10 
MARTINEZ, AND MONTE DIABLO. 
The depot and machine-shops of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company are also at this place, 
A view of a portion of the town and the landing is presented in Plate I. The double peak of 
Monte Diablo, distant fifteen miles, is seen in the backgiound. 
On the 10th of July I left Benicia, crossing my train and party to Martinez in the little ferry¬ 
boat which plies across the straits. 
This town is situated in a pretty little valley, having a range of low hills on either hand_ 
that on the east separating it from the San Joaquin valley. To reach this latter, from 
Martinez, on horizontal ground, would be very easy—following the shore of the bay and 
turning the point of hills. But this route would be rather circuitous, and I therefore preferred 
to take the ordinary road, and cross the Coast range more to the south, at a pass known as 
Livermore’s ; which pass I believed would, upon examination, prove a practicable one. The 
whole of the first day was occupied in crossing our teams and mules, and the next morning we 
moved, in a southeasterly direction, up the little creek upon which Martinez is built. To our 
left was Monte Diablo, a fine peak in the Coast range, and nearly 4,000 feet high—the highest 
for a long distance. At its base is the finest and most beautiful valley in this vicinity, about 
fifteen miles long and three or four broad. It is covered with oaks, and is somewhat celebrated 
for its excellent quarries of limestone. 
MONTE J'lABLO TALLEY. 
In proceeding towards Livermore’s valley, we have a range of hills on either hand ; that on 
the right abounding in red-wood. Several saw-mills are established there, and supply San 
Francisco with large quantities of lumber. Our road was in the intermediate valley, which is 
