228 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



in Califoniiu. By consulting the old Mission arcliivos, one may readily 

 be convinced that since the year seventeen hundred and sixty-nine, when 

 this country was settled by the missionaries, this (-alainity lias visited 

 more than once Upper as well as Lower California. Tlie Missions pro- 

 vided themselves against such occurrence by ever having grain laid up 

 for two years, renewing the same every year. Often has it happened 

 that cattle have died off at such a rate that in order to save some of them 

 it was neccssar}^ to kill most all the horses; and on such occasions thou- 

 sands of horses were slaughtered or driven down the cliffs into the sea. 

 Fortunately this did not happen at short intervals. 



This year there is such abundance of pasture that tlie now existing 

 stock cannot consume it. Cattle cannot get poor next winter, unless 

 from exposure.* 



HORSES 



Have held out better than cattle. Most of those surprised in the 

 mountains by inclement weather and snow have perished, but on an ave- 

 rage there is no comparison between the loss of horses and other stock. 



The number of horses assessed this year is three thousand one hun- 

 dred and fifty-eight, classified as follows: 



Class. 



Number. 



American horses... 

 American stallions 

 Amei'ican mares ... 



Spanish horses 



Spanish mares 



Half-breed horses... 

 Half-breed mares .. 



Total I 3,158 



COLTS. 



American.. 

 Spanish .... 

 Half-breed 



Total . 



88 

 363 

 246 



697 



SHEEP. 



Of all stock, sheep thrive best in this county, which is, according to 

 the opinion of ex|)erts, one of the best in this Slate for sheep raising. It 

 is likewise the opinion of man}- that slice]) will in a short time supersede 



* Since the fore<;oing vas written there have been very extensive fires all over the country, 

 destroying much pasture, fencing, and some grain. 



