Journal and Drawings of J. Goldsborough Bruff

Finding aid prepared by Brooke M. Black.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

Manuscripts Department

The Huntington Library

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2191

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Descriptive Summary

Title: Journal and Drawings of J. Goldsborough Bruff

Dates: 1849-1853

Collection Call Number: mssHM 8044

Creator: Bruff, Joseph Goldsborough,1804-1889.

Extent: 265 items

Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department

The Huntington Library

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2203

Fax: (626) 449-5720

Email: manuscripts@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Abstract: The collection contains J. Goldsborough Bruff's oversize revised version of his journal (c. 1853), which documents his journey across the American plains in 1849 by way of Lassen's Trail. Also included in the collection are 264 drawings of scenes from his overland journey, of various places he visited in California, and of his sea voyage to the Eastern United States via Mexico and Panama.

Language of Material: The records are in English

Administration Information

Access

Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, please go to following web site .

Publication Rights

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Journal and drawings of J. Goldsborough Bruff, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Acquisition Information

Purchased from A.S.W. Rosenbach, 1919.

Biography

Joseph Goldsborough Bruff (1804-1899) is best known as a topographer, journalist, and artist of the gold rush era. Bruff was born in Washington, D.C., on October 2, 1804. He attended West Point from 1820 until his resignation in 1822, when he left to sail, as a cabin boy, to Europe and South America in 1822. From 1827-1836 he worked as a topographical engineer, predominantly at Gosport Naval Yard in Norfolk, Virginia. He returned to Washington, D.C., in 1837 and from 1838-1849 worked for the United States Bureau of Topographical Engineers. Bruff then organized the Washington City and California Mining Association, which he accompanied to California on its overland journey in 1849. While in California he produced extensive journals and drawings of the mining camp experience. In 1853 Bruff returned to Washington, D.C., where he worked in office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department until his death on April 14, 1889.

Scope and Content

The collection contains J. Goldsborough Bruff's oversize revised version of his journal (c. 1853) which documents his journey across the American plains in 1849 by way of Lassen's Trail. Also included in the collection are 264 drawings of scenes from his overland journey, of various places he visited in California, and of his sea voyage to the Eastern United States via Mexico and Panama. Many of Bruff's drawings are in pencil, but thirty-eight of them were drawn with pastels and are in color.

Alternative Form of Materials Available

Visit the Huntington Digital Library to view digitized items from this collection.

Related materials in the Huntington Library

Indexing Terms

Personal Names

Bruff, Joseph Goldsborough,1804-1889

Corporate Names

Washington City and California Mining Association.

Subjects

Overland journeys to the Pacific--History--Sources.

California--Description and travel.

California--Pictorial works.

West (U.S.)--Description and travel.

West (U.S.)--Pictorial works.

Genre

Drawings--California--19th century.

Drawings--West (U.S.)--19th century.

Journals (accounts)--California--19th century.

Journals (accounts)--West (U.S.)--19th century.

Pastels--California--19th century.

Pastels--West (U.S.)--19th century.

Journal

Volume 1

HM 8044 Bruff, J. Goldsborough. Journal. (approximately 1853)

Drawings

view online item

HM 8044 (1) Salmi Cliffs, Mississippi River.

HM 8044 (2) Salmi Cliffs, Mississippi River.

HM 8044 (3) Salmi Cliffs, Mississippi River.

HM 8044 (4) Camp at St. Joseph's (Black Snake Hill, Mo.).

HM 8044 (5) Accident at log bridge, 40 m. above St. Joseph's, Mo.

HM 8044 (6) Perilous ferriage of the Missouri...

HM 8044 (7) Train stampeded, in a thunder-gust, on the Platte plains.

HM 8044 (8) Difficult and dangerous passage of the Salt Creek Bridge.

HM 8044 (9) The Deserted Pawnee Village.

In color.

HM 8044 (10) Deserted Pawnee Village.

HM 8044 (11) Capsize of No. 1, 65 mi's. below Grand I[sland].

HM 8044 (12) Hunters cutting up a buffalo.

HM 8044 (13) Skinning a buffalo.

In color.

HM 8044 (14) Scene between Forks of the Platte River..

HM 8044 (15) Between Forks of the Platte River, near Ash-Hollow.

