What the Pilgrims were to the early colonists of the Atlantic coast, the precursors were to the pioneers of the Pacific. John Graem (most probable Graham) of Boston was the first man of the Saxon or Celtic race (most probably the latter), who ever visited the state, having shipped in Cadiz as gunner of Malaspuia's Armada, bound on an exploring expedition of the Pacific coast. Graem was landed at Monterey, 1791, and remained in the country up to the time of his death.

The British explorer Vancouver put in and remained a few days in San Diego, 1793, but none of his people. were permitted to remain on the coast.

Joseph O'Cain of Boston, born in Ireland, was the next to arrive and remain in Santa Barbara. He came from Bengal in the British ship Phoenix, 1795.

Of the fifteen foreigners, as all those not Spanish or Mexican were then called coming to California up to 1824, six were of Irish birth. There seems to have been a rule or custom among the mission padres at this time, obliging all foreigners desiring to marry into native Catholic families to be first baptized.

George Allen, an Irishman, was baptized Joseph Jarge. Thomas Lodge, an Irishman, was baptized Thomas Mepuelixt, and his brother Michael Lodge was baptized Maguel Mep

uelixt.

"All these foreigners," says the records, "were most hospitably treated," the padres being particular only in religious matters, and watchful of the chastity of the females.

John Mulligan was permitted to retain his original name. He was from county Down, Ireland, and settled in Monterey. Joseph Dillon came the following year, and Daniel Ferguson shortly after. They were both born in Ireland, in what county is not known.

There were but three foreigners known to have settled in the San Diego district up to 1828. In both the San Gabriel and Los Angeles districts there were but ten foreigners amongst the entire population. Of these, William Welch, John Haley, John Davis and Richard Laughlin were all born in Ireland.

John Mulligan of county Down, Ireland, was a sailor aboard the British ship Isaac Dodd. Where or how he made a landing on the coast in 1814 is unknown. But land he did.

Mulligan was permitted to settle down and marry, and he afterwards taught the art of weaving to the Indians of the several missions. Years later he owned the Cooper ranch, at Salinus, where stands a steep hill ever since known as Mulligan's head. Mulligan was one of the original petitioners to the governor for an Alcalde, civil judge for Monterey.

In no other state in the Union are there so many objects of one kind and another bearing distinctly Irish names as there are in California. Nearly all cities and towns very properly retain the original Spanish names, but streets, avenues, canyons, towns and so forth, you will find bear names that in very many cases are Celtic.

John J. Read, born in Dublin, sailed for Mexico with his uncle, a ship master, and leaving the ship in Mexico, finally made his way to California, 1826. He was the first English-speaking settler of Saucelito, Marin county, across the bay from San Francisco. Here he embarked in ranching, and soon taught the simple natives many advanced ideas in agriculture. It was he who first raised them from the tortelia stone to the mill, in the economy of grinding their grain crops. He established the first ferry across the bay to San Francisco, made the first regular survey of that bay, was ap

pointed commissioner of the San Rafael missions, and became the leader of men in his locality. But winning the charming daughter of Don Sanchez, commandante of the presidio of San Francisco, was the highest of his gains.

It seems a little strange, in view of the number of Murphys filling high places in California, that the first of them did not reach here before 1828. This was Timothy, or Don Timoteo, as Californians love to call him. There has been something written of him before, but as he was one of the harbingers of the Argonauts, his name rightly belongs in this record. He was born in Wexford, Ireland, and found his way to Callao, Peru, while yet in his adolescence, and found employment in the great commercial house of Hartnell & Co., in that city It was not many years before the managers of this house discovered in the young Irishman those qualities that fitted him for the establishment of a new business in a new country. Thev sent him to California, commissioned to investigate and report. The result of it was that he established and managed a beef packing and exporting business for them in Monterey-the first of the kind on the Pacific coast. On leaving their employ he went north and took up three square leagues of land in Marin county. Here he went into ranching on a grand scale, and prospered vastly, maintaining all the amenities of the true country gentleman of that period. The sports of the hunt frequently turned to profit by the sale of the skins of otter at fancy prices. Don Timoteo was a fine type of the handsome athletic Irishman. He was a great favorite with all classes of Spanish, Mexican and Indian Californians, but never married. His bequests to charitable and religious institutions were many and liberal. He owned the site of the great Palace Hotel in San Francisco, which he willed to the church.

Another of his name was Father

Murphy, a priest having charge of Hartnell's school at Monterey. It is to be regretted that his Christian name is not given, as he was probably the first Irish priest to arrive on the California coast.

General John Bidwell tells that when the first emigrant train to cross the Rocky Mountains was ready to start from its encampment at Sapling Grove for California, not one of the party knew which way to go. They had elected a Mr. Bartleson for captain, because he brought several others to join the party, and also having some money, he would not go unless he was elected captain. Then, on learning that a Catholic missionary party en. route from St. Louis to the Flathead nation of Indians, would reach their encampment in a few days, the Bidwell party decided to wait on the report that there was an old Rocky Mountain guide with the missionary. This guide proved to be Captain Fitzpatrick, an Irishman, who had for many years been leader of trapping parties in the Rocky Mountains. Three Catholic priests comprised the rest of the missionary party, of which Father De Smet, a Jesuit, was the head. Gen. eral Bidwell describes him as a man of great kindness and affability under all circumstances.

The fathers were glad of the company of Bidwell's wagon train. On coming to any doubtful or dangerous passage, the missionary party took the lead. A fortnight after the start, on nearing the Platte river, one of the Bidwell party in the rear of the rest came running up in great fright, without mule, gun or pistol, and minus. most of his clothing, and reported excitedly that he had been surrounded by thousands of Indians. Upon this the whole camp became alarmed, and in spite of Captain Fitzpatrick's efforts to pacify them, every man started his team on the dead gallop. Finding it impossible to check their precipitate flight, Fitzpatrick rode ahead to the river bank. Then, as fast as the teams