Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-07

ture for stock ranch, is was this. This
was the great Carson valley.
During the afternoon our course was
westerly, over much higher lands, to the
mouth OF what is known as the Carson
caflon, where we camped, travelling
twenty-five miles. During the day we
brought some fine mountain trout from
the Indians.
July 29--We left camp at 5 a. m. AS
we soon attained considerable elevation
and looked eastward over this vast ex-
panse Of country, so productive in food
Tor animals, we could not help thinking
of the results that could be brought
about in few years, if this vast num-
Der of men and animals were only seek
ing homes for agricultural pursuits in
stead of rushing on to the gold fields.
Here the Humboldt and it's tributaries
flow westerly for 800 miles and sink.
The Truckee, large stream, flows south
easterly and sinks; the Carson easterly
and sinks. The sinks of those three
rivers are not far apart, and to the south
is another large stream, Walkers river,
which also sinks or rather forms lake
that has no visible outlet.
At the entrance to this caiio II was
register of those ahead with wagons.
All told there were eighty-three-Our
two making to date eighty-fve.
The river flows through cleft in the
mountain, the sides of which are almost
perpendicular and several thousand feet
high. We had to cross the stream
a number of times. In one place the
mule on the upper side, in the span next
to the tongue in the siX-mule team, lost
it's footing and fell down, and in an
instant it had washed under the one by
its side, and soon both would have
drowned but for the prompt action OF
the boys in the wagon jumping in the
water and cutting the harness, enabling
the mules to get up. The rocks we had
to pass over in the stream, as we'll as
those on the road, ranged from the size
OF nail-keg to a whiskey barrel. But
finally we encountered one as large as q
sugar hogshead, and that proved too
much for one of our wagons. The hind
axle of the wagon broke. We soon cut
| the bed and put the hind wheels on the
| forward axle and made q cart, loaded
the goods into that and proceeded up,
up until we reached narrow valley, a
perfect bog, covered with quaking ash,
then being after dark, having travelled
seven miles. and harder days travel
we had not made on the entire trip, men
and animals being completely tagged
out.
Monday, July 30.-The first thing be-
fore trying to take our wagon and cart
through the swamp we had to cut lot of
saplings and brush and make a corduroy
bridge for some distance. With this
precaution it was with great labor we
got through, some of the mules miring
down. Beyond this swamp we struck
into beautiful valley, so level the
current of the stream was very gentle.
We followed up this valley some ten
miles, the road good, to beautiful lake
formed by curve in the mountain,
where we nooned, having good grass.
Just ahead was wall several thousand
feet high which had to be climbed to
get out of this valley. Had we not seen
by the trail and the dust arising from
those ahead that others were going that
way, we would have come to the con-
clusion this was the end of the road
and to those ahead the end of time, and
they lay at rest in this beautiful lake.
But as others had gone up this hill we
could do the same. 1t was called the
DEVILS Ladder. Why his satanic
majesty's name was used SO often to de-
scribe places, whether a cleft in the
mountains to permit some stream to
pass or smooth chute in the mountain
side by which some immense boulder
had reached the valley, and this ascent
by which we were reaching heaven
ward, never could understand, unless
in this case he was going to take us onto
high mountain and show us the beauti-
full valley beyond, with the gold of ophir
bo nf,ir, foc OF hxy
the waters from the MEETINGS OF perpet-
ual snow, and promise all this to those
who would follow him.
After packing all our loose animals
with about all our loading, except the
bacon and few things not easily
packed, we hitched twelve mules to a
wagon, and by cracking of whips and
loud following at the mules and ener-
getic pushing at the wheels by all the
available men, we managed to move
little by little. When we had reached
three-quarters of a mile we had at.
tanned an elevation of we'll on to 1,00(
feet. Upward we went for about two
miles. When near the top we came tC
a smooth rock from fifteen to twenty
feet, which lay across the road at about
the same angle as the remainder OF the
road. AS the mules could get no foot
ing, we had to unhitch, take them above
the rock and attach long rope to the
wagon and hitch the mules to the rope
and pull the wagon over the rock. JUS
here, when the men and animals were
almost suffocated with the dust ant
famished with thirst, there was a most
beautiful spring with bold stream o
water coursing down the mountain
the water being forced to the sur
face by this ledge of rock
, which to us had appeared such formid
able barrier, but to us had proved ;
blessing in disguise. On reaching tn
summit of this, the first of the Sierr;
/ Nevada chain, it was quite dark. Afte
: humping over rocks and through
swamps for mile, we went into camp
having put thirteen miles more behin'
us.
{ Tuesday, July 81, as we had but littl
, feed for our animals, we were out b.
| break of day. Our road at first wa
, down grade, over a volcanic formation
| with a stunted chapparal growth. Th
, course was southwest, and it looked lik
, it might be downtown to the land G
| promise-the great Sacramento valley
A more joyous, happy lot of fellows wa
7 never seen. The old song, "Going t
| California, the Gold Pan on my Knee