Two issues of the first California newspaper from its first year of publication. Each bears the signature of Capt. William Mervine in the top margin. Mervine was the naval officer that Commodore Sloat assigned to occupy Monterey on July 7, 1846. Mervine also participated in the hostilities in Southern California later in October. Each of the present issues carries on the first page a serialization of Description of California, a translation of a work written around 1822 by "a gentleman well acquainted with the territory and its situation as it then stood." Following are news of The War; its effect on Private Property; the abuse of Grog and other spirits by U.S. military personnel; the loss of the American whaling ship Baltic; news of Hawaii, etc. Also, several intriguing advertisements and notices, including the opening of "Portsmouth House - Yerba Buena - the undersigned has opened a Public House, under the above title, where he is prepared to entertain all those who may please to call on him. His table will be furnished with the best the market affords, and his bar with the best liquors. Yerba Buena, c. 16, 1846. J. Brown." That would be John Henry Brown, and English sailor who first visited California in 1843, returning permanently in 1845. He wrote "Reminiscences and Incidents, of `The Early Days' of San Francisco," published in 1886. Provenance: From the Library of Charles H. Segerstrom.