretty little 
 houses for summer guests perched up on every con- 
 ceivable pinnacle and corner of rock. It reminded 
 us of a foreign watering place, but, of course, is not 
 so large or so well patronized. We climbed one 
 winding road to the famous Iron Spring, which 
 James tasted and pronounced " good.*' We then 
 retraced our steps, and the plucky little horses be- 
 gan an ascent, we little dreamed of at the start. 
 We climbed up and up between two high mountains, 
 over a road cut from the solid rock, with huge per- 
 pendicular cliffs towering up each side of us, and the 
 driveway fenced in to prevent falling to the depths 
 below. We were then climbing the celebrated 
 " Ute Pass," — the mountain pass used by the Ute 
 Indians, and later by the people of Leadville during 
 their mining excitement. The rocks are full of iron 
 and copper, and the pink and green coloring was 
 picturesque. Suddenly, and without warning, the 
 driver turned directly at right angles and we began 
 a climb, up, up, up, until we seemed in the very 
 clouds, and as if we were hobnobbing with all the 
 majestic summits of those wonderful mountains. 
 
We curved around, until we had driven about half 
 an hour, and had climbed to an altitude of 
 over eight thousand feet. We were then at 
 the mouth of one of the greatest wonders 
 in Colorado. Travellers who have visited the 
 Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, say these grand 
 Caverns of Iron Mountain, Colorado, are small and 
 insignificant in size, but they were of the deepest 
 interest to James and to me. Outside the cave is a 
 little hut where you register your name, pay your 
 admission, and hire a guide. They give each visitor 
 a lamp with a reflector, which you carry, and when 
 our lamps were "trimmed and burning" we entered 
 the cave. 
 
 The story says that a young man, named Snider, 
 was one day hunting on the top of this mountain, 
 and seeing a small opening among the rocks, where 
 the snow was melted away, began to investigate to 
 find the cause of the snow melting more there than 
 at any other spot. He soon discovered warm air 
 coming from the hole, and after digging awhile 
 became convinced that he had found a cave. A 
 visit next day proved that he had made an important 
 discovery, and for four years he kept his secret, until 
 he had obtained a right to the land. This happened 
 in 1881, and in 1885 the "Grand Caverns" were 
 opened to visitors. Twenty-five thousand people 
 visited them last year ; and at one dollar a head, 
 who would not discover a cavern ? I do not know 
 how to describe our trip through these five under 
 
 25 
 
ground chambers, with their wonderful prismatic 
 colors, their ribbon and pencil stalactites and stal- 
 agmites, their great ceilings formed of rocks weigh- 
 ing tons and tons, which seem ready to fall any 
 minute. We entered by a long black spooky 
 passage first into a '' Grand Hall," they call it, three 
 hundred feet long, and from fifty to one hundred 
 feet high. Up among the great arches of the roof, 
 where a ladder was placed to aid the ascent, was a 
 guide with a lantern and a rod, playing on a natural 
 organ, formed of huge stalactites of ribbon formation^ 
 which contain true musical scales of ** F " and "G. 
 He played " We won't go home till morning," and 
 one othertune, and then sounded the most beautiful, 
 rich, deep-toned chimes I have ever heard, on some 
 pencil stalactites. The ribbon formation is thin and 
 follows the surface to which it grows, like a ribbon 
 caught by a pearl edge. The pencil stalactites fall in 
 cone shapes. No one can imagine how queer it all 
 was, and this wonderful music soared upwards in such 
 volumes of harmony, in such rich crescendoes that 
 it seemed uncanny and more than mysterious. The 
 ceilings and walls are covered with rainbow colors in 
 great waves, which our lamps enabled us to distin- 
 guish plainly, like mother-of-pearl in some places and 
 great opals in others. The formations are remark- 
 able, taking the shapes of carrots and beets, and of 
 a great ham. Some of the walls are like delicate 
 coral. The Bridal Chamber is beautiful. It has not 
 been open to the public long enough to be smoked 
 
 26 
 
by the lamps, as some of the others are, and it is 
 beautifully white. What seemed so strange to me 
 were the great white stalactites, among the darker 
 ones, of pure cream-white alabaster. Some were in 
 the shape of huge candles, as purely white as snow. 
 In one place it was quite wet and dripping, and 
 when I asked the guide what made it so, he said, 
 " No one knows why, or from where the water 
 comes." The alabaster is still adding its white 
 deposit, but as it takes many years to form the thick- 
 ness of a sheet of paper, it takes a century to add 
 one inch. 
 
 One passage had a dome one hundred and ten 
 feet high. We saw a gate up at one place, and the 
 guide told us that about eighty feet further in, the 
 passage terminated in a bottomless pit. They have 
 never been able to hear a stone touch bottom, or 
 lower anything into it to touch or measure the 
 depth. I noticed a board platform, and was stand- 
 ing on it, when the guide said, " Under your feet, 
 now, is a channel we hope to explore next winter, 
 over one hundred feet deep, which is pure alabaster, 
 and magnificent." I jumped ten feet away, and 
 shuddered; the mysterious influence of the place 
 had begun to creep over me, and I exclaimed, 
 " Please don't move too fast, guide, for if I lose 
 sight of you, I shall scream," and most reassuringly 
 he answered, *' You might scream for a month, and 
 no one would hear you." Another year they hope 
 to light the caverns with electricity, and although it 
 
 27 
 
will enable people to see all parts of the cave better, 
 it will rob it of its uncanny and mysteriously weird 
 ■effect. It is so unusual as it is now. 
 
 When we came out of the Caverns we found it 
 was raining hard, but we were well equipped and 
 did not mind it an atom, and drove to the Barker 
 House in Manitou, where we had dinner. About 
 half past two o'clock we started for Colorado 
 Springs, driving through the *' Garden of the Gods," 
 which is a collection of most wonderfully formed 
 rocks, placed in the most remarkable positions, 
 without rhyme or reason, without relation or like- 
 ness one to the other, and how they came there, 
 and by what process formed, makes one fairly faint 
 with conjecture. Some are of red sandstone, almost 
 terra-cotta, others near these red ones are white, 
 like granite, and remembering that behind, or in 
 the background, is Pike's Peak, in a perpetual 
 snow mantle, you can imagine what a beautiful 
 picture these form. Queer resemblances were 
 found to animals and people. The turtle, alligator's 
 head and mouth, whale, porcupine, anvil, toad, 
 bear, sheep and seal are all wonderfully formed in 
 great isolated rocks, which stand out in relief 
 against the sky. Three great rocks amused us 
 greatly ; one represented a man's head and bust, 
 with a military hat, near it stood a woman in a cap, 
 and between the two was a funny pile of stones, an 
 exact counterpart of a fat jolly bald-headed baby. 
 They are named " Punch, and Judy, and the Baby." 
 
 28 
 
One part of the Garden of the Gods is called 
 Mushroom Park. It is composed of huge mush-^ 
 rooms of stone, perfect in every detail, and sa 
 numerous and colossal, that a human being feels 
 like the hundredth part of an atom of matter in this 
 wondrous world of stone. I do not believe an 
 atheist could go through this country without 
 believing in the existence of a God. We are deeply 
 impressed by all these natural wonders, and believe 
 we see daily evidences of the rounding and mould- 
 ing, in these volcanic masses, of the great ice covers, 
 of the earth of many centuries ago. The work of 
 the ice artist is visible in isolated boulders, for how 
 else could all these wondrous rocks come to be, in 
 such prairie places as we find them, if they were not 
 carried to their resting places by the glaciers. One 
 can see the water marks, the great ridges formed by 
 the cutting ice, and it must be deeply interesting ta 
 one well grounded in scientific lore. 
 
 THURSDAY, MAY 2 1 ST. 
 
 A BOUT six o'clock this morning, our room being- 
 dark, I jumped up to find out what time it 
 was, and to look out of the window to see what signs 
 we had for the day. Everything was enveloped in 
 mist, and rain was still falling. I went to sleep 
 again, feeling we were in for a rainy day, and in a 
 measure I have not been disappointed. About 
 eight o'clock a most beautiful sight awaited us* 
 The mountains, as well as the foot-hills, were (and 
 
 29 
 
are yet) white with snow, and seemed to be as near 
 as our balcony. They are grand, and every one 
 says it is a most unusual sight for this time of year. 
 As I write they seem close to us, and one has such 
 a feeling of chumminess with them. It snows at in- 
 tervals, and is too windy to venture out to-day. 
 
 FRIDAY, MAY 22ND. 
 
 p)REAKFAST about nine o'clock as usual, and a 
 mean-looking cloudy morning greeted us too. 
 ** We're in for another day in the house," Jamie 
 exclaimed ; but as it did not rain after breakfast, we 
 went for a good walk. Toward noon it cleared, and 
 after lunch, Jamie and I took a most lovely drive to 
 North and South Cheyenne Cafton. We drove 
 across the plains for a long distance, and then right 
 up between two magnificent mountains, and as it 
 was brilliantly clear, and the peaks were all snow- 
 covered, it was a most interesting drive. 
 
 North Cheyenne Cafton is a very narrow gorge 
 between two great grand mountains. The road 
 winds up beside a most beautiful babbling brook, 
 twisting and turning at sharp angles, and constantly 
 surprising one by new and unusually picturesque 
 views. We saw here formations of rocks we had 
 never seen before. Very different they were from 
 the wonders in the ** Gardens of the Gods," and yet 
 only five miles apart, and James and I were deeply 
 impressed by their grandeur. They assume more 
 castle effects than individual forms, and are like 
 
 30 
 
great fortresses on the hill summits, some having 
 magnificent turrets and watch-towers, and presenting 
 the most amazing variety in architecture. These 
 huge piles of stones are like plum-puddings hard- 
 ened into shapes, that is, they are full of little and 
 big stones, cemented together by a substance like 
 batter, and hardened and shaped into serrated forms, 
 and of course this form and deposit points most 
 conclusively to the glacial period. But these great 
 ice forces were artistic in their manner of sprinkling 
 the earth with wondrous formations, for no artist 
 could have done such marvelous work in the pictur- 
 esque placing of these masses of stone. Some tow- 
 ered hundreds of feet above one's head in great 
 walls, with strata formed lengthwise, sidewise, 
 and every other wise ; others stood like colos- 
 sal sentinels, magnificent and majestic in their 
 might. We were spell-bound, as we turned sharp 
 corners, and came suddenly upon new visions of 
 splendor. 
 
 South Cheyenne Caflon is different in aspect from 
 North Cheyenne Caflon, although so close together 
 in the mountains. It is wilder, and has more solid 
 walls of rock, hundreds of feet high, but fewer iso- 
 lated pinnacles. Here we had the pleasure of ford- 
 ing the same stream four times each way, eight 
 times in all, and it was real exciting, for owing to 
 the recent rains the stream was full, and running 
 with great force. We felt some alarm at the first 
 ford, but at the second we began to enjoy it, and to 
 
 31 
 
watch with interest the hub of the wheels disappear 
 under the water. 
 
 SATURDAY, MAY 23 RD. 
 
 /^WING to the extreme cold last night, we did 
 ^"^ not open our window, but trusted to the 
 ventilator to air the room. About five o'clock this 
 morning, I awoke nearly suffocated, and Jamie hear- 
 ing my groans, arose to open the window. *' Come 
 here quickly, May, and see a beautiful sight," and I 
 hurried with all the energy I could demand at that 
 early hour, and joined my white-robed spouse at the 
 window. It was a beautiful sight ; all the valley 
 lay in shadow, the foot-hills were nearly black, and 
 only a tiny gas-light in one cottage near showed 
 any signs of life. Pike's Peak, however, and the 
 high mountains near, were silver, then golden, as 
 the rising sun touched them with glory, and made 
 them stand out alone, above all the dim shadow ia 
 the valley, and all I could think of was the glory of 
 Heaven itself, kissing the mountain peaks with a 
 morning blessing. If an angel had hovered in mid- 
 air, it would have seemed in keeping with that silent 
 grandeur. I felt over-powered and crept back to 
 bed, very glad to have the opportunity to close my 
 eyes and keep that picture with me for a little while ; 
 Jamie, on the contrary, went flying about the room, 
 vowing he was " wide-awake and rested. I never felt 
 better in my life. May ; Colorado air does agree with 
 me," etc. As I failed soon to audibly appreciate 
 
 32 
 
these comments, Mr. J. W, H. jumped into bed 
 again, wishing " it was time to get up." He soon 
 showed signs of sonorous breathing, while I lay 
 quietly wondering the why and wherefore of certain 
 things in nature. 
 
 We woke again at eight, to find a most exquisite 
 day before us, and we at once decided that a morn- 
 ing drive would be just the thing, but as we could 
 not get our favorite driver, we fortunately postponed 
 it until the afternoon. We drove five miles over 
 the " Mesa," which means a ** Spanish Plateau," and 
 a fine view was obtained of the country in every 
 direction, — the mountains on the left and hundreds 
 of miles of rolling prairie on our right, made a 
 beautiful picture. We drove to " Glen Eyrie," the 
 residence of General Palmer, built in a cafton, with 
 a natural fortification, as impregnable as a fortress. 
 It is surrounded by beautiful scenery, and although 
 a fine residence, it must be too shut in to be inspir- 
 ing and always attractive. We took some photo- 
 graphs there, which we have since been told was 
 strictly prohibited, but " where ignorance is bliss," 
 etc. We have the photographs, and they have the 
 law. 
 
 We then thought a sunshiny view of the " Garden 
 of the Gods " would pay us for a second visit, so we 
 drove there, and just before entering at the great 
 red gates, we saw a dozen or more little children 
 coming towards us on burros, or as they call them 
 here, " Rocky Mountain Canaries." I stood up with 
 
 33 
 
my camera, they clustered round us, and were much 
 excited over having their pictures taken. 
 
 The " Garden of the Gods " interested us anew, 
 and at the " Balanced Rock " Jamie and I left the 
 carriage, and I climbed up on the rocks to take a 
 photograph of James and the big rock. The sun 
 went under a cloud just then, and while I waited 
 for it to peep out again, along came a carriage with 
 a lady and gentleman in it. They stopped, and as 
 the lady jumped out the man shouted to me, 
 " there's a party who would like to have her picture 
 taken too." From my rocky elevation I accepted 
 the proposition, and the lady went and stood as 
 cosily as you please next to Jamie. Either James 
 was not entertaining enough, or she grew tired of 
 waiting for the sun to shine, for she suddenly deci- 
 ded not to tarry longer, and away she went. 
 
 James went this evening with our good friends, 
 Mr. F. and Mr. R., to the " El Paso Club," the free- 
 dom and courtesies of the club having been extended 
 to him for two weeks. They treated him royally^ 
 and did all they could to tempt him to remain 
 longer in Colorado Springs. 
 
 I spent a delightful evening with Mrs. R., a most 
 intellectual, charming woman, and her experiences 
 were most entertaining to hear, as she had lived in 
 many strange countries, and at one time in Brazil, 
 by invitation from the Emperor to her husband* 
 Her son, a lad of thirteen, has become a special 
 friend of ours, and is so clever and bright and com- 
 
 34 
 
^ 
 
panionable. He has a fine face, a broad intellectual 
 forehead, and a large expressive nose. My theory 
 is, that people with big noses always amount to 
 something intellectually. They are not great be- 
 cause their noses are big, but their noses are big 
 because they are great. Is that a distinction with- 
 out a difference ? 
 
 To-day, as we drove to the hotel in the sunshine, 
 over the entire road arched a most beautiful rain- 
 bow. It was raining out on the praries, and we had 
 the beauty without the clouds. 
 
 SUNDAY, MAY 24TH. 
 
 JAMIE says Colorado Springs agrees with his body 
 and his conscience as well, and he wanted to go 
 to church this morning, which we did. We had a 
 good walk to and from the church. We did not 
 know which church to attend, as the Presbyterian, 
 Baptist, Methodist, and all, seemed flourishing and 
 attractive outwardly, but we finally decided on the 
 Congregational Church. The minister. Dr. Gregg, 
 formerly of Hartford, preached a sermon exactly 
 suited to our needs. It was on the ** Religious Life 
 in the Church and in the Home," and was excellent. 
 In this hotel, there is the funniest porter we have 
 ever seen. He is a great, big, good-natured colored 
 man, and has a most original way of announcing 
 the departure of trains east and west. His voice 
 has most remarkable acoustic properties, and rever- 
 berates all over the house. As our room is directly 
 
 35 
 
over the office, we are amused a dozen or more times 
 a day, by this peculiar musical chant. The stage 
 rolls up to the door, and simultaneously rings out : 
 
 p 
 
 ^^ 
 
 Rio Grande North to Den 
 
 j Fi 
 1 St. Jo< 
 
 " Chicago, Rockland 
 and Illinois. 
 
 First stop, I 
 "oe, Missouri, f 
 
 All aboard ! 
 
 All aboard!' 
 
 MONDAY, MAY 25TH. 
 
 T7 ARLY this morning, before five o'clock, I was 
 up to take a survey of the weather, to see if 
 we could hope to leave Colorado Springs, and begin 
 our long journey *' across country." It was pouring, 
 with an evident determination to keep it up all day, 
 and I awoke James, and prepared his mind for an- 
 other delay. After a late breakfast, James donned 
 his mackintosh, and armed with an umbrella walked 
 about the town, and seemed happy and resigned. 
 We lunched by invitation with " The Bachelors " 
 to-day. Eight fellows from the East live together 
 at " The Antlers," and we were finely entertained by 
 them. They all had taken James and me for bride 
 and groom, — the third time so far on this trip! 
 This evening we spent by invitation with Mrs. R. 
 again. 
 
TUESDAY, MAY 26tH. 
 
 Jamie hopped up about five o'clock this morning, 
 to have a peep at the weather. Pike's Peak stood 
 out clear and bright, flooded with sunshine, and the 
 entire Dutch army could have been clothed in the 
 light ethereal blue. We soon began to make ready 
 for our start, but before eight o'clock it had clouded 
 over again, and seemed as unpromising as ever. 
 Out of the three hundred and sixty-five days of 
 the year, sunshine has usually blessed Colorado 
 Springs for three hundred and twenty-six days, and 
 '* the oldest inhabitant " has never known such an 
 '^uncertain May." 
 
 As Jamie was restless, we determined to start at 
 11.55 ■^- M- fo^ ^^^ West, which proved a wise 
 decision, and we have blessed our guiding star ever 
 since, for we could not have had a lovelier time, or 
 have met a jollier party. Our friends came to the 
 train to see us off, and we left Colorado Springs, 
 with many kind wishes expressed for our trip. 
 
 At Colorado Springs, two couples besides our- 
 selves boarded the train, and were all consigned to 
 sections in the same car. In the car was a fellow 
 who attracted James at once, he reminded us so 
 forcibly of our good friend W. B. ; and these two 
 couples, this young gentlemen, and James and I, 
 were all crowded together on the rear platform of 
 the train, and were soon friends, and we all kept to- 
 gether for several days, and had a royally good time. 
 
 37 
 
The first interesting place we saw after leaving 
 Colorado Springs, was Pueblo. We had dinner 
 here, in the Railroad Hotel, and we thought it poor 
 enough, but later learned to know it was a fine 
 repast. We then passed through a most uninterest- 
 ing country, with nothing but great mountains of 
 gray stone, covered half-way with sand, gray sand, 
 reddish sand, and straw-colored sand, and presented 
 all kinds of fantastic shapes. At first we were in- 
 terested, it was so different from all that we had 
 seen before, but after several hours of it we grew 
 unutterably weary. Some of these formations inter- 
 ested us in one particular ; the rocks were in great 
 strata, and in different colors, — copper, iron and 
 sandstone, and formed some wondrous effects. But 
 this region was so barren, nothing grew on the hill- 
 sides, not even sage brush, and the valleys were 
 forsaken and doleful. Once in awhile a cabin would 
 be visible, and a few weak lonely horses or cows, 
 but all seemed in keeping with the dire surround- 
 ings, and the poor animals looked as if they had 
 been fed on stones. 
 
 About half-past three this afternoon, a general 
 stir among the passengers was a sign that we were 
 approaching something of interest, and we all 
 gathered on the back platform (where we sat most 
 of the time for the next three days), and saw the 
 " Royal Gorge " as we passed through. It passeth 
 knowledge how man ever overcame such obstacles 
 in nature, as were presented to us in this royally 
 
 38 
 
*' Royal Gorge.*' A stream on one side of the 
 track, rushing and hurrying along, with a great wall 
 of solid rock rising hundreds of feet, nay thousands 
 of feet, straight up into heaven on each side of us. 
 They say the rocks rise three thousand feet on each 
 side of the track. It is like a miracle to pass through 
 that gorge. It seemed unearthly, as we twisted 
 and whirled around the sharp and narrow curves, 
 and looked up so far, to catch a glimpse of God's 
 heaven. At first we were filled with wonder, at the 
 marvelous engineering skill and genius, that had 
 planned and executed so gigantic an undertaking ; 
 then an awe and silence stole over us, as we stood 
 face to face with such wonders of God's creation. 
 The summits of these walls of rock were pointed, 
 rounded, in squares, turrets and spires, and the 
 change in the color of these great expanses of stone 
 presented prismatic tints, which no brush could 
 imitate. Fiery red, terra-cotta, blue, then almost 
 white, would appear in waves of color, and not one 
 tiny bush or shrub to break the great breadth of 
 rocks. It was a magnificent trip through that gorge, 
 and one never to be forgotten. My words seem so 
 poor in describing this grandeur. 
 
 We hurried along after leaving the Royal Gorge, 
 through a very beautiful and fertile valley, and were 
 rejoiced to see grander snow mountains on our left 
 than we had seen before. We were nearing Salida, 
 and were steadily going higher and higher, as the 
 altitude of Salida is seven thousand and fifty feet. 
 
 39 
 
We reached there at 5.35 P. M., and found it a very 
 small town, formed of cheap houses and homes, a 
 railroad centre merely. They told us the hotel 
 " Monte Christo " was first-class. It is over the 
 station, and a noisier, more disagreeable abode is 
 hard to imagine, but we will have to be satisfied 
 with much worse before we reach home, I fancy. 
 As soon as we had obtained a room and deposited 
 our traps, James and I started out to see the town, 
 and take a few photographs. The mountains were 
 magnificent. Salida is situated in a semi-circle of 
 great mountains, so white with snow as to be almost 
 too dazzling to look at. We were spell-bound with 
 admiration. 
 
 We walked up the main street, which was filled 
 with remarkably smart shops, but every other win- 
 dow presented whiskey bottles; in other words, every 
 other store was a saloon. The night before our 
 arrival, a hotel and five saloons had burned down, and 
 the ruins were still smoking, but it was no loss to 
 the little town. We hurried back to the supper- 
 table, then took another walk with our friends. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, MAY 27TH. 
 
 ^X rE had a wretched night, and longed for day- 
 light. Long before five o'clock, we were too 
 nervous with the noise of the trains to stand it 
 longer, so we were up and out, and what a pleasure 
 awaited us ! The sun had touched all the hills and 
 mountains, the snow looked like gold, and as we 
 
 40 
 
stood watching and wondering, we counted twenty- 
 five great snow monarchs, so beautiful and inspiring 
 they were, and reminded us in shape of the ele- 
 phants at Barnum's circus, as they have stood with 
 their backs to us, only they were snow from tip to 
 tail, and colossal. 
 
 We found a native of Salida willing to talk and 
 give us information, so we chatted until after six 
 with him. He was a rude specimen, and was brought 
 nine months before to Salida, so sick with consump- 
 tion, he nearly died on the way, but now he is able 
 to work on the railroads, and is as robust and well 
 as any one. He told us that they seldom had real 
 wintry weather, only in February, March and April 
 they had some cold, but never any snow, except on 
 the mountains which caught all, and kept it from 
 falling into the valley. Colorado is a wonderful 
 State, the scenery is grand beyond words, the cli- 
 mate is a blessing to scores and scores of invalids, 
 and its mineral and mining products are rich beyond 
 question, and make millionaires of many men. Oh^ 
 that we knew ** the receipt for that popular mys- 
 tery ! " Colorado interested us so much and made 
 Jamie so wonderfully better, that we think if he 
 ever feels badly again, we will fly to Colorado 
 Springs. When you come to real distance, it does 
 not seem far from home. 
 
 At 7 A. M., in a queer, narrow-guage Pullman 
 sleeper, we began our ride for the day. Mr. and 
 Mrs. H., Mr. and Mrs. V. G., Mr. H., Mr. F., James 
 
 41 
 
and myself, took possession of the back plat- 
 form. Jamie sat in the middle, right down on the 
 platform, with his feet hanging over and resting on 
 the coupling. Mr. H. sat on one step, Mr. F. on 
 the other, Mrs. H., Mrs. V. G. and I on stools in 
 between, and Mr. H. standing back of us, and in 
 this fashion we went through or over the " Marshall 
 Pass." How can I describe it ! We began our ride, 
 going through a most beautiful caflon, the rocks 
 rising so far above us on each side, and the trees, 
 grasses and shrubs being really beautiful. As we 
 sat there, little dreaming what was before us, some 
 one looked up the hillside and said, " Why there's 
 another railroad right up above us." Perhaps we're 
 going up to that," answered another. " Impossible," 
 ejaculated a third. Pretty soon around a most 
 beautiful horseshoe curve we turned, and Jamie 
 exclaimed, ** By Jove ! we are going just where 
 we thought we could not." Then our calm- 
 ness vanished, and we began to watch and 
 to wait for more glimpses of road and rail, and 
 were in Wonderland before we knew it. Creeping 
 like a snake up the side of the mountain, we would 
 look ahead, and see a cutting through the rocks, 
 outlined against the sky, and soon we would pass 
 through that very opening. We ascended so slowly, 
 so steadily, winding and twisting, turning almost at 
 right angles sometimes, crossing trestles and 
 bridges, through which we could look from our back 
 seats and see hundreds of feet down. Gradually 
 
 42 
 
all signs of vegetation began to cease, trees became 
 scarce, except the poor, tired evergreens, some look- 
 ing too tired to live, others as if they had died an 
 awful death. We began to get into the snow- 
 regions and to feel so familiar with the snow-capped 
 mountains. Such views as were ours, for as we 
 looked in every direction, we could see such wonder- 
 ful scenes, valleys, mountains, white and black, 
 villages nestled in the valleys, and we absolutely 
 grew silent in admiration. Great snow-drifts began 
 to surround us, snow-sheds began to bother us too, 
 but these were short and we were soon through 
 them. At last, as we neared the summit, 10,852 
 feet in altitude, we went into the clouds, and were 
 surrounded by such a damp vapor, just like fog. 
 We could see the clouds as we approached and went 
 into them. The summit was reached at a quarter 
 past nine, and then we rested there a little, while 
 the brakes were carefully examined to see if all was 
 safe for our ride down hill. While at the top, and 
 in the snow-shed, we were nearly frozen — our hands 
 and feet tingled, and we had to stamp about to keep 
 warm. We had much merriment, snowballing each 
 other, for we happened to stop right beside a snow 
 mound, and had quite a jolly time. Mr. F. had not 
 seen snow for ten years, living as he does in Galves- 
 ton, and he was quite funny as he frisked about in 
 his linen duster, making snow balls. It grew so 
 cold during our downward journey, that we spent 
 the rest of the morning inside the little car. 
 
 43 
 
At Gunnison, at half-past eleven o'clock, we had 
 dinner, and how hungry we were ! After leaving Gun- 
 nison, we were told that at the next station, Sapinero, 
 an observation car would be attached to the train> 
 to take us through the Black Cafion, and we all 
 gathered in the top-less car, with plain board seats. 
 We then had fifteen miles of such magnificence, 
 that Jamie and I are powerless to express our im- 
 pressions of it. The Royal Gorge was grander, 
 more colossal and majestic than the Black Cafion, 
 because its walls of rock were in great vast masses ; 
 but the Black Cafion was to us more impressive^ 
 although much narrower, and the rocks stood in 
 great solitary piles, forming cathedrals, castles and 
 needles, while beautiful waterfalls seemed to tumble 
 down from the very skies themselves. The rocks at 
 times entirely surrounded us, and as I looked ahead 
 at the little puffing locomotive, as it skipped along, 
 now over a bridge, and then as if right against the 
 solid rock, I exclaimed, " Surely, there is no way of 
 escape for us, we are rock-bound in reality." 
 
 We were creeping along the bank of the merry 
 little river Gunnison, which added greatly to the 
 beauty of the scene, with its rapids and pretty falls. 
 We wanted eyes on all sides of our heads for that 
 lovely wonderful trip. As we finally crept out of 
 the cafion into the fields and country again, they 
 appeared tame and commonplace, in contrast to the 
 beauty of tfie rock and rill which we had just 
 left. 
 
 44 
 
We stopped at a little village called Cimarron, 
 where Mr. F. had to leave us, much to our re- 
 gret. 
 
 After leaving Cimarron, we settled ourselves on 
 the back platform of the car, little dreaming of the 
 beautiful afternoon trip we had before us. Every- 
 body had spoken enthusiastically of Marshall Pass 
 and Black Cafion, but no one had said a word about 
 the country further on. With two engines again, 
 we began to climb another steep mountain, going 
 around curves by the dozen, each of which rivaled, 
 in beauty and wonder of engineering skill, the 
 famous horseshoe curve in Pennsylvania. It was 
 amost as fine a pass as the Marshall, and wonder- 
 fully rich in scenery and grand effects, and we were 
 much impressed by it. The descent was especially 
 beautiful, as we came down into a most fertile val- 
 ley, the hills about were covered with rare and deli- 
 cate wild flowers. Pink tinted the hillsides for miles, 
 then yellow and white would alternate, and great 
 bushes and shrubs of color would add their beauty 
 to the scene. Suddenly the lovely valley was 
 left behind, and we hurried along through a dry and 
 parched country, so sandy and gloomy that only 
 sage-brush was visible, with now and then a little 
 courageous daisy or blue-bell, to relieve the monot- 
 ony, and cheer the weary traveller. 
 
 Right in this glaring sand desert, our train was 
 side-tracked, to let a train to the East pass, and we 
 had several minutes to wander about. What a God- 
 
 45 
 
forsaken country it was, so parched and dry for 
 want of water. 
 
 Montrose was reached soon, and there the won- 
 derful circle of mountains, which surround Ouray 
 and Silverton, appeared most majestic and grand. 
 From Montrose to Grand Junction was a pretty trip. 
 The country was full of fine and flourishing ranches, 
 and cows, horses and sheep all seemed to prosper 
 and to enjoy life. The ranches did not look over- 
 attractive to me, but they were strikingly beautiful 
 in contrast to those we had viewed before. 
 
 We arrived at Grand Junction, at a quarter past 
 seven o'clock, and although we had been informed 
 that Grand Junction and the hotel were worse than 
 Salida, we were so tired we almost did not mind the 
 unwelcome anticipation. So many people left the 
 train at the depot, that Mr. H. hurried off and 
 reached the " Brunswick '* ahead of all travellers* 
 Our names were first on the list, and in consequence 
 we had the best rooms in the hotel, which was not 
 saying much after all. Mr. H. told the clerk that 
 we were bride and groom, and that he was best man^ 
 and had to arrange everything for us. Mr. and Mrs. 
 H. and Mr. and Mrs. V. G. were indignant, because 
 the four were offered one room, with two beds, and 
 the clerk was much surprised when they would not 
 accept such an arrangement. 
 
 Our little party had our dinner together, and 
 imagine our consternation when, after a bowl of 
 soup, our empty stomachs were asked to choose be- 
 
 46 
 
tween ** mutton, beef and brains T* So the waiter 
 in his shirt-sleeves recited his lesson. After dinner 
 we took a walk to see this little one-horse town, 
 and to our surprise, we found it was quite an enter- 
 prising little place, with street cars, one or two large 
 fine buildings, and some good stores. A very rough 
 set of men were on the streets, and lots of cow- 
 boys. We saw a fine-looking cowboy, as handsome 
 as a picture, finely dressed in his buckskin trousers, 
 large Mexican sombrero, and elaborate jacket, all of 
 which looked so new and shining. His face was a 
 study for an artist, but it was such a bad face, and 
 I wove a little romance at once, about that young 
 boy, and I imagined the sorrowing mother weeping 
 over her handsome wayward son. He is one of 
 many wild boys, I suppose, who are sent away from 
 home " to sow their wild oats." 
 
 47 
 
SALT LAKE CITY AND THE 
 MORMONS 
 
 THURSDAY, MAY 28TH. 
 
 A BOUT four o'clock this morning, we were up, and 
 "^^ ready in a half hour to start for the depot, 
 breakfastless, however. Last night, Jamie and Mr. H. 
 ordered as fine a lunch as Grand Junction could get 
 up, for us to take along, and have for an early break- 
 fast. Imagine our dismay and emptiness, when we 
 reached the train, and found that no one had remem- 
 bered to bring the breakfast. We hired a man to 
 run and get it, but our train cruelly moved out of 
 the depot, before his return. To steam out of a 
 station at 4.40 A. M. and leave a breakfast behind, is 
 enough to spoil the temper of an angel, especially 
 as we could not have breakfast until we reached 
 Green River, at half-past eight o'clock, nearly four 
 hours later. Then, to add to our discomfort, no 
 one was up in the Pullman Car, and we had to crowd 
 ourselves into a seat car, riot a chair car, like ours 
 in the East, but a car with seats, and narrow at that. 
 How James and Mr. H. were *' raked over the 
 coals," for forgetting that breakfast. 
 
 After leaving one station, we missed Mr. V. G., 
 48 
 
and no one knew where he was. We were begin- 
 ning to get anxious, when, through the stillness of 
 the car, sounded a regular war-whoop, and turning, 
 we saw our energetic friend coming towards us, in 
 great glee, with his right hand on top, and his left 
 hand under a great pile of sandwiches. The bread 
 was in inch-thick slices, and seven sandwiches made 
 a pile, never to be forgotten ! But where had our 
 friend found these *' loaves and fishes?" A woman 
 in the emigrant car had heard Mr. V. G. sigh: 
 " My kingdom for a sandwich," and had volunteered 
 to make what was needed for us, from her little stock 
 of provisions. Oh, that some one had given that 
 pile a little poke in the middle, and relieved Mr. V. 
 G.*s hands of the pressure between ! But he was 
 jubilant and merry, and so happy over his little sur- 
 prise, assuring us that " the woman was so nice and 
 clean," and his heart was nearly broken when James, 
 after the first bite, opened the window and threw 
 his sandwich out. Mr. H. slipped out on the plat- 
 form, to " fully enjoy his'n" ; but I — I choked mine 
 down to the last crumb, to atone for the short-com- 
 ings of the two boys. When we reached Green 
 River, we nearly embraced each other, in our joy at 
 the sight of food. 
 
 Thursday, May 28th was a hard day. We passed 
 through most uninteresting scenery, across prairies 
 and desert lands, so dry and white and parched — 
 across one big mountain, to be sure, but everything 
 about it betokened loneliness and gloom. Even the 
 
 49 
 
names of the stations were depressing — " Solitude *' 
 was one, **Rest" another. We had to wait till 
 nearly three o'clock for dinner, which we had at 
 Provo. 
 
 As we crossed Utah, and approached Salt Lake 
 City, we were impressed by the barrenness and dry 
 parched land on every side. Then followed such 
 loveliness — fertile ground, beautiful trees. Lake 
 Utah added to the scene, and the circle of snow 
 mountains capped the climax. The snow was so 
 purely white, and ran down the sides of the moun- 
 tains like great veins. We saw to-day, as we crossed 
 the country, row after row of charcoal pits, 
 which looked like great white bee-hives. We were 
 also much interested in the white-covered wagons, 
 crossing the prairies, drawn by cows and oxen, com- 
 ing along at a snail's pace, carrying a family often- 
 times, with all their worldly goods and possessions. 
 
 Brigham Junction was the beginning of anything 
 of a Mormon flavor in our journey. We reached 
 Salt Lake City at half-past four, and a happier set of 
 people surely have never arrived, since the time that 
 Brigham Young, or Joseph Smith, brought their fol- 
 lowers over Emigrant Pass, into the valley of the 
 Salt Sea. 
 
 Soon after arriving in Salt Lake, we were comfort- 
 ably located at the *' Hotel Templeton," and then 
 James hunted all over the town for flowers, for Mrs. 
 V. G., whose second wedding anniversary was to- 
 day. No flowers are grown in Salt Lake City, 
 
 50 
 
none can be had, except when brought from a 
 distance, and to James' regret, he had to return 
 empty-handed. 
 
 At half-past seven, all our little party met in the 
 parlor, as Mr. V. G.'s guests, to dine with him, as 
 '* his anniversary spree." He had a private room, 
 and had a very beautiful dinner. What amused us 
 all were the sudden transformations, in each and 
 every member of our little party. We had been for 
 three days together, in travelling clothes, and, it was 
 laughable to see the look of surprise on each face, 
 and the side glance of scrutiny, which each bestowed 
 on the other, when we thought no one was looking, 
 as we appeared dressed in our best. After our fine 
 repast, we took a little walk about the city, as a di- 
 gester, then separated for the much-needed rest. 
 
 FRIDAY, MAY 29TH. 
 
 A LITTLE before ten o'clock, James, Mr. H. 
 "^^ and I met at breakfast, in the sixth story 
 dining-room. We have a table, in a corner of the 
 room, which commands a most fascinating view in 
 every direction. Salt Lake City is surrounded by 
 snow mountains, which never fail to add the great- 
 est possible charm to every view. The sunsets sur- 
 pass in beauty any mountain sunsets we have ever 
 seen. The mountains fairly glow with splendor, 
 then turn a vivid violet, then almost black, while the 
 sky retains its fire and glory, and mysteriously casts 
 everything in shadow. 
 
 SI 
 
We sallied forth, after our morning meal, to pre~ 
 sent our letter of introduction to Col. W., the Super- 
 intendent of the "Zion Mercantile Co-operative 
 Institution." He received us in his private room, 
 was cordiality itself, and has done much for our en- 
 joyment ever since. He asked if we would like to 
 go then to the Tabernacle, that he would gladly go 
 with us, and we accepted joyfully. Before going 
 there, we went to see Brigham Young's homes, and 
 saw what they call "The Lion House," where his 
 surviving wives now live together, and also the 
 " Bee-Hive," where his family lived. Both of these 
 places we see daily, from our room in the hotel, also 
 the new Temple, the Tabernacle, and Assembly 
 Hall. 
 
 The Tabernacle, Temple, and Assembly Hall are 
 in one large enclosure, surrounded by a high wall, 
 with gates on the north and east. On Sundays- 
 both gates are open, on week days only the north 
 gate. We found an entrance into the Tabernacle^ 
 by one of a multitude of doors, and were soon 
 inside the great building, which is two hundred 
 and fifty feet long, by one hundred and fifty feet 
 broad, with seating capacity for eight thousand, 
 without crowding, for ten thousand under pressure, 
 and room for four thousand to stand. One great 
 arch forms the roof, without pillar or support. There 
 is not an angle in the entire building, not a corner, 
 to echo or retard sound, and the acoustic proper- 
 ties of the vast building are marvelous. At the 
 
request of our friend, we walked to the farthest 
 part of the gallery, and stood a few minutes. A 
 man, near the pulpit, took a little white pin, and 
 holding it not more than two inches above the rail- 
 ing, about the pulpit, let it drop. We could hear it 
 •distinctly. He then rubbed his hands together 
 slowly, as one does without apparent noise, and it 
 was distinctly audible where we stood, two hundred 
 feet away. To our great delight, Col. W. told us 
 that the organist happened fortunately to be in the 
 building, and would be glad to play for us." Joy 
 unspeakable ! The organ is the largest in this 
 -country, and was built of Utah timber, and by native 
 talent. It is a wonder, such sweetness of tone and 
 richness of quality, such great power and strength. 
 We sat in the gallery, and listened to a most beauti- 
 ful organ recital. I always shiver when music pleases 
 me, but I had genuine fever and ague then, and 
 shook like a leaf. After leaving the tabernacle, we 
 visited the Deseret Museum, a place of much inter- 
 est and many curios. 
 
 Salt Lake City is situated twenty miles from the 
 great Salt Lake, and after luncheon, our Httle party 
 went to Garfield Beach, which is on the lake. After 
 a forty-minutes' trip by rail, we reached the lake, a 
 vast body of water, with mountains all about it. It 
 is a wonderful place, so barren and dreary, for no 
 trees or vegetation grow near its shores ; they can- 
 not live there, it is so salt. No birds or insects can 
 live near it, not one living thing is in its water, save 
 
 S3 
 
the smallest little black bug, about the size of a pin- 
 head, so small one can hardly see it. Great rocks 
 pile high on the shore, and the waves dash over 
 them, leaving a white coating of salt. 
 
 " Garfield Beach" is composed of a pavilion, bath- 
 ing-houses, and a lunch stand. There is excellent 
 bathing, and they say it is remarkable, and every 
 one is sorry that we did not try it, for the water 
 buoys one up, and no one can sink. In splashing 
 over the face, it leaves white spots of salt, which one 
 must rub off. The water is one-fifth salt, and we 
 took some up in our hands to taste, and found it 
 decidedly briny. 
 
 After returning to the hotel, we received a call 
 from Mr. J., a gentleman to whom James had a 
 letter of introduction, but which we had not yet 
 an opportunity to present. He heard from Col. W. 
 of our arrival, and — true Mormon hospitality — he 
 had called at once. We also found, on our return, 
 beautiful roses from Col. W. and a book of poems, 
 of which he had spoken in the morning. We had 
 a most interesting conversation on the Mormon 
 religion, for he is a strict Mormon, as is also our 
 other friend, Mr. J. There is so much to tell, that 
 I must take it in order, in a section all by itself. 
 
 SATURDAV, MAY 30TH. 
 
 T7XQUISITE weather,— such lovely air, sky and 
 
 views beggar description. At eleven o'clock, 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. J. came in a handsome cart, with a 
 
 54 
 
beautiful pair of horses, to take us to drive. We 
 had a lovely drive. We went all over the city, and 
 out to the garrison, at Fort Douglass. We reached 
 there just as the soldiers, and their fine band, were 
 returning from the cemetery, — it being Decoration 
 Day, and it was a beautiful sight, for, of course, 
 crowds of carriages followed them. The garrison is 
 composed of young officers, graduates, — only three 
 are married, and they are there with their brides. 
 It is lovely and very gay there. 
 
 Salt Lake City is wonderful in some respects. 
 When one knows that the entire valley and foot- 
 hills, on which it is situated, were once barren, 
 parched prairie land, with nothing but scrub-oak, to 
 relieve the glaring sandy soil, and then sees the 
 beautiful city, with magnificent streets, and hun- 
 dreds and hundreds of fine shade trees, it is a won- 
 der, and cannot but provoke admiration. The early 
 settlers came across the country in wagons, drawn 
 often by cows, and were three or four months in 
 coming. When this site was chosen for a settle- 
 ment, the families of these people had to live, for 
 months, in these miserable wagons, until the men 
 could bring timber from the mountains, and build 
 their houses. The land had to be irrigated, that it 
 might become fertile and bear crops, and so much 
 labor had to be expended to make this barren plain 
 habitable. Trees had to be planted regularly, every 
 man and boy turning out, one day in the year, to 
 plant them. It was not safe, in those days, for men 
 
 55 
 
to go alone into the cafions for timber, on account 
 of the many wild beasts, but they would go in com- 
 panies, and in this way, little by little, the streets 
 were planted on each side with trees, that have 
 grown wonderfully fast, and formed such beautiful 
 arches of grateful shade. The box-elder is a favor- 
 ite tree, but the poplar is magnificent in its growth. 
 As far as the eye can reach, in every direction, these 
 straight slim trees are visible, standing in regular 
 rows, like a company of a regiment out on drill. 
 Their foliage is darker than the other umbrageous 
 trees, and consequently forms a fine contrast in light 
 and shade. They delighted us, these straight-laced 
 poplars, although they seem chary of their shade, 
 and fairly hug themselves, with their leaves and 
 branches. 
 
 The streets of Salt Lake City are one hundred 
 and thirty feet broad, and the houses and homes 
 are, many of them, as handsome as we can find in 
 our largest cities. The blocks are very long, and 
 when the city was laid out originally, there were 
 eight blocks to a mile. But people speak of these 
 blocks, not as so many feet, but as so many rods. 
 Our friend Mr. J.'s house is on one of the finest 
 streets, yet within one block of a cafton, so one can 
 imagine how near the mountains are, all about the 
 city. From our window, we looked upon finely 
 rounded green mountains, outlined against the sky, 
 covered with brush, but not a tree to be seen. 
 
 This morning I asked the maid, why she had not 
 
 56 
 
brushed the things I had asked her to do the night 
 before ? *' Well," she answered, " Vm taking banjo 
 lessons, and my teacher came last night, and I could 
 not very well be excused." This gives a suggestion 
 of the sort of maid-servants to be had in Salt Lake 
 City. 
 
 SUNDAY, MAY 3 1 ST. 
 
 np 0-DAY has been such a bright, beautiful Sun- 
 day, but the sunshine seemed ten times 
 stronger than in our eastern cities, and the glare of 
 the sun, on the white sandy soil, is very trying in 
 Salt Lake City. 
 
 James and I had our breakfast in our room, and 
 did not appear in public, until we met Mr. and Mrs. 
 V. G. at lunch. Then we four went to the Taber- 
 nacle, to service. 
 
 Salt Lake City is divided into twenty-two wards, 
 and each ward has a Bishop or Pastor, and a chapel, 
 where services are held morning and evening, and 
 the people of each ward attend their respective 
 chapels. But every Sunday, at two o'clock, there is 
 service in the Tabernacle, over which the " President 
 of the Mormon church " presides. The services 
 to-day were especially interesting to all, as it was 
 the ** Annual Report of the Young Men's Improve- 
 ment Association." A speaker from each ward was 
 heard, and instead of one service in the Tabernacle, 
 there were three to-day, and we attended the two 
 o'clock service. The great edifice was literally 
 
 57 
 
packed, hardly one more could have been accom- 
 modated. It was a wonderful sight, — a great sea 
 of faces of men, women and children. Little babes 
 in arms were in great numbers also. The chorus, 
 filling all the seats on each side the great organ, 
 numbers over three hundred. All in Utah are 
 musical, — it is the great talent in that territory, and 
 a taste for music is nurtured and developed, and 
 produces marvelous results. 
 
 The service opened by a song, then someone 
 offered a prayer, then an address was delivered. 
 Soon after the commencement of the address on 
 ** Self-Culture," a still small voice was heard, but we 
 could not hear what was said. The speaker halted ; 
 all was silence while these few words were uttered ; 
 then a number of men arose, and began to pass the 
 Bread of Communion. The speaker continued, and 
 during his entire address, the plates of bread were 
 passed — back and forth through those long rows of 
 seats. Everybody partook, even the tiniest babies 
 had a piece of the Bread put into their mouths by 
 their mothers. No head was bowed, no prayer in 
 silence offered, but all looked about as if nothing 
 had happened, and they were merely being refreshed. 
 The lecturer continued his discourse, when suddenly 
 and once more there was a riioment's silence, then the 
 ushers began to move about with urns and cups, 
 which were filled with water. Every Mormon, in 
 that vast assembly, partook in the same seemingly 
 unappreciative way, and then each child had some 
 
 58 
 
of the water also. As one usher approached the 
 pulpit and the lecturer, he thrust the cup into the 
 speaker's hand, and he immediately paused and 
 drank. The solemnity of our beautiful service was 
 not seen or felt, and I could not think that the sweet 
 communion, which comes to us in our silent worship, 
 could come in this way, and I wondered how these 
 people could " take and eat," without bowing the 
 head, or offering one little prayer. 
 
 A letter was read from one of the President's 
 Councilors — a man named Joseph F. Smith, who has 
 been in exile, since the law abolishing polygamy was 
 enforced, for he had too many wives. He said in 
 his letter that " Joseph Smith, the Prophet, was as 
 truly a messenger from God, as truly inspired, as 
 great a teacher and prophet, as Jesus Christ was," 
 and much of a similar nature. It was a rambling, 
 ranting letter, but listened to as attentively by that 
 great audience, as if a message from Heaven. 
 
 Then President Woodruff, a man over eighty-five 
 years old, made an address. We sat over two hours 
 in the tabernacle, with tired and crying babies, on 
 our right hand and left, before and behind us, and 
 we were only refreshed, when that magnificent organ 
 and chorus rang out, in great volumes of glorious 
 sound. 
 
 Joseph Smith, the prophet, was the one who 
 claimed to have found the lost tablets, through in- 
 spiration from heaven, which made polygamy per- 
 missible. All their freedom, in many marriages, dates 
 
 59 
 
from this licentious old fraud's sage and wonderful 
 influence, over a readily convinced people. They 
 say, whenever Brigham Young saw a nice attractive- 
 looking young woman, and was beginning to tire of 
 the previous wife, he used to go into the mountains, 
 and come back after a while, and tell the young 
 girl's parents, that he had had a revelation from 
 heaven, telling him he should marry their daughter. 
 It was a law of heaven, and must be obeyed, and so 
 the girl became one of his wives. 
 
 In the early days of polygamy, the first wife could 
 regulate the marriages of her husband, as her con- 
 sent was necessary. In the latter days, however, 
 the old rogues used to get married, on the quiet, and 
 not wait for the consent of any one. 
 
 As I sat in the Tabernacle, all that I had learned 
 of the Mormon religion passed rapidly through 
 my mind, and impressed me with not a little weight 
 and interest. But the polygamous side of the re- 
 ligion caused me no end of amusing thoughts, and 
 each man I eyed with suspicion, especially if he sat 
 *' with his sisters, and his cousins and his aunts," 
 and I could not help wondering which was number 
 one, and which number six, and if they lived *' at 
 swords' points " with each other, or were at peace 
 in their united love for their lord and master. I 
 marveled at the wonderful strength of character 
 those women must have possessed, who had such 
 experiences. 
 
 A lady friend, a Mormon, told me that " the pres- 
 60 
 
ent trials of the men, caused by the recent strict laws^ 
 are only just, in proportion to the sufferings born 
 by brave noble women in the past." I asked **how 
 a man could choose between all his wives, and take 
 one away from the rest, and live with her alone and 
 only ? " " Oh, the law regulates with which wife a 
 man must live," answered my friend ; " a man must 
 take his first wife, whether she is the most attractive 
 to him, or not. If he takes any other wife, he is 
 liable to imprisonment. If a man's first wife is dead, 
 however, he can then choose from his other wives, 
 but he must be married to her by a minister, 
 although he may have a large family of children, by 
 that very wife." One gentleman, whom we saw, was 
 in a sad predicament. When the law was passed, he 
 was living with two wives, his first wife having died. 
 The poor man could not live with either of these 
 wives, because if he chose one, he made his other 
 marriage illegal, and their children ceased to be 
 his the moment he married the other wife. To be 
 true to both, and to be able to care for, and be a 
 father to all his children, he lives alone, and his two 
 wives live together. 
 
 The liberty allowed by the Mormon Church, in 
 taking a number of wives, has been terribly abused, 
 and is keenly felt by the younger element in the 
 church, and only the older men of the early days 
 have many. Of course, every one is descended from 
 some enormous household, and as children always 
 reverence and love their grand-parents, so they 
 
 6i 
 
always speak most kindly of them, and most apolo- 
 getically. While chatting one day in Salt Lake City 
 with a friend, thoughtlessly I asked her if there 
 were many in her family. " Many! " exclaimed her 
 husband ; " as her grandfather had more wives than 
 Brigham Young, there are naturally a great many 
 in her family." "But," added my friend, "my 
 grandmother was the Jirst wife ! " A strange thing, 
 but the first wife was always treated with the utmost 
 respect, by all the other wives, and their households. 
 The law now prohibits a man from ever seeing his 
 former wives, and if a man can be caught calling 
 upon them, he can be fined and imprisoned. 
 
 The hard part is in disowning the innocent little 
 children, who have been so unfortunate as to come 
 into the world, under these trying circumstances. 
 The Church provides a home for such mothers and 
 their families, who are so uncomfortably deserted 
 and unable to support themselves, but, as a rule, 
 the deserted wives live together, and are sadder and 
 more miserable than widows. 
 
 They say " Children are Utah's best crop." A 
 childless woman, in the Mormon Church, is consid- 
 ered a disgrace to her family. 
 
 Brigham Young was a devoted father, and was 
 constantly in the midst of his modest little flock of 
 fifty-two children. He could not remember all the 
 Marys, Susans and Kates, so they each had a num- 
 ber, and were "registered stock." There is now 
 standing the school house, which he built for his own 
 
 62 
 
family, and where they were all educated. He left 
 each an inheritance, at his death, of thirty thousand 
 dollars. Brigham Young had nineteen wives. 
 
 Polygamy tended to the development of incon- 
 stancy, to speak mildly, and to a lack of concentra- 
 tion of affection, most damaging to home 
 and happiness. The women of Utah were, 
 in the olden times, quite like the women 
 of to-day, and their sufferings must have been 
 intense, as they bore it because it was their 
 "religion," — the inconstancy of their husbands, — 
 and had to smother the jealousy and heartaches, and 
 find pleasure in the love of their little children. 
 The sympathy, and companionship, and love, of 
 mother and child in Utah, is most touching and true. 
 The mothers seem to have lavished all their affec- 
 tion upon their little ones, as the only beings in life, 
 entirely and fully their own. 
 
 When walking with Col. W. to the Tabernacle, on 
 Friday, we had a short talk on religion, as the Mor- 
 mons believe in it. They believe in Jesus Christ, in 
 the Holy Ghost, and God, in the Trinity, as we do. 
 They believe that God is a Merciful Father, that 
 He does not willingly punish any of his 
 children, but that we bring punishment upon our- 
 selves, by our own acts. They believe that God was 
 once upon earth, that He knows our temptations 
 and trials, but by His wonderful power He became 
 our Saviour. They believe that we have all existed 
 before, in some other sphere, and as spirits, and 
 
 63 
 
their greatest religious fervor is in preparing for the 
 life to come. The truly religious look upon this 
 life, as merely a place of preparation. They believe 
 in a resurrection of the body, as well as the soul. 
 They say this body returns to the dust, from which 
 it was made, but our spiritual body will be the 
 exact image of our earthly body ; in other words, 
 they believe in the resurrection of our body,. 
 without the earthly element. They have 
 perfect faith in inspiration, and usually at 
 their services, the President is inspired to call 
 upon some member to speak, and that person 
 considers it a " Divine Call," and speaks sometimes 
 for one hour, sometimes two, as he feels impelled. 
 The Church is governed by a President, by Twelve 
 Apostles, and the Chosen Seventy, all of whom sit 
 up in front of the organ, on raised sofas of red 
 plush — the President occupying the highest. One 
 thing Col. W. told me has impressed me more and 
 more, as I have thought of it, day by day, that is — 
 that we have a Mother in Heaven, as well as a 
 Father. It will startle one at first, as it did me. 
 The Mormons believe that, as *' God is great in wis^ 
 dom, and power, and might, so He is great in provid- 
 ing Himself with all that is best, and so He does 
 not live alone in His greatness, but He has a 
 wife !" — Don Carlos Young, one of Brigham Young's 
 sons, thus expressed it to me. The idea was revolt- 
 ing to me at first, but after reading a little poem, 
 which Col. W. sent me, it was so prettily expressed,. 
 
 64 
 
that Jamie copied it, to insert in my journal. It is^ 
 of course, the one idea of happiness to Mormons, 
 the possession of a wife, and so they cannot think 
 of God in Heaven, as a lonely solitary Power. The 
 Mormon religion savors of the Theosophists' faith, 
 but it is in form more like the Quaker, in their 
 belief in divine inspiration, and in their order of 
 service. 
 
 INVOCATION 
 
 OR THE 
 ETERNAL FATHER AND MOTHER. 
 
 OMY Father, thou that dwellest 
 In the high and holy place, — 
 When shall I regain thy presence. 
 And again behold thy face ? 
 
 In thy glorious habitation, 
 Did my spirit once reside ? 
 
 In my first primeval childhdod, 
 Was I nurtured near thy side ? 
 
 For a wise and glorious purpose, 
 Thou has placed me here on earth, 
 
 And withheld the recollection 
 Of my former friends and birth. 
 
 Yet oftimes a secret something 
 
 Whispered, " You're a stranger here 
 
 And I felt that I had wandered 
 From a more exalted sphere. 
 
 I had learned to call thee Father, 
 Through thy spirit from on high ; 
 
 But, until the Key of Knowledge 
 Was restored, I knew not why. 
 
 65 
 
In the heavens are parents single ? 
 
 No : the thought makes reason stare : 
 Truth is reason : truth eternal, 
 
 Tells me I've a mother there. 
 
 When I leave this frail existence — 
 
 When I lay this mortal by — 
 Father, Mother, may I meet you 
 
 In your royal court on high ? 
 
 Then at length, when I've completed 
 
 All you sent me forth to do, 
 With your mutual approbation, 
 
 Let me come and dwell with you. 
 
 By Eliza R. Snow, widow of Joseph Smith, the Mormon 
 Prophet, and afterwards one of Brigham Young's 
 nineteen wives. 
 
 Copied by J. W. H., June 4, 1891. 
 
 MONDAY, JUNE 1ST. 
 
 A LOVELY morning, cool and almost too bright 
 •^^ and sunny. After a late breakfast, I went 
 shopping with a friend, and when I returned, I found 
 that James had been with Mr. J. all the morning. His 
 hospitality and cordiality are most flattering to my 
 husband. After lunch, armed with my camera, we 
 went with Mrs. J. and her daughter to Brigham 
 Young's grave. To-day is Brigham Young's nine- 
 tieth birthday, — he has been dead fifteen years in 
 August. On his birthday, his children and grand- 
 children cover his grave with flowers, and the gate 
 to the burying-ground is unlocked, and strangers are 
 admitted. When we reached there, some visitors 
 
 66 
 
moved away ; and while arranging the camera for a 
 photograph, through the gate, and across the green 
 lawn, walked five little children,the oldest about ten 
 years, the youngest about three. They all carried 
 flowers, — some in the form of wreaths, others bou- 
 quets. The thought flashed through my mind, 
 what a chance for a picture ; it was so unusual a cir- 
 cumstance, and seemed made on purpose for me, for 
 those five children were Brigham Young's grand- 
 children, and had come to lay flowers on his grave. 
 
 Afterwards I met one of Brigham Young's 
 daughters, — a very pleasant, well-educated lady. 
 She spoke of her mother's care and hardships, in 
 crossing the plains, in a little wagon, when she came 
 to Salt Lake, — of the long four months' trip, etc., 
 and it was most interesting to hear. 
 
 In the evening, James and I went with the J.'s to 
 Salt Lake Opera House, to see the " Lilliputians." 
 We had a box, and spent a most delightful evening. 
 The little actors were as cute as possible. The 
 theatre is small but wonderfully pretty, and was 
 built years ago, by Brigham Young, the centre light 
 in the ceiling having been made of the wheel of the 
 wagon, in which he came across the plains, with 
 lamps hung around the edge, and in the middle. It 
 is now replaced by a fine electric flower piece. 
 
 Brigham Young was a born organizer and despot, 
 and he ruled his little kingdom like an emperor, in 
 undisputed power and might. The people loved 
 him, his word was law to them, and no matter how 
 
 67 
 
down-trodden they were, his magnetic power car- 
 ried all before him, and no one thought of raising a 
 voice against his edicts. 
 
 TUESDAY, JUNE 2ND. 
 
 A NOTHER bright day, and another drive with 
 •^ our friends ; in fact, most of our time is spent 
 with them, in their charming home, or driving. 
 
 They say the dusty season in Salt Lake City is a 
 most trying time and experience, but it comes later 
 in the summer. We think it is terribly dusty now ; 
 our boots and shoes are constantly white. Outside 
 all the front doors of even the finest homes, are 
 feather dusters, to use for the boots before entering 
 the house. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD. 
 
 T OVELY weather ; in fact, every day seems lovely 
 here. Again, before eleven, we were driving 
 with Mr. J. We had a delightful drive, and are 
 becoming so well acquainted with the city, and so 
 interested in the wonderful growth of the trees. 
 The streets all have wooden gutters, through which 
 water is kept flowing, as nothing will grow, neither 
 trees nor grass, without this constant irrigation. 
 Lawns are regularly watered morning and evening, 
 as all would dry up if it was not done. Salt Lake 
 City did not impress me favorably at first, and if 
 James had felt like it, I should gladly have moved 
 on last Saturday. I am so thankful we did not ; for 
 
 68 
 
the more we see of the city and its people, the more 
 delighted we are that we have remained, and come 
 to know both so well. The Mormons are greatly- 
 misunderstood. Of course, their religious views, 
 differ widely in many points from ours, but we were 
 glad to hear, from the Mormons themselves, just 
 what they believe. 
 
 In Salt Lake City is the funniest little house we 
 ever saw. Long ago, a young man lost his lady- 
 love, the night before they were to have been mar- 
 ried, and it changed his entire life, making a 
 " crooked stick " out of a youth of bright promise. 
 The lover is an old man now, but he lives entirely 
 alone with his memories, A long curl of golden 
 hair, and a sweet little wedding gown are his treas- 
 ures. His house is the tiniest place imaginable, 
 white as white-wash can make it, and as clean and 
 shining within as without. The queerest part of it 
 is, that all his choicest goods and chattels are put 
 about the little place, on the outside. He thinks, for 
 some unknown reason, that his sweetheart's spirit 
 will not come into the house, so he has I'ttle chairs 
 and a sofa, oil paintings, etc., yards of American 
 flags, mosses, shells, and every conceivable thing 
 outside, on the roof, the sidewalk and everywhere. 
 The people of Salt Lake so honor this poor old 
 man's sentiment and sorrow, that no one ever mo- 
 lests or destroys a thing. It was very pathetic to 
 us. It seems sad that the one affection of a man's 
 heart, should not be for its noblest development, 
 
 69 
 
and stimulating to the highest and best in character. 
 Why should love, even deep and abiding, dwarf 
 one, and make such gloomy shadows and sad lives ? 
 
 FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH. 
 
 13EF0RE we had finished breakfast. Col. W. 
 called to ask us to accompany him, after lunch, 
 to view the new Temple. Soon after he left, our 
 friend Mrs. J. came for us to drive again, a little ear- 
 lier this morning, for some one else had taken us 
 yesterday, before she came. After a delightful 
 drive, and lunch, James and I went to see the new 
 ** Temple." No one is admitted, usually ; but Col. 
 W. had obtained a private permit, and Don Carlos 
 Young (one of Brigham Young's fifty-two), took us 
 all over it, explained everything, and we came away 
 full of religious points and principles, which I will 
 add to this chronicle, in a Coda. 
 
 We did what few Mormons have ever done, and 
 very few ladies ; we climbed to the tip-top pinnacle, 
 up stairs of stone at first, then wooden steps, 
 climbed ladders, crawling through dark rooms where 
 we could only feel our way, and finally, our climb 
 was crowned by a most magnificent and glorious 
 view over all the city, across to Salt Lake, the snow 
 mountains rising so majestically all about the beau- 
 tifully shaded city. It was an awful climb, but as 
 James said, "it paid, — didn't it. May!" 
 
 We were nearly tired out before we were back at 
 the Hotel, and then the packing had to be done, as 
 
 70 
 
we were to leave Salt Lake City, in the wee small 
 hours of the night, for San Francisco. 
 
 After dinner, when all was in readiness for our 
 start, we went with the J.'s to the delightful Mus- 
 ical Festival in the Tabernacle. It was a wonder- 
 ful sight to us, that huge auditorium absolutely- 
 packed with human beings. The organ was in mag- 
 nificent tone, and the chorus was so huge and so 
 mighty in number and voice, that our ears did not 
 seem one-fourth big enough, to fully appreciate that 
 volume of wondrous harmony. It was magnificent ! 
 Some native talent was astonishing and marvelous. 
 Myron Whitney sang well, and Miss Emma Thurs- 
 by's voice was angelic, — both having come from the 
 East, to grace the occasion. Miss Thursby sang as 
 if inspired, and her audience was spell-bound, and 
 not a note was lost by that music-loving assembly. 
 
 The musical feast was too soon over. James was 
 never so enthusiastic, — in fact he was deeply im- 
 pressed. At eleven o'clock, we were out in the 
 open air again, and much interested in watching the 
 mass of people disperse and disappear, in every di- 
 rection. Where they all came from and went to, 
 was a wonder to us. We went to our friends' 
 home, expecting only to make a short call, but a 
 dainty supper for the travellers, we found prepared ; 
 and it was long after midnight, when we hurriedly 
 returned to the hotel for our luggage, to take the 2 
 A. M. train for San Francisco. 
 
 We left Salt Lake City at 2 A. M., but in reality 
 
 71 
 
we left Ogden one hour before we reached there, 
 for we arrived at Ogden at 3 A. M. by Mountain 
 Time, but left there at 2 A. M. by Pacific Time, 
 
 SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH. 
 
 /^N the train, going to San Francisco, across the 
 ^■^ most uninteresting portion of God's World I 
 We were over twenty-four hours in crossing the 
 Great Desert, and it was awful, such barrenness and 
 doleful scenery, such weary wastes of woeful mis- 
 ery, and dust — like pepper — covered everything, for 
 we were crossing the alkali plains. It was a most 
 wretched day ! 
 
