Nothing But The Character Of The People Prevents Monterey From
Becoming A Great Town.
The soil is as rich as man could wish;
climate as good as any in the world; water abundant, and situation
extremely beautiful.
The harbor, too, is a good one, being subject
only to one bad wind, the north; and though the holding-ground is
not the best, yet I heard of but one vessel's being driven ashore
here. That was a Mexican brig, which went ashore a few months
before our arrival, and was a total wreck, all the crew but one being
drowned. Yet this was from the carelessness or ignorance of the
captain, who paid out all his small cable before he let go his other
anchor. The ship Lagoda, of Boston, was there at the time, and rode
out the gale in safety, without dragging at all, or finding it necessary
to strike her top-gallant masts.
The only vessel in port with us was the little Loriotte. I frequently
went on board her, and became very well acquainted with her
Sandwich Island crew. One of them could speak a little English,
and from him I learned a good deal about them. They were well
formed and active, with black eyes, intelligent countenances,
dark-olive, or, I should rather say, copper complexions and coarse
black hair, but not woolly like the negroes. They appeared to be
talking continually. In the forecastle there was a complete Babel.
Their language is extremely guttural, and not pleasant at first,
but improves as you hear it more, and is said to have great capacity.
They use a good deal of gesticulation, and are exceedingly animated,
saying with their might what their tongues find to say.
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