ND EBB ^■W/:^A i ^vi^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ¥^' ii3p^n5]^tf0 \^^\ Shelf :6Dltion De Xuje CALIFORNIA AND ALASKA AND OVER THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY. By WiLUAM S. Webb, M.D. Elegantly printed in quarto ; size 8x ii inches. Con- tains 190 pages of text, printed upon the finest vellum paper, and sumptuously bound in full morocco. But ^00 copies printed. 125.00. The volume contains 4 full-page etchings and 88 photo- gravures. The etchings, which are india proofs, are : Mission of San Luis Rey, Cat. By C. Y. Turner. Muir Glacier, Alaska. By R. Swain Gifford. North Arm, Biscoiasing Lake. By J. C. N1COLI-. Lake Louise, near Laggan. By R. C. Minor. Among the 88 full-page photogravures will be found the following : On the Coast, near Monterey. Seal Rock Covered with Seals, near Monterey. Yosemile Valley, from Artist's Point. Glacier Point, J, 200 feet, Yosemite Valley. Vancouver , from Canadian Pacific Railway Docks. Douglas Firs, on Vancouver Town-Site. Floating Ice, near Muir Glacier. Typical View along the Coast of Alaska. Great Glacier, Canadian Pacific Railway. Canadian Pacific Raihvay Station and Mount Sir Donald Glacier. Hermit Range, from Hotel , Showi>ig Canadian Pacific Railway Station. Lower Kicking Horse Canyon, near Golden. ' ' Dr. Webb affords a vivacious description of the country traversed, as well as of the personal experiences of the travelling party. His chronicle is ample, entertaining, and valuable." — The Sun. G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, New York anh London. MJSEMHK lAI.I.S. popular lEMtion California and Alaska AND OVER THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY WILLIAM SEWARD WEBB SECOND EDITION ILLUSTRATED %ff^S^'- G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS NEW YORK LONDON 27 WEST TWENTY-THIKD STREET 27 KING WII.I.IAM STREET, STRAND tlbe TRnicfccrbocficr press 1891 COPYRIGHT, iS WILLIAM SEWARD WEBB 'Cbc Tknicficibocftci: iprcss, IWcw IJork Electrotypeil, rrinted, and Bound l>y &. P. Putnam's Sons SJ\ '■> INTRODUCTION. IN accordance with a time-honored custom, 1 must, at the outset, explain in a few words why this work is given to the pubHc. In the winter of 18SS-9, I determined upon taking a trip with my family across the conti- nent to the Pacific coast, and from thence to the city of Mexico. A few friends were in- vited to accompany us on our journey. The Intention was to be absent about three months and a half, and the ist of March, 1889, was agreed upon as the starting-day. But the severe illness of my daughter, which began but a few days prior to our time for leaving, disarranged all our plans, and the day of departure was postponed until the first week in April. The more I thought of this proposed jour- ney, the more interesting and important it seemed to me in the prospective. For, to me VI Jntrodnctioii. at least, it was something more than a trip of pleasure, as, indeed, it could not but be to any business man. The journey would cover the most interesting portion of our country — a stretch of territory that is not only the pride of every native of the United States, but the subject of never ceasing wonder on the part of the countless number of educated foreigners who come to our shores with the special pur- pose of journeying over the same ground. Following up this line of thought, I deter- mined that an expedition of such interest, in which I should enjoy the society not only of my own family but of some of my most valued friends, was worthy of special and unusual preparation. Then it was that I conceived the idea of organizing a private train for the party, to include a baggage-car. a dining-car, and two special cars. This train was to run what railroad men call "special" from start to finish, i.e., it was to be entirely independent of time-tables, starting when we wished and running at any rate of speed we might elect. Of course, under such a scheme the party would be relieved of any anxiety they might otherwise have had in regard to making connections. Introduction. vii There were twelve in the party, to wit : Mrs. Webb, Frederika, Watson, and "Toots"; Mr. and Mrs. Purdy, Dr. McLane, Julian Kean, George Bird, my brothers Louis and Frank, and myself. The unavoidable delay caused by the illness of my daughter, already referred to, found the season so far advanced when the time came to start that we were obliged to omit our visit to the city of Mexico. We decided, however, that immediately after leaving Omaha we would travel to the southward and eventually reach the warm climate of Southern California. A journey like this, interesting under ordi- nary conditions, would seem to be especially noteworthy for the manner in which it was performed, and, on that account, worthy of beinpf chronicled. Hence it is that I have seen fit to give an unpretentious and, I trust, not entirely uninteresting story of our travels, supplemented by illustrations which will be found helpful as interpreters of the text. The literature on the subject of the western part of our country is quite large, and I am indebted to several writers for the verification and amplification of certain facts, which came to my notice generally during the journey — viii Introduction. more particularly to the excellent works of Brace, Bowles, Harper, Nordhoff, and Simpson. It is said that " travelling is no fool's errand to him who carries his eyes and itinerary along with him." We certainly took good care to carry our eyes with us, making the best use of them that we could, and our itinerary was practically laid out months before we com- menced our undertaking, which, at the close, we found to have been full of wisdom and pleasure. It is to be hoped that the reader will receive, at least, a reflection of these pleas- ant experiences in a perusal of the following pages. William Seward Webb. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. How Wk Travelled . PAGE I CHAPTER n. From New York to Omaha CHAPTER HI. Denver anj) Colorado Springs i6 CHAPTER IV The Parks ov Colorado CHAPTER V. Santa Fe CHAPTER VI. Santa Monica -^d 29 39 X Cojiteiits. CHAPTER VII. I'AGE Los Angeles. ..... 45 CHAPTER VIII. Monterey ...... 53 CHAPTER IX. The Missions . . . . 68 CHAPTER X. The Yosemite Valley . . .81 CHAPTER XI San Francisco ..... 103 CHAPTER XII. San Francisco ; The Chinese Quarter i 18 CHAPTER XIII. Northern Calii'ornia and Mount Shasta . . . . . .130 CHAPTER XIV. Montana .... . . 140 Cojiteiits. xi CHAPTER XV. I'AGE " The Garden OF Montana " . .154 CHAPTER XVI. From St. Paul to Manitoba . .162 CHAPTER XVn. Mountains and Gorges on the Cana- dian Pacific Railway . . .181 CHAPTER XVHI. From Kamloops to Vancouver . .198 CHAPTER XIX. In Alaskan Waters . . . .210 CHAPTER XX. In Alaskan Waters (Concluded) . 224 CHAPTER XXI. Victoria — Winnipeg — Hunting Ex- periences ..... 240 CHAPTER XXII. From Winnipeg, Homeward Bound . 256 ILLUSTRATIONS. YOSEMITE FALLS .... THE SPECIAL TRAIN A CORNER IN THE " ELLSMERE " . OLD SAN MIGUEL CHURCH, SANTE FE, NEW MEXICO SOUTH PASADENA, SIERRA MADRE MOUNTAINS, AND HOTEL ..... A STREET IN LOS ANGELES A FARM TEAM, NEAR MONTEREY THE PALMS OF GLENANNIE ON THE COAST NEAR MONTEREY THE LAKE AT MONTEREY OLD MISSION CHURCH NEAR MONTEREY MARIPOSA GROVE BIG TREES . THE DEAD GIANT DIAMETER, 30 FEET S GLACIER POINT, YOSEMITE NEVADA FALLS .... MANITOBA COWBOY THE SPECIAL TRAIN AT FIELD MOUNT STEPHEN, CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY FROM THE TOTE ROAD NEAR MOUNT DONALD STONY CREEK BRIDGE ..... SKETCH NEAR GREAT GLACIER xiii Frontispiece. RAYMOND Facins: Fdcii Faeii Facii Facint' 3 30 42 46 57 58 61 63 69 84 89 93 96 167 177 178 183 1S5 187 XIV Illustrations. CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY STATION AND MOUNT DONALD GLACIER ........ Facing CANADIAN PACIFIC STATION, FROM THE GLACIER HOTEL THE NARROWS, BISCOTASING LAKE SKETCH ON THE NORTH ARM, BISCOTASING LAKE AT SAILOR BAR BLUFF, BELOW SPUZZUM RED-SUCKER TUNNEL, CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY ROADWAY IN STANLEY PARK, VANCOUVER INDIAN KIVER CANYON, FROM " PINTA " ANCHORAGE, Facing SCENE IN INDIAN TOWN, SITKA INDIAN chief's GRAVE, ALASKA RUSSIAN BLOCK-HOUSE, SITKA FLOATING ICE, NEAR MUIR GLACIER SKETCH ON THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY CANYON SHOWING THREE TUNNELS VIEW NEAR BANFF .... ALASKAN GAME, KILLISNOO NEPIGON BAY, FROM NEPIGON STATION SKIRTING NEPIGON BAY . JACKFISH BAY .... Faciiii, Facinx, Facing N FRASER Facino 191 193 195 203 205 206 210 225 226 231 234 243 245 254 257 260 261 CALIFORNIA AND ALASKA FROM NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA AND ALASKA CHAPTER I. HOW WE TRAVELLED. The special train of four cars in which we made our journey was probably the most thoroughly equipped and most luxurious one that has ever been used by a party of trav- ellers. On that account the reader will be interested in a description of it. The first car was what is called a " combi- nation car." The forward part of it was used for the storage of baggage ; next to this apart- ment was a sleeping-room for the cooks and 2 To California and Alaska. porters. After this a bath-room, and next adjoinuTg a large smoking- or drawing-room, at one end of which was a Chickering piano, and at the other a desk, a complete library, and proper compartments for guns, fishing- rods, and sporting paraphernalia. This smok- ing-room was intended as a sitting-room for the gentlemen of the party during the evening or daytime. This car, called " Buffet No. 60," was kindly loaned to me by Mr. John Newell, President of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company. The dining-car came next. All the tables had been taken from it, and in their places an ordinary dining-table, side-tables, etc., had been put in, the same as in a house. Next came a car I had formerly used as a special car, the " Mariquita," which had been remodelled into a nursery-car, and which was occupied by Mrs. Webb, the three children, two nurses, and a maid. Last of all was my new private car " Ellsmere." This w^as occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Purdy, Dr. McLane, Mr. Louis Webb, Mr. George Bird, Mr. Julian Kean, Mr. Frank Webb, and myself. In the Buffet car and the " Ellsmere," re- spectively the first and last cars of the train, How Wc Travelled. 3 were laree eones, which could be runo- from any of the cars ; these were used In the day- time to call servants from one part of the train to the other, and were to be used at night in case of an attack by highwaymen. There (2y C CHAPTER II. FROM NEW YORK TO OMAHA. We arrived at Niagara Falls on Sunday morning, the 7th of April. We spent some time in admiring the scenery, which was of course not new to us, and with which the reader is probably familiar. The Falls of Niagara are beautiful at all times, but there was something in the rich, golden sunrise of that lovely April morning which lent an addi- tional beauty to the view. The sight of such a sunrise recalled our early reading of " Childe Harold": The morn is up again, the dewy morn, With breath all incense, and with cheeks all bloom, Laughing the clouds away with playful scorn, And living as if earth contained no tomb, — And glowing into day. We Started for Detroit at a few moments past five in the morning, our first stop being From New York to Omaha. 7 at St. Thomas, one hundred and fifteen miles from the Falls, where we changed enofines. The distance from St. Thomas to Windsor, one hundred and eleven miles, we ran in one hundred and seven minutes. At Windsor, where the transport was in waiting and where we were transferred to the Detroit side, our first mishap occurred. In taking the train off the transport the coupling between the " Mariquita " and the dining-car was broken. This caused a delay of three quarters of an hour. From Detroit to Chicago our running time was faster, if any- thing, than on the Canada Southern divi- sion, the indicator at one time registering a speed of sixty-nine miles an hour. Between Niles and Michigan City, a distance of thirty- six and a half miles, we covered in the remark- able time of thirty-two minutes, including one stop for grade crossing, which occupied at least two minutes. We arrived at Kensing- ton, near Chicago, at 5.6, having made the run from Suspension Bridge to Kensington, four hundred and ninety-seven and a half miles, in eleven hours and eleven minutes, not including the delay of three quarters of an hour at Detroit. All switches were spiked, 8 To California and Alaska. and all freight and passenger trains side- tracked to enable us to make this fast run. Notwithstanding the remarkable speed at which we travelled, none of the party realized the rapid rate at which we ran all day. In thinking over these wonderful perform- ances of locomotive speed we are reminded of the phenomenal growth and development of the railway in the last century. It seems almost incredible that the first locomotive, in- vented in London only eighty-five years ago, could not make steam, and could neither travel fast nor draw a heavy load. The first loco- motive in this country was run in 1829, and operated by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, connecting the coal mines with the canal. That same year Peter Cooper experi- mented with a little locomotive, and once re- lated, with great glee, how, on the trial trip, he had beaten a gray horse attached to another car. On our arrival at Chicago our division superintendent, Mr. Spoor, and a number of railroad men were waitinor to meet us. The party, with the exception of the children, went to the Richelieu Hotel, where we dined. In the meantime the train was sent on the From Neio York to Omaha. 9 belt line to the Chicago and Northwestern Depot. We left Chicago a little after eight o'clock Monday morning, April 8th, and arrived in Council Bluffs, four hundred and ninety-three miles from Chicago, in about twelve hours, the quickest time that has ever been made between these two points. As on the Michi- gan Central, the road was cleared, and the switches were spiked the entire distance. We had only one engine with the same engineer all the distance from Chicago to Council Bluffs. This circumstance is remarkable, for the distance has never been covered before in one run by one engine. The officials of the road, however, had spare engines at different points, fired up with crews in waiting to take the place of ours should anything give out. A master mechanic was also sent all the way through with the train, in order to be in readi- ness should any accident occur to the engine. Our enorineer, not beine accustomed to the last three divisions of the road, had a pilot over each division, and was thus enabled to keep up his high speed. On our arrival at Council Bluffs, through some misunderstandinor, the Union Pacific lo To California and Alaska. Railroad had an engine and crew ready to take us throucrh "special" to Ogden, they having conceived the idea that it was our intention to go directly through to the Pacific coast via the Union and Central Pacific lines, and had arranged to give us a very fast run to the coast. There is no doubt that had we gone by their line we should have made the quick- est time from ocean to ocean that has ever been made, or is likely to be made for years to come. Mr. Orr, their representative, met us at the Union Depot, and taking special en- gine and car we went with him to see the city of Omaha, returning late in the evening. Council Bluffs is one of the oldest towns in Western Iowa. As early as 1846 it was known as a Mormon settlement and called Kanesville, a name which it retained until 1853, when the Legislature granted a char- ter designating the place as the City of Coun- cil Bluffs. The city includes within her corporate limits about twenty-four square miles, and the surrounding country is rich in farming- land. From the appearance of the country we passed through at this time we were reminded that springtime was at hand. In various sec- From Nezv York to Omaha. i i tions we saw the farmers ploughing-, and the erass startino- out of the crround. The soil o o o was of a dark color, evidently of sufficient richness to be independent of a fertilizer. One does not wonder that farmers in this sec- tion of the country can raise from forty to forty-five bushels of corn to the acre. When we entered the State of Iowa, which we did after passing Fulton, the large amount of stock, especially cattle, seen on every farm, was particularly noticeable. At every town between Chicago and Omaha there were groups of people at the various stations, ranging in numbers from fifty to five hundred, waitincr to see our train otq throuo-h. For it was known all along the line of the road that our excursion party was coming, from the fact that the switches at all stations had been spiked, all trains side-tracked, and employes of the road near the several stations had been placed with white flags at the different cross- ings just previous to the passage of the train. These peculiar preparations, of course, brought an inquiring crowd about, who waited to see our train pass through. The city of Omaha, to which point our spe- cial train was taken on the morning of the 12 To California and Alaska. 9th, furnishes a striking example of Western growth and enterprise. Each time that the visitor stops here he finds some new evidence of improvement. Portions of the town that, but a few months before, were barren plains, are laid out in streets and lined with substan- tial houses of fine appearance. The railroad terminals and properties near the depot serve to indicate that this city is one of the most important railroad centres of the West. Omaha was settled in 1854, when a few squatters fixed upon this section for their residence, the country at that time being a part of the Territory of Nebraska. The sit- uation of the town commands for it an ex- tensive trade with the West. The shops of the Union Pacific Railroad, the smelting works for refining silver ore from the mountains, and manufactories of various kinds give employ- ment to many mechanics and laborers. The bridge across the Missouri, built by the Union Pacific Company, and costing over a million dollars, is one of the finest structures of the kind in the country. It stands sixty feet above high-water mark, and has, besides a railroad track, a street-car track and a wagon way. From New York to Omaha. 13 The ride from Omaha to Kansas City was through a part of the country which was new to most of us, and full of interest. We fol- lowed the river route the whole distance to Kansas City, passing the city of Leavenworth, one of the largest and most flourishing towns in the State, surrounded by one of the richest agricultural regions in the valley of the Mis- souri. In 1853, only thirty-six years ago, the site of this city was covered with hazel-brush, and wolves roamed about the country unmo- lested. Now it has schools, churches, acade- mies, and theatres. It is the headquarters for outfitting government supply trains for West- ern posts, and has a very large trade with the Territories. The government farm, located here, is one of the largest and most productive in the country. Fort Leavenworth, two miles from the city, is situated on a bluff one hundred and fifty feet high, and was established in 1827. Connected with the fort is stabling for eight thousand horses and fifteen thousand mules. Our stop at Omaha was made particularly agreeable and noteworthy from the fact that, soon after our arrival. Bishop Worthington of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska called upon us, and took the ladies of the party for a drive 14 To California and Alaska. around the city. We did not have such a pleasant experience at Kansas City. Through some misunderstanding on the part of the railroad officials, our train, instead of being taken into the depot, was left in the freight yards. As a result of this arrangement, the ladies were deprived of the pleasure of visiting various points of interest in the city. Some of the gentlemen of the party, with considera- ble difficulty, managed to find their way to the passenger depot, and rode about town in the well-known cable cars. Though Kansas City was settled in 1830, it was twenty-five years before it began to improve and increase in population. After the breaking out of the war its commerce was almost ruined, but with peace came prosperity, and since 1865 its ad- vance has been marvellous. Kansas City has the honor of having built the first bridge across the Missouri, which it did at a cost of one million dollars. Soon after our arrival at this place the Pinkerton night-watchman reported for duty — his services being considered necessary from Kansas City to San Francisco. When passing through Topeka, on the At- chison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, Mr. Frovi Neiv York to Omaha. 15 Robinson, the General Manager of the road, called upon us and, on behalf of the President of the company, extended to us the use of his company's line on our Western trip, cour- teously adding that arrangements had been made to make our trip as pleasant as possible. The country through which we passed at this time, though very flat and sparsely popu- lated, seemed admirably adapted to farming. The appearance of the farms and buildings showed that the people enjoyed more than the usual degree of prosperity peculiar to pastoral life. A notable sight served to recall the past history of this country, and place it in sharp contrast with the present — this was the old cattle trails used by ranchmen in driving their cattle from Texas and the South into Montana, Wyoming, and Dakota, before railroads had been built to perform such service quickly and cheaply. Sitting in our luxuriously appointed palace-car, and noting this point of interest, together with the overland wagon roads used in former years, we could not but recall the vast progress that has been made of late years in furnishing transportation facilities for a journey across the continent. CHAPTER 111. DENVER AND COLORADO SPRINGS. We reached Pueblo, the chief city of South- ern Colorado, on the evening of April loth, where we were delayed for two hours, owing to a wash-out. The Spanish-speaking people and the French hunters and trappers who lived in this section before the march of improvement began, gave queer-sounding names to the moun- tains, streams, and the small settlements as they began to be formed. Pueblo is a sample ; but when the early settlers came they soon changed all this, and the brakemen on the Western roads certainly have cause to be thankful that plain Anglo-Saxon names have replaced the queer titles that were common in the early days. It was so cold coming up the grade over the mountains that we had to build fires in all the cars, but when we reached Denver we found the weather warm and pleasant. Our stop at i6 Denver aiid Colorado Springs. i 7 this point was made more agreeable from the fact that we received our mail, which had come over the Union Pacific line from Chicago. We sent a mail-bag East with letters from all parties to relatives and friends at home. The chronicler of the expedition had talked into a phonograph a diary of the experiences that had befallen the party since starting from New York. The cylinders containing this ma- terial were included in the outeoine mail, and were in such a shape that they could be trans- cribed by a clerk into *' every-day English." Denver has a right to lay claim to the title " Queen City of the Plains " ; it is to-day one of the largest and, in many respects, one of the handsomest towns in the West. Twenty years ago its population was only fifteen hun- dred ; to-day it has over eighty thousand inhabitants. Thirty years ago the inhabi- tants formed an odd social mixture. There were refined and educated men fi'om the Eastern towns, and there were rough and dis- reputable characters, hailing from the purlieus of our great cities and the rough settlements of the far West, all animated with one pur- pose — the search for gold. In 1873 Denver suffered from the financial disaster which had 1 8 To California and Alaska. been felt in the East, and in 1875 and 1876 it was visited with the grasshopper plague, which resulted in a great loss of crops and the with- drawal of a large amount of capital from the banks. After these clouds of adversity came the sunshine of prosperity, only two years later, in 1877, when the export of beeves was the largest ever known. Two years ago the real-estate sales amounted to $29,345,451, an increase of eighteen millions over those for the year 1886. Though Denver is a thorough, go-ahead, practical city, where money and business en- terprise are highly appreciated and made the most of, it is claimed that the town contains more resident college graduates than any other town of the same size in the United States. It makes no pretensions to be a literary cen- tre ; the class of literature found in its whole- sale and retail book-stores, however, shows it to be abreast of the culture of the day. Denver may be called the commercial centre of Colorado, and, in some respects, resembles the thriving town of Springfield, Massachu- setts, It is situated on a series of plateaus, fifteen miles from the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The selection of the site was Denver and Colorado Springs. 19 made by accident. The early gold-hunters who went into the State found a few grains of gold in the sandy bed of Cherry Creek, a small stream that flows into the South Platte River near the town. The hunters called the place Auraria, a decidedly appropriate cogno- men. When it became known that gold had been found in this vicinity, hunters came from all parts of the States as well as New Mexico, and it became, even for those times, a thriving settlement, where hunters and miners could replenish their stores and complete their out- fits for expeditions into the mountains. As a matter of fact very little gold was found here, but the adventurers kept up the delusion of the fabulous richness of the mountain placers as long as they could. When the bubble finally burst, the town was named Denver, in honor of Col. }. W. Denver, who was then the Governor of Kansas, in which all this mountain region was at that time included. Fifteen railroads to-day centre in Denver. The Union Depot would be a credit to any of our well-developed Eastern cities. It is con- structed almost entirely of stone quarried in the State, and is 503 feet long by 69 feet wide. The central tower is 165 feet high, and con- 20 To California and Alaska. tains an illuminated clock. An idea can be formed of the immense amount of railroad traffic carried on in this structure when it is stated that over two hundred thousand pieces of baggage are handled within its walls in the course of a year. Denver is practically supported by the three great industries, mining, agriculture, and stock- raising. Though silver was not found until 1870, the yield of that metal in 1886 was nearly $17,000,000. Ore is sent to the city not only from Colorado but from New Mexico and Old Mexico, Montana, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and South America. Of six million acres of agricultural land in Colo- rado, two thirds have been taken up, and mil- lions of dollars are invested in raising cattle and sheep. The city itself has a very inviting appear- ance. We drove through Its handsome streets, and admired the beautiful residences and buildings to be seen on every hand, not for- getting that this wonderful development was the growth of the last twenty-five years. After seeing everything of interest in the city, and obtaining certain necessary supplies, we left for Colorado Springs. This is a beauti- Denver and Colorado Springs. 