An edition of What I Saw In California (1848)

What I Saw in California

being the journal of a tour by the emigrant route and south pass of the Rocky Mountains, across the continent of North America, the great desert basin, and through California in the years 1846-1847

4th. ed. with an appendix containing accounts of the gold mines, various routes, outfit, etc., etc.

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Cover of: What I Saw in California by Edwin Bryant, Edwin Bryant
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An edition of What I Saw In California (1848)

What I Saw in California

being the journal of a tour by the emigrant route and south pass of the Rocky Mountains, across the continent of North America, the great desert basin, and through California in the years 1846-1847

4th. ed. with an appendix containing accounts of the gold mines, various routes, outfit, etc., etc.

by

  • ★ 1.0 (1 rating) ·
  • 9 Want to read
  • 1 Have read

Edwin Bryant made the journey from Independence, Missouri to California in the years 1846-47, through the southern pass of the Rocky Mountains and across the desert.

As a medical student, he became an unofficial doctor along the way, and witnessed some gruesome scenes, like the amputation of a little boy’s gangrenous leg, which he describes in painful scientific detail. He is equally explicit when portraying the daily life of the wagon trip, and his prose illuminates the trials of the traveler: "During the process of cooking supper, it commenced raining and blowing with great violence. Our fire was nearly extinguished by the deluge of water from the clouds, and our dough was almost turned to batter..."

Bryant intended his work to function as both entertainment to the general reader and instruction for those planning to follow his path, and the book is a repository of useful information, like distances, weather, water source locations, and descriptions of plant life. As such, it is invaluable to enthusiasts of Western history.

It is also a really good story, with entertaining sketches of camp life, Indians, and animals. Bryant’s descriptions of the landscapes are particularly compelling: "The vast prairie itself soon opened before us in all its grandeur and beauty...The view of the illimitable succession of green undulations and flowery slopes, of every gentle and graceful configuration, stretching away and away, until they fade from the sight in the dim distance, creates a wild and scarcely controllable ecstasy of admiration."

The variety of Bryant’s adventures is striking – in one day he is present at a death, a wedding, a funeral, and a birth. He is often nearly overwhelmed by the functions of nature going on around him, and is particularly moved by the continuous presence of death: "One of our party who left the train to hunt through the valley, brought into camp this evening a human skull. He stated that the place where he found it was whitened with human bones. Doubtless this spot was the scene of some Indian massacre, or a battle-field where hostile tribes had met and destroyed each other. I could learn no explanatory tradition; but the tragedy, whatever its occasion, occurred many years ago."

What I Saw in California is the classic yet remarkable adventure of a young man heading west, well-written and full of historically useful information.

Publish Date
Publisher
D. Appleton & Co.
Language
English
Pages
480

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Subjects

Bear Flag Revolt, 1846, Biography & Autobiography, Description and travel, Gold discoveries, History, Nonfiction, Overland journeys to the Pacific, Travel, Zamorano 80, Frontier and pioneer life, west (u.s.)

People

Edwin Bryant (1805-1869)

Places

California, West (U.S.)

Times

To 1846, To 1848

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Cover of: What I saw in California
What I saw in California
1985, University of Nebraska Press
in English
Cover of: What I Saw in California
What I Saw in California: being the journal of a tour by the emigrant route and south pass of the Rocky Mountains, across the continent of North America, the great desert basin, and through California in the years 1846-1847
1849, D. Appleton & Co.
in English - 4th. ed. with an appendix containing accounts of the gold mines, various routes, outfit, etc., etc.

