--i;V;-,:
rl-/. J^-
M. L.
Gc
979.4
T38r
1966181
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
USSIflH SETTLiEJWEJSlT
in Califot^nia.
pot^t l^oss, Sonoma County
By R. a. THOMPSON
SANTA ROSA, CAL.
1896
The
Kii^^^iMii Sottlcn^ciit
-•• 19S6181
C'f.iliforiiitt
KNOVV^N AH I'C:)K'T ROSS
Foil ml fd IS 12 . . . Ahiinilniifil IHH
WHY THE RUSSIANS CAME AND WHY THEY LEFT
Uy K- A. 'J'hc>inj>H<
>ii
MA NT A KOKA
HOXOMA DK.MOC WAX IMIII.IHHIN< » < OMI'ANV
I MOO
The Russians in California
CHAPTER I
The story of the rapid con-
quest of Siberia, beginning with
the advance of Yerniak, the robber
chief, across the Ural mountains in
the sixteenth century, ending with
the discovery of the northwest coast
of America by Admiral Behring of
the Rusdian Jiavy, is one of the
most remarkable achievements in
the conquest and occupation of a
country in the annals of history.
Behring discovered the fur seal
as well as the proximity of the
Asiatic and American continents.
In the course of time the rumors of
the discoveries reached the Europe-
an capitals of London and Madrid.
It had a long way to travel over-
land to St. Petersburg. Once
started, the rumors soon reached the
sharp ears of the diplomatists and
were promptly reported to their
home goveroments.
The result was the fittirtg out of
Captain Cook's expedition for dis-
coveries in that quarter by the Eng-
lish, a like expedition from Mexico
by order of the King of Spain.
In the English expedition came
the first pioneers of American peo-
ple to the Pacific coast: John Led-
yard, a native of Connecticut, and
Captain John Gore, a native of
Virginia. The latter, on the death
of Captain Cook at the Hawaiian
islands, took command as the rank-
ing officer, and returned with the
■fleet to England.
We omit the complications which
arose between England and Spain
over their respective claims on the
northwest coast of America, the
outgrowth of these early voyages,
and return to the Russians, with
whom we have directly to deal.
The charter of the Russian-
American company gave them some
extraordinary privileges, which, in
fact, included the government of
the country, and it soon absorbed
all the various independent associ-
ations and became supreme on the
northwest American coast.
A bold and enterprising adven-
turer named Shelekof, a man of
great executive ability and energy,
was mainly instrumental in organ-
2
ALEXANDER BARANOFF APPEARS
izing the Russian-American Fur
Company. He selected for the
head of the monopoly he had cre-
ated Alexander Baranoff. Baranoff
was a striking type of the strong
race from which he sprang. He
started life as a clerk in a retail
store in Moscow. This offered no
field to a spirit so adventurous as
his. He went to Siberia in 1780.
He was actively engaged in busi-
ness when Shelekof put him at the
head of his company, and he never
displayed belter judgment than in
this selection of an agent, liaran-
off was energetic, daring, politic on
occasion, and bold as Cffisar when
boldness was needed. He could ex-
ecute the plans of others, and with
equal ability could conceive and
execute plans of his own. His in-
fluence over the Russian was un-
limited, and he ruled not only the
natives but his more unruly coun-
trymen of the lowest class who
were sent out to him. He was a
small man, under average in size,
with blue eyes, a bald head and
sallow complexion. He was diplo-
matic and could shape words for a
flexible meaning, and when he
wanted to could make them as di-
rect as a rifle ball aimed point-
blank. For instance, he wrote to
his company " Send me a priest
well-informed, who is a peaceable
man, not suspicious and not biggot-
ted.'' For the rest, he was in the
habit of getting on periodical sprees
on hot rum, in which he generally
involved everybody around his
"castle" before he got through, but
they never interfered with his busi-
ness.
One of the most notable of the
events of his life was the building
out of American timber and the
launching of the first American-
built vessel on the northwest coast.
It was named the Phoenix by Bar-
anoff and was floated in August,
1794, and afterwards made regular
trips between the American and
Asiatic coast.
Starting about the same time, the
Russians had crossed and occupied
Siberia, had crossed Behring sea
and occu{)ied the American coast
and established communication
with Asia by a ship built of Amer-
ican timber, before the Knglish
moving on the Atlantic coast had
yet more than reached the Mississ-
ippi river.
Nothing could better illustrate
the push and drive of the people of
this mighty nation now pressing, if
it has not already attained, the
first place among all European and
Asiatic powers.
With this much by way of intro-
duction, we will relate in detail tl»e
even more daring occupation -by
order of Baranoff of the territory
of California, and it was undoul)t-
edly his intention tu hold it against
its then owners for all time, and
his successors would have done so
but for the timely promulgation in
1823 of the Monroe Doctrine which
gave notice to all the world that no
occuj)ation of American territory
VON RESANOP IS CALIFORNIA
by European powers would be tol-
erated by the United States.
This principle was finally and
forever settled as far as Russia was
concerned in its treaty with the
United States of April 17, 1824, in
which Russia agreed from thence-
forth to establish no settlements on
the American continent or any ad-
jacent islands south of the parallel
of 54.40. This treaty, though the
Russian settlement in California
was not mentioned, involved its
abandonment and put an end to any
further Russian encroachments in
California.
The Russian American Far Com-
pany had now concentrated all the
fur interests of the northwest coast
under the direction of Baranoff.
They occupied all the Aleutian Is-
lands and made a permanent
settlement on the American coast.
It was destined to play a large part
in the history of California, as we
shall see.
CHAPTER II.
The first event which may be con-
sidered as leading to the settlement
of the Russians at Fort Ross, was
the sailing from Sitka on March
8th, 1806, of Chamberlain Resanof,
of the Russian-American Fur Com-
pany, on the ship Juno (formerly
an American vessel) bound for Cal-
ifornia on a trading voyage. Be-
fore Resanof's return to Sitka he
seems to have determined to make
a settlement somewhere on the
('alifornia coast where hiscompany
could carry on agriculture, and
trade with the Californians. It was
deemed unneceesary to ask permis-
sion of Spain, as Spanish authority
north of San Francisco Bay was
not recognized by the Russians;
and the Russian government had
already authorized the company to
extend Russian sovereignty as far
south as possible without infringing
on the rights of other nations.
Resanof was ambitious. He
hoped to eventually acquire for his
country all the territory from San
Francisco Bay to the Columbia
river. The important mission of
locating the site for the future set-
tlement was intrusted to Kuskof,
who by order of Baranoff sailed on
the Kodiak, and after touching at
Trinidad, arrived at Bodega Bay
(always called by the Russians^ort
Rumiantsoff) on January 8th, 1809.
Here the Kodiak remained at an-
chor until August. After carefully
exploring the surrounding country,
some temporary buildings were
erected, some otter and beaver skins
were procured and friendly rela-
tions were established with the
India;is.
On August 29th Kuskof sailed
for Sitka, and upon his arrival was
able to report favorably concerning
the country. He had found a fine
climate, good tillable lands, plenty
of fish and fur-bearing animals and
a tolerable harbor. And as the
country was entirely unoccupied by
European or American settlers, the
conditions were favorable for the
KU8K0F ARRIVES AT BODEQA
colony. So the Czar of Russia was
petitioned to open negotiations with
Spain with a view of a treaty al-
lowing trade with New Albion, as
Northern California was then
called. And he was also asked to
give the settlement the protection
of the Russian government in case
of opposition by the Americans.
And this protection, it is said, was
promised by the Czar; while, as to
trading with the Californians, the
company were told to make such
terms as they could. Upon re-
ceiving this encouragement, Kuskof
attempted a new expedition to
Bodega, but was unsuccessful, for
while stopping at Queen Char-
lotte's island, he was attacked by
Indians and was compelled to re-
turn to Sitka.
In 1811, Kuskof again sailed for
Bodega in the schooner Chirikof
and upon his arrival he at once're-
newed his explorations in the en-
deavor if possible to find a better
place than Bodega at which to
establish his headquarters and
build his fort. He found a place,
sixteen miles by water north of
Bodega, called by the Indians Mad-
shuinui where, though there was
no land-locked bay, there was ex-
cellent anchorage, and good pro-
tection from all summer winds;
and he found that all other ad-
vantages, such as soil, timl)er, water
and pasturage were much better
than at Bodega.
The valley of the Slavianka
(Russian River) was examined for
fifty miles but no place was found
that compared favorably with Mad-
shui-mui, so after a thorough in-
vestigation of the whole country,
Mad-shui-mui was chosen and work
was commenced at once. The site
selected was a table- land about 100
feet above the ocean and containing
something over 1000 acresland was
according to Russian observation
in latitude 38" 33' longitude 123"
15' (our coast pilot puts it now in
lat. 38' 30' long. 123' 15' ). The
friendship of the native chiefs was
secured by making them presents
and the Russians claim, and it is
probably true, that the country was
ceded by the Indians to the Com-
pany There were at this time in
the Russian Colony, 95 Rus!>ians,
including 25 mechanics. There
were also about 80 Aleuts with a
fleet of 40 bidarkas (skin boats).
The Aleuts were sent out to hunt
otter along the coast, but with in-
structions to not enter San Fran-
cisco Bay, for it was oest at this
time not to offend the Spaniards.
The Russians prepared timber for
several months and when all was
ready the Aleuts were recalled to
aid the mechanics, and all weirt to
work on the fort and other neces-
sary buildings. And in a few
months a fortified village had
arisen on the shore of New Albion.
In the fort were mounleil at first
only twelve cannon, but the num-
ber of cannon was increa8e<i^ to
about forty in after ypiri*. All wa,.
completed early in September .nifl
MORAGO 18 BKNT TO ROW
on September 10th, or August 30th
of the RuBsian calendar, the name
day of Emperor Alexander, the
establifchment was formally dedi-
cated with great festivity and
named Robs from the root of the
name Russia, a word extending far
back into antiquity.
As to the exact original meaning
of the word Ross there seems to be
a difference of opinion, but it is
certain that the people of the Volga
were formerly called Rus, and the
Russians generally were called the
people of Ross, and the country is
j'et called Rossia or Russia.
