26 



what extent these slates may pass beneath the surface of the ocean is of course 

 unknown, but there are good reasons for the supposition that the distance is con 

 siderable, from the fact, that during storms when a heavy swell is occasioned 

 there are large quantities of these rocks brought up and distributed upon the 

 shore, in fragmentary masses. Attached to these fragments often are mollusca 

 and marine plants belonging to deep water and differing widely from the shoaler 

 littoral deposits which are also found in great numbers. Another evidence that 

 this formation extends for some distance beyond the coast-line seaward is the 

 fact of the emission of liquid bitumen and its appearance on the surface of the 

 ocean miles distant from the main land. It might be argued that the currents 

 of the ocean would have the effect to transport this material to considerable 

 distances from this shore, and this is undoubtedly true to a great extent ; but in 

 forming this conclusion we should remember that the greatest amount of force 

 is manifested during the setting of the flood tides, and that all floating materials 

 are soon landed on our shores from great distances at sea. I have been inform 

 ed by persons engaged upon the coast that this bitumen so often seen upon the 

 waters south of Point Conception has often been noticed west of Catalina, and 

 that they have sailed through large quantities of it beyond the Island, while the 

 waters in the channel have been for days free from its presence. Such facts 

 would lead us to infer that these shales extend probably as far to the west, 

 forming the bed of the ocean, as they are known to extend to the east under 

 the surface of the extensive plains of Los Angeles, the distance in the one case 

 being about equal to that in the other. 



The remaining sedimentary rocks of these mountains consist of sandstones and 

 slates, the former composing by far the greater bulk thereof. The sandstones 

 contain the larger proportion of the fossils found in these districts, and lie in all 

 cases superior in position, to the bituminous slates. In the vicinity of Santa 

 Barbara they form a large portion of the covering on the flanks of the moun 

 tains extending to j;he summit of the southern ridge, their aspect is repulsive 

 and barren, vegetation being almost entirely absent, except in the deep, precipi 

 tous ravines between the hills ; the foot-hills below are made up of large bould 

 ers having evident marks of abrasion by water, and coarse gravely drift derived 

 from the same sources. On these lower hills the oak and indigenous growths 

 flourish, although the soils are harsh and coarse, as they naturally must be from 

 the sources from which they have been derived. This is but another evidence of 

 those powerful fertilizing agents that are so lavishly distributed through our 

 soils compelling the otherwise sterile hills to produce abundance for flock and 

 herd. 



One of the causes of this fertility is found in an examination of the fossilifer- 

 ous rocks, it is evident from their appearance that the animals lived and died on 

 the spots where their remains are now buried, they do not present the appear 

 ance of a littoral deposit, there is not that variety in species which we should 

 look for under those circumstances, or those broken, rolled and fragmentary 

 remnants usually found in the latter. Whenever a bed of fossils is met with 

 in this section of the country among the indurated sandstones, either the shells 

 of the bivalves are entire or casts of their interior exist ; when the latter occurs 

 is is not unfrequent to find upon the mould of the shell a true imprint of the an 

 imal that inhabited it. I have seen the palial impression of a Venus with its 

 sinus and muscular cicatrices nearly as perfect as though a cast had been taken 

 from a recent animal. 



The rocks found in these mountains and at their base contain marine animals, 

 inhabitants of both deep and shallow water ; with those also that live upon the 

 verge of highest waters ; this fact would indicate that gradual elevation has been 

 exerted over a considerable area in this part of the State, as forces are still in 