2 1 ful city, charmingly situated at the toot of Pike's Peak. When Lieutenant Zebulon Pike was ordered, in 1806, by General Wilkinson, to explore the region between Missouri and the frontier of Mexico, he described the great peak, saying that it "appeared like a small blue cloud." He named it Mexican Mountain, but afterwards, in honor of his bravery, it was given the name of Pike's Peak. It may not be generally known that we owe the existence of Colorado Springs to a railroad company — or rather, to the National Land and Improvement Company, which was started by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway Com- pany. This organization purchased a tract of land, five miles distant from the Springs, and spent large sums in laying out broad streets and planting along their sides rows of cotton- wood trees. It expended forty thousand dol- lars for the construction of a canal so that water could be brought to the town. In order to develop the place, it gave a valuable build- ing lot for church purposes to each of the Christian denominations. Each deed of land provided a heavy penalty in case liquor should ^ be sold, or otherwise disposed of, on the / premises. • 22 To California and Alaska. How far these temperance principles are carried out at the present time, we do not know. We have heard, however, that when a man wants his beer, he gets a certificate of membership in a "beer" club, thus becoming a shareholder, and the law cannot prevent him from usine the beverage. Colorado Springs is noted, far and near, as a health resort, and, durine the summer months, its hotels are crowded with health- seekers from Western Kansas and Southern California. In the winter season many New Yorkers and residents of our large Eastern cities are seen on its streets. According to competent medical authority, the climate and waters are good in cases of nervous exhaustion, bad circulation, defective nutrition, and ma- laria. The climate is also said to be good for consumptives, setting the healthy processes of life going with increased vigor. Persons who are affected with heart trouble, however, are not advised to visit this section of the country. CHAPTER IV. THE PARKS OF COLORADO. On the morning of April 12th, soon after breakfast, our party divided, some starting in carriages, and some on horseback, for Manitou and the Garden of the Gods, others taking a different direction. Manitou, much to the deHght of its resi- dents, has gained the name of the Saratoga of the West. It is about five miles from Colorado Springs, and has grown from a small settlement of log cabins to a good-sized village. It lies at the base of Pike's Peak, and seems perfectly hemmed in by surround- ing hills, and altogether shut off from the outside world. The air is very fine, and the waters are said to be a cure for rheumatism, liver troubles, blood poisoning, and diabetes. It seems that the Indians of Colorado, in early times, were in the habit of using these waters 23 24 To Califor7iia and Alaska. when they felt the need of a tonic. The bene- ficial effects of the climate and the waters are illustrated by the saying of the Western man, that he was kept there simply as an example of what the country would do for a man, add- insf, that he came from Chicago on a mattress. " The Garden of the Gods " is the fanciful title which has been bestowed upon a valley of small dimensions, lying about four miles from Colorado Springs. Its special features are a number of shelf-like rocks, upheaved into perpendicular position, some of them rising to about three hundred and fifty feet in height. The road enters the Garden through a narrow passage-way, between two towering but narrow ledges of cliffs. This entrance is called the gateway. The rocks are mostly of a very soft brilliantly red sandstone, although one ridge of cliffs is of a white sandstone. Some of the foot-hills in the vicinity are sur- mounted by similar upheavals, forming ridges of serrated rock, while round the main cliff in the valley are separate spire-like columns. These rock formations for years have been a feature of peculiar interest to the geologist. These parks are really nothing more than large fertile valleys, shut in by the spurs or The Parks of Colorado. 25 branches of the Rocky Mountains. North Park, which lies in the extreme northern part of the State, has not been thoroughly explored and settled, owing to its remote situation and colder climate. Its forests abound with bear, deer, and other wild game, and it is a favorite resort for the adventurous sportsman. Middle Park is directly south of North Park, and is surrounded by Long's Peak, Gray's Peak, and Mount Lincoln, each from thirteen thousand to fifteen thousand feet high. Its territory is made up of forests and large, ex- pansive meadows, among the grasses of which will be found wild flowers of nearly every hue. South Park lies below. It is surrounded by high mountains, and its climate and scenery are delightful. San Luis Park, in Southern Colorado, is about twice the size of the State of New Hampshire. In its centre there is a beautiful lake, and its mountains are covered with for- ests of pine, fir, spruce, oak, and cedar, and large meadows which produce a rich growth of grasses. Cattle obtain the most wholesome subsistence on the grasses of the plains below, and medicinal springs are found in every direction. 26 To California and Alaska. Monument Park, which is reached by the Rio Grande and Denver road, is so called from its resemblance to a vast cemetery containing monuments of a departed and long-forgotten race. These monuments are composed of a very close conglomerate, sur- mounted by a material of darker color and harder texture. Two of our party, on this occasion, with an engine and one of our cars, took a trip up the Colorado Midland Railroad, over the moun- tains, as far as Green Mountain Park. This is a beautiful, sequestered little nook, and con- tains a summer hotel, surrounded by green and well-kept lawns. There is a fountain, too, and the whole appearance of the place is in striking contrast with the cold peaks of granite and snow that surround the settlement. On our return we took up the rest of the party at a way station, and all returned to Colorado Springs. The scenery on the Colorado Midland road is extremely fine, and the journey was espe- cially interesting, from the fact that we saw some wonderful specimens of engineering work. The bridges and viaducts on this road are truly remarkable. In places the grade is The Parks of Colorado. 27 from two hundred and eighty to three hundred and ten feet a mile. The curves are very fre- quent ; the road-bed winding first through a tunnel, then passing over a precipice across gorges, all the time pursuing a serpentine course, now twisting this way, now that, in making the ascent of the mountain. So steep are the grades that not more than twelve freiofht cars are allowed to o-o down the moun- tain with one engine, and six of these are required to be equipped with air brakes. As the railroad pursues its winding way along the side of the mountain, the passengers can look down into the ororo-e below, and see the old road which the Forty-niners used in their perilous trips across the continent to the gold-fields. Many travellers, it is said, were waylaid and killed in this section by the Indians ; and many others lay down to die, utterly worn out with fatigue, after their long and unsuccessful wanderings in search of the precious metal. From Colorado Springs we went to Pueblo. At that place, through the courtesy of the offi- cials of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, an observation car was placed at our disposal, and we made a run over their line of about 28 To California and Alaska. forty-four miles to Canyon City, through the Royal Gorge, in which the Arkansas River runs. In many places the sides of the canyon through which this stream flows are so close that the only way a railroad could be built there was by putting rafters from one side to the other and suspending the track from them over the sureinof torrent beneath. Our party enjoyed this trip very much, and returned to Pueblo in time for dinner. Mr. Drake, Superintendent of the Atchison, To- peka, and Santa Fe Railroad, now left us, having been in our company two days ; he had shown us all the points of interest along the route. CHAPTER V. SANTA FE. On the morning of April 13th we left Trin- idad with one enormous consolidated loco- motive and one mogul locomotive, and started over the Raton Range. The grade at this point is very steep, and it took these two heavy engines to haul our train over. A little over thirty years ago, " the Army of the West," then under command of General Kearny, marched over almost the same route the railroad takes to-day. When the soldiers crossed the Raton Mountains they were often obliged to drag the wagons up with ropes on one side, and let them down on the other in the same way. At the top of the mountains we passed through a longf tunnel and then commenced the descent of the western slope. The tunnel is approached on either side by a very heavy 29 so To California and Alaska. grade, and in some places shows singular seams or streaks of coal in its inner walls. Mr. Dyer, Superintendent of the New Mex- ico division of the Santa Fe road, had joined us at Trinidad, and very kindly pointed out to us the objects of interest. We arrived at Las Vegas (which, in English, means " the meadows") about noon. It is at this point that passengers leave the train for the Hot Springs, about seven miles distant. The old Plaza, a short distance away from the railroad station at Las Vegas, is said to Santa FL 31 look about the same as when General Kearny, after crossinof the mountains, stood there and made an address to the Mexican people. There is an ancient church with a rude cross in front. A large singular-looking three-story building also attracts the attention of the visitor. This is a hotel evidently of a rather primitive pattern. A certain witty traveller once stopped here, and the landlord assured him that he had slept in the same bed which, centuries ago, had been occupied by Montezuma. In a burst of confidence the landlord also added that he intended soon to put an additional story on the structure. " I told him," said the traveller, "that he'd better put a new story on the kitchen, and another coat of whitewash on those slats I slept on." The weather in this section was warm, al- most summer-like. As we receded from the country we had just been visiting, we looked back and saw the snow-capped mountains to the north of us, in the distance. As we jour- neyed to the south their towering icy peaks gradually grew smaller and smaller, and when we finally gained a complete entrance into the Southern land, they seemed like mere specks on the horizon. 32 To California and Alaska. At Lamy, where we arrived about two o'clock, we left the main line and ran up to Santa Fe, reaching the quaint old city in a little over an hour. Our party there divided, some taking carriages and others walking, and start- ed out to see the town. The most enthusias- tic traveller would not call it a very inspiring place. The evidences of extreme poverty, dirt, and squalor were met with on every side, and these the bright sun and genial climate seemed rather to enhance than to modify. Poverty, when seen in some portions of a tropical climate, is neither sad nor dishearten- ing, but there was something about the ap- pearance of the poor of this town that was peculiarly depressing to the visitor. In a large public square we noticed a number of improvements being made by a gang of con- victs, who were guarded by keepers stationed around the fences, seated on boxes or other improvised seats, each one with a heavy Win- chester rifle across his lap. While in this part of the country we can- not fail to recall the fact that in 1527a Spaniard, landing in what is now Florida, made an over- land journey which occupied him nine years, passing through the country now known as Santa Fe. 33 New Mexico, and finally reached the City of Mexico. We have already alluded to the enterprising soldier and explorer, Z. M. Pike, who did much to start the profitable trade over what for years has been known as the Santa Fe Trail. This old town, and the settlement adjacent to it had, up to that time, been dependent upon Mex- ico for the various supplies they needed. Four men who started in 1812, animated by the spirit of commercial enterprise, reached Santa Fe in safety, but they did not get back home until nine years later, having been imprisoned on some pretext or other. In the following year, however — 1813, — the famous Santa Fe Trail was really opened. It is about eight hundred miles in length, and remains very much to-day as it was half a century ago, when the necessities of commercial intercourse led to its being opened. The first traders used mules or pack-horses in carrying their merchandise, and it was not until 1824 that it was deemed advisable to employ wagons in the traffic. After this method of transportation was introduced, the amount of trade increased wonderfully. The initial points were towns on the Missouri 34 T"o California and Alaska. River, about one hundred and fifty miles west of St. Louis. What a motley group of char- acters must have gathered at these centres in the early days of travel across the plains ! Of course there were traders, adventurers, plenty of that class of men who have failed in nearly every undertaking, and who may be called " the misfits " of life ; there were young men who came from the East to the new country, ready to take their chances in almost any kind of speculation ; and there were old men who thouQfht, as their lives were eoine out toward the setting sun of existence, their fortunes might as well tend in the same direction, and, singular to say, there were many invalids who believed that this rough journey across the plains, with its open-air life and excitement, might be to them a means of regaining the health they had lost. The quaint wagons, or "schooners," as they came to be called, were at first drawn by horses, then mules, and finally by mules and oxen. A party or caravan would number about one hundred wagons, and would be divided into four equal sections, each in charge of some responsible man. At night the caravan would come to a halt, form a Santa Fe. 35 hollow square, and each member, in turn, would be obliged to mount guard. If these lay soldiers could have stood up together, the sight of them would surely have furnished a greater fund of amusement than Falstaff's rasfcred band of warriors, for here were men representing not only all degrees of fortune, but all the leading nationalities, some of them, during their midnight vigils, as brave and tempestuous as the lion-hearted Richard, others exhibitintr the amusinor cowardice of Bob Acres. In addition to the merchandise, each wagon carried a good supply of staples, flour, sugar, coffee, and bacon ; for fresh meat they de- pended upon killing buffaloes along the route. One of the most interesting things we saw as we came down the Raton Rano^e through a pleasant valley, was the large " Maxwell Grant," representing one and three-quarter million acres. While we were passing through this section, we saw thousands and thousands of cattle roaming about, and twice during the day our train ran into a number of them that had broken through the wire fence, unfortunately killing a few of the poor creatures each time. It was a strange sight, also, to see beautiful ante- 36 To California and Alaska. lope occasionally dart up close to the track, and then scamper away at the sound of the locomotive whistle. Our journey over the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe road we found very interesting on account of the beautiful scenery along the route. The mechanical and working condition of the road, also, was far better than we had expected to find it. Its motive power is cer- tainly equal to that of any road in the Eastern States, and, as far as could be seen, it is kept in perfect repair, A word or two about our domestic life upon the train, to which, by this time, we had be- come thoroughly accustomed. It certainly seemed stranore to us, while travellinof through a wild and desolate country, to listen to the notes of the piano in the buffet-car, which we found the pleasantest of lounging places, as we spent nearly every evening after dinner there singing and playing, the ladies generally retiring about ten, the rest of the party about eleven, after talking over what we had seen during the day. It was a long journey for children to under- take, but they remained perfectly well, and it was surprising to see how quickly the little Santa Fe. 37 ones became used to the motion of the train. For two or three days after we started, it was a matter of considerable difficulty for them to maintain their equilibrium in their journeys about the car ; this was particularly the case with the baby. They had many a fail, which, however, in the excitement of the journey, they took with much good-nature, and it was not long before they could navigate about their swift-moving nursery with as much con- fidence as the oldest railroad conductor on the road. It was a matter of great good-fortune to us that we brought the dining-room car, for there was scarcely a meal at which there were not present one or two guests. On various divi- sions of the roads we travelled over, we enter- tained the officials who showed us so much courtesy, and it would have been utterly im- possible to have, cooked for such a large party in the kitchen of either the " Ellsmere" or the " Mariquita." We found, too, that our stores held out well, which was a matter to be thank- ful for, as it would have been very difficult, in fact impossible, to get some of them in the sparsely settled country through which we passed. We received telegrams from home 38 To California and Alaska. every day, and were thus kept e7i rappoi-t with the domestic scenes we had left, and we were careful to send dispatches quite as often to the members of our respective families. CHAPTER VI. SANTA MONICA. Owing to some misunderstanding, we were delayed in getting a crew on the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, and lost considerable time on this account. This was the only road we had been over which did not provide a division superintendent to call attention to the scenery and point out the objects of interest. The country was flat, and deserted-looking, and the train meandered through it over a poor road- bed at a slow rate of speed. As we came over the Arizona divide down to the Colorado River, the scenery was very fine. When we crossed Canon Diablo, the gruesome remem- brance came to us that but two weeks before that time a train was " held up " by robbers. While singing hymns on Sunday evening, at a station where the train stopped to take water, an old resident of the neighborhood 39 40 To California and Alaska. came to our buffet-car, the door of which had been left open on account of the heat. He received a pleasant greeting, and apologized for his intrusion by saying that he wanted to hear us sing the hymns and play the piano, as the music was something he never heard out there ; it was thirty years since he had been in any part of the country where religious tunes were sune. The scenery near a point called Flag Staff was very peculiar and different from anything that we had seen on this road thus far. An hour or so before reaching this point, we en- tered a large grove of yellow pine-trees through which we rode until we reached the station mentioned. We passed through the Mojave Desert early on the morning of Monday, April 15th; as there was a very heavy dew the night before, we fortunately did not suffer from the dust to any extent. This desert must truly be a terrible place to pass through on a hot summer's day. With the exception of the stubbly cactus, not a particle of vege- tation of any kind can be seen as far as the eye can reach. On our arrival at Barstow, the officials of the California Central Railroad gave our train Santa Monica. 41 a fine run over the San Bernardino Moun- tains. In the high altitudes which we trav- ersed we passed through snow near the summits of the hilltops ; then, coming down the mountain (tlie grade being one hundred and ninety feet per mile ;) we gradually entered a beautiful green and fertile valley. The town of San Bernardino, which was an old Mormon settlement, is located here, and just before entering it, we passed through an oranofe erove covered with a wealth of beau- tiful flowers. The ofrass in the fields was growing luxuriantly, and the contrast between the cold and desolation of the mountain heights we had just left and the beautiful valley we were entering was truly remarkable. The whole valley is walled in by bold and precipitous mountains formed of soft, white stone, giving them the appearance of white sand. Fruit of all kinds grows in abundance, particularly the orange and the lemon. From San Bernardino we took the Cali- fornia Southern road to Los Angeles, passing through Pasadena, celebrated for its orange and fruit groves ; the temptation to stop here was very great, but had to be resisted. At Los Anofeles the aeent of the Central Pacific 42 To California and Alaska. Railroad Company met our party, presenting a very kind letter from Mr. Towne, the Gen- eral Manager, who urged us to make our own plans for travelling over his road, stating that every convenience would be at our command, and adding that we should not hesitate to call upon him for any service we wanted. An engine and crew were placed at our disposal immediately with orders to remain with us as long as we required their services. We left at once for Santa Monica, a charm- ing watering-place on the coast but a few miles distant. It was here that we obtained our first view of the Pacific Ocean, the sight of which served to remind us more strongly than could a glance at our itinerary of the vast amount of territory we had covered ; for it was only nine days before this that we had left the Grand Central Depot in New York, and felt the warm hand-pressure of our friends who had bade us good-bye. Considering the number of nights we did not travel, and the number of days spent in visiting different points of interest, the trip had been truly re- markable. We had cause to be thankful, also, that there had been no accidents of any im- portance, and that all our party were in the Santa Monica. a-i enjoyment of perfect health. Every part of our train, up to this time, stood the trip re- markably well, with the exception of the brake shoes, the wear upon which was so severe coming over the Raton Range, that they had to be renewed later on. On our arrival at the sea-coast the children expressed their joy by scampering on the beach, and one of our party visited the swim- ming-baths in the vicinity. The air was de- lightful, and blossoming roses and flowers could be seen in the beautiful garden in front of the hotel. Santa Monica, though a small town, is beau- tifully located, and has been called the Long Branch of the Pacific coast. Its population is very largely increased during the summer months. The hotel, a magnificent building, standing against a mountain side, is owned by the railroad company. The upper stories open upon the bluff, and the lower floors upon the beach. During our stop here our train stood on a platform overhanging the Pacific Ocean at the edge of the bluff. We remained here until after dark. The night was clear and the moon shone brightly over the waves as they chased each other toward the beach. 44 To California a)id Alaska. The landscape was beautiful, and recalled those lines of " The Culprit Fay": 'T is the middle watch of a summer night, The earth is dark, but the heavens are bright, Naught is seen in the vault on high But the moon, and the stars, and the cloudless sky, And the flood that rolls its milky hue, A river of light on the welkin blue. What might have been a serious accident aroused our party quite early the following morning ; a servant notified us that the dining- car was on fire, and the crew could not put it out. The fire extinguishers had been used, but not with entire success. It was not until a portion of the roof, which was discovered to be very hot had been cut through that the flames burst through the aperture. The fire raged with considerable violence, but was quickly extinguished when once the source of the trouble had been found. The accident was caused by the use of soft coal in the kitchen range. We left Santa Monica at eight o'clock in the morning and arrived at Los Angeles after about an hour's ride. CHAPTER VII. LOS ANGELES. On reaching Los Angeles, a number of mechanics, who were in waiting, promptly re- paired the damage to our car, and the party went to a hotel for lunch. Los Angeles is the oldest and largest city in Southern California. It is situated in a narrow valley, on a river named after the town, and is about twenty-two miles from the sea. Along the banks of this river, for miles, are vineyards and orange groves, which are the pride of the place. The town has grown wonderfully during the past few years, on account of its reputation as a health resort. Here and there may be seen one-story houses, built in the Spanish style, their flat roofs cov- ered with asphaltum, which abounds in the neighborhood. There is a rich tin mine at Temescal, about sixty miles distant, and the 45 46 To California and Alaska. San Gabriel placer gold mines lie about twenty- miles to the northeast. The business portion of Los Angeles is quite handsome, and it is only in the Ameri- can portion of the town that the streets are laid out with that painful regularity common to most American cities. The original Span- ish quarter, not now, however, occupied by m Slk3 many members of that nationality, is separated from the American-built part of the town by what is called the "plaza" adjoming a good- sized hotel. There are large mercantile houses, bank buildings, and pretentious-looking hotels that line the broad main street, the regularity of which is occasionally broken by the appear- ance of a small adobe house. The orange-trees at Los Angeles bear at Los Angeles. 47 from seven to ten years of aoe • from the aire of twelve until they cease bearing they are said to average twenty dollars per tree per annum. At this rate, sixty trees to the acre, allowinor one thousand oranges as the average yield per tree, would give a gross result of twelve hundred dollars. Trees, in well-kept orchards, occasionally average fifteen hundred oranges each. It is said that an American settler has a grove in this place containing two thousand trees, which, when sixteen years old, averaged fifteen hundred oranges per tree, and has con- tinued to yield about the same each year since. Another man had a grove of sixteen hundred and fifty trees, some of which bore as many as four thousand oranges, the average being fif- teen hundred to the tree. Among other fruits that are raised in this section are apples, walnuts, pears, peaches, pomegranates, figs, nectarines, and olives. The income from English walnuts is estimated at from six hundred to one thousand dollars per acre ; from olives, at from two hundred to five hundred dollars ; the vineyards will pro- duce from ten to fifteen thousand pounds per acre. The olive is propagated by cuttings from ten to fifteen inches long, the slips being 48 To California and Alaska. '^ put into the ground perpendicularly about six or eight inches apart. The trees bear in four or five years, but they do not produce a full crop until they are ten or twelve years old ; they continue to yield, however, until they are very old. Trees that are threescore and ten years old will bear one hundred gallons of olives ; the average yield is about twenty-five gallons per tree. If the olive is to be pickled, it is gathered before it is ripe ; we get the phrase " olive-green " from the looks of the fruit at this time, for when ripe it has a ma- roon color, and looks very much like a damson plum. When the unripe fruit is gathered it is placed in tight barrels or casks, through which water is allowed to percolate ; then it is put in strong brine, and is ready for use in a few days. The methods for manufacturing the oil are being improved upon every few years, and, even in their crude state, were an advance on the old Jewish plan, which seems to have been to tread out the oil with the feet. Seventy trees to the acre should yield about one thou- sand four hundred orallons of berries, and twenty gallons of berries yield about three gallons of oil, which is worth from four to five dollars per gallon, wholesale. Los Angeles. 