Alta or Upper California With respect to Agriculture—Climate and Health
of Alta California—Navigation of its two principal Rivers—Some of
the principal Towns of Alta California—Its Bays and Harbors.
It can hardly be imagind, how the business of agriculture can be carrid
on successfully in a country circumstancd like Upper California. In the
mountainous portions, grain can not do well without resort to
irrigation, and this, from extreme cost, can not well be done on an
extensive scale.
The low country of the great valley of the St. Waukeen and Sacramento,
is not unfrequently inundated a month or two, during the latter part of
the winter, which renders passages from one part of the valley to
another by land, entirely impracticable, and although along the borders
of those two large rivers, and to some distance outward from them, there
is a good soil, yet it is well known to farmers, that wheat will not
live but a few days, entirely immersd in water—so that the wheat crop
could never be depended upon as a safe investment.
Along the borders of these rivers, in some places, the native grasses
are of a tolerable growth. Outward toward the base of the mountain, the
earth becomes so dry during the summer, that vegetation is entirely
dried up. It however arrives at maturity, at a stinted growth. I have
seen native oats growing upon the plains of the great valley. These also
are not very enormous in size. Notwithstanding, they for awhile furnish
good grazing for the roaming cattle of the country, upon which, and the
short bunch grass growing upon some of the hills, they become very fat
during the summer. But as the grasses of the country are of so stinted a
growth, farmers cannot live in crowded communities, as in the States,
but at distances of from 10 to 20 miles apart. Locations of this kind
are calld ranches, or rancheros, and farmers so living often own several
hundred head of cattle and horses.
* * * * * * * *
_The climate of California_, of which I shall next speak, varies
considerably in different parts of the country, according to its
distance from the ocean or from the Neveda mountains, or the unevenness
of the surface of the country.
In the mountain district of the Neveda range, the climate was describd
in the geography of that portion of California.
Lower down and westward, along the great valley, the climate is milder,
through the whole of the year. I believe the large rivers of the valley
are not frozen during the winter, and the weather in summer is quite
warm. Thus far from the axis of the Neveda mountains eastward, to the
two great rivers westward, during the summer season, the sky is serene,
and the stars and planets shine with great splendor.
No dew falls in that part hitherto describd, during the hottest season
of the year, and travelers may lie upon the ground without exposure from
the unhealthiness of a damp ground and a moist atmosphere.
Farther outward, and along the coast, the country is much of the time
during the year, coverd with fogs, which render it unpleasant, and in
some measure unhealthy. The town of San Francisco, most of the year, is
envelopd in a thick fog, during much of the night and the following day,
till 10 or 11 o’clock, after which time the wind becomes of sufficient
strength to clear away the fog, which often renders the remainder of the
day unpleasant. This town, from the almost continued dampness of the
atmosphere, and the unavoidable use of mineralizd water, can hardly be
considerd a healthy place. Dysentery and fever seems to be the prevalent
disease.
I had nearly forgotten an idea which I now recollect to have heard,
relating to the dryness and purity of the atmosphere of California. It
has been said that the flesh of animals may be hung up in the open
atmosphere, till it becomes perfectly preservd by drying, without salt,
and during such process, no annoying insects ever disturb it—and also,
that a man would never die there, except by being dried up.
It is true, that the Spaniards have a mode of preserving the flesh of
the ox, by cutting it into very small strips, and hanging it upon
strings cut from the raw hide, where it is exposd to the heat of the
sun. In this way, meat could be preservd in any of the States, but if it
be left in large masses, and so circumstancd that any part of it is kept
from drying immediately on the outside, the green fly, an insect common
to that country as well as the States, is presently found to be a
loathsome intruder.
* * * * * * * *
When I left the mining district for the valley, on my way to San
Francisco, on the 13th of October, I saw eight or ten vessels lying at
Stocton, and at the head of Suisan bay, three or four more, and at the
head of Pablo bay, six or seven more. These, with ten or twelve lying at
Sacramento city, and as many more scatterd along the two rivers and in
the several bays, added to about 130 which I counted in the harbor of
San Francisco, on my arrival there, will make about 175 vessels within
the country of California. Most of the vessels lying in the harbor of
San Francisco, were inactive, for want of help to work them.
