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My lamented friend, Col. Albert S. Evans, was engaged upon this book for some time prior to his death. Of its success he entertained confident expectations, and had spared no pains to render it attractive in every respect.

He perished in the unfortunate disaster by which the steamship "Missouri" was burned at sea in October, 1872, while on her passage from New York towards Havana; and his work has thus unexpectedly fallen on those who had no other thought than one of sympathy with him in his hopes of its success, financially as well as in a literary point of view.

The author was quite widely and favorably known from his long connection with journalism and previous literary efforts. To a large circle of friends he was endeared by admirable social qualities and a career of unswerving integrity. Whatever may be the judgment of careful critics as to the merits of this posthumous publication, to those who knew him it will have a value beyond the reach of any standard of letters. It is the final and unfinished work of his day of life, and for that reason, if no other, they will cherish it. It is, alas! one of the few presently available resources of a desolated family; and for that reason, if no other, they will cheerfully, I am sure, contribute towards its pecuniary success.

That it has high literary merit, will not be doubted. To other than Californian readers it will commend itself by the freshness and vitality of its style, and the charming though rather strongly localized character of its descriptions and incidents. Doubtless there is somewhat of incompleteness in the detail and final arrangement of its parts, which would have been remedied, and perhaps