History of California, Volume IV, Part 10

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 820

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SPEAR'S LIGETER.

appear that any vessel was ever subjected to them. Their only effect was to offend the foreign traders.

In one other matter Chico had an opportunity of rendering an official decision bearing on trade. Na- than Spear had a schooner, or lighter, the Nicolás, which he used to carry produce between Monterey and Santa Cruz under a license of October 1835 from General Gutierrez. The ayuntamiento, with a view to certain dues, claimed the exclusive right to grant such licenses, and Spear had once been fined by the alcalde; but Chico decided against the municipal authorities, at the same time deciding further that Spear must sell his schooner unless he could prove himself a naturalized citizen or inscribed on the marine register. Spear subsequently transferred the Nicolás to San Francisco Bay.6

After the revolution of November, the new authori- ties, in compliance with demands of the foreigners, and probably in fulfilment of a previous agreement by which foreign support had been secured to the Cali- fornian cause, proceeded not only to restore to foreign vessels the right of engaging freely in the coasting trade as before, but reduced the rates of duties to forty per cent of the current tariff. This action was taken by the California congress December 9th.7 The decree was intended not only to please foreign trad- ers, but to reduce prices and prevent smuggling. Though the records are meagre, it seems to have had no other effect than to greatly reduce revenues.8

6 May 6-28, 1836. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lxxx. 5-9.

7 Dec. 9, 1836, decrec of the const. cong. Castro, Decretos, no. 9; Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., x. IS; Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxii. 53. 1. For the pres- ent, and until the state treasury system can be regulated, articles coming directly from foreign ports will pay only 40 per cent on the manifests as per general tariff in force. 2. The coasting trade, escala y cabotage, is permitted as before to foreign vessels. 3. They will pay tonnage ducs at 8 reals per ton. 4. In order to trade on the coast they must obtain from the govt of the state a passport, to be shown to local authorities. 5. Those auth. will not permit such trade except on presentation of passports, which they will coun- tersign. 6. To be published, obeyed, etc.

8 Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 183-4, says it was a success. Wilkes, Narr., v. 180, says the duties were donbled again before more than two ves- sels had benefited by the reduction.

COMMERCE, FINANCE, AND MARITIME AFFAIRS.

There were twenty-five vessels on the coast in 1836, besides three doubtful records, most of them belong- ing to the merchant fleet of earlier years. Such items of information respecting each as are extant I give with the list at the end of this chapter.º The Clem- entine, Don Quixote, Leonidas, and Leonor rendered some service to the government in bringing a governor, carrying away political exiles, and moving troops up and down the coast. The only other vessel requiring special mention here was the Peacock, because she came from the Islands ostensibly for the protection of American commerce, and accomplished her object by unknown methods, to the apparent satisfaction of the traders. The voyage also gave rise to the publi- cation of a book; but on both topics I shall have more to say in another chapter. The total amount of duties paid by all the vessels at the Monterey custom-house was, as nearly as I can ascertain, about $50,000 for the year.

By a Mexican decrec of February 17, 1837, Mon- terey was declared open to foreign commerce, with a custom-house of the third class. This was a privilege denied to San Francisco and San Diego, which ports were to be open to coasting trade only, though the former was to have a frontier custom-house. This involved a salary list of $16,140 per year, and was to go into effect six months after the date of publica- tion;10 but of course had no effect this year or the

9 Vessels of 1836: Aguirre (?), Alert, Angolo (?), Ayacucho, Bolivar, Brixon, California, Catalina, Clementine, Convoy, Diana, Don Quixote, Europa, Hector, Ionic (?), Isabella, Kent, Leonidas, Leonor, Loriot, Nicolás, Peacock, Peor es Nada, Pilgrim, Rasselas, Rosa, Sarah and Caroline, and Sitka. Total ex- ports to Honolulu, $73,900. Flagg's Report Com. Relations, i. 540, 34th cong. 1 sess., Sen. Ex. Doc., 107. Total receipts of custom-house, fiscal year 1835- 6, $56,741. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lxxxi. 45; or $44,649. Mexico, Mem. Hacienda, 1837, annex. 2, Ist series. Of which sum about $30,009 belongs to 1836. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Com. and Treas., MS., v. 2. Total of receipts recorded for different vessels as per list, $41,539.

