The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-17

DEAR SIR:
We left San Francisco on the oath of June
and after an exceedingly boisterous pas.ag OF
ten days, arrived at Trinidad. This anchorage
is, during six months of the year, perfectly safe
and comfortable. 1t is some twenty miles to the
northward of the entrance to Humboldt; and
rs the wind was unfavorabe for us to go there
at the time, we employed ourselves during the
detention of two or three days in making a
chart of the bay 1t is SEM with the others
and hope it will meet with your appreciation
The mines in the vicinity of Trinidad have made
it quite an important location; it serves a
resting place for the miners, and is the source
whence all their supplies are derived.
There are about one hundred houses in the
village, and the land in the vicinity, for agricul-
tural purposes, can hardly be surpassed The
gigantic red wood abounds there in all its mag
nifcence, always afording to the hardy settler
the readest and most lasting material for neat
and appropriate buildings. The fibre of this
wood is 80 straight and so easily separated that
il is split with comparatively little trouble into
all the different forms required for an unpre-
tending dwelling in new country. The depre-
dations of the Indians in that quarter have been,
i am sorry to say, serious drawb ok to their
farming operations; much so, indeed, that
most of them have been compelled to leave their
all, and 90 into the town for protection.
On the 10th July, We left Trinidad with fair
wind, and in few hours were at anchor in
Humboldt Bay We were employed about four
weeks in making the survey of that place. Find
ing it much better in every respect than it had
been represented. | gave il more care and made
n closer examination than an ordinary recon.
naissance required.
This body of water partakes more of the
character Of a lagoon than ordinary bay. II
is sixteen miles long, and from one 10 five
broad Ii is broadcast at either extremity, where
it is but great grassy fiat, washed with about
one foot of water, (when the tide ia out,) and
broken here and there by navigable sluices
The entrance is practices bic, except in very bad
weather when the sea breaks entirely across it.
There is twenty-one feet on TIE bar at low
water, and the ordinary strength of the tide
does not exceed two knots. Under favorable
circumstances. at low water, and with a very
light breeze blowing directly in the channel, this
schooner went to without difficulty The
two sea walls or narrow necks of land, which so
nearly shut out the sea, are covered with sand
hills. ranging from ten to forty and fifty feet in
height. On the North Spit have marked the
place where, think, the lighthouse should be
and is therefore less liable to be obscured by
fog; and with a beacon farther back, the two
would form the best range to pass between the
north and south brebkers-not that it should be-
attempted at night unless under the most favor
able circumstances.
As Humboldt is rather out Of the way Of
vessels passing up and down the coast, ] have
thought that light of the second or third class
would ans yer all the purposes required at that
point, and be sufficiently large for vessels bound
in 10 maintain their position during the night
The country is billy. almost mountainous, in the
vicinity Of Humboldt. The FIR and the red wood
predominant in the forests, and | am informed
that the lard possess every requisite for farming
purposes. The cattle luxurate the year round
in green grass and the tslIest clover ever saw
The temperature is very equable; they have n
slight frost in the fall and the winter only differs
from the summer in being more pleasant. Elk
and deer are found in abundance, and manv vari-
cites Of wild fowl frequent the bay. There are
no less than four villages or settlements on the
bay Humboldt, Mt the entrance, has thirteen
houses Eureka as many. Bucksport is just
tsking a start, and its location is thought to be
superior TO all the others, fom the fact that II
has better water, and more roam for commercial
purposes Uniontown is the largest, having
about one hundred houses. II is located in the
north end Of the bay. Its proximity to the
mines is the only advantage it has over the
Others, while the difficulty Of transport 20 sup
plies from the Eur, ba seems TO be almost an in
surmountsble objection TO its ever becoming a
place Of much Importance. Everything has to
be carried in small boats up very narrow sluice,
and that only at high water while the nearest
point Of water communication is mile from
the town. A road can be cut from either of the
other towns to communicate with the one from
Union TO the Mines with but little expense or
trouble.
Is gned) JAMES ALDEN
Lieut.. Com. u. =. n and Asst Coast Survey
Prof A. ID. BAcHE,
Superintendent u s. Coast Survey
Cupr or RATTLEsNAxg BrrEs.-A correspon-