18 



is very small at the present time. A site for a new steam sawmill is 

 being located two miles further up. The sawdust and blocks of the red- 

 wood are thrown into the stream, which turns the water to a dark red, 

 and, in some places,'^to an inky black ; in other places to a purple. This 

 is poisonous, and kills the fish in half un hour after it is drank, according 

 to the testimony of Messrs. Boyden and Hatch themselves. Cattle along 

 this stream are walking skeletons. I saw several carcases of dead ani- 

 mals lying along the bank, notwithstanding there is plenty of good grass. 

 This shows conclusively the truth of ail the reports made to me by many 

 of the settlers along the stream. In places where the water runs fast 

 it is quite palatable; but where it is still it becomes wholl}^ unfit for use, 

 and not only kills the fish, but is dangerous to the cattle. At some sea- 

 sons of the year the settlers are obliged to sink holes or wells back from 

 the stream, and even then the Vv^ater is impregnated with an odor only 

 to be derived from dead fish. 



" Lohetis Creek— Is a clear water trout stream, two miles from Purissima, 

 about three feet wide, and a foot deep. It empties its waters upon the 

 beach, and has no mills — nothing but natural obstructions. 



" Tunis Creek — Is a clear water trout stream, of about the same volume 

 as Lobetis. It empties its waters upon the beach. Ten miles up this 

 stream is Foment's steam sawmill, not running now, owing to a lawsuit 

 pending and an injunction from the Court; which last, it is to be hoped, 

 may continue for all time, as the sawdust, so fatal to the fish and inju- 

 rious to the farmer, is prevented thereby from being dumped into the 

 stream. 



" San Gregoria — Is a fine clear water trout stream, four miles from 

 Tunis, and connects with the ocean about one mile below the San Gre- 

 goria House. At full sea, the salmon, of from fifteen to twenty pounds, 

 and the silver salmon, from two to fifteen pounds, enter this stream 

 during their spawning season, which is from October to March, when 

 they go out to sea again. These fish have been taken several miles up 

 the stream during the rain}^ season, when, owing to the strong current, 

 most of the sawdust had been washed out. Six miles up this stream is 

 Templeton's steam sawmill, and a few miles further up, on a northern 

 branch of this stream, is Gilbei'fs sluice mill, and a few miles further up 

 the same branch is L. P. Pharis' steam shingle mill. All these mills 

 dump their sawdust and blocks into the stream, which so poisons the 

 water that it has become an intolerable nuisance to all the settlers along 

 the stream below, and will soon exterminate the trout. 



" Ponipo7ia Creek — Is four miles from San Gregoria, and is a clear water 

 trout stream of small volume emptying upon the beach. No mills; 

 plenty of trout. 



" Fescaderp stream — Is three miles from Pompona Creek, and is a fine 

 clear water trout stream, empties into the sea about two miles below the 

 town, and connects, one mile from the beach, with the Butena Eiver, 

 which is also a fine clear water trout stream running to the southeast; 

 is about twenty feet wide, and six feet deep. For six miles this makes 

 a fine resort for the salmon and silver salmon from the sea which fre- 

 quent these waters, with other lesser sea fish, for the purpose of spawn- 

 ing. From October to March, a wagon load of these beautiful fish, 



