San Andreas independent., 1858-09-04

talking of our i'll luck, Charlie related that the
ped at a MeAiftssp shoe makers for pair OF
boots, and who desired to know where we were
going. His stock of Spanish being rather lin
tied, he answered. " on pleasure trip
"Pleasure, pleasure said the Mexican, sine
no sabe pleasure?" "Sabe have some fun?"
said Charlie. "Fun, fun; no sabe fun tam
poco." "Now," said Charlie, q if that Mexi-
can was here he would find out what pleas ure
or fun was, travelling in the sun, climbing hills,
thirsty and nothing to drink, and going to bed
supperless is-6ne fun.
Whilst dreaming of gushing springs and
rhnning brooks, the day broke. We hurredy
packed up and left in search of our road, which
found after searching some time, and about
eight O'Clock we arrived at McNair's place
again.
After partaking of a refreshing drink of cool
water and eating a hearty breakfast, we re-
ceived new directions to the head of the Table
Mountain ditch, were also informed that it
would perhaps be worth our while to visit
Table Rock" which lies about a half mile to
the left of the trail, which we decided to do,
and following the advice of our guide, we took
two bottles of water with us, and before bid
ding adieu to this gentleman, we desire to re-
turn him our thanks for his courteous and gen.
tlemanly conduct. We started on the trail,
and having followed it nearly mile, we saw
Table Rock" standing out in bold relief
against the sky then leaving the trail we soon
commenced the ascent, the latter part of which
at the point which we ascended, (at the ex-
treme south,) was bold and precipitous re-
sembing the Palisades on the Hudson, ris-
ing upwards of hundred feet perpendcularly,
having to climb it with hands and feet After
reaching the top, however, the sight well re-
paid the labor. 1t was grand. To the south
the view is closed in by the " Bear Mountain
on the South Calaveras, but in every other di-
rection the view is extensive; the plains and
the SUBMITS of the Sierra Nevadas can be seen
at glance at our feet the ravlnes and beau
tiful little valleys can be seen winding their
way towards the foot hills, and the houses
dotting the country here and there, make a
beautiful landscape. visit to this place will
we'll repay those who love view both sublime
and magnificent. Leaving this place we con-
tinued on the trail to the head of the ditch,
where we arrived at about p M.-about a
quarter of a mile below the dam, where we
encamped preparatory to another attempt at
trout fishing. We commenced at the dam of
the Table Mountain ditch, and followed the
creek down as far as our camp this evening
without ever seeing a single fish we determ-
ined however to give it another trial in the
morning. We arose early, and taking our
fishing tackle in hand, started down the San
Antonio from our camp, and having followed
the creek down about mile and half with
out seeing solitary fish, we gave up the idea
of obtaining any trout on this stream, and
then cambering up the hillside to the ditch
followed it back to our camp. The scenery
along the creek is entirely mountainous, the
ridges rising abruptly from the creek on either
side, and quite stony in many places. Rocky
bluffs rising occasionally almost perpendicu-
larly from the river bed, which makes it diff
6cult undertaking to follow the stream down.
The banks are thickly overgrown with alders,
ferns, dogwood, and many other species of the
vegetable Kingdom, and we regretted very
much that we did not have botanist with us
to give as the names of some of the many
beautiful plants that fringe the banks of this
creek.
Having returned to our camp, we proceeded
to the very unromantic and common place oc-
cupation of boiling beans and baking bread in
a frying-p pan, and then wiling away the bal
ance of the day reading and smoking the fra
grant weed.
lCoNCLUsIoN NEXT WEEK.
BGy~ Thanks, to Mr.. Joseph Knight, for the
delivery of letters, papers, election returns, &C.