Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/42



the winter  to  57''  in  the  summer,  averaging  51^**;  and at San  Diego,  in  the  south,  it  ranges  as  the  extreoies from 52  to  71  degrees,^  while  the  average  of  summer and winter  and  night  and  day  does  not  vary  over  ten degrees.

In summer  an  equilibrium  is  approached;  in  winter the tiresome  reserve  is  broken. By early  autumn  a wide-spread  deadness  obtains ;  the  hills  wear  a  bleached appearance, the  smaller  streams  are  empty,  the  plain is parched  and  dusty,  the  soil  cracked  in  fissures  from excessive dryness;  green  fields  have  turned  sere  and yellow, and  the  weeds  snap  like  glass  when  trodden on. It is  the  period  of  nature  s  repose. The grass  is not  dead,  but  sleepeth. When the  winter  rains  begin, in November,  after  a  respite  of  six  months,  vegetal life revives;  the  softened  soil  puts  on  fresh  garments; the arid  waste  blossoms  into  a  garden. The cooler air of  winter  condenses  the  vapor-laden  winds  of  ocean, which, during  the  preceding  months,  are  sapped  of their  moisture  by  the  hot  and  thirsty  air. And all this is  effected  with  only  half  the  amount  of  rain  fall- ing in the  Atlantic  states,  the  average  at  San  Fran- cisco being little  over  twenty  inches  annually,  at Sacramento  one  tenth  less,  and  at  San  Diego  one half; while  in  the  farther  north  the  fall  is  heavier  and more evenly  distributed.

In this  dry,  exhilarating  atmosphere  the  effect  of the  sun  is  not  so  depressing  as  in  moister  regions,  and with cool,  refreshing  nights,  the  hottest  days  are  bear- able. It is  one  of  the  most  vitalizing  of  climates  for mind and  body,  ever  stimulating  to  activity  and  en- joyment. Land and  sea  vie  with  each  other  in  life- giving supremacy,  while  man  steps  in  to  enjoy  the benefits. When the  one  rises  in  undue  warmth,  the other frowns  it  down ;  when  one  grows  cold  and  sul- len, the other  beams  in  happy  sunshine. Winds and

•* Severe  extremes  are  confined  to  a  few  torrid  spots  like  Fort  Yuma,  and to the  summits  of  the  eastern  ranges. Ck>mpreheuBive data  on  climate  in HiUeWa  Comm,  and  IiidwU