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CHAPTER XIV

THE NORTHWEST AND CALIFORNIA

Conditions in early California. For most Americans the history of the Pacific coast had thus far been summed up in the story of Oregon. The Mexican (until 1 82 1 the Spanish) territory south of the parallel of 42° had sometimes attracted the notice of public men, and once or twice produced some effect upon the government's plans concerning Oregon. But until about 1840 very little attention was paid to this vast province, where four or five thousand people were living in comparative idleness, scattered about through the valleys and over the plains of that fair and sunny land. The principal occupation was the keeping of herds, which required little labour. The "Boston Ships," as the American traders were called, plied up and down the long coast line, visiting the harbours and inlets where they exchanged groceries and manufactured goods for the cartloads of beef hides and bags of tallow brought down from the ranches.

Americans settle in California. Sometimes sailors, attracted by the easy life of the Calif ornians, deserted from these vessels and became residents in the country. Other Americans came overland as hunters and trappers, like Jedediah Smith, Ewing Young, and