The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-04-01

], IL quite evident that they are hostile, sad that
'hsy oreh, to be ehastsed tor the murders already
con tnltisd.
Inc ,mali bands with whom | met, ~csttered
ihIoul the lower porlons o the foot kllls OF the
Sierra and IN the valleys between ihem aud the
coast, meO "a be almost the lowest grade at hu-
man beings. They live ch,~hy on acoins, roots,
ipstcis, and The kennel OK the pine burrocea sion
ally They Catch hsh end game. They use thu how
End arIuw, but are SAID To be tho lazy and etiemi
nate 10 Ieakr successful hunters. They do not APP
pear 10 have he slightest inclination 10 cultivate
the seil, nor do Ihry even attempt it-as lar as |
could obtain InfosmaIIon-~Acept when they are
induced Ia enter the service OF The whiIe inhaht-
ants. They have never prrt ndt 10 hold aoy III
itrest II the SOIL nor have they been treated by the
Spapish or American immigrants, as possessing
any:
The Mexican government never treated with
utm for The purchase at hand, or the renqn'sh
m,ni OF any clam tot, whatever They are lazy;
iole 10 The sst degree, and, although they are said
10 Re wiling 10 give their services tn any one who
Will PROVIDE them with blankets, beef. and bread,
II with much difficulty they can be made to per
tom labor enough 10 reward their employers tor
these v.Iy hunted means OF comfort
Formerly, al the missions, those who we've
brought up and instructed by the priests. made
very good servants Many Of these, now attached
to families, seem iohe faithful and intelligent. But
rhOse who are at sllip wlld and nnculrva,rd
state, are most degraded objects OF filth and idle
ness.
1t is possible that government might, by collect
ivy ttfH NdCn III spiuc uVsitt. tnC
arts and habits Of WHEATON; but. # we may Judge
of the future from the past they Will disappear from
the face of The earth the SETTLE men's of the
whites extend over The country. very consider
able military force will be necessary, however, to
protect The .m'granIs in the northern and southern
PORTIONS OF The territory
CLIMATE. .
| now come TO consider the climate. The eli.
mae Of California Is so remarkable IN It's periodical
ohurges, aid foI the long continuance OF the wet
end dry seasons. dividing, they do, the year into
about Two equal Iar's, which have IA most peculiar
influence on me labor applied 10 agriculture and
IA. products al the soil. end, IN fact. connect them
selves 30 lusspnrably with all The Interests OF the
county, that de- mt proper Srt fly 10 me ntion the
causes which produce th.se changes, and which, II
Will be- stem, as this repori pfoct eds, must exercise
controlling influence on The commercial pros
peniy and resources Of the country
IL il a well established theory, that the currents
al sir under wbich The earth passes, IN It's diurnal
I,vouiops follow the line OF the suns greatest at
rrctGn These currents OF dir are drawn towards
his line from great distances on each SIDE OF 1t;
and ss The earth revoyes from west 10 east, they
blow fIt m northeast and southeast, meeting, and
OF course causing calm, on the llne
Thus, when the sun Is DIRE city, In common par
lance, over the equator, In the month OF March,
these currents Of blow from some distance north
at The uopic OF Cancer, and south OF the ropic OF
Csiiicorn IN an obllque direction towards this line
Of The suns greatest attraction, and forming what
are known as the northeast and southeast trade
winds
As the earth, in its path round the sun, gradually
brIgs the line of attraction north, In summer,
these currents of air are carried with il SO that
about the middle OF May the current from the
northeast hes extended as far as the 18th or 39ih
degree Of norih latitude, and, by the twentieth OF
June (tbe period Of The suns greatest northern in
clnatiop), TO the northern portions OF California,
and the southern section OF Oregon.
