Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-10-05

a rRIr TO the SAN JAcINTo MOUNTAINS.

ihV"SH 'ahhI ihe III many ItSpcClS - Cll-
ioyable, fail to find anything interesting
in camp work especially in breaking
up in the morning. Then the dishes must
be washed, fer after packing We forget
who ate of them last and this is no fun,
sitting on the ground or bending nearly
double over the dish pan, and the packing
and getting everything taut and snug for the
drive. There is always general survey to
he made, to see that nothing is forgotten,
few odd articles to he picked up, such as the
frying pan, picket ropes, and stray blanket
or two. Finally, all is ready, but the horses
are not. Did you ever sit fifteen minutes or
half an hour behind balky team ? The best
thing to do under the circumstances is to
keep perfectly cool no amount Of clustering
OF whipping will move them until they get
ready, then nothing will stop them. Cling
firmly to the seat, prepared to 90 when they
90, and sit where you are until they do go.
At lasi We are of. Our way out of the
canon is by the same road by which we
entered. For part of the way all walk, and
consider it fortunate if the horses and wagons
get on in safety. The day is lovely. as all
days are here, and our way lies under the
shade of the pines. Occasionally We get
rayishing views of the valleys upon both
sides OF the mountain, and away in the dis
lance the "Laguna" of our former encamp-
ment. We pass through a beautiful valley
covered with scattering growth Of large
trees, and excellent grass for pasturage.
Vegetables, potatoes, alfalfa, and barley can
he raised with success, the mountain
streams, the early and latter rains with oc-
casiOnal showers, aiiording sufficient moist
ure. 1t il mostly government and railroad
land, and is fast being taken up by settlers.
Already there is quite a settlement Of stock
men, lumbcrmen etc, with their families ; n
good school, a steam saw mill already in
operation, and water power mill being
built ready for next Winters rains. We
found Methodist minister established upon
claim, where he feeds his flock through
the week, AMI the lambs of his spiritual
fold Sundays, after the manner OF many Cali
iornia preachers.
Westopped at night near the house of one
Of the early mountain pioneers. The material
from which the house was made, il shakes,
split out by hand, the woman bearing her
share OF the work ; and the furniture and
supplies were brought up the mountain upon
pack animals. We should gladly have
fingered by the rousing camp fire in the early
morning, but experience taught Us that as
soon As the sun was fairly risen it would be
too warm to travel comfortably ; so after a
bountiful breakfast of hot biscuits, obtained
from our neighbor, quail and coffee, we re-
gretinly began the descent. The road has
been built at great trouble and expense, and
stands, our mountain friend told Us. mostly
on one end; but We were glad to find it
comparatively sr:Ooth and, not like some we
had passed over, not only upon end but
-scI;r;,c ono .;do onr brntc,s v,Ited
ariheu' ready Tor any stray nruih VINO might
chance to he out, but were Just little too
late. for from the fresh tracks. a bear and two
,.l;,t
'''''' 'a'' '''''I S'ne "f '"e 'o'u -
We were coming down. The largest track
measured nine inches in length. The descent
soon bccamc almost nrrcini,ous ar looked 10
=,
anu 'ne "nee'S "'i' 'o'Aeu' O'"A'' e''
and all timld persons ueemeu themselves
safer on their feet, and felt the need of a
hr,L. tho, Tine lady rn5e the whole dis
-, .;.L..
lance WIN paoS Il" ne' "i"' "''iou' ~
cident. The wagons SID, the horses skated,
and the luggage rushed to the front.
walked on to avoid the dust, then waited for
the teams to come down, hoped in, rode a
few rods, and, my courage lailing, hoped
out again. A heavy wagon in ruins off the
bank, a dead horse by the side of it, toll
what would naturally he our ,,ite $40
brake was to give away. After three and
onc-half miles of coming down We touched
bottom ut last, and were confronted by n
pole gate which proved to be toll gate and
had the privilege of discussing seyenty-fiye
cents for riding over this thoroughiare. The
tollman had flourishing bee ranch in con-
ncctiOn with his official position and seemed
to have good time of it. The whole San
Jacinto valley was now before Us, and full
thirty miles of it between us and Riverside,
the nearest town. Our head man was now
in his element, as there WAS chance for
land speculation, but upon closer examina-
ton the time did not seem propltlOuS.
The San Jacinto river. described a.
furnishing plenty OF water Tor lrrlga-
tiOn, is Il dry water course, and
the thrifty farms already many oil them
deserted. After the first crop OF barley every
thing had dried up, and We could not even
get water for camp use, except by digging IN
the bed of the river. Farther on, however,
we found good well water and moist region
where tough wild grass grew, common in
alkali soil, that served for sheep and cattle,
though they will not cat it when feed Is
plentiful. Some of the land, We were told,
would produce corn, even this year without
water. All we know abont it, - that 1t did
not, and for - miles We never saw green
thing, except on some distant water course.
With water no doubt this would be rich
farming country, but it does not look partie-
ularly inviting now, especially the lower
end of the valley, where the bones and car
cases of animals lie by the roadside, having
died OF starvation. About half way down
the valley We halted Tor the night under n
big willow, and were hardly asleep when u
four horse team drove into our midst. The
driver pulled up suddenly with the qucs-
ton =. ANYBODY asleep under this tree ~
~ should think there was. " drowsily
answered one of our men and barely had
time to get from under the horses
feet. This team was soon followed
by another. and at midnight third party
en- route for the mountains came in, and in
the morning we found still another COM
pany had taken quarters at this Democratic
hostelry. The great attraction Of the place
is muddy pool Of water, trodden all around
by sheep, and smelling rank enough to give
one the cholera. But the horses alter half
days drive are glad To get it. 1t was
re lief to reach the beautiful town of River