818 SHAW ELDORADO F864 .S57 Glass f S^^ Book_j6 ^^ DE WITT & SMELLING BOOKSELLERS lintltCRAPHAVt.OAKUNO.CAL ELDO'RA'DO HON. D. A. SHAW ELDO'RADO ...CR... CALIFO^JSIIA A-s Seen "By a 'Pioneer, I850-I900. ...-By... HOJ^. 2). A. SHAW, Pajadena, Cat. Member Society of "Pioneerj. Member Southern California Academy o_f Sciencej . i»oo. R. R. Baumoardt 6l C*o., i.oa ANOnt.KS. OAI.. T,^7 /^ut it was claimed, and believed, that his motive was to preserve the feed for the Mor- mon travel to the mines in California. It was now the middle of August, and we were anxious to be filling our pockets with the gold nuggets in the "diggings." The party to whom I have referred preceded us by one day, with Shambo and companion for guides. The following morning, after their departure, we gathered up our traps, packed our animals and bid good-bye to the few friends we had made and our pleasant temporary home under the cottonwood trees, and soon struck the trail of those who had left the day before. Our first halt, at noon, was on the shore of the lake. The day was warm and we could not resist the desire for a plunge in its clear, cool waters, which we greatly enjoyed. On account of the saline density of the water we were enabled to float without danger ELDORADO 91 of sinking. In diving we would rise to the surface without the least effort. The water was perfectly trans- parent, and any object at the depth of ten or twenty feet was greatly magnified. Shortly after leaving the water one finds himself like Lot's wife, a pillar of salt. There were crude salt works near by, where we were informed that the water yielded 20 per cent, pure salt. After leaving the lake our route lay along the valley between the mountain spurs and we camped for the night on a little stream, with plenty of feed for our horses, having made twenty-five miles travel. The distance from Salt Lake City to the edge of the desert is seventy miles. The last night before reaching there we camped near the summit of a low mountain range, and during the night a heavy thunder storm came up and, having no shelter, our blankets became thor- oughly saturated. As we w^ere without fire we made the best of the situation the balance of the night by exercising to keep warm. Upon reaching the summit the next morning the wide, dreary expanse of the great desert lay before us, and Pilot's Peak, our objective point and to which our pack trail led, was plainly dis- tinguished far to the westward. To the north and south was a limitless expanse, without tree or shrub, broken here and there by sand ridges and bare, rocky promontories, like islands rising out of the sea. A vast ,trackless plain, with occasionally extensive salt l)eds caused by the sun's rays. Not a very cheering outlook, but we had always tried to look upon the bright side, believing every cloud had a "silver lining." We passed down the western slope and reached the edge of the desert at noon. We unpacked and hobbled 92 KLDORADO our animals, and after finishing the last "home-made bread" purchased of a good Mormon sister, we lay down for a little rest and sleep, of which we had been deprived the previous night. In preparation for what we had before us, a distance which was said to be ninety miles over the hot, burn- ing sands, without feed or water, we gathered little bundles of bunch grass to fasten to our pack saddles for our horses when stopping to rest, and also filled our canteens and two or three rubber bags bought for the occasion. Several of the boys who had clung to their yellow oil cloth overalls all the way from Independence Rock, tied up the bottoms of the legs and filled them with water. Without such preparations as we could and did make, we would have shared the fate of some others, and never reached Pilot's Rock. We left our noon camp at 2 p. m. Experience had taught us that a moderate gait at the beginning of a long day's journey was the wisest course to pursue. Adopting that plan we traveled until 10 o'clock, mak- ing about twenty-five miles. Coming to a low rocky ridge partly covered with sand, we halted for an hour's rest, unpacked our animals and gave them a lit- tle feed and water. While trying to keep up courage, the stillness and desolation surrounding one on a night travel in the heart of a great desert produces a feeling of awe and sadness hard to shake off, especially when compelled to make ninety miles in a day and night, on foot, with pack animals. It was a bright moonlight night, and we. had little fear of losing the trail. About one hour after midnight we met the re- turning guides on their way to Salt Lake. They were mounted on mules and riding quite leisurely. ElvDORADO 93 After about six hours, or 5 o'clock in the morning, we again halted an hour for refrshment and rest, well knowing that the most difficult task still lay before us There was no feed to be obtained, and our morn- ing repast consisted of what we had prepared at our last camp on the edge of the desert, and water from our canteens, but little remaining for our poor ani- mals. It may not be generally known, bui neverthe- less is a fact^ that a man can undergo more fatigue and hardship and last longer under the most trying condi- tions than the "lower animals." About 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning the deceptive mirage began to get in its work. Some of the boys de- clared they could see little lakes, or ponds, of water but a short distance away. The ripples they said could be plainly seen along the pebbly shore, also trees with their green foliage.- Finally the optical illusion became so real and apparently so near, that two of the boys rushed off where they were positve they would find water, but they had not preceded far before the scene changed, and nothing was visible but shimmering, mov- ing sand. About 1 1 o'clock we noticed at no great dis- tance, possibly a mile to the right, what appeared to be a small camp of emigrant wagons, but whether we were again deceived we could not tell. A small party with pack and riding animals being near us at the time, a couple on horseback rode out to investigate. On their return they reported finding a number of wagons with their covers quite intact and the bleached bones of hu- man beings and animals scattered about. We had been told at Salt Lake of an emigrant train that had started lo cross the desert against repeated warnings in '49. the year previous, which was never heard of after 94 ELDORADO This, no doubt, was the lost train. Getting bewildered on that trackless "Sahara," they wandered about seek- ing water until their teams gave out, when men, wo- man and children sadly and miserably perished. The same terrible fate befell many who attempted the still more southern route, across Death Valley, which was significantly and appropriately named. We were now taking some of the medicine that had resulted so disas- trously to so many others. Few can conceive the hor- rors of such a journey, and the desperate straits to which the crazed travelers were reduced to. In some instances blood would be drawn from the arms as the tongue became parched and swollen, to relieve the fran- tic desire for water. Hundreds were following in our wake, some with wagons, which subsequently had to be abandoned. Among the fatalities was the death of two young men from Ohio, who died of thirst and heat. In all such cases the bodies were left exposed to the elements, as by no possibility could they be given de- cent interment. Our third and last stop was made before reaching the "haven of rest" to which we were anxiously look- ing. Our feed and water, except a little we had care- fully preserved in our canteens, was exhausted. One of our party, less prudent than the others, or being un- able to control his thirst, had emptied his canteen, came to me and asked if I could spare a little from mine. I passed it to him, and upon giving it a shake on its re- turn found it empty. I was tolerably dry about that time myself. T had been carrying a pebble in my mouth to prevent the excessive thirst with which all more or less were suffering. At least six hours lay be- tween us and any hope of relief. And to aggravate the ELDORADO 95 conditions a light breeze came down the desert from the north, passing over salty criistations, the inhaling of which parched the tongue like leather. The last ten or twelve miles were a dead level, hard and smooth as a pavement and hot as a furnace ; it was every man for himself in the struggle to reach water, and we were scattered along several miles. As it happened I was in the lead, and three or four miles before reaching the foot of the peak I left my ponies and pulled out for water. They stopped at once and stood with drooping heads. I had gone perhaps a mile, when in the distance I noticed a mule and rider ap- proaching. As soon as we met a canteen of good fresh water was passed to me. How few prize God's good gifts of nature until deprived of them. The rider had been sent out by those who had preceded us with the guides, knowing that much suffering would be expe- rienced by those who followed. The young man sup- plied those in need until his canteens were emptied. Other relief parties were sent out with instructions that no compensation under anv circumstances should be taken. I returned at once for my ponies and succeeded in reaching a good camping place at the foot of Pilot's Peak with plenty of grass and good spring water. All had filed in by 5 o'clock p. m.. some with swollen tongues, but all in fine spirits. We had been twenty- seven hours on the desert ; traveling time twentv-four. Here we remained two davs and three nijrhts. when another fortv mile sti'etch of the same kind was en- countered, making this the only little oasis in traveling 130 miles. 96 ELDORADO CHAPTER X. HISTORICAL INCIDENTS. I may be excused for departing from my own narra- tive or personal experience, now and then, to give in- teresting historical incidents from Fremont, Carson, or other trappers and mountaineers whom I have met. The following account will show the origin and what led to the naming of "Pilot's Peak," and the first time the route over which we have just passed, was traveled by white men. October, 1844, found Fremont, Carson, Maxwell and Walker, with others belonging to an ex- ploring expedition, encamped on the shores of the great Salt Lake, facing that unknown coutnry of which the edge had scarcely been entered, and described by the few Indians as being entirely without grass or water to support any party that dare enter it. Still, to them, it was not entirely an unknown country, as at one time its eastern edge or shore was occasionally visited by wandering tribes of Indians, but now only a single family lived at that point to represent the vanished aborigines. They were so abjectly poor that they could not show one little well of pure water, but had to quench their thirst from a brackish pool. Two days after the expedition left Salt Lake they reached the summit of a low range of mountains. ELDORADO 97 (The same point where our little party first beheld the desert.) The first view that met their astonished gaze was a vast, bare plain of dry clay and sand, through which a few plants struggled hard to grow. Afar off in the dim distance uninviting peaks of what seemed to be treeless mount- ains rose to a great height. A little apart from the main range a rather lofty peak appeared more promising than the others. Toward this thev wended their way. Four of their men were sent on ahead, their guide being a naked Indian. A mule bore water enough to last four days. This little expedition was projected on the Indian guide's asertion that in a little distance he could show them a place where grass grew and water ran plentifully. This was meant as a scouting party, before the bulk of the expedition was irretrievably com- mitted to that route. A column of smoke was to as- cend from the summit of the mountain if they suc- ceeded in finding water. As no signal was given, Fre- mont began to fear some ill had happened to his men, and to find out the worst at once the gallant explorer went ahead with the whole partv, not waiting for day- light. In the morning one of the scouts was met on his return journey. The Indian had proved a sad fail- ure, and he was sent to the right-about ; the men, how- ever, with more sense or more courage, kept on their "winding wav," and after resting through the night continued their tramp. After traveling in all some ninety miles, they reached their refuge, which was duly welcomed. The loftv peak of the mountain bv which thev so happily steered their course was named bv them "Pilot Peak." It was alwavs referred to when they re- 98 ELDORADO called their first venturesome launch into the great desert. Traveling thus for a few days they made a brief halt and divided the party into two divisions. One section was commanded by Walker (after whom Walk- er's lake was named), a mountaineer of great skill and knowing as much as any one of the route they were now pursuing, while Fremont's branch, under the lead- ership of the indomitable "Kit," started south to make a bee line through the center of the desert, his section including ten persons, Delaware Indians and whites. A curious trait of Indian disposition was afforded Kit and his friends a few days thereafter. Walker's lake, at which they arrived, was frequented at certain seasons of the year bv the Indians for the purpose of taking fish, with which the lake abounded. It hap- pened that some dozen Indians suddenly appeared in sight. They were progressing like a file of geese, one almost stepping in the tracks of the preceding, their heads bowed and their eyes cast down. The whites and Indians passed close to each other without giving the least sign that they had been observed. On one occasion Kit and his friends had need for all their courage and experience in the ways of the thiev- ing red men. On one of their hunting and trapping expeditions in 1847, while camping on Humboldt river, a company of emigrants had several horses run oflf in the night by the prowling savages. Four of the emigrants went in pursuit of the Indians to recover the stolen stock. When word came to Carson's camp of the loss of the animals, he, with Maxwell, Owen and two Delaware Indians, took up the trail and dashed off to the rescue. And well it was they had taken such a hasty departure, for after a rapid ride of several miles ELDORADO 99 they reached a small valley in the foothills where the savages had entrapped the inexperienced emigrants. Some had pushed on with the stolen animals, while others had remained in ambush until the white men had passed. As soon as they realized their dangerous condition, they entrenched themselves among the rocks and trees as best they could, and being well armed, were making a gallant defense. The Indians, however, were gradually closing in upon them by skulking from one rock and tree to another. Dogs were barking, and women and children shouting when Kit and his fol- lowers dashed in with loud, ringing shouts, dealing death with their well-aimed rifles and making a num- ber of "good Indians." The village was soon cleared of the remaining bucks, women and children, the ani- mals recovered and brought back to camp, to the great joy and relief of those dependent upon their teams to pursue their journey. lOO ELDORADO CHAPTER XI. PILOT'S PEAK AND BEYOND. Our three nights at Pilot's Peak were a welcome rest, gratefully enjoyed by man and beast. I mention nights instead of days because, as there was no tree or other shelter as a protection from the burning rays of the sun, the nights, which were comparatively cool and pleasant, were the only time during the twenty-four hours we could obtain needed sleep and strength to pursue our journey. While we were there in camp hundreds who had followed in our rear came straggling in, many in far worse condition than ourselves. Some had dropped b)^ the way, to be rescued later by a relief party, or to leave their bones to bleach on the desert sands. One very peculiar and curious phenomenon well worthy of mention occurred when looking back over the route by which the "pilgrims" were coming. It was not properly a mirage or optical illusion, as the ap- pearance was real, but caused, no doubt, by the refrac- tion of the sun's rays upon the heated sands of the desert. Men on foot and horseback, and animals with packs, could be seen apparently hundreds of feet in the air, all traveling as on terra firma. A wide expanse of sky could be seen below them. It was a novel spectacle, which we watched for hours. ELDORADO loi On the third day after our arrival at Peak Springs, at 5 o'clock p. m., we again packed our faithful ani- mals, to which we gave the best care possible, if for no other reason than for self-interest, as they were regarded as the most important and indispensable mem- bers of our family. After going two or three miles leisurely along the base of the mountain, where nu- merous springs and good grass abounded, we struck out over another forty-mile desert, which we regarded as a play spell compared with what we had already ex- perienced. Night travel was preferred for making long distances, on account of the heat during the day. As we were then at an elevation of between 4,000 and 5,000 feet above sea level, the moon and stars in that saline and rarefied atmosphere shone with peculiar brilliance, and at that time, with nearly a full moon, it was almost as light as day. As before, we provided refreshments for our horses and made one halt only during the night, and reached a camping ground at 8 o'clock in the morning, where was a limited supply of feed and a little brackish water. We remained here un- til evening and again packed our horses and continued our journey about ten miles, where better accommo- dations were found. io the limit of vision, in every direction, the whole region presented a barren and desolate appearance. Isolated, rocky peaks and broken ridges rose at long intervals out of the plain, but no tree or vegetable growth, except the ever-present and hated sage-brush (only when it was needed for fuel) was to be seen. For the 130 miles of desert travel not a living creature or sign of animal life had been seen. To the west, the direction our route lay, possibly I02 ELDORADO 150 miles distant, the top of a mountain range could be indistinctly seen, which we subsequently learned wvs the Humboldt range. The same monotonous condi- tions of camping and traveling continued for the next two or three days, finding only small patches of a poor quality of grass and equally bad water. Arriving at a range of hills, or low mountains, which the condition of the atmosphere had prevented our seeing distinctly at a long distance, we decided to enter a narrow, rocky gorge, and take our chances for a successful outcome on the opposite side, as the dis- tance apparently was not very great, instead of look- ing for a more feasible crossing elsewhere, as others probably had done. It is worthy of remark here that very little evidence of travel could be seen at this time. The few who had preceeded us on the "fools' cut-off" had paid but little regard to a definite route, they, like ourselves, only aiming now to keep a westerly course and look for grass and water, as their only hope. A dim pack trail at this point was the only evidence that we were not the sole human beings on that deso- late, treeless and almost waterless region. We filed in to the gorge with Captain Hardy in the lead. As we advanced it became more narrow and difficult, if not dangerous. The only available pack trail led along the precipitous side of the gulch, per- haps 100 feet above the bottom. In passing the point of a projecting rock, the trail being very narrow, one of the horses, losing his balance by a misstep or the pack striking the point of rock, he rolled and struggled to the bottom of the gorge. With the exception of smashing a long-used coffee pot and frying pan — very necessary articles for our housekeeping — and a few bruises on EIvDORADO T03 the frightened animal, no serious damage was done. By a zigzag course he was gotten again upon the trail. We finally emerged from the opposite side, less than one mile from tlie point of entrance. Five days' travel without special incident brought us to the Humboldt range of mountains. The eastern slope rose abruptly from the plain to high, towering peaks. Iheir course was north and south, and so far as we could observe, no depression or pass appeared by which even a pack train could reach the opposite side. No trees or verdure of any kind was visible. We had some difiticulty in fixing our camp, as the necessary factors of grass and water appeared to be wanting. Tired and hungry, with badly jaded animals, we finally discovered an insignificant pool, or spring, that seeped from a crevice in the rocks, affording little enough water for ourselves and stock. Here we camped for the night after a somewhat frugal supper, as we were beginning to see the "bottom of the meal tub." The thin pasture and hungry condition of our faithful animals made it a necessity to change their position during the night. One of the company, while discharg- ing that duty, observed, some distance along the base of the mountains, an Indian camp fire, the first evidence of Indians since leaving the valley of the Great Salt Lake. In the morning the question arose, shall we travel north or south to find a passage over the mountains? We were satisfied that Walker's lake lay to the south, as it had been represented to us that it was on our route leading directly to Carson valley. We had had no anticipation of encountering cither the Humboldt mountains or the Humboldt river. The time had near- 104 ELDORADO ly arrived when we expected to reach CaHfornia, viz.. three weeks after leaving Salt Lake City. No trace of a packer or other emigrants had been seen lor several days. We were alone in an unknown country, with no guide to our destination but the points of the compass indicated by the sun and stars. It was finally, and unanimously, agreed that the wid- est course was to follow the range to the south, until an opening was discovered by which we could continue our westerly course. Making about our usual day's travel of twenty miles, we rested for the night with but little change from the previous one, keeping careful guard over our horses, as Indians had been seen on the mountain side watching us from a distance, which was indicative of an unfriendly disposition. The uncer- tainty of our position and the time that might be re- quired to reach California, and the fact that our provis- ions also were nearly exhausted, decided us to go on short rations rather than none at all later on. So it was determined that one good-sized pancake, a small slice of bacon, and a pint of coffee should constitute a "square meal" until further orders. While stopping for our noon rest on the following day, I climbed the mountain side, possibly one-half mile, to get a view of the surrounding country. I noticed the glittering appearance of what seemed to be boulders. My curiosity was aroused, and on closer ex- amination I discovered that they were large blocks of mica, from which I was enabled to remove perfectly transparent sheets from ten to fifteen inches square. I have no knowledge whether that locality has ever since been visited by civilized man. The mountain side had a volcanic appearance, and ELDORADO 105 the libaility to a seismic disturbance was confirmed by numerous hot springs, reached during the afternoon march. A number of miles before they were reached a large volume of steam was seen arising in the direc- tion we were traveling and the wonder increased to learn the cause. Upon approaching the spot, we dis- covered a large number of bubbling, boiling hot springs distributed over from one to two acres of ground. They were indeed a remarkable curiosity. They were in the form of natural wells, from five to six feet across, and ten to twenty feet deep, the water perfectly clear and strongly impregnated with sulphur. While they came to the surface, there was no overflow. On the third day of our march to the south we ar- rived opposite what was evidently a feasible passage through the mountains, which was a welcome sight. Turning squarely to the right we ascended by a not very difficult passage several miles to the summit of the pass and went into camp for the night. There was plenty of fuel but no water. Our canteens supplied our present needs, and the animals would not suffer until morning, when we were hopeful water would be found at no great distance. At daybreak two of the boys started to prospect, tak- ing canteens and one of the horses. About a mile from camp they discovered a spring, and while stooping in the act of filling their canteens they were fired upon by a party of Indians that had undoubtedly passed the night in that vicinity and saw the boys as they ap- proached the spring. One of them immediately mount- ed his horse and attempted to make his escape, where- upon a shower of arrows was discharged at him. While the attention of the savages was directed to the horse io6 ELDORADO and rider the other young man succeeded in evading them, although himself wounded. Upon his return to camp with the sad news, everything possible was done to learn the fate of his comrade, that our situation would permit. But no trace of hmi was found. Both horse and rider were undoubtedly taken by the sav- ages. The one that returned reported the last he saw, of the other, several arrows were sticking in his back. \vhen all hope of finding him was given up, we moved several miles and found an excellent camping place on the opposite side of the mountain by a stream of clear water, and plenty of grass. We gave it the name of "Grass creek." As we had traveled sixty or seventy miles out of our direct course, we determined the following morning to go for a time in the opposite dn^ection along the base of the mountains, where we would be likely to find plenty of feed and water. Accordingly we took up our line of march, and before the day was passed, as we were slowly jogging along through a belt of undergrowth bordering upon a small stream (for want of "grub" and our late misfortune we were neither very strong or cheerful), we heard the distant sound of human voices. As we advanced it became more distinct, and very soon we realized that we were near the main traveled emigrant road, and the voices were the old familiar sounds of drivers of overland ox-teams. We were soon cheered by the welcome sight of covered wagons drawn by horses, mi;les and oxen, passing^ along the dusty way. We followed in the same direc- tion, but as the shadows were falling we made camp and interviewed some emigrants with reference to our locality. To our great disappointment we learned that ELDORADO 107 we were on the Humboldt river, 150 miles above the sink, near what was known in the guide book as the Big Meadows. In other words, 400 miles lay between us and the gold diggings of California. Our "sand" had not yet run out, and it was necessary to make a new deal to replenish our exhausted provisions. The following morning after our arrival on the old immigrant road, consultation was had with reference to a new supply of provisions. No "pilgrims" camping in the immediate vicinity had any article of food to dispose of. They were all "short," so it was decided that one should take a horse unencumbered by a pack, and proceed in advance until something in the line of food could be obtained from any one who might have a surplus. I was selected for that purpose, and taking the needed amount of money, and one of my ponies, Kittie by name, I mounted uponi my pack saddle and blankets and left the others to follow at their usual gait. While resting at noon I interviewed a Pike coun- ty Missourian, who "allowed" he could spare a "right smart piece of bacon." I asked him the price. "I reck- on about two bits a pound ; it's a doggone long ways to haul it stranger." I replied that I would be willing to pay twice that amount rather than not have it. "Wouldn't take a cent more, stranger, not a cent more. Didn't cost me more than two bits to haul it here ; wouldn't take a cent more." He "allowed" the piece of side weighed 10 pounds, and I much preferred tak- ing it at that rather than weighing it, had we the means of doing so. I added still further to my store by buy- ing a few pounds of pinole (parched corn meal) during the afternoon. I stopped for the night in the vicinity of several immigrant trains, and while in camp found io8 ELDORADO a man from northern Illinois, from whom I purchased 15 pounds of flour at $1 per pound, and I think he would have asked more had he believed I would pay it. The two purchases illustrated the difference in human na- ture. I remained at that place until noon the following- day, watching- and expecting my comrades to reach me ■at any moment. I had left them only the previous morning. They did not put in an appearance, however, and I moved a few miles further on in order to obtain feed for my pony. I posted notices by the roadside so that in the event they should pass when my attention was directed else- where they would not fail to know my whereabouts. That night I turned my little wall-eyed Kittie upon an island in the Humboldt river, separated from the main land by a small rivulet. The island was not large, was covered with willows and had but little grass. The un- paralleled immigration of '49 and '50 made it difficult to obtain sufficient food while traveling through that alkali, sage brush region to keep the stock alive. So reduced in flesh did the animals become that it required two to make a shadow. In fact, many horses were left to bleach by the wayside. Upon looking for my pony in the morning she was nowhere to be found. I searched along the river and among the foothills until 2 o'clock p. m. and gave her up for lost. Alone — for there was no train or living- object in sight — my chief dependence gone, it was not a very pleasing prospect to contemplate ; nevertheless, I tried to make the best of the situation, hoping and be- lieving it would be all right "by and by." I sat down beside my packs and saddle, and waited for something to "turn up." My only course was to strike some emi- ELDORADO 109 grant to take my traps 100 miles down to the sink in the ?Iumboldt, where I hoped to find my partners, if I did not do so before reaching there. I was weary with my tramp, there was no shade, and the mid-day sun shone with a fierce heat. With the exception of the great desert, the Humboldt country is by far the most forbidding and desolate region of the entire route from the Missouri river to the Sierra Nevada mountains. The water of the river is colored with alkali drained from the extensive hills on either side, and has a sweetish, slippery taste, very unwholesome for man or beast. There was not a tree to break the monotony of the landscape, where rain seldom falls. After passing an hour in "happy" contemplation of my present surroundings, looking back along the road over which I had come, I noticed in the distance two packers, each riding a horse and leading another. As they came nearer I discovered a loose animal trailing behind them, and soon saw it was my lost black pony with the watch-eyes. She appeared to be looking for something. Upon inquiry, I was informed they first discovered her about three miles back, coming at a pretty fast gait from a canyon in the foothills, and she had followed close to them since. As she came up to me she gave a little whinny, saying, so far as horse language could be understood. "I am glad to be back." or "aren't you glad I come?" She was no doubt spir- ited away during the night by strolling Indians, and by some means had made her escape. I began to feel much concern at the non-appearance of my partners, believing there had been some unusual cause of delay, or that a misfortune of some kind had befallen them. no EIvDORADO Emigrants coming along the road could give no in- formation concerning them. I'raveling a few miles after recovering my pony, I encamped for the night, having to go some distance from the road to find feed and water. During the fol- lowing forenoon I purchased a small amount of beef ribs from a man who was dressing a dead animal by the roadside, but whether it had been killed or had died a natural death I did not know, as no questions were asked. I roasted it by a small fire of dried sage brush, and what I did not eat I placed in my pack for future use. As I again started along the road after my feast of "spare-ribs" I noticed a single pedestrian com- ing at no great distance. When he came near I was surprised to see Grin Moody, one of our party. He was without coat, vest, blanket or any incuml)rance whatever. He said he was sick and looked it. He was the individual who took my last drop of water on the desert. The first thing he said, after mutual greet- ings was, "For heaven's sake, have you anything to eat? I haven't had a bite in 24 hours. I took from my pack the remnants of my roast spare-ribs and an "emi- grant biscuit" — a cold pancake-^and passed them to him. He sat by the roadside and eagerly devoured them. Upon inquiring what had become of the rest of our company, he replied he did not know. He became lost from them the previous morning, having started to walk along before the others were ready to leave with the pack animals. Upon realizing his situation, and giving up all hope of joining the company, his only safety depending upon overtaking me He had become exhausted and ill by his long, rapid walking, and was ELDORADO in overcome by heat and hunger. He declared he could walk no further. I arransjed my pack behind tlic saddle, and helped him to mount my ponv. After traveling- a few miles his condition compelled us to stop at the first conven- ient spot. I spread my blankets and he lay down in the partial shade of a few willows in a state of perfect col- lapse. He begged me to go and leave him to his fate. I replied that whatever was to come we would share it together, no matter what the "fate" might be. L'nfor- tunatelv, I had nothing to administer for his relief, the nature of his trouble requiring medical treatment, and as he could neither ride on horseback nor walk, I de- termined, if possible, to get a* chance for him to ride in an emigrant wagon. Before noon such an opportunity was secured, the driver of the wagon consenting with- out compensation to permit him to ride to the Sink. 75 miles. We assisted him to the wagon, when a pair of blankets were given him to lie upon. After several days of uneventful travel I arrived at the Sink. The only incident of interest was my being awakened one dark night by the tramp and voices of a band of prowl- ing Indians. My pony was picketed only a rope's length from where I lay. The stillness was not broken by either of us, so we were fortunately not discovered. It might be as appropriate here as elsewhere, poss- ibly, to relate the secret of our continued separation A few miles from our encampment the morning I left the company to obtain a fresh supply of provisions, the road forked at the crossing of the river, unobserved either by myself or Mr. Moody. As I afterwards learned, the pack animals had gone to the left, and had crossed the stream, which was shallow and narrow at 112 EI.DORADO that point, while I had kept to the right. None of us had observed the point of separation. Dust and other cause often prevented our taking" close observation of surrounding objects. The result was, we were traveling two or three miles apart on opposite sides of the river. Upon arriving at the Sink we were separated by the shallow lake filled with willows and rushes. I never saw nor heard of either of my partners until I returned to the States in 1852. I crossed the Sierra Nevada from Carson valley by the Hangtown trail, not knowing of any other, while they, leaving the valley farther to the north, crossed to Georgetown, in the northern mines. Upon my arrival where the waters of the ITir.nlioldt river disappear bv evaporation and sinking in the ground, I was facing a 45-mile desert, the most difficult and disastrous to cross of anv other 45 miles between the Missouri river and the Sierra Nevada, excepting possibly, the Great Desert west of Salt Lake. From this noted locality two routes led over the mountains into California. One to the south, across the desert I have mentioned, to Carson river and vallev : the other going west via Truckce river, entering the mountains near the present town of Reno. Whichever route was selected by the "pilgrims," they invariably wished they had taken the other. The one bv way of Carson was the most difficult, so far as the desert was concerned. On the Truckee route the greatest obstacle was encoun- tered in crossing the Sierras. The latter was taken by Captain Donner and his party in 1846. Their terrible suffering and niisfortunes constitute one of the saddest experiences of all the overland emigration to Califor- nia. I will mention a few incidents