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diff --git a/old/13002-8.txt b/old/13002-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d72c012 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13002-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7666 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, What I Saw in California, by Edwin Bryant + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: What I Saw in California + +Author: Edwin Bryant + +Release Date: July 23, 2004 [eBook #13002] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT I SAW IN CALIFORNIA*** + + +E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading +Team + + + +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. + +By + +EDWIN BRYANT + +Late Alcade of San Francisco. + +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. + +1849 + + + + + + + +"All which I saw, and part of which I was." + --_Dryden_. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Geographical sketch of California + Its political and social institutions + Colorado River + Valley and river of San Joaquin + Former government + Presidios + Missions + Ports and commerce. + + +For the general information of the reader, it will be proper to give a +brief geographical sketch of California, and some account of its +political and social institutions, as they have heretofore existed. + +The district of country known geographically as Upper California is +bounded on the north by Oregon, the forty-second degree of north +latitude being the boundary line between the two territories; on the +east by the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra de los Mimbres, a +continuation of the same range; on the south by Sonora and Old or Lower +California, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Its extent from north +to south is about 700 miles, and from east to west from 600 to 800 +miles, with an area of about 400,000 square miles. A small portion only +of this extensive territory is fertile or inhabitable by civilized man, +and this portion consists chiefly in the strip of country along the +Pacific Ocean, about 700 miles in length, and from 100 to 150 in +breadth, bounded on the east by the Sierra Nevada, and on the west by +the Pacific. In speaking of Upper California this strip of country is +what is generally referred to. + +The largest river of Upper California is the Colorado or Red, which has +a course of about 1000 miles, and empties into the Gulf of California +in latitude about 32 degrees north. But little is known of the region +through which this stream flows. The report of trappers, however, is +that the river is _canoned_ between high mountains and precipices a +large portion of its course, and that its banks and the country +generally through which it flows are arid, sandy, and barren. Green and +Grand Rivers are its principal upper tributaries, both of which rise in +the Rocky Mountains, and within the territories of the United States. +The Gila is its lowest and largest branch, emptying into the Colorado, +just above its mouth. Sevier and Virgin Rivers are also tributaries of +the Colorado. Mary's River rises near latitude 42 degrees north, and +has a course of about 400 miles, when its waters sink in the sands of +the desert. This river is not laid down on any map which I have seen. +The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers have each a course of from 300 to +400 miles, the first flowing from the north and the last from the +south, and both emptying into the Bay of St. Francisco at the same +point. They water the large and fertile valley lying between the Sierra +Nevada and the coast range of mountains. I subjoin a description of the +valley and river San Joaquin, from the pen of a gentleman (Dr. Marsh) +who has explored the river from its source to its mouth. + +"This noble valley is the first undoubtedly in California, and one of +the most magnificent in the world. It is about 500 miles long, with +an-average width of about fifty miles. It is bounded on the east by the +great Snowy Mountains, and on the west by the low range, which in many +places dwindles into insignificant hills, and has its northern terminus +at the Strait of Carquines, on the Bay of San Francisco, and its +southern near the Colorado River. + +"The river of San Joaquin flows through the middle of the valley for +about half of its extent, and thence diverges towards the eastern +mountain, in which it has its source. About sixty miles further south +is the northern end of the Buena Vista Lake, which is about one hundred +miles long, and from ten to twenty wide. Still farther south, and near +the western side of the valley, is another and much smaller lake. + +"The great lake receives about a dozen tributaries on its eastern side, +which all rise in the great range of the Snowy Mountains. Some of these +streams flow through broad and fertile valleys within the mountain's +range, and, from thence emerging, irrigate the plains of the great +valley for the distance of twenty or thirty miles. The largest of these +rivers is called by the Spanish inhabitants the river Reyes, and falls +into the lake near its northern end; it is a well-timbered stream, and +flows through a country of great fertility and beauty. The tributaries +of the San Joaquin are all on the east side. + +"On ascending the stream we first meet with the Stanislaus, a clear +rapid mountain stream, some forty or fifty yards wide, with a +considerable depth of water in its lower portion. The Mormons have +commenced a settlement, called New Hope, and built some two or three +houses near the mouth. + +"There are considerable bodies of fertile land along the river, and the +higher plains afford good pasturage. + +"Ten miles higher up is the river of the Tawalomes; it is about the +size of the Stanislaus, which it greatly resembles, except that the +soil is somewhat better, and that it particularly abounds with salmon. + +"Some thirty miles farther comes in the Merced, much the largest of the +tributaries of the San Joaquin. The lands along and between the +tributaries of the San Joaquin and the lake of Buena Vista form a fine +pastoral region, with a good proportion of arable land, and a very +inviting field for emigration. The whole of this region has been but +imperfectly explored; enough, however, is known to make it certain that +it is one of the most desirable regions on the continent. + +"In the valleys of the rivers which come down from the great Snowy +Mountains are vast bodies of pine, and red-wood, or cedar timber, and +the streams afford water power to any desirable amount. + +"The whole country east of the San Joaquin, and the water communication +which connects it with the lakes, is considered, by the best judges, to +be particularly adapted to the culture of the vine, which must +necessarily become one of the principal agricultural resources of +California." + +The Salinas River empties into the Pacific, about twelve miles above +Monterey. Bear River empties into the Great Salt Lake. The other +streams of California are all small. In addition to the Great Salt Lake +and the Utah Lake there are numerous small lakes in the Sierra Nevada. +The San Joaquin is connected with Tule Lake, or Lake Buena Vista, a +sheet of water about eighty miles in length and fifteen in breadth. A +lake, not laid down in any map, and known as the _Laguna_ among the +Californians, is situated about sixty miles north of the Bay of San +Francisco. It is between forty and sixty miles in length. The valleys +in its vicinity are highly fertile, and romantically beautiful. In the +vicinity of this lake there is a mountain of pure sulphur. There are +also soda springs, and a great variety of other mineral waters, and +minerals. + +The principal mountains west of the eastern boundary of California (the +Rocky Mountains) are the Bear River, Wahsatch, Utah, the Sierra Nevada, +and the Coast range. The Wahsatch Mountains form the eastern rim of the +"great interior basin." There are numerous ranges in this desert basin, +all of which run north and south, and are separated from each other by +spacious and barren valleys and plains. The Sierra Nevada range is of +greater elevation than the Rocky Mountains. The summits of the most +elevated peaks are covered with perpetual snow. This and the coast +range run nearly parallel with the shore of the Pacific. The first is +from 100 to 200 miles from the Pacific, and the last from forty to +sixty miles. The valley between them is the most fertile portion of +California. + +Upper California was discovered in 1548, by Cabrillo, a Spanish +navigator. In 1578, the northern portion of it was visited by Sir +Francis Drake, who called it New Albion. It was first colonized by the +Spaniards, in 1768, and formed a province of Mexico until after the +revolution in that country. There have been numerous revolutions and +civil wars in California within the last twenty years; but up to the +conquest of the country by the United States in 1846, Mexican authority +has generally been exercised over it. + +The following description of the political and social condition of +Upper California in 1822 is extracted and translated from a Spanish +writer of that date. I have thought that the extract would not be +uninteresting:-- + +"_Government_.--Upper California, on account of its small population, +not being able to become a state of the great Mexican republic, takes +the character of territory, the government of which is under the charge +of a commandant-general, who exercises the charge of a superior +political chief, whose attributes depend entirely upon the president of +the republic and the general congress. But, to amplify the legislation +of its centre, it has a deputation made up of seven vocals, the half of +these individuals being removed every two years. The superior political +chief presides at their sessions. The inhabitants of the territory are +divided amongst the presidios, missions, and towns. + +"_Presidios_.--The necessity of protecting the apostolic predication +was the obligatory reason for forming the presidios, which were +established according to circumstances. That of San Diego was the +first; Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco were built +afterwards. The form of all of them is nearly the same, and this is a +square, containing about two hundred yards in each front, formed of a +weak wall made of mud-bricks. Its height may be four yards in the +interior of the square, and built on to the same wall. In its entire +circumference are a chapel, storehouses, and houses for the commandant, +officers, and troops, having at the entrance of the presidio quarters +for a _corps-de-garde_. + +"These buildings in the presidios, at the first idea, appear to have +been sufficient, the only object having been for a defence against a +surprise from the gentiles, or wild Indians in the immediate vicinity. +But this cause having ceased, I believe they ought to be demolished, as +they are daily threatening a complete ruin, and, from the very limited +spaces of habitation, must be very incommodious to those who inhabit +them. As to the exterior of the presidios, several private individuals +have built some very decent houses, and, having evinced great emulation +in this branch of business, I have no doubt but in a short time we +shall see very considerable towns in California. + +"At the distance of one, or at the most two miles from the presidio, +and near to the anchoring-ground, is a fort, which has a few pieces of +artillery of small calibre. The situation of most of them is very +advantageous for the defence of the port, though the form of the walls, +esplanades, and other imperfections which may be seen, make them very +insignificant. + +"The battalion of each presidio is made up of eighty or more horse +soldiers, called _cuera_; besides these, it has a number of auxiliary +troops and a detachment of artillery. The commandant of each presidio +is the captain of its respective company, and besides the intervention, +military and political, he has charge of all things relating to the +marine department. + +"_Missions_.--The missions contained in the territory are twenty-one. +They were built at different epochs: that of San Diego, being the +first, was built in 1769; its distance from the presidio of the same +name is two leagues. The rest were built successively, according to +circumstances and necessity. The last one was founded in the year 1822, +under the name of San Francisco Dolores, and is the most northern of +all. + +"The edifices in some of those missions are more extensive than in +others, but in form they are all nearly equal. They are all fabricated +of mud-bricks, and the divisions are according to necessity. In all of +them may be found commodious habitations for the ministers, storehouses +to keep their goods in, proportional granaries, offices for +soap-makers, weavers, blacksmiths, and large parterres, and horse and +cattle pens, independent apartments for Indian youths of each sex, and +all such offices as were necessary at the time of its institution. +Contiguous to and communicating with the former is a church, forming a +part of the edifices of each mission; they are all very proportionable, +and are adorned with profusion. + +"The Indians reside about two hundred yards distant from the +above-mentioned edifice. This place is called the rancheria. Most of +the missions are made up of very reduced quarters, built with +mud-bricks, forming streets, while in others the Indians have been +allowed to follow their primitive customs; their dwellings being a sort +of huts, in a conical shape, which at the most do not exceed four yards +in diameter, and the top of the cone may be elevated three yards. They +are built of rough sticks, covered with bulrushes or grass, in such a +manner as to completely protect the inhabitants from all the +inclemencies of the weather. In my opinion, these rancherias are the +most adequate to the natural uncleanliness of the Indians, as the +families often renew them, burning the old ones, and immediately +building others with the greatest facility. Opposite the rancherias, +and near to the mission, is to be found a small garrison, with +proportionate rooms, for a corporal and five soldiers with their +families. This small garrison is quite sufficient to prevent any +attempt of the Indians from taking effect, there having been some +examples made, which causes the Indians to respect this small force. +One of these pickets in a mission has a double object; besides keeping +the Indians in subjection, they run post with a monthly correspondence, +or with any extraordinaries that may be necessary for government. + +"All the missions in this California are under the charge of religious +men of the order of San Francisco. At the present time their number is +twenty-seven, most of them of an advanced age. Each mission has one of +these fathers for its administrator, and he holds absolute authority. +The tilling of the ground, the gathering of the harvest, the +slaughtering of cattle, the weaving, and everything that concerns the +mission, is under the direction of the fathers, without any other +person interfering in any way whatever, so that, if any one mission has +the good fortune to be superintended by an industrious and discreet +padre, the Indians disfrute in abundance all the real necessaries of +life; at the same time the nakedness and misery of any one mission are +a palpable proof of the inactivity of its director. The missions extend +their possessions from one extremity of the territory to the other, and +have made the limits of one mission from those of another. Though they +do not require all this land for their agriculture and the maintenance +of their stock, they have appropriated the whole; always strongly +opposing any individual who may wish to settle himself or his family on +any piece of land between them. But it is to be hoped that the new +system of illustration, and the necessity of augmenting private +properly, and the people of reason, will cause the government to take +such adequate measures as will conciliate the interests of all. Amongst +all the missions there are from twenty-one to twenty-two thousand +Catholic Indians; but each mission has not an equal or a proportionate +part in its congregation. Some have three or four thousand, whilst +others have scarcely four hundred; and at this difference may be +computed the riches of the missions in proportion. Besides the number +of Indians already spoken of, each mission has a considerable number of +gentiles, who live chiefly on farms annexed to the missions. The number +of these is undetermined. + +"The Indians are naturally filthy and careless, and their understanding +is very limited. In the small arts they are not deficient in ideas of +imitation but they never will be inventors. Their true character is +that of being revengeful and timid, consequently they are very much +addicted to treachery. They have no knowledge of benefits received, and +ingratitude is common amongst them. The education they receive in their +infancy is not the proper one to develope their reason, and, if it +were, I do not believe them capable of any good impression. All these +Indians, whether from the continual use of the sweat-house, or from +their filthiness, or the little ventilation in their habitations, are +weak and unvigorous; spasms and rheumatics, to which they are so much +subject, are the consequences of their customs. But what most injures +them, and prevents propagation, is the venereal disease, which most of +them have very strongly, clearly proving that their humours are +analogous to receiving the impressions of this contagion. From this +reason may be deduced the enormous differences between the births and +deaths, which, without doubt, is one-tenth per year in favour of the +latter; but the missionaries do all in their power to prevent this, +with respect to the catechumens situated near them. + +"The general productions of the missions are, the breed of the larger +class of cattle, and sheep, horses, wheat, maize or Indian corn, beans, +peas, and other vegetables; though the productions of the missions +situated more to the southward are more extensive, these producing the +grape and olive in abundance. Of all these articles of production, the +most lucrative is the large cattle, their hides and tallow affording an +active commerce with foreign vessels on this coast. This being the only +means the inhabitants, missionaries, or private individuals have of +supplying their actual necessities, for this reason they give this +branch all the impulse they possibly can, and on it generally place all +their attention. + +"It is now six years since they began to gather in hides and tallow for +commerce. Formerly they merely took care of as many or as much as they +required for their own private use, and the rest was thrown away as +useless; but at this time the actual number of hides sold annually on +board of foreign vessels amounts to thirty or forty thousand, and about +the same amount of arrobas (twenty-five pounds) of tallow; and, in +pursuing their present method, there is no doubt but in three or four +years the amount of the exportation of each of these articles will be +doubled. Flax, linen, wine, olive-oil, grain, and other agricultural +productions, would be very extensive if there were stimulants to excite +industry; but, this not being the case, there is just grain enough sown +and reaped for the consumption of the inhabitants in the territory. + +"The towns contained in this district are three; the most populous +being that of Angeles, which has about twelve hundred souls; that of +St. Joseph's of Guadaloupe may contain six hundred, and the village of +Branciforte two hundred; they are all formed imperfectly and without +order, each person having built his own house on the spot he thought +most convenient for himself. The first of these pueblos is governed by +its corresponding body of magistrates, composed of an alcalde or judge, +four regidores or municipal officers, a syndic, and secretary; the +second, of an alcalde, two regidores, a syndic, and secretary; and the +third, on account of the smallness of its population, is subject to the +commandancia of Monterey. + +"The inhabitants of the towns are white, and, to distinguish them from +the Indians, are vulgarly called _people of reason_. The number of +these contained in the territory may be nearly five thousand. These +families are divided amongst the pueblos and presidios. They are nearly +all the descendants of a small number of individuals who came from the +Mexican country, some as settlers, others in the service of the army, +and accompanied by their wives. In the limited space of little more +than fifty years the present generation has been formed. + +"The whites are in general robust, healthy, and well made. Some of them +are occupied in breeding and raising cattle, and cultivating small +quantities of wheat and beans; but for want of sufficient land, for +which they cannot obtain a rightful ownership, their labours are very +limited. Others dedicate themselves to the service of arms. All the +presidial companies are composed of the natives of the country, but the +most of them are entirely indolent, it being very rare for any +individual to strive to augment his fortune. Dancing, horse-riding, and +gambling occupy all their time. The arts are entirely unknown, and I am +doubtful if there is one individual who exercises any trade; very few +who understand the first rudiments of letters, and the other sciences +are unknown amongst them. + +"The fecundity of the _people of reason_ is extreme. It is very rare to +find a married couple with less than five or six children, while there +are hundreds who have from twelve to fifteen. Very few of them die in +their youth, and in reaching the age of puberty are sure to see their +grand-children. The age of eighty and one hundred has always been +common in this climate; most infirmities are unknown here, and the +freshness and robustness of the people show the beneficial influence of +the climate; the women in particular have always the roses stamped on +their cheeks. This beautiful species is without doubt the most active +and laborious, all their vigilance in duties of the house, the +cleanliness of their children, and attention to their husbands, +dedicating all their leisure moments to some kind of occupation that +may be useful towards their maintenance. Their clothing is always clean +and decent, nakedness being entirely unknown in either sex. + +"_Ports and Commerce_.--There are four ports, principal bays, in this +territory, which take the names of the corresponding presidios. The +best guarded is that of San Diego. That of San Francisco has many +advantages. Santa Barbara is but middling in the best part of the +season; at other times always bad. Besides the above-mentioned places, +vessels sometimes anchor at Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, El Refugio, +San Pedro, and San Juan, that they may obtain the productions of the +missions nearest these last-mentioned places; but from an order sent by +the minister of war, and circulated by the commandante-general, we are +given to understand that no foreign vessel is permitted to anchor at +any of these places, Monterey only excepted, notwithstanding the +commandante-general has allowed the first three principal ports to +remain open provisionally. Were it not so, there would undoubtedly be +an end to all commerce with California, as I will quickly show. + +"The only motive that induces foreign vessels to visit this coast is +for the hides and tallow which they barter for in the territory. It is +well known, that at any of these parts there is no possibility of +realizing any money, for here it does not circulate. The goods imported +by foreign vessels are intended to facilitate the purchase of the +aforesaid articles, well knowing that the missions have no interest in +money, but rather such goods as are necessary for the Indians, so that +several persons who have brought goods to sell for nothing but money +have not been able to sell them. It will appear very extraordinary that +money should not be appreciated in a country where its value is so well +known; but the reason may be easily perceived by attending to the +circumstances of the territory. + +"The quantity of hides gathered yearly is about thirty or forty +thousand; and the arrobas of tallow, with very little difference, will +be about the same. Averaging the price of each article at two dollars, +we shall see that the intrinsic value in annual circulation in +California is 140,000 dollars. This sum, divided between twenty-one +missions, will give each one 6666 dollars. Supposing the only +production of the country converted into money, with what would the +Indians be clothed, and by what means would they be able to cover a +thousand other necessaries? Money is useful in amplifying speculations; +but in California, as yet, there are no speculations, and it +productions are barely sufficient for the absolute necessary +consumption. The same comparison may be made with respect to private +individuals, who are able to gather a few hides and a few arrobas of +tallow, these being in small quantities." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + Leave New Helvetia for San Francisco + Cosçumne River + Mickélemes River + Ford of the San Joaquin + Extensive plain + Tule marshes + Large droves of wild horses and elk + Arrive at Dr. Marsh's + Vineyard + Californian grape + Californian wine + Aguardiénte + Mormon settlements on the San Joaquin + Californian beef + Cattle + Grasses of California + Horses + Breakfast + Leave Dr. Marsh's + Arrive at Mr. Livermore's + Comforts of his dwelling + Large herds of cattle + Sheep + Swine + Californian senora + Slaughtering of a bullock + Fossil oyster-shells + Skeleton of a whale on a high mountain + Arrive at mission of San José + Ruinous and desolate appearance of the mission + Pedlars + Landlady + Filth + Gardens of the mission + Fruit orchards + Empty warehouses and workshops + Foul lodgings. + + +_September 13th_.--We commenced to-day our journey from New Helvetia to +San Francisco. Our party consisted, including myself, of Colonel +Russell, Dr. McKee of Monterey, Mr. Pickett, a traveller in the +country, recently from Oregon, and an Indian servant, who had been +furnished us by Captain Sutter. Starting about 3 o'clock P.M., we +travelled in a south course over a flat plain until sunset, and +encamped near a small lake on the rancho of Mr. Murphy, near the +Cosçumne River, a tributary of the Sacramento, which heads near the +foot of the Sierra Nevada. The stream is small, but the bottom-lands +are extensive and rich. Mr. Murphy has been settled in California about +two years, and, with his wife and several children, has resided at this +place sixteen months, during which time he has erected a comfortable +dwelling-house, and other necessary buildings and conveniences. His +wheat crop was abundant this year; and he presented us with as much +milk and fresh butter as we desired. The grass on the upland plain over +which we have travelled is brown and crisp from the annual drought. In +the low bottom it is still green. Distance 18 miles. + +_September 14_.--We crossed the Cosçumne River about a mile from our +camp, and travelled over a level plain covered with luxuriant grass, +and timbered with the evergreen oak, until three o'clock, when we +crossed the Mickélemes River, another tributary of the Sacramento, and +encamped on its southern bank in a beautiful grove of live oaks. The +Mickélemes, where we crossed it, is considerably larger than the +Cosçumnes. The soil of the bottom appears to be very rich, and produces +the finest qualities of grasses. The grass on the upland is also +abundant, but at this time it is brown and dead. We passed through +large tracts of wild oats during the day; the stalks are generally from +three to five feet in length. + +Our Indian servant, or vaquero, feigned sickness this morning, and we +discharged him. As soon as he obtained his discharge, he was entirely +relieved from the excruciating agonies under which he had affected to +be suffering for several hours. Eating his breakfast, and mounting his +horse, he galloped off in the direction of the fort. We overtook this +afternoon an English sailor, named Jack, who was travelling towards +Monterey; and we employed him as cook and hostler for the remainder of +the journey. + +A variety of autumnal flowers, generally of a brilliant yellow, are in +bloom along the beautiful and romantic bunks of the rivulet. Distance +25 miles. + +_September 15_.--Our horses were frightened last night by bears, and +this morning, with the exception of those which were picketed, had +strayed so far that we did not recover them until ten o'clock. Our +route has continued over a flat plain, generally covered with luxuriant +grass, wild oats, and a variety of sparkling flowers. The soil is +composed of a rich argillaceous loam. Large tracts of the land are +evidently subject to annual inundations. About noon we reached a small +lake surrounded by _tule_. There being no trail for our guidance, we +experienced some difficulty in shaping our course so as to strike the +San Joaquin River at the usual fording place. Our man Jack, by some +neglect or mistake of his own, lost sight of us, and we were compelled +to proceed without him. This afternoon we saw several large droves of +antelope and deer. Game of all kinds appears to be very abundant in +this rich valley. Passing through large tracts of _tule_, we reached +the San Joaquin River at dark, and encamped on the eastern bank. Here +we immediately made large fires, and discharged pistols as signals to +our man Jack, but he did not come into camp. Distance 35 miles. + +_September 16_.--Jack came into camp while we were breakfasting, +leading his tired horse. He had bivouacked on the plain, and, fearful +that his horse would break loose if he tied him, he held the animal by +the bridle all night. + +The ford of the San Joaquin is about forty or fifty miles from its +mouth. At this season the water is at its lowest stage. The stream at +the ford is probably one hundred yards in breadth, and our animals +crossed it without much difficulty, the water reaching about midway of +their bodies. Oak and small willows are the principal growth of wood +skirting the river. Soon after we crossed the San Joaquin this morning +we met two men, couriers, bearing despatches from Commodore Stockton, +the governor and commander-in-chief in California, to Sutter's Fort. +Entering upon the broad plain, we passed, in about three miles, a small +lake, the water of which was so much impregnated with alkali as to be +undrinkable. The grass is brown and crisp, but the seed upon it is +evidence that it had fully matured before the drought affected it. The +plain is furrowed with numerous deep trails, made by the droves of wild +horses, elk, deer, and antelope, which roam over and graze upon it. The +hunting sportsman can here enjoy his favourite pleasure to its fullest +extent. + +Having determined to deviate from our direct course, in order to visit +the rancho of Dr. Marsh, we parted from Messrs. McKee and Pickett about +noon. We passed during the afternoon several _tule_ marshes, with which +the plain of the San Joaquin is dotted. At a distance, the tule of +these marshes presents the appearance of immense fields of ripened +corn. The marshes are now nearly dry, and to shorten our journey we +crossed several of them without difficulty. A month earlier, this would +not have been practicable. I have but little doubt that these marshes +would make fine rice plantations, and perhaps, if properly drained, +they might produce the sugar-cane. + +While pursuing our journey we frequently saw large droves of wild +horses and elk grazing quietly upon the plain. No spectacle of moving +life can present a more animated and beautiful appearance than a herd +of wild horses. They were divided into droves of some one or two +hundred. When they noticed us, attracted by curiosity to discover what +we were, they would start and run almost with the fleetness of the wind +in the direction towards us. But, arriving within a distance of two +hundred yards, they would suddenly halt, and after bowing their necks +into graceful curves, and looking steadily at us a few moments, with +loud snortings they would wheel about and bound away with the same +lightning speed. These evolutions they would repeat several times, +until, having satisfied their curiosity, they would bid us a final +adieu, and disappear behind the undulations of the plain. + +The herds of elk were much more numerous. Some of them numbered at +least two thousand, and with their immense antlers presented, when +running, a very singular and picturesque appearance. We approached some +of these herds within fifty yards before they took the alarm. Beef in +California is so abundant, and of so fine a quality, that game is but +little hunted, and not much prized, hence the elk, deer, and even +antelope are comparatively very tame, and rarely run from the +traveller, unless he rides very near them. Some of these elk are as +large as a medium-sized Mexican mule. + +We arrived at the rancho of Dr. Marsh about 5 o'clock P.M., greatly +fatigued with the day's ride. The residence of Dr. M. is romantically +situated, near the foot of one of the most elevated mountains in the +range separating the valley of the San Joaquin from the plain +surrounding the Bay of San Francisco. It is called "Mount Diablo," and +may be seen in clear weather a great distance. The dwelling of Dr. M. +is a small one-story house, rudely constructed of adobes, and divided +into two or three apartments. The flooring is of earth, like the walls. +A table or two, and some benches and a bed, are all the furniture it +contains. Such are the privations to which those who settle in new +countries must submit. Dr. M. is a native of New England, a graduate of +Harvard University, and a gentleman of fine natural abilities and +extensive scientific and literary acquirements. He emigrated to +California some seven or eight years since, after having travelled +through most of the Mexican States. He speaks the Spanish language +fluently and correctly, and his accurate knowledge of Mexican +institutions, laws, and customs was fully displayed in his conversation +in regard to them. He obtained the grant of land upon which he now +resides, some ten or twelve miles square, four or fire years ago; and +although he has been constantly harassed by the wild Indians, who have +several times stolen all his horses, and sometimes numbers of his +cattle, he has succeeded in permanently establishing himself. The +present number of cattle on his rancho is about two thousand, and the +increase of the present year he estimates at five hundred. + +I noticed near the house a vegetable garden, with the usual variety of +vegetables. In another inclosure was the commencement of an extensive +vineyard, the fruit of which (now ripe) exceeds in delicacy of flavour +any grapes which I have ever tasted. This grape is not indigenous, but +was introduced by _the padres_, when they first established themselves +in the country. The soil and climate of California have probably +improved it. Many of the clusters are eight and ten inches in length, +and weigh several pounds. The fruit is of medium size, and in colour a +dark purple. The rind is very thin, and when broken the pulp dissolves +in the mouth immediately. Although Dr. M. has just commenced his +vineyard, he has made several casks of wine this year, which is now in +a stale of fermentation. I tasted here, for the first time, +_aguardiénte_, or brandy distilled from the Californian grape. Its +flavour is not unpleasant, and age, I do not doubt, would render it +equal to the brandies of France. Large quantities of wine and +_aguardiénte_ are made from the extensive vineyards farther south. Dr. +M. informed me that his lands had produced a hundredfold of wheat +without irrigation. This yield seems almost incredible; but, if we can +believe the statements of men of unimpeached veracity, there have been +numerous instances of reproduction of wheat in California equalling and +even exceeding this. + +Some time in July, a vessel arrived at San Francisco from New York, +which had been chartered and freighted principally by a party of Mormon +emigrants, numbering between two and three hundred, women and children +included. These Mormons are about making a settlement for agricultural +purposes on the San Joaquin River, above the rancho of Dr. Marsh. Two +of the women and one of the men are now here, waiting for the return of +the main party, which has gone up the river to explore and select a +suitable site for the settlement. The women are young, neatly dressed, +and one of them may be called good-looking. Captain Gant, formerly of +the U.S. Army, in very bad health, is also residing here. He has +crossed the Rocky Mountains eight times, and, in various trapping +excursions, has explored nearly every river between the settlements of +the United States and the Pacific Ocean. + +The house of Dr. Marsh being fully occupied, we made our beds in a +shed, a short distance from it. Suspended from one of the poles forming +the frame of this shed was a portion of the carcass of a recently +slaughtered beef. The meat was very fat, the muscular portions of it +presenting that marbled appearance, produced by a mixture of the fat +and lean, so agreeable to the sight and palate of the epicure. The +horned cattle of California, which I have thus far seen, are the +largest and the handsomest in shape which I ever saw. There is +certainly no breed in the United States equalling them in size. They, +as well as the horses, subsist entirely on the indigenous grasses, at +all seasons of the year; and such are the nutritious qualities of the +herbage, that the former are always in condition for slaughtering, and +the latter have as much flesh upon them as is desirable, unless (which +is often the case) they are kept up at hard work and denied the +privilege of eating, or are broken down by hard riding. The varieties +of grass are very numerous, and nearly all of them are heavily seeded +when ripe, and are equal, if not superior, as food for animals, to corn +and oats. The horses are not as large as the breeds of the United +States, but in point of symmetrical proportions and in capacity for +endurance they are fully equal to our best breeds. The distance we have +travelled to-day I estimate at thirty-five miles. + +_September 17_.--The temperature of the mornings is most agreeable, and +every other phenomenon accompanying it is correspondingly delightful to +the senses. Our breakfast consisted of warm bread, made of unbolted +flour, stewed beef, seasoned with _chile colorado_, a species of red +pepper, and _frijoles_, a dark-coloured bean, with coffee. After +breakfast I walked with Dr. Marsh to the summit of a conical hill, +about a mile distant from his house, from which the view of the plain +on the north, south, and east, and the more broken and mountainous +country on the west, is very extensive and picturesque. The hills and +the plain are ornamented with the evergreen oak, sometimes in clumps or +groves, at others standing solitary. On the summits, and in the gorges +of the mountains, the cedar, pine, and fir display their tall +symmetrical shapes; and the San Joaquin, at a distance of about ten +miles, is belted by a dense forest of oak, sycamore, and smaller timber +and shrubbery. The herds of cattle are scattered over the plain,--some +of them grazing upon the brown but nutritious grass; others sheltering +themselves from the sun under the wide-spreading branches of the oaks. +The _tout ensemble_ of the landscape is charming. + +Leaving Dr. Marsh's about three o'clock P.M., we travelled fifteen +miles, over a rolling and well-watered country, covered generally with +wild oats, and arrived at the residence of Mr. Robert Livermore just +before dark. We were most kindly and hospitably received, and +entertained by Mr. L. and his interesting family. After our mules and +baggage had been cared for, we were introduced to the principal room in +the house, which consisted of a number of small adobe buildings, +erected apparently at different times, and connected together. Here we +found chairs, and, for the first time in California, saw a side-board +set out with glass tumblers and chinaware. A decanter of _aguardiénte_, +a bowl of loaf sugar, and a pitcher of cold water from the spring, were +set before us, and, being duly honoured, had a most reviving influence +upon our spirits as well as our corporeal energies. Suspended from the +walls of the room were numerous coarse engravings, highly coloured with +green, blue, and crimson paints, representing the Virgin Mary, and many +of the saints. These engravings are held in great veneration by the +devout Catholics of this country. In the corners of the room were two +comfortable-looking beds, with clean white sheets and pillow-cases, a +sight with which my eyes have not been greeted for many months. + +The table was soon set out, and covered with a linen cloth of snowy +whiteness, upon which were placed dishes of stewed beef, seasoned with +_chile Colorado, frijoles_, and a plentiful supply of _tortillas_, with +an excellent cup of tea, to the merits of which we did ample justice. +Never were men blessed with better appetites than we are at the present +time. + +Mr. Livermore has been a resident of California nearly thirty years, +and, having married into one of the wealthy families of the country, is +the proprietor of some of the best lands for tillage and grazing. An +_arroyo_, or small rivulet fed by springs, runs through his rancho, in +such a course that, if expedient, he could, without much expense, +irrigate one or two thousand acres. Irrigation in this part of +California, however, seems to be entirely unnecessary for the +production of wheat or any of the small grains. To produce maize, +potatoes, and garden vegetables, irrigation is indispensable. Mr. +Livermore has on his rancho about 3500 head of cattle. His horses, +during the late disturbances, have nearly all been driven off or stolen +by the Indians. I saw in his corral a flock of sheep numbering several +hundred. They are of good size, and the mutton is said to be of an +excellent quality, but the wool is coarse. It is, however, well adapted +to the only manufacture of wool that is carried on in the +country,--coarse blankets and _serápes_. But little attention is paid +to hogs here, although the breeds are as fine as I have ever seen +elsewhere. Beef being so abundant, and of a quality so superior, pork +is not prized by the native Californians. + +The Senora L. is the first Hispano-American lady I have seen since +arriving in the country. She was dressed in a white cambric robe, +loosely banded round the waist, and without ornament of any kind, +except several rings on her small delicate fingers. Her complexion is +that of a dark brunette, but lighter and more clear than the skin of +most Californian women. The dark lustrous eye, the long black and +glossy hair, the natural ease, grace, and vivacity of manners and +conversation, characteristic of Spanish ladies, were fully displayed by +her from the moment of our introduction. The children, especially two +or three little _senoritas_, were very beautiful, and manifested a +remarkable degree of sprightliness and intelligence. One of them +presented me with a small basket wrought from a species of tough grass, +and ornamented with the plumage of birds of a variety of brilliant +colours. It was a beautiful specimen of Indian ingenuity. + +Retiring to bed about ten o'clock, I enjoyed, the first time for four +months, the luxury of clean sheets, with a mattress and a soft pillow. +My enjoyment, however, was not unmixed with regret, for I noticed that +several members of the family, to accommodate us with lodgings in the +house, slept in the piazza outside. To have objected to sleeping in the +house, however, would have been considered discourteous and offensive. + +_September 18_.--Early this morning a bullock was brought up and +slaughtered in front of the house. The process of slaughtering a beef +is as follows: a _vaquero_, mounted on a trained horse, and provided +with a lasso, proceeds to the place where the herd is grazing. +Selecting an animal, he soon secures it by throwing the noose of the +lasso over the horns, and fastening the other end around the pommel of +the saddle. During the first struggles of the animal for liberty, which +usually are very violent, the vaquero sits firmly in his seat, and +keeps his horse in such a position that the fury and strength of the +beast are wasted without producing any other result than his own +exhaustion. The animal, soon ascertaining that he cannot release +himself from the rope, submits to be pulled along to the place of +execution. Arriving here, the vaquero winds the lasso round the legs of +the doomed beast, and throws him to the ground, where he lies perfectly +helpless and motionless. Dismounting from his horse, he then takes from +his leggin the butcher-knife that he always carries with him, and +sticks the animal in the throat. He soon bleeds to death, when, in an +incredibly short space of time for such a performance, the carcass is +flayed and quartered, and the meat is either roasting before the fire +or simmering in the stew-pan. The _lassoing_ and slaughter of a bullock +is one of the most exciting sports of the Californians; and the daring +horsemanship and dexterous use of the lariat usually displayed on these +occasions are worthy of admiration. I could not but notice the +Golgotha-like aspect of the grounds surrounding the house. The bones of +cattle were thickly strewn in all directions, showing a terrible +slaughter of the four-footed tribe and a prodigious consumption of +flesh. + +A _carretada_ of fossil oyster--shells was shown to me by Mr. +Livermore, which had been hauled for the purpose of being manufactured +into lime. Some of these shells were eight inches in length, and of +corresponding breadth and thickness. They were dug from a hill two or +three miles distant, which is composed almost entirely of this fossil. +Several bones belonging to the skeleton of a whale, discovered by Mr. +L. on the summit of one of the highest elevations in the vicinity of +his residence, were shown to me. The skeleton when discovered was +nearly perfect and entirely exposed, and its elevation above the level +of the sea between one and two thousand feet. How the huge aquatic +monster, of which this skeleton is the remains, managed to make his dry +bed on the summit of an elevated mountain, more experienced geologists +than myself will hereafter determine. I have an opinion on the subject, +however; but it is so contrary in some respects to the received +geological theories, that I will not now hazard it. + +Leaving Mr. Livermore's about nine o'clock A.M., we travelled three or +four miles over a level plain, upon which immense herds of cattle were +grazing. When we approached, they fled from us with as much alarm as +herds of deer and elk. From this plain we entered a hilly country, +covered to the summits of the elevations with wild oats and tufts or +hunches of a species of grass, which remains green through the whole +season. Cattle were scattered through these hills, and more sumptuous +grazing they could not desire. Small streams of water, fed by springs, +flow through the hollows and ravines, which, as well as the hill-sides, +are timbered with the evergreen oak and a variety of smaller trees. +About two o'clock, P.M., we crossed an _arroyo_ which runs through a +narrow gorge of the hills, and struck an artificial wagon-road, +excavated and embanked so as to afford a passage for wheeled vehicles +along the steep hill-side. A little farther on we crossed a very rudely +constructed bridge. These are the first signs of road-making I have +seen in the country. Emerging from the hills, the southern arm of the +Bay of San Francisco came in view, separated from us by a broad and +fertile plain, some ten or twelve miles in width, sloping gradually +down to the shore of the bay, and watered by several small creeks and +estuaries. + +We soon entered through a narrow street the mission of San José, or St. +Joseph. Passing the squares of one-story adobe buildings once inhabited +by thousands of busy Indians, but now deserted, roofless, and crumbling +into ruins, we reached the plaza in front of the church, and the +massive two-story edifices occupied by the _padres_ during the +flourishing epoch of the establishment. These were in good repair; but +the doors and windows, with the exception of one, were closed, and +nothing of moving life was visible except a donkey or two, standing +near a fountain which gushed its waters into a capacious stone trough. +Dismounting from our mules, we entered the open door, and here we found +two Frenchmen dressed in sailor costume, with a quantity of coarse +shirts, pantaloons, stockings, and other small articles, together with +_aguardiénte_, which they designed retailing to such of the natives in +the vicinity as chose to become their customers. They were itinerant +merchants, or pedlars, and had opened their wares here for a day or two +only, or so long as they could find purchasers. + +Having determined to remain here the residue of the day and the night, +we inquired of the Frenchmen if there was any family in the place that +could furnish us with food. They directed us to a house on the opposite +side of the plaza, to which we immediately repaired. The senora, a +dark-skinned and rather shrivelled and filthy specimen of the fair sex, +but with a black, sparkling, and intelligent eye, met us at the door of +the miserable hovel, and invited us in. In one corner of this wretched +and foul abode was a pile of raw hides, and in another a heap of wheat. +The only furniture it contained were two small benches, or stools, one +of which, being higher than the other, appeared to have been +constructed for a table. We informed the senora that we were +travellers, and wished refreshment and lodgings for the night. "_Esta +bueno, senores, esta bueno_," was her reply; and she immediately left +us, and, opening the door of the kitchen, commenced the preparation of +our dinner. The interior of the kitchen, of which I had a good view +through the door, was more revolting in its filthiness than the room in +which we were seated. In a short time, so industrious was our hostess, +our dinner, consisting of two plates of jerked beef, stewed, and +seasoned with _chile colorado_, a plate of _tortillas_, and a bowl of +coffee, was set out upon the most elevated stool. There were no knives, +forks, or spoons, on the table. Our amiable landlady apologized for +this deficiency of table-furniture, saying that she was "_muy pobre_" +(very poor), and possessed none of these table implements. "Fingers +were made before forks," and in our recent travels we had learned to +use them as substitutes, so that we found no difficulty in conveying +the meat from the plates to our mouths. + +Belonging to the mission are two gardens, inclosed by high adobe walls. +After dinner we visited one of these. The area of the inclosure +contains fifteen or twenty acres of ground, the whole of which was +planted with fruit trees and grape-vines. There are about six hundred +pear trees, and a large number of apple and peach trees, all bearing +fruit in great abundance and in full perfection. The quality of the +pears is excellent, but the apples and peaches are indifferent. The +grapes have been gathered, as I suppose, for I saw none upon the vines, +which appeared healthy and vigorous. The gardens are irrigated with +very little trouble, from large springs which flow from the hills a +short distance above them. Numerous aqueducts, formerly conveying and +distributing water over an extensive tract of land surrounding the +mission, are still visible, but as the land is not now cultivated, they +at present contain no water. + +The mission buildings cover fifty acres of ground, perhaps more, and +are all constructed of adobes with tile roofs. Those houses or barracks +which were occupied by the Indian families are built in compact +squares, one story in height. They are generally partitioned into two +rooms, one fronting on the street, the other upon a court or corral in +the rear. The main buildings of the mission are two stories in height, +with wide corridors in front and rear. The walls are massive, and, if +protected from the winter rains, will stand for ages. But if exposed to +the storms by the decay of the projecting roofs, or by leaks in the +main roof, they will soon crumble, or sink into shapeless heaps of mud. +I passed through extensive warehouses and immense rooms, once occupied +for the manufacture of woollen blankets and other articles, with the +rude machinery still standing in them, but unemployed. Filth and +desolation have taken the place of cleanliness and busy life. The +granary was very capacious, and its dimensions were an evidence of the +exuberant fertility of the soil, when properly cultivated under the +superintendence of the _padres_. The calaboose is a miserable dark room +of two apartments, one with a small loop-hole in the wall, the other a +dungeon without light or ventilation. The stocks, and several other +inventions for the punishment of offenders, are still standing in this +prison. I requested permission to examine the interior of the church, +but it was locked up, and no person in the mission was in possession of +the key. Its length I should suppose is from one hundred to one hundred +and twenty feet, and its breadth between thirty and forty, with small +exterior pretensions to architectural ornament or symmetry of +proportions. + +Returning from our rambles about the mission, we found that our +landlady had been reinforced by an elderly woman, whom she introduced +as "_mi madre_," and two or three Indian _muchachas_, or girls, clad in +a costume not differing much from that of our mother Eve. The latter +were obese in their figures, and the mingled perspiration and filth +standing upon their skins were any thing but agreeable to the eye. The +two senoras, with these handmaids near them, were sitting in front of +the house, busily engaged in executing some needlework. + +Supper being prepared and discussed, our landlady informed us that she +had a husband, who was absent, but would return in the course of the +night, and, if he found strange men in the house, he would be much +offended with her. She had therefore directed her _muchachas_ to sweep +out one of the deserted and half-ruined rooms on the opposite square, +to which we could remove our baggage, and in which we could lodge +during the night; and as soon as the necessary preparations were made, +we retired to our dismal apartment. The "compound of villanous smells" +which saluted our nostrils when we entered our dormitory for the night +augured unfavourably for repose. The place had evidently been the abode +of horses, cattle, pigs, and foul vermin of every description. But with +the aid of a dark-coloured tallow-candle, which gave just light enough +to display the murkiness and filth surrounding us, we spread our beds +in the cleanest places, and laid down to rest. Distance travelled, 18 +miles. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Armies of fleas + Leave the mission + Clover + Wild mustard + A carreta + Family travelling + Arrive at Pueblo de San José + Capt. Fisher + Description of the Pueblo + The embarcadero + Beautiful and fertile valley of the Pueblo + Absence of architectural taste in California + Town squirrels + Fruit garden + Grapes + Tropical fruits + Gaming rooms + Contrast between California and American gamesters + Leave San José + Beautiful avenue + Mission of Santa Clara + Rich but neglected lands + Effects of a bad government + A senora on the road-side + Kindness of Californian women + Fast riding + Cruel treatment of horses + Arrive at the mission of San Francisco + A poor but hospitable family + Arrive at the town of San Francisco + W.A. Leidesdorff, Esq., American vice-consul + First view of the bay of San Francisco + Muchachos and Muchachas + Capt. Montgomery + U.S. sloop-of-war, Portsmouth + Town of San Francisco; its situation, appearance, population + Commerce of California + Extortion of the government and traders. + + +_September 19_.--Several Californians came into the mission during the +night or early this morning; among them the husband of our hostess, who +was very kind and cordial in his greetings. + +While our man Jack was saddling and packing the mules, they gathered +around us to the number of a dozen or more, and were desirous of +trading their horses for articles of clothing; articles which many of +them appeared to stand greatly in need of, but which we had not to part +from. Their pertinacity exceeded the bounds of civility, as I thought; +but I was not in a good humour, for the fleas, bugs, and other vermin, +which infested our miserable lodgings, had caused me a sleepless night, +by goring my body until the blood oozed from the skin in countless +places. These ruinous missions are prolific generators, and the +nurseries of vermin of all kinds, as the hapless traveller who tarries +in them a few hours will learn to his sorrow. When these bloodthirsty +assailants once make a lodgment in the clothing or bedding of the +unfortunate victim of their attacks, such are their courage and +perseverance, that they never capitulate. "Blood or death" is their +motto;--the war against them, to be successful, must be a war of +extermination. + +Poor as our hostess was, she nevertheless was reluctant to receive any +compensation for her hospitality. We, however, insisted upon her +receiving a dollar from each of us (_dos pesos_), which she finally +accepted; and after shaking us cordially by the hand she bade us an +affectionate _adios_, and we proceeded on our journey. + +From the Mission of San José to the Pueblo of San José, the distance is +fifteen miles, for the most part over a level and highly fertile plain, +producing a variety of indigenous grasses, among which I noticed +several species of clover and mustard, large tracts of which we rode +through, the stalks varying from six to ten feet in height. The plain +is watered by several _arroyos_, skirted with timber, generally the +evergreen oak. + +We met this morning a Californian _carreta_, or travelling-cart, +freighted with women and children, bound on a pleasure excursion. The +_carreta_ is the rudest specimen of the wheeled vehicle I have seen. +The wheels are transverse sections of a log, and are usually about +2-1/2 feet in diameter, and varying in thickness from the centre to the +rim. These wheels are coupled together by an axletree, into which a +tongue is inserted. On the axletree and tongue rests a frame, +constructed of square pieces of timber, six or eight feet in length, +and four or five in breadth, into which are inserted a number of stakes +about, four feet in length. This frame-work being covered and floored +with raw hides, the carriage is complete. The _carreta_ which we met +was drawn by two yokes of oxen, driven by an Indian vaquero, mounted on +a horse. In the rear were two _caballeros_, riding fine spirited +horses, with gaudy trappings. They were dressed in steeple-crowned +glazed _sombreros, serapes_ of fiery colours, velvet (cotton) +_calzoneros_, white cambric _calzoncillos_, and leggins and shoes of +undressed leather. Their spurs were of immense size. + +The party halted as soon as we met them, the men touching their heavy +_sombreros_, and uttering the usual salutation of the morning, "_Buenos +dios, senores_," and shaking hands with us very cordially. The same +salutation was repeated by all the senoras and senoritas in the +_carreta_. In dress and personal appearance the women of this party +were much inferior to the men. Their skins were dark, sallow, and +shrivelled; and their costume, a loose gown and _reboso_, were made of +very common materials. The children, however, were all handsome, with +sparkling eyes and ruddy complexions. Women and children were seated, +_à la Turque_, on the bottom of the _carreta_, there being no raised +seats in the vehicle. + +We arrived at the Pueblo do San José about twelve o'clock. There being +no hotels in California, we were much at a loss where to apply for +refreshments and lodgings for the night. Soon, however, we were met by +Captain Fisher, a native of Massachusetts, but a resident of this +country for twenty years or more, who invited us to his house. We were +most civilly received by Senora F., who, although she did not speak +English, seemed to understand it very well. She is a native of the +southern Pacific coast of Mexico, and a lady of fine manners and +personal appearance. Her oldest daughter, about thirteen years of age, +is very beautiful. An excellent dinner was soon set out, with a variety +of the native wines of California and other liquors. We could not have +felt ourselves more happy and more at home, even at our own firesides +and in the midst of our own families. + +The Pueblo de San José is a village containing some six or eight +hundred inhabitants. It is situated in what is called the "Pueblo +Valley," about fifteen miles south of the southern shore of the Bay of +San Francisco. Through a navigable creek, vessels of considerable +burden can approach the town within a distance of five or six miles. +The _embarcadero_, or landing, I think, is six miles from the Pueblo. +The fertile plain between this and the town, at certain seasons of the +year, is sometimes inundated. The "Pueblo Valley," which is eighty or +one hundred miles in length, varying from ten to twenty in breadth, is +well watered by the Rio Santa Clara and numerous _arroyos_, and is one +of the most fertile and picturesque plains in California. For pastoral +charms, fertility of soil, variety of productions, and delicious +voluptuousness of climate and scenery, it cannot be surpassed. This +valley, if properly cultivated, would alone produce breadstuffs enough +to supply millions of population. The buildings of the Pueblo, with few +exceptions, are constructed of adobes, and none of them have even the +smallest pretensions to architectural taste or beauty. The church, +which is situated near the centre of the town, exteriorly resembles a +huge Dutch barn. The streets are irregular, every man having erected +his house in a position most convenient to him. Aqueducts convey water +from the Santa Clara River to all parts of the town. In the main plaza +hundreds, perhaps thousands, of squirrels, whose abodes are under +ground, have their residences. They are of a brownish colour, and about +the size of our common gray squirrel. Emerging from their subterraneous +abodes, they skip and leap about over the plaza without the least +concern, no one molesting them. + +The population of the place is composed chiefly of native Californian +land-proprietors. Their ranchos are in the valley, but their residences +and gardens are in the town. We visited this afternoon the garden of +Senor Don Antonio Sugnol. He received us with much politeness, and +conducted us through his garden. Apples, pears, peaches, figs, oranges, +and grapes, with other fruits which I do not now recollect, were +growing and ripening. The grape-vines were bowed to the ground with the +luxuriance arid weight of the yield; and more delicious fruit I never +tasted. From the garden we crossed over to a flouring-mill recently +erected by a son-in-law of Don Antonio, a Frenchman by birth. The mill +is a creditable enterprise to the proprietor, and he will coin money +from its operations. + +The Pueblo de San José is one of the oldest settlements in Alta +California. Captain Fisher pointed out to me a house built of adobes, +which has been standing between 80 and 90 years, and no house in the +place appeared to be more substantial or in better repair. A garrison, +composed of marines from the United States' ships, and volunteers +enlisted from the American settlers in the country, is now stationed +here. The post is under the command of Purser Watmough, of the United +States sloop-of-war Portsmouth, commanded by Captain Montgomery. During +the evening I visited several public places (bar-rooms), where I saw +men and women engaged promiscuously at the game of _monte_. Gambling is +a universal vice in California. All classes and both sexes participate +in its excitements to some extent. The games, however, while I was +present, were conducted with great propriety and decorum so far as the +native Californians were concerned. The loud swearing and other +turbulent demonstrations generally proceeded from the unsuccessful +foreigners. I could not but observe the contrast between the two races +in this respect. The one bore their losses with stoical composure and +indifference; the other announced each unsuccessful bet with profane +imprecations and maledictions. Excitement prompted the hazards of the +former, avarice the latter. + +_September 20_.--The morning was cloudy and cool; but the clouds broke +away about nine o'clock, and the sun shone from a vapourless sky, as +usual. We met, at the Pueblo, Mr. Grove Cook, a native of Gerrard +county, Ky., but for many years a resident of California. He is the +proprietor of a rancho in the vicinity. We determined to leave our +mules in charge of Mr. Cook's vaquero, and proceed to San Francisco on +hired horses. The distance from the Pueblo de San José to San Francisco +is called sixty miles. The time occupied in performing the journey, on +Californian horses at Californian speed, is generally six or seven +hours. Procuring horses for the journey, and leaving our baggage, with +the exception of a change of clothing, we left the Pueblo about eleven +o'clock A.M. + +The mission of Santa Clara is situated about two and a half miles from +the town. A broad _alameda_, shaded by stately trees (elms and +willows), planted by the _padres_, extends nearly the entire distance, +forming a most beautiful drive or walk for equestrians or pedestrians. +The motive of the _padres_ in planting this avenue was to afford the +devout senoras and senoritas a shade from the sun, when walking from +the Pueblo to the church at the mission to attend mass. A few minutes +over the smooth level road, at the rapid speed of our fresh Californian +horses, brought us to the mission, where we halted to make our +observations. This mission is not so extensive in its buildings as that +of San José, but the houses are generally in better repair. They are +constructed of adobes; the church was open, and, entering the interior, +I found the walls hung with coarse paintings and engravings of the +saints, etc., etc. The chancel decorated with numerous images, and +symbolical ornaments used by the priests in their worship. Gold-paper, +and tinsel, in barbaric taste, are plastered without stint upon nearly +every object that meets the eye, so that, when on festive occasions the +church is lighted, it must present a very glittering appearance. + +The rich lands surrounding the mission are entirely neglected. I did +not notice a foot of ground under cultivation, except the garden +inclosure, which contained a variety of fruits and plants of the +temperate and tropical climates. From want of care these are fast +decaying. Some excellent pears were furnished us by Mrs. Bennett, an +American lady, of Amazonian proportions, who, with her family of sons, +has taken up her residence in one of the buildings of the mission. The +picture of decay and ruin presented by this once flourishing +establishment, surrounded by a country so fertile and scenery so +enchanting, is a most melancholy spectacle to the passing traveller, +and speaks a language of loud condemnation against the government. + +Proceeding on our journey, we travelled fifteen miles over a flat +plain, timbered with groves and parks of evergreen oaks, and covered +with a great variety of grasses, wild oats, and mustard. So rank is the +growth of mustard in many places, that it is with difficulty that a +horse can penetrate through it. Numerous birds flitted from tree to +tree, making the groves musical with their harmonious notes. The +black-tailed deer bounded frequently across our path, and the lurking +and stealthy _coyotes_ were continually in view. We halted at a small +cabin, with a _corral_ near it, in order to breathe our horses, and +refresh ourselves. Captain Fisher had kindly filled a small sack with +bread, cheese, roasted beef, and a small jug of excellent schiedam. +Entering the cabin, the interior of which was cleanly, we found a +solitary woman, young, neatly dressed, and displaying many personal +charms. With the characteristic ease and grace of a Spanish woman, she +gave the usual salutation for the hour of the day, "_Buenas tardes, +senores caballeros_;" to which we responded by a suitable salutation. +We requested of our hostess some water, which she furnished us +immediately, in an earthen bowl. Opening our sack of provisions, we +spread them upon the table, and invited the senora to partake of them +with us, which invitation she accepted without the slightest +hesitation, and with much good-nature, vivacity, and even thankfulness +for our politeness. There are no women in the world for whose manners +nature has done so much, and for whom art and education, in this +respect, have done so little, as these Hispano-American females on the +coast of the Pacific. In their deportment towards strangers they are +queens, when, in costume, they are peasants. None of them, according to +our tastes, can be called beautiful; but what they want in complexion +and regularity of feature is fully supplied by their kindliness, the +soul and sympathy which beam from their dark eyes, and their grace and +warmth of manners and expression. + +While enjoying the _pic-nic_ with our agreeable hostess, a _caballada_ +was driven into the _corral_ by two _vaqueros_, and two gentlemen soon +after came into the house. They were Messrs. Lightson and Murphy, from +the Pueblo, bound for San Francisco, and had stopped to change their +horses. We immediately made ready to accompany them, and were soon on +the road again, travelling at racehorse speed; these gentlemen having +furnished us with a change of horses, in order that we might be able to +keep up with them. + +To account for the fast travelling in California on horseback, it is +necessary to explain the mode by which it is accomplished. A gentleman +who starts upon a journey of one hundred miles, and wishes to perform +the trip in a day, will take with him ten fresh horses and a _vaquero_. +The eight loose horses are placed under the charge of the _vaquero_, +and are driven in front, at the rate of ten or twelve miles an hour, +according to the speed that is required for the journey. At the end of +twenty miles, the horses which have been rode are discharged and turned +into the _caballada_, and horses which have not been rode, but driven +along without weight, are saddled and mounted and rode at the same +speed, and so on to the end of the journey. If a horse gives out from +inability to proceed at this gait, he is left on the road. The owner's +brand is on him, and, if of any value, he can be recovered without +difficulty. But in California no one thinks of stopping on the road, on +account of the loss of a horse, or his inability to travel at the rate +of ten or twelve miles an hour. Horseflesh is cheap, and the animal +must go as long as he can, and when he cannot travel longer he is left, +and another horse is substituted. + +Twenty-five miles, at a rapid gait over a level and fertile plain, +brought us to the rancho of Don Francisco Sanchez, where we halted to +change horses. Breathing our animals a short time, we resumed our +journey, and reached the mission of San Francisco Dolores, three miles +from the town of San Francisco, just after sunset. Between the mission +and the town the road is very sandy, and we determined to remain here +for the night, _corraling_ the loose animals, and picketing those we +rode. It was some time, however, before we could find a house to lodge +in. The foreign occupants of the mission buildings, to whom we applied +for accommodations for the night, gave us no satisfaction. After +several applications, we were at last accommodated by an old and very +poor Californian Spaniard, who inhabited a small house in one of the +ruinous squares, formerly occupied by the operative Indians. All that he +had (and it was but little) was at our disposal. A more miserable +supper I never sat down to; but the spirit of genuine hospitality in +which it was given imparted to the poor viands a flavour that rendered +the entertainment almost sumptuous--in my imagination. A cup of water +cheerfully given to the weary and thirsty traveller, by him who has no +more to part with, is worth a cask of wine grudgingly bestowed by the +stingy or the ostentatious churl. Notwithstanding we preferred sleeping +on our own blankets, these poor people would not suffer us to do it, +but spread their own pallets on the earth floor of their miserable hut, +and insisted so strongly upon our occupying them, that we could not +refuse. + +_September 21_.--We rose at daylight. The morning was clear, and our +horses were shivering with the cold. The mission of San Francisco is +situated at the northern terminus of the fertile plain over which we +travelled yesterday, and at the foot, on the eastern side, of the coast +range of mountains. These mountains are of considerable elevation. The +shore of the Bay of San Francisco is about two miles distant from the +mission. An _arroyo_ waters the mission lands, and empties into the +bay. The church of the mission, and the main buildings contiguous, are +in tolerable repair. In the latter, several Mormon families, which +arrived in the ship Brooklyn from New York, are quartered. As in the +other missions I have passed through, the Indian quarters are crumbling +into shapeless heaps of mud. + +Our aged host, notwithstanding he is a pious Catholic, and considers us +as heretics and heathens, gave us his benediction in a very impressive +manner when we were about to start. Mounting our horses at sunrise, we +travelled three miles over low ridges of sand-hills, with sufficient +soil, however, to produce a thick growth of scrubby evergreen oak, and +brambles of hawthorn, wild currant and gooseberry bushes, rose bushes, +briers, etc. We reached the residence of Wm. A. Leidesdorff, Esq., late +American vice-consul at San Francisco, when the sun was about an hour +high. The morning was calm and beautiful. Not a ripple disturbed the +placid and glassy surface of the magnificent bay and harbour, upon +which rested at anchor thirty large vessels, consisting of whalemen, +merchantmen, and the U.S. sloop-of-war Portsmouth, Captain Montgomery. +Besides these, there were numerous small craft, giving to the harbour a +commercial air, of which some of the large cities on the Atlantic coast +would feel vain. The bay, from the town of San Francisco due east, is +about twelve miles in breadth. An elevated range of hills bounds the +view on the opposite side. These slope gradually down, and between them +and the shore there is a broad and fertile plain, which is called the +_Contra Costa_. There are several small islands in the bay, but they do +not present a fertile appearance to the eye. + +We were received with every mark of respectful attention and cordial +hospitality by Mr. Leidesdorff. Mr. L. is a native of Denmark; was for +some years a resident of the United States; but subsequently the +captain of a merchant vessel, and has been established at this place as +a merchant some five or six years. The house in which he resides, now +under the process of completion, is the largest private building in the +town. Being shown to a well-furnished room, we changed our +travel-soiled clothing for a more civilized costume, by which time +breakfast was announced, and we were ushered into a large dining-hall. +In the centre stood a table, upon which was spread a substantial +breakfast of stewed and fried beef, fried onions, and potatoes, bread, +butter, and coffee. Our appetites were very sharp, and we did full +justice to the merits of the fare before us. The servants waiting upon +the table were an Indian _muchachito_ and _muchachita_, about ten or +twelve years of age. They had not been long from their wild +_rancherias_, and knew but little of civilized life. Our host, however, +who speaks, I believe, nearly every living language, whether of +Christian, barbarian, or savage nations, seemed determined to impress +upon their dull intellects the forms and customs of civilization. He +scolded them with great vivacity, sometimes in their own tongue, +sometimes in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, German, and English, +in accordance with the language in which he was thinking at the moment. +It seemed to me that the little fat Indians were more confused than +enlightened by his emphatic instructions. At the table, besides +ourselves and host, was Lieutenant W.A. Bartlett, of the U.S. +sloop-of-war Portsmouth, now acting as Alcalde of the town and district +of San Francisco. + +The Portsmouth, Commander Montgomery, is the only United States vessel +of war now lying in the harbour. She is regarded as the finest vessel +of her class belonging to our navy. By invitation of Lieutenant +Bartlett, I went on board of her between ten and eleven o'clock. The +crew and officers were assembled on deck to attend Divine service. They +were all dressed with great neatness, and seemed to listen with deep +attention to the Episcopal service and a sermon, which were read by +Commander Montgomery, who is a member of the church. + +In the afternoon I walked to the summit of one of the elevated hills in +the vicinity of the town, from which I had a view of the entrance to +the bay of San Francisco and of the Pacific Ocean. A thick fog hung +over the ocean outside of the bay. The deep roar of the eternally +restless waves, as they broke one after another upon the beach, or +dashed against the rock-bound shore, could be heard with great +distinctness, although some five or six miles distant. The entrance +from the ocean into the bay is about a mile and half in breadth. The +waters of the bay appear to have forced a passage through the elevated +ridge of hills next to the shore of the Pacific. These rise abruptly on +either side of the entrance. The water at the entrance and inside is of +sufficient depth to admit the largest ship that was ever constructed; +and so completely land-locked and protected from the winds is the +harbour, that vessels can ride at anchor in perfect safety in all kinds +of weather. The capacity of the harbour is sufficient for the +accommodation of all the navies of the world. + +The town of San Francisco is situated on the south side of the +entrance, fronting on the bay, and about six miles from the ocean. The +flow and ebb of the tide are sufficient to bring a vessel to the +anchorage in front of the town and carry it outside, without the aid of +wind, or even against an unfavourable wind. A more approachable +harbour, or one of greater security, is unknown to navigators. The +permanent population of the town is at this time between one and two +hundred,[1] and is composed almost exclusively of foreigners. There are +but two or three native Californian families in the place. The +transient population, and at present it is quite numerous, consists of +the garrison of marines stationed here, and the officers and crews +attached to the merchant and whale ships lying in the harbour. The +houses, with a few exceptions, are small adobes and frames, constructed +without regard to architectural taste, convenience, or comfort. Very +few of them have either chimneys or fire-places. The inhabitants +contrive to live the year round without fires, except for cooking. The +position of San Francisco for commerce is, without doubt, superior to +any other port on the Pacific coast of North America. The country +contiguous and contributory to it cannot be surpassed in fertility, +healthfulness of climate, and beauty of scenery. It is capable of +producing whatever is necessary to the sustenance of man, and many of +the luxuries of tropical climates, not taking into the account the +mineral wealth of the surrounding hills and mountains, which there is +reason to believe is very great. This place is, doubtless, destined to +become one of the largest and most opulent commercial cities in the +world, and under American authority it will rise with astonishing +rapidity. The principal merchants now established here are Messrs. +Leidesdorff, Grimes and Davis, and Frank Ward, a young gentleman +recently from New York. These houses carry on an extensive and +profitable commerce with the interior, the Sandwich Islands, Oregon, +and the southern coast of the Pacific. The produce of Oregon for +exportation is flour, lumber, salmon, and cheese; of the Sandwich +Islands, sugar, coffee, and preserved tropical fruits. + +California, until recently, has had no commerce, in the broad +signification of the term. A few commercial houses of Boston and New +York have monopolized all the trade on this coast for a number of +years. These houses have sent out ships freighted with cargoes of dry +goods and a variety of _knick-knacks_ saleable in the country. The +ships are fitted up for the retail sale of these articles, and trade +from port to port, vending their wares on board to the rancheros at +prices that would be astonishing at home. For instance, the price of +common brown cotton cloth is one dollar per yard, and other articles in +this and even greater proportion of advance upon home prices. They +receive in payment for their wares, hides and tallow. The price of a +dry hide is ordinarily one dollar and fifty cents. The price of tallow +I do not know. When the ship has disposed of her cargo, she is loaded +with hides, and returns to Boston, where the hides bring about four or +five dollars, according to the fluctuations of the market. Immense +fortunes have been made by this trade; and between the government of +Mexico and the traders on the coast California has been literally +_skinned_, annually, for the last thirty years. Of natural wealth the +population of California possess a superabundance, and are immensely +rich; still, such have been the extortionate prices that they have been +compelled to pay for their commonest artificial luxuries and +wearing-apparel, that generally they are but indifferently provided +with the ordinary necessaries of civilized life. For a suit of clothes, +which in New York or Boston would cost seventy-five dollars, the +Californian has been compelled to pay five times that sum in hides at +one dollar and fifty cents; so that a _caballero_, to clothe himself +genteelly, has been obliged, as often as he renewed his dress, to +sacrifice about two hundred of the cattle on his rancho. No people, +whether males or females, are more fond of display; no people have paid +more dearly to gratify this vanity; and yet no civilized people I have +seen are so deficient in what they most covet. + + [1] This was in September, 1846. In June, 1847, when I left San + Francisco, on my return to the United States, the population had + increased to about twelve hundred, and houses were rising in all + directions. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Climate of San Francisco + Periodical winds + Dine on board the Portsmouth + A supper party on shore + Arrival of Commodore Stockton at San Francisco + Rumours of rebellion from the south + Californian court + Trial by jury + Fandango + Californian belles + American pioneers of the Pacific + Reception of Commodore Stockton + Sitca + Captain Fremont leaves San Francisco for the south + Offer our services as volunteers. + + +From the 21st of September to the 13th of October I remained at San +Francisco. The weather during this period was uniformly clear. The +climate of San Francisco is peculiar and local, from its position. +During the summer and autumnal months, the wind on this coast blows +from the west and northwest, directly from the ocean. The mornings here +are usually calm and pleasantly warm. About twelve o'clock M., the wind +blows strong from the ocean, through the entrance of the bay, rendering +the temperature cool enough for woollen clothing in midsummer. About +sunset the wind dies away, and the evenings and nights are comparatively +calm. In the winter months the wind blows in soft and gentle breezes +from the south-east, and the temperature is agreeable, the thermometer +rarely sinking below 50 deg. When the winds blow from the ocean, it +never rains; when they blow from the land, as they do during the winter +and spring months, the weather is showery, and resembles that of the +month of May in the same latitude on the Atlantic coast. The coolness +of the climate and briskness of the air above described are confined to +particular positions on the coast, and the description in this respect +is not applicable to the interior of the country, nor even to other +localities immediately on the coast. + +On the 21st, by invitation of Captain Montgomery, I dined on board of +the sloop-of-war Portsmouth. The party, including myself, consisted of +Colonel Russell, Mr. Jacob, Lieutenant Bartlett, and a son of Captain +M. There are few if any officers in our navy more highly and +universally esteemed, for their moral qualities and professional +merits, than Captain M. He is a sincere Christian, a brave officer, and +an accomplished gentleman. Under the orders of Commodore Sloat, he +first raised the American flag in San Francisco. We spent the afternoon +most agreeably, and the refined hospitality, courteous manners, and +intelligent and interesting conversation of our host made us regret the +rapidly fleeting moments. The wines on the table were the produce of +the vine of California, and, having attained age, were of an excellent +quality in substance and flavour. + +I attended a supper-party given this evening by Mr. Frank Ward. The +party was composed of citizens of the town, and officers of the navy +and the merchant and whale ships in the harbour. In such a company as +was here assembled, it was very difficult for me to realize that I was +many thousand miles from, home, in a strange and foreign country. All +the faces about me were American, and there was nothing in scene or +sentiment to remind the guests of their remoteness from their native +shores. Indeed, it seems to be a settled opinion, that California is +henceforth to compose a part of the United States, and every American +who is now here considers himself as treading upon his own soil, as +much as if he were in one of the old thirteen revolutionary states. +Song, sentiment, story, and wit heightened the enjoyments of the +excellent entertainment of our host, and the jovial party did not +separate until a late hour of the night. The guests, as may be +supposed, were composed chiefly of gentlemen who had, from their +pursuits, travelled over most of the world--had seen developments of +human character under every variety of circumstance, and observed +society, civilized, barbarous, and savage, in all its phases. Their +conversation, therefore, when around the convivial board, possessed an +unhackneyed freshness and raciness highly entertaining and instructive. + +On the 27th of September, the U.S. frigate Congress, Captain +Livingston, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore Stockton, and the +U.S. frigate Savannah, Captain Mervine, anchored in the harbour, having +sailed from Monterey a day or two previously. The arrival of these +large men-of-war produced an increase of the bustle in the small town. +Blue coats and bright buttons (the naval uniform) became the prevailing +costume at the billiard-rooms and other public places, and the plain +dress of a private citizen might be regarded as a badge of distinction. + +On the 1st of October a courier arrived from the south with +intelligence that the Californians at Los Angeles had organized a force +and rebelled against the authority of the Americans--that they had also +captured an American merchant-vessel lying at San Pedro, the port of +the city of Angels, about thirty miles distant, and robbed it of a +quantity of merchandise and specie. Whether this latter report was or +was not true, I do not know--the former was correct. The frigate +Savannah sailed for Los Angeles immediately. + +Among those American naval officers whose agreeable acquaintance I made +at San Francisco, was Mr. James F. Schenck, first-lieutenant of the +frigate Congress, brother of the distinguished member of congress from +Ohio of that name,--a native of Dayton, Ohio,--a gentleman of +intelligence, keen wit, and a most accomplished officer. The officers +of our navy are our representatives in foreign countries, and they are +generally such representatives as their constituents have reason to +feel proud of. Their chivalry, patriotism, gentlemanlike deportment, +and professional skill cannot be too much admired and applauded by +their countrymen. I shall ever feel grateful to the naval officers of +the Pacific squadron for their numerous civilities during my sojourn on +the Pacific coast. + +Among the novelties presented while at San Francisco was a trial by +jury--the second tribunal of this kind which had been organized in +California. The trial look place before Judge Bartlett, and the +litigants were two Mormons. Counsel was employed on both sides. Some of +the forms of American judicial proceedings were observed, and many of +the legal technicalities and nice flaws, so often urged in common-law +courts, were here argued by the learned counsel of the parties, with a +vehemence of language and gesticulation with which I thought the legal +learning and acumen displayed did not correspond. The proceedings were +a mixture, made up of common law, equity, and a sprinkling of military +despotism--which last ingredient the court was compelled to employ, +when entangled in the intricate meshes woven by the counsel for the +litigants, in order to extricate itself. The jury, after the case was +referred to them, were what is called "hung;" they could not agree, and +the matters in issue, therefore, remained exactly where they were +before the proceedings were commenced. + +I attended one evening a _fandango_ given by Mr. Ridley, an English +gentleman, whose wife is a Californian lady. Several of the senoras and +senoritas from the ranchos of the vicinity were present. The +Californian ladies dance with much ease and grace. The waltz appears to +be a favourite with them. Smoking is not prohibited in these +assemblies, nor is it confined to the gentlemen. The _cigarita_ is +freely used by the senoras and senoritas, and they puff it with much +gusto while threading the mazes of the cotillion or swinging in the +waltz. + +I had the pleasure of being introduced, at the residence of Mr. +Leidesdorff, to two young ladies, sisters and belles in Alta +California. They are members of an old and numerous family on the +Contra Costa. Their names are singular indeed, for, if I heard them +correctly, one of them was called Donna Maria Jesus, and the other +Donna Maria Conception. They were interesting and graceful young +ladies, with regular features, symmetrical figures, and their dark eyes +flashed with all the intelligence and passion characteristic of Spanish +women. + +Among the gentlemen with whom I met soon after my arrival at San +Francisco, and whoso acquaintance I afterwards cultivated, were Mr. E. +Grimes and Mr. N. Spear, both natives of Massachusetts, but residents +of this coast and of the Pacific Islands, for many years. They may be +called the patriarchs of American pioneers on the Pacific. After +forming an acquaintance with Mr. G., if any one were to say to me that + + "Old Grimes is dead, that good old man," + +I should not hesitate to contradict him with emphasis; for he is still +living, and possesses all the charities and virtues which can adorn +human nature, with some of the eccentricities of his name-sake in the +song. By leading a life of peril and adventure on the Pacific Ocean for +fifty years he has accumulated a large fortune, and is a man now +proverbial for his integrity, candour, and charities. Both of these +gentlemen have been largely engaged in the local commerce of the +Pacific. Mr. S., some twenty-five or thirty years ago, colonized one of +the Cannibal Islands, and remained upon it with the colony for nearly +two years. The attempt to introduce agriculture into the island was a +failure, and the enterprise was afterwards abandoned. + +On the evening of the third of October, it having been announced that +Commodore Stockton would land on the fifth, a public meeting of the +citizens was called by the alcalde, for the purpose of adopting +suitable arrangements for his reception, in his civic capacity as +governor. The meeting was convened in the _plaza_ (Portsmouth Square). +Colonel Russell was appointed chairman, and on motion of E. Bryant a +committee was appointed to make all necessary and suitable arrangements +for the reception of his excellency, Governor Stockton. The following +account of this pageant I extract from the "California" newspaper of +October 24th, 1846. + +"Agreeable to public notice, a large number of the citizens of San +Francisco and vicinity assembled in Portsmouth Square for the purpose +of meeting his excellency Robert F. Stockton, to welcome his arrival, +and offer him the hospitalities of the city. At ten o'clock, a +procession was formed, led by the Chief Marshal of the day, supported +on either hand by two aids, followed by an excellent band of music--a +military escort, under command of Captain J. Zeilen, U.S.M.C.--Captain +John B. Montgomery and suite--Magistracy of the District, and the +Orator of the day--Foreign Consuls--Captain John Paty, Senior Captain +of the Hawanian Navy--Lieutenant-Commanding Ruducoff, Russian Navy, and +Lieutenant-Commanding Bonnett, French Navy. The procession was closed +by the Committee of Arrangements, captains of ships in port, and a long +line of citizens. + +"General Mariano Guadaloupe Valléjo, with several others who had held +office under the late government, took their appropriate place in the +line. + +"The procession moved in fine style down Portsmouth Street to the +landing, and formed a line in Water Street. The Governor-General landed +from his barge, and was met on the wharf by Captain John B. Montgomery, +U.S.N., Judge W.A. Bartlett, and Marshal of the day (Frank Ward), who +conducted him to the front of the line, and presented him to the +procession, through the orator of the day, Colonel Russell, who +addressed the commodore." + +When the governor and commander-in-chief had closed his reply, the +procession moved through the principal streets, and halted in front of +Captain Leidesdorff's residence, where the governor and suite entered, +and was presented to a number of ladies, who welcomed him to the shores +of California. After which a large portion of the procession +accompanied the governor, on horseback, to the mission of San Francisco +Dolores, several miles in the country, and returned to an excellent +collation prepared by the committee of arrangements, at the house of +Captain Leidesdorff. After the cloth was removed, the usual number of +regular toasts, prepared by the committee of arrangements, and numerous +volunteer sentiments by the members of the company, were drunk with +many demonstrations of enthusiasm, and several speeches were made. In +response to a complimentary toast, Commodore Stockton made an eloquent +address of an hour's length. The toasts given in English were +translated into Spanish, and those given in Spanish were translated +into English. A ball in honour of the occasion was given by the +committee of arrangements in the evening, which was attended by all the +ladies, native and foreign, in the town and vicinity, the naval +officers attached to the three ships of war, and the captains of the +merchant vessels lying in the harbour. So seductive were the +festivities of the day and the pleasures of the dance, that they were +not closed until a late hour of the night, or rather until an early +hour in the morning. + +Among the numerous vessels of many nations at anchor in the harbour is +a Russian brig from Sitca, the central port of the Russian-American Fur +Company, on the northwestern coast of this continent. She is commanded +by Lieutenant Ruducoff of the Russian navy, and is here to be freighted +with wheat to supply that settlement with breadstuff. Sitca is situated +in a high northern latitude, and has a population of some four or five +thousand inhabitants. A large portion of these, I conjecture, are +christianized natives or Indians. Many of the crew of this vessel are +the aborigines of the country to which she belongs, and from which she +last sailed. I noticed, however, from an inscription, that the brig was +built at Newburyport, Massachusetts, showing that the autocrat of all +the Russias is tributary, to some extent, to the free Yankees of New +England for his naval equipment. On the 11th of October, by invitation +of Lieutenant Ruducoff, in company of Mr. Jacob and Captain +Leidesdorff, I dined on board this vessel. The Russian customs are in +some respects peculiar. Soon after we reached the vessel and were shown +into the cabin, a lunch was served up. This consisted of a variety of +dried and smoked fish, pickled fish-roe, and other hyperborean pickles, +the nature of which, whether animal or vegetable, I could not +determine. Various wines and liquors accompanied this lunch, the +discussion of which lasted until an Indian servant, a native of the +north-pole, or thereabouts, announced dinner. We were then shown into a +handsomely furnished dining-cabin, where the table was spread. The +dinner consisted of several courses, some of which were peculiarly +Russian or Sitcan, and I regret that my culinary knowledge is not equal +to the task of describing them, for the benefit of epicures of a more +southern region than the place of their invention. They were certainly +very delightful to the palate. The afternoon glided away most +agreeably. + +On the 12th of October, Captain Fremont, with a number of volunteers +destined for the south, to co-operate with Commodore Stockton in the +suppression of the reported rebellion at Los Angeles, arrived at San +Francisco from the Sacramento. I had previously offered my services, +and Mr. Jacob had done the same, to Commodore Stockton, as volunteers +in this expedition, if they were necessary or desirable. They were now +repeated. Although travellers in the country, we were American +citizens, and we felt under obligation to assist in defending the flag +of our country wherever it had been planted by proper authority. At +this time we were given to understand that a larger force than was +already organised was not considered necessary for the expedition. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Leave San Francisco for Sonoma + Sonoma creek + "Bear men." + Islands in the bay + Liberality of "Uncle Sam" to sailors + Sonoma + Beautiful country + General Valléjo + Senora Valléjo + Thomas O. Larkin, U.S. Consul + Signs of rain + The seasons in California + More warlike rumours from the south + Mission of San Rafael + An Irish ranchero + Sausolito + Return to San Francisco + Meet Lippincott + Discomfort of Californian houses. + + +_October 13_.--This morning the United States frigate Congress, +Commodore Stockton, and the merchant-ship Sterling, employed to +transport the volunteers under the command of Captain Fremont (one +hundred and eighty in number), sailed for the south. The destination of +these vessels was understood to be San Pedro or San Diego. While those +vessels were leaving the harbour, accompanied by Mr. Jacob, I took +passage for Sonoma in a cutter belonging to the sloop-of-war +Portsmouth. Sonoma is situated on the northern side of the Bay of San +Francisco, about 15 miles from the shore, and about 45 miles from the +town of San Francisco. Sonoma creek is navigable for vessels of +considerable burden to within four miles of the town. + +Among the passengers in the boat were Mr. Ide, who acted so conspicuous +a part in what is called the "Bear Revolution," and Messrs. Nash and +Grigsby, who were likewise prominent in this movement. The boat was +manned by six sailors and a cockswain. We passed Yerba Buena, Bird, and +several other small islands in the bay. Some of these are white, as if +covered with snow, from the deposit upon them of bird-manure. Tens of +thousands of wild geese, ducks, gulls, and other water-fowls, were +perched upon them, or sporting in the waters of the bay, making a +prodigious cackling and clatter with their voices and wings. By the aid +of oars and sails we reached the mouth of Sonoma creek about 9 o'clock +at night, where we landed and encamped on the low marsh which borders +the bay on this side. The marshes contiguous to the Bay of San +Francisco are extensive, and with little trouble I believe they could +be reclaimed and transformed into valuable and productive rice +plantations. Having made our supper on raw salt pork and bread +generously furnished by the sailors, as soon as we landed, we spread +our blankets on the damp and rank vegetation and slept soundly until +morning. + +_October 14_.--Wind and tide being favourable, at daylight we proceeded +up the serpentine creek, which winds through a flat and fertile plain, +sometimes marshy, at others more elevated and dry, to the +_embarcadero_, ten or twelve miles from the bay. We landed here between +nine and ten o'clock, A.M. All the passengers, except ourselves, +proceeded immediately to the town. By them we sent for a cart to +transport our saddles, bridles, blankets, and other baggage, which we +had brought with us. While some of the sailors were preparing +breakfast, others, with their muskets, shot wild geese, with which the +plain was covered. An excellent breakfast was prepared in a short time +by our sailor companions, of which we partook with them. No benevolent +old gentleman provides more bountifully for his servants than "Uncle +Sam." These sailors, from the regular rations served out to them from +their ship, gave an excellent breakfast, of bread, butter, coffee, tea, +fresh beefsteaks, fried salt pork, cheese, pickles, and a variety of +other delicacies, to which we had been unaccustomed for several months, +and which cannot be obtained at present in this country. They all said +that their rations were more than ample in quantity, and excellent in +quality, and that no government was so generous in supplying its +sailors as the government of the United States. They appeared to be +happy, and contented with their condition and service, and animated +with a patriotic pride for the honour of their country, and the flag +under which they sailed. The open frankness and honest patriotism of +these single-hearted and weather-beaten tars gave a spice and flavour +to our entertainment which I shall not soon forget. + +From the _embarcadero_ we walked, under the influence of the rays of an +almost broiling sun, four miles to the town of Sonoma. The plain, which +lies between the landing and Sonoma, is timbered sparsely with +evergreen oaks. The luxuriant grass is now brown and crisp. The hills +surrounding this beautiful valley or plain are gentle, sloping, highly +picturesque, and covered to their tops with wild oats. Reaching Sonoma, +we procured lodgings in a large and half-finished adobe house, erected +by Don Salvador Valléjo, but now occupied by Mr. Griffith, an American +emigrant, originally from North Carolina. Sonoma is one of the old +mission establishments of California; but there is now scarcely a +mission building standing, most of them having fallen into shapeless +masses of mud; and a few years will prostrate the roofless walls which +are now standing. The principal houses in the place are the residences +of Gen. Don Mariano Guadaloupe Valléjo; his brother-in-law, Mr. J.P. +Leese, an American; and his brother, Don Salvador Valléjo. The quartel, +a barn-like adobe house, faces the public square. The town presents a +most dull and ruinous appearance; but the country surrounding it is +exuberantly fertile, and romantically picturesque, and Sonoma, under +American authority, and with an American population, will very soon +become a secondary commercial point, and a delightful residence. Most +of the buildings are erected around a _plaza_, about two hundred yards +square. The only ornaments in this square are numerous skulls and +dislocated skeletons of slaughtered beeves, with which hideous remains +the ground is strewn. Cold and warm springs gush from the hills near +the town, and supply, at all seasons, a sufficiency of water to +irrigate any required extent of ground on the plain below. I noticed +outside of the square several groves of peach and other fruit trees, +and vineyards, which were planted here by the _padres_; but the walls +and fences that once surrounded them are now fallen, or have been +consumed for fuel; and they are exposed to the _mercies_ of the immense +herds of cattle which roam over and graze upon the plain. + +_October 15_.