rumors concerning the early discovery of gold in Cali-
fornia. Several persons, he says, coming to this
comitry, brought with them bullion or dust, to be
used as money, which passing into commerce, was
handled by different persons and shipped at various
times to various places. Thus Palacios, arriving in
1834 as agent for a Guaymas merchant who had pre-
viously shipped goods to California, and had purchased
land and cattle, brought a considerable quantity of
grain gold and silver bars, obtained in Sonora, where-
with to facilitate his operations. About the same time
J. P. Leese arrived from New Mexico, having in his
possession placer gold to the value of several thousand
dollars. A large proportion of this treasure fell into
the hands of the agents of Boston merchants, and
was shipped to Boston, California thus acquiring
the reputation in certain circles of a gold-producing
country. Thus Mr Dana, referring to the cargo of
the Alert, states, in his Tiuo Years Before the Mast, that
among other things was a quantity of gold-dust
brought from the interior by Indians or Mexicans.
And he learned further from the owners that it was
not uncommon for homeward-bound vessels to have
on board a small quantity of gold. Rumors of gold
discoveries were then current, he adds, but they at-
tracted little attention.
In Mexico, by a law of March 24, 1835, was created the Estahlecimiento de Mineria, which body was to superintend the mines of California, in case there were any, as well as those of northern Mexico.
Notwithstanding all these affirmations, oaths, and prophecies, Alexander Forbes, in 1835, writes : "There are said to be many mines of gold and silver in the peninsula, but none are now worked, unless, in- deed, we may except those of San Antonio, near La Paz, which still afford a trifling supply." And again: — " No minerals of particular importance have yet been found in Upper California, nor any ores of metals." And speaking of the coming of Hijar's