About this time there was dis-
tributed over California a procla-
mation issued by the Russian
American Fur Company and ad-
dressed to the people of California.
It was a very conciliatory document
and was intended to make friends
of the Californians, and thus ad-
vance the interests of the Russians.
But it seems to have done no good,
for the Californians were jealous of
their own rights and suspicious of
foreigners. Thus it was that the
Russians, in less than a year's
time, found themselves firmly
planted in California without have
ing met with any resistance from
the Indians or Spaniards. The
Spanish were cognizant of what
was going on at Ross, but were en-
tirely unable to prevent it. But in
August, just before the dedication
of Robs, Commandanet Arguello, of
San Francisco, sent Moraga, "a
Spanish officer," with seven men, to
Ross to investigate. Moraga re-
turned September Ist and reported
that the Russians had built a fort
protected by artillery, and appar-
ently intended to remain. Moraga
was courteously received by the
Russians and was allowed to make
a complete inspection of the fort.
Morago was again sent to Roes, in
January, 1813, when he conferred
with Kuskof about trade. He was
made acquainted with the plane of
the strangers and returned January
27th. Arguello communicated to
the Viceroy the result of Morago's
two visits to Ross. There is nothing
in the Spanish record to show that
the Governor or Commandante of
California ever gave the Russians
permission to settle in the country
or even consented to trade with
them without the Viceroy's permis-
sion. Meantime, the Viceroy had
learned that the Russians had set-
tled on the coast, and in July he
wrote to Arriaga instructing him to
watch the strangers. He did not
fear hostilities from the Russians,
but feared that they were not what
they seemed. They might be con-
nected with Anglo-American de-
signs upon California. Thrte weeks
later, on receipt of Arriaga's letter,
the Viceroy again wrote, enclosing
the treaty between Russia and
Spain, and instructing the Com-
mandante to notify Kuskof that his
occupation of Californian territory
was a clear violation of the treaty,
and requesting him to immedintely
remove his establishment.
A DESCRimON OF THE SETTLEMENT OF noSB
CHAPTER III.
Meanwhile the Russians were to
be closely watched, and the military
authorities of the peninsula and
also of the interior were to hold
themselves in readiness to furnish
aid in case of an emergency. These
communications reached California
early in 1814, and in April Moraga
was a third time sent with an es-
cort to Ross with letters in which
Arriaga made known to Kuskof
the Viceroy's instructions. The
Russian commander declined to give
a definite answer until he could
hear from his Buperior, Baranoff.
So he waited until June before ans-
wering, and then he answered, that
as he did not fully understand the
Spanish letters, he could not act of-
ficially upon them. These letters
were carried to San Francisco by
the agent, Slobodchikof, who took
down a small cargo of goods to
trade for grain. The Russians
hoped that the trouble caused by
the Viceroy's orders would blow
over, so that trade might proceed.
It was the company's policy to keep
affairs as quiet as possible at St.
I'etersburg and Madrid, and to trust
for the permanence and prosperity
of Ross to the revolutionary condi-
tion and consequent weakness of
Mexico. On July 30th Moraga
made out a full report on the estab-
lishment of Ross, particularly on
the strength of its defenses.
In 1815 Arguello wrote a peremp-
tory letter to Kuskof, stating that
by the Viceroy's orders, the settle-
ment at Ross must be immediately
abandoned, if friendly relations
were to be maintained between
Russia and Spain. Kuskof's reply
was that he could do nothing with-
out instructions from his superior,
Baranof. Yet in August the Rus-
sian vessel Suvarof, Captain Ma-
karof, arrived at San Francisco and
trade continued. In 1816 there
arrived at San Francisco a Russian
vessel, the Ruiick, with a scientific
expedition, under command of
Lieutenant Otto Von Kotzeb'ue, and
Sola came up from Monterey and
made a complaint concerning the
actions of the Russians at Ross.
Kotzebue said he had no authority
to act, but consented to send for
Kuskof. The latter went to San
Francisco and a consultation was
held at the Presidio, but nothing
came of it, as Kuskof would do
nothing. And as the Spaniards
knew that Ross was impregnable
to any force that the Californians
could bring against it, the Russians
were not interfered with.
The following is a description of
the settlement as it appeared at
this time: The site of the fort,
eight miles northwest of the mouth
of Russian river, is about 1.50 yards
from the sea, on a plateau 100 feet
above the water, and is so protected
by ravines as to be of difficult
access to an enemy. All the build-
ings are of re<lwood. The fort is a
quadrangular enclosure of about
300 by 250 feet, its angles facing
the Cardinal points. It ie formed
THE SEAL INDl-BTBY
of heavy timbers eight inches thick
and fifteen feet long set upright
and buried three feet in the ground,
leaving them twelve feet high and
surmounted by a horizontal beam
or plate, on which are spiked thin-
ner timbers, three feet long and
sharpened at the top. On the north
corner of this inclosure is a hepta-
gon blockhouse watch tower, solidly
built of timbers one foot thick.
It is twenty-five feet in diameter
and two stories high and has four-
teen port-holes for cannon. On the
south corner is an octagon block-
house watch-tower, twenty-eight
feet in diameter and with sixteen
port-holes for cannon. There are
also some twenty port-holes in the
stockade. All of these port-holes
when not in use are closed by a
block of wood hung on heavy
wrought-iron hand-made hinges,
this stopper being of the same thick-
ness as the wall and fastened on
the inside by a heavy iron bar.
On the east corner, and just inside
of the stockade is the chapel, twen-
ty-five by thirty feet and surmount-
ed by a belfry with a chime of bells,
and a dome. Within the fort are
the Commandante's house, the offi-
cers' quarters, barracks for the Rus-
sian employes and various store-
houses and domestic offices. Some
of the buildings are of two stories.
The commandante's house has glass
windows, carpets and a piano.
The chapel is decorated with paint-
ings and all present a neat appear-
ance. A well in the inclosure sup-
plied water for emergencies but a
well outside and the creek furnish-
ed water for ordinary uses. Out-
side the stockade are the hut« of
the Aleuts and natives and in the
immediate neighborhood is a wind-
mill for grinding grain, a tannery,
workshops, farm buildings, gran-
aries, cattle-yards, etc. Beyond is
the vegetable garden, and down at
the foot of the cliff is a small wharf
and boat-landing. Near by is a
shed for the protection of the bidar-
kas or skin-boats, another shed for
storing lumber, another for work
connected with the building of ves-
sels, a blacksmith shop and a bath
house. At Bodega there are some
warehouses and at the half-way
house near the river there is a sta-
tion occupied like that at Bodega
by some servants of the company.
The population of Rose averaged
from 200 to 400. The Russians
were officers, chiefs of hunting
parties, and mechanics. The Aleut*
were hunters and fishermen. The
California Indians were laborers
and servants. All were, when nec-
essary, farmers and soldiers-fl From
1812 to 1840 the Russians kept up
an establishment at tha Farallones
as well as at Ross. The object was
to capture fur seals, 1200 to 1500
skins being taken annually .though
Winship, Gale, Smith and other
Americans had taken the cream of
this wealth a few years earlier.
After 1818 the seals diminished
rapidly until only about 500 could
be caught annually. Still the Ru«-
PORT RO«S FROM A. SKETCH BY CILLEY
sians kept five or six Aleuts at the
Islands to kill sea-lions and gulls
and gather eggs for use at Ross and
Sitka. Annually about from 500.0
to 50,000 gulls and about 200 sea-
lions were killed. Of the latter,
the meat was salted for use, the
skins were used for making boats
and the bladders were made into
watertight sacks, and the blubber
was tried out for oil, both as fQod
and for. lamps, as the hunt for otter
became less and less profitable.
And as obstacles interfered with
success in the way of trade, the
agents of the company turned their
attention more and more* to home
industries at Ross. Agriculture
was naturally one of the most im-
portant of these industries. A con-
siderable quantity of dried beef,
leather and butter was sent to
Sitka after the home wants were
supplied and at last the company
had 2000 cattle, 1000 horses and
1000 sheep to sell with the estab-
lishment. The first livestock was
obtained from the Californians, but
not without difficulty, as trade was
prohibited. There was scarcely any
article of wood, iron or leather
which the mechanics of Ross could
not make of a quality sufficiently
good for the California market, and
to the very last they received fre-
quent applications from the Span-
iards. Several boats were built for
the Spanish officers or friars. Tim-
ber and tiles were sent north and
south and even to the Sandwich
Islands. Pine pitch was sent in
large quantities to Sitka in barrels,
which, like those used for butter
and meat, were made at Robb.
Four vessels of respectable di-
mensions were built at Ross be-
fore 1824 and three of them, the
Ruldakof, V'olga and the Ki-
akta, the reader meets in southern
ports.
CHAPTER IV.
In 1821 Kuskof died and was suc-
ceeded in command by Karl
Schmidt. Schmidt died in 1823,
In 1828 Duhant Cilloy, a French-
man who was making a tour around
the world in his yacht, arrived at
Ross. He made a sketch of^the
place as he found it. He reported
finding here all the luxuries used
in Europe but unknown in other
parts of California. He gave a de-
tailed description of the orchard
and the fence around it, etc.
Vessels continued to arrive at
San Francisco, two or three a year,
from Ross and Sitka, with goods to
trade for grain and other articles
which could be procured from the
Spaniards. In 1831 the Russians
made an attempt to extend their
agricultural poBsessions south-east-
erly but they desisted on account of
the strong opposition of the Cali-
fornians. In 1832 Governor Figu-
roa was instructed to report in de-
tail on the force maintained by the
Russians and the probable inten-
tions of the strangers. He wan also
ordered to establish settlements in
the north to check farther encroach-
ments. In 1833, Figuroa sent Al-
'wbanqell's arrival at boss
feres Vallejo to Ross to purchase
arms, munitions and clothing for
the Californian soldiers and at the
eame time to secretly acquaint
himself with the exact condition of
affairs. Vallejo carried letters to
manager Kostromitinoff and to
Wrangell whom it was thought
might have arrived. These letters
•were filled with expressions of
friendship and good-will and of a
desire for closer frieadship and
commerce with those highly es-
trampled upon the laws of nation*
and aimed at territorial encroach-
ment. Wrangell was expected at
Ross to found a new settlement at
Santa Rosa, and with the same
object in view the desertion of the
neophytes of San Rafael was beinf
encouraged-
Wrangell finally arrived at Row
and employed Hartnell as an agent
to obtain cargoes of produce and if
possible . to secore certain conces-
sions in regard to the payment of
Fort Boss ia 1828, from a sketch by Dubant ClUey.
teemed neighbors, the Russians.
