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Show CHAPTER V. DESCRIPTION OF UPPER CALIFORNIA. Bay of Francisco-Sacramento and St. Wakine Valleys-Many narrow (ertileValleys- Gren.t Lake, &c.-Barren Mountains, containing Silver Ore and g:ood. Water Pow.er-Tar Spring-Gold f~und in the Puebalo Valley--Cul .. uvatwn of the Vme-Spamsh Dance-W1ld Horses-Unsuccessful attempt to take them. That portion of Mexican Territory, which is generally alluded to under the of name California, is included between the Pacific coast, and the California Mountains; a lofty and rugged range, which is a continuation of the Cascade Mountains, in Oregon, run .. niog nearly parallel with the coast, and East of it about one hun· dred and twenty-five miles; and between the parallel of 42 deg. ~ort.h, ~nd the. Gulf of California. But the Southern part of this dtstrlCt~ mclud1~g the Peninsula, called Lower California, is a. poor, dry, barren regwn, and.has not yet afforded inducements sufficient to attract the attention of foreigners. That portion which is most desirable, and to w.hich. persons from the United States, traveling throu¥h, ~nd settlmg 1n the country, have entirely confined their attentwn, IS called Upper California'; and is that part lying bee tween tl~e head of the Gulf~ . and the Northern boundary of the Provmce: and to this~ .portion, we shall be confined in our remarks. . The Bay o~ San Francisco, situated in latitude 37° 45' North, 1s, perhaps. Without exception, the finest and most spacious Har .. bar on the.globe. It has been spoken of, and we believe without e~aggeratwn, as being of sufficient capacity to contain all the ShipP1? g o~ the wo~ld. The entrance of the Bay, is only about one mtle Wide •. It mcreases rapidly in width, ' after entering the land; and separatmg, forms two arms; one bearing to the South East the other to the . Nor.t h E as t • 'Th e so ut h ern arm, !. S fifty mi. les H. ' l len?th, an~ ten m ~1dth, and is a beautiful sheet of water; deep, and e~tlrely .free from.sand-banks and Islands. The Northern arm is Slxty miles in length, and about ten in width· is verv crool:ed ' , ' VALLEYS QF CALIFORNIA. 79 containing many small islands; and has numerous Greeks and coves, every where indenting its shores. The St. vVakine and Sacramento Rivers, empty at the head of this arm of the Bay; the former from the South East, and the latter from the North. They are both stt·eams susceptible of navigation, and their valleys uniting, form the most extensive body of levelland, found any where oa the Western coast; being from the h~ad of one valley to that of the other, about four hundred miles in length: and in width, from the California Mountains West, about fifty miles. There are numerous small streams running through these valleys, from the mountains, and from' the highlands on the West, into the rivers; on all of which, there are rich and productive strips of land, from three to four miles in width, and extending back to the mountains. There are generally, along these strelms, narrow belts of Oak timber, of which there are three kinds: White, Black, and an inrerior kind of Live Oak. The trunks are short, and none are well calculated for fencing. Between the stre!l.ms, the land is less fertile, very dry, and not at all adapted to cultivation; it, nevertheless, produces an abundance or the richest kind of grass, capable of affording support, during the whole year, to large herds of cattle and horses. On the California Mountains, and on many of the inclinations, between them and the valleys, there is a timber called Red Wood; a large and very fine tree, of the Pine species, peculiar to California; Cedar and Sugar Pine, in inexhaustible abundance. But that part is generally considered, the best portion of the Province, which lays West of the Sacramento Valley, and North of the Bay ()f San Francisco. It consists of alternate hills and vallcys.Many of the hills are high; but they are gradual and unbroken.The valleys are from three to four miles in width, and from fifty to sixty in length; are all tl'aversed by small streams of water, and have an excellent soil. Those which connect with the Bay-of . which there are five or six-run from North to South. Those which connect with the coast, and with the valley of the Sacramento, run to the West, and East. Immediately on the coast North of the Bay, there is a range ot very high, rolling hills, which increase in height to the North. They are covered with oats, which is a sponatneous production of this country; with excellent :grass, and with groves and forests of Red Wood and Oak. |