CHAPTER IV.

Travellers I met in Utah.—Leave Utah for the Los Angeles, Cal., country.
—The company I travel with.—Danites.—The Indians on the road.—
A Mormon ‘‘ miracle.” —Indian dialect.—Sand storm.—A mine in the
desert.—The region from St. George to California.—Arizona.—San
Bernardino.—Los Angeles, and that country.—Climate, soil, people
and business in 1867 and 1884.—-Land, titles, ete.

On the roads, or by the ways in Utah, I met, or fell in with—
besides the local travel—wandering Gentiles like myself, army
deserters—who were aided by the Mormons, as they hate and
detest the Government they prostitute—companies of miners
on horse- and mule-back, with camping outfits, from Montana,
Idaho, Arizona, Mexico and other sections, bound for other
fields abounding in riches for them, in their imaginations and
faith. Years afterwards I again met some of the very same in
other places, they were still prospecting.

Soon after returning to St. George with my load of salt, in
January 1867, I left the Mormon country for Los Angeles,
Southern California, 450 miles distant from St. George, and 800
miles from Salt Lake City, much of which is wagon-wheel
measurement.

The company I travelled with was composed of three
Mormons with their families, going to join another wing of the
church which is presided over by a son of the prophet Joseph
Smith, and is gathered principally at St. Bernardino, Cal.,—
they do not practice polygamy, which, I may here state, is not
taught in the teachings of Joseph Smith, their founder. They
considered it prudent to call their departure “a visit,” until
they got well on their journey, on account of the Danites of
masoury. Also a wandering Canadian; a mining expert—on
his way to report to his company at San Francisco as to the
mines recently discovered in south-eastern Nevada; and Mr.
Olark, with a hand, as he had two wagons with six-horse teams.
He was chief of the party: a Mormon and polygamist, a clever
man of exceptional large and wide practical intelligence and

experience in the West and the world. Was going to Los
Angeles for some stores and general store-goods for himself
(62)

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CALIFORNIA. 63

and neighbors. Had made the round trip to Los Angeles from
Salt Lake or other settlements over this route twenty times on
the same kind of business.

The Indians living on the road, knowing him as their friend
and customer, were glad to see him and called him “Dan.”
He left corn with them—giving them a portion—to feed on his
roilmm; as we were now travelling over a vast mountainous,
never to be reclaimed desert waste, destitute of soil, grass and
even sage-brush in large portions of it for 250 miles, and very
destitute of water, so each wagon was provided with a barrel
for carrying water, and the animals had sometimes to do with
corn or barley, without water or grass.

At the springs and camping places are living or camping
little bands of the most destitute and degraded Indians I had
or have ever seen. They live mostly on a species of cactus,
roots, snakes, lizards, ete. The shelled corn we gave them
they would but slightly roast in the ashes, and flour they
would make into a half cooked mush, and the whole group, big
and little, eat it hot out of the kettle with their delicate fingers,
which they apparently never wash. Are composed largely of
renegades from different regular tribes, they being in bad
standing and more or less out-lawed.

Whenever we made a camp where there was some grass
anywhere near, “Dan” would have the Indians turn over their
bows (backed with sinew) and arrows (their only weapons) to
him, and then turn our stock over to them to take out to grass,
herd, and bring them in in the morning, saying, that if they
wanted to run them off, they would do so anyway, and were more
apt to steal them if he acted more distrustful towards them by
the little guarding that we could do in a part of us going with
them; besides, they valued him as an old friend and regular
customer. He had always thus trusted even these renegades,
and they had never betrayed him. And it was their country—
all they had in the world.

After leaving St. George we forded the Rio Virgin river
twenty-eight times—sometimes following in the quick-sand
bed of it for a road—before we left it to climb the big hill to
the west. This done, we had to return the stock way down
back to the river for grass and water, as it was twenty-five miles

a RE A
“

EN IRE oso: Th eee

64 Uran To ARIZONA.

to the next water and grass, over arocky waste, which camp was
on the stream Muddy, that was settled on far to the south-east
by the Mormons. Forty or fifty hard looking and nearly naked
Indians gathered about us here, as was the case at the camping
places beyond.

The next stretch to water was about seventy miles to Vagas
creek. Then water got so plenty that there was a little spring
every twenty or thirty miles, till we got to a forty-five mile
stretch, and there was no feed for three or four miles around
the end of it.

