unfrequent. On the west side of the long, low, sandy beach is a bold bluff, called Point Felipe.* The hill rising behind it is called La Vigia. The landing is on the beach about half a mile east of Point Felipe; the shore is very low and flat as far as the town, three-quarters of a mile distant, but gradually rises to the mission, which is a prominent object about two miles inland. Vessels coming from the westward first sight La Vigia, and, upon approaching the anchorage, keep outside of the line of kelp, (here nearly half a mile wide,) gradually round the point upon which is situated the light-house, two miles southwesterly of the landing, keep along the kelp until abreast of the town and anchor in seven fathoms; or pass through the kelp and anchor on the inside in three and a half fathoms, hard bottom. In anchoring far enough off to get nine or ten fathoms the bottom will be found sticky. A hydrographic sketch of the vicin ity was published by the Coast Survey in 1855. No dangers have been discovered in the kelp off this beach. With the least swell the surf on the beach is a bad one, not falling square on, but cutting it at a sharp angle. In winter, vessels must anchor outside of the kelp, as the gales detach it and drive it shoreward in such vast quantities that, coming across a vessel's hawse, it helps to bring home her anchors. LIGHT-HOUSE AT SANTA BARBARA. The structure consists of a plastered dwelling of one and a half stories, with a low gray tower, also plastered, rising through the roof. The illuminating apparatus is of the fourth order of the system of Fresnel, and shows a fixed white light, illuminating the seaward half of the horizon. It is situated at an elevation of one hundred and eighty feet above the sea, two miles southwestwardly from the landing on the beach, and one hundred and eighty-three yards from the edge of the bluff. The light, as seen from the sea, will be projected against the hill rising behind it. In clear weather it can be seen from a height of ten feet at a distance of nineteen miles; from a height of twenty feet at a distance of twenty and a half miles. It was first exhibited December 1, 1856, as a red light, but has since been changed. The geographical position, as given by the Coast Survey, is: Latitude... Or, in time..... " 34 23 35.41 north. 119 42 05 west. h. m. 8. Magnetic variation, 13° 30' east in November 1853; yearly increase 1'. *Named by Vancouver in November 1793, after the commandant of the presidio of Sta. Barbara, Señor Don Felipe Goycochea. It is called Point Castillo on the Coast Survey chart of 1853, from a small Mexican battery formerly existing upon it. The secondary astronomical station of the Coast Survey was on the slight grassy rise just in from the beach, and sixty yards from the west side of the road leading to the town. Its position is: Santa Barbara is a town of considerable size, lying in the middle of an agricultural tract of limited breadth running east and west, at the southern base of the Sierra Concepcion. The trade with San Francisco is not extensive; but this being one of the greatest stock-raising districts on the coast, vast droves of cattle pass through and are sent to San Francisco and the mining districts. The Mission, founded December 4, 1786, is one of the largest and best establishments of the kind in California, and in the gardens attached to it the grape and olive have been cultivated with success. A large bitumen pit, about eight miles west of Santa Barbara, empties directly into the ocean, and the bitumen, floating on the water, works against the summer or northwest winds even beyond Point Concepcion. Very frequently, in calm weather, a great extent of the surface of the channel becomes iridescent from the thin film of bitumen spread over it. The rocks along the shore, even to the westward of Point Concepcion, are covered with it, and when encamped at El Coxo, in 1850, we gathered it to start our fires. The Indians have always used it to pay the seams of their canoes. Sulphur, in large beds and of superior quality, exists along the seaboard, and manifests itself in all the warm springs. Wood and provisions in abundance can be easily obtained here. Water is plentiful, but not so readily procured. A very short distance back from the coast line is a range of rugged hills, over two thousand feet high, forming part of the Sierra Concepcion, (sometimes called the Sierra San Inez,) whose sides are sparsely covered with timber, and through some of whose gullies and gorges pass small streams abounding in the finest trout. From others issue warm springs having a temperature of about 117° Fahrenheit, and highly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen. The height of the springs by barometric measurement is about one thousand two hundred feet. They lie behind the village of Montecito, eastward of Santa Barbara. The coast trail to San Francisco passes along the shore for a distance of fifteen or twenty miles to the Gaviota Pass; thence inland to the Santa Inez Valley, which runs nearly parallel with the coast. Regular communication by steamers and sailing vessels is maintained with San Francisco and other ports. In 1542 Cabrillo visited this place and found great numbers of Indians, who came off to his ships in large canoes, and were quite hospitable. Close to the shore he found an Indian town with "casas grandes." To it he gave the name Pueblo de los Canóas. The coast