- 



>TATK OF. 



t M.1FORNIA, STATE OF. 



2 IS 



receive* the San Joaquin, and the united river turn* 



abruptly to the west and soon after expending to a considerable 

 width open* into San Francisco Bajr. The entire length of the 

 gmoramentn U about SOU mile* ; it. width for many mile* above it* 

 ioaotion with the Joaquin vatic* from >0 to 800 yard*, and it i. 

 navigable at all aeaeon* up to Sacramento city. 150 miles from it* 

 mouth. The Sacramento b subject to great flood* during the wet 

 .mini, and on the melting of the mow on the Sierra Nevada. The 

 3* /eeaeta issue* from the Tulare Lake* at the southern end of the 

 great valUy. It* ooune i* north and north-wast, and like the Sacra- 

 mento it receive, numerou* tributaries from the Sierra Nevada, 

 (hiring the wet Mason the San Joaquin U greatly augmented, and 

 apt to flood much of the lowland on it* border*. It i* navUr. 

 vessels drawing 9 feet of water up to Stockton, :t mil-' uKive in 

 junction with the Sacramento, and for veieels under 15 tons up to 

 the Tuolumne River. The San Joaquin abounds in fine fish, and the 

 taking and curing of salmon afford employment to many persons. The 

 hank* of the river and its tributaries are generally extremely fertile, und 

 agriculture i* punned with much diligence. The country watered by 

 the San Joaquin and iU affluent* i* becoming rapidly settled. The 

 (WeiWii. the lower part of which drains the south-eastern portion of 

 California, and which falls into the Gulf of California, belongs rather 

 to NEW MEXICO, under which it will be noticed. Except during tho 

 wet eaaeon thi* river, though draining a vast extent of country, is 

 aid to have a depth of only 6 feet of water for some distance above 

 it* mouth : that part of California which lies in its basin is almost 

 unknown. Along the coast are numerous rivers which rise in the 

 Coast Range and after a short course fall into the Pacific. Among 

 the** are the San Buenaventura, San Felipo, San Pedro, and the Smith ; 

 many of them are of considerable value for irrigation, and may at 

 some future period be rendered available for mechanical purposes, 

 but none are navigable. 



Numerou* roed* have been formed in the state since its cession by 

 Mexico in addition to those previously existing, and many bridges 

 have bean built and ferries established across the principal rivers ; 

 bat the communication* of the state are of course yet very incomplete. 

 Of the railway* planned the most important in the Great Pacific and 

 Atlantic line ; but beside* it the Bcnicia and Marysville and the Oro 

 City and Bear River railway* are spoken of a* determined on ; neither 

 ha* however been ejomljpoted, 



OtUm, Miofrtlagi, *<, The Sierra Nevada, with its connected 

 range*, ha* for it* substratum schistose or talcose slate ; quartziferous 

 rock* are the prevalent trata covering the slate. In many place* a 

 fine white quartciferou* granite occurs. In the Coast Range quartz 

 ahw abounds. Sandstone i* found throughout the lower range* of 

 hills. Bituminous coal i* worked in the neighbourhood of San 

 Francisco Bay ; it ha* also been found about San Diego Bay, and is 

 believed to occur in various other localities. 



Sir Francis Drake, who visiud California, which he named New 

 Albion, in 1578, received such report* of the existence of gold from 

 the native* that he declared it to be hi* conviction that there was 

 " no part of thi* country wherein there is not some special likelihood 

 of gold." Yet thought his statement was often repeated in the subse- 

 quent collections of travels, and occasionally in geographical works, 

 no search seems to have been made for the precious metal. The 

 remarkable discovery of the auriferous wealth of California was at 

 last made by mere accident in December 1847, by a Mr. Marshall, 

 who was engaged in erecting some saw-mills on the estate of Captain 

 Suter, a wealthy American settler on the Sacramento River. The 

 effect of the publication of this discovery was most extraordinary. 

 The rush of adventurers to the 'diggings' and of immigrants into the 

 country wo* quite without parallel in the history of tho world. 

 California was at this time occupied by American citizens, and its 

 formal cession soon after to the United States happily placed it in 

 the possession of a people a* distinguished for capacity of self-govern- 

 ment a* for energy, instead, as it had hitherto been, of a singularly 

 indolent and incapable race ; thereby affording as it were opportunity 

 for the full development of it* marvellous capabilities, and at the some 

 time providing against the frightful anarchy which might else have en- 

 sued. A* it wa*, town* and cities as they were termed, though the house* 

 were commonly only of wood or canvau, sprang up with a rapidity 

 hitherto unknown ; the magnificent San Francisco Bay was for the 

 first time alive with vast fleet* of merchant vessels, crowded with 

 anxious adventurer* from almost every part of the world. All 

 ordinary labour was neglected in the rage for gold seeking, which 

 seised indiscriminately on all pi* use, and the value of food and labour 

 rose to almost fabulous price*. The quantity of gold discovered con- 

 tinned for awhile to increase even beyond the proportion of new 

 therefor it. By the end of the year 1851 it wa* estimated that 

 to the amount of nearly 150 million* of dollars had boen found, 

 i* possible, as no official account ha* been taken of 

 be unexanerated 



the Bold obtained, but from what appear to 

 estimate* the 



lined, but rrotn wuat appear to be unoxaggerated 

 quantity found in 1849 was valued at 40 million* of 

 dollars, and it is believed that the average yearly find ha* since 

 liinsssul to between 60 and 60 million* of dollar*. The quantity of 

 gold-dust and ooin manifested and shipped on board steamer* and 

 siliog vesHls from San Prandsoo during 1852 w 48,258,574 

 but thi* doe* not show the entire amount exported, as 



large quantities are taken abroad in ahip* without being entered on 

 the manifest*. If 10 millions be added for this the total .piantity 

 hipped iu 185J from Sun KrancUco would bo about 66 mill: 

 dollar*. The quantity received at the mint of the United States and 

 it* branches up to September 30, 1852, WM 186,747,986 dollars. 

