Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/158

140 thirty-three tons, built for Cárlos Carrillo and William G. Dana for the coasting trade and for otter-catching. After certain delays and formalities, Echeandía granted the desired license for trade in August. José Carrillo was to be the captain, and the crew six men, more than half of whom must be Mexicans. Little is known respecting the career of this early — probably earliest — product of Californian ship-yards.

Here I may introduce the romantic episode of Henry Fitch's marriage to a 'daughter of California,' a lady still living in 1880. The young American sailor had first arrived in 1826, and had soon surrendered to the charms of Doña Josefa, daughter of Joaquin Carrillo of San Diego, who in turn was won, as she states in a narrative written fifty years later, by the handsome person and dashing manners of the captain. In 1827 he gave her a written promise of marriage. There were legal impediments on account of the fact that Fitch was a foreigner; but the young lady's parents approved the match, and a Dominican friar consented to perform the ceremony. It was hoped there would be no interference by either civil or ecclesiastical authorities, yet a degree of secrecy was observed.