In color.

HM 8044 (16) On the plains - preparing to feed.

In color.

HM 8044 (17) Cooking, on the plains.

HM 8044 (18) Tremendous hailstorm, on a mountain, after leaving the Platte River.

HM 8044 (19) [Camp cooking equipment].

HM 8044 (20) A Camp-Scene, on the Platte.

HM 8044 (21) Singular, conical mount of clay...above Ash-Hollow.

HM 8044 (22) Chimney Rock, on the Platte.

In color.

HM 8044 (23) E. N. E. view of Chimney Rock, - from a gulch...

HM 8044 (24) Scott's Bluffs and Chimney Rock, dist. 5 mi's.

HM 8044 (25) Plains of the Platte, View of lower end of Scott's Bluffs, 20 mi's. dist. From opposite to Chimney R..

HM 8044 (26) Scott's Bluffs, looking up stream from noon.

HM 8044 (27) Court-House Rock.

HM 8044 (28) Fort Washington Scott's Bluffs.

HM 8044 (29) Scott's Bluffs, near the Spring.

HM 8044 (30) Portion of Scott's Bluffs, 3/4mi. dist...

HM 8044 (31) Among the Bluffs, near Rubedeau's trading post.

HM 8044 (32) Looking down the Platte, from Scott's Bluffs.

HM 8044 (33) First sight of the Rocky Mountains...

In color.

HM 8044 (34) First view of the Rocky Mountains from W. end of Scott's Bluffs.

HM 8044 (35) Singular shaped hill, W. of Scott's Bluffs.

HM 8044 (36) Marmot (life size).

HM 8044 (37) The Emigrant's Burial.

HM 8044 (38) Fort Laramie.

HM 8044 (39) Fort Laramie - Laramie River.

In color.

HM 8044 (40) Laramie Peak, 1/2 day beyond Fort Laramie.

HM 8044 (41) Singular wave-like range of hills, between Horse-shoe and La Bonté Creeks.

HM 8044 (42) ...Fork of Horse-shoe Creek: a tributary of the Platte.

HM 8044 (43) Laramie Peak.

HM 8044 (44) N. Fork of the Platte, W. of Fort Laramie...

In color.

HM 8044 (45) Ruin-like rocks...between forks of La Bonté Creek...

In color.

HM 8044 (46) ...Between forks of La Bonté Creek...

HM 8044 (47) E. Fork of the Platte, beyond La Bonté.

HM 8044 (48) Among the Black Hills.

HM 8044 (49) Scenery on the left (S.) of the Platte River and trail.

HM 8044 (50) Ferriage of the Platte, above the mouth of Deer Creek.

In color.

HM 8044 (51) Ferriage of the Platte above Deer Ck., July 20, 1849.

HM 8044 (52) Rock Avenue, (Defile) near head of Red Spring Ck.

HM 8044 (53) Devil's Gate and Sweetwater River, in chalks.

In color.

HM 8044 (54) The Devil's Gate, Sweetwater River.

HM 8044 (55) E. Entrance to the Sweetwater Valley - near the Devil's Gate.

In color.

HM 8044 (56) The Pass of Rattle-Snake Mountains.

HM 8044 (57) [Independence Rock] in chalks.

In color.

HM 8044 (58) Independence Rock, Sweetwater River, in pencil.

HM 8044 (59) Independence Rock...in pencil.

HM 8044 (60) A View from the Summit of Independence Rock.

In color.

HM 8044 (61) A View from the Summit of Independence Rock, in pencil.

HM 8044 (62) The Liberty Cap - Independence Rock.

HM 8044 (63) Rattle-Snake Mountains, N. Side of Sweet-Water River.

HM 8044 (64) Sweet-Water River and spurs of the Sweet Water Mt..

HM 8044 (65) Interior of natural tower of sand-stone.

HM 8044 (66) Sand Hills and tower-looking Sandstone pile...

HM 8044 (67) Ruin-like pile of sand-stone...

HM 8044 (68) In the "Bird Pass," of Gorge of Rattle-Snake Mts.

HM 8044 (69) Two buttes, called the 'Table Rocks' or Hills.

HM 8044 (70) Presence of mind, -preventing a horn too much.

In color.

HM 8044 (71) South Pass of the Rocky Mountains.

