The herald., 1895-11-24

that time, notes Browns arrival there
d says in h Three Years California
tina, he (brown) rode the whole distance
to Monterey. AGO miles,in fifty-two hours,
during whicn time he had not slept. His
intellig-n vas for Com m odore Stock
ton, and in the nature of the case was
not com mitted to paper, except lew
words rolled IN cigar fastened in his
hair; but tae comm odore had sailed fo'
San Francisco and 1t was necessary he
should go lao m LIS further.
Cotton and Gille,pie both make the dis.
eco m les. The actual distance by the
cntst no 1te, the one taken by Flacc, Is
about 500 miles. Counting the detDurs
he made from the direct road to avoid
hostils parties of Californians. and the
deviations from the trail to procure fresh
horses, Flaco dou tlrss rod 600 miias.
Then the ira over which Flaco made his
ride wa, not like tho "road from Win
chester town. a good, broad highway lead:
ing down" It was what the Spanish call
q carmino dc helradura-a bride path
now winding mp through a rocky canyon.
skirtine along the edge Ut preoipitous
cliffs, then zigzsgGing down the steep
now over the sands OF the sea beach. and
again across long stretches OF brown
mesa; winding through narrow valleys
ana across the rolling foothills-a trail
% nature made it, unchanged by thu
hand OF man-sucn was the highway
over which Flsco 8 steed stretched away
with his utmost speed"
Take. it all in all Flsco's ride has no
darallel in history for speed, distance
and Endurance. To parnphrase Whittier's
skipper Irssen's Ride:
"Ot all the rides since the birth OF time
Told in story or sung in rhyme
The retest ride that ever was sped"
was Juan Flaco's ride from Los Angeles
to San Francisco. LIN fellow has iT.
mor,alized the ride Of Paul Revers.
Ronert Browning tells in verse of the
r.ders who brought the good news from
Client to AK, and Buchanan Real
thrills us with the heroic measures Of
Sheridan's ride.
No poes mas sung Of Juan Flaco's
wonderful rid Heeter. longer and more
perilous than an of these tnre'. Flao,
rode 800 miles over mountain and PLAIN
tn ruth an tnemy's country. to bring
aid to a h-seigei garrison, while Revere,
Jorris and Sheridan we're IN the country
from their enemies. II is disappointing
to know tina. Flsco's ride WAS ali in vain.
q ,rnmodo Q Stockton set ab,ut sen1ins
relisi i'm medi.teIy. Tbs frig. tie Savan-
nah. commando by plain William
Mervin'. was ordered to prepare to go to
bci al unCc. ne c"p balH was llu VI tuo
great danger in wifi h Gillespir's com.
man was PLACED. and urged to hasten to
its relief. The vessel Set sail and ran
down tue bav wit tins breeze. " lie
captain. happe Ing to thi TX of some
friv lous thin h. wan ed from Sausalitu,
cast anc or an went asho e. Before he
was ready 10 sail lin dense toa set in
and iet.ined the vessel three days
In the meatime Gill spies men were
bravely boldin the fort. but were worn
out with c. instantly watching and guard
ing against al a.siult.
he obstinate resistance Of tho Ameri.
cans rage tina if,rDiAn, If
Gillespie continued to hold tue town his
obsti aey nil. mt brina down She ven-
s,ance OF the CaIifo mans. not emily upon
him and his mro, nut upon many of
the American residents Of the sautb who
hal favored their cou trymen.
Fin lily Dlores issued ais ultinatum to
the AmerMnis-- surrea der within twenty
four hours or take the consequences o.
an onslautht by tho California Is. which
might result in the massacre OF the entire
garrison. Gillespie, fearing that Flaco