Three years in California
Subtitle: together with excerpts from the author's Deck and port, covering his arrival in California, and a selection of his letters from Monterey.
By: Introd. and notes by Marguerite Eyer Wilbur.
Contributors: Wilbur, Marguerite Eyer, b. 1889, ed.
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Published: 1949
Place of publication: [Stanford]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 376
Subjects: Colton, Walter, 1797-1851 -- Correspondence; California -- History -- 1846-1850; California -- Gold discoveries
Notes: "Published writings of Walter Colton": p. xiv.
With reproduction of t.p. of original ed., 1859.
Table of contents: label: CHAPTER I.
title: The flag. — Meeting of citizens. — Disposition of forces. — Col. Fremont's band. — Alcalde of Monterey. — Indian mother. — Military leaders. — A California farm.
pagenum: 13; label: CHAPTER II.
title: Fecundity of the Californians. — First intelligence of the war. — Wild Indians on board ship. — The chief. — First newspaper published in California. — Raising the materials. — The rival suitors. — Flight of Gen. Castro. — A Californian on horseback.
pagenum: 27; label: CHAPTER III.
title: A thief obeying orders. — Game. — No penitentiary system. — The California cart on a gala-day. — The runaway daughter. — Faith of the Indians. — Return from the war. — First trial by jury. — Indian and his squaw on the hunt. — Whales in the bay. — The two gamblers. — Ladies on horseback. — Merriment in death. — The Englishman and his mistress.
pagenum: 39; label: CHAPTER IV.
title: Funeral ceremonies. — Elected alcalde. — Flight of Gen. Castro. — Los Angeles taken. — Oven-bath. — Grog in a chimney. — The flea. — First rain. — Rising of the Califomians. — Measures of Com. Stockton. — Mormons.
pagenum: 54; label: CHAPTER V.
title: Fire on the mountains. — Emigrants. — Pistols and pillows. — Leaders of the insurrection. — California plough. — Defeat at San Pedro. — Col. Fremont's band. — The Malek Adhel. — Monterey threatened. — Soldier out-witted. — Raising men. — Bridegroom. — Culprits.
pagenum: 72; label: CHAPTER VI.
title: Santa Barbara taken. — Lieut. Talbot and his ten. — Gambling in prison. — Recruits. — A funny culprit. — Movements of Com. Stockton. — Beauty and the grave. — Battle on the Salinas. — The captain's daughter. — Stolen pistols. — Indian behind a tree. — Nuptials in California.
pagenum: 89; label: CHAPTER VII.
title: San Jose garrisoned. — A California rain. — Escape of convicts. — Shooting Edwards. — Two washerwomen. — Death of Mr. Sargent. — Indian hens. — Hunting curlew. — The California horse. — An old emigrant. — The grizzly bear.
pagenum: 106; label: CHAPTER VIII.
title: Little Adelaida. — Col. Fremont's battalion. — Santiago in love. — Sentiments of an old Californian. — The prize Julia. — Fandango. — Winter climate. — Patron Saint of California. — Habits of the natives. — Insurrection in the north. — Drama in a church. — Position of Com. Stockton.
pagenum: 121; label: CHAPTER IX.
title: Day of the Santos Innocentes. — Letting off a lake. — Arrival of the Dale with home letters. — The dead year. — Newly-arrived emigrants. — Egg-breaking festivities. — Concealment of Chaves. — Plot to capture the alcalde
pagenum: 134; label: CHAPTER X.
title: Destruction of dogs. — The wash-tub mail. — The surrender in the north. — Robbing the Californians. — Death-scene in a shanty. — The men who took up arms. — Arrival of the Independence. — Destitution of our troops. — Capture of los Angeles.
pagenum: 149; label: CHAPTER XI.
title: Arrival of the Lexington. — The march to los Angeles, and battle of San Gabriel. — The capitulation. — Military characteristics of the Californians. — Barricades down.
pagenum: 163; label: CHAPTER XII.
title: Return of T. O. Larkin. — The tall partner in the Californian. — Mexican officers. — The Cyane. — War mementoes. — Drama of Adam and Eve. — Carnival. — Birth-day of Washington. — A California captain. — Application for a divorce. — Arrival of the Columbus.
pagenum: 173; label: CHAPTER XIII.
title: The people of Monterey. — The guitar and runaway wife. — Mother ordered to flog her son. — Work of the prisoners. — Catching sailors. — Court of Admiralty. — Gamblers caught and fined. — Lifting land boundaries
pagenum: 189; label: CHAPTER XIV.
title: A convict who would not work. — Lawyers at Monterey. — Who conquered California. — Ride to a rancho. — Leopaldo. — Party of Californians. — A dash into the forests. — Chasing a deer. — Killing a bear. — Ladies with firearms. — A mother and volunteer.
pagenum: 199; label: CHAPTER XV.
title: A California pic-nic. — Seventy and seventeen in the dance. — Children in the grove. — A California bear-hunt. — The bear and bull bated. — The Russian's cabbage head.
pagenum: 210; label: CHAPTER XVI.
title: A Californian jealous of his wife. — Hospitality of the natives. — Honors to Guadalupe. — Application from a Lothario for a divorce. — Capture of Mazatlan. — Larceny of Canton shawls. — An emigrant's wife claiming to have taken the country. — A wild bullock in Main-street
pagenum: 220; label: CHAPTER XVII.
