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THE SOUTHERN SENTINEL Is published every Thursday Morning, IX COLUMBUS, GA. BY WILLIAM H. CHAMBERS, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, To whom all communication® must be directed, post paid. Office on Randolph Street. Terms of Subscription. One copy twelve months, in advance, - - $2 50 “ “ “ “ “ Not in advance, -3 00 *< Six “ “ “ - 150 Where the subscription Is not paid during the year, 15 cent-i will be charged for eveiy month’s delay. No subscription will be received for less than six months, and none discontinued until all arrearages are paid, except at the option of the proprietor. To Clubs. Five copies twelve months, - §lO 00 Ton £ “ 16 00 rsr The money from Clubs must in all cases ac company the names, or the price of a single subscription will be charged. Kates of Advertising. One Square, first insertion, - - - SI 00 “ “ Each subsequent insertion, - 50 A liberal deduction on these terms will be made in favor t>f those who advertise by the year. Advertisements not specified as to time, will be pub lished till forbid, and charged accordingly. Monthly Advertisements will be charged as new Ad vertisements at each insertion. Legal Advertisements. N. B. —Sales of Lands, by Administrators. Ex ecutors, or Guardians,are required by law to be held on the fir.-t Tuesday in the month, lietween the hours of 10 in the forenoon, and 3 in the afternoon, at the Court House in the county in which the land is situated. No tices of these sales must be given in a public gazette sixty days previous to the day of sale. Sales of Negroes must be made at a public auction on the first Tuesday of the month, between the usual hours of sale, at the place of public sales in the county where the Letters Testamentary, of Administration or Guardianship, may have been granted, first giving sixty hays notice thereof in one of the public gazettes of this State, and at the door of the Court House, where such rules are to be held. Notice for the sale of Personal property must be given in like manner forty days previous to the day of side. Notice to the Debtors and Creditors of an estate must be published FORTY DAYS. Notice that application will be made to the Court of Ordinary for leave to sell Land, must lie published for FOUR MONTHS. Notice for leave to sell Negroes must bo publi bed for four months, before any order absolute shall be made thereon by the Court. Citations for Letters of Administration, must lie pub- . lished thirty days—for dismission from administration, : monthly six months —for dismission fioni Guardianship, forty days. Riii.f.s for the foreclosure of a Mortgage must he pub lished monthly for four months —for establishing lost papers, for the full space of three months —for com- j pel ling titles from Executors or Administrators, where a | Bond lias been given by the deceased, the full space of three months. Publications will always lie continued according to ] these legal requirements, unless otherwise ordered. SOUTHERN SENTINEL Job Office. HAVING received anew and extensive assortment ■, of Job Material, we are prepared to execute at 1 this office, all orders for JOB WOR K. in a manner whieli j can not he excelled in the State, on very liberal terms, ; and at the shortest notice. We feel confident of onr ability to give entire satisfae- \ tion in every variety of Job Printing, including Books, Business Cards, Pamphlets, Bill Heath, Circulars, Blanks of ever ij description, ; Hand Bills, Bills of Lading, Posters, dj 'C. djv. In short, all descriptions of Printing which can be ex ecuted at any office in the country, will be turned out with elegance and despatch. I 1....1 ! Dyeing and Renovating Establishment. BERTHOLDSENGER ANTOI'LD respectfully inform the ladies and gentle- j f t men of Columbus, and vicinity, thuj he is still at Jus old stand on Broad Street, near the Market, where ! lie is prepared to execute all work entrusted to him, in j ilie various departments of Dyeing, Scouring, Renovating, & Bleaching mew and old clothing. Ladies’ Silks, Mcrinoos, and j Satins, cleansed of stains and impurities, and colored to . any shade. Also finished to look and wear as well as , mew. Cotton, Silk, and Woolen goods bleached or dyed, in Ihe very best manner, and with despatch. Also. Moscrine Blue. Turkey Red, &e. See. Gentlemen's garments cleansed and dyed so as not to soil the whitest linen. Carpeting renovated and made as good a? new. J y/’ All orders thankfully received and promptly ex edited. Columbus, March 21, 1850. 12 ts j Planters, Take Notice. Sair Mills, Grist Mills , Factories, Gin Gear, Rice Mills, and. Sugar Mills. r pHE firm of AMBLER &. MORRIS are now ! I ready to build any of the above named Mills, pro- ! polled by Water, Steam or Horse. Our work shall be done in the best possible manner, and warranted inferior j to none now in use. Botli of the above firm are practi cal men, and attend to their business in person, and will ‘ furnish Engines for Steam Mills, Grist or Saw, and set either in complete operation. The linn can give the best assortment of Water Wheels and Gearing, of any in j the Southern States, and will say to our employers, if a Mill or any of our work does not perform in the busi ness for which it was intended, no pav will be exacted. * Try us and see. AMBLER &, MORRIS, j Jan. 24, 1850. 1 ly Important TO MILL OWNERS AND PLANTERS. undersigned will contract for building Rock I Dams, or any kind of rook work and ditching, in 1 any part of this State or Georgia, in the most improved manner. TIMOTHY B. COLLINS, Fort Mitchell, Russell, County. Ala. Dee. 6. 1810. . 