Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/48



rant of  the  existence  of  gold  in  the  Sierra  Nevada districts. The Creoles  had  often  bought  it  from  the Indian hunters,  and  in  the  time  of  the  Spaniards  the missions had  secretly  procured  it  in  large  quantities. The only  obstacles  which  for  a  century  had  hindered the working  of  these  mines  by  white  men  were  the well known  ferocity  of  the  wild  Indians,  and  ignorance of the  exact  position  of  the  placers. After having made several  excursions  in  the  country  pointed  out  to him  by  M.  Gorieff,  Sutter  went  to  the  governor  at Monterey  and  asked  a  grant  of  the  lands. This grant, which  comprised  an  area  measuring  eighty kilometres in  length  and  sixteen  in  width,  was traversed by  the  route  from  San  Francisco  to  the American posts  on  the  Columbia  river. It was  a virgin  region,  abounding  in  game,  profusely  watered, rich in  pasturage,  and  surrounded  by  mild-mannered tribes. There Sutter  established  himself  as  trapper, hunter, and  ao-riculturist. When in  1841  the  Rus- sians evacuated  Ross  they  sold  to  him  their  material, by which  means  he  became  strong  enough  success- fully to withstand  the  provincial  government. Thus was due  to  the  Russians,  the  conclusion  is,  the  gold discovery in  California,  and  her  consequent  greatness." Here  ends  Count  Scala,  whom  I  have  translated accurately,  if  somewhat  freely.

It is  possible,  even  probable,  that  the  Russians  of Ross  and  Bodega  knew  of  the  existence  of  gold  in the  Sierra  foothills. They had  every  opportunity  for acquiring such  knowledge,  being  in  frequent  commu- nication with the  inhabitants  of  that  region;  and there was  no  special  inducement  for  them  to  notify the Mexicans  of  the  fact. But as  for  Sutter  being aware beforehand  of  the  existence  of  gold  in  the vicinity of  New  Helvetia,  I  am  sure  that  he  was not ; first,  because  he  told  me  so,  and  secondly,  be- cause, if he  had  known  it  his  line  of  conduct  would have been  different. Further than  this,  it  is  not  true that the  Indios  bravos  were  so  fierce  as  successfully