The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-11-02
The Coast of California.
from Picturesque America-Appleton &

The Coast OF California. Y,
= from Picturesque Amerca-AppIeton Col =.
The purpose of this article is to depict ~
that portion of California that is washed v
by the surf of the Pacific, and which, for h
the most part, is walled in toward the east f.
by the mountains of the Coast Range. a
This strip of territory is Of variable breath; i
sometimes the mountains recede from tue r
shore as if dfeading the fury of the ocean, c
and sometimes they press boldly to us 9
far into the proper domains of the many j
voiced deep. The vicinity of such places, I
for many miles, bears the impress of this
eternal contest, in the shape OF huge mass
been torn apart by the waves, and which
stand sometimes isolated, sometimes in
groups in the midst of the waters. All
along the coast line, from Eureka, on
Humbolt Bay to onoma bv absss e iae
antic fragments, around which the wind
bowls with fraitless fury, and where the
wild birds of the ocean congregate in my
riads, deafening the tourist with their tu-
multuous cries.
Tie inhabitants of the coast are, for. the
most part, Americans, but there is a ling
t ering remnant of the Spaniard, and trace
q of the Russian, dating back from the far
y away times when the Russian Fur Com
pany was established here, and was
hover in the land. The means OF travel
r ing are twofold-the mud Wagon in sum-
:. mer and the stage in winter-the stage
" being of that ponderous variety Known as
r the Concord. A pleasanter way than eth
"a er ia to 90 on horseback; and the mustangs,
" which though small in size, are excellent,
"a can be purchased for a moderate sum.
err The roads are not very, good, it must BE
III " where the track winds round the base
tn Of moantain. But they are good enough
be to the contented mind, and stage communl-
" cation has never been interrupted. The
8 /; tourist will find little scenery OF suihclene
be grandeur to interest him until he ap-
breaches Cape Mendocino. Here the
,et mountains, which previously were low
ID down upon the line of the horizon, come
es' right up to the sea. After crossing the
a. Eel River, a stream of considerable magni-
AT tude, the road winds along the skirts Of
ar Mount Pierce, huge mountain, which
if terminates long range of high hills, run
ali ming parallel to and not far from the sea
of coast. The sides of Mount Pierce ar
positively covered with the famous red
tlv wood and the eye ranges over miles ant
If miles of this magnificent tree without de
tecting any other kind. Some of these ar
. no less than three hundred feet high an
iri cence of these mountain forests can we'll b
n a imagined. In tho early morning, as til
her mud wagon painfully climbs up the foot
vas hills, the eye delightfully."- watches the mit
,av' giants. x thick veil lies upon the cliff
tTe and the sea, also unillumined by the sui
~ To the left, however, slanting arrows
INN red light come up beside the crags and ia
side upon the columnar trunks OF the REL
on woods. The deep green leaves seem gill
de- ed at the edges, and the bark of cinnamon
oIa color CLOVIS under the red rays. Abov
WV halfway up the trees, there is poi
sold where the early sunlight and the mist a
like at strife; Az tuIs pla5e, ' .b ;namance
> to the sun, and this movement communicat
W itself slowly, very slowly, to the de-
tho bank of mist above, where the grays. q
pure, and have no contact with tae gto,
,onr ING arrows of Phubus Apollo. The 81
o1o above is wonderfully clear, tinged lit
ga With saffron back of the mountain, and
,wnv few stars tremble lazily over the deep, da
ten pail of gray fog that overhangs the ocea
sod the waves and the roar of the breakers
h old thew beat upon the rocks. A few ng
wandering cnri suddenly become WISH
little overhead, o tongue of fire ticks the to
grsat most crag of Mount Pierce, and warns
Won barrenness. The c!oudIets become p
v9rk red, the mist upon the trees creeps
tall, higher, and more and more of the del
tb;nts foliage becomes visible. In five minut
hem, while we are gazing at the light NOV
4 10 upon the crags of the mountain side, al
NJ 7 the mist departing from the red woo
! two upon its broad TANKS, all, all has Deco
these clear and seward the eyes are charm
with such bit of rugged grandeur as
tbrea artist has depicted. The cliffs are not hi
.hot but along them are the fragments that
com. sea in its fury has overwhelmed after c
Vent turtles of never ending warfare. In
nth of inlet, standing like the monument
,o~aot some great one in a mavket-place, is
~ zee isolated rock of fantastic shape. 1t il
heart. basalt, scanned and SCARED very stran3g
red to The sea has worn passage through
ar fell base, through which the waters piash
l. and rage increasingly. The height of the
was thus made gives US an idea of the fury
ran 70 the storms that have beat upon this to
5rteen of the sea- birds. If this did not e.
an III, we might infer it from the difference
id bv. color in tho rock. Above, the tones
came pure gray; but below, where the tenn
tifnIIv reaches, of dark brown. The crest
read. a dazzling white, from the guano of
<, that wild-fow that inhabit there and ID bG
X, Ike ms morning they are silent until the mist
lifted then one starts up, and he goes =,
thy as cling round the Gun, pouring oGE ~;
urbt and another, until all the adult birds
ful. / on the wing, and the rock is left in pos
3 can sion of the young ones, that scream
| they single