PREFACE. Vll 



Deen in the extreme north, and the extreme south ; I have 

 gone to both extremities by land and sea ; I have travelled 

 through the centre of her great basin ; I am intimately ac- 

 quainted with her richest agricultural districts ; I know 

 something of her mining and agriculture by experience and 

 practice ; and, finally, I have endeavored to compress into 

 this book all the important attainable facts. Amidst so 

 much information, there are undoubtedly some little errors ; 

 but the fair critic, before condemning and expatiating upon 

 minor faults, will pass judgment upon the'question whether 

 the book is or is not more comprehensive and instructive 

 than any other, or than all others relating to the same 

 subject. 



Of course, when I quote from the writings of others, I 

 use quotation marks, and give credit according to the rules 

 of honorable authors ; but I have adopted, without quota- 

 tion marks, various passages from articles written by my- 

 self, and published in different newspapers and magazines. 

 Since the work is intended for popular use, and should be 

 free from every thing not intelligible and interesting to the 

 general reader, I have made no references to authorities ; 

 and, indeed, I have drawn my information from so great a 

 variety of sources (in many instances newspapers), that it 

 would have been very inconvenient for me, and cumber- 

 some to the book, to cite the authority for every statement. 

 In case, however, that the accuracy of any statement in the 

 work should be called in question, I think that I can pro- 

 duce in every case credible evidence, and in most cases the 

 conclusive proof While I have drawn my material from 

 many different sources, I claim as much originality as is 

 possible for so comprehensive a collection of facts, in so 

 many and so distinct branches of knowledge. 



J. S. H. 



San Francisco, March, 1862. 



