JflESOUI\CES OF 



CHAPTER I. 

 TOPOGRAPHY. 



1. General Remarks. CALIFORNIA has a peculiar topo- 

 graphy. No other country comprises within so small a space 

 such various, so many, and such strongly-marked natural di- 

 visions, isolated volcanic peaks, vast domes of granite, steep 

 and rugged mountain ridges, fertile and beautiful valleys, 

 bare deserts, spacious bays, magnificent rivers, unparalleled 

 waterfalls, picturesque lakes, extensive marshes, broad prairies, 

 and dense forests all these are hers. 



2. Area. The reports of the Federal Land Office, pub- 

 lished at Washington, say the area of the State is 188,981 

 square miles ; but J. H. Wildes, chief draughtsman in the 

 office of the Federal Surveyor-General of California, a more 

 trustworthy authority, says the nearest approximation that 

 can now be made is 155,000 square miles, or 99,200,000 acres. 



The State extends from latitude 32 31' 59" that is the 

 position of the monument marking the southwestern corner of 

 the State, on the boundary of Lower California to 42. The 

 coast line is 1,097 miles long. In general shape, California is 

 a long parallelogram, 800 miles in length by 190 in width. 

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