memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第13章
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uch less the land laws or preemption laws； which could only apply after a public survey。 Therefore it was impossible for the Governor to promise him （Sutter） a title to the land； yet； as there were no settlements within forty miles； he was not likely to be disturbed by trespassers。 Colonel Mason signed the letter； handed it to one of the gentlemen who had brought the sample of gold； and they departed。 That gold was the first discovered in the Sierra Nevada； which soon revolutionized the whole country； and actually moved the whole civilized world。 About this time （May and June； 1848）； far more importance was attached to quicksilver。 One mine； the New Almaden； twelve miles south of San Jose； was well known； and was in possession of the agent of a Scotch gentle man named Forties； who at the time was British consul at Tepic； Mexico。 Mr。 Forties came up from San Blas in a small brig； which proved to be a Mexican vessel； the vessel was seized； condemned； and actually sold； but Forties was wealthy； and bought her in。 His title to the quicksilver…mine was； however； never disputed； as he had bought it regularly； before our conquest of the country； from another British subject； also named Forties； a resident of Santa Clara Mission； who had purchased it of the discoverer； a priest； but the boundaries of the land attached to the mine were even then in dispute。 Other men were in search of quicksilver； and the whole range of mountains near the New Almaden mine was stained with the brilliant red of the snlphuret of mercury （cinnabar）。 A company composed of T。 O。 Larkin； J。 R。 Snyder； and others； among them one John Ricord （who was quite a character）； also claimed a valuable mine near by。 Ricord was a lawyer from about Buffalo； and by some means had got to the Sandwich Islands； where he became a great favorite of the king； Kamehameha； was his attorney…general； and got into a difficulty with the Rev。 Mr。 Judd； who was a kind of prime…minister to his majesty。 One or the other had to go； and Ricord left for San Francisco； where he arrived while Colonel Mason and I were there on some business connected with the customs。 Ricord at once made a dead set at Mason with flattery； and all sorts of spurious arguments； to convince him that our military government was too simple in its forms for the new state of facts； and that he was the man to remodel it。 I had heard a good deal to his prejudice； and did all I could to prevent Mason taking him； into his confidence。 We then started back for Monterey。 Ricord was along； and night and day he was harping on his scheme； but he disgusted Colonel Mason with his flattery； and； on reaching Monterey； he opened what he called a law…office； but there were neither courts nor clients； so necessity forced him to turn his thoughts to something else； and quicksilver became his hobby。 In the spring of 1848 an appeal came to our office from San Jose； which compelled the Governor to go up in person。 Lieutenant Loeser and I； with a couple of soldiers； went along。 At San Jose the Governor held some kind of a court； in which Ricord and the alcalde had a warm dispute about a certain mine which Ricord； as a member of the Larkin Company； had opened within the limits claimed by the New Almaden Company。 On our way up we had visited the ground； and were therefore better prepared to understand the controversy。 We had found at New Almaden Mr。 Walkinshaw； a fine Scotch gentleman； the resident agent of Mr。 Forbes。 He had built in the valley； near a small stream； a few board…houses； and some four or five furnaces for the distillation of the mercury。 These were very simple in their structure； being composed of whalers' kettles； set in masonry。 These kettles were filled with broken ore about the size of McAdam…stone； mingled with lime。 Another kettle； reversed； formed the lid； and the seam was luted with clay。 On applying heat； the mercury was volatilized and carried into a chimney…stack； where it condensed and flowed back into a reservoir； and then was led in pipes into another kettle outside。 After witnessing this process； we visited the mine itself； which outcropped near the apex of the hill； about a thousand feet above the furnaces。 We found wagons hauling the mineral down the hill and returning empty； and in the mines quite a number of Sonora miners were blasting and driving for the beautiful ore （cinnabar）。 It was then； and is now； a most valuable mine。 The adit of the mine was at the apex of the hill； which drooped off to the north。 We rode along this hill； and saw where many openings had been begun； but these； proving of little or no value； had been abandoned。 Three miles beyond； on the west face of the bill； we came to the opening of the 〃Larkin Company。〃 There was evidence of a good deal of work； but the mine itself was filled up by what seemed a land…slide。 The question involved in the lawsuit before the alcalde at San Jose was； first； whether the mine was or was not on the land belonging to the New Almaden property； and； next； whether the company had complied with all the conditions of the mite laws of Mexico； which were construed to be still in force in California。