4g California olives are said to be better than the foreign fruit, because they have more sunshine and a richer soil. An olive orchard will yield about nine hundred dollars gross per acre. There is one old olive-tree near Santa Barbara that is thirty years old, and that has yielded forty-eight dollars' worth of oil for several years in succession. A grove of old olive- trees, which was planted by Spanish mission- aries, seventy years ago, is still a source of income to its owner. It is said that the largest grape-vine in the world orrows about three miles from Santa Barbara, and a pleasant story is told about how it came to be planted. At the end of the last century a young Spanish lady started from Sonora on horseback to visit the country in question. Just before leaving, her lover broke from a neighboring grape-vine a branch, tell- ing her to use it for a riding-whip. When the young woman arrived at the end of her jour- ney, being of a more sensible turn of mind than most young people passing through the sentimental stage of life, and wishing to pre- serve the gift of her lover, she planted the slip in the ground. The vine, according to the story, appears to have been quite as thrifty as 50 To California and Alaska. the far-famed been-stalk we heard about in our childhood, for it attained immense proportions, and astonished the natives. The trunk is four feet four inches in circumference. After reaching the heiglit of eight feet from the ground it sends out its branches, whicli are trained on horizontal trellises supported by posts ; so that the vine which started from a riding-whip is made to cover an area of five thousand square feet. Its annual yield for many years has been from ten to twelve thou- sand pounds of grapes. By a singular coinci- dence, a fig-tree grows near by, over which a portion of the vine extends, so that literally the owner of this vineyard could sit down under her own vine and fig-tree. The lady died when she was one hundred and thirteen years old. Much of the past beauty of this vine was destroyed when a portion of it was sent to the Centennial Exhibition a few years ago. It would have been pleasant, if we could have spared the time, to have remained longer in this section, one of the most interesting parts of the State. Southern California in- cludes seven counties : San Diego, San Ber- nardino, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Bar- bara, San Luis Obispo, and Kern. These Los Angeles. 51 counties contain about fifty thousand square miles, or more than thirty milHon acres of land, and represent nearly one third of the territory of the whole State. San Diego, the farthest county to the south, is large enough to be a principality. Gold was found in the Isabella Mountains, forty-two miles northeast of the town of San Diego, in 1S70, but the ore did not turn out to be very rich. Twelve miles from the town, which is five hundred miles from San Francisco, and twenty-five from Los Angeles, a stone monument, erected by the government, indicates where the terri- tory of the United States ends and that of Mexico begins. San Bernardino County, the largest in the State, consists in a great measure of dry and desert-like valleys, and inaccessible mountains. As already stated, there was a Mormon settle- ment here in 1847, t>ut it was abandoned by those people in 1856, when they went to Salt Lake City. What Southern California can do for the industrious immigrant is illustrated in the settlement called Anaheim, located twenty miles south of Los Angeles. This place was founded by an association of Germans in 52 To Calif 07'iiia and Alaska. 1857 ; the land, consisting of eleven hundred acres, being divided into fifty lots of twenty acres each, having a space in the centre for local improvements. The party, at the out- set, consisted of fifty members, all Germans, of different occupations and persuasions. The land was a barren plain, and cost two dollars per acre. The lots were fenced in by planting willows, sycamores, and poplars, and one half of each lot was set out in grape-vines. For three years Indians and Mexicans were hired to do the work, the stockholders pursuing their regular vocations at home. An irri- eatinof canal seven miles lonof was excavated, together with subsidiary ditches, thus securing the thorough irrigfation of the whole tract. In i860 the assessments were all paid in, the lots were assigned in a drawincr, and the owners took possession and went to work. Ten years later a million grape-vines were growing, most of them bearing fruit, and there were ten thousand fruit-trees on the place. The popu- lation numbered four hundred, and the village contained a public school, a post-office, and a church. CHAPTER VIII. MONTEREY. We left Los Angeles at three o'clock on the afternoon of April i6th, making a pleasant run to Mojave, where we passed the regular passen- ger train on its way to San Francisco. It was a beautiful, clear moonlight night, and the scenery, coming down the mountain, was so maenificent, that we regretted we had not started three hours earlier. The weather was so warm that we could keep the car doors open, and sit in the observation-room in the rear of the train, all lights having been put out. The odor and freshness of the vegetation, as we passed through the valleys, was something exquisite, and long to be remembered. With the beauty of the night, the magnificent scenery, and the fragrant exhalations from the surround- ing country, the hour was very late before we retired. 53 54 To Califoriiia and Alaska. When we awoke in the morning, about half- past six o'clock, it was in the middle of one of the most beautiful and luxuriant valleys we had ever seen. We had read much about the beauties of California, but the richness, the luxuriance, the boundless wealth of the vegeta- tion which we saw in this section was something far beyond even our greatest expectations. To be sure, we saw the country at its best, for we arrived there in the height of the spring sea- son ; it would scarcely be possible, however, to imagine any natural scene of this kind which could be more beautiful. Leaving the main line at Lathrop we went to Niles, from there to San Jose. The famous Almaden Mines are located about fourteen miles from San Jose. The view from the mountain at this place is full of wildness and beauty. There are elevated peaks to be seen in every direction, and the green hillsides are marked by the tracks made by sheep and goats, which love to feed upon the sweet grass and wild oats. The mountain road is bordered by flowers of a crimson and glowing hue, the Mexican sage, the wild gooseberry and currant, the scrub-oak, and poison-oak — a little shrub dangerous to touch, — and a profusion of un- Monterey. 5 5 known foliage, rich in coloring and luxuriant of growth. The miners and their families live in cabins and huts, of various sizes and degrees of comfort, built upon the broken surface of the mountain in a very irregular and pictu- resque manner. The ore from which quicksilver is procured is called cinnabar, and was worked by the Indians for the vermilion powder it contained, with which they used to paint their persons. A Mexican officer, in 1846, bribed the Indians to show him the location of the mines. A Mexican company was formed, named after the most valuable mines of mercury in the world — the Almaden Mines, in the province of La Mancha, Spain. The shaft of the mine runs hundreds of feet straight down into the earth, and the ore is brought up in iron-bound buckets. The men descend to their work, and come back again to the tunnel leading to the mouth of the engine-room, by means of the bucket. The tunnel is very dark, and its walls drip with damp. Among the miners are many Mexicans, who have considerable skill and ex- perience in this kind of work ; and there are also English, Welsh, Scotch, and Irish among the workers. 56 To California and Alaska. After a delay of half an hour at San Jose, we started for Monterey, at which point we arrived about ten o'clock. The place charmed us at once, being- one of the finest we had ever seen. We had all been talkino; of the beauties of Southern California, of the fruits of Los Angeles, of the beach at Santa Monica, of the richness of the country around San Bernardino and Pasadena, but the charms of Monterey exceeded anything we had thus far seen. The walks and drives throuo-h the Park were delightful, and the place, as a health resort, undoubtedly has no equal in the country. We were very pleasantly located on the sec- ond story of the Hotel Del Monte, facing the south, our rooms all being sunny, and our comfort provided for in the most thoughtful manner by the hotel proprietor. We met here several invalids, who spoke most enthusiasti- cally of the health-restoring properties of the place. They told us how they had stopped at Thomasville, the Hot Springs, at Las Vegas, Pasadena, and other places, of how they had suffered there in one way or the other, and added that after they arrived in Monterey, and had been there a few days, they felt as if they were on the sure road to health. Every- Monterey. 57 thing at this place tends to make one feel cheerful and hopeful. We noticed that the number of healthy people far exceeded the contingent of invalids, which is a very impor- tant factor in the cure of disease, and there were none of those depressing surroundings which are so often met with at the regular health resorts. The bathing pavilion connected with the hotel is certainly a wonder in its way. It is quite large, being about four hundred feet square, has a glass roof, and is filled with palms. In the centre are four large tanks. In the first one, used for women and children, the water is from three to four feet deep, and its temperature about eighty-five degrees. The next tank is about five feet deep, with a temperature of seventy-five degrees; the third about seven feet deep, with a temperature of seventy. The fourth tank is about eight feet 58 To California and Alaska. deep, and contains the natural sea-water, which is pumped into it without being heated. The accommodations in the way of dressing- rooms, in both the male and female departments, are perfect in their way. It is certainly one of the most complete bathing establishments in the country. Those who have read Dana's " Two Years before the Mast " will remember that he speaks of visiting Monterey, at a time when its life must have been very picturesque. He speaks of the pride people took in tracing back their ancestry to the Spaniards, saying that the least drop of Spanish blood was held to be sufficient to raise them from the rank of slaves and entitle them to a suit of clothes, boots, hat, cloak, spurs, long knife, and all complete, however coarse and dirty they might be. The native women were excessively fond of dress, and nothing was more common than to see a woman living in a house of only two rooms, and the ground for a floor, dressed in spangled satin shoes, silk gown, high comb, and gilt, If not CTold, earrines and necklace. He was struck with the fineness of the voices and beauty of the intonations of both sexes. Common-look- ing ruffians, with slouched hat, blanket cloak. Monterey. 59 dirty under-dress, and soiled leather leggings, appeared to speak pure and elegant Spanish. A common bullock driver, on horseback deliv- ering a message, seemed to speak like an ambassador at an audience ; in fact they seemed to be a people on whom a curse had fallen, which had stripped them of every thing but their pride, their manners, and their voices. The town was under Mexican rule at this time, its chief officer being a governor-general, appointed by the central government at Mex- ico ; then there was a commandant, and two or three alcaldes and corregidores, who were civil officers, elected by the inhabitants. Dana tells us that the houses at that time were of one story, built of clay made into large bricks, about a foot and a half square, three or four inches thick, and hardened in the sun. These were cemented together by mortar of the same material, the whole being of a common dirt color. The floors were generally of earth, the windows grated and without glass, and the doors opened directly into the common room. The men in Monterey always appeared to be on horse-back, and, there being no stables, the animals were allowed to run wild wherever 6o To California and Alaska. they pleased, being branded, and having long lariats attached to their necks, dragging along behind them, and by which they could be easily taken. The men used to catch one in the morning, throw a saddle and bridle upon him, and use him for the day and let him go at night, catching another the next day. We remained nearly two weeks at Monterey, thoroughly enjoying our visit. While we were here, a num.ber of mechanics came from San Francisco, by order of Mr. Towne, and overhauled our train, changing some springs in the " Ellsmere," " Mariquita," and buffet-car, and putting on a new coupler in place of the one between the " Mariquita" and dining-car, which we were obliged to repair at Detroit. The train was also thoroughly cleaned, both inside and out, and carefully aired. Every day we all went in swimming, while the afternoons were occupied with drives along the picturesque beach, or up the valley. On Easter Sunday we attended church at a little town called New Monterey, about six miles distant. As the children all showed a marked improvement in health, particularly the little girl for whom our trip was delayed, our stay at Monterey was principally on their account. Monterey. 6 1 Our evenings (which were generally spent sitting around a large open fire in the office of the hotel, which resembles very much the Profile House in the White Mountains, though of course the building at Monterey was a great deal larger and the ceilings very much ''NTHt, Cj NE/ir\/nON rtRLf higher) were varied by exhibitions on the graphophone, which we brought from New York, many of the people at the hotel never having seen one. It was the opinion of our party that this hotel was, without exception, one of the cleanest and most neatly kept 62 To California and Alaska. hotels to be found in the United States. On one afternoon we all went down to our train, after lunch, and gave a little reception to the friends we had made in the hotel, closing with an informal afternoon tea. Our cook had pre- pared a very palatable cold collation, and our crew took as much pride and pleasure in this social occurrence as we did ourselves. On Saturday, April 20th, one of those ex- quisite days that can only be found in this climate, we enjoyed a picnic given by two gentlemen of our party, in the pine grove on the ocean drive. Early on that morning, with the two stewards of our train, and servants from the hotel, they drove out to the grove and prepared the lunch. About twelve o'clock we took two large four-in-hands and drove out to meet them. We arrived about one o'clock and enjoyed a most delightful repast, after which one of the party took three or four photographic views of the scene. The neat appearance of the Hotel Del Monte, of which we have spoken, was largely due, according to the statement of its manager, to the use of Chinese servants, about sixteen of whom, divided into gangs of four, were con- stantly engaged in the work of cleaning. The Mo7itcrey. 63 head-gardener of the hotel grounds gave some very interesting information in regard to the manner in which they were laid out, Chinese laborers being employed to do the work. The Chinese, as laborers, are very impor- tant factors in the industrial civilization of the far West. Nearly every town west of the 7-/it.'CaJri' fc A y-T^ic/t/cA. ?'^^ of the journey. We alighted from our coach at the world-renowned Inspiration Point, which is a little green plateau, about twenty feet square, on the very verge of the south- west wall of the valley. The view from this situation, once seen, can never be forgotten. It embraces what mis'ht be called the whole 90 To California and Alaska. gamut of the natural and magnificent ; you see mountains, rock, perpendicular ledge, towering spires thousands of feet high, snow-clad mountains, bald peaks peering into the blue vault of heaven, barren domes of gray granite, water-falls, cascades, and brooks, green fields, and winding streams, — the whole Yosemite is here seen at one glance. There was a shelv- ing rock, upon which we were instructed to creep cautiously to the edge. It is no wonder that the first glance makes some weak persons giddy, especially wdien they are exhausted by the long ride. The beauty of the scene is indescribable in words ; the experience might be compared to a person looking over the edee of a g-rand cvclorama, executed on a magnificent scale, containino- all manner of natural effects, and absolutely perfect in artistic execution. The party were particularly impressed with El Capitan, which is, indeed, the most promi- nent attraction to the eve when coming^ down the mountain-side into the valley. This mountain, called, in English, the Great Chief of the Valley, although not so high, by several thousand feet, as some of its giant neighbors, is remarkable on account of its isolation, its The Yosemitc Willey. 91 breadth, its perpendicular sides, its bold, de- fiant shape, and its prominence as it stands out like a great rock promontory. It is three thousand three hundred feet in height, and the beholder stands in mute astonishment as he views its massive proportions. The Yosemite Valley was discovered in the spring of 1851, by a party under the command of Major James Savage, who, at the time, was pursuing a number of predatory Indians, who made it their stronghold, considering it in- accessible to the whites. The name Yosemite was oiven to it in the belief that it was the Indian term for grizzly bear. The valley proper can hardly be called a valley ; it is in reality a rift in the earth's surface. It may be described as a chasm, varying in width from one mile to ninety feet, with granite walls from one thousand to four thousand feet high. Masses of detached rock stand, in their soli- tude, like giant obelisks ; others have been split from top to bottom as though by a thunder-bolt. Throucrh the windinors of the valley flows a river, cold as ice and clear as crystal, its source apparently being from the clouds above. There is luxuriant vegetation, and the extreme of barrenness, the softest 92 To Califoniia and Alaska. carpet-moss and grassy lawns, the great ferns and wild roses, alternating with huge scattered rocks, where not even the lichen will cling. The traveller will note how the sunbeams brighten the summits of the giant mountains ; how the sunshine creeps down the sides of the cold walls, filling the valley with floods of golden glory, made brighter by the contrast of patches of deep shade, for there are some spots here which the sun never reaches — cold, and damp, and always dripping; and there are gorges with arms wide-open, as if forever to court the orb of day. Briefly stated, the chief features of the val- ley are its perpendicular walls, their great height as compared with the width of the val- ley, and the small amount of debris formed at the base of these gigantic mountains of rock. The general opinion is that these great moun- tains of rock have been gradually rent in twain from dome to base by some volcanic action and the chasm thus made widened by further volcanic action to its present width. The valley is one vast flower-garden ; plants, shrubs, and flowers of every hue cover the ground like a carpet ; the eye is dazzled by the brilliancy of the color, and the air is heavy The Yosemite J^alley. 93 with the fragrance of a million blossoms. There are trees of five and six hundred years' G^c c^T~f growth, of immense height, and yet in com- parison with the vast perpendicular clefts of rock they look like daisies beside a sycamore 94 To California and Alaska. of the forest. One interesting writer on the subject of the Yosemite advances the theory that it is possible that the spot may have been the Eden of Scripture. On the morning of the 26th we all, with the exception of Dr. McLane, left the hotel on horseback for the trail to the top of Glacier Point. This is considered one ot the most dangerous trails in the valley. At two or three places half-way up the mountain the wall on one side was actually perpendicular, and the path, not over two feet wide, was held up by a few small stones, any one of which if loosened would roll thousands of feet below. It was a matter of much concern to us that one of the ladies became very much frightened at this stage of the journey. If she could hold on to her horse, and retain her senses, we knew that all would be well, because the intelligent ani- mal would not go over the cliff. It was utterly impossible for her escort to be of any assist- ance, as, at this point, there was scarcely suf- ficient space for a rider to stand alongside his horse. Before coming to the dangerous place on the homeward journey, the lady dismounted and walked with her companion nearly to the foot of the mountain. California mustangs are The Yosemite Valley. 95 the horses used in this kind of service. They feed on oat-straw or mountain pasture, and can withstand very hard usage. The Spanish sad- dle is used, with high peaks before and behind ; the stirrups are covered with huge leathers which fall five or six inches below the feet, and the legs are protected by broad leathern shields. On the afternoon of the day we made our trip to Glacier Point some of the party made a trip to Nevada Falls. Dr. McLane and the writer, procured a wagon and drove to the Yosemite Falls, and other points of interest in the valley. The Yosemite Valley is situated on the Merced River, in the southern portion of the county of Mariposa, one hundred and forty miles a little southeast from San Fran- cisco. At times this river flows alone in a grave, respectable sort of fashion, then leaps over a precipice a hundred feet high, or more, then tumbles and foams its way through a de- vious course around massive rocks as large as a house. Sometimes it hops, skips, and jumps over its rocky bed apparently in playful mood ; sometimes its noise is almost deafening, some- times soft and low and musical to the ear. It flows on the western slope of the Sierra Ne- vada, midway between its eastern and western g6 To California and Alaska. base, and in the centre of the State, measuring north and south. It is a narrow stream en- closed in frowning granite walls, rising with almost unbroken and perpendicular faces to the dizzy height of from three to six thousand feet above the green and quiet valley beneath. During the rainy season, and when the snows melt, streams are formed on the precipices, shaping themselves into cataracts of beauty and magnificence surpassing any thing known in mountain scenery. Looking up the valley, from the foot of the Mariposa trail. El Capi- tan is seen on the left, and on the right, the Cathedral Rocks and a beautiful fall called the Bridal Veil, which jumps, in sportive glee, a distance of nearly one thousand feet into the valley. Long before the water reaches its rocky bed it is transformed into mist, and when the wind blows gently it is wafted hither and thither, sometimes forming itself into a thin veil, sometimes closing as if to hide its purity. The Cathedral Rocks on the east are nearly three thousand feet in height, and look like isolated church spires of solid granite, with rocky sides gently sloping from the base to the pinnacle, with no signs of vegetation on their rugged sides. As yet, no human foot NEVADA FALLS. The Yosemite J^alley. 97 has stood on that barren eminence. The Vir- gin's Tears Creek, directly opposite the Bridal Veil, is in a deep recess of the rocks near the lower corner of El Capitan. Farther up the valley is the group of rocks known as the Three Brothers, or " Mountains Playing Leap- frog." Looked at from below, the peculiar shape of these three rocks give them the ap- pearance, very much, of three frogs in the act of going through the performance indicated. The Yosemite Falls — three in one — are farther up the valley. The water dashes with great force over the rocks and plunges into a vast basin of rock beneath. Gatherincr strength, it again leaps forth, and falling between the North Dome and the Three Brothers, takes its final plunge of six hundred feet into the valley. The roar of the falls is heard at all times, but in the quiet and darkness of the night it seems as if the very earth were being rent asunder. There are no falls in the world that equal these in size and magnificence. Niagara is two hun- dred feet hiofh, but here is a fall more than ten times as high, and the renowned Staubbach of Switzerland is not to be compared with it. At the foot of one of the mountains is Mirror Lake, a pure, clear, cold body of water which 98 To California and Alaska. reflects, as in a looking-glass, the towering bat- tlements of rock above. To reach the Vernal and Nevada Falls the traveller rides through a valley carpeted with bright-colored, fragrant flowers, and is obliged to cross the river Merced. At the base of the Sentinel Dome is the Vernal Fall or Cataract of Diamonds. The falling cloud of white foam leaps over its rocky bed into a fearful declivity, making a tumultuous noise to which the roar of Niagara is as the sigh of the south wind. For half a mile below the falls the stream looks like one mass of foam. The Nevada Fall is twice the height of the Vernal, and is the grand- est of all the falls in the valley. There is an obstruction on the north side of the fall, which causes a division of a considerable volume of water, and makes it tumble by itself in mad cascades, that come leaping and dancing down the rocks. Visitors find no difficulty in going up to the very foot of the fall, where they can gaze at its magnificent power, and listen to its stupendous roar, until they are fairly drenched with the spray. The hotel at which we stopped at this point in our journey, although well-built and com- fortable in some respects, is as badly kept as Yoscinitc J \illcy. 