Odd, Old News: Humboldt Bay…’one of the sweetest spots in creation’

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“Drawn by Capt. S. Eastman from sketch by G. Gibb” Paul Riecke (Dec. 2012). The information on this image states, “This engraving can be seen in the ‘Journal of the Expedition of Colonel Redick Mckee, US Indian Agent, Through Northwestern California in 1851.'” [From the Palmquist Collection at the HSU Library]

Nuggets of old news served up once a week by David Heller, one of our local historians.

In the spring of 1850, fueled by the reports of the 1849-50 L.K. Wood party, schooners chartered by competing business associations were sailing the north coast of California looking for potential town sites with good access to trails to the inland gold mines. Not long after the Euro-American naming of Humboldt Bay in April by those aboard the schooner Laura Virginia , a member of this Laura Virginia  Association expedition wrote a letter to a friend in San Francisco. This letter offers a window into the early Euro-American history of Humboldt Bay praising the natural beauty of the area and its potential for colonization and development.

The letter also shares an account of early encounters with the Wiyot Tribe that occurred when these chartered colonists first arrived in Native territory and claimed locations around Humboldt Bay for their communities.

The son of a local Chief gave an erudite speech representing the Native viewpoint of their prior right to the land. The content of his speech was interpreted to mean that he was speaking of the good will of the Indians being betrayed by the behavior of some of the quickly increasing number of white men.  The heinous and casual disregard for Native American life by some of the whites was described by the letter writer who encouraged his companions to behave kindly to the Indians, and to try and head off building tensions.
(It must be remembered that we do not condone the language or viewpoints expressed, but value the document for its window into the history of the earliest days of the Euro-American colonization of the Humboldt Bay.)  

Daily Alta California, Volume 1, Number 121, 20 May 1850
FROM HUMBOLDT BAY. San Francisco May 19, 1850
To the Editors of the Alta California: SIR—Herewith I send you for publication in the columns of your paper. If you think it worth a place therein, a copy of a letter I have just received per Laura Virginia from my partner in Humboldt which may perhaps be interesting to your readers, and to those interested in that part of the country. I can only say I place the utmost reliance in the veracity of the author.       I am, sir, your obl’y

Humboldt
Humboldt Harbor, May 10, 1850

My Dear F.—I wish to add some further particulars in reference to this place, since writing my last letter.

On the 9th inst. I started with Mr. Howard, Whitney and Knight on an expedition to the northern part of this Bay. After sailing above Indian Island we encountered a fresh water stream and rowed about 10 miles into the country back of the Bay, and then struck on an Indian trail leading towards the mines. We completed the distance of the 40 miles and believe that a company could now reach the richest mining district in about two days. Most of the country through which we passed was the most beautiful I ever beheld. Some parts are very heavily timbered with spruce and redwood. The whole country abounds in wild game of every description. On my expedition I saw five large fine elk and had a shot at two of them with my pistol. On yesterday a party of Sonorians killed six elk, the largest weighing 600 pounds. The more I see of this country the more thoroughly I am convinced it is destined to become the seat of a large commercial city. It has every advantage that a site for a city can possess.

The only annoyances we have now are from the Indians. They are very numerous all around us, and are constantly stealing our property, notwithstanding the strictest vigilance on our part. Some of their petty thefts would confer notoriety on the most cunning and sly pickpockets of London. On yesterday a party of Indians stole an axe, a hatchet, and a shovel, right before the eyes of the man who had been expressly left on the ground to watch them. Their movement is so rapid, yet so sly and cat-like, that stealing with them seems to be reduced to a kind of legerdemain.

They are now showing some demonstrations of hostility. On the 8th inst. The Chief sent his son, a noble looking young warrior, with a message to the party of the Sonorian Camp. He came within 40 feet of the company and commenced giving them the “long talk. He spoke for about an hour. At first they were not disposed to give him any attention, and regarded the whole affair with as much indifference as if it were a puppet show—then as the young fellow grew warm in the discussion of his subject, they were compelled to give attention to his striking manner and appearance and those who heard him, say it was truly eloquent.