49 6m To Physicians, Druggists AND COUNTRY MERCHANTS. Dlv. J. N. KEELER & BRO. most respectfully solicit attention to their fresh stock of English, French, German and American Drugs, Medicines,Chem- ! jo a Is, Paints, Oils, Dye-stuffs, Glassware, Perfumery, Sec. fftiving opened anew store, No. 294 Market St., with a full supply of Fresh Drugs and Medicines, we respect- ! fully solicit country dealers to examine our stock before \ purchasing elsewhere, promising one and all who may Dodisposcd to extend us their patronage, to sell them : genuine Drugs and Medicines, on as liberal terms as any j -other house in the city, and to faithfully execute all or ders entrusted to us promptly and with dispatch. One of the proprietors being a regular physician, affords ample I guarantee of the quality of all articles sold at their es- ; tablishment. We especially invite druggists and country merchants, who may wish to become agents for Dr. Keeler's Celebrated Family Medicines, (standard and popular medicines,) to forward their address. Soliciting die patronage of dealers, we respectfully remain KEELER &, BRO. Wholesale Druggist®,No. 249 Market St., Phil’a. Oct. 11, 1849. ly Marble Works, j Last side Broad St. near the Market House, COLUMBUS, GA. HAVE constantly on hand all kinds of Grave Stones. Monuments, Tombs and Tablets, of American, i Italian and Irish Marble. Engraving and carving done on stone in the ivst possible manner; and all kinds ot Granite Work at the shortest notiee. JOHN H. MADDEN. TV S.—Plaister of Paris and Cement, always on hand for sale. Columbus, March 7, 1850. 10 ts j WINTER’S PALACE MILLS. IjWMILIES. hv leaving their names with me, can be supplied regularly by my Wagon, at their residences, with .MEAL and HOMINY, of “best quality. JO. JEFFERSON, Clerk. Feb, 28, 1850. ts NORTH CAROLINA Mutual Life Insurance Company. LOCATED AT RALEIGH, X. C. r UHE Charter of this company gives important advan -1 tages to the assured, over most other companies. The husband e'an insure his own life for the sole use and benefit of his wile and children, free from any other claims. Persons who insure for life participate in the profits which are declared annually, and when the pre mium exceeds S3O, may pay one-half in a note. Slaves are insured at two-thirds their value for one or five yea Vs. Applications for Risks may be made to JOHN MUNN, Agent, Columbus, Ga. Office at Greenwood & Co.'s Warehouse. Nov. 15,1849. ts WINTER’S PALACE MILLS HAVE now a good supply of fresh ground Flour, of three qualities; say FINE, SUPERFINE, and FANCY brands; each kind is made from the best of Western Wheat, and the only difference is the color. The price by retail is. for Fine, S3 per half barrel; Su perfine, $3 23 per half barrel; Fancy, 83 50 per half barrel. Discount made to those who buy to sell again. Quarter barrels are sold proportionately eheap. JO. JEFFERSON, Clerk. Dee. 27, 1849. 52 ts VOL. I. FROM THE OHIO STATE JOURNAL. The Convict to bis Mother.* I’ve wandered far from thee, mother, Far from my happy home; I’ve left the land that gave me birth, In other climes to roam ; And time since then has rolled it® years And marked them on my brow, Yet I have often thought of thee — Pm thinking of thee now. I’m thinking on the day. mother, When at my tender side, You watched the dawning of my youth, And kissed me in your pride ; Then brightly was my heart lit up With hopes of future joy, “While vonr bright fancy honors wove To deck thy darling boj. I’m thinking on the day, mother, When with such anxious care, You lifted up your heart to heaven— Your hope, your trust was there; Fond memory brings thy parting words, While tears stole down your cheek ; Thy long, last, loving look told more Than ever words could speak. I’m faraway from thee, mother, No friend is near me now, To soothe me with a tender word Or cool my burning brow ; The dearest ties affection wove, Are all now tom from me— They left me when the trouble came, They did not love like thee. I’m lonely and forsaken now, Unpitied and unblest, Yet still I would not have thee know How sorely I’m distressed: I know you would not chide, mother, You would not give me blame, But soothe me with your tender words, And hid me hope again. I would not have thee know, mother, How brightest hopes decay; The tempter with his baleful cup I las dashed them all away ; And shame has left it® venom sting, To rack with anguish wild— \ et still I would not have thee know The sorrows of thy child. Oh ! I have wandered far, mother, Since 1 deserted thee, And left thy trusting heart to break, Beyond the deep blue sea: Oh, mother! still I love thee well, And long to hear thee speak, And feel again thy balmy breath Upon my care-worn cheek. But, ah ! there is a thought, mother, Pervades my beating breast— That thv freed spirit may have flown To it® eternal rest! M And while I wipe the tear away, There whispers in my ear A voice that speaks of Heaven and thee, And bids me seek thee there. — ALPHA. * Thtrse lines were written by a convict in the Ohio Penitentiary, and inscribed, “To my Mother.” CALIFORNIA. Extracts from Hon. Tlios. Butler King’s Official Report. POPULATION. Humboldt, in bis Essay on New Spain, 1 states the population of Upper California, in j 1802, to have consisted of: Converted Indians, .... 15,562 Other classes, 1,300 16,802 1 Alexander Forbes, in his history of Upper and Lower California, published in London, I in 1839, states the number of converted In dians in the former to have been, in 1831, .... 