Project Gutenberg 2004-07-23 Public domain in the USA. 197 Bryant, Edwin 1805 1869 What I Saw in California A Description of Its Soil, Climate, Productions, and Gold Mines, with the Best Routes and Latest Information for Intending Emigrants; to Which is Annexed an Appendix Containing Official Documents and Letters Authenticating the Accounts of the Quantities of Gold Found, with Its Actual Value Ascertained by Chemical Assay; also Late Communications Containing Accounts of the Highest Interest and Importance from the Gold Districts; with a Map E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team "What I Saw in California" by Edwin Bryant is a historical account written in the mid-19th century, specifically around the time of the Gold Rush. The narrative provides a detailed examination of California's geography, climate, economy, and social structures, as observed by the author during his travels through the region. Bryant shares insights on settled life in California, its political framework, the richness of its agricultural land, and the burgeoning gold mining industry that was attracting many new settlers. The opening of the work sets the stage by outlining the geographical layout of Upper California, including descriptions of its rivers, valleys, and towns. Bryant introduces various elements of California's society, such as missions and presidios, and notes the region's biodiversity and agricultural potential. He discusses the lifestyle of both native Californians and new settlers, highlighting the opportunities and challenges they face. The narrative begins to take shape as Bryant chronicles his own journey through the landscape, emphasizing the stark differences between the thriving natural environment and the impact of human settlement. This initial portion immerses the reader in a vivid and comprehensive picture of California during a transformative period in its history, establishing a context for the stories and observations that will unfold throughout the text. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 65.2 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en California -- Description and travel West (U.S.) -- Description and travel Overland journeys to the Pacific California -- Gold discoveries F850.5 Text Category: Travel Writing Category: History - American 469865 2025-08-06T03:30:28.312897 text/html 446910 2024-10-28T20:00:39 text/html 274838 2025-08-06T03:30:36.407789 application/epub+zip 280839 2025-08-06T03:30:31.487868 application/epub+zip 245066 2025-08-06T03:30:30.302849 application/epub+zip 514998 2025-08-06T03:30:40.140830 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 495822 2025-08-06T03:30:35.631860 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 336112 2022-08-06T16:40:52.587974 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 451336 2025-08-06T03:30:27.562855 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 431544 2024-10-28T20:00:39 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 17524 2025-08-06T03:30:40.261808 application/rdf+xml 16043 2025-08-06T03:30:30.797845 image/jpeg 4267 2025-08-06T03:30:30.550838 image/jpeg 267781 2025-08-06T03:30:28.354863 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia