San Andreas independent., 1857-08-01
For the independently
A Pleasure Trip to the Mountains.
Angels, July 27th, 1857.

LIT. Edat0T:-l am not lntrudlng TO make
this hasty sketch-the story of "visit to the
Big Tree" although our party in their tour to
the mountains passed through that already
worldwide wonder, " The Big Tree Grove
because enough has been already said by other
visitors, of that attractive spot, to show that
those colossal monarchs of the forest have stood
for centuries, like so many giant sentinels, are
but another of the few things on our globe
upon which Nature, in her loftier mood, has
set seal of sublimity, in the presence of which
the tongue is silent-for there are limits to Ian
guage-and the pen is dropped, because Fancy,
in its widest flight, or Genius in its most in
spired hour, can sketch but a meagre picture,
and give but tame coloring to the scene.
Our party consisted of some twenty or
more persons, men women and children, all
told, bound for the enjoyment of Picnic in
the mountains, and a night in the "pathless
woods" Fully equipped and prepared with
comforts, cOnveniences, ETC., etc, for such
tour, we arrived at the " Big Tree" about noon
After having halted at the hotel, where we
best, and in the snuggest order, at our COM
mand we strolled about the Grove danced on
the big stump, rolled balls in the alley, played
at billiards. finished our dinners, and some of
us our smiles at the saloon, our party took
their departure-some in carriages and some on
horse back, toward our camping ground in the
depths of that majestic forest.
Our road a good one, ascended the noun
tain by gentle and easy grade, and is the one
which leads to Carson Valley through the cele-
brated Big Tree Pass. From various points the
eye could catch glimpses of the distant see
merry. Far upon the left stretching into the
distance, arose the green ranges of the San
Antonio and Mokelumne, covered with dense
and unbroken forests, while away upon our right
arose the bold SUBMITS ofthe Stanislaus' spine
crested heights, while towering over ALL cold
and white, far in the distant horizon cleaned
the snow-capped peaks of the great Sierras-
1t was glorious scene, and many paused to
gaze upon its wild magnifcence AS the day
waned, and the sun sunk into the west, could
not but note the contrast when once tossed for
months-as it was my lot-upon the bright
bosom of a tropical ocean, | gazed again and
again at the ineffablc glories that attend upon
"day's king" as from out of the eastern waters
he went up to his place in the heavens, or sunk
beyond the western waves; but tame, incompa-
rably tame, were all these glories when COM
pared with his splcndor as his coming rays
awaken into light the cool grays of morn, or
the crimson and purple of his departing beams
as they linger among the wild peaks and
shadowy cliffs of mountain scenery.
Before twilight the advance of our party
turned aside from the main road and halted for
the night. 1t was truly lovely spot they had
selected small valley, near the centre of
springs, so celebrated in this section, whose
waters are as cold as ice, and as pure and trans
parent as crystal. Down through the dark tall
grass, its glad rippleS murmured and glistened,
and along its green path sprung wild fruits,
graceful shrubs, creeping vines, and charming
flowers while around and near were still to be
seen those solemn trees-that lowered into the
calm evening sky-standing like SO many giant
guardians, looking down from their giddy
heights upon the peaceful vale that sumbered
i'll its loneliness at their feet.
BY the camp fires of that night, whose rudy
glow lighted up the wild yet beautiful spot was
a merry crowd
"And bright the lights shone DER fair woman"
Ent hail iuht W hicb fhrourb ~. l,rib ibo
alabaster," sheds its "sickcned ray" upon that
too often hcartless throng,
"where youth and pleasure meet
To chase the glowing hours with flying feet
1t had bright glow Beneath its radiance we
saw ourselves as we are. The harmless Joke,
the pun and sport passed gaily round. The
miner thought more, for the time, of his
golden dreams the merchant had closed his
ledger and banshed from his thoughts his bar
gains, his balance sheets and speculations the
Doctor had dismissed from his burdencd mind
the present thought of the trembling nerve,
the palid cheek, the sunken eye, the stifed sob
and the silent step of the dark end chamber
the lawyer, too, had closed his desk and books,
and thought no more of clients quarrels, and
fees unpaid, and costs, complaints and answers
the mechanic, likewise, had laid his work and
cares aside, and ALL all, were +" boys ogan."-
Among the general hlarity of the hour, the
ladies, as ever, played well their usual part;
cannot say who was ahead it would be, per-
haps, drawing an invidious distinction. At a
late hour, silence prevailed in camp, notwith-
standing the presence of the women. (Egad
now shall catch it, if the ladies of Angels ever
find out that | am the fellow that wrote that
sentence.)
The day broke gloriously, and brought with
it real mountain morn. will not attempt to
weary you with detail of the I" times we had"
of the various acts performed during the day,
nor of the success of the actors. 1t is perfectly