Customer Reviews

Travels on the Pacific Coast: A Report from California, Oregon, and Alaska in 1841 (Historical Adventure and Exploration)

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I finally received the book and it is a reprint of volume one only. The map was not included. Where is volume two?

While I am still waiting for this item to ship (four months), I will provide some information in order to generate some demand for this book. I believe this is a reprint of Wilbur's, Marguerite Eyer (editor & translator) two volume book published in 1937 which was last available for $500 at bookfinder.com. A copy of the first French publication sold last year at Sotheby's auction for $19,200.

I did have the experience of reading Wilbur's copy by way of "restricted" inter-library loan. The book had never been read before as evidenced by the uncut pages. It took a couple of days to receive permission to separate the pages. When I was finally able to read the book, I wasn't allowed to remove the volumes from the library. The 65 year old leather binding chafed on to my clothes. And, when I notified them the "fold out facsimile of pacific coast map" was missing, they wanted a driver's license and credit card on my next visitation with the books. I never finished volume 2 as I perceived the obstacles to be insurmountable.

This book is source material for early California and Mexican history. M. Eugene Duflot de Mofras was an official representative of the French ligation sent to make a survey of the commercial possibilities in Mexico, California, and the American, English and Russian posts on the Pacific coast in 1841. While the content of his writings are official and mundane, the timing of his visit was not. The Catholic Missions had been secularized. The Russians were planning to leave Fort Ross. Influence from the Government in Mexico was distant at best. The Hudson's Bay Company expanded its fur trading and hunting operations in Northern California. Lt. Charles Wilkes surveyed the San Francisco Bay. The Bartelson-Bidwell party crossed the Sierras. The Workman-Rowland Company arrived from Santa Fe. And Governor Alvarado had good cause to be worried over foreign penetration into California. Perhaps California could become a French Protectorate. At least they were good Catholics!

"There is no doubt," wrote Vallejo to Alvarado after this visit "that France is intriguing to become misstress of California." (Myrtle McKittrick, Vallejo, Son of California p. 194) This young Frenchman was a man of the world, debonair, cultured, and fond of the society of charming senoritas. Vallejo was convinced that despite his education and intelligence, Mofras was shallow and conceited. And, this most undiplomatic of diplomats was worthy of all the scandalous tales about amours and arrogance.

I don't recall any juicy tales of scandal or love affairs in a distant land, but his report was one of the first accurate portraits of California published in Europe. My question is, how much impact did this report have on France's decision to interfere in Mexico?

The book is amazing in its detail. The author was commissioned by the French government to make a report on the "unknow coast" from the Russians in the north clear down to Acapulco in Mexico. This land, was view as possible for good trading and in Calfornia, up for grabs for any nation posting 200 troops. The author seems to have followed his brazen personality reputation (showed up 10 days late on the commencement sail date without any excuse; and entered the empty home of a prospective host of whom he had never met). But he dug out the facts of pre-gold rush California like a tough newspaper reporter and its all there in this little pocket book. If you like to read first hand reports of "how it was 160 years ago", this is one you should not over look.