Journal of a Mountain Man

by Win Blevins

  a low range of hills run south of the town covered thinly [with] pine timber and rising in to steep high mountains toward the East

  I saw but few Ladies in the streets perhaps on account of the greate Quantity of dust and sand that is seen in every direction The English Language is spoken here more or less by most of the inhabitants Indians Excepted There may be some place called the fort intended for the protection of the Town or harbour but I was nt fortunate Enough to find that spot I saw however several small pieces of small cannon mounted in the Prison yard or rather on the commons near the prison The cliffs around the harbour are of redish grey granite in a state of dcomposition some stone however is used in the foundation of some of the houses of a white colour and nearly light Enough to swim

  Monterey to Napa Valley

  31 Left Monteray and took back northward to Santa Cruz whare we arivede in the Evening of (of) the First of August Santa Cruz is likewise an old mission establishment and occupies a beautifull situation about 2 miles from the coast and has some fine spring of water from which the fathers draw their water to Erigate their gardens

  This place is likewise dignified by the name of a village scattered along the steep bluffs of a small stream the low grounds have a number of half cultivated gardens as is usual through all Mexican countrys The Mexicans nor Foreighners never Labour in province Except Mchanicks all the out doors labour is performed by the native Indians who are kept in a state of slaveery and recieve no pay Except what their masters choose to give them they are a Lazy indolent race and nearly and Quite naked those who are house servants excepted which if females ware a long chimise the climate indeed dose not seem to require clothing at this season of the year Except it may be to keep the scorching sun from blistering but in this the natives are proof against any common Heate

  “the soft smiles of a

  female companion in his old age”

  2 & 3 of August remained with the far famed and redoubtable Capt [Isaac] Graham The hero of Mr. [Thomas J.] Farnhams travels in california and in fact the hero of six or seven revolutions in this province and the chivalrous captain has again during the last winter passed through the ordeal of one more revolution and again been a prisoner in the hands of his old Enimy Colonel Castro the Eex governor and has once more returned to his peacable domicil to his heards and his [saw] mill surrounded by impassable mountains about Eight miles from the Landing of Santa Cruz and if report be correct the hardy vetrian is fast softning down and he is about to cast away the deathly rifle and the unerring tomahawk for the soft smiles of a female companion to nurrish him in his old age and here I must say that the captain has all the Philanthropy and Kindness for his country men that has ever been attrributed to him Inviting me to return and remain with him free of cost as long as I might find it convinient or as long as I wished to remain in california

  4 I Left capt Grahams with many invitations to all again before leaveing caliornia we took a small difficult bridle way that [led] across a verry rugged mountain for Santa Clare and the village Puebla of San Jose] whare we arived in the Evening Two days previous to our arival the mountain Indians had made a desent upon Santa Clare killed one and wounded two of the horse guard and stolen a herd of horses and the inhabitants ware in pusuit of the Murderers in the mountain we had Just passed through we came through however without seeing either party and slept soundly with Mr Weaver [Charles M. Weber] (a german who speaks good English) in the village of Puabla and in the morning of the

  5 we left our kind and hospitable entertainer and bent our course north along that arm of the Bay of St Francisco which communicates with the Mission of Santa Clara in our way down we passed over a beautiful tract of land well stoccked with herds of cattle and a ranche or farm was to be seen in every place whare Living water could be found this tract or vally however is verry dry and water scarce (that is fresh water)

  In the Evening of the Sixth we reached Penola [Pinole] or the [Carquinez] Straits or narrows of the Bay of St Francisco whare we encamped for the night a Californian [Ignacio Martinez] who owns the ranche or farm on the South side of the Bay keeps a Boat and with the assistance of his Boat we crossed over in the afternoon of the

  7 in this we had the mots tiresome and Longest swim for our mules that I had so far seen the wind and tide both setting up the bay which is here about a mile wide it carried us up the Bay more than Two miles before we ware able to land and we ware certainly more than 2 hours making the passage These narrows are formed by a range of bare rocky hills or mountains running North across the vally and Bay we found fresh water scarce through all this region But cattle appear to do better and get fatter on brackish water than on good clear spring water on our passage out of the narrows we observed greate and Extensive Bull Rush marches lying to the west of our trail to a greate distance

  “There is no such thing

  as a tavern in California”

  8 We arived at Mr Younts again on Napper creek completely satisfied with travelling through California for in 28 days travel mostly through the Spanish settlments we never found one grain of food for our animals and only three places whare we slept in houses and these three owned by foreigners There is no such thing as a tavern in california as I am informed. The settlements being thin and widely scattered you scarcely ever find two farmsers approach nearer than five miles of each other in fact the cultivation of the soil is but verry little attended to by even the americans in this country large herds of cattle seem to be all that a californian desires and those large herds require space to g[r]aze upon so that from six to 12 miles square forms a common ranche or farm some place is then sought then whare living water can be obtaind here a small doba or mud walled cottage is erected covered with grass tile or shingles as the case may be without either floors or windows Tables chairs or any other furniture one or two hundred head of young cattle and fifteen or 20 head of Horses and you are prepared for becomeing rich in process of time and living a true california life