to show the hard- ELDORADO 113 ships to which pioneers were subject in the early days coming not as carpetbaggers, but to found homes and bring American civilization to a far distant and com- paratively unknown region. Captain Donner and party, from Illinois, were well fitted out with teams, a large number of cattle, pro- visions and everything necesary for comfort during their long journey. At Independence Rock, on the Sweetwater, east of the Rockies, they engaged a guide who pretended to be familiar with the country through which they were to pass, but led them over roundabout, difficult ways, either from ignorance or a criminal pur- pose, which was the cause of all their misfo^-tunes. Be- fore reaching Utah Valley on one "cut-off," 30 days were consumed in traveling 40 miles. In crossing the Great Desert, over which we passed, a large number of their cattle perished. There was also much suffering among the women and children. To add to their mis- fortunes, the Indians were very hostile, killing and stampeding their stock at every opportunity. Thev con- tinued their journev until October before reaching the Sink of the Humboldt, the savages being in swarms about them, shooting their cattle and terrifying the women. They reached the Sink by a night drive, arriv- ing at midnight. The next morning thev drove their cattle out to graze, and. the guard having left them a short time, the Indians killed 21, leaving two men with families, a single ox each. One of these men left this camp, taking his little bov in his arms and his wife car- ried an infant. Thus they began their weary march acoss the desolate plain that intervenes between the Sink and the m.ountains, which at the time thev arrived were covered deep with winter snows. The scene was 114 ELDORADO sufficient to appall the stoutest heart. The party had broken up into small squads and death seemed inevi- table. They followed up the Truckee, struggling against the most adverse conditions, impeded by the deep snow, cold and hunger, until November, utterly disheartened and all hope gone. They then began to construct rude huts during a terrible snow storm, in order to prolong life as long as possible. The women bore the hardships with heroic fortitude. By the beginning of December the snow was eight feet deep, and death from starvatfon began to reduce their numbers. A few of the stronger ones, led by a Mr. Eddy, determined to try to cross the mountains for relief, leaving their agonized wives and children. On the seventh day, after struggling through the deep snows, Eddy, upon relieving his pack of all useless articles, found about a pound of bear's meat (he had killed a grizzly a few days before he left camp), and a note in which his wife expressed the hope that it might, if the worst came, as she feared it would, "be the means of saving his precious life." The note was full of ten- derness, beyond words to express, and more than ever did the husband realize the value of the treasure of a thoughtful, devoted wife in times of trial and deadly peril, so many times exemplified on the plains when the hearts and patience of men would fail. After the loss of one-half of the little relief party, the others reached Sutter's fort in the Sacramento val- ley, and with some provisions and assistance, they re- turned to "Starved Camp," to find that 36 had died of starvation, and 44 were still living, having prolonged life by subsisting upon the bodies of those who had died. No pen can describe the horror of the scene that ELDORADO 115 met the gaze of husband and father, as he entered the huts buried deep under the snow. In some instances only by repeated calls could the inhabitants be located, when the poor, starved and half-frozen specters would crawl out to the surface. Upon reaching Captain Bon- ner's cabin, he was found in a dying condition, but no entreaties, not even of her husband, could induce his wife to leave him and go with the rescuing party. She remained in devotion to her husband and perished with him, proving the strength of woman's love beyond all price. The rescuers were able to take only a part of those in the camp. The others were obliged to remain until their return. Mrs. Reed's two little girls gave out after going some two miles. The mother was informed that these two children must return to camp. At first she refused to advance further, desiring to return with them. At last, learning that the leader of the relief party was a ]\rason, she exacted a promise upon his honor as a member of that fraternity that he would return for her two children and consented to go on. One of them, a little heroine of eight, said to her mother. "Well, kiss me good-bye. I shall never see you again, but I shall die willingly if I can believe you will live to see papa. Tell him good-bye for his poor little Patty." The scene was heartrending. >\Iother and children clung to each other until torn apart. Mrs. Reed, after much suffer- ing, joined her husband, whom she found temporarily prostrated, but through her presence and care he was soon able to return. Ha]ipily he found little Patty and her brother alive, though they had been subjected to terrible sufferings. Bad as were the scenes at the mountain camp on the ii6 ELDORADO first visit of the rescuers, it was ten-fold worse when the second party arrived. Upon every hand were to be seen traces of meals upon human flesh. The wife and children of the heroic Eddy had all died from starvation. Three little daughters of Captain Donner were saved, two of whom I became acquainted with after they arrived at womanhood, while residing- at Cook's Bar on the Consumnes river. The elder of the two girls was a handsome black-eyed brunette, and be- came Mrs. Wilder, the wife of a successful miner and rancher. One of Jacob Donner's and three of George Donner's children were rescued in an emaciated and almost dying condition, and carried over the mountains in the arms of strong men. An infamous wretch by the name of Clark went back with Reed, ostensiblv to aid the emigrants, but really to rob them. He stole a quantity of goods and two guns, which he carried away, and left a little child to perish. Donner Lake one of the finest bodies of water in the high Sierras, was named in honor of Captain Donner. the leader of this unfortunate party. Upon my arrival at the Sink. I found Mr. Moody in a much improved condition. We were unable to get any trace of the balance of our companv. and de- termined, late in the afternoon of the second dav after mv arrival, to start for Carson river. 4=; miles distant T packed mv pony and we started at =; o'clock d. m., and made the distance, bv constant walkinp-, in i-^ hours, ar- riving at "Ragtown." two or three miles before reach- ing Carson river, at 8 o'clock in the mo^niner. The last T5 miles of the road was a loose, vielding sand. This had been a most disastrous piece of road to those who had preceded us. The sand was of suffi- ELDORADO 117 cient depth to cover the wagon felHes as the jaded and worn-out animals labored under the stimulant of the brad and lash to draw their burdens. "It was the last straw that broke the camel's back." The last 10 miles we could walk almost the entire distance upon the bodies of dead and dying animals, horses, mules and oxen, by the score, still attached to the wagons, lying in and along the roadside, in harness and yoke. Driv- ers, with women and children, had abandoned all to seek water and save their own lives. The stock with sufficient strength left to travel in some instances were detached from wagons and urged along, loose, before them. The ground was strewn with guns, ox chains and every kind of thing that had been abandoned. And to this day that sandy plain is covered with the bleached bones of the faithful beasts that perished on that fatal desert. By exercising due care and caution,! passed over the ground in safety with my train in 1853, with all the evidences of the terrible losses in '49 and '50 still visible. "Ragtown" was so named from a party of Califor- nians who came over the mountains with a pack train of provisions to supply "hard-up" emigrants, as a money making scheme. This was the first "white man's town" (except the Mormon city) upon which we had had an opportunity to feast our eyes and cheer our drooping souls since leavng the frontier settlements of Iowa five months before. A number of tents had been erected to be used as a store, sleeping and cooking rooms. I could not answer for Mood}-, for he was al- ways both hungry and dry — with a big D — but for my- self, I "squandered" four bits for thin soup, served in a tin cup, and $1 each for two biscuits. (It was the best ii8 ELDORADO place for catching suckers that I have ever seen.) As we were uncertain whether our company was in the rear or in advance of us, Mr. Moody decided to remain at Ragtown for a few days, still hoping to join them, and more especially as he could secure a "job" as "sec- ond cook" in making beef soup and biscuit. By economy and small purchases I had managed to preserve a portion of my provisions, which I left with Moody in the event of the "boys" putting in an appear- ance, reserving a small portion to last me over the mountains. I only remained a couple of hours at Rag- town, when I pushed on to the river where better feed and water could be obtained. Here I camped alone for the night. T gave my comrade my vest and an ex- tra pair of socks I had "hung onto," as a parting gift, as he had neither, and my coat would do me very well without a vest. My next and last meeting place with Moody, was in January, 1853, at "Dave Hammer's tavern," in Maren- go, 111., where we took dinner together. He had made his "pile" in the mines, returned to his old home in Vermont, where he purchased a fine farm, married and settled down. He wore eye-glasses, sported a gold watch, wore a nugget ring and a fine suit of clothes, getting all he wanted to eat and plenty of water to drink. Carson river and valley, where I made my camp after crossing the 45-mile desert, were for many years before the discovery of gold and the advent of civilizing influ- ences along with white settlers, the paradise of hunters and trappers. The river abounded in nmskrat and beaver, the pelts of which found ready market at old Fort Hall and other trading posts of the Hudson Bay ELDORADO 119 Bay Company. The contiguous Sierra range, with its summits covered with eternal snows, overlooking the valley, was the home of the grizzly bear, mountain lion, deer and other smaller game. Buffalo and ante- lope roamed over the vast plains and valleys extending eastward from the Sierra Nevada, across the Rockies to the bottoms of the Platte and Arkansas rivers, alto- gether making this the ideal place of the intrepid and hardv mountaineer. I20 EIvDORADO CHAPTER XII. HUxMTKR AND TRAPPER. As early as 1830 such noted hunters and trappers as Carson, Fitzgerald, Walker, Bent, and, a little later, Bridger, Sublett, Peg-leg Smith, old Bill Williams and others of lesser note had made their headquarters on the banks of the Carson river and grazed tlieir ponies upon the luscious bunch and buffalo grasses that cov- ered the valley and foothills. Here they fought the thieving and hostile redskins, who would rob their traps and steal their horses. On one occasion, a paryt of 30 Indians robbed the trappers at night, driving off a number of their horses. Bridger, with five of his men took up the trail and foiuid the Indians in a wooded canyon with the horses tied to saplings, with the ex- ception of one which they had killed and on which they were preparing to feast, all being grouped about a roaring fire, and thoughtless of danger. Bridger and his men approached to within 50 yards without being discovered and poured in a murderous fire with rifie and pistol, killing 11, the others fleeing in dismay. Cutting their horses loose they returned in safety to camp, having taught the redskins a lesson not soon for- gotten. In the spring of 1832, Carson, thinking he could do better traping on his own account, took two men and leaving the party on Carson river, went higher up into the motmtains, thus avoiding Indian troubles and se- ELDORADO 121 curing a number of beavers. He had good success, and carrying his furs to Taos, sold them to the traders there and joined a Captain Lee, who was an army of- ficer and went to Green river, where they met another party of trappers. An Indian, who had been with the other company, had, the night before Captain Lee's ar- rival, stolen six of their best horses and fled. Having obtained Lee's permission to go in pursuit, Carson got a young Ute warrior to accompany him, and the two set oft on the trail of the horse thief. He had a good start and was rapidly making his way towards Califor- nia. After going about one hundred miles the horse of the Ute gave out and Carson pushed on alone, over- taking the Indian about thirty miles further on. As soon as he saw Carson he dismounted and sought cover behind some rocks. Carson determined to risk a shot while riding towards him at full speed (the Indian was armed with a rifle) and by good luck his ball pierced the Indian's heart. The stock was taken back to camp, which the young Ute had already reached. Meeting Bridger and Fitzpatrick, who had been to Fort Hall to dispose of their furs, they returned together to their old quarters in Carson valley. Next to Carson, probably no mountaineer gained more notoriety for exciting experiences in frontier life, as an Indian fighter, than William Sublette. "Sub- lette's cut-off." between the South Pass and Salt Lake, on which were the Soda and Steamboat springs, re- ceived its name from this brave trapper. He brought the first wagon that had ever crossed the Rocky mount- ains through the South Pass in 1830, and his trail was followed ever after by all making their way to the Pa- cific Slope. 122 ELDORADO On one occasion, while trapping on Carson river, Sublette had gone out alone to look for some horses that had strayed, and came across two Indians on foot driving them off. One of them had just succeeded in catching a horse as Sublette came up, and, mounting it, he hurried the others off as rapidly as possible. Sub- lette made chase after the one who was still on foot. and who was endeavoring to reach the mountains. He soon overtook the Indian, who turned and drew his knife, which Sublette by a sweep of his tomahawk sent flying into the air. He then grappled with the savage, intending to throw him. The Indian proved strong and active, however, and was a match for Sublette. In the midst of their struggle Sublette saw the other Indian coming swiftly up, rifle in hand. He saw that he must kill both of the savages to save his own life. Holding the one close to him and between himself and the mounted Indian, he succeeded in drawing one of his pistols as the redskin on horseback dashed up. The trapper fired and the Indian dropped from his horse. With the butt of his pistol he beat the other about the head and face until he fell to the ground insensible. Cleaving his skull uath his tomahawk, he scalped him, and mounting his haltered horse rode some distance, then entered the stream which led to his camp, thus de- stroving all trace of his course. The Utes, upon finding the dead bodies, supposed they had been killed by their enemies, the Diggers, with whom they were constantly at war. After dancing around them furiosuly for two or three days, they started out to obtain revenge for their dead braves from the poor Diggers. Sublette once performed an act of heroism seldom ELDORADO 123 if ever equaled. A party of trappers had been sur- rounded by hundreds of Indians, and had cut their way through, lighting, and retreating, day and night, and nearly perished for want of food, water and sleep. Time after time they were surrounded, but continued to break through the encircling lines until at last they reached a place of safety. The last shot from the sav- ages proved an unlucky one for Sublette. A solid ounce ball from an Indian rifle struck him in the ankle, and tore through the flesh and bone. It was a terrible wound, even had there been a surgeon to amputate and dress it. What then must it have been when no medical or surgical assistance could be had ! But the leg must be amputated or the man would die. It was done. Tak- ing a beaver knife, the edge was hacked into a saw while another was sharpened to its keenest edge, and with these rude implements Sublette amputated his own leg. The plates of beaver traps were heated red- hot and applied to the raw and bleeding stump, char- ring the veins and arteries and stopping the flow of blood. Thus the trapper was saved. Going back to St. Louis as soon as his condition would permit, he submitted to another operation to make a smoother job and a better stump, and soon afterwards was back- again on the plains and in the mountains, hunting, trapping, and fighting Indians the same as before. Thus Carson river and valley have been made ever memorable by the numerous tragedies and heroic deeds enacted by the brave, adventurous mountaineers, hunt- ers and trappers of those early days, whose achieve- ments and deeds of daring read like the most sensa- tional romance. 124 ELDORADO CHAPTER XIH. TO THE MINES. The following day, after my arrival at Carsan, I again packed my ever- faithful pony, now my only companion, and journeyed some 15 miles up the valley to a Mormon trading post, known as "Reese's station." It was located at the base of the mountain near where the trail leaves the valley to cross over to Hang- town (now Placerville), 100 miles, hence to Sacra- mento valley and city, 40 miles. Comparatively few wagons reached this point, the trail being used chiefly for pack trains. The emigration had so divided up that the Lassen, Truckee and Georgetown routes had taken a large por- tion of the travel. They were all in about the condition that nature formed them, in many places very difiicult of passage, being steep and rough. A few years later the one over which I traveled was made a very passable road for stage coaches and other vehicles. I camped a mile from "Reese's" by a mountain stream of crystal water, and found a little grass for my pony. After a feast of fried bacon and pancakes, I spread my blankets and lay down to rest and sleep, thinking of my mountain climb on the morrow. I made an early start the following morning, feeling much ELDORADO 125 elated over being- so near my journey's end the goal of my ambition — the mines of California. I was in good health and spirits, and after all, what is more to be desired — but not always appreciated — in the great rush for gold or fame ? But the most important lessons are often learned later in life. I had no use for a can- teen that day, as we traveled up a wooded stream of beautiful mountain water, crossing it many times. The little loaring cascades often met with in shady places made sweet music to the ear, after months of weary travel over burning alkali plains and sandy deserts. At noon we emerged into an open space and left the course of the babbling brook. It was a lovely spot for our mid-day rest. The air was cool and delightfully invigorating, with glimpses through the scattered pine? of the valley we had left in the early morning. The ascent had been gradual, a distance of six or seven miles. After an hour's stop we pursued our upward march. As we advanced the forest became more dense and the trees larger and the traveling comparatively good. As night approached and the shadows lengthened be- hind us I began to look for a suitable place to pass the night. Just at that time I happened to notice in the dusty road a fresh track going in the direction we were traveling, and, giving it closer inspection, I was satis- fied that it was the track of a grizzly bear of an enor- mous size. I confess to a little chill creeping up my back. I had not yet become familiar with the habits of bears of that particular species. However, I could neither turn to the right or left, nor retreat. I had to follow right after Mr. Bear, even if I should overtake him. As it began to grow dusk we came to a small 126 ELDORADO pond of water, formed by a cienega, about which grew sufficient grass for my pony. It was closely surrounded by the forest of mountain pines. There I unpacked and camped, gathering plenty of dry material for a fire, as I had resolved to keep it replenished during the night. I felt a degree of loneliness and depression that I had not previously experienced during the entire journey. I had never feared the Indians, but to sleep where a grizzly was liable to come into camp at any moment for his supper was not a very pleasant reflec- tion, and the more I thought about it, as the darkness increased in the gloomy depths of the surrounding forest the more likely it seemed to happen. I spread my blankets and made my bed beside a big pine log occasionally rising to replenish my fire. I heard, or thought I heard, the crackling of dry twigs during the night, and the approach of footsteps, but the morning found me and the pony in. our normal condition, and with a better appetite for my breakfast than I enjoved for my supper.' After another day's travel towards the summit of the Sierras, much of the way over a rough and pre- cipitous road, through heavy forests of pine, we camped near large bodies of snow. The day had been mild, but the night was cold and cheerless. The stars shone with their usual brilliancy through the clear at- mosphere of this high altitude, and t he mountain peaks could be seen standing out bare and white like huge sentinels above the lower surrounding forests. There is something, an undefinable feeling that all men experience, I believe, when alone in the solitude of r mountain camp ; an awe and loneliness, that ha^^dlv can be expressed. What if I be taken suddenly ill or at- jEi\^ l.^WU^ft:^ ELDORADO 127 tacked by wild beasts. Thoughts of home, friends and far-away scenes came trooping into the mind. The vastness and grandeur of the surroundings lead the thoughts to God and of one's insignificance as a factor in the universe. With such thoughts and feelings I lay upon my blankets, rising occasionally to replenish my fire, until, overcome for want of rest after the fatiguing walk of the day, 1 fell asleep. On awakening, the rays of the morning sun were glittering through the open spaces between the green foliage of the aromatic mountain monarchs. The unpleasant fancies of the night, like the thin fabrics of a dream, had entirely disappeared. Two or three hours after again commencing our journev, when stopping for a short rest, I Jooked back over the road we had traveled and noticed a single horseman coming in my direction, leading a pack ani- mal. As he drew near, T recognized Mr. Coleman, my opponent as attorney in the shooting afifair on the Platte. Our meeting was most timely and cordial. We had not met for over three months. Neither of us had seen a human being since leaving Carson vallev. We traveled and messed together until we arrived at the mines on the American river. Upon arriving at the sum.mit the same dav of our meeting, we found that the main traveled road turned to the left along the ridge, and a plain pack t^ail leadino- di'-cctlv down the slope which we felt assumed would intersect the p'-incipal tho'-ou£rhfare at no great distance, and accc-dingly we decided to save time bv taking what proved to be an- other "fool's cut-ofT." Going about a mile down the bare declivitv, we came I0 a small lake, made by the melting snows, surrounded 128 ELDORADO by a grove of young pines just below the timber line. Here we camped for the night. Making an early start in the morning we continued our course, follow- ing a little stream that flowed from the lake, soon reaching the head of a rocky, thickly wooded canyon, where all trace of our trail suddenly disappeared ; it very likely having been made by Indians, prospectors or bears. In making the descent into the canyon we were com- pelled to steady our animals down the smooth and shelving declivity of rocks, their feet long since having become well worn and shoeless. Looking back we de- clared if we were obliged to retrace our steps they could not make the ascent up the steep incline. We continued down the stream that was constantly becom- ing enlarged by melting snows and flowing springs. We learned later that this was the source of the Ameri- can river, on which gold was discovered in 1848. After continuing a short distance further down the canyon to where the sides began to be steep and high and trending to the north, we decided our wisest and safest course was to turn due south, the direction in which we knew the main course of travel lay. Ac- cordingly, with much difficulty on leaving the stream we climbed to the more elevated open pine timber and made our camp for the night just as the sun was dis- appearing in the west. We had filled our canteens be- fore leaving the canyon, but no water and but littk grass could be had for our horses that night. The fol- lowing morning we pursued a southerly course, travel- ing through a forest of magnificent pine and redwood of wonderful size and height, and as straight as the mast of a ship. ELDORADO 129 Shortly before noon we reached the main road that we should have taken at the summit, and at nightfall arrived at Leek Springs, 25 miles above Placerville, where a trading post and a place of entertainment was kept by Americans. Here we obtained a meal such as "our mothers used to cook." We were now in Califor- nia, and one more day's travel would complete our five months' overland journey "across the plains seeking the golden fleece." Having passed successfully through its many perils and hardships, now what of the future? Time alone would tell. Leaving the springs at an early hour by a gradual descent over a comparatively good wagon road, 20 miles brought us to Johnson's ranch, which consisted of a double log and shake house, kept as a trading post chiefly to supply the miners with tools and provisions. It also had, in addition, a dining room and sleeping accommodations, which latter consisted of bunks ar- ranged against the wall one above another. Although desirous of obtaining a square meal and sleeping: again in a white man's house, I had to forego that pleasure, as upon taking account of mv financial resources I found $.^ constituted mv entire capital, besides mv ponv, pack saddle, blankets, coffee pot. and frying pan. Consequentlv I submitted to the inevitable, p'*eoa»"ed mv suDper in the usual wav. and spread mv blankets for a bed under a fricndlv pine tree. Several miners from the south fork of the American river, about one mile distant, also passed the night there. Among them was one who claimed to have made a rich strike on a certain "bar." and exhibited several gold specimens, one of the value of three ounces, or about $50. For a I30 ElyDORADO small sum he would conduct any one to the spot, say- ing he would return to it in the morning. After consideration, I concluded it was my oppor- tunity. Believing I would have no further need for my pony, and that in any event she would "eat her head off" in a few days, I accepted an offer of $21 for her, throwing in the pack saddle I made at Independence T^ock. It was like parting with old and tried friends, but such was the "irony of fate." My cash capital was thereby increased to $24. I contributed $2, with two or three other "tenderfeet," to the coffers of the enterpris- ing miner to show us where our fortunes could be made. I purchased a few articles of provisions, among others a small-sized onion, for which I paid $1, being told that onions were an antidote for the scurvy, with which many were said to be afflicted and some of them dying. With a further investment in pick, pan and shovel I shouldered my entire outfit and started for the "diggings" six miles up the south fork of the Ameri- can river. I never learned whether the nuggets displayed by the " honest miner" were genuine or spurious. We never saw him after reaching the "bar." However, after thoroughly prospecting it for two days without success, barely getting the "color," we shouldered our traps and left to seek our fortunes elsewhere. My comrade, Mr. Coleman, proceeded from Johnson's lanch directly to Hangtown, and when I saw him for the last time, a few days later, he was engaged as "car- penter" in the construction of a canvas and shake house at $10 per day. ELDORADO 131 CHAPTER XIV. THE MINKS— PANDEMONIUM. After my first unsuccessful venture at mining I re- turned to Johnson's ranch and completed my unfin- ished journey to Hangtovvn. This place was so named from its having been the scene of a triple hanging in '49 of three desperados who had exhausted the patience of the better class by their many crimes. Until the summer of 1850 this was one of the rich- est placer mines in the state. The town consisted main- ly of one narrow street, following a zigzag course along the gulch. The buildings were of cheap material and of rude structure, many of them merely miners' cabins of cotton cloth or shakes split from pine blocks. Piles of dirt and tailings from the abandoned claims filled much of the space btween the hills, forming the narrow gulch. A few Americans were at work with pick, pan and rocker besides quite a number of China- men. The town contained about one thousand inhabi- tants. The population, like all mining towns at that time, was of a mixed class, good, bad and indifferent, representing nearly every nationality on the globe and some of the worst elem.ents of them all. Every species of gambling was in full blast, from faro and three-card monte down the list to the thimble and strap game. 132 ELDORADO The latter consisted of doubling a strap of leather and rolling it in a round form, and the operator offering to bet two, four, or six ounces that no man could so place a stick in the loop in the center of the strap that it would be caught as the strap was unrolled by the sharp- er. Six ounces, or one hundred dollars, were often won or lost on both of the last two simple "dead open and shut games." Night was the time for the gamblers' and other low resorts, all of which were run on the high pressure principle. This was true, not alone in the mining towns, but in all cities as well. San Francisco, Sacra- mento and Marysville were wide open towns, where tens of thousands of dollars were won or lost nightly. Miners gathered from all the surrounding camps into Hangtown after the dav's work was over, either to bet their dust or witness the exciting scenes in the gam- bling rooms. "Coon Holler," Diamond Snrings, Mud Springs, Shingle Springs, Dogtown. Fiddletown, Yuba Dam, Dead Men's Gulch and the South Fo^k were all represented around the gaming tables at nio-ht. Personally, I never took anv part or lot in anv game of chance save that of a spectator. Faro was the prin- cipal ?-ame plaved in all popular gambling houses, and a loud wo''d was seldom spoken. A man mieht st^.ke and lose his last dollar and silently disappear. Pro- fessional gamblers, as a rule, were fine-looking: men gentlemen in apnearance and manners. Lavmen from "awav back east" have been known to meet a former pastor at the gambling table dealing faro. Handsome and well-dressed women not infrequently had their tables of faro or monte in fashionable resorts and public C'amblino- rooms both in the cities and mining towns ELDORADO 133 If a purse was to be made up for a sick or unfortunate miner or one disabled by some misfortune, the only sure and successful place to obtain contributions for his relief or 10 defray his expenses back to the "States" was in the gambling rooms. I have seen tens and twenties thrown into the hat until the requisite amount was made up. A glance at the applicant for charity — whose -^ase would be presented by some responsible miner — was sufficient, without a question being asked. Another class, known as the desperado, preyed not alone upon the miner, but upon all classes alike. Not gold simply, but life, was too often demanded to satisfy their thirst for blood and notoriety. The border ruffian from Texas, and escaped convicts from Sydney, known as 'Sydney ducks," were among the worst of this class. When cards were unlucky and theft impossible, the desperado did not hesitate to live upon the proceeds of another obtained by sin and shame. If wishing to make a raise by more desperate means, he was always careful to get "the drop" on his victim. His "best hold," how- ever, was in bluffing the verdant pilgrim just from the East, known on the plains as the "greenhorn" and in the mountains as the "tenderfoot." The cowardly des- perado would pull his revolvers around to the front so the handles could be seen, ruffle his hair, and, with fierce looks and terrible oaths, placing himself in front of his victim, would address him about as follows : "Seen yer before, young feller ! Can't call yer name. Oh, yes, Jones. Lemme tell yer, Jones, this yere's a bad place, heap er bad men — bad man myself — saved yer life the other night. Don't tell me I lie! — (reaches for his pistol) — saved yer life — lend me a fiver. Ain't slept for a week — been drunk a month ; 134 ELDORADO would just as lief kill a man as eat ! Ugh !" Makes a motion to draw his revolvers. The frightened tender- foot, anxious to escape from such a dangerous man, readily hands over the first coin he comes to, whether a $5 or $io, and insists that no change shall be ofifered back. The banding together of these desperate criminals in San Francisco for plunder, led to the organization of the vigilance committee in 1856, in which Gen. W. T. Sherman, Judge Terry and other men of note were concerned. The murder of "James King of William" by Casey was the last act in the fearful drama preced- ing the vigilantes. King was the founder and editor of the Evening Bulletin, and was somewhat intemperate in his language in denouncing the murderous gangs that infested the city. He was a brave, honest man and good citizen. Gold dust was the only circulating medium until 185 1, when $16, or ounce pieces, and $50 octagonal "slugs" were coined by private parties. Twenty-five cents was the least amount paid for any article, how- ever small. A single pie sold for $1, and other articles of luxury in the eating line in like proportion. When- ever a pencil, an egg, a drink or a cigar was purchased the buckskin bag of dust was presented, and what the seller could take with his thumb and finger went for two bits. Scales were used later. The only mining implements in 1849-50 were the shovel, pick, pan and rocker, and long handle dipper used while sitting and rocking the "cradle" with the left hand, dipping water into the hopper in which the dirt was placed. This was followed by the "Long Tom" and sluice, into which the water was conveyed ELDORADO 135 by gravity while the miners stood upon either side and shoveled ui the auriferous earth. Finally the hydraulic process was adopted, the most rapid and efficacious of all. The first quartz lead discovered and worked was by Alvinza Hayward, on Rancheri creek in Amador coun- ty, near where I was placer mining at the time. I be- lieve that after the lapse of 50 years it is still valuable. The day after my arrival in Placerville, I left for Live Oak bar, on the South Fork, three miles due north, hoping to make a strike to replenish my nearly exhausted finances. Meeting with a small mining par- ty whom 1 had known 'back in the States," I was welcomed as one of their number. . We remained there a couple of weeks, realizing only fair compensation for our labor, and then went 12 miles down the river to Coloma. This is where gold was first discovered on January 19, 1848, by James W. Marshall, who had contracted to build a sawmill for Gen. John A. Sutter. He had turned the waters of the river into the race in order to widen and deepen it, and when the water was turned ofif he noticed several yel- low particles in the sand, and picked up a number of them, one weighing several pennyweights. The news of the discovery did not reach San Francisco until Feb- ruary, 1848. Then followed such an excitement as the world had never before seen. Its thrill went to the remotest corners of the earth, and caused among all classes the most intense excitement. The eyes and thoughts of all men turned to California as the land of promise, and suddenly all ways seemed to lead to her golden shores. Here, within 100 yards of the old millrace, we built a 136 ELDORADO wingdam in the river for the purpose of turning its waters, hoping to strike it rich ni tlie natural channel The fact tnat only a small volume of water was flowing at that season of the year made the operation easy. Our anticipations were not realized, however, only a small amount of gold being obtained. We continued pros- pecting down the stream until "Mormon island" and "Nigger hiU" were reached, near where the town of Foisom now is. Returning to Placerville, I decided to go to Sacra- mento to learn if any letters had reached there from home. Accordingly, leaving my mining tools, I shoul- dered my blankets, starting on foot for the "city,"' reaching it the loilowmg clay i found it a busy "burg ' of two or three thousand inhabitants. The buildings were mainly of canvas or other light material and very much scattered. As it was not steamer day when I ar- rived, I had but little difficulty in obtaining my mail and was rejoiced to learn that all were well and anxious for my return. Previous to the acquisition of California by the Unit- ed States in 1848, there was not a postoffice in the ter- ritory. The official documents to and from Mexico, as well as the correspondence of the missionaries, were taken by special carriers, and as there were no newspa- pers published or circulated in the country, there was but little need of postal facilities. The few foreigners in the country would send or receive an occasional let- ter by some trader or whaleship touching on the coast. As soon as the United States asserted authority over the territory the newspaper press commenced opera- tions and postoffices were established in the country ; but at this early day and for many years subsequent all ELDORADO 137 mail matter to the Pacific Coast had to cross the Isth- mus ox i^anama, tlience by sceamer to isaii rrancisco, irom 24 to 30 aays oeing occupied m uie voyage noui Aew iork to iSan l^rancisco. it generally required irom sixty to ninety days from the date ot writmg a letter to the receipt 01 an answer by the isthmus route, i'ostage on tlie halt ounce in those days was 10 cents when the distance was over three hundred miles, 'ihe arrival ot the semi-monthly steamer at ban i^rancisco was an event celebrated by the bring of guns and the ringing of bells, and was the signal tor a general rush of tne inhabitants to the post- otnce, where long lines of anxious letter seekers would take their position, "first come first served" being the rule, and woe betide the unfortunate wretch whose temerity caused him to attempt to break the restless, anxious, swaying line of the gray and blue shirt bri- gade, extending from the postoffice windows. As the lengthening columns swayed and wriggled sometimes a half-mile in length, great anxiety and im- patience were often manifested by persons wishing to get to the all-important window of the postoffice. Rug- ged miners who had not perhaps for a year heard a word from home, and anxious merchants whose fate depended upon their letters and invoices, seeing no hope of approaching the office for hours, would offer liberal sums to buy out some fortunate one in the line. From five to twenty dollars were average prices, but fifty and one hundred dollars were often paid for a good position near the window. The expression of countenance of those paying highest rates when forced to leave the window without a letter, was a study be- yond description. 