USA > California > History of California, Volume III > Part 17
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In December, Fitch and his wife were repeatedly interrogated before the ecclesiastical court, and Fiscal Palomares for a third time ventilated his legal learning. He now admitted his belief that the motives of the accused had been honest and pure, also that the affair might be settled without referring it to the bishop, but still maintaining the nullity of the marriage.04 Fitch presented in his own behalf an elaborate argu- ment against the views of the fiscal, complaining of his business losses, and of the threatened illegitimacy of his son, but for which he would be glad to have the marriage declared null and to marry over again.
64 The objections to the marriage certificate-of which I have the authen- ticated copy made at this trial-were that it was slightly torn and blotted; that it included no statement of the city or church where the ceremony was performed; that the paper was neither legalized before 3 escribanos, nor viséd by the Chilian minister of foreign affairs. Moreover, P. Orrego, not being the curate of the parties, could not marry them without a dispensation from the bishop.
144
MARITIME AND COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS.
Many witnesses were examined, both at San Gabriel and San Diego. On the 28th of December the vicar rendered his decision, Christi nomine invocato, that the fiscal had not substantiated his accusations; that the marriage at Valparaiso, though not legitimate, was not null, but valid; that the parties be set at liberty, the wife being given up to the husband; and that they be velados the next Sunday, receiving the sacraments that ought to have preceded the marriage cere-
mony. "Yet, considering the great scandal which Don Enrique has caused in this province, I condemn him to give as a penance and reparation a bell of at least fifty pounds in weight for the church at Los Angeles, which barely has a borrowed one." More- over, the couple must present themselves in church with lighted candles in their hands to hear high mass for three dias festivos, and recite together for thirty days one third of the rosary of the holy virgin. Let us hope that these acts of penance were devoutly per- formed. The vicar did not fail to order an investiga- tion of the charges against Padre Menendez, who had acted irregularly in advising the parties to leave the country ; but nothing is recorded of the result. 65
Only seventeen vessels are named in the records of 1830, besides four that rest on doubtful authority; so that commercial industry would seem to show dimin- ished prosperity ; yet the records of this final year of the decade are less complete than before.66 A Mexican report makes the revenue receipts at San Diego for
65 Fitch, Causa Criminal seguida, en el Juzgado Eclesiástico y Vicaria Fora- nea de la Alta California, contra Don Enrique Domingo Fitch, Anglo-Ameri- cano, por el matrimonio nulo contraido con Doña Josefa Carrillo, natural de San Diego. Año de 1830, MS. This most interesting collection of over 30 doenments, of which I have given a brief résumé, is the original authority on the whole matter. Jan. 9, 1831, Fitch writes from San Gabriel to Capt. Cooper, denying the rumors current at Sta Bárbara that he was doing penance; says P. Sanchez treated him very well, and seemed anxious to let him off as easy as possible. He has had trouble with the parents of Doña Josefa, who abused her, and he will not leave his wife with them. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxx. 171.
66 See list at end of this chapter. The vessels of 1830 were the Ayacucho, Brookline, Catalina (?), Chalcedony (?), Convoy, Cyrus. Danube, Dryad, Emily,
145
TRADE IN IS30.
the year $22,432, while the custom-house records seem to make the amount $36,875.67 No vessel of the year seems to require special notice, neither were there any important modifications in trade or revenue regulations. Commercial and maritime annals of 1830 are thus wellnigh a blank.63 I append an alphabet- ical list of all the vessels, about 100 in number, be- sides doubtful records, touching on the coast in 1825- 30, with such items about each as are accessible and apparently worth preserving. I might add the dates at which all the vessels, or most of them, touched at the different ports on their successive trips; but the information would be of great bulk and little real value.63
Funchal, Globe, Jura, Leonor, Maria Ester, Planet, Pocahontas, Seringapa- tan (?), Thomas Nowlan, Volunteer, Washington (?), Whaleman.
G7 Unsueta, Informe, 1829, doc. 9. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Cust .- 11., MS., i. passim.
