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secretly engaged  at  the  mission  in  refining  gold  and silver, because  the  father  had  many  flasks  of  quicksil- ver, as well  as  instruments  and  materials  for  refining those metals.

Jedediah Smith  is  accredited  with  havino-  found placer gold  near  Mono  lake,  on  the  way  back  from California, whither  he  had  led  a  party  from  the  Salt Lake country  in  1825. Thomas Sprague,  writing  to Edmond  Randolph,  in  1860,  states  that  he  was  well aware of  the  fact,  and  that  the  spot  where  the  gold was found  was  on  the  route  to  Salt  lake,  and  east  by north  from  Mono  lake. Quite a  quantity  of  this  gold, Smith brought  back  with  him  to  the  American  Fur Company's encampment  on  Green  river. His partners were so  pleased  with  his  success  that  they  induced him to  return  to  the  gold  field,  in  which  attempt  he lost  his  life. The defeat  of  the  party  by  Indians  dis- couraged the company,  and  they  abandoned  their search for  gold. Mr Sprague's  statement  as  to  the route of  Smith  to  and  from  California  is  only  partially correct.

As further  evidence  that  gold  was  believed  to  exist in California,  may  be  mentioned  certain  laws  and  reg- ulations framed by  the  Mexican  government. Refer- ring to the  Vallejo  Coleccion  de  Documentos,  we  find  that on the  19th  of  July,  1828,  President  Guadalupe  Vic- toria transmitted to  the  governor  of  California  a  decree of the  Mexican  congress  equally  applicable  to  all  the Mexican states  and  territories. All previous  decrees prohibiting the  export  of  gold  and  silver  bullion  were revoked, and  states  were  permitted  to  collect  duties. Bars, quoits,  and  rails  must  be  numbered  and  stamped with weight  and  fineness. Another decree,  of  the 13th of  September,  lays  down  the  rules  for  the  expor- tation of gold  and  silver  bullion. Permits might  be obtained  by  presenting  petition  and  invoices  at  the custom-house. Then the  formalities  prescribed  for the authorities  of  the  custom-house  are  given  at  great length, besides  a  number  of  stipulations  and