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Book Details

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I. Leave Louisville — Independence, Mo — New-Mexican teamsters — Outfitting — Masonic celebration — Improbable rumors — Mormons — Indians — Marvellous stories
Page 13
CHAPTER II. Appearance of the country — Vexations difficulties of starting — First camp — Violent thunder-storm — Four-footed tragedian — First view of the prairies — Soil — Flowers — Emigrant camp — Frontier family — Thunder-storm on the prairie — Lodgings on the frontier — More of the Mormons — Rain- bow on the prairies — Indian Creek — Place of organization — Straying of cattle and horses — Election on the prairies — Shawnee Indians
Page 19
CHAPTER III. Leave Indian Creek — "Catching up" — A corral — Droves of mules from New Mexico — Santa Fe traders returning — Dismal accounts of the journey — Leave the Santa Fe trail — Wild onions — Difficult crossings — Potawattomie Indian — Ex-governor Boggs and other emigrants come up— Reasons assigned for emigration — Solitude of the prairies — More Indians — First news of war with Mexico — Signs of dissolution of the party — An adventure almost — Extreme heat — Sufferings of cattle — Division — Kansas River — A luxury in the wilderness — New-comers — Rumors of war confirmed
Page 32
CHAPTER IV. Methodist Mission on the Kansas — Soldier Creek — Lustration — A ruined Indian town — A rose in the wilderness — Another division — Kansas Indian towns — Ki-he-ga-wa-chuck-ee — Prairie potato — Mountain trappers — Beauty of scenery and fertility of soil — Vermilion Creek — Brilliant meteor — Big Blue River — Prairie-pea — Legislation on the prairies
Page 45
CHAPTER V. Terrible storm — More legislation — Alcove spring — Honey — A death and funeral — Boat-launch — Blue River Rover — Soil and scenery along the Blue — Fresh graves — Pawnee country — Quarrels in camp — Withdrawal of the Oregon emigrants — Indian hunters — Indian appetites — More fighting — Antelopes — False buffalo-chase — Blacksmithing on the plains
Page 60
CHAPTER VI. Sickness among the emigrants — Effects of travel and exposure upon the appearance and habits of our party — Method of travel — The Little Blue River — Change in the soil — A break-down — Platte River — Soil of the Platte bottom — Human bones — Buffalo bones — Post-offices — Islands of the Platte — Bois de Vache — Mackinaw boats — Prairie-dog town — Rocky Mountain hunters, and boatmen — The bluffs of the Platte — Immense fungi — First buffaloes — Men in search of a doctor — Disposition among emigrants to take large doses of medicine — Effects often fatal — Barbarous surgical operation — Distressing scene — Funeral — Wedding — Birth
Page 74
CHAPTER VII. Country becomes more arid and sterile — Return party from Oregon — Herds of buffalo — Dead oxen — Chalybeate spring at the ford of the Platte — Killing buffaloes — Buffalo meat — Resignation of Colonel Russell and other officers — Determination to change our mode of travel — Ash Hollow — General post-office — Grave opened by wolves — Chimney Rock in the distance — Court-House Rock — Foetid water and tainted atmosphere — Quicksands — Near view of Court-House Rock — A man in a fright— Near view of Chimney Rock — Scenery at Chimney Rock — Horse-trading — Furious storm — Scott's Bluff — First view of Rocky Mountains — Horse Creek — Fort Bernard — Fort Laramie — Sioux Indians — Beauty of the Sioux women — Sioux Lodges
Page 92
CHAPTER VIII. Procession of the Sioux — Purchase of mules — Extreme high prices for coffee, sugar, tobacco, flour, etc — Shooting-match with the Sioux Indians — A return party from California — Denunciation of the country by them — Resume the journey on pack-mules — Vexations of mule-packing — Canon of the Platte — First appearance of wild sage — View of the Rocky Mountains — Another Oregon return party — Swarms of crickets — An extinct volcano — Green peas — A good supper — Frost in the mountains — Effects of earthquakes — Hunters and trappers : their numbers, habits, etc — Celebration of the 4th of July — Gnats and mosquitoes — Joined by Mr. Buchanan — Alkaline lakes — Impure water, its effects — Sweet-water Mountains
Page 111
CHAPTER IX. Independence Rock — Sweetwater River — Devil's Gate — A solitary traveller — Distant view of Wind River Mountains — Chalky Lakes — Deleterious effects of milk — Sickness in emigrating parties — Another return party from California — Buffalo-chase — Mortality among the oxen of the emigrants — Wolves in chase of diseased oxen — South Pass of the Rocky Mountains — Pacific Springs — Last view of the Atlantic slope — Jacob's Tower — Little Sandy River — Troublesome visiters — The Mirage — Big Sandy River — Greenwood's Cutoff — Curious incident — Snake Indian hunting-party
Page 125
