Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-07-17
A Trim TO CnlIfornia...NO IS.

IN renlize that we are in new cOuniry-in n
country where jnurneying is largely dependent
upon wind and tide country Of roads unienced,
hut not ungated Of roads Of fOrds instead OF
bridges. How little people who dwell in coun-
tries whose settlement dates back century or 90
realize what fenced and hridged road means
toward safe convenient and expeditions travel. |
In order IN have such a road or, where bridge !
is impossible, owing to the width or depth OF the
b dy of water to be passed. to have a ferry boat,
the country must DO comparatively thickly set
tied. The country Of California is not thickly
settled IL Is far from it. 1t il truly, as some
body he's said, "a country Of magnificent dis
mnces," and those distances lie between The
houses Where anything under couple thou
.and ncres IL called snail farm, end where tw
ur three houses nearer than mile or 50 #, n
each other constitute quite village. road making
fencing, bridging and repairing is really serious
matter, ~ much more serious than an occasional
break down, tip.oyer, or losing Of ones way
that the ways travelled from the ranch " to tn,
" town seldom attain to the dignity Of 4" roads /,
they are called trails" They are very accom-
modating affairs, for they accommodate them,elve'
tn the country perfectly They haven't the least
objection to running anywhere, up the steepe~
hills and down into the deepest gulchos, alongsd,
precipices and through boys besides, they dyid'
in all manner Of directions and have the fncult,
Of ending all Of a sudden, now in an open field
now in bog, now in corral all Of which, OF
course, is exceedingly pleasant to one who is
-tranger to this country Of magnificent d.
ianccs" magnificent distance may read wei
in poetry, or seem beautiful in theory bot whei
one is in hurry to reach place, or has gon'
from the right road, magnificent distance is not
exactly the thing.
There is another thing with which mag
nfcent distance does not chime in well at all
and that il sickness. To think Of being takci
i'll. or worse, Of having long sickness, and one
doctor fifty miles away. Why, the bare though
is intolerahle how much more 50 the dreadful
reality. To one who realizes what few moments
delay mean sometimes in illness, for ones life ~
death, the great desideratum Of existence seems L
he to have doctor handy Among all the hand,
things, using the word handy in its very bes'
sense, to have in or near ones home, is an in
ielligent, CAREFUL pain~taking, faithful physician
II may be possible for one to think Of ones owl
elf more highly than one ought to think, hat no.
80 Of ones physician and lur me, It is difficult
conceive more unpleasant state Of Affairs than
that where one is so widely removed, so many OF
: these ranch people are, from physician. If tb'
whole story Of this country could be told, not thu
east Of is terrible heartAches, Of It's deep d.
tress over ITS many depriVhuohs' "ou'u I've ,noN'
that have sprung from the Tact that on the au'en'
NJ sickness and the threatene1 approach oil th'
d
dark death presence to the h'me' ITS grapu 'eauei
IN the battle with sickness and death has been MOI
Z only foeniy' but NIFTY ana hundred miles away
u deem 1t hest dear reader to tell you OF 'he~
y things, because IN making up your OPINION ="
Chlilnrnm liie you ought 10 reahho not uh'y i've
magnificent distances ct the country but also u q
= magnificent distances that lie between one an'
d some OF the grand nences'-eonvenence'
II - convenient as almost 70 reach inc dignity
. necessities OF our good inli Eastern NE
D The shortest route from Petaluma to Poin'
ID REYES j. by Grass Valley, and acruss abouta mil
;. If Tumales Bay, a route only about twenty mile
p in length, and comparatively level We are told
hut then it is out Of the question 70 60 that way
y to day because the wind is so fresh no boat coul,
t live on the Bay such as they use in these parts
+ viii IN we find afterwards N he a crnss between
Is B rston llarbor DRY " and Vermont fish-pin,
= fat" s. we must periUrce choose the lon
route over the canons, and across the creek at tn
~ head Of the Bay trusting that it will be low It'd,
= ~ the creek will he fordahle This route f.
" which hilly is no name, cunts its miles by fifty
) 70 accomplish this magnificent distance" VI
reed two horses, a covered carriage, driver am
u fifteen dollars in gld The horses and carriar,
! u draw us up and hold Us hack dawn the execra
lie hils the driver to guide us safely over the exc
D. rahe roads, and the gild to pay therefor. One
% under way, and the good horses soon carry us he
y yond the road that is q road into the road that
10 1 trail thence we move onward through mile
Al upon miles Of ranch lands each ranch COUNTING
ID Is acres by Thousands, and its cows by hundred
u climbing up and creeping down the hile~t hill
j. We ever saw made passabe for man and beast
'' land being vermonters think that is saying
great deal getting out now and then n open an,
'llse the g,tes in the fences that separate on
D ranch from its neighbor. Now and then "
D catch sight Of the herders driving the cows b
u che corral which is Spanish for yard, or chasing
y down snme will steer for the ranch arler Il
this business Of herding and hunting stock, bot
w herder and horse attain marvellous proficiency
III for Of course it is wiolly done on horse back
: As we ride along we see one Of them going mo-
u, 'r 80
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