Page images
PDF
EPUB

62

MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.

Pacific and Asia. But it would principally benefit our own commerce, enabling us to take immediate advantage of fluc tuations in the Eastern markets, and eventually to command those markets, and almost monopolize the trade of China and the East Indies. It is not doubtful that the revenue from such a telegraph would be very great, and justify the expense of employing men in abundance to watch and repair the wires. But even if no revenue accrued beyond the expenses, the work would be of inestimable advantage to our own country, and come fairly within the spirit of that clause of the Constitution which authorizes Congress to "regulate commerce."

CHAPTER VI.

The Missions-The "Bear" Revolution-Proceedings of the Revolutionists-The Bay of St. Paul-Dangers of the NavigationMare Island-The Sloughs-The Sacramento-Captain Sutter and his Fort.

RETURNING to San Francisco, we passed through the mission of Santa Clara, the buildings of which are in tolerable preservation. As a general rule, however, the magnificent buildings and other improvements at the various missions scattered throughout California, are in a ruinous condition. At San Louis del Rey, San Gabriel, and elsewhere, it is melancholy to see what solid advantages have been lost by the poor Indians.

The first mission and Royal Presidio in Upper California was established at San Diego, in 1769, and the others were organized from time to time. The last established was the mission of San Francisco de Solano, in 1822. The priests did every thing in person at these missions, teaching the Indians agriculture, gardening and the mechanic arts. The military establishment at each mission consisted only of a cabo-corporal-and five privates, and they carried the mail on horseback. The infamous suppression or "secularization" of the missions occurred in 1831.

It was our good fortune to reach our ship on the 14th of June, a day memorable in the annals of California. On that day, at early dawn, a party of Americans detached from a body collected together in or near Sutter's Fort, at

64

BEAR REVOLUTION.

New Helvetia on the Sacramento, rode into Sonoma, and suddenly presented themselves in arms to the astonished eyes of the Californians, as a Revolutionary party. After seizing the cannon and muskets they found in the barracks, with such other munitions of war as could be found, they captured and carried away as prisoners, General M. G. Vallejo, his brother, Captain Salvador Vallejo, Lieutenant Colonel Pruden, and several other influential persons from whom they feared opposition. A garrison was organized from among the foreigners for the defence of Sonoma, and a messenger sent down to our ship to inform her commander that they were in arms in consequence of a proclamation issued by Castro ordering all foreigners to quit the territory within forty days under the penalty of death, declaring their property confiscated, and announcing his intention to enforce his threats to the letter. The messenger further stated that the insurgents intended never to lay down their arms until they had established the independence of their adopted country, to which they had been invited with promises of lands and a republican government, but instead of which they had been prohibited to occupy lands, and had been oppressed by a military despotism, &c. &c. &c.

I have now touched a part of Californian history, concerning which, although I was on the spot when the events took place, I was then entirely in the dark, as were all the naval officers of the United States, at that time in the country. The proclamation alluded to had not previously been made known even to our commander, who, as the highest American officer in the country, would certainly have inquired into such a manifest violation of our treaty stipulations with Mexico, and if necessary would have adopted retaliatory measures. But proclamation, or no proclamation, it is certain that the prisoners taken at Sonoma were carried to Captain Fremont's camp, and it is equally a fact that they were imprisoned in Sutter's Fort, and guarded in the strictest manner by a party of the revolutionists, com

SINGULAR INCONSISTENCY.

65

manded by Mr. Kerme, one of Captain Fremont's followers.* I heard also, that on the first night after leaving Sonoma with their prisoners, the revolutionists, with singular inconsistency, encamped and went to sleep without setting sentinel or guard; that in the night they were surrounded by a party under the command of one Juan de Padilla, who crept up stealthily and awoke one of the prisoners, telling him that he had a strong force of well armed rancheros, who could surprise and slay the Americans before they could fly to arms, but that he, Padilla, before proceeding, awaited the orders of General Vallejo, whose rank and standing entitled him to command. The latter being called upon so as not to awake the sleepers, immediately replied that he should go voluntarily with his guardians, that he anticipated a speedy and satisfactory settlement of the whole matter, and advised Padilla to return to his rancho and disperse his band, positively refusing to permit any violence to the guard, as he was certain it would lead to disastrous consequences, and probably involve the rancheros and their families in ruin, without accomplishing any permanent good result. This was not told to me by Vallejo, but by a person who was present, and it tallies well with the account given by the revolutionists themselves, several of whom informed me that no guard was kept by them that night, and that the prisoners might have easily escaped had they felt so inclined. The same persons also told me that when Vallejo was called out of bed, and made a prisoner in his own house, he requested to be informed as to the plans and objects of the revolutionists, signifying his readiness to collect and take command of a force of his countrymen in the

It is now well understood that all the acts of Captain Fremont were in accordance with instructions, and however I may reflect on the unauthorized acts of others under his command, I would not be understood as in any way censuring the prompt and energetic proceedings of that gallant and accomplished officer, whose retirement from the army is a national loss.

66

PATRIOTIC PROCLAMATION.

cause of independence, to act against all who might oppose him—adding, that his devotion to that cause was too well known, and his opinion had been too often publicly expressed, to leave room for doubt as to his integrity and sincerity, while his position in the community was a sufficient guaranty of his ability to perform all that he promised. But the majority of the men he addressed were ignorant of the Spanish language, deeply imbued with prejudice against the Mexican race, and not knowing the sterling qualities and unconcealed political opinions of their prisoner, were naturally suspicious of his good faith in thus professing a readiness to unite his fortunes with their own. Moreover, it is not unlikely that they acted under positive orders from whoever they acknowledged as their chief; for they not only refused to compromise the matter in any way, but became suspicious of those more enlightened and sagacious men of their own number, who appeared to listen with favor to the general's appeal.

The next day a proclamation was issued by the patriots at Sonoma, setting forth their grievances, assuring the peaceable inhabitants of protection, and declaring their intention to establish a republican government, independent of Mexico, or perish in the attempt. A flag was also hoisted bearing a Grizzly Bear rampant, with one stripe below, and the words "Republic of California" above the bear, and a single star in the Union.

About this time I started in one of the ship's boats for the Sacramento. Leaving the ship at Sansalito, we stood up before the wind, and soon passed the straits between the opposing promontories of San Pedro and San Pablo, and entered the broad and beautiful bay which takes its name from the latter. Crossing it with a fine breeze, we made a port at Mare Island, lying just at the entrance of the Straits of Karquin, the flood-tide having carried us thus far since leaving Sansalito. The ebb-tide rushing with great violence through these narrow straits, hemmed in by

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »