The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-11-10

garden at once and fine fruit oarcbard
within few years. wind mills located
over wells or other reservoirs OF water,
which they raise for use in irrigation, are
very common in Stockton. and are rapid :
ly going up throughout middle California; :
He has to 90 seven miles for his fuel.
fencing stuff, &C., on the Stanislaus. His
nearest neighbors, on the road We travel
ed. are sone five to ten miles distant, but
| believe he has nearer. He is doubtless
richer here than he W as in Massac achusetts,
but [ cannot realize that his family are
happier or more favorably situated for
mental aud moral improvement. there
being no school within reach, and the
children depending for instruction on
their New England mother alone. But
their children will not have New Eng
land mothers-aDd what then! fear
this csttle-raDching, With long intervals
between the ranches, is destined to half
barbariae many thousands OF the next
generation, whom schools can hardly
reach, and to whom "tbe sound of the
"cburcb- going bell" will be a stranger
Most of the agriculturists of this region,
however, cane here from Missouri or Ar
kansas, or Texas-mauy of them from
Missouri or Arkansas BY way of Texas
and 90 not seem to regard com mon
schools as essential to civilized life.
We crossed the Merced 60 miles
from Stockton (all these rivers are cross
ed hy toll-bridges or ferres--eharges, Il
each) just before sunset; and now our
road became rugged and bad as we rose
the 6rst of the foot hills of the Sierra
Thu. far, we bad seen few traces OF min
ing save the muddy colofed waters of
the rivers; but seven miles further brought
Us to Quartzburg, 10 the center of near
ly washed out valley of bearing
gravel; aud thence our way led seven
miles further, over far higher foot bill,
into Bear Valley. where We found friends
and grateful rest The next day [ devo-
ted to an examination Of Col. Fremont's
mines aud works. of which | may speak
hereafter, but nust now hurry on to the
Yosemite.
i left Bear Valley, two hours later
than was fit, at 6 a. m. on Thursday, re-
solved to push through to my immediate
destin alton that night Ny friend had
preceded me betimes to Mariposas, II
miles cD cur way, to complete prepsra-
tons fer the trip; but We were unluckiiy
delayed here again By misspprehensions
and the pre-eDsaSement OF animals for at
tendance on camp meeting, SO that it
was high noon when we reached the end
of the wagon road. II miles below Mari
posas, VI here the saddle is the only re-
source, while it is still nearly 30 miles
(many of them steep ones) to the Yose-
mite fall. Every one assured US that to
get through that day was impossible, yet
| had no more time to give to the jour
ney, aud must try. My friend is good
rider, while can barely rice at all, not
having spcpt five hours on horseback,
save in nay visit to the Kansas Gold
Mines, within the last thirty years. But
the two gentlemen from Mariposas who
accom- paited and guided Us knew all
about the journey that We didn (which
is saying a great Geal--so We pressed
buoy antly, confidently on.
Hussey's Steam Saw Mill. where We
mounted (or rather | did. for the rest
had done so before). marks pretty fairly
the division between the Oaks of the low
er and the Firs Of the higher ele, stions,
81 81. Of inf
other As we rose gradually but steadi
ly, the White soon faded out, then the
Black, and last the Live Oak, though the
eenuiueness OF this last is disputed, while
the Yellow. Pitch, sDd Sugar Pines, &C.
dars, aud Balsau Firs became more uu-
merous aud stately, till they at length
had the ground almost wholly to them
selves, save that the Msuzanito aud 9th
er shrubs (nostly eVergreens also) clus-
tered on nearly every opening among tue
trees. There is little or no precipice or
or bare rock for miles, and we rose along
the southern face OF the ridge overlooking
the" Cho!chilla Valley, until we seemed
to t2ve half California spread out before
IlhS q OUi 'ioioH "a
tended south to the tule lake, or immense
morass, 10 which the San Joaquin has its
source. aud west to the Coast Range,
which alone barred the Pacific Ocean
from our view. Still rising. we wound
eradually around the peak of our first
mountain through a slight depression or
pass, and soon looked off upon the val
ley of the South Fork of the Merced
which opened for miles north and east of
US. On this side, the descent is far steep
er, aud We traversed for miles a mere
trace along the side of the mountain,
where a u.istep must have landed us AZ
lea.t thousand feet below In time,
this too was left behind. aud we descend :
ed Gtfully and tortously the east end Of
the mountain to the South Fork, where
on, sixteen miles from Hu.sey's snd but
five from the Big Trees of MaripoSas, We
halted for rest and food. Before six, We
were again in tho saddle, crossing the
fork and winding up over another noun
tain northward, with precipitous descent
of at least two thousand feet beside us
for a mile or SO. A steep ascent OF half
IL Al l.u.1a MI