--I do not like to trouble the reader with a frequent +reference to the myriads of fleas and other vermin which infest the +rancherias and old mission establishments in California; but, if any +sinning soul ever suffered the punishments of purgatory before leaving +its tenement of clay, those torments were endured by myself last night. +When I rose from my blankets this morning, after a sleepless night, I +do not think there was an inch square of my body that did not exhibit +the inflammation consequent upon a puncture by a flea, or some other +equally rabid and poisonous insect. Small-pox, erysipelas, measles, and +scarlet-fever combined, could not have imparted to my skin a more +inflamed and sanguineous appearance. The multitudes of these insects, +however, have been generated by Indian filthiness. They do not disturb +the inmates of those _casas_ where cleanliness prevails. + +Having letters of introduction to General Valléjo and Mr. Leese, I +delivered them this morning. General Valléjo is a native Californian, +and a gentleman of intelligence and taste far superior to most of his +countrymen. The interior of his house presented a different appearance +from any house occupied by native Californians which I have entered +since I have been in the country. Every apartment, even the main +entrance-hall and corridors, were scrupulously clean, and presented an +air of comfort which I have not elsewhere seen in California. The +parlour was furnished with handsome chairs, sofas, mirrors, and tables, +of mahogany framework, and a fine piano, the first I have seen in the +country. Several paintings and some superior engravings ornamented the +walls. Senora Valléjo is a lady of charming personal appearance, and +possesses in the highest degree that natural grace, ease, and warmth of +manner which render Spanish ladies so attractive and fascinating to the +stranger. The children, some five or six in number, were all beautiful +and interesting. General V. is, I believe, strongly desirous that the +United States shall retain and annex California. He is thoroughly +disgusted with Mexican sway, which is fast sending his country +backwards, instead of forwards, in the scale of civilization, and for +years he has been desirous of the change which has now taken place. + +In the afternoon we visited the house of Mr. Leese, which is also +furnished in American style. Mr. L. is the proprietor of a vineyard in +the vicinity of the town, and we were regaled upon grapes as luscious, +I dare say, as the forbidden fruit that provoked the first +transgression. Nothing of the fruit kind can exceed the delicious +richness and flavour, of the California grape. + +This evening Thomas O. Larkin, Esq., late United States Consul for +California, arrived here, having left San Francisco on the same morning +that we did, travelling by land. Mr. L. resides in Monterey, but I had +the pleasure of an introduction to him at San Francisco several days +previously to my leaving that place. Mr. L. is a native of Boston, and +has been a resident in California for about fifteen years, during which +time he has amassed a large fortune, and from the changes now taking +place he is rapidly increasing it. He will probably be the first +American millionnaire of California. + +_October 17_.--The last two mornings have been cloudy and cool. The +rainy season, it is thought by the weather-wise in this climate, will +set in earlier this year than usual. The periodical rains ordinarily +commence about the middle of November. It is now a month earlier, and +the meteorological phenomena portend "falling weather." The rains +during the winter, in California, are not continuous, as is generally +supposed. It sometimes rains during an entire day, without cessation, +but most generally the weather is showery, with intervals of bright +sunshine and a delightful temperature. The first rains of the year fall +usually in November, and the last about the middle of May. As soon as +the ground becomes moistened, the grass, and other hardy vegetation, +springs up, and by the middle of December the landscape is arrayed in a +robe of fresh verdure. The grasses grow through the entire winter, and +most of them mature by the first of May. The season for sowing wheat +commences as soon as the ground is sufficiently softened by moisture to +admit of ploughing, and continues until March or April. + +We had made preparations this morning to visit a rancho, belonging to +General Valléjo, in company with the general and Mr. Larkin. This +rancho contains about eleven leagues of land, bordering upon a portion +of the Bay of San Francisco, twenty-five or thirty miles distant from +Sonoma. Just as we were about mounting our horses, however, a courier +arrived from San Francisco with despatches from Captain Montgomery, +addressed to Lieutenant Revere, the military commandant at this post, +giving such intelligence in regard to the insurrection at the south, +that we determined to return to San Francisco forthwith. Procuring +horses, and accompanied by Mr. Larkin, we left Sonoma about two o'clock +in the afternoon, riding at the usual California speed. After leaving +Sonoma plain we crossed a ridge of hills, and entered the fertile and +picturesque valley of Petaluma creek, which empties into the bay. +General Valléjo has an extensive rancho in this valley, upon which he +has recently erected, at great expense, a very large house. +Architecture, however, in this country is in its infancy. The money +expended in erecting this house, which presents to the eye no tasteful +architectural attractions, would, in the United States, have raised a +palace of symmetrical proportions, and adorned it with every requisite +ornament. Large herds of cattle were grazing in this valley. + +From Petaluma valley we crossed a high rolling country, and reached the +mission of San Rafael (forty-five miles) between seven and eight +o'clock in the evening. San Rafael is situated two or three miles from +the shore of the bay, and commands an extensive view of the bay and its +islands. The mission buildings are generally in the same ruinous +condition I have before described. We put up at the house of a Mr. +Murphy, a scholastic Irish bachelor, who has been a resident of +California for a number of years. His _casa_, when we arrived, was +closed, and it was with some difficulty that we could gain admission. +When, however, the occupant of the house had ascertained, from one of +the loopholes of the building, who we were, the doors were soon +unbarred and we were admitted, but not without many sallies of Irish +wit, sometimes good-natured, and sometimes keenly caustic and ironical. +We found a table spread with cold mutton and cold beef upon it. A cup +of coffee was soon prepared by the Indian muchachos and muchachas, and +our host brought out some scheidam and _aguardiénte_. A draught or two +of these liquids seemed to correct the acidity of his humour, and he +entertained us with his jokes and conversation several hours. + +_October 18_.--From San Rafael to Sausolito, opposite San Francisco on +the north side of the entrance to the bay, it is five leagues (fifteen +miles), generally over elevated hills and through deep hollows, the +ascents and descents being frequently steep and laborious to our +animals. Starting at half-past seven o'clock, we reached the residence +of Captain Richardson, the proprietor of Sausolito, about nine o'clock +in the morning. In travelling this distance we passed some temporary +houses, erected by American emigrants on the mission lands, and the +rancho of Mrs. Reed, a widow. We immediately hired a whale-boat from +one of the ships, lying here, at two dollars for each passenger, and +between ten and eleven o'clock we landed in San Francisco. + +I met, soon after my arrival, Mr. Lippincott, heretofore mentioned, who +accompanied us a portion of the distance over the mountains; and Mr. +Hastings, who, with Mr. Hudspeth, conducted a party of the emigrants +from fort Bridger by the new route, _via_ the south end of the Salt +Lake, to Mary's River. From Mr. Lippincott I learned the particulars of +an engagement between a party of the emigrants (Captain West's company) +and the Indians on Mary's River, which resulted, as has before been +stated, in the death of Mr. Sallee and a dangerous arrow wound to Mr. +L. He had now, however, recovered from the effects of the wound. The +emigrants, who accompanied Messrs. Hastings and Hudspeth, or followed +their trail, had all reached the valley of the Sacramento without any +material loss or disaster. + +I remained at San Francisco from the 18th to the 22d of October. The +weather during this time was sufficiently cool to render fires +necessary to comfort in the houses; but fireplaces or stoves are +luxuries which but few of the San Franciscans have any knowledge of, +except in their kitchens. This deficiency, however, will soon be +remedied. American settlers here will not build houses without +chimneys. They would as soon plan a house without a door, or with the +entrance upon its roof, in imitation of the architecture of the Pueblo +Indians of New Mexico. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Boat trip up the bay and the Sacramento to New Helvetia + An appeal to the alcalde + Kanackas + Straits of San Pueblo and Pedro + Straits of Carquinez + Town of Francisca + Feather-beds furnished by nature + Mouth of the Sacramento + Islands + Delaware Tom + A man who has forgotten his mother tongue + Salmon of the Sacramento + Indian fishermen + Arrive at New Helvetia. + +_October 22_.--Having determined to make a trip to Nueva Helvetia by +water, for the purpose of examining more particularly the upper portion +of the bay and the Sacramento river, in conjunction with Mr. Larkin, we +chartered a small open sail-boat for the excursion. The charter, to +avoid disputes, was regularly drawn and signed, with all conditions +specified. The price to be paid for a certain number of passengers was +thirty-two dollars, and demurrage at the rate of twenty-five cents per +hour for all delays ordered by the charter-party, on the trip upwards +to Nueva Helvetia. The boat was to be ready at the most convenient +landing at seven o'clock this morning, but when I called at the place +appointed, with our baggage, the boat was not there. In an hour or two +the skipper was found, but refused to comply with his contract. We +immediately laid our grievance before the alcalde, who, after reading +the papers and hearing the statements on both sides, ordered the +skipper to perform what he had agreed to perform, to which decision he +reluctantly assented. In order to facilitate matters, I paid the costs +of the action myself, although the successful litigant in the suit. + +We left San Francisco about two o'clock P.M., and, crossing the mouth +of the bay, boarded a Mexican schooner, a prize captured by the U.S. +sloop-of-war Cyane, Captain Dupont, which had entered the bay this +morning and anchored in front of Sausolito. The prize is commanded by +Lieutenant Renshaw, a gallant officer of our navy. Our object in +boarding the schooner was to learn the latest news, but she did not +bring much. We met on board the schooner Lieutenant Hunter of the +Portsmouth, a chivalrous officer, and Lieutenant Ruducoff, commanding +the Russian brig previously mentioned, whose vessel, preparatory to +sailing, was taking in water at Sausolito. Accepting of his pressing +invitation, we visited the brig, and took a parting glass of wine with +her gallant and gentlemanly commander. + +About five o'clock P.M., we proceeded on our voyage. At eight o'clock a +dense fog hung over the bay, and, the ebb-tide being adverse to our +progress, we were compelled to find a landing for our small and frail +craft. This was not an easy matter, in the almost impenetrable +darkness. As good-luck would have it, however, after we had groped +about for some time, a light was discovered by our skipper. He rowed +the boat towards it, but grounded. Hauling off, he made another attempt +with better success, reaching within hailing distance of the shore. The +light proceeded from a camp-fire of three Kanacka (Sandwich island) +runaway sailors. As soon as they ascertained who we were and what we +wanted, they stripped themselves naked, and, wading through the mud and +water to the boat, took us on their shoulders, and carried us high and +dry to the land. The boat, being thus lightened of her burden, was +rowed farther up, and landed. + +The natives of the Sandwich islands (Kanackas, as they are called) are, +without doubt, the most expert watermen in the world. Their +performances in swimming and diving are so extraordinary, that they may +almost be considered amphibious in their natures and instincts. Water +appears to be as much their natural element as the land. They have +straight black hair, good features, and an amiable and intelligent +expression of countenance. Their complexion resembles that of a bright +mulatto; and, in symmetrical proportions and muscular developments, +they will advantageously compare with any race of men I have seen. The +crews of many of the whale and merchant ships on this coast are partly +composed of Kanackas, and they are justly esteemed as most valuable +sailors. + +_October 23_.--The damp raw weather, auguring the near approach of the +autumnal rains, continues. A drizzling mist fell on us during the +night, and the clouds were not dissipated when we resumed our voyage +this morning. Passing through the straits of San Pablo and San Pedro, +we entered a division of the bay called the bay of San Pablo. Wind and +tide being in our favour, we crossed this sheet of water, and +afterwards entered and passed through the Straits of _Carquinez_. At +these straits the waters of the bay are compressed within the breadth +of a mile, for the distance of about two leagues. On the southern side +the shore is hilly, and _canoned_ in some places. The northern shore is +gentle, the hills and table-land sloping gradually down to the water. +We landed at the bend of the Straits of _Carquinez_, and spent several +hours in examining the country and soundings on the northern side. +There is no timber here. The soil is covered with a growth of grass and +white oats. The bend of the Straits of Carquinez, on the northern side, +has been thought to be a favourable position for a commercial town. It +has some advantages and some disadvantages, which it would be tedious +for me now to detail. + +[Subsequently to this my first visit here, a town of extensive +dimensions has been laid off by Gen. Valléjo and Mr. Semple, the +proprietors, under the name of "Francisca." It fronts for two or three +miles on the "_Soeson_," the upper division of the Bay of San +Francisco, and the Straits of Carquinez. A ferry has also been +established, which crosses regularly from shore to shore, conveying +travellers over the bay. I crossed, myself and horses, here in June, +1847, when on my return to the United States. Lots had then been +offered to settlers on favourable conditions, and preparations, I +understand, were making for the erection of a number of houses.] + +About sunset we resumed our voyage. The Wind having lulled, we +attempted to stem the adverse tide by the use of oars, but the ebb of +the tide was stronger than the propelling force of our oars. Soon, in +spite of all our exertions, we found ourselves drifting rapidly +backwards, and, after two or three hours of hard labour in the dark, we +were at last so fortunate as to effect a landing in a cove on the +southern side of the straits, having retrograded several miles. In the +cove there is a small sandy beach, upon which the waves have drifted, +and deposited a large quantity of oat-straw, and feathers shed by the +millions of water-fowls which sport upon the bay. On this downy deposit +furnished by nature we spread our blankets, and slept soundly. + +_October 24_.--We proceeded on our voyage at daylight, coasting along +the southern shore of the _Soeson_. About nine o'clock we landed on a +marshy plain, and cooked breakfast. A range of mountains bounds this +plain, the base of which is several miles from the shore of the bay. +These mountains, although of considerable elevation, exhibit signs of +fertility to their summits. On the plain, numerous herds of wild cattle +were grazing. About two o'clock, P.M., we entered the mouth of the +Sacramento. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers empty into the Bay of +San Francisco at the same point, about sixty miles from the Pacific, +and by numerous mouths or _sloughs_ as they are here called. These +sloughs wind through an immense timbered swamp, and constitute a +terraqueous labyrinth of such intricacy, that unskilful and +inexperienced navigators have been lost for many days in it, and some, +I have been told, have perished, never finding their way out. A range +of low sloping hills approach the Sacramento a short distance above its +mouth, on the left-hand side as you ascend, and run parallel with the +stream several miles. The banks of the river, and several large islands +which we passed during the day, are timbered with sycamore, oak, and a +variety of smaller trees and shrubbery. Numerous grape-vines, climbing +over the trees, and loaded down with a small and very acid fruit, give +to the forest a tangled appearance. The islands of the Sacramento are +all low, and subject to overflow in the spring of the year. The soil of +the river bottom, including the islands, is covered with rank +vegetation, a certain evidence of its fertility. The water, at this +season, is perfectly limpid, and, although the tide ebbs and flows more +than a hundred miles above the mouth of the river, it is fresh and +sweet. The channel of the Sacramento is remarkably free from snags and +other obstructions to navigation. A more beautiful and placid stream of +water I never saw. + +At twelve o'clock at night, the ebb-tide being so strong that we found +ourselves drifting backwards, with some difficulty we effected a +landing on one of the islands, clearing a way through the tangled brush +and vines with our hatchets and knives. Lighting a fire, we bivouacked +until daylight. + +_October 25_.--Continuing our voyage, we landed, about nine o'clock, +A.M., at an Indian _rancheria_, situated on the bank of the river. An +old Indian, his wife, and two or three children, were all the present +occupants of this _rancheria_. The woman was the most miserable and +emaciated object I ever beheld. She was probably a victim of the +"sweat-house." Surrounding the _rancheria_ were two or three acres of +ground, planted with maize, beans, and melons. Purchasing a quantity of +water and musk-melons, we re-embarked and pursued our voyage. As we +ascended the stream, the banks became more elevated, the country on +both sides opening into vast savannas, dotted occasionally with parks +of evergreen oak. + +The tide turning against us again about eleven or twelve o'clock, we +landed at an encampment of Walla-Walla Indians, a portion of the party +previously referred to, and reported to have visited California for +hostile purposes. Among them was a Delaware Indian, known as "Delaware +Tom," who speaks English as fluently as any Anglo-Saxon, and is a most +gallant and honourable Indian. Several of the party, a majority of whom +were women and children, were sick with chills and fever. The men were +engaged in hunting and jerking deer and elk meat. Throwing our hooks, +baited with fresh meat, into the river, we soon drew out small fish +enough for dinner. + +The specimens of Walla-Wallas at this encampment are far superior to +the Indians of California in features, figure, and intelligence. Their +complexion is much lighter, and their features more regular, +expressive, and pleasing. Men and women were clothed in dressed skins. +The men were armed with rifles. + +At sunset we put our little craft in motion again, and at one o'clock +at night landed near the cabin of a German emigrant named Schwartz, six +miles below the _embarcadero_ of New Helvetia. The cabin is about +twenty feet in length by twelve in breadth, constructed of a light rude +frame, shingled with _tule_. After gaining admission, we found a fire +blazing in the centre of the dwelling on the earth-floor, and suspended +over us were as many salmon, taken from the Sacramento, as could be +placed in position to imbibe the preservative qualities of the smoke. + +Our host, Mr. Schwartz, is one of those eccentric human phenomena +rarely met with, who, wandering from their own nation into foreign +countries, forget their own language without acquiring any other. He +speaks a tongue (language it cannot be called) peculiar to himself, and +scarcely intelligible. It is a mixture, in about equal parts, of +German, English, French, Spanish, and _rancheria_ Indian, a compounded +polyglot or lingual _pi_--each syllable of a word sometimes being +derived from a different language. Stretching ourselves on the benches +surrounding the fire, so as to avoid the drippings from the pendent +salmon, we slept until morning. + +_October 26_.--Mr. Schwartz provided us with a breakfast of fried +salmon and some fresh milk. Coffee, sugar, and bread we brought with +us, so that we enjoyed a luxurious repast. + +Near the house was a shed containing some forty or fifty barrels of +pickled salmon, but the fish, from their having been badly put up, were +spoiled. Mr. Schwartz attempted to explain the particular causes of +this, but I could not understand him. The salmon are taken with seines +dragged across the channel of the river by Indians in canoes. On the +bank of the river the Indians were eating their breakfast, which +consisted of a large fresh salmon, roasted in the ashes or embers, and +a kettle of _atole_, made of acorn-meal. The salmon was four or five +feet in length, and, when taken out of the fire and cut open, presented +a most tempting appearance. The Indians were all nearly naked, and most +of them, having been wading in the water at daylight to set their +seines, were shivering with the cold whilst greedily devouring their +morning meal. + +We reached the _embarcadero_ of New Helvetia about eleven o'clock, +A.M., and, finding there a wagon, we placed our baggage in it, and +walked to the fort, about two and a half miles. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Disastrous news from the south + Return of Colonel Fremont to Monterey + Call for volunteers + Volunteer our services + Leave New Helvetia + Swimming the Sacramento + First fall of rain + Beautiful and romantic valley + Precipitous mountains + Deserted house + Arable land of California + Fattening qualities of the acorn + Lost in the Coast Mountains + Strange Indians + Indian women gathering grass-seed for bread + Indian guide + Laguna + Rough dialogue + Hunters' camp + "Old Greenwood" + Grisly bear meat + Greenwood's account of himself + His opinion of the Indians and Spaniards + Retrace our steps + Severe storm + Nappa valley + Arrive at Sonoma + More rain + Arrive at San Francisco + Return to New Helvetia. + + +I remained at the fort from the 27th to the 30th of October. On the +28th, Mr. Reed, whom I have before mentioned as belonging to the rear +emigrating party, arrived here. He left his party on Mary's River, and +in company with one man crossed the desert and the mountains. He was +several days without provisions, and, when he arrived at Johnson's, was +so much emaciated and exhausted by fatigue and famine, that he could +scarcely walk. His object was to procure provisions immediately, and to +transport them with pack-mules over the mountains for the relief of the +suffering emigrants behind. He had lost all of his cattle, and had been +compelled to _cache_ two of his wagons and most of his property. +Captain Sutter generously furnished the requisite quantity of mules and +horses, with Indian vaqueros, and jerked meat and flour. This is the +second expedition for the relief of the emigrants he has fitted out +since our arrival in the country. Ex-governor Boggs and family reached +Sutter's Fort to-day. + +On the evening of the 28th, a courier arrived with letters from Colonel +Fremont, now at Monterey. The substance of the intelligence received by +the courier was, that a large force of Californians (varying, according +to different reports, from five to fifteen hundred strong) had met the +marines and sailors, four hundred strong, under the command of Captain +Mervine, of the U.S. frigate Savannah, who had landed at San Pedro for +the purpose of marching to Los Angeles, and had driven Captain Mervine +and his force back to the ship, with the loss, in killed, of six men. +That the towns of Angeles and Santa Barbara had been taken by the +insurgents, and the American garrisons there had either been captured +or had made their escape by retreating. What had become of them was +unknown.[2] Colonel Fremont, who I before mentioned had sailed with a +party of one hundred and eighty volunteers from San Francisco to San +Pedro, or San Diego, for the purpose of co-operating with Commodore +Stockton, after having been some time at sea, had put into Monterey and +landed his men, and his purpose now was to increase his force and mount +them, and to proceed by land for Los Angeles. + + [2] The garrison under Captain Gillespie, at Los Angeles, capitulated. + The garrison at Santa Barbara, under Lieutenant Talbot, marched + out in defiance of the enemy, and after suffering many hardships + arrived in safety at Monterey. + +On the receipt of this intelligence, I immediately drew up a paper, +which was signed by myself, Messrs Reed, Jacob, Lippincott, and +Grayson, offering our services as volunteers, and our exertions to +raise a force of emigrants and Indians which would be a sufficient +reinforcement to Colonel Fremont. This paper was addressed to Mr. Kern, +the commandant of Fort Sacramento, and required his sanction. The next +morning (29th) he accepted of our proposal, and the labour of raising +the volunteers and of procuring the necessary clothing and supplies for +them and the Indians was apportioned. + +It commenced raining on the night of the twenty-eighth, and the rain +fell heavily and steadily until twelve o'clock, P.M., on the +twenty-ninth. This is the first fall of rain since March last. About +one o'clock, P.M., the clouds cleared away and the weather and +temperature were delightful. + +About twelve o'clock, on the 30th, accompanied by Mr. Grayson, I left +New Helvetia. We crossed the Sacramento at the _embarcadero_, swimming +our horses, and passing ourselves over in a small canoe. The method of +swimming horses over so broad a stream as the Sacramento is as follows. +A light canoe or "dug-out" is manned by three persons, one at the bow +one at the stern and one in the centre; those at the bow and stern have +paddles, and propel and steer the craft. The man in the centre holds +the horses one on each side, keeping their heads out of water. When the +horses are first forced into the deep water, they struggle +prodigiously, and sometimes upset the canoe; but, when the canoe gets +fairly under way, they cease their resistance, but snort loudly at +every breath to clear their mouths and nostrils of the water. + +Proceeding ten miles over a level plain, we overtook a company of +emigrants bound for Nappa valley, and encamped with them for the night +on Puta creek, a tributary of the Sacramento. Five of the seven or +eight men belonging to the company enrolled their names as volunteers. +The grass on the western side of the Sacramento is very rank and of an +excellent quality. + +It commenced raining about two o'clock on the morning of the 31st, and +continued to rain and mist all day. We crossed from Puta to Cache +creek, reaching the residence of Mr. Gordon (25 miles) about three +o'clock P.M. Here we enrolled several additional emigrants in our list +of volunteers, and then travelled fifteen miles up the creek to a small +log-house, occupied temporarily by some of the younger members of the +family of Mr. Gordon, who emigrated from Jackson county, Mo., this +year, and by Mrs. Grayson. Here we remained during the night, glad to +find a shelter and a fire, for we were drenched to our skins. + +On the morning of the 1st of November the sun shone out warm and +pleasant. The birds were singing, chattering, and flitting from tree to +tree, through the romantic and picturesque valley where we had slept +during the night. The scenery and its adjuncts were so charming and +enticing that I recommenced my travels with reluctance. No scenery can +be more beautiful than that of the small valleys of California. +Ascending the range of elevated mountains which border the Cache creek, +we had a most extensive view of the broad plain of the Sacramento, +stretching with islands and bells of limber far away to the south as +the eye could penetrate. The gorges and summits of these mountains are +timbered with largo pines, firs, and cedars, with a smaller growth of +magnolias, manzanitas, hawthorns, etc., etc. Travelling several miles +over a level plateau, we descended into a beautiful valley, richly +carpeted with grass and timbered with evergreen oak. Proceeding across +this three or four miles, we rose another range of mountains, and, +travelling a league along the summit ridge, we descended through a +crevice in a sleep rocky precipice, just sufficient in breadth to admit +the passage of our animals. Our horses were frequently compelled to +slide or leap down nearly perpendicular rocks or stairs, until we +finally, just after sunset, reached the bottom of the mountain, and +found ourselves in another level and most fertile and picturesque +valley. + +We knew that in this valley, of considerable extent, there was a house +known as "Barnett's," where we expected to find quarters for the night. +There were numerous trails of cattle, horses, deer, and other wild +animals, crossing each other in every direction through the live +oak-timber. We followed on the largest of the cattle trails until it +became so blind that we could not see it. Taking another, we did the +same, and the result was the same; another and another with no better +success. We then shouted so loud that our voices were echoed and +re-echoed by the surrounding mountains, hoping, if there were any +inhabitants in the valley, that they would respond to us. There was no +response--all was silent when the sound of our voices died away in the +gorges and ravines; and at ten o'clock at night we encamped under the +wide-spreading branches of an oak, having travelled about 40 miles. +Striking a fire and heaping upon it a large quantity of wood, which +blazed brightly, displaying the Gothic shapes of the surrounding oaks, +we picketed our animals, spread our blankets, and slept soundly. + +It rained several hours during the night, and in the morning a dense +fog filled the valley. Saddling our animals, we searched along the foot +of the next range of mountains for a trail, but could find none. +Returning to our camp, we proceeded up the valley, and struck a trail, +by following which two miles, we came to the house (Barnett's). The +door was ajar, and entering the dwelling we found it tenantless. The +hearth was cold, and the ashes in the jambs of the large fire-place +were baked. In the corners of the building there were some frames, upon +which beds had been once spread. The house evidently had been abandoned +by its former occupants for some time. The prolific mothers of several +families of the swinish species, with their squealing progenies, +gathered around us, in full expectation, doubtless, of the dispensation +of an extra ration, which we had not to give. Having eaten nothing but +a crust of bread for 24 hours, the inclination of our appetites was +strong to draw upon them for a ration; but for old acquaintance' sake, +and because they were the foreshadowing of the "manifest destiny," they +were permitted to pass without molestation. There were two or three +small inclosures near the house, where corn and wheat had been planted +and harvested this year; but none of the product of the harvest could +be found in the empty house, or on the place. Dismounting from our +horses at a limpid spring-branch near the house, we slaked our thirst, +and made our hydropathical breakfast from its cool and delicious water. + +Although the trail of the valley did not run in our course, still, +under the expectation that it would soon take another direction, we +followed it, passing over a fertile soil, sufficiently timbered and +watered by several small streams. The quantity of arable land in +California, I believe, is much greater than has generally been supposed +from the accounts of the country given by travellers who have visited +only the parts on the Pacific, and some few of the missions. Most of +the mountain valleys between the Sierra Nevada and the coast are +exuberantly fertile, and finely watered, and will produce crops of all +kinds, while the hills are covered with oats and grass of the most +nutritious qualities, for the sustenance of cattle, horses, and hogs. +The acorns which fall from the oaks are, of themselves, a rich annual +product for the fattening of hogs; and during the period of transition +(four or five weeks after the rains commence falling) from the dry +grass to the fresh growth, horses, mules, and even horned cattle mostly +subsist and fatten upon these large and oleaginous nuts. + +We left the valley in a warm and genial sunshine, about 11 o'clock, and +commenced ascending another high mountain, timbered as those I have +previously described. When we reached the summit, we were enveloped in +clouds, and the rain was falling copiously, and a wintry blast drove +the cold element to our skins. Crossing this mountain three or four +miles, we descended its sleep sides, and entered another beautiful and +romantic hollow, divided as it were into various apartments by short +ranges of low conical hills, covered to their summits with grass and +wild oats. The grass and other vegetation on the level bottom are very +rank, indicating a soil of the most prolific qualities. In winding +through this valley, we met four Indians on foot, armed with long bows, +and arrows of corresponding weight and length, weapons that I have not +previously seen among the Indians. Their complexions were lighter than +those of the _rancheria_ Indians of California. They evidently belonged +to some more northern tribe. We stopped them to make inquiries, but +they seemed to know nothing of the country, nor could we learn from +them from whence they came or where they were going. They were clothed +in dressed skins, and two of them were highly rouged. + +Ascending and descending gradually over some low hills, we entered +another circular valley, through which flows a stream, the waters of +which, judging from its channel, at certain seasons are broad and deep. +The ground, from the rains that have recently fallen and are now +falling, is very soft, and we had difficulty in urging our tired +animals across this valley. We soon discovered fresh cattle signs, and +afterwards a large herd grazing near the stream. Farther on, we saw +five old and miserably emaciated Indian women, gathering grass-seed for +bread. This process is performed with two baskets, one shaped like a +round shield, and the other having a basin and handle. With the shield +the lop of the grass is brushed, and the seed by the motion is thrown +into the deep basket held in the other hand. The five women appeared at +a distance like so many mowers cutting down the grass of a meadow. +These women could give us no satisfaction in response to inquiries, but +pointed over the river indicating that we should there find the _casa_ +and _rancheria_. They then continued their work with as much zeal and +industry as if their lives were dependent upon the proceeds of their +labour, and I suppose they were. + +Crossing the river, we struck a trail which led us to the _casa_ and +_rancheria_, about two miles distant. The _casa_ was a small adobe +building, about twelve feet square, and was locked up. Finding that +admission was not to be gained here, we hailed at the _rancheria_, and +presently some dozen squalid and naked men, women, and children, made +their appearance. We inquired for the _mayor domo_, or overseer. The +chief speaker signified that he was absent, and that he did not expect +hint to return until several suns rose and set. We then signified we +were hungry, and very soon a loaf made of pulverized acorns, mingled +with wild fruit of some kind, was brought to us with a basket of water. +These Indians manufacture small baskets which are impervious to water, +and they are used as basins to drink from, and for other purposes. + +I knew that we had been travelling out of our course all day, and it +was now three o'clock, P.M. Rain and mist had succeeded each other, and +the sun was hidden from us by dark and threatening masses of clouds. We +had no compass with us, and could not determine the course to Nappa +Valley or Sonoma. Believing that the Indian would have some knowledge +of the latter place, we made him comprehend that we wished to go there, +and inquired the route. He pointed in a direction which he signified +would take us to Sonoma. We pointed in another course, which it seemed +to us was the right one. But he persisted in asserting that he was +right. After some further talk, for the shirt on my back he promised to +guide us, and, placing a ragged skin on one of our horses, he mounted +the animal and led the way over the next range of hills. The rain soon +poured down so hard upon the poor fellow's bare skin, that he begged +permission to return, to which we would not consent; but, out of +compassion to him, I took off my over-coat, with which he covered his +swarthy hide, and seemed highly delighted with the shelter from the +pitiless storm it afforded him, or with the supposition that I intended +to present it to him. + +Crossing several elevated and rocky hills, just before sunset, we had a +view of a large timbered valley and a sheet of water, the extent of +which we could not compass with the eye, on account of the thickness of +the atmosphere. When we came in sight of the water, the Indian uttered +various exclamations of pleasure; and, although I had felt but little +faith in him as a pilot from the first, I began now to think that we +were approaching the Bay of San Francisco. Descending into the valley, +we travelled along a small stream two or three miles, and were +continuing on in the twilight, when we heard the tinkling of a cow-bell +on the opposite side of the stream. Certain, from this sound, that +there must be an encampment near, I halted and hallooed at the top of +my voice. The halloo called forth a similar response, with an +interrogation in English, "Who the d----l are you--Spaniards or +Americans?" "Americans." "Show yourselves, then, d----n you, and let us +see the colour of your hide," was the answer. + +"Tell us where we can cross the stream, and you shall soon see us," was +our reply. + +"Ride back and follow the sound of my voice, and be d----d to you, and +you can cross the stream with a deer's jump." + +Accordingly, following the sound of the voice of this rough colloquist, +who shouted repeatedly, we rode back in the dark several hundred yards, +and, plunging into the stream, the channel of which was deep, we gained +the other side, where we found three men standing ready to receive us. +We soon discovered them to be a party of professional hunters, or +trappers, at the head of which was Mr. Greenwood, a famed mountaineer, +commonly known as "Old Greenwood." They invited us to their camp, +situated across a small opening in the timber about half a mile +distant. Having unsaddled our tired animals and turned them loose to +graze for the night, we placed our baggage under the cover of a small +tent, and, taking our seats by the huge camp fire, made known as far as +was expedient our business. We soon ascertained that we had ridden the +entire day (about 40 miles) directly out of our course to Nappa Valley +and Sonoma, and that the Indian's information was all wrong. We were +now near the shore of a large lake, called the _Laguna_ by +Californians, some fifty or sixty miles in length, which lake is +situated about sixty or seventy miles north of the Bay of San +Francisco; consequently, to-morrow we shall be compelled to retrace our +steps and find the trail that leads from Harriett's house to Nappa, +which escaped us this morning. We received such directions, however, +from Mr. Greenwood, that we could not fail to find it. + +We found in the camp, much to our gratification after a long fast, an +abundance of fat grisly bear-meat and the most delicious and tender +deer-meat. The camp looked like a butcher's stall. The pot filled with +bear-flesh was boiled again and again, and the choice pieces of the +tender venison were roasting, and disappearing with singular rapidity +for a long time. Bread there was none of course. Such a delicacy is +unknown to the mountain trappers, nor is it much desired by them. + +The hunting party consisted of Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Turner, Mr. Adams, +and three sons of Mr. G., one grown, and the other two boys 10 or 12 +years of age, half-bred Indians, the mother being a Crow. One of these +boys is named "Governor Boggs," after ex-governor Boggs of Missouri, an +old friend of the father. Mr. Greenwood, or "Old Greenwood," as he is +familiarly called, according to his own statement, is 83 years of age, +and has been a mountain trapper between 40 and 50 years. He lived among +the Crow Indians, where he married his wife, between thirty and forty +years. He is about six feet in height, raw-boned and spare in flesh, +but muscular, and, notwithstanding his old age, walks with all the +erectness and elasticity of youth. His dress was of tanned buckskin, +and from its appearance one would suppose its antiquity to be nearly +equal to the age of its wearer. It had probably never been off his body +since he first put it on. "I am," said he, "an old man--eighty-three +years--it is a long time to live;--eighty-three years last--. I have +seen all the Injun varmints of the Rocky Mountains,--have fout +them--lived with them. I have many children--I don't know how many, +they are scattered; but my wife was a Crow. The Crows are a brave +nation,--the bravest of all the Injuns; they fight like the white man; +they don't kill you in the dark like the Black-foot varmint, and then +take your scalp and run, the cowardly reptiles. Eighty-three years +last----; and yet old Greenwood could handle the rifle as well as the +best on 'em, but for this infernal humour in my eyes, caught three +years ago in bringing the emigrators over the _de_-sart." (A circle of +scarlet surrounded his weeping eyeballs.) "I can't see jist now as well +as I did fifty years ago, but I can always bring the game or the +slinking and skulking Injun. I have jist come over the mountains from +Sweetwater with the emigrators as pilot, living upon bacon, bread, +milk, and sich like mushy stuff. It don't agree with me; it never will +agree with a man of my age, eighty-three last ----; that is a long time +to live. I thought I would take a small hunt to get a little exercise +for my old bones, and some good fresh meat. The grisly bear, fat deer, +and poultry and fish--them are such things as a man should eat. I came +up here, where I knew there was plenty. I was here twenty years ago, +before any white man see this lake and the rich land about it. It's +filled with big fish. That's beer-springs here, better than them in the +Rocky Mountains; thar's a mountain of solid brimstone, and thar's mines +of gold and silver, all of which I know'd many years ago, and I can +show them to you if you will go with me in the morning. These +black-skinned Spaniards have rebelled again. Wall, they can make a +fuss, d--m 'em, and have revolutions every year, but they can't fight. +It's no use to go after 'em, unless when you ketch 'em you kill 'em. +They won't stand an' fight like men, an' when they can't fight longer +give up; but the skared varmints run away and then make another fuss, +d--m 'em." Such was the discourse of our host. + +The camp consisted of two small tents, which had probably been obtained +from the emigrants. They were pitched so as to face each other, and +between them there was a large pile of blazing logs. On the trees +surrounding the camp were stretched the skins of various animals which +had been killed in the hunt; some preserved for their hides, others for +the fur. Bear-meat and venison enough for a winter's supply were +hanging from the limbs. The swearing of Turner, a man of immense frame +and muscular power, during our evening's conversation, was almost +terrific. I had heard mountain swearing before, but his went far beyond +all former examples. He could do all the swearing for our army in +Mexico, and then have a surplus. + +The next morning (Nov. 3rd), after partaking of a hearty breakfast, and +suspending from our saddles a sufficient supply of venison and +bear-meat for two days' journey, we started back on our own trail. We +left our miserable Indian pilot at his _rancheria_. I gave him the +shirt from my back, out of compassion for his sufferings--he well +deserved a _dressing_ of another kind. It rained all day, and, when we +reached Barnett's (the empty house) after four o'clock, P.M., the black +masses of clouds which hung over the valley portended a storm so +furious, that we thought it prudent to take shelter under a roof for +the night. Securing our animals in one of the inclosures, we encamped +in the deserted dwelling. The storm soon commenced, and raged and +roared with a fierceness and strength rarely witnessed. The hogs and +pigs came squealing about the door for admission; and the cattle and +horses in the valley, terrified by the violence of elemental battle, +ran backwards and forwards, bellowing and snorting. In comfortable +quarters, we roasted and enjoyed our bear-meat and venison, and left +the wind, rain, lightning, and thunder to play their pranks as best +suited them, which they did all night. + +On the morning of the fourth, we found the trail described to us by Mr. +Greenwood, and, crossing a ridge of mountains, descended into the +valley of Nappa creek, which empties into the Bay of San Francisco just +below the Straits of Carquinez. This is a most beautiful and fertile +valley, and is already occupied by several American settlers. Among the +first who established themselves here is Mr. Yount, who soon after +erected a flouring-mill and saw-mill. These have been in operation +several years. Before reaching Mr. Yount's settlement we passed a +saw-mill more recently erected, by Dr. Bale. There seems to be an +abundance of pine and red-wood (a species of fir), in the _canadas_. No +lumber can be superior for building purposes than that sawed from the +red-wood. The trees are of immense size, straight, free from knots and +twists, and the wood is soft, and easily cut with plane and saw. +Arriving at the residence of Dr. Bale, in Nappa Valley, we were +hospitably entertained by him with a late breakfast of coffee, boiled +eggs, steaks, and _tortillas_, served up in American style. Leaving +Nappa, after travelling down it some ten or twelve miles, we crossed +another range of hills or mountains, and reached Sonoma after dark, our +clothing thoroughly drenched with the rain, which, with intermissions, +had fallen the whole day. I put up at the same quarters as when here +before. The house was covered with a dilapidated thatch, and the rain +dripped through it, not leaving a dry spot on the floor of the room +where we slept. But there was an advantage in this--the inundation of +water had completely discomfited the army of fleas that infested the +building when we were here before. + +It rained incessantly on the fifth. Col. Russell arrived at Sonoma +early in the morning, having arrived from San Francisco last night. +Procuring a boat belonging to Messrs. Howard and Mellus, lying at the +_embarcadero_, I left for San Francisco, but, owing to the storm and +contrary winds, did not arrive there until the morning of the seventh, +being two nights and a day in the creek, and _churning_ on the bay. +Purchasing a quantity of clothing, and other supplies for volunteers, I +sailed early on the morning of the eighth for New Helvetia, in a boat +belonging to the sloop-of-war Portsmouth, manned by U.S. sailors, under +the command of Midshipman Byres, a native of Maysville, Ky. We encamped +that night at the head of "Soeson," having sailed about fifty miles in +a severe storm of wind and rain. The waves frequently dashed entirely +over our little craft. The rain continued during the ninth, and we +encamped at night about the mouth of the Sacramento. On the night of +the tenth we encamped at "Meritt's camp," the rain still falling, and +the river rising rapidly, rendering navigation up-stream impossible, +except with the aid of the tide. On the night of the eleventh we +encamped fifteen miles below New Helvetia, still raining. On the +morning of the twelfth the clouds cleared away, and the sun burst out +warm and spring-like. After having been exposed to the rain for ten or +twelve days, without having the clothing upon me once dry, the sight of +the sun, and the influence of his beams, were cheering and most +agreeable. We arrived at New Helvetia about twelve o'clock. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Leave New Helvetia + Pleasant weather + Meet Indian volunteers + Tule boats + Engagement between a party of Americans and Californians + Death of Capt. Burroughs and Capt. Foster + Capture of Thomas O. Larkin + Reconnaissance + San Juan Bautista + Neglect of the dead + Large herds of Cattle + Join Col. Fremont. + + +On my arrival at New Helvetia, I found there Mr. Jacob. Mr. Reed had +not yet returned from the mountains. Nothing had been heard from Mr. +Lippincott, or Mr. Grayson, since I left the latter at Sonoma. An +authorized agent of Col. Fremont had arrived at the fort the day that I +left it, with power to take the _caballada_ of public horses, and to +enroll volunteers for the expedition to the south. He had left two or +three days before my arrival, taking with him all the horses and +trappings suitable for service, and all the men who had previously +_rendezvoused_ at the fort, numbering about sixty, as I understood. At +my request messengers were sent by Mr. Kern, commandant of the fort, +and by Captain Sutter, to the Indian chiefs on the San Joaquin River +and its tributaries, to meet me at the most convenient points on the +trail, with such warriors of their tribes as chose to volunteer as +soldiers of the United States, and perform military service during the +campaign. I believed that they would be useful as scouts and spies. On +the 14th and 15th eight men (emigrants who had just arrived in the +country, and had been enrolled at Johnson's settlement by Messrs. Reed +and Jacob) arrived at the fort; and on the morning of the 16th, with +these, we started to join Colonel Fremont, supposed to be at Monterey; +and we encamped at night on the Cosçumne River. + +The weather is now pleasant. We are occasionally drenched with a shower +of rain, after which the sun shines warm and bright; the fresh grass is +springing up, and the birds sing and chatter in the groves and thickets +as we pass through them. I rode forward, on the morning of the 17th, to +the Mickelemes River (twenty-five miles from the Cosçumne), where I met +Antonio, an Indian chief, with twelve warriors, who had assembled hero +for the purpose of joining us. The names of the warriors were as +follows;--Santiago, Masua, Kiubu, Tocoso, Nonelo, Michael, Weala, +Arkell, Nicolas, Heel, Kasheano, Estephen. Our party coming up in the +afternoon, we encamped here for the day, in order to give the Indians +time to make further preparations for the march. On the 18th we met, at +the ford of the San Joaquin River, another party of eighteen Indians, +including their chiefs. Their names were--José Jesus, Filipe, +Ray-mundo, and Carlos, chiefs; Huligario, Bonefasio, Francisco, +Nicolas, Pablo, Feliciano, San Antonio, Polinario, Manuel, Graviano, +Salinordio, Romero, and Merikeeldo, warriors. The chiefs and some of +the warriors of these parties were partially clothed, but most of them +were naked, except a small garment around the loins. They were armed +with bows and arrows. We encamped with our sable companions on the east +bank of the San Joaquin. + +The next morning (Nov. 19), the river being too high to ford, we +constructed, by the aid of the Indians, tule-boats, upon which our +baggage was ferried over the stream. The tule-boat consists of bundles +of tule firmly hound together with willow withes. When completed, in +shape it is not unlike a small keel-boat. The buoyancy of one of these +craft is surprising. Six men, as many as could sit upon the deck, were +passed over, in the largest of our three boats, at a time. The boats +were towed backwards and forwards by Indian swimmers--one at the bow, +and one at the stern as steersman, and two on each side as propellers. +The poor fellows, when they came out of the cold water, trembled as if +attacked with an ague. We encamped near the house of Mr. Livermore +(previously described), where, after considerable difficulty, I +obtained sufficient beef for supper, Mr. L. being absent. Most of the +Indians did not get into camp until a late hour of the night, and some +of them not until morning. They complained very much of sore feet, and +wanted horses to ride, which I promised them as soon as they reached +the Pueblo de San José. + +About ten o'clock on the morning of the 20th, we slaughtered a beef in +the hills between Mr. Livermore's and the mission of San José; and, +leaving the hungry party to regale themselves upon it and then follow +on, I proceeded immediately to the Pueblo de San José to make further +arrangements, reaching that place just after sunset. On the 21st I +procured clothing for the Indians, which, when they arrived with Mr. +Jacob in the afternoon, was distributed among them. + +On my arrival at the Pueblo, I found the American population there much +excited by intelligence just received of the capture on the 15th, +between Monterey and the mission of San Juan, of Thos. O. Larkin, Esq., +late U.S. Consul in California, by a party of Californians, and of an +engagement between the same Californians and a party of Americans +escorting a _caballada_ of 400 horses to Colonel Fremont's camp in +Monterey. In this affair three Americans were killed, viz.: Capt. +Burroughs, Capt. Foster, and Mr. Eames, late of St. Louis, Mo. The +mission of San Juan lies on the road between the Pueblo de San José and +Monterey, about fifty miles from the former place, and thirty from the +latter. The skirmish took place ten miles south of San Juan, near the +Monterey road. I extract the following account of this affair from a +journal of his captivity published by Mr. Larkin:-- + +"On the 10th of November, from information received of the sickness of +my family in San Francisco, where they had gone to escape the expected +revolutionary troubles in Monterey, and from letters from Captain +Montgomery requesting my presence respecting some stores for the +Portsmouth, I, with one servant, left Monterey for San Francisco, +knowing that for one month no Californian forces had been within 100 +miles of us. That night I put up at the house of Don Joaquin Gomez, +sending my servant to San Juan, six miles beyond, to request Mr. J. +Thompson to wait for me, as he was on the road for San Francisco. About +midnight I was aroused from my bed by the noise made by ten +Californians (unshaved and unwashed for months, being in the mountains) +rushing into my chamber with guns, swords, pistols, and torches in +their hands. I needed but a moment to be fully awake and know my exact +situation; the first cry was, 'Como estamos, Senor Consul.' 