The next dry stretch was fifty miles, followed by one of
only thirty-five, which brought us down to the Mohave creek,
where it was called the “fork of the road.” (160 miles from Los
Angeles), One fork leading south into Arizona to Camp
Cada, Prescot, ete. It being travelled by big freight teams,
with five hundred dollar wagons, having high wheels and tires
four or five inches wide for the burning sands of this Colorado
desert, and often loaded with even hay for government stock
hundreds of miles away in Arizona; government trains and
troops, to rob the Indians out of such a country, and to enrich
the gang; a stage-coach and the mail, prospectors’ outfits, ete.

We took the other fork leading to the sea shore.

We passed—about a hundred miles back in the desert—an
abandoned barren quartz mine, that had been extensively
prospected with shafts, tunnels, etc.; and this without an
expensive quartz mill. In order to sell mining stock, it is
usually necessary to buy and be at work on a big mill—the

bigger the better—as an assurance that the thing will pay to
work.
While the Sheriff was returning to San Bernardino from
attaching the mine (?) for labor and supplies—as is also the
usual thing—he was killed by the Indians.

A child in our party was taken sick so bad, we thought it
would die on the road; so the brethren gathered around it
and performed their sacred rite of “Laying on of hands” with
prayer; and as in a day or two the little saint was running
about, their faith was kept whole. This “miracle” may be in
their Sunday-school books now, and highly colored, to
strengthen the faith of future generations.

ney
tiri.
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fooc
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trav
look.
fruit
frequ
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count
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singin

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Gentile
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1aked
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Vagas
spring
» mile
yound

one of
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ym Los
Camp
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(tires
olorado
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) enrich
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nert—an
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pay to

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ay be in
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CALIFORNIA. 65

One of the party had an iron ex-wagon, and of course on a
rough road an axle was broken off at the shoulder. But these
western mountaineers are never put back much by a mishap of
that kind. In this case an unnecessary bar of iron was soon
taken off the wagon, run through the wheel, and lashed to the
axle. These people will set wagon tires on the road, shoe
stock, make and fit most any part of a wagon without tools,
except an ax, bit, chisel and monkey-wrench.

Some Piute Indian words :—crovio—horse; murat—mule ;
nepute or ninnie—little ; kawit—not any ; tu-wich—very much;
tiri-tired ; sco-ri—cold ; shangry—hungry ; pe-up—big ; wino
—good; spits—spring ; congaroo—run or go fast; shot-cup—
food; muggi—give me ; pe-nacka—mineral; camusha—another;
napeas—money ; oma—you.

The bottom of the Mohave (moharvey), along which we
travelled for many miles, was settled in a rude way by hard
looking citizens, who kept some little accommodations, canned
fruits and other goods for sale, as are usually found at
frequented camping places on the much travelled roads in the
West.

The atmosphere was now more humid, mellow, and on ac-
count of the change, which in itself is invigorating, it was more
bracing, and was so delizhtful and spring-like from here on to
the coast, that I have often regretted that my lot was not cast
in such a lovely clime and country.

Wild budding grape vines, green grass,—in places all
over the ground,—flowers, trees, and even flowing water and
singing birds could now be appreciated by us and enjoyed.

No wonder Mohammed had the Moslem heaven well sup-
plied with beautiful shaded rivers, green grass and flowers.

A sand storm on the Mohave clouded the picture for a
day, so we had to lay over on account of it.

A few days travel now and we had reached and passed
over the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and were in San
Bernardino, where we tarried a day or two.

This place contained (1867) about four thousand inhabit-
ants, of Mormons, Gentiles and Mexicans, the latter being
Gentiles also. It is in a valley made fertile and enjoyable by

a semi-tropical climate and a good supply of water. Wood and
5

66 Ura To ARIZONA.

saw timber is also plentiful on the mountain near by, which is
a rare advantage over most other places in this climate. It has
the “wood water and grass,” that the miner and camping
traveller so often inquires about, also the soil necessary for
independent homes.

This site was included in a Mexican grant, and was bought
by the Mormons in early days, for a settlement of their own.
But at the time the army entered Utah to fight the Mormons
and enforce the United States laws,—as was supposed by out-
siders—and the Mountain-Meadow massacre, and other tributes
were levied against outsiders by the secret government, of
which these Mormons were subjects, the anger of the Gentiles
here-abouts, together with a call or order from the Grand
Worthy head of their government, made them abandon their
homes here and travel in haste to join their brother subjects in
arms, at Salt Lake and beyond.

Notwithstanding the great disparity in numbers, arms and
equipments at that time, they say “we thought that we might
have to whip the United States Army.” However, the Mormons
would fight, if diplomacy, secret influence and intrigue failed in
securing their enlargement; which is not probable, so long as
they can meet on their leve! so many secret brethren in the
United States Government and courts, who are secretly sworn
to befriend them.