99 any place of the kind we had ever seen. This is very unfortunate, because if it were properly managed the natural surroundings are such that visitors would be tempted to remain several days in the locality, instead of getting through their sight-seeing, and leaving the place as quickly as possible. When travellers first began to come to this section, the " hotels," as they were grandiloquently called, were nothing more than inns, where the ac- commodations were of the rudest possible description. We left the valley at half-past six on the morning of April 27th. The weather was cold, but bright. As we came past Inspiration Point we gave one last look at the grand scenery which had been to us such a source of pleasure for two days. We drove out the entire distance of sixty-four miles, and arrived at Raymond about five o'clock in the after- noon. Through the courtesy of the stage company at Wawona, the writer of the party secured a buck-board wagon, and, with his wife, drove all the way to Raymond, having one changre of horses. We were all sflad to get back to our car; by this time it seemed to us, in a certain sense, like a permanent resi- lOO To California and Alaska. dence, and so far as the cuisine was concerned, in looking back upon our hotel experiences in the valley, there was certainly " no place like home," for the table at the hotels did not be- gin to compare with our own. At half-past six o'clock the train left for Berenda. It was composed of a dozen freight cars, two Pullman sleepers, our car, and a coach. Half-way to Berenda, at one of the local stations, through the mistake of one of the switch-tenders, a switch was left open. Fortunately, the engineer was not running over twenty miles an hour at the time, and was able to prevent a serious accident by the immediate use of the air-brakes. We were all at dinner when the accident happened, and when the train brought up with a tremendous jerk, it almost upset everything on the table. On going out it was discovered that the engine had run on a siding directly into a lot of freiofht cars, sending some of them on to the main track ahead, knocking others off their trucks, and altogether making a pretty bad wreck. It took us over half an hour to clear the main line of debris, before our journey could be resumed. While driving out from the valley, we had Yosem tie J alley. lOI very cool and comfortable weather. On our arrival at Raymond we were surprised to learn that the people in that vicinity had been suffering from the heat. The evidence of the torrid state of the atmosphere was also to be seen on our car, the paint upon which had peeled off in many places, while the inside sash on the sunny side had been blistered by the heat, taking the varnish completely off. While going into, and coming out of the valley, we saw large quantities of quail, and our driver informed us that during the season the hunting is very good. We also passed a I02 To California and Alaska. flume, of wliich an illustration is given here- with. This flume is built of plank and carries logs and boards to a distance of seventy miles. It is about two feet high, two feet wide, and eight inches deep, with flaring sides, and the water runs through it at quite a rapid rate. When it crosses ravines or winds around the mountain-side, it is supported on trestle-work The lumber is sawed some distance up in the mountains, bound together in bundles of seven or eight planks, then let into the flume, and floated down stream to the railroad station. The part of the flume shown in the picture carries lumber down to Madera, a station on the Southern Pacific Railroad, one hundred and eighty-five miles from San Francisco. CHAPTER XI. SAN FRANCISCO. Early on the morning of April 28th we left Berenda on the express, and arrived at Oakland about nine o'clock. We found an engine waiting for us, which immediately took our car and ran us special to Monterey, where we arrived about three in the afternoon. The children were all well, and overjoyed to see us, and listened with unfeigned pleasure to the stories we had to tell them of the wonders we had seen. Our return was made pleasanter from the fact that we found three mail-bags awaiting us, and it took us several hours to reply to the generous batch of correspondence we found on our hands. On the following morning, Monday, we re- sumed our old habit and started immediately for the swimming-bath. In the afternoon, the writer engaged a buggy, and drove out to 103 I04 To California and Alaska. a ranch twenty-eight miles from Monterey, Cahfornia ranches often consist of thousands of acres, and are conducted on a very large scale. The word " ranch " has come down from the early Spanish occupancy, and is found, in some form or other, all over the State ; farm-hands are called " ranchmen," and a man is " ranching " horses when he takes them to pasture. We will take one ranch of sixteen thousand acres as a specimen. It ex- tends about four miles along a river, and there is not a field through which there does not run a living stream : these streams come down from the mountains. A flouring mill of great capacity is on one part of the ranch, and its wheels are kept running by the water from one of these streams. Between three and four thousand acres are sown with wheat and bar- ley, and, by aid of machinery, twelve hundred bushels of wheat can be made ready for the mill in one day. The whole process of thresh- ing, cleaning, etc., is gone through with in the field, and the grain at once put into sacks. Fifty horses or mules and about twenty men are employed from November until March, in making the ground ready, using the latest and most approved agricultural machinery. The San Francisco. 105 laborers live on the place in a house at a little distance from that of their employer. Wild oats grow of their own accord, and six hundred head of cattle live on parts of the ranch not under cultivation. Then there are twelve hundred hogs, and fourteen thousand sheep, the latter having a shepherd for each two thousand of their number. We bade adieu to Monterey on the morn- ing of the 1st of May, taking our special train. At Menlo Park we were met by the boys — Louis, Frank, and George Bird — who had remained at San F"rancisco in order to see the town, under the guidance of the Pinkerton detective, who, being an old Californian, was specially qualified to act as a guide. Louis brought some beautiful roses that he had pro- cured for us in San Francisco, and a number of flowers of the same species were also handed us by a resident of Menlo Park, after our arrival. After lunch we took carriages and rode out to Governor Stanford's stock farm. Through some misunderstanding, every one connected with the place, including Mr. Marvin, the manager, was absent. But after a little trou- ble we succeeded in o-ettino- a groom to show io6 To Calif oriiia arid Alaska. us some of the horses. We saw " Electioneer," and some of the stalHons, together with the celebrated yearling-, ''Electric Bells," owned by Miller and Sibley, and for which they paid in December, 1888, thirteen thousand five hundred dollars. He is a beauty, and very well-developed, and the groom assured us that his racing future was full of promise. After visiting the stables, we drove over to the University buildings which Governor Stanford is erecting to the memory of his son. The main building is after the Spanish style of architecture, only one story high, and with tiled roof. It is in the form of a square, with a continuous arcade or colonnade runninp^ around it inside. The interior square is con- nected with the outside by four large arches under each side of the building. These struc- tures occupy about four acres of ground, and when we were there a large body of men were at work on the premises, while others were engaged in grading and preparing the sur- rounding grounds. Menlo Park is beautifully situated at the foot of a mountain, the last of the sea-coast range. It is thickly wooded, and looked more like a park than any place of the kind we had San Francisco. 107 ever seen. The roads are kept in superb con- dition, and the profusion of flowers we beheld was somethinor wonderful. We drove through Governor Stanford's property, and saw his house and grounds ; also the large vineyard connected with it. Near his place, on the site where he intended to build a house, Governor Stanford has erected a mausoleum to the memory of his son. After our drive we re- turned to the car and left at once for San Francisco. Subsequently we had the pleasure of meeting the Governor ; also Mr. C. P. Huntington, who was about starting for New York. The Governor talked freely about horse-raising, and one could see that he was thoroughly enthusiastic on the subject. You cannot walk about the City of the Golden Gate without thinkincr of its wonder- ful growth and recalling its early history. Only forty years ago men were living on this very spot, for the most part in tents and shanties. Some adventurers formed part of the population, but they were soon exter- minated. Although there was an utter ab- sence of the refining influence of women, good women were held in profound respect. Life and property were secure though locks and io8 To California and Alaska. bars were iinknowai, and men trusted their money to people who a few hours before had been strangers to them. There was not a school, or a Protestant church, but men read their Bibles in their homes. The discovery of gold changed this condition of affairs, and brought to the locality the scum of the whole world — convicts from Australia ; the va^a- bonds of large European cities ; the toughs from New York, and " plug-uglies " from Philadelphia ; desperadoes from Central and South America ; outcasts from the South Sea Islands, and pariahs from all over the world. All kinds of crimes were common, and no man's life or property was safe. Then came the " Vigilance Committee," and the reign of swift justice, and finally San Francisco became one of the most quiet, law-abiding, well- governed cities in the world. San Francisco Is famed for its restaurants. It is said they number about four hundred, and that forty thousand people daily take their meals at them. They are of all grades and prices — from the " Poodle Dog," where a dinner costs from two and a half to twenty dollars, down to the Miner's Restaurant, where it costs only forty cents. There are also a large number Sail Francisco. 109 of French, German, and Italian restaurants where one may get a good breakfast for half a dollar, a lunch for twenty-five cents, and a dinner, a la carte, including claret, for seventy- five cents. A tenderloin steak (and the beef is said to be of an excellent quality), potatoes, bread and butter, and a cup of coffee, will cost fifty cents ; a lamb chop, potatoes, bread and butter, and coffee, twenty-five cents ; salmon, bread and butter, and coffee, twenty-five cents ; an omelet, or eggs boiled, fried, or scrambled, with coffee, and bread and butter, thirty-five cents, A grade lower down, but in places which seem to be clean and respectable, one gets three dishes for twenty-five cents, and may obtain quite a decent meal for from twenty to thirty cents. The European habit of livino- in lodofines and takingf meals at res- taurants is very much in vogue in San Fran- cisco. Among the hotels is one which may be called a California peculiarity. It is what would be called a second- or third-class hotel, but serves excellent meals and lodgings at fifty cents each ; this place grew popular under the patronage of the miners, who, when they come into town from their distant camps and cabins, insist on having good fare though they are no To California and Alaska. rather indifferent to the manner in which it is furnished. This hotel has a special office for receiving clothes to be washed and mended, a well-chosen popular library with five thousand volumes, full files of newspapers and maga- zines, an extensive and valuable cabinet of minerals, and a beautiful collection of stuffed birds, all for the accommodation and enter- tainment of its oruests. Its readine-room is generally well-filled with plain, rough-looking men, each with book or newspaper in hand. The rule of the establishment is for every guest to buy a supply of tickets for meals and lodgings on his arrival, at the uniform rate of fifty cents each, and the proprietor redeems, with cash, what have not been used up when the customer leaves. One feature of San Francisco life is its bar- rooms ; many of which are fitted up in a style of almost Oriental grandeur. They are fur- nished with immense mirrors, reaching from floor to ceiling ; carpets of the finest texture and the most exquisite patterns ; luxurious lounges, sofas, and arm-chairs ; massive tables covered with papers and periodicals, while the walls are adorned with beautiful and expensive paintings. Some years ago a picture which San Fra'>icisco. \ 1 1 had hunar on the walls in one of these drink- ing-places was sold for twelve thousand five hundred dollars. Some of the keepers of these places are said to be men of consider- able education and culture. One of them, some years ago, was an art critic for a leading local newspaper, and wrote a readable book of San Francisco reminiscences. There are two classes of these saloons which furnish a mid- day repast far too pretentious to be called a "free lunch. " In the first a man gets a drink and a meal ; in the second, a drink and a meal of inferior quality. He pays for the drink (twenty-five or fifteen cents, according to the grade of the place) and gets his meal for noth- ing. This consists, in the better class of es- tablishments, of soup, boiled salmon, roast beef of excellent quality, bread and butter, potatoes, tomatoes, crackers and cheese. On the subject of eating, it may be said that the San Francisco markets supply almost every conceivable want of hungry humanity. The products of every clime are brought to the city. You can enjoy such luxuries as green peas, fresh tomatoes, celery, and cauliflower every day in the year, and even strawberries may be a perennial delight. Here, for months 112 To California and Alaska. in succession, are grapes of many varieties, at from two to fifteen cents a pound ; here are apples from Northern California and Oregon, pears, figs, peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums, and blackberries from the neighboring valleys, and oranges, lemons, limes, and bananas from the southern counties, all in fullest perfection of form and ripeness, and at moderate prices by the pound — for fruits and vegetables are uniformly sold by weight. Salmon is plenti- ful throughout the year at ten to twenty cents a pound, with smelts, soles, herrings, cod, bass, shrimps — in fact, every treasure of the sea, while the variety of game is unequalled. The Eastern visitor is struck with the good management of the Wells & Fargo Express Company, which has been a great convenience in the far western part of the country. It ex- tends to every village, almost to every mining camp, in the Pacific States and Territories. It is said that the first three establishments set up in a new mining town are a restaurant, a billiard-saloon and a Wells & Fargo office ; these three enterprises represent the first stage of civilization. In the early days the company carried more letters on the Pacific coast than the QTovernment did, for, though it first paid San Francisco. 1 1 3 the government postage on every one, and then added its own charges, the certainty and promptness of its carriage and dehvery being ahead of the post-office department, made the agency very much in favor with the pubHc. It has carried as many as three mihions of letters in the course of a year. It does errands of every sort, and to every place ; it exchanges gold and greenbacks ; it buys and sells gold and silver in the rough ; it owns all the princi- pal stage lines of the interior ; and it brings to market all the productions of the gold and silver mines. On the morning of May 3d, by invitation of General Miles, commanding the Department of the Pacific, who had called upon us on the preceding afternoon, and kindly extended to us the use of the government steamer for a sail in the harbor, we went to the Mission Street wharf and boarded the vessel McDow- ell. We sailed out through the Golden Gate, visited the fortress and the Union Iron Works, where they were building the San Francisco ; we saw the Charleston, which had just been completed, and was lying in a dock near by. About twenty-three miles from the Golden Gate are the Farallon Islands. They are six 114 -^ California and Alaska. rugged islets, and the meaning of the word Farallon, which is Spanish, is a small pointed islet in the sea. These islands are seldom visited by travellers or pleasure-seekers. On one of them is a government light-house, a brick tower seventeen feet high, surmounted by a lantern and illuminating apparatus. There is also a fosf-whistle, which is a huije trumpet, six inches in diameter at its smaller end, and which is blown by the rush of air through a cave or passage connecting with the ocean. One of the numerous caves worn into the rocks by the surf had a hole at the top, through which the incoming breakers violently expelled the air they carried before them. This cave has been utilized. The mouth-piece of the trumpet or fog-whistle is fixed against the aperture in the rock, and the breaker, as it dashes in, blows the fog-whistle, which can be heard at a distance of seven or eight miles. The light-house keepers and their families on the only inhabited island pass a very lonely life. Their house, which is built under the shelter of the rocks, seems to be open to per- petual storm ; the sound of the ocean's roar is never absent day or night; wild birds scream, San Francisco. 1 1 5 sea-lions howl, and every now and then there are dreadful storms to make the din more hideous. During the winter season the sup- ply vessel is unable, sometimes, to make a landing for weeks at a time. The islands are inhabited by multitudes of sea-lions, and vast numbers of birds and rabbits. The latter ani- mals are descendants from a few pairs brought to the islands, many years ago, by a specula- tor who intended to make a rabbit warren for the supply of the San Francisco market. The animals increase very rapidly, so much so that sometimes hundreds of them perish of starva- tion and general weakness. The sea-lions con- gregate by thousands upon the cliffs, many of them bigger than an ox. They lie in the sun upon the bare and warm rocks, or, climbing to high summits, fall asleep and finally plunge into the ocean below. They are sometimes caught by the use of the lasso, which has to be held by half a dozen men, or quickly fastened to a projecting rock, or the seal would surely get away. The wild birds which breed on these deso- late islands are gulls, murres, shags, and sea- parrots, the last a kind of penguin. For many years a company has gathered from these ii6 To Calif oiniia and Alaska. islands the eggs of the murre, the season last- ing from the middle of May until the last of July. About twenty men are employed in this work, living on the island during the time in rude shanties near the usual landing-place. The eeOfs are laid in the most inaccessible places, and the eggers are obliged to climb to points which a goat would hesitate about ap- proaching. The egger cannot carry a basket, but puts the eggs into his shirt-bosom, and when he has collected a sufficient number he takes them down the cliff to some place to de- posit, where they can be put in baskets, and subsequently taken to the regular receiving- house near the shore. These eggs are largely used in San Francisco by the restaurants and by bakers for omelets, cakes, and custards. In the early days of California, when pro- visions were high-priced, the ^^^ gatherers were very lucky. Once, in 1853, a boat ab- sent but three days brought in one thousand dozen, and sold the whole cargo at a dollar a dozen ; and in one season thirty thousand dozen were gathered, and brought an average of but little less than this price. On our return we reached San Francisco about half-past twelve, going to the Palace San Francisco. i i 7 Hotel for lunch ; then went to Oakland with Mrs. Webb, where the train had been taken on a transport. We remained there until evening, taking on a large supply of groceries, the first since we had left New York. Our cars were put on the end of a regular train, this being the first time that we did not run special. The transport Solajio, that took us across to Sacramento, is capable of holding fifty-two freight cars and four engines. It is four hundred and fifty feet long, sixty-four feet wide, and has four tracks. This is probably the widest vessel afloat ; her extreme width over guards is one hundred and sixteen feet, and she has four paddle-wheels, each thirty feet in diameter. Mr. Towne came over to see us off, and we found it difficult to express our thanks and gratitude for the kind and considerate manner in which he and his people had treated us since we had been on their line. It would be a most difficult task for us to find a way to re- pay this gentleman for the courteous, thought- ful, and generous treatment we had received at his hands. CHAPTER XII. SAN FRANCISCO: THE CHINESE QUARTER. The evening of Wednesday the first of May was spent by the gentlemen of the party in a visit to the famous Chinese quarter of San Francisco. We were accompanied by our de- tective, and on this occasion saw more dirt, filth, and degradation than we imagined could exist in any city in the United States. The Chinese quarter of San Francisco lies principally in Dupont and Jackson streets, and within a stone's throw of the fashionable thoroughfare around Kearney Street, which was briirht and crowded on the nieht we made our excursion, its gay shops all ablaze with lights. Individually the Chinaman may be clean ; collectively he is just the opposite. The Chinese cook keeps his coppers and pans clean and bright, washes his hands frequently while pursuing his vocation, but go to his ii8 San Francisco : The Chinese Quainter. 119 home and you will find him living in a state of squalor and dirt which is truly shocking. Fifteen or twenty Chinamen will live, sleep, and cook in a hovel or cellar twelve feet square, having only a door for the purpose of admitting light and air. When the occupants are not cooking they are lying in their rude bunks on the side of the apartment, either sleeping or smoking opium. The boarding- houses established by the Chinese Companies soon become grimy and dirt-encrusted from cellar to roof. The Chinamen will live under the sidewalks, under staircases, in cramped bunks, and on rickety platforms, and when a building has once been occupied by Chinese, it must always remain a pest-hole or be torn down. The Chinese seem to have a particular affin- ity for subterranean dwellings. You go down a ladder-like staircase into a cellar, where you might expect to find coal or barrels stowed away, and, lo and behold, you are standing in a barber-shop. You pass farther along and find yourself in an underground pawnbroker's, the apartment very close and stuffy, and dimly lit by a feeble flaring lamp. The shop is crammed with every possible object on which I 20 To California and Alaska. a dollar can be raised. In one corner there is a heap of old clothes ; there are clocks, and an assortment of pistols and knives of all sorts, from the pocket penknife to a pair of murderous-looking- blades which seem espe- cially adapted for literally slicing a man to pieces. Beyond the pawnbroker's shop you will find an apartment dark, unventilated, and very much like the steerajje cabin of an emigrant steamer. There are wooden shelves, or bunks, on the sides of the wall, screened by ragged curtains. In each bunk there is a Chinaman, who is smoking his pipe of opium. He will take a pinch of the dark, jelly-like substance on a wire, melt it over a little lamp with which he is provided, then smear it over the aperture in the pipe, and draw it with great, deep breaths into his lungs. Many Chinamen lit- erally live in these dens. They pay so much rent for their bunk, in which they keep their few worldly possessions, and do their simple cook- ing in a little court outside of the building. Others work part of the day, and stay at the opium den at night. The opium pipe consists of a straight or slightly curved stem about eighteen inches long, with a bowl three inches San py an Cisco : The Chinese Quarter 121 round, in the centre of which is a small circu- lar hole. This leads to a smaller reservoir in the centre of the bowl, and a channel runs from this to the end of the pipe, which the smoker places in his mouth. The great aim of Mongolian existence, judging from what we saw, seems to be to get the largest number of human beings into the least possible space. The Chinese seem to herd together, to go in droves, and it would seem almost impossible that there should be a Chinese hermit. In this quarter of the town there are long, narrow, black alleys, so black that one has to grope his way, so narrow that the party must walk in single file, and so long that when you get to the end of them it seems as if you were miles away from the Golden City. You go through room after room, bur- row your way along narrow passages, under low rafters, and over slippery and shaky floors. You see nothing but dirt and rags and squalor, and the sickly odor of opium permeates every apartment. There are about ten heathen temples, or Joss-houses, in San Francisco, and some of them are fitted up with considerable splendor. The most noted was fitted up by a distin- 122 To California ajid Alaska. guished Chinese physician, a resident of the city. The temples are usually in alleys, the best one being in the third story of a brick building, and in each apartment there are a dozen or more gods and goddesses, representing per- sons who have once lived and performed some good deed for which they have been deified. There is a gong placed near the deities ; also an oven. In the oven gifts and written representations of prayer, which are bought of the priest near by, are thrown, and as they burn the gong sounds to call the at- tention of the spirits who are to receive them to the offerings made. The deities represent different qualities, Joss being the supreme deity. There is a god of War, and there is a goddess of Mercy. The latter image was brought from China by the physician above referred to, and cost eiorht thousand dollars. The story about her is this : She was a fine young woman, and in order to escape a disa- greeable marriage went to the house of a religious sisterhood. Her father burned the buildings, but her prayers saved the occupants. Her mission in the other world is to look after the souls of those who have no friends here, or who have friends that are unmindful and San Francisco : The Chinese Quarter. 123 negligent. One image represents a wretched looking being who has lost his soul through the commission of some great crime in this life. He is constantly in pursuit of his lost soul, sometimes in the act of grasping it, when it eludes him, and he is constantly obliged to keep up his restless search. The Chinese have no regular hours of worship, but come and go in the temples at all times ; they bow before the images in a perfunctory manner, and their worship seems to be as apathetic as their general demeanor. Most of these Joss- houses are dingy and carpetless, with tables covered with handsome vases, candlesticks, and other offerings ; panels of rare and curi- ous carving in bas-relief, protected by a gra- ting ; tinsel, trays of Joss-sticks, incense, and the gong, which gives forth a deep, sepulchral toll. The Chinese are inevitable gamblers, and the entrances to their gambling dens are guarded by two or three quiet-faced old Chinamen, who sit on little stools a few feet back from the sidewalk. These places are easily entered by the patrons of the estab- lishment, but should an unknown visitor, or ofificer, come to them, and give rise to the sus- 124 ^^ California and Alaska. picion that a raid was going to be made upon the place, the old man at the door would pull a bell, and such a proceeding would be made impossible ; for the moment the bell is pulled a big door, six inches thick, with heavy crossbars of wood and iron, is closed at the farther end of the hall. If this door should be passed, the intruders would find themselves in a maze, with heavy, barricaded doors at every angle, each one supplied with ingenious mechanical contrivances which will bolt and bar them. The tinkle of the bell also warns the gamblers, who fly out at rear exits, or up to the roof. That these contrivances for protection from interference are very ingenious, is illustrated by the fact that, on one occasion, while a cer- tain wonderfully active and efficient officer was hotly pursuing the Mongolians in one of those winding passages, he suddenly found himself hauled up to the ceiling, with his neck in a noose, and there he dangled until he was cut down by his brother officers. The sfamblinor orame which the Chinese in- dulge in is called "tan." It is a simple bank- ing game, and played by rapidly dividing a number of buttons into three or four heaps, the betting being whether the heaps contain Sa7i Francisco : The Chinese Quarter. 