The Somerset reporter., 1900-08-30
THIRTY YEARS OF CURES
Z Or the REPORTER.
A Trip In California.

A Trip In California.
Pasadena, August, 1900.
Dear friends 10 Skowhegan:
Perhaps some Of you may be interest
ed to hear about trip which ] have
recently taken to the Sierra Madre mount
tains. A party of four of US took the
Santa Fe train here, and left 1t at Santa
Anita for a bus, that was made to hold
eight people, but into which sixteen Of
us were packed like perspiring sardines.
We were landed In Sierra Madre In q
large yard full of those long cared ami.
mails, which have the most patience,
the most obstinancy and the most en-
durance Of any creature under the sun,
the animal that used TO be called the
donkey, but Is always spoken of here
as the "burro". They were sail saddled,
all bridled, all fit for the" rights. who
needed two men to assist them In mount
ing the beasts. You cannot imagine
how awkward 1t Is possible for woman
to be, until she attempts to ride burro.
The attitudes we struck would make US
immortal as actors, II put upon the stage,
but the feat was accomplished at last
after much merriment and the gay pro-
cession started.
The ascent at first was moderate, but
1t grew sleeper as we advanced, and the
trail narrower, often seeming not more
than foot wide. AS we assembled high
er and higher In our Zig-zag course up
the steep mountain side, magnificent
and ever changing panorama was spread
out before US. Now we look down over
precipice into dark ravine, vast and
deep, hundreds of feet below US, and
across that In serried ranks the noun
tains stand, range beyond range tower.
ing heavenward, filled with the grandeur
and silence OF the ages. At another
turn Of the trail we stand at the head Of
beautiful divide, with these giants Of
earth upon either side, and far away to
the South, fair cities lie In the golden
sun, and orange groves and fertile vine
yards and farther still, low lying hills
covered with soft blue haze, and beyond
these, although out of our sight, we
know the bright waters of the Pacific
are racing along the sandy beach with
flying locks and sparkling feet. Now
we turn into the cool depths Of the
forest and the low hanging boughs
snatch at our hats or slap our faces with
their verdant hands for invading their
sylvan retreats. Brilliant wild flowers
grow by the way, sometimes blooming
Ia the very heart Of a rock, like rare
virtue In some barren and sterile soul.
Every turn of the trail reveals some new
beauty or some scene of grandeur that
vtxrt 20 o
We stopped two hours for lunch and
rest at Santa Oline canyon, fit place for
fairies to hold midnight revel, sur
rounded on all sides by mighty mount
aims filled with verdure and refreshing
GOODNESS and the very spirit of rest, and
here little brook wandered at its own
sweet will and made glad the hearts Of
the weary.
In the afternoon we met pack train
with many burros coming out from
camp. The trail was narrow, the sides
precipitous with no room to pass and
the driver, who was behind his burrOs,
shouted to us to turn around and 60
back until we came to place where he
could pass. This caused a great panic
and much fear among some who shall be
nameess. One burro was so persuaded
uc was III tuo Iihut bc Wouiu uob tulu,
but kept his little feet as firmly dug into
the earth as though they had sprouted
and grown down to the foundation Of
the mountains, and 1t required the united
efforts of two men to drag him, and
push him and beat him off from the path.
They seem to have an instructive fear Of
getting off the trail, and are so sure
footed the drivers give them the rein,
and they will bear travellers safely over
the dangerous route In the darkest night,
with their noses close to the ground.
The pack train overlook US before we
had reached place wide enough to pass
and one ambitious beast Of the long
cared species, wedged himself in between
Samantha Gone of our burros) and the
mountain side, and with malice afore-
thought proceeded to push Samantha
and her rider toward the edge of the
preclpice. This caused great excitement,
loud screams and "dismounting In hot
haste", but the driver, who is equal to
all these emergencies, soon rescued the
terrified damsel from the jaws Of the
donkey and. the mouth Of the yawning
preciplce and we once more proceeded
on our way, but with trembling limbs,
and pulse that no man could count.
Well after meeting with more advent