gg VOYAGE TO THE 



cisco ; Still as a place of defence it is quite useless. 

 The fort is not much better, and its strength may be 

 judged of from its having been taken by a small party 

 of seamen who landed from a Buenos Ayrean pirate 

 in 1819, destroyed the greater part of the guns, and 

 pillaged and burnt the town. 



At the distance of a league to the southward of 

 the presidio lies the mission of San Carlos, a small 

 establishment containing 260 Indians. It is situated 

 in a valley near the river St. Carmelo ; a small stream 

 emptying itself into a deep rocky bay. The shores of 

 this bay, and indeed of the whole of the coast near 

 Point Pinos, is armed with rocks of granite upon 

 which the sea breaks furiously ; and as there is no 

 anchorage near them on account of the great depth 

 of water, it is dangerous to approach the coast in light 

 or variable winds. Fortunately some immense beds 

 of sea weed (fucus pyrifonnis) lie off the coast, and 

 are so impenetrable that they are said to have saved 

 several vessels which were driven into them by the 

 swell during calm and foggy weather. The ride from 

 the presidio to San Carlos on a fine day is most agree- 

 able. The scenery is just sufficiently picturesque to 

 interest, while the hills are not so abrupt as to incon- 

 venience a bold rider. The road leads principally 

 through fine pasture lands, occasionally wooded with 

 tall pine, oak, and birch trees; but without any 

 underwood to give it a wildness, or to rob it of its 

 park-like aspect. Before the valley of San Carmelo 

 opens out, the traveller is apprized of his approach to 

 the mission by three large crosses erected upon Mount 

 Calvary ; and further on by smaller ones placed at the 

 side of the road, to each of which some history is 

 attached. In the church is a drawing of the reception 



