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HON. D. A. SHAW

ELDORADO

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CALIFORNIA

As Seen By a Pioneer,

1850-1900.

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HON. D. A. SHAW,

Pasadena, Cal.

Member Society of Pioneers,

Member Southern California Academy of Sciences.

1900,
BB. R. BAUMGARDT & Co.,

LOS ANGELES, OAL,

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Dedication.

TO THE
PIONEERS OF CALIFORNIA,
And their Descendants,

THE NATIVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE
GOLDEN WEST,

This volume is respectfully dedicated
with the best wishes of

THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

There are still living, after the lapse of fifty years,
many Pioneers, and more of their descendants, to
whom I trust the following pages will bear more than a
passing interest. To the pioneers they will restore the
fast fading recollections of events in which their ex-
periences were to a large extent very similar to my
own. One by one our comrades are dropping from
sight, passing to that new “Eldorado,” whose streets
are paved with gold, and where the hot blasts of
sandy deserts, and the difficulties and dangers of the
pioneer’s life are unknown. This work, which has
been a labor of love, was undertaken after solicitation
of those whose judgment I respect. While written
entirely from memory, I have endeavored to record
simply facts and events as they occurred, and for my
narrative lay no claim to literary merit. Whatever
its defects I crave the indulgence of my pioneer com-
rades, and a generous public.

I desire to acknowledge my indebtedness to R. Guy
McClellan, author of “Republicanism in America,”

PREFACE.

also to John Bigelow, author of the “Life of John
Charles Fremont,” in addition to other recorded data.
I have written with the hope of pleasing as well as in-
structing the younger portion of the present generation
who desire, and should become, familiar with the strug-
gles, and circumstances, attending the acquisition and
development of the great State in which we all feel
so laudable a pride, and where over every school
building there now floats the emblem of freedom,
equality and fraternity.

To wrest an extensive domain from semi-barbarism ;
to reveal its unlimited treasures; to open up new ave-
nues of commerce; to form a progressive, enlightened
and liberal government; to herald the advent of new
social and religious conditions; these made a com-
mendable field for noble endeavor. Living in the
glorious advantages their labors secured to us; who
shall say their duties were not well performed by the
founders of our grand commonwealth. They brought
civilization, beauty, and unrivaled attractions to a vast
country of unbounded possibilities; a land of mighty
monarchs of the forests, whose topmost branches pierce
the clouds, the wonder of all beholders, a land of giant
mountains, which, from their aerial heights, pour down
to the thirsty valleys below their crystal floods, beauti-
fying all the landscape with fruit, flower and vine, and
creating panorama after panorama of unsurpassed ter-
restrial beauty.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

[s (oc 8 eg Oak ae a Frontispiece
ADJOINING PAGE

Sem monn © Hremont......6i.2 o2.. eho. es 48
The Squaw Man’s House and Wife........ 62
Indian Attack on E. J. Baldwin’s Racine

Party near Salt) Dake, im: 1853-. 5 .2.s:. 74
Reel MI SUETTOS.. voce 2 ho nieewlc eka es 126
Pumucwibtary, Redlands, Cal. ....:. ....%.. 190
eanea Barbara MISSION... 60 te adlcu ds Jase 207

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I— Page

Hl Dorado— The Journeys soe eee oe eee eee 17
CHAPTER II—

On: the’ Platte the 2 Sk Cee ee eee 27
CHAPTER III—

Stills Amon indians-c.o.7 co eee eee eee 36
CHAPTER IV—

Pack, Saddles and Perils... cence eee 46
CHAPTER V—

Another*Stage « ss.k.0 sts g poe Ge ee 57
CHAPTER VI— .

Salt: Liake: 6 ctedals eaten ed ee ee eee 68
CHAPTER VII—

Ay Second Overland: Joumney icc sdees earn cee 72
CHAPTER VIII—

THE MOTMONS aes scores Ce eae oe eee 80
CHAPTER IX—

Travelmesumed: >. ecb eso. eee semen oma eee 89
CHAPTER X—

Historical incidents. «acess cee eae eee eee 96
CHAPTER XI—

Pilot's, Peak ‘and Beyond: -o-s-c a. se eee eee 100
CHAPTER XII—

Hunter and: Grappertieeccergice oe eererecieroten teeters 120
CHAPTER XIII—

To. the: MAINGSi \ociomuccew ere epoterae eee eretens OR einie aeter eee 124

CHAPTER XIV—
The. Mines—Pandemonitme once eeieaie teenie 131

CONTENTS. .

CHAPTER XV— Page

SIAC Meni ee oeae mcrteltre Sth re aics tn Gueslei vei eye c(h 'sve State sheets 139
CHAPTER XVI—

AVI THT EPR NELICTLCE fs, ores saves o's- Gale iotersicve, Pha ere esate 145
CHAPTER XVII—

Bantler Over™ Mande lays crc. eye's octe-viseceie sen sess 150
CHAPTER XVIII—

Captain Sutter—The Gold Discovery ............. 157

CHAPTER XIX—
TUG TOVSNE!: peas PRL STI AS Ria tas oS IGS Gen mS ibe et eer 167
CHAPTER XX—

MOGs RTS ANde ELOLTEOSS™ sass wre cin stelalesmaselarerssosOkre'e 174
CHAPTER XXI—

Merends and Marly EMStOr ye ~..% oe ow ccers oe hs eerste t 194
CHAPTER XXII—

WLR SROVI Ae ce ee ane aston oe ates Co uat Saye 208
CHAPTER XXIII—

TRB OS SEAL C hterae Ae, RWS Gn ale be UES baie es 231

CHAPTER XXIV—

Remarkable Adventures and Heroism of California
Pioneers, a Quarter of a Century Before the
Discovery of Gold

CHAPTER XXV—

The Daring Adventures of Bill Bent and Other

Historic Characters in New Mexico and Cali-~

VETTE TH ET A. Cosine ethionine tel ee eee 249
CHAPTER XXVI—
Aaditional Personal Narrative’... ce vec ste shiecses 268

CHAPTER XXVII—

An Account of the Sufferings of a Party of Argonauts
who were compelled to Abandon their Vessel ‘“‘The
Dolphin’’ on the Peninsula of Lower California,
and make their Way on Foot to San Diego............. 299

NOTABLE PLACES.

Page
IMPEMONTS' “PEAK 7a,-Fevens tele ier ioneioseks picks eae ekeerenl cee eicreaereee 32
Pilots SRC ak yo:ss, coucderoea casters tree Pere tteo e eee ec raer neers 97
Willow Springs). snc cr once arietear ene eer emer ees 39
The Burning) Desert;, .. scmrsrciis ein seotelarn siene stolons eerste 92
TRAST OWING: yee osc.cicisicre'erererah aia eloxeolaoe, cavers sieves tereiacere sapiens ee tetelere gba Ee
FRAN SCOW IE Ss cAlsis dood ech see siocetaene aes be Sen ieee eter eee 131

aikex Taney cascase s ts eee © Ses Caen a nae ee eee 233

NOTABLE EVENTS.

Page
Canhicin Over and (Clanws’ . <5 st a cs cc.cte = eels oe wales 152
Conventions to. Horm Constitutiony:.< st. ss. ss veces os 224
Courts and? Punishment: Improvised .2.:...<.0cec8e. css 140
LMI SCOVONE (ges cinch aie sicrolhssinte +i ervlemslob ares coke as ose han 158
PON MOL MOOG ha KEN) vie x ape.4 sisi cies 5.8 o\0ye ace ae ete ¢ Olas ee 164
MUONS SA EN OM EMAL TES sore. Wiegsfarticciasieicid ci how cine y ee be a erat 28

Postoffice Experiences ...............

NOTABLE

Blackbird
Bill Bent
Kit Carson
Captain Donner

General J. C. Fremont
Mrs. Frement
J. H. Hardy
W. B. Ide
Dr. Kirkbridge
Little Bow
J. S. Smith
Wm. Sublette
Captain Sutter

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egalel (eve /e.0 le. ee) elefevele: = eae

PERSONS.

49

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CHAPTER I.

ELDORADO—THE JOURNEY.

The present generation, and especially the sons and
daughters of the Golden West, take a commendable
interest in reading the accounts of the circumstances
and conditions attending the early history and the ex-
periences of pioneer life in California, after the dis-
covery of gold in 1848. The admission of the State into
the Union Sept. 9, 1850, one week after the arrival of
the writer, was a memorable day, and will be duly cele-
brated by all who participated in the stirring scenes of
those early times. It isestimated that4o,oooimmigrants
arrived here overland and by way of the Isthmus of
Panama in 1849, and 36,000 in 1850. As to the kind
of men, (but very few women came those years), who
composed the greater part of the immigrants and re-
mained to develop the resources of the Golden State,
a late writer says: “To this land of golden promise
in the early times came the bravest and best men of
the older states. The pioneers were the adventurous
and daring spirits of the old home, who, ill-content
to stay and vegetate amid the familiar scenes of their
birth, took heart of hope, and through weeks and
months of peril and fatigue toiled across the waterless
and savage-peopled wastes to the land afar. They lit

18 ELDORADO

their campfires of buffalo chips and sage brush and
tossed in uneasy dreams at night with their guns for
pillows. The reveille that awoke them was often the
crack of rifles in the hands of savages. For days,
weeks and months they thirsted and hungered amid
the alkali deserts and the rocky canyons, and when
they reached this land of promise there was little left
them but that dower of splendid manhood, brains and
brawn. No better, braver, truer men ever went up
against double-shotted guns in battle than were most
of the gallant, hardy young men who peopled Cali-
fornia fifty years ago, and the wealth they dug from
the earth and washed from the auriferous streams was
but the fair reward of valor. The State these men
founded has been developed by their sons until in the
bright galaxy of stars on the nation’s flag there gleams
no brighter emblem than that of California.
“Beautiful California, the sunny land of giant
woods and giant mountains, and valleys that are fat
with plenty! California, the brilliant and beautiful
land of handsome and charming women, who have
helped to make the whole world brighter and better.
California, whose golden gardens reek with the odors
of the orange blooms, and whose flowers garland with
magnificence the vales from foothill to seacoast.”
Though leaving home with all its endearments, on
a journey that could not occupy less than two years in
time, to encounter the dangers incident to such an un-
dertaking, encountering sickness with no kind and
loving hand to, administer to their wants, all these
considerations were overborne by that wild enthusiasm
that found utterance in such extravagant song as that
of which the following is a well-remembered stanza:

ELDORADO 19

I soon shall be in ’Frisco,
And then I’ll look all round,

And when I see the gold lumps there,
I’ll pick ’em off the ground

I’ll scrape the mountains clean, my boys,
I’ll drain the rivers dry,

A pocket full of rocks bring home,
So brother don’t you cry:

O, California,

That’s the land for me,

I’m bound for San Francisco
With my wash bowl on my knee

Ministers of the gospel raised their voices against
the dangers of gold and prophesied troublous woes
upon the country, and these started in the first ship as
missionaries to San Francisco, where they were often
discovered afterwards in the mines with overalls and
rubber boots or at the gambling table, where the pas-
tor would sometimes meet one of his own church
members. Physicians, lawyers and judges would ob-
tain a good supply of balls and powder and start off
to the land of gold to the tune of

“O! Susanna, don’t you cry.”

On the appearance of grass upon the plains the
march began. The prairie schooners from Missouri
and Arkansas, drawn principally by oxen or mules,
and lighter wagons from the Northwest, formed a con-
tinuous line of march by every route leading to the
South Pass of the Rocky Mountains. In wagons, on
horses, on mules, with pack animals, hand carts and
wheelbarrows, men, women and children trudged
along on foot. Harrassed by Indians, the day was
passed in toil and the night in standing guard.

Through inexperience and haste the animals’
strength, with only grass for food, began to fail, and
before the pass was reached the loss of stock became

20 ELDORADO

serious, and large quantities of supplies, especially in
'49, had to be abandoned. ‘These losses became a dis-
astrous matter before the end of January was reached.

Along the valley of the Humboldt, across the wide
sandy plains, covered with sage brush and alkali, under
a burning sun, the long journey was slowly performed.
Many trains, to avoid the 45-mile desert between the
sink of the Humboldt and Carson river, took what
was known as Lassen’s cut-off, but which proved to
be much farther and more difficult. A large number
that were in the rear were caught in the snows of the
Sierras, and relief parties were sent from Sutter’s
Fort to their assistance. After having slept in the
open air for months on the ground, the rainy season
in the mines had to be provided for. Some gained
shelter for themselves by building canvas or log
cabins. Others, neglecting to so provide for them-
selves, in their haste to secure and work their mining
claims, became dependent for shelter and food upon
the more thoughtful and provident at great expense.
My first winter in the mines was spent in a canvas
tent, where snow fell at considerable depth on Ranch-
eria creek, in Amador county. Many suffered from
scurvy and other ailments in consequence of improper
food. The late Dr. Stillman, who conducted a hos-
pital in Sacramento in °49 and ’50, in his interesting
book, “Seeking the Golden Fleece,” estimates that “‘in
less than one year at least 10,000 of the young men
who started on their long journey with cheers and
songs were sleeping their last sleep beneath the wild
flowers.”

Fruit and vegetables were impossible to obtain. All
our flour, butter and cheese were brought from Chili,

ELDORADO 21

South America. Later, when a few apples commenced
to arrive from Oregon, they sold readily for $1 apiece.
It was the memory of these hard experiences endured
by the early immigrants that formed the basis of the
organization of the Society of Pioneers, of whose ex-
periences those who have entered the state at a later
period have no adequate conception.

Among those coming at an early date was a class
who might have regarded themselves as pioneers,
principally from Sydney, Australia, and other foreign
countries, and known as a dangerous and rowdy ele-
ment, but they soon disappeared before the advancing
civilization without leaving posterity or any evidence
of industrial enterprise.

Most of the great enterprises that have placed Cali-
fornia in the front rank of the states of the Union
were originated and carried to completion by pioneer
brains and money. ‘They were, and are today, the
mental and financial forces that control our great rail-
road systems, our extensive commerce, our manufac-
tures, and largely the banking business. . Two of the
greatest educational institutions of the world have been
established and endowed, at a cost of $40,000,000,
by pioneers who endured the hardships of the early
immigrants. With few exceptions the most important
and responsible positions in public life in the state, on
the bench, at the bar, in the United States senate, are
and have been filled by Pioneers or Sons of the Golden
West. With one or two exceptions every governor of
California has been a pioneer.

Two years after the discovery of gold by Marshall
while digging a mill race at Coloma, on the American
river, I, like thousands of other young men, had the

22 ELDORADO

California gold fever and “had it bad.” The imagina-
tion, especially of those of an adventurous spirit, was
stimulated by the most extravagant and exaggerated
accounts of the gold mines. It was even reported that
nuggets of pure gold worth thousands of dollars had
been found with handles attached to them, making an
independent fortune for the lucky finder. Uniting the
very limited capital at my command—saved from
teaching school in winter at $12 a month, and working
in summer—lI, with four other young fellows, left my
father’s home at Marengo, Ill., on April 19, 1850, with
two covered wagons and eight horses, with such a
supply of provisions, medicines and the like as might
be required for a journey of five or six months.

The parting with father, mother and sisters was for
the moment a sad one. The gift of that bible and the
tearful benediction and prayer for the safe return of
an only son can never be effaced from memory, and
often in times of temptation, when far from home and
social restrains, those memories prevented the son’s
feet from straying into forbidden paths. The novelty
of camping out and cooking soon wore off. Every
member of the company performed the duties of cook
and dishwasher in turn one week at a time. After
crossing the Mississippi river we were compelled to
remain at Tipton, Cedar county, Iowa, nearly three
weeks until the grass should start, as the prairie fires
had consumed the greater part and settlers were often
twenty or thirty miles apart.

We soon ascertained that the house at Tipton at
which we were stopping was the headquarters of a
gang of horse thieves, and we were compelled to stand
guard over our horses at night. On one occasion the

ELDORADO ea

thieves came near getting away with two of our best
horses during a very dark night, but the guard, having
awakened from sleep, discharged his revolver, which
caused the thieves to disappear in the darkness.

We encountered many driving storms and swollen
streams. As there were no bridges we sometimes had
to construct our own.

After arriving at Council Bluffs—then a military
post on the east bank of the Missouri—and going into
camp on the river bottom, we were joined by other
companies of overland emigrants from Illinois and
Wisconsin, and organized a company for mutual
protection while passing through the various Indian
tribes. We were to be known under the name of “Wild
Rovers,” with J. H. Hardy of Wisconsin as captain.
A. schedule of by-laws was adopted and signed by each
member of the company. The manner of leaving camp
in the morning and corralling and standing guard
every night was provided for and ever after adhered
to, until the company was compelled to break up into
smaller bands on account of shortness of feed for
stock.

The Indians would sometimes attempt to stampede
our horses when picketed out at night by shaking
buffalo robes as near as safety to themselves would
permit, and in one or two instances succeeded, but,
fortunately, after considerable delay, the stock was all
recovered. Whenever there was an appearance of
danger the train was corralled in the form of a circle,
or semi-circle, and fires for cooking were made inside,
while a strong guard was placed with the horses until
a certain hour in the night, then they were tied to the

24 ELDORADO

wagons inside the circle until morning, when they
were again put out to graze.

After two days travel from the Missouri river we
reached the Elkhorn, at that time a wide, turbulent
stream overflowing its banks, occasioned by the heavy
spring rains. Our only means of crossing was to
stretch a rope from bank to bank and use our wagon
beds for boats to transport our effects. This means
of crossing streams we had anticipated from the start,
and had our wagon beds made water tight, with the
necessary amount of rope for all emergencies. We
camped on the east bank of the stream and received a
friendly visit from some of our Pawnee brothers and
sisters, who were being “civilized” and ‘‘Christian-
ized” at a near-by mission. They were in their native
costume of red blankets, buckskin breeches and moc-
casins, and spoke but little English. We distributed
some presents among them, for which they seemed
much pleased. They had not yet learned to swear as
a friendly salutation at meeting and parting, as had
the natives further up on the Platte, who had caught
it from the ox and mule drivers. With a friendly
shake of the hand it would be, “Whoa, haw, G— d—
you; haw, gee.”

After our breakfast that morning, which as usual
consisted of coffee, pancakes and bacon, we had our
first experience in crossing a large stream relying on
our own resources. Our train consisted of twenty
wagons, with an average of three men and the same
number of horses to each wagon. A young man, one
of our best swimmers, was detailed to take a small
cord in his teeth made fast to a strong rope and swim
to the opposite side. Fortunately either bank at that

ELDORADO 25

time was fringed with trees, to one of which the rope
was attached, and by the use of our wagon beds for
our effects, and swimming our stock, we crossed with-
out accident or loss. From here we commenced our
long journey up the north bank of the Platte. The
Loup fork and other tributaries being difficult to ford
on account of the treacherous quicksand bottoms, com-
pelled us to go several miles out of our course to find
safe crossings. ‘The distance from the Missouri to
Fort Laramie, the first government post, was 700
miles; to the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains,
1000. Indians were ‘occasionally seen, but proved
friendly. Five days out from the Elkhorn we were
joined by a chief, who presented to our captain a
“recommend” written by some trader or immigrant,
stating that he was a good Indian, and if anything
was stolen he would recover and return it.

In some cases the “recommend” would read: ‘*This
is a bad Indian; he will steal anything he can lay his
hands on. Look out for him’ Of course he was
never the wiser for what it contained. This particu-
lar chief wore a discarded black coat and a tall, bat-
tered, plug hat, relics, no doubt, of a dead or “busted”
"4ger.

In the first rush to the gold mines of California the
previous year, many died from cholera and other
causes, and much clothing and other property were
thrown away and appropirated by the Indians. This
chief traveled with us two days and was useful in
various ways, helping to select suitable camp grounds,
gathering dried buffalo chips, etc. It was our first
knowledge and experience in that kind of fuel for
cooking purposes. That, with willow twigs and sage

26 ELDORADO

brush, was all the fuel we had for many weeks, in
fact until we reached the Black Hills in what is now
Wyoming.

Upon the leave-taking of our “‘good Indian’ we
gave him numerous little presents, with which he was
much pleased, and, mounting his pony, he was soon
lost to view in the distance. In all my experience with
Indians I have found kindness and good treatment as
much appreciated as by the more civilized, and I have
sometimes thought even more so.

Only a single tree was seen between the Elkhorn
and Laramie, and that stood about 100 miles below the
latter place, on the north bank of the Platte, near the
water’s edge. On my next overland trip in 53 I noticed
that the “lone tree” had been cut down by some van-
dal who had not the fear of future punishment before
his eyes. While in camp at this point I had a thrilling
experience in crossing the Platte with a life-preserver,
in an attempt to interview immigrants on the south
side, many of whom were reported sick and dying with
the cholera.

‘ELDORADO 27,

CHAPTER II.

ON THE PLATTE.

The main Platte river below Laramie is formed by
the two principal branches, the North and South
Forks, the Sweetwater, and some smaller streams that
issue from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains.
In the spring and early summer a large volume of
water finds its way to the Missouri from the melting
of snow upon the high range, and from the heavy
rains that fall at that season of the year. Some of the
severest thunder storms that I have ever witnessed
were encountered as we approached the higher alti-
tudes. Whenever these occurred our train was halted
and every man sought shelter in our covered wagons
from the driving rain, which was often accompanied
with hail. The blinding flashes of lightning and near
peals of thunder were at times most appalling.

To favor our animals as much as possible, no man
was permitted to ride unless he was sick. The average
distance traveled each day was about fifteen miles, ex-
cept where wide stretches of desert or alkali plains
were met with. Then a longer distance was traveled
to reach grass and water, in some cases thirty or forty
miles, and in one instance ninety miles.

The Platte water was unfit for use unless strained

28 ELDORADO

or filtered, on account of the floating sand, which made
it impossible to see the bottom even in the shallowest
places. The river bed was simply moving sand, and
new channels of uncertain depth were constantly be-
ing formed by the rapidly flowing water. Long streaks
of sand or little islands appeared at one time, and again
almost entirely disappeared, making a very dan-
gerous stream to cross. At the “lone tree” it was per-
haps three-quarters of a mile wide. While we were
camped at that point there was also a company of im-
migrants in camp on the opposite side of the river. Up
to this time, having had no communication with those
who came by way of Fort Kearney, we were anxious
to learn their condition, with reference to reports of
many dying with the cholera on that route.

It fell to my lot to cross the river and interview
them, but first | donned a life-preserver, as the cross-
ing was dangerous, both from the wide, rapid channels
and the quicksands, in which both men and animals
had sometimes lost their lives. We were told of a man
who, while out hunting with a well-trained horse, shot
some game on a small island while on the main bank
of the river, and throwing his bridle over a willow
bush went to recover it. On his return, near the shore,
he sank in the quicksand and was unable to extricate
himself. Realizing his danger, as a last resort he
whistled and called to his horse, which seemed in-
stinctively to realize that some danger threatened.
The horse pulled himself loose from the bush, went
quickly to the aid of his master, and was induced to
place himself in such a position that the man was able
to grasp his tail. By that means the rider was extricated
from his perilous position. [I cannot vouch for the

ELDORADO | 29

truth of this, though horses sometimes show remark-
able intelligence. As an illustration I relate the fol-
lowing: Later on, when traveling down the Hum-
boldt, my only remaining pony was stolen by the In-
dians when I became separated from my company.
After I had searched and waited a day the horse
either broke loose or stole away from the Indians and
returned to me, after | had abandoned the search. I
was alone at the time in a most desolate region, and
her appearance and show of affection was like that of
meeting a near and tried friend. She seemed as glad
to return as I was to welcome her.

