Transcriber's Note:
Inconsistent hyphenation, spelling, and accents in the original document
have been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
California place names were left as printed, regardless of inconsistencies
or apparent misspellings.
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
Page 17: Aurquoises changed to turquoises
Page 64: "ancle" was the spelling in the quoted text
Page 376: United Ship Cyane should possibly be United States Ship
Cyane
Page 393: 1st U. Dragoons should possibly be 1st U.S. Dragoons
Appendix C and E not labeled
Appendix C presumed to be the "MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT"
Appendix E presumed to be the "despatch of General Persifor
F. Smith"
[Illustration: MOUNTAIN SCENERY IN LOWER CALIFORNIA.]
HISTORY
-- OF THE --
STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
FROM THE PERIOD OF THE CONQUEST BY SPAIN,
TO HER OCCUPATION BY THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA.
CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE IMMENSE
GOLD MINES AND PLACERS, A DESCRIPTION OF HER
MINERAL AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES, WITH
THRILLING ACCOUNTS OF ADVENTURES
AMONG THE MINERS.
-- ALSO, --
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
AND CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS.
BY JOHN FROST, LL.D.
NEW YORK:
HURST & CO., PUBLISHERS,
122 NASSAU STREET.
ARGYLE PRESS,
PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING
24-26 WOOSTER ST., N.Y.
PREFACE.
The occupation of California by the people of the United States, and
the discovery of its rich gold mines, form a new era in the history of
the world. According to present appearances, these events forebode a
complete revolution in monetary and commercial affairs. The receipts
of gold from California have already produced a sensible effect on the
financial affairs of our country; and far-seeing people predict an
entirely new state of things with respect to the relative value of
money and property.
Still more important effects are anticipated from the establishment of
a new, rich, and enterprising State of the American Union on the
shores of the Pacific. Railroads across the continent will soon
transport the rich products of Eastern Asia, by a quick transit, to
the Atlantic cities and to Europe; and a passage to China or India,
which was formerly a serious undertaking, will become a pleasant
excursion.
To gratify the public curiosity with respect to the history and
present state of this new member of the Union, is the purpose of this
volume. In preparing it, the author has passed rapidly over the early
history, and dwelt chiefly on recent events, and the actual state of
the country, as he considered that, by this course, utility would be
more effectually consulted.
In the Appendix he has introduced the constitution of California, and
some official documents, whose importance demanded their preservation
in a permanent form.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. Page
GEOGRAPHICAL OUTLINE OF CALIFORNIA 7
CHAPTER II.
DISCOVERY OF CALIFORNIA 11
CHAPTER III.
FROM THE FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE REVOLUTION IN MEXICO 20
CHAPTER IV.
FROM THE REVOLUTION TILL THE WAR BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND MEXICO 24
CHAPTER V.
FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR TILL ITS CLOSE 27
CHAPTER VI.
DISCOVERY OF THE GOLD PLACERS 36
CHAPTER VII.
ADVENTURES OF SOME OF THE MINERS, AND INCIDENTS CONNECTED
WITH MINING 56
CHAPTER VIII.
DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THE CITIES AND TOWNS OF
CALIFORNIA, BEFORE AND AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF THE GOLD
MINES 87
CHAPTER IX.
THE FORMATION OF A STATE GOVERNMENT 118
CHAPTER X.
PRESENT STATE OF CALIFORNIA 132
CHAPTER XI.
THE DIFFERENT ROUTES TO CALIFORNIA, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE
CHARACTERS 181
CHAPTER XII.
RECENT EVENTS CONNECTED WITH, AND HAPPENING IN,
CALIFORNIA 218
CHAPTER XIII.
THE MINERALOGICAL AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF GOLD, AND
THE MODE OF DISTINGUISHING IT WHEN FOUND; TOGETHER WITH
THE ASSAY, REDUCTION, AND REFINEMENT OF GOLD 233
CHAPTER XIV.
ADDITIONAL RECENT EVENTS 243
CHAPTER XV.
A GENERAL VIEW OF CALIFORNIA AT THE PRESENT TIME 255
CHAPTER XVI.
NATURAL HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 275
APPENDIX 287
THE HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
CHAPTER I.
GEOGRAPHICAL OUTLINE OF CALIFORNIA.
The territory called California is that part of North America situated
on the Pacific Ocean, and extending from the 42° of north latitude
southwardly to 22° 48', and from 107° longitude, west from Greenwich,
to 124°. It is bounded on the north by Oregon territory, east by
territories belonging to the United States and the Gulf of California,
and on the south and west by Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. California
is naturally divided into two portions; the peninsula, called Lower
California, and the territory extending northward from the peninsula,
on the Pacific Ocean, called Upper California. The line of division
between Upper and Lower California runs nearly along the 32d parallel
of latitude, westward from the head of the Gulf of California.