HM 8044 (72) Great dividing Ridge of the Rocky-Mountains.

HM 8044 (73) Singular effect of the elements on red clay bluffs...

HM 8044 (74) A fossiliferous clay Mount...between Big Sand and Green River...

HM 8044 (75) Terminus of the Greenwood cut-off...

HM 8044 (76) Indian drawings on a sand-stone cliff - Green R. Valley, pencil and ink, small.

HM 8044 (77) Indian drawings on a sand-stone cliff - Green R. Valley, ink, larger.

HM 8044 (78) Calcareous lime and Sand Stone Bluffs...

HM 8044 (79) S. of Camp, Smiths Fork of Bear River, Aug. 9, 1849.

HM 8044 (80) Distorted mountains on Smith's Fork of Bear River.

HM 8044 (81) Bear-River Valley...

HM 8044 (82) Western side of the Soda or Beer Springs, near Bear R.

HM 8044 (83) Steam Boat Springs.

HM 8044 (84) The Beer-Springs.

In color.

HM 8044 (85) Cantonment Loring.

HM 8044 (86) Fort Hall, about 3 mi's. from the S. banks of Snake River, in chalks.

In color.

HM 8044 (87) Fort Hall.

HM 8044 (88) American Falls, Snake River, in chalks.

In color.

HM 8044 (89) The American Falls, Snake River.

HM 8044 (90) Perpendicular basaltic walls of Snake River.

HM 8044 (91) Plutonic Hills, Bearing S. E.

HM 8044 (92) Basaltic cliffs on left of train - near Head of Raft R.

HM 8044 (93) Northern boundary Mountains of Great Basin - Sn. slope.

HM 8044 (94) Great Basin side - Northern Boundary Mountains.

HM 8044 (95) Pinnacle-Pass and Spire-Rock...

In color.

HM 8044 (96) Weathered rocks in Rock Valley. (City of Castles).

HM 8044 (97) Interior of the Sarcophagus Rock.

HM 8044 (98) Weathered Sand Stone in Rocky Valley.

HM 8044 (99) Rock Valley - Sarcophagus Rock.

HM 8044 (100) The Antelope.

HM 8044 (101) The Badger.

HM 8044 (102) Mountains on the Humboldt (Mary's) River.

HM 8044 (103) Great Basin - on the Humboldt River.

HM 8044 (104) Pauta Pass - Blue Mountains - Humboldt River.

HM 8044 (105) The Pautah Pass of the Blue Mountains...in chalks.

In color.

HM 8044 (106) Disrupt barren hills, S. of road and river - Humboldt Valley.

HM 8044 (107) Remarkable Sand Mountains.

HM 8044 (108) First desert stretch, on leaving the Humboldt River.

HM 8044 (109) The Rabbit-Hole Springs, (Wells in a desert).

HM 8044 (110) Boiling Springs.

HM 8044 (111) Volcanic Bluffs...portion of Black Rock promontory.

HM 8044 (112) Fremont's Castle...

HM 8044 (113) Descent from Mud Lake Basin to reach High Rock Canon.

In color.

HM 8044 (114) High Rock Canon Pass near the Sierra Nevada.

In color.

HM 8044 (115) High Rock Canon and Cave.

HM 8044 (116) Volcanic hills, bounding the basin of Mud Lake...

HM 8044 (117) Precipitous descent from Mud Lake basin to Pass of High-rock Canon.

HM 8044 (118) Singular volcanic excresences on hill-side, at terminus of High-rock Canon.

HM 8044 (119) Singular volcanic formation on hill side...

HM 8044 (120) Great Basin Scenery - A Pass in the hills.

HM 8044 (121) A singular rock on left, 2 days to Sierra Nevada Mts.

HM 8044 (122) Rocky head, terminating on isolated range, near the Sierra Nevada Mts..

HM 8044 (123) Straggling Emigrants: - fall of 1849.

HM 8044 (124) Little Mountain Pass...

HM 8044 (125) Singular Butte in valley of Pitt River...

HM 8044 (126) Tower-looking Rocks above Mill Creek Canon.

HM 8044 (127) Bruff's Camp, Oct., 1849.

HM 8044 (128) Scene on the Emigrant Trail, near Settlements, Nov., 1849.