I met and talked with parties on the road, here, and at Los
Angeles, who had had experience in Arizona. Many of them
would praise that country as rich in minerals (and perhaps it
is in a few little spots) and in fertile valleys, saying, they would
soon return to their valuable prospects or interests there, etc.
But on close acquaintance they would curse and swear and
paw the ground, declaring that any one who could be deluded
to think of living, or making anything legitimately in such a God-
forsaken, howling, burning wilderness—“ where it rains only
sand, and the only vegetation is thorns and thistles, which
differ only in variety”—should be assisted in their going, and
learn their folly as they had done. And the phrase “Arizona
liar” was a common one. Instead of giving the lie direct, one
need only ask the gentleman “if he had been to Arizona.”

I now comprehended the enticing tales like that of the

which is

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ir OWN.
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68 CALIFORNIA.

“bullets of gold shot by the Apaches,”—the “rich mines
worked and left by the Aztecs,” or later by others “driven out
by Indians,” ete. etc. Afterwards I knew different parties,
well equipped with animals, arms, provisions, money, etc., to
spend many months in prospecting there, but they always left
it, dead-broke, disgusted and often on foot.

It seemed there was no way to learn the truth of that
section, except by experience or instinct alone. How would I
know that the army officers, other officials, editors, judges, and
other prominent and respected men in the West, were “Arizona
liars.” Our parents and books did not teach it; our lecturers
and preachers did not preach it, and the papers would
deny it. Itseems there should be somebody, to write plain,
practical and truthful accounts of places, men and things, even
if they are ridiculed and stabbed and nobody care.

“Truth ever lovely since the world began,
The foe of tyrants and the friend of man.”

I noticed much good country between San Bernardino and
Los Angeles—sixty miles—but little of it was then in cultiva-
tion. Much of this land could then be bought for ten, fifteen or
twenty dollars per acre, now itis from one to two hundred dollars
an acre. The soil is mostly a bed of sand, but with water it can
be made to blossom as a Moslem paradise. There are some
spots, however, where corn and other grain and fruits are grown
in great abundance without irrigation. A few miles East of
Los Angeles I remember riding over a level sage-brush and
cactus stretch of several miles in extent, and also over the roll-
ing hills between town and the sea, which were thickly covered
with a kind of wild rank clover ‘up to my knees,’ which, how-
ever, would be dried up in April or May.

The streets of Los Angeles (Lost Angels) follow the wind-
ings of old stock trails, but there were some fine brick buildings
and residences with tropical trees and gardens, that are lovely,
indeed.

Los Angeles was an old Mexican town of six or seven
thousand inhabitants. I think a majority in the county was
then (1867) Mexicans, Indians, Chinamen, etc., and that the
sheriff was a Mexican. The moneyed men were Jews and
secret-ring army contractors, who were making big fortunes

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9 EE Ae WERE TON SED TE

70 CALIFORNIA.

out of the people in their contracts for cavalry hoses and all
kinds of supplies, and the freighting of it into Arizona and else-
where (the government spent about 4,000,000 dollars in this
way, at this point, each year) ; and they acquired large bodies
of land and other valuable properties accordingly.

Common labor was twenty-five dollars a month. At some
out-of-the-way places and at the saw-mills near San Bernardino
labor was from forty to fifty dollars a month, and the favored
contractors would sometimes allow outside freighters to make
a few dollars by sub-contract and doing the work.

The Mexican population were mostly engaged in cattle,
horses and sheep.

Mustangs—the common horses of the country—were sold
by the band for about seven dollars a head. Large droves were
being driven to the territories and the states; were worked in-
to the government service at round prices, and stage companies
all over the coast were using them largely.

In exceptional dry seasons the poorest of the horses have
been driven ove bluffs into the sea by the thousand, to save
the feed for other stock. At such times, where the ranges are
over-stocked, cattle, horses and sheep die by the many thou-
sand in summer; the same as they more frequently do in
winter on the ranges of the north-west,

“Los ANGELES, January 11th, 1884.

Southern California, owing to its climatic position, being
midway between the temperate and tropical, is known as Semi-
Tropic California. It has about 280 miles of sea coast, with an
average of 40 miles in width. This city is the commercial center
of Southern California...... There are three things that soon at-
tract the attention of new comers. They are, the mild, salubrious
climate, the wonderful productions of the soil and the beauty of
the scenery. In speaking of the first, we notice from the signal
service record that the average temperature of winter for six
years was 52 degrees; for summer 67 degrees. The average
difference between winter and summer is but 15 degrees. The
temperature seldom gets to the freezing point in winter, or to 100
insummer. The cool sea breeze in summer gives an eveness to
the temperature. There is really neither winter nor summer here
but year in and year out is one continual season, similar to the

——

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ROSBENEDICT
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72 CALIFORNIA.

