Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/45



the requisite  water-power,  nearer  than  the  foothills  of the  mountains  to  the  east. Just what  point  along this base  line  would  prove  most  suitable,  search  would determine; and  for  some  time  past  this  search  had been going  on,  until  it  was  interrupted  by  the  war  of conquest. The war  being  over,  explorations  were renewed.

Twoscore miles  above  Sutter's  Fort,  a  short  dis- tance up the  south  branch  of  American  River,  the rocky gateway  opens,  and  the  mountains  recede  to  the south, leaving  in  their  wake  softly  rounded  hills  cov- ered with pine,  balsam,  and  oak,  while  on  the  north are somewhat  abrupt  and  rocky  slopes,  patched  with grease-wood and  chemisal,  and  streaked  with  the deepening shades  of  narrow  gulches. Between these bounds is  a  valley  four  miles  in  circumference,  with red soil  now  covered  by  a  thin  verdure,  shaded  here and there  by  low  bushes  and  stately  groves. Culuma, 'beautiful vale,'*  the  place  was  called. At times  sunk in isolation,  at  times  it  was  stirred  by  the  presence of a  tribe  of  savages  bearing  its  name,  whose  several generations here  cradled,  after  weary  roaming,  sought repose upon  the  banks  of  a  useful,  happy,  and  some- times frolicsome stream. Within the  half-year  civil- ization had penetrated  these  precincts,  to  break  the periodic solitude  with  the  sound  of  axe  and  rifle; for here  the  saw-mill  men  had  come,  marking  their course by  a  tree-blazed  route,  presently  to  show  the way to  the  place  where  was  now  to  be  played  the  first scene of  a  drama  which  had  for  its  audience  the  world.

Among the  retainers  of  the  Swiss  hacendado  at this  time  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  James  Wilson Marshall, a  man  of  thirty-three  years,  who  after  drift- ing in the  western  states  as  carpenter  and  farmer,'

mountains. Bidwell himself,  in  ootnpany  with  Semple,  was  on  one  of  these unsQccessfal expeditions  in  1846. Mrs Wimmer  states  that  in  June  1847  she made ready  her  household  effects  to  go  to  Battle  Creek,  whei*e  a  saw-mill  was to be  erected,  but  the  men  changed  their  plans  and  went  to  Coloma.


 * We of  to-day  write  Coloma,  and  apply  the  name  to  the  town  risen  there.

'Bora in  1812  in  Hope  township,  Iluuterdon  county,  New  Jers