240

CROFUTT’S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

 

look after a small band of sixteen thousand
sheep.

But enough of this. We could fill our
book with these and many other astonish-
ing figures. “ Well,” you will say, “these
California farmers should be contented and
happy men.” One would think so, but
they are not. They are the most inveterate
grumblers of any class of people in the
world. All Californians will, in the inter-
vals between grumbles, express the opinion
that there is no place under the blue canopy
of heaven so good for a white man to live
in as California. Ah, well! are they cor-
rect? Personally, were it necessary, our
affirm could be forthcoming.

Returning to Summer, twelve miles,
brings us to a small place called Pampa,
and 7.8 miles more to

Caliente—Since leaving Summer, the
grade has increased; the valley has been
gradually narrowing by the closing in of
the mountain ranges on each side, leaving
only a narrow strip of land. Nearing this
station, it still more contracts, until a deep
canyon is reached, in the mouth of which
is located Caliente, surrounded by towering
cliffs. There are several stores, one hotel
and a large station and freight warehouse
atthis place. A large amountof freight is
re-shipped at this point, on wagons, for the
surrounding country. Stages leave this
station daily for Havilah, 25 miles; Kern-
ville, 45 miles; fare about 14 cents per
mile. These stages carry passengers, mails
and express. Tourists should now note
the elevations; Caliente is 1,290 feet above
sea level; within the next 25 miles the train
will rise to the summit of Tehachapi Pass,
to an altitude of 3,964 feet, an average of
over 106 feet to the mile. Within this dis-
tance we shall find some of the grandest
scenery on the whole line; will passthrough
seventeen tunnels, with an aggregate
length of 7,683.9 feet, and then “ovER THE
LOOP,” one of the greatest engineering feats
in the world; feat where a railroad is like a
good Roman Catholic—made to cross dtself.
But here, the difference is in favor of the
railroad, as these Californians will always
be a /-e-e-tle ahead ; it does its crossing on a
run, up grade, toward heaven. fy design
to indicate the route of the good Catholic is

disclaimed.] See illustrations on pages
233 and 2389.

Away up the canyon, the grade of the
road can be seen at a number of places
where it winds around the points of pro-
jecting mountain spurs, from which points

we will soon be able tolook down upon
Caliente.

Leaving the station, our route will be
found illustrated on page 239. Caliente
is at the foot of the mountains, at the ex-
treme further end of the dotted line, which
indicates the course of the road, and shows
its windings, the Loop and the surroundin
country, on a flat surface. As we ascen
the narrow canyon, the road graduall
commences to climb the side of the cliffs
on the right, leaving the bed of the canyon
far below, on the left. Up, up, around
rocky points and the head of small ravines,
over high embankments, through deep
cuts, and tunnels “One” and “ Two,” a dis-
tance of 5.3 miles from Caliente, we arrive at

Bealville—tThis is a small station
named in honor of General Beal, late
minister to Austria, who owned 200,000
acres of land in this county.

Oaks, cedar and spruce trees are to be
seen in the gorges and on the mountain
side, where a sufficient soil is left between
the rocks and an occasional shrub of the
manzanita, along the road. Continuing
our climb, the ravines are deeper at every
turn; tunnels No. three, four and five are
passed through, each revealing in its turn,
new wonders and rapid changes. No. five
tunnel is the longest on this “ Pass,” after
passing which and No. six tunnel, the can-
yons on the left become a fearful gorge.

Just after emerging from the sixth tun-
nel, by looking away down the sony
Caliente can be seen, and at the rounding
of nearly every mountain spur for some
miles further. Continuing our climb,
winding around long rocky points and the
head of deep ravines, twisting and turning
to gain altitude, the scenery is wondrous in
its rapid changes. The old Los Angeles
and San Francisco wagon road can be
seen in places, where it, too, winds around
the side of the mountain, and in others,
along the little ravines and larger canyons.

The opposite mountains now loom up in
ue proportions, rocky, peaked and rag-
ged, a full thousand feet above our heads,
and -double that amount above the bottom
of the canyon below. Again are passed
tunnels seven and eight ;again we look down
from dizzy heights into fearful, fearful
chasms. Up along curve to the right, and
we are at a point where the mountains,
from ten_to twenty miles to the south and
westward can be seen, the peaks of many
covered with snow.

Weeme—is reached 83 miles from