'Vamos, +Senor Larkin.' At my bedside were several letters that I had re-read +before going to bed. On dressing myself, while my captors were saddling +my horse, I assorted these letters, and put them into different +pockets. After taking my own time to dress and arrange my valise, we +started, and rode to a camp of seventy or eighty men on the banks of +the Monterey River; there each officer and principal person passed the +time of night with me, and a remark or two. The commandante took me on +one side, and informed me that his people demanded that I should write +to San Juan, to the American captain of volunteers, saying that I had +left Monterey to visit the distressed families of the river, and +request or demand that twenty men should meet me before daylight, that +I could station them, before my return to town, in a manner to protect +these families. The natives, he said, were determined on the act being +accomplished. I at first endeavoured to reason with him on the infamy +and the impossibility of the deed, but to no avail; he said my life +depended on the letter; that he was willing, nay, anxious to preserve +my life as an old acquaintance, but could not control his people in +this affair. From argument I came to a refusal; he advised, urged, and +demanded. At this period an officer called out * * * * (Come here, +those who are named.) I then said, 'In this manner you may act and +threaten night by night; my life on such condition is of no value or +pleasure to me. I am by accident your prisoner--make the most of +me--write, I will not; shoot as you see fit, and I am done talking on +the subject.' I left him, and went to the camp fire. For a half-hour or +more there was some commotion around me, when all disturbance subsided. + +"At daylight we started, with a flag flying and a drum beating, and +travelled eight or ten miles, when we camped in a low valley or hollow. +There they caught with the lasso three or four head of cattle belonging +to the nearest rancho, and breakfasted. The whole day their outriders +rode in every direction, on the look-out, to see if the American +company left the mission of San Juan, or Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont +left Monterey; they also rode to all the neighbouring ranches, and +forced the rancheros to join them. At one o'clock, they began their +march with one hundred and thirty men (and two or three hundred extra +horses); they marched in four single files, occupying four positions, +myself under charge of an officer and five or six men in the centre. +Their plan of operation for the night was, to rush into San Juan ten or +fifteen men, who were to retreat, under the expectation that the +Americans would follow them, in which case the whole party outside was +to cut them off. I was to be retained in the centre of the party. Ten +miles south of the mission, they encountered eight or ten Americans, a +part of whom retreated into a low ground covered with oaks, the others +returned to the house of Senor Gomez, to alarm their companions. For +over one hour the hundred and thirty Californians surrounded the six or +eight Americans, occasionally giving and receiving shots. During this +period, I was several times requested, then commanded, to go among the +oaks and bring out my countrymen, and offer them their lives on giving +up their rifles and persons. I at last offered to go and call them out, +on condition that they should return to San Juan or go to Monterey, +with their arms; this being refused, I told the commandante to go in +and bring them out himself. While they were consulting how this could +be done, fifty Americans came down on them, which caused an action of +about twenty or thirty minutes. Thirty or forty of the natives leaving +the field at the first fire, they remained drawn off by fives and tens +until the Americans had the field to themselves. Both parties remained +within a mile of each other until dark. Our countrymen lost Captain +Burroughs of St. Louis, Missouri, Captain Foster, and two others, with +two or three wounded. The Californians lost two of their countrymen, +and José Garcia, of Val., Chili, with seven wounded." + +The following additional particulars I extract from the "Californian" +newspaper of November 21, 1846, published at Monterey: "Burroughs and +Foster were killed at the first onset. The Americans fired, and then +charged on the enemy with their empty rifles, and ran them off. +However, they still kept rallying, and firing now and then a musket at +the Americans until about eleven o'clock at night, when one of the +Walla-Walla Indians offered his services to come into Monterey and give +Colonel Fremont notice of what was passing. Soon after he started he +was pursued by a party of the enemy. The foremost in pursuit drove a +lance at the Indian, who, trying to parry it, received the lance +through his hand; he immediately, with his other hand, seized his +tomahawk, and struck his opponent, splitting his head from the crown to +the mouth. By this time the others had come up, and, with the most +extraordinary dexterity and bravery, the Indian vanquished two more, +and the rest ran away. He rode on towards this town as far as his horse +was able to carry him, and then left his horse and saddle, and came in +on foot. He arrived here about eight o'clock on Tuesday morning, +December 17th." + +The Americans engaged in this affair were principally the volunteer +emigrants just arrived in the country, and who had left New Helvetia a +few days in advance of me. + +Colonel Fremont marched from Monterey as soon as he heard of this +skirmish, in pursuit of the Californians, but did not meet with them. +He then encamped at the mission of San Juan, waiting there the arrival +of the remaining volunteers from above. + +Leaving the Pueblo on the afternoon of the 25th, in conjunction with a +small force commanded by Captain Weber, we made an excursion into the +hills, near a rancho owned by Captain W., where were herded some two or +three hundred public horses. It had been rumoured that a party of +Californians were hovering about here, intending to capture and drive +off these horses. The next day (November 26th), without having met any +hostile force, driving these horses before us, we encamped at Mr. +Murphy's rancho. Mr. Murphy is the father of a large and respectable +family, who emigrated to this country some three or four years since +from, the United States, being originally from Canada. His daughter, +Miss Helen, who did the honours of the rude cabin, in manners, +conversation, and personal charms, would grace any drawing-room. On the +28th, we proceeded down the Pueblo valley, passing Gilroy's rancho, and +reaching the mission of San Juan just before dark. The hills and +valleys are becoming verdant with fresh grass and wild oats, the latter +being, in places, two or three inches high. So tender is it, however, +that it affords but little nourishment to our horses. + +The mission of San Juan Bautista has been one of the most extensive of +these establishments. The principal buildings are more durably +constructed than those of other missions I have visited, and they are +in better condition. Square bricks are used in paving the corridors and +the ground floors. During the twilight, I strayed accidentally through +a half-opened gate into a cemetery, inclosed by a high wall in the rear +of the church. The spectacle was ghastly enough. The exhumed skeletons +of those who had been deposited here lay thickly strewn around, showing +but little respect for the sanctity of the grave, or the rights of the +dead from the living. The cool damp night-breeze sighed and moaned +through the shrubbery and ruinous arches and corridors, planted and +reared by those whose neglected bones were now exposed to the rude +insults of man and beast. I could not but imagine that the voices of +complaining spirits mingled with these dismal and mournful tones; and +plucking a cluster of roses, the fragrance of which was delicious, I +left the spot, to drive away the sadness and melancholy produced by the +scene. + +The valley contiguous to the mission is extensive, well watered by a +large _arroyo_, and highly fertile. The gardens and other lands for +tillage are inclosed by willow hedges. Elevated hills, or mountains, +bound this valley on the east and west. Large herds of cattle were +scattered over the valley, greedily cropping the fresh green herbage, +which now carpets mountain and plain. + +Colonel Fremont marched from San Juan this morning, and encamped, as we +learned on our arrival, ten miles south. Proceeding up the _arroyo_ on +the 29th, we reached the camp of Colonel F. about noon. I immediately +reported, and delivered over to him the men and horses under my charge. +The men were afterwards organized into a separate corps, of which Mr. +R.T. Jacob, my travelling companion, was appointed the captain by +Colonel Fremont. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + California battalion + Their appearance and costume + List of the officers + Commence our march to Los Angeles + Appearance of the country in the vicinity of San Juan + Slaughter of beeves + Astonishing consumption of beef by the men + Beautiful morning + Ice + Salinas river and valley + Californian prisoners + Horses giving out from fatigue + Mission of San Miguel + Sheep + Mutton + March on foot + More prisoners taken + Death of Mr. Stanley + An execution + Dark night + Capture of the mission of San Luis Obispo + Orderly conduct and good deportment of the California battalion. + + +_November 30_.--The battalion of mounted riflemen, under the command of +Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont, numbers, rank and file, including Indians, +and servants, 428. With the exception of the exploring party, which +left the United States with Colonel F., they are composed of volunteers +from the American settlers, and the emigrants who have arrived in the +country within a few weeks. The latter have generally furnished their +own ammunition and other equipments for the expedition. Most of these +are practised riflemen, men of undoubted courage, and capable of +bearing any fatigue and privations endurable by veteran troops. The +Indians are composed of a party of Walla-Wallas from Oregon, and a +party of native Californians. Attached to the battalion are two pieces +of artillery, under the command of Lieutenant McLane, of the navy. In +the appearance of our small army there is presented but little of "the +pomp and circumstance of glorious war." There are no plumes nodding +over brazen helmets, nor coats of broadcloth spangled with lace and +buttons. A broad-brimmed low-crowned hat, a shirt of blue flannel, or +buckskin, with pantaloons and mocassins of the same, all generally much +the worse for wear, and smeared with mud and dust, make up the costume +of the party, officers as well as men. A leathern girdle surrounds the +waist, from which are suspended a bowie and a hunter's knife, and +sometimes a brace of pistols. These, with the rifle and +holster-pistols, are the arms carried by officers and privates. A +single bugle (and a sorry one it is) composes the band. Many an embryo +Napoleon, in his own conceit, whose martial spirit has been excited to +flaming intensity of heat by the peacock-plumage and gaudy trappings of +our militia companies, when marching through the streets to the sound +of drum, fife, and brass band, if he could have looked upon us, and +then consulted the state of the military thermometer within him, would +probably have discovered that the mercury of his heroism had fallen +several degrees below zero. He might even have desired that we should +not come + + "Between the wind and his nobility." + +War, stripped of its pageantry, possesses but few of the attractions +with which poetry and painting have embellished it. The following is a +list of the officers composing the California Battalion:--Lieut.-colonel +J.G. Fremont, commanding; A.H. Gillespie, major; P.B. Reading, +paymaster; H. King, commissary; J.R. Snyder, quartermaster, since +appointed a land-surveyor by Colonel Mason; Wm. H. Russell, ordnance +officer; T. Talbot, lieutenant and adjutant; J.J. Myers, sergeant-major, +appointed lieutenant in January, 1847. + +_Company A_.--Richard Owens, captain; Wm. N. Loker, 1st lieutenant, +appointed adjutant, Feb. 10th, 1847; B.M. Hudspeth, 2d lieutenant, +appointed captain, Feb. 1847, Wm. Findlay, 2d lieutenant, appointed +captain, Feb. 1847. + +_Company B_.--Henry Ford, captain; Andrew Copeland, 1st lieutenant. + +_Company C_.--Granville P. Swift, captain; Wm. Baldridge, 1st +lieutenant; Wm. Hartgrove, 2d do. + +_Company D_.--John Sears, captain; Wm. Bradshaw, 1st lieutenant. + +_Company E_.--John Grigsby, captain; Archibald Jesse, 1st lieutenant. + +_Company F_.--L.W. Hastings, captain (author of a work on California); +Wornbough, 1st lieutenant; J.M. Hudspeth, 2d do. + +_Company G_.--Thompson, captain; Davis 1st lieutenant; Rock, 2d do. + +_Company H_.--R.T. Jacobs, captain; Edwin Bryant, 1st lieutenant +(afterwards alcalde at San Francisco); Geo. M. Lippincott, 2d do., of +New York. + +_Artillery Company_.--Louis McLane, captain (afterwards major); John. +K. Wilson, 1st lieutenant, appointed captain in January, 1847; Wm. +Blackburn, 2d do. (now alcalde of Santa Cruz). + +_Officers on detached Service and doing Duty at the South_.--S. Hensley, +captain; S. Gibson, do. (lanced through the body at San Pascual); +Miguel Pedrorena, do., Spaniard (appointed by Stockton); Stgo. +Arguello, do., Californian (appointed by do.); Bell, do. (appointed +by do.), old resident of California (Los Angeles); H. Rhenshaw, 1st +lieutenant, (appointed by do.); A. Godey, do. (appointed by do.); Jas. +Barton, do. (appointed by do.); L. Arguello, do., Californian +(appointed by do.). + +After a march of six or eight hours, up the valley of the _arroyo_, +through a heavy rain, and mud so deep that several of our horses gave +out from exhaustion, we encamped in a circular bottom, near a deserted +adobe house. A _caballada_, of some 500 or 600 loose horses and mules +is driven along with us, but many of them are miserable sore-backed +skeletons, having been exhausted with hard usage and bad fare during +the summer campaign. Besides these, we have a large number of +pack-mules, upon which all our baggage and provisions are transported. +Distance 10 miles. + +We did not move on the 1st and 2d of December. There being no cattle in +the vicinity of our camp, a party was sent back to the mission, on the +morning of the 1st, who in the afternoon returned, driving before them +about 100 head, most of them in good condition. After a sufficient +number were slaughtered to supply the camp with meat for the day, the +remainder were confined in a _corral_ prepared for the purpose, to be +driven along with us, and slaughtered from day to day. The rain has +continued, with short intermissions, since we commenced our march on +the 30th of November. The ground has become saturated with water, and +the small branches are swollen into large streams. Notwithstanding +these discomforts, the men are in good spirits, and enjoy themselves in +singing, telling stories, and playing _monte_. + +_December 3_.--The rain ceased falling about 8 o'clock this morning; +and, the clouds breaking away, the sun cheered us once more with his +pleasant beams. The battalion was formed into a hollow square, and, the +order of the day being read, we resumed our march. Our progress, +through the deep mud, was very slow. The horses were constantly giving +out, and many were left behind. The young and tender grass upon which +they feed affords but little nourishment, and hard labour soon exhausts +them. We encamped on a low bluff, near the _arroyo_, timbered with +evergreen oak. Distance 8 miles. + +_December 4_.--I was ordered with a small party in advance this +morning. Proceeding up the valley a few miles, we left it, crossing +several steep hills sparsely timbered with oak, from which we descended +into another small valley, down which we continued to the point of its +termination, near some narrow and difficult mountain gorges. In +exploring the gorges, we discovered the trail of a party of +Californians, which had passed south several days before us, and found +a horse which they had left in their march. This, doubtless, was a +portion of the party which captured Mr. Larkin, and had the engagement +between Monterey and St. Juan, on the 17th ult. The main body coming +up, we encamped at three o'clock. The old grass around our camp is +abundant; but having been so much washed by the rains, and consequently +exhausted of its nutritious qualities, the animals refused to eat it. +The country over which we have travelled to-day, and as far as I can +see, is mountainous and broken, little of it being adapted to other +agricultural purposes than grazing. + +Thirteen beeves are slaughtered every afternoon for the consumption of +the battalion. These beeves are generally of good size, and in fair +condition. Other provisions being entirely exhausted, beef constitutes +the only subsistence for the men, and most of the officers. Under these +circumstances, the consumption of beef is astonishing. I do not know +that I shall be believed when I state a fact, derived from observation +and calculation, that the average consumption per man of fresh beef is +at least ten pounds per day. Many of them, I believe, consume much +more, and some of them less. Nor does this quantity appear to be +injurious to health, or fully to satisfy the appetite. I have seen some +of the men roast their meat and devour it by the fire from the hour of +encamping until late bed-time. They would then sleep until one or two +o'clock in the morning, when, the cravings of hunger being greater than +the desire for repose, the same occupation would be resumed, and +continued until the order was given to march. The Californian beef is +generally fat, juicy, and tender, and surpasses in flavour any which I +ever tasted elsewhere. Distance 10 miles. + +_December 5_.--I rose before daylight. The moon shone brightly. The +temperature was cold. The vapour in the atmosphere had congealed and +fallen upon the ground in feathery flakes, covering it with a white +semi-transparent veil, or crystal sheen, sparkling in the moonbeams. +The smoke from the numerous camp-fires soon began to curl languidly up +in graceful wreaths, settling upon the mountain summits. The scene was +one for the pencil and brush of the artist; but, when the envious sun +rose, he soon stripped Madam Earth of her gauzy holiday morning-gown, +and exposed her every-day petticoat of mud. + +Our march to-day has been one of great difficulty, through a deep +brushy mountain gorge, through which it was almost impossible to force +the field-pieces. In one place they were lowered with ropes down a +steep and nearly perpendicular precipice of great height and depth. We +encamped about three o'clock, P.M., in a small valley. Many of the +horses gave out on the march, and were left behind by the men, who came +straggling into camp until a late hour of the evening, bringing their +saddles and baggage upon their shoulders. I noticed, while crossing an +elevated ridge of hills, flakes of snow flying in the air, but melting +before they reached the ground. The small spring-branch on which we +encamped empties into the Salinas River. The country surrounding us is +elevated and broken, and the soil sandy, with but little timber or +grass upon it. Distance 12 miles. + +_December 6_.--Morning clear and cool. Crossed an undulating country, +destitute of timber and water, and encamped in a circular valley +surrounded by elevated hills, through which flows a small tributary of +the Salinas. The summits of the mountains in sight are covered with +snow, but the temperature in the valleys is pleasant. Distance 15 +miles. + +_December 7_.--Ice, the first I have seen since entering California, +formed in the branch, of the thickness of window-glass. We reached the +valley of the Salinas about eleven o'clock A.M., and encamped for the +day. The river Salinas (laid down in some maps as Rio San Buenaventura) +rises in the mountains to the south, and has a course of some sixty or +eighty miles, emptying into the Pacific about twelve miles north of +Monterey. The valley, as it approaches the ocean, is broad and fertile, +and there are many fine ranchos upon it. But, higher up, the stream +becomes dry in the summer, and the soil of the valley is arid and +sandy. The width of the stream at this point is about thirty yards. Its +banks are skirted by narrow belts of small timber. A range of elevated +mountains rises between this valley and the coast. A court-martial was +held to-day, for the trial of sundry offenders. Distance 8 miles. + +_December 8_.--Morning cool, clear, and pleasant. Two Californians were +arrested by the rear-guard near a deserted rancho, and brought into +camp. One of them turned out to be a person known to be friendly to the +Americans. There has been but little variation in the soil or scenery. +But few attempts appear to have been made to settle this portion of +California. The thefts and hostilities of the Tular Indians are said to +be one of the causes preventing its settlement. Distance 15 miles. + +_December 9_.--The mornings are cool, but the middle of the day is too +warm to ride comfortably with our coats on. Our march has been +fatiguing and difficult, through several brushy ravines and over steep +and elevated hills. Many horses gave out as usual, and were left, from +inability to travel. Our _caballada_ is diminishing rapidly. Distance +10 miles. + +_December 10_.--Our march has been on the main beaten trail, dry and +hard, and over a comparatively level country. We passed the mission of +San Miguel about three o'clock, and encamped in a grove of large oak +timber, three or four miles south of it. This mission is situated on +the upper waters of the Salinas, in an extensive plain. Under the +administration of the _padres_ it was a wealthy establishment, and +manufactures of various kinds were carried on. They raised immense +numbers of sheep, the fleeces of which were manufactured by the Indians +into blankets and coarse cloths. Their granaries were filled with an +abundance of maize and frijoles, and their store-rooms with other +necessaries of life, from the ranchos belonging to the mission lands in +the vicinity. Now all the buildings, except the church and the +principal range of houses contiguous, have fallen into ruins, and an +Englishman, his wife, and one small child, with two or three Indian +servants, are the sole inhabitants. The church is the largest I have +seen in the country, and its interior is in good repair, although it +has not probably been used for the purpose of public worship for many +years. The Englishman professes to have purchased the mission and all +the lands belonging to it for 300 dollars. + +Our stock of cattle being exhausted, we feasted on Californian mutton, +sheep being more abundant than cattle at this mission. The wool, I +noticed, was coarse, but the mutton was of an excellent quality. The +country over which we have travelled to-day shows the marks of long +drought previous to the recent rains. The soil is sandy and gravelly, +and the dead vegetation upon it is thin and stunted. About eighty of +our horses are reported to have given out and been left behind. +Distance 20 miles. + +_December 12_.--To relieve our horses, which are constantly giving out +from exhaustion, the grass being insufficient for their sustenance +while performing labour, the entire battalion, officers and men, were +ordered to march on foot, turning their horses, with the saddles and +bridles upon them, into the general _caballada_, to be driven along by +the horse-guard. The day has been drizzly, cold, and disagreeable. The +country has a barren and naked appearance; but this, I believe, is +attributable to the extreme drought that has prevailed in this region +for one or two years past. We encamped near the rancho of a friendly +Californian--the man who was taken prisoner the other day and set at +large. An Indian, said to be the servant of Tortoria Pico, was captured +here by the advance party. A letter was found upon him, but the +contents of which I never learned. This being the first foot-march, +there were, of course, many galled and blistered feet in the battalion. +My servant obtained, with some difficulty, from the Indians at the +rancho, a pint-cup of _pinole_, or parched corn-meal, and a quart or +two of wheat, which, being boiled, furnished some variety in our viands +at supper, fresh beef having been our only subsistence since the +commencement of the march from San Juan. Distance 12 miles. + +_December 13_.--A rainy disagreeable morning. Mr. Stanley, one of the +volunteers, and one of the gentlemen who so kindly supplied us with +provisions on Mary's River, died last night. He has been suffering from +an attack of typhoid fever since the commencement of our march, and +unable most of the time to sit upon his horse. He was buried this +morning in a small circular opening in the timber near our camp. The +battalion was formed in a hollow square surrounding the grave which had +been excavated for the final resting-place of our deceased friend and +comrade. There was neither bier, nor coffin, nor pall-- + + "Not a drum was heard, nor a funeral note." + +The cold earth was heaped upon his mortal remains in silent solemnity, +and the ashes of a braver or a better man will never repose in the +lonely hills of California. + +After the funeral the battalion was marched a short distance to witness +another scene, not more mournful, but more harrowing than the last. The +Indian captured at the rancho yesterday was condemned to die. He was +brought from his place of confinement and tied to a tree. Here he stood +some fifteen or twenty minutes, until the Indians from a neighbouring +_rancheria_ could be brought to witness the execution. A file of +soldiers were then ordered to fire upon him. He fell upon his knees, +and remained in that position several minutes without uttering a groan, +and then sank upon the earth. No human being could have met his fate +with more composure, or with stronger manifestations of courage. It was +a scene such as I desire never to witness again. + +A cold rain fell upon us during the entire day's march. We encamped at +four o'clock, P.M.; but the rain poured down in such torrents that it +was impossible to light our camp-fires and keep them burning. This +continued nearly the whole night, and I have rarely passed a night more +uncomfortably. A scouting party brought in two additional prisoners +this evening. Another returned, and reported the capture of a number of +horses, and the destruction of a rancho by fire. Distance 12 miles. + +_December 14_.--The battalion commenced its march on foot and in a +heavy rain. The mud is very deep, and we have been compelled to wade +several streams of considerable depth, being swollen by the recent +rains. At one o'clock a halt was ordered, and beef slaughtered and +cooked for dinner. The march was resumed late in the afternoon, and the +plain surrounding the mission of San Luis Obispo was reached in the +pitch darkness of the night, a family in the _canada_ having been taken +prisoners by the advance party to prevent them from giving the alarm. +The battalion was so disposed as to surround the mission and take +prisoners all contained within it. The place was entered in great +confusion, on account of the darkness, about nine o'clock. There was no +military force at the mission, and the few inhabitants were greatly +alarmed, as may well be supposed, by this sudden invasion. They made no +resistance, and were all taken prisoners except one or two, who managed +to escape and fled in great terror, no one knew where or how. It being +ascertained that Tortoria Pico, a man who has figured conspicuously in +most of the Californian revolutions, was in the neighbourhood, a party +was despatched immediately to the place, and he was brought in a +prisoner. The night was rainy and boisterous, and the soldiers were +quartered to the best advantage in the miserable mud houses, and no +acts of violence or outrage of any kind were committed. + +The men composing the Californian battalion, as I have before stated, +have been drawn from many sources, and are roughly clad, and +weather-beaten in their exterior appearance; but I feel it but justice +here to state my belief, that no military party ever passed through an +enemy's country and observed the same strict regard for the rights of +its population. I never heard of an outrage, or even a trespass being +committed by one of the American volunteers during our entire march. +Every American appeared to understand perfectly the duty which he owed +to himself and others in this respect, and the deportment of the +battalion might be cited as a model for imitation. Distance 18 miles. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + Tremendous rain + Mission of San Luis Obispo + Gardens + Various fruits + Farm + Cactus tuna + Calinche + Pumpkins + Trial of Tortoria Pico + Procession of women + Pico's pardon + Leave San Luis + Surf of the Pacific + Captain Dana + Tempestuous night + Mission of St. Ynes + Effects of drought + Horses exhausted + St. Ynes Mountain + View of the plain of Santa Barbara and the Pacific + A wretched Christmas-day + Descent of St. Ynes Mountain + Terrible storm + Frightful destruction of horses + Dark night + What we are fighting for + Arrive at Santa Barbara + Town deserted. + + +_December 15_.--The rain fell in cataracts the entire day. The small +streams which flow from the mountains through, and water the valley of, +San Luis Obispo, are swollen by the deluge of water from the clouds +into foaming unfordable torrents. In order not to trespass upon the +population at the mission, in their miserable abodes of mud, the church +was opened, and a large number of the soldiers were quartered in it. A +guard, however, was set day and night, over the chancel and all other +property contained in the building, to prevent its being injured or +disturbed. The decorations of the church are much the same as I have +before described. The edifice is large, and the interior in good +repair. The floor is paved with square bricks. I noticed a common +hand-organ in the church, which played the airs we usually hear from +organ-grinders in the street. + +Besides the main large buildings connected with the church, there are +standing, and partially occupied, several small squares of adobe +houses, belonging to this mission. The heaps of mud, and crumbling +walls outside of these, are evidence that the place was once of much +greater extent, and probably one of the most opulent and prosperous +establishments of the kind in the country. The lands surrounding the +mission are finely situated for cultivation and irrigation if +necessary. There are several large gardens, inclosed by high and +substantial walls, which now contain a great variety of fruit-trees and +shrubbery. I noticed the orange, fig, palm, olive, and grape. There are +also large inclosures hedged in by the prickly-pear (cactus), which +grows to an enormous size, and makes an impervious barrier against man +or beast. The stalks of some of these plants are of the thickness of a +man's body, and grow to the height of fifteen feet. A juicy fruit is +produced by the prickly-pear, named _tuna_, from which a beverage is +sometimes made, called _calinche_. It has a pleasant flavour, as has +also the fruit, which, when ripe, is blood-red. A small quantity of +pounded wheat was found here, which, being purchased, was served out to +the troops, about a pound to the man. Frijoles and pumpkins were also +obtained, delicacies of no common order. + +_December 16_.--A court-martial was convened this morning for the trial +of Pico, the principal prisoner, on the charge, I understood, of the +forfeiture of his parole which had been taken on a former occasion. The +sentence of the court was, that he should be shot or hung, I do not +know which. A rumour is current among the population here, that there +has been an engagement between a party of Americans and Californians, +near Los Angeles, in which the former were defeated with the loss of +thirty men killed. + +_December 17_.--Cool, with a hazy sky. While standing in one of the +corridors this morning, a procession of females passed by me, headed by +a lady of fine appearance and dressed with remarkable taste and +neatness, compared with those who followed her. Their _rebosos_ +concealed the faces of most of them, except the leader, whose beautiful +features, dare say, she thought (and justly) required no concealment. +They proceeded to the quarters of Colonel Fremont, and their object, I +understood, was to petition for the reprieve or pardon of Pico, who had +been condemned to death by the court-martial yesterday, and whose +execution was expected to take place this morning. Their intercession +was successful, as no execution took place, and in a short time all the +prisoners were discharged, and the order to saddle up and march given. +We resumed our march at ten o'clock, and encamped just before sunset in +a small but picturesque and fertile valley timbered with oak, so near +the coast that the roar of the surf breaking against the shore could be +heard distinctly. Distance seven miles. + +_December 18_.--Clear, with a delightful temperature. Before the sun +rose the grass was covered with a white frost. The day throughout has +been calm and beautiful. A march of four miles brought us to the shore +of a small indentation in the coast of the Pacific, where vessels can +anchor, and boats can land when the wind is not too fresh. The surf is +now rolling and foaming with prodigious energy--breaking upon the beach +in long lines one behind the other, and striking the shore like +cataracts. The hills and plains are verdant with a carpet of fresh +grass, and the scattered live-oaks on all sides, appearing like +orchards of fruit-trees, give to the country an old and cultivated +aspect. The mountains bench away on our left, the low hills rising in +gentle conical forms, beyond which are the more elevated and +precipitous peaks covered with snow. We encamped about three o'clock +near the rancho of Captain Dana, in a large and handsome valley well +watered by an _arroyo_. + +Captain Dana is a native of Massachusetts, and has resided in this +country about thirty years. He is known and esteemed throughout +California for his intelligence and private virtues, and his unbounded +generosity and hospitality. I purchased here a few loaves of wheat +bread, and distributed them among the men belonging to our company as +far as they would go, a luxury which they have not indulged in since +the commencement of the march. Distance 15 miles. + +_December 19_.--The night was cold and tempestuous, with a slight fall +of rain. The clouds broke away after sunrise, and the day became warm +and pleasant. We continued our march up the valley, and encamped near +its head. The table-land and hills are generally gravelly, but appear +to be productive of fine grass. The soil of the bottom is of the +richest and most productive composition. We crossed in the course of +the day a wide flat plain, upon which were grazing large herds of +brood-mares (_manadas_) and cattle. In the distance they resembled +large armies approaching us. The peaks of the elevated mountains in +sight are covered with snow. A large number of horses gave out, +strayed, and were left behind to-day, estimated at one hundred. The men +came into camp bringing their saddles on their backs, and some of them +arriving late in the evening. Distance 18 miles. + +_December 20_.--Parties were sent back this morning to gather up horses +and baggage left on the march yesterday, and it was one o'clock before +the rear-guard, waiting for the return of those, left camp. The main +body made a short march and encamped early, in a small hollow near the +rancho of Mr. Faxon, through which flows an _arroyo_, the surrounding +hills being timbered with evergreen oaks. The men amused themselves +during the afternoon in target-shooting. Many of the battalion are fine +marksmen with the rifle, and the average of shots could not easily be +surpassed. The camp spread over an undulating surface of half a mile in +diameter, and at night, when the fires were lighted, illuminating the +grove, with its drapery of drooping Spanish moss, it presented a most +picturesque appearance. Distance 3 miles. + +_December 21_.--Clear and pleasant. A foot march was ordered, with the +exception of the horse and baggage guard. We marched several miles +through a winding hollow, passing a deserted rancho, and ascending with +much labour a steep ridge of hills, descending which we entered a +handsome valley, and encamped upon a small stream about four miles from +the mission of St. Ynes. The banks of the _arroyo_ are strewn with dead +and prostrate timber, the trees, large and small, having been +overthrown by tornados. The plain has suffered, like much of the +country we have passed through, by a long-continued drought, but the +composition of the soil is such as indicates fertility, and from the +effects of the late rains the grass is springing up with great +luxuriance, from places which before were entirely denuded of +vegetation. A party was sent from camp to inspect the mission, but +returned without making any important discoveries. Our horses are so +weak that many of them are unable to carry their saddles, and were left +on the road as usual. A man had his leg broken on the march to-day, by +the kick of a mule. He was sent back to the rancho of Mr. Faxon. +Distance 15 miles. + +_December 22_.--Clear and pleasant. Being of the party which performed +rear-guard duty to-day, with orders to bring in all stragglers, we did +not leave camp until several hours after the main body had left. The +horses of the _caballada_ and the pack-animals were continually giving +out and refusing to proceed. Parties of men, exhausted, lay down upon +the ground, and it was with much urging, and sometimes with peremptory +commands only, that they could be prevailed upon to proceed. The +country bears the same marks of drought heretofore described, but fresh +vegetation is now springing up and appears vigorous. A large +horse-trail loading into one of the _canadas_ of the mountains on our +left was discovered by the scouts, and a party was dispatched to trace +it. We passed one deserted rancho, and reached camp between nine and +ten o'clock at night, having forced in all the men and most of the +horses and pack-mules. Distance 15 miles. + +_December 23_.--Rain fell steadily and heavily the entire day. A small +party of men was in advance. Discovering in a brushy valley two Indians +armed with bows and arrows, they were taken prisoners. Learning from +them that there was a _caballada_ of horses secreted in one of the +_canadas_, they continued on about ten miles, and found about +twenty-five fresh fat horses, belonging to a Californian now among the +insurgents below. They were taken and delivered at the camp near the +eastern base of the St. Ynes Mountain. Passed this morning a rancho +inhabited by a foreigner, an Englishman. + +_December 24_.--Cloudy and cool, with an occasional sprinkling rain. +Our route to-day lay directly over the St. Ynes Mountain, by an +elevated and most difficult pass. The height of this mountain is +several thousand feet. We reached the summit about twelve o'clock, and, +our company composing the advance-guard, we encamped about a mile and a +half in advance of the main body of the battalion, at a point which +overlooks the beautiful plain of Santa Barbara, of which, and the ocean +beyond, we had a most extended and interesting view. With the +spy-glass, we could see, in the plain far below us, herds of cattle +quietly grazing upon the green herbage that carpets its gentle +undulations. The plain is dotted with groves, surrounding the springs +and belting the small water-courses, of which there are many flowing +from this range of mountains. Ranchos are scattered far up and down the +plain, but not one human being could be seen stirring. About ten or +twelve miles to the south, the white towers of the mission of Santa +Barbara raise themselves. Beyond is the illimitable waste of waters. A +more lovely and picturesque landscape I never beheld. On the summit of +the mountain, and surrounding us, there is a growth of hawthorn, +manzinita (in bloom), and other small shrubbery. The rock is soft +sandstone and conglomerate, immense masses of which, piled one upon +another, form a wall along the western brow of the mountain, through +which there is a single pass or gateway about eight or ten feet in +width. The descent on the western side is precipitous, and appears +almost impassable. Distance 4 miles. + +_December 25_.--Christmas-day, and a memorable one to me. Owing to the +difficulty in hauling the cannon up the steep acclivities of the +mountain, the main body of the battalion did not come up with us until +twelve o'clock, and before we commenced the descent of the mountain a +furious storm commenced, raging with a violence rarely surpassed. The +rain fell in torrents, and the wind blew almost with the force of a +tornado. This fierce strife of the elements continued without abatement +the entire afternoon, and until two o'clock at night. Driving our +horses before us, we were compelled to slide down the steep and +slippery rocks, or wade through deep gullies and ravines filled with +mud and foaming torrents of water, that rushed downwards with such +force as to carry along the loose rocks and tear up the trees and +shrubbery by the roots. Many of the horses falling into the ravines +refused to make an effort to extricate themselves, and were swept +downwards and drowned. Others, bewildered by the fierceness and terrors +of the storm, rushed or fell headlong over the steep precipices and +were killed. Others obstinately refused to proceed, but stood quaking +with fear or shivering with cold, and many of these perished in the +night from the severity of the storm. The advance party did not reach +the foot of the mountain and find a place to encamp until night--and a +night of more impenetrable and terrific darkness I never witnessed. The +ground upon which our camp was made, although sloping from the hills to +a small stream, was so saturated with water that men as well as horses +sunk deep at every step. The rain fell in such quantities, that fires +with great difficulty could be lighted, and most of them were +immediately extinguished. + +The officers and men belonging to the company having the cannon in +charge laboured until nine or ten o'clock to bring them down the +mountain, but they were finally compelled to leave them. Much of the +baggage also remained on the side of the mountain, with the pack-mules +and horses conveying them, all efforts to force the animals down being +fruitless. The men continued to straggle into the camp until a late +hour of the night;--some crept under the shelving rocks and did not +come in until the next morning. We were so fortunate as to find our +tent, and after much difficulty pitched it under an oak-tree. All +efforts to light a fire and keep it blazing proving abortive, we spread +our blankets upon the ground and endeavoured to sleep, although we +could feel the cold streams of water running through the tent and +between and around our bodies. + +In this condition we remained until about two o'clock in the morning, +when the storm having abated I rose, and shaking from my garments the +dripping water, after many unsuccessful efforts succeeded in kindling a +fire. Near our tent I found three soldiers who had reached camp at a +late hour. They were fast asleep on the ground, the water around them +being two or three inches deep; but they had taken care to keep their +heads above water, by using a log of wood for a pillow. The fire +beginning to blaze freely, I dug a ditch with my hands and a sharp +stick of wood, which drained off the pool surrounding the tent. One of +the men, when he felt the sensation consequent upon being "high and +dry," roused himself, and, sitting upright, looked around for some time +with an expression of bewildered amazement. At length he seemed to +realize the true state of the case, and exclaimed, in a tone of +energetic soliloquy,-- + +"Well, who _wouldn't_ be a soldier and fight for California?" + +"You are mistaken," I replied. + +Rubbing his eyes, he gazed at me with astonishment, as if having been +entirely unconscious of my presence; but, reassuring himself, he said: + +"How mistaken?" + +"Why," I answered, "you are not fighting for California." + +"What the d----l, then, am I fighting for?" he inquired. + +"For TEXAS." + +"Texas be d----d; but hurrah for General Jackson!" and with this +exclamation he threw himself back again upon his wooden pillow, and was +soon snoring in a profound slumber. + +Making a platform composed of sticks of wood upon the soft mud, I +stripped myself to the skin, wringing the water from each garment as I +proceeded. I then commenced drying them by the fire in the order that +they were replaced upon my body, an employment that occupied me until +daylight, which sign, above the high mountain to the east, down which +we had rolled rather than marched yesterday, I was truly rejoiced to +see. Distance 3 miles. + +_December 26_.--Parties were detailed early this morning, and +despatched up the mountain to bring down the cannon, and collect the +living horses and baggage. The destruction of horse-flesh, by those who +witnessed the scene by daylight, is described as frightful. In some +places large numbers of dead horses were piled together. In others, +horses half buried in the mud of the ravines, or among the rocks, were +gasping in the agonies of death. The number of dead animals is +variously estimated at from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty, by +different persons. The cannon, most of the missing baggage, and the +living horses, were all brought in by noon. The day was busily employed +in cleansing our rifles and pistols, and drying our drenched baggage. + +_December 27_.--Preparations were commenced early for the resumption of +our march; but such was the condition of everything around us, that it +was two o'clock, P.M., before the battalion was in readiness; and then +so great had been the loss of horses in various ways, that the number +remaining was insufficient to mount the men. One or two companies, and +portions of others, were compelled to march on foot. We were visited +during the forenoon by Mr. Sparks, an American, Dr. Den, an Irishman, +and Mr. Burton, another American, residents of Santa Barbara. They had +been suffered by the Californians to remain in the place. Their +information communicated to us was, that the town was deserted of +nearly all its population. A few houses only were occupied. Passing +down a beautiful and fertile undulating plain, we encamped just before +sunset in a live-oak grove, about half a mile from the town of Santa +Barbara. Strict orders were issued by Col. Fremont, that the property +and the persons of Californians, not found in arms, should be sacredly +respected. To prevent all collisions, no soldier was allowed to pass +the lines of the camp without special permission, or orders from his +officers. + +I visited the town before dark, but found the houses, with few +exceptions, closed, and the streets deserted. After hunting about some +time, we discovered a miserable dwelling, occupied by a shoemaker and +his family, open. Entering it, we were very kindly received by its +occupants, who, with a princely supply of civility, possessed but a +beggarly array of comforts. At our request they provided for us a +supper of _tortillas, frijoles_, and stewed _carne_ seasoned with +_chile colorado_, for which, paying them _dos pesos_ for four, we bade +them good evening, all parties being well satisfied. The family +consisted, exclusive of the shoemaker, of a dozen women and children, +of all ages. The women, from the accounts they had received of the +intentions of the Americans, were evidently unprepared for civil +treatment from them. They expected to be dealt with in a very barbarous +manner, _in all respects_; but they were disappointed, and invited us +to visit them again. Distance 8 miles. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + Santa Barbara + Picturesque situation + Fertility of the country + Climate + Population + Society + Leave Santa Barbara + Rincon + Grampus + Mission of St. Buenaventura + Fine gardens + Meet a party of mounted Californians + They retreat before us + Abundance of maize + Arrival of couriers from Com. Stockton + Effects of war upon the country + More of the enemy in sight + News of the capture of Los Angeles, by Gen. Kearny and Com. Stockton + Mission of San Fernando + The Maguey + Capitulation of the Californians + Arrive at Los Angeles + General reflections upon the march + Meet with old acquaintances. + + +The battalion remained encamped at Santa Barbara, from the 27th of +December to the 3rd of January, 1847. The U.S. flag was raised in the +public square of the town the day after our arrival. + +The town of Santa Barbara is beautifully situated for the picturesque, +about one mile from the shore of a roadstead, which affords anchorage +for vessels of any size, and a landing for boats in calm weather. +During stormy weather, or the prevalence of strong winds from the +south-east, vessels, for safety, are compelled to stand out to sea. A +fertile plain extends some twenty or thirty miles up and down the +coast, varying in breadth from two to ten miles, and bounded on the +east by a range of high mountains. The population of the town I should +judge, from the number of houses, to be about 1200 souls. Most of the +houses are constructed of adobes, in the usual architectural style of +Mexican buildings. Some of them, however, are more Americanized, and +have some pretensions to tasteful architecture, and comfortable and +convenient interior arrangement. Its commerce, I presume, is limited to +the export of hides and tallow produced upon the surrounding plain; and +the commodities received in exchange for these from the traders on the +coast. Doubtless, new and yet undeveloped sources of wealth will be +discovered hereafter that will render this town of much greater +importance than it is at present. + +On the coast, a few miles above Santa Barbara, there are, I have been +told, immense quantities of pure bitumen or mineral tar, which, rising +in the ocean, has been thrown upon the shore by the waves, where in a +concrete state, like resin, it has accumulated in inexhaustible masses. +There are, doubtless, many valuable minerals in the neighbouring +mountains, which, when developed by enterprise, will add greatly to the +wealth and importance of the town. For intelligence, refinement, and +civilization, the population, it is said, will compare advantageously +with any in California. Some old and influential Spanish families are +residents of this place; but their _casas_, with the exception of that +of Senor Don José Noriega, the largest house in the place, are now +closed and deserted. Senor N. is one of the oldest and most respectable +citizens of California, having filled the highest offices in the +government of the country. One of his daughters is a resident of New +York, having married Alfred Robinson, Esq., of that city, author of +"Life in California." + +The climate, judging from the indications while we remained here, must +be delightful, even in winter. With the exception of one day, which was +tempestuous, the temperature at night did not fall below 50°, and +during the day the average was between 60° and 70°. The atmosphere was +perfectly clear and serene, the weather resembling that of the pleasant +days of April in the same latitude on the Atlantic side of the +continent. It is a peculiarity of the Mexicans that they allow no shade +or ornamental trees to grow near their houses. In none of the streets +of the towns or missions through which I have passed has there been a +solitary tree standing. I noticed very few horticultural attempts in +Santa Barbara. At the mission, about two miles distant, which is an +extensive establishment and in good preservation, I was told that there +were fine gardens, producing most of the varieties of fruits of the +tropical and temperate climates. + +Several Californians came into camp and offered to deliver themselves +up. They were permitted to go at large. They represented that the +Californian force at the south was daily growing weaker from +dissensions and desertions. The United States prize-schooner Julia +arrived on the 30th, from which was landed a cannon for the use of the +battalion. It has, however, to be mounted on wheels, and the gear +necessary for hauling it has to be made in the camp. Reports were +current in camp on the 31st, that the Californians intended to meet and +fight us at San Buenaventura, about thirty miles distant. On the 1st of +January, the Indians of the mission and town celebrated new-year's day, +by a procession, music, etc., etc. They marched from the mission to the +town, and through most of the empty and otherwise silent streets. Among +the airs they played was "Yankee Doodle." + +_January 3_.