his fathers. By kindness and liberality to the natives who swarmed around him, he made them cultivate his lands, herd his cattle, and guard his property against the more fierce savages from the mountains. In this patriarchal style he lived for nearly ten years, surrounded by everything that could minister to his wants-numbering his cattle by thousands, and owning the land for miles, until-to him fatal dayone of his workmen found a few grains of gold in the soil, when, as if by magic, the whole scene was changed, and from a veritable Utopia, the beautiful Valley of the Sacramento became a Pandemonium. The mighty power of gold was never before exhibited as it was then. With a rapidity very remarkable, the news of the discovery reached the most distant countries, and in a few months there was scarcely a nation that did not have its representatives digging and washing for gold on Sutter's farm, which embraced an area of sixty miles square. Mankind have certainly been benefitted by the discovery of gold in California-but not so Sutter. That discovery involved him in ruin. It led to the destruction of his land, cattle, and laborers. From being the monarch of all he surveyed in the broad Valley of the Sacramento, it made him again a wanderer, with no means of support in his old age except a donation made by the State, which he had been so greatly instrumental in founding. The life of what living man has been more strangely eventful?

Between 1840 and 1845, the fame of California as an agricultural country had become generally known to the people of the United States, while its importance from a commercial and political point of view was fully appreciated by the Federal Government. Mr. Larkin, who was appointed United States Consul in 1844, had for several years previously kept the government fully informed of the acts of the agents of France and England, who were making arrangements for one or the other of these nations to take possession of the country. Emigration was encouraged by both France and England, as well as by the United States. The number of settlers, in consequence, greatly increased.

It was during this period, in November, 1841, that John Bidwell arrived from Missouri, overland, and entered the service of General Sutter, but soon after located on the land he now owns, near Chico, Butte county, about forty miles from Marysville. Mr. Bidwell is a native of New York State, but emigrated to Missouri, where he was engaged for several years as a school teacher, prior to his starting for California. In company with Mr. Bidwell, overland, were Joseph Childs, Grove Cook, Charles Hoppe, and several others, who at present reside in the State.

As an illustration of the American element in the territory at this time, we refer to an event which occurred on the 19th of October, 1842. Commodore Jones, of the United States navy, having under his command the sloop of war Cyane, and frigate United States, entered the harbor of Monterey, captured the fort, hoisted the stars and stripes, and declared California a territory of the United States, to the hearty satisfaction of nearly all the inhabitants, a majority of whom were citizens of the United States. The next day, for reasons we shall refer to hereafter, Commodore Jones hauled down his colors and apologized to the Mexican authorities for his conduct. But the impression his action left on the minds of the Mexican and British officers caused them to increase their efforts to prevent the country falling into the hands of the United States, and created an intense feeling of hatred on the part of some of the Mexicans, against the citizens of that country.

As early as May, 1846, Pio Pico, the then Governor of the Territory, who was bitterly opposed to the Americans, in a speech before the Departmental Assembly in favor of annexing California to England, remarked: "We find ourselves threatened by hordes of Yankee emigrants, who have already begun to flock into our country, and whose progress we cannot arrest. Already have the wagons of that perfidious people scaled the almost inaccessible summits of the Sierra Nevada, crossed the entire continent, and penetrated the fruitful valley of the Sacramento. What that astonishing people will next undertake, I cannot say; but in whatever enterprise they embark, they will be sure to be successful. Already, these adventurous voyagers, spreading themselves far and wide over a country which seems to suit their tastes, are cultivating farms, establishing vineyards, erecting mills, sawing up lumber, and doing a thousand other things which seem natural to them."

The settlement of California and Oregon during this period, caused a steady stream of emigrants to wend their way across the plains, many of whom died from the tomahawk of the merciless savage, or from gaunt starvation. It is estimated by those who lived on the great line of this overland travel, that upwards of five thousand persons crossed the plains between the years 1840 and 1845, for the purpose of settling on the Pacific Coast. Several parties of these adventurous emigrants are known to have perished, while the hardships endured by all were of the severest nature.

The passage across the Sierra Nevada mountains in those days was attended with frightful dangers. The sufferings endured by a party

under the command of Captain Donner, who were snow-bound near the lake on the Truckee pass, which now bears his name, is one of the most horrible tales of human endurance on record. The party consisted of eighty persons, thirty of whom were females, and several children. Arriving at the foot of the Truckee pass at the end of October, 1846, they were overtaken by a severe snow storm, which rendered it impossible for the cattle to travel. A portion of the party decided not to attempt to cross the mountains until spring. They built themselves cabins, killed the cattle for food, and thought they could hold out till the snow would melt. The balance of the party, under the direction of Mr. Donner, undertook to make the passage, but they had advanced only a few miles when they encountered a series of snow storms, such as are only witnessed in that elevated district. Their cattle and wagons were buried and lost, and the whole party left with but little food, and scarcely any shelter to pass a winter in that wild region. After struggling along for six weeks in the hope of crossing the summit, it was found impossible for all to proceed. A party of eight men, five women, and two Indians, equipped with extemporized snow shoes, and supplied with all the provisions that could be spared, were dispatched to reach some settlement in California where assistance could be obtained. In less than a week after leaving the camp, the provisions of this party were exhausted, while the terrible condition of the country prevented their travelling more than a mile or two each day. On the seventh day, three of the party died from cold and hunger, and a storm of snow buried the survivors so deeply that it took them thirtysix hours, in their wretched condition, to extricate themselves, three more of them perishing in the effort. The nine survivors having been four days without food, the horrible suggestion presented itself of eating the dead bodies of their late companions. After eating the greater portion of one body, the flesh of another was cut off and packed as a supply for the future, and they started on their way once more. few days this supply of flesh was consumed, and they were again confronted by starvation, when they fortunately killed a deer, which sustained them for a few days. When this was gone, they became so exhausted from wandering through the loose, drifting snow that, almost daily, death put an end to the sufferings of one, whose body furnished food for the others. In less than a month from leaving camp, only five remained alive; of these, four were unable to proceed. One, with almost superhuman resolution, managed to drag himself across the summit, and reached a hunter's camp on the Bear River, where he was kindly treated, and his four companions promptly secured from their

