tenacious of this vast territory she had so sparsely
populated as had she been aware that its founda-
tions were of gold, conceived that its climate and
soil were a more enduring source of wealth than
ever she would command again. If Rezanov was
not gifted with the prospector's sense for ores--
although he had taken note of Arguello's casual ref-
erence to a vein of silver and lead in the Monterey
hills--no man ever more thoroughly appreciated the
visible resources of California than he. Baranhov,
chief-manager of the Company, had talked with
American and British skippers for twenty years, and
every item he had accumulated Rezanov had
extracted. To-day he had drawn further informa-
tion from Concha and her brothers; and their art-
less descriptions as well as this incomparable bay
had filled him with enthusiasm. What a gift to
Russia! What an achievement to his immortal
credit! The fog rolled in from the Pacific in great
white waves and stealthily enfolded him, obliterated
the sea and the land. But he did not see it. Appre-
hension left him. Once more he fell to dreaming.
In the course of a few years the Company would
attract a large population to the mouth of the
Columbia River, be strong enough to make use of
any favorable turn in European politics and sweep
down upon California. The geographical position
of Mexico, the arid and desolate, herbless and
waterless wastes intervening, would prohibit her
sending any considerable assistance overland; and,