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Rivers； from which we had heard of more wonderful 〃diggings；〃 but met a courier； who announced the arrival of a ship at Monterey； with dispatches of great importance from Mazatlan。 We accordingly turned our horses back to Sutter's Fort。 Crossing the Sacramento again by swimming our horses； and ferrying their loads in that solitary canoe； we took our back track as far as the Napa； and then turned to Benicia； on Carquinez Straits。 We found there a solitary adobe…house； occupied by Mr。 Hastings and his family； embracing Dr。 Semple； the proprietor of the ferry。 This ferry was a ship's…boat； with a latteen…sail； which could carry across at one tide six or eight horses。
It took us several days to cross over； and during that tine we got well acquainted with the doctor； who was quite a character。 He had come to California from Illinois； and was brother to Senator Semple。 He was about seven feet high； and very intelligent。 When we first reached Monterey； he had a printing…press； which belonged to the United States； having been captured at the custom…house； and had been used to print custom…house blanks。 With this Dr。 Semple； as editor； published the Californian； a small sheet of news； once a week； and it was a curiosity in its line； using two v's for a w； and other combinations of letters； made necessary by want of type。 After some time he removed to Yerba Buena with his paper； and it grew up to be the Alta California of today。 Foreseeing； as he thought； the growth of a great city somewhere on the Bay of San Francisco； he selected Carquinez Straits as its location； and obtained from General Vallejo a title to a league of land； on condition of building up a city thereon to bear the name of Vallejo's wife。 This was Francisca Benicia； accordingly； the new city was named 〃Francisca。〃 At this time； the town near the mouth of the bay was known universally as Yerba Buena； but that name was not known abroad； although San Francisco was familiar to the whole civilized world。 Now； some of the chief men of Yerba Buena； Folsom； Howard； Leidesdorf； and others； knowing the importance of a name； saw their danger； and； by some action of the ayuntamiento； or town council； changed the name of Yerba Buena to 〃San Francisco。〃 Dr。 Semple was outraged at their changing the name to one so like his of Francisca； and he in turn changed his town to the other name of Mrs。 Vallejo； viz。； 〃Benicia；〃 and Benicia it has remained to this day。 I am convinced that this little circumstance was big with consequences。 That Benicia has the best natural site for a commercial city； I am； satisfied； and had half the money and half the labor since bestowed upon San Francisco been expended at Benicia； we should have at this day a city of palaces on the Carquinez Straits。 The name of 〃San Francisco；〃 however； fixed the city where it now is； for every ship in 1848…'49； which cleared from any part of the world； knew the name of San Francisco； but not Yerba Buena or Benicia； and； accordingly； ships consigned to California came pouring in with their contents； and were anchored in front of Yerba Buena； the first town。 Captains and crews deserted for the gold…mines； and now half the city in front of Montgomery Street is built over the hulks thus abandoned。 But Dr。 Semple； at that time； was all there was of Benicia； he was captain and crew of his ferry boat； and managed to pass our party to the south side of Carquinez Straits in about two days。
Thence we proceeded up Amador Valley to Alameda Creek； and so on to the old mission of San Jose； thence to the pueblo of San Jose； where Folsom and those belonging in Yerba Buena went in that direction； and we continued on to Monterey； our party all the way giving official sanction to the news from the gold…mines； and adding new force to the 〃fever。〃
On reaching Monterey； we found dispatches from Commodore Shubrick； at Mazatlan； which gave almost positive assurance that the war with Mexico was over； that hostilities had ceased； and commissioners were arranging the terms of peace at Guadalupe Hidalgo。 It was well that this news reached California at that critical time； for so contagious had become the 〃gold…fever 〃that everybody was bound to go and try his fortune； and the volunteer regiment of Stevenson's would have deserted en masse； had the men not been assured that they would very soon be entitled to an honorable discharge。