HM 8044 (129) W. end of Lodge, before the snow-storm.

In color.

HM 8044 (130) E. end of Lodge, before the snowstorm.

In color.

HM 8044 (131) Looking back, from Gorge Camp.

HM 8044 (132) [Dead Deer].

HM 8044 (133) Camp Scene.

HM 8044 (134) [Eagles].

HM 8044 (135) The Mountain-Lodge - in prosperity.

In color.

HM 8044 (136) The Cabin - in the Sierra Nevada.

In color.

HM 8044 (137) Robert's Cabin in S. Nevada.

HM 8044 (138) Rear of the Author's Camp. Jan. 16, 1850.

HM 8044 (139) Brown Study, 29 Jan. 1850, midnight.

HM 8044 (140) Midnight Study, Jan. 29, 1850.

In color.

HM 8044 (141) Moonlight Scene - W. Slope of Sierra Nevada.

HM 8044 (142) E. end of Lodge after snow-storm.

In color.

HM 8044 (143) Winter camp in great snow.

HM 8044 (144) Author on snow-shoes seeking fuel.

HM 8044 (145) Interior of Lodge.

HM 8044 (146) The Mountain Lodge in adversity.

In color.

HM 8044 (147) Author's Wolf-trap.

HM 8044 (148) The Midnight Visitor.

In color.

HM 8044 (149) The Midnight Visitor.

In color.

HM 8044 (150) The "gnarled Oak" of California...

HM 8044 (151) A Prospecter.

HM 8044 (152) Burial of Spence - Vicinity of Lassen's Rancho.

HM 8044 (153) The Gorge of Mill-Creek.

HM 8044 (154) Process of jerking beef.

HM 8044 (155) Indian Lodge in Lassin's Rancheria.

HM 8044 (156) Lassin's Indians Gambling.

HM 8044 (157) Camp amusement.

HM 8044 (158) Sierra Nevada Scenery.

HM 8044 (159) Native in high-life.

HM 8044 (160) Indians of Sierra Nevada...

HM 8044 (161) An amateur mountaineer.

HM 8044 (162) Camp amusement.

HM 8044 (163) A camping-place, in the Sierra Nevada. (Emigrant road).

HM 8044 (164) Camp Scene - reading the latest news. (4 months old).

HM 8044 (165) A cold wet camp, after a cold wet ride.

HM 8044 (166) Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada...

HM 8044 (167) ...Granite rock split by frost.

HM 8044 (168) ...Singular sand-stone cones.

HM 8044 (169) Passo tiempo.

HM 8044 (170) Extinct Crater on E. side Sierra Nevada.

HM 8044 (171) Pi-u-tah shooting Lodge, across creek, in Hiero-glyphic Defile.

HM 8044 (172) Ancient Hieroglyphics.

HM 8044 (173) Ancient Hieroglyphics.

HM 8044 (174) Volcanic Peak...

HM 8044 (175) First view of Honey Lake.

HM 8044 (176) East. slope of Sierra Nevada. Basaltic range...

HM 8044 (177) Extraordinary-form'd block of white volcanic sandstone on entrance to Lake Derby Basin.

HM 8044 (178) Bivouac on top the Sierra Nevada.

HM 8044 (179) A py-u-tah, or Pauta...

HM 8044 (180) Honey Lake.

HM 8044 (181) Panoramic view of the irregular plain through which passes the Hieroglyphic Defile and Creek.

HM 8044 (182) Indian Village, Valley of the Sacramento...

HM 8044 (183) Sutter's Buttes...

HM 8044 (184) Johnson's, 50 mi's. N. of Sacramento City...

HM 8044 (185) Habitations of the Mountain Indians.

HM 8044 (186) Lassen's Rancho.

HM 8044 (187) Coyote.

HM 8044 (188) Repose of tired adventurers.

HM 8044 (189) Camp.

HM 8044 (190) [Camp].

HM 8044 (191) Deep vale of a N. branch of Feather River.

HM 8044 (192) Indians of N. Valley of Feather River.

HM 8044 (193) Grizzly-Bear.

HM 8044 (194) The Fore-claws of an adult Grizzly-Bear.

HM 8044 (195) Deliberations.

HM 8044 (196) Mountain Hospital.

