The morning call., 1890-07-13
ON THE CREST OF
MOUNT ST. HELENA.
A Glimpse at One of the Love-
liest PanOramas of California.
Lofty Mountains, Rugged Hills and Verdant
Valleys-The Picturesque Surround.
ings of City and Town.
written for THE SUNDAY CALL.

SbTN unu Tue most glorious views, seeking
| SkYS out the most gorgeous of earth:
| visions and enjoying for a time an overflow
| ing cup of pleasure, who would revel amid
| sylvan scenes free from the raw piercing
ocean winds, free from the burning heats
| of the Interior valley, free from the dis.
| fractions of the great centers and thorough.
| fares of travel, will find no better place
| than the course pursued by the writer.
| The shrill whistle of the engine announces
that the train is SLOWING up" at Calistoga
| village of rare beauty and delightful sur.
roundings, near the head of Napa Valley
| At the depot is the usual crowd of morbid
and idle men and boys, scanning the late
| arrivals, while here and there anxious ones
| are eagerly awaiting friends. while the
| hackmen and hotel runners are busy plying
| their arts to secure patronage.
Taking seat in a good mountain vehicle
| the visitor spe eds rapidly over the little
| broOklets dropping down from the sides OF
the mountains up Napa Valley, which be-
| comes narrower and narrower, until the
| grade is reached. when a look to the left
gives view grand and beautiful. for there,
| probably seven miles away, as the road
| runs, can be seen mountain peak that fills
| one with admiration. 1t is the summit of
| st. Helena. Climb, climb, climb, nearly
| five miles up the side Of that mountain,
| lands one amid scenes that instinctively re-
| call the wild surroundings and the naladS
| and fairies that childhood days have asso-
| ciated with the secluSlOn of the mountain
| gladeS. Ever ana anon Is neafQ the clear
notes Of the thrush in its delightful &C.
| stacy initiating the carols OF the forest war
| blers. Doves perched upon the branches
| of the trees are cooling lovingly and plant
| lively songs to their mates. Down In the
# ha toll hall thn
| Shrlll call OF the quail Is heard. Inc air is
redoient with the best gifts OF nature. The
| balsamic pines and forest flowers vie with
each other in best endeavor to fill it with
| sweet perfumes. lnterSpersed between the
| pine and oak Is The red-barked and large
| spreading arDutus, along down the gulches
and In the abyssmal receSseS OF the noun
tam. the dark-greeI-leaVed bay trees spread
themselves, and groves OF other forest trees
are seen on either hand. Arriving near the
top of the mountain grade, TO see the
BEAUTIFUL PROSPECT
| Observable from the maintain height the
visitor leaves the Lake County road and
fakes A trail TO tile left. Scarcely two
| thirds of The distance nm IN the maintains
ton there is a wild stretch Of chaparrai-
mauzanita and other brushwood forming
an insunerahIa bedoa hetw..n the ciin,her
and the end of his Tourney ne,etrated onIv
hv tho monniaiu rail ieading Ia tba heigbt
above Here the visitor chooses 10 travail
in Observation-Disclosures" wav and that
means walking Inward over rocks that
rolled from the seethinG flames when this
mountain was hnrnjn1 vnicano hetween
brnsh that seems to nove heen formed on
nnrnose to annoy ns and enrich the toiIors.
ttLa 60 obn,ta ~ $3.50, b;e 80 d,nn
lIe sun doohe was cdStlUS MS rays uoWH
Win more than his usual power; an In
creaslng thirst ensues, that refuses 10 pc
satlated, ana occasionally one feels the
Cravings OIL apretlte that intimate that
lie Is sustained by eating. But the
irresistible Angio-SaxOn determination to
overcome obstacles and secure the object
aimed at IS rewarded with success, and
after cllmOlng TWO miles, the admlrer OF
The sublime beauties OF Nature at last stands
UPON the eastern summit oil the mountain,
OF which there are three. 80 taking good
drlnk OF pure mountain water from the
Jug, anu lhopplhs tue perspiratlon rom ms Is
~ "i orf h., tta 200 toat W nititnda
then an ~ une U,0u a u
iadooo CO.. rsnI,ad ~ Nm; INV Wv
Tno1,ipa S,o -, 10 soth-a soa
;naiY, nin't w sa'o o i,n'
the haamtifml countrv honlat IF Caiistoga
whose cInrch Snires MONT nvitingiv fo fhe
land nnsean nv n,ortoI evas md orornd
them cIusier the y~hited tied resi1sn cn and duii
red bnsin.ss bnnses of tho viIiage So neece-
fuI is the ny,snect mat tho Snactotoy fprgeto
his surronndines and dreamilv wonders
if any waves of Trouble ever roll down those
ouiet streets. if any sorrows are known
among those dwellings. apparentlv so white
and gnileless and his thonphts wander
away and an old stanza Jearned in child
hood. comes tn mind.
Off in the eyentide, when the sea is still.
And the wild waves chant like a woodland rlil A
While my breast is filled with nameess thrill,
see .he ony Oh "uiu'
Inc reVerle Is broken after look upward
ihto the Dlue vauited concaYe OF the heay-
ems, as though one expected TO see the 1T
tie town rising bodily above the storm
Ioucheo eartn toward heaven heishts.
Looking Iurtner Gown the valley, sur
rounded upon either hand by nigh and
steep NILS; the VISITOR Denolds such view
as the wofld may equal out cannot excel.
Beautiful helds, carpeted with natures
green, paiatial residences, stretches OF Vine-
yards and orchards, stone Wlne-cellarS,
LIKE FEUDAL CASTLES,
And little stream stretching away toward
the southeastward. carving life and fertil-
| ity among the fields and champaigns.
And then St. Helena is revealed. It is
| fully fifteen miles distant. and if Calistoga
annears charminplv beautiful St Uelena
presents view beyond description-a de-
iiphtsome revelation never to pass from
mnmorv Mar nv are the heath coynrad
hills raids oyersnread with golden grains
| Inc Iittle rivulet rolls its nellncid waters hv
n hundred fields on its way to the mighty
| saa ybiIa the "Kino of Dav,' scans tn Hood
Tho landscane with nnnsmal liobt Fnrtber
aIyav Mana Civ seems ia7iiy haskins in
Tho goldan SUNLIGHT while inst IN the loft
tho DIM o,'tlipes of the homo If the insane
may he seen and fnrther away tho snnIisht
iS Lissing fba briSht watars of San Pa6io
Rap WSat a wonderfnl nrovision If ma" pa.
roare theSe great ,yaterv reServoirs Snraad
aut nuer the Earth and without which the
Garth ea Nv would he n Wilderness of death '" a
opnas Of cold monntains and i,Caad rocis
b bIaoLonsd cindars and harrep sends wifb
irtad tinwaEs for tia desoIarions -
p"Ti% nIyard the sontheast and fortv miIes