Indian summer of the Eastern States. Flowers bloom in pro-
fusion all the year; and, as an evidence that but little cold
weather is experienced, we see sub-tropical plants growing out
doors in the yards and hedges; geranium: and French roses bud
and bloom all through the year. Tomatoes bear all the year and
for two or three years on the same vines. Castor beans continue
to grow and bloom from year to year, until the stocks get to be
as much as six inches in diameter. Sorghum continues to grow
from the same stock for years. Ripe strawberrys are gathered
every month in the year, All kinds of garden vegetables grow all
the year. “Spring chickens” are a misnomer here, for they are
raised all the year round.

The lawns, fields and bluffs are greenest in the winter months,
and more hay is fed in the summer, when the earth is dry and
parched, than in the winter..... The larger tracts of land are
being subdivided into five, ten and twenty acre lots, and sold to
settlers for fruit raising purposes. In this way the country is
settling up very thickly. The lands within five miles of the city
sell, unimproved, for 100 to 800 dollars per acre; when improved
and set in trees or vines, and having had five or six years’ cultiva-
tion, with good dwelling and nice surroundings, they will sell at
from 800 to 1000 dollars per acre...... Evergreen trees grow here
all the year. The range of rugged mountains to the north or
northeast, with their peaks covered with snow, and the blue ocean
and magnificent sunsets to the south and southwest, is a fitting
margin to the intervening picture. Upon a high eminence in the
city we get a view of the surrounding country. A circle of three
miles in each direction from the court house will almost take in
the city limits,—not all built up yet, but within that radius are
25,000 inhabitants. The sight is a lovely one. Many fine, palatial
residences, with surroundings lovely as an idea, and thousands of
acres stretching far away, thickly studded with orange, lemon,
lime, olive, palm, cedar and cypress trees, with numerous semi-
tropical plants, flowers and vines, make the scene one of rare
beanty...... Large orchards of the English walnut, almond and
other nut-bearing trees are quite common. A part of the city is
built upon the bluffs, from whence a grand view of the surround-
ing country can be had. The transfers of real estate within the
city and county for the last two years foot up about 20,000,000
dollars.

J. S. EF.”

En

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”

Nil 1) a) [
\

CHINESE QuaRTER, INTERIOR OF CHINESE TEMPLE, (JosH House), Los ANGELES, Cal.

74 CALIFORNIA.

There are now many smaller towns, but similar to Tos
Angeles, throughout this section. Wells are bored and dug,
and wind mil!s largely used in irrigating the land. And all the
running water is appropriated for the same purpose.

Notwithstanding the apparent and real natural advantages
of this section of country, the people, as a rule, were not pros-
perous and contented. Secret gangs of lawyers in conjunction
with brethren in office in the State and at Washington, had con-
spired to cloud, mix, disturb and shatter the regular and legal
titles to the greater part of the lands in the State; and to then,
with the courts (composed of themselves), wring tribute on tri-
bute from every man, woman and child who would own and till
the soil.

“Yes,” some said to me, “one can buy land here, but he
never knows when he is done buying it, or when the title is
settled for certain ; that is all with the lawyers and courts, and
is never really settled.” “ Doubt, insecurity, retarded progress,
litigation without end, hatred, destruction of property, expendi-
ture of money, blood-shed, all these have resulted.”

If ever is truly written a complete history of but the land
troubles in California alone, it will be wondered that
lawyers are not outlawed and destroyed—not as men but as
snakes, wolves and pests to society.

“The man of law......

Cunningly could he quibble out a flaw,
And scratch men’s scabs to ulcers.”

fo

MISSION SA

to Tos
1d dug,
all the

EIGHT MILES FROM LOS ANGELES, FOUNDED 1796 main STREP CAS ANGELES CouNDED 1846

nntages
¢ pros-
unction
ad con-
d legal
(0 then,
on tri-

and till

but he
title is
rts, and
Progress,
xpendi-

he land
d_ that
but as

MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRAUS. 30 MILES SOUTH FOUNDED 1776. SAN LOUIS REY MISSION4O MILES SOUTH, FOUNDED 1198

TRoprcaL Pianrs AnD HisroricaL Buriprnas.