well sheltered, but it is not convenient for shipping. This little bay is one of the most delightful places along the coast. The mission of San Carlos was located here, its massive ruins still remaining to show the taste and skill of its early builders. It was from this bay that the granite used for building purposes at San Francisco, was obtained, before the discovery of the quarries at Folsom.

One of the most pleasant trips for a summer day is across Monterey bay, from Santa Cruz to the old town of Monterey. The two places are twenty-one miles distant by water, but forty-five miles by land. The water is so peculiarly transparent that the rocks, pebbles, and mosses at the bottom, are distinctly seen, to the depth of nearly twenty feet, while the shore of the bay in the vicinity of the old town is bold, rocky, and exceedingly picturesque. The town itself is located in a sort of nook on the side of a gently sloping hill, every house in it being visible from the water. It is surrounded by lofty hills, crested with pine and redwood, which lend a peculiar charm to the scene, embracing the clear waters of the bay in the foreground, with the dark, moss-covered rocks along the shore, and the hill side dotted with the white dwellings in the city, surmounted by the dark green belt of timber which forms a fringe against the pale blue sky. Beyond the beauty of the scenery and the interest felt in the place, there is little to attract strangers to Monterey.

Several parties of whalers have had their headquarters in this bay for some years past. They ship from five hundred to fifteen hundred barrels of oil annually to San Francisco. If the contemplated breakwater, near Santa Cruz, is ever completed, Monterey bay will become of great importance to the commerce of the coast.

SANTA CRUZ HARBOR.

Santa Cruz harbor is eighty miles south of San Francisco. It is situated at the northern extremity of Monterey bay, in Santa Cruz county, latitude 36° 57′, on the westerly slope of the Santa Cruz ridge of the coast range. It is one of the most important ports on the southern coast, being the outlet for the products of an extensive section of the richest agricultural and timber lands in the State, and the seat of a rapidly expanding manufacturing interest. Over one third of all the lime used at San Francisco, is shipped from this port, and there are extensive manufactories of powder, paper, leather, and a number of lumber-mills, which ship their products and receive their supplies from this place, giving employment to a large amount of tonnageboth sailing vessels and steamers.

The San Lorenzo, a beautiful stream of fresh water, which in its course affords motive power to numerous factories erected along its banks, passes through the town of Santa Cruz, into the bay of Monterey.

This harbor is small, but has twenty-four feet of water at low tide, with good anchorage, and is well sheltered except from the southwest, which makes it dangerous to enter or leave during the prevalence of winds from that quarter.

It is in contemplation to erect a breakwater, to protect this exposed portion. The officers of the United States coast survey have made several examinations of the locality for this purpose. It has been suggested that a wall, extending from Seal Rock point for two thousand feet, eastward, across the bay of Monterey, and a few feet above high water-mark, would make this a safe resort for vessels during the southerly gales, so dangerous along the coast, and from which there is no place of shelter at present. The erection of a light on Seal Rock point, or some other suitable place in the vicinity, has become a necessity, in consequence of the increasing importance of the trade of Santa Cruz-second only to that of San Francisco.

HALF MOON BAY.

This bay is in San Mateo county, forty-six miles south of San Francisco. It is of little importance as a harbor, but is a most convenient point for shipping grain, produce, and lumber, from that portion of the coast to San Francisco. Spanish town, quite a thriving place, is located at the landing on this bay.

DRAKE'S BAY.

Drake's bay is in Marin county, south of Point Reyes, and thirty miles north of the Golden Gate. It is of no importance, except as being the place where the great English navigator, whose name it bears, landed. It is sometimes called Jack's harbor, a name given to it by the fishermen, who resort there to follow their vocation.

TOMALES BAY.

This bay is forty-five miles north of San Francisco, in Marin county, latitude 38° 15'. It is formed by an inlet of the Pacific ocean, which here penetrates the Coast Range about sixteen miles, nearly to the center of Marin county, averaging about a mile and a quarter wide for about twelve miles from the entrance, which is less than half a mile wide. There is a bar at the mouth of this entrance, having eleven feet of water at low tide.

It is perfectly land-locked, and sheltered from all winds. It has two small islands about three miles from the entrance, about two acres in extent, which are covered with verdure. Its safety, and the beauty of the surrounding scenery, makes it a sort of miniature copy of the bay of San Francisco.

The surrounding country is famous for its agricultural products, particularly butter, of which article Marin produces more than any other county in the State.

The lands around this beautiful little bay are high, but gently dulating in outline. The hills, being covered with grass and wild oats, afford pasturage for extensive flocks and herds.

Preston's point, on the east side of the bay, and about three miles from its entrance, named in honor of R. J. Preston, the pioneer settler in the district, is destined to become the site of an important agricultural trade. There is a good wharf here, eleven feet of water alongside, where there is generally quite a fleet of schooners, loading produce for the San Francisco market, this being the most convenient shipping port for Bloomfield, distant only nine miles, and for a number of villages scattered throughout this section of the county. Olema, one of the most thriving towns in the county, is located immediately at the head of this bay. Four miles from its south-east shore, on the banks of a beautiful stream of water-the Tokeluma, which flows from Mount Tamalpais—is located the Pioneer paper-mill of California.

