178 CALIFORNIA. 



Captain Suter is a Swiss by birth, and informed them that he had 

 been a lieutenant in the Swiss guards during the time of Charles X. 

 Soon after the revolution of July, he came to the United States, and 

 passed several years in the state of Missouri. He has but recently 

 removed to California, where he has obtained from the government a 

 conditional grant of thirty leagues square, bounded by the Sacramento 

 on the west, and extending as far up the river as the Prairie Butes. 

 The spot he has chosen for the erection of his dwelling and fortification, 

 he has called New Helvetia ; it is situated on the summit of a small 

 knoll, rising from the level prairie, two miles from the east bank of 

 the Sacramento, and fifty miles from its mouth. New Helvetia is 

 bounded on the north by the American Fork, a small serpentine 

 stream, which has a course of but a few miles. This river, having a 

 bar near its mouth, no vessels larger than boats can enter it. At this 

 place the Sacramento is eight hundred feet wide, and this may be 

 termed the head of its navigation during the dry season, or the stage 

 of low water. 



Mr. Geiger, a young American from Newport, is now attached to 

 Captain Suter's establishment ; but he informed me that he intended 

 to settle higher up the Sacramento, on the banks of the Feather river. 

 When Captain Suter first settled here in 1839, he was surrounded 

 by some of the most hostile tribes of Indians on the river; but by his 

 energy and management, with the aid of a small party of trappers, has 

 thus far prevented opposition to his plans. He has even succeeded in 

 winning the good-will of the Indians, who are now labouring for him 

 in building houses, and a line of wall, to protect him against the in- 

 roads or attacks that he apprehends, more from the present authorities 

 of the land, than from the tribes about him, who are now working in 

 his employ. He holds, by appointment of the government, the office 

 of administrador, and has, according to his own belief, supreme power 

 in his own district, condemning, acquitting, and punishing, as well as 

 marrying and burying those who are under him. He treats the Indians 

 very kindly, and pays them well for their services in trapping and 

 working for him. His object is to attach them, as much as possible, 

 to his interests, that in case of need he may rely upon their chiefs for 

 assistance. 



Although Captain Suter is, in general, in the habit of treating the 

 Indians with kindness, yet he related to our gentlemen instances in 

 which he had been obliged to fusilade nine of them ; indeed, he does 

 not seem to stand upon much ceremony with those who oppose him in 

 any way. His buildings consist of extensive currals and dwelling- 

 houses, for himself and people, all built of adobes. Labour is paid for 



