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3 io McLOUGHLIN AND OLD OREGON

Already immigrants on the overland route had rendezvoused at Sutter's fort. Strange rumors were current there

"The Mexicans are negotiating with England for the sale of California."

"General Castro intends to expel us from the Sacramento. He is already on the march."

They whispered with Fremont.

Scarcely had the little "Cadboro' "disappeared through the Golden Gate that day in June of 1846, when General Vallejo was captured at daylight in his house at Sonoma, along with nine brass cannon, two hundred stands of arms, and tons of copper shot.

"Fly! "cried the Senora, sitting up in bed in her night-robe.

It was too late to fly.

The Americans ran up the Bear Flag, and with Fremont's cognizance took General Vallejo and Don Salvador prisoners to Sutter's fort on the Sacramento. Vallejo did not resist. Long since he had seen that a change must come, and he favored the United States. He quietly gave up the keys, and in succeeding actions a thousand of Vallejo's best horses went under the saddles of American riflemen.

For twenty days California was a republic, then Captain Montgomery, by order of Commodore Sloat, raised the stars and stripes on the plaza at Yerba Buena. A flag was sent to Fremont, camping on the Sacramento, and was raised over Sutter's fort.

Hark! Who is this winding along the trail to California? It is Pio-pio-mox-mox, going to avenge the murder of Elijah. Warlike Walla Wallas and dark frowning Cayuses on their swift steeds bending to avoid the boughs of semi-tropic forests are following the old