Year: 1870

quickly disappear beneath the dark lnte-
rior of the ocean. There are hundreds
of sea gulls which follow our ship for
days, to pick up any food thrown over


board. They will plunge into the water


several feet below the surface, and exhib-


it great skill in catching piece of meat


which is fast sinking out of their reach.


Thus we pass our time, watching the sea


gulls and porpoises, looking over the rail


into the deep waters beneath us, scan


ming the distant mountains with our field


glasses, or listening to the yarns of an


"old SALT" as he recounts his experiences


of twenty years upon the sea, or think


ing of our dear ones, whom we left !
among the Green Mountains of Yer


mont, until at last we head inland, and


approach the rough rocky bar laying


across the entrance to Humbolt Bay.


A tug comes alongside, and sends pi- |
lot on board, and we steer seemingly |
straight for the breakers, but his practi- |
cal eye and steady nerve, guides our lit
tie vessel safely over, and we are again
in smooth water inside the bar. We
land for short time at Eureka, but soon
step aboard the ferry boat and cross the
bay to Arcata, a frontier town, close up
among the coast range of mountains. 1t
is built in quadrangular shape similar


to many of the older towns in Kentucky


and Virginia. Here we remain one day


for company, and learn thatour journey


nolC commences in earnest. We have


yet 40 miles to travel, and over a noun


famous trail, so rough that horses cannot


be used to travel it with safety and mules


are our only resort The mountains are


very high and precipitous, and the trail


is very rough and narrow. Yet with all


these disadvantages, all the quartermas-


ter's and commissary stores for 200 men


and also the stores for the Indian agen-


cy" are transported on pack mules over


this trail, amounting to at least 100000


pounds per year There are also $50


mules employed on this trail, and it is


both amusing and interesting to see them


led up to the store house by the packers,


to receive their load. He is first blind


folded, the "pack-saddle" is then put on


and girted so tight that the cinch" al


most cuts the poor mule in two. His
pack, usually weighing about $50 pounds


is then securely lashed upon his back,
his halter tied upon one ear, and he is
: turned loose, while another is led up to
receive similar burden, until thirty or
forty have been loaded, when the gate is
thrown open, and the "bell mule" is
started off, usually rode by boy. The
pack mules all wheel into line, with the
} precision of veteran soldiers, and follow
the bell mule in regular Indian file"
They exhibit much sagacity in passing
over an unusually rough place on the
} trail. We have actually seen them come
to full stop, switch off, and " back
up" on side track, (to use railroad
phrase before they could proceed FUR.
ther, owing to some more than usual OBJ
' struction in the trail, from rocks or trees.
e They are usually very sure footed, but
D occasionally make miss,step and fall
D off the trail, and sometimes are killed.
! An instance happened not long since,
t when a mule in passing very narrow
: and rough piece, lost his balance and
< fell off the trail, rolling down the noun
t tain for some distance, he and his pack
S changing front" so often, that it was
5 difficult to determine by locker on
: which was the mule and which his pack
J. Finally tree stopped his further de-


scent, when he was seen TO get upon his
s feet, and picking his way up the noun
f tain side into the path, followed on after
e the train.


v Another fall, still more remarkable
i occurred while the Indian agent was re
S moving some old and INDECENT Indians
n from the Remath river to the Reserva'
: ton or Trinity river. The Indians some


forty in number, from age and infirmity
Y were unable to walk or ride, over this
trail, and were therefore each put into
II box, which would support their persons
d and two of them securely lashed upoI
e the back of mule. In passing dow
n the very steep banks of Redwood creek
e one of the mules lost his footing, ano


fell head first down nearly perpendic
is ular bank Is or 20 feet high, breaking
j. his own neck, but saving the Indian
lie from injury. In falling the mule seeme'
It to have thought more of his load, than
. he did of himself, and saved the lives o
lr the Indians at the expense of his own.
,e 1t is not pleasant to ride this trai
rt alone, for although the Indians are con
v sidered peaceable, yet they are at al
5. times treacherous. We were therefor
o. glad TO learn from the Government cor
,e tractors at Areata, that they would SEN


their Boss Packer" with us as a guide
10 "a Tom Bear" four guide,) was an oil