JOTTINGS IN CALIFORNIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2280, 14 April 1868, Page 3

JOTTINGS IN CALIFORNIA.

[from a correspondent.] Sacramento City is the capital of the State of California as well as the seat of Government, and corresponds to San Francisco, as he Seat of the United States Government, Washington does to New York. Sacramento 10 built on the river of the same name, distant some 150 miles. The river is navigable for some distance above this for smaller craft, but quite large steamers are employed between the two towns.

These steamers are built on the same principle as the ocean boats, and ate very well kept and very comfortable. The fare each way is 5 dole, and as you always travel by mght, it costs you another dollar for a state room, as cabins are called, and a second for your dinner, which is served in a large saloon on the lower deck, a vast improvement on the old plan of having dinner in the same compartment that you dine and sleep in. Leaving the wharf with extreme punctuality, at 4 p.m., the steamer runs past Mare Island, the Arßenal, and Government and Navy Dockyards, where there is not much to be seen, and up to Benicia (famous for the production of Heenan), where the boat stops. Benicia is a stirring little place, and is the shipping place of a very extensive and good agricultural country. The rivet itself does not present any very grand scenery, the lands on both sides being very low, and when the river is high, always under water. Scarcely any stock is visible on the trip, and one thinks that rice and Chinamen would be the best investment on such swamp land. At this time of year, after the dry season, scarcely ever does the steamer get up without sticking on a nasty bend, called the " Hog's Back." The steamers are always full, but draw remarkably little water. There were over 500 saloon passengers on board the trip I went up.

Sacramento is a pretty hut dull town, and reminded me to a considerable extent of Christchurch. It is very flat, and the streets are planted with trees on either side, and the river runs under the main buildings, only of course, on a mue'i larger scale than the little Avon. The railway runs now as far as Cisco, and the works that have been made over the Nevada mountains are wonderful. This portion has just been opened for a trip or two; but at present it is not completed. The work is rather like the description I read of the Mont Cenis railroad, only not quite so steep. The grnde,however,is very stiff, and the curves are very sharp. The contractors are building the line over in some of the Canons, to protect it from the snow. At present the terminus is at Sacramento, but when the line is open right through, that portion between Sacramento and Frisco is expected to be finished. Every year each State has its State Fair, and I had arranged to visit Sacramento during State Fair week. These State Fairs are not, in my opinion, productive of much permanent good, but, undoubtedly, are of a large amount of evil, Green hands from the country around come in to this fair. It is their spree of the year, and they spend all their money, most of which, as I will show you presently, find its way into the hands of the San Francisco gamblers. The State Fairs always come off in the autumn, and last a week or ten days. The fair ground, where the stock is shown, is about two miles out of town—of course, on the race track—and the machinery and exhibits of fancy and household work, &c, are shown in a large government building in the town. As for the show of stock, it is simply a farce from beginning. One bull and one ox, formed the cuttle exhibit ; and altogether there were ten lots of live stock shown. Your Christchurch Cattle Show is superior (as far as stock is concerned) to all the State fairs put together. For one person that comes in for the sake of the fair, about 100 come in for the sake of the racing. The State gives a good sum of money, and, private purses are also subscribed, and for the week every day sees a programme of about three races. Trotting races are the chief feature of the meeting; but from accounts I have read of trotting in the Wast, the racing here must be painfully inferior, and the time fearfully slow. The first day saw three trotting races in harness. (July two or three teams started, all of a very inferior class, and it was evident that the whole thing was squared and arranged before hand. On the ground at the time, and on the previous evening, horses are sold by auction (in pools), somewhat after the style of Calcutta sweeps; and as far as I could see, this is not a very square game, and one open to serious abuses. On the second day there were some flat races—" running " races they are called—ami anything more foreign to the ideas of a man who Ira been in the habit, the nice finish and good manage ment of an English Course, cannot be imagined. To commence with the jockeys. They do not profess to dress in jockey costume; no boots, only two or three in colours —excepting each wears a coloured cap; and they are most slovenly in their appearance, and, moreover, very bad riders. Instead of having the horses led out of a saddling paddock, looking nice, and drawing everybody's eye, it is the fashion for the jockeys to mount them with all their clothing on, give them a gallop twice round the course, and immediately they have completed that somewhat erratic proceeding they strip the horses, and whle they are streaming with sweat, mount them for the start, which is effected by the beat of a drum on the Judge's stand. I confess myself at a total loss to account for their obiect in thus sweating their horses just as thev are going to start. All the starters were crewed and lame, and I thought perhaps it wasanlan to get them warm, so that they could get along through their work somehow other. The pace averaged a moderate canter All races are run in heats he Gran'stand was every day fillewithla.es, dressed in all the colours of the rainbow. Sgreatcr portion of them were evdeutly from the country, and were enjoying themEs innocently to their hearts' content. The were no amusements whatever on the g d, excepting, of course a faro t . it somewhat strange that, as •/' ™ ? for the amusements was found by Governmn fo the benefit of the State" pubh Sbling table should have been allowed on CI On that afternoon 1 saw two SSKSJgfeS at a table in the steet, and by this time nt • state Fairs: I went to one howe J here toy

