hy Alexander von Ilumholdi. xxxiii 



In sailing from the Sandwich Islands to the west coast of 

 America, the Imperial Expedition will have to choose between 

 the Ports of San Francisco or Acapulco. The first choice 

 would be of g-reat mineralogical advantage for those regions 

 of the United States, lying North of the river Gila.* 

 Parallel with the chain of the Rocky Mountains, which, 

 according to Marcou, contains up to the present day 

 several volcanoes in full activity in its northern part (Lat. 

 46° 12' N.), run single, and at certain points double 

 ranges of coast chains from San Diego to Monterey, from 

 32° 15' N. to 46" 45 N. They begin with the coast range 

 specially so-called, which is a continuation of the high ridge 

 of the Peninsula of Lower or Old California ; after which, 

 farther to the North, there follow in succession, first the 

 Sierra Nevada di Alta California, between 36° and 38° N. 

 the lofty Shasty mountains, and the Cascade Range, nearly 

 twenty six miles distant from the littoral, including many 

 high and active volcanoes, and extending far beyond Fuca 

 Straits. The following are still in eruption : — Mount St. 

 Elias (46° 2' N.); Mount Regnier, or Rainier, (46° 46') ; 

 and Mount Baker, (48° 48'.) These three active cones would 

 be most conveniently visited by the geologist of the expedi- 

 tion from San Francisco, as would likewise the whole Cascade 

 Range. We have as yet no certain intelligence as to the 

 geology of the entire longitudinal auriferous valley of the 



* The Gila falls into the Colorado about forty miles above the embouchure of the 

 latter into the head of the Gulf of California. 



