side of the Stanilaus, which is a small river
flowing in a south-westerly course through the county. The mountain is
in the form of a ridge about two thousand feet above the present level
of the river. At one point the river breaks through this ridge, which
has been worn away for a considerable distance. From this point the
ridge appears as a continuous mountain, stretching away to the south for
a distance of twenty miles, from where it crosses the river. "As seen
from a distance the Table Mountain reveals its origin at once, in the
contrast between the long, straight line of its upper edge and the
broken and curving ones which the eroded hills of the auriferous strata
everywhere exhibit. Its dark color and comparative absence of trees
and shrubs on its top and sides also indicate very clearly that the
materials of which it is composed are very different from that of the
surrounding hills."<4>

This is the celebrated Table Mountain of Tuolumne County. It is simply
a vast flow of lava. It must have been a grand sight when this river of
fire came rolling down from its volcanic fount. Its present position on
top of an elevated ridge is a very singular one. In explanation of that
we arrive at some very important conclusions, and we can not fail to be
impressed with the fact that countless ages have rolled away since that
lava flood poured down the mountain side. "No one can deny that a stream
of melted lava, running for forty miles down the slope of the Sierra,
must have sought and found a depression or valley in which to flow; for
it is impossible that it should have maintained for any distance its
position on the crest of a ridge." Lava is about as thick as molten
iron, and would as surely seek some valley in which to flow as would so
much water. "The valley of the Stanilaus, now two thousand feet deep,
could not then have existed; for this flow of lava is clearly seen to
have crossed it at one point."

"The whole face of the country must, therefore, have undergone an entire
change since the eruption took place, during which this mass of lava was
poured out. The valley of the Stanilaus must have then been occupied by
a range of mountains. The same is true of the other side, where now is
the valley of Wood's Creek; for such ranges must have existed in order
to form and wall in the valley in which the current of lava flowed.
There has been, therefore, an amount of denudation during the period
since this volcanic mass took