Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-03-18

hundred miles through an open level conn I
try, naturally fertile, and annually over.
flowed like the Nile, enriches and adorns
the region through which it runs; cut on
the east side by numerous tributary streams
skired with timber, and striped on the
west by groves, and lakes, and great sa-
vannahs, and presents one of the ri chest
and most beautiful regions on the face OF
the earth. In the wet season this river is
navigable TO steamers oS three hundred
tons for nearly two hundred miles abave
its mouth; and even in the dryest season, |
small boats, without dimculty, can make
their way for over one hundred miles to
what is called the Forks, where the Sac
ramento receives its great western branch,
named upon the map OF Captain Wilkes,
Destruction river, which rises in Sierre
Nevada, and flows for about two hundred
miles with rapid current, through fer
tile region into its principal stream. The
Jesu-Maria rises amidst the heights OF
the Snowy Mountains, directly south OF
cape Mendocino, and flowing south at an
average distance oftwenty miles from the
ocean, through a region of hills and roll
ing plains heavily covered with forests of
most Valuble timber, falls into the Bay OF
San Francisco.
The valuable part Of Upper California is
thus seen to embrace that region OF the
province drained by the waters that dls-
charge themselves, at San Francisco, into
the Pacific sea. It's superficial extent
cannot be estimated at less than 10000
square miles, nearly as much as that of the
Stole of New York, and two thirds that oil
the British Islands. OF its beauty and
fertility all travellers agree in giving most
glowing and enthusiastic descriptions
Perouse, one Of the earliest visitants, saws
that It's s. climate differs little from the
southern provinces of France; at least
the cold is never so piercing there, bnt
the heat of summer is much more mode.
rate, owing to the continual fogs which
reign there, and which procure for the land
a humidity very favorable to vegetation.'
Immediately upon the coast ii has been
represented that the sea winds and fogs
blast the foliage of trees IN exposed STU
atoms; on leaving this, nothing of the kind
is witnessed, and all alike enchanie with
the boundless fertility and unequalled
beauty of inland regions. The English
yoyager, Vancouver, who Afterwards ira
versed this country at an early day, attet
speaking Of the mountains, +" the sides
and SUBMITS of which exhibited Il high
degree OF Iuxuriant fertility" says.
ave had not proceeded far, when we
I ittflo 4
in these regions. For about twenty miles !
it could only be compared to a park,
which had originally been planted with
the true old English oak; the underwood, |
that had probably attained its earliest
growth had the appearance ofhavng been
cleared away, and had lett stately lords OF
the forest in complete p secession of the
soil, which was covered with luxuriantI
heritage, and beautifully diversified with
pleasing emnences and valleys; which,
with the lofty range of mountains that
bounded the prospect, required only to be
adorned with the neat habltaions OF an
Industrious people to produce a scene not
inferior to the most studied effect of taste
in the disposal of grounds"
The same traveller was struck with
the quality, quantity, and variety of its
excellent productions, indigenous TO the
country, but appertaining TO the temperate
as well as The lorrld z1ne;'' and he makes
the remark, that " not one species had
he sown or planted that had not hourished
and yielded its fruits in abundance and Of
excellent qualities" Equally explicit, and
of still more authority is the statement OF
Humboldt.
i New California is as well watered and
J as fertile as Old California is arid and sto.
| ny. The climate is much more mid than
in the same ATTITUDES on the eastern side
! ofthe New Continent, (Which includes the
Atlantic coast from Boston to Savannah,)
, the frequent fogs give vigor to vegetation
J and fertllize the soil, which is covered
with black and spongy earth"
Although agriculture, throughout this
vast and fertile region, is Of The rndesl
and most unskiIlfuI character, nearly all
j: kinds of grain have been readily raised.
In the imme late neighborhood of San
Francisco Bay the most extraordinary
crops can be easily produced. Dr. Marsh,
/ long resident on the banks of the Sacra-
mento, informed Mr. Farnhlm lhtt from
ten bushels OF wheat be had known to be
harvested crop Of 8, 652; though he says
that the average Weld IS from 30 TO SO
bushels from one that is sown. This part
of this statement is incredible; but Com
modore Wilkes mentions an instance IN
which {, 600 bushels were harvested from
80 sown; and he places the average crop
/ at so fold. The most moderate OF these
statements exhibits degree of fertility