USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, etc., from original drawings, including biographical sketches > Part 20
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FIRST SETTLEMENTS BY GOLD HUNTERS.
together with three of his men, and expressed his readiness to fulfill his agreement. One of them gave me several varicties of herbs, which I accepted and ate, and gave him to under- and that they were very good. Before taking me, however, they demauded some presents as a compensation for the ser- vices they were about to render. All the beads and trinkets in our possession were gathered together and given to theni. These, however, were not sufficient, and more were required. Their demand for more was repeated, and compliance on our part yielded, until everything we had, save such things as nec- essity absolutely required us to retain-even blankets that had been allotted to ine-were given up to them, in order, if possi- ble, to avoid offending them. At length they seemed satisfied that they had gotten all they could, when the chief very cooly turned to his inen and bade them return to their home, he fol- lowing after them, leaving us to regret the folly and indiscretion committed, in reposing too much confidence in a race of beings, known by all experience to be totally unworthy of it.
While these preliminaries were being arranged, I was busied in dragging myself upon a litter that had been prepared for me. This was a difficult task. I could not endure assistance my leg was so much swollen and inflamed, and so exceedingly sensitivo in getting upon it. I however finally succeeded, and had prepared myself to bid farewell, most likely forever, to my companions who had so patiently submitted to the great delay to which thoy had been subjected, through the misfortune that had overtaken me, and who had so calmly aud quietly- without a single murmur-endured intense sufferings. When, however, I saw these treacherous villains leave us with their ill-gotten hooty, my heart for a moment ceased to heat. The first thought that possessed iny brain, was that iny fate was sealed-that death awaited me. Either I should be abandoned in these desolate solitudes, to endure the gnawing pangs of hunger, and at last to perish alone, a victim of starvation, or they would release me from these accumulated tortures by shooting me; for in this light I viewed it, and therefore prefer- red the latter alternative.
A BRAVE AND NOBLE COMPANION.
A solenin and profound silence now prevailed with all-a silenee which no one seemed disposed to interrupt. I turned iny face from my campanions, that they miglit not be embar- rassed in their cousultation, or in carrying into execution any determination they might arrive at, particularly if it should be to relieve me of my sufferings by shooting me.
Their conversation was carried on in a low, indistinct tone of voice, for some time. Occasionly detached portions of sen- tences would reach my ears, enough, however, to satisfy my mind that there was a difference of opinion in relation to the course they should now adopt.
At length Wilsou's voice rose above the rest, saying, "No !-- I will not leave him ?- I'll remain with him, if it is alone, or I
will pack him if he is able and willing to bear the pain!" This terminated the conversation, and in a few moments after Sea- bring came to me and inquired what should now be done. I told him they might pack me to the river, where they had hacked out a canoe for the purpose of crossing, and I would then tell them whether I could continue with them, and in the event of my being unable to endure being packed further, all I liad to ask of them was to leave me in the eanoe to drift whither fate might direct.
He said, "we cannot pack yon, for you have never allowed us to touch you, even ; how then can you bear to be placed upon a horse and packed ?"
"You are not to consult my wishes in the matter," I replied. "If you have decided not to abandon me, you must do with me as you will. Much longer delay in this place and at this season of the year, may prove fatal to all; self-preservation, therefore, must demand an immediate resumption of our journey, if it be at the risk, and even expense, of the life of one. "
· PAINFUL JOURNEY COMMENCED.
Wilson then requested me to select whichever animal I prefer- red; I however chose my own. They now lifted me into the saddle, and spent much time in placing me in a position that would give me the least pain. None, however, seemed to suit, and I asked Seabring, as a particular favor, to exchange sad- dles, for I thought his would make me more comfortable, and was certain it could not be worse than mine. They laid me upon the ground, changed the saddles, and again placed me upon my horse. I said nothing, but the agony I suffered no language can describe. The exchange of saddles aggravated my misery, but I had determined to be satisfied with this, let it be as it would. Seabring led my horse down the mountain, and after a long and tedious march, we reached the river. Here we camped.
When the bear that Wilson had killed in the late encounter, had been cut up and brought into camp, the entrails were like- wise brought in, carefully cleaned and preserved; the blubber or fat was boiled out and put up in these skins and laid aside. On resuming our journey these were taken along, and this we were compelled to drink, as a substitute for other food, before we reached tho settlements.
