CALIFORNIA. 
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in goods. The extent of his stock amounts to about one thousand 
horses, two thousand five hundred cattle, and about one thousand sheep, 
many of which are now to be seen around his premises, giving them 
an appearance of civilization. 
Captain Suter has commenced extensive operations in farming; but 
in the year of our visit the drought had affected him, as well as others, 
and ruined all his crops. About forty Indians were at work for him, 
whom he had taught to make adobes. The agreement for their 
services is usually made with their chiefs, and in this way, as many 
as are wanted are readily obtained. These chiefs have far more 
authority over their tribes than those we had seen to the north; and 
in the opinion of an intelligent American, they have more power over 
and are more respected by their tribes than those of any other North 
American Indians. Connected with the establishment, Captain Suter 
has erected a distillery, in which he makes a kind of pisco from the 
wild grape of the country. 
The duties I have already named might be thought enough for the 
supervision of one person ; but to these must be added the direction of 
a large party of trappers and hunters, mostly American, who enter here 
into competition with those of the Hudson Bay Company; and attention 
to the property of the Russian establishment at Ross and Bodega, which 
had just been transferred to him for the consideration of thirty thousand 
dollars. In the purchase were included all the stock, houses, arms, 
utensils, and cattle, belonging to the establishment. It was understood 
that this post was abandoned, by orders of the Russian government, the 
Russian Company no longer having any necessity to hold it to procure 
supplies, as they are noW to be furnished under a contract with the 
Hudson Bay Company ; and by giving it up, they avoid many heavy 
expenses. 
Bodega was first established by the Russians in 1812 , under a per¬ 
mission of the then governor of Monterey, to erect a few small huts for 
salting their beef. A small number of men were left to superintend this 
business, which in a few years increased, until the place became of 
such importance in the eyes of the Spanish authorities, that on the 
Russians attempting to establish themselves at San Francisco,* they 
were ordered to leave the country. This they refused to do, and having 
become too strong to be removed by the Spanish force, they had been 
suffered to remain undisturbed until the time of our visit. 
The port of Bodega is situated about ninety miles to the north of that 
of San Francisco, and being both inconvenient and small, cannot be 
On the island of Yerba Buena, and to employ their men in trapping during the season. 
