The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-06-09
LETTER FROM LEO.
INTERESTING TALKS ON SOURI,
ERN CALIFORNIA
A TRIP THROUGH TIE DESERT
Big Trees Of California and the Diff
culties in Max ng Them of any
Practical Value Climbing Up
the Mountains.

by a railway ride of an hour from Los
Angeles "a transition from land Of
flowers to a barren desert, not quite
barren Of all vegetation, but desert
producing the cactus and few other
plants more novel than useful utterly
worthless.
To the traveller who has never seen
anything of the kind the desert is q
scene of interest for a time, but after a
few hours becomes tiresome. We
plunge in among the foothills and
eventually among the mountains. Be-
fore reaching the foothills, while the
plain is apparently level as floor. the
engine labors and groans, indicating
that it is uphill business. 1t is char
acteristic of California plains to be
deceiving to the eye, and water is often
seemingly running uphill contrary to
the laws of gravitation.
Sometimes the mountains are en-
tirely destitute Of vegetation, rocky
with betting cliffs and Overhanging
crags. At other times few scattering
and stunted live oaks may be seen.
During the rainy season water rushes
down the mountain sides with irresisti
BILE force, as may be seen by the canons
and curiously wrought gullies.
With crags and canons and gullies the
aspect is wild and spirit of desolatior
broods over the whole scene.
After several hours ride the scenes
which were at first so novel become
tiresome, and a change of any kind Is
a relief, and little green spot in some
secluded valley or a few green trees
are quite refreshing.
Suddenly we emerge from these
scenes to the plain, apparently level as
floor, but by the accelerated motion
of tie engine we are convinced that we
are going down hill at rapid rate.
The plain is brown and sandy, extend
ing as far as the eye can reach, til
finally the sky seems bending down to
meet it and terminate our vision. Il
is a counterpart Of hundreds Of miles
on the Mexican Central railroad, and
yet it is probable that a plentiful irri-
CATION would render the soil moder,
ately fruitful Portions Of the African
desert, along the Suo2 canal, have
been rendered productive, particularly
at Ismalia, a town of 5000 people, and
why not this by the same means?
Other portions of the plain are IN
dulating, and in other localities may he
seen isolated hills, rising two or three
hundred feet, resembling gigantic air
bubbles of molten iron, or coal tar,
spluttering for time, then becoming
suddenly solicited. These upheavals
are wonderful indeed.
But anything for change to break
the m0notony, and we reach it at
Moiave MO ha-ve), located at the
junction of two roads, and distin
guishod as being the junction town
of the desert, located on a plain OF
des0lation - God forsaken region
destitute even of the usual worthless
vegetation Of the desert. 1t is din
ing station, and twenty minutes are
usually long enough for most of thr
passengers, but to those who stud,
geography as they travel it is scene
of interest for a couple of hours. The
people consist mostly Of railroad en-
ployes and their families. Other small
stations are equally desolate.
If the choice of a life in this desert
were rendered an American, or q life IL
Jail even with moldy bread and water.
he would show his good judgment b.
choosing the latter. And yet, incredi
BILE as it may seem, there are several
Americans ambitious politicians,
whose aspirations are to be elected
mayor of city of 100 people, rather
than remain in private life in a more
enlightened community, on the princi
pie that it is preferable to be the head
of a mouse than the tail of a rat! OF
perhaps better illustrated by Milton,
who represents Lucifer as saying,
/" Better to reign in hell, than serve in
heaven!"
A long breath was drawn when the
train pulled out from Mojave. Night
shut out she desert and morning opened
amid fruit groves, vineyards and green
fields. An invitation Ivy Finsman +
Join him in an excursion to the Sierra
/ Madra mountains was not to be reject
ed. A distance of % miles was to be
traversod by his own conveyance, and
| being himself familiar with every wagon
road and bride path "a veritable
mountaineering better chaperone
could be secured. These mountains
are covered with luxurious vegetation
and, winding along the valleys among
the foot hills, are numerous mountain
streams and the valleys and hillsides
are teeming with orange groves and
vineyards, while fig trees are abundant
and the husbandman may sit down
beneath his own vine and fig tree.
The trail along these valleys was OF
| aasv 0radn for pnrofthan ono half the