--A beautiful spring-like day. We resumed our march at 11 +o'clock, and encamped in a live-oak grove about ten miles south of +Santa-Barbara. Our route has been generally near the shore of the +ocean. Timber is abundant, and the grass and other vegetation +luxuriant. Distance 10 miles. + +_January 4_.--At the "Rincon," or passage between two points of land +jutting into the ocean, so narrow that at high tides the surf dashes +against the neatly perpendicular bases of the mountains which bound the +shore, it has been supposed the hostile Californians would make a +stand, the position being so advantageous to them. The road, if road it +can be called, where all marks of hoofs or wheels are erased by each +succeeding tide, runs along a hard sand-beach, with occasional +projections of small points of level ground, ten or fifteen miles, and +the surf, even when the tide has fallen considerably, frequently +reaches to the bellies of the horses. Some demonstration has been +confidently expected here, but we encamped in this pass the first day +without meeting an enemy or seeing a sign of one. Our camp is close to +the ocean, and the roar of the surf, as it dashes against the shore, is +like that of an immense cataract. Hundreds of the grampus whale are +sporting a mile or two distant from the land, spouting up water and +spray to a great height, in columns resembling steam from the +escape-pipes of steam-boats. Distance 6 miles. + +_January 5_.--The prize-schooner Julia was lying off in sight this +morning, for the purpose of co-operating with us, should there be any +attempt on the part of the enemy to interrupt the march of the +battalion. We reached the mission of San Buenaventura, and encamped a +short distance from it at two o'clock. Soon after, a small party of +Californians exhibited themselves on an elevation just beyond the +mission. The battalion was immediately called to arms, and marched out +to meet them. But, after the discharge of the two field-pieces, they +scampered away like a flock of antelopes, and the battalion returned to +camp, with none killed or wounded on either side. Under the belief that +there was a larger force of Californians encamped at a distance of some +five or six miles, and that during the night they might attempt a +surprise, or plant cannon on the summit of a hill about a mile from +camp, so as to annoy us, a party, of which I was one, was detached, +after dark, to occupy the hill secretly. We marched around the mission +as privately as possible, and took our position on the hill, where we +remained all night without the least disturbance, except by the +tempestuous wind, which blew a blast so cold and piercing as almost to +congeal the blood. When the sun rose in the morning, I could see, far +out in the ocean, three vessels scudding before the gale like phantom +ships. One of these was the little schooner that had been waiting upon +us while marching along the "Rincon." Distance 14 miles. + +_January 6_.--The wind has blown a gale in our faces all day, and the +clouds of dust have been almost blinding. The mission of San +Buenaventura does not differ, in its general features, from those of +other establishments of the same kind heretofore described. There is a +large garden, inclosed by a high wall, attached to the mission, in +which I noticed a great variety of fruit-trees and ornamental +shrubbery. There are also numerous inclosures, for cultivation, by +willow hedges. The soil, when properly tilled, appears to be highly +productive. This mission is situated about two miles from the shore of +a small bay or indentation of the coast, on the edge of a plain or +valley watered by the Rio Santa Clara, which empties into the Pacific +at this point. A chain of small islands, from ten to twenty miles from +the shore, commences at Santa Barbara, and extends south along the +coast, to the bay of San Pedro. These islands present to the eye a +barren appearance. At present the only inhabitants of the mission are a +few Indians, the white population having abandoned it on our approach, +with the exception of one man, who met us yesterday and surrendered +himself a prisoner. + +Proceeding up the valley about seven miles from the mission, we +discovered at a distance a party of sixty or seventy mounted +Californians, drawn up in order on the bank of the river. This, it was +conjectured, might be only a portion of a much larger force stationed +here, and concealed in a deep ravine which runs across the valley, or +in the _canadas_ of the hills on our left. Scouting-parties mounted the +hills, for the purpose of ascertaining if such was the case. In the +mean time, the party of Californians on our right scattered themselves +over the plain, prancing their horses, waving their swords, banners, +and lances, and performing a great variety of equestrian feats. They +were mounted on fine horses, and there are no better horsemen, if as +good, in the world, than Californians. They took especial care, +however, to keep beyond the reach of cannon-shot. The battalion wheeled +to the left for the purpose of crossing a point of hills jutting into +the plain, and taking the supposed concealed party of the enemy on +their flank. It was, however, found impracticable to cross the hills +with the cannon; and, returning to the plain, the march was continued, +the Californians still prancing and performing their antics in our +faces. Our horses were so poor and feeble that it was impossible to +chase them with any hope of success. As we proceeded, they retreated. +Some of the Indian scouts, among whom were a Delaware named Tom, who +distinguished himself in the engagement near San Juan, and a +Californian Indian named Gregorio, rode towards them; and two or three +guns were discharged on both sides, but without any damage, the parties +not being within dangerous gun-shot distance of each other. The +Californians then formed themselves in a body, and soon disappeared +behind some hills on our right. We encamped about four o'clock in the +valley, the wind blowing almost a hurricane, and the dust flying so as +nearly to blind us. Distance 9 miles. + +_January 7_.--Continuing our march up the valley, we encamped near the +rancho of Carrillo, where we found an abundance of corn, wheat, and +frijoles. The house was shut up, having been deserted by its +proprietor, who is said to be connected with the rebellion. Californian +scouts were seen occasionally to-day on the summits of the hills south +of us. Distance 7 miles. + +_January 8_.--Another tempestuous day. I do not remember ever to have +experienced such disagreeable effects from the wind and the clouds of +dust in which we were constantly enveloped, driving into our faces +without intermission. We encamped this afternoon in a grove of willows +near a rancho, where, as yesterday, we found corn and beans in +abundance. Our horses, consequently, fare well, and we fare better than +we have done. One-fourth of the battalion, exclusive of the regular +guard, is kept under arms during the night, to be prepared against +surprises and night-attacks. Distance 12 miles. + +_January 9_.--Early this morning Captain Hamley, accompanied by a +Californian as a guide, came into camp, with despatches from Commodore +Stockton. The exact purport of these despatches I never learned, but it +was understood that the commodore, in conjunction with General Kearny, +was marching upon Los Angeles, and that, if they had not already +reached and taken that town (the present capital of California), they +were by this time in its neighbourhood. Captain Hamley passed, last +night, the encampment of a party of Californians in our rear. He landed +from a vessel at Santa Barbara, and from thence followed us to this +place by land. We encamped this afternoon at a rancho, situated on the +edge of a fertile and finely watered plain of considerable extent, +where we found corn, wheat, and frijoles in great abundance. The rancho +was owned and occupied by an aged Californian, of commanding and +respectable appearance; I could not but feel compassion for the +venerable old man, whose sons were now all absent and engaged in the +war, while he, at home and unsupported, was suffering the unavoidable +inconveniences and calamities resulting from an army being quartered +upon him. + +As we march south there appears to be a larger supply of wheat, maize, +beans, and barley in the granaries of the ranchos. More attention is +evidently given to the cultivation of the soil here than farther north, +although neither the soil nor climate is so well adapted to the raising +of crops. The Californian spies have shown themselves at various times +to-day, on the summits of the hills on our right. Distance 12 miles. + +_January 10_.--Crossing the plain, we encamped, about two o'clock P.M., +in the mouth of a _canada_, through which we ascend over a difficult +pass in a range of elevated hills between us and the plain of San +Fernando, or Couenga. Some forty or fifty mounted Californians +exhibited themselves on the summit of the pass during the afternoon. +They were doubtless a portion of the same party that we met several +days ago, just below San Buenaventura. A large number of cattle were +collected in the plain and corralled, to be driven along to-morrow for +subsistence. Distance 10 miles. + +_January 11_.--The battalion this morning was divided into two parties; +the main body, on foot, marching over a ridge of hills to the right of +the road or trail; and the artillery, horses and baggage, with an +advance-guard and escort, marching by the direct route. We found the +pass narrow, and easily to be defended by brave and determined men +against a greatly superior force; but when we had mounted the summit of +the ridge there was no enemy, nor the sign of one, in sight. Descending +into a _canada_ on the other side, we halted until the main body came +up to us, and then the whole force was again reunited, and the march +continued. + +Emerging from the hills, the advance party to which I was attached met +two Californians, bareheaded, riding in great haste. They stated that +they were from the mission of San Fernando; that the Californian forces +had met the American forces under the command of General Kearny and +Commodore Stockton, and had been defeated after two days' fighting; and +that the Americans had yesterday marched into Los Angeles. They +requested to be conducted immediately to Colonel Fremont, which request +was complied with. A little farther on we met a Frenchman, who stated +that he was the bearer of a letter from General Kearny, at Los Angeles, +to Colonel Fremont. He confirmed the statement we had just heard, and +was permitted to pass. Continuing our march, we entered the mission of +San Fernando at one o'clock, and in about two hours the main body +arrived, and the whole battalion encamped in the mission buildings. + +The buildings and gardens belonging to this mission are in better +condition than those of any of these establishments I have seen. There +are two extensive gardens, surrounded by high walls; and a stroll +through them afforded a most delightful contrast from the usually +uncultivated landscape we have been travelling through for so long a +time. Here were brought together most of the fruits and many of the +plants of the temperate and tropical climates. Although not the season +of flowers, still the roses were in bloom. Oranges, lemons, figs, and +olives hung upon the trees, and the blood-red _tuna_, or prickly-pear, +looked very tempting. Among the plants I noticed the American aloe +(_argave Americana_), which is otherwise called _maguey_. From this +plant, when it attains maturity, a saccharine liquor is extracted, +which is manufactured into a beverage called _pulque_, and is much +prized by Mexicans. The season of grapes has passed, but there are +extensive vineyards at this mission. I drank, soon after my arrival, a +glass of red wine manufactured here, of a good quality. + +The mission of San Fernando is situated at the head of an extensive and +very fertile plain, judging from the luxuriance of the grass and other +vegetation now springing up. I noticed in the granary from which our +horses were supplied with food many thousand bushels of corn. The ear +is smaller than that of the corn of the Southern States. It resembles +the maize cultivated in the Northern States, the kernel being hard and +polished. Large herds of cattle and sheep were grazing upon the plain +in sight of the mission. + +_January 12_.--This morning two Californian officers, accompanied by +Tortaria Pico, who marched with us from San Luis Obispo, came to the +mission to treat for peace. A consultation was held and terms were +suggested, and, as I understand, partly agreed upon, but not concluded. +The officers left in the afternoon. + +_January 13_.--We continued our march, and encamped near a deserted +rancho at the foot of Couenga plain. Soon after we halted, the +Californian peace-commissioners appeared, and the terms of peace and +capitulation were finally agreed upon and signed by the respective +parties. They were as follows:-- + + ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION, + + Made and entered into at the Ranch of Couenga, this thirteenth day + of January, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, between P.B. Reading, + major; Louis McLane, junr., commanding 3rd Artillery; William H. + Russell, ordnance officer--commissioners appointed by J.C. Fremont, + Colonel United States Army, and Military Commandant of California; + and José Antonio Carillo, commandant esquadron; Augustin Olivera, + deputado--commissioners appointed by Don Andres Pico, + Commander-in-chief of the Californian forces under the Mexican flag. + + Article 1st. The Commissioners on the part of the Californians agree + that their entire force shall, on presentation of themselves to + Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont, deliver up their artillery and public + arms, and that they shall return peaceably to their homes, + conforming to the laws and regulations of the United States, and not + again take up arms during the war between the United States and + Mexico, but will assist and aid in placing the country in a state of + peace and tranquillity. + + Art. 2nd. The Commissioners on the part of Lieutenant-Colonel + Fremont agree and bind themselves, on the fulfilment of the 1st + Article by the Californians, that they shall be guaranteed + protection of life and property, whether on parole or otherwise. + + Article 3rd. That until a Treaty of Peace be made and signed between + the United States of North America and the Republic of Mexico, no + Californian or other Mexican citizen shall be bound to take the oath + of allegiance. + + Article 4th. That any Californian or citizen of Mexico, desiring, is + permitted by this capitulation to leave the country without let or + hinderance. + + Article 5th. That, in virtue of the aforesaid articles, equal rights + and privileges are vouchsafed to every citizen of California, as are + enjoyed by the citizens of the United States of North America. + + Article 6th. All officers, citizens, foreigners or others, shall + receive the protection guaranteed by the 2nd Article. + + Article 7th. This capitulation is intended to be no bar in effecting + such arrangements as may in future be in justice required by both + parties. + + ADDITIONAL ARTICLE. + + Ciudad de Los Angeles, Jan. 16th, 1847. + + That the paroles of all officers, citizens and others, of the United + States, and naturalized citizens of Mexico, are by this foregoing + capitulation cancelled, and every condition of said paroles, from + and after this date, are of no further force and effect, and all + prisoners of both parties are hereby released. + + P.B. READING, Maj. Cal'a. Battalion. + LOUIS McLANE, Com'd. Artillery. + WM. H. RUSSELL, Ordnance Officer. + JOSE ANTONIO CARILLO, Comd't. of Squadron. + AUGUSTIN OLIVERA, Deputado. + + Approved, + + J.C. FREMONT, Lieut.-Col. U.S. Army, and Military Commandant of + California. + + ANDRES PICO, Commandant of Squadron and Chief of the National Forces + of California. + +The next morning a brass howitzer was brought into camp, and delivered. +What other arms were given up I cannot say, for I saw none. Nor can I +speak as to the number of Californians who were in the field under the +command of Andres Pico when the articles of capitulation were signed, +for they were never in sight of us after we reached San Fernando. +Distance 12 miles. + +_January 14_.--It commenced raining heavily this morning. Crossing a +ridge of hills, we entered the magnificent undulating plain surrounding +the city of Angels, now verdant with a carpet of fresh vegetation. +Among other plants I noticed the mustard, and an immense quantity of +the common pepper-grass of our gardens. We passed several warm springs +which throw up large quantities of bitumen or mineral tar. Urging our +jaded animals through the mud and water, which in places was very deep, +we reached the town about 3 o'clock. + +A more miserably clad, wretchedly provided, and unprepossessing +military host, probably never entered a civilized city. In all, except +our order, deportment, and arms, we might have been mistaken for a +procession of tatterdemalions, or a tribe of Nomades from Tartary. +There were not many of us so fortunate as to have in our possession an +entire outside garment; and several were without hats or shoes, or a +complete covering to their bodies. But that we had at last reached the +terminus of a long and laborious march, attended with hardships, +exposure, and privation rarely suffered, was a matter of such heartfelt +congratulation, that these comparatively trifling inconveniences were +not thought of. Men never, probably, in the entire history of military +transactions, bore these privations with more fortitude or uttered +fewer complaints. + +We had now arrived at the abode of the _celestials_, if the +interpretation of the name of the place could be considered as +indicative of the character of its population, and drenched with rain +and plastered with mud, we entered the "City of the Angels," and +marched through its principal street to our temporary quarters. We +found the town, as we expected, in the possession of the United States +naval and military forces under the command of Commodore Stockton and +General Kearny, who, after two engagements with six hundred mounted +Californians on the 8th and 9th, had marched into the city on the 10th. +The town was almost entirely deserted by its inhabitants, and most of +the houses, except those belonging to foreigners, or occupied as +quarters for the troops, were closed. I met here many of the naval +officers whose agreeable acquaintance I had made at San Francisco. +Among others were Lieutenants Thompson, Hunter, Gray and Rhenshaw, and +Captain Zeilin of the marines, all of whom had marched from San Diego. +Distance 12 miles. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + City of Angels + Gardens + Vineyards + Produce of the vine in California + General products of the country + Reputed personal charms of the females of Los Angeles + San Diego + Gold and quicksilver mines + Lower California + Bituminous springs + Wines + A Kentuckian among the angels + Missions of San Gabriel and San Luis Rey + Gen. Kearny and Com. Stockton leave for San Diego + Col. Fremont appointed Governor of California by Com. Stockton + Com. Shubrick's arrival + Insurrection in the northern part of California suppressed + Arrival of Col. Cooke at San Diego. + + +La Ciudad de los Angeles is the largest town in California, containing +between fifteen hundred and two thousand inhabitants. Its streets are +laid out without any regard to regularity. The buildings are generally +constructed of adobes one and two stories high, with flat roofs. The +public buildings are a church, quartel, and government house. Some of +the dwelling-houses are frames, and large. Few of them, interiorly or +exteriorly, have any pretensions to architectural taste, finish, or +convenience of plan and arrangement. The town is situated about 20 miles +from the ocean, in a extensive undulating plain, bounded on the north +by a ridge of elevated hills, on the east by high mountains whose +summits are now covered with snow, on the west by the ocean, and +stretching to the south and the south-east as far as the eye can reach. +The Rio St. Gabriel flows near the town. This stream is skirted with +numerous vineyards and gardens, inclosed by willow-hedges. The gardens +produce a great variety of tropical fruits and plants. The yield of the +vineyards is very abundant; and a large quantity of wines of a good +quality and flavour, and _aguardiénte_, are manufactured here. Some of +the vineyards, I understand, contain as many as twenty thousand vines. +The produce of the vine in California will, undoubtedly, in a short +time form an important item, in its exports and commerce. The soil and +climate, especially of the southern portion of the country, appear to +be peculiarly adapted to the culture of the grape. + +We found in Los Angeles an abundance of maize, wheat, and _frijoles_, +showing that the surrounding country is highly productive of these +important articles of subsistence. There are no mills, however, in this +vicinity, the universal practice of Californian families being to grind +their corn by hand; and consequently flour and bread are very scarce, +and not to be obtained in any considerable quantities. The only garden +vegetables which I saw while here were onions, potatoes, and _chile +colorado_, or red pepper, which enters very largely into the _cuisine_ +of the country. I do not doubt, however, that every description of +garden vegetables can be produced here, in perfection and abundance. + +While I remained at Los Angeles, I boarded with two or three other +officers at the house of a Mexican Californian, the late alcalde of the +town, whose political functions had ceased. He was a thin, delicate, +amiable, and very polite gentleman, treating us with much courtesy, for +which we paid him, when his bill was presented, a very liberal +compensation. In the morning we were served, on a common deal table, +with a cup of coffee and a plate of _tortillas_. At eleven o'clock, a +more substantial meal was provided, consisting of stewed beef, seasoned +with _chile colorado_, a rib of roasted beef, and a plate of _frijoles_ +with _tortillas_, and a bottle of native wine. Our supper was a second +edition of the eleven o'clock entertainment. + +The town being abandoned by most of its population, and especially by +the better class of the female portion of it, those who remained, which +I saw, could not, without injustice, be considered as fair specimens of +_the angels_, which are reputed here to inhabit. I did not happen to +see one beautiful or even comely-looking woman in the place; but, as +the fair descendants of Eve at Los Angeles have an exalted reputation +for personal charms, doubtless the reason of the invisibility of the +examples of feminine attractions, so far-famed and so much looked for +by the sojourner, is to be ascribed to their "unavoidable absence," on +account of the dangers and casualties of war. At this time, of course, +everything in regard to society, as it usually exists here, is in a +state of confusion and disorganization, and no correct conclusions in +reference to it can be drawn from observation under such circumstances. + +The bay of San Pedro, about twenty-five miles south of Los Angeles, is +the port of the town. The bay affords a good anchorage for vessels of +any size; but it is not a safe harbour at all times, as I have been +informed by experienced nautical men on this coast. San Gabriel River +empties into the bay. The mission of San Gabriel is about twelve miles +east of Los Angeles. It is represented as an extensive establishment of +this kind, the lands surrounding and belonging to it being highly +fertile. The mission of San Luis Rey is situated to the south, about +midway between Los Angeles and San Diego. This mission, according to +the descriptions which I have received of it, is more substantial and +tasteful in its construction than any other in the country; and the +gardens and grounds belonging to it are now in a high state of +cultivation. + +San Diego is the most southern town in Upper California. It is situated +on the Bay of San Diego, in latitude 33° north. The country back of it +is described by those who have travelled through it as sandy and arid, +and incapable of supporting any considerable population. There are, +however, it is reported on authority regarded as reliable, rich mines +of quicksilver, copper, gold, and coal, in the neighbourhood, which, if +such be the fact, will before long render the place one of considerable +importance. The harbour, next to that of San Francisco, is the best on +the Pacific coast of North America, between the Straits of Fuca and +Acapulco. + +For the following interesting account of Lower California I am indebted +to Rodman M. Price, Esq., purser of the U.S. sloop-of-war Cyane, who +has been connected with most of the important events which have +recently taken place in Upper and Lower California, and whose +observations and opinions are valuable and reliable. It will be seen +that the observations of Mr. Price differ materially from the generally +received opinions in reference to Lower California. + +"Burlington, N.J., June 7, 1848. + +"Dear Sir,--It affords me pleasure to give you all the information I +have about Lower California, derived from personal observation at +several of its ports that I have visited, in the U.S. ship Cyane, in +1846-47. + +"Cape St. Lucas, the southern extremity of the peninsula of Lower +California, is in lat. 22° 45' N., has a bay that affords a good +harbour and anchorage, perfectly safe nine months in the year; but it +is open to the eastward, and the hurricanes which sometimes occur +during July, August, and September, blow the strongest from the +southeast, so that vessels will not venture in the bay during the +hurricane season. I have landed twice at the Cape in a small boat, and +I think a breakwater can be built, at small cost, so as to make a safe +harbour at all seasons. Stone can be obtained with great ease from +three cones of rocks rising from the sea, and forming the extreme +southerly point of the Cape, called the Frayles. Looking to the future +trade and commerce of the Pacific Ocean, this great headland must +become a most important point as a dépôt for coal and merchandise, and +a most convenient location for vessels trading on that coast to get +their supplies. Mr. Ritchie, now residing there, supplies a large +number of whale-ships that cruise off the Cape, annually, with fresh +provisions, fruits, and water. The supplies are drawn from the valley +of San José twenty miles north of the Cape, as the land in its +immediate vicinity is mountainous and sterile; but the valley of San +José is extensive and well cultivated, producing the greatest variety +of vegetables and fruits. The sweet and Irish potato, tomato, cabbage, +lettuce, beans, peas, beets, and carrots are the vegetables; oranges, +lemons, bananas, plantains, figs, dates, grapes, pomegranates, and +olives are its fruits. Good beef and mutton are cheap. A large amount +of sugar-cane is grown, from which is made _panoche_, a favourite sugar +with the natives; it is the syrup from the cane boiled down, and run +into cakes of a pound weight, and in appearance is like our +maple-sugar. + +"_Panoche_, cheese, olives, raisins, dried figs, and dates, put up in +_ceroons_ of hide, with the great staples of the Californians--hides +and tallow--make the export of San José, which is carried to San Blas +and Mazatlan, on the opposite coast. This commerce the presence of the +Cyane interrupted, finding and capturing in the Bay of La Paz, just +after the receipt of the news of war on that coast in September, 1846, +sixteen small craft, laid up during the stormy season, engaged in this +trade. + +"I cannot dismiss the valley of San José, from which the crew of the +Cyane have drawn so many luxuries, without alluding to the +never-failing stream of excellent water that runs through it (to which +it owes its productiveness) and empties into the Gulf here, and is +easily obtained for shipping when the surf is low. It is now frequented +by some of our whale ships, and European vessels bound to Mazatlan with +cargoes usually stop here to get instructions from their consignees +before appearing off the port; but vessels do not anchor during the +three hurricane months. The view from seaward, up this valley, is +beautiful indeed, being surrounded by high barren mountains, which is +the general appearance of the whole peninsula, and gives the impression +that the whole country is without soil, and unproductive. When your eye +gets a view of this beautiful, fertile, cultivated, rich, green valley, +producing all the fruits and vegetables of the earth, Lower California +stock rises. To one that has been at sea for months, on salt grub, the +sight of this bright spot of cultivated acres, with the turkeys, ducks, +chickens, eggs, vegetables, and fruit, makes him believe the country an +_Eldorado_. Following up the coast on the Gulf side, after passing Cape +Polmo, good anchorage is found between the peninsula and the island of +Cerralbo. Immediately to the north of this island is the entrance to +the great and beautiful bay of La Paz. It has two entrances, one to the +north and one to the south of the island of Espiritu Santo. The +northern one is the boldest and safest for all craft drawing over +twelve feet. The town of La Paz is at the bottom or south side of the +bay, about twenty miles from the mouth. The bay is a large and +beautiful sheet of water. The harbour of Pichelinque, of perfect +mill-pond stillness, is formed inside of this bay. The Cyane lay at +this quiet anchorage several days. + +"Pearl-fishing is the chief employment of the inhabitants about the +bay, and the pearls are said to be of superior quality. I was shown a +necklace, valued at two thousand dollars, taken in this water. They are +all found by diving. The _Yake_ Indians are the best divers, going down +in eight-fathom water. The pearl shells are sent to China, and are +worth, at La Paz, one dollar and a half the _arroba_, or twenty-five +pounds. Why it is a submarine diving apparatus has not been employed in +this fishery, with all its advantages over Indian diving, I cannot say. +Yankee enterprise has not yet reached this new world. I cannot say this +either, as a countryman of ours, Mr. Davis, living at Loretta, has been +a most successful pearl-fisher, employing more Indians than any one +else engaged in the business. I am sorry to add that he has suffered +greatly by the war. The country about La Paz is a good grazing country, +but very dry. The mountains in the vicinity are said to be very rich in +minerals. Some silver mines near San Antonio, about forty miles south, +are worked, and produce well. La Paz may export one hundred thousand +dollars a-year of _platapina_. Gold-dust and virgin gold are brought to +La Paz. The copper and lead mines are numerous and rich. To the north +of La Paz are numerous safe and good harbours. Escondida, Loretta, and +Muleje are all good harbours, formed by the islands in front of the +main land. + +"The island of Carmen, lying in front of Loretta, has a large salt +lake, which has a solid salt surface of several feet thickness. The +salt is of good quality, is cut out like ice, and it could supply the +world. It has heretofore been a monopoly to the governor of Lower +California, who employed convicts to get out the salt and put it on the +beach ready for shipping. It is carried about a quarter of a mile, and +is sent to Mazatlan and San Blas. A large quantity of salt is used in +producing silver. To the north of Muleje, which is nearly opposite +Guymas, the gulf is so much narrower that it is a harbour itself. No +accurate survey has ever been made of it--indeed, all the peninsula, as +well as the coast of Upper California, is laid down wrong on the +charts, being about twelve miles too far easterly. The English +Government now have two naval ships engaged in surveying the Gulf of +California. + +"On the Pacific coast of the peninsula there is the great Bay of +Magdalena, which has fine harbours, but no water, provisions, or +inhabitants. Its shores are high barren mountains, said to possess +great mineral wealth. A fleet of whale-ships have been there during the +winter months of the last two years, for a new species of whale that +are found there, represented as rather a small whale, producing forty +or fifty barrels of oil; and, what is most singular, I was assured, by +most respectable whaling captains, that the oil is a good paint-oil (an +entire new quality for fish-oil). Geographically and commercially, +Lower California must become very valuable. It will be a constant +source of regret to this country, that it is not included in the treaty +of peace just made with Mexico. We have held and governed it during the +war, and the boundary of Upper California cuts the head of the Gulf of +California, so that Lower California is left entirely disconnected with +the Mexican territory. + +"Cape St. Lucas is the great headland of the Pacific Ocean, and is +destined to be the Gibraltar and entrepot of that coast, or perhaps La +Paz may be preferred, on account of its superior harbour. As a +possession to any foreign power, I think Lower California more valuable +than the group of the Sandwich Islands. It has as many arable acres as +that group of islands, with rich mines, pearl-fishing, fine bays and +harbours, with equal health, and all their productions. As a country, +it is dry, mountainous, and sterile, yet possessing many fine valleys +like San José, as the old mission establishments indicate. I have heard +Todas Santos, Commondee, Santa Guadalupe, and others, spoken of as +being more extensive, and as productive as San José. + +"I am, most faithfully and truly, yours, + +"RODMAN M. PRICE." + +In the vicinity of Los Angeles there are a number of warm springs which +throw out and deposit large quantities of bitumen or mineral tar. This +substance, when it cools, becomes hard and brittle like resin. Around +some of these springs many acres of ground are covered with this +deposit to the depth of several feet. It is a principal material in the +roofing of houses. When thrown upon the fire, it ignites immediately, +emitting a smoke like that from turpentine, and an odour like that from +bituminous coal. This mineral, so abundant in California, may one day +become a valuable article of commerce. + +There are no reliable statistics in California. The traveller is +obliged to form his estimate of matters and things chiefly from his own +observation. You can place but little reliance upon information derived +from the population, even when they choose to answer your questions; +and most generally the response to your inquiries is--"_Quien sabe?_" +(who knows?) No Californian troubles his brains about these matters. +The quantity of wines and _aguardiénte_ produced by the vineyards and +distilleries, at and near Los Angeles, must be considerable--basing my +estimate upon the statement of Mr. Wolfskill, an American gentleman +residing here, and whose house and vineyard I visited. Mr. W.'s +vineyard is young, and covers about forty acres of ground, the number +of vines being 4,000 or 5,000. From the produce of these, he told me, +that last year he made 180 casks of wine, and the same quantity of +_aguardiénte_. A cask here is sixteen gallons. When the vines mature, +their produce will be greatly increased. Mr. W.'s vineyard is doubtless +a model of its kind. It was a delightful recreation to stroll through +it, and among the tropical fruit-trees bordering its walks. His house, +too, exhibited an air of cleanliness and comfort, and a convenience of +arrangement not often met with in this country. He set out for our +refreshment three or four specimens of his wines, some of which would +compare favourably with the best French and Madeira wines. The +_aguardiénte_ and peach-brandy, which I tasted, of his manufacture, +being mellowed by age, were of an excellent flavour. The quantity of +wine and _aguardiénte_ produced in California, I would suppose, +amounted to 100,000 casks of sixteen gallons, or 1,600,000 gallons. +This quantity by culture can be increased indefinitely. + +It was not possible to obtain at Los Angeles a piece of woollen cloth +sufficiently large for a pair of pantaloons, or a pair of shoes, which +would last a week. I succeeded, after searching through all the shops +of the town, in procuring some black cotton velvet, for four yards of +which I paid the sum of 12 dollars. In the United States the same +article would probably have cost 1.50 dollar. For four dollars more I +succeeded in getting the pantaloons made up by an American tailor, who +came into the country with General Kearny's forces. A Rocky Mountain +trapper and trader (Mr. Goodyear), who has established himself near the +Salt Lake since I passed there last year, fortunately arrived at Los +Angeles, bringing with him a quantity of dressed deer and elk skins, +which were purchased for clothing for the nearly naked soldiers. + +Among the houses I visited while here, was that of Mr. Pryor, an +American, and a native of Louisville, Ky. He has been a resident of the +country between twenty and thirty years, but his Kentucky manners, +frankness, and hospitality still adhere to him. + +I remained at Los Angeles from the 14th to the 29th of January. During +this time, with the exception of three days, the weather and +temperature were pleasant. It rained one day, and during two days the +winds blew strong and cold from the north-west. The nights are cool, +but fires are not requisite to comfort. The snow-clad mountains, about +twenty-five or thirty miles to the east of us, contrast singularly with +the brilliant fresh verdure of the plain. + +On the 18th of January General Kearny, with the dragoons, left for San +Diego. There was understood to be a difference between General Kearny +and Commodore Stockton, and General Kearny and Colonel Fremont, in +regard to their respective powers and duties; which, as the whole +subject has subsequently undergone a thorough investigation, and the +result made public, it is unnecessary for me to allude to more +particularly. I did not converse with General Kearny while he was at +Los Angeles, and consequently possessed no other knowledge of his views +and intentions, or of the powers with which he had been invested by the +President, than what I derived from report. + +On the 19th, Commodore Stockton and suite, with a small escort, left +for San Diego. Soon after his departure the battalion was paraded, and +the appointment of Colonel Fremont as governor of California, and +Colonel W.H. Russell, as secretary of state, by Commodore Stockton, was +read to them by Colonel Russell. It was announced, also, that, although +Colonel Fremont had accepted the office of chief civil magistrate of +California, he would still retain his military office, and command the +battalion as heretofore. + +Commodore Shubrick, however, arrived at Monterey on the 23rd of +January, in the U.S. ship Independence, and, ranking above Commodore +Stockton, assumed the chief command, as appears by the date of a +general order published at Monterey, and written on board the United +States ship Independence, on February 1st, thanking the volunteers for +their services, and announcing the restoration of order. For I should +state that an insurrection, headed by Don Francisco Sanchez, had broken +out in the upper portion of California some time towards the last of +December, which had been put down by a detachment of marines and +volunteers. The insurgents had committed some outrages, and among other +acts had taken prisoner Lieutenant W.A. Bartlett, acting Alcalde of San +Francisco, with some other Americans. An account of the suppression of +this affair I find in the "Californian" newspaper of February 6th, 1847, +from which it appears, "that a party of one hundred and one men, +commanded by Captain Ward Marston, of the United States marines, +marched from San Francisco on the 29th December in search of the enemy, +whom they discovered on the 2nd of January, about one hundred in +number, on the plains of Santa Clara, under the command of Francisco +Sanchez. An attack was immediately ordered. The enemy was forced to +retire, which they were able to do in safety, after some resistance, in +consequence of their superior horses. The affair lasted about an hour, +during which time we had one marine slightly wounded in the head, one +volunteer of Captain Weber's command in the leg; and the enemy had one +horse killed, and some of their forces supposed to be killed or +wounded. In the evening the enemy sent in a flag of truce, with a +communication, requesting an interview with the commanding officer of +the expedition the next day, which was granted, when an armistice was +entered into, preparatory to a settlement of the difficulties. On the +3rd, the expedition was reinforced by the mounted Monterey volunteers, +fifty-five men, under the command of Captain W.A.T. Maddox, and on the +7th, by the arrival of Lieutenant Grayson with fifteen men, attached to +Captain Maddox's company. On the 8th a treaty was concluded, by which +the enemy surrendered Lieutenant Bartlett, and the other prisoners, as +well as all their arms, including one small field-piece, their +ammunition and accoutrements, and were permitted to return peaceably to +their homes, and the expedition to their respective posts." + +A list of the expedition which marched from San Francisco is given as +follows:--Captain Ward Marston, commandant; Assistant-surgeon J. Duval, +aide-de-camp. A detachment of United States marines, under command of +Lieutenant Tansil, thirty-four men; artillery, consisting of one +field-piece, under the charge of Master William F. De Iongh, assisted +by Mid. John M. Kell, ten men; Interpreter John Pray; mounted company +of San José volunteers, under command of Captain C.M. Weber, Lieutenant +John Murphy, and acting Lieutenant John Reed, thirty-three men; mounted +company of Yerba Buena volunteers, under command of Captain William M. +Smith, Lieutenant John Rose, with a small detachment under Captain J. +Martin, twelve men. + +Thus ended the insurrections, if resistance against invasion can +properly be so called, in Upper California. + +On the 20th January, the force of sailors and marines which had marched +with Commodore Stockton and General Kearny left Los Angeles, to embark +at San Pedro for San Diego. On the 21st a national salute was fired by +the artillery company belonging to the battalion, in honour of Governor +Fremont. On the 22nd, letters were received from San Diego, stating +that Colonel Cooke, who followed General Kearny from Santa Fé with a +force of four hundred Mormon volunteers, had reached the neighbourhood +of that place. Having applied for my discharge from the battalion as +soon as we reached Los Angeles, I received it on the 29th, on which +day, in company with Captain Hastings, I set out on my return to San +Francisco, designing to leave that place on the first favourable +opportunity for the United States. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + Leave Los Angeles for San Francisco + Don Andres Pico + A Californian returning from the wars + Domestic life at a rancho + Women in favour of peace + Hospitable treatment + Fandango + Singular custom + Arrive at Santa Barbara + Lost in a fog + Valley of the Salinas + Californians wanting Yankee wives + High waters + Arrive at San Francisco. + + +We left Los Angeles late in the afternoon of the 29th of January, with +two Indian vaqueros, on miserable broken-down horses (the best we could +obtain), and encamped at the deserted rancho at the foot of Couenga +plain, where the treaty of peace had been concluded. After we had been +here some time, two Indians came to the house, who had been sent by the +proprietor of the rancho to herd the cattle. Having nothing to eat with +us, a tempting offer prevailed upon the Indians to milk one of the +cows; and we made our supper and our breakfast next morning on milk. +Both of our Indian vaqueros deserted in the night, carrying with them +sundry articles of clothing placed in their charge. A few days have +made a great change in the appearance of the country. The fresh grass +is now several inches in height, and many flowers are in bloom. The sky +is bright, and the temperature is delightful. + +On the 30th of January, leaving the mission of San Fernando on our +right, at a distance of eight or ten miles, we followed the usually +travelled trail next to the hills, on the western side of the plain. As +we were passing near a rancho, a well-dressed Californian rode out to +us, and, after examining the horses of our miserable _caballada_, +politely claimed one of them as his property. He was told that the +horse was drawn from the public _caballada_, at Los Angeles, and could +not be given up. This seemed to satisfy him. After some further +conversation, he informed us, that he was Don Andres Pico, the late +leader and general of the Californians. The expression of his +countenance is intelligent and prepossessing, and his address and +manners courteous and pleasing. Shaking hands, and bidding us a very +earnest _adios_, he put spurs to his horse and galloped away. + +We were soon after overtaken by a young Californian, who appeared at +first rather doubtful whether or not he should make our acquaintance. +The ice being broken, however, he became very loquacious and +communicative. He stated that he was returning to his home near Santa +Barbara, from the wars, in which he had been engaged against his will. +The language that he used was, that he, with many others of his +acquaintances, were forced to take up arms by the leading men of the +country. He was in the two battles of the 8th and 9th of January, below +Los Angeles; and he desired never to be in any more battles. He was +heartily rejoiced that there was peace, and hoped that there would +never be any more wars. He travelled along with us until afternoon, +when he fell behind, and we did not see him again until the next day. + +After passing two or three deserted houses, we reached an inhabited +rancho, situated at the extremity of a valley, and near a narrow gorge +in the hills, about four o'clock, and, our jaded animals performing +duty with reluctance, we determined to halt for the night, if the +prospect of obtaining anything to eat (of which we stood in much need) +was flattering. Riding up to the house, a small adobe, with one room, +and a shed for a kitchen, the _ranchero_ and the _ranchera_ came out +and greeted us with a hearty "_Buenas tardes, Senores, paisanos +amigos_," shaking hands, and inviting us at the same time to alight and +remain for the night, which invitation we accepted. The kind-hearted +_ranchera_ immediately set about preparing supper for us. An Indian +_muchacha_ was seated at the _metate_ (hand-mill), which is one of the +most important articles of the Californian culinary apparatus. While +the _muchacha_ ground, or rather crushed, the wheat between the stones, +the _ranchera_, with a platter-shaped basket, cleansed it of dust, +chaff, and all impure particles, by tossing the grain in the basket. +The flour being manufactured and sifted through a _cedazo_, or coarse +sieve, the labour of kneading the dough was performed by the +_muchacha_. An iron plate was then placed over a rudely-constructed +furnace, and the dough, being beaten by hand into _tortillas_ (thin +cakes), was baked upon this. What would American housewives say to such +a system as this? The viands being prepared, they were set out upon a +small table, at which we were invited to seat ourselves. The meal +consisted of _tortillas_, stewed jerk beef, with _chile_ seasoning, +milk, and _quesadillas_, or cheesecakes, green and tough as leather. +However, our appetites were excellent, and we enjoyed the repast with a +high relish. + +Our host and hostess were very inquisitive in regard to the news from +below, and as to what would be the effects of the conquest of the +country by the Americans. The man stated that he and all his family had +refused to join in the late insurrection. We told them that all was +peaceable now; that there would be no more wars in California; that we +were all Americans, all Californians--_hermanos, hermanas, amigos_. +They expressed their delight at this information by numerous +exclamations. + +We asked the woman how much the dress which she wore, a miserable +calico, cost her? She answered, "Seis pesos" (six dollars). When we +told her that in a short time, under the American government, she could +purchase as good a one "_por un peso_," she threw up her hands in +astonishment, expressing by her features at the same time the most +unbounded delight. Her entire wardrobe was soon brought forth, and the +price paid for every article named. She then inquired what would be the +cost of similar clothing under the American government, which we told +her. As we replied, exclamation followed upon exclamation, expressive +of her surprise and pleasure, and the whole was concluded with "_Viva +los Americanos--viva los Americanos!