New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-05-16

| uas performed even ~ many W Hir 'i.@.u, "
g. Frsncisco for the purpose OF obtaining tties
- "a some gsntleneR Oi my acquaintance
49, -. the uoesession II certain stone quarries,
.dry Ii nds and fine sheep pastures, in this m an
- yvhereupon friend OF mine ani myself con-
clndad 30 try the experiment, thinking tue expert
1I5;, vre rode out 10 the Mission where we
49, tbe surveyor on one Of the hlls chOqping up
I-aLn,sTsl into ahundred vsra los. He re-
,od ~ cordislly and on boxing his map of
,be iocsIity found two adjoining lots OF two hun
dred warns each which were sui unoccupied'
they Law on the western side OF the valley on the
'lo,e nj the mountains. We fastened away,
SSdissed tvo yawning arroyOs aud climbed the
s,een where truly enough, we found the stakes
;ndrstine the limits Of the survey. chose little
vsllev scooped out between two peaks of the
ridec and watered by clear stream which trick
led down through its center. My friend took
broader tract which was not so well watered as
mine however, on examining toe soil, we agreed
that il would produce good crops Of cabbages and
turuips Accordingly, we marched leisurely over
the ground assembled to its highest part and took
q seat on boulder OF gray rock, winch stood ex
sctly uron the line between our two territories.
All the beautiful valley lay beneath ne. with the
bay beyond part of the shipping Of San Fran
CISCO and Monte Diabo in the distance--a line
prospect for a squattcr!
On our return % the city, we debated whether
we should procure materials for tent aud take up
an abode on the lofty lots; bat it not at all
clesr that any land could be granted or that it
would be worth taking even If we should become
bona ide settlers. we finally determined 70 let the
matter rest. We did not repeat our visit aud We
learned soon afterward that violent disputes had
arisen between the inhabitants OF the Mission and
the emigrants who had commenced gardening. l.
who never owned a rood Of land in my life would
nevertheless have accepted the propretorship OF
one of the bleak pinnacles Of the Sierra Nevada
or better, the top OF the Shaste Peak-could it
have been given me, for the mere satisfaction of
feeling that there was one spot OF the earth which
might claim as my own, down to its burning
center.
THE VIEW FROM CHAPULTEPEC
| wish there was perspective in words-some-
thing beyond the mere suggestiveness OF sound
some truer representative of color, and light, and
grand aerial distance; for | scarcely know how
else to paint the worldwide panorama spread
around me. Chapultepec, as have said before,
stands isolated in the center Of the Valley. The
mountains of Touca approach TO within fifteen
miles beyond Tacubaya, and the islandlike hills OF
Guadalupe are not very distant, on the opposite
side but In nearly every other direction the valley
fades away for fifty sixty miles before striking
the foot of the mountains. The forms Of the chains
which wall in this little world are made irregular
and wonderfully picturesque by the embaying
curves of the valley-now recedng far and faint,
now piled nearer in rugged and barren grandeur,
now tipped with spot Of snow, like the volcano
of Touca or shooting far into the sky dazzling
cone, like cloud-girded Popocatapel But the
matchless Valey-how shall describe that How
reflect on this poor page its boundless painting OF
fields and gardens its svery plantations of aloes
its fertilizing canals its shimmering lakes embow
cred villages and converts and the many lowered
capital in the center-the boss Of its great enam
eled shield Before US the aqueducts ran on their
thousand arches toward the city, the water spark
ling in their open tops the towers Of the cathedral
baJ hraa of abon xubi ito
silver against the cloud Swallowed mountains Ia
cubaya lay behind. with its palaces and gardens;
further to the north Tacuba, with the lone cypress
Of the Noche Triste." and eastward, the point
Of a mountan-cape shooting out toward Lake Fez.
cuco we saw the shrine OF Dur Lady of Guadalupe.
Around the foot of rocky watch tower, we look
ed down on the heads OF the expresses out of
whose dark masses it seemed to rise, sundered by
that weird ring from the warmth and light and
beauty OF the far-reaching valley world
SOCIETY IN CALIFORNIA
1t cannot be denied that the very activity of Cali
fornia society created spirit of excitement which
frequently led to dangerous excuses. The habits |
of the emigrants, never, even at home very slow !
and deliberate branched into all kinds of wild Off
shoots the necessary effect of the sudden glow and
expansion which they experienced. These who |
retained their health seemed 10 revel in an exubcr
ance of animal spirits, which carried them with |
scarce jar over barriers and obstacles that would |
something exceedingly hearty, cordial and encour.
aging in the character of social intercourse. The |
ordinary forms of courtesy were Hung aside with 2 |
bluntness Of good fellowship infinitely preferable,
under the circumstances. | was constantly re-
minded of the stories Of. Northern Hist0ry-of the /
stout Vikings and Jarls who exuted in their very
passions and made their heroes OF those who were |
most iovial at the feast and most easily kindIed |
with the rage Of battle. Indeed, il required but
little effort of the imagination TO revive those iron
ages when the rugged gold diggers, with their long |
hair and unshorn boards, were grouped around |
some mountain camp fire, reveling in the rudy
light and giving full play 70 n miEi so powerful and
profound thst it would not have shamcd the Ber
serkers.
The most common excuses into which the Cali
fOrniens run, are drinking and gambling. say
drinking rather than drunkenness, for saw very
little of the latter. But single case came under
my observation while | was in the gold region.
The mans friends took away his money and depOs-
tied it in the hands of the Alcade, then tied him
10 tree, where they left him till he became sober
The practice OF drinking, nevertheless was widely
prevalent, and its effects rendered more destr1c-
tive BY the large amount Of bad liquor which was
sent into the country Gambling, in spite OF
public sentiment against it, grew an
hourished; the disappointment aud ruin of many
emiCrants were owing 10 its existence. The gam
blers themse Ives were in many instances men who
had led orderly and respectable lives at home. |
nave hehFu some ol thelh laihi! aNoH tuit hJih-
ing would induce them 10 acquaiut their friends and
families with the nature OF their occupation they
would soon have enough, they said, and then they
would wash their hands OF the unclean stain anl |
go home to lead more honorable lives But alas
It is not so easy TO wash ont the memory Of self
degradation. If these men have in truth any SEN
timentof honor remaining, every cJin Of the wealth
they have boarded will awaken Il shameful con-
sciousneEs Of the base aud unmanly business by
which it was obtained
In spite, however of all these dissipating and
influences the main stock OF society
was sound, vigorous and progressive the rank
shoots, while they might have sight'y weakened
the trunk only showed the abundan, life Of the
root In short without wishing % be understood