THE COMING OF THE ARGONAUTS 1849-1850 YEARS before the discovery of goId on the American river gold placers had been worked in California with varying degrees of success. But little attention was paid to this industry and it was not considered of much importance by either the Californians or the foreigners residing in their midst. The priests discouraged mining, the rancheros were indifferent to it, and neither has wished to see the country filled with a mining population. On March 2, , the deputy for California to the Mexican congress, Don Manuel Castafiares, reported to his government the discovery of gold in the vicinity of Los AngeIes the previous year. These mines had produced from about the middle of the year to December 1843 two thousand ounces, the most of which had been sent to the United States. He said the placers extended a distance of nearly thirty Ieagues seventy-eight miles. William H. Thornes, writing from San Pedro where the ship Admittance was raking cargo June 30,...