The State guard. [volume] (Wetumpka, Ala.) 1847-18??, 1847-06-01
california;.

California.
The following extracts are taken from
some very interesting letters which the
North American has laid before lis read.
ers:
Perhaps there Is no country in the
world, generally speaking, where the in
habianis are so much on horseback as
in California or where there are better
riders; it may be Almost literally said
that many Of them are born on horse
bnck, as shall show in the sequel.
We may likewise almost say lha, they
are married on horseback, for The day
the marriage contract is agreed on be-
tween The patics, the brdegroom's first
care is 10 beg, buy or borrow, and some
times steal, the best horse that can be
found in his district; and al the same
time, BY some OF these means, he has
to ge, saddle. with silver mountings
about the bride, aud the ovef-lealhcrs
Of the saddle must be embroidered. Il
matters not how poor the parties may
be, the articles above mentioned are in
dispensatle to the wedding.
The Saddle the woman rides has
kind of lealhefn apron which hangs over
the horses rumr, and completely covers
his hinder parts as far as hall why down
The legs this likewise. TO be complete,
must be embroidered With silks OF diff
ent colors and gold and silver thread
from tho lower part, upwards, il opens
iG six or eight parts, aud each OF these
pats is furnished with number oi
small pieces OF iron or copper, SO as to
make a Jingling noise like so many
cracked bells. have seen one oil these
aprons with three hundred and sixty OF
these small jiogles hanging to i.
The bridegroom must also furnish
the bride with at least six articles o;
each kind of woman's clothing, aud al
so buy up every thing necessary to feast
his friends for one, two Of three days. ms
the inclinalions of the attendants invited
or nninvited, may dictate. 4p
The day being named for tie celebra
ton of the wedding the two fine horses
are saddlcd and tie bridegroom takes
up before him on the same horse he
rides, the godmoiher that is 10 br.--aal
the future godfather takes before him on
his horse, the bride, and away they gal.
lop to the church
AS soor as the ceremony Is over. the
new married couple mount one horse
and the godfather and godmother the
other horse and they return to the house
OF the parents of the bride, where they
are received with squibs, musketry, etc.
and two persons station themselves at
some convenient place near the house.
and before the bridegroom has time TO
dismuunt these two persons seize him
and take off his spurs, which they hold
possession OF until the owner redeems
them with bottle of brandy or dol
lar.
The married couple then enter the
house, where the near relations are all
waiting in tears to receive them; they
kneel down before the parents and ask
a blessing, which is by the parents i'm.
mejiately bestowed: all persons al this
moment are excluded from the presence
of the parties, and the moment the bless
sing is bestowed, the bridegroom makes
sign or speaks 10 some person near
him, and the guitar and violns nre struck
up. and dancing and drinking is the OF
der OF the day.
The moment child is born on fsrm
in California and the md wife has time
TO clolke il, it is given 10 man on
horseback. who rides post haste to some
Mission with the new bern infant in MS
arms, and in company with the future
godfather and godmoiher, who present
tito priest for baptism this sacrament
having been administered, the party res
turn and The child may rest sometimes a
whole month without taking an excur-
SION on horseback, but after the lapse Of
this time Il hardly escapes one day wish
out being on horseback until the day Of
sickness or death.
Thus by the. lime a boy is ten or
twelve years Of age he bea ONES good
horseman, and il is difficult 10 gel him
to do any kind OF work on foot, and al,
most any Californian would think less
bard Of riding one hundred miles than
be would OF working four hours on foot
add to this that most OF the laborin Cal
ifornia has necessarily been effected BY
means of men on horseback. The Ia :
king care Of cattle and horses, lasting
them, and going such long journeys as
They are constantly obliged to travel, has