FOREST AND STREAM, 
316 
by starvation. Tlie sheep I had driven oil in search of 
pasturage, only about 300 ever returning, from a distance 
of a hundred and forty miles to the south. My cattle I kept 
from perishing by having hundreds ot oak trees cut down, 
from the evergreen leaves of which they managed to get 
subsistence, until the rains came. Then, as if by magic, 
green juicy grass seemed to spring up from apparently bar¬ 
ren earth, which bad been baked hard by more than a 
year’s constant heat of the sun. I’ve never had a bad year 
since.” 
Another drawback I found to consist in the number of 
weary miles over which their produce must be taken to the 
nearest shipping point. To the farmer, his grain ceases to 
be valuable, when heavy transportation must be added to 
tlie expense incident to growing and harvesting it. So, 
too, with wool and with sheep. By reason of a change in 
our tariff laws, wool growing is now conducted at a merely 
nominal prolit, I have known good sheep sold for one 
dollar a head. Many sheep farmers will gladly dispose of 
their flocks, for a dollar and a half. Two weeks ago, a 
man in St. Louis, Obispo county, sold Ids for fifty cents a 
piece. To such people as these, the hitherto golden fieece 
is not eighteen carat fine. 
During the latter part of our first day we passed through 
miles and miles of the Oak Park country I described in 
my previous letter. Eveu after many leagues of it, I could 
not persuade myself, now and then, that we were not about 
to see some handsome dwelling that would be in keeping 
with the noble oaks and flowery lawns. None such ap¬ 
peared. When we did see a human habitation, it was, as 
often as not, that of a shepherd, who was out with his 
band of woolly one’s, and in leaving Ms hut, bad loft it 
teuantless, so to remain, until he had brought hack his 
charge to the corral, at night fall. The end of the second 
day found us at a small town called Guadalupe. It takes its 
name from a celebrated Rancho of that name, bought some 
years ago for $150,000. '1'he present owner has already 
sold off property to realize the above amount and has done 
very little to dimiuish his acreage. .Tust before reaching 
G. we passed through 40,000 acres of beautiful barley, 
10,000 acres of wheat, and a good many thousand acrus of 
lrisbjpolato laud. Ai 1 these fields were without intervening 
fences; moreover, the barley, in many of them, had not 
been planted for one and two years, it was what is called 
“volunteer," or grain that grows from the previous year’s 
seed that had fallen upon the ground and been simply 
raked in, by having a heavy harrow driven over the field. 
That constitutes, ubaoliiloly, all the cultivation it receives. 
Near G. is a famous region for butter and cheese making. 
It is only four miles from the oceau and is never without 
a peculiar aud abundant supply of grass. Many Swiss live 
hereabout and are considered the best people to manage the 
dairies. Honey is another product ot the place. This year 
the yield is bountiful, floral supply being unusually great. 
In dry years the “little busy" makes nothing for bis master. 
Fifteen miles before reaching Guadalupe, we left tlie hills 
aud came down to the Santa Maria Valley. I pointed out 
the mist brought up from the Pacific by the Northwest 
wind. How we wished I had proved to be a true pointer! 
"When wo got into the haze, it turned out that the mist 
was of sand, whirled by the keen cold wind right in our 
faces, so as to sting the skin very sharply and to render it 
impossible to keep our eyes open. I need never to cross the 
Great African desert, to know what a "sandstorm” means. 
I well remember bow I used to pity the poor caravans, 
as pictured in my oid“Jograffly," witli the camels kneeling 
down and their riders trying to seek safety by getting to 
their leeward and croucMug on the sand. We were told 
that such an experiment as we enjoyed ( ?) was a sure tiling 
for any one passing over those fifteen miles, after 11 A. 
M., from now until the rainy season. October is an early 
month for that desirable chauge of weather. As we muf¬ 
fled ourselves up and 1 breathed through my overspread 
handkerchief or respirator, Charley said, “Oh! dose sand 
storms is very bad, somedimes. 1 was vunst berdin sheep 
for Mr. T. down by Ventura. Dey cum a sand storm an’ 
lasted three days, ven it was ober 1 hat lost tree hundert 
sheep. Dey was perried up by de saut. De nex man to 
me, be bad lost ’leven hundert." 