But to return to the crossing of the Platte. After
wading and swimming, avoiding the quicksands as
much as possible, when ! got within about 100 yards
of the opposite side, I found the most difficult and
dangerous portion to cross, and was undecided for a
time whether to attempt it or return. A large volume
of water had cut a deep, wide channel that extended to
a high, precipitous bank. I decided not to return with-
out accomplishing my object, and swam to the bank,
but was carried some distance down the stream and
found the bank very difficult to ascend. The water
was deep and the current rapid as it cut into the yield-
ing earth. A man who had noticed my crossing came
to my relief, and after getting the information that I
desired I returned to camp, chilled and weary. The
‘wife of the man who came to my aid had just died
from the cholera, and he was left to pursue his jour-
ney bereft of the society of his loving wife. We
witnessed many sad scenes upon our route, many dy-
ing on both lines of travel. Some, discouraged by the
loss of father, mother or children, would turn and

30 ELDORADO

make their weary way back to the States to their old
homes and friends. Many were ill prepared for so
long a journey, and by careless and imprudent driving
and management their teams would give out or die,
when they would take what they could carry on their
backs and travel on foot. Women, especially, from
Missouri and Arkansas, would be seen attempting the
journey on foot. I have seen men trundling wheel-
barrows with all their earthly goods, others with an
ox or cow “packed” as the only means of conveyance.
Women, under the most adverse and trying circum-
stances, exhibited far more patience, fortitude and res-
ignation to the inevitable than men. In sickness es-
pecialty;:their care and sympathy was almost indispen-
sable. Their help and encouragement were always
greatly prized.

In consequence of the large amount of travel on
the plains, game had become somewhat scarce. A few
buffalo, antelope and mountain sheep were now and
then seen, and occasionally one would be killed by
the hunters of our party: so we were quite well sup-
plied with meat. That of the antelope is very similar
to venison. Nothing is finer than the steak of a young
buffalo, and to preserve what we were unable to con-
sume fresh we cut it into long strips and “jerked,” or
dried it over a slow fire on sticks, in the same manner
as our “foremothers” dried pumpkin for family use.
Prepared in that way it was very palatable and nu-
tritious and could be kept a long time.

Before leaving the Pawnee country and entering
that of the Sioux, one of our boys, while hunting, had
gone farther into the hills in pursuit of game than was
safe, and was unable to reach camp before nightfall.

ELDORADO ; 31

Hungry, thirsty and tired, he reacehd the Platte bot-
tom as darkness was coming on, with no camp or train
in sight. He saw, however, at no great distance a clus-
ter of Indian tepees or wigwams. He approached and
made known his wants by signs. The chief Indian
motioned for his rifle, which was handed to him, and
after discharging it left it still in his possession. The
boy’s wants were supplied with the best they had to
give. After a good night’s rest, with a buffalo robe
for his bed, his rifle was returned to him and he was
permitted to go, grateful for favors received. In good
time he overtook the train, none the worse for his ex-
perience.

For the most part, the landscape for 600 or 700 miles
on the main Platte was very monotonous, the valley
proper varying in width from one to two miles. As
we ascended to the higher regions near the base of the
Rocky Mountain range many curious and fantastic for-
mations were seen. Among the most picturesque and
unique were Castle and Chimney rocks, a few miles
from the line of travel below Laramie. One resem-
bled an immense castle, with its walls and towering
domes, and the other a column of an immense height,
round and perfect as though built by human hands.

Acres of fallen, petrified forest, seen before reach-
ing the Black Hills, formed a most interesting and cu-
tious sight, the broken trunks lying thick upon the
ground, from one to two feet in diameter, solid as
granite and of various lengths. They presented a re-
markable feature of nature.

One of the grandest sights and one not soon to be
forgotten, was presented as the lofty, snowy range of
the Wind River mountains, lying north of the South

32 ELDORADO

Pass, came into view. ‘They were probably 300 miles
distant, but through the clear, rarified atmosphere ap-
peared much nearer.

Fremont’s Peak, the tallest of the group, presented
the appearance of a vast body of snow reaching to the
clouds. In the bright sunlight of the early morning
to us “Wild Rovers” it was a very inspiring sight. On
the top of the tallest peak, Fremont (after whom it
was named), with his mountain guides, raised, in 1843,
the Stars and Stripes and reported finding a bumble
bee on the extreme summit, benumbed with cold, en-
deavoring evidently to pass from one side to the other
of the range.

Traveling at the rate of fifteen miles a day makes a
journey somewhat monotonous, but the trip overland
was occasionally broken by some exciting episode.
One occurred after leaving “Lone Tree,” 100 miles
below Fort Laramie. About 500 miles out from Mis-
souri we were joined by two men and two women with
one emigrant wagon. They had asked permission of
Captain Hardy to camp with us as a protection against
the Indians, which was granted. It was soon apparaent
that a feud of some kind existed in their household,
apparently with “two women in it,” until finally, upon
leaving camp one morning after a little altercation be-
tween the two men, one was shot, and at the time it
was supposed he had received his death wound. The
shooter at once mounted one of his horses and attempt-
ed to escape, whereupon our train was immediately cor-
ralled and a number of our men started in pursuit of
the supposed murderer. After a chase of several miles.
when he was about to be overtaken, he jumped from his
horse and secreted himself among the willows upon a

ELDORADO 33

small island in the river. After considerable parleying
he consented to give himself up if he could have a fair
trial, which was promised, although many had declared
for shooting or hanging him at once. Our physician
(who afterwards died with the cholera) extracted the
bullet from the injured man by making an incision in
the pit of the stomach, where it had lodged, but his re-
covery was considered doubtful. However, general
consent was had to give the man a trial, as promised
by his captors. Captain Hardy was selected as judge,
a jury impaneled, and I was chosen to defend the pris-
ioner (my maiden case more than ten years before I
was admitted to the bar). A Mr. Coleman of Michigan
stood for the people. I secured both the women as
witnesses for my client, who put up a strong case
against the supposed dying man, and I so far won the
suit that the verdict of the jury was that the prisoner
be taken to Fort Laramie and delivered up to the mili-
tary authorities to be sent home for trial. This was
done. Upon arriving at the Fort we found a party
who had known my client in Christian county, Illinois,
and who declared him to be a notorious horse-thief and
counterfeiter. The wounded man was still alive, and
we decided to leave the whole outfit at the fort. While
being taken back to the States the prisoner made his es-
cape before reaching Fort Leavenworth. Three years
later I met both men at Hangtown, where they were
partners in running a blacksmith shop. My client ex-
pressed much gratitude for saving his life. On arriv-
ing at Fort Laramie in 1853, I inquired of the com-
manding officer what had become of the women. He
stated that they both married soldiers, and were then
at Fort Leavenworth.

34 ELDORADO

While at Laramie we met Kit Carson, the noted
hunter, trapper, Indian fighter and chief guide to Gen.
John C. Fremont in his explorations in the Far West.
Three years later I traveled with him for several
months, of which I will speak hereafter. Most of his
life had been spent in the Indian country, and at that
time his home was at Taos, N. M. A book entitled the
“Prairie Flower” had been published, giving an ex-
aggerated and highly colored account of his life and
exploits, embodying more of the features of a novel
than a truthful narrative. Being of a modest, retiring
disposition, and not seeking notoriety, he was not at all
pleased with the publication. He was best and widest
known of all the old mountaineers, many of whom,
from Lewis and Clarke to Bridger and Shambo, will
always have an honorable place in the history of the
frontier life that has led American civilization.

We found the Sioux tribe of Indians in many re-
spects to be far superior to the Pawnees. Intellectually
and physically they were the finest body of Indians we
met with on the plains. They were more cleanly in their
habits and possessed large bands of horses and a few
cattle, and showed more evidences of some of the better
habits of civilization than any other tribe. Occasionally
a white man was seen among them with a numerous
family. It was a noticeable fact that the Indians near-
est the borders of our western settlements acquired the
worst vices of the whites and retrograded instead of
advancing by the contact. Only under these conditions
is it strictly true that “the only good Indian is a dead
Indian.” The Sioux were brave, adventurous and re-
served, neither manifesting nor encouraging familiar-
ity. The males dressed in their native costumes, but

ELDORADO 35

the red blankets furnished by the government were con-
spicuous among the women. On one occasion a large
party mounted on ponies, apparently returning from a
hunt, was seen approaching in the distance, and as they
came near they made some hostile demonstrations by
whooping and flourishing their bows and arrows. They
rode to the head of our train and, dismounting, seized
the leaders by their bridles, thereby stopping the en-
tire train. Captain Hardy, with a few others, went
forward and after a short parley with them, they spread
a blanket upon the ground and we placed some food
and a few presents upon it, such as we had brought
with us expressly to distribute among the Indians, for
in such emergencies we believed it better to conciliate
them by friendly treatment than to make them enemies.
as others had sometimes done. After leaving Laramie
to enter the Black Hills, feed became scarce, in conse-
quence of the large number of trains preceding us, and
we were compelled to break up into smaller parties.
Ours consised of ten men and four wagons. The only
physician, Dr. Kirkbride, was one of our number. The
only feed to be obtained for our stock was bunch or
buffalo grass, and that, at times, only at long intervals.
Not infrequently we found it necessary to leave our
wagons by the roadside and take our animals one or
two miles to find grazing.

36 ELDORADO

CHAPTER III.

STILL AMONG INDIANS.

In parting company with our companions, with whom
we had traveled nearly one-third of our journey, friend-
ly ties were severed, possibly a few to be renewed after
many months when our destination should be reached
at the “diggins,’ but the majority, taking different
routes and “cutoffs” after reaching the western slope
of the Rockies, were seen no more.

Many died from sickness on the forepart of the trip,
and before the end was reached many others succumbed
to fatigue, worn down by the hardships they endured.
Some belated emigrants who were caught in the snows
of the Sierras perished before relief could reach them.
A few were killed by the Indians.

The Utes were found more crafty and treacherous
than any other tribe we had encountered. These In-
dians occupied the region around Salt Lake and a large
portion of what is now the State of Utah. They had
imbibed to some extent the spirit of some of the Mor-
mon leaders toward those not of their faith. The
Blackfeet, Arapahoe, Snake and Crow Indians were
friendly. Whenever they went upon the warpath they
felt at least that they had grievances to redress. ‘There
were those among the various tribes who, like their

ELDORADO 37

more enlightened and civilized brothers, would steal
jorses and commit other crimes. Against such we
had constantly to be on our guard.

A peculiar characteristic of Indian life was their im-
providence. They were often driven to such an ex-
tremity for food that they ate every kind of insect and
every creeping thing however repulsive. Snails, liz-
ards, ants and even lice | have often seen eaten with
apparent relish. Worms, grasshoppers and young
wasps taken “fresh” from the comb were considered a
great luxury. ‘This was especially true of the Digger
Indians, and can be witnessed even in California at the
present time. Since the passing of the buffalo and
other game, which, previous to the large emigration to
Oregon and California, were so abundant, their con-
dition has been pitiable in the extreme. In certain lo-
calities where only acorns and pine nuts can be ob-
tained these, for a portion of the year, form their only
food. At other seasons they live on seeds and roots.

While on the Platte an invitation was given and ac-
cepted to dine with a friendly Indian who had recov-
ered some stolen property. A feast of honor, a dog
feast, was being prepared upon our arrival. The dog
was in a large pot over the fire in the middle of the
lodge, and after we were seated upon buffalo robes it
was immediately served up in large wooden bowls, one
of which was handed to each. The flesh had some-
thing the flavor of mutton. One of the party feeling
something move behind him, looked around and found
he had take his seat among a litter of fat young pup-
pies. Not wishing to be nice in such matters and let
his prejudices interfere with the hospitality extended
by the host, he silently continued his meal.

38 ELDORADO

Our stay of two days at the hospitable quarters at
Fort Laramie had broken the monotony of our journey
and somewhat improved the condition of our animals.
which were worn down by long continued travel on
sandy roads, and the growing scarcity of the grass,
which formed their entire sustenance. Immediately
upon entering the Black Hills we found a better supply
of fuel, consisting of scrubby pine and sage brush. ‘The
country for 150 miles trom Fort Laramie to Willow
Springs was broken by ridges and narrow valleys.
Here water could be obtained only at long intervals.
The north fork of the Platte was not visible
from our route for that entire distance. ‘The
third day out, a young man and I were riding
on horseback a mile or two in advance of the
train, and after passing over a dividing ridge
we came suddenly upon a party of about a dozen
Cheyenne Indians returning from a hunt, all mounted
upon ponies. ‘They were armed mainly with bows and
arrows, having only two or three guns. ‘They quickly
gathered around and halted us. After a short confer-
ence among themselves they inquired by signs our des-
tination. We laughingly told them as well as we could
in their sign language that we were looking for Indians
and wanted to settle in their country, and also at the
same time that we belonged to a train of wagons not
far in our rear. This they no doubt believed, as we had
no guns, only our revolvers. After a further confab
among themselves, whether hostile or friendly to us
we could not understand, one Indian galloped his pony
to the top of the ridge over which we had just passed
apparently to verify our statement. Fortunately our
wagons were no great distance away, and when he re-

ELDORADO 39

turned they hastily “how-howed,” shaked hands and
rode quietly off. Had our train not been in sight we
might have been at least deprived of our horses and
whatever else they could have appropriated.

Upon arriving at Willow Springs, a noted camping
ground for emigrants, where ordinarily there was plen-
ty of grass and water, we found an excellent spring of
cold water, but the feed had been entirely consumed.
We reached here after an unusually long day’s travel
in a cold rain-storm as night was approaching. We
were now at an altitude of 6,000 feet, near the base of
the snowy range of the Rocky Mountains. The neces-
sity of providing for our animals was the first con-
sideration, and two of our men were sent to search for
grass, which they succeeded in finding about one mile
from our camp.

We had no means of building a fire, and our usual
meal of coffee, pan-cakes and bacon was omitted. Af-
ter corralling our wagons near the spring, our party
was divided, part accompanying the stock to the grazing
ground to stand guard, and the others to remain withthe
wagons. I was one whose lot it was to help guard the
stock. Each one of our company was provided with a
full suit of rubber, which we found a great protection
from the frequent rains and in night watches. As In-
dians had been seen watching our progress during the
day, our captain was apprehensive that we might have
trouble with them before morning, as the dark and
stormy night was favorable to their approach. His
fears were not unfounded, for about 12 o’clock they
crept as near as possible without being discovered, and
by shaking a buffalo robe stampeded all our horses
except a few that were picketed or fettered.

40 ELDORADO

Fortunately for us the runaways went in the direc-
tion of our wagons, and by early morning they were
all gathered in without loss. A few discharges from
our revolvers had the tendency to frighten away the
Indians.

From this point to Independence Rock, where the
Sweetwater river joins the north fork of the Platte
a distance of fifty miles, the country had a desolate ap-
pearance. No game was seen, except now and then a
half-starved jackrabbit flitting through the stunted
sage brush. On these bare and dreary plains that in-
teresting rodent, the prairie dog, finds a congenial
home. ‘They live in towns laid out with considerable
regularity with well traveled streets and avenues, and it
is a curious and funny sight when approaching one of
their little cities to see them playing and gamboling
like so many kittens, and upon any unusual noise, in-
stead of disappearing, those in their houses or burrows
will instantly appear, and all will stand perfectly erect
and still, gazing at the intruder. They are about the
size of the common gray squirrel, and are not easily
frightened. Several attempts were made by our boys
to capture one, but without avail. Several were shot
but they would either fall into their holes, or be drag-
ged in by their comrades. These little towns abound
along the Platte, and extend to ‘the Sweetwater
river. In riding after buffalo and other game, great
caution was necessary to avoid these underground bur-
rowings, as they might prove serious both to man and
beast.

This is the region of extensive alkali beds and pois-
onous grass. In certain places the ground was covered
with a white crustation of saleratus, caused by the

ELDORADO 41

evaporation of water strongly impregnated with alkali.
It was sometimes used by emigrants for bread making
and found to be a good substitute for the article of
commerce.

The grass that grew around certain springs of water
proved fatal to horses and cattle, evidently containing
some mineral poison. Remedies were sometimes
promptly administered that saved the lives of the poi-
soned animals, but in a short time they became per-
fectly hairless. We were fortunate at the commence-
ment of our journey in securing a printed Mormon
guide-book, which enabled us to avoid many mistakes
that fell to the lot of those less favored. The Mor-
mons, under the leadership of Brigham. Young, had
preceded us to Salt Lake two years before, and the
guide-book was intended for those of like faith who
were to follow.

Our three days’ journey from Willow Spring to
Independence Rock was uneventful, save as it con-
vinced us that a change in our mode of travel
was necessary, owing to heavy, sandy roads and
scarcity of feed. Our animals were becoming so thin
and weak as to cause some anxiety. We had already
been traveling in “sections,” and it now became
evident that we must divide into still smaller parties.

Associated with our camping ground at Indepen-
dence Rock are memories of thrilling adventures and
pioneer experiences. The lines of travel to Oregon
and California converged at this point, that from Mis-
souri and, Arkansas, by way of Forts Independence
and Kearney, and that from the Northwest, via Council
Bluffs and the north bank of the Platte. One hun-
dred miles further west, after leaving the South Pass

42 ELDORADO

they diverged, the Oregon route going to the right and
that to Salt Lake and California to the left.

Gen. John C. Fremont, one of the most heroic figures
in the past generation in the history of frontier life
and in the field of explorations, had some of his most
notable experiences in this locality, while in the employ
of the government as topographical engineer and bot-
anist, in the year 1843-4. He ascended the highest
peak of the Rocky Mountains visible from this point,
13,570 feet above the waters of the Gulf of Mexico
and since known as Fremont’s Peak, on the highest
point of which the bee was caught and pressed _ be-
tween the leaves of his journal. Rock Independence is
isolated and of granite formation, 500 or 600 yards in
length and 40 in height. Everywhere within six or
eight feet of the ground, where the surface is sufficient-
ly smooth, and in some places 60 or 80 feet above, the
rock is inscribed with the names of travelers. Many
of these are famous in the history of this country, and
some are well known to science. Names of traders,
missionaries among the savages, and emigrants, in-
cluding those of our own party, can be seen there, some
partially obliterated, but the greater portion impervious
to the storms that beat against them. That of General
Fremont and the large cross he imprinted upon the
smooth surface of this remarkable rock were written
with tar and melted rubber.

The surrounding country was bare of vegetation, not
a tree was in sight except in the distance along the
slopes or in the canyons of the mountains.

The great evaporation on the sandy soil of this ele-
vated plain and the alkali or saline efflorescences which
whitened the ground and shone like lakes glistening

ELDORADO 43

in the sun, made a soil wholly unfit for cultivation and
gave it a most leprous appearance.

Soon after reaching Independence Rock early in the
afternoon, a party was formed, including our physi-
cian, Dr. Kirkbride, to visit the famous Devil’s Gate,
about five miies distant. Our “guide book” described it
as a place where the Sweetwater cuts through a granite
rock. The length of the pass is 300 or 400 yards and
the width 35 yards. ‘The walls of rock are vertical
and 400 feet high, and the stream in the gate is almost
entirely choked with the masses of rock which have
fallen from above, and through which the water rushes
with a deafening roar. It is certainly a wonderful
freak of nature and well repaid the visit.

Very soon after the return of the party, Dr. Kirk-
bride was taken suddenly and violently ill with
the cholera. He administered his own remedies and
gave directions to an attendant until he became uncon-
scious, but died before morning, about eight hours
after his attack. This was the only death that occurred
in our train. Our facilities for burial were very limit-
ed, but we did the best our circumstances permitted
and reverently and sorrowfully committed his body to
a shallow grave, with a blanket and buffalo robe for a
winding sheet. Dr. Kirkbride was about 30 years of
age, and by his kindly, helpful ways had endeared him-
self to all of our party. He had joined us on the lower
Platte, and we knew nothing of his family or address,
only that he was from Iowa, so we had no means of
advising his friends of his death. As I passed that
way three years later I looked for his grave, but was
unable to identify the spot where we had laid him.

We had now been two and a half months on our jour-

44 ELDORADO

ney to the land of gold, and it was less than half ac-
complished. Five hundred miles lay between us and
the Mormon settlement at Salt Lake, and nearly 1,500
before reaching our destination. After carefully consid-
ering the situation, it was decided to leave our wagons
and construct pack-saddles, making the burden as light
as possible for our animals. ‘Their weakened condition
and the increasing heaviness of the roads and short-
ness of feed seemed to make this an absolute neces-
sity.

If a house or barn, or a bridge, was to be built, we
had men who could have gone to work intelligently, but
a pack-saddle—“that was a horse of another color.”
But “where there is a will there is a way,” and necessity
was our “mother of invention.’’ Most of the boys had
never seen a pack-saddle. A couple of us had watched
Kit Carson mending his at Laramie and we had to take
the initiative. Every one was ready to do his part

As we would have no further use for our wagons we
decided, after due deliberation, to cut the spokes from
the wheels for saddles, and pack our cooking utensils
and sufficient provisions to supply our needs to the
Mormon settlement. Our wagons were made of the
best material expressly for the trip, and we little ex-
pected to be compelled to use them for such a purpose,
or to leave them for fuel either for Indians or emi-
grants coming after us whose necessities might not be
as great as our own.

Two crosses, two feet in length and about fifteen
inches apart, with a board beneath the lower extremi-
ties to rest upon either side of the animals’ backs, and
the upper projections upon which to hang our blankets,
frying pans, coffee pots, etc., was what we evolved

ELDORADO 45

from our limited knowledge and common _ sense
to constitute a pack-saddle. Of course we were to
ride “‘shank’s horses” in the future, as we had mainly
in the past. In fact, we had simply become human
walking machines.

Many things that brought to our minds sweet
thoughts of home, mother, sisters and sweethearts had
to be left with our wrecked vehicles, even guns, cloth-
ing, boots, shoes and books, but the little Bibles and
keepsakes—never! ‘Then it was goodby Independence
Rock, and “Ho, for Salt Lake;” “Now for a gay old
time;” “You bet,” were the cheerful exclamations as
we took up our line of march.

There was no murmuring, shirking or complaining
during all the journey that tried men’s (and women’s)
souls, or wishing we had done this, or had done that
There was plenty of other “sand” in our little company
besides that through which we plodded day after day.

46 ELDORADO

CHAPTER IV.

PACK SADDLES AND PERILS.

Before bidding a final adieu to the locality around
which cluster some of the most eventful incidents in
overland immigration to the Pacific Coast, I will refer
briefly to one or two incidents that make this particular
portion of the route especially memorable.

The fact that during the decade from 1840 to 1850
not less than 75,000 emigrants, at a conservative esti-
mate, passed this point is worthy of note.

Previous to reaching this point different routes were
followed, thereby providing better facilities for graz-
ing, but at the upper crossing of the Platte, notably in
the great emigration of ’49-’50, the feed became ex-
hausted long before the later travelers reached this
part of the journey.

We witnessed many sorrowful evidences of the sick-
nesses and misfortunes of those of the previous
year, in the numerous graves, the bones of dead ani-
mals, and remnants of discarded property. History
does not furnish a parallel to the excitement and ter-
rible experiences of many of those of the 50,000 who
rushed to the mines of California in 1849-50. Know-
ing the hardships of the emigrants of the preceding
year we regarded ourselves as having comparatively

ELDORADO 47

little of which to complain. Probably no part of the
journey presented a more discouraging aspect than
around Independence Rock, where many were com-
pelled to leave both animals and wagons, and travel
with what they could carry upon their backs. I have
referred to Gen. J. C. Fremont’s explorations as United
States topographical engineer in the years 1843-4 in
this region. The following incident not only illus-
trates the indifference to danger in the discharge of
duty that characterized frontier men, but shows some-
what the character-of the high altitudes as one ap-
proaches the head waters of the streams that take their
rise in the Rocky Mountains.

At the junction of the Sweetwater and North Platte
the waters pass between perpendicular rocks from 300
to 500 feet high, forming a narrow’ dark canyon seven
or eight miles long, with numerous falls and danger-
ous rapids.

