The golden state: a history of the region west of the Rocky Mountains

Front matter

"oo"

.0^

Ni ^ t J ' l^ xOO^

Preface

In presenting to the reader that region of the Republic of America lying west of the Rocky mountains, a territory bewildering in its vastness, and fertile, rich, varied, wild, and picturesque beyond description, reveals its charms ; and a history of unbounded fascination, leading its devious courses through the rough seas of the buccaneer and navigator, over the arid plains and precipitate mountains of the explorer, checkered and interspersed with the pilgrimages of the holy fathers, the march of conquering bands, the achievements of invading armies, the rise and fall of nations, the events of discovery and conquest, the revealing of unlimited treasures, the opening of new avenues of commerce, the building of new societies, the founding of new states, the advent of new social and religious conditions, the weird enchantments of the phantom king, gold, and the delusive and fascinating hopes of his devotees.

The binding together of the extremes of the nation by bands of steel, upon which the swift courser with iron hoof and fiery breath leaps over vast plains and climbs arid heights in his journey from sea to sea, the broad-winged messenger of commerce teaching the lesson of exchange and intercourse to the Orient and new republic, daily tend to awaken interests in our newest but richest half of the nation, and familiarize the people of every clime with the unrivalled beauty and attractions of that vast domain, passing from the chaos of bygone ages into the activities of unsurpassed social and commercial life.

So little is known abroad respecting the vastness, fertility, natural wealth, genial climate, and great development of the Pacific slope, that I write in the ardent hope of drawing the attention of the public of America and the adventurous of all lands to a section embracing more than one-half of the area of the whole American Republic, and containing more of the precious metals than all the world beside — a land whose giant mountains in their eternal ermine crowns, looking from their thrones of clouds, forest trees lifting their arms toward the sky, and mountain runs tumbling their crystal floods from aerial heights, present the grandest scenes of terrestrial beauty.

Many books have been written respecting the Pacific coast and its people ; but, in most cases, they have been the result of the exaggerated and distorted visions of early voyagers, or the superficial observer, catching brief glimpses of the Sierras in hurried trip from ocean to ocean, or the wild dreams of some enthusiast fresh from the snows of the East, plunged into the flower gardens of the Golden State, and sipping the rich wines of Los Angeles at the festive boards of kind friends.

In producing a History of the whole Pacific Coast, from the northern extreme of Alaska to the tropical regions of Mexico, I have brought to my aid the experience of seventeen years residence and active participation in the stirring events and business affairs of the country, and extensive travel and observation in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Washington Territory, and British Columbia, where, by the camp-fire of the pilgrim gold-hunter, in the dark chamber of the mine, on the tedious march, and dangerous ascent of the mountain height, the checkered fortune and uncertain fate, I have been enabled to present from personal and long experience the chief events whereof I write.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Yosemite Falls and Valley,

Aurora Borealis, as seen in Northern Alaska,

Map of North America,

The Golden Gate, . . ,

Sir Francis Drake in California in 1579, .

Spanish Ship of the Seventeenth Century,

The Golden Gate and Bay of San Francisco in

Montgomery Street, San Francisco, in 1849,

Mission of Santa Barbara in 1786,

Father Garzes and the Indians in 1775,

Mission of San Carlos in 1770,

Frontier Fort, . . , ,

Mud Volcano, , , , ,

Falls of the Yellowstone,

Dale Creek Bridge, Rocky Mountains,

Sherman, Summit of the Rocky Mountains

Monterey, California, in 1846,

Mission Rancho, California, in 1776, .

Mission of San Francisco in 1776, .

New Almaden Quicksilver Mines,

Dennison's Exchange and the Parker House,

Island and Cove of Yerba Buena,

Sutter's Mill — First Discovery of Gold,

James W. Marshall, Discoverer of Gold,

" Honest Miners " Going Home, . .

Surface Gold Mining in 1849,

Interior of the El Dorados,

San Francisco in 1849,

Celebrating the First Fourth of July, 1836,

First Protestant Church in San P'rancisco,

Rush to the Gold Mines in 1848, .

