The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-10
Liz I'm California.

Rainy Season holding back Prospects for the
WintT.
SAN Francisco, Nov. ID.
My former sheets have been sort Of running
| commentary matters and things up to the time
| of getting to Santa Barbara; and, after lapse OF
more than month, will take up my history
again. We found some trouble in getting COM
Portable quarters, for the contains only about
800 inhabitants, and the provisions for strangers
few but after trying dirty little tavern kept
by an Englishman, at last taken in by an
old Californian, Don Anastasio Garlic, the father
of Don Luis that have spoken of SO often, and
treated very kindly.
We only slept at his house, and took our meals
with widow woman, where several other Ameri-
cans ate also; and the arrangement suited us very
well, for the old lady is Of those kind bodies
that feels drcadfuly if you don't eat enough, or
don't appear TO enjoy yourselves; and she did
| every thing in her power for our comfort; more
over, she has young daughter, who is lively,
likes to be talked to, and not bad to look at and
who has announced her intention of marrying
one but an American As far as all necessary
rangements went, we were very well fixed, but we
had nothing to do and, as the amusements of the
town dreadfully few, we had some difficulty in
disposing of the time
We used to breakfast about eight, wander about
town till about twelve, but always spending good
part of the time at the house and store of an Ame-
rican; then came dinner and "siesta,'' and more
loafng till dark, when tea filed up hour; and
the evenings are passed in very much the same
manner either at our own house, at that of some
of our friends. Occasionally got up some mu-
sic, and waltzed with young lady, smoked
paper cigars, and talked bad Spanish.
In addition to these "monte'' and billiards
the only amusements Of the place, and, as you can
perceiye intellectual Measures re feW.i
The houses all built Of adobes, mud bricks,
dried in the sum- all OF STORY, with tiled roofs
and nine tenths of them with earth floors. give
you the ground plan Of Donna Maria's house,
where we took our meals, and you can get pretty
good idea Of the general style from this sketch
Some few have glass windows, and the march ofim-
provement has given wooden floors to a few more,
but the majority are in their original simplicity.
AS for the people themselves, one of our acquaint
ances defined them "men who hair and
ride horses" and this the whole ground,
and there is very little more to be said.
We, personally, have fallen in with pretty good
specimens-men who could read and write; but
the majority in very primitive state of igno-
rance, and have few definite ideas beyond their
own town rancho; they certainly understand
the whole art and mystery of horsefesh, and have
amazed me completely in this line; but education
has made very little advancement.
The women decidedly superior TO the men,
but treated as interiors in all the domestic
rangements they do all the cooking and other
household work, and seldom eat at the table with
the men, but come afterwards. and pick up what
they can, and in every respect are treated with
jealousy, and want of the consideration that we are
accustomed to.
The senoritas are generally good looking and
graceful, with good many endowments of nature,
very few of art, and are as ignorant as the rest.
They can receive, and entertain strangers, with
great deal Of ease, and have in general very little
appearance of bashfuness restraint, and,
sidering their entire want of education, appear in
fnitey better than persons in the condition at
home.
They have most flattering preference for Ameri-
cans, and will take one, without cent in his
pocket, rather than California nabob, for they
have enough to see the difference between the
treatment each gives his wife; and there good
man y very ordinary men who have married into
the best families in the country.
We spent three weeks at Santa Barbara, waiting
for vessel to take away, and, in spite of the
duness of the place, with nothing to do, should
have liked to winter there, if could have
ranged it 30, but that could not easily be done.
We found here plenty of fine grapes and water
melons, and made up for long abstinence; but all
other fruits were passed.
The old mission is about mile from the town,
and is going to ruin, with the exception of the
church and the apartments of the priests; but there
are remains of an extensive establishment, where
the Indians formerly lodged and cared for,
and cultivated extensive lands; and, in looking
over the grounds felt more charity for Jesuits
than ever did before, for these missions we're all
founded in wilderness, and were the first germs
of civilization in the country
We made visit on foot, to some warm springs
in the mountains, within seven or eight miles of
the town, quite to the amazement of all our
quaintances here for nobody presumes to walk, in
this country, any distance beyond hundred yards,
and they hardly leave their hor.es to sleep;
| the springs three four in number, moderate
ly strong, Of sulphur, and the warmcst ITO. We
drank the water, and bathed in it, and well
paid for the trip.
After waiting till October %, the schooner En-
pire, eighty tons, appeared before the town.
and eleven passengers took berths in her for this
place, where arrived after a passage Of seven
days, three of them calm, and three very rough.
The vessel, by the way was built at Norwich, Con-
nectcut, and is a very good saier, but was never
designed to carry eleven passengers and we slowed
very thick, but it was soon to be over, and made
| the best of it.
After considerable search here we found couple
| of decent rooms, which we have hired for $40 a
month apiece, and established in them,
and shall probably stay here for the winter This
place has grown wonderfully since was here be-
| fore, and all that burnt Just previous to my
arrival is entirely rebuilt, and great improvements
are making in grading and planking some of the
principal streets The rainy has held off
7 uncommonly long, and the weather is very pleas
ant and comfortable; and see why we
should not be we'll of here this winter, with enough
to keep us busy for some months.
| MEXICAN BOUNDARY CoMMIssIoN.-A teegra-
| pbic despatch, received from st. Louis, says:
| eve have interesting accounts from the Mexi
| can boundary dated Ell Paso, November "a Mr.