The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-04-13

~ on SrH'@,

FORr ST0GKpoH, TEXAS,
March 9Th, 1861.
D: W. GELwIcEh:
DEAH DAx: Before leaving San Fran;
cisco, I purchased . boOk and pencils for
the puVposs Of tAking notes OF travel, but
wIsA o6cs On The road found Il Utterly
Impossible 10 Do %. tOF the reason that
could ~ wEiss WhEle the coach vas under
way, ,snd the stOPpagss for changing teams,
kc, did not GHS6d tie time. AZ conse.
quence, I am destitute Of the material for
the letters ! bed promised myselftO to write
you coucsEnIng the trip and country
through which I have pGsscd, and must
needs content myself With giving you the
few vague Impressions which have been
retained By . not overstenacious memory.
We leA San Rtaacisco at . few minutes
past IL O'clock On Monday the 18th Of
February, IN Concord wagon, drawn BY
. spanking team Of four horses, and fiIled
with passengers three on q seat, all Of
whom, except Nr. A. Roman, Of San Fran
cisco, and myself we're way-passengers !;
but among them l was delighted to find
our tOwnsmaR Mr.. T. G. Nugent and his
amiabIe young wife, who Travelled with US
as far - San Jose.
Weleft San Francisco by the San Bruno
Turnpike, Quilt by our friend Dr.. F. A.
BishOp).-a splendidly constructed road
but somewhat rough in consequences of the
late heavy rains, and arrived at Thorp's
station, II miles from the city, at little
after O'Clock, where We dined and chang
ed hstssA Here my troubles commenced.
The @aRes waS wrstched, ,-cold and slOp.
Py; ths coffee, a. they called Il, bearing
no Fesssblanes IN favor or color to the
dslicicus bsverAge you and are so fond
a Aad always have at home. I never
asank dlsA.watsr, bat avn convinced that
the moddy Guid In question belonged hon
sStly b thst elAss Of liquids, and that to
call e cUees" was q vile slander on that
delicious beveraec.T''l trust you will not
thiAk Ne sver-hStidiOus or particular in
regard to my {. fodder, !" for 1 am not. but
on the contrary can feed on the plainest
grab with a. much relish rs any one and
grow fSt (i) on what Z squeamish appetite
woold ssarve; but I feel indignant when
60 81 thinRa. the " fat Of tho land. 4"
spoilsd 10 the cooking; and were I an Au.
| tocsas I would punish bad cookery as .
caualai easnss.
Almoae he entire distance from Thoru's
| 10 0aa jos cur road passed through one
of the most beautiful and productive val.
Ilsys a,as I ever beheld, most of which il
undsr caltivassou bv American farmers
Frsoueasly. howevcr. we found the bridge.
scscss de hide streams washed swav. snd
The roaa sinost impass.ble on account o.
tn b,,.k nod IN which the fore wheels Of
Ia coacA oleen s.nk 10 ,hs hub and ".
ooaseaus0tly did not travel at rail road
Ispe,d
Thirty miles from San Francisco v,
CANA 10 Rsdwood CITY vh.re we spair
chanrea hor,,x RsdroOd Cltv--whst
-l.neu.srt hi. d.,.cA.hl. col,.e,,or a
.h.asi.a .ho.N n. c.ll.t, :. p,.ct Mn.
Citv y a, 49,. /. .lu,o.t q nothIn. -
10 b. ss.n within its limits. Ia fact. In,
pas,s.esss AaA 70 vslk ,hvonSh he CITY
% hssvy wsrO the roads. We Dasset
thruNgA asasa Clara after dark. aud ar
rived e saa Joss hetwesn 9 and Q o'clock
| % HAT I en- sAy aesAinS Of either Of .hes.
paosA Here ws Iost the COMPANY Of Mr.
and MrA Nurent We EXCHANGED on
coacA eur a umaller uns.Nnd with Ave pas
6,n6,ss ins,ds and thu conductor roat
sx,1e "a ar;wsr on. ths hog At 3 o'cloc,
10 IN eaa Bon n l,,ll SSIloD on our lon,
anA tiecasens ,ournev.. we took supDe
q usaAlsAs ai mica from San Jose. IN,
ew s,.vtloe v,.wue,l orrs.lves N oaDuar' 'blSn
Ikse. u 700 = b.st re could the rentl,
rod oe ssssD. TIE a,ltv provea Gov an,
d1luned = llttls a,..ntion that night
eOrld 81 his veotls spDrO.ch and woul,
a.,ver mvs.lf that .oon I would he locke,
In his sOie emhrace when the wheels O
The eO.cA would coma ,nto sh,rn collIs,o,
wi,h = stone ar rut and awav had Az
Il..vIuw ma - rub INV ewes ana bruiss,
lMmha I'm movn,nr. Thor. wss NO sucI
| thinr n sleeU for n. that night: vet. 4
| The morning. I Celt AZ fresh and hearty /.
i IWI IA ren1.ed On .hs best p.seOt sDrin,
| ia and wiahed onlv Cor : snhatanti.
hr..kfSst IA render me Z oornora.llv D.rf;,ct
In oomf.rtabla. Much Of the eountrv
rntil re v,ached JO.ouin and Kinrn Rive
v.llevs. IA littl. hettsr than ! ..st ~ ari,