Bryant, who travelled to California in 1846 and served as alcalde of San Francisco, describes the country’s geography, climate, soil, missions and settlements, and records his march with Frémont’s battalion down the coast in journal form. This 1849 edition adds an appendix of official reports and letters on the new gold discoveries.
One of the books that guided the forty-niners west, still valued for its firsthand picture of California on the eve of statehood. Download the free EPUB.