New-York tribune., 1871-11-09

SA,; FRANCISCO, Oct. 2S.-While the grander
snutain scenery Of California finds frequent ana en-
thnasie mention in tho letters Of Eastern Vistore 10
sh.sata tho quiet pastoral beauty OF seVera Oh i'e
ueYs furnishing true and lasting delight 70 oe'eis
of nature s too often left undescribed. No one OF
thas6valleys leaves brighter memories than the sunny
VALLEY Of Napa and am glad to speak OF II 70 eastern
.Aers II was the goal Of recent excursion every
60 vviu hnd a. did, his best Introduction 70 iVs
nsntes in the scenery upon the margins OF Ssp@ Vot
arov thread Of water about the breadth OF sVe0in
at which takes its serpentine way amid lSins Suu
oh.rds from its far-OR birthplace among 'ne
SuI, of st. Helena Many hno country seaVS
- ,,tnate here and at Napa Cty-a place OF some I'M
.,oe with hotels and churches and court-house-a
60 a, sailing craft the river find constant employ
Tsi the key the Clear Lake region, ana immense
.an, NJ wheat arc annually gathered IN here, Win
nnes pears and grapes in very great quanuues' Inc
iIov &c l,tcrally swarming with game pretty place
81 Knoll model farm, of which the proprietor was
,r1cred here some time since by one OF his own farm
Nnds The farmers here are almost muhonalres
s. eight or ten miles from Napa City Is Hountvile or
ns+opol ften confounded with another sebastopol In
a.. adjoining county-is mt 1t strange what ferocious
uos are conferred upon the Quieest and most unob-
4,.lva nlacesO founded by Col. Yount, the veteran
-, and trapper who himself owned one OF the finest
tates IN the valley. We paused at the old adobe IN
noh the colonel made his dwelling, and were fortunate
.noueh 10 find the pioneer at home.
NthnR could be more picturesque OF romantic than
,ht cottage in the wilderness. The dwelling is plain
,uch In ITSELF and, from the thickness Of its walls
nd serve very well for q fort; but all the asperi-
have been toned down and sOfencd by plenteous
,a,,rc NJ wlitewash, and over tho whole-likc fine
rEen tissue over plain linen petticOat-hanRs mag.
Aett vine loaded with creeping roses through whch
the lnght falls in checkered patches upon the clean
tiled psyement beneath. The Colonel had been an Indian
6rbte and companion of Kit Carson at Santa Fe' and
orto,,aiped me- over some wine Of his own man.
.ootrre and fruits Of his own raising with
h,rroUinc accounts Of his old campaigns telling
of a demoralHed trbe OF Indians whom ne
ub,ursted and finally took under his protection His
saes here have earned deserved celebrity over the
Mills Of this region thousands Of horses and cattle roam
At arep Knights Valley is the site OF extensive agl-
crltuol operations on the occasion Of my visit was
ourteousy received by the proprietor Ie hund-
reds of thousands but clad in pair Of cheap blue
o,eralls and lyraycd straw hat, just as he had
come from the fields
Tcre are famed watering places not far away from
this. CaIstcea and thewhite sulphur Springs. Ipassed
three weeks IN this part the valley and shall never for
get the delightful impression left upon my mind by the
ourn Bnt even Eden has its drawbacks and upon part
OF that lovely valley with all its fertility and its wonder
fuadaptaby 70 the purposes OF the husoandman there
rests curse considerable proportion Of this valley,
and Of the smaller branching from It, is covered by
"rants" the claimants of which, with their real or
fancied titles, necessarily at war with the actual
settlers who are thus deferred from making any i'm
proyements not called for by the positive neces-
mites of the occupant Thus many wealthy
men are found along Russian River, having no further
improvements their lands than surrounding fence OF
redwood rails and mere board shany " live in. This
condition OF titles has long been the DaDe OF the States
prosperity Government has taken the matter In
hand and this last obstacle to its progress will soon nave
disappeared Under existing laws every possible encour
agcment afforded theI intending settler, and 1t need
no
forna still open prcmptOn By special act OF Congress
the lands 40 occupied constitute homestead ana are
exempt from seizure for debt contracted prior to the
Issuing Of the patent therefor.