In pursuance of his instructions to make a thorough
survey of the Platte river, General Fremont entered the
canyon with a rubber boat with five men, his instru-
ments for taking observations, blankets, books, papers
and journal of his expedition, etc. After passing several
dangerous falls in safety, he writes in his narrative:

““To go back was impossible. Before us the cataract
was a sheet of foam and shut up in the chasm of the
rocks, which in some places seemed to meet overhead.
The roar of the waters was deafening. We pushed
off again, but after making a little distance the force
of the current became too great for the men on shore
and two of them let go of the rope attached to the
stern of the boat. Lajeunesse, the third man, hung on
and was jerked head foremost into the river from a

48 ELDORADO

rock about twelve: feet high, and down the boat shot
like an arrow—Basil following us in the rapid current
and exerting all his strength to keep in midchannel, his
head only seen occasionally, like a black spot in the
white foam. He owed his life to his skill as a swim-
mer, and I determined to take all on board and trust
to skill and fortune to reach the other end in safety.
We placed ourselves on our knees, with short paddles
in our hands, and again commenced our rapid descent.
We cleared rock after rock and shot past fall after fall;
becoming familiar with the danger and singing, or
rather shouting, we dashed along, when Siddede the
boat struck a concealed rock immediately at the foot of
a fall, which hurled her over in an instant. Three of
my men could not swim and my first feeling was to as-
sist them and save some of our effects, but a sharp
concussion or two convinced me that I had not yet
saved myself. A few strokes brought me into an eddy
and I landed on a pile of rocks. Looking around I saw
Mr. Preuss had gained the shore on the same side,
and a little climbing and swimming soon brought him
to my side. On the opposite side, against the rocks,
lay the boat bottomside up, and Lambert was in the act
of saving Descoteaux, whom he had grasped by the
hair and who could not swim. Each man showed cour-
age and generosity in this danger. For a hundred yards
below, the current was covered with floating books
boxes, bales and blankets, and so strong was the
stream that even our heavy instruments in cases kept
on the surface, and the sextant circle and the long black
box of the telescope were in view at once. All our
books, almost every record of the journey and registers

FREMONT
(From an old print )

GEN. JOHN C.

ELDORADO 49

of astronomical and barometrical observations had been
lost in a moment.”

A part of the articles mentioned above were recov-
ered, but the greater portion were not. General Fre-
mont had on his expeditions, a mountain howitzer and
from forty to fifty men well armed, as a defense against
the Indians. In crossing the Sierra Nevada in ’44
he was compelled to leave the howitzer in the snow,
where one-half of his stock and a number of his men
lost their lives. The last food eaten before reaching
Sutter’s fort on that occasion was pea soup, dog and
mule meat.

I had the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with
General Fremont, who was familiarly known as the
“Great Path-finder ;” also with some of his most noted
mountaineer guides, of whom I shall speak later on.

It may not be generally known that Mrs. Fremont
and daughter are at present residing in Los Angeles
In 1856, when her husband ran for president of the
United States, her name was familiar in every home
in the land as “our Jessie Benton Fremont.” She is a
woman greatly beloved by all who have the pleasure of
her acquaintance. She wrote the life of her distin-
guished husband and has done much other literary
work. Her father, the Hon. Thomas H. Benton of
Missouri, was for thirty years a leading member of
the United States Senate and at one time was urged
for the Democratic presidential nomination. Mrs
Fremont, in her quiet home, is always glad to welcome
any of the old friends of the General.

Our first day at packing was one not easily for-
gotten. It proved interesting and tried the patience of
both man and beast. Our girths, or cinches, were of

50 ELDORADO

the simplest and most primitive kind, and anyone that
ever had experience in packing, knows the difficulty of
keeping the saddle in place, even with the best Spanish
hair cinches. Ours would as often be on the withers,
hips or underneath the animals, as in the proper place.
The result of this state of things was severe friction
causing badly galled and sore backs. By a little ex-
perience, patience and determination, those difficulties
were in time overcome.

Being no longer impeded in our journey by our wag-
ons, we were enabled to make much better progress
and obtain feed for our stock at much less sacrifice of
time and trouble. The change proved a decided ad-
vantage to our animals, which had become thin and
weak. They, being our main dependence, received the
very best care possible. We fully realized that it was
far better to walk without carrying blankets, cooking
utensils and “grub,” as many others had done—espe-
cially those who had started with ox or cow teams—
than to assume those burdens. We became accustomed
to that sort of thing in the mines later on, when it was
the almost universal custom.

We had no tents or covering of any kind, except in
good weather the blue sky and in foul weather the
clouds. This was our condition for many months; not
even a tree for shelter. When we encountered cold,
driving storms, not alone of rain, but of sleet and snow
we aimed to camp where fuel could be obtained and
kept our fires replenished during the nisht. and while
exnosine one side, dried the other, while joke and song
passed around.

Sometimes a sudden storm would come down the
mountain range, when, after a wearisome day’s march.

ELDORADO 51

all would be in a profound sleep, and the rain patter-
ing in cur faces or our water soaked blankets would
awaken us. Under those conditions a fire was out of
the question, and we had to make the best of the cir-
cumstances. Nevertheless, we continued in the best of
health and spirits.

From this time until our arrival in the Salt Lake
Valley we ceased to stand guard, as the cnly Indians
we met with were friendly Snakes and Crows.

As we approached the South Pass, through which al!
the travel to the Pacific Coast had to go, we entered a
gradually ascending wooded canyon, crossing and re-
crossing many times tributaries to the Sweetwater
river caused by the melting snows and numerous
springs above. The many cascades and _ waterfalls
made most delightful music to our ears, weary and
duststained as we were, and was in striking contrast to
what we had experienced ever since we began our jour-
ney. From the elevated open spaces we could look
back upon the bare and barren plains below.

The change to the cold, sparkling mountain water
and green patches of the wholesome and_ nutritious
grass was a most grateful one to our animals as well as
to ourselves.

Two days’ travel up the gradual and not very pre-
cipitous side of the Rockies brought us to the pass,
which we reached on July 3. A light snow storm pre-
vailed during the day. This depression in the mount-
ains which separates the waters of the Atlantic and the
Pacific is about twenty miles wide from north to south,
and, with some slight elevations, it presents the appear-
ance of a level plain with towering mountains covered
with perpetual snow on both sides. There are no trees

52 ELDORADO

and scarcely any vegetation. It has an elevation of
7,000 feet above the sea. After arriving at the summit
about five miles travel brought us to Pacific Springs,
the first waters reached on the western slope, where we
camped for the night, with scant feed for our stock,
but full of patriotic zeal for the morrow’s celebration

We were early awakened by one of our party firing
his revolver and he was soon followed by others. Then
came three cheers for the flag, three short speeches
and the singing of “America” and “From Greenland’s
Icy Mountain,” after which we partook of our usual
morning repast, already provided by our faithful and
experienced cook.

A large number of trains were camped in the vicinity
of Pacific Springs, principally from Arkansas and Mis-
souri, and long lines of “prairie schooners” could be
seen drawn mainly by oxen and mules. Often three or
four pair were attached to one wagon, for the animals
were worn down with hunger and fatigue. It was a
case of the “survival of the fittest.”

A few were taking the old Oregon trail by way of
Fort Hall, but a larger number were going by way of
“Sublett’s Cut-off” to Salt Lake and California. This
was said to be a saving of distance over the older Mor-
mon route, besides offering interesting features that
had an attraction for a certain class of travelers. These
were stich natural curiosities as the Steamboat and
Soda Springs, the former constantly puffing like a Mis-
sissippi steamer, and the latter bubbling and sparkling
as it issued from a crevice in a rock, with the appear-
ance and taste of soda.

The Sublett’s Cut-off route crosses Bear river
(which empties into the Great Salt Lake) nearer its

ELDORADO 53

source than did the Mormon route by way of Fort
Bridger, and was said to be less dangerous in crossing.
Bear river is some 400 miles long, takes its rise in the
melting snows of the Wind River mountains to the
north of the South Pass, and as it approaches Salt
Lake ,it runs through wooded canyons in the Wasatch
range, and is very rapid and turbulent.

Those destined for Oregon traveled the same trail
over which Fremont passed in 1844, and later the
early pioneers, to whom the government offered
640 acres of land to settle in the then almost unknown
region. The perils from hostile Indians and lurking
dangers did not deter them from the undertaking.
They organized companies and with their wives and
children, cattle and horses, farming implements, seeds
and fruit trees (packed in moss and by great care kept
alive), they started on the long journey. From such an
adventurous and sturdy class, and from such small be-
ginnings Oregon has grown into one of the | eading
commercial as well as agricultural States of the Union.
The first apples I saw in California came to San Fran-
cisco from Oregon by boat in 1850, and retailed readily
at $1 each. The present generation, the sons and
daughters of the Golden West, should never fail to
honor the memory of those who endured the toil and
sacrifice to make homes for themselves and their chil-
dren, to extend American civilization and to plant the
educational and religious institutions, that make for

When a boy I was fond of reading accounts of
freedom and righteousness on the shores of the Pacific
travelers to distant lands, especially among the native
tribes, and among the most interesting and instructive
narrations was that of Lewis and Clarke, who were sent

54 ELDORADO

out by the government to explore the vast territory
purchased by President Jefferson from Napoleon in
1803 for $15,000,000, extending from the Gulf of Mex-
ico to the Pacific Ocean. These adventurous travelers
and explorers worked up the Missouri in small boats
for 2,600 miles; then, on wild horses, which they had
caught, they crossed through the mountains to the
streams flowing into the Columbia, which they fol-
lowed to the sea. On the way they met many an In-
dian tribe that had never seen a white man. Two riv-
ers preserve upon our maps the names of these ex-
plorers, being two principal branches that form the
Columbia.

From our camping grounds at Pacific Springs the
great elevation gave a magnificent view of the sur-
rounding country for a long distance. The mountain
range to the north, with Fremont’s Peak rising over
6,000 feet above the summit of that pass, and the moun-
tains to the south covered with perpetual snow, the
Cascades to the northwest, through which “rolls the
Columbia to the Pacific,’ to the southwest the blue
summits of the Wasatch range bordering the valley of
the great Salt Lake, the broad expanse of plain and
river, made a picture that would satisfy the most ardent
lover of the grand and picturesque in nature. John C.
Calhoun crossed the Alleghanies on horseback, and up-
on arriving at the summit and viewing the magnificent
panorama spread out before him turned to his colored
servant and exclaimed: “If any man ever tells you
there is no God, tell him he is a liar.” But the Alle-
ghanies are mole-hills compared to those | have men-
tioned as seen from Pacific Springs. The view far sur-
passes anything seen east of the Mississippi river.

ELDORADO 55

Sleeping in the open air in these high altitudes, in
clear weather, with the highly rarified atmosphere, the
heavens luminous with its myriads of brilliant stars,
produced a feeling of exhilaration never experienced
under other conditions. We even imagined the man
in the moon took off his hat to us. With the thoughts
of home as we lay in our blankets, and of our mothers’
parting benediction, and the long time before we could
hear from them or they from us, there came thoughts
of the Heavenly Father who watches over all, and in
reverent silence we would repeat “Our Father who art
in Heaven,” and that sweet prayer of innocent child-
hood, “‘Now I lay me down to sleep.”

After ‘resting and refreshing ourselves until the
morning of the 5th we decided to follow the Mormon
route by way of Green river, Fort Bridger and Echo
canyon.

By washing our horses’ backs whenever the packs
were removed they became much improved, and after
the needed rest we were ready to resume our journey.

Our meat supply, even of jerked buffalo, had for
some days been exhausted. Our only food, except now
and then a rabbit, brought down by a revolver, was
flour, coffee, sugar and a remnant of hard tack, that
had bid defiance to time and weather. Ten miles brought
us to the Little Sandy, one of the tributaries of Green
river, which unites with the Grand to form the Colo-
rado, that flows into the Gulf of California. The
Little Sandy takes its name from the sandy soil
through which it runs, being a small stream of clear
water with strong current. It was bordered with low
bushes and willows, among which were verdant spots
of fine grass. We remained here for the rest of the

56 ELDORADO

day, with no loss to ourselves or animals, as we found
by consulting our Mormon guide that a day’s travel
lay between this place and the Big Sandy, which would
be our next camping ground.

The distribution of the large number of trains at Pa-
cific Springs over the three routes I have mentioned,
was of great benefit to all concerned. ‘There had been
a marked abatement of illness among the emigrants
after leaving the Platte bottoms, and no case of cholera
occurred after crossing the Rocky Mountains, so far
as | know. Previous to this time it had been a gradual
ascent for the 1,000 miles traveled, and we had to con-
tend with sandy roads, driving storms and_ sickness.
From now as we entered the Great Basin extending
over 1,000 miles, reaching from the Rockies to the
Sierra Nevada it was a gentle descent, greatly appre-
ciated by our faithful beasts.

Leaving the Little Sandy on July 6, much refreshed.
we pursued our way over an open, sandy plain twenty
miles to the Big Sandy. It was “Little Sandy, Big
Sandy, sandy plains and sandy roads,” but the traveling
was good, and we made camp on the bank of a stream
of beautiful, clear water and plenty of fuel of dried
willows. We had seen the last of the buffalo chips.
After a bath in the Sandy, we enjoyed a good night's
sleep in the pure atmosphere under a star-lit sky.

ELDORADO 57

CHAPTER V.

ANOTHER STAGE.

On the morning of July 7 we arose greatly refreshed
after our bath of the previous night in the clear waters
of the Big Sandy and a sound sleep in the cool, open
air. The country around was glowing and bright, and
all the mountain peaks were gleaming like silver. The
view was truly magnificent, and, indeed, we needed
something to repay us for the long, toilsome journey
of more than a thousand miles.

We left camp at an early hour, and, after traveling a
short distance, we met a party of Arapahoe Indians
who informed us they belonged to a party who had
just come into the valley from the mountains to the
eastward, where they had been hunting and gathering a
supply of food. We soon came in sight of their village,
which was built of crude and hastily constructed shacks,
composed largely of green willows, which grew in
abundance along the margin of the stream. As we ap-
proached the village, suddenly a single horseman came
riding toward us at full speed, followed by another,
and another in rapid succession. All came whooping
and charging down upon us armed with bows and ar-
rows and a few guns and lances. Some of them were
entirely naked, and others were partly dressed, with

58 : ELDORADO

painted faces, as was their custom when prepared for
war. Thinking probably we were the vanguards of a
larger train, they evidently desired to make a demon-
stration of their numbers and prowess. It looked for a
time as though our little party would be gobbled up by
a hostile and overpowering savage foe. They circled
around us, flourishing their weapons, while we main-
tained a quiet indifference to their presence, merely
saluting as we led our little pack train along the road.
We displayed no arms ourselves, and when they no-
ticed our dust-stained appearance and the dilapidated
condition of our animals, they seemed to comprehend
that we were not “foemen worthy of their steel.” The
whole calvalcade rode with us to their village, which
we soon reached. Captain Hardy, who still remained
with us, and made one of our party of ten, had re-
tained a few trinkets from our abandoned stores at In-
dependence Rock, where our wagons had been left.
These were displayed, and apparently greatly pleased
the few squaws and children in the village. The trink-
ets were quickly exchanged for some jerked meat and a
quarter of fresh antelope.

As all Indians are not good Indians, even if they
have a “recommend,” and as we were near the boun-
daries of the Shoshones, Arapahoes, Snakes, Crows
and Utes, who were often on the war-path, we were
glad to put distance between ourselves and our late
“friends.” ‘The latter tribe, in their experience and
association with the “destroying angels” of the Mor-
mon prophet, in addition to their native cunning and
cruelty, had learned from their white “Christian broth-
er” the higher art of murder when no provocation ex-
isted. Speaking of these “recommends,” I am _ re-

/

ELDORADO 59

minded of the following incident related by a fellow
miner, long ago in California: ‘When I was working
with my father,” said he, “mining on Foster’s bar, in
Yuba county, in 1851-2, an Indian brought into camp
a ‘recommend’ that read: ‘Lancicus is a good Indian
when he behaves himself, and when he don’t behave,
kick him.’ This good Indian had a pretty considerable
jag on, and one drink of Foster’s bar “lightning
straight” made him ripe for a fight, and in less time
than it takes to tell it a miner drew a bead on him that
made his ‘recommend’ good as wheat.’’ While hith-
erto we had no very serious trouble with redskins,
nevertheless, we were constantly on our guard.

Two days from the Big Sandy, over a level plain,
along the base of the Snowy range, brought us to the
banks of the Green river. A large number of emi-
grants were here encamped for the double pur-
pose of recruiting their animals and making the
passage of the river. It was interesting to note that
the stock was about equally divided between horses,
mules and oxen. With the exception of getting foot-
sore, oxen appeared to stand the journey about as well
as horses or mules, while all were eaten in emergen-
cies. Oxen, even when they died from hunger and
fatigue, were preferred, except by the Indians, who
had no choice.

Green river at this crossing is about 150 yards wide,
with a swift current and considerable depth. There
being no trees on the bank to which ropes could be
attached, the only method of crossing was in a small
boat that had been constructed by some of the earlier
emigrants. The packs and contents of wagons were
transported by that means at considerable risk and

60 ELDORADO

sometimes at serious loss, as the boat was somewhat an
“uncertain quantity” in the rapid current, going
quite a little distance down before making the opposite
shore. One animal would be taken in tow by the boat.
and others, driven in his wake, were compelled to
swim. Several lives, both of men and animals, had been
lost previous to our arrival. We made the passage of
the river with our packs and the animals in safety. A
short distance below the crossing the river enters a nar-
row gorge between high, perpendicular rocks, through
a spur of the mountains, and the precipitous fall of the
water among the rocks can be heard a long distance.

It was here on the Green river that Kit Carson, when
on one of his hunting and trapping expeditions, had a
controversy with a French mountaineer by the name
of Descateaux, who denounced the American govern-
ment in insulting language. It was about the time of
the close of the war with Mexico, when an immense
territory was being ceded to the United States. Car-
son was a patriotic American and always stood ready
to resent an insult to the flag. He at once challenged
the Frenchman to combat, and with their rifles they at
once mounted their ponies, and, riding about twenty
paces apart, wheeled and fired. Carson’s shot broke
the left arm and plowed along the ribs of the bully.
The quarrel was settled, the flag vindicated and friend-
ship renewed. Carson was true and faithful in his
friendship, modest in his demeanor but fearless and
foremost in times of danger.

Our next objective point, as mentioned in our guide
book, was Fort Bridger, fifty miles distant from Green
river. Before starting, however, the third morning
after our arrival (we had to wait our turn before we

ELDORADO 61

could be ferried across) Captain Hardy suggested to
me that we purchase the boat and allow the remainder
of our outfit to go forward while we would remain a
couple of days, as he expressed it, “and make a nice
little stake.” To this I assented, and a bargain was
soon closed. The price paid was $50. The ownership
of the boat had descended, not “from father to son,”
but by purchase from the one who first constructed it
in regular succession to the present ownership.

I would give something to know what ever became
of that unique relic of emigration of fifty years ago.
If it was replaced by something more modern and
turned adrift from the place where it so faithfully
served its day and generation could it have made the
passage of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado and
reached the waters of the Gulf of California or was it
wrecked by the way, as so many of those were whom
it served and helped to reach the land of gold in ‘49
and *50?

The boys bade us goodbye, and started on their jour-
ney, while we took up the paddles and commenced our
self-assumed task. At the end of two davs’ hard work
we sold our boat. After taking account of stock and
of profit and loss we found ourselves $50 ahead.
Shouldering our blankets and the small amount of
“erub” we had retained for our own use, we started to
overtake our comrades. As we could travel twice the
distance usually made by pack animals, we expected to
reach them on the fourth day. We found them, how-
ever, at Fort Bridger awaiting our arrival. We were
congratulated on the result of our little business enter-
prise. Dividing the result of our labor gave $5.00 to
each man.

62 ELDORADO

James Bridger, after whom the fort was named, was
one of the oldest and most noted hunters and trappers
in the Rocky Mountain region. He looked the ideal
mountainer. He had married a native wife and had
great influence among the different tribes. He was
loyal to the interests of Americans, and contributed
not a little to their safety in passing through their
country.

The fort was a small adobe structure of three or
four rooms, and only by a stretch of the imagination
could it be called a fort. It was private property and
in no wise connected with the government.

A party of Crow Indians was camped here, among
them a “squaw man’ with a numerous family. He in-
formed me that his oldest son was attending school at.
St. Louis, and was making good progress in his studies.
He appeared to be a man of intelligence, and appar-
ently of good habits.

A southern route up the Arkansas river and crossing
the mountains near its headwaters, joined the emi-
grant road to Salt Lake and California at this place.
It was traveled mainly by pack trains, and to a limited
extent by “prairie schooners” freighted for Salt Lake.

We left this fertile spot July 12 with some reluct-
ance. The excellent grazing at no great distance, with
pure mountain water, made it a little paradise in con-
trast with most of the country over which we had
passed. Some unpleasant rumors had reached us of
trouble with Indians along our route. Before reach-
ing the fertile canyons in the Wasatch range, sur-
rounding the valley of the Great Salt Lake, we tra-
versed a sterile country, destitute of game (except
a few jackrabbits), and having but little fuel,

AHL

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ELDORADO 63

grass or water. The Indians occupying this region
might properly be called ‘“‘root diggers.” Roots, seeds,
grass and every living animal thing, lizard, insect or
worm, they ate. Grasshoppers, which I have seen
the Diggers of California eat with so much relish,
would have been a godsend to them. Nearly ap-
proaching the animal creation, their sole employment
was to obtain food.

A great portion of the country then occupied by
these Indians once abounded in game. We had found
the buffalo ranging about on the Eastern slope, and
these vast Western plains were once dotted with bands
of antelope, but so rapidly had they disappeared within
a few years that now, as we journeyed along, an occa-
sional buffalo skull and the decayed bones of antelope
were all that remained to indicate the abundance of
animal life that once existed.

A curious incident occurred one day. Our route
lay along the end of a spur of the mountain extending
out into the plain. Here we saw a small column of
smoke ascending from a depression. Carefully ap-
proaching the place, a solitary Indian was seen stand-
ing on the bank of a little creek. He was perfectly
nude and was gazing thoughtfully at a little fire on
which stood an earthen pot gently simmering. It was
filled with the ground squirrels that abound in the lo-
calitv. He was a fine, stalwart looking fellow, perhaps
22 or 22. More squirrels and his bow and arrows lay
near the fire. Evidently greatly alarmed, he vet made
no effort to run away, and offered us some of his sauir-
rels. His bow and arrows were fine specimens of In-
dian skill, the arrows tipped with polished stone.

The Ute Indians were treacherous, and would attack

64 ; ELDORADO

small parties even when smoking the “pipe of peace”
with them. Their principal weapons were bows and
arrows. They had a few guns, but the lack of am-
munition prevented their use to any great extent. A
small party having selected an encampment some dis-
tance from the traveled route in order to obtain food
for their stock, were attacked by quite a large force of
Indians. One of the party related the circumstances
as follows: “I was standing near some sage bushes
when I[ heard a rustling among them, and going in the
direction of the noise, saw an Indian creeping along,
who, seeing that he was discovered, let fly an arrow
that just grazed my ear. He then gave a whoop and
ran, but tumbled down before he could draw another
arrow from his quiver. One of the boys coming to
my aid and having a hatchet in his hand, rushed for-
ward and buried it in his skull, killing him instantly
The whoop of the now dead Indian brought the
whole force, and a shower of arrows fell among us.
I was the first to answer with a rifle shot which
brought one of the foremost savages off his horse to
the ground. In the meantime my companions were
using their rifles to good effect. We were able to get
behind a row of willows that afforded us some pro-
tection from the arrows of our assailants, which were
in most cases turned aside by the branches. After
firing the second volley of rifle shots the smoke cleared
away and I could see we had made more than one
savage bite the dust. I had my eye on an old man
who leaped from his pony and took in his arms one
of his wounded companions who had_ been shot
through the leg. Placing him on a horse, he mounted
his own led the other and rode away. I could easily

ELDORADO 65

have shot him, but when I saw that, I could not find it
in my heart to do so, but let the old chief carry off his
wounded comrade in safety. As we emerged from our
shelter, all that could be seen of them were five dead
ones, weltering in their blood, bows and arrows and a
few scattered feathers and tomahawks lying on the
ground.”

