Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-05
Selucius Garfield, Delegate, Washing
ton Territory born in Shoreham.
Notes on California
TEE BIG TREES OF oALAvERAs

EdStoT Rutland Herald: On the 21st
of September last your correspondent, in
company with four other persons, tooh
seats in an easy carriage for the Big Trees
of Calaveras, in the direction of the 81
ezra Nevadas, little south of east, and
distant seventy-fve miles by the most
direct route; and as our journey led us
across the great mining belt of California,
have thought that 3 brief d scription OF
the country over which we passed might
perhaps be interesting to your readers.
Leaving MeConnelrs Station, @. P r
R., at early morn, we pass for six or eight
miles a succession of smooth and appar-
emily we'll cultivated farms, when we
reach stretch of country moderately un-
| dulating, some ten or twelve miles in
width, and known as the Sheep Ranges,
and where sheep driven from their sum-
mer resort on the mountains subsist dur
ing the winter under tho care of herds
men Beyond this we came upon ground
having more marked undulations Of sur
face, with An occasional bluff rising from
one to two hundred feet, and sparsely
scattered over with oak timber.
Along here we see frequent indications
of abandoned surface mining. Twenty
five miles out we reach lone City, an in
teresting town of some 500 inhabitants,
situated in Sutter Creek valley, locality
noted for its fine fruit and general pro-
ductiveness. Moving eastward from this
point, we soon encounter high eminences
covered with chsppsral, scrub oak and
pines. The road becomes hilly, rough,
dusty and serpentine. We have now en-
tered the mining regions, The hills in all
directions exhibit their torn and laoerated
sides. and deep chasms and ravines attest
the power and effectiveness of the bydrau-
lie process in mining. Along here, too,
we see from the ever varying aspect of
the earths surface the most pllpable eyi-
dences of the earth's upheaval Ten miles
further on brings us to the town of Sutter
Greek, situated in a narrow valley, bound
ed on all sides by high hills This viii
lsge is said to contain a population of
1900, and is the seat of the Eureka quartz
mining operations. Here we were warm
ly greeted by kind friends, natives of
Vermont, whose acquaintance we had
previously made, and by whom we were
entertained in most hospitable manner.
Sept, 22-At a late hour we resumed
our Journey, and four miles ont we pass
through the town OF jackson, county seat
for Amador. Further on we move down
through deep and dangerous gorge
nearly mile in length, cross the Moke-
lumne River, then winding up steep
the high bluff we find the l,r2e aud oaco
fouriehiug village of Mokluuue Hill.
Some years since this place was noted for
its extensive mining operations nov it
wears a dull and uniptero-'iug aspect.
Mining, it is said, is soon E" be resumed
here, which will probably tend to it's fu-
ture advancement.
Our next point is Railrond Flat, IA
through a section of countrynearly desti-
tute of inhabitants. Late in the after
noon we reach this place which exhibits
"A few scattered dwellings, with a quartz
mill contiguous, and is eitu 4ted al the
easternmost limits of the mining section.
From this place to the Big Trees" our
objective point, is 16 miles through dense
forest Of lofty pines and underground, and
without inhabitants through the whole
distance.
At this late hour we had become sem
sibIy impressed with the exceeding
preciousness of time, and pressing onward
over lofty SUBMITS, and anon through |
deep gorges and defles, at length through |
the gradual dying out of shadows cast by
the till pines of the forest We were made
sensible Of the fact that our lot would |
soon he cast in darkness Still struggl- |
ing forward over Il rough and dusty road
the sable mantle of night began to fall,
and fearing lest through deviousness we
might not only overset our carriage but
thereby our hopes and expectations also,
the writer took to bis feet, and cropping
amid thick darkness, with cane in hand,
way as best he could. We had now fully
entered upon the domain Of the "OId
Grisly," yet our course was nowhere inn
peded by his presence. At lenght, cross
ing q small stream, we emerged into an
open field of few acres in extent, and
by the aid of the dim starlight found that
we were in the vicinity of a saw mill,
with an old untenanted house and barn
near at hand. Concluding our days
journey was ended we reconnoitered the
barn, found forage for our team, hay
NOW for our repose, and meal bags for
our covering. So making virtue of ne
oessity we yielded to the force OF oircum-
stances, and making liberal appropria-
ton of the meal bags as aforesaid, COM
posed ourselves to rest We were now
1T an elevation of more than 4,200 feet
above tide water, or little higher than
The summit of our own Killington Peak
the air was cold and uncomfortable
and sleep to the writer well nigh imPos-
,ible
The night wore heavily away, and s
here was no rest for the weary. AT .
length
Ihe moon had climbed the chest hill
i"i' fiSts Ger the source" not 'of Dee"
but Of Mokelumne
and sending her sitvery rays through the
cracks and crannies Of the barn, in
measure dispelled the impending gloom. |
Morning at last came and with it reioic- c
ug. Turning cut from our reoluse we G
frost and ice. Soon man
IN horseback appeared, who informed us /
hat we were within two miles Of the OBJ 8