oad
throughout was easy and safe. Naturally it is not as easy to negotiate
as a San Francisco boulevard, but with the wheel in the hands of a
careful chauffeur there is perfect safety and a trip that need give
not a moment's fear to the most timorous.

FROM TALLAC TO SACRAMENTO, BY THE PLACERVILLE ROUTE, 108 MILES

This is practically the first historic route into California, for, as
I have shown in the chapter on Fremont's Explorations, it was the one
the Pathfinder practically followed on his memorable trip that led to
the discovery of Lake Tahoe.

Hence, when the gold excitement attracted its thousands to California,
many of the argonauts took this road, following the Humboldt River and
turning south at the Humboldt "Sink," crossing to the Carson "Sink"
and then ascending to the headwaters of the Carson River, over into
Hope Valley and thence down to Strawberry Valley and on to the mines.
This was the origin of the road, and it was in steady and continuous
use until the startling news of the discovery of the Comstock Lode in
Virginia City aroused the mining world. From every camp in California
rude and stalwart men eagerly set forth to reach the new Camp. It was
a genuine stampede. The chief question was: "Will the new Camp make
good?" It answered this question by transcending the expectations
of the most sanguine. Silver and gold were taken out in fabulous
quantities. Chunks of almost pure native silver, weighing scores of
pounds, were hewed out of the chambers where they were found, and
men went wild with excitement. Houses sprang up over-night. A vast
population soon clung to the slopes of Mt. Davidson. Mining and
milling machinery was needed, and demanded with tremendous urgency, to
reap the richer harvest. There was no railroad, and the old Emigrant
Road was not in condition to meet the needs. Few people can realize
the wild excitement that reigned and the string of teams, men riding
on horseback, or afoot, stage-coaches, freight wagons, that poured in
endless procession over the road. Nothing like it has been seen since,
except during the Klondike rush. As soon, however, as it was possible
to secure the proper authority newer and easier grades were surveyed
and private individuals undertook to build certain sections of the
road under the condition that they were to be granted the right to
collect toll for so many years. These rights have long since lapsed,
and the road is now a part of the excellent system