Fresno County CA Archives History - Books .....The Primative Landscape 1892
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 10, 2007, 4:01 pm

Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of The Counties Of Fresno, Tulare, And Kern, California

THE PRIMITIVE LANDSCAPE.

  There began to settle in this valley in 1848-'49 that intrepid band of
pioneers who had scaled the Sierras or sailed "around the Horn." At length they
gained the promised land. When they entered this great valley they found it an
interminable grain-field, miles upon miles and acre after acre; wild oats grew
in wondrous profusion, and in many places to a prodigious height,-one great,
glorious green of wild, waving grain, high over the head of the wayfarer on
foot, and shoulder high to the equestrian. Wild flowers of every prismatic shade
charmed the eye, while they vied with each other in the gorgeousness of their
colors, and blended into dazzling splendor. One breath of wind and the wide
emerald expanse rippled itself into space, while with a heavier breeze came a
swell whose rolling waves beat against the mountain-sides, and being hurled back
were lost in the far-away horizon, and shadow pursued shadow in a long, merry
chase. The air was filled with the hum of bees, the chirp of birds, and an
overpowering fragrance from the various flowering plants weighted the air. The
hillsides, overrun as they were with a dense mass of chapparal, were hard to
penetrate, while in some portions the deep, dark gloom of the forest trees lent
relief to the eye The almost boundless range was intersected throughout with
divergent trails, whereby the traveler moved from point to point, progress
being, as it were, in darkness on account of the height of the oats on either
side, and rendered dangerous in the valleys by the bands of untamed cattle,
sprung from the stock introduced by the mission fathers. These found food and
shelter on the plains during the night; at dawn they repaired to the higher
grounds to chew the cud and bask in the sunshine. At short intervals coyotes
sprang almost from beneath the traveler's feet. The flight of numerous quail and
other birds, the nimble run and leap of the jack rabbit, and the stampede of the
elk and antelope, which abounded in thousands, added to the charm.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History
OF THE COUNTIES OF
Fresno, Tulare, and Kern, California

Illustrated
Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Prospective Future: with Profuse Illustrations of its Beautiful Scenery,
Full-page Portraits of Some of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of
Many of its Pioneers, and also of Prominent Citizens of to-day.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants." -Macaulay.

CHICAGO:
The Lewis Publishing Company.
Undated, but OCLC lists a publication date of 1892


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