 James and I sat together, on the back platform of 
 our train, as it was too warm to stay in the car, and 
 we were too tired and too dusty to care much for 
 anything. 
 
 We saw plenty of Indians, in paint and feathers ; 
 and one woman attracted us exceedingly, as she 
 carried her dear little pappoose on her back, the 
 little black head just peeping out from its awful 
 wool wrapping. Another Indian woman was as 
 handsome as a picture, and her rich dark cheeks 
 were each painted with a fine white cross, put on in 
 spots like beads. 
 
 SUNDAY, JUNE 7TH. 
 
 JAMES and I slept as well on the train last night, 
 as we have lately at the hotels, where we have 
 been. There was a general shake up and earth- 
 
 73 
 
quake motion, which we do not find in hotels, but 
 we were unusually comfortable. We had a misera- 
 ble breakfast this morning, at Sacramento ; but the 
 waiter said, " Will you have coffee, or tea, Miss,'^ 
 which produced a well-fed satisfaction within my 
 breast, in spite of the lack of proper provisions. 
 
 The ride, until after twelve, was truly delightful. 
 Before we reached Sacramento, we had passed 
 through a most beautiful country; and they say 
 from Reno to Sacramento, passing through the 
 Sierra Nevada Range, is a charming trip. Our train, 
 unfortunately, went through the interesting part, 
 during the very early morning hours, and we missed 
 seeing it. The '' Fast Mail " from Salt Lake City, 
 takes thirty-five hours to run to San Francisco. 
 
 From Sacramento to Oakland, the country was 
 like a beautiful flower garden. The marsh-lands 
 and meadows were full of long reed grasses, and 
 wonderful stalks of salmon-pink buds. On each 
 side of the track, bordering it for miles, were great 
 bushes of yellow wild flowers, so plentiful and pro- 
 fuse that, as we looked back from our seat on the 
 back platform, the long straight track for miles, 
 sometimes without a turn, seemed one golden path- 
 way. They made the roadway look like some drive 
 through a garden full of flowers. Between the rails, 
 creeping over the sleepers, and peeping up every- 
 where, nodding so pleasantly and merrily as we flew 
 over them, were millions of morning-glories; and 
 all the buds and blossoms waved so cheerily, by 
 
 73 
 
means of the commotion we created in the air, of 
 course, and seemed to bow and say, " Welcome to 
 our flowery State." Some sandy hills were bril- 
 liant with orange-colored bells. We were soon 
 creeping along the shores of the Sacramento River, 
 but the flowers never forsook us, and came with us 
 to Oakland Ferry, where we left the train of the 
 Central Pacific, and took the boat for San Francisco. 
 At Belencia, thirty-two miles from the City of the 
 Golden Gate, we had to cross the river by boat, as 
 we used to do at New London. James gave much 
 pleasure, by taking a photograph there of our engine 
 and all the train hands ; and I never saw a happier 
 crowd of men, and especially when James took 
 their addresses, and promised to send each one of 
 them a picture. As the train left the boat at Port 
 Costa, the engineer and switch-men all raised their 
 hats to me, as I stood on the back platform, and 
 James was so much pleased and gratified ; but we 
 laughed heartily as we realized, by our satisfaction, 
 how little it took to please us. 
 
 We saw many vineyards on our journey to-day, 
 notably the Zinfandel Vineyard. Oakland impressed 
 us as a very pretty place, and the sail from Oakland 
 to San Francisco was delightful, as the boats are 
 large and fine. There were many officers on board 
 to-day, and we learned that three men-of-war had 
 come in last night, and lay at anchor near our boat, 
 and they had received orders to start at once for 
 Chili. 
 
 74 
 
We landed at San Francisco at noon, and drove at 
 once to the Palace Hotel, and were soon taken to a 
 very pleasant room; but one look at the bath-tub was 
 enough for James, and he asked for another room, 
 with better and fresher appointments, for nothing 
 seemed so attractive just then as a clean tub of hot 
 water ; we were so travel-stained. While we were 
 waiting for room number two, in came our good 
 friend Mr. H., who had left us in Salt Lake City, 
 and gone on to San Francisco. Poor fellow, he had 
 taken a young lady to the boat with him to meet 
 us, and reached there two minutes too late, so fol- 
 lowed us to the hotel. He asked us to go to the 
 parlor to meet his friend, which I did, dirt and all, 
 and had a very pleasant call. 
 
 After ablutions and a dainty lunch, served in our 
 room, and a good long nap, James and I prepared 
 for dinner. As James was dressed first, he went 
 downstairs to get a little idea of places and things, 
 and was to return in a few minutes for me. Mr. H. 
 came to the door to speak to James a moment, and 
 I had just said "You'll find him down in the 
 office,'* when I heard a colored man say "this is 
 your room, I think, sir," and there stood James 
 laughing heartily. " Well, I never was in such a 
 hotel," exclaimed the poor fellow, " it's as much as 
 a man can do to find his way about." Then he went 
 on to tell us, that he had mistaken the floor and gone 
 to the wrong door, which a dear little lady opened 
 and shut as quickly. "Then I had to get the bell- 
 
 7S 
 
man to bring me to my room," he laughingly added. 
 One cannot imagine, in their wildest moods, such a 
 monstrous place as this Palace Hotel. It is larger 
 and finer than any hotel we have ever seen in 
 America, or on the other side of the water. Hand- 
 somely appointed and furnished, with halls luxuri- 
 ously provided with innumerable sofas, etc., palms 
 to decorate, and everything in such perfect order 
 and cleanliness everywhere, the Palace Hotel is cer- 
 tainly not mis-named. Our room is on the second 
 floor, and is " No. 946." The dining-room is fin- 
 ished and furnished in white and gold, and the cui- 
 sine is excellent. After a good dinner, we came to 
 our room and spent a delightful evening, reading and 
 writing. 
 
SAN FRANCISCO AND MONTEREY. 
 
 MONDAY, JUNE 8TH. 
 
 C AN FRANCISCO ! A breakfast in our room, 
 ^ then, at ii A.M., Mr. H. came with Miss 
 B. (the young lady he came West to see, who 
 called upon me yesterday), and we four wandered 
 out, first on errands, then pleasure. It was a most 
 lovely day, but so awfully windy^ which is San 
 Francisco's chronic state, at this season. The Trade 
 Winds begin to blow about 1 1 A.M., and woe to the 
 big hats and parasols ! Our first errand was to carry 
 our Kodak to the agent here, to be developed. Then 
 we called on Mr. J.'s business agent, who offered to 
 go with us, in the afternoon, at 2 p.m., to the best 
 shops in ** Chinatown." We went into some of 
 the stores on errands, had lunch at a restaurant, 
 called ''Maison Doree,"and at 2 P.M. Mr. S. met us, 
 and we went to Chinatown. 
 
 Chinatown is a part of San Francisco, directly off 
 the main shopping street. We are only about six 
 blocks from it here at the Palace Hotel. We walked 
 along Kearny Street, for about five or six blocks, 
 then suddenly turned to our left, and walked one 
 
 77 
 
block, up a steep hill : — the City is all hills, and we 
 were in such a queer, unusual place, — the shops and 
 streets outlined with Chinese signs, in great gilt 
 hieroglyphics, looking most picturesque and un- 
 usual. The narrow streets were filled with quite 
 American shaped houses, but the balconies were 
 hung with banners and great Chinese lanterns, and 
 were very showy and dressy. We walked a little 
 through the streets and alleys, but soon began to 
 visit the merchants in their neat shops. I thought 
 we had seen Chinamen in our eastern cities ; but 
 here we saw hundreds and hundreds of these solemn- 
 faced, cleanly-shaved Celestials, in their long queer 
 dark-colored shirts, or coats, their unsteady and 
 uncomfortable looking shoes, their long pig-tails 
 and cleanly-shaved foreheads. Half way back, 
 towards the top of the head, Chinamen are closely 
 shaved, giving them such tremendous foreheads, 
 and one queer peculiarity of their faces is, that there 
 is but little degree or difference in their foreheads 
 — at least, I mean, it would be hard to tell where the 
 forehead ends, and the nose and eyes begin, if it 
 were not for the eye-brows (which no high-born 
 Chinaman ever allows to grow). I have studied 
 their faces quite closely, and find the lack of expres- 
 sion due mostly to this straight forehead and nose ; 
 but they are an interesting people — keen, shrewd, 
 sharp at a bargain, and cunning as witches. The 
 high-class merchant is a fine specimen of man. 
 Generally clean and neatly dressed, with wonderful 
 
 78 
 
dignity and solemn manners, no one can help but 
 admire him ; but one cannot help noticing the lack 
 of frivolity, and utter absence of wit and humor. 
 He seems heavy and solemn, as if life was a serious 
 problem, and must be met with appropriate dignity, 
 and silent struggle. Their language is a sort of 
 chop-stick medley, a mixture of musical and un- 
 musical sounds and groans. 
 
 Mr. S. took us to see many of them, and we were 
 at once fascinated with their goods, and Chinatown. 
 Everything in Chinatown is *'two bit-te" (or 25 
 cents), " four bit-te " etc., and soon one gets to talk- 
 ing pigeon English unconsciously. We saw some 
 little things, and asked the price, " Him cost four 
 bit-te." Pretty soon I heard James ask " Well, what 
 does him cost, — other him " pointing to some other 
 article. Everything is *' him." I don't believe the 
 Chinese language has any but the masculine gender. 
 If you don't like a thing you say, " Him no good, 
 me don't want him." But we found some China- 
 men who could speak English most wonderfully. 
 One man spoke so well that we complimented him, 
 and said '* You speak English as well as we do." 
 He answered : ** Why, you flatter me, ladies," as 
 polite as a Frenchman. But before we left the store, 
 we had bought something, and told him to send it 
 to the Hotel, at once, " I assure you, Madam, it will 
 go surely, without f-a-i-1-i-n-g-s ! " 
 
 They eat at queer times, some time in the morn- 
 ing, and again at four or five in the afternoon. As 
 
 79 
 
you go through Chinatown, in the afternoon, you will 
 see red curtains hung up at the store-door, at 4 or 5 
 o'clock; that means ** don't come in, we are eating." 
 In one store, the Chinaman was showing us some- 
 thing, and, being evidently cross and hungry, he 
 said, *' Come to-morrow, me eat now," and we had 
 to go ; he wouldn't show us anything more. Mr. S. 
 took us into one shop, when they were eating. In 
 the back of the room, around a bare table, sat six 
 Chinamen. Bowls of rice were before each one, and 
 one large dish of some savory something, in the 
 middle of the table, was the common property of all. 
 They fished in the centre dish with their chop-sticks, 
 sometimes all at once, snapping the chop-sticks to- 
 gether, until the ends hit some big bit, and they could 
 spring it over to the pursed-up lips. Then, holding 
 his rice bowl under his chin, so that, standing oppo- 
 site, I could not see his nose, the Chinaman shovelled 
 the rice into his funnel-shaped mouth, at the rate of 
 **a mile a minute," with his chop-sticks. We do 
 not wonder that their mouths grow, as if they had 
 been born whistling, for they always hold the mouth 
 like a funnel. No women eat with the men, nor 
 have we seen any women in any of the stores, — 
 native women, I mean. Old hags are on the street, 
 and some very fine looking Chinese girls, but most 
 of these are the bad class of women. Really high- 
 class women are scarce in Chinatown, and what few 
 are there, are seldom seen. To-day we saw a little 
 girl of the high class, walking on the street in China- 
 
 80 
 
town, followed by a maid, — a rude, coarse Chinese 
 woman. The little girl was gorgeously dressed, in 
 beautiful and tiny shoes, green trousers embroid- 
 ered elaborately, a beautiful bright colored tunic, 
 and a silver headdress, with ornaments dangling 
 over her forehead, and long streamers hanging way 
 down her back. She was a beauty, for Chinatown. 
 We were in that fascinating place, until after five 
 o'clock ; then James and I came to our room. Miss 
 B. and Mr. H. left us, — we dressed, had dinner, 
 listened to the orchestra, which plays twice a week 
 in the Court of this hotel, wrote my journal, and re- 
 tired. 
 
 TUESDAY, JUNE 9TH. 
 
 A FTER a late breakfast, Mr. H., James and I 
 "^ wandered out to buy a little birthday remem- 
 brance for D , and we found a fine silver store, 
 
 Shreves, — where the daintiest novelties were to be 
 seen. As we walked along, we were irresistibly 
 drawn into Chinatown again. We became so inter- 
 ested there, and were on such pleasant terms with 
 Sing Fat, Fong Sang Lung, and others, that it was 
 two o'clock before we left there. We then went to 
 see the films of our Kodak, to choose the good ones 
 and hurry their completion. We had the merriest 
 time possible over them, as the photographer said, 
 " they were the best set of amateur photographs 
 that he had seen in a long time— and a fine lens you 
 have," he added. We then had a little lunch, and 
 
 81 
 
at four o'clock were back at the Palace, and after 
 writing a short letter home, and having a nap, we 
 dined at " table d'hote," with Mr. and Mrs. V. G. 
 In the evening, we went through Chinatown — 
 ^* the correct thing to do." We had an excellent 
 guide, who took us everywhere, and ** what we saw 
 in Chinatown " will be written to-morrow. 
 
 At a quarter past eight o'clock, we assembled in 
 the court, on the first floor of the Palace Hotel, to 
 meet our guide, who was to take us through China- 
 town. Our party consisted of twelve besides our- 
 selves, our friends Mr. and Mrs. V. G. and Mr. H. 
 and Miss B. among the number. We followed our 
 fleet-footed courier through Kearny Street, until 
 we reached the hill, which led us up into Chinatown. 
 This particular and peculiar quarter of San Fran- 
 cisco covers a space, fourteen blocks square, and is 
 a more crowded place than any similar space in any 
 large city. There are 50,000 Chinese in Chinatown, 
 they say, and one would think there were five times 
 that number, to see the swarms of children and men 
 in the streets. 
 
 Our first point of interest was a Chinese Mission, 
 maintained by the Baptist denomination. The little 
 chapel was good but plain; but over the chapel was 
 a school-room, divided into classes by partitions, 
 and these little spaces were full of Chinamen, learn- 
 ing to speak English, which an old white-haired 
 man, and several nice-looking ladies were trying to 
 teach these Celestials. Some of the scholars were 
 
 83 
 
little boys, but most of them were men. I spoke 
 to a few of them, looked at their books, and asked 
 one about the American history he was reading, and 
 he spoke English very well. Finally I came to a 
 dear little Chinese boy, and talked to him, and when 
 I left him, he spoke to me and said ** Good-bye,** 
 which seemed to be the only word he could say, and 
 his effort proved a source of great amusement to 
 the older men about him. One seldom sees an old 
 man among these Chinamen ; we have seen but one 
 in all our visits here. They say Chinamen go to 
 these schools purely to learn English, for business 
 purposes; and although the Baptists think often- 
 times that they have converted some, after learning 
 English, they almost always return to their old 
 faith. 
 
 We next visited " Chinese Dr. Wong' Woo." His 
 office is a shop full of herbs and drugs, and when 
 we went in, two men were grinding herbs. They 
 sold us a pill, which is the size of a marble, and then 
 is covered with wax, making it as big as a lime. 
 They showed us a queer little frog-like animal 
 thoroughly dried and stiff, and they take the oil 
 from this little hide, and rub on joints of patients 
 who suffer with rheumatism. The Chinamen in 
 this office were very coquettish, and flirtatious, and 
 as we made it a point to speak to any of them, who 
 could understand us, wherever we went, we had 
 quite a laugh here. One man brought us some 
 kind of a root, and offered it to me, but not know- 
 
 83 
 
ing whether it was poison or not, I was afraid to try 
 it, until he commenced to eat some himself, when it 
 seemed reasonably safe. 
 
 We visited several markets, where the most re- 
 volting black flesh meats were sold as choice mor- 
 sels. In every market may be found eggs, which 
 are brought from China ; but they cover these eggs 
 with a queer kind of black earth, before sending 
 them over, to preserve and keep them fresh, and the 
 earth is so strong, that it eats through the shell and 
 makes the entire Qgg like ink, and most disgusting. 
 Nothing in these markets looked tempting. The 
 Chinese never season their food ; but chicken, duck, 
 or whatever meat they have, is cooked without but- 
 ter, pepper or salt, and is consequently very unsav- 
 ory to American palates. We saw a dismal basket 
 full of gristle and bone, hanging up in full sight, 
 and learned that these dainty morsels were highly 
 prized feet of chickens. Such queer-looking joints, 
 — some as black as your hat ! They say they 
 will not eat American-raised goose, but will eat all 
 other American things. " Pigs they adore ! " When 
 a Chinaman dies, the people are so terrified by death 
 that they run away, and the friends generally hurry 
 their dead to the cemetery, as fast as possible. They 
 take all kinds of things, — roast pigs and all kinds of 
 eatables, and leave on the grave, and they say their 
 graveyard resembles a picnic-ground. 
 
 We visited a " Josh House.'* These houses are 
 their temples, where they come to worship. A pas- 
 
sage and stairway lead to it, and both walls are cov- 
 ered with Chinese figures, which we thought was a 
 Chinese wall-paper ; but the guide told us that they 
 use the walls of these passages, as a directory of 
 names, of the members of that particular Josh 
 House. The Chinese language is a language of 
 signs and symbols, and certain sounds mean certain 
 things. For instance (a circle with a dot in 
 the middle) some time ago, stood for the sun, and 
 the dawn was represented by this same sign, with a 
 horizontal line drawn beneath O^ which was the 
 sun above the horizon. Now both are modified into 
 a figure or symbol, and a sound represents that par- 
 ticular figure. It makes one curious to know where 
 the Chinese ever found their guttural grunts and 
 groans. It impresses James very much, to think 
 that this religion of theirs has lived so many more 
 hundreds of years than our own, and it holds them 
 so strongly, and makes the Chinese just as sincere 
 worshippers, as our own religion does, even better in 
 many instances. The Chinese are afraid to do any- 
 thing that they have been taught their gods forbid. 
 In this temple, we went behind a gorgeously carved 
 and gilded screen, and were initiated into the mys- 
 teries of their religion. One great ugly looking 
 god, all decked out in rings and gilt and fine colors, 
 sat high up under a kind of canopy, and is consid- 
 ered their Supreme God; but whenever he displeases 
 them too much, they go in a mass and take him 
 down, destroy him, and put up a new god, or Josh. 
 
 85 
 
In front of him sit four minor gods. Three were 
 pleasant-faced images, all sitting like tailors or 
 Turks, with crossed legs, but the other was the 
 " Red-faced Josh," and the people fear him greatly. 
 On the altar, in front of these gods, were two little 
 frames, with three small tea cups in each, and these 
 are filled each day, as they evaporate, with fresh 
 tea, that the gods may never get thirsty. Then, in 
 great brass urns, full of ashes of former sandal 
 sticks, are put little sticks of sandal-wood, which are 
 always kept lighted, to keep evil spirits away. 
 When they go in to worship, they always put a 
 little lighted stick in ajar, over the threshold, before 
 worshipping. On the extreme left of the altar, in a 
 corner, stood the funniest little figure, dried like a 
 mummy, dressed in a reddish gown, and holding in 
 his hand a big palm leaf fan. This we were informed 
 was the ** Good-spirit Devil," and on the floor be- 
 fore him stood a tin-pan, in which was a great 
 quantity of ashes. They told us that the Chinese 
 have an idea that, if they go before this God, and 
 burn something that represents their characters, 
 they will be safe from the evil in the world. If they 
 do not perform this service, the world is supposed to 
 rob them and ruin their characters. 
 
 A Chinaman, for a small fee, went through his 
 form of worship for us. He knelt in front of the 
 altar, then prostrated himself three times, striking 
 his forehead on the floor, then he muttered away to 
 himself in their peculiar monotone, bowing his head 
 
 86 
 
at certain stated intervals. After much of this kind 
 of worship, he took two small piecesof wood, shaped 
 like half-moons, and threw them into the air, to try 
 his luck, and see if the gods heard his prayer and 
 were inclined to look favorably upon him. If these 
 two pieces of wood both fell with the flat side down, 
 he would have very bad luck ; if both flat sides turned 
 up, his luck would be moderate ; but if one was up 
 and one down, nothing better could be desired. 
 Our Chinese worshipper was rewarded by the last- 
 mentioned good fortune ; but he did not stop here. 
 He next took a wooden jar full of fiat sticks of 
 wood, quite long and narrow, each of which was 
 numbered, and shaking them three times and pull- 
 ing them, he began a gentle but steady motion, 
 with the jar clasped in his two hands. Slowly, 
 steadily, but resolutely he shook them, until one lit- 
 tle slim stick began to push its head a little higher 
 than its neighbors, and gradually progressed in its 
 upward motion, until it came out of the pack, and 
 dropped on the floor. It was strange, but as we all 
 surrounded that queer little Chinaman, in silence 
 and wonder, as he knelt before his altar, he turned 
 to us, and singling me out of that little party said, 
 " That is your fortune. Lady." He then looked at 
 the number on the stick, turned to a book of refer- 
 ence and read my fortune : — it was good luck, and 
 something we could not understand about Chicago, 
 but he added, " You will be mich, and have luck, 
 big-ee house, much gold, and come Chinatown 
 
 87 
 
again." Mich means rich, and James hopes his 
 prophecy will come true. 
 
 One queer thing interested us very much. On 
 almost every corner in Chinatown are fruit venders, 
 who look so dirty, and their fruit so uninviting, that 
 I wonder they ever sell anything. One fruit-stand 
 on a corner is kept by a father and three sons. Over 
 the stand, built close against the cornice of the win- 
 dow, and entirely out of the way, is a little cup- 
 board, fenced in with sides, not bigger than our bath- 
 tub at home. A small ladder leads up to a door in 
 one end, and in that ** band-box,'* as tourists call it, 
 sleep that father and his three sons. They are four 
 full grown people. The last man in or up, pulls up 
 the ladder. You cannot imagine how crowded the 
 Chinese live, like sardines packed in a box. One 
 queer place we visited was not as large as the pan- 
 try at Sunny-Slope. It is the home of an old wo- 
 man named Annie, and her queer shriveled up hus- 
 band, and around the wall hangs every article they 
 own in life ; — a little stove, a bed and a chair, com- 
 pose their furniture, and the entire place is over-run 
 with cats and dogs. The dogs gave us a dismal bark 
 as we approached, but the cats were two deep every 
 where, — on the bed, on every little niche and box, 
 cats, — nothing but cats, a full dozen, or more ! 
 
 We went to a Chinese pawn-shop, and to a barber 
 shop. The Chinese need barbers, and go regularly 
 to them to have their cues braided, their fore- 
 heads shaved ; even their nostrils and ears are shaved 
 
also. When you see a man with blue braid tied in 
 his cue, he is in mourning for some relation, and 
 when he wears blue trousers also, he has lost all his 
 relations. We went to the theatre, but no play was 
 being given. Men are the only actors, and take the 
 part of women characters marvelously, they say. 
 During a performance, the furniture for the differ- 
 ent acts is all placed together, on one side of the 
 stage, and when a man wants to play that he is row- 
 ing a boat, he goes and selects a pair of oars from 
 the pile, and springs across the stage, moving them 
 as if he was in a boat. Everything is very primi- 
 tive, — they have never advanced one step with the 
 improvements of the age, in those things. All the 
 actors live with their families, underground. Un- 
 der the theatres, — (there are only two) there are 
 subterranean passages, with only room enough for a 
 man to stand upright ; and on each side of the pass- 
 ages, live the actors, or stars, with their wives — 
 always underground and in the dark. We saw many 
 of them, as they were having vacation, and two had 
 the most exquisite faces; really beautiful they were. 
 One was the highest paid and finest actor. He re- 
 ceives three thousand dollars a year, and is consid- 
 ered very rich. His wife was having her hair 
 dressed, when we went in, and they always put a 
 kind of paste, as black and sticky as tar, all over 
 their hair, to make it stiff and shiny. In their 
 small room underground, they pointed with great 
 pride to their Marriage Certificate, framed and hang- 
 
 89 
 
ing on the wall, as they were married by American 
 rites. This actor had the dearest little daughter I 
 ever saw, so sweet and refined looking; — high-born 
 people they are. She sat on one of the beautiful 
 ebony chairs, inlaid with pearl, which are common 
 everywhere in Chinatown, and with a little oblique- 
 eyed cousin,-^both in their quaint costumes, they 
 sang for us. We fairly wept ! Two sweet little 
 girls, not five years old, — little Lin Moy and her 
 cousin, with their feet pinched into tight bands, 
 that they should not grow, sat and sang to us with 
 their dear little voices, and in the purest English, 
 "Nearer, My God to Thee," and " Jesus loves even 
 me." They go regularly to the English school for 
 girls. I could have loved those sweet wee ones, — 
 they were little angels. 
 
 In striking contrast to that scene, was our visit to 
 a hermit. It was a most awful experience ! We 
 wandered through several streets, following Mr. L., 
 when suddenly he turned into the darkest spookiest 
 alley imaginable. The draught was too strong to 
 allow anyone to carry a lantern, if we had had one, 
 so we all filed in a single column up this narrow 
 alley, so narrow that we could touch each wall with 
 our elbows. No one felt very brave, and our per- 
 fect horror can therefore be imagined, when the 
 guide suddenly sang out, " Get up there, you 
 drunken white-trash, get out of the way," — light- 
 ing his cigar-lighter, which gave one sickly flame, 
 and then as if ashamed to show such a sight, sput- 
 
 90 
 
tered and went out. " Come right along, ladies," 
 came a reassuring voice from the pitch darkness, 
 ^' don't be afraid, only a drunken man, keep close to 
 the left wall" ; and like a flock of sheep, no one 
 being able to see one inch ahead, or one another, 
 but holding on for dear life to whatever piece of ap- 
 parel we happened to catch, in our Blind Man's Buff 
 parade, we marched forward. We had been 
 through Murderer's Alley, Rose Alley, Sullivan Al- 
 ley, and many dark, dirty, villainous places in China- 
 town ; but this was the vilest and worst of them all. 
 Even James said afterwards, it was entirely too 
 spooky for him ! We finally reached the object of 
 our search, and the picture will never be effaced 
 from my memory. By the aid of the little cigar- 
 lighter, we stepped into a wretched hole of a place, 
 as dirty as absolute filth could make it ; and sitting 
 in one corner, close to the wall, his head bent so 
 low we could not see his face, sat — what they called 
 — a man ! When a Chinaman looses his cue, dis- 
 grace comes upon him. This poor creature had no 
 cue, his hair grew in a mass all over his head, and 
 had not been combed for years, if appearances do 
 not deceive. His poor ragged clothes hung in 
 great tatters from his shrunken shoulders, and one 
 shoulder was bare. The guide said, — "This man, 
 ladies and gents, is deaf and dumb. He has been 
 here in this one position, for ten years. A poor 
 man, like himself, living near, brings him food occa- 
 sionally. He has committed some awful crime, or 
 
 91 
 
done some deed which I cannot find out, but it must 
 be something awful, for none of his own people 
 will come near him,** etc., etc.; but I noticed when 
 that guide said " he has committed some awful 
 crime," even in that dim light, a tremor shook his en- 
 tire body, and he was having more than his just pun- 
 ishment in this world, — even then. No one can make 
 me believe that man is deaf, or cannot understand ! 
 We saw a magnificent restaurant, furnished 
 throughout with lovely ebony and pearl chairs 
 and tables, — beautiful, exquisite. The House 
 has many balconies, and all are hung with lanterns, 
 Chinese banners, and all kinds of Chinese toggery. 
 They give magnificent banquets here, but mostly 
 for the fast set. Some streets or alleys in China- 
 town are full of questionable places. They have no 
 windows, and the doors are grated. Little spaces 
 in the walls have gratings over them; and once upon 
 a time, a pretty face used to appear behind these 
 bars, — but these times are past, as the law forbids that 
 procedure now. We visited one house, which has so 
 many inmates, that they call it the Palace Hotel. 
 Six hundred and seventy-five men, women 
 and children live in this one house, crowded 
 in so closely, it would make one sick to see 
 them. Opium dens were in great numbers, 
 and it became a familiar sight to see men 
 asleep, overcome by this powerful drug. Some 
 showed us how it was smoked, and it was quite in- 
 teresting, but not so unusal as I expected. 
 
The " High Binders " is a society like the Mafia, 
 of Italy, composed of the worst characters among 
 the Chinese. Their buildings have been seized by 
 law and done away with, and their society, it is 
 hoped, has become a thing of the past. They are 
 a terrible set of lawless ruffians, and bring fear to 
 Chinese and Americans alike. 
 
 There are so many things about these queer people, 
 that are unusual and interesting, that I feel as if I 
 had not chronicled one half of all we have seen and 
 learned of them. 
 
 One thing I forgot to mention ; the Chinese, in 
 Chinatown, take the bleached bones of their dead, 
 back home to China, and bury them in their own 
 cemeteries there. 
 
 We visited the Chinese Dungeon, also, and it re- 
 minded us of the tales told of the prisons and punish- 
 ments of the Inquisition. Punishment and sentence 
 are pronounced, by one among them, given authority 
 by the Home Government. 
 
 We were back at the Palace Hotel, about mid- 
 night, and were quite well satisfied with the knowl- 
 edge we had gained, of the wonderful little world in 
 Chinatown. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JUNE lOTH. 
 
 WT E were too tired to be up early this morning, 
 so James and I took breakfast and lunch to- 
 gether, at twelve o'clock, with our good friend Mr. 
 
 93 
 
H. Miss B. joined us a little later, and we four went 
 out for a walk in the afternoon. It is a great pleasure 
 to James and me, to have two such congenial spirits 
 with us, as are these two young people; and we like 
 both so much, we are hoping their fondness for one 
 another is prophetic. We had dinner together, then 
 sat in the easy-chairs in the Court, and chatted until 
 quite late. 
 
 THURSDAY, JUNE IITH. 
 
 C AN FRANCISCO is the queerest City to us, in 
 its strange weather. To day is damp and dis- 
 mal, — a fog is over everything, and a little mist is 
 falling; but it is the only bad day we have had, 
 in at least three weeks. It is lovely to have such 
 weather. 
 
 San Francisco is not attractive to us, except in a 
 few ways. It is quite cold here, which is of course 
 delightful, when we hear of our loved ones, in the 
 East, melting with the heat. Every night since we 
 came here, we have slept under two heavy blankets 
 and a spread, and warm clothing has been a necessity 
 to us. I sit in our room and shiver often with the 
 cold. The other attraction to us is the flowers. 
 Such roses, pinks, and sweet-peas ! Men and boys 
 stand by the dozen, in the streets, with their flower 
 baskets fairly laden, with the most glorious bunches 
 of color, — great pink La France roses (five for a 
 quarter, or " two bits," they all say), violet and dark 
 blue sweet peas, — great bunches of corn-flowers, 
 
 94 
 
Jacque roses in plenty, and all so cheap ! Jamie 
 buys me flowers every morning, and never pays 
 more than two bits a bunch. This morning, he 
 brought me the most glorious La France roses, with 
 beautiful foliage and long stems, and a bunch of 
 the daintiest pink and white carnations, — cost, only 
 ten cents for them all, imagine it ! James says " I 
 could fill a big packing box full, for two dollars, but 
 it would cost too much to send home, or I would try 
 it." The poorest people have flowers, and it is really 
 remarkable to walk along the streets, and notice the 
 glorious bunches carried by the poorest of the poor. 
 Everybody seems to love them, and to wear them. 
 The colors are more brilliant than at home, and I 
 suppose it is the peculiar brightness of the sunshine. 
 The sun is dazzlingly brilliant in these western 
 states, — it nearly blinds us. Another thing which 
 interests us in San Francisco, are the cable cars. 
 They run so fast and so close together, with four 
 separate tracks on the main street, on which the 
 Palace Hotel faces, that it is all one's life is worth to 
 cross the street. I fairly fly across when I have to 
 go, and expect to be run over yet. As Mr. H. ex- 
 pressed it, " You can run for the stern end of one of 
 those cars, and missing it, you will run right into the 
 bow of another." They run like mad all over the 
 City, and cover distances so fast, and go so thoroughly 
 all over, that few people keep horses and carriages 
 here, and not one stylish turn-out have I seen, since 
 we came here. 
 
 95 
 
One thing San Francisco entirely lacks, is a good 
 restaurant. There is no Delmonico, or Brunswick 
 here, only what we would call second-class places. 
 The best people patronize them, however, and as 
 one " wants to do in Rome as the Romans do," we 
 have gone to them, and been much surprised at the 
 good things, and more surprised at the prices (of 
 which I will write later). This hotel is certainly mag- 
 nificent ; the finest and largest hotel we have ever 
 seen at home or abroad. It is built around a huge 
 courtyard, with balconies about, on each floor, and on 
 four sides. Easy chairs and sofas line these balconies, 
 and make a most delightful place to sit, at any time 
 of the day or evening, but especially on Monday 
 and Friday evenings, during " Concert hours.'* The 
 halls of the hotel are huge and well kept, the ele- 
 vators are many, — the bell-men and porters, and 
 chambermaids, are the best to be had. 
 
 This morning, James decided that we would rest 
 and do nothing, as it was disagreeable and rainy. I 
 went to my room and to the table in the bay window* 
 and wrote as fast as I could on my journal. About 
 half past five, we decided to go out for dinner ; so 
 "we three," — Mr. H. having joined us, — went to a 
 place across the street, kept by a man named Swain, 
 and then the question arose, '* what shall we eat ? " 
 "Oh, anything," I said, " only don't ask me to or- 
 der." Just then a sign on the wall attracted us, — 
 " French dinner, 50 cents." " Let's try that," I sug- 
 gested. To be sure, the service and appointments 
 
 96 
 
were not like Delmonico's ; they filled the glass water- 
 pitcher on each table, from a big tin pail, and we ate 
 with rather thinly plated spoons, but it was a most 
 remarkable repast for the price. James and I then 
 took a very short stroll up Market street, and re- 
 turning to the Palace, we made Mr. and Mrs. V. G. a 
 short call. 
 
 The Kodak photos came to us to-day, and we 
 have looked at them a dozen times already. They 
 are so good, and Mr. V. G. is so pleased, that he has 
 borrowed over a dozen of the films, and will have 
 more struck off for himself. He is a good friend of 
 " the Duke " as he always calls Jamie. 
 
 FRIDAY, JUNE I2TH. 
 
 T OVELY in the morning, dismal and foggy at 
 noon, but clear in the afternoon. We were 
 invited to go with Miss B., her father and sister, 
 and Mr. H. to visit Leiand Stanford's celebrated 
 stable at Palo Alto : — we were to start at ten 
 o'clock, but I felt so miserably this morning, that 
 James would not let me go, and he sent a note to 
 make our excuses. We spent most of the morning 
 in our room, receiving a visit about two o'clock, 
 from our kind friends, who told us they had given 
 up the trip to the stables, because we could not go 
 with them. Then these two dear friends told us, 
 what we had been most anxious should come to pass, 
 that they were engaged to be married. The symp- 
 toms of Cupid's work had been very evident to 
 
 97 
 
James and me ; and our own sweet experience made 
 us feel that we were competent to judge, in such 
 matters. We rejoiced, when told that Mr. H. would 
 wait awhile, and take his bride home with him ; and 
 James and I are to take the ** bridegroom elect '* away 
 with us, to Monterey. How little James and I 
 thought, when we left home, that we would have a 
 part so soon in a love affair ! It is truly a delight 
 to see young people so much in love, and I do hope 
 heartaches may be spared them forever. We are 
 glad to be of aid in such happiness, however ; but 
 James often says, he wishes he could be sure, that all 
 our friends could have the sweet and blissful hap- 
 piness and contentment, that are ours. Few are so 
 blessed, and few are more thankful than we are. 
 Surely a married life like our own, with its perfect 
 trust, and love, and confidence, is a bit of Heaven on 
 earth, the highest and sweetest and best of all God's 
 blessings to His children. 
 
 A package arrived from home this afternoon, while 
 we were sitting together, and of course I opened it 
 at once, and began to peep into the two boxes. 
 Suddenly an envelope slipped out, and *' M. A. H." 
 seized it with a hug, for it was all her own. Open- 
 ing it, I found a tiny envelope, enclosed in which 
 was a great yellow velvet pansy, with its sweet 
 heart full of gold, which I know had grown right 
 by the Library window at home. With it were 
 some verses for me, which I began to read, when 
 James called to me " read it aloud, May, don't be 
 
 98 
 
selfish ; " so, while our two friends and James lis- 
 tened, I read the sweetest of verses ever written, by 
 a mother to her daughter : 
 
 "/^NLY a pansy blossom, 
 
 Plucked by a gentle hand, 
 To send far away, 
 To loved ones, who stray 
 Across this broad, beautiful land. 
 
 A modest plebeian flower, 
 Of lowly and humble birth, — 
 
 Yet in its short day, 
 
 And in its own way. 
 It gladdens the face of the earth. 
 
 Look into its heart, where the yellow 
 Is deepened, as if by a blush, — 
 
 And a dark, heavy shade, 
 
 A wall round it has made. 
 To hold it, and keep it, — for hush 
 
 Now, while there is no one to listen. 
 And softly 'twill whisper to you, 
 
 How, with tenderest care, 
 
 A treasure to bear, 
 It has hastened the long journey through. 
 
 For lips, that are aching and longing 
 To press themselves close to your own, — 
 
 But now denied this. 
 
 Have planted a kiss 
 Deep down in its heart, where alone — 
 
 99 
 
Close in the embrace of the petals. 
 Held in by the dark wall around, 
 
 Securely it lies. 
 
 As onward it flies. 
 And there, all unharmed, may be found- 
 So, just for a moment, pray hold it 
 Close up to your own fair warm cheek. 
 
 And into your ear. 
 
 While it nestles near, 
 A message of love it will speak. 
 
 And if to your own lips you press it. 
 You will think of one far, far away, 
 
 Whose love you may miss. 
 
 So she sends you a kiss — 
 With a prayer, that God bless you each day. 
 
 Only a pansy blossom, — 
 A plain little everyday thing, 
 
 That never has guessed 
 
 How it might be pressed 
 Into service, my message to bring." 
 
 I could hardly read it through, for I had such a 
 time swallowing ; but I thought it was my love for 
 the writer, which made every word sink deep into 
 my heart, for it was written entirely for me, without 
 a thought that any other eye would ever see it, or ear 
 hear it. But, when I finished, every one was so si- 
 lent, that I looked up enquiringly ; and the three 
 were in tears. " My gracious, that would melt a 
 heart of stone!'* said Mr. H. "Mother is an an- 
 gel ! " stammered James. '' It's beautiful ! " and 
 
Miss B. could say no more, but put out her hand in 
 silence for the letter, and the little golden heartsease. 
 She took the little pansy and looked at it so lovingly, 
 and then, as James and Mr. H. left us, we had a 
 sweet heart to heart talk, and were firm friends 
 from that moment, and forever, I hope. I wished 
 that the little mother could have looked into my 
 room, in San Francisco, at that moment, and realized 
 the mission of the little flower. 
 
 After dinner together, and an enjoyable concert, 
 it being Friday, and Concert Night, at the Palace 
 Hotel, our friends left us and we retired. 
 
 SATURDAY, JUNE 13TH. 
 
 T OVELY weather again. James and I took 
 breakfast and luncheon together, as we awoke 
 quite late. After writing a little. Miss B. came 
 with Mr. H.; we wandered out, and as usual drifted 
 into fascinating Chinatown, hunting for embroidered 
 gowns. Fong Lang Lung was most anxious to 
 please us. We know these Chinamen so well now, 
 and they have taught us to say in the Chinese 
 language ** How do you do," "Thank you," and 
 " Good-bye." The first sounds as if it was spelled 
 "Noo-lah." Thank you sounds like *' Tar-tare," 
 and good-bye is " Ten-or." Mrs. V. G. was told in 
 Providence, at one time, to say a certain Chinese 
 word, whenever she wanted to particularly please 
 any Chinaman; therefore, whenever a Chinaman 
 came for her laundry work, or whenever she spoke to 
 
any Celestial on the street, she would say it, thinking 
 it was some specially polite greeting. After months 
 of practice, and much wonder why she made no im- 
 pression, because of her fluent use of the Chinese 
 language, she was told one day, that she should not 
 use that expression, as it was a genuine Chinese 
 oath. 
 
 These Chinese merchants are so funny, and yet 
 so serious. Only once have we been surprised by 
 any unusual brilliancy, and that was to-day, when we 
 expostulated about the price of a gown, and the 
 Chinaman's answer made us laugh. "Well," he 
 said, " it must be higher in price now, because, you 
 know, the * McKinley bill' " — but his sentence was 
 never finished. So the McKinley bill had reached 
 Chinatown too ! We took our camera to this inter- 
 esting quarter to-day, and one Chinaman escorted 
 me to a side street, that I might try to take a photo- 
 graph of some tiny tots there. He gave them 
 candy and they were pleased; but when they saw 
 me with my little box, they ran away like mice, and 
 huddling close together, with their faces hidden, they 
 cried pitifully. It made my heart ache, and I called 
 to them not to be afraid ; but the poor little things, 
 the more I said, the more they cried, because they 
 could not understand me. One funny little speci- 
 men was too young to be afraid, and stood looking 
 enquiringly at me ; but the moment his father spied 
 me, he snatched up the little fellow and ran into the 
 house. We did not have much luck to-day, but we 
 
intend trying again, when our guide will go with us. 
 The Chinese are like the Indians ; they are supersti- 
 tious from ignorance, and afraid to have their photo- 
 graphs taken. They think you have taken some 
 advantage of them, when you obtain any likeness 
 of them. 
 
 SUNDAY, JUNE 14TH. 
 
 "\ 1 rE slept late this morning and did not go out to 
 
 church. After lunch, I wrote in my journal, 
 willing, however, to drop my pen at any moment, if 
 James desired to go out, but I was quite pleased to 
 remain indoors for one day at least. We thought 
 at first we would take a drive in Golden Gate Park, 
 but it was so awfully windy, dusty and cold, that we 
 postponed it. Mr. H. came in for about two hours, 
 but left us at five o'clock, and I have been writing 
 ever since. I never knew such long twilights ! It is 
 brilliant sunshine, until nearly half past eight. 
 
 Miss Emma Thursby called on us yesterday, 
 with her sister, but I was out. Jamie sent her 
 some flowers this morning. Sunday morning is the 
 great flower morning, and I had three of the most 
 magnificent bouquets sent me, I have ever seen. 
 One is over twenty-two inches in diameter, and more 
 than one could carry. It is composed of white, tea, 
 and red roses, beautiful pink carnations, heliotrope, 
 maiden*s hair fern, mignonette, and dusted all over 
 with the most delicate little white flower. The 
 other two are more exquisite, yellow roses in the 
 
 103 
 
middle, surrounded by maiden*s hair fern and pink 
 carnations and heliotrope, make a sort of raised 
 centre. This is surrounded by a band, five inches 
 deep, of pansies, solid, and numbering about three 
 hundred pansies, at the least calculation. They are 
 all dark purple ones, with a yellow heart once in a 
 while ; and around the edge, against a fern border, lie 
 the delicate white feathery flowers and pink carna- 
 tions again. It is a dream in color ! Nothing was 
 big enough to hold them, so " Whiskers " the colored 
 man, brought me three silver pitchers, and my room 
 is a flower garden. When we came up from break- 
 fast and opened our door, James exclaimed: "It 
 smells just like a funeral ! " 
 
 There are two colored bell-men on this floor, one 
 named Charles, who is devotion itself to us. He 
 asked me to take his photograph, and he was as 
 pleased as the Chinese were horrified. The cham- 
 bermaid asked me this evening, if we had been 
 married long ; and when I told her, she exclaimed, 
 " Oh my ! we thought you were bride and groom ! 
 I told Charlie the other day, that I had a bride and 
 groom in 946, surely, because the husband was 
 always sending her flowers and lemonade ; and we 
 were all wondering how long it would last." 
 
 MONDAY, JUNE 15TH. 
 
 T^HIS morning we were up soon after seven 
 
 o'clock, breakfasted about eight, and were 
 
 ready for guests in our room, at nine o'clock. Miss 
 
 104 
 
B. had ordered two Chinamen to come to our room 
 at that time, with Chinese gowns for her selection, 
 as it was more convenient for her, and for us. 
 
 Later, Miss B.'s sweet sister, Ivy, with Mr. H., 
 James and myself, started for Chinatown again. 
 James was specially anxious to get some photo- 
 graphs with our own camera there, and so we had 
 planned to meet our guide, that he might pilot us 
 up and down alleys, where we would not go alone ; 
 and he had as much trouble in getting subjects for 
 us to photograph, as we would have had ourselves. 
 While the guide had gone to try and persuade the 
 little girl, who sang for us the other night, to let us 
 photograph her. Ivy and I wandered around the 
 corner of the street, a very little way, waiting for 
 James and the guide to join us. Ivy stood near 
 me, when suddenly a swarm of Chinese men sur- 
 rounded me, at my back, and on each side ; and when 
 I spoke to them, and pointed to my little detective 
 finder, they crowded around me and looked at it 
 eagerly. One or two Chinamen walked in front of 
 the camera once or twice, and did not discover it at 
 first, but when they did, you never saw men dis- 
 perse more quickly. They are afraid to have their 
 photographs taken, and yet they were full of curi- 
 osity to look into my funny black box. No power 
 on earth could persuade them to let me take their 
 pictures. Our good friend " Louie," a Chinaman at 
 Fong Lang Lung's shop, was the only sensible man 
 among them, and he agreed willingly to have his 
 
 105 
 
photograph taken. James and the guide would 
 stand in the street in front of me, and I was there- 
 fore hidden ; but whenever a little child came along, 
 or a woman, and stood in full sunlight, they would 
 step aside, and I would snap my picture. It was 
 awfully exciting work, and I was quite in a tremble 
 when we had finished. I took at least fourteen in 
 Chinatown. We did not succeed in taking build- 
 ings, — the streets and alleys were too narrow and 
 dark. 
 
 We reached the Palace Hotel, at half-past one 
 o'clock, then had luncheon, after which James, Mr. 
 H. and I went out to inquire about our trip to Mon- 
 terey. We were back at four o'clock, then I wrote 
 my journal. James and I spent our evening on the 
 balcony, on the second floor of the Court, with our 
 friends, Mr. and Mrs. V. G., and were also joined 
 by Mr. H. and Miss B.; and the concert was de- 
 lightful. 
 
 TUESDAY, JUNE i6TH. 
 
 Wl E have been painfully tired of San Francisco 
 for several days, and have felt that we have 
 had enough of large cities, for awhile at least, but we 
 have been waiting a few days to know what our 
 good friend Mr. H. would decide to do. Finally, 
 yesterday, James and I grew desperate, and decided 
 we would go to Monterey, or rather to what people 
 call *' Del Monte, Monterey," to distinguish it from 
 the little village of Monterey. We arranged for it, 
 
 io6 
 
and Mr. H. then decided to go with us, to our de- 
 light. 
 
 We left San Francisco to-day, on the 2.30 P. M. 
 train, and our trip to Del Monte was a lovely one. 
 It was terribly hot, however, between 85 and 88 de- 
 grees, — the first really hot day we have had. I had 
 heard of the lovely trip to Del Monte, of the beau- 
 tiful country-places of California's millionaires, — of 
 the wonderful trees, which only grow in this portion 
 of the United States ; but when we first started out, 
 and flew rapidly over salt marshes, with flat, unin- 
 teresting country about them, I was wonderfully 
 disappointed. Soon, however, as if touched by 
 magic and a fairy wand, the country changed, and 
 such beauty I never saw. It seemed as if all Cali- 
 fornia was haying, — for the country, for miles, was all 
 covered with golden mounds, — in regular rows 
 sometimes, like soldiers, — then again a hill-side 
 would be peppered irregularly. It seemed to me 
 that Dame Fashion, in originating styles for this 
 summer, must have travelled in this country, so 
 spotted over with little button hay-mounds, and in 
 that way received the inspiration for our summer 
 fashion of dotting waists and sleeves all over, with 
 jet or gems ; and nature had in this instance the start 
 of fashion, and had " set the style." 
 
 The hills, on which the harvest had already been 
 reaped and garnered, were most exquisite in the 
 sunshine, — like old-gold plush, and making the 
 lights and shades most velvety and deep. Every 
 
 107 
 
once in a while, great twisted trunks of trees, some- 
 times singly, sometimes in groups, would add their 
 beauty to the scene, with the most marvelous dark 
 foliage, so dense sometimes as to admit no light 
 whatever. These darkly beautiful trees, against the 
 golden hill-side, made wonderful effects ; and all 
 along the views were changing, filling us with won- 
 der and delight. The great dark giants are indi- 
 genous to the coast in California, and mostly to 
 Monterey County, and are called " Monterey Pines.'* 
 Their " Live Oak " is a variety unknown to us in 
 the East, and also indigenous to this quarter of the 
 globe. It is a lower tree than the pine, with twisted, 
 knotted trunks and feathered foliage, not so dense or 
 dark. At times, its branches are hung with a queer 
 " greybeard moss," which drapes itself gracefully 
 from branch to branch. Great groves of these two 
 trees made beautiful views, and especially with the 
 remarkable golden background. Vineyards were in 
 great numbers, — some were so full and rich, others 
 seemingly just planted, and vegetable gardens, 
 , which were a pleasure to the eye, so finely kept and 
 so fully grown. We saw some magnificent resi- 
 dences — and such luxurious homes without, made 
 us long to look within, for the surroundings were 
 gorgeous. The growth of vegetation is remarkable 
 all through this State, — much more wonderful to 
 us, than the most glowing accounts ever pictured. 
 Even at the railroad stations, the great palms and 
 cactus plants were all about, on the platforms, in 
 
 io8 
 
little flower pots, and such wonderful vines cover- 
 ing telegraph poles and everything else — roses 
 in vases and on bushes, nasturtiums in brilliant col- 
 ors, all so beautiful and attractive. 
 
 We were three hours and a quarter coming to 
 Del Monte, and therefore reached here at $.43 P. M. 
 Our first view was enchanting ! Luxurious bushes 
 and fine trees, picturesque walks as well, commence 
 from the very station ; and all this was enhanced by 
 some stunning equipages, little donkey carts, etc., 
 for the richest people of California come to this 
 ** Heaven upon earth." James was fairly wild with 
 delight. He went down to be shaved, shortly after 
 we arrived, and he came flying back and said, " I 
 came near telegraphing mother that we had reached 
 Heaven, — I never saw such beauty, May," etc., etc. 
 It is the loveliest spot, in every possible way, that 
 I can dream ever could exist. I have never seen 
 such perfect beauty. After getting dressed and 
 dining, Mr. H., James and I walked out about the 
 hotel for an hour or more ; then we strolled to a 
 cunning little club-house, so picturesquely placed in 
 a beautiful grove of trees, where every game, from 
 Ten Pins to Pool, is played by ladies, as well as 
 gentlemen. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH. 
 
 TIT EAVEN is undoubtedly more lovely and glor- 
 ious than we mortals can picture, or paint to 
 ourselves, in our highest moods, more inspiring, and 
 
 109 
 
exalting and beautiful ; but, Del Monte is as near 
 my ideal of beauty, natural and artificial means 
 combined, as any spot on earth that I have ever 
 seen, or any ideal or picture I can make in my mind 
 of Heaven. We have seen the "Garden of the 
 Gods," beautiful in name and actual splendor ; but 
 Del Monte is so exquisite, and delicate, and dainty, 
 that one feels as if the sky had opened and let down 
 a little of its choicest charms, and gathered them all 
 together in this one place. It seems like the " Gate 
 of Heaven," and makes one pause in awe and won- 
 der, at the beauties of Nature, and the riches of her 
 boundless store. " You cannot describe Del Monte," 
 a near neighbor and travelling companion of mine 
 has said; but its beauties have sunk so deep into my 
 innermost heart, that I must try to describe, to the 
 best of my ability, a little of the hotel and its 
 surroundings. 
 
 " El Monte," or '* The Forest " was the name of 
 a hotel, standing where the new one is now, which 
 was burned down two years ago ; and Del Monte, 
 " Of (or in) the Forest " is the name of the mag- 
 nificent new structure, which is one of the most 
 delightful hotels we have ever been in, in appoint- 
 ment and service. The building itself covers six 
 and a half acres, and is so huge that, from the end of 
 one wing of the hotel, to the end of the other wing, 
 is one third of a mile. It is built with many piazzas 
 and doors, many, many windows, — in fact some 
 passages are all windows. It is beautiful within, with 
 
" all the comforts of home,'* and heavenly without. 
 About the house — on every and all sides — in every 
 available nook and corner, are plants, flowers, great 
 trees, of different kinds of palms, dates, banana 
 trees, foliage beds of rare and marvelously beauti- 
 ful designs, in such variety of figures, squares, 
 rounds, oblongs and circles, that one is bewildered 
 and confused, one minute declaring, that there never 
 was such an exquisite Turkish rug in plants, only to 
 turn and find another of such greater beauty, that 
 adjectives and superlatives grow scarce and weak, 
 and one becomes silent (perhaps for the first time in 
 life). Out of every window, in whatever direction 
 one looks, beautiful and rare flowers are everywhere 
 seen, in novel combinations ; and as I have said 
 before, all colors seem intensified in this warm south- 
 ern climate. About every doorway, along the rail- 
 ings of the balconies, hanging with hundreds of 
 blossoms, are climbing rose bushes, so full and large 
 and big, that one stands to count the roses, only to 
 move on the next minute, realizing what a hopeless 
 task it is. Red, pink, and white roses, great big 
 ones, filling the air with the most exquisite perfume, 
 and clinging so lovingly to every post. 
 
 Soon after breakfast this morning, James, Mr. H. 
 and I wandered out on the grounds. One hundred 
 and eight acres are under cultivation, and hundreds 
 of Chinamen, and others, are every day at work, keep- 
 ing lawns, beds and walks in perfect order. Such 
 trees! Cypresses, with their tall straight trunks, and 
 
deep-toned foliage (like the evergreens), Monterey 
 pines, so high-toned and aristocratic, and the 
 short, stubby and thick set Live Oaks, with their 
 feathery foliage, make the grounds of Del Monte 
 most beautiful. Hundreds and hundreds of these 
 trees, are every one covered thickly, about twenty 
 or thirty feet up the trunk, with the most luxurious 
 growth of ivy. Jamie said, at least a score of times, 
 *' What wouldn't Mother give for just one such vine, 
 to coax, and watch, and tack up." Dear boy ! his en- 
 thusiasm knew no bounds, and he grew absolutely 
 worn out exclaiming. In the grove about the 
 house, there is the most beautiful rose garden, with 
 thousands of plants, and hundreds of varieties of 
 roses, all named for Rose-study. Another garden is 
 full of all kinds of cactus growth, and is most weird 
 and strange. Queer things, with marvelous shapes 
 and wonderful growths, and awful names, are so 
 many, that it needs several visits to see and appre- 
 ciate all. All through the grounds, among the trees, 
 are great beds of creeping vines, myrtle in flower ; 
 and all the beds and borders are overflowing with 
 such quantities of flowers, and such marvelous 
 blending of colors, that each view one has, is a pict- 
 ure in itself. Tennis courts appeared every once 
 in a while, as we walked, — made courts, surrounded 
 by high wire fences, and these fences are over- 
 grown with vines — poppies, forget-me-nots, daisies, 
 heliotrope, forming borders all about the enclos- 
 ures. Swings for children, rustic vine-covered 
 
benches for lovers, sunny seats for sun-bath invalids, 
 and a " Maze " to tempt people into its embrace, 
 and then make them ** swear a blue streak " before 
 they can get out. 
 
 "We three" approached this marvelous terrace 
 of pine hedge, cut in such beautiful arches, with 
 hedge vases, urns, etc., and as we peeped into its 
 high-walled walks, I said " let's go in a minute." 
 Woe betide the wicked spirit that tempted me that 
 day! Three innocent, unsuspecting mortals en- 
 tered the evergreen portals, and amused and curi- 
 ous, wandered along a straight, narrow path, walled 
 in with hedges. Turning a corner, we came to an- 
 other long way, parallel with our first promenade. 
 Idly, we continued on, coming now to a queer, 
 short little turn, then a corner, and so on, always 
 between the same green walls, until we felt wearied 
 by the monotony, and decided we had had enough. 
 Signs faced us at every turn, — " Do not break through 
 the hedges." "What lunacy," I exclaimed to my 
 companions, — " who wants to crawl through hedges?" 
 but how I longed to break through rule and 
 hedges later ! " Let's go out," James calmly called. 
 We turned to retrace our steps, but they would not 
 retrace, for somehow, or other, the corners we had 
 turned, and the long, straight aisles, had all moved, 
 and such funny little short walks were ours now. 
 Mr. H. had dragged his cane in walking along, I 
 had noticed, and he now owned up, that he had 
 done it on purpose to guide us, in making an exit. 
 
 "3 
 
But some other fellow had had the same dreadful 
 idea, and dragged his cane also ; and soon we missed 
 our trail and were lost, absolutely. We were very, 
 very hot, and some of us were getting a bit anxious 
 and excited, for it seemed hopeless, and dinner 
 hour was approaching. Suddenly James exclaimed, 
 " Here's the way — we haven't passed that barbed 
 wire before — come along this way ; " and we went 
 along that way, and after a tramp we came right 
 into a bench, and the end of that aisle ! All this 
 time we could hear voices in some hidden path, and 
 once in a while, we could see a light dress move 
 along, but merriment had melted, and solemn de- 
 spair reigned. We continued to wander and wan- 
 der, and seemed to be revolving about a hollow 
 square, but although we knew it was " The Centre," 
 we could not get there. We were standing still 
 and quite silent outwardly, no matter what was go- 
 ing on inwardly, when a man and a maiden ap- 
 proached us. Formality had fled, and I gasped out, 
 *' Will you please tell us the way out?" Imagine 
 our despair, when the young woman answered, 
 *' We've been hunting it for a half hour, and we 
 can't find any way to get out." ''Thank you," 
 we three hopelessly gasped. " Let's make a grand 
 effort, now," chirped Mr. H. We solemnly filed in 
 line, and after the second turn, we walked into " The 
 Centre," which we had not been able to reach be- 
 fore. Seats surrounded the square, and we sank 
 down, exhausted. Suddenly in walked our couple, 
 
 114 
 
— it was their ninth entrance, — they would always 
 turn up there, when they were trying to get out. 
 Flying along the sandy paths, we met constantly 
 the same sad man, tearing along as if an evil spirit 
 was after him We asked him pleadingly, if he 
 knew the way out. With his teeth tightly set, he 
 whistled out *' can't find it," and away he went, as 
 mad a man as you could ever find. James and Mr. 
 H. were just beginning to suggest taking off coats 
 and vests while they rested, but the ninth entrance 
 of the other lost babes restrained them. Joining 
 forces, we five began to wander again, leaving with 
 regret, after all, as we hated to leave a certainty for 
 an uncertainty, as we had found the centre, and 
 were still in doubt about the entrance, and way 
 out. James and Mr. H. made up their minds that 
 there was some rule about it all, — that either all left 
 hand turns, or vice versa, was sure to do something, 
 — so leaving marks in the sand at crossings, we 
 marched ahead, and after ten or fifteen minutes, 
 perhaps less, we saw the daylight coming in, and 
 like the Pilgrim Fathers when they landed on 
 Plymouth Rock, — we each said a little thanksgiving 
 in our hearts, I am sure. We heard the mad fellow 
 tearing about, as we were coming out. Oh, what a 
 maze that is : people have been caught in there for 
 hours sometimes, — lost their dinners and tempers, 
 and yet all came out alive. It was an adventure, 
 and one that makes us roar with laughter, now it is 
 over ; but we wanted to warn everybody, after that. 
 
A little visit to the Club-house, and some cooling 
 lemonade refreshed us all, and we went afterwards 
 to see the green houses and have a chat with the 
 gardener, by which we profited, as he gave us much 
 information. Flowers are exquisite here, some 
 bloom all winter in the open air. 
 
 THURSDAY, JUNE i8TH. 
 
 P XQUISITE, beautiful, lovely, and such a day 
 for the drive we took! We breakfasted at 
 nine-twenty, then started at ten o'clock, in a com- 
 fortable carriage, for what Del Monte people call 
 '* the eighteen mile drive." It was a drive never to 
 be forgotten, as it took us, for ten miles or more, 
 along the shore of the great Pacific Ocean ; and as 
 we gazed at the beautiful surf, and watched the 
 great waves roll in and dash so high, we realized, 
 for the first time, that we had absolutely crossed our 
 Continent, from ocean to ocean, and were gazing 
 toward Japan and China, with nothing but the open 
 sea between us and those marvelous countries. It 
 made me feel queerly, for a few moments, and I 
 just stood still on those great rocks on the shore, 
 and thought to myself, " Can this be I, or am I 
 dreaming; and am I really not here, but only imag- 
 ine that I am ? " But that philosophy of the Ger- 
 mans would not satisfy me then, and I took a good 
 breath of the Pacific Ocean salt breeze, and — was 
 myself again. 
 
 Our drive, at first, was through the old Mexican 
 
 1x6 
 
town of Monterey; and the guide-book informed 
 us, that " Monterey was the capital of California, 
 when the territory was acquired by the United 
 States, and it is the place where General Fremont 
 first raised the stars and stripes, and took formal 
 possession of the country." Many buildings still 
 stand that were built by the Mexicans, and queer, 
 quaint structures they are, dingy and old, but inter- 
 esting in their antique style of architecture. We 
 saw one enclosure where, in olden times, the inhab- 
 itants used to have bull-fights, for their amusement 
 and recreation. We saw the house where General 
 Sherman lived, when stationed here; also where 
 General Fremont camped, and tried to protect — 
 something. 
 
 We drove for miles, through the most interesting 
 country, and finally came to Pacific Grove, a sum- 
 mer resort and bathing-place. " The Church of 
 Aunt Mary" amused us greatly, on account of its 
 unique name. 
 
 We had the funniest old driver we had ever 
 chanced to meet, — a queer, quaint man of over 
 sixty, but with a fresh and ready wit, really amus- 
 ing. His name was Alexander Early. " Queer 
 name, ain't it ? " he said, when he told us. " Do 
 you see that little house ? " he added, after a while, 
 as we passed a pretty, modest little cottage, with a 
 wealth of color and radiance all about it, in the 
 glorious flowers. *' Well, in that house lives a 
 woman, who came across the plains with me, over 
 
 117 
 
thirty-nine years ago, as steerage on an ox team." 
 " Steerage ! " I gasped ; *' what difference could be 
 made, coming across the plains, between cabin pas- 
 sengers and steerage ? '* " Cabin people rode, — 
 steerage walked," he answered. As we passed 
 through the beautiful woods, just outside Pacific 
 Grove, a fence ran across the country, and a gate 
 allowed drivers to pass along. " What's that fence 
 for, driver?" I asked. "To divide Pacific Grove 
 Methodists from cattle ! " was the answer; and just 
 then as two pretty young girls passed on the road, 
 he exclaimed, " Look at those destroying angels ! " 
 Then 'he told us, in his own queer way, out of 
 the side of his mouth, about a passenger he had 
 once, " who shaved as all them Boston fellers do, 
 way down to his collar. Well, this Boston chap 
 could ask more questions than anybody I ever met. 
 Says he to me, * Driver, how old is that tree ? ' — 
 thinkin' he'd stick me. * Two thousand and six 
 years old,' I answered. * What,' say he, * how do 
 you know ? * * Well,' says I, * a naturalist come out 
 here six years ago, and said it was two thousand 
 years old, and I reckon it ain't stopped growing 
 these last six years.' That nearly fetched him; but 
 pretty soon he said, * Is the Carmel Mission built 
 on the water, driver?' 'No, Sir,' says I; 'can't 
 build no such stone structure on water, not in my 
 time.' * No impertinence, driver,' says Boston ; * I 
 mean near the water, of course.' * Within a half 
 mile. Sir,' I answered. That feller slowed up a 
 
 1x8 
 
scrap then. Travellers are awful fresh, sometimes/* 
 Alexander added. The full wit in these items or 
 scraps, from a four hours' drive, bountifully sprink- 
 led throughout with them, is lost, when the man- 
 ner, and enjoyment of his own jokes, cannot be pict- 
 ured. He was quite inimitable. 
 
 After driving through the loveliest of pine woods, 
 most picturesque and beautiful, we came suddenly 
 out into the bright sunshine, right on the shore of 
 the great Pacific Ocean. Our drive continued, for 
 ten miles or more, right by the ocean, — the great 
 rocks rising about us, and the breakers dashing high 
 in surf and spray, making a white, thick outline 
 along the beach, as far as the eye could reach. Our 
 first glimpse of the ocean and rocks was, perhaps, 
 the grandest of all, as the waves come in six differ^ 
 ent currents, and the meeting point makes a grand 
 picture. It is called Pyramid Point. " When we 
 reach a fine place, driver, I want to take a photo- 
 graph," I said. "Well, ma'am, this is the boss 
 place, — the first starter," he answered; and I 
 jumped out with my Kodak. 
 
 The trees on this drive are magnificent ! It is the 
 only place where the Monterey Cypress trees grow, 
 in great numbers. They are most picturesque, tall, 
 with dense foliage, but quite flat on top. This is a 
 marvelous country for trees and palms. The Mon- 
 terey Pines ; and the Live Oak, with the Cypress, 
 made our drive most unusual and picturesque. I 
 was anxious to get a picture of a real good specimen 
 
 "9 
 
of the Cypress, and when I told the driver, he said, 
 " I've got a tree all picked out for you, just ready, 
 it's been sketched, photographed and painted, until 
 it's pretty nigh worn out." I photographed it, — or 
 rather Mr. H. did, with James and myself standing 
 near. It is called the " Lone Tree." He gave the 
 reins to James once, and jumped out of the carriage 
 like a boy of sixteen, instead of sixty, and came 
 back to me, with a branch of the Cypress, with cones, 
 so different from other cones ; and as he handed them 
 to me, he said, " When we only have one lady along, 
 we have to treat her well ; but when we have more 
 than one, we let the gentlemen look after them." 
 
 One sight of unusual interest to us, were the Seal- 
 rocks, where the sea lions live. They are near the 
 shore, so one can watch these sea-monsters quite 
 closely. Law forbids any one from shooting or kill- 
 ing them. They were thickly settled all over the 
 rocks, where we saw them basking in the sun, their 
 great wet shiny bodies and little heads, looking most 
 strange and uncanny. We saw them fight, and heard 
 them bark plainly, and were much interested. There 
 were several hundreds in sight. They weigh two 
 thousand pounds, sometimes. Further down the 
 coast, we saw the leopard seals, with their striped 
 bodies and queer heads, and the driver said, " Those 
 leopard sea-lions don't bark or make no racket, but 
 are high-toned, and don't associate with no other 
 seals." 
 
 Some trees make shapes and forms of animals ; 
 
and two great cypress trees, on that shore-drive, 
 made the exact representation of an ostrich, with 
 long slim legs and slender arched neck. We also 
 saw a Buffalo Ranch, where that already scarce 
 animal is being raised and bred. One beautiful 
 sight was a hill, at least one mile in length, and 
 quite high, covered with ferns, beautiful in form, and 
 not one coarse one among them. It made me think 
 of papa and mamma, and their love for the wild 
 flowers and ferns. They would absolutely grow 
 frantic, in this country of brilliance and beauty. 
 The Trade Winds have much to do in shaping the 
 trees. The wind bends the trunks of the young 
 trees, and as the old adage says " As the twig is 
 bent, the tree inclines "; so as one travels through the 
 country, it is very easy to see from what quarter the 
 wind has come. Fields are covered with trees, 
 oftentimes, which bow all in one direction, as if 
 doing homage to some unseen God or Goddess. 
 Such a field we passed on this drive, and Alexander 
 Early said : " A lady asked me why all the trees 
 were bent in one direction," and I told her ** cause 
 they had a lean on the property." 
 
 One more item ; then endeth the chapter on A. 
 Early. As we passed through a lovely grove, the 
 perfume of the pines was delicious ; and as we 
 breathed it into our lungs, with an "Ah, how good 
 it feels," and an '* Oh my," some one said, " How 
 good this must be for consumption." Alexander 
 Early said, " Yes, that reminds me of one of those 
 
Raymonds from Boston, who asked me once if this 
 was a good place for consumption. I told her no, 
 because I had been here ten years and I hadn't got 
 it yet. '* The drive was a most enjoyable one, and 
 it was over nineteen miles, for we had taken a couple 
 of extra views ; but it was none too long. 
 
 FRIDAY, JUNE I9TH. 
 
 A BIT cloudy when James, Mr. H. and I went to 
 breakfast soon after nine, but after that the 
 clouds cleared away, and it was loveliness itself. 
 
 About eleven o'clock, we three " chums " walked 
 to the little funny horse-cars, with rope-traces on the 
 horses, and rode to the Natatorium, a fine establish- 
 ment on the sandy shore of the Pacific Ocean, or 
 Monterey Bay, as it is properly called. It is a huge 
 building, — glass sides and roof, with warm water 
 tanks inside, — some colder than others, — to suit 
 every taste and desire ; and about these clear fresh- 
 looking tanks, full of salt water at different degrees 
 of temperature, are the most magnificent palms and 
 .plants, of all sizes and variety, while hanging from 
 the ceiling are fine baskets, full of vines ; and an air 
 of a tropical climate is everywhere. It is a most 
 unusual bathing establishment ; and it seems as if 
 bathers should wear satin and silk suits, to harmon- 
 ize with the luxurious surroundings. There is 
 always a bathing master in attendance, who gives 
 swimming lessons ; and it was remarkable to see 
 some little tots, who could not stand upright, be- 
 
cause the water was over their heads, swim about, 
 tread water, and move all over, like little fish. 
 Outside these tanks are dressing rooms, for those 
 who bathe in the open ocean ; and we soon left the 
 tropical tubs, for the seats outside, and watched 
 some fine swimmers, both ladies and gentlemen. 
 About twelve o'clock, in company with the young 
 bride and groom from Salt Lake City, whom we 
 met in the Maze, we came back to the fascinating 
 Club House, had lemonade, then wandered through 
 the beautiful grounds again, to fully impress them 
 upon our memories, — then we came in to lunch. 
 After luncheon, and a little chat on one of the 
 many piazzas, I left the " two boys " and came to 
 do a little packing in my room — then wrote this 
 journal, while Jamie packed his *' traps." 
 
 This morning, in our walk, we passed the Maze, 
 and hearing some voices within, we stopped to 
 listen. " Poor things " exclaimed Mr. H. ** lost as 
 we were ; " and the merriest laugh rang out from that 
 labyrinth of green : the poor lost people had heard 
 us, and evidently felt encouraged to think they were 
 not alone in their affliction. 
 
 x«3 
 
UP MT. HAMILTON TO THE LICK OB- 
 SERVATORY 
 
 SATURDAY, JUNE 20TH. 
 
 T7ROM Monterey to San Jose. At the unearthly 
 hour of half past four o'clock A.M., James and 
 I awoke, in anticipation of the order we had left at 
 the office last night, to be awakened at 4.45. We 
 arose, dressed, breakfasted at half past five, and at 
 three minutes before six o'clock, James, Mr. H. and 
 I stepped into the " bus " and were driven from 
 lovely Del Monte, to take the train for San Jos6. 
 Our trip of two hours and a quarter, to San Jos^,was 
 quite uneventful, but pleasant, but as we had so re- 
 cently gone over the same road, it was not so novel 
 or entertaining. We went at once, on arriving at 
 San Jos^, to the new Vendome Hotel, a very pret- 
 tily situated and comfortable little place, which, 
 however, was quite tame to us, coming so directly 
 as we had from Del Monte. But at night, when 
 we returned again to it, unexpectedly to our- 
 selves, it seemed a palace and paradise. After sit- 
 ting a couple of hours on the piazza, and listening 
 to a band, consisting of three pieces, who play 
 
 134 
 
morning and evening, James, Mr. H. and I jumped 
 on an electric car, and went to view the town. We 
 found it a remarkably wide-awake little place, fine 
 stores, nice goods, and quite inviting and pleasant. 
 What impressed us most in San Jos^, was the won- 
 derful growth of the palms. Along the streets, by 
 the side-walks, they are planted in rows, palms by 
 the hundreds, like real trees, giving such a tropical 
 air and style to the streets. We had a lunch at a 
 quarter to twelve, and at half past twelve we were 
 sitting with our hand baggage on the piazza, waiting 
 for the stage to take us, and many others, up Mt. 
 Hamilton. At least a hundred people drove up that 
 mountain with us, in private carriages, etc., that 
 day. It was a magnificent day, not a cloud to be 
 seen, and full moon at night ; and (as we learned 
 later) it had been foggy, rainy and unpleasant for 
 the last three Saturdays ; and as that is the only 
 public day, it was too much to resist, and many 
 drove up. At the Observatory, one of the Profes- 
 sors remarked, within my hearing, that ** they had 
 done no work for a week, in the Observatory, as they 
 had been enveloped in a dense fog." Our " good 
 fairy " had not deserted us. James and I had en- 
 gaged the box-seats with the driver ; but finding the 
 seats inside the coach filled with ladies, I suggested 
 that Mr. H. and I exchange seats, which we did, and 
 fortunately for me, — at least going up, for the sun 
 was so hot, it nearly broiled the two poor fellows. 
 We had a very dusty and a terribly hot drive, start- 
 
 "5 
 
ing as we did about one o'clock, and driving through 
 a most beautiful country, with very little shade. But 
 it paid us well, and will stand out in our memories 
 always, as a delightful experience. 
 
 California is the most beautifully fertile country 
 I have ever seen, and not an inch of ground seems 
 uncultivated. Our drive, at first, was through the 
 famous Santa Clara Valley, and it was like driving 
 through a beautifully cultivated park, with such 
 well kept prune ranches, cherry farms, and pear 
 groves, such a luxurious growth of every kind of 
 fruit, apricots, plums and everything good, making 
 one long to stop and have a picnic, in among the 
 trees. But we did not stop : we drove on and on for 
 about six miles ; and then we began to climb the 
 hills, creeping round the mountains like snails, but 
 going steadily higher and higher, slowly, inch by 
 inch, but surely. We finally crossed one range of 
 hills, then came into a beautiful valley, as shady 
 along the road-way, as the path we had just left was 
 sunny and barren of trees. The Buck-eye bushes 
 were white with blossoms ; and as they are as long 
 as our horse-chestnut blossoms, only thicker and 
 denser, it was a pretty addition to the green of the 
 trees. Wild lilac was plenty, — in great white bushes 
 — in fact, the flora on that drive, was really beautiful 
 and wonderful. Finally, about half past four o'clock, 
 we reached a place called '* Smith's Creek," where 
 all stages stop, change horses, and feed passengers. 
 Some people remain here also over night, so as to 
 
 176 
 
break the drive, and rest. We intended to do so ; 
 but one glimpse of the house and surroundings, one 
 meal in the spacious ( ! ) dining room, settled our 
 minds, and decided us in our doings. Rather than 
 stay at Smith's Creek, we decided to drive back to 
 San Jos^, and run our risk of getting bed and board. 
 As the four stages, with four horses each, came thun- 
 dering up to the hotel (we were in the lead), an army 
 of attendants came flying out of the house, each 
 armed with a feather duster and brush, and every- 
 body was brushed, pounded and thoroughly cleaned 
 before we could enter '* Smith's Creek Palace Hotel," 
 as I named it. As soon as we were in order, we 
 three chums marched boldly into the dining room. 
 The Dining-room ! The laundry at Sunny-Slope (a 
 bit longer perhaps, but no wider), is palatial to that 
 dining room. We had a very frugal repast, not 
 enough to give us proper nourishment, but all we 
 could get. 
 
 At Smith's Creek, we could look straight up and 
 see the Lick Observatory, and by a trail, it was just 
 two miles ; but by the road, it was seven miles, and 
 took us nearly three hours to crawl up. Our road 
 was wonderful, — marvelous, — cut from the sides of 
 the hills, and winding, twisting, turning, in the most 
 graceful curves, through the most beautiful country 
 and land, and giving us views, unsurpassed, of miles 
 and miles in every direction. As far as one could 
 turn the head, to the right, or to the left as well, a 
 view of wondrous beauty was visible ; the only spot, 
 
 127 
 
not actually calling forth the most enthusiastic 
 praise, being directly at one's back. James was an 
 enthusiast in every sense of the word. He would 
 call out to me every other minute, saying, " Isn't 
 it grand ! Did you see anything like this even in 
 Switzerland ? " In those seven miles, the road turns 
 three hundred and sixty-seven times ; and gradually 
 we reached the summit, and drove up in front of 
 that marvelous structure, in all its massiveness, — 
 the " Lick Observatory." Mt. Hamilton is about 
 five thousand feet above the sea level, and we 
 had come twenty-seven miles, the driver said, to 
 see it ; (but the miles in this country are equal to 
 about two each in the East). It is built of brick 
 and iron, the base being painted a dull red, and the 
 domes, one on each end, are white, and can be seen 
 for miles, with the naked eye. It is a fine struc- 
 ture, full of every manner of electric appliance, and 
 every new and old invention, for the study of sci- 
 ence, — a comfortable library for the professors, who 
 number about six or eight, I believe, with their at- 
 tendants, making about twenty in all, on that lonely 
 mountain. 
 
 James Lick, the founder of this observatory, was 
 a very poor lad, in a country village, and loved, 
 unfortunately, a miller's daughter. His request of 
 the miller, for his daughter's hand, was denied him, 
 because he was poor. He made up his mind to 
 prove himself worthy of his sweetheart ; and, leav- 
 ing home, he went to California and settled in the 
 
 128 
 
Santa Clara Valley, near the foot of Mt. Hamil- 
 ton, obtaining employment, and finally becoming 
 interested in a mine near, which made him, in time, 
 a very wealthy man. He built a mill, far surpass- 
 ing the one owned by the stem old miller, finished 
 in California woods, and then wrote to the miller, 
 to invite him to come and visit him, and to ask 
 again for the hand of his daughter. The story 
 says, the daughter had not been true to her lover, 
 but had married ; — and James Lick remained a 
 bachelor all his life. I asked some one, who seemed 
 to be posted, why James Lick left his money for 
 an observatory ; for, if he was a poor man, and had 
 had but little education, how did he come to feel 
 an interest in scientific research ? The answer was 
 this : When a boy, he had known a monk whom he 
 admired greatly, who was always studying the 
 heavens, through a little telescope he possessed, and 
 it was from him that he first learned of the glory 
 of the heavens, and the need of means to study and 
 learn. James Lick died an eccentric old bachelor, 
 and after willing the immense sum of money for the 
 building of the observatory, and a fund for the 
 maintenance of professors, etc., he requested that 
 his body be placed under the great telescope, in the 
 great dome, where it now rests. We reached there 
 about half-past seven, and at once began to look 
 about. The view of the surrounding country was 
 beyond words to describe, as we looked nearly a 
 hundred miles in every direction, across to CaHfor- 
 
 129 
 
nia Bay, and to the coast range of mountains. As 
 we peeped over the stone wall on the edge, looking 
 down, we could see over two thousand feet, straight 
 down the mountain side, into the valley. Jamie 
 and Bert were annoyed by the great crowd of peo- 
 ple, waiting in the Grand Dome, to look through the 
 great telescope of thirty-six inch diameter, so they 
 went outside, after looking at the moon through the 
 smaller telescope ; and by so doing, they saw one of 
 the finest of sunsets, and gloried over me in their 
 glee. Bert did hunt for me, and took me to see the 
 last fading remnants of its glory; but I was too late 
 for much. We were nearly two hours in the great 
 dome, sitting in the dark, waiting for our turn to 
 view Saturn, with his rings and satellites. At last 
 our chance came, and we stepped into the charmed 
 mystic enclosure, and approached the great wonder 
 in the scientific world, the powerful lens. When it 
 came my turn to look, I climbed the ladder up to 
 the little eye-hole, and then held my breath, as I 
 viewed Saturn, with his rings and six satellites. 
 Surely, " the heavens declare the glory of God, and 
 the firmament showeth His handiwork." It was a 
 wonderful view I had, that one-half minute, but it is 
 indelibly impressed on my mind. It was a glimpse 
 into the mysteries of that attractive science of as- 
 tronomy, of which I know so little, and which makes 
 one hunger for knowledge, and a keener insight into 
 the glories of the heavens. I did not wonder that 
 those learned men would sacrifice everything, — 
 
 130 
 
home, happiness, comfort, — to stay on that moun- 
 tain peak, to study and learn of the heavens. 
 I also looked through the smaller telescope, 
 which has no mean lens, but is, of course, 
 inferior to the greater monarch. I saw the 
 moon through that, and was much interested. 
 It was too full, to see the volcanoes and moun- 
 tains, but I could see a portion of it very well. 
 I had a minute then, and could not help asking the 
 professor in attendance, *' if there could ever be a 
 telescope, powerful enough to discover life on the 
 other planets, if there is life on any of them." He 
 answered " We have never had a telescope yet, 
 strong enough to discover life on any planet.** 
 When we emerged from the dome, we saw the elec- 
 tric key-board, where at twelve o'clock every day, 
 " Pacific Time " is flashed to many places, also 
 the self-registering barometer and water-gage, etc. 
 The entire building is full of photographs of the 
 moon, at different periods and quarters, and of all 
 kinds of heavenly bodies; and I learned that it 
 takes, sometimes, ten hours to take a photograph of 
 the heavens. Imagine it ! At ten o'clock, our pas- 
 sengers were, with difficulty, gathered together, 
 stowed away and sufficiently wrapped ; and we be- 
 gan our descent of Mt. Hamilton, in the most radi- 
 antly beautiful flood of moonlight, I have ever seen. 
 If the **Moon and I" had arranged to be out the 
 same night, we could not have done better. It was 
 a superb night; the moonlight was white, and 
 
seemed to give color to the trees and grass. As we 
 followed the winding road, flying along like mad 
 around the curves, we had so slowly crawled up, in 
 the afternoon, we could see the distant hills plainly. 
 They were a delicate gray mass against the sky ; 
 then against them in turn were the foot-hills, — a 
 dozen shades darker, and more distinct ; and then 
 in the foreground, the great trees and their clearly- 
 cut shadows, made a picture never to be forgotten. 
 It was a glorious drive ! It took an hour to reach 
 Smith's Creek, and at 11.15 P. M. we had a light 
 lunch there. We then drove until i A. M., when we 
 changed horses, and drove on, reaching the Ven- 
 dome Hotel at 2.30 A. M. Tired? — We had reached 
 the superlative degree of that word ! Dusty ? 
 Words are poor to describe our condition, as to 
 cleanliness ! The drive down, however, had been 
 well worth the dust and fatigue, and was glorious. 
 We sang, — to keep awake, — told stories and conun- 
 drums, and finally lapsed into an ominous silence, 
 which was made visible, by nodding heads, and wab- 
 bling bodies. 
 
 On reaching Vendome, Bert tried to register us, 
 and nearly fell asleep during the process. At that 
 unearthly hour, rooms were assigned us, and we 
 fairly rolled into them, and were in bed in quick 
 haste. How James and Bert roared, as we walked 
 into our room, and they had a good look at me by 
 gaslight. With my rubber coat and cape, and my 
 little fur shoulder wrap over it, my poor wreck of a 
 
 13a 
 
tin-pan hat, stuck back on my head, and my hair 
 hanging in a regular fringe, I must have presented 
 a sorry sight ; and the boys laughed hard enough at 
 me, to make me right angry, if I had not been so 
 tired. All Bert could do was to wave a good-night, 
 as he grabbed his " grip " and was shown to his 
 room. 
 
 SUNDAY, JUNE 2 1 ST. 
 
 "VJO one of our little party appeared, or showed 
 any signs of life, until noon, to-day. Then we 
 came from our rooms, looking as if we had been on an 
 awful spree, but were trying to brace up. A lunch- 
 eon and breakfast combined, and at half-past two 
 o'clock, we took the omnibus for the depot, and the 
 3.05 P. M. train for San Francisco. While waiting 
 for the train to start, Bert and James smoked out 
 on the platform, and when I looked out a little 
 after and finally joined them, I found a Chinaman 
 conversing with them. He had come to them and 
 spoken, said he had seen us all in Chinatown, and 
 proved to be one of our friends there, — Ah Fung 
 by name. Somebody in San Jos^ had seen a Chi- 
 nese funeral, a couple of days before we arrived, 
 and they said it was very singular. The Chinamen 
 rode in carriages, but they made an unearthly noise, 
 with gongs and bells, and acted as if they were 
 possessed of evil spirits. They have a great fear of 
 death, and generally hurry their dead to the ceme- 
 teries, as fast as possible. During the drive to the 
 
 133 
 
grave-yard, all of them throw little colored pieces 
 of paper out of the carriage windows, in every di- 
 rection ; and the more they can scatter in this way, 
 the better for the dead, for each piece of paper has 
 nine holes in it, and their theory is, that the Devil 
 must go in and out each hole ; and the more they 
 can distribute, the more work the old fellow has to 
 do, and therefore cannot catch the mourners, before 
 they have buried their dead. They have a regular 
 chase with the Devil, which shall first arrive at the 
 cemetery. 
 
 We were rejoiced to reach San Francisco again, 
 for, although, as a City we do not like it, it was a 
 bit like home to us, this time. The porters, bell- 
 men and waiters, all welcomed us ; and as James said, 
 it was pleasant to have somebody to speak to you, 
 and welcome you back. We found letters from 
 home also, and after reading them, dining, etc., we 
 went to our room and had a quiet, undisturbed 
 evening, writing my journal, and James reading. 
 
 MONDAY, JUNE 22ND. 
 
 AXTE could not think of leaving San Francisco, 
 without seeing the Golden Gate Park, and 
 the famous Cliff House ; and as the winds are high 
 in the afternoon, James, Bert and I started at ten 
 o'clock, for a drive, first taking my camera to have 
 the films developed. We drove through the Park 
 to the Cliff House, which is on the Pacific coast. 
 Golden Gate Park is pretty in some parts of it, but 
 
 134 
 
it IS young yet, and does not begin to compare with 
 our Eastern parks. It has many obstacles to sur- 
 mount, for it is built on sand-hills, and is also swept, 
 at this time of year, by the destructive winds, which 
 dry up everything, and make sad havoc with trees 
 and shrubs as well. But, giving it every benefit of 
 every doubt, it is an unattractive place to us. 
 
 After leaving the Park, we drove along the beach 
 to the Cliff House, which is, as its name implies, 
 built on a cliff over-looking three huge rocks, on 
 which live the celebrated sea-lions. These are the 
 attraction, of course, and we spent a long time, 
 watching the great monsters, and studying their 
 ungainly and awkward movements. Eleven hundred 
 sea-lions live on these rocks. They chose this spot 
 many years ago, and are true to it, never deserting 
 their home. They are creatures of habit too, always 
 going to the exact place on the rocks, which they 
 have had before, which, if occupied by an intruder, 
 is quickly fought for. Some of these sea-lions are 
 tremendous ! Four huge fellows are ''monarchs of 
 all they survey " on these rocks, and they weigh 
 from fourteen hundred to two thousand pounds. 
 We saw three of them ; — Brigham Young, one is 
 called, and another Ben Butler ; the latter is a re- 
 markable likeness. They have real battles, and 
 bark like dogs, when angry. After watching them 
 some time, we drove up still higher, to view the 
 private residence and grounds of Mr. Sutro, called 
 *' Sutro Heights." It is a marvelous place, beauti- 
 
 135 
 
fully laid out, with flower-beds equal to Del Monte 
 in design, but not so many, of course. The grounds 
 are full of every conceivable kind of statuary, or 
 *' stationery " as a man told us. The views are 
 extensive, and altogether it was a most original and 
 unusual place, well worth seeing. 
 
 We reached the hotel again at three o'clock, had 
 our luncheon, and then went shopping. In the 
 evening. Miss B. and Mr. H. were with us, listening 
 to the music in the Court ; and after a little packing, 
 we retired. 
 
 136 
 
THE YOSEMITE 
 
 TUESDAY, JUNE 23RD. 
 
 C AN FRANCISCO to Berenda ! We were up, 
 and ready to see Mr. H. this morning, at nine 
 o*clock, as he had promised to, go with his father- 
 in-law, to Palo Alto, to see Hon. Leland Stanford's 
 stables, and was therefore obliged to say good-bye 
 to us early. James and I felt badly about it, as we 
 have shared the same fate for four weeks, and we 
 have enjoyed Mr. H. wonderfully ; he has done so 
 much to make us happy, and has been a delightful 
 travelling companion. 
 
 After breakfast, James went on errands, to see Mr. 
 S., get tickets, etc., and I went out " shopping " for 
 a few necessary articles. I was back at half-past 
 eleven, then packed, and at 2 P. M. I was ready to 
 start, — had a bite of lunch, sent a scrawl, added to 
 a line from Jamie, to the three at home, and at half- 
 past two o'clock " we two babes" started out alone, 
 for a trip to the Yosemite. We went to the Oak- 
 land Ferry, crossed, and took the train there. On 
 the boat, we saw two young men, who went up the 
 Mt. Hamilton trip with us, and although we did 
 
 137 
 
not know them well, we were glad to hear they were 
 bound for the Yosemite too, for it was some one to 
 talk to. As we turned from speaking to them, we 
 saw a little German bride and her big German hus- 
 band, who had sat at our table at Del Monte, and 
 to whom I had spoken once or twice. Four familiar 
 faces, — and in a strange part of the country, among 
 strange scenes and people, familiar faces are a bless- 
 ing. James and I had the drawing-room, but a 
 warm wave seemed to have found and decided to 
 accompany us, and we were remarkably uncomfort- 
 able, during the night. James slept but little, and I 
 managed to put in a few good hours. 
 
 We had rather an uninteresting ride. California 
 has been delightful to us, in every particular, and in 
 every trip, until this ride from San Francisco to 
 Berenda. We had supper at **a railroad eating- 
 room," The place is called Lathrop. When we 
 reached Berenda, the car we were in was side-track- 
 ed ; and as the town of Berenda consists of a railroad 
 depot, and a few houses, instead of being side-tracked 
 in real Berenda, we stood all night out on a genuine 
 Nebraska prairie, a most lonely, God-forsaken spot. 
 No Indian or out-law molested us, and we had a 
 quiet but very trying night, it was so warm. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24TH. 
 
 A T four and a half o'clock this morning, James 
 
 Walcott Haslehurst was up, washed and 
 
 dressed, and in his right mind ! I followed suit, as 
 
 138 
 
the car was to start at five o'clock, and I thought it 
 would be pleasanter to dress quietly, than to a waltz 
 step. We were relieved to be up and out, and half 
 past five found James and myself sitting on the 
 back platform, as wide awake as we ever are at 
 home, at nine o'clock. The dust and cinders soon 
 drove us into our little room again, and we were no 
 sooner in and comfortably placed, than "Ray- 
 mond " sang the Porter, and out we bounced, bag 
 and baggage. Raymond, thought I, — where is 
 Raymond? Surely that white house, covered with 
 vines, does not constitute the town of Raymond ; 
 but it did. As I looked, two or three other little 
 huts loomed up ; but with a thanksgiving in my 
 heart, that fate had spared us from the necessity of 
 eating our breakfast in any of them, James and I 
 approached the vine covered piazza, of what proved 
 to be rather a nice place, after all. In front of the 
 house was a platform, on which, in the most pictur- 
 esque groups, the Yosemite passengers had piled 
 their baggage. It is not well to bring a trunk into 
 the valley, unless one comes for some time; so the 
 number and variety, the shapes and kinds and mar- 
 velous contours of those parcels, beggar description; 
 little and big, round and flat, neat and untidy, and 
 all in separate little piles, to be put into the coaches 
 before starting. 
 
 At a quarter past six, we all went to breakfast. 
 It was good, as such meals go, — nothing surprising, 
 but one could take enough bread and coffee, to last 
 
 139 
 
for a few hours. Our repast was soon over, and at 
 seven o'clock, sharp, two four-horse coaches came 
 to the door, luggage and grips were stored away, 
 passengers given their allotted places, and away we 
 started, with as blazing and hot a sun, as one ever 
 cares to have, pouring down on our unprotected 
 heads. "Unprotected heads," does anyone ex- 
 claim ? James and I were the only sufferers. The 
 best seats, on such drives and such stages, are with 
 the driver, and out from under cover, and we were 
 considered fortunate indeed, to have secured them, 
 a week ago. But we had such a dreadful morning, 
 — nothing but awful dust, intolerable heat and real 
 discomfort. This was not visited on our heads 
 alone, for the people inside suffered as much from 
 dust, as we did. We thought ourselves fortunate, 
 however, in being outside, as whatever little stray 
 breeze came our way, we were sure to catch. 
 
 The driver said, as we drove out of Raymond, 
 that the drive to " Grant's " — the dinner-station, — 
 was most trying and uninteresting, — and it was so 
 ^ in every sense. The country was lovely, but some- 
 how or other, there was not much to interest one. 
 One little encounter was quite exciting. Coiled up 
 in the road, so that one wheel nearly passed over it, 
 was a real big rattle-snake, about four feet long. 
 One of the passengers spied it, and at once, driver 
 and passengers, with sticks and stones, were out by 
 the snake, trying to kill it. It was a lively young 
 fellow, and showed fight from the first, evading his 
 
 140 
 
would-be assassins very adroitly. Finally the 
 driver pinned him down with a stick ; and then how 
 his poisonous tongue did run out, in energetic little 
 jerks, trying to hurt somebody. At last, his rattling 
 highness escaped his wooden pin, and jumped right 
 in among the warriors bold, and they all jumped 
 in turn about ten feet, in every direction. The 
 quick, active driver, with the strength of a Hercules, 
 gave one good blow at that moment, however, and 
 a limp, lifeless head was the result. Then the re- 
 mains were brought, for inspection, to the stage, 
 and the rattle was taken from the end of the tail. 
 Twelve rattles were found ; and if the theory is cor- 
 rect, that each rattle represents one year, his de- 
 ceased snakeship was just twelve years old. 
 
 This wild country is running over with animal 
 life. We saw squirrels by the hundreds, rabbits by 
 dozens, and quail, buzzards, lizards without numbers, 
 and even a wild cat (but a dead one, thank fortune). 
 One funny, unusual sight, was an old man on horse- 
 back, herding geese. He seemed the biggest goose 
 of the lot ! One gets so used to strange names for 
 places, people, and horses, that they fail, after a time, 
 to impress one as anything unusual or peculiar; but 
 as we drove along this morning, and passed several 
 teams, hauling loads, the driver of our stage called 
 out to the driver of another : " Say, how does Jim- 
 mie Neversweat work now?'* Poor little Jimmie 
 Neversweat — he was a poor, tired, worn-out little 
 animal. 
 
 141 
 
Alexander Early used to drive a stage into this 
 Valley, and all the drivers know him. When we 
 asked our driver, Thomas Gordon, he said : ** Know 
 Alex. Early, gas-sy Alex, we called him.** Then he 
 told us a story, quite in keeping with Mr. Early's 
 yam to us. The pine trees in this Valley sometimes 
 die at the top, and therefore present a strange ap- 
 pearance. A traveller asked Alex. Early, once, 
 "why so many trees died at the top?" " Oh, the 
 season's so short here, the sap don't have time to get 
 up there," he answered. 
 
 As we drove through the country, this morning, 
 we saw a queer wooden affair, running along for 
 miles, and raised on stilts, to keep it at a certain 
 angle. We, of course, were curious about it, and 
 asked the necessary questions, finding out that this 
 queer arrangement was a lumber flume, running for 
 sixty-five miles through the country, to a saw-mill. 
 The flume has a stream of water flowing through it, 
 and the wood is tied in certain sized piles, and floated 
 through. It was decidedly novel to us. 
 
 Well, as we crept over hill and dale, we tried to 
 feel glad we were there ; but a sigh would escape 
 somebody, once in a while, and it was quite evident 
 that no one was overjoyed, to be in such a dusty 
 scrape. We reached a place — or rather a house — 
 called Grant's; and then the honest convictions, of 
 the souls of our passengers, found expression, and 
 everybody wondered " if all travellers to the Yosem- 
 ite had turned liars, from such afflictions and trials, 
 
 142 
 
— if it was really worth so much discomfort — if there 
 was really anything to see, after all." But, after as 
 nice and tempting a meal as one could wish to have, 
 we all took our places in the stage again, and went 
 on. Nothing pleasant presented itself, until about 
 four o'clock, when, after climbing by inches the 
 highest of high hills, we reached the summit of the 
 mountain, and were 5,600 feet above sea-level, and 
 about four thousand above the valley. There we 
 saw beauty enough to pay us for our long uncom- 
 fortable trip. We drove into such a forest of loveli- 
 ness, with huge pine trees rising hundreds of feet, on 
 all sides of us, with their great straight trunks and 
 magnificently mottled bark. The ground was cov- 
 ered, each side of our roadway, with mammoth ferns, 
 and a sea of huge collossal pine cones. A peculiar 
 growth, like whiskers, but of strong wooden spikes, 
 are allabout the trunks of these pine trees ; and a 
 bright vivid green moss clings most lovingly to these 
 rope-like limbs, and sometimes covers them entirely. 
 The contrast of this bright green moss, with the 
 darker evergreen foliage, and the rich loam of the 
 earth, made a picture never seen by us before. 
 Then, after those seven hours of hot discomfort, we 
 were glad we had come. When we reached Wawona, 
 we found the loveliest and cleanest of little hotels, 
 most attractively surrounded, and delightful as well, 
 in food and lodging. After a good pounding, by 
 the corps of attendants, who appear with a brush 
 and duster, on arrival of every stage, we had dinner, 
 
 143 
 
then visited the studio of the artist, Thomas Hill, of 
 Yosemite fame, whose medals of honor and reward, 
 show well that his work is highly approved by judges 
 of art. 
 
 A letter, written to the three at home, finished the 
 evening, and before eleven o'clock we had retired. 
 
 The distance driven to-day was thirty-nine miles. 
 
 THURSDAY, JUNE 25TH. 
 
 AT 5.30 A. M. we were awakened and up, and 
 although poor James groaned, " When will I 
 get rested?" we had to be up and away at 7 A. M. 
 It was a beautiful morning, exquisite in every way, 
 except the heat, which was intense. We did noth- 
 ing but go up and down hills, but such awfully steep 
 places, where our road lay right on the edge of the 
 deepest precipices. We could look hundreds of feet 
 right straight down into the valley, over the tops of 
 the highest trees, with such grand, such magnificent 
 views for hundreds of miles. It was a wild, exciting 
 drive, through the most beautiful wooded country, 
 around curves by the dozens, when the four horses 
 would go as if demented, or chased by some fiend. 
 We forded little streams, crossed innumerable 
 bridges, and had a glorious drive. Our only anx- 
 iety was in meeting teams or stages ; then some- 
 times our hearts were in our mouths, for the roads 
 were so narrow, and there seemed no place to turn 
 out. One poor, lone man had to turn out for us, as 
 the stage has the right of way, and as he sat in his 
 
 144 
 
little light wagon, he looked the picture of fright, 
 and exclaimed, in an agonized way, " The bank's 
 going from under me ! " " Serves you right ! ** ex- 
 claimed our driver; **you should have waited in 
 some safe place for the stages." 
 
 Our drive this morning was twenty-six miles, and 
 we reached the Yosemite Valley at i .30 P. M. 
 
 The Yosemite Valley is just eight miles in length, 
 and when travellers first see it, it is from a height 
 of about six thousand five hundred feet. As we 
 turned a sharp curve, in descending Mount Chow- 
 chile, the Valley was seen suddenly ; and nothing, 
 that I can write, can give any idea of the impression 
 that first view gives one. Never in my life, but 
 once, have I felt so before ; and that, was, when we 
 stood at the foot of Mount Blanc, and the clouds 
 parted, and we saw the reflection of the setting sun, 
 on that mountain of ice. Now, as then, words were 
 gone ; my tongue refused to articulate, and I could 
 not even think. I felt as Moses must have felt, 
 when the Lord appeared unto him on the Mount. 
 I only looked, wondered, and admired, in awe and 
 reverence, this great marvel of nature. Rocks of all 
 shapes and tints, in most majestic magnificence, 
 walled us in, as we descended into the Valley, with 
 the most brilliantly bright falls of water, the most 
 luxurious growths of trees, shrubs and flowers, and 
 the grandest grandeur ever seen, on every side. It 
 has been said, that '* it is not easy to describe, in 
 words, the precise impressions which great objects 
 
 145 
 
make upon us "; and I felt this then, and realize it 
 more now, when I try to write of this entrance of 
 ours into, and our first glimpse of, the Yosemite 
 Valley. Actual objects, and places, like Chinatown, 
 etc., one can picture and portray by word or pen, 
 sometimes; but these great scenes, these wonders 
 in nature, only sink deep into the heart, and defy 
 pen or words, to picture or describe the impressions 
 made. It makes one feel the presence of the Cre- 
 ator of all this wondrous beauty, in the rocks and 
 rills, the mountains and myriad wonders ; and the 
 heart stands still, in silent homage to the Great God ; 
 and prayer and praise come intuitively to a thought- 
 ful mind. 
 
 After dinner, or rather lunch, James and I came 
 to our comfortable room in the Stoneman House, 
 and after necessary ablutions, slept soundly for sev- 
 eral hours. In the evening, we chatted with some 
 fellow-passengers, sent a letter on its way to the 
 three at home, and started early for the " Land of 
 Nod." 
 
 FRIDAY, JUNE 26tH. 
 
 T N the Yosemite Valley ! Breakfast is over here 
 at 8.30 A. M., and James and I managed to 
 scramble in, just at the last minute. Most of our 
 companions had made early starts, on excursions, 
 etc., but we were too tired for much sight-seeing 
 to-day. It was too lovely to stay indoors, so Jamie 
 and I took a walk, through the most beautiful woods, 
 
 X46 ' 
 
STONEMAN HOUSE, YOSEMITE VALLEY. 
 
along the Merced River. We came to such pretty 
 bridges, made of huge logs, which tempted us to 
 cross over to a lovely little island, surrounded by fine 
 rapids. Still another log bridge, and another, en- 
 ticed us along, until we had wandered some dis- 
 tance, and seen such dainty bits of views, such pict- 
 uresque islands, fine trees, and dashing rapids, and 
 real beauty, that we were well satisfied with our morn- 
 ing, and felt repaid for our exertions in tramping. 
 
 We spent a quiet afternoon and evening, reading, 
 etc. I managed to write much in my journal, and 
 we both felt better for the day's rest. 
 
 This far-away spot, in the heart of the Yosemite 
 Valley, sixty-five miles in one direction, from the 
 railroad, and ninety in the other, seems the place of 
 meeting for all nations. The Antipodes appeared 
 to-day, in one stage-load. One man from Scotland, 
 another from England, one from Tasmania, one 
 from North Australia, two from Calcutta, one from 
 China, came to-day. Two are here from Mexico, 
 one from Germany, and America is well repre- 
 sented. 
 
 SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH. 
 
 T OVELY day, and lovely at 5.30 A. M., when we 
 arose, to be ready to go, at seven o'clock, to 
 Mirror Lake, to see the sun rise in the lake. Mirror 
 Lake is about a mile from the hotel, and at that 
 hour in the morning, it is as calm and smooth as a 
 genuine mirror. Every mountain is reflected, as 
 
 147 
 
clearly as it is seen above the lake, and it is an ex- 
 quisite sight. Groups were scattered along the 
 shore, gazing at one rocky reflection in the water, 
 called the " Old Man in the Mountain." About a 
 quarter before eight, an ominous silence showed 
 that all were intently watching a little rim of light, 
 that was creeping along the edge of this rocky pro- 
 jection. It seemed a halo of radiance, and deep- 
 ened and deepened, until all at once. Old Sol made 
 his appearance, reflecting such a brilliant blaze, from 
 the depths of the water, that one could look but a 
 moment at him, — his light was as intense as an elec- 
 tric light. It was a most unusual experience. We 
 then returned to the hotel ; but the rest of the party 
 separated on different excursions. 
 
 One trip is to Nevada and Vernal Falls, another 
 to an immensely high point, called Glacier Point. 
 Both trips must be made on horseback, or mule back ; 
 and although James and I had planned to do both, 
 when we finally came into the valley, a peculiar 
 nervousness came over James, and seeing his condi- 
 tion, I could not urge it. The trails are very steep, 
 and make some people so dizzy, that they have to be 
 blind-folded in coming down, and James said he felt 
 he could never even reach the top. We spent a 
 quiet morning, an opportunity I seized for writing; 
 and after lunch, at 2 P.M. we took a carriage, and a 
 good guide, and drove all over the valley, down nine 
 miles below the beginning of the valley, in the 
 Caflon, saw all the falls, all points of interest, etc., 
 
 148 
 
EL CAPITAN. 
 
and were gone four hours and a half. We had a 
 lovely time. 
 
 We went first to Yosemite Falls. It is a very 
 high waterfall, and is divided into three parts. The 
 upper part is thirty-four feet wide, at the top, and 
 drops 1,502 feet, without a single break. The middle 
 fall IS over 50® feet, and the lower 487 feet, making 
 2,550 feet of waterfall. It is the finest thing of the 
 kind we have ever seen. There is another, in the 
 valley opposite this, called Sentinel Fall, which is 
 the highest in the Yosemite ; it falls 3,270 feet, but 
 is broken in its descent many times. We became 
 familiar with the great rocks. El Capitan (3,300 feet 
 above us). The Three Brothers (the highest rising 
 3,630 feet, above the valley). The Three Graces, 
 Cathedral Spires, North Dome (rising 3,700 feet). 
 South, or Half Dome (5,000 feet above the valley). 
 They are superb, and all rise, as you see, over a half 
 mile, and one nearly a mile, right up into the air, 
 on all sides of us. There are many more. Sentinel 
 Rock, Washington Column, Star King, and Cloud's 
 Rest; the latter is 9,772 feet above the sea-level, and 
 5,780 feet above the valley. The delicate dainty 
 waterfalls are many in number, and make such re- 
 freshing contrasts, with the great granite boulders. 
 As we drove down the valley, the driver stopped 
 near El Capitan, and asked us if we could pick out 
 ** The Lone Tree.*' Sure enough, there in a crack 
 in the rock, 1,000 feet up from the valley, 
 with no other trees near it, grows a cedar tree. It 
 
looked to us about four inches high ; but it measures 
 just 125 feet in height. We climbed up the 
 trail, to the foot of Yosemite Falls, and were 
 well repaid, for we were able to realize better 
 the enormous height of the falls, and were able 
 to get good and wet, with the heavy spray. 
 After a drive to the Cascade Fall, and along a series 
 of beautiful rapids, we came back, close to the beau- 
 tiful '' Bridal Veil Fall." It is the loveliest in the 
 valley ! It falls 860 feet, without a break, and it is 
 so coquettishly tossed and swayed, by every breeze 
 that blows, that it waves and curves, in a most fascin- 
 ating manner. About five o'clock every day, the 
 sun touches it, in such a way, that it is all prismatic 
 colors, and as the spray is tossed, the rainbow wid- 
 ens or decreases, rises or falls, at the caprice of the 
 zephyrs. We sat in the carriage a long time, watch- 
 ing the picture. One minute, the rainbow would 
 sweep across the rock, in a broad band of color, for a 
 thousand feet or more ; the next moment, it would 
 arch gracefully over the rocks, at the base of the fall, 
 or perhaps spread upwards like a ribbon. It was 
 exquisite ! 
 
 I must not fail to mention the roads, through 
 which we drove, the most picturesque ever seen. 
 Overgrown with ferns, wild flowers, vines, the great 
 trees themselves, with lovely green moss on them, 
 the driveways in the valley are most beautiful, in 
 their very wildness. We agreed when we returned, 
 that of all our drives in Colorado, and elsewhere, 
 
 ISO 
 
none had surpassed, in wild beauty and grandeur, 
 this drive of ours, in the Yosemite Valley. 
 
 A letter written home was the only incident of 
 the evening. 
 
 SUNDAY, JUNE 28TH. 
 
 TDEAUTIFUL day, but it began very warm, and 
 promised a regular broiler ! James and I 
 breakfasted at the very last minute, as usual, then sat 
 on the piazza awhile, with the K — s, Mrs. J — and 
 a party from Peekskill, then came to our rooms for 
 a quiet morning, which I spent in writing my 
 journal. About noon, we all congregated on the 
 piazza, to see three stage loads, of hot dusty passen- 
 gers, arrive. Gen. Schofield, and his new wife, ar- 
 rived, with a little coterie of friends, also an Eng- 
 lish Baronet, — Sir F. and Lady B. After lunch, 
 James and I again sought the seclusion of our own 
 apartment, one reading, while the other wrote. 
 
 Yesterday, we were much amused, by a conversa- 
 tion I had, with our guide and driver, on the proba- 
 ble formation of this Yosemite Valley. Some sci- 
 entists hold to the Volcanic theory, — that much has 
 been split and broken, by volcanic action, earth- 
 quakes, and such forces. In fact, we know it all 
 came to be, in the beginning, by these great forces. 
 The greater number of scientists, however, hold to 
 the glacial formation, to the rounding and polishing 
 and cutting, of these great masses, by the ice action 
 of later date ; and to me, this is the most plausible 
 
 151 
 
of any theory. There are positive evidences, on 
 every side, of glacial action, and proofs positive, 
 by terminal moraines, in this immediate neighbor- 
 hood. It is as clearly the result of the Ice Age, as 
 anything we have yet seen. Great rocks are piled 
 upon one another ; then, every once in a while, a 
 tremendous boulder is isolated, in some green field ; 
 and the question arises at once, — how did that 
 great mass get there ? Oh, if some spirit, or power, 
 could make these great rocks unfold their secret, 
 and speak of the mysteries of their being ! If a sin- 
 gle stone would only confess its secret, and turn 
 state's evidence on the spot, what a blessing it 
 would be to science, and what a blow to some cher- 
 ished theories and laws ! But no : each little stone, 
 however small, each blade of grass and tiniest leaf, 
 keep folded up, within their breasts, the story of 
 their birth ; and the inquirer goes away, little wiser 
 than he came. All bask in the sunshine, and smile 
 together, in their silent splendor and happiness, and 
 keep their secrets, until the Author of their being 
 shall bid them speak. The waterfalls and cascades 
 sing away the hours, but their language is one of 
 sounds and sighings ; and no student, of even the 
 ancient hieroglyphics, has yet interpreted their little 
 humming and murmuring songs. So we leave the 
 beautiful Yosemite Valley, in its silent grandeur; 
 but we feel wiser and better in our hearts, because 
 we have beheld and pondered awhile, on these won 
 ders of our God. 
 
 153 
 
Our Sunday evening was spent on the piazza of 
 the Stoneman House, in the pleasant company of 
 the Peekskill party. Being friends of Mrs. Gen. S. 
 before her marriage, she, of course, joined them 
 here ; and James and I met her, and were pleased 
 with her simple girlish manners, and shall meet her 
 again in San Francisco. 
 
 James foolishly went to the piazza, about five 
 o'clock, to look at the thermometer. In the office, it 
 was 84 degrees ; on the piazza, it was 98 degrees, in 
 the shade, and in the sun, 115 degrees. We nearly 
 melted, after we knew how hot it was ; but in the 
 evening, it was delightfully cool and comfortable. 
 
 It is beautiful here ; the Valley is exquisite, with 
 its carpet of ferns, and wild flowers, and the great 
 rock mountains, so majestic and wonderful, some so 
 high, with their crowns of pure white snow — looking 
 like a great white throne, waiting for its King. 
 
 MONDAY, JUNE 29TH. 
 
 A T half-past four o'clock this morning, the porter 
 knocked on our door, and James and I were 
 up in a twinkle, and dressed and ready for breakfast, 
 at a quarter past five. It was hard to get up, but 
 once started, it was delightful ; and the earliest 
 hours of the day are always so quiet and peaceful. 
 
 At 6 A. M. sharp, we were in our high seats by the 
 driver, and started promptly for our long drive, 
 which, for eight miles through the Valley, was ideal ; 
 — the birds sang a good-bye to us, and we were 
 
 153 
 
really sorry to leave. Some tourists were out, with 
 rod and line, ready to catch fish, and bugs, too ; for 
 we had a naturalist in our midst, from the Smith- 
 sonian Institute, who was collecting and prepar- 
 ing specimens, for classification. After driving 
 through the ferns and flowers, our road turned sud- 
 denly ; and for two full hours, the dear old horses 
 pulled and tugged, panted and perspired, dragging 
 the heavy stage-load of passengers, up a very steep 
 hill, rising half a mile in five miles, such an incline 
 as we had not been up before. Our drive of twenty- 
 six miles, to Wawona, which place we reached at 
 twelve o'clock, was most interesting and exciting. 
 Our trip into the Valley was a little nerve-trying, as 
 we had a driver we could not feel confidence in, and 
 a man who made his horses too nervous and excita- 
 ble. As we turned those dangerous curves, on the 
 edge of the precipices, we were frightened by his 
 carelessness, and really dreaded the drive out. It 
 was such a magnificent trip, however, that we were 
 sorry when it was at an end ; and we can look for- 
 ward with pleasure, to coming into the Yosemite 
 Valley again, with the same driver we had to-day, — 
 Uriah Toby by name, — or as the children call him, 
 " Maria." Owing to his skillful management, we 
 turned those sharp curves, and flew over hills, and 
 through the valleys, with only interest and excite- 
 ment in our progress, and not one fear, as to our 
 safety. 
 
 After reaching Wawona and having lunch, at 1. 15 
 
 154 
 
p. M. we started again in a stage, with Toby, to visit 
 the Big Trees. It was broiling then, — the sun was 
 at his highest, and was sending down burning bolts 
 upon our already hot heads ; but we were soon so 
 interested in our surroundings, that we forgot the 
 heat, and decided finally, that we would rather bake, 
 in the process of seeing those giants of the Sierra 
 Nevadas, than not to see them at all. The great 
 trees of Mariposa County, grow in the highest alti- 
 tude ; and in our drive of eight miles, to the Big 
 Trees, we went up 2,600 feet, bringing us to an al- 
 titude of between 6,500 and 6,600 feet. The Sugar 
 Pines and Cedars, of the evergreen tribe, were tre- 
 mendous, in the woods through which we passed ; 
 and we exclaimed, dozens of times, as some straight 
 trunk raised its branches to nearly two hundred 
 feet ; — but when we saw the Big Trees, — the real 
 live wonders of the forests, we could not find words 
 to express our surprise and admiration. They si- 
 lence one completely ! As we drove along, these 
 giant trees, with their red trunks, stood by our 
 roadway, like huge monsters ; and the " Three Sen- 
 tinels " were our first introduction, to this peculiar 
 specimen of forest growth, the " Sequoia Gigantea," 
 which is more ancient than any other family of 
 trees. Then, in groups of twos and threes, some- 
 times more, we met these giants, and were lost in 
 admiration, as we gazed at trees which, scientists 
 say, are fully 5,000 years old! "The Three 
 Sisters " stood on one side of the drive, with " The 
 
 15s 
 
Big Brother " opposite. " Princeton," " Harvard," 
 *' Lincoln," "Washington," "The Faithful Couple," 
 with " Brooklyn " and " New York " near, " Massa- 
 chusetts " not far from " St. Louis," and so many 
 gigantic giants surrounded us, that we were abso- 
 lutely getting accustomed to their size, until we 
 came to the greatest of all. "The Grizzley,** it is 
 called, or "Yo Semite," which means the same 
 thing. We all left the stages here, to walk about 
 this monster, which is thirty-three feet in diameter ; 
 and eight feet up from the ground, it measures one 
 hundred and one feet in circumference. It stands two 
 hundred and ninety feet high, and one of its 
 branches is six feet in diameter. It is collossal, 
 grand, magnificent, its trunk so dark and red, so 
 massive and tremendous ! Another great wonder is 
 the tree "Wawona," through which we drove. 
 When the Indians lived in these woods, they used 
 to burn them out every year, to clear away the un- 
 derbrush, so they could hunt better. Some of these 
 huge monsters were badly burned, and Wawona 
 was also damaged, so that, some one in authority, 
 tried the experiment of cutting out the burned part, 
 and making a drive-way through the tree. It is a 
 grand success, and is a wonder! A four-horse 
 stage goes through easily, and as the tree is twenty- 
 eight feet in diameter, the opening accommodates 
 not only the stage, but both pairs of horses, with the 
 exception of the leaders' heads. The two tallest 
 trees in the entire grove (which contains about six 
 
 156 
 
WAWONA. 
 
hundred mammoth trees, four hundred of which are 
 marvels), measure three hundred and thirty-seven 
 feet. If any one will take a cord, and measure one 
 hundred and one feet, then place it in a circle, a little 
 idea can be obtained of the size of " The Grizzley," 
 the largest of all trees. We all stopped at a little 
 log cabin, where the ** Guardian " lives, for these 
 woods are carefully protected from fire and damage. 
 We found samples of bark and wood, cones of huge 
 size, and some curios. The strangest thing is, that 
 these huge cones are not the fruit of the biggest trees. 
 The huge trees have small cones, but the sugar 
 pines have the large ones. These pines have often 
 the bright green moss on their trunks ; and as the 
 moss always grows on the north side of a tree, the 
 Indians used them as their compasses, and guides. 
 They could always tell the points of the compass, by 
 the moss-trees. 
 
 While at this " Log Cabin," we all climbed up, by 
 means of a ladder, on to the trunk of one of the big 
 trees, which had fallen. It accommodated about 
 twenty of us, on the roots alone. It was huge ! — A 
 great giant, named " Grant," stood near the cabin, 
 and somebody suggested that we should make a 
 circle, and see how many it took, to surround the 
 trunk of a moderate sized tree. Accordingly we 
 joined hands about the tree, and then, breaking the 
 circle, straightened out in a line, *'to count noses." 
 Consternation showed on many faces, as our count 
 stood ''thirteen." " How dreadful ! " said some- 
 
 157 
 
body. *' Oh, dear ! " exclaimed Mr. W., of Tas- 
 mania, to me, *' that's bad luck; I wouldn't have 
 had that happen for anything!" " What happen ?** 
 said I. " Why, there were thirteen of us around 
 that tree." " No, indeed ; there were fourteen of 
 us in all," quoth I ; " surely the tree counted for 
 something, and made fourteen of us." We had a 
 fine time there ; then taking our seats beside Toby 
 again, we had a flying trip down the mountain to 
 Wawona ; and although we had driven forty-six 
 miles, since six o'clock in the morning, and had been 
 eleven hours in the stage, we were really sorry to 
 think that our day was over. One thing I must 
 chronicle, — it takes nineteen people, with arms out- 
 stretched, to encircle old Mr. Grizzley. 
 
 In the evening we chatted with our German 
 bride and groom, Mr. and Mrs. M., of Mexico, and 
 the Peekskill party; and we went again to Mr. Hill's 
 studio, where James presented me with two sou- 
 venirs, painted on the natural wood of the big trees, 
 one of ** Wawona" with the driveway, the other of 
 Bridal Veil Falls, in Yosemite, both lovely, and Mr. 
 Hill's work. 
 
 TUESDAY, JUNE 30TH. 
 
 ■^OTHING but awful heat to chronicle to-day. 
 At 8 a.m. we started in the stage, for the dusty 
 and disagreeable part of the Yosemite trip, the drive 
 from Wawona to Raymond. It is thirty-nine miles, 
 and takes from eight o'clock until half past eleven, 
 
 158 
 
when we stopped for luncheon at Grant's. Then 
 from half past twelve, to half past five, it was dread- 
 ful, — so hot we could hardly breathe — but while 
 everybody perspired and groaned, James and I had 
 not one drop of perspiration, to moisten gloves or 
 collars. We stopped at a little mining camp, to 
 take on a mail bag (a place bearing the refined name 
 of " Grub Gulch"), and seeing a thermometer hanging 
 near, asked the man to let us look at it. It hung 
 in the shade, but I saw, with mine own eyes, the 
 mercury at 105 degrees. We were driving in the 
 sun, and it must have been ten degrees hotter. 
 When we reached Raymond, at 5.30 P.M. the ther- 
 mometer stood at 108 degrees. We had our supper 
 there, then took the train for Berenda, and in the 
 car, the thermometer was 102 degrees, at 8 P.M. 
 James and I felt as if we were burning up, inside and 
 outside, but we were as dry as bones! Queer heat 
 it was, not a drop of moisture in it. 
 
 The car for San Francisco, in which all our party 
 were, goes to Berenda, where it is side-tracked until 
 3 A.M. when a Los Angeles train, going to San 
 Francisco, picks it up. We had to leave the train 
 and wait at Berenda, from 8 to 10.25 P.M., when a 
 train, going to Los Angeles, picked us up. 
 
 Berenda consists of a station and nine houses, by 
 actual count ! When we left the train, the porter 
 said: "There are generally lots of tramps about, 
 you had better keep close to your baggage." We 
 could not find chairs, or even a bench, so we took a 
 
 159 
 
baggage truck, put our things on it, James loaded 
 his pistol, and we sat ourselves down to watch and 
 wait, with the one mild man who was going our way. 
 Soon, down the tracks, walked a little party of our 
 friends from the car, who came to pay us a visit. 
 After a while, as the extreme heat made us thirsty, 
 (at Berenda, the thermometer had been 117 degrees) 
 these good friends carried me with them, to the car, 
 (one remaining with James), and treating me as a 
 guest, they entertained me accordingly. Then they 
 escorted me back; and some of the gentlemen. Dr. 
 B of England, and Mr. W of Tasmania, re- 
 mained with us until ten o'clock, so our weary vigil 
 was brightened and shortened. At last, our train 
 came ; we boarded it, engaged the Drawing Room, 
 and were soon as comfortable as we have ever been, in 
 any place, on such a warm night, and were too tired 
 to stay awake, to comment on the heat. 
 
 160 
 
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JULY 1ST. 
 
 A S James and I have comforted ourselves all 
 along, by saying, "It is not half as warm as it 
 might be," so we started out this morning, and 
 although we kept hearing people groan, on all sides 
 of us, and poor little children cry, we were remarka- 
 bly comfortable. The thermometer performed some 
 famous gymnastics, however, a record of which I 
 kept as we went along. 
 
 We breakfasted at Mojave, a most God-forsaken 
 place, at the entrance to the Desert of Mojave, and 
 we had an awful meal. The thermometer we saw 
 there, at half past eight o'clock in the morning, regis- 
 tered 98 degrees. In our car it was 99 degrees, and 
 at noon, the thermometer stood at 100 degrees. 
 Last night at Raymond, one queer thing was the 
 amount of heat, which was communicated to every 
 dish and spoon. I lifted a glass dish, full of nuts and 
 raisins, and it was so hot I could hardly hold it ; and 
 every spoon and fork, and every dish and glass was 
 hot^ not merely warm, but burning. 
 
 We had quite a comfortable trip, in spite of the 
 161 
 
heat. Nothing was interesting, for we came through 
 a desert, whose only redeeming feature was the pe- 
 culiar growth of cacti, or Yucca Palm. These large 
 tree-palms grow in among the sage-brush, and are as 
 large, oftentimes, as apple trees. They give a little 
 variety to the dreariness, and are remarkable in them- 
 selves, but they have no real beauty, and only vary 
 the monotony. 
 
 James made such an impression on all the train 
 men to-day, that they could not do enough for him. 
 He expressed a desire to ride on the engine, and the 
 conductor promised he should ; and he went, and had 
 a glorious time, '* The event of my trip," he ex- 
 claimed when he returned ; ** it was most interesting 
 and exciting.'* 
 
 We reached Los Angeles at 2.30 P.M. and came at 
 once to the Westminster Hotel, where letters from 
 home greeted us, to our joy. 
 
 THURSDAY, JULY 2ND. 
 
 T T P at about half past eight, to find the day bright 
 and lovely, but warm already. After break- 
 fast, James and I wandered about the streets, look- 
 ing in shop windows, etc., until twelve o'clock, 
 when we returned, I to write, James to read. 
 
 After lunch and a rest, James and I went out, at 
 5 P. M., for a lovely drive, all over the City of Los 
 Angeles. The heat here disappears at sunset, and 
 the nights are always cool and delightful. We 
 chose a splendid time for a drive, for the lights and 
 
 162 
 
shadows were beautiful. Los Angeles is as pretty 
 a city as one can wish to see. The houses are, 
 many of them, really magnificent ; but the full 
 glory of the place is in the trees. Pepper trees, with 
 their delicate dainty foliage, line the streets, with 
 palms, planted in wild profusion anywhere and 
 everywhere, — palms that grow like our commonest 
 trees, before houses of every grade, the lowliest 
 cottage having, before its door, the finest of palm 
 trees, banana trees, and bushes, and shrubs. Rose 
 bushes climb all over everything, even creep up on 
 to the roofs of houses, and cover them oftentimes 
 with such a luxurious growth of vines and blossoms. 
 Rubber trees, as big as our chestnuts — only not so 
 tall, — great magnolia trees in full blossom ; dates, fifty 
 years old and older, and oh, such wealth of beautiful 
 buds and blossoms ! Los Angeles attracts us more 
 than any little city we have seen, since we started. 
 The buildings are large and imposing, the streets 
 finely paved, and everything has an air of wealth 
 and luxury. Judge Silent's place is a marvel of 
 beauty. The driver said, in answer to our exclama- 
 tion of delight, ** If that place pleases you now, you 
 should see it when all the flowers are in bloom — in 
 mid-winter — then the air is almost sickening, it is so 
 sweet from the flowers." 
 
 Of course we are here in the wrong season, for 
 winter is the time for Southern California, but we 
 think it better to see it now, and dream what it 
 must be in winter, than not to see it at all. 
 
 163 
 
FRIDAY, JULY 3RD. 
 
 'PROM Los Angeles to Coronado. We were 
 obliged to make an early start this morning, and 
 were up soon after six o'clock, having breakfast at 
 seven, and at half-past seven, we started for the 
 train, which brought us to San Diego. Being the 
 day before the " Glorious Fourth," a crowd was an- 
 ticipated, and we were advised to reach the train in 
 plenty of time, to secure good seats in the sleeper ; 
 (there are no chair cars here, such as we have in the 
 East). It was a very bright day, and we had a very 
 dusty and warm trip, until we suddenly came to the 
 Pacific Coast, when it was lovely and cool, and has 
 been so ever since. We passed through such funny 
 little towns on our way — so Spanish in name and 
 appearance. Many of the towns and cities are 
 Spanish in language, the inhabitants having come 
 from Mexico. Santa Anna is one, Sorrento (Italian 
 flavor) another, San Juan by the Sea, Encinetas, 
 Orange, San Fernando, etc. All are small villages, 
 with most unattractive surrounding country, for the 
 desert makes itself at home, even in Southern Cali- 
 fornia, and in spite of labor and irrigation, the white 
 alkali dust rises to the surface, and must be so dis- 
 couraging to the people, who work hard to rid them- 
 selves of it. It has always been my idea, that all 
 Southern California was fertile and beautiful, with 
 flowers, vineyards and orange groves ; and our first 
 introduction to the State was to decidedly deepen 
 
 164 
 
that impression. No more beautiful country can 
 exist, than that between San Francisco and Del 
 Monte, and no more fertile^farm lands, fine orchards, 
 flowers and fruits. The Santa Clara Valley, through 
 which we drove to Mt. Hamilton, was ideal, not one 
 inch, on hill or dale, uncultivated or uncared for. A 
 veritable park it is, all that vast valley, and most 
 beautiful. Of course, the further south we came, the 
 more fertile we expected the country to be. Imag- 
 ine our horror, when a regular Nebraska desert, a 
 vast and dreary waste, confronted us on our jour- 
 ney to Los Angeles. It does not extend to Los 
 Angeles, but within forty miles of it. Beyond beau- 
 tiful Los Angeles, the desert conditions prevail in 
 part, and especially barren are the lands near San 
 Diego, along the ocean. But every farmer, and 
 every humble cottager, has planted brilliant gerani- 
 ums, which grow like trees, bright yellow daisies, 
 pink asters, and all kinds of flowers, about the mod- 
 est tumble-down homes ; — vines crawl all over them, 
 and the dreary surroundings are forgotten, in the 
 flood of color, which make a pathway of beauty, 
 through which the train passes. The approach to 
 San Diego was very picturesque and foreign in as- 
 pect. The harbor is marvelously fine, one of the 
 best on the coast, and the land rises very perpen- 
 dicularly about the town, and makes a half circle of 
 mountains, an artistic background for the pretty 
 little city, which is built on a series of foot-hills. 
 We did not wait long, however, to admire San 
 
 165 
 
Diego, but jumped into a Hotel Del Coronado stage, 
 and were driven to the ferry-boat, a little one-horse 
 concern, which soon carried us safely across to Coro- 
 nado, which is a sand peninsular, curving around 
 like Fire Island, or Sandy Hook. The Hotel is a 
 mile or more from the landing, and the drive to it 
 was a pretty one. There is a steam motor, as they 
 call it, which flies all over the island, up to the 
 Hotel, etc.; and the railroad is lined, on both sides, 
 with magnificent great palm trees, placed about 
 twenty feet apart, quite regularly planted, making 
 an avenue of palms, through which the railroad 
 passes. I counted for a while, then grew tired ; but 
 half way up, there were two hundred and thirty 
 palms. I have never seen such tropical growth as 
 is here in Southern California. The commonest 
 flowers grow on bushes, almost like trees. 
 
