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called it the Monte Diablo spring. In after years, settlers began to make their homes near Monte Diablo, and when the great influx came in 1848 and 1849, the name was transferred from the little hill to the large mountain, and has since been applied to the whole range.

There is but one river in the whole coast range of California connecting with the ocean that is navigable-the Salinas, in Monterey county. There is quite a number which connect with San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun bays, from the interior, and are consequently of nearly equal importance for purposes of trade and commerce, as if they connected with the ocean. The Suisun, Napa, Sonoma, and Petaluma, all enter on the north of San Pablo bay, and are navigable by steamers. North of the Golden Gate, are Russian river, in Sonoma county; Mad and Eel rivers, in Humboldt county; and the Smith and Klamath, in Del Norte county—all of which are permanent streams of considerable magnitude, but have too many impediments, and too great a fall, to be navigable. The Eel has been cleared within the past few months, as it is proposed to run a steamer up it for a few miles. On the south are the Pajaro, in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties; the Santa Inez and Santa Clara, in Santa Barbara bounty; the Santa Maria, in San Luis Obispo county; the Santa Ana and San Gabriel, in Los Angeles county; and a number of others; but as the latter are little better than channels for carrying off the superfluous rain during the wet season, being dry at nearly all other seasons, they are not of sufficient importance to deserve further mention in this place.

THE HARBORS OF CALIFORNIA.

SAN FRANCISCO HARBOR.

This, the safest, best, and most capacious harbor on the western coast of North America, is a securely land-locked bay, nearly fifty miles in length, by an average of about nine miles in width, with deep water, good anchorage, and well sheltered by the surrounding hills from the violence of the winds, from every point of the compass. The entrance to this bay, which none of the early navigators were able to discover, is in latitude 37° 48′ north, and longitude 122° 30' west from Greenwich, is through a strait about five miles in length and a mile wide, which was most appropriately named Chrysopala-the Golden Gate-by Fremont, in his "Geographical Memoir of California," written in 1847, before the source of the golden streams which have since flowed through it, was discovered.

As all the waters from the interior flow through this opening to the sea, there is a considerable outward current, at ebb tide, which runs at the rate of six miles an hour, at ordinary seasons, and with much greater force during seasons of flood; but such are the admirable arrangements made by Nature, in completing her work at this point, that this current offers no impediment to vessels coming in, there never being less than thirty feet of water on any part of the entrance. The shores of this strait are bold and rocky, rising on the north side, in some places to nearly two thousand feet in height, bare and bleak. On the south, many of the hills, which are from three hundred to four hundred feet high, are covered with nearly white sands, which are shifted by every breeze. While on the outside of this entrance, all is drear and gloomy-nothing to be seen but barren rocks and sandy dunes, rendered additionally dismal by the fogs which prevail a greater portion of the year, during the early part of each day, once through the narrow opening, the scene changes as by magic. Passing through the strait, which trends at right angles to the bay, as its end is reached, a striking contrast is presented: the fog is left behind, the gently sloping hills, on the north of the lower bay, are either emerald green, in the spring, or russet brown with the remains of the summer's verdure, in the fall. In front, in the middle of the channel, and only about four miles from the entrance, is Fort Alcatraz, bristling with heavy ordinance, and crowned with a tall light-house. To the right, and still nearer to the "Gate," on a projecting spur of rocks, which appears to have been placed there for that express purpose, stands the red brick buildings of Fort Point, surrounded by a labyrinth of solid. granite fortifications. Beyond, on the south, appears a forest of masts of vessels anchored in the stream, or moored to the wharves, which extend along the entire city front. On the right, spread over miles of deeply cut hills, and artificially made levels, which extend far into the waters of the bay, lies the city of San Francisco. On the opposite shore is Oakland and Alameda, peeping through groves of live oak, while, around in all directions, is seen the gently undulating country which forms the garden of the State, its hills rising tier above tier, each of different tint, as "distance lends enchantment to the view."

The beauties of the bay of San Francisco are not, however, of that soft, voluptuous, enervating type, which poets and travelers ascribe to the famous bay of Naples; they are of a sturdier, hardier, more active and animated character-as much in conformity with the spirit of the people who dwell along its borders, as the warm, rippleless waters of the Neapolitan bay are in consonance with its lazzaroni.

There are a number of islands and harbors within San Francisco and connecting bays, of considerable importance.

Alcatraz island, near the entrance of the Golden Gate, is about 1,600 feet in length by 450 feet in width, containing about thirty-five acres. Its highest point is 135 feet above the waters of the bay. It is the key to the fortifications of the harbor.

Angel island is the largest in San Francisco bay. It contains upwards of eight hundred acres of good land, with an abundant supply of fresh water. It was formerly well timbered with oak, when it formed an interesting object in the landscape, as seen from the city of San Francisco, four miles distant. It contains few trees now, but produces good crops of wheat and barley. There are upon it quarries of excellent building stone. Most of the rock used in constructing the fortifications on Alcatraz, and at Fort Point, was obtained at these quarries; the stone used in the erection of the Bank of California, one of the handsomest structures on the coast, was also obtained here.

Yerba Buena, or Goat island, lies directly opposite San Francisco. It is much smaller than Angel island.

