New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-05
CAMPING IN CALIFORNIA.
VII.
THElMouNTAIN TOP.

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and one evening as we sat over our dinner. cloud
~ ,ust began to roll down the rocky stairs, anu
Soper's patient white pack-horse. bearing cum
brous load emerged from it. picking his way among
the stones and the pines. The water-vesses con-
sisted of four square tin such as are usea ior
honey in this country, only furnished with screw
tons. They held five gallous EACH and were IN
closed in two Obiong wooden cases, which, nehg
dashed together. were to be slung across saode
and made fast to the horse with cords we hopeo
that twenty gallons Of water would last US day'
so that one Journey between the spring and the
summit might suffice. The horses wonid continue
to 90 back and forth between pasture ana water a'
their own pleasure-s Journey which they choose 20
make only once in the tweuty-four hours. ihey al
WAYS eo in body. and return in a body and we
nave often wondered winch of them starts the
movement by proposing drink, and how the sag-
gestion is expressed.
Itwasasimpls enough m after to transfer our goods
to the summit, aud we established ourselves with
much less than the usual confusion, slnce part Oh
the canp--the dining table. the rudimeDts OF kit
chen and beds for some Of us-had been previously
made ready. The guide went up in the evening
with a horse-lOad Of water and all the provisions
for which we had no immediate use. Dnrer ana
the doctor went with him. and spread their blank
cts for the night under pine tree TO guard against
thu encroacbment of the sheep, which had lately
snyen us scme trouble. II was fortunate precan-
ton, for OF daylight they found the whole drove OF
two thousand coming down upon the camp, ana IN
few moments the infant settlement would nave
been practically oblterated. Our friends stood
upon NO ceremony, but headed the flock over the
edge of the mountain and they all went down
steep decliyity with the shepherds behind them.
Our pastoral Frenchmen have not strictly observed
A.. rr,xh nd
slight collisions and Interchanees of rude language
"These here Sheep herders," says Soper are just
about the meanest men in California. They are
mostly all Frenchmen Italians, SpaDiards, Basques
no Americans scarcely-and you can't find q
meaner set can generally get along with any
body. but hate to be imposed upon; and them fell
lows will lust run over you II you don't stand up
for your rights, tell you, they're an imposing
crowd.p They traverse the whole mountain region
of this section Of the State. with focks numbered
by tons of thou sands. moving hundreds of miles in
the course Of the year, cropping Government and
railroad land pretty thoroughly. and not spar1ng
private property when IL lies In their way. but
the devastation which the sheep leave behind them
is not the only trace Of their march; tho herders
carry flaming torch, and when they leave pas
ture they set FIRE to the brush, to make room for
more sheep-food tic next year. Hence follow de-
the caiions to the tmbered slopes Many of the
pines have proved sturdy enough to withstand the
confiayrations; but there is of course little or no
young growth, and even the disappearance of the
brush in this ard region must turn out disastrous
Ever since we came to Mount Pinos the sheep
berders fires have been blazing below us as far as
We can see and for days at time the air has been
thick with acrid smoke.
We found great change of climate at the sum-
nit. not so much on account Of the greater eleva-
ton as by reason OF the wind. In the glen, during
q great part of The time there was no air stirling.
AID the days were occasionally close and not. On
the top of the ridge there is always a breeze. i
speak of position Tie top because it is on the
crest of the ridge although at the eastern end OF
the mountain the elevation is nearly thousand
feet greater thar 1t is here From our camp on the
southern edge of the top to the other edge behind
ne is not more than quarter of mile. On Doth
sides the descent steep, and there is fail OF at
least two thousand feet to the valley. There the
eve surveys broad expanse Of mountain-country.
untf on the north it loses itself in the din outlines
of reddish bills. and on the south takes in superb
expanse of ocean. Thirty miles out at sea, and
seventy miles from our camp. lies the mountainous
island of Santa Cruz. Knowing the height and
distance of this island as well our elevation,
and observing by what proportion of its own height
the peak of Santa Cruz fell short of the horizon we
calculated from these data the extent OF our view
over the Pacific. and decided that the distance OF
the seaward horizon was about $50 miles. All day
n sea breeze which has parted with its dampness
IN n.ssire over the mountains and the hot plains
and valleys. blows gently and steadily upon Mount
P,noa from the southwest About shutdown this
gives place TO q land-wind from the northeast
which blows all night. Often with considerable
violence but as ii comes from the blazing interior
basin il is never uucomfortably cool. On the sum
nit both these breezes have unrestricted play. aud
there is consequently freshness and exhiaration
in the air which / have not found equaled any,
where else. 1t is dry to the point of inconven-
fence. The eyes smart and become bloodshot from
the rand absorption of moisture from the balls the
akin cracks: cuts and scratches slow to heal and
cream has hardly risen in orr pans before 1t be-
cones Of the color of gold and the consist
epcy of leather The heat Of The sun is strong. bat
the shade, of which there IS no lack, is always
pleasant The valley at our feet is visibly burning
up. 1t has been wrapped for several days In the
thick gray air which indicates the blasting desert
wind. and the color of the landscape is changing.
week ago We looked down upon bright green inter
wales, aud the tone Of the whole picture. at least
in the south. was soft and alluring Now 1t Is all
faded The hard tint of the sandy soil and the
light rock asserts itself over the fast-perishing
green, and every morning we notice a further
change. To look of over the country crossed is
70 think of dust ard cruel heat; to turn our eyes
toward the brown north is to gaze upon sand and
s,ffocation, and we thank God that We are above
the reach Of the summer.
Two Of us rode with tbe guide along the north
slope Of the mountain before we decided upon our
present camp The deciivity is very steep and un
even, and our horses needed the spur before they
would trust themselves TO the treacherous way
SSuletimes we followed the decr-trasks along the
shelving side. and sometimes we broke our owl
trail among the fallen trunks aud the deep layers Of
pine-needles. Far down the face Of the mountain
we foand small stream Of water, but we saw Do