10 Feb. 17th, Mexican decree, in Sup. Govt St. Pap., MS., xii. 3-4; xiii. 2; Pinart, Col., print, no. 474: Arrillaga, Recop., 1837, p. 85-120, 144-93, 242- 64, 372-5, 578-89, including much other matter on Mexican commercial regu-

WILLAMETTE CATTLE COMPANY.

next owing to existing political complications; nor do I find evidence of any variation in 1837 from the regulations of the preceding December. Respecting the general prospects, a Honolulu paper expressed some rather gloomy forebodings. "The state of busi- ness on the coast of California is so far from being favorable to the interests of maritime and commercial enterprise, that it begins to savor most decidedly of the real seasoning of positive ill luck. Business is dragging heavily, while governmental affairs are mel- ancholy," writes the editor; but the Hawaiians were disappointed that California had resumed her Mexican allegiance.11

An interesting topic of this year's annals, and one that may as appropriately be mentioned here as else- where, since it includes both a trade and a voyage, was the obtaining of a drove of California cattle for the American missionary establishment in Oregon, and for other settlers in the Willamette Valley. The Willamette Cattle Company was formed, and in Jan- uary a party of at least sixteen men12 started in canoes down the river. Ewing Young the trapper, formerly of California, was the active chief, while Philip L. Edwards, in later years a well known lawyer and poli- tician of Sacramento, was a kind of financial agent. Edwards kept a diary, a part of which in manuscript is before me, and is chiefly the source of my informa- tion.13 The party sailed from the Columbia River February 10th on the Loriot, the Llama at the same time bringing to California James Birnie, whose busi- ness was also to purchase cattle for the Hudson's Bay Company. Most of the party landed at Bodega on

lations, of this and later dates in 1837; Prieto, Rentas, 204; Mexico, Mem. Ilacienda, 1838, pt i. p. 7; Dicc. Univ., viii. 26.

11 Honolulu S. I. Gazette, Nov. 18, 1837.

12 The following 16 are named first and last in the diary; Phil. L. Edwards, Ewing Young, Lawrence Carmichael, Henry Wood, B. Williams, Hauchurst (Hawkhurst), Bailey, Erque (Erequette), Despau, Gay, O'Niel, Turner, Tib- betts, Moore, Camp, and Pet.

13 Edwards' diary of a journey from Oregon to Cal., 1837. The missing portion is the least important. The author came back to Cal. in 1850, and died in 1869. This diary was furnished by the author's daughter.

COMMERCE, FINANCE, AND MARITIME AFFAIRS.

the 27th; but the Loriot went on to Monterey, Ed- wards stopping at San Francisco, and Young going on to Santa Bárbara. During March, April, and May, Edwards visited the region of San Rafael, and made the trip by land from Monterey to San Francisco. He met several of the foreign residents,14 and his recorded observations are accurate and interesting, though brief and presenting no features requiring special notice here. At first Vallejo had regarded unfavorably, and Alvarado had rejected, the proposi- tions of Young and Birnie to purchase cattle,16 and there is no evidence that the determination was changed in Birnie's case; but Young, by personal solicitation, succeeded in gaining the consent of both governor and general, and he purchased from the government over seven hundred cattle, at three dol- lars each, to be delivered at San Francisco and San José missions. The wildest cattle are said to have been selected by the administrators; the time from June Ist to July 20th was employed in the task of collecting and driving the refractory animals to the bank of the San Joaquin. To get the drove across the river was a still more formidable undertaking, the perplexing, and to all but the drivers amusing, diffi- culties of which are graphically described by Edwards.

The fording of the Jesus Maria, or Sacramento, on

14 Those named are Leese, Marsh, Black, Spence-at whose house he was entertained at Monterey-Dye, Livermore, Gulnae, and Forbes. North of the bay he visited Cooper's Mill, Read's rancho, and Martin's rancho, being also entertained by Padre Quijas, who was very free with his wine. March 4th, Richardson writes of arrival of Young, and his trip to the south. He left cight Americans and three Ind. at Cooper's rancho. Vallejo, Doc., MS. xxxii. 76.

15 March 18, 1837, V. to A. He does not give his opinion decidedly, but suggests some objections as well as advantages, fearing a possible rivalry from the north in the stock-raising industry. If the petition be granted, the sales should be on govt account, and great precautions must be taken to prevent abuses. Vallejo, Doc., MS., iv. S3. May 3d, A. to V., declining to consent. Id., iv. 236. Jan. 10th, MeLoughlin at Vancouver to Vallejo, in reference to some complaints against Birnie in his past transactions in salting beef. Id., v. IS. Feb. 25th, V. to A. Expects a party of men sent by the govt of the Columbia to purchase cattle (for slaughter?), as permitted in 1834. Id., iv. 75. Marsh, Letter, MS., 16-IS, gives some information about the traffic and travel between Oregon and Cal. in 1837-42. The subject is also mentioned by Phelps, Fore and Aft, 471.

CATTLE FOR OREGON.

August 30th was more easily accomplished. The com- pany entered the mountains on the trail of Lafram- boise and his trappers. There is nothing in the diary to indicate the route followed; and Shasta Valley, reached on October 14th, is the only name applied to any locality. The journey was one of extraordinary hardships. Mountain succeeded mountain apparently without end, each higher and steeper than the one be- fore; until horses and cattle were wellnigh exhausted and the men utterly discouraged. Young and several others had been over the trail before, but never knew exactly where they were. Young quarrelled with his men about the killing of cattle for food, and there was much insubordination. An Indian was murdered by some of the party, who sought vengeance for outrages of the savages on earlier trips; and this not only ex- cited the indignation of Edwards, but caused the Ind- ians to continually harass the travellers at every difficult pass, several being wounded by arrows. The record ends abruptly on October 18th, leaving our ad- venturers in the midst of their troubles at a point four days' march beyond the crossing of the Shasta River; but we know from other sources that they reached the Willamette before the end of October with 600 of their cattle.16 This is the first instance clearly recorded in which cattle were obtained in Cal- ifornia for the north; though there are rumors that the Hudson's Bay Company had before driven a few from Ross by a coast route.

In August of this year Vallejo addressed to Alva- rado a communication on commercial reforms, which was printed in book form after being extensively cir- culated in manuscript.17 His plan was to prohibit all

16 Lee and Frost, Ten Years in Oregon, 145-6. It is said that they bought 800 cattle at $3 per head, and 40 horses at $12-in all $2,480 (?). The horses were sold in Oregon, and the cattle were found to have cost $7.67 each, the mission receiving as its share over SO head. Sce also Slacum's Report, 38- 9; Wilkes' Narr., iv. 384; Evans' Ilist. Or., MS., 212-13.

17 Vallejo, Exposicion que hace el Comandante General de la Alta California al Gobernador de la misma, 1837. (Sonoma, 1837.) 16mo, 21 p. A rare speci- men of early Californian printing, though the work is not so well done as

COMMERCE, FINANCE, AND MARITIME AFFAIRS.

coasting trade by foreign vessels, and to transfer the custom-house from Monterey to San Francisco. In defence of the first, he adduced the well known prac- tice on the part of traders of presenting themselves at Monterey with a few cheap articles for inspection, afterward taking on board from secure hiding-places the valuable part of the cargo, to be sold at other ports. Thus the revenue was grossly defrauded, leav- ing the government without funds. By the change proposed not only would smuggling cease and the rev- enues be augmented, but Californians would be encour- aged to become the owners of coasting vessels or to build up a system of inland communication by mule- trains. An attempt was made later, as we shall see, to carry this part of the plan into effect. The trans- fer of the custom-house was advocated on the ground of San Francisco's natural advantages, the number and wealth of the establishments tributary to the bay, and the importance of building up the northern fron- tier as a matter of foreign policy. Vallejo's views were for the most part sound, even if his motives were not quite disinterested;18 but naturally the scheme met with no favor at Monterey, either from the citi- zens or governor.

