) 



258 Notes on Upper California. 



After two hours, we forded the Sacramento in three feet watei, 

 and encamped on the eastern prairie, at what is called the Bear 

 Camp, near the parallel of 40° N. The prairie was in part grav- 

 elly, but probably produces abundantly in the wet season. In the 

 course of the evening, five grisly bears were killed. Deer were 

 running through the camp in every direction, and many herds ot 

 antelope were seen. Wolves at night kept up a perpetual howl, 

 and one came and carried off from alongside of our tents the skin 

 of a bear. Bear stewed, bear roasted, and dough fried in bear 

 grease, composed our evening meal. 



October 13. — Travelled scfuth over the lower prairies east 

 of the Sacramento, which are four or five miles wide on this 

 side, and found the soil fertile, except when we approached the 

 margin of the upper prairie, where the country proved to be 

 pebbly like the same region on the opposite side of the river. 

 This upper prairie stretched along at an even height, not far from 

 sixty feet above the lower plain. Some few pebbly spots were 

 passed on the lower prairie. The pebbles were partly siliceous 

 like those seen on the eastern prairie hills, and like them indicated 

 that the talcose rock formation was still prevalent in the moun- 

 tains. There were also numerous pebbles of cellular lava. 



The alluvial soil was in some places of a black color, and 

 deeply cracked by drying, the cracks opening three inches and 

 two feet deep. This fine country like the WiUammet plains was 

 covered with oaks, — the trees averaging about twenty to an acre. 

 The common species bears a long spindle-shaped acorn wnicn 

 was food for both bears and Indians, the latter making it into a 

 black loaf by roasting and pounding. 



October 14. — The day was passed in travelling south along the 

 lower prairie — a region of good alluvial soil, often black and 

 deeply cracked; it appeared probable that during the freshets the 

 whole was under water. There were scattered oaks as usual ex- 

 cept for two or three miles. The upper prairie appeared to be six 

 or eight miles distant to the east. In the west the plains were 

 without apparent limits : but according to Mr. Wharfield, they 

 extend about eight miles beyond the river. This makes the 

 bottom land of the river in this part (thirty-five miles north of the 

 Bute) fifteen or sixteen miles wide. Large herds of antelope and 

 elk ran before us as we rode over the plains, and deer were often 

 startled and went bounding off among the distant oaks. En- 

 camped on the banks of the Sacramento about thirty miles north 

 of the Bute. Wolves yelling as usual through the night. 



October 15. — Journeyed on the lower prairie to Beaver (or Bute) 

 -creek and encamped on its banks. The country was perfectly flat, 

 and but thinly covered with grass, and some portions afforded but 

 slender pasturage. In general the soil was good ; a considerable 

 portion was a little clayey, and had been baked hard by the sum- 



