ASTOR LIBRARY

NEW YORK

ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1849,

BY C. S. FRANCIS AND CO.,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

SEVERAL months have elapsed since my friend Lieutenant REVERE left with me his valuable Notes on California, with a request that I would prepare them for the press. Other avocations prevented the accomplishment of this task until the advent of the long winter evenings; but it is hoped that this inevitable delay has not impaired the value of the book which is now offered to the public, in the belief that it will prove useful, and perhaps entertaining.

The entire authenticity of this volume may be implicitly relied upon, not the slightest liberty having been taken with matters of fact furnished by the Author. The humble labors of the Editor have been interwoven with the text, and he trusts in such a manner as not to mar the unity or interest of the work. It is proper to add, that this volume, as now submitted to the public, has never been seen by the Author, who is at present on duty in California.

J. N. B.

NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 1849.

ΤΟ

THE HONORABLE

JOHN Y. MASON

SECRETARY OF THE NAVY,

WHOSE ABLE AND UPRIGHT DISCHARGE OF HIS PUBLIC DUTIES

HAS WON FOR HIM

THE RESPECT AND APPLAUSE OF HIS COUNTRYMEN,

AND ENDEARED HIM TO THE GALLANT SERVICE

OVER WHICH HE SO ACCEPTABLY PRESIDES,

THIS VOLUME,

CONTAINING THE RESULTS OF A CRUISE IN THE PACIFIC

DURING A MOST EVENTFUL PERIOD IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY,

IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY

THE AUTHOR.