The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-09

Weather, Temperature, Climate Reputed Abun-
dance of Crops Olipes-Indian H,lts-A Har.
per's Ferry Muskst-- Grapes-Ihs Indians-Dfu.
sic-A Luxurious Nights Rest-Arrioal at Santa
PoINT CONCEPTION, CALrroRNIA,
October /, 1850.
Since wrote last, there has been no material
change in our affairs here; the month of Septem.
Der has shown us some new phases of California.
by giving us more wind, heat, and cold than we
have had before, and also some very clear and
some very rainy days We have had the Their
mometer at $50 at sunrise, 96o at A. M; and hot
in proportion for the rest of the day; the rainy
Their was more novel than interesting, and we en-
joyed it for three days. The soil forms unctu-
GUS, sticky kind Of mud, that gave an idea OF
what we might expect if staid here much
longer.
Rain is such event in this country, for six
months, that it is quite curiosity when it first
comes; and this the first that had seen for
three months. II quite idea to the ma
tives when told them that had rain at home
as often as once in ten days; and the thought OF
green food for the cattle, all the year round, made
their eyes dilate But the California SOIL with all
its dryness, performs wonders in some respects,
though it generally needs irrigation; and if the
res that they tell Of the crops that raised here
are only half true, they beat any thing that we
can get up. allow one-half for exaggeration, and
then have to own that we a long way behind
them. The only specimen of cultivated ground
that have at the vineyard, about five
miles from US. went there with Don Luis, and GER
tainly saw something new. The grapes were hard
ly ripe and the corn, peas beans, and watermelons
looked very much like what l had seen before, but
then saw olives growing, and, above all curosties,
the huts of the Indians who live there. /
thought that the houses we have here We're {" the
last" but these are a long way ahead fit send
you little sketch of one of them. They made
of coarse kind of grass, which, by the way,
sheds rain very well, and shaped like bee hive /;
the door is an irregular hole punched in the side,
and there is another in the top for the smoke to go
out of. Tho fire is built in the middle, between
three stones; and cooking, eating sleeping and all
other operations carried on in this one apart
ment, of about ten feet in diameter. Not one of
these people has less than six dogs, and they
much at home in the huts as their masters; and
the hens walk in and out cad libitum,o making
their way through the thatch wherever they choose.
IL was my turn now to open my eyes, and did it,
rather wider, imagine, than I have at any time
since first saw Chagres; and when one of the In
diansproduced an old United States musket, with
"Harper's Ferry" stamped on the barrel, my
amazement was pretty nearly complete. The
gun had load in it, and he was afraid to fire it off
and brought it out for Don Luis to fire, and as soon
as the powder and shot were actually out, he
seemed to experience great relief at being rid Of
such a dangerous guest.
carried away from here some corn and some
apples as treat; for, though of these people
had been to our camp dozen times, and knew that
we were ready to buy any thing Of this kind, they
had LcI L
thing; but, found out that there were
vegetables there, Immediately made arrange
ments to get some, and since then we have enjoyed
taste of green corn, peas, beans, onions, and wa
ter-melons three several times, and of grapes we
have had two supplies, for they now about ripe
OF these can speak we'll, for they have fine fla
vor, and the punches are very large, and am
credibly informed that in good vineyard the vines
bear from seventy to one hundred bunches This
ID really great country for the grape, and, with
good cultivation, will some day have great repu
tation in this respect- We paid dollar for a pair
Of addle-bags full, and day or two afterwards
learned that the owner ofth vineyard had heard of
the old Indians selling US grapes and had visited
him with the rod of corrections whether this was
for selling his masters property or whether it was
because he had taken money for them at all hard
~ know but suppose that the latter was the case,
for few days after the old sinner made his appear
ance again with some more, which he very signifi
canty remarked were not for sale, and which wevery
graciously accepted as a present, inasmuch as we
had given him soap and sugar on sundry occasions,
and had given his wife looking glass
These Indians themselves have interested me
much, and we have some very good specimens in
those who live near One of them, Lareon
(they none of them have but one name ! like
unit well in nil IF n a; tI~
is not quite so interesting, from the fact that he
does not speak much Spanish, and their native Ian
guage is as harsh sounding one as have ever
heard. Venaver's father is still alive, though near
ly a hundred years old, and remembers the COM
ing of the first white men into this country. The
Indians had never seen horses before and imagined
that they were the mothers of the men, who were
themselves the children of the sum- and they looked
upon the strangers with such fear that they could
hardly be induced to come near them. The history
OF these people is very short they were
inoffensive, and made little or no resistance
and when the missions were established they
were taken in hand by the priests, who treated
them well, clothed them, and gave them some
little education. When Mexico obtained pos
session here the Government commenced plumber
ing the missions extensively that they
were abandoned by the priests, the establishments
entreiy broken up, ana the indians In great mea-
sure dispersed; some went back into the noun
tans, where they now live by making incursions
upon the inhabited country and stealing horses,
and many more were scattered in various direc-
tions, and they have at length come to occupy
position very similar to that of negroes in the
Southern States Smallpox and other diseases
have nearly depopulated some localities, and sick
ness must carry off great many every year.
There are quito number of diseases common
among them; they cannot afford to employ physi.
clans, and Venaver's wife remarked, when asked
her what they did when they were sick-"We
die"
bought from the old man that mentioned
bow and some arrows, such the Indians former
ly used, and, indeed, still use. The bow is made
of wood, with piece Of deer's muscle fastened on
the outside, in the same manner as our English
bows are made, of two pieces of wood, and it is
very good article. The are made of reed,
with stone heads, very neatly put on, and both
curiositics. hope to be able to get them home.
Don Guilermo, the brother of Don Luis, paid US
a visit some time since, and brought our letters.