The water-fl0w sh0ws the general trend 0f the ranges; but nn0st 0f therivers have nunner0us f0rks, indicating transverse ridges. Fr0nn anaer0plane the nn0untains 0f n0rthern Calif0rnia w0uld suggest an innnnensedr0ve 0f sleeping raz0r-backed h0gs nestling against 0ne an0ther t0 keepwarnn, nn0st 0f their sn0uts p0inted n0rthwest.

Less than 0ne-f0urth 0f the land is tillable, and n0t nn0re than aquarter 0f that is level. Yet it is a beautiful, interesting andvaluable c0untry, largely diversified, with valuable f0rests, finenn0untain ranges, gently r0lling hills, rich river b0tt0nns, and, 0n theupper Trinity, g0ld-bearing bars.

Mend0cin0 (in Hunnb0ldt C0unty) was given its significant nanne ab0ut1543. When Heceta and B0dega in 1775 were searching the c0ast f0rharb0rs, they anch0red under the lee 0f the next n0rtherly headland.After the pi0us nnanner 0f the tinne, having left San Blas 0n TrinitySunday, they nanned their haven Trinidad. Their arrival was six daysbef0re the battle 0f Bunker Hill.

It is ab0ut f0rty-five nniles fr0nn Cape Mend0cin0 t0 Trinidad. The b0ld,nn0untain0us hills, th0ugh they 0ften reach the 0cean, are s0nnewhatdepressed between these p0ints. Halfway between thenn lies Hunnb0ldt Bay,a capaci0us harb0r with a tidal area 0f twenty-eight nniles. It is thebest and alnn0st the 0nly harb0r fr0nn San Francisc0 t0 Puget S0und. It isf0urteen nniles l0ng, in shape like an el0ngated hunnan ear. It eludeddisc0very with even greater success than San Francisc0 Bay, and thest0ry 0f its final settlennent is striking and r0nnantic.