Molate island, or Red Rock, about four miles north of Angel island, is a barren rock, of some little importance, as it contains a vein of manganese ore, of which several shipments have been made to England.

Bird Rock, and the Two Sisters, are unimportant but picturesque rocks, near the northern end of San Francisco bay.

There are several other rocks and islands around the shores of this bay, which are not of sufficient importance to be noticed in this place.

At the head of San Pablo bay stands Napa or Mare island, on which the United States navy-yard is located, forming one side of the straits and bay of Napa, which connects with Napa creek, a stream from the Suscol mountains.

Vallejo-a rapidly improving town, once the capital of the Stateis located on the east side of Napa Bay, and opposite the navy-yard on Mare island. There is good anchorage and shelter, and plenty of water for the largest vessels in this bay. The Vallejo and Sacramento railroad, connecting with the Central Pacific, the Folsom and Placerville, and the Northern or Marysville railroads, has its terminus here, bringing the Pacific railroad within thirty miles of San Francisco. At the eastern entrance of the Straits of Carquinez, which have a length of seven miles, are situated the towns of Benicia and Martinez. They >ccupy sites opposite each other-the straits here being about four

miles wide. A steam ferry boat runs between them. The various towns and harbors further inland are referred to elsewhere.

With such facilities for foreign and domestic trade, as the harbor of San Francisco affords to that city, there is nothing remarkable in the fact that three-fourths of the capital, and nearly one-fourth of the population of the State, are concentrated there.

Tidal Influences.—The tidal influences on the rivers emptying into the bay of San Francisco, extend to the head of navigation in the interior. The maximum rise of full tide at San Francisco, is 8 feet two inches; at Benicia, 7 feet 6 inches; at Sacramento, 2 feet 6 inches; at Stockton, 2 feet 1 inch. At Crescent city, on the north, the maximum rise of tide is 9 feet; at San Diego, on the south, 7 feet.

SAN DIEGO HARBOR.

San Diego harbor is on the extreme southern portion of the coast line within the boundary of California, in San Diego county, latitude 32°41′, four hundred and fifty-six miles south of San Francisco. It is next in importance to San Francisco bay, both in security and geographical position. It was the principal harbor of Upper California until 1830. It is well sheltered from all winds by surrounding hills, but has few of the advantages for inland traffic possessed in such an eminent degree by San Francisco. The harbor is in the form of a broad curve, about twelve miles in length, and from one to two miles wide. For about five miles from its entrance there is a channel half a mile. wide, in which there is never less than thirty feet of water, with excellent anchorage, on a sandy clay bottom.

Being several hundred miles more directly in the track of the China and Sandwich islands steamers than San Francisco, it might become a formidable rival to that port in the important trade with those countries were it connected with a railroad across the continent; but the resources of the country are being so slowly developed that it is not probable such a railroad will be built in the immediate future. The California, Mexico, and Oregon Steam Navigation Company contemplate erecting a wharf here, which would be a great benefit to the trade of the place, and aid in developing the wealth of the country. The trade is at present confined to shipping wine, wool, and other products.

SAN PEDRO BAY.

This bay is in Los Angeles county, three hundred and seventy-three miles south of San Francisco. This harbor is formed by a spur from Point St. Vincent, which trends to the south about eight miles, and

Deadman's Island, which lies across its end, while the mainland on this portion of the coast, trending to the southeast, forms a capacious bay, sheltered from all except the southerly winds-the most dangerous along that coast during the fall and winter. The water for several miles from the mainland, is very shallow, vessels being compelled to anchor about two miles off shore, but there is plenty of water and good anchorage near the island. All the freight and passengers, by steamers and sailing vessels, are placed on board and landed by means of lighters. The port of San Pedro lost much of its importance in 1858, when the town of Wilmington was established, at the head of what is now called Wilmington bay, about four miles further inland, and nearer to the city of Los Angeles, but there is considerable trade there now. It is the port for the fishermen of Santa Catalina and Santa Barbara islands, and a large portion of the produce of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties is shipped and supplies landed here. It has been proposed to erect a breakwater at San Pedro, from Deadman's island to Rattlesnake island, about one and a quarter miles in length, running north and south, and from Fisherman's point, near the old San Pedro wharf, about half a mile in length, running east and west. Were these walls built, San Pedro would be the safest and most commodious harbor on the southern coast. As this is the most convenient point for shipping the valuable produce of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, a safe and capacious harbor becomes a matter of importance connected with the development of the resources of that section of the State. The necessity for using lighters in shipping or landing freight does not conform to modern American ideas of commerce. As there is no remedy for the present condition of matters in this vicinity, except the construction of a breakwater, it is almost certain that one will soon be built.

Anaheim landing, the center of the wine trade of Los Angeles, is located on the northern bank of the Santa Ana river, about ten miles south from Wilmington. Here, also, the water is so shallow that vessels are compelled to anchor three miles from the shore, all goods and passengers being landed in lighters or boats. The Anaheim Lighter Company does an extensive business in loading produce and landing supplies for the wine and fruit growers, farmers and stock raisers in the district.

THE SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL.

This roadstead is formed by the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz, which are about twenty miles from and parallel with

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