The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-01
Upper California.

Though this country has been three years in our
possession, we know little nothing of its actual
condition. Many works, it is true, have been pub
lished in relation to it, but they proposed en-
tirely with reference to the mineral resources Of
the country, and to pander to the excited curiosity
about the new acquisition. To correct in degree,
this want of information, we publish TRANSACTIONS
of the following portions of letter, written origi-
nay to the .armonia Social of Guadalaora and fire.
quently copied in other Mexican sheets The let
ter, which evidently proceeds from the pen of man
of talent, describes the country, not only in min
eralogical but in an agricultural point of view,
unfolding also its commercial capacities The
date of the letter was probably about the 18th Of
May, l849
| Much has been written of late years on the ter
ritory and the productions Of Upper California.
| M. Humboldt wrote on the subject in 1922, with
out exact knowledge of the country, since he
never visited it, Mr. Alexander Forbes published
Il work on it in 1885 but equally unacquainted
with the places he described, he depended on the
accuracy of the accounts which had been related to
him. His book is consequently full of conradic-
tons and conjectures, so that from the day of its
publication it fell into rdicue, and the author now
must be aware of the Inconsistencies with which
| he wrote Sr Castafares is the author of another
work on the same subject, published in 1886 but
1t is tissue of inaccuracies, particularly regards
agriculture for the culture of cotton, tobacco and
| other products he enumerates, has never been
| known in the country.
Anterior publications on California, then, cannot
| be consulted with confidence; for, to speak of
country properly, one ought TO have general ac-
quaintance with il, to have travelled through it, and,
above all, to be beyond the influence of personal
considerations which insensibly give bias oppo-
! site to truth
| The most eligible portion of Upper California is
| that comprised between the north and south, for
from east to west it is very narrow, intersected by
barren mountains, and full of sandy plains and table
lands, destitute of the least signs Of vegetation,
| According to the writer's observations, and the
testimony of few English agriculturists who have
lived for many years in the country, Upper Califor-
mia is in general very barren its mountains and
hills are but little shaded with trees, consequently
! 6rewood is very scarce. The spots where timber
is most found are at the extreme NORTH and near
point called Santa Cruz. Some collections of trees
are found at the foot of the mountains, on the few
plains that skirt their base, but they of little i'm
| portance, and there immense plains without a
| single tree. Sumach is the most frequently met
with, although there are oak and several kinds of
dye-wood pine and poplar are of little importance
The temperature of Upper California is generally
| ungenial The immigrant is exposed to an almost
'insupportable degree Of cold, the prevailing winds
blowing from the northwest, becoming unusually
piercing after the fogs. which exceedingly dense
| and frequent are dispersed. In the northwest are
| situated the Snowy Mountains (Sierras Neyadas.)
| at the foot of which the gold pacers. Here
during the day the heat is great at San Bias or
Vera Cruz, whilst at night and in the morning the
cold is excessive, causing numerous maladies.
| The temperature of the country comprehended
between east and west is extremely hot All the
arabic land in Upper California lies between the
north and south, and monopolized by the twenty
four missions. The writer visited some of them.
viz; those San JOSE Santa Clara, Santa Barbara.
and others. All indicate 10 the traveller, by the as
pect of the ruins which they present. that they were
| formerly important establishments. According to
general opinion, they fell with the law which or
dcred the secuarzation of the missions. The
effect of that measure was the complete destruction
of the immense quantity of cattle belonging to
these establishments, through the abuses COM
mitted by the administrators appointed by the gov
eminent, who deprived The MISSIONS most unlaw-
| fully, of the lands which were their property A
fact connected herewith is still be regretted;
that WIS the decentralization which Forthwith
introduced among the six eight thousand In
| dams who composed the population of the mis-
sions and few neighhoring villages. Many of
them had received elementary instruction; others
were in possession of trades large number work.
ed at agriculture in the felds even an ATTEMPT not
| altogether unsuccessful had been made to establish
manufactures, the Indians showing an aptitude for
weaving. AT present nothing remains but a few
vestiges Of former abors; and few old looms long
unused.
The white population of the country is, as it is
well known, OF Spanish descent, tall and robust,
originally cultivatng the land, and raising sheep
and cattle. They were calculated, at the conclu-
sion of the war; at about 000 scattered in ranchos
or farms, separated by immense distances from one
another. They dwell in wooden houses and lead
a poor existence.
| The Indians have particularly disagreeabe phy-
siognomy.. The face, Of bronze, and round, is
slightly compressed inward; the nose is rather fat
the forehead narrow, and the hair coarse as that
of horses name. The Indians on the table lands
OF Mexico are Europeans in comparison with them
| Their wigwams are like hives in shape and conve-
nience, and it is certainly wonderful how the mis-
sionares succeeded IN giving them elementary in
struction, teaching them trades, even music for |
have seen them perform on certain Instruments
IL may be said that there is but little show Of
government IN the country at present The Amer-
can alcades even seem TO administer the law capri
ciously enough. The religion that dominates is
emphancally liberation, the first step made by the
conquerors.
have seen the best lands in the interior, the
plains Of San Jose and Santa Clara, among others;
but on those lands, and on others Of immense ex-
tent, have not seen the least sign Of irrigation.
have noticed the remarkable scarcity Of water
throughout the whole country this inconvenience
produces deplorabIe results for the sowing of grain
Is very precarious, in consequence Of the infre-
quency Of rain The periodical rains commence
IN December or January, and end in February or
March; this is during what called good years,
for occasionally 1t happens that for two consecutive
years not drop Of rain falls from the Clouds
Those who have any even the slightest knowledge
OF agriculture, may form idea Of the capabilities
of country where there is almost a complete alb
sence Of water
The rivers Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Stanis-
laus, of which so many wonders have been related,
should be considered as comparatively insignificant.
The Sacramento is the that possesses the largest
volume Of water, and that is because it is situated
In the north, contiguous TO the Serrs Nevada; but
the San Joaquin and Stanslaus, which rise con-
sderaby from January to July, are fordsble on foot
in August and September, and none Of these water
courses, even comprising the Sacramento, serve
for irrigation, account Of the little elevation of
their beds ] myself have the San Joaquin
and the Stnnilsaus, and am capable Of expressing
a correct opinion them in this particular. The
other rivuets in the country scarcely deserve no.
tlce.