The round trip by way of Panama through California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Colorado

Front matter

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I i LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

Preface

Desiring to be on familiar terms with my readers, I have adopted tlie unconstrained style of a personal narrative, without any affectation of modesty in avoiding the use of personal pronouns.

Lest complaint should be made of anachronisms, and there should be discoveries of ubiquity, the reader is notified that this book is the result of more than one year's experience, brought up as nearly as possible to the conditions of the present day, and combined as continuous.

I wish to point out objects of interest not often " written up." Thus, little is said of large cities, and absolutely nothing of the Yosemite.

The tourist starts upon the Trans-Continental tour with a library of illustrated guide-books and maps, some of which are indispensable. If he goes directly from New York to San Francisco, and thence directly returns, they are all that are necessary.

If, however, he has the leisure and inclination to look at some things not exactly on the line of railroads, he may perhaps profitably make a selection from The Round Trip.

Chapter I

A Winter Trip to California by the Isthmus Route — Leaving New York — At Sea — Nearing the Warm Regions — Social Lines on Shipboard — San Salvador — A Cultured Young Lady — Aspinwall — The Princess Columbus Married — A Duel Page i

Chapter II

The Trip Across the Isthmus of Darien — The Commerce of the Isthmus — Surveys for a Canal — Panama Railroad Company — The Terminus on the Pacific Side — Panama — Its Eventful History — Commerce of the City — British Enterprise 9

Leaving for Southern California — The Pious Agriculturist — Great and Small Farmers — Irrigation — Ridicule of Fever and Ague — A California Editor's Homestead 22

Chapter VI

The " Corkscrew " and " Loop " — The Autocrat of the Desert — Below the Level of the Sea — A Crazy Plan for Irrigation — The City of Tuma— The Onward March OF the Southern Pacific Railroad — Future Prospects of Arizona — The Indians and their Chief ... 42

A Stage Ride up the California Coast — The Coacher's Yarns — How a Clergyman was Re-Baptized — The City with the Perfect Climate — A Small Landowner AND his Trifling Possessions 79

Chapter XII

The ups and downs of Travel — The Death of the Herds — A Sand Storm — San Luis Obispo — The Springs of Paso DE RoBLES — Baths of Water and of Earth — German Explanation of the Mud Baths — Hotel Life in a Cottage 84

CHAPTER XIIL

End of the Stage-coach Romance — The Boundary of Southern California — Mexican Grants — Approach to Santa Cruz — Its Early History — Its Attractions . 94

Chapter XIV

From Santa Cruz to San Jose — The Garden of Santa Clara Valley — The Towns of San Jose and Santa

X CONTENTS.

Clara — Another Mission — The Church and the Grape-Wine and Brandy — The Enterprise of General Naglee Page 102

From California Eastwards — The Mines and Gardens of Grass Valley — Lake Tahoe, Carson and Virginia City — The Sinks of the Humboldt — The Great American Desert — Arrival at Salt Lake City 158

CONTENTS. xi