Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-09-14

ma, n small city at the head of tide water, on
q river which empties into San Pablo Bay
This city has beeu aplace OF considerable ac.
tviiY, us ii was.the shipping point of every.
thing merGhantable that found. its way from
this valley to San Franssco; but now a rail.
soad is completed which has its terminus a
few miles lower down, on the bay, and runs
up The valley fifty miles to a place called Clo-
verdale; this has taken the life from Peialuma
and she has written for her epitaph 'iljlkd
by q Railroad"
Our ronte from here was. by wagon, and, for
the FIRST few miles was not very agreeable
the dust had reached a surprising depth, and
was whirlcd about by the coast winds in a
most disagrccable manner-at times it being
almost impossible To see the horses before you.
The people here paddle Though it, and think
no more of il than we do ut home of slight
furry of snow. Soon old oceans waters came
to vicw, apd1 ventured to open my mouth
and take in a snilr Of bis, pure air, aud as
did So. l left all wicked uDughts,o Of the dust,
and the county behind. Before us lay tho
blue waters OF the r'ighy Pacific, and while
! his waves were beating against The rocks at
our feet, could hardly realize that his waters
were also lashing the shore of far distant Chi
ma. Our course now, was up the coast for
many miles. This is the regular stage road,
and is situated ON sort of table land elevated
II few feet above the water level, which stretch
rsOf to ouE right with gradual ascent, and
Is lost in tIie high lands of the Coast Noun.
tains, The watt is were dolled here and. there
with the wbue sails of the coasting sehooncrs,
which ply their trade between San Francisco
and the small ports along the coast.
Innumcmble pumbcrs of birds wcge seen,
such as swans, cranes, pcicans, sea gulls,
ducks and a, a,counllIss variety of smaller ones.
The beach was srcwn. with. shells, and the
stnr.fsh was seen clinging TO the rocks Ii was
evident thai the gun ut The sportsman, and,
the eager eyes of the curiosity hunter were un-
known among these rocky cavcrns. An oc-
cAsiOnnl, seal. WAS, seen baskipg lazily in the
sun one huge rock which arose above the
surface Of the water, Il few yards distant from
the shore, seemed to he covered with. seals I'd
sea-lions. One OF our party being armed with
"A gun, fired among thcnl. at the report Of
WHICH they raised their hcas> and with n
ltoarse below. rolLtd their clumsy bodies into
tIe sea. On one of my visits to the coast, J.
was grallicd by the sight of whale, that was
skimminJ the surface of the water not more
than half mile distant his black body seem
ed 10, be OF huge dimensions, and' ever and
anon, There she blowsw aud Il stream of wa
ter would spout forth to the height Of many
feet from. the head of this living fountain.
We crossed Rlisan. rivera stream of no
small dimgusions-hy means Of a. rope ferry;
hcre a. SAW mill is located, which does an ex-
tensNe business, and gives employment to
many men. The Ian along the coast is all
taken up, and every few miles We pass through
II settlement consisting Of ii store, saloon and
! pust-Olice, all under the same roof But we
must lc,.&c the level land along the coast. with
its fine ocean view, ,nnd commence the ascent OF
the uHun'aits. Ga ! SUCH hills that "terriblc
Gulf Hli" in A4shlnbuli, mrlts away in com.
parison; il is up, up, UP, one side, and then
! down, dow.l, down the u;hrr. Every wagon
no matter hnW lights supplied with II
break : at liiG,s, il sUenlrd us il our wagon
stood perpendicular; then the break is ap-
Piled the horses start n!O run, | shut my
eyes, .ung.on, ilh both hands, thinking that
! u
rlada winds circuiiously o,or lfIr R,ounnns
by this means the best grades are foun1, and
an hours constant plodding does not take you
| over some of titrm. Once Qa the top, and we
| have view Of IA rnu5h Il country as- can be
conceived Of. Before us, mountains after
mountains, with deep cnuons intervening,
stretch away b ynnl lIc limits Of, the eye ;. be-
| hiud MS, they ar broi;' n aurIpily at The wa.
| tcr'a Clgc. These mountains are of all des
cribablc snaps and construction here is one
cUv,rel with II dense growth of trees, while
its ncighbor is U'rIcc'y bare; there is onc of a
rocky construction, lul The next is covered
with vegetation. The trees most com,Aon nre
II small scruhly oak, the bark of which is in
lrcat demand for lnlrng purpoFs;. II tall
spruce, or pinc which i more IKE our h"mr
lock, and the gigantic red wood of this latter
species there are some huge trees; one near
! by, which Is hollow, | have rode into on
horse back and tdrnnd around and came out ;
one which walked through, measured 20 feet
! in di met, i. another 80 feet in circumltr nee
and any quantity uf sm lilcr ONES from to Is
feet through. Tacy grow perfectly straight to
an uhlrminS height; !. their lumher Is valuable,
and lurms the chief buHking far the Pacific
consi. Saw.mils arc plenty, and along the
coast the timber is being rapidly cut away
These moaNlni!,s nrc welLa,hplcd for grazing
| purposcs-the bare ones b,ing covered with
wild oats; they are susceptible, too, of cult
vaton the soil is deep AMI rich, and wherever
cu'i,ah Il, produces good cnps. Corn, oats
and'hnrlry nrc the principal ones wheat is
not raiscd--slill no one knows oil any reason
why Il could Hoi ha. The land us yet--mosl
of belongs TO the government il pot having
been surveyed and thrown into market each
settler has frna, d OF for their use from one to
| five thousand aCrrs-as consequence, the
ncigh6ors are nQ, Wr% near Stock raising Is
the principal occupation. and the hills are
covered with horses, cattle and hogs; the
horses and cattle are all branded, and some of
them are very Wild d is surprising To see
the dexteriiy used by these mountaita men in
throwing the ariat, the only way OF catching
the widest and most ungOxerabla Horses
bring from $50 To 500, this last figure buying
the very besl, The oa,tIu are picked up by