The next morning I was again consulted, and asked if I was able to continue on with them. I replied that as long as I lived, if it so pleased them, I desired to have them pack me, and should I die, that they should cut the cords that bound me to my horse and pass on. I could not ask or expect them to bury ine, for there were no tools among the company with which to dig a grave.
Again was I bound upon my horse and packed until another camp was reached, enjoying only an occasional respite, to allow my benumbed limbs, to recover from the effects produced by being confined in one position for so long a time.
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FIRST DISCOVERIES BY LAND AND SEA.
In this manner we continued on, with little or no change in the occurrences that happened, for the period of ten days, following down the Russian River a long distance, and then striking across towards Sonoma. At the expiration of this tine, we arrived at the ranch of Mrs. Mark West, about thirty miles from the town of Sonoma, on the 17th day of February 1850. Here I remained six weeks, until sufficiently recovered to proceed to San Francisco, and was treated with the greatest kindness by every member of the family.
PROGRESS OF THE " GREGG " PARTY.
I must now tell you something of the other four, Messrs Gregg, Van Duzen, Southard and Truesdell, whom we left on L'el River, and within twenty miles of the bay or coast.
They attempted to follow along the mountains ncar the coast, but were very slow in their progress on account of the snow on the high ridges. Finding the country vory much broken along the coast, making it continually necessary to cross abrupt, rocky points, and deep gulches and cañons, after struggling along for several days, they concluded to abandon that route and strike easterly, towards the Sacramonto Valley.
Having vory little ammunition, they all came nigh perishing from starvation, and-as Mr. Southard related to me-Dr. Grogg continued to grow weaker, from the time of our separa- tiou, until, one day, he fell from his horse, and died in a few hours without speaking-died from starvation-had had no ment for several days-had been living entirely upon acorns and herbs. Thoy dug a hole with sticks and put him under ground, then carried rock and piled upon his grave to keep animals from digging him up. They got through to the Sacra- mento Valloy a few days later than wo reached Sonoma Val- ley. Thus ended our expedition.
THE BAY WAS NAMED TRINITY.
When our party first discovered this bay, Dr. Gregg called it Trinity Bay, because, as he said, he believed it was the same bny which he had seen laid down upon the old Spanish charts under that name. This was on the 20th day of December, 1849, and on tho 21st we made our camp close to the bay, and opposite the present town of Bneksport. We had been in camp but a short time when the chief Ki-we-lat-tah, alias " Old Coonskin," his two wives, aud his brother Shasepee, came in a canoe from the headland known as Humboldt Point, to see us, and from them we learned that no white persons had ever been on the shores of the bay before, but that a long time ago, when they were children, a sail vessel had entered, remained a short time, went to sea and never returned. During our whole stay here of about ten days, the chief and his party remained with us night and day, except the two days we were camped at the head of the bay where Arcata now stands.
We left the bay on our way sonth on the 1st day of Jan- uary, 1830, and arrived at Souoma on the 17th day of Febru- ary, from whence two of our party went to San Francisco.
SECOND EXPLORING PARTY.
The others immediately set about recruiting a company to return, and soon succeeded in making the party about thirty strong, and in the early part of March, 1850, when about to start, four of the recruits were arrested for murder (Indian kill- ing), which delayed us. Six should bave been arrested, aud five of the six hanged, as they never quit Indian killing, but kept it up after reaching here, which was the first cause of our Indian troubles.) Thesc worthies were taken to Benicia and confined on board a man-of-war, but by some means were released and soon returned to us, and we made our start the latter part of March, reaching the bay about the 19th day of April, 1850.
FIRST SETTLERS OF BUCKSPORT AND ARCATA.
We saw that the schooner Laura. Virginia was inside, and that Humboldt Point was occupied by her party. They did not see us, and that they should not, wo shifted our course more to the north, coming upon the shore of the bay where Bucksport now stauls. Here we left four of our number to occupy and make improvements upon the land, the rest pro- cccdling as fast as possible across the bay at this point, by the help of the Indians, and made our way on foot to the head of the bay where Arcata now stan Is, and which we considered the only place for a town. We arrived here on the 21st of April, andstayed about three days, laying foundations for houses, posting notices with names, dates, etc., in order to show that the land was claimed and occupied, then all hands returned by tho east side of the bay to where we had left the four, and on OIY' way we came upon a small company of the Laura Vir- ginia party encamped upon that piece of prairie on the point of land north of Ryan's Slough." So ends Wood's narrative.