The end of our second day’s drive found us dirty as pigs 
and very much sunburnt and used up. Mr. .1., landlord of 
the Revere House, matches his hotel for style and neatness. 
As is almost always the case, we sat down to the universal 
fry. No easy task did it prove to find out the worst thing 
set before us. According to custom, we decided to put 
our trust in eggs, as being the only food we could tackle 
with confidence as to cleaness aud possible edibility. 
Wednesday's journey was toward San Luis Obispo, a place 
of note, in county of the same name. It contains about 
1,500 people, and is an important busiucss centre, in a 
country producing much grain and many cattle and horses. 
It is only eight miles from a sea-port of the same name. 
We stopped there to land and take on passengers, twenty- 
one hours from San Francisco ou our way down the coast. 
Great stories had been told us of the great and comfortable 
satisfaction we should find at the C. Hotel. We met with 
disappointment in every thing, and were glad enough, 
when seven A. M., and Charley came ou the following day. 
Out of town, up a long steep mountain of the coast range, 
we plodded our weary way. The disagreeable Northwest 
Wind kept us company for seven or eight miles, hut coased 
to trouble us, after we turned eastward and left Ihe moun¬ 
tain chain behind us. On our way we passed the “Rauclio 
Santa Marguorita," an affair of 7,000 acres, used as a cattle 
range and belonging to Mr. P. M., a native of California. 
As we came through his broad acres, the annual “Rodero” 
was going on. We drove over to a stand, somewhat like 
that in which tlie judges were seen, ou a race course. 
Here was the rauchero, looking on superintendiugly, whilst 
Ill's vacqueros were marking anti branding the calves, con¬ 
stituting the increase of bis herds, since last year. Tlie 
vacqueros were mounted on finely broken mustangs, aud 
used tlieir riatas with a dexterity that left nothing between 
it aud the marvelous. Two horsemen euuglit the auimal 
to he insignilied; one putting the lasso over the head, the 
other catches tlie calf by a hiudfoot, Tlie horses were 
made to pul the cords on the strech, iu opposite direction, 
when the victim soon tumbled over ou the ground. 
Ho dexterous are tlie operators that a dozen of them 
can do all that’s necessary in the premises iu an 
hour, for a hundred incipient beeves and cows. Iu old 
times, what we were beholding was a great occasion. The 
rnnclieros family and friends were assembled on the stand, 
a band of music played aud refreshments were served. 
When any Vacquero performed an unusually brilliaut feat, 
the master would scatter handfuls of silver coin amongst 
those engaged iu the c c. ral. After all Uiu young critteis 
wants had been attended to, Mr. M. was kind euough to let 
his quarter hundred mounted men make the rodero (Rodero) 
itself. Tills means a general gathering of cattle which 
feed in a particular neighborhood. Before going up to the 
hills and valley, wherein his herds were at pasture, the 
vacqueros wished to change some of their horses, for fresh 
ones. About fifty were driven into a corral, into which 
entered tho men on foot. Each selected his steed he wished 
to bestride, and with one cast of the lariat had a halter 
on the animal’s neck. The mount having been completed, 
away tbe cavalcade went, in every direction from which 
tlie herds were to be driven. From previous experience 
the old cows and beeves repaired, at once to tbe "stand,” 
as Mr, M. called the place of assembly. In au hour or so, 
the last comers had joined those first to arrive. Probably 
there were gathered something like six hundred, all hud¬ 
dled together and kept in a compact body, by the living 
outer circle of ho.rBemen. The work of “parting" now 
commenced. The cows and calves not previously marked 
were driven out of the great mass and put into a field by 
themselves. These remaining were allowed to go on with 
their quest for food. Nowand then, an unruly member 
would break away and scamper off toward tbe bills and 
wooded places. Then one or two vacqueros would pursue 
and try to make him join the mass. If obstinate in refus¬ 
ing to do so, tbe riata would be thrown with unerring aim, 
encircle its head or heel, the cord would tighten, the mus¬ 
tang and rider brace themselves per contra, when over 
would tbumble the pursued, a helpless heap of dust, hair, 
and bellow. Now and then, the rider dashes up by a run¬ 
ning bullock, grasps its tail and with a dexterous jerk, both 
running at fall speed, capsizes his prey. Mr. M. told me 
in reply to a question, “I don’t know how many cattle wo 
have. I am pretty sure of 12,000, but it may be a thou¬ 
sand or so out of tbe way. We have them grazing from 
here to eighty miles eastward of this ranch." He told me 
he had frequently lassoed grizzly bears. I’d give a hun¬ 
dred dollars to see that performance. M. has unbounded 
respect for his cowherds. He is a better vacquero than 
any of them, as was shown at. a State contest, from which 
lie emerged champion. At full speed he can lean from his 
saddle and pick up a whip, on the ground, or a half dollar 
from a peg three inches high; with the riata, they say he is 
wonderful. 
