Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/415



stake ;  but  in  civil  differences,  which  by  no  possi- biUty can  a  resort  to  arms  in  any  wise  lessen,  and which must  ultimately  be  determined  by  arbitration, by the  courts,  by  common  sense  and  reason,  and  by nothing  else,  fighting  is  brutish. In squatterism  the existence of  courts  is  ignored,  not  because,  as  is  the case with  vigilance  committees,  justice  cannot  be  ob- tained and the  guilty  escape,  but  because  justice  is tardy  and  claimants  are  impatient. And then  the men of  California  had  so  long  been  thrown  upon themselves for  the  redress  of  grievances,  that  they had acquired  the  habit  of  fighting  their  own  battles, deeming a  resort  to  law  contemptible  petty-fogging. No ! the first,  the  brawny  arm,  the  knife,  the  re- volver, these were  the  tools  for  them ! Away with law and  title  deeds ;  we  want  not  reason,  we  want  the property !

Swarms of  squatters  settled  on  every  available  spot about San  Francisco,  whether  already  claimed  or  not. The sand  hills  were  so  fenced  in,  without  regard  to roads  or  regularity,  that  it  was  with  difficulty  a wagon  could  make  its  way  beyond  the  suburbs  in  any direction. Fights between  claimants  were  frequent, women joining  the  men  in  their  shooting  scrapes,  and not infrequently  officers  in  the  discharge  of  their  du- ties would be  threatened. Most of  the  land  at  El Rincon,  that  is  to  say  Rincon  Point,  or  Rincon  Hill, was held  by  the  government  as  a  reserve. The TTnited States  leased  it  for  a  time  to  Theodore  Shilla- ber, who,  upon  attempting  to  take  possession  the  28th of February,  1850,  found  it  covered  with  squatters, men of  Sydney  and  that  class,  who  refused  to  pay  rent or vacate. Captain Keys  then  in  charge  at  the  pre- sidio, detailed twenty  soldiers  to  the  place,  who  de- molished the tents  and  shanties  and  drove  off  the squatters. One of  them  brought  suit  against  the captain for  damages  which  was  dismissed  by  the court. In July  1853  the  sheriff,  Johnson,  was  shot by a  squatter  while  placing  in  possession