The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1867-01-19
Hill Beachey's Route to California.

e. -
A San franciscan, who made the journey
from Idaho to California short time ago,
over the Humboldt and Cisco, or Hill Beach
ey's roate, thus describes the trip in the San
Francisco Times:
A trip from 0wyhee, or any part of Idaho,
late in the fall involves considerable peril
and discomfort. The public, too, are incred-
uous about new stage routes to frontier To-
calities, and none more so than Californans
concerning Idaho and its mineral resources
The recent trip we alluded to- was over what
is called Hill Beachey's route via Paradise
Valley and Humboldt We left Silver City
on the evening of the 2Oth of November five
in number, well armed with faithful Henry
rifles and several six-shooters. Our route
lay through a part of the country we'll sup
piled with stations, where the Government
supports its soldiers, paying them to protect
the country from Indian depredations, and
the brave fellows protect it by staying at
their posts most faithfully, never getting far
ther away than the shadow of their tents,
and while they sleep the Indians steal their
blankets from under their heads. So much
for Government men and their valuable SER
vices in Indian countries. AS we leave the
Owyhee river, we gradually leave the deep
gorges and high steppesi of the mountains
and travel section of country replete with
sage-brush, lava, and plains of perfect bar
renness yet on this. route We find an abund-
anee of pure water, free from alkali and the
long stretches of desert are not so frequent
as on the Chico road. We reach Queens
river by winding through a valley at the foot
of lava hills made beautiful at evening with
the lingering colors of gorgeous sunsets.
The stations along the route are better than
on most Of the territorial routes, yet your
sensitive citizens, who never rode far on any
stage road would be very much amused at
the huts called stations" They are built
of sods and gravel, one side occupied by the
horses, the other used by the station keeper
not a sign of any habitation elsewhere, and
only the bark of the cayote, or the whoop of
the Indians wake the stiffness from one week
to another Among the curious and strange
places we note along the route, is one called
Ewes Canon, which runs four miles between
solid walls of rock, at TO point quarter of
"a mile in width the character of the place
impresses one with the duty of watchfulness
and with timidity. Here the Indians usually
secrete themselves, and behind the rocks, un-
seen by the traveller, they obtain sure aim
upon their victim. aa.
Humboldt Sink is another object of inter-
est. Its crooked, sluggish river, doubling
and winding through valley of boggy soil,
presents repulsive, sickly appearance. The
name "Sink," whether applied to what
it may be, or what it has been, seems quite
proper for its marshy, low condition.
Paradise Valley and Queens Valley are
each fine pictures, in clear day, when seen
from distance, but as we ride down upon
the bottom lands we find the soil capable of
143urishing only the sage brush and grease
wood, broken only by a stretch now and then
of lava. va.......... s86a Il -t
Truckee Valley is sthesfnest of all the val
leys along the entire route. It is thickly set
tied; fine houses and barns on all the farms,
excellent fences, and the best of soil for ag-
ricuIturaI purposes. Surely, it looked de-
.lightful to as weary travellers, who had been
crowded four days and nights in small stage
oach, watching for Indians in every canon
md glen. The next drive takes us to Hunt
rs Station, where passengers connect With
/ e Pioneer stages for Cisco. The entire trip
!. made by this route in FIVE days. Mr.. Hill
Pes chey has labored very earnestly to estab-
lisb safe and permanent stage line BY this
vontek. and the difficulties to be encountered
& ID ch an undertaking few can realize, un-I
Lass hey take the trip. 1t is by far the most
direct route to the 0wyhee country from Cal
iIornia: the best watered, best graEing faeil-V
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