Our long experience among the different Indian
tribes had taught us that it was better and safer to
have their good will by friendly treatment, giving a
few beads or other comparatively worthless trinkets,
rather than make them enemies by any act of unkind-
ness. ‘There were noted exceptions to this rule both
among the white as well as red men, when evil was
sometimes returned for kindness. Human nature is
about the same the world over.

As we approached Echo canyon, leading directly to
the Mormon settlement, we found feed and water
more abundant and this continued its entire length.
The descent was gradual and in no place through the
range was the road very rough or abrupt and there
was but little timber. Many singular and curious
formations were observed, the most noted of which
were Witches’ Monument and Pulpit rock. All of
these have since become subjects of illustrations.

The lower portion of the canyon broadens into a
valley of considerable width and was already occupied
by a number of Mormon families, with patches of
grain and vegetables and some live stock. It was a
most welcome sight to us, and brought vividly to
mind our own prairie homes in the “far west.” The
first habitation at which we arrived, and to which
we were especially attracted by a number of children

66 ELDORADO

playing around, was a small structure built of sun-
dried brick. We halted our little cavalcade and made
the excuse that we wanted a drink of water in order
to interview the tenants, although a clear mountain
stream ran near by. The matron, a neat, comely
looking woman, appeared at the door, and after we
had made our request known, asked if we would not
prefer a drink of buttermilk, saying she had just been
churning. To this we all cheerfully assented. It was
indeed an unexpected treat. We offered her compen-
sation for her kindness, but it was refused with “You
are quite welcome.” From that day whenever I heard
polvgamous or Mormon women denounced by “gen-
tile” writers or speakers, I have never failed to remem-
ber that kindly act of the first Mormon woman we met.
Well did Jesus the Christ say: “Whosoever shall give
you a cup of water to drink in my name shall not lose
his reward.”

The good woman inquired where we were from and
spoke cheering words as we took our leave. We had
not gone far when a better and more extended view of
the valley and farm houses came in sight, and Cap-
tain Hardy, who was in front. commenced to sing that
familiar song, in which we all heartily joined:

‘‘“How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood,
When fond recollections present them to view,
The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wildwood,
And every loved spot which my infancy knew’’—

A few miles farther on we came in sight of the city
of “God’s Anointed,” His “Latter Day Saints.” In
the distance the broad expanse of water, which we
knew to be the Great Salt Lake, dotted with islands,
made a picture of beauty that compensated us for much

ELDORADO 67

of the hardships we had endured. Upon entering the
town we inquired for a good camping ground, and
were informed that three miles distant, on the bottoms
of the “River Jordan,” good feed could be found, to
which place we proceeded and made camp just as the
last golden rays of the setting sun were gilding the
peaks of the mountains to the east of the valley.

Our stock of provisions, with which he had left In-
dependence Rock a month before, was exhausted, but
we could obtain here whatever we desired, including
milk, excellent butter and fresh vegetables. We
spread our blankets under a cottonwood tree and slept
the sleep of the (just) “gentiles,” by which name all
were known outside of the Mormon church.

Here we remained three weeks, recruiting our thin
and jaded animals and laying in a fresh supply of pro-
visions before taking the “fool’s cut-off” across the
northern part of the Great American desert. On that
cut-off one of our party was shot to death with arrows
while searching for water in the Humboldt mount-
ains, the account of which I will describe in due time

68 ELDORADO

CHAPTER VI.

SALT LAKE.

It is not my purpose to write a detailed account of
my second overland trip in 1853. ‘The same route was
followed as in 1850 as far as Salt Lake. I will men-
tion some of the most memorable events of that trip
farther on.

Prior to 1843 the existence of the great Salt Lake
was practically unknown. Vague rumors of a large
inland sea on the confines of the great American des-
ert had reached the frontier settlements from reports
of French voyagers and trappers, but not until Gen-
eral (then Captain) Fremont visited this remote and
unknown region was the question of its existence set
at rest.

I quote from Fremont’s journal the interesting and
instructive account of his discovery and approach tc
the lake, in the year above mentioned, contained in
the official report he subsequently made to the Secre-
tary of the Interior. Fremont and his party had fol-
lowed the course of Bear river from near its source
in the Wind River mountains, a distance of 400 miles.
“The night previous to reaching its outlet we camped
near several families of ‘root diggers,’ living among
the rushes, who appeared very busy with weirs or nets

ELDORADO 69

rudely made of canes and rushes for the purpose of
catching fish. They were very much startled at our
approach, but their fears were soon calmed, and find-
ing they had some roots, I sent some men with goods
to trade with them.

“They were almost entirely naked, looking very poor
and miserable, as if their lives had been spent in the
rushes where they were, beyond which they seemed
to have very little knowledge of anything. My men
purchased a small quantity of roots and meat, which
they indicated was bear meat. Leaving the encamp-
ment early, we directed our course for a high peninsu-
lar ‘butte’ across a low, shrubby plain. Before us was
evidently the bed of a lake, being a salt marsh, per-
fectly level and bare, with here and there a pool of
water, and having the appearance of a level seashore
at low tide. We proceeded in the direction of the
‘butte,’ still several miles distant, as it would probably
afford a good view of the lake. We finally succeeded
in reaching it without much difficulty, and, ascending
to the summit, immediately at our feet beheld the
object of our anxious search, the waters of the inland
sea, stretching in still and solitary grandeur far be-
yond the limit of our vision. It was one of the great
points of our exploration, and as we looked eagerly
over the lake in the first emotions of excited pleasure
I am doubtful if the followers of Balboa felt more en-
thusiasm when from the heights of the Andes they
saw for the first time the great western ocean. It was
certainly a magnificent object and a noble terminus
to this part of our expedition, and to travelers so long
shut up among mountain ranges a sudden view over
the expanse of silent waters had in it something

70 | ELDORADO

sublime. Several large islands raised their high,
rocky heads out of the waves, but whether or not they
were timbered was still left to our imagination, as the
distance was too great to determine it the dark hues
upon them were woodland or naked rock. During
the day the clouds had gathered black over the mount-
ains to the westward, and while we were looking, a
storm burst down with sudden fury upon the lake and
entirely hid the islands from view. So far as we
could see along the shores there was not a solitary
tree and but little appearance of grass. Carson, Ber-
nier and Basil Lajeunesse were selected for a boat
expedition to the islands the following day, the first
attempted on this inland sea. Around our fire tonight
were many speculations on what the morrow would
bring forth, and in our hazy conjectures we fancied
that we should find all of the large islands a tangled
wilderness of trees, teaming with game of every de-
scription, which the foot of a white man had never
violated. A perilous voyage was made in the rubber
boat to a large island, where our party remained all
night, the rough condition of the lake preventing our
return before the following morning. Out of drift
wood we made ourselves pleasant little lodges and lay
down for the first time in a long journey in perfect
security, no one thinking about his arms. The wind
rose during the night and the waves beat heavily
against the shore, making our island tremble. I had
not expected in our inland journey to hear the roar of
an ocean surf, and the strangeness of our situation and
the excitement we felt in the associated interest of the
place made this one of the most interesting nights I
made during our long expedition.”

ELDORADO 71

A thorough exploration of the lake and surround-
ings were made-by Captain Fremont, which is now of
government record.

I merely quote the above to emphasize the interest-
ing fact that from so recent a wild and unknown
region a great city and State has arisen. From like
conditions all the other rich and populous States lying
between the Missouri river and the Pacific ocean have
grown. This unparalleled change is hardly realized by
the present generation. To me it seems but yesterday
that my five months’ journey was made over an un-
broken wilderness now crossed by different lines of
railroads and teeming with industrial enterprises, pros-
perous towns and cities and enjoying all the advan-
tages of a high civilization.

72 ELDORADO

CHAPTER VII.

A SECOND OVERLAND JOURNEY.

I will now proceed to give a few incidents in con-
nection with my overland journey in 1853. Having
made a few thousand dollars during the years of ’51-2
in the mines and on a stock ranch which I had pur-
chased on the Consumnes river, 20 miles from Sacra-
mento City, [ determined to return to the States and
purchase a band of American horses, as they were in
demand at high figures for transporting goods of all
kinds to the mines from Sacramento, Marysville,
Stockton and other points. I was also feeling a little
homesick about that time, as the “settlers and miners”
ticket, on which I was a candidate for the Legislature,
was defeated by the stealing of the ballot boxes and the
burning of the city on the night of the election, No-
vember 2, 1852, by thugs, “‘shoulder strikers,” and foi-
lowers of the notorious Judge Terry, who killed Brod-
rick and was himself killed at Lathrop a few years
ago for threatening and insulting Chief Justice Field.
The next day after the nominating convention I was
assessed $500 for election expenses, which I cheerfully
paid with ten octagonal “slugs” (which were at that
time the “coin of the realm’) and thought I was get-
ting off cheap.

ELDORADO 73

I purchased my ticket by way of Central America,
paying $300 for my passage to New York, going from
San Juan Del Sur to Virgen bay, across Lake Nic-
aragua and down the San Juan river, along which the
proposed canal is to be constructed, to Greytown
thence to Cuba, where a short time was pleasantly
spent in visiting old Morro Castle and other interest-
ing places in and around Havana. These were of
greater interest perhaps, as I had acquired something
of a knowledge of the Spanish language, although
several business houses and one hotel were conducted
by Americans. A few years later I spent several
weeks in New Granada, South America, where Span-
ish was the only language spoken by the natives.

Leaving the tropical climate of Havana the last of
December, in three days I arrived in New York with
the mercury several degrees below zero, without ex-
periencing any particular inconvenience from the cold.
although I had spent two and one-half years in a warm
climate. My habits were good and my health perfect.
I soon left for Chicago, going to my father’s home
6o miles west from there, where I purchased my horses
during the winter and prepared to take them across the
plains to California the following season.

I had two stout, but light weight, covered wagons
built and reached my destination with them without
the loss of an animal, making the return journey in
little less than five months. A large company was or-
ganized at Council Bluffs, as in ’50, of which I was
chosen to act as captain, being the only one among the
number who had been the overland route. The ex-
periences were similar to those of former years, except
that there were fewer emigrants, and as we had a better

74 ELDORADO

knowldge of the country and the conditions to be met
we were much less liable to misfortune or disaster.

The journey to Salt Lake was devoid of any unusual
experiences. Not anticipating or fearing any trouble
from the Indians, whom we had conciliated whenever
any hostile indications were apparent, and as feed was
becoming scarce we divided up the train into smaller
companies before reaching the Mormon settlement.

A number of families from Racine, Wis., had consti-
tuted a part of our train, but traveled by themselves
after leaving Salt Lake. Not very long after leaving
that place this party was attacked by the Indians, who
were thought to have been instigated by some of the
Mormon officials.

We followed the usual emigrant route around the
northern end of the lake by a little settlement at the
crossing of Bear river, where the city of Ogden now is
and thence to the headwaters of the Humboldt and
down the river to where it sinks into the earth. Then
across a 45-mile desert to Carson valley and over the
Sierra Nevada to Sacramento.

Before reaching the summit of the Sierras, the snow
through which our road lay on either side was higher
than the top of our wagon bows. While in Carson
valley Captain Smith of the Sacramento horse market
offered me $1200 for one pair of horses, for which I
had paid $300. The offer was refused.

To further illustrate the times and conditions of
those days I will relate a characteristic incident. My
friend Captain Smith, who had come over the mount-
ains for the purpose of buying horses of poor emi-
grants (a business of which I had once been guilty
myself) was out in search of a stray animal. Follow-

INDIAN ATTACK ON E. J. BALDWIN’S RACINE PARTY NEAR SALT LAKE, IN 1853

ELDORADO 75

ing a narrow trail among the pines of the foothills
of the Sierras he observed a huge grizzly bear coming
directly towards him in the same footpath. It was a
mutual recognition and unpleasantly near, especially
from the standpoint of Captain Smith. Both stopped
at the same instant. Mr. Bear raising himself in a
perpendicular attitude upon his haunches. After gaz-
ing at each other with more or less admiration (prob-
ably less) for a couple of minutes, the grizzly dropped
upon all fours, turned tail to and quietly took his back
track, occasionally looking around as he retired. When
fairly out of sight the Captain remarked that he, too,
took his back track and “did not stand upon the order
of his going.”

After reaching the Upper Humboldt river I again
came in contact with the celebrated Kit Carson, who,
with his wife and several Spaniards in his employ were
on their way to California from Taos, N. M., with 400
sheep intended for that market. They were of the
coarse wool variety and only suitable for mutton.

On one occasion while camped near a party of emi-
grants a number of horses were stolen from the latter
by the Indians. The company included several women
and children, and their condition at once elicited the
sympathy of “Kit,” as he was familiarly called. Tak-
ing three of his men, he soon struck the Indians’ trai!
and followed it until nightfall, when upon ascending a
low elevation, he discovered the Indians in camp but
a short distance away. ‘Their fires were burning
briskly, and one of the stolen animals was already
killed, with which they were preparing to regale them-
selves. The party consisted of about 20 braves. Kit
and his men concealed themselves until they began

76 ELDORADO

their feast. Not apprehending danger near, they had
sarelessly laid aside their arms. At a given signal
frxm Kit, with savage yells and a rapid discharge of
then guns they rushed upon them, when “Lo, the poor
Indian,” fell over himself and each other in making his
escape, and those who were not killed or wounded
disappeared in the darkness. ‘The animals were
quickly loosened and rushed in the direction of the
emigrant camp, where they arrived at daylight. All
the stock returned, save one, to the great joy of the
owners, enabled them to pursue their journey. The
services of Carson had been rendered many times ir
similar cases. The Indians in this instance would not
have known whether they were attacked by four men
or 400, most likely they imagined the latter.

We traveled and camped together along the alkal’
plains bordering the Humboldt, across the sandy 45-
mile desert to Carson river and valley (both named in
honor of Kit), until reaching a delightful spot about
30 miles up the eastern slope of the Sierras, with
plenty of grass and cold mountain water. Here we
remained three weeks, recruiting our animals. During
our stay in this little Eden, one of Carson’s Spaniards
and myself crossed the mountains to Hangtown (now
Placerville), about 75 miles, for a supply of provisions.

The December following I met Carson for the
last time, he having disposed of his sheep at $12
per head. I bade him good-by, as he started on the
return trip to his home in New Mexico by way of Los
Angeles and Yuma. Carson was as companionable
and honorable as he was brave, and of a modest and re-
tiring disposition.

At the breaking out of the Civil War he was com-

ELDORADO vi

missioned Colonel and remained in the employ of the
government until his death, which sad event occurred
at Fort Lyons, Colo., where he was in command. As
one writer remarked, when his death was announced:
“To one who knew him, no formal eulogy is needed
upon the man who was the most perfect specimen of a
hunter, a scout and a skillful, loyal soldier that ever
wore moccasins or filled the stirrups of a trooper.” I
have knowledge of the death of only three other noted
guides, hunters and trappers whom I have mentioned
in these papers. All were among the most trusted of
Fremont’s men during his explorations. Godey died a
few years ago at Bakersfield, Cal. The circumstances
of the death of two others were related by Carson him-
self. At the time hostilities commenced in California
and just before the raising of the Bear flag, Fremont
and his party were on their way to make some explora-
tions in Oregon, and were camped on Klamath lake,
near its southern boundary. Carson says: ‘Colonel
Fremont remained up and kept a large fire burning
until after midnight; the rest of us were tired out, and
all went to sleep. This was the only night in all our
travels—except the one night on the island in the Salt
lake—that we failed to keep guard; and as the men
were so tired, and we expected no attack now that we
had 16 in the party, the Colonel didn’t like to ask it of
them, but sat up late himself. Owens and I were
sleeping together and we were awakened at the same
time by the sound of blows of the ax that killed our
men. At first I didn’t know it was that; but I called
to Basil (Basil was, like Fremont, a scientist), who
was on that side, “What’s the matter there? What’s
the fuss about?’ He never answered, for he was dead

78 ELDORADO

then, poor fellow, and he never knew what killed him
—his head had been cut in, in his sleep. The other
groaned as he died. The Delawares (we had four
with us) were sleeping at that fire, and they sprang up
as the Klamaths charged them. One of them caught
up a gun, which was unloaded, but although he could
not do execution, he kept them at bay, fighting like a
soldier and didn’t give up until he died bravely.

“As soon as I had called out, I saw there were In-
dians in the camp, and I and Owens together cried
out: ‘Indians!’ There were no orde.s given; things
went on too tast, and the Colonel had men with him
that didn’t need to be told to do their duty. The
Colonel and I, Maxwell, Godey and Stepp jumped to-
gether—we six—and ran to the assistance of our Del-
awares. I don’t know who fired and who didn’t, but
I think it was Stepp’s shot that killed the Klamath
chief, for it was at the crack of Stepp’s gun that he
fell. He had an English half-ax slung to his wrist by
a cord, and there were 40 arrows left in his quiver—
the most beautiful and warlike arrows I ever saw. He
must have been the bravest man among them from the
way he was armed and judging by his cap. When
the Klamaths saw him fall thev ran, but we lav, every
man with his rifle cocked, until davlight, expecting an-
other attack. In the morning we found by the tracks
that from 15 to 20 of the Klamaths had attacked us.
hey had killed three of our men and wounded one
of the Delawares, who scalped the chief, whom we left
where he fell. Our dead men we carried on mules;
but after going ahout to miles we found it impossible
to get them any further through the thick timber, and
finding a secret place we buried them under logs and

ELDORADO 79

chips, having no way to dig a grave. It was only 2
few days before this fight that some of these same
Indians had come into our camp, and although we had
only meat for two days and felt sure that. we should
have to eat mules for 10 or 15 days to come, the Colo-
nel divided with them and even had a mule unpacked
to give them some tobacco and knives.”

Two days later, as the party retraced their way into
California in response to orders from Washington that
reached them by Lieutenant Gillespie, they came to a
village of more than a hundred Klamath warriors. In
the encounter which followed, Carson’s life was con-
tinually exposed. As they galloped up he was in the
advance, when he observed an Indian fixing his arrow
to let fly at him. Carson leveled his rifle, but it snap-
ped, and in an instant the arrow would have pierced
him had not Fremont, seeing the danger, dashed his
horse on the Indian and knocked him down. “I owe
my life,’ said Carson, “‘to those two—the Colonel and
his horse, ‘Sacramento.’”’ Sacramento was a noble
California horse which Captain Sutter gave to Colonel
Fremont in 1844, and which twice made the distance
between Kentucky and the Sacramento valley, where
he earned his name by swimming the river after which
he was called, at the close of a long day’s journey.

80 ELDORADO

CHAPTER VIII.

THE MORMONS.

A short account of the conditions existing at Salt
Lake in 1849-50 and the settlement of the valley by the
Mormons may prove interesting to my readers. Un-
der the leadership of Brigham Young they had pre
ceded. our arrival three years, and during that
period, by their industry, economy and _ thrift,
had converted much of the land into pleasant homes
and were already producing more than was required
for their own consumption. Their buildings, it is true,
were cheaply constructed, mainly of adobe or dried
brick, while their method of living in many respects
was very primitive. A spirit of content and happi-
ness appeared to be universal among all classes so far
as could be observed. While little attention was paid
to ornamentation, every home seem to be surrounded
with an abundant supply of the substantial things of
life, such as smaller fruits, vegetables and other farm
products.

Pure mountain water for domestic and irrigating
purposes was brought several miles in open ditches.
Prices were not exorbitant and we were enabled to
purchase flour, coffee, sugar, etc., to supply our needs
at reasonable rates. Flour was being manufactured in

ELDORADO 81

the valley, but groceries, dry goods, hardware, ma-
chinery and everything used or consumed, not pro-
duced by the settlers, was hauled from St. Louis, prin-
cipally by mule and ox teams, a distance of nearly
1,500 miles. The same conditions continued. more
than 20 years, or until the completion of the Union
Pacific railroad, in 1869. Utah, like a large portion
of all that interior region was quite destitute of forest
trees, and the inconvenience to farmers and others
from this cause was very great. In the vicinity of Salt
Lake City no trees grow except those that have been
planted, and the nearest fuel supply of wood to the
city is from 15 to 20 miles distant. Gas and coal
which are found in abundance in Utah, are chiefly used
at present.

Viewed without prejudice, and in the light of subse-
quent events, the immigration of the Mormons to
Utah was one of the greatest events of history. Dur-
ing the winter of 1846-47 a body of 6,000 Mormons
was temporarily located upon the banks of the Mis-
souri river above Council Bluffs, since known as their
“winter quarters.” They had been unable to live
peaceably with their neighbors in Missouri and IIli-
nois ( probably both bein to blame), and were pre-
paring to travel west to wa a place: where they could
live in peace. With Brigham Young as their leader,
(recognized as “prophet, priest and God’s anointed,”
and who claimed to have had a vision of the “promised
land” in the far west, where a great temple would be
erected and where they would await the second coming
of Christ), thev started across the almost trackless
plains to brave the Indians, the wild animals, the des-
ert and the storms. The vanguard of the emigration,

82 ELDORADO

composed of 143 men, entered the valley July 24, which
Brigham said he had seen in his vision. Then the
leader and part of his followers went back after anoth-
er company of emigrants.

This time they brought fifteen hundred of both sexes
and all ages. There was praying and singing every
evening, and Sundays were devoted to fasting and
praver. They wrote messages to those who were to
follow and placed them in the end of split sticks, or
penciled directions upon bleached buffalo bones by the
wayside. In our overland trip we followed their ex-
ample. Useful instruction in that way was often given
to those in the rear, also cheering messages that were
greatly prized.

Much proselyting had been done by Mormon mis-
sionaries in foreign countries, with the result that thou-
sands of ignorant foreigners arrived, anxious to reach
the new “Zion,” but without any knowledge of the aw-
ful dangers of the journey. Many had no teams or
wagons, but putting all their earthly possessions in
hand carts started on their long perilous journey. And
what was stranger still, mothers actually walked from
the Missouri river over the plains and mountains carry-
ing nursing infants in their arms. Little children
trudged along, weak and faint from hunger. Sickness
thinned their ranks, winter came upon them, and they
were only saved bv the timely arrival of help from
those who had preceded them. Thev had left a trail
easily followed by the graves of the fallen: but there
were enough left to found a commonwealth. They
found a waste of sage brush and sand, and changed it
to fields of waving grain, fruit and flowers. Thev took
a barren, sterile country, inhabited only by savage In-

ELDORADO 83

dians, living upon roots and insects, and made it a
modern state, blessed with all the institutions of civili-
zation.

President Eliot, of Harvard College, speaking in
the Mormon tabernacle, likened the Mormon migra-
tions to those of the Pilgrim Fathers. For this he was
greatly abused by those of other sects. But it would
seem that the comparison was not unjust to either
Mormons or Pilgrims. The Puritans carried civiliza-
tion to the “rock-bound coast” of Massachusetts. The
Mormons carried civilization across an unknown
wilderness to a barren, sage-brush desert, and estab-
lished it there. Granted that the Mormons were cruel
and unjust in many instances; the Puritans burned and
hung witches, and beat and otherwise cruelly treated
innocent women, to satisfy a brutal superstition. Both
Puritan and Mormon only followed the example and
teaching of religious fanaticism of all ages, a travesty
on the pure and loving precepts of Jesus, that brought
to earth the new commandment that “ye love one
another.” The world for a thousand years was ruled
by the cruel, iron hand of ecclesiastical despotism
more destructive than war or pestilence. The Mor-
mons, as was done in the dark ages, attempted to es-
tablish a theocratic government where the church
should dominate the civil power, and this has always
resulted in the destruction of human rights and free-
dom of conscience.

