Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-08-25
From TIE ST. Louis Gazette.

''Ihe West. the great. the glorious west.fs q
We meet occasionally with very highly colored 7
sketches of the country lying directly west ofus,
on the Pacific Ocean. Still we can scarcely re- I
fer to a Volume of any kind. which furnishes US b
with any definite information with regard TO II
most Interesting portion of the North American {
continent The harbor of San Francisco, which
has an entrance from the Pacific of sixty-seven
iathoms in depth, and in which whole navies
ride safely at anchor, is in nearly the precise
latitude OF ST. Louis. Two large rivers. which
take their rise IN the mountains. three hun
dred miles 10 the East, and run through a country
unsurpassed for soil or climate, empty themseIve
into The harbor This port. II Is said combines
advantages which not only fit il for a grand naval
depot, but render it capable of being rendered
the dominant military port OF those ST.
Francisco is bu, little farther from than East
port. in Maine, place which reach, BY
steam boats and locomotives, five years from this
time, In eight or ten days. Monterey, living near
lv in the latitude of Lexington, is the largest
town the Pacific IN that vicinity. The prn
cipal exports of this country consists of hides and
tal!ow. Horses may be purchased for from three /
to five dollars and mules from seven to ten. 1t |
is believed that at very distant day this neg
lected region will be found to possess sources of
wealth sufficient TO sustain a powerful and pros
porous empire. The country lying West of us,
South of Oregon Territory, and North of line |
drawn from the head OF nav gation on Red River
to tine Pacific would take In territory having an
area of about 900 square miles, or 800 OOo- /
900 OF acres, and it has not probably, at the pre-
sent time fifty thousand white inhabitants When /
ever need any addition to our territory, this !
NAV perhaps be purchased of Mexico for ten or
fifteen millions of dollars, for the purpose of Civ
ing us a free passage through to the Pacific.
Monterey lies in nearly the same latitude with
Lisbon, Marsees, Naples, Consian,inope and
Pekin and Nankin in China. and is blessed with
the climate and fruits OF ''sunny Italy"
Mr. Marsh, formerly a merchant of lndepen-
tI,,s of The ipr
'.The climate is pre-emnently delightful and
healthy; much more so than any part OF the Uni
ted States Snow never falls in this country, ex-
cept on the mountains, and although am told ice
has been of the thickness of window glass
, | have never vet seen any. although | arrls ed
: here in the middle of January. Every kind of
vegetable that is cultivated IN any part OF the
: United States furnishes we'll here. Sug arcane
4 has never been much cultivated, but SIN Ill
lots have succeeded we'll. The kind of crop tina t
j appears 10 me best adapted both to the soil and
e climate. is Cotton and Tobacco, neither of which
b are cultivated here. and sold at very high
prices. Interio leaf tobacco Is brought from Bos
and sold by quintal, out of the ship, at from
!! forty to fifty cents per pound. All our Yankee
:, notions about agriculture completely set at
% def ,nce. Seel time and harvest all the year.
: Wheat, however, Is commonly sown IN Decem-
II Der January. and reaped in Nav June, but
I, any other time IN the year would do nearly as
l. welt The principal difference il, that seeds
5 the beginning o the rainy season. do not need
Ia watering. Corn Is planted IN nj Arch April, May
De June and july, and seldom fails do " ell Tive
- crops in a year be made the Same ground
1t has been sold since | have been here at three
dollars yer bushel 1t IL now selling for one, an
D. is seldom less Wheat is now worth t: ON two I
ell three dc HAIRS, and Is in great denim The fac
Is, the people too lazy To cultivate thin.
. except just enough to keep them from sng
= The principa and indeed almost the only occu
80 patton OF the people of California, is breedn.
20 cattle. Some OF tho inhabitants of this tow
y have herds Of than twenty thpnsend. Hide
"a and taow The great staples Of the countr>
aud indeed almost the only articles OF commerce
Tney depend entirely upon foreigners. and mos Ii
on the Il stonians for all their wants.
GA beautiful picture have we here (fror
IA Mrs. Sigourney's Lctters.) of the true nurserc
r, of Repuhcs-