CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION 

CHAPTER I. THE DISCOVERY OF THE BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO, 1769
The Portola Expedition--Sergeant Ortega--The Deer Hunters--Ortega's 
Progress Interrupted--The Bay from Telegraph Hill 

CHAPTER II. EXPLORATION OF THE BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO, 1770-1775
A New Province of Spain--Expedition of Fages--Llano de Los Robles--Rio de 
San Francisco--Expedition of Rivera--Camp of the First Expedition--The 
Palo Alto--Canada de San Andres--Cross on Point Lobos--Sea Expedition of 
Don Bruno de Heceta--Lieutenant Ayala--The San Carlos Enters San Francisco 
Bay--Isla de Los Angeles--Isla de Alcatraces--Bahia Redonda--Puerto Dulce--
Laguna de la Merced 

CHAPTER III. EL CAMINO DEL DIABLO, 1774
Juan Bautista de Anza--His First Expedition--Across the Papaguería--
Sonoyta--Camino del Diablo--Las Tinajas Altas--The Colorado River--Palma, 
Chief of the Yumas--Anza Reaches the End of the Known Trail 

CHAPTER IV. THE PASSAGE OF THE COLORADO DESERT, 1774
Crossing the Rio Colorado--The Yuma Indians--March Down the Colorado 
River--Laguna de Santa Olalla--Anza Essays the Desert Without Guides--Lost 
in the Sand-hills--Narrow Escape of the Expedition--Retreat to the River--
Soldiers on Foot--Palma Welcomes their Return--The Passage Accomplished 

CHAPTER V. EL CAMINO REAL, 1774
Over the San Jacinto Mountains--The Royal Pass of San Carlos--Down the San 
Jacinto River--Arrival at San Gabriel--Up the Coast--San Luis Obispo--
Mission of San Antonio--Down the Salinas--Arrival at Monterey--Joy at the 
Presidio and Mission--Starts on His Return--Meets Father Junípero--
Fertility of California--Rejoicing of the Yumas--Passage of the Colorado--
Up the Rio Gila--Peace Among the Tribes--Reaches Tucson--Arrival at Tubac 

CHAPTER VI. THE FOUNDATION OF SAN FRANCISCO, 1775-1776
Anza Promoted--Authorized to Raise Company for San Francisco--A Great 
Expedition--Pedro Font Named for Chaplain--The Start from Horcasitas--
Canon of San Ignacio--The Start from Tubac--Reach the Gila--Sickness--
Across the Desert of the Gila Bend--Down the Gila--Welcomed by Captain 
Palma--Palma Desires Missions on the Colorado--The Chief Decorated--
Passage of the Rio Colorado-Sufferings in the Desert--Passage of the 
Cordillera--Heavy Loss of Cattle--Pass of San Carlos--Distress at Snow--
Passage of the Rio de Santa Ana--Arrival at San Gabriel--Revolt at San 
Diego--Rivera Asks for Loan of Troops--To San Diego--The March to Monterey 
Resumed--San Buenaventura--Mescaltitan--La Laguna (Santa Barbara)--San 
Luis Obispo--The Salinas Valley--San Antonio--Arrival at Monterey--Father 
Junípero--Sudden Illness of Anza--Departs for Peninsula of San Francisco--
San Benito--Rio del Pajaro--Las Llages--Santa Clara Valley--San 
Francisquito--Camp at Mountain Lake--Lobos Creek--Font's Description of 
the Bay--Anza Selects Site for Fort and Presidio--Arroyo de los Dolores, 
Site for Mission--Rio de Guadalupe--San Pablo Bay--Carquinez Strait--
Suisun Bay--San Joaquin River--Anza Sees the Sierra Nevada--Puerto Dulce--
Return to Monterey--A Sad Day at the Presidio--Anza Starts on His Return 
to Tubac--Meets Rivera--Discourtesy of Rivera--Perilous Crossing of the 
Rio Colorado--A Long Swim--Across the Papaguería--San Miguel Horcasitas--
Anza's Character--Moraga Takes the Expedition to San Francisco--Founding 
of the Presidio and Mission 

CHAPTER VII. COLONIZATION, 1769-1836
The Mission Scheme of Colonization--Description of the Missions--Their 
Great Wealth--Secularization Their Destiny--The Presidial Soldiers--
Settlers Enlisted--Founding of Los Angeles--Villa de Branciforte--San Jose 
de Guadalupe--Land Grants to Settlers--Artisans Imported--Convict 
Settlers--Costanso's Report--Military Establishment--Mission Lands--Decree 
of Secularization--Governor Figueroa's Reglamento 

