Shreveport semi-weekly news. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-08-12
CALIFORNIA FORTY YEARS AGO,
TIE STORY OF A PIONEER

OF Gilrov, Santa Clara county, is
named, aud who is probably the old
est living foreign settler Of CaliIor-
MIA, is just now visiting San Francis
GO, aud has paid his respects to the
Balle1in Office. His story. though not
very eventtul, IS an interesting one.
He is native Of Glen Urquhart, In
rernesshire, Scotland, where he was
born in l79i, and is consequently
now in the sevcntv-second year OF
his age, vet still hale and hearty. and
fond of relating his reminiscenccs.-
His real name is John Cameron
His father wore llilts-which are now
seldom seen off the stage, except as
military costume-and he had
aunts who only spoke Gaelic. He
would hardly recognize the old high
land hauuts and communities if he
We're to visit them nov. Impatient
of parental restraint, h. ran away
from home in 1905, when he was
about II years old, and went to sea,
taking his mothers name, which was
Gilroy, and which he has retained
ever since.
After cruising several years before
the mast, he found himself at Rio de
Janeiro in lSl4, where and when he
shipped as cooper on board the Eng
iish ship Isaac Todd, bound for Ore
gon with supplies for the Huds9n's
Bay Company. This vessel stopped
at Monterey, California, after voy.
age of seven months. There was
much sickness on board, and Gilroy
was left ashore, being unable 10 finish
the voyage. Monterey, the capital
of California, WAS then a place Of
only two or thee buildings besides
the barracks. The country was still
under the jurisdiction of Spain. and
Gilroy became a spanish citizen
Joaquin Arriega, the Governor. re-
sided at Monterey. He died Il Year
or So after Gilroy's arrival, and was
then succeeded, in 1916, by Don
1921 or 1922.
The Spanish or Mexican inhabi-
tants We're very few in numbers, and
mostly confined to the southern por-
tions of the State, in the vicinity of
the various missions, and their pur-
suits and customs We're unambitious,
pntriarchal and simple. Gilroy, be
ing something of a mechanic, was 4
considerable acquisition to their So
ciety, and continued at Monterey.
working at his trade, as he says, land
doin- the best he could among the
missions" He wanted to leave, for
he was alone Of his race and tongue.
but no other vessel touched at the
port for six or seven Years, and the
Padres used their influence to pre-
vent his departure, when at last he
hal an opportunity. The first vessel
he saw after his arrival was a bark
from Lima, which took tallow aboard
aud ref sed the hides that We're offer
ed. These two articles Were then
and for many years afterwards the
only exports OF California.
The years 1914 to 1921 Were Qui-
ct enough in California, and there
We're no opportunities for adventure,
except IN voluntary explorations or
hunting expeditions. Gllroy remem-
b-rs but one noticeable occurrence
about these times. He came TO san
Francisco, or IeIba BUena, as this
locality was then called, for the first
time in 1921. At the Preside here
there was stationed a company of
troops, under command of Captain
Louis Arguello. Governor Sola hav-
ing been informed by indians that
an American establishment was being
made somewhere about the bay, or
in the northern country, ordered Ar
guello TO form an expedition to look
as Interpreter. There was then no
house at Yerba Buena.
The expedition consisted Of sev-
enty-two men, including the Indians
who accompanied it, and the journey
occupied torty-two days, during
which the Sacramento Valley was /
explored to its head, and Gilroy says F..
he went far enough north to see the
mountain of the Columbia river
No settlement of Americans was
found, and no other civilized settle
ment north of the San Raphael Mis-
sion. I he Indians were numerous
an unfriendly, and several conflicts
were had with them, in the course of
Which the savages lost six killed and
the expeditionists none. ArgueIlo's
party were armed with old Spanish
Inuskets, and carried on mult.-bacL
W wonderful piece of artillery that threw
A pound ball. When needed in ac-
lion it was mounted on a small truck.
This formidable weapon was the
means of staying one poor digger.
The Indians, of course, We're armed
,nly with bows and arrows. Hun t
ireds of them We're easily kept at ,
;afe distance with firearms. Game :
IF all sor.s abounded in the northern
part of the State-including elk, an t