  If However you have a disposition to eat bread with your beef all you have to do is to cut out a suitable branch from some crooked oak and with an axe hew it in to convenient form nail a small piece of Iron on the lower projecting extemity hitch a yoke of cattle to the forward end lay hold of the other end with your hands an you have what is used for a plow this instrument however does not either cut or turn the soil but merely roots a narrow streak whare it is drawn but with this kind of cultivation I am told that the yield is frequently on some of the best spots from 50 to 100 fold of wheat (Barly or peas not so much) corn or other vegitables requiring the whole of the summer season to mature in must be planted near some conviniant brook whare the water can be let on one in Ten days or oftener to supply the want of rain in the latter part of the season and this irigating plan is required throughout the whole of California or nearly so to produce any kind of grain or vegitables that do not mature by the first of July the native grasses and weeds being all dry by that time and the Praries frequently burnt over by that time I immagine that but few americans would like the county or the people or any thing they may find at first sight unless it be the fine fat Beef which is used and wasted here in the greatest profusion and every Callifornian foreighner or native has plenty of fresh beef to his table if he has such apiece of furniture at all times corned Beef is seldom found and salt never as there is no part of the season cool Enough to salt Beef a kind of Jerked or dried Beef is generally used by the Indians but their Laziness and negligence prevents it from being any thing like good and they would rather dig roots for a precarious subsistance for half the year than to take the trouble of making good dried meat to live on and through this nigligent and careless habit hundres of Tuns of the fattest kind of Beef is wasted every season in California alone. and in fact the want of a little cooler season is a greate drawback on the productions of the county there being no time cool Enough to salt Beef so as to save it well at sea allthough nearly every californian will tell you to theat is [it] has not been thouroughly tested and if it is
left to them it never will be tested Judging from appearances Beans is one of the regular crops of the californians and beef and beans foms one of their favorite dishes Red pepper is likewise cultivated largely and enters in to all their cookery in greate profusion. I do not believe that Tobacco Cotton or sweet potatoes do well as I have seen niether growing in any part of this region allthough their is Quite a veriety of climate found here

  14 Left Mr Younts and went up the vally of Napper creek to some hunters camps with the intention of haveing some sport arived in the Evening at Mr Kelseys camp which was well supplied with fine fat venison and Elk meat plenty of Bear in the neighbourhood but they are not fat at [this] season of the year and so are not hunted

  “A large she bear

  had got my deer in possession”

  15 Got a horse of Mr Kelsey and rode out after Breakfast to see what game might be seen after rideing in the hills some 2 miles and starting several deer whuch ran off I discovered two deer lying under the shade of a Tree dismounted and in approching them one of them discovered me and sprang to his feet I brought my rifle to bear on him and fired he sprang off in greate haste and in a fuw bounds was out of sight reloded and as the other was not alarmed I crawled nigher and rising to my feet I distinctly saw his Eears and one eye taking deliberate aim for his eye I pulld trigger the deer sprang and bounded End wise side ways & in fact in all directions haveing his brains shot out Reloded and walked over the ridge to see what had bcome of the other I heard a desperate screaming and squalling in that direction and on a nerer approach a discovered a large she Bear had got my deer in possession and the squalling proceeded from three others Two cubs and a yearling which ware contending for a portion of the venison the old she snapping and Boxing them whenever they approached she soon turned the vital part of her front to me and the keen crack of my rifle told her the tale of death The others not at all intimidated soon fell to tearing devouring and Quarelling over the carcase of the deer again I soon ramed down another ball and taking aim at the yearling brought her to the earth with many a growl and struggle she died tearing the brush with her teeth and claws I then laid down my rifle as the cubs had become frightned and fled into the brush in walking down to whare the farthest one lay however the cubs raised the yell and came back in Quest of their dam and I had to give way and give them a free passage I thought however I could frighten them and cutting a good cudgel advanced on them in turn but they gave every symtom of fight short of laying hold of me and I had to retreat the second time as soon as an oppertunity occurred I caught my rifle again and promised distruction to the intire family of bears but in my greate hury to load I put down a ball without powder and after several fruitless attempts to kill the cubs I was forced from the field of battle and left the bears in full possession of the venison

  16 Mr Kelsey rode out withe me in to a small cove in the mountains whare we had rare sport shooting deer Bringing in nine skins in the Evening the most of the meat being left on the ground for the wolves and vultures and of the latter the country seems to be remarkbly well stocked Beside the raven and turky Buzzard of the states you see here the royal vulture in greate abundance frequently measureing Fourteen feet from the extremity of one wing to the extemity of the other

  17 Hunted again with poor success killing but Four deer

  18 Five deer came in to camp three of which I brought in myself From the 18 to the

  22 we assisted in building and covering a cabbin as it [is] soon Expected that (it) the early showers of rain will commence falling some fog appeared on the mountains this morning