After thanking our courteous master of tlie rancho, wo 
drove on through the oak parks, until we reached “El 
Paso de Robles,” a famous watering place, at which warm 
sulphur springs and baths of mud are found. Some years 
ago two shepherds bought many thousand acres for sheep 
pasture; it cost them twenty-live cents an acre. The sul¬ 
phur water was used to dip and wasli tbeir Hook for cure 
of scab. In time they came to hear how the natives and 
early Spanish settlers had found the spring water to cure 
rheumatism and oilier ailments. Then, they magnified the 
virtues aud potency thereof, got a sounding physician’s 
certificate of endorsement, built a sort of tavern, (it la 
White Sulphur Springs) surrounded with collages. For 
the spring alone they have refused $150,000. 
After leaving P. R. we had an uneventful hut very pleas¬ 
ant drive to Solidad, terminus of the Southern Pacific 
Railroad, our joy was not small to reach the end of the 
slow aud dusty progress we had made, moreover to gel. to 
B. we had been obliged to leave our not very comfortable 
beds at Low’s Station, between two and three A. M. 
We have seen thousands of squirrels, hundreds of par¬ 
tridges, a few ground owls and one wild cat, not to speak 
of great and small hares. Now and then, ducks in 
pairs, and flocks of sand Hill cranes would present them- 
• selves to view. Many magpies, California jays, birds with 
exquisitely beautiful shades of blue iu tbeir plumage, bril¬ 
liantly feathered woodpeckers and a lovely little sparrow, 
inhabiting those great parks, constituted our aviary iu ad¬ 
dition to the game birds already mentioned. From Los 
Angelos to Bolidad, 334 miles, the traveler’s experience be¬ 
comes semewlull unpleasantly monotonous, with tlie ex¬ 
ception of what is met with, in and about Santa Barbara, 
and what 1 have tried to describe as unusually attractive 
episodes. Those enormous ranches prevent people of 
small means from becoming landholders. Nor do the 
raucheros themselves indulge in cultivation of any thing 
astlietic. Their houses are such as one sees in the back¬ 
woods of our Western States—mere tenements for protec¬ 
tion against tlie elements. We all, simultaneously, culled 
each other's attention to one road-side dwelling, the enclos¬ 
ed front yard of which had been laid out as though a land¬ 
scape gardner had had a voice in its arrangement, whilst ou 
a rough Etagere, on the gallery rested a dozen flower pots. 
In those 334 miles we saw not another such by-lhe-way 
sight. 
From Solidad, on Sunday morning, we gladly enough 
took the 9:35 train for Ban dose, distant about eighty miles. 
Of this lovely place, 1 shall have somewhat to say in 
my next letter. 
I am now writing from thePalace Hotel, on the morning 
of Wednesday, tbe opening day of your great Centennial 
show. We reached here yesterday. J. T. M. 
For Forest and Stream. 
BAY BIRD SHOOTING IN MAY. 
* * y'vON'T move a hair! nere they come to tlie left. Je- 
I J rusalem, what a bunch! Down (whispering) down! 
