AND PACIFIC COAST GUIDE.

 

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near the head of the infamous Solidad
Canyon, known as the “ Robbers’ Roost.”
This canyon is a deep Borge, with
rugged, towering mountain cliffs rising
on each side, in places from 500 to 2,006
feet above the bed of the canyon, the
fronts of which look as though ,they had
been slashed by the hand of the great
Architect, from summit to base, into nar-
row, deep ravines, and then left, present-
ing as wild, gloomy and dismal gorges as
the most vivid imagination can conceive.
These, with the dense growth of pines,
cedar and shrubs, make the mountains
almost impenetrable, and all that the most
wary villain could desire.

The canyon is about 25 miles in length,
inhabited mostly by Mexicans. It was the
headquarters and home of the noted
Vasques, and his robber band, who was
hung at San Jose, March 19,1875. Later,
a band of a dozen or more raided Caliente,
binding and gaging all who came in their
way, and after loading their riding ani-
mals with all they could carry, returned to
this their rendezvous. By a shrewd plan,
five of the number were captured, and
lodged in jail at Bakersfield, from which
they were taken by the citizens and hung
without much expense to the county. But
with all their devilment, the trains and
railroad property have always been secure.
At the next station, the brother of this
noted chief resides, against whom, as we
understand, there stand no accusations,

Passing on down, the canyon widens, and
cottonwood, sycamore and a few oaks and
willows line the little creek, which ripples
over the sands. Mining, to some extent,
is carried on by the Mexicans living here,
but in a primitive way, using arastras, with
water, horse, hand, and, in three cases,
steam power.

Ravena—is the next station, 3.7 miles
from Acton. Here are located a village of
several dozen log, sod and stone houses, be-
longing to the Mexicans, and the paper
mill, before alluded to, as utilizing the
yucca palm for making paper.

We were told at this place that “moss
agates and grizzly bears abound,” but just
why the two should be coupled together,
we are not informed.

About one mile below Ravena, on the
left, away up on the side of the mountain,
600 feet above our train, is a huge rock,
called George Washington, from the fact
that it bears a striking likeness to the
“father of his country,” who, it seems

has left his impress all over his country.
Continuing down, the canyon narrows;
the bluffy walls on each side assume
more formidable features, and in fact is
the most formidable portion of the can-
yon, the rugged spurs shooting out as
though they would bar our farther progress.

Two of these spurs did bar the progress
of our way, until tunnels were completed
penuee them, which aggregate 596 feet in
ength.

Timber can be seen on the tops of the
mountains, and in the largest of the deep
ravines, but inaccessible, from the un-
usual ruggedness of its surroundings.
Limerock abounds and game, both large
and small, is very numerous, including
the grizzly bear. When we passed this
way in January, 1878, Mr. Lang, of Lang’s
Station, close ahead, had killed one of
these bears that weighed 900 pounds, and
Lang called it a small one.

Lang—is asmall station, 8.5 miles be-
low Ravena, and about half-a-mile west of
where the “last spike” was driven, Sept.
oth, 1876, that united the line, building from
Los Angeles and San Francisco. The
bottom, below the station, widens, sand
hills and sand beds appear, as well as
sheep, on the adjoining hills, which are
now lower, with grassy sides; and 10.1
miles from Lang, and our train stops at

Newhall—a station where are large
pens and shutes for loading cattle and sheep.
This station is in the midst of a small val-
ley, named for a Mr. Newhall, who owns
several hundred thousand acres of land in
the vicinity, on which range immense num-
bers of cattle and sheep.

Stages leave this station daily for Ven-
tura, 50 miles; Santa Barbara, 80 miles;
San Louis Obispo, 190 miles; Paso-Robles
Hot Springs, 220, and Solidad, 300 miles,
at the end of the Southern Pacific railroad,
in Salinas Valley, as noted in excursion
No. 5. These stages carry passengers,
mails and express.

We now confront the San Fernando
Mountains on the south, which rise up be-
fore us, towering to the skies, in one great
black solid mass, apparently presenting an
impenetrable barrier to our further progress.
Such was the case until the engineers of
this road, failing to find any way overthem,
resolved to pierce through them, which was
done, resulting in a tunnel 6,967 feet long,
built in a straight line and timbered all the
way. These mountains, as stated, are
high, rising up out of the valley from