It was the purpose of the president of the Mormon
church to be absolved from all allegiance to the United
States, and to establish a religious oligarchy inde-
pendent of any civil government, to be known as the
state of “Deseret.” It was at that time Mexican terri-

84 ELDORADO

tory, and was ceded to the United States by the treaty
of Guadaloupe Hidalgo, in 1848, together with what
are now the states of Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico.
Arizona and California. Salt Lake City was laid out
soon after their arrival, twelve miles from the lake.
The streets crossed each other at right angles ; the prin-
cipal ones 130 feet wide, and a small stream of pure
water constantly running down the gutter on either
side.

Salt Lake City today is one of the most beautiful on
the continent. Before the arrival of the “gentiles” and
their participation in the municipality, it was morally
a clean city. It was strictly temperate and there was
no slum element. It is true, they took Solomon and
others of the patriarchs as examples in polygamy, and
King David, (tog Psalm), in making the “wives of
their enemies widows and their children orphans,” and
other illustrious Biblical examples in upholding the
faith of the “Latter Day Saints.”

In visiting Mormon families at different times and
conversing with plural wives, where five or six con-
stituted the family circle, | invariably found them more
zealous in upholding polygamy than the men. They
regarded it as a religious duty, and believed it would
“add to their crown of rejoicing in heaven.”

IT never observed the least indication of jealousy
or want of harmony. The sealing of the “spiritual”
wife was done only by the free and voluntary consent
of the first wife, followed by the solemn ceremonies
of the church.

The “Mormon rebellion,” as a fact of history, stamps
its leader or leaders at that time as capable of com-
mitting the most serious of crimes while professing to

ELDORADO. 85

act by divine inspiration and a direct revelation from
God. | sud
A small band was organized called the “Mormon
Legion,” and by the Gentiles the ‘Destroying An-
gels,” that explicitly obeyed the orders of Brigham
Young, no matter what their character. The Mount-
ain Meadows massacre, where 132 emigrants, men,
women and children, were cruely butchered in 1858,
in Southern Utah, was subsequently proved to have
been by order of Brigham Young and his “apostles!”
The teams, wagons and other property of the murdered
emigrants were confiscated for the benefit of the church
of the Latter Day Saints. I believe the rank and file
of the Mormons are as honest, sincere and reliable as
the average members of any other sect, but in their re-
ligious zeal they were deceived by the leaders or
“twelve apostles.”

In 1857 they rebelled against the authority of the
United States, and President Buchanan sent an army,
under the command of General Albert Sidney John-
ston to bring them to terms. They arrived at Fort
Bridger and went into quarters to await the arrival of
the commissary stores and meat supplies, then in
their rear between the South Pass and Green river.

The following are some of the experiences of the
“army of invasion,” as related by an officer who be-
longed to one of the regiments at the time:

“We arrived at Fort Bridger on the 23d day of No-
vember, while part of the supply train accompanying
the expedition, numbering at least 160 wagons, was be-
hind, delayed by heavy snows, entirely separated from
the command and forced to encamp about one mile
from each other on the Big and Little Sandy rivers.

86 ELDORADO

While encamped there a party of Mormons, under
command of Orson Pratt of the so-called “Mormon
Legion,” assisted by one Fowler Wells, another for-
midable leader of the Mormon church militant, dashed
in and surrounded the trains in the dark hours of the
night, completely surprising the entire party, not one
escaping to give the alarm.

“After taking the arms and equipments from the
men they gave them a very limited amount of pro-
visions to last them through to Leavenworth, Kansas,
allowing them at the rate of five head of cattle for
twenty men, and then started them off in the wilder-
ness to reach that place—about 1,000 miles distant—
with no weapons other than their pocket knives with
which to protect themselves against the Indians or to
procure game when their limited supply of provisions
should become exhausted. After accomplishing this
soldierly, humane and Christian act, the Mormons set
fire to the train, burning up everything they could not
carry away, and retreated, driving the stock with
them, while those left to starve turned their faces east-
ward. There were 230 souls in that despoiled party,
only eight of whom ever reached the border settle-
ments. The knife of the savage and starvation fin-
ished the cruel work begun by the merciful Mormons.
The survivors reached Leavenworth in June, 1858,
bringing the sad intelligence of the fate of their com-
rades. ‘The loss of these trains necessarily cut short
the supplies at-Bridger. ‘The troops were put on short
rations, and, to add to their horror, the beef cattle ac-
companying the expedition had nearly all frozen to
death, leaving but a few head in camp. At Black’s
Fork the command lost over 300 head in one night, the

ELDORADO 87

horses and mules dying in about an equal ratio. Be-
fore reaching Bridger the dragoons were compelled to
leave their saddles, which they buried in the snow,
the horses being unable to carry them. ‘The animals
were obliged to exist on sage brush for two-thirds of
the time, and then, to obtain this fibrous shrub, they
were compelled to remove snow several feet deep.
The men had no other fuel; no water, only as they
melted snow, for three weeks before reaching Bridger.

“When the news arrived at the camp that the trains
had been destroyed the troops immediately began to
forage for anything that was palatable, well knowing
that no supplies could reach them until late in the
spring. The snow was then on an average from six to
seven feet deep, and the game had mostly left the hills.
‘Lne rations were immediately reduced to one-half, but
even this pittance failed on February 28th, when one-
quarter rations per man were issued, being the last of
all our stores.

“Two 100-pound sacks of flour were secured by
Major Canby, who gave for them $300 in gold. They
were placed in his tent, which stood where the old
flagstaff now stands, and he supposed his treasure se-
cure. But that night a party of men belonging to
Company I, First Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant
Marshall, made a raid on the tent, pulling out the pins
and throwing the tent over the astonished major, but
procuring the flour, with which they escaped in the
darkness, and succeeded in hiding it about a mile from
camp in the sage brush. All was confusion. The long
roll was beaten, the troops turned out and answered to
their names, no one being absent. The next day at
guard mount the major commenced a personal search

88 ELDORADO

among the tents for his flour. He found in one tent
two men who were cooking a piece of mule meat; in
another he found five men cutting up the frozen skin
of an ox, preparatory to making soup of it, the other
ingredient to the savory mess being a little flour.
Overcome by the sight of so much wretchedness, the
major sat down and cried at his inability to assist
them. He asked the men if they could obtain nothing
better to eat, and was answered in the negative. The
mules and horses were either killed and eaten by the
men or died of cold and hunger. But the men did not
murmur. Some days a stray creature would be slain
by the hunters, and there would be rejoicing in the
camp once more. Jn September, 1858, a large train ar-
rived with supplies, causing great joy among the
troops.”

The army commenced again to move, causing the
stampede of a large number of Mormons towards the
Colorado and Mexico. Finally peace commissioners
were appointed, the war ended and the Mormons re-
turned to their city, and the army was ordered back
to the States.

The state of Utah has wonderful mineral, manufac-
turing and agricultural resources. It has an altitude
of 4,500 feet above sea level, with a mild and excep-
tionally healthy climate. Three rivers of considerable
magnitude, the Bear, Webber and Jordan, besides
many smaller streams, empty their waters into the
Great Salt Lake, which has no visible outlet. Several
hundred feet up the sides of the mountains, surround-
ing the valley, a shore line is plainly seen, and numer-
ous marine shells and other evidences that a vast in-
land sea once covered all this region.

ELDORADO 89

CHAPTER IX.

TRAVEL RESUMED.

The river Jordan, on which “we boys” made our
camp, is from ten to fifteen yards wide, and is a beau-
tiful stream of clear, fresh water, from which we sup-
plied ourselves with plenty of trout and other varieties
of fish. It rises in Utah lake, a large body of fresh
water forty miles to the south.

Our three weeks in camp were pleasantly and profit-
ably spent. Our animals were greatly improved and
we were in condition to undertake the most difficult
part of our journey, which would require about two
months to complete.

A grave problem now presented itself in regard to
the best, safest and most expeditious route. Opinions
differed. The best-known and most traveled one was
around the north end of the lake, across Bear river,
thence to Goose creek, a tributary of the Columbia, and
to the sources of the Humboldt, following down that
stream, which seemed to promise both feed and water.
Another, of which but little knowledge could be ob-
tained, and was but little traveled, except occasionally
by mountaineers, known as a “cut-off,” went by the
south end of the lake, across the upper portion of the
Great American desert to Walker’s lake, and thence to

90 ELDORADO

Carson valley, there intercepting the old emigrant road.

After obtaining all the information possible, and hay-
ing only pack animals, we decided to take the cut-off,
thereby, as we were told, saving both time and dis-
tance. In the meantime others who were camped in
our vicinity came to a like decision, and organized a
small company, hiring two of Fremont’s old guides,
who happened to be stopping in the valley, to conduct
them across the desert to what was known as Pilot's
Peak, the blue top of which could be seen 150 miles in
the distance. Crossing without a guide was considered
very dangerous, as the trail from various causes was
liable to be quickly obliterated, and travelers deceived
and led astray by the deceptive mirage, whereby many
lives have been lost on the hot desert.

Brigham Young said all of those who took the cut-
off would go to h—. But 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.”
‘he party to whom | 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 gI

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 were 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
beds 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 ELDORADO

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.

ELDORADO 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 To 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 11 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
to 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 otr 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. [I 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 crustations, 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 any 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 twenty-four.
Here we remained two davs and three nights, when
another forty mile stretch 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 they 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 party, 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 way,” 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 lofty peak of the mountain by which thev so
happily steered their course was named by them
“Pilot Peak.” It was always 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 by 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. Qn one of their hunting and trapping
expeditions in 1847, while camping on Humboldt
river, a company of emigrants had several horses run
off 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.

100 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 by 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 IOI

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.

‘40 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

102 ELDORADO

150 miles distant, the top of a mountain range could be
indistinctly seen, which we subsequently learned was
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

ELDORADO 103
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 the 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. ‘Lheir 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 visibie. We
had some difficulty 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 either the Humboldt
mountains or the Humboldt river. The time had near-

104 ELDORADO

ly arrived when we expected to reach California, viz..,
three weeks after leaving Salt Lake City. No trace of
a packer or other emigrants had been seen tor several
days. We were alone in an unknown country, with ne
guide to our destination but the points of the compass
indicated by the sun and stars.

It was finally, and unanimously, agreed that the wis-
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 ditficult 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

106 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 him 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.
When 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 direction 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, mules 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, | 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. “TI 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 to 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

108 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 Humboldt, 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 | 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, | 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.

I1O ELDORADO

Emigrants coming along the road could give no in-
formation concerning them.

‘Traveling a few miles after recovering my pony, I
ercamped 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 Orin Moody, one of our party. He
was without coat, vest, blanket or any incumbrance
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 III

overcome by heat and hunger. He declared he could
walk no further.

I arranged my pack behind the saddle, and helped
him to mount my pony. 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. Unfor-
tunately, 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

1E2 ELDORADO

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 Humboldt
river disappear by 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 Truckee 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 by 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 misfortunes 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 1 3

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 misfortunes. 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. They con-
tinued their journey 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 they 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 leit this
camp, taking his little boy in his arms and his wife car-
ried an infant. ‘Thus they began their weary march
across the desolate plain that intervenes between the
Sink and the mountains, which at the time they arrived
were covered deep with winter snows. The scene was

II4 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
erder 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 starvation 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 Don-
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 Mason, 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. Mother 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. Happily 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

116 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, ostensibly 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. Neots
in a much improved condition. We were unable to
get any trace of the balance of our company, and de-
termined, late in the afternoon of the second day after
my arrival, to start for Carson river, 45 miles distant
T packed mv pony and we started at 5 o’clock p. m., and
made the distance, bv constant walking, in 12 hours, ar-
riving at “Ragtown,” two or three miles before reach-
ing Carson river, at 8 o’clock in the morning. The last
15 miles of the road was a loose, yielding sand.

This had been a most disastrous piece of road to
those who had preceded us. The sand was of sufh-

ELDORADO 117

cient depth to cover the wagon fellies 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 Moody, 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

118 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. I 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, Ill., 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 muskrat 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
hardy mountaineer.

120 ELDORADO

CHAPTER XII.

HUNTER 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 tiieir 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 found 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 rifle
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 da
better traping on his own account, took two men and
leaving the party on Carson river, went higher up into
the mountains, 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 off 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 with his tomahawk, he scalped him,
and mounting his haltered horse rode some distance,
then entered the stream which led to his camp, thus de-
stroying 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, fighting, 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 XIII.

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 a being used chiefly
oe 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 difficult
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
ttle roaring 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 pines
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. . . i

-As night approached and the shadows lengthened be-
hind us I began to look fora 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 io 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 enjoyed
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 the 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 +
mountain camp: an awe and loneliness, that hardly can
be expressed. What if I be taken suddenly ill or at-

IN THE HIGH SIERRAS

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, I 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
journey, 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, I recognized Mr. Coleman, my
opponent as attorney in the shooting affair 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 valley. We
traveled and messed together until we arrived at the
mines on the American river. Upon arriving at the
summit the same day of our meeting, we found that the
main traveled road turned to the left along the ridge,
and a plain nack trail leadine directly down the slope
which we felt assured would intersect the principal
thoroughfare at no great distance, and accordingly we
decided to save time by taking what proved to be an-
other “fool’s cut-off.”

Going about a mile down the bare declivity, we came
io 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, foliow-
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 littlr
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 my financial resources I
found $3 constituted my entire capital, besides mv
pony, pack saddle, blankets, coffee pot, and frying pan.
Consequently I submitted to the inevitable, prepared
my supper in the usual wav, and spread mv blankets
for a bed under a friendly 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

130 ELDORADO

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
Rock. 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
ranch 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 MINES—PANDEMONIUM.

After my first unsuccessful venture at mining I re-
turned to Johnson’s ranch and completed my _ unfin-
ished journey to Hangtown. 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 elements 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 day’s work was over, either to bet
their dust or witness the exciting scenes in the gam-
bling rooms. “Coon Holler,’ Diamond Springs, Mud
Springs, Shingle Springs, Dogtown, Fiddletown, Yuba
Dam, Dead Men’s Gulch and the South Fork were all
represented around the gaming tables at night.

Personally, I never took any part or lot in anv game
of chance save that of a spectator. Faro was the prin-
cipal eame plaved in all popular gambling houses, and
a loud word was seldom spoken. A man might stake
and lose his last dollar and silently disappear. Pro-
fessional gamblers, as a rule, were fine-looking men
gentlemen in apnearance and manners. Javmen from
“away 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
gambling 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 misiortune, the only
sure and successful place to obtain contributions for his
relief or to 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
sase 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 blufflng 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 killa 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 $10, and insists that no change shall be offered
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
1851, 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 in 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 off 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 i the natural channe!
The fact that 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 hill” were reached, near where the town of
Folsom 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 tor the “city,”
reaching it the tollowing day 1 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, | 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 Of anama, thence by steamer to San Mrancisco,
irom 24 to 30 days being Occupied in the voyage 101m
New XOrk to San Francisco.

lt generaily required trom sixty to ninety days from
the date ot writing a letter to the receipt of an answer
by the Isthmus route. lostage on the halt ounce in
those days was 10 cents when the distance was over
three hundred miles. ‘Lhe arrival ot the semi-monthly
steamer at San lrancisco was an event celebrated by
the fring of guns and the ringing of bells, and was the
signal tor a general rush of tne inhabitants to the post-
otnce, where 1ong 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 quarter 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-

140 ELDORADO

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 I4I

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 days, to be hung.
One of them, a fine-looking man, well dressed and gen-
tlemanly in appearance, begged to be hung instead of
receiving the penalty prescribed by the jury. After
being stripped to the waist they 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 properly laid on. One of the
committee was a Preshvterian deacon of large prop-
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. It looked cruel and inhuman, and not all

142 ELDORADO

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 coun-
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.

In the mineral portions of the state, more especially,
“trial bv the people” without judicial process continued
until 1856. ‘Then the climax was reached by 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. They dominated the state gov-
ernment for two months, Governor J. Neely 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 by which the miners sought
to protect their lives and property. Possiblv a little
less severitv might have accomplished the desired end
and object, but it was not so regarded at the time. I
am sure there was no element of persecution or re-
vence present in the cases T have related, but the public
welfare alone was considered. —

Lynch 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 jurisprudence.

A sailor, a deserter from the ship “Ohio,” attempted
one night to rob a store at a mining camp on the Amer-
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 hanged;
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 flogging. He was then ordered
to 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.

1O

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-
ficiently 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 any time and that snow fell at that altitude some-
times to considerable depth, so we decided to provide
some sort of winter quarters. Accordingly we pur-
chased a heavy walled duck tent, constructed bunks

ELDORADO 147

from pine poles for sleeping arrangements, and built a
large stone fireplace in the rear end of our 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 away
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 sufficient water could be
had to use our cradles.

Before this work was fully accomplished, either
from insufficient diet or overwork, my health became
seriously impaired. No vegetable diet could be ob-
tained. Our food consisted mainly of “frijoles”’
(beans), bacon and pancakes with occasionally a little
fresh bear meat. Many cases of scorbutic diseases
were prevalent and a large number proved fatal.

After varied experiences during the winter at min-

148 ELDORADO

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
pieasant 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 be

ELDORADO 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 something
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
richness of the section bordering the Consumnes river
that the following five years it became my home.

150 ELDORADO

CHAPTER XVII.

BATTLE OVER LAND CLAIMS.

On arriving at Sacramento I was not as fortunate
as on my first visit. It being steamer day, five or six
hours were required to reach the mail delivery win-
dow. The city, in the interim since my 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 I51

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 _ ELDORADO

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 they 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 053

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 F. 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 McKune’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 my 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 Mexican 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
KE. Howard, late District Judge at Los Angeles, as
United 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 by 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 organi-
zation, and for the two years or so of its existence [
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 iand 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 Feather 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 XVIII.

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 I passed this historic spot
weekly for a number of years, going to and from Sac-
ramento and sometimes partaking of its hospitality.
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,
Spain, 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.
Up from Chili and Peru: came the speculator, gambler,
and courtesan. Over the Rocky 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
journey and to mark the path for those who were to
follow. ‘The few vessels that could find sailors to take
them from the coast spread the news wherever they
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. Marshall 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 quite 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
in possession of unheard of wealth—millions and mill-
ions of dollars, in fact.’ I frankly 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. I 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. By this

160 ELDORADO

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

Il

ELDORADO ? 161

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 tc 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

162 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-
though 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-
eved trappers should have crossed this valley in every
direction, and tribes of Indians have dwelt in it for
centuries and yet this gold should have never been
discovered until now. I 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 I 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 beginning
from which the financial condition of the world was
changed in such a remarkably short space of time by
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 gold region.
The first inflx consisted of Mexicans of the province
of Sonora. Chilians and Kanakas from the Sandwich
Islands. These principally took possession of the
Southern mines, on the tributaries of the San Toaauin.
Some few that came bv water stopped in San Fran-
cisco and secured town lots, which became verv valu-
able in a short time; where they erected temporary
stores and dwellings. This gave an imnulse to the
progress of that town and it advanced ranidlv in size
and population. Then came the emigration from the

164 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 $128 a day—averaging $100.
The gross amount collected up to date will probably
exceed $600,000 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 1, 1840, 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, and 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 day. The fare was: Cabin,

166 ELDORADO

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, by Cap-
tain W. A. Leidesdorff, 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
foothills bordering the streams. The mining 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 I took 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 1,
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 that 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.
In one place they held a meeting and forced a trader
- to sell what flour he had on hand at forty-five cents a

170 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 II
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
flames 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 city 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” office 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.”

r72 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 citv 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 effective 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 light 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
the 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 them, 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 John 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 despotism.
Humanity lost nothing bv the close of the so-called pa-
triarchal age on the Pacific Coast.

The highest intelligence, or, more properly, cunning
displaved by these savages, is in trying to obtain suf-
ficient food to supplv 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 these 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
day. 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
plaved behind a big pine tree and it was said that the
preacher and the gambler were seen to meet soon after
and divide the proceeds from each little enterprise. In
my individual case T have never failed to treat everv-
thing of a religious nature with respect and reverence,
and T ever felt an abhorrence of every kind of dissi-

12

ELDORADO ~ 195

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 days 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. I 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
grizzly, 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
lee of the bear and hung out at the rear end of the
cage. By means of the lassos the bull was brought
sufficiently near to attach the chain also to his fore
leg, when the door was raised and Mr. Bear was in-
troduced to his opponent. 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
large 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 pretty severely injured. The grizzly
weighed about 1000 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.
‘The 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
vards 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

180 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 Jength, 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 by 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 Mexican 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 rawhide, and with the other end 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 181

draw a dead beef steer along the ground in the same
manner.

In *51-'52 fine argicultural implements of American
manufacture were imported, and agricultural pursuits
on a broad scale were inaugurated by Yankee enter-
prise. Seed grain commanded exorbitant prices. I
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 Union. 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 previous year, twenty-six
thousand carloads 6f deciduous fruit were sent out of
the State. The total horticultural and agricultural
products shipped in the vear 1898, including wines and
brandy, was fifty-six thousand one hundred and forty-
nine carloads. I quote from the report of the State
3oard of Trade.

Sheep have numbered nearly seven million; the an-
nual production of wool reaching fifty-six million five

182 ELDORADO

hundred thousand dollars. The olive industry in the
(United States is almost entirely confined to California,
and has become quite an important branch of on. ho
ticulture. 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
i709. ‘There were some three hundred trees planted
at that time, and they still bear a full crop of fruit
every 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
{0 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, fora 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 year. From this single
sprig has grown a stem one foot and a half in diameter,
with innumerable branches and off-shoots covering an
area of one hundred and twenty feet in length, eighty
feet in width and producing four tons of grapes an-
nually. This vine and its product were for almost a

ELDORADO 183

century 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 hundrea
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 country by Americans, formed

184 ' ELDORADO

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 or 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
lis blankets on his back, was pursued by a band of
Spanish cattle and only saved himself by jumping
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 journey. I myself,
on one occasion, had a very narrow escape from death
by being pierced by the sharp horns of an infuriated
animal. I 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, |
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
few corrals in those days, so, several of the vaqueros
would: 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 -dan-
ger, but the Mexican vaquero feared nothing when
armed with the riata and mounted upon his sturdy and
well-trained horse. 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. No 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 were the
customs and conditions of the country when the pion-

186 ELDORADO

eers of 49-50 reached this coast. But we live in an age
of progression and development. During the past fifty
years, since California 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 distaff 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.

188 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 most\enchant-
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 chimney 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 California.

There is no State in the Union that has 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-
inal 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 Jose, 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 oné 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 Mount Hamilton are con-
stituent parts of the university. The great Leland
Stanford Jr. University at Palo Alto, presided over
by David Starr Jordan, ranks high among the great
educational institutions of the world. With its twenty
million dollars endowment, it will no doubt realize the
lofty aspirations of its founder and his noble wife, who

190 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 appointments
to effectually 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 built by the
people of Pasadena; and on its shelves are 16,000 well-
selected volumes. The City of Los Angeies, with its
splendid universities, normal and high schools, offers
educational facilities second to no city of like popula-
tion.

The city 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 by A. K. Smiley, one of its
most enterprising and philanthropic citizens. The li-
brary contains nearly 6000 volumes. The city is noted
for beauty 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. Church 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
Universities. ‘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 governed by their habits more than by

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PUBLIC LIBRARY, REDLANDS, CAL.

ELDORADO 1gI

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 establisked 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 suffering 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 yet 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 charity. 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.

I 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 emphasized . We
pioneers used to wonder if even the minority of women
appreciate the amount of influence they may exert
for good in the home sphere for which Heaven special-
lv designed us as well as them. Woman 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 office than woman suffrage could bestow.

In a remote mining camp, towards the head waters
of the Feather River, in 1851, 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 they had
not seen a white woman for many months. The re-
quest was cheerfully complied with. She 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 I left behind me.” They 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
Mrs. 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 published 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, San 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
began its history.

194 ELDORADO

CHAPTER XXI.

LEGENDS AND EARLY HISTORY.

The origin of the name ‘‘California,’’ 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 cliffs. Their
arms were all of gold and so were the caparisons of
the wild beasts they rode.”

