CALIFORNIA. 
201 
cigar as a token of friendship, he called up the whole family, consisting 
of a mother, two daughters, and several other children. These, after 
dressing themselves, came forth, and greeted us with genuine hospi¬ 
tality, with such pleasant faces and cheerful talk, that it was really 
delightful to find ourselves in such quarters; and our surprise was the 
greater, in consequence of the exterior having proved so uninviting. 
They immediately set about providing us with supper, consisting of 
tea, tortillas, valdivias, ollas, with eggs and a steak; and while this 
was in preparation by some, others were arranging the beds and 
changing the furniture of the sleeping-room. All this was done whilst 
the mother was talking and waiting upon us; and after supper was 
over, she pointed to our room, and then excused herself, by saying she 
must provide something for the sailors who had accompanied us; 
whilst we retired to rest, much fatigued with our jaunt. 
The room was furnished differently from what we had been accus¬ 
tomed to, yet it was quite comfortable. The only piece of furniture 
that was not new to us was a high-post bedstead, evidently from our 
own country, though bedecked with old Spanish tapestry, in the way 
of tester, curtains, and valance. Instead of drawers, there were huge 
trunks, that put to shame those of modern construction. These con¬ 
tained the household linen and the finery of the females of the family, 
and were raised from the floor, that a broom might be passed under¬ 
neath them. Here and there on the walls hung a new-made dress, of 
ample dimensions, and several Spanish sombreros, those that were of 
more recent date hanging highest; at least I judged them to be the 
best ones, from the careful manner in which they were covered up. 
There was no wash-stand; but a French ewer and basin, of the lozenge 
shape, of white and gold porcelain, were placed on a chair. A single 
looking-glass was hung high over it, its head inclining outwards. The 
dimensions of the frame were small, and the glass still smaller, owing 
to a figure of a patron saint occupying the larger part of the upper 
surface. Of chairs we had five, two with leathern seats and high 
backs; the others were of home manufacture. A large grated win¬ 
dow, well barred with iron, with the thick and massive walls of an 
adobe house, gave it the look of security for confinement within, or 
against attack from without. Half a dozen coloured prints of the 
saints, ten inches square, in black frames, graced the walls. 
Our beds, and every thing connected with them, were comfortable ; 
and the manner in which we had been provided for made the enter¬ 
tainment doubly welcome. We found in the morning that we had 
occupied the sleeping-room of our hostess and her daughters, and that 
they had given it up expressly to accommodate us. 
26 
VOL. V. 
