San Andreas independent., 1858-09-04
For the Independent.
Notes of a Trip to the Mountains.

HciJ vi CdidFeFaS county, we packed our pro-
visions, blankets and cooking utensils on a
"6urro," and with our guns on our shoulders,
on Thursday morning, August 18th, we started
from San Andreas, intending, while viewing
the country, to amuse ourselves fishing for
trout and hunting for game The morning
commenced quite warm, and bade fair to
prove a hot day, and such indeed it was
Taking the road leading to Cave City, and
which We found exceedingly dusty until we
arrived at the Willow Creek Saw Mill, after
which it was much more pleasant and agreea-
BILE, winding its way through fine rolling
country, interspersed with ranches. Messrs.
Dennis Co. have a fine garden planted in
fruit trees and grape vines, which appeared in
a f1ourishing condition, though but few have
as yet, commenced to bear fruit. Shingle
Jack owns the next ranch above this place
is well fenced, and he has raised crop of bar
ley from it. Then comes Mr.. Denslow's, with
its comfortable house and out-houses; he. has
enclosed fine piece of land apparently for
the purpose of raising barley, hay and stock.
winding down into Cave City, at which place
we arrived about 2 o'clock P NJ.
"Cave City," so named from the existence
of cave situated a short distance above the
town. we found to be almost discretionary
of the houses, which a few years since were
doing a fourishing business, are now tenant
loss and in state Of decav Tho craoIy ri :
ming through the town was entirely dry, with
the exception of few spring. Some miners
were engaged throwing up dirt to wash in the
winter season.
we proceeded to visit the Cave, at the entrance
of wich formerly stood excellent house,
which was, short time since, entirely de-
stroyed by fire. The original entrance through
which the Cave was discovered by Mr.. Taylor,
in $780, is situated a short distance up the
hillside, in the rear of the site of the late
house, and is now but seldom used-it being
small and the descent too PERCEPTIONS. For
the accommodation of visitors, new entrance
was made. On first entering the cave, but
little can be seen until the eye becomes some
what accustomed to the darkness, after which
we proceeded to visit the many different caam-
Amongst the many rooms those which at
tract the eye most are, the g Bishops Palace"
and Bridal Chamber which is magnfi-
cent room, beautifully adorned with stalacttes,
in one corner, forming as it were,'a canopy
around the bridal couch, natural dressing
table in another part, and lounge in another,
make it fitly named, the I" Bridal Chamber;
the " Water FALL" so named from mass of
white limestone and which much resembles
waterfall, has also fine appearance. On sew
eral of the stalactites which formed the Or
dal had been at work, and we could not but
deprecate those through whose carelessness, or
desire to obtain a specimen, had allowed them
selves thus to injure this musical instrument
Registry Room many names carved into the
rock, and after adding our own names to the
numbers which were already there, we retraced
our steps and returned into the daylight, high
ly pleased and gratiied with our visit.
At about 5 P. NJ, we repacked our things
and started up the Table Mountain gulch, at
the head of which is situated Mr.. Clary's
ranch, and having been informed that we could
not obtain water on our road after leaving this
place, nearer than three miles: we determined
to camp for the night.
Messrs. Sutherland & Co. were here at hard
work prospecting their claim, and putting
fume in the gulch preparatory to the winters
work They kindly invited us to stop in their
cabin for the night; we however declined their
invitation, preferrfng, as the night was pleas
ant, to commence camping out as was our
original intention; during the evening the
stamping of new quartz mill at Ell Dorado
could be plainly heard in the distance.
Friday May l3th.-This morning we took
an early start, and soon arrived at Mr.. c. V.
McNairs ranch, where we obtained refresh
ing drink of cool water Mr. McNair directed
US as to our road to the San Antonio Creek
between the Table Mountain and San Anto-
nio bitches, but We not paying much attenton
to his directions, and finding the main road
on the ridge a good one and free from dust,
travelled so far ON it that we finally came to
the conclusion that it was about time we were
on the creek and amongst the trout, so down
we started on one of the steepest and rockiest
hillsides it was ever nay fortune, or rather mis-
fortune, to attempt; sometimes exerting my
entire strength to prevent the jack from being
precipitated into the creek, then catching at
the pack to stop that from going over his
head finally, however, we arrived down at
the creek below the dam of the San Antonio
ditch, safe and sound, with the exception of
the crupper of the pack saddle, which was bro
i ken and lost somewhere on the hillside. AS
soon as possible we prescribed some medicine
out of suspicious looking black bottle, Ia
beled "Townsend's Sarsaparilla, =" Beware
of counterfeits it, however, must have been
counterfeit, as it had very different flavor
from the genuine " Sarsaparilla." After at
teading to the waats of the inner man, We
took out our fishing tackle aHd after an ex.