ELDORADO 195

“In the island called California are many griffins on
account of the great savageness of the country and
the immense quantity of wild game to be found there.”

As the name originated, however—hbefore 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
name 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 was supposed to watch over
mines of gold and hidden treasure had its abode in
California. To show the absurdities of these early
times and the notions of the people respecting this
then unexplored land, the following extracts are given
from the records of some of the early-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, says: “The crew
and passengers consume their provisions and then die
miserably. Many vessels have been lost in this way:
but the people have learned to save themselves
from this fate by the following contrivance: they take
bullocks’ hides along with them, and whenever this
storm rises they sew themselves up in the hides, tak-

196 | “ELDORADO

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
who 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 by the
novelist in 1510, cannot be doubted, as it was con-
sidered an island and placed upon the maps as suc!
until the Viceroy of Spain, in 1686 (more 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. I have
chosen from what is regarded as the most authentic
and reliable historical accounts obtainable of the early

ELDORADO 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 lke
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 officer under Cortez. He 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 vovage farther north, while others claim that
nothing more was ever heard of Ulloa 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, pntil, 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 ELDORADO

mand devolved upon one Ferrelo, who proceeded to
sail north, and in February 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 probably 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 squadron 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
by his enemies, or fall a victim to the storms that had

ELDORADO 201

been 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
Buena Esperance.”

“Upon 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 ayer so
cold that our men being greviously 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 I quote, was undoubtedly the Bay of San Fran-
cisco.

The following quaint and interesting description of
the country at that time illustrates the difference 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 ina 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
soyle, 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 Reyes 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 by way of
the Philippine Islands and the Cape of Good Hope,
thus making a complete circuit of the globe. He was
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 California 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 thanksfulness 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 by 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 brought to an
end in 1767. In that year Charles III 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
some 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. An effort was made soon
after to establish another colony at Monterey, but the
party under Portala that went in search of the place,
passed 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-

206 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 previous
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 settkement 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 agent, Kushof, denied the right of the

NOISSIN WAVdavd VINVS

ae

~ ELDORADO 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,
when 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 1769 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.

208 ELDORADO

CHAPTER XXII.

LATER, History:

Very soon after the Spanish yoke was thrown off
and Mexican authority established 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 the 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, anda chief official in
the government,and Juan Alvarado, second official and
a Californian of Spanish descent, became involved ina
bitter person controversy, and Alvarado, being or-
dered under arrest, fled, and sought refuge with one
Isaac Graham in the Santa Cruz mountains. Many
years previously Graham 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 California and establish a free and indepen-
dent state. In a few days Graham gathered a force of
fifty riflemen, and Alvarado znd Jose Castro, with one
hundred and fifty native Californians, supplied 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 Mexican
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.

210 ELDORADO

The enterprising and irrepressible American now en-
tered upon a new role in California. Commodore
Jones, of the United States navy, being cn 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 2Ist
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 Blas 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 hundred 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,andthat 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
the American flag. The whole company was well
armed, each having a knife, a tomahawk, two 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 this 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
by one hand across the pommel of the saddle. Thirty-

ELDORADO 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 November, crossing the
country from Vera Cruz to Mazatlan. Arriving at
Monterey in a U. S. sloop 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 18th 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-

216 ELDORADO

ico. It is still in the possession of the “Pioneer So-
ciety” of California at San Francisco.

Fremont was at Sutter’s fort during these eventful
operations, but, hearing that Castro intended to make
a raid upon Ide at Sonoma, he reached there on the
<3rd of June, at the head of ninety riflemen. He met
a few retreating Mexicans, who escaped and made
their way across the bay to “Yerba Buena” (now San
Francisco). General Castro did not appear. On July
4, 1946, Fremont called a meeting of Americans. He
was appointed governor, issued a proclamation of inde-
pendence, and at the head of one hundred and sixty
men, started for Sutter’s Fort, intending to attack
Castro, who was reported to be at Santa Clara. He
soon learned, however, that the Mexican general was
on the retreat to Los Angeles, where he determined to
follow him. He at once gave the order to his forces
to march. Before they had proceeded far, however,
news reached him that Commodore Sloat had arrived
at Monterey, with the frigate Savannah and another
small vessel, which induced Fremont to delay his pur-
suit of Catro.

While at Mazatlan, on the west coast of Mexico, the
Commodore had learned of the annexation of Texas,
and that war existed between Mexico and the United
State. He was also informed that General Taylor was
marching toward the City of Mexico. Instructions had
been sent by the President of the United States to
Commodore Sloat, to take possession of Mazatlan,
Monterey and San Francisco, and to declare the coun-
try the property of the United States, but they had

ELDORADO 217

not yet reached him. Admiral Seymour, of the British
navy, was also at Mazatlan with a battleship. He had
received dispatches from the City of Mexico, and it
was evident that the Mexican officials favored the oc-
cupation of California by the British rather than by
the Americans, their enemies, with whom they were at
war. Immediately on receipt of these dispatches the
British Admiral hoisted sail upon his ship and moved
seaward, bound for Monterey. Commodore Sloat, who
was watching his movements, half an hour later left
with his two small vessels, the Savannah and Preble,
and also headed directly for the same port, determined
to take possession before the arrival of Admiral Sey-
mour. The Savannah being the fastest, reached Mon-
terey first, and there Sloat learned of the determined
efforts of British and Mexican authorities to place
California under the protection of the English govern-
ment. Governor Pico and General Castro were both
in favor of this’ scheme. The American consul,
Thomas O. Larkin, informed Sloat upon his arrival
of this state of affairs, when he at once determined to
send two hundred and fifty marines on shore and to
hoist the American flag over the town of Monterey.
A salute of twenty-one guns was fired, and a proclama-
tion issued that California henceforth was part of the
United States. The slow ship of the British admiral
only arrived to see the Stars and Stripes floating over
Monterey as a part of the great Republic of America.
He saw he was outwitted by Sloat, outrun by the Sa-
vannah, and the gallantry of the American commodore
had placed California beyond British rule.

218 ELDORADO

The following day, July 8th, a party from the United
States sloop-of-war Portsmouth, landed at Yerba
Buena, now San Francisco, and hoisted the American
flag on the Plaza. On the toth, Commodore Mont-
gomery of the Portsmouth sent an American flag to
Sonoma, and the “Bear flag,” improvised by Ide and
his men, was hauled down, and the Stars and Stripes
“floated in the breeze” instead, and the change was wel-
comed by all.

Meantime General Stephen W. Kearney had arrived
at Monterey, crossing overland by way of New Mexi-
co. He had orders to take possession of and estab-
lish a government for California, but he found that
Sloat, Stockton and Fremont had already accomplished
those things. Colonel J. D. Stevenson, at the head of
one thousand volunteers, arrived in California March
7, 1847. The conquest had already taken place, but
this force was of great service in maintaining order
in the country. Before Fremont hoisted the Stars and
Stripes, and before the Mexican authorities knew of
his coming, an informal meeting was held at Monterey,
at the house of Don Jose Catro, which developed the
fact that a majority of the people were ready for any
form of government that would afford them protection
from uncertainty and unceasing political troubles and
revolutions. The following extracts are taken from
speeches made by some of the leading native Califor-
nians at that meeting: “Excellent sirs! ot what a de-
plorable condition is our country reduced! Mexico,
professing to be our mother and our protectress, has
given us neither arms nor money, nor the materials of

ELDORADO 219

war for our defense. She is not likely to do anything
in our behalf, although she is quite willing to afflict
us with her extortionate minions, who come hither,
in the guise of soldiers and civil officers, to harrass
and oppress our people. We possess a glorious coun-
try, capable of attaining a physical and moral greatness
corresponding with the gradeur and beauty which an
Almighty hand has stamped upon the face of our be-
loved California. But although nature has been prodi-
gal, it cannot be denied that we are not in a position
to avail ourselves of her bounty. Our population is
not large and it is sparsely scattered over valley and
mountain, covering an immense area of virgin soil
destitute of roads and traveresed with difficulty ; hence
it is hardly possible to collect an army of any consid-
erable force. Our people are poor as well as few, and
cannot govern themselves and maintain a decent show
of sovereign power. Although we live in the midst of
plenty, we lay up nothing, but, tilling the earth in an
imperfect manner, all our time is required to procure
subsistence for ourselves and families. Thus circum-
stanced we find ourselves threatened by hordes of
Yankee immigrants, who have already begun to flock
into our country and whose progress we cannot ar-
rest. Already have the wagons of that perfidious peo-
ple scaled the almost inaccessible summit of the Sierra
Nevada, crossed the entire continent, and penetrated
the fruitful valley of the Sacramento. What that as-
tonishing people will next undertake I cannot say, but,
in whatever enterprise they embark they will be sure
to prove successful. Already are these adventurous

220 ELDORADO

land-voyagers sprealing themselves far and wide over
a country which seems suited to their taste. They are
cultivating farms, establishing vineyards, erecting
mills, sawing lumber, building workshops, and doing
a thousand other things which seem natural to them,
but which Californians neglect or despise. What then
are we to do? Shall we remain supine while these
daring strangers are overrunning our fertile plains and
gradually outnumbering and displacing us? Shall
these things go on until all shall become strangers in
our own land? Perhaps what I am about to suggest
may seen to some faint hearted and dishonorable. But
to me it does not appear so. It is our duty voluntarily
to connect ourselves with a power able and willing to
preserve us. I see no dishonor in this last refuge of
the oppressed and powerless, and I bodly avow that
such is the step I would have California take. There
are two great powers in Europe which seem destined
to divide between them the unappropriated countries
of the world. They have large fleets and armies
practiced in the art of war. Is it not better that
one of them should be invited to send a fleet and an
army to protect California, rather than we should fall
an eask prey to the lawless adventurers who are
overrunning our beautiful country. 1 pronounce for
annexation to France or England.” ‘To this speech
General Vallejo replied as follows: “I cannot, gentle-
men, coincide in opinion with the military and civil
functionaries who have advocated the cession of our
country to France or England. It is most true that
to rely any longer upon Mexico to govern and de-

ELDORADO 221

fend us would be idle and absurd. To this extent I
fully agree with my distinguished colleagues. It is true
that we possess a noble country, every way calculated
from position and resources to becoming great and
powerful. For that very reason, I would not have
her a mere dependence upon a foreign monarchy nat-
urally alien, or at least indifferent to our interests and
our welfare. Even could we tolerate the idea of
dependence ought we to go to distant Europe for a
master? What possible sympathy could exist between
us and a nation separated from us by two vast oceans?
But waiving this insuperable objection, how could we
endure to come under the dominion of a monarch?
We are Republicans. Badly governed and badly situ-
ated as we are, still we are all in sentiment Republi-
cans. So far as we are governed at all we at least pro-
fess to be self-governed. Who, then, that possesses
true patriotism will consent to subject himself and
children to the caprices of a foreign king and his of-
ficial minions? Our position is so remote either by
land or sea that we are in no danger from a Mexican
invasion. Why, then, should we hesitate still to as-
sert our independence? We have indeed taken the
first step by electing our own Governor, but another
remains to-be taken. I will mention it plainly and
distinctly; it is annexation to the United States. In
contemplating this consummation of our destiny, I feel
nothing but pleasure and I ask you to share it. Dis-
card old prejudice, disregard old customs, and pre-
pare for the glorious change which awaits our country.
Why. should be shrink from incorporating ourselves
with the happiest and freest nation in the world des-

222 ELDORADO

tined soon to be the most wealthy and powerful? Why
should we go abroad for protection when this great
nation is our adjoining neighbor? When we join our
fortune to hers we shall not become subjects, but fel-
low-citizens, possessing all the rights of the people
of the United States and choosing our own federal and
local rulers. We shall have a stable government and
just laws. California will grow strong and flourish
and her people will be prosperous, happy and free.
Look not, therefore, with jealousy upon the hardy
pioneers, who scale our mountains and cultivate our
unoccupied plains; but rather welcome them as broth- -
ers who come to share with us a common destiny.”

From that time General Vallejo and his friends ac-
tively engaged in promoting sentiments in favor of
the annexation of California to the United States. Out
of gratitude for these services his name is perpetuated
in the town of Vallejo, across the bay, which was for
a short time the capital of the state; it being removed
to Sacramento in 1851. General Vallejo ever re-
mained a loyal, honored and influential citizen.

About August Ist, 1847, Fremont, at the head of
one hundred and sixty men, embarked on board a
sloop-of-war for San Diego. to quell a strongly organ-
ized opposition to American occupation of the coun-
try, headed by General Castro, Governor Pico and
Don Jose Flores. The final defeat and overthrow
of this combination (in January, 1847), whose forces
extended over a very large extent of country when
he had but four hundred men, reflects the highest
credit upon the bravery, skill and fidelity of General
Fremont, Commodore Stockton and their officers and

ELDORADO 223

men. Flores fled to Mexico; Castro and Pico sur-
tendered to Fremont, and akcnowledged the supreme
authority of the Americans; and, on the other hand,
the Americans promised protection of life and prop-
erty to all Californians and Mexicans of every class
and condition regardless of former acts of hostility.
The American conquest was complete and the war in
California at an end. Fremont awed and terrified
the Californians and Indians by the boldness and ce-
lerity of his movements and he won their respect and
devotion by the moderation and kindness of his pol-
icy and the good conduct of his men.

In a dispatch from General Kearney to tiie War De-
partment at Washington, dated “Ciudad de los An-
geles, January 14th, 1847,” he says: “This morning
Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont, with mounted riflemen,
and volunteers from Sacramento, reached here, the
enemy having capitulated to him near San Fernando,
agreeing to lay down their arms, and we have now
the prospect of having peace and quietness in this
country which I hope may not be interrupted again.”

Fremont held the position of military governor of
California a short time and was succeeded’ by Gen-
eral Kearney, and, subsequently, by Colonel Mason,
who continued in office until the 15th day of April,
1849, when he was succeeded by General Bennet Riley,
under whose administration affairs were conducted un-
til California was admitted as a state into the Union
on the 9th of September, 1850.

The treatv between the United States and Mexico
was dated at the City of Guadalupe, February 2d,
1848; exchanged at Queretaro, May 30th, 1848; rati-

224 ELDORADO

fied by the United States the following March and
officially proclaimed by the President, July 4th, 1848;
and thus the title to California and New Mexico was
complete. California was received into the sisterhood
of states without having had a territorial existence,
contrary to all former precedents.

She had, as if by magic, become a state of great
wealth and power. One short year had given her a
commercial importance, but little inferior to that of
the most powerful of the old states. According to the
recommendation of General Riley, an election of dele-
gates to form a Constitutional Convention was held
on the first of August, 1849. The number of dele-
gates to be elected was thirty-seven. The Convention
met on September 4th, at Monterey. The proportion
of native Californian members to the American was
about equal to that of the population. Among the
members was Captain John A. Sutter, the pioneer set-
tler of California, General Vallejo, and Antonio Pico,
who had both been distingutshed men before the con-
quest. The whole body commanded respect as being
dignified and intellectual. The Declaration of Rights
was the first measure adopted by the Convention. The
clause prohibiting the existence of slavery was the
unanimous sentiment of the Convention. The discus-
sion upon the adoption of the Great Seal of the state
was somewhat amusing. A number of designs were
offered, the members from different districts were all
anxious to have their particular localities represented.
The choice finally fell upon one offered by Major Gar-
nett. The principal figure is Minerva, with spear and
shield, emblematic of the manner in which California

1S

ELDORADO 225

was born, full grown into the federacy. At her feet
crouches the grizzly bear. Before him is a wheat-sheaf
and vine, illustrating the agricultural products of the
country. Near them is the miner, with his imple-
ments. In the distance is the Bay of San Francisco
and beyond that the Sierra Nevada, over which ap-
pears the word “Eureka.”

The noted traveler and author, Bayard Taylor, was
present at the Convention and thus describes the clos-
ing scene. In his graphic manner, he says: “The
members met this morning at the usual hour to per-
form the last duty that remained to them—that of
signing the Constitution. They were all in the hap-
piest humor and the morning was so bright and balmy
that no one seemed disposed to call an organization.
Mr. Semple, the chairman, was sick and it was moved
that Captain Sutter be appointed in his place. The
chair was taken by the old pioneer, and the members
took their seats around the sides of the hall, which
still retained the prize-trees and banners, left from
last night’s decorations. The windows and doors were
open and a delightful breeze came in from the bay,
whose blue waters sparkled in the distance. The
view from the balcony in front was bright and inspir-
ing. The town below—the shipping in the harbor—
the pine-colored hills behind—were mellowed by the
blue October haze, but there was no cloud in the sky
and I could plainly see, on the northern horizon the
mountains of Santa Cruz and the Sierra de Gavilan.

“After the minutes had been read the committee
appointed to draw up an address to the people of Cal-
ifornia was called upon to report and was read by the

226 ELDORADO

chairman. It was adopted without a dissenting voice.
A resolution was then offered to pay Lieutenant Ham-
ilton, who was engaged in engrossing the Constitu-
tion upon parchment, the sum of $500, for his labors.
This magnificent price, probably the highest ever paid
for a similar service, is on a par with all things else
in California. The sheet for the signers’ names was
ready and the Convention decided to adjourn for half
an hour, and then meet for the purpose of signing.

“T amused myself during the interval by walking
about the town. Everybody knew that the Conven-
tion was about closing and it was generally under-
stood that Captain Burton had loaded the guns at
the fort and would fire a salute of thirty-one guns at
the proper moment. he citizens, therefore, as well as
the members, were in an excited mood. Monterey
never before looked so bright, so happy, so full of
pleasant expectation. About one o’clock the Conven-
tion met again; few of the members, indeed, had left
the hall. Mr. Semple, the chairman, called them to
order, and after having voted General Riley a salary
of $10,000 and Mr. Halleck, Secretary of State, $6000
a year, they proceeded to affix their names to the
completed Constitution. At this moment a signal was
given, the American colors ran up the flag-staff in
front of the government buildings, and streamed out
on the air. A second afterwards the first gun boomed
from the fort and its stirring echoes came back from
one hill after another till they were lost in the dis-
tance. All the native enthusiasm of Captain Sutter’s
blood was aroused; he was the old soldier again. He
sprang from his seat and, waiving his hand around his

ELDORADO 227

head as if swinging a sword, exclaimed: ‘Gentlemen,
this is the happiest day in my life. It makes me glad
to hear those cannon; they remind me of the time
when I was a soldier. Yes, I am glad to hear them
this is a great day for California!’ Then recollecting
himself. he sat down, the tears streaming from his
eyes. The members with one accord gave three tu-
multuous cheers which were heard from one end of
the town to the other. As the signing went on gun
followed gun from the fort, the echoes reverberating
grandly around the bay till finally as the loud ring of
the Thirty-first was heard, there was a shout: ‘“That’s
for California!’ and every one joined in giving three
times three for the new star added to our Confedera-
tion’” * * * “T’here was one handsome act
I must not omit to mention. The Captain of the Eng-
lish bark, ‘Volunteer,’ of Sydney, Australia, lying in
the harbor sent on shore in the morning for an Amer-
ican flag. When the first gun was heard a line of
colors ran fluttering up to the spars, the Stars and
Stripes flying triumphantly from the main-top. The
compliment was the more marked as some of the
American vessels neglected to give anv token of rec-
ognition to the events of the dav.” “The Constitu-
tion having been signed and the Convention dissolved,
the members proceeded in a body to the house of Gen-
eral Rilev. The visit was evidently unexpected by the
old veteran. When he made his appearaice, Captain
Sutter stepped forward, and having shaken him bv the
hand, drew himself into an erect attitude, raised one
hand to his breast as if he was making a report to his

228 ELDORADO

commanding officer on the field of battle and addressed
him as follows:

GENERAL: I have been appointed by the dele-
gates elected by the people of California to form a
Constitution, to address you in their names and in be-
half of the whole people of California, and express
the thanks of the Convention for the aid and co-opera-
tion they have received from you in the discharge of
the responsible duty of creating a state government.
And, sir, the Convention as wou will perceive from
the official records, duly appreciates the great and
important services vou have rendered to our common
country and especially to the people of California, and
entertains the confident belief that you will receive
from the whole people of the United States, when
you retire from your official duties here, that verdict
so grateful to the heart of the patriot: ‘well done
thou good and faithful servant!’

“General Riley was visibly affected by this mark of
respect, no less appropriate than well deserved on his
part. The tears in his eyes and the plain blunt sin-
cerity of his voice and manner went to the heart of
every one present. ‘Gentlemen,’ he said, ‘I never
made a speech in my life. I am a soldier—but I can
feel; and TI do feel deeply the honor you have this dav
conferred upon me. Gentlemen, this is a prouder day
to me than that on which my soldiers cheered me on
the field of Contreras. I thank you all from my heart.
I have no fear for California while the peonle have
chosen their representatives so wisely. Gentlemen, I
congratulate you upon the successful conclusion of
your arduous labors, and I wish you all happiness

ELDORADO 229

and prosperity... After three hearty cheers by the
members for the gallant soldier, worthy of his coun-
try’s glory, he concluded in the following words: “I
have but one thing to add, gentlemen, and that is, that
my success in the affairs of California is mainly ow-
ing the efficient aid rendered me by Captain Hallock,
‘(afterwords during the civil war commander of the
western division of the army)’ the Secretary of State.
He has stood by me in all emergencies. To him I
have always appealed when at a loss myself, and he
has never failed me.’

“This recognition of Captain Hallock’s talents and
the signal service he has rendered to the authorities
since the conquest was pecularly just and appropriate.
It was so felt by the members and they responded by
giving three enthusiastic cheers for the Secretary of
State.” They then took their leave, many of them
being anxious to start for their various places of resi-
dence. All were in a happy and satisfied mood and
none less so than the native members. Pedrorena de-
clared that this was the most fortunate day in the his-
tory of California. Even Carillo, in the beginning,
one of the most zealous opponents, displayed a genu-
ine zeal for the Constitution which he helped to frame
under the laws of our republic.

The elections for the various officers under the new
Constitution took place on the 13th of November, 1849.
Peter H. Burnett was chosen Governor, and John Mc-
Dougall, Lieutenant-Governor. George W. Wright
and Edward Gilbert were chosen as representatives to
Congress. The first State Legislature met at the Cap-
ital, the pueblo de San Jose, on the 15th of December,

230 ELDORADO

and elected John C. Fremont and William M. Gwin,
Senators to Congress. Every branch of the civil gov-
ernment went at once into operation, and admission
into the Union as a state was all that was necessary
to complete the settlement of affairs in California. In
October, 1851, the state elections were held. John
Bigler was elected Governor by thirteen hundred ma-
jority over Mr. Reading. On the 2d of November,
1852, the presidential election was held throughout
the United States. The Democrats carried California
for the electral ticket pledged to vote for Franklin
Pierce, of New Hampshire, for President, and William
R. King of Alabama for Vive-President. It also went
Democratic in 1856, for James Buchanan of Pennsyl-
vania.

EI,DORADO

to
(oe)
—

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE: SPATE.

From that period the history, growth and. develop-
ment of California does not properly belong to pion-
eer days.

The comparative size of California, however, is not
generally understood or realized even by a very large
number of its own citizens. It has a coast line of

about one thousand miles, with an average width of
~ over two hundred miles, and contains an area of 188,-
921 square miles or 120,947,840 acres. ‘The combined
area of the six New England states is but 68,348
square miles, showing that California has an area al-
most three times as great as this division of that re-
public. ‘The area of the six middle states—New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and
West Virginia—is 137,464 square miles, showing that
‘the area of California is 51,517 square miles larger
than all that section.

The combined area of the twelve states forming the
New England and Middle States is 205,812 square
milés, showing that California contains an area almost
as great as these twelve states. It is 78,135 square

232 ELDORADO

miles larger than the whole of Great Britain. It would
make twenty-four states the size of Massachusetts,
leaving 2781 square miles; and the area of California
would make one hundred and forty-five states, as large
as the state of Rhode Island. The combined area of
Great Britain, Holland, Greece, Denmark, Brunswick
and Switzerland is 188,330 square miles, and has a
population of amout five millions. California is capable
of surpassing the density of population of any country
in Europe. It could sustain a population equal to the
present number of people in the entire Union.