C8 A few miscellaneous notes of minor importance are as follows: Feb. 19, 1830, one sixth of duties deducted in case of national vessels from foreign ports. Dept. Rec., MS., viii. 22., April 23d, agreement between J. C. Jones, Jr., and Cooper, by which the former is to furnish a vessel under Mexican flag, for coasting trade, collecting furs, otter-hunting, etc., to be carried on by the two in partnership. Vallejo, Doc., MS., i. xxx. 45. Nov. 24th, gov. says the vice-president complains that many vessels becoming nationalized do not comply with the laws requiring officers and one third of the crew to be Mexicans-a necessary formality to reduce the duties. Dept. Rec., MS., viii. 125. Aug. 17th, action of the dip. regulating the duties on timber exported- the proceeds belonging to the propios y arbitrios fund. Leg. Rec., MS., i. 166-7. Mar. 31st, Mex. law on seizure of contraband goods. Arrillaga, Recop., 1831, 227-33. Aug. 24, law on consumption duty on foreign goods. Id., 1831, p. 233- 6. Mexicans engaged in taking otter have no duties to pay to national treas- ury. Two citizens of Sta Bárbara were engaged in the business at the islands. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lxxxviii. 4. June 30th, J. B. Lopez allowed to take otter, paying from $1 to $3 per skin to the territorial treasury. Dept. Rec., viii. 52, 130. In June Maneisidor writes to Guerra very discouragingly respecting the prospects of the trade in Cal. hides and tallow. This state of things was largely due to the inferior quality of the Cal. products, resulting from the carelessness of excessive speculation. All dealers suffer, and some will be ruined. Cal. hides bring less than those of Buenos Aires, being too dry and too much stretched. Guerra, Doc., Hist. Cal., MS., vi. 140-1.
09 List of vessels in Californian ports, 1825-30:
Adam, Amer. ship, 296 tous; Daniel Fallon, master; at S. Francisco in Oct. 1826.
Alliance, Amer. ship; doubtfully recorded as having arrived at Monterey in Oct. 1826.
Alvin, doubtful whaler of 1829.
America, doubtful whaler of 1829.
Andes, Amer. brig, 122 or 172 tons; Seth Rogers, master; on coast from spring of 1828 (perhaps autumn of 1827) to spring of 1829; paid $130 at HIST. CAL., VOL. III. 10
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MARITIME AND COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS.
Mont., and was in some trouble about duties at S. Diego, where she loaded salt meat.
Ann, Engl. ship; Burnie, master; in Spence's list for 1829.
Apollo, whaler; at Sta Cruz, 1825.
Aquiles, Span. man-of-war; Pedro Angulo, com .; at Sta B. in May 1825. (See text. )
Arab, Amer. brig. My fragment of her original log ends Jan. 5, 1825, at Pt Pinos. She re-appeared under a Russian name in IS28, having been sold to the Rnss. Co.
Argosy, Russ. brig, 140 tons; Inestrnmo, master; at Monterey and Bodega in 1826, from Sitka.
Asia, Span. ship of war, 70 guns, 400 men; José Martinez, com .; surren- dered at Mont., 1825; also called San Gerónimo. (See text.)
Ayacucho, Engl. brig, 232 tons; Joseph Snook, master; arr. Mont. from Honolulu in Oct. 1830. (See later lists. )
Baikal, Russ. brig, 202 tons; up and down the coast from Ross to S. Diego each year from 1826 to 1830; Beuseman master, and Khlébnikof super- cargo, in 1826; paid $1,216 at S. Diego; Etholin, master in 1828; brought vaccine matter in 1829.
Becket, Hamburg brig; doubtfully recorded as having trouble about smug- gling at S. Diego in 1828.
Bengal, Engl. ship; in Spence's list for 1825.
Blossom, Engl. explor. ship; Beechcy, com .; at S. Fran. and Mont. in autumn of 1826 and 1827. (See text.)
Brillante, perhaps at S. Diego from S. Blas in Jan. 1828.