 Since that date an Act of Congress ha* been paiaed for establishing 

 mint in California. What i* known a* the Gold Region of California 

 extend* for some 500 mile* in length, with a breadth of from 40 to BO 

 miles, following the range of the Sierra Nevada. It occupie* the 

 lower mountains of that range lying between the central mountains 

 an>t the valley of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin. These 

 mountain* average from 4000 to 5000 feet in height, nu.l 

 generally found either in the gulley* and ravine*, or in the *ondy beds 

 .if tin- mountain streams on their way towards the two great i 

 The geological formation of this region U very Minilir to Unit 

 old mountains of Australia and tho Ural Mountain* of Kusu*. 

 u.i v ) Wherever tin- gold has been found in ritu it ha* been 

 in connection with quartz; ninl thn WHt.cr-woni t-old found b 

 debris of the rocks and the sands of tho rivers in like manner ' 

 by its frequently being attached to small partici, . .if . (iiarU, that it 

 wa* derived from a quartzose bed. The main gold region OR w 

 H.ii.l is the lower mountains on the western side of the Sierra X" 

 but gold has been also found in the loftier central heights of the 

 Sierra Nevada, and on it* eastern side. Gold is likewise repoi : 

 have been found iu the Coast Range, especially iu the narrow valleva 

 on it* western side, and also in the connected ranges. IinK-ed Drake's 

 words seem now singularly applicable ; for there appears to be hardly 

 any "part of this country where there is not special likclil 

 gold." 



Nor is gold the only important metal which abound-!, though it i? 

 tho only one to which much attention is at present given. A 

 of quicksilver has long been worked in the neighbourhood of San 

 Jose', in which the cinnabar from which it is produced lies n. 

 surface and is easily procured. But the metal is believed also to bo 

 widely spread and in valuable veins in other ports of the state, : 

 ore of great richness has been found at Monterey and elsewhere. 

 Copper, iron, and other of the more important metals are also !' 

 to abound. Coal is profitably worked at San Francisco, and is 

 supposed to exist in extensive beds in other ports. 



Botany and Zoology. The botany of California is of a peculiar and 

 interesting character. It contains among other striking plants some 

 noble pines, especially one called from its discoverer, tho Douglas 

 pine (Pinus Douglatii), which occurs on the mountains about San 

 Francisco Bay, and grows frequeutly to tho height of 240 feet, with 

 a circumference at tho base of the trunk of 60 feet. The cones arc 

 eaten by the Indians. The P. Sabiniana, I'. Lambert iana, and P. 

 no'iili* are of less magnificent but still very large dimensions, and 

 great beauty. The live oak (Qutrctu riitnt) grows to a consi.i 

 size on the lower hills of the west side of the Sierra Nevada, and on 

 it Fremont found unusually large quantities of mistletoe. Tho white 

 oak is common in the valleys. The maple, ash, beech, and cli 

 are the other more usual denizens of the Caliibrn . which 



however do not generally extend south of 39 N. lot. Two or throe 

 kinds of Arbuiut abound on the banks of the rivet's and the margins 

 of the forests. Tho Scilia etculenta grows everywhere alon r the 

 coasts; its root is the quamash of the Indians, with whom i: 

 common article of food. The fibres of the Hdonias tenax oiv 

 by the natives into a very tough cord for snaring deer, &c. ; ami tlir 

 amole and saniate ore used by them for foap. Large mini 1 

 Polemoniacea, especially some beautiful specimens of tho /,<;,/< 

 and frilia ; some curious plants belonging to the genera 

 and Emmcnanthe ; several new genera of pappies, Etchfhotiiia, lupines, 

 Calocliortut, C'yclobothra, Calliprora, Sroiliiea, &c., stamp the vege- 

 tation with a character quite unlike that of any other part of 

 America. 



The black bear, the gri.! ii.-ar. and the Darren-ground bear; racoon, 

 American badger, glutton, ermine, weasel, mink, martin, ami skunk 

 are common hi many ports ; as ore also the beaver an.l the mask ml 

 about the mouth of the Sacramento : all of these ore much sought 

 after for their skins. Several kinds of wolves, foxes, and 1 

 abound in the denser forests of the north, w" -n tho 



numerous deer and other animals which Uose regions. Of 



the deer the moose, the block -tailed, and the long-tailed or j v, 

 the elk, and the prong-horned antelope (4. furcifer) are the most 

 plentiful. Mountain sheep abound. The bison is only ocoa.-io.iiik 

 met with. 



Among bird* the first place i* due to the great California!! vulture 

 (Rarcoram]iliui CalifornuMtu), which i inferior only to the South 

 American condor in size, and very similar to it in its habit*. Tho 

 black vulture, tho turkey buzzard, the golden eagle, the k-il.l eagle, 

 the peregrine falcon, the jer falcon, Uie osproy, and several other 

 hawk* and connected specie* a* well a* owls are more or loss common. 

 Moet of the ordinary European singing birds, swallows, woodpr< 



birds to which similar name* have boon given, also aboun ! 

 'Hi- humming bird i* common in the south. Grouse are said ' 



utnerou*, and of m. .IT various kimls than have been found in 

 auy other country. The bays and inluts of the coast wsrm with 

 wan*, goeae, duck*, curlews, and moat of the other ordinary v> 



