Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/22

xiv was practically limited to the life of a single man—John McLoughlin. The Americans came last, and founded states. Recognizing the beginning of the end of Spanish rule on the Pacific coast, Governor Pico, of California, said to his people:

"We are threatened with hordes of Yankee immigrants. Already have the wagons of that perfidious people scaled the almost inaccessible summits of the Sierra Nevadas, crossed the entire continent and penetrated the fruitful valley of Sacramento. What that astonishing people will next undertake, I cannot say; but in whatever enterprise they embark they will be successful. Already these adventurous voyagers, spreading themselves over the country that seems to suit their tastes are cultivating farms, establishing vineyards, erecting sawmills, sawing lumber and doing a thousand other things that seem perfectly natural to them."

Several volumes of biographies of Oregon men and women will accompany this historical volume. Many persons assume that these personal biographies are not valuable. But that is a mistake. All history is but the recital of the works of the men and women of the past. These personal biographies will be the mine from which will be drawn the facts for histories in the future. They are worth reading and we commend them to all subscribers for this book. Now for the story!