Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-24
A SEASIDE RESORT.
AN ACCOUNT OF SANTA BARBARA AND
ITS VARIED ATTRACTIONS.
SANTA BARRARA. July 20. 1850


Santa Barbara ought to bear the name {
Santa Rosa, or some other apotheosize
| flower. So beautiful are the blossoms, s
rich the perfumes on every side, tha
neither Barbara nor any other merely hu
man saint can suitably give her name to
spot so fragrant. And the setting
worthy of the gem. Around the town
city, in fact-rise tiers OF purple. crestet
hills with rich, brown hollows. and bee
ting cliffs, now shining under the splendo
of semi-tropical sun-again with gauz1
scarf of mist thrown lightly across thei
shining heights, half-concealing. half
revealing" the beauties beyond. On cns
of the low hills-a mile, perhaps. be
yond the town - the old Spanish
padres, hundred years ago, with wonted
wisdom of selection, established their
mission, and there to-day
vEsPER AND MATIN
Call to prayer the few barefoot Francis
can sfriars who still keep watch and ward
over their remnants of former power and
mourn the rapid march of hated "mode-n
civilization, which is swiftly sweeping
away their cherished strongholds
stopped one day to visit the old adobe Mis-
sion Church. and, as ! drove up, low
browed, ruddy-faced monk, standing on
the veranda, waved his hand in priestly
benediction. His face was anything but
spirituelle, and, although his order is of the
q 'strictest sect of the Pharisees," could
not help wondering if the life embodied in
that gross form was really given up to fast
ing prayer and modification. The church
itself is long and low, with certain restful
calm brooding in the "dim, religious
light" On one side of the entrance, mel
low with age, hangs grotesque picture of
Purgatory, while just opposite shine the
lurid flames of the Inferno itself, in which
writhing victims are seen in all stages of
torture for their ill.spent lives Alas !!
what perils man has gathered around the
heavenly gate Would he be induced to
leave the way simply straight and narrow"
but, beset by such perils, who shall enter
in thereat?"
THE BEACH.
A fine creseent-shaped beach stretches
its inviting length along the front of the
town, broken towards the south by a
picturesque elevation, significantly bap-
tized, Castle Rock. Seaward is lovely view
of swelling wave and foamy breaker, ter
minated in the distance by the blue nights of
the islands, Santa Rosa Santa Cruz and San
Miguel, which serve to break off severe
winds, leaving peaceful harbor.
The beach is delightful for rambling,
bathing or lounging in the warm sand, and
also rich for the naturalist in sea-mosses of
all the delicate hues and exquisite tracery of
the mermaid's lace-w works. OF the many
beautiful resorts of California, Santa Bar
bara is probably most widely known as a
sanitarian. Its reputation as winter re-
sort for consumptives almost rivals that of
the famous Mentone, ON the Mediter-
ranean. The winter climate is said to be
warm, equable but not debilitating, and
the December steamers arrive laden with a
sad freightage Of health-seekers. Many
are so pleased with the results OF life here
that the place becomes permanent home,
BUT IT Is THE SUMMER
Rather than the winter aspect which In
terests Californians, and to me its summer
attractions exceed those of any other sea-
side resort, especially in point OF climate.
During the present season, for instance,
while Monterey and Santa Cruz have had
touches of a semi-Arctic rigor, Santa Bar
bara, though sharing its quota of the uni
versal fog, has shivered under no such de-
pressing chill, while in ordinary seasons
verandas and hammocks are the natural
habitat of the denizens. g. Ordinary
seasons" did say? / have never known
an "ordinary" season anywhere in Cali
fornia. They are all "unusual y The
beach is pleasant almost every day, while
the mesa, overlooking the town, and the
hills offer numberless charming drives.
Montecita valley, seen from the nights
above, shines in its harvest garniture,
like golden bit of the "promised land )"
Mission canyon is full of lovely sylvan
hooks and tinkling waterfalls. Sycamore
canyon has a line of trees along it's little
brook which would set an artist or an ar
boriculturist wild. All around are splen-
did ranches with cleaning orange and
dusky olive groves. At the sound of the
carriage coveys of quail rise at the side of
the road, and the mountains are stocked
with game to delight the heart of MINI
rod.
THE SANTA BARBARIANS
Are genial, intelligent and hospitable,
They "take the stranger in " according to
the scriptural signifcation. For days after
our arrival we found at our breakfast
plate lovely bouquets of fresh flowers, the
gifts of thoughtful residents, and we shall
leave bearing the grateful burden of many
gracious attentions.
| cannot imagine nicer excursion for a
party of congenial Sacramentans, than
taking the steamer at San Francisco for
Santa Barbara. spending few days here
fer the beach, drives and sails then to the
Hot Sulphur Springs, most romantic
canyon in the mountains, about five miles
distant. There the air is like elixir, the
water as healing as it Is odorous, and the
baths of just the right temperature. Then
a return steamer to Monterey and Santa
Cruz, and stop there also for few days /;
then home again. One could enjoy enough
beautiful scenery to freshen the daily toll,
the wear and tear of life, for the year to
come.
TO THE ART-LovER-
And who does not at least profess to be
that now there are great attractions here
in the studios of MIR. Ford, landscape
painter, and Mr.. Reed, one of the best, il
not the best, flower and fruit painter on the
coast. Mr.. Ford has just returned from a
long camping tour in Southern California,
devoted to sketching the old adobe Mis-
sions, and comes laden with artistic treas
ures. / visited his studio yesterday, when
he displayed his forest and marine views.
They are works of genuine artist. Such
beauty of outline, and richness and depth
of coloringl Such grand sea-views, lovely
bits Of woodland, and wild mountain can
yons. California ought to be proud Of him.