New-York tribune., 1883-03-18
CALIFORNIAN HOLIDAYS.
THE OJAI VALLEY.

1DE OJAl NhiSl4El
fFROM 4 STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
NoRDHoFF. Ventura Co., Cal. March 3.
When you have explored the romantic ravines
which lie hid between the hills of Santa Barbara;
and have followed the picturesque trails among the
brush and buttonwoOd trees through Mission. and
Rattlesnakc, and Sycamore Canyons across tho
foothills by the back way into smiling MontectO ;
or down the gully in the bluff by the lighthouse,
and so home on the sands at low tide, around the
point Of Castle Rock. where innumerable sea-ane-
mones deck the stones with n various brilliant
color; when you have divided day between Colo
mel HOLSTERS ranch and Mr. Coopers olives; and
have seen the Hot Springs, and even grown little
surfetcd with comfort at the Authorization
people will tell you that it Is time to go TO the Ojai
Valley for a change Of scenery and air. This beauti
ful spot lies high among the hills, thiItyeght miles
east Of Santa Barbara and it is reached by an ex-
ccllcnt wagon road. which offers one Of the most
exquisite drives in the southern part of the State.
We set out one bright morning In a stout covered
wagon and for ten or twelve milos our route led
us clcsc 20 the sea. We passed through pretty
little coast village called CarJinterla. famous for
the production of Lima beans, of which il ships an
incredible number Of tons 10 san Francisco; and
then we turned inland and began TO ascend, pass
ing a solitary ranch now and then, as We wound
about the nanks and creasos of the mountains but
for tho most part trayersing wilderness where
nature has not yet been robbed of her primitive
charms. The variety of the prospect was n con-
tinual delight and surprise. As crossed com
mnndinp elevations or reached broad openings in
the foot range We saw the blue ocean sparkling be-
hind ~ AMI once, when the morning was nearly
spent we had a backward view of a long stretch of
thr coast we bad left with the bold hcadlands and
miles II sycry beach, and glimpse Of Santa Bar
bara in the farthcst distance. 1t was like the
famous outlook from the Conico road over the
shore of the Mediterranean. A. soon as we got
behind the first line Of hills we found great differ
cnce IN the character of the landscape. Trees,
which are lacking on the coast, became abundant.
The slope, were we'll wooded. The valleys often
expanded INTO flat lands of brilliant green, dvcrsi-
fed with groves Of oak, and watcred by winding
streams. like those beautiful aluval meadows
among the White Mountains of New Hampshire to
which We give the name of intcrvales. Sometimes
we seemed to be- in the heart Of virgin forest OF
oak sycaEorc cottonwo jd. and black-wanut.
supcrcllious hawk surveyed Us from dead tree. A
dIsorcerlv moO of maCples riOtcd overhead and
stately companies of Y Imc-crestcd quas. dressed
with much more display than is the fashion among
qualls at the East, marched leIsurely and CONN
IDENTIFY in front OF the wagon. We crossed the
higher ridges by many unexpected Series OF ng-
ZaQs doubling around the points and deep into the
roccsscs of bold raynes, toilng to the top OF bare
wind-swcpt heights only to plunge suddenly into n
wooded gully, aud roll down n corkscrew road to
an nclosed valley. smiling in the first fresh color
of spring In the narrow deflo known as the Cassi-
tas Pass, "a rough mountain wall lowered high
above us and gorge lay deep below
About midday we drew up under tho trees and
dincd Coffee was boiled; the cold fowl and other
good thing packed for us by the steward OF the
4 Apfr. and fha
horses, relieved of their harness. refreshed them
selves by rolling among the leaves before they
attacked their barley. Tho afternoon wOrc away
in scencrv that grew more beautiful at every mile,
and weather that seemed more delicious "a the soft
day ripencd 10 its close. The landscape gmdu9Iy
assumed the clean park-liko aspect which charac-
tefizes the Oia Valley; and just as the sun went
down we drove into shady street and found our
selves at the Ojai Valley Hotel, in tho village OF
Norlh0n. Our good friend Mr. Charles Nordhoh
has said some pleasant things of this place In his
excellent book California, and perhaps II 1t had
not been named in his honor he would have praised
il still moro. Ii is modest hamlet, containing
about fifteen small dwellings, ono general store,
blacksmth's shop schoo-house, and two hotesO or
boarding houses in which little colony OF rather
lively invaids and oungcrs find plain but ample
and cheerful hospitality. Almost all the inhabl-
tants-I am not sure but that may say all-came
here originally in search of health; and they seem
to have thrlvcn. The valley is about fifteen miles
long and three or four miles widc 1t lies at an ee-
walton of nearly 900 feet above the sea, and the
mountains which bound it rise rather abruptly
from 2 800 to t. 900 feet higher. The floor OF the
valley is almost plain, and its fiat grassy surface
is studded with splendid live oaks and white oaks,
so free from underbrush that they look like the
ornau tai timber in an English park. Two or
three mes from the western entrance to the village,
the road winds up n steep hill on the right, and
leads into what is called the Upper Valley, almost
the counterpart of the other only several hundred
feet above it; and from this second incosed plateau
one emerges after a while by mountain pass upon
tho stage route between the coast and the distant
railway. The still dry air. the genial spring tenn
perature 100 or 80 higher than that Of Santa Bar
bara) the gentle repose, the aspect Of peace and
fertility the soft carpeting of grass and flowers, the
striking profile of the mountains, the stretching
perspective through the breaks in tho range, the
beauty of tho abundant woods, the picturesque as
position of the shapey isolated trees the myriad OF
bright colored birds. the concert OF melody always
going on IN the branches,-these things combine 10
invest the Oia Valley at this time OF the year with