Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-02-12

The following is portion of let
ter from Southern California by
travelling correspondent of the Alta,
dated Oct 15. 1868. Although out
of date, the kindred and friends of
Mr.. Couts may be glad to peruse it:
THE auAJoME HACIENDA
is the property of Col. Cave johnson
Couts (''Don Cuevas" titled here Ia
schoolmate at Hallowell, Alexandria,
Va, in 1S367, (both, Of course, now
on the shady side of 49,, Being alb
sent with his ,neighbors- 81 orster and
Major Strobel--on a flying trip to
San Diego to meet the steamer, l was
having been looked for several
weeks-received and entertained with
all due hospitality by the portly and
fne-looking mistress of the establish
ment, daughter Of the late Don
Juan Bandini, sister of. Mrs. Abel
Stearns, and related to several of the
leading old California families. Like
the most of this native stock, she has
proved quite fruitful, being the mo-
ther, already, Of near one dozen chill
dreu. ~
l have, in past letters, likened sew
eral green spots met with through
this sparsely- timbered and at this
season, parched up and verdureless
country, to cases Couts' residence
is emphatically SO. 1t is situated up
on the slope of small valley, among
dry and naked hills, in which are sew
eral springs and small lagoons, sur
rounded with willows and other indi-
genous trees The buildings, with
stable-yards and corrals connected,
are upon an extensive scale. 7i'
The rooms-all of one-story-are
built in the old Spanish style, around
a double court, the outer for, car
riages, saddles, shops, servants quar-
,, tiers, etc., the inner for family uses,
and planted with orange and lemon
trees, oleanders, and festooned all
around with the passion flower vine.
Upon the south side is handsome
yard and garden, planted with oranges
Several of the trees loaded with
fruit), lemons, figs, olives, pomegran-
ates, and various kinds Of shrubbery
and ornamental trees. A small or
chard and vineyard adjoins this, in
which | found two species of trees
(both bearing) with which many
pleasurable "reminiscences and early
home ties of my host and self are as.
sociated-black walnut and persim.
mon. Colonel Kewen has couple Of
black walnut trees in bearing upon
his place. The timber of this tree, as
is we'll known, makes excellent furni.
ture, and, to my taste, the nut is
much superior to the English walnut
All of Couts' houses and outel
walls are covered with tiles, obtained
from the ruins of the neighboring
Mission buildings; and the red color
of these, the white walls and various
shades of green foliage surrounding
give very tasty and pleasing ap
pcarance to this oasis. Yet this style
Of architecture is open to much criti
cism, Notwithstanding the plea that &
better proportioned and more com
Portable order had to be sacrificed t.
the then necessity of rearing a forti
6cation fabric. Now that this neces
sity has passed away, he might let il
. little more sunlight and fresh air b,
punching some holes or making win
dows through the thick walls of hi
prison-like apartments. The propri
tetor has league of land attached tt
this home place, with third interes
in large rancho (the San Marco) ad
joining; also, has leased the Mission
ract, containing some twenty leagues
POGO mas n,anos, claimed by Phoebe
Halves and General Howard. TIL
squatters have been and are now Civ
= ing some trouble to the lessee of thi
land, by contending that it is publ
domain and open for presumption, be
cause the grant has been rejected b,
the U. S. Supreme Court. 1t is no,
before Congress for confirmation, up
on the ground of its being a lega
and equitable title, Notwithstanding
but if not secured to the claimant
. through this channel, they will see
D to hold it, or such portions Thereof a
J. they may choose to pay a dollar an
quarter an acre for, under the &C