12 WITH THE FLOWERS AND TREES 



authorities to make a horse-back trip to the Mis- 

 sion at Santa Clara, some forty miles south; and it 

 is interesting to read of the Englishman's delight 

 at that time in a region which is still famous for 

 its pastoral and sylvan loveliness. 



"About noon," writes Vancouver, "we arrived at 

 a pleasant and enchanting land situated amid a 

 grove of trees at the foot of a small hill by which 

 flowed a very fine stream of excellent water. This 

 delightful pasture was nearly enclosed on every side 

 and offered sufficient space for resting of ourselves 

 and baiting our cavalry. The bank which overhung 

 the murmuring brook was well adapted for taking 

 the refreshment which our provident friends had 

 supplied ; and with some grog we had brought from 

 the ship (spirits and wine being scarce articles in 

 this country), we made a most excellent meal; but 

 it required some resolution to quit so lovely a scene 

 of beauty which was greatly heightened by the de- 

 lightful serenity of the weather." 



That was November 20, 1792. Proceeding some- 

 what further the Vancouver party entered a coun- 

 try which, the record tells us, "we little expected 

 to find in this region. For about twenty miles it 

 could only be compared to a park which had orig- 

 inally been closely planted with the true old English 

 oak; the underwood that had probably attended its 



