Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-11-12


to please the eye Of erring mortal! The waite
rushes through q most remarkable canon o
gorge, 1000 feet long, l2O feet wide, and 50t
feet deep, with perpendicular walls Of smOotI
solid granite. We descended the mountain
by another path, and returned to the wagons
after having been absent three hours
Having been asked why l started for Cali
fOrnia, cxclaim, as did one In days gone by
"SOns and daughters Of men, for the light q
whose presence my spirit yearneth, dost thol
ask me why | take this Journey Is it no
written that fortune smiles upon fools? AnC
for the sake Of these smiles, hath not thy ser
want been making fool Of hcrselfH For TIVE
months and eighteen days hath she been 20
ing onward, and has not yet reached the plac,
where she may SQjourn, and perchance, div,
into the water, and tear ancient rocks from
their resting places, that she m0y find tht
root Of all cvil.' She has torn her dress ir
places not to be mentioned, the skin upon hcI
face and hands hath changed its color until sh,
is now likencd unto wild Indians; and hcl
garments are rent and soilcd, SO that sack
cloth and ashes would be as fine as 'purpl,
and linen to her. She would fain feed on
husks, but there are none. Yea, she who in
times past was wont to fare sumptuouSly, and
to grumblc over greater dclicacics than were
piled upon the table Of Dives, now snuillcs
with gladncss the fragrance Of pork and beans
and gnashcs her teeth impatiently over fry.
ing slap jack. She boicth her rice with un.
spcakablc aIidity. Potato skins fear her
presence, meat vanishcs from before her, and
dogs look in vain for the bones. She sighs
for the flesh pots of Egypt, and mourns over
the barreRnpsS Of the land. In her sleep, nev.
erthelcss, the good angel Of the past deigns to
visit her, and delightful visions are opened to
her recollection, for delicious "bill Of fare
floats before the mind of the dreamer, and she
eats Of oysters and turtle, only to awaken to
fare on the plains. All this hath thy servant
endured. Is she not then fool, an abomina-
tion in the sight of wiSdomy And is it not
unto such only that fortune dispcnsCs her fa-
vOrs! Yet she hath deserted me. approach
her and she flieth. | double on her trail, ~
and she turncth away! await her coming,
and she stands still. Now, therefore, re-.
nounce these parts-I put out-I Slopc--I dc.
part, taking no heed Of the morrow, for the
morrow takes no heed Of me. Ere the weeks
have passed, the skirti.coats OF thy servant
will be waving in the brrczcs OF Salt Lake CITY.
A latter will be nailed ON the highest noun
tain that she crosses, as an emblem Of the ex.
tremity to which woman may be reduced in
the land Of the West. Yet think not oh .
friends, that would rcnd my garments for
this alone. Verify say unto thee, an evil
genius hath long pursued me. She hath fol-
lowed closely my footsteps, that every thread
and fibre Of my rainent is familiar to her eye.
And il in pursuit Of the, she should gaze ul on
this relic in the solitary fastneSs of the noun
tains, she will at once recognize it, and be.
lieving me to have been torn and destroyed
by wild beasts, she will rctrace her steps, and
thus will escape her. lgo hence, dear friends,
unto California, where it has been prophcSivd
that thy servant will find labor and its reward.
! go among the Gentcs, and their offerings
Of gold aud silver will be acceptable untn me ;
and if they live not afterwards, peradvcnture
they may find treasures in Heavcn!"
Saturday, 18th. Came to the Ice Springs,
which certainly are remarkable. The ground
was covered with alkali, but IN cutting through
a wet grassy strip, we came to solid ice, which
was eagerly gathered and eaten by our de.
lighted and astonishcd selves. Some doubted
its being ice,-but it looked like ice, smeit like
ice, tasted like ice, felt like ice, and-I believe
it was ice.