CALIFORNIA. 223 



before sunset, amidst the gathering in of the villagers, with their 

 goods and chattels, to a place of safety. There are two Americans 

 settled here, who own mills, but I was not fortunate enough to meet 

 with them ; the alcalde, however, gave them good characters. The 

 evening was a beautiful one, and we had a delightful ride back to the 

 mission ; and our horses, knowing they were on their return, were 

 quite mettlesome. 



The mode of conducting business in this country is peculiar. Ves- 

 sels, on reaching the coast, employ as a supercargo or travelling 

 agent, some person well known throughout the country, who visits all 

 the pueblos, missions, and estancias, as a traveller, passing from place 

 to place without any apparent object of business. He thus has an 

 opportunity of inspecting the worldly affairs of those to whom he 

 desires to sell ; and if he finds them apparently thrifty, he produces 

 his card of patterns, and soon induces a disposition on the part of his 

 host or hostess to buy, being careful to secure in payment as much of 

 their worldly goods as he can, and trusting them for the rest of the 

 indebtedness. A few live cattle delivered by each purchaser at the 

 neighbouring pueblo, become by this means a large herd, which is 

 committed to cattle-tenders on shares, who in due time slaughter them 

 and deliver the hides. A large amount of goods is thus disposed of, 

 to a very considerable profit. Large cargoes, consisting of a variety 

 of articles, of both American and English manufacture, are thus sold. 

 From the state of the country, it has been difficult to obtain payments 

 or returns in money ; but the debts have been paid in cattle, and 

 probably will turn out well, when the rains return and allow the 

 animals to be again slaughtered. When hides are given in payment, 

 they are valued at two dollars, and are at all times the common cur- 

 rency of the country. No money is in circulation, unless what is 

 paid out by the foreign merchants ; and in lieu of change, an extra 

 quantity of goods is taken, which excess is usually to the disadvantage 

 of the buyer. 



On our return to Santa Clara, we had to procure horses for our 

 journey back by land. We had been told by the administrador and his 

 deputy, that there would be no difficulty in the mission providing us 

 with horses and saddles; and under this assurance, we had despatched 

 our boats on their return to the ship, determining to make the ride of 

 sixty miles the next day. We soon found that the mission horses 

 were lame, and that they had strayed. These, with many other 

 excuses, all showed us the dilemma we were in. Three or more 