125 an odd or an even number. There is also a Chinese lottery, which in some respects re- sembles the game of " policy," played so extensively by the colored population of our large Eastern cities. On each ticket eighty Chinese numbers are printed. The buyer is allowed to cross out five or more of these numbers, and if any or all of them when drawn are found to be prizes, the money called for is paid. The drawings take place twice a day, and the prizes are five, varying from twenty-five cents to one hundred dollars. The price of the tickets is from ten cents to one dollar. Chinamen have many fights and quarrels among themselves, growing out of personal jealousies and rivalry. These may not be so common at the present time, but only a few years ago assassination was recognized as a legitimate means of settling a difficulty, and such placards as the following, offering rewards for the removal of any disagreeable individual, were not at all uncommon : " The members of the Wing Ye Tong Society offer a reward, on account of Cheung Sam's shoe factory vio- lating our rule. '' Consequently, our society discontinued work. 126 To California and Alaska. " Unless they comply with our rules again, we will not work. " Some of our workmen secretly commenced to work for them. " We will offer $300. to any able man for taking the life of one of those men who secretly commenced to work, and $500. for the killing of Sam Lee. " We write this notice and seal by us for certainty. "The reign of Quong Chue, in the second year. The fourth of Chinese P^ebruary. ,, ,,. ,^ rj. ■' " Wing Ye Tong. Chinese assaults were quite common a few years ago, so common indeed, that the local newspapers made mere items of the occur- rences, though some of the difficulties were what we would call of a vary grave character. A captain of police, hearing a disturbance, once went into one of the narrow alleys to see what was the trouble. He found there a Chinaman on the ground holding up his hands to shield his face. Another Chinaman was standing over him, a knife in each hand, slash- ing away as hard as he could. The fingers of the unfortunate victim were rapidly being hacked to pieces, the side of his face was a bubbling fountain of blood, his scalp was laid bare, and his nose cut to pieces. The would- be murderer was arrested and sentenced to ten years in State-prison, and died there before San Francisco : TJic Chinese Quarter. 127 his term expired ; his victim recovered with three fingers and a half, one third of a nose, a forehead divided in two by a red scar, and his head drawn to one side from the effect of blood-letting. The Chinese theatre is one of the institu- tions of China Town. It will seat nearly a thousand people, and has a pit, gallery, and boxes. The men sit in one part of the build- ing wearing their hats, and women are allowed the privilege of attending on holidays, when the gallery is reserved for them. The doors of the theatre are opened at seven o'clock in the morning, and the performance begins soon after, and continues until eleven o'clock at night, with the exception of an intermission at noon for dinner, and a couple of hours, from five to seven o'clock, in the evening. There is no curtain, no scenery, and the play is not divided into acts and scenes. When a man is killed, he remains dead upon the stage for a reasonable period, until he gets tired of his horizontal position, when he gets up, and quietly walks off the stage. The orchestra, consisting of a row of men, sit on the rear of the stage just back of the performers, and play gongs, cymbals, and other loud-sounding 128 To Califoj'nia and Alaska. Instruments dear to the Chinese heart. Wo- men do not take part in the performance, female characters being taken by men. His- torical plays usually last about six months, being continued from night to night until they are concluded. Nearly all kinds of business are represented in China Town, from the broker to the butcher, from the cobbler to the commission-merchant, from the tea-dealer to the thief, and from the goldsmith to the gambler. Many of the Chinese are cigar-makers and make a cheap and nasty quality of cigars. Many are en- gaged in boot- and shoe-making. A large number keep shops for the sale of pork. They are excellent fishermen. They work on the mountain roads and on new railways. They are employed in the sunny vineyards of So- noma, and clear snow-drifts from the great transcontinental highways. They have es- tablished wood-yards in San Francisco, and with baskets tied on each end of a pole, which they carry on their shoulders, they peddle vegetables in certain parts of the city. They manage to acquire a sufficient knowledge of English to carry on business intercourse, but their "pigeon English" is very grotesque and San Fi^ancisco : TJie Chinese Quarter, i 29 Here is a specimen, — a " pigeon English " rendering of the first three lines of "' My name is Norval" : My namee being Norval topside that Glampian Hillee, My father you sabee my father, makee pay chow-chow- he sheep, He smallo heartee man, too muchee take care that doUa, gallo ? CHAPTER XIII. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND MOUNT SHASTA. On the morning of May 4th, after leaving Redding, to which point we had now arrived, we gradually entered the mountains and ap- proached the far-famed Shasta Range, the scenery growing grander as we ascended the mountain gorge. The railroad crossed and re-crossed the Sacramento River eighteen times in seventy-eight miles. The forest was very dense, and the trees tall and large. On this particular morning, we stopped our train soon after breakfast, just as we were crossing a beautiful stream that emptied into the Sacra- mento, a short distance above Morley. Some of the party tried their luck at fishing, but we were not able to remain long, as we were afraid we might be overtaken by the Portland express, which was behind us at Redding ; as it was, our rear brakeman ran up to us and said that the train was coming up the moun- 130 No7'-thern California and Monni S/ias/a. I ^i tain. Our engineer had blown three whistles to call the party in, and before we could get away the express was waiting behind us, pant- ing, as if with impatience, to climb the steep grade just ahead. At Soda Springs, a short distance above Dunsmuir, there is an excellent hotel where parties can stop over and get good fishing. From Upper Soda we passed through a wild canyon, over trestles, the road windino- in a zigzag course up the mountain. At one point we could look down the great declivity and see three separate sections of the road on the side of the mountain, one below the other. From Upper Soda, where we left the Sacra- mento, it is not a half a mile by the path up the mountain to McCloud, but by the railroad it is eight miles. At this point we stopped our train, got out, and going to the edge of the mountain we could look down and see the day-express train winding its way up the ac- clivity some seven hundred feet below. Mc- Cloud is a lumber town, filled with logs and saw-mills. In its immediate vicinity is the McCloud River, which is famous for the size and quality of its trout. At Sisson, situated in the Strawberry Valley, a few miles beyond McCloud, we stopped and 132 To California and Alaska. had a fine sight of Mount Shasta. This moun- tain is not only the most striking topographical feature of Northern California, but the largest and grandest peak of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada rano-es. It stands alone at the southern' end of Shasta Valley. In approaching it from the north and south there is a gradual increase in the elevation of the country for about fifty miles ; the region near the base itself thus attains an altitude of three thousand five hun- dred feet above the sea. The mountain itself is fourteen thousand five hundred feet above the sea level. The ascent may be accomplished, in a favorable season, without much danger or difficulty, by stout resolute men. The extreme exhaustion realized in ascending mountains like Blanc or the Matterhorn is not experienced ; nor is the trial so dangerous, by reason of huge .fissures and icy chasms ; the main difficulty arises from the rarefied condition of the air, to which the system must adapt itself rather suddenly for comfort. The ascent is frequently made by parties who stop at Sisson and take two days for the trip, going on horseback to Sisson Camp, and the next morning on foot to the summit. Sisson Camp is just on the edge of the timber line. Parties go there, and Northern California and Mount Shasta. 133 remain for weeks at a time, making hunting excursions into the woods and remaining away for three or four days. The hunting in this vicinity is said to equal any that can be found on the coast from Portland to San Francisco, and the fishing is without a parallel. This region is, in fact, a hunter's paradise : grizzly, black, and cinnamon bears, are found without number ; elk and mountain sheep tempt the skill of the venturesome sportsman ; antelope are sometimes seen on the foot-hills ; while deer of all varieties, especially the mule and black-tail, are in such abundance as scarcely to be sought after. The view of the mountain from Shasta Plains is very grand. With no intervening mountains to obstruct the prospect, the base is seen resting amonof the dense evergreen forests ; higher up, it is girdled with hardy plants and shrubs to the region of frosts, and thence the sheetine snow. Durinor some sea- sons the ereat monarch seems to retire to gloomy solitudes and sits a storm king upon the clouds, invisible to mortal eye. A well-known writer, Clarence King, who made the ascent of Shasta, thus relates one of his experiences : " From a point about mid- 134 ^^ California and Alaska. way across where I had climbed and rested upon the brink of an ice-cliff, the glacier below me breaking off into its wild pile of cascade blocks and serac, I looked down over all the lower flow, broken with billowy upheavals, and bright with bristling spires of sunlit ice. Upon the ri^ht rose the crreat cone of Shasta, formed of chocolate-colored lavas, its sky-line a single curved sweep of snow cut sharply against a deep-blue sky. To the left, the precipices of the lesser cone rose to the altitude of twelve thousand feet, their surfaces half-jagged ledges of lava, and half irregular sheets of ice. From my feet the glacier sank rapidly between vol- canic walls, and the shadow of the lesser cone fell in a dark band across the brilliantly lighted surface. Looking down its course, my eye ranged over sunny and shadowed zones of ice, over the gray-boulder region of the terminal moraine ; still lower, along the former track of ancient and grander glaciers, and down upon undulating pine-clad foot-hills descending in green steps, and reaching out like promon- tories into the sea of plain which lay outspread nine thousand feet below, basking in the half- tropical sunshine, its checkered green fields and orchards ripening their wheat and figs." NortJiern Califor7iia and Mount Shasta. 135 In the forests around Mount Shasta are found the maple, evergreen oak, and several varities of pine, including the spruce, the cedar, and the fir. Chief among them all for symmetry and perfection of figure is the majestic sugar-pine, nearly equalling the red- wood in size, and excelled by none as a beauti- ful forest-tree. The Sacramento River rises far up on the southwestern slope of the moun- tain, far above vegetation and the timber line, and almost amid eternal snow. The McCloud, its principal tributary, rises on the eastern slope. After leaving Sisson, we travelled through the beautiful Shasta Valley, later in the day ascending the Siskiyou Mountains just before crossing into Oregon. This part of our jour- ney was exceedingly interesting. At the foot of the grade we attached to our train of four cars two large consolidated engines. In the distance we could see the road winding up the mountain. At the top of the ascent, ten miles before we came to it, we saw the entrance to a tunnel which is four thousand one hundred and sixty feet in length, and which our train subsequently passed through. The grade up the mountain was nearly two hundred feet to the mile. After passing through the tunnel 136 To California and Alaska. we came to Siskiyou, the highest point on the road. The view from this point was grand in the extreme. Looking down into the valley below we could easily distinguish the railroad wending its wa) northward, and it seemed in- credible to us that our train would also soon be in the same position. To the right and east the Cascade Mountain, extending fully four hundred miles to the north, loomed up into view. The grade on the north side of the Siskiyou Mountains we found more tortu- ous and much steeper than on the south side, and at certain places our train had to go very slowly, lest our cars, being unusually long, should strike the sides of the mountain. In making our descent we were obliged to cross many high trestles, to go through three tun- nels, and the road so twisted and turned that we could scarcely have told the points of the compass, much less the locality in which we were, if we had not been accompanied by the superintendent of the division, who helped us to a knowledge of our surroundings. When we reached the valley the scenery was of a very different character. We had rapidly been taken away from everything that pertained to a tropical climate, and the rich and profuse vegetation for which California is famous. NorfJurn California and JMoiint Shasta. 01 The region through which we were travelhng- reminded us very much of what we were accustomed to see in the East, more especially the pastoral life peculiar to the New England States. It was noted, too, that even the trees in this part of the country were similar to those to be found around our country home at Shelburne, Vermont, and very different from the varieties we had met with on the California slope. Ashland is the terminus of the Southern Pacific road ; it is four hundred and thirty-one miles from San Francisco. At this point we changed engines, and travelled over the Oregon and California Railroad, a line leased by the Southern Pacific. During the after- noon we stopped in the Shasta Valley and tried our luck at fishing in a pretty stream which, as we crossed it, looked as though it would give us some sport. The train was sent on about five miles ahead to a sidine, with instructions to return for us in about two hours. Our party got out of the cars and fished, but succeeded in capturing only a few of the finny tribe. Shortly after breakfast on this particular morning the following telegram was delivered to us ; it will serve to indicate, in some small degree at least, the generous and 138 To California and Alaska. thoughtful treatment we received at the hands of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company : ''Dr. JF. S. Webb and party : " Good-morning. I hope you are enjoying yourselves thoroughly. Do not fail to remember that I am at the other end of the wire, and call upon me for anything you want. A. Towne." The northern part of CaHfornia is, in many respects, one of the most interesting portions of the State ; it is particularly adapted to sheep-grazing, and it is said that there are not a few young men who have migrated to this part of the State, started with a few sheep, and are now wealthy. Although the largest flocks of sheep are in the southern part of the State, the best quality of wool comes from the north. Klamath, Humboldt, Trinity, Tehama, Mendocino, and Yuba counties, where no sheep formerly ranged, now send the best wool. A few years ago all the wool was sent by sailing vessels round Cape Horn to New York and England. When the Pacific Mail Steamship Company increased their carrying facilities, at the same time reducinor their rates of freight, it was sent by way of the Isthmus of Panama. At the present time nearly all the wool goes by the Central Pacific Railroad. Some enterprising sheep-grazers in the Sac- Northern California and Mount Shasta. 1 39 ramento Valley own a range in the foot-hills, and another on the bottom lands. Durino- the summer the sheep are kept in the bottoms, which are then dry, and full of rich grasses ; in the fall and winter they are taken to the uplands, and there they lamb and are shorn. Sheep are sometimes driven into the moun- tains, where they have green grass all summer, and it is not unusual to see groups of the ani- mals crossing the Sacramento without a driver, and in the fall returning, of their own motion, each to its respective owner. CHAPTER XIV. MONTANA. We arrived at Portland, Oregon, on the morning of Sunday, May 5th. Mr, Boothby, of the Pullman Car Company, met us on our arrival, and did everything in his power to make our stay pleasant and comfortable. We attended the Episcopal Church in the morn- ing, and in the afternoon drove over the town and through the park. Portland is the largest town of Oregon, and lies on the banks of the Willamette. We noticed that Sunday was observed with much greater strictness than in most towns on the Pacific coast. Large trees are to be found on every hand, and the few farms that are to be seen must have been cleared at very great expense. Portland was one of the first cities to be settled on the northern slope of the Pacific coast, but it is 140 Montana, 141 only within the past few years that it has grown much in population ; most of the immigration has been towards Tacoma, Seattle, and other towns farther north. The valley of the Will- amette is a most fertile region, and very attractive in its natural curiosities. Many remarkable instances are to be found here of those eccentric mountain formations known as beetlers — huge conical, isolated hills. We arrived at Tacoma about midnight on the 5th, and were placed on a side-track. It is evidently a new and certainly not a very in- viting-looking city. When we were there the streets were not paved, but were covered hub- deep with mud. The sidewalks had a very rough and crude appearance, and the whole settlement looked like a frontier town. Not- withstanding all this, however, there had been such a boom in real estate that the price of a twenty-five foot lot with a very ordinary build- ing on it was from twenty-five to thirty thou- sand dollars. Whittier may have had such Western towns in view when he wrote : I hear the tread of pioneers, Of nations yet to be — The first low wash of waves Where soon shall roll a human sea. 142 To California and Alaska. Behind the squaw's light birch canoe The steamer smokes and raves, And city lots are staked for sale Above old Indian graves. The weather was cold and rainy when we arrived here, and our spirits were at a very low ebb. A call was made upon the General Superintendent of the Pacific division of the Northern Pacific Railroad, who was found to be quite agreeable though very busy, and un- able to leave his office. He at once made arrangements to have us leave for the East over his road as soon as we could get some in- formation we wanted in regard to the fishing along the line. We did not go to Seattle, as it would have consumed another day. We stopped at the foot of the Cascade Range and fished for two hours without success. The superintendent of this division came down to meet us, and with two consolidation engines, each having ten drivers, took us over the range ; the grade, at this point, being one hundred and seventy-four feet to the mile. This range of mountains includes some of the loftiest peaks in the United States, among which are Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, and Mount Pitt. The first of this grand trio has a volcanic crest four- Montana. 143 teen thousand feet above the level of the sea ; on its northern side it is nearly vertical for seven thousand feet ; there the snows of winter accumulate till they reach the very summit, but when the summer thaw commences all this vast body of snow becomes disintegrated at once, and, in a sweeping avalanche, buries it- self in the deep furrows at its base and leaves the precipice bare. We arrived at Spokane Falls early on the morning of May 7th. Dr. Merriam, to whom I had telegraphed from Tacoma, met us on our arrival, and gave us some information that we had requested about the fishing. Spokane Falls is a very prosperous town, and the streets are well laid out and planned for a city of some thirty or forty thousand inhabitants, al- though the population at present is less than half the first estimate mentioned. This is the distributing place for the mines, and the great success which is just now attending those enter- prises is likely to materially raise the price of real estate. At eleven o'clock, on this particular morn- ing, we went to Hope, on Lake Pend d'Oreille. This is a new station and a divisional point of the Northern Pacific; as the railroad moved 144 T^o California and Alaska. its round-houses here owing to the water giv- inof out at the former terminus. We eot a boat from the Northern Pacific Railroad, and Mrs. Webb, Dr. McLane, and the writer took a sail on the lake ; the other members of the party went fishing in small boats and had very- good luck, catching trout near the shore weighing from two to three pounds. This lake is beautifully encircled by mountains, and is sixty miles long ; the water is from five hun- dred to eight hundred feet deep. There are no towns near it, and it is as wild a place as the traveller will seldom see. On the north- ern bank of the lake there is a very small place called Chloride, where the miners stop on their way to the Chloride Silver Mines. Before we left this locality for Helena, which we did the next evening at half-past six, the boys went out fishing again and returned with a very good catch. We arrived at Helena on the morning of May 9th, Mr. Shelby, the General Manager of the Montana Central (which is a part of the Manitoba system), met us on our arrival and took us over the road to Butte, the laro^est mining city in the world, where the celebrated Anaconda Silver Mines are located. After Montana. 1 45 lunch we took carriages and drove around the city, which struck us as being a very strange town. Half of the population worked in the mines during the day, and the other half dur- ing the night. The liveliest hours of the day were twelve o'clock noon, and at midnight, when the day gangs came up to be relieved by the night workers. The primitive manner of gathering gold in the Montana mines is rude and incomplete enough. In all the gulches, at depths vary- ing from six to fifty feet, is a bed-rock of the same general conformation as the surface. Usually this is granite ; but sometimes before reaching the primitive rock two or three strata of pipe-clay — the later beds of the stream, upon which frequently lies a deposit of gold — are passed. Upon the bed-rock is a deposit from three to four feet in depth of gravel and boulders, in which the gold is hidden. This is called by the miner "pay-dirt," and to re- move it to the surface and wash it is the end of mining. It is an expensive and laborious process indeed. The water has first to be controlled ; and in mines of not too great depth this is done by a drain ditch along the bed-rock, commenced many claims below. In 146 77? California and Alaska. this all the claim-holders are interested, and all contribute their quota of the labor and expense of digging it. The district laws per- mit ever)- person to run such a drain through all the claims below his own, and force every man to contribute alike towards its construc- tion, on pain of not being allowed to use the water, even though it flows through his own land. The water controlled, the rest is mere physical labor, which only bones and sinews of iron can endure. In the shallow dicrorincrs the superincumbent earth above the pay-dirt is removed, and the process is called "strip- ping." In deep diggings a shaft is sunk to the bed-rock, and tunnels are nm in every direc- tion, and this is called "driftinor." The roof is supported by strong piles, but these sup- ports too frequently give way, and hurry the poor miners to untimely deaths. The pay- dirt, in whichever way obtained, is then shov- elled into the sluice-boxes — a series of lonof troughs so made as to prevent the gold from washing past, or the dirt from settling to the bottom. The o-old beinof heavier sinks to the bottom and is caught by cross-bars called "rififles"; in the lower boxes is frequently placed quicksilver, with which the lighter par- Montana. 147 tides amalgamate. During the washings the large stones and boulders are removed by a fork. The heavy sand and iron are separated by a careful washing by hand and by the magnet. In the new and thinly settled countries of the West many ideas have always been ex- pressed by figures drawn from the pursuits of the people. Much of the language of the Indians is expressed by signs. So, with miners, their conversation is full of expres- sions peculiar to their vocation. The new settler is called a "pilgrim" or a "tender- foot." The term "adobe," the sun-dried brick, applied to a man, signifies vealiness and verdancy. A "corral" is an enclosure into which herds are gathered ; hence a person who has everything arranged to his satisfaction announces that he has everything "corralled." A man fortunate in any business has " struck the pay-dirt" ; unfortunate, has "reached the bed-rock." Everything viewed in the aggre- gate, as a train, a family, or a town, is an " outfit." A miner in criticising a certain lawyer in his neighborhood — " a great blower," as he would be called in the East — said ex- pressively : " When you come to pan him out, you don't find color." 14S To California and Alaska. The names of the o-ulches near Helena are very suggestive ; here are some of the most peculiar ones : Bean Gulch, Bilk Gulch, Boomerang Gulch, Greenhorn Gulch, Hell- Gate Gulch, Hail-Columbia Gulch, Hangman's Gulch, Hope Gulch, Ice-House Gulch, Last- Chance Gulch, Lost-Horse Gulch, Magpie Gulch, New-York Gulch, Peter's Gulch, Show- Down Gulch, and Yankee - Doodle Gulch. Helena is the second point of importance in the Territory. Near it are the low valleys of the Missouri, which are rapidly becoming the homes of thrifty farmers. In regard to the grazing qualities of this country, finer grasses have never anywhere been seen than between the Columbia and the Missouri rivers. Their nutritive qualities are apparent from the number and condition of the stock that feed upon them. Wild hay is cut from thousands of acres. The ofrass is mostly a wild bunch-grass, growing from twelve to eighteen inches high, and covering the entire country. Horses and horned stock by thousands, and sheep by the hundreds, all bespeak the wealth that is wrapped up in the native grasses of this region. Years ago it was prophesied that the wealth of this beauti- Montana. 1 49 fill region would eventually consist of thousands of fleecy sheep to be sheared ; the streams of the Rocky Mountains themselves might be caught and harnessed to the spindles and looms of wool manufactories to be erected, and the wool-trade with the St. Louis market would constitute a trade replete with wealth and magnitude. The city was started by a few emigrants from Minnesota, who discovered a ofold mine which, for several months, they worked quietly, amid their majestic mountain scenery, making no announcement of their wealth. In the winter of 1864 their secret became known, and a heterogeneous population was drawn to the locality. Claims advanced in price, and the discoverers reaped fortunes. A hundred ravines near Helena showed gold, and every one of them was soon claimed from mouth to source. The first settlement made here was called Last-Chance Gulch. The years 1865 and 1866 were those of the greatest excitement and immigration and gold production in the Territory. In the latter year, probably thirty-five thousand people were there, and twelve to fifteen millions of dollars were taken out, mostly from the sides and 150 To California and Alaska. bottoms of the gulches. Two men washed out a ton of gold, and from a single " bar" in Confederate Gulch three companies took a million and a half of dollars' worth. The ranchman finds in Helena a good mar- ket for his produce — butter, eggs, cattle, horses, sheep, etc. The majority of the ranches are stocked with the best, and it is not a matter of wonder that they furnish the finest veal, beef, and mutton in the world. It is a fact that cattle are herded during the winter months, and on the approach of spring are in better condition and fatter than cattle in the Eastern States which are corn-fed and kept stabled during the same period. The same remark also applies to horses and mules. Considering the newness of the country it is well supplied with produce. Thousands of tons of hay are put up every season, and esculent roots are raised in prolific quan- tities. We left Helena on the evening of the 9th of May, passing through the Prickly-Pear Canyon and following the Missouri River. The road crossed and recrossed the old stage route to Helena, which was abandoned only a few years ago. Montana. 151 Great Falls (at which point we arrived about eleven o'clock in the evening) is situated at the wonderful falls of the Missouri River, just where the Sun River empties into that stream. The town is beautifully located, and it is safe to say it has more natural resources, as a town site, than any other place in the country. At this point the Missouri River has a fall of five hundred feet in a few miles. The country around the town is a gently undulating plain, the land being of an excellent quality and varying from a sandy loam to a dark clay loam, without any admixture of sand. This description of country extends for miles around Great Falls, the nearest mountains, plainly in sight and densely timbered, being twenty-five miles away. The principal street is lined with business houses, built of brick and stone. Though the town is only three years old, it has a popu- lation of two thousand inhabitants, public parks, electric lights, a fine hotel, and public school-house. Eventually it will be the dis- tributing point for all the mines in the neighborhood ; it will be to Montana what Denver and the country surrounding it are to Colorado. 152 To California and Alaska. On the morning of the loth of May, with an engine and the buffet-car, we went to San Cohi, about sixteen miles south of Great Falls, where the new coal-mines are located. These mines were discovered a short time before we visited them, and have now been worked about a year and a half. They have a working thick- ness of from seven to fourteen feet. Previous to their discovery the railroad at this point was compelled to haul its coal from St. Paul, a distance of fifteen hundred miles, obtaining the greater part of it from Ohio. Since the discovery of the coal-mines a large smelter has been put up by prominent New York capital- ists, to smelt iron ore, which is found in the hills near by in great abundance. A railroad has been built to the mines, so that now the ore can be delivered to the smelter at com- paratively small cost. A million dollars has already been expended on this smelter, and a Boston company has lately erected another at a cost of half a million more than that sum. Heretofore it would not have been practicable to erect smelters in this part of the country, owine to the want of coal, but since its dis- covery ores can be brought from Butte and the mines near by direct to the smelter, and smelted, thus leaving only the valuable part of Montana. i 5 3 the ores to be transported East. The reader can form some idea of the richness of the ores in the mines south of this point, when it is stated that the owners can afford to draw the ores by team a distance of nearly sixty miles to the smelter. There is also at this place a very valuable lime quarry, which yields fifty- two per cent, of lime. We were all very much interested in our visit to the smelter, and also enjoyed the sight of an enormous spring that bursts from the ground just below Black Eagle Falls, about one hundred yards back from the river. This is the largest known spring in America, and is believed by many to be the mouth of a sub- terranean river. Accordino- to an entrineer's report on the subject, the volume of water from it equals a river one foot deep and seventy yards wide. Captains Lewis and Clark, who explored the Missouri in 1804, mentioned this great natural phenomenon. Here, also, is a natural spring of pure cold water, which, if walled up, to any desired height, could supply the upper story of any house on the highest point in this region, while in quantity there is enough to supply two cities as laree as New York. CHAPTER XV. "THE GARDEN OF MONTANA." On leaving Great Falls, coming east, we jour- neyed for two hundred miles through the Judith basin, which is known as " The Garden of Mon- tana." Benton, which is forty miles northeast of Great Falls, is one of the great shipping points of Montana. In 1888 there were shipped from Benton three thousand four hundred head of fat cattle, sixty-two thousand five hundred head of sheep, and nearly two million pounds of wool. From "The Garden of Montana" east of Great Falls, on the Manitoba Railroad, in the same period, there were shipped thirty-five thousand head of fat cattle, ninety-four thou- sand head of sheep, and about two and a half million pounds of wool. We passed through Assiniboia, near to which is Fort Assiniboine, which we could see from the train. This is one of the largest and best- built military posts in the United States, the 154 " The Garden of Montana r 155 buildlnofs alone havinof cost over two millions of dollars. There are seven companies of infan- try and two of cavalry stationed here. Before the railroad was built, some two years and a half ago, Helena, two hundred and seventy miles away, was the nearest point of railroad communication. Bear Paw Mountains, rising out of an almost level prairie, can be seen for miles around. The range is about seven thou- sand feet high, and is covered by large tracts of pine timber. Several streams of fine spring water gush forth on the plains from the sides of the mountain range. Valuable leads of gold, silver, and lead were discovered two summers ago, and many mines were located. At the base of these mountains is one of the most at- tractive tracts of land ever seen ; it is slightly rolling, and elevated about five hundred feet above the valley of the Milk River. Summer before last we were told that the erass was waist-high over the whole face of the country, and very thick ; it had been nourished by the frequent summer showers which are peculiar to this section. Large veins of the finest bitumi- nous coal, from six to twenty feet in thickness, crop out at frequent intervals along the banks of the streams. 156 To California and Alaska. The country through which we passed tow- ards evening was unsettled and looked very new ; although a fertile and good grass coun- try, for a distance of two hundred miles we saw only four houses, and those were railway sta- tions. Many of the stations on this part of the road consist of simply a switch or siding, with the name put on a post driven into the ground ; attached to the post is a box contain- ing a telegraph key connected with the wires, so that an operator may telegraph in case of necessity. The Manitoba road carries an op- erator on each of its trains, so that these boxes can be used in case of need. There are no lamps on these switches, and if there were there are no inhabitants here to attend to them. During a part of the journey the writer took one of the children on the engine, where he re- mained an hour; it was the first experience of the kind he had ever had. We saw a number of wolves on the prairie, and, at times, passed many groups of Indians, especially at Assini- boine, where we purchased from them a num- ber of buffalo horns. Although this country is so sparsely inhabited it must be borne in mind that only eighteen months before we saw it there was no rail- road passing through the section, and the " TJic Garden of jMontana.' 157 government had only a year before opened this great reservation for settlement, which, in itself, is an empire containing about eighteen millions of acres, eligible for free homes under the United States land laws. This great tract through which the railroad runs is the cream of the Territory, and, without doubt, in the future will represent the great grain-producing sec- tion of the United States. Many people suppose that because this Ter- ritory is near the northern boundary its climate is severe ; the contrary is the case. It is with- in the limits of the warm winds which blow from the Pacific coast in the winter. These winds are called "chinooks," and as long as they con- tinue, which is often for days at a time, the weather will be mild and spring-like. The limit of the " chinook" winds is three hundred miles east of the mountains, and within this sec- tion all kinds of stock graze at large the year round. The valleys are protected, and with the high plains are all richly watered. The slight snows melt immediately after they fall, leaving the ground bare, and it is very seldom that there is enough snow to allow sleighing. The rivers, if they close at all, remain frozen but for a few weeks, the ice invariably going out the last of January or during February. 158 To CalifoT-nia and Alaska. Signal-service records show that the tempera- ture in the winter is often higher at Great Falls than at San Antonio, Texas, or at Memphis, Tennessee. In the vicinity of Great Falls the climate is especially beneficial to persons with weak lungs, consumption and kindred diseases beinof almost unknown. Temperatures for February, 1888 , AT Helena. Chicago. St. Louis. 1 I 7 A.M. 3 r.M. 7 A.M. 3 P.M. 7 A.M. 3 P.M. February I 30 36 30 32 30 34 2 28 24 28 32 34 34 3 22 32 30 32 32 34 4 24 30 32 32 32 36 5 ! 20 34 24 20 22 20 6 32 36 6 24 22 34 7 38 40 14 14 34 46 8 46 38 12 14 16 9 44 44 16 6 6 4 10 36 42 4 12 6 14 II 44 48 4 18 18 24 ' 12 46 56 16 28 18 44 13 40 40 26 42 34 48 14 42 30 26 16 46 30 15 28 20 8 16 16 26 16 36 48 14 36 24 44 17 34 46 28 40 36 52 18 40 42 36 42 38 56 19 34 42 48 46 48 58 20 34 38 28 24 34 46 21 34 40 18 28 32 36 ' 22 38 46 28 38 32 44 23 32 44 34 38 36 46 24 28 40 32 40 38 42 25 34 38 34 16 30 30 26 1 34 44 4 6 20 22 27 1 34 52 2 6 12 '* 28 1 28 12 10 30 18 32 " The Garden of Montana y 159 The above table will give a very good idea of the temperature at Great Falls, which is only a few miles east of Helena, and if any- thing is a milder climate than at Helena. The farmers begin the work of sowing their crops in February and March. The summers are not excessively hot. Harvest commences in August, and fall work is continued through the months of September, October, and No- vember. Mild autumn weather lasts into December, thus giving a season of nine or ten months of beautiful weather. A notable feature about the climate is the dryness of the air ; in the winter the mountains can be easily seen from sixty to one hundred miles away. Wheat yields from thirty to sixty bushels per acre, oats from fifty to one hundred and five bushels per acre, barley forty to seventy bushels, timothy from one and a half to three tons per acre, and other grains in proportion. Timber grows freely along the rivers ; saw- mills, tanneries, flouring-mills, and mechanics' shops are in active and profitable operation ; so that, with a climate almost as favorable as that of Colorado, and a soil more fertile, and an industry similarly diversified, Montana seems sure to occupy an important place in the commerckl future of the Great West. i6o To California and Alaska. The Great Falls of the Missouri, from which the town of Great Falls takes its name, are esteemed by travellers as holding rank scarcely below the cataracts of Niagara. Beyond Council Bluffs commences a country of great interest and grandeur, called the Upper Mis- souri ; buffalo, elk, and mountain sheep abound. Lewis, and Clark, and other travellers relate having seen here large and singular petrifac- tions, both animal and vegetable. On the top of a hill they found a petrified skeleton of a huge fish, forty-five feet in length. Naviga- tion is very dangerous, on account of the swift current, the countless islands and sand-bars, and the murderous "snags" and "sawyers." A "snag" is a tree which, when washed away from the banks, floats into the stream, and then partially sinks ; the roots become fastened in the bottom, and then the sharp stems, rising nearly to and above the surface of the water, are the fatal snags that almost instantly sink any steamer striking them. They always lie with theirsharp ends pointing down the stream, and consequently are dangerous principally to ascending steamers. When a steamer is de- scending the stream, it slides over them, instead of being impaled. They are then known as "sawyers," if they project above the " The Garden of Mofitanay i6i water, the current g^ivlno- them a wavintr mo- tion. At a low stage of water, navigation is almost impossible. The Great Falls of the Missouri are also wonderful, considered from a utilitarian point of view, or, in other words, the amount of water-power which they would be capable of furnishing, which, as estimated by a prominent engineer, would be one million horse-power. It would seem to be only a question of time when the town of Great Falls will be another St. Paul or Minneapolis. The Manitoba road intend building a line north of Great Falls, to connect with the Canadian Pacific. CHAPTER XVI. FROM ST. PAUL TO MANITOBA. We arrived at St. Paul on Sunday morning. May 1 2th, about half-past seven o'clock, and after breakfast went at once to the Ryan House. Soon after our arrival Mr. F. B. Clarke, of the Omaha road, called upon us ; we had the pleasure of dining with him, and afterwards spent the evening with Mr. Hill. After getting comfortably settled in our rooms In the morning, we took carriages and drove around the city. Some of our party went to church, and in the afternoon we took another drive around the town. The following (Monday) morning, the writer's brother, Walter, Vice-President ; Mr. Flagg, General Superintendent ; Mr. Spoor, Division Superintendent ; and Mr. Smith, pri- vate secretary, arrived from New York. The morning was occupied in talking over " Com- lf)2 From- St. Paul to Alanitoba. 163 pany " matters. After lunch our whole party went out to Mr. Hill's farm. While Mrs. Webb and the writer were admiring" the stock on the place, the rest of the party went fishing. We returned to the city about seven o'clock, in time to see Walter and his party off to Chicago. Mr. Smith had arranged to remain, and accom- pany us a little way on the Canadian Pacific, when, with Louis, he intended to take the train, going home to New York by way of Montreal. We had expected Mr. Creighton Webb to join us here and take Louis' place, but for some reason he could not get away. Soon after breakfast we all went over to Minneapolis. On our arrival there we were met by Mr. Thomas Lowry, who favored us with a pleasant drive over the city, showing us the parks and other places of interest, and tak- ing us around the suburbs of the city. The writer had been to Minneapolis many times before, but must confess that not until this occasion had he ever realized the extent and beauty of this magnificent city. The saw- and Qfrist-mills here are numerous and extensive. The Driving Park, south of the town, Is an enclosure of seventy-five acres, and used for the purpose indicated by its name. Lakes 164 To California and Alaska. Harriet and Calhoun also afford delightful drives, while Lake MInnetonka Is twelve miles to the west. At half-past twelve we returned to St. Paul, and at once busied ourselves in getting ready to start for Winnipeg. At this point the cars were all cleaned both inside and out, the trucks and running gear were overhauled, and a plentiful supply of provisions laid In, in fact every preparation was made for our second long trip to the Pacific coast. Promptly at three o'clock, with Mr. Mohler, the genial Assistant General Manager of the Manitoba road, we started northward. Mr. Hill, Mr. Clarke, and a group of other friends came down to the station and bade us good- by. The ride during the evening on our way north was exceedingly interesting ; we saw a new part of the road, and the scenery was somewhat different from what is seen on the western section. We found the track to be in excellent condition, and made very good time after we came out of St. Paul. As we entered the park region of Minnesota, we were continually passing lakes ; it is said that there are ten thousand of these within an area of one hundred scpiare miles. These From Si. Paul to Ma7iitoba. 165 lakes form one of the most inviting and pictu- resque features of the State. They are found in every section, and are annually visited by large numbers of tourists and sportsmen. Sometimes they are little ponds a mile in cir- cumference, and again sheets of water forty or fifty miles in extent. Their shores are charm- ingly wooded, and frequently present fine pictures of cliff and headland. The waters are pure and transparent, and are filled with white- fish, trout, pike, pickerel, sucker, perch, and other finny inhabitants. The largest of these lakes are the Minnetonka, the Osakis or Spirit Lake, White Bear, Kandiyohi, Otter Tail, and Mille Lacs. This is a very fertile wheat country. Ro- mantic stories of the wonders of the land which now forms the State of Minnesota were told more than two centuries ago by the zealous French missionaries, who had, even at that remote period, pushed their adventures thither ; nevertheless, scarcely twenty years have elapsed since Immigration has earnestly set that way, creating populous towns and cul- tivated farms along the rivers and valleys be- fore occupied by the canoe and the wigwam of the savaee alone. Some Idea of the marvel- 1 66 To California and Alaska. lous growth and development of this young State maybe formed from the fact that during the past decade the cultivated area of Minne- sota has increased nearly three hundred per cent., the population nearly two hundred and fifty per cent., and the value of manufactures about two hundred and fifty per cent. It seemed quite like home to get back to our train and spend our evenings in the buffet- car. The kindness and attention of the Mani- toba ofificials could scarcely be exceeded ; nothing was left undone to make our journey over their lines thoroughly comfortable and enjoyable. Their treatment reminded us of the generous hospitality we had received on the Southern Pacific more than any other experience we had met with since leaving the Pacific coast. The Manitoba people are cer- tainly to be congratulated on having such a superb piece of property, and beyond a doubt there is a truly wonderful future in store for It. Persons who are looking for homes in the West should not fail to consider carefully the advantaores to be derived from locatinof on the line of this road in Montana ; we were given to understand that the company offers extraordinary inducements to settlers. Frcnn St. Paul to Manitolnx. 167 We passed through Winnipeg" early on the morning- of May 15th. Before arriving, the writer had received a telegram from the American consul at that place inviting our party to stop over at that city and attend a Co tAj o-cr^ banquet which it was intended to give in our honor, and, at the same time, be presented to the Governor of Manitoba. We were obliofed to decline this flattering invitation, as we had arranged to stop at Winnipeg on our home- 1 68 To Calif or 7iia a?id Alaska. ward journey, and besides it was the wish of Mr. Van Home that we should go directly through to the coast, and stop at different points on the Canadian Pacific road on our return. After leaving Winnipeg the country pre- sented the appearance of one broad, level plain — not a prairie, but a widening of the valleys of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, which unite at Winnipeg. There were large numbers of cattle to be seen, and, behind the trees, glimp- ses of well-tilled farms with comfortable farm- houses. The farmers here devote their ener- gies to dairy products and to cattle-breeding, for nearly one hundred miles we followed the Assiniboine River, which is marked by a belt of timber. Between Winnipeg and Brandon the stations are about eight miles apart, many of them representing lively and enterprising towns, and at nearly all of them are large grain elevators. We arrived at Brandon about ten o'clock on the morning of May 15th, and there bade good-by to Louis and Mr. Smith. Brandon has a population of five thousand four hundred, and is a divisional point on the railway. It is the largest grain market in Manitoba, and the distributing market for an From St. Paul to Manitoba. i6g extensive and well-settleel country. It has five grain elevators, a flouring-mill, and a saw-mill. A railway is being built from Brandon north- west to the Saskatchewan country. At this point, too, the standard time changes to "mountain time " — /. c, it is one hour slower. After changing engines, and having the train carefully exarnined, we proceeded on our westward journey, passing through a rolling prairie, and about one hundred miles from Bran- don we entered the Province of Assiniboia. We saw a great number of ponds and small hills covered with low brush, where it is said excellent sport can be had in the wild-fowl season. At Broadview, a pretty place, but a divisional point dependent upon the railway, we chantjed engines asfain. A short ride from here brought us to the celebrated Bell farm, which embraces one hundred square miles of land. The work upon this vast estate is per- formed with military precision and discipline. The furrows ploughed on this farm are usually four miles in length ; one furrow out and one back is considered half a day's work, and in the afternoon the same amount of labor is performed. The cottages on the farm are built of stone, and barns can be seen for miles I/O To California and Alaska. around ; the large collection of buildings at the headquarters near the railway station in- clude a church, a flour-mill, and, of course, a grain elevator ; and it may be said here that in this section an elevator will be found wher- ever there is wheat to be handled or stored. After passing Ou'Appelle we went for eight miles through a small-timbered country and then entered the great Regina Plain, which seems to be apparently boundless, extending in all directions ; the soil is very fertile to a great depth. Regina is the capital of Assini- boia, and the distributing point for the sec- tions of country lying far north and south. A railway runs from here northward, and will soon be extended to Edmonton, on the North Saskatchewan. The Executive Council of the Northwest Territories, which embrace the provinces of Assiniboia, Alberta, Saskatche- wan, and Athabasca, meets here. The Lieu- tenant-Governor's residence is at this place, and in the immediate neighborhood are the headquarters of the celebrated Northwest Mounted Police, whose buildings, includinof officers' quarters, drill hall, barracks, offices, store-houses, stables, etc., could be plainly seen from the train. The Northwest Mounted From St. Paul to A/anitoba. T7I Police Is a military organization numbering one thousand young and picked men, who are stationed over the Northwest for the purpose of watching the Indians, and preserving order generally. Moose Jaw, where we changed engines, is another divisional point. There we saw a number of Indians encamped on the banks of the river. The Indian name for this place is " The-creek-where-the-white-man- mended-the-cart-with-a-moose-jaw^-bone." After leaving Moose Jaw we noticed that the prairie was well marked in all directions with old buffalo-trails, and here and there the old wallows. This section was once the home of the buffalo ; we say was, for their number is rapidly decreasing. Not one was visible, for they quickly leave the land which is traversed by the train. Once, however, this country was blackened by their hordes as they wandered over it at their will, or marched from one feeding-ground to another. In making this remark we may say that they do not run in a mob as represented in some pic- tures, but move in single file, like policemen. We crossed hundreds of their deeply worn tracks leading straight away into the distance, and surely indicating that the slopes of the 172 To Califor7iia aiid Alaska. Rockies are fitted for the purpose to which they are being apphed by the settler, viz., the rearing" and feeding of cattle. On this day we ran very fast, and by half- past seven o'clock had covered five hundred and ten miles, arriving at Swift Current, a divisional point where we changed engines. The country was exceedingly picturesque and much more thickly settled than we had been led to anticipate. While riding in the baggage-car we saw an antelope, at which we had four or five unsuccessful shots ; we also saw a bear and a number of wolves. Rush Lake is a favorite resort for water-fowl, swans, geese, duck, and pelican, which at times are seen here in countless numbers. Snipe, plover, and curlew, which are common enough upon the prairies, are found here in great abundance. We changed engines at Medicine Hat, sit- uated on the Saskatchewan River, which is spanned by a fine steel bridge. There are large repair-shops located at this place, which is a very important station on the line, and not far away are large coal-mines. The river is navi- gable for some distance above, and for eight hundred miles below. From Medicine Hat the From St. Paul to Manitoba. i 73 ground creeps up towards the Rocky Moun- tains. About thirty-five miles from Medicine Hat is a small station called Langevin. When they were building the railroad here they wanted water, and after boring over a thousand feet, hoping to make an artesian well, the search for water was repaid by fire. At least, one day, the borers, holding a candle or striking a match close to the hole, were thrust back by a foun- tain of flame, which licked up the house in which their engine was at work, and there stood a pillar of fire in the midst of the green prai- rie. They had then reached a depth of nearly eleven hundred feet, and, passing through the huge coal-bed which lies beneath, had probably struck a fissure. At all events, up rushed the gas, which, becoming ignited, soon consumed their solitary shelter. Presently, however, af- ter some pains, the hole through which it issued was plugged and fitted with an iron pipe, gov- erned by a tap. This natural gas is now used by the railroad company to pump water for the engines. In August the prairie at this point is said to present a very fine appear- ance, resembling, at times, a billowy ocean of grass. I 74 ^0 California and Alaska. We arrived at Gleichen, a railway divisional point, near the foot of the Rockies, on the i6th of May, at about half-past two in the morning, We stopped there until four o'clock to seethe sun rise on the prairie, and it was one of the most imposing spectacles we had ever witnessed. As the orb of day rose over the horizon it ap- peared to be one mass of fire, while the moon was shining in the sky in the opposite direction. The mountains at first were invisible, but as the sun gradually came into view the reflection of its bright-red rays was thrown upon the snowy peaks of the Rockies in the distance. A few hours after we had witnessed this sight the mountains beo^an to be visible ; althougrh we had crossed the continent twice in the pre- ceding five weeks, it seemed as if this was the first view we had really had of the Rocky Mountains. Shortly after leaving Gleichen we came to Calgary, very charmingly located on the banks of the Bow River, and surrounded by most excellent farming lands. This is the most important, as well as the handsomest, town between Brandon and Vancouver, and is situated on a hill-girt plateau, overlooked by the white peaks of the Rockies ; it is the cen- tre of the trade of the great ranching country, From St. Paid to Jlfanitoba. i 75 and the chief source of supply for the mining districts in the mountains beyond. The Hud- son Bay Company have here an important post, and it is one of the principal stations of the Northwest Mounted Police. Lumber is easily obtainable here, as it is floated down the Bow River from Banff. Parties oroino- into the extreme Northwest leave the train here, and after travelling from three to four hundred miles into the interior they find the largest and best horse-ranches in existence. One of eleven farms belonging to Sir John Lister Kaye is located at Calgary. Sir John married Miss Yznaga, of New York. As we passed through Calgary we saw his car standing on a side-track, he having recently come over on a visit from the other side. His eleven farms are located along the line of the road between Brandon and Calgary ; there are ten thousand acres in each of them, and they are all situated near towns, or the nucleus of towns, and will event- ually be exceedingly valuable. The land origi- nally cost a large English stock company, which Sir John represents, about $3 an acre. It is only a question of time before it will be worth from $20 to $25 an acre for farming pur- poses alone ; much of this property would bring I 76 To California and Alaska. that price to-day, owing to Its proximity to o-fowlno- towns. Sir John visits the farms twice a year and overlooks the work. After leaving Calgary and crossing the Bow, we ran through large ranches, and Im- mense herds of horses and cattle were to be seen on every side. At Morley, a station near the mountains, we stopped for about five minutes at a trader's store and picked out a number of horns, heads, etc., and a beautiful grizzly-bear skin. At Kananaskis the moun- tains appeared to be close at hand, and we entered the gap or pass through which the Bow River runs, and which we were to pass throueh, and soon crossed the Rockies. The scenery at this stage of the journey was grand and impressive. Above us, on both sides, we saw vertical walls rising to a dizzy height, snow-laden, seared and scarred by enormous gorges and promontories. At Canmore we changed engines, and here had an excellent view of the mountain representing in profile what are called the " Three Sisters." Follow- ing the Bow River we entered the Canadian National Park. We hauled up on a side-track and waited for the transcontinental train for the East to pass. The weather being quite Front St. Paul to Manitoba. 