_" I wore a large coarse woollen +pea-jacket, which the man was very desirous to obtain, offering for it +a fine horse. I declined the trade. + +In the evening several of the brothers, sisters, and brothers and +sisters-in-law of the family collected, and the guitar and violin, +which were suspended from a beam in the house, were taken down, and we +were entertained by a concert of instrumental and vocal music. Most of +the tunes were such as are performed at fandangos. Some plaintive airs +were played and sung with much pathos and expression, the whole party +joining in the choruses. Although invited to occupy the only room in +the house, we declined it, and spread our blankets on the outside. + +The next morning (January 31st), when we woke, the sun was shining +bright and warm, and the birds were singing gayly in the grove of +evergreen oaks near the house. Having made ready to resume our journey, +as delicately as possible we offered our kind hostess compensation for +the trouble we had given her, which she declined, saying, that although +they were not rich, they nevertheless had enough and to spare. We +however insisted, and she finally accepted, with the condition that we +would also accept of some of her _quesadillas_ and _tortillas_ to carry +along with us. The ranchero mounted his horse and rode with us about +three or four miles, to place us on the right trail, when, after +inviting us very earnestly to call and see him again, and bidding us an +affectionate _adios_, he galloped away. + +Travelling over a hilly country, and passing the ruins of several +deserted ranchos, the grounds surrounding which were strewn with the +bones of slaughtered cattle, we reached, about five o'clock P.M., a +cluster of houses in the valley of Santa Clara River, ten miles east of +the mission of San Buenaventura. Here we stopped at the house of a man +named Sanchez. Our arrival was thought to be worthy of notice, and it +was accordingly celebrated in the evening by a fandango given at one of +the houses, to which we were invited. The company, to the number of +some thirty or forty persons, young and old, were assembled in the +largest room of the house, the floor being hard clay. The only +furniture contained in the room was a bed and some benches, upon which +the company seated themselves when not engaged in dancing. + +Among the _senoritas_ assembled were two daughters of an American named +Chapman, who has been a resident of the country for many years. They +were fair-skinned, and might be called handsome. An elder and married +sister was also present. They called themselves Americans, although +they did not speak our language, and seemed to be more proud of their +American than their Spanish blood. + +A singular custom prevails at these fandangos. It is this: during the +intervals between the waltzes, quadrilles, and other dances, when the +company is seated, a young lady takes the floor _solus_, and, after +showing off her graces for general observation a few minutes, she +approaches any gentleman she may select, and performs a variety of +pirouettes and other Terpsichorean movements before him for his +especial amusement and admiration, until he places on her head his hat +or cap, as the case may be, when she dances away with it. The hat or +cap has afterwards to be redeemed by some present, and this usually is +in money. Not dancing ourselves, we were favoured with numerous special +exhibitions of this kind, the cost of each of which was _un peso_. With +a long journey before us, and with purses in a nearly collapsed +condition, the drafts upon us became so frequent, that at an early +hour, under a plea of fatigue and want of rest, we thought it prudent +to beat a retreat, leaving our fair and partial _fandangueras_ to +bestow their favours upon others better able to bear them. The motions +of the Californian females of all classes in the dance are highly +graceful. The waltz is their favourite measure, and in this they appear +to excel as much as the men do in horsemanship. During the progress of +the dance, the males and females improvise doggerel rhymes +complimentary of the personal beauties and graces of those whom they +admire, or expressive of their love and devotion, which are chanted +with the music of the instruments, and the whole company join in the +general chorus at the end of each verse. The din of voices is sometimes +almost deafening. + +Our host accompanied us to our lodgings on the opposite side of the +way. Beds were spread down under the small porch outside, and we laid +our bodies upon them, but not to sleep, for the noise of the fandango +dancers kept us awake until broad daylight, at which time it broke up. + +Hiring fresh horses here, and a vaquero to drive our tired animals +after us, we started about 9 o'clock in the morning, and, passing +through San Buenaventura, reached Santa Barbara, 45 miles, a little +after two in the afternoon. We stopped at the house of Mr. Sparks, who +received us with genuine hospitality. Santa Barbara presented a more +lively appearance than when we passed here on our way down, most of its +population having returned to their homes. Procuring fresh but +miserably poor horses, we resumed our journey on the afternoon of the +2nd of February, and encamped at the rancho of Dr. Deu, situated on the +plain of Santa Barbara, near the sea shore. The soil of this plain is +of the most fertile composition. The fresh grass is now six or eight +inches high, and the varieties are numerous. Many of the early flowers +are in bloom. I noticed a large wheat field near the house, and its +appearance was such as to promise a rich harvest. + +The rain fell heavily on the morning of the 3rd, but continuing our +journey we crossed the St. Ynes Mountain, and, passing the mission by +that name, reached the rancho of Mr. Faxon after dark, where we halted +for the night. Around the mission of St. Ynes I noticed, as we passed, +immense quantities of cattle bones thickly strewn in all directions. +Acres of ground were white with these remains of the immense herds +belonging to this mission in the days of its prosperity, slaughtered +for their hides and tallow. We met two or three elegantly dressed +Californians to-day, who accosted us with much civility and apparent +friendliness. + +Mr. Faxon is an Englishman by birth, and has resided in California +about thirty years. He is married to a Californian lady, and has a +family of interesting and beautiful children. A large portion of the +land belonging to his rancho is admirably adapted to agriculture, and +he raises crops of corn and vegetables as well as wheat without +irrigation. He informed me that the yield of wheat on his rancho was +fully seventy bushels to the acre. Mr. F. showed me specimens of lead +ore from which he moulds his bullets, taken from an inexhaustible mine +in the Tular Valley, some fifty miles distant from this. It is +certainly the richest ore that I have ever seen, appearing almost like +the pure metal. He also showed me a caustic alkali, produced by burning +a plant or shrub which grows in great abundance in the Tular Valley. +This substance is used by him in the manufacture of soap. + +About noon on the 4th, we halted at the rancho of Captain Dana, where +we procured fresh horses, leaving our wretchedly lean and tired +animals, and, proceeding on, stopped for the night at the rancho of Mr. +Branch, an intelligent American, originally from the state of New York, +who has been settled in the country a number of years. His rancho is +situated on what is called the _arroyo grande_, a small stream which +empties into the Pacific some two or three miles from the house. The +house is new, and constructed after American models of farm-houses, +with neat and comfortable apartments, chimneys and fireplaces. The +arable lands here are finely adapted to the culture of maize, wheat, +and potatoes. + +Our horses straying, it was twelve o'clock on the 5th before we found +them. The rain had fallen steadily and heavily all night, and during +the forenoon, and was pouring down when we started. We passed through +the mission of San Luis Obispo just before sunset, intending to halt at +a rancho about three miles distant in a _canada_. But, the storm +increasing in strength, it became suddenly so dark in the +mountain-gorge, that we could not distinguish the trail, and, after +wandering about some time, vainly attempting to find the house, we were +compelled to bivouac, wet to our skins, without fire or shelter, and +the rain pouring down in torrents. + +The next morning (Feb. 6.), in hunting up our loose horses, we +discovered the house about half a mile distant from our camp. +Continuing our journey, we halted about nine o'clock at a rancho near +the ruins of Santa Margarita. A solitary Indian was the only occupant +of the house, and only inhabitant of the place; and he could furnish us +with no food. Passing two or three other deserted ranches, we reached +the house of a Mexican about one o'clock, where we obtained a meal of +fried eggs and _tortillas_, after having been without food thirty +hours. Late in the afternoon we arrived at the mission of San Miguel, +now occupied by an Englishman named Reed, his _mestiza_ wife, and one +child, with two or three Indian vaqueros. Crossing the Salinas in the +morning (Feb. 7), we continued down its eastern side, and encamped in a +wide bottom under a large live oak. A _quesadilla_ was all we had to +eat. This was divided, one-half being reserved for breakfast. The fresh +vegetation has so much changed the face of the country on this river +since we passed along here in December, that I scarcely recognise it. +The grass is six or eight inches high in the bottom, the blades +standing so thick as to present a matted appearance, and the hills are +brilliant with flowers--pink, purple, blue, and yellow. + +On the 8th we continued down the eastern bank of the Salinas, passing +through several large and fertile bottoms, and reaching the rancho of +San Lorenzo about twelve o'clock. This rancho, as we learned from the +proprietors, is owned by two bachelor brothers, one of whom told me +that he had not been off his lands but once or twice for several years. +Large herds of fat cattle and horses were grazing upon the luxuriant +grasses of the plain, and there were several extensive inclosures sowed +in wheat, which presented all the indications of an abundant harvest. +But, with all these natural resources surrounding him the elder brother +told us that he had nothing to eat in his house but fresh beef. A +quantity of the choice pieces of a fat beef was roasted by an Indian +boy, which we enjoyed with all the relish of hungry men. Our host, a +gentleman of intelligence and politeness, made apology after apology +for his rude style of living, a principal excuse being that he had no +wife. He inquired, with apparent earnestness, if we could not send him +two pretty accomplished and capable American women, whom they could +marry; and then they would build a fine house, have bread, butter, +cheese, and all the delicacies, luxuries, and elegancies of life in +abundance. He appeared to be well pleased with the conquest of the +country by the Americans, and desirous that they should not give it up. +When we resumed our journey in the afternoon, he rode with us four or +five miles to show us the way, and, on taking his leave, invited us to +return again, when he said he hoped his accommodations would be much +improved. Riding 15 miles, we halted at a tule-cabin, where we remained +until two o'clock in the morning, when, the moon shining brightly, we +mounted our horses, and continued our journey. + +We reached the Monterey road just at daylight. My intention had been to +visit Monterey; but the Salinas being unfordable, and there being no +ferry, it was not possible to do it without swimming the river, which I +did not feel inclined to do. Monterey is situated on the bay by that +name, about 90 miles by water south of San Francisco. The bay affords a +good anchorage and landing in calm weather, being exposed only to the +northers, which blow violently. The town contains about 1500 +inhabitants, and is rapidly increasing in wealth and population. +Arriving at the rancho of Don Joaquin Gomez, we found no one but a +_mestiza_ servant at home, and could obtain nothing to eat but a +_quesadilla_. All the streams, large and small, are much swollen by +late heavy rains, and the travelling is consequently very laborious and +difficult. Resting our horses a short time, we crossed the mountains, +and reached the mission of San Juan Bautista about noon. + +At San Juan we met with Messrs. Grayson, Boggs, and a party of +volunteers returning from Monterey to San Francisco, having been +discharged since the suppression of the rebellion in this part of +California, headed by Francisco Sanchez. Here we learned, for the first +time, the arrival at Monterey of Commodore Shubrick in the ship +Independence, and of the Lexington with Captain Tomkins's company of +artillery, and freighted otherwise with munitions, stores, and tools +necessary to the erection and defence of durable fortifications at +Monterey and San Francisco. + +Seven or eight miles beyond San Juan, we found that the waters of the +_arroyo_ had risen so as to inundate a wide valley which we were +compelled to cross. After making several ineffectual attempts to reach +the opposite side, wading through the water, and sometimes falling into +deep holes from which it was difficult for either men or horses to +extricate themselves, we encamped for the night on a small elevation in +the valley, entirely surrounded by water. Our condition was miserable +enough. Tired, wet, and hungry, we laid down for the night on the damp +ground. + +The next day (Feb. 10), about eleven o'clock, we succeeded in finding a +ford across the valley and stream, and procured dinner at a +soap-factory on the opposite side, belonging to T.O. Larkin, Esq. +Continuing on, we encamped at a rancho occupied by an Englishman as +_mayor domo_. He was very glad to see us, and treated us with unbounded +hospitality, furnishing a superabundance of beef and _frijoles_ for our +consumption. On the 11th, about three P.M., we arrived at the Pueblo de +San José, and, finding there a launch employed by Messrs. Howard and +Mellus in collecting hides, bound for San Francisco, we embarked in +her, and on the morning of the 13th arrived at that place. We found +lying here the U.S. sloop Warren, and Lieutenant Radford politely +furnished us with a boat to land. In the afternoon the Cyane, Commander +Dupont, with Gen. Kearny on board, and the store-ship Erie, with Col. +Mason on board, arrived in the harbour. Col. Mason is from the United +States direct, via Panama, and brings late and interesting +intelligence. + +The Cyane and Warren have just returned from a cruise on the southern +Pacific coast of Mexico. The town of Guymas had been taken by +bombardment. The Cyane had captured, during her cruize, fourteen +prizes, besides several guns at San Blas. The boats of the Warren, +under the command of Lieut. Radford, performed the gallant feat of +cutting out of the harbour of Mazatlan the Mexican schooner Malek +Abdel. + +Landing in San Francisco, I found my wardrobe, which I had deposited in +the care of Capt. Leidesdorff, and the first time for nearly five +months dressed myself in a civilized costume. Having been during that +time almost constantly in motion, and exposed to many hardships and +privations, it was, as may be supposed, no small satisfaction to find +once more a place where I could repose for a short time at least. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + Progress of the town of San Francisco + Capt. Dupont + Gen. Kearny + The presidio + Appointed Alcalde + Gen. Kearny's proclamation + Arrival of Col. Stevenson's regiment + Horse-thief Indians + Administration of justice in California + Sale of lots in San Francisco. + + +Wherever the Anglo-Saxon race plant themselves, progress is certain to +be displayed in some form or other. Such is their "go-ahead" energy, +that things cannot stand still where they are, whatever may be the +circumstances surrounding them. Notwithstanding the wars and +insurrections, I found the town of San Francisco, on my arrival here, +visibly improved. An American population had flowed into it; lots, +which heretofore have been considered almost valueless, were selling at +high prices; new houses had been built, and were in progress; new +commercial houses had been established; hotels had been opened for the +accommodation of the travelling and business public; and the +publication of a newspaper had been commenced. The little village of +two hundred souls, when I arrived here in September last, is fast +becoming a town of importance. Ships freighted with full cargoes are +entering the port, and landing their merchandise to be disposed of at +wholesale and retail on shore, instead of the former mode of vending +them afloat in the harbour. There is a prevailing air of activity, +enterprise, and energy; and men, in view of the advantageous position +of the town for commerce, are making large calculations upon the +future; calculations which I believe will be fully realized. + +On the 15th I dined on board the sloop-of-war Cyane, with Commander +Dupont, to whom I had the good fortune to be the bearer from home of a +letter of introduction. I say "good fortune," because I conceive it to +be one of the greatest of social blessings, as well as pleasures, to be +made acquainted with a truly upright and honourable man--one whose +integrity never bends to wrongful or pusillanimous expediency;--one +who, armed intellectually with the panoply of justice, has courage to +sustain it under any and all circumstances;--one whose ambition is, in +a public capacity, to serve his country, and not to serve himself;--one +who waits for his country to judge of his acts, and, if worthy, to +place the laurel wreath upon his head, disdaining a self-wrought and +self-assumed coronal. Capt. Dupont is a native of Delaware; and that +gallant and patriotic state should feel proud of such a son. He is one +of whom all men, on sea or on land, with whom his duties as an officer +or citizen of our republic brings him in contact, speak well; and whose +private virtues, as well as professional merits, are deserving of the +warmest admiration and the highest honours. + +Although I have long known Gen. S.W. Kearny from reputation, and saw +him at Los Angeles, I was here introduced to him for the first time. +Gen. K. is a man rising fifty years of age. His height is about five +feet ten or eleven inches. His figure is all that is required by +symmetry. His features are regular, almost Grecian; his eye is blue, +and has an eagle-like expression, when excited by stern or angry +emotion; but, in ordinary social intercourse, the whole expression of +his countenance is mild and pleasing, and his manners and conversation +are unaffected, urbane, and conciliatory, without the slightest +exhibition of vanity or egotism. He appears the cool, brave, and +energetic soldier; the strict disciplinarian, without tyranny; the man, +in short, determined to perform his duty, in whatever situation he may +be placed, leaving consequences to follow in their natural course. +These, my first impressions, were fully confirmed by subsequent +intercourse, in situations and under circumstances which, by +experience, I have found an unfailing alembic for the trial of +character--a crucible wherein, if the metal be impure, the drossy +substances are sure to display themselves. It is not my province to +extol or pronounce judgment upon his acts; they are a part of the +military and civil history of our country, and as such will be +applauded or condemned, according to the estimate that may be placed +upon them. But I may be allowed to express the opinion, that no man, +placed under the same circumstances, ever aimed to perform his duty +with more uprightness and more fidelity to the interests and honour of +his country, or who, to shed lustre upon his country, ever braved +greater dangers, or endured more hardships and privations, and all +without vaunting his performances and sacrifices. + +On the 16th, in company of Gen. Kearny, Capt. Turner, and Lieuts. +Warner and Hallock, of the U.S. Engineer Corps, I rode to the Presidio +of San Francisco, and the old fortification at the mouth of the bay. +The presidio is about three miles from the town, and consists of +several blocks of adobe buildings, covered with files. The walls of +most of the buildings are crumbling for the want of care in protecting +them from the annual rains; and without this care they will soon become +heaps of mud. The fort is erected upon a commanding position, about a +mile and a half from the entrance to the bay. Its walls are +substantially constructed of burnt brick, and are of sufficient +thickness and strength to resist heavy battering. There are nine or ten +embrasures. Like everything else in the country belonging to the +public, the fort is fast falling into ruins. There has been no garrison +here for several years; the guns are dismounted, and half decomposed by +long exposure to the weather, and from want of care. Some of them have +sunk into the ground. + +On the 20th I was waited upon by Gen. Kearny, and requested to accept +the office of alcalde, or chief magistrate, of the district of San +Francisco. There being no opportunity of returning to the United States +immediately, I accepted of the proposed appointment, and on the 22d was +sworn into office, my predecessor, Lieut. W.A. Bartlett, of the navy, +being ordered to his ship by the commanding officer of the squadron. + +The annual salute in celebration of the birthday of the immortal and +illustrious founder of our republic, required by law from all the ships +of the navy in commission, in whatever part of the world they may be at +the time, strikes us more forcibly when in a far-off country, as being +a beautiful and appropriate tribute to the unapproachable virtues and +heroism of that great benefactor of the human race, than when we are +nearer home, or upon our own soil. The U.S. ships in the harbour, at +twelve o'clock on the 22d, each fired a national salute; and the day +being calm and beautiful, the reports bounded from hill to hill, and +were echoed and re-echoed until the sound died away, apparently in the +distant gorges of the Sierra Nevada. This was a voice from the soul of +WASHINGTON, speaking in majestic and thunder-tones to the green and +flowery valley, the gentle hills and lofty mountains of California, and +consecrating them as the future abode of millions upon millions of the +sons of liberty. The merchant and whale ships lying at anchor, catching +the enthusiasm, joined in the salute; and for a time the harbour and +bay in front of the town were enveloped in clouds of gunpowder smoke. + +General Kearny left San Francisco, in the frigate Savannah, Captain +Mervine, on the 23d, for Monterey, and soon after his arrival at that +place issued the following proclamation:-- + + PROCLAMATION TO THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA. + + The President of the United States having instructed the undersigned + to take charge of the civil government of California, he enters upon + his duties with an ardent desire to promote, as far as he is able, + the interests of the country and the welfare of its inhabitants. + + The undersigned has instructions from the President to respect and + protect the religious institutions of California, and to see that + the religious rights of the people are in the amplest manner + preserved to them, the constitution of the United States allowing + every man to worship his Creator in such a manner as his own + conscience may dictate to him. + + The undersigned is also instructed to protect the persons and + property of the quiet and peaceable inhabitants of the country + against all or any of their enemies, whether from abroad or at home; + and when he now assures the Californians that it will be his duty + and his pleasure to comply with those instructions, he calls upon + them all to exert themselves in preserving order and tranquillity, + in promoting harmony and concord, and in maintaining the authority + and efficiency of the laws. + + It is the wish and design of the United States to provide for + California, with the least possible delay, a free government, + similar to those in her other territories; and the people will soon + be called upon to exercise their rights as freemen, in electing + their own representatives, to make such laws as may be deemed best + for their interest and welfare. But until this can be done, the laws + now in existence, and not in conflict with the constitution of the + United States, will be continued until changed by competent + authority; and those persons who hold office will continue in the + same for the present, provided they swear to support that + constitution, and to faithfully perform their duty. + + The undersigned hereby absolves all the inhabitants of California + from any further allegiance to the republic of Mexico, and will + consider them as citizens of the United States; those who remain + quiet and peaceable will be respected in their rights and protected + in them. Should any take up arms against or oppose the government of + this territory, or instigate others to do so, they will be + considered as enemies, and treated accordingly. + + When Mexico forced a war upon the United States, time did not permit + the latter to invite the Californians as friends to join her + standard, but compelled her to take possession of the country to + prevent any European power from seizing upon it, and, in doing so, + some excesses and unauthorized acts were no doubt committed by + persons employed in the service of the United States, by which a few + of the inhabitants have met with a loss of property; such losses + will be duly investigated, and those entitled to remuneration will + receive it. + + California has for many years suffered greatly from domestic + troubles; civil wars have been the poisoned fountains which have + sent forth trouble and pestilence over her beautiful land. Now those + fountains are dried up; the star-spangled banner floats over + California, and as long as the sun continues to shine upon her, so + long will it float there, over the natives of the land, as well as + others who have found a home in her bosom; and under it agriculture + must improve, and the arts and sciences flourish, as seed in a rich + and fertile soil. + + The Americans and Californians are now but one people; let us + cherish one wish, one hope, and let that be for the peace and quiet + of our country. Let us, as a band of brothers, unite and emulate + each other in our exertions to benefit and improve this our + beautiful, and which soon must be our happy and prosperous, home. + + Done at Monterey, capital of California, this first day of March, + A.D. 1847, and in the seventy-first year of independence of the + United Suites. + + S.W. KEARNY + Brig.-Gen., U.S.A., and Governor of California. + +The proclamation of General Kearny gave great satisfaction to the +native as well as the emigrant population of the country. Several of +the alcaldes of the district of my jurisdiction, as well as private +individuals (natives of the country), expressed, by letter and orally, +their approbation of the sentiments of the proclamation in the warmest +terms. They said that they were heartily willing to become Americans +upon these terms, and hoped that there would be the least possible +delay in admitting them to the rights of American citizenship. There +was a general expectation among natives as well as foreigners, that a +representative form of territorial government would be immediately +established by General Kearny. Why this was not done, is explained by +the recent publication of General Scott's letter to General Kearny, +dated November 3rd, 1846, of which Colonel Mason was the bearer, he +having left the United States on the 7th November. In this letter +General Scott says:-- + +"As a guide to the civil governor of Upper California, in our hands, +see the letter of June 3rd (last), addressed to you by the Secretary of +War. You will not, however, formally declare the province to be +annexed. Permanent incorporation of the territory must depend on the +government of the United States. + +"After occupying with our forces all necessary points in Upper +California, and establishing a temporary civil government therein, as +well as assuring yourself of its internal tranquillity, and the absence +of any danger of reconquest on the part of Mexico, you may charge +Colonel Mason, United States first dragoons, the bearer of this open +letter, or land officer next in rank to your own, with your several +duties, and return yourself, with a sufficient escort of troops, to St. +Louis, Missouri; but the body of the United States dragoons that +accompanied you to California will remain there until further orders." + +The transport ships Thomas H. Perkins, Loo Choo, Susan Drew, and +Brutus, with Colonel Stevenson's regiment, arrived at San Francisco +during the months of March and April. These vessels were freighted with +a vast quantity of munitions, stores, tools, saw-mills, grist-mills, +etc., etc., to be employed in the fortification of the principal +harbours on the coast--San Francisco, Monterey, and San Diego. The +regiment of Col. Stevenson was separated into different commands, +portions of it being stationed at San Francisco, Sonoma, Monterey, +Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles; and some companies employed against the +horse-thief Indians of the Sierra Nevada and the Tulares. + +As good an account of these horse-thief Indians, and their +depredations, as I have seen, I find in the "California Star," of March +28th, 1847, written by a gentleman who has been a resident of +California for a number of years, and who has been a sufferer. It is +subjoined:-- + +"During the Spanish regime, such a thing as a horse-thief was unknown +in the country; but as soon as the Mexicans took possession, their +characteristic anarchy began to prevail, and the Indians to desert from +the missions. The first Indian horse-thief known in this part of the +country was a neophyte of the mission of Santa Clara, George, who +flourished about twenty years ago. He absconded from his mission to the +river of Stanislaus, of which he was a native. From thence he returned +to the settlements, and began to steal horses, which at that time were +very numerous. After pursuing his depredations for some time, he was at +last pursued and killed on his return from one of his forages. The +mission of Santa Clara has been, from that time to the present day, the +greatest nursery for horse thieves, as the Stanislaus river has been +and is their principal rendezvous. I have taken some pains to inquire +among some of the most intelligent and respectable of the native +inhabitants, as to the probable number of horses that have been stolen +between Monterey and San Francisco within the last twenty years, and +the result has been that more than one hundred thousand can be +distinctly enumerated, and that the total amount would probably be +double that number. Nearly all these horses have been eaten! From the +river of Stanislaus, as a central point, the evil has spread to the +north and south, and at present extends from the vicinity of the +Mickélemes River on the north, to the sources of the St. Joaquin on the +south. These Indians inhabit all the western declivity of the great +snowy mountains, within these limits, and have become so habituated to +living on horseflesh, that it is now with them the principal means of +subsistence. + +"In past time they have been repeatedly pursued, and many of them +killed, and whole villages destroyed, but, so far from being deterred, +they are continually becoming more bold and daring in their robberies, +as horses become scarcer and more carefully guarded. About twenty +persons have been killed by them within the knowledge of the writer. +Among others, Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Wilson were killed by them not long +ago. Only about one month since, they shot and dangerously wounded four +persons employed on the farm of Mr. Weber, near the Pueblo of St. +Joseph, and at the same time stole the horses of the farm, and those +also from the farms of Captain Fisher and Mr. Burnal, in the same +vicinity; in all, about two hundred head. Within the last ten days +numerous parties of them have been committing depredations on many of +the farms in the jurisdiction of the Contra Costa, and scarcely a night +passes but we hear of their having stolen horses from some one. Three +days ago, a party of them were met by some young men who had been out +catching wild horses on the plains of the St. Joaquin, but as they were +mounted on tired animals, they were only able to recapture the stolen +horses, but could not overtake the thieves." + +It has not been within the scope of my design, in writing out those +notes, to enter into the minute details of the conquest and occupation +of California by the forces of the United States. To do so would +require more space than I have allowed myself, and the matter would be +more voluminous than interesting or important. My intention has been to +give such a sketch of the military operations in California, during my +residence and travels in the country, as to afford to the reader a +general and correct idea of the events transpiring at the time. No +important circumstance, I think, has escaped my attention. + +Among the officers of the army stationed at San Francisco, with whom I +became acquainted, were Major Hardie, in command of the troops, Captain +Folsom, acting quartermaster-general in California, and Lieutenant +Warner, of the engineer corps. Lieutenant Warner marched with General +Kearny from the United States, and was at the battle of San Pasqual. I +have seen the coat which he wore on that occasion, pierced in seven +different places by the lances of the enemy. He did not make this +exhibition himself; and I never heard him refer to the subject but +once, and then it was with the modesty of a veteran campaigner. + +The corps of topographical engineers accompanying General Kearny, under +the command of Captain Emory, will, doubtless, furnish in their report +much interesting and valuable information. Mr. Stanley, the artist Of +the expedition, completed his sketches in oil, at San Francisco; and a +more truthful, interesting, and valuable series of paintings, +delineating mountain scenery, the floral exhibitions on the route, the +savage tribes between Santa Fe and California--combined with camp-life +and marches through the desert and wilderness--has never been, and +probably never will be, exhibited. Mr. Stanley informed me that he was +preparing a work on the savage tribes of North America and of the +islands of the Pacific, which, when completed on his plan, will be the +most comprehensive and descriptive of the subject of any that has been +published. + +Legal proceedings are much less complex in California than in the +United States. There is no written statute law in the country. The only +law books I could find were a digested code entitled, "Laws of Spain +and the Indies," published in Spain about a hundred years ago, and a +small pamphlet defining the powers of various judicial officers, +emanating from the Mexican government since the revolution. A late +Mexican governor of California, on being required by a magistrate to +instruct him as to the manner in which he should administer the law +within his jurisdiction, replied, "_Administer it in accordance with +the principles of natural right and justice_," and this is the +foundation of Californian jurisprudence. The local _bandos_, or laws, +are enacted, adjudicated, and executed by the local magistrates, or +alcaldes. The alcalde has jurisdiction in all municipal matters, and in +cases for minor offences, and for debt in sums not over one hundred +dollars. In cases of heinous or capital offences, the alcalde has +simply an examining power, the testimony being taken down in writing, +and transmit-to the _juez de primera instancia_, or first judge of the +district, before whom the case is tried. Civil actions, for sums over +one hundred dollars, must also be tried before the _juez de primera +instancia_, and from him there is an appeal to the prefect, or the +governor of the province. The trial by _hombres buenos_, or good men, +is one of the established legal tribunals when either of the parties +demand it, and is similar to our trial by jury; the difference being in +the number, the _hombres buenos_ usually consisting of three or five, +as they may be ordered by the magistrate, or requested by the +litigants, and our jury of twelve. With honest and intelligent +magistrates, the system operates advantageously, as justice is speedy +and certain; but the reverse of this, with corrupt and ignorant +magistrates, too frequently in power, the consequences of the system +are as bad as can well be imagined. + +The policy of the Mexican government has been to encourage in certain +localities the erection of pueblos, or towns, and for this purpose they +have made grants of land to the local authorities, or municipalities, +within certain defined limits, to be regranted upon application, in +lots of fifty or one hundred varass, as the case may be, to persons +declaring their intention to settle and to do business in the town. For +these grants to individuals a certain sum of money is paid, which goes +into the treasury of the municipality. The magistrates, however, +without special permission, have no power to grant lots of land within +a certain number of feet of or below high-water mark. The power is +reserved to be exercised by the governor of the province. It being +necessary for the convenient landing of ships, and for the discharging +and receiving of their cargoes, that the beach in front of the town of +San Francisco should be improved with wharfs, etc., etc., and that +titles should be granted to individuals who otherwise would make no +durable improvements. As magistrate of the town, in compliance with the +request of numerous citizens, I solicited from General Kearny, the +acting governor, a relinquishment, on the part of the general +government, of the beach lands in front of the town in favour of the +municipality, under certain conditions. This was granted by the +Governor, who issued a decree dated 10th March, permitting the sales by +auction of all such grounds adjacent to the water-side as might be +found adapted to commercial purposes, with the exception of such lots +as might be selected for the use of the United States government, by +its proper officers. The sales accordingly took place, the lots were +eagerly purchased, and the port has already become a place of +considerable commercial activity. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +GENERAL OBSERVATIONS UPON THE COUNTRY. + + First settlement of the missionaries + Population + Characteristics of white population + Employments + Pleasures and amusements + Position of women + Soil + Grasses + Vegetable productions + Agriculture + Fruits + Cattle + Horses + Wild animals + Minerals + Climate + Flora + Water-power + Timber + Religion. + + +It was during the month of November, 1602, the sun just retiring behind +the distant high land which forms the background of a spacious harbour +at the southernmost point of Alta California, that a small fleet of +vessels might have been seen directing their course as if in search of +a place of anchorage; their light sails drawn up, while the larger +ones, swelling now and then to the action of the breeze, bore them +majestically along, forcing their way through the immense and almost +impenetrable barrier of sea-weed, to a haven which, at the remote +period stated, was considered the unexplored region of the North. The +fleet referred to hauled their wind to the shore, and, passing a bluff +point of land on their left, soon came to anchor; but not until the +shades of night had cast a gloom over the scene so recently lighted up +with the gorgeous rays of a setting sun. + +This was the commencement, or rather preliminary mark, of civilization +in this country, by the Spaniards, (if so it can be called,) and on the +following morning a detachment was landed, accompanied by a friar, to +make careful investigation of the long ridge of high land which serves +as a protection to the harbour from the heavy north-west gales. They +found, as reported, an abundance of small oak and other trees, together +with a great variety of useful and aromatic herbs; and from its summit +they beheld the extent and beauty of the port, reaching, as they said, +full three leagues from where the vessel lay at anchor. A large tent +was erected on the sandy beach, to answer the purposes of a church, +where the friar might perform mass, and by directions of the commanding +officers, the boats were drawn up for repairing, wells were dug, +parties were sent off to cut wood, while guards were placed at +convenient distances to give notice of the approach of any hostile +force. The latter precaution was hardly carried into effect, ere a +large body of naked Indians were seen moving along the shore, armed +with bows and arrows. A friar, protected by six soldiers, was +dispatched to meet them, who, making signs of peace by exhibiting a +white flag and throwing handfuls of sand high into the air, influenced +them to lay aside their arms, when, affectionately embracing them, the +good old friar distributed presents of beads and necklaces, with which +they eagerly adorned their persons. This manifestation of good feeling +induced them to draw near to where the commander had landed with his +men, but perceiving so large a number, they retreated to a neighbouring +knoll, and from thence sent forward to the Spaniards ten aged females, +who, possessing apparently so much affability, were presented +immediately with gifts, and instructed to go and inform their people of +the friendly disposition cherished for them by the white strangers. +This was sufficient to implant a free intercourse with the Indians, who +daily visited the Spaniards, and bartered off their skins and furs in +exchange for bread and trinkets. But at length the time arrived for the +fleet to depart, and they proceeded northward, visiting in their course +Monterey and Mendocino, where the same favourable result attended the +enterprise as at other places, and they returned in safety to New +Spain. + +So successful had been the character of this expedition throughout the +entire period of its execution, that an enthusiasm prevailed in the +minds of the Spaniards, which could only be assuaged by an attempt to +conquer and christianize the inhabitants of that distant portion of the +American continent. Many were the fruitless results of the Spanish +adventurer--numerous were the statements of his toil and labour, till +at length a formidable attempt, under the patronage and direction of +Don Gaspar de Portala and Father Junipero Serra, successfully achieved +the desired object for which it was planned and executed. + +At San Diego, where, a century and a half before, the primitive +navigators under Cortez communed with the rude and unsophisticated +native--there, where the zealous devotee erected his altar on the +burning sand, and with offerings of incense and prayer hallowed it to +God, as the birthplace of Christianity in that region--upon that +sainted spot commenced the spiritual conquest, the cross was erected, +and the holy missionaries who accompanied the expedition entered heart +and soul upon their religious duties. Successful in all they undertook, +their first establishment in a short time was completed, and drawing +around it the converted Indians in large numbers, the rude and +uncultivated fields gave place to agricultural improvement--the arts +and sciences gradually obtained foundation where before all was +darkness, and day after day hundreds were added to the folds of the +holy and apostolic church. Thus triumphantly proceeded the labours of +the Spanish conquerors! In course of time other institutions were +founded at Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco, where at each +place a military fortress was erected, which served for their +protection, and to keep in check such of the natives who were +disinclined to observe the regulations of the community. + +The natives formed an ardent and almost adorable attachment for their +spiritual fathers, and were happy, quite happy, under their +jurisdiction. Ever ready to obey them, the labour in the field and +workshop met with ready compliance, and so prosperous were the +institutions that many of them became wealthy, in the increase of their +cattle and great abundance of their granaries. It was no unusual sight +to behold the plains for leagues literally spotted with bullocks, and +large fields of corn and wheat covering acres of ground. This state of +things continued until the period when Mexico underwent a change in its +political form of government, which so disheartened the feelings of the +loyal missionaries, that they became regardless of their +establishments, and suffered them to decline for want of attention to +their interests. At length, civil discord and anarchy among the +Californians prepared a more effective measure for their destruction, +and they were left to the superintendence of individuals who plundered +them of all that was desirable or capable of removal. Thus, the +government commenced the robbery, and its hirelings carried it out to +the letter, destroying and laying waste wherever they were placed. In +order to give the inhabitants a share of the spoils, some of them were +permitted to slaughter the cattle by contract, which was an equal +division of the proceeds, and the contractors were careful, when they +delivered one hide to a mission, to reserve _two_ for themselves, in +this way following up the example of their superiors. + +This important revolution in the systematic order of the monastic +institutions took place in 1836, at which period the most important of +them possessed property, exclusive of their lands and tenements, to the +value of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. At the present day +they have but a little more than dilapidated walls and restricted +boundaries of territory. Notwithstanding this wanton devastation of +property, contrary to the opinion of many who were strongly in favour +of supporting these religious institutions, the result proved +beneficial to the country at large. Individual enterprise succeeded as +the lands became distributed, so that the Californian beheld himself no +longer dependent on the bounty of his spiritual directors, but, on the +contrary, he was enabled to give support to them, from the increase and +abundance of his own possessions. + +Subsequent to the expulsion of the Mexicans, numbers of new farms were +created, and hundreds of Americans were scattered over the country. +Previous to 1830, the actual possessions of horned cattle by the +_rancheros_ did not exceed one hundred thousand; but in 1842, according +to a fair estimate, made by one on the spot, the number had increased +to four hundred thousand; so that the aggregate is equal to that held +by the missions when in their most flourishing condition. The present +number is not much, if any, short of one million. + +Presuming a statistical knowledge of this country, before and after the +missionary institutions were secularized, may be interesting, I will +insert the following returns of 1831 and 1842, to contrast the same +with its present condition:-- + +1st. In 1832 the white population throughout Alta-California did not +exceed 4,500, while the Indians of the twenty-one missions amounted to +19,000; in 1842, the former had increased to 7,000, and the latter +decreased to about 5,000. + +2nd. In the former year, the number of horned cattle, including +individual possessions, amounted to 500,000; in the latter, to 40,000. + +3rd. At the same period, the number of sheep, goats, and pigs, was +321,000; at the latter, 32,000. + +4th. In 1831 the number of horses, asses, mules, etc., was 64,000; in +1842 it was 30,000. + +5th. The produce in corn, etc., had decreased in a much greater +proportion--that of seventy to four. + +The amount of duties raised at the customhouse in Monterey, from 1839 +to 1842, was as follows, viz.:-- + + 1839 85,613 dollars. + 1840 72,308 dollars + 1841 101,150 dollars + 1842 73,729 dollars. + +The net amount of revenue seldom exceeding in any year eighty thousand +dollars; so that, when a deficiency took place, to supply the +expenditures of government, it had been usual to call upon the missions +for aid. + +The value of the hides and tallow derived from the annual _matanzas_ +may be estimated at 372,000 dollars. These two commodities, with the +exception of some beaver, sea-otter, and other furs, comprise the most +important part of the exportations, which in addition, would augment +the value of exports to 400,000 dollars. + +The permanent population of that portion of Upper California situated +between the Sierra Nevada and the Pacific, I estimate at 25,000. Of +this number, 8,000 are Hispano-Americans, 5,000 foreigners, chiefly +from the United States, and 12,000 christianized Indians. There are +considerable numbers of wild or Gentile Indians, inhabiting the valley +of the San Joaquin and the gorges of the Sierra, not included in this +estimate. They are probably as numerous as the Christian Indians. The +Indian population inhabiting the region of the Great Salt Lake, Mary's +River, the oases of the Great Desert Basin, and the country bordering +the Rio Colorado and its tributaries, being spread over a vast extent +of territory, are scarcely seen, although the aggregate number is +considerable. + +The Californians do not differ materially from the Mexicans, from whom +they are descended, in other provinces of that country. Physically and +intellectually, the men, probably, are superior to the same race +farther south, and inhabiting the countries contiguous to the city of +Mexico. The intermixture of blood with the Indian and negro races has +been less, although it is very perceptible. + +The men, as a general fact, are well made, with pleasing sprightly +countenances, and possessing much grace and ease of manners, and +vivacity of conversation. But hitherto they have had little knowledge +of the world and of events, beyond what they have heard through Mexico, +and derived from the supercargoes of merchant-ships and whalemen +touching upon the coast. There are no public schools in the country--at +least I never heard of one. There are but few books. General Valléjo +has a library with many valuable books, and this is the only one I saw, +although there are others; but they are rare, and confined to a few +families. + +The men are almost constantly on horseback, and as horsemen excel any I +have seen in other parts of the world. From the nature of their +pursuits and amusements, they have brought horsemanship to a perfection +challenging admiration and exciting astonishment. They are trained to +the horse and the use of the lasso (_riata_, as it is here called) from +their infancy. The first act of a child, when he is able to stand +alone, is to throw his toy lasso around the neck of a kitten; his next +feat is performed on the dog; his next upon a goat or calf; and so on, +until he mounts the horse, and demonstrates his skill upon horses and +cattle. The crowning feat of dexterity with the _riata_, and of +horsemanship, combined with daring courage, is the lassoing of the +grisly bear. This feat is performed frequently upon this large and +ferocious animal, but it is sometimes fatal to the performer and his +horse. Well drilled, with experienced military leaders, such as would +inspire them with confidence in their skill and prowess, the +Californians ought to be the finest cavalry in the world. The +Californian saddle is, I venture to assert, the best that has been +invented, for the horse and the rider. Seated in one of these, it is +scarcely possible to be unseated by any ordinary casualty. The +bridle-bit is clumsily made, but so constructed that the horse is +compelled to obey the rider upon the slightest intimation. The spurs +are of immense size, but they answer to an experienced horseman the +double purpose of exciting the horse, and of maintaining the rider in +his seat under difficult circumstances. + +For the pleasures of the table they care but little. With his horse and +trappings, his sarape and blanket, a piece of beef and a _tortilla_, +the Californian is content, so far as his personal comforts are +concerned. But he is ardent in his pursuit of amusement and pleasure, +and these consist chiefly in the fandango, the game of monte, +horse-racing, and bull and bear-baiting. They gamble freely and +desperately, but pay their losses with the most strict punctuality, at +any and every sacrifice, and manifest but little concern about them. +They are obedient to their magistrates, and in all disputed cases +decided by them, acquiesce without uttering a word of complaint. They +have been accused of treachery and insincerity. Whatever may have been +the grounds for these accusations in particular instances, I know not; +but, judging from my own observation and experience, they are as free +from these qualities as our own people. + +While the men are employed in attending to the herds of cattle and +horses, and engaged in their other amusements, the women (I speak of +the middle classes on the ranchos) superintend and perform most of the +drudgery appertaining to housekeeping, and the cultivation of the +gardens, from whence are drawn such vegetables as are consumed at the +table. These are few, consisting of _frijoles_, potatoes, onions, and +_chiles_. The assistants in these labours are the Indian men and women, +legally reduced to servitude. + +The soil of that portion of California between the Sierra Nevada and +the Pacific will compare, in point of fertility, with any that I have +seen elsewhere. As I have already described such portions of it as have +come under my observation, it is unnecessary for me here to descend to +particulars. Wheat, barley, and other small grains, with hemp, flax, +and tobacco, can be produced in all the valleys, without irrigation. To +produce maize, potatoes, and other garden vegetables, irrigation is +necessary. Oats and mustard grow spontaneously, with such rankness as +to be considered nuisances upon the soil. I have forced my way through +thousands of acres of these, higher than my head when mounted on a +horse. The oats grow to the summits of the hills, but they are not here +so tall and rank as in the valleys. + +The varieties of grasses are greater than on the Atlantic side of the +continent, and far more nutritious. I have seen seven different kinds +of clover, several of them in a dry state, depositing a seed upon the +ground so abundant as to cover it, which is lapped up by the cattle and +horses and other animals, as corn or oats, when threshed, would be with +us. All the grasses, and they cover the entire country, are heavily +seeded, and, when ripe, are as fattening to stock as the grains which +we feed to our beef, horses, and hogs. Hence it is unnecessary to the +sustenance or fattening of stock to raise corn for their consumption. + +Agriculture is in its rudest state. The farming implements which have +been used by the Californians, with few exceptions, are the same as +were used three hundred years ago, when Mexico was conquered by Cortez. +A description of them would be tedious. The plough, however, which +merely scratches the ground, is the fork of a small tree. It is the +same pattern as the Roman plough, two thousand years ago. Other +agricultural implements are of the same description. The Americans, and +other foreigners, are, however, introducing the American plough, and +other American farming tools, the consequence of which has already +been, to some extent, to produce a revolution in agriculture. The crops +of wheat and barley, which I saw about the 1st of June, while passing +through the country on my journey to the United States, exceeded in +promise any which I have seen in the United States. It was reported to +me that Captain Sutter's crop of wheat, for 1847, would amount to +75,000 bushels. + +The natural vegetable productions of California have been sufficiently +noticed in the course of this work, for the reader to form a correct +estimate of the capabilities of the soil and climate. It is supposed by +some, that cotton, sugar, and rice, could be produced here. I do not +doubt but there are portions of the country where these crops would +thrive; but I question whether, generally, they could be cultivated to +advantage. Nearly all the fruits of the temperate and tropical climates +are produced in perfection in California, as has before been stated. + +The principal product of the country has been its cattle and horses. +The cattle are, I think, the largest