18,683 Ofjtll other classes, at - - 4,342 23,025 He expresses the opinion that this number had not varied much up to 1835, and the probability is, there wds very little increase in the white population until the emigrants J from the United States began to enter the j country in 1838. They increased, from year to year, so that, ‘ in 1836, Colonel Fremont had little difficulty in calling to his standard some tive hundred; fighting men. At the close of the war with Mexico, it was supposed that there were, including dis- ! charged volunteers, from ten to fifteen thon- 1 sand Ame: icons and Californians, exclusive | of converted Indians, in the Territory. The 1 immigration of American citizens in 1849, up j to the Ist of January last, was estimated at | eighty thousand—of foreigners, twenty thou- j sand. The population of California may therefore be safely set down at 115,000 at the com- ; menccment of the present year. It is quite impossible to form any thing like an accurate estimate of the number of Indians in the Territory. Since the com mencement of the war, and especially since the discovery of the gold in the mountains, their numbers at the missions and in the val leys near the coast have very much diminish ed. In fact, the whole race seems to he rap- , idly disappearing. The remains of the vast number of villages in all the valleys of the Sierra Nevada, and among the foot-hills of that range of moun tains, show that at 110 distant day there must have been a numerous population where there is not now an Indian to be seen. There are a few still retained in the service of the old Californians, but these do not amount to more than a few thousand in the whole Ter ritory. It is said there are large numbers of them in the mountains and valleys about the head-waters of the San Joaquin, along the western base of the Sierra, and in the north ern part of the Territory, and that they are hostile. A number of Americans were killed by them during the last summer in attempting to penetrate high up the rivers in search ot gold; they- also drove one or two parties from Trinity river. They have in several in stances attacked parties coming from or re turning to Oregon, in the section ot country which the lamented Captain \Y arncr was ex amining when he was killed. It is quite impossible to form any estimate of the number of these mountain Indians. Some suppose there are as many as three hundred thousand in the Territory, but I should not be inclined to believe that there can be one-third of the number. It is quite evident that they are hostile, and that they ought to be chastised for the murders already committed. The small bands with whom I met, scat tered through the lower portions of the foot hills of the Sierra, and in the valleys between them and the coast, seemed to be almost the lowest grade of human beings. They live chiefly on acorns, roots, insects, and the ker nel of the pine burr —occasionally they catch fish and game. They use the bow and ar row, but are said to be too lazy and effemi nate to make successful hunters. They do not appear to have the slightest inclination to cultivate the soil, nor do they even attempt it —as far as I could obtain information-—ex cept when they are induced to enter the ser vice of the white inhabitants. They have £!)c fvioitll)a ti .Sentinel. never pretended to hold any interest in the soil, nor have they been treated by the Span ish or American immigrants as possessing any. The Mexican government never treated with them for the purchase of land, or the re linquishment of any claim to it whatever. \ They are lazy, idle to the last degree, and, although they are said to be willing to give their services to any one who will provide them with blankets, beef, and bread, it is with much difficulty they can be made to perlorm labor enough to reward their em ployers for these very limited means of com fort. Formerly, at the missions, those who were ■ 1. brought up and instructed by the priests, made very good servants. Many of these now attached to families seem to be faithful j : and intelligent But those who are at all in j a w ild and uncultivated state are most degra ded objects of filth and idleness. It is possible that Government might, by j I collecting them together, teach them, in some j j degree, the arts and habits of civilization; but if we may judge of the future from the past, they will disappear from the face of the earth t : as the settlements of the whites extend over ! the country. Avery considerable military | j force will be necessary, however, to protect i the emigrants in the northern and southern 1 . 0 . . • . j portions of the territory. CLIMATE. I now come to consider the climate. The j climate of California is so remarkable in its periodical changes, and for the long continu- I ance of the w r et and dry seasons, dividing, as { they do, the year into about two equal parts, ; which have a most peculiar influence on the j labor applied to agriculture and the products j of the soil, and, in fact, connect themselves'so 1 inseparably with all the interests of the coun try, that I deem it proper briefly to mention j the causes which produce these changes, and j which, it w ill be seen, as this report proceeds, ! must exercise a controlling influence on the commercial prosperity and resources of the • country. It is a well-established theory, that the cur- ! rents of air under which the earth passes in I its diurnal revolutions follow the line of the; sun’s greatest attraction. These currents of ! air are drawn towards this line from great j distances on each side of it; and as the earth I revolves from west to east, they blow from j northeast and southeast, meeting, and of course causing a calm, on the line. Thus, when the sun is directly, in common parlance, over the equator, in the month of j March, these currents of air blow from some ! distance north of the tropic of Cancer, and . south of the tropic of Capricorn, in an oblique j direction towards this line of the sun’s great- j est attraction, and forming what are known as the northeast and southeast tradewinds. 