74 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



ferry boat connects Martinez with Benicia. The town is shel- 

 tered by high hills from the west and south ; west, whence the 

 prevalent winds come, and the fog, blown upland from the 

 Golden Gate passes to the northward, leaving Martinez and 

 vicinity in the sunshine many days, while Benicia is covered 

 with a cloud. 



The town of Pacheco was founded in 1858. It is bmlt at 

 the head of navigation of the Pacheco Slough, and is the ship- 

 ping port of Pacheco, San Ramon, Diablo, and Nassau valleys. 

 The distance to Martinez is four miles, further than farmers 

 like to haul their grain, when they can avoid it. The slough 

 is bare at low water ; at high water it is navigable for sloops 

 and schooners drawing six feet. The population is about 

 1,000. The town will probably lose much of its importance 

 after the completion of the Bantas, Martinez, and Oakland 

 Railroad. 



49. Los Angeles. The town of Los Angeles, formerly 

 called Pueblo de los Angeles, or the Pueblo de la Reina de los 

 Angeles the town of the Queen of the Angels the largest 

 town in the southern part of the State, had a population of 

 5,728 in 1870. It was founded about 1780, and was a consid- 

 erable town previous to the American conquest, but the finest 

 buildings in the place have been erected within the last twelve 

 years. The town is situated on the western bank of the Los 

 Angeles River, where that stream breaks through the range of 

 low hills, twenty miles north of the bay of San Pedro. The 

 streets are mostly of good width, but are not straight ; do not 

 cross each other at right angles, are not graded, nor are they 

 paved. All the old houses are built of adobes, and most of 

 them are of one story, with flat roofs of asphaltum. The new 

 houses are of wood and brick. On the northwestern side of 

 the town, and very near to the most busy part of it, is a hill 

 about sixty feet high, whence an excellent view of the whole 

 place may be obtained. The vineyards and gardens are 

 beautiful. There are 2,500 or 3,000 acres of brilliant green 