138 ELDORADO "Selling out" in line soon became a trade, and many an impecunious person pocketed his ten or twenty dol- lars three or four times a day by selling out and hitch- ing on to the rear end of the line again. In some cases over anxious individuals would take their position at the window one or two days before the arrival of the expected steamer, and remain there, only leaving when forced to seek food and drink. Sometimes during their brief absence from their post the steamer's gun would fire and after a breakneck race of a few minutes they would be forced to attach themselves to the extreme end of a line a cjuarter or half a mile in length. Great relief was experienced some years later by the establishment of the "pony express,"' which car- ried letters from the Missouri river to San Francisco in twelve to fifteen days at 25 cents the half ounce. ELDORADO 139 CHAPTER XV. JUDGE LYNCH. The civil law was not adequate to all the exigencies arising under the conditions existing during the early history of California. Theft and murder were of rare occurrence among the miners, but whenever they did occur it was not a very difficult matter for the culprit to escape in the wild unsettled mountainous region, and, if caught, a rescue by his pals was almost sure to occur. There existed no suitable safe place to hold a crimi- nal during the pending of a trial. An old prison brig lying at the wharf in the river at Sacramento was the only place of confinement in all that portion of the state for a number of years. Under the circumstances. Judge Lynch was appealed to in most cases, and the punishment was sure and made to fit the case. I witnessed but one instance of mob law while in the mines. A man was caught in the act of stealing a buckskin purse of gold dust from a miner's cabin. A meeting of the miners was called, a consultation was held, and by a unanimous verdict the thief was to receive fifty lashes on the bare back. The sentence was carried out by administering the punish- I40 EIvDORADO ment with a rawhide while the culprit was tsrapped to a fallen pine tree. He was a man of strong nerve, and bore the cruel strokes with much fortitude. He was then ordered to leave the diggings and was told that if found there again he would receive even more severe treatment. In 1854, while I was ranching on the Cosumnes river, 20 miles from Sacramento City, two cases of mob law occurred. In one instance a notoriously bad character by the name of Bill Lomax was charged with the mur- der of a Prussian, who had the day previous to the mur- der sold a number of cattle and was supposed to have the money. Fortunately, it had been deposited in a Placerville bank. He was assaulted in his cabin dur- ing the night with an axe, and, being a large, powerful man, made a desperate fight for his lite. His body was found the following morning about twenty steps from his door. Seventeen wounds had been inflicted on him with the axe and a large knife. The weapons, be- smeared with blood, were lying by his body. His hands were badly cut by having grasped the blade of the knife in the hands of his assailant. I was sum- moned upon the coroner's jury and careful inquiry pointed strongly to Lomax as the murderer. Three men started in pursuit and traced him to Sac- ramento, where he was found in a saloon. They re- turned with him and word was immediately sent out to the ranchers and miners, who collected the following morning, chose judge and jury, heard the evidence, re- turned a verdict of guilty and gave him one hour to prepare for death by hanging. When the time ex- pired a rope was placed around his neck and he was taken to a nearby live oak tree, and the rope was ELDORADO 141 thrown over a limb, and he was hauled up and left to die. The trial was had at the "Old Daily Adobe" hotel and ranch house, the proprietor of which at the time was a justice of the peace. A deputy sheriff was also present from Sacramento during the entire proceed- ings, but was not permitted to interfere. On another occasion, near the same locality, two men were caught with stolen horses and mules, driving them to the horse market at Sacramento. As in the case above related a meeting was called of nearby ranchers and the miners of Cook's and Michigan bars, three miles above. A judge and jury were selected and the testimony of the owner of the stock was heard, proving his "brand," and that it had not been "vented" or a bill of sale given, as was customary in all cases of sale and transfer of property. The prisoners were found guilty and sentenced to have one-half of their heads shaved, to be branded "R" on the right cheek, receive 100 lashes on the bare back, and if found in the county after three davs, to be hung. One of them, a fine-looking man. well dressed and gen- tlemanlv in appearance, begged to be hung instead of receiving the penalty prescribed by the jurv. After being stripped to the waist thev were lashed to a tree and an Indian emplove was ordered to do the whip- ping with a braided rawhide riata, such as was used for lassoing stock. A committee was appointed to see that the lashes were properlv laid on. One of the committee was a Presbvterian deacon of large pro])- ertv interests and a ranch owner. After administering 50 lashes the committee decided to remit the balance, as the men were unable to bear the torture. Tt looked cruel and inhuman, and not all 142 EIvDORADO eyes among the spectators were tearless. The piteous groans of the culprits 'broke the deacon all up," as the quivering flesh turned black under every stroke of the riata. This method of administering punishment in those days was sanctioned by the best element in the coim- try, and so far as I observed, the trials were conducted in as orderly a manner as usually prevails in more pre- tentious legal proceedings. From one to two hours was all the time needed to determine the guilt or inno- cence of the accused. If guilty the sentence was at once carried into execution without unnecessary delay. In some instances injustice may have been done, and so it sometimes occurs under legal forms prescribed by the statutes. Tn the mineral portions of the state, more especially, "trial bv the people" without judicial process continued until 1856. Then the climax was reached bv the vigi- lantes in San Francisco, organized to clear the citv of thugs and assassins, which the civil authorities failed or were unable to do. Thev dominated the state gov- ernment for two months. Governor J- Neelv Johnson in the meantime taking a vacation at a pleasant moun- tain resort. , Another instance of summarv justice will still fur- ther illustrate the means bv which the miners soueht to protect their lives and propertv. Possiblv a little less severitv mip-ht have accomplished the desi'-ed end and object, but it was not so regarded at the time. T am sure there was no element of persecution or re- venp-e present in the cases T have related, but the public welfare alone was considered. Lvnch law in California, at the time of which T am ELDORADO 143 writing-, was, in fact, the only means of redress and protection from robbery and murder, and tended to prevent the crimes that would otherwise have been more frequent. It is only justified when the civil law cannot be in- voked or its officials utterly fail to enforce its demands and penalties. Such for a time was the condition ex- isting in California. To a lawless element gathered from almost every nation, people and tongue in the wild world, the civil law had no terrors. In fact, the State had but recently emerged from a chaotic and half-civilized condition without any well established civil juris])rudence. A sailor, a deserter from the ship "Ohio." attempted one night to rob a store at a mining camp on the xA.mer- ican river. ■ He had already secured two bags of gold dust, containing about $3,000, but not satisfied with that he grasped for a third, when the owner awoke and gave the alarm. After a hot pursuit, the thief was captured and bound to a tree until morning, when a jury of twelve miners were chosen to try the case. Of course he was found guilty and sentenced to be hcmged ; but some. opposition being raised to taking his life, a milder punishment was suggested, and it was finally determined that he should receive a hundred lashes on his bare back, have his ears cropped, and his head shaved, so that he might everywhere be recognized in the mining districts. This sentence gave general sat- isfaction. The thief was at once fastened by his hands to the branch of a tree, and the duly appointed officers proceeded to shave his head, while some cf the sailors of the party manufactured a "cat-o' nine-tails." His feet were then tied to the foot of a tree, and a doctor 144 ELDORADO cut off his ears, from the stumps of which he bled free- ly while receiving" his tiogging. He was then ordered lo leave at once and when about a mile away, he stole a mule and rode to the Calaveras diggings, where the animal was claimed by the owner. He was thereupon tried for mule stealing, and sentenced to receive an- other flogging, but when he was stripped, his back was found so shockingly cut up that the miners had compassion on him and drove him from the district, where he was not likely to ever appear again. ELDORADO 145 CHAPTER XVI. MINING EXPERIENCE. About the first of January, 1851, I met some friends from Illinois, who had preceded me on the overland trip, and it was agreed that we become mining part- ners. At the same time we decided to leave that locality and try our fortune in Amador county — which joins Eldorado on the south — as we had heard favorable re- ports from that section. Accordingly we shouldered our "traps" and after a hard day's tramp over mount- ain spurs, across brush and wooded canyons, fording the upper Cosumnes river — better known as the "Ma- cosma" — we arrived near nightfall at Drytown, a min- ing camp on Dry Creek in the aforesaid county. The inevitable saloon, gambling, and dance house, as in all mining towns, were prominent features of the place. The "shingle" of the man who neither used the "hoe," shovel, or rocker, but reaped a rich harvest neverthe- less, was in evidence as elsewhere, bearing the "leg- end" "Si compra oro aqui" — gold dust bought here. We looked out a suitable camping place under the friendly protection of a neighboring pine tree suf- ficientlv distant from the disturbing revelry of the "madding crowd," cooked our evening meal and spread our blankets for the night's rest. Bright and 146 ELDORADO early the following morning found us prospecting Dry creek below the town. A sufficient amount of rain had not fallen up to that time to raise the streams, consequently a very small amount of water flowed in the creek. Like most of the "placers" in all that mining re- gion, we found the ground had been superficially worked the previous winter of '49. We located claims and not having packed our tools with us from our last mining camp purchased rockers and other necessary implements and began operations. In removing a pile of tailings deposited by a "forty-niner" my shovel uncovered a nugget of gold weighing half an ounce, or eight dollars. This was the largest specimen I found during my mining experience. We continued our labors at this place a couple of weeks without suf- ficient encouragement to remain longer, so again shouldering our blankets and cooking utensils we went about two miles farther south and staked claims on what was known as the "Rancharee." A small spring supplied water for our domestic use and standing wa- ter was observed along the otherwise dry bed of the stream. After selecting our camp we returned for our tools, which we carried upon our backs ; in fact all our provisions were transported from Drytown. two miles away, in the same manner. Up to this time we had no other shelter except what nature provided, as the weather had continued warm and dry. We were told that rain could be looked for at anv time and that snow fell at that altitude some- times to considerable depth, so we decided to provide some sort of winter quarters. Accordinglv we pur- chased a heavv walled duck tent, constructed bunks ELDORADO 147 from pine poles for sleeping arrangements, and built a large stone fireplace in the rear end of onr new dwell- ing. Our bunks were not as soft as feathers, or even as straw, but that objectionable feature was relieved by substituting a few pine boughs. Altogether our quar- ters were very comfortable. It was now midwinter and owing to the lack of wa- ter and anticipating rain in the near future, the policy was adopted of prospecting with a pan and washing the dirt therefrom at some standing pool or nearby spring to test its value. If sufficient '"color" was ob- tained to justify working, the dirt was carried out from the bed and sides of the creek by hand barrows made of dried rawhide attached to a couple of short poles, one man in front and one in the rear carrying the load. Five or six buckets of earth placed thereon constituted a load. It was deposited in long extended piles on the bank above what was supposed to be high water mark to await the coming of the rain. Mis- takes were sometimes made in regard to ''high water mark.'' and the labor of weeks would be swept awa\- by the sudden rise of the rushing waters. In the man- ner I have described we carried out some three thou- sand buckets of earth before sufificient water could be had to use our cradles. Before this work was fully accomplished, either from insufficient diet or overwork, mv health became seriously impaired. No vegetable diet could be ob- tained. Our food consisted mainlv of "frijoles" fbeans), bacon and pancakes with occasionallv a litt1" fresh bear meat. Manv cases of scorbutic disea.'^es w^re prevalent and a large number proved fatal. After varied experiences during the winter at min- 148 EI.DORADO ing and as a year had nearly elapsed since leaving my home in Illinois, I decided to again visit Sacramento City in anticipation of hearing from home and friends and to remain in the valley for a time with the view of improving my health. As no other means of reaching or returning from the mining camps existed except by pack train I was compelled to make the distance (fifty miles) again on foot. After descending to the valley of the Consumnes river which was reached on the first day, I remained over night at the hotel and ranch of "Billy" Wilson on the bank of that stream — a beautiful spot surrounded by large spreading live oaks, with quite an area under cultivation, the prod- ucts being barley, corn and vegetables, and also a garden of many varieties of flowers. The hotel was a two-story wooden structure, conveniently arranged and comfortably furnished, with office, sitting room, dining and bed rooms. It was the nearest approach to civilization and home life I had met with since leaving the frontier of Iowa. The fortunate and enterprising proprietor had made a fortune at mining near Hang- town in '49, and, purchasing a portion of a Mexican grant, was now enjoying the delights of a home with an intelligent family, consisting of wife, sons and daughters. It was one of the beauty spots of all that section. • I greatly appreciated my stay with such pleasant surroundings and left the following day with reluctance. From the time of leaving the foothills the view to westward of rolling plains and rich valley lands along the river, with an occasional isolated spreading live oak, or a cluster of "these beautiful trees, formed a most charming picture. Bands of antelope would he ElvDOKADO 149 seen at intervals in the distance, often numbering two or three hundred. Jack and cottontail rabbits were plentiful. At night and sometimes during the day the dismal howl of the coyote would be heard in the ad- jacent hills, and chickens were thus warned to roost high. These predatory animals were very bold and would often approach within a few steps of the door of a ranch house to obtain food. While in the mines a friend of mine out alone prospecting placed his grub bag under his head for a pillow when camping for the night. Sleeping soundly after a hard day's tramp he gradually became aroused from his slumber by something tugging at his pillow, and before he fully awoke, his head dropped to the ground. Supposing himself to be attacked by nothing less than a grizzly he sat up in his fright and uttered a scream somethmg in the nature of a warwhoop, or as he expressed it, more "like the bellowing of a frightened calf." It was, however, so sudden and pronounced a cry that the bag was dropped, and a moment later a coyote set up a howl not far distant that sounded like a whole pack mixing their discordant notes together. My friend passed the remainder of the night guarding his grub bag. I became so impressed with the beauty and apparent ricliness of the section bordering the Consumnes river that the following five years it became my home. I50 ELDORADO CHAPTER XVII. BATTLE OVER LAND CLAIMS. Un arriving- at Sacramento I was not as fortunate as on my first visit. It being steamer day, live or six hours were required to reach the mail dehvery win- dow. The city, in the interim since m}' former visit, had greatly improved, and many settlers had located upon adjacent lands, although they were claimed un- der a Mexican grant. Nearly all the arable land in California was held by valid or spurious grants ob- tained from the Mexican government. The treaty rat- ified after the close of the war with that country, Jan- uary 19, 1848, agreed to recognize as valid all claims that had been confirmed by the Central government of Mexico. That condition of affairs caused a great deal of friction between those claiming title to large grants of land, and others disputing their right and known as settlers or squatters. The policy of the American government was adverse to granting or donating large tracts of land for colonization. One hundred and sixty acres was the limit under the Homestead Act, ex- cept in the case of Oregon. For a limited time 640 acres were given to settlers who would brave the dan- gers and hardships to found homes in that remote re- gion. It was unquestionably the intention of a large ELDORADO 151 majority of those arriving in California during the first years of the gold excitement to return to the States at the close of their mining experience. They were indifferent to the existence or conditions of land tenures. But as their hopes of gaining speedy wealth were not realized, and the climate and future possibili- ties of the State became more fully understood, they began seriously to consider the advisability of making California their permanent home. It was soon learned that wherever an attempt was made to settle upon land, the settler was regarded as a trespasser and was notified to leave, or take the con- sequences. The reckless land-grabber, regardless of law or equity, possessed himself of all the real estate from which he could drive the occupant. If a land speculator, claiming everything in sight, wanted a few men to enforce his claim all he had to do was to go to the headquarters of roughs, "shoulder strikers" or "Sydney ducks," and for a few hundred dollars he could hire a gang of ruffians, who with ropes would drag down the tenement of an unoffending settler and with revolvers at his head, compel him to surrender his claim or his life. , A large majority of those desiring to settle and make permanent homes were men of intelligence and enterprise, who had perhaps made moderate fortunes at mining. They still had property interests "back in the States," and some of them, ready to make an honest dollar, determined, when they returned East to dispose of their property, and bring their families, to fit out trains and bring back emigrants to California at so much per head. It is chiefly from this class of pio- neers that California owes much of her industrial 152 ElyDORADO prosperity in commercial and agricultural lines, and from which her governors, senators, bankers and rail- road builders have come. At the time of which I write no obtainable evidence could be had either of the extent or genuineness of the grants claimed under Mexican authority, and men de- siring to make homes on what the^^ had a right to re- gard as public land refused to recognize individual claims to vast tracts until adjudicated by the lawful authorities. This led to serious trouble. What is known as the "squatter war" at Sacramento in 1850 was the result of these conflicting interests. Dr. Charles Robinson, afterwards governor of Kansas, and one of John Brown's warmest adherents in the border troubles, was the leader of the settlers, and was severly wounded during the fight. The settlers had erected buildings on some vacant lots in the outskirts of the city where some of them were torn down by a gang employed by the speculators. They (the settlers) at once armed themselves and fortified their remain- ing buildings. The city was declared under martial law. The settlers determined to hold their ground against all comers. They received reinforcements and a conflict seemed imminent. The Sheriff, with a small force ,attempted to storm the place and serve a writ of ejectment. The Common Council had passed an or- der imposing a heavy fine upon any one who should survey land within the city limits, except the City Sur- veyor himself. This was regarded as a high-handed outrage upon individual rights and had much to do with bringing about the collision. During the day the settlers left their quarters and marched through the town to the number of about fifty. They were in mili- ELDORADO 153 tary order and fully armed. Major Bigelow, with a small posse, rode up determined to disarm them. A conflict ensued, a volley was fired and the unarmed crowd scattered in all directions. The Mayor fell from his horse and was taken to a house on Second street, where his wounds were examined. He was shot in three places. One ball entered his right side, another shattered his right hand, and a third grazed his cheek. The Assessor, a Mr. Woodland, was killed by a ball passing through his body. He died in the street where he fell. The commander of the set- tlers had his horse shot under him. He charged, sword in hand, into the crowd, and was killed by a pistol shot. One other man was killed who had lately arrived overland. Quite a number were wounded, among others Dr, Robinson, who was found, after quiet was restored, in a house where he had been con- veyed by his friends. He had received a bullet wound in the left side, but not of a very dangerous nature. One of the rioters, an Irishman by the name of Caul- field, a most desperate character, attempted to flee from the city. He was pursued by the Sheriff, who laid hold of him, but as they were riding at breakneck speed, his hold slipped. Caulfield immediately at- tempted to discharge his rifle at the Sheriff, where- upon he knocked the ruffian off his horse with his pistol. He was then tied on his saddle, and with his hat gone, his arms behind him, his face covered with blood and dust, he was led down J street to the levee, where he was placed aboard the prison brig. The Sheriff at- tempted to arrest another member of the murderous gang by the name of Allen, who kept a drinking place two miles out beyond Sutter's Fort. The officer's 154 ELDORADO party remained outside while he entered and demanded Allen's surrender. The latter responded by leveling a double-barreled shotgun and firing the whole charge into the Sheriff's breast, killing him instantly. Sev- eral shots were then fired at Allen, wounding him se- verely, but he made his escape. The brave young Sheriff was followed to his grave by the bereaved wife and a large number of sympathizing friends. Upon the side of what was claimed to be the party of "law and order" were Lieutenant-Governor McDougal, J. R. Hardenberg, Col. Kewen, Eugene P\ Gillespie and Sam Brannan — names familiar in the early annals of Cali- fornia. Identified with the settlers' interests were Gov. John Bigler, Judge Hastings, Senator Colby and John H. McKune, of the law firm of McKune & Crocker. Mr. McKune was subsequently District Judge of Sacramento county for eleven years. Dur- ing a heated discussion with a Southern fire-eater upon the question of dividing the State, making one-half free and the other slave, the latter became so infuri- ated that he thrust a sword cane through AIcKune"s body and for several weeks his life was despaired of. He was carefully nursed back to health again by his friends. While I was canvassing the county for the Legislature in 1852 he was my political asosciate. He was one of nature's noblemen and performed an im- portant part in the organization of the Republican party in California in 1856. Judge Crocker was a brother of Charles Crocker, one of the builders of the Southern Pacific railway. Charley Crocker had a dry goods store on J street, between Third and Fourth, where, after my marriage and settlement on the Con- sumnes I did mv trading. C. P. Huntington and ELDORADO 155 Mark Hopkins were running a hardware store on "K" street, and Leland Stanford was selling mining sup- plies in the mountains. The difficulties arising from conflicting land inter- ests induced the government, as early as 1852 to ap- point a commission comprised of three members, of which the distinguished Governor Fitch of Michigan was at the head. This commission was empowered to examine and pass upon the JMexican land grant titles, subject to appeal to the United States Supreme Court at Washington. It met that same year at San Fran- cisco and entered at once upon the discharge of its duties. The government appointed General Volney E. Howard, late District Judge at Los Angeles, as I'nited States Land Agent. All claimants were re- quired to appear and present their proof of title. Such grants as were shown to have been confirmed b}- the Central Government of Mexico and the conditions ful- filled were passed, and where the necessary proof was lacking were rejected. There were many of the latter, all of which were added to the public domain. It was with the view of maintaining what they re- garded as their right to settle on public lands that party political lines were ignored and instead of Whig and Democrat, "settlers' and miners' associations" were or- ganized to oppose the grasping and remorseless land speculators. Sacramento county had such an orgam- zation, and for the two years or so of its existence I acted as its secretary. Among other duties devolving upon the secretary was that of appearing in the inter- ests of the association before the Land Commission in San Francisco, and there presenting such evidence In its behalf as could be obtained, to aid the land agent in 156 ELDORADO defeating fraudulent claimants. Most of the mission grants were confirmed, but many others were rejected. A mournful instance of the distress caused by the re- morselessness of the land thieves is that of General Sutter. Besides three leagues at the junction of the "Rio de los Plumas," or P'eather river, with the Sac- ramento, he owned eleven leagues along the latter where Sacramento City was located. That is to say, he owned thirty-three miles of the river's length and a strip three miles in width. Being himself a gener- ous, upright, unsuspecting man, he was swindled, de- frauded, and otherwise robbed of all his possessions by sharpers and tricksters. He died poor at his home in Pennsylvania in 1883, after being dependent upon his friends and a small stipend paid him by the United States government. ELDORADO 157 CHAPTER XVin. CAPTAIN SUTTER— THE GOLD DISCOVERY. Captain Sutter was formerly an officer in the Swiss guard of Charles X of France. After the revolution of 1830 in that country, he came to America and lived for a time in Missouri, emigrating to California in 1837. Soon afterwards he obtained the two grants of land from Mexico to which I have referred. His little adobe fort was built as a defense in the event of In- dian troubles, but was never needed for that purpose, as he was a large employer of Indians, and always lived on the most peaceful terms with them. The fort was practically his home, where he lived and enter- tained his friends and guests. It stood alone, as it stands today, (well preserved), two miles from the city. General Bidwell, Sam Brannan and other pio- neer "boys'' who afterwards became millionaires and an honor to the State, were employed there before the discovery of gold. Fremont. Carson, Walker, a host of mountaineers and scientists, all alike found welcome and good cheer within those old adobe walls. It is a pleasant recollection that T passed this historic spot weekly for a number of years, going to and from Sac- ramento and sometimes partaking of its hospitalitv. I last visited it in September, 1900, at the time of the 158 ELDORADO State Fair. The old fort presents a newer and more imposing appearance than it did in 1850. All honor to the "native sons and daughters of the pioneers" who have thus preserved it. It was in this little pioneer fort that the first an- nouncement was made, on the 19th of January, 1848, that sent an echo throughout the world, and drew to California people from every part of the globe, pro- ducing in so short a time scenes of unparralleled ex- citement. From England, Germany, France, Russia. vSpain, South America, and the Sandwich Islands came the gold hunters. In the far east, across the broad Pacific, the seal of national exclusiveness was broken and there came a peculiar people from ancient Ca- thay with their strange jargon, shaved crowns, and solitary cues behind. This was a race whose primeval order had never been disturbed by any other branch of the human family. They brought their kettles, rice, chop sticks, and heathen gods, and have ever since lived their life of exclusiveness and racial isolation. From Mexico came the miner, vaquero and desperado. Ip from Chili and Peru came the speculator, gambler, and courtesan. Over the Rock\- mountains came long lines of emigrant trains, making their tedious march over almost precipitous mountains crowned with eternal snows, and arid deserts of alkali, leaving be- hind them the new-made grave and the bleaching bones of famished beasts to tell the sad story of their weary journev and to mark the path for those who were to follow. The few vessels that could find sailors to tnkc them from the coast spread the news wherever thev touched. The inhabitants of unfrequented islands of the seas heard the welcome tidings of the land of gold. ELDORADO 159 Captain Sutter gave the following interesting ac- count of how he received the news : "I was sitting one afternoon just after my siesta engaged in writing a letter to a friend in Switzerland, when I was inter- rupted by Mr. IMarshall bursting hurriedly into my room. From the unusual agitation in his manner I imagined that something serious had occurred, and, as we involuntarily do in this part of the world, I at once glanced to see if my rifle was in its proper place. You should know that the mere appareance of Mr. Mar- shall at that moment in the fort was cjuite enough to surprise me, as he had but two days before left the place to make some alterations in the mill for sawing pine planks, which he had just run up for me some miles higher up the Americanos. When he had re- covered himself a little he told me that, however great my surprise might be at his unexpected appearance, it would be much greater when I heard the intelligence he had come to bring me. 'Intelligence,' he added, 'which, if properly profited by, would put both of us m possession of unheard of wealth — millions and mill- ions of dollars, in fact.' I franklv own when I heard this I thought something had touched Marshall's brain, when suddenly, all my misgivings were at an end by his flinging on the table a handful of scales of pure virgin gold. T was fairly thunderstruck, and asked him what all this meant, when he went on to say that according to my instructions, he had thrown the mill- wheel out of gear to let the whole body of the water in the dam find a passage through the tail-race which was previously too narrow to allow the water to run off in sufficient quantity, whereby the wheel was pre- vented from efficiently performing its work. Ry this i6o EIvDORADO alteration the narrow channel was considerably en- larged and a mass of sand and gravel was carried off by the force of the current. Early in the morning after this took place, he (Mr. Marshall) was walking along the left bank of the stream when he perceived something which he at first took for a piece of opal — a clean transparent stone very common here — glitter- ing on one of the spots laid bare by the sudden crumb- ling away of the bank. He paid no attention to this ; but while he was giving directions to the workmen, having observed several other glittering fragments, his curiosity was so far excited that he stooped down and picked one of them up. 