Many of our regulars did desert； among them the very men who had escorted us faithfully to the mines and back。 Our servants also left us； and nothing less than three hundred dollars a month would hire a man in California； Colonel Mason's black boy； Aaron； alone of all our then servants proving faithful。 We were forced to resort to all manner of shifts to live。 First； we had a mess with a black fellow we called Bustamente as cook； but he got the fever； and had to go。 We next took a soldier； but he deserted； and carried off my double…barreled shot…gun； which I prized very highly。 To meet this condition of facts； Colonel Mason ordered that liberal furloughs should be given to the soldiers； and promises to all in turn； and he allowed all the officers to draw their rations in kind。 As the actual valve of the ration was very large； this enabled us to live。 Halleck； Murray； Ord； and I； boarded with Doha Augustias； and turned in our rations as pay for our board。
Some time in September； 1848； the official news of the treaty of peace reached us； and the Mexican War was over。 This treaty was signed in May； and came to us all the way by land by a courier from Lower California； sent from La Paz by Lieutenant…Colonel Burton。 On its receipt； orders were at once made for the muster…out of all of Stevenson's regiment； and our military forces were thus reduced to the single company of dragoons at Los Angeles； and the one company of artillery at Monterey。 Nearly all business had ceased； except that connected with gold； and； during that fall； Colonel Mason； Captain Warner； and I； made another trip up to Sutter's Fort； going also to the newly…discovered mines on the Stanislaus； called 〃Sonora；〃 named from the miners of Sonora； Mexico； who had first discovered them。 We found there pretty much the same state of facts as before existed at Mormon Island and Coloma； and we daily received intelligence of the opening of still other mines north and south。
But I have passed over a very interesting fact。 As soon as we had returned from our first visit to the gold…mines； it became important to send home positive knowledge of this valuable discovery。 The means of communication with the United States were very precarious； and I suggested to Colonel Mason that a special courier ought to be sent； that Second…Lieutenant Loeser had been promoted to first…lieutenant； and was entitled to go home。 He was accordingly detailed to carry the news。 I prepared with great care the letter to the adjutant…general of August 17； 1848； which Colonel Mason modified in a few Particulars； and； as it was important to send not only the specimens which had been presented to us along our route of travel； I advised the colonel to allow Captain Folsom to purchase and send to Washington a large sample of the commercial gold in general use； and to pay for the same out of the money in his hands known as the 〃civil fund；〃 arising from duties collected at the several ports in California。 He consented to this； and Captain Folsom bought an oyster…can full at ten dollars the ounce； which was the rate of value at which it was then received at the custom house。 Folsom was instructed further to contract with some vessel to carry the messenger to South America； where he could take the English steamers as far east as Jamaica； with a conditional charter giving increased payment if the vessel could catch the October steamer。 Folsom chartered the bark La Lambayecana； owned and navigated by Henry D。 Cooke； who has since been the Governor of the District of Columbia。 In due time this vessel reached Monterey； and Lieutenant Loeser； with his report and specimens of gold； embarked and sailed。 He reached the South American Continent at Payta； Peru； in time； took the English steamer of October to Panama； and thence went on to Kingston； Jamaica； where he found a sailing vessel bound for New Orleans。 On reaching New Orleans； he telegraphed to the War Department his arrival； but so many delays had occurred that he did not reach Washington in time to have the matter embraced in the President's regular message of 1848； as we had calculated。 Still； the President made it the subject of a special message； and thus became 〃official〃 what had before only reached the world。 in a very indefinite shape。 Then began that wonderful development； and the great emigration to California； by land and by sea； of 1849 and 1850。
As before narrated； Mason； Warner； and I； made a second visit to the mines in September and October； 1848。 As the winter season approached； Colonel Mason returned to Monterey； and I remained for a time at Sutter's Fort。 In order to share somewhat in the riches of the land； we formed a partnership in a store at Coloma； in charge of Norman S。 Bestor； who had been Warner's clerk。 We supplied the necessary money； fifteen hundred dollars （five hundred dolla