GOVERNMENT. 85 



nient to retain both the money and ship for his 

 own use, than to return to the owners. 



The government of New California was on 

 our present visit administered by Don Louis 

 Arguello, the same young man with whom I 

 became acquainted on my voyage in the Rurik, 

 when he was commandant of the Presidio of St. 

 Francisco. He resided at this time in Monterey, 

 and employed himself in devising systems of 

 government which should bring the heterogene 

 ous ingredients of the new republic, dragoons, 

 monks, and Indians, into order and unity. 



May the destiny of the latter be ameliorated 

 by the change ! No Constitution has yet been 

 established here ; and Arguello s power, or per 

 haps ability, was inadequate to introducing that 

 which he had proposed. Many changes are still 

 necessary in the Californias before they can 

 become the happy and flourishing countries 

 for which Nature intended them. 



On the morning after our arrival, I visited old 

 Sanchez in the Presidio. He received me with 

 unfeigned cordiality, and related to me many 

 things which had taken place since my visit in 