The manager of Ross was also
urged to use his influence with the
Czar to promote the recognition of
Mexican independence. Vallejo
succeeded in purchasing the requir-
ed articles at Ross and on March
oth made his report
Two days later Figuroa wrote to
the national government at Mexico
denouncing those highly esteemed
oeighbors as intruders who bad
duties. Wrangell also wrote to
Figuroa a letter in which be warm-
ly defended his country against
the charges of the English navigair
or, Beechey, charges which be de-
clared to be without foundation to
the effect that Russians bad griev-
ously wronged the Californians by
killing otter illegally, by engaging
in contraband trade, and even tak-
ing possession of the Santa Barba-
ra islanda. Other foreignera bad
10
WRANOELL's FRVITLESS mission to MEXICO
certainly done these things, but the
Russians never.
In 1836 manager Kostromitinoff
was succeeded by Alexander Rot-
chef. The ex-manager seems to
have succeeded Hartnell as agent of
the company at San Francisco. He
obtained from the Governor of Cal-
ifornia a permission to erect a ware-
house for his company on any site
which he might select. With Cap-
tain Richardson's consent he decid-
ed to build at Sausalito. But before
any use was made of this concession
the deputation took up the matter
and decided that the governor had
no power to grant such a privilege,
and that it was not expedient to
allow a foreign company to secure
such a foothold in a Mexican port.
Accordingly, in September, Gutier-
res issued an order that no building
should be erected. Subsequently,
in 1839, Rotchef petitioned for the
privilege of building a warehouse
at Yerba Buena. but the conces-
sion was not granted.
During this period Sonoma was
founded as a pueblo; and several
citizens, chiefly foreigners, were per-
mitted to occupy ranches on the
northern frontier, all with a view
to check the apprehended advance
of the Russians.
Again, in 1839, Vallejo warned
the Mexican government of danger
from the Russians which might be
averted only by an increase of the
force at Sonoma.
In 1837 Ross was visited by Slo-
cum and in 1839 by Laplace, each
of whom published a description of
the place. Meanwhile Governor
Wrangell was very anixous to ac-
quire more territory to the south
and east of Ross. He wished to
extend his possessions at least to
San Francisco Bay on the south
and to Sacramento on the east, and
if thig was to be done it must be
done at once, as the most favorable
time had already passed. If this
territory should be occupied against
the wishes of the CalifornianB it
would not only anger them but
would be sure to meet with strong
opposition from foreign powers.
So Wrangell's best plan was to con-
ciliate the Caiifornians. He wished
to present farther and in a stronger
light, as the Russians had been do-
ing for years, the danger of en-
croachment by other foreigners,
especially the Americans. Also the
marked contrast between the past
conduct of his people and those of
other nations, and the manifest ad-
vantage of preferring such friendly
and orderly neighbors, rather than
the horde of turbulent adventurers
who were sure to get possession of
the northern frontier.
Wrangell wished to go to Mexico
in person to secure from the author-
ities of the republic at once a ces-
sion or sale of the desired territory.
The company having approved his
plan and agreed to pay for the
establishments of San Rafael and
Sonoma, in case Mexico would con-
sent to cede the territory, the Baron
resigned his position a« Governor
RrAfl.niNVi KTART« FOR SAX FRAN-CISTO
tl
of the American Colonies and ob-
tained jiermission to return to Rub-
Bia by way of Mexico, with author-
ity to represent the Colonial Gov-
ernment in negotiations with the
Republic of Mexico. With his in-
structions came a successor to
Wrangell in the person of Ivan
Ruprianof and the ex-governor, sail-
ed at once. After his arrival at
Mexico he with some difficulty ob-
tained an interview with Vice-Pres-
ident Barragan and other high
officials, but he could accomplish
nothing, as the Mexicans would not
entertain the proposition to cede
any territory on any terms.
CHAPTER V.
With the failure of Wrangell's
mission the company decided to
abandon Ross, and they at once
began to seek a purchaser. At a
conference between Ruprianof and
Douglas of the Hudson Bay Com-
pany, a proposition was made to
sell Ross for $30,000. "Of course,"
writes Douglas in his journal, "they
cannot sell the soil but merely the
improvements, which we can only
hold through a native." An an-
swer was to be given in the autumn
after a consultation with McLaugh-
lin. But the English company de-
cided that the purchase was not
desirable as it would very likely
displease the Californians and
would probably cause serious com-
plications with the United States.
This negotiation having failed,
the company next tried Alverado.
The governor asked for farther in-
formation as to the nature of the
property offered and made haste to
inform the Mexican governroent of
the impending change and a long
correspondence ensued, but no trade
resulted. iThe American ship, Lau-
sanne, Captain Josiah Spaulding,
coming down from Columbia in
July, 1840, believing Bodega to be
a free port, belonging to Russia,
thought he might land his passen-
gers there and perhaps accomplish
something in the way of trade with-
out paying anchorage dues or other
duties. The Russians had never
before permitted such operations
and on this occasion it seems that
Rotchef told Spaulding that he
must not trade nor go by land to
San Francisco as he had intended
But Rotchef then went to Monterey,
leaving the Lausanne at Bodega,
and the captain, crew and passen-
gers were free to do as they pleased
as there was no Russian guard
nearer than Ross. So Spaulding
also started for San Francisco with
Mcintosh as a guide. Four of the
passengers went to Sonoma to ask
Vallejo for pass-ports which should
enable them to remain in the coun-
try. Vallejo was naturally startled
at the appearance of the armed for-
eigners, with the news that Bodega
was practically abandoned by the
Russians and that a foreign vessel
was lying there free from all re-
strictions in respect of contraband
trade or of landing passengers. Ho
immediately despatched Alferes
12
THE LAUSANNE SAILS AWAY
Lazaro Pina and a guard of sol-
diers to Bodega with instructions
to re-embark all persons who had
landed and to enjoin upon those in
charge of the vessel to land no goods
on penalty of being treated as
smugglers. As Monterey was the
only port open to foreign trade,
I'ina was to remain at his post,
prevent all traffic and intercourse,
keep a strict watch and report.
Subsequently he was directed to
collect tonnage dues on the Laus-
anne at the rate of $1.50 per ton.
Spaulding, accompanied by several
persons from San Francisco who
were traveling without passports,
called at Sonoma on his way to Bo-
dega. His companions were not al-
lowed to proceed and the captain was
called upon to pay his tonnage dues.
He declined to do so on the ground
that Bodega was a free port belong-
ing to Russia; but after discussion
he agreed to pay the demand if it
should be declared lawful by the
proper authorities. He was then al-
lowed to depart with an order to
Pina to return to Sonoma as soon as
the vessel had sailed. As Spaulding
had cited the manager at Ross in
confirmation of his claim that Bo-
dega was a Russian port, Vallejo in-
structed Pina to state clearly to Rot-
chef that Bodega belonged to Mexico
and not to Russia though the use of
it by Russian vessels had been toler-
ated. That the commander at Ross
had no control of it, except by per-
mission of the Californian govern-
ment, that he had no right to find it
strange that Californian troops
were stationed there.especially when
he was in the habit of traveling in
the country without a permit and
in disrespect of the frontier authori-
ties; and of representing to visitors
that Bodega was a free port, and of
taking the liberty to permit foreign-
ers to enter the country in defiance
of law. Meanwhile Rotchef came
back from Monterey and was filled
with wrath when he found the sol-
diers on guard and saw a copy
made by a subordinate, in his ab-
sence, of Vallejo's instructions to
Pina. He was violent and insult-
ing in his anger. He raised the
Russian flag, defying the Californ-
ians to pull it down, and offered
his protection to the foreign pass-
engers who went with him to Ross.
Pina made no resistance, but re-
ported to Vallejo. The latter sent
a communication on the matter to
Rotchef and another to be forward-
ed to the Governor at Sitka. But
Rotchef refused to receive the doc-
uments. V'allejo subsequently is-
sued an order forbidding Rotchef
or any of hie men to travel in the
country without a license. The
Lausanne sailed away about July
26th, leaving five or six foreigners
who were aided by the RuSbians to
reach Sacramento. Pina by Val-
lejo's order did not attempt to inter-
fere beyond warning Rotchef that
he would be held responsible for the
entrance of the men. Much more
angry correspondence followed, but
it is not important at this late day.
JOHN A. SUTTER PURCHASES THE BETTLBMENT
IS
In January, 1841, Vallejo report-
ed to the minister of war concern-
ing liis controverey with Rotchef.
He took much credit to himself and
mentioned as a result ot that con-
troversy, the proposed abandon-
ment of Koss. The Russians had
consulted him as to tlieir right to
sell to a private person the build-
ings as well as the live-stock, and
he had told them that the nation
had the first right and must be
consulted. The reason why this
cautious answer was given was that
some foreigners from the Columbia
or elsewhere might outbid a citizen
of California and thus raise a ques-
tion of sovereignty which might
prove troublesome to the Mexican
interests in the future.
Vallejo also urged the govern-
ment to furnish a garrison and au-
thorize the planting of a colony at
Ross upon its abandonment by the
Russians. In February, Kostrom-
itinoff, representing the company,
offered to sell the property to Val-
lejo himself for $30,000, payable
half in cash or in bills of the Hud-
son Bay Company and half in
produce delivered at Yerba Buena.
The general was willing to enter-
tain the proposition but could not
make a definite answer until July
or August, as he must have author-
ity from his government. When
the answer came from Mexico it
was not a satisfactory one, as the
Mexican government seemed to
think that the Russians had been
frightened away and would leave a
flourishing settlement to be taken
possession of by the Californians
as soon as they were gone. So
Vallejo received some useless in-
structions about the details of the
occupation and the form of govern-
ment to be established at Ross.