and finest I ever saw, and the +beef is more delicious. There are immense herds of these, to which I +have previously referred; and their hides and tallow, when slaughtered, +have hitherto composed the principal exports from the country. If I +were to hazard an estimate of the number of hides annually exported, it +would be conjectural, and not worth much. I would suppose, however, at +this time (1847), that the number would not fall much short of 150,000, +and a corresponding number of arrobas (25 pounds) of tallow. The +average value of cattle is about five dollars per head. + +The horses and mules are correspondingly numerous with the cattle; and +although the most of them are used in the country, considerable numbers +are driven to Sonora, New Mexico, and other southern provinces, and +some of them to the United States, for a market. They are smaller than +American horses, and I do not think them equal for continuous hard +service; but on short trips, for riding, their speed and endurance are +not often, if ever, equalled by our breed of horses. The value of good +horses is from ten to twenty-five dollars; of mares, five dollars. The +prices have, however, since the Americans came into the country, become +fluctuating, and the value of both horses and cattle is increasing +rapidly. + +The wild animals of California are the wild-horse, the elk, the +black-tailed deer, antelope, grizly bear, all in large numbers. Added +to these are the beaver, otter, coyote, hare, squirrel, and the usual +variety of other small animals. There is not so great a variety of +small birds as I have seen elsewhere. I do not consider that the +country presents strong attractions for the ornithologist. But what is +wanting in variety is made up in numbers. The bays and indentations on +the coast, as well as the rivers and lakes interior, swarm with myriads +of wild geese, ducks, swans, and other water birds. The geese and ducks +are a mongrel race, their plumage being variegated, the same as our +barn-yard fowls. Some of the islands in the harbour, near San +Francisco, are white with the _guano_ deposited by these birds; and +boat-loads of eggs are taken from them. The pheasant and partridge are +abundant in the mountains. + +In regard to the minerals of California, not much is yet known. It has +been the policy of the owners of land upon which there existed minerals +to conceal them as much as possible. A reason for this has been, that +the law of Mexico is such, that if one man discovers a mine of any kind +upon another man's land, and the proprietor does not work it, the +former may _denounce_ the mine, and take possession of it, and hold it +so long as he continues to work it. Hence the proprietors of land upon +which there are valuable mineral ores conceal their existence as much +as possible. While in California I saw quicksilver, silver, lead, and +iron ores, and the specimens were taken from mines said to be +inexhaustible. From good authority I learned the existence of gold and +copper mines, the metals being combined; and I saw specimens of coal +taken from two or three different points, but I do not know what the +indications were as to quality. Brimstone, saltpetre, muriate and +carbonate of soda, and bitumen, are abundant. There is little doubt +that California is as rich in minerals of all kinds as any portion of +Mexico. + +I have taken much pains to describe to the reader, from day to day, and +at different points during my travels in California, the temperature +and weather. It is rarely so cold in the settled portions of California +as to congeal water. But twice only while here I saw ice, and then not +thicker than window-glass. I saw no snow resting upon the ground. The +annual rains commence in November, and continue, with intervals of +pleasant springlike weather, until May. From May to November, usually, +no rain falls. There are, however, exceptions. Rain sometimes falls in +August. The thermometer, at any season of the year, rarely sinks below +50° or rises above 80°. In certain positions on the coast, and +especially at San Francisco, the winds rise diurnally, and blowing +fresh upon the shore render the temperature cool in midsummer. In the +winter the wind blows from the land, and the temperature at these +points is warmer. These local peculiarities of climate are not +descriptive of the general climate of the interior. + +For salubrity I do not think there is any climate in the world superior +to that of the coast of California. I was in the country nearly a year, +exposed much of the time to great hardships and privations, sleeping, +for the most part, in the open air, and I never felt while there the +first pang of disease, or the slightest indication of bad health. On +some portions of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, where +vegetation is rank, and decays in the autumn, the malaria produces +chills and fever, but generally the attacks are slight, and yield +easily to medicine. The atmosphere is so pure and preservative along +the coast, that I never saw putrified flesh, although I have seen, in +midsummer, dead carcasses lying exposed to the sun and weather for +months. They emitted no offensive smell. There is but little disease in +the country arising from the climate. + +The botany and flora of California are rich, and will hereafter form a +fruitful field of discovery to the naturalist. There are numerous +plants reported to possess extraordinary medical virtues. The +"soap-plant" (_amole_) is one which appears to be among the most +serviceable. The root, which is the saponaceous portion of the plant, +resembles the onion, but possesses the quality of cleansing linen equal +to any "oleic soap" manufactured by my friends Cornwall and Brother, of +Louisville, Ky. + +There is another plant in high estimation with the Californians, called +_canchalagua_, which is held by them as an antidote for all the +diseases to which they are subject, but in particular for cases of +fever and ague. For purifying the blood, and regulating the system, I +think it surpasses all the medicinal herbs that have been brought into +notice, and it must become, in time, one of the most important articles +in the practice of medicine. In the season for flowers, which is +generally during the months of May and June, its pretty pink-coloured +blossoms form a conspicuous display in the great variety which adorn +the fields of California. + +The water-power in California is ample for any required mill purposes. +Timber for lumber is not so convenient as is desirable. There is, +however, a sufficiency of it, which, when improvements are made, will +be more accessible. The timber on the Sierra Nevada, the most +magnificent in the world, cannot be, at present, available. The +evergreen oak, that grows generally in the valleys, is not valuable, +except for fuel. But in the _canadas_ of the hills, and at several +places on the coast, particularly at Santa Cruz and Bodega, there is an +amount of pine and fir, adapted for lumber, that will not be consumed +for a long time. + +The religion of the Californians is the Roman Catholic, and, like the +people of all Roman Catholic countries, they appear to be devotedly +attached to the forms of their religion. That there are some, I will +not say how many, paganish grafts upon the laws, formalities, and +ceremonies, as prescribed by the "Holy Church Universal" for its +government and observance, is undeniable, but these probably do not +materially affect the system. The females, I noticed, were nearly all +devoutly attached to their religious institutions. I have seen, on +festival or saint days, the entire floor of a church occupied by pious +women, with their children, kneeling in devout worship, and chanting +with much fervency some dismal hymn appertaining to the service. There +are but few of the Jesuit fathers who established the missions now +remaining in the country. The services are performed at several of the +churches that I visited, by native Indians, educated by the _padres_ +previous to their expulsion by the Mexican government. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +OFFICIAL REPORT ON THE GOLD MINES. + + +The following is an official account of a visit paid to the gold region +in July by Colonel Mason, who had been appointed to the military +command in California, and made his report to the authorities at +Washington. It is dated from head-quarters at Monterey, August 17, +1848. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to inform you that, accompanied by Lieut. W.T. +Sherman, 3rd Artillery, A.A.A. General, I started on the 12th of June +last to make a tour through the northern part of California. We reached +San Francisco on the 20th, and found that all, or nearly all, its male +inhabitants had gone to the mines. The town, which a few months before +was so busy and thriving, was then almost deserted. Along the whole +route mills were lying idle, fields of wheat were open to cattle and +horses, houses vacant, and farms going to waste. + +"On the 5th we arrived in the neighbourhood of the mines, and proceeded +twenty-five miles up the American Fork, to a point on it now known as +the Lower Mines, or Mormon Diggings. The hill sides were thickly strewn +with canvas tents and bush-harbours; a store was erected, and several +boarding shanties in operation. The day was intensely hot, yet about +200 men were at work in the full glare of the sun, washing for +gold--some with tin pans, some with close woven Indian baskets, but the +greater part had a rude machine known as the cradle. This is on +rockers, six or eight feet long, open at the foot, and its head had a +coarse grate, or sieve; the bottom is rounded, with small cleets nailed +across. Four men are required to work this machine; one digs the ground +in the bank close by the stream; another carries it to the cradle, and +empties it on the grate; a third gives a violent rocking motion to the +machine, whilst a fourth dashes on water from the stream itself. The +sieve keeps the coarse stones from entering the cradle, the current of +water washes off the earthy matter, and the gravel is gradually carried +out at the foot of the machine, leaving the gold mixed with a heavy +fine black sand above the first cleets. The sand and gold mixed +together are then drawn off through auger holes into a pan below, are +dried in the sun, and afterwards separated by blowing off the sand. A +party of four men, thus employed at the Lower Mines, average 100 +dollars a-day. The Indians, and those who have nothing but pans or +willow baskets, gradually wash out the earth, and separate the gravel +by hand, leaving nothing but the gold mixed with sand, which is +separated in the manner before described. The gold in the Lower Mines +is in fine bright scales, of which I send several specimens. + +"As we ascended the south branch of the American fork, the country +became more broken and mountainous, and twenty-five miles below the +lower washings the hills rise to about 1000 feet above the level of the +Sacramento Plain. Here a species of pine occurs, which led to the +discovery of the gold. Captain Sutter, feeling the great want of +lumber, contracted in September last with a Mr. Marshall to build a +saw-mill at that place. It was erected in the course of the past winter +and spring--a dam and race constructed; but when the water was let on +the wheel, the tail race was found to be too narrow to permit the water +to escape with sufficient rapidity. Mr. Marshall, to save labour, let +the water directly into the race with a strong current, so as to wash +it wider and deeper. He effected his purpose, and a large bed of mud +and gravel was carried to the foot of the race. One day Mr. Marshall, +as he was walking down the race to this deposit of mud, observed some +glittering particles at its upper edge; he gathered a few, examined +them, and became satisfied of their value. He then went to the fort, +told Captain Sutter of his discovery, and they agreed to keep it secret +until a certain grist-mill of Sutter's was finished. It, however, got +out and spread like magic. Remarkable success attended the labours of +the first explorers, and, in a few weeks, hundreds of men were drawn +thither. At the time of my visit, but little more than three months +after its first discovery, it was estimated that upwards of four +thousand people were employed. At the mill there is a fine deposit or +bank of gravel, which the people respect as the property of Captain +Sutter, though he pretends to no right to it, and would be perfectly +satisfied with the simple promise of a pre-emption on account of the +mill which he has built there at a considerable cost. Mr. Marshall was +living near the mill, and informed me that many persons were employed +above and below him; that they used the same machines as at the lower +washings, and that their success was about the same--ranging from one +to three ounces of gold per man daily. This gold, too, is in scales a +little coarser than those of the lower mines. From the mill Mr. +Marshall guided me up the mountain on the opposite or north bank of the +south fork, where in the bed of small streams or ravines, now dry, a +great deal of coarse gold has been found. I there saw several parties +at work, all of whom were doing very well; a great many specimens were +shown me, some as heavy as four or five ounces in weight; and I send +three pieces, labelled No. 5, presented by a Mr. Spence. You will +perceive that some of the specimens accompanying this hold mechanically +pieces of quartz--that the surface is rough, and evidently moulded in +the crevice of a rock. This gold cannot have been carried far by water, +but must have remained near where it was first deposited from the rock +that once bound it. I inquired of many if they had encountered the +metal in its matrix, but in every instance they said they had not; but +that the gold was invariably mixed with wash-gravel, or lodged in the +crevices of other rocks. All bore testimony that they had found gold in +greater or less quantities in the numerous small gullies or ravines +that occur in that mountainous region. On the 7th of July I left the +mill, and crossed to a small stream emptying into the American fork, +three or four miles below the saw-mill. I struck the stream (now known +as Weber's Creek) at the washings of Sunol and Company. They had about +thirty Indians employed, whom they pay in merchandise. They were +getting gold of a character similar to that found in the main fork, and +doubtless in sufficient quantities to satisfy them. I send you a small +specimen, presented by this Company, of their gold. From this point we +proceeded up the stream about eight miles, where we found a great many +people and Indians, some engaged in the bed of the stream, and others +in the small side valleys that put into it. These latter are +exceedingly rich, two ounces being considered an ordinary yield for a +day's work. A small gutter, not more than 100 yards long by four feet +wide, and two or three deep, was pointed out to me as the one where two +men (W. Daly and Percy McCoon) had a short time before obtained. 17,000 +dollars' worth of gold. Captain Weber informed me, that he knew that +these two men had employed four white men and about 100 Indians, and +that, at the end of one week's work, they paid off their party, and had +left 10,000 dollars' worth of this gold. Another small ravine was shown +me, from which had been taken upwards of 12,000 dollars' worth of gold. +Hundreds of similar ravines, to all appearances, are as yet untouched. +I could not have credited these reports had I not seen, in the +abundance of the precious metal, evidence of their truth. Mr. Neligh, +an agent of Commodore Stockton, had been at work about three weeks in +the neighbourhood, and showed me, in bags and bottles, 2000 dollars' +worth of gold; and Mr. Lyman, a gentleman of education, and worthy of +every credit, said he had been engaged with four others, with a +machine, on the American fork, just below Sutter's Mill, that they +worked eight days, and that his share was at the rate of fifty dollars +a-day, but hearing that others were doing better at Weber's Place, they +had removed there, and were then on the point of resuming operations. + +"The country on either side of Weber's Creek is much broken up by +hills, and is intersected in every direction by small streams or +ravines which contain more or less gold. Those that have been worked +are barely scratched, and, although thousands of ounces have been +carried away, I do not consider that a serious impression has been made +upon the whole. Every day was developing new and richer deposits; and +the only impression seemed to be, that the metal would be found in such +abundance as seriously to depreciate in value. + +"On the 8th July I returned to the lower mines, and eventually to +Monterey, where I arrived on the 17th of July. Before leaving Sutter's, +I satisfied myself that gold existed in the bed of the Feather River, +in the Yubah and Bear, and in many of the small streams that lie +between the latter and the American fork; also, that it had been found +in the Consummes, to the south of the American fork. In each of these +streams the gold is found in small scales, whereas in the intervening +mountains it occurs in coarser lumps. + +"Mr. Sinclair, whose rancho is three miles above Sutter's on the north +side of the American, employs about fifty Indians on the north fork, +not far from its junction with the main stream. He had been engaged +about five weeks when I saw him, and up to that time his Indians had +used simply closely-woven willow baskets. His net proceeds (which I +saw) were about 16,000 dollars' worth of gold. He showed me the +proceeds of his last week's work--14 lbs. avoirdupois of clean-washed +gold. + +"The principal store at Sutter's fort, that of Brannan and Co., had +received in payment for goods 36,000 dollars' worth of this gold from +the 1st of May to the 10th of July. Other merchants had also made +extensive sales. Large quantities of goods were daily sent forward to +the mines, as the Indians, heretofore so poor and degraded, have +suddenly become consumers of the luxuries of life. I before mentioned +that the greater part of the farmers and rancheros had abandoned their +fields to go to the mines. This is not the case with Captain Sutter, +who was carefully gathering his wheat, estimated at 40,000 bushels. +Flour is already worth, at Sutter's, 36 dollars a-barrel, and will soon +be 50. Unless large quantities of breadstuffs reach the country much +suffering will occur; but as each man is now able to pay a large price, +it is believed the merchants will bring from Chili and the Oregon a +plentiful supply for the coming winter. + +"The most moderate estimate I could obtain from men acquainted with the +subject was, that upwards of 4,000 men were working in the gold +district, of whom more than one-half were Indians, and that from 30,000 +to 50,000 dollars' worth of gold, if not more, were daily obtained. The +entire gold district, with very few exceptions of grants made some +years ago by the Mexican authorities, is on land belonging to the +United States. It was a matter of serious reflection to me, how I could +secure to the Government certain rents or fees for the privilege of +securing this gold; but upon considering the large extent of country, +the character of the people engaged, and the small scattered force at +my command, I resolved not to interfere, but permit all to work freely, +unless broils and crimes should call for interference. + +"The discovery of these vast deposits of gold has entirely changed the +character of Upper California. Its people, before engaged in +cultivating their small patches of ground, and guarding their herds of +cattle and horses, have all gone to the mines, or are on their way +thither. Labourers of every trade have left their work-benches, and +tradesmen their shops; sailors desert their ships as fast as they +arrive on the coast; and several vessels have gone to sea with hardly +enough hands to spread a sail. Two or three are now at anchor in San +Francisco, with no crew on board. Many desertions, too, have taken +place from the garrisons within the influence of these mines; +twenty-six soldiers have deserted from the post of Sonoma, twenty-four +from that of San Francisco, and twenty-four from Monterey. I have no +hesitation now in saying, that there is more gold in the country +drained by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers than will pay the cost +of the present war with Mexico a hundred times over. No capital is +required to obtain this gold, as the labouring man wants nothing but +his pick and shovel and tin pan, with which to dig and wash the gravel, +and many frequently pick gold out of the crevices of rocks with their +knives, in pieces of from one to six ounces. + +"Gold is also believed to exist on the eastern slope of the Sierra +Nevada; and, when at the mines, I was informed by an intelligent Mormon +that it had been found near the Great Salt Lake by some of his +fraternity. Nearly all the Mormons are leaving California to go to the +Salt Lake; and this they surely would not do unless they were sure of +finding gold there, in the same abundance as they now do on the +Sacramento. + +"I have the honour to be, + +"Your most obedient Servant, + +"R.B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. + +"Brigadier-General R. Jones, +Adjutant-General, U.S.A., Washington, D.C." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + Rate of Wages + Mode of procuring the Gold + Extent of Gold Region + Price of Provisions. + + +It will be seen, from the later accounts that each new report continues +to realize the wildest expectation. The following letter dated +Monterey, November 16th, is highly interesting-- + +"We can now call ourselves citizens of the United States. We have now +only to go by law, as we formerly went by custom; that is, when +Congress gives us a government and code. The old foreign residents of +California, having done very well ten or twenty years without law, care +but very little whether Congress pays early or late attention to the +subject. Those who have emigrated from the Atlantic States within the +last three or four years deem the subject an important one; I only call +it difficult. The carrying out a code of laws, under existing +circumstances, is far from being an easy task. The general Government +may appoint governors, secretaries, and other public functionaries; and +judges, marshals, collectors, etc., may accept offices with salaries of +3000 or 4000 dollars per annum; but how they are to obtain their petty +officers, at half these sums, remains to be seen. The pay of a member +of Congress will be accepted here by those alone who do not know enough +to better themselves. Mechanics can now get 10 to 16 dollars per day; +labourers on the wharfs or elsewhere, 5 to 10 dollars; clerks and +storekeepers, 1000 to 3000 dollars per annum--some engage to keep store +during their pleasure at 8 dollars per day, or 1 lb. or 1-1/2 lb. of +gold per month; cooks and stewards, 60 to 100 dollars per month. In +fact, labour of every description commands exorbitant prices. + +"The Sandwich Islands, Oregon, and Lower California are fast parting +with their inhabitants, all bound for this coast, and thence to the +great 'placer' of the Sacramento Valley, where the digging and washing +of one man that does not produce 100 troy ounces of gold, 23 carats, +from the size of a half spangle to one pound in a month, sets the +digger to 'prospecting,' that is, looking for better grounds. Your +'Paisano' can point out many a man who has, for fifteen to twenty days +in succession, bagged up five to ten ounces of gold a-day. Our placer, +or gold region, now extends over 300 or 400 miles of country, embracing +all the creeks and branches on the east side of the river Sacramento +and one side of the San Joaquin. In my travels I have, when resting +under a tree and grazing my horse, seen pieces of pure gold taken from +crevices of the rocks or slate where we were stopping. On one occasion, +nooning or refreshing on the side of a stream entirely unknown to +diggers or 'prospectors,' or rather, if known not attended to, one of +my companions, while rolling in the sand, said, 'Give me a tin pan; why +should we not be cooking in gold sand?' He took a pan, filled it with +sand, washed it out, and produced in five minutes two or three dollars' +worth of gold, merely saying, as he threw both pan and gold on the +sand, 'I thought so.' Perhaps it is fair that your readers should +learn, that, however plenty the Sacramento Valley may afford gold, the +obtaining of it has its disadvantages. From the 1st of July to the 1st +of October, more or less, one half of the people will have fever and +ague, or intermittent fever. In the winter, it is too cold to work in +the water. Some work in the sand by washing from the surface in a +wooden bowl, or tin pan; some gouge it out from the rocks or slate; the +more lazy ones roll about and pick up the large pieces, leaving the +small gold for the next emigration. The extent of the gold region on +the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers extends a distance of 800 miles +in length by 100 in width. It embraces not only gold, but quantities of +quicksilver in almost general abundance. It is estimated that a small +population actively engaged in mining operations in that region could +export 100,000,000 dollars in gold in every year, and that an increased +population might increase that amount to 300,000,000 dollars annually. +You may believe me when I say that for some time to come California +will export, yearly, nearly or quite 500,000 ounces of gold, 22 to 24 +carats fine; some pieces of that will weigh 16 lbs., very many 1 lb. +Many men who began last June to dig gold with a capital of 50 dollars +can now show 5000 to 15,000 dollars. I saw a man to-day making +purchases of dry goods, etc., for his family, lay on the counter a bag +of raw hide, well sewed up, containing 109 ounces. I observed, 'That is +a good way to pack gold dust.' He very innocently replied, 'All the +bags I brought down are that way; I like the size!' Five such bags in +New York would bring nearly 10,000 dollars. This man left his family +last August. Three months' digging and washing, producing four or five +bags, of 100 ounces each, is better than being mate of a vessel at 40 +dollars per month, as the man formerly was. His companion, a Mexican, +who camped and worked with him, only had two or three cow-hide bags of +gold. In this tough, but true, golden tale, you must not imagine that +all men are equally successful. There are some who have done better, +even to 4000 dollars in a month; many 1000 dollars during the summer; +and others, who refused to join a company of gold-washers who had a +cheap-made machine, and receive one ounce per day, that returned to the +settlement with not a vest pocket-full of gold. Some left with only +sufficient to pay for a horse and saddle, and pay the physician six +ounces of gold for one ounce of quinine, calomel, and jalap in +proportion. An ounce of gold for advice given, six ounces a visit, +brings the fever and ague to be rather an expensive companion. A 'well' +man has his proportionate heavy expenses also, to reduce his piles or +bags of gold. Dry beef in the settlements, at 4 cents per lb., at the +Placer, 1 to 2 dollars per lb.; salt beef and pork, 50 to 100 dollars +per barrel; flour, 30 to 75 dollars per barrel; coffee, sugar, and +rice, 50 cents to 1 dollar per lb. As washing is 50 cents to 1 dollar a +garment, many prefer throwing away their used-up clothes to paying the +washerwoman; that is, if they intend returning to the settlements soon, +where they can purchase more. As to shaving, I have never seen a man at +the Placer who had time to perform that operation. They do not work on +Sundays, only brush up the tent, blow out the emery or fine black sand +from the week's work. Horses that can travel only one day, and from +that to a week, are from 100 to 300 dollars. Freight charge by launch +owners for three days' run, 5 dollars per barrel. Wagoners charge 50 to +100 dollars per load, 20 to 50 miles, on good road. Corn, barley, peas, +and beans, 10 dollars a-bushel. Common pistols, any price; powder and +lead very dear. I know a physician who, in San Francisco, purchased a +common made gold-washer at 20 or 30 dollars, made of 70 or 80 feet of +boards. At a great expense he boated it up to the first landing on the +Sacramento, and there met a wagoner bound to one of the diggings with +an empty wagon, distant about 50 miles. The wagoner would not take up +the machine under 100 dollars. The doctor had to consent, and bided his +time. June passed over, rich in gold; all on that creek did wonders, +when the wagoner fell sick, called on his friend the doctor, whose tent +was in sight; the doctor came, but would not administer the first dose +under the old sum of 100 dollars, which was agreed to, under a proviso +that the following doses should be furnished more moderate. When a +man's time is worth 100 dollars a-day, to use a spade and tin pan, +neither doctors nor wagoners can think much of a pound of gold, and you +may suppose merchants, traders, and pedlars are not slow to make their +fortunes in these golden times. In San Francisco there is more +merchandize sold now, monthly, than before in a year. Vessels after +vessels arrive, land their cargoes, dispose of them, and bag up the +dust and lay up the vessel, as the crew are soon among the missing. The +cleanest clear out is where the captain follows the crew. There are +many vessels in San Francisco that cannot weigh anchor, even with the +assistance of three or four neighbouring vessels. Supercargoes must +land cargo on arriving, or have no crew to do it for them. Some vessels +continue to go to sea, with small crews, at 50 dollars per month for +green hands. Old hands are too wise for them, and prefer digging an +ounce or two a-day, and drinking hock and champagne at half an ounce +a-bottle, and eating bad sea bread at 1 dollar per pound. I have seen a +captain of a vessel, who, by his old contract in the port whence he +sailed, was getting 60 dollars per month, paying his cook 75 dollars, +and offering 100 dollars per month for a steward; his former crew, even +to his mates, having gone a 'prospecting.' Uncle Sam's ships suffer a +little the same way, although they offer from 200 to 500 dollars for +the apprehension of a deserter. The Ohio, however, laid in the port of +Monterey about a month, and lost only 20 or 30 men. Colonel Stevenson's +regiment is disbanded, 99 out of 100 of whom have also gone 'prospecting,' +including the colonel, who arrived in Monterey last month, from his +last post, and was met by his men at the edge of the town, to escort +and cheer him into the town. The captains, etc., have bought up +country carts and oxen, turned drivers, and gone to the Placer. Our +worthy governor, Colonel of the 1st Dragoons, etc., having plenty of +carts, wagons, horses, and mules, with a few regulars left, has also +gone, but under better advantages, for the second or third time, to see +the Placer and the country, and have justice done to his countrymen or +himself. Commodore Jones, lately arrived in Monterey, supposed it to be +the capital, head-quarters, etc., but found not even the Governor left. +Where head-quarters are may be uncertain, whether in Monterey, Sutter's +Fort, or in a four-mule wagon travelling over the gold region. Now, +whether headquarters are freighted with munitions of war, etc., or +whether the cargo consists of blankets, shirts, etc., to clothe the +suffering Indians, for the paltry consideration of gold, no one cares +or knows; but the principle should be, that, if privates can or will be +off making their thousands, those who are better able should not go +goldless." + +The _Washington Union_ contains a letter from Lieutenant Larkin, dated +Monterey, November 16, received at the State Department, containing +further confirmation of the previous despatches, public and private, +and far outstripping all other news in its exciting character. The gold +was increasing in size and quality daily. Lumps were found weighing +from one to two pounds. Several had been heard of weighing as high as +16 pounds, and one 25 pounds. Many men, who were poor in June, were +worth 30,000 dollars, by digging and trading with the Indians. 100 +dollars a-day is the average amount realized daily, from July to +October. Half the diggers were sick with fevers, though not many deaths +had occurred among them. The Indians would readily give an ounce of +gold for a common calico shirt; others were selling for ten dollars +each in specie. The gold region extends over a track of 300 miles, and +it was not known that it did not extend 1000. A letter from Commodore +Jones states that many of the petty officers and men had deserted and +gone in search of the gold. He adds, the Indians were selling gold at +50 cents the ounce. Many vessels were deserted by captain, cook, and +seamen. The ship _Isaac Walton_ offered discharged soldiers 50 dollars +per month to go to Callao, which was refused. She was supplied by +government sailors. All the naval vessels on the coast were short of +hands. Nearly the whole of the 3rd Artillery had deserted. Provisions +were scarce and high; board, 4 dollars a-day; washing, 6 dollars +a-dozen. Merchants' clerks get from 2000 to 3000 dollars a-year. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + Route by land + Outfit, etc., and advice to intending Emigrants. + + +The route via Independence or St. Joseph, Mo., to Fort Laramie, South +Pass, Fort Hall, the Sink of Mary's River, etc., etc., the _old_ route. +Let no emigrant, carrying his family with him, deviate from it, or +imagine that he can find a better road. This road is the best that has +yet been discovered, and to the Bay of San Francisco and the Gold +Region it is much the shortest. The Indians, moreover, on this route, +have, up to the present time, been so friendly as to commit no acts of +hostility on the emigrants. The trail is plain and good where there are +no physical obstructions, and the emigrant, by taking this route, will +certainly reach his destination in good season and without disaster. +From our information we would most earnestly advise all emigrants to +take this trail, without deviation, if they would avoid the fatal +calamities which almost invariably have attended those who have +undertaken to explore new routes. + +The lightest wagon that can be constructed, of sufficient strength to +carry 2500 pounds' weight, is the vehicle most desirable. No wagon +should be loaded over this weight, or if it is, it will be certain to +stall in the muddy sloughs and crossings on the prairie in the first +part of the journey. This wagon can be hauled by three or four yokes of +oxen or six mules. Oxen are usually employed by the emigrants for +hauling their wagons. They travel about 15 miles per day, and, all +things considered, are perhaps equal to mules for this service, +although they cannot travel so fast. They are, however, less expensive, +and there is not so much danger of their straying and of being stolen +by the Indians. + +Pack-mules can only be employed by parties of men. It would be very +difficult to transport a party of women and children on pack-mules, +with the provisions, clothing, and other baggage necessary to their +comfort. A party of men, however, with pack-mules, can make the journey +in less time by one month than it can be done in wagons--carrying with +them, however, nothing more than their provisions, clothing, and +ammunition. + +For parties of _men_ going out, it would be well to haul their wagons, +provisions, etc., as far as Fort Laramie, or Fort Hall, by mules, +carrying with them pack-saddles and _alforjases_, or large saddle-bags, +adapted to the pack-saddle, with ropes for packing, etc., when, if they +saw proper, they could dispose of their wagons for Indian ponies, and +pack into California, gaining perhaps two or three weeks' time. + +The provisions actually necessary per man are as follows:-- + + 150 lbs. of flour. + 150 do. bacon. + 25 do. coffee. + 30 do. sugar. + +Added to these, the main items, there should be a small quantity of +rice, 50 or 75 lbs. of crackers, dried peaches, etc., and a keg of +lard, with salt, pepper, etc., and such other luxuries of light weight +as the person outfitting chooses to purchase. He will think of them +before he starts. + +Every man should be provided with a good rifle, and, if convenient, +with a pair of pistols, five pounds of powder, and ten pounds of lead. +A revolving belt-pistol may be found useful. + +With the wagon, there should be carried such carpenter's tools as a +hand-saw, auger, gimlet, chisel, shaving-knife, etc., an axe, hammer, +and hatchet. This last weapon every man should have in his belt, with a +hunter's or a bowie-knife. + +From Independence to the first settlement in California, which is near +the _gold region_, it is about 2050 miles--to San Francisco, 2290 +miles. + +The accounts that have been received and published in regard to the +wealth and productiveness of the gold mines, and other mines in +California, are undoubtedly true. They are derived from the most +authentic and reliable sources, and from individuals whose veracity may +be undoubtingly believed. + +When a young man arrives there, he must turn his attention to whatever +seems to promise the largest recompense for his labour. It is +impossible in the new state of things produced by the late discoveries, +and the influx of population, to foresee what this might be. The +country is rich in agricultural resources, as well as in the precious +metals, and, with proper enterprise and industry, he could scarcely +fail to do well. + +Families, as well as parties going out, should carry with them good +tents, to be used after their arrival as houses. The influx of +population will probably be so great that it will be difficult, if not +impossible, to obtain other shelter for some time after their arrival. +The climate of the country, however, even in winter, is so mild that, +with good tents, comfort is attainable. They should be careful, also, +to carry as much _subsistence_ into the country as they can; as what +they purchase there, after their arrival, they will be compelled to pay +a high price for. + +The shortest route to California is unquestionably by the West India +Mail Packets, which leave Southampton on the 17th of every month. The +point to which they take passengers is Chagres. This voyage is usually +accomplished in about 22 to 26 days. From thence passengers proceed +across the Isthmus, a distance of about 52 miles (say three or four +days' journey) to Panama, and thence 3500 miles by sea in the Pacific +to St. Francisco. From the vast number of eager emigrants that it is +expected will assemble at Panama, it is very probable that great delay +will be occasioned from there not being sufficient number of vessels to +convey them to their destination. Unless such adventurers are +abundantly supplied with money, they will not be able to live in the +hot desolation of the tropics, where life is but little valued, and +where death is even less regarded. The entire route by sea (round Cape +Horn) cannot be less than 18,500 miles, and generally occupies from +five to six months, yet this route is much cheaper, safer, and in the +end (from the delay that will occur at Panama) quite as _short_. This +route, particularly to parties from England, is universally allowed to +be the best many, dangers and difficulties that attend the route across +the Isthmus of Panama (not noticing the probable delay) will be +avoided, and many a one will bitterly regret that he was ever induced +to attempt (as he perceives ship after ship sailing gallantly on to +these favoured regions) what he considered a shorter route, from the +want of the means of transit, while he is himself compelled idly to +waste his time, a prey to pestilence and to the "hope deferred that +maketh the heart sick." + + + + +APPENDIX. + + +The following are letters addressed to the Government at Washington, +and other communications, all of which, it will be seen, are fully +confirmatory of the accounts given in the preceding pages; with other +details of interest relative to the state of the gold districts: + +_Extract from a Letter from Mr. Larkin, United States Consul at +Monterey, to Mr. Buchanan, Secretary of State at Washington._ + +"San Francisco (Upper California), June 1, 1848. + +"Sir: * * * I have to report to the State Department one of the most +astonishing excitements and state of affairs now existing in this +country, that, perhaps, has ever been brought to the notice of the +Government. On the American fork of the Sacramento and Feather River, +another branch of the same, and the adjoining lands, there has been +within the present year discovered a placer, a vast tract of land +containing gold, in small particles. This gold, thus far, has been +taken on the bank of the river, from the surface to eighteen inches in +depth, and is supposed deeper, and to extend over the country. + +"On account of the inconvenience of washing, the people have, up to +this time, only gathered the metal on the banks, which is done simply +with a shovel, filling a shallow dish, bowl, basket, or tin pan, with a +quantity of black sand, similar to the class used on paper, and washing +out the sand by movement of the vessel. It is now two or three weeks +since the men employed in those washings have appeared in this town +with gold, to exchange for merchandise and provisions. I presume nearly +20,000 dollars of this gold has as yet been so exchanged. Some 200 or +300 men have remained up the river, or are gone to their homes, for the +purpose of returning to the Placer, and washing immediately with +shovels, picks, and baskets; many of them, for the first few weeks, +depending on borrowing from others. I have seen the written statement +of the work of one man for sixteen days, which averaged 25 dollars per +day; others have, with a shovel and pan, or wooden bowl, washed out 10 +dollars to even 50 dollars in a day. There are now some men yet washing +who have 500 dollars to 1,000 dollars. As they have to stand two feet +deep in the river, they work but a few hours in the day, and not every +day in the week. + +"A few men have been down in boats to this port, spending twenty to +thirty ounces of gold each--about 300 dollars. I am confident that this +town (San Francisco) has one-half of its tenements empty, locked up +with the furniture. The owners--storekeepers, lawyers, mechanics, and +labourers--all gone to the Sacramento with their families. Small +parties, of five to fifteen men, have sent to this town and offered +cooks ten to fifteen dollars per day for a few weeks. Mechanics and +teamsters, earning the year past five to eight dollars per day, have +struck and gone. Several U.S. volunteers have deserted. U.S. barque +Anita, belonging to the Army, now at anchor here, has but six men. One +Sandwich Island vessel in port lost all her men; and was obliged to +engaged another crew at 50 dollars for the run of fifteen days to the +Islands. + +"One American captain having his men shipped on this coast in such a +manner that they could leave at any time, had them all on the eve of +quitting, when he agreed to continue their pay and food; leaving one on +board, he took a boat and carried them to the gold regions--furnishing +tools and giving his men one-third. They have been gone a week. Common +spades and shovels, one month ago worth 1 dollar, will now bring 10 +dollars, at the gold regions. I am informed 50 dollars has been offered +for one. Should this gold continue as represented, this town and others +would be depopulated. Clerks' wages have risen from 600 dollars to 1000 +per annum, and board; cooks, 25 dollars to 30 dollars per month. This +sum will not be any inducement a month longer, unless the fever and +ague appears among the washers. The _Californian_, printed here, +stopped this week. The _Star_ newspaper office, where the new laws of +Governor Mason, for this country, are printing, has but one man left. A +merchant, lately from China, has even lost his China servants. Should +the excitement continue through the year, and the whale-ships visit San +Francisco, I think they will lose most all their crews. How Col. Mason +can retain his men, unless he puts a force on the spot, I know not. + +"I have seen several pounds of this gold, and consider it very pure, +worth in New York 17 dollars to 18 dollars per ounce; 14 dollars to 16 +dollars, in merchandise, is paid for it here. What good or bad effect +this gold mania will have on California, I cannot foretell. It may end +this year; but I am informed that it will continue many years. +Mechanics now in this town are only wailing to finish some rude +machinery, to enable them to obtain the gold more expeditiously, and +free from working in the river. Up to this time, but few Californians +have gone to the mines, being afraid the Americans will soon have +trouble among themselves, and cause disturbance to all around. I have +seen some of the black sand, as taken from the bottom of the river (I +should think in the States it would bring 25 to 50 cents per pound), +containing many pieces of gold; they are from the size of the head of a +pin to the weight of the eighth of an ounce. I have seen some weighing +one-quarter of an ounce (4 dollars). Although my statements are almost +incredible, I believe I am within the statements believed by every one +here. Ten days back, the excitement had not reached Monterey. I shall, +within a few days, visit this gold mine, and will make another report +to you. Inclosed you will have a specimen. + +"I have the honour to be, very respectfully, + +"THOMAS O. LARKIN. + +"P.S. This placer, or gold region, is situated on public land." + + +"_Mr. Larkin to Mr. Buchanan._ + +"Monterey, California, June 28, 1848. + +"SIR: My last dispatch to the State Department was written in San +Francisco, the 1st of this month. In that I had the honour to give some +information respecting the new 'placer,' or gold regions lately +discovered on the branches of the Sacramento River. Since the writing +of that dispatch I have visited a part of the gold region, and found it +all I had heard, and much more than I anticipated. The part that I +visited was upon a fork of the American River, a branch of the +Sacramento, joining the main river at Sutter's Fort. The place in which +I found the people digging was about twenty-five miles from the fort by +land. + +"I have reason to believe that gold will be found on many branches of +the Sacramento and the Joaquin rivers. People are already scattered +over one hundred miles of land, and it is supposed that the 'placer' +extends from river to river. At present the workmen are employed within +ten or twenty yards of the river, that they may be convenient to water. +On Feather river there are several branches upon which the people are +digging for gold. This is two or three days' ride from the place I +visited. + +"At my camping place I found, on a surface of two or three miles on the +banks of the river, some fifty tents, mostly owned by Americans. These +had their families. There are no Californians who have taken their +families as yet to the gold regions; but few or none will ever do it; +some from New Mexico may do so next year, but no Californians. + +"I was two nights at a tent occupied by eight Americans, viz., two +sailors, one clerk, two carpenters, and three daily workmen. These men +were in company; had two machines, each made from one hundred feet of +boards (worth there 150 dollars, in Monterey 15 dollars--being one +day's work), made similar to a child's cradle, ten feet long, without +the ends. + +"The two evenings I saw these eight men bring to their tents the labour +of the day. I suppose they made each 50 dollars per day; their own +calculation was two pounds of gold a-day--four ounces to a man--64 +dollars. I saw two brothers that worked together, and only worked by +washing the dirt in a tin pan, weigh the gold they obtained in one day; +the result was 7 dollars to one, 82 dollars to the other. There were +two reasons for this difference; one man worked less hours than the +other, and by chance had ground less impregnated with gold. I give this +statement as an extreme case. During my visit I was an interpreter for +a native of Monterey, who was purchasing a machine or canoe. I first +tried to purchase boards and hire a carpenter for him. There were but a +few hundred feet of boards to be had; for these the owner asked me 50 +dollars per hundred (500 dollars per thousand), and a carpenter washing +gold dust demanded 50 dollars per day for working. I at last purchased +a log dug out, with a riddle and sieve made of willow boughs on it, for +120 dollars, payable in gold dust at 14 dollars per ounce. The owner +excused himself for the price, by saying he was two days making it, and +even then demanded the use of it until sunset. My Californian has told +me since, that himself, partner, and two Indians, obtained with this +canoe eight ounces the first and five ounces the second day. + +"I am of the opinion that on the American fork, Feather River, and +Copimes River, there are near two thousand people, nine-tenths of them +foreigners. Perhaps there are one hundred families, who have their +teams, wagons, and tents. Many persons are waiting to see whether the +months of July and August will be sickly, before they leave their +present business to go to the 'Placer.' The discovery of this gold was +made by some Mormons, in January or February, who for a time kept it a +secret; the majority of those who are working there began in May. In +most every instance the men, after digging a few days, have been +compelled to leave for the purpose of returning home to see their +families, arrange their business, and purchase provisions. I feel +confident in saying there are fifty men in this 'Placer' who have on an +average 1,000 dollars each, obtained in May and June. I have not met +with any person who had been fully employed in washing gold one month; +most, however, appear to have averaged an ounce per day. I think there +must, by this time, be over 1,000 men at work upon the different +branches of the Sacramento; putting their gains at 10,000 dollars per +day, for six days in the week, appears to me not overrated. + +"Should this news reach the emigration of California and Oregon, now on +the road, connected with the Indian wars, now impoverishing the latter +country, we should have a large addition to our population; and should +the richness of the gold region continue, our emigration in 1849 will +be many thousands, and in 1850 still more. If our countrymen in +California, as clerks, mechanics, and workmen, will forsake employment +at from 2 dollars to 6 dollars per day, how many more of the same class +in the Atlantic States, earning much less, will leave for this country +under such prospects? It is the opinion of many who have visited the +gold regions the past and present months, that the ground will afford +gold for many years, perhaps for a century. From my own examination of +the rivers and their banks, I am of opinion that, at least for a few +years, the golden products will equal the present year. However, as +neither men of science, nor the labourers now at work, have made any +explorations of consequence, it is a matter of impossibility to give +any opinion as to the extent and richness of this part of California. +Every Mexican who has seen the place says throughout their Republic +there has never been any 'placer like this one.' + +"Could Mr. Polk and yourself see California as we now see it, you would +think that a few thousand people, on 100 miles square of the Sacramento +valley, would yearly turn out of this river the whole price our country +pays for the acquired territory. When I finished my first letter I +doubted my own writing, and, to be better satisfied, showed it to one +of the principal merchants of San Francisco, and to Captain Fulsom, of +the Quartermaster's Department, who decided at once I was far below the +reality. You certainly will suppose, from my two letters, that I am, +like others, led away by the excitement of the day. I think I am not. +In my last I inclosed a small sample of the gold dust, and I find my +only error was in putting a value to the sand. At that time I was not +aware how the gold was found; I now can describe the mode of collecting +it. + +"A person without a machine, after digging off one or two feet of the +upper ground, near the water (in some cases they take the top earth), +throws into a tin pan or wooden bowl a shovel full of loose dirt and +stones; then placing the basin an inch or two under water, continues to +stir up the dirt with his hand in such a manner that the running water +will carry off the light earths, occasionally, with his hand, throwing +out the stones; after an operation of this kind for twenty or thirty +minutes, a spoonful of small black sand remains; this is on a +handkerchief or cloth dried in the sun, the emerge is blown off, +leaving the pure gold. I have the pleasure of inclosing a paper of this +sand and gold, which I from a bucket of dirt and stones, in +half-an-hour, standing at the edge of the water, washed out myself. The +value of it may be 2 dollars or 3 dollars. + +"The size of the gold depends in some measure upon the river from which +it is taken; the banks of one river having larger grains of gold than +another. I presume more than one half of the gold put into pans or +machines is washed out and goes down the stream; this is of no +consequence to the washers, who care only for the present time. Some +have formed companies of four or five men, and have a rough-made +machine put together in a day, which worked to much advantage, yet many +prefer to work alone, with a wooden bowl or tin pan, worth fifteen or +twenty cents in the States, but eight to sixteen dollars at the gold +region. As the workmen continue, and materials can be obtained, +improvements will take place in the mode of obtaining gold; at present +it is obtained by standing in the water, and with much severe labour, +or such as is called here severe labour. + +"How long this gathering of gold by the handful will continue here, or +the future effect it will have on California, I cannot say. +Three-fourths of the houses in the town on the bay of San Francisco are +deserted. Houses are sold at the price of the ground lots. The effects +are this week showing themselves in Monterey. Almost every house I had +hired out is given up. Every blacksmith, carpenter, and lawyer is +leaving; brick-yards, saw-mills and ranches are left perfectly alone. A +large number of the volunteers at San Francisco and Sonoma have +deserted; some have been retaken and brought back; public and private +vessels are losing their crews; my clerks have had 100 per cent. +advance offered them on their wages to accept employment. A complete +revolution in the ordinary state of affairs is taking place; both of +our newspapers are discontinued from want of workmen and the loss of +their agencies; the Alcaldes have left San Francisco, and I believe +Sonoma likewise; the former place has not a Justice of the Peace left. + +"The second Alcalde of Monterey to-day joins the keepers of our +principal hotel, who have closed their office and house, and will leave +to-morrow for the golden rivers. I saw on the ground a lawyer who was +last year Attorney-General of the King of the Sandwich Islands, digging +and washing out his ounce and a half per day; near him can be found +most all his brethren of the long robe, working in the same occupation. + +"To conclude; my letter is long, but I could not well describe what I +have seen in less words, and I now can believe that my account may be +doubted. If the affair proves a bubble, a mere excitement, I know not +how we can all be deceived, as we are situated. Governor Mason and his +staff have left Monterey to visit the place in question, and will, I +suppose, soon forward to his department his views and opinions on this +subject. Most of the land, where gold has been discovered, is public +land; there are on different rivers some private grants. I have three +such purchased in 1846 and 1847, but have not learned that any private +lands have produced gold, though they may hereafter do so. I have the +honour, dear sir, to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, + +"THOMAS O. LARKIN." + + +DESERTION FROM THE SHIPS.