Geography of the Gold District of Alta California.
From recent searches for gold in Northern California, it appears that
the present gold district is comprisd, nearly all of it, within the
following boundary. It lies on the western declivity of the Sierra
Neveda range of mountains, and gold is sought for along the tributaries
of the great Sacramento river in the northern, and the St. Waukeen river
in the southern part of Northern or Upper California.
The names of the tributaries of the St. Waukeen, beginning with the most
northern one, are as follows. Makelemas, which unites with the Saint
Waukeen, near its confluence with the Sacramento. Next south, is
Calaveras. South of this, is Stanislaus. The next important river, is
Twalamy. Still farther south, a distance of 20 or 25 miles, is a
considerable stream, calld Merced, or River of Mercy. South of Merced,
is another, calld Mereposa, though I believe this is dry part of the
year. These constitute the principal mountain streams, tributary to the
St. Waukeen.
The names of the rivers in the northern mining district, tributaries to
the Sacramento, are, first and nearest the confluence of the Sacramento
with the St. Waukeen, the Cosumnes. Next northward, the American river,
the largest tributary to the Sacramento. It has several forks, calld
North, South and Middle forks of the American river. Next, Rio de los
Plumos or Feather river. Still farther north, are Bear, Quesnels and
Sycamore rivers.
The length from north to south, of the present gold district, cannot
well be computed at more than 400 miles, lying within the latitudes of
36 and 42 deg. north. In its width, which is mostly containd within a
distance of from 20 to 30 miles, it traverses the middle portion of the
western declivity of the aforementiond range of mountains, though miners
assert that gold has been found sparingly, high up some of the mountain
streams, toward its axis.
The whole surface of the gold district presents one continud scene of
uneven country. Much of it, the hills soar far above the intervening
valleys below—and along some of the principal tributaries, for miles in
length, very deep kanions are formd.
The water of the large streams is very pure and healthy, being mostly
from the melted snows of the mountain. During the summer season it
seldom rains, and the rivers continue to fall, till quite along into the
winter season. After the rainy season commences, which is most powerful
toward the summit of the mountains, floods are often witnessd low down
the streams, where not a single drop of water has fallen for months.
These floods descend with a mighty rush, and often surprise the miner
before he is able to remove his mining implements from the bed of a
stream.
The mining district is coverd with a thin growth of scrub oaks and
yellow pine. The earth is divested of soil, except sparingly in some of
the valleys, being of a reddish color, by the decomposition of rocks
containing iron.
The climate is so dry during summer, that little grass grows in any part
of the mines. Nauseous exhalations are therefore excluded, and the
atmosphere is quite healthy. In some parts of the mines the miners
become sick, but it is mostly attributable to their treatment with
themselves. Through the summer months, the days are warm but the nights
are cool, and but few nights occur in which a man does not need
considerable night clothing toward morning.