TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST. 



A Record of Adventures, Discoveries, History, and Customs of 



Americans and Indians, Habits and Descriptions of Animals, Chiefly 



Made in North America, California, Mexico, Central America, 



Columbia, Chili, etc., etc., during the last Forty-two Years. 



By a. BOUCARD. 



PREFACE. 



Although forty-two years have elapsed since I sailed from 

 Havre to San Francisco, via Cape Horn, as I have kept 

 a diary of all my peregrinations, I think the best plan is to 

 follow the same, and to relate successively all the wonderful 

 adventures and discoveries as they were made during this 

 long period of time, which embraces some of the most won- 

 derful events of the nineteenth century, such as the discovery 

 of gold in California, resulting in the opening of an Inter- 

 oceanic route, via Nicaragua. Immense loss of property in 

 San Francisco, the result of frequent conflagrations, which 

 have only been equalled since, by the great fire of Chicago, 

 Gambling hells of San Francisco. Expeditions of Marquis de 

 Pingret and Count de Raousset, Boulbon in Mexico. Murders, 

 frequently committed on returning successful miners from 

 California. History of California, Acapulco, and Nicaragua, 

 International Exhibition of New York, 1854. Epidemics of 

 yellow fever in New Orleans, Habana, and Vera Cruz. History 

 of Mexico. Reigns of Santa Anna, Comonfort, Alvarez, Zuloaga, 

 Miramon, and Juarez. Mexican revolutions between the 

 liberal and clerical parties, Intervention of England, France, 

 and Spain in the affairs of Mexico. Occupation of Mexico by 

 the French troops. Return to Europe. Second voyage to 