These northeast winds, in their progress across
he continent, towards the Pacific ocean, pass over
the snow. capped ndges Of the Rocky mountains
AM ihe Sierra Nevada and "a a rae denri yrd
OF all the moisture which can be extracted from
them by the low tempe nature OF those regions Of
eternal snow, and consequently no moisture can
be pIecipiiatt from them, In the form OF dew or
ram, in higher temperature than that to which
they have been subjected They therefore pass
over the hills and plains Of California, where the
temperature is very high IN summer, IN very dry
siaie; and So far from being charged with moist
ure, they absorb. like a sponge, all that the atmo
sphere and surface of the earth can yield, until
both become, apparently, perfectly dry.
Tins process commences, as l have said, when
the line Of the suns greatest attraction comes
north in summer, bringing with it these vast at
mosphenc movements, and on their approach pro-
duce the Dry sestPn IN California, which, gov
eIned BY these laws, continues until some Time
after The sun iepassee the equator IN September,
when, about the middle oil November, the climate
being reeved from these northeast currcus OF AIR,
the southwest winds Get IN from the ocean
charged with EoistuIe-the rains commence and
continue TO TALL, not constantly, as some persoos
have represented, but with sufficient frequency to
DE- signaie the period Of their continuance, from
about The MIDDLE Of November until the middle Of
May, IN The latitude VI San Francisco, as the wet
season.
II follows. as a matter Of course. that the dry
season commences hrst. and continues longest 10
The southern Ioruone Of the territory. and that the
climate al the northern part Is u fuenced, IN a
much ltfs degree, by the causes which have
mentioned, than any other section OF the county.
Conssqu, nily, we lind that ss low down latitude
30 deg: rams ale sufficiently frequent IN summer
TO render irrigation quite unnecessary to me per-
feet maruniy of any crop which Is suited to the
toll sLd climate.
There IL an extensive ocean current Of cold wa
ter, which comes fiom the Northern regions of the
Pacific, OF, y.Ihsps, from the Arctic, and flows
along The oosst ii California. Ii comes charged
With, and tmlts IN its progress, air, Inch appears
in the icim III tcg wh.n 1t comes IN contact with
higher temperature on The American coast, as the
Gults,rtSm Of The A,lanllc exhales vapor when II
meets, ~ any part ot its progress, lower tempera-
iure THIS current has not been surveyed, and,
therefore, It's source, temperature, velocity, width,
and course, have not been accurately asceTtained.
Ii is believed by Lieutenant Maury, on wnat he
CONSIDERS sufficient evldepce-aDd no higher sn-
ihoriiy cun be crt,d-ihat this current GENES from
the coasts II China eDd Japan. flows northwardly
to the peninsula II Ksmtsc haka. and. making a
cnouit TO the eastward strikes the Amrr ican coast
IN atou, latitude Al or AZ deg. IL passes thence
scuihwGIdy, and finally loses itself IN the tropics
Below latitude thiriy-rine. ard west OF the foot
hills Il the Sierra Nevada, the forests of Callior-
IA urt Limited 10 some tCatterhE groves OF OAK ia
the valleys and along the borders OF the streams,
and Of red wood on the ridges and the gorees Of
The bllls-someiimes extending into the plains.
some Of the hills are covered with dwarf shrubs.
" hlch may be uss d ~ fuel. With these excep-
rons, the whole territory presents u surface with
cut uses or thrubbery. IL he covered. however,
wIih various species OF grass, and for many miles
~, M the coast with wild oats, which, IN tn. Valleys
grow most luxurian,ly. These grasses and oats
mature and Iipep early IN the dry season, and soon
,es, IN the sol from the scofchipp rays of
the sun As The summer advances. the moisture
IN the simosrhere and the esIth, TO considerable
tep,h, socn becomes exhausted and the radiation
II beat, fGum the extensive naked plains and hill
sides Is ,,Iy great.
The cold, dr. currents Of air from the northeast,
ate ysssirg III. Rocky mountains and the Sierra
Ntvsca, dcscend TO the Pacific, and absorb the
moisture of the atmosphere, TO a great distance
nom tie lsud. The cold air from the mountains,
md that which accompanies the great ocesn cur
rent from the north est, ttus become united, and
vast bsbks II fog are generated, which, when dri-
ven by the wind, has penetrating, or cutting,