mines, disappointment in business or at the faro-table Deaths from sheer neglect, want of medical aid, drunkenness, or suicide-the latter always a favorite mode in California of relieving one's self of life's burdens— were frequent.

Throughout the first three or four years of the mining excitement, every article of trade had to be imported. Most people believed that California was only a mining country-that nothing would grow upon the barren soil without constant irrigation; so that the imports, in 1853, of San Francisco were over forty-five million dollars, over five million dollars of which was for flour and meal, four million dollars for butter, and over four million dollars for lumber. In this year, over fifty-seven million dollars in gold was exported. The tonnage arrivals and departures were considerably larger in this year than that of the port of Boston.

As early as 1853, San Francisco was the third city in tonnage entrances in the United States-New York and New Orleans alone being ahead of it. Since that period, however, the tonnage entries have fallen off considerably; still, San Francisco is fourth in this line yet-only three, New York, Boston, and New Orleans, being ahead.

The navigation of the Sacramento and other rivers and the Bay of San Francisco, in the year 1848 and the early part of 1849, was carried on exclusively in small sailing crafts, (which were very scarce,) and in ships' boats, which made tedious voyages. After the gold discovery, and before steamers were in California, these small vessels found active employment in carrying passengers at twenty-five to forty dollars each to Sacramento: ten days, and two weeks, would be occu

pied by these crafts in making the trip. In October, 1849, communication by steam to Sacramento was established: the first boat being the "Pioneer," a small iron steamer shipped out from Boston in pieces; next came the steamer Mint, followed by the McKim. All these entered upon the passenger trade to Sacramento in October, 1849, performing the trip in half a day. Fares were yet high: cabin, thirty dollars; deck, twenty dollars; a berth, five dollars extra; and meals, two dollars. The steamer Senator was soon after put on the Sacramento route; and from that period to the present, steam navigation of all the inland waters of the country has been conducted with great spirit and with splendid steamers.

Let it be remembered that the first steamer ever upon the Bay or waters of San Francisco and California was the small boat, about the size of a ship's boat, taken from Sitka in 1847, by Captain W. A. Leidesdorff, and run on the bay until February, 1848, when she was lost in a northwest gale in the Bay of San Francisco.

CHAPTER XII.

Early agriculture-No vegetables-Gardening in the mines-Advent of farmers-Ignorance of seasons and crops-Increase of agriculture-Lumber-Fishing-Manufacturing-Coal-Fruits-Vegetables-Permanent settlement in California-Varied industryHappy homes-Legitimate occupations-Gold-hunters' gravesOverland emigration-Suffering of the "Donner party"-Settlers to the rescue.

THE settlers in California before the discovery of gold, as well as those immediately succeeding that period, had the most vague and incorrect idea of the agricultural capability of the country. Some small vineyards and wheat-fields were cultivated by the Mexicans about the missions. The new-comers soon formed the opinion that California was only a mineral region, a desert of sand-hills, rugged, volcanic mountains, and alkaline flats. Such were the reports written "home" by the gold-seekers, and such the prevailing opinion among the masses of the people everywhere. Of course, in the first years of the gold-fever, no one had the time nor disposition to cultivate the soil; so that every mouthful consumed came by ship to San Francisco. The luxury of fresh fish, butter, eggs, and vegetables was not to be thought of. There was no time to grow vegetables: if they could be produced by steam, or dug out of the hills, the people might stop to cook them. After a while, some miner who had a fixed habitation would plant a few seeds and cultivate a little spot, with a few cabbages, onions, lettuce, and potatoes, only to be surprised that, without manure and without care, they would grow most luxuriantly, and sell at fabulous

prices. Soon, every mining camp and gulch was producing a supply of vegetables. Those who could not endure hard labor, or whose "luck" refused them gold, sought the rich spots about the streams and ravines, and practical gardening was soon in full operation, often paying much better than mining. Others seeing the price of chickens and eggs, and being fully disgusted with their fate in the mines, turned their attention to raising fowls; this also often paying large revenue. Others, again, having a few cows, would make butter, and sell milk at prices paying well their time and labor. Farmers were arriving with their families and teams across the country; and, after a few months disappointment in the mines, would seek the valleys and cultivate the soil-first in the small valleys about the mines, and after a while they extended into the lower and fertile regions of the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara valleys.

Imperfect knowledge of the seasons, and an idea that through the dry summers every thing, even wheat, must be irrigated, often led to great loss and delay, and in many instances to total failure of crops. Many of these branches of industry were not only carried on under circumstances of great ignorance as to seasons and soil, but ignorance and inexperience in most of those engaged as to the practical workings of their calling; as, an ex-judge or briefless lawyer setting hens or feeding chickens and selling eggs; a frisky young doctor or merchant's clerk picking lettuce or selling squash; a tailor trying to milk a kicking cow; a sailor roasting his goose; an apothecary trying to plough; while a shoemaker waxed warm in the exercise of all

his power to make both ends meet by sowing wheat to the last end of the land.

Agricultural implements were scarce and rude; and, as for houses, the canvas tent was the only structure on the premises. Harness and implements all lay upon the ground in all seasons of the year, and an untidy, shiftless, agricultural population soon sprang up in most sections of the country. The miners and the entire population of the towns and villages were all uniformed with the gray shirt and slouch hat; all looked alike in that respect: all were "honest farmers, going home in the fall," or "honest miners, going home in the spring."

From the year 1853, the agricultural and other in dustrial pursuits of the State progressed with great energy, and often with most encouraging results: a good season often making a fortune from a patch of potatoes, beans, or onions, or from a field of wheat. Men began to rush to the mountains and cañons in search of lumber, erecting steam and water power mills, and supplying much material for buildings, bridges, wharves, and replacing with sawed lumber the raw-hide fences of 1849 and 1850. Fleets of boats and squads of men were engaged in supplying the markets with fish from the rivers and bay. Granite, slate, and marble quarries were opening; coal from Monte Diablo was in the market; asphaltum from the lower coast made excellent sidewalks and roofing; fruit trees of two and three years growth were yielding luscious fruits; strawberries, cherries, and currants began to be abundant; immense fields of thousands of acres waved in goldencolored wheat; and, from an importer of breadstuffs,