, 1890-01-23
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.
Surprising Grandeur of the
Sierra Madres.
VIEWS OF THE SOUTHLAND.
Charming Sunsets to BE Seen in
tho East San Bernardino
Valley.


Nowhere does one get 50 close to
the heart of nature ~ among tho
mountains. There IL an Inspiration
in their grandeur that eXciteS the
puctiCal instincts and carries one
into the realms of higher existence
tho elevation of creative imaglna-
ton. There, ever, one loses him
self In the transccndoncy Of tbe
ideal, In utter Oblivion to material
environment. Yet the mountains
ARE themselves the grnndest illustra-
tiuns of the aggregation of matter
aud Of the mighty workings OF nat
ural laws, so that one may descend
from the cmpyrcau Of fancy to tho
practical duties Of life, refined and
elevated by their silent influence
and companionship.
The writer has lived In sight of
the picturesque White mountains,
the wild Adirondacks aud the ma
lc-tic Cascades, the noble summit of
Mount Hood o'or-topping the minor
peaks and holding his stately head
with Cyclopcau majesty and cqui-
pose, the guardian spirit of thou
sand wales; hut grundor and more
awc-inspiring than all are the east
ermo,t spur. Of the Sierra Madre,
A. viewed from the East san Rcr-
nardinu valley. Mounts san Jacln-
to, san Bcrnardino and Old Baldy
are indeed unique in their effect up
ON the mind of the lover ofthc grand
and beautiful In nature. Towering
four thousand feet above the re-
maindcr of the range, which in
itself maintains AN average height
nearly equal to that of Mount Wash.
| ingtuu, their bald SUBMITS shim'
mcring In the MONDAY sun, of
irradmtcd with glory at sunset,
/ these mountains Of southern Cali
fprnin surpass anything that tha
/ writer has over seen.
one l. not ~ much impressed at
first as after a stay of some months
among them. II IL II picture that
never clogs, but grows ON one day
hy day In its enhancing beauty ana
sublimity. Ones first impression i
by no means disparnging one. The
sunsets arc unparalleled in loNcll'
ness, and one cHn not hclp being cn'
chnutcd by the more than Circcar
spell. Bright and cvcr-chnngi
rainbow huc- shed their eilulgcuCt
over the lofty crc-ts from lone Sar
.Jucinto To the CuCamougu, gradu'
/ ally deepening aud fading away, un'
Itil only the ro-eatc Crc-ts and
/ faint line OF blue along the wooded
summit of the lower range remain
of the glorious scene. The shadows
begin to creep over the. mouths oi
| the canyons aud the chapparrl COW
crrd SLOPES, and the distant howl of
I the coyote reminds the bchulucr
I that the cleaning has come and he
! night l. fjtst approaching. The
| charm of these sunset scenes u en-
/ HANGED tcn-fold by the soft Italian
/ skies, the halmy atmosphere of the
/ citrus belt aud the hcll-tOnCd good
] night refrain of the meadow lark.
/ But 1t Is not until after the moun-
| tnius have been hid 10y the clouds
| for few days during the iir-t att
| tumn rains that their true grandeur
can be- appreciated. ~ the clouds
| slowly lift from the lower ranges un-
| i'll the highest snowclad peaks are
again visible their relative magni-
| tudc Il impressed upon the observer
~ never before, "As Alps on Alps
arise" one peak towers gnndly
! above another. Ossa l. piled on Pc
| lion and one can not mil In be deep
/ ly imprc s~cd with sense of his own
| insignilicunco in the presence of
these mighty monuments of Ma
ttIrc'S hnndiwork wruGght out Of
her womb in accordance with uni
vcrsal and immutablc laws.
II may he said that these mount
aims can not -urpa,s the wclrdly
grand and rugged Rockies, hut what
IL lost iu the rOmanticisfn II certainly
made up in beauty and sublime
majesty. They must bc seen to lie
appreciated, and it Is safe to say
that amy one who visits this delight.
fu land of perennial sunshine and
flowers, of orange groves and Vine
yards viii pay u willing tribute to
the grand old Sierra Madre mount
aims, which are the CROWN NJ glory
of this land of milk and honey.