CHAPTER X. Green River — Terrific storn — Desolate scenery — Black's Fork — Rainbow bluffs — Remarkable butte — Arrival at Fort Bridger — Messrs. Hastings and Hudspeth — Traders and trappers from Taos — Capt. Walker — Californian horses — Snow showers on the mountains — Resume our march by the new route via the Great Salt Lake — Cold weather — Ice in July — Bear River — Difficult passage through the mountains — Elephant statue
Page 138
CHAPTER XI. More extreme cold weather — Ogden's Hole — Utah Indians — Weber River — Canons — Indian visiters — Disgusting practice — Great fires in the mountains — First view of the great Salt Lake — Salmon-trout — Great Salt Lake — A sunset on the lake — Broke my thermometer — Indian chase — Warm sulphur springs — More Indian visiters — Indian fruit-cake — Grass-hopper jam — Mode of taking grasshoppers by the Indians
Page 150
CHAPTER XII. Utah Outlet and Iake — Enter the desert — Utah language — Col. Russell's nine-shooter — Digger Indians — Utter sterility
Page 163
CHAPTER XIII. March over the great Salt Desert — Preparations — Singular illusion — Volcanic debris — Distant view of the great Salt Plain — Utter desolation — The mirage — Gigantic phantoms — Fata Morgana — Spectral army — Tempest on the Salt Plain — Clouds of salt — Instinct of mules — Mule-race — Excessive thirst — Arrival at oasis, and spring — Buchanan's well
Page 169
CHAPTER XIV. The oasis — Anxiety respecting our animals — Prodigious tall grass — Deserted Indian huts — Old trail of lost wagons — Desert valley — Extinct volcanoes — Mountain spring — Elevated camp — Vast extent of the Salt Plain — Sublimity of scenery — Moonlight view — Sunrise — Indian picket or game-trap — Another oasis — Altercation — Extreme heat of the sun — Wells in the desert — More desert valleys — Stream of running water — View of Mary's River, and valley — Indian signal-fires
Page 182
CHAPTER XV. Mary's river Indians — Their fleetness — Mary's river — Unexpected and singular meeting — Applegate's exploring party from Oregon — Energy of the emigrant population on the Pacific — More Indian visiters — Largo herds of antelopes — Flora of Mary's river — A merry Indian — Indian fish-trap — Extensive boiling springs — Rain in the desert — Large body of Indians — Indian foot-race with our mules
Page 194
CHAPTER XVI. Refreshing rain — Dense smoky vapor — Scarcity of provisions — Horses giving out — Dismal journey — Soup of fresh-water shellfish — Agreeable meeting — Obtain a supply of provisions — Merry Digger Indian visiters — An Indian coil — Petrifactions — Sink of Mary's river — Bitter waters — The desert between Mary's and Truckee river — Toilsome march — Unexpected refreshment — Remarkable boiling springs,
Page 206
CHAPTER XVII. Mirage — Phantom cataract — Signs of water — Truckee river — Insanity produced by apprehension and excitement — Enter the California mountains — Mountain forests — Mountain valley — Truckee river Indians — Cold nights — Mountain lake — Origin of the name of Truckee river and lake — Scenery of the Sierra Nevada — Log-cabin erected by emigrants in distress — Mountain raspberry — Pass of the Sierra — Uber valley — Spring in August — An attack by hornets — Beautiful encampment — Human skull
Page 218
CHAPTER XVIII. Bear Valley — Provisions exhausted — California quail — Manzanita — The pine-nut — Deep hollow — Evergreen oak — First view of the Sacramento valley — A body of California Indians — Live-oak acorns — Arrive at Johnson's— Indian dandy — Cheering and astonishing news from Mexico — Obtain food — A Californian newspaper
Page 234
CHAPTER XIX. Soil of Johnson's rancho — His crops — Price of flour — Soil of the Sacramento valley — Sinclair's rancho — A white woman — Sutter's Fort — New Helvetia — Interview with Captain Sutter — Reflections upon our journey — Table of distances from Independence to San Francisco
Page 244
CHAPTER XX. Account of the disasters to the emigrating parties of 1846 — The Oregon emigrants — Causes of delay which resulted in fatal consequences — Generosity of the people of San Francisco, and Capt. Sutter — John Sinclair's statement — Dreadful sufferings of the first party who crossed on the snows — George McKinstry's statement — Journal of one of the sufferers — List of those who perished — Particulars of the death of George Donner and wife — Keysburg's cannibalism — Interment of the bones by Gen Kearny's party in June, 1847
Page 249
CHAPTER XXI. California Indians — Captain Sutter — Difficulties in making his first settlement in California — Laboring Indians — Propensity for gambling — Captain Sutter's coin — Account of their games — Food of the Indians — Captain Sutter's wheat crops in 1846 — Scarcity of flouring-mills — Water- power — Hemp — Dine with Captain Sutter ; description of the dinner — Oppressive impost-duties of the Mexican government — Indian rancherias — Indian orgies — Sacramento river — Salmon — New Helvetia — Indian sweat-house — Reported Indian invasion by the Walla- Wallas — Description of the Walla-Wallas
