Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-08-16
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CHAPTER II.
or For 9uttor'e Fort.

and embarked aboard . small
! blur bowed sailboat, waved our
= farewells to Talbot standing
on the shore, and laid our course 70
cross the blue bay behind an island
called Alcafras. Our boatman was
short, swarthy man with curly hsir
and gold rings III bis eara he han.
died hts boat well. but spoke not at
al. After dozen attempts to get
something more than monosyllables
out Of him we gave It up and settled
ourselves to the solid enjoyment Of q
new adventure.
4 The breeze was strong and drove
even our rather clumsy craft at con-
siderable speed. The blue waters Of
the bay flashed in the sun and riffied
under the squalls. Spray dashed away
from our bows. A chill racer in from
the open Pacific, diluting the sunlight.
After journey Of several days we
came into q wide bottom land country
with oaks Tho distant blue hills had
grown and had become slate gray. At
noon we discerned ahead Of US low
bluh, and a fork In the river, and
among the oak trees the CLEAN Of
tents, and before them a tracery Of
masts where the boats and small ships
lay moored to the trees. This was the
embarcadero Of Suffers Fort beyond.
or the new city Of Sacramento, which
ever you pleased. Here our boat jour
ney ended, and We set out to cover
the three or four miles to Suffers
Fort.
Suffers Fort was situated at the
edge Of the live oak park. We found 1t
to resemble real fort, with high
walls. bastions and a. single gate at
each end through which one entered
to large inelosed square, perhaps a
hundred and fifty yards long by fifty
wide. The walls were not pierced for
guns and the defense seemed to de
pend entirely on the jutting bastions.
The walls were double and about
twenty-five feet apart. Thus by roof
ing over this space and dividing it
with partitions Suffer had made up
his barracks, blacksmith shop, bakery,
and the like. Later in our investiga-
lions we even ran across q wooden fac
tory, distillery, billiard room and
. bowling alley! At the southern end
Of this long space stood two story
house. Directly opposite the two story
house and at the other end Of the In
closure was an adobe corral.
The place was crowded with people.
A hundred or SO miners rushed here
and there on apparently very impor-
tant business or loafed contentedly
against the posts or the sun warmth Of
adobe walls In this latter occupation
they were aided and abetted by q
number Of the native Californlans.
Perhaps a hundred Indians were lead
ing horses. carrying burdens or en-
gagged In some other heavy toll. They
were the first we had seen, and we ex-
amined them with considerable curl
osity. A good many Of them were
nearly naked, but some had on por.
lions Of battered civilized apparel.
Very few could make up full suit Of
clothes, but contented themselves with
either a coat, or a shirt, or pair Of
pantaloons, or even with only hat,
% the case might be. They were very
swarthy, squat, vi1lainous looking saw
ages. with big heads, low foreheads,
coarse hair and beady little eyes.
We stopped for some time near the
sentry box at the entrance, accustom-
ing ourselves to the whirl and move
ment. Then we set out to find Nc
Clellan. He was almost Immediately
pointed out to us, a short, square, bust
nesslike man, with hard gray face,
dealing competently with the pressure
A score Of men surrounded him, each
eager for his attention. While we hov.
cred, awaiting our chance, two men
walked in through the gate. They
were accorded the compliment Of al
most complete silence on the part Of
those who caught sight of them.
The first was q Californian about
thirty-fve or forty years Of age, man
Of lofty, stern bearing, swarthy skin.
glossy side whiskers and bright super
cilious eyes. He wore a light blue
short jacket trimmed with scarlet and
with silver buttons, striped silk sash,
breaches Of crimson velvet. met below
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