CHAPTER VIII. SECULARIZATION
Denunciation of the Secularization--De Mofras--Wilkes--Bryant--Robinson--
Government Control--Spain Announces the End for which Missions were 
Established, and their Fulfilment--Secularization No Wrong to the Church--
Looting Begun--Híjar--Padres Scheme--Figueroa Interferes--Missionaries 
Slaughter Cattle--Lands and Property Distributed to Indians--Death of 
Figueroa--Administration of Alvarado--Secularization a Benefit to 
California--The Era of Missions closed 

CHAPTER IX. THE GOLDEN AGE
The California of the Spaniards--A Chain of Missions--Private Ranchos in 
1830--Families of Soldiers--The Good Eatables of California--The 
Remarkable Virtues of El Polin--Origin of the Mission Grape--Founders of 
California Families--The Handsome Hijo del Pais--The Courage of the 
Caballero--Beautiful Women--Attempt to Establish Schools--Sola and 
Echeandea Interest Themselves in Education of the People--No Trade in 
California in Eighteenth Century--American Ships Visit California--Trade 
in Fur Animals--Free Licences to Take Otter and Seals--Lima Traders--Trade 
in Hides and Tallow--Boston Ships--Floating Shops--Smuggling--Richard H. 
Dana, Jr.--Honest Trade Cannot Compete with the Smugglers--First Land 
Grant--Reglamento of 1773--Colonists Encouraged--Land Grants to 
Foreigners--Foreigners Required to Become Mexican Citizens--Limit to Size 
of Grants--Method Followed in Obtaining Grants--American Immigrants--
Comments of Bartlett, Simpson, and Others--Daughters of Bandini, Argüello, 
De la Guerra, Carrillo, Vallejo, etc.--Marriage of Americans with 
California's Daughters--Don Tomas Yorba--Costume of a California Don--
Women's Dress--Race Improvement in California--Courtesy Universal--A 
Californian's Word--A Guaranty from Agustin Machado--No Jail in San 
Francisco--California Hospitality 

CHAPTER X. EDUCATION, TRADE, LAND GRANTS
The Soldier Schoolmasters--Limited Facilities for Learning--Borica's 
Schools--Land Commission--Its Operation--Californians Lose Their Lands 

CHAPTER XI. SPANISH ADMINISTRATION, 1769-1846
A Military Government--The Presidio--The Small Military Establishment--The 
Russians in California--Captain Bouchard--A Territory of the Republic--
Revolt of Neophytes--Vallejo--Alvarado--Isaac Graham--Expulsion of 
Gutierrez--Alvarado Made Governor--California a Department--Forts 
Abandoned--Vallejo Asks to be Relieved of Command--Arrivals of Armed Bands 
of Foreigners--Micheltorena and His Cholos--Commodore Jones Takes 
Monterey--Jones Apologizes--Micheltorena Driven Out 

CHAPTER XII. THE FOREIGNERS (LOS EXTRANJEROS), 1795-1846
The Boston Nation--O'Cain Refused Permission to Settle--John Gilroy--
Thomas Doak--Number of Foreigners in 1820--Richardson--Livermore--First 
Trappers from United States--Jedediah Smith--The Pattie Party--First 
Organized Overland Expedition--Search for the Humboldt River--A Desperate 
Journey--John Bidwell--Large Emigration from United States--Mexico Orders 
that no Foreigners be Permitted to Enter California--John A. Sutter--
Sutter's Fort--Alvarado Arrests Foreigners--Americans Take Part in 
Political Revolution--Action of Bear Flag Party--Fremont and His Acts--
Mormon Pilgrimage--Sloat Ends Bear Flag War--Kearny in Command 

CHAPTER XIII. THE COMING OF THE ARGONAUTS, 1849-1850
Early Gold Discoveries--Discovery by Marshall on American Fork Mason's--
Report--Rush to the Mines--Desertions of Soldiers and Sailors--Excitement 
in San Francisco--Military Force in California--Difficulties of Civil 
Administration--General Smith Arrives--Pacific Mail--First Steamer--
Sufferings of Immigrants--The Overland Route--Suffering in the Desert--
Starvation, Cholera, Scurvy--The Lassen Route--The Carson Route--Twenty 
Thousand Immigrants in the Desert--Army Relief--Immigration of 1850--More 
Suffering--Havoc Among Immigrants--Fifteen Thousand Starving--Immigrants 
Reach Sacramento Valley--Aid by Miners--Land Troubles--Plan of Rob Roy--
Halleck's Report--Mission Property Seized by Immigrants--Mason Interferes--
Foreigners Driven from Mines--Lawlessness--General Riley Calls for 
Delegates to Constitutional Convention--Prominent Men of the Convention--
Constitution Formed--Election of State Government--Riley Resigns to New 
Government the Administration of Civil Affairs--Recklessness of the 
Miners--Mingling of Classes--Advantages of Association 

