Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by D. APPLETON & COMPANY, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. ΤΟ DR. CHARLES M. HITCHCOCK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, MY EARLIEST, KINDEST, AND MOST CONSTANT FRIEND, These Sketches ARE AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. THIS book is merely a collection of sundry sketches, recently published in the newspapers and magazines of California. They were received with approval, separately, and it is to be hoped they may meet with it on their appearance in a collected form. When first published, the Author supposed he had seen and heard the last of them, but circumstances entirely beyond his control have led to their republication. The Author does not flatter himself that he has made any very great addition to the literature of the age, by this performance; but if his book turns out to be a very bad one, he will be consoled by the reflection that it is by no means the first, and probably will not be the last of that kind, that has been given to the Public. Meanwhile, this is, by the blessing of |