The peninsula of California is about one hundred and thirty miles in
breadth, where it joins the continent. It extends south-eastwardly,
generally diminishing in breadth, till it terminates in two points.
The point farthest south-west is called Cape San Lucas. The other,
sixty miles east by north of San Lucas, is called Cape Palmo. The
peninsula is about seven hundred miles long.
Upper California extends, upon the Pacific, from the 32d parallel of
latitude, northward to the 42d parallel, a distance of about seven
hundred miles. It is separated from Oregon by a range of highlands,
called the Snowy Mountains, or, by the Spaniards, the Sierra Nevada.
The eastern limit of Upper California is rather uncertain. By some it
is considered as including the region watered by the Colorado River,
while others limit it by the great mountain range that extends along
the western side of the continent.
The Californian peninsula seems to be a prolongation of the great
western chain of mountains. It consists entirely of high, stony
ridges, separated by sandy valleys, and contains very few tracts of
level ground. In a general view, it might be termed an irreclaimable
desert. The scarcity of rain and the small number of springs of water,
with the intense heat of the sun's rays, uninterrupted in their
passage, render the surface of the country almost destitute of
vegetation. Yet in the small oases formed by the passage of a rivulet
through a sandy defile, where irrigation is possible, the ground may
be made to produce all the fruits of tropical climes, of the finest
quality, and in great quantity. The southern portion of the peninsula
contains several gold mines, which have been worked, though not to any
great extent. On the Pacific side, the coast offers many excellent
harbors, but the lack of fresh water near them proves an obstacle in
the way of their occupation. The principal harbors are the Bay of la
Magdalena, separated from the ocean by the long island of Santa
Margarita, the Bay of Sebastian Vizcaino, east of the Isle of Cedaro,
Port San Bartolomé, sometimes called Turtle Bay, and Port San Quintin,
a good harbor, with fresh water in the vicinity, and called by the
Spanish navigators the Port of the Eleven Thousand Virgins.
The great westernmost range of mountains runs northward from the
peninsula, nearly parallel with the Pacific coast, to the 34th
parallel of latitude, below which is Mount San Bernardin, one of the
highest peaks in California, about forty miles from the ocean. Farther
northward, the space between the mountains and the coast becomes
wider, and, in a few places, reaches eighty miles. The intermediate
region is traversed by lines of hills, or smaller mountains joined
with the great range. The most considerable of the inferior ridges
extends from Mount San Bernardin to the south side of the entrance of
the Bay of San Francisco, where it is called the San Bruno Mountains.
Between this range and the coast runs the Santa Barbara range,
terminating at the Cape of Pines, on the south-west side of the Bay of
Monterey. Bordering on the Bay of San Francisco, on the east side, is
the Bolbona ridge. Beyond these are lines of highlands which stretch
from the great chain and terminate in capes on the Pacific.
There are many streams among the valleys of Upper California, some of
which, in the rainy season, swell to a considerable size. But no
river, except the Sacramento, falling into the Bay of San Francisco,
is known to flow through the maritime range of mountains, from the
interior to the Pacific. The valleys thus watered offer abundant
pasturage for cattle.
The principal harbors of Upper California are those offered by the
Bays of San Francisco, Monterey, San Pedro, Santa Barbara, and San
Diego. The Bay of San Francisco is one of the finest harbors in the
world. The combined fleets of all the naval powers of Europe might
there find safe shelter. It is surrounded by ranges of high hills, and
joins the Pacific by a passage two miles wide and three in length. The
other harbors can only be frequented in the fine season, and afford a
very insecure shelter for vessels. San Diego is the farthest south.
The bay at that place runs ten miles eastward into the land, and is
separated from the ocean by a ridge of sand. Proceeding northward,
about seventy miles, the Bay of San Pedro is next met. It is open to
the south-west winds, but sheltered from the north-west. About a
hundred miles north-west of San Pedro, is the harbor of Santa Barbara.
It is an open roadstead sheltered from the north and west winds, but
exposed to the violence of the south-westerly storms, which prevail
during the greater part of the year. A hundred miles farther north is
the Bay of Monterey. It is extensive, and lies in an indentation of
the coast, somewhat semicircular. The southernmost portion is
separated from the ocean by the point of land ending at the Cape of
Pines. In the cove thus formed, stands the town of Monterey, for some
time the capital of California. The harbor affords but a poor shelter
from storms.
The Sacramento and San Joachim are the principal rivers of California,
but the Sacramento alone is navigable to any extent worthy of mention.
There are numerous small streams and lakes in the interior, the
principal outlet of which is the Colorado River. The valleys through
which these streams flow are fertile, and afford good pasture for
cattle; but the remainder of the region between the maritime and the
Colorado ranges of mountains is a barren waste of sand.