CHAPTER XIII.

The Sierra Nevada Mountains and the coast range run nearly parallel with the shores of the Pacific. The first are from one hundred to two hundred miles from the Pacific, and the last from fifty to sixty. The valley between them is the most fertile portion of California. Marysville is situated in this valley, about twenty miles in a south-westerly direction from the low hills of the Sierra Nevada; which form, as it were, the lower steps of an immense gigantic flight, terminating upon the summit of a range of mountains which would not suffer in comparison with any of transatlantic existence.

North of the city of Marysville is a plain of several miles in extent. This flat expanse is dotted with evergreen oaks, the shape and foliage of which, previous to minute examination, present an exact resemblance of the apple-tree. When it was impossible to procure apples at any price, or even after they were as low as fifty cents apiece, when enjoying a walk upon the plains I would be constrained, in opposition to my knowledge to the contrary, to look under the trees, wishing I could only find _one_ apple, it would have tasted so sweet.

In a westerly direction from Marysville are situated the Butte Mountains, which present a singular appearance. They constitute one of the sublimest features of California scenery, rising as they do abruptly from the level plain which extends for miles around them. There are three high elevations, which, seen from a distance, might be aptly compared to three mountain islands, rising from the surface of the ocean. It is said that, standing on the top of the Butte Mountains in a clear day, with a telescope in hand, Monte Diabolo can be plainly seen: the space lying between is nearly three hundred miles. Feather River forms the western boundary to the city limits. The Yuba River opposite the plazza is wider than at any other place. When bank-full, I should judge it to be nearly three hundred yards in width. In the dry season, it is fordable for teams; and there is also a ferry across the river. The most of the city at first was built around the plazza, which is less elevated than the plain which extends back. Since then, owing to frequent inundations of the plazza, from which residents sustained material damage, they have removed most of the business houses to the upper part of the city. Marysville, I think, following the course of the river, is about two hundred miles, and perhaps two hundred and fifty, from San Francisco. The first rains there usually fall in November, and last until May. As soon as the ground becomes moistened, the grass, and other hardy vegetation, springs up; and, by the middle of December, the landscape is arrayed in a robe of fresh verdure; the plains, which, during the dry season, had assumed the appearance of the streets, now present a perfect carpet of green, as far as the eye can see. Beautiful flowers spring up spontaneously in every direction, gladdening the vision with their variegated and gorgeous colors, and, I wish I could add, rendering the air redolent with perfume; but, although so beautiful to the sight, they possess very little fragrance, if any.

Deep gullies that intersect the country, and which during the dry summer appear as if they never saw a drop of water, now become the channels of rapidly rushing streams. So much do they resemble rivers, that I heard one novice, who made his first appearance at this season, inquire, pointing to one of these sloughs, “Do they catch salmon in that river?” Some of them are deep and miry. Teamsters, who have attempted to ford them, have sometimes lost their lives in the attempt. When these sloughs are very much swollen by heavy rains, all communication with the country back is cut off. The season for sowing grain commences as soon as the ground is sufficiently moistened to permit of ploughing, and continues until March. There were some fine ranches along the banks of the Yuba. The bottom lands are very rich and productive, yielding an excellent harvest of wheat, oats, and barley. Vegetables grow to an enormous size, and surpass in flavor any I ever before tasted. I never dreamed of seeing water-melons grow to such a size as I saw them here. Recollect, now, I only state facts. I saw one water-melon sell for twelve dollars: it was sold by the pound. It was the first year any had ever been raised in Upper California. Mr. Briggs, who raised them, told me that that year, from the sale of his melons alone, he realized twenty thousand dollars. Is it to be wondered at that miners who had been subsisting one, two, and perhaps three years, upon pork and beans, and ham, varied occasionally by a repast of flap-jacks and molasses, and once in a great while get a sight of a potato, should be eager to possess themselves of a water-melon, at any price? No one except those who were miners in the early days of gold-hunting can conceive of the hardships, the sacrifices of the necessaries of life, and sometimes of life itself, they were subjected to--perhaps nearly starving, with thousands of dollars’ worth of gold-dust in their possession. What will not a man suffer for gold? The first winter I passed in California proved to be the rainiest I ever afterwards experienced; yet that would scarcely compare with the winter of 1849.

I must confess I never before saw it rain (I should say pour) so unceasingly for such a length of time,--a week, perhaps, every day and night, and sometimes longer; then the sun would shine out quite warm for a week; then rain again. The mud in the streets was perfectly awful to behold, but much more awful to find yourself sinking into the miry depths. The rain in the valley was snow in the mountains; and, forty miles from Marysville, the snow might be ten feet deep or more, while in the city it would be sufficiently warm to sit with the windows open. When the dry season commences, then farewell to green grass, bright flowers, and everything pertaining to the beautiful, and prepare yourself to be suffocated with dust and sand, debilitated by the oppressive heat, and devoured by myriads of fleas. All this, and much more, you must endure, if you remain in Marysville through the summer. But, if not engaged in business, you can flee away to the mountains, and in some sequestered vale enjoy the lovely scenery, the cool spring water, inhale the invigorating mountain air, and, for exercise, climb to the summits of the mountains, timbered with large pines, firs, and cedars, with a smaller growth of magnolia, manzanita, hawthorn, etc., etc. Notwithstanding the heat is so intense during the dry season, the atmosphere is so pure that meat, when left exposed to the sun, never spoils; and, after one of those excessively hot days, the nights are extremely pleasant and comfortable. I never saw a night in California when I was deprived of refreshing slumber on account of the heat and oppressive atmosphere. I have known laboring men at work there digging cellars, when the thermometer in the place where they were at work would rise to 125 deg.; and yet those people could endure to work there, day after day, when, to work in such hot days in our climate, and with the sun striking directly on their heads, would have caused sickness, or even death.