The business of transportation upon the two rivers, St. Waukeen and
Sacramento, I believe to be as profitable as any that is attended to in
California. When I left, two small steamers were constantly plying
between San Francisco and Sacramento city, and another was being put
together at Suisan bay, for the navigation of the St. Waukeen. More
busines at present is done upon the rivers by launches, a small vessel
of only one mast, than by any other vessel. These are more easily managd
than large ships, along the intricate windings of those extremely
crooked rivers, but so soon as a sufficient number of steamers can be
obtaind for the business of the rivers, other means of transportation
will in a great degree cease.
* * * * * * * *
That portion of Alta California, where at present men’s conceptions are
most vivid, and where at every corner, pass or avenue, the lively turn
of the foot is seen, and where men’s views and feelings to-morrow will
not be what they are to-day, and where also the sight of the golden
streams from the Neveda mountains produce electrical shocks upon all
persons, whose hearts are tund to chant the new and animating lays of
later scenes of better days, and where nearly all of the “Elephant,” in
his varied and portentous displays, is seen—may be comprisd within the
small tract of country, over which the waters of the two principal
rivers, Sacramento and St. Waukeen, flow. Along these waters, are
several newly laid out towns, together with some of ancient Mexican
date.
San Francisco is situated upon a side hill, on the south side of the bay
of the same name. Its inhabitants were reckond, on the first of
November, ’49, at 25,000, though six months before there were scarcely
5000. Such has been the rapid progress of San Francisco. The town is 10
or 12 miles within the entrance of the bay from the ocean.
At the head of Pablo bay, is a newly laid out town, calld Benetia. It
lies on the north side of the strait between Pablo bay and Suisan bay.
This strait will doubtless bear the name of Benetia. The town will
ultimately be a pleasanter one than San Francisco. One mile east of
Benetia, upon the same side of the strait, the United States have
establishd an arsenal.
At the head of Suisan bay, is a new town calld Western New York. This
town lies on the south side of the waters of the bay, upon, a flat piece
of ground, at the lower confluence of the Sacramento and St. Waukeen.
The delta between the upper and lower confluence, is about 20 miles in
length. New York, situated as it is, will command the business of both
rivers, and if it is lucky enough to avoid being inundated once a year,
will ultimately be a place of considerable importance.
At the present head waters of navigation for the St. Waukeen, upon a
slough about three miles distant from the river, is a town calld
Stocton, the principal embarkadary for the south division of the mining
district. This town is situated on low, flat ground, which rises but
little above the waters of the river, at lowest stages. When the country
around is overflowd with water, this town must necessarily suffer much
inconvenience therefrom.
The last town which I shall here mention, is Sacramento city. Like
Stocton, it is situated at the present head waters of the Sacramento
river. It serves as the principal embarkadary for the northern mining
region, as Stocton does for the south, and from this place, provisions
and implements are carrid to all parts of the northern mining region.
The place is more than half as large as San Francisco, and is fast
improving.
* * * * * * * *
Before closing the subject of California, a few remarks concerning its
_bays and harbors_ may not be uninteresting.
The Bay of San Francisco is nearly surrounded by high hills, with a
narrow entrance from the ocean, and now and then an island is
interspersd, to hide the scenery of its waters from the hills contiguous
to the town of San Francisco. It is large enough to contain the shipping
of the whole world, and its waters are not of inconvenient depth for
anchorage.
Next above this, lies Pablo bay, or Bay of St. Paul. It is inferior in
size, but ships can anchor in any part of it, and lie at all times with
a tolerable degree of safety.
At the head of Pablo bay, commences Suisan bay, which extends upward to
the delta that divides the two rivers, Sacramento and St. Waukeen. The
waters of this bay are so shoal that vessels have difficulty in sailing
over it, except directly along its channel.
The distances across the several bays are as follows. From San Francisco
to Pablo bay, is about 10 miles, and through Pablo bay to Suisan bay, is
40 miles, and Suisan bay differs but little from 50 miles in length,
from Benetia to New York, at the head of the bay.
HOMEWARD BOUND.
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