West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1894-11-08
A CALIFORNIA LETTER.
MARITIME INDIAN SCUooI.
IULE RIVER RESERVATION.
CAMILLA TRiBE, Oct 23, 1894.

htNh NtNNhlllE ~ iNuiklUs III
for three years. l came TO visit West
Virginia and friends last Spring, and
spent over two months enjoying its fine
scenery, healthful climate and hospi-
tality of its people.
] came to Illinois. and after a few
weeks work in store, received n
Civil Service appointment To go to
Perris, Cal, to take charge OF an Indian
school there. l went To Kansas CITY
aud took the Saute Fe route. The
weather was delightful all the way
Very dry in Iowa, Kansas and Dakota
Nothing very striking was seen until |
reached Dakota. Then the country be-
gan 20 show barren stretches for miles,
rugged foothills, some covered with n
scrub cedar which can grow where
there is neither soil nor moisture. Here
and there were fertile spots made SO
by irrigation and appearing all the
moro fascinating from the back ground
OF sand and rocks The houses were
small, made of stone or adobe. Soon
we can see the snow caps OF the Spanish
peaks. which seem like twin sentinels
standing To the great Rockies There
they stand like hooded monks with
their heads dressed in perpetual snow.
Now everything rapidly changes
from castcrnSceuery, except at Trinidad
are coal mines and coke ovens. which
look very familiar to n Pennsylvania.
We pass through a tunnel 2.00I feet
lDnfr and lpN.snrl 1 /
eastern mountains and their slopes are
covered with heavy timber, making
shady dells, crystal cataracts tumble
over the moss-grown rocks, birds twit-
ter TO their mates among the branches.
the squirrel and woodchucll scamper TO
their hiding places, and everything full
OF life and song Not 80 here. Barren
stretches OF land alternating In sand
and rocks the hills and mountains are
bare OF vegetation sand hills; igncous
rocks; deep gulches washed out when
the torrent comes from the mountains.
AMI the only change is from bad 70
worse for over IA thousand miles. We
occasionally see u hut where some In
dian or Spaniard makcs shift to live,
but how am not ablo TO say.
Now, Mexico and Arizona are Span
ish In language and habits and are
very little advanced from the time OF
Montczuma, except in the few large
towns. Albuquerque, N. NJ. is a large
Spanish town Of low adobe houses and
appears to do some business Near
here IS a timOered belt Of pine and saw
mills can be seen Cattle ranging is
extensively carried on in parts where,
during the rainy season. they find
living, and during - dry season like this
they are driven to the mountains, where
they live on sage brush and allxali wa.
ter. and some die-in fact, many. for
could count as many as hundred dead
carcasses from the car window in a few
miles.
Now we come 60 and pass through
the canon Diablo Gn Spanish, lIeviI's
chnon), and as near as J can do IL JUS
tice is 10 say, it is rightly named.
Down the mountain through Arizona.
Now trcstlc across n yawning chasn:
now through tunnel. then winding a
grade so steep that We came nearly TO
tho starting point after travelling miles:
only higher on the mountain. All this
time ] was consoling myself that
things would change for the better as
soon as ] entered the golden State of
California.
was sorry IL was night when we
crossed the Colorado River at Needles
into California, for ] wanted Go get the
first glimpse OF the famous State OF
fruit and gold. While the train stop
ped for supper at Needles, some half
clad Indians came through the car
showing their babies (pappooses) for
five cents n sight The heat was nl-
most uncomfortable at this point. but as
the train labored up the steep noun
tain, 10 grew gradually cooler until
nearly day 7 wished for an overcoat.
] slept little from anxiety 90 sec Cali
fornia, and as soon as the first streaks
Of gray appeared in the eastern horizon.
! had my head out Of the window
straiuing my eyes, and I never before
was 50 convinced OF the power Of imag-
ination. Tor could smell the luscious
fruit. ripe and waiting 90 be eaten. the
odor Of orange blossoms seem % come
through the window ! could almost
see the trees and fruit a few moments
later and the King Of Day lifted the
sooty veil and was reminded Of my
childhood, when ] amused myself blow
ing soap bubbles. only % see them
burst in mid-air. more desolate, for
saken land the Arab never saw in cross
ing the Sahara. What I imagined were
orchards and grassy meadows proved
lava beds with great gaping 6esurcs
/ looked out the other side -brOScn
volcanic rocks, sulphur and alisali hills
sand and desolatiou. Not "a sign of life,
animal or vegetable could be seen In
fact nothing could live here The first
conception I got was that lladcs must
have beer located here once and bis
Satanic Majesty moved to other parts
having run out Of fuel In fact. the
whole country seems 90 have been
burnt, melted and shook together and
then exploded with dynamite. SO Sc
Is for miles. but we now come to
specie Of cactii, and finally brushy.