The hydraulic press., 1859-10-29
A TRIP OVERLAND.

'the southern route, was written by Henry
Everett, Esq, an old and we'll known citi-
zen of Nevada county, in letter to one of
I his friends here, who has kindly permitted
i its publication. Mr.. Everett had just re-
Joined the friends of his youth aftera separ-
alton of sixteen years. He writes from Me-
tamora, ILL.,, under date of September 10th,
as follows:
"I found my way to San Francisco and on
board the coach, without any accidents or
incidents worth relating. We left the Stage
Office at IL NJ, in a beautiful Concord coach,
myself being the only passenger booked
through to st. Louis; we had, however, a
full load of way .passengers-two ladies for
Visala, one from the ladies school at Bene
ca We passed through the beautiful val
leys of Santa Clara and San Jose, arriving
at Gilroy in the evening, where we left the
coach and took the wagon-similar to those
used in the winter by the Cal. Stage Co.
Before day light on the morning of Au-
gust goth, we crossed the mountains by
what is called the Pacheco Pass, and were
invited to walk one mile. This brought US
into the great Tulare Valley, which is an
immense plain, without tree in sight and
almost barren. / thought it very hard
looking country, but have seen worse since.
The dust and heat were almost intOlerable; ;
and set this down as the hottest days ride
ON the whole trip. At Visalia we left all of
our passengers, and took on four bound
through and one for Fort Yuma. Next day.
we passed around Tulare Lake, left the val
ley and crossed spur of mountains running
down to the coast. Passed Fort TETON in
the night, south of the TETON Pass. On de-
scending the mountain, we found fine coun-
try, good grazing and plenty of stock. Ar
rived at Los Angeles, at II NJ, three days
from San Francisco. This is really a de-
lightful country-the finest vineyards and
the most extensive that have ever seen -
grapes in abundance but peaches and ap-
piles scarce. The hills are apparently swept
as clean as a house floor, yet stock look
finely. We left in one hour, with six pas
.sengers. From this point conductor is
sent with the mails, who usually travels
about two hundred miles, when his place is
taken by another The drivers route is
about eighty miles. AS we leave Los An
geles, going east, the country grows more
barren, and occasionally belt of deep sand
is met. Wherever we find spot of arabic
land, it is generally occupied. On the Sc
.cond day from Los Angeles, we entered the
Desert IN San Diego county. Here we
changed wagons, taking lighter one with
but two seats for six passengers. This rem
>dered our journey very uncomfortable, and
was the worst part of the whole arrange
ment. 1t was the fault of the agents in
sending too many passengers, and ours in
not being posted, and raising an insurrectior
at Los Angeles. AS it was, we, who were
FIRST on the way-bill had not the conscience
to turn fellow passenger out to starye or
the desert, so we endured the Inconvenience
AS we enter the desert, we pass between
high barren mountains, through dee[
canon We had been travelling at the rate
of eight miles an hour, but now could make
only four or five The ground is entirely
barren, except occasionally a sage bush
Fortunately for us, as we entered the desert
shower had just passed, effectually laying
the dust, though rather impeding travel
We arrived at Fort Yuma in three days from
Los Angeles; here we crossed the Colorado
by ferry into Arizena Territory. The de.
scriptons of this country that | had seen
were not verified at first sight We Travelled
twenty miles over dry, barren country, and
through suffocating dust, to the first sta
ton on the Gila River. This is the field O
said white men could not work on the living
they got there-Arizona straight, and bean;
three times day. A few months ago, &
great many people were at this point. | saw
the rayine in which gold was found; every
body has left and the Gila mines are hum
bug. AS we travelled up the Gila, we found
instead of dust, mud which greatly impedec
our progress, and from this point we los
time. The valley of the Gila is quite mar
row. The mountains on either side are higf
masses of barren rock. without vestige O
vegetable life visible-the road passing W
within a few yards of its banks. The lanC
on either side with irrigation perhaps NIGH
be made productive, but the people ther'
say that water cannot be made to run il
bitches, the soil being of so loose charac
ter that water will sink and disappear l d.
not youch for this. AS we leave the Gila
the country improves; we find good graz
ing country, but for the want of water. Ii
this vicinity noticed a very small lizard, ap
parently in the last stage of starvation, anC
remarked it as the first specimen of anima
life that Ihad seen in travelling five hundred
miles. Scarcity of water is the great diff
Guilty under which this country labors. Th.
Indians are cultivating land in this vicinity
and raise great deal of corn. On the 2sth
we arrived at Tucson, three days from For
Yuma. This is small place, built of mud
and inhabited by mixed population of Am
orleans and Spanish. The only thing at
tractiye, that l saw, was plate of Jrie,
eggs, and I didn't see that long AS we 1eav'
Tucson,we find a splendid region for prairie
dogs and rattlesnakes coyotes won't live
there. The country is rough, and our road
in passing through the canons, was merely
the channel of the water. The rains which
had fallen before us had washed them badly
and in passing through one of them in the
night, we drew into deep hole and turned
complete sumersault-Doaglas Democrat
and all. No damage was done, however
and we all came out right side up. In this
section some fear appears to betray itself in
regard to the Indians. The stations are
built of stone, with walls three feet thick
and stocked with rifles and shot guns, a:
L Il I