The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-22
Hot Springs Of California.

In order to see these far-famed wonders
of the western coast, and the equally ia
nous valleys of Sonoma and Napa, we left
San Francisco on the fine steamer Dona-
hue, for a ride of SO miles across the San
Francisco and San Pablo Bays, to the
thriving town of Donahue at the southern
terminus of the San Francisco and North
Pacific Railroad Here special train was
in waiting to convey us to Cloverdale,
which was then the northern end of the
road. This ride afforded us series of
fine views, for which the fertile Sonoma
Valley is so noted. At Cloyerdale we left
the cars for our first California stage ride
the best of many others which followed
in rapid succession, but of all the most
exciting because the first. The tourist
who cannot find time for a stage trip to the
Big Trees and Yosemite Valley, should by
all means make the trip to the Geysers
and Napa Valley; by this plan he may OBJ
tain a fair idea of California stages and
stage drivers, and will have something to
remember as long as memory lasts.
After dinner at Cloyerdale the whole
party embarked in six horse stages for
fifteen mile ride up the valley of Russian
River and Sulphur Creek canyon. On this
trip we obtained our first view of the grey
moss and mistletoe, with live oak, and the
contrast produced an effect long to be re-
membered. The deep green of the live
oak foliage, the lighter green of the mis-
tletoe, and the long festoons of the grey
moss (often four to five feet long, swing
ing light breeze, formed scene which
one of the ladies of the party very aptly
styled "wierd." At many points we could
look down into the canyon for hundreds of
feet below, and when descending hill at
full canter, could but speculate upon the
probable results of broken axle or a lost
Inch pin. We arrived at the Geyser Hotel
in time for good wash before supper, but
not in time for close view of the springs
close by, so they were hidden by cloud of
steam which SO often overhangs them; but
so near that their roar was very clear and
distinct, and which, after our long ride
across the continent and the noise of the
rapidly moving palace car, only served as
lullaby to put us to sleep.
The springs are some 200 in number,
and to the bulk of the party were disap-
pointment. The idea of geysers involved
a column of boiling water thrown up to a
considerable height, but no such effect is
produced in California. The pools and
seething cauldrons are in or near the bot
tom of deep, narrow canyon, whose sides
are covered with the incrustations of sui
phur and other chemicals, and in many
places, especially near the points of great
est commotion, the ground was too hot for
thin shoe. The clouds of steam, the
water boiling hot, and of all colors, from
the inky black of the devils inkstand, to
the clear, bright alum springs of the lower
canyon, the peculiar appearance of the
party viewed through the clouds Of steam,
all added to a scene which ceartainly was
suggestive of other regions One Of the
peculiarities which at once strikes the
stranger, Is the close proximity of the
different kinds and classes of springs; sweet
and sour, hot and cool, alum and iron, all
so close that mixing under the surface
seems to be unavoidable, and yet each one
has its owns peculiar odor and color.
After dinner we again mounted the
stages for further ride of 26 miles over
the Cost Range and down the Napa Valley
to Calistoga, the Saratoga of California"
This time we were under the generalship
of Foss, the famous stage driver. This
trip afforded us some of the finest noun
tain views met with during our long jour-
ney of 5000 miles. Calistoga is thriv-
ing California town; but the springs near
by do not seem to have proven a success,
and the imprints have neglected look.
AS at the Geysers, the Calistoga springs
vary in their natures; one of them closely
resembled the celebrated soda water spring |
at the post of Pixies Peak; another only
needed the addition of sugar to make very
passable lemonade; while, by the addition
of salt and pepper to the water Of third,
very closely resembled chicken soup in
taste, but noticed its tendency to 'stick to
the ribs" To our Eastern feelings it
seemed evident that the great variation in
temperature which takes place every twen-
ty-four hours must prove great drawback
to Calistoga as fashionable resort A
change of from 100 degrees at P. NJ, to
go degrees by 8 P. NJ, is too great for
even fashions votaries. Six miles from I
the town of Calistoga is natural and
grand curiosity, which is the Petri6ed
Forrest some fifteen acres in extent. Some |
of the trunks are fifty feet long and four
teen in diameter. We found at the hotel
specimens, three feet in diameter and six
to seven long, and are to be seen with the
bark and knots as perfectly shown as when |
standing in the grand forest, but all con-
solidated with stony material. From Cal
istoga we took special train for Napa,
our ultimate destination, but after rapid |
run of eight miles we alighted to inspect
the vineyard and wine presses of @. Krug,
who has Ito acres planted with vines, and
makes 100000 gallons of wine each sea-
son. Those who have no presses sell the
grapes at prices varying from ten to twenty !
dollars per ton as to quality and kind. At
Oak Knoll we, by special arrangements,
stopped to obtain "a view of Mr.. r. r. |
u q