Horse-Raising in California,

Map of the State of California,

Night Scene on the San Joaquin River,

Night Scene on the Sacramento River,

The Ford of the Yosemite,

Mount Shasta, ....

1769,

M)

Title lOI lOI

140 147

«54 154 '55 «55 i8

JLLUSTRAIYOA'S.

" Big Trees " of Mariposa and Calaveras, The Pioneer's Cabin : Room for Thirty Inside Nevada Falls, Yosemite Valley, Section of Mammoth Tree, A Cotillon Party on the Stump of the Mammo Lake Tahoe, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Mirror Lake, Yosemite Valley, .

Sentinel Rock, Yosemite Valley, .

Donner Lake, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Seal Rock and the " Cliff House," ,

Farallone Islands, . . .

Sea Lions near the Golden Gate, .

Yosemite Falls,

South, or Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite Valley, ,

Bull and Bear Fight, .

Whale Fishing off the Coast of Alaska, Emigrant Train — Gold Hunters, Chinese Gold Mining in California, Miners Around Their Camp-Fire, Snow Sheds, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Hydraulic Mining, Mail Service in the Sierra Nevadas, Crossing the Plains,

Moving on the Plains, , . .

Rodeo — Cattle-Branding, Lassoing Horses in California, . .

The Giantess, ....

Great Geyser of the Fire-Hole Basin, The Bee-Hive,

Bridal Veil Fall, Yosemite Valley, North Dome and Royal Arch, Cape Horn, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tunnel in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, lakes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 'Lincoln School-House, San FVancisco, First School-House in San Francisco, ,

Mount Tamalpais, . . ,

;Summit of the Sierras, . . ,

.First Hotel in San Francisco, . .

•Grand Hotel, San Francisco, San Francisco Destroyed by Fire, .

;San Francisco in 1847, . . .

h T

ILL USTRA TIOXS.

Custom House, San Francisco, in 1S49,

Post Office, San Francisco, in 1849,

A Buffalo Hunt on the Plains, .

Giant Geyser, Yellowstone Region,

The Fan Geyser, Yellowstone Region,

Bathing Pools, Yellowstone Region,

The Grotto Geysers, Yellowstone Region,

First Glimpses of the Sierras,

Giant's Gap, Sierra Nevada Mountains,

American River, Sierra Nevada Mountain

Pleasant Valley, .

Interior of Snow-Sheds, . .

Map of the Pacific States, ,

Deer Hunting in Oregon, . .

Falls on Columbia River,

View on the Columbia River,

Catching Salmon, Columbia River,

Mount Hood, Oregon, . .

Scene on the Columliia River, .

Star Peak, Nevada,

Mule Team Going to the Silver-Mines,

Indians Horse-Racing on the Plains,

General View of Great Salt Lake City,

Brigham Young's Harems, Salt Lake City

Street Scene in Salt Lake City,

Witches Rock,

Starting for the Mines, . , ,

Wagon Load of Mormons,

Mormon Temple, Salt Lake City,

A Mormon Family,

Pulpit Rock, Echo Caiion, Utah,

Monument Rock, Echo Canon, Utah,

Joseph Smith, Founder of the Mormon Church

Brigham Young, Head of the Mormon Church

Joseph F. Smith, One of the " Twelve Apostles

Mrs. Alice Young Clawson, Brigham Youns;';; Dau<;htt

George A. Smith, " Church Historian,"

Orson Hyde, President of the Twelve Apostles

Orson Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles,

Brigham Young and a Portion of His Family,

Finger Rock, Weber Canon, Utah,

View of Great Salt Lake, .

Procuring Poison for His Arrows, .

Interview with a Grizzly, . . .

rAG'j.

563 574

590 600 604

IL L US TRA TIONS.

Apache Squaw, Scalp-Dance, . .

Shooling Mountain Sheep,

Indians Gambling,

Tlie (jieat Shoshone Falls, Idaho, .

Council with Friendly Indians, ,

Emigrants Fording the Snake River,

The Great Canon and Palis of the Yellow.-

The Devil's Slide, Yellowstone Region,

Castle Rock, Columbia River, .

Mount Rainier,

Indian Canoe Race, on Interior Lake,

Old Fort Walla- Walla,

Shale Rocks and Tower Falls, Yellovi'sto;:

Great Spirit, Fire-Hole Basin,

Yellowstone Lake, . . .

