New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-13
DESCRIPTION OF THE CALIFORNIA
GEYSERS.
Of The San Francisco Bulletin.

The delightful and bealthful trip from San frahesco
has been 30 often described that consider IL uhneee
saw l. we'll repays the tourist for his pans-bn ens
commence on my arrival at the pretty and rural village
Of Healdtburg.
Here heard Of many WAYS Of going to the Cey-
sers most Of them adyitng the equestrian mode. But
having Travelled the "woTld over" and prefernDg me
vehicuar either the equestrian or pedestrian methoo,
luckily hit upon Mr.. Foss, proprietor OF hVery-
stable who offered to drive me there with not only
comfort but perfect safety to my corpus. so, two
steady horses being hsrnessed to easy riding buggy,
started, arriving at Ray Station-1 nIies-oYer
good road in about 10 minues After giving our nags
water from impd mountain stream at the door,
we started up the hill, which found stripped OF the
exsg erated difficulties had been led to expect. And
logged along the horses walking up the teepest
places and gayiy trottiug over the patches OF level
ground TO be frequently found on the Journey. On
arriving the summit of the first ridge and before
secending to Little Sulphur Creek, turned round
and enoyed one Of the lovely prospects the
Russian River Valley, stretching north toCloverdale,
and souih lOii ing Petaluma Valley. There were bill
sides dotted With OAK charmiagiy picturesque, noun
tuin ranges covered with gigantic redwood, gulches
and sPlashIpg brooks, lakes and rolling hills inter
81 erfed with farms and homeSte eads, where might ts
seen the sturdy husbandman busy with resphook in
hand Law ny low the staff Of lie ready for the threher
Pushing forward, downward, We Travelled TO Little
Sulphur creek tull Of trout aud boulders tie gurgng
stream gambOlig z among the rocks aud throwing mp
its merry sparkles like crystals the salt niUes Of
the foot o. Goodwin or Sulphur Peak, towering W th
it. tary flagstaff erected by The U. = Colst Survey
$500 feet above the l. ii Of the sea- from which the
view must he grand indeed Winding round its base
we arrived at ,Ge far-famed Hogslsck narrow ridge
bridgiug valley of immense depth, and at least two
miles wide. From this we have glorious cgap dGt
OF Mount st. Il.leua on the southeast aud Mount
RiIl ley TO the north at whose bare hes Clear Lake
fomIBg an eveI-yaried Panorama vi undula'lng nl!
rsSue, mouutGIn gorge precpice and torrent. Cros-
s;ng tie Hcgsback, which did sometimes On "A
slow walk ard in other places at trot, we pass the
tents Of tue qnickiver niers and begin our descent
70 The Geys-rs. IL was here necessary to attach q
rope 70 The hind wheel OF buggy in lieu ot drag
We wound slowly down tie bill in a zigzag course
for about two uiles, when suddenly we came in sight
of hotel painted white, OF TWO ttories aod double
balconies ali around the building, which would not
have disg graced Montgomery street 10 build this
horse in this wild caion, they had 10 erect sawnill
on the spot a. the lumber could not be brought IN.
Coming down the hill We heard the mighty Geysers
bis,ing ani pufing Oh their everlasting supburous
steam ike 20 many ocean steamers on arriving in
Tired. not Of the length Of tie Journey but almost
weary with gazing the beauties oi nature, We
iumped out. Our horses instantly released by an
acgve ana ready groom, and We ascended the hotel
.te;s beng met AT the door by the landlord with
hearty welcome, ard Gentlemen, dinner is Just
ready And such a di ner Oyster soup, broied
mountain trout fresi from the stream, and bannch OF
the finest mutton have tasted for years, done TO
Turn with it's accOupauimeBis Of baked potatoes
srd cu,raut Jelly, sdedises of sardnes, oystsr-pat-
ties neSgaid eggs, omeetie, homemade fresh butter,
II. - milk and luIid wafer, with excellent coffee Ad
tea after friendly chat With mine host and host
ess-who, ( fornd, had T" travelled through Europe
ard perfectly understood how such wAtenng-pllees
shoIld 10 cUnducted-we retired 10 rooms and beds
which NAV vie with the lest
AT O'Clock next morbiGg We arose, and from our
windows beheld the mountains on the other eide OF
rluon Creek, embo,omed in steam ring With loud
Kissing noise hundreds Of feet above the very
top Of the ridge opposite An attendant supplying
with towels we descended from the plateau on which
stands tie hotel by easy aud sbruhby path, 10 the
creek. Crossing this on a rustic bridge we arrived
at the bath-hOu,es, where luXurlsted FOR fifteen
minutes in r. warm sulphur bath, the water beng col-
ducted from n suT hur spring through lead pipe, snd
on rcaobiuY the bath being about co Fahr The
water on Issuing from the spring IL at ll0' After
leay Ing the BATH began to ascend winding steep
IA IA, which took us TO the Devils WasLtubs.
