CONCORD WITH THE INDIANS. 123 



up ail farther thought of hostilities, and enter- 

 ed again into friendly communications with our 

 people ; since which the greatest unity has sub- 

 sisted between the two nations. The Spaniards 

 often find Ross very serviceable to them. For 

 instance, there is no such thing as a smith in 

 all California; consequently the making and 

 repairing of all manner of iron implements here 

 is a great accommodation to theni; and affords 

 lucrative employment to the Russians. The 

 dragoons who accompanied us, had brought a 

 number of old gunlocks to be repaired. 



In order that the Russians might not extend 

 their dominion to the northern shore of the 

 Bay of St. Francisco, the Spaniards immediately 

 founded the missions of St. Gabriel and St. 

 Francisco Salona. It is a great pity that we 

 were not beforehand with them. The advan- 

 tages of possessing this beautiful bay are incal- 

 culable, especially as we have no harbour but 

 the bad one of Bodega or Port Romanzow. 



The inhabitants of Ross live in the greatest 

 concord with the Indians, who repair, in consi- 

 derable numbers, to the fortress, and work as 

 day-labourers, for wages. At night they usu- 

 G 2 



