The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-07-18
Wonders Of California-The Gey-

Wonders Of California-The Gey-
sers.
"The Geyse,s Of California are unequal
led among the hot springs Of the world
They are reached by steamers ncross the
bay from San Francisco to Petaluma ;
thence by stage for about fifty miles, over
one OF the finest farming regions Of the
State. From Foss' Station-a favorite re
sort among the nouutnins-the Geysers are
twelve miles distant, md are reached by q
wild, romantic road. For two miles 1t
winds along the Hog bank, a mountain sun,
nit like the ridge-pols of q steep roof. 1t
has been leyelled until barely wide enough
for carriage wheels. and on each side one
looks down precipitous banks for one OF
two thousand feet. IL the wheels diverged
ten inches from, the track, the load Of pas
sengers would reach the bottom much in
the condition of bushel of apples after
passing through a cider mill.
"The ridges display the dense shrubberv
Of the marzinetta or mountain mahogany.
upon whose red juicy berries, grizzly bears
subs's', and travellers quench their thirst;
the strongly spicod bay or pepper wood
which has the virtue of driving away feas,
aud the exquisite madrona with round
fruit, tasting like The dried thimbleberry.-
Here bclrs and antelopes offer great tempt
alton to hunters
"The roar of the Geyscrs ia heard, and
their smoke seen two miles away, in favor.
able conditions of the atmosphere. After
being hurried along road which pitches
down sixteen hundred feet, with thirty five
sharp turns in two miles, tho visitor finds
himself in narrow valley, viewing hun
dreds of steam jets putting up from the
ground. They are chiefly in n rnvine half
mile lorg, known n, the Devils CaLon.-
Steep walls rise from fifty to one hundred
and fifty feet bare, spongy, ashy, clayey
soil, without the faintest sign OF grass or
shrub. There nre fully one thousand rlacer
where steam Issues from the coil Hot wa
ter often bubbles up above the surface
but much more startling and impressive is
the boiling within hundreds Of cavities un.
der ground. One feels that the flimsiest
shell protects him from some vast subterra-
mean cauldron. At times the ground vi
brates so as TO rattle crockery in the hotel
one third Of a mile away. Hot, cold and
boiling springs are found ride by side, each
with its own individual hue--blue, brown.
black. red, green, yellow, pink or gray
Their constituents vary greatly. though
soda, magnesia, Epsom salts and various
salts OF iron predominate.
In passing up tho canon the visitor burns
his fiugors and receives sitting blasts fron,
natural hot furnaces. He must be cautious
where he steps unless he would break
through the crust into some OF the seething
pools below. Steamboat Spring is grandesi
of all. 1t has no water, but consists Ell
tirely Of steam putting through an aperture
as largo as the body Of n man, with q roal
like great steamship, the column rising NJ
for hundreds of feet. The vent holes ar
two springs few feet apart, which viii
boil an egg inn minute and a half nnt
from which the steam escapes with grea
force. A stone as large as a mans fst
thrown into one Of them, rebounds three o
four feet. like an India-rubbcr ball.
"These springs arc numerous for si
miles along the Pluton river and traveller
declare that they far surpass the fame
Geysers Of Iceland. They ara not volcanic
but result from chemical action. The sme
OF brimstone, the Kissing steam, throt
Ling aters, and underground roaring IN
trembi are peculiarly dinbolical Indian
regard them with the wildest terror, IN
cannot Je persuaded to approach them
and some white visitors never dare 10 ent'
The canon They are among the most cur
{ Gus and wonderful Of the many curiosiii'
and wonders Of the Pacific coast
: mo other regions Of equal area ca
, | boast half the natural beauties and marve
, of California. Yosemite, the Sierras, Mou,
Shaster, the Big Trees, the Geysers, nr
Lake Tahoe-brightcst gem in her mou
0 tain coronet-all are worthy Of note amor
y the most impressive features OF the vislb
\ universe. Already they are sought ann
ally by hundreds Of foreigners; and 4
= completion of the Pacific railroad W
= make them the pleasure grounds OF
. world" .''''.r.' .t %. d.
PgRsoxAi.A-Mr. J. =. Pool, the pr
prietor Of the Newberry Hotel. we a
pleased to notice, after prolonged a