The fleet of 1837 numbered thirty-seven vessels, of which about a dozen were of the past year's list.19

some other books of the period. The original MS. is in Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxii. 108; and it is also found in Dept. St. Pap., S. José, MS., v. 107-18, in the form of an address to the ayunt. of S. José. The printed document is dated Aug. 17th, and the MS. Ang. 24th. Itisalso given in Vallejo, Ilist. Cal., MS., iii. 342-57.

18 Mofras, Explor., i. 498, declares that Vallejo's motive was really a desire to handle the revenues, and that Alvarado's refusal was the cause of their long quarrel; but Mofras was an enemy of Vallejo, whose only interested mo- tive was probably to increase the value of Sonoma property.

19 Vessels of 1837. See list at end of this chapter: Alert (?), Ayacucho, Baikal, Bo'ivar, Cadboro, California, California (schr), Catalina, City of Genoa, Clementine, C'offin, Com. Rodgers, Crusader, Delmira, Diana, Europa, Griffon, Indian, Harvest, Iolani, Isubella, Kent, Leonidas, Leonor, Llama, Loriot, Nancy, Pilgrim, Rasselas, Sarah and Caroline, Sitka, Starling, Sul- phur, Toward Castle, True Blue, Veloz Asturiano, Venus. According to Richardson's record, the vessels at S. F. were divided as follows: American 10, tonnage 2,673; English 5, S80 tons; Mexican 5, 897 tons; Ecuador 2, 252 tons; Hawaiian 1, 198 tons; Russian 2, 382 tons; total, 25, 5,282 tons. These vessels took away from S. F. produce to the amount of $75,711, divided as

VESSELS AND TRADE OF 1837-8.

There were four that had come in 1836 and simply sailed away this year. Five were whalers touching for supplies, and two of them lost on the Californian coast. Three were men-of-war, though on no war- like errand; while twenty-five made up the trading fleet proper. There is an almost total lack of data respecting cargoes and duties, but I suppose the lat- ter were considerably less than in 1836. Of matters connected with the visits of the Loriot and Llama, I have already spoken. The voyages of the English and French explorers Belcher and Petit-Thouars, with the published narratives of those voyages, will demand attention in another chapter; respecting other vessels of the year, there is no information extant be- yond what I give in the list for 1836-40.

The commercial annals of 1838 present in respect of regulations nothing more important than the de- cree of January 3d, by which Carlos Carrillo at- tempted to browbeat the arribeños by closing the port of Monterey and establishing the custom-house at San Diego- a decree which of course had no effect.20

There were twenty-two vessels in the list of 1838, of which thirteen appeared in that of the preceding year.21 Neither whalers nor men-of-war came to the

follows: Hides, 14,928; horns, 12,484; tallow, 11,731 arrobas; wheat, 5,060 arr .; dried beef, 925 arr .; flour, 522 arr .; lard, 514 arr .; potatoes, 856 arr .; pumpkins, 400 arr .; wool, 448 arr .; corn, 198 arr .; barley, 35 arr .; beans, 11 arr .; meat, 193 Ibs; beeves, 56; sheep, 100; deer-skins, 270; beaver-skins, 71 arrobas. From F'lagg's Report we learn that the imports from Cal. into Honolulu were $49,500 for the year.

20 Jan. 3, 1838, Carrillo's proclamation. S. Diego. Arch., MS., 193. See also chap. xix., vol. iii. of this work. May Ist, Mexican custom-house regu- lations, naming Monterey as an open port, and the other two as puertos de cabotage. Arrillaga, Recop., 1838, 144-221. Aug. Ist, no person must board a vessel before the revenue officers. Penalty, $10, $20, and finally that of a rebel. S. Diego, Arch., MS., 5.

