12 SAN DIEGO TO 
For three weeks after I arrived in San Francisco 
it rained incessantly, confining me most of the time to 
the house. The result was a great rise in the rivers, 
so that the mining regions were laid under water, and 
became impassable. The Sacramento was so swollen 
as to inundate the city of the same name. This state 
of things prevented me from visiting the interior, and 
particularly the gold region. Having a couple of 
weeks still to spare before our camp equipage would 
be ready, I determined to avail myself of this brief 
space in visiting some of the many interesting objects 
in which California abounds. To examine the gold 
mines in so short a time with any satisfaction, seemed 
impracticable. I therefore concluded to visit some 
localities which were less known, and which would be 
a greater novelty than the gold region, with which I 
already felt pretty well acquainted through the daily 
accounts of them in the newspapers. I had heard an 
interesting description of some geysers and a volcanic 
region at the head of Napa Valley, which I determined 
to visit as soon as the travelling would permit. 
Accordingly I left San Francisco on the 17th of 
March, accompanied by Dr. Webb and Mr. Thurber, 
for Benicia, where we arrived in two hours. Our 
steamer was crowded with passengers, chiefly bound 
for the mines, among whom were a number of Chinese. 
These men were dressed in their native costume, and 
each carried with him a huge pair of boots, showing 
plainly to what region he was destined. 
Benicia was for a while the rival of San Francisco ; 
though I cannot see why such aspirations should have 
been indulged in for a moment. It is situated on the 