CHAPTER XIV. EL PARAJE DE YERBA BUENA, 1792-1839
The Anchorage of Yerba Buena Cove--George Vancouver--First Structure at 
Yerba Buena--Vancouver Entertained--Kotzebue--Morrell--Beechey--Dana--
Richardson'sTent--The Vallejo Line--Establishment of Ayuntamiento--Town 
Laid out by Richardson--Leese Builds First House--Store on Beach--Nathan 
Spear--Kent Hall--Hinckley 

CHAPTER XV. THE VILLAGE OF YERBA BUENA, 1839-1846
Survey by Vioget--First Map of the Village--O'Farrell's Survey--
Richardson's Temescal--Fuller --Thompson--Davis--Hinckley's Bridge at 
Lagoon on Montgomery Street--Ridley--Brown--Portsmouth House--Leese Sells 
to Hudson's Bay Company--Visit of Simpson--Death of Rae--Hudson's Bay 
Company Sells to Mellus and Howard--Juana Briones--Sherreback--
Leidesdorff--City Hotel--First Steamer on Bay--Custom House--The Bad Taste 
of Ellis' Whisky--W. D. M. Howard--First Brick Building--Noe--Guerrero--
George Hyde Succeeds Bryant--Arrival of Stevenson's Regiment--Personnel of 
Officers--First Bank in San Francisco--The Russ Family--Election of Town 
Council--Ratification of Peace 

CHAPTER XVI. THE CONQUEST, 1846-1847
The Portsmouth at San Francisco--Montgomery Raises the Flag--Militia 
Company Formed--Fort Montgomery--Arrival of the Brooklyn--A Night Alarm--
Bartlett Appointed Alcalde--Visit of Stockton--Capture of Alcalde Bartlett 
by the Enemy--The Battle of Santa Clara--Bryant Succeeds Bartlett--George 
Hyde--Arrival of Stevenson's Regiment--Personnel--Translation of 
Geographical Names 

CHAPTER XVII. SAN FRANCISCO, 1847-1850
Relief of Donner Party--Fourth of July--Population--Sale of Lots--Peter 
Smith Sales--Limantour Claim--Santillan Grant--Beach and Water Lots--
Landing Place--First Wharf--Central Wharf--Other Wharves--Building on 
Piles--Tehama House--Steinberger's Beef Speculation--Vessels in Harbor--
Over importation of Goods--Imprisoned Vessels--The Niantic--Abandoned 
Ships--Talbot H. Green--Ward and Smith--The "New York Store"--The First 
Postmaster--Parker--DeWitt and Harrison--Hotels of San Francisco--St. 
Francis--Ward House--Tehama--Union--Oriental--First Newspaper--Schools--
Churches--Doctor Fourgeaud--Forty Thousand Immigrants in San Francisco--
Happy Valley--Pleasant Valley--Spring Valley--Saint Ann's Valley--Early 
Construction--Fire--Fire Department Organized--Improvement in Buildings--
The Plague of Rats--Dreadful Streets--People Drowned in Mud of Montgomery 
Street--Town Full of Thieves and Gamblers--The Hounds--Hall McAllister--
Legislative Assembly--General Riley Pronounces the Body an Unlawful 
Organization--Orders Election of Ayuntamiento--Prefect Horace Hawes--John 
W. Geary--Prison Brig Euphemia--Scarcity of Coin--Gold Dust as Circulating 
Medium--Profits of Merchants--Prices of Commodities--Forced Sales of 
Cargoes--Fall in Prices--Rents--Real Estate Prices--Potrero Laid Out--A 
Preacher's Dilemma--General Smith Reports Against San Francisco--Removes 
Depot to Benicia--General Prosperity of City--Improvement in Dress and 
Manners--The Gamblers--Washerwomen's Lagoon--Honest Harry Mieggs--
Excursion to Old Spanish Fort--Road to Mission--Dignity of Labor--Drinking 
and Gambling--Interest in Better Things--Growth of Civic Pride and 
Establishment of Social Order--The Charter of 1850 



APPENDICES:

