The New York herald., 1851-11-06

| From the Sacramento Transcript Sept. 20
! The generally conceived opinion that the laa
bordering the Sierra Nevada mountains on the east
are barren and worthless, is mistake Althoug!
there are millions Of acres which but drea-y
barren deserts, there Is really much that is valuable
which at 10 distant day viii be brought Ia subectio
A tract Of country extending the whole length o.
California, sufficient for large state, with some
exceptions, Is rich and teTt.ls, ant susceptible Of
! cultivation. Tkese lands would make oeaatta.
grazing fsrms-in fact, much superior TO those
which lie upon the Pacific side os the Sierra Nevada
There is belt ot land running parallel With th
mountains, the whole length OF the state, and eK.
tending eastvardly for ore hunl.ei ani thirty
miles, which is really valuable though in places /.
is barren AMI destitute Of ysgstati9n Ike The lad
bordering the Hrnboii; river
North Of Pyramid lake these Is Al outer chain
Of mountains, extending, with ou. few breaks, 10
Oregon, which Is covered with the mos. luxu-isa.
bunch grass. This mountain rage wouId afford
the fnest pastursge II the world.
West OF this range oecurs large plain, IL pa:es
presenting the mos, Singular teatrres-aoy bar-
rem and destitute cf a. vegsiation, ani alm0s. a.
level as q lake, and again covered With beautifzl
grass, and delightful rivulets c0E-siag the plains
The barren tracts OF country are doubtless, iaunta
ted, and form lakes, which as the season advances
and the waters disappear, their beds become dsy
and level as house door, for many miles in ex.en.
Generally near the base Of the sierra Nevadas,
the land is indeed mos. bsautif1I-tas mountains
sometimes rising at an angle Of thirty or forty De.
srees and extending 10 the very highss. ridge,
where the snow is seen, even in the midst Of sum
mer, crowning the highest PEAKS The belt lying
at the foot Of the main range of nouatans, is gene
rally some miles in uidth, With an extra0- tinAry
growth Of veget,tion--clovsr aad other grasses
which form perfect mat, often from three 10 I've
feet high. At the upper edge Of this belt. innumer-
able small streams gush ston the most beautiful
mountain springs, and neandsr across the fertile
plain, until they are gradually lost 10 the sandy
waite which lies away 20 the east Indeed, N view.
ing this tract Of country, a. person approaches,
in places, from the plains Il is the most beautiful
panorama the eye ever beheli. The belt, fertile
almost past conception, boriered on the one side
by large tracts Of land almost az level as lake,
ard entirely destitute Of even one blade Of grass,
while upon the other side, lofty mountains rise as
IL were from this luxurant ma ss Of herbags, tower
rg to the very skies, covered With gigantic timber.
The line where the herbays and timber meets is
marked almost as distinctly as II !. were drawn by
South Of Pyramid lake, the country h iisereat.
The mountains do not rise quite asabrupty as they
do further north, but the hlls extend In many
places far eastward into the plains, forming hume
rous valleys which are besutiful and picturesque.
This portion Of the territory contains more good
land than that which we have described; but II Is
more broken. There are several rivulets Of con.
siderable size, such az Truckie, Carson, &c. This
country, s believed, contains mineral wealth but
little inferior 10 that Of Calisrnia besides IL Is
ceptble, many places, Of supporting large popu-
lation. There are numerous valleys covered With q
heavy growth Of vegetation, surrounded With moun-
tans covered with timber in the greatest profusOn.
The nature Of the country 70 TIE northern boun-
dary Of the state Is not as well understood; but
there seems but little doubt that IL is equally as
valuable for grazing a. any We have described.
Indeed, the country upon the eastern slope Of ths
mountains We regard az most valuable, at intervals
for hundreds Of miles north and south, and We see
no reasons why gold may not be discovered. whea
proper examinations shall have been made, which
will almost equal that in Cslforna Indeed the en-
rlorations about Carson valley, would seem TO sha
dow forth such result
We look forward 10 future explorations through.
on. the country Of which have spoken With great
interest," for We believe there are sources Of wealth
vet undeveloped which viii add materially TO the
future prospects Of California.