42 



THE MUSEUM. 



either side; pause a moment at the 

 county seat Santa Rosa, a thriving 

 city in the midst of fertile plains, hast- 

 en past smaller towns, cross the Rus- 

 sian River below Healdsburgh, where 

 it turns away to the west to seek the 

 coast among forests of redwood, and 

 following its western bank you come 

 to the town of Cloverdale. You are 

 now near the head of the valley, the 

 green slopes of the mountains are 

 close upon you on the west, and brok- 

 en hills rise to the east. You have al- 

 ready passed in the distance the noble 

 Saint Helena, and many desser peaks 

 belonging to the eastern range of 

 mountains, but here the valley has be- 

 come so narrow that you are not sur- 

 prised to learn that for many years 

 this was the terminus of the railroad. 

 However, it has now been extended to 

 Ukiah, the county seat of Mendocino 

 County. Should you continue your 

 excursion to that point, you would be 

 amply repaid for the road winds along 

 the bank of the river in the most ro- 

 mantic fashion. Now you can look 

 down into the clear water and see 

 speckled trout, now you pass under 

 the boughs of giant oaks. 



Again you are in the darkness of a 

 tunnel, and in a moment look back on 

 a high cliff, whose base the river has 

 been assaulting for centuries. The 

 valley broadens at length, and the 

 rich fields are green with hop vines or 

 covered with ripened grain or set 

 with young fruit trees. A few 'miles 

 beyond Ukiah the hills close in again, 

 and you are at the source of the Rus- 

 sian River, while just across the divide 

 are the brooks which flow northward 

 and form some of the numerous 

 branches of the Eel River, which em- 

 pties into the ocean near Eureka. 

 But this part of the journey, though 

 interesting, is not essential to a visit 

 to theGeysers. The stage for the springs 

 leaves Cloverdale soon afternoon and 

 makes the journey of 1 8' miles in three 

 to four htours. You first cross the Rus- 

 sian River, and as you proceed to the 

 hills vOu soon ' mefet and ford one of 



its tributaries, the sulphur-tinctured 

 Pluton. This stream comes down a 

 great lateral valley from the eastern 

 hills, and along the sides of this val- 

 ley, first on the north and then on the 

 south, has been constructed the stage 

 toll road. It would be hard to find a 

 wilder or more beautiful road in any 

 of the vallejs of California. The 

 curves are innumerable, the precipit- 

 ous descents which it barely but safely 

 avoids are sufficient to stir the blood 

 of the boldest, while the grand old 

 trees, oak, maple, and laurel, are ma- 

 jestic and inspiring. Especially as 

 one is coming down the valley in the 

 cool of the morning does the view 

 seem superb. Were there no wonders 

 beyond to be seen, the ride up and 

 down the Pliim. gorge is well worth 

 the moderate price which is asked. 

 But at length you smell sulphur and 

 know you are near the end of your 

 journey. The hotel is before you, a 

 series of low but comfortable build- 

 ings in the midst of fine old trees, and 

 on the other side of the brook you get 

 a glimpse of columns of steam ascend- 

 ing from unknown sources. You are 

 an.xious to explore at once, but are ad- 

 vised to wait until the early morning; 

 meanwhile, you can visit the commod- 

 ious bath-house and refresh yourself 

 with a bath of steam "hot from Tar- 

 tarus" and a swim in a tank of luke- 

 warm mineral water, heated in na- 

 ture's own kettle. 



The next morning you are up be- 

 fore the sun, and taking a basket of 

 breakfast on your arm you set Out to 

 explore the mysterious canyon. At 

 various intervals along your path are 

 springs of cold or warm water, each 

 one having its own peculiar taste ac- 

 cording to the nature of the minerals 

 which are held in solution. Sulphur 

 compounds, soda and alum, with salts 

 of' iron and magnesium are the princi- 

 pal ingredients. Frcim some of the 

 springs the beverage is so' hot that you 

 must cool it before putting to your 

 Mps. and in general you ^are satisfied 

 to sample the water rather gingerly. 



