Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-04-18

and among the foothills of that range of
mountains, show that at no distant day
there must have been numerous popula-
ton, where there is not now an Indian to
be seeD.-There are few still retained in
the service of the old Cahfornians, but these
DO not amount to more than few thousand
in the whole Territory. 1t is said that
there are large numbers of them in the
mountains and valleys about the head wa
tiers of the San Joaquin, along the western
base of the Sierra, and in the northern part
of the Territory, and that they are hostile.
A number of Americans were killed by
them during the last summer in attempting
to penetrate high up the rivers in search of
gold they also drove one or two parties
from Trinity river. They have, in several
instances, attacked persons coming from or
returning to Oregon, in the section of coun-
try which the lamented Captain Warner
was examining when he was killed.
1t is quite impossible to form any esti-
mate of the number Of these Mountain In
dians. Some suppose there are as many as
three hundred thousand in the Territory,
but | should not be inclined to believe that
is quite evident that thev are hostile, and
that they ought TO be chastised for the muir
ders already committed.
The small bands with whom have met,
scattered through the lower portions Of the
foothills of the Sierra, and in the valleys
between them aud the coasts, seemed TO be
almost the lowest grade of human beings.
They live chiefly on acorns, roots, insects,
and the kernel Of the pine burr-occasion-
ally they catch fish and game. They use
the bow and arrow, but are said 10 be too
lazy and efeminaie to make successful
hunters. They do not appear to have the
slightest inclination TO cultivate the soil, nor
do they ever attempt it, as far as | could
obtain information, except when they are
induced to enter the service ofthe white IN
habhants. They have never pretended 10
hold any interest in the soil, nor have they
been treated by the Spanish or American
Immigrants as possessing any.
The Mexican government never treated
with them for the purchase of land, or the
REIMBURSEMENT of any claim to 1t whatever.
They are lazy, idle to the last degree, and
although they are SAID 10 be willing to give
their services to aLy one who will provide
them with blankets, beef and bread, IL Is
with much difficulty that they can be made
To perform labor enough to reward their
employers for these very limited means of
comfort.
Formerly, at the missions, those who
were brought up and instructed by the
priests, made very good servants. Many of
these now attached to families seem to be
faithful and intelligent. But those who are
at all in Il wild and uncultvated state, are
most degraded objects of filth and idleness.
1t is possible that government might, by
collecting them together, teach them, in
some degree the arts and habits Of civilIza-
ton; but, if we may judge OF the future
from the past, they will disappear from the
face of the earth as the settlements of the
whites extend over the country. A very
considerable military force will be necessa-
ry, however, TO protect the emigrants IN
the northern and southern portions Of the
territory.
CLIMATE.
now come to consider the climate. The
climate of California is SO remarkable in its
uance of the wet and dry seasons, dividing as
they do, the year into about two equal parts,
which have most peculiar influence on
the labor applied TO agriculture and the pro-
ducts of the soil, and, i'll fact, connect them
selves so inseparably with all the interests
ofthe country, that deem it proper briefly
20 mention the causes which produce these
changes, and which, 1t will be seen, as this
report proceeds, must exercise a controlling
influence on the commercial prosperity aud
resources OF the country.
1t is well established theory, that the
currents of air under which the earth pass
es in its dlurnal revolutions follow the line
of the suns greatest attraction. These cur
rents of air are drawn towards this line from
great distances on each side of it; and as
the world reyolyes from west TO east they
blow from northeast and southeast, meeting,
and of course causing calm, on the line.
Thus, when the sun is directly, in COM
mon parlance, over the equator, IN the month
Of March, these currents Of air blow from
some distance north Of the tropic of Cancer,
and south of the tropic of Capricorn, in an
oblique direction towards this line of the
suns greatest attraction, and forming what
are known as the northeast and southeast
tradewinds.
As the earth, in its path round the sun,
gradually brings the line of attraction north,
in summer these currents of air are carried
mifh it; SO that about the middle of Nav the
current from the northeast has extended as
far as the 3oth or Both degree Of north latI-
tude, and by the twentieth day of June, the
period of the SUMS greatest northern incll-
nation, to the northern portions of Callior-
MIA and the southern portion of Oregon.
These northeast winds, in their progress
across the continent, towards the Pacific
ocean, pass over the snow-capped ridges of
the Rocky mountains and the Sierra Neva-
da, and are of course deprived of all mois-
ture which can be extracted from them by
the low temperature of those regions of eter-
nal snow, and consequently no moisture can
be precipi.ated from them, in the form OF
dew or rain, 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 a very dry state !;