The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-09-07
Affairs In California.

Insresfins Letter from California Volunteer TO a
Friend in Nsw York-Ths Yoyage-Deseripion Of
San francisco and acknowledgements Incident
The Canribal Keisburg- Climate, Soil, &c, &c.
On the 18th OF November as you already know, left
the land of my birth to seek In and wild country,
new friends, associations and new mode of life.
During the first four days OF voyage had wealth
sr, which for severity not equalled by the most
bosterous weather met with at Cape Horn The spen-
did description of storm at sea- given in the novel Of
the Plotn would fall short Of doing justice to the
rife storm which We witnessed when New York.
There were belonging to the regiment on board the
Bruus," 81 persons. OF this NUMBER about 80 suf-
fered considerable from sickness Thank heaven
entirely escaped this peculiarly distressing Illness which
cannot be better described than by imagining by the
side of the bunk in which you try hard Sleep an angel
from heaven and demon from the lower regions I'M
agne ALSO that they both offered to convey you to their
respective regions At this offer you would endeavor to
turn in your "pent up Utica" and most boseechngy
plore him that could give you the speedy relief to
convey you body and SOUL to his region, bo It heaven
good and sprightly little ship Brutus moved gaently
through the deep blue sean When We were Off Cane
Horn it summer; but such summer | never again
wish to experience AS usual, Il blew a continuous
gala The weather was cold =" Greenand,s lev
mountans;n the ship kept tossing tumbng and pitch.
ing like thing bewtched, without ntermssion for the
OF "a dsysn endeavoring to distance which
with fair Wind could be made in "a hours During the
days. and although for time monotony regned su
preme in miniature world, endeavo by various
methods to drive dull care away" Continuous head
winds made us a long passage.
On the 18th of April arrived in the harbor of San
Francisco. On the 18th we went ashore, making the
passage in 1--WE months and seven days The mouth OF
the bay Of San Francisco lies in latitude 81 6s The
water on the bar is fathoms at low tide The harbor
Is arm Of the sea, extending 40 miles inland
shut in by high and precipitous banks The entrance
from the oceans by opening about mile width
through rock formed walls near 200 feet in height
en- he dua
expands to some or III miles in extent from North To
South and IL from East to West AT the extreme
portion Of the vast basin thus formed its shores
again close abruptly, contracting to leave a pass
OF about two miles in width, which forms the entrance
to second bay Of still larger dimensions From this
gorge the high rocky banks again open for ten miles
when they close to the width Of about onsame which
forms the entrance to third bay more spacious than
either the fret second extending II miles from East
to West and Is from North Co South aordng the feat
anchorage. have been through the different bays
and more wild and beautiful sight greeted the
eyes Of mortal
San Francisco, the settlement un lately called
Yerba Buena, lin Spanish meaning good herb is stu.
ated close the shore, and consists Of about bftv
houses built principally Of timber called red wood and
adobe nud and grass, sun dred) The place is indeed
rapidly Increasing thirty houses having been built with
in the past months There seven stores for the
of miscellaneous articles Prices for anna
rel are exorbitant-pants worth 50 in the States viii
bring SO and SO shous worth 81 80 were sold for
$40 per pair when the main body of the regiment first
arrived; they bs purchased easily for 50: NIL
other articles in the ratio There are six places
in Yebs Buena for the exclusive sale of liquor one shl
The climate Of San Francisco and all along the ooast
10 very dsagreeable severe and cold westerly wind
prevails during the morning until A. N when it be-
comes quite warm and pleasant, If tho wind dies away
Between the hours Of III A. NJ and p M light clothing
can be worn with comforts at other than these
hours thick warm clothing Is absolutely necessary, the
climate Is 30 changeabe. The further North y per-
goes, the climate is agreea bic and pleasant
During my stay OF San Francisco visited the settle
called the Mission aud the Presidio three
miles distant from Yerbs Busna The Mission is this
prettiest and best place in the vicinity The Presdio is
used barracks for companies X and H. The Land
ia the vicinity Of San Francisco for farmipg purposes
not worth cent per At this place met an old
