mSW OF UPPER CALIFOHlfLL AM 



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

 •wn nse everything they can lay hands on, than some otlier tribes. They 

 ■eldom go to war, tliough by no means deficient in bravery,— frequently re- 

 msting with signal success the hostile encroachments of tlie Sioux and 

 Chyennes. Rich m horses and game, they likewise include witliin their 

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

 dinary natural curiosities. 



One division of this tribe is identified witli tho Diggers in habits and 

 mode of h\ang,— the same causes operating in each case to produce the 

 ■ame results. Another division is identified with the Crows, arjd yet a 

 third one vvitli the Utahs,— numbering in all not far from twelve thousand. 



Being less migratory in their habits, and more tractable in their disposition 

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

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

 thwr benefit. The missionary might here find an encouraging field for his 

 philanthropic exertions. 



With the passage of the mountam chain, noticed in tlie 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 

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

 tumty for its prosecution ; but, as the public mind, during the past few 

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

 ny, i am unwilling to pass on without presenting a brief description of 

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



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

 arranged from information derived from indviduals encountered during mv 

 Btay 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 CuUfornia, together with the Rio Gila 

 which sepamtes it from Sonora, and west by the Pacific, situated between 

 M^ """^ latitude, which is now known as Upper CaU- 



This embraces an extent of nearly 450,000 square miles, and is walled 

 to tor the most part upon tiie north and east by lofty mountains, impassable 

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

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

 cial intercourse of all nations, 



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

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

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

 perenmaJ verdure that so frequently lie aromid them. The most noted of 

 these IS the Califorma, or Cascade range, which, by intersecting the prov- 

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

 periy denominated Eastern and Western California. 



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

 M4W1UUU, u paasable at various points. It ia situated inland from Um 



