Transcriber's Note:
Inconsistent hyphenation, spelling, and accents in the original documenthave been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.California place names were left as printed, regardless of inconsistenciesor apparent misspellings.
Page 17: Aurquoises changed to turquoises
Page 64: "ancle" was the spelling in the quoted text.
Page 376: United Ship Cyane should possibly be United States Ship Cyane.
Page 393: 1st U. Dragoons should possibly be 1st U.S. Dragoons
Appendix C and E not labeled.
Appendix C presumed to be the "MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT"
Appendix E presumed to be the "despatch of General Persifor F. Smith"
MOUNTAIN SCENERY IN LOWER CALIFORNIA.
HISTORY
— OF THE —
STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
FROM THE PERIOD OF THE CONQUEST BY SPAIN,
TO HER OCCUPATION BY THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA.
CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE IMMENSE
GOLD MINES AND PLACERS, A DESCRIPTION OF HER
MINERAL AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES, WITH
THRILLING ACCOUNTS OF ADVENTURES
AMONG THE MINERS.
— ALSO, —
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
AND CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS.
By JOHN FROST, LL.D.
NEW YORK:
HURST & CO., PUBLISHERS,
122 NASSAU STREET.
ARGYLE PRESS,
PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING
24-26 WOOSTER ST., N.Y.
PREFACE.
The occupation of California by the peopleof the United States, and the discovery of itsrich gold mines, form a new era in the historyof the world. According to present appearances,these events forebode a complete revolutionin monetary and commercial affairs. Thereceipts of gold from California have alreadyproduced a sensible effect on the financial affairsof our country; and far-seeing people predictan entirely new state of things with respectto the relative value of money and property.
Still more important effects are anticipatedfrom the establishment of a new, rich, and enterprisingState of the American Union on theshores of the Pacific. Railroads across the continentwill soon transport the rich products ofEastern Asia, by a quick transit, to the Atlanticcities and to Europe; and a passage toChina or India, which was formerly a seriousundertaking, will become a pleasant excursion.4
To gratify the public curiosity with respectto the history and present state of this newmember of the Union, is the purpose of thisvolume. In preparing it, the author haspassed rapidly over the early history, anddwelt chiefly on recent events, and the actualstate of the country, as he considered that, bythis course, utility would be more effectuallyconsulted.
In the Appendix he has introduced the constitutionof California, and some official documents,whose importance demanded their preservationin a permanent form.