 As we drove up to the Hotel Del Coronado (or 
 Hotel of a Crown), we were greatly impressed by its 
 magnificent dimensions. It is simply huge, and a 
 magnificent structure, in a most attractive and artis- 
 tic style of architecture. Gables, chimneys, balcon- 
 ies, appear in the most unexpected places, and in 
 the most picturesque positions. It is built around 
 a court, full of beautiful blossoms, just as Del 
 Monte is, and is quite foreign ; and the interior is 
 beautiful. Fine rooms open one from the other, 
 billiard rooms for ladies, writing rooms, beautiful re- 
 ception rooms, a most elegant music room (the finest 
 I have ever seen), with a daintily decorated and artis- 
 
 i66 
 
tic stage, and pianos are everywhere. It is situated, 
 like our Oriental, directly on the sea, and has just 
 the surroundings of our beach hotel. A museum, 
 containing fine specimens, a hot-plunge bathing 
 house, cold ones as well, surround the Hotel in sepa- 
 rate buildings, and make it attractive to all kinds of 
 people. The dining room, which is beautiful, is 
 made of Eastern oak, walls, floor and ceiling, and 
 every inch of this wood highly polished. At dinner 
 there is always music ; four well-trained musicians 
 play good selections, and make the dinner hour most 
 attractive. The furniture of the dining room is un- 
 usually fine for a hotel. High oak chairs with tapes- 
 try seats, such as one would have in a home, with 
 round and square tables, little and big, and fine 
 china, good silver, glass and flowers on every 
 table, make an attractive dining room. This room 
 seats, without crowding, five hundred people ; in 
 " the season," it accommodates seven hundred. We 
 were there out of season, but there were several 
 hundred people then. 
 
 James and I did not begin to enjoy it, as we did 
 Del Monte. At Del Monte, the Hotel is " as clean 
 as a pin," and although not so gorgeous, it is more 
 attractive to us. We were always out under the 
 trees, and among the flowers. At Del Coronado, 
 one walk about the grounds was sufficient, and 
 then a person contentedly stayed at the Hotel. 
 
 After lunch, James, Mr. D (the German 
 
 acquaintance of the Yosemite, whom we met on 
 
 167 
 
the train to-day) and I, walked about awhile ; then, 
 as I had a violent headache, we sat on the fine 
 broad piazza and kept deliciously cool. 
 
 About nine o'clock, a gentleman came along the 
 piazza, and asked some ladies, whom he knew, to 
 come to the Music Room ; they were to have some 
 fun, — '* a fight to the finish," he said. Turning to- 
 wards us, he asked us to go also. James, Mr. D. 
 and I went in, and enjoyed a funny performance. 
 It seems they had gotten up a little merriment, at 
 short notice. There was much musical talent on 
 hand, so they began with a fine piano solo, — then 
 followed duetts, trios, solos, recitations, etc. A 
 right funny young man, with ready wit, announced 
 the performers. " The proprietor had gathered 
 together, at great expense, a fine lot of talented art- 
 tistes, etc., etc.," this young man remarked. " The 
 first piece on the programme, will be a piano solo, 
 entitled * The best I can,' by Moszkowski." Later 
 he came on to the stage and announced, that " a 
 celebrated artist had been prevailed upon to appear, 
 but although highly talented, he was likewise mod- 
 est and needed encouragement." Two bell-boys 
 marched onto the stage, one with a music stand, the 
 other with a table, and then in came another, carry- 
 ing a child's hand organ, A fine looking man, in 
 evening dress, walked in amid deafening applause, 
 put his sheet of music on the stand ; the announcer 
 turned his pages, and in the most solemn and earn- 
 est manner, he ground out " Annie Rooney." 
 
 i68 
 
Once or twice his music fell off; he stopped, and 
 with great seriousness found his place again. 
 Finally his right hand grew tired, for he had played 
 It over, at least six times, — his left hand was then 
 exercised, and growing bodily weary, he seated him- 
 self on the table, — all done with great dignity and 
 solemnity. It was quite funny. The last part of 
 the performance was a miniature prize fight. Two 
 diminutive boys came in, with their attendants, all 
 in shirt sleeves, no collars or cravats, with towels to 
 rub down, ice to put on their heads, a formidable 
 black bottle, and all the requirements of a genuine 
 ring fight. Arrangements were made, rules closely 
 followed, — the Marquis of Tewksbury's rules in 
 order, and as James said, " every detail of a genu- 
 ine fight." How the audience roared with laugh- 
 ter! The Pacific, in its wildest moods, could not 
 have drowned that noise. 
 
 SATURDAY, JULY 4TH. 
 
 A FOURTH of July odor was in the air, when we 
 awoke this morning, — a sort of powder per- 
 fume and fire-cracker atmosphere, and the small boy 
 had been up for hours, no doubt. Of course, the 
 day was pleasant, for it always is pleasant here, at 
 this time of the year, as no rain ever falls. A more 
 even temperature cannot be found, than in South- 
 ern California. The thermometer seldom varies 
 twenty degrees, all the year round, and snow is un- 
 known, except on the highest peaks of the moun- 
 
 169 
 
tains. No wonder palms and plants can grow and 
 become trees, in a year or two. 
 
 James greeted me, when I joined him for break- 
 fast, with the announcement that the warship 
 Charleston was in sight, — had brought the Chilean 
 Itata in, and was anchored just off the hotel. Sure 
 enough, there she lay, a fine picture and surprise for 
 a Fourth of July morning, and a beauty she was, 
 too, — so white in the sunshine. Crowds of people 
 came all day to Coronado, to see the " Keeper of the 
 Peace," and the entire place was crowded from 
 morning till evening. We watched the ship and the 
 crowds, sat on the piazza, and walked, and had a 
 nap in the afternoon. 
 
 After dinner, although every available spot was 
 full, we found a comfortable corner, and watched the 
 fire-works, which were displayed from a private 
 yacht anchored near, belonging to the Millionaire 
 Spreckles, of San Francisco. We were not alto- 
 gether pleased, and were trying to keep our senti- 
 ments to ourselves, when a queer and strange ap- 
 pearance in the sky, like long tails of light moving 
 mysteriously, attracted us. Going down on one of 
 the walks, we soon saw that the Charleston was 
 taking her turn, at lighting up the heavens and earth, 
 and was having Fourth of July celebration, with her 
 electric search light. In bands of light, then great 
 flashes, sometimes in one spot, sometimes chasing 
 each other in a circle on the sky, these great fingers 
 of fire illuminated the entire horizon. Two powerful 
 
 170 
 
reflecting head-lights could be seen on the ship, 
 and from their intensely bright centres, the rays 
 seemed to fly out into space, searching every nook 
 and corner with its radius. As we stood there, one 
 minute in darkness, the next in a blaze of brilliancy, 
 we agreed that the Charleston had out-shone all 
 fire-works, in her unusual and dazzling display. It 
 was the most interesting thing to us, and we re- 
 turned well pleased with our quiet Fourth. 
 
 MONDAY JULY 6TH. 
 
 "X 1 rE left Del Coronado, soon after ten o'clock this 
 morning, and on reaching the wharf, at San 
 Diego, a carriage was awaiting us, to take us about 
 the little city, and to the Old Mission. After view- 
 ing the business streets, banks, hotels and churches, 
 we drove among the residences of the city, and 
 found some really beautiful homes. In 1885, the 
 population of San Diego was 4,000; to-day it is 
 30,000. It is a pretty little city, quite foreign in 
 general appearance, but its chief charm is its ex- 
 quisite land-locked harbor, which reminds one forci- 
 bly of the beautiful Bay of Naples. The land, near 
 the water's edge, rises quite suddenly into a series 
 of foot-hills, upon which the City is built, and finally 
 terminates in a rolling Mesa, which runs for miles 
 back into the country, until it meets the Old Mis- 
 sion Valley. 
 
 After seeing all the visible charms of this pictur- 
 esquely plaoed city, we decided to drive to the Old 
 
 171 
 
Mission, a sight every one must see, as it is one of 
 the few ruins we have on American soil. It is now 
 a lonely pile of stones, but stands in a glorious po- 
 sition, on a promontory, commanding a magnificent 
 view in every direction. This tumble down cathed- 
 ral was once the centre of life and activity, of that 
 portion of the country, and was the scene of all the 
 glory and splendor, that the people, for miles about, 
 ever knew ; and the old Mexican fathers were like 
 emperors or kings, in their little domain, but ruled 
 the people by love, rather than fear. This mission 
 was burned down in 1769, but rebuilt in 1789. The 
 land, for miles, about this old ruin, is cultivated and 
 cared for, and at one time belonged to the Church. 
 Opposite and close by, was the finest olive orchard 
 we have ever seen. 
 
 Standing near the road, where our carriage 
 stopped, was a queer tree, which I should have 
 called a willow, if I had been asked. After James 
 and I returned from our climb, among the tumbling 
 walls and stones of the Old Mission, our driver told 
 us of this remarkable tree, which his priest had 
 often declared to him, was the only one of its kind in 
 America. It is said to be a cutting of the tree, 
 from which the Crown of Thorns was made, which 
 was placed in scorn upon our Saviour's head. 
 James and I, at first, naturally doubted such an as- 
 sertion, for it seemed preposterous to our American 
 minds, that such a thing could be hidden so far in 
 the wilderness as it is, away from all eyes, and be 
 
 172 
 
HB 
 
 Wt '^^lH^^^^^B 
 
 
 
 ij 
 
really what it pretended to be. A close examina- 
 tion, however, brought us to the conclusion that 
 after all, we had never seen any tree like it, any 
 where in all our wanderings. We sent a request to 
 the people, in the little house near, on whose grounds 
 this remarkable tree grows, for a small branch of it, 
 and our desire being granted, we were able to ex- 
 amine it closely. Delicate slim branches this tree 
 had, slender and pliable and easily twisted into 
 shape, and its little lace-like leaves grew, according 
 to the mathematical law of leaves on their stems, 
 but covered completely the most marvelous thorns, 
 as sharp as needles, pointed and piercing, and ap- 
 pearing at every angle, and so staunch and strong 
 were they, that a big pull was necessary to tear one 
 from its position. Stripping the leaves from their 
 places, and twisting the branch into the shape of a 
 crown, the needle-like thorns stuck out in every di- 
 rection, and convinced our minds, that, if not a cut- 
 ting from the actual tree, from which Our Lord's 
 Crown of ignominy was made, it was without doubt 
 the same species of growth, new to our eyes, which 
 was used by the soldiers of old, in those days of 
 Our Lord's sorrow and anguish. 
 
 Although bountifully covered with dust, we 
 drove away from the Old Mission, quite satisfied 
 and pleased that we had visited it, and next turned 
 our attention to " Old Town," as it is called, or 
 North San Diego. We had several miles to drive, 
 through fertile and well kept farm lands. 
 
 173 
 
Old Town, or North San Diego, we found to be a 
 most complete wreck, of a once prosperous village. 
 The low Mexican adobes were numerous, but al- 
 though interesting in their picturesque decay, the 
 entire place impressed one, as a deserted village, a 
 scene of activity and life once upon a time, but 
 dead and destroyed now. No people were visible 
 in the streets, or about the few houses, which 
 seem to be still used as dwellings, and not one liv- 
 ing being did we see, until we stopped in front of a 
 long low adobe building, and at our driver's sugges- 
 tion, knocked at the door. A sweet, lovely young 
 woman, a Roman Catholic Sister, opened the door, 
 and asked us to walk in ; and we learned that we 
 had reached one of the most prosperous Indian 
 schools, in the South. Over one hundred Indian 
 boys and girls are taught here, during the year, but 
 as our visit came in their vacation time, only thirty 
 were left, the others having gone to their homes, for 
 a visit. It was most interesting to see these girls, 
 averaging in age, from five to sixteen years, all so 
 bright, quick and intelligent. Sister Octavia, as we 
 afterwards learned, the Lady Superior of this school, 
 showed us the sewing, mending, and other work of 
 these girls, who are trained in womanly and house- 
 hold duties, and are clever indeed in all branches. 
 
 After we had spoken to " Cloudia," *'Juanita," 
 " Letitia," and many others, the Lady Superior took 
 us into a room in the house, where an altar was 
 standing, which, she told us, was the room where 
 
 174 
 
Father Gaspara lived, when Ramona and Alessan- 
 dro came, that dark night, after their journey- 
 through that wild cafton, and told their sad story of 
 their love and misfortunes. Mrs. Helen Hunt 
 Jackson's narrative and portrayal of the sufferings 
 of these peculiarly interesting people, has made 
 Southern California familiar to many minds, and no 
 one can have read her sweet story of Indian life, 
 without recalling this incident. As she writes — '^ On 
 the opposite side of the way, in a neglected, weedy- 
 open, stood his little chapel, a poverty-stricken little 
 place, its walls imperfectly white-washed, decorated 
 by a few coarse pictures, etc." To this little one- 
 room abode, the outer walls now covered with 
 boards, our mild-voiced guide led us, and we stood 
 within the little chapel, where Ramona and Ales- 
 sandro were made man and wife, by the black- 
 bearded priest. Father Gaspara. A tiny chapel it is, 
 with an altar at one end, and ten pews for the con- 
 gregation, and probably there was plenty of room to 
 spare, at every celebration and service. 
 
 A queer little place it is, but one of interest to 
 us, for it has been a haven of rest to many a weary 
 wanderer, besides Ramona and Alessandro, and was 
 also where Father Junipero Serra, with his wonder- 
 ful strength of character, and marvelous endurance 
 of hardships and discouragements, had begun his 
 work, so many years ago. 
 
 Sister Octavia sent for the Indian girls, whom we 
 had seen in the school, and they came to the little 
 
 175 
 
chapel and sang some of their Latin chants. It was 
 pathetic to us, to hear these fresh young voices sing- 
 ing their Ave Maria, and to realize how short a time 
 had passed, since they had been brought from their 
 homes in the wilderness, and taught these sacred 
 things. James was much moved by this singing, 
 and as we sat in that tiny chapel, we felt as if years 
 were passing in review before us, as we pictured to 
 ourselves all the happy hearts, and sad as well, that 
 had stood before that sacred altar, and received the 
 blessing of their priest. After seeing the priestly 
 vestments, James asked the privilege of photograph- 
 ing that little gathering ; and standing beneath the 
 "Old Bells of 1802," which are at one end of the 
 little chapel, James photographed the Lady Supe- 
 rior, and thirty Indian girls. 
 
 As we drove away from the little group, the chil- 
 dren waved us a good-bye, and my noble, thoughtful 
 husband exclaimed, " What a beautiful work that is. 
 May, to rescue those girls from their wandering life 
 on the plains, and teach them to be noble women in 
 the world. No wonder Sister Octavia's face ex- 
 pressed such calm and peace, that must come into 
 the heart, and face as well, when one gives their life 
 to such a grand work." 
 
 TUESDAY, JULY 7TH. 
 
 A T six o'clock we had breakfast, and at half past 
 
 six, we started on our trip, from Del Coronado 
 
 and San Diego, back to Los Angeles. It was as 
 
 176 
 
pleasant a journey as possible, but it was very warm, 
 and made us apprehensive about our afternoon. 
 Before we left Los Angeles, we arranged to have a 
 carriage meet us at the depot, on our arrival to-day, 
 to take us immediately into the beautiful country, 
 surrounding the city. On reaching Los Angeles, 
 "the chariot " awaited us, and sending our small 
 baggage to the Westminster Hotel, we started at 
 once into the San Gabriel Valley ; and what a scene 
 of beauty it was ! For miles and miles, we drove 
 through beautiful orange groves, the deep heavy 
 foliage of the short stubby trees, making a fine con- 
 trast to the golden fruit, still hanging in some groves. 
 An orange grove in blossom, has the most powerful 
 perfume ever known, which pervades and fills the air, 
 until everything seems saturated with the odor, as 
 if the entire country was decorated for a marriage 
 feast. It must be a veritable paradise in this valley, 
 in the winter season, when the woods and meadows 
 are carpeted with every variety of blossom, every 
 tint and hue mingling and blending in harmony and 
 exquisite beauty, and all watched over by the 
 serious, solemn Sierra Madre Mountains, with their 
 snow-clad peaks and yawning cafions. No wonder 
 invalids, by the hundreds, fly to the protecting arms, 
 and mild climate, of the San Gabriel Valley in winter, 
 for surely no more beautiful place on earth is to be 
 found, this side of the tropics. Great avenues of 
 banana trees, palm and date trees, fig and plum and 
 apricot trees, the Eucalyptus, in their slim stately 
 
 177 
 
style — in fact, the San Gabriel Valley, of ten miles 
 wide, by thirty miles long, is one series of beautiful 
 and wonderful drives, through orange groves, vine- 
 yards, wonderful cactus growths, avenues of feathery 
 pepper trees, — and such hedges ! Pomegranate hedges 
 in rare beauty, with the blossoms en masse in the 
 richest of color, which the Southern sunshine seems 
 to have kissed and glorified, with a new radiance. 
 The fatigue of our early start and journey, was for- 
 gotten, in the midst of this entrancing restful beauty^ 
 and the first part of our drive brought us, about two 
 o'clock, to the lovely hotel San Gabriel, where we 
 had an excellent luncheon. We had seen, in our 
 drive, the oldest grapevine in Southern California, a 
 mammoth tree and stem, as large as some of the 
 trunks of our chestnut trees, at home. 
 
 It was also our good fortune, to see the famous 
 San Gabriel Mission, which was founded in 1771, 
 but placed in its present position in 1775. Some of 
 the bells still hang in the old belfry, and were most 
 picturesque, and we admired them, but they were 
 deaf to the piteous plea " Ring out wild bells." 
 
 After luncheon, we drove to the famous Raymond 
 Hotel, at Raymond, and such a magnificent hotel it 
 is, with such walks and drives about it, such glorious 
 shrubs and plants, that the entire place was fascin- 
 ating to us, until we turned and saw the view ; that 
 beggars description ! In the soft mellow light of 
 that southern climate, and the approaching twilight 
 hour, it was a dream of such wonder, a vision of 
 
 178 
 
radiant and perfect proportions, that, as we feasted 
 our eyes on all before us, a calm and restful peace 
 stole over us, and we seemed in paradise at last. In 
 the distance, the Sierra Madre mountains were vio- 
 let in color, then the orange trees, in their regular 
 stately rows, with now and then a tall palm, or date, 
 or eucalyptus tree, so clearly outlined against the 
 mountains and sky, and then, perhaps, a fine villa, 
 with its shrubs and plants and rose bushes, until the 
 scene before us was too beautiful to describe, and 
 can only be remembered as a complete and perfect 
 whole. 
 
 Pasadena, with its entrancing beauty, attracted 
 James more than any city we have seen, in all our 
 travelling, and a dozen times, he exclaimed, " A little 
 home here would just suit me, May ; it would seem 
 as if we had gone to Heaven, in reality." Pasadena 
 is a paradise on earth ; a new joy was in the sun- 
 shine, a new life seemed to touch and beautify the 
 flowers, and all smiled with a radiance and beauty 
 most contagious. We felt it even in our drive 
 through the streets ; we saw it in the open and at- 
 tractive homes, and we drove about, for a long time, 
 and did not wonder that people chose this beauty 
 spot for a home. Oranges grew on the trees, right 
 along the streets, and when we exclaimed that we had 
 never picked an orange off a tree, our driver drove 
 up to a well-laden tree, in front of a fine villa, and 
 began to take all the oranges within reach. James 
 and I were horrified, and forbade any further pillage, 
 
 179 
 
but when we were well on our way toward Los 
 Angeles, the golden fruit in the bottom of the car- 
 riage " tempted me, and I did eat." Never has an 
 orange tasted like that orange, perhaps, because 
 " stolen sweets are best " ; but my gratification soon 
 tempted James to join me, and our only regret was 
 that we had not allowed our driver to take more. 
 
 We reached the Westminster Hotel about eight 
 o'clock, had dinner and retired, well satisfied with 
 our day in the beautiful San Gabriel Valley. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JULY 8TH. 
 
 Al /"E left Los Angeles to-day, at noon, and with 
 some regret, for the city is really beautiful, 
 and James and I felt we could spend several weeks 
 here very pleasantly, if we could spare the time. 
 
 Our trip to-day was quiet and uneventful, and 
 pleasant, as we passed through the monotonous 
 Mojave Desert, during the night. We have become 
 so used to sleeping cars and travelling now, that we 
 are quite contented, when en route, and really enjoy 
 moving along and seeing our great and glorious 
 country ; and we are proud that we are Americans. 
 
 x8o 
 
NORTHWARD OVER THE SIERRA 
 NEVADAS 
 
 THURSDAY, JULY QTH. 
 
 ATLTE reached San Francisco at noon to-day, and 
 found it very warm, but quite like home, or 
 perhaps I should say, more like home, than any place 
 in this far away country. California impresses us in 
 every way. It is a wonderfully beautiful State, 
 magnificent in every respect, and is so large. We 
 have travelled in California, nearly 2,000 miles, and 
 we have yet nearly 500 miles to cover, going north 
 to Portland. The distance from San Francisco to 
 San Diego is 608 miles; but when James and I first 
 planned to go there, we thought the journey would 
 be about equal to a trip, from New York to Utica. 
 We blushed, when we learned how ignorant we were. 
 Coming over-land, we travelled over 3,000 miles, equal 
 to a trip to Europe. 
 
 We were much amused at the News Agent, on the 
 train, who electrified us, by singing out, as he saun- 
 tered through the car, " Travelling caps, and Neu- 
 ralgia combs! 
 
 181 
 
SATURDAY, JULY IITH. 
 
 Wl E were sleepy this morning, and, as usual, had a 
 late breakfast. We had planned to go, at 
 half-past ten o'clock, with F. J. to Chinatown, to buy 
 his wife a gift ; but I was delayed in going to my 
 room this morning, by meeting friends from Salt 
 Lake City, and later by meeting Miss Thursby and 
 sister, and the Rev. Dr. B., of Brooklyn, in the cor- 
 ridor. About eleven o'clock, however, we started 
 (James, Mr. D., F. J. and I) for Chinatown. We 
 stopped at Liebes' celebrated fur store, to see the 
 beautiful furs, from this part of the world, and 
 Alaska, etc. Mr. H. (a friend of F.'s) was very kind, 
 showed us very choice skins, took us to the cellar, to 
 examine rare furs, see the process of curing and 
 treating ; in fact, we had a regular lecture on the sub- 
 ject, and acquired much information. Then ho ! 
 for Chinatown. 
 
 Of course we visited Fong Sang Lung, Kim Woo, 
 Hon Wing, Sing Fat, and many others ; and Mr. J. 
 was as much interested in his visit, as when he went 
 there first, many years ago. We spent several hours, 
 in wandering about, and picking up a few odd trifles ; 
 then happening to be near a Chinese restaurant, we 
 walked in. To follow the old adage, " While in 
 Rome, do as the Romans do," while we were in 
 Chinatown, we did as the Chinamen do, — we took 
 seats at a big round table and ordered tea. It was 
 a beautiful restaurant — the ceiling and side walls 
 
 xSa 
 
were covered with Chinese hieroglyphics in gold, 
 gold scrolls hung on the walls, the partition between 
 two divisions in the room was of carved wood, very 
 artistically and beautifully carved, then covered with 
 gilding, and in every little window space was stained 
 glass. The furniture was ebony, inlaid with pearl, 
 beautiful chairs and tables. The restaurant was up 
 two flights of stairs, and had balconies, with flower- 
 pots all along the edge, full of Chinese plants, dwarf 
 oaks, etc. It was an unusual place. The tea was 
 good — but the variety of sweetmeats they brought 
 us, the sugar-coated cake, with pink Chinese hiero- 
 glyphics on it — the nuts, preserved citron, cherries, 
 etc., were too much for me, so I ate a nut or two, 
 drank my tea, and spent the rest of the time taking 
 a mental inventory. We finally wandered back to 
 the civilized stores, did a few necessary errands, for 
 our Alaska welfare, then we came to the hotel, and 
 I wrote a letter home. I found some lovely roses 
 waiting for me, from Miss T. We had dinner at a 
 quarter past seven, F. and Mr. D. dining with us, 
 and after dinner, we went with Mr. and Mrs. V. G. 
 to Chinatown, to see the theatre and play, as we 
 could not see it when we were here before. Every- 
 body said it was a thing not to be omitted, a sight 
 well worth a trip to enjoy. We found the guide 
 awaiting us at Kim Lung's, and through the dirty 
 alleys, we picked our way to the back, and stage 
 entrance of the Jackson Street Theatre. Crowds 
 of Chinamen surrounded us, before, behind, on our 
 
 183 
 
right hand and on our left, for the theatre is their 
 one recreation and amusement, and this was the 
 only one open. Chinatown accommodates more 
 Chinamen, than any known space, of equal propor- 
 tions, in America. 
 
 After threading our way, in the underground pas- 
 sages, up the narrowest, steepest staircase, so narrow, 
 everybody wiped down each wall, as he crept along, 
 we emerged into the " Green Room " of the actors, 
 a place about the size of our laundry at Sunny Slope, 
 crowded and jammed with actors in their costumes, 
 densely thick with smoke, — and such awful smoke 
 too ! Finally our guide waved everybody aside, and 
 the crowd of celestials moved a tiny bit, for us to 
 press our way through, and the first thing I knew, 
 we came suddenly right out on the stage. We would 
 have stepped back, — our natural modesty, of course, 
 suggesting such a thing, — but no, we were not 
 allowed to escape. A table was on the middle of 
 the stage, two chairs by it — one on each side — and 
 beside it stood two actors, going along in their 
 queer performance, oblivious of all else. Into one of 
 these chairs, on the middle of the stage, they tried 
 to put me. No indeed — I had come to see, and not 
 to be seen ; so I pushed my way back, against a solid 
 wall of Chinamen. Visitors are all seated on the 
 stage, and usually have comfortable quarters. To- 
 night, however, the theatre was so crowded, the sides 
 of the stage were arranged in tiers, for the China- 
 men, and in front on each side, in a semi-circle, we 
 
 184 
 
finally were all placed. Across from us, sat the Rev. 
 Mr., Mrs. and Miss B., all as engrossed and amused as 
 we were. 
 
 The theatre was jammed, from the floor to the 
 ceiling, not one place, in aisle or anywhere, that was 
 not occupied. The men never sit with the women — 
 the women are in two balconies, on one side of the 
 house, unescorted — and such a medley ! Some were 
 quite aristocratic looking, highly-born, perhaps ; 
 others had huge, coarse features, but all were in- 
 tensely interested in the performance. Not an eye 
 wandered ; no one thought of anything but that 
 drama on the stage, and in some parts the women 
 wept copiously, then hung their handkerchiefs over 
 the railing to dry. Below, and in two other balcon- 
 ies, were the men, so closely packed, so densely 
 crowded, and all smoking, and eating fruit — such an 
 odor! As James said, he was as much interested 
 in watching the audience, as he was the actors. 
 When anything seemed pathetic, they were as solemn 
 as judges ; when anything amused them, they set up 
 a Chinese howl, a genuine roof-raiser! But the 
 stage, and the play ! 
 
 When we entered, two women (men dressed as 
 women), were performing. It seems, one woman was 
 a widow, had lost her baby (we were too late to see 
 the Chinese mother bring in a rag-baby and wash its 
 face), and the other woman wanted her to marry 
 again, which she refused to do. The older woman 
 took a long broom-like whip, and whipped the widow, 
 
 i8s 
 
to the great grief of said widow, and delight of the 
 house. Whenever any great emotion was being 
 portrayed, a band — behind the table — accompanied 
 the emotion, with appropriate selections ; but if one 
 hundred Scottish bagpipes had been let loose upon 
 the audience that night, it would have been ten 
 degrees below the^volume and quality of sound sent 
 forth. It seemed as if our ears would never be re- 
 stored to normal condition again. The play con- 
 tinued ; the widow's mother and father received her 
 back to their home, in rather an unpleasant manner, 
 and the father and mother had such a war of words 
 about it, that the father killed the mother, that is 
 he made a rush at her, stepped hard on her toe, and 
 like a log of wood, she fell to the floor. A man 
 stood near us, who went, as soon as the mother fell, 
 and stuck a straight long thing under her head, like 
 2, pillar y but it was a pillow. She straightened out, 
 then picked herself up and went away. 
 
 A Chinese play often lasts for months, and is 
 carried along like a story. They have no scenery 
 whatever, only represent what they desire with ar- 
 ticles. Their voices are shrill and piercing, and their 
 acting is automatic, wooden, as if they were on 
 wheels, and were worked by strings, from beneath 
 the stage. I never have seen such "pirouetting," 
 such absolutely ridiculous performances! They 
 seem a thousand years behind the times ; and yet 
 this is their choice, their recreation and amusement, 
 and they are perfectly satisfied. We were there 
 
 186 
 
half an hour, and would not have left then, if the 
 ponderous perfumes had not overcome us. It was 
 most interesting, so serious and solemn, the specta- 
 tors so intent upon the actors ; and the actors were 
 artists in stiffness and absolute awkwardness. Del- 
 sarte never could teach these celestials the poetry 
 of motion. They move in angles ; nothing beyond 
 a straight line touches their sense of beauty, — even 
 their faces betoken angularity. 
 
 We were worn out and weary, on our return, but 
 well paid, by our visit to the theatre, in China- 
 town. 
 
 MONDAY, JULY I3TH. 
 
 \^ E left San Francisco last night, at nine o'clock. 
 We found our days were gliding swiftly 
 by, and we had need of haste, as we must reach 
 Tacoma, and go on board the steamer, for Alaska, 
 on Thursday night. 
 
 The Mt. Shasta Route, to Portland, had been much 
 praised, by travellers we chanced to meet, and pro- 
 nounced grand and magnificent, and we naturally 
 anticipated it ; but we were little prepared for the 
 beauty, which has greeted our eyes, all the way to- 
 day. From San Francisco to Sacramento, we passed 
 in the night, but having been through that country 
 before, we lost nothing. After leaving Sacramento, 
 in the early morning hours, our road followed close- 
 ly the banks of the Sacramento River, which ran 
 through a most beautiful and fertile valley. After 
 
 187 
 
Redding was reached, and breakfast over, our feast 
 of delight really began, as we climbed among the 
 mighty mountains of the Sierra Nevada range. 
 Slowly, and with difficulty, as the grade is severe, 
 we crept around curves and sharp cuts in the 
 rocks, passed over bridges and trestles, through a 
 dozen or more tunnels, and in a short distance of 
 eighty miles, we crossed the tortuous course of the 
 Sacramento River, eighteen times. From a beauti- 
 ful broad band of blue water, at the city, — bearing its 
 name, with so much life and energy manifested 
 on its surface, as if it had come a long way to do a 
 great work, — we followed the Sacramento River, up 
 to its source in the mountains ; and it diminished in 
 volume and brightness, to a ribbon of grayish color, 
 and twisted, and tumbled, and turned, as if its narrow 
 boundaries were irksome, to the energy beneath its 
 waters. Its river-bed lay between banks of such 
 forbidding nature, as if a great river of lava, from 
 Mt. Shasta's depths, had poured down that gorge in 
 the mountain, and hardened, and finally, in a fit of 
 rage and despair, had split and divided into two lava 
 banks, between which the river ran, on its way to the 
 sea. 
 
 Our first point of interest was at the Soda 
 Springs, now becoming so well known, for their fine 
 mineral qualities ; and in a little flock, all the passen- 
 gers on the train, hurried to the rustic enclosure 
 over the Spring, to refresh themselves with one 
 "life-giving draught." Beautiful little streams of 
 
 i88 
 
water constantly coursed down the steep, rocky 
 sides and cafions, as we flew along ; but a perfect 
 vision of loveliness was ours, when we stopped op- 
 posite Mossbrae Falls, as lovely as anything of the 
 kind we have seen, outside the Yosemite. Splash- 
 ing suddenly and playfully out, into the sunshine, as 
 if it had just escaped, for the first time, from the 
 icy grasp of one of Mt. Shasta's greatest glaciers, 
 these ** laughing waters " spring, from a bed of ex- 
 quisite ferns and mosses, which'wave and tremble, 
 under the pressure and spray of the cascade, as if a 
 new and welcome guest had just come to them, and 
 had not been their companion, for many years. A 
 luxuriant growth of these ferns, and mosses, and 
 grasses, have flourished so marvelously under this 
 constant shower of icy water, that the usual barren 
 rocks are nowhere visible, and are picturesquely 
 covered by this dainty fertility. Perhaps Robert 
 Southey had seen just such a sparkling stream, 
 
 " Rising and leaping, 
 Sinking and creeping, 
 Swelling and sweeping. 
 Showering and springing." 
 
 when he wrote " How does the water come down at 
 Lodore !" 
 
 The Castle Rocks attracted us next, with their 
 solid walls of granite, rising 4,000 feet above 
 the valley; and with their columns and minarets, 
 they presented a scene of marvelous beauty ; but 
 
 189 
 
every once in a while, through the great pine 
 trees, so colossal and magnificent in their forest 
 fortresses, we caught such dazzling glimpses of 
 shimmering beauty, that we were breathless in an- 
 ticipation, and powerless in awe and reverence, 
 when finally, Mt. Shasta, in its whiteness, rose before 
 us, ** its great white dome of incandescent snow and 
 lava crags" so impressive, as it stood outlined 
 against the silent blue heavens. Mt. Shasta is 
 called, the key of California scenery, because the 
 Sierra Nevada Mountains, bounding the eastern 
 portion of the State, and the Coast Range, bounding 
 the western meet at Mt. Shasta, " making a moun- 
 tain arch, of which the Great White Butte is the 
 keystone. ' 
 
 Words fail to give expression to our impressions, 
 of the solemn repose, and stately grandeur, of this 
 mountain giant. The snow-filled crater, of this once 
 fiery mountain, and the lava gorges, now the bed of 
 numerous glaciers, shone like silver in their silent 
 beauty, and made the great peaks surrounding it, 
 so black, and bare, and desolate, stand forth in won- 
 drous contrast. But how small all those grand 
 mountains seem, how insignificant, as Mt. Shasta 
 raises its cloud-crowned cliffs, two vertical miles 
 above the surrounding country ! 
 
 Right in front of this ice fortress, twelve miles 
 from its base, which, in the clear air, seemed a dis- 
 tance of only a mile, at the little village of Sissons, 
 we stopped, and had time to enjoy this grandeur ; 
 
• S 
 
 ■^ 
 
 i 
 
 B| 
 
 '% i 
 
 
 ^yK ^ 
 
 i 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 f 
 
and as we rolled away from the place, the five vol- 
 canic cones of Muir's Peak, added to the charm of 
 view. We passed through Strawberry Valley, and 
 Shasta Valley, and soon crossed the state line, be- 
 tween California and Oregon, and began to climb 
 the Siskiyou Mountains, which form a natural line, 
 between the two states. This ascent is a wonder of 
 engineering skill, and although the Royal Gorge, 
 and MarshalFs Pass, in Colorado, had charmed us, 
 here we were dumb in wonder and amazement! 
 Such marvelous skill in building a railroad, where it 
 seemed only the fleetest-footed animals could hope 
 to climb — such twistings and turnings, tunnels bor- 
 ing into the very hearts of the forests, disturbing 
 roots of those stately and venerable pines, and car- 
 rying us higher and higher, into the mountains. 
 Such views as were ours! James* exclamations 
 were constant, and he seemed as deeply impressed 
 as I was. The scenery was indescribably magnifi- 
 cent, for as far as the eye could reach, the great 
 snow-monarchs soared up into the heavens, and we 
 seemed encircled in their icy embrace. Extending 
 north, for hundreds of miles, stood the Cascade 
 Range ; to the west, we could see the Siskiyou and 
 Coast Mountains ; sparkling lakes, fertile valleys in 
 all their loveliness, rivers, and splashing springs, 
 deep solemn gorges were before us, awful caftons on 
 every side, forests of pine and oak, and a more won- 
 derful, ever-changing panorama, of magnificent 
 grandeur and variety, cannot be imagined. 
 
 191 
 
" speech was given to man, to conceal his 
 thoughts," seems true indeed to me, as I strive to 
 express the impressions, made upon our minds this 
 day. It is a hopeless task, to attempt to portray 
 such inspiring and up-lifting emotions, which bring 
 one into harmony with the best and most beautiful, 
 in God's world of wonder; and it seems to me, 
 sometimes, that in just such experiences as these, 
 we are given a little suggestion of that higher and 
 better life ; as if the veil, which separates our mortal 
 life from the immortal, was for a moment parted, 
 and a single God-given emotion sent — to fill our 
 souls with a rapture before unknown ; and we have 
 a foretaste of that glorious hereafter, — a glimpse of 
 that Better Land, toward which we are all hastening. 
 
 TUESDAY, JULY 14TH. 
 
 A RRIVING at Portland, at half-past nine this 
 morning, James hastened to ** The Portland '* 
 (which is a very fine Hotel), as I was feeling quite 
 sick, from our incessant travelling of late. A good 
 day's rest restored me, however. While I stayed 
 quietly in my room, James spent this exceedingly 
 warm day, in hunting for a winter ulster, for the 
 Alaska trip. 
 
 We met such charming people on the train, — 
 Lord and Lady F. from London, — and their friends 
 and travelling companions were equally delightful. 
 They had just landed from a trip through Japan. 
 James was much amused this morning, when the 
 ^ 192 
 
waiter brought ** Mi-Lord " an egg, opened in a 
 glass, as we often eat them. With a disgusted 
 expression, and a genuine drawl, he ordered it from 
 the table, and turning to James, he exclaimed, — 
 " I haven't got used to eating eggs, a/l messed up, 
 — you know." 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JULY 15TH. 
 
 A LTHOUGH we had seen nothing of this gj-eat 
 
 City of the West, we were obliged to hurry 
 
 northward to-day, and took the 11.45 A.M. train 
 
 for Tacoma, promising ourselves another visit, on 
 
 our return from Alaska. 
 
 Our trip of 144 miles, was one of exceeding 
 interest, although so different from our recent 
 journey. We followed the shores of the 
 Willamette River, crossed the Columbia and 
 passed through most beautiful forests, with 
 such giant trees, — so straight and grand, one was 
 constantly reminded of the days in the Yosemite, 
 with the great pines there, — not the Mariposa 
 Grove of monarchs, to be sure, but stately enough 
 to challenge our praise. 
 
 We had with us, all the way, the snow mountains 
 of the Cascade Range, — Mt. Hood, which keeps 
 constant guard over the city we had just left, Mt. St. 
 Helens on one shore of the Columbia River, Mt. 
 Adams, Mt. Jefferson ; and as we approached Ta- 
 coma, Mt. Ranier stood forth, in the glorious rose of 
 the twilight, to welcome us. 
 
 193 
 
There is a mythological legend, that long ago, 
 in the prehistoric ages, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. 
 Hood, were firm friends, and stood side by side, in 
 their glory and pride, presided over by certain gods. 
 A serious quarrel occurred, between the gods of 
 these two mountains, which set the whole mountain 
 range in such a furious frenzy, upset so many tem- 
 pers, turned calm and contented peaks and cones 
 into fiery fiends, and caused such grave and terrible 
 damage to the country about, that Mt. Hood, and 
 Mt. St. Helens, were irrevocably doomed to be 
 separated forever, and in heaviness of heart and 
 with tremendous lamentations, and an upheaval of 
 sighs and groans, these mountain companions were 
 torn asunder, and the Columbia River decreed, to 
 run forever between. 
 
 We reached Tacoma, about half past six o'clock, 
 and went to *'The Tacoma," a large hotel overlook- 
 ing Puget Sound, and in full view of Mt. Ranier, 
 or, as the people here prefer to call it, " Mt. Ta- 
 coma." 
 
 THURSDAY, JULY i6tH. 
 
 A BUSY day, preparing for our trip to Alaska. 
 We went, in the afternoon, to view our abid- 
 ing place for the next three weeks, and we found 
 the Mexico a larger steamer than we imagined, 
 comfortably appointed ; and we are quite ready to 
 start on a trip, which offers such unusual attractions. 
 A friend, whom we met in San Francisco, had just 
 
 194 
 
returned from this trip, on the same steamer we are 
 to take, and her answer to our question as to 
 whether she enjoyed it, would have been decidedly- 
 depressing, if we had not already brought our courage 
 to the sticking point, and were little daunted when 
 she exclaimed, '* Oh, its pretty good, that is, if 
 you like a good dose of scenery ! " 
 
 About ten o'clock to-night, with as little baggage 
 as we could arrange to take with us, we embarked on 
 the " Pacific Coast Steamship Mexico,'' and as it 
 was a superb moonlight night, we remained out on 
 deck, met the officers of the ship, and learned a 
 little of the trip we were just starting upon. The 
 Queen is the regular excursion boat to Alaska, but 
 the Mexico and Topeka are mail and freight boats, 
 and go to the little, as well as the big, Alaskan ports, 
 and to many of the out-of-the-way places. We are 
 content with our lot thus far, and are anticipating 
 much pleasure. 
 
 About half past eleven o'clock, I went to our 
 cabin (the palatial proportions of which are eight 
 feet long, by six feet wide), and began to arrange 
 our things for comfort and convenience, when a 
 deep-toned voice at my window sang out solemnly : 
 ''Lights ordered out at ten." I felt as if I had 
 jumped back to my boarding-school days, and was 
 subject to " rule and rod " once more, and the hours 
 and regulations, which were all so quietly maintained 
 at dear old Farmington. 
 
 195 
 
ALASKA 
 
 FRIDAY, JULY 17TH. 
 
 A LTHOUGH we knew the Mexico was to leave 
 '^ her wharf, at four o'clock this morning, we 
 were oblivious of the fact, until we were fast to the 
 wharf at Seattle, our first stopping place. After a 
 couple of hours there, we started again, and in a few 
 hours more, reached Port Townsend, a little place of 
 considerable shipping importance, but of no interest 
 otherwise. We found this stop a bit tedious, and 
 longed to be off, for new and interesting sights and 
 scenes, but we wandered about the town, and finally 
 contented ourselves on board our ship, chatting, 
 reading and writing. The Olympic Mountains made 
 a beautiful picture, and background for this little city, 
 and Mt. Baker was regal, in its northern position 
 and unrivaled splendor, as it stood alone in silent 
 beauty. 
 
 SATURDAY, JULY i8TH. 
 
 A LOVELY day, a few showers at mid-day, but 
 "^ not enough to do any harm. We were tied 
 up to the dock at Victoria, British Columbia, before 
 
 196 
 
Jamie and I were up this morning. We left Port 
 Townsend at four and reached Victoria at six. 
 After breakfast, Jamie and I jumped into a carriage 
 and drove up into the town, about three-quarters of 
 a mile, and bought two steamer rugs, which we 
 found we needed. We then drove about Vic- 
 toria, and found it a very English looking town, 
 with about 25,000 inhabitants, but very sleepy in 
 appearance. They say it is an attractive summer 
 resort, but we failed to see many points of attrac- 
 tion. There were some fine churches, a few fine 
 dwellings, but they were mostly low and of inferior 
 appearance. The Olympic Mountains, with their 
 white caps, made a beautiful background for this 
 little British town. We were back at the steamer, 
 at half-past nine o'clock, and were off from Victoria, 
 at 10.20 A.M., and had a lovely sail all day. It was 
 like a trip through a colossal Lake George ; every- 
 thing was on a magnificent scale, so beautiful, and 
 reflected in the water was every mountain and 
 island, like Mirror Lake in the Yosemite. Jamie 
 and I sat in silent comfort and asked the conun- 
 drum to ourselves, " Why were we like the luckiest 
 of all vowels, the vowel i ? Because we were in the 
 middle of bliss." Nothing disturbed us, until a man 
 went about the decks, ringing a fearful bell, and 
 calling, '* All to the Purser's office for table seats." 
 A crowd immediately flew, but Jamie did not go at 
 first, for we had been informed in the morning, that 
 we were to be seated at the Purser's table. 
 
 197 
 
We reached Departure Bay, British Columbia, at 
 five o'clock. Jamie heard that the Queen (with 
 Aunt Mary on board) was at Nanaimo, a little 
 place three miles from Departure Bay; and al- 
 though she was reported to sail at six o'clock, and 
 we had only one hour in which to reach her, we de- 
 termined to try it. Jamie felt really sick, with a 
 neuralgic headache, but we flew along the wharf, 
 across the little bridge, and along the beach, a half 
 mile in all, to a house, which was store, post-office, 
 livery stable and all. In perfect breathlessness, we 
 asked to hire a driver, horse and wagon in hot haste, 
 to reach the Queen, in double quick time. Inside of 
 five minutes, we were seated in an old farm wagon, 
 on the back seat, and a right good horse was tearing 
 along, driven by the funniest specimen of a country 
 green-horn. If he had leaned over too far, or pulled 
 the horse up suddenly, he would surely have split his 
 coat, from seam to seam, for he looked as if he was 
 stuffed into it. We flew along those three miles to 
 Nanaimo, and it was an exquisite ride. The road 
 passes through the most beautiful woods, really 
 lovelier than any I have ever seen, except in the 
 Yosemite, and it lay between tremendous ferns, six 
 or seven feet high, and growing en masse^ close to 
 the driveway. As far as one could see into the 
 woods, between the great fir trees, the same mam- 
 moth fern thicket was visible, and huge trees of 
 wild flowers, mountain lilac making the air almost 
 sickeningly sweet. As far as one could look ahead, 
 
 X98 
 
the same fern road-way invited us on, and it was 
 lovely. Before we reached Nanaimo, we came from 
 the woods into a clearing, and saw the little town 
 lying before us, with its lovely harbor full of ships ; 
 and the Queen lay at her wharf, as true to her name 
 as possible ; but we expected every minute to see 
 the great black smoke pour from her smoke-stack, 
 and see her sail away. We tore through the town, 
 over bridges, where fast-driving was forbidden ; and 
 ** John Gilpin " was nowhere ! Finally, we landed at a 
 little hill, beyond which " the chariot " could not go. 
 Jamie and I ran up the hill, rushed along the coal- 
 tracks towards the Queen, and at last, as we reached 
 the gang-plank, worn out by our rush (for it was 
 four minutes before six then), I gasped out to a coal- 
 man standing near, '* When does she sail ? " ^' About 
 twelve o'clock to-night " came the answer. What a 
 relief! If that information had only been ours 
 sooner, we might have escaped the hurry and fa- 
 tigue, and Jamie might not have had such a head- 
 ache. Well, we were there, anyhow ; now, how were 
 we to find Aunt Mary ? A boy's interest was so- 
 licited, but the Queen was a large steamer, and we 
 were at a loss to know how to find her. A gen- 
 tleman came to our assistance, and to our inquiry 
 for '' Mrs. B.," he said ** she is right here." Turn- 
 ing and walking a few steps, we came face to face 
 with her, — and I shall never forget her surprise. She 
 was delighted to see us, and the pleasure was mu- 
 tual, and we chatted an hour with her. We had a 
 
 199 
 
lovely drive back to our ship, meeting many of our 
 passengers walking in the woods, and found that 
 some people had tried to get conveyances to take 
 them to Nanaimo, but we had the only one in the 
 place, 
 
 SUNDAY, JULY I9TH. 
 
 npiED up to the dock, at Departure Bay, all day 
 long ; and such a dirty place as this boat was, 
 until five o'clock this afternoon, from the dust and 
 dirt of the coal. This is a great coal district ; a large 
 coal mine here gets out twenty-five hundred to three 
 thousand tons a day, and this vessel, since last night, 
 at five o'clock, has received four hundred tons. 
 
 After an eight o'clock breakfast this morning, 
 Jamie and I came forward to our stateroom, won- 
 dering where we would spend the day. The sail 
 which had been hung up forward from our room, to 
 keep out coal dust, suddenly wavered, and a great 
 cloud of dust came towards us. "Too bad," ex- 
 claimed Mr. Gray, the first officer, "the wind has 
 changed, and we're in for it." Sure enough we were, 
 for from that hour, the dust sifted all over the ship, 
 on one side. We shut our room up tight, covered 
 everything with papers and towels, and left it all day 
 closed, and it was unharmed to-night. Jamie and I 
 took our chairs this morning and went to the clean 
 side of the boat, and sat for a while, but it grew cold, 
 and Jamie was feeling very poorly with neuralgia, 
 and threatened with lumbago, which filled him with 
 
alarm, but did not, somehow or other, frighten me. 
 I began to take a mental account of the remedies 
 which I had in my bag, but the probability of poss- 
 ible illness did not assume alarming proportions in 
 my mind. As it grew colder, Jamie managed to 
 meander around, with his back on the bias, and 
 finally informed me that he had found just the 
 cosiest corner for us both. Following my " lord and 
 master," we wandered into the little smoking room ; 
 Jamie put his chair in a corner, I seated myself at a 
 table near by, and we spent our entire day there, as 
 comfortable and snug as could be ; and I wrote let- 
 ters home. At twelve o'clock, we went down to 
 luncheon and then returned to " our retreat " again, 
 where I wrote until half past four o'clock, when Mr. 
 Gray came for my letters. We then came to our 
 room to make ready for dinner, and tie up some 
 pretty sweet grass, which Miss C. of Oakland, had 
 brought me. Everybody has been off the boat, into 
 the woods to-day, or else in little boats to Nanaimo, 
 but James not feeling well, we have kept very quiet 
 all day. The sweet grass is lovely ; it consists of 
 great big fresh green leaves, on a long stem. They 
 gather it, make it into round green balls, hang 
 them in the staterooms, and as they wither and dry, 
 the perfume is very sweet and very strong. 
 
 After a good dinner, James and I came to our 
 clean and cosy corner, and I was writing to-day's 
 journal, when Officer Gray appeared, with the biggest 
 ball of sweet grass that I have yet seen, and pre- 
 
sented it to me. I felt quite complimented, as he 
 had sent a man to gather it for me. 
 
 At 8 P. M. we set sail from Departure Bay, and 
 right happy we were to be on the move again. We 
 were all up on the hurricane deck, to see the start, 
 and also to see the loveliest of sunsets. It was 
 brilliant daylight until nine o'clock, and not dark 
 then, only the moon began to be radiant and shut 
 off the twilight. The sky was as blue, and the clouds 
 as pink as shells, long after the path of moonlight 
 on the water, had widened to abroad shining ribbon. 
 This is a land of wonder that we are approaching, 
 wonder in sky and sea, as well as on land; and a trip 
 to Alaska is instructive, as well as interesting, teach- 
 ing us of tides as well as of glaciers and ice-bergs. 
 If the days are so long, and the twilights without 
 end, one wonders why, and the very query leads to 
 questions and research, and ends in knowledge 
 gained, if only to be the beginning to paths of 
 wisdom. 
 
 Jamie and I were right royally tired by half past 
 ten, and glad to retire to our little shelves. 
 
 MONDAY, JULY 20TH. 
 
 r^ REY all day, no sunshine and very, very cold. 
 ^^ After our breakfast, at 7.30 A. M., I did a lot of 
 mending on my new ulster. Before I get through, I 
 shall have made an ulster, for new rips come every 
 day, but it is a good coat for all that, and a young 
 lady on board said, she ** knew we were from New 
 
York, by the cut of our clothes." As I was dressed 
 in a Tacoma cap, and a Portland ulster, I was 
 amused. Afterward, I joined Jamie in our ** cosy 
 corner," but all our wraps were necessary to-day, 
 as it has been very cold and disagreeably blowy. 
 Mr. Gray had an awning put forward, to protect us 
 a little from the wind. We slept all the morning, 
 quite overpowered with fatigue, and after luncheon 
 out on deck, we slept two hours more, until three 
 o'clock, when Miss C. and Miss K. came, by invita- 
 tion, and we had "afternoon tea," with my Chinese 
 " Tea-basket ;" and a third guest came before we 
 had finished. After dinner, we did nothing but 
 chat with Commander and Mrs. G., Senator and Mrs. 
 D., until nine, when we had supper. We eat 
 and sleep constantly. The passengers were reading 
 novels on deck, until half past nine to-night, — such 
 long twilights ! 
 
 TUESDAY, JULY 2 1 ST. 
 
 A GREY day ; clouds have hung low over the 
 mountains, just lifting once in a while, to give 
 us a peep of some snow-caps, then nestling closely 
 again, down on the tree tops. Instead of detract- 
 ing from the beauty, I think the clouds have 
 added to this scene of wildness and mystery, for 
 they have been like thin gauze ribbons or festoons, 
 hung in every variety of way. I say this " scene of 
 wildness," because every hill and mountain, every 
 island and shore line, is covered with fir trees thick 
 
 203 
 
together, and so dense, one sees hundreds of trees 
 on a mountain, like one huge green covering ; there 
 is no outline of individuality, or any marked feature, 
 to distinguish one spot from another, and not one 
 living thing to be seen. There is a sameness in 
 color to-day, because there is no sunshine to produce 
 a variety ; but the sunshine is not needed, to show 
 us the beautiful outline of the islands, or the chang- 
 ing coast of the mainland. The islands cannot be 
 numbered, for every variety, — from a little round 
 tuft of rock and green, to a great big surface, half 
 the size of some of our Eastern States, — we have 
 passed during the last two days. It makes an ever 
 changing scene, as we steam along a narrow channel^ 
 close to the shore, then out on a stretch of ocean, 
 the roll of whose waves sends timid hearts and un- 
 steady stomachs to their little rooms. There is 
 only one stretch of sea-crossing, which is really very 
 rough, and that is Queen Charlotte's Sound, and 
 we made that yesterday. We have not been yet out 
 of sight of land. 
 
 To-day has been too short. We began by having 
 breakfast at half past seven; then, after attending to 
 a few ** odds and ends," Jamie and I seated our- 
 selves in our corner, to enjoy the morning, and be- 
 fore we were aware, the sea breezes had made us so 
 drowsy, we could not keep awake, and it was near 
 eleven when I opened my eyes, to find the wife of 
 Senator D., of Oregon, seated near us. She had 
 adopted our corner, and we were glad to have so 
 
agreeable and handsome a companion. We chatted, 
 and a very good article in Frank Leslie's Magazine, 
 of August, 1 89 1, on ** A Trip to Alaska " was read, 
 then twelve o'clock and luncheon. After lunch, 
 Mr. C, the purser, Mr. C, the freight clerk. Misses 
 K., D., J., of San Jos6, Miss C, of Oakland, Dr. N., 
 of Johns Hopkins University, Mrs. D. and a few 
 others, all gathered in our corner, and we asked 
 conundrums, until worn out and weary, when we dis- 
 persed for naps. I tried to write my journal, but my 
 head was in such a state of commotion, from the 
 ship's motion, that I could do nothing, so gave it up 
 until we should come to Loring. Miss C. came, about 
 half past four, and serenaded me outside my door, 
 with a banjo and a song, very sweet and pretty. 
 About five o'clock, "first dinner" was announced, 
 and after it, as somebody at our table discovered 
 that I knew a little about palmistry (they did not 
 know how little that was), our corner was soon full 
 of applicants for " a reading," — thin and fat hands, 
 artistic and practical. I read about two dozen, very 
 poorly^ too, but it pleased the little crowd, and es- 
 pecially Jamie, as I happened to ** hit several nails 
 on the head." I think twenty-five or thirty sur- 
 rounded us ; it was as bad as in Chinatown with the 
 camera. 
 
 At last, about 8 P. M., we steamed up to a miser- 
 able collection of little huts, about fifteen houses in 
 all, and the Captain said, "This is Loring, in 
 Alaska." A fish cannery is the industry of the 
 
 205 
 
place, where they can salmon; and some people who 
 went ashore, say, "You will never eat canned 
 salmon, if you once see the process !" Lots of people 
 went ashore, but it was pouring — a regular Alaska 
 down-pour, — and as I knew we should have another 
 chance to land here, on the return trip, I came to my 
 room, to get in out of the rain, and have been writ- 
 ing this journal. I am sitting in the tiny room, 
 my door is shut and light comes only through a 
 small window, and yet it is quite light enough to 
 see to write ; and it is 8.50 P. M., and a rainy night 
 at that. 
 
 To-day we passed an empty Indian village. Fort 
 Tongas, it is called on the map. The Indians re- 
 turn to it in winter. We saw many Totem poles, 
 and the Indian graveyard. They put their dead 
 under ground, but build little houses, and fences 
 about the corpse, and it is quite an unusual sight, — 
 a little miniature village. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JULY 22ND. 
 
 A T five o'clock this morning, we steamed up 
 to Fort Wrangle's dock, and tied up to the 
 wharf. It was a damp, chilly, disagreeable morn- 
 ing, but we were up early, in order to see all 
 we could at this Alaskan Port. Fort Wrangle, once 
 upon a time, was a flourishing little town, being the 
 nearest one, of any size, to the British boundary, and 
 mines in the vicinity were in working order, pro- 
 ducing activity and life in this small village. The 
 
 206 
 
river Stikeen opens up from Wrangle to the British 
 possessions, and was the quickest path, in those 
 days, from Victoria to the British mines. That life 
 of activity and interest, bringing Fort Wrangle in 
 touch with the world, is over now, as capital /<?r the 
 mines and deposits in the mines, have both simul- 
 taneously given out, and this little village has 
 dwindled into a tumble-down wreck of a place, 
 which was not much to boast of, in its palmiest 
 days. From the wharf, broken-down huts, devoid 
 of paint or embellishment of any kind, one story 
 high, seem to be clustered about the curve of the 
 shore, making a semicircle of civilization, most un- 
 attractive externally and swarming with Indians, of 
 every age and size. Everything seems stamped 
 with the motto *' going to destruction," for houses 
 are tumbling down, their supports seem insecure, 
 and uncertainty is written on everything, in the 
 little town of Fort Wrangle. Rubbish lies in every 
 path, broken wharves, wrecks of once fleet steam- 
 ships, tumbling shanties, and no one seems thrifty 
 enough to put a nail into needy places, or clear 
 away the piles of rubbish. In going about, we had 
 board walks for a while, but then had to wander on 
 the shore, covered with stones, and old shoes, and 
 tin cans. 
 
 At ten minutes after six, Jamie wandered back 
 into the stateroom, and I arose. He had been out 
 to walk, having met Miss C, and gone with her to an 
 Indian silversmith's, and bought me two tiny silver 
 
 207 
 
bangles, of dainty design and work. He hurried me 
 as much as he could, and before seven o'clock, we 
 were wandering up the wharf, poking our noses into 
 the funny little shops, and finally we wandered into 
 the silversmith's little out-of-the-way cottage. We 
 then went through a long alley-way, up a little 
 incline, and came to a neat little hut. As we ap- 
 proached, I could smell — a smell I shall not forget, 
 — an odor of smoked and smoking herrmg ! Oh, how 
 these people, — their baskets and wares, — do smell ! 
 By a stove, stood a young Indian boy, cooking the 
 small red fish, — opposite, at a table, sat Indian 
 Charlie, eating his fish like sticks of candy. No- 
 thing else was before him, — absolutely nothing, — 
 that was his breakfast ! The room was small, but it 
 looked clean. It was papered with daily news- 
 papers ; once in a while, an illustrated weekly shone 
 forth conspicuously. In one corner stood a bed, 
 clean and white and nicely made, and on it lay a 
 bundle of flannel, on pillows. In another corner, on 
 the floor, — on some kind of mattress, — in a pink 
 dress, but under a sheet and blanket, lay a young 
 Indian woman ; and by her side was a plate, with 
 the sticks of unappetizing herring on it, for her to 
 eat. This young woman was just a mother,— -and 
 the bundle on the bed, was the two days old Indian 
 baby, — a little round roll of fatness. James marched 
 into the room, and straight over to the bed, as if he 
 was an old friend of the family, and he called to me, 
 to come and see the little baby ! It was a dear 
 
little dark-skinned Indian, and was fighting with its 
 little fists, like a born warrior. When a child 
 is a year old, the first winter, the mother takes 
 it to the river or bay, and puts it in the cold- 
 est water to be found. If the child lives, it is 
 hardened, they say, by this process ; but if it dies, 
 it was too sickly for earth. After viewing the in- 
 fant, we wandered about again, and met a white man, 
 who took us to see an old war-boat, used always in 
 war, and carrying forty or fifty men. It was cut 
 from one log, and had long pointed bow and stern, 
 like gondolas. As we passed through an old build- 
 ing to go and see it, we came suddenly upon a dog, 
 — I thought it was, — and although chained, I was 
 not afraid, and put out my hand to pat his head. 
 He growled fiercely, and I jumped back fortunate- 
 ly, for it was a wolf, and he was quite ferocious 
 toward strangers. The owner came and held him, 
 while I passed, and said, *' Well, he might do no 
 harm ; — he tore the minister's clothes all to pieces 
 last time he called ! " On all corners, sat groups of 
 old women and children, in their queer crouching 
 positions, bent shoulders, thick bright blankets and 
 brilliant head handkerchiefs. Their faces are stupid 
 and express but little, their skin is like a hide, and 
 very dark. They rub in paint of red shades, or else 
 blacken the face, all over sometimes, again only in 
 spots, with stove blacking, or a gum of one of their 
 trees. 
 
 We came back to the ship for breakfast, which we 
 
 fl09 
 
swallowed in double quick time ; then in a flock, we 
 all wandered out again, around the shore to where 
 the totem poles were the finest. These Indians at 
 Fort Wrangle get trees from the forest, take the 
 bark off, and carve — rudely, to be sure, — their family- 
 history upon these poles. They are their family 
 trees, their badge of heraldry, historical record of 
 their own brave chiefs ; and they set them up in 
 front of their houses, usually placing on the sum- 
 mit, some monstrous animal, with huge wide-open 
 mouth, or all eyes, which means something, that I 
 could not find out. These poles are called " Totem 
 poles," and are usually five or six times as high as 
 the house. Some are painted, some seem all eyes, 
 which they vary with different colors. They also 
 place them about their graves, and they are most 
 unusual, and very interesting. In Longfellow's 
 beautiful poem, we read of this peculiar characteris- 
 tic of these Indians : 
 
 " All these things did Hiawatha 
 Show unto his wondering people, 
 And interpreted their meaning, 
 And he said ; * Behold, your grave-posts 
 Have no mark, no sign, nor symbol. 
 Go and paint them all with figures ; 
 Each one with its household symbol. 
 With its own ancestral Totem ; 
 So that those who follow after 
 May distinguish them and know them.' 
 And they painted on the grave-posts 
 Of the graves yet unforgotten. 
 
Each his own ancestral Totem, 
 Each the symbol of his household, 
 Figures of the Bear aud Reindeer, 
 Of the Turtle, Crane, and Beaver." 
 
 We saw five or six very fine ones. Two were in 
 front of the house belonging to a nephew of the 
 Chief — ** Shakes " by name, and he asked us in and 
 up one flight of steps (for this was a new and mod- 
 ern dwelling), to see a totem pole, of small dimen- 
 sions (carried on all state occasions by the Chief), 
 one thousand years old. He also showed us a queer 
 hat, five hundred years old, worn by many Indian 
 chiefs. It was like an inverted pan, made of wood, 
 painted a queer blue, and on it was a monster, 
 spreading all over it, with outstretched claws, and 
 tremendous shining eyes, in a bronze color. On top 
 of that was a queer little thing, which stuclf up like a 
 chimney, and waved when a man walked, from 
 which hung tails of fur. 
 
 James and I had a pleasant time, and were return- 
 ing to the ship, when Mr. C, the clerk, a good-natured 
 fellow, came running after us, to say they had per- 
 suaded Katashan to put on all his fine toggery, and 
 come out for me to photograph him. Of course, 
 we were delighted and hurried back, and as soon as 
 we came in sight of the door, there stood the Indian 
 in full regimentals ; and a study in color he was. A 
 Chilcat blanket, full of yellow wool and great black 
 eyes, covered his shoulders, and the straw-colored 
 
fringe hung nearly to the ground. On his head 
 was the old hat, and in his hand the showy totem 
 pole, and he was a picture indeed. After he had 
 disappeared, his little son came up and asked if we 
 would like to have him sing. He was a little chap, 
 and too cute for anything. He had been taught in 
 the Indian school, which is doing wonderful work 
 among the little people. "Thumpkins he can dance 
 alone," and similar ballads, were his stock in trade, 
 and very cutely he sang them too, then bowed very 
 low, and at once passed round his little straw hat. 
 He was bountifully rewarded. We soon had to hurry 
 back to the steamer, as we were to leave Fort Wran- 
 gle, at 10.30 A. M. 
 
 Our trip all day was lovely, through exquisite 
 scenery, bountifully supplied with snow mountains 
 and numerous islands, most picturesque and beau- 
 tiful. I sewed a bit before lunch, and after lunch, 
 in the delicious cool crisp air, we slept and nearly 
 froze. After dinner it was very cold, so we sat in 
 our cabin reading, until we began to approach Point 
 Ellis ; then we went on the hurricane deck, and 
 watched the man throw the lead and take soundings. 
 
 Point Ellis consists merely of a cannery, belong- 
 ing to Mr. E., who was a Mexico passenger ; and the 
 Mexico went out of her course, to take the owner 
 to view, for the first time, his property. We left 
 him there, and will go after him later, on our re- 
 turn trip. As we were rounding into the Bay, near 
 Point Ellis, Miss C. said, ** Isn't it light for nine 
 
o*clock ? " " Nine o'clock ! " I exclaimed, " you're 
 crazy ; it can't be more than seven, if it is that." We 
 immediately took out our watches, and sure enough 
 it was nine o'clock. It was as bright as it is at home 
 at five. 
 
 The view here was perfectly beautiful. The fore- 
 ground was full of lovely wooded islands, of numer- 
 ous shapes and sizes, then a band of blue water, be- 
 hind which, the great ragged peaks of the moun- 
 tains rose, boldly outlined against such a sky as one 
 seldom sees, — the bluish grey of the rocks on their 
 summits, contrasting strangely with the great white 
 snow patches on them; and, over all, a pink glow was 
 thrown from the sunshine, which deepened into 
 rose, then red, purple and all shades of violet ; and 
 all was reflected in a mirror of water below. We 
 stood in a speechless trance, spellbound by such 
 beauty. The sunshine lasted until after ten o'clock, 
 then a radiant twilight came down upon us, and at 
 eleven o'clock, I could see plainly, sitting outside my 
 own room door, as I wrote a letter to the three 
 at home. 
 
 We had much fun to-day, watching whales, which 
 came so near the ship, we could see their great heads 
 and shining bodies plainly. 
 
 THURSDAY, JULY 23RD. 
 
 A NCHORED at Douglas Island, Alaska, 10.30 
 "^ P. M., in bright daylight and on deck. 
 Although half past ten o'clock, it is bright day- 
 
 313 
 
light, and I am sitting outside my stateroom, writ- 
 ing in the twilight of this Alaskan day. It is a 
 queer sensation to have the daylight linger so long ; 
 it quite upsets one's ideas of the proper order of 
 things, and makes going to bed seem almost a sac- 
 rilege. The sun set about half past nine to-night, 
 and the beautiful rose-glow on the snow mountains 
 was simply heavenly, at a quarter to ten o'clock. 
 Now, as I write, without exaggeration, it is as 
 bright as it is at home, at seven o'clock in summer. 
 The mountains have a golden glory all behind them, 
 and it is beautiful, although uncanny and mysteri- 
 ous, to one accustomed to darkness at the " proper 
 hour." They say, to-morrow night, it will be still 
 later when the sun goes down, for we start out in a 
 few minutes now, to go further north. I must say, 
 this long twilight is simply fascinating, and makes 
 one forget fatigue and every care, in the cheerful 
 and continual blessing of the sunshine. It covers 
 the entire scene with a glow and a glory, which 
 make all beautiful. Last month, the days were 
 longer, but gradually, month by month, the days 
 shorten, until, during the winter, the sun departs 
 about two o'clock in the afternoon, and although 
 not inky black until six o'clock at night, lamps are 
 lighted about 2 P. M. Doleful it is then ! 
 
 We were up this morning at the usual hour, had 
 breakfast at half past seven ; and it is simply aston- 
 ishing how much one can sleep and eat, on ship- 
 board. A trip to Alaska is *' a life on the ocean 
 
 214 
 
wave/* without much wave about it, just delightful 
 and ideal, and as unusual as it is easy. After break- 
 fast Misses C — , J — , D — , K — , N — , and I, sat 
 awhile together, then I came to my room to finish a 
 letter home, which I wanted to mail in Juneau. 
 Dinner at twelve o'clock, or rather luncheon, and 
 then about two o'clock, we were nearing Juneau, the 
 largest city in Alaska, and naturally, everybody was 
 on deck, and all on the *' qui vive " to see this spot. 
 We had travelled miles and miles, without a single 
 sign of civilization, and now we were approaching a 
 big city. At the foot of some very high mountains, 
 nestled close to the water's edge, stood Juneau, a 
 city of a few hundred inhabitants. Houses were 
 many, with but one story, and usually one room in 
 them, and although some, high upon the hill, were 
 more palatial in appearance, they were only moder- 
 ately beautiful, that was all. We went on shore as 
 soon as we could, and everyone made a rush for the 
 stores marked "curios." Etiquette was forgotten, 
 in some instances, and a person's natural selfishness 
 stood out "in full feather." Jamie and Miss C. made 
 a mad march for "souvenir spoons." Everybody is 
 spoony in these trips; in fact, the fad is an epidemic, 
 in a violent form. 
 
 Of course, Juneau is hilly, and the best street is 
 on the side of the hill. There are nice stores here, 
 — a fine drug-store, good provision stores, fur shops 
 without number, — and baskets of Alaskan weave in 
 every form and variety. We saw a funny sight on 
 
 315 
 
a street corner. Under a sheltering roof, by the 
 side of a store, sat a dozen Indian women, crouch- 
 ing down on their haunches (for Indians never 
 use or possess chairs). They were sitting back 
 against the wall, in a row, — such filthy, dirty old 
 hags, that one felt like keeping a good distance 
 from them. In front of them were china cups, 
 filled with all kinds of berries, which they ex- 
 pected we would buy. They wear always moc- 
 casins, an old calico skirt, blankets pinned about the 
 neck and falling from the shoulders, and handker- 
 chiefs over their heads. Yellow, red, and bright 
 green, are their favorite colors, and in contrast with 
 their dark skins and black hair, are very picturesque. 
 A group of Indian women is generally a study in 
 color, of the highest tints. Some of these women 
 were young, some were old, but all wore innumerable 
 silver rings, sometimes on every finger, and ban- 
 gles of silver by dozens. There is no Indian woman 
 poor enough, to go without her silver ornaments. 
 One curious custom among them is, that they paint 
 their faces with vermilion, and rub it in, until it is a 
 brilliant red. As I said before, the most revolting 
 habit is painting the face black, which is a very com- 
 mon custom, and we saw many at Juneau blackened, 
 and shining, as black as a coal everywhere, except 
 rings around eyes and mouth. They do it for three 
 reasons — to protect the face, sometimes, from the 
 sun when canoeing, again for beauty, but mostly, as 
 a little Indian boy expressed it, *' When she wants 
 
 216 
 
to cry a good deal, cause she lost her papa" — in 
 other words, as a badge of mourning. When a 
 woman marries, she has her chin pierced, as we do 
 our ears, and has a silver piece put in it. It is called 
 a labret, and is the mark of a married woman. It is 
 like a cribbage marking pin, only made of silver, 
 larger and longer, and even in size, and sticks out of 
 the lower lip, or the chin under the lip, about an 
 inch. One woman we saw at Juneau, had not only 
 a labret, but she had a silver ring put through her 
 nose. You see dozens of these people, on the cor- 
 ners, and on the wharves, all offering goods for sale, 
 and at big prices too. They live in huts, always 
 close together, and as they have no fear of dirt, you 
 see it in every variety and form, in Indian villages. 
 One walks into an Indian village at first courage- 
 ously, and with interest, but feels like crawling out 
 as soon as possible. We visited the little village, or 
 settlement, near the wharf. In a door-way, crouch- 
 ing down, sat a young mother, with a ten days old 
 baby in her arms. We went near and looked at the 
 diminutive scrap, and never in my life have I seen 
 such an atom, in the form of a baby. An ordinary 
 sized orange would be large, in comparison with its 
 head, and its hands were like birds' claws, as some 
 one expressed it. I do not believe it measured 
 more than twelve inches, ''over all " (as they say 
 of a ship), I tried to get the mother to let me take 
 her picture, with her baby, but she cried and went 
 into her house. After strolling all over town, trying 
 
to get some lemonade, or apollinaris, or something, 
 which we could not do, we wandered back to the 
 ship and rested, for we were to have a long evening. 
 Dinner at five o'clock, then we mustered up a little 
 crowd and went on shore, up to an Indian tent, 
 to see a War Dance by the Indians, in their native 
 dress, paint and feathers. It was a disappointment, 
 no doubt, to the Indians, that so few people came 
 to their unique performance, but some did not think 
 it worth " one dollar admission," and only about a 
 dozen of us were present. Behind a miserably dirty 
 curtain, on a little raised stage, sat the Indians, and 
 in their shrill harsh voices, they chanted for about 
 fifteen minutes, before we were allowed to see them. 
 We, in the meantime, were seated on boards and 
 benches, in the middle of a medium sized tent. 
 At last, Yash Noosh, the Chief, in a checked suit 
 of brownish tint, and a straw hat, gave the signal, 
 and the curtain was drawn aside. About half a 
 dozen Indians, in brilliant paint, with Chilcat 
 blankets and feather head-dresses, with numberless 
 ermine tails hanging down behind, and queer war- 
 spears, began to tip back and forth, from heel to toe, 
 and then jumping and see-sawing on their toes, and 
 keeping time to a queer melancholy chant, as weird 
 and doleful as it could be. They kept this up for a 
 while, then the curtain came down, and a recess was 
 taken. Another dance exhibited other war-gar- 
 ments, queer trousers of buckskin, bright woven 
 blankets, new attitudes, and new tunes, and quite 
 
 218 
 
unusual and different from the first. The perform- 
 ance consisted of a series of these dances, very strange 
 and picturesque, and ended in a " Medicine Man's 
 Dance.*' The Medicine Man was trying to expel an 
 evil spirit from his patient, who lay quite still on 
 the floor, and the physician and attendants made the 
 most unearthly noise, screaming, howling, beating a 
 drum, and doing enough to kill any sick man from 
 sheer exhaustion. All the time, the wonderful doc- 
 tor was sitting down on his haunches, and hopping 
 around like a toad, while another attendant kept 
 throwing feathers all over him, and in his face also. 
 The performance ended with this Medicine dance, 
 and while we would not go one block to see it again, 
 it was well worth one visit, and we were glad we 
 had gone. Among the performers was a tiny boy, 
 whose reddened face and black lines, over nose and 
 cheeks, enlisted the interest of all the audience. 
 He teetered back and forth on his little toes, to the 
 great amusement of all. He was dressed in a little 
 fur coat, and was too cunning for anything. After 
 one dance, this diminutive scrap came tumbling 
 from behind the curtain, in a flood of tears, 
 stopping every few steps to rub one poor little toe, 
 which a big Indian had stepped upon. His red 
 paint and black, were getting hopelessly mixed and 
 streaked. One of our party took the little fellow, 
 and sat him in our midst, and as she did so, she ex- 
 claimed, *' Oh, how I would like to wash you, you 
 dirty little thing! " He was almost better than the 
 
 219 
 
performance. All the while these Indians danced, 
 it seemed as if they were waxing more and more 
 angry, and one could easily imagine that they could 
 commit any number of atrocious deeds, after such 
 agitating performances. 
 
 At eight o'clock, the Mexico steamed off from 
 Juneau, across the bay to Douglas Island, a couple 
 of miles only, and we remained there from nine 
 o'clock to twelve, when we set sail for Chilcat Can- 
 neries. On Douglas Island, we were much interested, 
 for the richest mine of gold in the world is there, 
 turning out a million dollars worth of gold a year ; 
 and there is no sign of any lessening for years to 
 come. It is the Tredwell Mine, owned, it is said, 
 by D. O. Mills, and other capitalists. 
 
 At 9 P. M. in an army, the passengers marched up 
 the pier, to the buildings of the mining company. 
 We were specially invited, by a young friend of Miss 
 C.'s who was here, and had influence, to go with 
 about twelve, in a private party, so we went through 
 the Tredwell Mine, with a former superintendent of 
 the mine, who took us everywhere, except into the 
 room where the gold is poured into moulds. That 
 is a forbidden place to all, as the immense yield of 
 the mine is kept secret. We saw the two hundred 
 and forty stamp mill, where the ore is put into the 
 crusher, the quicksilver slabs over which the gold is 
 washed and caught, the concentrator, or a vertical 
 shaking slab, where all gold, that escaped the first 
 slab, is caught and separated from the soda ; then that 
 
dust is put in fires and baked, and again put in tanks, 
 and a solution of acid thrown over it, which separates 
 the last remnants of gold, from the common stuffs. 
 We went everywhere, even climbed up a steep place, 
 and looked down into the mine, saw the shutes, down 
 which the ore is thrown into cars below. It was a 
 most interesting experience. At 9.45 P. M. we came 
 out of the mine and enjoyed the exquisite sunset, 
 with the lovely pink glow on the snow-mountains. 
 
 We saw some icebergs to-day, not large ones, to 
 be sure, but a little taste of what we are to see 
 later. The glaciers, on the mountain sides, were 
 beautiful to-day. 
 
 Miss K. gave me a pretty drawn work hand- 
 kerchief to-day, and Miss N. brought me some 
 lovely wild flowers at night. 
 
 FRIDAY, JULY 24TH. 
 
 'I A 7" HEN we awoke this morning, we were an- 
 chored off the Chilcat Canneries, and found 
 ourselves unable to go ashore, even if we desired to 
 do so. The wind is very strong to-day ; the tide is 
 low, and as there is but little to see, we are not 
 sorry to be obliged to stay on our ship. It is a 
 lovely place to anchor, for the views, in every direc- 
 tion, are grand and magnificent. As we stepped 
 out of our stateroom, to go to breakfast this morn- 
 ing, we looked right into the face of a tremendous 
 blue glacier, on the shore opposite. It is a wonder- 
 ful sight to me, these great frozen rivers, so majestic 
 
in their silent grandeur ; and in the sunshine, the va- 
 riety of blue and green ice crevices, give a marvel- 
 ous effect to the entire surface. Near the ship, is a 
 queer formation of stones and boulders, in piles and 
 layers, which is said to be the terminal moraine of 
 an ancient glacier. This huge glacier before us is 
 called ** Davidson's Glacier/* The story is told, 
 that a man some time ago, grew discontented with 
 his work for Mr. Muir (of Muir Glacier fame), and 
 rather than stay with him, he determined to cross 
 this dangerous ice-flow, and reach his home on the 
 bay, where we are now anchored. He was fourteen 
 days in doing it ; and although he had two extra 
 pairs of shoes with him, he reached his destination 
 bare-footed. He had coffee and biscuits with him, 
 — fortunately met and killed a bear, on his way, and 
 had many and thrilling experiences. Some days he 
 would creep for only two miles, then find some 
 gorge or crevice impassable, and have his steps to 
 retrace, and a fresh beginning to make. 
 
 This morning, after breakfast, I was standing near 
 the pilot-house, taking a view of our surroundings, 
 when a gentleman joined us, and began to speak of 
 the two missionaries, we are to leave in this desolate 
 spot, — a young man from Princeton, and his new 
 wife. I was at once interested, as being in the for- 
 ward part of the ship, these facts had not reached 
 my ears. I went aft to see them, and had a long 
 chat with the brave young people. They have left 
 home, a father and mother over seventy years old. 
 
to come and teach these Chilcat Indians. The 
 Chilcat tribe numbers about three thousand, 
 and are the most powerful tribe in Alaska. They 
 are the most warlike too, but these young people 
 are devoid of fear. I had a most interesting chat 
 with the young wife, — long enough to satisfy my- 
 self, that she little knows what she is undertaking. 
 They are truly in earnest in their work, but have 
 little realization of the desolation and loneliness, 
 they are about to enter. It is said, if the Indians 
 are friendly, they nearly live with the whites, — 
 come in crowds into one's kitchen, and sit on the 
 floor for hours, saying nothing, — only watching. 
 If the lady of the house goes into any other room, 
 they go along, and at any and all hours of the day, 
 Indian faces may be seen, pressed close to the win- 
 dow pane, watching every movement. The Indians 
 here are more easily taught, than the ordinary In- 
 dians of our Territories and Western States. They 
 claim they are of Mongolian descent, and are more 
 intelligent. If these two young missionaries are 
 favorites, in the new home to which they go, they 
 say, the Indians will, in time, make a great feast for 
 the newcomers, and with fitting ceremonies, adopt 
 them into their tribe, and give them Indian names. 
 While I chatted with brave Mrs. W., I found she 
 was quite unprepared, for the common ordinary 
 aches and pains, which mortals are heirs to, and did 
 not fully appreciate the ninety miles of space, be- 
 tween her and any doctor ; so I came into my room, 
 
 223 
 
searched through my bag, and could only find 
 Jamaica Ginger to offer her, which she most joy- 
 ously accepted. Such faith and self-sacrifice, as 
 these people exhibit, such forgetfulness of pleasure 
 and comforts, of home and family, in the service of 
 the Master, makes one stand still, and wonder in 
 silence, at the strength which such faith can bring, 
 and at the bright cheerful heart, so full of hope and 
 pleasure, even knowing the hardships. I know the 
 discipline of pain, and I know one can accept the 
 trials which come ; but to absolutely go out into 
 a nest of trouble and discouragements, to settle 
 down in the midst of distresses, and keep cheerful 
 and happy in hard work, expresses a strength of 
 character, I am utterly unable to appreciate. 
 
 While we chatted, a lady from Montana joined 
 in the conversation, and she was rich in experiences 
 with the Indians of Montana. She told us of the 
 lawless times they used to have, before justice had 
 any voice in the administration of affairs, when the 
 sheriff was the head of a band of robbers and 
 thieves, all being road agents. Murder and house- 
 breaking were common everyday affairs, and there 
 was no redress, — one lost everything, — life was 
 demanded at a moment's notice, and no voice was 
 raised in complaint, for the safety of the people, for 
 some time. Finally, right was might, and the down- 
 trodden sufferers joined in bands, called "Vigil- 
 antes," and hung every out-law they could find, at 
 a moment's warning. At last, they brought some 
 
 224 
 
out-laws to trial. This lady's cousin was just 
 stepping into a stage, in this little settlement, which 
 was to carry him to his home, when the people 
 came, to beg him to stay and try their case, as the 
 road-agents and sheriff had bought up all the law- 
 yers in town ; and this gentleman was a judge. 
 He yielded, but there was no house or place for the 
 Court room. Taking a farm wagon, and calling 
 jurors, he stood up in the wagon and " held 
 court." It was simply and quickly done. The 
 man under arrest was a fine looking fellow, but 
 a villain. He had murdered any number of inno- 
 cent people, and his favorite method was to 
 catch them on some high-way, bind them to trees, 
 and then, as recreation between his courses at 
 lunch, or between drinks, he would shoot at them, 
 and watch and ridicule their agony. He would 
 riddle his victims with bullets, which usually 
 resulted in their deaths, but if not, he would dis- 
 patch them more brutally. This young man was 
 tried and sentenced, to be hanged in an hour. In a 
 most pathetic manner, he begged for more time, that 
 he might write last letters to friends ; and this lady 
 said that her cousin felt sympathy for the fellow, and 
 could hardly bear to be so cruel, but he knew that 
 if he yielded one moment, the road-agents would 
 rally and free their companion. One man in the 
 crowd reminded the masses, of the little mercy ever 
 shown by the prisoner, to any of his prisoners, and 
 at once the verdict was changed to immediate execu- 
 
 225 
 
Hon. Of course this is only an incident, in the his- 
 tory of our Western States, in the early years of 
 their formation. This lady says, in Montana now, 
 and especially in Helena, whenever any robbery is 
 committed, or any threatened assassination, boards 
 are stuck up all over Helena, and all the newspapers 
 print a mystical signal. It is " 3-7-77," — and under 
 this number, is always a skull and bones. No out- 
 law ever stands upon the order of his going, but de- 
 parts at once, when this sign appears. It means, — 
 as it counts, — *' In twenty-four hours, you will be 
 skull and bones." She said she saw the sign, only 
 two years ago, in Helena. She also amused us, by 
 telling of the Indians' love for dress, and the queer 
 fancies the men take for peculiar articles. Sun-um- 
 brellas are their delight. She saw an Indian, not 
 long ago, in buckskin trousers, a bright red blanket, 
 his hair braided, and amply hung with rattlesnake 
 rattles, and over his head he carried, with great sat- 
 isfaction, a pink cotton umbrella, A Sioux Indian 
 went to visit a friend of hers, and having to ford a 
 stream, the Indian took off his scanty supply of 
 clothes, and hanging them on his arm, waded across. 
 Instead of dressing again on the other bank, he ap- 
 proached the tents, with his clothing on his arm, 
 and a blue-checked sunshade over his head ! 
 
 While I was writing this journal, Mrs. S. came to 
 my cabin door, to ask what I thought about getting 
 a cow for the missionaries. It seems there are no 
 cows near Chilcat, — no milk is anywhere to be had, 
 
 226 
 
and they cannot get butter or any fresh meat. 
 Eggs are one dollar a dozen, and scarce and hard to 
 get. A cow could be brought here, perhaps, etc. 
 I put on my cap and went out on deck, to see what 
 Jamie thought of such a plan, what he would give 
 towards it, but he did not encourage it much, — in 
 fact, I found there was much opposition to mission- 
 aries, as many in these parts have been said to be 
 scoundrels and scamps, feathering their own nest, 
 under the cloak of religion. But, despite the antip- 
 athy to missionaries, the fact stood unchanged, and 
 the women on board appreciated the discomforts 
 and deprivations, the young wife had before her, 
 and longed to ease them a little, at least. The fact 
 that she was a missionary was forgotten, in the sym- 
 pathy of one woman's heart for another. But the 
 little discouragements disheartened us, and we re- 
 luctantly gave it up. About half past two o'clock, 
 I was resting in my " tiny boudoir," when Mrs. S. 
 came again, to ask me to come and wave the mis- 
 sionaries off, as they were to go ashore then. I 
 went out, but there was the usual delay, and while 
 we waited, I chatted with a gentlemen from Lincoln, 
 Nebraska. I told him of the desire that we had 
 and he spoke so encouragingly, that I flew to Mrs, 
 S. and suggested that we do, in those few minutes, 
 all we could. In fifteen minutes, we had seen a 
 dozen or more people ; all gave, and in less than half 
 an hour, Mrs. S. stood on deck, with fifty dollars in 
 gold in her hand, for the little wife. She called her 
 
 227 
 
into the saloon, and gave it to her ; and for the first 
 time, the tears came, and the poor woman wept. 
 It was awfully pathetic, and we cried too. When 
 she opened the envelope and saw the shining gold, 
 she was overpowered and could hardly speak. The 
 cow is to be called Mexico, at our request. Several 
 heard of it later, and some came to me with their 
 donations, and we sent more to her by the Captain. 
 It seemed only right, to do a little for her, when we 
 were all out on a pleasure trip. 
 
 Jamie went on shore, and into the Cannery, with 
 Commander C. of the Navy, and had quite an inter- 
 esting time. 
 
 After dinner little groups gathered in "our 
 corner," and we had a right merry time. At nine 
 o'clock, the sun was so high in the heavens, that 
 Jamie took a photograph of us all ; but we were 
 laughing so heartily, I fear the photograph will not 
 be good. The sun was blinding on the water then. 
 About half past nine, the Mexico steamed from Chil- 
 cat to Pyramid Bay, to another Cannery, to discharge 
 freight, and take on more canned salmon. Pyramid 
 Bay takes its name from an island, just off shore, 
 formed entirely of rocks, and in the form of a pointed 
 pyramid, and it is interesting, because it is the ter- 
 minal moraine of a once powerful glacier. 
 
 We all remained on deck, guessing proverbs, and 
 having much merriment, until after ten o'clock, then 
 we went down to supper. After supper Miss C, 
 who has a glorious voice, sang for us, and we had 
 
 228 
 
some other good music, until half past eleven, when 
 we made ourselves go to our room, but it seemed 
 cruel and wicked, to go to sleep, and leave the 
 twilight. It was light at twelve o'clock — mid-night 
 — and the sky was blue, the clouds were rose-colored 
 and purple, and it was heavenly ! These northern 
 nights are worth the journey to see, and to exper- 
 ience the queer sensations they produce. I felt as if 
 I was going to bed at five o'clock, and yet, my tired 
 bones warned me, it was bedtime. 
 
 What a lovely trip this is ! At first one has much 
 to become accustomed to, discomfort, inconvenience 
 and cramped quarters ; and the first few days seem 
 long. Then, as soon as the rough edges wear off, 
 and one gets settled and learns to manage, a charm 
 and fascination comes over one, and you float along 
 from day to day, and wish the voyage was ten times 
 as long ; and each day we long to stretch, to its utmost 
 limit. It is glorious, such a blissful rest ! 
 
 SATURDAY, JULY 25TH. 
 
 'T^HESE long days upset every one, and make 
 regular hours a dream of the past, a remnant 
 of the Dark Ages. Last night, no one wanted to go 
 to bed, and it was not strange, for it was quite bright 
 at twelve o'clock, at mid-night. Some people sat 
 up, hoping to see the Northern Lights ; but there 
 were none to be seen. 
 
 Nothing to chronicle to-day, so far. We spent the 
 morning at Pyramid Bay, anchored, loading with 
 
 239 
 
canned salmon. At noon, we moved back to Chilcat, 
 but we hope to leave here, in a couple of hours now. 
 I have "cleaned house" this morning, that is, 
 straightened and arranged my room, as order is an 
 absolute necessity, and I have been writing also, 
 between chats with passing people. We have been 
 watching the Indians in their canoes, which have 
 hovered about the ship all the morning. A strong 
 young Indian, with his squaw and pappoose, and 
 three other tiny tots, paddled out to the ship, to try 
 and sell some things. We had fun with him, offer- 
 ing to buy the pappoose, and he finally said he would 
 sell it, for ten dollars. It is interesting to watch 
 these ^to^X^y from a distance ; they are often good- 
 natured and jolly, and what little English they can 
 speak, they use in such an original choppy way, but 
 they are too dirty, to have a nearer acquaintance safe 
 or pleasant. 
 
 This morning, one of the men on the ship, went 
 ashore with his gun, and a little while ago, he brought 
 to show us, a bald-headed eagle, which he had shot. 
 It was a fine fellow, and measured six feet from tip 
 to tip of his wings. His great white head and claws 
 were large in proportion, and it was an interesting 
 sight. 
 
 It is delightful to see the improvement in Jamie's 
 health. He has gained hourly of late, eats like a 
 starved child, and is as full of fun as possible. The 
 prediction about "our table " in the dining-room, 
 is true, and we have the jolliest times imaginable. 
 
 230 
 
We steamed over to Chilcat about noon, and 
 stayed there until about four o'clock. James went 
 ashore yesterday, but not again to-day. While at 
 Chilcat Mrs. S. came to me, with a dish of the most 
 beautiful strawberries I have ever seen. Mrs. W., 
 the missionary, had sent them over to the ship, to 
 the ladies who had given her the cow ; they were 
 picked in the meadows and were wild strawberries, 
 and were magnificent, and so large, with stout stems 
 and a good flavor. Strawberries grow marvelously 
 in this country, as do all things : ferns are colossal, 
 mosses are glorious, wild flowers are plenty in cer- 
 tain locations. I saw seven strawberries on one 
 stem, the other night, and the stem was as large as 
 a pipe stem. The leaves were equally large. 
 
 After dinner we all scrambled on deck, to see the 
 Davidson Glacier, as we passed it. It is a tremend- 
 ous great ice river, three miles across its front, and 
 for miles and miles, it covers the country. The 
 crevices were many and deep, giving] a dark blue, 
 and oftentimes a green color to the ice. It was 
 most interesting, but seemed only grand in size, 
 when we turned to see ten pure white ones, nestled 
 close in the mountain's side ; then we felt we had 
 seen glaciers in their finest form, and they were the 
 most beautiful pictures imaginable. 
 
 The scenery, from Chilcat to Sitka, is the most 
 magnificent sight, one can ever hope to see, in this 
 world. After leaving Chilcat, we stood for hours on 
 the hurricane deck, watching the grandeur. It was 
 
 231 
 
sublime, ideal, such a sight as one wishes to hold 
 forever in the memory. The mountains rose on 
 each side of us, in great ranges, so high they seemed 
 to touch the sky. Their base and sides were gray 
 and dark, but the ragged peaks, in every conceivable 
 effect, from round to pointed, ragged and sharp and 
 blunt as well, were each and all covered thickly with 
 pure white snow, which crept down to the dark 
 sides in great rivers of white. The spaces between 
 the mountains were full of great shining glaciers, 
 icy and white ; and all was in marked contrast to the 
 dark angry waters, and the heavy rain clouds in the 
 sky above us. We stood in admiring silence, until 
 the rain drops fell upon us, and then went below, 
 with the picture indelibly printed upon our minds, 
 for it was a scene of awful grandeur, magnificent 
 and inspiring. 
 
 SUNDAY, JULY 26tH. 
 
 "^r EVER was scenery more daintily picturesque 
 and beautiful, than this morning. Through 
 narrow passages, close to thickly wooded shores, in 
 and out, between most exquisite little islands of rocks 
 and trees, into enclosed lakes, for which there 
 seemed no opening nor outlet, — until a gateway sud- 
 denly presented itself to us, as our bow was almost 
 on shore, — the good Old Mexico has carried us on, 
 and we became as enthusiastic, over the delicate out- 
 lines and profusion of beautiful islands, as we were 
 last night, over the solemn grandeur of the great 
 
 232 
 
gray monarchs, with their snow covering and glacial 
 deposits. The entire morning was one long excla- 
 mation of " Oh, how beautiful ! " Islands, like little 
 buttons, stood side by side, with great green emerald 
 isles, all reproduced in the quiet water, so mirror- 
 like in its reflection. Ducks were swimming on the 
 surface, and at our approach, with a dive and a long 
 streak of ruffled water behind them, they would dis- 
 appear, only to rise up serenely, a half minute later, 
 and with a shrill call, fly off to the land. Porpoises, 
 too, were waltzing along, like pin-wheels, and racing 
 with us. Finally a ring from the Captain on his 
 bridge, quieted the engine; the good old ship's speed 
 was lessened, and we seemed to float forward in si- 
 lence. Somebody said, ''This must be White Stone 
 Narrows, the most dangerous pass on the trip," and 
 then every one was on the qui vive, to see the 
 ship pass the danger point, and enthusuastic over 
 the marvelous dexterity, with which the Captain 
 and his assistants, handled the big ship. Two buoys 
 were placed, about two boats* length apart. We had 
 to pass one on one side, and the other on the other, 
 making a letter S, and we clung so close to one 
 buoy, caressing it the entire length of our ship, that 
 somebody suggested the conundrum, coined on the 
 spot, "Why was \.\i^ Mexico exceedingly improper? 
 Because she had been seen hugging a buoy ! " As we 
 steamed out of these Narrows, where the great rocks 
 and reefs stood out boldly, on each side of us, re 
 minding one of the St. Lawrence Rapids, we sud- 
 
 233 
 
denly rounded a point and saw, in the distance, 
 Sitka, the Capital City of Alaska. 
 
 As pretty a picture as one cares ever to see, is 
 this little town, situated at the foot of the great Mt. 
 Verstoria, — the sides and top so green and beautiful, 
 — beside and behind which are numberless moun- 
 tains of pure snow ; and opposite the little city 
 stands, as sentinel, the extinct volcano, Edgecombe, 
 with its great open cup full of snow. Islands with- 
 out number, in picturesque confusion, stand between 
 Sitka and the open ocean, and make an island bar- 
 ricade, like the links in a chain. As we approached 
 Sitka, going beyond and in and out, among these 
 islands, threading our way with cautious care, we 
 were spell-bound, by the beautiful picture, this iso- 
 lated little city presents. The ancient Russian 
 Castle, now in such picturesque ruins, stands out in 
 bold relief, against the green Mt. Verstoria and looks 
 like the haunted house, it is said to be. It was once 
 the residence of all Russian Governors, who were 
 men of rank and title, and lived here in luxury and 
 state, bringing their Court and state furnishings 
 from Russia ; and the stories told of their grandeur, 
 of their Court, and doings, make one believe in the 
 past greatness of Sitka, but also make one see how 
 truly /^j/ is that greatness. 
 
 Once upon a time, Sitka had fine industries. A 
 marvelous foundry here, was the one that fashioned 
 all the bells, for the missions in Southern California, 
 and sent its work to many large cities. Slowly, and 
 
 234 
 
by the law which governs the rise and fall of nations, 
 Sitka began to lose power and people ; and in 1867, 
 when America negotiated with Russia, and pur- 
 chased Alaska, as a territory, paying ** at the rate of 
 two cents per acre," the legends of Russian glory, 
 became the property of the American people. 
 Sitka is the brightest little place imaginable, and it 
 is hard to realize, that it is so remote from all civili- 
 zation. 
 
 When we steamed into the harbor, between the 
 town and the islands, we were impressed by the 
 picturesqueness of this little city. In contrast to 
 the great Russian Castle, in its square box-like 
 architecture and remnants of brown paint, its brok- 
 en windows and tumbled-down ruined appearance — 
 stood the Greek Church, in about the centre of the 
 town. Its spire is bulging, like beads on a string, 
 set on end, an oblong one, then a round one, and 
 surmounted by a golden Greek Cross. Behind this 
 spire is a dome of ample proportions, and dome and 
 spire are painted a light green, — not a bit of yellow 
 in the green — pale but distinctly green. The rest of 
 the building is devoid of paint ; or the incessant 
 rains, which visit Sitka, may have washed away 
 the less powerful colors. An old tradition says, 
 that whenever a ship is in sight, the ravens always 
 gather on the gilded cross, on the spire of the Greek 
 Church ; and as we came nearer to the town, a 
 couple of great black ravens flew towards the cross. 
 Whether they really knew their lesson and direc- 
 
 235 
 
tions, and were going to perch on that cross, is 
 a question ; only knowing the tradition, their flight 
 seemed a coincidence. Barracks, a Court house, 
 innumerable houses low and small, all curving along 
 a cove of the sea, form the little city. 
 
 The Mexico reached Sitka at eleven o'clock ; but 
 we were obliged to anchor off shore, as the steamer 
 QueeUj the excursion boat, had come, out of her 
 regular order and time, into Sitka this morning, and 
 occupied the dock-room. A disgusted set of pas- 
 sengers we were ; for the Queen swallows up at 
 every port, all the choicest of curios, and we had 
 rejoiced that we were to reach there first. The 
 Queen only remained five or six hours at Sitka, how- 
 ever, and was to move at 2 P. M. by Sitka time, 
 three o'clock by our watches, as Sitka time is one 
 hour earlier, than we are on shipboard. We could 
 not wait, however, until that hour to go ashore, so 
 small boats were put off, and we went about one 
 o'clock, fifteen at a time. 
 
 As we landed at the dock, we were charmed at 
 the outset, by the aspect of things. Before us, was 
 a large green parade ground, on one side of which 
 stood the Government Buildings, the long stairway 
 leading to the lofty Castle, and some trees. Under 
 the trees, along the wharf, in front of the buildings, 
 sitting closely together in rows, were the Indian 
 women with their wares, all of their own make. 
 Baskets of every conceivable design and color, silver 
 rings and bangles, wooden totem poles, basket 
 
 236 
 
bottles, etc., etc., and everything in the most pictur- 
 esque confusion. The coloring of their dresses, 
 blankets, and head-handkerchiefs, their dark yellow- 
 skins, contrasting strangely with their dozens of 
 silver bangles and numberless rings, and the little 
 children in brilliant colors, all presented a picture 
 of wonderful combinations. It was interesting to 
 walk along, and look at the rows of dark-skinned 
 women, to see the different degrees of intelligence, 
 and marks of industry, and their adroit manner of 
 displaying their things. Any Indian woman, or 
 every ore, I should say, can speak enough English 
 to sell ; they can all say, ** two bits,'* or four, or six, 
 as the price may be, and some are so jolly about 
 it, and hold up their fingers to denote the price, 
 thus displaying the silver bedecked arms and hands. 
 They never undersell each other, and nothing 
 makes them more angry than to have people offer 
 them less than they ask, and yet bargains are some- 
 times gained by perseverance. James and I wan- 
 dered along the row of Indians, really thoroughly 
 interested in them and their wares, and also in 
 watching the passengers from the Queen, who were 
 strolling along as we were, when we suddenly looked 
 
 up and stood face to face with Mrs. V — N , 
 
 of Brooklyn. We have never been more than bow- 
 ing acquaintances, but to meet any one from home, 
 in such a far-away place as Alaska, makes one feel 
 very friendly indeed, and we greeted each other in 
 the most enthusiastic manner. After a little, James 
 
 237 
 
and I grew interested in looking at trifling souvenirs 
 of Sitka, and we wandered from one little group of 
 Indians to another. Then we remembered our let- 
 ter to Mrs. H. of Sitka, which a friend in Chicago 
 had given us, and we found Mrs. H. lived in an 
 entire house, all to herself, which is a mark of supe- 
 riority in Sitka, as most of the people live in rooms 
 over stores, or in cabins, — even the officers and their 
 wives. We found the house without difficulty, and 
 were received by a little lady, in a very pretty room, 
 full of the most curious of curios. Her welcome 
 was most cordial, but as we soon found she had two 
 cousins on the Queetij who were to sail away in a very 
 short time, and who were then visiting her, James 
 and I left for a while, and went to the Greek Church. 
 This church is still maintained by the Russians, 
 and although there are but few full-blooded Rus- 
 sians now in Sitka, many of the people attend that 
 church. (The other chapel is Presbyterian.) We 
 entered the front door, were received by a young 
 man, who politely requested each to deposit fifty 
 cents in a contribution box at hand, which is used 
 for the attendants on "Tourists* days," etc. We 
 then entered the church proper, which is small in 
 size, but large in rich possessions. No man or 
 woman ever sits during a Russian service, so there 
 are no pews or seats anywhere visible. Two huge 
 white columns supported the dome, and made a fit- 
 ting frame for the beautiful altar before us. With 
 three or four steps leading to it, was a kind of Rere- 
 
 238 
 
dos, or screen, formed of beautiful paintings, the 
 middle part having golden-bronze gates full of lovely- 
 pictures, four of which were set in ovals and repre- 
 sented the four Evangelists, — the two middle ones 
 were to represent the Annunciation. There were 
 three in each door, and one peculiar feature and effect 
 was produced by a silver mantle (of genuine ore)^over 
 each picture. The heads and hands of the figures 
 were uncovered, but all the rest was covered by exact 
 representations of the paintings underneath, but 
 made of pure silver, and all the shades and folds 
 were most carefully wrought. No idea can be ob- 
 tained from a word picture, of the singularly unique 
 and beautiful effect this produced. On each side of 
 this door were similar paintings, but almost life-size, 
 one of the Virgin and Child, the other of Jesus 
 Christ, and both were covered with a full-length 
 silver covering. St. Michael, being the Patron 
 Saint, was represented twice, once in a gorgeous 
 gold covering. Three of these paintings in panels 
 were on each side of the middle door, four with 
 their glorious draperies, and two without, but all 
 were really marvelous works of art. Before these 
 paintings stood and hung beautifully wrought Rus- 
 sian silver lamps, and all produced a grand effect, 
 and were so decidedly foreign to anything we ex- 
 pected to see, in such isolation. On each side of the 
 main altar were smaller sanctuaries, with rare gems 
 in beautiful paintings, sent by royal Russians, one 
 conspicuous for its frame of rare and precious stones. 
 
 239 
 
In the left hand chapel is a head of Mother and 
 Child, said to have been painted by Raphael, — it is 
 exquisite. The tenderness in the Mother's face, 
 the beauty of the eyes, reminds one forcibly of the 
 Sistine Madonna, and lingers long in mind and 
 memory. This gem has also a silver covering, most 
 curiously fashioned, but exquisite, — head-drapery 
 and shoulder covering of silver, with gold wrought 
 in, and a huge golden halo. It is the loveliest thing 
 of its kind that we have ever seen. There are also 
 many costly works of art and ivory carvings several 
 hundred years old. 
 
 Behind the golden gate in the centre, we were 
 told, was the " Holy of Holies," the most sacred 
 spot to all Russian men, but between those portals 
 no woman is allowed to enter. The usher kindly 
 opened the doors, which are always thrown open 
 at service, and allowed us to peep in, — just a look at 
 the Holy Place. It was a room with altars and ac- 
 companying fixtures, but brilliantly glorious in silver 
 and golden laces and decorations, more beautiful 
 than can be described. Vestments of the priests 
 were to be seen, of gold and silver cloth, with tapes- 
 try colors woven in such gorgeous glory, that it 
 seemed cruel to have it all so hidden from the world. 
 A head-piece, worn at service by the Russian Priest, 
 was one mass of jewels ; one huge emerald cut in the 
 shape of a cross, set in the front, was grand and 
 magnificent. This little church is rich beyond com- 
 pare, in glorious Russian richness, and is so strange 
 
 240 
 
and out of place in its setting, for Sitka seems quite 
 unequal to such grandeur and beauty. 
 
 When a couple are married in the Greek Church 
 in Sitka, they come to the church door and knock, 
 and the door being opened by the priest, the groom 
 makes his wish known. Approaching a little raised 
 platform in the centre of the Church, the bride and 
 groom stand upon it, sometimes for an hour or more, 
 all the time the bride wearing upon her head a beau- 
 tiful crown. If the crown is too big, as often hap- 
 pens, the best man is obliged to hold it over the 
 bride's head. The service is long and tiresome ; at 
 its finish, the groom approaches the figure of Jesus 
 Christ, touching the toe with his lips, and the bride 
 approaches the Mother and Child. 
 
 After dreaming in silence a little while, in a corner 
 of the Church, and allowing our thoughts to run 
 riot and revel in the ages past, when happy and sad 
 Russian men and maidens attended this choicest 
 chapel, Jamie and I wandered out again, into the 
 crooked little streets, with the log-huts and cabins, 
 the houses of more modern comers, and the relics of 
 Russian Architecture. 
 
 Hearing the whistle, which announced the Queen's 
 departure, I went again to see Mrs. H. while Jamie 
 returned to the ship, and when I left her an hour 
 later, she insisted that we should call for her after 
 dinner, and she would take us through the Indian 
 quarters, or the Rancherie, as it is called. About 
 six o'clock, therefore, we went again to the house, 
 
 241 
 
taking a few friends with us, and we all went to the 
 Siwash, or Indian settlement. It is situated right 
 on the water's edge ; the houses are of moderate size 
 and appearance, and are built in rows, and quite 
 closely together. We were at once interested and 
 curious about the numbering of the houses, and 
 questioned everybody, to know why one house was 
 numbered over the door, in huge figures " icx)," the 
 next house '* 200," the next " 300," and so on. Mr. 
 H. explained it to us and it is a most curious reason. 
 The numbers increase one hundred each time, until 
 one thousand is reached, then they jump one hun- 
 dred each time, also, and the why and wherefore is 
 just this. A census was taken some time ago, and it 
 was found that often in one house of one rootn, ten 
 families live, with the multitude of children always 
 accompanying. They allow ten numbers to each 
 household, or to each family under one roof, and 
 registered them " A, the father, B, the mother," 
 without recording their names, and allowed for eight 
 children in each family. One hundred numbers 
 were therefore allotted to one mansion ! No one, 
 without seeing, can form any idea of the swarms of 
 human beings living in cramped and crowded quar- 
 ters, such as we saw in this Siwash village. Mrs. 
 H. took us into many houses, which were all built 
 alike. A square of stones and ashes, in the centre 
 of the only room, forms the rallying point, around 
 which all gather. There is usually a fire burning, 
 and crouching figures, rolled in blankets, about it. 
 
 243 
 
The roof is always a little open, and much smoked 
 and blackened, as the smoke and soot rise and cling 
 to it. Fish, split open and drying, are always hang- 
 ing from the beams, and add another perfume to the 
 well-scented air. Around this central square is 
 usually a raised platform, on which are all the wear- 
 ing apparel and property of the different families. 
 No curtain divides one apartment from another, no 
 partition or division of any kind, but all are huddled 
 in together, like sardines, and delicacy of feeling or 
 modesty, in the slightest degree, is never visible nor 
 thought of. The fathers and mothers and the chil- 
 dren live together like a cat and her kittens, with 
 just about as much care for personal and household 
 cleanliness, as a feline animal would have. Of course^ 
 there are exceptions in every case, and marked ex- 
 ceptions, especially where civilized ways and means 
 have been shown these people, but I am now speak- 
 ing of the Siwash people, in their natural and un- 
 changed ways of living. Rude, rough bedsteads, 
 without pillow or mattress, are sometimes seen, but 
 they are not large enough for all the family, and 
 most of them sleep on the floor. We saw a girl of 
 fourteen — a mother then, with her tiny babe in her 
 arms — and it was a sad sight. A funny sign over 
 the door of one house, amused us all immensely — it 
 was this : " Elisha Ltahin, Head of a large Family 
 of Orthodox Christians." No one knows exactly 
 why this Indian put up that sign, but he is very 
 proud of it, and it is really a curiosity ! Mrs. H. 
 
 243 
 
surprised us by saying, that these Indians are often 
 really clean, and that they are never known to steal. 
 She never locks the door of her house, except at 
 night, and in winter often finds a half dozen women 
 in her kitchen or sitting room, when she re- 
 turns from a walk, getting warmed up. Blankets 
 are their measure of wealth, and an Indian is 
 worth so many blankets, rather than so many 
 shares of a certain stock. They put all their money 
 earned in trading, into blankets, which are packed 
 in chests in their houses, and are the pride of their 
 hearts. When a man wants some cash, h.^ pawns 
 some blankets, which he never redeems as a rule, 
 but he does not sell them, oh no, that would hurt 
 his pride, and his family honor ! In some houses 
 into which we went, we saw a dozen or more huge 
 blanket chests in the corners, a sign of wealth. If a 
 ransom is ever demanded for a life, or a fine to satisfy 
 any law of theirs, it is often paid in blankets. One 
 Indian woman in Sitka, has accumulated such 
 wealth, that she owns a trading-ship, they say, and 
 has saved twenty-thousand dollars. She leads a 
 wicked life, but she rules the town ! There is de- 
 cided '' caste " in these little settlements, and Eme- 
 line Baker is said to be the queen of this " Ran- 
 cherie," and is acknowledged as ** Princess Thom." 
 She is fat and fifty, lame and ungainly in her fleshi- 
 ness, and as homely as can be imagined. Of course, 
 we went to her house to see her collection of wares, 
 which were for sale. James made a great impres- 
 
 244 
 
sion on Princess Thorn, and she sold him a most re- 
 markable ring from her index finger, and her smiles 
 and coquettish airs set us all into fits of laughter. 
 She was stiff in her prices, and knows how to get 
 and keep the mighty dollar, but we had much fun 
 at Princess Thom's. After walking to the end of 
 the village, as we passed the home of the royal 
 princess in returning, she came prancing out to 
 offer James another ring she had, and invited him 
 into the house again. The coy princess had changed 
 her dark stuff dress to a ** Mother-Hubbard " of the 
 brightest yellow; a deeper yellow handkerchief 
 covered her head, and some other brilliant colors 
 were visible. Instead of being **a dream " in yellow, 
 she represented a genuine nightmare ! 
 
 Almost as numerous as the children in this vil- 
 lage, were the dogs ; there^were big dogs and small 
 dogs, fat dogs and lean dogs, and all were as ugly 
 and wolf-like, as any I have ever seen. They are a 
 pest and a nuisance, as they follow one, and are so 
 creepy and uncomfortable. Some were quite fero- 
 cious, but seemed brave only until an umbrella was 
 raised, or a foot stamped ; that always upset their 
 courage, and sent them flying in all directions. 
 
 These Indians are peaceful now, and never give 
 any trouble to the residents, but about seven years 
 ago there was an uprising among them, which was 
 put down providentially. They became angry over 
 some imagined injury from the whites, and were in 
 war paint for several days, and finally attacked the 
 
 245 
 
residents of Sitka, who resisted them for a time, by 
 barricading themselves in their houses. One morn- 
 ing, hope of battling longer was about given up by 
 the white people, and without doubt a general mas- 
 sacre would have resulted, if a war ship had not hap- 
 pened to put in an appearance that very morning, 
 for coal or water. The Indians have immense re- 
 spect for a gun ; they fear the business end of such 
 articles, and as soon as the ship appeared, they dis- 
 appeared into their huts and were as docile as kit- 
 tens. The Government keeps soldiers in Sitka now, 
 and a small war-ship is most of the time anchored 
 here, and manned by clever young officers. The 
 Pinta is stationed at Sitka, and we were invited on 
 board, an invitation which James accepted. 
 
 I wish I could describe the queer Indian canoes. 
 They are cut from a tree-trunk, hollowed out by the 
 Indians themselves, without rule or measure. They 
 give them long over-hanging and slender bows, and 
 sterns as well, which make them quite like gondolas 
 and decidedly picturesque. Nothing is more strange 
 than to see these long slender canoes glide along 
 through the water, with their brilliantly decked 
 occupants, crouching in the bottom of the boat. At 
 almost every place we have stopped, these canoes 
 have gathered about the ship and presented such 
 varied little pictures of Indian families and Indian 
 life. 
 
 Mrs. N. one of our Mexico passengers had known, 
 many years ago, the Russian Princess MaksoutofI, 
 
 346 
 
the first wife of Sitka's last Russian Governor. She 
 died early in her life and was buried in the little 
 graveyard in Sitka. For the sake of old times, and 
 their friendship, Mrs. N. visited her grave, and was 
 horrified to find it one mass of weeds and brambles, 
 the beautiful tombstone having been carried away 
 some distance from the grave, and it hurt Mrs. N.'s 
 feelings so much, that she had men clear and cut the 
 bushes and weeds from about it, replace the stone, 
 and left it in good condition. It was a sweet noble 
 woman's heart, that prompted such an act of kind- 
 ness and respect, and we love our fellow traveller 
 for her quiet tribute of love to her old friend. 
 
 Sitka was pronounced to-night by all, to be a most 
 charming little place. It is a marvel in many ways, 
 — in its remote situation, so far from all civilized 
 portions of the earth, in the midst of wildness of 
 land as well as of people — and yet it holds up its 
 head proudly and bravely, and seems as happy a 
 place, with as contented a set of people, as one can 
 find anywhere. 
 
 Sitka, with its greatness in the past, its legends of 
 romance and love, of blood-shed and glory, with its 
 relics and treasures in true Russian gorgeousness, is 
 the most fascinating little spot we have seen in our 
 entire journey. It seems entirely out of the com- 
 monplace, and is unique in itself and unusual and 
 foreign in many respects. One could easily spend 
 a month here, with pleasure and profit, and our 
 friends urged it so strongly that we would have re- 
 
 247 
 
mained, had we been a wee bit prepared for it. 
 They promised camping and hunting, glimpses of 
 exquisite scenery, but although sorely tempted, we 
 could not stay. 
 
 MONDAY, JULY 27TH. 
 
 \\7 E were up early as usual, this morning, and 
 soon on shore, for Sitka was too attractive 
 for us to resist. We were able to photograph a 
 little, as the sun produced a glare and semi-shine, 
 good for photographers. Jamie, Miss C. and I 
 wandered about the shops until about ten o'clock, 
 then James went to the Pinfa with Capt. Coffin, and 
 I took a long walk with Mrs. and Miss N. and Miss 
 C. to the wonderful Mission School for boys and 
 girls of Indian parentage. It is a remarkable insti- 
 tution, for the Indian children are taught not alone 
 studies, but trades and occupations. Many of the 
 young Indian boys do all the building, and do it re- 
 markably well. We were much interested in the 
 fine-looking young fellows in their uniforms, and 
 feel that the Sitka Mission is really a fine institu- 
 tion. This is the one in which Mrs. Shepard is so 
 interested, and in large letters over a door of one 
 building is " Elliot F. Shepard Training School." 
 We also visited the little Museum, full of most in- 
 teresting curios, really remarkable relics and antiqui- 
 ties. The pleasantest part of the morning was our 
 walk to Indian River, about a mile and a half. It 
 was through such an ideal country, so natural and 
 
 248 
 
wild, so full of ferns, and exquisite trees, and views, 
 really most picturesque and delightful. I had to 
 leave my companions at the Mission and hasten to 
 the MexicOy for James and I had asked Mr. and 
 Mrs. H. to lunch with us at twelve, and we had to 
 be on hand. They came, and we had a lovely visit 
 with them, and were right sorry to leave them. 
 Mrs. H. brought me as a souvenir, a most unusual 
 and unique wooden "potlach spoon" and Jamie was 
 delighted. After luncheon Mr. H. walked with us 
 to the Indian Ranch, and we took a photo of the 
 " Orthodox Family of Christians," — at least of the 
 remarkable sign over the door. 
 
 Mr. H. told us that he and some of the officers 
 had put a stop to many of the atrocious habits of 
 the Indians. One was that, whenever a man or 
 woman was dying, they would place them in a cor- 
 ner against the wall, and putting a piece of wood 
 between their teeth for them to bite on, during 
 their last agonies and struggles, the heartless people 
 would go on preparing for the burial. A lady on 
 the Mexico told us of an experience a naval friend 
 of hers had, when officer on a vessel stationed at 
 the Fiji Islands. An old Chief was ill, and he was 
 on his way to inquire for him, when he met the 
 Chief's son, who said simply ** Father's dead ! " 
 Walking to the house, the officer entered and saw 
 the Chief laid out in state, but still breathing. He 
 expostulated with the son, and tried to show him 
 that his father was not dead, but that he still 
 
 249 
 
breathed. **0h well," said the youth, "he may- 
 breath but his soul left the body long ago." The 
 Chief was carried to the grave prepared for him, 
 and buried, while he still breathed ! Two of his 
 wives were strangled to death at the same time, 
 which was their custom then, for a chief had always 
 to have company for his soul, as well in death as in 
 life. 
 
 The Mexico sailed at two o'clock. Princess Thom 
 was on the wharf, and remarkably radiant in colors 
 and avoirdupois, a spectacle which made the 
 amateur photographers particularly lively, — Jamie 
 among them. 
 
 We had a very quiet afternoon. We took a rest 
 in our chairs and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. It 
 was exquisite to-day, just such scenery as we had 
 coming to Sitka — lovely wooded islands, beauti- 
 ful little lakes, snow-capped mountains, and the 
 narrowest of passes. 
 
 TUESDAY, JULY 28TH. 
 
 pOINT ELLIS was reached again, and our anchor 
 cast, at a little after five o'clock this morning. 
 We expected to reach Glacier Bay at that hour, 
 but it was so stormy last night, the Captain decided 
 to come here to-day, and give the weather a chance 
 to change. Jamie and I did not know the change 
 of plan, so this morning, when we anchored, it 
 awoke me, and I jumped out of bed to see where 
 we were in Glacier Bay. My eyes were not half 
 
 250 
 
awake, and I imagined that I saw ice-bergs in the 
 distance, which proved to be rocks in the mist and 
 rain, for it was a stormy morning. I jumped back 
 on my little shelf after that, and slept heavily until 
 seven, and when we learned later that we had come 
 to Point Ellis for the canned salmon, we were sur- 
 prised. Our day in Glacier Bay is " the day " of 
 our trip, and as sunshine is needed to make the 
 sight perfect, the Captain is most anxious to have a 
 little sign of clearing, before going there. We an- 
 ticipate it like children, and although the dangers 
 are many, it gives spice and flavor to the experience. 
 On the last trip, a big ice-berg took eighteen inches 
 off the Mexico's bow, but the damage was soon re- 
 paired, and the trip enjoyed. 
 
 This morning I came at once, after breakfast, to 
 my cabin, to have a good long morning with my 
 writing, but soon I began to have callers, and until 
 lunch time I was not alone. Senator D. brought 
 me a few posies, — Mrs. N. came to chat awhile, — 
 Mrs. S., of Summit, also Miss J. and Miss E. in 
 turn, and after luncheon, and a little call on Mrs. 
 C, I came to my room again. Nothing, of course, 
 has happened to chronicle to-day, thus far. Every- 
 one on board is resting, or reading, to recover from 
 our long enjoyable day in Sitka, which was as ex- 
 citing to all as it was fatiguing, and now the un- 
 avoidable reaction has struck the ship, and all are 
 resting. 
 
 Dinner at five, — then we gathered in groups and 
 
 251 
 
had a merry time. About twelve came to our cor- 
 ner, and as we had only one cabin chair, and two 
 steamer chairs, we had to offer seats to some of our 
 guests on the floor. Down on the deck, — all like 
 tailors, — sat our company, and we sang " rounds," 
 and had the joUiest of jolly times. 
 
 About nine o'clock to-night, we began to approach 
 Killisnoo, a *' Herring Fishery Oil Manufactory.** 
 We were all anxious to get ashore, for every Indian 
 village attracts travellers, even having seen so many 
 already, — so, as soon as the gang-way was lowered, 
 although the tide was high, and we were to climb 
 down at an awful angle, we scrambled ashore, to 
 see all there was to be seen in Killisnoo. There 
 was much to smell, for the refuse of the herring, 
 after all the oil is extracted from it, is prepared for 
 a fertilizer, and those articles are never choice nor 
 pleasant. The Indian women, true to their trading 
 instincts, had tumbled out of their homes with their 
 wares, and were in selling trim when we arrived. 
 
 These villages consist of a couple of dozen shan- 
 ties, — no house of size or ambitious inclinations 
 being visible. The cannery, at Killisnoo, is the in- 
 dustry which holds the village and its hundred or 
 two Indians together. We wandered through the 
 dirty lanes, stamped our feet at the miserable wolf- 
 dogs, which infest Indian villages, and saw little 
 new or of interest, until we came to the house of 
 the Chief, — ** Saganaw Jake," as he is called. A 
 little broad-shouldered Indian, very thickly set, but 
 
 252 
 
with such crooked legs that he was made lame by 
 them (by constantly tripping over his own toes), was 
 in his house, entertaining some of the Mexico pas- 
 sengers by his number of uniforms. It seems he 
 was such a bad Indian that some of the naval offi- 
 cers took him, some years ago, to San Francisco, 
 where he was tried and confined in prison for one 
 year. He has killed scores of people, — Indians and 
 whites — and held undisputed sway after his brother, 
 who was really the Chief, and had a similar experi- 
 ence with the Navy. He held such a power over 
 the Indians, that the Oil Company realized that 
 they must acknowledge his authority in some way, 
 so they made him a policeman, and he holds that 
 position undisputed and alone, as unique as any 
 curio in Alaska, for Indian policemen are not many 
 in number. He wears a big bright shield, with 
 ** Indian Policeman " on it, in big letters. His pecu- 
 liar fondness is for uniforms, and officers visiting 
 here on vessels, and others, have given him uni- 
 forms of different naval degrees, and land regiment- 
 als as well. When a steamer is in Killisnoo, Jake 
 dresses up a dozen times a day, and parades on his 
 crooked legs down to the wharf, to be admired, and 
 keeps it up until all his numerous uniforms have 
 had an outing. As we were there in twilight, he 
 did some rapid work, changing his effects in his 
 house, while an admiring crowd stood by to watch 
 him. We were on hand, and were much amused by 
 the soldierly air with which he donned his cap and 
 
 253 
 
epaulettes, and moved about to " show his shape." 
 Most of these Thlinket tribes are well developed 
 from the waist-line up, having broad shoulders and 
 good chests. Their legs are frequently dwarfed, in 
 both men and women, which comes from sitting, 
 hour after hour, and day after day, in their canoes. 
 We went outside Jake's house, and were much in- 
 terested in a peculiar carved ornament over his door. 
 Over the door is a window, and above this window 
 is a carved wooden eagle's head, and spreading from 
 it are huge wings, made to represent feathers. Be- 
 low the window is the tail, also in pieces like feath- 
 ers. The window forms the body of the eagle, and 
 they say this is the only eagle in Alaska, " with a 
 pane in its breast ! " 
 
 It spreads outside the roof line, and seems as if 
 it could stretch its wings and fly right away, with the 
 house and the Chief as well. In the Indian or Chi- 
 nook language, a Chief is called a Tyee^ and an 
 island is called Illahee. On the back of Jake's house 
 are these verses, written for him by a white man at 
 Killisnoo, and cut out of wood. 
 
 Verse i. By the Government's commission, 
 And the Company's permission, 
 I am made the grand Tyee 
 Of this entire Illahee. 
 
 Verse 2. I am sung in song and story, 
 I've attained the top of glory, 
 As Saganaw I'm known to fame, 
 Jake is but my common name. 
 
 254 
 
To-day several ladies, asked Mrs. Willard, — the 
 missionary, — to tell of her life among the Indians. 
 I went to hear her, and was intensely interested. 
 She has now a mission school at Juneau, but came 
 on the Mexico from Sitka with us. She came to the 
 mission work in Alaska ten years ago, and although 
 a terrible tirade has been made against the mission- 
 aries, in some of these ports (as some have been un- 
 questionably bad, and under the cloak of religion 
 have done all kinds of outrageous things), I feel sure 
 Mrs. Willard has been a marvelous exception to the 
 rule, as she seems a woman of great strength of 
 character. Quiet, dignified, calm, not at all prepos- 
 sessing in appearance, yet she impresses one deeply, 
 when she speaks of the experiences which have been 
 hers. Ten years ago, she came with her husband to 
 the very mission at Chilcat, in which we felt an in- 
 terest early in our voyage, because two of our pas- 
 sengers were left there for the mission work. When 
 she went there, there was not one white person near 
 her, not one soul but Indians, and they were the 
 war-like Chilcats, the most troublesome tribe, even 
 now, of these people on the Alaskan coast. They 
 were in quite a fury when the Willards reached them, 
 as they had had a long fight with a neighboring 
 tribe. The Chilcats number between two and three 
 thousand now. They are separated in five villages. 
 The Willards selected their site for the mission 
 buildings in the centre of these five settlements, and 
 while they were building the husband and wife went 
 
 255 
 
to visit the villages. One chief refused to admit 
 them to his village, but they were bold and brave, 
 and did not stop, but went on and were received 
 after all, by His Highness. A great storm (more 
 severe than any storm known in that vicinity before 
 or since), visited that part of the country, the first 
 winter the Willards were there, and the *' Medicine 
 Men," the men of power in the village, told the peo- 
 ple, that the gods of the earth and air were angry, 
 because these white people had come into their midst 
 with their new God, and they must kill them. The 
 ** Medicine Men *' are the priests of the villages, but 
 the Indians believed then, in no God, except gods 
 of anger, and gods to fear, and fear in its most terri- 
 ble form was their only natural emotion. These 
 Medicine Men were listened to attentively, as long 
 as their hair was long, but the minute a man's hair 
 was cut off, he was lost until it grew again, and the 
 worst punishment that could happen to a Medicine 
 Man was to lose his hair. They wore all kinds of 
 charms about their necks, and all over them, and 
 their work was to frighten away evil spirits, and 
 when they used to dance ovet their patients, they 
 would put on a mask, and then roar and plunge 
 about the sick one, throwing charms at him, and 
 making passes, until the spirit was supposed to be 
 driven out of the patient. Most usually the patient 
 died ! Mrs. Willard said these Chilcats were so 
 against them, that they kept provisions or any food 
 from them, and the dire results make one almost 
 
 256 
 
sick to write. The poor woman had her limbs 
 paralyzed, from her waist down, and one of her hus- 
 band's arms became useless, — and to crown all, her 
 little girl was very ill. All the time the Indians 
 were making their lives a purgatory. They had 
 been fired upon, — the Medicine Men and Chiefs had 
 threatened their lives, and all kinds of hardships had 
 been theirs, through which, Mrs. Willard said, they 
 were carried miraculously, by a power unseen, 
 and not tangible, but ever by their side. The 
 Indians have a law, that if a life is taken, one must 
 be given in compensation, — if a man is killed, ac- 
 cording to his rank, lives are demanded. For in- 
 stance, if a chief is killed in battle, four men^s lives 
 are demanded from the enemy in return. They 
 have a caste and a standard, and it is as unchanging 
 as the laws of the Medes and Persians. Mrs. Wil- 
 lard used to visit the sick, and take gruel and medi- 
 cine to them. The Medicine Men saw their power 
 slipping from them, so they would meet Mrs. 
 Willard, on her walk to and from these people, and 
 shaking their fists in her face, tell her she would 
 be killed if she continued such acts, — that if one 
 person died, they would demand her life, etc. She 
 continued her work, with supernatural courage. 
 After years among these Indians, the Willards gradu- 
 ally gained their affection, were adopted into their 
 tribe, were most cordially treated and loved, and 
 even now, when Chilcat Indians come to Juneau, 
 they always visit the Willards, and beg " father and 
 
 257 
 
mother, to come home to Chilcat." But after many 
 years among them, in their school, a Chief's child 
 died, and then the Indian affection had a test. The 
 lives of Mrs. Willard's little son and daughter were 
 demanded, as a recompense for the death of the 
 Chief's child. The old Chief himself held out against 
 this demand for a long time, but the other Chiefs 
 assembled and demanded it, for the pride of their 
 tribe was in danger, and their time-honored law 
 could not be insulted. At last, the father of the 
 child demanded the two lives as his right, but the 
 Willards held their own, and kept calm, and soon 
 moved away to Juneau. She told us many interest- 
 ing items of the queer lives of these people, of their 
 wealth, etc. The rich Indians give sometimes, great 
 feasts, called "Potlaches," which cost them thou- 
 sands of dollars. At these potlaches they give quan- 
 tities of food, and throw hundreds of blankets among 
 the guests, which the guests immediately reduce to 
 tatters, tearing in strips, and throwing over them- 
 selves, and over the ground. This constitutes great 
 liberality, and is their idea of a good time. The 
 more they destroy, the grander the feast, the greater 
 the Chief, and the more successful the potlach. The 
 poor Indians often gather up the broken strips and 
 make themselves clothing out of them. 
 We left Killisnoo at lo P. M. 
 
 358 
 
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29TH. 
 
 HTHERE are some days in life, which defy the 
 cleverest pen to describe, or picture, when one 
 feels dumb and speechless, and the sensations and 
 emotions are too many and unusual to portray. 
 Such a day in our lives was Wednesday, July 29th 
 1 89 1. It was the day chosen by the Captain for our 
 trip into Glacier Bay, to see the greatest glacier known 
 to scientists, the Muir Glacier. It is the acme of 
 enjoyment to all travellers in Alaska, and the most 
 unusual portion of the trip, in every sense of the word. 
 Usually the steamers approach the Glacier until 
 within a half mile in front, and then anchor off the 
 side, in thirty fathoms of water. The Muir Glacier 
 is said to be grand beyond measure ; it is three miles 
 wide across the front, and one solid mass of ice com- 
 ing to the water's edge, and it breaks off in great 
 masses every little while, making the sound of roar- 
 ing cannon, and producing disturbances of unusual 
 features in the Bay. Its water front, or terminal 
 moraine, is between three and four hundred feet 
 high, and full of wonderful deposits. People are 
 landed a half mile from it, and are able to walk to 
 it, and over it, if they wish. It is the most wonder- 
 ful sight imaginable, but — we did not see it f It nearly 
 broke our hearts, but we were compensated in the 
 end, and now feel that we have had two experiences 
 never before allotted to Alaska tourists. 
 About half past four o'clock this morning, I was 
 
 259 
 
aroused by an awful thump on the ship's side, fol- 
 lowed by another, and another, until I began to 
 awake to the realization that we were at last in 
 Glacier Bay, and in the midst of ice-bergs. I jumped 
 down from my shelf, opened the door, and peeped 
 out ; and such a scene as greeted my eyes ! A 
 dozen or more fine ice-bergs surrounded our ship, 
 and the dear old Mexico was pushing her way along, 
 like a veritable snail. Just then Mr. C. the freight 
 clerk, whose room is next door, knocked hard on the 
 partition, according to promise, and Jamie awoke 
 also. I could hardly see, I was so sleepy, but I re- 
 alized this was a day with few parallels, in our lives, 
 and we could afford to lose sleep, rather than one 
 moment of such an unusual experience. Jamie was 
 of similar mind, so we were up and dressed soon after 
 five o'clock, and out on the hurricane deck. We 
 found lots of fellow passengers and slowly, little by 
 little, others came, until most of us were on deck. It 
 was bitterly cold, and icy, damp and penetrating ; the 
 sky was gray and overcast — the mountains on all 
 sides were a deep misty blue — but the scene before 
 us beggared description ! I looked in every direc- 
 tion, and was dumb. Not a single word came at my 
 bidding, and I shivered and shook, from the intense 
 cold, as well as from the impression of the marvelous 
 scene before us. Coffee was to be had below, but I 
 was glued to the spot, and Jamie went and ordered 
 the hot drink with toast, brought to us on the 
 hurricane deck, where we stood and ate in silence. 
 
 260 
 
Around us, before, behind, on each side, was ice, — 
 great ice-bergs, — so tremendous that our ship 
 seemed but an atom, a speck, to their wonderful 
 size. As far as the eye could reach, these moun- 
 tains of ice were to be seen, in such magnificence, 
 in such wondrous shapes and colors, that I shall 
 not be surprised, if I am considered extravagrant 
 in my description of them. At first the bergs were 
 fewer and with distance between them, but the 
 crystal clearness of the water doubled each mons- 
 ter, and we could only imagine the depth below 
 the water-line. The mountains also were exquis- 
 ite in the water mirror, and the gray light made 
 the ice-bergs a glorious white against the sombre 
 background. Little by little, the ice closed in upon 
 us ; the good old ship buried her nose in it, push- 
 ing it aside, scratching against it, and splintering 
 her bow dreadfully. Two hours* steaming only 
 registered five miles covered, and we were then 
 twelve miles from the Muir Glacier. We could 
 see it in the distance, in its awful grandeur, and 
 the snow mountains surrounding and encasing 
 it, in a radiant white circle. It seemed very near to 
 us; its wall of ice looked mountain high, and so 
 strangely distinct, but a traveller who had three 
 times seen this wonderful sight, told us we were 
 viewing a mirage. Often much ice is encountered in 
 the passage through Glacier Bay, and only the last 
 trip, the Mexico's bow was taken off eighteen inches 
 back, and water came into the hold. Never but 
 
 36X 
 
once, however, had our Captain seen such a sight ; 
 only once had he ever been obliged to turn back. 
 Slowly the ice closed in upon us ; the great ice-bergs 
 encircled us, and seemed to hold us fast in their em- 
 brace. The old ship shivered and shook — she 
 pressed her bow against the- great obstacles — she 
 pushed, twisted and tried to advance one inch, but 
 to no avail. We were truly bound tightly in, by the 
 wonderful ice. Commander C, who had been to 
 the Arctic Sea, on the Alert, in search of Greeley, 
 said this scene was as truly like the Arctic Ocean, 
 with its bergs and ice, as anything he could possibly 
 imagine, and we were having an experience which 
 few people, except explorers of the Arctic regions, 
 ever have. We fully realized it. The ice impeded 
 our progress ; not one inch could we move without 
 imminent danger, and the engines were stopped, 
 and we lay quietly in our cradle of ice for a couple 
 of hours. The scene before us was magnificent, 
 and swallowed up all worry and fear we had, or 
 might have had, if we had not been in the seventh 
 heaven of bliss and ecstasy. 
 
 The great bergs towered on all sides of us, in such 
 marvelous sizes and such remarkable shapes. Some 
 were like several houses in one mass, and reflecting 
 the most wonderful colors. As far as the eye could 
 reach, there was nothing but wondrous ice and snow. 
 Some ice-bergs were a brilliant green, others as if a 
 bag of blueing had been poured on them, the blue 
 was so intense, and these colors were reflected in the 
 
 262 
 
queer gray water, which is invariably the result of 
 glaciers, and denotes the proximity to one, wherever 
 it is met. It is caused by the sediment of matter, 
 deposited in the water by the glacial action. On 
 these ice-bergs, imbedded often in the ice and snow, 
 were huge boulders and coal, rocks of all sizes and 
 colors, carried along for miles and miles by this ice 
 river, and brought from — goodness knows where ! 
 Some of these ice-bergs were like mushrooms, 
 glorious in size and pure white in color, forming 
 marvelous contrasts with the greens and blues. Be- 
 tween these floating mountains of ice, were smaller 
 masses, crowding together, heaping up in little piles, 
 and chipping and tumbling about, but slowly and 
 with dignity, for the whole harbor or bay was cov- 
 ered as solidly as if the pieces had been glued to- 
 gether. The most beautiful thing of all was the 
 delicate musical hum of the ice, as it cracked, and 
 creaked, and knocked together. It was a positive 
 song, as rhythmical and harmonious as an orchestra 
 could make it, with a distinct melody of sweet 
 sounds. As it thumped against the sides of the 
 ship, it hummed away to itself so merrily and 
 cheerily, and seemed to sing something about 
 " not going home until morning," or '* Forever and 
 Forever." The big pieces seemed more sedate in 
 their measured metre, but the little cakes of ice 
 danced in their glee over their prisoners, and were 
 tremulous in their treble clef. As far as the eye 
 could reach, great ice-bergs towered to the sky, and 
 
 263 
 
seemed to threaten, with numerous fingers of ice 
 pointing upwards, dire disaster and calamities great, 
 if the old ship dared try a step more, or persevere 
 against their great glorious fortress of snow and ice. 
 The ice-song went on, in single voices, then in great 
 and grand choruses, a little metallic ring making it 
 different from any oratorio or opera ever sung, and 
 yet never surpassed by any Musical Festival, or 
 Bayreuth Carnival. It was a song of the ice 
 witches, a wild weird harmony, with such soft and 
 mysterious crescendos. I felt such supreme and 
 unusual emotions, as if I had been transported to 
 another world, where language and life were so new 
 and strange, — as if a door had opened to some 
 " Kingdom Wonderful " and I had been allowed to 
 stand on the threshold and look therein. 
 
 While the dreamers dreamed, and gazed off upon 
 that Arctic scene, consultations were being held by 
 the careful officers of our ship, and it was decided 
 unsafe to push our way any farther into that river 
 of ice-bergs, all of which seemed so cold and inhos- 
 pitable to our approach. Before we turned our bow 
 homeward, a small boat was lowered from the ship, 
 that our ice supply might be re-inforced, and the 
 only way the little boat could go ahead to the bow 
 of the MexicOy was by the two sailors jumping out 
 on the ice, pushing the ice a little away with boat 
 hooks, and then dragging and hauling it along. The 
 men walked about the ship as if on land. Great 
 cakes of ice were pulled up, a strong net of ropes 
 
 264 
 
slipped under, and by a pulley and ropes from the 
 yard-arm in the bow, several small ice-bergs were 
 taken on board, to keep our provisions good for the 
 rest of our trip. The tide changed, after a couple of 
 hours of waiting, and cleared the ice only a little bit 
 from our bows, but enough to allow the good old ship 
 to swing about, and go an inch at a time towards clear 
 water. Cautiously and carefully our capable Cap- 
 tain carried us along, but the five miles took us 
 about three hours to cover. It was one constant 
 feast of unusual sights and scenes, and we spent our 
 entire morning flying from one part of the ship to 
 another, as exclamations of delight would reach our 
 ears. Finally, worn out after five hours of this en- 
 joyment, we had just settled ourselves in our chairs 
 for a rest, when Mrs. C. came to me in quite a fever 
 of excitement, and said, "Come quick, and bring 
 your camera ! '* I ran after her, and as I reached 
 the other side of the ship, I saw the picture she de- 
 sired me to catch. In between the great cakes of 
 ice, and the ice-bergs, like a veritable atom of life, 
 came a little tiny canoe, with an Indian, his squaw 
 and pappoose ! It was bitterly cold and raw, but 
 way out in that sea of ice, as fearless as a lion, came 
 the seal-hunter, in his light frail craft. Sitting in 
 the stern was the woman, her pappoose in her lap, 
 rolled so much in heavy cloths it was hardly visible. 
 She paddled very rapidly. In the bow sat the 
 Indian, and in front of him was a queer square sail- 
 like arrangement, behind which the seal-hunter 
 
 265 
 
crouches when he approaches a seal. The little 
 canoe was covered with white, and all this is done 
 to make the small affair resemble a cake of ice, as 
 much as possible, and surprise the seal. The canoe 
 approached our ship bravely and steadly and the oc- 
 cupants seemed so pleased to see us. We all gath- 
 ered to see them, Miss N. lowering on a string a 
 pretty and bright head-handkerchief for the squaw, 
 which gave much pleasure to the poor woman. 
 They paddled along for a while by our side, then as 
 we all saw a seal, we told them of it, and they turned 
 and went in search of it, and the last we saw of the 
 little canoe, it was pushing its way along in the ice, 
 and seemed a mere speck in the distance. Some- 
 times those hunters are out, for two or three days, in 
 their boats, seal-hunting. Just as we were coming 
 to clear water, we met the grandest ice-berg of our 
 morning. It was as long as our ship, which is two 
 hundred and seventy-five feet in length, and was 
 fifty feet high, and it went sailing by us like a mag- 
 nificent ice-palace, of grand and colossal proportions. 
 After reaching clear water, we steamed at usual 
 speed and reached Juneau at 7.15 P. M. Although 
 it rained hard we went on shore, but having seen all 
 before, in sunshine, we did not do much, except look 
 into the stores. As we returned to the ship we saw 
 a genuine Medicine Man. He was tall and dark, 
 wore high rubber boots, and a brilliant striped 
 blanket covered him from neck to knee. His face 
 was as hard and stern and as ignorant as a brute's, 
 
 266 
 
and I would like to apologize to the brute for the 
 comparison. What interested us most was his head. 
 His hair was long, and probably it was against his re- 
 ligion to ever comb it, for it hung in ropes, like great 
 cords, it was so matted together, and it was caught 
 and tucked under his blanket. I never have seen such 
 a dreadful head in my life. Medusa, with her myriad 
 snakes and serpents, would be a fascinating picture 
 to the dirty, unwashed, uncombed heathen Indian. 
 
 THURSDAY, JULY 30TH. 
 
 '\ 17" E remained at Juneau all night, and about 
 eight o'clock in the morning, we steamed 
 over to Douglas Island for theTreadwell Mine, gold. 
 My own eyes feasted on the small parcels of gold 
 brought on board, which amounted to ninety-thou- 
 sand dollars. It was good to look upon. About 
 ten o'clock, the dear old Mexico steamed away from 
 the wharf at Douglas Island, and we started forTaku 
 Inlet, for the Captain was bound to have his passen- 
 gers see some glaciers, and in Taku Inlet are two 
 fine ones, not so grand as the Muir, but very fine 
 and to some more beautiful, because of the purity of 
 the ice. We had a most exquisite sail into this little 
 paradise, into this Inlet of wooded shores and 
 glorious grandeur. Finally, about twelve o'clock, we 
 were nearing the Taku Glacier, and were to approach 
 through the sea of ice-bergs to its front, when the 
 channel having shifted, owing to glacial deposits, 
 high and dry on a sand-bank went our bow, and we 
 
 267 
 
were grounded. We rejoiced all day over this fact, 
 and called it " our good fortune," for we had to re- 
 main until high tide to get afloat again, and high 
 tide was at 9 P. M. A whole day in such magnifi- 
 cent scenery, a whole day in Paradise ! 
 
 Around us on every side were the most majestic 
 mountains, every one with a crown of crystal snow, 
 every one with such glorious outlines, such ice-cut 
 rock sides, such green foliage near the water's edge, 
 that the picture was one exquisite vision of color, 
 a veritable mosaic. We lay in among ice-bergs 
 without number, in a basin of beautiful outlines, 
 encased and surrounded by a circle of grand hills, 
 whose variety of form against the blue sky, made 
 an impression upon us never to be effaced. Down 
 the mountain sides tumbled breathlessly a multi- 
 tude of silvery streams, and once in a while, a glori- 
 ous mass of brilliant red, informed us where the 
 snow-flower was growing. Toward our left hand, 
 in beauty and grandeur, stood the great Child 
 Glacier, but a mile of mud and stones deposited by 
 the ice, made a nearer acquaintance quite out of the 
 question. In front of us, about three miles away, in 
 most inviting beauty, stood the pure and exquisite 
 Taku Glacier, in such radiant glory in the sunshine 
 that it was a feast to stand and watch it. Between 
 us and the Glacier, as well as on our right hand, 
 and forward, were innumerable ice-bergs, more 
 beautiful, if that could be, than any of Glacier Bay, 
 more individual and characteristic. 
 
 s63 
 
Although no boats had ever been sent to the 
 front of this Glacier, although all the sea-faring men 
 said it was fool-hardy and dangerous, and the peo- 
 ple were taking their lives in their hands, three 
 crowded boats started out after luncheon, and rowed 
 in and out between the ice-bergs, to the front of the 
 glacier. We watched these three boats until they 
 were tiny specks in the distance; we lost sight of 
 them many times, and for an hour or more could 
 not find them, they were so hidden behind the ice. 
 The greatest danger was in the fact that huge pin- 
 nacles were constantly being deposited in the water, 
 breaking off from the glacier, and when these masses 
 fall they produce disturbances in the water, which 
 oftentimes overturn huge ice-bergs, and make 
 much danger for any boat, especially a small one. 
 These boats were terribly crowded, and Jamie and I 
 were not alone, in refusing to imperil our lives in 
 such a crowd. We remained on deck all the after- 
 noon, most enthusiastic and excited over the scene 
 before us, for it defied description, and words can never 
 tell what a mysterious charm came over us this day. 
 We could do nothing but absorb and drink in that 
 grandeur. After four hours* absence our three boats 
 returned, enthusiastic in the wildest terms over their 
 experience. Some poor women had been in hyster- 
 ics over the trip, and came home used up and worn 
 out and in tears, but most of them were anxious for 
 us to see the same wonderful sight. Mr. Gray, the first 
 officer, had asked us in the afternoon, why we did 
 
 269 
 
not go, and when I told him it was because of the 
 crowd that we were afraid, he promised to take us 
 there himself, and in perfect safety, and after dinner, 
 and sending one boat-load of twenty people off with 
 two sailors, Mr. Gray took Jamie and me, with seven 
 friends and four sailors, to see the great sight. 
 
 We pushed off from the ship about 6 p. M. and 
 rowed directly toward the Taku Glacier, threading 
 our way in and out between the great bergs, and oh, 
 how great and cold and awful they did look to us, 
 in our tiny boat ! It was then that we appreciated 
 the size and height of those terrible ice mountains, 
 the beauty and magnificence and grandeur of those 
 marvelous churches and palaces and cathedrals of 
 ice. A great arched berg, raising its head so proudly 
 and gracefully, resembled a swan of colossal propor- 
 tions, another was a great bear, and all the animals 
 in the animal kingdom were faithfully represented 
 there. We rowed around a great white snow berg, 
 with such tremendous perpendicular walls, such 
 slabs of snow ice, that it seemed impossible to real- 
 ize, that such a weight could be buoyed up by the 
 water, and came to a transparent castle of glorious 
 blue, like a gem, a veritable turquoise, as if it had 
 just dropped from God's blue skies. Next we would 
 see a huge ice-berg, whose overhanging top made 
 beautiful ice-grottos, far surpassing in glorious 
 beauty, the famed '' Blue Grotto " of Capri. Next 
 to this a transparent ice-berg of pure clear ice, then 
 a deep green one, until one was bewildered, and the 
 
 370 
 
mind could grasp no more. As we crept by inches 
 between the ice-bergs, we were crawling over them as 
 well, as vigorous thumps on the bottom of the boat 
 informed us. " Easy boys," sang Officer Gray to 
 his sailors, ** we don't want to go to the bottom 
 here in such ice water." " Is there danger? " quoth 
 I. ** Yes indeed, but we'll be careful," was the reply. 
 Was I nervous ? Maybe ! a little at first, but the 
 novelty of the experience, the beauty of the scene, 
 the great and glorious ice, finally absorbed and swal- 
 lowed up all fears, and I felt as if I was in Heaven 
 at last, and if I was tossed into that water, I could 
 not be far from God's Great White Throne. We 
 went within an eighth of a mile of the front of the 
 glacier, and there we lay for a while to watch and 
 see. Oh, how beautiful it was ! Rising two and 
 three hundred feet, right from the water into the air, 
 in pinnacles, turrets, spires and columns, in blue and 
 white and green ice, was this great frozen river, in 
 exquisite purity and whiteness. Some points and 
 pyramids were divided by tremendous cracks and 
 crevasses, which produced the most marvelous 
 shadows, such deep colors, that it made one creep 
 with fear, to see such unfathomable depths. As we 
 sat in the boat and feasted our eyes upon that mar- 
 velous miracle, in the last rays of the setting sun, it 
 was a glimpse of Heaven in reality, a sight which 
 grows more and more impressive, as I think of it day 
 after day. It was the mysterious wonder, the one 
 great unexplained query of all that night, as to the 
 
 271 
 
age and meaning of those rivers of ice; their 
 historical records imprisoned in the stranded boulders 
 and floating ice-bergs, could not be fathomed ; they 
 held their secret fast, in their silent beauty. Our 
 row back to the ship was even more beautiful than 
 our row to the glacier, and it was with regret that 
 we reached the Mexico, after 9 P. M. We returned, 
 thoroughly imbued with the emotions of the occa- 
 sion, and in a spirit of exaltation and ecstasy, of 
 awe, wonder and of praise. "Ye ice and snow, 
 Praise ye the Lord," had been fulfilled to the letter 
 of the law, and we were in tune with the anthem. 
 
 FRIDAY, JULY 3 1 ST. 
 
 /^H, how we slept last night! Not a sound did 
 we hear this morning, not even the great rising 
 bell, until Tom, our chambermaidy knocked on the 
 cabin door, with hot water. I jumped up then with 
 my eyes full of sticks, and a big wish in my heart to 
 remain for an extra snooze. Breakfast over, we put 
 on our ulsters and heavy things (for it was very, 
 very cold), and went up on the hurricane deck, for 
 we were nearing one of the narrowest passes of our 
 trip. Wrangle Narrows is a dangerous passage, and 
 requires great skill to go through safely, but Captain 
 Hunter is equal to anything, and no one can be 
 timid with such a safe, reliable captain at the helm. 
 The passage is most beautiful, winding in and out 
 between thickly wooded banks, and giving us glimpses 
 of the greatest beauty and variety. The men casting 
 
 273 
 
the lead were of interest too, and their weird calls 
 *' By the mark-five,*' **and the <^<?^-six," emphasiz- 
 ing always the words underlined, were like Greek to 
 me, until I learned that all odd numbers were ac- 
 companied by the word " mark," and all the even 
 by " deep/* They have such a clever adroit manner 
 of swinging the lead back and forth, until it is in 
 proper form to turn in circles, and this gives it carry- 
 ing power, and takes it flying out beyond the bows 
 into the water. 
 
 We enjoyed the morning chatting, as we had lots 
 of company in our cosy corner. About half-past one 
 o'clock, we began to see Fort Wrangle in the dis- 
 tance, and were all on the gut vive when the Mexico 
 reached the wharf. The Captain gave us only an 
 hour this time, as we had been here for much longer 
 when we first came, so we jumped off the ship in 
 quick hot haste, Miss C. and I in the lead. We had 
 ordered a souvenir spoon, and having very little con- 
 fidence in the Indian's word of honor, we were 
 anxious to reach his hut before others should per- 
 suade him to sell to them. We two fairly tore 
 through the village, between the little huts and 
 through the alleys, and on reaching Indian Charlie 
 Gunnak, the silversmith, we found our fears were 
 without foundation, for our spoons were carefully 
 put away, waiting for us. We then strolled about 
 the place, walking along the beach in the wet, for 
 it was sprinkling and real damp Alaska weather, 
 and we found another Indian who wanted to sell us 
 
 273 
 
something. The entire village turns out on steamer 
 days, and as most of the village consists of Indians, 
 the houses are lined and outlined by these crouch- 
 ing figures, with their bright yellow, red and green 
 head-handkerchiefs and their showy blankets, and 
 their baskets and skins of animals, spread out before 
 them to sell. 
 
 We were bound to see the Chief's house this time 
 if we could, the "Chief Shakes," who was away 
 fishing when we were in Fort Wrangle before. He 
 lives in a typical Indian house, but the one room 
 was large and had three tiers about it. The lowest 
 part or square is where the fire is usually built ; 
 around it are two steps, or balconies, on which the 
 Indians lie on fur skins, and eat, smoke, or sleep. 
 Still higher is a raised shelf-like balcony, running 
 entirely around the room, on which are put the 
 rude board bedsteads, tables, etc. Shakes was at 
 home, but was very different from my idea of a 
 real chief. He is short and does not impress one 
 very deeply, yet he is their Chief, the Chief of the 
 Wrangle Indians, and has great power among his 
 people. He is wealthy and displayed with great 
 pride his collection of curios, which consisted of 
 relics of years and years, some having rather inter- 
 esting legends associated with them. The Shakes 
 family have a tradition, that a big white bear 
 jumped out of Noah's ark, swam to Alaska and went 
 to Shakes' great, great, great, great grandfather for 
 food. The grandfather mentioned is said to have 
 
 274 
 
fed and housed the bear, who lived in peace and 
 gratitude with the family for years, until his death. 
 The skin is shown by Shakes, with great pride, and 
 he told us to-day that the skin and head were about 
 eight hundred years old, showing the Indian idea 
 of the date of the deluge. He had many robes, 
 shirts and blankets, worn at different times by his 
 ancestors, and these were elaborately decorated with 
 pearl button designs, men's faces made with them, 
 eyes, nose and mouth being very expressive and 
 lifelike ! He had numerous hats, such as Kadishan 
 showed us, with bronze dragons and ermine tails 
 hanging, innumerable totem effects, carved and 
 painted figures, wonderful carved horns, some most 
 unusual curios, and all were heirlooms and priceless. 
 Outside his house were two totems. One was won- 
 derfully fine and old, in fact, only the old Indian 
 villages have these totem poles ; the other repre- 
 sented the historical bear. The sides of the pole 
 were covered with bear foot-prints, as if the bear had 
 climbed up the pole, and on the top was a carved 
 wooden bear crouching. It tells its own story, the 
 fable of the bear from the Ark, and makes the fam- 
 ily history of Shakes branch and tribe of great 
 antiquity. 
 
 We were as much interested in these totem poles, 
 seeing them the second time, as at first ; in fact their 
 originality and unusual appearance were more im- 
 pressive to-day than before. Nowhere else in the 
 world are these totems to be seen ; they are unique 
 
 275 
 
and one of Alaska's charms. We left Wrangle 
 about three o'clock and steamed around a short dis- 
 tance, only fifteen minutes' sail, to Labouchere Bay, 
 where a cannery is situated, and where we took on 
 more canned salmon. No one went ashore, as there 
 was absolutely nothing to see. Jamie napped and I 
 took the little opportunity of quiet and repose to 
 write. After dinner, it was cold, so until we started 
 I sat inside my cabin door and wrote a little more. 
 By snatching odd unused minutes, my journal is 
 kept, for I cannot spare the time when there is any- 
 thing to see or enjoy. About seven o'clock. Miss N. 
 and Miss K. came to my door, to tell me there was 
 music and dancing on the hurricane deck, so Jamie 
 and I went up, and it was such a jolly evening. A 
 young fellow had come aboard at Fort Wrangle, 
 who played the banjo, Miss S. accompanied on the 
 guitar ; Capt. Hunter is a musical genius and had 
 his violin on deck, another man had a violin also, 
 and the dancing was quite spirited. We had the 
 jolliest time imaginable, for we all know one another 
 well now, and congenial spirits always flock together, 
 consequently " our crowd " is a right royally jolly 
 one. 
 
 About 8 P. M. we moved out of Labouchere Bay, 
 and every one was deeply grieved because one of 
 the ship's dogs had been left at Fort Wrangle. 
 Around to Fort Wrangle we turned, to find the miss- 
 ing favorite "Texas." Capt. Hunter has two huge 
 Newfoundland dogs, who never leave him, and 
 
 276 
 
whose devotion to our Captain is truly touching. 
 Everybody on the ship is devoted to Texas, and Jeff 
 Davis. Owing to some mistake Texas was left, and 
 no one could be reconciled to make the rest of the 
 voyage without him. Up to the wharf the big 
 Mexico steamed ; lines were thrown out and made 
 fast, and a boatswain sent on shore to find Texas. 
 No one else went ashore but every one watched for 
 the dear old dog. Soon, down the long wharf came 
 the great black fellow, running like mad, and when 
 he saw the ship, the Captain and the people, I 
 thought his tail would wriggle right off, it waved so 
 rapidly. No gangway was put out, but he was 
 helped into a port hole, and as soon as he was on 
 board he rushed for the Captain, who stood on his 
 bridge. The meeting between the Captain and Jeff 
 and Texas, was really touching. Jeff ran up and 
 kissed Texas, and Texas could hardly do enough to 
 express his gratitude to his master. He jumped all 
 over him, licked his hands, and expressed his thanks 
 as no words could have done, and it was truly won- 
 derful to see the love that noble old dog was trying, 
 all the evening, to express to his Captain. 
 
 We had the pleasantest evening of the voyage. 
 Mrs. N., Mrs. C, Miss C, Dr. N., Miss N., James 
 and I sat together until half-past nine o'clock, then 
 we went for some supper. When we went down, it 
 seemed wicked to eat and leave such beauty, for the 
 scenery was magnificent and the sunset glory was 
 radiantly exquisite. Gold, liquid and pure, with 
 
 277 
 
filmy violet and rose tints strewed over it, with a re- 
 flection of such shimmering beauty, that it seemed 
 almost unnatural, was the picture we saw. Ten 
 minutes after ten o'clock, when we came up from 
 supper, it was still beautiful and bright as day. 
 
 We were just parting for the night, when some one 
 told us there was music in the Captain's cabin. Go- 
 ing to his room, we found a crowd assembled as au- 
 dience, and inside the room were a few fellows with 
 pleasant voices, singing glees, old-timers some of 
 them — but always good. It was a pleasant ending 
 to a most lovely day. 
 
 This morning we saw as many as twenty eagles, on 
 one bank of Wrangle's Narrows. They were big 
 fellows, with white heads. On Tuesday last, one of 
 the engineers went out into the woods again, and 
 when he returned came to my door and showed me 
 his prize. He had shot a big bald-headed eagle, and 
 we measured his wings from tip to tip, and he 
 measured seven feet eight inches. He was a mon- 
 ster. 
 
 SATURDAY, AUGUST 1ST. 
 
 ^ITHEN we awoke this morning, we found it 
 raining dismally, and we were anchored in 
 the beautiful land-locked harbor of Yaas Bay. It is 
 a beautiful spot, wooded to the water's edge, and 
 the ferns and mosses are exquisite. There is a 
 cannery here, and we are doing a great salmon busi- 
 ness, this dear old Mexico, and we must lie here all 
 
 278 
 
day loading. There is a salmon wheel here, and we 
 anticipated seeing it, as the fish are caught on the 
 paddle of the wheel, as they pass through the 
 stream, and are thrown on shore. But, although 
 some people ventured on shore, they found the 
 mud ankle deep, and were unable to reach the 
 wheel. Jamie borrowed a big pair of rubber boots, 
 and started off, but he went into mud almost to 
 his knees, although he succeeded in seeing the 
 wheel. We have had a quiet day, — good to most 
 of us, for we were tired. I have sat in my cabin, 
 with my door open, most of the morning, while just 
 outside sit an army of people, all scraping horn 
 spoons. It is an epidemic and has struck everyone 
 on board, except Jamie and myself, and we expect 
 to succumb soon. The horn spoons made and used 
 by the Indians, from the horns of the mountain 
 sheep, are very old, and after scraping down with 
 glass and sand-paper, are capable of being highly 
 polished, and although it takes great elbow exercise, 
 each one tries to outdo his neighbor. As I write, 
 the scrape, scrape, scrape, makes a regular song, an 
 opera in sand-paper rhythm, and such groans and 
 sighs as come from the spoony crowd ! Oil is 
 rubbed in, rosin is used, and a real dirty operation it 
 is, but everybody is working like a day-laborer. 
 The workers sit in little groups, and such merri- 
 ment as it all provokes. I wish some time that I 
 could put down all the jokes and fun. We think 
 something of having a " horn-spoon photograph,** 
 
 279 
 
and as no one will be allowed in it, unless he can 
 give a certificate that he has scraped, at least five 
 minutes, we must get to work and qualify for office. 
 I saw Mr. S. in Fort Wrangle yesterday, with a 
 paper bundle under his arm, and as everyone asks 
 everybody else what they have bought, and what 
 they have paid, I said to Mr. S., '* Been buying 
 photographs, I see. " *' No, I haven't," he an- 
 swered, " that's a pane of glass and sand-paper, for 
 I'm going into the spoon business." 
 
 This afternoon Miss N. and Miss K. came to my 
 room, and we all copied Captain Hunter's record of 
 the nautical miles of our trip. Outside the door sat 
 Jamie and several others. About half-past three, I 
 made "tea" in my little Chinese basket, and enter- 
 tained the crowd. We had lots of fun and merri- 
 ment, and kept it up until dinner time. Just before 
 going to dinner, Mr. C. gave me a beautiful spoon, a 
 light-colored horn one, and beautifully polished, his 
 own work. I was much pleased. 
 
 After dinner, we all put on our rubbers to go 
 ashore at Loring. It rained, of course, as it does 
 much of the time in Alaska, but we all went ashore 
 armed with umbrellas, and marched in Indian file, up 
 to the one store in this cluster of two dozen little 
 huts. The door was locked, and a man standing 
 near said, ** the man will open the store after he has 
 finished his supper." There was independence for 
 you, a little piazza crowded full of people, about 
 seventy-five in all, standing and waiting for Loring's 
 
 280 
 
one merchant to finfsh his supper! I could not help 
 expressing surprise at the man's utter indifference 
 to the almighty dollar. He came at last, and opened 
 the store, and we all tumbled in en masse and 
 divided as our tastes led us. Some small boys 
 wanted candy, so we waited about fifteen minutes 
 for them to be satisfied, and for the one store-keeper 
 to come our way. After a look about, Jamie and I, 
 with a young lady from Pasadena, went with Mr. E. 
 into the Salmon Cannery. I had not been into any 
 such establishment, and James thought I should see 
 one before leaving Alaska. Every one advised me 
 not to go, but I did go, and I'm glad. I saw the 
 salmon taken, and heads and tails cut off, split, 
 cleaned, and then thrown on a table, and cut into 
 pieces. The machine was not working, but I saw 
 where the pieces of salmon are put in, where the 
 can comes down in a shute, and is filled, and then is 
 pushed by steam in a little channel, to have a top put 
 on. It is then soldered, and put in hot water, boil- 
 ing water, where it remains forty-five minutes. A 
 hole is then made in the can, to allow the air to es- 
 cape, and it is at once soldered again. It is then put 
 into " coolies," they are called, and placed in a retort, 
 where they stay one hour, at a temperature of 240^. 
 They are washed immediately in cold water, and 
 then put in a trepanning bath. Labeling and pack- 
 ing come next, and then the process ends. It was 
 really interesting to me and I was glad I went. They 
 fill about forty-eight thousand cans a day, each can 
 
containing one pound. Chinamen are the workmen, 
 and this Cannery at Loring is one of the best pay- 
 ing fisheries in Alaska. 
 
 It is interesting to watch the salmon in the water. 
 They jump several times their length, up, out, and 
 over the water, just as one makes a stone skip along 
 the surface. They put nets out all about the mouths 
 of the streams, and at Chilcat we saw the men haul- 
 ing the net, and were much interested in watching 
 their process of handling. 
 
 SUNDAY, AUGUST 2ND.' 
 
 Tl rE left Loring last night, and when we awoke 
 this morning, we found it was raining again 
 and was cold and damp. We were sailing through 
 most beautiful channels and sounds, and were a 
 little vexed that the rain followed us so persistently, 
 when, turning a sharp point in our course, we saw 
 the most glorious sunshine ahead, — and out from 
 under the low hanging clouds, which had hovered 
 about us all the morning, and had veiled the moun- 
 tains from our sight, we steamed into such radiant 
 sunshine, with blue sky above us and blue water 
 under us, and the dividing line between sunshine 
 and shadow was as distinct as if it had been cut 
 with a knife. With the sunshine came our spirits, 
 and we fairly jumped for joy. The views were ex- 
 quisite, and we were enjoying them, when our atten- 
 tion was suddenly arrested by a most unusual ap- 
 pearance of the water. To all reason, we were 
 
 282 
 
sailing in blood-red water, — the bow of the Mexico 
 cut its way through really bright red waves, and left 
 curling tracks behind of the same marvelous hue. It 
 was thick, — one could see it plainly, — like a sub- 
 stance dissolved in water, but still retaining its 
 body. (But can a substance be dissolved and still 
 retain its body ?) " We scientists " went to the Cap- 
 tain, to solve the question why this water was so red 
 and thick, and the Captain thought it was salmon- 
 spawn, swept out by the tide. Another suggestion 
 was, that it was a low form of animal or vegetable 
 life, the same that produces the phosphorescent 
 light in the water. To prove this theory, Dr. N. 
 had a pail full of this queer water reserved until 
 night, and taking it in the dark, into our cabin, 
 proved that it was the red variety of that vegetable 
 life, which produces the light in the waves. 
 
 At 11.45 ^' M» we approached Metlakahtla, an 
 Indian village of remarkable and civilized develop- 
 ment. We anchored off the little settlement and 
 after dinner we went ashore in small boats. Having 
 no wharf to approach, we were rowed on to the 
 beach, and having a heavy load, of course our boat 
 stuck in the sand and some feet of water lay between 
 us and the beach. As quick as lightning, our gallant 
 Third Officer was " afloat " in the intervening space, 
 with his high rubber boots, and approached the bow 
 of the boat where Jamie was sitting. In an in- 
 stant, off to the shore went my dearly beloved, on 
 the back of a strong fellow, one of the sailors, and 
 
 283 
 
was landed high and dry on the beach "in a 
 twinkle." How everybody roared, and how relieved 
 we ladies were, when we were informed that the same 
 method of transportation was not necessary for us. 
 A board was brought and stretched from boat to 
 shore, and we scrambled across on that — in fine 
 style. 
 
 Metlakahtla is a model Indian village, and all to 
 the credit of one man, who has given his life to this 
 great work. Mr. William Duncan lived in England, 
 and was a smart, energetic young man. One stormy 
 night he went to a missionary meeting, and as only 
 nine persons were present, it was suggested that the 
 meeting be postpioned. Another suggestion, how- 
 ever, carried the vote, which was that the nine brave 
 members of that little gathering be rewarded by a 
 service then and there. It resulted in one of the 
 little band leaving the gathering, with a verbal vow 
 to give his life to the missionary cause. In 1857, 
 this young man — William Duncan — came to British 
 Columbia, going among the Indians at once. When 
 I asked him if he would tell us a little of his life, — 
 if he had a hard time at first, etc., — he would not 
 reply, except by a nod of such solemnity that I 
 hesitated to press my request. Once, while talking 
 to us later, in his office, he took a little book from 
 his book-shelf, and opening to the frontispiece said, 
 " Where is the lady who wanted to know how I was 
 treated, when I first came among these people?" 
 and when I identified myself, he handed me the 
 
 284 
 
book and said, " That's the way they treated me.'* 
 Four or five Indians, in war paint and feathers, 
 were beating a man, bound hand and foot, who 
 was crouched on the ground, begging for mercy. 
 
 Later he told us a few incidents of his life. In 
 1858, when he reached these Indians, they were 
 hostile to all white people, and were the most savage 
 tribe on the coast. They were cannibals, and Mr. 
 Duncan said he ** saw them cook and eat a slave at 
 one time, a woman." He was shot at, and every 
 means taken to dispose of him, and when I gasped 
 " How were you saved?" he answered, " Because I 
 was protected, and when the Indians realized that 
 some power unknown to them protected me, they 
 felt powerless, and gave up their repeated attempts 
 to dispose of me." He worked for many years 
 among them, and had done much good, when 
 the Bishop of the English Church reprimanded 
 him for laxity of church discipline, in service 
 and liturgy, and demanded form and ceremony, 
 instead of the simple services which Mr. Duncan 
 had found more attractive to the Indian's intel- 
 lectual demand. Mr. Duncan remonstrated, and 
 finally, after many other disagreeable incidents, he 
 determined to seek liberty under the United States* 
 laws. Going to headquarters, at Washington, I be- 
 lieve, he asked for land in the Alaskan territory, and 
 his request being granted, he returned, going directly 
 to his new home. The Indians heard of his return, 
 and one by one followed the man whom they loved 
 
 28s 
 
and trusted. Mr. Duncan said, " One canoe-full 
 after another arrived, sometimes fifty canoes in a 
 day," for they determined to live with him wherever 
 he was. His settlement of Metlakahtla dates from 
 August 7th, 1887. It is a model village. He has 
 taught the Indians to be self-supporting ; they have 
 learned trades, — build their own dwellings, churches, 
 and school-houses, — have a cannery, a joint-stock 
 company, the natives holding the stock, and receiv- 
 ing large dividends — besides several other indus- 
 tries which pay well ; he taught them to play on 
 musical instruments, and they are very proud of 
 their band. They are the nicest set of Indians one 
 can see anywhere, all well dressed and most orderly 
 and civilized. They number nearly five hundred, 
 and their village is a marvelous little place. They 
 are all devoted church workers, and have put away 
 their heathenish and idolatrous beliefs, regulating 
 their little settlement by rigid and strict laws. No 
 work is ever permitted on the Sabbath, and as we 
 arrived on the Lord's Day, we had to wait until mid- 
 night for the freight of canned salmon, the Mexico 
 had come to take away. 
 
 As soon as we reached the shore, we made our 
 way to the little Church, but were too late for ser- 
 vice. We were entertained, however, in listening 
 to some young Indian men and women singing relig- 
 ious songs in English. All the young Indians here 
 speak English. James was much impressed by a 
 verse over the little plain wooden pulpit, which an 
 
 286 
 
Indian boy had painted in huge bright letters, on the 
 wall, and he copied it in his note book for me : 
 " Glory to our Lord and King, 
 Honor, majesty. 
 This the song the angels sing 
 Through Eternity." 
 
 We were especially interested in a lot of old white- 
 haired men, who had such amiable faces and such a 
 pleasant greeting for us. They could not speak our 
 language, but they held in their hands, nevertheless, 
 with great reverence. Bibles in the English language. 
 I spoke to several old Indian women and they 
 seemed to understand me. I was much touched by 
 one old woman ; she told me much in a moment and 
 only by gesture. I said, *' Do you speak EngHsh ? " 
 she shook her head — ** no," and then taking hold of 
 the end of her tongue, she looked sadly at me, and 
 pointing to my tongue, shook her head — *' no " 
 again. Laying her hand on her heart, and pointing 
 to my heart and then up to Heaven, she smiled and 
 nodded her head — "yes." She told me so plainly, 
 that although we could not speak the same tongue, 
 we both loved the same God in Heaven. 
 
 Mr. Duncan took us to his office and showed us the 
 sea-weed food of the Indians, which they gather far 
 out on the rocks, dry thoroughly, and either stew or 
 eat as bread. ** Eat some," he invitingly asked. 
 We all ate a little and quietly one by one slipped 
 outside the little room, returning as seemingly un- 
 observed, but to that little crowd, the moment's 
 
 287 
 
absence spoke volumes. We knew the short ac- 
 quaintance with the sea-weed bread, was not all one's 
 heart could desire. 
 
 MONDAY, AUGUST 3D. 
 
 Wl E slept pretty well last night, although I 
 awoke when we left Metlakahtla at 1.30 A. 
 M., and later also, when a little rolling of the ship, 
 announced to me that we were making one of the 
 very few sea crossings, and at half past five o'clock 
 I heard the anchor lowered in Nichol's Bay. The 
 morning was exquisite ; the sun was as bright and 
 warm as mid-summer, and every outline of the 
 shore and islands was so clearly cut, so finely chis- 
 eled and beautiful. All felt jubilant, for we have 
 had so much rain. After breakfast, I interviewed 
 an Indian woman, who had paddled out to the ship 
 in a canoe, with her family and a dear old dog, 
 whose company was not wanted in the family ark, 
 and so he swam around and around it, in circles. 
 Jamie and I chatted for awhile with friends, watch- 
 ing the Captain's caution in guiding the Mexico, from 
 Nichol's Bay, through a wonderfully narrow passage, 
 and as we steamed out into Queen Charlotte's Sound 
 or Dixon's Entrance, we settled ourselves in our 
 chairs, wrapped up warmly in ulsters and rugs, and 
 decided to take a nap. The cool sea air and sun- 
 shine made us so drowsy, we soon fell sound asleep, 
 and as our chairs were just outside our cabin door, 
 and necessarily very close together, we proved food 
 
 288 
 
for amusement to our friends. Jamie and I were 
 entirely ignorant of the part we were playing in the 
 comedy, until we awoke, two hours later, to find we 
 had been sketched, photographed and viewed, by 
 almost everyone on the ship. They tell us that 
 any number of cameras were snapped at us ; a pro- 
 cession filed past us, to view the " sleeping beauties *' ; 
 Captain George, the pilot, shouted and snored right 
 in our ears ; our artistic friends took sketches of us, 
 and there we sat, Jamie and I, for two hours, per- 
 fectly oblivious of all this fun-making. How we 
 laughed when we awoke, and how pleased we were 
 when we saw the sketches and had them presented 
 to us. As we went down to luncheon, so many 
 said, " Had a nice nap? — I went around to see you," 
 until I actually believe we were viewed by all. 
 "Did you see Mr. B.'s sketch of you? It's so 
 good," and another said " Isn't Miss N.'s sketch ex- 
 cellent? Your husband's mouth was wide open, 
 and she has made it true to life." 
 
 About noon we steamed into Cordova Bay, and 
 anchored opposite one building on the shore, to take 
 on salted salmon. It is so queer to go miles and 
 miles, to come to a tiny building like this, and then 
 see barrels after barrels come out of a moderate 
 sized shed, to be shipped. It brings us into the 
 loveliest possible places, through narrow openings, 
 into exquisite land-locked bays and is delightful to 
 one not in haste. 
 
 Such exquisite scenery as we have enjoyed to- 
 
day ! As we turned to come into this Bay, the 
 mountains and islands were perfectly beautiful, re- 
 flecting all shades of green and all shapes of islands 
 in the water, and we feasted our eyes upon it, as if 
 we had not seen anything fine before. Many pas- 
 sengers went ashore, but we surmised that it would 
 not be very attractive, and ^waited until someone 
 should return and report. It was, as we thought, 
 terribly muddy and dirty, and nothing at all attrac- 
 tive, except the woods, which were too wet for com- 
 fort. Horn spoon maniacs went on shore to hunt 
 for spoons to polish, for the craze is so very strong 
 that spoons have been in great demand. As I write, 
 six scrapers surround my door, each expatiating on 
 the superior polishing qualities of his or her spoon, 
 and all accompanying their conversation by the 
 most vigorous rubs and scrubs. The deck is cov- 
 ered with bone shavings, and sand-paper, and glass, 
 and dirty hands and dusty dresses are the style. 
 As one passes along the deck, in the stateroom 
 doors sit young women and old, old white-haired 
 men and boys, all scraping spoons. The craze has 
 struck James; he is head over ears in shavings and 
 bone-dust, and rubbing as if his life depended upon 
 it. 
 
 Opposite our anchorage, and the only hut to be 
 seen, save one small cottage near the *' Salt-ery " (as 
 it is called), is an Indian hut, with characteristic sur- 
 roundings. As we steamed into the Bay, it was 
 most picturesque. On the shore, to the right, was 
 
 290 
 
a tall rafter-like concern, covered thickly with bright 
 pink salmon, split open and turned inside out to 
 dry, and near the green of the trees it presented a 
 fine contrast. Close to these brilliant fish were 
 brown blankets, drying ; shirts of white and red were 
 also visible ; up under the trees sat the women with 
 red handkerchiefs on their heads, and down on the 
 shore were the little bare-footed children, crouching 
 on a big rock, with three or four Siwash dogs roam- 
 ing about. It is a very pretty picture, at a distance. 
 We pass miles and miles of shore, where not one 
 single soul abides ; the wild animals possess much 
 property here, and roam at their own sweet will. 
 Eagles are plentiful, and almost unnoticed by us 
 now. 
 
 A gentleman remarked the other day, in a dry 
 way, ** Well inhabited Alaska is ! There must be at 
 least one person to every thousand miles, in this 
 territory." 
 
 To-night, or at least after a five o*clock dinner, 
 as we came up on deck, Mr. S., from the East, 
 met James and asked him if we would enjoy rowing 
 with a party, to a very old Indian village, about five 
 miles away. We were glad indeed to go, and to 
 see anything unusual, out of the ordinary line of 
 sight-seeing ; so about six o'clock the Third Officer 
 and two seamen, took sixteen of us in a life-boat, to 
 the deserted village of Klinquan. The row to and 
 from the village was beautiful enough in itself to 
 reward us, if the place had not been of interest. We 
 
 391 
 
rowed around beautiful little islands, close up to 
 rocks, covered with wondrous sea-weeds and purple 
 star-fish. The browns and tans of the sea-mosses, 
 the color of the fish, the stones above, bare and gray, 
 and above these still, the exquisite shades of green 
 in the foliage of the trees, made the most exquisite 
 rainbow effect in the water, for the red glow of the 
 sunset furnished the brilliant colors needed. It was 
 a beautiful little trip, and we felt like veritable ex- 
 plorers, approaching an unknown buried city. Quite 
 enclosed by islands, and protected from the sea by a 
 natural barricade, with a fine beach upon which to 
 drag canoes, a band of the Hydah Indians have set- 
 tled, some long time ago, in this little cove, and 
 built themselves houses and homes, wherein they 
 dwell. The entire village consists of about one 
 dozen houses, and not one soul was there in this 
 little town, when we visited it. Every house was 
 locked or barred with wooden sticks, and not one 
 living thing did we see, save an old and wild cat, 
 which one of the sailors found and tried to catch. 
 It was truly a deserted village, as all the inhabitants 
 were away fishing and working. They return to this 
 sheltered nook when winter comes. As we ap- 
 proached the little hamlet, an exclamation of wonder 
 and delight went up from our boat like a chorus, 
 for we had not seen a spot like it in all Alaska. 
 Fort Wrangle had totem poles of great interest and 
 antiquity, but here were totem poles by the dozens, 
 and of most superior quality. As I have men- 
 
 292 
 
tioned before, these poles are the historical records 
 of the family. Any family having enough history 
 to erect and furnish a pole, is honored by all sur- 
 rounding tribes. These totem poles belong, how- 
 ever, to an age that is passing swiftly along, for 
 many customs of these people are being abandoned, 
 as the Indians become better educated. Antiquity 
 consequently, of tribe and people, is made known 
 by means of these signs and symbols. Klinquan 
 contains about twelve houses, and more than sixty 
 totem poles of the most marvelous workmanship. 
 Some carved trees were so huge, it was a marvel 
 how they were ever conveyed to their present loca- 
 tion, and even when brought and carved, how they 
 were ever stood up and placed in the ground. They 
 are carved in the most curious designs, in the most 
 grotesque figures, and yet all most symmetrically 
 done. Such huge eyes as the monsters have, such a 
 queer arrangement of figures, such marvelous orna- 
 ments to crown the top. The Bear Tribe always 
 surmounts each of their totems with a huge crouch- 
 ing bear, marvelously done. In looking up at one 
 to-night, we discovered in each claw a good repre- 
 sentation of a human face. An eagle, with out- 
 stretched wings, surmounted several columns, and an 
 Indian with huge ancient hat, such as the Chief 
 Kadishan wore, when we took his photograph, was 
 several times repeated. One curious thing was, 
 that on top of one tall slim pole, a cunning little 
 figure of a man, was poised on one foot, on a ball, 
 
 293 
 
with the other leg and his arms outstretched, just 
 like the figure of Victory, on the 14th of July col- 
 umn, in Paris. The question arose, where did these 
 Hydah Indians get the idea for that figure ? Was 
 it wafted to them across the waters, or did the same 
 genius burn in some Indian brain, as in the brain of 
 the artist who designed the French model ? It was 
 a marked feature in that collection of totems. Some 
 of them are mostly grotesque, others mysterious and 
 solemn, and all stood about that collection of little 
 huts, like sentinels on duty. We were much inter- 
 ested also in some graves, and the peculiar fencing 
 about them. Around one chief's grave, was a high 
 fence, and on each corner stood, what seemed to us, 
 a white china milk pitcher. On examination we 
 found that the pitchers were carved out of wood, 
 and painted white to look like china. Queer little 
 summer-houses were built over some graves. 
 
 The officer found a most interesting ruin of a 
 house, into which we went. It was built like all 
 Indian houses, with a square and two tiers around, 
 and the sides of wood, two feet and a half deep, 
 were most beautifully carved. We had much ex- 
 citement in landing, and in getting away also. We 
 reached there at half tide, and could not make a 
 good landing, so the men held the oars together, 
 putting one end on land, the other on the boat, and 
 we crawled across that way. But our visit thoroughly 
 paid us, and we decided it was one of the features of 
 the trip. 
 
 a94 
 
Five people from our ship, had been to this same 
 spot in the afternoon. Seeing a pole, with a queer 
 box-like thing on top, they gave it a vigorous blow 
 and down it came, with a crash. Imagine their 
 surprise, when bones and dust came tumbling out 
 and an Indian skull, with hair and flesh still on it, 
 but dried like a mummy's skull. They left it, hor- 
 rified at what they had unwittingly done, and sick- 
 ened by the sight of the life-like head. 
 
 We reached the Mexico at lo P. M. 
 
 TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH. 
 
 \\J E were all much concerned last night, when we 
 went to bed, over Baron Von B.'s non-ap- 
 pearance. He is a German, a magnificent specimen 
 of a man, of glorious physical proportions, and an 
 indefatigable hunter. He has been in Alaska hunting 
 for some time, and we took the Baron and Baroness 
 on board at Juneau. We left the Baron yesterday 
 at Nichol's Bay ; he was to hunt and then join our 
 ship at Cordova Bay, and a young Indian was his 
 guide. He did not put in an appearance until this 
 morning at 7 A. M., when the Mexico was on her way 
 to find him. It seemed he became interested, had 
 shot two deer; his Indian guide lost his head and his 
 way, and they had a dreadful time. The Baron was 
 too heavy for the canoe, which was old and rotten, 
 and they had to bail out the water every minute, and 
 expected to go to the bottom, at short notice. 
 We left Cordova Bay as soon as he was on board, 
 
 29s 
 
and we have had a lovely sunshiny day, and a most 
 exquisite sail. We had about sixty miles of sea 
 to-day, but we had to ask when we were at sea, it was 
 so calm and pond-like. Jamie and I slept in our 
 chairs again this morning, but I kept one eye open, 
 and watched photographers and sketchers, whenever 
 they appeared. 
 
 After dinner, we all gathered on the forward deck, 
 tied a ladder to a ventilator, and had a "living totem 
 pole." We arranged our little crowd in tiers ; all 
 held horn spoons or some Indian curio in our hands, 
 and had our photograph taken. Dr. N. and I were 
 " photographers royal," but numerous Kodaks were 
 snapped on us. We numbered about twenty in all, 
 but our audience numbered nearly a hundred. We 
 had a fine time, as we all know one another so well 
 now, and we had the jolliest kind of an evening af- 
 terwards. We enjoyed the beautiful sunset and af- 
 ter glory, which lasted until nearly ten o'clock. It 
 was " one of those heavenly days that cannot die." 
 Then we went to supper, after which we assembled 
 on the hurricane deck, sang rounds, and danced, and 
 finally, seeing a steamer approaching, we all gathered 
 together to give a song of greeting, which we 
 shouted with all our might, as the stranger passed 
 us. The phosphorescence in the waves, as we 
 ploughed our way along, was perfectly beautiful, like 
 melted silver, and full of bright and glittering stars, 
 and made a wondrous light, like electricity. 
 
 096 
 
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5TH. 
 
 "P N route all day, with beautiful sunshine most 
 all the way, although we had some fog in 
 Queen Charlotte's Sound. The morning was not 
 eventful ; Jamie and I had a nap again until lunch- 
 eon, after which Mrs. D. and a party of six or more, 
 settled themselves with us in our corner, and we 
 polished and scraped spoons until about three 
 o'clock, when Miss N. came to see me and we shut 
 ourselves in my little room for a chat alone. Mr. 
 McD., a most interesting man, who has lived for 
 twenty years or more in British Columbia, as over- 
 seer of the Hudson Bay Company, is on thQ Mexico, 
 on his journey home. He had interesting curios in 
 his trunk in the hold, made by the Indians, three or 
 four hundred miles in the interior, and offered to 
 show them to James and me, but to no one else, ex- 
 cept Miss K. (who was with me). We made a 
 secret trip down, and he showed us some interesting 
 things — Indian work on leather of porcupine quills, 
 dyed different colors, blankets for his four dogs, who 
 dragged him all over the snows in those Arctic 
 regions, and he ended by presenting me with an in- 
 teresting piece of work, made by an Indian of the 
 Cascar tribe, who lives three hundred miles beyond 
 Fort Wrangle. 
 
 Our evening was just like last night, only we did 
 not sing en masse, but Miss C. gave us a treat with 
 her lovely voice. This life is most fascinating to us, 
 
 297 
 
with its rest and perfect freedom from care, and 
 there are so many interesting people on the Mexico, 
 that one can hear words of wisdom, and learn some- 
 thing every day. One of our passengers is Mrs. A. 
 who has made quite a trip in Alaska, staying more 
 than two weeks in Fort Wrangle, and also in Juneau 
 and Sitka. She is full of interesting Indian legends 
 and folklore, and entertained us to-night by a little 
 talk, as we all stood out in the bow, viewing the 
 magnificent scenery. It was glorious to-night ; the 
 sunset was like liquid gold, and the rose and violet 
 shades on the mountains, which assume such glori- 
 ous tints in the twilight hour, were more radiant 
 than ever. Our constant attendants, the snow 
 mountains, have been left behind a little now, as we 
 are nearing warmer latitudes, but once in a while, a 
 great giant in white raises his head above the sur- 
 rounding greenness, and gives us a look, as we steam 
 along, and makes us long to turn again and hurry 
 northward, for one more glance at those circles of 
 great and glorious grandeur. 
 
 THURSDAY, AUGUST 6TH. 
 
 JAMES was up and dressed for breakfast, as usual, 
 this morning, but as it was pouring hard, and 
 was cold and damp, he did not waken me, and I was 
 not conscious of much in the wide-awake world, 
 until the big whistle of the Mexico announced that 
 we had reached somewhere, and looking out of my 
 window, I recognized Departure Bay. We had been 
 
 298 
 
steaming along for forty-eight hours and it was good 
 to stop. We remained only until half past ten 
 o'clock, long enough, however, to send to Nanaimo, 
 for the ship's mail, as well as to send telegrams. 
 Jamie sent one home, as being three days late in 
 reaching Tacoma, we feared there might be some 
 little anxiety felt by the three loved ones at home. 
 Nothing to chronicle so far, except that our good 
 friends, Mrs. N. with her daughter and son, have de- 
 cided, instead of stopping at Victoria, to go with us 
 to Tacoma ; then we five move along next week to 
 Portland and take the trip on the Columbia River 
 together. I wrote all this afternoon while James 
 slept. 
 
 About seven o'clock to-night we reached Victoria, 
 and at once some of our Mexico family went up into 
 town. It was rainy and disagreeable, and we de- 
 cided to wait until morning for our trip. We 
 watched the people moving about, saw the " Steamer 
 Queen^' come in with her load of Alaskan travelers, 
 and rejoiced that we were not of the number, for 
 although much more palatial, she goes too fast to 
 suit us. 
 
 This afternoon, as I came up from luncheon. Miss 
 W., a clever women, offered me copies of Mr. Dun- 
 can's little paper, called The MetlakahtlaUy printed 
 in Metlakahtla. In one tiny sheet of November, 
 1889, was a letter by Mr. D., and the preface says, 
 '* Having been frequently asked to give some ex- 
 planation of the peculiar carving, found among the 
 
 299 
 
natives of this coast, I think it well to insert in The 
 Metlakahtlatiy the following letter, written last sum- 
 mer to a friend in Washington." I have just copied 
 the letter, omitting a short paragraph in the begin- 
 ning. I have copied it, because it seemed to give 
 such a good idea of the carving and use of the totem 
 poles. 
 
 In this letter, Mr. Duncan tells of the opera- 
 tions of the silversmith, in making silver spoons out 
 of silver dollars. He says, " the designs they cut on 
 the spoons, are peculiar to the carving and painting 
 of the Indians in this country, and are symbolical 
 of the curious crests or totems (as they are some- 
 times called), which seem to have been adopted in 
 far back ages, to distinguish the four social classes, 
 into which each band is divided. The names of 
 these four classes in the Tsimshean language are, 
 Kish-poot-wodda, Canaddo, Lack-a-boo, and Lacksh- 
 keak." 
 
 " The Kish-poot-wodda, by far the most numer- 
 ous hereabouts, are represented symbolically by the 
 fin-back whale in the sea, the grizzly bear on land, 
 the grouse in the air, and the sun and stars in the 
 heavens." 
 
 ** The Canaddo symbols are the frog, the raven, 
 starfish and the bull-head." 
 
 "The Lackaboo takes the wolf, the heron and 
 the grizzly bear for totems." 
 
 " The Lacksh-keak, the eagle, the beaver and the 
 halibut." 
 
 300 
 
" The creatures I have just named, are however, 
 only regarded as the visible representatives of the 
 powerful and mystical beings, or genii, of Indian my- 
 thology, and as all of one group are said to be of 
 one kindred, so all the members of the same class, 
 whose heraldic symbols are the same, are counted 
 as blood relations. Strange to say, this relationship 
 holds good, should the person belong to different, 
 or even hostile tribes, speak a totally different lan- 
 guage, or be located thousands of miles apart. On 
 being asked to explain how this notion of relation- 
 ship originated, or why it is perpetuated in the face 
 of so many obliterating circumstances, the Indian 
 points back to a remote age, when their ancestors 
 lived in a beautiful land, and where in a mysterious 
 manner, the mystical creatures, whose symbols they 
 retain, revealed themselves to the heads of the 
 family of that day." 
 
 '* They can relate the traditional story of an over- 
 whelming flood, which came and submerged the 
 land, and spread death and destruction all around. 
 Those of the ancients who escaped in canoes, were 
 drifted about and scattered in every direction on 
 the face of the waters, and where they found them- 
 selves after the flood had subsided, there they lo- 
 cated and formed new tribal associations. Thus it 
 was that persons related by blood, became widely 
 severed from each other ; nevertheless they retained 
 and clung to the symbols which had distinguished 
 them and their respective families before the flood ; 
 
 301 
 
and all succeeding generations have, in this particu- 
 lar, sacredly followed suit. Hence it is the crests 
 have continued to mark the offspring of the original 
 founders of each family." 
 
 " As it may interest you to know, to what prac- 
 tical uses the natives apply their crests, I will enum- 
 erate those which have come under my own 
 notice." 
 
 ** First. As I have previously mentioned, crests 
 sub-divide tribes into social clans, and a union of 
 crest is a closer bond than a tribal union." 
 
 " Second. It is the ambition of all leading mem- 
 bers of each clan, in the several tribes, to represent, 
 by carving or painting, their heraldic symbols on all 
 their belongings, not omitting even their house- 
 hold utensils, as spoons, and dishes, and on the 
 death of the head of a family, a totem pole is 
 erected in front of his house by his successor, on 
 which is carved and painted, more or less elaborately, 
 the symbolic creatures of his clan, as they appear in 
 some mythological tale or legend." 
 
 " Third. The crests define the bounds of con- 
 sanguinity, and persons having the same crest are 
 forbidden to intermarry ; that is, a frog may not 
 marry a frog, nor a whale marry a whale ; but a frog 
 may marry a wolf, and a whale may marry an eagle. 
 Among some of the Alaskan tribes, I am told the 
 marriage restrictions are still further narrowed, and 
 persons of different crests may not intermarry, if the 
 creatures of their respective clans have the same in- 
 
stincts. Thus a Canaddo may not marry a Lacksh- 
 keak, because the raven X)f the one crest and the 
 eagle of the other, seek and devour the same kind 
 of food. Again, the Kish-poot-wodda may not 
 marry a Lackaboo, because the grizzly bear and wolf, 
 representing those crests, are both carnivorous." 
 
 " Fourth. All the children take the mother's 
 crest, and are incorporated as members of the 
 mother's family, nor do they designate, or regard 
 their father's family as their relations. A man's 
 heir and successor, therefore, is not his own son, 
 but his sister's son, and in the case of a woman be- 
 ing married into a distant tribe, away from her rela- 
 tions, the offspring of such union, when grown up, 
 will leave their parents and go to their mother's 
 tribe, and take their respective place in their mother's 
 family. This law accounts for the great interest 
 which natives take in their nephews and nieces, 
 which seems to be quite equal to the interest they 
 take in their own children." 
 
 " Fifth. The clan relationship also regulates all 
 feasting. A native never invites the members of 
 his own crest to a feast ; they being regarded as his 
 blood relations, are always welcome as his guests ; 
 but at feasts which are given only for display, so far 
 from being partakers of the bounty, all the clansmen, 
 within a reasonable distance, are expected to con- 
 tribute of their means and their services gratuitously, 
 to make the feast a success. On the fame of the 
 feast, hangs the honor of the clan." 
 
 303 
 
" Sixth. What I have just written reminds me to 
 add, this social brotherhood has a great deal to do 
 with promoting hospitality among the Indians, a 
 matter of immense importance, in a country without 
 hotels, or restaurants. A stranger, with or without 
 his family, in visiting an Indian village, need never 
 be at a loss for shelter ; all he has to do is to make 
 for the house belonging to one of his crest, and 
 which he can easily distinguish by the totem pole 
 in front of it. There he is sure of a welcome, and of 
 the best the host can afford. There he is accounted 
 a brother, and treated and trusted as such." 
 
 " Seventh. I may mention too, that the sub-divis- 
 ion of the bands into their social clans, accounts in 
 some measure for the number of petty chiefs exist- 
 ing in each tribe, as each clan can boast of its head- 
 man. The more property a clan accumulates and 
 gives away to rival clans, the greater number of head 
 men it may have." 
 
 *' Eighth. Another prominent nise made by the 
 natives of their heraldic symbols is, that they take 
 names from them for their children ; for instance, 
 Wee-nay-ach — ' big fin * (whale). Lee-tahm-lach-ta 
 — * sitting on the ice * (eagle). Iksh-co-am-alyah — 
 ** the first speaker " (raven in the morning). Athl- 
 kah-kout — * the howler travelling ' (wolf)." 
 
 " Ninth. And last, but not least, the kinship 
 claimed and maintained in each tribe, by the method 
 of crests, has much to do with preventing blood- 
 feuds, and also in restoring the peace, when quarrels 
 
 304 
 
and fighting have ensued. Tribes, or sections there- 
 of, may and do fight, but members of the same social 
 clan may not fight. Hence, in contests between two 
 tribes, there always remains in each, some non-com- 
 batants who will watch the opportunity to interpose 
 their offices, in the interest of peace and order. In 
 case too, of a marauding party being out to secure 
 slaves, should they find one or more of their victims 
 to be of their own crest, such a person would be set 
 free, and be incorporated as a member of their 
 family, while the captives of other crests would be 
 held or sold as slaves.** 
 
 " In writing of these matters, it must be under- 
 stood that I have kept in view the natives in their 
 primitive state. The Metlakathlans who are civil- 
 ized, while retaining their crest distinctions and up- 
 holding the good and salutary regulations connected 
 therewith, have dropped all the baneful and heathen- 
 ish rivalry with which the clannish system was in- 
 timately associated." 
 
