CALIFORNIA. 3 
Francisco some distance into the interior. The country exhibited a vast plain, 
rich in a deep soil, and subject to periodical submersion. Occasional clumps of 
fine oaks and planes imparted an appearance of park-land. ‘They were already 
shedding their leaves; a small grape was very abundant on the banks; and we 
sometimes obtained a dessert from the fruit of a juglans. We had scarcely 
returned, when a storm covered the maritime range of hills with snow; and this 
set the final seal on the year’s vegetation. On quitting the coast for the interior, 
we exchanged the evergreen oaks for deciduous species. The latter grow to fine 
trees, with wood of great specific gravity. But the natives have a very pernicious 
practice of lighting their fires at the bases; and as they naturally select the 
largest, it was really a sorrowful sight to behold numbers of the finest trees thus 
prematurely and wantonly destroyed. And it is not a country where wood is 
superabundant; for no sooner is the Oregon crossed than the spruce forests 
disappear, and the prevailing trees are oaks, which towards the South become 
gradually less abundant. 
But Upper California had already been tolerably examined ; and it was our 
good fortune to touch rapidly at several places on the coast of Lower, or New 
‘California, during October and November, 1839, and here we trod in no footsteps, 
as none had preceded us. I shall confine myself to a few brief abstracts of notes 
written at the time, as they may convey fresher and more correct impressions ; 
merely premising, that the two Californias are countries differing in many 
essential particulars, and that San Diego is their political place of separation. 
New California, Oct. 15th.—We have touched already at several places on the 
coast. Everywhere it has much the same character, being almost destitute of 
wood or even of shrubs; where there happens to be any of the former, consisting 
of evergreen oak. At this season the soil is dried and cracked, and the vegetation 
extremely arid. Yet even here after a day’s wanderings we return with a dozen 
or more different species in flower, and I very much doubt this being a common 
event in the Tropics during the dry season. The prevalence of Composite is 
truly great, and one is surprised at the variety of aspect their flowers are capable 
of assuming. They are not all blue Asters, or yellow Coreopsis, as is seen in an 
English garden, but have very varied colours and tints. At different places on 
the coast the species vary, and their total is perhaps considerable. My attention 
has been directed to the distribution of Cactee, by meeting with two species for 
the first time at San Pedro, as we are descending the coast. Their limit here 
then may be stated at 34° N.; but in the Rocky Mountains, a species has been 
recorded at 49°. On the plains of the Missouri four species attain to 48°. Jn 
Europe we have a representative in 44°, And in Chiloe they probably cease at 
about 42° S.. : 
