New-York tribune., 1867-05-31
THROUGH THE DESERT INTO APAcHE-
LANDING l.
FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO los ANGELES


From opr Special Correspondent
Avn Los ANGELES Cal, March ., 1851
I" Good bvel good byeW Take care OF yourself ola
hov Stick to your hairP "DoD't let John Apache get
tho marc I" Ados success 10 you and safe return
ond so on until tho gangplank was hauled In, and l
waved last adieu to frcnds as the steamer Pacific
hacked ont OF her berth and swung around into the
stream I'm the magnificent harbor of san Francisco
ON the 9th Of March, 1861. We glidcd swiftly down
around North Point and the bold bluff face OF Telegraph
HILL toward the ocean-past the huge NahGcfplt' WIN
bor black guns protrudrng from their PORTFOLIOS, the
suvanee aud the Wyandee past the rock fortress OF Al
coro whose frownng guns rising tier on tier look ever
acbfuy down toward the portals Of the Golden Land,
ready TO roll forth their thunders OF welcome OF dehce
mast Point San JOSE where the black guns lie III waiting
high up upon the hilltop, half hidden IN the iohase
Of the shadetrees and shrubDery, which put shorI
time since adorned peaceful homestead standing Were
now naught save that which pertains TO war ana se is
saen M the distant batteries OF Angel Island guarding
the westward passage into the bay ana INTO inc haro"
strait leading down to the broad Pacic On our eit arc
the Green gardens along the Spring Naiey ana fresuo
Road and right ahead tho Preside dc san frahcseo
with It's long rows Of white barracks AROUND 'ho low eu
roofcd enre before winch the soldiers OF tho King OF
spaiu watched 80 years ago for the coming strange
shin. Columbia said to belong to Gen. "ansmngtoh
fGon washngton. which they were to sGze as soon Us
she entered the Golden Gate Ivy orders % I rs co:t
Don Pedro Facgas The old Dons long DIOnze GUNS gar1
at the royal foundery at Seville l9' years hRo % a
ing in the earth at the loot Oi te Mh Win ~ tbn a. ~
fortress OF Fort Point first below over @ ~ tfer
nee Columbia floats so proudly to-day @ anu Eceepcy lS
ending %a nS yeow and faded hangs in frame in the
hu of the California Pioneers, up III I11 Sily s a.
iad verandah of wieeaved cottage standing amid
tbc blooming flowers, catch glimpse OF "hiVe hahei
ISn under tho guns Of Fort Point passed the light
house Point Bonita, around POINT Lgpos' % mo htnS
cr1 above the sea- opposite the rugged rocks where even
now the monster scaons are craving wi VII si b,nv
iufn
homes and malnng tho ar reSound with theii via %
earthly cries over the rough bar ana @ Out % from our
SIGHT and now my pleasant home, long g0oH p9o 'p.
ls MY ,o bo mouth of the creek which cmpties the
J01tug de Ia Mercod. IS dotted here ana thete Win
ncasre seekers dasinG up and down behind fast teams
level sands Soon tho high hills OF the Coast ahge lse
before us aud the dark wooded mountains OF santa cruz
ioon, nm i'm tho distance Night falls we cross the en-
trance Of the Bay Of Monterey tho thnylhR luo pup
CITY OF the Holy Cross Santa Cruz behind US ana 1e
caycd crete old Monterey, the ancient capital OF @ Aa
California, wherein, at one time the EeV M"n & S S,o
OF pleasant memory was AieI0e hDIt'st W us, -, b =,
rises as the night sets in and drcary unpeas h9s u
nausea and unrest follow morning SoSs me- ~ We do not
we are OF San Luis Obispo' NJ which porc& & m d V
tpuch. but continue stCauing along tc coast ton"tu
| santa Barbara. Passing Point Conception, we Keep III
sight hours Of the nigh mouniaiLous 5HOIe' WH t
seeing q single house. man. or hvlhg lllux, s'ao .d
myriad sea birds which rise before u ana scream around
usall the time. The mountains IN l1e % ~
covered with the dark green cheDiSa,, ana l,ed hAS h
The lower hills are yellow gold ~ purple rs the nine
thyst, with blooming nowers growing IN t vi III a.