 " Yours respect.,** 
 
 (Signed) " W. DUNCAN.** 
 
 FRIDAY, AUGUST ^TH. 
 
 T T was perfectly lovely this morning, so sunny and 
 bright, and at half past eight o'clock, James and 
 I started in a hansom, for the shops of Victoria. 
 Mr. McD. our Hudson Bay Co. friend, met us, to 
 look about a little with us, and he is such a whole- 
 souled lovely man, James and I enjoyed him greatly. 
 
 30s 
 
We skipped about from shop to shop, constantly 
 meeting our friends and fellow-passengers, and about 
 eleven o'clock we turned our faces toward the ship, 
 and returned to the dear old Mexico, bidding our 
 new friend good-bye, as he was about to start in a 
 few hours, for his home in Winnipeg. We had 
 hardly reached the Mexico and exchanged notes 
 with all our friends, as to bargains, etc., when to 
 our surprise, Mr. McD. whom we had just a half 
 hour before bade good-bye, and left in excellent 
 spirits, appeared before us, with red eyes, and a 
 black-bordered letter in his hand. I saw in a moment 
 that some sorrow had come to him, and calling Jamie 
 and me aside, he told us that after we left him, he 
 had received and read the letter he then held, telling 
 him that his favorite brother — the one whom he 
 anticipated meeting more than any one else — was 
 dead and buried. The great strong man covered 
 his face with his hands, and turned to go away, but 
 James and I opened our cabin door, and took him 
 into the little room for a few minutes. He was 
 completely unnerved and had come to us for sym- 
 pathy. He had looked forward like a boy, to his 
 home-coming ; now anticipation and joy were crushed 
 by this unexpected and saddest of sorrows. Only 
 yesterday I made the remark, that I wondered if all 
 of our passengers would reach shore, without some, 
 or many, finding sad tidings awaiting them, and as 
 the disciples of old asked the Master, at the Last 
 Supper, " Lord, is it I ? " so the same query went 
 
 306 
 
up from my heart, with a prayer for mercy. 
 Anxiety was mine for a little, for who has nerves so 
 strong that they can battle with such moments, and 
 conquer every fear and dread. 
 
 We left Victoria about one o'clock, and the after- 
 noon was spent by all, in the disagreeable duty of 
 packing, as we land to-morrow. It was a trying 
 operation, and not very good for the proper develop- 
 ment of patience and sweetness of temper, as we are 
 all agreed. 
 
 About four o'clock we reached Port Townsend, 
 but no one went ashore until after dinner. Then 
 Mrs. N. the Dr. and R., Commander and Mrs. C, 
 Miss C. and Miss E., with Jamie and myself, started 
 out and having nothing to do, or see, or buy, we 
 took an electric car and rode around the city twice. 
 We were merry and made fun out of nothing. 
 
 A letter was awaiting me here from Miss Thursby, 
 asking me to advise her about going to Alaska, on 
 the next trip of the Mexico, She had been singing in 
 this neighborhood, and would have waited to greet 
 us, if she had not been engaged to sing somewhere 
 else. I wrote her to-night advising her to go. 
 
 There is a genuine sadness in the air to-day, a 
 depression one cannot escape, for the pleasant life 
 on ship-board is soon to be given up, — the familiar 
 every-day friendships to be no more, and the life on 
 shore, with its heat and dusty railroads, to be our 
 lot once again. Jamie's last remark to-night, as he 
 hurried to sleep, was — " oh. May, — don't you hate to 
 
 307 
 
leave the dear old ship/' and I do. It has been a 
 restful home and shelter to us for twenty-three days, 
 and the very discomforts and trials and deprivations, 
 have become dear to us. Our tiny room has grown 
 to quite palatial proportions ; although at first we 
 could only dress one at a time, — now we can both 
 array ourselves, with only occasional bumps and 
 thumps. Fussiness is a thing of the past, order a 
 necessity, but not requiring energy or time to 
 produce. Our last night on our comfortable little 
 shelves ! I hope more chances may be ours in 
 future, for the same sweet blissful rest. The wonder- 
 ful scenery will then be well-known by us, and yet 
 it will be inspiring in its greatness and grandeur. 
 
 f 
 SATURDAY, AUGUST 8TH. 
 
 "IXTE were all up at six o'clock this morning; — 
 breakfast was at seven, but James and Dr. 
 N. had been up to "The Tacoma" before that 
 meal, to secure rooms. About 8.30, we all be- 
 gan to leave the dear old Mexico, but it was hard 
 work, and we hung around as long as we could. 
 Finally, we made up our minds that lingering only 
 prolonged the agony, so we made a grand rush for 
 the carriage. With Jamie's first awakening con- 
 sciousness this morning, he groaned aloud, and ex- 
 claimed with a sigh, — " Isn't it awful to think of 
 trains, and heat, and dust again ? " The heat seemed 
 to open its arms wide to us, as we drove to the 
 hotel, Mrs. N. and R., Jamie and I in one carriage. 
 
 308 
 
As we neared the hotel, my one thought was to get 
 somewhere, where I could read our letters from home, 
 which Jamie had brought to me, but as we entered 
 the doorway, whom should I behold but Aunt Mary, 
 who immediately exclaimed, ** I've been waiting 
 three weeks for you, to finish your trip with you." 
 
 We three went to our room, and I read the let- 
 ters from home aloud, which took some time. We 
 then wandered out to find a photographer, to de- 
 velop our films, and returning, after luncheon, we 
 came to our room to rest. 
 
 The evening was spent with Auntie and the N.s, 
 hstening to the Spanish Students' delightful music, 
 and regretting that we were not on the good old 
 MexicOy for another trip. 
 
 It is no hardship to return to Tacoma, for it is 
 the brightest of little towns. The business streets 
 are as lively and crowded, and the stores are as 
 good, as any in a larger and older city. To be sure, 
 the pavements on the streets and sidewalks are of 
 wood, but the buildings are many, and really very 
 fine and imposing, and altogether, Tacoma impresses 
 us wonderfully. There are about forty-five thou- 
 sand people here, and they are mostly Eastern peo- 
 ple, and full of energy and ambition. Tacoma's 
 chief charm, as to location, is not so much its posi- 
 tion on an arm of Puget Sound, as the great snow 
 mountain, which guards it day and night. Mt. Ran- 
 ier, 14,444 feet above the sea level, is a grand moun- 
 tain, and peeps from the clouds early every morn- 
 
 309 
 
ing, and stands sentinel all day in its beauty. It is 
 all snow, and is glorious, — pink like a shell at sun- 
 set, and then amber, and sometimes violet. If one 
 ever feels tired of buildings and streets, they have 
 only to turn their eyes toward Ranier, and they find 
 food for reflection for many a long day. 
 
COLUMBIA RIVER AND MT. HOOD 
 
 SUNDAY, AUGUST 9TH, MONDAY, AUGUST lOTH, 
 TUESDAY, AUGUST IITH. 
 
 nPHESE three uninteresting, common-place days, 
 must be treated collectively. 
 
 Sunday morning, Jamie and I remained in our 
 room, and did not appear until luncheon. In the 
 afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. A., of Tacoma, called, and 
 were with us for a couple of hours. Dinner being over, 
 we sat quietly on the piazza. We were all feeling 
 the reaction of our trip, and the change from cool 
 to warm weather again. 
 
 Monday morning, after a late breakfast, we all 
 went to see and pronounce verdicts upon the Kodak 
 films, — which took some time. Luncheon over, we 
 went to work at our packing, for James was anxious 
 to get the freight box off, with our Alaska curios, 
 chairs, rugs, etc. Company all the evening, ended 
 a hum-drum day. 
 
 Tuesday morning was spent out with our little 
 party until noon ; then the finishing touches were 
 put to the box, and James went to start it on its 
 way, while I went to drive with the three N.s, seeing 
 
 31X 
 
many views of Puget Sound and fine homes and 
 residences. We danced in the evening, and I wrote a 
 letter home. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST I2TH. 
 
 "XlyTE started for Portland at 1 1.40 A. M., with the 
 N.s. It was a decidedly tiresome and dusty 
 journey, miserably warm, and we were royally glad 
 to reach Portland, about 6.40 P. M. A brush off and 
 dinner, then a chat with Miss H. — a resident of 
 Portland, — and a fellow MeArico-ltey and a good-night 
 to all except Miss Thursby, who had sent us word 
 to come to her room, after her concert was over. I 
 was with her until about twelve o'clock, and when she 
 asked, " Shall we go to Alaska on the Mexico ? " my 
 enthusiasm decided her, and they left the very next 
 morning. If stormy, so that they cannot enjoy the 
 scenery, she can say, like a lady I heard of last 
 night, " she went to Alaska, not to see the scenery, 
 but for the air" 
 
 THURSDAY, AUGUST 13TH. 
 
 "^[O one put in an appearance until luncheon time, 
 after which we five took a drive all over Port- 
 land, seeing the city thoroughly and some fine views. 
 Portland has some magnificent streets, palatial 
 homes, and is a delightful city in many respects. 
 Mr. C, of the Mexico^ called to-night. We found 
 Miss C. and Miss E. at "The Portland," also Mr. 
 
 313 
 
and Mrs. S., of Summit, and we had a little reunion, 
 and all went together to call on Miss H., and had a 
 pleasant time. 
 
 FRIDAY, AUGUST I4TH. 
 
 T N fear and trembling, without courage or enthu- 
 siasm, we five sallied forth this morning 
 for our trip down to "The Dalles." Disap- 
 pointment, and lack of anticipation were manifested, 
 by our low spirits and our sober faces. Last 
 night, when we returned from our drive, with the 
 tickets for our trip bought and paid for, and every 
 arrangement made, we met friends who had two 
 hours before returned from the same experience. 
 " Don't go," they cried, '* it's stupid, horrid, wretched, 
 no money would hire us to go again ! Oh, how I 
 pity you," they added. We turned to each other 
 and tried to look as brave as lions. We thought 
 they were tired and cross, but ze/^ would have a good 
 time. While at dinner Mrs. B. passed me, and 
 knowing they had taken a trip part way to " The 
 Dalles " that very day, I asked them how they liked 
 it. "Well," they answered, "after Alaska it is 
 tame, in fact, it is hardly worth the time and money, 
 unless you have plenty of both on your hands." 
 Had the bottom gone out of the world, or had all 
 our " Dalles Friends," or those who had taken the 
 trip, deliberately lied? A more forlorn, dejected set 
 were never found. A sort of gasp, and a " we're in 
 for it " expression, settled like the shades of night 
 
 313 
 
upon us, and we were crushed, and had little heart 
 in the next day's doing. 
 
 At half-past four o'clock we were awakened, and 
 prepared for our trip by half-past five, and as Jamie 
 expressed it, "we all wished we were just coming 
 back, instead of starting." Reaching the boat, 
 which seemed to our sleepy eyes to be named 
 ** Furline " but which proved to be Lurline, we were 
 further discouraged, for we beheld a regular Mis- 
 sissippi stern wheel affair, and anything but at- 
 tractive. They say "blessings brighten as they 
 take their flight," and so as we sailed along 
 the Willamette River, to its junction with the 
 Columbia, we began to think we were not in such 
 a bad place after all. Our staterooms were pala- 
 tial in size, and our breakfast at 6.30 A. M. made 
 us feel " at peace with the world, the flesh and 
 the devil." We three, in fact all but Dr. N. turned 
 in at seven, for a couple of hours* rest, and when 
 about nine we emerged as fresh as daisies, the Lur- 
 line was steaming along between the banks of the 
 Columbia River, in rarely beautiful scenery, and from 
 then until we reached '* The Dalles," at 5.40 P. M., 
 we were delighted, and much surprised at the lack 
 of appreciation exhibited by our friends. Very dif- 
 ferent indeed from any scenery we have seen before, 
 it was still so wonderfully characteristic and bold 
 and beautiful. Our first glimpse of any individual- 
 ity in special outline, was a huge rock standing quite 
 alone, called Rooster Rock. Next came Cape Horn, 
 
 314 
 
a marvelous formation of basaltic boulders. From 
 that point, our trip up the Columbia was between 
 great fortresses and castles, of rare volcanic forma- 
 tion — great black boulders, then clay deposits which 
 produced such a brilliant contrast. The mountains 
 and hills on each side, rose very high above us, and 
 were covered half way up with delicate feathery 
 foliage, the different and variegated colors blending 
 harmoniously with the reddish rocks, and the great 
 bare trunks of trees, which gleamed so white among 
 the deeper evergreens. Here and there a bright 
 branch of some maple waved conspicuously in the 
 October tints, and made the picture perfect. A lace- 
 like waterfall, eight hundred and thirty feet high, by 
 twelve feet wide, shone like silver in its beauty, and 
 was the well-known Multnomah Falls. About 
 twelve o'clock we had dinner, then the Lurline 
 stopped at " The Cascades " and we were taken on 
 a little train, six miles around the Cascades, where 
 we took the D. S. Baker to " The Dalles." We saw 
 a flat open freight car on the little train, and quietly 
 seated ourselves with our luggage on it, but we were 
 no sooner settled, than a car-man told us they needed 
 the space for two boats. We went away, but as 
 soon as the boats were on the car, we jumped into 
 one, and on a flat platform car, in a boat, we rode 
 those six miles, through lovely woods and with 
 glorious glimpses of the Cascades. 
 
 Our afternoon on D, 5. Baker's palatial (?) deck 
 was a most delightful one. We enjoyed every 
 
 31S 
 
minute, because it was really rarely beautiful, such 
 wonderful volcanic formations, unlike anything we 
 had seen. One funny thing kept us constantly on 
 the alert, for every time a passenger wanted to get 
 off the boat, or one wanted to get on, all they did 
 was to " run the boat agin the bank, till every galoot 
 was ashore." The first time we approached the 
 land I was alarmed, and knew something was wrong 
 and we were going aground. Sure enough, up in 
 the mud ran the bow, and the engines were stopped. 
 A long plank was thrown ashore, and passengers 
 carefully helped along. The next time we turned 
 for the bank, I could see nothing to make such a 
 performance reasonable or right, but as we neared 
 the little lonely spot, on the shore sat a young 
 woman, with a little boy, alone with their traps, and 
 both were quickly taken on board. 
 
 We reached " The Dalles " about 5.40 P. M. and 
 walked to the " Umatella House," where we left our 
 bags and proceeded to see the town. Forlorn, un- 
 attractive, doleful, a barren glaring spot, with about 
 four thousand people living there, and we were 
 royally glad to take a train at 6.40, for Hood River. 
 We knew nothing of our shelter for the night, but 
 we were taking chances, and when I saw the hotel, I 
 felt like running to the woods, but it proved better 
 than it looked. A general search was made by each 
 of us, as soon as our rooms were apportioned, and 
 simultaneously we all put our heads into the hall, 
 and asked about clean linen. I saw the nice young 
 
 3x6 
 
wife of the proprietor, and said " Our upper sheet 
 and pillows seem clean, but the under sheet looks 
 doubtful." ** Yes ma'am, I know, and I'll change 
 it," she answered, " I only change one sheet for 
 gentlemen ; they don't mind, you know, so I pre- 
 pared that room for a gentleman, you see." We were 
 almost too tired to care much, and at nine o'clock 
 we were in bed, lights out, and were not disturbed 
 until the next morning, at five o'clock. 
 
 ** Why did not those people like that lovely trip ? " 
 was our query all day. It made us fear they had 
 wearied of the wonderful and beautiful, and were not 
 quite in tune with these surroundings. 
 
 SATURDAY, AUGUST 15TH. 
 
 T OVELY and bright, when we were awakened, at 
 half past five o'clock this morning, for our 
 drive up Mt. Hood. At seven o'clock we started, 
 packed bag and baggage in the stage, and as we had 
 been told in Portland, that we would reach Cloud 
 Cap Inn at noon, we thought our trip would be 
 short and sweet. We had twenty-seven miles to go; 
 most of those miles we were climbing hills, and the 
 man who told us that we only needed a few hours 
 for the ascent, had never been up Mt. Hood himself, 
 I'll warrant. At luncheon time, we were only half 
 way up that tremendous climb, and did not reach 
 the Inn, until half past five o'clock that night. The 
 drive was a glorious one, through beautiful woods, 
 with the trees thickly hung with " Grey Beard," and 
 
 317 
 
the wild flowers, the little streams of gray water from 
 the glaciers, with numerous glimpses of great Mt. 
 Hood, in its snow mantle, made it an everchanging 
 panorama. But the dust ! Never in our lives had 
 we seen such loving, clinging, all-powerful dust, and 
 never had we been so bountifully powdered. Al- 
 though we had plenty of dust in the Yosemite, it 
 was nothing compared to this close and intimate 
 bosom-friend of Mt. Hood. The road is made 
 through basaltic and lava formations, and the pow- 
 dered boulders, the deep deposit of ages, has been 
 overturned and lies upon the surface in a thick 
 powder. As the driver said — " it's real good clean 
 dust," and so it was, but the most inquisitive parti- 
 cles that we have ever met. As I thought we had 
 given up the Mt. Hood trip, I had left our dusters 
 behind, but as we left the Hood River Hotel, the 
 good wife of the proprietor had offered me her 
 duster, which, though marvelously ample, was a 
 blessing after all. We had all left our hats there 
 also, and wore caps, as we have learned never to have 
 such stiff burdensome things about, when away for 
 pleasure. The dust sifted through everything, 
 through our veils and dusters, and plastered us 
 from head to heels. Our faces were worse than 
 any coal-digger's ; we were smutched all over with 
 grim shadows around our eyes, and nose, and 
 mouth, for the slight moisture of the warm weather 
 mixed marvelously well with the dirt, and made a 
 plastic mud, most uncomfortable to us all. At first 
 
 318 
 
we brushed every few minutes ; then a calm resigna- 
 tion came over us and we sat still and took our dust, 
 peck by peck, — like good Christians. We swallowed 
 more than we liked, and absolutely ground our teeth 
 upon it. I am not exaggerating, for nobody could 
 give an adequate idea of that powdered drive. We 
 finally came to a barn, and the driver said we would 
 rest there an hour, so we thought we would eat our 
 luncheon. Oh, how we laughed when we were on 
 the ground and could have a full view of one another ! 
 Dr. N. laughed heartily when he beheld Jamie, in 
 all his dustiness, little realizing that he looked just 
 as badly himself. Mrs. N. went about, whipping the 
 bushes and trunks of trees with her hat, veil and 
 wrap, but Jamie and I were too hungry to care, and 
 seating ourselves, — Jamie on a box found under a 
 tree, and I, perching up on one end of the little 
 wooden table, — we opened and prepared the 
 luncheon. Chickens' wings and legs, hard boiled 
 eggs, bread, crackers, little cakes and apples, com- 
 posed the repast, but as the hostess of the Wood 
 River Hotel was not troubled with a tremendous 
 stock of refinement, every article was done up in 
 dingy newspaper, — old pieces that looked as if they 
 had been through the war. But dusty, dirty beings as 
 we were, could not be very particular, — our appetites 
 were too big to be spoiled and we sat and ate our 
 newspaper lunch, as if served with the air and grace 
 of a Delmonico waiter. We roared with laughter, 
 between bites, at our funny little circle, and when- 
 
 319 
 
ever I undertook to move, or Dr. N. who was perched 
 on the other end of our rude rough lunch-table, 
 it would see-saw and shake, and every one would 
 watch some particular dainty (?) morsel, with fever- 
 ish anxiety, for fear it would take unto itself wings 
 and fly away. It was a party of the merriest kind. 
 To give some idea of our snail's pace up the 
 mountain, we were three hours going up five miles. 
 It was like climbing the side of a house, and of 
 course the higher we climbed, the rarer the air be- 
 came, and the poor horses panted, and puffed, and 
 made our hearts ache. When we espied Cloud Cap 
 Inn, we were glad we had faced the discomforts and 
 trials of that trip, to find such a lovely resting place. 
 A log cabin of one story, — tied down to the rocks 
 by means of strong cables, it presented the most 
 attractive appearance imaginable. Wooden within 
 and without, — no carpets, or wall papers, or conven- 
 tionalities, it however proved the loveliest retreat, 
 so quiet, so lofty, so unusual ; and to our dusty 
 souls, it seemed a heaven on earth. A most excel- 
 lent woman keeps the Inn in the Clouds, providing 
 home-like dainties in abundance, and we found our- 
 selves at once so comfortable that we shook the dis- 
 agreeable remembrance of our drive from us, with 
 the dust, and enjoyed it all in full measure. A fine 
 sunset, and a gorgeous moon-light night, with genuine 
 winter coldness, made us all sleepy and before ten 
 o'clock we had started for the land of "Wynken, 
 Blynken, and Nod." 
 
 320 
 
SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST i6tH. 
 
 T AM sitting alone, on the floor of the little observ- 
 atory, on top of Cloud Cap Inn. It is half-past 
 " five o'clock in the morning " and the rest of our 
 little party have returned to their beds, but I could 
 not shut my eyes upon such grandeur; the idea of 
 being alone to absorb and drink in this beauty, made 
 me so wide awake that I could not resist the temp- 
 tation, and so I am here, all alone with my thoughts, 
 the great mountains, and the flood of sunshine which 
 surrounds me, and it was never so easy to worship 
 my God, on a Sabbath morning, as it is to-day. The 
 mountains and hills declare His glory; the great 
 snow monarchs proclaim His praise ; the trees sing 
 their anthems in the gentle morning breeze, and the 
 little birds twitter their love for Him. Why should 
 not my heart glow and give thanks why should I 
 not be in tune with all this glory ! It makes me 
 feel awed and speechless, as in silent grandeur all 
 nature makes homage to its Creator. Not one word, 
 no sound, except the wind as it rustles through the 
 tree-tops, and yet a more glorious adoration was 
 never given than we have witnessed this morning. 
 In awful grandeur and magnificence, the great 
 mountains raise their heads, beholding nothing on 
 earth to rival their beauty, but all pointing to 
 Heaven, the home of their King, and expressing in 
 themselves the prayer of the Ages, the anthem they 
 have sung since time began. 
 
 331 
 
By the thoughtfulness of good Mrs. F., we were 
 awakened before five o'clock, to see the sun rise. 
 Scrambling into our clothes, with unwashed faces 
 and uncombed heads, we assembled on the little rus- 
 tic observatory, on the roof of this artistic little log- 
 cabin. I was alone at first, but was soon joined by 
 four sleepy companions, all, however, awakened be- 
 fore many minutes, to the beauteous surroundings. 
 At our left, in close companionship, stood Mt. Hood, 
 on whose side we now are. Cleanly and clearly 
 outlined against a sky of turquoise, with its great 
 cone-shaped summit covered with pure white 
 snow, Mt. Hood stood in such wondrous beauty, 
 in such mysterious grandeur, its great rocks 
 and shining glaciers making a wonderful impres- 
 sion upon us. We felt as if we could put out 
 our hands and touch its glorious summit, it was so 
 near us. Opposite us, on our right hand and on our 
 left, stood range after range of wonderful moun- 
 tains, in such marvelous numbers, with such myr- 
 iads of points and peaks, of deep shadowy bftie, 
 some in the distance resembling castles and cathed- 
 rals, that we seemed unable to take it all in and 
 properly appreciate its beauty. The most glori- 
 ous, grand and marvelous sight, however, were the 
 great Kings of the West, lifting their snow-covered 
 heads in majesty and might, behind the numerous 
 mountains in the foreground and middle distance. 
 Mt. Ranier, 165 miles away from us, opposite 
 Tacoma, stood out so distinctly before us, that we 
 
 322 
 
marveled at the sight of its great glacial sides and 
 multitude of cracks and crevasses, and could not be- 
 lieve that so many miles were between us. Nearer 
 us, to the right of Ranier's gorgeous rounded top, 
 stood Mt. Adams, in such loftiness and glorious 
 grandeur, in such a pure white mantle, it seemed to 
 touch the heavens, and reflect the splendor of the 
 Pearly Gates. To Ranier's left, in a haughty glori- 
 ousness, and with a great volcanic cup full of snow, 
 as her crown, stood Mt. St. Helens, the loftiest and 
 most aristocratic and aspiring of the quartette. We 
 stood in an amphitheatre of grandeur, of magnifi- 
 cent mountain ranges on all sides of us, with these 
 great monarchs as sentinels, rising far into the sky, 
 above the rest, in such unparalleled loveliness, in 
 such unspeakable magnificence. 
 
 When we first saw Mt. Hood this morning, it was 
 outlined against the azure blue, like a genuine gem, 
 in a molten silver setting. To enhance the picture, 
 one twinkling star peeped at us, over the summit of 
 snow, a good-bye to the night, for the dawn was 
 coming. In the far east, a great band of deep red 
 light announced the approach of the King of Day, 
 and glowed and glistened, reflecting rose, violet, 
 purple, then a long finger of yellow, over the scene 
 of enchantment before us. Mt. Adams was a purple 
 of royal hue, with violet shadows ; Mt. Ranier, like a 
 beautiful pink rose, stood out in delicate outlines ; 
 while Mt. St. Helens, like a glorious bride decked 
 for her wedding morn, was purest gold, rare and 
 
 333 
 
bright, and beautiful ; and wonderful beyond words 
 was this marvelous picture. We were harmonious 
 in our praise and enjoyment of this vision of beauty, 
 which far surpassed any similar scene ever witnessed. 
 Gradually Old Sol, in the brightest of Sunday at- 
 tires, peeped up from behind the mountains, a little 
 rim of gold at first, to be sure all Nature was ready 
 to receive him and do him homage, then, as if satis- 
 fied and puffed up with pride, he came rolling forth 
 in a grandeur and splendor of sunshine, flooding 
 everything with his wondrous light. The little star 
 above Mt. Hood quickly made its exit ; the snow 
 smiled back at Old Sol, as he caressed its mounds 
 and glaciers ; the trees began to wave their welcome ; 
 the birds sang a little chorus of praise, and every 
 rock and rill, every mountain and valley sent up a 
 little cloud of incense, their welcome to the Sun. 
 
 As I sit on this lofty pinnacle, looking over the 
 tree-tops, to the snow-clad mountains, and realize 
 where I am, and that I am viewing some of the 
 grandest scenery in the world, I am depressed as 
 well as impressed, as I realize the atom I am, in this 
 great world of wonder and wisdom. 
 
 While I sat in such absolute stillness, drinking in 
 the beauty on all sides of me, the little birds did not 
 seem afraid of me ; they did not seem to realize that 
 I was a living being, and they came and perched 
 about me, gave a little peep, sang a merry song, 
 looking straight into my face, then they flew away 
 to tell their neighbors, who came in turn to see me, 
 
 334 
 
i 
 
and I wondered what they thought of that queer 
 little woman, crouched down on the floor of the little 
 rustic observatory, like an Indian squaw in her 
 usual position. Perhaps they thought I had come 
 " To sweep the cobwebs from the sky," — " Old 
 woman, old woman, old woman, quoth I." 
 
 At half-past six, I saw that Mt. Hood would soon 
 be too bright to photograph, so I ran to our room, 
 grasped my camera and flew to the roof, to take two 
 photos of this wondrous companion of ours. Its aw- 
 ful summit is only four thousand feet above us, as 
 it stands 11,400 feet above the sea level. Then, as 
 the people of the house began to move about, and 
 I felt that absolute solitude could no longer be 
 mine, I went to our room and jumped into bed for 
 an hour's nap. About half-past eight we assembled 
 for breakfast, and such a good one as we had, just 
 like a home breakfast. Soon after, we were out and 
 wandering about, but the rare air made exercise too 
 much for any of us, and after walking a few steps, 
 we were obliged to give up our desire to visit an 
 immense glacier, not an eighth of a mile away from 
 us. We reached a point of rocks, called ** Artist's 
 Point," where Bierstadt painted some famous pict- 
 ures, and there we sat for an hour or two, looking 
 deep down into the Valley and seeing the wonder- 
 ful volcanic formations, and lava beds. On the op- 
 posite side of Mt. Hood from where we are, there 
 is a crater, which often now sends forth steam in 
 great volumes. 
 
 32s 
 
About one o'clock, which came all too soon, we 
 were called to dinner, and at two o'clock we packed 
 ourselves again in our stage, waved a good-bye to 
 the good woman who keeps the little Inn, and began 
 our descent of Mt. Hood. The five miles of terri- 
 ble climbing, which took us over three hours yester- 
 day, we went down in forty minutes. The trip 
 back to Hood River was a very tiresome one, more ■ 
 so than yesterday, because we had not thoroughly 
 rested from the drive and necessary fatigue. The 
 terrible dust of yesterday attacked us again, in quite 
 as violent a form, but we did not enjoy it as much 
 as before ; the novelty had worn off, and we saw 
 visions of being too late to have a good wash, before 
 taking the train for Portland. We were a perfect 
 sight, when we reached Hood River at seven o'clock, 
 and as we drove up to the Hotel, the piazza was 
 crowded with country people in their Sunday attire, 
 and the children set up a howl, when they saw 
 James alight. He was plastered with this basaltic 
 powder, literally coated with it, and his face was 
 hardly recognizable. We were all in similar condi- 
 tion, and were approached by the men of the Inn, 
 with long handled dusters and brushes. A general 
 rush for rooms and clean clothes, " a rub, scrub and a 
 polish," a little bite of supper, and at 7.40 P. M. we 
 took the train for Portland, five tired out but con- 
 tented people. We reached Portland at 10.45 P- M- 
 and after *' a tub " we tumbled into bed, to dream 
 of the visions of beauty we had seen. 
 
 326 
 
MONDAY, AUGUST I/TH. 
 
 T OVELY morning, bright, sunny and very warm. 
 Mrs. N. was quite ill all last night and very 
 wretched this morning. Dr. N. however, was able to 
 leave his mother for a while this morning, and James 
 and the Doctor and I, wandered about the streets 
 of Portland, into the shops, hunting some trifles and 
 some good views of Alaska and other places. We 
 had such a late breakfast that we did not return for 
 luncheon, but about half past two we came back to 
 The Portland^ and were able to visit Mrs. N. for a 
 little. R. was so disappointed, not being able to go 
 with us in the morning, that she begged me to go to 
 a few shops again with her, which I did with genuine 
 pleasure. When we returned about five o'clock, I 
 found the Doctor with James in our room, painting a 
 totem-pole in water colors, from my photo, and my 
 desire to write home had to be curbed until dinner 
 time, but was accomplished, in spite of obstacles. 
 We five Hood-ites dined together and had our 
 evening together also, for the thought of parting 
 makes us sad. It is remarkable how short a time it 
 takes to make real firm friends. Four weeks ago, we 
 did not know the N.s, and now we hope to keep 
 them always as friends. 
 
 TUESDAY, AUGUST i8TH. 
 13 AINING and cool, and joy was in our hearts 
 when we awoke, and found this condition of 
 things. Rain is scarce in this part of ^ the summer, 
 
 327 
 
 \ 
 
seldom visiting the country for weeks and months. 
 A rainy day for a trip to Tacoma, the dustiest of 
 rail experiences, was a delight to us. After packing, 
 we breakfasted at 9.30 A. M. with the N.s, and I was 
 made happy by the farewell offerings brought me. 
 
 At eleven o'clock, we left the Hotel and our three 
 friends, whose waving handkerchiefs were visible 
 until we turned a sharp corner two blocks away, 
 and Jamie and I are already wondering how soon 
 it may be our good fortune to see them again. At 
 11.45 our train started and landed us in Tacoma at 
 6.25 p. M. We passed the uninteresting trip quickly 
 away, by reading " Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow," 
 by Jerome K. Jerome, parts of which Jamie read 
 aloud to me, and we richly enjoyed. Aunt Mary 
 was awaiting us, and we were quite rejoiced to get 
 back. Letters were our treat from home, and were 
 thoroughly digested before we ate one mouthful of 
 supper. 
 
 3a8 
 
PUGET SOUND TO MONTANA 
 
 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST I9TH. 
 
 13 IGHT after breakfast, James, Auntie and I wan- 
 dered out to see our photographs. While 
 shopping, afterwards, we met Miss J. and Miss D. 
 and Mrs. A., of our Mexico party, and had a short 
 interview in Gross's '* Dry Goods Shop." The girls 
 had been to call upon me. After reaching the hotel. 
 Rev. Dr. Y. and Dr. James Y., who were awaiting 
 our return, made us a long call, inviting us to go 
 this afternoon to ** Tea " at the Ladies' Tennis Club. 
 ) Luncheon — then a change of rooms, and while 
 
 struggling fifteen minutes later, to get settled. Miss 
 J. and Miss D. appeared* again. They had not gone, 
 when Dr. Y. arrived to escort us to the Tennis 
 Grounds, and Dr. J. Y. was there to welcome us on 
 arrival. The Tennis Club does not occupy impos- 
 ing grounds and buildings, but there is simply a 
 corner lot, with two courts, a small building, where 
 tea was served, and some benches and seats, ar- 
 ranged very ingeniously under the sidewalk. We 
 met many people, however, saw Tacoma's belles and 
 beauties, and they were decidedly attractive in ap- 
 
 329 
 
pearance. Life in Tacoma seems like one big pic- 
 nic, — a sort of holiday life and energy, and a con- 
 stant round of entertainments — which is very pleas- 
 ant. 
 
 As James had not been about Tacoma, we took a 
 drive after leaving the grounds, and Dr. Y. went 
 with us. The oldest part of the town is about 
 twenty years old, and is spoken of with great rever- 
 ence, by all the inhabitants, as *'01d Tacoma," 
 (strong emphasis on the Old). In this ancient cor- 
 ner, is a tiny edifice, a little church (Episcopal), 
 " St. Peter's " by name. The belfry is on a huge 
 tree, seven feet in diameter ; the branches have 
 been cut away, and on top of this huge trunk, a bell- 
 tower has been placed. Ivy covers the trunk 
 thickly, and it is a unique and remarkable church 
 tower. Dr. Y. wanted to stop at the old Church, 
 which we did, and interviewed the minister, who 
 took us into the Church. Then we drove to Dr. Y.'s 
 home and went in for a short call, and to see dear 
 little Gretchen. After dinner, we spent a quiet 
 pleasant evening with Aunt Mary, and listened to the 
 Spanish Students. 
 
 THURSDAY, AUGUST 20TH. 
 
 "jWrOST remarkably uneventful, and yet a pleas- 
 ant, quiet, restful day, with enough com- 
 pany to entertain us, and enough music to make 
 life worth living. 
 
 330 
 
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 1 ST. 
 
 A BOUT three and a half o'clock, Auntie, James 
 and I, in an electric car, rode to what is known 
 in these parts as " Old Tacoma," to meet Mr. G. 
 and his Naphtha launch Hope^ for a trip to the 
 " Boat Club House," about six miles across Puget 
 Sound. Naphtha launches, have seemed to me up 
 to date, an invention of the Devil, to be avoided 
 religiously by me and my better half, on all occasions. 
 Imagine my horror, when informed that James had 
 actually accepted this invitation, for himself and 
 me. As I prepared for my pleasure (!) trip, I kept 
 assuring myself that drowning, after all, was a pleas- 
 ant death — sort of panoramic and kaleidoscopic. As 
 I stepped into the little twenty-one foot craft, with 
 its shining business-like funnel, and numerous little 
 wheels and knobs, to turn on or off the gas needed or 
 not needed, I gasped, in despair, and to my better 
 half's infinite disgust, ** Any danger in these little 
 ships ? " to which Mr. G. answered reassuringly (?) 
 ** Don't believe so, I've never had an accident, but 
 no knowing when will be the first time." I swal- 
 lowed something that would stick up in my throat, 
 and fibbed about its being** so pleasant to go so fast 
 and feel so safe," but for a mile or so, I kept my eye 
 on that little " infernal machine " in the stern, to my 
 great amusement after, for soon a sense of safety 
 came over me, and ever since I have been an enthu- 
 siastic admirer of these little crafts. We sailed 
 
 331 
 
those six miles in forty minutes, and reached the 
 boat club in ample time, for the " Naphtha Launch 
 Race," which was called at 6 P. M. We were landed 
 on the float, but soon to our delight, the Commodore 
 of the little fleet, sent us an invitation to come to his 
 yacht, which was anchored off shore, and was the 
 starting point, as well as finish, for the race. Soon 
 the seven launches started out on their three miles 
 course, and it was very interesting and a pretty 
 sight. Our Hope was one of the small launches, and 
 was beaten by a bigger boat, but we enjoyed the 
 sight very much. A supper, served to a large num 
 ber of guests, followed, and about a quarter to nine 
 o'clock, we started in our little craft for the shore of 
 Tacoma. It was a glorious sail back ; the phosphor- 
 escence was exquisite ; we seemed to cut our way 
 through diamond waves, and the moon rose like a 
 great fiery cart-wheel, and shed a red path of light 
 to guide us home. 
 
 SATURDAY, AUGUST 22D. 
 
 "IITE had callers on the piazza all the morning, 
 the K's, of Peekskill, whom we met in the 
 Yosemite, and who have just returned from Alaska, 
 and the Y's. In the afternoon, Jamie and Dr. Y., 
 with the host of the Hope^ went again for a sail, 
 but as we were going to dine with Mrs. Y., I refused 
 the tempting invitation. Jamie returned in time to 
 dress, and we went to the dinner, and had a very 
 pleasant time. 
 
 333 
 
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23D. 
 
 A UNTIE and James spent the day with me in 
 my room, as I was not feeling well. I went 
 to dinner, however, and after it we three went to 
 the little church in old Tacoma, with its ancient bell- 
 tower, and ivy (which has poked its tiny tendrils 
 through every available crack and crevice, into the 
 sacred sanctuary, and grown everywhere luxuriously), 
 and we heard a fine sermon, from Rev. Dr. Y., of 
 Staten Island. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26TH. 
 
 A FTER breakfast in my room, I received calls in 
 ■^^ the parlor, from Mrs. W. and her sister Miss 
 C, whom I met at Mrs. Y.'s dinner, after which the 
 music was enjoyed. After luncheon, by invitation 
 from Mr. G., Auntie, James, Dr. Y. and I, also Miss 
 R., went for a sail on the launch Hope. It was a 
 terribly warm day on shore, but in our hurried pas- 
 sage through the water, we created such a breeze' 
 that jackets were necessary for comfort and safety. 
 
 The great interest now in Puget Sound is the 
 salmon fishing, and the run of salmon is so great, that 
 we thought a sail to the traps would be of interest. 
 Before going near enough to see through the nets, 
 we sailed about near the spot, and never in our lives 
 have we seen such a sight. The fish were jump- 
 ing many times their length, up into the air, on all 
 sides of us, and it was one incessant exclamation of 
 * look here, quick," or " look sharp," for it was a 
 
 333 
 
sight never to be forgotten. As if amused by some 
 great aquatic joke, and rolling with merriment, these 
 "pinks of propriety" would fly up out of their 
 watery abode, give a bound through the air, and dis- 
 appear as quickly as they appeared. Like pin-wheels 
 they would roll about, and in schools of great num- 
 bers, they would hurry along, as if out for an airing. 
 The queerest thing of all, was to see the vast mass of 
 fish, as they swam along, for we could see them on 
 the surface so distinctly and plainly, and they were 
 so crowded and so closely packed in together, that 
 their fins stuck up above the water, and made the 
 waves quite black. We had heard of salmon '* filling 
 the streams so full, that a man could walk on their 
 backs safely to shore," and while in Alaska, one of 
 our number caught a fish in a stream, between his 
 handsy but these fins on the surface and these 
 aeronautic salmon, we saw with our own eyes, and 
 can vouch one for the other, if our veracity is 
 doubted. We finally tied our Hope to two of 
 the trap-poles, shut off the gas, and lay quietly and 
 cosily close to the nets, to see the catch. It was one 
 vast throng of fine fish, so many in the nets, that the 
 sides just below the water line, bulged out to their 
 most elastic limits. Once in a while, a fine speci- 
 men of the fish kingdom would be bounced up out 
 of the water, on the backs of its fellow companions, 
 like some oarsman, brought home by his college 
 mates on their shoulders, after a victory. Mr. G., 
 our host, to do all in his power for his guests, pro- 
 
 334 
 
duced a gaff, and leaning over the side-net, easily- 
 brought up a fine salmon on the hook, in gorgeous 
 glory and pride. Seeing the fishermen preparing to 
 haul a net on shore, we landed, and viewed the un- 
 usual sight. Slowly but surely, the meshes of that 
 strong net closed upon its victims, and as it came 
 closer and closer to shore, the splashes and dashes 
 of the prisoners, produced as much commotion in the 
 water, as a sudden squall of wind would do. They 
 landed hundreds, nay thousands, and Dr. Y. bought 
 eleven fine salmon, weighing each between eight and 
 twelve pounds, for two bits, or twenty-five cents. A 
 man, a few days ago, sold five hundred salmon for five 
 dollars ; for several days the run had been so great, 
 that they had to shut their trap-doors, and after fill- 
 ing their boats full, and giving to any who were 
 near, they liberated nearly five thousand — '* pretty 
 big fish story " to be sure ! 
 
 On our way to shore, we steamed up to see a little 
 collection of houses, I had become interested in from 
 my window. It seems, a certain wandering class of 
 laborers live in floating houses, which are carried to 
 their different objective points, on the rising tide. 
 Nestled close by the big sawmill, opposite this 
 Hotel, which is situated on a point of ground in a 
 shallow channel or water-way, are several dozens of 
 these huts, or aquatic cottages, where women and 
 children live their lives, having bridges to bring them 
 to the main-land, but staying always in this way on 
 the water, avoiding land rents and having no water 
 
 335 
 
tax, even for their floating homes. It is a queer 
 little gathering of houses, and some are quite pre- 
 tentious, having curtains at their windows and front 
 doors. One little square box, which stands high and 
 dry at low tide, but is surely at sea at high water, 
 has quite a fine stained-glass front door, and sev- 
 eral have platforms or floats near their front entrance, 
 with fences about them, for the tiny tots (who 
 abound in such quarters), to have as a play-ground. 
 Wooden soap and starch-boxes full of flowers, serve 
 as ornaments in various places in these homes, and 
 they seem as comfortable and happy, in their watery 
 paradise, and as thrifty as in more secure abodes. 
 Surely, these floating laborers know how to evade 
 the demands of the law. For some reason a conund- 
 rum, we heard on the Mexico y which pleased James 
 greatly, recurs to me now, and that is, " Who was 
 the best financier mentioned in history ? Noah, be- 
 cause he floated a Loan (lone) Company while all 
 the world was in liquidation." 
 
 THURSDAY, AUGUST 27TH. 
 
 T OVELY morning, but to arise at six o'clock 
 again, savored too much of the Yosemite and 
 Mt. Hood trips, and yet was a joy after we were 
 once on our feet. Breakfast at seven o'clock, and at 
 half-past seven, Auntie, James and I started for the 
 eight o'clock boat, the City of Kingston^ for Seattle. 
 We had several minutes to spare before the boat 
 started, and had an opportunity to study a group of 
 
 336 
 
Siwash laborers, who had come to town for the hop- 
 picking. It was a goodly gathering, and more In- 
 dians collected in one group than in any we had 
 seen even in Alaska. Just at this time of the year, 
 the country is full of these peculiar people, and 
 they come floating up the Sound, with their families, 
 their goods and chattels, in their big picturesque 
 canoes, and remind one of Robinson Crusoe or 
 some similar exile, just coming from a long life on 
 some far-away desert island. They come some- 
 times from Alaska, sometimes from British Colum- 
 bia, and make long journeys to these hop-fields, 
 stopping when night comes, on the shore, wherever 
 they happen to be, and little bright fires may be 
 seen all along the shore every evening, denoting the 
 abiding-place for that night, of those wandering pil- 
 grims. They move along the shores like born mar- 
 iners, and seem perfectly at home in their little 
 canoes. I say little canoes, but they are big, and 
 the bow and stern are so wonderfully well cut out, 
 in such graceful curves, that they reflect a perfect 
 bow in the water beneath them, a semi-circle like 
 the new moon, and they are laden with bright 
 blanketed women, little children with bright hand- 
 kerchiefs about their heads, and the omnipresent 
 Siwash dog, with its greenish eyes and wiry hair. 
 The heads of these families usually sit in the stern, 
 and paddle in such a scientific manner, carrying 
 their paddle freely above the waves, between each 
 stroke, and yet so closely to the water, that it never 
 
 337 
 
seems to leave it for a moment. They use this 
 mode of locomotion from their cradle, and are as 
 skillful as well trained oarsmen could be. We saw 
 many of these big family canoes to-day, and they 
 never failed to call forth our admiration, for they 
 were certainly wonderfully picturesque and unusual. 
 As they glide along over the waves, the Indian 
 women often knit, and their dark heads and hands, 
 bending low over some child's blue or red stocking, 
 added much to the effect. Indians, as a rule, in 
 the old times never wore stockings, but now, the 
 result of education is seen in the comfortably clad 
 children, some looking quite like white children in 
 their modern attire. This morning the squaws and 
 children, with their clean dresses, shoes and stock- 
 ings, their combed and braided hair, and neat ap- 
 pearance, contrasted marvelously with the old 
 women and their filthy dirty feet, their snarled and 
 tangled hair, their grimy faces and loathsome ex- 
 pressions ; and although they all crouched on the 
 ground, and were all eating their breakfasts of 
 berries, and had very black looking mouths, any- 
 one interested in such a study, could very easily 
 pick out the educated Indian, at a glance. We saw 
 fat Indians and lean Indians, clean Indians and dirty 
 ones, little Indians and big Indians, and we were 
 sorry to leave our study in Siwash oils, when the 
 bell rang and communicated to the engineer of the 
 City of Kingston, the Captain's desire to be off for 
 Seattle. 
 
 338 
 
Our sail to Seattle was one of little interest, for 
 the heat of the coming hours was preceded by an 
 ominous mist and haze, and we could see little be- 
 yond the bow of the boat. Dr. Y., who had joined 
 us for the trip, sat outside with James, while Auntie 
 and I snoozed in the cabin. Ten o'clock found us 
 at the wonderful little city of Seattle, and as we 
 walked from the boat the two short blocks to the 
 business streets, we were all impressed by the mag- 
 nificent buildings, really imposing and fine, and by 
 the remarkably big appearance of the little City. 
 
 Three years ago, in i88S, a terrible fire wiped out 
 all of Seattle's business quarter, and accomplished 
 its work of destruction so thoroughly, that crackers 
 and bacon were the only provisions it was possible 
 to obtain, for a few days, until relief trains brought 
 better things to the ruined city. Twelve millions of 
 dollars worth of property was destroyed. Now the 
 buildings are rebuilt and are as handsome as many 
 in New York or Boston. This gives Seattle a very 
 new and impressive appearance, especially its busi- 
 ness quarter. The residences in Seattle are home- 
 like and attractive, but are as much behind the 
 homes in Tacoma, as its business portion is far 
 superior. The jealousy between this thirty (or forty) 
 years old city of Seattle, and the little young eight 
 years old Tacoma, is as ridiculous and undignified as 
 it would be, between a woman and a child, of the 
 same respective ages. 
 
 Our first aim was to find and see Mr. B, We 
 
 339 
 
heard he was in the Merchants' National Bank, and 
 soon found our way to a magnificent building. 
 Asking for Mr. B. we were told to step into his 
 private ofifice, as he would be in directly. A fine 
 glass door, with a silken curtain, and the words 
 " Vice-President " on it in gold, was opened for us, 
 and we found ourselves in a handsomely furnished 
 room, a large desk, chairs, sofa, etc., and learned 
 that the young friend, whom we were waiting to see, 
 who only three years ago came to Seattle, from the 
 East, was now Vice-President of a flourishing bank, 
 a Park Commissioner, a public-spirited, high-princi- 
 pled young man, whom all respected and honored 
 in this home of his adoption. We had not long to 
 wait, for our friend soon came in, and was most 
 cordial in his welcome. Arranging some matters 
 which demanded his immediate attention, he insisted 
 upon taking us about the City, and took us first to 
 the beautiful Washington Lake. The system of 
 cable and electric roads is in perfection in Seattle. 
 It is a city on a multitude of hills ; each street at its 
 corners, seems to wave and curve north and south, 
 as well as east and west ; and up and over all these 
 hills, as if they were nothing of any account, these 
 roads run, flying like witches in every direction. 
 One cable road took us one mile and a half to the 
 Lake, and there we took a little steamer and went a 
 mile and a half up the lake, to the " Canoe Club-Boat- 
 House, a lovely sail to a charming spot. Mr. B. 
 belongs to this organization, and bringing out his 
 
 340 
 
pretty pet " Argonaut," he was photographed in it, 
 by our "special photographer." After some time 
 spent in looking about, in viewing the picturesque 
 shores of this fresh-water resort, we took another 
 cable car and went three miles and a half back to 
 the city, stopping before we reached the Bank, at 
 the " Ranier Hotel," for dinner. After that mid-day 
 meal, and a quiet rest for a little while on the piazza, 
 we wandered to the Bank again, and leaving James 
 and the Doctor there. Auntie and I walked about, in 
 and out of the shops, to find photos and spoons. 
 
 At last we decided to continue our sight-seeing, 
 and as cars were the best means of moving about, 
 we took another line, and went several miles in a 
 different direction, to the top of Queen Anne Hill, 
 where the view of Puget Sound was really beautiful, 
 and the city presented a remarkably pleasing sight. 
 It was singularly fascinating, the manner in which 
 we glided over hill and dale, climbing precipitous 
 ascents at a glorious gait, and having genuine to- 
 boggan slides at some corners, with regular 
 " Thank-you-marms " liberally intermixed. James 
 seemed particularly amused at this car-sight-seeing 
 of ours, and we were so pleased by our several rides, 
 that, having an extra hour at our disposal, we 
 hunted for an unexplored portion of the town, and 
 taking one electric car to its limit, and transferring 
 to still another, we went in the only remaining un- 
 seen point of the compass, and returned in time for 
 our boat, at half-past five. We carried back to Ta- 
 
 341 
 
coma, besides beautiful roses sent by our friend, 
 wonderfully pleasant impressions of the industrious 
 spirit and energy of Seattle, with its pleasant homes 
 and its active business quarter. Surely this western 
 country is the place for energetic business enter- 
 prises, but the newness of the place and surround- 
 ings, is almost as depressing, as it is remarkable in 
 its growth and sure and steady development. A 
 lovely sail back to Tacoma, with dehghtful music in 
 the evening to rest our tired brains, and an early to 
 bed, brought to an end a pleasant and enjoyable 
 day. 
 
 FRIDAY, AUGUST 28TH. 
 
 T_J OT, very, very hot, but after breakfast Jamie 
 and I mustered up courage, and went up to 
 Dr. Y.'s to take a photograph of the house and 
 family, and the Doctor's office, as I had promised. 
 Before returning, we made a short morning call on 
 Mrs. W. and Miss C, then came down town to do a 
 few errands, and had a quiet afternoon. 
 
 About half-past six, Mr. and Mrs. A. arrived, and 
 dined with us and we had a very pleasant evening 
 after, with them and the Y.s who came down to 
 hear the music and to dance. Tuesday and Friday 
 are dancing nights, and owing to some queer freak, 
 Friday has become " the night " of the week. This 
 evening, the parlor was quite full of gaily dressed 
 young women, and young men in evening dress, and 
 our friends seemed to enjoy it so much, that they 
 
 342 
 
did not leave until the music stopped, at twelve 
 o'clock. 
 
 SATURDAY, AUGUST 29TH. 
 
 A WARM but bright day, and a quiet rest on the 
 '^ piazza in big chairs, listening to the dreamy- 
 delicious music of the artistic Spanish Students. 
 While I was dressing for dinner, a card came up 
 from James, saying Mr. B. from Seattle had arrived; 
 he had come to spend Sunday with us. We had a 
 very pleasant evening, and about half-past ten 
 o'clock, James went to the Club with him, but re- 
 turned in about a half hour, as it was a deserted 
 place, — no one there. 
 
 SUNDAY, AUGUST 30TH. 
 
 TDEAUTIFUL, but warm. After a late breakfast, 
 we amused ourselves looking over our photo- 
 graphs, and watching the big bear and pet of the 
 Tacoma Hotel, which was brought here when a cub. 
 After luncheon, by invitation from Mr. G., we three 
 (Mr. B., James and I) went out in the naphtha launch 
 again, and had the loveliest afternoon imaginable, 
 on Puget Sound. We stopped for a few minutes at 
 the Launch Club, but the most of our four hours on 
 the water, were spent in steaming in and out of 
 lovely little bays and coves, and it was simply ideal 
 to He there in that little boat, and dream and think. 
 Our evening was a quiet one, sitting and chatting 
 on the piazza. 
 
 343 
 
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST. 
 
 Wl E spent a pleasant morning on the piazza, lis- 
 tening to the Spanish Students for the last 
 time, also received calls from both Dr. Y., Mrs. and 
 Miss Y. and their friends. One of the Spanish Stu- 
 dents is quite a clever sculptor, and I had taken an 
 interest in his work, having bought a little as a curi- 
 osity, and also induced Mrs. M. to do the same. 
 The polite fellow came to me this morning, with the 
 loveliest little trifle imaginable, and in his broken 
 English, and with a terribly low bow, asked me to 
 accept the gift, "with his compliments." Jamie 
 was quite touched by his gratitude. 
 
 After a little more packing, and luncheon. Auntie, 
 James and I started for the 2.40 P. M. train for 
 Helena. We had a very pleasant trip the remain- 
 der of the day, and found Washington an interest- 
 ing State, quite wild and unsettled, but made beau- 
 tiful by its forests and trees. The chief crop seemed 
 to be hops, for we saw acres and acres devoted to 
 nothing else, and as this is the picking season, the 
 great, heavy, bushy poles were laden with the light 
 yellow-green harvest, and all through the country 
 the bright dresses of the Indian women might be 
 seen, in between the rows of hop-poles, picking the 
 heavy crop into wooden cribs or cradles. It was an 
 interesting scene, especially viewed for the first 
 time. The lumber camps give one such pictur- 
 esque glimpses, of what must be a most monotonous 
 
 344 
 
mode of living. It brought back to me what I had 
 so often heard of olden times, of early settlements 
 in a new country, and I felt as if I could see, with 
 mine own eyes, what the pioneer used to do, and 
 put up with, in the **good old days." It was prob- 
 ably more interesting to see, than to experience. 
 
 The scenery was enjoyable, but our greatest en- 
 tertainment came, when we began to climb the 
 mountains, to cross the Cascade Range. The trestles 
 were numerous and very, very high, and finally, as we 
 stopped suddenly in a snow-shed, and in a cloud of 
 smoke from the engine, I asked the brakeman what 
 was the trouble. "A trestle on fire, I believe," he 
 answered, ** we were told in the valley about it." 
 Sure enough, it was so, but an expert had come to 
 examine, and pronounced it safe, and over we went, 
 but the old bridge grunted and groaned, and 
 creaked and cracked, as if quite out of temper that 
 we were so short a time detained, and seemed to 
 feel so safe. At the top of the mountain, we passed 
 through a most marvelous tunnel, called " Stam- 
 pede Tunnel,*' two miles in length, and lighted with 
 electricity. We all sat on the rear platform and en- 
 joyed the sight, for the perspective lent beauty to 
 the scene. It was like the Hoosac Tunnel, only not 
 so long. The greatest interest of the entire even- 
 ing was, however, the burning forest through which 
 we passed. Like some great fiery furnace, the 
 heat penetrating, sometimes even through the closed 
 windows of the car, the forest would gleam and 
 
 345 
 
glare and glow in its frenzy of flames, great curling 
 columns of fire and smoke rising upwards, as if to 
 dim the glory of the stars. Sparks flew right and 
 left ; stumps dried and parched for want of rain, 
 were transformed into burning blazing caldrons 
 and caves of fire, great glaring flames sticking out 
 at little openings and charred places, like eyes and 
 tongues of torture. Our way was through these 
 burning forests for an hour or more, and was so 
 weird and wonderful in the blackness of the night, 
 making one feel the marvelous power of the spirit 
 of fire, and as if we were running through a corner 
 of the Infernal Regions, just to behold, without 
 feeling, the blistering fiend. Way up on the moun- 
 tain top, in one place, the fires were kindled to the 
 highest pitch, and one could easily imagine the de- 
 struction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Great tongues 
 of bright red flames licked the heavens in their fury, 
 jumping and leaping from tree to tree, as if playing 
 tag on the tree-tops, and as one after another, of 
 noble bearing and ancient lineage, tumbled and fell, 
 great columns of smoke and sparks announced the 
 downfall of these monarchs of the mountains. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND. 
 
 '^^rE had a pleasant journey to-day, as we passed 
 through a part of Idaho, and that is a most 
 attractive and fertile state. Our road lay beside the 
 Snake River, which, true to its name, winds its ser- 
 pent-like and tortuous course toward the Columbia 
 
 346 
 
River, through great basaltic walls. It was most 
 picturesque and remarkable. 
 
 Soon after breakfast, we reached Hope, Idaho, 
 which is situated on the exquisite Lake Pond 
 Oreille, and here, to our joy, although we reached 
 Hope about ten o'clock, we left at eleven o'clock, 
 for it was the first change in time, on our march to- 
 ward the East. At Hope, the houses are meagre 
 and poor, and business does not seem to be particu- 
 larly flourishing, for on a tiny one-room shanty were 
 two signs, a little bright barber's pole, and near it 
 on the door was also " F. W. May, DentistT 
 
 We passed through the Flat- Head Indian Reser- 
 vation, and saw the buildings of the Agency, which 
 is under Catholic control. They say it is a well- 
 managed and interesting reservation, that the Flat- 
 head Indians in winter live in log cabins, and have 
 learned to raise grain and potatoes, and cattle and 
 horses are their stock also. These Indians boast 
 that their tribe has never killed a white man. As 
 our train went through these lands, we could see 
 parties of Indians, cantering across the open country, 
 in groups of three or five, their brilliant blankets 
 producing quite a contrast with the green of the 
 foliage and the bronze of the grasses. 
 
 We were quite tired before we reached Helena, at 
 10.40 P. M., then we had four miles in a steam-motor 
 to Hotel Broadwater. A good feast with our let- 
 ters, and then we tumbled into bed and were lost 
 in pleasant dreams. 
 
 347 
 
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD. 
 
 JAMIE and I awoke this morning as the clock 
 pointed to ten, and quickly ordered a light 
 breakfast served in our room, knowing the iron-clad 
 rules of these Western hotels. A gentleman in the 
 room next to us exclaimed, just after we awoke, 
 in most irate tones, " The idea of that darkey tell- 
 ing me I was late for breakfast," and to avoid that 
 annoyance, we had coffee, etc., in our room. After 
 that. Auntie, James and I strolled out to see the 
 surroundings of the Hotel Broadwater. 
 
 Nobody can imagine such weary wastes, such 
 rolling hills and mounds, utterly devoid of vegeta- 
 tion, or any vestige of green in fact. The Hotel 
 Broadwater with its trees, shrubs and flowers, is a 
 perfect revelation to these mountain people, to think 
 that anything, with any pretentions to beauty, can be 
 made out of such a barren wilderness. The imme- 
 diate surroundings of the Hotel are, however, pretty 
 and pleasing, and quietly restful. The greatest 
 attraction is the fine Natatorium, really an imposing 
 building, quite Moorish in design and finish. It is 
 a huge building, three hundred and fifty feet long, 
 one hundred and fifty broad, and is all one big water- 
 tank, with numerous rooms surrounding it for bath- 
 ers. It is a superb room, vaulted and well lighted by 
 stained glass windows. On each side are twenty- 
 four large round ones, of brilliant colors, and as 
 many smaller ones over them, making a very pretty 
 
 348 
 
effect, with the colored rays of sunshine. At one 
 end of this room is a tremendous water fall, tumbling 
 and bubbling over rocks and stones, and some one 
 said, " It was such a good idea to build a Natatorium 
 over such a fine cascade.*' The cascade is made, 
 however, and the spring water is carried several 
 miles in pipes, and brought over these rocks into the 
 Natatorium. It is a natural mineral spring, and is 
 so very hot, that it takes 500,000 gallons a day of 
 cool water, to make it possible to bathe in it. This 
 Broadwater Hotel and Natatorium is a fashionable 
 and popular health and pleasure resort, in embryo, 
 but just now it is young and new, and needs time to 
 bring out its salient points. 
 
 About two o'clock, we took the electric car and 
 went into Helena, to see the richest city, for its size 
 and number of inhabitants, in our United States. 
 We met a friend of Auntie's, a very pleasant young 
 fellow, who gave us much information, and showed 
 us some pretty nuggets of gold, just as they had 
 been found in a Montana Gold Mine. Later we 
 went to a place right in the city, on a very promi- 
 nent corner, where workmen were digging founda- 
 tions for a new Club house. Down in the dirt, with 
 little tin pans, were boys, and some men, bringing up 
 pans full of the brown soil, which we watched the;n 
 wash and sift, to find the gold deposits. It was a 
 funny sight, to see a dozen men and boys all shaking 
 pans of dirt, in a little water-trough, crouching down 
 in the mud, seeking gold which they found in little 
 
 349 
 
yellow shining lumps, and they immediately assumed 
 such airs, with their riches and success as gold-diggers. 
 We tried to buy a few flakes from one youth, but he 
 said he preferred to retain them. It was a novel ex- 
 perience, to see gold brought out of the soil in the 
 very heart of the city. 
 
 Helena was an unusually unattractive place to us, 
 but there are some fine buildings, attractive houses 
 and homes, and the society is delightful. Auntie 
 had met Mr. and Mrs. Broadwater on the Queen (for 
 Alaska) also Judge C, wife and daughter, and they 
 made it very pleasant for us. One young lady said 
 to me, " We all like Helena, I suppose, because we 
 go away from it so much ! " 
 
 James suggested our walking to the end of the 
 Main Street, which being an undertaking requiring 
 neither time nor exertion, we accomplished. We 
 were surrounded on every side by men of all ranks 
 and grades, and soon saw the reason, for two build- 
 ings bore the inscription "The Headquarters of 
 Licensed Gambling House" in big bold letters. 
 Cow-boys, in their leggins of buck-skin, their som- 
 breros and rough jackets, were liberally sprinkled 
 through the fortune-seekers, and faces full of hope, 
 others of despair, were easily distinguished in the 
 crowd. 
 
 We were on our way back in our electric car, when 
 a genuine prairie sand-storm struck and enveloped 
 us, and such a sudden and determined storm as it 
 was. Not a crack or crevice that it did not seek out 
 
 350 
 
and go through. By the time, however, that we 
 reached the Hotel, the storm had somewhat abated, 
 and a rainbow stood out, arching royally across the 
 city, which it seemed to hold in its embrace. 
 
 In the evening we visited the Natatorium, to wit- 
 ness a base-ball game, played in the pool, and as 
 some seventy or eighty bathers were in the water, it 
 gave us much merriment to watch their antics. A 
 trapeze tempted athletes, a canoe easily capsized 
 captivated others, while a most interesting toboggan 
 slide made fun and frolic, as it hurriedly deposited 
 its adventurous visitors, in wild hot haste, far out in 
 the tank. We watched it for some time, then re- 
 turning to our hotel, we listened to some music, 
 danced, and soon retired. 
 
 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH. 
 
 A DAY of little moment, until we left Hotel 
 '^ Broadwater, at three o'clock, and drove into 
 Helena, to take the 4.40 P. M. train for Livingston. 
 No sleeping cars were on our train, so we seated our- 
 selves in an ordinary coach, to ride until after seven 
 o'clock, when we were to reach Logan and take the 
 Butte train there. It was a most desolate country 
 through which we traveled, until we reached the 
 Missouri River, and there a band of fertile ground 
 stretched out as far as the eye could reach. We were 
 startled at one place, by four quick, sharp reports of 
 some fire arm, and when James returned from the 
 smoking car, he told us that the ** News Agent " had 
 
 351 
 
taken aim out of the car window, as we were mov- 
 ing along, and with four pistol shots he had killed 
 four wild ducks. Soon this remarkably plain unin- 
 teresting man came into our car, selling peaches. We 
 spoke to him, saying we had heard he was a good 
 shot, and he said " Oh, shooting four ducks aint 
 anything. Last week I fired twelve shots out of 
 two six-shooters, and knocked down eleven ducks 
 out of the twelve shots." I naturally asked "When 
 did you learn to shoot ? " He answered, *' I was 
 brought up in Montana, where a feller had to learn 
 to shoot to live." As he spoke, he pulled out a 
 little "bull-dog pistol" (he called it), and handling 
 it lovingly, he showed it to me, and to my remark 
 that some men I supposed always carried such 
 things with them, he answered, **I aint in good 
 health, when I haven't a thing like that about me." 
 He then told us a little of what those " old days " 
 used to be in Montana, where a man's life was noth- 
 ing and where no warning was ever given, but a life 
 demanded and taken in one moment. He had crossed 
 the plains in an emigrant train, composed of fifteen 
 canvas-covered wagons, and consisting of over one 
 hundred and fifty souls, men, women and children 
 together. These trains often took six months to 
 cross the plains. The Indians attacked them when 
 nearing Helena, and only seventy of that little com- 
 pany ever reached their new home. He told us 
 much of Gen. Miles and Gen. Custer, and waxed 
 eloquent when speaking of the latter. He said 
 
 352 
 
" Gen. Custer warn't no white-livered chap, and there 
 wasn't a man in the West who'd speak agin him. His 
 only trouble was he was too bravey / " A couple of 
 nights ago, at the end of the run, he was held up by 
 a robber, but he said " I just held up my little bull- 
 dog, and persuaded him that he'd better take a little 
 walk he-self." After changing trains at Logan, this 
 Montana shooter came through the car again selling 
 something, and James said to him, laughingly 
 " killed anybody since I saw you ? " " No, but I 
 wish you was going through to the end of my run, 
 and Fd show you the latest modes for doin' it," he 
 answered. 
 