These laws required that any one who discovered a valuable mine on private land should first file with the alcalde； or judge of the district； a notice and claim for the benefits of such discovery； then the mine was to be opened and followed for a distance of at least one hundred feet within a specified time； and the claimants must take out samples of the mineral and deposit the same with the alcalde； who was then required to inspect personally the mine； to see that it fulfilled all。 the conditions of the law； before he could give a written title。 In this case the alcalde had been to the mine and had possession of samples of the ore； but； as the mouth of the mine was closed up； as alleged； from the act of God； by a land…slide； it was contended by Ricord and his associates that it was competent to prove by good witnesses that the mine had been opened into the hill one hundred feet； and that； by no negligence of theirs； it had caved in。 It was generally understood that Robert J。 Walker； United States Secretary of the Treasury； was then a partner in this mining company； and a vessel； the bark Gray Eagle； was ready at San Francisco to sail for New York with the title…papers on which to base a joint…stock company for speculative uses。 I think the alcalde was satisfied that the law had been complied with； that he had given the necessary papers； and； as at that time there was nothing developed to show fraud； the Governor （Mason） did not interfere。 At that date there was no public house or tavern in San Jose where we could stop； so we started toward Santa Cruz and encamped about ten miles out； to the west of the town； where we fell in with another party of explorers； of whom Ruckel； of San Francisco； was the head； and after supper； as we sat around the camp…fire； the conversation turned on quicksilver in general； and the result of the contest in San Jose in particular。 Mason was relating to Ruckel the points and the arguments of Ricord； that the company should not suffer from an act of God； viz。； the caving in of the mouth of the mine； when a man named Cash； a fellow who had once been in the quartermaster's employ as a teamster； spoke up： 〃Governor Mason； did Judge Ricord say that？〃 〃Yes；〃 said the Governor； and then Cash related how he and another man； whose name he gave； had been employed by Ricord to undermine a heavy rock that rested above the mouth of the mine； so that it tumbled down； carrying with it a large quantity of earth； and completely filled it up； as we had seen； 〃and；〃 said Cash； 〃it took us three days of the hardest kind of work。〃 This was the act of God； and on the papers procured from the alcalde at that time； I understand； was built a huge speculation； by which thousands of dollars changed hands in the United States and were lost。 This happened long before the celebrated McGarrahan claim； which has produced so much noise； and which still is being prosecuted in the courts and in Congress。
On the next day we crossed over the Santa Cruz Mountains； from which we had sublime views of the scenery； first looking east toward the lower Bay of San Francisco； with the bright plains of Santa Clara and San Jose； and then to the west upon the ocean； the town of Monterey being visible sixtv miles off。 If my memory is correct； we beheld from that mountain the firing of a salute from。 the battery at Monterey； and counted the number of guns from the white puffs of smoke； but could not hear the sound。 That night we slept on piles of wheat in a mill at Soquel； near Santa Cruz； and； our supplies being short； I advised that we should make an early start next morning； so as to reach the ranch of Don Juan Antonio Vallejo； a particular friend； who had a large and valuable cattle…ranch on the Pajaro River； about twenty miles on our way to Monterey。 Accordingly； we were off by the first light of day； and by nine o'clock we had reached the ranch。 It was on a high point of the plateau； overlooking the plain of the Pajaro； on which were grazing numbers of horses and cattle。 The house was of adobe； with a long range of adobe…huts occupied by the semi…civilized Indians； who at that time did all the labor of a ranch； the herding and marking of cattle； breaking of horses； and cultivating the little patches of wheat and vegetables which constituted all the farming of that day。 Every thing about the house looked deserted； and； seeing a small Indian boy leaning up against a post； I approached him and asked him in Spanish； 〃Where is the master？〃 〃Gone to the Presidio〃 （Monterey）。 〃Is anybody in the house？〃 〃No。〃 〃Is it locked up？〃 〃Yes。〃 〃Is no one about who can get in？〃 〃No。〃 〃Have you any meat？〃 〃No。〃 〃Any flour or grain？〃 〃No。〃 〃Any chickens？〃 〃No。〃 〃Any eggs？〃 〃No。〃 〃What do you live on？〃 〃Nada〃 （nothing）。 The utter indifference of this boy； and the tone of his answer 〃Nada；〃 attracted the attention of Colonel Mason； who had been listening to our conversation； and who knew enough of Spanish to catch the meaning； and he exclaimed with some feeling； 〃So we get nada for our breakfast。〃 I felt mortified； for I had held out the prospect of a splendid breakfast of meat and tortillas with rice； chickens； eggs； etc。； at the ranch of my friend Josh Antonio； as a justification for taking the Governor； a man of sixty years of age； more than twenty miles at a full canter for his breakfast。 But there was no help for it； and we accordingly went a short distance to a pond； where we unpacked our mules and made a slim breakfast； on some scraps of hard bread and a bone of pork that remained in our alforjas。 This was no uncommon thing in those days； when many a ranchero with his eleven leagues of land； his hundreds of horses and thousands of cattle； would receive us with all the grandiloquence of a Spanish lord； and confess that he had nothing in his house to eat except the carcass of a beef hung up； from which the stranger might cut and cook； without money or price； what he needed。 That night we slept on Salinas Plain； and the next morning reached Monterey。 All the missions and houses at that period were alive with fleas； which the natives looked on as
