The New York herald., 1851-12-23
bad Is the region in the immediate neigh

nearly 90 bad as the region in the immediate neigh
boz hood Of the slough.
the lower lakes is at times cut of, as the whole in
ternediste country shows that their boundaries
change very materially, according to the character
Of the seasons. At times, too, the waters rise to
such an extent a. to render the passage across the
isthmus impossible. The country here, too, is low
and swampy, and the Indians live mostly on hsh,
tules, and the small black seeds Of plant ressm-
bling the margod, which they collect carefully and
At the Sierra side the banks of the lakes are
more elevated, and one of the finest agricultural
districts In California opens before the traveller
The timber is abundant and heavy, the gra~ most
luxuriant; and to him who has travelled up the
Tulares and around the lakes, it seems an earthly
paradise. This tract stretches for many miles along
the lakes far, indeed, rs the most northerly of
the -Four Creeks. and 1 even to hing.s nver; after
over which immense herds of elk, deer, aad wild
horses roam unmolested. The Indians throughout
all this region are very numerous.
The waters Of the lakes are generally, ss Is cur
rently reported, shallow, although, from the for
nation ofths country,we should think tnat in ONE
parts particularly towards the eastern border they
must be Of very considerable depth. There can be
no Soubt, hOT.vsr that in some glsGs. they are
water and various places have been pointed out to
US, at which, according to the Indisns fords exist
and that at points where the opposite shore could
not be seen, Throughout the whsle length Of the
to be exceedingly shallow, not more than two feet
deep at . distance of fifty yards from the shore.
In the lowest lake quite large number of
islands are to be found, on some Of which wild
however, are not over a couple of hundred yards
long, and all are, as usual, bordered by q heavy
belt of tules. 1t is doubtful whe sher those more
distant from the shores are ever visited BY the
ing the waters than light RATS Of dried tules, upon
which they foat about for the purpose of fishing.
The abundance of 6sh of all kinds in these wa
ters is absolutely astonishing. The waters seem
alive with them and the variety is as great as the
quality of most Of them is good. Pike, perch, bass
salmon trout, cells, suckers, and many other kinds
with the names Of which We are unacquainted, are
caught with the greatest ease, and we have no
doubt that the lordly salmon himself frequenss the
lakes in his proper season Strange as it may seem
the Indians catch them with their hands aene, and
that rapidly that have four strings, .h
of which when held in a mans hands in an upright
position trailed along the ground caugh. by two
Attaches in this method, in certainly less than half
an hour. Upon one of them might be seen pick
erel, which must have weighed five pounds.
The quantity Of game which frequent these
magnificent sheets of water, and build their nes
and hatch their young among the tules, ID immense.
Large focks OF geese, swans, pelicans, cranes,
ducks teal and curlews can be seen at every point,
who in
of eggs from among the tules. Some of the largest
eagles to be met with in California are to be seen
in this section Of the country; and fgame abounds
so also do rattlesS axes, there being more in any
square mile of this district, than in ten of any
other. The Indians seem to mind them very little,
however, and kill them by means Of a tule AID
foIked stick. Other reptiles are also to be met
with, but not in such abundance.
The color OF the water at the borders Of the
lakes is nearly that of tan vat, which is caused
the number of decayed roots and other vegetable
matter. In the middle, it is clear, pure, and very
soft.
The climate in the neighborhood, as might be
expected from the situation, is much warmer than
N the same latitude on the coast dull, smoky
mist, probably caused by the evaporation of the
water, cats over the earth for a considerable por
Jon Of the year, becoming frequently so dense, in
he middle OF the day, as TO shut out the neghbor-
ng mountains from view. Towards sunse. this
The fog prevails mostly on the western and south
I'm sides of the lakes, which are destitute, to a
great degree, of timber.
A number Of fine streams fall into these lakes,
rom Kern river, which is the mos. southeriy, TO
Ning's river, which fows into the lower lake.
The four creeks-Elbow Creek, and a number Of
mall streams-empty their waters, after tor
uous course, into these receptacles. Kings liver
$ deep, bold stream, fally as large as the San
Joaquin at Grayson (hfty miles above Stockton),
and runs with very swift current. TIA baGls are
nearly perpendicular, presenting, In many places,
an abrupt wall OF from sixty 70 one hundred feet
IN height AS it approseaes the lake, however,
i divides into nun Der ofsl0ughs forming n large
delta. The other stream. are, IA tae ryring sad
The autumn. The lakes cannot be rc4cAed irou.
The San Joaquin BY sny eihsr Gsais tLan By
canoes.
The country back Of the Lakes - capabilities.
ts mineral wealth, &c may iofn. he subject Of
arcther ar icle.