Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-04-25
CHARLES DICKENS.
Upper California.

THE following is from the Ameri.
can Review. We transfer it to our
columns as relating to section of the
world now engrossing good dea! Of
interest. The writer, who is a young
gentleman of rare abilities, and is oc-
cupying distinguished position, sug-
gests, as California must, in the course
of events, fall into our hands, that it is
our true policy to gain it by purchase
and a fair treaty Quincy Wing.
"Thc southern and eastern portions
indeed nearly the whole province
except that part bordering on the
Pacillc-is scarcely more valuable
than the lower province. Through
the eastern section extends the chain
of the Rocky Mountains, broken into
fragments, and covering a wide space
|of the cuontry, through its entire
length, into waste perfectly uninhab-
liable, producing very little vegetation,
and through which the traveller, with
danger and difficulty, fnds a casual
and precarious path. West of this
chain lies vast sandy plain, nearly
seven hundred mics in length, with
width of one hundred miles at its
southern, and two hundred at its north
ern extremity. The whole valley of
tie Colorado is utterly barren, and is
described by an American traveller as
a great burial place of former fertility,
which can never return. Like its
branches the river is not nayigable.-
The ella, which forms the southeast
crn boundary Of the province, is rap
id stream, and its upper portion flows
through rich and beautiful valleys. ca
pablo of supporting numerous popu-
lation. In the centre of the northern
or Upper California lies the Timpana-
Cos desert, between louy and five hun
dred miles square, and probably the
most utterly desolate region of 50 great
an extent on the western continent
On its northwest border Mary's river
takes its rise, and flows southwest
wardly about one hundred and sixty
miles, into its own lake, which is about
sixty miles in length, and hal as wide.
The valley Of the stream has rich
soil, which, were not the atmosphere
too dry. would be well adapted TO ag-
ricuItural purposes, and contains many
fine groves Of aspen and pine, that
shelter deer, elk, and other game.
Tie remaining part of Upper Cali
fornia-that which lies nearest The Pa
cifc COASTS not only by far tic bes.
portion Of the province, but one Of the
most beautiful regions on the face OF
the earth. II embraces the whole
country drained by the waters which
empty into the Bay of San Francisco.
These are, first, beginning at the south,
the San Joaquin, which RS S IN a lake
called Bonavista, in latitude 33', and
about three hundred miles northwest Of
the mouth Of the Colorado, it runs
thence northwes. some six hundred
miles, with a deep and Tranquil current,
navigable for two hundred miles above
its mouth, and through n valley six
hundred miles in length, and from forty
to one hundred in width; bounded on
every side by mountains, which thus
enclose a private surface, covered with
trees which skirt the streams, Of about
forty thousand square miles in superb
ciai extent Among the hig alands
which enclose this valley, are vast for
ests filed with the lofticst and finest
cedars and pines in the world, with
every variety Of soil, fresh water
lakes, and cycrv. element Of unbound