SEARCH BY SEA FOR TRINIDAD.
Meanwhile, the other party that had come down to San Francisco in November had chartered the brig Cameo, and sailed on the ninth of December. They utterly failed to find any such bay, and returned with the report that Trinidad was a myth, only to be grected by the appearance of the land party and the assurance that it certainly did exist: Away sailed the Cameo again, followed by the others as rapidly as they could be gotten ready.
Up and down the coast they sailed, meeting with numerous adventures and mishaps, but failing utterly to find any bay. Some of them returned with reports of their ill success, elaiur- ing the bay to be a myth, while others still maintained the search. The return of the unsuccessful searchers did not re- strain others from attempting the voyage. Ships sailed loaded with adventurers, some of them being on the cooperative plan, while otbers charged from fifty to one hundred dollars for pas- sengers. In this way the Cameo, Sierra Nevada, James R. Whiting, Isabel, Arabian, General Morgan, Hector, Califor- nia, Paragon, Laura Virginia, Jucob M. Ryerson, Mulleroy,
96
FIRST SETTLEMENTS BY GOLD HUNTERS.
Galinda, and Patapsco, had all gone in search of the myster- ious bay.
FIRST VESSEL ENTERS TRINIDAD BAY.
By the first of April, 1850, the news of the discovery of Trinidad Bay reached San Francisco from passengers of the Camro, which was the first to sail and the first to discover, though not till three months afterwards, the long-sought har- bor. On the sixteenth of March, 1850, the Cameo rounded to off' Trinidad heads and sent a boat's crew to examine a point that made out into the sea. This crew, among whom was W. C. R. Smith, rounded the point and found the entrance to a harbor which they believed to be the long-sought Trinidad. The Cameo was compelled to sail on account of the stormy weather thus deserting the small boat and crew and proceeded to Point St. George where she landed her passengers, unaware that the men in the boat had discovered the bay. The men who were deserted explored the bay, near the head of which they found a tree with the following inscription :-
Lat. 41 ° 3' 32"
Barometer 29 ° 86'
Ther. Fah. 48 ° at 12 M. Dec. 7, 1849. J. Gregg.
This was the record by the party as mentioned in Wood's narrative and proved the truth of their story about having seen the bay.
SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF TRINITY RIVER.
Some twenty miles north of the bay they discovered a river entering the ocean, which they supposed to be the Trinity. They were on shore cight days and were nearly starved, when the Laura Virginia arrived in the offing and was piloted in by the hungry explorers, being the first vessel to enter the har- bor. Sho was soon followed by the James R. Whiting and California. The California sailed for San Francisco on March 28th, with news that the bay had been found and the Cameo supposed to be lost.
GREAT EXCITEMENT FOLLOWS THE DISCOVERY.
The reception of this news created great excitement, and a large uumber of vessels were at once advertised to sail for Trinidad with freight and passengers. The excitement caused by the return of the Gregg party was by no means confined to San Francisco, nur to expeditions by sea. A party left Napa Valley for Trinidad overland, early in April, followed soon by another. The following communication appeared in the Alta, April 10 :-
"HO ! FOR TRINITY !
"MESSRS. EDITORS :- From the reports of persons who lately came into Napa and Sonoma Valleys from an explora- tion of the country around the Trinity, there remains no doubt of the great richness of the mines in that region. Al- ready large boilies of practical and experienced miners are on
the move in that direction. The mines are reached by an easy route, only 150 miles distant from the head of Napa Valley, in an almost northerly course, passing on the westerly side of Clear Lake, some five or six miles above the head of the lake, through a prairie gap to the head-waters of the Russian River, and thience by a good trail to a branch of the Trinity, where rich deposits of gold are found. By this route a large party, headed by Charles Hopper, left Napa Val- ley at thic close of last month. Another party will leave Napa on the eleventh of the month by the Clear Lake road, among whom are John Walker and that old mountaineer, Aaron Adams. Yours, cte., J. W. B."
DISCOVERY OF HUMBOLDT BAY BY SEA.
On the twenty-ninth of March, 1850 the day after the Cal- ifornia sailed from Trinidad with the news of its discovery, Capt. Douglass Ottinger, of the Laura Virginia, also weighed anchor and sailed from the harbor to see what else he could find. A few days later he discovered and entered a fine bay a few miles to the south which he named Humboldt, after the renowned traveler, and located the town of Humboldt.
