Captain Brown, by water, and Captain Smith, by land, are beyond all doubt entitled to the honor of being the first Americans that ever entered California. Previous to Smith's arrival overland, considerable business had sprung up along the coast of California, and the trading vessels of the shrewd Yankee could be found threading their way into every nook and corner, from Lower California to Sitka. From these vessels, as well as from stray trappers from Oregon, some settlement had been made in the country.

In 1814, one of the Hudson Bay Company's ships put into Monterey for supplies, having on board John Gilroy, a Scottish youth, eighteen years of age, who was so ill with scurvy that he had to be left at this port. Six long years passed from the date of his being left at Monterey before another ship entered that harbor, except the unwelcome visit made by a Spanish pirate, in 1819, which, after capturing the fort, sacked the town and finally burned it, which was not difficult, as it contained only six small houses. Gilroy located in the Santa Clara valley, and was the first AngloSaxon, or Celtic, settler in California. He died a few years since, at his home in the town of Gilroy, Santa Clara county, having resided constantly in California from his first arrival.

In 1818, Antonio M. Suñol, a native of Spain, but at one time in the French navy, arrived at Monterey. He resided in California from his arrival to 1865, when he died, in Santa Clara county.

Captain F. W. Macondray, on board the ship Panther, from Chili, arrived at Monterey, in 1821; and continued to reside in the country, in mercantile business in San Francisco, until his decease a few years since.

The first mercantile house opened in California was in 1822, by an English firm from Lima, Peru; they established themselves at Monterey. A trade in hides, furs, tallow, wine, and grain was now fast growing to importance. In this year, W. E. P. Hartnell, an Englishman, arrived at Monterey, and W. A. Richardson, also an Englishman, arrived at San Francisco. Hartnell subsequently became the first translator for the United States government of the Mexican archives, and Richardson became the first harbor master at San Francisco.

J. B. R. Cooper arrived at Monterey from Boston, Mass., in 1823, and engaged in catching sea otter on the He died in California in the winter of 1871-2. He was the half-brother of the late Thomas O. Larkin, first and only United States consul in California.

coast.

The Congress of the United States, on the 18th of May, 1836, passed an act authorizing an expedition to explore the Pacific ocean, and make a full examination of the islands, rocks, shoals, &c., in the line of the whaling fleets of the Pacific, the coast line, and interior of Oregon and California; and, by order of the President of the United States, and by letter from J. K. Paulding, Secretary of the Navy, dated August 11, 1838, Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, subsequently Commodore Wilkes, was appointed to command the expedition. The Secretary's letter to Wilkes says:

"Thence you will direct your course to the northwest coast of America, making such surveys and examinations, first of the territory of the United States on the seaboard and of the Columbia river, and afterwards along the coast of California, with special reference to the Bay of San Francisco, as you can accomplish by the month of October following your arrival."

The fleet consisted of the United States ship Vincennes, United States ship Peacock, United States ship Relief, United States brig Porpoise, tender Sea-Gull, and tender Flying Fish. This fleet, well equipped, and manned with seamen and scientific men, sailed on its mission August 18, 1838; and, after exploring the South Pacific, arrived, on April 28, 1841, off Cape Disappointment, near the mouth of the Columbia river· but, owing to the roughness of the bar, and not know ing the channel, Wilkes headed north, and, on the 11th of May, entered the Straits of Fuca, just forty-nine years after the navigator Vancouver, in pursuing the track of De Fuca, had visited there.

Wilkes, in describing his explorations along the north coast, mentions the wreck of a Japanese junk, near Point Grenville, which is midway between the Columbia and Puget sound, Washington Territory. He says:

"It was also near this spot that the very remarkable occurrence of the wreck of a Japanese junk happened in the year 1833. The officers of the Hudson Bay Company became aware of this disaster in a singular manner. They received a drawing, on a piece of China paper, in which were depicted three shipwrecked persons, with the junk on the rocks, and the Indians engaged in plundering. This was sufficient to induce them to make inquiries; and Captain McNeil (a native of Boston) was despatched to Cape Flattery to obtain further information, and afford relief, should it be needed.

"He had the satisfaction to find three Japanese, whom he rescued from slavery; and the Hudson Bay Company, with characteristic liberality, sent them to England; thence they took passage to China, where, I understand, they still remain, in consequence of their being unable to obtain a passage to Japan."

Wilkes, making a voyage up Puget sound, crossed by land to the Cowletz, thence down the Columbia, and arrived at Astoria in the latter part of May, 1841. After extending his explorations inland as far as Fort

Colville, through the greater part of Oregon and Wash ington Territory, he proceeded to California. On the 14th of October, 1841, the Vincennes, Commander Ringgold, arrived at San Francisco. Here intelligence of the death of President Harrison was received. Wilkes, in his report, says: "As soon as the ship anchored, an officer was despatched on shore to call upon the authorities; but none of any description were to be found: the only magistrate or alcalde was absent."

After the land expedition had explored Southern Oregon and a great portion of the interior of California, the various divisions of the expedition met at San Francisco, on the 1st of November, 1841, from whence the fleet sailed for the Hawaiian group. From there the expedition extended its operations to the South Pacific, returning home by China and the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at New York on the 10th day of June, 1842, and disbanded.

Wilkes' official report to Congress of his extensive explorations in the Pacific-a work of five volumes, with drawings, maps, charts, &c.—is a valuable acquisition to our early history of the Pacific coast; but fails to exhibit either the genial climate or fertile soil of California as these subjects deserve; and the single allusion of his mineralogist, Mr. Dana, of the indication. of precious metals in some quartz specimens found in Southern Oregon, is the only mention made of minerals in his report.

It was in conjunction with this expedition, and to explore that part of the Pacific coast which could not be reached by Wilkes' party, that the expeditions of John C. Fremont and his associates were subsequently inaugurated.

The solicitude of the government to ascertain more concerning the region in the vicinity of the Columbia river being settled up with Americans caused a commission to be issued to John C. Fremont, to explore the Rocky mountains in search of an available pass to the Columbia. In furtherance of this object, Fremont, at the head of a party fitted out for this expedition, left Washington, on the 2d of May, 1842; and, after a six months campaign, in which he extended his explorations no farther than the Rocky mountains, he, on the 29th of October, returned and reported the result of his observations, which were so favorably received by Congress that a second expedition was fitted out, with directions to explore not only a route through the Rocky mountains but through the greater part of Oregon and California. Fremont was again appointed to command this expedition, consisting of thirty-nine men, which left the Missouri river on their western tour in May, 1843.

Fremont pushed westward with great energy, making scientific observations upon the whole route. On November 4, 1843, he arrived at the Dalles on the Columbia river, Oregon, and soon started southward through the Wallamet valley and Southern Oregon by Klamath lake. Here he encountered the Sierras, and with his horses and mules famishing, surrounded with frowning granite peaks, deep ravines, biting frosts, and increasing depth of snow, without trail or hope of speedy relief, he passed New Year's day, 1844. From this period until March following, this little band battled daily against the rigid frosts and desolation of the Sierras, when, finally, reaching the southern slope of the mountains,