11 



The route usually followed leads to the east of these mountains at a distance 

 of eight miles, arfd up the canons of Steward's Fork to the base of Scott's 

 Mountain, which is bufo a spur of the Salmon Mountains, and divides the waters 

 of the Trinity, Salmon and Scott's Rivers at this particular point. 



The distance across the Scott's Mountain is about eight miles, though usually 

 estimated much higher than this amount, from the difficulty of making passage 

 and the time required in consequence of the rocky character of the trail. 



Immediately on reaching the base of this mountain to the north, you enter the 

 head of Scott's Valley near Callahan's Ranch. At this point the South Fork 

 of the Scott joins the main stream, which winds through this broad plain on the 

 western side and its center, for twenty-eight miles, or to a point nearly opposite 

 Fort Jones. From there the stream assumes a more westerly turn and joins the 

 Klamath some forty miles from the above named point. 



At a short distance beyond the Fort the road down the valley turns short to 

 the right and -follows this northerly course for about twenty miles all the way 

 on the level of the plain. At this point a low mountain intervenes, which 

 separates the Scott's River Yalley from that of the valley of the Shasta River, 

 lying to the east, and that of the smaller valley of Yreka about seven miles to 

 the north of its base. The latter valley is but a branch of the valley of Shasta 

 River and has received its name from the building of the city near its center. 



Among the higher southern ridges of those mountains which divide the two 

 large valleys above noted, the Shasta River has its rise, and not as has generally 

 been supposed and stated, in the mountains of Shasta Peak. This mountain and 

 adjacent hills furnish the waters at the sources of the Sacramento on the south, 

 east and west, and on its northern flank throws off two of the southern tributa 

 ries of the Klamath. I think that at least six-tenths of the waters derived from 

 Mount Shasta, find their way to the ocean by the Sacramento, and this mountain 

 furnishes the principal, and in fact the sources of that stream. 



This, it will be seen, modifies our views much respecting the geographical fea 

 tures and positions of this part of the State, and teaches us the fact that the 

 latter river belongs strictly to the Coast Mountains, and not to the Sierra Nevada, 

 as heretofore represented. 



I am thus particular in this respect, for the reason that so many palpable 

 errors have crept into our local geography, that the utmost disorder at present 

 prevails, and thus far this matter seems governed by one general law, viz : the 

 law of general confusion only. After crossing the Shasta River, we find little 

 else than rugged hills, until arriving at the Klamath, and here those hills assume, 

 and pass into thefange known as the Siskiyou Mountains, which continue nearly 

 to the coast, the Klamath winding its course at their southern base. To speak 

 of these mountains would be but a reiteration of what has been said of others 

 belonging to the coast mountains, and it is unnecessary to say more relating to 

 them until we come to consider their geological structure, and influences on the 

 climate of the surrounding country. 



GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF COAST MOUNTAINS NORTH OF 

 THE BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO. 



The geological structure of this portion of the State has been treated of to 

 soiie extent, but there are additional points relating thereto that require some 

 attention. The district of country from the northern shores of the Gate to the 

 head of the Arroya San Antonio, have heretofore been treated of by others; 

 that portion will therefore be passed over in order to avoid repetition. Our 

 present examination will commence near the head of the above arroya, and con 

 tinue through those parts of the mountains not before noticed. 