'Do you know,' said Mr. Marshall to me, 'I positively debated within myself two or three times whether I should take the trouble to bend my back to pick up one of these pieces and had decided not to do so when, further on, another glitter- ing morsel caught my eye — the largest of the pieces now before you. I condescended to pick it up and to my astonishment, found that it was a thin scale of what appears to be pure gold.' He then gathered some twenty or thirty similar pieces which, on exam- ination, convinced him that his suppositions were right. His first impression was that this gold had been lost or been buried there by some early Indian tribe — perhaps some of those mysterious inhabitants of the West of whom we have no account, but who dwelt on this continent centuries ago and built those cities and temples, the ruins of which are scattered about these solitary wilds. On proceeding, however, to examine the neighboring soil, he discovered that it was more or less auriferous. This at once decided ELDORADO i6i him. He mounted his horse and rode down to me as fast as it would carry him, with the news. "At the conclusion of Mr. Marshall's account," con- tinued Captain Sutter, "and when I had convinced myself from the specimens he had brought with him that it was not exaggerated, I felt as much excited as himself. I eagerly inquired if he had shown the gold to the work people at the mill, and was glad to hear that he had not spoken to a single person about it. We agreed, said the Captain smiling, not to mention the circumstances to anyone, and arranged to set off early the next day for the mill. On our arrival, just before sundown, we poked the sand about in various places, and before long succeeded in collecting be- tween us, more than an ounce of gold mixed up with a good deal of sand. I stayed at Marshall's that night, and the next day we proceeded some little distance up the South Fork and found the gold existed along the whole course, not only in the bed of the main stream, where the water had subsided, but in every little dried up creek and ravine. Indeed I think it is more plentiful in these latter places, for I myself with nothing more than a small knife, picked out from a dry gorge a little way up the mountains, a solid lump of gold which weighed nearly an ounce and a half. On our return to the mill we were astonished by the work people coming up to us in a body and showing us small flakes of gold similar to those we had our- selves procured. Marshall tried to laugh the matter off with them and to persuade them that what they had found was only some shining mineral of trifling value, but one of the Indians who had worked at the gold mine in the neighborhood of La Paz, in Lower i62 ELDORADO California, cried out 'Oro! Oro!' We were disap- pointed enough at this discovery and supposed that the work-people had been watching our movements, al- thougli we thought we had taken every precaution against being observed by them. I heard afterwards that one of them, a Kentuckian, had dogged us about and that looking on the ground to see if he could dis- cover what we were in search of he had lighted on some flakes of gold himself. The next day I rode back to the fort, organized a laboring party, set the carpenters to work on a few necessary matters, and the next day accompanied them to a point of the fork where they encamped for the night. By the following morning I had a party of fifty Indians fairly at work. The way we first managed was to shovel the soil into small buckets or into some of our famous Indian baskets ; then wash all the light earth out, and pick away the stones. After this we dried the sand on pieces of canvas and with long reeds blew away all but the gold. I have now some rude machines in use and upwards of one hundred men employed, chiefly In- dians, who are well fed and who are allowed whisky three times a day. The report soon spread. Some of the gold was sent to San Francisco and crowds of people flocked to the diggings. Added to this a large emigrant party of Mormons entered California across the mountains just as the affair was made known. They halted at once and set to work on a spot some thirty miles from here where a few of them still re- main. There are fully eight hundred men at work altogether and probably three hundred more passing backwards and forwards between here and the mines. At first I imagined that the gold would soon be ex- ELDORADO 163 hausted by such crowds of seekers, but subsequent ob- servations have convinced me that it will take many years to bring about such a result, even with ten times the present number of people employed. "What surprises me," continued the Captain, "is that this country should have been visited by so many scientific men and that not one of them should have ever stumbled upon the treasure ; that scores of keen- eyed trappers should have crossed this vallev in every direction, and tribes of Indians have dwelt in it for centuries and vet this gold should have never been discovered until now. T myself have passed the very spot above a hundred times during the last ten years, but was just as blind as the rest of them, so T must not wonder at the discovery not having been made earlier." The above, as an historical reminiscence, is interest- ing and instructive, as showing the small bes^inning from which the financial condition of the world was changed in such a remarkablv short space of time bv the unparalleled production of the precious metal. Soon came the first waves of the tide of emigration that was to flood the "placers" of the p^old ree^ion. The first influx consisted of Mexicans of the province of Sonora. Chilians and Kanakas from the vSandwich Islands. These principallv took possession of the Southern mines, on the tributaries of the San lo^nuin. Some few that came bv water stonned in San Fran- cisco and secured town lots, which became verv valu- able in a short time : where thev erected temporarv stores and dwellings. This ga^'e an imnulse to the proeress of that town and it advanced ranidlv in size and population. Then came the emigration from the i64 ELDORADO Atlantic States and the whole territory felt the pro- gressive and enterprising- spirit of the gold-seekers. The Americans generally took possession of the mines on the American, Yuba and Feather rivers and their tributaries. But as their numbers increased they pushed towards the Southern mines and frequent col- lisions with foreigners were the consequence. Fin- ally a great number of the latter were compelled to leave the country, mainly in consequence of excessive taxation. The following item appeared in the "Californian," published in San Francisco, August 14, 1848: ''The publisher of this paper, while on a tour alone to the mining district, collected with the aid of a shovel pick and tin pan, from $44 to Si 28 a day — averaging $100. The gross amount collected up to date will probably exceed v$6oo,ooo of which amount our merchants have received $250,000 worth for goods sold, all within the short space of eight weeks. The largest piece of gold known to be found weighed four pounds." On January i, 1849, the total population of Califor- nia was estimated at twenty-six thousand, thirteen thousand natives, eight thousand Americans and five thousand of all other nations. During the year 1848 ten million dollars in gold was extracted from the mines, principally from the Yuba, Feather and the American rivers and gulches connected therewith; the rocker, shovel, prospecting pan, and crevice-knife being the only machinery em- ployed. Over forty million dollars was obtained in the year 1849, ^"^ from January 19, 1848, the day of the discovery of gold in California, to the beginning of 1870. the gold product of the State was one billion ELDORADO 165 of dollars. The largest yield of gold ever produced in the State in one year was in 1853, amounting to sixty- five millions of dollars. The population at that time was about 300,000. Many thousands left for "home" with barely enough to pay their passage, broken in health, never to return, while others, more fortunate, went for their families to bring them to what they termed "God's best country." Other thousands found unknown graves in what to them was a strange land. Throughout the first three years of the mining excite- ment every article of trade had to be imported. Most people believed that California was only a mining country ; that nothing would grow upon the barren soil without constant irrigation, so that imports in 1853 of San Francisco were over forty-five millions dollars, over five million dollars of which was for flour and meal, four million dollars for butter, and the same amount for lumber. In the same year fifty-seven mill- ion dollars in gold dust was exported. Up to 1849 navigation on the bay of San Francisco and the Sacramento river was carried on exclusively by small sailing craft. Before steamers arrived these vessels found employment in carrying passengers to Sacramento at twenty-five to forty dollars ; and ten to twelve days would be occupied in making the trip. I myself paid twenty-five dollars in 1854, self and wife, for stateroom from San Francisco to Sacramento. It was our wedding trip. In October, 1849, the first steamboat, the "Pioneer," plied the waters of the Sac- ramento. It was constructed of iron and shipped from. Boston in pieces. Next came the little steamer "Mint." These boats performed the trip from San Francisco to Sacramento in half a dav. The fare was : Cabin, i66 EI.DORADO thirty dollars ; deck twenty dollars ; a berth, five dol- lars; meals, two dollars. The larger steamer "Sen- ator," familiar to all California pioneers, soon made its appearance. The first steamer ever upon the waters of the bay of San Francisco was a small boat about the size of a ship's boat, taken from Sitka in 1847, t»y Cap- tain W. A. Leidesdorfif, and run on the bay until Feb- ruary, 1848, when she was lost during a severe north- west gale. ELDORADO 167 CHAPTER XIX. FLOODS AND FIRES. California, like most new States during the early stages of their development, suffered losses by reason of imperfect organizations for protection against floods and fires, as well as the results of natural causes. She had her drouths, grass-hopper seasons, and a few earthquakes. Some of these came under my own ob- servation. Notwithstanding these temporary draw- backs, which occurred at long intervals, who would want to leave the genial climate, the cool nights, brac- ing atmosphere, and delightful mountain and seaside resorts, for a land of cultry days and nights, of bliz- zards, cyclones, and fearful tornadoes ? The winters of "49, '50, '53, are memorable for de- structive floods, resulting in great loss of property and lives, and to prevent the recurrence of such un- fortunate disasters, the cities bordering on the streams liable to inundation, such as Stockton, Marysville and Sacramento, especially the latter, raised their build- ings and filled in with earth to the height of ten or twelve feet, or above high water mark. The difficulty was greatly aggravated after the advent of hydraulic mining. The debris from these extensive washings 168 ELDORADO raised the bed of the streams into which they flowed, impeding, to some extent, the navigation of the Sacra- mento river to its mouth at the bay of San Francisco. Many ranches and orchards were destroyed along the foothihs bordering the streams. The mming and val- ley interests thus conflicting, inspired considerable leg- islation and litigation, and the difficulties were finally partially set at rest by requiring the hydraulic miner to impound the loose earth before it could reach the valley. I was caught in Sacramento in the great overflow in January, '52, when all the inhabitants were com- pelled to seek safety in flight, or in the second story of their buildings. A temporary levee had been thrown up along the south bank of the American river, that gave way during the night, and when morning dawned the city presented a scene of desolation. Little Whitehall boats from the vessels moored at the landing were plying in all directions, engaged in relieving and saving persons and property. Some of the people were wading about, up to their waists, or arm pits. The water stood from four to six feet deep over the town with the exception of two or three acres that constituted the old Plaza, between I and J and Eighth and Ninth streets. This was occupied by women and • children, cows, pigs, chickens, household goods and the like. Everybody appeared to be in good spirits and treated the matter as a huge joke. The water be- gan to subside in about thirty-six hours, when things soon assumed their normal condition. While it was at flood tide, however, I hired a boatmen to row me three miles to Brighton, past Sutter's fort, where T tonk a conveyance to my ranch on the Consumnes. ELDORADO 169 The great flood of '53 occurred during my absence in the States. A San Francisco paper of January i, 1853, contained the following account of it: "The present winter is conceded to be the most severe ex- perienced in this country since it has been populated by Americans. During the last fortnight it has been raining continually in the mountains and valleys and we are daily in the receipt of accounts of disasters and suffering in all parts of the State. The waters have been unusually high, and communication through the mining regions almost entirely cut off, either by snow or overflowed streams. The rivers have been swelled to such an extent as to inundate all the low lands, causing immense damage, destroying stock and agri- cultural products. Marysville and Sacramento are partly inundated. Although Sacramento is well pro- tected by a levee, the lower portions are submerged. On the mountain streams the loss of mining imple- ments has been great and all work for the present is suspended. Bridges have been swept away and ferries destroyed and some few lives lost. The flood has been universal and the waters higher than in the memorable winter of 1849. The great scarcity of provisions and the consequent high prices have occasioned much suf- fering and distress already and it is feared thJit many will actually die of starvation. Many miners, subsist entirely upon beef and potatoes, while in other portions of the mines there are hundreds who have nothing at all but barley and potatoes. In portions of Yuba and Sierra counties the snow was already ten feet deep and still falling and the miners reduced to absolute want. Tn one place they held a meeting and forced a trader to sell what flour he had on hand at fortv-five cents a I70 ELDORADO pound and all who were able to leave did so, thus leav- ing the provisions for those who were unable to find their way through the snow to the valleys. In some places cabins were entirely covered with snow and the roofs of many have been crushed in, thus cutting off the last chance of protection. It is not improbable that some may perish by starvation. A few days since we were visited with a terrible southeast gale which prevailed for two days. Several light tenements were blown down and some injury done to the shipping in the harbor. For a day or two communication by stage with San Jose was cut off owing to the sudden rise in the intermediate streams." In 1852 destructive fires occurred in various parts of California. The greater portion of the City of Sacra- mento was laid in ashes by a conflagration on the night of November 2, 1852. The San Francisco Her- ald gave, at the time, the following account. "At 11 o'clock in the evening, a fire broke out on "J" street, near the corner of Fourth. The inspectors were count- ing the votes for the Presidential electors and State officials, while a numerous crowd were awaiting the de- cision of the Judges, so that no time was lost in de- lay. With astonishing rapidity the fire spread from building to building, up, down and across the street in five minutes. The Crescent City Hotel, on the oppo- site side of the street, was in flames, and being of in- flammable material and of large size, sent the fiery tor- rent in every direction. The fire swept clean both sides the street until it reached Eighth. For a time the superhuman exertions put forth seemed to check, and it was hoped would entirely subdue the fire. The boom of the powder like artillery that was deposited ELDORADO 171 in every building by the hook and ladder boys was deemed the signal for the arrest and staying of the riames on this line. In vain, however ; the wind here- tofore blowing towards the levee, increased to a gale and changed to the north, thus turning the fire broad- side on, and in five minutes it had spread to "M" street. That portion of the cit}- was built in 1849 entirely of wood and was as combustible as powder. At this time W. R. McCall & Co.'s building caught on the roof, sealing the fate of all to the levee, the entire length of the city ; the flames extended, soon wrap- ping the Orleans hotel. The building all around were blown up with the rapidity of magic, carts standing- ready with 25-pound kegs of powder each. The "Union" ofifice next fell ; the proprietors saving two presses, type and paper sufficient for a few days' sup- ply. The families on the line below K street were busy removing their valuables and furniture when the flames crossed the brick barrier and swept with re- morseless fury down and across, licking with its forked tongue from street to alley, apparently shriveling the wooden buildings with a single breath. The inmates of the hospital, seventy in number, were taken in season to the levee, and from thence to a suitable house by Drs. Briarly and Williams. The city market filled with hay and the hospital were the last on the line of the fire ; the citizens effectually stopped its further progress. The number of lives ascertained to be lost were six, while many were seriously injured and are under the care of physicians, on board steamers, some of whom may die. Every assistance possible was prof- fered By the captains and agents of the steamers, whose vessels were soon crowded with females." 172 ELDORADO When I viewed the site of the city at 5 A. M., when the fire had nearly ceased, the smouldering embers were throwing up huge clouds of smoke and lurid flashes, bringing a feeling of desolation to the hearts of all who witnessed the sickening sight. The losses were estimated at $5,000,000. On the evening of the 4th of May, 1851, a great fire occurred in San Francisco. "In less than five minutes after the dreadful cry of fire the whole city was illumined by the lurid glare of the flames. The entire force of the fire department were promptly on the spot with their apparatus and put into the most efi^ective service. Fortunately for the lower part of the city, there was but little air stir- ring and a slight misty rain had fallen during the day and evening, which checked the tendency of the fire to spread towards the bay. Had it not been for this the mass of sparks falling upon the roofs of the frame buildings on the east side of Montgomery street must have extended it to the whole lower part of the city. These buildings were covered with men provided with wet blankets, buckets of water and everything neces- sary to extinguish the flames should they communicate to the roofs. The records of the different courts in the old City Hall on the east side of the Plaza were removed, but thrown into the utmost confusion. In the midst of the excitement a gentleman well known to the community as the former keeper of the Sacra- mento House, rushed to the scene of the disaster and shortly afterwards returned to his place of business. He was immediately seized with alarming symptoms and in a few moments breathed his last. Pronounced by his physicians to having been caused by congestion ELDORADO 173 of the brain induced by undue exertion and excite- ment. The losses sustained were estimated at $7,000,- 000." Other destructive fires occurred at Marysville, So- nora, Stockton, San Diego and in the agricultural dis- tricts ; an immense amount of property, being de- stroyed. In the cites the damage was repaired with astonishing rapidity, but some individuals were utterly ruined, the results of years of labor being swept away in a single night. 174 ELDORADO CHAPTER XX. FOES, FRUITS AND PROGRESS. The year 1855 was known as the grasshopper year. At times the Hght of the sun was obscured by clouds of "hoppers" filling the atmosphere. Their appearance continued for several weeks, and during the time nearly every green thing was eaten or destroyed by them. Grain fields and fruit trees in many instances were ruined. The course of their flight was westward and they finally disappeared in the ocean. One curious feature during their appearance was that they became llie food supply of the Indians. The Indians would dig funnel shaped holes, to the depth of two or three feet in the earth, when bucks, women and children would form extended lines, and with willow bushes and old sacks drive the "hoppers" into the holes. Then they would fill their sacks and carry them to their rancheries for food. They were regarded as a great luxury, to be eaten raw, cooked, or dried. It was a curious sight to watch tliem, day after day gather sack's full in that manner at my ranch on the Con- sumnes. It has been suggested that grasshoppers (a species of locust) eaten with wild honey, was what consti- tuted the diet of Jolm the Baptist while sojourning in ELDORADO 175 the wilderness. However, what we eat is largely a mat- ter of taste, habit, or education. Sometimes, at certain seasons of the year, a green worm, two or three inches in length, made its appear- ance in great numbers. These were gathered up and eaten by the Diggers. It was hard to determine which was most appreciated, the "hoppers" or the worms. These Indians were very poor material for mission- ary work. They seemed incapable of making any progress towards a better or higher condition of life, physical or spiritual. Neither precept or example changed or impressed them in the least degree. If any advance is ever made by them towards civilization it will be by taking them in training schools. After fifty years of missionary labor in forcing with the whip, the stocks, and the fetters, they sank back into their orig- inal condition of vice, ignorance and degradation. For half a century or more the padres pursued a svstem of oppression, under the name of Christianity, that depopulated the country of its primitive inhabit- ants without leaving any testimonials of benefits con- ferred. The commonest needs of civilized life were not supplied them to mitigate the rigors of desnotism. Humanity lost nothinsf bv the close of the so-called pa- tria'-chal aee on the Pacific Coast. The highest intelligence, or, more properly, cunning displayed bv these savages, is in trving to obtain suf- ficient food to supply nature's demands. When acorns and other similar foods fail, they have a method of stalking deer or antelope that is very successful. An Indian will clothe himself in the skin, head, and horns of a deer, and so well imitate the form and motion of one of the.se animals as to deceive the most timid and 176 ELDORADO cautious among them. In this disguise he would enter a herd and shoot the unsuspecting animals with ar- rows until a wounded one would put the rest to flight. Having no boats but such as they made from bull- rushes, the Indians were expert swimmers, and with a bunch of dried grass or rushes floating on the wa- ter and concealing their heads, they would float among the water fowl and, taking'them by the feet, would pull them under water, wring their necks, and tuck their heads under a belt worn about the waist. They would continue this game until they had satisfied their wants and return to land without disturbing the balance of the flock. Bear and bull fights, in those early days, were the chief amusements of the miners and other whites, and always transpired on Sunday, as that was the day usually set apart for relaxation from ordinary labor, whether mining or ranching. Washing garments, cooking or playing cards was the general order of the dav. During my first two years in California no op- portunity was presented to attend religious services of any kind, with one notable exception. A professed minister of the gospel put in an appearance at our mining camp near Hangtown, and after delivering a short discourse passed the hat and received a liberal contribution from the small crowd of listeners. A short distance a game of three card monte was being played behind a big pine tree and it was said that the preacher and the gambler were seen to meet soon aft^r and divide the proceeds from each little enterprise. In mv individual case T have never failed to treat every- thing of a religious nature with respect and reverence, and T ever felt an abhorrence of every kind of dissi- ELDORADO 177 pation. Profanity, gambling, drunkenness, and kin- dred vices are not only disgusting but ruinous. It "doesn't pay." Better a healthy, vigorous old age and a clear conscience than the memory of scores of so- called "good times." In the cities, on Sunday, very little change was ob- served from all other da}S of the week, except that the gambling houses and places of amusement were more liberally patronized. While there were many drinking places, drunkenness was of rare occurrence. In the spring of 1852 a bear and bull fight was ad- vertised to take place at Brighton race track, three miles from Sacramento. T attended, paving my dollar for a safe seat in the pavilion, in which also were many lady spectators. A large cage on wheels had been drawn up in front of the stand, which contained the grizzlv, while a small strong pen held the fierce-look- ing Spanish bull with long, sharp horns, apparently capable of penetrating an oak plank. A number of well-mounted Spanish vaqueros had charge of the ani- mals. A chain had already been attached to the fore leg of the bear and hung out at the rear end of the cage. Bv means of the lassos the bull was broueht sufficiently near to attach the chain also to his fore leg. when the door was raised and Mr. Bear was in- troduced to his opDonent. The bull, having had his nose cut with a knife, so that the blood trickled into his mouth and nostrils, was becoming desperate and roared continually. The grizzly walked around his enemy, seeming reluctant to begin the fight. The bull stood for a moment with bowed head, blood in his eye and uttering deep moans. With a rush, such as only a Spanish bull can make, he plunged his sharp horns 178 ELDORADO into the tough shaggy coat of the grizzly, but bounded back as if bruin had been a ball of rubber. After a few plunges and passes from the bull, and scratches or heavy blows from the paws of the bear, with roar and growl they grappled with each other, bruin dodg- ing the sharp points of the bull's horns, and, as he rolled upon his back, embracing the neck of his an- tagonist in his powerful arms. By a few desperate plunges the bull released himself from the bear's hold, while he bled profusely from the effect of his claws. This only seemed to increase his rage, and, nerved to desperation he, in an unguarded moment, charged up- on bruin, causing a wound in his side from which the blood flowed freely. The bear's courage now seemed to fail, and in an attempt to get away, he severed the chain by which they were bound together. In a mo- ment the crowd of men and boys that had formed a larg-e circle around the combatants scattered, giving the bear a free passageway to a large live oak standing at no great distance in the race track. He climbed the tree some twenty or thirty feet, and laid himself out on one of the large branches, whereupon one of the va- queros threw a lasso over his head and taking one or two turns around the horn of his saddle jerked him from his perch. Another soon had a rope around one of his hind legs, and when the well trained horses pulled in opposite directions he was made harmless and powerless. The two animals were chained together again, but the fight was soon over, the bear crawling as far under the building as the length of his chain would permit. The bull was declared the winner, but both were prettv severely injured. The grizzly weighed about looo pounds. In some instances griz- ELDORADO 179 zlies have been known to weigh as much as 2000 pounds. They are caught by the lasso and trapping. 1 lie only serious result of the fight I have described was the disemboweling ' of one of the most valuable horses, as the rider came too near the sharp horns of the infuriated bull. He was led across the race track and shot. In the early days grizzlies, and other species of bear, elk and mountain sheep were very numerous, but they have now almost entirely disappeared. Many des- perate fights occurred between the hunters and wounded grizzlies. I have seen numerous instances where men were crippled for life from the encounters. The following adventure of two or three prospectors on their way to the mines was related by one of them : "About half way up the gulch a loud braying, followed by a fierce growl, attracted our attention and in a few minutes a frightened mule, closely pursued by an enor- mous grizzly bear, descended the hillside within forty \ards of where we stood leaning on our rifles. As the bear reached the road, Higgins, with his usual quick- ness and intrepidity, fired, and an unearthly yell' from the now infuriated- animal told the shot was with effect. The mule in the interval had crossed the road and was now scampering away towards the plains, and bruin, finding himself robbed of his prey, turned upon us. I leveled my rifle and gave him the contents with hearty good will, but the wounds he had received only served to exasperate the monster, who now made to- wards us with rapid strides. Deeming prudence the better part of valor we ran with all convenient speed in the direction of the camp, within a hundred yards of which my foot became entangled in the underbrush i8o ELDORADO and I fell headlong upon the earth. In another instant I should have fallen a victim to old bruin's rage, but a well directed ball from my companion's rifle entered his brain and arrested his career. The whole party now came to my assistance and soon dispatched Mr. Grizzly. Dragging him to camp we made a hearty supper from his fat ribs and as I had probably been more frightened than either of the two I claimed as an indemnity his skin, which protected me afterwards from the damp ground many a cold night. He was a monstrous fellow, measuring four feet in height, and six in length, and a stroke from his huge paw would — had he caught us — have entirely dissipated the golden dreams of Higgins and myself." When I came to the coast, California was a pastoral country in its broadest sense. Tools, and agricultural implements used l)y the natives were of the rudest and most primitive kind. A forked limb of a tree with a strap of iron fastened on one end of the fork was the only kind of a plow in use and this was drawn in a "criss cross'" fashion over a patch of ground (on which to raise peppers and "frijoles") by either one or two iViexican steers, with a stout stick lashed by strips of rawhide to the forehead in place of a yoke. Raw- hide material was also used to take the place of chains. The "carreta," a two-wheeled cart with solid wheels of wood, was the only vehicle used. The Mexican would attach his lasso to the tail of a dried rawdiide, and with the other e\u\ wrapped around the horn of his saddle, would draw his wife and chil- dren to the fandango, possibly a mile away. I have often seen the Mexicans, with a well-trained bronco. ELDORADO i8i draw a dead beef steer aloni^- the ground in the same manner. In '5i-'52 tine argicultural implements of American inanufacture were imported, and agricultural pursuits on a broad scale were inaugurated by Yankee enter- prise. Seed grain commanded exorbitant prices. 1 paid fifteen cents a pound for seed barley in '52, and in '54 my crop was estimated at 7,000 bushels. About one-third of that amount only was obtained, the de- crease being the result of the grasshopper invasion. From small beginnings California rapidly advanced to become one of the largest grain and fruit producing States in the Cnion. The total wheat crop in one year has exceeded thirty million bushels, and a correspond- ing amount of other cereals, all of a superior quality. The California wheat and barley are produced upon land that is free from all obstructions, where the gang- plow can run uninterruptedly over hundreds of thou- sands of acres. The fruit industry surpasses that of any country in the world. The climate and soil of the State are so diversified that every variety of fruit pro- duced in the temperate and almost tropical zones may be found here. Over* seventeen thousand carloads of citrus fruit of the finest quality grown in any country were shipped in 1900. The jM-evious year, twenty-six thousand carloads of deciduous fruit were sent out of the State. The total horticultural and agricultural products shipped in the year 1898. including wines and brandy, was fifty-six thousand one hundred and forty- nine carloads. T (|uote from the re])ort of the State P>oard of Trade. Sheep have numbered nearly seven million ; the an- nual production of wool reaching fifty-six million five i82 ELDORADO hundred thousand dollars. The olive industry in the Ignited States is almost entirely confined to California, and has become quite an important branch of oii: lio liculture. The first olive trees were planted in Cali- fornia when the Spanish "fathers," under Junipero Serra, located the first mission at Old San Diego in 1769. There were some three hundred trees planted at that time, and they still bear a full crop of fruit (-■very year. From that orchard nearly all the olive trees now growing in California were propagated. Un- fortunately but few of the old pioneers that laid the foundation of all these industries are now living to witness the magnificent results of their labor and sacri- fices. Their mantels, however, have fallen upon many noble sons and daughters, who can be depended upon to perpetuate the institutions and industries, and up- hold the honor of this imperial State, aided by the in- creasing population from the older States, who are of exceptional intelligence and enterprise. The largest and most productive grapevine in the world is in California, at Montecito, Santa Barbara county. In 1765 Senora Dominguez, then a little girl, was making a journey on horseback towards her home. She had in her hand, for a whip, a grapevine. After riding awhile she observed the vine was budding in her hand, and, upon her arrival at home, she planted it. It grew and today is fresh and vigorous, although it has entered its second hundredth ^ear. From this single sprig has grown a stem one foot and a half in diameter, with innumerable branches and ofT-shoots covering an area of one hundred and twenty feet in length, eighty feet in width and producing four tons of grapes an- nuallv. This vine and its product were for almost a ELDORADO 183 centurx' the chief support and shelter of its planter. For one hundred years Senora Dominguez lived be- neath the hospitable shade of this vine, and on the 9th day of May, 1865, at the advanced age of one hundred and five years, and just one hundred years from the time she had planted it, surrounded by over three hun- dred of her offspring in children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren, she passed away, leaving her generous vine still fresh and vigorous. The great growth and productiveness of this vine is attributed by some to the fact that its roots are watered by an adjacent mineral spring. In no State in the Union can it so truthfully be said that every one can sit under 'his own vine and fig tree" and enjoy the fruit of his labor, as in California. The rude, early home of the farmer has been replaced by one of elgance, comfort and luxury. Waving fields of grain, thrifty orchards and vineyards, an infinite va- riety of flowers and clustering roses, lend a sweet charm to peaceful homes, where musical voices of hap- py children cheer and bless the declining years of the pioneer and his wife, and the ripening fruits, bounti- ful harvests and genial climate, crown with success the labors of the tiller of the soil. Year after year the agri- cultural and horticultural area of the State has widened and the erroneous views of the early settlers respecting its capabilities have gradually disappeared. In the early settlement of California, cattle were in- troduced from Spain and Mexico. They soon multi- plied and in great herds roamed the hills and valleys as wild as deer. They were used only for beef and for their hides and tallow, which, for many years before the settlement of the countrv bv Americans, formed 1 84 ■ .EIvDORADO the chief exports. Whole herds were slaughtered in the field and the carcasses left where the animals were slain. These cattle resembled wild beasts more than domestic animals. They were of various colors, with large dark circles around the eyes and nostrils ; lank as greyhounds and fleet as deer. Their horns were im- mense, sometimes measuring six pr eight feet from tip to tip. As all the herders and vaqueros were always mounted, the cattle not being accustomed to seeing a man on foot, would, if they chanced to see one, encircle and attack him with great fury. A friend, crossing the plains east of Sacramento, on his way to the mines with his blankets on his back, was pursued by a band of Spanish cattle and only saved himself by jvimping down a steep bank and disappearing from sight just as the herd were upon him. There he had to remain until nightfall before continuing his jovirney. I myself, on one occasion, had a very narrow escape from death by being pierced by the sharp horns of an infuriated animal. 1 was wearing a red scarf (such as was uni- versally worn in those days), leggings, and large Span- ish spurs. I had alighted from the mule I was riding, and before I could regain my saddle, the brute was upon me. Fortunately my toe -caught in one of my spurs, and I was thrown to the ground on one side, when, possibly, a yard only intervened between us. Before the animal coud slacken his speed and return. 