In July, Kostromitinoff, having
returned from Sitka, an elaborate
inventory was made of the property
offered. Vallejo and Alverado
were again approached but they
absolutely declined to purchase, as
they had concluded that the prop-
erty should ' and would revert to
the Californians and that no other
purchaser could be found. Alvera-
do stated in a letter that his only
fear was that the Russians would
burn the buildings rather than let
them fall into the hands of the
Californians. But there was an-
other purchaser, John A. Sutter.
The bargain was made in Septem-
ber. The formal contract was
signed by Kostromitinoff and Sut-
ter in the office of the Subprefect
at San Francisco, with Voiget and
Leese as witnesses, on December 13,
1840.
CHAPTER VI.
By the terms of the contract
Sutter was to pay for the property
specified in the inventory, 130,000,
payable in installments. The es-
tablishment at New Helvetia (Sac-
ramento) and the property at Bo-
dega, and the two ranches of Khleb-
nikof and Tschernich, "which prop-
erty was to be left intact in pos-
session of the company's agents,"
u
AN INVENTORY OF THE SETTLEMENT
were pledged as guarantees for the
payment. The Russians say that
the contract was approved by the
California government and it is
certain that no official disapproval
was made.
Sutter obtained from manager
Rotchef a certificate of transfer of
the land, dated one day earlier
than the contract, in which docu-
ment the commander certified that
the conjpany had held peaceable
possession for 29 years and that
they had sold it to M. Le Capitaine
Sutter for $30,000 and had delivered
it into his possession indisputably
This document in after years was
paraded as Sutter's Deed and was
made the basis of a somewhat
plausible claim to the possession of
the land. Manager Rotchef with
all the remaining servants of the
company sailed on the Constantine
which left San Francisco in Decem-
ber, 1841, and probably left Ross
in January, 1842. A few Russians
remained on the ranchos to look
after the company's interest. Sut-
ter sent Roberts to look out for
him at first, but John Bidwell took
his place early in 1842. He was
succeeded by Wm. Benitz in 1843.
In the meantime most of the
movable property and live-stock
were removed to New Helvetia. A
few hundred cattle were left, as
they were too wild to be driven.
The Californians made no effort
to occupy the place, for as they had
virtually consented to the sale the
State had nothing at Ross to pro-
tect. In 1845 the Mexican govern-
ment granted to Manuel Torres
four leagues of land called the Mu-
niz grant, including the establish-
ment of Ross. Torres sold the
grant to Wm. Benitz, and Benitz,
afterwards, to avoid a law-suit,
also bought for 6,000 dollnrs the
Sutter or Russian title.
The inventory by which the
property was sold to Sutter includes
the following: A square fort of logs
1088 feet in circumference, twelve
feet high with two watch-towers, a
house of squared logs, 36 by 58 feet,
double board roof, six rooms with
corridor and kitchen. Another
block house 24 by 48 feet with six
rooms and corridor. House for
revenue officers, 22 by 60 feet, ten
rooms; barracks 24 by 66 feet, eight
rooms; three warehouses, kitchen,
jail, chapel with a belfry and dome.
Outside of the fort, hiacksmith-ehop,
tannery, boat-house, cooper's shop,
bakery, carpenter's shop, two wind-
mills for grinding, one mill moved
by animal power, three threshing
floors, a well, stable, sheep-cole,
dairy-house, two cow stables, hog-
pen, corral, ten sheds, eight baths,
ten kitchens, 24 houses, nearly
every one having an orchard. At
Kostromitinoff rancho, house, farm
buildings, corral and boat for cross-
ing the river Siavianka (Russian);
at Khebnikof rancho, adobe house,
farm buildings, bath, well, corral.
At Jorges rancho (Russian Gulch),
house, stores, fences, etc. At Bodega,
warehouse 30 by 60 feet; three
A PHILOSOPIirC TIIEATISE ON OCR REDWOOD FOREBTB
15
email houses, bath, ovens and cor-
rals.
The purchase also included the
schooner Constantine, which was
rechristened the Sacramento. This
vessel made frequent trips between
Ross, Bodega and Sacramento, tak-
ing from Ross to Sacramento all the
moval>le property bought by Sutter
which could be utilized. Even sev-
eral of the newest houses were taken
down and moved. The one cannon
left at Ross was taken to Sacra-
mento and was finally donated by
Sutter to the California pioneers.
About 4,000 head of cattle, horses
and sheep were driven overland, and
one old Indian who assisted in the
driving is still to be seen occasion-
ally at Ross. Ross, as it was called
by the Russians, was always called
by the Spaniards El Fuerte de Los
Rusos or Fuerte Ruso, and by the
Americans who afterwards settled
in California Fort Ross, and as
this old settlement is a place of
much interest and is annually vis-
ited by hundreds of people from
all parts of the country, it may be
interesting to give a brief account
of it as it is at present, 1896.
The property is now owned by
G. W. Call, who does what he can
to preserve the old buildings and
does carefully keep all old relics
which are not perishable. The
chapel stands perfectly erect with
the original roof, doors and win-
dows intact. During all these 83
years the little belfry and dome
have stood bravely facing the
heavy winter storms. The stock-
ade is mostly gone, as the timlters
were not selected but were evident-
ly made of young timber with sap
on. The watch towers are badly
decayed on the southerly or storm
side but are sound on the north
side. The governor's house is in a
good state of preservation because
it has had a new roof and has been
weatherboarded outside. It is now
used as a hotel. The barracks
building is in a fair state of preser-
vation. These old buildings, with
half-a-dozen new buildings, a
wharf and a chute at the landing
and two dairies constitute the pres-
ent settlement of Fort Ross. One
millstone made from native stone
remains intact. Of the original
apple-trees some 50 are still alive
and bear apples every year. A
portion of the original fence still
stands and does duty just as it did
wnen described by Duhant Cilley
in 1828. A painting copied from
the sketch made by Cilley has also
been preserved and in the hotel
may still be seen in service an old
piano made by Bord in Paris about
1820. In a little valley where the
Russians cut away all the trees
has grown a forest of redwood and
pine trees, some of them over five
feet in diameter. The pines have
evidently grown from seed, but all
the redwoods are sprouts sprung
from the stumps of the trees cut
down. ThiB second-growth forest
proves conclusively that all the
16
SIR GEORQE SIMPSON 8 ACCOUNT OF ROSS
Californians have fo do to perpetu-
ate the redwood forests is to give
them a chance. The Russian bish-
op, Vladimir, a few years ago, vis-
ited Fort Ross and made a propo-
sition to i)urcha,8e the old chapel,
with a few acres of ground, includ-
ing the Russian cemetery, with a
view of preserving them. But as
Vladimir was recalled the negotia-
tion was not consummated.
CHAPTER VII.
We have given in the preceding
chapters a consecutive and concise
history of the Russian settlement
at Ross. Some contemporary ac-
counts of this interesting event
which have appeared from time to
time written by those who describ-
ed their visits to the settlement
■will now be given.
Among the most interesting ac-
counts of Ross is that of Sir George
Simpson, governor-in-chief of the
Hudson Bay Company, who came
to California in 1841, and after-
wards published a most interesting
narrative of his voyage.
Governor Simpson evidently
came to California with the view of
seeing if there was any way of ac-
quiring possession of the country
for the English government. He
visited General Vallejo at Sonoma
and received no encouragement
from that true and loyal friend of
the United States. However, he
gives a very sprightly account of
his visit and we reproduce that
portion which refers to Ross. On
approaching the coast of California
the governor says:
"In the course of the morning,
we passed Bodega and Ross, respec-
tively the harbor and the fort of
the Russian American Company.
That association, which asssumed
its present form towards the close
of the last century, under the pat-
ronage of the Emperor Paul, could
not find any native supply of
bread-stuffs nearer than the central
steppes of Asia, to be transported
thence over about a hundred and
twenty degrees of longitude and
thirty of latitude, by barges from
the head of the Sena to Yakutsk,
on horses from Yakutsk to Ochotsk,
and in ships from Ochotsk to Sitka.
So expensive and tedious a route
operating almost as a prohibition,
the Company's establishments
were, of course, very inadequately
supplied with that which, to a Rus-
sian, is peculiarly the staff of life,
so that a design was naturally
formed of planting an agricultural
settlement on the adjacent coast of
America.
"With this view, in March, 1806,
— the very month, by the by, in
which Lewis and Clarke left their
winter's encampment of Clatsop
Point to retrace their steps across
the continent — Von llesanoff, who
was then the Company's principal
representative, attempted to enter
the Columbia, but was baffled in
the attempt by the same circum-
stances which had so long retarded
the discovery of the rjver. Eight
THE EARLY eEA-OTTKB INDCBTBY
rt
years afterwards, however, the ex-
tensive and beautiful valley of
Santa Rosa, which opens into Bo-
dega Bay, was actually occupied
— Spain being too busy elsewhere
with more serious evils to repel the
intrusion.
As compared with the Columbia,
California, besides its great fertility
and its easier access, possessed the
sea-otters, besides a large supply of
fur-seals, having thereby so far
diminished the breeds as to throw
nearly all the expense of their es-
tablishments on the agricaltural
branch of the business — an expense
far exceeding the mere cost of pro-
duction, with a reasonable freight.
The Californian settlement required
ships exclusively for itself; and,
Fort Ross In 1*40, looking uortheast from blnff
additional recommendation of lit-
erally teeming with sea-otters, thus
securing to the Company an inci-
dental advantage, more important,
perhaps, in a pecuniary sense, than
the primary object of pursuit.
Since 1814, the Russians have sent
to market from California the enor-
mous number of eighty thousand
though the Russians had so far
conciliated the local authorities as
to be permitted to hunt both on the
coast and in the interior, they were
yet obliged, by the undisguised
jealousy and dislike of their pres-
ence, constantly to maintain a mil-
itary attitude, with strong fortifi-
cations and considerable garrisons.
