EEPOET. 



This report will embrace the investigation of the Coast Mountains, commen 

 cing near the point of termination of the tour conducted during the summer of 

 1853, and ending at the northern boundaries of the Counties of San Bernadino 

 and San Diego during the summer and early part of the autumn of 1854. The 

 tour of 1853 in the Coast Mountains terminated a few miles south of the 

 river Nacismieiito, in the County of Monterey. 



PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE COAST MOUNTAINS. 



In the report on the " Geology of parts of the Coast Mountains," presented 

 and published by the fifth session of the Legislature, it will be remembered that 

 this chain of mountains laid down as forming the coast line of this State, ex 

 tended from the 42nd parallel to the southern boundary of the same. This pre 

 sumption was founded on the erroneous positions of the southern terminus of 

 this chain, as laid down on the older, and also the more recent maps of the 

 State, conjoined with the misapprehension of many individuals who reside on 

 different points of the coast line, and who have blended the base of another and 

 a distinct mountain chain with those belonging to the coast chain proper; these, 

 it will be seen, have no other connection with the latter, other than to traverse 

 its line of trend at nearly right angles to its course. 



From the Nacismiento River the coast line of mountains continue on a line, 

 which is nearly direct with the trend of that portion of the chain which extends 

 from Point Pinos to the river above named, and which forms one of the south 

 ern boundaries of the County of Monterey ; the line being south nearly fifty 

 degrees east to their northern termini or junction with the San Bernadino chain. 

 The latter mountains have their western termination in the vicinity of Points 

 Aguilla and Conception; beyond this to the south, the mountains which front 

 the ocean are derived from this chain or its spurs, which are often projected 

 nearly to the water-line of the sea. 



After crossing the Nacismieiito River, the coast chain becomes exceedingly 

 rugged and irregular, losing in a great measure that parallelism of ridges which 

 they have heretofore maintained in the more northern districts, from this cause 

 often they become almost absolutely impassable, at other points than those used 

 for public high ways; -in many canons south and east of their junction, water is 

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