, 1881-01-02

enty Icet OF elevation. lileH iof eGFtfal |
hours we cross the Mojave desert,-a desert
Indeed whose monotony is only relieved by
the gigantic specimens of the tree cactus
which make 1t look like O. scrubby forest
about one aud a quarter miles long. About
noon we descend into the fertile and beant- /
tul Valley, of Los Angeles. almost buried
and hidden among the luxuriAus groWtlls OF
angeles ate1 IS distant from ehs ocean about
eighteen miles, with which It is connected
by two ,raiiroad lines at Santa Monica and
Wilmington, and is protectedaby its position
from all the harsh sharp sen winds. Its
Italian climate and the watering OF the clear
lilnped stream which runs by it makes 1t
produce. luxllriantly all the semi-tropical!
fruits, and the fks, almonds, oranges, ARD arid
large, rich, and, 1ncious "Mission -
grapes grown here are the most aro-
matte and delightful to the sense: Of
any I have ever eaten. Before le8v-
ten ten pounds 1t a fruit-stand for Is
cents, and .other fruits in proportion.
From here the road runs little south OF,
east, following the stream, and passes several !
those ot the celebrated cucamunsaW Wine Com
paly. At Cotton is the station for San Ber- |
nardino, two miles north, nestled at the foot |
of the hills and for Riverside, seven or eight |
town Us much as an aristocratic rural settle.
nlent, and one Of the finest in the State. It
is settled mostly by wealthy colonists from
the Eastern States, and is charmlngiy sit |
riageroad leads through long avenues Of
.sple,ldid siade-trees alld each house Is all
elegant villa surrounded with groves Of
oranges. figs, almonds, and vineyards, WHICH
are famous throughout the State for the
size and quality OF their fruits.
A few miles from Cotton we enter the
long, desolate reaches of the Desert Of the
Colorado River. The timetable of the rail-
Y~o radr NC +N f7aHC flret rh
desert in the night. but our train was de-
layed for several hours by a sand-storm,
which drifted the. slick upon the track to
such degree that it was impossible to pro-
ne we were standing still in the midst OF it,
These sand-drifts are much more difficult
than snow-drifts, and will throw. train
from the track much quicker. This desert
miles from the northwest to the southeast,
and the greater part Of it lower than the sea-
level. Death Valley famous in story aud
tradition. is q portion OF this desert. FOR a
were below the sea1evel, the distance below
at one point being 26b feet. It would not
require a very long canal to divert the waters
Of the GoogadG hyer no ths the + sbas and Ss
eSpei eSpeise, t'1c claiming in that the climatic
changes that would be produced, and the
great amount OF land now waste lying upon
arabic and valuable, would amply justify the
expense saw no vegetable growth i'll the
desert except low, very green and small
leayed tree, much like our yvill2W In ap-
OCCASIONAL cactus. The railroad company
! have established station-honses every fifteen
| miles across the desert, occupied by laborers
! whose duty it is to pass over the Intervening
fraeE fpaSEts from from M drifting sand. These station
houses, like all Of those OF this Company
through Arizona, are built with double walls
and double roofs, the upper roof being sup
ported on posts about Two teet aoove ;e
feet feet beyond the building. :, THIS object
i is to protect the inmates from the prostrating
summer heats Of this locality, It is said to
ern Arizona. along the line Of road, for the
. thermometer to record 140 degrees, or even
more, in the shade during the summer. Ihe
| Company have also been sinking arteslan
thoueh down ii low as 1000 feet, no water
has n@ket been reached. ALI the water used
for every purpose is. brought in tank cars.
/ The reach Of sand continues unproken,
cross c1t the Colorado River at Yuma. The river
| here is a wide, rapid, turbulent stream, whose,
1 waters are always loaded with the sand and
clay it has washed from its low banks, depos-
iting them in bars here and there, ana 1', r Is
which, clear as crystal, dashes over the rocks
and through the wonderful caiion so wildly
| described in Prof. Hayden's narrative.
The railroad crosses the river on WooaeM u !
| truss bridge with q draw for the passage OF
! the steamers, which run for several nund!eu
miles above, and carry supplies to the mining
camps and ranches of SoutherIs Nevada ana
Southwestern Utah, as well as toI the lnd1an n1n
Fort Yuma is situated on sandy blur on
the west bank of the river, and the City Of
Yuma is on the east bank. It Is tliorougll.
" Mexican town. nearly egsfy h9ase 10 esfepv eSfeps
adobe brick, and most Of the resldellIs nelng
Mexicans. There were great many Indians
of different tribes standing, sitting, anu lylnS y?
around the station men, w w9nieh, alo sr,t. rhe
you1lg men Of one tribe we're absolutely
naked except for a breecl-clout OF bright
colors which was tied around their lolns'
and the ends 1f I whe 9ng IN ih'Ss darE ssbins Ii
however, somewhat relieved The sh9ck OF OF
their appearance, and their 1.-THE, sienaGr tr'e;r
limbs we're generally well shaped. ms al
costume also seemed q'nte apploRt'lds1 1ea ~, ~
America. Tradition has it that solalel wno 1o
had been long stationed At this post died one
day and went to the lower region ana iron, ON
that place Of torment Sent Raea NJ To- deatb
its Streets are deep with loose sand. whlci
drift with the winds and cover every ob|ect
saw no trees or shrubbery OF any .klno ,i eA,
. | CepE on Tie lON 6i4U4Ea u "uC A''~A3
: It is as diseonsolate a looking place.
now that its commercial! al, glory Iyy,p;ne has
But few troops are stationed at the fort. and
the brgtnfks Of # ~btn1y Mbd fe f % to
; me- that there was an abundance Of rich
sgeutua lands ISL 0Ter a fn G1Wn Of fp caora III rxe,
) | hit that it law SO low, and the heat and mias
we're 50 great that americans eoa1d ND no. no.
dians would not improve it TO any great ex.
tent. During the fall and winter the season =
1t Yuma and through Southern ARIZONA = Is
igitful winter route for tourists and otl'gr: !!
crossing the continent. Moreover, It IS llke
: visiting foreign land to one familiar oni,
. with Eastern life, and the various forms
; Of Indian and Mexican manners 1te
!, aud habitations, the great, plateau be
tween mountain ranges on either hand in
witch the railroad is built, the many curlon:
: varieties Of cactus which grow to an immense
size ali along the road, and the ancient ruin!
: let by forgotten races, which may be seel
hv Sh,rt excursions froin different points. a
: wall as the wonderful and rapidly develop