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takes its name； hot enough to scald a child seriously while I
was there。 At the other end； the tenant of a cottage sank a
well； and there also the water came up boiling。 It keeps
this end of the valley as warm as a toast。 I have gone
across to the hotel a little after five in the morning； when
a sea fog from the Pacific was hanging thick and gray； and
dark and dirty overhead； and found the thermometer had been
up before me； and had already climbed among the nineties； and
in the stress of the day it was sometimes too hot to move
about。
But in spite of this heat from above and below； doing one on
both sides； Calistoga was a pleasant place to dwell in；
beautifully green； for it was then that favoured moment in
the Californian year； when the rains are over and the dusty
summer has not yet set in； often visited by fresh airs； now
from the mountain； now across Sonoma from the sea； very
quiet； very idle； very silent but for the breezes and the
cattle bells afield。 And there was something satisfactory in
the sight of that great mountain that enclosed us to the
north： whether it stood； robed in sunshine； quaking to its
topmost pinnacle with the heat and brightness of the day； or
whether it set itself to weaving vapours； wisp after wisp
growing； trembling； fleeting； and fading in the blue。
The tangled； woody； and almost trackless foot…hills that
enclose the valley； shutting it off from Sonoma on the west；
and from Yolo on the east … rough as they were in outline；
dug out by winter streams； crowned by cliffy bluffs and
nodding pine trees … wore dwarfed into satellites by the bulk
and bearing of Mount Saint Helena。 She over…towered them by
two…thirds of her own stature。 She excelled them by the
boldness of her profile。 Her great bald summit； clear of
trees and pasture； a cairn of quartz and cinnabar； rejected
kinship with the dark and shaggy wilderness of lesser hill…
tops。
CHAPTER II … THE PETRIFIED FOREST
WE drove off from the Springs Hotel about three in the
afternoon。 The sun warmed me to the heart。 A broad； cool
wind streamed pauselessly down the valley； laden with
perfume。 Up at the top stood Mount Saint Helena； a bulk of
mountain； bare atop； with tree…fringed spurs； and radiating
warmth。 Once we saw it framed in a grove of tall and
exquisitely graceful white oaks； in line and colour a
finished composition。 We passed a cow stretched by the
roadside； her bell slowly beating time to the movement of her
ruminating jaws； her big red face crawled over by half a
dozen flies； a monument of content。
A little farther； and we struck to the left up a mountain
road； and for two hours threaded one valley after another；
green； tangled； full of noble timber； giving us every now and
again a sight of Mount Saint Helena and the blue hilly
distance； and crossed by many streams； through which we
splashed to the carriage…step。 To the right or the left；
there was scarce any trace of man but the road we followed； I
think we passed but one ranchero's house in the whole
distance； and that was closed and smokeless。 But we had the
society of these bright streams … dazzlingly clear； as is
their wont； splashing from the wheels in diamonds； and
striking a lively coolness through the sunshine。 And what
with the innumerable variety of greens； the masses of foliage
tossing in the breeze； the glimpses of distance； the descents
into seemingly impenetrable thickets； the continual dodging
of the road which made haste to plunge again into the covert；
we had a fine sense of woods； and spring…time； and the open
air。
Our driver gave me a lecture by the way on Californian trees
… a thing I was much in need of； having fallen among painters
who know the name of nothing； and Mexicans who know the name
of nothing in English。 He taught me the madrona； the
manzanita； the buck…eye； the maple； he showed me the crested
mountain quail； he showed me where some young redwoods were
already spiring heavenwards from the ruins of the old； for in
this district all had already perished： redwoods and
redskins； the two noblest indigenous living things； alike
condemned。
At length； in a lonely dell； we came on a huge wooden gate
with a sign upon it like an inn。 〃The Petrified Forest。
Proprietor： C。 Evans；〃 ran the legend。 Within； on a knoll
of sward； was the house of the proprietor； and another
smaller house hard by to serve as a museum； where photographs
and petrifactions were retailed。 It was a pure little isle
of touristry among these solitary hills。
The proprietor was a brave old white…faced Swede。 He had
wandered this way； Heaven knows how； and taken up his acres …
I forget how many years ago … all alone； bent double with
sciatica； and with six bits in his pocket and an axe upon his
shoulder。 Long； useless years of seafaring had thus
discharged him at the end； penniless and sick。 Without doubt
he had tried his luck at the diggings； and got no good from
that； without doubt he had loved the bottle； and lived the
life of Jack ashore。 But at the end of these adventures；
here he came； and； the place hitting his fancy； down he sat
to make a new life of it； far from crimps and the salt sea。
And the very sight of his ranche had done him good。 It was
〃the handsomest spot in the Californy mountains。〃 〃Isn't it
handsome； now？〃 he said。 Every penny he makes goes into that
ranche to make it handsomer。 Then the climate； with the sea…
breeze every afternoon in the hottest summer weather； had
gradually cured the sciatica； and his sister and niece were
now domesticated with him for company … or； rather； the niece
came only once in the two days； teaching music the meanwhile
in the valley。 And then； for a last piece of luck； 〃the
handsomest spot in the Californy mountains〃 had produced a
petrified forest； which Mr。 Evans now shows at the modest
figure of half a dollar a head； or two…thirds of his capital
when he first came there with an axe and a sciatica。
This tardy favourite of fortune … hobbling a little； I think；
as if in memory of the sciatica； but with not a trace that I
can remember of the sea … thoroughly ruralized from head to
foot； proceeded to escort us up the hill behind his house。
〃Who first found the forest？〃 asked my wife。
〃The first？ I was that man；〃 said he。 〃I was cleaning up
the pasture for my beasts； when I found THIS〃 … kicking a
great redwood seven feet in diameter； that lay there on its
side； hollow heart； clinging lumps of bark； all changed into
gray stone； with veins of quartz between what had been the
layers of the wood。
〃Were you surprised？〃
〃Surprised？ No！ What would I be surprised about？ What did
I know about petrifactions … following the sea？
Petrifaction！ There was no such word in my language！ I knew
about putrifactio