Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-08
COMMUNICATION.
THE VALLEY OF THE SAN JOACHIM.

The extensive plains which lie between the foot hills of
the Sierra Nevada and the range of the mountains
Of California commencing at the Tuare Lake, and ex-
tending for two hundred miles, with average
breadth Of about fifty miles, form what is known as the
Valley of the San Joachim.
No portion Of the Golden State is go rich in mineral
wealth, and offers greater inducements the pur
suits Of agriculture AlreadyIt has attracted consider
able population and scattered domain which
but recently the lair Of the wild beast the haunt Of the
rowing savage villages towns and cities
which begin rival those Of the Atlantic States in all the
refnements and Injuries which enterprise and successful
commerce produce Here already marts of commerce.
halls ofieeslation, Of justice temples worship
paay very naRy, happy homes of prospersps peo
\ plea Vail f0zther sdvan>s IN wssath, pcwev4ssd
prssperiy Is foreahAdowed by fast coming
is and through this rich and beautiful region that the
great national railroad proposed by theable and stn
gushed Senators Of California is to lead, and which, be-
ing the most direct and practicable route of ntercomu
ncaton between the Atlantic and Pacific would at the
same time conduce more than any other to the general
benefit Of the whole Unon brief description Of the
try, and few "reminiscences Of the wild sports partaken
of therein, may not be uninteresting.
The Valley of the San joachim, throughout its whole
extent is nearly equally divided by the noble river whose
ii bears which, from its to its confluence
with the tide in the Bay Of Suisun for it.
self deep bed in the aluvial SOIL The San Joachim
receives all its tributaries from the mountain range
the east there being flowing into it from the
The principal Of these tributaries the Maripo
sa MercedesTuolomne Stanislaus, and Calavaras, in
whose have been discovered the richest depostes
of gold and whose valleys of great fertility In these
streams found salmon trout and various other fish,
while the bordering woodlands abounded in game of all
;plc do who fay rfnf
the Indians and many warike tribes had their rude huts
ancheres in the dense forests of the neghborng
ains These tribes rapidly disappearing for if they
indeed the progeny of Ishmae they certainly may
be spoken of as having their hand against every man.
and every mans hand against them" The eastern side
Of the great valley rises by succession of slopes of
gradual and easy ascent and its undulatng hills and fer
tile plains well adapted to cultivation, and may be r
rgated to considerable from most of the
already mentioned The sde having running
waters is for the part sterile and very after
the rains suffers all the effects of drought and
se heat for shut in from the by the coast range
it derives little benefit from the breeze whose
moisture is condensed and absorbed it rolls up against
the mountain barrier and when ii breaks through
some Of the few gorges and depressons Of the range
sweeps the arid plains with the force and wtherng
breath Of the srocco of the desert During the rainy
season which commences in November and ends in April
so vast is the volume gathered the plains and
brought down by the tributary mountain streams, that
the natural banks Of the San Joachim high and bold
though they be- hold the swollen current and the
wild waters overspread great extent Of country These
overAowed lands when the dry sets in,
being up by great bayous and slOughs gradually
drained leaving here and there vast pools ponds and
the whole surface is covered with rank growth Of
grass reeds fags and tua The plains and drer
portions Of the land which border the tula covered
with various kinds Of nutritious grass and the slopes
Of the hills and throughout all the smaller valleys both
sides the river wild grow in great uxuriance On
the banks of the main ver and along the margins of the
lesser streams willow sycamore, BIRCH maple arch and
many beautiful towering and shrubs abound Seve
raj species of oaks found in the gorges
Of the hills and huge trees the growth Of centuries
scattered in groups throughout the valleys stand apart
in solitary grandeur like giant wardens Of the sterile
plains while, towering the CHEST ridges, the ma
ec redwood tree courts the breeze and wreses with
the storm The grasses and wild and ripen
early in the dry season. and cease to protect the
earth from the scorchng rays of the This is part
culary the case the side Of the valley and
the summer advances the moisture Of the earth exhaust
ed and the radiation Of heat from the extensive plains
and hill sides is very great Few and far between are
springs to be found seldom, IL ever is water trick
ling from the rock gushing from the hills, and for
months only be got from the sinks Of the gulches
the pools and ponds Of the tuls swamps
In the deep fens Of the tula gathered nnumerable
quantities geese, brant, ducks curlew snipe, herons,
cranes and almost every other kind Of waterfowl while
roaming hither search Of water the borders Of the
morass and adjacent plains yet elk
antelope and deer and in bygone years were raversed
by immense herds Of cattle and bands Of wild horses
OF the latter great time the number that
their could be marked at vast distance by the
clouds Of duswhch they raised while the sound OF their
hoo striking the hard ground could be heard for many
mile not unlike the muttered reyerberatons OF thunder
from distant hills OF noble size, fine proportions, and
great muscular power the wild horse Of California stu
shows his famed Arab lineage. Some arc milk white,
some let black others sorre and bay and cream color,
many iron grey and not few pied or pintoed while
not unfrequeny still TO be found steeds OF indomita
bic spirit great beauty, and matchess speed was
beautiful sight them careerng over the pans IN
the wild gambos of their natural liberty, realizing the
scene so graphically given by Byron in his Mazeppa:
" With flowing tail and flying name,
Wide nostrils, stretched by pain,
Mouths bloodess 10 the bit or rein,
And feet that iron never shod,
And tanks unscarred by spur or rod,
A thousand horse--the Wild the free,
Like waves that follow DER the sea,
Come thicky laundering on
They stop, they start, they snuff the air.
Gallon moment here and there;
Anproach retire, wheel round aud round,
Then plunge away with sudden bound,
And backward to the forest fly,
By instnct, from the human eye.'
But beautiful as was such sight il terrible and
oost certain destruction encounter the rush of
merous band when in sudden fright, with flashing eyes