SOIL, CLDIATE, ETC. 191 



family, including whales, cod, and haddock, with oysters, clams, lobsters, 

 &c. 



So great is the abundance of fish at certain seasons, that, with a rude 

 seine, the natives frequently take fifteen or twenty barrels full at a single 

 draught ; fish constituting their principal subsistence. 



There are few, if any, countries in the world possessed of superior com- 

 mercial advantages to the western section of Upper California. 



True, its inland navigation is hmited ; yet, with an extent of nearly eight 

 hundred miles of sea-coast, accessible at almost any point, it includes some 

 of the finest bays and harbors ever known. Of these, for commodiousness 

 and safety at all times, the Bay of San Francisco stands pre-eminently con- 

 spicuous. 



This bay is an arm of the sea extending some forty miles or more inland, 

 shut in, for the most part, upon each side by precipitous banks of basalt 

 and trap, that skirt a very broken and hilly country contiguous to it. The 

 entrance from the ocean is by an opening, a mile or more in width, through 

 rock-formed walls, between one and two hundred feet high. A recent 

 traveller,* in describing this bay, says : — 



" From the points iorming the entrance, the sea gradually expands to 

 some eight or ten miles in extent, from north to south, and twelve from 

 cast to west. At the extreme eastern part of the vast basin thus formed, 

 its shores again close in abruptly, contracting so as to leave a pass of about 

 two miles in width, which forms the entrance to a second bay of still larger 

 dimensions. From this gorge their high rocky banks again diverge for 

 some ten miles, when they still again contract to the narrow space of one 

 mile, and form the passage to a tiiird. The latter is more spacious than 

 either before mentioned, and, formed in like manner, extends twelve miles 

 from east to west and fifteen from north to south, aflfording the safest 

 and most commodious anchorage." 



There is ample water at all times for the entrance of ships of the largest 

 class, and it is asserted confidently, that these three united bays would afford 

 perfect safety, secure anchorage, and ample room for the fleets and navies 

 of all nations. 



Several other bays and harbors are situated along the coast, all of which, 

 to a greater or less extent, are favorably spoken of for general safety and 

 good anchorage. 



Among the above are mentioned the Bay of Monterey, San Pedro, St. 

 Diego, Bodega, and Trinidad. Bodega, however, is represented as being, 

 at times, very unsafe and even dangerous. 



With such extraordinary facilities for commerce, it needs no prophetic 

 eye to forsee the position Western California is destined to assume, before 

 many years have passed, and, from her position and natural resources, will 

 be enabled successfully to maintain among the foremost nations of the 

 earth — provided, always, that some other people more enterprising and en- 

 lightened than the present inert, ignorant, stupid, and mongrel race infest- 

 ing it with their presence, take possession of the country, develop its eneF- 

 gies and bring to light the full beauty of its natural lovhness. 



We are now led to speak of the peculiarities of soil, landscape, scenery, 



* Hastings. 

 17 