Indian Encampment, Peget Sound,

Elk Hunting, British Columbia,

Indians, Interior of Alaska,

Native of British Columbia,

Map of Alaska and British Columbia,

Sitka, or New Archangel,

Icebergs oflf the Coast of Alaska, .

Natives' Housebuilding, Alaska, ,

Skin Canoe and Indians, Alaslca, .

Aurora Borealis as seen in Alaska,

Moose Hunting in the Yukon, Alaska,

Contents

CHAPTER I. i

Discovery of America — Earliest colonization — Columbus' voyages — Spanish in South and Central America — Cortez in Mexico — Cabrillo and Drake in California — Behring, Cook, Vancouver, and other navigators — Jesuits — Acquisition of California — Discovery of Gold 33

Chapter II

First recorded history — Jesuits — Missions — Cortez' expedition — Exploration of the Gulf of California — Ulloa's expedition — Cortez returns to Spain — Cabrillo's expedition — Sir Francis Drake's expedition : he takes possession of California — New Albion — San Diego and Monterey discovered — • The Golden Gate not yet discovered — Viscayno's voyage — Father Tierra's expedition : he takes possession of California in the name of the King of Spain — Conversion of the heathen — Father Ugarte's expedition — The Jesuits expelled — Franciscan missions established — Father Serra's expedition — Dominican friars in California — Voyage of the San Carlos and San Antonio — Loss of the San Jose 40

Chapter III

Don Portala's expedition — First settlement established — Father Serra at San Diego — First chapel built — Discovery of the Bay of San Francisco — Founding of missions — San Carlos the first vessel that entered the Golden Gate — Native civilization — Spain and the Franciscan fathers — Wealth of the missions — Independence of Mexico — Government of California — Manumission of the Indians — Property of the missions

confiscated — Departure of the fathers 49

Chapter IV

Republican government in Mexico — American flag hoisted at Monterey — France and England seek to possess California — De Mofra's explorations — Russians in California — Revolution : a Yankee in it — Monterey captured by Alvarado and Graham — California declared a free State — Vallejo military chief — Religion established by law — Mexican authority again recognized — Graham and others banished — Commodore Jones declares California a part of the United States in 1842 — Revolution of 1844 — Castro General-in-chief — Banishment of Governor Micheltorena 58

Chapter V

Early navigators — Voyage of Sir Francis Drake — Voyages of Sebastian Viscayno and Vistus Behring — Settlement of Sitka — King George's Sound Company — East India Company — Thomas Jefferson's interest in the Pacific coast — Expedition of John Ledyard : he is arrested by order of the Empress of Russia — Voyage of Vancouver — The King of Spain forbids Captain Cook to enter California — First American vessels on the Pacific coast — Captain Gray discovers the Columbia river — First American vessel enters the Bay of San Francisco — John Brown and Thomas Raben first Americans in California — Trade to the Columbia river — Count Rosanoff in California — Delia Byrd enters San Diego — Russians evacuate California at the request of the United States — Expedition of Lewis and Clark — First settlement in Oregon ■ — John Jacob Astor founds Astoria — Fur trade of Oregon — ■ The British take possession of Oregon — Its restoration to the United States — Astor's fur trade in the Rocky mountains — First overland journey to California — Arrest of Jedediah Smith — Letter from American seamen in 1826 — Letter from Smith to one of the fathers — Death of J. S. Smith — Pattie's expedition — Asiatic emigration encouraged — First settlers in California — First mercantile house in California — • Commodore Wilkes' expedition to the Pacific — Discovery of a wrecked Japanese junk — Fremont's explorations — Sutter's hospitality — End of Fremont's second exploration 64

Chapter VI

Pico and Castro in command of California — Decline of the missions — Early trade — English, French, and American consuls in California — Indolence of the people — Fremont's third exploration : his trials and triumphs in California — Castro and Fremont — Fremont raises the American flag — Lieutenant Gillespie carries letters to Fremont — Kit Carson saves Fremont — Sonoma captured — W. B. Ide declares a republican government and hoists the "Bear Flag" — Fremont elected Governor — Commodore Sloat captures Monterey — British projects frustrated — Sloat's proclamation — The American flag hoisted in San Francisco — Commodore Stockton at Monterey — Dupont and General Kearney at Monterey — Arrival of Stevenson's regiment — Uneasiness of the native Californians — Interesting speeches — Proposition to place California under the protection of England or France — General Vallejo favors annexation to the United States %(i

Chapter VII

Feud between Sloat and Fremont — Commodore Stockton in command : his proclamation — Departure of Sloat — Castro, Pico, and Flores oppose the Americans — Stockton warns Castro of his peril — Flores' proclamation to his countrymen — Final surrender of the Mexicans — Treaty of peace concluded — Strife between Commodore Stockton and General Kearney — Fremont appointed Military Governor — Stockton takes his departure — Fremont ousted — General Kearney and Commodore Shubrick in command — Colonel Mason supersedes General Kearney — General Kearney proceeds to Washington — His ill-treatment of Fremont — Fremont arrested and carried to Fortress Monroe — Court-martialled — Discharged from arrest by order of the President — Nominated for the Presidency i o i

Chapter VIII

Colonel Mason and General Riley in command of the government of California — End of the Mexican war — Acquisition of Texas and New Mexico — Treaty between the United States and Mexico — Boundary established — Convention to frame a State Constitution meets at Monterey — California admitted into the Union — Treaty between England and the United States defining western boundary — Claims of Portugal to California — Claims of Spain^ — Pope Alexander VI settles the dispute — Treaty between Spain and Portugal — A bull from the Pope — Chain of title to California — Speech of Hon. Thomas H. Benton on the boundary question — Treaty stipulations — Rulers under Spanish, Mexican, and United States governments in California — English, French, and American consuls in California no

Chapter IX

California under American rule — Population in 1842 and 1845 — Arrival of Mormons at San Francisco — Population in 1848 — In 1870 — Composition of population of San Francisco in 1842 — Establishment of Mission Dolores — First house built in San Francisco — First child born — Hudson Bay Company at San Francisco — First newspaper in California — First school — First Protestant minister — First Protestant church — First steamboat — Discovery of gold — Sutter and Marshall — First mining — Rush to the mines — Official notice of the gold discovery — Early gold-seekers — ^Advent of the Chinese 116

Chapter X

Population of California in 1849 — Rush to the mines — Gold yield of 1848 — Population and scenes of San Francisco in 1849 — Ships for California — Overland emigration — Across the Isthmus — Arrival of first steamer — Commerce in 1849 — Occupations of the people — Gray-shirt brigade — Ships at a discount — Up the Sacramento river — Early disappointments — Gambling — Gold product — Gold excitements — Honesty of the ''forty-niners" — Lynch law — Prices in the mines — • Cultivation of the soil — Cattle — Eggs — Fruit — All "going home in the spring" — Indians in the mines — Yankee speculators — Suffering and disappointments in the mines — Miners going home 124

CHAPTER XL

Growing importance of San Francisco — Crime and dissipation — First Vigilance Committee — LaAv and order — Building a city — Destroyed by fire — Rebuilt — Wild speculation — Strange occupations — Fortune and misfortune — First house built at Sacramento — Population of — Prosperity in business and speculation — Price of land in San Francisco — Rents in San Francisco — Prices of merchandise — Amusements — Board — Labor — Cost of building — Streets paved with merchandise — Gold-hunters still arriving — Largest product of gold — Suicide and death — Only a mining country — Import of breadstuffs — Interior steam-navigation — First river-steamer — Fares on the rivers 133

CHAPTER XIL

Early agriculture — No vegetables — Gardening in the mines — Advent of farmers — Ignorance of seasons and crops — Increase of agriculture — Lumber — Fishing — Manufacturing — Coal — Fruits — Vegetables — Permanent settlement in California — Varied industry — Happy homes — Legitimate occupations — Gold-hunters' graves — Overland emigration — Suffering of the "Donner party" — Settlers to the rescue 140

CHAPTER XIIL

California — Origin of the name — Griffins in the land — Hot ovens of the natives — Area of the State — Agricultural, mineral, grazing, and marsh lands — Area equal to one hundred and forty-five States the size of Rhode Island — Compared with states and countries of Europe — Equal to thirty-eight governments of Europe — Capable of supporting a population of eighty-three million — Great productiveness of the soil — Genial climate — Great natural resources — Commercial importance — Mountains — Valleys — Rivers — Climate — Seasons — Harvests — Forests — Mineral range — Beauties and wonders of the Sierras 147'

CHAPTER XIV.