The natural resources, great mineral and agricul-
tural wealth of California, with her numerous hays
and harbors facing the Pacific Ocean, the direct and
easy steam communication with Asia and the Islands
of the Pacific, render her geographically one of the
most favorably located states of the Union.

The loftiest mountains in the United States are
found in California, Mount Whitney, the highest in
the Sierra Nevada range, standing fifteen thousand
feet above the sea level. Mount Shasta lifts its hoary
head 14,440 feet into the clouds. ‘The most gigantic
vegetable growth in the world is found within our bor-
ders. ‘“‘Here stands the solemn sentinels of the forest,
the mighty trees of Mariposa, Calaveras and Tulare,
the wonder and admiration of all who behold them.

Here, too, may be seen the famed valley and falls of
the Yosemite where a mighty sheet of water dashes a
distance of two thousand six hundred feet into the
valley below. High in the ridges of the Sierra, nest-
ling betwixt the precipitous and frowning walls of
dark and relentless granite, nature elevates her mighty

YOSEMITE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

EI,DORADO 233

urns, which, like inland seas, inspire and impress man
with the majesty of creation, as he floats upon their
placid waters or vainly attempts to sound their almost
fathomless depths.

“Take Tahoe, fourth in size of mountain lakes, is
the queen of the Sierras, whose frowning granite walls
upon the one side and rich foliage upon the other, have
been the theme of romantic poets and enthusiastic
tourists. It is situated high in the Sierras, one-half
being upon each side of the boundary line between
California and Nevada. It is twenty-one miles in
length by twelve in width, and 6220 feet above sea
level, nestled up among the tall pines, ferns and oaks,
over-topped by the towering pinnacles and snow-
capped peaks of the mountain range which reflect their
lengthened shadows upon its placid bosom as the set-
ting sun gilds in golden hues the rich, wild, but pictur-
esque and beautiful scenery around. ‘The soul catches
that sweet inspiration which calmly draws us into
communion with the harmony of nature and a contem-
plation of a better land as we stand upon the silvery
shores of Lake Tahoe, while amidst a stillness sub-
lime and awful the rays of the morning sun, like rib-
bons of gold dart through the dense forest, streaking
with amber and golden sheen the dark blue waters
through whose transparent depths the landscape is
mirrored below, God’s fountain in the wilderness to
beautify his footstool and invigorate all his creatures
that partake of its crystal waters.”

The colors and transparency of this beautiful sheet
of water are two of its principal attractions. The
water which is a pea-green, gradually deepens, leav-

234 ELDORADO

ing the bottom of the lake at eighty feet clearly visible ;
at one-half mile from shore the color changes to a
deeper green, about a mile from shore it suddenly
changes to an almost indigo-blue; the lines of these
three shades or colors are as distinctly drawn as if
painted. For many years it was supposed that this
lake was bottomless, but later soundings, established
its greatest depth to be about fifteen hundred feet. It
was first named Lake “Bigler,’ but in 1859 William
H. Knight, who at this time occupies the chair of
President of the Southern California Academy of
Science, upon arriving at the lake after many months’
travel across mountain, plain and desert, as a “pioneer
pilgrim,” saw its “setting” and beauties as described
above, and feeling the inspiration that comes to all
beholders that possess the divine element of poetry or
the love of the grand in nature, and learning that
“Tahoe” was the aboriginal name given to it by the
Indians, who, for countless centuries had camped upon
its shores and fished in its clear waters, conceived the
idea that the aboriginal name would be most appro-
priate to go into history rather than that of a little
known statesman. Mr. Knight afterwards secured
the enactment of a law by the Legislature of Califor-
nia changing the name to “Tahoe,” and it was ap-
proved by the Land Office at Washington.

Another beautiful sheet of water is “Mirror Lake,”
in the Yosemite Valley. Its beauty, fascination and
grandeur of its surroundings are unsurpassed in the
world. It is formed by the waters flowing down from
Lake Teu-il-ya to join the Merced River, and covers
an area of about eight acres.

ELDORADO 235

It is noted for its transparent beauty. Here the
overhanging mountains, trees and foliage are all mir-
rored in the water below as clear and life-like as they
stand upon the banks.

California is eminently a land of flowers and if the
invasion of civilization has broken the natural beauty
of the valleys and rolling hills by the uniformity of
wheat fields, vineyards, orange groves and flower gar-
dens, it has introduced scientific industry, refinement
and happy homes where the domestic comforts are
in marked contrast with the pastored, semi-barbarous
lives of the early Spanish settlers of the country, and
where the perpetual bloom of the rose, heliotrope, ger-
anium, honey-suckle and lily, so abundant every month
in the year, will compensate for the partial loss of the
wild flowers of the valleys. While its people are des-
tined to engage extensively in commercial enterprises,
its population will, to a very large extent; pursue rural
industries, supplying the world’s constantly increasing
demands for the products of its grain fields, its semi-
tropic and deciduous fruit orchards, which have al-
ready gained for California great fame.

Mr. John H. Mills, one of the best known and tried
friends of the State, justifies the universal love for Cali-
fornia among its citizens in the following eloquent pas-
sage: “The love of Californians for their State, which
is proverbial, is not devoid of justification. What other
country presents such inspirations of love and devo-
tion? In what other country is there broader freedom
of thought and action? In what other country are the
alluring prophecies which attend young life more cer-
tain of fulfillment? In what country do the higher

236 ELDORADO

blessings of peace and plenty minister to the comforts
of age? Are there other countries in which honest in-
dustry achieves higher respect or in which labor earns
a higher meed of profit and honor? Under our sum-
mer suns the fruits of the tropics ripen, unaccompan-
ied by the discomforts of the torrid zone. Here. the
brown of our summer hills and the golden stubble of
the after-harvest are the only winters that we know.
Here a spring-like verdure is the harbinger of the
coming autumn, and the autumn is attended by no
forewarning of the bleak rigors of winter. Here win-
ter is the season when the warm, brown earth is turned
by the plow for seed time, and spring with its flowers
and ripening grain is opulent with the prophecy of
hopeful industry. Nor are these all the features which
challenge our love of country. Here nature has
wrought her best enchantments in the sublimity of
mountain heights, the bold grandeur of cliffs, the pen-
sive peacefulness of lovely valleys and the expansive
splendor of fertile hills. Looking backward we see a
history founded on the romance of adventure. In the
present we are laying the foundations of a noble com-
monwealth by the establishment of permanent indus-
tries. If, therefore, the manifestation of love for our
State may sometimes appear boastful or provincial,
let it find apology in the consideration that provin-
cialism is an expression of local patriotism, and that
with the people of California it is the inspiration of
high endeavor, which, when duly chastened, will ripen
for our beloved State its growing harvest of hope.”

ELDORADO 237

*CHAPTER XXIV.

REMARKABLE ADVENTURES AND HEROISM
OF CALIFORNIA PIONEERS, A. QUAR-
TER OF A CENTURY BEFORE
THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD.

J. S. Smith was one of the most celebrated of
American trappers, and was the first American who,
by the overland route, ever set foot within the borders
of California. Smith was a large-seized, fine looking
man, with black hair and blue eyes, and was a native
of Virginia or Kentucky. He was a man of the most
unbounded courage, and added to his bravery a cool
judgment and a ready wit. He was a man for emer-
gencies, and his adventures, like those of another of
the Smith family, Captain John Smith, of Virginia,
trench closely upon the marvelous.

Living in almost hourly peril, he was one of the few
trappers who perished at the hands of the Indians.
Leaving his camp on the plains, he started for the
Cimmaron river, to search for water for his comrades,
and this hero of twice a hundred battles was waylaid
by the savages and murdered. Trapping along the
headwaters of the Missouri river, Smith crossed over

*‘From the Alleghanies to the Pacific. The Era of Colonization.”

238 ELDORADO

the mountains in the spring of 1824, and with a small
party made his way, the succeeding spring, into Cali-
fornia. He camped on the American river, and in
July, 1825, built a post a few miles above the point
subsequently selected by General Sutter for his fort,
and not far distant from the post, established a few
years later by the Waldoes, near the present site of
the town of Folsom. Here he followed his pursuit
of hunting and trapping vigorously, for several
months. In October, of the same year, Smith left
his men at this post and, undeterred by the imminent
perils of his journey, started East to inform his part-
ners—then on Green river—of his new location. He
made many narrow escapes on this journey; had his
horse stolen by seven Indians, and marched boldly
into their camp and retook it before their faces, they
not daring to attack him, so great was their fear of
the celebrated trapper. Before crossing the mount-
ains, Smith had been a prime favorite of Blackbird,
the great Omaha chief. This was one of the shrewd-
est Indians that ever lived, and with a wislom greater
than that of Tecumseh, or Pontiac, he realized at
once the futility of a struggle against the whites, and
by a peaceful policy, determined to reap the greatest
benefit possible from this knowledge. By his arts of
statecraft, backed by a fearless courage and an_ in-
domitable will, Blackbird obtained such a supremicy
among his people, as has seldom fallen to the lot of
a self-appointed ruler. His power was absolute.
From some of the traders he had learned the use of
arsenic, in destroying life, and with a full supply of
this deadly poison, he obtained a great reputation as

ELDORADO 239

a medicine man. Whoever opposed his measures or
his wishes, was sure to perish. A few days before
administering the fatal dose, he would announce that
such a chief would die; it had been revealed to him
by the Great Spirit. The prophecy never failed.
When traders came to the village, Blackbird had their
packs brought to their lodge, and there, for the first
time, they were opened; no one being admitted to the
lodge but the trader and himself. He then selected
such articles as he fancied, often taking half of the
goods, but to remunerate the white man, he forced the
tribe to buy the rest at a double valuation. In this
way he remained on the best terms with all of the
traders; benefiting them and enriching himself at the
expense of his followers, somewhat after the manner
of more modern princes. Remorse seemed never to
trouble his adaptable conscience, except upon a sin-
ele occasion. His favorite squaw offended him in
some way, and with a single blow of his knife he
streched her dead at his feet. In an instant he realized
what the violence of his temper had caused him to do.
Seating himself in his lodge, he covered his head with
his blanket, and in his solitude gave way to the agony
of his grief. For three days and nights he remained
thus, deaf to the prayers and entreaties of his people,
and never moved, until at last, one of the squaws
brought in the little child of the dead woman, and
raising the leg of the chief, placed the child beneath
it, with the foot of the chief upon its neck, and then
left the lodge. Roused by the weeping of the infant,

*. Blackbird arose, bathed and went forth, to the great

delight of the tribe.

240 ELDORADO

At last a formidable rival arose in the person of
Little Bow, a noted young chief, who led a consider-
able faction against the tyranny and extortion of
Blackbird. For a time he made considerable headway,
but was at last overcome by the superior machinations
of the wily old chief. He first endeavored to remove
the young chief, in his usual manner, by poison, and
employed the squaw of the latter to administer it,
but Little Bow had in some way become suscpicious of
the actions of the woman, and when she brought him
the poisoned food, he detected it from her great em-
barrassment and forced her to eat it, of course causing
her death. Blackbird, nothing daunted, continued his
intrigues, and finally succeeded in driving out his rival
and the party that adhered to him. :

In his latter days, Blackbird became very corpulent
and unwieldy. Continued feasts were new made in
his honor, to which he was conveyed, seated upon a
blanket borne by four men. Even in this helpless
state, he maintained his power, and to the day of his
death ruled his people with a rod of iron. Before he
died, he asked that he should be buried on the top of a
high hill, overlooking the village, that he might still
see the boats of the traders ascending the river, and
be gladdened by the presence of his white friends.
He desired to be buried sitting upon his favorite steed,
with his face looking toward the current of the mighty
river. All of his wishes were carried out at his burial,
and for years after food and water were daily placed
upon his grave. This was eagerly devoured by the
hawks, eagles and coyotes, but his tribe firmly be- °
lieved that their chief had eaten the food prepared for

ELDORADO 241

him. His flag-staff, with its floating pennant, was
constantly renewed, until the tribe was forced to
leave for another location.

Smith’s testimony—for he was a man of more than
usual observation and of undoubted veracity—sets at
rest all disputes in regard to a custom of some of the
plains Indians, in making human sacrifices as a re-
ligious duty. He positively asserts that the Pawnees
had such a custom, and states that this sacrifice was
made to the Great Star (Venus). One of their pris-
oners—sometimes a man and sometimes a woman—
was selected and carefully fed with every luxury they
could obtain. The fate in store for the victim was
carefully concealed,-and he or she was dressed in the
finest raiment obtainable, and under perfect ease of
body and mind, rapidly fattened. When the body had
become plump and round, the victim was led out and
bound at a stake shaped like a cross, his outstretched
arms being fastened to the arm-piece. Ceremonies
and dances were then performed by the people, and
mysterious mummeries and incantations by the medi-
cine men, and when this was concluded, one of the
latter approached the stake, and with a single blow of
his tomahawk, split the skull of the victim. The body
was then shot full of arrows, and the sacrifice was
completed.

In May, 1826, Smith again set out for California,
accompanied by a small party of men. In a few days
after their start, they were attacked by Indians, and
from this time on they were harrassed day and night
by the savages. The others wished to turn back, and
Smith told them that they were at perfect liberty to

242 ELDORADO

do so, but that he had started for California, and he
intended to go through or die. Not a man turned
back. Worn out with their continual skirmishing,
they were surrounded at the Mohave settiements, on
the Colorado river, and a desperate battle began.
The swarming savages attempted charge after charge,
but the handful of whites lying behind the few rocks
they had thrown around them as a breast-work, drove
them back each time with terrible slaughter. Man
after man fell within the slight fortification, and
when night came, Smith determined, with the seven
men left, to cut his way through the lines of the ene-
my and attempt escape by flight. As soon as it was
dark, Smith told his comrades of his determination,
showing them the folly of lying behind their insuff-
cient protection, where eventually all would be killed;
and they agreed to the desperate suggestion. Look-
ing to the charges in their rifles, they secured the am-
munition of their dead companions, and burst furious-
ly upon one side of the savage line. This gave way
after a brief stubborn contest, and the white broke
through, having lost four of their number at this
point. Smith, with these two surviving comrades,
Turner and Galbraith, after a thousand perils entered
California close to the Mexican line, in December,
and were there arrested under the suspicion that they
intended mischief, or had designs upon the govern-
ment. They were carried before General Echandia,
who was located at San Diego, and here this invading
force of three almost naked men was subjected to a
rigid interrogation as to their aims and business in
entering the country. Their answers, though strictly

ELDORADO 243

true, failed to convince Echandia of the innocence of
their intentions, and they were thrown into prison,
from which they were released only after the inter-
vention of the officers commanding the American
merchantmen and whalers then lying on the coast. In
the letter, signed by the officers of the ships, “‘Courier,”
“Waverly” and “Olive Branch, the motives and neces-
sities of Smith and his comrades were fully set forth,
and it was shown that they had been forced to enter
the territory subject to Echandia, to escape starvation
upon the barren and desolute stretches of plain and
mountain, lying between longitudes forty-two and for-
ty-two and forty-three west. They stated that the sole
purpose of the three men upon the Pacific slope was
to trap beaver, and trade with the Indians of that sec-
tion, that there was not the slightest political signifi-
cance in their visit. That their passports from the
Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the United
United States, had been vised and found correct, and,
in conclusion, they asked that the trappers might be
permitted to make their way to the Columbia river,
in Oregon, through California, believing that if they
were forced to return by the route they had come, they
must inevitably perish at the hands of hostile Indians
or of hunger and thirst, in that inhospitable region
from which they had so narrowly escaped.

The men were discharged, and permitted to travel
through California to their destination. Of this per-
mission, Smith at once availed himself, but Turner
and Galbraith—who had had enough hunting and
trapping—determined to remain in California. Smith
proceeded to his camp on the American river, and with

244 ELDORADO

his comrades, who had been left there the preceding
year, started towards the Columbia. ‘The winter was
now upon them in all its fury, and after several inef-
fectual attempts to cross the snow-clad Sierras north
of them, they gave up in despair, and returned once
more to the valley, having suffered terribly.

After spending a short time at their old post on the
American river, above the present site of Sacramento
city, they determined to seek other quarters further
south, where game was plentiful, and finally located
their camp a few miles east of the Bay of San Fran-
cisco. The Jesuit Fathers being greatly alarmed at
the proximity of these hereticas Americanos to their
Indian flocks, sent a messenger to demand _ the
cause of their presence. Reduced to the most desper-
ate extremities, almost naked, and destitute of any pro-
vision, except the flesh of such game as they might
be able to kill, Smith sent the following letter to
Father Duran, then in charge of the Mission Santa
Claray:

“Reverend Father :—I understand, through the me-
dium of one of your Christian Indians, that you are
anxious to know who we are, as some of the Indians
have been at the Mission and informed you that there
were certain white people in the country. We are
Americans, on our journey to the River Columbia.
We were at the Mission San Gabriel in January last.
IT went to San Diego and saw the General, and got a
passport from him to pass on to that place. I have
made several attempts to cross the mountains, but the
snows being so deep, IT could not succeed in gettine
over, T returned to this place (it being the point to

ELDORADO 245

kill meat) to wait a few weeks until the snow melts,
so that I can go on. The Indians there also being
friendly, I consider it the most safe point for me to
remain until such time as I can cross the mountains
with my horses, having lost a great many in attempt-
ing to cross ten or fifteen days since. | am a long
ways from home, and am anxious to get there as soon
as the nature of the case will admit. Our situation is
quite unpleasant, being destitute of clothing, and most
of the necessities of life, wild meat being our principal
subsistence. I am, Reverend Father, your strange but
real friend and Christian brother. J. 5S. Smith, May
19th, 1827.”

With the opening of the summer, the snows melted,
and the trappers continued on their journey toward
the north. As they traveled, they were daily attacked
by small bands of skulking Indians, and when they
reached the mouth of the Umphqua river in Oregon,
their troubles culminated. Here they were attacked in
the early dawn, while all of them were asleep, by
hundreds of savages, and of the whole number but
three escaped, amongst them Captain Smith. They
lost all of their packs of furs, worth thousands of dol-
lars, these being taken by the Indians to the posts of
the Hudson Bay Company, and there sold. Smith,
with Daniel Fryer and Richard Laughlin, continued
their journey to the north, after their almost miracu-
lous escape, and eventually succeeded in reaching
Fort Vancouver, on the west bank of the Columbia.
Here he remained, making various excursions in all
directions, until 1830, when he returned to St. Louis
and sold out his interest in the fur company. It is said
that during his expeditions in the mountains, lying

246 ELDORADO

between the Great Salt Lake, Utah, and Mono Lake
in California, Smith discovered gold in considerable
quantities and disclosed his secret to his partners. Ot
this, however, we lack sufhcient testimony to pro-
nounce it a fact. Some of his comrades also asserted
that the bullets fired at them by the Indians during
their many fights on the Wind River mountains, and
also near the present sight of Virginia City, Nevada,
were made of, or heavily alloyed with gold. This,
too, seems a matter of much doubt. Having closed
out his interest in the fur business Smith tound it
impossible to content himself in St. Louis, or, in fact,
anywhere within the limits of civilization, and in less
than a year after he had retired from the exciting
life of a hunter and trapper, we find him undertaking
new risks and dangers. But before going further,
we will dispose of the claim often made ior James O.
Pattie, that he was the first American to enter Califor-
nia overland. Pattie left the Mississippi valley in 1825,
with a company of trappers, their destination being
the Pacific Coast. ‘These men roamed over the plains
and mountains of Colorado and New Mexico for five |
years, and were finally surounded by the Yuma In-
dians at a point in the Gila valley, near the mouth of
the Colorado river. The trappers were plundered by
these Indians, and finally in the year 1830, made their |
entrance into California. A full account of this expe-
dition appears in the message of General Jackson—
then President of the United State—to Congress, in
the year 1836. Captain Brown by water, and Captain
Smith by land, were the prosaic names of the first
Americans who ever trod the soil of the Golden State.

Had Smith been superstitious, or paid any attention

ELDORADO 247

to omens he would have hesitated, after his two warn-
ings—in both of which he had made one of the mys-
tical number, three, who had escaped almost miracu-
lously from the masscre, in which their comrades had
been involved—before undertaking other excursions
in which he must meet his old foes, the treacherous
savages, and might also encounter those unseen but
none the less terrible demons of thirst and famine.
But Smith was a man who knew no fear, and so com-
passed had his life been with dangers that its every
exploit had borne a seeming omen of evil. Trusting
to the kindly Providence that had so far preserved
him, and longing for the absolute freedom from re-
“traint and the exciting adventure of border life, he
started with an immigrant party to Santa Fe.

This was in 1831, and the Indians along the South-
ern route were unusually troublesome; the situation
calling for all the old trapper’s vigilance and experi-
ence to protect the train under his charge. Finally
they reached the dry bed of the Cimaron and Smith
started out from camp to find a water-hole, not daring
to send one of the immigrants, for fear he might be
ambushed and killed.

As he was riding along a party of twenty-five In-
dians secreted in a ravine, fired upon him from under
the cover of its bank at a distance of about twenty
yards. Smith fell from his horse, shot through by
three bullets, but as the savages rushed up, he suc-
ceeded in killing one with his rifle. Having supposed
him dead, they halted, and while huddled together in
a compact mass, he emptied his two pistols into them °
and two men fell to the ground. He attempted to
rise, and another volley of balls was directed against

248 ELDORADO

him, and with a shudder he fell back and expired.
Yellow Bear, an Arapahoe chief to whom the Co-
manches told the tale of this murder—said that for a
long time the warriors did not dare to approach the
body of the trapper, and when they did, the fierce
glare of his wide-open eyes so dismayed them that
they did not attempt to scalp him.

Smith was, in some respects, the most remarkable
of all the trappers, and was certainly the most restless
and daring of these men. His life was one long series
of uninterrupted adventure, marked by more than
the ordinary perils of even his dangerous avocation.
His exploits, if properly recorded, woulda shame the
fictitious deeds of imaginary heroes of the novelist,
and would require many times the space here given
to it for the simplest and most concise recital. The
main features of his romantic career we have been
enabled to record, though its details have never be-
fore been seen in print.

All of these men were men of deeds, not words,
and their exploits live only in the tales of their com-
rades; none of them being given to vainglorious
boasting of personal prowess. It was-from the few
surviving comrades that our accounts have been gar-
nered. ‘Their terrible scars, and the scalps at their
girdle alone spoke of their brave endurance and heroic
courage. ‘They were the earliest pioneers of the sun-
scorched plains and frowning mountains that stand
as unsleeping sentinels between the Mississippi valley
and the Pacific slope; in both of which sections Jede-
diah S. Smith figured as among the most heroic and
brave.

ELDORADO 249

CHAPTER XXV.

THE DARING ADVENTURES OF BILL BENT
AND OTHER HISTORIC CHARACTERS IN
NEW MEXICO AND CALIFORNIA.

William Bent, or as he was generally known on the
plains, “Bill Bent,” was the most famous of this
family of men, several of whom were somewhat cele-
brated. Charles Bent, an older brother, was also a
plainsman, and a noted one, but never attracted the at-
tention that Bill did. Both of them had had innumer-
able battles with the Indians, and in these conflicts
there was usually the courage of the demi-god on one
side, and over-powering numbers on the _ other.
Charles, who was the eldest of the brothers, was a
man of some talent for statecraft, and of undoubted
military capacity. He became Governor of New
Mexico, and fell, with other Americans, in a native
conspiracy at Santa Fe.

Among those who perished at the same time were
Lawrence Waldo (father of Henry L. Waldo, late
Chief Justice of New Mexico), who first located on
the American river in 1832, where the town of Folsom
now stands, and Stephen Lee of St. Louis, a brother-
in-law of the Lindells, celebrated hotel men, who were

250 ELDORADO

more noted for their money than for intellectual
ability. Elliott Lee, another brother-in-law, and who
had been in the Missouri State Senate as a representa-
tive of St. Louis, was rescued by Father Martines,
the good priest of Taos, N. M.

