422 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
CHAPTER XIII. 
TOPOGRAPHICAL NAMES. 
§ 299. Introductory—The topographical names of Califor- 
nia differ much from those of other states in the Union, where 
there is a disagreeable repetition of familiar names. Our peo- 
ple have not attempted to immortalize Franklin, Jefferson, 
Madison, Adams, Henry, Randolph, Clay, Cass, Benton, Web- 
ster, Taylor, Fillmore, Polk, Pierce, or Buchanan, by affixing 
their tiresome patronymics to counties or towns. All our 
prominent places are designated by titles comparatively new 
to the English language, and strange to Americans. 
The topographical names of the state are derived from three 
languages—Spanish, English, and Indian. Most of the names 
along the southern coast and about the bay of San Francisco— 
districts which were populated by the Spaniards long before 
the Americans came to the country—are Spanish. The larger 
rivers in the Sacramento basin were known to the Spaniards, 
and were named by them previous to 1846. The mining dis- 
tricts of the Sierra Nevada and the Klamath basin, and the 
coast north of 40°, were first explored and settled by the 
Americans, and therefore the names are of English origin. 
The Indian names are numerous. 
§ 300. Sacred Spanish Names.—The Spanish names may be 
divided into the sacred and profane. The first Spanish set- 
tlers were Catholic missionaries, in whose almanac every day 
is named after some saint, and in whose faith the saints were 
but little below divinity. It was customary for them to keep the 
saints constantly in mind, and when they came to a strange 
place, to name it after the saint upon whose day they had 