Mountains — Sierra Nevadas — Winter, spring, and summer in the Sierras — Snows of the mountains — Farming, lumbering, and grazing in the Sierras — Forests — Big trees — Shrubs — • Plants — Flowers — Grasses — Poison oak , 159

CHAPTER XV.

Valleys — Trees, vegetables, fruits, flowers, grain, and grasses — Lakes — ^Alkaline and borax lakes — Dry lakes — Death valley. 1 70

CHAPTER XVI.

Rivers — Bays — Harbors — Bay of San Francisco — Puget sound — Fort Point — Straits — San Quentin — Islands — Seal Rock — Cliff House — Sea-lions — Golden Gate: origin of the name. 181

CHAPTER XVII.

Islands off the coast — Farallones — ^Islands in bays and rivers — First mint in California — Indian tribes — Shell money — Springs — Petroleum — Mud springs — Calistoga springs — Sulphur springs — Soda springs — Tar springs — Asphaltum — Geysers 202

CHAPTER XVIII.

Waterfalls — Yosemite falls — Creeks — Rivers — Mirror lake — Bridal Vail — Earthquakes , 214

CHAPTER XIX.

Zoology — Relics of antiquity — Animals — Birds — Fishes — ^Bull and bear fights — Reptiles — Bees — Horned toad — Whales. . . . 236

CHAPTER XX.

The precious metals — First mention of gold — Gold in Eden — Gods of the heathen — Aaron's golden calf — Ornaments of Jerusalem — Gold of the Romans — First gold in America — • Gold in South America and Mexico — Gold in Asia and Europe — Gold-mining in the United States — Discovery of gold in California — Sir Francis Drake's voyage — Expedition of Commodore Wilkes to California — Product of gold — Mining operations — Quartz and quartz-mining — Rich mines — Quartz mills — Discovery of gold in Australia : yield of the precious metals in — On the Pacific coast — Mineral wealth of Great Britain — Progress of mining in Australia — Chinese in the gold-fields — Precious metal in the world 248

CHAPTER XXI.

Tunnel-mining — Sutro tunnel — Canals — Ditches — Asphaltum — Cement — Coal — Copper — Cobalt — Nickle — Diamonds — Electro-silicon — Gypsum — Iron — Lead — Petroleum — Quicksilver — Salt — Sulphur — Tin — Marble — Granite — Caves — Mining laws — Mining laws of Spain and Mexico — Geology and mineralogy — Great mines of the world 271

CHAPTER XXII.

Climate — Seasons — Heat and cold — Winter in the Sierras — Trade-winds — Animal vitality — Summer in the Sierras and valleys — Rain-fall compared with other parts of the world — Flowers of the valleys — Spring-time — Wheat-fields — Agriculture — Harvesting — Planting and sowing — Volunteer crops — Straw-burning — Storms and hurricanes — Sand-storms 292

CHAPTER XXIII.

Agriculture — Manufactures — Commerce — First agriculture in America — Increase of agriculture in California — Decline of mining — Decay of mining towns — Area of California — Agricultural lands — Spanish grants — Vast estates — How to obtain public lands — School lands — Who may secure the public lands — Grain, fruit, and vegetable growing — ^Yield of grain per acre — Harvesting — Wild oats — Wild mustard — Hops — Potatoes — Tobacco — Large vegetable growths — Strawberries — Tropical fruits — Oranges, figs, and nuts — The grape — Fertility of the Sierras — Tea culture — Beet sugar — Cotton and rice — Silk culture 309

CHAPTER XXIV.

Sheep and wool — Horses — Cattle raising and branding — Rodeos — Native horsemanship — Lassoing grizzly bears — Poultry and bees 342

CHAPTER XXV.

