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country town than perhaps any other in Cali- ing equally distant between the mine and San

fornia.

Before leaving the town for the quicksilver mine we rode over to the old Mission of Santa Clara. The road lies through the Alameda, a beautiful avenue of willows planted by the padres, and which have now reached their full growth, and meet overhead, forming in the spring-time a continuous bower, shady as a forest, and a favorite drive for the fast boys of San José. The Mission Church is still standing, in good repair, and there on Sunday may be seen the native population, arrayed in their best, kneeling before the altar, and listening to the monotonous recitations of the priest. The church ornaments in the interior are similar to those of the other Missions. The rude carving, quaint figures of saints, and paintings of the Crucifixion, and other Scriptural subjects, are the same that were placed there nearly a century ago. Nothing indicates the wonderful change which the outer world has undergone.

From San José to the quicksilver mine of New Almaden is twelve miles. The road winds for that distance through the most fertile part of the valley of Santa Clara, which gradually widens into a verdant plain, richly carpeted with wild flowers, and every foot of it "claimed," fenced, and settled upon by those who have come to California not to "make a pile" and return, but to build up and improve a home. Among the prettiest of the many rural nooks opening to view at every turn in the road is a little velvety valley, in which is situated the well-known Half-way House, so called from be

José. Here a sturdy Western farmer has located himself for life. The farm produces a sufficient supply of butter, cheese, eggs, milk, and every other country luxury to supply his own wants, and to send to the markets of San José and San Francisco enough to meet the expenses of the estate. Add to this a climate famous for its mildness and salubrity even in California, and our jolly proprietor has little to wish for in this world-at least so it would appear from his contented looks and the hearty dairymaid healthfulness of the daughters. But this is no isolated instance. This whole valley is occupied by comfortable farmers, who live more in the style of the dairymen of the Genesee Valley in New York than pioneer settlers on the verge of civilization.

The ascent to the range of mountains, on the slope of which the mine is situated, is very gradual-scarcely perceptible. The first indication of one's proximity to it is a small village, or collection of tasteful cottages, neatly painted and inclosed by paling fences, with here and there the evidences of woman's industrious hand in the cultivation of flower-gardens and the fancy trellis-work for woodbine and honey-suckle vines which clamber luxuriantly over some of the dwellings. The families of the superintendents of the works reside here, and live in the enjoyment of rural life, while the constant arrivals of visitors from San Francisco at this romantic spot keeps them "posted" in relation to city affairs and the minutiae of more fashionable life.

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Beyond appear the brick buildings of the | "works." These consist of the business offices of the directors, the residences of the workmen, storehouses for flasks and general material for repairs and additions, and houses for the reception of ore and bricks. Together they form a collection of solid and substantial houses, apparently built for a century's use. Here also are

the furnaces in which the ore is smelted. The process of extracting the quicksilver is an interesting study; and as our conductor promised an explanation of its mysteries on our return, we accepted his offer to visit the mine with us. The discovery and subsequent history of the New Almaden is briefly told. Some years before the gold discovery an opening was observed in the hill-side, into which the main shaft has been since run. It had been repeatedly traced by the native Californians for fifty or a hundred feet, but nobody seems to have considered it any thing but a natural cave-one of the many crevices or caverns which have been formed in all parts of California by freaks of nature. It was at last ascertained to be an artificial excavation, and one of great antiquity. The vaqueros and taciturn old dons of the neigh

borhood, when questioned concerning it, replied, with the usual shrug, and "Quien sabe?" "Son cosas muy antiguos," until the debris was cleared away from the lower part of the shaft; in doing which a number of skeletons, a quantity of rounded stones from the brook, and other interesting relics were disclosed. These, it was evident, were the remains of aborigines, who had resorted here to obtain the cinnabar from which to manufacture vermilion for ornamental purposes, according to their savage customs. This was the only place where this primitive paint could be obtained on the coast; and it is now ascertained that savages visited it even from the confines of Oregon, a distance of several hun lred miles. Ignorant of the art of propping up their drifts as they each year worked farther into the earth, they had been suddenly overtaken by a very natural catastrophe, and were buried alive in a grave of their own digging, after which the tribes appear to have abandoned it.

Conjecture was for a long time at a loss to know the object of the Indians in thus penetrating the mountain. On the discovery of the gold mines some experiments with rockers and

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the country opens to the westward through the commenced in 1850, in the side of the mountdepressions in the coast range, discovering pic- ain, in a line with the patio, and which has alturesque views of the San Juan Valley gleam-ready been carried to the distance of 1800 feet. ing in the sunlight through the interstices of the by 10 wide and 10 feet in height to the crown foliage, the landscape expanding with every step of the arch, which is strongly roofed with heavy of ascent. This road must have been built at timber throughout its entire length. Through great cost, as it is handsomely graded and fin- this an iron rail track passes, the cars receiving ished, and, like every other part of this valua- the ore as it is brought upon the backs of carble property, intended for all time. From the riers (tanateros) from the excavations. These inner side rises a solid wall of rock, of which the cars are calculated to carry about a ton each, hill is formed, with here and there evidences of and are pushed rapidly in and out by hand. sandstone mixed with slate.

We enter the car and in a few moments are rumbling along this under-ground railroad, with no sound to break the silence besides the heavy breathing of our human propellers, who, with swarthy visage lighted up by the dim rays of the candles, seem almost ghastly as they bend to their work. These laborers are all Mexicans. and have generally served a sort of apprenticeship in the silver mines of Spanish America. Soon we reach the terminus of the railroad, and step out upon a damp soil beaten hard by the incessant tramp of the ore-carriers. Here the sensation of chilling dampness usually possessThe main entrance to the mine is a tunnel, ing the novice on entering a subterranean cav

On our way we met several wagons loaded with the dark red ore, which had been broken up into small pieces before being submitted to the works below. Five wagons are kept running without intermission, and supply the ore, which at first employed trains of mules. At the summit we found a level space of ground, on which are situated the upper works, consisting of several buildings belonging to the company. This is known as the patio, or court-yard, and here ore is assorted and prepared for smelting at the works below.

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