370 bower's estate. 



when the miners come down to the valley to recruit 

 their health by following agricultural pursuits for a 

 short time. Large herds of cattle are kept on these 

 rich plains ; and besides grain, vegetables and a great 

 deal of fruit are cultivated here. The country wine 

 and cider are not at all bad tipple, and the strawberries 

 and cream were simply delicious. Near the farmhouse 

 there is a very beautiful grotto, to which we had to 

 descend through a narrow, dark passage, and on 

 reaching the bottom I was surprised to find it closely 

 resembling Capri, only the cave is loftier. There is the 

 same sheet of water, — sweet here, — that splendid blue 

 light upon the subterranean lake, and penetrating into 

 every crevice ; a little boat is at hand, as at Capri, 

 and you take a gentle row, fancying yourself in Fairy- 

 land. The chromatic effect in Bower's grotto must 

 have been produced artificially, whilst that of its pro- 

 totype in the blue Mediterranean is simply the re- 

 flection of the bright Italian sky through a small 

 aperture in the rocks above. 



Hence I continued my route by Coulterville as 

 far as Modesta, in a carriage and four horses, along a 

 wretched, dusty road, arriving at the latter station 

 terribly shaken. It had taken us nine long hours 

 to accomplish the distance of forty-five miles, although 

 mostly down hill. The rails took me on the same 