 We reached Logan at 7.35 P. M., and our train be- 
 ing late, we seated ourselves on our luggage to wait 
 comfortably. A dozen houses and an engine switch 
 house, and about a hundred people compose the vil- 
 lage of Logan. Our ** News Agent " still enter- 
 tained us with blood-curdling accounts, and soon our 
 little group was joined by a tiny specimen of hu- 
 manity, in the shape of a little boy, in trousers evi- 
 dently made out of his father's old ones, for they 
 were alarmingly ample and " bagged " about his 
 ankles. A coat four sizes too big, a funny round 
 skull-cap, a basket on his arm, and a more remark- 
 ably ludicrous specimen could not be found. He 
 was tiny and such a character. We asked his age, 
 *^ just ten," — what he did every day, "herd cattle on 
 horseback." Auntie, in a most impressively earnest 
 way said, ''Little boy don't you goto school?" 
 
 353 
 
** No marm ! " answered the young hopeful. " But, 
 added Auntie, *' don't you want to learn some- 
 thing," and as if to inspire ambition in the little 
 breast, she said " what will you do when you grow 
 up, if you don't learn something ? " Drawing his lit- 
 tle shoulders up into their ample covering, eyeing 
 Auntie all the time, he drawled out, with the tone 
 and emphasis of a genuine and hardened ruffian, 
 '^ I don't know and I don't care!'' Just then 
 some one asked him to go and bring us some 
 wonderful petrified wood, found in that vicinity, 
 and he showed decided disinclination to any such 
 exertion, and pleaded " no time," but when the 
 Agent insisted upon it, his energy came out in such 
 a vigorous *' Gee-whiz " and away he ran, and brought 
 us two fine specimens, which we forthwith purchased. 
 It was duly admired, and somebody suggested a 
 doubt as to its genuineness, when the little fellow 
 shouted, " Bet your boots, it is ! " 
 
 Our train came at 8 P. M., and at eleven o'clock 
 we reached the " Albemarle," at Livingston, a big- 
 sounding name for a little moderate hotel. We soon 
 slept, however, and knew nothing until the next 
 morning. 
 
 354 
 
THE YELLOWSTONE. 
 
 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH. 
 
 A BRIGHT lovely morning, and glorious for our 
 '^ trip to the Yellowstone Park. After a seven 
 o'clock breakfast, we started out to spend the few 
 minutes before our train left, at a quarter past eight, 
 in seeing some sights in Livingston, of which we 
 had heard. At a taxidermist's, we saw one of the 
 very few mountain goats in existence, and were 
 right glad to get the chance. 
 
 Our trip from Livingston to Cinnabar was through 
 lovely country, but the special feature of interest 
 was Auntie's and my ride on the engine. Jamie 
 made love to the engineer, and Auntie went on the 
 engine when we left Cinnabar, and rode some twelve 
 miles or more. I went on it then, and rode for 
 three-quarters of an hour, with Jamie near, as he 
 feared I would be nervous. What an unusual sensa- 
 tion it was ! We bounded off into space at a tre- 
 mendous pace, tossing and tumbling along, as if on 
 the wings of the wind. It was awfully exciting and 
 exhilarating, and put me all in a glow, but I never 
 before realized how thoroughly we travelers were in 
 
 355 
 
the hands, and at the mercy, of the engineer. It was 
 terrible to contemplate, and to see the careless man- 
 ner in which he turned his back to the road ahead, 
 every once in a while, and joked and laughed with 
 us all. I think I ran that train for those few miles, 
 for I never took my eyes off the track ahead, and 
 never felt more responsibility than I did then. As 
 we neared a trestle, the engineer slowed up a little, 
 and as he did so he said, — ** I go slow over those 
 things, so that if we go through, we'll go easy." 
 And just then, as he finished telling me of having 
 run over six horses the other day, as we tore madly 
 around a great curve, cut out of a tremendous rock- 
 cliff, he said, — " I slow up here a bit too, for rocks 
 are not half so nice to run into as horses." He told 
 me that engineers often slept at their posts at night, 
 for, as he said, — **We are all human, and can't help 
 it sometimes." It was quite an experience, and I 
 never before flew out into space in such a hurry, for 
 it gives one a queer sensation, to feel the engine 
 throb as it puffs and groans, and to be pushed out 
 into the world, in company with such a tremendous 
 power. Nothing happened to harm us, but when 
 the engineer lifted me from my seat in the cab to 
 the ground, when stopping to take water, my little 
 side-bag, or " valise " as Mr. H. called it, slipped from 
 my belt, and I discovered my loss too late to search 
 for it then and there. It completely upset me for 
 the rest of the day, as it contained some few things 
 of value, which I had never carried in it until that 
 
 356 
 
day. I hardly noticed the drive from Livingston to 
 the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, although I knew 
 it was through most beautiful caflons, and I have 
 read that they were finely marked by, and gave 
 strong evidence of, the Ice Age of our Continent. 
 After luncheon I took a rest to quiet my ruffled 
 spirits, and about half past four o'clock James, 
 Auntie and I went out to examine the wonderful 
 formations near this hotel, at which I had been peep- 
 ing at intervals from my window. This was our 
 
 FIRST GLIMPSE OF WONDERLAND. 
 
 C TANDING below, and looking up at this small 
 mountain of glorious formation, with its terrace 
 upon terrace, — its steam-covered springs, all lifting 
 their vapors in adoration to the skies, — the brilliant 
 colors contrasting gloriously with the great masses 
 of pure white, — one could hardly help feeling that a 
 new world was opening for us, — a new order of 
 things, demanding our watchful attention, and com- 
 manding our praise. We stood still to see it in its 
 entirety, before examining it in detail, and this 
 great and marvelous formation was glorious and 
 grand indeed, to our eyes. At the foot of this set 
 of terraces, stands a great colossal pyramid, rising 
 fifty or sixty feet from a level surrounding, and as it 
 points upward, with its layer upon layer of formation, 
 once the seat of a powerful geyser, which has de- 
 parted but left this monument to survive it, it pre- 
 sents a most imposing picture, and has been most 
 
 357 
 
appropriately named ** Liberty Cap." Little by 
 little, slowly, for lack of breath (for these 
 Mammoth Hot Springs stand at an altitude 
 of 6,200 feet), we climbed these marvelous 
 terraces, and as we threaded our way between the 
 bubbling and boiling springs, and the little rivulets 
 which chase one another down the hill-side, we were 
 lost in wonder and admiration, and stirred to our 
 depths by these wonderful and marvelous sights. 
 There are one hundred and seventy acres in this hill 
 and plateau, over fifty terraces, and as many active 
 springs, and it is divided into three parts, Minerva's 
 Terrace, Jupiter's Terrace, and the Pulpit. The hot 
 springs have formed all these, evaporating in steam 
 and leaving the most exquisite and delicate deposits, 
 as truly inimitable as the sunshine. These layers, or 
 deposits, form the most peculiar fluted edges, curling 
 and scalloping and waving like beautiful frills, and 
 forming terrace after terrace, transforming all into 
 magnificent pictures by the luminous colors. These 
 springs, with their frost-like rims, their flake-like 
 frills of coral and fret-work, set one against the 
 other, in innumerable shapes and sizes, in terraces 
 and layers, made us feel that we had never before 
 beheld such grandeur in colors. Nothing we had 
 ever seen could be compared to this beauty, all won- 
 derful as it was, and after standing for some time, 
 gazing and searching in my mind for something, 
 which might be used as an example of its shapes 
 and character of formation, a homely simile sug- 
 
 358 
 
gested itself, of colossal tarts and pies, with crimped 
 crusts,'and indented edges, only all in white, and rose- 
 color, and deep red. In these pools or springs, which 
 were too hot to do more than dip in our finger and 
 withdraw it quickly, were the most delicate frost- 
 work, and honey-comb deposits, like feathers in the 
 many colored pools, for one pool would be a heav- 
 enly blue, the one next it, perhaps, an emerald 
 green, then a yellowish green, until one was be- 
 wildered by the combinations and prismatic tints. 
 Some spaces between these springs were hard, but 
 streaked, as if some one had swept them when wet 
 and the broom-marks were distinctly visible. Some 
 great formations, like frosted or frozen cascades and 
 waves, were like whipped cream in their velvety soft- 
 ness, and the white and glistening stalactites stood 
 out against the clear sky, like great organ-pipes, and 
 it seemed to me that some angel from the heavens 
 could strike those glorious gems, and bring forth the 
 harmony of the past, when all nature was in tune 
 with this great glory. Perhaps the '' Lost Chord " or 
 that ** Great and Last Amen " is locked up in these 
 frozen fortresses, to swell forth on the Judgment 
 Day. As we wandered over these terraces, we walked 
 upon the white deposit, which crunched and creaked 
 beneath our feet like snow in winter, or an ash-path 
 in some mairshy place. It seemed to sing a little low 
 soft song, at least to me, as I wandered thoughtfully 
 along, and when I exclaimed aloud, thinking audibly 
 to my surprise," I feel as if I were walking on the ashes 
 
 359 
 
of the past,"a dear old gentleman who had joined us, 
 exclaimed" I fancy that is just what you are doing." 
 One impressive thing to us were the waves of 
 color, in triangles and rectangles, which were so 
 beautifully blended and so artistically shaded, from 
 crimson and maroon to pink and rose-color, from 
 brown to the most delicate yellow, with grey, and 
 white, and black, so interwoven that it was a mag- 
 nificent spectacle. Over all these colors a stream 
 of hot-water constantly coursed, which in the sun- 
 shine was like a silver sheen or veil, blending each 
 color and shade in exquisite harmony. On the same 
 terrace on which this marvelous coloring was visi- 
 ble, was a similar formation of purest white, which 
 made a dazzling and wonderful contrast. 
 
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6tH. 
 
 "\ 17" HEN James interviewed the manager of the 
 stage line yesterday afternoon, and found 
 we were not certain of a stage for our start into the 
 Yellowstone, on Monday morning, we were quite 
 perplexed and did not know what to do. Our plan 
 to rest quietly over the Sabbath, seemed to meet 
 obstacles on every side, for the only stage for such 
 a small party — and the only driver, could be obtained 
 for a Sunday morning start, and no other ! After a 
 serious consultation, and a struggle with our con- 
 sciences, we found we were really obliged to do so, 
 and at eight, or to be perfectly exact, at 8.15 A. M., 
 James, Auntie and I started from the Mammoth 
 
 360 
 
Hot Springs Hotel, in ** our own hired coach and 
 four," for the tour of the famous Yellowstone 
 Park. 
 
 Our glimpse yesterday afternoon, into Wonder- 
 land, was enough to make us truly enthusiastic and 
 full of anticipation, and we started on our long drive, 
 as bright as the proverbial buttons. Our way, for 
 the first twenty-two miles, as far as Norris Basin, was 
 beautifully wooded, through most interesting coun- 
 try, over hills and through valleys, which comman- 
 ded extensive and exquisite views. Mountain peaks 
 crowned with snow, escorted us in their rocky grand- 
 eur, to the ** Golden Gate " of Yellowstone Park, 
 and there left us to ponder and wonder at the great 
 basaltic formations, the lava of ancient eruptions, 
 which has hardened in centuries into marvelous pin- 
 nacles and pillars, and which derives its name from the 
 golden moss or lichen, which clings so lovingly to its 
 many shaped and multitude of formations, making 
 a glorious gold mantle over all. Bunsen's Peak, 
 Electric Peak, the highest in the Park (ii,ooo feet). 
 Belle and Quadruple then came into view, with 
 beautiful waterfalls to enhance the beauty of the 
 scene, and make the contrast of light and shade per- 
 fect. Beaver Lake interested us much, because it 
 was full of dams made by the beavers, who stopped the 
 waters of the creek, and made this lovely little lake 
 by their work. A beaver house was plainly visible, 
 and is said to be inhabited now. 
 
 Our greatest interest, however, was aroused when 
 361 
 
we reached the Obsidian Clififs, which skirt the shore 
 of Beaver Lake for some distance. From one hun- 
 dred and fifty, to two hundred and fifty feet, these 
 great jet black cliffs rise into the air, in almost verti- 
 cal columns, like basalt in pentagonal pinnacles, and 
 like basalt when broken, they divide into pieces 
 having one concave and one convex surface. Obsi- 
 dian is a species of lava ; it is volcanic glass, and very 
 rare. Although found in other places in small 
 quantities, there is not a cliff like this in the Rocky 
 Mountains, or anywhere, except in Mexico. This 
 Obsidian Cliff is considered unequalled in the world, 
 and it is really a grand sight. It is exactly like jet, 
 and glistens in the sunshine like genuine glass. It 
 is opaque. It was necessary to construct a carriage- 
 road at its base, and this was quite a difficult opera- 
 tion. Large fires were built upon the largest masses, 
 and when the obsidian was sufficiently expanded by 
 the heat, cold water was dashed upon it, which frac- 
 tured the blocks so that they could be handled. It 
 is said that " this is the only piece of glass carriage 
 road in the world." It is a quarter of a mile in 
 length. It is very interesting to see the different 
 varieties of this marvelous glass. Pure black is the 
 rarest and best, but some of it is flaked with yellow 
 and red, some with white, pink and blue. The Indians 
 used to visit these cliffs for obsidian, for their arrow- 
 heads and weapons, and it was such a sacred spot to 
 them, that hereditary enemies used to meet here as 
 friends, and it was neutral ground. 
 
 362 
 
We had not gone far from the Obsidian Cliffs, when 
 our driver asked us if we wanted to drink some 
 genuine Apollinaris water, and being quite ready 
 for drinks, we walked a short distance into the 
 woods, and found a fine spring of mineral water, quite 
 rivaling its namesake. As we stood near the spring, 
 a dear little squirrel pranced about us, as tame as a 
 kitten, and it almost came into our hands. We saw 
 some lovely lakes, and arsenic springs, containing 
 genuine poison, and labeled on a big board " danger- 
 ous ! " Suddenly a great white side of a mountain 
 attracted our attention, and it was puffing and 
 steaming away up on the top, and being our first 
 glimpse of a geyser district, or the numerous steam 
 vents of that locality, we were much impressed. It 
 is called " Roaring Mountain." Soon, by our road- 
 way, singing and sizzling and sputtering away, was 
 the Devil's Frying Pan, a hot spring rising to the 
 surface in the shape of a frying pan. The steam 
 and boiling process made the water dance like 
 genuine devils and sprites, and they sang their 240*^ 
 song in a very staccato treble. We were much 
 amused by this little devilish appearance, but our 
 driver laughed at our enthusiasm, saying we would 
 hardly notice that on our return trip, after we had 
 seen the greater wonders of the Basin. 
 
 After dinner at Norris Geyser Basin, a place 
 twenty-two miles from Mammoth Hot Springs, we 
 wandered out to get our first view of genuine and 
 real geysers. We walked about half a mile, before 
 
 363 
 
we saw any real manifestations of steam; then, all at 
 once coming to the top of a little knoll, we saw the 
 whole Basin stretched out before us, and such a 
 revelation, such a marvelous sight as it was. A 
 great stretch of land lay before us, of such pure 
 white formation that it was dazzling to our eyes. 
 Great masses of deep red appeared at intervals, where 
 the iron ore had been deposited ; sulphur had made 
 other spots a regular green and yellow, and between 
 these deposits, in circular, oblong, small, big and 
 tiny shapes were the hot pools and springs, smoking, 
 puffing, and pulsating, and all sending such volumes 
 of steam up to the skies, that the whole place re- 
 minded us of a great manufacturing town, the build- 
 ings hidden by the steam, but the roar and hum and 
 puff of machinery, and the power moving it, very 
 distinct and audible. Every minute, several geysers 
 near us would throw up into the air a great fountain 
 and spray of water and steam, play and coquette in 
 mid-air half a minute, then subside to accumulate 
 strength and material for another great outburst. 
 We stood silently watching this new and marvelous 
 sight, when we were horribly conscious of heat com- 
 ing up into our faces and under our clothes, and 
 looking down and about us, we discovered that we 
 were standing over, and were surrounded by, great 
 cracks in the earth's crust, which were sending forth 
 great streams of steam (if steam can be spoken of as 
 a stream). The holes, and crevices, and cracks, were 
 ugly and awful, some like caves, reaching deep down 
 
 364 
 
into the bowels of the earth, others great yawning 
 openings, all cracked and split and seamed, and 
 yellow and burned-looking, and all sending forth 
 steam, with such grunts and groans, such sputterings 
 and sighings, that we were quite willing to move 
 along. The sulphurous odors were stifling, and 
 came into our faces in great volumes. We wan- 
 dered along the road which is made through this 
 Basin, until we approached a mammoth and much 
 noisier spring than we had seen, and being enthusi- 
 astic in our discoveries, we walked back from the 
 road a little, in among some queer ^' paint-pots," 
 which were boiling their muddy pastes in such a 
 sing-song manner, and were wonderful indeed. We 
 were unconscious of danger, until the heat through 
 my cork-sole shoes brought me back to common- 
 place things, and feeling of the shoe, I found it so 
 hot that I could not hold the sole in my hand. I 
 then leaned down to touch the spot on which I stood, 
 and my hand was nearly blistered. In an instant we 
 were cautiously picking our way back to the road, 
 when Aunt Mary gave a scream, and said she had 
 burned the side of her foot badly. It pained her the 
 rest of the day. A story came to my mind then, of 
 an Irishman, who came into the Park with a friend, 
 and standing and looking into one of these boiling 
 pools one day, he called to his friend, *' Bedad, Pat, 
 let*s go back, Hell's only half a mile ahead." 
 
 One great crack in a little hollow near the road, 
 emits such a powerful steam force, that it comes 
 
 36s 
 
forth with a growl and a roar, and is appropriately 
 named ** The Growler." It seemed like one of Hell's 
 chimneys, and was too suggestive of the Inferno for 
 us to remain long. The trees about it are white 
 and dead, as if their life had been suddenly ended 
 by the poisonous gases, which pour from this vent. 
 We read in a guide book of a " New Crater," 
 which had made its appearance recently, within the 
 last twelve or fifteen years, and which is watched 
 with great interest by scientists. We found it in 
 the woods near, and were looking into its awful 
 mouth, listening to the thunder and hissing down in 
 the depths, when, with a spurt and a dash, a great 
 heaving and roaring, it began to play, throwing boil- 
 ing water over the place we had been occupying, 
 while we were skipping to points of safety, to watch 
 it from afar. It was too awful to stay long near its 
 tremendous power, and we walked along to places, 
 where the steam showed us there were other 
 springs. We came to one fine Mud Geyser, as it is 
 called, its great pool being about twelve feet in di- 
 ameter, and its walls about five feet high. Seeing 
 the muddy clay-colored water quite agitated, we 
 waited a short time and were rewarded, by seeing it 
 play finely. The water rose in the basin until it 
 filled the entire opening, and then threw up a drab- 
 colored spray, and continued this operation, splash- 
 ing and dashing high into the air, for four or five 
 minutes. It leaves an inky deposit, which forms 
 into beautiful shapes. This Mud Geyser plays reg- 
 
 366 
 
ularly every twenty minutes, and we waited to see 
 it a second time. We saw " Hurricane Spring " 
 and the great " Monarch " ; the latter is so erratic in 
 its playful moods, that no dependence can be 
 placed upon it, and it was not wise for us to wait, 
 in hopes of seeing its grand display. Conse- 
 quently, after two hours of familiarity with the gey- 
 sers and springs of Norris Basin, we took our stage 
 which had followed us along, and drove twenty 
 miles farther on, to** Lower Geyser Basin." We 
 went through Gibbon's Cafton, a most exquisite and 
 beautiful bit of scenery, so picturesque and delight- 
 ful. As we were driving along, we came suddenly 
 to one of the loveliest springs we had seen, right 
 close to the road, alone in all its beauty, and com- 
 ing near to its circular edge, we could look deep 
 down into its exquisite depths, for rightly called was 
 ** Beryl Spring." 
 
 We made two fords, one across Reservation 
 Creek, another the Fire-Hole River, and at last, 
 about 5.45 P. M. we reached the new " Fountain 
 Hotel," at the Lower Geyser Basin. Dumping our 
 luggage hurriedly in our rooms, although it threat- 
 ened rain, we went out to see the formations here 
 and to be in time if any of the big geysers should 
 play. The formation here was as purely white, and 
 as tremendous and colossal, as our wildest imagin- 
 ings could have pictured, and the terraces were 
 finely marked and colored. The great Fountain 
 Geyser, whose crater is thirty feet in diameter, with 
 
 367 
 
its depth of exquisite blue water, its sides of the 
 most dainty colored formation, and its brilliant de- 
 posits, making a crinkled edge four or five inches 
 deep, was actively boiling and bubbling, but '* a 
 keeper of the peace," in the shape of a gallant 
 young officer of the guard, which is placed through- 
 out the Park, informed us that the Fountain would 
 not play for an hour at least. He escorted us to 
 see the Mammoth Paint Pots, and oh how fascinat- 
 ingly beautiful they were ! A great pool or lake of 
 white pasty clay, forty feet by sixty (with walls of 
 its own formation, five or six feet high, on three 
 sides), sputtering, gurgling, rising in globular 
 masses, making cones and rings, and throwing up 
 jets of mud, presented a spectacle utterly new to 
 us, and as beautiful as it was bewitching. It capti- 
 vated me, and I could not take my attention from 
 this beautiful, thick, cream-white siliceous clay, 
 which was in perpetual and incessant agitation. Its 
 surface was ever changing, and as the mud puffs 
 flew up into the air, and from the nature of its com- 
 position, settled back into itself, like little circles or 
 cones, it reminded me of a game of checkers, and it 
 seemed as if the playful plastic material was having 
 a colossal game with itself, and as one checker of 
 white mud settled itself on the surface, as if to rest 
 from its labors, the mud next it would jump up and 
 hop over the first, as if hurrying to the end to be 
 crowned and have double power. All over this 
 huge caldron, this operation was repeated, over and 
 
 368 
 
over, and the **plop, plop " of this pasty stuff be- 
 came quite musical to our ears. Three sides were 
 surrounded, as I said, with walls of deposit, but the 
 fourth side was composed of some thirty or forty 
 cones or mud-puffs, three or four feet high, which 
 presented a cracked or seamed appearance. These 
 little cone-shaped hills are of the softest and loveli- 
 est shades of pink, and like velvet to the touch. 
 They almost all have pulsations, but one attracted 
 us beyond anything we had seen. It was more a 
 caldron than a cone, of thicker consistency than 
 the white, and of a delicate pink color. It heaved, 
 sighed and actually sneezed, then lazily opened an 
 exquisite lily-like flower, and up shot, four or five 
 feet into the air, a little stream of pink, which as 
 quickly settled back, and the lily became a tulip; 
 then doubling back its petals and leaves, an ex- 
 quisite full rose was before us, and with infinite 
 variety this process continued, until we were driven 
 away by a wretched shower, which threatened to 
 cover us too copiously with its "little drops of 
 water." We left the marvelous phenomenon with 
 its sighs and groans, its upheavings and artistic 
 forms of ever changing variety, and hurried through 
 the mud to our " home for the night," but not until 
 we had seen the remarkable red feathery formations 
 in some springs, which flowed over the white 
 ground about it, like rivers of blood, which, scien- 
 tists or chemists say, comes from the ferric acid, 
 which is in the flow, and these wonderful colors 
 
 369 
 
make chemical combinations, producing the most 
 marvelous mosaic rocks, like marble and onyx. It 
 is merely one of the many things to marvel at. 
 
 Surely our first day's wanderings in this ** Wonder- 
 ful Wonderland," made us feel as if we had been 
 fully repaid for all our journey, to see such marvels, 
 and would have contented us if we had never seen 
 more. Our brains and bones were tired and worn, 
 and we were in our beds before nine o'clock was 
 reached, thanking God in our prayers, that our Sun- 
 day had been spent among such wonders of His 
 creation, and we could sing in our hearts : " O all ye 
 works and powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord ; 
 praise Him and magnify Him forever." 
 
 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH. 
 
 npHIS band of formidable formations seems to 
 extend, so I was told, about fifty miles across 
 the country, appearing at times and places wholly 
 unexpectedly, and proving that a tremendous power 
 is constantly at work under the earth's crust, moving 
 back and forth, and finding vents and holes to expend 
 its fury and strength. It is a mysterious and awful 
 power, terrible in its playfulness and violence, even in 
 its quietest moments. This seems to have been the 
 last portion of our continent to cool and become 
 hard, making one feel intuitively that the entire 
 crust of our earth was once in just such a state of 
 ferment and activity, as this is now. Great cracks, 
 and hollows, and caves, are only thinly crusted over, 
 
 370 
 
and some are treacherous and dangerous. The 
 earth's crust is honeycombed at some places, and 
 holes with steam coming forth, are met at most un- 
 expected times and are quite hidden, making watch- 
 fulness imperative, and carelessness often pays a 
 painful penalty. 
 
 It was densely foggy when we awoke, at half past 
 six this morning, and it took a tremendous amount 
 of self-control and courage to prepare for our trip, 
 with such a frowning promise for the day. We felt 
 as if the whole surrounding country had perhaps 
 developed into a huge geyser, during the night, and 
 this dense fog was after all, a cloud of steam from 
 the new crater. But ** fortune favors the brave," 
 and when we drove from the Fountain Hotel, at ten 
 minutes before eight o'clock, a ray of sunshine lay 
 across our path, and seemed to follow us as we went. 
 The whole earth's surface seemed to rise up in clouds 
 of vapor, to kiss the sun, and as we drove away from 
 the lower basin, it made the most perfect picture, with 
 the white fleecy veil reaching out from the earth to 
 the blue sky above. We drove a few miles, then 
 stopped by the " Fire-Hole River " (I always feel 
 as if I could smell brimstone and sulphur whenever 
 I name that river), and after leaving our coaches and 
 crossing the aforesaid stream, we had but a tiny walk 
 before we stood on ** Hell's Half-Acre." White soil, 
 with such dense volumes and columns of steam, that 
 our fellow-travelers were often enveloped and hidden 
 from our sight, and they were not fifteen feet away, 
 
 371 
 
with a great yawning geyser on our left, and in- 
 numerable pools and springs on all sides of us, such 
 was ** Hell's Half-Acre," and after a solemn conclave 
 we unanimously agreed, that if Hell's HalfAcxQ was 
 as bad as that, we did not ever care to see a whole 
 acre of that Infernal Region. The " Prismatic Lake" 
 was in this dire place, but it was so exquisite in its 
 beauty, that we were spell bound by its waves and 
 bands of prismatic tints, its brilliancy and radiancy 
 being something quite remarkable. ** Turquoise 
 Spring " was near us on our right, a crystal-like 
 spring of exquisite blue waters, so clear that we 
 could see deep down into its boiling depths, and the 
 little rivulets which conveyed its overflow into the 
 river, were lines of white, with deep yellow 
 borders. 
 
 But this awful abyss on our left, with its terrific 
 hissing, and gurgling, and rumbling, was the crater of 
 the greatest of all the geysers, the " Excelsior," — 
 whose eruptions have shaken the country for miles 
 around, and whose terrible volume of rising steam 
 never ceases, night or day, winter or summer, but 
 can be seen for miles. The ** Excelsior" has not 
 been in active eruption for some time, but the de- 
 struction it has worked about and within its own 
 crater, is wonderful to behold. It is two hundred and 
 fifty feet wide and four hundred feet long, with 
 walls twenty and thirty feet high. At the bottom 
 are numerous springs, boiling and sputtering, great 
 boulders that have been thrown from their resting 
 
 372 
 
places, into masses and dire confusion, and such a 
 dreadful scene, — that I felt as if I had been trans- 
 ported into the realms of some mysterious and awful 
 spirit. There is utter desolation about these fire- 
 holes ; no tree lives near these boiling caldrons ; no 
 bird did we see, not any living insect; in fact, the sili- 
 ceous deposits make great white masses about the 
 roots of all the trees. 
 
 After leaving this marvelous *' Half Acre," we 
 drove to the Upper Geyser Basin, where the princi- 
 pal geysers of the Park are found, which are not 
 surpassed by any in the known world. Iceland and 
 New Zealand are the proud possessors of such 
 demonstrations of the powers of the earth's central 
 force, but nowhere are geysers found^ of such mag- 
 nitude and magnificence as here. Some years ago, 
 there were said to be four hundred and forty active 
 springs and geysers in this Basin, but we saw so 
 many that we could not count them, and must trust 
 to our memories, to retain facts and data of a few 
 of the many. As we drove along the Fire-Hole 
 River, which receives most of its force from these 
 hot-water eruptions, we were watching anxiously for 
 some sudden symptoms of display, when the coaches 
 in front of us stopped suddenly, and our driver elec- 
 trified us by saying, "Just in time, there goes the 
 Mortar!" Sure enough, as we drove up, this 
 beautiful geyser was sending up its stream of water 
 and steam, and was a most inviting invitation and 
 initiation into the mysteries of the Upper Geyser 
 
 373 
 
Basin. Then some one shouted, "The Grotto, 
 quick!" and one after another the horses tore 
 along, but an eruption was just over, as we discovered 
 to our sorrow. We left our coach here, and walked 
 the mile between us and the hotel, in order to see 
 all we could. "The Grotto" was exquisite to 
 examine, encrusted with a geyserite deposit 
 like glorious pearls, and some portions were like 
 frost and exquisite white coral. As we stood 
 before this grotto of gems, some one said, " The 
 Splendid is going off," and like a flock of sheep, we 
 all ran toward the geyser, which was said to be ready 
 to play. But we watched and waited for some 
 time, then in a line, we wandered to see the great 
 " Giant," one of the most powerful in the Upper 
 Basin. The numerous clouds of vapor and steam, 
 between us and the hotel, began to attract us in that 
 direction, and as we met a young soldier, who es- 
 corted us all over, — everywhere, — we were soon 
 viewing the springs and geysers, in their order and 
 regularity, and under " military escort." To our 
 right and to our left, behind us and before us, were 
 spouting geysers, and that whole portion of the 
 earth seemed to be in active motion, — the entire 
 surface was covered with clouds and veils of vapor. 
 
 " Economic," a geyser which plays every five 
 minutes (as regular as a clock), attracted us much, 
 as we watched the small apperture through which 
 the water bubbled up at first, then flew out into 
 space with a roar and a dash, and as quickly crept 
 
 374 
 
back into the same hole again, to get ready for the 
 next uprising. "The Grand" and "The Turban," 
 — both geysers, — next charmed us, and as we gazed 
 into their wonderful depths, it seemed as if some 
 fairy had touched the formations with a magic wand, 
 for all was so exquisitely shaped and with such 
 marvelous variety ! A most curious effect was wit- 
 nessed, as we all gazed deep down into " The Tur- 
 ban's" blue waters. From openings in the white 
 geyserite deposits, deep down at one side, shot out 
 great tongues of blue flames, licking the water as if 
 to quench some distressing heat or thirst. Like 
 monsters, these blue flames lapped against the 
 geyser's sides, and as they touched the water, a 
 combustion resulted, the reports, which were inces- 
 sant, being distinctly audible where we stood, and 
 after each, bubbles of air rose to the surface, keep- 
 ing a romping ripple playing across the water. Of 
 course, we knew water would extinguish flames, and 
 they could not be what they seemed, but some sci- 
 entist explained to us, that a certain gas coming out 
 of the earth at that outlet, meeting water, produced 
 combustion, and then the gas rose to the surface 
 like an air-bubble. It was singularly beautiful. A 
 " Crested Pool,'* — so named on account of the glori- 
 ous masses of ornamentation about its rim, which 
 was raised in beautiful cushioned puffs, — " The Cas- 
 tle," — a m^agnificent and glorious fortress of deposit 
 and formation, with a great crater-cone, many feet 
 high, — both were examined, and admired. 
 
 375 
 
We were nearing the little hotel, having walked a 
 good long two miles, and although we had seen the 
 trusty " Old Faithful " twice, at a distance, we de- 
 termined to have a nearer and more intimate ac- 
 quaintance. This geyser, all of wonderful formation 
 and deposits, is raised above the surrounding ground, 
 — but although " Old Faithful " was roaring and 
 hissing, and showing strong symptoms of an ap- 
 proaching display, we knew it would not be until 
 the proper and regular time, so Auntie and I climbed 
 up to the crater's mouth and gazed down into its 
 steaming and gurgling aperture. This formation 
 was like gems, too, being in terraces with beaded 
 and fretted rims and beautiful colors, and it was ex- 
 quisite. Just on the moment, — for Old Faithful 
 plays every sixty-five minutes, regularly (it plays 
 five minutes, with sixty minutes interval), — it began 
 its magnificent eruption, sending a column of water, 
 two feet in diameter, up one hundred and fifty feet 
 into the air, the steam going half again as high. It 
 was grand, marvelous, wonderful ! 
 
 After luncheon, we thought another display by 
 " Old Faithful," although our fourth, would please us, 
 so we waited until it was time, and while we waited, 
 the geysers just in front of us, **The Lioness " and 
 " The Cub," gave fine exhibitions of their strength 
 and power, and were beautiful to behold. James 
 was feeling too tired to walk any more, so Auntie 
 and I, with our military escort (for he had returned 
 for us), started out again, and saw so many springs, 
 
 376 
 
and pools, and geysers, that we were almost bewil- 
 dered. ''The Bee-Hive," a glorious geyser, did not 
 play for us, it being very irregular, — but it is most 
 appropriately named, as is also "The Butterfly," 
 merely a boiling spring, and " The Sponge," a for- 
 mation exactly resembling the article for which it is 
 named. " The Bee-Hive " throws water two hun- 
 dred and twenty feet into the air. ''The Run," 
 "The Vault," "The Infant," "The Chromatic," 
 " Wave," " Tea-Kettle," are all exquisite, with crys- 
 tal waters and marvelous formations in their basins. 
 "The Beauty" is rarely exquisite, and blue as the 
 heavens above, while the " Oblong," with an open- 
 ing fifty by thirty-one feet, is a most glorious and 
 magnificent geyser. We were hovering about "The 
 Grotto," looking at its glorious great aperture, when 
 James came in the coach, and as steam was appear- 
 ing from further down, we drove to see from whence 
 it came, and found one of the finest geysers of the 
 Upper Basin was playing. We were just in time, 
 and the great " Riverside " displayed its gigantic 
 strength and power for full fifteen minutes, by our 
 watches. It sent up two great streams, ninety feet 
 high, and roared, and hissed, and rumbled, and 
 quaked so heavily that the ground under our wheels 
 shook violently, and we could feel it distinctly, sit- 
 ting in our seats in the coach. 
 
 We were quite satisfied after this display, having 
 seen many geysers play, so we drove along to ex- 
 amine some springs and pools. The beautiful and 
 
 377 
 
unsurpassed " Morning Glory '* received from us a 
 lengthy visit. Its great circle, twenty feet in 
 diameter, is surrounded by the most beautiful white 
 deposit, which crinkles and curves with exquisite 
 irregularity, and is beautifully encrusted. From this 
 crisp edge, shade the morning glory tints ; rose-color 
 creeps from the white and yellowish band, then blues 
 from light to dark, until all is concentrated in a 
 royal purple ! Water, clear as crystal, covers all these 
 waves of color, and through the water, as we looked, 
 the sun shone brightly, the rays of light bending 
 and blending, crossing and recrossing, making little 
 golden squares over all, which produced a harmon- 
 ious union, a beautiful whole. 
 
 One of our Alaska friends, who had visited the 
 Park, before the trip on the Mexico, begged us not 
 to fail to see " Biscuit Basin," which is not in the 
 regular route, and it was with difficulty that we 
 persuaded our driver to take us there. We had to 
 make a dangerous ford, but it repaid us. A glorious 
 " Sapphire Pool " pulsated constantly, and was sur- 
 rounded by formations, resembling biscuits of all 
 sizes, in rows. The pool was deep blue, and these 
 formations were all olive-green ! A spring, called 
 the " Silver Globe,'* was near one, called the " Black 
 Pearl," both true to their appellations. ** Avoca " 
 was in perpetual commotion, and ** The Jewel " 
 played every three minutes, and was such a rollick- 
 ing jolly little affair. 
 
 We reached the Fountain Hotel about 4.50 P. M., 
 378 
 
for we were to spend another night there, but no 
 sooner had we deposited our things in our room, 
 than we rushed to see the " Mammoth Paint Pots," 
 which had fascinated us so much yesterday. They 
 seemed more beautiful — the rose ones especially — 
 and we vowed that they really sobbed and sighed, and 
 as the beautiful rose-colored lilies unfolded and de- 
 veloped into one lovely form after another, it seemed 
 as if Dame Nature was moulding and fashioning 
 forms, for a sculptor to fire in her furnaces, when 
 modeled exactly true ; but she seemed in a dissatis- 
 fied mood, as if nothing was ever quite as lovely as 
 she wished it. We mortals stood bewildered by 
 the multitude of creations, and marveled at the 
 beauty of each. 
 
 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH. 
 
 A T 8.15 A. M. we left the Fountain Hotel, at the 
 '^^ Lower Geyser Basin, and started on our all 
 day drive to the Yellowstone Cafion. We felt that 
 we had had the most unusual and interesting part of 
 our trip, and we quite settled ourselves for a monot- 
 onous and hum-drum day. We had no more 
 geysers to see, except a straggling one, now and 
 then, by the road-side, and when somebody said 
 ** You will have beautiful scenery," a query arose in 
 our minds, if we had not already seen the loveliest 
 scenery in our country. The Yosemite was grand 
 and magnificent; Alaska was interesting and un- 
 usual ; Mt. Hood was decidedly novel and inspiring; 
 
 379 
 
the Yellowstone geysers had been phenomenal and 
 most weird and fascinating ; and could anything come 
 now, to surpass any of these ? Our day began well, 
 as we had the fun and excitement of making many 
 fords, and in the middle of one small river our driver 
 lost his hat, and had to run down stream, and fish it 
 out with the whip. We drove through most fertile 
 and beautiful valleys, going for miles through the 
 most glorious green and gold grasses, with here and 
 there a patch of bronze or red, to illuminate the 
 entire fields. We then climbed a great moun- 
 tain, the trees being numerous at first, but we came 
 to many places where a fire or some destructive 
 agent, had laid the trees low, and for miles fallen 
 trees, criss-cross, at angles, in piles and every kind 
 of a heap, surrounded and outlined our path. It was 
 an uninteresting sight, but it seemed to me that the 
 giants of the forest must have been having a gigantic 
 game of Jack-straws, and left their mammoth game 
 in a pretty tight place, where no one could " play 
 without moving." 
 
 We passed over " Mary's Mountain," a very pre- 
 cipitous climb, one bit of road being so narrow and 
 rough, that Jamie and I walked up it, and found 
 afterwards that we had climbed, not " the golden 
 stairs," but the "Devil's Ladder." It was on this 
 mountain, about a year ago, that a buffalo appeared 
 in front of a stage-load of people, frightening the 
 horses so terribly, that they ran away and upset the 
 stage. Fortunately only one person was injured. 
 
 380 
 
After driving about sixteen miles, we came to a 
 hollow in between the hills, and there found a little 
 collection of tents, and were informed that it was 
 " Larry's Lunch Station ! " It was a most remark- 
 able place, one tent for a dining-room, one for a 
 waiting-room, a kitchen, and all the necessary re- 
 quirements ; and elk-horns, with their great branches, 
 ornamented every available space in front of the 
 entrance to this remarkable abode. On the white 
 canvas were grotesque drawings, two of which 
 we photographed. The owner of this quaint lunch- 
 station, was a roaring Irishman, with a fund of ready 
 wit and humor, really remarkable and truly amusing. 
 He acted the part of host to perfection, in his shirt- 
 sleeves and little round skull cap, and although 
 " his guests " sat down at his bountiful board as 
 strangers, they arose as friends, for his remarks, as he 
 walked back and forth from one to the other, to see 
 that all were waited upon, produced such an 
 uproar, that we lost all formality and ceremony 
 while in that tent. A long wooden bench stretched 
 down each side of the table, and one either had to go 
 in at the end, or climb over. As one lady climbed to 
 her place at the table, Larry exclaimed " Please, lady, 
 don't soil the upholstery," and soon perceiving some 
 haste on the part of one person present, he shouted, 
 " You have one hour and a half to eat ; this ain't no 
 twenty minute lunch counter." Just as we were all 
 seated and had opened our Japanese napkins, and 
 prepared for our meal, Larry electrified us all, by 
 
shouting at the top of his decidedly loud voice, 
 " Let her go, coffee," and to our surprise, from 
 another tent near by, there came a young man, with 
 an earthenware pitcher full of really excellent coffee. 
 It was surprising how good things did taste to us 
 all. 
 
 After leaving Larry's, we drove through a long 
 stretch of desolate country, owing to the loss of 
 trees, but were surrounded by mountains ; and as we 
 crept along, we kept coming nearer and nearer to 
 such a peculiar mountain, so white and green and 
 yellow all over, and discovered that we were 
 viewing the famous Sulphur Mountain, a most re- 
 markable formation of almost pure sulphur. A 
 boiling spring lies right at the foot, on the road-side, 
 and was in a very active bubbling state. 
 
 About four o'clock, we were climbing a very steep 
 ascent, when a sudden glimpse from a place called 
 " Grand Point," gave us a little idea of the beautiful 
 scenery before us, of the marvelous Cafion we had 
 come so many miles to see, and hurrying our horses 
 to the hotel which was near, we lost no time in ob- 
 taining a little " rattle-trap " of a carriage, and 
 drove rapidly to see the two most extensive views 
 into the Cafion, from ** Point Lookout," and *' In- 
 spiration Point." Point Lookout was reached by 
 driving to the edge of the woods, and walking in. 
 And as we neared this high point, and saw the vision 
 of beauty which met our eyes on every side, in that 
 sunset hour, when all was bathed in floods of ex- 
 
 382 
 
quisite light, we felt as if nothing so beautiful in 
 nature, had we ever seen before. Kneeling on a lit- 
 tle stone near the edge, looking down hundreds of 
 feet into that vast abyss, gazing ahead at the won- 
 derful sheet of water falling over the Yellowstone 
 Falls, three hundred and sixty feet without a break, 
 then turning and looking backward, into that glori- 
 ous coloring, made us feel as if we had seen God's 
 Heaven at last ! 
 
 Supreme and sublime emotions come to us all, at i 
 times and seasons when we least expect them ; they 
 do not come at will, but overpower us when we 
 know not of their approach. Twice before in my 
 life had I been so deeply moved, once by Mt. Blanc's 
 superb serenity and golden glory, and again when 
 the grand organ in the Cathedral at Freiburg, pealed 
 forth into the dimly lighted edifice ; and now the 
 same emotions overwhelmed me, and I sank on my 
 knees, and the tears chased themselves down my 
 cheeks, unbidden and unnoticed, until Jamie's alarm 
 lest I should fall or faint, brought me to my- 
 self. 
 
 If words or pen could describe that scene ! The 
 great sides of the Caflon were wide apart at the top, 
 but sloped gradually together at their base, leaving 
 a small space through which the river ran, like a 
 beautiful band of green, or a strip of moss-agate. 
 Rising on each side, as if a great sea of prisms had 
 been frozen side-wise into a perpetual formation, 
 the great points and waves of color rose, broken off 
 
 383 
 
jaggedly into pinnacles of all sizes and ragged 
 edges, some standing alone, others in companies of 
 twos and threes. Over all these formations and 
 groups were the tints of beauty, red and deep crimson 
 shading into palest pink and rose-color, browns and 
 orange tints to lemon-color, purple of a most royal 
 hue, and violet of such exquisite tint, of such distinct 
 and yet soft shades, green too, and olive, and purest 
 white, and such richness of color, such blending and 
 harmonious combinations, such mellow tints, that 
 not one harsh line was visible, not one unpleasant 
 impression to mar the whole. It seemed as if the 
 entire world had been transformed, as if we had been 
 gazing into " Hades Holes," and now we were look- 
 ing into the " Heavenly Gates," at the amethyst 
 walls, and streets of pearl. It seemed as if the au- 
 tumn tints had all been gathered here, as if it was the 
 store-house of Dame Nature's paints and palettes, as 
 if these blending and mellow prismatic walls were 
 nature's copy and inspiration, for all the beauty of 
 the trees in autumn. It impressed us all, and we 
 came away reluctantly. It left in our hearts the 
 peaceful exaltation and ecstasy of a beautiful prayer, 
 or hymn ; and it seemed as if we could not but be 
 better in the world, because of this blissful and per- 
 fect vision of natural beauty. It was the same scene 
 of loveliness on Inspiration Point, and over all, the 
 mellow twilight spread a golden veil, adding the last 
 touch to that perfect scene. We were two hours in 
 this paradise of color. 
 
 384 
 
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH. 
 
 C UCH a sunshiny morning inspires any one, and 
 life seems worth living, when such floods of 
 golden light cover the earth. Some rays must peep 
 into our hearts, on such days as this, I think, and it 
 is only when our hearts and minds are too full of 
 something else, that the sunshine cannot enter, and 
 we wonder then, why we are not in tune with such 
 glorious surroundings. Auntie, James and I were in 
 full harmony with the beauty of the morning, and as 
 soon as our breakfast was over, and our luggage 
 ready for the coach, we started for *' Point Lookout," 
 to see in the morning light, the beauty which had so 
 enthralled us in the last sunset hour. It was a 
 twenty minutes* walk, but as we started before nine 
 o'clock, we had plenty of time before us and were 
 able to stay there a full half hour. Reaching Point 
 Lookout, by the path of rare beauty through the 
 woods, we immediately isolated ourselves, one from 
 the other, to drink in silently and to meditate alone 
 upon that rarest of rare beauties in nature. All be- 
 fore us, in the morning glory, lay the greatest of 
 natural wonders, and the longer we lingered and 
 looked, the more speechless was our admiration, — 
 the more marvelous it seemed to us. It was a dif- 
 ferent aspect in the morning, — the sunlight came 
 from such a different angle, and the mellow dreami- 
 ness and exquisite pathos of the sunset, had given 
 place to the hopefulness and brightness of the morn- 
 
 38s 
 
ing glow. New beauties attracted me, new colors 
 which shadows had deepened in the twilight and 
 which I had not seen distinctly, and new and beauti- 
 ful combinations of the prismatic tints, stood before 
 me, in such rare radiance, that I was fascinated anew, 
 and loath to leave this Point of Enchantment, as I 
 love to call it, when Jamie brought my wandering 
 thoughts back to terra-firma, by the suggestion that 
 our half hour was up, and our coach was ready for 
 us. Silently, in single Indian file, we reluctantly re- 
 traced our steps, and found all ready for our day's 
 drive. In that little walk, neither Auntie, Jamie nor 
 I exchanged a single word, and it seemed as if we 
 felt the need of silent meditation, to bring us back 
 to every day things again, and to print indelibly 
 upon our hearts and minds, that scene of grand and 
 exquisite beauty. The beautiful Falls had been like 
 sparkling crystals and diamonds in the sunshine, 
 great bands of emerald green, and a beautiful rain- 
 bow in the mist and spray, and it was like the mys- 
 tical beauty of the heavenly land. 
 
 Our thirteen-mile drive was a fine one, over a pass 
 in the mountains, through great forests and along 
 splendid roads, and we reached Norris Geyser Basin, 
 about half past twelve. It was old ground to us 
 this time, but we fancied a second view of the gey- 
 sers and great smoke-holes would be valuable to us, 
 so after our luncheon, we wandered again through 
 that marvelous formation, which had been our first 
 introduction to the ''Wonders of Wonderland. 
 
 386 
 
On this visit, I noticed more caution, — greater pru- 
 dence in investigating hot places, and we kept most- 
 ly in the roadway and wandered little, in among the 
 boiling pools and caldrons. But our interest was 
 not lessened, but rather strengthened, by further 
 familiarity with these volcanic forces, and we came 
 away reluctantly, wishing our trip had just begun, 
 instead of about to end. 
 
 When we started, at about 2.15 P. M. for our return 
 trip to the Mammoth Hot Springs, we were informed 
 that we would meet, half way in our twenty-two 
 miles, a stage with five people in it, who would 
 change there with us, and take our driver and his 
 poor horses back into the Park. We drove along 
 pleasantly over the same ground that we had covered 
 in our start, but when we reached the Obsidian 
 Cliffs, we felt such interest in the deposits and the 
 glass boulders, that we thought it well to let the 
 horses rest, and we amused ourselves for a half hour, 
 wandering about those great cliffs, upon the pieces of 
 all sizes, which creaked and cracked and rattled and 
 chatted to us, as we walked over them. The glitter 
 of the obsidian is its chief beauty, and as we watched 
 it in the sunshine, it was like polished jet in the 
 bright light. 
 
 Finally, the stage from the Hot Springs arrived, 
 and the transfer of passengers and luggage took 
 place, and our final move towards the end of this 
 part of our journey was made. Imagine our horror, 
 when we discovered that our new driver was intoxi- 
 
 387 
 
cated, and showed the symptoms so seriously, that 
 we were quite alarmed. He had a man on the box 
 with him, to whom he handed the reins, for about 
 nine miles, and then to my horror, he came into the 
 stage and sat with me, — an unprecedented proceed- 
 ing. I was not half so much afraid then, as when he 
 held the reins, and did my best to keep him good-nat- 
 ured, smiling at his silly jests, and letting his foolish 
 remarks pass unnoticed. Jamie and Auntie watched 
 me anxiously, but I carried out my part of the 
 comedy, and acted as if I enjoyed my drunken 
 companion. Finally, when the steepest part of the 
 road lay before us, our driver stepped out of the 
 stage, took a bottle of whiskey, and inviting James 
 to join him (which he of course refused), turned it up 
 and drank freely; then taking the reins, we went like 
 the wind, down those three miles, through the steep- 
 est and narrowest of the passes, rolling round the 
 curves and corners, as if the laws of centrifugal forces 
 could not catch us, if we flew fast enough. Riding 
 on an engine, was nothing to this excitement, with a 
 man at the reins, who could not have sat straight, or 
 remained on the coach, but for the break at his side, 
 on which his foot was braced. Jamie, Auntie and I 
 said nothing, but pressing our lips tightly together, 
 and watching the lay of the land, if a jump was 
 necessary, we resigned ourselves to our fate, not 
 knowing which way it might go, at any moment. 
 When a person is in a bad scrape and cannot get out 
 of it, a calmness and resignation come, which are per- 
 
 388 
 
fectly inexplicable, and help one through. Such 
 was our experience. 
 
 We reached the hotel at 6.40 P. M., having had a 
 most glorious and enjoyable trip through the 
 National Yellowstone Park. 
 
 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER lOTH. 
 
 A UNTIE, James and I walked a little in the 
 "^ morning. There is a spring among the Mam- 
 moth Hot Springs here, which coats any article 
 that is put into it, with a heavy glistening white 
 deposit. We walked to the little house where these 
 ^'Coated Specimens" from Cleopatra Spring, are sold. 
 At 2 p. M., in a heavy shower which had just 
 reached us, Auntie started on her journey to Salt 
 Lake City. Our afternoon was spent quietly, rest- 
 ing and writing, and watching the succession of 
 showers, chasing one another across the mountains 
 near us. In the evening, we received some calls 
 from those to whom we had letters of introduction. 
 
 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER IITH. 
 
 T OVELY day, — really too chilly for comfort. 
 My morning was spent writing and packing? 
 and we left the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, at 
 two o'clock, truly sorry that our pleasant trip was 
 ended. Our drive to Cinnabar was interesting, and 
 the wonderful volcanic action, as well as the glacial 
 cuttings, were plainly marked and easily recognized, 
 and the stranded boulders were a source of constant 
 
 389 
 
remark, at least to anyone interested in such things. 
 One could easily trace the slow but steady advance 
 of the great ice sheet, which had covered the earth, 
 so long ago, and see the keen and sharp outline of 
 its work, in the caflons through which we drove, on 
 those eight miles to Cinnabar. We had a half hour 
 when we reached there, before the train started, and 
 one of the baggage-men constituted himself our 
 guide, and took us to see a few curiosities, live ones, 
 too, owned by the people about there, which 
 were trotted out for our special benefit, while an ad- 
 miring crowd stood around us. There were two 
 baby antelopes, dear tame little creatures, a great 
 black bear, and a wolf; then a rattle-snake was poked 
 out of his cage, to rattle for us, and let us take his 
 picture, and our half hour passed pleasantly and 
 profitably. 
 
 At 4 P. M. the train started, landing us in Living- 
 ston at six. The M — family,with James and myself 
 had dinner at the "Albemarle Hotel"; then we took 
 little Philip to see the Mountain Goat, and after 
 looking in the few shops of interest, we returned to 
 the hotel. Mr. M. left his family with James as 
 protector, and took a train for the West, so after 
 writing some letters, we joined our new charges in 
 the sleeper, and long before the train started, we 
 were in bed and asleep. 
 
 390 
 
HOMEWARD! 
 
 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER I2TH. 
 
 nPHE day was beautiful, and we spent it quietly 
 and pleasantly, resting, reading, and watching 
 the varied scenery from our car windows. We were 
 much interested in seeing Miles City, and Fort 
 Keough, in Montana, and especially curious about 
 the Camp of Indians, near the latter place. Col. 
 Page, an officer from that fort, told us that those 
 Indians were the Cheyennes, whom the soldiers 
 brought last winter from Pine Ridge, where they 
 were held and badly treated by their enemies, the 
 Sioux. It was a curious village, the queer Indian 
 tents being seen by the dozen, and such squalor and 
 filth was visible, even from the train. We also saw 
 twa cattle round-ups, and the whippers-in were very 
 busy, keeping refractory animals from making breaks 
 and succeeding in fleeing from their enforced cap- 
 tivity. 
 
 We anticipated the Dakota " Bad Lands " very 
 much, but were disappointed when we finally saw 
 them. They are a most marvelous formation, in 
 points and pinnacles, turrets and domes, in every 
 
 391 
 
remarkable and unusual form and size, many of 
 them brilliantly colored, the brightest bands of red 
 and yellow, being at the top of these mounds and 
 hills. They interest one at first, but soon grow 
 monotonous and wearisome. These unusual lands 
 were once at the bottom of a great sea, for the 
 rocks in them record the fact, and make it positive 
 and beyond a doubt, as they are full of the most in- 
 teresting and marvelous fossils. Truly it is an edu- 
 cation in itself, for one to travel through this won- 
 derful country of ours, and if one's eyes are open to 
 all the interesting sights and scenes, a store of infor- 
 mation can be tucked away, to be properly de- 
 veloped when time and opportunity allow. Jamie 
 and I are returning home, with a firm determination 
 to read and digest the many books we have heard 
 of, and to look well into the continent building 
 forces, which have interested us so much of late. 
 
 The Dakota wheat fields were a marvel in their 
 wonderful harvest, as we steamed through them to- 
 day. For miles on every side of us, as far as the 
 eye could reach, were these yellow mounds, bearing 
 such a harvest as Dakota has never known before. 
 A prairie sunset of marvelous beauty, finished a 
 really interesting day, on our journey. 
 
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH. 
 
 COMETIMES "common-place days" are a treat, 
 
 the very idea of having nothing to do, being 
 
 restful, and after a feast in mysteries and wonders 
 
 392 
 
and color, such as we have had, in the Yellowstone, 
 we are quite ready for the dusty railroad again. 
 Having the Drawing Room last night, we slept 
 very well, and were hardly ready to waken when the 
 porter knocked, at 7.30 A. M. We lost our travelling 
 companions, Mrs. M. and little Philip, and Miss M. 
 when we reached Staples, in Minnesota, about break- 
 fast time. 
 
 Minnesota is a beautiful state, and coming out of 
 Dakota, with its broad expanse of treeless prairies, 
 it was a delight, in the lovely autumn tints, and as 
 we watched the varied and brilliant colors, it seemed 
 as if the Grand Caflon of the Yellowstone had been 
 brought to this region and distributed liberally over 
 the land. We reached Minneapolis all too soon and 
 unexpectedly, feeling bright and more refreshed 
 than after any trip before, of similar length. Our 
 day was uneventful. A rest, some writing, dinner in 
 our room, and a lovely quiet evening, and then to 
 sleep. 
 
 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER I4TH. 
 
 T rERY warm, beautifully bright. After strolling 
 about the city, looking into the shop windows 
 and enjoying some fine pictures, we were so warm 
 and so tired, that we returned to the West Hotel, 
 and rested awhile before luncheon, and as we were 
 on our way to the dining-room, Jamie's Aunt Annie, 
 with her daughter and son, came to call upon us. 
 Jamie had never seen these cousins, and it was the 
 
 393 
 
principal reason that brought us to Minneapolis. 
 They took us to drive, for three hours or more, and 
 we saw the famous Minnehaha Falls, where they 
 
 " Flash and gleam among the oak-trees, 
 Laugh and leap into the valley." 
 
 One could easily picture the beautiful maiden and 
 Hiawatha her lover, in that exquisite spot, as she 
 placed her hand in his, and her promise ** I will fol- 
 low you, my husband," seems to have been the song 
 of those water witches ever since. 
 
 We drove about two beautiful lakes, with fine 
 boulevards surrounding them, which, with the arched 
 roadways of exquisite shade and natural beauty, 
 make a drive any city might view with envy. Lake 
 Harriet and Lake Calhoun are indeed gems of beauty, 
 and well deserve their popularity. We went home 
 with our newly found relatives and remained to sup- 
 per with them, meeting all the cousins whom we are 
 so glad to know at last. 
 
 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH. 
 
 JAMES* cousin Mamie, came early this morning 
 and took me for a long and very beautiful drive. 
 Truly Minneapolis is a charming city, and so eastern 
 in appearance, we are delighted with it. 
 
 Our afternoon was spent writing and resting, and 
 we made a few visits in the evening. It is a relief 
 to us sometimes to have a quiet day. 
 
 394 
 
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER i6tH. 
 
 A DAY without an event to chronicle, is indeed a 
 "^ rarity in our present wandering existence, and 
 yet it was restful and sweet to us, **to pause 
 and ponder by the way." Needful are these 
 periods of quiet repose to us, and we always enjoy 
 an undisturbed day together. 
 
 We made a little call in the afternoon on the cous- 
 ins, and aunt, and took a few views with our camera. 
 
 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH. 
 A S James had some important business to attend 
 '^^ to in Minneapolis, he asked Aunt Annie and 
 Mamie, to accompany me to St. Paul to-day. We 
 had planned to spend several days there, but an 
 ungovernable desire to get home suddenly seized James, 
 and he wanted to start at once. 
 
 St. Paul is a wonderfully beautiful City, and I 
 suppose would be pronounced far ahead of Minne- 
 apolis, by anyone having no particular interest in 
 either place to influence them. The houses are 
 certainly most palatial and inviting, and with a few 
 exceptions on Fifth Avenue, in New York, are far 
 ahead of our city, in number and architectural beauty, 
 but, I came back with pleasure to Minneapolis, and 
 decidedly prefer this city to her rival, St. Paul. 
 
 I returned in time to pack, and was ready to start 
 for the east at seven o'clock, when we took the train 
 for Chicago. Homeward bound in reality ! Jamie 
 is like a little boy in his anticipation ! 
 
 395 
 
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER i8TH. 
 
 AX /"E reached Chicago about nine o'clock, having 
 had a pleasant and comfortable trip from 
 Minneapolis. We went at once to the Auditorium 
 Hotel, and expected to stay a few days, to again see 
 our friends. Jamie, however, felt so impatient to 
 get home that he could not hear of any delay, and 
 we decided to start for home to-night at five o'clock. 
 It had always been James' desire to take me to 
 Mr. K's store, to see the working of that large estab- 
 lishment, and to meet some of his friends whom I 
 did not know. This morning, he insisted upon my 
 going, and we had such a pleasant time, seeing the 
 entire process of the work and meeting such a host 
 of friends, who welcomed us most cordially. Two 
 sad items of news, however, greatly depressed us. 
 We learned this morning of the sudden death of our 
 new but dear friend, Mrs. J. in Salt Lake City, and 
 we feel deep sympathy for that young husband, and 
 his motherless little ones. Then trouble has come 
 to another friend, whom we left in Chicago in 
 May, in such health, and full of promise. As Jamie 
 and I drove along on our return to the Hotel, he 
 comforted me, in the sudden shock which had come 
 to us both, and said, *' We are sad, May, and I do 
 not see how we can help it, but we must not let it 
 depress us too much, for we are spared to each other 
 yet, and are so happy and well, and I am so thankful 
 for that." 
 
 356 
 
Stopping at the photographer's studio, to order 
 more of Jamie's pictures, the artist urged us to let 
 him make a large crayon head of him for me, at which 
 he exclaimed, *' Who wants a large crayon of me 
 hanging about ? No^ people do that after one is 
 dead r^ As we stepped into the carriage again, 
 Jamie turned to me, asking if I *^ really wanted that 
 crayon very much," and when I said that it would 
 be a pleasure to have it, he hurried again into the 
 studio. In five minutes he joined me saying, 
 " There, May, the crayon is ordered for you, but 
 don^t have it framed till I am dead! " 
 
 At five o'clock, we took the Pennsylvania Limited 
 for New York, and meeting our friend, Mr. I. from 
 Brooklyn, we spent a pleasant evening, chatting 
 with him. 
 
 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER I9TH. 
 
 T^HE slowest of slow days ! It seemed as if the 
 time could not go fast enough, to keep pace 
 with our impatience and eager desire to get home. 
 
 "We're four hours late!" exclaimed Jamie this 
 morning, " but perhaps we'll make up some time." 
 All this day, the time-table for the Staten Island 
 boats, was constantly studied, and much anxiety ex- 
 pressed for fear we could not catch the midnight 
 boat from New York. At a quarter past eleven 
 o'clock, we rolled into the depot at Jersey City, being 
 over four hours late. We easily caught the last boat 
 to the Island, and at half past one o'clock Sunday 
 
 397 
 
morning, September 20th, we reached the home and 
 loved ones so dear to us. How good it was ! All 
 the way, as we drove from our little station to the 
 house, in a beautiful path of moonlight, Jamie kept 
 exclaiming, " Isn't it lovely to get home ! The best 
 part of going away is the coming home," etc., etc., 
 but although I was overjoyed to see the dear ones 
 again, a nameless something made me sad, as well 
 as glad. Was I too tired ? 
 
 398 
 
T7 IGHT days of unspeakable happiness followed, 
 "^ days of joy in everything about us, such per- 
 fect pleasure and serene content ; and the home was 
 never so lovely to us. Jamie exclaimed, the morn- 
 ing after our arrival, "Although we have seen many 
 beautiful places in our own country. May, there is 
 no spot so lovely and beautiful as this home of ours, 
 after all." Jamie had found that " Be it ever so 
 humble, there's no place like Home." 
 
 Many times, during those few days, Jamie spoke 
 of the wonderful good fortune, that had followed us 
 in all our trip, and how remarkable it was that we 
 had always been either just ahead, or just behind, 
 the numerous railroad accidents, on the roads over 
 which we had passed, having had no annoyance save 
 one or two short delays, in reaching our destination. 
 " I hope you give thanks daily May, for I do, for we 
 surely have been guided and watched over by a 
 Divine Providence." 
 
 And we had been! That same Guiding Hand 
 had brought us home, just when we should have 
 come, and granted us more happiness, so that we 
 thought we felt strong in heart and body, for what- 
 
 399 
 
ever might come ; and when, only four days later, 
 the Father took one of us gently by the hand, and 
 led him to that Better Land, where his eyes should 
 behold more wonderful wonders and greater beauty^ 
 than together we had seen, it seems as if his lips 
 must have whispered again, " There is no place like 
 this Home." 
 
 " I can not say and I will not say 
 That he is dead. — He is just away ! 
 
 With a cheery smile, and a wave of the hand, 
 He has wandered into an unknown land. 
 
 And left us dreaming how very fair 
 It needs must be, since he lingers there. 
 
 And you — O you, who the wildest yearn 
 For the old-time step and the glad return, — 
 
 Think of him faring on, as dear 
 
 In the love of There, as the love of Here ; 
 
 Think of him still as the same, I say : 
 He is not dead — he is just away ! " 
 
 400 
 
91amej8 malcott l^aglel^urjst. 
 
 Worn april I4tli X856* 
 2DteD O^ctober l0t X89X* 
 
 " K man beart? belobeb." 
 
 m^ 
 
 401 
 
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 Hay 
 
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