Whistle, Jake (to our gunner). Remember now, both at 
once!" Amt ns the flock of graceful birds swing over the 
stools, bang, bang, go tbe four barrels, sounding like two, 
and tbe survivors dart in different directions over the 
meadow. 
“Little too soon that time. How many, Jake? There's 
one to your right, a little this way. So, did you get any 
the second time, M. ?” 
“Thirteen,” says Jake, tossing the birds into an oyster 
basket. “Mostly calicos', but some graybaek and robin- 
breast. ’It was a good bunch, but scattered all apart. See 
yonder, that bullhead; he's coming this way (whistling 
softly as tbe bird sights the stools, louder us be mounts up¬ 
ward and hesitates, and then, as if satisfied by the imita¬ 
tion, sets his Wings for the stools, aud swooping down¬ 
ward leaves his life in the air to S.’s right barrel.) 
“Strange these plover won’t decoy on the bars, and yet 
will come in soon the meadows," remarks Jake. “I be¬ 
lieve that bird come buck from the bunch that just went 
away." Throwing him into the basket—"that makes six 
bullheads so far." 
“Bee those curlew,” exclaimed S-, pointing upward; “a 
hundred at least! No use calling 1 suppose (resignedly); 
but don't 1 wish we could get into them. W hat a pretty 
note they have," as the tremulous call of these birds 
came floating downward. “We must come down next 
August for these curlew and willols. They decoy right 
well then, and are fatter than now. I’ve seen some of 
these robin suipe split open when killed then, they were so 
fat and lender, but the mosquitoes they were bad then. 
“Yonder’s a nice lotof graybacks," broke in Jake. “See, 
this way, totber side of the thoroughfare; dowDthcygo 
again. Here! quick! kill Ibis calico—whistling cooingly 
to a single bird that had come up uupercuived, and was 
circliug away. 
“Take him, M.,” and down he comes with a broken 
wing by an awkward hurried shot from Ihe writer. 
“Its the beginning of ebb,” says Jake, after a pause and 
rising. “We must get fixedon the bur by then; the birds 
seem to be hungry, and we can reckon on some sbootiug 
this afternoon at low water. I'll bring tlie dinner from the 
boat, and we can eat it here.” So the basket and jug of 
water are brought, aud tbe long-lost appetite that was Jeft 
in the woods last summer comes back aud is heartily wel¬ 
comed. 
We are in “Ludden’s Bound," Townsend’s Inlet, N. J. 
Coming down from Philadelphia, summoned by the glad 
tidings “bay birds are here,” my friend S. and mysell are 
off for a couple of days’ shooting. This kind of sport lias 
often been described, and is almost universally enjoyed by 
gunners. There are exceptions, however, who affect to 
despise it, but then they are always pitied for lack of judg¬ 
ment. Barnwell delighted ill Barnegat for his bay bird 
shooting as much as in Superior for Ms fishing. Brigan¬ 
tine Beach is a good place, but used a great deal Beesley's 
PoiDt, not quite as famous, yet nffording good sbootiug; 
but lower down tlie Jersey coast than any of these, just 
above Cape May, where tbe marshes fairly begin and the 
birds first strike the meadows, is Capt. Bill Button’s modest 
gunner’s retreat, where one is always welcome, a retired 
sailor, who, by bis honest, straightforward ninuncr, has 
made hosts of friends among that class of undemonstra¬ 
tive men who like sport for its sake alone, and will always 
take their ease iu their owu inn, yet in a manner different 
from old Sir John’s. Sutton is a Jerseyman of pure blood, 
honestly believes that bo can kill forty-nine pigeons out of 
fifty at twenty-one yards, is down oo all Lite Yankee emi¬ 
grants into bis beloved State, can sail about closer into the 
wind’s eye than most of his class, and having made the 
subject his particular hobby, caa, as a result, kill ducks 
with any “Spaniard of them all.” His house is buck from 
the waters of the Bound about three-quarters of a mile, 
commanding a good view of the same, together with the 
sand hills of the distant beach, and near euough to tlie 
ocean to have the sullen moaning of the breakers ever 
present to the ear. 
