Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-26
UP FROM THE VALLEY.

UP FROM THE VALLEY.
by Saturday we had come up from
they valley OF Guadalajara and had
reached a high plateau or upper valley
OF over six thousand feet elevation. 1t
is not level but rolling or broken with
hills from one hundred 10 five hundred
feet high. Its limits northwest and
southeast could not be seen, but on the
northeast side was a range OF noun
tains. low as compared TO the plateau
but from the level Of the sea reaching
at places an altitude Of over ten thou
sand feet. The soil too, has changed.
In the lower valley there was a rich
dark-red soil with a red burnt clay sub
SOIL, but here there Is a white clay, re
sembllng In places our alkal soils
The grass Is plentiful. but not
Of best quality Corn grows but
does not yield as Il does below.
There are few running streams or
springs. the water being found princl-
pally In ponds or lagOons. and Is always
lightlsh, partaklng Of the color OF the
soil. There Is but little timber no large
trees. but several species Of MESQUITE
which furnish excellent FIRE wood
cactus in places Is plentiful and In
us season Yields n fruit called tuna
from which the people derive no small
profit from sales In the larger towns.
In TACT we saw several places where
the plant Is cultivated. In places the
volcanic rock q kind Of lava. appears
In abundance usually In large boulders
In several place along our road sand
stone and an aqueous rock. resembling
both In color and specific gravity that
found In Beaver canyon are seen. Ev-
erywhere are stone walls as though the
people had a mania both for fencing
and for this particular kind Of fencing
Several times we saw these large stone
walls a mile or so long enclosing no
pasture land, protecting no field. but
simply built for the sport OF building
But over hills and valleys there Is per-
feet net work Of these walls from the
time we enter the plateau until we have
reached San Francisco de Rincon. where
suddenly not only stone fences. but an
other fences disappear. OF course this
Is a stock country From a hirh hl1
we can see q dozen stock haclcndas nm
counting their cattle by the thousands
Much wheat Is also grown. this USUALLY
In draws ar revires where winter is
found Tho Irrigation IS simple and pc
culiar Large dykes are built across
the draw or ravine Sometimes ten or
twelve feet high. the lnrd Is leveIod
forming a terrace sometimes eighty
rods deep. During the rainy season
the waters come down and settle along
the terrace. thus furnishing an ahun.
dance FOR the wheat a yerv good grain
Is thus raised though the kernel Is
smaller than ours IN tho north Inst
now the fields are green and extremely
beautiful IN contrast with the dry sur
roundngs
CAMPS FOR SUNDAYS.
on Saturday afternoons our chief
concern Is 20 find q good camn ground
FOR Sunday. which we endeayor IN mako
day ~ rest This Saturday We are
again fortunate. ms we have been many
Saturdays Ahou; camp time we met
n couple NJ gentlemen on horseback and
incidentally enGuired about the country
and roads. stating that we desired a.
find n camp place for the NIGHT and the
morrow 4 few Questions from one NJ
them as o. who we are and where we
are bound for being answered. the Gues.
toner Informed US thar he was admin
lstrator NJ the hacienda near hv. and
n we desired 10 cann with him his pas
lures and all he had were at our dis.
posal,
We spent our sabbath therefore al Ha-
cienda de Ia Lave. This is stoc,
ranch. but an abundance q corn Is
raised tie size can be best compre-
hended when I state that two hundred
plon families are employed t0 DO Us la-
Dor The principal house is large and
pretentlous being highly decorated with
paintings that would scarcely pass In
school Of art In fact. many OF their
hacienda owners or administrators.
seem to think that some kind OF deco
rative paintings are necessary 10 the
dignity OF their standing In society.
and the walls OF some Of the buildings
are literally covered with crude pic.
lures
But the Hacienda de Ia Lave has an
other attraction. especially for young
men who wish 10 obtain a wife and