-r k ,1* I, <
:' ■ . -l ■■If}- :■
■r. i Tt'i^'t ■'■
18
AN EXTRACT FROM GOVERNOR SIMPSON S WORK
"That the Russians ever actually
intended to claim the sovereignty
of this part of the coast, I do not
believe. The term Ross was cer-
tainly suspicious, as being the con-
stant appellation of the ever- vary-
ing phases of Russia from the days
of Ruric, the very name under
which, nearly ten centuries ago, the
red-bearded dwellers on the Borys-
thenes, who have since spread
themselves with resistless pertinac-
ity over more than two hundred
degrees of longitude, carried terror
and desolation in their crazy boats
to the gates of Constantinople, a
city destined alike to be their ear-
liest quarry and their latest prey.
So expansive a monosyllable could
hardly be a welcome neighbor to
powers so feeble and jealous as
Spain and Mexico.
"In justice, however, to Russia, I
have no hesitation in saying that,
under the recognized principles of
colonization, she is fully entitled to
all that she holds in America. As
early as 1741, Beering and Tschiri-
koff had visited the continent res-
pectively in 59° and 56° , about a
degree above Sitka, and about a
degree below it — the former, more-
over, seeing many islands, and per-
haps the peninsula of Alaska, on
his return; and, by the year 1763,
private adventurers had explored
the whole width of the ocean, dis-
covering the intermediate chain of
islands, from the scene of Beering's
shipwreck, in the vicinity of Kam-
Bchatka, to Alaska, then erroneous-
ly supposed tc be an island, and
thence still further eastward to
Kodyak — no other nation having
previously penetrated, or even pre-
tended to have penetrated, farther
north than the parallel of fifty-
three degrees.
"But the Russian discoveries
were distinguished by this favor-
able peculiarity, that they were, in
a great measure, achieved inde-
pendently of the more southerly
discoveries of Spain, being the re-
sult of rumors of a neighboring
continent, which, in the beginning
of the century, the Russian conq-
uerors had found to be rife in Kam-
schatka. Moreover, in the case of
t>tp Russians, discovery and posses-
sion had advanced hand in hand.
The settlement of Kodyak was
formed four years before Meares
erected his solitary shed in Noolka
Sound; and Sitka was established
fully ten or twelve years earlier
than Astoria."
Governor Simpson says on page
283, vol. 1, of his interesting work:
"On emerging from the strait,
which is about three miles long,
we saw on our left, in a deep bay,
known as Whalers' Harbor, two
vessels,— the Government schooner
California and the Russian brig
Constantine, now bound to Sitka,
with the last of the tenants of Bo-
dega and Ross on board. As we
observed the Russians getting
under way, I despatched Mr. Hop-
kins in one of our boats, in order
to express my regret at being thus
THE ROMANCE OF D05NA COXCBPTION AROUELLA
19
deprived of the anticipated pleas-
ure of paying my respects in per-
son.
"Mr. Hopkins found about a
hundred souls, men, women and
children, all patriotically delighted
to exchange the lovely climate of
California for the ungenial skies of
Sitka, and that too at the expense
of making a long voyage in an old,
crazy, clumsy tub, at the stormiest
season of the year; but to this gen-
eral rule there had been one excep-
tion, inasmuch as they had lost
two days in waiting — but, alas! in
vain — for a young woman, who
had abjured alike her country and
her husband for the sake of one of
the dons of San Francisco\3
"Mr. Hopkins farther learned
that, though it was Thursday with
us, yet it was Friday with our nor-
thern friends; a circumstance
which, besides showing that the
Russian^ had not the superstition
of our tars as to days of sailing,
forcibly reminded us that between
them the two parties had passed
round the globe in opposite direc-
tions to prosecute one and the same
trade in furs, which the indolent
inhabitants of the province were
too lazy to appropriate at their
very doors."
Later on he went to Santa Bar-
bara and in connection with his
visit there relates the following
interesting incident in regard to
Ross. He says:
"Among the persons we met in
Santa Barbara, was a lady of some
historical celebrity. Von Reeanoff,
having failed, ag elsewhere stated,
in his attempt to enter the Colum-
bia in 1806, continued his voyage
as far as San Francisco, where, be-
sides purchasing immediate sup-
plies for Sitka, he endeavored, in
negotiation with the commandant
of the district and the governor of
the province, to lay the foundation
of a regular intercourse between
Russian America and the Californ-
ian settlements. In order to ce-
ment the national union, he pro-
posed uniting himself with Donna
Conception Arguella, one of the
commandant's daughters, his pat-
riotism clearly being its own
reward if half of Langsdorff 's des-
cription was correct: 'She was
lively and animated, had spark-
ling, love-inspiring eyes, beautiful
teeth, pleasing and expressive fea-
tures, a fine form, and a thousand
other charms; yet her manners
were perfectly simple and artless.'
"The chancellor, who was him-
self of the Greek Church, regarded
the difference of religion with the
eyes of a lover and a politician;
but, as his imperial master might
take a less liberal view of the mat-
ter, he posted away to St. Peters-
burgh with the intention, if he
should there be successful, of subse-
quently visiting Madrid, for the
requisite authority to carry his
schemes into full effect. But the
Fates, with a voice more powerful
than that of emperors and kings,
forbade the bans; and Von Resa-
20
THE QOVERNOR-QENEBAL'S CONCLUBION8
noff died, on his road to Europe, at
Kraysnoyarsk in Siberia of a fall
from his horse.
"Thus at once bereaved of her
lover, and disappointed in her
hope of becoming a pledge of friend-
ship between Russia and Spain,
Donna Conception assumed the
habit, but not, I believe, the formal
vows, of a nun, dedicating her life
to the instruction of the young and
the consolation of the sick. This
little romance could not fail to
interest us; and, notwithstanding
the ungracefuluess of her convent-
ual costume and the ravages of an
interval of time, which had tripled
her years, we could still discover
in her face and figure, in her man-
ners and conversation, the remains
of those charms which had won for
the youthful beauty Von Resanoff's
enthusiastic love and Langsdorff's
equally enthusiastic admiration.
Though Donna Conception appar-
ently loved to dwell on the story of
her blighted affections, yet, strange
to say, she knew not, till we men-
tioned it to her, the immediate
cause of the chancellor's sudden
death. This circumstance might,
in some measure, be explained by
the fact, that Langsdorff's work
was not published before 1814; but
even then, in any other country
than California, a lady, who was
still young, would surely have seen
a book, which, besides detailing the
grand incident of her life, presented
so gratifying a portrait of her
charms."
We will close these extracts with
the conclusion that the astute, if
not brilliant, governor-general was
forced to reach after he had fully
felt the pulse of the situation in
California.
He says:
"Now, for fostering and matur-
ing Brother Jonathan's ambitious
views. Captain Sutter's establish-
ment is admirably situated. Be-
sides lying on the direct route be-
tween San Francisco, on the one
hand, and the Missouri and the
Willamette, on the other, it virtu-
ally excludes the Californians from
all the best parts of their own
country, the valleys of the San
Joaquin, the Sacramento, and the
Colorado. Hitherto, the Spaniards
have confined themselves to the
comparatively barren strip of land,
varying from ten to forty miles in
width, which lies between the ocean
and the first range of mountains;
and beyond this slip they will never
penetrate with their present char-
acter and their present force, if
Captain Sutter, or any other ad-
ventui/er, can gather round him a
score of such marksmen as won
Texas on the field of San Jacinto.
But this is not all; for the Ameri-
cans, if masters of the interior, will
soon discover that they have a nat-
ural right to a maratime outlet; so
that, whatever may be the fate of
Monterey and the more southerly
ports, San Francisco will, to a
moral certainty, sooner or later,
fall into the poBsession of Ameri-
TIIK JOL-RSFY OF OTTO VON KOTZEBUE
tl
canS' — tlie only poBsible mode of
preventing euch a result being the
previous occupation of the port on
the part of (Jreat Britain."
Sir George saw very clearly in
the above forecast, for, six years
after, the Americans took posBess-
ion not only of the Fort of San
Francisco but also of the entire
j)rovince of California.
CHAI'TKR Vlir.
The following account of a jour-
ney made by the distinguished Otto
Von Kotzebue in 1824 from San Ra-
fael to Ross by land cannot fail to
interest. The journey was made in
tlie beautiful month of September.
Captain Von Kotzebue was a
sailor, a scientist and a man of
acute sensibility — a splendid type
of the aggressive Russian. One
may read in this account between
the lines a forecast of the ambition
an<l love of country which since the
time of the events described has
so extended the territory, the wealth
and the power of RussiS.
It is also an interesting fact that
Dr. Eschscholtz, for whom our
Slate poppy flower was named, ac-
companied his chief on the journey.
They had both been previously on
the coast on a former voyage and
had reached Ross from the sea side
of the fort. On that voyage was
Adelbert Von Chamisso, the
botanist, and he had then given
the name of his shipmate and
friend, Dr. Eschscholtz, to this
most brilliant and conspicuous of
all the California flowers, which
prophetically uplifted a cup of gold
to the future owners of California,
which the Rusaians then hoped to
be.
But that very year, though Von
Kotzebue did not then know it,
Minister Rush bad concluded a
treaty in London with RuBsia, un-
der which Captain Von Kottebue's
imperial master had agreed to make
no nettlement on the northwest
coast of America south of 54:40
north latitude. This wa« really
the first step in the acquisition of
California by the United Statea.
It shut out all Russian pretensions,
and Russia was the only country
befidee the United States which
could quickly occupy the country
by actual colonization.
With a word of encouragement
from the home government all of
California north of San Francisco
would have been Russian long be-
fore 184G. The word never came.
The treaty of 1824 had settled the
question. But this was not known
to Von Kotzebue, as, with his geni-
al and brilliant conferee, Dr. Esch-
scholtz, he followed his guide Mar-
co along the beautiful shore of the
bay, speculating upon its value to
his country, past the Olompali
(now Burdell's station), up the San
,\ntonio and through Two Rock
valley to Bodega. The trail passed
directly between the two split rocks
which later on gave its name to the
Two Rock country. What a splen-
did waste it was in those warm
September days ? The fat deer
ss
DR. BBCHSCHOLZ A COMPANION ON THK JOURNEY
moved reluctantly from their path.
