The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-10-19
DEAR Sir +:


We left San Francisco on the oath of June and alter
an exceedingly boserous passage OF ten days. arrived at
Trinidad This anchorage is. during six months OF the
year, perfectly safe and comfortable 1t is twenty
miles 10 the nOrthward OF the entrance TO Humboldt
and, as the wind was untavOrabe for 10 20 there
the time, employed ourselves during the detention OF
two or three days in making chart OF the bay II is
with the Others and hope it will meet with your
appreciation The mines the vicinity OF Trinidad have
made il quite an important location it
ing place Tor the miners, and is the whence all
their supplies are derived
There about one hundred houses in the village
and the land IN the vicinity for agricultural purposes
there in all its magnihcence. always afordng to the
hardy settler the resdlest and lasting material for
and appropriate buildings The ibre of this wood
compar a,ively little trouble into all the different forms
required for unpreendng dwelling in a country.
Tue depredaons OF the indians in that quarter have
been, am sorry TO say, serious drawback to their
farming operatlons SO much indeed, that most Of
them have been compelled 10 leave their all and go into
Ga the 10Th July we left Trinidad with fair wind,
and in few hours were at anchor in Humboldt bay
We employed about four weeks in making the
vey OF that place. Finding IT much better in every
spect than had been represented gave il more care
and made closer examination than an ordinary recon-
nOlssance required
lagoon than ordinary bay IL is sixteen miles long,
and IRON to five broad 1t is broadcast at either
tremi,y, where is but great grassy fiat, washed with
about foot of water, (when the tide is oui) and
broken here and there by navgabe suces The
is practicable, except very bad weather, when the
breaks entirely across IT, There twenty feet on the
bar al low water, and the ordinary strength OF the tide
does exceed two knots. Under unfavorable circum-
stances, al low water. and with very light breeze blow
ing directly in The channel this schooner went TO nea
without difficulty The two walls or narrow necks
OF land which nearly shut out the sea, covered
with sand hills ranging from ten 10 forty and fifty feet in
height. On the North Spit | have marked the place
where, think, the lighthouse should be located. IL
the point TO the entrance, and therefore less liza
BILE 10 be obscued by log and with beacon further back,
he two would form the best range TO pass between the
north and south beakesnot thai should be attempted
night unless under the most favorable circumstances
As Humboldt is rather out of the way OF vessels passing
up and down the have thought that light OF the
required that point, and be sufficiently large for
vessels bound maintain their position dunng The
night The country. is hlly, almost mountainous IN
the vicinity OF Humboldt. The FIR and the red wood
predominant in the forests, and ! am informed that
the land possesses every requisite tor farming pur-
poses. The cattle luxuuaie the year round in green
grass and III, ,aest clover ever The temperature
is very equabe they have 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
many varieties of wild fowl frequent the bay. There
no less than four villages or settlements the bay.
Humboldt, at the entrance has thirteen houses Eureka
many. Buckspor is Just taking start, and It's leca-
ton is thought be superior to all the others, from the
fact that it has better wafer and more room for
cia purposes Unioniown the largest, having about
one hundred houses II located in north end OF the
bay Its proximity 10 the mines s the only advantage II
has over the o,hei. while the difficulty OF Transporting
supplies from The depot at Eureka seems 10 be almost an
insunouRtable objection TO its ever becoming place OF
much importance Everything has to be carried in small
hoas up very narrow sulce. and that only at high
waer while the nearest point Of water communication -
mile from the town road can be cut from either Of
the other towns communicate with the one from Union
to the MINES with bu, lille expense or trouble.
JAMES ALDEN,
Lieut. Com II. S. NJ and Assist. Coast Survey.
Superintendent u. s. Coast Survey.