A. The Presidio of San Francisco 
B. The Streets of San Francisco 
C. Bucareli to Rivera 
D. The Murder of Berreyesa and the De Haros 
E. Bibliography 



NOTES:

1. San Carlos Borromeo 
2. Punta de los Reyes 
3. Jose Francisco Ortega 
4. San Buenaventura 
5. Don Pedro Fages 
6. The San Carlos, alias El Toison de Oro 
7. Arizona 
8. Francisco Eusebio Kino 
9. Las Tinajas Altas 
10. Captain Feo 
11. The Royal Pass of San Carlos 
12. Soldiers of the Expedition 
13. Bac--Tubac--Tucson 
14. Destruction of the Missions of the Colorado 
15. The Colorado Desert 
16. Rio de Santa Ana 
17. Santa Barbara 
18. Mescaltitan 
19. Junípero Serra 
20. The Climate of San Francisco 
21. Los Dolores 
22. San Jose Guadalupe 
23. Don Fernando Javier de Rivera y Moncada 
24. The Colorado River 
25. Lieutenant Charles Wilkes 
26. Bucareli 
27. Concepcion Argüello 
28. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo 
29. Pio Pico 
30. John A. Sutter 
31. John C. Fremont 
32. The Revolt of the Californians and the Affair at San Pedro 
33. The Donner Party 
34. The Overland Route 
35. The Military Governors of California 
36. Jacob Primer Leese 
37. Stockton and the Conquest of California 
38. Selim B. Woodworth 
39. Sam Brannan 
40. The Claim of Captain Phelps 



ILLUSTRATIONS [not in WebRoots online version]:

1. The Vision of Anza 
2. Ayala's Map of San Francisco Bay 
3. The Cementerio 
4. Sand-hills of the Colorado Desert 
5. Mud Volcanoes of the Colorado Desert 
6. Carrizo Creek, Colorado Desert 
7. A Soldado de Cuera 
8. Routes of Anza's Expeditions 
9. The Trail on the Gila 
10. The Route Across the Colorado Desert 
11. The Palo Alto. San Francisquito Creek 
12. Font's Map of Entrance to San Francisco Bay 
13. Font's Map of Explorations, Monterey to San Francisco 
14. Mission of San Francisco de Asis 
15. California Indians 
16. Port of Monterey, 1846 
17. Port of San Diego, 1840 
18. Vallejo Reviewing His Troops at Sonoma 
19. The San Carlos Entering the Bay of San Francisco, 1775 
20. Las Tinajas Altas. One of the Upper Tanks 
21. Las Tinajas Altas. The Lower Tank 
22. Laguna de Manantial 
23. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo 
24. Yerba Buena Cove and Island 
25. Vancouver's Map of the Entrance to San Francisco Bay 
26. Richardson's Plan of Yerba Buena, 1835 
27. San Francisco in 1837 
28. Jacob P. Leese 
29. Rosalia Leese 
30. Vioget's Survey of Yerba Buena, 1839 
31. The Alcalde Map of San Francisco, 1847 
32. San Francisco in 1846 
33. Custom House, San Francisco 
34. The Limantour Diseno 
35. The Limantour Claim 
36. New York Store, Montgomery Street 
37. San Francisco in 1849 
38. Prison Brig Euphemia and Ship Apollo 
39. The Overland Route, Missouri River to South Pass 
40. The Overland Route, South Pass to California 
41. Brigadier-General Stephen W. Kearny 
42. San Pascual. The Charge of the Caballeros 
43. Colonel Richard B. Mason 
44. Brigadier-General Bennet Riley 
45. Entrance to Bay of San Francisco in 1852 
46. Presidio of San Francisco in 1820 
47. The Military Reservation in 1847 



INTRODUCTION 

"Bells of the Past, whose long forgotten music 
Still fills the wide expanse, 
Tingeing the sober twilight of the Present 
With the color of romance." 

The years following the discovery of America witnessed scenes of 
marvellous adventure and the new continent became a region of wonder and 
mystery. No tale was too extravagant for belief and by every ship from the 
New World the store of marvels was increased. The lure of gold and the 
glories of conquest drew adventurers from all quarters of the kingdom of 
Spain. The needy gentleman relied on his sword to carve out for him a 
fortune, if not a principality, and his humble follower saw opportunity 
open before him and the possibility of his being made a gentleman. Ponce 
de Leon gave his life to the search for gold and for the fountain of 
youth. The exploits of Cortes filled Spain with amazement. Panfilo de 
Narvaez perished miserably in an endeavor to conquer Florida, and the 
waters of the Mississippi closed over the ambitions and hopes of De Soto. 