parts of the world; but no doubt Californian wakmcn lire both very rowdy and unscrupulous. I saw one gentleman and n lady charged 12 dollars for coming in from the racecourse, 2 milos ; and when the former expostulated, the lmekniun commenced preparations for taking it out of him. Of course, sooner than haveadisreputable row thrown U[wn bin bauds, the unfortunate victim consented to be done, and shelled out accordingly. Gambling was carried on in the most barefaced manner, every saloon having its faro and other tables going openly all day and night throughout the fair week. Ilound them might be seen young lads of twelve to sixteen smoking, drinking, swearing, and gambling as hard as anyone. There is no doubt that at these fairs many a youngster makes his debut at a gambling table, which he never quits for the rest of his life. I noticed a three-card montu table, and could not help smiling at seeing what egregioui asses the country green hands made of themselves. The dealer was sitting with his back to, but at some little distance from, the wall, and an apparent stranger (but of course a confederate) was behind him, lounging against the wall, smoking and spitting to a great extent. The dealer threw down the threecards carelessly, and then turned round to address some casual observation to the tall expectorating stranger. The green ones were altogether in front of the table, and among them I noticed a kind friend, who, knowing Sacramento better than they do, has kinuly dined with them (of course he knew the " only place where you can get anything like decent wine "), and was shewing them round town. No sooner had the dealer turned his head than, quicker than thought, the "friend "lifted up one of the cards—it was the King of Hearts. Here was a chance for a haul. It was a safe thing—lead sure; what a fool the dealer must be to he so careless as not to have seen that dodge, and such like whispers were heard. Out came Mr countryman, backed the king of hearts for 100 dols. His companions did the same thing. The cards came up, but as you may suppose, the King of Hearts was not the card on which their money was lying, and, moreover, their accommodating and obliging friend lins suddenly gone out to some one who conveniently called him in thestreet. This is only one case of hundreds; and, as State fair follows fair for about seven weeks, you can be assured that the Frisco gamblers make a good thing of it while on their annual agricultural tour. There was nothing more to see, and I was tired of Sacramento, and was glad to return, and, after a stay of 48 hours, to get back to San Francisco.

Another trip I took early in September to the chief part of the stock-raising country in Tulare county, some 290 miles south of Frisco. It is a fine and enjoyable trip. The first 50 miles are got over in the railroad cars to a town called San Jose. The railway trains are different to our style, inasmuch as there is an aisle running through each carriage, which has a door and platform at both ends. By this plan you can traverse the whole length of the train should you be so disposed. The line runs through a pretty part of the country, skirting a portion of the bay, from which point you can see out to the Heads, and afterwards through a very fine portion of agricultural land in full cultivation. San Jose is a very nice little country town; clean, pretty, and planted with nice trees, but very warm and relaxing. Here you take the coach, on which you sit from 10 a.m. till 11 p.m. the next day, only getting off for meals. The first 40 Hides run through agricultural cultivations, and the next 30 (to the foot of the dividing range) through stock ranches, or what we should call runs.