1 As the earth, in its path round the sun, I gradually brings the line of attraction north, | in summer these currents of air are carried with it ; so that about the middle of May the current from the northeast has extended as | far as the 38th or 39th degree of north lati tude, and by the twentieth of June, the period of the sun’s greatest northern inclination, to ; the northern portions of California and the ; southern section of Oregon. These northeast winds, in their progress across the continent, towards the Pacific ; ocean, pass over the snow-capped ridges i of the Rocky mountains and the Sierra Neva- ‘ da, and arc of course deprived of all the moist- i tire which can be extracted from them bv ; the low temperature of those regions of eter nal snow, a;l consequently no moisture can ; be precipitated from them, in the form of dew j or rain, in a higher temperature than that to which they have been subjected. They there- ; fore pass over the hills and plains of Califor nia, where the temperature is very high in * summer, in a very dry state; and so far from being charged with moisture, they absorb, like a sponge, all that the atmosphere and ; surface of the earth can yield, until both be- \ come, apparently, perfectly dry. j This process commences, as I have said, ; when the line of the sun’s greatest attraction conies north in summer, bringing with it these ; vast atmospheric movements, and on their ap- j proach produce the dry season in California, i which, governed by these laws, continues un- j til some time after the sun repasses the equa- j tor in September, when, about the middle of ; November, the climate being relieved from j these northeast currents of air, the southwest j winds set in from the ocean charged w ith j moisture —the rains commence and continue to fall, not constantly, as some persons have represented, but w ith sufficient frequency to ; designate the period of their continuance, : from about the middle of November until the : middle of May, in the latitude of San Francis co, as the wet season. It follows, as a matter of course, that the ! dry season commences first, and continues longest in the southern portions of the Terri tory, and that the climate of the northern part ; is influenced in a much less degree, by the ‘ causes which I have mentioned, than any oth er section of the country. Consequently, we find that as low down as latitude 39 deg. rains are sufficiently frequent in summer to render irrigation quite unnecessary to the perfect j maturity of any crop which is suited to the soil and climate. There is an extensive ocean current of cold water, which comes from the northern re gions of the Pacific, or, perhaps, from the i Arctic, and flows along the coast ot Califor | nia. It comes charged with, and emits in its progress, air, which appears in the form of fog ; w hen it comes in contact w ith a higher tem perature on the American coast, as the gult stream of the Atlantic exhales vapor when it meets, in any part of its progress, a lower temperature. This current has not been sur- ! veved, and, therefore, its source, temperature, velocity, width, and course, have not been ac | eurately ascertained. It is believed by Lieutenant Maury, on w hat he considers sufficient evidence —and no higher authority can be cited —that this cur | rent comes from the coast of China and Japan, flow’s northwardly to the peninsular of Kam tschatka, and, making a circuit to the east ward, strikes the American coast in about latitude 41 or 42 deg. It pusses thence southwardly, and finally loses itself in the tropics. Below latitude thirty-nine, and west of the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada, the forests of California are limited to some scattering groves of oak in the valleys and along the borders of the streams, and of red wood on the ridges and in the gorges of the hills— sometimes extending into the plains. Some of the hills are covered with dwarl shrubs, COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 11, 1850. which may be used as fuel. With these ex ceptions, the whole territory presents a sur face without trees or shrubbery. It is cover ; ed, however, with various species of grass, and for many miles from the coast with wild oats, w hich, in the valleys, grow most luxuriantly. These grasses and oats mature and ripen ear ly in the dry season, and soon cease to protect the soil from the scorching rays of the sun. As the summer advances, the moisture in the atmosphere and the earth, to a considerable depth, soon becomes exhausted; and the rad iation of heat, from the extensive naked plains and hill-sides, is very great. The cold, dry currents of air from the northeast, after passing the Rocky mountains and the Sierra Nevada, descend to the Paci fic, and absorb the moisture of the atmos i phere, to a great distance from the land. The i cold air from the mountains, and that which accompanies the great ocean current from the northw est, thus become united,and vast banks of fog are generated, w hich, when driven by the wind, has a penetrating, or cutting, effect j on the human skin, much more uncomforta j ble than would be felt in the humid atrnos ! phere of the Atlantic, at a much lower tem perature. i As the sun rises from day to day, xveek af ter week, and month after month, in uncloud ed brightness during the dry season, and pours down his unbroken rays on the dry, i unprotected surface of the country, the heat becomes so much greater inland than it is on 1 the ocean, that an under current of cold air, bringing the fog with it, rushes over the coast range of hills, and through their numerous passes, towards the interior. Every day, as the heat, inland, attains a ; sufficient temperature, the cold, dry wind from the ocean commences to blow. This is usually from eleven to one o’clock; and as ; the day advances the w ind increases and con tinues to blow till late at night. When the ; vacuum is filled, or the equilibrium of the at mosphere restored, the wind ceases; a perfect calm prevails until about the same hour the following day, when the same process com mences and progresses as before, and these phenomena are of daily occurrence, with few exceptions, throughout the dry season. These cold winds and fogs render the cli ; mate at San Francisco, and all along the coast : of California, except the extreme southern portion of it,, probably more uncomfortable, to those not accustomed to it, in summer than in w inter. A few miles inland, where the heat of the ! stm modifies and softens the w ind from the I ocean, the climate is moderate and delightful. The heat in the middle of the day is not so great as to retard labor, or render exercise in the open air uncomfortable. The nights are cool and pleasant. This description of cli mate prevails in all the valleys along the coast range, and extends throughout the country, north and south, as far eastward as the valley of the Sacramento and San Joaquin. In this vast plain the sea-breeze loses its influence, and the degree of heat in the middle of the day, during the summer months, is much greater than is known on the Atlantic coast in the same latitudes. It is dry, however, and probably not more oppressive. On the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada, and especially in the deep ravines of the streams, the thermom eter frequently ranges from 111) to 115 deg. in the shade, during three or four hours of the day, say from eleven until three o’clock. In the evening, as the sun declines, the radiation of heat ceases. The cool, dry atmosphere from the mountains spreads over the whole country, and renders the nights cool and in vigorating. 