--We collate from other sources several other +interesting letters and documents, and which will be found well worth +perusal. + +"Monterey, Sept. 15, 1848. + +"Messrs. Grinnell, Minturn, and Co.: + +"Sirs--I embrace this opportunity to inform you of my new situation, +which is bad enough. All hands have left me but two; they will stay +till the cargo is landed and ballast in, then they will go. Both mates +will leave in a few days, and then I will have only the two boys, and I +am fearful that they will run. I have got all landed but 900 barrels; +on Monday I shall get off ballast if the weather is good. There's no +help to be got at any price. The store-ship that sailed from here ten +days ago took three of my men at 100 dollars per month; there is +nothing that anchors here but what loses their men. I have had a hard +time in landing the cargo; I go in the boat every load. If I can get it +on shore I shall save the freight. As for the ship she will lay here +for a long time, for there's not the least chance of getting a crew. +The coasters are giving 100 dollars per month. All the ships at San +Francisco have stripped and laid up. The Flora, of New London, is at +San Francisco; all left. You probably have heard of the situation of +things here. A sailor will be up at the mines for two months, work on +his own account, and come down with from two to three thousand dollars, +and those that go in parties do much better. I have been offered 20 +dollars per day to go, by one of the first men here, and work one year. +It is impossible for me to give you any idea of the gold that is got +here. Yours respectfully, + +"CHRISTOPHER ALLEN, +Captain of the ship Isaac Walton." + + +Another letter dated St. Francisco, September 1st, contains the +following:-- + +"A day or two ago the Flora, Captain Potter, of New London, anchored in +Whaleman's Harbour, on the opposite side of the Bay. Yesterday the +captain, fearing he would lose all his men, weighed anchor, intending +to go to sea. After getting under weigh, the crew, finding the ship was +heading out, refused to do duty, and the captain was forced to return +and anchor here. Last night nine of the crew gagged the watch, lowered +one of the boats, and rowed off. They have not been heard of since, and +are now probably half way to the gold region. The Flora is twenty-six +months out, with only 750 bbls. of oil. Every vessel that comes in here +now is sure to lose her crew, and this state of things must continue +until the squadron arrives, when, if the men-o'-war-men do not run off +too, merchant-men may retain their crews. + +"The whale-ship Euphrates, of New Bedford, left here a few weeks since, +for the United States, to touch on the coast of Chili to recruit. The +Minerva, Captain Perry, of New Bedford, has abandoned the whaling +business, and is now on his way hence to Valparaiso for a cargo of +merchandise. Although two large ships, four barks, and eight or ten +brigs and schooners have arrived here since my return from the mineral +country, about four weeks since, with large cargoes of merchandise, +their entire invoices have been sold. Vessels are daily arriving from +the islands and ports upon the coast, laden with goods and passengers, +the latter destined for the gold-washings. + +"Much sickness prevails among the gold-diggers; many have left the +ground sick, and many more have discontinued their labours for the +present, and gone into more healthy portions of the country, intending +to return after the sickly season has passed. From the best information +I can obtain, there are from two to three thousand persons at work at +the gold-washings with the same success as heretofore." + + +THE DIGGINGS.--Extract of a letter from Monterey, Aug. 29. + +"At present the people are running over the country and picking it out +of the earth here and there, just as a thousand hogs, let loose in a +forest, would root up ground-nuts. Some get eight or ten ounces a-day, +and the least active one or two. They make the most who employ the wild +Indians to hunt it for them. There is one man who has sixty Indians in +his employ; his profits are a dollar a-minute. The wild Indians know +nothing of its value, and wonder what the pale-faces want to do with +it; they will give an ounce of it for the same weight of coined silver, +or a thimbleful of glass beads, or a glass of grog. And white men +themselves often give an ounce of it, which is worth at our mint 18 +dollars, or more, for a bottle of brandy, a bottle of soda-powders, or +a plug of tobacco. + +"As to the quantity which the diggers get, take a few facts as +evidence. I know seven men who worked seven weeks and two days, Sundays +excepted, on Feather River; they employed on an average fifty Indians, +and got out in these seven weeks and two days 275 pounds of pure gold. +I know the men, and have seen the gold, and know what they state to be +a fact--so stick a pin there. I know ten other men who worked ten days +in company, employed no Indians, and averaged in these ten days 1500 +dollars each; so stick another pin there. I know another man who got +out of a basin in a rock, not larger than a wash-bowl, two pounds and a +half of gold in fifteen minutes; so stick another pin there! Not one of +these statements would I believe, did I not know the men personally, +and know them to be plain matter-of-fact men--men who open a vein of +gold just as coolly as you would a potato-hill." + + +ASSAY OF THE GOLD.--Lieutenant Loeser having arrived at Washington with +specimens of the gold from the diggings, the following account of its +quality appeared in the "Washington Union," the government organ:-- + +"Understanding last evening that the lieutenant had arrived in this +city, and had deposited in the War Office the precious specimens he had +brought with him, we called to see them, and to free our mind from all +hesitation as to the genuineness of the metal. We had seen doubts +expressed in some of our exchange papers; and we readily admit that the +accounts so nearly approached the miraculous, that we were relieved by +the evidence of our own senses on the subject. The specimens have all +the appearance of the native gold we had seen from the mines of North +Carolina and Virginia, and we are informed that the Secretary would +send the small chest, called a caddy, containing about 3,000 dollars' +worth of gold, in lumps and scales, to the mint, to be melted into +coins and bars. The specimens have come to Washington as they were +extracted from the materials of the placer. The heaviest piece brought +by Lieutenant Loeser weighs a little more than two ounces; but the +varied contents of the casket (as described in Colonel Mason's +schedule) will be sent off to-day, by special messenger, to the mint at +Philadelphia for assay, and early next week we hope to have the +pleasure of laying the result before our readers." The assay was +subsequently made, and the result officially announced. The gold is +declared to be from 3 to 8 per cent. purer than American standard gold +coin. + + +ANOTHER ASSAY.--The following is the report of an assay of Californian +gold dust, received by Mr. T.O. Larkin, United States consul at +Monterey. + +"New York, Dec. 8, 1848. + +"Sir,--I have assayed the portion of gold dust, or metal, from +California, which you sent me, and the result shows that it is fully +equal to any found in our Southern gold mines. I return you 10-3/4 +grains out of the 12 which I have tested, the value of which is 45 +cents. It is 21-1/2 carats fine--within half a carat of the quality of +English sovereigns or American eagles--and is almost ready to go to the +mint. The finest gold metal we get is from Africa, which is 22-1/2 to +23 carats fine. In Virginia we have mines where the quality of the gold +is much inferior--some of it so low as 19 carats--and in Georgia the +mines produce it nearly 22 carats fine. The gold of California, which I +have now assayed, is fully equal to that of any, and much superior to +some produced from the mines in our Southern States. + +"JOHN WARWICK, +Smelter and refiner, 17, John-Street." + + +INCONVENIENCES OF TOO MUCH GOLD.--The following letter (January 12) +from Captain Fulsom, of the United States Service, writing from San +Francisco, confirms the fact of the difficulty of procuring servants, +or indeed manual assistance of any description:-- + +"All sorts of labour is got at enormous rates of compensation. Common +clerks and salesmen in the stores about town often receive as high as +2500 dollars and their board. The principal waiter in the hotel where I +board is paid 1700 dollars per year, and several others from 1200 to +1500 dollars! I fortunately have an Indian boy, or I should be forced +to clean my own boots, for I could not employ a good body servant for +the full amount of my salary as a government officer. I believe every +army officer in California, with one or two exceptions, would have +resigned last summer could they have done it, and been free at once to +commence for themselves. But the war was not then terminated, and no +one could hope to communicate with Washington correspondents, to get an +answer in less than six, and perhaps ten, months. For some time last +summer (August and July) the officers at Monterey were entirely without +servants; and the governor (Colonel Mason) actually took his turn in +cooking for his mess." + + +EFFECTS OF THIS DISCOVERY ON THE UNITED STATES.--The following remarks +upon the influence of this immense discovery, which appeared in a +popular New York journal on the 23rd January, proves the extent of +impression produced upon society in the States by the intelligence of +this new source of natural wealth:-- + +"The news (February 12) from California will attract the observation of +the whole community, A spirit is generated from those discoveries, +which is more active, more intense, and more widely spread, than that +which agitated Europe in the time of Columbus, Cortez, and Pizarro. +There seems to be no doubt that, in a short time--probably less than +two years--those mines can be made to produce 100,000,000 dollars per +year. The region is the most extensive of the kind in the world, being +800 miles in length, and 100 in width, with every indication that gold +exists in large native masses, in the rocks and mountains of the Sierra +Nevada. But these vast gold mines are not the only mineral discoveries +that have been made. The quicksilver in the same region seems to be as +abundant as the gold, so that there are approximated to each other two +metals, which will have a most important effect and utility in making +the gold mines more valuable. Heretofore the gold and silver mines of +Mexico and Peru have been valuable to Spain, because she possessed a +monopoly of the quicksilver mines at Almaden in the Peninsula. This is +surpassed by California. According to the last accounts now given to +the public, emigrants were crowding in from every port in the Pacific +to California--from Mexico, Peru, the Sandwich Islands, Oregon; and we +have no doubt by this time the British possessions in the East, China, +and everywhere else in that region, are furnishing emigrants to the +wonderful regions of California. In less than a year there will +probably be a population of 100,000 to 200,000 souls, all digging for +gold, and capable of producing from 100,000,000 dollars to 300,000,000 +dollars worth per annum of pure gold, to be thrown on the commerce of +the world at one fell swoop. + +"What is to be the effect of such vast discoveries on the commerce of +the world--on old communities, on New York, London, and other great +commercial cities? Such a vast addition to the gold currency of the +world will at once disturb the prices and value of all productions and +merchandise to a similar extent to that which we see in Monterey and +San Francisco. The prices of every commodity will therefore rise +extravagantly during the next few years, according to the produce of +gold from that region. Now, in a rising market everything prospers; +every one gets rich, civilisation expands, industry increases, and all +orders of society are benefited. As soon as the first crop of gold from +California reaches New York, the impulse which it will give to +commercial enterprise, and the advance in the price of everything which +it will cause, will be tremendous. The bank currency will be expanded, +for the basis will be abundant; real estate will increase in value, +agricultural productions and agricultural labour will advance at once +10, 15, 20, 30, or 40 per cent., even to as great an extent, perhaps, +as was witnessed when the demand came from Ireland for the food of this +country to feed the starving Irish. New York and her sister cities will +be the centre of all those revolutionary movements which are certain to +spring from the gold productions of California, on the commerce of the +whole civilized world. Ship-building will increase in value, +steam-boats will be wanted, the railroads projected across the Isthmus +in various places, in Mexico and Central America will be pushed to +completion, and we should not be surprised to see an active attempt +made, under the auspices of the Federal Government, to construct a +railroad across the continent, through the South Pass, from St. Louis, +or some other point on the Mississippi, to San Francisco. The discovery +of these great gold mines will no doubt form the agent of the greatest +revolution in the commercial centres of the world and on the +civilisation of the human race that has ever taken place since the +first dawn of history. New York will henceforth, from its position to +the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, probably in less than a quarter of a +century, present a population greater than that of Paris, and display +evidences of wealth, grandeur, magnificence, and industry, in an equal +if not greater degree than what we see in London at this day. We expect +that, in the next twenty-five years, we shall make as rapid a march in +this metropolis, and in the neighbouring cities, as any city has done +during the last twenty-five centuries. There is no necessity for all +going to California. Those who remain, and will raise produce, +manufacture goods, build ships, construct steam-engines, and advance +the Fine Arts, will enjoy the benefits of those discoveries to as great +an extent as those who go to the Sacramento to dig for gold. All the +results of the labours of those diggers must come to this metropolis, +swell its magnificence, and increase the intensity of its action in +commercial affairs. Even in a political point of view the discovery of +these wonderful gold mines in California, under the Government of the +United States, will have a wonderful and astounding effect. We should +not be surprised to see, in a short time, all the old provinces of +Mexico, as far as the Isthmus of Darien, knocking for admission into +this union; while, on the other side, the British provinces of Canada, +and even the Spanish island of Cuba, may be begging and praying to be +let in at the same time, and be permitted to enjoy some of the vast +advantages, and participate a little in the energy, which this vast +confederacy will exhibit to the astonished world." + + +DISORDERS IN THE GOLD DISTRICT.--Up to the close of the year the +accounts were with few exceptions favourable to the morals and habits +of the masses of adventurers congregated on the banks of the San +Francisco and the vicinity; subsequently the statements on these points +began to change, and every letter noticed some robbery or murder, +generally both, as of frequent occurrence, and at length they became so +common that there was neither protection for life nor property. The +following ominous intelligence, which appeared in the _Washington +Union_ (the organ of government), created an immense sensation. It was +the substance of a letter from San Francisco, dated the end of +December, addressed to Commodore Jones. "This letter (according to the +_Union_) presents a desperate state of affairs as existing in +California. Everything is getting worse as regards order and +government. Murders and robberies were not only daily events, but +occurring hourly. Within six days more than twenty murders had been +perpetrated. The people were preparing to organise a provisional +government in order to put a stop to these outrages. Within five days +three men have been hung by Lynch Law. The United States revenue laws +are now in force, and will yield 400,000 dollars the first year. The +inhabitants are opposed to paying taxes." + + +LATEST ACCOUNTS (_from the New York Press_.)--The desperate state of +affairs in California is fully confirmed. Murders and robberies were +occurring daily. The following are particulars supplied by Lieutenant +Lanman, of the United States navy, who had returned to New York, after +having acted for a year past as collector at Monterey:-- + +"Only about an hour before he left, he saw a man on board the +flag-ship, just arrived from the mines, who confirmed the previous +reports in regard to the discoveries on the river Staneslow, where he +had seen a single lump of gold weighing nine pounds, and heard of one +that weighed twenty pounds. The gold excitement in Monterey had +entirely abated, the immense mineral wealth of the country being looked +upon as an established fact. There was no disposition (except among the +landholders) to exaggerate. For a year past Lieutenant Lanman has been +performing the duties of collector at the port of Monterey; and, having +seen every man who had returned from a visit to the mines, his +opportunities for obtaining authentic information were better than if +he had visited the mines in person. He informs us that no large +amounts of gold dust or ore were selling at a sacrifice; he does not +believe that one hundred ounces of the gold dust could have been +purchased at the reported rate of eight dollars, the ordinary prices +ranging from ten to twelve dollars per ounce. The weekly receipts of +gold at San Francisco were estimated at from thirty to fifty thousand +dollars, and Lieutenant Lanman knew of one individual who had in his +possession thirty thousand dollars' worth of pure ore and dust. The +current value of gold in trade was sixteen dollars per ounce. There was +a scarcity of coin throughout the country; but when Lieutenant Lanman +arrived at Panama, he was informed that 600,000 dollars had just been +shipped for California by certain Mexican gentlemen, and that the +American consul at Paita (Mr. Ruden) had in charge coin of the value of +118,000 dollars, which he intends to exchange for ore and dust. Peru +and Chili are not behind the United States in regard to the gold +excitement, no less than twenty vessels having sailed from these two +countries within a short time bound to San Francisco. They were all +well laden with provisions and other necessaries of life, and their +arrival would probably reduce the prices, which have heretofore been so +exorbitant. The whole amount of gold collected at the washings since +the excitement first broke out is variously estimated--some put it down +as high as 4,000,000 of dollars, but this I think is a little too +high." + +A private letter says the produce of a vineyard of 1,000 vines brought +1,200 dollars; the vegetables of a garden of one acre, near San +Francisco, 1,500 dollars. A snow-storm had covered the gold-diggings, +and the people were leaving, on account of sickness, intending to +return in the spring, which is said to be the best season for the gold +harvest. Labourers, according to one letter-writer, demanded a dollar +an hour! Adventurers continued to arrive at San Francisco from all +parts of the world; and several persons, who were reported to be laden +down with gold, were anxious to return to the United States, but could +not very readily find a conveyance, as the sailors deserted the ships +immediately on their arrival in port. + +CALIFORNIAN GOLD 250 YEARS AGO.--Pinkerton, in an account of Drake's +discovery of a part of California, to which he gave the name of New +Albion, states:--"The country, too, if we can depend upon what Sir +Francis Drake or his chaplain say, may appear worth the seeking and the +keeping, since they assert that _the land is so rich in gold and +silver, that upon the slightest turning it up with a spade or pick-axe, +these rich metals plainly appear mixed with the mould_. It may be +objected that this looks a little fabulous; but to this two +satisfactory answers may be given: the first is, that later discoveries +on the same coast confirm the truth of it, which for anything I can see +ought to put the fact out of question; but if any doubts should remain, +my second answer should overturn these. For I say next, that the +country of New Mexico lies directly behind New Albion, on the other +side of a narrow bay, and in that country are the mines of Santa Fé, +which are allowed to be the richest in the world; here, then, is a +valuable country, to which we have a very fair title." + + +EFFECTS OF THE CALIFORNIAN NEWS IN ENGLAND.--A glance at the +advertisements in the daily papers (says the _Examiner_) will show that +the public appetite for California is likely to be promptly met. The +burden of the various vessels already announced as ready for immediate +departure amounts to about 5,000 tons, distributed in ships ranging +from 190 to 700 tons, to say nothing of the West India mail-steamer, +which leaves on the 17th, carrying goods and passengers to Chagres, or +of a "short and pleasant passage" advertised to Galveston, in Texas, as +a cheap route to the Pacific. The rates range from £25 upwards to suit +all classes. Thus far, however, we have only the arrangements for those +who are able to move. The opportunities provided for those who wish to +share the advantages of the new region without its dangers are still +more ample. Indeed, so imposing are the plans for an extensive +investment of capital for carrying on the trade in shares of £5 each, +that it would seem as if the first effect of the affair would be to +cause a scarcity of money rather than an abundance. About a million and +a quarter sterling is already wanted, and the promoters stipulate for +the power of doubling the proposed amounts as occasion may offer. There +is a "California Gold-Coast Trading Association;" a "California Gold +Mining, Streaming, and Washing Company;" a "California Steam Trading +Company," a "California Gold and Trading Company;" and a "California +Gold Mining, etc., Trading Company." The last of these alone will +require £600,000 for its objects, but as half the shares are "to be +reserved for the United States of America," the drain upon our +resources will be lessened to that extent. Some of the concerns propose +to limit their operations to trading on the coast, sending out at the +same time "collecting and exploring parties" whenever the prospect may +be tempting. Others intend at once to get a grant from the legislature +at Washington of such lands "as they may deem necessary," while others +intend to trust to chance, simply sending out a "practical" manager, +accompanied by an adequate number of men "accustomed to the extraction +of gold in all its forms." Along with these advertisements are some of +a modified nature, to suit parties who may neither wish to go out with +a batch of emigrants, nor to stay at home and wait the results of a +public company. One "well-educated gentleman" seeks two others "to +share expenses with him." Another wishes for a companion who would +advance £200, "one half to leave his wife, and the other half for +outfit;" a third tells where "any respectable individuals with small +capital" may find persons willing to join them; a fourth states that +respectable persons having not less than £100 are wanted to complete a +party; and a fifth, that a "seafaring man is ready to go equal shares +in purchasing a schooner to sail on speculation." What number may be +found to answer those appeals it is impossible to conjecture. Common +sense would say not one, but experience of what has been practised over +and over again reminds us that the active parties on the present +occasion are not calculating too largely upon the credulity of their +countrymen. That the country will be a pandemonium long before any one +can reach it from this side is hardly to be doubted, unless, indeed, +the United States government shall have been able to establish a +blockade and cordon, in which case the new arrivals will have to get +back as well as they can. + + +PROBABLE EFFECT ON THE CURRENCY IN EUROPE.--In the description of gold +mines, and rivers flowing over golden sands, we must be prepared for a +little over-colouring. Such discoveries have always excited sanguine +hopes, and dreams of exhaustless wealth; but if the accounts--and they +really appear well authenticated--of the golden treasures of California +be true, quantities of the most precious of all metals are found--not +buried in mines, but scattered on the surface of the earth, and the +fortunate adventurer may enrich himself beyond the dreams of avarice, +almost without labour, without capital, and with no care but that which +cupidity generates. The principle that the value of the precious +metals, like other products of industry, is determined primarily by the +cost of production, and then by scarcity, ideas of utility, and +convenience, seems to be neutralized by this new discovery; and it +becomes a curious question, how far it may affect the value of gold and +silver in Europe. If the abundance of gold flowing from America be such +as to exceed the demand, the value of gold will fall, and the price of +all other commodities relatively rise, and the relative proportion +between gold and silver be disturbed so as to affect the standards of +value in each country and the par of exchange between one and another. +The productiveness of the silver mines, there is no doubt, is greater +and more regular than those of gold; but the enormous increase of the +silver currency on the Continent, in the United States, and even in +India, and our own colonies, has kept the price of silver a little +below five shillings an ounce. On the other hand the English standard +of value being gold only, the drain of gold is generally towards +England, while that of silver is towards the Continent. We do not doubt +that the English Mint price of gold, £3 17s. 10-1/2d. an ounce, and the +price at which the Bank of England are compelled to purchase, £3 17s. +9d. an ounce, are causes which not only regulate, but, within certain +limits, determine, the price of gold throughout the world. Suppose, for +a moment, the circulation of England, exceeding thirty millions and the +Bank store of fifteen millions, to be thrown on the markets of Europe, +by an alteration of the standard of value--how material would be the +fall in price! It is equally obvious that England would be first and +most materially affected by any large and sudden production of her +standard of value; for though America would be enriched by the +discovery of the precious metals within her own territories, it is only +because she would possess a larger fund to exchange for more useful and +necessary products of labour. The value of silver would not fall, +assuming the supply and demand to be equalised, but gold would fall in +relation to silver, and the existing proportion (about 15 to 1) could +no longer be maintained. Then prices would rise of all articles now +estimated in our currency--i.e. an ounce of gold would exchange for +less than at present. And, assuming the price of silver to keep up as +heretofore, about 5s. an ounce, our sovereign would be valued less in +other countries, and all exchange operations would be sensibly +affected. The only countervailing influence in the reduction of gold +to, say, only double the price of silver, would be an increased +consumption in articles of taste and manufacture, which, however, can +only be speculative and uncertain. It is said by accounts from +California that five hundred miles lie open to the avarice of +gold-hunters, and that some adventurers have collected from 1,200 to +1,800 dollars a-day; the probable average of each man's earnings being +from 8 to 10 dollars a-day, or, let us say, £2. The same authority +avers there is room and verge enough for the profitable working, to +that extent, of a hundred thousand persons. And it is likely enough +before long that such a number may be tempted to seek their easily +acquired fortune in the golden sands of El Sacramento and elsewhere. +Now two pounds a-day for each man would amount to £200,000, which, +multiplied by 300 working days, will give £60,000,000 a-year! That is, +£600,000,000 in ten years! A fearful amount of gold dust, and far more +than enough to disturb the equanimity of ten thousand political +economists. The gold utensils found among the simple-minded and +philosophic Peruvians (who wondered at the eager desire of Christians +for what they scarcely valued), will be esteemed trifles with our +golden palaces, and halls paved with gold, when California shall have +poured this vast treasure into Europe. Assuming in round numbers each +2,000 lbs., or troy ton, to be equivalent to £100,000 sterling, the +above amount in one year would represent _six hundred_ tons, and in ten +years _six thousand_ tons of gold! The imagination of all-plodding +industrious England is incapable of grasping so great an idea! Can +there be any doubt, then, of a revolution in the value of the precious +metals? + + +PROHIBITION FROM THE GOVERNMENT.--It would seem that the government +have at length taken measures to preserve the gold districts from the +bands of foreign adventurers who are daily pouring in from every +quarter. Towards the end of January we learn that General Smith had +been sent out by the United States government, with orders to enforce +the laws against all persons, not citizens of the States, who should be +found trespassing on the public lands. Official notice to this effect +was issued to the American consul at Panama and other places, in order +that emigrants on their way to California might be made aware of the +determination of the government previous to their arrival. The +punishment for illegal trespassing is fine and imprisonment. It was not +known, at the date of the last intelligence from California how this +notification, which makes such an important change in the prospects of +the numerous bodies now on their way thither, has been received by the +population assembled at the land of promise. + + +JOURNEY FROM ARKANSAS TO CALIFORNIA. + +The following general view of the nature of the country which divides +the United States from California is taken from a narrative, published +by Lieutenant Emory, of a journey from the Arkansas to the newly +annexed territory of the United States. + +"The country," says the lieutenant, "from the Arkansas to the Colorado, +a distance of over 1200 miles, in its adaptation to agriculture, has +peculiarities which must for ever stamp itself upon the population +which inhabits it. All North Mexico, embracing New Mexico, Chihuahua, +Sonora, and the Californias, as far north as the Sacramento, is, as far +as the best information goes, the same in the physical character of its +surface, and differs but little in climate and products. In no part of +this vast tract can the rains from heaven be relied upon, to any +extent, for the cultivation of the soil. The earth is destitute of +trees, and in great part also of any vegetation whatever. A few feeble +streams flow in different directions from the great mountains, which in +many places traverse this region. These streams are separated, +sometimes by plains, and sometimes by mountains, without water and +without vegetation, and may be called deserts, so far as they perform +any useful part in the sustenance of animal life. + +"The whole extent of country, except on the margin of streams, is +destitute of forest trees. The Apaches, a very numerous race, and the +Navajoes, are the chief occupants, but there are many minor bands, who, +unlike the Apaches and Navajoes, are not nomadic, but have fixed +habitations. Amongst the most remarkable of these are the Soones, most +of whom are said to be Albinoes. The latter cultivate the soil, and +live in peace with their more numerous and savage neighbours. Departing +from the ford of the Colorado in the direction of Sonora, there is a +fearful desert to encounter. Alter, a small town, with a Mexican +garrison, is the nearest settlement. All accounts concur in +representing the journey as one of extreme hardship, and even peril. +The distance is not exactly known, but it is variously represented at +from four to seven days' journey. Persons bound for Sonora from +California, who do not mind a circuitous route, should ascend the Gila +as far as the Pimos village, and thence penetrate the province by way +of Tucson. At the ford, the Colorado is 1,500 feet wide, and flows at +the rate of a mile and a half per hour. Its greatest depth in the +channel, at the ford where we crossed, is four feet. The banks are low, +not more than four feet high, and, judging from indications, sometimes, +though not frequently, overflowed. Its general appearance at this point +is much like that of the Arkansas, with its turbid waters and shifting +sand islands." + +The narrative of Lieut. Emory, of his journey from this point across +the Desert of California, becomes highly interesting and +characteristic. + +"_November 26_.--The dawn of day found every man on horseback, and a +bunch of grass from the Colorado tied behind him on the cantle of his +saddle. After getting well under way, the keen air at 26° Fahrenheit +made it most comfortable to walk. We travelled four miles along the +sand butte, in a southern direction; we mounted the buttes and found a +firmer footing covered with fragments of lava, rounded by water, and +many agates. We were now fairly on the desert. + +"Our course now inclined a few degrees more to the north, and at 10, +A.M., we found a large patch of grama, where we halted for an hour, and +then pursued our way over the plains covered with fragments of lava, +traversed at intervals by sand buttes, until 4, P.M., when, after +travelling 24 miles, we reached the Alamo or cotton-wood. At this +point, the Spaniards informed us, that, failing to find water, they had +gone a league to the west, in pursuit of their horses, where they found +a running stream. We accordingly sent parties to search, but neither +the water nor their trail could be found. Neither was there any +cotton-wood at the Alamo, as its name would signify; but it was +nevertheless the place, the tree having probably been covered by the +encroachments of the sand, which here terminates in a bluff 40 feet +high, making the arc of a great circle convexing to the north. +Descending this bluff, we found in what had been the channel of a +stream, now overgrown with a few ill-conditioned mesquite, a large hole +where persons had evidently dug for water. It was necessary to halt to +rest our animals, and the time was occupied in deepening this hole, +which, after a strong struggle, showed signs of water. An old champagne +basket, used by one of the officers as a pannier, was lowered in the +hole, to prevent the crumbling of the sand. After many efforts to keep +out the caving sand, a basket-work of willow twigs effected the object, +and, much to the joy of all, the basket, which was now 15 or 20 feet +below the surface, filled with water. The order was given for each mess +to draw a kettle of water, and Captain Turner was placed in charge of +the spring, to see fair distribution. + +"When the messes were supplied, the firmness of the banks gave hopes +that the animals might be watered, and each party was notified to have +their animals in waiting; the important business of watering then +commenced, upon the success of which depended the possibility of their +advancing with us a foot further. Two buckets for each animal were +allowed. At 10, A.M., when my turn came, Captain Moore had succeeded, +by great exertions, in opening another well, and the one already opened +began to flow more freely, in consequence of which, we could afford to +give each animal as much as it could drink. The poor brutes, none of +which had tasted water in forty-eight hours, and some not for the last +sixty, clustered round the well and scrambled for precedence. At 12 +o'clock I had watered all my animals, thirty-seven in number, and +turned over the well to Captain Moore. The animals still had an aching +void to fill, and all night was heard the munching of sticks, and their +piteous cries for more congenial food. + +"_November 27 and 28_.--To-day we started a few minutes after sunrise. +Our course was a winding one, to avoid the sand-drifts. The Mexicans +had informed us that the waters of the salt lake, some thirty or forty +miles distant, were too salt to use, but other information led us to +think the intelligence was wrong. We accordingly tried to reach it; +about 3, P.M., we disengaged ourselves from the sand, and went due +(magnetic) west, over an immense level of clay detritus, hard and +smooth as a bowling-green. The desert was almost destitute of +vegetation; now and then an Ephedra, Oenothera, or bunches of Aristida +were seen, and occasionally the level was covered with a growth of +Obione canescens, and a low bush with small oval plaited leaves, +unknown. The heavy sand had proved too much for many horses and some +mules, and all the efforts of their drivers could bring them no further +than the middle of this desert. About 8 o'clock, as we approached the +lake, the stench of dead animals confirmed the reports of the Mexicans, +and put to flight all hopes of being able to use the water. + +"The basin of the lake, as well as I could judge at night, is about +three-quarters of a mile long and half a mile wide. The water had +receded to a pool, diminished to one half its size, and the approach to +it, was through a thick soapy quagmire. It was wholly unfit for man or +brute, and we studiously kept the latter from it, thinking that the use +of it would but aggravate their thirst. One or two of the men came in +late, and, rushing to the lake, threw themselves down and took many +swallows before discovering their mistake; but the effect was not +injurious except that it increased their thirst. A few mezquite trees +and a chenopodiaceous shrub bordered the lake, and on these our mules +munched till they had sufficiently refreshed themselves, when the call +to saddle was sounded, and we groped silently our way in the dark. The +stoutest animals now began to stagger, and when day dawned scarcely a +man was seen mounted. + +"With the sun rose a heavy fog from the south-west, no doubt from the +gulf, and, sweeping towards us, enveloped us for two or three hours, +wetting our blankets and giving relief to the animals. Before it had +disappeared we came to a patch of sun-burned grass. When the fog had +entirely dispersed we found ourselves entering a gap in the mountains, +which had been before us for four days. The plain was crossed, but we +had not yet found water. The first valley we reached was dry, and it +was not till 12 o'clock, M., that we struck the Cariso (cane) creek, +within half a mile of one of its sources, and although so close to the +source, the sands had already absorbed much of its water, and left but +little running. A mile or two below, the creek entirely disappears. We +halted, having made fifty-four miles in the two days, at the source, a +magnificent spring, twenty or thirty feet in diameter, highly +impregnated with sulphur, and medicinal in its properties. + +"The desert over which we had passed, ninety miles from water to water, +is an immense triangular plain, bounded on one side by the Colorado, on +the west by the Cordilleras of California, the coast chain of mountains +which now encircles us, extending from the Sacramento river to the +southern extremity of Lower California, and on the north-east by a +chain of mountains, running southeast and northwest. It is chiefly +covered with floating sand, the surface of which in various places is +white, with diminutive spinelas, and everywhere over the whole surface +is found the large and soft muscle shell. I have noted the only two +patches of grass found during the 'jornada.' There were scattered, at +wide intervals, the Palafoxia linearis, Atriplex, Encelia farinosa, +Daleas, Euphorbias, and a Simsia, described by Dr. Torrey as a new +species. + +"The southern termination of this desert is bounded by the Tecaté chain +of mountains and the Colorado; but its northern and eastern boundaries +are undefined, and I should suppose from the accounts of trappers, and +others, who have attempted the passage from California to the Gila by a +more northern route, that it extends many days' travel beyond the chain +of barren mountains which bound the horizon in that direction. The +portal to the mountains through which we passed was formed by immense +buttes of yellow clay and sand, with large flakes of mica and seams of +gypsum. Nothing could be more forlorn and desolate in appearance. The +gypsum had given some consistency to the sand buttes, which were washed +into fantastic figures. One ridge formed apparently a complete circle, +giving it the appearance of a crater; and although some miles to the +left, I should have gone to visit it, supposing it to be a crater, but +my mule was sinking with thirst, and water was yet at some distance. +Many animals were left on the road to die of thirst and hunger, in +spite of the generous efforts of the men to bring them to the spring. +More than one was brought up, by one man tugging at the halter and +another pushing up the brute, by placing his shoulder against its +buttocks. Our most serious loss, perhaps, was that of one or two fat +mares and colts brought with us for food; for, before leaving camp, +Major Swords found in a concealed place one of the best pack mules +slaughtered, and the choice bits cut from his shoulders and flanks, +stealthily done by some mess less provident than others. + +"_Nov. 29_.--The grass at the spring was anything but desirable for our +horses, and there was scarcely a ration left for the men. This last +consideration would not prevent our giving the horses a day's rest +wherever grass could be found. We followed the dry sandy bed of the +Cariso nearly all day, at a snail's pace, and at length reached the +'little pools' where the grass was luxuriant but very salt. The water +strongly resembled that at the head of the Cariso creek, and the earth, +which was very tremulous for many acres about the pools, was covered +with salt. This valley is not more than half a mile wide, and on each +side are mountains of grey granite and pure quartz, rising from 1,000 +to 3,000 feet above it. + +"We rode for miles through thickets of the centennial plant, Agave +Americana, and found one in full bloom. The sharp thorns terminating +every leaf of this plant were a great annoyance to our dismounted and +wearied men, whose legs were now almost bare. A number of these plants +were cut by the soldiers, and the body of them used as food. The day +was intensely hot, and the sand deep; the animals, inflated with water +and rushes, gave way by scores; and although we advanced only sixteen +miles, many did not arrive at camp until 10 o'clock at night. It was a +feast day for the wolves, which followed in packs close on our track, +seizing our deserted brutes, and making the air resound with their +howls as they battled for the carcases. + +"_December 12_.--We followed the Solidad through a deep fertile valley +in the shape of a cross. Here we ascended to the left a steep hill to +the table lands, which, keeping for a few miles, we descended into a +waterless valley, leading into False Bay at a point distant two or +three miles from San Diego. At this place we were in view of the fort +overlooking the town of San Diego and the barren waste which surrounds +it. + +"The town consists of a few adobe houses, two or three of which only +have plank floors. It is situated at the foot of a high hill on a sand +flat, two miles wide, reaching from the head of San Diego Bay to False +Bay. A high promontory, of nearly the same width, runs into the sea +four or five miles, and is connected by the flat with the main land. +The road to the hide-houses leads on the east side of this promontory, +and abreast of them the frigate Congress and the sloop Portsmouth are +at anchor. The hide-houses are a collection of store-houses where the +hides of cattle are packed before being shipped, this article forming +the only trade of the little town. + +"The bay is a narrow arm of the sea indenting the land some four or +five miles, easily defended, and having twenty feet of water at the +lowest tide. The rise is five feet, making the greatest water +twenty-five feet. + +"Standing on the hill which overlooks the town, and looking to the +north-east, I saw the mission of San Diego, a fine large building now +deserted. The Rio San Diego runs under ground in a direct course from +the mission to the town, and, sweeping around the hill, discharges +itself into the bay. Its original debouche was into False bay, where, +meeting the waters rolling in from the seaward, a bar was formed by the +deposit of sand, making the entrance of False Bay impracticable. + +"_January 2_.--Six and a half miles' march brought us to the deserted +mission of San Luis Rey. The keys of this mission were in charge of the +alcalde of the Indian village, a mile distant. He was at the door to +receive us and deliver up possession. There we halted for the day, to +let the sailors, who suffered dreadfully from sore feet, recruit a +little. This building is one which, for magnitude, convenience, and +durability of architecture, would do honour to any country. + +"The walls are adobe, and the roofs of well-made tile. It was built +about sixty years since by the Indians of the country, under the +guidance of a zealous priest. At that time the Indians were very +numerous, and under the absolute sway of the missionaries. These +missionaries at one time bid fair to christianize the Indians of +California. Under grants from the Mexican government, they collected +them into missions, built immense houses, and began successfully to +till the soil by the hands of the Indians for the benefit of the +Indians. + +"The habits of the priests, and the avarice of the military rulers of +the territory, however, soon converted these missions into instruments +of oppression and slavery of the Indian race. + +"The revolution of 1836 saw the downfall of the priests, and most of +these missions passed by fraud into the hands of private individuals, +and with them the Indians were transferred as serfs of the land. + +"This race, which, in our country, has never been reduced to slavery, +is in that degraded condition throughout California, and does the only +labour performed in the country. Nothing can exceed their present +degradation." + +The general closing remarks of Lieutenant Emory are as follow: + +"The region extending from the head of the Gulf of California to the +parallel of the Pueblo, or Ciudad de los Angeles, is the only portion +not heretofore covered by my own notes and journal, or by the notes and +journals of other scientific expeditions fitted out by the United +States. The journals and published accounts of these several +expeditions combined will give definite ideas of all those portions of +California susceptible of cultivation or settlement. From this remark +is to be excepted the vast basin watered by the Colorado, and the +country lying between that river and the range of Cordilleras, +represented as running east of the Tulare lakes, and south of the +parallel of 36°, and the country between the Colorado and Gila rivers. + +"Of these regions nothing is known except from the reports of trappers, +and the speculations of geologists. As far as these accounts go, all +concur in representing it as a waste of sand and rock, unadorned with +vegetation, poorly watered, and unfit, it is believed, for any of the +useful purposes of life. A glance at the map will show what an immense +area is embraced in these boundaries; and, notwithstanding the oral +accounts in regard to it, it is difficult to bring the mind to the +belief in the existence of such a sea of waste and desert; when every +other grand division of the earth presents some prominent feature in +the economy of nature, administering to the wants of man. Possibly this +unexplored region may be filled with valuable minerals. + +"Where irrigation can be had in this country, the produce of the soil +is abundant beyond description. All the grains and fruits of the +temperate zones, and many of those of the tropical, flourish +luxuriantly. Descending from the heights of San Barnardo to the Pacific +one meets every degree of temperature. Near the coast, the winds +prevailing from the south-west in winter, and from the north-west in +summer, produce a great uniformity of temperature, and the climate is +perhaps unsurpassed in salubrity. With the exception of a very few +cases of ague and fever of a mild type, sickness is unknown. + +"The season of the year at which we visited the country was +unfavourable to obtaining a knowledge of its botany. The vegetation, +mostly deciduous, had gone to decay, and no flowers nor seeds were +collected. The country generally is entirely destitute of trees. Along +the principal range of the mountains are a few live oaks, sycamore and +pine; now and then, but very rarely, the sycamore and cotton-wood occur +in the champaign country, immediately on the margins of the streams. +Wild oats everywhere cover the surface of the hills, and these, with +the wild mustard and carrots, furnish good pasturage to the immense +herds of cattle which form the staple of California. Of the many fruits +capable of being produced with success, by culture and irrigation, the +grape is perhaps that which is brought nearest to perfection. +Experienced wine-growers and Europeans, pronounce this portion of +California unequalled for the quality of its wines." + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT I SAW IN CALIFORNIA*** + + +******* This file should be named 13002-8.txt or 13002-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/0/0/13002 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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