National Republican., 1883-08-28
CAMPING IN CALIFORNIA.
1t Has It's Disadvantages but Indoor Life is
Worse.
The Hotel and the People at New IdrlU-
Mexican Peculiarities.
specfnI EeNer.

Special Letter.
CAMP NEAR MOUNT SHASTA CAL, Aug.
15.-It was my intention last month while at
New Idria to write something concerning the
quicksilver mines, especially as everyone is
familiar with the name on account Of the
litigation in which McGarrahan and Thomp-
son are the principals. My detail to north
ern California interfered somewhat with my
plans, and ! write at tho first favorable op-
portunity.
Quicksilver has steadily decreased in value
for the last five years, and the metal worth
$1.65 five years ago is now quoted at 80 cents,
and 1t hardly pays to work. However, most
all mines have store or trading post and
great deal is made in this way, and almost
makes 1T pay TO keep things going ahead even
at the present low price. And again, the ma
chinery of mine if allowed TO run to waste
soon becomes worthless.
The approach to New Idria is not very in
teresting or exciting. You take the Southern
Pacific from San Francisco, and branching off
at Gilroy go to Tres Pinos, the end Of the ex-
tension.
We arrived there at o'clock on a terribly
hot day, and remembering the name, me-
thought I'd seek the sheltering shade of tho
three pines. Three or four houses on an
arid bluff and no tree anywhere formed the
scene. Evidently the man who christened
the place was gifted with great sarcasm.
After crossing Monterey bay divide the air
becomes very oppressive, and when the sign
board Elk Horn station appeared we rejoiced,
as this was our stopping place for the night
1t was not as clean place as one would like,
and water, towels, and soap seemed very
scarce. Indeed it took great circumlocution
to get the articles in question: the landlord
apologiZing:
"Well, gentlemen we've had no woman
roun this rancho for some time and things
are kinder out o. kit"
Oh how sighed for fem" and for tho
order and comfort they might give to Elk
Horn station. was shown to my cuddyhole
OF room, my conductor comfortably remark-
ing that tho sheets were clean, even if the
room and bed were dirty"
/ am q camper out, and like the m a ority
will put up with anything while in the field ;
but when we come into town everything
must be just right, and woe to the one who
brings in plate with even a small speck to
mar its general beauty, or happens to neglect
to give you clean napkin.
At Elk Horn, however, there were many
specks, and putting aside my fastidious no
tions, ate cold bread, bacon, and beans with
o camp relish.
Our next days journey was through Pinoche
valley and the vallecitas." Coming to the
foothills of the mountains we were soon at
the mines situated just under the Idria and
San Carlos peaks.
1HCTb 10 HO uOlel JuOT6, anu DuU lOT Iue
kindness of my friend, Dr. Mcpherson,
hardly know where we would have located.
Indeed, we all of tho survey were much in
debted to him and TO Mr.. Maxwell, the super
intendent, for their extreme politeness.
From San Carlos peak there is fine view
of the surrounding country to the east. Be-
low can be seen the sandstone cliffs, gradu-
ally lowering to the plain below, with
ravines hither and thither, most Of the ridges
having prominent groupings, which at once
catch the eye. On the other side of the val
icy is the San joaquin divide, mountainous
mass of rock and dirt. The topography is SO
marked as to remind one of the plaster
profile casts that are generally made Of the
Rocky mountains In the dim distance
across the San Joaquin valley rise the lofty
snow capped Sierras.
The main mountains form an impenetrable
background, and the white soil and scatter
ing pines make up a most barren sight and
you turn with no desire for further investi
cation.
There is an upper and lower mine, most
of the building being situated at the lower
workings. The tunnel below extends some
$500 feet into the mountains, and is con-
nected with the upper location by shaft
some five OF six hundred feet deep.
Most of the miners are Mexicans there be-
ing few Cornishmen, who make Rome howl
and whisky and beer run low at every favor
able opportunity.
The Mexican is great for dancing and
always in for good time spending his last
nickel when he hardly knows when he will
get his next meal. Indeed there are fre-
quent dances, and they generally last as long
as the beer and whisky, or until some fellow
being pretty drunk, begins to handle his pis-
tol in q carless manner. The fourth of July
was gala day. They started the dance the
evening before the fourth and kept it up the
greater part of the following day and night
1t is surprising how well they dance, and
of the figures DrpttV pSDeriallV
the dance called contra" One of our party
danced two or three times consecutively with
the same girl. A young Mexican, probably
jealous lover, walked up to him and hissed
cut, "Muchacho you'll get hurt If you dance
again with the senorita." Our young man
concluded he had seen enough, and thought il
best to go to camp.
At the time of our arrival at Idria the
Mexicans had great religious excitement
and were wild with fervor. About twenty
miles away is large rock with an immense
aperture or cave. Some one heard voice in
the cave and imagined Christ was talking
out of ii. Some one else imagined
that he saw the Virgin Mary walking
over the hills This was enough. Bringing
everything they possessed, families moved t.
the sacred spot, and soon La Queva" ha6
over hundred devout wOrshipers. O
course, some one or two men assuming control
carried out the farce, and one of them occa
sionally entering the cave would talk to the
poor Ignorant people, who would imagine
themselves in a second heaven. The excite
ment, however, died away in time, and the
people left the shrine most of them barefoot
and with hardly a cover for their backs.
Notwithstanding the heat and the alkal
waters at New Idra / was quite sorry t
leave when my detail came to the northern
division, as one becomes attached to q party
after companionship of year or so, an(
feels at home.
But here, camped almost under Noun
Shasta's shadow, in one of California's mos
beautiful spots, forget my previous trials
and say camping out forever" NJ. b. X.
Jumped the Track.
GALVESTON, TEXAS, Aug. GA specia
dispatch to the NeipS from Waco says A soutl