1 have been kindly furnished by Surgeon General Lawson, U. S. army, with thermom etrical observations, taken at the following places in California, viz.: At San Francisco, by Assistant Surgeon W. C. Parker, for six months, embracing the last quarter of 1847, and the first quarter of 1848. The monthly mean temperature was as follows: October, 57 deg.; November, 49deg.; December, 50 deg.; January, 49 deg.; February, 50 deg.; March, 51 deg. At Monterey, in latitude 36 deg. 38 min. north and longitude 121 west, on the coast, about one degree and a half south of San Francisco, by Assistant Surgeon W. S. King, for seven months, from May to November in clusive. The monthly mean temperature tvas: May, 56 deg.; June, 59 deg.; July, 62 deg.; August, 59 deg.; September, 58 deg.; Octo ; her, 60 deg..; November, 56 deg. At Los Angelos, latitude 34 deg. 7 min., longitude west 118 deg. 7 min., by Assistant Surgeon John S. Griffin, for ten months— from June, 1847, to March, 1848, inclusive. The monthly mean temperature was: June, 73 deg.; July, 74 deg.; August, 75 deg.; | September, 75 deg.; October, 69 deg.; No vember, 59 deg.; December, 00 deg.; Janu ary, 58 deg.; February, 55 deg.; March, 58 deg. This place is about forty miles from the coast. At San Diego, latitude 32 deg.4s min., lon gitude west 117 deg. 11 min., by Assistant Surgeon J. D. Summers, for the following three months of 1849, viz.: July, monthly mean temperature, 71 deg.; August, 75 deg.; September, 70 deg. At Suttersville, on the Sacramento river, latitude 38 deg. 32 min. north, longitude west 121 deg. 34 min., by Assistant Surgeon R. Murray, for the following months of 1849 : July, monthly mean temperature 73 deg.; August, 70; September, 65 deg.; October, 65 deg. | These observations show a remarkably high temperature at San Francisco during the six months from October to March inclusive; a variation of only eight degrees in the month ly mean, and a mean temperature for the six months of 51 degrees. At Monterey we find the mean monthly temperature from May to November, inclu \ sive, varying only six degrees, and the mean temperature of the seven months to have been 58 deg. If we take the three summer months, the mean heat was 60 deg. The mean ot the three winter months was a little over 49 deg.; show ing a mean difference, on that part of the coast, of only 11 deg. between summer and w inter. The mean temperature of San Francisco, for the three w inter months, was precisely the same as at Monterey—a little over 49 deg. As these cities are only about one degree and a half distant from each other, and both situated near the ocean, the temperature at both, in summer, may very reasonably be sup posed to be as nearly similar as the thermom eter shows it to be in winter. ’ The mean temperature of July, August , and September, at San Diego, only 3 deg. 53 miq. south of Monterey, was 72 deg. The mean temperature of the same months at Monterey was a little over 59 deg.; showing a mean dif ference of 13 deg. This would seem to indicate that the cold ocean current is thrown off from the southern part of the coast by Point Conception, and the islands south of it; and consequently its influence on the climate of San Diggo is much less than at Monterey and San Francisco. At Los Angelos, 40 miles distant from the coast, the mean temperature of the three months was 74 deg.; of the three autumn months 67 deg.; of the three winter months 57 deg. At Suttersville, about one hundred and thirty miles from the ocean, and four degrees north of Los Angelos, the mean temperature of August, September and October, was 67 deg. The mean temperature of the same months at Monterey w r as 59 deg.; showing a difference of 8 deg. between the sea-coast and the interior, on nearly the same parallel of j latitude. A much greater difference would undoubtedly appear if we had observations for the spring and summer months at Suttersville and the gold mines. These variations in the climate of Califor j nia account for the various and conflicting ; opinions and statements respecting it, A stranger arriving at San Francisco in j summer is annoyed by the cold winds and : fogs, and pronounces the climate intolerable, i A few months will modify if not banish his \ dislike, and he w ill not fail to appreciate the beneficial effects of a cool, bracing atmos i phere. Those who approach California over land, through the passes of the mountains, find the heat of summer, in the middle of the j day, greater than they have been accustomed to, and therefore many complain of it. ! Those who take up their residence in the valleys which are situated between the great plain of the Sacramento and San Joaquin and ! the coast range of hills, find the climate, es- ; pecially in the dry season, as healthful and pleasant as it is possible for any climate to be which possesses sufficient heat to mature the ; cereal grains and edible roots of the temper ate zone. The division of the year into two distinct! seasons—dry and wet —impresses those who have been accustomed to the variable climate ;of the Atlantic States unfavorably. The dry