Brookline, Amer. ship, 376 or 417 tons, from Boston; Jas O. Locke, master; Wm A. Gale, sup .; Alf. Robinson, clerk; Arther, mate; Bryant & Sturgis, owners; arr. Mont. Feb. 1829; paid $31,000 at S. Diego; wintered on the coast until 1830. (Sce text.)
Cadboro, Engl. schr, 71 tons; Simpson, master; at S. Fran. from Colum- bia Riv. Dee. 1827.
Catalina, Mex. brig; C. Cristen, master; Enlogio Célis, sup .; doubtful record in Hayes' list, 1830.
Chalcedony, bark; Jos Steel, master; doubtful record of IS30.
Charles, Amer. whaler, 301 tons, 21 men; S. Fran. 1826.
Clio, Amer. brig, 179 tons; Aaron W. Williams, master; came in 1828 to load with tallow for Chili.
Comète, French ship, 500 tons, 43 men; Antoine Placiat, master; came in 1827 as a rival to the Héros; tonnage at Mazatlan; duties, $1,048 at Sta B.
Constante, Span. man-of-war; surrendered with the Asia at Mont. in 1825. Convoy, brig; at S. Fran. in Oct. 1830, paying $321.
Courier, Amer. ship, 200 or 293 tons; Wm Cunningham, master; Thos Shaw, sup .; Geo. W. Vincent on board; on the coast from 1826 (possibly 1825) to 1828, paying $937. $1,586, and $186 in duties on different occasions.
Cyrus, Amer. whaler, 320 tons, 22 men; Dav. Harriens, master; at S. F. in 1826; also at Sta B. Dec. 1830, with 1,500 bbls oil, to be coopered at S. Diego.
Danube, Amer. ship from N. Y .; Sam. Cook, master; arr. early in 1830, and was soon wrecked at S. Pedro; hull sold for $1,761 and cargo for $3,316 in Feb. to Dana and Gnerra.
Dhaulle (or Dolly?), Amer. brig; Wm Warden, master; at Mont. July 1829, from Honolulu; carried 47 horses to the Islands.
Don, whaler; at Sta B. 1825.
Dryad, Engl. brig, from Columbia River; arr. Mont. Dec. 22, IS30.
Eagle, Amer. schr; at Sta B. Jan. 1825 (re-named Sta Apolonia, q. v.) Elena, Russ. brig; Moraviof, master; 16 guns, 49 men, 10 officers; Karl von Schmidt and Nicolai Molvisto, passengers; wintered at S. Fran. 1825-6. Eliza, Engl. brig; J. Morphew (or Murphy), master; 1825-6; $9,500 of cloth to MeC., HI. & Co .; paid $1, 112 duties at Sta B.
Emily Marsham; at Sta B. Sept. 1828, from Sandw. Isl .; took prisoners from Sta B. in Feb. 1830; perhaps had returned in autumn of 1829.
147
MARINE LIST 1823-30.
Factor, Amer. whaler; John Alexy, master; at S. Fran. 1825.
Favorite, Engl. whaler, 377 tons, 35 men; Jolin Fort (Ford ?), master; at Sta B., from London, Oct. 1827.
Fenix, whaler, 300 tons; Wm Ratiguende (?), master, 1S2S.
Franklin, Amer. whaler, 294 tons; Wn Coffin, master; at S. Fran. 1826.
Franklin, Amer. ship, 333 tons; John Bradshaw, master; Rufus Perkins, and later J. A. C. Holmes, sup .; on the coast from 1827 to 1829. (See text for her troubles at S. Diego in 1828. )
Fulham, Engl. brig; Virmond, owner; came for hides and tallow, and win- tered 1827-S.
Funchal, Engl. brig, 190 tons; Stephen Anderson, master, owner, and sup .; on the coast from autumn of 1828 to Feb. 1830, sailing from S. Pedro with 16,400 hides.
