Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1849-01-16

1E.E NJ
which the State is yet entitled, in legal
subdivisions Of not less than forty acres
each, with the privilege Of selling the
same, when thus located, for the use Of
schools with the townships Of said Stale,
at such prices as the Legislature may d.
rect. The other States are required, by
the act Of Septembe: 4, 184l, to locate
Gin parcels, conformaly to sectional divis-
ions and subdivisions, of not less than
$50 acres in any one locaton.'
THE CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS.
As these are reported to be the regions
Of gold, it is natural that a good deal OF
curiosity should be excited about their
location, particularities, &c. Col. Ere
mont, in his scientific tour through Cali
fornio, thus describes these mountains,
now immortal, rs the real I'll Dorado,
which has been sought for so many hun.
dred years, and at last found:
SIERRA NEvADA.-This Sierra is a part
Of the great mountain ranges, which I'M
der different names and with different
elevations, but with uniformity Of direc-
ton and general proximity to the coast,
extends from the Peninsula Of California
to Russian America, and without gap
in the distance through which the water
Of the Rocky Mountains could reach the
Pacific Ocean, except az the two places
where Columbia and Frazer's river re-
spectively find their prssage. This
great range is remarkable Tor its length,
and it's paralle|ism to the sea coast, its
great elevation, often more lofty than
the Rocky Mountains, and its many grand
volcanic peaks, reaching high into the
region Of perpetual snow. Rising sim
ely, like pyramids from heavily timbered
plateaux, to the height Of fourteen and
seventeen thousand feet above the sea,
these snowy peaks constitute the char
acterizing feature Of the range, and dis
tinguish it from the Rocky Mountains
and all others on our part Of the CONT
ncnt.
That portion Of this range which trav-
erses the Alta California is called the
Sierra Nevada, (Snowy mountains>-a
name in itself implying great elevation,
as it is only applied, in Spanish geogra-
ply, to the mountains whose SUBMITS
penetrate the reg ions Of perpetual snow.
1t is a grand feature Of California, and a
dominating one, and must be we'll under
stood before the structure Of the country
and the character Of its different divis-
ions can be comprehcnded. 1t divides
California into two parts, and exercises
a decided influence on the climate, soil
and productions Of each. Stretching
along the coast, and at the general dis
lance Of $50 miles from it, this great
mountain wall receives the warm winds,
charged with vapor, which sweeps across
the Pacific ocean, precipitates their &C
cumulated moisture in lertalizing rains
and SHOWS upon the western flank, and
leaves cold and dry winds to pass on to
the east. Hence the characteristic DIFF
ferences Of the two egions-mildness
fertility, and superb vegetable kingdom
on one side; comparative barrenness and
cold on the other.
The two sides Of the Sierra exhibit
two distinct climates. The state Of veg
citation, in connection with some thermo<
metrical observations made during the
recent exploring expedition 10 California,
will establish and illustrate this differ
ence. In the beginning Of December,
1915, we crossed this Sierra, at lot. 80
deg. 10: 12, at the present usual emf
grant pass, at the head Of Salmon Trout
river. 40 miles north Of New lIelvelia,
and made observations at each base, and
in the same latitude, TO dete rhine the
respective temperatures; the two bases
being, respectively, the western about
500, and the eastern about 1900 feet
above the level Of the sea, and the pass,
1900 feet. The mean result Of the OBJ
servations were on the eastern side, at
sunrise, 8 deg; at noon, al deg; at sun
set, 80 deg; the state Of vegetation and
the appearance Of the country beng, at
the same time, (second week Of Deem
berg that Of confirmed winter; the rivers
frozen over, snow on the ridges, annual
plants dead, grass dry, and deciduous
trees stripped Of their foliage. At the
western base, the mean temperature dur
ing a corresponding week, was at sunrise,
20 deg, and at sunset so deg the state
ofthe atmosphere and Of vegetation that
Of advancing spring; grass fresh and
green, four to eight inches high, vcrnat
plants in bloom, the air soft, and all the
streams clear from ice. Thus, December,
on one side Of the mountain, was winter,
on the other it was spring.