hope dawned upon them. They emerged from their winter imprisonment on March 6, 1844.

Fremont, in his report, says:

"Here the grass was smooth and green, and groves very open; the large oaks throwing a broad shade among sunny spots. Shortly afterwards, we gave a shout at the appearance on a little bluff of a neatly built adobe house with glass windows. . . We came unexpectedly into a large Indian village, where the people looked clean, and wore cotton shirts, and various other articles of dress."

This was one of Sutter's houses, and Fremont and his party soon found themselves in comfortable quarters with the noble Swiss philanthropist.

On the 24th of March, Fremont headed homeward, following the San Joaquin valley, with the Sierras on his left; heading south he soon reached the alkaline plains of San Bernardino county, of which inhospitable region Fremont, in his report, speaks as follows:

"One might travel the world over without finding a valley more fresh and verdant-more floral and sylvan-more alive with birds and animals—more bounteously watered-than we had left in the San Joaquin; here, within a few miles ride, a vast desert plain spreads before us, from which the boldest traveller turns awav in despair."

He further says:

"Our cavalcade made a strange and grotesque appearance; and it was impossible to avoid reflecting upon our position and composition in this remote solitude. Within two degrees of the Pacific ocean; already far south of the latitude of Monterey, and still forced on south by the desert on one hand and the mountain range on the other; guided by a civilized Indian, attended by two wild ones from the Sierras, a Chinook from the Columbia, and our own mixture of American, French, and German-all armed; four or five languages heard at once; above a hundred horses and mules, half wild; American, Spanish, and Indian dresses and equipments inter

neyed; looking more like we belonged to Asia than to the United States of America."

In May, 1844, Fremont and his party found themselves, after travelling a circuit of thirty-five hundred miles since September, 1843, in the vicinity of Salt lake; where they had halted in their westward march. On the 6th of August, 1844, he with his party arrived at St. Louis, where they disbanded; and thus ended his second overland expedition.

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 proclamationThe American flag hoisted in San Francisco-Commodore Stockton at Monterey-Dupont and General Kearney at MontereyArrival 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.

THE spring of 1846 found Governor Pico and General Castro-who, with General Vallejo, had deposed the last of the Mexican governors in California-in command of the civil and military affairs of the territory. But these officers were neither reconciled to their relations with each other nor the future aspect of the affairs. of California. By this time the missions of the pious fathers had been abandoned, and were in a hopeless state of decay; the native converts had lost their piety with the decline of their supply of food; the vast herds and flocks of the Franciscan fathers had disappeared. Most of the officials and influential men of Mexico at one time in the country had either been banished or of their own will had departed. The last of the Spanish galleons had disappeared from the Pacific. The interior trade of the whole country was a mere myth. Ships commanded and owned by Americans were hovering about the ports, supplying the settlers and