The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-08-03
Wonders OF fCalifornia---the Geysers

The Geysers Of California ARE unelualci among
the not springs Of the world They AZ, reached
by steamer across the lazy from san Francisco To-
Peialuma thence 10, Stage for about iifiv miles.
over one OF the hne-l farming regions 1T he State
From Foss Station iayOrite resort among tine
monniains-ihc G-y seTs are twelve mies distant
and are reached by - wild. romantic road For
two miles IL winds along the iiog-b n noun
tain summit like the ridge-polc of a steep rocf
IL has been levrlcd until barely wide enough for
carriage wheels, aud on each side one looks down
precipii0us banks for one or two thousand feet
| II the wheels diverge ten inches from the track
the load OF passengers would reach the bottom
much in the c"gdition Of bushel Of apples after
passing through a cidcr-mil.
The ridges display the dense shruhbery Of the
manzineia or mountain mahogany. upon whose
red, juicy berries grizzly bears subssi and irave-
lers quench their thirst the strongly spced bay
or pepper wood which has the virtue at driving
away heas and the exquisite madrUna with a
round fruit tasting Ike the dried ihimhleberry
Here bears aud antelope niIrr e'cat temptations
TO hunters.
The roar OF the Geysers j. heard and their
smoke seen two miles away. in favorable cOndi.
iions OF the atmosphere. After hcing whirled
along road which pitches down sixteen hundred
feet With ihrty-fve sharp turns in two miles.
the visitor finds himself ia narrow valley
viewing hundreds Of sieam-jei putting up from
the ground. They are chiefly in a ravine half a
mile long, know ~ the Devils Canon. Steep
walls rise from fifty 10 one hundred and ity feel.
bare, spongy, ashley, clayey soil without the fain-
test sign OF grass or shrub. There are fully one
thousand places where steam issues from the soil
Hot water often bubbles up above the surface
but much more startling aud impressive is the
boiling rahiH hundreds Of Cavities under ground.
Que feels that only the nimsics, she'll protects him
| from some vast suLterTanean cauldron. At times
the ground vibrates 10 rattle croekery in the
hotel one-third Of a mile away. Hot, cold, and
boiling springs arc found side by SIDE each with
lis own individual hue--blue. brown, black red
green, yellow, pink or grey. Their constituents
vary greatly, though soda, magnesia Epsom salts
and various salts ofiron predominant.
In passing up the canon the visitor burns his
fingers and receives sitting blasts from natural
hot furnaces. lie must be cautious where he
steps, unless be would break through the crust
into some Of the secthing pools below. Steam
boat Spring Is grandest Of all. II has no water
but consists entirely OF steam putting through an
aperture as large as the body Ofa man, with n
roar like great steamship, the column rising up
for hundreds Of feet. The vent holes are two
springs, few feet apart, which will boil an egg
10 q minute and q half, aud from which the steam
escapes with great force. A stone, as large as n
mans FIRST thrown into one Of them, rebounds
three or four feet, like an India-rubber ball.
These springs are numerous for six miles along
the Plu,on river and travellers declare that they
far surpass the famed Geysers Of Iceland They
are not volcanic, but result from chemical action
The smell Of birthstone, the Kissing steam, throb-
bing waters, and underground roaring and
trembling, are peculiarly diabolieal. Indians
regard theuJnsitli the widest terror. and cannot
be persuaded 10 approach them; aad some white
visitors never dare TO enter the canon. They are
among the most curious and wonderful OF the
many euriosiiies and wonders ofthe Pacific coast,
No other region Of equal area can boast half
the natural beauties and marvels Of California
Yosemite the SierrAs, Mount Shasier, the Big
Trees, the Geysers, and Lake Tahoe-brigh;est
gem in her mountain eoronei-all are worthy OF
note among the most impressive features Of the
visible universe. Already they are sought
annually by hundreds OF foreigners and the
completion Of the Pacific railroad will make them
the pleasure grounds OF the world.