PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 73 



longitudes of the places between Nootka Sound and 

 San Diego are dependent upon the situation of San 

 Francisco and Monterey ; Vancouver having, in his 

 survey of the coast, rated his chronometers between 

 the meridians of these places. My observatory was 

 erected upon a small eminence near the anchorage at 

 Yerba-Buena, from whence the observations were 

 carefviUy reduced to the fort at the entrance of the 

 harbour. The results have been published in the 4to 

 edition, where will also be found some observations 

 on the dip and variation of the needle, the tides, and 

 other subjects. 



I shall conclude this imj^erfect sketch of Upper 

 California with a short description of the Indian mode 

 of living, and of the natural productions of the coun- 

 try, derived principally from the information of the 

 priests, and from the journals of the officers who went 

 overland to Monterey. The Indians who enter the 

 missions with which we became acquainted are di- 

 vided in their wild state into distinct tribes, and are 

 governed by a chief whose office is hereditary, but 

 only in the male line, The widows and daughters, 

 however, though not allowed to partake of this pri- 

 vilege, are exempted from labour, and are more re- 

 spected than other women. Each tribe has a different 

 dialect ; and though their districts are small, the lan- 

 guages are sometimes so different, that the neigh- 

 bouring; tribes cannot understand each other. I have 

 before observed, that in the mission of San Carlos 

 there are eleven different dialects. Their villages con- 

 sist of wigwams made with poles covered with bul- 

 rushes, and are generally placed in an open plain to 

 avoid surprise. Like the Arabs and other wandering 

 tribes, these people move about the country, and pitch 



