THE CHANNEL: ON THE RIDGE BETWEEN THE YUBAS. 201 
or upper end, the first and highest appearance of the gravel is at Snow 
Point, on the north slope of the ridge overlooking the Middle Yuba, and the 
localities lying west of it, known as Orleans, Moore’s, and Woolsey’s Flats. 
These are obviously portions of the main channel, now separated by modern 
ravines. At Woolsey’s Flat the gravel channel evidently turns to the south, 
and with a clearly descending grade passes under a high ridge of lava and 
disappears from view. At North Bloomfield, three or four miles southwest- 
erly from Woolsey’s, it reappears on the south slope of the main ridge, and 
continues uncovered by lava with a southwesterly course toward Lake City, 
two or two and a half miles distant. Somewhere under the lava covering 
before referred to it is believed that the channel is joined by a branch com- 
ing in from the southeast, the only uncovered portion of which on this 
ridge appears at Relief Hill near the South Yuba. 
“The main channel at Lake City is again partly covered by lava, but only 
for a comparatively short distance ; beyond which it continues with a west- 
erly course and on the south slope of the crest of the ridge, toward Columbia 
Hill and Cherokee (the last-named place about five miles distant), being 
joied near Spring Creek, two miles below Lake City, By another branch 
coming from the southeast (Grizzly Hill). 
“ At Cherokee the channel turns to the north, reaching the Middle Yuba 
River in the distance of a mile or a mile and a half, where it is abruptly cut 
away by that stream at Badger Hill. Thence the modern channel is sup- 
posed to have followed generally the course of the older for five or six miles 
to San Juan, sweeping the gravel entirely away along that part of its course. 
At San Juan the ancient channel reappears upon the ridge, and is an almost 
continuous body of gravel for six miles or more to French Corral, its con- 
tinuity being only broken by two or three modern ravines.” 
The point of gravel at Relief Hill, mentioned by Mr. Hague as being prob- 
ably an indication of a tributary channel coming in from the southeast, 
appears to be continued on the other side of the South Yuba ina series of 
gravel areas, extending in the line of Relief Hill, through Gold Hill and other 
smaller patches to the important mining localities known as Alpha and 
Omega. In these various localities the channel appears distinctly indicated, 
the gravel masses being very closely connected with each other, and the 
grade suitable.* 
* According to Mr. Skidmore (in the Seventh Report of the Commissioner of Mining Statistics) the 
gravel at Omega Hill has been found very rich, having yielded up to 1874 at least $ 1,500,000, and there 
being a large area of ground left to be washed ; enough, as is supposed, for twenty seasons’ work. 
