The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-01-06

foothills To the sea. Wild flowers are
abundant, and in their season acres oil
them grow by the roadside blood-red
clover, bright yellow violets, purple
thistles, alcalcias and anemones = all
making "a carpet of many hues and
great beauty. just where they were
most abundant the trail crosses an ele-
waited spur of the mountains. In one
direction lay the charming little CASTS.
tas valley, and IN another were the val
leys of Carpenteria and FL Montecito;
at their side the ever restless ocean
rolls DER the sands on the shore, while
on its bosom floats many craft OF
steam and sail. In the near distance
the Channel Islands are plainly seen,
and the city of Santa Barbara seems
but an hours walk distant. No other
view in all the Casistas Pass compares
with this from its highest point-valley,
sea, mountain and narrow canons pass
i'm Kaleidoscope transition before the
vision, revealing all that is most beau
tiful and pleasing in the scenic splen-
doris of California
Although this is the longest route
from the railroad, being 81 miles south
east from Santa Barbara, while from
Ventura, on the same line of railroad,
it is only ID miles, yet the diversity of
scenery, the fiOwery wales in all their
varied hues, more than compensate for
the extra miles of travel by carriage.
The Ojai Valley contains II, 791 acres
and is divided into two parts; the lower
Oiai, ten miles long by three wide, has
an altitude of from 500 to 1000 feet,
and the upper Ojai has an altitude of
from 1 100 to 300 feet above sea level.
Both valleys will some day be widely
noted for their orchards, for there is no
place where fruits attain a more perfect
growth.
But it is not now for fruit that the
Ojai is most noted. Its great reputation
has been derived from the curative
properties in its climate in cases of con-
sumption and asthma.
The town of Nordhoff, named after
Charles NordhOff, whose writings have
done so much for Southern California,
occupies nearly the center of the val
ley of the lower Oiai. In no other part
of California are the oaks so abundant
as here.
The name Ojai means, or implies, it
is said, NEST" and this quiet place GER
tainly reminds one that here they can
nestle down amidst the oaks and tower
ing hills, far from the mad'ning thrOng
of city life and unceasing toll, and re-
cuperate their wasted energies. Here
comes the ovcr-worked student, lawyer,
or lecturer, and, drinking in new life
in this pure atmosphere, add to their
waning life another decade. Nordhoff
is awakening to renewed life, and in
creased interest is being taken in the
town, for already surveys have been
made for railroad which is to connect
them with the outside world. The rail
road is to start from Ventura, on the
Southern Pacific, making Nordhof its
northern terminus; thus soon the inva-
lid or tourist can recline in his uphol-
stored seat within the observation car
and be whirled over hill and vale to his
destination, instead of tedious ride in
"A stage coach.
On the north of this valley is the Ma
tilija canon-a long, narrow defile lead
ing into the range of the Matilda hot
sulphur springs, world-renowned for
their curative properties. The springs
are easily reached from Nordhoff by a
carriage ride of five miles.
At the extreme end of the upper Ojai
is the Santa Paula canon, leading to the
Santa Clara valley, in which, at Camu-
los, Ramona" lived and was first seen
by "Alessandro."
Within radius of few miles of
Nordhoff can be seen scenery rs varied
as even those who have climbed the
Alps or scaled the Matterhorn could
desire, and the man of letters drinks
in ambrosial ether thai furnishes him
with inspiration for many long year
To come.