Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-16
Hogv an o4tLanta Woman Enjoyed
o4 "Trip West and Soiourn Three
HY ANNIE swIFT PRATT.

them out as a tent to dwell IN" The
rocks are basaltic, OF the tertiary period,
and are an ashen gray.
We never see the sun rise because we
are on the west side of the mountain. A
faint rosy streak is seen in the eastern
sky, then daylight suddenly bursts upon
us, and in an hour we see the sun coming
up from behind the mountains But the
sunset is ours, indescribably grand, espe-
cially when the mountains are covered
with snow and the base of the mountain
is enveloped in clouds. with the rays OF
the setting sun crimsoning the snow on
the summit
Gradually the cloud at the base crept
higher and higher, the crimson blended
with the purple and gold until 1t was lost
In composite colors, except in one spot,
where 1t seemed as If some one had
thrown an immense pile of living Goals
that glowed and glowed until all other
colors were lost and only the pure white
snow reflected it's crimson, until the last
ray of the setting sun was gone. / won
dered If this bright crimson fingered long
est because red is the strongest highest
color in the solar spectrum.
Many Indian legends are connected with
these mountains, San Jacinto and Tan
zuitz. The latter is a supposed volcano,
because frequent rumblings are heard.
One legend is that Tanzuitz spoke, en-
ticing a beautiful Indian princess into his
arms and crushed her to death. His
speaking is doubtless the result of the
wind rushing into a crevice and meeting
another current of air.
This mountain valley and San Jacinto
mountain was the hiding place of Helen
Hunt Jackson's hero and heroine, Ales-
sandro and Ramona.
J The story was written to inspire SYM
pathy for the Indians and is indeed pa
thetic. Truth is her foundation, but she
allowed fiction to transfigure her charac-
ter to such an extent that the reality is
lost. Ramona lived near this valley and
was considered the very ugliest OF the
squaws.
The story is a means to an end and her
we'll written descriptions have been widely
enjoyed. God knows that the poor In
dams, even at this day, deserve pity. The
white people lack sympathy and are not
as tolerant as southern people are of the
negro They are considered lower than
the negro. Thus it is that one section,
ignorant of the conditions Of another sec
tion cannot understand Natures foreign
to them.
There is gold In these mountains. An old
lady who has unbounded faith in things
unseen prayed long and earnestly that
God would show her a gold vein In the
mountain side, and she thinks her prayer
mas Deen answered.. OnG mas DSSAi NA5S
out quartz with a pick, although she
seems too feeble to lift a pick, for eight
months and has a yield of $40 per ton,
not sufficient for establishing mint
A magnificent, nodern-equipped sani-
tarium for consumptives has been COM
pleted and many patients are expected in
Tune number of handsome cottages
have been built and rented for the sum-
mer. The sanitarium is magnihcently sit
uated, the view of San Jacinto mountain
IS fine and one would think from seeing
the summit of the mountain over the roof
OF the sanitarium that the latter was at
it's base but one would so Is miles before
they reached the mountains summit. The
nights and mornings are very Geld until
10 O'Clock, when the sun makes one feel
as II some one held hot iron near their
face When the sun is very warm we go
into the shade and the ever brisk breeze
from the mountains cool us. Ollas, or TIM
aias. earthern water vessels, made by IN
dams, are filled With water, crocus tied
around them and hing In the shade where
the breeze can redeh il. In a short time
the water will be ice cold. This is the
custom of procuring cold water In the
very hot climates also. The we'll water
here is ice cold all the summer. in Cali
fornia, I learn, one can keep cool in the
heat of summer If they are in the shade
1t is claimed that no germ can live in this
mountain valley.
Ice and heavy frost on May % made
fires comfortable, but before 10 O'Clock
the air was soft and balIny, the sun hot
and the birds singing At 4 o'clock the
air will begin to grow cold and we will
read our Los Angeles news by cheerful
fire.
within few days I will leave this ma
jestically grand, silent mountain scenery
for that of the Pacific coast where old
ocean rolls, losses and means. How can
live without these mountains?