The elk were scattered like cattle
over the hills. The coyote sere-
naded them at night, and the
dreamy landscape, golden and green
with grass and trees lay before the
travelers just as it was shaped and
colored by Nature's all-perfecting
hand— well might it stii the sensi-
tive heart and hand of a Von Kot-
zebue. His account of the land
journey to Ross is as follows:
" Indi8{>en8able business now
summoned me to the establishment
of the Russian-American Company
called Ross, which lies about eighty
miles north of San Francisco. I
had for some time been desirous of
performing the journey by land,
but the difficulties had appeared
insurmountable. Without the as-
sistance of the commandant, it cer-
tainly could not have been accom-
plished; I was therefore glad to
avail myself of his friendly dispos-
ition towards me to make the at-
tempt. We required a number of
horses and a military escort; the
latter to serve us at once as guides,
and as a protection against the sav-
ages. Both these requests were
immediately granted; and Don
Kstudillo himself offered to com-
mand the escort.
" My companions on this journey
were Dr. Eschscholz, Mr. Hoffman,
two of my officers, two sailors, Don
Estudillo, and four dragoons, mak-
ing altogether a party of twelve.
On the evening previous to the day
for our departure, Estudillo came
to the ship with his four dragoonB,
the latter well armed, and accoutr-
ed in a panoply of leather. He
himself, in the old Spanish cos-
tume, with a heavy sword, still
heavier spur8,a dagger and pistole
in his belt, and a staff in hie hand,
was a good personification of an
adventurer of the olden time. He
assured us that we could not be too
cautious, since we should pass
through a part of the country in-
habited by " los Indianoa bravoa ; "
we therefore also made a plentiful
provision of arms, and were ready,
as soon as the first beams of morn-
ing glimmered on the tops of the
mountains, to set forward in our
barcasse for the mission of St.
Rafael, lying on the northern shore
of the bay, whence our land journey
was to commence.
"The weather was beautiful, the
wind perfectly still, and the air
enchantingly mild. An Indian
named Marco, whom Estudillo had
with him, served us as a pilot;
for the Spaniards here, incapable,
either through indolence or ignor-
ance, of discharging that office,
always employ an experienced In-
dian at the helm.
" Don Estudillo, although ad-
vanced in life, was a very cheerful
companion, and one of the most
enlightened Spaniards I have met
with in California. He piqued him-
self a little on his literary acquire-
ments, and mentioned having read
three books besides Don Quixote
and Gil Bias, whilst, ae he assured
VON KOTZEBUE'S opinion of SAN FHANCIBCO BAY
ts
rae .in confidence, the rcBt of his
countrymen here had hardly ever
seen any other book than the Bible.
Marco had grown grey in the mis-
sion; on account of his usefulness,
he had been in many respects better
treated than most of the Indians:
he spoke Spanish with tolerable
fluency; and when Estudillo en-
deavored to exercise his wit upon
him, often embarrassed him not a
little by his repartees. This Marco
affords a proof that, under favor-
able circumstances, the minds even
of the Indians of California are
susceptible of improvement; but
these examples are rare in the mis-
sions.
"I confess I could not help spec-
ulating upon the benefit this coun-
try would derive from becoming a
province of our powerful empire,
and how useful if would prove to
Russia. An inexhaustible granary
for Kamtschatka, Ochotsk, and all
the settlements of the American
Company; these regions, so often
afflicted with a scarcity of corn,
would derive new life from a close
connection with California.
The sun rose in full magnificence
from behind ^e mountain, at the
moment when, emerging from be-
tween the islands which divide the
northern from the southern half of
the bay, an extensive mirror of
water opened upon our view. The
mission of San Rafael, the first
stage of our journey, formed a dis-
tinguished object in the background
of the prospect, sloping up the sides
of the hills, the intervening flat
land lying bo low that it was not
yet within our horizon. We had
also a distant view towards the
northwest of another newly-founded
mission, that of St. Francisco Sala-
no (Sonoma), the only one situated
on the northern shore of the bay
except San Rafael.
"The country at this side of the
bay, chiefly characterised by gently
swelling hills, the park-like group-
ing of the trees, and the lively ver-
dure of the meadows, is as agreeable
to the eye as that of the southern
coast. The water is pure and
wholesome, which that at the Pre-
sidio is not; we therefore laid in
our ship's store here.
"The whole Bay of St. Francisco,
in which thousands of ships might
lie at anchor, is formed by nature
for an excellent harbor; but the
little creeks about the northwest
coast, now lying to our left, and
which I have since frequently visit-
ed, are especially advantageous for
repairs, being so deep that the larg-
est vessels can lie conveniently
close to the land; and an abun-
dance of the finest wood for ship-
building, even for the tallest masts,
is found in the immediate neigh-
borhood. The whole of the north-
ern part of the bay, which does not
properly belong to California, but
is assigned by geographers to New
Albion, has hitherto remained un-
visited by voyagers, and little
known even to the Spaniards resid-
ing in the country. Two large
24
THE ARRIVAL AT ST. RAFAEL
navigable rivers, which I afterwards
surveyed, empty themselves into it,
one from the north, the other from
the east. The land is extremely
fruitful, and the climate is perhaps
the finest and most healthy in the
world. It has hitherto been the
fate of these regions, like that o
modest merit or humble virtue, to
remain unnoticed; but posterity
will do them justice; towns and cit-
ies will hereafter flourish where all
is now desert; the waters, over
which scarcely a solitary boat
is yet seen to glide, will
reflect the flags of all nations; and
a happy, prosperous people receiv-
ing with thaniifulness what prod-
igal Nature bestows for their use,
will disperse her treasures over
every part of the world.
*' A fresh and favorable wind
brought us, without much delay
from the opposing ebb-tide, to the
northern shore. We left the
common embouchure of its two
principal rivers, distinguished by
the steepness of their banks to the
right, and rowing up the narrow
channel which has formed itself
through the marsh land, reached
our landing-place just as the sun's
disk touched the summits of the
mountains in the west.
CHAPTER IX.
"We were still distant a good
riautica! mile from the mission
of St. Gabriel (Rafael), which
peeped from amongst the foliage of
its ancient oaks. Many horses be-
longing to the mission were grazing
on a beautiful meadow by the
waterside, in perfect harmony with
a herd of small deer, which are very
numerous in this country. Our
dragoons, who had no inclination
for a long walk, took their lassos
in hand, and soon caught us as
many horses as we wanted. We
had brought our saddles with us,
and a delightful gallop across the
plain carried us to St. Rafael,
where we we were received in a very
hospitable manner by the only
monk in residence.
"The locality of this mission,
founded in 1816, is still better cho-
sen than that of the celebrated
Santa Clara. A mountain shelters
it from the injurious north-wind;
but the same mountain serves also
as a hiding-place and bulwark for
the Indianos bravos, who have al-
ready once succeeded in burning
the buildings of the mission, and
still keep the monks continually
on the watch against similar depre-
dations. In fact, St. Rafael has
quite the appearance of an outpost
for the defense of the other mis-
sions.
"The garrison, six men strong, is
always ready for service on the
slightest alarm. Having been
driven from my bed at night by
the vermin, I saw two sentinels,
fully armed, keeping guard towards
the mountain, each of them beside
a large fire; every two minutes they
rang a bell which was hung be-
tween two pillars, and were regu-
larly answered by the howling of
H^^^^^^^^^=^-:i^::^-«-=^=»fc.<^_
JH
_^ ^ _\^C
y^
g 0
^1 ■:i2-
1^
landing at Fort Boea as it la To-day
THE JOURNEY FROM ST. RAFAEL
«ff
the little wolf I have before spoken
of as often lurking in the vicinity
of the miBBions. That there is not
much to fear from other enemies, is
sufficiently proved by the small
number of soldiers kept, and the
total neglect of all regular means
of defense. The courage of these
hravoa seems indeed principally to
consist in unwillingness to be
caught, in flying with all speed to
their hiding-places when pursued,
and in setting fire to any property
of the missions when they can find
an opportunity of doing so unob-
served. We saw here several of
these heroes working patiently
enough with irons on their feet, and
in no way distinguishable in man-
ners or appearance from their
brethren of St. Francisco or Santa
Clara.
"With the first rays of the sun
we mounted our horses, and having
passed the valley of St. Gabriel
( Rafael), and the hill which bound.s
it, our guide led us in a north-
westerly direction further into the
interior. The fine, light, and fer-
tile soil we rode upon was thickly
covered with rich herbage, and the
luxuriant trees stood in groups as
picturesque as if they had been dis-
posed by the hand of taste. We
met with numerous herds of small
deer, so fearless, that they suffered
us to ride fairly into the midst of
them, but then indeed darted away
with the swiftness of an arrow.
We sometimes also, but less fre-
quently, saw another species of
"T^E^^iST
stag, (elks) as large as a horfle,
with branching antlers; these gen-
erally graze on hills, from whence
they can see round them on all
sides, and appear much more cau-
tious than the small ones. The
Indians, however, have their con-
trivances to take them. They fast-
en a pair of the stag's antlers on
their heads, and cover their bodies
with his skin; then «rawling on
all-fours among the high grass,
they imitate the movements of the
creature while grazing; the herd,
mistaking them for their fellows,
suffer them to approach without
suspicion, and are not aware of the
treachery till the arrows of the dis-
guised foes h{
her.
"Towards noon the heat became
so oppressive, that we were obliged
to halt on the summit of a hill: we
reposed under the shade of some
thick and spreading oaks, while
our horses grazed and our meal
Was preparing. During our rest,
we caught a glimpse of a troop of
Indians skulking behind some
bushes at a distance; our dragoons
immediately seized their arms, but
the savages disappeared without at-
tempting to approach us. In a
few hours we proceeded on our jour-
ney, through a country, which pre-
senting no remarkable object to
direct our course, excited my aston-
ishment at the local memory of our
guide, who had traversed it but
once before. Two great shaggy
white wolves, hunting a herd of
id
THE TRAVEI-ER8 ARRIVE AT ROPEOA
small deer, fled in terror on our
appearance, and we had the gratifi-
cation of saving the pretty animals
for this time. In several places we
saw little cylindrically-shaped huts
of underwood, which appeared to
have been recently quitted by Ind-
ians, and sometimes we even found
the still glimmering embers of a
fire; it is therefore probable that
the savages were often close to us
when we were not aware of it; but
they always took care to conceal
themselves from the much dreaded
dragoons and their lassos.
