page_title: The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta
section_title: Chapter 7
hierarchical_section_title: The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta / Chapter summaries / Chapter 7
caption_attribution_description: English: Thomas Armstrong, published in the Sacramento Union Steamer Edition on April 22, 1853.Español: "Joaquin, the Mountain Robber" (hacia 1848). Artista desconocido. El original se encuentra en el Centro de Historia de California, Biblioteca Estatal de California, en Sacramento, California.
context_page_description: The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta: The Celebrated California Bandit was originally published in 1854 by John Rollin Ridge, writing as "Yellow Bird". It is considered to be one of the first novels written in California and the first novel to be published by a Native American. The novel describes the life of a legendary bandit named Joaquín Murieta who, once a dignified citizen of Mexico, becomes corrupt after traveling to California during the Gold Rush. The book was originally published as a fictional biography, but was taken as truth by many historians of the time. The novel received mass attention and was translated to various European languages, including French and Spanish. Unfortunately, the novel was highly plagiarized and Ridge never received the economic gain he hoped for.
context_section_description: Chapter seven starts with the capture of one of Joaquín's men, Luis Viñuela, who was put on trial for killing a miner in the mountains.  During the trial, a man by the name of Samuel Harrington barges in and claims that he is an honest merchant of San Jose, California and that Viñuela had been working for him for four years and could not be a part of a thieving band.  He then hands over various letters addressed to Mr. Harrington as proof.  Viñuela is then released and it is later revealed that Mr. Harrington was in fact Joaquín in disguise and that he had killed Mr. Harrington earlier and obtained his mail.
  The chapter then shifts gears to Joaquín's companion Reis, who along with three others approached a cabin of two lovers.  Struck by the girl's beauty, Reis kidnaps the girl, named Rosalie, and leaves her mother and lover, Edward, injured but alive.  When Joaquín returns to Reis's camp, he scolds Reis for what he has done and spares his life only because Reis refrained from taking advantage of the girl.  “I am surprised at you.  I have never done a thing of this kind.  I have higher purposes in view than to torture innocent females.  I would have no woman’s person without her consent… I ought kill you, but since you have had some honor and manhood… I will let you off this time”.  Joaquín and Reis return Rosalie to her mother and lover where she makes Edward promise not to hurt Joaquín.  Reluctantly, he agrees.
caption: Thomas Armstrong's depiction of "Joaquin the Mountain Robber" as published in the Sacramento Union Steamer Edition on April 22, 1853
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