We are indebted to Dr. Jonathan Clark for the following interesting scrap of Humboldt history, which he furnished for publication in 1870, in the Northern Independent :-
" SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., April 25, 1850. " To the Hon. Wm. M. Meredith, Secretary of the Treasury- "SIR: Although on furlough, yet I feel that when I can give what I believe to be useful information to the Depart- ment, it is my duty to do so, and therefore take the liberty of sending you a brief report of my late voyage for the purpose of exploring the coast of California from Bodega Bay to the anchorage at Cape St. George.
" I sailed from this port in command of the schooner Laura Virginia, with a party of gentlemen, for Trinity Bay, and also to make examinations for the inouth of Trinity River. The schooner under my command being well adapted for coast- ing, gave me considerable advantage over the numerous vessels that had preceded me, and no doubt contributed much to my ultimate success.
" During the first two days of my voyage, the weather was thick, and our progress slow ; but, from Pinnaele Rock, in lati- tude 39° 07', I had an opportunity of seeing most of the shore. The timber begins to show itself some distance to the south of Pinnacle Rock, and as we proceeded north, became more dense, and the trees nearer to the ocean. The coast, generally, is roeky, but safe for the purposes of navigation, as all danger seemed to show itself. The sea-breeze blows from the north- west, but not regular, and comes in generally about 11 A. M., and ceases at 5 P. M., which renders the coast particularly well suited for steam navigation, as it is alnost calm, within four miles of the land, eighteen hours in the day; and the further we went north, the less regular we found the northwest trade
HUMBOLDT CO. CAL.
STOCK RANCH & RES.OF DOMINGO ZANONE,5 MILES FROM PETROLIA & CAPE MENDOCINO LIGHT HOUSE.
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97
FIRST DISCOVERIES BY LAND AND SEA.
winds. After passing Cape Mendocino about six miles, which is in latitude 40° 20', the land trends to the eastward, and forms a considerable indentation or ly with a valley if some ten or fifteen iniles in width, and running back as far as the eye could reach .
DISCOVERY OF KEL HIVER.
" We now ran along within half a mile of a low sand beach, upon which the sea was breaking heavily, expecting to find a river of considerable magnitude from such topography, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing a large stream winding its way among the woodlands.
"I spent two days in sounding and waiting for a smooth sca to get over the bar, Intitude 40° 41', and finally attempted it, but had the misfortune to upset one of our boats, by which ac- cident a valuable life was lost. I was in the other boat, and succeeded in saving the remaining gentlemen composing the crew. I was satisfied, however, that my vessel couhl enter with safety, but the great difficulty which presented itself was to get her out, for there seemed a heavy and constant run of breakers at its month, sufficient to render a sail craft unman- ageable. I have since been informed by persons competent to judge, that this river is navigable for forty or fifty miles, and that it passes through a section of country diversified with hill und valley, woodland and prairie, with a soil so rich and deep that ages of enlture will not exhaust it.
FIRST VIEW OF THE BAY.
" We again stood to the northward, and after passing a head- land, which I have named Ridge Point, I noticed that the country continued open near the ocean, and from the masthead discovered inside of a sand bank a large bay but no clear entrance showed itself. I was, however, of the opinion that so large a sheet of water must have an outlet of considerable depth; and from the anchorage at Trinity Bay, latitude 41° 05' 55", a party was dispatched overland on the 4th of April to 'examine the topography on the shores of the bay, and to gain some knowledge of the channel." The adventures of this party were written for our history by one of the company.
FIRST VESSEL ENTERS THE BAY.
"On April 8th they returned to Trinidad Bay, and I again proceeded to the entrance of the large bay, latitude 40° 48', and after sounding the bar and channel, sent iu my boats and landed a party-did not find less than four fathoms of water on the bar, which, after crossing. deepened to ten fathoms. I spent two days in sounding the depth of the water, and exam- ining the capacity of this beautiful bay, which is abont sixteen miles in length, and from one to five in breadth, with safe anchorage for two or three hundred sail of ships. Latitude of the point where our first tent was pitched, 40° 42' 59".
" In both the northern and southern parts of the bay there are extensive flats, dry at low water, but the country surround-
ing its shores has been pronounced by persons competent to judge as possessing in the highest degree all that is requisite for a flourishing agricultural district, as well as to furnish timber for all the cities in California. And so far as appear- ance goes it is one of the most beautiful sections of country that I have ever looked upon, ling well watered and possess- ing as much prairie as would probably be needed for culture fur some years.