1 was safe in the saddle. Then I began to feel fright- ened as I realized my narrow escape. A general "rodeo," or round-up," took place once a year, in order that the owner of every unmarked ani- mal might imprint his "brand" upon it. There were lew corrals in those days, so, several of the vaqueros Avould- encircle the band of cattle, while one of their ELDORADO 185 number would mount his fleet, well-trained animal and make his way into the middle of the herd, hunting for unbranded stock. Swinging his riata, the vaquero would seek to lasso the chosen animal, while the herd would race away, bellowing, pawing and raising clouds of dust. When the animal was caught in the loop by the horns, neck, or foot, it was led to the branding place and the hot iron pressed deep upon the hip or shoulder. Lassoing grizzly bears was attended with some clan- ger, but the Mexican vaquero feared nothing when armed with the riata and mounted upon his sturdy and well-trained iiorse. Generally three or more, thus armed, would scour the gulches and mountain sides until they found their game, which soon would find itself snared with two or three rawhide ropes, one end of each fast to the saddle pommel, and the horses draw- ing in opposite directions. Thus, half strangled, leap- ing and biting at the riata, the bear was caught around the legs by the other riders, and either killed by the hunter's knife or led captive to the rancho. there eventually to play his part in the "bear and bull fight" for the delectation of the crowd. In the early days of California beef was sold by the yard ,and this custom still prevails in Lower California and other Spanish-American countries. The meat is cut into long strips and hung on trees to dry. Xo salt is put upon it. After it is thoroughly cured, which, in the pure, dry atmosphere of California, is rapidly ac- complished, it is coiled up like a rope and carried on the pommel of the saddle, upon the long journeys of the vaquero, for food, or to market. Such w^ere the customs and conditions of the country when the pion- i86 ELDORADO eers of 49-50 reached this coast. But we Hve in an age of progression and development. During the past fifty years, since CaUfornia became a State, inventions and new discoveries have been multiplied more than in all the preceding years since the beginning of the Chris- tian era. The lightning that Franklin attempted to bottle up at the end of a kite string, has been brought to do duty in nearly all industrial avocations among men. Every important item of news is now flashed by that subtile power to the most distant parts of the globe. Instead of the whale oil lamp and tallow candle in use fifty years ago, gas, kerosene oil, and elec- tricity illuminate every home, all public buildings, and the streets, highways and byways of every town and city in all civilized lands. The hand loom, spinning wheel, and distafif of our mothers are superseded by millions of spindles and the most wonderful machinery for manufacturing the coarsest as well as the most delicate fabric. From the old lumbering stage coach of our early days, we have the palace car, with a speed of sixty miles an hour, crossing the continent in three days, instead of five months with the pack mule and "prairie schooner." During the boyhood of us pioneers very few stoves were in use. Instead of the fireplace with the forestick and the back log, and irons, the crane and hooks, whereon our mothers hung the pot for puddings and bean porridge, we have today stoves, constructed in the highest style of art to be used not only with coal and wood, but also with gas, coal oil and electricity. In our youth there were no en- velopes, steel or gold pens ; the goose quill alone was used for writing purposes. There were no matches. Coals of fire sometimes had to be obtained from a near ELDORADO 187 neighbor in the absence of the "steel, flint and punk," to build the fire each morning in the old red or log school house, where the desks were supported by pegs driven in the wall, and long benches were used for seats, and where the birch and ruler took the place of moral suasion. Since our pioneer days steamships have largely taken the place of sailing vessels. Our nation has increased in population from twenty to eighty millions. Two great wars have been waged and slav- ery abolished throughout the Union. The Remington, Springfield and Mauser rifles have taken the place of the muzzle loader with a flint lock that had to be primed from the powder horn, and sometimes would flash in the pan. Our flag, the emblem of freedom, floats over millions of our fellowmen in distant lands and islands of the sea, to lead them on and up to a better and nobler condition of physical and intellectual life. But little more than a half century ago the vast region between the Rocky mountains and the Pacific ocean, acquired by treaty from Mexico, was almost as little known as the heart of Africa. Hunters and trappers told wonderful stories of personal adven- tures in the mountains and in California, described as "a land of enchantment, where it was always spring and summer, the rivers choked with salmon and the plains swarming with game." Farnham's "Travels in California," published in 1844, was considered as the exponent of all that was then known of the interior of California. He said, "it was a wilderness of groves and lawns, broken by deep and rich ravines. Along the ocean is a world of vegetable beauty, on the moun- tain sides are the mightiest trees of the earth, on the heights are the eternal snows lighted by volcanic fires. i88 KLDORADO Vast herds of wild horse and elk are met with in all parts of it. The noble elk is hunted by the Spaniards for his hide and tallow. These people go out in large companies, with fleet horses, and lasso them as they do bullocks near the coast. The grizzly bear inhabits the mountain sides and upper vales; these are so nu- merous, fat and large that a common sized ship might be laden with oil from the hunt of a single season. The streams everywhere divide the country into beautiful glades and savannahs, which, when the leaves are fall- ing, and the grape hangs in the greatest profusion on the limbs, when the deep red flowers of autumn dot the grassy fields and birds sing their melancholy hymns to the dying year, give the finest picture that the mind can conceive of a beautiful wilderness. The rushing waters sweep along the heights bordered with ever- green forests, like fairy paths of olden tales, rich glories to behold ; beauty reposing in the lap of the giant mountains to whom the sounding streams give music, the mountain dews give jewels, and the wild flowers, incense — a land of the wildest enchantment. This land will become hereafter one of the mosKenchant- ing abodes of men, a sweet valley for the growth of a happy and enlightened population, a lovely spot where the farm house — that temple of the virtues — may lift its rude chimnev among the myrrh trees." Such were the prophetic utterances of Mr. Farnham a little more than fifty years ago, after visiting this coast, but his horoscope was undoubtedly cast down the vista of the future several centuries before anticipating its realiza- tion. But this golden, imperial State is today enjoying the full fruition of Mr. Farnham 's finely expressed forecast concerning the future, of the little known ELDORADO 189 "wilderness,"' comprising that far distant "Land near the Setting Sun," known as Cahfornia. There is no State in the Union that lias provided better educational facilities, from the kindergarten to the university, than the State of California. The public school system of the State is built upon the most ad- vanced methods and receives generous support. Teach- ers must hold certificates obtainable only upon exami- nation or possession of university diplomas. High schools are provided by law and most of the teachers in these are college graduates. One of the functions of these schools is to prepare students for college courses, and they thus become the link connecting the common school with the university. There are five State Nor- mal Schools, which, like the common and high schools, are free, the Legislature having provided for their support. They are located at Chico, San Francisco, San lose, Los Angeles and San Diego. The pioneers of the State laid the foundation of that splendid uni- versity at Berkeley by giving it a large landed endow- ment, obtained from the national government, which has made it one' of the leading institutions of learning in the United States. The course of study embraces law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and veterinary science in what is known as Affiliated Colleges in San Francisco. The Mark Hopkins Institute of Art and the Lick Observatory on Blount Hamilton are con- stituent parts of the university. The great Leland Stanford Jr. University at Palo Alto, presided over bv David Starr Jordan, ranks high among the great educational institutions of the world. With its twenty niillion dollars endowment, it will no doubt realize the loftv aspirations of its founder and his noble wife, who igo ELDORADO is making its success her life work. One of the finest institutions of the State is the Throop Polytechnic In- stitute at Pasadena, for fitting young men and women for the practical duties of life. In all its appointrnents to efifectually carry out the noble objects of its founder, it is unexcelled by any similar institution in the United States. Located within a block from Throop Institute is the Pasadena Public Library, a splendid stone build- ing which cost about $40,000. It was l)Utlt by the i>eople of Pasadena; and on its shelves are 16,000 well- selected volumes. The City of Los Angeles, with its splendid universities, normal and high schools, offers educational facilities second to no city of hke popula- tion. The cit}' of Redlands, with a population of about 5000, has a public library building costing $60,000, including the beautiful park in which it stands, and was presented to the city b}- A. K. Smiley, one of its most enterprising and philanthropic citizens. The li- brary contains nearly 6000 volumes. The city is noted for beautA' and location, the refinement of its citizens, and social, educational and religious advantages. California has given expression to the religious senti- ment everywhere found in the United States in the establishment of church organizations. Cluirch prop- erty is valued at about twelve million dollars, which compares favorably with the older states. The situa- tion is well stated by one of the regents of the State L^niversities. "Concerning the spirit of religion in California, there is nothing peculiar, unless we take into consideration the conditions of the early Ameri- can occupation of the country. As a broad, general fact, men are eoverned bv their habits more than b\- ELDORADO 191 their principles. In the face of this great moral fact California society presents a most striking instance of the superiority of man's moral and religious senti- ment, without parallel in the history of our own or any other country. Far away on a lonely shore, to which all men of all races and tribes fled like birds of prey to their quarry, there has been established a state founded on justice, freedom and truth. The people of California are inclined to attach less importance to accurately formulated religion, and trust more to the great primary principles of manhood, honor, jus- tice and kindness according to common sense, right, reason and simple truth." The call of sufifering humanity has found a gen- erous response through legislative bodies, and per- haps no state in the Union has so many benevolent institutions as has California in proportion to her pop- ulation ; and vet taxation is not burdensome, and the management of these public and charitable institutions show an intelligence and wise economy of which the state may feel proud. He would not be far from the truth to say that nearly every adult male citizen be- longs to one or more secret orders, clubs or societies, many of which also admit women to their ranks. These are non-political and non-sectarian — devoted to fraternity and charitv. Many of them embody life insurance as part of their objects. Their teachings are chiefly based upon the Bible and traditions of sac- red history. There can be no doubt but that they exert a helpful influence upon society. T have briefly referred in my narrative to the de- votion, patience and fortitude of woman under the most adverse and trying circumstances on the plains 192 ELDORADO and amid all the discouragements of pioneer life. These facts cannot be too strongly empliasized . We pioneers used to wonder if even the minorit\- of women appreciate the amount of influence they ma}- exert for good in the home sphere for which Heaven special- ly designed us as well as them. Woinan and home ! How naturally the two words are blended ! It is the true woman who makes the home, who gives it all its brightness and charm. How the presence of a gentle, refined woman changes all the rough aspects of daily life. Her love, her tendencies, her care, transform everything. Let the mother die and the home dies with her. It is the mother who molds the men of the future, and through them shapes the destiny of the nation. It is better to be the mother of noble men and women than to be Senator, President, or enjoy any political ofifice than woman suffrage could bestow. In a remote mining camp, towards the head waters of the Feather River, in 185 1. a man and his wife, from Kane county, Illinois, appeared one day and erected a small tent for a temporary home. The news quickly spread that a woman was in camp, and early on the following morning, as soon as their toilets could be made, a score of anxious and hardy miners assembled outside that tent and respectfully asked the husband the privilege of seeing his wife as thev had not seen a white woman for manv months. The re- quest was cheerfullv complied with. Sh.e pleasantly came out and stood upon a convenient boulder so that all could plainly see her. The delightful miners doffed their sombraroes and gave her three hearty cheers. One of them then called for cheers for "home, mother, and "the girl T left behind me." Thev were given ELDORADO 193 with a will. This episode and the presence of the wo- man cheered and lightened their labors for many a day thereafter. Prior to the occupation of California by the Amer- icans, not a school existed in the whole country, ex- cept those maintained by the Padre for the conversion of the Indians. The first American school was estab- lished by a Mr. Marsten, at San Francisco, in 1847, he being the first "Yankee school-master" in Califor- nia. In the fall of that year the citizens of that "pue- blo" organized a public school and erected a small one story school house, which subsequently served for a church, where was first preached the Protestant re- ligion in California. The following October, Mr. and r\Irs. J. C. Pelton opened a private school, which in April, 1850, was made a public school, and Mr. Pel- ton and his wife were employed as the teachers at a monthly salary of five hundred dollars. The first newspaper puljlished in California was at Monterey, by Messrs. Colton and Semple, August, 1864. It was called "The Californian." The first week- ly paper started in San Francisco was published by Samuel Brannan and called the "California Star." The "Union" was the first paper published in Sacra- mento, and in 1851 was edited by B. F. Washington. In 1847 the "Californian" was transferel from Mon- terey to San Francisco. In January, 1847, S^" Francisco had a population of four hundred and fifty-nine persons. On April 15th. 1838, the first white child was born at Yerba- Buena (Good Herb), now San Francisco, and the city besran its historv. 194 ELDORADO CHAPTER XXI. LEGENDS AND EARLY HISTORY. The origin of the name "CaUfornia," has been a fruitful subject of discussion by writers, both of the past and present centuries, all of whom fail to give any positive data or circumstance to support the var- ious theories regarding it ; and as the most searching investigation has failed to clearly define the origin of the name some of the opinions regarding the sub- ject may be given. It is claimed that the name was first found in a small volume of romance published in Spain in 1510, entitled, "The Sergas of Esplandian, the Son of Amadis of Gaul." The following extracts from this comparatively ancient book will show how the name occurred. "Know that on the right hand of the Indies there is an island called California, very near the Terrestrial Paradise, which was peopled by black women, with- out any men among them, because they were accus- tomed to live after the manner of the Amazons. They were of strong and hardened bodies, of ardent courage and of great force. The island was the strongest in the world from its steep rocks and great clififs. Their arms were all of gold and so were the caparisons of the wild beasts thev rode." ELDORADO 195 "In the island called California are man)- griffins on acconnt of the great savageness of the country and the immense quantity of wild game to he found there." As the name originated, however-^before civilized man had beheld the land, before Cortez had invaded Mexico, Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean, or Mag- ellan first navigated its waters, it is supposed that the r.ame California originated in the brain of the novelist mentioned above. Centuries before the discovery of the American continent and while the early navigators of Europe made slow and tedious voyages to the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, the stories of the dis- coveries of distant lands and strange people consti- tuted much of the romantic and fabulous tales related about the "Terrestrial Paradise," and the "Land of Gold," their marvelous wonders and strange peoples. The Spanish novelist already quoted, assured his read- ers that the imaginary animal, the griffin — half lion and half eagle — which Avas supposed to watch over mines of gold and hidden treasure had its abode in California. To shoAv the absurdities of these earlv times and the notions of the people respecting this then unexplored land, the following extracts are given from the records of some of the earlv-explorers of the South Pacific, who had worked up their imaginations respecting the fabled Land of Gold. One writer, de- scribing the dangers of the seas, savs : "The crew and passengers consume their provisions and then die miserablv. Manv vessels have been lost in this wav ; but the people have learned to save themselves from this fate bv the following contrivance: thev tal-e bullocks' hides along with them, and whenever this storm rises thev sew themselves up in the hides, tak 196 ■ EIvDORADO ing care to have a knife in their hand ; and being se- cure against the sea-water, they throw themselves into the ocean. Here they are soon perceived by a large eagle called a griffin which takes them for cattle, darts down and seizes them in his grip, and carries them upon dry land where he deposits his burden upon a hill or in a dale there to consume his prey. The man. however, now makes use of his knife to kill the bird and creeps forth from his hide. Many people have been saved by this strategem." Another traveler, writing of the strange lands he had visited in this region of the world, says : "In one of these islands are people of great stature like giants, hideous to look upon, and they have but one eye which is in the middle of the forehead, and they eat nothing but raw flesh and fish." "And in another isle toward the south dwell people of cursed nature wlio have no head, but their eyes are in their shoul- ders. And in another isle there are dwarfs which have no mouth, but instead they have a little round hole through which they take their food and drink by means of a pipe or pen or something by sucking it in. Many other diverse people of diverse natures there are in other isles and lands there about." That California was the land mentioned In tlie novelist in T510, cannot be dovibted, as it was con- sidered an island and placed upon the maps as sik ■■ until the Vicerov of Spain, in 1686 (luore than one hundred and fifty years after Cortez), visited the country and discovered and reported it to be a part of the main land of the continent of America. T have chosen from what is regarded as the most authentic and reliable historical accounts obtainable of the early EIvDORADO 197 discoveries and explorations on the Pacific Coast. Er- rors may exist in the records of these pioneer adven- turers, but in the main they are no doubt truthful. Such explorers as Drake, Magellan, and Capt. Cook and some of the more enterprising of the Latin race, were men of high character, and were accompanied by scientific men to record all observations worthy of note. The first explorations of the Pacific Coast of North America were made by the Spaniards in the sixteenth century. After Hernando Cortez had com- pleted the conquest of Mexico, he commenced explor- ing the adjacent seas and countries, no doubt with the hope of discovering lands richer than those he had conquered, and which would afford new fields for the exercise of his daring enterprise and undaunted perseverance. He employed vessels in surveying the coast of the Mexican Gulf and of the Atlantic more northerly. Vessels were built upon the Pacific Coast for like purposes, two of which, as early as 1526, were sent to the East Indies. The first expedition of the Span- iards sent along the western coast of Mexico was con- ducted by an ofiicer under Cortez. Pie sailed from the mouth of the Zacutula River, in July, 1528, and was six months engaged in surveying the shores from his starting place to the mouth of the Santiago River, a hundred leagues farther northwest. The territory he visited was then called Talisco, and was inhabited by fierce tribes of men who had never been conquered by the Mexicans. When the expedition returned, Cor- tez was in Spain, whether he had gone to have his title and powers more clearly defined. He returned in 1530 with full power to make discoveries and con- 198 ELDORADO quests upon the western coast of Mexico. The coun- try claimed by Cortez for Spain was the southeast portion of the peninsula which was afterwards called California. An expedition commanded by Francisco de Ulloa was sent out by Cortez, sailing from Acapul- co, on the 8th of July, 1539. It reached the Bay of Santa Cruz after losing one of the vessels in a storm. From Santa Cruz, Ulloa started to survey the coast toward the north. Upon the examination of both shores of the Gulf of California he discovered the fact of the connection of the peninsula with the main- land near the thirty-secand degree of latitude. This gulf Ulloa named "the sea of Cortez." The following- October he returned to Santa Cruz and soon sailed again with the object of exploring the coasts farther west. He rounded the point now called Cape St. Lucas, the southern extremity of the peninsula of Low- er California, and sailed along the coast towards the north. His vessels were opposed by northwestern storms and he often landed and fought with the na- tives. In January, 1840, Ulloa reached an island near the coast which he named the "Isle of Cedars." There he remained until April, when one of his ships, bearing the sick, and accounts of his discoveries, was sent back to Mexico. Some writers assert that he contin- ued his voyage farther north, while others claim that nothing more was ever heard of LUloa after the return of the vessel he sent back. Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan friar, and a Moor, had been sent by the Spanish Viceroy, to make further discoveries in the interior, and had sent home glow- ing accounts of rich and delightful countries which they claimed to have discovered. Mendoza, who had ELDORADO 199 succeeded Cortez as Viceroy, believing the accounts of the friars to be true, prepared an expedition for the conquest of the countries described. One body of troops was sent by land and another by water. The marine expedition was undertaken by two ships un- der the command of Fernando de Alascon, who pro- ceeded along the west coast of the Gulf of California and reached the northern limit where he discovered the river now called the Colorado. He ascended that river some eighty leagues and then returned to Mex- ico. The land forces were commanded by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. Coronado followed the course described by the friar as easy, but he found it almost impassable. His forces made their way over moun- tains, deserts and rivers, until, they reached the long looked for seven cities of Cibola (now known to be the Indian pueblos of Zuni), and found a half culti- vated region, thinly peopled and destitute of wealth and civilization. The Spaniards took possession of the country and wanted to remain and settle there, but Coronado refused to acquiesce, and, naming one of the towns he visited "Granada," he started for the northwest in search of other countries. After wander- ing through the interior for nearly two years, reach- ing as far as the Missourt River, across Kansas, Cor- onado returned to Mexico disappointed and disheart- ened in 1542. In 1542 two vessels, under the command of Juan Roderiguez Cabrillo, rounded Cape St. Lucas, and pro- ceeded northwest along the coast as far as 38 degrees and finally took refuge in a harbor of one of the Santa Barbara islands. There Cabrillo died and the com- 200 EtDORADO niand devolved upon one Ferrelo, who proceeded to sail north, and in Febniary reached a promontory or head land which he named Stormy Cape. This prom- ontory was the most northern portion of California visited by that navigator, and it is probabl}' the same now called Cape Mendocino. The Spaniards ceased to explore the northwest coast for some time after the return of Ferrelo to Mexico in 1543- The first English navigator who visited California was Sir Francis Drake, in the Spring of 1579, and he landed on the shores of a bay, supposed to be that of San Francisco, the first vessel that ever passed through the Golden Gate. He formally took possession of the country in the name of Queen Elizabeth and called it New Albion. He left California on the 22d of July. 1579- Drake sailed from England in the year 1577, with a fleet of small vessels to cruise against the Spaniards in the South Seas, as the Pacific Ocean was then called. His own flagship, the PELICAN— afterwards known as the GOLDEN HINEL — a small ship of one hun- dred tons, was the only one of his scjuadron that en- tered the Bay of San Francisco, the others having been abandoned, lost or turned back, unable to endure the storms encountered in the passage. The year follow- ing his departure from England found him in the vi- cinity of Panama, freighted with plunder taken from the Spanish, and anxious to find his way home with his treasure. He feared to return by the route he came, lest he should be waylaid in the Straits of Magellan bv his enemies, or fall a victim to the storms that had ELDORADO 201 l)een so disastrous to his companions. He resolved, therefore, in order to "avoyde these hazards, to go forward to the islands of the Malucos and then hence to Layle, the course of the Portugals by the Cape of l^uena Esperance." "L'pon this resolution he began to think of his best way to the Malucos, and finding himself where he was now becalmed, he saw that of necessitie he must be forced to a Spanish course, namly to sayle somewhat northerly to get a winde. We, therefore, set sayle and sayled six hundred leagues at the least for a good winde and thus much we sailed from 16 of April till the 3 of June. The 5 day of June, being on 43 de- degrees towards the pole Arctic, we found the aver so cold that our men being greviousl\- pinched with the same, complained of the extremity thereof, and the further we went the more the cold increased upon us. Whereupon, we thought it best for that time to seeke the land, and did so, finding it not mountainous, but low plaine land till we came within 38 degrees towards the line. In which height it pleased God to send us into a fair and good Baye with a good wind to enter the same, where we found a good and convenient harborough." The harbor referred to in this ancient record, from which [ (|uote, was undoubtedly the l^ay of San Fran- cisco. The following quaint and interesting description of the country at that time illustrates the difiference be- tween the sixteenth century conditions and the present : "The next day after our coming to anchor in the aforesaid harborough the people of the country showed 202 ELDORADO themselves — sending off a man with great expedition to us in a canow. Who being yet but a little from the shoare and a great way from our ship, spoke to us continually as he came rowing on After that our bus- inesses were all dispatched, our Generall with his gen- tlemen and many of his company made a journey up into the land to see the manner of their dwelling and to be better acquainted with the nature and commodi- ties of the country. The inland we found to be far dif- ferent from the shoare, a goodly country and fruitful so3de, stored with many blessings fit for the use of man ; infinite was the company of very large and fat deere (elk) which we saw by thousands as we sup- posed in a heard, besides a multitude of strange kinde of conies by far exceeding them in number ; their heads and bodies in which they resembled other conies are but small ; his tayle like the tayle of a rat exceedingly long and his feet like the paws of a want or moale; under his chinne on either side he hath a bagge into which he gathereth his meate when he hath filled his belly abroade that he may with it either feed his young or feed himself when he lists not to travail from his borough. The people eat their bodies and make great account of their skinnes, for their kings holidaies coate was made of them. This country our General named New Albion and that for two causes ; one in respect to the white banks and cliffs which lie towards the sea, the other that it might have some affinity even in name also with our own country which was sometimes so called. Not far within this harborourgh did lye cer- tain Islands (we called them the Hands of Saint ELDORADO 203 James), having on them plentifull and great store of seals and birds, with one of which we fell July 24, whereon we found such provisions as might compet- ently serve our turne for a while." For much that refers to the visit of Sir Francis Drake to the north- west coast of California in 1579 and that tends to establish the disputed claim that San Francisco Bay, and not Bodega Bay or Point Re3'es as some claim, was the one he entered and in which he remained from the 17th day of June until the 23rd of July, I am in- debted to my pioneer friend, the late Dr. J. D. B. Still- man, in his "Foot-prints in California of early navi- gators." The "coney" or ground squirrel, referred to in Drake's narrative, is not seen in the vicinity of Point Reyes nor in Marin county, but is found in large num- bers in the warm level lands of Alameda county on the east side of the Bay of San Francisco. Sir Francis Drake returned to England b}- way of the Philippine Islands and the Cape of Good Hope, thus making a complete circuit of the globe. He wa: the first navigator that ever accomplished such a feat, returning home in the same vessel in which he com- menced his voyage. Two hundred years after Sir Francis Drake amazed the natives of "New Allion" with the sight of the first white men (whom they worshiped as gods), a group of white men again was seen overlooking our inland sea. This time it was Portala, with Franciscan monks, the farthest ripple of that expiring wave of Spanish conquest, that for centuries had been rolling along 204 ELDORADO the Pacific Coast. However interesting and instructive the story of the founding of the CaHfornia Missions might be, if pursued in detail, I can only briefly re- fer to their establishment and the political and religious events that transpired on this coast during the first half of the nineteenth century. How prophetic is the following, by one of the early visitors to these shores, and how remarkably has it been fulfilled. "It has been hitherto the fate of these regions, like that of modest merit or humble virtue, to remain unnoticed, but pos- terity will do them justice; towns and cities will here- after flourish where all is now desert. The waters over which scarcely a solitary boat is seen to glide will reflect the flags of all nations, and a happy, prosperous people, receiving with thanks fulness what prodigal na- ture bestows for their use, will disperse her treasures over every part of the world." The first establishment of the Spaniards in Califor- nia was made by the Jesuits in November, 1697. The settlement was called Loreto, and founded on the east- ern side of the peninsula of Lower California, about two hundred miles from the Pacific. On entering California the Jesuits encountered the some obstacles which had before prevented a settlement of the coun- try. Th natives continued hostile and killed several of the priests, but within sixty years after their en- trance into California, they had established sixteen missions, extending along the eastern side of the peninsula from Cape San Lucas to the head of the Gulf. Each of these establishments consisted of a church, a fort, garrisoned bv a few soldiers, some ELDORADO 205 stores, and dwelling houses, all under the control of the resident Jesuit father. None of that religious or- der visited the west coast except on one occasion in 1716. All the labors of the Jesuits were l)rought to an end in 1767. In that year Charles ITT of Spain issued a decree banishing members of that order from all Spanish territories ; and a strong military force, un- der command of Don Gasper de Portala, was dis- patched to California, and soon put an end to the rule of the Jesuits by forcing them from their converts. The Spanish government did not abandon California, and the peninsula soon became a part of Mexico, and was provided with a civil and military government. The missions fell under the rule of the Dominicans whose treatment of the natives was less humane than that of the Jesuits and many of them returned to their former state of barbarism. The Spaniards soon formed establishments on the western side of the peninsula. In the spring of 1769 a number of settlers, with s(Miie soldiers and Franciscan friars, marched across Lower California towards San Diego. They reached the bay of that name after enduring much hardship and began a settlement on the shore of the bay during the month of May, 1769. rVn effort was made soon after to establish another colony at Monterey, but the ]>arty under Portala that went in search of the place, l>assed further on to the bay of San Francisco, when they soon after returned to San Diego. The people left at that settlement had nearly perished for want of food and were greatly harassed by the Indians. A sup- 2o6 ELDORADO ply having arrived from Mexico by water, Portala again set out for Monterey and there effected a settle- ment. Parties of emigrants came from Mexico during the year 1770 and establishments were made on the coast between San Diego and Monterey. Eight set- tlements were effected between those points ]:)revious to 1779. The most southern post was San Diego and the most northern, San Francisco. Various expeditions for exploring the coast above Cape Mendocino were made by the Spaniards. One of these proceeded as far north as latitude 41 degrees, and some men were landed on the shores of a small bay just north of Cape Mendocino and gave the har- bor the name of Port Trinidad. The small river which flows into the Pacific near the place where they landed was called Pigeon River, from the great number of those birds found in that neighborhood. The Indians were a peaceable race and were inoffensive in their conduct towards the Spaniards. In the same year, 1775, Bodega, a Spanish commander, discovered a small bay a few miles north of the Golden Gate, which had not previously been described and gave it his own name, which it still bears. Few events worth relating occurred in California during the fifty years from the establishing of the Spaniards on the coast until the close of the Mexican war of independence with Spain. An attempt being made by the Russians to form a settlement on the shores of the Bay of Bodega in 1815. led to a remon- strance from the Governor of California, but it was disregarded and the command to quit the place was disobeved. The ae'cnt. Ktishof. denied the rigfht of the EI.DORADO 207 Spaniards to the territory, and the Governor being- unable to enforce his commands, was compelled to al- low the Russians to remain in possession until 1840, Avhen they left of their own accord. Before the com- mencement of the struggle in Mexico for independence from Spain in 1822, the missions in California were, to some extent fostered by the Spanish government and supplies were occasionally sent them. But when war began this aid was withheld and these establish- ments soon began to fall into decay, and the Padres, deprived of their authority, returned to Spain or Mex- ico, or took refuge in other lands. The Indians, being free from restraint, soon sank to their original condi- tion of barbarism. From T769 to 1823 twenty-one missions were founded in Alta, California. The first was the one at San Diego by Father Junipero Serra, July, 1769, who was commissioned president of all the missions of Up- per California. The padres chose wisely and well the most beautiful and fertile spots for their establish- ments, and in time became possessed of immense flocks and herds and enjoyed most of the luxuries of civil- ized life. Their church property was confiscated by the Mexican Government in 1833, and at present no trace of their presence or greatness is to be seen ex- cept in the dilapidated and crumbling walls of their mission structures and the declining cross as it droops in melancholy .solitude over the silent city where lie their buried dead. 2o8 ELDORADO CHAPTER XXII. LATER HISTORY. Very soon after the Spanish yoke was thrown off and Mexican authority estabHshed in California, for- eign vessels began to arrive in its principal ports, es- pecially whalers and traders from the United States, to exchange manufactured goods for hides and tallow furnished by tliQ Mission fathers. As the region grew in population, shipping became more regular and mer- cantile houses were established at various points on the coast. The white portion of the population was re- garded with a jealous eye by the Spanish and Mexican settlers, especially immigrants from and citizenes of the United States. About the year 1836 trouble began between the Mexican authorities themselves. Affairs were very much disturbed, and occasionally a revolution broke out. Angel Ramirez, a Mexican, and a chief official in the government, and Juan Alvarado, second official and a Californian of Spanish descent, became involved in a bitter person controversy, and Alvarado, being or- dered under arrest, fled, and sought refuge with one Isaac Graham in the Santa Cruz mountains. Many vears previonslv Craham had crossed the plans and the 14 ELDORADO 209 Sienrra Nevada as a hunter and trapper, and had now made a temporary home in the Santa Cruz range. He was a "Tennessee Yankee," and being of an adventur- ous turn, he, with Alvarado, upon hearing of his wrongs, concocted a scheme to overthrow Mexican au- thority in CaHfornia and estabhsh a free and indepen- dent state. In a few days Graham gathered a force of fifty riflemen, and Alvarado c.nd Jose Castro, with one hundred and fifty native Cahfornians, suppHed them- selves with ammunition from American vessels. They marched upon Monterey, the capital, and entered it by night, and made the governor, Nicholas Gutierrez, a prisoner. At first, some show of resistance was made, but a four-pound shot crashing through the roof of the presidio building, caused an immediate surrender. That was the only shot fired during that revolution. Alvarado and Castro were now in possession of the capital, and California was declared a free and inde- pendent state, with Alvarado at the head of civil, and Guadalupe Vallejo, of military, affairs. The governor, with his officers and soldiers were banished, and a re- publican government established. California eventually, again submitted to i\Iexican rule, and Alvarado and Castro were given important positions. Graham and other foreigners who had as- sisted in the revolution now became obnoxious to Al- varado, and he had them arrested and sent as prisoners to Monterey and Santa Barbara, and some to Mexico. The exiles, however, returned after a time through the kindness of the English and other foreign consuls in the ports where they were confined. 