150 
THE CALIFORNIAN SALMON. 
Swan Reach, had joined the train at Oakleigh, and most 
kindly offered to drive me through to my destination in 
his buggy, with three good horses. This offer I gladly 
accepted, as in case of accident to the express waggon, it 
provided a means of saving the fish. Besides his being a 
most capital whip over very bad roads, his pleasant com- 
panionship made the journey a very agreeable one. 
We arrived at the end of the rails without accident, 
although, from the line being unfenced, and from there 
being facing points of sidings in various places, and also 
from the fact of the clearing being insufficient, there was 
really some danger in running at the rate of forty miles 
an hour, under the circumstances. The trees along the 
line are high enough to reach — should any fall — not only 
the rails, but also across the line so as to touch the trees 
on the other side, and unless a much wider space is cleared, 
accidents must occur during high winds, from fallen trees 
obstructing the trains. 
The lamps of the express waggon, driven by Mr. Roden, 
appeared in a few minutes after we reached the unfinished 
portion, and soon the fish cans, ice, &c., were transferred 
to his charge. And here I would express my sense of 
Messrs. Robertson and Wagner’s generosity and public 
spirit, in not only giving the gratuitous use of their horses 
and coaches, but in the care and trouble they took to send 
out their road inspector, Mr. Roden, to find a practicable 
route, and to drive the salmon over this very difficult 
portion. To get his waggon there, it had to be carried 
some distance, and lifted over logs and stumps three feet 
high. 
The first peep of dawn appeared in the east as we left 
the railway, and the increasing light helped us over the 
difficulties of the way. More than once the vehicle 
was on a balance, with two wheels in the air, but willing 