21 Alert, Ayacucho, Bolívar, Cadboro, California, Catalina, Clara, Colum- bian (?), Delmira, Fearnaught, Flibbertygibbett, Index, Iolani, Kamamalu, Kent, Leonidas, Leonor, Llama, Nereid, Plymouth, Rasselas, and Sitka. Authorities on the disaster of the Llama, at Sta Rosa Island (see text): Honolulu S. I. Gazette, Jan. 19, Feb. 2, 1839; Niles' Reg., Ivi. 280; Larkin's Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., i. 1; Dept. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 58-61; S. Diego, Arch., MS., 218; Anderson's Hist. N. W. Coast, MS., 217-19; Nidever's Life, MS., 81-4. Total amount of produce taken away from S. F. this year, $81,700 or $86,600, according to two versions of Richardson's report; total tonnage, 3,910

COMMERCE, FINANCE, AND MARITIME AFFAIRS.

coast, so far as the records show. The few and mea- gre items of revenue extant form perhaps no basis for a general estimate, though they seem to indicate a continued decrease in custom-house receipts. The only vessel in this year's fleet requiring further notice than that given in the list was the Llama. We have seen that in 1837 James Birnie, representing the Hudson's Bay Company, had tried without success to obtain a license to hunt otter on the Californian coast. It does not appear that the company went any further in the matter; but Captain John Bancroft of the Llama, the vessel that had brought Birnie from the north, went on with his otter-hunting op- erations in defiance of the laws. It is probable that he made a successful trip in the spring of 1838, since he touched at Honolulu in the summer on his way from California to the Columbia River, having on board twenty-seven north-western Indians. His wife was with him on the vessel. In the autumn, with the same crew, or more probably a new one, of twenty- five fierce Kaiganies, he came down the coast to Santa Rosa Island, and began work again. George Nidever, an old otter-hunter, still living in 1880, tells some ex- citing tales of conflicts which he and his companions had in these years with the north-western Indians at the islands; and he mentions an unsuccessful attempt to capture at Santa Rosa a vessel which may have been the Llama. On November 21st, Bancroft, having had an altercation with one of his hunters in the morning, received a volley of musket-balls in the back while standing at the gangway looking over the ship's side, and fell mortally wounded. Mrs Bancroft threw herself upon her husband's body, and was ter- ribly wounded by a second volley from the muskets of the savages. A seaman, attempting to arm him- self, was also killed; and then the Indians, seizing the

tons. 30,000 Californian hides were received at Honolulu and reexported. Honolulu Hawaiian Spectator, i. 2. Total of exports to Honolulu, $01,900. Flagg's Report.

DEATH OF JOHN BANCROFT.

vessel, forced Robinson, the mate, to direct her course to the north. When the Kaiganies reached their home, they landed in their canoes, and allowed the Llama, stripped of all they could carry away, to con- tinue her voyage. She arrived at Honolulu January 13, 1839; and on the 27th Mrs Bancroft died there from the effect of her wounds. F. D. Atherton, in notifying Thomas O. Larkin from Honolulu of what had happened, adds: "Sparks may now have the range of the whole coast without interruption, as there will be no more vessels fitted out from here." On the very day of Mrs Bancroft's death, Governor Alvarado, having become convinced somewhat tardily that Bancroft was taking otter illegally on the coast, appointed the negro Allen G. Light a ‘comisario gen- eral' to put a stop to such proceedings, using force if necessary !