"In the evening we reached a lit-
tle mountain brook, which, after
winding through a ravine, falls into
the sea at Port Romanzow, or Bod-
ega. It was already dark, and
though but ten miles distance from
Ross, we were obliged to pass the
chill and foggy night not very
agreeably on this spot. In the
morning we forded the shallow
stream, and as we proceeded, found
in the bold, wild features of the
scene a striking difference from the
smiling valleys through which we
had travelled on the preceding day-
The nearer we drew to the coast,
the more abrupt l)ecame the preci-
pices and the higher the rocks,
which were overgrown with larch
even to their peaked summits.
"We wound round the bases of
some hills, and having with much
fatigue climbed other very steep
ascents, reached towards noon a
considerable height, which rewarded
us with a magnificent prospect.
Amongst the remarkable objecte
before us, the ocean stretched to the
west, with the harbor of Romanzow
(Bodega), which unfortunately will
only afford admission to small ves-
sels; the Russian settlement here,
can therefore never be as prosperous
as it might have been, had circum-
stances permitted its establishment
on the bay of St. Francisco. To
the east, extending far inland, lay
a valley, called by the Indians the
Valley of the White Men (Santa
Rosa). There is a tradition among
them, that a ship was once wrecked
on this coast; that the white men
chose this valley for their residence,
and lived there in great harmony
with the Indians. What afterwards
became of them is not recorded.
On the northeast was a high moun-
tain thickly covered with fir trees,
from amongst which rose dark col.
umns of smoke, giving evidence of
Indian habitations. Our soldiers
said that it was the abode of a chief
and his tribe, whose valor had
won the respect of the Spaniards;
that they were of a distinct class
from the common race of Indians;
had fixed their dwellings on this
mountain on account, of its sup-
posed inaccessibility; were distin-
guished for their courage, and pre-
ferred death to the dominion of the
Missionaries, into whose power no
one of them has ever yet been en-
trapped. Is it not possible that
they may owe their superiority to
having mingled their race with that
of the shipwrecked whites?
THK RL'SBIAN BETTLEMKNT AT ROSH
f7
"Our road now lay Bometimes
across hills and meadows, and
sometimes along the sands so near
the ocean that we were sprinkled
by its spray. We passed I'ort Ro-
manzow, and soon after forded the
bed of another shallow river to
which the Kussians have given the
name of Slavianka (Russian river).
Farther inland it is said to be
deeper, and even navigable for ships;
its banks are extremely fertile, but
peopled by numerous warlike
hordes. It flows hither from the
northeast; and the Russians have
proceeded up it a distance of a hun-
dred wersts, or about sixty-seven
English miles.
"The region we now passed
through was of a very romantic
though wild character; and the lux-
uriant growth of the grass proved
that the soil was rich. From the
summit of a high hill, we at length,
to our great joy, perceived beneath
us the fortress of Rods, to which we
descended by a tolerably convenient
road. We spurred our tired horses,
and excited no small astonishment
as we passed through the gate at a
gallop. M. Von Schmidt, the gov-
ernor of the establishment, received
us in the kindest manner, fired some
guns to greet our arrival on Rus-
sian-American ground, and con-
ducted us into his commodius and
orderly mansion, built in the Euro-
pean fashion with thick beams.
''The settlement of Ross, situated
on the seashore, in latitude 38° 33',
and on an insigniticant stream, was
founded in the year 1812, with the
free consent of the natives, who
were very useful in furniehing ma-
terials for the buildings and even
in their erection.
" The intention in forming this
settlement was to pursue the chase
of the sea-otter on the coast of Cal-
ifornia, where the animal was then
numerous, as it had become ex-
tremely scarce in the more northern
establishments. The Spaniards who
did not hunt them, willingly took a
small compensation for their ac-
quiescence in the views of the Rus-
sians; and the sea-otter, though at
present scarce even here, is more
frequently caught along the Cali-
fornia coast, southward from Robs,
than in any other quarter. The
fortress is a quadrangle, palisaded
with tall, thick beams, and defended
by two towers which mount fifteen
cannons. The garrison consisted,
on my arrival, of a hundred and
thirty men, of whom a small num-
l>er only were Russians, the rest
Aleutians.
" The Spaniards lived at first on
the best terras with the new settlers,
and provided them with oxen, cows,
horses and sheep; but when in pro-
cess of time they began to remark
that, notwithstanding the infer-
iority of soil and climate, the
Russian establishment became more
flourishing than theirs, envy and
apprehension of future danger took
possession of their minds; they
then required that the settlement
should be abandoned, — asserted
98
THE INHABITANTS OF ROSS
that their rights of domination ex-
tended northward quite to the Icy
Sea, and threatened to support their
claim by force of arms.
The founder and then commander
of the fortress of Ross, a man of
penetration, and one not easily
frightened, gave a very decided an-
swer. He had, he said, at the com-
mand of his superiors, settled in
this region, which had not pre-
viously been in the possession of
any other power, and over which,
consequently, none had a right but
the natives; that these latter had
freely consented to his occupation
of the land, and therefore that he
would yield to no such unfounded
pretension as that now advanced
by the Spaniards, but should be
always ready to resist force by
force.
"Perceiving that the Russians
would not comply with their absurd
requisitions, and considering that
they were likely to be worsted in
an appeal to arms, the Spaniards
quietly gave up all farther thought
of hostilities, and entered again
into friendly communications with
our people; since which the greatest
unity has subsisted between the
two nations. The Spaniards often
find Ross very serviceable to them.
For, instance, there is no such thing
as a smith in all California; conse-
quently the making and repairing
of all manner of iron implements
here is a great accommodation to
them, and affords lucrative employ-
ment to the Russians. The dra-
goons who accompanied us, had
brought a number of old gunlocks
to be repaired.
"In order that the Russians
might not extend their dominion
to the northern shore of the Bay of
St.. Francisco, the Spaniards imme-
diately founded the missions of St-
Gabriel (Rafael) and St. Francisco
Salano (Sonoma). It is a great
pity that we were not beforehand
with them. The advantages of
possessing this beautiful bay are
incalculable, especially as we have
no harbor but the bad one of Bodega
or Port Romanzow.
-^ " The inhabitants of Ross live in
the greatest concord with the Indi-
ans, who repair, in considerable
numbers, to the fortress, and work
as day laborers for wages. At night
they usually remain outside the
palisades. They willingly give their
daughters in marriage to Russians,
and Aleutians; and from these
uinons ties of relationship have
arisen which strengthen the good
understanding between them. The
inhabitants of Ross have often pen-
etrated singly far into the interior,
when engaged in the pursuit of
deer or other game, and have passed
whole nights among different In-
dian tribes, without ever having
experienced any inconvenience.
This the Spaniards dare not ven-
ture upon. The moie striking the
contrast between the two nations in
their treatment of the savages, the
more ardently must every friend to
humanity rejoice on entering Rus-
sian territory.
THE INDIANS OF BOBS Ain> THEIB HABTTB
f9
"The climate at Rossis raild.
Reaumur's thermometer seldom
falls to the freezing point, yet gar-
dens cannot flourish on account of
the frequent fogs. Some wersts far-
ther inland, beyond the injurious
influence of the fog, plants of the
warmest climates prosper surpris-
ingly. Cucumbers of fifty pounds,
weight, gourds of sixty-five, and
other fruits in proportion, are
I)roduced in them. Potatoes yield
a hundred or two hundred fold, and
as they will produce two crops a
year, are an effectual security
against famine. The fortress is
surrounded by wheat and barley
fields, which, on account of the
fogs, are less productive than those
of Santa Clara, but which still sup-
ply sufficient corn for the inhabi-
tants of Ross. The Aleutians find
their abode here so agreeable, that
although unwilling to leave their
islands they are seldom inclined to
return to them.
"The Spaniards should take a
lesson in husbandry from M. Von
Schmidt, who has brought it to an
admirable degree of perfection. Im-
plements, equal to the best we have
in Europe, are made hereunder his
direction. Our Spanish compan-
ions were struck with admiration
at what he had done; but what as-
tonished them most was the effect
of a windmill; they had never be-
fore seen a machine so ingenious
and so well adapted to the purpose.
" Ross is blest with an abundance
of the finest wood for building.
The sea provides it with the most
delicious fish, the land with an in>
exhaustible quantity of the best
kinds of game; and, notwithstand-
ing the want of a good harbor, the
northern settlements might easily
find in this a plentiful magazine
for the supply of all their wants.
" The Indians of Ross are so
much like those of the mis-
sions, that they may well be
supposed to belong to the same race,
however different their language.
They appear indeed by no means
stupid, and are much more cheerful
and contented than at the missions,
where a deep melancholy always
clouds their faces, and their eyes
are constantly fixed upon the
ground; but this difference is only
the natural result of the different
treatment they experience. They
have no permanent residence, but
wander about naked, and, when
not employed by the Russians as
day laborers, follow no occupation
but the chase. For the winter they
lay up a provision of acorns and
wild rye. The latter grows here
very abundantly. When it is ripe
they burn the straw away from it,
and thus roast the corn, which is
then raked together, mixed with
acorns and eaten without any far-
ther preparation. The Indians
here have invented several games of
chance. They are passionately
fond of gaming, and often play
away everything they possess.
Should the blessing of civilization
ever be extended to the rude inhab-
so
THE DEPARTURE OE DR. E8CHSCH0LZ FROM ROSS
itantfl of these regions the merit
will be due to the Russian settle-
ments, certainly not to the Spanish
miHsions.
" After a stay of two days we
took leave of the estimable M. Von
.Schmidt and returned by the same
way that we came without meeting
with any remarkable occurrence.
Professor Eschschollz remained at
Koss, in order to prosecute some
botanical researches, intending to
rejoin us by means of an Aleutian
baidar, several of which were short-
ly to proceed to St. Francisco in
search of otters.
" The Californian winter being
now fairly set in we had much rain
and frequent storms. On the 9th
of October the southwest wind blew
with the violence of the West-Indi-
an tornado, rooted up the strongest
trees, tore off the roofs of the
houses, and occasioned great de-
vastation in the cultivateil lands.