Natural advantages — Regularity of climate — Perpetual summer — Advantages for manufacturing — Interest on money — Manufactories — Railroads first in California — Great overland railroad: building and completion of — Government aid in bonds and lands to railroads — "The last tie" — Rejoicings at the completion of the great national highway — Ocean, bay, and river navigation — Ship-building — Telegraphs, postage, and post-offices — United States branch mint — Circulating medium — Mints on the Pacific coast — Navy-yard — Commerce — Exports of gold and merchandise — Agricultural and mechani- , cal products — Decline in gold-mining — Shipping of San Francisco — Imports and exports — Effects of the overland railroad 355

CHAPTER XXVI.

Education — Free schools — Schools in San Francisco — Cost of School Department — Chinese schools — Indian slaves — National education — Agricultural colleges — State university — Agricultural societies — Reform, deaf, dumb, and blind schools — Newspapers — Books — Libraries — Literature — Protective and benevolent societies — Religion — Prisons and crihies — Asylums — Governors of California — Laws — Lawyers — Doctors — Divines 38a

CHAPTER XXVII.

Chinese empire — Chinese in the United States — Seeking gold in America — In California — Employments, character, and customs of the Chinese — Chinese in San Francisco — Moral depravity — Chinese persecuted — Social and political condition of the Chinese — Buddha, Confucius, and Mencius — Religion of the Orient — Chinese classics — Opium and other stimulants — Small feet of the women — Christianity among the Chinese — Coolyism — Chinese slavery in America — Spanish. barbarity 420

CHAPTER XXVIIL

Counties — Coast counties — Area — Productions — Population — San Diego — Los Angeles — Santa Barbara — San Luis Obispo — Monterey — Santa Cruz — San Mateo — San Francisco : composition of the city, its population, education, buildings, trades, professions, newspapers, nationalities, society — Marin — Sonoma — Mendocino — Humboldt — Klamath — Del Norte. 443

CHAPTER XXIX.

Interior and valley counties — Resources, climate, and population — Siskiyou — Trinity — Shasta — Tehama — Butte — Colusa — Yuba — Sutter — Yolo — Lake — Napa — Solano — Sacramento — Contra Costa — Alameda — San Joaquin — Stanislaus — Santa Clara — Merced — Fresno — Tulare — Kern — San Bernardino. . 474

CHAPTER XXX.

Mountain counties — Area, resources, climate, and population— Inyo — Mono — Mariposa — Tuolumne — Calaveras — Amador — Alpine — El Dorado — Placer — Nevada — Sierra — Plumas — Lassen 504

CHAPTER XXXI.

Pacific coast — Oregon — Nevada — Utah — Arizona — Idaho — Washington Territory — British Columbia and Alaska 523

OREGON.

History—Geography — Climate — Seasons — Forests — Minerals — • Ivlining — Agriculture— Rivers — Mountains — Resources — Progress — Area — Population — Cities — Society 526

CHAPTER XXXII.

NEVADA.

Acquisition of — Area — Population — Geography — Mountains — • Valleys — Lakes — Rivers — Forests — Soil — Seasons — Climate — Mines — Mining — Minerals — Counties — Cities — Progress — Schools-r-Newspapers — Libraries — Future prospects 541

CHAPTER XXXIIL UTAH.

Area — Acquisition — Climate — Seasons — Mines — Mining — Minerals — Mountains — Lakes — Rivers — Agriculture — Education — Material development — Mormons — Society — Population — Great Salt lake and Salt Lake City — Overland railroad — Discovery and history of Salt lake 549

CHAPTER XXXIV.

MORMONISM AND THE MORMONS.

Population and religions of the world — Christianity — Mohammedanism — Buddhism — Judaism — Mormonism ; its rise, progress, history, and practices — Joseph the propliet and his followers — The golden plates from the hill Cumorah — Christ in America — Mormon and Moroni — John the Baptist ordains Joseph Smith — Smith's birth, early history, life, adventures, and death — Polygamy — Brigham Young : his birth, history, and career — Desertion of Nauvoo — Mormons march westward — Settle at Salt lake — Their city, religion, society, and practices — Despotism in Utah — Mormon godhead 563

CHAPTER XXXV.