2IO ELDORADO The enterprising and irrepressible American now en- tered upon a new role in California. Commodore Jones, of the United States navy, being on the coast, learned in some way that trouble existed between his government and Mexico. Inferring that this "strain- ing of diplomatic relations" would result in war, he entered the port of Monterey, hoisted the Stars and Stripes, and took possession of the capitol, and pro- claimed California a part of the American republic. On the following day, however, he learned that his acts were premature and quietly hauled down his ban- ners and departed. In the same year, 1842, the Mexi- can government appointed General Micheltorena gov- ernor of California, with authority to exercise all the power hitherto vested in Alvarado and General Vallejo. These two, with General Castro, entered into a con- spiracy to drive Micheltorena out of the country. Castro, with a small force, marched to San Juan, and captured the town and all the government ammunition which was stored there. The governor, fearing defeat, called for aid from Captain John A. Sutter, who had been a foreign resident of the country since 1839. Sutter responded, and with one hundred mounted men, mostly foreigners, went to the rescue. General Castro, at the head of the "rebel" army, met the government forces a short distance from Los Angeles on the 21st of July, 1845, where an engagement took place. It lasted two days, with the result that four persons were killed and Micheltorena surrendered unconditionally with all his forces, who were shipped to San Bias on board an American vessel. Once more California was ELDORADO 211 an independent country, with Pio Pico governor and Castro general in chief. The third American expedition directed by Con- gress, was under John C. Fremont, who started in the early part of 1845, across the plans and the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific with instructions to find the best route to the mouth of the Columbia River. After a most hazardous journey, he arrived — with his faithful guide and escort, Kit Carson, and his men (six of whom were Delaware Indians), the whole company consisting of sixty-two men — within a hvmdred miles of Monterey, where he halted and proceded in person to the headquarters of General Castro, then in charge of the territory. His object was to obtain for himself and company a pass to go to the San Joaquin valley, where hunting and pasture were abundant. He re- ceived a verbal promise from the general that it would be all right to go where he desired, and that on his word of honor as a soldier he would not be molested. Three days after Fremont's departure, General Castro raised an army of three hundred native Californians, and sent a dispatch to Fremont, notifying him to quit the coun- try at once else he would march upon him and "put to death his whole company." This treachery did not surprise or frighten Fremont, who replied that he would leave whenever he was ready and not before. •He prepared for action by entrenching himself on what was known as "Hank's Peak," about thirty miles from Monterey, overlooking that city, where he raised ihe American flag. The whole company was well armed, each having a knife, a tomahawk, Iwo pis- 212 ELDORADO tols, and a rifle. Castro now came dashing on with cavalry, infantry and artillery, but, making a few "brave" demonstrations of an attack, galloped off with- out coming within range of Fremont's bullets. Castro issued bullentin after bulletin stating the terrible de- struction he would visit on the little band, but always kept out of rifle range of the entrenchments on the "Peak." After four days of this kind of fighting, Fre- mont broke camp and started on his journey towards Oregon. As his force deliberately took up its line of march, Castro was no where to be seen. Among the officers of a British ship, which happened to be at Mon- terey, and who saw Fremont enter the place with his company, was Lieutenant Walpole, who gave his im- pressions of their appearance in a book he published on his reutrn to England, entitled "Four Years in the Pacific." He wrote : "Captain Fremont and his party arrived. They naturally excited curiosity. Here were true trappers, the class that produced the heroes of Fennimore Cooper's best works. These men had passed years in the wilds, living upon their own re- sources. They were .a curious set. A vast cloud of dust first appeared, and then in a long file tliis wildest, wild party. Fremont rode ahead, a spare, active-look- ing man, with such an eye ! He was dressed in a blouse and leggings and wore a felt hat. After him came five Delaware Indians, who were his body guard, and have been with him through all his wanderings ; they had charge of two luggage horses. The rest, many of them blacker than the Indians, rode two and two, rifle held l)y one hand across the pommel of the saddle. Thirty- EI.DORADO 213 nine of them are regular men, and the rest picked up lately ; his original men are principally backwoodsmen from the State of Tennessee and the banks of the up- per waters of the Missouri. He has one or two with him who enjoy a high reputation on the prairies. Kit Carson is as well known there as the Duke is in Europe. The dress of these men are principally a long, loose coat of deer skin, tied with thongs in front ; trousers of the same, of their own manufacture, which, when wet through, they take off, scrape well inside with a knife, and put on as soon as dry. The saddles were of various fashions, though these and a large drove of horses and a brass field-gun, were things they had picked up about California. They are allowed no liquor ; tea and sugar only ; this no doubt has much to do with their good conduct; and the discipline too is very strict. They were marched up to an open space on the hills near' the town, under some large trees, and there took up their quarters in messes of six or seven in the open air. The Indians lay beside their leader. One man, a doctor, six feet six inches high, was an odd- looking fellow. May I never come under his hands." Fremont proceeded to Oregon and had reached Klamath Lake, when he was overtaken by Lieutenant Gillispie of the United States army, who had left Washington the previous Xovember, crossing the country from Vera Cruz to Mazatlan. Arriving at Monterey in a U. S. slooj) of war he had started up the country to find the explorers. He had letters for Fremont from the Secretary of State, which, when de- livered to Fremont, led him to retrace his steps to the 214 ELDORADO valley of the Sacramento. On the very night after re- ceiving his dispatches, and while all were asleep, the Indians broke into his camp and assassinated several of his men, and might have slain the whole company had it not been for the vigilance of Carson, who sound- ed the alarm. The details of this unfortunate affair I have already mentioned in my narrative. Fremont en- camped on his return near the mouth of Feather river, where the settlers soon flocked around him. General Castro was reported to be on the march to attack him. A company of twelve volunteers started for the Mexi- can fort at Sonoma, and on the 15th of June, 1846, en- tered and captured the post, where they found two hundred and fifty stands of arms and nine cannons. Here they captured General Vallejo and took him a prisoner to Sutter's fort at Sacramento. William B. Ide, a New England man, was left to garrison the fort at Sonoma, with a force of eighteen men. General Castro issued a proclamation calling up- on his countrymen to rise and drive the "marauders" from the soil. On the i8th of June, Ide issued his proclamation to the people of Sonoma to defend them- selves and assist in establishing a republican govern- ment. He announced himself as "commander and chief" of the troops at the fortress of Sonoma, and gave his inviolable pledge to all persons in California not found under arms that "that they should not be disturbed in their persons, their property or social re- lations one with another by men under his command." His army consisted of eighteen men. Further on in his "proclamation" he says: "We have been pressed by ELDORADO 215 military despotism and threatened with extermination if we did not depart out of the country, leaving all our property, arms, and beasts of burden, thereby deprived of means of flight or defense, to be driven through deserts inhabited by hostile Indians to certain destruc- tion * * * I also solemnly declare my object to be to invite all peaceful and good citizens of California who are friendly to the maintenance of good order and equal rights, and I do hereby invite them to repair to my camp at Sonoma without delay to assist in estab- lishing and perpetuating a republican government which shall secure to all civil and religious liberty," (under Mexican rule the exercise of no religion was permitted except the Roman Catholic), "which shall encourage virtue and literature, and shall leave un- shackled by fetters, agriculture, commerce and manu- factures. I further declare that I rely upon the rec- titude of our intentions, the favor of Heaven, and the bravery of those who are bound and associated with me by the principles of self-preservation, by the love of truth and the hatred of tyranny, for my hopes of success. I furthermore declare that I believe that a government to be prosperous and happy, must origi- nate with the people who are friendly to its existence ; that the citizens are its guardians, the officers its ser- vants, its glory its reward." This proclamation was dated and signed, June 18, 1846, William B. Ide. A flag was improvised by painting in a rude form the figure of a grizzly bear on a piece of white cotton cloth. It followed Ide's proclamation and was the first flag after California was declared independent of Mex- 2i6 EIooneville, a brother-in-law of Col. James Collins, who published the first newspaper in New Mexico, and who was verv mvsteriously murdered there, and a dozen oth- ers, whose names are not remembered, started from the citv of Santa Fe some time during the winter of 18,^2-33. on their wav to St. Louis. Their idea in se- lecting this inhospitable season for their trip was, that they thereby hoped to avoid molestation by the In- dians, as thev had a large amount of gold and silver with them. Their route lay along the Canadian Fork of the .Arkansas river, and they used every precau- 254 ELDORADO tion to avoid a collision with the savages, but in vain. As they w^ere journeying close to a line of low sand-hills, a large force of Indians, lying behind them, fired upon the party, and in a few seconds all of their animals and several of their men lay dead around them. Though taken by surprise, the survivors fought gallantly, digging shallow rifle pits and piling up their dead animals, packs and baggage as breast- works. Here they maintained themselves until they were unable longer to endure the awful agonies of thirst, and taking all the ammunition they could carry and a few dollars from the vast hoards that lay around them, they scattered the remainder of their ammuni- tion, so as to render it useless to the Indians, and choosing the darkest portion of the night, they stole cautiously out of camp and began their toilsome and terrible march towards the nearest Arkansas settle- ments. To their surprise the savages did not pursue them, but they found in the frozen and desolate plains, a foe no less to be dreaded. They were unable to secure any species of game ; and wild beans, the roots of weeds and grasses, and even insects, were for sixteen days their only food. Almost frozen, and famished for want of proper sustenance, they wandered despair- ingly onward, regretting that the bullets and the ar- rows of the Comanches had not bestowed upon them a speedy and merciful death. Some fell through exhaustion, and tumble to rise, perished where they lay ; others, of stronger frames or more indomitable spirit, staggered wearily along, mere skeletons of men, looking like horrible phan- ELDORADO 255 tasms, and jibbering in the incipient idiocy, incident to their starving thirst, holding with them horrible converse and tempting them to suicide and murder. On the seventeenth day of their wanderings, one of the men — named Harris — of heroic endurance, left his dying comrades, and hastened on for relief. The others now became idiots, through inanition, wept and babbled, unable almost to move. Harris was lucky enough to strike the camp of a party of Creek Indians, out on a hunting expedition, and sent them to the relief of his companions. At this time, William Waldo — who was then in the Indian nation, having left Santa Fe a short time before — heard of the ter- rible plight of these men, and hastened to their relief, arrived shortly after their rescue by the Creeks. They had been taken to Fort Gibson, and from there by boat to St. Louis. To palliate, in some measure, the savage hostility of the Comanches, at this period it will be necessary to explain its origin. Up to a short time before the ter- rible battles, in which we have seen the Bents en- gaged, the Comanches had always been friendly to the American trappers and traders, and fearing no trouble, a company of men crossing the plains had detached two of their number, McNeice and Monroe, to go ahead and select a camping place. They had become extremely careless, being in the Comanche country and understanding that they were friendly, and after choosing a camp, they had, from all indications, lain down and gone to sleep. Here they were killed bv Indians, who were probably not able to resist the temptation of safely murdering two white men. The stream upon which this cowardly 256 ELDORADO deed was perpetrated, has ever since borne the name of McNiece's creek. It was but a few days after this sad occurrence that a party of twenty Comanches rode up to the com- rades of the murdered man, evidently anticipating no trouble ; but the whites, in order to avenge their com- panions, fired upon them, only a few of the savages escaping the close and unexpected volley. From that day to this, the Comanches have been the implacable enemies of the whites, though before they had, with the exception of the two men, been very friendly. In 1826 a party of seventy men, under the command of Captain Le Grand, had started from New Orleans to Santa Fe, for the purpose of hunting, trapping and trading, and missed their way upon the terrible desert plateaus of the Llano Estacada, or staked plains. They had wandered for days over this terrible tract, and fully one-half their number perished of famine, be- fore they were discovered by the Comanches ; who, after nursing them back to health, clothed them suit- ably, and conveyed them to Santa Fe, without de- manding ransom or reward. A party under command of a Captain Means, of Howard countv, Missouri, and whose descendants still live in that county, were traveling along a few weeks behind the partv which had fired upon the Indians, in return for the murder of Monroe and McNeice. Ignorant of the change in the attitude of the Co- manches, and having everv confidence in their friend- ship, these men rode confidently into a large encamp- ment of these savages, and were surprised bv a fire, thnt cut down Captain Means and several others. Retreating as well as they could, thev entrenched EIvDORADO 257 themselves, as the Eustice party afterwards did, with their dead mules and baggage. Here they made a brave fight, but were at last compelled to succumb to the same enemy that afterwards vanquished Eustice, and packing all their money upon their backs they stole out of camp during the night, and retreated to- wards the Arkansas river. When this was reached, they found that they were unable to carry their money any further, and they cached it on the west bank of the river, where it was recovered the next year intact, not a single dollar missing. A brawny Englishman carried, to the last, his share of the money, some seventeen hundred silver dollars — in weight, about a hundred pounds. He de- clared that he'd just as lief be dead, as to be without ready money, and that while he lived he would carry it. Most of the company became exhausted from famine. Two of the most hardy hastened forward for succor. These were Thomas Ellison, of Cooper countv, and Bryant of Boone countv, IVTissouri. At Council Grove, Kansas — then in the wilderness — they managed to kill a bird, either a crow or a buzzard, and, after a feast upon this obscene fowl, they were able to push on to the settlements on the border, where they obtained aid for their dying comrades.. All of these were in a pitiable plight, when rescued. One of them named Harriman. a resident of Chariton countv, Missouri, had become perfectly blind and when found was Iving upon his back endeavoring to beat ofif, with a stick, the swarming covotes. which from his cadaverous ap- pearance, and their determined attacks, seemed to 17 fancy him already legitimate prey. 258 ELDORADO In 1829, a party of men, of whom the Bents and Waldo were among the number, were still willing to encounter the fearful odds of Indian combat, applied to General Andrew Jackson, who had just taken his seat as President, for a military escort to accompany them to the Arkansas river, which at that time formed the boundary between the two republics of North America. This request was readily granted, and Major Ben- nett Riley — who afterwards became a General, and who figured in the history of the Pacific slope as Mil- itary Governor of California — was detailed with two hundred men to meet the party at Fort Leavenworth and accompany them to the Arkansas. The company of traders numbering sixty men rendezvoused at Round Grove, about forty miles west of Independ- ence, Missouri. Here Charles Bent was chosen Cap- tain of the company, and with thirty-six wagons, fully freighted with valuable goods, they set out for Santa Fe ; being joined by Major Riley, to whom they had dispatched a messenger, at the junction of the Inde- pendence and Leavenworth trails. In due time, and without any event worthy of rec- ord, they reached the Arkansas, at Chouteau's Island, and bidding farewell to the gallant Major and his brave soldiers they plunged into the shallow waters .of the river; and were soon on Mexican soil. Here their troubles began ; the deep, dry sand engulfing their wagon wheels almost to the hubs, stalled the teams, and utterly prevented an orderly arrangement upon the march. Notwithstanding the constant order to close up, the wagons were soon strung out over half a mile of road. To guard against surprise, Cap- ELDORADO 259 tain Bent had thrown out advance and rear guards, but either through negligence of these videttes, or from the completeness with which the Indians had concealed themselves, they had gone only nine miles, when the savages seemed to spring from the very bowels of the earth, and poured in a close and heavy fire upon them. The surprise was complete, but Bent, mounted on a large black horse, bareheaded, and with his long black hair floating upon the wind, dashed up and down the line forming his men. Every ravine swarmed with Indians, but above their terrific yelling was heard the stentorian whoop of Bent. Two of his men had been lagging in the rear of the train, and, at the first fire, one fell dead, while the other, with fifty Indians in pursuit, dashed on towards the wagons. Escape would have been impossible, had not Bent seen the situation and charged toward the advancing savages with a fury that eflFectually checked their pur- suit, and enable the man to join his comrades. The battle continued to rage furiously, and nothing but Bent's coolness, and the desperate bravery of his men. prevented a charge from the Indians, who numbered at least a thousand. In the train was a small brass cannon, the first that ever crossed the Arkansas trail, and it was greatly dreaded by the Comanches. amongst whom the first discharge had made fearful havoc. After digging rifle-pits. Bent, seeing that without water he would be unable to long maintain his posi- tion, called for volunteers to endeavor to notify Major Riley of the situation of the party. Although the dutv seemed one that must lead to certain death, vet 26o ELDORADO so great a number announced their willingness to go, that it was necessary to select nine men to undertake the mission. These heroes knew that their sole de- pendence lay in their fighting qualities, for their mules were so worn down by fatigue, that flight was out of the question. From some unaccountable reason the swarming Indians allowed them to pass through their lines, without firing a single shot at them, and with all haste they set out for the Arkansas river, where they still hoped to find Riley encamped. This gallant officer beheld them, at some distance, and rightly surmising that there was trouble ahead, he at once began striking his tents, and by the time thev had arrived, he was already upon Mexican soil, and marching swiftly to the relief of his beleaguered countrymen. It was a breach of national etiquette — this crossing the boundary of a friendly power with an armed force — but blood was thicker than water, and the ties of true bravery and humanity more po- tent than the red tape rules of form and ceremony. So rapid and silent was Riley's approach to the train, that he even penetrated between the pickets of the traders and their camp before he was discovered. Then there arose such joyous cheers from camp and soldiers that the savages, concluding that they, in turn, would have to assume the defensive, quietly de- camped, and the caravan was accompanied through the sand hills bv the troops, and was once more safe. The arrival of Rilev was a God-send to the trap- pers, who must otherwise have eventually been obliged to desert their train, and seek for water, or perish of thirst. One of the hired men in the train now ap- ELDORADO 261 plied lo the Major to enlist with him, but, surmising liis reason for this move, the officer asked him why he wished to become a soldier, 'ihe fellow frankly in- formed him that he was afraid to contmue wun tlie tram, now that the escort was about to return. As soon as he heard this answer, Rilqy told him that his men were soldiers, not cowards, and he did not want any of the latter class. Others of the train men were waiting to see the success of this fellow's application, and if all had en- listed who desired to do so the expedition of the traders must have been abandoned right there. Mr. Lamb, the wealthiest of the traders, fell in this battle, and was buried in the sand hills, but after- wards, I believe, the remains were removed to St. Louis, and there re-interred. We have now, after considerable preliminary explanation, approached the reason for the traders turning their course from Santa Fe, which point they had intended at first to reach, to Taos, some eighty miles further to the north. By this detour they not only avoided canyons, in which there were sure to be dangerous ambuscades, but they were also enabled to obtain a Mexican military es- cort. General Viscarro was ordered to accompany the traders from Taos to Santa Fe, and they once more set out on their journey. At Cinnamon river a large party of savages ap- proached the escort, bearing in their van the Chris- tian symbol of the cross, made by tying an arrow transversely across a spear. Honoring this novel flag of truce with the devotion of a true Catholic, Viscarro was informed that, if he would order the Americans to remove to a sufficient distance to prevent them from 262 EI.DORADO beholding the submission of the Comanches, the latter would surrender, and lay down their arms. Viscarro very foolishly allowed himself to be made a victim of this weak strategem, and no sooner had the foes whom the Indians so greatly dreaded, retired out of sight, than the treacherous savages poured a de- structive fire into the Mexican ranks at such close range as to kill and wound many of the ofhcers and men. The escort, taken completely by surprise, was entirely at the mercy of the Indians, when Bent, hear- ing the firing and suspecting treachery, gathered to- gether his mounted men, and flew to the relief of the Mexicans. Enraged at the peculiar infamy of the savages, Bent and his men burst upon them with fierce yells and oaths, and delivered a deadly volley right in their faces. Their rifles were then discarded, and having next emptied their pistols, they followed up their at- tack with tomahawks and clubbed rifles, and soon had the Comanches in full flight, the field thickly strewn with their dead and wounded. An action worthy of record was here performed by a Pueblo (or village) Indian, of the San Pablo com- munity. Being near General Viscarro, and under- standing the language of the hostiles, he heard one of the latter exclaim, in his native tongue, "Now for this General," and calling out at the top of his voice "homhres quedado" (look out men) he then threw himself before Viscarro and received in his own body the bullet intended for the commander, and fell to the ground, as noble a hero as the lists of chivalry record. On the return of the caravan to the Arkansas river, it was still under the protection of Viscarro, who EIvDORADO 263 was anxious to meet Major Riley, who it was un- derstood, was on the east bank of that river awaiting the arrival of the traders. After the departure of the train, which Riley had escorted through the sand hills, he had received or- ders to remain on the Arkansas river until it should have returned and convey it back to the Missouri. For three months the brave fellow had held his post in this barren wilderness, and had had almost daily battles with the Indians. Quite a number of his men had been slain in these desultory combats, and nearly all of his stock had been killed or stampeded. His greatest disaster had occurred through .the cowardise of one of his officers, a Captain, whom he had sent with a large force to kill some buffaloes. The Indians attacked the party, and this Captain of the Bob Acres school, fled and suflfered a number of his men to be slaughtered by the savages. He was afterwards court-martialed, and ignominiously dis- missed from the service. Riley at last became satisfied that the traders had either been massacred by the Indians, or had deter- mined to stay in Mexico, and crippled as he was for want of stock, he set out on his return to "the States" just two days before Viscarro's arrival on the oppo- site bank. So anxious was the Mexican to meet the American troops, that Bent sent an express on to over- take Riley, and halt him, until they could come up. He was found about thirty miles from the Arkansas, and when the Mexicans arrived two days were very pleasantly spent in the interchange of military cour- tesies. There were drills, inspections, dress parades 264 ELDORADO and sham battles, and the men of the two escorts parted firm friends. From this time on nothing exciting occurred, and the Americans and Mexicans reached their respective homes in safety, meeting with no more serious an- noyance than the nightly serenades of the infernal coyotes. The disheartened savages had given up their attempt to crush out the travel along the Arkansas trail, and entered into no more great military combina- tions, preferring the safer and to them more natural warfare of small, predatory bands, moving with ce- lerity, and striking only detached individuals, and small, unguarded bodies of men. Depending entirely upon the hunting for their supplies, and with no idea of an organized commisariat, the savage is unequal to extended or prolonged military operations, and to this fact, almost as much as to his inferior determina- tion, may be traced the causes of his immense infer- iority to the white man as a warrior. Bents Fort, or Fort William, as it was first known, was situated on the Arkansas, and was the property of St. Yrain and William Bent. It was built in 1833, and the celebrated Kit Carson — who had graduated as a trapper and hunter, as well as Indian fighter, from the school of the brave and noble Ewing Young — was the post hunter here from 1834 to 1842. In the latter year he became the chief guide to Lieutenant Fremont, and acted as such in his various expeditions, undertaken under government auspices. This fort witnessed many mutations, and was the scene of sev- eral important events. Here General Kearney rendez- voused his troops, before starting across the plains for the conquest of California, and here the Texas ELDORADO 265 ftlibustering expedition of Colonels Snivel)' and War- tield gathered, in 1843, ^^^' their decent upon Mexico. On one occasion it was besieged by some thousands of plain's Indians ; all of the various tribes having laid aside their mutual hostilities, and leagued together for the extermination of the white men, and the closing of all routes across the plains, and through their hunt- ing grounds. Bill Bent, approaching it with his wagon train, and knowing that two or three hundred raw recruits of the United States army formed its only garrison, hastened rapidly to its relief. On his way he met several deserters, who, in the night, had scaled the walls of what they regarded as a doomed place, and stealing cautiously through the savage lines, had fled with all speed toward the States. Several couriers had also been dispatched, at inter- vals of twelve hours apart, to hurry up reinforce- ments. When he arrived in sight of his fort, Bent saw that it was menaced by a terrible danger ; the thou- sands of hostile Indians dancing their war and scalp dances, and endeavoring to work themselves up to the proper pitch of frenzy to make their attack. At the sight. Bent's blood fairly boiled, and leaving his train under charge of one of his best men, he mounted his horse and rode furiously toward the fort. His hat was off, and his long hair trailed out behind him like a banner from its staff, and it was a trophy, that any of the savages would have been more than proud to wear at his belt. As he dashed along he uttered his fierce war-whoop, and with oaths, couched in the choicest Cheyenne, v^ioux, Arapaho and English, he dashed through the ranks of the awe-struck Indians and reached the eate 266 EI.DORADO of the fort. Behind hnn, no less brave nor deter- mined, came tearing along his firm friend and ally, Yellow Bear, the great Arapaho chief and strung out in single file behind him, came fiercely onward a few of his truest braves, any one of whom would have gone cheerfully to his death at the word of Bent or Yellow Bear. The wagon train came steadily along, its men marching, fully armed, alongside, and all well closed up, and it reached the fort in safety. Here they found Bent getting everything ready in order to give a warm welcome to the braves, who were evidently bent on an assault. They would have met with a hot reception, but their numbers must have eventually triumphed, when an unforeseen event occurred. The look-out, the next morning after Bent's arrival, beheld afar to the East a slight cloud of dust, and after a while, a few black specks became visible beneath its shadow. As these approached they grew in size and were seen to be Indian videttes, with their ponies on a dead run. On their arrival at the Indian encampment — for the Indians had ostensibly come to demand their annui- ties, and had brought along their families, goods and lodges — a curious scene was enacted. The squaws at once began taking down their lodges, adjusting and packing their travais, and soon the entire Indian camp was in full retreat. Amidst the insulting yells of the warriors, the yelping of dogs, the squalling of babies and the rattle of pots and kettles, piled upon the travais, the savage besiegers crossed the Arkansas and disappeared from view. The mystery of this unaccountable move upon the part of the allied Indians was explained when, late on ELDORADO 267 the evening of the next day, those in the fort beheld the approach of a regiment of United States cavah-y which had been sent to the rehef of the fort. By their admirable picket system, the savages had been ap- prised of their approach long before the whites dreamed of it, and fearing that vengeance might be taken for their hostile attitude and their warlike threats they had prudently decamped. Bill Bent had quite a family by a Cheyenne wife, and at one time bought property at Westport, Mis- souri — for which at that time, Kansas City was the landing — and furnished his house handsomely. The restraints of civilization were, however, too much for the prairie-born and plains-reared wife and children, and they returned to the wilderness, after a short trial of their new life. His daughter married some white man at Westport, and the boys returned to their mother's tribe, where they became thorough Indians, although, through the efforts of their father who spared no pains to civilize them, they had acquired moderate educations. When the ranchmen were retreating from the Platte during the Sioux and Cheyenne troubles about 1863, it was reported that two of Bent's sons, George and one called "little Bent," were in command of Cheyenne bands. None of them ever attained the celebrity of tlieir father, in anything; the taint of In- dian blood poisoning their nobler qualities, and these "degenerate sons of an illustrious sire" show strongly the evil effects of a mongrel mixture of races, in which, as a general rule, only the worst qualities of each parent are perpetuated, .and the nobler extin- guished." j68 ELDORADO CHAPTER XXVI. PERSONAL NARRATIVE CONTINUED. In the spring of 1856 I disposed of my property in- terests on the Consumnes river in Sacramento county for the purpose of returning to the States. It was to fulfill a promise made to my mother when eleven years of age, on the death of my brothers in 1837 that I would care for her and father when they became old. That time had now come. The promise was kept, and at their death a monument was erected to their mem- ory, on the one side "To my mother," "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord;" on the other, "Gone to his rest." For the third and last time I returned to Cali- fornia. Before leaving for the States with my wife and six months' old child (I was married in San Francisco January 19th, 1854), I visited various districts of the mining region with which I had not previously been familiar, traveling by stage as an "occasional" corre- spondent of the Sacramento Union. Except by pack train, the old Concord stage coach was the only mode of traveling over the mountains in those days, with six broncos attached and the cele- brated "Hank Monk" or other fearless Jehus for drivers. The perilous rides at breakneck speed along ELDORADO 269 mountain grades, with only a narrow margin into the abyss a thousand feet below, would sometimes make one's "hair stand on end." A traveler has only to round "Cape Horn" on the Central Pacific railroad to realize the sensation of rounding that point in a stage coach with broncos at full speed. Staging- over the mountains in the '50's was "pleas- antly" illustrated in the trip to California of Horace Greeley and Schuyler Colfax. While at Reese's Sta- tion in Carson valley Mr. Greeley expressed some doubt of reaching Hangtown in time to deliver a pre- viously advertised lecture at that place. "Hank Monk" was the driver. The distance was one hundred miles. After leaving the station at the snow line near the backbone of the high Sierras on the down grade,. Hank, with his long whip, would urge his six fleet- footed broncos along the stretches and around the curves, causing the coach— as Mr. Greeley expressed it — to "sway and rock like a ship in a storm." Finally, believing his own life and that of all those with him to be in imminent danger Air. Greeley requested the driver to slow up, or he would lea^'e the stage and go on foot. The only reply he received was, "Keep your shirt on, Mr. Greeley, I will get you there on time," followed by a crack of the whip. He got him there all right. Poor Hank Monk, generous, jovial and true, was everybody's friend. His last words on his dying bed were, "I am on the down grade and I can't get my foot on the break." We visited Illinois town in Placer county (now Col- fax, named after the Vice-President), then a small mining camp on the old emigrant and stage route over 270 EIvDORADO the mountains, but now a lively railroad town on the line of the Central Pacific railroad. Auburn, Gold Hill, Dutchflat, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Timbuctoo and Marysville were also visited, all of which were lively mining centers. I had previously visited a part of the mining camps of the foothill region in El Do- rado and Sacramento counties, with a company or- ganized to pursue the noted robber and land pirate, Joaquin Murrieta. The exploits and crimes committed by this cele- brated bandit form a part of the early history of Cali- fornia familiar to all early pioneers. It was said that while living peaceably with his young wife in Tuolumne county, engaged in mining, three young men, said to have been Americans, entered his cabin while they were partaking of their frugal mid-day meal, and after tying the young husband, brutally abused and outraged his wife before his eves. He fol- lowed and killed the whole number. This justifiable act made him an outlaw, and from that time a heavy reward was placed upon his head, dead or alive. He was joined by other Spanish desperadoes and for many months thev defied the authorities, murdering and rob- bing at will, and making their escape upon their fleet animals into the remote valleys or mountain fast- nesses. Some citizens on their way to church in Stockton one Sunday morning, noticed a single horse- man, wearing a Spanish sombrero, serape, silver spurs and riding a finely caparisoned saddle, alight and read the notice posted on a billboard of a "reward of $Sooo for the arrest, 'dead or alive,' of Joaquin Murrieta. They observed that he wrote something thereon. After he had ridden leisurely away, the passers by were led ELDORADO 271 from curiosity to examine what was written and found the following: "I will give $5000 more. (Signed) : Joaquin Murrieta." Men mounted in "hot haste" and started in pursuit, hut no trace of the rohher could be found. In the fall of 1853 Joaquin, with three of his band, appeared in my neighborhood one morning, having several stolen horses in their possession. Riding to a stopping place kept by one Clark in the foothills, where "refreshments could be had for man and beast," on what was known as the Shingle Springs and Hang- town road, they dismounted and called for breakfast. While at their meal a party arrived from whom the horses were stolen the previous night. They rushed in, thinking to take the robbers unawares, but the lat- ter were on their guard and shots were exchanged. One of the bandits was killed, the others escaped, and mounting their horses rode rapidly into the mountains, leaving the stolen animals and the horse, with an ele- gant silver mounted saddle, bridle and pistols which belonged to the dead bandit. Upon their leaving the eating house a brother of the proprietor was encoun- tered and shot dead. A company, of which I was one, was soon formed to pursue the robbers, but after two days constant riding the search was abandoned. Only once did we discover any trace, and that in a secluded and partially abandoned mining camp, which was surrounded by timber and a dense growth of chaparral. Subsequently Joaquin and three of his men. includ- ing "Three-fingered Jack," a most daring and despe- rate criminal, were captured by Sheriff Love of San Francisco while they were attempting to make their 272 KLDORADO escape into Sonora. The head of Joaquin and the hand of "Three-fingered Jack" were for a long time preserved in alcohol and exhibited to wondering crowds. Being desirous of visiting Oregon before leaving the Pacific Coast we took passage by stage, at Marysville, for Shasta, in the northern mines, from whence we in- tended to use pack animals in crossing the Scott and Rogue river mountains to the head waters of the Wil- lamette river, thence to Portland, returning to San Francisco by water. Our route from Marysville lay by way of Chico, Oroville and Red Blufif. At the for- mer place we stopped for dinner at the home of the late General John A. Bidwell. His house was mainly an adobe structure, like most California houses at that time, and adjacent to his Indian Rancheria, which con- stituted an important part of Chico. He had acquired a large grant of land from Mexico, which was the foundation of his great wealth in after years. The Indians upon the grant he employed and treated them with much kindness. General Bidwell was a true American and aided materially in forming the State government, and afterwards represented his district in Congress, and was for a number of years a standing candidate for Governor on the Prohibition ticket. While at Oroville I met Mrs. Farnham, former ma- tron of the New York Sing Sing Prison, who was delivering a series of lectures in California entitled "St. James and St. Giles," advocating a great equality be- tween the rich and the poor. By her invitation I in- troduced her to her audience, composed largely of miners, a few ladies and business men. (I was myself giving lectures upon phrenology, and was the only cor- i8 ELDORADO 273 respondent on the coast for Fowler and Wells I'hre- nological Journal of New York.) Mrs. Farnhani's special visit to California was to hrini;- a cari^o of "poor but respectable youny- women to relieve the ne- cessities of single blessedness and to provide homes for honest and deserving girls and spinsters. Airs. Farn- hani related the sad case of "a miner, who, in mending his buckskin ■])ants' in attempting to jnill his needle through, fell over backwards and broke his collar bone." Her commendable efforts were fully realized and appreciated. The exodus of 100,000 gold seekers made dry pastures for deserving young women "back East," and they were glad to come to California. The trip was made in a small sailing vessel around the "Horn." It is worthy of remark that while at ( )ro- ville I met a young sailor lad, working in a store, who has since become famous for organizing and ccni- ducting great business enterprises. He is at the ])res- ent time Senior Senator from the State he has done so much to help develop. His name is George C. Perkins. The ride along the Sacramento river to Red Blufif was a most delightful one. A cool, refreshing breeze came down from the extensive pine forests upon the mountain slope to our right. Not a sound broke the stillness of primeval nature for many miles, except the cooing of the doves and the chattering of the mag- pies. For hours, without seeing even an Indian tepee, we wound among wide-s])reading, giant li\e oaks, many of them covered with wild flowering vines. The onlv living objects seen for long distances were a few wild cattle or horses in the river bottom, or on the dis- 274 ELDORADO tant foothills. I often traveled the same route in later years, but never with the same exuberance and buoy- ancy of spirits as on that lovely May day with wife and child in the old lumbering stage coach. The charm that surrounded many of the experiences of pioneer days can never be forgotten. The sun, how- ever, shines as brightly now, the air is as balmy, the flowers are as fragrant, the doves coo as lovingly, and the magpies chatter as entertainingly, as at twenty- nine, and life has lost none of its charm at seventy- five. Arriving at Red liluli we found a little hamlet perched upon a high red clay bluff, from which it de- rives its name, on the right bank of the Sacramento river. We proceeded fifty miles farther, over an unin- habited, broken country, to Shasta, one of the liveliest mining towns in all that northern region. Here we se- cured comfortable quarters and clean bunks in which to sleep. Upon making inciuiries with reference to continuing our journey over the mountains into Ore- gon, we learned that the Klamath and Rogue river In- dians were hostile, that several packers and miners had been killed, and that no trains were likely to make the trip for some time. We therefore determined to return by stage to Sacramento and from thence go to San Francisco bv steamer, which we accordingly did. About twenty years later I again visited Shasta and Red Blufif, when I was also an "occasional" for the Sacramento Union. The following extract is from a letter written at that time, October ist, 1875, just a quarter of a century ago : "Leaving Red Blufif by the evening express of Sep- EIvDORADO 275 tember 25th, 1 readied the hnslliiii; town of Kedding on time and found comfortable (quarters at tbe "head- ing Hotel.' The smiling and accommodating landlord, 15. Conroy, makes all newcomers feel at home. With clean beds, "square meals' and a homelike intluence pervading the house, induced by the presence of a pleasant, intelligent family, the weary and dusty trav- eler is made to feel that his lot has indeed fallen in a pleasant place. * * * ''' Being the present termi- rius of the California and Oregon railroad, it is the dis- tributing point of an immense trade. Loads of mer- chandise are constantly leaving for various points in tlie direction of Oregon, drawn by teams of six or eight horses or nudes, not infrequently hauling twelve thousand jiounds in a single load over rough mountain roads. A good class of residences may be seen nestled among the natural shrubbery, while an air of intelli- gence and refinement far above the average is ob- served among the citizens. A ride of an hour and a half over a rough and dusty road brings us to the antiquated town of Shasta. As one approaches the town and sees evidences of old mining days, many reminiscences of '49-'50 crowd upon the memory Shasta was at one time the leading town in Northern California, but its former greatness has, in a great measure, departed. Many vacant buildings are now seen that once resounded with the hum of business. Much litigation in early times was had here, arising mainlv from conflicting mining interests, and the services of Milton S. Latham, Colonel Zabriska. Gov- ernor Foot, Tom IMarshall. Colonel E. D. Baker, and other old-time celebrities were frequently called in. and as we write of these things we are ready to exclaim : 276 ELDORADO 'How are tlie niiglity fallen.' Governor J. Neely Johnson, after the expiration of his term of office, and haviiii^ fallen into 'ways that are dark,' made this his home for a numl)er of years with his beautiful and ac- complished wife. As I write I think I see him as I did at the time of his marriage, with a physique rarely equaled, and a mind clear and vigorous. O ! rum ! rum ! how many heartstrings hast thou broken. How many brilliant intellects hast thou clouded with 'dark- ness that could be felt.' Where is Governor and Sen- ator McDougald, the silver-tongued Ferguson, Mar- shall, Buel and others whose names were prominently associated with the history of this Golden State. We drop a tear over their memory, draw the veil of charity and turn away in sorrow. * * * * The editorial chair of the Courier is well filled in the person of W L. Carter, who dispenses intellectual pabulum weekly to the good people of Shasta county. I would not fail to mention a pleasing and marked feature to be ob- served here : the countv officials are men of strictly temperate habits and enjoy the full confidence of their constituents. Another step in the right direction has been taken by this progressive county. The present Superintendent of Public Schools is a lady of refine- ment and fine executive ability, and under her able administration the schools are attaining a high stan- dard of excellence. Other counties in the State would do well to follow the example of old Shasta. * * * Judge Hopkins, from dispensing justice on the bench, retires to his meat market and dispenses tender steaks to his numerous customers, and that without detracting an iota from his dignity. His decisions are of the most ponderous character and seldom reversed. KLDORADO 277 (The judg-e's avoir(luix)is is alxjut three hundred and fifty pounds.) He is an upright man, a good Judge and a prominent Mason." On m\- return to Red IjIuIT I dehvered a lecture, by invitation, upon "Popular Education," which was re- peated in the principal towns of the State and before County Institutes. The pastors and teachers of the city united in a recfuest for its ]mblication, to which consent was given and large numbers were ])rinted in pamphlet form for general distribution. My ])rincipal object in this "additional," and, in fact, entire narrative is to parallel earlier conditions of our beloved v'^tate with the present ; reference being had to its wonderful development and growth in all educa- tional and industrial lines. T was recently informed by a teacher in a Los An- geles public .school that some of her larger pupils when his name was mentioned, had never before heard of General Fremont, who was so largely instrumental in acqiiiring the territory that now constitutes our State and helped to lay the foundation of its present greatness ; and who, at one time, was a candidate for the ofifice of President of the United States. A better knowledge of the history of oiu* own times should be taught, even if ancient history be neglected. The knowledge acquired and habits formed in the common schools cannot be over-estimated. It is all that the great majority of our children will ever receive and possiblv ever need. Our trip to San Francisco was made bv staple to Sacramento and from there by steamer to the P>ay City where we remained two days. We took passage on the steamer Philadelphia for Xcw ^'ork, via Central 278 ELDORADO America, the same route T liad traveled in 1852, ])aying for our tickets three liundred dollars each ; nine hun- dred dollar's in all. Returnino; with us to "the States" was a lad, Robert L. Hutchinson, twehe years of a,G:e, having- the full consent of his mother, a widow with five boys, whose father was killed by the Indians in 1848 while prospectinq- for oold. He \\as a brig-ht. studious youth who had lieen in my em])Ioy a couple of vears, caring- iov stock. He was unwilling to be left behind. Four vears later, while attending- an acarleniv, he was one of the first to respond when "Father Aliraham" called for 75,000 trooi:)S and served four -N'ears and four months. He was in nearly all the great battles in the west, under Thomas, and with Sherman from Atlanta to .-Vppomatox. He was a g-ood soldier, was promoted, saved his money, took a coni- mercial course after his discharge, was em])loyed for a: time with a Salt Lake freighting firm at Tn(le])end- ence, Missouri ; retm-ned to California, and is, at this time an honored and successful business nran. with a good wife, a native son and daug-htcr of the Golden West, both educated and cultured. Tn all these years I have never known him to taste intoxicating- liquors, utter an oath, use tc^tbacco in any form or tell a lie. \Voul(l that all young- men could establish 3 like record. The arrival and departure of the steamer in those (lavs was a notable event in the life of the ])ioneer and "stranger in a strange land." The meeting- and part- ing- of friends, the "good-bye" and "God bless you," the waving- of "bandannas" and hats, as the steamer's great wheels began to revol\-e, the watching fi-ou"' wharves and steamer deck until the out-going- vessel was lost to view in the Golden Gate, are well remenv ELDORADO 279 bered scenes connected with those monthly recurrino^ events. They were looked forward to as an agree- able change from the monotonous routine of tiie miner's life and by all with anxious anticipation of news from home and friends "away back East." The wharves on those occasions were thronged with a motlev crowd. The bearded and l)ronzed miner with his woolen shirt, overalls and liigli toi)ped boots : the Mexican, with his sombrero, serape. red sash, and breeches decorated down the legs with gilt buttons. John Chinaman, Kanaka, and Chilino in their native costtnnes. made a most interesting combination of "all sorts and conditions of men." Tt was a typical California May day when we cleared the Golden Gate. The air was soft and balmy and a light lireeze came in from the ocean. The receding low-lying lands of Contra Costa across the bay. dotted here and there with groves of grand old live oaks • Mounts Tamalpais and Diablo ; the Coast Range ex- tending far away north until lost in the blue horizon. united to form a panorama of one of nature's grandest landscapes. For a day and night, after ])assing the Farallones, the ocean was exceedingly rough. This was the onlv unpleasant weather experienced during the entire distance of thirty-five hundred miles to the Isthmus of Panama. To the few who escaped sea- sickness, it was amusing, if not interesting, to witness the agonies of the unfortunates. The victims, in their keenest distress, were only laughed at bv those wIk seemed to think it a "good joke." One old o-entlem^'n declared he had nothing left "wherewith to feed the fishes but his boots." The monotonv of the voyage was occasionally 2So EI.DORADO l)n)kcii 1)\- the spouting- of a whale, the gamhols of a school of porpoise, the flying fish, that would some- times light upon the deck of the steamer, where they would 1)e unahle to rise again, or the man-eating sharks that would frequently follow in our wake for hours, and at night produce a luminous streak in their rapid passage through salt water. An "unfeeling" passen- ger would at times find amusement in throwing a hot brick wrapped in flannel to the monster, who f|uickl\- swallowed it. As we advanced into the tropical seas many beauti- ful fish were seen, but there were none so celebrated for their beauty and gamy qualities as the dolphin. Idis sides are yellow, inclining to green on the back, his tail long forked and richly ti])])ed with mellow, and his fins a brilliant 1)1 ue. With a dashing air he darts to and fro. driving the timid little flying-fish out of the water, and the moment the poor frightened thing touches its native clement it is gone. When caught upon the hook he yields exhausted, after many unavail- ing struggles, and after being raised on deck, he re- news in vain his struggles until with the heavy and un- sparing strokes of his tail, he covers the deck with his blood. Who has not heard of the dying dol]:)hin? The rapidly changing hues of green and gold flash and fade at intervals ; his blue fins stand out erect as in swimming ; the colors seem more brilliant than ever, and one can but exclaim. "How beautiful!" But at last he lies lifeless; of a dull lead color, as plain and unattractive as any other fish. One of the most uu] leasant features of an ocear voAagc upon a steamer fifty years ago was the small, uncomfortable quarters for the night, ccMisisting of a KIvDORADO 281 stateroom (so called) six by six, with narrow berths on either side. The only lif^ht and ventilation was through a small circular porthole, which, unless closed, allowed the water sometimes to dash in during a roug'h sea. In case of illness a "stateroom" of those days was exceeding-ly unpleasant. Two days out from San Francisco a steamer was met, havinjT on board an agent of the line over which we had purchased tickets, and on coming aboard the I'hiladelphia he ordered our ca])tain to run to Panama seven hundred miles below San Jnan del Sur, where we were to have landed, and transfer his passengers about three hundred in all. to the "Morgan line." Ours was the "Vanderbilt." It created much dissatis- faction, as the time in reaching New York would be greatly extended. The object as stated was to avoid the possilile seizure of the steamer by the noted fili- buster Walker, who. at that time, was in Central America with a small body of troops for the ])urpose of creating a revolution and overthrowing the govern- iTient. He practically controlled the route from San Juan to Greytown across Lake Nicaragua. Only one port was made from San Francisco to Panama, that of Acapulco on the western coast of Mexico. Passing Cape San T.ucas, the extreme southern ])oint of Lower California, the mountain coast of Mexico comes into view, where we witnessed volumes of smoke issuing from the sunmnit of the volcano "Co- lima." about eighty miles inland. At times the toy- of this burning mountain was luminous from its fit-es, and formed at night an interesting sight to i^assengcrs on passing vessels. .After jxissing the Gulf of Te- 282 ELDORADO liauntepec nothing of special note occurred before reaching- the Isthmus, our vessel being for the most part out of sight of land. The day previous to our arrival at Panama a serious riot occurred there in which several lives were lost. A passenger en route for California, had a dispute with a native over the purchase of a watermelon which resulted in a general fight between the passen- gers on the one side and citizen soldiers on the other. The doors and sides of the railroad depot were perfo- rated with bullets ; and as the excitement had not sub- sided when we arrived, the passengers from our shi] were not permitted to mingle with the natives, but were hurried aboard the train and conveved at once across the Isthnms twenty-six miles to Aspen wall now "Colon."' As I have given somewhat of a detailed account of the overland journev to California bv the gold seekers in '49-'5o T will briefly refer to the Panama route, which, with the longer trip around Cape Horn, was taken chiefly bv those living near the Atlantic sea- board, amounting in the vears T have mentioned to not less than thirty thousand. The time occti])icd from New York to San Francisco by this route was from thirty-five to fortv days, and the expense would range from three to five hundred dollars. Around the "TTorn" on a sailing vessel six or seven months were consmncd. The distance from New York to San Francisco by Panama was seven thousand miles. Around Cape Horn fifteen thousand. "Much suffering and manv deaths occurred on these routes. The following, from the diary of a physician, James ELDORADO 283 L. Trvon, M. D., in i84<). is l)oth inlercslin^- and in- structive. "Panama, the terminus of the varied and difficuh routes across the Isthmus, is situated on the shores of an extensive and l)eautiful 1)ay. It contains aliout e\0U tliousand inhabitants, most of whom are negiroes. liein.^- one of the old Spanish towns, upon the decline of the Spanish power, the place fell into decay. The houses are jjenerall}- of stone or brick, two and three stories in heig-ht, whitewashed or covered with a coat of plaster, and are invariably surrounded by a balcony ]>rotected from the sim and rain by the roofs of the houses extending^ over them. The town is rej^ularly arrano^ed. the straig^ht and narrow streets intersecting each other at right angles. A wall was built by the Spaniards around the portion of the town nearest the bay. but at least one-half the population reside bevond its limits, and it is in a dilapidated state. A venerable, decayed, but still imposing cathedral ; a grand plaza or open common — a general characteristic of Spanish- built towns — several churches, partly in ruins: the crumbling walls of the College of Jesuits, which cover a large extent, and of two monasteries, of which the walls and bells alone remain ; and the frowning wall? and towers of the battery, fronting the bay. are the principal features of the town of Panama. Since the commencement of the emigration to California a num- ber of Americans have established hotels and eating- houses in the town and good accommodations arc therefore to be obtained by travelers. "From Panama steamships convey passengers tr San Francisco. Starting from the front of the citv the beautiful bav. with its scnu'-circular shores, and 284 ELDORADO the lofty islands of P'lamingo, I'erico, Tobat^o, and others present themselves to view. At the island of Tobago all the vessels that come into the bay obtain their supplies, and the Pacific Mail Steamship Com- pany have established their depot for coal, etc., on its shores. After obtaining all the necessary supplies the steamshi]') moves out of the bay rounding Point Mala. The voyage upon the Pacific with all its variety of in- cident and scenery then commences. The principal annoyance of the travelers is the ahuost intolerable heat of the sun and furnaces of the steamship united. "Water-spouts and difTerent species of whale are frequent sights. North of the Gulf of Tehauntepec the steamer nears the land and the bold mountain coast of Mexico breaks u])on the view, and at night the pas- sengers enjoy a sight of the glaring light jjroduced by the burning volcano of Colima, though the volcano itself is Init imperfectly seen, being at the distance of ninetv miles from the vessel. Soon after this fades from view the islands oflf the town of San Bias appear, and an immense white rock, isolated from the sea, serves as a lighthouse to ships steering for the port. At San Bias the steamships ren'ain some tiiue to ol)- tain supplies of coal, fresh fruits, and i^rovisions, then Cape San Lucas, the extreme southern point of Cape Carientes next appears, and soon afterwards the entrance to the Gulf of California is approached ; and California, with its mountains and rocky shores, is hailed by the traveler as the first portion of the "prom- ised land" that greets his sight. Passing along the western coast of the ])eninsula, the island and bay of "Magdalena ap]:)ear, with shores three or four thousand feet above the sea. Next the towering ridges of Ceros EIvDORADO 285 fslcs arc passed and the bold rocky shores ol the peninsula arc in continual view. Within a few days after leaving Panama, tht therniometer falls from 95 degrees to 55 degrees, and such a change must have an injurious effect if additional clothing is not i)ut on to meet it. "The first portion of Upper California, or the 'Golden Land,' which presents itself to the voyagers is the Coronados, two high round-topped rocks off the port of San Diego. Then the beautiful semi-circular harbor is entered, and if wanting, supplies are obtained from the town. From the harbor of San Diego the vessel proceeds along the coast of California and the towering peaks of the Coast Range of mountains en- gage the attention. The high promontory of St. \'in- cent is passed, and then the open l)ay of Monterey is entered, and passengers are either let oft' the steamer or taken aboard as necessity may require. From Mon- terey the steamer keeps along the coast, and mountain- ous shores alone meet the view, until the voyagers come in sight of the Farallones, two large detached rocks at the southern side of the entrance to the bay of San Francisco. Then the Golden Gate — as the strait or entrance is called — is entered and the perpen- dicular clift's and hills upon each shore afford matter for wonder. The strait is about three miles long and from one to two miles broad. As the vessel reaches its terminus, the great bay of San Francisco opens to the view, looking like a miniature ocean. Bird Island. Wood Island. Angel Island, with the beautiful little bay of Sausalito, successivelv meet the gaze, and very soon the steamer is anchored, having reached her des- tination. While longer than the overland route it oc- 286 EIvDORADO ' cupies much less time in traversing, and, upon the whole, its beauties and pleasures in most cases out- number the difficulties and annoyances encountered." We arrived at Aspenwall about lo o'clock at night. The road, nearly the entire distance from Panama, having been constructed through a dense tropical for- est, the view was circumscribed but none the less in- teresting. The immense leaves of the undergrowth would at times reach even the car windows. The won- derful variety of beautiful foliage, and an occasional glimpse of a monkey, parrot or bird of paradise, perched upon palm or cocoanut tree, or in the branches of the banana, made the trip of thirty miles an exceed- ingly interesting one, after a long sea voyage from a northern clime. It was hoped and expected that we would be able to proceed at once upon our journey, but we were doomed to disappointment. Passengers who had purchased tickets by the Morgan route were first to be accommodated. The steamer lying at the wharf, about to sail for New York, was unable to receive the passengers from the Philadelphia, consequently we were compelled to seek accommodations in the town. We had remained crowded upon the narrow rickety wharf (everything in that latitude was frail and rickety in those days) until II or 12 o'clock, uncertain as to our fate. A rush was then made to secure quarters. We were informed there were one or two hotels kept by Americans. With my wife and baby, guided by a few flickering candle lights at no great distance, we hurried in the direction of one of the hotels and fortunately secured a small room and board in a quite commodious l)uil(l- ing known as the "Aspenwall." built .somewhat after ELDORADO 2.S7 the manner of a California ranch house, where a hirgc number of men arc employed. As we entered I noticed a bar, card tables, and bill- iard room. On reaching our room I discovered our satchel was missing, which contained several thousand dollars in gold coin and drafts. Returning to the wharf, in some trepidation, I groped in the darkness until I found it. It was in the place where we had been sitting, having l)een forgotten in the excitement incident to being left and anxiety to secure a lodging- place. Its fortunate recovery was a great relief to all concerned. Aspenwall was a new "railroad town," of perhai)s two or three hundred inhabitants, mostly negroes from the Island of Jamaica, or Spanish half-breed's, the ex- ceptions being the railroad employes and a few other whites. It was on a level with the ocean and numer- ous natural \vells of salt water existed ten or fifteen feet deep, at the bottom of which beautiful coral formations could be seen, and numerous specimens were obtained by employing the nude colored boys to dive for them. Cocoanut and other tropical fruit-bearing trees were scattered through the town. In the rear was a dense forest, lying between the Chagres river and the Pa- cific Coast, the home of wild beasts, serpents, monkeys, and a great variety of strange birds. At the time of which 1 wTite all that region constituted a part of New Granada, S. A., but since then the name has lieen changed to Colombia. A short distance from Aspenwall was the ancient town of Chagres from whence, after the rush to Cali- fornia began, both steam and sailing vessels were con- 288 ELDORADO staiitly eng-aged in carrying freight and passengers to and from the principal ports of the /\tlantic States, be- fore the construction of the Panama railroad. The harbor of Chagres is small, but good for vessels of less than two hundred tons burden. The following is a description of Chagres and its inhabitants in the early part of 1849, written by a pio- neer then en route to the gold mines of California : -t is a strange, fantastic and oddish-looking town. It consists of some forty or fifty huts with pointed palm-thatch.ed roofs and reed walls. Nor were the in- numerable buzzards which were flying about or rest- ing on the houses, together with the energetic ges- ticulations of the natives when in conversation, as we drew near, at all calculated to lessen the picturesciue effect of a first view. The surrounding country was anything but devoid of interest and beauty. All had a strange equatorial look ; while the green hills around, clothed with rich tropical verdure, and the graceful and shadowy palm, and cocoanut, with other strange fantastic trees, together with the ruins of the large old Spanish castle, on the heights above the town, gave to the scenery a very beautiful and picturesque aspect. "We landed at the beach on some logs, which during the rainy season are necessary to preserve the pedes- trian from a quagmire, in the midst of dense foliage that was here luxuriant to the water's edge, sur- rounded by about thirty canoes and some forty or fifty huge black fellows, mostly in the garb in which nature arrayed them. A majority of the natives are black, but some are of a deep copper or mulatto color. The thick lips and woolly head of the African ; the high cheek-bones, straight hair and dogged look of the In- •9 ELDORADO 289 (lian ; ami the mure- chiseled features and finely ex- pressive eyes of the Spaniard are all here, though often so blended that it is difficult to say to which race they chiefly owe their origin. In truth they are a mongrel race, but generally have the most magnificent large, dark, expressive eyes I have ever seen. The females, some of whom have rather pretty faces and particularly fine eyes were dressed out iti the most tawdry finery, with divers furbelows, flounces and ruffles encircling the shoulders, where the dress be- gins, and terminating some where about or below the knee. Some of the younger ones were entirely model arfisfc. at least so far as their clothing was concerned, but the forms of most were rather indifferent. Many were sitting or lounging about the doors or in the cabins, eating tamarinds, oranges and other fruit, sur- rounded by hairless dogs, pigs, naked children, turkeys and buzzards, forming together quite a congruous and homogenous mixture. The beauty of the coimtr\- through which the Chagres river Hows has been the theme of fre((uent praise. Its banks are filled in with all the luxuriant verdiu-e which tropical climes jjroduce. The tama- rind, the date, the pomegranate, the plantain, tlie ba- nana, the cocoanut, the lime, the citron, and the pine ap])le are abundant. Flowers of ever\- hue send forth their fragrance, rendering the air delightful to the .senses. Orange groves are numerous and the fruit is as plentiful as the apple of the Southern States of the Union. ^fountains, hills and vallevs (liversif\' the prospect, while the ear is filled with the melodious notes of thousands of birds, natives to the tropics, their music contrastini'- with the discordant notes of 290 EIvDORADO the parrots, macaws and chattering" monkeys. Such a scene is worth the travel to the Isthmus, and the toils sometimes endured in crossing it. At night parties tliat land are compelled to build fires to keep off the wild beasts and venomous ser- pents, which abound in the neighborhood of the river, and to disperse the myriads of insects wdth which the air hums. Alligators of a large size, are to be seen on the banks in the day time l)asking in the sun. For the first few miles after leaving Gargonia, 1 followed closely at the heels of our guide and would often pause and turn to examine the a]:)parentlv almost im- passable route T had traversed, watch the ]M-ogrcss of the rest of the party and wonder at the security with which their cautiously-stepping and sagacious animals would graduallv overcome seemingly unsurmountable olistacles. T urged mine repeatedly to make him choose a path, which to all appearances was preferable to his own, but to no purpose. He would turn half around and in a slow, solemn wav, put his nose to the ground and looking keenlv about the i)lace, would cautiously put one foot forward, then another, then a third and a fourth, when, poised on all drawn under him, and close together, he would have a lietter oppor- tunity for further inspection which having satisfac- torilv accomplished, another cautious step would be made as before, and so on until the difficultv was over- come. Finding he knew better than T did, I invari- c>.])