I50 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER XVII. 



BATTLE OVER LAND CLAIMS. 



Un arriving- at Sacramento I was not as fortunate 

 as on my first visit. It being steamer day, live or six 

 hours were required to reach the mail dehvery win- 

 dow. The city, in the interim since m}' former visit, 

 had greatly improved, and many settlers had located 

 upon adjacent lands, although they were claimed un- 

 der a Mexican grant. Nearly all the arable land in 

 California was held by valid or spurious grants ob- 

 tained from the Mexican government. The treaty rat- 

 ified after the close of the war with that country, Jan- 

 uary 19, 1848, agreed to recognize as valid all claims 

 that had been confirmed by the Central government of 

 Mexico. That condition of affairs caused a great deal 

 of friction between those claiming title to large grants 

 of land, and others disputing their right and known 

 as settlers or squatters. The policy of the American 

 government was adverse to granting or donating large 

 tracts of land for colonization. One hundred and 

 sixty acres was the limit under the Homestead Act, ex- 

 cept in the case of Oregon. For a limited time 640 

 acres were given to settlers who would brave the dan- 

 gers and hardships to found homes in that remote re- 

 gion. It was unquestionably the intention of a large 



