ELDORADO, OR ADVENTURES IN THE PATH OF EMPIRE VOYAGE TO CALIFORNIA, VIA PANAMA LIFE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND XONTEREY PICTURES OF THE GOLD REGION, AND EXPERIENCES OF MEXICAN TRAVEL BAYARD TAYLOR, AUIHOR OF VIEWS A-FOOT, L OF TRAVEL, ETC. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, SAN FRANCISCO IN 1849,. ..................................... ..FRONTISPIECE. SACRAMENT0 CITY-FACING CHAPTER 111.. .............................. PAGE 28 ............................. PORTSMOUTH SQUARE, SAN FRANCISCO,. ..l.. MAZATLAN,. ............................................................ ...R CONTENTS OF VOL. IT. CHAPTER I. PAE Election Scenes and Mining Characters-Voting on the Mokelumne-Incidents of Digging-An Englishman in Raptures- Buckshot-Quicksilver-My own Gold Digging. ................................................. 6 CHAPTER 11. The Rainy Season-The Ferry-Deception of the Diggers-Dry Creek and Ama- dors Creek-A Ranche and its Inhabitants-A Female Specimen-A Vieion Re- linquished.. ................................................. 10 CHAPTER 111. Night in Sacrament0 City-Perils of a Stroll-The City Music-Ethiopian Melo- dies-A Californian Theatre-Playing the Eavesdropper-Squatters7 Quarrels- FateofmyMare.. ............................................. 26 CHAPTER IV. The Overland Emigration of 1849-Its Character-The Cholera on the Plains- Salt Lake City-The Great Basin-The Nevada-Descent of the Mountains- Apathy in Peril-The Close. ...................................... 34 CHAPTER V. The Italy of the West--Steam on the Baoramento-The Sunsets of California-A Company of Washmen-A Voracious Donkey-Attempt at Squatter Life.. ... 46 A CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. PAOE San Francisco four months Later--Character of Business-Life and Society-Un- fathomabIe Mud-Streets and Men. ................................. 66 CHAPTER VII. Society in California-The Transformation of the Emigrant-The Norsemen Re- vived-The Energies of Society-California Democracy. ................. 64 CHAPTER VIII. Leaving San Francisco-A German Crew and Chilian Schooner-Weathering a South-Easter-The Fire on Shore-We put Back in Distress-The Burnt Dis- trict--Stemming a Blood Tide-The Steamer-Paso del Mar-Down the Coast 69 CHAPTER IX. Mazatlw-A Chinese Boniface-The Streets by Night and Day-The Atmosphere of the Gulf-Preparations to Leave-Solemn Warnings. ................. 80 CHAPTER X. Travel in the Tierra Caliente-Tropical Winter-A Lazy Mule-Night at a Ranche-A Caminador-Evening at a Posada-Breakfast in El Rosario-A JoUy Hortess-Ride to La Bayona-The Palm and the Pine-Indian Robbers- Chat with the Natives-El Chucho-The Ferry of Rio Santiago-A Night ot Horror.. ..................................................... 87 CHAPTER XI. The Ascent to the Table-Land-My Friend and Caminador-A Bargain-The People--Tepic-Sacred Mysteries at San Lionel-The Massacre of the Inno- cents--A Valley Picture-Crossing the Barranca. ..................... 104 CHAPTER XII. The Robber Region-Meeting a Conducts-Teqnila Below-Suspicions-The Robbers at Last-Plundered and Bound-My Liberation-A Gibbet Scene- The Kind Padre of Guadalajara. ................................... 116 CHAPTER XIII. Three Days in Guadalajara-My Hosts-An Unlucky Scotchman-Rnanciering- The Cabal -Notoriety-Movable Fortresses-The Alameda-Tropic Beauty by Moonlight-An Affectionate Farewell .............................. 127 CONTENTS. 3 CHAPTER XIV. PAGE In the Diligence to Guanajuato-Pleasant Travel-The Cholera-San Juan de 10s Lagor-The Valley of Leon-An Enchanted City-The Eve of a Robbers Death. ...................................................... 137 CHAPTER XV. The Dividing Ridge and Descent to the Valley of Mexico-The Bajio-An Escort -A Gay Padre-Zurutuzas Hacienda-The Pass of Capulalpan-Mexico. .... 147 CHAPTER XVI. Scenes in the Mexican Capital-Interior of the Cathedral-Street Characters- Smoking in the Theatre-Aztec Antiquities. ............................