Recent Surveys Have Likewise Been Made, Both By The Russians And The English; And We Have Little Doubt, That, At No Very Distant Day, This Neglected, And, Until Recently, Almost Unknown Region, Will Be Found To Possess Sources Of Wealth Sufficient To Sustain A Powerful And Prosperous Empire.

Its inhabitants, themselves, are but little aware of its real riches; they have not enterprise sufficient to acquaint themselves

With a vast interior that lies almost a terra incognita; nor have they the skill and industry to cultivate properly the fertile tracts along the coast; nor to prosecute that foreign commerce which brings all the resources of a country into profitable action.

39. Gay life at Monterey Mexican horsemen A bold dragoon Use of the lasso Vaqueros Noosing a bear Fight between a bull and a bear Departure from Monterey Indian horse stealers Outrages committed by the travellers Indignation of Captain Bonneville

THE WANDERING BAND of trappers was well received at Monterey, the inhabitants were desirous of retaining them among them, and offered extravagant wages to such as were acquainted with any mechanic art. When they went into the country, too, they were kindly treated by the priests at the missions; who are always hospitable to strangers, whatever may be their rank or religion. They had no lack of provisions; being permitted to kill as many as they pleased of the vast herds of cattle that graze the country, on condition, merely, of rendering the hides to the owners. They attended bull-fights and horseraces; forgot all the purposes of their expedition; squandered away, freely, the property that did not belong to them; and, in a word, revelled in a perfect fool's paradise.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 343 of 442
Words from 91894 to 92174 of 118673