REMINISCENCES OF CALIFORNIA.-NO. 1. 
271 
Such is Eastern California; but to one stand¬ 
ing upon the dividing ridge between the eastern 
and western sections, how great is the con¬ 
trast ! He is, as it were, standing upon a great 
encircling wall formed by nature, one might 
almost think, to shut out from view the barren 
and desolate regions beyond. At his feet, flow 
the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, with 
their numerous tributaries, winding through 
fertile vallies, and blessing with their waters a 
large extent of country. On the northern con¬ 
fines of the state, far as the eye can extend, the 
Klmath range rises, forest above forest, and 
mountain above mountain, until its highest 
peaks are lost in the clouds. Away to the 
south, the peering summits of some lofty chain 
are dimly drawn against the sky; and to the 
westward, the waves of the mighty Pacific chafe 
and foam against the rocky bounds which Na¬ 
ture has drawn for her. 
Here, with the cloudless blue above, and with 
deep repose beneath, may the imagination lift 
the veil that hides the future, and glance at the 
destinies of this fairy land. As it runs over the 
wide prospect, it peoples it with thousands of 
busy inhabitants—sees every plain chequered 
with fields, and even the steep and rugged 
mountain sides yield to the efforts of man; 
everywhere, houses, gardens, orchards, and 
vineyards, scattered in countless multitudes 
over hill and valley; flocks and herds feeding 
on every hand; the broad highways coursing 
the valleys, or winding away over the hills, 
thronged with a busy concourse, all moving to 
and fro, actively engaged in the avocations of 
civilised life—sees villages, towns, and cities, 
with massive walls and glittering spires, which 
have risen above the mouldering huts of a de¬ 
parted race. It looks forward to the time, when, 
where now the Indian or the hardy miner, upon 
his jaded horse, is travelling along the narrow 
and solitary trail—the powerful locomotive with 
its heavy train shall fly along the rattling rail¬ 
way. Even at the present time, does reality 
warrant these imaginings; for, where but a short 
time since, was only the frail canoe of the red 
man, is now seen the proud steamer dashing 
along the noble rivers—where, so lately that 
ocean, which broke idly on its cragged shores, 
is now whitened with the sails of commerce, and 
amid the flags of a hundred nations our own 
motto and device floats proudly superior to them 
all—and, where, so recently, the deer, the buf¬ 
falo, the elk, and the antelope roamed over these 
fertile plains, is seen the cottage of the husband¬ 
man, or the more humble dwelling of the herds¬ 
man or shepherd teeming in plenty and in hap¬ 
py content. 
But whilst beholding here a prospect that Na¬ 
ture herself in her fartherst Teachings could not 
improve, to which, though she would scatter 
with unsparing hand upon one favored spot 
all beauty and grandeur, she could not add one 
single touch; whilst taking at one vast sweep 
such an assemblage of grand and varied sce¬ 
nery, and whilst indulging in such fanciful 
images of the future, the traveller might revert, 
amid such silence and such scenes, to the far-off 
land of his home, and recall to his memory 
others, though less grand and beautiful, yet 
even dearer than these, might yield to a feeling 
of loneliness and regret when hearing there the 
ocean’s loud roar, and seeing here the stern 
mountain barrier, mingling its snows with cloud 
and sky; both separating him from that home 
and from those cherished scenes so indelibly en¬ 
graven on the tablets of his mind. 
But let us turn from these roamings of the 
fancy, (however well and truly present develop¬ 
ments would warrant us in carrying them out,) 
to sober reality, and take a view of California 
as she is at the present time, and of her fitness 
for the occupancy and various uses of civilised 
man. Of the fact that she is well adapted to 
support and encourage all the leading branches 
of industry, not a doubt can be raised, but to 
what extent remains yet to be seen. 
Until the discovery of gold in her territory 
created such a universal furor, the attention 
of her inhabitants were turned mostly to the 
raising of stock, for which the mild climate and 
rich pasture lands of California are peculiarly 
adapted. Wild horses are found in abundance 
throughout the southern sections of the state, 
frequenting mostly, however, the rich interval 
lands bordering on the San Joaquin and Colo¬ 
rado Rivers, and their branches. Travelling 
along these rivers, these animals are found in 
large bands, feeding on the luxuriant clover and 
wild oats that fringe these streams. On the 
appearance of an intruder, they approach as 
near as caution permits, and after having satis¬ 
fied themselves by close examination, they dash 
off’ across the valley at full speed ; and in their 
course, whatever bands they come near will join 
in the flight, until frequently the plain is cov¬ 
ered with hundreds and thousands, flying in a 
living flood towards the hills. Huge masses 
of dust hang upon their rear, and mark their 
track across the plain ; and even after they 
themselves have passed beyond the reach of 
vision, the dust can still be seen, which they 
