260 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



Chilian, with the ferocity and the cowardice of the 

 descendants of the Spaniards, and loving fandangoes 

 and riding horses, as intensely as the Californians ; 

 the Chinese, with dirty, but industrious habits, and 

 the native Indians — a mean, degraded specimen of that 

 noble race that once were lords of the American forests. 

 At the present time, it is a matter of doubt, 

 whether the Americans or the foreigners predominate 

 in the population of California. It is certain that 

 the former have things pretty much their own way in 

 the various cities and in the mines. But that may be 

 from a want of unity of action among the foreigners. 

 The habits and modes of life belonging to the Ameri- 

 cans are generally prevalent in the cities ; but in the 

 smaller and older towns, the native Californians con- 

 duct every thing in the old Spanish mode. The differ- 

 ence between the society of Los Angeles and Sacra- 

 mento City, is wide, and affords a good contrast be- 

 tween the restless, enterprising, utilitarian spirit of 

 the Americans, and the indolent, pleasure-loving spirit 

 of the Californians. "With the Americans, in the 

 cities where they are in the majority, business is the 

 uppermost consideration upon all occasions, and profit 

 and loss, and chances of obtaining a competency, the 

 constant subject of thought. With the Californians, 

 the enjoyment of the present, which alone is theirs, 

 is at all times a matter of prime importance ; and 

 gambling, drinking, dancing, guitar-playing, and riding 

 on horseback, are the principal sources of their plea- 

 sures. Which of these modes of passing away life 

 is the most philosophical, we leave to the speculative. 

 But it is apparent in California, that the energy of 

 the American character is exercising a great influence 

 on the descendants of the Spaniards. Their spirit is 



