It Was Kept By
A Yankee, A One-Eyed Man, Who Belonged Formerly To Fall River,
Came Out To The
Pacific in a whale-ship, left her at the Sandwich
Islands, and came to California and set up a "Pulperia.
" S - - - and
I followed in our shipmates' wake, knowing that to refuse to drink
with them would be the highest affront, but determining to slip
away at the first opportunity. It is the universal custom with sailors
for each one, in his turn, to treat the whole, calling for a glass all
round, and obliging every one who is present, even the keeper of
the shop, to take a glass with him. When we first came in, there
was some dispute between our crew and the others, whether the
new comers or the old California rangers should treat first; but it
being settled in favor of the latter, each of the crews of the other
vessels treated all round in their turn, and as there were a good
many present, (including some "loafers" who had dropped in, knowing
what was going on, to take advantage of Jack's hospitality,)
and the liquor was a real (12˝ cents) a glass, it made somewhat
of a hole in their lockers. It was now our ship's turn, and S - - -
and I, anxious to get away, stepped up to call for glasses; but we
soon found that we must go in order - the oldest first, for the old
sailors did not choose to be preceded by a couple of youngsters;
and bon gré mal gré, we had to wait our turn, with the twofold
apprehension of being too late for our horses, and of getting
corned; for drink you must, every time; and if you drink with
one and not with another, it is always taken as an insult.
Having at length gone through our turns and acquitted ourselves
of all obligations, we slipped out, and went about among the
houses, endeavoring to get horses for the day, so that we might
ride round and see the country. At first we had but little success,
all that we could get out of the lazy fellows, in reply to our
questions, being the eternal drawling "Quien sabe?" ("who knows?")
which is an answer to all questions. After several efforts,
we at length fell in with a little Sandwich Island boy, who belonged
to Captain Wilson of the Ayacucho, and was well acquainted in
the place; and he, knowing where to go, soon procured us two
horses, ready saddled and bridled, each with a lasso coiled over
the pommel. These we were to have all day, with the privilege of
riding them down to the beach at night, for a dollar, which we had
to pay in advance. Horses are the cheapest thing in California;
the very best not being worth more than ten dollars apiece, and very
good ones being often sold for three, and four. In taking a day's
ride, you pay for the use of the saddle, and for the labor and
trouble of catching the horses. If you bring the saddle back safe,
they care but little what becomes of the horse. Mounted on our
horses, which were spirited beasts, and which, by the way, in this
country, are always steered by pressing the contrary rein against
the neck, and not by pulling on the bit, - we started off on a fine
run over the country. The first place we went to was the old
ruinous presidio, which stands on a rising ground near the village,
which it overlooks. It is built in the form of an open square,
like all the other presidios, and was in a most ruinous state,
with the exception of one side, in which the commandant lived,
with his family. There were only two guns, one of which was spiked,
and the other had no carriage. Twelve, half clothed, and half starved
looking fellows, composed the garrison; and they, it was said, had
not a musket apiece. The small settlement lay directly below the
fort, composed of about forty dark brown looking huts, or houses,
and two larger ones, plastered, which belonged to two of the "gente
de razón." This town is not more than half as large as Monterey,
or Santa Barbara, and has little or no business. From the presidio,
we rode off in the direction of the mission, which we were told was
three miles distant. The country was rather sandy, and there was
nothing for miles which could be called a tree, but the grass grew
green and rank, and there were many bushes and thickets, and the
soil is said to be good. After a pleasant ride of a couple of miles,
we saw the white walls of the mission, and fording a small river,
we came directly before it. The mission is built of mud, or rather
of the unburnt bricks of the country, and plastered. There was
something decidedly striking in its appearance: a number of irregular
buildings, connected with one another, and disposed in the form of
a hollow square, with a church at one end, rising above the rest,
with a tower containing five belfries, in each of which hung a large
bell, and with immense rusty iron crosses at the tops. Just outside
of the buildings, and under the walls, stood twenty or thirty small
huts, built of straw and of the branches of trees, grouped together,
in which a few Indians lived, under the protection and in the service
of the mission.
Entering a gate-way, we drove into the open square, in which the
stillness of death reigned. On one side was the church; on another,
a range of high buildings with grated windows; a third was a range
of smaller buildings, or offices; and the fourth seemed to be little
more than a high connecting wall. Not a living creature could we
see. We rode twice round the square, in the hope of waking up
some one; and in one circuit, saw a tall monk, with shaven head,
sandals, and the dress of the Grey Friars, pass rapidly through a
gallery, but he disappeared without noticing us.
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