The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-10-30

\ lady who has recently arrived in England
after accomplishing the journey from san Fran
cisco 10 New York by the new Pacific Railway,
has courteously placed her diary Mt our disposal,
which we procecd To lay before our readers, not
doubtrng that il will be read with interest -
We arrived in sun Francisco the 9Th of
May, having come from New Zealand, ria Tahiti
and the Sandwich Islands, \ few days after our
arrival, the celebration of the laying OF the rail
at che junction OF the Union and Central
PaeiGc Rlilroads-took place, and three days
afterwards, on the 18th, we left san Francisco,
taking the river steamer To VALLEJO, and thence
by rail to sacramento. There met party of
ladies and gentlemen, who had that morning ar-
riyei from Omaha and their reports of the
journey much more favorable than those we
had read In the san Francisco papers. They
give us some hints, too, to what we should
find useful on the way-such rs a supply of food,
ten, ete--for that part of the road, where we
should DE unable TO procure it. Our party con-
sisted OF seven. We find common stock of
proyisious-sardincs, biscuits, cheese, etc, and
each of Us was supplied with n lin ss pannikin,r
plates. and spoon, which did good service by
the way. Our train left Sucrnmento Mt 6 \. NJ.
The cars were full OF passengers, about forty OF
whom We tOund were bound for the East, the
rest were mostly on their way to "a White Pine ~
"A mining district newly opened in Nevada, said
tn be very rich in silver. After crossing the
Sacramento river, the line runs through rich
park-like scenery, the landscape dotted all over
iuil OF wild flowers of bright and varying colors
i noticed the csIllopss, larkspur, eschscholtzia,
iup'n, and poppy, in great masses and there
were many more, which i could not identity.
The tree lupin was in full flower. and very beau
ttful. California Is richer in flowers than any
country have seen. After twenty-five miles
ride we came TO Rocklin, N pretty little town,
the quarries of which supply Sacramento and
san Francisco with granite for building purposes.
At the station n regiment OF soldiers Just ar
har, ha1 H<v,I u
them, which played Schubert's 80 Lese hehen ~
as We stopped The nut pine we met with first
here it abounds in the Sierra Nevadas, and its |
nuts are great article Of food with the Indians.
Nine miles further on-through pleasant coun- !
try Of gentle hills and valleys-we came to New |
castle, where we had n magnificent view OF u I
vast wooded and cultivated plain, and beyond it /
the Sierra Nevadas FIVE miles more brought US /
to Auburn-weil named after the poets ss sweet
village OF the plain" IL is the centre Of large
agricultural district, ard has three good-sized
churches, and many pretty cottages in the midst
OF orchards and gardens. There are some vine
yards, too, which seem to promise q rich harvest
from Clipper Gap, the next station, to Colfax,
y y the steepest grade Of the Central Pacific line
W "a commencing the ascent of the Sierra Neyadas
Tue SUBMITS of which, capped with snow we
saw before us in the distance. The line of road
secends here ll6 feet tn the mile. Colfax was
io'nAeriy the centre of large mining district
on eaeh side the line, along the bed of n noun
.a .a'h stream, are traces OF goldwashing opera
.vus' now abandoned by the Americans and
ISen up by Cinnamon, who are still able to
work prohtaby- There is splendid view here,
aeross wide valley; in the distance between
Two high bluffs, dark with pines, are snowy
mountain ranges. After leaving CoIfax the line
WINS IN and out round the mountain sides and
on sInple trestIe work lis feet high over n
CeP ravine; then round high bluff called
Ispe Horn which rises abruptly cut Of the val
~, 'ne railroad being cut ZOO feet above its
~ Looking out OF the windows we could see
Iu'ninS OF the road beneath u.s. and seemed 10
L. uaVenng through the air. TIE ravines be-
ba". 30 these apparently dangerous places are SO
aiui .iui that we forgot all fear In the delight of
81 on tnem Gold Run il the next station.
AmuIsn snen Dutch Flat, in the valley, with the
leah .r river running through it here too the
cnva-.y wss very line, the steep mountain sides
sgr eseu with pines; and far below us. like a
ar. thread the winding river. The settlers
ver, i,ns "e.e grow great many strawberries Of n
~ usne pink color, and at each stoppin1 plaee
-. per pint A ''' '''ie' NJ Is oo- ana
,nd ~ ND" We were fairly amongst the spov
ths e snow sheds-which are built 10 protect
Itne-over our heads, which was ratber
sn... rs they always seemed TO come M the
sv. points OF view. There are from tventv-
ME- tnirty miles Of them, and the eomn.Iv
ar. - 10 Duild twenty-five miles more fbey
r,s;., strong, built Of heavy timber. 20 as 10
~. - ene heaviest drifts as well "a 10 .b.I,s-I
Sre, .e .I ron the falls of snow. At Cisco- s oil
d;. eooVe the level of th,, .ea ,w. ~,,;J =
A'sr' ard had what our Amer;car sr;.rSs a.