New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-09-21
OUR CALIFORNIA LETTERS.
Ride 10 the Presidio-DInners In California
Pueblo -no Jo.s-Coi. Fremont.

SAS FEANcisco. June =, lao.
Come ny friend, let as ri1e this pleasant nom
ing 70 the Preticio'-I an told ]. rivals the ride
- Fort Hamilton. Wei, We viii see over this
hill and through the val.ey-nou along the beach.
How lovely yonder field besPang.ed with flowers
Of various hue the golden iaip, the purple ARA
spur, the blue, vevet-like lily, and the Wild lisc
how they perfume the air and those little daisies
how tmidly they look out from the tuiis Of green.
See yonder drove Of cattle, how fat and sleek they
look-ive hundred Of them-and see that bandit
looking fellow with his scarlet serape floating in
the wind what q noble horse be rides bow
gracefully he holds bis lasso-he il gshoping to-
ward 1s-no. he is collecting the scattered drove.
Here are the ruins Of the Preside" the old
adobe walls are crumbiing down. How are the
mighty fallen The former glory has passed away
Behold, greater is here. The Stars ard Stripes
now fost here, and the guns and bsyo1ets OF Un-
Gle Sam giis:en 10 the sun. Let us ascend yon-
der knoll and look ont on the broad Pscifc-listen
10 the roar Of the sun, and the dash OF the break
era. Is IL not par. o. Natures organ her never
ceasing musicl And the birds warbling In the
valley. D. they not perform another part
over in that valley between those bills is the
old Mission. Silence reigns there now The old
Padre has passed away The sound Of the YES
per bell no longer steals upon toe ear The vine
yards are broken down, and the herds are not 10.
be found
Let US return. HO Pinto why crush those los
cious strawberries Stop. I must gather some.
How fine they are. Is everything here 50 Ike an
Eden No, there is no Paradise on earth. The
northwest wind IS chilling, and We have It every
day. The iOgbsnk is coming up and that noble
ship viii not get into port until another day.
What n fine view we have from this hill Here
3 the crest Metropolis Of the Paciic-h0uscs-
TENTS heds-shantes-a open air. re far as
the eye can reach y. +. and ;. +. spreads the no
Die bag. aud there, at anchor hold, for mile and
over. side by side, as fine ships az ever c.eaved
the waves. See those beautiful clippers, the Grey
Eagle and the Grcy Hound. The former made the
voyage around "the Horn in III days. There
j. the be sutiful craft Col. Fremont, how grace
i1l she looks with her clean tapering spsrs. Here
we are at the beach and our ride is over.
Ii is dinner time perhaps you might be inter
ested to know what the dishes are upon my
friend table Wei, fine salmon from Colum-
hia River, Highland mutton preserved from Scot
land roast beef, native production, fruit. pudding;
the fruit from d" the States =. orange preserves
the oranges from China, IA peculiar Kind Of iruit.l
aud cranberry preserves, the cranbeuies from Ore
gOn. You see what powerful magnet gold s
IL has attracted every luxury that can be named
June Ill have Just returned rom Pueblo san
Jose. al tie hthu OF me Day Iolc Aut uls-
tanco from there, 80 miles, in \ hours on horse
back.
There's not In this wide world valley so swce,
IS tho vale from Dolores to Santa Clara and san
Jose. o plain perfectly level, skirted on one side
by Los Monies Brunos, protecting rs delicate
howery gems from the rude winds Of old Ocean by
San Francisco Bay. on the opposite shore Of which
rise the hills which separate II from the Valley OF
san joaquin.
First there = grassy plain Tor miles, dotted
at long intervals with trees next. the same
level plain covered for miles with wild oa;s, inter
spersed now with venerable oaks, rivang Tor
park like beauty the grounds Of kings aud mobiles
One of the Padres Of -. John Mission, on the
opposite side of the Bay, planted handful Of
mustard-seed, some 20 years ago and ~ now
grows densey over many ceres Of the plain, the
seed being scattered by the Tree winds
Ia the palmy days of the Missions, this vast
plain was literally covered with lowing herds
aud droves OF sheep, ana cattle, and horses, the
latter being often slain To lessen their numbers
At san Jose the native Cahiornans are much more
numerous than the American. The feastdsy OF
the patron saint Iosephl cccured while J re-
NAMED there. \ grand procession was had-the
image Jose carried in a miniature temple, les
TONED with flowers, silk flags flying, drums beat
Ing, guns firing rockets whizzing. &c.
Col Fremont arrived a few days since. lie
looks exceedingly well after enduring such ex-
cessive hsrdships on the way. He VIII, most
probably be elected the first Governor Of the State
OF California.
expect to start for the Placer in two days :
there lore, when | write again ! expect shall
have seen the elephant. Adios. j. L. D.