the California copper-smelting works, not at present in operation; also an extensive pottery, at which superior earthenware, fire-brick, and crucibles, are made from clay obtained from a thick seam found accompanying the coal in the Black Diamond mine. The wharves here are very substanstially constructed. The coal from the Teutonia and Central mines is hauled to this place by teams for shipment. Clay used by the Golden State Pottery is obtained from Marsh's ranch, fourteen miles distant. This establishment has three kilns, which are kept in constant use. Arrangements are in progress for making white stoneLarge quantities of common brick are also made here for the San Francisco market, the soil being well suited to their manufacture. The broad plain lying between the river and the mountains, on which grow fair crops of the cereals, is rapidly settling up, nearly one hundred families having located upon it in 1867. Much of it, formerly used only for pasturage, is now under cultivation. The Stockton steamers make regular landings at Antioch, whence there are numerous good roads communicating with the back country.

Clayton, the largest town created by the coal-mining interest, stands at the head of Diablo valley, about eight miles from Pacheco. It occupies a romantic site, being on a plateau in the midst of wide-spreading oaks, commanding a good view of the adjacent valley and the bay, with rugged mountains in the distance. Its origin dates only from 1862, and, although so recently founded, there are many fine orchards, vineyards and gardens in the vicinity. It contains about nine hundred inhabitants, and, considering its age, is well built up. The larger portion of the population find employment in and about the coal-mines near by. There are several other small towns and villages in this county, the most of them of too little importance to require special notice.

The soil in the valleys about Monte Diablo, consists of a fine loam, formed by the disintegration of the calcareous and volcanic rocks, and is well suited to the raising of vines-a business extensively carried on in many of them. Mr. Clayton, after whom the town is named, has a vineyard here of 30 acres, containing 30,000 vines, which, though vigorous and prolific, have never been irrigated. He sends his grapes to San Francisco for a market, realizing a greater profit than in making them into wine. There are other large vineyards, with several fine orchards bearing various kinds of fruit, elsewhere in the valley, the aggregate number of vines it contains being estimated at 100,000, and the fruit-trees at 30,000. While much of the land in this

valley is held at high prices, a good deal of fair quality can be bought at prices ranging from $15 to $25 per acre.

Silver-bearing ores have been found at various places about Monte Diablo. Sixty pounds of ore, taken from a claim known as the Open Sesame, in 1863, yielded, by working process, at the rate of $48 33 per ton in gold, and $243 per ton in silver; while the San Pedro ledge yielded ore that assayed at the rate of $40 per ton. The broken stratification in this district, however, has thus far rendered all attempts at working these claims abortive.

During 1862, and the following two years, some fifty cupriferous deposits were partially explored in the vicinity of Monte Diablo; and, although a considerable quantity of ore was obtained from them, it was of too low a grade, and the seams were too much broken up, to warrant a continuance of operations.

In 1862, large deposits of ochreous earths were discovered near Martinez, consisting of six well defined strata, varying from three to twenty feet in thickness. The colors of this material are red, green, yellow and blue, with every conceivable tint formed by their blending, the entire number of colors produced consisting of eighty varieties, running from pale blue to a bright scarlet. The terre sienna, French yellow, and Venetian red, were pronounced very good by the painters who used them. Expensive works were put up for grinding and preparing this substance for market, but the enterprise failing through the limited demand and cheap price of the imported article to prove remunerative, was abandoned soon after.

Argillous magnesian limestone, similar to that used in making the dry hydraulic cement at Benicia, exists near Martinez. Good potters' clay is abundant near Lafayette, and is extensively used by the pottery works at San Antonio, Alameda county.

Small deposits of petroleum have been observed, at various points, in this county. Several years since, an oil-boring operation was commenced and carried on for some time, at a point about three miles south-east from the town of San Pablo. This was the first effort of the kind made in California; and, though conducted with a due degree of skill and energy, it failed of success. Several attempts to procure mineral oil in quantities have been made elsewhere in the county, either by sinking shafts or boring, but as yet with scarcely any better results than attended this pioneer effort. At the present time, a party is boring for oil in Marsh's cañon, and, as it is said, with prospects not

altogether discouraging.

MARIN COUNTY.

Marin county comprises the peninsula lying between San Pablo bay and the ocean, its extreme southern portion, Point Bonita, forming the outer headland to the entrance of the Golden Gate. Much of the county is covered with hills and mountains, through which are scattered numerous narrow, but fertile valleys. Tamalpais, the culminating peak in a rugged chain of mountains traversing the county from northwest to southeast, near the sea, has an altitude of 2,600 feet; there being several other peaks in this range of almost equal height. Much of the land, both in the valleys and upon the hills throughout the northern and central portions of the county, produces an abundant pasturage, upon which immense herds of milch cows are fed; more butter being made here than in any other county in the State-the annual product approximating 1,500,000 pounds. Redwood and pine grow on the mountains, and oak in many of the valleys and on the lower hills. From the former, two steam saw-mills located in the northern part of the county, manufacture considerable quantities of lumber. The Pacific Powder Mill, and the Pioneer Paper Mill, are situated on Tokeluma or Daniel's creek, which, heading in the Tamalpais range, runs northwest, emptying into the head of Tomales bay. The water of this creek, owing to its infiltration through a hard granitic rock rendering it exceedingly pure, is especially adapted to the manufacture of paper. Tomales bay, extending inland sixteen miles in a southeasterly direction, varies in width from two to three miles. It occupies the largest valley in a series lying between a number of parallel ridges that occupy this section of the county. Between Tomales and Bolinas bay lies a rich valley eight miles in extent. The town of Tomales, situated near the entrance of the bay, is an active and growing place, much of the produce of the adjacent country being shipped here for San Francisco. It contains a population of six or seven hundred, and occupies a handsome site on a level bench extending back from the bay. Olema, at the head of Tomales bay, fifteen miles northwest of San Rafael, is another thrifty town, enjoying the trade of a large dairy and agricultural district, which never fails to produce heavy crops of potatoes and grain, owing to the current of moist air from the ocean, which, passing through the depression that here exists between the mountains, greatly aids the growth of vegetation. Here the grass, when completely dried up elsewhere, is found to be green and succulent.

