TO ENGLAND VIA SAN FRANCISCO.

Tuapeka Times, Volume IV, Issue 220, 18 April 1872, Page 6

TO ENGLAND VIA SAN FRANCISCO.

{From the E;envg Star's Correspondent.)

Salt Lake Citst, February 10, 1872. We. that is my fellow-passengers and myself, left Francisco on Tuesday morning, the 6th, and after a run of forty-eight hours arrived at Ogden, the terminus of the Central Paoific Railway Company's line. On our arrival we found to our dismay that no train could be started for the East until the termination of the snow blockade, and that a number of trains from West to East and vice versa were so fixed that traffic w «s completely suspended. The journey from San Francisco to the Salt Lake City is very interesting to travellers. The scenery is diversified, and in many places sublimely grand. The line passed over on the first day's journey is formed through one of the finest wheatproducing districts in California, which extends over one hundred miles to Sacramento. Of its breadth no idea could be formed from the cars, as it spread out as far as the eye could reach.. Sacramento is the capital city of the State of California, and possesses several large and spacious buildings. Amongst them is the Capitol, built of white marble. It may be seen from tbe railway for many miles. We dined at Sacramento, but only stayed half an hour ; after wh eh we pr< • ceeded on our journey. After leaving Sacramento the country becomes more uneven, broken, and precipitous We began gradually to ascend the Nevada Mouutams. At first the incline is scarcely perceptible, but by-and-bye, observing two engines attached to the train instead of one, the increased difficulty of haulage becomes apparent. The line passes numerous villages situated in the very heart of deep ravines, and surrounded by the never-fading delicate Alpine piue, which adds a graceful charm to the grandeur of the sceneri 1 . .Night shortly intervenes, and shuts out some of the grandest prospects from the sight. The train, however, presses on, stopping occasionally at different stations. Curiosity prompted me to get out at one of them -a stopping place, sheltered by snow sheds, on a mountain. On stepping out of the train, I could not find the station until I discovered a track cut to obtain access to the house. The snow is twenty-five feet deep. This station is the highest on the Surra Nevadas, and is anything but a lively or pleasant place to live at. On daylight dawning next morning, we bad left the State of California behind us, and were in the State of Nevada. During the night we had de* sjended the mountain and were bowling across a level plain with not a tree to be seen and yery scantily covered with v getation. We could see numerous herd? of cattle and horses in the distance, and at the various stations some of the most forbidding looking men I ever saw were congregated. To add to the uninviting picture, there were numbers of Indians — men and women — the latter scarcely distinguishable from their lords, excepting by their pertinacity in asking alms. Never, in all my travels, have I seen sued miserable abject looking creatures as they appeared wbeu standing shivering in their rags, knee deep in snow. How they live now that their hunting grounds are converted into cattle runs is a mystery. Throughout the day the train passes rapi ily across a level plain skirl ing the river Himbolat. This river is one ©f the most tortuous in America, and after running hundreds of miles it loses itself in California : at any rate no outlet has yet bsen discovered. At daylight on the following morning we arrived at Ogflcn, having travelled 828 miles in 48 hours. Ogden is the terminus of the Central Pacific Railway Company 'B line on the east. We hear to our dismay that there has been no communication eastward for a fortnight, and that the snow blockade on tbe Rocky Mountains has put an end to all traffic. This is the I2th February, and our mails are now fifty-three days out from Otago with little prospect of release. Ogden is a Mormon township, and here I experienced great kindness from strangers, as the following narrative will show. On going through the town, I chanced to inquire of a gentleman whom I accosted, where 1 could obtain the best lodgings, and in course of conversation with him, I asked if he knew a gentleman, Mr D. M., late of New iJealancjL He replied, " I ought to know him, as I was the hunible instrument of bringing him into the Church. He lives at St. George, and hag been created a bishop." I telegraphed to hjm at once— a distance of 400 miles— and received a reply in an hour, asking me to pay him a visit, This was sufficient introduction to me to secure a welcome by the Saints. The question of lodgings was soon settled, inasmuch as Mr F., the gentleman first spoken of, insisted that I should stay with his family for the night, and start for the Salt Lake City the next day. On entering the hpuse I was introduced to Mrs F. and the eldest girl, who is about seventeen years of age. I observed there were many rooms in the ijouse, and I could hear other voices proceeding from $hera, After a time Mr F. brought infeo the ro ; om £wo young children and asked tny opinion of them. 1 said, "they are surely twins." " No," he said, " they are not twins, although nearly of the same age They have different mothers." I began to suspect polygamy, and sure enough my suspicions were correct, for under that very roof live three wives. I asked, naturally, how do you manage to keep jfcbgm in order, for we Gentiles find one wife enough, and sometimes one to m-my. He answered, f'J. have never had any trouble with my wiyps. J.t £s part of our creed that tbe more children we ha-jre jtp surround us in Paradise, the greater will be our glory." Subsequently I had an opportunity of jS.eeiug Mr F. surrounded by his three wives and their families. I » was a st'-an^o spectacle to witness and one that certainly perplexed me somewhat, but I was soon set at ease by Mr F. asking me what I now thought of polygamy. " Here are my three wives, " said he, " two of them sisters, and the greatest accord and happiness prevail amongst us." j I must say I never did see more cordiality a»d kindness evinced by ladies one towards anotbjr than , on this occasion. Mrt F., No, % who appeared most

at her ease in conversation, discoursed to- me eloquently on the advantages of Moraaonism and its attractiveness, meanwhile knitting very busily, and keeping a sharp eye upon the youngsters, accompanied by an occasional word of reproof ; while wives No. 1 aud No. 2 were each busily occupied nursing. 1 asked the respective age 3of tbe babies, and was told by each mother seven and ten months. The eldest daughter of No. 2 was then introduced to inc. She iB five months younger than No. l's eldest daughter. Both girls are intelligent, courteous, and industrious. During the whole of my visit, which extended over three hours, they were present with the mothers, and heard the whole of our discourse, jro and con, on polygamy. I concluded by saying the subject was altogether beyond my comprehension. "Yes," No. 2 replied, "to the Gentiles it is so, but only join the Church, and what now appears dark and mysterious will become easy of solution. " 1 went to bed pondering over this great mystery, and was soon lost in Dreamland. On the following morning at eight o'clock, 1 started for Salt Lake City.

(To be continued.)