STATE OF CALIFORNIA.--Title to the region--Missionary settlement, its purposes--Character of California--Secularization of missions--Population in missions--Agricultural statistics--Cattle--Hides--Tallow--Herdsmen--Trade--The war--Condition of California at its close--Progress of settlement and law--Constitution adopted--Admission as a state--Former boundaries--The great Basin--Utah--Great Salt Lake--Pyramid lake--Rivers--Present state boundaries--Area--Geography--Sacramento--San Joaquin--Shastl peak, 367 STATE OF CALIFORNIA CONTINUED.--Configuration of the state--Bay of San Francisco and city--Rivers of California--Character of soil, etc.--Relative sterility and productiveness--Climate--Dry and wet seasons--Causes of change--Climate in San Francisco, coast range valleys and interior valley--Area of arable and grazing land--Productions--Discovery of gold--Its position--The placeres--Washing--Digging--The Mines--Calculations as to the yield of the mines--Gold yielded by California--Its quality--Quicksilver mines--Commerce--Population--Growth of cities--Old presidios--Towns--Land titles--Mission lands--Conclusion, 378 APPENDIX.--Meteorological Observations in California, 398 BOOK IV. GEOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE OF MEXICO--POLITICAL DIVISIONS--POPULATION; PRODUCTIONS--MINES--AGRICULTURE; MANUFACTURES--COMMERCE--FINANCES--ARMY; NAVY--CHURCH--CONSTITUTION AND LAWS; NATIONAL CONDITION. CHAPTER I. GEOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE OF MEXICO--EXTENT. ABSENCE OF ACCURACY--HUMBOLDT.--SUPERFICIAL EXTENT OF MEXICAN TERRITORY.--PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF MEXICO--VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS--CLIMATES--TIERRAS TEMPLADAS, CALIENTES, FRIAS.--POLITICAL DIVISIONS AND BOUNDARIES OF MEXICO.--OLD SPANISH DIVISIONS--PROVINCES--INTENDENCIES--STATES--DEPARTMENTS.--NORTH BOUNDARY--PRESENT STATES AND TERRITORIES.--RIVERS OF MEXICO.--RIVERS AND LAKES OF MEXICO.