General Bravo, Mex. brig, 100 or 180 tons; Melendez, master; at Mont. Oct .- Dec. 1826, with tobacco.
General Sucre, Amer. brig; Cárlos Pitnak, or Pitnes (?), master; left a deserter S. Diego, 1S2S.
Globe, Amer. brig, 190 tons; Moore, master; at Monterey 1830, for Guay- mas
Golornin, Russ. brig; at Mont. Dec. 1827.
Griffon, Amer. brig, from Honolulu; Peirce, master, 1828.
Guibale (or Gaibale?), Amer. schr, 121 tons; Thos Robbins, master; at Sta B. April 182S.
Harbinger, Amer. brig, 180 tons; Jos Steel, master and consignec; Tlos B. Park, sup .; two trips from the Islands in 1826-S; paid $150, $576, $1,250; carried away two fugitive friars in Jan. 1828.
Helvetius, doubtful whaler of 1829. (See later lists.)
Héros, French ship, 230 tons; Auguste Duhaut-Cilly, master; trading on the coast IS27-S. (Sce text.)
Huascar, Engl. brig under Peruvian flag, 249 tons; Scott, Alex. Skee, or J. M. Oyagüc, master; Hartnell, passenger; cons. to McC., H., & Co., 1827-3; paid $10 at S. Fran.
Inca, Engl. brig, 170 tons, 11 guns; Wm Prouse (or Prause), master; from Callao to McC., H., & Co. in 1826 (possibly arr. in 1825); then to Liverpool in 128 days.
Indian, Engl. ship; in Spence's list of 1829.
Inore, Hawaiian brig, 155 tons, 1826.
Isabellu (or Sarah and Elizabeth), Engl. whaler, 250 tons, 2S men; Ed- ward David, master; Mrs Hartnell, passenger; at Sta B., from Mont. Oct. 1827.
James Coleman, Engl .; Hennet, master; in Spence's list for 1829.
Jóven Angustias, Mex. schr; at Sta B. Sept. 1820; also doubtful record of 1825.
Juan Battey, doubtful name of IS25; John Burton, master.
Junius, Engl. brig; Carter, master; at Mont. in 1825, paying $3,663 duties. Jura, Engl. brig; at Sta B., from Mazatlan, May 1830.
Karimobo (or Carimacu), Hawaiian brig, 128 tons; Jolin Lawlor, master; Win Watts (?), sup .; on the coast 1827-8, paying $14 and $314. (See text for smuggling adventures.)
Kiakhta, Russ. brig, built in Cal., running between Ross and S. Fran .; wintered at S. Fran. 1825-6 and 1828-9; paid $05 and $1,548.
Laperin (or Lapwing?), Russ. brig; doubtful record of Nov. 1828.
Leonor, Mex. ship, 207 tons; 23 men; Ilenry D. Fitch, master; brought convicts in 1830. (Sco text for Fitch's runaway marriage.)
Madalena (or Victoria), Mex. schr, 90 tons; Ramon Sanchez, master; on coast winter of 1827-8.
Maria Ester, Mex. brig, 170 or 93 tons; owned by Henry Virmond, who was on board in 1828; came from Lima or Mex. ports every year from 1825 to 1830; Davis, master in 1825; to McC., H , & Co. ; paid $308; Fitch, mas- ter 1826-9; brought artillery in 1828; John A. C. Holmes, master in 1830; brought convicts. Possibly 2 vessels of same name.
148
MARITIME AND COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS.
Maria Theresa, Amer. whaler, 291 tons; Wm Guilcost, master; at S. Fran. 1826.
Massachusetts, Amer. whaler, 343 tons, 21 men; Seth Calheart (?), master; at S. Fran. Oct. 1827.
Mercury, Amer. whaler, 340 tons; Wm Austin, master; at Sta B. Nov. 1826.
Mero, Amer. ship, 300 tons; Barcelo Juain (?), master; doubtful record at Sta B. Nov. 1826.
Merope, Engl. ship from Calcutta and China; Espeleta, sup .; at S. Fran. Sept. 1825.