appearance of the country in summer, and the difficulty of moving about in winter, seem ! | to impose serious difficulties in the way of! , agricultural prosperity, while the many and I decided advantages resulting from the mild- ; ness of winter, and the bright, clear weather of summer, are not appreciated. These w ill ; appear when I come to speak of the prodne- j j tions of California. We ought not to be sur i prised at the dislike which the immigrants i frequently express to the climate. It is so ! unlike that from which they come, that they j cannot readily appreciate its advantages, or j become reconciled to its extremes of dry and j wet. If a native of California were to go to New 7 | ; England in winter, and see the ground frozen ! : and covered with snow, the streams with ice, ! and find himself in a temperature many de | grees colder than he had ever felt before, he would probably be as much surprised that ; people could or w ould live in so inhospitable Ia region, as ait} 7 immigrant ever has been at w hat he has seen or felt in California. So much are our opinions influenced by early impressions, the vicissitudes of the sea sons with which we are familiar, love of ! country, home and kindred, that we ought never to hazard a hasty opinion when we come in contact with circumstances entirely differ ent from those to w hich We have till our lives i been accustomed. SOIL. ii The valleys which are situated parallel to the coast range, and those which extend east wardly in all directions among the hills, to wards the great plain of the Sacramento, are ! of unsurpassed fertility. They have a deep black, alluvial soil, which has the appearance of having been de posited when they w r ere covered with water. This idea is strengthened by the fact that the ! rising grounds on the borders of these val loo leys, and many bills of moderate elevation, have a soil precisely like that of the adjoin ing plains. i This soil is so porous, that it remains per- : ; fectly unbroken by gullies, notwithstanding the great quantity of water which falls on it annually during the w 7 et season. The land : in the northern part of the territory on the Trinity and other rivers, and on the borders of Clear Lake, as far as it has been examined, is said to be remarkably fertile. The great valley of the Sacramento and San Joaquin has evidently been, at some re mote period, the bed of a lake ; and those rjyers, which drain it, present the appearance j of having cut their channels through the allu vial deposit after it had been formed. In fact, it is not possible that they could have been instrumental in forming the plain through which they pass. Their head-waters come from the extreme ends of the valley, north and south ; and, were it not for the supply of ’ water received from the streams w hich flow , into them from the Sierra Nevada, their beds would be almost, if not quite, dry in the sum mer months. The soil is very rich, and, ! with a proper system of drainage and embank ment, would, undoubtedly, be capable of pro ducing any crop, except sugar cane, now cultivated in the Atlantic States of the Union. There are many beautiful valleys and ricli hill-sides among the foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada, which, when the profits of labor in mining shall be reduced so as to cause its ap plication to agriculture, will probably support ! a large population. There is said to be a rich belt of well-timbered and w atered country ex tending the whole length ot the gold region between it and the Sierra Nevada, some twenty miles in width. There is no informa tion sufficiently accurate respecting the east ern slope of the great snowy range to enable us to form any opinion of its general charac ter or soil. Some of its valleys have been vis ited by miners, who represent them a*j equal to any portion of tie country to the westward of it. The great valley of the Colorado, situated between the Sierra Madreand the Sierra Ne vada, is but little know 7 n. It is inhabited by numerous tribes of savages, who manifest the most decided hostility towards the white*, and have hitherto prevented any explorations of their country, and do not permit emigrants to pass through it. Therefore, parties from I Santa Fe, on their way to California, are compelled to make a circuit of near a thou sand miles northward to the Salt Lake, or about the same distance southward by the j route ot the Gila. Although this valley is lit- , I tie known, there are indications that it is fer- I | tile and valuable. The name of the river “Colorado” is descrip tive of its waters; they are as deeply colored as ! : those of the Missouri or Red river,"while those ! j of the Gila, which we know flows through i barren lands, are clear. It would seem impossible for a large river to collect sediment enough in a sandy, barren soil, to color its waters so deeply as to give it a name among those who first discovered and have since visited its shores. The prob ability, therefore, is, that this river flows through an alluvial valley of great fertility, which has never been explored. This is strengthened by the fact that the Indians who inhabit it are hostile, and oppose, as far as they can, all persons who attempt to enter or explore it. This has been their uniform course of conduct respecting all portions of the continent which have been fertile, abound ing in game and the spontaneous productions of the earth. As this valley is situated in the direct route j from Santa Fe to California, its thorough ex ploration becomes a matter of very great im ! portan ce, especially as it is highly probable that the elevated regions of the north of it, covered with snow during most of the year, will force the line of the great national rail way to the Pacific through some portion of it. The soil I have described situated west of the Sierra Nevada, and embracing the plain of the Sacramento and San Joaquin, covers an area, as nearly as I can estimate, of be tween fifty and sixty thousand