San Andreas independent., 1857-05-16
Notes of Trip through the Mines to
the Big Trees of Calaveras.

Sacramento, which had the road, and carried
the s'ardent" inducements, (happy spirits. J at a
two-forty -trot. The first four miles of the dis
tance from Murphys is gentle undulating as
cent, with a good carriage road, frequently
crossing the main branch of the Union Ditch.
After travelling three or four miles through new
scenery, and entirely different climate, timber,
shrubbery and soil from that which we left the
| Improvements pertaining to Capt Hanford 5
saw-mill was observed on the right side of the
road. In those wlds the Captain commands
one OF the most extensive money making pri-
of railroad track along the more difficult por-
tons OF the Big Tree road has been put in sue
ceSsful operation by his indomitable enterprise.
The mill and building improvements, black
smith and machine shops connected Herewith,
will be Of immense value and advantage to the
local wants and natural facilities in opening a
railroad across the mountains at this point
We verify believe that Capt. Hanford has the
facilities, enterprise, and will have the means,
to build railroad across the mountains by his
own individual energy, before another ten
years roll around. In few years this saw
mill railroad will not only carry all the logs to
the mill, but will send the lumber to Murphy's
and other mining towns to a market. We
know the enterprise is quite practicable, and
believe it would be remunerative to the propri-
etor
After refitting q shoe On one of the horses
and holding q pow-wow" with natiue Dig
ger, known as " "chuckle- headed Jim," &c, we
raised our little finger, lit cigar, and q roll
along stormy" was the parting piaaissimo re-
frain, which made the welkin ring through
dense forests of pine. Still ascending or slo-
ping over numerous small hills, We came to
the Union Ditch Company's saw-mill, where
branch roads, leading to other mills on the
mountain slopes North and South, form juno
ton with the Big Tree road Densely timbered
forests of most beautiful sugar-pine, in every
direction, from the most elevated view. is
crowded up to the very roadside. The moan
ing of the pines, and bustling revel of the pure,
clear snow water in the Union Ditch, renders
through myriads of brilliant flowers perfectly
melodous with AIolian strains. Four hundred
sluice heads of clear limpd ice-water running
in the fiume looked too frigid to take drink,
in the "raw state" so we just had a cold
water stew, and drank to the health of score
or two of dngy Digger chieftains and chief
tainesses, who were encanped with their pa
pooses, on the roadside, graphically displayed
in different atti-nudes, not described in the le-
gend OF Hiawatha as part of Indian costume.
The squaws were making baskets, cooking
mushrooms, frogs, snails and preparing other
luxuries not mentioned on fashionable hotel
bills of fare. KS we approached one camp
the family appeared to be kind of upper tendon
the old "buck' started with his gun to shoot
game we inferred he wished to extend an in
vitation to stay for dinner, but Nc, who under
stands Indian character to dot said that it
was gentle hint that e-making would not
be out of order. Leaving these matters to
Messrs. Bob Smith and Gilman, we sailed
across to the main rancheria, where q collation.
of worms, grass-hoppers and june-bugs graced
pine-bark plate, restaurant fashion, waiting
customer. The camp is located on a divide be-
tween the San Antonio and the Stanislaus,
where water from the ditch is abundant, and
timber of immense size thickly stands in every
direction. From this ever-shaded camp of wild
Diggers, the road is almost level, gently ascend
ing to the Big Tree Grove, through intermedi-
ate forests of huge, tall sugar pine and rich
and elegant shrubbery. The dark green foli-
age overhead, is spangled with the pure white
blossoms of the dogwood, box and alder; like
stars in the dark armament of night, these dog
wood blossoms twinkle through the interstices
of canopy of evergreen leaves looking upon
the beautiful earth which has been for centu-
warbling, nest-building birds trill to their fond
rccollections and pleasing labors, joyous song
of love and never ending happiness. Mr.. Ike
Belts ranch is located amidst tall timber
and plenty of it. Another ranch, close by on
the left side of the road, has about two miles of
Virqinia worm fence, each rail as straight and
regularly laid as if put up by descendant of
one of the F. T. VS., so numerous in this State.
Passing few deep, shady dels, ice-houses and
other improvements, we came in view of the
big tree; another ice-house was passed, on the
roadside, when came the clearing and Big
Tree Hotel, Billiard Saloon. stables, &c, with
glimpse at brace of tall timber standing
like sentinel towers, the gateway to enchanted
land and all our cherished hopes. Stretching
far into the blue eidouranion vaults of the up
per deep, the eye fails to measure the height Of
these lineatc monarchs, as they reach their
arms far away towards infinity and God s home.
Like pillars Of Heaven, surrounding the throne
of glory, their beauty and size and height, clad
in living green, give an air Of grandeur, majesty
and subimity to MI around; by analogy COM