SUTTER'S INFLUENCE.

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a failure, he having lost his way among the interminable "slues" I have already alluded to; but still persevering, he arrived at his present location, established alliances with several tribes of Indians in the vicinity, acquired a great ascendancy and power among them, took some of them for soldiers and instructed them in the mysteries of European drill, built his fort on the most approved frontier model, and boldly made war upon the refractory tribes in the vicinity. I doubt if a more remarkable instance of individual energy, perseverence and heroism, has ever been displayed under similar circumstances. This unceremonious way of settling down in a strange country, and founding a sort of independent empire on one's "own hook," is one of those feats which will excite the astonishment of posterity. In times past men have been deified on slighter grounds.

At length the influence and power of Sutter attracted the attention of the Mexican government; but as he was too remote, as well as too strong, to be punished or betrayed, they thought it their wisest plan to conciliate him. He was, therefore, made military commandant of the frontier, with full authority and absolute power, extending to life itself, within the limits of his jurisdiction. In this office he continued for several years, trading with the Indians, Teaching them the rudiments of manufactures, agriculture and arms, and acquiring an extensive influence in the valley. He always, however, had a decided leaning towards his adopted country, and hospitably received and entertained, even to his own detriment, such parties of Americans as came near his retreat; and, I regret to add, that many of our countrymen made but a poor return for this kindness and liberality. Finally, the Mexicans seeing that the Americans, emboldened by his example, began to settle in the valley, and growing jealous of his influential position, endeavored to remove him, and as an inducement to give up his border fortress to a Mexican garrison, offered him the beautiful and improved mission lands of San José, near the

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THE FORT DESCRIBED.

pueblo of that name, and the sum of fifty thousand dollars; proving their eagerness to get rid of him by actually providing security for the money, a practice almost unknown in Mexican financiering, which generally consists of promises intended to be broken. But not an inch would Sutter budge from his stronghold, sagaciously looking forward, with the eye of faith, to the time when the United States should acquire possession of the country-a consummation which he devoutly hoped for, and hailed with delight when it came to pass.

The fort consists of a parallelogram enclosed by adobe walls, fifteen feet high and two feet thick, with bastions or towers at the angles, the walls of which are four feet thick, and their embrasures so arranged as to flank the curtain on all sides. A good house occupies the centre of the interior area, serving for officers' quarters, armory, guard and state rooms, and also for a kind of citadel. There is a second wall on the inner face, the space between it and the outer wall being roofed and divided into work-shops, quarters, &c., and the usual offices are provided, and also a well of good water. Corrals for the cattle and horses of the garrison are conveniently placed where they can be under the eye of the guard. Cannon frown (I believe that is an inveterate habit of cannon,) from the various embrasures, and the ensemble presents the very ideal of a border fortress. It must have "astonished the natives" when this monument of the white man's skill arose from the plain and showed its dreadful teeth in the midst of those peaceful solitudes.

I found during this visit that General Vallejo and his companions were rigorously guarded by the "patriots," but I saw him and had some conversation with him, which it was easy to see excited a very ridiculous amount of suspicion on the part of his vigilant jailers, whose position, however, as revolutionists, was a little ticklish, and excited in them that distrust which in dangerous times is inseparable from low and ignorant minds. Indeed they carried their doubts

FORCED VOLUNTEERS.

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so far as to threaten to shoot Sutter for the crime of being polite to the captives.

On our return to San Francisco, we heard that an engagement had taken place near Petaluma, between the Americans and Californians, in which the Americans had been victorious, driving the enemy from the field with loss. We also heard that two young Americans had been killed by the gang under Padilla, and, per contra, that three Mexicans had been shot for refusing to give up their arms, on whose persons were found incendiary proclamations, instigating the people to rise, on the pretence that the Americans were about to murder them, &c.

Castro was still at Santa Clara, whence the defeated party came, under the command of Joaquim de la Torre. Castro had under his command two hundred men, most of them forced volunteers and pressed men. I heard that on a feast day, when the rancheros came to the mission in their "go-to-meeting" clothes, with their wives and children, Castro seized their horses and forced the men to volunteer in defence of their homes, against "los salvages Americanos."

This trick reminds me of one I saw played off by the late Ibrahim Pasha, at Beyroot, in Syria. At the festival succeeding the Ramedun or Turkish lent, that worthy entered the city with a couple of regiments, ostensibly to enjoy himself like a good musselman, after his long vigils and fasting. The city was overflowing with Turks, Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Egyptians, Jews, Gentiles, Fire-worshippers, devil worshippers, merchants, missionaries and naval officers. At the hour of evening prayer, when the faithful filled the mosques and the spaces in front of them, and were offering up their devotions, Ibrahim set a guard at the city gates, and proceeded in person to make a tour of the city. Entering each mosque with his staff, and leav ing a guard at the door, he proceeded in the coolest manner to pick such men as were suitable for soldiers, anb

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FEAT OF IBRAHIM PASHA.

delivered them to the guard. In this way he selected two thousand able bodied troops, whom he incontinently marched off to the harbor, and, regardless of tears and entreaties— of every thing but bribes-shipped them in a couple of frigates for Egypt, with a breeze strong enough to have added seriously to the sufferings of such a crew of landlubbers.

CHAPTER VII.

War-Commodore Sloat's Proceedings-Enlistments-Arrival of Commodore Stockton-Command of Sonoma-The Troops-A Warlike Expedition-Elk Hunt at Punta de los Reyes-Making "Manteca."

EARLY in July the squadron, under Commodore Sloat, arrived at Monterey, with intelligence that war existed between the United States and Mexico, and the same arrival brought the electrifying news of the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. On the seventh of July Commodore Sloat issued his proclamation, taking formal possession of the Californias in the name of the United States, and at the same time hoisted the American flag at Monterey. Landing a strong force of marines and seamen, he garrisoned that place, and sent a summons to Castro to surrender. That perplexed personage, however, declined accepting this polite invitation, but decamped from the northern district with all precipitation, striking through the Tularé valley to Los Angelos, the capital of the lower district of Upper California. On the tenth of July, the whole northern district, including the Bay of San Francisco, was in possession of the United States, and the principal points garrisoned by our troops. All the Americans, and most of the foreigners, took up arms, and volunteered en masse to defend the American flag, which they regarded as the symbol of liberty, emancipation, and regeneration. Proceeding to the principal posts they offered themselves to the American officers as volunteers, without pay or emolu