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Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
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Page: of 592
176 HUTCHINGS’ CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE.
in the fall of 1851, at Sacramento City;
he, as well as myself, had just returned
from a tour in the mountains; we met
at a late breakfast, both of us being pretty well used up by our tramp. We were
introduced by our host, Mr. Paul Emert,
who was then proprietor of the “Bear
Hotel” in Sac. City, and who subsequently became his traveling companion, and
artist, to sketch the beauties of California horticulture. Like all active Californians, he was uniquely costumed, sunburned and ragged, as wellas somewhat
begrimmed ; he appeared excited and full
of business, but while at table our host
asked him a few questions which awakened his enthusiasm and our interest to
such a degree, that, before we had concluded our meal the servant commenced
preparing the table for dinner,—with a
gentle hint for us to withdraw to the sitting-room, to continue our coversation.
To this proposition he dissented, but
invited me to take a look at his ‘“ recent
collection,” which comprised plants, flowers, roots, seeds, grasses, grainsand vines.
To say I was astonished, would be saying
little; I felt that I was in the company
of a man of no common character: one
of those rare men who have genius, perseverance, and penetration to discover,
and make known to the world many of
its hidden mysteries, as well as its revealed beauties; but who had not a particle of that tact which could turn his discoveries to pecuniary profit to himself.
He had, in the course of about six
weeks, collected hundreds, if not thousands of specimens of the different natural productions of California; one room
he had as completely filled as it could
well be, but in the most glorious confusion. After we had spent an hour in examining them, we retired to the yard,
where he had barrels, boxes, bags and
piles of plants, which his room would
not contain, and which the landlord
would not make other provision for, on
account of their bulk and dirt. All
these, and many more that he had at
other places of deposit, he told me he intended to “arrange, select, assort and
classify, and then exhibit to the public.”
The dinner-bell now sounded, and reminded him that he had an engagement
at 9 o’clock, A. M. So intent and eager .
had he been to explain his object and
wishes to one who was interested in the
productiveness of the soil of California,
that all other matters were for the time
forgotten by him.
At this time he had not a dime in his
pocket to meet his expenses; and although he had been in the locality of the
diggings, where men were taking out
gold at from ten to fifty dollars per day
each, he did not look for gold, but would
gather the beautiful floral specimens
abounding around him, until he had accumulated as many as he could convey to
his depot; and as he had to climb the
hills or descend to the valleys, where he
could not drive a mule, he would carry
back-load after back-load to him, until
the overloaded animal would resemble a
mammoth boquet, and still much would
be left beh‘nd, to his regret, for which,
however, he always purposed to return,
He found some few men who entered
into his views and afforded him means to
continue his investigations. ‘Then he
employed an artist to accompany him, to
make drawings of the beautiful flowers
he met with in his explorations, which
were too delicate to preserve in his crude
methdd of gathering them. He was so
completely captivated by the beauties he
met with, that he could not resist the
desire to let the world know of them—
believing he would then he richly paid
for all his trouble and expense, and acknowledged as one of the benefactors of
mankind. After three days’ tarrying in
Sacramento city, he again started on his
explorations for farther discoveries. This
was the last I saw of him until I met him
in the subsequent year in San Francisco,
making arrangements for a “State Agricultural Fair.” Our next dnd final interview was in New York city, in 1852,
when, poor fellow, he seemed beginning
to realize the fulfillment of his buoyant
hopes. Alas! poor fellow! Dy
New York, June, 1858.