Minerva, Amer. whaler, 160 tons; D. Cornelio, master; at Sta B. Oct. 1828.
Moor, whaler of 1826.
Morelos (formerly S. Carlos), Mex. transport; Flaminio Agazini, com .; at Mont. and S. Fran. 1825.
Nile, Amer. brig; Robert Forbes, master; trouble about $600 duties in 1825.
Okhotsk, Russ. brig, 150 tons; Dionisio Zarembo, master; on the coast 1827-8-9; paid $55 and $179; in trouble for having transferred cargo to Kiakhta.
Oliphant, brig; doubtful record as having loaded at Callao for Cal. in 1827.
Olive Branch, Engl. brig, 204 tons, 13 men; Wm Henderson, master; Jas Scott, snp .; cons. to Mancisidor from Callao for hides and tallow; win- tered 1826-7, paying $510.
Orion, Amer. whaler, 350 tons, 22 men; Alfon Alfe (?), master; at Sta B. Oct., 1827, from Sandw. Isl.
Paragon, Amer. whaler, 309 tons, 23 men; Dav. Edwards, master; at S. Fran. 1826.
Paraiso (or Paradise), Hamburg schr, 123 tons, 11 men; Henry Adams, master; cons. to Mancisidor in 1827; paid $3,907 and $631.
Peruvian, Amer. whaler, 331 tons, 22 men; Alex. Macy, master; at S. Fran. 1826.
Pizarro, Engl. brig, 1825-6; cons. probably to McC., H., & Co .; paid $1,712, and $523.
Planet (or Plant), Amer. ship, 208 tons, 20 men; Jos Steel and John Rutter, masters, 1829-30.
Plowboy, Amer. whaler, Chadwick, master; at S. Fran. 1825.
Pocahontas, whaler, 309 tons, in 1828.
Pocahontas, Amer. ship, 21 men; John Bradshaw, master; Thos Shaw, sup .; autumn of 1830.
Rascow, whaler, 362 tons; Geo. Reed, master, 1828.
Recovery, Engl. whaler; Wm Fisher, master: at S. Fran. 1825.
Rosalía, Amer. ship, 323 tons; Bruno Colespedriguez (?), master; at S. Pedro, Oct. 1829.
Rover, Cal. schooner, 83 tons; Cooper, master; Argüello, owner; made a trip to China and back 1825-6, and then sailed for Mex. ports; paid $812; left $5,230 in goods at S. Diego. (See text.)
Sachem, Amer. ship, Bryant & Sturgis, owners; Wm A. Gale, sup .; on the coast from 1825 to Jan. 1827, when she sailed for Boston; duties as recorded $489, $2,063, $232.
Santa Apolonia (formerly Eagle), Mex. schr; Mannel Bates, master; Ramon Sanchez, sup .; Urbano Sanchez, owner; loaded with tallow at S. Luis Obispo in Aug. 1826.
Santa Barbara, schr. built in Cal. 1829 for otter-hunting and coast trade. Sta Rosa, doubtful name of 1823.
Seringapatan, East Ind. ship, grounded on Blossom Rock in IS30 (per- haps an error in date).
Sirena, vaguely mentioned as having brought money to Cal. in 1826.
Snow, doubtful record of 1825.
Solitude, Amer. ship, or Engl. brig; Jas or Chas Anderson, master, 1826-8.
149
MARINE LIST 1825-30.
Speedy, Engl. brig, to MeC., H. & Co., 1826; carried $26,997 of tallow to Callao.
Spy, Amer. schr, 75 tons, accompanying the Sachem and offered for sale; Geo. Smith, master; on the coast 1825-7; also called in some records the Spray.
Susana, Engl. ship; Swain, master; in Spence's list for 1829.
Tamaahmaah, Hawaiian brig, 180 tons; Robt J. Elwell, master or sup. in 1827; John Meek in 1829.