square miles, and would, under a proper system of cultiva tion, be capable of supporting a population equal to that of Ohio or New York at the present time. PRODUCTS OF CALIFORNIA. Previous to the treaty of peace with Mexi co, and the discovery of gold, the exportable products of the country consisted almost ex clusively of hides and tallow. The Califor nians were a pastoral people, and paid much more attention to the raising of horses and j ! cattle than the cultivation of the soil. Wheat, barley, maize, beans, and edible ! ; roots, were cultivated in sufficient quantity i for home consumption, but, as far as l am in i formed, not for exportation. At that time a full-grown ox, steer, or cow, was worth about j ; two dollars. Beef cattle, delivered on the I navigable waters of the bay of San Francis i co, are now worth from S2O to S3O per j ; head ; horses, formerly worth from $5 to i i $lO, are now valued at SOO to $l5O. The j ; destruction of cattle for their hides and tal low has now entirely ceased, in consequence of the demand for beef. This demand will “of course increase with the population; and it would seem that, in a very few years, there will be none to supply the market. If we estiinatcvthc number of cattle, now in California, at 500,000 head, which is be lieved to be about the number—and the pop- i ulation at 120,000, for the year 1850—a low estimate —and suppose it tq increase one hundred thousand per annum, there will be in the Territory or State, in 1854, five hundred and twenty thousand people. If we adopt the estimate of those well ac quainted with the demand, of half a beef, on an average, to each inhabitant, it appears there will be a consumption, in 1850, of 60,000 head; in 1851, of 110,000; in 1852, of 160,000; in 1853, of 210,000; in 1854, !of 260,000. Making an aggregate of 800,- ; 000, which would absorb all the present ; stock, with its natural increase. This is a very important matter, as con nected with the amount of supply which that country will ultimately require from the At ; lantic States of the Union. There is no oth er dbuntry on earth which has, or will ever possess, the means of supplying so great a demand. It is now a well established fact among | the emigrants to California, that oxen pos- i sess greater powers of endurance than moles | or horses; that they will perform the distance with loaded wagons in less time, and come in at the end of the journey in better condi tion. Cows are now driven in considerable num . bers from Missouri, and the time cannot be I far distant when cattle from the western ; States will be driven annually by tens of thousands to supply this new market. If California increases in population as fast | as the most moderate estimate would lead us to believe, it will not be five years before j she will require more than one hundred thou sand head of beef cattle per annum, from ! some quarter, to supply the wants of her 1 people. It must not be supposed that salt provis ions may supply this vast demand. Those , who have attempted to live on such food, du- j ring the dry season, have been attacked with 1 : scurvy and other cutaneous diseases, of which many have died. There is no climate in the world where fresh meat and vegetables are more essential to human health. In fact, they are indispen sable. It must not be inferred that cattle driven across the plains and mountains, from the i western States, will be fit for beef on their j arrival in California. But one winter and ; spring on the luxuriant pastures of that eoun- i try will put them in a condition which would ‘ render them acceptable in any Atlantic mar- j ket- These grazing grounds are extensive enough to support five times as many cattle as may be annually required; therefore, there will be no scarcity of food for them. I am acquainted with a drover who left California in December last, with the inten tion of bringing in ten thousand sheep from New Mexico. This shows that the flocks and herds, east of the Rocky mountains, arc looked to already as the source from which the markets on the Pacific are to be supplied. The climate and soil of California are well suited to the growth of wheat, barley, rye and oats. The temperature along the coast is too cool for the successful culture of maize, as a field crop. The fact that oats, the species which is cultivated in the Atlan tic States, are annually self-sowed and pro- j duced on all the plains and hills along the ; coast, and as far inland as the sea-breeze has a marked influence on the climate, is silt- j ficient proof that all the cereal grains may be successfully cultivated without the aid of ir rigation. It is quite true that this auxiliary was ex tensively employed at the missions, and un doubtedly increased the product of all crops to which it was applied, as it will in any country on earth, if skillfully used. This does not prove, however, that it was essenti ally necessary to the production of an ample reward to the husbandman. The experience of all the old inhabitants is sufficient evidence of this. If their imperfect mode of culture secured satisfactory returns, it is reasonable to presume that a more perfect system would produce much greater results. There is abundant evidence to prove that, in the rich ‘alluvial valleys, wheat and barley have pro duced from forty to sixty bushels from one bushel of seed, without irrigation. Irish potatoes, turnips, onions, in fact all the edible roots known and cultivated in the Atlantic States, are produced in groat perfec tion. In all the valleys east of the coast range of hills the climate is sufficiently warm to mature crops of Indian corn, rice, and probably tobacco. The cultivation of the grape has attracted I much attention at the missions, among the | residents of towns, and the rural population, and been attended with much success, wher j over it has been attempted. The dry season ’ secures the fruit from those diseases which are so fatal in the Atlantic States, and it at i tains very groat