Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-08-13
LIFE In CALIFORNIA.


and usages of every day life in Cali
fornia, IS given in the following ex-
tract OF letter from an intelligent ship
master who has been several years on
the coast, which we copy from an ex-
change paper:
| California is singular country; you
may read and hear of it, but to know
lit you must see it yourself. Hospital
( ity prevails over the whole country
Go where you will you are welcome
to bed, breakfast, dinner or supper;
you have no need of an invitation, for
it is the custom of the country. What
would your money grabbing Yankees
in Gotham say, if stranger should
walk in at the hour of dinner and take
seat at the table, and perhaps say,
you must give me bed and | will stop
all night. Our clerks and supercar-
goes 60 from one end of the coast to
the other, and when night comes on
or they are hungry, they stop at the
first house and call for something to
eat or bed as they want, and we of
the ship return the compliment. This
free hospitality is extended to all per-
sons who show any signs of respecta-
bllity; we could not do without it.
Go to whatever part of the world you
may, do not believe you will find
Just such another country as this, for
perfect independence, as they are nei-
Their law nor gospel here. Every one
does as he sees fit in his own eyes; he
may goto bed drunk or sober. 1.-THE
writer is known on the coast as sthe
cold-water mani Once in a while
knock down takes place with some
cutting and stabbing; the offenders are
hauled up, and after three or four weeks
spent In smoking and drinking, they let
them go, and there the matter drops.
| have laughed many a time at witness
sing trial. The accusers and the ac-
cused, and the spectators sit together,
and sometimes all hands talk at once
no lawyers fees to pay-and after all
parties are heard, the culprits are dis
charged and the constables pay the
cost.
called at the house of a friend not
long since, to get my coffee, and fell
in with one of our country women who
came across the lard "a real genuine
specimen Of Western States. In spea-
king of her travels through the noun
tains, she said, Wal, we had pretty
considerable hard time of it, but | did
not mind it until we had to heave away
our plumber; then felt owtul.' This
reminds me Of the lamentations of
Western widower over the grave of
his wife.-Said he, Il have lost COWS,
but l never had anything to cut me
like thls!'
The tide of emigration is rolling this
way, and the enterprising people of the
Western States are fast filling up this
country. | should not wonder if in
few years Mexico should find a second
| Texas, (the letter is dated the last of
January, and his prophecy is almost
history now.) California has fine
climate, bat it will never be more than
a great grazing country. Some men
have from s to $4,000 cattle. What
would one of our farmers say to farm
of four leagues square, with 10000
head of cattle, and 6 or 800 horses on
it, not an uncommon thing mere, though
the general average is Q to 5000. A
man with 5000, fthere has been plen.
ty of rain (which is rarely the case)
will kill annually 1000, which, at IS
perhead, gives him handsome income.
The expense of taking care of his
herds is tri1ing, as it is done by the
Indians who are paid little or nothing.
There is great offset to this income
in the enormous prices charged for
goods. The word economy is not
known, and a dress costing $50 to
500, is often ruined in a few days and
thrown aside.
Last June | was at St. Cruz, and
took ride into what is called the Red
Woods. The trees are noted for their
great size; one measured 10 feet in d.
ameter, and $50 feet in altitude, and
there were thousands that would meas
ure 10 and - feet through. From
one tree the miller said he made o.
600 feet of boards. tits very extra
tree in Maine, that makes 6 900, and
from another 100000 of shingles.
What do you think of these for vege-
tables? One tree that was followed
out measured ii feet square, and was
used as tailor's shop. A few years
since some enterprising Yankees intro
duced saw-mills which reduced the