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208 which we struck in ten miles after leaving the Clamuth Valley, and continued down it, frequently crossing and recrossing the stream. Fifteen miles below the point where we first struck this stream, we came to a Soda spring bursting out from the foot of a high hill, and running into a small basin formed by travelers or Indians for the convenience of drinking. The water from this Spring is strongly impregnated with some other mineral. From this Soda Spring we proceeded down the River through the Sacramento Hills which are high, steep, and rugged, covered with timber, and almost destitute of grass. The rock in these hills is principally a coarse granite, but that forming the channel of the River is volcanic. In passing through these hills we were still compelled to cross and recross the stream, in order to find a passable way, which, in its whole course, until it reaches the head of the Valley, a distance of one hundred miles, is full of falls, rapids, and narrow canyons. Having come to the head of the Valley, we took the West side of the River, which here begins to assume a different character, losing its irregularity and rapidity, and flowing with a more even current. Continuing down the Valley on the West side we found, all along on the River, villages of Indians living in miserable huts made of poles, set on end in a circle on the ground, leaned together, fastened at the top, and covered with grass and dirt. We found those in the upper part of the Valley, entirely naked, and so wild that they fled from our approach into the thickets, leaving their villages and all their property behind them. They subsist principally upon salmon, (which ascend the River in great quantities,) upon acorns, and wild oats.

One hundred sixty miles from the head of the Valley, we came to the Fort of Capt. Sutter, a large trading establishment, built of dobies. Capt. Sutter's Fort is situated on the East side of the Sacramento River, about fifty