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Show 328 PERSONAL ADVENTURES and very beautiful bottoms of fertile land, wooded principally 'vith white oaks, in open groves of handso1ne trees, often five or six feet in diatneter, and 60 to 80 feet high. The larger streams, which are 50 to 15 0 yards 'vide, and drain the upper parts of the mountains, pass entirely across the valley, forming the Tule Lakes and the San J ochin River, which, in the rainy season, makes a continuous stream from the head of the valley to the bay. The foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada which limit the valley tnake a \voodland country, diversified with undulating grounds and pretty valleys, and watered with numerous s1nall streams, which reach only a fe\v miles beyond the hills, tl1e springs which supply then1 not being copious enough to carry them across the plains. These afford many advantageous spots for farms, making sometimes large bottoms of rich, moist land. The rolling surface of the hills presents ~unny exposures, sheltered from the winds; and, having a highly favourable clin1ate and suitable soil, are considered to be well adapted to the cultivation of the grape, IN CALIFORNIA. 329 and will probably become the principal vinegrowing region of California. The uplands bordering the valleys of the large streams are usually \vooded with evergreen oaks, and the intervening plains are timbered with groves or belts of evergreen and white oaks, among prairie a11d open land. The surface of the valley consists of level plains along the Tule Lakes and San Joachin River, changing into undulating and rolling ground nearer the foothills of the 1nountains. " The northern half of the valley of Upper California is watered by the Sacramento, which runs down south into the Bay of San Francisco, 'vhile the San J oachin comes into it from the Southern extremity, flowing north~ \Vards and rneeting the Sacramento in the hay, which' is nearly in the middle of the valley." It is in this northern part of the valley that the gold has hitherto been foun~. . . " The Valley of the Sacramento IS drVI~ed into an upper and 1o wer par t ' the lower being 200 miles long, t1 1 e upper about 10. 0.. T. he latter I.S not 1nere1 Y en titled to the distinction |