National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-08-30
Life on a California Plantation.

Life ON a California Plantation.
A gentlemen ut Los Angeles describes
To u correspondent the life on one OF Tn
great estates In that country, before tn
Americans came" They MIXED cows an'
made cheese they dressed and tame,
sheep aud cali skins for clothing; the,
wove blankets; they made wine; the,
raised grain enough for their bread, ant
the Indian women ground this on stones
they preserved the hides OF the cattle fol
the Boston ships and at the San Fernando
Mission saw the huge stove md cement
tanks in which they melted down and
kept the tallow, which also was sold tc
the Boston men. Ia those DAYS, sad my
friend, when went out TO see DON t
received me at the door; he showed me
my room, and, in few minutes, bearing
N ms own hands basin Of water Tor my
use But behind HIM came halt dozen
servants, TO show me that what he did he
did odt Of respect and welcome to m3, and
that servants were at hand to do il, If he
did not choose. This old man had sons
and daughters, grown aud married, living
in hi, house. He always breakiasted alone,
unless he invited his elder son to eat with
him. He arose somewhat later than the
family, who had breakfast before him
the men, | mean; for the women and
q lldren ate apart, and had very merry
time over their meals. When he had
breaktasted, he went out into his corridor
or piazza. Tncre stood his sons and his
majorIomo and his vacqueros, hat in hand.
Then the horses, which had been saddled
since daylight, were brought. The eldest
son held his fathers stirrup while he
mounted and when he was seated in the
saddle, the rest followed. Then he gave
To each his orders for the day to Martin
the tannery, 10 Antonio the horses, to
Tomas the cheese, or the calves; and when
at last all this was received, always in
silence, he gave the word, and out into the
plain they rode ms though shot from bolt.
The old man rode at the head and "a he
galloped he called, in that low, soft voice
which they almost all have Pedro" und
Pedro drew up alongside: :" do not
want that manada Of horse on the hill
yonder." 81, Senor," says Pedro, and
gallops off. Antonio, these calves should
not be here, they must be nearer the
river > and so on, always in gallop, see
ing everything with his practical eye, and
issuing his commands As he rode.
About four he returned to his dinner,
which his sons ate with him. After dinner
he sat in his corridor, made and smoked
paper cigars, and contemplated himself.
o. Sundays ard fast days, said my
FIJI al the family rode to church, all on
i Jack IA graceful cavalcade, for the
women rode finely, and the horses, are yet
the best saddle horses in the world. Then
came the gold discovery, and the Auieri-
ans, and the sudden and great wealth
which spoiled all the simple life. Then
they became too proud and too careless to
milk, and 30 now You find no milk on the
ranches. They could buy clothing and all
kinds Of supplies, and so their useful and
ingenious industries persisted They came
to the towns, dressed in absurd gold and
silver lace, and with gold stlirups and
gold mounted saddles, and wasted their
money IN gambling houses; and so their
business was neglected Finally they
thought it gcntee to ride in carriages,
and so they gave up the most graceful and
healthful exercise which man or woman
can have. :" still remember my old friend
i'ou HWY, IoohiIIS WIN
silent disgust at his family climbing into II
cumbrous coach, and then turning to me
with the words" they are young and
may risk it, but for my part am determ-
med never to hazard my life in one of
those things, willie have strength to sit
on horses back" DO not doubt that
it was happy life they lcd-thesc old
CalifornIans But it did not belong to the
nineteenth century, and the railroad will,
in year or two, leave no vestige of it this
side Of the Mexican border. But one
thing l have learned this Winter among
the old Californians which it is pity we,
their successors, have not copied from
them, and that is the moderation Of their
lives. Their admirable and kindly temper,
their abstemiousness and temperance in
eating and drinking, the readiness with
which they submit to mere physical in
convenience, their kindness to dependents
and servants, and the skill with which
they know how to manage these, and the
polteness and ceremony which they know
how to carry into all parts of their lives,
seemed to me very admirable indeed.