ride Of 20 miles from Healshurgh in northeastcrly
direction through valleys teemng with fertility and
sbounding in natural beauties brings to spot which,
had il been within reach Of those who believed in tie
heather mythology, would have been peopied with ln
fernal gods and gOddesscs Of aspect more terrifying nan
those who were said to lnhabt the regions beyond
Ayernus This the site Of the locally famed and soon
he widely celebrated California Geysers, which, lately
,onsccessibc may now be visited by any Bostonan or
NevYOfker by journey OF eight or ten days The road
for some dozen miles so from Hcaldsourgh Is decl-
dedy irving TO man and beast including abrupt ascents
and descents over mountainous divides with many
Serpenne winding which unpleasany affects the heads
Of bilious people. One shuddrrs he passes along the
brow OF prcclpitous mountain from which he GazrS
downward upon peaks that rise from the gloom Of dcfc5
hidden In a dense growth Of dwarf OAK and scraggy
thorny underground and manZanta. From the crests OF
the bills surrounding the Geysers, the eye takes III view
fstrkng beauty; the snuous folds OF Russian Aa'cr'
boTdered for many mile by fields Of the brightest green
in corn and wheat; the guardian peak OF Mount st.
Helens the prominent landmark Of Hapa Valley tower
ing above and to the west the hills and valleys OF the
low coast range with the vale Of Pctaluma An ascent
Of 1000 feet attained before descending to the GelseTs
before gaining which the has been salutcd
by series OF sounds resembling the regulated pun,
puff" Of a hiChpressure steamboat-impresstn
with the idea of an aPproach to some yer n
rrmarEahie curiosity Of the district On the morning
after arrival one must make his way 70 this modern
Avcrnus through curling Vapors and the almost over
aud bu6blng and the steam kissing and huIummg all
round him, as in some great factory among the chay
tire are scattered within radius OF less than mile
occupying principally wild raylne in the m9untains
goes by the name Of PlutOn River and is emnenty sug
ess Of s e1cep 8sE xnGTe gT@Ogs
Spring throhs and belches smoke with the la6Orious
crash Of waves upon an iron-bOund coast The smoke
rises in columns 200 feet or more, and sulphur mpreg
most Of the springs and payes the bed Of the creek
In irregular patches Of red and black and green and
white. In one spring we have an nky boiling cauldron,
others equal being and transparent There
are grottOes ornamented with beautiful crystals OF sui
phur and minerals such as trap p9rphyry, ieidspar'
There is considerable generation OF gulphurio acid,
alum and sulphate Of magneHa, and likewise su-
phurCed hydrogen gas by this natural laboratory on
mammoth scale Of which the work never ceases. Ply
River itself flows close 10 the pOrch OF e DOt lts
clear amber depostng sulphur and iron There
marks OF lava In the vicinity, though all the rock
volcanic. From the cauldrOn known as the Devils wash
Tub arises the constant Of suphnrous steam and
nOwen Of sulphur drop upon the ground In nhe shower
In the Chamber Of Horrors another feature, all s dul
and leless although one hears perpetual emmerng al
around him the earth IL DisteTng TO the tread aud
smoke and issue from under his feet and at his
elbow putting him IN mOmentary appre henion kst some
guard Ot the inner caverns, covered win scales and
armed with tOasng should emerge from nssure
Nd politely ask him In 10 take fry. Other vents have
equally suggestive names
That California ia still subject to the action OF volcanic
vs h proved 10y the numerous hot and boiling springs
In different parts Of the state and by the opening OF
volcanic vents iR the northern section near the
heao NAtera Reater River and the other the suM