Yiziphi izincwadi ezitholakalayo zokuthola ukuqonda ngeCalifornia ngaphambi kokufuna igolide ngo-1849?
Umthombo omkhulu we-pre-Gold Rush California incwadi ethi "Two Years Before the Mast" kaRichard Henry Dana owaphuma eSikoleni Sezomthetho saseHarvard futhi wabhalisela ukuvakasha emkhunjini wezohwebo owaphuma eBoston ngo-1834. Le ncwadi ichaza uhambo lokuzungeza iCape Horn enobungozi ngaphansi kobuholi bukakaputeni onokhahlo futhi oshayelayo ongakhombisi ukuzisola noma ukucabangela iqembu lakhe njengoba umkhumbi ushaywa ngaphansi kwe-cape ngokuhlangana kwe-Atlantic nePacific oceans. Ukuqaphela kuka-Ahabi uMoby Dick kaMelville akunakusiza kodwa kunikeza isithombe sakho sengqondo salokhu kukaputeni.  Lo mkhumbi ukhuphukela ogwini, udlule emazweni asanda kuthola inkululeko aseNingizimu naseMelika Ephakathi, uya engxenyeni esenyakatho yeMexico, endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi i-Alta California. Njengoba ihamba ogwini, umkhumbi uhweba nabaseSpain nabantu bomdabu ezindaweni ezincane nezithunywa zevangeli ezibizwa ngokuthi iSan Diego, iSan Pedro, iSan Juan, iNueva Señora La Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula, iSanta Barbara, iMonterey nasenyakatho yeSan Francisco Bay.  Izincazelo zikaDana ezinemininingwane yamachweba emvelo nezindawo ezincane zokuhlala nezithunywa zevangeli zichazwe ngokucebile futhi zihluke kakhulu eCalifornia esiyibona namuhla. Umuntu ushiywa nomuzwa oyingqayizivele wokuba kude kweCalifornia kulabo abavela ogwini olusempumalanga yeNyakatho Melika noma eYurophu.  Abasebenzi babehweba ngezikhumba nange-tallow, okuyinto engakholeki kulabo abafunda ngezikhathi zanamuhla, abacabangela ibanga lohambo kanye nokuguga komthwalo. Izimpahla ezidayiswayo zibonakala zindala kakhulu uma kucatshangelwa ushintsho yonke indawo eyayizobhekana nalo ngo - 1848 eSutter's Mill.