History of California

n country, across high mountains and wide stretches of desert, was often undertaken with poor cattle, half the necessary supplies of food, and but little knowl

paint made to look seaworthy was gayly dressed in bunting and advertised to sail by the shortest and safest rou

ould be spent in the open air,-a favorable spot where sickness was almost unknown. It was, I think, as much on account of my moth

he time we were three miles from home we children ceased to

which was to carry us to the Isthmus. To my sister and myself it was a real grief that our vessel had not a more rom

got ourselves somehow into our berths, where, with mother for company, we remained for many hours. Finally the sea grew calmer and we were just beginning to enjoy ourselves when off Cape Hat

ptain and my father came down the stairs and I heard the officer say in a hoarse whisper. 'I will not deceive you, Mr. Hunt; the mainmast is down, the steering gear useless, the crew is not up to its busines

party is one of the best sailors of the Newfoundland fleet; just give us a chance to help

iting to secure passage across the Isthmus. They crowded around the landing place of the river canoes and fought and shout

d our party stood beside it with revolvers in hand watching to see that no one claimed the canoe or coaxed the boatmen away. Mother and Sue were quickly tucked beneath the awning, the rest of us tumbled in where we could, and at once ou

reamed of. The ferns were more like trees than plants, and the colors of leaves and flowers so gorgeous they were dazzling. The

es illuminating all the atmosphere except at the end of the boat, where the red light of a torch lit the scene. After we had lain down for the n

animal all to myself. Sue rode in a chair strapped to the back of a native, and our luggage was taken in the

eople as magnificent as the costumes described in the 'Arabian Nights.' In Panama we waited a long time for a steamer. The town was crowded and many people

e had more comfortable quarters and better food than when on the Atlantic; but never on the steamer did we feel the sense

loud voice cried, 'Wake up, we shall be in San Francisco in less than an hour.' What a time of bustle followed! The sea was rough. Sue and I fell over each other and the valises in our eagerness to get dresse

n deck, we were nearing the wharf. I thought then that San Francisco was rather disappointing in its looks, with its unpainted houses of all kinds of architecture,

traveled to California by water during the period of the gold excitem

t train to Califor

rd United States representative from California. Describing thi

t less than a barrel of flour, sugar, and other rations in proportion. I doubt whethe

ed miles in length, with two outlets, both running into the Pacific Ocean, either apparently larger than the Mississippi River. We were advised to take along tools to make canoes, so that if we found the country too rough for our wagons, we cou

on, but the remainder were rescued by relief parties sent out from Sutter's Fort. Their sufferings were too terrible to be told, and yet they started with fair hopes and as ex

small space like a room, in the center of the wagon. On the right and left were comfortable spring seats, and here was also a little stove whose pipe, which ran through the top of the wagon, was prevented by a circle of tin from setting fire to the canvas. A board about a foot wide extended ove

rward in crossing the plains was to ride on my pony every day. But a day came when I had no pony to ride, for the poor little fellow gave out. He could not endure the hardships of ceaseless travel. When I was forced to part

ied to smile as one friend after another grasped his hand in a last farewell. My mother was overcome with grief. At las

them closely, hardly daring to draw my breath, feeling sure that they would sink the boat in the middle of

oth ends and by these the rafts were pulled back and forth. The banks of the stream being steep, our heavy-laden wagons had to be let down carefully with ropes so that the

h flowers of every imaginable color. Here flowed the grand old Platte-a wide, shallow stream. This part of our journey was an ideal pleasure trip. How I enjoyed riding my pony, galloping over the plain g

the tents were placed on the outside of this square. There were many expert riflemen in the party, and we never lacked game. I witnessed many a buffalo hunt and more than once was in the chase close behind my father. For weeks buf

wagon, attend to the little children, and do the cooking, often under great difficulties. Many of them learned to be experts in camp cooking, requiring nothing more than a little hollow in the hard ground for a range; or if there we

urse the men worked hard too, but after their day's travel was over they sat around the camp fire, smoked, and to

and make some kind of shelter for our fires, and I was obliged to keep the children cooped up in the wagons. Here let me say that I never heard an unkind

knew the children would be frightened to death without me, so I jumped from the wagon and ran, but I was too late. Finding that I had no time to get into the wago

prepared were many of them, it would be hard to believe. They were a brave and hardy company of people, but they suffered much. It is estimated that at least eight or ten thousand of the young, strong men died before the year was over. Many of these deaths were d

he two great universities which are now the glory of California. For many years the highest position in public life