177 warm, we took the children out for an airing ; some of the party amused themselves by firing at a mark, while others made use of their fish- ing-rods in Bow River. The ride from here on through the moun- tains was grand beyond description. Each mountain as it loomed up into view seemed grander and more imposing than the last. The oA^ '/'v ^%ll?^-> "~7~Zc7Z iz.e.1 C7??? cX- the celebrated Douglas fir, which is sent to all parts of the world. These trees are found twenty, thirty, and even forty feet in circum- ference. Our speed on this particular day was neces- sarily slow, owing to the fact that this section of the road is considered very dangerous, and 3o6 To CalifoTiiia and Alaska. Is about the only part on which any accidents ever occur ; at one moment the road-bed over- hanes the river, on trestle-work or embankment, and the next moment enters a short tunnel, only to reappear again on another trestle. After our arrival at Vancouver, Mr. Harry Abbott, the General Superintendent of the western end of the road, called upon us with his wife, and extended to us the courtesies of the road at this terminus. On the morning after our arrival we took a carriap'e and drove over the town, croinof through the new park, which promises some day to be one of the wonders of the coast. The trees here are enormous, and the growth might be called a primeval forest, which it really is, with the underbrush taken out. Vancouver, the Pacific terminus of the rail- way, is comparatively a new town, and reminds one of the growth of such Western towns as Duluth or Great Falls. Until May, 1886, its present site was covered with a dense forest. The following July a severe fire swept away every house in the place but one ; all the build- ings now standing have been erected since that date. The hotels, business blocks, and resi- dences are of the most approved architecture, ROADWAY IN STANLKY PARK, VANCOUVER. From Kami oops to V^aucouver. 207 and would be a credit to any city in the United States. Large and extensive wharves have been built by the railroad company and private corporations, and the town promises to de- velop into one of the future cities of the Pacific coast. The paved streets are well laid out, and lighted with electricity. A plentiful supply of pure water is brought through large pipes, laid across the harbor, from a spring in the mountains on the other side of the sound. The country to the south of Vancouver has many fine farms, and is said to be well adapted to fruit-growing. Many parties remain here for the shootinof and fishinof, both of which are excellent, and can be had by making short ex- cursions into the mountains towards the north. A reo^ular line of steamers leaves Vancouver every day for Victoria, fortnightly for Japan, Yokohama, and Hong-Kong, and twice a week for Seattle, Tacoma, and other Puget Sound ports. The city is beautifully located on a slight eminence, overlooking the sound, with Burrard Inlet on the north. About one o'clock on the afternoon of May 1 8th, the Islajidcr, which had been engaged for our party, steamed into the harbor, having just come from Victoria in the morning. This 2o8 To California and Alaska. vessel was a twin propeller boat, two hundred and forty feet In length, forty-two feet beam, and sixteen feet draught, with tremendous power, and was capable of making about nine- teen miles an hour. Captain John Irving, the manager of the line, had charge of the vessel, and our pilot for Alaskan waters was the veteran Captain Carroll, the most celebrated pilot on the Pacific coast, who was one of the pioneers, and had made one hundred and seventy trips to Alaska. He had become very wealthy, and was largely interested in mines, etc. We had also a very old pilot, an employe of the steamship company ; from the nautical point of view we considered ourselves very well provided for. The accommodations for passengers were ample ; the boat had about one hundred state-rooms, the manager's room being large and roomy, and the other apart- ments very comfortable. The greater part of the afternoon was occu- pied in placing our baggage aboard and in getting thoroughly and comfortably settled. About half-past four o'clock we cast off from the wharf and started on our trip to Alaska. The weather was all that could be desired, neither too warm nor too cold, bright and Fro7n Kamloops to J 'aucozvver. 209 sunny, and a fair omen of the journey we were about to make. We took the cooks and stewards with us, and left the rest of the crew on the train. The weather was so fme that we were able to sit on the upper deck until dinner-time and at ten o'clock at nif^ht it was licrht enouorh for us to read a newspaper on deck. The view of Mount Baker, with its snow-capped peak, In the distance about sunset, was magnificent. 14 CHAPTER XIX. IN ALASKAN WATERS. On the night of the i8th we sailed through Discovery Passage, where at places there is hardly room for two steamers to pass each other, and mountains rise up abruptly on each side. At half-past nine on the morning of the 19th we reached Alert Bay, and from there steamed on northward, passing the north end of Vancouver Island, out into Queen Charlotte Sound. Although the wind was blowing lightly at the time there was quite a heavy swell ; it took us only two hours, however, to ofo across. We then entered Fitzhuoh Sound, passing Calvert Island and Hunt Islands. On reaching the end of the channel we left Burke Channel on our right, and went through the Lama Passage, passing between Campbell and Lendenny Islands, where the scenery was very fine. In Alaskan Waters. 211 About a quarter before six we arrived at Bella Bella and anchored for the night ; this is a small fishing village on Campbell Island. The scenery here was remarkably grand and bold, the passage, in many places, not being an eighth of a mile wide, though the water reaches a depth of from one hundred and thirty-one to one hundred and fifty fathoms. After supper one of the quarter boats was lowered and Dr. McLane, with two or three of our party, went ashore to call on the agent of the Hudson Bay Company and the mis- sionary. We found that the agent was absent at Vancouver and the missionary was making a visit to the interior. Bella Bella consists of some forty or fifty log-huts occupied by In- dians, who gain their subsistence principally by fishing. We were informed that most of the male inhabitants were at work at the canneries, and there were not over five or six men remaining in the villaee. While crossino- Milbank Sound the next morning, we felt the motion of the sea quite considerably. It commenced raining in the morning and rained nearly all day. Passing north of Milbank Sound we took the western passage between Swindle and Cone islands. 2 12 To Califor7iia and Alaska. passing- nearly through Tohnine Channel, Graham Reach, Fraser Reach, leaving Prin- cess Royal Island on our left. Nearly all the morning, on our right, we passed large water passages, or reaches, up which we could look many miles and see that they were lined on either side by very high and precipitous moun- tains, perhaps not a quarter of a mile apart. All the information the captain could give us about these narrow waters was that they were unexplored, and there was no telling how far inland they might extend. Passing through McKay Reach, we entered Wrieht Sound. On our riofht were Douo-las Channel and Verney Passage ; both these waters have been somewhat explored, and ex- tend for many miles back into the country. The mountains on both sides of these passages are, according to the government chart, from three to five thousand feet high, but, in point of fact, many of these waters have not been explored to any great distance. Sailing from Wright Sound and going north, we passed through Grenville Channel, leaving Pitt Island on our left and the Countess of Dufferin ranee of mountains on our ritrht. The mountains on each side of this channel IiL Alaskan IVaters. 2 1 3 are about three thousand feet high, and are very heavily timbered with evergreens. The scenery was picturesque in the extreme. In the afternoon we passed through the Arthur Passage (Kennedy Island being on our right), and through Chatham Sound. As we passed through the sound the weather com- menced to clear, and before long the sun came out. Bearing to our right we arrived at Port Simpson at half-past six o'clock. This is a Hudson Bay post, the last English post before entering Alaska, and we found it to be one of the most interesting we had seen for some time. The Hudson Bay Company's agent, whom we met, was a very genial person ; he invited us up to the company's store, and showed us all over the premises. The main store is built of logs, and was constructed some sixty years ago ; part of the old stockade is still standing, and on one corner of it, up in the air, is one of the old turrets, the sides havingf slits for mus- ketry, which were to be used by the occupants to defend themselves against the Indians. The old powder magazine was built of stone, and is now used by the Hudson Bay officer for a dairy. The aofent had all sorts of eoods in his 2 14 -^ California and Alaska. store. We bought some Winchester rifle car- tridp^es, of which we were a Httle short, and some very old-fashioned spoons carved out of horn. We looked over a stock of skins and furs, but did not buy any. The steward took this opportunity to lay in a supply of fresh milk and eggs. The agent told us that the climate in this section is exceedingly agreeable throughout the year, although the place is in the latitude of 54° 35' ; he said that the flowers in his gar- den blossomed in January. Everything sur- rounding the company's store was in the most admirable order ; the stockade and buildings were all neatly whitewashed, the grass care- fully trimmed, and the walks free from weeds. At onetime Port Simpson was one of the most important posts of the Hudson Bay Company, but of late years it has become a very insignifi- cant place. The Indian village outside of the walls of the post is very small, and in a very poor and needy condition. The prices paid for furs by the Hudson Bay Company are, of course, higher now than they were some twenty or thirty years ago, and the profits on them are very much less. On the other hand, it must be taken into considera- In Alaskan Waters. 2 1 5 tion that it was formerly necessary to keep at least six or ten armed men here all the time to defend the post against the Indians ; and fur- ther, that supplies can be landed here now at one tenth of the price charged for them thirty years ago. The agent told us that he thought the company made as much out of the post as formerly, owing to the decreased cost of run- ning the station, which he believed more than offset the lower price obtained for the furs. About half-past three o'clock on the morn- ing of May 2ist we left Port Simpson and entered upon the Alaskan Territory, passing on our left Annette and Gravina islands. In the afternoon we entered Wrangel Narrows, leaving on our right, some thirty miles away, Fort Wrangel, on Wrangel Island. This was one of the prettiest spots we had yet seen. The hills on either side of the Narrows were not so remarkably high, but the shores were exceedingly picturesque, and looked as though they were covered with a great deal of vegeta- tion. There is thick, rich, green grass on both sides, above high-water mark. We saw here a great many ducks and geese, and a countless number of eagles. After passing through Wrangel Narrows, we entered Frederick 2 1 6 To California and Alaska. Sound, a beautiful sheet of water, and on our right saw, for the first time, Patterson's Glacier, and also a large amount of floating ice. It was about dark when we passed this glacier. No one point in all our journey through this Sitkan Archipelago seemed invested by nature with so much grandeur as Prince Frederick Sound. Here the mountains of the mainland run down abruptly to the water. The scenery in this wilderness of Lower Alaska was cer- tainly imique and unrivalled. At one time our ship was in a lake, at another in a river, and then in a canal, with walls toweringf above us right and left to an almost dizzy height, and channels running off into unknown and unex- plored regions. And yet, upon this vast ex- panse of water a sail or boat rarely is seen. There is a deathly stillness, interrupted now and then by the screech of an eagle, or the flight of ducks frightened at the approach of the vessel. At the head of these channels are countless ravines and canyons filled with gla- ciers, from which pieces are constantly broken every day. It is estimated that there are five thousand individual elaciers in Alaska, from which, constantly, pieces are broken and silently find their way down to the sea. In Alaskan Waters. 217 On the morning of May 2 2d we woke as the boat was about entering Peril Straits, an intricate part of the waters to navigate, but pretty well buoyed out. The scenery from here to Sitka, where we arrived about half-past nine o'clock in the morning, was exceedingly fine. This place, the capital of Alaska, is an old Russian settlement, and was, at one time, a prosperous and lively town ; at present it has the appearance of a half-sleepy, indolent vil- lage, giving one the impression of general decay. As the boat nears the wharf a cluster of buildings is seen to the ritrht ; the buildino-s are the Castle, the Custom-house, and Bar- racks. This Castle of Barranore was once celebrated for the lavish hospitality of its occupants, — elegant dinners and extravagant balls ; to-day it is a dilapidated-looking build- ing of large size. Notwithstanding its abso- lute neglect and abandonment to decay and ruin, it was so substantially built that it will be years before it will disappear entirely. All Americans who travel in this section wonder why our government does not put it in repair, and use it for the government headquarters, as such a building is badly needed. The Castle is one hundred and forty by seventy feet, and 21 8 To Calif oTfiia and Alaska. is three stories high. As a rule, the United States keeps a war vessel here during the summer months ; at the time of our visit she was at Mare Island Navy Yard undergoing repairs, and Lieutenant Turner was in charge of the forty marines, who were temporarily located in the old barracks. Alaska has been in the possession of the United States since October i8, 1867. The country was bought through negotiations car- ried on by William H. Seward, who was at that time Secretary of State. The wits of the period made merry over the acquisition, just as wits in former days made merry over our acquisition of Louisiana and Florida. Secre- tary Seward justified his action on the ground of the new country's natural wealth in timber, fisheries, minerals, and fur-bearing animals ; also on the ground that it would neutralize the power of Great Britain in the North Pacific and render the annexation of British Columbia possible in the future. " Alaska," said he, " may not be so valuable as we deem it ; but you cannot deny the value of the gold regions of the Cariboo country and Fraser River, the coal mines of Vancouver's and Queen Char- lotte's islands, and the unrestricted possession In Alaskan Waters. 219 of the magnificent Straits of Fuca. All these, following' manifest destiny, will be ours in time ; besides," said he, " we owe a deep debt of gratitude to Russia for her unvarying friend- ship through long years, and for her kindly sympathy during the sorest of our national trials — the ereat rebellion." The sum of $7,200,000 was paid for Alaska, and It is estimated that the few mines near Juneau are worth more than that sum to-day. The Governer of Alaska, Hon. A. P. Swine- ford, has made interesting reports in regard to the resources and prospects of this new and remarkable country. He says that two years ago the population was estimated at about fifty thousand inhabitants ; of this number thirty- five thousand were classed as wholly uncivilized. Very little has been accomplished in the way of agricultural development. Here and there a ranch has been started for the erowinsf of root- crops, while in nearly all the settlements vege- table gardens are maintained with very little labor. There are larg^e areas of excellent grazing lands in the Territory, but very little has been done In the way of stock-raising. At nearly all the settlements on the Kodiak Islands and In Cook's Inlet white and creole 2 20 To California and Alaska. people keep cows and make their own butter ; the Governor sees no reason, except the ab- sence of a market, why Alaska might not rival Montana or Wyoming in the raising of stock. The great island of Kodiak comprises a geo- graphical area of about five thousand square miles. Considerable progress has been made in the development of the mineral resources of the Territory. There is a large stamp-mill on Douglas Island, the largest j^lant of the kind In the world, its output of gold bullion being estimated at not less than $150,000 per month. New discoveries of valuable mines are con- stantly being made, especially in Southeastern Alaska. It is pretty well established that other min- erals besides gold and silver are abundant in various parts of the Territory, A large vein of very rich copper ore has been found on Kodiak Island, and large bodies of the same metal in its native state are known to exist on Copper River. Petroleum is found in differ- ent sections, while at Cape Prince of Wales, the most westerly point of the continent, there is a plentiful supply of graphite in the adjoin- ing mountains. Amber exists in large quanti- ties, and sulphur is found in connection with /;/. Alaskan ]Vaters. 221 the numerous volcanic peaks and extinct craters. Discoveries of iron, cinnabar, and mica are recorded. Marble abounds ; there is every evidence of the existence of valuable slate beds ; fire-clay is found in connection with the coal seams ; and kaolin is among the discoveries reported. There is said to be coal enough in Alaska, and of the very best quality, to supply the \Yants of the whole of the Pacific slope for centuries, and it is prophesied that the time will soon come when the product of her mines will find other and wider markets than those of the Pacific coast alone. There are vast forests of valuable timber in the back country, but there are not more than half-a- dozen saw-mills engaged in cutting lumber, and they only partially supply the local demand. The fisheries of Alaska form an important industry. There are seventeen salmon can- neries In operation, some of them very large establishments, and nearly all having salting houses in connection. The codfishing fleet is steadily increasing, and halibut is being sent to Eastern cities in refrigerator cars. In 1888 twelve thousand tons of salmon were pre- pared for the market. The fur trade is also an important industry. 222 To California and Alaska. There are thirteen public schools in the Territory, located respectively at the principal towns, and the Industrial Training School at Sitka is in a very flourishing condition, though not accomplishing, it is said, all that might reasonably be expected ; the boys are taught carpentry and cabinet-, boot-, and shoe-making, while the girls are instructed in housekeeping, sewine, knittings cookino- and dressmaking;-. The average rainfall in Sitka and its imme- diate neighborhood is about forty-eight inches ; about one third of the year there is no rain. The weather is not very cold in winter, the thermometer rarely reaching zero on the coast. The mean temperature for the year is about forty-four degrees. January and February have the lowest record — 29° 2' ; August highest — 56° 4'. Ice rarely forms to a thickness of six inches, and yet in summer the weather is not warm enough to ripen any grain. The months of June and July are generally clear, dry, and free from rain. The fall and spring are the rainy seasons. The comparatively mild tem- perature in this high latitude is accounted for by the existence of a great current of warm water, resembling our Gulf Stream, which, sweeping along the coasts of Japan and Asia In Alaskan Waters. 223 to the northeast, crosses the Pacific, and washes the northwest coast of America as far down as the Bay of Panama, where It again diverges to the westward and forms the ereat equatorial current of the Pacific. At the head of Cross Sound are five lar^e glaciers that are formed far back In the coun- try on the slopes of Mount Falrweather and Mount Crillon, the former, 14,708 feet high, the latter 13,400. The remarkable Indentation and almost end- less length of this coast, the thousand Islands, the Immense number of mountains, large and small, the maze of rivers through which the traveller passes, make this journey incom- parable with any other which could be made. We had often heard about the wonders of a trip to Alaska, but were more than surprised at the remarkable character of the scenery we saw, especially the water-ways, which the writer has deemed worthy of being so fully described. CHAPTER XX. IN ALASKAN WATERS { CoiicliukdJ. Protjai'-ly the most interesting feature of life in the vicinity of Sitka is the Indian vil- lage a short distance outside of the town ; Lieutenant J, E. Turner was kind enough to show our party through this settlement, which was certainly very unique. After enterinof an old oate we turned to the o to left and passed in front of a long row of cheaply built houses fronting on the beach, the canoes and fishing paraphernalia belonging to each hut being drawn up on the beach in front thereof. Each house is numbered, and the village is under the strict surveillance of an officer of the Navy. As we had found at Bella Bella, most of the Indians were off fishing or en- gaged in work at the canneries ; in the winter, when they are all at home, the population numbers about eight hundred, and the town then presents quite a lively appearance. 224 In Alaskan Waters. 225 It may be well to mention here a certain peculiar kind of fish which is quite plentiful in Alaskan waters ; it is called the candle-fish, and is about the size of a smelt, which it re- sembles in appearance, being small and having i^ bright silvery skin and scales. It is caught by the Indians on bright moonlight nights. They use for this purpose a large rake, some six or seven feet loner, with teeth of bone or sharp-pointed nails. This rake has a handle, and while one Indian paddles the canoe close to the " shoal of fish," the other sweeps the rake through the dense mass, bringing up gen- 15 226 To Califoriiia and Alaska. erally three or four fish impaled on each tooth of the rake. The canoes are soon filled, and the contents being taken on shore, the squaws proceed to skewer the fish on long sticks, passing these sticks through the eyes until each one has as many as it will hold, when the whole are suspended in the thick, smoky atmosphere at the top of the hut, which dries and preserves the fish without salt, which is never used by the Indians. When dry, the candle-fish are carefully packed away in boxes of dried bark. The traders of Port Simpson catch these fish in nets, salt and dry them in the usual manner practised by the whites ; and when this is properly done no fish are more delicious than the candle-fish, the only trouble being that they are so rich that one soon tires of them. To use them as candles, a piece of wick or dried pith is passed through the fish with a bod- kin of hard wood, and the tail being inserted in a cleft-stick or junk-bottle, the wick is lighted. The fish burns with a clear, steady flame. In point of wealth and power, after a few Indian chiefs, the most important person in the villasfe is Mrs. Tom, a woman of orreat im- portance and influence among the natives. INDIAN chief's GRAVE, ALASKA. Ill Alaskan Waters. 