Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/55



ests and  foothills  in  quest  of  slumbering  resources. The Sierra  could  not  have  long  retained  her  secret. ^° The discovery  by  Marshall  was  the  first  that  can be called  a  California  gold  discovery,  aside  from  the petty placers  found  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state. It is  not  impossible  that  white  men  may  have  seen gold in  the  Sierra  foothills  before  him. This region had been  traversed  by  trappers,  by  emigrants,  and even by  men  of  science;  but  if  they  saw  gold,  either they did  not  know  it  or  they  did  not  reveal  it. No sooner was  the  discovery  announced  than  others claimed to  have  been  previously  cognizant  of  the  fact; but such  statements  are  not  admissible. Most of them  are  evident  fabrications;  as  for  the  rest,  not  one has been  proved. They were  made  in  the  first  in- stance, as a  rule,  to  deprive  Marshall  of  the  fame  of his  discovery,  and  they  failed.

^ConsDicuous among  those  not  before  mentioned  are  the  opinions  general of Arthur  l>obba,  Samuel  Heame,  Jonathan  Carver,  Duflot  de  Mofras,  CataU, Pickett, Bidwell,  Larkin,  Bandini,  Osio;  the  statements  of  Antonio  de  Alcedo, Alvarado, Vallejo,  Jedediah  Smith,  Blake,  Hastings,  and  others. Herewith I give  a  list  of  authorities  on  the  subject. 0)iio, HiMoria  de  California^  MS., 606;  Col,  Depi.  St  Pap,,  viii.  6,  16,  etc.;  Larkin's  Off.  Cor.,  MS.,  i.  96;  Ban- diiii^  nisi.  C\il,,  MS.,  17-18;  BidweWs  Col.  ISU-S,  MS.,  214;  Vall^o,  Doc, MS.,  i.  140-1;  Dfp,  Bee,  MS.,  ix.  136;  Vallejo,  Notas  nistdricas,  MS..  35; Cly man* a  Diary,  MS.;  Dams'  Glimpses,  MS.,  149-50;  SanDieyo,  Arch,  Index, MS.,  92;  CasUinares,  CoL  Doc,  Col,,  MS.,  23;  Alvarado,  HiH.  CaL,  MS., i.  77,  and  iv.  161;  Galindo,  Apuntes,  MS.,  68-9;  JSuller'a  Pera.  Ohs„  MS.,  171 ; JIatVs  Sonora,  MS.,  252;  Castroville  Argus,  Sept.  7,  1872;  Bobimton's  Life  in Col,,  190;  Browne's  Min,  Bes.,  13-16;  Monterey  Herald,  Oct.  15,  1875;  Bry att*:s  Cat,,  451;  M4z.,  Mem,  Bel.,  1835,  no.  6;  Mo/ras,  Or.  et  CaL,  I  137;  S. F.  Aha  Vol.,  Mar.  28,  1857,  and  Jan.  28  and  May  18,  1878;  S,  F.  Herald, Juue 1,  1855;  Hesperian  Mag.,  vii. 560; Drake's  Voy.;  Sheltwke's  Voy,; Dobhs* Hudson's  Bay;  Hardy's  Travels  in  Mex,,  331-2;  Dunbar's  Boniance  of the  Age,  93-4;  Hughes'  CaX.,  119;  Mendocino  Democrat,  Feb.  1,  1872;  Lake Co^tntyBee, Mar. 18, 1873;  Venegas,  Hist,  Ccd.,  i.  177-8;  Antioch  Ledger,  Feb. 3,  1872;  HiUelTs  Mining,  10-11;  Bvffnm's  Six  Months,  45-6;  Widkcr's  Nar.^ II; Merced  Argvs,  Sept. 2, 1874;  Croni»e's  Nat. Wealth, 109;  Hanes'  Col, Mining CaL,  I  I;  8. F. BuUetin,  July  12  and  Oct. 1, 1860,  Aug.  14,  1865; TuthUVs HisL  Col.,  231 ;  Cray's  Hist,  Or.,  364;  Dana's  Two  Years,  324;  Bed Bluff lnd.,Z9iVk,  17,  1866;  Hutchings'  Mag.,  v.  352;  Hunt's  Mer. Mng., xxiv. 768, xxxL  385-6,  xxxiv. 631-2; Cat. Chronicle, Jan.  28,  1856;  Dwinelle,  Ad., 1866, 28;  Beese  Biv,  Beveille,  Aug. 10, 1865,  and  Jan.  29,  1872;  Carson's  State Beg., Jan. 27, 1^2;  Elko  Independent,  Jan.  15,  1870;  <S^oc  Union,  Juno  7^ 1861; Scala,  Nouv,  An,  des  Voy.,  clxiv. 388-90; Quarterly  Bev.,  no.  87,  1850, 416; Oomez,  Lo  queSabe,  MS.,  228-9;  Hughes'  California,  1 19;  Carson's  Bee, 58-9; Boberts'  Bec„  MS.,  10;  Valle,  Doc.,  MS.,  57;  Dppt. St Pap.,  MS.,  xiL •3-5; Betpttna,  Doc,,  MS.,  4-5;  Los  AngtUs,  Arch,,  MS.,  v.  331.