ARIZONA TERRITORY.

Area and population — Climate — Soil — Mountains' — Rivers — Forests — Mines — Mining — Minerals — Settlement — Civilization — Railroads — Indians. 600

CHAPTER XXXVI.

IDAHO TERRITORY.

Area — Geography — Mountains — Rivers — Forests — Lakes — Scenery — Waterfalls — Valleys — Agriculture — Climate — Indians — Gold and silver mines — Material progress — Railroads —Cities and towns — Population 607

CHAPTER XXXVII.

WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

History, area, and population — Boundary — Geography — Mountains — Lakes — Rivers — Bays — Harbors — Seasons — Climate — Agriculture — Grazing — Forests — Lumber — Commerce — Fish — Game — Natives — Gold, silver, coal, and other mines — Progress — Railroads 613

CHAPTER XXXVin.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Geography — History — Hudson Bay Company — Area — Islands — Mountains — Rivers — Lakes — Forests — Climate — Agriculture — Valleys — Seasons — Rain — Bays — Harbors — Inlets — Natural resources — Gold and other minerals — Cities — Customs — ^Population — Natives — Commerce — Canadian railway 632

CHAPTER XXXIX.

ALASKA.

History — Geography — Area — Mountains — Forests — Rivers — Seas — Bays — Harbors — Islands — Climate — Seasons — Mines — Natives — Fish — Animals — Fur-seals — Commerce — Population — Towns — Progress — Religion — Future prospects 644

CHAPTER XL.

Appendix

Population of the United States: native, foreign, colored, and Chinese — Population of the Pacific coast : native, foreign, and Chinese — Population by counties of California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, Washington Territory : also, aggregate of Alaska and British Columbia — Chinese in the United States and on the Pacific coast — Distances from San Francisco to various points inland and to various ports and countries and cities of the United States — Population of cities. . , , I • 658

Chapter I

Discovery of America — Earliest Colonization — Columbus' Voyages — Spanish in South and Central America — Cortez in Mexico — Cabrillo and Drake in California — Behring, Cook, Vancouver, and other navigators — Jesuits — Acquisition of California — Discovery of Gold.

The growth of civilization and colonization in what is termed the New World presents many striking features of interest ; and the tedious march of progress in the early history of the country contrasts forcibly with the rapid strides of popular institutions, education, and the advancement of the present period.

Modern colonization in America, as it marches westward, subduing prairie and forest, spanning rivers and piercing mountains, establishing governments, founding states and cherishing civilization, is in hopeful contrast with the decay of many of the countries and: governments of Europe, where a stagnation of ideas,, stereotyped monotony, and general apathy of the people mark the decline of many of these countries, whose haughty rulers reigned in splendor centuries before America was known.

Colonization and civilization in America advanced with singular irregularity ; often contending with most formidable natural obstacles, while vast regions, most inviting and possessing great natural attractions, were

3 (33)

entirely neglected or unknown. Thus, while the seeds of our social and national existence were beine sown in the east, the vast territory of California, with its rich soil, genial climate, and balmy atmosphere, lay wrapped in primitive solitude.

The first settlement and attempt at civilization on the western continent was made in Mexico, by the races of men whose origin is still a mystery. The Taltecs, who, in the year A. D. 700, first settled in this country, maintained a semi-civilization in Mexico for four centuries ; from which period, for four additional centuries, (until 1 52 1,) the Aztecs, and other tribes from the north, maintained a form of government, founded the city of Mexico, and erected the splendid temples and palaces from which the ambitious Spaniard, Cortez, in 1 521, drove Montezuma and put an end to Aztec rule in Mexico.

Iceland, whose eternal glaciers stand sheer and cold, was the next part of America discovered, (if this dependency of Denmark can be called a part of America.) This event dates from the year 860, when the Norwegian pirate, Naddodr, was wrecked upon its shores. In 874 a colony of Naddodr's countrymen^ seeking refuge from the tyranny of Harfager, founded a colony and established a republican government in these inhospitable regions ; and with the introduction of Christianity in the year 1000, and the art of writing in 1057, the foundation of modern civilization was laid in the western world.