, the dry air, the dust and the
absence of tress and vegetation of any kind, condemn all that
country to waste and desolation, except in a few places where
irrigation can be had. The Nevada range of mountains was crossed
at night, but we were to explore them on our return. When the
broad valley of the Sacramento opened to our view, we could hardly
express our delight. Here, indeed, was the land of gold, with its
clear air, its grand mountains, its rich plains.

Aside from the wonderful variety of its scenery, the history of
California has always excited poetic interest--its long settlement
by mixed races living in quiet peaceful harmony, mainly as herdsmen
and shepherds, suddenly disturbed and conquered without firing a
gun, by an aggressive race who soon revolutionized the habits of
the natives, and planted a new civilization, with all the bad as
well as the good elements of our race. Then the discovery of gold,
immediately following the conquest of California, drew to it, from
all parts of the United States, the most restless and adventurous
of our population, some of the worst and many of the best. The
rapid admixture of these diverse elements threatened for a time
hostile conflicts, in which criminals, under cover of law, committed
murder and other crimes, and peaceful, law-abiding citizens were
compelled to appeal to force and mob law to preserve civilization.

The railway soon brought us through Sacramento to San Francisco,
where we remained several days. We were kindly received and
entertained. The enterprise of Scott was not then favored in San
Francisco, but this did not prevent our hearty welcome. Here I
met Mr. Hollister, whom I had known in Ohio. He was the great
shepherd of California. I was informed that he owned 100,000 sheep,
divided into flocks of about 3,000 each. These flocks were wintered
at a large ranch near the Pacific coast belonging to him. The
climate was mild, and the sheep could live without shelter during
the winter. The flocks would start eastwardly over the great
valley, each flock cared for by a shepherd, a boy and a dog, feeding
in the open country, some of the flocks reaching the Mariposa
valley, one hundred miles away. When the grass failed they were
turned to the west to their home. Whether this tale is an exaggeration
I cannot say, but certain it is that at that time sheep raising
and the production of wool was one of the chief industries of
California. Hollister w