VIEW OF UPPER CAUFORjriA. ^^ 



They are friendly to the whites, and less disposed to appropriate to their 

 urn use everything they can lay hands on, than some other tribes. Thejr 

 seldom go to war, though by no means deficient in bravery, — frequently re- 

 sisting with signal success the hostile encroachments of the Sioux and 

 Chyennes. Rich in horses and game, they likewise include within their 

 territory many interesting and beautiful localities, as well as some extraor- 

 dinary natural curiosities. 



One division of this tribe is identified with the Diggers in habits and 

 mode of living, — tlie same causes operating in each case to produce the 

 same results. Another division is identified with the Crows, arid yet a 

 third one with the Utahs, — numbering in all not far from twelve thousand- 

 Being less migTatory in their habits, and more tractable in their dispositioo 

 than those of their eastern brethren demontes, they are fat more susceptible 

 of civiHzdtion and improvement ; though, as yet, nothing has been done for 

 tiieir benefit. The missionary might here find an encouraging field for Ms 

 philanthropic exertions. 



With the passage of the mountain chain, noticed in the preceding chap- 

 ter, the reader is inducted to the northeastern extremity of California. 

 My intention of visiting the interior of this interesting province of the 

 Mexican Republic was frustrated through the lack of a convenient oppor- 

 tunity for its prosecution ; but, as the public mind, cluring the past few 

 years, has been so much occupied with subjects connected with this couii 

 tiy, I am unwilling to pass on without presenting a brief description of 

 it, obtained from sources upon which full reliance may be placed. 



The following sketch, coupled with my own observations, is carefully 

 arranged from informatioh derived from indviduals encountered during my 

 stay in this country, some of whom had travelled over most of it, and 

 others had resided for years within its confines. 



On referring to the map, a large extent of country will be noticed, 

 bounded upon the north by Oregon, east by the Rocky Mountains, south 

 by the Lower Province and Gulf of Cahfornia, together with the Rio Gila 

 which separates it from Sonera, and west by the Pacific, situated between 

 parallels 32*' and 42° north latitude, which is now known as Upper Cah- 

 fornia. 



This embi-aces an extent of nearly 460,000 square miles, and is walled 

 in for the most part upon the north and east by lofty mountains, impassable 

 except at certain points ; while upon the west and soutli its vast stretch of 

 lea-coast, navigable rivers, and commodious harbors open it to the commer- 

 cial intercourse of all nations. 4^ 



The entire country is more or less broken by hills and mountains, many 

 of them towering to a height of several thousand feet above the level of 

 the sea, whose summits, clothed with eternal snow, overlook the valleys of 

 perennial verdure that so frequently lie around them. The most noted of 

 these is the California, or Cascade range, which, by intersecting the prov- 

 ince from north to south, separates it into two grand natural divisions, pro- 

 periv denominated Eastern and Western California. 



The above range, though higher than the principal chain of the Rocky 

 Mmmtuns, is passable at various points. It is situated inland from tM 