Tartar, Amer. schr; Benj. Morrell, master; on the coast 1825. (See text for captain's adventures and book. )
Telemachus, Amer. brig; Jas Gillespie, master; from the Isl. in 1828 for trade and repairs; accused of smuggling.
Tenieya, Amer. brig; paid $232 at Sta B. 1827.
Thomas Nowlan, Engl. ship, 201 or 301 tons; Wm Clark, master, 1826- 7; cons. to Mancisidor; paid $2,185 and $2,199; John Wilson, inaster, 1828- 30; paid $85S.
Tiemechmach (?), Amer. brig from N. Y .; John Michi (Meek ?), master, 1825.
Times, Engl. whaler, 407 tons; Wm Ross, master; at Sta B. Oct. 1828. Timorelan, Haw. brig, 160 tons, seal-liunter; at Sta B. Sept. 1826.
Tomasa, at Sta B. 1827, paying $1,570; also doubtful record of 1825.
Trident, Amer. ship, 450 tons; Felix Estirten (?), master; at S. Pedro Oct. 1829.
Triton, whaler, 300 tons, 1825-6; Jean Opham, or Ibre Albet (?), masters. Perhaps two vessels.
Verale, Amer. schr, 140 tons; Wm Deny, master, 182S.
Volunteer, Amer. bark, 126 or 226 tons; Wm S. Hinkley, master; Jolin C. Jones, owner; from Sandw. Isl. 1829-30; carried Solis and other prison- ers to S. Blas in 1830; paid $4,054 at S. Fran.
Vulture (or Buitre), Engl. brig, 101 tons; Rich. Barry, master; Virmond, owner; from Callao 1828-9; paid $1,130.
Warren, Amer. whaler; Wm Rice, master, 1826; also Amer. ship, per- haps the same, at Mont. Dec. 1829.
Washington, Amer. schr, 52 or 140 tons; Robt Elwell, master from 1828; A. B. Thompson, sup .; from Sandw. Isl. 1825-6-7-8-9 and perhaps 1830; paid $49, $232, $93; carried horses to Honolulu.
Washington, whaler, 317 tons; Wm Kelley, master, IS26.
Waverly, Haw. brig, 142 tons, 9 men, 40 kanaka hunters; Wm G. Dana, master, 1826; carried away 1,428 guilders, 2,000 Span. dollars, 4 bars silver, 138 otter skins, 212 seal skins; Robbins, master, 1827-8; John Temple, passenger, 1827, from Islands; in 1829 carried horses to Honolulu.
Whaleman, schr; at S. Fran. winter of 1825-6; perhaps a whaler. Writ- ten also Gueiman.
Whaleman, brig, 316 tons; Jos. Paddock, master; from Society Isl. 1830. Wilmantic, Amer. whaler, 384 tons; Juan Bois, master, 1828.
Wilmington, Amer. ship, 364 tons; John Bon, master; at S. Pedro Oet. 1829. (Probably same as preceding. )
Young Tartar (or Joven Tartar), Engl. schr, 95 tons; John Brown (?), master, 1826-7 (possibly 1825); paid $580; cargo insured in London 1827 for £4,000.
Zamora, Wm Sumner, master.
My authorities for the items of this list are more than 1,000 in number, chiefly in manuscript records. As each vessel would require a mention of from 1 to 20 titles, it is not practicable to give the references separately; and in a group for all maritime affairs they would be of little practical value; therefore I omit them, though I have the prepared list before me. The most important have been named in the notes of this chapter.
CHAPTER VI.
OVERLAND-SMITH AND PATTIE-FOREIGNERS 1826-1830.
THE EASTERN FRONTIER-THE TRAPPERS-FIRST VISITORS BY THE OVER- LAND ROUTE-JEDEDIAH SMITH, 1826-S-ERRORS CORRECTED-ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS-THE SIERRA NEVADA CROSSED AND RE-CROSSED-FIRST ENTRY OF THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY-MCLEOD AND OGDEN-PAT- TIE'S VISIT AND IMPRISONMENT, 1828-30-FLINT'S NARRATIVE-TRUTII AND FICTION -- A TOUR OF VACCINATION-'PEG-LEG' SMITH -- TRAPPING LICENSE OF EXTER AND WILSON-VACA FROM NEW MEXICO-EWING YOUNG AND HIS HUNTERS FROM NEW MEXICO-FOREIGN RESIDENTS- ANNUAL LISTS OF NEW-COMERS-REGULATIONS ON PASSPORTS AND NAT- URALIZATION.