One of our thickesU cables broke,
and if the second had given way
we would have been driven on
the rocky shore of the channel
which unites the bay with the sea,
where a powerful current strug-
gling with the tempest produced a
frightful surf. Fortunately, the
extreme violence of the storm lasted
only a few hours, but in that short
time it caused a destructive inun-
dation: the water spread so rapidly
over the low lands that our people
had scarce time to secure the tent,
with the astronomical apparatus.
" The arrival of Dr. Kschscholtz
and the baidars from Ross was still
delayed, and I really began to fear
that some misfortune had befallen
them in the tempest; my joy there-
fore was extreme when at last, on
the 12th of Octol)er, the baidars,
twenty in number, entered the har-
bor undamaged, and we received
our friend again safe and well. The
little flotilla had indeed left Ross be-
fore the commencement of the hur-
ricane, but had fortunately escaped
any injury from it, by taking refuge
at a place called Cap de log Regan,
till its fury was expended: but the
voyagers had been obliged to biv-
ouack on the naked rock, without
shelter from the weather, and with
very scanty provisions. Dr. Ksch-
scholtz, however, not in the slight-
est degree disheartened by the diffi-
culties he had undergone, was quite
ready to join the voyage I had me<l-
itated for the examination of the
adjacent rivers."
CHAPTER X.
The greatest difficulty the Rus-
sians had in maintaining their set-
tlement in California was the
absolute lack of interest the home
government took in it. This was
natural, as under the British treaty
of 1824 made in London Russia
had bound herself to make no set-
tlement below 54^ 40'.
The Russian-American Fur com-
pany, owing to its remoteness from
the home government, was a sort
of imporirnn in imporio. Its charter
gave it governmental powers within
THK CALirORSIANS' WIBDOM
SI
very limited restrictions. Alex-
ander Baranoff, who ruled it so long
with a rod of iron, used to say,
"Heaven and the Czar are far off."
The powers exercised by the Rus-
sian-American Fur Company were
very despotic and had the force of
imperial edicts within the juris-
diction of the company. It was a
favorite idea with the Russian-
American Company, originating
with Baranoff, to get poBsession of
was an outgrowth of this desire.
He used as an argument with the
Californians for a concession of
territory that the occupation of the
northwest coast of California by
the Russians would be a fence
against the Americans, of whom
the Californians had much dread,
even at that early day. The Cal-
ifornians were, it is true, afraid of
the Americans; but they were
equally afraid of the Russians.
Fiiit Konfc ill 1800, lodklng South from the wharf
all California north of the bay and
east of the Sacramento river for the
purpose of raising and supplying
grain to the fur hunters and Aleuts
in the employ of the company on
northwest coast.
This wish descended with the
supreme control of affairs from
Baranoff to his successors.
The expedition of baron Wran-
gel in 1830, heretofore referred to
They feared the Greek, though he
came with gifts in his hand. In
this they were wiser than the Chi-
nese of the present day, who are
granting concessions on their coast
and privileges in their territory of
Manchuria to the wily red-bearded
man of the north, which they will
find it difficult to recover if they
hereafter wish to do so, for the
Russian has never yet been dis-
ss
THE EFFECT OF WRANQEL's MOVEMENT
placed where he once planted his
aggressive foot and flag.
It was the intention of Baron
Wrangel if he succeeded in attaining
his object in Mexico to return to
St. Petersburg with a concession of
territory, which he hoped would
cause his home government to take
an interest in his scheme for the
aggrandizement of his company
and of his country by obtaining a
foothold in California. The gov-
ernment at St. Petersburg only
authorized him to negotiate a com-
mercial treaty with Mexico so far
as it related to its business on the
Pacific coast, but nothing more.
This scant authorization greatly
embarrassed Wrangel on his arrival
in Mexico. His principal aim was
to get permission to colonize the
north-west coast of California, but
his power was limited to the
negotiation of a commercial treaty.
\\'hen the Mexican gt)vernment
had fully sounded the authority of
Baron Wrangel it very properly
declined any further discussion of
the matter with one who bore such
limited credentials. Ail he could
do was to get an assurance that
Mexico would favor a commercial
treaty if properly negotiated be-
tween accredited agents of the two
governments. And declining fur-
ther negotiation referred the sub-
ject to the Mexican minister at
London, who was instructed to con-
sider any proposition that might
be made by his Imperial Majesty,
the Emperor of all the Russians,
for the privileges asked by Baron
Wrangel. No proposition was
made of course. The St. Peters-
burg government took no step in
the matter, well knowing that it
was bound hand and foot so far as
the acquisition of country in Cal-
ifornia went by its treaty stipula-
tion with the United States.
One effect of the movement of
Baron Wrangel was that it called
the attention of the central
government in Mexico, and the
home colonial government in Cal-
ifornia, to the importance of North
California, and pending tlie nego-
tiations between 1831-6, orders were
issued for the establishment of a
l>residio in the town of Sonoma,
which was^one in 1833 under the
direction of General \'allejo, who
waji made commandant of the
frontier.
The new commander was in-
structed to i)revent any furtlier en-
croachments upon Mexican territo-
ry by the Russians. \\'ith this
view he established Black Mcintosh
and Dawson next to tlie Russian
farm, in Bodega, and Ijetween 1833-
9 all the best lands in wliat is now
Sonoma county was granted to
Mexican citizens.
By this time fur hunting had l)e-
come less profitable on the coast of
California, and the otter was about
exterminated in the bay of San
Francisco.
The hojie of acquiring territory
having failed vvfith the failure of
Wrangel's mission to Mexico, it
TIIK UKI'AltTrKK <IK THK HlflHIANR KOh CAI.IKOKMA
SX
woB (leterniiDed l)y the HuHHian
American (.'<»mpany l<» al>and(tn
R()8B. Thit) conclutsion muBt have
t)een a relief to the lioine govern-
ment who had acquiesced in the
occupation of Roes hut had never
made any claim of sovereignty, or
attempt to acquire it, over the land.
Alexander Rolcheff, the last Rus-
sian governor, in connection with
KoHlromitinoff, a 8|)ecial agent of
the company, under instructions
friim the directors, commenced ne-
gotiations in 18.31) for the sale of
the building, stock and molu'lier of
Ross. They first tried to sell it to
the Hudson Hay Comi)any, hut
this company did not want to buy.
They next proj>osed to General Val-
lejo to sell it to the Mexican gov-
ernment. This proposal General
Vallejo rejected with scorn, because,
as he wrote to (Governor Alvarado,
" these buildings were built on Mex-
ican soil with material from the
same land, and l>elonge<l of right
to the government, and. he adds,
'yes, most excellent senor; soon
will the national flag wave glori-
ously and triumphantly where was
hoisted a foreign flag during five
lustres; the imi>erial eagles will
yield the field to the eagle of Mex-
ico, which we shall see for the first
time soaring and spreading his
protecting wings over this portion
of our glorious country — lopped off
from the mother land by the fur-
hunting Russians' "
While the hauty Castilian
General Vallejo was so gaily sj>ort-
ing the Mexican eagle from the
flag-Btaff uf R06H in his vivid im-
agination, the shrewd Hotrcheff wafl
negotiating with Captain Sutter for
the purchase of the fort, and it soon
after passed into his hande, to the
great indignation of the Comman-
date del Front«ria, who always
contended that the Rueeians had
nothing t/> sell and Hutter bad ac-
<juired nothing from them. This
lielief he would have enforced at
the point of Mexican lances if be
had had the lances and the lancer«
to l»ear them. It wa* not from a
lack of courage that he let flutter
take possession but because he
could not help it.
The Russians were now on the
eve of their departure for California.
They had begun their long journey
toward it in the latter part of the
c«?ntury when Yermac, the Coi^f^ck
rol>l)er, crossed the Ural mountains
with his band of marauders, which
eniled with conquest of ?«iberia. As
early as 1730 the Russians had
rea'^heil the Pacific Ocean, colon-
izii.g the intervening six thousand
mile^i of country, and in 1740 they
crossed over Behring straits to the
American continent and by the
close of that century they had
solidly established themselves on
the northwest coast of America.
They did not stop there but pushed
down the coast, reaping a rich
harvest of furs as they went, and
tinally, as ha£ heretofore been told,
took possession of Bodega Bay in
1812, which thev held until 1840.
.114
THE KU88IAN KETtRKMKNT
Strangely enough in IIiIh last year
Wossnessensky, a naturalist at-
tached to the zoological museum
of St. Petersburg, arrived at Rosf.
He had been sent to the coast of
eastern Asia and northwest Amer-
ica by the Academy of Science and
had been making collections on the
Asiatic and American seashore.
From the mountain back of Ross
which rises to a great height, a
beautiful view of St. Helena moun-
tain may be seen to the eastward.
Its elevation above the sea level is
4,348 feet, and it is the most con-
spicuous feature in the landscape
of the four counties of Sonoma,
Napa, Marin and Lake. It can be
seen from far out at sea and also
from the city of San Francisco.
Wossnessensky doubtless saw it
looming up in all its stately gran-
deur from the Ross Ridge. To so
adventurous a spirit as his, to see
was to visit it; to visit it was to
determine to ascend it. This he
did on June 12, 1841 He named
it St. Helena in honor of liis im-
perial mistress the Empress of
Russia and. planting a poet on its
highest point, he nailed to it a
copper j)late inscribed with the
name he had given the mountain,
his own name and that of his com-
panion (Tschernech) with the date
of the ascent and the word "Rus-
sians" twice repeated, once in
Russian, once in Latin. The moun-
tain has ever since retained the
name given to it in this notable
christening, and will stand forever
as an enduring monument of the
most easterly and most southerly
point touched by the Russians in
their advance across Siberia and
the Pacific Ocean to northwest
America, and thence down the
coast to California.
The Russians retired from Cal-
ifornia, and later on from Alaska
because, south of Siberia, there was
a richer and even greater field for
their aggressive ambStion; and
today that mighty empire holds
the destiny not alone of Asia but
of Europe in the hollow of its po-
tential hand.
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11