line from Santa Barbara light to Point Concepcion light runs west by south, distance thirty-seven miles. The rugged hills westward of the Gaviota Pass come close to the shore, forcing the traveler to leave the beach for their sea slope, the trail passing over steep ridges and across sharp valleys. The sandstone terraces of the immediate vicinity are about eighty feet high at the Gaviota Pass and dip at an angle of forty degrees into the sea, forming a bulwark of natural masonry against further encroachments. This elevated terrace continues from Santa Barbara to Point Concepcion. In this distance it is cut by numerous arroyos running down from the mountains. There is only one pass between the River Buenaventura and Point Concepcion, and that is the Gaviota, which at its summit at Santa Cruz is seven hundred feet above the ocean. THE SIMOOM. The only instance of the simoom on this coast, mentioned either in its history or traditions, was that occurring at Santa Barbara, on Friday, the 17th of June, 1859. The temperature during the morning was between 75° and 80°, and gradually and regularly increased until about one o'clock p. m., when a blast of hot air from the northwest swept suddenly over the town and struck the inhabitants with terror. It was quickly followed by others. At two o'clock the thermometer exposed to the air rose to 133°, and continued at or near that point for nearly three hours, whilst the burning wind raised dense clouds of impalpable dust. No human being could withstand the heat. All betook themselves to their dwellings and carefully closed every door and window. The thick adobe walls would have required days to have become warmed, and were consequently an admirable. protection. Calves, rabbits, birds, &c., were killed; trees were blighted; fruit was blasted and fell to the ground, burned only on one side; and gardens were ruined. At five o'clock the thermometer fell to 1220, and at seven it stood at 77°. A fisherman, in the channel in an open boat, came back with his arms badly blistered. At the entrance of the valley of El Coxo, near Point Concepcion, whilst engaged in making astronomical observations, during July, August, and September, 1850, we frequently experienced at night hot blasts coming down from the Sierra Concepcion, after two or three days of clear, calm, hot weather; the north winds apparently bringing the heated air from the valleys behind the sierra. The records show many cases where stars suddenly became so very diffused, large, and unsteady by these short hot blasts as to be unfit for observation. Beyond the annoyance and delay occasioned by this circumstance no observations were made to determine the temperature of the heated air. It had, of course, not near so elevated a temperature as that sweeping over Santa Barbara, and was quite fitful. POINT CONCEPCION. This characteristic and remarkable headland, about two hundred and twenty feet in height, lies at the western entrance to the Santa Barbara channel. Once seen, it will never be forgotten. When made from the northward, or from the eastward, it rises as an island; but upon approach, is found to be a high promontory, stretching boldly into the ocean, and terminating abruptly. The land behind it sinks comparatively low, and at first gradually, but soon rapidly rises to the mountains, which attain an elevation of about two thousand five hundred feet. Between three and four hundred yards south of the face of the cape is a large rock nearly awash, upon which some of the California steamers have struck in very foggy weather. A topographical sketch of the point accompanies the Superintendent's report on the Coast Survey for 1851. LIGHT-HOUSE AT POINT CONCEPCION. The buildings are erected on the extremity of the cape and upon the highest part, which is two hundred and twenty feet above the sea, and covered with grass and bushes like the land behind. As seen from the southward by day it will be projected against the Sierra de la Concepcion, and appear about one-third of their height from the water. The part of the range behind the light-house seems very level along its summit, and the house is seen about one-third of the length of the level range from the western part of it. The structure consists of a brick dwelling, plastered, of one and a half stories, with a low tower, also of brick, and plastered white, rising from the center. The light was first exhibited February 1, 1856, and shows from sunset to sunrise. It is a primary sea-coast light, consisting of an illuminating apparatus of the first order of the system of Fresnel, and exhibits a revolving white light, showing a flash every half minute, throughout the entire sea horizon. It is elevated about two hundred and fifty feet above the sea, and should be visible, in a favorable state of the atmosphere, from a height of— 10 feet above the sea, at a distance of 21.8 miles. 20 feet above the sea, at a distance of 23.3 miles. 30 feet above the sea, at a distance of 24.4 miles. 60 feet above the sea, at a distance of 27.1 miles. Its geographical position, as given by the Coast Survey, is: Latitude... Longitude. Or, in time 34 26 46.6 north. 120 27 00 west. h. m. 8. Magnetic variation, 13° 50′ east, in September 1850; yearly increase, 1'. FOG-BELL AT POINT CONCEPCION. A fog-bell, weighing three thousand one hundred and thirty-six pounds, is placed on the edge of the bluff, seaward of the light-house. The striking machin |