. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean . have deferred until now a report of the results of the survey intrusted to Mr. Smith, becauseI did not wish to interrupt the detail of facts connected with the Mohave river. Mr. Smith left Depot camp on the 21st of October, with the spring-wagon and a small survey-ing party. Instead of following our circuitous trail, he attempted to go in a direct line to theentrance of New Pass, but found the ground cut up by gullies, and the yucca tree
. Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean . have deferred until now a report of the results of the survey intrusted to Mr. Smith, becauseI did not wish to interrupt the detail of facts connected with the Mohave river. Mr. Smith left Depot camp on the 21st of October, with the spring-wagon and a small survey-ing party. Instead of following our circuitous trail, he attempted to go in a direct line to theentrance of New Pass, but found the ground cut up by gullies, and the yucca trees and brushvery thick. He therefore regained the road, and, proceeding without further difficulty, arrivedat and went through the New Pass. A full description af this pass has already been given. On the south of the Santa Clara valley is a spur of the Coast range, running obliquelytowards the sea, and known as the Susannah range. In order to pass from this valley to thevalley of Los Angeles, this range must be crossed or turned. The latter course is easilypursued, as the range degenerates into low hills as the sea is approached ; but this would greatly. DESCRIPTION OF SAN FERNANDO AND CAJOJN PASSES. 35 lengthen the road. The wagon road of the San Francisquito Pass crosses this range at a passknown as that of San Fernando, as it leads directly to the mission of that name. It was throughthis pass that Mr. Smith went, and I will now describe it: SAN FERNANDO PASS. Two small streams, rising near the crest of the Susannah range, and one-quarter of a mileapart, flow in opposite directions—the one north into the Santa Clara, the other south towardsthe mission of San Fernando. Between the two is a sharp crest, where the inclination is over1,000 feet to the mile. This is the nature of this pass, which is only 8f miles from base to the Santa Clara, we ascend 2§ miles, at the rate of 43 feet per mile; then 1^ mile, at260 feet per mile, which brings us to the base of the cr
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