BODEGA BAY.

This harbor is formed by a narrow spit of land, about two miles in length, which projects from the south of Bodega Head and extends to within three miles of the spit which forms the western side of Tomales bay. The two bays are reached through the same entrance, between these spits. It is very much smaller, and scarcely as well sheltered as Tomales bay, being open to the southerly gales, which sometimes blow with considerable violence during the fall. It has but nine feet of water at low tide. The Russians selected the point of land forming the western side of this harbor for their settlement, which they maintained from 1812 to 1841.

A considerable trade is carried on in the shipment of produce, there being good anchorage and wharf accomodation for vessels engaged in the business. The town of Bodega is located at the head of this bay about fifty miles distant from San Francisco.

HUMBOLDT BAY.

Humboldt bay is two hundred and twenty-three miles north of San Francisco, in Humboldt county, latitude 40°44'. It is a securely landlocked harbor-the best on the northern coast-formed by two densely timbered peninsulas, which enclose a very handsome bay, about twelve miles in length, and from two to five miles in width, its shores thickly timbered with magnificent pine and redwood, to the water's edge. The entrance to this bay is about a quarter of a mile wide, with eighteen feet of water at low tide. It is somewhat difficult for sailing vessels to make this entrance at certain seasons, but there are powerful tow boats belonging to the port which are always on hand when required. The upper portion of this bay is quite shallow, but there is plenty of water and good anchorage along the lower portions. There is an extensive trade in lumber, salmon, and produce carried on here, as well as considerable ship building.

The Elk and Jacoby rivers passing through a good agricultural country, empty into this bay, and there are several good roads connecting it with the interior. Eureka, the county seat, and Arcata, are located on the shores of the bay. The Eel river settlement is about forty miles distant, inland. This important harbor was not discovered until 1850, when a party of prospectors, among whom was a lumberman from New Brunswick, while searching for gold, saw it, and perceiving the advantages it presented for obtaining and shipping lumber, they abandoned gold hunting, and set to work cutting timber. The first log was cut in July, 1850; since that time, 400,000,000 feet have been sent to market, vessels loading in the bay for the Sandwich Islands, China, Australia, and Central America, as well as for San Francisco.

TRINIDAD BAY.

Trinidad bay is an open roadstead, sheltered to some extent from the north by a point of land extending at an acute angle about a mile to the south. The town of Trinidad is located at the base of this point. It is in Klamath county, two hundred and thirty-nine miles north of San Francisco, in latitude 41°03'. It has better anchorage and deeper water than Crescent City, from which it is distant about forty miles. The principal trade of the place is in lumber of which the county produces large quantities, most of it being shipped from this point.

CRESCENT CITY HARDOR.

This is an open roadstead, in Del Norte county, two hundred and eighty miles north of San Francisco, in latitude 41°30', near the

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extreme northern boundary of the State. The harbor is formed by Point St. George, a bold headland projecting nearly a mile to the west, on the south of which a plain about twenty miles in length, and from six to seven miles in width, forms the coast line. Crescent City,

the county seat, is located on the south of this plain. A considerable trade is carried on with the mining districts in the mountains adjoining, in both Oregon and California, this being the nearest place for obtaining supplies.

The mountain regions, comprising about nine tenths of the county, also produce large quantities of redwood, pine, and fir, that make excellent timber, which is shipped from this port in considerable quantities. There are good wharf accomodations for vessels to load, but the harbor being exposed to the fury of the southwesterly gales, it is not safe when the wind blows from that quarter. In 1862, a violent gale destroyed nearly four hundred feet of the wharf, which was, at that time, thirteen hundred feet in length. It has been greatly extended and improved since.

The anchorage is indifferent, and the water along the coast, south of the point, so shallow that vessels drawing twelve feet of water are not safe within half a mile of the shore, except at the wharves in front of Crescent City.

IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE.

The subject of improving the harbors along the coast bounding this State, and establishing places of refuge in which the large fleet of steamers and sailing vessels engaged in the coasting trade can find shelter in emergencies, appears to be attracting the attention of the Federal government. Several examinations have recently been made by officers especially detailed for this purpose. In view of the rapidly expanding foreign and domestic commerce of California, which is exceeded by that of few States in the Union at present, it would appear to be the duty of the government, independent of all political considerations, to have everything done that is necessary to afford security or facilities to the shipping engaged in this commerce. It is urged by those most interested in this matter, that lights are required at Point Reyes, at Santa Cruz, and at San Pedro, and that breakwaters be built on the north of Monterey bay, and at the mouth of the harbor of San Pedro. From the outline of the coast harbors given in the foregoing, the necessity for these improvements appears obvious.