To cross this dividing range is the work of four and a-half hours, and it is crossed after dark, and we were safely down the other side by 11pm. The road is narrow, not much wider than the old Bridle Path, and about as steep, but it is not so bad a road as those in the first days of Dunedin and Tuapeka or the Dunstan. The road runs through ravines, which are full of grizzly bears, but we did not see any, though we heard them plain enough. On reaching the foot of this mountain we struck a vast plain, which carried us to the end of our journeysome 180 miles. There is scarcely any sign of human life visible in this distance, as scarcely anyone lives near the road, 'the coach proprietors have their own stations, where a solitary groom lives in all his glory. There are very large ranches all the way along, and we passed through mobs (or bands, as they are called here), and cattle. There is plenty of game on the road, particularly antilopes. deer, hares, and quantities of wild fowl. Were it not for these little bits of excitement the plains would be infinitely more dull than yours between Christchurch andTimaru. The only human beings we saw were a few Mexican stock-riders—- " Greasers" they are called. The country was awfully dried up, and water was very scarce ; but the cattle looked in better fettle than would have been expected under these circumstances. I did not see 100 sheep during the whole trip. I was not sorry to reach Visalia, my destination. Visalia is the chief town of Tulare, and with my usual luck I struck it on Saturday, the last day of its State fair. Now, if Sacramento was bad, this was tenfold worse. There is no attempt at law or order in this wild part of the country—and there are a great number of Mexicans engaged in stock-driving and overlanding. All their money for the year is saved for this week's spree; and no sooner had I sat down to have some supper with the friend whom I had gone down to see in the hotel, than he told me that three or four men had been stubbed that day. Mexicans are good on the bowie knife. After supper we walked down the street. There was the same gambling going on, and on a larger scale, than in Sacramento, and I noticed that a good many Spaniards were interested in the banks. I was very tired with the trip, and did not remain out long, but went to bed and to sleep at once. I could not, however, have been long asleep before I was awoke by some more shooting, and one ball came up through the floor, and another through the window of my room. On getting up and going down stairs to see what was the matter, I found it easily accounted for, because my room was immediately over the bar where monte' was going on, and some Mexicans were settling a difference of opinion; but again there was the old story of bad shots and nobody hurt. On the next day, Sunday, one of the belligerents was found stabbed to the heart, a few yards behind tlie house, but I never heard any enquiries made as to how he came there, and when I was leaving by the coach in a day or two after there was the other Greaser walking about town as unconcerned as possible. He may not have murdered his friend, but then again he might. The neighbourhood of Visalia, on King River, is one of the finest stock countries I have seen. My friend Mr Fowler (from the Emerald Isle, and a splendid man), is a large ranche holder, and owns some 120,000 head of cattle, which areas fat as can be, Mr Fowler is a man of considerable independence, and very off-handed by nature. He cares not whether he sells or not. At the time I speak of he had a good ofLr, 50 dols cash for 4<ioo head, and he would not sell because the purchaser wanted him to deliver the band. He can afford to be independent, as he has the monopoly of the butchering business in the Virginia city, and Grass Valley diggings, Nevada—in itself an enormous business. His head ranche is near the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, so that he ha 3 but a comparatively short distance to send stock over. These ranches are worked very cheaply, as the holders employ entirely Mexican or Greaser labour, which is obtainable at very small rates indeed. It is quite an exception to see an English saddle here. Everybody uses the Mexican saddle with the lofty horn in front, as well as the awfully severe Spanish bit and Mexican spurs, with rolers an inch or two long. There is not the remotest particle of attempt at comfort, cleanliness, or even decency at the houses on the ranches, and I hope I may never have to stop in another. I did indeed pine for the cleanliness and comforts to be met with even in the humblestof Australian and New Zealand home stations, California possesses grant advantages for stock-raising, and had some of your enterprising Canterbury squatters settled here in earlier days, they would have shewn a very different state of things; but the country now is all bought

up, and huge prices are asked and obtained for riinche property. There h d been no rain for six months when I was at Visalia, and the country was much burnt up; it has not rained since. When there I stopped at the best hotel, and a beastly hole it was, I happened to say It would he well were it burnt down, and by telegrapic intelligence in the last papers I see that they have at last succeeded in burning it, and sonic half the town with it.

I had intended going from Visalia across the Nevados to the mines, but time and snow, which just then began to fall, would not allow it, so I had to return by the same route I had gone up. This time the plains were abominably dull, and the dust through the whole road most intensely disgusting,

They run here the same sort of coaches n% arc used in New Zealand; but, taken all in all, Mr Cole'slines bearmorethan favourable comparison with the line 9 here. You meet \7ilh more civility and attention from coacli employees in that line than you do travelling here. On the stages across the plains they have the coaches with the mustang breed of horses, which go like the wind when once yon can persuade them to start, Two of the grand sights here, for which people are always making up pleasure trips during the summer, are the Yosemite falls, and the Big Trees. The falls are magnificent, and the trees are said to be numbered amongst the largest in the world. In my next I propose forwarding you an account of the trip, which is well worth mentioning, being full of interest and excitement; also a short outline of the mines. And in the course of the next mail I hope also, to be able to forward you a description of Vancouver's Island and British Columbia. lam almost afraid of the latter, as 'I fear the snow will have closed for the winter its ungenial climes. This is the worst month of the year (November) for the trip up, but let us hope for the best. The fogs are over now, I hope, for the winter, so that we have a chance |of being able to see our way. There has been a great scheme under way for the last two years in Russian America. The Western Telegraph Company have been establishing—or rather endeavouring to establish—a line of telegraph from Victoria, V.1., to what are now the New American possessions in Alaska, Russia; but all the fleet and men returned a few days ago, leaving their task unfinished, and the scheme abandoned. At present I am not aware what would have been the ultimate advantage, had they succeeded. As the Americans have got Alaska; and the commandant, accompanied by troops and immigrants, has already gone there, they are casting longing eyes to British Columbia and Vancouver. They say they mean to buy it. But I fancy Mr Johnny Bull finds it too valuable as a naval station to be induced to part with it very readily, if under under any circumstances whatever.

P.S.—I am sorry this letter missed the steamer of November 10th, but trust that though late, it may not be altogether unacceptable to you. I would, in conclusion, add, that what is written is composed not as a fancy sketch, but is a narrative of bare facts and naked truths. Let me add that a Lyttdton Times or the Canterbury Weekly would be a great boon to a party inhabiting the backwoods, to which delicious spot I am at present wending my way in a barkentine employed in the lumber trade, the only general means of transport between Frisco and Vancouver. We have been in eight of the entrance of Paget Sound for three days, and are as far off from getting in as ever. We are in a delicious state of "jammed by the wind," but as there is a chance of getting off this despatch by some Frisco bound timberman, I will close it now, Wishing you and your readers a merry Christmas and a happy new year—l think, however, we have got the bona Me Christmas, as all the land in view is snowcovered, and it is awfully cold.