ELDORADO 177 



pation. Profanity, gambling, drunkenness, and kin- 

 dred vices are not only disgusting but ruinous. It 

 "doesn't pay." Better a healthy, vigorous old age and 

 a clear conscience than the memory of scores of so- 

 called "good times." 



In the cities, on Sunday, very little change was ob- 

 served from all other da}S of the week, except that the 

 gambling houses and places of amusement were more 

 liberally patronized. While there were many drinking 

 places, drunkenness was of rare occurrence. 



In the spring of 1852 a bear and bull fight was ad- 

 vertised to take place at Brighton race track, three 

 miles from Sacramento. T attended, paving my dollar 

 for a safe seat in the pavilion, in which also were many 

 lady spectators. A large cage on wheels had been 

 drawn up in front of the stand, which contained the 

 grizzlv, while a small strong pen held the fierce-look- 

 ing Spanish bull with long, sharp horns, apparently 

 capable of penetrating an oak plank. A number of 

 well-mounted Spanish vaqueros had charge of the ani- 

 mals. A chain had already been attached to the fore 

 leg of the bear and hung out at the rear end of the 

 cage. Bv means of the lassos the bull was broueht 

 sufficiently near to attach the chain also to his fore 

 leg. when the door was raised and Mr. Bear was in- 

 troduced to his opDonent. The bull, having had his 

 nose cut with a knife, so that the blood trickled into 

 his mouth and nostrils, was becoming desperate and 

 roared continually. The grizzly walked around his 

 enemy, seeming reluctant to begin the fight. The bull 

 stood for a moment with bowed head, blood in his eye 

 and uttering deep moans. With a rush, such as only 

 a Spanish bull can make, he plunged his sharp horns 