\\ threw the reins to him when difficult obstacles were to be siu'mounted. The residt was alwavs for- tunate. ( )ne (M- two of the party, however, were sat- isfied that horses should not b.ave their own wav, and whi])])ed and s])urred them to com])el compliance with EI^DORADO 291 their better judgment. The isstie was as i antici- [)atecl. One was thrown over his horse's head into a nuid puddle and the other with horse and all stuck fast HI a cjuagniire from which it was not easy to extricate him. Thus we trudged an often over difficult and sometimes dangerous ways. The rider, to avoid a severe contusion or probably a broken limb, in turning the sharp angles is compelled to i)lace his feet as near the animal's head as possible and in this manner he can ride in perfect safety, though some little management is requisite to maintain his equilibrium. Before enter- ing- the defiles, the muleteers shout at the top of their voices, and stop for a short time continuing the shout as they advance, to apprize others at the opposite ex- tremity of the pass that the way is already occupied. This is necessary and important, for if two on horse- back were to meet in one of these narrow and crooked paths, the .scene between the "Quaker and Uandy" would have to be re-enacted, for many newspapers would have to be read and many segars smoked before either could turn out of the way for his neighbor. Whenever ladies travel this route they are obliged to discard the side saddle and resort to a less feminine style of equitation. 1 overtook a party of al)out twenty persons on the road, amongst whom was a married lady and I watched her rather curiously, to observe how she got over the difficulties that beset her. Being fortified with that article of male attire, the figurative possession of which is said to denote do- mestic ascendancy, she thought it incumbent upon her, I suppose, to display all the courage and nerve that should properly be incased in it. Several times when 1 fancied that both she and lier nude were on tlu' point 292 EIvDORADO of being capsized, she recovered herself with admirable presence of mind and seemed to enjoy the risk ex- ceedingly. As to myself, i tioundered on as well as I could with a mule tottering beneath me from sheer exhaustion and sinking every minute up to his knees in mud. It seemed to me that we were making little or no progress ; and I became thoroughly tired and disheart- ened. I do not know any temptation, however power- ful, that would again induce me to encounter the never- ending series of difficulties and annoyances that lay in wait for me at every step ; and I must candidly aver that even the force of female example, of which I had so merry a specimen before me, did not at all shame me into a less impatient endurance of them. Continu- ing on, we passed two or three Hacala (or hutsj by the way, and after several brief but pleasant stoppages - at the various brooks and mountain rills, we at length came on a beautiful undulating meadow, where pic- turesque villas and shadowy trees decked the verdant plain, and soon thereafter the towers of Panama were in view. The sun was just setting as we entered the suburbs, and a flood of purple glory rested on the sky, reflected back by the sparkling waters of the Pacific, which brought the distant mountains into bolder relief, and cast a deeper shadow through the twilight groves. Half an hour's ride over the paved streets, brought us to the city, which we entered at the Gorgona gate; passing through a heavy stone archway supporting a cupola, in which hangs the alarm bell, surmounted by a cross. Such is the character of the "Gorgona road" from Chagres to Panama, the first fifty miles in dug- out bungoes, or boats propelled by nude natives, the ELDORADO 293 rcinaiiulcr of the way on mule back over narrow, dan- gerous mountain trails." On our passenger list aboard the riiiladelphia were thc' names of the entire Democratic delegation from California on their way to Philadelphia to attend the national convention. They had also taken rooms at the "Aspenwall." Many of them were gentlemen who had been conspicuous in public affairs, and they con- tributed not a little to break the monotony of our long delay on the Isthmus. Ex-Governor John Bigler. Judge Hastings (afterwards Supreme Judge), "Dave" Bull, ex-Sherifif of El Dorado county — a brave and popular young man. six feet and a half tall and who, both in California and Utah, had a remarkable career — and J. C. }{atch, a leading politician of Sacramento City, were among the best known. We had also as fellow passengers the family of General Sam Houston, the hero of Texas Independence, and, after its annexa- tion, a Senator in Congress. J\lrs. Calahan, wife of the proprietor of the Golden Eagle Hotel at Sacra- mento, w'as also a passenger. That popular hostelry was erected in 1853, when 1 became one of its original guests. It is still the leading Hotel in Sacramento, and political headquarters for both the Republican and Democratic parties. The national convention of 1856, to which I have alluded, resulted in the nomination and election of James Buchanan for President. Governor Bigler was appointed ^Minister to Chili, and it is worthy of note that while in that country he saw for the first time, what was known as Lucern or Alfalfa, and. thinking that if it were adapted to the climate of California, it would be a useful product, he procured a small cpian- 294 EIvDORADO tity of seed and sent it here as an experiment. From that small beginni.ig came all the alfalfa since grown in California. His wife and daughter accompanied him to the States. A few years later he and his family had all passed to the Great Beyond, and no representative was left to perpetuate the name of one of California's noblest sons. He was twice Governor ; a plain, honest, patriotic man. The State should erect a monument to his memory. While on shipboard he wrote me a flat- tering letter of introduction to Governor Charles Rob- inson of Kansas, who was wounded in the "squatter war" in Sacramento in 1850, as before recounted in my narrative, and was carried aboard the Prison Brig. Near the end of the third week after our arrival at Aspenwall we were enabled to secure passage to New York. After a delightful voyage of six days, we an- chored in the beautiful bay of Havana under the grim walls of old Moro Castle. After obtaining individual permits from the authorities we were allowed to go on shore. Our two days' stay was pleasantly spent in visiting various places of interest. Among others the Cathedral being the original burial place of Columbus. Although nearly fifty years ago, a short drive in the country revealed many lovely homes- of wealthy Spaniards, and a great profusion of tropical flowers, plants, and fruit. To those not familiar with the old Spanish style of architecture Havana presents peculiar features. The buildings are low, with balconies nearly meeting from second stories ; the sidewalk about two feet wide, and the streets between eight or ten feet, only of sufficient width for the passage of the Volante. a two-wheeled vehicle driven with horses tandem, and ELDORADO 295 a rider on the leader. Xo other sort of conve\anee was seen in Havana at that time. No doubt great changes have taken place in Cuban towns within 1 last half century. Previous to our arrival in New York a meeting was called in the cabin of the steamer for the purpose of ai)ix:)inting a committee, whose duty it should be to eni|)loy counsel, and, if so advised, to commence suit against the steamship company for damages caused b\- our detention at Asjienwall. Quite a number of busi- ness men from San Francisco and other California towns going East to purchase goods, claimed to have suffered loss. I was appointed on that committee, and, upon our arrival in New York City, we consulted John \'an I>uren, who, after a full discussion of the matter, advised that the delay and ex])ense 1)efore reaching a judgment would not justify commencing an action. John \'an Buren was the son of President Martin Yan Buren, and was popularly termed "Prince John." He was appointed Attorney-General by President Pierce. He was a fine specimen of physical manhood, and when observed walkfng on Broadway, was a head taller than ordinary men. His father, whom I saw when he was a Presidential candidate in 1840, was short and stout. (My first Presidential vote was cast for Martin \'an Buren in the year 1848.) John re- ceived the title of "j'rince" through having visited England, with the view of paying his addresses to Queen Victoria, then in her nineteenth year. He danced with her at a court ball, and ever after his re- turn home was called "Prince John." 1 distinctlv re- member the circumstance of his first visit to I'Jiijland. 296 ELDORADO \'ictoria's choice fell U])()n Prince Albert of Saxe Co- burg- Gotha, a man of high character and noble quali- ties. After one week spent in Xew York 1 departed with my wife and child for my home in Illinois, and eventually located in Aliimesota until after the death of my parents, when I returned to remain permanently in California. Before bidding a final adieu to my readers, I wish to express the hope that they may find as much pleasure in perusing the foregoing pages as I have had in re- cording the incidents they contain and the historical facts I have endeavored to correctly set forth. Let us cherish the memories of the past, and the grand achievements of those who have labored and sacrificed to make our State and nation the home of the liberty- loving and oppressed of all nations. The only factor of imperialism contemplated by our government is to carry a higher civilization to the less favored than our- selves. I believe in the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of all our race and the Fatherhood and ^Motherhood oi God — the two elements from which flows the life of all, whether animate or inanimate. Let those of the younger generation on whom will devolve the grave and weighty responsil)ilities of perpetuating the civil and religious liberty bequeathed to us bv our fore- fathers, and made sacred by their 1)1o(h1, discharge with fidelity all their obligations, guiding to a new and nobler life and arousing high motives and holv aims, thus leading in the formation of moral, intellectual and christian character. The second centur\- of our national life can in no respect be a repetition of the first. Every age has its FXDORADO 297 own work to do and its own problems to solve. Happy tlie age that can call strength and wisdom its own ; full of woe and trouble if it be beset with weakness and folly. No one can look back upon the first century of our nation and fail to see a constant progress, and a progress, on the whole, for good. It is for the growth of the present, understanding the work of the past, to be strong and wise to do the work of a new age, the beginning of which is now with us. but the end of which no man can see.. ELDORADO 299 CHAPTER XXVII. An Account of the Sufferings of a Party of Argonauts who were Compelled to Abandon THEIR Vessel "The Dolphin" on the Penin- sula of Lower California, and make their Way on Foot to San Diego. The incidents contained in the following narrative have been obtained from various authentic sources. They are a part of the history of that wild and an- omalous rush of half a century ago of those fearless adventurers who sought these distant shores in search of the elusive Golden Fleece. A short account of the company that sailed in the schooner "San Blazina" from Mazatlan, and landed at Cape St. Lucas was published in the Overland Monthlv in September, 1875- As the winter of 1849 advanced the excitement caused by the discovery of gold in California contin- ued to increase. At the Isthmus of Panama two or three thousand persons were collected waiting trans- portation. Every craft that could float was engaged at an extraordinary price and fitted up for the long voy- age. Only small sailing vessels at that time were ply- ing the waters of the Pacific for passenger traffic. Thev set sail from Panama overcrowded like a city^ electric car at the hour when the clerks and oper- atives are hurrying to their homes. 300 ELDORADO As many passengers as could find standing or sleep- ing room was taken on board and had the seas over which they sailed, been as stormy as the Atlantic, few would ever have reached their destination. The schooner "Phoenix," seventy tons burden, carried six- ty passengers and was one hundred and fifteen days on the passage. The "Two Friends," two hundred and six tons, carried one hundred and sixty- four pas- sengers, and was five and a half months in reaching San Francisco. The party of whom I write having arrived at the southern extremity of Lower California and becoming discouraged at the difiiculties encoun- tered in the continuous head winds and calms, which, long ago, baffled the nautical skill of the old Spanish voyagers, abandoned their vessel and made their way along the whole peninsular on foot, subsisting on rattle-snakes and cacti, and after enduring incredable hardships, reached San Diego nearly naked and emac- iated to the last degree. The steamer "Falcon" sailed from New Orleans in December, 1848, for Chagres, with some of the earliest adventurers who left the United States for California after the discoverv of gold. Crossing the Isthmus by way of the Chagres River, in Bungoes. to Panama, thev found no prospect of speed V convevance from that port. A number deter- mined to purchase an old schooner called the "Dol- phin," of about one hundred tons burden, and make use of her as a passeng-er boat for California. T- S. K. Ogier, afterwards Judp-e of the United States Court for the Southern District of California, was chosen captain, and she sailed with a companv of forty-five men on the loth of January, 1849. They ELDORADO 301 found but six barrels of water on board and no others to be had, and as the tank had proved unserviceable they procured two large canoes and secured them on deck, one on each side, filled them with water, and covered them with boards. The space below deck was fitted up with berths, and they took along such provisions as the market afforded, such as jerked beef, beans, rice, pumpkins, etc. The city had been stripped of all proper ships' stores by vessels that had pre- ceded them. One of the company was a man named Rossiter who had successfully navigated a schooner on the Hudson River, and upon him devolved the responsible duty of steering the Dolphin to California. When the time arrived to comply with the terms of the sale it was found that the required amount of money could not be collected. In this emergency, one Captain Winslow. proposed to take her off their hands and they were to pay their passage money to him. Sixty-eight persons, including officers and crew, were, stowed away in this small vessel ; among them was Tames McClatcliy, who afterwards became the dis- tinguished editor of one of the best papers in the State, the "Sacramento Bee." They arrived ai Mazatlan without any serious mishap and left that port on the r^th of April. For twenty-five days thev sailed on their course and had gone about one tlif>usand miles, when, having about two barrels of water left in the hold, it was thought best to broach that in the canoes on deck. To their consternation it was found to be so impregnated with the bitter and nauseating jM-operties of the wood that it was wholly imfit for use even for cooking purposes. All hands were immediately ]xit on a daily allowance of a pint to each man, and the 302 ELDORADO vessel was headed for San Diego; but it soon became more than doubtful whether the}' could reach land at all. The captain insisted upon making the attempt to go to San Diego, the passengers remonstrated, and finally broke out into mutiny, deposed the captain, and put the mate, Mr. Rossitcr, in command, and the course was laid to the nearest land on the peninsula of Lower California. A guard was placed over the water, and the strictest economy was enforced. Fresh provisions were quite gone, and the chief part of the supply consisted or rice and beans, which they were compelled to cook in sea water. With a fresh breeze there was little doubt that their supply of water would last until they could reach land, but should it fall ofif to a long continued calm, they anticipated great suf- fering. After about ten days of these apprehensions, and much anxiety, they sighted an island and ran to it. A boat was sent on shore, and after hours of un- successful search it returned ; no sign of fresh water could be found. The next day they made the main land and the search for water was renewed. For seven days they coasted along, landing at every available spot to renew the search, but nowhere was a drop of fresh water to be found. Their situation was now very critical. ' Thev estimated their distance from San Diego to be about three himdred miles. They had lost seventy miles in way in the last three days. Ev- erywhere the coast presented the same forbidding, in- hospitable appearance of barren, rocky cliffs, where if rain ever fell, it was evaporated at once by the heated rocks. A grave consultation was held on deck. To the south, there was not a drop of fresh water until they should pass Cape St. Lucas, and that was too far ElvDORADO 303 off to afford a hope of reaching it, and if they were successful, what could they do in their destitute state? The poor success of the schooner in beating up to the north, her leaky condition, that made it necessary for all hands to take their turn at the pump that never rested, and her sails and rigging becoming every da\' more dilapidated and unserviceable gave small hope that they could look farther north for succor ; certainly not with the large number of passengers on board. A vote was taken and forty-eight resolved to take their chances on shore with such necessities as they could carry on their backs. This included nearlv all the able bodied passengers. Some of them were too much ex- hausted from long continued sea-sickness and starva- tion to endure the hardship that "would be necessarily encountered. There were still left four days' rations of water to those remaining on board, allowing a pint a day to each person. A landing was effected on the 28th of May. under the protection of a point of rocks. They reached shore in safety and set out in different direc- tions for water. Nearly all were landed before dark, and each boat-load was swamped in the surf, but a fire was built on the shore and all were rendered rea- sonably comfortable. Those who landed first had exi)l()red the country about five miles in every direction, but Lhey reported no signs of water. There was no time to be lost. They each had a bottle of the bitter water from the schooner and that was their only resource, until they should find more. They set out the same evening and trav- eled about three miles, and, unable to proceed further from the darkness, thev laid down U])on the top of a 304 ELDORADO hill to rest for the night. Here the atmosphere was warmer, and undisturbed by the motion of the vessel, they all slept soundly. The next morning after the best breakfast they could prepare, they renewed their journey, in hope of crossing a trail that their chart told them led up the peninsula not far ofif. They were all enervated by the life on board ship, and by their scanty allowance of food for so long a time and their halts were frequent and progress slow over the sharp loose rocks. There was no soil on the surface and the rocks had the appearance of having been burned and were either red or black. Among them grew var- ious species of cacti, the only vegetation. About mid- day the heat became oppressive and in their distress they began to throw away everything that encumbered them. After crossing a high hill they entered a deep ravine at the bottoni of which they had strong hopes of finding water. Three of the party, who had started without water, prefering to take the risk of not find- ing it on shore rather than to take the nauseous fluid from the schooner, gave out — two brothers, named Smith, and one Gross, a lawyer — and were left behind. At the bottom of the canyon they fixed their camp in the shadow of a rock, for the heat was very great, and scattered about in search of water. None could be found and they continued down the ravine, which seemed to have been the bed of a torrent in the rainy season. About four o'clock in the afternoon they came to a small canyon, where the rocks were damp and they dug in various places, but found no moisture. They licked the moist rocks in their distress, and with their lips and mustaches covered with mud, renewed the search. A bull dog, owned by one of the party ELDORADO 305 named Houghton, commenced pawing the ground about fifty yards off, and, by his persistence, attracted the attention of the men. With a small spade which they had brought along they commenced to dig, and after sinking about four feet they found an abundant supply of good water. The stragglers were all called in and there was general rejoicing. They were fearful of drinking too much, but having satisfied their thirst they all fell to cooking their rice and whatever food they had saved, in their drinking cups. Their next thought was of those who had given out on the way. Four of the party set out to their relief Vv'ith canteens filled. They were found where they had halted ; two were unable to speak from the swollen condition of their tongues. Their joy was very great at the un- looked for relief. They were allowed to drink, but sparingly at first, but after a while they were able to drink moderate draughts, and were assisted on to the camp at the well. Most of the party remained here all the next day, cooking and eating till they had noth- ing left. Twelve of them started on and encamped in a ravine without water, where they waited for the re- mainder to join them and then continued their course up the ravine that had the appearance of having been blackened by volcanic fires. Tn their course they came to a very high mountain which it seemed necessary that they must cross, but as they came nearer they found a deep ravine interposed and into this they must go. This seemed almost a hopeless undertaking, as they had to get down by hold- ing on to whatever they could, and by jumping from rock to rock. When part of the way down they saw a stream of water. In their eagerness to reach it many 3o6 EIvDORADO threw away their baggage to lighten their loads ; blan- kets, shirts and every disposable thing. Some were so impudent as to dump their rice on the ground, which others, more provided, or more destitute, picked up. Their route could be traced by the articles they had thrown away. Their disappointment was great on reaching the bottom of the canyon to find the water brackish and unfit to drink. Here another consulta- tion was held and another unburdening took place, as they found climbing over high hills and down into deep ravines, with nothing to encumber them as diffi- cult a task as they could accomplish. In leaving ar- ticles to lighten their loads the^-^ hesitated before throw- ing away two things, "Mother's Bible and daguerro- type." Their course continued up the ravine, for some miles, when some of the party started on ahead, and before the day closed, discovered the tracks of mules in the sand, which, further on, seemed to increase in number. Hopes were raised, as these were taken as signs that some habitation or settlement was near. Some Were of opinion they were tracks of wild ani- mals. Others thought perhaps they were near some Indian village. The day's march had been over much marshy ground. Some rattle snakes were killed and eaten. In the morning they made an early start, and followed the trail up the ravine. Their task was now a hard one. They were nearly bare footed and many were becoming ill from exposure and lack of both food and water. Of their provisions, some were quite gone. One of a party of four man- aged to shoot a small bird that was made into soup. This was all thev had for twentv-four hours. The ELDORADO 307 company had broken up into small parties, the better to prospect for whatever might be found to sustain life. Some were alarmed at their situation, but there was no use crying ; there was nothing but death behind them ; no hope where they were. Some would have lain down to die, but for the encouragement of the more hopeful. One of the party, being entirely out of water, cut open with a small hatchet he was carry- ing a "turk's head" cactus which was found to be, in the inside, of a pulpy consistence and contained water not unlike that of a watermelon. The only food now to be had was the fruit of the prickly pear. These contained a mucilaginous substance quite nutritious. Some would not eat them, for fear of their being pois- onous, and others because of the thorns. About sundown a horse was discovered near the trail. They drove him into a ravine where there was water and shot him. After eating sufficient to satisfy their wants, they cured what was left by roasting on the coals. Finding the old horse saved their dog. for the only reason they had not eaten him before was the great attachment the owner had for him. The night was spent in curing their meat which was to be their only food in the future until more was secured. Some were very voracious, and as a result of this surfeit of horse flesh were taken violently sick. The consequence of this over indulgence was that the party was com- jjelled to leave two or three behind. The others pro- vided for them as well as the circumstances would permit. A little rice was mustered for them, and they were furnished with arms and some ammunition, so that in case they saw anything to shoot they would be prepared. With the understanding that relief would 3o8 KIvDORADO be sent them as soon as found, the party moved on. it was now necessary that the strongest and best waiK- ers should push ahead with their Haversacks as lull of meat as they could carry them, i now quote from an old journal of one ot the party that, 1 believe, long since passed "Over the Divide ' to the "Golden Chores ' of the new Eldorado in the Great Beyond. "Sunday, June 3d. Ihis day several snakes were killed and made mto soup; one had ten rattles, btarted on ahead and kept so lor ten miles when 1 stopped to rest, the main party passing by. bome of the strag- glers urged me on, but i was too tired and camped alone. Monday, 4th. Arose before daybreak and pushed on, eating my fill of prickly pears as i waiKe^.. After crossing a high mountain came to a ravine, in hopes of finding water; found some of the party rest- ing. A note was found directing them down the ra- vine about one and a half miles to water. Here in this ravine we found nuts and plums. This was my worst day's travel, as I was quite lame and hardly able to move along, but perservered. My horse flesh I could not eat. 1 gave it all away, glad to get rid of it. My relish is the prickly pear. Crossed quite a plain and about sunset camped in a ravine alone, the party being all in advance. I laid down and soon fell asleep. I dreamed that I heard guns and the ringing of bells and awoke chilled through. The moon was shining beautifully. I started up and followed the trail increasing my pace to overcome the benumbing effects of the cold. In a short time I thought I saw the ruins of an old building, but it was an illusion ; it proved to be a projecting point of rocks. Passing it, I pressed on in hopes of reaching the camp of the main ELDORADO 309 party. At last came into a valley, of a plain spread out, and thought I could see a light in the distance — but made up my mind not to be deceived again and hur- ried on. The lights grew plainer; then the ruins of an old church came n viiew. The roof was fallen in, I feared my senses were deceiving me. At last I saw the form of a man moving, and his shadow on the ground. As I approached him I found the party in camp — and what a camp ! I was piloted across a stream and taken into an old adobe. There lay my companions stretched out upon the dirty floor, wrapped in their blankets, in two rows, with a passage way be- tween. Some were sleeping sovmdly, others were awake. Hovering over a fireplace in the room were three or four, boiling or roasting corn, which had been obtained of Mexicans who had preceded us on the trail and whose abandoned horse we had eaten. They were from Moleje, on the Gulf, bound to El Rosario. They at first refused to part with their corn as they had onl\' a peck and that was to last seven men and one woman, but when they heard our story of starvation, they gave one-half their corn. Each man had dealt out to him his allotted share, but not being there at the time, my share was not considered. But I lost nothing, for when T came in, quite a number gave me a contribu- tion, so that, in fact, I had a better share than the others. The guns and ringing of bells of which T thought T dreamed, were realities. Tlie old bell of the Mission was set ringing and guns were fired by the bovs to bring in the stragglers and so express their joy. "This was the valley and mission of San Fernando. It is capable of being a beautiful spot : has been highly 310 ELDORADO cultivated, and is easy of irrigation, At the mission were two bells, the dates upon them were 1761 and 1767. There seemed to be a room in the old ruins which was kept in some order, as I could see through the keyhole gilding paintings, and the altar. About a mile below the old ruins there was an Indian's hut. He had a small patch of wheat not ripe, which we com- pelled him to pull and thrash and make into mush which he was well paid for. This gave us half a pint each. We also obtained some little meal from him to help us on our journey to El Rosario, twelve leagues off. Starting on our journey, we crossed a high moun- tain and came to what was apparently the crater of a volcano. Continued on, very tired and foot sore. At last came in sight of the long looked for place. We came to an Indian's hut who was preparing a kind of mush made of something that tasted much like the earth. We devoured it, asking no questions, and felt rested and refreshed. At length, about 4 o'clock, we arrived at Rosario. Those who had preceded us pre- pared dinner and it was ready waiting us and it was the best dinner I ever ate ! it was of beans and corn bread. It was the first meal eaten in twenty days. We camped under fig and apple trees close to the bank of the river. Wednesday, June 6th. Obtained a quantity of beef ; dried some, and barbecued ribs for dinner. The people are friendly and the women good-looking. Had more of their good corn cake. Some of the party have started for San Diego. Horses and provisions have been sent to the sick man and party. It seems the men would never get enough to eat. We are enjoying our rest finely and our feet are getting well. Part of the company have crossed the river and canqied. I ELDORADO 311 tried to buy a peck of pinyola of a woman for which I otTered her a dollar, which she refused, but wanted my shirt. As I had on two I gave her one. Started on my journey in the afternoon, followinj:;^ up a ravine, crossed a table land and camped near the shore of the ocean in a little ravine that protected us from the cold winds of the coast. It was a little spot full of holes which were said to be rattlesnake holes, but all spread our 1)lankets over them and so prevented the snakes coming- out. Thus we slept soundly, undisturbed by the roar of the ocean surf. We were told on leav- ing Rosario that we would not find water for a long distance. About 9 o'clock came to a place where there had been water, but it was dried up now. Here we rested, tired and hungry. I saw in the distance of twenty or thirty miles a range of mountains from whence T knew there must be a stream of water, as it must naturally come from the ocean. We were sur- prised and delighted after going about three miles to find a beautiful stream of clear water, as we were suf- fering greatly from thirst. We started in the after- noon much refreshed and followed the beach, but had not proceeded far before we discovered two vessels Iving in under the shore a good distance off. The two vessels proved to be the Paradiso of Genoa, and our schooner, the Dolphin. Nearly all hands were ashore. ^Tr. Graves determined to go in her on ac- count of sore feet. Captain Rossiter advised me not to go as she leaked badly. ATondav. Ttth. Nearlv the Avhole partv have gone on by land ; distance to San Francisco, six hundred and fifty miles. Thev are un- able to get horses and are on foot. The Paradiso sailed this morning, with some of the passengers from the 312 EI.DORADO schooner. We sent on board of her for some provis- ions, but the boat was swamped and all were lost." The three sick men left in the rear two weeks be- fore, were without medicine and their sufiferings were very great. They were strong in the hope and expec- tation of aid from those in advance, but, unfortunately no assistance could be rendered them. They struggled along many days, often compelled to carry one of their sick comrades, subsisting on what they could find by the way. When strength and courage had nearly failed they were surprised one day at seeing a man coming along the trail towards them. He was carry- ing a rifle which he took by the muzzle trailed it along the ground and approached them saying he was "Christiano." He was an old mission Indian and said he lived at "Mission San Fernando." He took from his girdle, which was tied about him, same pinola, which was mixed with water and given to the sick man. Seeing their destitute and famished condition tbe old Indian cut the stalks from a species of cactus and at the same time dug from the ground with his knife the bulbous roots of another species. Burning oflf the outside of the cactus the inner part made ex- cellent food about the consistence, and lasting very much like a banana. It was a revelation and a God- send to the tired and famished pilgrims. The roots were cooked, by digging a small hole in the ground, into which they were placed, and a fire built over them. When cooked they much resembled the sweet potato. The eflPect of eating them is said to be like drinking wine after dinner. They subsequently joined their comrades, the sick man. Melville, dying soon after. ELDORADO 313 The main party continued their journey u]) the coast, sometimes along the seashore and sometimes over spurs of mountains, suffering from the effects of cactus thorns and sharp rocks on feet poorly protected. They continued their journey until the twenty-fourth of June, when they arrived at San Diego. Hungry, ragged and destitute, they saw above the military station at that place the Stars and Stripes flying, which they greeted with a hearty good will. The "Dolphin" renewed her endeavor to reach San Fran- cisco and succeeded in working as far north as to be within sixty miles of Monterey, where a landing was made for supplies of wood and water. Some cattle were found and one was killed and taken on board. Adverse winds were more violent north of Point Con- ception, and the schooner driven back so far that the men who remained with her abandoned all hope of ever reaching San Francisco and bore away for San Diego, where thev ultimatelv arrived with the vessel in a sinking condition. Melville died the dav before her arrival and was buried there. He was an intelli- gent voung man, a good companion and a true friend. His heroic fortitude and long sufferine-s endeared him to all his companions. The wreck of the Dolphin was condemned and sold and the proceeds divided pmonfst the passengers and crew who then made the best of their wav to San Francisco and the mines. M 1Q ^9*" LIBRPIRY OF CONGRESS 001 964 640 3