It had become customary to accept goods from for- eign vessels in payment of duties to such an extant that coin was almost entirely removed from circulation ; and the prices of goods thus paid had been gradually raised to exorbitant figures. To prevent these evils, a decree was issued by Alvarado, through Adminis- trator Osio, in April 1839, fixing by a graduated scale the proportion of duties that must be paid in coin, never less than one third of the whole amount. More- over, persons holding custom-house orders on vessels- for the duties were almost always anticipated by the issuance of such orders-need not take goods in pay- ment if the prices were deemed excessive, but might require hides or tallow at current rates.22

22 April 8, 9, 1839, circulars of Alvarado and Osio. Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., iii. 21; Id., Cust .- H., v. 12-13. If the whole duty was $3,000 or less, all was to be paid in silver; on $3,000 to $6,000, 66 per cent in silver; on $6,000 to $12,000, 50 per cent; and over $12,000, 33 per cent. When the part to be paid in silver was over $6,000, it might be paid in three instalments. Osio, Hist. Cal., MS., 402-4, mentions this action, but gives the scale incorrectly. Some miscellaneous items of the year: Jan. 31st, Osio to Alvarado. Foreign effects prohibited by law, but the admission of which is required by necessity, will pay a fixed duty of not less than 40 per cent. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Cust .- HI., MS., v. 4. Tonnage paid, $2.12 per ton, Mexican measurement, always

COMMERCE, FINANCE, AND MARITIME AFFAIRS.

I note a few general items of the year as follows: In May Vallejo urged upon the Mexican government the expediency of admitting free of duties for ten years the cargoes of such vessels as should touch at San Francisco only, with a view to build up Sonoma and the northern frontier.23 In the same month John Temple at Los Angeles wrote to Larkin: "Business is almost at a complete stand. I have not done half as much as I did last year by this time"24_yet busi- ness men have been known to complain of dull times without much cause. Forbes published extracts from various letters relating in a general way to commerce on the coast, and incidentally to California.25 In Au- gust Larkin issued a circular address to whalers, setting forth the advantages of Monterey as a station for ves- sels visiting the north-west coast.26 In August also Juan Bandini came to the front with a proposition to revive the failing prosperity of the country by prohib- iting the introduction of foreign liquors and wines.27 The settlers north of the bay announced in print that they would no longer trade with foreign vessels un- less the latter would take all kinds of produce in ex- change for goods.29 The traders often took articles they did not want for their own cargoes, to be ex- changed with others in a different line. All would in coin. Pinto, Doc., MS., i. 244. July 22d, Osio to Guerra. The evil of vessels entering other ports before coming to Monterey inust be stopped. If forced to enter, a guard must be put on board, and receive $50 for his ser- vices. Guerra, Doc., MS., vi. 24. Aug. 16th, 17th, decrees regulating land- ing of sailors from whalers and other vessels. Hunt's Merchants' Mag., iii. 461- 2; Dept. St. Pap., Mont., MS., iv. 13. Aug. 22d, Oct. 12th, Mexican regu- lations Arrillaga, Recop., 1339, p. 194-5, 240-2. Oct. 23d, Vallejo to capt. port at S. F. Foreign lighters, launches, or boats to do no carrying trade on the coast. Vallejo, Doc., MS., viii. 231. July, the vessel in which Sutter came with difficulty got permission to remain 48 hours at S. F. for repairs, etc. Not allowed to remain for festivities of July 4th. Sutter's Pers. Recol., MS., 13-15. Nov. 16th, Osio complains that contraband goods are introduced from Ross at S. F., where there is no receptor.

23 May 10, 1839, V. to min. of war. Vallejo, Doc., MS., vii. 28.

24 May 23, 1839, Temple to Larkin, in Larkin's Doc., MS., i. 5.

25 Forbes' Hist. Cal., 332, etc.

26 Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxii. 294. The circular was intended mainly as an advertisement of Larkin's private business.

2i Aug. 9, 1839, B. to ayunt. of Angeles. Leg. Rec., MS., iii. 44-6.

28 Aug. 15, 1839, Salvador Vallejo for the northern rancheros. Earliest Print.

COASTING TRADE-VESSELS OF 1839.

take hides or tallow or furs, as these articles were easily interchangeable.

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History of California, Volume IV, Part 10

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 820

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 820