227 She is worth about $40,000, and, in that sec- tion of the country at least, is considered a wealthy woman. We made her a visit, and found her not only willing to exhibit to us her large collection of curiosities, but anxious to part with many of them for a proper pecuniary consideration. Her house consists of three rooms, one of them very large. At the time Lieutenant Turner and our party made our visit she was not presentable, but called out to us that we should amuse ourselves by look- ing over her furs until she could prepare her toilet. She was not long in making her ap- pearance, when she opened her trunks, searched in various recesses, and brought forth any num- ber of trinkets and curious articles, which she offered for sale. We made a number of pur- chases, including some very fine otter skins and a Chilcot blanket. We were told that she left the settlement for the Aleutian Islands every year in a large boat well stocked with provisions and articles that she knows will be appreciated by the Indians ; these she trades away for rich furs and curiosities which she knows she can readily sell to the Americans who visit Sitka. These journeys sometimes keep her away for three months at a time. 228 To Califomiia and Alaska. Mrs. Tom's ideas of matrimony are cer- tainly very liberal ; she has almost any number of husbands, but rarely keeps one over two or three years, when she discharges him and purchases a new one. After we had made the purchases from her we requested her to send the articles to the steamer and we would pay the money to the husband who brought the package. She evidently had a very pessimistic opinion of man's honesty, for she quickly re- plied that, as the amount due was quite a large sum, she wished, if we had no objections, that we would pay her " cash down " on the spot, saying that she would feel easier than if she had to wait for one of her husbands to bring it back to her. While this book is going through the press the writer has noticed some curious statements in a New York journal on the polyandrous women of Alaska. A member of an expedi- tion that is surveying the boundary line between Alaska and Canada says that he has met tribes on the upper Yukon River where it is not uncommon for the women to have two or more husbands. This custom also prevails in Eastern Thibet and among the Mongols of the Tsaidam. It is accounted for Ill Alaskan Waters, 229 by the fact that, on account of the barren nature of the soil and the general poverty of the people the brothers in a family will agree to have only one wife among them ; while one brother is absent on a trading jour- ney another remains at home and looks after the live stock, the "mutual wife" manaeine the household. Amoncr the Alaskan Eskimo a man is entitled to as many wives as he can get, but in parts of the country where women are scarce two or more men live in a hut with one woman. It is stated that polygamy is only practised among rich and prosperous savages, while polyandry is practised by the poorer peoples, from necessity rather than choice. After lunch we stopped a few moments at Lieutenant Turner's rooms and then visited the Presbyterian Mission, where we saw the Shepard workshop, established by Mr. and Mrs. Shepard when they were here two years aofo. We were much interested in the old Greek church. It is a rather gaudily deco- rated building, painted in green and gold after the Eastern fashion, w^ith magnificent regalia and appointments for its rather lengthy but imposing service. Some of the old houses 230 To California and Alaska. presented a very quaint and time-worn ap- pearance, being probably some hundreds of years old. While we were here the boys of the party had very good luck fishing off the bows of the boat, catching some very fine black bass and halibut. The fishing and deer- shooting in this vicinity are said to be very good. The Russian-American Company, once such an important factor in Alaskan life, com- menced its existence in 1799 and was formed on the same plan as the Hudson Bay Com- pany ; a body of Russian traders and mer- chants, however, had existed long before that date. Between 181 2 and 1841 the Russians had settlements in California, at Ross and Bodega, and they named the principal stream in that part of the country Russian River. In the latter year Captain Sutter, the famous Californian, purchased the company's settle- ment for $30,000, which was finally abandoned when it was found more convenient to pur- chase from the Hudson Bay Company on Vancouver Island. It is said that when the Russians occupied Sitka their houses were not models of cleanli- ness. Some of them were in the habit of In Alaskan Waters. 231 keeping poultry in the rooms over the sleep- ing--chamber, and as the little windows were never opened except at long intervals the odor was not very captivating. Pigs and goats at that time were allowed to roam the streets at their own sweet will and took full advantage of their unrestricted liberty. 232 To California and Alaska. We left Sitka on the afternoon of the 2 2d of May. All the acquaintances we had made begged us to remain over until the next day, promising that they would arrange an Indian war-dance in the evening, but our time being limited we were obliged to take our departure. The mission band came down to the dock and gave us a serenade just before we sailed away. We ran until about dark, when we entered Peril Straits and anchored in Fish Bay for the niorht. At three o'clock on the followinor morninof. May 23d, we left Fish Bay in Peril Straits, passed through the rapids, and out into the open sound, bound for Glacier Bay. We went through Chatham Strait, leaving Admiralty Island on our rieht, gfoinof around Port Au- gusta, and passing by Port Frederick, Port Adol- phus, and Bartlett. The waters in this region are totally unexplored. After we entered Chatham Strait bound for the north, Captain Carroll remained in the pilot-house, as there were no soundings, and he was the only man on board who had ^ ' company in the finest ifW''''v^' ' and most approved style. It was as good as any hotel we stopped at on our journey, almost equalling the hotel at Monterey. The building is beautifully lo- cated on the side of the mountain overlook- ing the Bow River Valley, is supplied with every modern convenience and luxury that one could wish for, and is kept open during the entire year. 246 To California and Alaska. Many excursions are made from here into the mountains by sportsmen, who can readily obtain the horses and camping outfits necessary for a two or three weeks' sojourn. The moun- tains surroundinof Banff averao^e in height from seven to ten thousand feet. Devil's-Head Lake is situated at the very foot of Fairholme Mountains, in the very heart of snow-capped mountains, its shores rising perpendicularly out of the water with little if any vegetation upon them. The depth of the lake is in pro- portion to the height of the mountains at its sides. We had heard that very large trout were to be obtained in this lake, and conse- quently had made arrangements to drive out there in two wagons. As it was early in the season we were not able to obtain many boats ; a few of the party went out, however, and after an hour's fishing Mr. Kean returned with a forty-two-pound lake trout. This locality is particularly celebrated for big-horned sheep, and mountain goats are common on the neighborinor heights. The Sulphur Springs at Banff are highly appreciated by invalids. The air here is soft and balmy, and the records show that the winters are not as severe in the valley as one Hunting Experiences. 247 might be led to expect. The government has built excellent roads, running in different direc- tions, all through the valley and up the mountain sides. A good livery is kept at the hotel, where horses and carriages can be ob- tained for excursions in the vicinity. Bridle- paths have also been cut to quite a distance in the mountains. A party could stay a couple of weeks here with very great profit, not only on account of the shooting and fishing, but for the pleasure that would be derived from excur- sions to the different points of interest. We stopped for a few minutes about ten miles farther east, at Anthracite, a place where discoveries of anthracite coal have been made. From that point we did not stop until we reached Calgary, where we remained about half an hour, at the request of the mayor and some of the prominent citizens, and enjoyed a drive around the city. Calgary can be com- pared to the town of Great Falls, in Montana ; it seems to be similarly located, and will eventually become a distributing point for the mines and mountain region surroundino- it ; it is understood that this is now the case with regard to the Northwest and Mackenzie River country. The growth of this town 248 To California and Alaska. within the past four years has been something phenomenal. From Calgary we hurried on eastward until, about sundown, we reached Medicine Hat, situated on the Saskatchewan River. This place is the home of Mr. Niblock, through whose energy enough funds have been raised to build a large hospital for the railroad people. The station at Medicine Hat is one of the prettiest buildings on the prairie ; the experi- mental garden in front of the building in the summer time is one mass of flowers. We left Medicine Hat at half-past six on the evening of May 31st, taking with us Mr. Niblock's assistant, Mr. Coon, his celebrated duckine doe " Punch," and another do^ which we borrowed from a gentleman in Medicine Hat. We ran slowly during the evening, so timing ourselves as to get within about half a mile of Goose Lake at three o'clock in the morning. The train was stopped here on the main track, Mr. Coon having with him a telegraph instrument with which he tapped the wires and kept all east- and west-bound trains out of the way. We then had coffee, and the gentlemen of the party started with their guns and walked up the track, just as Hu7iting Experiences. 249 day was breaking. As we neared the lake, which lay to the south, we could hear geese and ducks, as well as many other kinds of wild-fowl, making an incessant squawking and calline. When we reached the lake we found it fairly alive with geese and ducks of every description ; snipe, yellow-legs, and avecet were there in myriads. Owing to the easy manner in which wild-fowl can be killed here, the lake has been nicknamed, by Mr. Van Home, "Blind-hunter's Lake"; he truthfully contends that all a man has to do is to go there, fire off a gun, and he is sure to hit something. It must be added, however, that this remark only applies to the gunning season. As it was the close of the season, and our party only desired to obtain a few specimens of game, to be mounted in Winnipeg, we separated, some of us going to the north side of the lake, while others went to the opposite side. About half-past six we returned to the railroad track, at the north end of the lake, each with a few specimens of almost every kind of wild-fowl. All the party then went back along the track, and signalled for the train to come up, when we got on. We made a run for a short distance until we came to another part 250 To California and Alaska. of the lake, where a number of swan were seen. We stopped the train, and two of the party tried to stalk them, but found it im- possible to get near them, as the swan would invariably get up just before the sportsmen were within gun-shot distance. At Rush Lake we made another stop. This is, probably, the finest shooting lake on the line of the Cana- dian Pacific ; wild-fowl shooting is said to be better here than anywhere else along the road. After spending a half-hour at this lake, we all returned to the train and had breakfast. While waiting at the siding at this lake we were passed by the west-bound Continental. From Rush Lake to Winnipeg we made no stop, except to change engines and take water. We arrived at Winnipeg about eleven o'clock in the evening, having made exceptionally good time. The following day, Sunday, the second of June, the weather was bright, clear, and quite warm. Shortly after breakfast the American Consul called upon us, and we arranged with him for a visit to Governor Shultz. Some of the party took carriages and drove to church. In the afternoon the children all took a Hunting Experiences. 251 drive, and the men of the party visited Mr. Hines, the taxidermist, and left with him a number of heads and specimens that we had procured in the Rocky Mountains and else- where, such as moose, elk, and the black- tailed deer. The writer had the pleasure of capturing one of the largest moose heads that had ever been seen in that section of the country ; also quite a large elk head. We all enjoyed our visit in Winnipeg, es- pecially our call upon Governor Shultz, whom we found to be an exceedingly agreeable per- son. He was very anxious, not only to hear about our trip to Alaska, but also to give the writer information in regard to the Mackenzie River Basin country, of which he had made a study, having been a member of a commission, appointed some years ago by the Canadian Government, to make a report on the subject. He kindly furnished us with a copy of this document. He was very anxious that some time in the near future the writer should make up a party and visit the Mackenzie River, following it down to its outlet. He explained that this scheme was quite practicable, pro- vided the writer could obtain a letter from the Hudson Bay Company giving him the right 252 To California and Alaska. to use their boats on the river or its tribu- taries, wherever they might be found ; and he, very kindly, gave the assurance that he could obtain such a letter. Such a trip, he estimated, would occupy about five or six months. Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba, is situ- ated at the junction of the Red and Assini- boine rivers, both of which are navigable by steamships. For many years this city has been the chief post of the Hudson Bay Com- pany, and to-day that company carries on a very large business with the people in the reorions to the north and west. As it was Sun- day we were not able to visit the warehouses of the Hudson Bay Company, and could only see them from the outside. They look more like large military barracks than the buildings of a private company. Governor Shultz informed us that in former years the Hudson Bay Com- pany were government, counsel, and every- thing else to this part of the country ; that they made their own laws, and even conducted the trials. He also informed us that very few people believe Lord Lonsdale ever penetrated the Arctic region as far as he claimed he did ; in fact, that reports from Hudson Bay officials Hunting Experiences. 253 said that no such person had ever been at cer- tain posts, and that it was next to impossible for him to have gone over to Mollesten's Land, or even to the eastern Arctic coast oppo- site ; besides, the trip from here westward to the Yukon would have required a longer period. The city is situated on a level plain ; the streets are very broad, and the buildings mostly of brick. Within the last few years the town, of course, has grown very rapidly, owing to the Canadian Pacific Railway passing through it, and the Manitoba Railroad reaching it from the south. Many branches of railroad now centre here. The Hudson Bay Company have a railway, which, when we were at Winnipeg, was completed as far as Shoal Lake, forty miles to the northwest. The depot of the Canadian Pacific Railway in this city is a hand- some and imposing building, and is the divi- sional headquarters for that part of the road from Port Arthur to Donald, a distance of 1,454 miles; this is called the Western Division. The land offices of the Canadian Pacific Rail- way are also located here. In conversing with the taxidermist, Mr. Hines, and his son, both of whom are ardent 254 To California and Alaska. sportsmen, they gave very interesting accounts of the game that can be found north of Winni- peg, at Lake Winnipeg. This game includes moose, caribou, bear, and, in the fall, any num- ber of ducks. They also informed us that the facilities for getting to the hunting grounds were very good. The sportsman could follow the Hall River nearly the whole distance, part of the way by steamboat and the rest of the way in canoes, making it exceedingly easy to take plenty of supplies. The country is said to resemble very much the Adirondacks or the lake region of Minnesota, from the fact that for miles and miles the hunter can eo from one Htinting Experiences. 255 lake to another, oftentimes without having to make any carry, while at others he would only have from one to three hundred feet carry to make. They told us, also, that the grounds for camping are excellent ; in fact, from their account we came to the conclusion that a trip there during the months of September or October would amply repay any sportsman. CHAPTER XXII. FROM WINNIPEG, HOMEWARD BOUND. We left Winnipeg at three o'clock on the afternoon of June 2d, arriving at Rat Portage about sundown. The scenery west from Lake Winnipeg was very similar to what we had seen the two preceding days, until we approached Rat Portage, when there were some very picturesque views and numerous rock-bound lakes that we passed, many of which were studded with small islands, and were very pretty. We arrived at Port Arthur about six o'clock on the morning of June 3d, first stopping at Fort William. The ride by moonlight the night before was through scenery different from anything we had seen heretofore. The road twisted and turned around many low hills, across small lakes, winding down rivers, running all the time through an exceedingly 256 FroTn Winnipeg, Homeivard Bound. 257 picturesque country. The effect of the moon- light, now and then falHng upon these beauti- ful lakes, of which there was almost a continu- ous line, was so pleasing as to induce many of the party to sit out on the rear platform until quite late in the evening. If we had not been in a hurry to reach Nepigon, where the party ^•~- 'T'/'^A^ \**:\A-^ proposed to have some fishing, we would have stopped over at Winnipeg until the morning, in order to enjoy this scenery, which, though it was not grand, was exceedingly beautiful. We arrived at Port Arthur, more commonly called Prince Arthur's Landing, at about eight o'clock in the morning, and remained there until the Indians, who were to accompany us on our fishing tour, arrived from P'ort Wil- liam, about half-past one. We procured a 258 To California and Alaska. box-car for the canoes. The morning was occupied in visiting various stores, and pur- chasing provisions and needed articles for the four or five days' camping trip up the Nepi- o"on. We also went down to the docks, and went through one of the fine steam-ships of the Canadian Pacific Company, which ply be- tween Port Arthur and Owen's Sound. Both this place and Fort William are noted for havinor a o^reat number of laree erain elevators. The extensive docks at Port Arthur are also a notable feature of the place. The steamship that we took here was a passenger boat, fitted up with every modern luxury and convenience. The engine-room was so arranged that visitors, instead of being warned away by the sign " No Admittance," were permitted to go through almost every part of it. These boats were built on the Clyde, in Scotland, and the different pieces brought to this country and put together at Lake Superior. The principal freight carried by them is grain. Directly across the bay from Port Arthur is Thunder Cape. Behind this cape is Silver Islet, noted for having yielded fabulous amounts of silver ore. On the Western From Winnipeg, Homeivard Bound. 259 Division, west of Port Arthur, " Central " time and the twenty-four-hour system are used. East of Port Arthur, Eastern time and the old twelve-hour system are used. We made the short run from Port Arthur to Nepigon, and immediately on our arrival went down the Hudson Bay Company's coast, and called on Mr. Flanagan, the head ofificial of that company. He had been notified by Mr. Van Home to have everything ready for us in the way of necessary supplies ; also canoes and Indians. We procured from him another boat, some Indian tents and blankets, and the party started up the river. It consisted of Messrs. Kean, Purdy, Frank Webb, and Georo^e Bird. The writer and Dr. McLane had arranged to remain with the ladies and children while the other members of the party made their trip up the river. We had heard that the Nepigon had been pretty thoroughly fished, owing to its accessibility, and we were told that by going on to Jackfish we would find a number of streams, both east and west, that could easily be reached, and where the fishing was very good. We arrived at Jack- fish about sundown. The road from Nepigon to Jackfish sweeps around the north shore of >.6o To Califoi^nia and Alaska. Lake Superior, and represents a section of the railroad upon which some of the heaviest work on the entire Hne had to be done. The scene changes constantly, the road sometimes going over deep, rugged cuttings, viaducts, passing through tunnels, and sometimes on the very face of the cliff. One or two miles of road over which we passed cost the company nearly ■tt^-- $500,000 per mile. The water along the shore at some places is from three to five hundred feet deep. It was in this section of the country, views of which are elsewhere given, that the Canadian Pacific Railway spent over $1,500,000 in dynamite alone. The company had to use such a large amount of this explosive that they built an establishment From. Winnipeg, Homeivaj'd Bound. 261 of their own for its manufacture ; the building was located on an island, which can be seen from the train. At Schreiber, a divisional point, we changed engines. The Division Superintendent whom we met here very kindly introduced the writer to the engineer of this section of the road, a great fisherman. He not only told us where the best fishing was to be had, but arranged with the foreman of the section at Jackfish, also quite a fisherman, to take us up and down the track on his hand car as often as we mieht desire. 3/ SKCTCH FROAI t«e From Schreiber to Jackfish the road is car- ried through and around many lofty and precipitous promontories, and over a great number of high trestles. Jackfish is beauti- 262 To California and Alaska. fully situated on Jackfish Bay. The mouth of the bay is filled with islands and is one of the land-locked harbors on the north coast of Lake Superior. The place is known principally as a fishing hamlet, and, besides the depot, con- tains only a few huts occupied by fishermen. Lake trout from ten to twenty pounds in weight are brought in every evening by small sloops. These fish are taken in gill nets in the deep water beyond the islands. Quite a number of brook trout are also caught in this way, each boat bringing in from thirty to sev- enty-five fish. The fish are cleaned at once and shipped by express to the East, nearly every express train which stops here taking on four or five barrels. When a fisherman comes across a particularly fine brook trout, or lake trout, he packs it in ice and ships it to some particular customer in Ottawa. Early on the morning of June 4th, Dr. McLane and the writer started on the hand- car with the section foreman and three men and rode four miles east to Steel River, cross- ing the railroad bridge there and going down to the mouth of the river, where it empties into Lake Superior. The river here is filled with pools from Fi^oiii Winnipeg , Homcivard Bound. 263 twelve to fifteen feet deep, and at other places is from two to three feet deep, though the current is very swift ; it is about one hundred yards wide. The writer had scarcely made a cast before he struck a very large trout ; after some very lively work, playing him about ten minutes in the swift current, the fish was landed and found to weigh about three pounds. A second attempt resulted in hooking another trout not quite so large. The fishing in this river is said to be better than in any other river on the lake coast. Very few people, however, are aware of this fact, nearly all fish- ing parties going to the Nepigon. After lunch we went up the river some two miles north of the railroad bridge to one of the prettiest pools we had ever seen. We had fairly good luck here and, in the afternoon, returned on the hand-car to Tackfish. On the followino- day, Dr. McLane not feeling very well, the writer made the same trip without him, but as the weather was very warm he met with little success. One of the men on the car had been out in the morning to a little brook called Blackbird Creek, about two miles west of Jackfish, and caught ten fine trout with a fly; some of the trout weighed as much as four 264 To Calijornia and Alaska. pounds each. After lunch the writer took Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Purdy in a sail-boat, and sailed over to this creek, where we got out and fished awhile. We then went up on a high trestle, and waited for Mr. Van Home, who was expected to come along with our train. The day before he had wired us that he was on his way to the Pacific coast, and he would stop and take up our train with his " special " and take us back to Nepigon, where we had arranged to remain a couple of days until the boys came down the river. Owing to some little delay down the line we had to wait on the trestle two hours, but Mr. Van Home finally came along and picked us up. He and his party dined with us that evening, and after leaving us at Nepigon he started westward for the Pacific coast. His last words to us were : " Make yourselves at home, and call for what you want." Thursday, June 6th, we spent at Nepigon, waiting for the boys to come down the riv^er, and did but very little fishing. The flies had got to be quite thick, and we had to be very careful all day to keep them from getting into the cars. Dr. McLane and the writer spent the evening with Mr. Flanagan and his family, From Winnipeg , Homcivard Bo7ind. 265 and were delightfully entertained by his charm- ing wife and daughter. Mr. Flanagan has been located here with his family quite a num- ber of years, and is in charge of the Hudson Bay property. Some foot-races and rifle- matches between the porters on our train, which we got up on this afternoon, proved to be very amusing. About six o'clock the next evening word was brought to us by an Indian that our party was coming down the river ; we telegraphed at once to Port Arthur to send an engine to take us East. The boys arrived about seven o'clock, and, as soon as possible after their arrival, we started for Montreal. After leaving Jackfish, our journey led us through a very wild and barren country, per- haps the most uninteresting portion of the Canadian Pacific road. There was one suc- cession of small lakes and insignificant moun- tains. We changed engines four times after we left Schreiber — at White River, Chapleau, Carter, and Sudbury. Chapleau is charmingly situated on Lake Kinogama, and here the railroad company have workshops, and a num- ber of neat cottages for their employes. We arrived at Sudbury about evening. This 266 To California ajid Alaska. place has a connection with the Sault Ste. Marie Railroad, through to St. Paul and Min- neapolis, by the Duluth, South Shore, and Atlantic and " Soo " route. Just before this time a new passenger line had been opened from Minneapolis to Boston by this route. Large copper mines are situated a short dis- tance from Sudbury, and a number of smelting works have been erected there. We left Sudbury on the evening of Satur- day, June 8th, and arrived at Ottawa on the morning of the 9th, passing North Bay, a very pretty town on Lake Nipissing, during the night. The country from Sudbury to North Bay is very much frequented by sportsmen ; bear, moose, and deer are said to abound throughout this region — such, at least, was the statement made by our train-hands. Very little timber seems to have been cut in this region, but wherever the land has been cleared it has been immediately taken for agricultural purposes. We spent the morning in Ottawa, and left about one o'clock for Montreal, making the run in three hours, and arriving in the new station of the Canadian Pacific Railway, near the Windsor Hotel. It was here that we From Winnipeg, Homeward Bound. 267 began to feel that we had almost completed our long and interesting trip. This new depot of the Canadian Pacific Railway is probably one of the finest passenger depots in the country. Immediately on our arrival we went to the Windsor Hotel for dinner, and there met the genial manager, Mr. Swett, who gave us a very cordial reception, as usual. In the evening we walked around the city, getting back to the train about bedtime. Our train was taken around to the Grand Trunk Depot, and, on the morning of Monday, June loth, Mr. Flagg, Mr. Louis Webb, and Mr. Smith arrived from New York to welcome our return. We had intended to stay all day in Montreal, but towards noon the weather became warm and sultry, and, as the party became a little restless and anxious to go to Shelburne, the writer telegraphed to St. Albans for an engine, and we left at five o'clock, reach- ing home about three hours later. The people of the whole town turned out to orreet us on our arrival, and gave us an old-fashioned and right hearty welcome. Before closincr this record of our western trip, it is only proper to say that the whole party were unanimous in the opinion that the 268 To Calif or )iia and Alaska. courtesy and kind attention shown by Mr. Van Home and all of the officials connected with the Canadian Pacific Railway could never be fully repaid, and that it was only through their efforts that our trip had been so thoroughly enjoyable and interesting. It is not too much to say that Mr. Van Home literally verified the statement made in a letter to the writer prior to the commencement of our journey ; that statement was that the Canadian Pacific Railway was at the disposal of the writer to come and go on as he willed, and all that he had to do was to command. Mr. Van Home's generous hospitality was certainly thoroughly appreciated by every member of the party, and will never be forgotten by the writer. THE END. K-^^W-^S^ ^'^i^'^W^^m ^"^r^^^W^^m^- ■^ig-^ >:>>!■ ^A^ ^,^-4%V^ ''''^^^"^^' #s^S^. --%^^^^^^*? LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 017 063 880 3 •