Geol.— Vol. I.] DA I'lDSOX— SUBMERGED VALLEYS. 99 



the King Peak submerged valley and necessarily found no 

 bottom with the ordinary lead line. She would run into 

 danger between casts that were deluding. Had the exist- 

 ence of this valley been known at that time, the vessel 

 would have proceeded in a different and more guarded 

 manner. 



The second bearing which these great submarine valleys 

 have is upon the deep sea fauna which must be brought close 

 under the shores. They carry in the colder waters coming 

 from the north and outside of the influence of the close 

 inshore eddy current setting to the northward. 



In 1870 the writer was becalmed off Cape Mendocino for 

 five days, in clear weather, and had a capital opportunity of 

 determining the breadth and velocity of this Davidson eddy 

 current, acting under the most favorable conditions, for the 

 favorable weather had lasted through two previous days. 

 The outer edge of the current was well marked at 15 miles 

 off the capes and was running about one and a half miles 

 per hour to the northward. 



V. Lower California, Mexico. 



We have first described the submerged valleys of the 

 coast of California because they are somewhat more famil- 

 iar to the hydrographer and to the navigator, and more 

 especially interesting to the geologists who are acquainted 

 with the geology of our seaboard. 



We now describe the submerged valleys of part of the 

 Pacific Coast of Lower California, which are less known to 

 the hydrographer and navigator, and of which the sur- 

 roundings are less known to the geologist. 



I. General Features of the Peninsula. 



The principal orographical feature of the peninsula of 

 Lower California is the great mountain chain throughout 

 its length from latitude 23°. The mountains reach an 