The subject of this forensic appeal on the wild shores of Humboldt, could only be gathered from his gestures, and simply amounted to this—that all the lands which we had squatted on belonged to his father, a chief of the tribe—that they were at first glad to see the white people coming in amongst them, and had kindly permitted them to settle on their lands and had treated them in a friendly and hospitable manner—that the whites were now becoming numerous as was evident by the vessels coming into the harbor, and were growing insolent in their conduct, and had in several instances outraged small parties of their tribes—that this thing must cease or they must compel us to take up quarters elsewhere.

The only danger to be apprehended is from the conduct of certain reckless men, who regard an Indian as they would a dog, and think they have a right to give aim a kick whenever he crosses their path. The Indians have undoubtedly been treated badly by a few men here, and it would be a matter of great regret if it should result in a general hostility. I urge it upon all my acquaintances here to treat the Indians with civility and a certain degree of kindness. It is certainly as easy to do this and much more agreeable to the man of good heart, as it is to insult and abuse them.

There are about 150 men here now—a great many who came overland from Sonoma have gone to the mines. For nearly 10 miles from the Bay of Humboldt you will find the coast dotted with log houses and tents. There is not a sick man in the country, and I don’t see how any one can get sick. We live principally on elk meat, and fruit, and boiled clams, with “flapjacks” and molasses, and wash it all down with pure, cold, mountain spring water. Our whole stomping ground is covered with wild strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and thimbleberries. The strawberry and thimbleberry are just ripening, and afford a good desert. You people that live about that said ridge, in a place called San Francisco, where “If the dust ain’t a blowing, The fogs is flying.

Ought to visit the wild, natural, and pleasing scenery of Humboldt, the place where nature tried her hand in making one of the sweetest spots in creation.

May 12th.—A party of Sonorians reached our camp yesterday, fresh from the mines. It took them but one day and a half to reach this place. They report about 600 men in the mines, all of them are doing well—This is all in the way of news that any man can desire. A fine road is now found from this place to the mines, and they can be reached in a day and a half.
Yours truly,   R. P. F.

Sadly peace did not last, between the initial arrival of the Euro-Americans in Humboldt Bay and the end of May, conflict had erupted at both the original site of Eureka and at Humboldt City on Buhne point. This was the beginning of end of the peaceful existence of the Wiyot in their homeland.

For a more in depth study of the Euro-American colonization of Humboldt Bay, the reader may wish to read Ray Raphael’s Two People, One Place, Chad Hoopes’ Lure of the Humboldt Bay Region, or Jerry Rohde’s article on the founding of Arcata in the North Coast Journal.

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cu2morrow
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cu2morrow
4 years ago

600 in the mines ! That was a lot .

Central HumCo
Guest
4 years ago

Thank you for this, Kelley, your visuals created make me yearn for a simpler time. . . long before we took abundance for granted, and mined it to death.

Central HumCo
Guest
4 years ago
Reply to  Central HumCo

Thanks to David Heller. I knew that.

Dave Kirby
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Dave Kirby
4 years ago

More good stuff from Mr. Heller. Thanks Dave.

Glow In The Dark Humdum
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Glow In The Dark Humdum
4 years ago

Fantastic to read this.

Don Draper
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Don Draper
4 years ago

A similar tactic was used by the public relations firm which won the contract to name Greenland.

Quelle Ironie
Guest
Quelle Ironie
4 years ago

l”The only annoyances we have now are from the Indians. They are very numerous all around us, and are constantly stealing our property”

LOLOLOLOL

S
Guest
S
4 years ago

By the time I read this, the news was old.

Tall Trees
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Tall Trees
4 years ago

I own one of these original engravings I purchased at Eureka Booksellers several years ago. Love it.

Guest
Guest
Guest
4 years ago

Reading this letter is like hearing the knock on the door and opening it to find someone giving the worse possible news. It has the same feeling of dread that you know you’re not going to be able to avoid the misery. Only in this case, history has aleady given it. Still not easy to read the useless advice that is never going to help.

Lily
Guest
4 years ago

How very sad.