Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1849-01-30
CALIFORNIA.

-"tIhe, Senate Of the United States have
recently had published by their order a
Map Of Oregon and California prepared
by Col. John c. Fremont, accompanied
by a geographical memoir, illustrative OF
what he saw and learned Of that country
during his repeated visits to it..
/ 10 our very attentive Senator, Hon
George w. Jones, VIC are indebted for
these interesting public Documents.
| No work has yet been published,
which gives the reader so clear concep-
ton, not only Of the geography but OF
the soil, climate and general and peculi-
ar features of that interesting country as
the one under consideration.
Immediately along the coast Of the Pa
clhc, there stretches range of hills
which reach the height Of some hundred
feet, and gradually slope off and lose
themselvesi in the valley whic,, intervenes
between these and the Sierra Nevada,
or Snowey Mountains. This valley is
near sixty miles in width and extends up
anG down, the country for distance Of
500 miles.
The streams which drain this valley are
the Sacramento and the San Joaquin, the
former rises in the north and the latter
in the south; the two uniting as they
find they way through the coast hills and
discharge themselves into the Bay oil
San Francisco.
The Sacramento is navigable for two
hundred miles from the Bay, when it is
interrupted by fall or rapids where in
the distance Of 20 miles the river falls
1000 feet. Near the falls, is the elevated
/ peak Of Shasli, which rises some $4,000
feet above the level Of the surrounding
country, and is Of course covered with
perpetual snow.
The Sacramento, in its course TO the
Bay, receives many tributariers, and a.
mong the rest the Rio de los Americanos,
or the river Of the Anne ricans, so called
from the Anne ricans having entered the
valley by this River.
1t is along this river that the gold has
been found in such great abundance.
The Southern portion Of this beautiful
valley is drained by the San Joaquin riv.
er which takes its rise some three hun
dred miles south of the Bay, receiving
in its northward course many tributaries
and uniting with its fellow from the nor,h
in abou. latitude 80 deg. passes by sever.
al channels into the Bay.
In size the two rivers differ but little
and the valley Of the San Joaquin, is said
to excel, that Of the Sacramento in beau.
ty and fertility and the navigation Of the
river is uninterrupted by falls.
In the south par: of the valley trees
grow to an almost incredible height, some
ofthem measuring over two hundred feet
and many ofthe species Of cypress, grow
ing to this height before throwing GU
any limbs. Several species Of the oal
are found, some resembling the live oal
Of the south, and all bearing acorns of al
enormous size.
The lofty range Of mountains, bound
ing this valley on the east, give 10 tn
country its peculiar features. It's name
the Snowy Mountains indicate that it
lofty peaks are covered with perpetua
snow. 1t is eminently volcanic in it
structure and appearance, and in earle
years as is learned from the character o
the soil in its valleys, must have vomite'
forth immence quantities of lava.
East of the Sierra Nevada, lies that re
markable country the great basin, de
nominated by Fremont, an "anamalou
feature in our Continent" Bounded OF
the east by the Rocky Mountains, on thu
west by the Snowy Mountains, on III,
mouth by range running east and ives
Mn latitude AZ deg, on the south by
range in latitude 3s deg, it seems shu
out on all sides from the rest of the worl,
by snow capped barriers. .-...
This Grim 10 this remarkable BASH
is some 500 miles in diameter and be
tween and s thousand feet above The
level Of the sea, affording to the enclosed
valley its own system Of lake and rivers
but denying it any access to the ocean.
Partly arid ii has been called deser
but in It are found fertile spots, fit for the
residence Of civilized people.
Its surface is interrupted with many
ranges Of mountains, running north and
south, and numerous lakes are found EN-