Page 265
CHAPTER XXII. Geographical sketch of California — Its political and social institutions — Colorado river — Valley and river of San Joaquin — Former government — Presidios — Missions — Ports and commerce
Page 275
CHAPTER XXIII. Leave San Francisco for Sonoma — Sonoma creek — "Bear men" — Islands in the bay — Liberality of Uncle Sam to sailors — Sonoma — Beautiful country — General Vallejo — Senora Vallejo — Thomas O Larkin, U S Consul — Signs of rain — The seasons in California — More warlike rumors from the south — Mission of San Rafael — An Irish ranchero — Sausolito — Return to San Francisco — Meet Lippincott — Discomfort of Californian houses
Page 286
CHAPTER XXIV. Resume my travels — Leave New Helvetia for San Francisco — Coscumne river — >MickeIemes river — Ford of the San Joaquin — Extensive plain — Tule marshes — Large droves of wild horses and elk — Arrive at Dr Marsh's — Vineyard — Californian grape — Califoruian wine — Aguardiente — Mormon settlements on the San Joaquin — Californian beef — Cattle — Grasses of California — Horses — Breakfast — Leave Dr. Marsh's — Arrive at Mr. Livermore's — Comforts of his dwelling — Large herds of cattle — Sheep — Swine — Californian senora — Slaughtering of a bullock — Fossil oyster-shells — Skeleton of a whale on a high mountain — Arrive at mission of San Jose — Ruinous and desolate appearance of the mission — Pedlers — Landlady — Filth — Gardens of the mission — Fruit orchards — Empty warehouses and workshops — Foul lodgings
Page 299
CHAPTER XXV. Armies of fleas — Leave the mission — Clover — Wild mustard — A carreta — Family travelling — Arrive at Pueblo de San Jose — Capt Fisher — Description of the Pueblo — The embarcadero — Beautiful and fertile valley of the Pueblo — Absence of architectural taste in California — Town squirrels — Fruit garden — Grapes — Tropical fruits — Gaming rooms — Contrast between Californian and American gamesters — Leave San Jose — Beautiful avenue — Mission of Santa Clara — Rich but neglected lands — Effects of a bad government — A senora on the road-side — Kindness of Californian women — Fast riding — Cruel treatment of horses — Arrive at the mission of Sun Francisco — A poor but hospitable family — Arrive at the town of San Francisco — W. A. Leidesdorff, Esq., American vice-cousul — First view of the Bay of San Francisco — Muchachos and Muchacas — Capt Montgomery — U. S. sloop-of-war Portsmouth — Town of San Francisco ; its situation, appearance, population — Commerce of California — Extortion of the government and traders
Page 313
CHAPTER XXVI. Climate of San Francisco — Periodical winds — Dine on the Portsmouth — A supper party on shore — Arrival of Commodore Stockton at San Francisco—Rumors of rebellion from the south — Californian court — Trial by jury — Fandango — Californian belles — American pioneers of the Pacific — Reception of Commodore Stockton — Sitga — Captain Fremont leaves San Francisco for the south — Offer our services as volunteers
Page 325
CHAPTER XXVII. Sketch of the Bear revolution, and first conquest of California by the American troops — Capture of Lieut. De. Arce — Capture of Sonoma, by Capt. Merritt and party, on the 14th of July — Proclamation of William B. Ide — Barbarous and brutal murder of Cowle and Fowler — Four fingered Jack — Capt. Ford's engagement with the Californians; defeat of the latter — Flight of De la Torre — Proclamatikons of Castro — Capt. Fremont joins the revolutionists at Sonoma, on the 25th of July — Commodore Sloat's arrival in California — Raising of the U. S. flag at Monterey, San Francisco, Sonoma and other places — Proclamation of Com. Sloat — Capt Fremont occupies San Juan — Castro retreats to the South — Los Angeles captured by Com Stockton — Com Stockton's proclamation
Page 333
CHAPTER XXVIII. Boat trip up the bay and the Sacramento to New Helvetia — An appeal to the alcalde — Kanackas — Straits of San Pueblo and Pedro — Straits of Carquinez — Town of Francisca — Feather-beds furnished by nature — Mouth of the Sacramento — Islands — Delaware Tom — A man who has forgotten his mother tongue — Salmon of the Sacramento — Indian fishermen — Arrive at New Helvetia
Page 340
CHAPTER XXIX. Disastrous news from the south — Return of Colonel Fremont to Monterey — Call for volunteers — Volunteer our services — Leave New Helvetia — Swimming the Sacramento — First fall of rain — Beautiful and romantic valley — Precipitous mountains — Deserted house — Arable land of California — Fattening qualities of the acorn — Lost in the Coast Mountains — Strange Indians — Indian women gathering grass-seed for bread — Indian guide — Laguna — Rough dialogue — Hunters' camp — "Old Greenwood" — Grisly bear meat — Greenwood's account of himself — His opinion of the Indians and Spaniards — Retrace our steps — Severe storm — Nappa valley — Arrive at Sonoma — More rain — Arrive at San Francisco — Return to New Helvetia