Punta de los Reyes (King's point) forms the extremity of a high

rocky promontory, extending into the sea several miles in a southwest direction, separating it from Drake's bay.

This county countains about 600 square miles-nearly 400,000 acres, 175,000 of which are enclosed; only about 25,000 acres are under cultivation; the greater portion of the arable land being used for pasturage. Some five or six thousand acres of the mountain lands are covered with timber capable of being made into lumber, the swamp and overflowed land in the county consisting of twelve thousand acres on the margin of San Pablo bay.

Messrs. Howard & Shafter have 75,000 acres of land enclosed in this county, upon which are grazed 3,500 cows. These are divided into seventeen dairies, the aggregate product of which is 700,000 pounds of butter annually. Allen & Son, of Green valley, have a herd of 350 milch cows, all of choice brecds. Stock here is never housed, or fed with anything more than is afforded by the native pasturage. The product of butter averages about one pound daily to the animal, or two hundred pounds for the season. This butter, if sold for no more than twenty-five cents per pound-considerably less than is actually realized―pays, in the course of two years, for cost of cows, attendance, and interest on capital, leaving the natural increase of stock, skimmilk and cheese, for clear profit. Butter-making, where circumstances favor, has always been found a lucrative pursuit in California, this article never failing to find a ready market and to command a good price; while the localities favorable for carrying on the business on a large scale, are by no means numerous; an abundance of nutritious feed, a cool climate, and at least a fair supply of water, not often being found in conjunction. In Marin county, these advantages being enjoyed to an unusual extent, dairymen have confined their operations almost exclusively to this branch of the business, though the lack of facilities for sending their milk to the San Francisco market may have contributed towards the conversion of so large a proportion of it into butter and cheese, there being over half a million pounds of the latter made annually. It is estimated that there are upwards of one hundred dairies in this county, many of them of large size. They give employment to a good many men, the usual allotment being about twenty cows to one hand. Marin, in 1860, contained 3,334 inhabitants, the present number being estimated at something over 5,000.

This county derives its name from Marin, a famous chief of the Lacatuit Indians, who originally occupied this part of the country, and who, aided by his people, after having vanquished the Spaniards in several skirmishes that took place between the years 1815 and 1824,

was finally captured by his enemies. Making his escape, Marin took shelter on a little island in the bay of San Francisco, and which, being afterwards called after him, communicated its name to the mainland adjacent. This chief having fallen into the hands of his foes a second time, barely escaped being put to death, through the interference of the priests at the mission San Rafael, who subsequently enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing him converted to the true faith. He died at the mission which had been the scene of his rescue and conversion, in the year 1834.

San Rafael, the county seat, occupies a handsome site, about two miles west of San Pablo bay, and fifteen in a northerly direction from San Francisco. Its sheltered position, being screened from the fogs and ocean-winds by the Tamalpais range, renders it one of the most attractive spots in the vicinity of San Francisco, many of whose business men and wealthy citizens have erected their dwellings in the neighborhood of the town, which abounds with beautiful and eligible sites for the purpose. Within the past few years, a large number of residences have been built there by this class, and other improvements. made, tending to enhance the value of property and add to the attractions of the place.

Although nearly the whole of this county was originally covered with Mexican grants, and there was scarcely an American settler within its limits prior to 1850, nearly the whole of it is now owned by the latter race, the most of its former proprietors having, with their possessions, passed away.

The Pioneer Paper Mill, erected in 1856, is situated about four miles from Olema, on the road leading to San Rafael. The buildings are spacious and substantial. The motive power used consists of both steam and water, and the works, which employ about forty hands, are run night and day. During the year 1867 there were made at this establishment 384 reams of colored, 3,500 reams of news and book, and 9,250 reams of Manila and wrapping paper, the whole valued at $64,800. The following embrace items of the principal material consumed in the manafacture of this paper: 300 tons of rags and old rope, gathered chiefly in San Francisco; 250 barrels of lime, made in the vicinity; 2,000 pounds sulphuric and muriatic acid, made at the San Francisco Chemical Works.

The Pacific Powder Mill, located about three miles east of the Paper Mill, was completed in 1866, at a cost of $63,000. During the year 1867 there were manufactured here about 30,000 kegs of blasting powder, and over 2,000 packages of sporting powder. The buildings