106 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



beautiful in California. It is built upon a plain ten 

 miles in extent. In front is a broad bay, having a 

 smooth beach of nearly thirty miles in extent. On 

 the right, towards the water, is a lofty eminence rising 

 nearly a thousand feet. Directly back of the town is 

 a range of almost impassable hills, running in a diago- 

 nal direction. There is no harbor in the bay, and 

 •vessels are obliged to anchor in an open roadstead ; 

 and when the south-east winds prevail, they are in 

 constant peril. 



The progress of the town was not much affected by 

 the gold mania. But though it offers no attractions 

 for mercantile or gold digging purposes, it has others 

 which will, no doubt, make it a favorite place of resi- 

 dence. In 1849, it contained about one hundred and 

 fifty houses, built of adobes, and all one story in height. 

 The town is celebrated for being the residence of the 

 aristocracy of California, and for its beautiful women. 

 Its inhabitants are principally rancheros, who visit 

 their ranches two or three times in a year to see to 

 the marking and killing of their cattle, and then 

 spend the remainder of the year in the town, enjoying 

 life as much as possible. Indolence is the general 

 vice. A horse to ride, plenty to eat, and cigaros to 

 smoke constitute their summum bonum. Santa 

 Barbara is more celebrated for its fandangos than 

 any other town on the coast. These are open to all 

 comers, and constitute the general pastime of an even- 

 ing. The climate is mild and spring-like, and, inde- 

 pendent of the attractions in the town, the surrounding 

 country offers many of the most beautiful rides in 

 California. About a mile in the rear of the town, at 

 the top of a gentle slope, is the mission of Santa 

 Barbara, with its old, white walls and cross-mounted 



