San Andreas independent., 1858-03-20

hAiotC 'iA"h q Huuoicu LulieS iioul luC oOo,
with four or FIVE high mountain tiers be-
tween.
We continue our notice of the above
work, resuming at point where the writer
having explained the summer climate of
California, proceeds to speak of the win
ter climate, which is the trade wind re-
versed, attended with corresponding re-
versal OF the temperature; that in this
city ranging generally between 60 and
7O0, as In the summer between 65 and
oO0; though the cold of experience will
be scarcely greater in the winter than in.
the summer, because, in winter, the air is
comparatively still, and in summer adds
cooling effect by its motion. Probably
there is not more even climate in the
world" To prove how we'll founded is
the last observation of the author, we
may observe that during the first week of
March, elsewhere one of the most fckle
months in the year, the meteorological
table kept in this city shows that the
thermometer varied but thirteen degrees
between the hours of 9 A. NJ, and 6 P.
NJ; the observations having been made
at different hours in the day and every
day in the week. With this change of
the wind comes the rainy season. Most
of the rain-not all, as the writer asserts
being brought with it. This wind,
coming from the south and east, often
blows in great violence, and the rains fall
for days in succession, sending the tor
rents leaping from the mountains and
flooding the plains with water; though
generally too little rain falls to supply the
springs and sufficiently moisten the i'll
The wet season is not one of continuous
rain; scarce more falling than during the
three autumnal months in the East. In
February there is dry spell, separating
what may be called "the early" from
& the latter rains" as in Palestine This
month is, in fact, in some respects, the
most beautiful of the year; the landscape
being fresh, the air pure, the sky clear,
the roads free from either mud or dust
all the conditions of climate meeting to
make it the June of the Pacific.
Thus much has been said of the winds
and meteorological phenomena of Califor-
MA, because these determine, to a great
extent, the temperature of places, the
rains, seasons, salubrity, and even the
commercial advantages of the country
The winds ofCalifornia will have as much
to do In making her the center of the
commerce Of the Pacific as her unrivalled
harbor Even the gold, as an element in
determining her future greatness, is of
less Importance than her winds; they are
more necessary even than her mines. If
any one judges they are too cold, or
strong, or too much laden with moisture,
he will greatly mistake If they were
warmer, softer and more dry on the coast,
even by few degrees, it would greatly
lnjure the country, and might even be a
fatal blight on its prospects. Indeed, if
California has any prospects, it is just
because the light battling winds, or rather
no winds of the coast below, are here dis
placed by such blasts as have power to
drive across its whole width and fan it
with their cooling breath. Otherwise its
rich valleys and low lands would be arid
deserts, It's shores and rivers reeking
places of disease, and even its mining re-
gion too hot to be worked or even inhabi-
ted in the summer months.
Having thus analyzed and clearly pre-
sented the causes on which our peculiari-
ties of climate are dependent, and the
benefit of these sweeping, though often,
to the denizen of San Francisco, disa-
greeable winds, the author next enters
upon description of the scenery of Cali
fornia, which is the result partly of the
surfaces, and partly of the seasons. It's
face differs from the eastern shore in not
being like it, made up generally of con-
cave surfaces flowing into convex sum-
mits or rounded surfaces, all the valleys
being plains, or land lakes, with definite
indented shores, like shores of water. 1t
differs also from the western prairies and
the plains of the south, where the horizon
is sunk and the sky becomes a small in
verted bowl, in the fact that every spot,
even In the widest valleys, has a noun
tain wall and horizon visible in the dis
tance, which props the sky and lifts the
vault OF 1t, giving look of airiness and
expansion, and connecting impressions
even of grandeur and beauty. Noun
tain and plain, plain and mountain,
stretching generally coastwise in their
figure, make up the rough calico of the
surface. Sometimes the mountains are
bare, or nearly SO, showinga a mottled look
in the distance, where the sun, glancing
down their sides, Furnishes the points
and casts shade on the hollows. Here
the cattle on a thousand hills is no figure;
focks, actually numbering thousands, be-
ing seen feeding on the grass and wild
oats that often grows to the top, which is
reached by paths beaten like shelve rows
along their sides.
Sometimes the mountains, instead of
grass are covered with dense chappa-
raj, looking in the distance like a dark
forest. Sometimes on their SUBMITS are
seen the stately redwoods lifting them
selves like majestic sentinels against the
sky. The foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
comprising the mining region, are covered
with growth of oaks, pine, cedar and
other evergreens; while the upper por
tlon of the range is mostly bald mass of
cyra p,fa r,roo4 x.or4.o-~