CALIFORNIA. 179 



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 Bucna, and to employ their men in trapping during the season. 



