SOCIETY. 377 



ing tlic epitlict witli a blow; and the same custom justifies a 

 man who is attacked with the fist, in defe^nding himself with a 

 pistol or knife. In the mining districts, many of the men arc 

 constantly armed, so that the weapons of death are rarely out 

 of reach. The Californians are reckless of life ; and the men, 

 living alone, free from the influence of family and relatives, 

 are dissipated, and when heated with Hquor and excited by 

 gambling, are easily provoked to settle every little quarrel 

 with blood. The wild condition of affairs in the early times 

 has been impressed upon our society, and we have not yet 

 been able to reform it altogether. The multitude of people 

 from the cotton states have introduced among us their views 

 and practices in regard to the use of deadly weapons, and the 

 leaven has attached itself to the mass. The majority may 

 have different opinions, but one quarrelsome man can compel a 

 dozen to carry arms for self-defence. Adultery is held by pub- 

 lic opinion to be a justification of homicide, and this is a fruit- 

 ful source of deadly quarrels. And then it is to be remem- 

 bered, too, that many of the residents of California are men 

 who have committed crimes in the Eastern states, in Australia 

 and Europe, and have fled hither to escape punishment. Such 

 persons, although they may form a small proportion of the 

 population, contribute to give trouble. As compared with the 

 total number of homicides, the assassinations for revenge, and 

 the murders for mone^^, are few. Previous to 1856, street 

 fights were among the institutions of San Francisco. It would 

 frequently be announced by conversation, or even by the news- 

 papers in the morning, that a street fight might be expected that 

 day between two men whose names were mentioned ; and the 

 curious would collect on Montgomery street, the main business 

 street, to see the fun. The belligerents, armed each with a 

 concealed revolver and a bowie-knife, would walk along the 

 street, and on coming near each other would draw their re- 

 volvers, and, with or without speaking, would commence firing. 

 The fight would be strictly one of self-defence on both sides. 

 In the use of deadly weapons, California resembles the Gulf 