title: Rains in California. — Functions of the alcalde of Monterey. — Orphans in California. — Slip of the gallows rope. — Making a father whip his boy. — A convict as prison cook. — The knacka. — Thom. Cole. — A man robbing himself. — A blacksmith outwitted.
pagenum: 230; label: CHAPTER XVIII.
title: First discovery of gold. — Prison guard. — Incredulity about the gold. — Santiago getting married. — Another lump of gold. — Effects of the gold fever. — The court of an alcalde. — Mosquitoes as constables. — Bob and his bag of gold. — Return of citizens from the mines. — A man with the gold cholic. — The mines on individual credit.
pagenum: 242; label: CHAPTER XIX.
title: Tour of the gold-mines. — Loss of horses. — First night in the woods. — Arrival at San Juan. — Under way. — Camping out. — Bark of the wolves. — Watch-fires. — San Jose. — A fresh start. — Camping on the slope of a hill. — Wild features of the country. — Valley of the San Joaquin. — Band of wild horses.
pagenum: 257; label: CHAPTER XX.
title: The grave of a gold-hunter. — Mountain spurs. — A company of Sonoranians. — A night alarm. — First view of the mines. — Character of the deposits. — A woman and her pan. — Removal to other mines. — Wild Indians and their weapons. — Cost of provisions. — A plunge into a gold river. — Machines used by the gold-diggers.
pagenum: 269; label: CHAPTER XXI.
title: Lump of gold lost. — Indians at their game of arrows. — Camp of the gold-hunters. — A Sonoranian gold-digger. — Sabbath in the mines. — The giant Welchman. — Nature of gold deposits. — Average per man. — New discoveries.
pagenum: 282; label: CHAPTER XXII.
title: Visit to the Sonoranian camp. — Festivities and gambling. — The doctor and teamster. — An alcalde turned cook. — The miner's tattoo. — The little Dutchman. — New deposits discovered. — A woman keeping a monte table. — Up to the knee and nine-pence. — The volcanoes and gold. — Arrival of a barrel of rum.
pagenum: 295; label: CHAPTER XXIII.
title: Natural amphitheatre. — No scientific clue to the deposits of gold. — Soil of the mines. — Life among the gold-diggers. — Loss of our caballada. — The old man and rock. — Departure from the mines. — Travelling among gorges and pinnacles. — Instincts of the mule. — A mountain cabin.
pagenum: 309; label: CHAPTER XXIV.
title: A lady in the mountains. — Town of Stockton. — Crossing the valley of the San Joaquin. — The robbed father and boy. — Ride to San Jose. — Rum in California. — Highwayman. — Woodland life. — Rachel at the well. — Farewell to my camping-tree.
pagenum: 324; label: CHAPTER XXV.
title: Cause of sickness in the mines. — The quicksilver mines. — Heat and cold in the mines. — Traits in the Spanish character. — Health of California ladies. — A word to mothers. — The pingrass and blackbird. — The Redwood-tree. — Battle of the eggs.
pagenum: 339; label: CHAPTER XXVI.
title: The public domain. — Scenery around Monterey. — Vineyards of los Angeles. — Beauty of San Diego. — The culprit hall. — The rush for gold. — Land titles. — The Indian doctress. — Tufted partridge. — Death of Com. Biddle.
pagenum: 351; label: CHAPTER XXVII.
title: The gold region. — Its locality, nature, and extent. — Foreigners in the mines. — The Indians' discovery of gold. — Agricultural capabilities of California. — Services of United States officers. — First decisive movement for the organization of a civil government. — Intelligence of the death of Gen. Kearny.
pagenum: 365; label: CHAPTER XXVIII.
title: Ride of Col. Fremont from los Angelese to Monterey and back. — Character of the country. — The rincon. — Skeletons of dead horses. — A stampede. — Gray bears. — The return. — The two horses rode by Col. Fremont. — An experiment. — The result. — Characteristics of the California horse. — Fossil remains. — The two classes of emigrants. — Life in California. — Heads against tails.
pagenum: 377; label: CHAPTER XXIX.
title: The tragedy at San Miguel. — Court and culprits. — Age and circumstances of those who should come to California. — Condition of the professions. — The wrongs of California. — Claims on the Christian community. — Journalists
pagenum: 391; label: CHAPTER XXX.
title: The gold-bearing quartz. — Their locality. — Richness and extent. — The suitable machinery to be used in the mountains. — The court of admiralty at Monterey. — lts organization and jurisdiction. — The cases determined. — Sale of the prizes. — Convention and Constitution of California. — Difficulties and compromises. — Spirit of the instrument.
pagenum: 403; label: CHAPTER XXXI.
title: Glances at towns sprung and springing. — San Francisco. — Benicia. — Sacramento City. — Sutter. — Vernon. — Boston. — Stockton. — New York. — Alvezo. — Stanislaus. — Sonora. — Crescent City. — Trinidad.
pagenum: 414; label: CHAPTER XXXII.
title: Brief notices of persons, whose portraits embellish this volume, and who are prominently connected with California affairs.
pagenum: 425; label: CHAPTER XXXIII.
title: The mission establishments in California. — Their origin, objects, localities, lands, revenues, overthrow. — California Railroad.
pagenum: 439