And now comes the most difficult part OF my task,
for inasInuch as wbat / saw exceeded immeasarably
all bad heard described, go do now find the want
OF auvuage 10 enable 20 faithfully depict what
bcheid IL must, indeed, be what heard an lniel-
individual quantity express scen, heoId, t oRa
,asted, 10 be Understood and appreciated. To form
ay distinct idea was ont of the questionmpresslons
| certainly had but mulufariJus weie they that It
was utterly impossible to fix one Of them for more
than few seconds. To see the earth around eeming
with corkscrew Jets of steamy vaIor, with powerful
sulphurous smell spcutrg out everywhere, and IN
numbeiles cavies to observe water Of all aud every
color bu bling aud boiling, not oVe,, bnt an these
cares, from inky black TO peerless white, beggars
description. Some taste Of alum others Of iron soda,
niagnesia Epson salts, ammonia, and even acids OF
various degrees All are each other, ard yet
distinct. that they would "puzzle conjuror" aud
science is here completely baiied to elncidats the
mystery. Again looking around, aud finding the
earth Won are treading composed Of substances Of
black, white, red, green, blue, yellow, pink gray,
and every hue, and feeling this same earth trembling,
and, stamping the loot, reyerberating With an
Ill ,..,I tIa mind hanA a rfa.f
cbao. and the most vivid impression s, let US get
out Of THE as quickly as possible"
Walking but forty PAGES, We find oursef In grassy
dell surrounded by shrubs Of the most verdant green
We then pass for about loo yards around tne iool OF
tie hi on the southery side of which are the Wash.
tubs before described and upon eight basins OF
boiling fluid of various cooIs and more strange than
those we had ust left. Here placed the Thermometer
in one of the basins, and in less than Two minutes 1t
ran up TO 2@0o and then burst, as the mercury had
reached the full height of the glass then put IN Two
eggs and they were boiled bard in two minutes and
quarters. These are called the Soup lureens OF
Lis Satanic Majesty. Leaving these we pass over q
green plateau aud down into small ravine through
which meanders quiet CLASSY brook OF pure, ice-cold
mountain water Here are sloping limbs of tbe bay
repose oneself with here and there gigantic
boulders sticking out like Ttans, 10 awe the venture
some mortal proceeding any further or encroach-
ing on their douiuions again. Passing through this
few steps onward, walk over fiat circular space
which looks at first sight, exceedingly tame but upon
forcing your walking. few inches below the sur
face with easy facility, up follows jet Of boiling
steam and actually feel our companions footsteps
shaking the very ground we tread on. AT once we
realize that we are passing extinct volcano
the breaking of the crust Of which might preciiisre
ms into an abyss of flaming sulphur. This is called the
Crater.
We now approach the upper end Of the Devils
Canon for we have hitherto been ascending along is
ea stern bank almost parallel with it; and in beginning
retroprade movement pass through shady bower
cnyironed side by luxurious herbage and the
other by AL immense rock which has evidently fallen
from tie mountainous range above. This is named !
Avalanche Bower. Here those wLo have wished 10 |
thems.ly have nearly DESTROYED the bark