FOR forty years California had been visited with increasing frequency by foreigners, that is, by men whose blood was neither Indian nor Spanish. Eng- land, the United States, Russia, and France were the nations chiefly represented among the visitors, some of whom came to stay, and to all of whom in the order of their coming I have devoted some atten- tion in the annals of the respective years. All had come from the south, or west, or north by the broad highway of the Pacific Ocean bounding the territory on the west and leading to within a few miles of the most inland Spanish establishments. The inland boun- dary-an arc whose extremities touch the coast at San Diego and at 42°, an arc for the most part of sierras nevadas so far as could be seen, with a zone of desert beyond as yet unknown-had never yet been crossed by man of foreign race, nor trod, if we except the
( 150 )
151
WESTWARD MOVEMENT.
southern segment cut by a line from San Gabriel to Mojave, by other than aboriginal feet.1
Meanwhile a grand advance movement from the Atlantic westward to the Mississippi, to the plains, to the Rocky Mountains, and into the Great Basin had been gradually made by the fur-hunting pioneers of the broad interior struggling onward from year to year against obstacles incomparably greater than those presented by the gales and scurvy of the Pacific. If I were writing the history of California alone, it would be appropriate and probably necessary to present here, en résumé at least, the general move- ment to which I have alluded, embodying the annals of the various fur companies. But the centre of the fur trade was much farther north, and its annals can- not be profitably separated from the history of the North-west. For this reason-bearing in mind also those portions of my work relating locally to Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona -I feel justified in referring the reader for the gen- eral exploration westward to other chapters of other volumes, and in confining my record here to such expeditions as directly affect Californian territory.
These began in 1826, when the inland barrier of mountain and desert was first passed, and from that date the influx of foreigners by overland routes be- comes a topic of ever growing importance. It is well, however, to understand at the outset, that respecting the movements of the trappers no record of even tolera- ble completeness exists, or could be expected to exist. After 1826 an army of hunters, increasing from hun- dreds to thousands, frequented the fur-producing
1 A few English and American deserters, leaving their vessels at Todos Santos or thereabouts, had on two or three occasions been sent across the frontier to S. Diego, forming an exception of little importance to my general statement. Another exception of somewhat greater weight rests in the possi- bility that trappers may have crossed the northern frontier before 1826. It is not improbable that Hudson's Bay Company men may have done so from the Willamette Valley on one or more occasions, though there is no more definite record than the rumor of 1820-1, that foreign hunters were present in the north, and the newspaper report of Mckay's presence in Siskiyou in 1823.
152
OVERLAND-SMITH AND PATTIE-FOREIGNERS.
streams of the interior, and even the valleys of Cali- fornia, flitting hither and thither, individuals and parties large or small according to the disposition of the natives, wandering without other motive than the hope of more abundant game, well acquainted with the country, as is the wont of trappers, but making no maps and keeping no diaries. Occasionally they came in contact with civilization east or west, and left a trace in the archives; sometimes a famous trap- per and Indian-fighter was lucky enough to fall in with a writer to put his fame and life in print; some of them lived later among the border settlers, and their tales of wild adventure, passing not without modification through many hands, found their way into newspaper print. Some of them still live to re- late their memories to me and others, sometimes truly and accurately, sometimes confusedly, and sometimes falsely, as is the custom of trappers like other men. I make no claim of ability to weave continuity from fragments, bring order from chaos, distinguish in every instance truth from falsehood, or build up a narrative without data; nevertheless, I proceed with confidence to write in this chapter and others of the men who came to California overland from the east.
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