ove to Russia. An inexhaustible granary for
Kamtschatka, Ochotsk, and all the settlements of the American Company;
these regions, so often afflicted with a scarcity of corn, would derive
new life from a close connection with California.

The sun rose in full magnificence from behind the mountain, at the
moment when, emerging from between the islands which divide the northern
from the southern half of the bay, an extensive mirror of water opened
upon our view. The mission of St. Gabriel, the first stage of our
journey, formed a distinguished object in the background of the
prospect, sloping up the sides of the hills, the intervening flat land
lying so low that it was not yet within our horizon. We had also a
distant view towards the north-west of another newly founded mission,
that of St. Francisco Salona, the only one situated on the northern
shore of the bay except St. Gabriel.

The country at this side of the bay, chiefly characterised by gently
swelling hills, the park-like grouping of the trees, and the lively
verdure of the meadows, is as agreeable to the eye as that of the
southern coast. The water is pure and wholesome, which that at the
Presidio is not; we therefore laid in our ship's store here.

The whole Bay of St. Francisco, in which thousands of ships might lie at
anchor, is formed by nature for an excellent harbour; but the little
creeks about the north-west coast, now lying to our left, and which I
have since frequently visited, are especially advantageous for repairs,
being so deep that the largest vessels can lie conveniently close to the
land; and an abundance of the finest wood for ship-building, even for
the tallest masts, is found in the immediate neighbourhood. The whole of
the northern part of the bay, which does not properly belong to
California, but is assigned by geographers to New Albion, has hitherto
remained unvisited by voyagers, and little known even to the Spaniards
residing in the country. Two large navigable rivers, which I afterwards
surveyed, empty themselves into it, one from the north, the other from
the east. The land is extremely fruitful, and the climate is perhaps the
finest and most healthy in the world. It has hitherto been the fate of
these regions, like that of modest merit or humble virtue, to remain
unnoticed; but posterity will do them justice; towns and cities will
hereafter flourish where all is now desert; the waters, over which
scarcely a solitary boat is yet seen t