VALLEY OF SANTA CLAEA. 207 



shade ; to be kept in a state of bodily fear of 

 instant upset ; to undergo a continuous exercise 

 that would have been good training for an athlete, 

 to avoid being shot out of the buggy like a 

 shell from a mortar, would have set an Ice- 

 lander in a glow. The rapidity with which we 

 whirled along, and the eccentric performances of 

 the vehicle, destroyed, in a measure, the enjoy- 

 ment of a scene quite new to me. 



We rattled through the splendid valley of Santa 

 Clara, passing here and there a fertile ranch ; on 

 either side, the wooded slopes looked like lawns 

 of Nature's own contriving ; far on my left, the 

 bay glimmered like a line of silver light, the 

 ground carpeted with flowers, brilliant escholt- 

 zia and blue nemophila were most conspicuous 

 amidst a natural harvest of wild oats and grass ; 

 and on all sides, from amongst the clumps of 

 buck-eye and oak, the cheery whistle and chirp 

 of 'birds rang pleasantly on the ear. 



Reaching the ' Halfway House ' (as a small 

 wooden building is named, midway betwixt San 

 Jose and the mine), we stopped to water the mus- 

 tangs and refresh the inward man a respite 

 most acceptable. A ' tall drink ' worked wonders 

 on my hitherto taciturn coachman, who, as we 

 jogged along the remaining half the journey, 