Leave Philadelphia at, three P. M. and you can partake 
of his fish, sweet potatoes, and oysters at seven. Tuesday 
A. M. at five, S. and the writer, with our guns and shells, 
together with Jake Button (Captain’s brother) currying the 
lunch, decoys, etc., started lor our day’s shooting. The 
weather looked black and threatening, every sign that the 
northeastern storm would hold <m. After traveling from 
place to place, looking for birds, we made our blind on 
the meadow, where we determined to stay until the “burs” 
closed at low water, when we would transfer our position 
to them, as from the fact that comparatively few birds 
were moving about outlie meadows in tlie morning, the 
chanees of having good shooting when they came to feed 
at low water were greatly increased. 
At noon we had two birds—graybaek, or ns some call 
them “Jackson” snipe, correct name being “dowilclior.” 
Our poor luck was disheartening, but about one o’clock it 
changed completely, and for some cause—we could not 
explain it—the birds came fast and furious—single birds, 
bunches of six or «igbt, and occasinally flocks of lil'Ly and 
upwards of various kindB were all around us. First would 
come a single culico back, then three or four graybacks, 
followed by a flock of ten or twelve birds, led generally 
by a big “black breast” or bullhead plover, and containing 
among them, especially in the larger bunches, graybacks, 
robing snipe, plover, calicos, lilllu black breasts, with 
now and then a yellow leg. Some would pass us by 
resolutely, we three “charmers” charming Dever so wisely; 
others would circle around answering our call, but shy of 
the blind, while tbe single birds at once generally set tbeir 
wings for the stools. There was great sport that after¬ 
noon ; no tramping over Btioks and stones under a hot sun, 
and if there was a little rain and coolish wind there were 
no mosquitoes, and we sat in comparative comfort and 
look our shots as they came. 
Scattered over these meadows iu every direction are 
small irregular ponds half au acre or so in exteut-; these 
in winter are tlie regular roosting placeBat night for ducks, 
aud iu summer the best spots for bay birds next to tbe 
burs at low water. From our blind that afternoon at one 
of ibese ponds, looking towards the ocean tbe sails of ves¬ 
sels far at sea could be seen like White gulls against the 
dark horizon’s line. Last night they were buffered hither 
and yon by tbe fierce northeastern storm, but now move 
stately by with scarcely a perceptible motion, although by 
tbe roar of tlie surf they must still be plunging through 
the waves. Tlie beach in this vicinity is strewn with the 
bones of vessels that have been too venturous, tbe last vic¬ 
tim being a seboouer wrecked a week ago. As she was 
old, aud trade at present in her line very dull, the Jersey 
mind is pregnant with misgiving and suspicion, and no 
doubt at tbe “vendoo" just held where her remains weie 
“hammered" away the subject of insuraute was fully dis¬ 
cussed . 
It is very pleasant to camp among the lulls of New York 
or Pennsylvania, or paddle over the lakes of wild Canada 
and take the trout aud deer in plenty, tbe lights and shad¬ 
ows ou the lakes and mountains, the song of the bird uiid 
murmur of the forest make such recreation thoroughly 
enjoyable and ever to be remembered with delight, l re¬ 
member of telling my guide last July, away up in tlie for¬ 
ests of Muskoka, about ibis bay bird shooting, where the 
water rose and fell twice in the twenty-four hours full five 
and six feet; where the bottom of tho bays was covered 
with multitudes ot fiuo oysters, to lie had for the picking 
up at low water; how we hail caught weak and bluetisk 
by tlie boat load in a morning’s fisbiug during tbeir season, 
together with sundry other marvelous (to Mm) accounts of 
crabs, eels, etc., all of wMch was within seventy miles of 
my home, aud of laughing heartily at his profane expres¬ 
sion Of utter disbelief in the statement When we are en¬ 
joying the mountains we think of tbe shore and vice 
oolli are- worth living lot in their way. 
After our lunch, and while wailing for the tide to fail, 
Jake's back was brought Into requisition to keep off ilia 
wind, and leaning against him cigars were produced to aid 
