Description

J. Smeaton Chase (1864-1923) has become an integral part of California literature: revered for his poignant descriptions of California landscapes. He published poetic diary entries detailing his escapades through the Sierra Nevada mountains and California desert. Chase was always drawn to the plants, animals, and Native Americans that resided along the California coast. Subsequently, in 1911 he took a trip with local painter Carl Eytel, traveling on horseback from Los Angeles to Laguna and then down to San Diego. Chase journeyed through the uncouth California land and detailed his escapades in his book California Desert Trails. Amongst his other works are Yosemite Trails (1911), Cone-Bearing Trees of the California Mountains (1911) and Our Araby: Palm Springs and the Garden of the Sun (1919).