The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-03-10
DOWN
THE COLORADO
RIVER

Southern California has but one naviga-
bic river, the Colorado. And this is not
snavigable by courtesy" Blu actually nav
lgabe in spite of its tortuous channel,
changing almost by the hour so that no
pilot attempts to run by memory; in spite
of it's bars of mud and broad channels.
The boats, built especially, are almost
as good on mud as on water. They turn
and wash out with the big stern wheel,
a channel where there is none, swing on
their center, and wrggle off bar, or
slide over it with little slackening OF
speed making, en- the whole, remarkable
time Nowhere i'll the United States
can such a quantity and assortment OF
''bay BIRDS be seen today as on the
shores of the lower river and the Gulf of
California. These are long and low and
protected from heavy surf by miles OF
shallow waite, so that a fiat-bottomed
river boat can safely coast along the miles
of this open sea. Over the water rings
the clear call OF the curlew; and out on
its edge you may see his buft coat as ne
wades about and plies his long, sickle
shaped bill Beside him-with bill as long
but curved the other way-the aVocet IN
snowy coat and W ngs OF Jet STANDS ias
and happy. On almost every square yaru
of the shore the black, white and brown
of the wllet blend into grey; and beside
him plays the same yellow leg that on the
sandbars of the Atlantic has stirred the
soul If so many boys: In somoer gray
the sanderling trots along the mud mats;
and little sandpipers in flashes oil wnlte
and black whsk about as if little time
were left them to get anywhere. The
phalarope minges with the crowd, his
long trim bill and more gamey tlnts OF
brown making him seem OF finer olood
than the rest; and he dowltcher with
IN IL
wine-c olored breast, airs himshlf as II the
only true gentleman in the lot. There
is an occasional CLEAN from the bright
black and white of the oyster-catcher,
whose shorter body makes him seem a
bit out of place among his trim compan-
ions. Even the turnstone seems llttie
lonely for the same reason, though his
pure jet and snowy white, with slight
hinges of reddish brown, show him for
shore bird Plover whizz about with
tender whistle-until in places every loot
OF shore for leagues seems alive at cob
tide.
The ducks and zee geese a.n in winter haitsc
the rapid settlement OF Southern
California. Along the horzon-line, and
across the sky, they stream IN long
strings and crescent lines, while the open
water is darkened with sheets OF them doz
ing away the warm noontide. Far inland,
over the sloughs there rushes fringe the
water. YOU may see the mallard bow his
wings as he hovers to alight; and the
forked rudder of the sprigtail set for
the same direction. With curved and
stiffened wings, teal ride down the air
with rush that makes 1t hiss; and the
plaintive whistle of the widgeon as he cuts
the air tells you that he would like to
alight if you would but let him. Here the
spoonbll rides at ease, as if conscious
that you do not consider him the best OF
ducks. Canvassbacks and redheads, with
cautious circles high above the pond be-
fore alighting, finally set their wings and
slide down long incline to the water;
and if the pond is large enough, the trav-
cling geese wind slowly around 1T twice
or thrice on wary wing and then settle
slowly down into the center. The Canada
g-, Sc seems shy of these grounds at times;
BIZ the snow goose, with white body
el ming in the sunshine, airs his black
Il ed wing on every breeze; and the les
ser dark goose, or Hutchins goose, and
Inc sandhill crane are found in places.
Herons, egrets, ibises, bitterns, gulls, cor
Grants and great mum bers of large white
cans with black tipped wings, swell
t,s list for those who like to see plenty
oi Wild life without regard to table quail
ties.
On shore among the mesquite groves
one may compare the ways OF the brown
crested quail of Sonora with those OF his
California cousin-with good chance of
finding the backwoods relative the sharp
er of the two.
Sport aside, the trip is one of greatest
interest for the novelty of the navigation
which is of kind the railroads are fast
supplanting-and the scenery, unlike any
thing along the rivers of either coast. The
trip is in every way safe, the accommoda-
tions and fare as good as on any western
coast, and better than on many; while
it is cheaper than staying at a stylish
hotel and gazing at a stupid monotony
OF things seen as well in a thousand cit
les The winding river allows no monot-
ony You can even the sun rise in
California and set in Arizona; and when
YOU tire of gazing at eddying water, the
mirage of the desert beyond the bottom
lands will often furnish all the sivery
lakes, with timbered shores and wooded
isles, you care to look at. There are the
reflections of the trees in the water as
plain as you ever saw them, and the
timber is as green as the dense willows
that nearly brush the boat, or the rank
cottonwoods you can almost touch as the
steamer swings into an eddy. You can
even see the huge looming mountains of
Lower California pictured, and you are
certain it is real-for it looks even wetter
as you come nearer.
The winter climate is generally the best
this part OF the world produces-though
heavy storms on the Pacific sometimes
overlap the mountains and make it cool
and cloudy, with an occasional sprinkle.
But the heat and mosquitoes of the intense
summer are gone while the air retains
all its dryness and is cool enough to be
bracing yet warm enough to sit out of
doors in the sun. Such sunsets as one sees
over the distant rim of lofty mountains
with the deep basin OF the desert for
dark foreground, while the glow around
the higher peaks goes through all the
shades OF purple and rose, are rarely seen
elsewhere; for they require the air that
can make within a quarter of mile, q
mirage that would deceive old Neptune
himself.
Mrs. Grundy Says
That hundreds OF people in society
continue to revel at the expense Of
others.
Thai some of the pretty Girls Who have