The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-08-22
Pacific Slope Budget.

while to note its grandeur and beauty.
/ think without an exception that Cape
Horn is the finest point of lookout from
the railroad to be found in crossing the
Sierras. 1t is bold point dropping
sides 1000 feet into thiclily wooded
valley. Slowly and carefully our two
engines upon the 3Oth of July threaded
their way upon the sinuous track some
times it seemed to me us if the road
would lead us down into the gulch, then
again it would turn further away from
the brink. 1t was about ll:30 in the
night when we reached ColiaX and hear
ing the brakesman call out the place,
knew that il wouldn't be long before we
would reach it, | went out upon the
platform and descended TO the lowest
step so that could lean out and look
down into the valley to the best advan
tage. Another young man, who ] after
wards learned was going into the Mts
upon camping expedition, chow l envi-
ed him), followed my example and took
possession of the other step. The moon
was high in the zenith upon the last
three quarters, incased in a sky of deep
est blue. 1t is equal to the Oft boosted
italian sky about which our poets 20
into sublime ecstacy, sending forth II sill
very light and making the shadows of
the trees and the gloom of the deep
valley with the deepest black. At last
we reached the supreme moment. /
took in a long breath at first, the vast
depth was appalling, but after a second
or two gained enough courage to look
down. My companion threw over a
small stone raped with white paper
however he did not have to throw it, for
he could have reached out his hand and
let it drop For the first so or 100 feet |
saw it plainly but as it descended with
increased velocity, / bent over and
strained my eyes to see it reach the bot
tom, but it was useless to try it for 1000
feet was too far for my eyes to distin-
guish upon a moonlight night into a
shadowy valley. In ten minutes we
passed the Horn. At every long sharp
curve | could see the two engines emit
ting their lurid sparks. The aroma from
the pines and fir trees was us incense to
my nostrils, and very frequently drew
in full breaths of the delicious air to get
as much as possible, in word, to make
the most of my opportunity while it was
free, for boarding at Il hotel in order to
live and enjoy it, it costs money. About
o'clock passed Gold Run. The houses
are crowded close together, the ewes
meeting; the roofs are steep to shed the
snow and altogether it must be Il cold
dreary place in winter, but in summer it
is the very opposite. Below the place
stretching north and south, could see
the mines following the bed of the
Bear River or extending up near the
road along the face of the side hill This
vast hole or trench of white sand and
gravel appeared to me odd and strange
the contrast was striking between it and
the black wooded Mts. 1t looks rs if the
gods in a mad frenzy had plowed up the
e''rtii WIN JoVcs 'hlhderpoltS'
We arrived in Truckcc the next morn
ing at $50 and found light frost cover
ing the ground and side walks. 1t was
quite cold and had to think twice be-
'ore roulu rvall"e tlli'' III inc Hacra-
mento Valley it had been suiIocatingly
hot. Almost all the houses had very
steep FOOLS anu '''c Ial'cr" are pu'lt Oh
inc strongest ''''eria' 10 support ''c
weight oI inc Sno" II Is H"'lic"n''' ~
l''t upon 'r''l Er"''l'' an" muc' Il 'Pr'
III drifts ihcre Is n" gong Out without
snowshorS, unless one Wohl" prefer the
novelty "i SINKING ont OF SlHht' lIl'se
are u feet long turning upwards icW
inches at the front ends ana where the
foot rests 1t Is ; "r5 inches higher than
anyolhcr part "I IT, lh'E S'rN" 'hr
same purpoS" to the wrarerS us Inc run
nrrS DO To the sled a slender polc Is
used TO keep 'ne p''"ilre anu III e"lu'hs
the COURSE Inc ha'iFes OF inc pace
travel upon them down NH as last us
the swiftest coaster Upon the level
snow would thlnk they wonld be
clumsy, but the snow ShoerS say they
are very convenient ana easy TO manage
The people have gay times III winter
skating and coastlng. Iheir course rs
about one mile long down very steep
hill 1t becomes IN time very compact
and icy' while the snow upon eacll sac
is higher and forms an embanKmeht that
| it is next to impossible to run off the
track into dangerous places. They have
,,,,;,,,,o ,,,,,, ~ rotrrr;ro IN tbe ton of
q uii'i"o wa! - c'I' l'','e ~ -
the course, which Is ny a'uIlheii 'ilro''Hh