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Show SELECTED. A NEW ORLEANS OPINION OF CALIFORNIA. J'"ow people will exntirieru-e aatuui.-h-meot at ''the pates ot" heli"' beini: discovered dis-covered in California. According to the report they do not conform to the aDcient and accepted description of the mviUDg spot. Dante's famous inscription in-scription is wanting on the portal?, which, in fact, are not portals at alL It is a ruped,rocky chxm, surrounded by a desolate country, clefr with deep valleys and precipitous cliffs. Snakes, reptiles and vermin abound in untold numbers, while the air is heavy with sulphurous odors and noxious gases. The ground shakes and groans, grinding grind-ing the rocks and stones together liko the gnashing of damned ones' teeth. Mulded explosions and ghastly flashes of electric light pierce the inky pall which hovers over it, and at night the saturnalia of horrible sounds and sighs intensifies and deepens. Even the Indians cannot bo induced to approach it, although to those of tho Kcweah tribe aro we indebted for its discovery. Judging from the state of society in the mining regions, it never required a great stretch of the imagination imagi-nation to believe the realms of Saih-anus Saih-anus somewhere in that neighborhood, but we were not quite prepared to have the fact so soon determined. If it prove true, Satan is to be greatly pitied, since it will not be long before filibustering expeditions of adventurous adventur-ous miners will root him out and take possession. No doubt the people of California, with their vast resources, energies and wonderful mechaBieal appliances, imagine themselves more than a match ibr Old Nick, and if they take a fancy to his territory, the snakes and natural phenomena with which he has sought to guard the entrance to his dominions will prove but a poor defense de-fense against American enterprise. Ail that sort of thing California miners would unhesitatingly pronounce as "played out" long ago. We trust the savans of that region will make a close examination thereof and report upon it fully. New Orleans Times. If the Times man should take a notion to travel westward, though he I may net find the "gates of hell" which he so vividly describes, he will find numerous "Devil's gates" by the way before he roaches the Golden State. Utah can furnish a oouplc. |