x7. 74.] TO J. D. HOOKER. 771 
ing. And there we had a nice time indeed, from Sat- 
urday evening to Friday morning, every day, drives 
and picnics, and botanizing, and feeding on (besides 
strawberries) such shectiond just coming in in acres of 
cherry-orchards, the only fruits yet in season. That 
big fig-tree, in the branches of which I used to hide 
and feast, or rather cram, is bigger than ever, but the 
figs green, to my sorrow. And we cannot wait for 
them. General Bidwell! and wife have aged little in 
the eight years, are as good as ever, full of all noble 
and good works, as well as of generous hospitality ; 
have taken wonderfully to botany; remember you 
most affectionately and long for a real visit. His 
great ambition is to make drives, good roads, through 
the ranch, for pleasure as well as use; he has now 
over a hundred miles of them. That big oak? is finer 
than ever; not a dead branch. 
Well, off at length; at Lathrop joined our eastward 
train at evening ; up the San Joaquin valley all night, 
and had early morning for the wonderful Tahachapi 
Pass. Breakfast at Mohave. (1 must send you a 
railroad map.) There took the Atlantic & Pacific 
Railroad, over the sandy desert to the Great Colorado 
at supper, to Peach Spring station at two A. M., an 
next morning in an easy “ buckboard wagon” twenty- 
two miles and 4,000 feet descent into this wonderful 
eaiion, a piece of it, which its explorer, Major Powell, 
has made famous. 
This afternoon and evening we are to get up and 
back, and on in the night and morning to Flagstaff, 
and the ancient cliff dwellings. 
1 General John Bidwell was the Prohibition candidate for the 
Presideney in 1892. 
-2 Named the Sir Joseph Hooker Oak, 