In 1829 Charles Bent, Jacob Coats, William Waldo
and others were attacked, while making their way
towards the mountains beyond Santa Fe, and for forty
days the battle raged. Every day the Comanches and
KKiowas hung in a cloud upon the flanks of the mov-
ing line of trappers, that steadily as the resistless
march of fate continued on towards its goal. Every
night they slept upon their arms, certain of a furious
assault before the morning’s dawn.

Bill Bent heard of the peril of the small body of
white men, and with the determination of a hero, he
resolved to add one more to the number. Mounted
on a large black mule, whose split ears denoted his
former Comanche ownership, he started for the train.
On his way he was attacked and pursued by about
fifty Comanches. Arrows and bullets whistled past
him, but the only heed he paid to these was to wheel
in his saddle and drop some too eager buck, whose
zeal had outstripped his discretion and brought him in
range of Bent’s deadly Hawken rifle.

The pursuit ceased, when Bent had reached Coats
and Waldo, and he dashed on into the line where
his brother and comrades were desperately fighting.
Coats and Waldo fired upon Bent’s pursuers, and
brought down two of the foremost, the others rapidly
retreated. A force of one hundred and twenty Mexi-
cans joined this little party of fighting Americans, in

ELDORADO 251

order to be protected by them. Ewing Young—one
of the bravest and most generous men ot whom the
annals of the West give any record, and who, as a
trapper, hunter and Indian fighter, had few equals and
no superiors—heard of the predicament of his brother
trappers. He had also learned that the mountain can-
yon to which they were journeying and which it
would be impossible to avoid, if they desired to reach
the mountain streams, had been occupied by two thou-
sand warriors, who lay in ambush, waiting to entrap
and annihilate the whites. With forty trappers he
endeavored to cut his way through the hundreds of
savages, who surrounded the marching and battling
train of Waldo and the Bents.

The odds were too great even for valor such as
theirs, and they had much difficulty in cutting their
Own way out from the swarms of enveloping Indians.
It was here that the young hero, Kit Carson, a new
recruit of Young’s, first proved the temper of his
mettle, and showed himself worthy to combat along-
side of these veterans of a hundred battles. Young,
after hammering loose the swarms of savages, re-
treated to Taos, where he found other trappers as-
sembled for their yearly rendezvous. With his num-
bers increased to ninety-five, he again returned to
the attack, and after a desperate engagement, suc-
ceeded in reaching the Bents. The Indians, dispirited
at their want of success, and at the reinforcements of
their enemies, soon abandoned the fight and retired,
having lost a large number in killed and wounded.

In the winter of 1830-31, Bill Bent, Robert Isaacs
and a comrade whose name is unknown, made their
way into Arizona on a trapping expedition. For a

252 ELDORADO

time they met with fair success, and were unmolested,
but venturing too far, they were surrounded by a body
of Mescalero Apaches, then, as now, the fiercest of
the savage tribes. The Indians numbered one hun-
dred and fiftv; the trappers three, and their chance
of escape looked more than desperate.

Hope they had none, but they determined to sell
their lives as dearly as possible, and cause what loss
they could to the redskins before “going under.”
When first surrounded the trappers had improved
their time by throwing up a rude stone breast-work.
Hardly had this been completed, when with terrific
whoops, the Apaches came up on a charge.

Not a shot was wasted; two fired—the third one
holding his fire until the others had reloaded—and
two of the chiefs fell. Before they could get out of
range, the third man fired, and another jeader drop-
ped. Almost instantly the Apaches returned to the
charge, but were met by the deadly fire of the two re-
loaded rifles, and on a closer approach, by the pistol
shots of the trappers. Again retiring, the Apaches
conducted the fight thenceforth at a longer range.

The state of siege was kept up for two days, when
the savages retired and the delighted white men, al-
most dead with thirst, sallied forth in search of water.
Leaving Arizona soon afterwards, they avoided any
further trouble with these foes, who, remembering
this drubbing, were glad to allow them to retreat un-
molested.

En passant we will here remark that it was about
this time that General Boggs, afterwards Governor of
Missouri during her Mormon troubles, had a _nar-
row escape in New Mexico. In a night attack, the

ELDORADO 253

Comanches dashed on horseback through the camp,
and Boggs, rushing to the aid of the guard, ran in
the dark against some object with such force as to pre-
cipitate him violently to the earth. Here he lay un-
conscious and utterly at the mercy of the savages,
when Dr. Craig and Hamilton Carson, a brother of
Kit, rushed to his aid and rescued him.

Had it not been for their coolness and daring,
Boggs would have fallen victim to the Indians. It
was also during this eventful year that William Waldo
and Antone Chenie had a desperate combat with a
large body of Comanche and Kiowa Indians, and es-
caped almost by a miracle. A few years before, Cap-
tain Pratte, a brother of General Bernard Pratte, of
St. Louis, fell upon the desert shores of the Gila, and
not many vears after, Alexander Papin, of another
celebrated St. Louis family, spilled his life blood upon
the thirsty sands of the winding Arkansas.

Captain Carr, who had served under Andrew Jack-
son in nearly all of his battles; a Mr. Eustace, a rela-
tive by marriage of the Hon. J. L. D. Morrison, of
St. Louis; Washington Chapman, of Rooneville, a
brother-in-law of Col. James Collins, who published
the first newspaper in New Mexico, and who was
very mysteriously murdered there, and a dozen oth-
ers, whose names are not remembered, started from
the city of Santa Fe some time during the winter of
1822-33, on their way 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 were 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 unable 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. MHarris 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 by 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 county, Missouri, and whose descendants still
live in that county, were traveling along a few weeks
behind the party 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 every confidence in their friend-
ship, these men rode confidently into a large encamp-
ment of these savages, and were surprised by a fire,
that cut down Captain Means and several others.

Retreating as well as they could, they entrenched

17

ELDORADO 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 county, and
Bryant of Boone county, Missouri. 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 county, Missouri,
had become perfectly blind and when found was lying
upon his back endeavoring to beat off, with a stick,
the swarming coyotes, which from his cadaverous ap-
pearance, and their determined attacks, seemed to
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-
crd, 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 effectually 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
duty seemed one that must lead to certain death, yet

260 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
they 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 by the troops, and was once more safe.

The arrival of Riley 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 to the Major to enlist with him, but, surmising
lis reason for this move, the officer asked him why he
wished to become a soldier. ‘Lhe fellow trankly in-
formed him that he was atraid to continue with the
train, now that the escort was about to return. As
soon as he heard this answer, Riley 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 11 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 ELDORADO

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 officers 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
“hombres 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

ELDORADO 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 suffered 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. Vrain 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

filibustering expedition of Colonels Snively and War-
field gathered, in 1843, for 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,
Sioux, Arapaho and English, he dashed through the
ranks of the awe-struck Indians and reached the gate

266 ELDORADO

of the fort. Behind him, 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 mystéry 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 cavalry
which had been sent to the relief 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 their 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.”

268 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 ina storm.” Finally,
believing his own life and that of all those with him to
be in imminent danger Mr. Greeley requested the
driver to slow up, or he would leave 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 [linois 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 ELDORADO

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 : isnteie. entered his cabin
‘ while they were partaking of their frugal mid-day
meal, and after tying the young hashaatn 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 they 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 $5000
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 rh

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, but no trace of the robber 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 ELDORADO

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 Bluff. 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-

18

ELDORADO 343

respondent on the coast for Fowler and Wells Phre-
nological Journal of New York.) Mrs. Farnham’s
special visit to California was to bring a cargo of
“poor but respectable young women to relieve the ne-
cessities of single blessedness and to provide homes for
honest and deserving girls and spinsters. Mrs. Farn-
ham related the sad case of “a miner, who, in mending
his buckskin ‘pants’ in attempting to pull 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 Oro~
ville | met a young sailor lad, working in a store, who
has since become famous for organizing and _ con-
ducting great business enterprises. He is at the pres-
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 Bluff
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-spreading, giant live oaks,
many of them covered with wild flowering vines. The
only 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 Bluff 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 inquiries 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 by steamer, which we accordingly
did.

About twenty years later I again visited Shasta and
Red Bluff, 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 Bluff by the evening express of Sep-

ELDORADO 275

tember 25th, I reached the bustling town of Redding
on time and found comfortable quarters at the “Read-
ing Hotel.’ The smiling and-accommodating landlord,
B. Conroy, makes all newcomers feel at home. With
clean beds, ‘square meals’ and a homelike influence
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-
nus 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
the direction of Oregon, drawn by teams of six or
eight horses or mules, not infrequently hauling twelve
thousand pounds 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
mainly from conflicting mining interests, and the
services of Milton S. Latham, Colonel Zabriska, Gov-
ernor Foot, Tom Marshall, 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 the mighty fallen.’ Governor J. Neely
Johnson, after the expiration of his term of office, and
having fallen into ‘ways that are dark,’ made this his
home for a number 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 county 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.

ELDORADO 277

(The Judge’s avoirdupois is about three hundred and
fifty pounds.) He is an upright man, a good Judge
and a prominent Mason.”

On my return to Red Bluff I delivered 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 request for its publication, to which
consent was given and large numbers were printed in
pamphlet form for general distribution.

My principal object in this ‘‘additional,” and, in fact.
entire narrative is to parallel earlier conditions of our
beloved State with the present; reference being had to
its wonderful development and growth in all educa-
tional and industrial lines.

I 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 acquiring 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 office of President of the United States. <A better
knowledge of the history of our 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
possibly ever need.

Our trip to San Francisco was made bv stage to
Sacramento and from there by steamer to the Bay City
where we remained two days. We took passage on
the steamer Philadelphia for New York, via Central]

278 ELDORADO

America, the same route I had traveled in 1852, paying
for our tickets three hundred dollars each; nine hun-
dred dollars in all. Returning with us to “the States”
was a lad, Robert L. Hutchinson, twelve vears of age,
having the full consent of his mother, a widow with
five boys, whose father was killed by the Indians in
1848 while prospecting for gold. He was a bright,
studious youth who had been in my employ a couple
of years, caring for stock. He was unwilling to be
left behind. Four years later, while attending an
academy, he was one of the first to respond when
“Father Abraham’ called for 75,000 troops and served
four years and four months. He was in nearly all the
great battles in the west, under Thomas, and with
Sherman from Atlanta to Appomatox. He was a good
soldier, was promoted, saved his money, took a com-
mercial course after his discharge, was employed for
a: time with a Salt Lake freighting firm at Independ-
ence, Missouri; returned to California, and is, at this
time an honored and successful business man, with a
eood wife, a native son and daughter of the Golden
West, both educated and cultured. In all these years
I have never known him to taste intoxicating liquors,
utter an oath, use tobacco in any form or tell a lie.
Would that all young men could establish a like record.

The arrival and departure of the steamer in those
days was a notable event in the life of the pioneer 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
ereat wheels began to revolve, the watching from
wharves and steamer deck until the out-going vessel
was lost to view in the Golden Gate, are well remem:

ELDORADO 279

bered scenes connected with those monthly recurring
events. They were looked forward to as an agree-
able change from the monotonous routine of the
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
motley crowd. ‘The bearded and bronzed miner with
his woolen shirt, overalls and high topped 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
costumes, made a most interesting combination of “all
sorts and conditions of men.”

It was a typical California May day when we cleared
the Golden Gate. The air was soft and balmy and a
light breeze 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 passing the
Farallones, the ocean was exceedingly rough. This
was the only 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 by those whe
seemed to think it a “good joke.” One old gentleman
declared he had nothing left “wherewith to feed the
fishes but his boots.”

The monotony of the voyage was occasionally

280 ELDORADO

broken by the spouting of a whale, the gambols of a
school of porpoise, the flying fish, that would some-
times light upon the deck of the steamer, where they
would be unable 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 quickly
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.
His sides are yellow, inclining to green on the back,
his tail long forked and richly tipped with yellow, and
his fins a brilliant blue. 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 element 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 dolphin?
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 unpleasant features of an ocear
voyage upon a steamer fifty years ago was the small,
uncomfortable quarters for the night, consisting of a

ELDORADO 281

stateroom (so called) six by six, with narrow berths
on either side: The only light and ventilation was
through a small circular porthole, which, unless
closed, allowed the water sometimes to dash in during
a rough sea. In case of illness a “stateroom” of those
days was exceedingly unpleasant.

Two days out from San Francisco a steamer was
met, having on board an agent of the line over which
we had purchased tickets, and on coming aboard the
Philadelphia he ordered our captain to run to Panama
seven hundred miles below San Juan 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 possible 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 purpose of
creating a revolution and overthrowing the govern-
ment. He practically controlled the route from San
Juan to Greytown across Lake Nicaragua.

Only one port was made from San Francisco te
Panama, that of Acapulco on the western coast of
Mexico.

Passing Cape San Lucas, the extreme southern point
of Lower California, the mountain coast of Mexicc
comes into view, where we witnessed volumes of
smoke issuing from the summit of the volcano “Co-
lima,” about eighty miles inland. At times the tor
of this burning mountain was luminous from its fires,
and formed at night an interesting sight to passengers
on passing vessels. After passing the Gulf of Te-

ane ELDORADO

hauntepec 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 ship
were not permitted to mingle with the natives, but
were hurried aboard the train and conveved at once
across the Isthmus twenty-six miles to Aspenwall, now
- Colon.

As I have given somewhat of a detailed account of
the overland journey to California by the gold seekers
in *49-’50 I will briefly refer to the Panama route,
which, with the longer trip around Cape Horn, was
taken chiefly by those living near the Atlantic sea-
board, amounting in the years I have mentioned to not
less than thirty thousand. The time occupied from
New York to San Francisco by this route was from
thirty-five to forty days, and the expense would range
from three to five hundred dollars. Around the
“Tforn” on a sailing vessel six or seven months were
consumed. The distance from New York to San
Francisco by Panama was seven thousand miles.
Around Cape Horn fifteen thousand. Much suffering
and many deaths occurred on these routes.

The following, from the diary of a physician, James

ELDORADO 283

L. Tryon, M. D., in 1849, is both interesting and in-
structive.

“Panama, the terminus of the varied and difficult
routes across the Isthmus, is situated on the shores of
an extensive and beautiful bay. It contains about
eight thousand inhabitants, most of whom are negroes.
3eing one of the old Spanish towns, upon the decline
of the Spanish power, the place fell into decay. The
houses are generally of stone or brick, two and three
- stories in height, whitewashed or covered with a coat
of plaster, and are invariably surrounded by a balcony
protected from the sun and rain by the roofs of the
houses extending over them. The town is regularly
arranged, the straight and narrow streets intersecting
each other at right angles. A wall was built by the
Spaniards around the portion of the town nearest the
hay, but at least one-haif the population reside beyond
its limits, and it is in a dilapidated state. A venerable,
decayed, but still imposing cathedral; a grand plaza or
Gpen 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 walls
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 are
therefore to be obtained by travelers.

“From Panama steamships convey passengers tc
San Francisco. Starting from the front of the city
the beautiful bay, with its semi-circular shores, and

284 KLDORADO

the lofty islands of Flamingo, Perico, ‘Tobago, 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
steamship 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 almost intolerable
heat of the sun and furnaces of the steamship united.

“Water-spouts and different 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 upon the view, and at night the pas-
sengers enjoy a sight of the glaring light produced by
the burning volcano of Colima, though the volcano
itself is but imperfectly seen, being at the distance of
ninety miles from the vessel. Soon after this fades
from view the islands off the town of San Blas appear,
and an immense white rock, isolated from the sea,
serves as a lighthouse to ships steering for the port.
At San Blas the steamships ren‘ain some time to ob-
tain supplies of coal, fresh fruits, and provisions,
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 peninsula, the island and bay of
Magdalena appear, with shores three or four thousand
feet above the sea. Next the towering ridges of Ceros

ELDORADO 285

[sles are passed and the bold rocky shores of the
peninsula are in continual view. Within a few days
after leaving Panama, the thermometer falls from 95
degrees to 55 degrees, and such a change must have
an injurious effect if additional clothing is not put 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. Vin-
cent is passed, and then the open bay of Monterey is
entered, and passengers are either let off 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 cliffs 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, successively meet the gaze, and very
soon the steamer is anchored, having reached her des-
tination. While longer than the overland route it oc-

.

286 ELDORADO

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 10 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 11 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 commedious build-
ing known as the “Aspenwall,” built somewhat after

ELDORADO 287

the manner of a California ranch house, where a large
number of men are 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 been 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 perhaps
two or three hundred inhabitants, mostly negroes from
the Island of Jamaica, or Spanish half-breeds, the ex-
ceptions being the railroad employes and a few other
whites. It was on a level with the ocean and numer-
ous natural wells 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 I write all that region constituted a part of New
Granada, S. A., but since then the name has been
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

stantly engaged in carrying freight and passengers to
and from the principal ports of the Atlantic 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-thatched 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 picturesque
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-

ELDORADO 289

dian; and the more 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 in 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
artiste, 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 country through which the
Chagres river flows has been the theme of frequent
praise. Its banks are filled in with all the luxuriant
verdure which tropical climes produce. The tama-
rind, the date, the pomegranate, the plantain, the ba-
nana, the cocoanut, the lime, the citron, and the pine
apple are abundant. Flowers of every 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. Mountains, hills and valleys diversify the
prospect, while the ear is filled with the melodious
notes of thousands of birds, natives to the tropics,
their music contrasting with the discordant notes of

290 ELDORADO

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 that 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 with which the
air hums. Alligators of a large size, are to be seen
on the banks in the day time basking in the sun. For
the first few miles after leaving Gargonia, I followed
closely at the heels of our guide and would often
pause and turn to examine the apparently almost im-
passable route | had traversed, watch the progress of
the rest of the party and wonder at the security with
which their cautiously-stepping and sagacious animals
would gradually overcome seemingly unsurmountable
obstacles. I 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 way, put his nose to the
ground and looking keenly about the place, 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 better oppor-
tunity for further inspection which having satisfac-
torily accomplished, another cautious step would be
made as before, and so on until the difficulty was over-
come. Finding he knew better than I did, I invari-
ably threw the reins to him when difficult obstacles
were to be surmounted. The result was always for-
tunate. One or two of the party, however, were sat-
isfied that horses should not have their own way, and
whipped and spurred them to compel compliance with

ELDORADO 291

their better judgment. ‘The issue was as | antici-
pated. One was thrown over his horse’s head into a
mud puddle and the other with horse and all stuck fast
in a quagmire 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 place 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 dehles, 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 Dandy”
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. | overtook a party of about
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
I fancied that both she and her mule were on the point

292 ELDORADO

of being capsized, she recovered herself with admirable
presence of mind and seemed to enjoy the risk ex-
ceedingly.

As to myself, I floundered 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 huts) 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
across. 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

remainder of the way on mule back over narrow, dan-
gerous mountain trails.”

On our passenger list aboard the Philadelphia were
thes 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-Sheriff 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. Hatch, 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. Mrs. Calahan, wife of
the proprietor of the Golden Eagle Hotel at Sacra-
mento, was also a passenger. That popular hostelry
was erected in 1853, when | 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 quan-

294 ELDORADO

tity of seed and sent it here as an experiment. From
that small beginniag came all the alfalfa since grown
in California.

His wite 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. No other sort of conveyance
was seen in Havana at that time. No doubt great
changes have taken place in Cuban towns within ‘
last half century.

Previous to our arrival in New York a meeting was
called.in the cabin of the steamer for the purpose of
appointing a committee, whose duty it should be to
employ counsel, and, if so advised, to commence suit
against the steamship company for damages caused by
our detention at Aspenwall. 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 Van Buren, who, after a full discussion of the
matter, advised that the delay and expense before
reaching a judgment would not justify commencing
an action.

John Van Buren was the son of President Martin
Van 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 walking 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 Van Buren in the year 1848.) John re-
ceived the title of “Prince” 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.” I distinctly re-
member the circumstance of his first visit to England,

296 ELDORADO

Victoria’s choice fell upon Prince Albert of Saxe Co-
burg Gotha, a man of high character and noble quali-
ties.

After one week spent in New York I departed with
my wife and child for my home in Illinois, and
eventually located in Minnesota until after the death
of my parents, when I returned to remain permanently
in California.

Before bidding a final adieu to my readers, | wish to
express the hope that they may find as much pleasure
in perusing the foregoing pages as | 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 of
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 responsibilities of perpetuating the civil
and religious liberty bequeathed to us by our fore-
fathers, and made sacred by their blood, discharge
with fidelity all their obligations, guiding to a new and
nobler life and arousing high motives and holy aims,
thus leading in the formation of moral, intellectual
and christian character. |

The second century of Gur national life can in no
respect be a repetition of the first. Every age has its

ELDORADO 297

own work to do and its own problems to solve. Happy
the 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..

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Pita? oor oF

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 Monthly 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.
They 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 “Phcenix,” 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 difficulties 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 discovery of gold.

Crossing the Isthmus by way of the Chagres River,
in Bungoes. to Panama, they found no prospect of
speedy 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 passenger boat for California. J. S.
K. Ogier, afterwards Judge 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 roth 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
James McClatchy, who afterwards became the dis-
tinguished editor of one of the best papers in the State,
the “Sacramento Bee.” They arrived at Mazatlan
without any serious mishap and left that port on the
isth of April. For twenty-five days they sailed on
their course and had gone about one thousand 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 properties
of the wood that it was wholly unfit for use even for
cooking purposes. All hands were immediately put
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 they 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. Rossiter, 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 off
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. They estimated their distance from San
Diego to be about three hundred miles. They had
lost seventy miles in way in the last three days. Ev-
ervywhere 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

ELDORADO 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 day
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 nearly 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 explored the country
about five miles in every direction, but they 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, they laid down upon 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 off. ‘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 bottom 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 with 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.

In 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

306 ELDORADO

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 they 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 they had for twenty-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-
pelled 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

308 ELDORADO

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 tull
of meat as they could carry them. 1 now quote irom
an old journal of one oi the party that, 1 beueve, long
since passed “Over the Divide’ to the “Golden Shores’ —
of the new Eldorado in the Great Beyond.

“Sunday, June 3d. ‘Lhis day several snakes were
killed and made into soup; one had ten rattles. Started
on ahead and kept so tor ten miles when | stopped
to rest, the main party passing by. Some of the strag-
glers urged me on, but | was too tired and camped
alone. Monday, 4th. Arose before daybreak and
pushed on, eating my fill of prickly pears as | waikex.
Aiter 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 | was quite lame and hardly
able to move along, but perservered. My horse flesh
I could not eat. I 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 iollowed 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 soundly, 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 only
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 I 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 I
thought I dreamed, were realities. The old bell of the
Mission was set ringing and guns were fired by the
boys 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
1707. 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 camped. [

ELDORADO 311

tried to buy a peck of pinyola of a woman for which I
offered 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, following 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 blankets 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 I 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 hefore we discovered two vessels
lying 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. Mr. Graves determined to go in her on ac-
count of sore feet. Captain Rossiter advised me not
to go as she leaked badly. Monday, 11th. Nearly
the whole party have gone on by land; distance to San
Francisco, six hundred and fifty miles. They are un-
able to get horses and are on foot. The Paradiso sailed
this morning, with some of the passengers from the

212 ELDORADO

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 sufferings 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
the 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
off the outside of the cactus the inner part made ex-
cellent food about the consistence, and tasting 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 effect 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 S15

The main party continued their journey up 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 they ultimately arrived with the vessel
in a sinking condition. Melville died the day before
her arrival and was buried there. He was an intelli-
gent young man, a good companion and a true friend.
His heroic fortitude and long sufferings endeared him
to all his companions. The wreck of the Dolphin was
condemned and sold and the proceeds divided amongst
the passengers and crew who then made the best of
their wav to San Francisco and the mines.

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