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

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Itious climate. From November to
March the whole valley is flooded bv
heavy and incessant rains; and from
April until autumn m intolerahle heat
converts this vast fen of stagnant wa
tiers into the Valley Of the Shadow Of
Death. This evil, however. it is conf
IDENTITY asserted, is susceptible of an
easy remedy by draining these accu-
mulated waters into the river.
From the north flows another and
much larger river, the Sacra mento,
which, rising among the mountains
that skirt the lower border Of Oregon,
flows for nearly three hundred miles
through an open, level country, natur-
ally fertile, audannually overhowed by
the waters of the river, which thus,
like the Nile, enriches and adorns The
regions through which it runs; cut on
the east side by numerous tributary
streams skirted with timber. and striped
upon the west by groves and lakes, and
great savannas, and presenting one Of
the richest and most beautiful regions
on the face Of the earth. In the wet
season this river is navigable to steam
ers Of three hundred tons, Tor nearly
two hundred miles above its mouth;
and even in the dryest season, small
boats, without difficulty, make their
way for over one hundred miles to
what is called the Forks, where the
Sacramento receives its great western
branch, named upon the map Of Capt.
Wilkes, Destruction river, which runs
into the Sierra Nevada, and flows for
about two hundred miles with rapid
current, through fertile region into
its principal stream. The Jesus Maria
rises amid the heights of the Snowy
Mountains, directly south of Cape
Mcndocino, and flowing south at an
average distance of twenty miles from
the ocean Tough region of hills
and rolling plains, heavily covered
with forests Of most valuable timber,
falls into the bay of San Francisco.
The valuable part of Upper Cali
fornia is thus seen to embrace that re-
gion of the province drained by the
waters that discharge themselves at
San Francisco, into the Pacifc sea-
Its superficial extent cannot be estima-
ted at less than forty thousand square
miles, nearly as much as that of the
State of New York, and two thirds
that Of the British Islands. OF its
beauty and fertility, all travellers agree
in giving most glowing and cDtbusias-
tic descriptions. Perousc, ono Of the
earliest Of its visitan.s, says chat its
+" climate differs a little from that Of
southern provinces OF France; at least
the cold is never so piercing there, but
the heat Of summer is much more
moderate, owing to the continue! fogs
which reign there, and which procure
for the land humidity very favorable
to vegetation Immediately upon
the coast it has been r. presented that
the sea winds and fogs blast The foliage
Of trees in exposed situations; but on
leaving the ocean nothing of the kind
is witnessed; you are alike enchanted
with the boundless fertility, and un-
equalled beauty Of the inland regions.
The English voyager. Vancouver,
who trayersed this country At an carly
day, after speaking Of the mountains,
!" the sides and the submits Of which
exhibited high degree Of luxuriant
fertility" says:--
ave had not proceeded far, when
We entered a country | little expected
to lind in these regions. For about
twenty miles, it could only be com
pared to = park, which had originally
been planted with the true old Eng
lish oak; the underwood, that had
probably attained its carly growth, had
the appearance Of having been cleared
away, and had left the stately lords Of
the forest in complete possession Of
the soil. which was covered with ldxu-
rant heritage, and beautifully DIVERSE
fed with pleasing cmincnses and val
lcys; which with the lofty range Of
mountains that bounded the prospect,
rcquted only to be adorned with the
neat habitaiioas Of m industrious peo-
pie, 10 produce Il scene not inferior 70
the most studied effect Of taste 10 the
Of grounds"
The same traveller was struck with
q the quality. quantity, and variety Of
is excellent Productions, not only in
digenious to the country, but apper-
tanning to the temperate, rs well rs
torrid zones" and he makes the re-
mark, that "not ono species had been
sown o. planted that had not flourish
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