perfection. The wine made from it is of excellent | quality, very palatable, and can be produced in any quantity. The grapes are delicious, and produced w ith very little labor. When taken from the vines in bunches and suspen ded in a dry room, by the steins, they be come partially dry, retain their flavor, and remain several weeks, perhaps months, with out decay. Apples, pears, and peaches, are cultivated w ith facility, and there is no reason to doubt that all the fruits of the Atlantic States can he produced in great plenty and perfection. The grasses are very luxuriant and nutri tious, affording excellent pasture. The oats, which spring up the whole length of the sea j coast, and from forty to sixty miles inland, ! render the cultivation of that crop entirely j unnecessary, and yield a very great quantity of nutritious food for horses, cattle, and sheep. The dry season matures, and I may say, cures these glasses and oats, so that they ro ; main in an excellent state of preservation j during the summer and autumn, and afford jan ample supply of forage. While the whole ; surface of the country appears parched, and , vegetation destroyed, the numerous flocks and ; herds, which roam over it, continue in excel lent condition. Although the mildness of the winter months and the fertility of the soil secure to California very decided agricultural advanta ges, it is admitted that irrigation would be of very great importance, and necessarily in crease the products of the soil in quantity and variety, during the greater part of the dry season. It should therefore be encour aged by government, in the survey and dis position of the public lands, as far as practi cable. The farmer derives some very important benefits from the dry season. His crops in harvest time are never injured by rain; he can w ith perfect confidence permit them to re main in his fields as long after they have been gathered as his convenience'may require; he has no fears that they will fie injured by wet or unfavorable weather. Hence it is that many w ho have long been accustomed to that climate, prefer it to the changeable weather east of the Rocky mountains. As already stated, the forests of California, south of latitude 39 deg. and west of the foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada, are limited to detached, scattering groves of oak iu the val leys, and of red-wood on the ridges and on the gorges of the hills. It can be of no practical use to speculate on the causes which have denuded so large an extent of country, further than to ascer tain whether the soil is or is not favorable to the growth of forest trees. When the dry season sets in, the entire surface is covered with a luxuriant growth of grass and oats, which, as the summer advan ces, become perfectly dry. The remains of all dead trees and shrubs also become dry. These materials, therefore, are very combus tible, and usually take fire in the latter part of summer and beginning of autumn, w hich commonly passes over the whole country, destroying, in its course, the young shrubs and trees. In fact, it seems to be the same process which has destroyed or prevented the grow th of forest trees on the prairies of the western States, and not any quality in the soil unfriendly to their growth. The absence of timber and the continu ance of the dry season are apt. to he regarded by farmers, on first going into the country, as irremediable defects, and as presenting ob stacles, almost insurmountable, to the success ful progress of agriculture. A little experi ence will modify these opinions. It is soon ascertained that the soil will produce abundantly without manure; that flocks and herds sustain themselves through the w inter w ithout being fed at the farm yard, and, consequently, no labor is necessa ry to provide forage for them; that ditches are easily dug, which present very good bar riers for the protection of crops, until live fences can be planted, and have time to grow. Forest trees may be planted w ith little labor, and in very few years attain a sufficient size for building and fencing purposes. Time may be usefully employed in sowing various grain and root crops, during the w r et or win ter season. There is no weather cold enough to destroy root crops, and, therefore, it is not necessary to gather them. They can be us ed or sold from the field where they grow. The labor, therefore, required in most of the old States to fell the forests, clear the land of rubbish, and prepare it for seed, may here be applied to other objects. All these things, together with the perfect security of all crops, in harvest time, from in jury by wet weather, are probably sufficient to meet any expense which may be incurred in irrigation, or caused for a time, by a scanty supply of timber. In the northern part of the Territory, above latitude 39 deg., and on the hills, which rise from the great plain of the Sacra ! mento and San Joaquin, to the foot of the Si | erra Nevada, the forests of timber are beau tiful and extensive, and would, if brought in to use, be sufficiently productive to supply the wants of the southern and western por tions of the State. I have spoken of the agricultural products and resources of the country without refer ence to the remarkable state of things caused by the discovery of gold, which it is proba . i,ie will postpone for an indefinite time all ef forts to improve the soil. As long as labo rers can earn fifteen dollars or more per day, iu collecting gold, they can very well afford to import their supplies from countries where the wages of labor are not more than from fifty cents to one dollar per day. It is not, therefore, to be supposed that the soil will be cultivated more than the production of vege tables, fruits, and other articles so perishable in their nature that the}- cannot be brought from a great distance, will require. To secure this important market for the products and manufactures of the States east, of the Rocky Mountains is undoubtedly an NO. 15.