acquaintance Of yours and my own, less parsonage
than Pat - who had run away from a whale shin
lie confined in the government hospital by frozen
feet. lie had volunteered to go to the California
tains TO relieve emgrants who pershing from the
want Of food. Il VIII aludc to this hereafter) very
affecting meeting took place between him his brother
John VINO attached to company g, of this regiment
John had been confined for nearly months on board
and liver complaint and was in very weak and danger
state when taken ashore. lie was immediately
taken to the hospital and placed upon soldiers couch
usually pine boardwiChout being perceived by Rat
After he had been placed upon his bed Pat enq,ired
Who was the patient brought in!n He told that
1t was young man from New York. What's his
name!" asked Pat; -" replied the hospital stew
ard At the sound of his own name Pat leaned on his
elbow, and asked, . Do you know his trade?D The
word, had scarcely escaped his lips when he turned his
eyes towards the patient and beled his brother
John ,, exclaimed Pat PATTI family muttered
John They could not grasp each others hands, but
leaning their elbows looked at each other in
asonishment II would be useless to attempt depict
~ Old Dave Msrtin,' as be Familiarity called and
with whom you acquan ted breathed his In San
Francisco bay the second night the ship lay in port
He out as officers cook but day OF the
five months' voyage was he able to even attempt the
duties for which he had engaged.
remained at San Francisco where enjoyed myself
tor two weeks when lett to reoin my company at
noma, 60 miles distant Sonoma is u beautiful little
valley the settlement containing about 50 houses the
land fertile, weather nearly always pleasant, and the
town very rapidly ncreasing taken IL one
of the most desirable places in the whole country /
was in md ILL.,
friendly manner, and by my old friends was saluted
with You id fool! didn't you know better than to
come to this God-forsaken country?n The cite which
Is laid out for the town of Sonoma sold in lots of no
square feet at SIC EACH other land is sold much cheap
Of Missouri, and the distinguished Mexican General
Vallejo The alcade or chief magistrate, Is Governor
Boggs appointed by Gen. kesrny.
Alter remaining here some time, detachment of Is
ordered to the Valley Of tho Sacramento from
which place this letter is dated. ! applied and in
the detachment. | have been here three weeks, and
have had good opportunity Of knowing the country
round about which very fertile In places though
irrigation will be necessary in great portion Of It, The
white inhabitants Of this valley principally Germans
and Swiss There large number of Indians In and
about the valley principally Of the Digger tribe who
feed roots grasshoppers. etc., and whose greatest
luxury is to sit in the burning Gun and eat from
each others heads They are very filthy, and nearly
Of the Walla Waa tribe, from whore predations
here to protect government property This the
place highly spoken of by writer's this country
rhe fort in which we are stationed belongs to Captain
suter, who, for gentemany conduct and philanthropy,
cannot be excoled in any country lie has about 800
Indians under his control Cattle very cheapbeef
cents per pound; horses 10; saddles $40 There
IL fruit In this portion Of the country that have
visited except wild grapes; they abundant In the
southern portion fruit Is said to be plentiful Peace is
declared In territory In fact before any Of the IT,
forces had arrived here the country had been taken
possession OF by Americans, English etc, under the
= bear flag" will not attempt to give you descrlp
ton of the state OF the country The u newspapers
will do this
Every one have met with in this regiment ia dssa
tisned with this country and ell will return home as
room they possibly Dissatisfaction prevails in
the regiment to q great extent. Those companies of
the regiment statonedat every poet excepting company
G, have labor hard and the duty "a very laborous
building and repairing forts barracks, etc My COM
pany have very easy and pleasant duty thank heaven
have said much VI the country ss this letter will
allow. ! have jiary Of occurrences which should
like to send you, but left IL ut Sonoma shall return
to my native city soon, think, as possibly can
which afraid will take some time. as the means of
getting this country not easily obtained have
been much disappointed in my anticpations Il the
nature of the country but perceive any induce
mcnt as yet, that would make me stay IN TINS Amer