rich uncTopt luxuranoe covers the intervening ground
down TO tie very waters edge Al iohg intetSJE, Va, "a
soutary rancho nestling I'm cottonwood I'VE OAK OF
sycamore grove The ranchcros, owners ot Nh't
estates, each large as & counties &c IN n 's - EE
anco-such rs il was-wh countless herds OF catl ~
horses roaming around tne eC brg beTo ad cacred e
wealth TO the Winds to-day there are many oi then ~
affect povcrty some in absolute want and al mpoyer
isicd c hcir great properties slowly passing into
the hands Of the stranger sad IN one acsc' 20 i1'A ~ 70
this picture OF bygonc wealth and wholcsoulcd ho'p
taliv fallen into decay; but II Is better Tor tho Ht"e
that it should be so after all In no oihct HaS SUuu
the Old feudal system DO broken up and the qroed lands
which have been lying for countless ages uucutivacd
and, In the way OF uncertain paStll9ge, Tho,y ,
tribute 10 the support Of manlind Al nst wc pass lAe
bold adands Of Point Conception ana the shoIohcas
| inward toward Santa Barbara.
Outside Of tho dccuycd shiftlcFs, tumbedovn. red.
tiled, old spanish Town. hay & no - NO., ~ W. c mo-
fence Is visible no broad Giah Hcl ,, ~, ~ - y, i
orchards there to load with tho Springtme fragrance
of their blossoms the balmy air which comes down To us
fom tho shore as VIC anchor on the town aud wait for
going lighters to carry ashore tho huge l0hs OF
c paG Tor n fTon % tho rgoceeds OF coarse WOOL
hides and tallow, which s almost the whole iner,
cantabe product Of what ought to BE- the garden spot OF
the whole earth We see before ~ tse t9Ta 9t
ago scattered rrogulary around anna tbo nnae urss.
by self on gentle slope, 20 which broad hard path
way leads from tic bcach the ino old Mission o sanla
Barbara-ts imposing church mont ana long walls OF
tH' tho Mission % conycrieT its indian slaves ror they
MgIe ESd GTes cTeat herd, o. cattle roaming over every
hIsde Tho olive and pear trees which the reverend
fntLrrs planted stlll wave their branches in green
luxurian life around The old mission walls but oil elso
has gone The old life has passed away nnd there comes
as yet no new life take lts place II VIII come ~ mc
bat VIII It bo In ov tnci Qen sGjtf Beautiiul land
at $ per acre, but 10 buyers large party 81 hniYe
CalfOruaus, IN their picturesque costumes, mounted ON
their Wild feet horses with Spanish saddles aud trailing
rUderOs arc gallopng along the beach, watching with
half Interested half Indifferent and cOntemptuOus gaze
| from under their broadbrimmcd somoreros as they
watched tho Yankee sailor and his companions from The
beach during his three years before the mast
Toward midnight we hear the anchor lifted, and tho
steamer gives more plOwng through the almost un
ruicd sOuthward When daylight breaks again upon
| us we are coming In sight 81 New san Pedro and VII
Inngton, the landngplaces for most OF the mcrchAn
disc, troops passcngcrs aud military supplies Tor south
California Arizona, and at this time for regions fr
into the interior Of the continent, Utah. and Montana
| even.
At the anchorage beside Dead Mans Island a last tho
steamer lets 90 her anchor and swings slowly around
while q tto steamer-the Cricket-puls huge lighter
alongside and thcro Is rush for shore. Tho Cricket
leaves for Wilmington which is situated six miles
| up a long aSuna running 10 the s0uth-easward Now
San Pedro consisting OF half dozen buildings all told,
right abreast Of and the work Of breaking out
| commences. stay b6hnd to my dear br0wneyed
Juana, my fOurlegged Spanish beauty, landed bhe Is
sung snoring with terror mp into the air the side
of the steamer aud landed, trembling In the lighter at
last. aud being tOwed slowly up the la8lna
| toward Wilmington.
We arrived amid driving rain; we landed and made
our way over fas, now seas Of mud IN summer SHhas
Of dust 10 the hotel Jnanita stabbed We gared around
the dfcary little collection Of liquor and poker saloons,
Government quartermaserh depOts, mule cOir, Stores
and unatractiye houses which make mp the town, ana
then retire to TO st TIL midnight listening TO
the rain falling In torrents, the screams OF the millions or
water fowl ying through The storm overhead and stories
breadth escapes and wild adventure the deserts
and amid the lonely mountains OF Apache Land, told by
my companions, who Willing away the drcGry hours
with euChre, draw, and auction The falling rain luls us
to sleep and when morning daw tho storm has aDated
though not wholly cleared away
hasty breakfast aud Juania stands paving nt the
gone ahead in an ambnlancnd gaiop on alone across
the mud las and out upon the rolling uplands,
clover mustard and Towering mnlows Miles on mios
the rolling country etreehesaway without single house
herbage IA kneo high over the whole country but not