The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-05
A TRIP TO
Ell CARMELO.
In the Shadow of San Carlos in
the Month of August.
Pace That Is Beautiful With Its Hills and
Wales and Sea, Groves, Beach and Shady
Walks, Still There Are Signs Of Decay.
Written for THE SUNDAY CALL.

.Es1,S the Persian heart yearns for the
lEAsgS pilgrimage that leads to the shrine of
A($kS Mecca. so l had for years longed to
visit the sanctiied valley of Carmel. Longed
to stand in the shadow of San Carlos on
whose altar the bloodless sacrifice of the
New Testament was so efficaciously offered
for the conversion and salvation OF the saw
age Indian tribes of early California. Never
did pilgrim start out with heart fuller of en-
thusastic delight than | upon the pleasant
journey through the picturesque wales OF our
sunny south. Borne along by our modern
Pegasus OF steam the vision of my day
dreaming softly began to materialize
Through long stretches of level country,
lying ia peaceful contentlnent under the
bleaching sun of an August morning, where
the rural beauty Of nature shone out in
golden tide from the yellow haryested fields;
through rolling lands whose undulating
waves rose and fell in silent array. flecked
by the cattle that lazily lay in ruminant
dreams at the base, that browSed in plac i'd
enjoyment on the sides and gazed at us in
majestic wOnderment from the summit;
through lands whose hills on either side
frowned upon us in rugged Sternness, conf
handing feeling of respect for their glgan-
tic strength and sinews of adamant-thus
onward for four hours, watching nature I'M
fold her loneliness in all its varying phases
of mound, vale, hlilocl: and hills.
Yet, with the ever-changing panorama of
farms, vineyards, culture and trackless
waste, heavy feeling of oppressveness. of
confinement. settled upon me; feeling
such as an imprisoned bird must feel behind
its golden bars; feeling such as the cap
tive animal must feel when taken from his
primeval home and left TO pace his barren
cage; a consuming, indefinable desire for
something that was absent from the sur
rounding scenery, the lack of which was dis
tnctly perceptible to every sense. Thus
teaSed by an ineXplcable longing | did not
attempt to anayze, and beginning to feel
weary and fatigued the train dashed into
sight of the oceanl With the first breeze
that touched my face | inhaled
A DRAUGHT OF PRECIOUS ELIXIR.
The oppression vanished; the desire was
satisfied and the craving at rest y sense of
finite freedom pervaded everywhere, and L
realized as never before the full majesty
ami subjugatiuS influence of the mighty
deep" There arose in my heart a thought of
pity for the jewellers in the valley, whose
souls are never thrilled by oceans inspiriting
freedom. This, then, thought, must be the
keynote to solve the mysterious affe ction
binding every Oakland heart TO its beautiful
land. The combination of hills, vale and
sea form an harmonious entirety, offering 10
our eyes every element of beauty that
nature holds to satisfy the human heart.
The voice of the ocean gave hearty well
come to Monterey, and never was voice
hailed with keener delight. A host of his
torcal memories arise in this land. on whose
bosom Is traced so much OF Californla'S early
history. 1t is a lovely place, and its regal
beauty entities it to reign queen on the
shores of th9 Pacific. 1t is sad that it should
b. instead yerittble Cinderella in rags and
tatterS in all its primitive simplicity. But L
am assured that the fairy has come, aud
very soon Monterey shall be adorned as she
should bp-royally, Some mortgage or claim
has lain like a Sm9thering incubus upon it
for many weary years, deprlying it OF ambi-
ton and power Thanks 10 a few enterpTis-
ing citizens, the Shyl0ck is bought off and
street improvements already begun, and the
modern feature of Board Of Trade just es-
tablished, indicating the commencement of
a new and prosperous era for Monterey.
No one can write of Monterey without
passing mention at least OF the brightest
star now ascendant in its firmlment-itS
hotel. The setting sun was reflected in
sheet of FURNISHED fire from its windows as
| reluctantly turned away on my way to
Carmelo-a long drive through a country
picturesque enough for the home of Rhoder-
lex Dhu and his mountain, braves as Nal
colm'S trystlnggrOund and sequeStcred
The new county road is a good indication
of things to come. Its sinuous way
brought us at last to Carmel, whose
lights twinking like fie-fies through the
trees We're welcome sight to me. A cordial
greeting awaited me from the little party
gathered in its first hotel Carmel is beauti-
full beyond words, with bills, vale aud sea;
with groves, beach and shady walks. The
beach glistens and CLEANS like a pearly
floor. The surf rolls, breaks and dasheS
over the snowy sands in crowning beauty
that rivals all others. The plan to eStab-
ish on this memorable site the City of
Carmel was conceived, | am told, by the
Duckworth brothers, who are native born
sons of Monterey. Their mother was born
in one of the ancient adobe houses adjoining
the San Carlos Church, and they inherit
an ardent love for everything connected
with Carmel. No more delightful place
can be found for a summers outing than
this quiet Eden Of history and romance.
Tile long sleep of the Princess by the sea
has been broken at last and she wakes to
life of love and usefulness to glorify the
Prince who awoke her.
About a mile from Carmel City is San
! Carlos del CarmelO, the mission established
BY Junipero Sierra, President of the Francis
can missionaries, who succeeded the Jesuits.
In this little vale, close u the shining Bay
of CarmelO, he erected the mission cross OF
San Carlos in 1770 In the solitude, broken
only by the presence OF two small farm
houses, whose solitary COW, dog and horse
are grazing in lonely meditation, the i'm
agination can hardly conceive the activity
once pcopling the valley. The air is still,
with the stiffness OF slumber-nOt death
profound dreamless slumber felt as one
who treads some vast chamber, where all
around sleeping forms are lying. Strange
as it may seem, in the presence of this
ancient temple every heart is touched by
feeling Of deepest reverence and awe. as if
here, indeed, had rested the hand of God.
All of the mission churches were built of
adobe, except those of Santa Barbara, San
Diego and San Carlos, these were
BUILT OF STONE.
The Indians of san Carlos we're so docile
and so imbued with zeal that they We'd with
each other IN carrying the huge rocks from
| the distant hills to the spot where the
church was building; jealous if outdone by
one of their number in the days labor,
which was Literally labor of love- to those