The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-11-11
CALIFORNIA; DEATH VALE.
a Stretch of Burning Desert
where mo HI uma N Lives.
An UntImcly Resting Place OF Many Gold
Soc

San Francisco Chronicle.
Over thirty years ago there came
floating up from dim and far-otf
places out of the unknown and unex-
plored regions Of the South strange
and tragic story of an ill-fated band
of immigrants who, wandering amid
the desert mountains, were led astray
into dead valley, aud there miser
ably persisted, parched under the
blistering skies and dying Of thirst.
This story was true in part, in all
but that the entire band persisted, for
some by heroic effort escaped the
terrible fate. Out of this story was
woven the record of this fearful re-
eion, and for years Death Valley,
which had thus received its baptism
by tragedy, was regarded as re-
gion of doom. 1t was reported that
it's feyered air was fatal to human
life; that no man was ever known TO
cross it's borders and live; that the
very birds dropped dead in their
passage across its heated skies. For
years it remained the synonym for
things fatal to mankind. The early
geographers incorporated these state
ments in their books, giving force
and authority to the strange history.
To the average Californian it was a
a region of fear and mystery, as re-
mote in his imagination as the inter
Tor of Africa, and, If thought of at
all, was as unreal as the tabled
! islands of the seas. To me it was
region of interest, and it has ever
been my desire to see defined the
| fearful features of domain SO full
of tragic mystery.
Death Valley is situated east of
Owens River Valley, at distance of
nearly 100 miles, and is reached from
! it by trails that stretch across wide
masses of cacti, masses of volcanic
remains, and over mountains that
rise bare and lonely under u sultry
and burning sun. To make trip
into it requires train of mules and
an outfit to cover at least ten days
OF time. On The 18th of July last,
With train Of five mules and two
! companions, one Of whom was par
TALLY familiar with the country,
climbed the summit of Cerro Goido.
Hating on its brow u moment to
catch the salient features Of the coun-
try which stretched before us, we de-
| seen led its eastern slope and entered
Il region of dead and desolatc things
valleys without verdure, groups OF
scorched hills, rising from the level
of lofty plateaus; sweeps OF sloping
lands. from whose borders rise peaks
whose riven sides emphasize the ter
rors OF desolation, and rise clear cut
against the rim OF cloudless skies.
To the north Of us was Saline Valley,
its blazing fields of salt and soda
sentineled by gaudv mountains. In
front of us and to the east lay Pan
amint Valley, for 100 miles traced
between ranges that glow with heat,
and cast through great distances
their calico hues, SCARED by the
water spouts Of centuries. If there
were not nearer a mighticr creation
Panamint Valley would stand first
as the most fearfully desert-like OF
all the Pacific Valleys. 1t lies at the
level of the sea, separated from
Death Valley by the Telescope range.
Across these awful reaches the eye
wanders toward that triangle formed
by the lines Of Inyo and San Bern
ardinc Counties, where the climax OF
physical force has left the impress
Of fear.
If human face could suggest
those features as human beings often
suggest inanimate things, it would
be face controlled by the vagaries
of maniac. Three days through
such scenes we rode, now ascending
trails, now hating on the summit oil
some mountain ridge to rest our tired
mules and catch the breath Of cooler
airs, now lighting our campfire amid
deep silence, while the dying day cast
weird shadows over the mountain
shapes, at last deepening into the
starry solitudes of night. During
these days Of travel we learned much
of the spirit Of the desert, become
familiar with it's silence, and caught
the temper of those who planted the
dead face of the Sphinx forever look
ing toward waste of sand. AS we
approached nearer the valley
the mind became possessed
with an underlined feeling of dread,
and yet we climbed, with eager feet
the summit of the separating ranges.
AT last we stood upon the lofty ridge
of the Telescopes, and beheld below
us the Hateful valley, which lies CSC
feet below the level of the sea and
extends for hundred miles north
east and southwest, with width OF
from thirty to forty miles from east
to west.
Upon no landscape can one look so
deeply into the interior of the earth,
for it occupies the lowest point oil
dry land upon the continent, and, SO
far as / am informed, of the earth it.
self. Before us it lies long, deep,
wide, vast basin, its shining patches
disclosing through the distance its
beds Of soda, salt and borax, which
covers thou sands of acres, ard blaze
and simmer and burn in the steady
blaze of light and heat which pours
upon them from cloudless sky.
The valleys deem ieclenSion grows