File:Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean (1855) (14780102663).jpg

Identifier: reportsofexplora05unit_0 (find matches)
Title: Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean
Year: 1855 (1850s)
Authors: United States. War Dept Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887 United States. Army. Corps of Engineers
Subjects: Pacific railroads Discoveries in geography Natural history Indians of North America
Publisher: Washington : A.O.P. Nicholson, printer (etc.)
Contributing Library: San Francisco Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: California State Library Califa/LSTA Grant

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
ontaining fossils, which were but partly preserved, the greater portionof the lime having been removed, so that neither the shells nor casts were left in a perfect state.The specimens obtained were sent to Mr. Conrad for description, but their specific characterswere too indistinct for determination. They are of the genera Ostrea, Pecten, and Turritella, and show that the formation is Tertiary. Late in the evening we encamped under some trees by the side of the creek that flows fromthe pass, and is one of the tributaries of the Rio de los Angeles. The ground appeared to havebeen cultivated ; and in the morning we found that we were under fig trees, and by the side of a10 F 74 GEOLOGY. hedge of the gigantic prickly pear, ahout twelve feet high, and covered with partly-ripenedfruit—the tuna, or Indian fig. A ladder was resting against the hedge, and the artist hasrepresented the fruit as if collected by hand; a mode of gathering which seems rather incom-patible with its thorny nature.
Text Appearing After Image:
PRICKLY PEAR, NEAR SAN FERNANDO.. The peculiarly moist and balmy air which we experienced at this camp through the night, andthe vegetation that indicated settlements and civilization, were delightful to us after travellingso long on the mountains and the elevated and arid surface of the Great Basin. SAN FERNANDO MISSION. Soon after leaving our camp under the fig trees, we found that we were entering a widelyextended valley with a nearly level surface, without trees or verdure, and bounded on all sidesby distant ranges of mountains. On turning the point of a hill, we came suddenly in sight ofthe Mission buildings, which, with the surrounding gardens, stood isolated in the seeminglydesert plain, and produced a most beautiful effect.—(See View VI.) The gardens were enclosedby walls, but the graceful palm rose above them, and groves of olive, lemon, and orange treescould be seen within. Outside of the walls the surface was barren and gravelly, and the fertilitywithin is the result of i

Note About Images