CALIFORNIA. 165 



The valley of the Sacramento, and that of San Juan, are the most 

 fruitful part of California, particularly the latter, which is capable of 

 producing wheat, Indian corn, rye, oats, &c, with all the fruits of 

 the temperate, and many of the tropical climates. It likewise offers 

 fine pasture-grounds for cattle. This region comprises a level plain, 

 from fifteen to twenty miles in width, extending from the bay of 

 San Francisco, beyond the mission of that name, north and south. 

 This may be termed the garden of California ; but although several 

 small streams and lakes serve to water it, yet in dry seasons or 

 droughts, not only the crops but the herbage also suffers extremely, 

 and the cattle are deprived of food. 



The Sierra affords little scope for cultivation, being much broken, 

 barren, and sandy. It is in places covered with cedar, pine, and 

 oak ; but it offers few inducements to the settler. The great valley 

 of Buena Ventura next succeeds, which, although it offers more 

 prospects of profitable cultivation, is by all accounts far inferior to 

 that of San Juan. It lies nearly parallel to the latter, and is watered 

 by the San Joachim river and its branches. 



In this valley the Californian Indians principally dwell. The San 

 Joachim receives its waters from the many streams that issue from 

 the Californian range of mountains. These are well wooded, their 

 base being covered with oaks, to which succeeds the red California 

 cedar (Schoebertia abertina), and after it, in a still higher region, 

 pines, until the snows are encountered. On the eastern side of this 

 range, there is found very little timber, and in. consequence of the 

 want of moisture, trees do not flourish, even on the west side. The 

 inland plain, constituting a large part of Upper California, is, accord- 

 ing to all accounts, an arid waste ; the few rivers that exist being 

 periodical, and losing themselves in the sandy soil. 



Of the latter portion of country, however, there is little known, and 

 the accounts given of it vary extensively. It has been crossed by 

 seven persons, who differ altogether in respect to its appearance. One 

 declared that the horses and men had not only a scanty supply of 

 water, but were actually nearly famished for want of food ; while 

 others have found both grass and water plentiful. The only thing 

 that can reconcile these contradictory statements is, that these dif- 

 ferent persons had visited the country at different seasons of the year. 

 It seems not at all improbable that the first of these accounts should 

 be the correct one, for we find great aridity throughout the rest of 



vol. v. 42 



