The emigrants' guide to California : containing every point of information for the emigrant -- including routes, distances, water, grass, timber, crossing of rivers, passes, altitudes, with a large map of routes, and profile of country, &c., with full directions for testing and assaying gold and other ores

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38 ty them., and pack your plunder uOV\'n, then lDwer your wagons down with ropes. At the bottom load again, and in two miles you reach a beautiful valley having grasfiJ, and timber, in plenty. There are few points on the Bear River, where there is any thing like a valley, or bottom; it is a roaring torrent most of its course ; its descent to this point is 3864 feet. For 35 miles your road is little better than what you have passed. When you come to a place where you can obtain a full view of the beautitul v· alley of Sacramento. From this place to JOHNSTON, the first settlement, is less than twenty Iniles. 1"he road is good, and grass, water, timber, &c., abundant. Johnston's is located on the Bear River. You can be supplied at this place with fresh provisions, milk, &c., things of all others the most palatable. You need a day's rest here. From Johnston's to SU!TER'S on the Americano, a distance of thirty .. eight miles, you follow the valley of the Sa~ramento.­The road is good and needs no description. SUTTER'S FORT, is situated about two miles from the Sacramento, on a branch of the Americano. It was the property of the Russian establishment, called "Ross," and was purchased by Captain Sutter, together with its stock, agricultural, and other stores, with a number of pieces of artillery and other munitions of war. Sutter's .1\lill, where the discovery gold was first made, is twenty­flve tnilefl up the country, in the pine regions. From Sutter~s to SAN FRANCISCO, the distance is by land, via. SAN JqSE, 200 mile~. The Sacramento is navi-, gable for one hundred miles above the Fort, for small . steamers of one hundred tons burden, none of which have ~ ever been ueed on this river. The year 1849 ~rill form a ne\-\' era i~ resl1ect to navigation in California; small ' .. 39 steamers are building for the river, and the mail compa­Tiy's steamers will reach San Francisco, every week or two with the mails. It is most probable that any of the emigrants of this season designing to visit the bay, can, on their arrival, find daily opportunities on the· Steamboats to do so' a route by all means the most desirable.. At this point a great many will undoubtfldly direct their course to the Gold mines, whilst others having agricultu ... ral objects in view, will seek themselves out a suitable piece of land on which to build their future happy home. May every just hope be satisfied. A description of the country is· out of place here; the newspapers of1 he day hav,e teemed with information on all the points in connection ' with this interesting portion of our happy Union. Our object has been accomplished, we have given you . a plain unvarnished naration of the trials, and obstacles to be overcome by you in reaching the place selected for your future home. If we have erred in our description in any one point, we are sure it is a trivial one, and one of judgment, rather than intent. A word before we part, you are now in a country dif­ferent from that which you left. Recollect that you are a component part of the country. Take no steps th at will not reflect honor, not only upon yourself but your country. Oppose all violations of or.der, an~ just l ~w _Unite with the well disposed to sustain the nghts of In­dividuals whenever incroached upon. Introduce at the earliest practical moment, those institutions. which have co_nspired to raise our beloved country to the b1gh~st ele~a­tion of Nations :--Let schools, churches, beneficial ~ocle· tics> courts, &c., be established forthwith. Make pro- ..