It seemed so strange to me, after one of those hot days, not to see any appearance of a shower, not the slightest film of vapor in all the vast azure vault.

Some of the smaller houses were constructed of zinc. A lady who occupied one positively averred that the sides of the house were so hot, that she had only to place her dough, when she was going to bake bread, in close proximity to the wall, where the heat was sufficient to cook it. These zinc shanties were all abandoned before the summer was half spent. They were positively more like ovens than dwellings.

There is but little disease in the country arising from the climate. On some of the rivers, where vegetation is rank, and decays in autumn, the malaria produces chills and fever, which sometimes, when neglected too long, proves fatal.

The soil and climate of California is peculiarly adapted to the culture of the grape. The delicious richness and flavor of the California grapes nothing of the fruit kind can equal. The cactus grows spontaneously in California, and some of the inclosures are hedged in by this plant, which grows to an enormous size, and makes an impervious barrier against man and beast. The stalks of some of the plants are of the thickness of a man’s body, and grow to the height of fifteen feet. One of the most serviceable of the California plants is the soap-plant. The root, which is the saponaceous portion of the plant, resembles the onion, and possesses the quality of cleansing linen equal to any soap.

The wild animals of California are the wild horse, elk, black-tailed deer, antelope, grisly bear, beaver, otter, cayote, hare squirrel, and a variety of other small animals. The interior lakes and rivers swarm with myriads of wild geese, ducks, and other birds; the pheasant and partridge are numerous in mountains.

For salubrity I do not think there is any climate in the world superior to that of California. I have known people in the country who have been exposed much of the time to great hardships and privations, sleeping most of the time in the open air, and never suffering the first pangs of disease, or the slightest indications of ill-health. California is rich in mineral productions of all kinds.

Wheat, barley, and other grains, can be produced in the valleys without irrigation. Oats grow spontaneously, and with such rankness as to be considered a nuisance upon the soil. I have seen acres of these growing so high as to almost hide the cattle feeding among them. The oats grow to the summits of the hills, but not so tall as in the valleys. All the variety of grasses which cover the country are heavily seeded, and, when ripe, are as fattening to the stock as the grains with which we feed our stock in this country. Nearly all the fruits of temperate and tropical climates can be produced in perfection in California.

The Californians do not differ materially from the Mexicans, from whom they are descended. The native Californian is almost constantly on horseback, and, as horsemen, excel any I have seen in other parts of the world. The Californian saddle is the best that has ever been invented for the horse and rider. It is scarcely possible to be unseated by any ordinary casualty. The bridle-bit is clumsily made, but so constructed that the horse is compelled to obey the rider, upon the slightest intimation; the spurs are of immense size. With his horse and trappings, serape and blankets, a piece of beef, and he is content, as far as personal comforts are concerned. His amusements consist of the fandango, game of monte, horse-racing, and bear and bull-fighting; and a very exciting sport among them is the lassoing of wild cattle. They are trained to the use of the lasso (riata, as it is here called) from their infancy. A vaquero, mounted on a trained horse, and provided with a lasso, proceeds to the place where the herd is grazing. Selecting an animal, he soon secures it by throwing the noose of the lasso over the horns, and fastening the other end around the pommel of the saddle. During the first struggles of the animal for liberty, which usually are very violent, the vaquero sits firmly in his seat, and keeps his horse in such a position that the fury and strength of the beast are wasted, without producing any other result than his own exhaustion. The animal, soon ascertaining that he cannot release himself from the rope, submits to be pulled along to the place of execution. Arriving here, the vaquero winds the lasso around the legs of the animal, and throws him to the ground, where he lies perfectly helpless and motionless. Dismounting from his horse, he then takes from his leggin his butcher-knife, which he always carries with him, and sticks him in the throat. The daring horsemanship, and the dexterous use of the lariat, usually displayed on these occasions, are worthy of admiration.

The native Californian ladies lack the clear, olive complexion so much admired in the pure Castilian; but they are equally as animated in conversation, and their dark eyes flash with all the intelligence and passion characteristic of the Spanish woman. There are few things more beautiful than their manner of salutation.

Among themselves, they never meet without embracing; but to men and strangers on the street they lift the right hand to near the lips, gently inclining the head toward it, and, gracefully fluttering their fingers, send forth their recognition with an arch beaming of the eye that is _almost_ as bewitching as a kiss. They dance with much ease and grace: the waltz appears to be a favorite with them. Smoking is not prohibited in these assemblies, nor is it confined to the gentlemen. The cigarita is freely used by the señoras and señoritas; and they puff it with much gusto while threading the mazes of the cotillon, or swinging in the bewitching waltz. The cigarita is not without its powers of fascination in the lips of a lovely woman, even rivalling the use of the fan as an appliance of coquetry.

In Marysville were assembled women from all parts of the world; and I assure you it was an interesting study to watch the different natures, dispositions, tastes, pursuits, manners, and customs of these fair representatives of distant climes. But among them all, the Yankee women stand preëminent, so far as regards principle, industry, and economy, and, as a general thing, are as often sought after for companions for life by the opposite sex as those who can claim preëminence in mere personal attractions, and are destitute of the more sterling attributes, so essential to prosperity and happiness through the varied phases of real life.