"The woods abound with elk, deer, and small game, and the water with shell and other fish. In addition to the advan- tages above mentioned, its proximity to the rich gold mines on the Trinity River will doubtless give it some immediate com- inercial importance; and, under this belief, I have taken the liberty of making this report to the head of the Department to which I am attached.
" I would further state that, so far as I have examined the line of country bordering on the sea-coast, it appears to be well adapted to agricultural purposes. The timber is of the most abundant and stupendous growth, and streams of' sufficient power and fall to drive large gangs of saws, emptying into the ocean within every three or four miles.
HARBOR OF CRESCENT CITY.
"I have examined with great care, the coast from Cape Mendocino to Cape St. George, at which last-named point I found a brig at anchor aml a schooner ashore, having parted her cables in a gale. From persons on board these vessels, I first learned of the death of Lieut. R. Bache, and Lieut. R. Browning, U. S. Navy, and three other persons who were drowued by the upsetting of a boat whilst attempting to land through the surf. The body of Lieutenant Bache had been recovered and buried on the sand beach, but was removed from thence and reinterred on the high land by our party, the particulars of which I have written to his brother, A. D. Bache, Esq., Superintendent of U. S. Coast Survey. The land, timber, and streams at this point are nearly the same as those already described; but the anchorage is not good, as the bot- tom of the bay appears to be composed of quicksand. Lat- itude of same 41° 42' 23".
KLAMATH RIVER DISCOVERED.
"I would also mention a river of considerable magnitude in latitude 41º 33', with but little breakers on its bar, and not less than three fathoms, so far as I had an opportunity of sounding. This stream, I have no doubt, can be safely entered by vessels of fifty or one hundred tons, and rafts of timber floated to ships, outside where the anchorage is good, and the current strong from the river at three-quarters of a mile from the beach. In about latitude 41º 19' there is also a consider- able stream, but not of sufficient magnitude for commercial pur- poses, further than rafting down timher. The lands in the neighborhood of all these rivers appear to be of the highest
98
FIRST SETTLEMENTS BY GOLD HUNTERS.
character for agriculture, and the coast by no means danger- ous to navigate.
"The Indians, though numerous, appear to be harmless, except their propensity to pilfer, and they received us kindly at every point we visited. The climate so far as I could judge, is quite temperate even in winter, although the second range of mountains, which are in some places within twenty miles of the coast, were covered with snow on the 20th instant. One circumstance which influences me in coming to the con- elusion that the temperature is very low on this part of the coast, is, that the Indians are almost without clothing of any kind to protect them from the inclemency of the weather.
" I have the bonor to inclose herewith a sketch of the bay and her harbor, which we have named, "Humboldt."
"I am, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,
"DOUGLASS OTTINGER, " Captain U. S. R. Marine."
The following detailed account of the movements and dis- eoveries of the party sent out by Lieutenant Ottinger, bas been prepared for our history by E. H. Howard Esq., Com- mander of the party.
THE CRUISE OF THE " LAURA,"
The Laura Virginia Association was one of the first organ- ized for the exploration by water and settlement of the coast north of the Golden Gate. Its members were mostly citizens of San Francisco, who projected the enterprise with a view of obtaining a more thorough knowledge of that portion of the coast belonging to our newly acquired territory on the Pacific, but having special reference to the selection, if pos- sible, of some point with harbor advantages as a depot for the distribution of merchandise for the mining districts of northern California-a largely productive mining field already occupied, and being developed with a promise of permanent returns, to a population still more numerous, for many gen- eratious to come.
WEAVERVILLE THE MINING CENTER.
At this time, Weaverville was a young but flourisbing min- ing camp, with a population, approximately stated, of 4,000, and situated in a basin on the Trinity River, about ninety miles from the coast. Its subsequent history entitled it to rank as one of the most productive " gold centers" in the State. Lying farther north were other regions of mineral wealtlı, on Salmon and Klamath Rivers, making an aggregate population in the northern part of the State, of 15,000. To these distaut localities the transportation of supplies was chiefly carried on by the way of Red Bluff, at the head of Sacramento Valley, and thence by pack-mules over a suc- cession of different mountains, and swarming with hostiles.
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