Chapter 19

           OnceCaliforniabelongedtoMexicoanditslandtoMexicans;andahordeoftatteredfeverishAmericanspouredin.Andsuchwastheirhungerforlandthattheytooktheland—stoleSutter’sland,Guerrero’sland,tookthegrantsandbrokethemupandgrowledandquarreledoverthem,thosefrantichungrymen;andtheyguardedwithgunsthelandtheyhadstolen.Theyputuphousesandbarns,theyturnedtheearthandplantedcrops.Andthesethingswerepossession,andpossessionwasownership.

           TheMexicanswereweakandfled.Theycouldnotresist,becausetheywantednothingintheworldasfranticallyastheAmericanswantedland.

           Then,withtime,thesquatterswerenolongersquatters,butowners;andtheirchildrengrewupandhadchildrenontheland.Andthehungerwasgonefromthem,theferalhunger,thegnawing,tearinghungerforland,forwaterandearthandthegoodskyoverit,forthegreenthrustinggrass,fortheswellingroots.Theyhadthesethingssocompletelythattheydidnotknowaboutthemanymore.Theyhadnomorethestomach-tearinglustforarichacreandashiningbladetoplowit,forseedandawindmillbeatingitswingsintheair.Theyaroseinthedarknomoretohearthesleepybirds’firstchittering,andthemorningwindaroundthehousewhiletheywaitedforthefirstlighttogoouttothedearacres.Thesethingswerelost,andcropswerereckonedindollars,andlandwasvaluedbyprincipalplusinterest,andcropswereboughtandsoldbeforetheywereplanted.