In a

perilous position. Information of the condition of the party in the mountains was sent to General Sutter, at his fort on the Sacramento, who, at once dispatched a party of men accustomed to mountain life, with a number of mules laden with food and clothing, for their relief. As it was over one hundred miles from the fort to the Truckee, and the travel over the mountains difficult and slow, it was the 19th of February ere the party reached the nearest company of the sufferers. When found, ten of them were beyond all human aid. Not being able to bring along the whole of them, the relief party left a good supply of provisions with the men, and brought away all of the women, and most of the children. A second relief party reached the lake on the 1st of March, and started with the seventeen survivors left by the first party, but a heavy fall of snow rendered it impossible for the mules to carry them. All the adults were, therefore, left in a sheltered place, and only the children were taken to the fort. A few days later another party was sent after those who had been left on the road; when found, three were dead-the survivors had kept themselves alive by eating the bodies. The Donner party was not discovered until April, by a company sent to their relief by citizens of San Francisco. Mrs. Donner, who is represented to have been a lady of refinement and great personal beauty, had been dead but a few hours when the party reached their camp. Donner was one of the first who died. Twenty-two of the females, and most of the children were saved; twenty-six men, eight women, and three children perished. The people of San Francisco made liberal provision for the son and daughter of Donner, who were rescued. A contribution was raised and the one hundred vara lot No. Thirty-nine, at the southeast corner of Folsom and Second streets was purchased in their name. This lot, at the present time is probably worth $50,000. These children are said to be still living in San Francisco.

One of the female survivors of this fearful tragedy was the first white woman who settled at Marysville-that city being named, as a compliment to her. She subsequently married Mr. Charles Covillaud, one of the founders of Marysville, and resided there until September, 1867, when she died at the early age of thirty-six, leaving a number of children, and greatly beloved by all who had the pleasure of her acquaintance. Hiram O. Miller, another of the survivors, settled in Santa Clara County, where he died in October, 1867.

A few years later, another party of emigrants perished in the mountains, further south, in what, in consequence of their fate, has since been known as Death's valley.

In 1845, the Mormons, having been expelled from their settlements in Illinois, and being informed of the adaptability of California for settlement, and perhaps under the idea that inaccessibility would save them from having many neighbors, made arrangements for a general emigration to the Pacific Coast. In the spring of 1845, a party of nearly two thousand of these people left the Missouri river, for California. Another party, consisting of one hundred and thirty-six men, sixty women, and forty children, under the direction of Mr. Samuel Brannan, left New York on the 4th of February, 1846, on board the Brooklyn, for San Francisco, where they arrived July 31st, 1846, just three weeks after Commodore Montgomery had taken possession of the place, in the name of the United States. A company of them went to San Bernardino, to form a settlement there; but Mormonism never took root in California, and, after lingering for a year or two, the settlement was abandoned. Mr. Brannan, on discovering the country in the possession of the United States, sent messengers to the Mormons coming to California overland, to inform them of the condition of affairs here. These messengers met Brigham Young near Great Salt Lake, in Utah, where it was decided to remain, and abandon California. By this fortunate circumstance, the State was spared the evil of polygamy, which has grown so rankly on the soil of Utah. Many of the party who came to San Francisco, concluded to abandon Mormonism, and remain there. Mr. Brannan, after having the honor of being the first person tried in the territory by a jury—on a frivolous charge, of which he was acquitted-became one of the most enterprising and useful citizens in the State.

Another valuable accession to the early settlers was made by the arrival of Colonel Stevenson's regiment of California Volunteers, consisting of nearly one thousand rank and file. In anticipation of movements which were subsequently developed, in 1846, President Polk authorized Colonel J. D. Stevenson to raise a company of Infantry Volunteers, in New York, for the purpose of protecting the interests of the United States on the Pacific Coast. The men comprising this regiment were selected particularly with the object of their becoming settlers in the country; many of them have become permanent and honored citizens of the State. In its ranks, as privates, were sons of senators and representatives in Congress, lawyers, doctors, editors, printers, and representatives of nearly every trade, who were all permitted to bring tools and materials for carrying on their respective occupations-being in striking contrast to the soldiers sent here by the Mexican Government, who were generally the worst convicts from the