The bull of Pope Alexander VI. divided the New World between Spain and 
Portugal, giving to Spain all west of a line drawn, by agreement between 
the two powers, from north to south three hundred and seventy leagues west 
of the Cape Verde islands--about longitude 43 degrees 15' west from 
Greenwich. The English claimed the right to trade with all the Spanish 
possessions by virtue of a treaty of trade and amity made in the reign of 
Charles V., but Spain disputed this interpretation of the treaty and 
maintained that there was "no peace beyond the line"; i. e. the line of 
Pope Alexander, a maxim which the English freebooters turned against the 
Spaniards and preyed upon and plundered their ships and their possessions 
in the West Indies. 

For more than two hundred years California remained unexplored. It did not 
hold out the promise of glory and riches such as fired the imagination of 
the adventurers of the sixteenth century and it was not until the latter 
part of the eighteenth century that the king of Spain, warned by the 
openly expressed hostility of the English cabinet towards the Bourbons as 
well as by the steady advance of the Russians on the Northwestern coast of 
America, realized that military necessity demanded the occupation of long 
neglected California and the establishment of an outpost to show to the 
world that Spain would protect her domain from invasion and insult. Though 
in her decadence Spain still commanded the services of warriors and 
statesmen. 

This work is not a history of California, but in accounting for the 
existence of San Francisco it has been found necessary to give some brief 
statements concerning the settlement of the country, the character of its 
people, and the occurrences which preceded and led to the rise of the 
modern city. The romance with which California history abounds adds much 
to its attractiveness, but however pleasing tales of wonders and of 
marvelous adventure may be to those Californians whose state pride is 
gratified by having an interesting and romantic past added to the glories 
of climate, scenery, and other attractions, such tales should not be 
permitted to usurp the place or exclude matter of historical importance. 
The romance of California history has been somewhat overdone by writers 
who, in their pursuit of striking and romantic incident, have failed to 
understand and appreciate the true significance of events, and have, in 
consequence, spread before the people a vast amount of misinformation and 
have raised to the rank of heroes men of very ordinary attainments, or 
those whose service to the state was of doubtful honor, while overlooking 
men whose character and achievement entitle them to the highest place in 
the respect and esteem of the people. It will be my duty and pleasure to 
remedy this misconception of history so far as lies in my power. This work 
is the result of a study of original documents and the statements of 
contemporary writers and of actors in the events described; and it is none 
the less interesting because true. 

The passing of the great Spanish families closes a period of California 
history. The Spanish era is a memory of the past. Travelers tell us of a 
people of Arcadian simplicity, of grace and dignity, who received the 
stranger with courtesy and entertained him with a hospitality that knew no 
bounds. Of these people, who came into an untamed country and conquered it 
for civilization, the California of to-day knows but little. Few are the 
citizens of San Francisco who have even heard the name of Juan Bautista de 
Anza, its founder. Yet he was a gallant soldier and he executed with 
courage, energy, and fidelity the difficult task entrusted to him by his 
king, of bringing across deserts and over high sierras the settlers for a 
city whose destiny neither king nor captain could imagine. In making my 
countrymen acquainted with this accomplished soldier and gentleman I feel 
that I am doing them a service. 

After the American occupation San Francisco grew  rapidly, and with the 
immigration following the gold discovery it suddenly became a large city, 
with all a city's needs and perplexities. The thousands thus thrown 
together had no thought for charters or constitutions. They came only for 
gold, and then for a quick return home. The disorders to be looked for in 
such a community, formed of people gathered from all parts of the world, 
made necessary some form of organization for the protection of life and 
property. The Americans were largely in the majority and with their 
executive instinct for self-government, order was gradually evolved from 
chaos. 

Had Anza been gifted with prophetic vision as he stood on the summit of 
the presidio hills, what a strange sight would meet his eyes! He would see 
spread before him, to the east and south, a great and beautiful city; 
under the shelter of the hills he would see a great military camp, and 
floating above it a strange flag,--the flag of a nation he knew not of: a 
nation which at the time of his journey was in the throes of parturition; 
beyond, he would see upon the waters of the bay the traffic of a great 
seaport, while upon the contra costa he would see other cities lining the 
shores for many miles. A mighty change has taken place since he looked 
upon the solitude of San Francisco bay. Plumed cavalier and barefooted 
friar are alike gone. The power of Spain has departed and the youngest of 
the great nations of the earth possesses the land. 

San Francisco, 
December 8, 1911.