New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-26
CAMPING IN CALIFORNIA.
THE OTHER SIDE.
IYRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIbusEl
MOUNT PISos, July %.


One day we passed hunter leaning against
tree. talking with horseman who carried quarter
of yenison behind his saddle and rifle sung over
his shoulder. "Look at those two Californians
said my companion stopping to lie tn each other.
1t is a common, and probably unjust, complaint OF
travellers that of the most exuberant products
of this fertile State is the human imagination. The
land teens with woDders and in the daily coniein-
platiOn of majestic mountains and gigantc crops
the Californian insensibly acquires certain spa
cious and exalted style which the stranger does not
always understand. lam far from wishing to I'M
ply that current accounts of the climate, the re-
sources. and the natural splendors of the Pacific
coast are not true but the glowing descriptions
which we see so often IN print ought to be accepted
with certain qualifications. There is reverse SIDE
to the pleasing pictures and it ID unfair to keep IL
always out of sight.
Even camping out is not entirely frolic. We
can look over our six weeks experience with conn
placence; for we have had no serious disappolnt-
ments. and we have conducted an unusually elab-
crate expedition over very difficult trail, without
other accident than the cracking of one egg. we
hampered ourselves at the start with much heavier
pile of luggage than ii customary to carry even
on wagon-roads; We traversed an extremely rough
hill-country in the saddle; and at last we settled
upon the top of steep mountain. where IL taxes o
us supplies Nevertheless we have had no real
trouble. we have surrounded ourselves with
material comforts; aud our larder has always been
amply furnished with fresh and delicate food.
Thus far our success is achievement to be proud
of. But should perhaps mislead others who might
be tempted TO follow in our footsteps il failed TO
mention the drawbacks
Mount PInos. to begin with, is not tho pleasantest
place imaginable for camp. 1t enjoys delightful
temperature; pure. dry. breezy air, fragrant with
resnous odors and series of superb panoramic
views The shade. deplorably scanty in many other
regions we have visited, is here abundant. The
woodland pictures which delight the eye at every
turn among the trees exqusite-especiaily when
Albert Durer reproduces them IN water colors But
these charms are not enough to make good camp
mg-place The want of water is a great annoyance,
and the superabundance of dirt is torment. The
glen. where we first spread our blankets, has a
beautiful spring of water but then it has no other
Neutrality-suspicious. shade space for tents nor
food for the animals nor any heritage, nor in gen.
eral any breeze and to get out of requires hard
climb Of which only the robust are capable. Tho
summit has most Of the requisites which the glen
lacks but the transportation of water is grave
affair. not 40 much for its inherent difficulty as be-
cause il takes 80 much time. A horse can carry
about twenty gallons at q load. With somewhat
painful economy we seven persons can LIMIT our
selves to thirty gallons day. Three trips must
therefore be made in two DAYS. and each trip takes
nearly two hours. The work is severe, on account
of the terrible nature of the ascent from the glen
and as nearly all our party in delicate health, We
have to leave it to Harvey. Plans for bunting ex-
cursions into the valleys. the construction Of con-
veniences and improvements about the camp. are
postponed for the pressing work of hauling
water And moreover, it often takes half day to
catch horse Our original plan was 10 keep ono
of the animals always tethered but the forage is so
short that this arrangement has been given up the
horses can only pick up living by wandering. AID
every day they 20 further aud further afield. Inc
guide was to have gone periodically to Nordho for
supplies; but that scheme too has been abandoned
and we have to hire another person for the duty.
Harvey Is the most industrious and obignR OF men
but he sometimes has TO spend the whole morning
looking for the horses. aud the whole afternoon
packing water
Rut all other troubles are insignificant by compar-
lson with the dirt. The soil of the mountain Is
fine loose dust supporting little or no grass. only
thin carpeting of dwarf lupine and other plants
The pines drop their dry needles among this scanty
yerdure. but the whole surface has been 50 often
burned over, that what find here is little more
than the deposit of season, and under the light
covering there is universal charcoal powder. The
trampng Of thousands Of sheep has aggravated the
evil At every step feet sink deep in the shift
ing ground cloud of dust follows u.s. breath
| of wind suiiocates u.s. We struggled for personal
cleanliness at first. but we have given up that In
despair There is an all-pcrvadIng dirt against
which soap and water are OF no avail 1t sits
through tents aud clothing IL finds its way into
boots 1t fills blankets. 1t invades beds. While
| You sleep ii is blowing into your face and hair
| You rise from your conch OF boughs. when the
wood peckers in the pne-tree overhead begin their
usual morning exercise of throwing sticks at you,
| and you fluid your eye-sockets and nostrils OBJ
structed with black dust your shoes lined with it,
yonr clothes as foul as if you had come off long
railway tourney. You plough your way through
| dirt 10 the breakfast table, whore the plates and
cups are gritty the butter and milk sprinkled with
foreign substances the sugar of uncertain color and
| the napkins dreadful There is escape from this
plague You must live in it all day. eat in it. read
IN it, write in it, sit in it and at night you must
sleep III it. And ten to one. just when it is at Its
worst, the water gives out, and Harvey cannot ind
| the horses.
mention the special great objections to Mount
| Pinos-dirt fire, sheep and want of water-because
thew seem to me very strong. and because. although
they are the ordinary conditions Of camplife here
every season. strangers not warned of them be-
| fore setting out. except the question of water;
we knew at the start that there was no water on
the summit And with regard to the scarcity Of pas
turagc, which will probably obhge US to break
camp much sooner than we intended, for that may
be urged that the dry is In part accountable.
But IN truth the has been only little dryer
| than the average. We we're confidently assured in
| the Oiai Valley that the summit of the mountain
would furnish ample forage for our COW and seven
horses all summer. This story believe would have
been gross eIaggeration even In the best of years.
We have sent away two horses. and yet food for the
rest Is running very short after only fortnight
and we have to get bran from Nordbo6 for the COW.
DO not think because / have complied with the