HM 8044 (197) Mountain Camp.

HM 8044 (198) The Weary Explorer.

HM 8044 (199) [Forty-niner and his horse].

HM 8044 (200) [Impedimenta of a Forty-Niner].

HM 8044 (201) [Siesta].

HM 8044 (202) Young cone crowning the head of the tree. Pinon.

HM 8044 (203) Cone of the Pinon.

HM 8044 (204) Fir Tree.

HM 8044 (205) A Mountaineer's Horse.

HM 8044 (206) Distorted Pine in the Sierra Nevada.

HM 8044 (207) Nugget of gold from the S. Fork of the American R.

HM 8044 (208) A prospector's life in the Sierra Nevada.

In color.

HM 8044 (209) Entrance to Bay of San Francisco.

HM 8044 (210) Cape Mendocina...

HM 8044 (211) California Coast Scenery.

HM 8044 (212) Trinidad - Indian Village.

HM 8044 (213) Trinidad - Indian Hut.

HM 8044 (214) Sweat House at Indian Village.

HM 8044 (215) Arched Rock in rear of Trinidad.

HM 8044 (216) Drift-timber from Oregon and Kelpplant.

HM 8044 (217) Granite rocks in Trinidad Bay.

HM 8044 (218) Indian temporary lodge on the beach going to Gold Bluffs from Trinidad.

HM 8044 (219) Trinidad Coast.

HM 8044 (220) Natural obelisk of jade and serpentine rock.

HM 8044 (221) Cliff behind Trinidad town.

HM 8044 (222) Indian Scull-caps.

HM 8044 (223) Indian Burial-place.

HM 8044 (224) Mass of green chert and serpentine.

HM 8044 (225) Indian Village, Trinidad.

In color.

HM 8044 (226) Near Trinidad, above the town.

In color.

HM 8044 (227) Trinidad anchorage, from the cove.

In color.

HM 8044 (228) Red-wood Lake, on Pacific coast, between Trinidad and Klamath.

HM 8044 (229) Gold Bluffs.

HM 8044 (230) Interior of Cabin at Gold Bluffs.

HM 8044 (231) Cataract at Gold Bluffs.

In color.

HM 8044 (232) Gold Bluffs - The Double Cascade.

HM 8044 (233) Cliff Gold Bluffs.

HM 8044 (234) Upper station.

HM 8044 (235) Lower station.

HM 8044 (236) Cross-section...of an immense Red-wood Tree...

HM 8044 (237) Entrance to Humboldt Bay.

HM 8044 (238) [Calif. Coast scene].

HM 8044 (239) Execution of Jenkins.

HM 8044 (240) San Diego.

HM 8044 (241) Point Tequepa. 80 mi's. above Acapulco.

HM 8044 (242) Cathedral, Acapulco, Mexico.

HM 8044 (243) Coast of New Granada.

HM 8044 (244) Islets - Tobaga harbor.

In color.

HM 8044 (245) Toboga, near Panama.

In color.

HM 8044 (246) Church of Sn. Jose.

HM 8044 (247) Nunnery, Church and Monastery of Sn. Francisco...

HM 8044 (248) E. Entrance to the Nunnery of Sn. Francisco, Panama, and part of the City Wall.

HM 8044 (249) Church of Sn. Felipe.

HM 8044 (250) Stone Cross - Panama.

HM 8044 (251) Panama (from the anchorage).

HM 8044 (252) Toboga I[sland].

HM 8044 (253) Islets facing the Harbor of Toboga near Panama.

HM 8044 (254) A Church Door, Panama.

HM 8044 (255) Ruined Turret, walls of Panama.

HM 8044 (256) Puerto de tierra (Land Gate)...

HM 8044 (257) Remarkable flat arch. 60 ft. span.

HM 8044 (258) College of the Jesuits.

HM 8044 (259) Exterior of the porto Tierra or Land Gate.

HM 8044 (260) Crossing the Isthmus of Panama - Defiles.

HM 8044 (261) Coffin-bier, Cruces.

HM 8044 (262) Chagres, from the anchorage.

HM 8044 (263) Part of the Island of Jamaica, a few leagues N. of Port Royal harbor.

HM 8044 (264) Execution of Criminals - Panama.