especially in the month of December, afflicting our shipping with 
more or less damage. Heavy gales from the southward very 
often veer suddenly to the north and blow with great violence. 
“ From November to March the wind is frequently from the 
south-east, blowing heavily, working round to the south-west 
with a large and broken swell from that quarter, weather thick, 
rainy and squally, the wind not unfrequently ending at north¬ 
west, with an ugly cross sea.”— Davidson. 
Rain-fall varies in different localities. To the south of 
Monterey droughts are prevalent, causing in some years the 
death of many cattle; to the north of the Golden Gate rain 
falls in sufficient quantities for husbandry ; in the region watered 
by the lower Columbia river the “ Oregon mist” falls thick and 
fast, whilst along Puget Sound valley sufficient rain falls for the 
general purposes of life. Rains along this coast are greeted 
w r ith joy, as they not only stimulate vegetation but also purify 
the atmosphere and impart health and vigor to the sick and dis¬ 
consolate. Tempests are seldom experienced; during our so¬ 
journ on the coast for nearly twelve years we observed but one 
thunder-storm, and that was a mild one compared with those 
witnessed-in the north Atlantic. Fogs are prevalent especially 
in the calm regions around the Golden Gate, and are very 
dense, retarding navigation. “ During the summer the wind 
sets in strong about 10, a. m., increasing until nearly sunset 
when it begins to die away. During its height it almost regu¬ 
larly brings in a dense fog, which, working its way over the 
peninsula, meets that already advanced through the Golden 
Gate, and envelopes San Francisco and the bay by sunset. As 
a rule the breeze does not dispel the fog. If fog exists outside, 
the wind is sure to bring it in.”— Davidson. 
As we progress farther north the fog is lighter and of short 
duration ; off the bar of the Columbia it offers little obstruction 
to shipping. On approaching the Strait of Fuca the soundings 
are gradual and the entrance wide, and little heed is paid there 
to fogs, snowstorms, or darkness. 
Fish, The coast extending from San Diego on the south, to 
Cape Flattery on the north, is very destitute of fish. The 
Spanish pioneers on the Pacific slope were early impressed with 
this conviction, and obtained a special dispensation from Rome, 
whereby they were relieved from the usual observance of stated 
days and seasons, and were at liberty to subsist on meats on all 
