The San Francisco call., 1897-10-24

traversed the vegetation becomes less
and less and rocks become larger and
larger. Suddenly the vegetation ceases as
abruptly as though ii were chopped out,
and the entire surface OF the mountain is
simply an e1panse of red bowlders CT
various sizes. The trail winds between
these in the crookedest manner, and Is
most difficult to follow because travel
over the hard surface leaves little i'm
preston.
This red patch is very little below the
west peak and little higher than the
surrounding country. 1t is barren in the
extreme aud as desolate as any spot on
the face of the earth.
But there is very little sign of conyul-
sion here. 1t is as if the rocks we're scat
tered over a comparatively smooth section
OF the mountain that was originally COM
posed OF gravel and crushed stone. There
Is not sign of life visible from the center
of this patch. In general effect it looks
much like some of the pictures of the
moon that have been taken lately-dead
and silent. Just on the lower edge of the
south side OF this patch, but in such a
position as not to be visible from the top.
there are slight signs of vegetation. A
few desert plants are taking root in the
soil that has been blown from distance,
but are not making much headway.
Westward from this red patch the trail
leads all down hill and becomes rougher
and rougher with every step. In sort of
a hollow where dust has blown the trail
leads through patch of small trees of the
laurel specles-a sort of oasis in the desert.
iS ~ holT
large proportion of the rain that falls into
it, and so furnishes the moisture neces-
sary to keep the trees alive. But they are
not very hourishlng. for the little soil that
has lodged between the rocks is not of the
richest description.
Now climb over small cliff and down
again on the other side. Here is the
center of the burned spot - the place
where the convulsion was at its height
and where the traces of natures warfare
are greatest. Even now everything sug-
gests comm otion, although the silence is
as profound as the tomb.
The general color visible from the center
of this patch is a dark gray, and also
numerous spots of black. Rocks the size
of large buildings are scattered about on
all sides, as if some giant had been anus
! ing himself. One of these is at least sew
entv-hve feet high. and is several hundred
! feet from another. 1t is on hill and ap-
/ parently in danger of rolling down in to
Redwood Canyon. Other ROCKS of SINH
lar shapes and sizes are in plenty.
| A little TO the north of the large stone is
/ one of the strangest formations on the
whole of the burned spot. To all appear
| ances this Is an extinct crater. But the
absence of any traces of lava proves con-
clusively that such cannot be the case.
Seen from any side there is complete
cii Gle of stones rising several feet above
the surrounding surface of sand and
gravel. They are blackened and burned,
| and look for all the world like volcanic
! rock The center of the circle of stones is
filled with sand and few plants of a
hardy variety are struggling for existence
there. The best geologist in the world on
seeing this for the first time would surely
take it for an extinct crater, and moi
change his mind until his investigations
had shown him his error. What caused
this strange formation can only be con-
jectured. Perhaps the greatest force ol
the upheaval was exerted at this point
and it may be that the rocks in falling
simply got into this position. The latter
idea, however, is not as tenable as the
first.
A spot more suggestive OF the scenes in
''Dante's Inferno" than this would be
well-nigh impossible to find. There is al
! the desolation and all the barIenness and
all the horror. Blackened rocks and
burned powders are lying about in the
widest confusion. Everything suggests
terror, struggle and death.
But what scene there must have been