The Chief Alcaldes In Monterey And
Santa Barbara Were Both Yankees By Birth.
The men in Monterey appeared to me to be always on horseback.
Horses are as abundant here as dogs and chickens were in Juan
Fernandez.
There are no stables to keep them in, but they are
allowed to run wild and graze wherever they please, being branded,
and having long leather ropes, called "lassos," attached to their
necks and dragging along behind them, by which they can be easily
taken. The men usually catch one in the morning, throw a saddle and
bridle upon him, and use him for the day, and let him go at night,
catching another the next day. When they go on long journeys,
they ride one horse down, and catch another, throw the saddle and
bridle upon him, and after riding him down, take a third, and so
on to the end of the journey. There are probably no better riders
in the world. They get upon a horse when only four or five years
old, their little legs not long enough to come half way over his
sides; and may almost be said to keep on him until they have grown
to him. The stirrups are covered or boxed up in front, to prevent
their catching when riding through the woods; and the saddles are
large and heavy, strapped very tight upon the horse, and have
large pommels, or loggerheads, in front, round which the "lasso"
is coiled when not in use. They can hardly go from one house to
another without getting on a horse, there being generally several
standing tied to the door-posts of the little cottages. When they
wish to show their activity, they make no use of their stirrups
in mounting, but striking the horse, spring into the saddle as
he starts, and sticking their long spurs into him, go off on
the full run. Their spurs are cruel things, having four or five
rowels, each an inch in length, dull and rusty. The flanks of
the horses are often sore from them, and I have seen men come in
from chasing bullocks with their horses' hind legs and quarters
covered with blood. They frequently give exhibitions of their
horsemanship, in races, bull-baitings, etc.; but as we were not
ashore during any holyday, we saw nothing of it. Monterey is also
a great place for cock-fighting, gambling of all sorts, fandangos,
and every kind of amusement and knavery. Trappers and hunters, who
occasionally arrive here from over the Rocky mountains, with their
valuable skins and furs, are often entertained with every sort of
amusement and dissipation, until they have wasted their time and
their money, and go back, stripped of everything.
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.
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