Page 346
CHAPTER XXX. Leave New Helvetia — Pleasant weather — Meet Indian volunteers — Tule- boats — Engagement between a party of Americans and Californians — Death of Capt. Burroughs and Capt. Foster — Capture of Thomas O. Larkin — Reconnaissance — San Juan Bautista — Neglect of the dead — Large herds of cattle — Join Col Fremont
Page 358
CHAPTER XXXI. California battalion — Their appearance, and costume — List of the officers — Commence our march to Los Angeles — Appearance of the country in the vicinity of San Juan — Slaughter of beeves — Astonishing consumption of beef by the men — Beautiful morning — Ice — Salinas river and valley — Californian prisoners — Horses giving out from fatigue — Mission of San Miguel — Sheep — Mutton — March on foot — More prisoners taken — Death of Mr. Stanley — An execution — Dark night — Capture of the mission of San Luis Obispo — Orderly conduct and good deportment of the California battalion
Page 365
CHAPTER XXXII. Tremendous rain — Mission of San Luis Obispo — Gardens — Various fruits — Farm — Cactus Tuna — Calinche — Pumpkins — Trial of Tortoria Pico — Procession of women — Pico's pardon — Leave San Luis — Surf of the Pacific — Captain Dana — Tempestuous night — Mission of St. Ynes — Effects of drought — Horses exhausted — St. Ynes mountain — View of the plain of Santa Barbara and the Pacific — A wretched Christmas-day — Descent of St. Ynes mountain — Terrible storm — Frightful destruction of horses- Dark night — What we are fighting for — Arrive at Santa Barbara — Town deserted
Page 375
CHAPTER XXXIII. Santa Barbara— Picturesque situation — Fertility of the country — Climate — Population — Society — Leave Sauta Barbara — Rincou — Grampus — Mission of St. Buenaventura — Fine gardens — Meet a party of mounted Californians — They retreat before us — Abundance of maize — Arrival of couriers from Com. Stockton — Ettects of war upon the country — More of the enemy in sight — News of the capture of Los Angeles, by Gen. Kearny and Com. Stockton — Mission of San Fernando — The Maguey — Capitulation of the Californians — Arrive at Los Angeles — General reflections upon the march — Meet with old acquaintances
Page 304
CHAPTER XXXIV. Military operations of General Kearny and Commodore Stockton — Their reports to the Secretaries of War and Navy — Battles of San Pasqual and San Gabriel
Page 394
CHAPTER XXXV. City of Angels — Gardens — Vineyards — Produce of the vine in California — General products of the country — Reputed personal charms of the females of Los Angeles — San Diego — Gold and quicksilver mines — Lower California — Bituminous springs — Wines — A Kentuckian among the angels — Missions of San Gabriel and San Luis Rey — Gen. Kearny and Com. Stockton leave for San Diego — Col. Fremont appointed Governor of California by Com. Stockton — Com. Shubrick's general order — Insurrection in the northern part of California suppressed — Arrival of Col. Cook at San Diego
Page 405
CHAPTER XXXVI. Leave Los Angeles for San Francisco — Don Andres Pico — A Californian returning from the wars — Domestic life at a rancho — Women in favor of peace — Hospitable treatment — Fandango — Singular custom — Arrive at Sauta Barbara — Lost in a fog — Valley of the Salinas — Californians wanting Yankee wives — High waters — Arrive at San Francisco
Page 417
CHAPTER XXXVII. Progress of the town of San Francisco — Capt. Dupont — Gen. Kearny — The presidio — Appointed Alcalde — Gen. Kearny's proclamation — Arrival of Col. Stevenson's regiment — Horse-thief Lidians — Administration of justice in California — Sale of lots in San Francisco
Page 427
CHAPTER XXXVIII. First settlement of the missionaries — Population — Characteristics of white population — Employments — Pleasures and amusements — Position of women — Soil — Grasses — Vegetable productions — Agriculture — Fruits — Cattle — Horses — Wild animals — Minerals — Climate — Flora — Water-power — Timber — Religion
Page 441

Edition Notes

Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site.
Wagner-Camp (4th ed.) 146:5

Published in
New York, Philadelphia

Classifications

Library of Congress
F864 .B804

The Physical Object

Pagination
480 p. :
Number of pages
480

ID Numbers

Open Library
OL6190207M
Internet Archive
whatisawincalifoin00brya
LCCN
55048851
OCLC/WorldCat
16932339

Source records

Internet Archive item record
Library of Congress MARC record

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