L'or by Blaise Cendrars Read Free Book Online Page A

with, to be listened to with respect, he was by no means sheltered from contingencies. Quite the contrary. Revolutions occurred one after the other. The struggle between opposing factions was fiercer than ever. Everyone wanted Sutter on their side, as much for his moral ascendancy as for his social position. Ultimately, each camp was counting on the contribution of the little army of New Helvetia. But Sutter never allowed himself to be drawn into these civil wars, and although, more than once, he saw his estates on the point of being invaded, his crops burned, his flocks scattered, his stores and granaries looted by yelling hordes who had just laid waste everything for hundreds of miles around, and who were excited by the sight of so much well-ordered wealth, he also knew how to extricate himself from these predicaments thanks to his profound knowledge of the human heart, acquired during his years of poverty in New York, and it was this which, in moments of crisis, sharpened his wits, his insight and his powers of argument. At such times, he was of a rare perspicacity, never put a foot wrong, schemed and manoeuvred, promised everything that was asked of him, audaciously bribed the leaders at precisely the right moment, sweetened men with brilliant arguments and with alcohol. As a last resort, he was prepared to have recourse to arms, but it was not so much a military victory that he desired (although force was on his side), as the safeguarding of his work, his labours, for he had no wish to see everything that he had just built up  destroyed. And, in spite of everything, he was often on the brink of losing it all in a single day.
    He kept in constant touch with the United States, and it was precisely from that direction, from the government in Washington, that he had most to fear.
    As early as 1841, Captain Graham, at the head of forty-six English and American adventurers, had hoped, by a bold stroke, to seize power and proclaim the independence of California. But Alvarado had got wind of the affair; he surprised the conspirators, massacred more than half of them and threw the rest into prison. Immediately, London and Washington seized on the incident to claim compensation for the murder of their subjects. London demanded 20,000 dollars and the United States 129,200 dollars for fifteen riflemen. A British corvette lay in wait off Vera Cruz. The Mexicans were forced to submit.
    In the spring of 1842, the revolt led by the Dominican monk, Gabriel, was put down in a blood-bath.
    In October 1843, a band of more than a hundred Americans arrived from Santa Fe and Governor Alvarado, unpopular because of his despotic rule and in fear of new disturbances, asked Mexico for aid. Santa Anna, the President and dictator, sent three hundred galley-slaves by sea. He had promised them land, tools, cattle and the restoration of their civil rights if they could succeed in kicking out the Americans. At the same time, he appointed a new Governor of California, General Manuel Micheltorena. This general was an honest man, full of good intentions, but he could do nothing to uphold the Mexican domination, which was rapidly disintegrating. He chose to set up his quarters in the old Mission buildings of Santa Clara, Los Angeles. He frequently visited New Helvetia to take counsel, but  Sutter, for his part, was preoccupied with the unyielding attacks of the savages, which were causing terrible slaughter.
    Five more years pass, years of struggles, uprisings, riots and revolutions fomented primarily by the Cabinet in Washington, then comes the war with Mexico and the cession of Texas and California to the United States.
    Sutter has obtained a further grant of twenty-two square leagues of land from the last Mexican Governor.
    He owns the largest domain in the States.
    26
    Peace at last.
    A new era commences.
    John Augustus Sutter will at last be able to enjoy, and rejoice in, his wealth and good fortune.
    New seeds arrive from Europe and saplings of every