HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 181 



tion of its existence ; although it is already a large 

 State, -which has sprung into existence, as it may be 

 termed, there is every evidence that this is but the 

 "beginning of the end." "The greatest is behind." 

 To what such commercial facilities, mineral and metal- 

 lic resources, and an active and progressive population 

 will conduct California, it is easy to imagine. They 

 will build up a State, which, although the member of 

 a confederacy, will be powerful enough to maintain 

 itself, independent of the aid to be derived from the 

 Union. Its ports will be the resort of the vessels of 

 all nations, and its valleys and hill-sides will become 

 the homes of an agricultural population, reaping the 

 rich reward of their toil. Canals and railroads, the 

 children of enterprise, will soon intersect the territory, 

 transport the riches of one section to another, and 

 increase the social communication of the inhabitants. 

 Such a State will add greatly to the power of the 

 confederated republic, and form an additional stimulus 

 to the rapid filling up of the vast territory situated 

 between California and her sister States. 



CHAPTER XL 



THE DIFFERENT ROUTES TO CALIFORNIA, AND THEIR 

 RESPECTIVE CHARACTERS.' 



The various routes taken by the emigrants to Cali- 

 fornia have afforded almost as much matter for discus- 

 sion as the territory itself. The shortest and most 

 travelled route is that by way of the Isthmus of 



16 