  23 Continues beautiful weather warm through the day and cool nights the wheat harvest finished

  25 started for Suitors Fort on the sacramento River we ware interupted considerably last night by two large bear that made several attempts to take our venison laying on a log fifteen or 20 feet from the fire—

  26 crossed several steep ruged mountains these ridges forming the mountains over which we passed seem to have been shot up from the East and stand in greate regularity at an angle of 50 or 60 degrees with the Horizon and are generally dry haveing but few springs of living water in them

  27 at Mr gordons—

  28 I was lucky enough to find my horses again that I had left running at large Mr Gordon Recieved a small box of sugar cane from the Sandwich Islands and is about to try the Experiment of growing sugar in this vally but I immagine he will find this country to dry for the cultivation of sugar—

  31 Returned yestarday the day being Extremely warm and we rode 60 miles between sun and sun over a verry rough mountainous road but this is not an uncommon dys ride for the inhabitants of [this] country 80, 90 and even 100 miles is sometimes performed on the same horse without food or rest

  “Killed 5 deer one large grissled Bear

  one wild cat and a Royal vulture”

  [September] the first 1845 Extreme warm weather the parched rocks and Eearth reflect an intense heat the rivers and small streams failling rapidly

  Sunday the 8th of Septembr was Quite warm rode out over the hills taking my rifle withe me had Quite a veriety of shooting Killed 5 Deer one large grissled Bear one wild cat and a Royal vulture this is the largest fowl I have yet seen measuring when full grown full 14 feet from the extemity of one wing to the extemity of the other Like all the vulture tribe this fowl feeds on dead carcases but like the Bald Eagle prefers his meat fresh and unputrefied they seem [to] hover over these mountains in greate numbers are never at the least fault for their prey but move directly and rapidly to the carcase cutting the wind with their wings and creating a Buzzing sound which may [be] heard at a miles distance and making one or two curves they immediately alight and commence glutting

  Larkin to Clyman

  regarding the Hedding Affair

  San Francisco, October 29, 1845.

  Consulate of the United States

  Sir,

  In answer to your request for information in what I have done in the case of the North West Indian, against Grove Cook, of the United States now living in this Department: I have to say, that from the representation made by Sub Agent, White, to his Department in Washington, I sent a copy to Governor Pico of California, which has been translated, I also offered my services to him in the affair; when I left my Consular House the former month, no answer had been received from Governor Pico.

  An account of my proceedings wrote to the Sub-Agent, and sent to Captain Gordon of H. B. M. Ship America, who left here in August, as we supposed for the Columbia River, he refused to receive it under the plea that he was not bound there; I am in expectation to forward the letter next month by some other vessel. James Clyman Esqr.

  San Francisco

  I am Sir

  Your most Obdt. Svt.

  THOMAS O. LARKIN

  Signed—

  Notes on Chapter Thirteen:

  Clyman’s notes for August 16 speak of the “Royal vulture” measuring fourteen feet from the end of one wing to the end of the other. Camp, for once disbelieving, says in a footnote, “This is stretching it considerably, even for the California condor. Condors, now nearing extinction, are not known to exceed ten feet in total spread of wings.”

  Despite Camp’s authority, Clyman was a surveyor, and might be assumed to know fourteen feet if he saw it. Clyman later (September 8) killed a “Royal vulture” so his measurement may have been based on close observation.

  The only long gap in the Clyman journals occurs during the months of September, October and November of 1845, when Clyman visited San Francisco. Clyman’s first entry for December, 1845, says he was unable to write because he broke his ink stand and lost his pencil. No doubt part of his time was spent investigating—or waiting for authorities to investigate—the Hedding killing, since Camp found this letter from Consul Thomas Larkin in reply to a letter from Clyman about the affair.

  Chapter 14

  Notebook Seven—California in 1846

  Dec. 1, 1845 to Feb. 25, 1846

  December the 1st 1845


  Owing to my breaking my ink stand and loosing pencil I have not been able to write any since the First of sept since which time I visited San Francisco or Herba Buano and the most of the Bay of San Francisco— The Entrance into this noble bay is fine and Easy of access all vessels passing in and out by the chart with out even a pilot the harbour inside being spacious and completely land locked to the North and west by a high rocky ridge or promontory to the south the land is not so high but is sufficiently high and permanent for good security the achorage is good and secure and good fresh water easily obtained in greate abundance from a spring on the North side of the bay The land However near the entrance of the bay is not fit for cultivation or at least but small portions of it it being generally dry sandy or gravelly soil some fine grazing lands are However found no advantages can be had for Hydraulick purposes whatever which is a great drawback against this noble bay The Sacramento and the St Joachim are the main feeders the former is a beautifull streem and is probably navegable for steam boats 200 miles from its mouth the later is Quite a large River but when low is not navigablle to any considerable distance two small creeks one from the north and the other from the south is all the fresh water in the dry season that falls into the Bay Both the larger Rivers have their Sources in a Broad high ruged rang of mountains dividing the plains of the Coast from the greate salt Lake valy Lying East of the above mentioned vally and west of the main chain of Rocky mountains seperating the waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific